《Above Your Head》


 Prologue: A Dangerous Meeting

    <h4>Prologue: A Dangerous Meeting</h4>


    Ever since I was young, I knew I was not like any other ordinary person.


    "Noona, you were dumped right?"


    "Uh, uh, uh, how did you know? I haven¡¯t told anyone!!"


    "It¡¯s written on your face~~"


    That was obviously a lie. To be exact, it wasn''t written on her face but ¡®above her head.¡¯


    "Wow, that uniform looks nice. Which school is that?"


    "North-one High School."


    "Huh? Where is it?"


    "I have no idea."


    "But you recognized their school uniform."


    "I saw it once during a school field trip."


    Of course, this was yet another lie. That was the first time I had seen that uniform. On top of that, I had never heard of that school either, and the more so I wouldn''t know of its location. However, the moment Iid my eyes on the student, I knew their ''Affiliation.'' The story of my first meeting with that student was irrelevant.


    "Leaf ranked first on the charts again this time."


    "Of course! Ah, Leaf is so pretty. Her singing is superb, and she has such a svelte figure!"


    "By the way, I heard that all personal details of Leaf are sworn to secrecy. Is that true?"


    It seemed like they were aiming for the mysterious concept. After all, her family had nothing to hide.


    "Yeah, no one has any inkling of her origins or her family. Even the manager imed that he doesn''t know Leaf''s real name."


    "Now I''m curious what Leaf''s real name might be."


    "Well¡­ Since it''s Leaf, I''m sure she must have a pretty name¡­"


    "Choi Bae-dal."


    "Huh?"


    Looking at those inquisitive eyes filled with confusion, I spoke once again, "Choi Bae-dal."


    "Yeah, what about that person?"


    "Nothing. I just suddenly recalled a movie I watched before."


    Meaningless mumbling.


    It was none of my business whether the real name of that girl, was it Leaf or Leaflet, was Choi Bae-dal or Choi Hong-man[1]. The important thing was, whether it was on TV or anywhere else, I was able to see the real names of the opposite parties as soon as I saw their faces¡­


    ---------------


    Yes. I wasn''t like every other normal person. I had an ability which others didn''t. Of course, it wasn''t as if I was a capable man of great ability but one thing I knew for sure was that it was definitely an unique ability. When did I first find out that I had this ability? Was it when I was in second grade in middle school?


    "Stop blocking the road and get out of the way!"


    "Ah, I''m sorry."


    Without giving much response to that sharp voice, I moved out of the way. I didn''t retort with statements such as "Why are you picking a fight when the road is wide?"


    The girl was on her period. Ah. Of course, I didn''t mean it as a metaphor. She was really having her period. The question was, how did I know? It was written above her head.


    <strong>Yeongwol High School. Grade 2 - ss 3. </strong>


    <strong>On her period, Jo Mi-young.</strong>


    Really. That was what was written. But of course, it was special text that could only be seen by me and no one else.


    "So when exactly did I start seeing such text? I think I recalled seeing it when I was much younger."


    Have you ever yed RPG games? No, I don''t have to use RPG games as an example.


    In most online games, characters had their ID (Identification number: An identifier assigned to a user by theputer in awork shared by numerous users.) [2] written above their head. It was a game-specific mechanism that distinguished simr looking avatars to represent an unique user.


    Yes, this superpower I had (It''s quite ambiguous if it should be called a superpower, but anyway) allowed me to see their names above their heads. No, well, to be precise, it allowed me to see not just their names. Their ¡®Affiliation¡¯ and the ¡®Condition¡¯ they are in were also written above their heads.


    The man who just walked past me, the words above his head read ''<strong>Stayed up all night ying games, Lee Chun-kyung''.</strong> The woman behind him, the words above her head read ''<strong>In love, Moon Young-Ju''</strong>. And, the words on the head of the man who just ran past them read ''<strong>Will still bete no matter how fast he runs, Jeon Dae-il''</strong>.


    "It''s really interesting no matter how many times I have seen it."


    Those words which were written before their names, I refer to them as ''Title''. Titles were numerous and would change with every passing moment. It was usually affected by the person''s current situation or state of mind. Because of this, many had often told me that I was quick-witted. They also said that I was good at memorizing names. Even though I was just reading what their titles said from time to time.


    "What a joke of an ability."


    Yeah, wasn''t this ability really ridiculous? Calling it a superpower or a spiritual ability would be borderlining it. If the ability allowed me to create fireworks or see spirits just by thinking about it, I would have been able to guess what I could do with it; but otherwise, it was hard to guess what exactly was the purpose of my ability, much less how it worked.


    Not that it didn''t help me in my daily life, and I don''t have anyints about my ability either, but still¡­


    "Excuse me."


    A sudden tiny whisper brought my running thoughts back in. The owner had called out apprehensively, perhaps fearful that I would be startled.


    I turned without much thought, "Are you calling me?"


    "Yes."


    To be honest, I was slightly surprised by the appearance of the girl who replied to me modestly. She was a girl in herte teens. Her blue hair looked as though they were made from strands of seawater. Her eyes were the same matching blue color. The pretty girl stood there. She was so pretty that if she were to stand still on the streets of Myeong-dong, she would likely receive more than 100 talent-casting offers in an hour.


    "What''s the matter?" I almost stuttered but I managed to grab a hold of myself.


    Woah, being pretty was an incredible weapon in itself. She was able to get me so flustered without making any out of the norm facial expressions or doing anything unusual. But it was something else that really got me flustered, no, shocked me.


    "¡­Huh?"


    Honestly, this wasn''t the first time I had seen a peculiar title. Yes, it had been ten years since I started seeing Korean characters on people''s heads. I had seen many people and I had seen all sorts of titles.


    <strong>Human yer.</strong>


    It meant "murderer". No matter how I looked at it, I could only interpret it that way.


    And bewilderingly enough, that title belonged to the most beautiful girl in the ss next door, Lee Kyung-eun. She was an extraordinary beauty, her grades were among the top 10% of the entire school and she even had a pleasant personality. On top of that, she was the sole child of a rich household and was hence well loved by many. And that was her title.


    Because of that, I tried as hard as I could to not bump into her or even be in her vicinity. Undeniably, she was a beautiful girl, but I don''t exactly enjoy adventures or thrill.


    <strong>Boss of Prestige.</strong>


    I had also seen such a title. If I were to interpret it, it would be something like a prestigious boss? Something along that line. The problem was that I had heard of an organization that went by the name, Prestige.


    Wasn''t it said that there were dark forces in the country that even our national government wouldn''t dare to casually mess with? But ridiculously, the person with that title was a ssmate of mine. I thought he was a model student with a quiet personality but he was the boss of a huge dark force.


    I had seen plenty of ''Titles'' so far. Innumerable titles with no consistency, and each title sounded bizarre. But even so¡­ I had never seen a title that was wrong.


    If someone had the title ''<strong>Very unlucky today''</strong>, that person would definitely be pitifully unlucky even if one was to look at their situation objectively.


    ----------------


    I''m saying this once again, but I detest adventures or thrills. I really, really love peace.


    I was the type of person who felt that living the same mundane life every day was precious and at the same time, was grateful for that. Hence, I didn''t have the least bit of interest in dangerous things or people. And now, I stared at the really startling cute little girl standing before me.


    She was pretty but not the type that I would want to get close to. But of course, being a man myself, how could I bring myself to hate beauties? But if you were to ask of my beauty standards, there would be plenty of room for dispute. For someone like me who loves peace, meeting an ambitious woman, who also created trouble everywhere she went, would definitely be a turn off.


    However, her beauty was secondary. In fact, there was something about her that was arger and more serious push factor.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "No, nothing. But if you don''t mind, may I know why you called me? I''m a little busy."


    Obviously, I was not busy.


    In any case, she was indeed a beauty and I wanted to be nice to her. But I came to my senses the moment I saw the title floating above her head. Because her title was more ridiculous and dangerous than anything I had seen so far.


    This was what was written above her head.


    <strong>Detro Gxy Union, Fourth Corps, First Advance Squad</strong>


    <strong>Extraterrestrial Being, Celestia</strong>


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    I''m saying this again, just in case, but I''ve never seen a wrong title before.


    "Oh, I''m sorry for taking up your time. I just wanted to ask you a question."


    "Ask me?"


    "Yes. Ah, pardon me."


    As she said that, she approached me and extended her two slim arms and ced them around my neck, pulling me in. It wasn''t for any strange purpose, but to whisper in my ear. But even so, it was enough for me to fall head over heels. Men around us started to send piercing gazes. I could smell a faint sweet mint fragrance.


    "I''m very sorry to ask you this during our first meeting¡­"


    She asked softly, "Are you an Earthling?"


    "¡­What?"


    An evening that made mee to my sensespletely. That was my first meeting with her.


    1. A Korean MMA fighter, also known as "Korean Monster" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choi_Hong-man


    2. read: IGN (In game name)

 Chapter 1: I Am Kwan Dae-ha (1)

    <h4>Chapter 1: I Am Kwan Dae-ha (1)</h4>


    Do you know the movie <i>The Matrix</i>?


    Neo, the protagonist of <i>The Matrix</i>, was on the search for Morpheus, the legendary hacker. Upon meeting a mysterious force, he realized that the world he was living in wasn''t real and was actually a virtual reality created by machines.


    A fake world created to control and rule over humans.


    In fact, <i>The Matrix</i> is just one of many examples that everyone would have pondered over at least once.


    Is this world real?


    Do ''I'' really exist?


    Was it possible that the world was the result of someone''s program and our memories part of a scenario?


    Is there any guarantee that the world was not created just a day, an hour, or even three seconds ago?


    Wasn''t it under such doubts that philosopher R. Descartes arrived at the first principle of philosophy - ''I think, therefore I am''?


    ------------------


    Of course, questions like these have no meaning. There will be no end to it if you start to doubt reality.


    If you doubt the world in itself, any evidence or theories derived from within it would therefore be meaningless as well.


    On the other hand, if there are no other external factors beyond this world, there is nothing that could prove these suspicions, so this idea is merely a facy.


    Therefore, it is alright to have such thoughts at least once, but they will swiftly fade away.


    Survival in this world was already tough enough without worrying over such unwholesome conspiracy theories.


    But regardless¡­


    "Is this world truly real?"


    I had always been giving serious thought to this. This concern started when I was in middle school and had always been at the back of my mind up till now when I entered my second year in high school.


    <strong>Casanova Bae Jae-seok, Grades deteriorated, Kim Wan-rae, Hasn''t slept a wink, Lee Hyung-wook, Struggling with a hangover, Park Jung-shik</strong>...


    All sorts of titles were written on the heads of the people passing by outside the window.


    This is my ability.


    I can figure out their Affiliation, characteristics, current state and name just by looking at them.


    The important thing is that this is all there is to it.


    "This is such a peaceful superpower."


    I don¡¯t have the ability to fly around using psychokinesis, create mes or teleport.


    My ability is thoroughly nonbative. In addition, I know nothing about the principle or theory behind this ability at all.


    I mean, leaving all of that aside, isn''t this a strange ability?


    I''m not joking; it''s to the point where I don''t think it is wrong for me to doubt reality every single day.


    I have done a lot of research on anything and everything I could find on this ability that I¡¯ve had since I was young.


    If I was able to create a spark, I would have thought I was a pyrokicist. If I could draw out energy from my dantian to strengthen my body, I would have assumed that I had cultivated internal energy.


    But what is this? Seeing words above people''s heads?


    From any point of view, this was an ability that was iprehensible.


    In the end, the only exnation left was¡­


    "This world is fake."


    It''s lucky that I didn''t suffer from depression. If I weren''t a naturally optimistic and self-centered person, I would have be quite despondent.


    "Huh?"


    As I looked out of the window, I suddenly saw a bag of trash leaning against the wall. It wasn''t the standard stic bag, neither was the contents sorted for recycling; everything was just bundled together and thrown there.


    Ah, damn. Who was this inconsiderate person? It was even written on the wall that rubbish shouldn''t be thrown here and they still left it right under the sign!


    I stared at the trash bag and the words<strong> Casually discarded, Trash</strong> were written above it.


    "It''s not as if I am going to impose any disciplinary action on the person¡­ but let''s find out who threw it."


    <i>Concentrate.</i>


    Yes, not only can I see titles on people''s head, I can also see them above animals, bugs, and even inanimate objects.


    This wasn''t the case since the very beginning. Initially, I could only see the titles above people''s heads.


    However, it was a pity to let such a strange ability just rot away, so after some training and practice, I could see titles on everything excluding minute things like dust or grains of sand.


    I concentrated as I stared at the title <strong>Casually discarded, Trash</strong> and initiated ''ssification''.


    It was a simple process. It''s simr to opening a folder on aputer. You just have to further specify the simple title, just like how you open the folder <strong>Animal</strong>, followed by its subfolder <strong>Birds</strong> and then open the subfolder <strong>Goose</strong>.


    "Disposed from Daehyun Apartments, trash... that''s too vague. A little more..."


    <i>ssify.</i>


    <i>Further Specification.</i>


    There is a wide selection of choices. The title can be further ssified by the <strong>time</strong>, <strong>ce</strong>, <strong>subject</strong> and more.


    If I spent more time, I could know who threw the trash, when it was thrown and the reason behind the action (Of course, you don''t really need a grand reason to throw trash).


    Well, I wasn''t curious to that extent right now, anyway.


    <strong>Thrown by Mrs. Shim Moon-soon of Daehyun Apartments, Trash</strong>


    "Ah, it''s that auntie again."


    And that was my findings.


    The title was much longer than what could usually be seen as I had channeled my mental energy for specification.


    Well, the longer you want a title to be, the longer it will be. I tried once as an experiment and the longest title I got was three lines.


    "Well, it¡¯s not as if I will do anything about it."


    I just probed further into it because I was bored. However, I was slightly bitter that the findings were as expected.


    Anyway, it doesn''t matter because it isn''t our wall. It just bothered me somewhat that I could see it from the window.


    "I should head to school."


    I shook my head to clear it of theplicated thoughts and changed my clothes.


    I should hurry. Though it''s only 6 A.M., considering that we have Zero Period [1] and the time it would take for me to reach school, I didn''t have time to waste.


    Click.


    I opened the wardrobe and took out a ck uniform.


    Hmm... I have a lot toin about our school but there was just one thing I like - the school uniform design. In fact, the cool school uniform was one of the reasons why I applied to this school.


    "Ah, Dae-ha, you are awake?"


    "Yes, Dad. Where''s Hyung?"


    "He''sing down."


    My dad replied calmly; he had an apron hung around his neck.


    The kitchen was filled with an appetizing aroma that not even a person who had just woken up and had no appetite could resist wanting to eat.


    "What did you make?"


    "Yuxiang Rou Si(ÓãÏãÈâË¿). Also known as Yuxiang Shredded Pork.[2]"


    "You have been cooking French cuisine for a month and now you are switching to Chinese cuisine?"


    "I have nothing else to make besides bizarre dishes. But Chinese cuisine is fine as well. There are many varieties and the difficulty is just right."


    Apanying his words, the sliced pork in the dish he served was thinner than thread.


    I mean, how in the world are you supposed to slice the pork meat to achieve that?


    It''s a given that Yuxiang Shredded Pork is a dish where the meat is sliced thin and then stir fried. However, there are not many in the world who can cut the meat that thinly.


    Theoretically speaking, the meat had to be cut as thin as a thread, but that was only in theory. It is difficult to achieve that in application.


    At best, some ces could slice the meat to be the thickness of a finger, so what was this? And it was even done with a knife!


    "Did you sleep well?"


    My brother yelled energetically and entered the kitchen. With a considerably short height of 171cm and a kind looking countenance, he looked cute (even though he''s my elder brother). He received the bowl of rice from Dad and ced it on the table.


    "Why are you in such high spirits despite having just woken up?"


    "I can only enjoy myself! Isn''t this world such a fun and happy ce? Hahaha!"


    "What?"


    This is absurd. Why is this human like this?


    But I didn''t want to shoot him down when he seemed so happy, so I started eating my food obediently.


    "Thanks for the meal."


    "Alright. But these are experimental dishes so give me some feedback."


    "I''m sorry but I have never eaten any food you¡¯ve made that was bad."


    Even the head chef of a 7-star hotel would not be able to match up to my father''s cooking skills.


    It wasn''t a sentimentalment like "My dad''s cooking is the best!" or anything of the sort, but I really wonder if there was any dude on Earth who cooks better than this human.


    In fact, there was a chef who ate my dad''s food and followed him for about a month, asking him to take him in as a disciple.


    "Oh man, I won''t improve if you say such things."


    "How much more do you want to improve?"


    "I''m not really saying that I want to improve. I''m just treating this as a hobby."


    "That''s a statement that killed chefs all over the world twice."


    "Haha."


    The man who shrugged his shoulders before me was my father.


    In Korean, it''s ??? [3], and in Japanese, ¤ª¤È¤¦¤µ¤ó.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "Nothing."


    He is 36 this year. I''m 18 years old so that dude had me when he was exactly my current age.


    In fact, just this fast-tracked event was enough of a shock, but what''s more frightening is that my father looks as though he is in his mid-20s or at mostte 20s.


    Frankly speaking, he looked more like my brother than my father.


    What does he look like? There are already three official fan clubs of this human in my school. (I don''t know how many unofficial fan clubs there are.)


    Even when they know that my father is a married man! They even know that I''m his son!!!


    It''s not just that.


    In order to make this human a singer or an actor, the number of talent scouts who hade looking had already surpassed three digits.


    He has a neat bob cut (In fact, there are few in this world that can pull off such a hairstyle)[4], manly facial features, calm eyes and a muscr body.


    Also, he has that unique Aura that envelopes his entire body.


    My father had such charisma that just by standing there without saying anything, he could easily seize the attention of those within a 30 meters radius.


    "So what are you looking at?"


    "Nothing, really. Just thinking that you are handsome."


    "Haha. Thank you, but it''s useless. It''s not as if there''s anyone to look at me."


    ''There are already many people doing so...!!''


    Though it might be hard to believe, this man had learned as many as 17nguages as a ''hobby'' (and there''s a high chance that it has already surpassed 17). And whenever he had time, NASA woulde to him seeking advice on space physics.


    He''s even learned all sorts of martial arts and attained such expert mastery in all of them that even normal people with a machine gun wouldn''t stand a chance against him. Also, the book he published under a pseudonym was a bestseller worldwide and had great influence.


    If he entered the stock market with a hundred thousand won [5], he could roll it into a hundred million won[6] within a month (Luckily, he doesn''t do it frequently as he said that it''s gambling with money). On my 15th birthday, he created a game all by himself and gave it to me as my present (but the quality was amazing. He even self-made the graphics and audio. As expected of him.)


    -----------------


    Yeap. This fraudulent character is my father.


    Seemingly having rolled a million dice that decided his stats and getting 6''s every time, this man is currently ''jobless.'' In simple terms, he''s unemployed.


    But my father''s situation was totally different from an average unemployed person.


    He lived a leisurely and carefree life even though all the conglomerates and national organizations had done everything they could to have him join them.


    "Thanks for the meal! Father''s cooking is always the best!"


    "Right, thanks. Ah, I prepared your lunch boxes and they are by the front door. Don''t forget to take them."


    "Got it~!"


    As per what I mentioned before, this brother of mine is always so energetic. In an instant, he had finished his meal, took his backpack and left his seat. He has a peaceful countenance, and the attitude to match.


    However, the title he held was far from ''peaceful''.


    <strong>Blue Dragon Team</strong>


    <strong>Ghost de, Kwan Yeong-Min</strong>


    What the hell is this nonsense? Blue Dragon Team? And what Ghost de?


    I have never seen my brother use a knife. He has never even grabbed a kitchen knife because he doesn''t cook. So what''s with this wuxia-sounding title, Ghost de?


    Such bizarre titles are rare, considering all the titles I have seen.


    "Thanks for the food too."


    "Okay. Have a nice day at school."


    All of a sudden, I saw my father''s face as he replied in a soft voice while taking a book out from the bookshelf.


    "What now?"


    "... Nothing. I''m heading to school now."


    "We are leaving now!"


    As I opened the door with my brother and exited, I thought, "Right, if this dude''s title is considered strange, then that man''s title doesn''t fall short either."


    Father''s title is also unique; it''s unlike anyone else.


    And that title is¡­


    "Hmph, yes, so he¡¯s good at everything, huh?"


    "What?"


    "Nothing."


    "¡­?"


    I overtook my brother with a perplexed look on his face and headed towards school.


    Though it wasn''t consideredte, I would have to hurry up since I''m on duty today.


    1. A high school ss that is early in the morning, before the scheduled start of the school day.


    2. Yuxiang Shredded Pork


    3. The original text wrote, "In English, it''s Father", but since it''s an English trantion, I switched it so that you guys will get to know/learn the Korean characters for it


    4. Hairstyle


    5. around 84 USD


    6. around 84,000 USD

 Chapter 2: I Am Kwan Dae-ha (2)

    <h4>Chapter 2: I Am Kwan Dae-ha (2)</h4>


    There are three people in my family - my father, elder brother and me.


    We were supposed to have a mother, but I was told that she passed away shortly after giving birth to me when she was still a high school student.


    Naturally, both my paternal grandfather and maternal grandfather opposed my birth. It was inevitable. How many parents, knowing that their daughter who was still studying in high school got pregnant, would say, "Oh! So I will get to see my grandchild?"


    I was slightly sad that they opposed my birth, but I could understand why.


    My mother was already terminally ill before she got pregnant with me.


    I can''t remember exactly the name of the disease but I guess her life was already a ticking bomb then.


    Hence, she persuaded her parents by saying that she wanted to leave behind proof of her existence before her death.


    Naturally, she had to persuade my paternal grandparents as well.


    This might sound somewhat harsh but it''s a fact that my mother was irresponsible to say that she wanted to have a baby before she died.


    Even if one were to have children at a slightly younger age, it wouldn''t be a huge issue if they could raise the child.


    But if she was going to just give birth and then die, what would be of my father who was only a high school student then?


    A man beingbelled as a "high school student with a child" has a really bleak future.


    Surprisingly, my grandparents agreed to it without a hitch.


    Some might think that it''s because they are easygoing, but I still think it''s because they already knew about ''it''.


    I''m talking about none other than my father.


    Trying to impede my father''s future with a merebel like <strong>m</strong><strong>arried man with a kid</strong> was close to impossible.


    Having raised my father up, my grandparents knew that very well. Those with bright futures are often those who were better than their peers when they were young.


    I''m not joking. My grandparents often said this pet phrase of theirs to me, "With you around, he won''t be able to do something like conquering the world."


    Anyway, after my father got permission from both families, he surprisingly held a wedding.


    With the blessing from both sides, my father and mother officially got married.


    At that time, everyone already knew about my mother''s terminal illness, so it was a gloomy atmosphere at the wedding. However, my father didn''t care about that and went through the wedding, and they even went for their honeymoon trip.


    And what was even scarier was that he settled all the incurred expenses by himself!


    I heard that my father wasn''t from a rich family and he saved all that money by working part-time during his free time. Is it even possible for a student to earn beyond thousands of won by working as a part-timer?


    Well, but anyway, my mother passed away after that.


    Soon after, my father dropped out of school, took the GED test to earn his high school graduation certificate and then sat for <i>Suneung</i>. [1]


    He scored full marks in all subjects.


    Yes. Full marks. The score given for not getting a single question wrong.


    Shortly after, my father left for America with me in his arms, ignoring the countless universities that invited him to enroll with them.


    Counting the time, was it about four years?


    The work my father did during that period wasn''t made public, so even I have no idea what it was. However, I''m sure it must have been amazing.


    Why am I so sure?


    Others might not believe this but I had once conversed with the president of the United States on the phone.


    He spoke in Korean somewhat unnaturally.


    -<i>Excuse me, is your father around?</i>


    Ahh, my father¡­


    "Hyung, is it because I''m a <i>Chil-sak Child </i>[2] and that''s why I amcking so muchpared to Dad?"


    "Huh? Who told you that?


    "Everyone around me except for you and Dad."


    Yes, I am a <i>Chil-sak Child. </i>Well, not exactly <i>Chil-sak</i> as I was born after almost half a year.


    This could be the reason why my body constitution has been weak since I was young and my father had to always take care of me.


    "Erm, there would be no end to getting beaten down if you were topare yourself with Dad. You are smart and good looking."


    "Argh, I will only feel ashamed of myself if you phrase it like that."


    My brother is a handsome man.


    Frankly speaking, there are few women who could surpass my brother''s beauty.


    He boasts an unimaginable cuteness with his sharp jawline, milky white skin, and a height that was slightly short for a man.


    asionally, I could also feel a dangerous vibe from him.


    Honestly, I think this man should be on TV and not here, standing right next to me.


    ''Now that I think about it, Hyung''s beauty left a deep impression from the very beginning.''


    I''m only bringing this up now but my brother isn''t my father''s biological child.


    Well, that''s pretty obvious actually given that my mother gave birth to me while she was still in high school and died shortly after.


    She was already living the fast-tracked life by giving birth to me so how could I possibly have a biological elder brother?


    I was five years old when my father adopted my brother.


    One day, my father suddenly returned home with my brother in his arms.


    Yes, I remember that day.


    Hyung was cute like a doll but his gaze was lifeless, filled with grief and despair.


    I heard that he witnessed his biological parents being killed by a serial murderer.


    The serial murderer was a hot topic in society at that time but my father saved Hyung from him just as he was about to kill Hyung after killing his parents.


    Though the serial murderer had been killed by my father, it was eventually treated as a case of self-defense. After all, he was a serial murderer.


    Even if my brother was saved, his parents were killed right before his eyes.


    There was no way that it wouldn''t be a childhood trauma.


    Was it because of that? My brother was a quiet and taciturn child.


    I''m sure he grew up to be this bright and energetic due to the unsparing affection(?) and love(?) from Dad and I.


    "What upsetting thoughts are you having?"


    "Ah, nothing really."


    My brother and I got on a bus and headed to school.


    I could feel gazes from all around us, but I ignored it and entered the school building.


    ¡°Ah, freshmen.¡±


    ¡°Wow, how fresh. How fresh.¡±


    "You are only a year older, so what nonsense are you talking about?"


    Spring. The start of a new semester.


    I am now in my junior year of high school while my brother is in the terrifying senior year.


    My brother isn''t bad at studying, but he''s not as perfect as our father, so he will have a hard time at it.


    Well, I''m not in a position toment on others.


    "Bye. Pay attention in ss."


    "Okay."


    My elder brother, a senior, went up to the second floor while I, a junior, went up to the third floor.


    Freshmen had to climb up to the fourth floor.


    I find this system where the lower grades upy the higher floors slightly absurd.


    Well, perhaps it''s some kind of privilege for the upper grades where they could climb less stairs.


    "Let''s see¡­ Was it ss 7?"


    There were numerous students walking in the hallway as the first lesson was about to start. They wore different expressions too.


    Well, they wouldn¡¯t be in a good mood since school break was over.


    Even I¡­


    "Ahh, I hate this. School breaks are really too short¡­"


    I walked trudgingly, ced my shoes on the shoe rack, changed into slippers and headed towards the ssroom.


    Though we had taken the ss cement test, everyone would have to check their individual results on the school''s homepage. So, we wouldn''t know who our ssmates were.


    That''s why I prayed.


    Ahh, please don''t put that Boss of Prestige in our ss¡­


    Of course, that guy hadn''t done anything wrong.


    He was a quiet guy and had never given me any trouble.


    But even so, I could feel it clearly - his peculiar danger.


    There''s absolutely nothing good that cane from being in his vicinity. The safe way is to stay as far away from him as possible.


    "This is¡­ ah."


    I stood in front of ss 7.


    The door was closed. I could just enter but my body stiffened.


    <strong>Wol-il High School</strong>


    <strong>Human yer, Lee Kyung-eun</strong>


    I halted when I saw that title through the door.


    Though I have no x-ray vision, I can at least see titles and names on the other side of a wall.


    ¡°Huh? Huuh?¡±


    Wait, that''s not the important thing right now.


    Wh-why am I seeing that title on the other side of the door?


    What? How? Huh? Why?


    "No way."


    Right. No way. It can''t be.


    Kyung-eun and I can''t possibly be in the same ss. It shouldn''t happen.


    That girl is a well-known beauty in our school, no, in this area. Also, she''s one of the Twin Roses of Won-il High School and a perfect idol with thebel of being a daughter from a rich household, and her grades have always been within the top 10% of the entire school.


    However, I have no interest in her title at all. All I want is peace.


    If she was in my ss instead of Dong-min, the Boss of Prestige, it would bring more trouble.


    At least, that dude lived a quiet school life, didn''t he?


    <i>Swoosh.</i>


    "Ah."


    "That scared me. Why are you standing here instead of entering?"


    1. Also known as College Schstic Ability Test or CSAT, is a type of standardized test epted by South Korean universities.


    2. Derived from the Chinese characters ÆßÐÇ×Ó. Lit. trans: Seven-star baby. A term used to describe premature birth during the third trimester but before the supposed due date

 Chapter 3: I Am Kwan Dae-ha (3)

    <h4>Chapter 3: I Am Kwan Dae-ha (3)</h4>


    "That scared me. Why are you standing here instead of entering?"


    A slim beauty stood before me. With porcin white skin and a tall stature of 170cm, despite wearing a school uniform, her coquettishness and sexiness was not something that high schoolers would possess.


    "Ah, sorry."


    I walked past her with an indifferent look.


    <i>Ahh, please tell me she just stopped by to see her friends. </i><i>Please, please. Please walk away to another ss, or even better, a ss further down the hallway.</i>


    "Ah, wait a moment."


    I flinched at her words.


    <i>What? Why is she calling me?</i>


    I had many doubts at that moment, but I couldn¡¯t stay still just like that so I turned around slowly.


    <i>Don¡¯t be scared. Don¡¯t be scared. Everything will be over if she finds anything strange. You need to calm down.</i>


    I answered with the calmest expression possible, "Yes? What¡¯s wrong?"


    "No, I just want to say that we are finally in the same ss. You are Dae-ha, right? I heard a lot about you."


    "Is that so? I hope it''s nothing bad."


    I answered calmly, but I was screaming inwardly.


    <i>Arghhhhhhh! So we really are in the same ss! Damn it! Damn it! </i><i>I should lie low like a dead rat this year!</i>


    "Huh? Where are you going?"


    "Hmm? I¡¯m going to my seat. Do you have anything else to say?"


    "Ah, no. Not really. Got it."


    I left her with a wry look on her face and headed towards my seat. Our school pre-assigned seats for their students like how they would assign sses, so there was no need to fight for seats and one could just head to their designated seat. But the assigned seat could still be changed by informing the teacher.


    "It has been a while."


    "Ah. Y-yeah. How have you been?"


    I felt baffled at that calm voice.


    <i>Ahh, damn it. Kim Dong-min is in the same ss too¡­</i>


    "No, not really good."


    "Huh? Did something bad happen?"


    "Rather than bad, it¡¯s troublesome¡­ but I¡¯ve already solved it."


    I was convinced that the hassle was certainly not something ordinary students would experience such as having your vacation homework dyed or having an argument with a friend. Perhaps, that hassle was on arger scale and he would have solved it in an even more dramatic way. But of course, I was not interested in what that hassle was or how he solved it at all.


    "Ah, hi."


    "Yes, hello."


    I sat on my seat. My partner was a pretty cute looking female student. Usually, I would have shouted ¡®Lucky~!¡¯, but I was feeling a little depressed now.


    "Now~ This is the beginning of a new semester, but you all know this right? You have to prepare now if you don''t want to have a hard time when you reach your senior year. It''s different now that you¡¯re juniors."


    A new teacher in his mid-thirties was talking about everything. In summary, he was telling us not to y but study. And he just kept rambling on.


    "...So introduce yourselves one by one so we can match your names to your faces. You will be seeing each other for a year anyway. So, let¡¯s start from the first student."


    "Eh, haha. How awkward. Um, nice to meet you. I am¡­"


    Everyone stood up in turns and introduced themselves. I was number 27 so it was still quite a while. I nced at the titles of my ssmates. Fortunately, they all looked ordinary. I might really cry if there was anyone else besides Kyung-eun and Dong-min.


    "Nice to meet you! I am Lee Kyung-eun. My hobby is watching TV and I don¡¯t really have any specialities. Studying is important but let¡¯s get along with each other~!"


    Lee Kyung-eun, who was seated in front of me, smiled brightly.


    <i>Ah, damn it. She¡¯s too close.</i>


    But as I sit behind her, I can clearly feel that she really had a nice body. For a woman, she was quite tall. Her slim legs and slender waist formed a beautiful S shape. In addition, her body felt more like a well-trained sword rather than having been born with it. Maybe that was why it looked solid? Or did she exercise diligently?


    <i>¡®No matter how I look, she¡¯s someone that can¡¯t help being popr.¡¯</i>


    With her amiable personality, captivating looks, and thorough self-care, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if she were to be a celebrity, since she looks like Little-Miss-Perfect. Nevertheless, there was one w that covers all her virtues.


    Human yer.


    Right, that title. That title was an enormous w. Frankly speaking, I wouldn''t believe she''d killed someone, but unfortunately, I had never seen a case where the titles were wrong, so I could only be careful.


    <i>¡®Now that I think about it, I have never seen her with another title besides that one.¡¯</i>


    I called it the permanent title. It would appear when someone achieved a special condition or had done a special action, their title would not change as often and they would be stuck with it. An example would be my father, and most recently my brother, whom I wasn''t sure what he had done to obtain the title Ghost de.


    The same went for Dong-min, but it was hard to grasp the condition or state of someone that had a permanent title at a nce. In simple terms, if I see someone with the title <strong>''I</strong><strong>tching to pick up a fight, Yoon Jung-min''</strong> from afar, I would avoid him. But I couldn''t tell at a nce if he wanted to fight anyone because of the permanent title. I would have to go through the <strong>ssification</strong> process. If I wanted to know the current conditions or thoughts of people with permanent titles, I would have to concentrate for a moment as their titles do not change often.


    "Hmm."


    I suddenly became curious about Kyung-eun¡¯s current condition and began ssification. It was simple. I was close enough to her, and even though her back was facing me, I could still see her title clearly, so I was able to use my ability easily.


    <i>¡®Let¡¯s see¡­ I should check hertest status than her current mindset.¡¯</i>


    I looked into ''<strong>Status''</strong>, and selected ''<strong>Present''</strong>. Of course, the whole process was only visible to me, and I feltfortable doing it as I was quite used to it. And her title was manifested like this.


    <strong>Won-il High School.</strong>


    <strong>Got rid of someone this morning too, Lee Kyung Eun.</strong>


    "..."


    Oh, My, God.


    "What¡¯s wrong? You don¡¯t look good. Are you feeling sick?"


    "I''m okay. Thank you."


    I smiled at my cute partner who was kind enough to worry about me and then looked at my textbook calmly. However, my head was still in turmoil.


    <i>Got rid? Got rid of someone? Who did she get rid of? What does this morning ¡®too¡¯ mean?</i>


    "I¡¯m Park Young-woong. Nice to meet¡­"


    "If I have to name a hobby, it¡¯s reading¡­"


    "Hi~ I¡¯m Min~"


    The self-introductions continued as my head was in turmoil. The introductions of thirty people were diverse. There were some that introduced themselves in the usual way and some who tried to make othersugh with a gag. And next up was the guy on my left.


    "I¡¯m Kim Dong-min. I hope we get along well."


    He had quite a peculiar tone when speaking. Additionally, he always stayed in the corner and did not socialize with anyone. Anyone with a nasty temper would want to provoke him, but so far no one had bothered him.


    No. There were a few who provoked him once or twice, but the day passed quietly somehow; the following day, the bullies and students who provoked him would appear with the titles ''<strong>Nearly Dead''</strong> or ''<strong>Scared to Death''</strong>.


    Drrr.


    I stood up as it was my turn next. I felt burdened standing in front of a crowd, but I was quite used to getting attention because of my popr father.


    I nced around and said with the most solemn expression possible, "My surname is Kwan and my name is Dae-ha."


    <i>So together...</i>


    "Kwandaeha-da." [1]


    "Pft!"


    "Hup!"


    "Kek¡­.!"


    Laughter was heard everywhere.


    <i>Huhuhu. How was my lethal name joke?</i> Of course, I felt like I was cutting my name, but it would be convenient in many ways to create a friendly image at the beginning of the semester. I love peace but I wasn''t the type to stay in a corner without interacting with anyone. Well, this word y was a rare one that only happened once a year, so be thankful for it. Still, the word y on my name only started because of a movie that came out during my first year of middle school, so strictly speaking, the number of times I¡¯d used this joke could be counted with one hand.


    "Ah... I¡¯m Lee Seon-ae. Um, Uh, nice to meet you!"


    <strong>''Shy, Lee Seon-ae''</strong> appeared above her head, as she sat down with her head bowed and her face flushed. Even her title was cute. I felt my heart getting healed in this depressing situation.


    As it was the first day, the sses were not as tough overall. The teachers exined what they were going to do during the sses instead of teaching, and time passed quickly while listening to those unwholesome exnations. All the sses had ended by lunchtime.


    To be honest, I didn''t really like our school, but the only thing I liked about it was that all sses end before 5 pm. Well, it might seem like they were urging us to go to an academy [2] after, but my father didn''t like academies much so there was no need to go to one. He said he would rather teach me himself if my grades were not good. In fact, no matter what kind of instructor they were, they wouldn¡¯t do any better than my father.


    "I should go home."


    I took out my cell phone as I left the ssroom. Of course, I thought of heading back with my brother. I could have gone looking for my brother since his ssroom was a floor below, but it was quite awkward to walk amongst the seniors whom I¡¯m not familiar with.


    -Hey, Dae-ha. What¡¯s up?


    "I¡¯m about to go home. Are you in the ssroom?"


    -Yes. Ah, but I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m going somewhere else.


    "With your friends?"


    -Yes.


    A truly sorry voice.


    <i>Hm~ Did his friends ask him to hang out with them? Well, it¡¯s possible since he¡¯s really popr.</i>


    "Alright. Try not to bete."


    -Alright. Watch out for the cars.


    "What am I, a kid?"


    I ended the call while grumbling and picked up my backpack.


    <i>Well, I can just rest when I get home.</i>


    But someone approached me when I was about to take out my shoes from the cab.


    "Heyy."


    "Ah, is that you, Jae-seok?"


    The guy who approached me was in the same ss as me back when we were in our freshmen year. His name was Bae Jae-seok. He was a tall guy with a big physique. He didn¡¯t learn martial arts professionally, but he had quite the personality and was a natural-born fighter so not even bullies could approach him easily. But he had a good nature, so it was easy to get along with him.


    "Ah, it¡¯s unfortunate they split us up."


    "Well, does it really matter since our sses are just next to each other?"


    "It does. If we were in the same ss, I could snatch some of the girls flocking around you who are interested in your father."


    "Excuse me."


    I looked at Jae-seok with a wicked heart and sighed inwardly. Well, his words weren¡¯t wrong. When I was a freshman I had a lot of trouble with girls who approached me relentlessly. Of course, it wasn''t that I was popr, but because of my father.


    "Are there still many girls pestering you to invite them to your house?"


    "They settled down because I kept rejecting them."


    "Why? They are cute. You should carefully select and invite them. Who knows? They may give up on the pheasant and aim for the chicken, which is you."


    Jae-seok let out a burst ofughter that would make one feel bad listening to it. But I shook my head.


    "There will be no end to it if I start inviting them over. Well, that¡¯s why my rtionship with the girls almost got ruined, but my dad solved it."


    "Huh? How?"


    "He visited three official fan clubs and told them, ¡®I will hate you if you keep bothering my son~¡¯."


    Jae-seok¡¯s eyes widened at my words.


    "Ohoo~ He came down personally? It must have been quite a ruckus¡­"


    "Who cares?"


    Well, I was d that all the girls who approached me are gone. Their interest annoyed me, and I refused to be their stepping stone heading towards my father. Moreover, it was frustrating to have girls with ulterior motives, such as telling me to do homework with them.


    There were even girls that said to me, ¡®Do you want to call me mom?¡¯ What were they talking about? Was that something to say to a boy of the same age?


    "Whatever the case, do you have anything nned after school?"


    "Not really. Why?" I muttered, as he was finally getting to the main topic.


    The reason for that was because of the title ''<strong>Wants to ask you something, Bae Jae-seok'' </strong>that was floating above his head.


    However, what he brought up was rather unexpected even for me.


    "Do you want to go to the arcade?"


    "The arcade?"


    1. <i>-da. </i>This Korean sentence is how they introduce themselves which means "I am xxx", and when tranted it also means magnanimous.


    2. read: after-school tuition centres. It''smon for Korean parents to send their kids to these study academies.

 Chapter 4: A Rather Undesired Meeting. Continuation. (1)

    <h4>Chapter 4: A Rather Undesired Meeting. Continuation. (1)</h4>


    I was a son who gotpared to my father in every way. Not only that, but I also couldn''t evenpare to the tip of my father''s toes. But¡­ How was it my problem?


    Chefs who spent all their life cooking fall into despair when they encounter my father; Martial artists who spent all their life training fall into despair when they see my father''s techniques; Writers who devoted their lives to writing literally fall into despair when they see my father''s writings, and musicians who devoted their life to music forget to even breathe at the tunes of my father''s instruments ying skills. I wasn''t the one who wascking. He was just exceedingly outstanding.


    <i>''Yes, perhaps¡­ It can be interpreted like that.''</i>


    That was right. I might have embraced the facts. If he had only been a stranger.


    -Hmm¡­ Your grades aren''t as good as I thought. But it seems like you did your best.


    I had always beenpared.


    -Ah! So you are his son!


    -Oh, but¡­ you aren''t as handsome.


    -Hey, what are you saying in front of a kid!


    It happened from when I was young.


    -Oh, uh¡­ so you aren''t good at sports. That''s unexpected¡­


    -Mmm¡­ you don''t even have an artistic side¡­


    My friends. My teacher. Even those who came to see my father and left in despair had topare me with him.


    <i>''You are his son. Not a stranger but his actual son, so why is there such a huge difference? You don''t resemble him a bit!''</i>


    That was right. That was the problem.


    If I had been someone else, people would have treated me as another human being, but unfortunately(?), he was my actual father. Gettingpared was inevitable. I might have even done the same. Those who knew my father and I couldn''t help but wonder how that superior DNA gave birth to such amon specimen (It''s not correct to call me that because I developed a strange ability). And the people who were interested in me eventually came to the conclusion that I was a quick-witted boy. They judged that I would never be better than him in any way because I hadn''t been able to inherit my father''s talents.


    But in fact, there was one thing I was better at than my father.


    <strong>You win. Perfect.</strong>


    "Woooow! Awesome! 32 wins in a row!"


    "What''s with this guy?! No, in the first ce, can such a winning streake out from a fighting game? Those guys aren''t even beginners either."


    "Damn it. How am I supposed to win when he blocks everything as if he''s able to see the future? I''m also good at this game, but I¡¯ve already lost 8 matches!"


    People around me were shocked but I felt a sense of shame rather than being happy.


    "Being good at this¡­"


    Yes. I''m good at ying games. I''m ying a fighting game right now. However, I''m good at all kinds of games regardless of their category.


    <i>''No, I''m not that good at board games so should I say that I''m only good atputer games?''</i>


    In the case of strategy simtion games, my win rate was over 98%, and frankly, I had never lost in a fighting game unless I had decided to lose. It was to the point that I had to visit Daerim-dong[1] just because I wanted to lose. I also had a strong win rate even in FPS or MOBA games, which required some sort of team members luck, so it was not wrong to think that¡­ whatever games I y, I would be able to enter the professional arena.


    Huh? How was I so sure about that?


    <i>''Well, that''s because I beat my father in it.''</i>


    At first, I won five games out of five. After a week, I won four out of five and then, a weekter, I won three games and lost two and I wasn''t going to y again out of fear of losing (don''t tell me I''m despicable. To be honest, it''s because I feel like I would lose all hope to keep on living), so anyway, I had won all the games until now!


    But of course, if I said something like ''I beat my father in the game so I''ll be able to enter the professional arena, alright?'', it would result in people treating me like an idiot, but people who knew my father would think otherwise.


    "Ah, I lost."


    "Pant pant¡­ I, I won!!"


    "Ohhh!!"


    I was defeated in the end and stood up from my seat. Of course, I had let him win. To be honest, it would be never-ending unless I let them win. I thought it would be weird if I lost simply, so I lost to the best yer, giving the impression that he could beat me.


    Actually, fighting games aren''t games where I could bring out 100% of my abilities every time, so depending on every opponent, the synergy could be bad and the game could get dragged on if I made a poor judgement. Even experts don''t always win, so there shouldn''t be anyone thinking that I''ve lost on purpose.


    "Ohh. You didn''t get rusty at all, huh? How impressive."


    "What use is there with being impressive at this?"


    I snuck away from the crowd. I attracted a lot of attention, but it wasn''t so bad because the winner remained there.


    "By the way, this arcade is great. The facilities are clean and it feels like it''s cutting edge overall."


    "Do you think I brought you here for nothing? The scale is big, and thetest games and popr ssic games are well-established, so they are quite popr these days. Besides, they have quite a number of high-tech games."


    "True, the arcade has been quite empty for a while, but it''s really crowded now."


    Students crowding the arcades after school was a story from the past.


    Honestly, how many people go to arcades these days? If they went, they''d choose to go to the PC room or ystation Room. Arcades were disappearing. Of course, that might not necessarily be the case, but anyone would have to admit that they weren''t as good as it used to be.


    "Well, frankly, it seems a bit of a risk to me. It must have cost a lot of money to decorate the arcade into this. Well, it''s not something I should worry about. Oh, drink this."


    "Thank you."


    I caught the orange juice he threw towards me and looked at the surroundings while drinking it in gulps.


    It was a considerable size. There were about 200 arcade machines and not just the type where you sit down to y but there were also shooting games, archery games, and I had no idea what was the name of it, but it was something simr to a billiard table where you had to hit a small disk towards the opponent''s side. There were also the basketball machines, betting games for practice, and even some throwing games.


    "By the way, did you really call me here to y games?"


    "Well, what else is there?"


    "Hmm, I think there''s something else."


    Jae-seok turned his head and ignored me when I looked at him with sharp eyes. But as I kept staring at him regardless of his action, cold sweat started to flow down his forehead.


    "¡­Damn bastard. You really are a ghost when catching up on things. A ghost."


    Of course, he didn''t give off a strange vibe at all. His acting skills, coupled with his wicked heart and crafty personality, were almost at the boundary ofpletion to the point where if he were to be an actor, he would be able to be a world-ss actor.


    "¡­"


    But unfortunately, that didn''t work on me. It was because the title ''<strong>Has something to ask of you, Bae Jae-seok''</strong> was still floating above his head. If his intention was merely toe to the arcade, his title would have changed the moment we arrived.


    "So what''s the matter¡­"


    "Ah, did you hear about that? About the freshmen?"


    It felt like he was hurriedly changing the subject but there was no need to drive him to a corner with a pointless thing so I answered him.


    "No, I haven''t heard anything rted to freshmen."


    "So you haven''t. I know that you aren''t interested, but it has made quite a ruckus."


    "A ruckus?" I tilted my head.<i> A ruckus? Was there a fight?</i>


    "Don''t be surprised. You know the Twin Roses in our school, right? It''s now the Triple Roses."


    "¡­"


    I waited for his next words, but he said nothing else.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    There was only awkward silence between the two of us for the moment.


    "¡­What? Was that what you wanted to ask me?"


    "Hey, you bastard! You should be surprised! It''s Triple Roses now! Triple! There are now three celebrity-like beauties in our school when other schools don''t even have one!!"


    I got flustered at him getting angry.


    <i>No, what about it? What has that got to do with me?</i>


    It was childish, but there was something called ''Twin Roses'' in our school.


    <i>Oh, that''s a really cringe-worthy title.</i>


    Was the world and of martial arts to be giving them nicknames? And now that there were three of them, it had be ''Triple Roses''? Well, anyway, one of them was the Human yer, Kyung-eun, who was now in the same ss as me, and the other was Han Min-kyung, the current student president, a senior. If Kyung-eun was a lively and active beauty, then Han Min-kyung, or Han Min-kyung sunbae[2] was a calm and cold ice princess. No, the word "ice princess" would be wrong. Rumor had it that she was more of an ice queen than an ice princess. She was often called the ck rose, but it wasn''t because she exercised any form of violence, but because of the aura around her.


    "So what is it after all?"


    "Excuse me, are you done talking?"


    A female student wearing our school uniform approached us with a careful voice from one side. She had wavy permed hair that stretched to her shoulders and a small stature. It was¡­ What should I say? Right, a real beauty.


    Actually, it was better tobel Kyung-eun and Min-kyung sunbae as beautiful women rather than beautiful girls. The female student had a startling cuteness that the two beauties didn''t have.


    <i>''Ah, my standards will get higher if I get ustomed to these looks.''</i>


    For me, who wanted some peace, a woman who was such an outstanding beauty was considered a minus point. Even in this situation, she wasn''t that far away from that fact as people in our surroundings mumbled.


    "Haha, hello."


    Bae Jae-seok raised his hand and acted like he knew her, and at that moment I had an ominous feeling. There was no way he would know a new freshman who just started school today. If that bum had known that beauty in advance, there was no way I wouldn''t have known it until now.


    But she bowed her head when she saw Jae-seok.


    "Yes, sunbae-nim. Ah, is this sunbae here really the son of teacher Kwan Il-han?"


    I flinched at those words and then looked at Jae-seok with cold eyes.


    "Did you¡­"


    <i>Did you just sell me out?</i> Bae Jae-seok just shrugged his shoulders when I looked at him with eyes that implied that.


    "Sorry."


    "Ugh, really."


    <i>This guy already knows how much I''m suffering due to this!</i>


    However, I couldn''t let the ''problem'' standing behind me discover that I was feeling annoyed so I just shot him a look that spoke ''let''s talkter'' and turned around.


    "What is it¡­ ah, I can speak without honorifics, right?"


    "Of course. You are my sunbae."


    "Thanks. So what''s your business? For your information, wanting to meet my father is a no go."


    "Eh, ah, I can''t?"


    <i>So it really is because of that.</i>


    Jae-seok, who was next to me, acted restlessly when I let out a sigh.


    "Hey hey, just do it for me."


    "My father personally went around the fan clubs and said that they can''t."


    "But she doesn''t even belong to any fan club. Besides, she said that she is acquainted with your father."


    "Really?"


    As far as I remembered, anyone who had a personal acquaintance with my father had never been ordinary. In a broader sense, wasn''t the President of the United States one of them?


    "Oh, to be exact, I''m not acquainted, but my sister worked with him. She asked me to deliver something to him, and I want to take the chance to ask him something as well."


    She was a good-natured woman, smiling and giving an exnation, but I didn''t care and looked over her head. I could see for sure whether her words were true or not just by checking on her title. I wasn''t called a ''<strong>Lie Detector''</strong> for nothing.


    But I was greeted with an unexpected result.


    <strong>Supreme Magic Tower, Protection Barrier ss</strong>


    <strong>Magician Girl, Kang Bo-ram </strong>


    "¡­"


    <i>Please don''t do this.</i>


    1. Daerim-dong is the unofficial Chinatown in Korea.


    2. Sunbae is the Korean word for Senior. It''s usually added to someone in the same school or field with more experience to show respect.

 Chapter 5: A Rather Undesired Meeting. Continuation. (2)

    <h4>Chapter 5: A Rather Undesired Meeting. Continuation. (2)</h4>


    <strong>Supreme Magic Tower, Protection Barrier ss.</strong>


    <strong>Magician Girl, Kang Bo-ram </strong>


    "..."


    <i>Please don''t do this.</i>


    "...?"


    I sighed and stood there speechless as she looked with me with her round eyes.


    <i>Ahh, damn it. What''s wrong with all the titles these days? This isn''t even a joke. A magician girl? Do you want to get hit?</i>


    "Phew, so what do you want me to do? My father will be at home anyway, so you can go and see him."


    "Oh, no. I''m not ready yet."


    <i>What preparation does she need? </i>It was absurd, but I asked because I was not sensitive enough to understand the feelings of a high school girl.


    "What do you want then?"


    "Uh, I''m sorry, but could you give me your number? I''ll call youter."


    "Well, it doesn''t matter. Give me your mobile phone."


    "Here."


    I took her mobile phone. Its size fitted right in my palm, and it had a cute design, reminding me of a pink rabbit. It was something that suited her really well, but there was something else that caught my eye.


    "Huh? What''s that?"


    Her wrist had a strange thing wrapped around it as she held out her mobile phone. What should I call that? A steel wristband? A wristlet? Anyway, the silver metal that covered the back of her hand all the way up to her elbow was by no means an ornament a high school girl should be wearing. When I took a clearer look, it was the same for her left arm as well as her right one.


    <i>Erm¡­ how should I call it¡ª</i>


    Right. It was ''<strong>Equipped</strong>''. A jewel the size of an eyeball and emitting a pink light was lodged in the back of her hand. Thinking about it, I didn''t know why I hadn''t been able to see it until now.


    "Yes? Wh-what do you mean?"


    "It''s not a what. I''m talking about that weird design. Where did you buy it?"


    "Huh? What are you talking about? Is it a weird design if the wristwatch looks like a rabbit?"


    "...Uh. Ah, yeah. Haha. It''s a design I have never seen before."


    It was a close one. I activated my superhuman senses and ignored the suspicious looks thrown at me.


    <i>Pant pant pant.</i> That, that was dangerous.


    It was that moment where I exercised my lightning-like wit to the maximum. I realized that the wristband she was wearing couldn''t be seen by normal people. It seemed like she used some means to break away from the perception of ordinary people.


    <i>''But why can I still see it?''</i>


    I had that thought for a moment but just let it slide. Well, it seemed like I also had somewhat of an annoying ability. Thinking about it, being able to see titles was technically considered an <strong>observation </strong>ability.


    "Give me a call when you''re free on a weekend. I''ll let you know if it''s fine, depending on the situation."


    I saved my number on the cute looking mobile phone and returned it.


    "Ah, thank you."


    "No, I didn''t do much so there''s no need to thank me."


    "No, it seems that there are many like me. It must be annoying for you, so thank you."


    I let out a small sigh inwardly at the sight of her bowing. She was a polite girl and it didn''t seem like she was being pretentious at all. It meant that she was a good girl. To put it simply, she must be a good girl. But I didn''t really want to get involved regardless of if she was a good person or not.


    "Then I''ll take my leave. You guys can continue talking."


    "Uh, wait. Dae-ha?"


    "You should treat me to somethingter, you bastard. You got blinded by a girl and sold your friend?"


    I snorted and turned around to get out of the arcade. Well, honestly, I wasn''t that upset or anything but I didn''t want to be with a magician girl. I should just go home quickly. Go home and spend some free time watching TV.


    However.


    "Ah! So there you are."


    That was a huge mistake.


    "..."


    A sudden silence. Though it was a refreshing voice that could clear my mind, I subconsciously frowned at it.


    "Wow, look at her."


    "A beauty¡­"


    "Is she a celebrity?"


    I felt the urge to just run away from the chatter of the people. No, it wasn''t just an impulse, but really trying to run away. However, she approached me before I could do that.


    Her blue hair stretched all the way down to her waist as if it were made from seawater. It should weigh a lot if her hair was that long, but it didn''t seem to affect her at all. Rather, there was a shine or gloss when she moved. And the way she approached me was so charming that it could make any man''s heart in the world flutter but¡ª


    "Is a ghost haunting me today?"


    I just wanted to cry.


    *


    I recalled the first time I saw her.


    "I''m very sorry to ask you this during our first meeting¡­"


    She asked softly, "Are you an Earthling?"


    "¡­What?"


    That was my first meeting with her.


    Yes. That was our first meeting. She, who asked such a bewildering question at our first meeting that made me think it was a prank, looked at me like a tourist who had just discovered a rare creature. I would have thought she was hitting on me if I had been a normal person... but that was a huge burden as I could see her title.


    No, you are telling me she''s an extraterrestrial being?


    It wasn''t something that I could have imagined at all. No, not even someone who normally imagined about extraterrestrial beings would have thought they would meet one in this way. I was walking on the streets when she appeared suddenly to ask me if I was an Earthling. It wasn''t even a joke so what kind of situation was this?


    "I''m sorry. I''m quite the tactful person, but I can''t grasp this situation. Are you an Earthling too? Or is that impossible?"


    Thinking about it now, I think I handled it quite well. Despite the embarrassment, I showed an extremely normal reaction, just like a person who had misunderstood her as trying to hit on them. But even so, I feel suspicious as to why such a beauty like her was approaching me...


    Yes, I yed the ''<strong>Normal Reaction</strong>'' act perfectly. But regardless of that.


    "Are you sick?"


    I almost nodded at her question. Frankly speaking, I wanted to say "Yes. My head hurts so much it feels like it''s splitting just by having you standing beside me, so can you please go somewhere else?" but I just barely held myself back.


    "...No, not really."


    "But why have you been frowning for a while?"


    "That''s because you are saying strange things."


    "Hm, so you really are an Earthling?"


    "What are you saying? Are you not a human?"


    I was surprised at my blunt response.


    <i>Ohh, Dae-ha. You should be an actor when you grow up. Your usual poker face was quite good but you still act really well, huh?</i>


    She still smiled brightly despite that.


    "Would you like me to show you some evidence?"


    "Hey. Do all extraterrestrial beings usually approach someone at will and show them proof that they''re extraterrestrial beings?"


    Even though I was just walking, I could feel the gazes of the people from everywhere, but I tried to ignore them. I wanted to return home quickly.


    "So, are you really a normal Earthling?"


    "Yes, I really am a normal Earthling. We all are normal Earthlings. I will take my leave if you keep spouting nonsense."


    I left her alone and got away from that ce.


    <i>Ahh, how troublesome. Why is she so interested in me?</i>


    Seeing how she asked me if I was an Earthling and still stuck with me even though I kept denying, perhaps she had felt I was different from the others.


    ''Are all extraterrestrial beings able to see this title thing?''


    No, that couldn''t be. I could control my title freely and my current title was <strong>Fly Hunter</strong>. The title was so trivial; there was no way my abilities would increase with that and it wasn''t a title that would make one think I wasn''t human. Moreover, it would also be strange for them to be able to see the titles just because they are extraterrestrial beings.


    <i>Kiiiiiing---</i>


    Just when I was feeling relieved for having passed the day safely after getting about a 100 meters away from the girl whom I still have no clue who she was, I heard a strange sound from the sky.


    How should I describe this sound? Yes, it was simr to the sound made by a jet or aircraft when they take-off. The echo was quite loud, but somehow no one around looked up.


    <i>''A sound that ordinary people can''t hear.''</i>


    Then the answer was obvious. I could pretend not to have heard it. But after a while, I had no choice but to stop walking.


    <i>Woooong¡ª </i>


    It was a huge silver sphere about 2.5 meters in diameter. The unidentified object made of silver metal floated in front of me and scattered mysterious light. What really drove me crazy was that people around me were just passing by as though they couldn''t see the absurd object that appeared.


    <i>''They can''t see this either?''</i>


    If that was the case, I would just walk away as though I couldn''t see it but the problem was that this weird object was in front of me. I would crash into it if I kept walking.


    "So you really can see it."


    Before I knew it, I heard a shrill voice next to me.


    <i>Damn it, I should have kept walking, even if I may crash into it.</i>


    But it was toote to regret it now that the beautiful girl had walked next to me and was just smiling brightly.


    "My introductions have beente. I am Celestia. You can call me Cel."


    "Cel, huh? Have you reached your ultimate form? What about yourbat power?"


    "Excuse me?"


    "...It''s nothing. Just a poor joke. I''m Dae-ha. Kwan Dae-ha."


    It was a kind of a deration of defeat. I was sure she would never get away from me if I didn''t face her properly. It would be troublesome if she followed me to school or my house. I didn''t know which side of me had piqued so much of her interest that her eyes were sparkling.


    "Hehe, you finally gave up. Would you like to go somewhere where we can talk in private?"


    "...All right."


    <i>Is there a coffee shop that''s as empty as possible?</i> I thought as I looked around, but I would only have an answer if I had been to somewhere like that before. However, there were surprisingly many ces like that if you looked around.


    "May I take your order?"


    "A lemonade please."


    Well, I would have known if I''d been to such ces before. Moreover, it was just a drink, why were they priced so expensively? To be honest, I wanted to go to a ce like Lotteria rather than a cafe, but I couldn''t help it because our conversation isn''t suited for a crowded location.


    "A caf¨¦ mocha."


    "A lemonade and a caf¨¦ mocha. Understood."


    I looked at Celestia in amazement as she ordered skillfully.


    "Have you gone to many of such ces before?"


    "No. I''ve never been to a cafe before."


    "Really? You looked ustomed to it."


    "I just ordered the rmended menu item written in the guide, but I don''t know what''s going toe out."


    <i>Guide? Rmended menu?</i>


    Those were words I couldn''t understand, but I didn''t even want to ask her about it so I just let it go.


    After a moment of waiting, our lemonade and a cup of coffee that was covered in cream was ready. The coffee gave off a faint chocte scent.


    "Mm. This is pretty good. Where I lived¡­"


    "So what is your purpose foring to Earth?" I cut her off lightly.


    I didn''t want to know much about the world in which she lives. It was because I felt that the more I knew, the more dangerous it would be.


    "Wow, I can''t believe you just went straight to the point."


    She was looking at me as if I had no manners, but she was smiling as she spoke.


    "There''s no particr purpose. I''m just here to y."


    "You came to y?"


    "Yes. I came here because I received an Earth 34 tour package from Attraction. I wanted to enjoy some peace since I''m here, you know? But then I saw you when I got here, and I was so happy to have met a traveller like me on this trip, but you just yed dumb."


    "..."

 Chapter 6: A Rather Undesired Meeting. Continuation. (3)

    <h4>Chapter 6: A Rather Undesired Meeting. Continuation. (3)</h4>


    ¡°You came to y?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I came here because I received an Earth 34 tour package from Attraction. I wanted to enjoy some peace since I''m here, you know? But then I saw you when I got here, and I was so happy to have met a traveller like me on this trip, but you just yed dumb.¡±


    I was at a loss for words for a moment. <i>What? A tour package? </i>


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Uh, do extraterrestrial beingse to Earth frequently?¡±


    ¡°Yes. More than 100,000 stop by every year, since Earth 34 is one of the best tourist attractions.¡±


    "But we don''t even know that extraterrestrial beingse here."


    "Of course. ording to the rules of the <strong>Union</strong>, it''s illegal to spread civilization or reveal our identities on Earth, which has yet to reach Type III Civilization. There''s no way humans will know how many extraterrestrial beings stop by as tourists. Of course, very few humans know about the existence of the ''Union'' and have created a cooperative system, but they are literally very few of them." Celestia said all that in a really calm way as she drank her coffee.


    ¡°So how do you travel?¡±


    "Quietly. Some use the local means of transportation like me, and others just go around the orbit on their own spacecraft. Don''t tourists sometimes get observed on Earth too? Well, although we will get fined for being seen by a civilian below Type III Civilization and lose one-third of the vacation fee.¡±


    ¡°...Are you saying that the UFOs captured in the photographs are real?¡±


    ¡°Not all of them, there will be some fake ones.¡±


    After listening to her, it seemed like it wasn''t a big deal getting caught though it was a secret. Obviously, since the penalty was just a fine. Besides, that space union? Anyway, it seemed that not all humans were unaware of the existence of extraterrestrial beings since those who knew formed a cooperative system with them. My father¡¯s acquaintance (?), the US president, might know about them.


    ¡°But what do you mean by Earth 34?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. There are quite a few ces that call their own Earth, so they numbered them in the order they were first recognized by the <strong>Union</strong>. It''s been about 1,700 years since Earth 34 was discovered. For your information, up to Earth 30 has joined the <strong>Union</strong>. I think this ce will reach Type III Civilization in about 150 years, or as early as 80 years."


    She was talking calmly, but it was a really scary story. In other words, extraterrestrial beings have known about the existence of Earth since a really long time ago and have been flying above it; it was only because of thews which they have established that they didn''t invade or conquer.


    ¡°My god.¡±


    I had always thought of myself as the master of hiding my expressions well, but I couldn''t help that my expression stiffened when I heard such an rming story. Of course I''ve thought a lot about this world and its existence. And while the existence of extraterrestrial beings had often appeared in my thoughts, I have never imagined this kind of world view.


    ¡°Hmm... it would be weird to ask you this at this point.¡±


    Celestia squinted her eyes and asked, ¡°Are you really a human?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m a real human. I¡¯m an ordinary human born on Earth, educated and raised in a normal way."


    ¡°And it''s your first time seeing a spacecraft?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°But you weren¡¯t surprised by it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of my personality.¡±


    ¡°Hm... Really.¡±


    Celestia¡¯s beautiful eyes frowned at my words, but it was something unavoidable. Even though I have a strange ability of being able to see titles, I¡¯m still a human.


    But Celestia muttered as if she didn''t understand, ¡°That¡¯s weird. I thought you were a Noblesse or an Elohim when I first saw you. Well, that¡¯s crazy. But I also thought you may be an Untouchable.¡±


    <i>What is that, you brat?</i>


    ¡°In addition, you, Mr. Dae-ha, have also confirmed my appearance as a Vimana. Of course, the cognitive impairment device that¡¯s installed isn¡¯t that great, but normal people shouldn¡¯t be able to see it. I can only think there is something special about you, Mr. Dae-ha. If you aren¡¯t an extraterrestrial being... are you perhaps a mutant? I heard that there were quite a few people on Earth who investigated such beings. Ah, I also heard that there are quite a lot of superhumans. Are you a magician then?¡±


    Her eyes were shining as if it was interesting, but it wasn¡¯t at all for me. <i>A mutant? Magician?</i>


    I got up from my seat.


    "That''s enough. I don''t know anything about that world, anyway. I''ve been born normal and raised normally, and I don''t want to be involved in that world in the future either," I stated my stance clearly. Fortunately, it seemed like she had approached me purely out of interest. Then, I would just have to reject her firmly.


    "Oh, I can''t believe you''re leaving suddenly¡­ Do I have to pay for it?"


    ¡°Of course you have to pay for it since you were the one who asked me to see you. You want me to pay when I was dragged here forcefully?¡±


    She wouldn¡¯t say that she doesn¡¯t have the money to pay, right? She was a tourist, and tourists usually brought a lot of cash with them. Nevertheless, she looked surprised.


    "Wow. Usually the guys foot the bill when they have a date with someone as beautiful as me."


    ¡°...¡±


    It was bad enough that I couldn¡¯t deny her words that she was pretty. But were they usually so upfront about it? I smirked and left the coffee shop. <i>All right, this should do.</i> I was relieved, but it looked like she quickly paid the bill and followed after me.


    ¡°What? Don¡¯t follow me.¡±


    I tried to walk faster, but she didn''t care and started hovering around me. Come to think of it, her footsteps were really light. I was guessing that I wasn''t at the level where I could shake her off even if I put in all my effort.


    ¡°Hey. See that woman over there?¡±


    ¡°Wow, what a beauty. Are they filming something?¡±


    ¡°And look at that. She has blue hair. The colour came out really well.¡±


    Gazes started to fall on us even before we could walk a few meters. <i>Ah, this is troublesome. Weird rumors will spread at school if I¡¯m unlucky enough to have someone recognize me.</i>


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Celestia looked at me with a questioning look as I dragged her away and into a deserted park. Though we did attract the attention of many, it wasn''t as if they were under hypnosis, so they did not follow after us.


    ¡°Haa¡­¡±


    I was a little tired even though I didn''t go that far. It wasn¡¯t physical, but mental exhaustion.


    Celestia and I sat on a bench. Of course, I pushed her away as she tried to sit right next to me. I ced my bag between us which served as a wall. And then I started thinking.


    <i>Why did it turn out like this¡­ How should I chase her away¡­</i>


    Though I had always thought that my mentality was simr to that of a clear mirror that would not be shaken regardless of the situation, this time, I could feel the anxiety rising up.


    Yes, actually, it wasn¡¯t only because she approached me. It would be a serious problem if she attacked me with malicious intentions, but she really approached with pure curiosity. A solution woulde out after having a conversation with her.


    The problem was me. I had known since I was young that I wasn¡¯t ordinary.


    <i>That¡¯s right, I am aware. An ability that allows me to see titles, this ability to read other people''s private lives at will with a little concentration.</i>


    Although I had often thought of superhumans as people who were capable of shooting mes and killing people, in fact, there were a lot of things I could do with this ability.


    Even if it was my first time seeing someone, in about five minutes, I could ¡®ssify¡¯, and even ¡®materialize¡¯ the password for their bank ount (Although it only works within five minutes on people who just came out of the bank).


    I could check the mental state of anyone in sight, and reading their thoughts was possible. This ability could create worldwide chaos if misused. Of course, I had no intentions of doing that. I just wanted to live a peaceful life. However, this situation where I knew nothing about myself and this ability was dangerous.


    Didn¡¯t this girl approach me because she felt <strong>something</strong> from me?


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    Celestia stuck out her head in front of me while I was organizing theplicated thoughts in my mind with my head bowed down.


    ¡°Ugh?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, do you hate me?¡±


    I raised my head out of surprise, but Celestia approached me as much as I had stepped back.


    <i>Ugh, too close.</i>


    Besides, she was really pretty. Her voice was so clear and soft; it felt refreshing just listening to it. I might have be a fan if she saw her on TV, but that would be merely as a fan. I would decline if she told me to meet her. On top of that, she was an extraterrestrial being!


    <i>Thud.</i>


    I slightly pushed her away by grabbing her shoulders and raised my bag between us.


    ¡°The line.¡±


    ¡°Sorry?¡±


    I spoke firmly towards the confused girl, ¡°This bag that¡¯s between us right now is the line. Don¡¯t cross it.¡±


    ¡°Wooow. You are not even a kid.¡±


    I felt miserable when she looked at me with that are-you-kidding-me expression.


    <i>Ah, damn it. I¡¯m being treated like a fool. Aplete fool.</i>


    But there was nothing I could do about it. I had got to take a breather too.


    I let out a sigh. I didn''t even have the strength to face Celestia, so my eyes turned to my toes.


    And I then spoke in a low tone, ¡°I realized that extraterrestrial beings existed after meeting you for the first time. And I have never been associated with mutants or magicians since I was born, and I don¡¯t want to be associated with them in the future either. So can you help me?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t anything hard. Celestia just had to get up, turn around and never show up again. But I flinched the moment I raised my head after having spoken like that. Her big and clear blue eyes were stuck close to my face.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what do you mean?¡±


    I backed off in surprise, but Celestia closed the distance. When I got a hold of myself, I realized that I was almost lying on the bench and she was on top of me.


    ¡°This is the first time a man has rejected me like this.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not rejecting you¡­¡±


    ¡°Men aren¡¯t able to resist me even if I¡¯m a perverted serial murder instead of an extraterrestrial being.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    I was at a loss for words. <i>Wow, what is this confidence?</i>


    But she continued on no matter if I was bewildered or not, ¡°On top of that, shouldn¡¯t men at your age be interested in these sorts of things? It¡¯s not baseless at all, and it¡¯s weird that you still try to evade me even after I have shown you the proof.¡±


    Her words make me dumbfounded.


    <i>Right, she''s right.</i>


    For students around my age, there were not many instances in our daily lives where we would find it significant. Students in South Korean felt fatigue and annoyance daily, rather than significance. It was merely a prison they wanted to get out of. They would only realize that this was the mostfortable time of their life as they aged, but that would be a story for next time. The students living in the present didn''t understand the value of it.


    ¡°I.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You treat ¡®daily life¡¯ as important as a treasure. Just as if you have experienced something umon like a nightmare.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    She was sharp. She looked easy-going, but it wasn''t as though she was brainless. Though she looked like a cute beauty on the outside, her youthful appearance couldn''t buy me over. Who could guarantee that extraterrestrial beings and humans age in the same way? The girl next to me may be a hundred-year-old granny. On top of that, it seemed like there were a hundred serpents inside of her.


    ¡°Oh my, look at them.¡±


    ¡°They are so bold to act that way in a public space.¡±


    ¡°Kids nowadays¡­¡±


    I felt my hair stand at those mumbling voices.


    <i>Damn it, I came to an empty park but there¡¯s no way nobody woulde since it wasn¡¯t private property.</i>


    ¡°...Can you get off me?¡±


    ¡°Why? Does this excite you?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    I grabbed her shoulders without replying and forced her to sit down on the bench.


    Celestia shouted such things like ¡®Kyak! Pervert! Beast!¡¯ as soon as Iid my hands on her, but I simply ignored her. My mind was on the verge of exhaustion by now.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    ¡°...What is it?¡±


    ¡°It seemed like you wanted to sigh so I just sighed for you.¡±


    ¡°How nice of you.¡±


    I want to cry at this point. Just what is up with this girl?


    However, Celestiaughed as if it was fun.


    ¡°Huhu, you are entertaining.¡±


    <i>I¡¯m not. Not at all.</i>


    ¡°...I should leave.¡±


    I took my bag and turned around, and fortunately, she didn¡¯t follow me this time.

 Chapter 7: A Rather Undesired Meeting. Continuation. (4)

    <h4>Chapter 7: A Rather Undesired Meeting. Continuation. (4)</h4>


    Tranquil music sounded. Judging from the deep and full sound that''s characteristic of stringed instruments, it was probably a violin.


    There was only one instrument; it was a solo. To the modern people who are ustomed to music made from countless instruments and electronic devices, the melody sounded t and monotonous.


    "Ah¡­?"


    But still, I stopped in my tracks. It was a faint melody. It wasn''t anything grand and the performer hadn''t made use of any special techniques. Even so, I felt tears welling up in my eyes just from listening to that melody. I wasn''t boasting but I''m one of the many modern people who arecking in the emotional aspect. No matter how sad a movie was, or a piece of music, or book, I would turn my nose up at them.


    But¡­


    Sruuuuuung¡­


    My body trembled as I heard the sound that sounded like rolling sand grains. That was the epitome of music - A melody that seemed to be out of this world and its beauty indescribable other than it touching the hearts of men. I dare say, even if Beethoven, Mozart or Schubert were here, they could only struggle fruitlessly in defeat before this melody. Though it can be said that I don''t have a great understanding of music, as an amateur, I would still know a little.


    The melody gradually hastened. It reached the climax. And finally, it ended.


    The melodysted for quite some time but I couldn''t move until the piece ended. I stood dumbfoundedly at the porch and stared at my father as he wrapped up his performance and slowly opened his eyes.


    "Ah, you are back?"


    "Yeah. That piece¡­ What''s the title?"


    It was an amazing piece. It wasn''t solely the performance that was spectacr, the piece itself felt like it was full of soul. Of course, if the piece was performed by someone else other than my father, the effect would be greatly discounted, but it would still unmistakably be an outstanding piece of music. There was no way this wasn''t a renowned piece.


    But, my father replied, "This piece? I justposed it in the morning so I haven''t named it yet."


    <i>A selfposed piece?!!!!</i>


    "Ha¡­ ha¡­"


    Dejected, I could only force a smile. <i>Really? How could such a human exist? God is so unfair. Isn''t it too much to let one man have it all?</i>


    I felt that if his talents could be divided and given to others, a thousand ''historical geniuses'' would have emerged from various fields.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Nope, nothing. Nothing much happened, right?"


    "It was peaceful like usual. It''s been a long time since I thought about the past; time just flew by so quickly." As my father spoke, he ced the violin-like instrument into a case and put it away. The smooth outline of his well-trained muscles were visible under his casual T-shirt.


    Sometimes I would think, this guy, no matter what he does, he has this uh¡­ How should I phrase it? Tension? Aura? Anyway, he has something like that. Even if he donned an apron and was in the midst of cooking, just looking at him would spur the sudden thought, "Wouldn''t this dude win a fight against Fedor?" [1] Hence, I blurted out. "Dad, do you know anything about magic, extraterrestrial beings, martial arts or something of that sort?"


    "Hmm¡­ Sorry."


    "Huh?" I was taken aback by my father''s sudden apology as he continued.


    "I am not that up to date with recent jokes. Was that from a TV show?"


    "...No, I was just saying." I waved my hands to cate him. It was a nonsensical question in the first ce. Actually, it would also be a ridiculous situation if my father replied, "That''s right. To be frank, I''m a 9-circle great magician and an ultimate expert who uses dual des!!!"


    <i>''However¡­''</i>


    Regardless of that, I still have this thought once in a while.


    <i>''Is Dad not a normal human being?''</i>


    I would often have this thought. Was Dad some sort of special existence? Was he someone or an existence that was beyond imagination; like an alien from somewhere, a warrior who had once saved the world, probably the devil himself, or the manifestation of a star born with the power of a?


    asionally, when I saw some sides of my father, they felt so extraordinary to the point of being absurd that it was tough to see him as a normal person. However, when we were eating or when I had the time to do ssification on my father, such titles had never surfaced.


    When I look into his age, he was definitely 36 years old and his race was human. There was no title that hinted at him being a magician or superhuman; he didn''t even have a title that hinted at any sort of internal energy.


    But of course, there were many strange titles. There was no one human who held as many strange titles as him. Honestly speaking, most of the titles my father held are iprehensible. Other than the permanent title which my father usually had above his head, he had all kinds of other strange titles too.


    <strong>Performer from the Heavens</strong>


    <strong>The one that draws the world</strong>


    <strong>A Miracle Cook</strong>


    <strong>God¡¯s cksmith</strong>


    He had a string of permanent titles when others would just barely have one. What was more terrifying was that the standard of each permanent title he had would take others their whole lives to achieve.


    <i>But should I say that he is really a genius?</i>


    <strong>Human Representative</strong>


    <i>I mean, what does that even mean? Human representative? My father is the representative for the human race¡­!!</i>


    "Well, it doesn¡¯t seem like there will be or there has ever been anyone better than him."


    "Huh? What are you talking about?"


    "Nothing. Ah, do you perhaps know of a person named Kang Bo-ram?"


    "Kang Bo-ram? Hmm. I remember every name that I have heard before but I''m not too sure. Can you give me more information?"


    Surely, the way my father phrased his words was peculiar. Asking me to give him more information; he wasn''t even aputer. But this wasn''t something that had just happened today or yesterday, so I just nodded.


    "She''s one year younger than me and she said that her sister worked with you before."


    "Ah. I know who she is then."


    Right, he would know if he had heard of her. My father has such a great memory that he could recount news from three years ago. And not just its content, but also the newscaster''s face and the color of the shirt they were wearing on that particr day, down to every single event that scrolled past at the bottom of the screen.


    "Who is she?"


    "When I was working in NASA then, there was this girl named Eun-ha. She said her sister''s name is Bo-ram. I merely helped them out for a little while but that girl should still be there. What''s the matter?"


    I was astounded by my father''s words.


    <i>By NASA, he was referring to the establishment that''s known at the First Space Outpost, right?</i>


    Well, Mr Yuan Rong from NASA (He said he was Chinese but he was so fluent in Korean that I didn''t even notice initially. He could probably speak 5nguages too) would often call to ask my father about this and that. My father would rather die than to carry a mobile phone with him so I had no choice but to pick up the calls from all kinds of influential people. Because of that, I became uselessly more daring¡­ so much that I was worried that when I get a job, I might see my boss as someone insignificant.


    "Anyway, she''s stopping by because her sister asked her to deliver something. And did she say she has something to ask too?"


    "Eun-ha¡­ She was afraid of me for some reason then and couldn''t look me in the face when she talked to me."


    <i>I''m sure it wasn''t because she was afraid of you. I''m certain of that. I can even bet my head on it¡­</i>


    Well, I don''t have to explicitly state it out loud. I shook the distracting thoughts out of my head and asked, "By the way, did Hyung contact you?"


    "He said he would be backte. Do you want to eat dinner?"


    "I''m not that hungry."


    "Okay. But I will still make a sandwich just in case and put it in the fridge. You can reheat it when you get hungryter.¡±


    My father was such a considerate person. He would always anticipates all situations and respects our decisions. He would give a stern warning when he saw us going down the wrong path. It was hard to be led astray while growing up with a father like him.


    <i>Click.</i>


    ¡°Whew¡­"


    Right, let¡¯s be honest. I felt sort of an inferiorityplex towards my father. But well, there should also be a certain limit to it. The gap between my father and I was almost like that of a whale and an anchovy. It would be funny for the anchovy to be jealous of a whale and feeling a sense of inferiority.


    "Forget about being an amazing person. I should just live a peaceful life."


    No matter what I did, I wouldn''t be able to surpass my father and no matter what I became, he wouldn''t be surprised by it. <i>What am I struggling for if it was futile no matter how hard I try? </i>Of course, it would be possible to use this bizarre ability, which even my father didn''t have, to go aroundmitting every crime that one could think of, but I was just feeling too tired about life to do so.


    "Tired about life?"


    I let out a snort at that thought that appeared in my head.


    <i>Tired about life¡­ </i>


    Those were heavy words for a high school student.


    How many years had I lived and how many hardships had I gone through to say that I was feeling tired about life?


    <i>''But at the same time¡­ It''s funny that this is really the truth.''</i>


    Anyway, this wasn''t how I really felt but just an instance of me mumbling to myself.


    <strong>-Impressive. Really impressive! Ten million, as much as ten million people¡­ Kyahahahaha!!! You really are a genius!</strong>


    <i>Throb.</i>


    I grabbed my head and groaned as the pain seized me.


    <strong>-Father, Master. My creator.</strong>


    I saw countless <strong>Somethings</strong> kneeling before me.


    <strong>-Just give us an order. One word and we will do anything!</strong>


    <strong>-Don''t be used like a fool! We can solve everything for you if you just say it!</strong>


    I saw a man begging; he looked strong and sturdy. There was also a woman throwing a fit; she was extremely beautiful with limitless strength.


    <strong>-Oh, great wisdom, give us an answer¡­</strong>


    <strong>-You know it! You know everything!</strong>


    <strong>-Oh, being that embraces the knowledge of all things. Please give us¡­</strong>


    I could also see others. In their eyes, I could also see their overwhelming mad desire for me.


    ¡°Ugh... damn it. They had been quiet for a while, so why are they making a fuss again?¡±


    I staggered with my hand on my forehead. Parts of the influx of images, knowledge and power tormented me. The disgusting rage and sadness, fear and suffering, endless regret and obsession made me nauseous and wanting to vomit.


    ¡°Haa...Haa¡­¡±


    Fortunately, the pain subsided soon after. It onlysted briefly but cold sweat was dripping from my forehead and my limbs trembled. I thought it was all over when it didn''t rpse for close to half a year, but it seemed like I was wrong.


    "What an annoying day."


    I casually tossed my uniform onto the ground and threw myself onto the bed. I thought it would be an enjoyable first day at school but I met an extraterrestrial being and a magician girl. On top of that, these awful memories struck again.


    "This is the worst."


    I fell asleep in my grumbles. It was still early, but it didn''t matter.


    1. Fedor Emelianenko, Russian heavyweight mixed martial artist.

 Chapter 8: The Strange Cutting-edge Arcade (1)

    <h4>Chapter 8: The Strange Cutting-edge Arcade (1)</h4>


    "What''s your dream, Dae-ha?"


    A girl once asked me that. She was a cute girl with two braids, kind, someone whoughed a lot and always worked hard in everything.


    "Hmm. After graduating from high school, I will go to a moderately good university and graduate from it."


    "And after that?"


    "I want to enter a moderately goodpany and live a diligent life. After that, I will find a kind woman and live happily ever after."


    "Huhu. That''s a continuation of moderation, and the only time you use the word ¡®kind'' is when you are looking for a wife."


    "Of course. My wife must be a kind woman."


    I wasfortable with her. She wasn''t pretty, wasn''t able to handle people well, nor did she have an outstanding talent. Despite that, being around her, I felt a tranquility that couldn''t be expressed with words. She was a gentle girl who always did her best at everything. She was cute and had a good personality, but most of all¡­ She was normal.


    "What''s your dream?"


    "Eh, you will probablyugh at it."


    "Huh? No, not really. I don''t have the hobby ofughing at others'' dreams."


    She blushed shyly at my calm words.


    "I, I want to be a wonderful mother. And a lovely wife, too."


    "¡­"


    "Ahh, Ack! It really is weird!"


    "No, no. It suits you really well."


    "Really?"


    Her question really shook my heart. She wasn''t an outstanding beauty, neither did she have any outstanding talent. But, I felt like I could live quietly with her for the rest of my life.


    That was my first love. This was probably how it felt to have your heart healed. But my heart was already torn apart once, so it was no different from being a tatter, but regardless of that, I still felt that I could live a peaceful life if I were with her.


    <i>-There''s something I have to tell you. Come to the rooftop after ss.</i>


    How can anyone criticize me when I received that letter and realized that she sent it?


    "Ah, you, you are here¡­"


    She was waiting on the rooftop. Her face flushed as soon as she discovered me.


    "Um. What is it that you wanted to say?" This was the first time I resented myposure even in this kind of situation, but fortunately, that didn''t be a problem.


    "Uh¡­ Uh¡­ Ah! How do I say it!"


    The cute sight of her covering her blushed face with both of her hands was enough to make me faint.


    "Are you okay?"


    "Ye, yeah¡­ Ah¡­ I''m really nervous now that I''m about to say it. I¡¯ve wanted to tell you this since the first time I saw you."


    <i>Since the first time she saw me! If that is the case, then does she also¡­</i>


    "If it''s hard for you¡­"


    "No. I can''t dy any further. I have to say it today."


    She stared at my face so hard to the point I felt like it was burning.


    "Uh, uh¡­"


    I looked at her expectantly as she stuttered, and finally, as if she had summoned her determination¡ª


    "Uh, won''t you call me mom?" She ended up saying that.


    "¡­ What?"


    "Wow! I said it! I ended up saying it~!"


    She got embarrassed like a naive and innocent girl but¡­ unfortunately, my heart and my youth were crumbling from that.


    No!


    No!


    No!


    "This can''t be true!"


    The ce I woke up in while screaming wasn''t the ssroom, but my room. Right, that was something that happened eight months ago. And I was dreaming about something that had happened before. But why did I dream of that?


    <i>Pant. Pant. Pant.</i> I took heavy breaths and mumbled, "Ah, a nightmare¡­"


    *


    My always pleasant brother looked at me with his two round eyes, "Ah! My little brother. Why is your expression like that early in the morning?"


    "I had a crappy dream."


    "A nightmare?"


    "You can put it that way."


    I was walking while grumbling when I discovered bugs flying on the roadside.


    "Ah, did it get hit by a car?"


    "Yeah."


    That was a corpse. There was no way it belonged to a person. It was a dog, and it seemed like it was owned by someone judging from the cor on its neck. The corpse had already started to rot and anyone who saw it would have probably frowned, but instead, I approached it and dug into my bag.


    <i>Chiiiik-!</i>


    "¡­?"


    "What are you doing? Also, why do you carry pesticide with you?"


    Regardless of my brother''s confusion, the bugs hovering around the corpse fell as soon as I sprayed the pesticide on them. But this was all meaningless. It would be more helpful if I had cleaned up the corpse and restored the pavement to its usual sight. But obviously, since it isn''t an enclosed area, bugs will soon swarm again, so isn''t doing that meaningless?


    "No. I, well, it just bothered me. Let''s go."


    "¡­?"


    But I didn''t use the pesticide for thergermunity. To speak the truth, there was a strictly personal agenda behind it.


    "I think I passed a thousand of them long ago¡­ Is there nothing more than that?"


    I was able to see titles. Normally I could only see titles on humans but if I concentrated a little, I could see them on animals or nts, and after concentrating a bit more, I could even see the titles of inanimate objects.


    On top of that, being able to perform <strong>ssification</strong> and <strong>Materialization</strong> was useful in several ways. It was a superb ability if I were to explore it. However, there was only one person whose title I couldn''t see. Actually, it would be more proper to say that it was nk.


    And that person was¡­


    "Of course it''s me."


    Right, it was me. I was not able to see my own title. If I had been able to, then I could check the state of my mind or an outline of my future (although it really is just an excessively great outline so it''s not of much help) but unfortunately, I couldn''t see my own title.


    "Study hard then."


    "Not that hard though."


    "Haha."


    Laughing awkwardly, I parted ways with my brother and thought as I headed to my ssroom.


    "It''s regretful that I''m not getting a new title. I was carrying this pesticide just for that."


    That''s right. I was not able to see my own title, but instead, I could <strong>Select</strong> the title I want and change it freely. However, usually the titles others had mostly represent their current condition so changing it would be meaningless. But at least for me, it was important.


    And that was because ''it'' increases. I''m talking about my <strong>Ability</strong> when I <strong>Equip</strong> a title.


    "I''m really going crazy."


    I''ve had this doubt since a long while back.


    <i>Is this world real?</i>


    <i>Do ''I'' really exist? </i>


    <i>Is it possible that the world was the result of someone''s program and our memories part of a scenario?</i>


    <i>Is there any guarantee that the world was not created just a day, an hour, or even three seconds ago?</i>


    Normally, this was just a delusion. It was foolish to be doubting something like that. However, I couldn''t erase this doubt even though I''m now old enough and a realist. The reason for that was, the world looks just like a game through my eyes.


    "Hello."


    "Good morning." I shared an apathetic greeting andid down on my table.


    Everyone seemed to be half awake as it was still quite early.


    "Why an alien?"


    I had always suspected it. Is this world where I exist actually a program made by someone else? The world looked like a game to me. Games weren''t just referring to those where there are magicians flying around in the sky shooting fireballs, or swordsmen who exude their aura.


    In the first ce, <strong>Titles </strong>or <strong>Ability</strong> weren''t things that should exist in reality. That was why I have always been thinking about it. Could this world be a game made by an existence with transcending scientific skills?


    In simple terms, something like <strong>Humans Daily Life Online</strong> - a game where you lose all the memories from the <strong>Outside</strong> when you log in and live on Earth, and you get logged out when you die. If it could be exined in this manner, then my ability would roughly make sense too. In other words, I could just think of it as a bug.


    If I could see an ability that could only be seen outside of the game through a bug or an error, then I would have been able to convince myself. But an extraterrestrial being had appeared.


    <i>No. Something''s weird.</i>


    Right, I would rather prefer having someone like Morpheus (The one in the movie, The Matrix, who tells Neo that his reality is actually a program) appear in front of me and tell me, "This is a virtual world, kid." I would have been surprised about it but would soon ept it. Ah, but I would still take the blue pill.


    <i>Srr.</i>


    I raised my head at the noise of someone pulling their chair out.


    "Good morning."


    "Ah, sorry. Did I wake you up?"


    "I was just lying down." I spoke calmly to my partner who was cute today as well.


    Her name was Lee Seon-ae. She was one of the people in my daily peaceful life, so I remembered her even without having to see her title.


    "Are you tired?"


    "Nowadays, life is tiring." I grumbled and lied down again.


    Well, the story digressed, but anyway; I could raise my ability by equipping titles.


    My currently equipped title was <strong>Fly Hunter.</strong> There was even an exnation of the title and here''s the contents.


    <strong>Fly Hunter</strong>


    <strong>Strength, Stamina, Vitality +10</strong>


    <strong>You have caught a hundred flies. How unfortunate.</strong>


    <i>Ah, what''s with this description! It makes me feel bad!</i>


    "Just who wrote this text?"


    "Huh?"


    "No, I was speaking to myself."


    But the funny thing was, even though I had been catching mosquitoes, cockroaches and other bugs like gold beetles and grasshoppers, only flies gave me a title.


    At first (when I was really young), the title I got when I caught flies was <strong>Fly yer</strong>. And the other title I gained when I caught a fly without much thought at an older age, was <strong>Fly Hunter</strong>. Those titles weren''t consistent at all as the first title showed up in English and the other in Korean. But whatever the case, my abilities increased (Fly yer increased my Strength, Stamina, and Vitality by 5 each) so I had been exterminating flies to aim for something higher but I couldn''t get anything else. It seemed like ''Hunter'' was the ultimate rank.


    <i>¡®But what''s a Fly Hunter¡­''</i>


    To be honest, this title wasn''t cool at all. But unfortunately, these two are the only titles I have. It seemed like I could get more titles if I killed something else. That was why I had thought about looking for a stray dog, but¡­ I just gave up. That was something I mustn''t do at all.


    <i>¡®yer¡­''</i>


    Speaking of which, the title yer wasn''t anythingmon. Actually, that was a given as you could only get the title after killing something.


    People end up killing all kinds of creatures throughout their lives but their titles refer to the ''condition'' that currently represents them so there hasn''t been anyone who has shown up with a title like Fly Hunter. No matter how pathetic of a life they had, there was no way that killing a fly or a mosquito could represent their ''condition'', right?


    I have seen about five or six yer titles until now, and the most shocking one among them was Kyung-eun''s Human yer. But this is the peaceful Republic of Korea we are talking about, so she was the only Human yer (there might be more but she''s the only one I have seen until now) and the others have probably killed dogs or cats to hold their titles of Dog yer and Cat yer. Actually, the titles of Dog and Cat yer might sound cutepared to Human yer, but that was enough to let me know that they weren''t in their right minds, so I kept my distance from them.


    "Hello Kyung-eun!"


    "Yes. Good morning."


    I heard a voice full of leisure, but I didn''t want to raise my head. It was precisely because I had been thinking about her. Actually, she was the only one around here holding a yer title.


    "Hello, Dae-ha. Are you tired?"


    <i>Why are you talking to me when I''m lying down! She''s so different from Seon-ae who is trying to sit down carefully, afraid of being a bother!</i>


    "¡­Um."


    But I wasn''t able to say anything after raising my head and looking at her. It wasn''t that I was astounded at her beauty or something like that, as I didn''t really care much about it.


    So if I were to describe my current state, rather than astounded, I was more confused. The reason for that was that the Human yer title I have been seeing every day and sighing at had disappeared today.


    And there were other words recing it.


    <strong>Won-il High School</strong>


    <strong>Human Hunter, Lee Kyung-eun.</strong>


    "¡­"


    Oh, Jesus.

 Chapter 9: The Strange Cutting-edge Arcade (2)

    <h4>Chapter 9: The Strange Cutting-edge Arcade (2)</h4>


    <strong>Won-il High School</strong>


    <strong>Human Hunter, Lee Kyung-eun.</strong>


    "¡­"


    Oh, Jesus.


    "What ''s wrong? You don''t look good."


    "Eh? Me? No, nothing." I shrugged, but was grinding my teeth on the inside. <i>Ugh, I overreacted. She''s going to find it weird.</i>


    Indeed, Kyung-eun was looking at me with a suspicious gaze. Since I didn''t make any huge mistakes, she would have just an inkling of it and probably wouldn''t think of anything else.


    "Hmm."


    "What?"


    "No, nothing. Ah, is it true that Yeong-min sunbae is your brother?"


    "Yes. Why?" I questioned.


    Why was she interested in my brother? Although my brother had quite the appearance that most girls would take interest in, I would still have to be on my guard if she were interested in my brother. Obviously I had to, since she was a<strong> Human Hunter</strong>!


    The most infamous murderer who shook the world could have killed 30~40, but to think she killed 100? It wasn''t about how crazy she was, but something more intrinsic. That''s right, her capability!


    How could one kill 100 people in thiswfully governed country without getting caught? Moreover, there wasn¡¯t any reported news of murders urring in the vicinity, so where did she kill them?


    "Hmm¡­ but you two don''t look alike."


    "I hear that a lot."


    That was true. How should I put it? Even our body builds were different. It wasn''t impossible for brothers to not resemble each other, but our situation was probably simr to the brothers, Jang Dong-gun and Ji Sang-ryul (and obviously, I''m not saying that I look like Ji Sang-ryul).


    But of course, we weren''t blood brothers, and there was no need for me to tell her that. One could easilye to that conclusion if they took into consideration my father''s age, and although we did not intentionally hide the truth, it wasn''t something pleasant to go around telling everyone.


    "So, what does Yeong-min sunbae do on weekends?"


    "Ask him yourself. He will answer everything since he''s nice." I shrugged my shoulders after answering her, but I felt uneasy. I would have answered if it was another female student who asked, but I couldn''t help but be careful since it was her.


    An rm sounding danger was ringing in my head. <i>Why was she curious about my brother''s weekend ns? </i>It was impossible to imagine that she had ns of confessing her feelings to him.


    "¡­You, do you hate me?"


    "Me?" My heart sank at her direct question. <i>Ugh, she''s quick-witted too.</i>


    My poker face acting was on point since my life was on the line. Doubt appeared on Kyung-eun''s face as she observed mine.


    "You''re not? Are you just annoyed?"


    "I''m always like this. It''s irritating when so many others ask me to introduce my brother to them too."


    "That''s understandable. Your brother is good looking."


    As soon as shepleted her sentence, the teacher entered the ssroom. I was grateful at the timely entrance. Regardless, the model student, Kyung-eun, would definitely be susceptible to the teacher''s gaze. And as expected, she returned to her own seat, startled.


    "Since yesterday was the first day of school, we''ll get things started today. You may have yed around in your freshman year, but since you''re in your junior year now¡­"


    The lesson started with a quiet voice. A day that started out the same as others, a day without any changes. I''m sure there would be some students who felt frustrated and hated such repetitive days, and most of them would probably feel exhausted from it.


    But I love it. I don''t hope for too much. I just wish to spend my days as they are, then graduate and enter a university. To find something that I want to do and get employed. To spend the rest of my life with a wife who loves me as well; it doesn''t matter if she isn''t beautiful or great.


    <i>Ding-Dong~</i>


    First period, second period, third period, fourth period, and lunch time. Tedious lessons followed by bustling break times and very soon, lunch time was over.


    Fortunately, Kyung-eun didn''t speak to me after that. There was always a group of students hovering around her during breaks since she was so popr. It would be weird if she rejected them and kept trying to approach me.


    Soon, the day had ended.


    <i>-Ah, what''s up, Dae-ha?</i>


    "Are your lessons over?"


    <i>-Yeah. Ah, I''m sorry if you wanted to head home together. I''m hanging out with my friends.</i>


    I scratched the tip of my nose as I heard my brother''s voiceing through the phone.


    Hmm¡­ Now that I think about it, my brother has been hanging out with his friends more often. He has always been popr since a long time ago, but doesn''t really take the initiative to make friends. In a way, he is quite the introvert. But recently, he seems to be more active and enjoys himself. His days seem happier inparison to my depressing days.


    <i>Did something good happen to him?</i>


    "What should I do?" I pondered a while at the fact that I didn''t have anything to do. There was the option of going straight home, but I would end up surfing the Inte or ying some strategy or fighting games online. Although that was fun, I was starting to get tired of it. Most of all, it was pointless to keep winning at those games.


    "Should I ask Dad to y¡­ no, I shouldn''t." I quickly erased the thought that popped in my head. No, that would be myst resort.


    If I lose to him at this, it might really have irreversible consequences. You might think that I''m spouting nonsense when I just said earlier that it was pointless to keep ying games where I''d win, but I would honestly prefer to lose to someone else rather than my dad.


    "Oh right, there''s the new arcade center."


    That was what naturally came to mind when I thought of games. Come to think of it, I left the arcade yesterday after ying just one fighting game because that bastard Jae-seok brought along a strange magician girl. There were also many video games in a peculiar form where you had to enter a huge box.


    "Well, let''s go then."


    I picked up my bag without hesitation and left school.


    The surrounding streets were bustling with students heading home after school. As our school was extremelyrge, it took around ten minutes for the students to walk from the ssroom to the main gate (the teachersmute by car, so they park within school grounds). Although that was a problem, the roads leading up to the main gate were lined with trees and nts, so the scenery was great. Moreover, the trees nted along the streets were mostly cherry blossoms, so this area was also widely known during the cherry blossoms festivals held every spring.


    "¡­Huh?"


    I suddenly stopped. It was because I saw a lump of metal the size of a ser ball between the cherry blossom branches from the corner of my eye. That shining metal ball had something hanging from it that resembled a camera lens.


    "Yo, where are you going?"


    "Ah, Jae-seok."


    I spun around at the familiar voice and when I turned back, that strange object had disappeared. <i>Am I seeing things?</i>


    "I wanted to apologize about yesterday but why didn''t youe out of your ssroom, you bastard. You got sulky after I introduced you to a beauty."


    "Shut up. What did you mean after selling out your friend when you got bewitched¡­ And why are you asking me toe out of my ssroom? You could have entered the ssroom if you wanted to apologize."


    Even though he belonged to another ss, he was in the one right next to mine. He wasn''tzy, so if he had wanted to apologize, he could havee into my ssroom, but he didn''t. However, I could guess the reason behind it when I looked at his awkward smile.


    "Huh? Ah, no, nothing. Your ssroom has someone who doesn''t get along with me."


    "¡­"


    So, it was Dong-min. Well, this guy had a temper and worked out a lot so we could say that he was a natural born fighter. His temperament was bound to attract Dong-min who had the vicinity under his control. Come to think of it, there was once a time when he had provoked Dong-min and showed up the next day with the title<strong> Almost faced death</strong>.


    I could see how happy he was to not be in the same ss as Dong-min. However, I am in despair for being in the same ss.


    "Well, whatever the case. I''m sorry! Oh right, although I should be feeling chagrin after introducing a beauty to you, it isn''t something I can''t understand considering your extraordinary life."


    "Is that an apology?"


    I feigned augh out of bewilderment, but I ended up nodding since I wasn''t particrly angry. Anyway, the magician girl wasn''t the problem. The extraterrestrial being was.


    "What''s with that bag?"


    I didn''t know why, but there was a bag of a considerable size on one of Jae-seok''s shoulders. You might be thinking that it wasn''t strange for a student to be carrying a bag. However, our lockers in school were rather spacious and safe so most students would leave their belongings in them. If someone was carrying a bag when heading home from school, they probably had something personal to carry around, otherwise¡­


    "Are you¡­ going to an academy?"


    "Boo hoo¡­ Don''t remind me of it. Damn, how did I end up¡­"


    It was bewildering to see how he was about to cry at any moment.


    "No, it''s not strange for a high school student to attend an academy, but¡­ why so sudden?"


    "It seems like my parents have been plotting this since I ruined the final examsst year. I have to keep attending the academy until my senior year if I can''t get into the top 100."


    "What would happen if you didn''t go?"


    "They will stop my allowances and freeze my card. Ah, this is why the education system in our country is wrong! How dare they evaluate a human with a mere report card!"


    He was yelling out of his grievances. But it was understandable since he wasn''t the type to study on his own. Though guys like him would never study regardless if they were sent to an academy or had a home tutor, parents would never think that way.


    "Anyway, study hard."


    "Boo hoo¡­"


    I waved my hands at a whining Jae-seok and exited the school gates.


    There were dozens of cars lined up in front of the gate. They were all there to pick up the students to either send them home or to academies. There were some whose parents came personally to pick them up, but most of them were chauffeurs.


    "As expected of rich children."


    Of course, I was also one of them. Our family wasn''t rich at all, but in conclusion, my father was. Truthfully speaking, regardless of whichever household he was born into, my father would inevitably be rich.


    Even if the country had confiscated all of my father''s wealth and threw him somewhere like the Middle East or North Korea, he would still be rich in no time. No, not just that, but if he really got thrown to the Middle East or North Korea, he would overturn the local government and be its enemy. He wasn''t the type to leave a twisted system be.


    <i>''Anyhow, this¡­ doesn''t seem to be just a feeling.''</i>


    I started ncing around after I got a weird feeling as various thoughts ran through my head. It was an unusual feeling. I felt like someone was observing me.


    <i>''Is it that alien?''</i>

 Chapter 10: The Strange Cutting-edge Arcade (3)

    <h4>Chapter 10: The Strange Cutting-edge Arcade (3)</h4>


    <i>''Is it that alien?''</i>


    There was nothing I could do about it even if that thought popped into my mind as it was nearly impossible for me to locate her if she were on her spaceship observing me from afar. Although I was slightly wary, I brushed it off and headed towards the arcade. The best I could do was to ignore the thought, since there was nothing I could do. It would be awkward too if I headed home with her following me.


    I would really, truly, sincerely, hate it if that alien girl were to fall for my dad and start to live with us; it would turn into a third-rate romanceedy. There were some differing opinions on whether my father''s charisma would work on extraterrestrial beings, but his charisma really just worked on all races. I''m not joking, even the cats and dogs can''t pull themselves together with him around. Moreover, there was one time when a lion that had escaped from the zoo got caught again as it started to act cute in front of my father.


    <i>''Ah, I still can''t forget the faces of the zookeepers from back then.''</i>


    On top of that, I heard that they had just captured that lion from the wild, so watching it acting cute like a dog or a cat was really quite a sight. And that panicked look of theirs when they saw the lion¡­ By the way, the lion was a female.


    "What should I start with? I''m tired of fighting games."


    I wandered around after entering the arcade. I had yed most of the games, so there was nothing much that caught my interest. Besides <i>Time Attack</i>, the other adventure games are quite meaningless, and I win in most fighting games so it wasn''t much fun at all.


    "Should I y a shooting game? No, there''s nothing special¡­ huh?"


    I then discovered a huge arcade machine in a corner. Though it was in a corner, the size of the arcade machine was simr to that of a room, so it had tremendous presence. There was a door for entrance, and when I took a peek inside, I saw that it was filled with several machines.


    I entered and slipped a 1,000 won bill [1] into the inlet. Some might think that 1,000 won for a game might be too expensive, but I was immersed in something else. The arcade machine was so high-tech that it transcended my imagination.


    "I don''t think they will earn much money by charging 1,000 won for this."


    I felt sorry, but well, it was not my business either way. It should bring them profit anyway.


    My body sank into the chair as I sat down, and I followed the instructions stuck above the screen, putting on something simr to circlets and a pair of gloves. The gloves were initially quite loose for me, but after the chair got powered up and with a beep, the gloves shrank and adjusted to the size of my hands.


    <strong><i>-Pilot recognitionpleted. Activating Hermes System.</i></strong>


    The screen before me brightened up along with the soft voice of a woman. At the same time, the battle had started.


    <i>Booom! Bang!</i>


    Explosions urred everywhere. The background was that of the universe. A board two meters wide and a meter tall descended and got equipped. There were at least a hundred numbered buttons on it.


    "Wh, what is this? Why is it soplicated?"


    I was thrown into confusion when a white machine showed up in front of me. It was a different race, so to say, a kind of robot with the appearance of a human.


    "What? This is a game about armored units?"


    But as soon as I spoke, the white machine pointed something that resembled a gun towards me and¡ª


    <i>Bang!</i>


    The screen showed explosion effects, and it darkened in an instant.


    <strong>[GAME OVER]</strong>


    Looking at the white letters showing up on the darkened screen stupefied me.


    "What? I only have one life? It ended right after it started?"


    It hadn''t even been 10 seconds since the game started. It literally ended right after it started. Entering this arcade machine and putting the circlets and gloves on must have taken more time than the game itself.


    "What is this? It has too many buttons. What does it want me to... Ah, there was a manual here?" I was grumbling when I discovered a book that looked like a telephone directory and picked it up. It seemed to be something like an instruction manual.


    <i>Just what kind of arcade game''s instruction manual is at the level of a major''s book?</i>


    <i>Flip, flip. </i>


    I flipped the pages calmly after sitting down on a chair. The manual had instructions about how to use the control board and the functions of each key, instructions about how to read the dashboard and finally, the controlling method of the machines, Gigas, inside the game. Inyman terms, it contained instructions about how to fight with a robot named Gigas.


    "...This is harder than controlling a fighter jet."


    You might ask, "Who are you to say that a mere game is harder than controlling a fighter jet?" But at least for me, it seemed so. The controls for this Gigas robot weren''t just difficult. I felt like it required systematic learning and training rather than it being an arcade game. Learning from actual experience would be much faster than studying its theory, but even so, the difficulty for this was just too far off.


    I insert another 1,000 won bill and start to slowly study the controls. Basically, this could be considered a mechanic FPS game, but the circlet on my head, the gloves and the control board could be referred to as the main controls.


    <i><strong>-Entering the field. Activating Hermes System.</strong></i>


    At the cue of the woman''s soft voice, the screen before me lit up again. The situation was the same as before. The explosive sounds rang from the speakers installed on all four sides of the room, and I started to move my hands.


    <i>Swoosh!</i>


    The controls of this peculiar arcade machine were simr to those of aputer. The control board was equivalent to the keyboard, and the gloves, a mouse. The only distinctive part was that when I had the gloves on, it worked like the normal keyboard and mouse, and my vision moves ording to the direction I''m looking at while wearing the circlet.


    "Will it be more convenient if I set movement controls on my left hand, and attack controls on my right?" I explored my movements before the white robot appeared. The t control board had about 100 buttons, and the response would be different depending on which ones were activated. On top of that, it seemed like there were sensors on each finger, so the reactions also varied depending on the shape the fingers made.


    "No, what? The number of variables increases too much with this."


    I grumbled while studying the controls as much as I could. It felt as though a long time had passed when the white robot flew up to me again and aimed its gun at me.


    <i>Chiiiing-</i>


    That sound was indescribable. An example would be like when the sides of two cymbals are hit against each other? Anyway, the sound that apanied theser beams had shed into the energy barrier around me, and dissipated. I had created a shield with the controls. I saw an energy gauge on the top right corner of the screen, which had decreased by a fifth.


    <i>''Is that some sort of reserve energy? Like MP?''</i>


    I checked the energy gauge while moving. I activated evasion and watched the gauge fill up again slowly. It seemed like it would recover itself as time passed.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    One of the enemy machines exploded after I moved my right hand to fire the gun. My senses weren''t perfect yet, and the movement felt awkward, but I still managed to hit it.


    "Okay, good! I will sweep all of you away!"


    <i>Piiing! Bang! Chiiing!</i>


    Both my hands started bustling, blocking the iing attacks and trying to attack whenever there was a chance. It was so difficult that there wasn''t time to be idle.


    "Huh? What''s up with that guy? A lightsaber? A sword in a space fight?"


    I suddenly got flustered trying to dodge the attack from a ck robot which suddenly came charging at me. <i>No, there''s no way someone would pull out a sword in a long-distanced battlefield unless they''re crazy...</i>


    <i>Chwaang!</i>


    "Uwaak?!"


    That moment, I too had unconsciously turned my torso out of reflex, just like any other average gamer. It was because the lightsaber that the ck robot was holding had extended and shed me. There was no way for me to respond in that instant as I hadn''t seen iting.


    <strong>[GAME OVER]</strong>


    "Ugh, what was that? How can such a cheat exist?"


    But I continued to put in another bill even while flustered. I wasn''t able to stop.


    <strong>[GAME OVER]</strong>


    <strong>[GAME OVER]</strong>


    <strong>[GAME OVER]</strong>


    I was headed to another battlefield after sting a photon cannon at that robot holding the sword, when I was surrounded by over ten other robots. I led the movements of those robots such that they would collide into each other, and brought all of them down together at once.


    I advanced along, but not long after met a boss-like robot where I was swept away by a barrage of thousands of missiles it had. After evading all of its photon cannons and missiles thrown at me, like the face off between David and Goliath, I threw the huge robot at therge group of missiles it had fired. I then finished it off by sting it with a photon cannon¡­ and then oxidized the enemy warship¡¯s main guns. And then¡­ I wrapped it up by breaking its head with a photon bomb, but then I gantly died a glorious death by a cannon an enemy ship fired.


    "Ah~ So I''ll attract the enemy''s attention if I get cocky on the battlefield?"


    But what was the point of a game if it wasn''t for entertainment?


    <i>Kwagagang!</i>


    I dodged all the attacks and prated in. Sometimes, I hid amongst my allies and shot at the enemies. Sometimes, I got into closebat fights and destroyed the enemy even if closebat fights weren''t appropriate in gctic warfare; otherwise, I wouldn''t stand any chances at winning. The entire battlefield had been overturned with the appearance of one robot.


    Surprisingly, this game had close to infinite degrees of freedom, so the battlefield adjusted to the situation no matter what I did. Nheless¡­ there was still an end to it. The moment I had cleared my surroundings, defeated the boss and sessfully avoided the cannons, the entire battlefield reached a lull.


    And then...


    <strong>[Stage Cleared!]</strong>


    The white letters appeared on the dark screen and grewrger. I yed with so much concentration that both my hands were trembling.


    "Hoo¡­ Hoo¡­ Wow, wow, wow¡­"


    I clenched my fists and then stood up.


    "This is really fun!"


    <i>Ohh, to think a masterpiece like this existed!!</i>


    Others would have died in no time since the difficulty was so high, but that was why I had the motivation to challenge it. Moreover, the visuals and sound effects were so outstanding that even if they dropped the difficulty by a little, I think it would sell really well.


    "This is a genuine work of art. <i>Whew</i>, idiots. If they make it easier, they can open up tournaments and even broadcast it on TV."


    Once in a while, there were games like this, a game that seemed to have invested a lot of money into its graphics and game quality but still ended up being trash.


    <i>I don''t think I''ve ever seen an advertisement for this game. I don''t think they would have spent little money in making this game, so what was going on?</i>


    "Well, it''s not something I should worry about, but the real problem is how far will I be able to go with 1,000 won?"


    The arcade machine took in another bill. I didn''t even bother reading the manual thoroughly, since one learns through experience anyway.


    "How long will it take to reach the end?"


    This thought pops up in my mind whenever I start a new game. That was when I didn''t know that this damned game had a hundred stages.


    1. Slightly less than 1USD

 Chapter 11: Crumbling Daily Life (1)

    <h4>Chapter 11: Crumbling Daily Life (1)</h4>


    Beginners usually pick the weak characters because they do not know anything.


    Intermediate gamers know which are the strong characters so they pick them to win, but may also lose.


    Experts find a character that suits them and umte victories.


    And the masters! Their fantasy is¡­


    ''It is to pick the weakest character and defeat the strong yers!!''


    I moved the joystick.


    Turn to the left, then right, up and down, up, down, left, right, and then the AB button!


    -Oh my god! It''s research time!


    Hidden Character, Psycho Doctor.


    A white-haired elder, whom one cannot pick without knowing of his existence, smiled as he lifted a test tube. One youth was looking at him from behind, bewildered.


    "Ah? Is that the hidden character? This character should not exist because of the bnce of the game. God of Fighter [1] is a game that is selling worldwide, is this okay?"


    Putting in obvious content like hidden characters, hidden items, hidden skills or hidden fraudulent jobs that everyone would like to get was something possible in RPGs one yed alone at home, but to put these ridiculous elements into a game that everyone yed was crazy.


    It was like killing the game they had painstakingly created.


    Everyone paid to y the game, but who would y if they knew that some were going through all kinds of hardships while some were benefiting or having fun with a fraudulent character?


    We are living in the times when people would stop yingpletely if the existing pay-to-win system which allows one to be stronger by spending real life currency became overly imbnced. To think that they made a hidden system that let one benefit greatly through luck or secrets.


    However, the friend of the guy who wasining shook his head.


    "Ah, you know what? That Psycho Doctor is not the kind of character you think he is. He is definitely a hidden character, but¡­"


    The Psycho Doctor was a hidden character, but not everyone agreed that it was a fraudulent one.


    Would they have made a character like him in a fighting game in the first ce?


    The Psycho Doctor was a hidden character, but no gamers hadints about its existence. They praised it instead, saying that it was a funny hidden easter egg.


    The reason for that was because the Psycho Doctor¡­


    -Ugh!


    ¡­was a useless character who could not even throw a punch properly.


    Flop!


    He falls down after throwing a single punch.


    And after kicking, he lies down for about a second and does not stand until then.


    His attack is strong, but the initial dy (the dy before attacking) and the after dy (the dy after attacking) is too much.


    He swings his arm twice in the air before throwing out a punch, but falls down after.


    As for kicks, it was as if he was going to do a drop kick, but heid down on the ground while grabbing his waist within a second.


    Pooft!


    His overwhelming farts (The context is that all the potions he drank during his research get released through farts) can reduce the enemy''s health gauge by at least half, but no one gets hit by it.


    The reason for that was that it was a fighting game where the two parties had to look at each other, but the Psycho Doctor turned around slowly (there was even a motion where he hit his back twice) and exerted strength before the fart. Besides a blind elder, would anyone not be able to avoid such an attack? However¡­


    "Ack! I got hit by it!!"


    "Damn it! This fart. Ack!!!"


    "Wow, he keeps his opponent in check with those weak attacks and then uses the fart when the opponent charges in. What a devilish psychological warfare!"


    "What''s with his crazy winning rate while using the Psycho Doctor?"


    "He''s a psycho! A psycho has appeared!"


    "This is crazy! Wouldn''t people think of Psycho Doctor as a good character and choose him after seeing this?"


    He grasped the movements of the enemy and inflicted a sudden, lethal blow.


    The Psycho Doctor was undisputedly a trash character who was hard to deal any attacks with, but at least his attack power wasparable to God of Fighter''s boss, Invisible Man. With amand that can only be described as dirty, it is possible to win if you manage tond two or three attacks.


    -You have been defeated.


    "Ah, how unfortunate¡­"


    Of course, that did not mean that one could attain unlimited victories like before. Regardless, everything would be over once the movements have been grasped with a character like the Psycho Doctor whosemands are limited.


    There was also a limit to using psychological warfare to make up for theck of performance, so I ended up encountering users who had grasped the movements of the Psycho Doctorpletely and came up with a [solution] after having seen other yers die.


    No matter how well the yers grasped the skills of the Psycho Doctor and tried to go for an enemy''s opening, the limits of the Psycho Doctor were clear from the start.


    There was a limit to making up with one''s skills, but even I would not be able to do anything should the opponent fully grasp Psycho Doctor''s characteristics and not let down their guard.


    "Good. That is enough."


    Of course, I did not challenge them again. Because in the first ce, my goal was to warm up until my health gauge depleted.


    -Entering field. Activating Hermes System.


    After equipping the helmet and gloves and inserting a bill, the front screen brightened up along with the voice of a woman and a sudden battle urred right after that.


    It was an evil model that caused first-time yers to have a mental breakdown, but-


    Brooom! Bang!


    I pressed a button with my left hand as soon as I heard an explosion and then pulled with my right hand. The screen spun and the battlefield got further away.


    Simply put, it was a retreat. However, that was not everything.


    "Hendel! Concentrate all the shield energy to the rifle guns!"


    -Warning. If you consume all of the shield''s energy, you will be defenseless and exposed to the enemy''s direct attack.


    "Hey, why do you never listen to me right away? This is an order!"


    -Implementing.


    Bewilderingly enough, this arcade game has a program installed in it that is no different from an artificial intelligence, and the way to control it was through [voice].


    ording to the settings, the control system controls the overall system of [White Snake], the Gigas I am riding on right now.


    While the control system gives advice and even warnings in the case of wrong orders, it usually obeys your orders no matter what.


    The manual actually stated to not go against the instructions of the control system as much as possible and did not say that the control system would obey my words, but it seemed like it did.


    "Hup!"


    I let out a low yell and then moved both of my hands to concentrate the energy of White Snake onto a photon cannon, and then fired it the moment the enemy appeared.


    Kwagagang!!!


    "Triple kill~!"


    I aimed for the precise moment where the front-line enemies were lined up and swept them down with a photon cannon.


    They activated their evasive functions as well of course, but even so, it was a route I could see clearly.


    The White Snake could not make a strong attack due to the weak output itself, but it was able to destroy three machines in an instant after gathering the shield energy.


    "And... retreat."


    -There aren''t any retreating orders yet. Please return to the battlefield, Pilot-nim.


    I could hear the warning of Hendel, the control system of White Snake, but the one controlling the movements was me anyway. It was just a control system and had no authority over me.


    However, it did not give up and kept speaking.


    -Pilot-nim. Deserting the battlefield is a very serious crime.


    -I am warning you.


    -Pilot-nim. Pilot-nim. Immediately¡­


    The screen blinked in red along with text stating that I was getting further away from the battlefield, but I disregarded it and broke away from the battlefield at the fastest speed, towards the huge battleship that was far away from this ce.


    Did the system give up?


    When I was a considerable distance away from the battlefield, Hendel and the screen returned to normal and I could focus on the screen in front of me.


    "Rising Storm¡­"


    A union that rules the universe.


    Ship number 13 of the Leonhardt Empire, one of the 21 forces that belong to the union. The majestic Rising Storm appeared on the screen.


    As the size of the White Snake I am riding on is set at about 8 meters tall, I can tell that the ship being shown on the screen is easily twice as big as normal cities.


    Baang! Bang!


    Since we were in the middle of the battlefield, the surroundings of the Rising Storm were just as noisy.


    After a brief observation of a tremendous bombardment that brightened up the dark space and the energy shield that was blocking the attack from it, I got down to the deck.


    If I had been riding on an enemy ship, I would have be a beehive from the heavy artillery fire and the blockage of the Rising Storm''s shield.


    However, the White Snake had an identification code so I was able to get to the deck without issues, and subsequently went further down the ship with a strange sound.


    "Bye bye!"


    -Pilot-nim? Pilot-nim!


    Pshwoo!


    Upon arrival, I ignored Hendel''s calling and got off the White Snake.


    Of course, I didn''t get off the arcade machine literally; it was just part of the game''s storyline.


    However, my field of vision became narrower, and I was able to see the entirety of White Snake.


    After getting off from White Snake, I ran towards the inner hangar. Though I am in my human state, the method to run was like controlling a Gigas.


    "A hidden piece, huh? It sure has everything."


    Hidden piece.


    This term refers to an element or system hidden in the game. A hidden boss or profession. Or perhaps the strongest weapon and so on can also be considered as hidden pieces. And this exists in The Great War, the game I am ying right now, as well. If you escape the battlefield and return to Rising Storm, you can transfer to another Gigas on the battleship!


    And so, the ce I arrived at¡­


    -What? Why is a mere pilot here instead of the imperial prince or princess?


    There was a huge, golden giant in that ce.


    The Golden Constetion. Goldrian.


    The Gigas are divided into 5 ranks, namely God, Star, Human, Beast and Tool-rank.


    Though I''m not too sure, the God-rank Gigas is said to be a transcendent weapon where only godly beings whose divine power has transcended fate can ride them.


    God-ranked Gigas are so powerful that they can destroy small(?) stars like the sun to even the gxy.


    The Goldrian in front of me right now was a Star-ranked machine that was below that of God-rank.


    It is the strongest Gigas that can be ridden by people who have not reached the level of transcendence, and there are only five of them in the Leonhardt Empire.


    Ah, and the White Snake I was riding on is a Beast-rank Gigas, the second rank from the bottom.


    That is why it is called a white "snake" as it is a beast.


    -I will ask you again. Where did the princess go, and why are you here?


    It was bewildering, but the one speaking to me was Goldrian.


    Compared to Hendel, which was a mass-produced control system, Goldrian had its own ego.


    ''It really is a fraudulent machine.''


    I had only ridden on Goldrian once.


    And¡­ In that one-time opportunity, I pushed back the entire 3rd Corps of the Tekea Federation, the enemy of the Leonhardt Empire, and even captured their battleship, [Punishment] (a battleship that was bigger than average cities and it wasn''t even themander''s ship!).


    ''Honestly, the Goldrian is too much of a cheat. It can do everything alone.''


    And that was why I, who was uninterested in Goldrian, could wave my hand to it.


    "Ah, this is a shortcut, so it is a pass for you. The war will end soon, so rest for now."


    -What did you say?


    "Bye bye~~"


    I walked past the Goldrian to take the elevator and headed towards the fourth exit.


    "I finally arrived. Damned bastards. They should have parked the remaining machines near the deck."


    I am saying this again, but the Gigas are divided into five rankings ¨C God, Star, Human, Beast and Tool. The difference between each rank is really prominent


    Compared to the Goldrian, the White Snake''s performance can be seen as insignificant, but it is not a machine that anyone can ride. It is an advanced product that can only be ridden by at least an officer.


    The one in front of me right now is a Tool-ranked Gigas that is ranked below the Beast. In the manual, they are called the soldiers'' Gigas as it is a product that is mass-produced in factories.


    However, despite the fact that those could only be ridden by the elites of the soldiers or officers, no one can deny that it has the most basic performance among the Gigas.


    "System activate!"


    Kiiiiing¡­


    R-13, the 3.5 meters tall Tool-ranked Gigas, which was in a crouching position stood up the moment I boarded it.


    As the Gigas was a mass-produced one, it didn''t even have a personality, but that was also why I chose this machine.


    Does the machine have a hidden power?


    "What a sad thing to say."


    I loosened up my fingers lightly. I concentrated and started nning.


    Since it does not have enough firepower, I should head towards the enemymander''s direction.


    No matter what people say about the Tool-ranked Gigas being trash, it is still well-armed and is able to fly through space (even though it is slow). In a limited space with a few enemies, it is still a much better situationpared to the Psycho Doctor.


    Beginners usually pick the weak characters because they do not know anything.


    Intermediate gamers know which are the strong characters so they pick them to win, but may also lose.


    Experts find a character that suits them and umte victories.


    And the masters! Their fantasy is¡­


    ''It is to pick the weakest character and defeat the strong yers!!''


    -Pilot recognitionplete. Activating Hermes System.


    The R-13 moved along with the soft voice of a woman. The hardest difficulty challenge I had set for myself was about to begin.


    1. Probably hinting at King of Fighters

 Chapter 12: Crumbling Daily Life (2)

    <h4>Chapter 12: Crumbling Daily Life (2)</h4>


    I confess, I am actually a gaming addict.


    I am at an age where I am healthy and studying hard to maintain my grades in the top 10% of the whole school. However, those who have known me for a long time would know very well that I am a gaming addict.


    I try ying most of the newly-released titles more than once. In this excessively-huge house for a father and his two sons to live in, I have a room I use only to store my games. We are not too short on pocket money, so what else can I say?


    This hobby of mine has gone on so long that I have already bought over a thousand games.


    The moment I find a game I like, I spend all 24 hours of a day ying it. Confining myself in the room is a norm during vacations, and if it is not possible to do that because of school like now, I repeat endless simtions inside my head.


    I research strategies as soon as I wake up in the morning, and I think about the controls while listening to sses and when I am walking.


    Repeated practice is definitely needed, and I imagine more groundbreaking and perfect methods.


    And because of that, I will neverst more than three days once I start levelling up, unless it is a game that I need to y.


    I grasp even the structure of the game itself without fail and be a master that is more perfect than anyone else.


    I am not joking, but I am so good to the point where my gamey starts to go viral on the inte without fail, whether it is fighting, strategic simtions or MOBA games.[1]


    There are always replies saying it was manipted, so now I am being quite cautious about it.


    "To think that I have to endure this for 10 days."


    I headed to the arcade right after school ended, as usual.


    Neither my father nor brother are the type to have strict rules for the family, so it is not much of a problem. If things were like before, Jae-seok would have followed me to the arcade, but he had to attend an academy because of his mother, so I headed to the arcade with little trouble.


    ''What should I do today? Well, I already conquered [Punishment] with the R-13. Even if it is me we are talking about, it is impossible to capture the gigantic spaceship with just the R-13¡­ Ah, right. Shall I have a sword fight this time?''


    Instead of R-13''s main weapon, the photon cannon, I decided to go with the Ultra-Vibration de, which could be considered as a secondary weapon.


    Going into the battlefield where photon bombs are fired everywhere with just a short sword does not differ from suicide, but there has to be a handicap like this for the game to be fun, right?


    Kiiiing---


    But then, I heard a strange sound.


    ''Ah¡­ I was wondering why it has been so quiet.''


    There was unexpectedly no particr contact with Celestia, whom I thought would keep pestering me for a while.


    I thought a romanceedy would ur where she barged into our home, fell for my dad, and then said that she would be my mother, but it seemed like she decided to finish sightseeing or her travels ended because I did not hear from her again at all.


    However¡­ The sound was ringing clearly through the air yet nobody in the surroundings heard it, and that told me she had appeared nearby.


    ''No, wait. Now that I think about it, it sounds different. Is it another alien?''


    Woong-


    I was feeling doubtful when I felt something in me that could not be expressed with words, but it felt familiar for some reason. That unknown sensation was transmitting me [Information].


    -Would you like to resist?


    To be clear, it did not appear in text form. But regardless of that, I realized that a certain something was trying to move my body, and I also realized that I could stop that through my judgement.


    With no other conditions, qualifications and without using force.


    Something I can do with just my decisions¡­


    ''What is this? Is it an [Authority]? Not an ability?''


    It was bewildering for me, but that was what I felt.


    Yes. I had a kind of authority in me.


    It was unexined information, but what matters was not whether this was an authority or an ability.


    Do I have to resist against this unknown interference?


    ''But if I resist, it will once again¡­''


    I remembered the time when I saw Celestia''s spaceship and flinched.


    How she wasughing while saying ''as expected, you can see it''. Because of that, the background changed while I was hesitating.


    Paat!


    Before I knew it, I was moved to a room.


    I had undoubtedly arrived at the arcade and several students were passing by, but I was now at apletely different ce beyond space.


    "¡­What is this? Where am I?"


    I acted flustered for now.


    Because it might not be Celesta who kidnapped me but some other existence.


    If I were to exin the atmosphere of the room I arrived at, it was a living room with several pieces of furniture in it.


    The pieces of furniture were round overall and were a little contrasting, but it was not an iprehensible, pedantic design. It was generallyfortable to use for someone of human height.


    "Nice to meet you, Reserve Pilot-nim."


    "¡­What a surprise."


    It was not an act this time.


    I am not joking, but a woman who seemed to be in herte twenties appeared right in front of me when there had been no one there a second ago.


    "Haha, you sure are calm."


    "Calm my ass. My heart almost dropped."


    I replied in the sharpest way possible, but it did not look like she believed me.


    It was because extreme calmness dominated my entire body when I got surprised for real, aspared to when I could pretend to be surprised when I was just acting.


    But the woman who appeared in front of me smiled brightly as if that did not matter and said.


    "Sorry if I surprised you, Reserve Pilot-nim. I am thrilled to meet you like this."


    "¡­Reserve Pilot-nim?"


    I got confused at the unfamiliar word and I reflexively looked up above her head.


    Leonhardt Empire, 2nd Corps Headquarters


    Head of Human Resources Division, ina.


    ''What is this?''


    I flinched at that moment. But it was not because of the content.


    ''What is this line?''


    It was a normal(?) Title, but there was a line drawn in the middle of it like a cancetion line. It was as if they drew a line across to erase the text. No, it seemed like they tried to cancel it, but it was the first time I had seen a title like this regardless.


    The woman, who kidnapped me, ced her hand on her chest like it did not matter whether it bewildered me or not.


    "For the Emperor! I am Lieutenant ina, head of the Human Resources Division of the 2nd Corps, Imperial Army of the Leonhardt Empire."


    "Leonhardt Empire¡­"


    Empire. A word that would fit the medieval age, yet it still sounded familiar.


    Because I was in the Leonhardt Imperial Army and had defeated countless enemies in the new game that was installed in the arcade, The Great War.


    "You must be thinking, ''Isn''t that the content of the new arcade game?''."


    The woman who was shing me a gentle smile appeared voluminous. Judging from her self-introduction and the uniform she was wearing, she looked like a female soldier. She was about my height with a well-trained yet sensual body. Despite her not exposing any skin and beingpletely covered in her uniform, I still felt that way, so it would not be an exaggeration to say that she would attract all the attention if she walked around in her casual wear on the street.


    ''No, but does a soldier like her exist in this world? Is this AV material?''


    Overall, she seemed to be in her early thirties. She looked like a Germanic beauty (although I do not know if this category applies to aliens) in herte twenties with waist-long, shiny, blonde hair, but it was hard to guess if this was her real look or a setup to attract humans¡­ But that was not the important thing anyway.


    ''An alien again.''


    Yes. That was the problem. Just like what Celestia did, this woman was iming to be an alien as well.


    "You are not nning to say that all of that exists, right?"


    "Of course."


    ina smiled brightly and said.


    "I was nning to say that all of that exists. The Great War is not just a simple game; it is a pilot-nurturing simtion that uses reality as its foundation."


    "¡­"


    I stared at her, speechless, while she gestured for me to sit on the chair.


    It was an awkward situation since I was standing while she was sitting. She resumed her exnation the moment I sat down.


    "As I said before, The Great War you have yed is a simtion that perfectly synchronizes with the controlling of real Gigas. We made it by entering information about the war between our Leonhardt Empire and the Tekea Federation."


    A hologram appeared in the air as she raised her hand while exining with a soft voice.


    It showed the things that were reproduced with [Out-of-earth] technology like the huge battleships, [Rising Storm] and [Rage], that were now familiar to me since I had seen them a lot, and also the Gigas and fighter jets that were flying in between.


    "Excuse me, but¡­ Why did you throw such high-tech products to Earth?"


    "To discover talented pilots, of course. In the Leonhardt Empire, we have been recruiting talented people by installing simtors using several methods on most of the Alstron Gxy that we have influence on. If you score more than 100,000 points on the simtor, a signal will be sent into space."


    "¡­"


    In other words, it was a pilot selection test. On top of that, it was a cosmic-scale selection for people who did not even know about extraterrestrial life, like Earth.


    "I have expected this to baffle you. No, you are actually calmer than I expected. The person we brought here a year ago made a fuss for two days while trying to find a hidden camera. We showed him techniques that cannot be recreated by the civilization of Earth 34, but he was still not able to ept reality."


    "I do not know who that is, but that is too slow."


    "But you being too fast is also a fact, Reserve Pilot-nim."


    She said and took out a card-sized transparent board from her chest.


    The board seemed to be made out of a material simr to crystal and was emitting a strange light. Like a piece of paper getting unfolded, it increased in size and transformed into a document of considerable size.


    "¡­This is?"


    "A contract. As soon as you sign here, you will be qualified to take the Pinnell Academy entrance exam to be part of the Leonhardt Imperial Army."


    She was speaking as she wished, an attitude that seemed to have ruled out the possibility of me declining.


    "On Earth, people who kidnap others and give them contracts as they please aremonly known as ve traders."


    I showed my bewilderment on purpose, but she justughed calmly.


    "90% of reserve pilots who received this offer agreed to it. In addition, it is not easy to pass the Pinnell Academy entrance exam, so it is merely an interim contract. It means you can give it a try without losing anything."


    Is she trying to tell me to not get my hopes up because it is highly likely to not work out? But even so, my thoughts did not change because of it.


    "I am sorry but I like games, not war. I do not want to put my life on the line, so please send me back home."


    It was a clear refusal, but ina did not get flustered and replied.


    "But¡­ We will reward you just by taking the entrance exam."


    The numbers she showed me on the contract contained ten zeros as shepleted her sentence.


    The currency was in Korean Won, fortunately(?), but it was an incredible reward for just having to take the exam.


    "Thepensation will be issued in the form of a ck card. You can use the ck card freely anywhere in the world and it ispletely clean so you will not get traced. And most of all¡­" ina smirked and continued.


    "If you pass the entrance exam, the reward will change into a monthly pay and this¡­ Korean Won? Anyway, it will not be a limited currency. You will get paid in Gats instead, themon gctic currency. In addition, students of Pinnell Academy receive a reduction in most crime sentences including murder and get a third rate operational right, which means you will have higher authority than the presidents of the countries on your small."


    In other words, what she was saying was that my life would change the moment I entered the school called Painen or Final, but¡­ I simply shook my head.


    ''That is bullshit.''


    No matter how good the conditions were, it was all in vain. Why would they go to such great lengths cost-wise for a Gigas pilot in the first ce?


    ''To use me.''


    1. MOBA refers to multiyer online battle arena, for example, League of Legends, or Dota 2.

 Chapter 13: Crumbling Daily Life (3)

    <h4>Chapter 13: Crumbling Daily Life (3)</h4>


    ''To use me.''


    It was so obvious it was not even worth thinking about. Recruiting external manpower and asking them to leave their own countries was very suspicious. Why should I have to step on a battlefield for an organization that I don''t even know about?


    In addition, even the conditions were doubtful. It might seem good just by listening, but to me who does not know the situation outside of Earth at all, there is no credibility.


    In the first ce, I was not sure how the Won can be used in space, so it would not be weird at all if the monthly sry does not even let you buy a single meal outside of Earth. Just like how it is hard to buy a meal in Korea with 3,000 won but the same amount of money could be worth something entirely different for African refugees. Who is able to guarantee that the money of uncivilized (from the aliens'' perspectives) Earth is worth 10 billion or 100 billion beyond Earth?


    "I am satisfied with my life. I do not want to get entangled in this strange thing."


    "But¡­"


    "I am repeating myself again, but¡­"


    I spoke bluntly in case she misunderstood.


    "Send me back home. I will never change my mind."


    I was speaking confidently, but I still felt uneasy. Even though this woman looked just like a human, she was an extraterrestrial being and in addition, a soldier. I was not joking. If she started yelling ''You cannot reject and we will force it on you, you ve!!!'', would I have the power to reject it?


    Fortunately, ina nodded. In that instant, I felt that she was telling me ''Fool. You are kicking away the fortune that came rolling to you,'' from her gaze, but it passed so quickly that normal people would not have noticed it.


    "It cannot be helped then. But you will have to sign a non-disclosure agreement."


    "Are you not going to erase my memories?"


    "Sorry? Hahaha! Our Leonhardt Empire is not such an inhumane country. However, please keep in mind that you will receive a sanction if you spread what happened here, or if it gets broadcasted. Well, it will not matter since there is no evidence."


    Hearing her words, I thought of the foreigners who imed to have been abducted by aliens on TV all of a sudden and realized they could be telling the truth after all. However, that was not the important issue anyway, so I nodded.


    "That is good with me. Do I just have to sign the non-disclosure agreement and I can return?"


    "¡­You sure are peculiar. I thought I knew about Earthlings to some extent after meeting so many of you, but this is a first to have one of your kind so annoyed at us."


    "Ah, just send me back, please."


    I showed the same attitude as a grumbling reserve soldier who got dragged into a training session. It did not matter anyway, because I simply wanted to leave this damned spaceship.


    ''I will have to resist if they try to teleport me by force next time. People who get entangled will always be entangled, right?''


    I clicked my tongue and then looked at the contract on the transparent board. It blinked and transformed into a non-disclosure agreement.


    I snatched it without hesitation and signed on it.


    "It looks like you really want to leave."


    "Of course. No, it is more suspicious that 90% of the people signed this absurd contract in the first ce."


    Aren''t the people who followed the unknown aliens despite having been told that they would be used as soldiers the crazy ones here? It wasn''t as if they had thirty lives; why would they want to enter someone else''s battleground?


    ina shook her head.


    "They be soldiers, but it is not as dangerous as you think and we will not force them to live the pre-modern military life that Earthlings think of. The only thing we need is ability. You are rewarded for having the ability, making the Leonhardt Imperial Army a ce anyone would want to enter. And most importantly."


    She smiled at me.


    "Don''t you want to try riding a Gigas?"


    "¡­"


    Only then did I realize how this absurd contract had a 90% probability of sess. If these aliens wanted to scout talents that excel in piloting abilities on an uncivilized like Earth, they must naturally devote themselves to spending a great deal of time and effort on The Great War. And for users who y The Great War¡­ It was natural to assume that they would want to experience flying through space and shooting down enemies. Anyone would. Perhaps it was natural for people to want to be a [Space fighting pilot] rather than a [Master of games that people do not even know]?


    War is a cruel thing, of course, but not many people live having that thought.


    "But even if that is the case, I do not want to go to war. Take it, please."


    "Ha. I was not expecting a pacifist among the yers of The Great War¡­ It is unfortunate, but I cannot do anything about it if that''s what you''ve decided."


    ina let out a sigh like she misunderstood something and received the contract I held out. I felt uneasy, but it seemed like I was going home. However, the door opened at that moment and a girl who seemed to be in herte teens came barging in.


    "Lieutenant-nim! He is a spy, a spy!!"


    "What?"


    I muttered in bewilderment while the pigtail-haired girl in a uniform simr to ina looked at me and shouted.


    "This bastard is a spy!"


    No, what crazy shit is she spouting?


    "A spy? What do you mean, Hye-ran?"


    Unlike me who was dumbfounded, ina''s expression was cold. The gentle smile she had maintained until now disappeared and instead, a cold, frightening aura emanated from her. However, the girl named Hye-ran yelled with excitement, as though she couldn''t read the room.


    "I checked his score, but it was really strange! I am sure he is a spy who wants to enter the Imperial Army of our Leonhardt Empire to steal information!"


    I frowned at the girl who was shouting because I thought she was trying to frame me in order to freely use me. But thankfully, ina''s cold expression loosened up and a deep sigh came out of her mouth.


    "Hye-ran. This person decided to return home. He said that he does not want to be a soldier."


    "Also, I even signed a non-disclosure agrteement. I don''t even want to get involved with you, so what do you mean by being a spy?"


    The conviction-filled expression on the pigtail-haired girl turned into one of confusion when she saw my annoyed attitude.


    "Eh? No, no way. But it definitely¡­"


    "Reserve Pilot-nim, I will be back in a moment."


    "No, why are you still calling me reserv¡­"


    I was about to argue about that when ina pulled the ear of the pigtail-haired girl with a firm expression.


    "Follow me."


    "It, it is weird¡­ He must be a sp¡­"


    "Second Lieutenant Kwon Hye-ran!"


    "Yes, yes! Lieutenant-nim! Ah, it hurts! Wait¡­"


    Kiiing.


    She dragged the struggling girl out of the door. It was something that happened in an instant. They left me alone in the room, looking at the door dumbfoundedly. There was an unbearable sense of shameing from deep inside.


    ''Ah, ah ah, you crazy bastard¡­ You dumbass¡­ What use is there for being careful like that?''


    Actually, The Great War, which was located in the corner of the new,rge-scale arcade, looked like a mysterious game machine to anyone.


    Let us agree that the graphics were outstanding. However, the active counteract regardless of my actions, the control system and NPCs that were no different from artificial intelligence, the freedom to do anything I want, the extreme difficulty, and the really systematic controls¡­


    "Ugh, there is no way such a game exists. It was so obvious."


    On top of that, it was unnatural that no rumors circted when such an unbelievable game existed. It was me who ignored reality because of how crazy I got at the game.


    "Ugh, game addiction sure is scary! If I had thought rationally, a situation like this would have never happened, but I wasn¡¯t able to stop."


    I shook my head and got a hold of myself because it was pointless to regret it at this point.


    "Ah, forget it. Everything will be over once I get home."


    I''mma take this as me warding off the bad luck that was about toe. It was a painful mistake, but no matter how much I think about it, I cannot imagine myself ignoring a fun, newly-discovered game, so it was unavoidable.


    Kiiing!


    Fortunately, ina returned quickly. I was not sure of the situation since she had quite a subtle expression.


    "What did that kid say? No, before that, is that kid also a soldier?"


    "A kid!? You were not even born when I was getting my degree, how dare you act so arrog¡­ Ugh, ugh!!"


    ina soon erased her subtle expression and apologized when she opened her eyes to the sound from the still-open door.


    "Hoho, I am sorry. It seems like there has been an error in the system."


    "An error?"


    "Yes. It is ridiculous, but it says that you have cleared 100 stages."


    "¡­Ah, really. That is weird."


    "Hoho, certainly. Right?"


    I desperately could not resist asking ''Why?'', but all kinds of thoughts passed through my head.


    ''No, what happened?''


    The Great War is a gameposed of a hundred stages. In fact, clearing 100 stages is normal if it was an all-clear. But to report that as an error¡­


    As it didn''t feel like a prank, I realized there was something different between their perception and mine, but fortunately, ina exined it for me calmly.


    "If you have yed The Great War, you would have noticed that even if there were 100 stages, it was only a number made under the assumption that a single Gigas will be used to overturn the situation. Of course, from a cosmic point of view, it is not that this has not happened before, but¡­ War is a reality, and it is impossible for a single Gigas to defeat all the enemies alone. The Great War is a learning process about war via working with fellow NPCs and adapting to the operation. An ordinary pilot can clear about 15 stages, and as for the 100,000 points requirement to be a reserve pilot, you can achieve it after clearing about 7 stages."


    "¡­"


    I put on a dumbfounded expression for a moment. Come to think of it, she said the reason why they came to Earth was because of the signal sent to space by the game simtor, and that the condition was that the yer scored more than 100,000 points in the game.


    In other words, if a yer can obtain at least 100,000 points in the game, the Leonhardt Empire considers them as a pilot worth recruiting with a certain amount ofpensation and manpower.


    That is right. 100,000 points.


    Merely.


    Merely¡­


    Merely 100,000 points.


    ''I have to return quietly.''


    I felt a sense of crisis. Until now, I thought I was just in an annoying, troublesome, andplicated situation, but I just realized that the situation was a bit more serious than that.


    If a user that had only gotten 100,000 points was a usable pilot, they might think of me as a ''target that must be won over''.


    ''This disaster was caused because of my useless talent.''


    I always thought that if a problem ever arose in my life someday, it would obviously be because of my title-seeing ability. I would have never imagined that it would be because of a game. No, in the first ce, who woulde to the conclusion that ''It must have been installed by an alien!'' with just having information that ''There is a strangely good arcade machine in this arcade''?


    ''If only I checked the title¡­''


    It would have been possible to guess the existence of aliens in The Great War if I did that, but my mistake was not checking even once because I was too busy ying the game.


    "Well, it would not matter if I return, right?"


    "Yes? Of course."


    "Send me back then."


    "Hmm."


    ina looked at me with a piercing gaze. She still wore a doubtful expression, but it didn''t seem like she wanted to hold me back and ended up nodding.


    "How unfortunate. You could have be myrade."


    "Do not say something so terrible."


    I smiled bitterly and shook my head.


    Fortunately, the business of that day ended there.


    *


    "Unnie! I am telling you that guy is strange! The Great War is a highly-trusted simtion that has sold billions of copies! There is no way an error urred without a reason, right?"


    "Do not yell. I already know that."


    Having sent Dae-ha back, ina ignored the babbling Hye-ran and became lost in her thoughts. Of course, her behaviour of jumping into the sitting room and making a fuss was rash, but it was alsopletely understandable.


    ''It sure is weird. But if he really was a spy, there was no way he would manipte it with a ridiculous record of clearing 100 stages¡­ And most of all, it would be impossible to obtain such a ridiculous score.''


    ina closed her eyes to think, but Hye-ran didn''t care and kept mumbling.


    "That guy, I am sure he returned without making amotion because he noticed that I realized he was a spy. If not, he would have entered the Imperial Army under the pretext that he was being forced to enter due to the pleas of a beautiful woman."


    She was drawing her own conclusions, but ina shook her head and thought of the Korean boy whom she did not even check the name of. The difference in their civilizations was more than hundreds of years apart, but Hye-ran, who was also from Earth, knew that his values and way of thinking was not that far off from her.


    ''He was reluctant.''


    Skilled at reading people''s emotions from having dealt with people for a long time, Hye-ran could feel that the boy was bewildered and reluctant at the existence of Leonhardt Empire''s Imperial Army. A spy? Of course, there might be someone capable of fooling her, but she did not believe that an organization that had such a talented figure would handle things so poorly.


    Most importantly, since he returned without any contact, wouldn''t the operation be useless now?


    "I can only conclude that an error urred in The Great War."


    "Ah, I''m telling you that is not possible."


    "Is hacking the game and changing the score possible then?"


    "Th, that¡­¡­"


    Hye-ran shut her lips; she had nothing to say. Because it was impossible to change the score in The Great War without leaving any traces.


    "I don''t think the two of us will be able toe up with a conclusion, so just report it to the Tech Division. Ugh, really. An error when it is impossible for one to happen."


    The Great War was a highly-trusted simtion that had sold billions of copies across the entire universe. If yers exceeded a certain score in the game, they would be qualified to take the entrance exam at Pinnell Academy, the highest education institution of the Leonhardt Empire, so what else was there to say? If it was so simple to manipte the score in The Great War, all kinds of cheats would have been made for the Pinnel Academy entrance exam.


    "But it is even more impossible that this score is real."


    If the score Dae-ha earned had been a fairly high one, ina would have believed that it was real and tried her best to recruit him, rather than thinking of it as an error. Because they would have trusted the scores marked by The Great War.


    If Dae-ha had gotten 500,000 points?


    She would have reported that she had acquired an outstanding talent. Getting more than 500,000 points was hard even for veteran pilots, and it was no different from having proved that they had the abilities to be entrusted with a Gigas immediately.


    If he had gotten a million points?


    She would have reported that she had discovered an amazing genius. It was safe to say that a user who could earn more than one million points in the game without having actual experience was a talented person who could take the top spot in the pilot department of the Pinnell Academy and eventually be amissioned officer.


    If it had been 10 million points?


    Then she would have checked it a little more before sending the report. People who could score 10 million points in The Great War were born gifted with the qualities of a Gigant Masters. There were only five in the Leonhardt Empire, and it was possible for them to climb to the position of a Great General if they pledged their loyalty to the Empire, so it was necessary to reconfirm.


    But even with such scores, she would not have suspected an error in The Great War. Because the game was a highly-trusted simtion, just like it had already been said several times.


    However¡­


    "Haha. It is clear that there is an error since the score is ridiculous."


    ina smirked and mumbled.


    "To think he got 1,280,000,000 points."

 Chapter 14: Im Not Your Father (1)

    <h4>Chapter 14: I''m Not Your Father (1)</h4>


    Obvious to say, but I decided to stop ying The Great War after the day I got kidnapped by those aliens.


    But after only one day¡­ I was facing withdrawal symptoms.


    "I just need to y one more game. If I could do the sword fight I wanted to do but could not¡­ Argh, I even thought of how to conquer it. To think I am not able to carry it out."


    It would have been better if I had cleared the game perfectly to feel that ''This is the end of the game!'', but the problem was that there was still an endless amount of content I could enjoy in The Great War.


    "Above all, the most unfortunate thing is that I was only able to test half of the potential of the Gigas. Also, I have yet to try using the R-13 in a 1v1 match with the God-rank machine inside Punishment. But, of course, I would only be able to use my surroundings in that situation¡­"


    My head exploded.


    The detailed potential of the R-13 and all sorts of strategies based on it appeared in my mind, and then disappeared. The structure and form of Punishment, the enemy''s battleship, and the strategies and methods mainly used by the enemies also appeared in my mind before disappearing again.


    They were all useless strategies as I had no intention of making contact with the extraterrestrial beings ever again, but having thoughts about games wasn''t something that could be blocked rationally.


    "¡­Oh, right."


    As I was walking with these thoughts in my head, I realized I was wandering around the arcade before I knew it.


    Like the horse that frequently led Kim Yoo-shin to the house of Cheon Gwan-nyeo even when Kim Yoo-shin was asleep on it, my legs naturally headed towards the arcade.


    "You idiot. Are you only going to get a hold of yourself after you get cut?"


    I spouted some nonsense to my legs and turned around.


    Of course, since the arcade was within walking distance, it would not be safe at home as well, making the precaution meaningless.


    What am I going to do if I start a game on The Great War after losing my mind while roaming near the arcade?


    When you feel uneasy, it is the norm to keep yourself safe.


    However, there was a voice that held me back when I was about to turn around and leave.


    "Huh? We meet again."


    "¡­"


    "Wow. This is amazing. I circled around Earth four times in thest 10 days. How do we bump into each other so often? Did youe looking for me?"


    A peerless beauty with blue, wavy hair, looking as though she only existed in pictures, stood before me, watching me with her round eyes.


    "What nonsense¡­ This is my neighborhood, back then and now, all right?"


    "Eh? The same neighborhood as before? Wow, I told the guy to drop me off anywhere, but I came back to the same country and neighborhood that I had already been to?"


    She said some things that I could not understand and checked her surroundings, before going, ''Eh? The structures of the buildings really feel familiar!''


    "¡­I am leaving."


    "Ah, why are you running off again? Meeting like this is also fate, so let''s go have a meal together!"


    "Why should I?"


    "Wow! Did you just reject me? Me, the greatest beauty in space?"


    "¡­Are you really an alien? Not a human?"


    Honestly, it was easy to tell because of her Title, but she looked just like a normal human being.


    Of course, this might not be her real appearance, but even so, she felt too ''Human-like''. On top of that, aliens should have different perspectives towards beauty but it seemed like she knew she was really beautiful?


    ''No,e to think of it, the guys from the Leonhardt Empire also looked like humans. Even their uniform was fitted to their bodies.''


    I thought it was weird at that moment.


    It was a given for Celestia to appear as a human.


    Since she came to Earth for a tour, it would be a problem if she looked different, so it was natural for her to look human to blend in.


    However¡­ Do the people from the Leonhardt Empire need to look like humans?


    Sure, they might have been considerate in order to not shock me, but was there a reason for their uniform to even fit in?


    ''Also, I think all the NPCs which appeared in The Great War looked like humans too. The size of the Gigas is also weird. The design seemed to have been made with the consideration that humans would be riding on it? Moreover, it is a two-legged machine.''


    As I was starting to fall into confusion because of the numerous strange things, Celestia started tough as if she could read my thoughts.


    "Hohoho! Why can''t aliens be humans?"


    "What? What kind of nonsense is that? Aliens obviously are not humans."


    "They are merely not Earthlings."


    "What?"


    I had a dumbfounded look in that instant since I wasn''t able to understand her words.


    What did she just say?


    She answered a very confused me, "Humans are the mostmon race in the great universe. Honestly, if we were to put it in numbers, about 70% of the intelligent creatures in space are humans or races that closely resemble them."


    It means that humans are not a race that only existed on Earth. No, not only that. It means that it is amon race spread all over the universe.


    I asked in bewilderment, "How can that be? No, were aliens the ones who brought humans to life on Earth?"


    "Do not overthink it. The creatures on Earth 34 evolved normally to be what humans are currently."


    "No, what I am saying is how is that possible? We went through a normal evolution process with no external interference, but coincidentally became the same race as aliens? Do you think that is biologically possible?"


    "It is not a biological problem, but a theological one."


    "What? What does that¡­"


    "Are you going to keep talking about boring things like this?"


    She mumbled that she was not a theologist or scientist, and I flinched when I saw her ring at me.


    Of course, she was so beautiful that even her angry face was charming, but I realized that I had cornered her too much.


    ''This damned curiosity!''


    Maybe I saw this as an opportunity to hear the truth of this world; something that I had been curious about since I was young? It seemed like I had lost my mind without realization.


    I made up my mind to not get involved, but I still found myself being curious about it.


    "Hmm, I am sorry. Because this is information I can''t get on Earth. Now that I think about it, this is information that you shouldn''t be telling me about."


    "It will not influence the level of civilization so it does not matter, but it is displeasing having you ask me such questions."


    "What should I ask you then?"


    "Three measurements? Hobbies? Favorite food, or my interests?"


    "¡­"


    What is this girl saying? Does she have the princess syndrome?


    Just then, a voice called out to me when I was at a loss for words.


    "Sunbae-nim!"


    "Huh?"


    When I turned around, I saw a girl hurrying over with shoulder-length wavy hair that was fixed with a bunny-shaped pin.


    "Hello!"


    "Ah, erm. What is the matter?"


    "Excuse me? Ah, of course I came to greet¡­ Wow!"


    Bo-ram''s eyes went wide open when she saw Celestia. She then approached me slowly and whispered in my ear.


    "Wow, this unnie is really pretty. Who is she?"


    "¡­"


    I looked at her with sullen eyes.


    Why is she acting so intimate with me when we have only met a few times? Do not enter my personal space without permission.


    "We somehow got to know each other."


    "So you do not have any ns right now?"


    "Erm? So to speak, yes."


    I naturally didn''t have any ns with that alien. It seemed as though that was the answer Bo-ram was waiting for as she immediately continued as soon as I nodded.


    "Can I go meet Teacher Kwan Il-han now then?"


    "¡­Now?"


    "Yes, right now."


    Only then was I able to realize that something was wrong when I saw Bo-ram nodding with a slightly excited face.


    The Bo-ram I knew was, how should I put it, a timid and well-mannered beautiful girl. Albeit slightly, she gave off the impression of an art buff.


    But her current self was proactive. Right, it was as though she was hitting on me. Also, with Celestia, the ultimate beauty, right next to me?


    Of course, I don''t have ns or any rtionship with Celestia, but the fact that Bo-ram, who does not know that, was talking in such a rude manner¡­


    As expected, Celestia frowned and said, "Oh my, just who are you to be taking my friend away as you wish?"


    "Ah! I am sorry, unnie. But you two do not seem like friends."


    "Hmm~"


    Cold sweat appeared on my forehead as I watched the two girls staring at each other, neither willing to back down.


    The two beauties were looking at each other.


    No, actually that was not true.


    An alien and a magician girl were staring at each other.


    ''Wh, what is it? They do not have a hostile rtionship or anything, right?''


    Magician girls and aliens werepletely different genres - fantasy and sci-fi, bute to think of it, Celestia once mentioned the existence of magicians. If so, Celestia would have known the existence of a magician and also grasped Bo-ram''s identity, since she was able to recognize that I was not an ordinary person.


    "I am sorry, but we have an urgent matter to attend to. Can we go?"


    "Hmm~ Well, it doesn''t really matter," Celestia replied, but it seemed like she was in a bad mood.


    However, Bo-ram didn''t care. She bowed and apologized to Celestia before grabbing my hands and dragged me away.


    "Let''s go quickly!"


    "I don''t know what is happening but¡­ All right."


    Honestly speaking, I wanted to tell both the alien and the magician girl to get out of my sight, but if I had to choose between the two of them, I would choose the magician girl, who has a connection with my father, so I followed her.


    While Celestia is also an alien, it seems like she has no rtions to the Leonhardt Empire at all. However, the uneasiness was making me keep my distance from her.


    "Ca¡­can you walk faster please?"


    Bo-ram is smaller and much shorter than me, but she still led the way. I did not know the reason, but she looked pale.


    "Why?"


    "Ah, um, it may sound weird¡­ But that pretty unnie over there is really dangerous!"


    "That is weird indeed."


    I replied with a sullen face.


    The aliens were already a big pain for me, but having a magician girl on top of that was putting me in a troublesome position.


    She ran towards my home while holding my hand, though it remained unknown if she knew what I was feeling. Suddenly, she said something unexpected, "Um, sunbae-nim. How much do you know about your mother?"


    "My mother? My mother who passed away?"


    "¡­Yes."


    "No, why are you talking about my mother all of a sudden? And how did you know about her?"


    It really was unexpected.


    I would have let it slide if she had felt ''something'' from me just like Celestia did, but to think she would ask me how much I knew about my mother.


    Seeing the slight frown on my face, Bo-ram''s expression was stiff as she let out a small groan and got closer to me.


    "Ah, um. Can you keep everything I am about to say a secret?"


    "¡­That is not hard."


    I nodded because of how earnest she looked, but Bo-ram still hesitated for a long while.


    I could feel that what had happened was something pressing and confusing for she was mumbling things like ''Can I say it?'' ''Will it be fine?'' ''But this situation¡­'' to herself.


    "Excuse me?"


    "Ah, sorry. Hmm, this may sound crazy, but¡­"


    After hesitating a little more, Bo-ram finally spoke, "Ham Eun-jeong, your mother, was born with the talents of a Great Witch."


    "¡­"


    Those really were some crazy-sounding words.

 Chapter 15: Im Not Your Father (2)

    <h4>Chapter 15: I''m Not Your Father (2)</h4>


    "Ham Eun-jeong, your mother, was born with the talents of a Great Witch."


    "¡­"


    Those really were some crazy-sounding words.


    "Ah, please do not put on such an expression. I will get hurt."


    "Ah, sorry. Did I look like a mentally-ill girl who is suffering from middle-school second-year syndrome[1]?"


    "Was it that serious¡­"


    I looked at Bo-ram''s tearful face and checked my surroundings for a moment. Strangely enough, there was no one walking on the road.


    ''I have a bad feeling¡­''


    As the residences in this neighborhood were only upied by employees, it was normal to not have that many people on the streets in the day. However, they should have children and the children should being back from school at this time, but I could not feel a single presence.


    ''Is it magic?''


    However, unlike when I saw the cloaked spaceship, I did not feel anything strange now.


    Was it impossible to know everything? Or was it the limitation of my ability to [See]?


    "Um, sunbae-nim?"


    "Ah, right. Well, finish that crazy thing you were saying. What is the talent of a great witch again?"


    "If I were to say¡­ Ham Eun-jeong, no, auntie? Anyway, she was born with a special power. It was to the point where all the magicians in the world kept their eyes on her since the moment she was born."


    That story was so absurd that it made me doubt if it was set in the 21st century, but I did not bother to tackle the point.


    Actually, I was well aware that she was speaking the truth.


    <strong>Supreme Magic Tower, Protection Barrier ss</strong>


    <strong>Trying to tell you the truth, Kang Bo-ram</strong>


    It was not anything difficult. If I enforced her title to be of [Current Nature], it was possible to read her thoughts to some extent.


    The titles could change every minute into <strong>[The lying¡­]</strong> or <strong>[The one who does not know much]</strong>, so I could easily say that there was almost no one who could lie in front of me.


    ''Ah, should I have used it on the aliens?''


    It didn''t feel like they were lying, but it was unfortunate I did not get to read their titles because of how confused I was. While it was true that I didn''t want to get involved in needless things, it wasn''t that bad to gather as much information as I could.


    "So what are you trying to say? That I also have a special power because she is a special existence and her blood is flowing in me?"


    The important part starts here.


    I have lived without showing it off, but I am, without a doubt, a person with supernatural powers¡­ And I am certain that the source of that power is this.


    ''The only thing that bothers me is the [Nightmare]¡­''


    I am not particrly intelligent, but I grew up hearing that I matured early. The reason for that was the nightmares and memories that had been harassing me since I was young, which had a lot of influence on how my ego was formed.


    <strong>Uh, are you not going to call me mom?</strong>


    Of course, that nightmare was an exception.


    "Hmm, I do not know if this would disappoint you, but you are apletely normal person. It is something that cannot be understood, but¡­ It was a matter where even the great magicians of the magic tower came personally to check. Considering how it is impossible for a woman born with the talent of a Great Witch to get pregnant, your existence was an iprehensible case."


    Come to think of it, it did seem like I received all kinds of tests when I was young. I thought those were simr to an IQ test.


    ''So she does not know the ability I have?''


    If that was the case, I had another question.


    "What is it then?"


    "Sorry?"


    "Let us say that everything you said is the truth. Why are youing to me with this secret if I am just a normal person then? Isn''t it obvious that I would consider you to be a crazy person?"


    It was hard to grasp her intentions.


    Sure, let us say that the aliens approached me because of the record-breaking score I got in <i>The Great War</i>. And Celestia said that she sensed [Something] from me.


    But to tell me such things when she considers me to be a normal human being? And using a girl like her as an agent?


    ''Did they think a beautiful girl like her would work out well for a high school student like me?''


    Anyway, saying all of those things even when she knew I would treat her as a crazy person meant that they had their reasons for it.


    Bo-ram let out a sigh as expected and exined, "It is to protect you. The [Eye of the Sky] that is in the Supreme Magic Tower¡­ Be careful!!!"


    "What¡­Uwek!?"


    I was pressed down on the shoulder by a shocking force and fell down.


    She looked like a beautiful girl who was not even 1.6 meters tall, but she had the strength of a gori.


    <i>Bang-!</i>


    I heard a loud explosion while I was sprawled on the floor. Surprised, I looked up and saw that the entire building next to the road we were walking on had disappeared.


    "What the¡­?"


    "Damn, they are already here! Was that girl from before also with them?!"


    "What do you mean that girl from before¡­ Ugh!"


    Bo-ram grabbed my cor and raised me up when I was about to say something. She was so rough that I floated in the air like straw even though I would be of certain weight because of how tall I was.


    <i>Kwaduk!</i>


    A huge spear stabbed into the floor, apanied by an explosion. It was so intense that my skin could feel the vibration of the spear.


    "Oh my."


    I was surprised, but not shocked. Instead, I kicked the ground to roll backwards.


    <i>Piing!</i>


    A heavy spear struck at the spot where my head had just been.


    What was going on with these crazy bastards? To think they are trying to kill me without saying anything.


    Bo-ram stood in front of me with a pale face. Judging from her disheveled hair, she seemed to have been attacked.


    "Are, are you okay!?"


    "Well, I am. Although my head almost exploded with that attack."


    I grumbled and stood up, and the man who threw the spear whistled at me.


    "Whew~ What is with this guy? He ispletely calm though? I heard that he is a normal person who knew nothing about Another ne, but it seems like that is not the case?"


    "Also, this bastard was the son of that pimp, right? People said that he is a skilled master in martial arts and that he can even defeat level 3 martial artists with his bare hands."


    "What? Someone with no abilities defeating a person with abilities? Is that possible?"


    "I heard that there are retards who actually got humiliated after challenging him."


    I hid behind Bo-ram, my only shield, and looked above the head of the men who were chattering.


    <strong><i>ck Moon Society</i></strong>


    <i><strong>Spear Specialist, Magon</strong></i>


    There was nothing useful that you could tell from the title, obviously.


    Telling me that he uses a spear was something I could know just by looking at the weapon he was holding, so it was useless information. Permanent titles are really an annoying concept.


    While I was checking the title of the man, Bo-ram became enraged and was releasing a purple aura.


    "You guys! Are you doing this knowing that sunbae is a ss 2 protection target? This is something that cannot be forgiven!"


    "We are doing this for money, so who cares? As long as we do not get discovered."


    "Hahaha! I was worried because they gathered so many of us, but it is dumbfounding that our opponent is a mere apprentice magician. No matter how famous the Supreme Magic Tower is for being righteous, this is not right."


    "Does it matter? It is good for us if we earn some easy money."


    People started walking out of the alley one after another.


    There were all sorts of people, from a punk who had piercings in his ear and lips to a man who looked like an office worker.


    They looked like people from the modern times, but the steel pipes and skull-mounted staffs in their hands were a great disparity.


    "My God. Ipletely misjudged the operation, starting from the strategy. How, how are there so many¡­"


    Bo-ram checked her surroundings with a pale face.


    Her steel wristlets appeared on both of her arms immediately, but the number of enemies was still increasing and soon surpassed thirty.


    It was a problem of apletely different dimension than just having thirty normal punks. Each one of them possessed an aura of a powerful person that could not be ignored at all.


    However, it seemed like that was not the end of them.


    "Captain! An intruder entered the second dimension¡­ Kwak?!"


    "Wh-what is it? Reinforcements?"


    "Attack!"


    Amotion started among the guys who were surrounding us confidently. It was because a line got drawn in the air and strange-looking people standing at around 2.5 meters tall appeared and collided with the attackers.


    They were wearing ck capes, strange-looking masks, and their bodies werepletely covered, so it was impossible to identify their appearance or gender. However, they were so powerful that you could hear a sound simr to thunder when their fists collided with the weapons of the assants.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    <i>sh!</i>


    And as I got exposed to the rampaging shes and loud noises, I felt that my insides were churning.


    No, when I got a hold of myself, I realized that was not everything.


    "Cough!"


    I vomited some blood.


    I was not joking, but my insides churned for a moment before I vomited blood.


    "Stay right behind me!"


    Bo-ram stood in front of me and extended her arms to the sides. The wristlets that were equipped on her arms released some light and a barrier of light that looked like a hologram surrounded us.


    "What was that? How did I get attacked?"


    "It was not an attack, but the man over there hit something like a warhead with his spear, which caused shockwaves. I was not prepared even when I know that the bodies of normal people are weak¡­"


    She felt sorry while I felt bewildered.


    "What? Shockwaves?"


    So I did not suffer from an attack, but became a mess like this just from the after effects?


    ''I will really die if I make a wrong move here.''


    My body was not particrly weak because of the effects of my title, but this was beyondmonprehension.


    When I turned my head, I saw people moving at such a high speed that my eyes could not follow.


    The one that looked like the head of the assants, Spear Specialist Magon, swung his spear towards the man wearing a strange-looking mask and a sound split the air apart. It was proof that the tip of the spear had surpassed supersonic speed.


    "They areplete monsters."


    "Magon of the ck Moon Society, and Semi of the Thanatos Sect! For master-ss people toe as mercenaries, just what¡­ Hap!"


    The moment Bo-ram let out a yell and swung both of her arms like a whip, the arms of the man in a suit got twisted in a weird direction and he was sent flying.


    "Kugh! What is with this barrier!"


    "Hmph! I was afraid because there were a lot of you, but none of you would be able to get past my barrier, you know?!"


    Unlike her usual shy self, she yelled so fiercely that it was almost unrecognizable and took a step back.


    Several assassins didn''t engage the unknown enemies, but all of them got repulsed by the barrier surrounding Bo-ram.


    It seemed like the barrier not only defended against attacks but also amplified them and sent them back.


    ''Come to think of it, she said that she belonged to the Protection Barrier ss of the Supreme Magic Tower, right?''


    I remembered her affiliation that I saw previously and ran alongside her.


    The surroundings were a mess.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    <i>Chwaruk!</i>


    "Uwaaah! Save me!"


    "What?! What are they?!"


    "My sword aura does not work!"


    "Even the mental attacks are not working! No, these guys¡­ They are not humans?"


    When the masks of the mysterious men broke while fighting the mercenaries, screams were heard everywhere.


    Because the faces hidden by the masks were made with metal.


    "Do you know them?"


    "I-I don''t! Hu-human-shaped robots. I have never heard of such technology."


    "Don¡¯t they look like aliens?"


    "Al-aliens?"


    Bo-ram put on a bewildered expression even though we were in a hurry.


    "There are no aliens in the world."


    "¡­..."


    1. ?2? is colloquial term that trantes to "middle two disease", i.e. "middle-school second-year syndrome" or "eighth-grader syndrome" or "year-nine syndrome", typically used to describe early teens who have delusions of grandeur, who so desperately want to stand out that they have convinced themselves they have hidden knowledge or secret powers.

 Chapter 16: Im Not Your Father (3)

    <h4>Chapter 16: I''m Not Your Father (3)</h4>


    "There are no aliens in the world."


    "..."


    I was dumbfounded by her words that were full ofmon sense. <i>No, what are you saying, Miss Magician Girl?</i> I wanted to refute her, but I held back for now.


    ''Leave it. I should grasp the situation first.''


    I closed my eyes and focused as I realized that I would really die without being able to do anything if I kept being like this.


    "Whew¡­"


    I took a deep breath and changed the [Overall Setting] to see the [Objective]. Usually, it is only possible to manipte the title for one target. Still, I can do it for all the targets in my sight if I push myself. Of course, holding in my breath is a really unnatural thing to do, so I cannot maintain it for long. Still, nothing can be done about it, as even dogs and cows have permanent titles.


    The first one I looked at was the guy with the spear that was acting full of himself.


    <i><strong>ck Moon Society</strong></i>


    <strong><i>Came for you, Magon</i></strong>


    "Damn it."


    "Excuse me?"


    "No. This situation is a mess."


    "A mess¡­ Yes, you are correct. It is a mess, indeed. But we should be d about this situation too."


    I followed Bo-ram who was stealthily moving to a corner while maintaining the barrier with a confused expression. I then looked to the side.


    For your information, the titles of the human machines that just appeared were like this.


    <i><strong>Amon''s Duchy</strong></i>


    <i><strong>ughtering Machine, No. 135</strong></i>


    The titles were useless at the moment.


    I did not know where Amon''s Duchy was, and the names, ughtering machines no. 135, no. 17, and no. 221 were not informative at all.


    I could know their owners or where they were made if I looked at the detailed [ssification]. However, I would have to stand still for five minutes, and there was no way for me to have such an opportunity. I should be d if they do not behead me while I am absent-minded¡­


    Anyway, the permanent title was this.


    <i><strong>Amon''s Duchy</strong></i>


    <i><strong>Came to Kill the Imperial Princess, No. 17</strong></i>


    ''...Imperial Princess? What Imperial Princess? Why is an Imperial Princess being mentioned?''


    My head spun at the unexpected word.


    The surroundings were still aplete mess and the ones aiming for us were hitting Bo-ram''s barrier, but the only thing I could do was to follow her anyway, so there was plenty of time for me to fall into deep thought.


    ''Is there an Imperial Princess among the people that attacked us? But no matter how big the world is, there is no way they would use an Imperial Princess as an assassin... Wait, Imperial Princess?''


    A buckload of terms shed through my head at that moment.


    An Imperial Princess? It refers to the daughter of an Emperor.


    So what about an Emperor? It refers to the king thatmands feudal lords and rules over his country.


    What is an Empire then? It is the country the Emperor rules over.


    There were no Emperors, Imperial Princesses, or Empires in the 21st century. It was a word that would only appear in history books.


    However... I heard those words just recently.


    <strong>For the Emperor! I am Lieutenant ina, head of the Human Resources Division of the 2nd Corps, Imperial Army of the Leonhardt Empire.</strong>


    That is right. There was the Leonhardt Empire. What if the Imperial Princess was on their ship?


    ''But if that was the case, they should have invaded the spaceship. What are they doing here¡­''


    "Kyak!"


    I heard a sharp scream. While we were still in the middle of a battle filled with screams and yells, I could hear this particr scream clearly.


    Because that voice belonged to someone I knew.


    "Cel? Why are you here?"


    "Ah, hahaha. I followed you because I was worried... Up we go!"


    <i>Kwagang!</i>


    At that moment, a ughtering machine that attacked her was sent flying away, along with a loud explosion. Celestia was holding two shy, shining golden guns before I knew it.


    <i>Kwagagagang!!!</i>


    The ughtering machines crumbled into pieces when the gun fired bullets like a machine gun.


    ''Wow, what an item!''


    I knew that the pair of guns Celestia was holding were not ordinary at first nce.


    ''They do not fire physical bullets but are rather photon cannons that are equipped on a Gigas! It spreads a barrier to protect the user, and the barrel of the gun absorbs physical energy to remove most of the recoil!''


    They were said to be pistols, but their sizes were incredible. It was between the size of a pistol and a rifle.


    It was a monstrous structure with a 20mm caliber.


    It was no different from holding cannons in both hands.


    I could feel an indescribable powerful energy from the golden lion symbol engraved on the two guns'' slide.


    "Wh, what is that? Monsters that even sword Ki does not work against got destroyed by mere bullets?"


    "Did they send her from the Supreme Magic Tower!"


    "I was wondering why it was so easy!"


    Celestia came next to us while everyone was in confusion.


    It probably meant that she would be on our side, but she was stopped by Bo-ram''s barrier.


    "Open it."


    "I don''t want to."


    "Wh, what did you say? Do you know who I am?"


    "Who are you?"


    Celestia flinched at that obvious question.


    "That... is a secret¡­"


    "Are you a fool?"


    "Uwaaak! This is why I do not like inferior civilizations! Ah,e to think of it, I would probably get a scolding from thew officer if I got involved with you!"


    It seemed like even she was feeling confused as she was looking out for her surroundings with a frown on her face.


    But it was at that moment.


    <i>Paat!</i>


    The space opened up, and the surroundings changed. The houses that got destroyed by the sword Ki and explosions were restored to their original state in no time, and the enemies surrounding us also disappeared.


    "What is this? We moved?"


    "We are inside a car. Seems like we are in the same ce, but only the environment changed... Ugh, I am exhausted."


    Strength left my body at the feeling of thefy seat as I leaned against it, but Bo-ram reformed the barrier while Celestia looked at the surroundings while holding her guns. That was rather the obvious thing to do since we forcefully moved through space.


    However, a low voice was soon heard from the driver''s seat.


    "...Seems like a strange bunch caught up with you."


    "Kim Dong-min¡­"


    Someone I did not expect at all showed up.


    Dong-min, a ssmate I was not close with despite being in the same ssst and this year.


    And a hyung who seemed to be in his mid-twenties was sitting next to him with an uneasy expression.


    "Is, is it okay, boss? I did not bring the enemy, right?"


    "Rx. They do not seem to be hostile. Well, I will ask you to confirm it either way. Dae-ha, are the two girls over there your allies?"


    "...If I were to say, I guess so?"


    I did not sound confident, but Dong-min nodded as if that alone was enough and stepped on the elerator.


    I was surprised at his nonchnt attitude and asked.


    "Huh? Dong-min, do you have a driver''s license?"


    "...You sure are in luck. My driver''s license should not be the problem here."


    The license certainly was not the problem here, just like he said.


    I was starting to think that this guy also belonged to<strong> </strong>[That Side], which was the real problem.


    "Ha¡­"


    I had always wished for a normal and peaceful life.


    I doubted reality, but that was a doubt mixed with worry. Because I never wished for a world like that.


    I was already as exhausted as I could be. I was so worn-out and wounded that I did not want any kind of stimulus.


    For me, who had suffered from my memories and mind that had been broken and suppressed, a peaceful, daily life was a precious treasure.


    ''Normal and peaceful days¡­only existed in my imaginations. Perhaps I have been ignoring it until now.''


    So many things had happened in a day that I could not get a hold of myself.


    It seemed like I was not the only confused one as Bo-ram had a puzzled expression on her face too.


    "To think that it is possible to bring out a few people from a second dimension¡­ Do you guys belong to the group with superpowers, Prestige, by any chance?"


    "Is it superpowers now¡­"


    I feigned augh at how bewildering it was.


    I had been raised quite typically, but there was no one normal in my surroundings. All of them were weird.


    ''Jae-seok would not be something like a martial arts expert, right?''


    The van continued to move while I was having such thoughts. I was wondering where we were going until I saw familiar buildings.


    "What? We are going to my house right now?"


    "Obviously. There is no safer ce than that at this moment."


    Dong-min''s calm voice struck my mind.


    "So, it really was the case!"


    "...What do you mean?"


    "My father is someone with great strength, right? He is a martial arts expert or a Great Magician, something like that, right?"


    I said with some conviction, but Dong-min and even Bo-ram looked at me pitifully.


    "You know nothing about your father?"


    "Teacher is a normal human being. Ah, but the word ''normal'' here is limited to his talent. He is extraordinary in the remaining aspects."


    We arrived at my house in the middle of the conversation.


    Our house was quite big, so we parked the car in the garage and entered.


    "Excuse me~"


    "...Hey, why are you following me inside?"


    Celestia pretended to be hurt as I frowned at her when she entered my house.


    Regardless of the case, she was still a pure beauty, so even a slight change in her expression felt like a flower had fallen onto the ground.


    "Oh, you are so mean. You were nning to throw this frail girl into danger?"


    "What danger? You can just ride on that thing and return to your... No, to your home. It is not like anyone is targeting you anyway¡­"


    But I flinched at that moment.


    Someone was aiming for her? Someone was aiming for Celestia?


    Come to think of it, why did she appear while screaming when she was hiding well before that?


    It would be because she got attacked by one of those ughtering machines, right?


    "...It''s you."


    "Eh? What?"


    I did not say anything stupid like, ''So you are the Imperial Princess!''


    "Those strange robots, they were targeting you, right? Also, looking at how you are behaving now, it seems like they have a way to track you."


    "..."


    She stiffened in ce and could not refute it because I hit the nail right on the head.


    Not because she was clumsy, but maybe because she already knew that it would be meaningless even if she made excuses.


    Because I was sure of it.


    ''I would have realized immediately if she had not been the first extraterrestrial being I met.''


    Titles are not a measure of absolute and objective information. If I were to describe it, it is merely subjective and abination of words? For example, when I decided on a title for the target a while ago, did the title not appear as [Came for you]?


    Celestia''s title was [Extraterrestrial Being] when I first saw her.


    But if I were to think deeper about it, it would not be weird to realize how strange that title was.


    How could the word ''extraterrestrial being'' represent her current [State]?


    The word ''extraterrestrial being¡¯ was a rtive concept.


    Just like how earthlings would be aliens to any species living in the distant Andromeda neb as well, should there be any.


    The reason why I saw her title as an extraterrestrial being was probably because she was the only one I had seen at that moment.


    And her current title was this.


    <strong>Detro Gxy Union, Fourth Corps, First Advance Squad</strong>


    <strong>Space Idol, Celestia</strong>


    ''What, it still does not show her as the Imperial Princess. And what is a Space Idol? This is crazy¡­''


    I was dumbfounded, but I shook my head. That was not the important thing regardless.


    "Anyway, did we note to my house too defenseless? I think it will get destroyed if those guys from beforee barging in."


    "...You really know nothing. This ce is a kind of sacred ce. No one dares toe in here."


    "Why? You said that my father was just a normal person."


    Bo-ram let out a sigh as I expressed my doubts at the situation I could not understand.


    "Teacher Kwan Il-han is a normal person, but... He is someone that the Magic Towers and no ouws dare to touch."


    "Which is why I am asking? It is true that my father is capable and has all kinds of talents, but he would not be able to do anything if the monsters from earlier attacked him."


    It was something I could notprehend. Is it not normal to be unable to endure against monsters that could destroy an entire building with a swing of a steel pipe, no matter how much of a martial arts expert he is?


    Dong-min spoke in a low voice as he looked at a very perplexed me.


    "Our world. People living in Another ne refer to Teacher as the one who stole the heart of God."


    "The one who stole the heart of God?"


    I could not understand what he was saying and had a confused expression on my face, so Bo-ram exined.


    "The Primordial God of our world has fallenpletely for Teacher."


    "...Primordial God?"


    "And people say she has already been rejected three times."


    "..."

 Chapter 17: Im Not Your Father (4)

    <h4>Chapter 17: I''m Not Your Father (4)</h4>


    "The Primordial God of our world has fallenpletely for Teacher."


    "...Primordial God?"


    "And people say she has already been rejected three times."


    "..."


    It bewildered me.


    No, so is she saying that a great, powerful transcendent being had fallen entirely for my father and no magicians or anyone else dared to touch him because of that?


    Come to think of it; I remember those people who attacked us mentioning something about a pimp.


    "Are Primordial Gods that great?"


    Dong-min clicked his tongue at my question.


    "You must have misheard about Gods."


    "Honestly, from our point of view, they are omnipotent beings. They rarely interfere with human affairs, but they are beings that must never be defied."


    Looking at how Dong-min, who has superpowers (or at least thought to have), and Magician Girl Bo-ram were speaking, it seemed like they really do have divine powers.


    I asked Celestia, just in case.


    "Do you guys also know about the Primordial Gods?"


    "Of course, we do."


    She then whispered in my ear.


    It seemed like she kept the fact that she was an extraterrestrial being a secret from Dong-min and Bo-ram.


    "Among the sub-civilizations, at least more than one of them were destroyed by Primordial Gods. Among them, the [Empire] ss alone made up a huge portion. In fact, it was because of the Gods that the [Sub-civilization Contact Restriction Act] was introduced."


    "How strong are they?"


    "There is no answer for that at our level."


    So it is a God that even magicians and aliens know about the existence of?


    As I thought it was a being that I would be in contact with more since they fell for my father, I poked Celestia''s side, and she exined.


    It seemed like she did something as Dong-min or Bo-ram weren''t able to hear what she was saying even though they were right next to us.


    "Primordial Gods are merely the [Mostmonly seen] Gods among high-ranked transcendents born at the same time as civilization began on a."


    But even if they were the mostmon, it did not mean that they could be ignored. The reason for that was that Gods were born with a high-ss divinity.


    Celestia exined that the purpose of the existence of the Primordial Gods was far frombat. They are weaker than the Intermediate Gods, but ranked the same in hierarchy as a Creator God, so they have almost all the authority as a [God].


    "They are too powerful to be on each of thes with a considerable level of civilization. Actually, there are not even twenty transcendents with intermediate divinity in the universe."


    Of course, it was not a touching story. Gods are Gods. What is there to know about the upper, intermediate, and lower ranks?


    However, it seemed like I just needed to understand that such a great existence fell for my father.


    "She is the only God that exists, an existence manifested by the will of humans."


    It was apparent, but Bo-ram and Dong-min''s exnation was different from Celestia''s.


    "That is the perspective of the Supreme Magic Tower, and to be precise, she is a transcendent God that has existed since the birth of Earth. She is a unique existence, different from the God mentioned in the religion of humans who only talk about fiction and lies, and has protected Earth from extinction more than a few hundred times. Even though she has a too flirty disposition to be considered a God, she is undoubtedly a God we should be thankful for and worship."


    "..."


    The quiet guy''s fluent speech surprised me. Does he believe in a religion like the Deity''s church?


    But regardless of that, I still asked him a question that came to mind.


    "She is the only God? You said that she is the Primordial God of our. That means that there are Primordial Gods on others too, right?"


    I thought it was an obvious question, but Bo-ram frowned at me.


    "Um... Why have you been looking for aliens since a while ago? Do you like Sci-fi novels?"


    "It seems like he is acting that way because of the term Primordial God, but that is only a nickname she got because of how she introduces herself; she is usually called Gaia. Well, there may also be aliens in this huge universe, but that is merely a hypothesis that has yet been proved."


    "Hoping for Sci-fi to exist just because of fantasy elements showing up is a bit¡­"


    I clenched my fists and trembled at how the two of them seemed to treat me like a fool, but I endured it with the heart of a magnanimous person.


    Anyway, the important thing is that these guys from Another ne do not know of the existence of aliens.


    "Wait a minute."


    I let out a soft sigh and led the group into the house.


    I was feeling strange.


    ''Why did Father not tell me about such things?''


    No matter how much of a normal person (although he is too extraordinary to call him that) he was, I couldn''t believe that he didn''t know about a supernatural situation like this when even the Gods and outsiders knew about him.


    It would be different for dumb and dull people, but at least the father I know was the best genius in the world.


    He was someone who was able to get a clue and grasped the truth based on a simple word or sentence, yet he knew nothing about this?


    ''There is no way.''


    I shook my head and looked at the three people following me.


    It was a shybination.


    ''A Magician Girl, person with superpowers, and an extraterrestrial being.''


    Honestly speaking, I did not want to allow such people into my home, but I could not do otherwise as there was no knowing what would happen outside.


    I do not enjoy annoying things, but¡­ I cannot drive them to their deaths just because of that.


    "Ah,e to think of it, would those assaulters care if this was a sacrednd? It would be troublesome if they destroyed my house."


    "That will never happen. It is impossible."


    "How are you so sure about that?"


    It was an obvious question, but Bo-ram was looking at me, wondering why I was asking such a question.


    I do not know why, but she has been weirdly excited since entering my home, so her frail and shy look had almost disappeared.


    ''Now that I think about it, this Cel girl started speaking to me informally at some point.''


    It had been so natural that I didn''t even remember when she started doing that because she started acting like we were close, as if it was the natural thing to do.


    Whatever the case, Bo-ram started to exin.


    "The reason they are unable to invade this sacrednd, including this house, is not because they are aware of it, but rather something physical. I heard that the Primordial God established a [Law] saying that ''anyone who enters the sacrednd with killing intent will die.'' Thatw does not specify a target, so even those strange machines cannot go against it."


    "Wow."


    Establishing aw as she pleases and dying if someone went against it. It was overwhelming. I am not kidding, but she cannot be short of iming to be God.


    "Ah, you are back?"


    My father, who was cooking in the kitchen, turned around as he heard our voices.


    Maybe because the weather was getting hotter, he was wearing a thin T-shirt and a pair of jeans.


    And in front of him.


    "Ah, an apron... Wow, the veins in his arms¡­"


    I turned back when I heard the moans.


    "Bo-ram?"


    "Ah! Nothing!"


    "What is?"


    "Anyway, it is nothing!!"


    I clicked my tongue when I saw her yell angrily.


    It seemed like her image at first was all an act.


    But when I turned to look at her, I saw blood flowing down her philtrum.


    "When did you get hurt?"


    "Me? I am fine."


    "But, your nose is bleeding¡­"


    "...!!"


    Bo-ram disappeared in an instant.


    urately speaking, she had stepped back instead of disappearing, but that process could not be seen, at least by me.


    <i>sh!</i>


    And a gentle light shone outside the door. I realized it was Bo-ram who did that.


    ''Is it something like a recovery skill? No, but there was only a bit of blood. Did she have to use that?''


    Bo-ram entered the room once again like nothing happened while I was bewildered.


    My father must have seen all of that too, but he acted like nothing had happened.


    "Are they your friends?"


    "There is no way-¡­ No, Dong-min can be considered as half a friend because he is in the same ss as me."


    "It has been a while, Teacher."


    "Right, nice to meet you. It has been a long while too, Bo-ram."


    "Yes, yes! Hello!"


    She was drooling with a red face. It seemed like she would fireser beams from her heart-shaped eyes at any moment.


    "Wow, your father is so cool. Is he really a normal person?"


    "I don''t know. If that is being ''normal,'' I have been using the word wrong all this time."


    I smiled bitterly.


    But it was at that moment.


    "So you are here. I have waited for quite some time."


    Surprisingly enough, my father was not alone at home.


    "ina... Why are you at my house?"


    "Hohoho. You are so cold. All men like it when I visit their houses."


    It was ina, the soldier from the Leonhardt Empire who kidnapped me.


    My father took out a freshly-baked cake from the oven and spoke casually.


    "She said she has something to tell you. It was about your future."


    "That is right. Honestly speaking, I am still half in doubt, but a scout request came from the Tech Division."


    "Tech Division?"


    I got confused at the unexpected words.


    Tech Division? What Tech Division?


    I thought she came all the way here to make me into a pilot after having seen my score in <i>The Great War,</i> obviously, so why is she talking about the Tech Division instead?


    ina continued.


    "They said that it is not easy to find a genius who can hack <i>The Great War</i> on a with such a low level of civilization. They said that you could be an outstanding engineer if you were well-trained."


    "..."


    I was at a loss for words.


    Is getting two hundred million points something so unbelievable? To the point where they think it could not have been acquired through ying but hacking?


    Honestly, I believe that I would be able to easily get 10 billion points if I threw away all the fun and just grinded¡­


    "...Sunbae, who is that fox-looking woman? Do you know her?"


    Bo-ram poked my side and asked.


    It was quite a sight to see Bo-ram, who was usually meek and shy, with her eyes staring wide open. But anyone would put on the same expression if ina was standing in front of the man they liked. Unlike how she was when I met her in the spaceship, she wore casual clothes instead of her uniform, which exposed no skin.


    She donned a white blouse with three loose buttons, showing her full chest, and a ck H-line skirt that showed her wide waist and long legs under that; she seemed to look unreal.


    She could easily cause dozens of traffic idents as she sashayed down the sidewalk, so it was not possible for a woman to not be bothered by her.


    "She is... Ugh, this non-disclosure agreement is really getting on my nerves. Hey, Cel. It is ufortable for me, so can you tell them everything like how you told me? The two of you belonging to weird groups are¡­ Cel?"


    "Hey, do not call me. Do not call me."


    I was bewildered when I saw Celestia mumbling in a low voice while hiding.


    Why is she like this again? But regardless of Cel''s weird actions, ina continued with her exnation.


    "I think it will be fine for you to enter the Tech Division if you do not want to be a pilot like you have told us before. Receiving a rmendation from the Tech Division Chief would also guarantee your career."


    "Hmm, I''m sorry, but¡­"


    I was about to decline, obviously.


    Getting involved with a Magician Girl, a human with superpowers, and Celestia was already a mess. On top of that, they want me to enter the Leonhardt Army in this situation?


    Even entering the Tech Division posed a problem. In the first ce, how am I going to be a technician in a Sci-fi world that I do not have any knowledge about?


    But my father gave an unexpected response.


    "I understand."


    "I will decline... What?"


    "Let''s prepare immediately. Is it possible to depart in a few hours?"


    "Ah, yes. Of course."


    "We will make preparations, soe againter, please."


    "Hoho, I understand. See youter~"


    As if she had been relieved of some burden, ina quickly left the house before I could stop her. I stuttered.


    "Dad?"

 Chapter 18: Im Not Your Father (5)

    <h4>Chapter 18: I''m Not Your Father (5)</h4>


    "We will make preparations, soe againter, please."


    "Hoho, I understand. See youter~"


    As if she had been relieved of some burden, Alreina quickly left the house before I could stop her. I stuttered.


    "Dad?"


    I could not understand what was happening. Just why, for what reason, was I getting handed over to some unknown aliens?


    But my father continued to speak with a calm expression, as if he had been preparing for today since a long time ago.


    "Dong-min."


    "Yes, Teacher."


    "Go to the old man immediately and tell him that the promised day hase."


    "The¡­ promised day?"


    "He will understand if you tell him that."


    "Hmm, I understand."


    <i>Pat!</i>


    Dong-min disappeared in a split second. Rather than it being like high-speed movement, it was more like leaping through space.


    After that, my dad turned to Bo-ram.


    "Bo-ram, starting from this moment, you will release all the seals, including the first-ss transformation."


    "Huh? Hahaha¡­ You indeed have a lot of authority in our Magic Tower, Teacher, but--"


    <i>Clink!</i>


    <i>Wiiiiing----!</i>


    "Wh, what?! Impossible!"


    Bo-ram shrieked as she waved her hand.


    The steel wristlets on her arms released a pir of five lights. It seemed like that was the cause of it.


    "Return to the Magic Tower and ask the Tower Master to take out Gungnir immediately."


    "Wh, why are we taking that out now? Will World War 3 start? Also, if I held Gungnir in my transformed state¡­"


    "For now."


    Compared to Dong-min, who had acted immediately regardless of if he had questions, Dad interrupted the words of the flustered Bo-ram.


    "You will know when you tell the Tower Master, alright?"


    "That¡­ Ah, I understand. I will be right back!"


    I stared at Bo-ram with a nk look as she opened and left through the front door. It seemed like she didn''t know how to leap through space like Dong-min.


    I did not know what that was.


    "Dad? What are you doing right now?"


    "What Eun-jeong entrusted me to do."


    "Why are you bringing up Mother''s name in this situation¡­"


    My father spoke with his usual calm attitude while looking at the very confused me.


    "Eun-jeong had the power of Foresight. She may have already expected this day toe since before you were born."


    "¡­"


    I remembered Bo-ram''s exnation of how my mother had the bloodline of a Great Witch.


    So does that mean that my mother really had special powers?


    "Ah, who is thatdy over there? Did you promise your future to each other?"


    I shook my head at those dangerous words.


    "She is just someone I met on the street. I don''t even know her that well."


    "Wow, it is kind of sad if you cut it like that."


    Celestia had a sulky expression, but I was too confused to care about her. What I said was also the truth.


    It seemed like my father also did not care much about her. He looked at Celestia and said, "Can you leave if you do not have any rtionship with my son? There are some personal things I have to talk to him about."


    "Oh my, is it something I should not know?"


    A bright smile appeared on Celestia''s face.


    Her beauty was so outstanding that the average man would agree to some nonsensical requests like [Can you kill a person for me? ^^] but of course, my father replied with a nonchnt expression.


    "That is right."


    "¡­"


    Celestia was bewildered that her beauty did not work its magic. I drove her away and entered my father''s bedroom.


    There was a picture of a girl wearing a white wedding dress hanging in the corner of his room as usual.


    ''Mother¡­''


    My mother, who passed away after giving birth to me, was my father''s childhood friend.


    But even so, they were not that close and merely knew each other.


    However, my mother came to know that she was suffering from an incurable disease not long after entering high school, and she confessed that to my father.


    And she said, ''I want to leave proof that I existed in the world.''


    And my father agreed to those words. He even married my mother, who was dying soon, even though it might ruin his life.


    ''That''s a moving story.''


    This is not something that only I knew about; it is widely known.


    It wasn''t because of my father''s carelessness, or that we were surrounded by light-mouthed people.


    Whatever the case, was it not shocking that two high-schoolers married each other and even gave birth to a child?


    It would naturally attract attention from people around them.


    ''But that may also be a lie.''


    I had only thought about my father''s extraordinariness and not much about my mother. I always thought she was another average student.


    But for her to have the talents of a Great Witch.


    "What is Foresight?"


    I tried hard to stay calm but unconsciously got on my guard.


    "And what is the promised day? Have you¡­ been fooling me until now?"


    I knew that I had no right to resent him, at least.


    Even if he was keeping some secrets from me, it was the same for me.


    I have never told him about the memories that influenced the formation of my sense of value and ego and my ability to see titles above the heads of people.


    For me to grumble like this when I was the one who felt a sense of inferiority towards my father and raised a wall first?


    Not knowing the reality of this world but still feeling the ideal clearly, I have felt anxious like I was walking on ice.


    I felt it in every moment; the delusion that this precious daily life might copse or that a nightmare may suddenly be a reality one day.


    As a result, I turned a blind eye to all the anxiety and ignored it. If I did not have strong mental power, it would not be strange if I fell into despair and went astray.


    If only I had told my father all of this when I was young, and he taught me about the [World View] properly.


    I saw my father looking at me with a sad expression.


    "I''m sorry."


    "¡­"


    My father did not make any excuses.


    There must have been a good reason for that. He still would not tell me the truth, even if there was a reason why he could not tell me.


    My father threw back a question instead.


    "You were attacked on your way back, right?"


    "Did Mother also foresee that? That the ones aiming for her blood would attack me?"


    I regretted saying that the moment the words left my mouth, it was an unnecessarily sharp reaction.


    But my father didn''t get upset and only shook his head.


    "Even if she had the blood of a Great Witch in her, she was not worthy enough to offend a Primordial God. The reason for the attack would be because of your paternal bloodline, not maternal."


    "What? No, if your blood was the problem, instead of someone like me¡­"


    "Dae-ha."


    I flinched at his calm but solemn gaze because I disobeyed him about not belittling myself several times.


    My father ended up letting out a sigh when he saw that I couldn''t bring myself to apologize.


    While I was bewildered at his attitude that was unlike his usual self, he spoke, "Compared to the weight of your existence, my lineage as a pure human being is not worth that much, Dae-ha. It is only sold at a higher price in the sperm cer."


    "¡­What?"


    I asked again as I couldn''t understand his words.


    Of course, it was not because an extraordinary person like my father was a pure human being.


    The reason I was bewildered was because of the underlying meaning of his words. His words implied that, right, as if¡­


    "What you are thinking is right."


    My father looked at my expression and nodded.


    "You are not my son."


    "What¡­ did you say?"


    My brain stopped working. I felt dizzy and nauseous.


    But regardless of that, my father looked at me calmly.


    "I said that you are not my son."


    He reconfirmed that I heard him correctly and inflicted an additional blow.


    "Also¡­ You are not an Earthling."


    I could not respond to those unrealistic words and remained silent.


    That was something I have thought hundreds or thousands of times.


    My father and I are not alike.


    Unlike him, who is an all-around genius, the only thing I am good at is gaming. Compared to him, who looks like a world star, I have an ordinary appearance with a figure that can only be considered average.


    It was more typical to have some doubts at this point.


    However, I had gone through numerous tests, whether I wanted to or not.


    "I received¡­ a gics test. I think I have done it about ten times at different organizations, but you managed to fool them all?"


    It was a result that even I, who tend to be suspicious of things, epted. But now, you are telling me that all of that was false?


    However, the words my father said next were more shocking.


    "You do not have DNA."


    "¡­What?"


    I asked again, dumbfounded. Is there a living thing in this world that does not have DNA?


    But regardless of that, my father continued.


    "What they saw was fake DNA that was modeled using my gics as the base. Eun-jeong ced it."


    My father said as he looked at the picture of my mother with an expression as though he was reminiscing about something. The expression only briefly appeared before he returned to before and continued.


    "Sit and listen."


    At that moment, the words ''I will listen while standing'' came up to my throat.


    But how childish of a retort would that be?


    I somehow calmed myself down and sat down. My father started to exin.


    "Actually, I had been really interested in Eun-jeong since the beginning. The reason we were not able to get closer was because everyone around her was cautious of her. She was actually a special existence, but her parents did not know it since they were normal human beings."


    It was said that she had the bloodline of a Great Witch, but it seemed like the power was not transmitted through genes.


    It was a strange urrence that happens once every hundred or thousand years.


    "But she came looking for me one day."


    "Saying that she loved you?"


    I said that in sarcasm, but my father nodded unexpectedly.


    "Yes."


    "¡­"


    ''This human is so full of himself.''


    My father looked at me and continued, "But the reason she said that in a hurry was because she was walking to her death."


    "I guess¡­ It was because of an incurable disease."


    "Of course. Eun-jeong said that she was a being born with the power of a Great Witch, so she was no different from being immortal. It was to the point where she could revive even if she were burned to ashes."


    She could have been able to live but decided to give that up.


    But of course, she never hoped for her own death, but her death was still her own choice.


    "Because she wanted to give birth to you."


    He had spoken indirectly, but I was not an idiot, so I understood the underlying meaning of his words. I gritted my teeth.


    My father was saying something tough to believe.


    "What you meant is¡­ Mother passed away because she gave birth to me?"

 Chapter 19: Im Not Your Father (6)

    <h4>Chapter 19: I''m Not Your Father (6)</h4>


    "Because she wanted to give birth to you."


    He had spoken indirectly, but I was not an idiot, so I understood the underlying meaning of his words. I gritted my teeth.


    My father was saying something tough to believe.


    "What you meant is¡­ Mother passed away because she gave birth to me?"


    "Wrong."


    He shook his head lightly and continued speaking.


    "She chose your future instead of her own."


    "That is the same thing!"


    I yelled in anger, but my father was so hatefully calm.


    "It is different. If Eun-jeong had heard those words, she might have taken it as an insult."


    He said that and fell silent once again, as if he was thinking about something. After a short while, he finally nodded.


    "You should know the details because this also concerns you. Eun-jeong came to look for me when I was in the second grade of high school."


    "When she told you she loved you."


    It was a sarcastic remark that came out unconsciously, but my father replied without reacting to it.


    "That was secondary. The real reason was to bid her farewell." my father continued exining.


    "She had already nned to leave this world. And she came to see me for thest time because she did not want to regret it. But the impressive thing is that she exined the situation she was in, just as it was. It was through her that I got to know of the term ''Another ne''."


    By then, I was already in her belly and she had decided to give birth to me.


    Honestly, it was impossible for me to understand her reasoning.


    My father said that my mother was interested in him, just that she did not express it because the worlds they lived in were different.


    But how was she able to tell the person she liked¡­ that she had to put her life on the line to give birth to the child she had with another man? Wasn''t hiding it the normal thing to do?


    However, my father''s reaction to her behavior was beyond expectations.


    "So I proposed to her."


    "¡­What?"


    My mouth dropped from the reply that was beyondmon sense.


    My father looked at me and smiled. "And then I embraced her."


    "¡­"


    Ugh, I do not know what to do with this couple¡­


    I was dumbfounded, but my father was smiling happily.


    He was showing a smile the more he talked about my mother when he had been so serious while apologizing just a while ago.


    "Huhu,e to think of it, she was really flustered back then as well. How should I put it, like she assumed hundreds or thousands of responses, but they all didn''t happen? Also¡­"


    "No, wait a minute." I raised my hand and interrupted him.


    "It was not like she caught an incurable disease¡­ So why did you propose to her when she was pregnant with another man''s child?"


    "Because she was crying. And¡­ Did I not tell you earlier?" My father smirked and said.


    It was an annoyingly cool smile even to me as a man.


    "I had been really interested in her since the beginning."


    He turned to his bookcase. Bewilderingly enough, there was a hidden vault there that I did not know about despite having lived in this house all my life.


    <i>Click click click.</i>


    I looked at my father as he entered the 16-digit password.


    The safe opened with a heavy sound, revealing the item inside.


    "It''s¡­ a key."


    "It is a relic that belonged to your actual father. Eun-jeong gave it to me."


    He said that it was a key, but it had a peculiar design. It looked like dozens of steel pieces werebined to make it, so it seemed like it would break if one hit it with a hammer.


    "Who is my real father?"


    "I do not know about his identity. I just know that he was a high-ranking transcendent."


    "A transcendent¡­"


    I learned about this word as it was mentioned briefly in the background section of <i>The Great War</i>''s manual.


    However, I had never imagined that the word would have some rtion with me.


    ''Divine beings that have transcended their fate.''


    It was said that when they finally reach the ultimate stage after an endless grinding, it would be possible to transcend the framework of fate and enter the realm of a God regardless of their kind of existence, realizing the truth of the world.


    While it was something that didn''t even feel real¡­ It was said that battle-oriented transcendents can even destroy Gigas above the Star rank with their bare hands.


    ''But what does he mean by not knowing of his identity? Did Mother not tell him, or did she not know either?''


    However, since he already said that he did not know, there was no point in asking him. Also, that was not the important thing here.


    "What is the promised day?"


    "Today is the day. Eun-jeong had a special power and had foreseen that this day woulde even before you were born. She said that the guests woulde to visit on the day of the enemy''s attack and that I would have to send you with them."


    "What if I refuse to?"


    "She said that you would die and that there was no way to live under the sky. I did not know what she meant back then, but to think that she meant the space."


    I kept my silence while he shrugged his shoulders.


    My thoughts feltplicated.


    I didn''t even have 0.1mg of thoughts about going to space, but it bothered me that I would die if I did not do so.


    "Can prophecies go wrong?"


    "Sara said that it should be true at least. She is an idiot, but she is still a God so it should be right¡­"


    <i>Boom!</i>


    I felt heavy vibrations at that moment.


    I was really surprised by it, but my father opened the door as if he had been expecting that fuss.


    "I''m back, Teacher."


    "Uwa, uwaa. What happened here? What do you mean by aliens? In addition, going to space? Uhh¡­"


    The ones in the living room were the usually calm-looking Dong-min, and Bo-ram, who was mumbling with a confused expression.


    Celestia, who was sittingfortably on one side of the sofa, stretched her arms.


    "What is this? He scared me by saying that we could only reveal our existence to a few people, but even the cows and dogs know about it now."


    I opened my eyes sharply at how she grumbled.


    I felt confused at how she used the expression, ''cows and dogs'', so naturally as I did not know if they existed in outer space.


    However, my father looked at me and spoke, as if he wasn''t bothered about Celestia at all.


    "I am nning to send these two with you."


    "To space?"


    "Yes. To put it in a way, they are your bodyguards. Thedy said earlier that having around twopanions is okay. ording to her, there are those where they bring all of their family members with them, so this much is nothing. I would also like to follow you, but that is difficult due to my circumstances."


    After saying that, my father hung the peculiar-designed key that he took out from the vault around my neck.


    Now that I looked closely, it had a gold chain attached to it, so it was something that could be hung around one''s neck.


    "Um, wait a moment. I am asking just in case¡­ Do I have to be away for long?"


    "Yes. To the point where I don''t even know how long it would be."


    I got flustered at his ''isn''t it obvious'' reaction.


    Wait, so I will be absent from school for a long time as soon as it started? Also, what is he nning to tell the school?


    [My kid went out to space for a bit.]


    ¡­He can''t possibly say such things!


    However, my father looked at Dong-min like he did not think of this as a big problem and spoke, "I will leave him in your care then, Dong-min."


    "No, how long do I have to be away that you are already entrusting me to him?"


    My father looked at me, who was expressing my confusion at the strange atmosphere, and replied, "Now."


    "What?"


    While I was flustered at the unexpected situation, Dong-min grabbed my shoulders.


    And just like that¡ª


    <i>Pat!</i>


    I left Earth.


    *


    "Tch. There are a few more things I have to exin."


    Il-han, who was left alone in the living room after Dae-ha, Dong-min, Bo-ram, and even Celestia disappeared, raised his right hand.


    Before one realized it, there was a ymore in his hand, one that was as tall as his height and seemed difficult for ordinary people to even lift it.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    Something huge fell through the roof after destroying it.


    It was a sudden entrance, but as Il-han had already expected it, he was able to get outside the range of the shock by lightly swinging his ymore.


    [That was close.]


    [Right, really close. But you bastard, weren''t you supposed to be responsible for my safety? You said that it was a barrier that no one could enter.]


    [Ugh¡­ The barrier was not established for a giant like that.]


    Il-han listened to the telepathic message ringing in his mind and found his position right away.


    Even if he felt that his life was not a waste, nothing good woulde out if he lost it, so there was a need to be careful.


    "Grrrrr."


    The growling sound of a beast spread coldly through the air, but the one that had made that sound was not a beast.


    No, actually [it] was not even a living thing.


    The lion-shaped thing, which wasrger than ten oxesbined and stood taller than Il-han, had a body made of ck glossy metal. Inside its eyes that were bigger than a fist, there were about five or six spinning cogs, and its fangs and ws were glimmering like LEDmps.


    "Where is this?"


    The growling enormous lion-shaped robot opened its mouth with an unexpected clear pronunciation.


    It seemed like it was confused as well.


    "You should not be asking me that when you were the one who broke in all of a sudden. Who are you? What is the purpose of your visit?"


    "Purpose¡­ Purpose¡­ What was it?"


    Its abundant steel mane waved naturally like real fur when it tilted its head. It also seemed to have no idea why it came here.


    "This is a holynd that belongs to God. Go back if you are going to speak nonsense."


    "Ah¡­ Right. Hmm, I am sorry. It certainly seems to be a holynd. Just why did Ie here?"


    The robot raised its front right paw while mumbling uprehendingly. And then, its ws shone and¡­


    <i>Kiiiiing---!!</i>


    It tore apart the space in front of it. Il-han shouted at the lion that had leaped into that space rift.


    "Wait! Who are you! Why did you break into this ce!"


    [Wow, even your acting is fabulous.]


    [Be quiet.]


    The enormous lion, who looked at Il-han acting enthusiastically while ignoring the voice ringing in his head, turned its body and entered the rift. The torn apart rift returned to its original state after that.


    [It still went back fine.]


    [Because they were not violent guys to begin with.]


    But Il-han knew it.


    If he had been a littlete in sending his son away¡­ The opponent would have never returned just like that.


    And if the monster ran wild, it would be close to impossible to stop it, even if it was him. It would be another story if he was in his own body, but the power he could handle in his current state was greatly limited.


    "Whew. Sara, I will leave the restoration to you."


    Il-han spoke out loud since there was no need to speak telepathically anymore. A reply came.


    [If you date me.]


    "Sara, I thought we were going to stay as friends?"


    [Ungg, but even friends can go on a date.]


    "Ah, my head."


    Il-han shook his head as if it was in pain and raised his head to look at the sky.


    "¡­Will he be fine?"


    Il-han got worried at that moment, but he had already done everything he could.


    Moreover, there was nothing else he could do now that his son got out of Earth.


    "Please."


    Il-han smiled bitterly and turned around.


    "Do not lose to your own fate, my son."


    And then Il-han disappeared.

 Chapter 20: Getting a Job, and War (1)

    <h4>Chapter 20: Getting a Job, and War (1)</h4>


    "Unnie! Is it true that they decided to take in that guy as a technician!?"


    ina looked at the report without even raising her head, even though Hye-ran came running like she would have smashed the door down if it was closed.


    As ina had already expected this the moment she went down to Earth, it was nothing to her and she maintained her calmposure.


    "Yes."


    "What? They took in someone living in an inferior civilization as a technician?"


    What she said was something that would not happen. It was almost impossible for those who lived in lower civilizations with extremely poor technology levels (rtive to them, of course) to be engineers for higher civilizations, no matter how much of a genius they were.


    First of all, they would have to teach them the basics of science from the beginning, so when would they turn that person into someone capable?


    The more a civilization advances, the knowledge they have to learn also increases, so it is impossible to resolve it in a few years, even if they use a knowledge injector. They simply be deadweight.


    However, ina replied with no hint of surprise.


    "Ah ah, don''t worry. It seems like he is an impressive superhuman."


    "A superhuman?"


    "Yes. Mr. Harvey also belongs to that faction."


    "Ah¡­ So they were speaking about [that] kind of technician. Indeed, it is obvious that he would be someone like that if I were to think about it."


    Some superhumans born under rare probabilities could handle machines as if they were their own bodies. It wasn''t knowledge or technique but [sense], so they were able to get to a level where they fully utilize the machines after a little training. Among the mechanics on Albatross, the warship they were currently on, there were some superhumans too.


    "Wait, so he will most likely be an assistant or a repairman."


    "Probably so, since he does not have any technical knowledge."


    "Ah¡­ Come to think of it, maybe the reason he ran away from the scouting was also because of that? Because he thought hemitted a crime?"


    "Probably. But it seems like he is a high-leveled superhuman, since he managed to get through the security of <i>The Great War </i>that is famous for being solid. And it also looks like he has some connections with a Primordial God."


    "What? A Primordial God? Is that true, unnie?" Hye-ran opened her eyes wide out of surprise and asked.


    ina was the head of the Human Resources Division while Hye-ran was a technician.


    Although there was a difference in their ranks, one being a Lieutenant and the other a Second Lieutenant, they had been carrying out their duties together for nearly ten years and had already be almost as close as real sisters, so they tend to speakfortably in private settings.


    That was possible because of the big difference in the military culture of the Imperial Army to the one earthlings thought of. It was also possible because Hye-ran was given consideration beyond her rank as she was the precious daughter of Wolyang Kwon''s household.


    "Yes. Bewilderingly enough, that guy lives in a high-rank, sacrednd that a Primordial God directly proimed. There was a reason why he was not bewildered at all when he was invited to our ship."


    A Primordial God was a highest grade Untouchable who has to be careful no matter which gxy or they go to.


    It was their basic nature to not react greatly if they were not [invaded], but even so, the Primordial Gods have so much power that they cannot help but be more careful.


    "Ah, so the reason we are waiting here on the deck after inviting him¡­"


    "Yes. They said they would send him on their own. So¡­ It is about time."


    <i>Pat!</i>


    One part of the space distorted then and spat out four figures in an instant.


    As it was something that had literally happened in an instant with no indications at all, even ina could not help but flinch despite having already heard about it beforehand.


    However, the ones who were really surprised were the people who had teleported.


    "Oh my god. Is it possible to move all the way here from Earth? Are you a transcendent?"


    Dong-min shook his head at the greatly flustered Celestia.


    "How can that be? There is only one transcendent on Earth and it is difficult to meet him. It seems like Gaia-nim helped us."


    "What? The Primordial God?! Why would a Primordial God use her power on something as trivial as this! The only time our Primordial God appeared in the past hundred years was at the appointment ceremony of my father! Was that nonsense about being rejected thrice real?!"


    "Did you think I was lying?"


    Celestia nodded at the words of the frowning Dong-min.


    "It has to make sense for me to believe it. I followed you inside because you said that the sacrednd was real, but that really was the case¡­?"


    She mumbled and approached a wall, but she was only stunned by the sight of Earth below it.


    Because even she did not have the talent to go down to Earth from outside the waiting deck.


    "Your party is so unique. Usually, it is the family who tags along instead of a group of young people¡­ You are?"


    ina had already been told by Young-min, who introduced himself as being Dae-ha''s father, that Dae-ha''s group woulde. She stood in front of the group to wee them despite the unexpected appearance.


    However, she saw a familiar face in the group.


    "Ugh¡­"


    When Celestia noticed that ina had seen her, she let out a groaning sound and hid behind Dae-ha, but how well would she be able to hide with her model-like height?


    "Ugh, I should have disguised myself even if I was travelling to an inferior civilization¡­"


    But regrets alwayseter, no matter how quickly you made them.


    As soon as ina noticed her identity, she put on an immobile posture while making a sound and yelled.


    "For the Emperor! We wee you to our ship, Albatross!"


    "Um, unnie. Why did you suddenly¡­ W-what!? The Imperial Princess!?"


    The two women were shocked while Celestia let out a sigh.


    Meanwhile, the other two felt nothing about the identity of the Imperial Princess.


    I, who was not really surprised since I had already guessed Celestia''s identity, looked down at the green star that could be seen from one side of the wall.


    "To think that I left Earth."


    I was letting out a sigh, but people started to pop out from the doors soon, as if the rumors had already spread.


    "For the Emperor! It is an honor to be able to meet the Imperial Princess!"


    "We wee you to Albatross!"


    "My God! It is the Imperial Princess, Celestia-nim!"


    "Wow, is this real!?"


    "Oh! Oh oh, Imperial Princess! I love you, Imperial Princess!"


    "My God, it''s the real Imperial Princess!"


    "Beau! Ti! Ful! Princess Cel!"


    In the beginning, it felt like they were weing high-ranking officials who were visiting their ship, but the atmosphere became strange and it passed.


    Hearts appeared in the eyes of the people and after they manipted the machines on their arms, strange holograms started to appear in the air.


    ''Ah,e to think of it¡­''


    I remembered one of Celestia''s titles, [Space Idol]. It seemed like she was more famous for something else rather than belonging to the Imperial family.


    [Silence!]


    However, the noisy room turned quiet in an instant after the yell. It was not just a simple yell, but a yell of spirit that suppressed the surroundings.


    <i>Step.</i>


    An entity with a huge, white body appeared. He had a muscr body and was wearing a tight uniform with two stars hanging on his neck, showing off his presence.


    "For the Emperor. It''s an honor to have met you, Imperial Princess. I am Captain Chun Hyun-il, Captain of Albatross."


    He ced his hand on his chest and expressed etiquette.


    No, would you be able to call that a hand? Shouldn''t it be a paw? Or perhaps not? Is this a discriminative way of thinking in space?


    I was in confusion when Bo-ram standing next to me, mumbled.


    "Sunbae. Isn''t that a bear?"


    "That seems to be the case for me at least."


    "A pr bear, as a matter of fact."


    Yes. The one who introduced himself to be Hyun-il was a pr bear walking on two feet and stood at about 2.5m tall.


    However, the feeling waspletely different from that of a bear standing on its feet. Rather than bending his front paws, he showed perfect upright walking, as if he was nailed to his heel. His well-trimmed fur and trained muscles made him look sleek.


    "Haha¡­ Yes, nice to meet you too, Captain. I didn''t mean to, but I am honored to meet you."


    Celestia, who had not been able to snap out of it as if her mind copsed ever since she got on the spaceship, was coping with the situation skillfully. It was like she acknowledged reality.


    It seemed like she had realized that nothing could be done at this point anyway.


    Well, wouldn''t it be funny if she tried to escape from this ce while putting her life on the line, even though these were all allies judging by the atmosphere?


    "I am d that we will be working together, Dae-ha."


    "Actually¡­ I am not thrilled, but things turned out like this."


    "Hahaha. You are a hrious person."


    I looked at inaughing brightly and let out a sigh. She did not seem to have any ill intentions, but her character and appearance seemed to be hard to handle.


    Well, I would have to get close to her if I have to live on this spaceship from now on.


    "Ah, you must have already heard about it, but these two are my guards. As for this one¡­ No, this person just got dragged in by ident."


    ina turned her head and looked at Celestia who was speaking with the pr bear.


    She then turned her head again and asked like a whisper.


    "Well, the Imperial Princess will reveal the details herself but¡­ Why is she with you?"


    "Ah, that¡­"


    I exined the situation appropriately. Enemies that were aiming for Celestia appeared and my group and I coincidentally ran into them, which was why Celestia escaped to the sacrednd (my house) to avoid the attacks.


    Naturally, ina got enraged at my story.


    "Which bastards dare to send assassins¡­! So this was the reason why the Imperial Pce was worried about the Imperial Princess roaming outside. To think there are people who would send assassins when the Imperial Pce is this strong."


    She pondered for a moment and then continued.


    "It seems like we will have to tighten security. Imperial Princess Celestia is a star who is famous in more than 15 gxies. Her influence is already beyond the Imperial Pce. I can''t even imagine what will happen if she gets assassinated."


    Looking at ina who was growling softly, I guessed this was why Celestia had been hiding her identity.


    She was someone with an outstanding background and could not live outside because of her status; she was like a bird in a cage.


    ''Well, although it is not my problem.''


    I had to take care of myself first.


    I looked at ina and asked, "What are the things I have to do from now on?"


    "It is obvious, but we will not give you a task immediately. You will be first interviewed by the Tech Division Chief and receive orientation for about a week. You will need education because you came from a with a different level of civilization. Everyone, follow me."


    I followed ina, getting away from Celestia and the countless people surrounding her.


    I was not able to see it until now because I was dumbfounded, but looking at it properly now, the pr bear had some human features mixed in him.


    "Hmm, sunbae-nim. Is this really space? Why can wemunicate with each other?"


    "Haha, cutedy. Albatross has anguage unification device installed in it. Everyone would be able to understand anynguage we speak, at least that''s the case on this ship."


    Despite having the bewitching appearance of an older sister, ina spoke like an old man while patting Bo-ram''s head.


    Bo-ram put on a displeased expression but merely pushed the hand away, as if she was not able to act sharply towards someone that held no malice.


    ''This auntie is proficient at handling people.''


    ina showed off her sensuality with all the sexiness of her body when needed, but acted like a bearded, easygoing uncle at times.


    Basically, she had the perfect appearance to be the enemy for all women, but judging by how everyone adored her, one could see how skilled she was at worldly affairs.


    ''Come to think of it, this girl also had a peculiar title. No, or perhaps the title cannot be considered as special?''


    I followed ina and took a nce above her head.


    <strong>Leonhardt Empire, Second Corps, Headquarters</strong>


    <strong>Head of Human Resources Division, ina</strong>


    It was still an unusual title. A straight line was drawn across the fine title like a strikeout, as if it was trying to erase the words by drawing a line on it.


    I casually started the ssification.


    ''I don''t know when I will see another title like this, so I should grasp its identity.''


    I started wandering about.


    Affiliation, organization, current state. I was reading these things to try to grasp the identity of the crossed-out title.


    And soon, I got to know the meaning of the cancelled words.


    ''That is¡­ a fake title?''


    And this was the actual title I got.


    <strong>Detro Gxy Union, Fourth Corps, First Assassination Squad</strong>


    <strong>Spy, Dana</strong>


    "¡­"


    "Is something wrong?"


    "No. Nothing."


    I shook my head while hiding my agitation with a surprised poker face. I do not know what goes on in her head whenever she sees me like this, but ina smiled like she always does in such situations and led the way again.


    "Ugh, seriously."


    I casually mumbled.


    "I just cannot get away with anything¡­"

 Chapter 21: Getting a Job, and War (2)

    <h4>Chapter 21: Getting a Job, and War (2)</h4>


    ¡°I just cannot get away with anything¡­¡±


    I let out a sigh and followed ina.


    Obviously, I have no intention of bringing up the word ¡®spy¡¯ with my mouth. It would be for the best if the Leonhardt Empire could catch the spy or even know who the spy was, but is there a way for me to know their affiliations when they are all aliens ultimately?


    <i>¡®No, perhaps they already know about it.¡¯</i>


    In the first ce, I am not the type with an overwhelming sense of justice to the point of bringing danger upon myself. On top of that, I do not have proof.


    <i>Ding dong~</i>


    ¡°Oh, it''s an elevator.¡±


    ¡°¡­Was this not made on Earth? The style of the building is too familiar. Also, these numbers. Aren¡¯t they too simr to Arabic numerals?¡±


    inaughed at Bo-ram¡¯s fluttered mumbling.


    ¡°Hahaha. What was your name again,dy?¡±


    ¡°¡­Kang Bo-ram.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss Bo-ram. Don¡¯t you think both you and I, who are extraterrestrial beings, look alike?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Yes. They did look alike. No, not only that, but ina looked like a human no matter who looked at her. I remembered the words Celestia told me.


    <strong>It is possible if it is not a biological problem but a theological one.</strong>


    Based on her words, it was possible that a God of Creations who created the world exists; a transcendent being who can influence the shape of all life forms starting from their DNA¡­


    But of course, I had never pondered about the existence of Gods that deeply, but I was in a situation where the existence of Primordial Gods was considered a natural thing, so it would not be weird for more superior beings to exist.


    Was it because I have lived while thinking the world could be fake? I could ept facts that were ground-breaking to Earthlings really.


    ¡°You will learn everything during the orientation so there is no need to rush things. Ah, wait a moment. Genie, we will go up.¡±


    The upper part of the elevator shed for a moment at ina¡¯s words before a green light scanned her body.


    <strong>Yes, Lieutenant ina¡­ Your identity has been confirmed. Where do you want to go?</strong>


    ¡°Take us to the Tech Division.¡± ina answered and entered the elevator.


    I asked out of curiosity, ¡°Was that thing artificial intelligence?¡±


    The answer came from the speaker instead of ina.


    <strong>I am Genie, the Control Persona that controls the overall system of Albatross. With the exception of private spaces, most ces are under my radar, so call me whenever you need or if there is anything I can help you with.</strong>


    It was unbelievable that the response came from artificial intelligence considering how smooth it was. Bo-ram had an amazed expression.


    Dong-min was also in a simr situation, although he did not show it.


    Well, we were in a much more serious situation than the countryside people visiting Seoul, so it was a relief that we did not look around tackily.


    <i>Wiiing-!</i>


    The door opened while I was in my thoughts and ina led the way again.


    ¡°The Chief of the Tech Division will probably have the most heterogeneous appearance to you Earthlings. Also¡­ Although he has not reached the point of transcendence, he is still a Noblesse so keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°A Noblesse?¡±


    I started to wonder at the unexpected word. We already met the Imperial Princess, so to say the Royal Family, so was being a Noblesse an important thing?


    <i>¡®No, perhaps.¡¯</i>


    I thought of the original nuance for the words noble and royalty. Perhaps Celestia was the peculiar case and the other nobles had a difficult personality. Maybe we might get kicked out or picked on if we said something wrong.


    However, inaughed as if that was not what she meant.


    ¡°Hahaha. I understand what you are imagining, but it does not have the same concept as the Middle Age. The word Noblesse I used here was in the context of a race¡­ You will alsoe to learn about this slowly.¡±


    ina then led me to a room that was at the end of the hallway. Bo-ram whispered to me on the way there.


    ¡°Erm, sunbae-nim.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It seems like they will use sunbae-nim as a technician based on the atmosphere, but¡­ Do you have the skills to get a job in an outer spacepany?¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    I shook my head. To tell you the truth, I was also quite at a loss.


    <i>¡®What do I have to do here exactly?¡¯</i>


    Of course, I did not hack <i>The Great War</i>. I do not have the ability to do that.


    However, wouldn¡¯t it be funny to say, ¡®Actually I got that score with my skills¡¯ since I had already hidden the truth once?


    <i>¡®Will I have to reveal it unavoidably in the worst case scenario?¡¯</i>


    Obviously, I did not have the skills to work in the Tech Division. In the first ce, what could I do about it when I was dragged into this situation?


    ¡°The two of you can wait here for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Will it be fine?¡±


    Dong-min raised his arm and rested it against the wall at ina¡¯s words. He then nodded.


    ¡°If it is a wall like this.¡±


    ¡°Ah, we are guards so it would be fine to use force if we think the atmosphere is strange, right?¡±


    I clicked my tongue when I heard the scary words from the small and cute beauty, Bo-ram. This girl seemed quite excited about being thrown into space so suddenly.


    ¡°Oh my, it seems like you are quite confident.¡±


    ¡°That is not the case actually. Because we do not know what kind of power the aliens possess.¡±


    Her words might seem humble, but I understood the insinuation. Come to think about it¡­ My father told her to release the first-ss transformation and even to take out a weapon called Gungnir. And when she heard those words, she mentioned World War 3.


    <i>¡®That means she might have powerparable to an army. In the first ce, the transformation was groundless but¡­ It may be normal that Magician Girls are able to transform.¡¯</i>


    In addition, even Dong-min seemed unusual. Judging by how he could jump through space like it was nothing, it meant that he was a superhuman that would only appear in movies.


    But of course, that might be something that only worked on Earth.


    <i>¡®That can¡¯t be. It would be meaningless to send him as a guard if his abilities do not work at all in space¡­ Also, it seems like Father has prepared for a long time after listening to Mother, who has the power of Foresight.¡¯</i>


    I felt the need to check the titles of these guys one day.


    But of course, it would not be possible to know how strong they are or what abilities they use with just their title, but I should at least know something to be prepared for it.


    ¡°Chief-nim.¡±


    <strong>Ah, let him in.</strong>


    The door opened with his reply and I entered. And as soon as I passed the door, I stopped in fear.


    ¡°¡­Uh?¡±


    <strong>Ah, are you the neer? Nice to meet you.</strong>


    I didn''t hear a voice. It was a kind of telepathy that rang inside my head.


    Well, perhaps that was the obvious case since the other party did not have any vocal organs.


    ¡°A¡­ lump of light?¡±


    A lump of light that was bigger than the head of a human entered my view. There were about five or six disys installed around the lump of light that was floating like a goblin fire, illuminating various screens. There were also all kinds of machines ced on a big table that was five meters long and three meters wide.


    <strong>Ah, I heard that you just came from Earth 34, right? It must be your first time seeing someone from the Kendler race, right?</strong>


    It flew and stopped in front of me as it ended its sentence. I casually look above its head (?).


    <strong>Leonhardt¡¯s Empire, Albatross warship</strong>


    <strong>Compl¨¦ter of Creation Realm/Mutation Realm, Nathan</strong>


    <i>''Compl¨¦ter?¡¯</i>


    It seems like a sign for some sort of mastery. He wouldn''t be using martial arts or anything of that sort in that state, so it should be magic or superpowers. Since he is also the Chief of the Tech Division, he must be a nonbatant.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Kwan Dae-ha.¡±


    <strong>Nathan Hoffman. I am d to meet you too. I should be at least ten times older than you, so you would not mind me speaking to you informally, right?</strong>


    ¡°Ah, yes, of course.¡±


    I was surprised.


    It is impossible to guess his age based on his appearance, but ten times meant that he is at least 200 years old, right? In addition, he could even be over three hundred years since he used the words ¡®at least¡¯.


    <strong>I am sorry but I have little time to interview you because I am short on time. Fix these things.</strong>


    Nathan said and gave me a problem.


    Unknown machines that were the size of my body flew andnded in front of me.


    <i>Boom. Boom.</i>


    And there was more than one of them.


    There was a part that looked like an engine, a human-shaped robot whose maneuver seemed to have been stopped, down to a product that looked like a watch that could be worn on the wrist.


    I looked at the things, not knowing what to do, and Nathan continued.


    <strong>You can fix all three of them or just one of them. It is enough for me to assess your ability.</strong>


    I listened to his words and approached the machines. However, obviously¡­ I did not have the talent to fix these things. I was in a daze. The only thought on my mind was <i>¡®What should I do?¡¯</i>


    <i>¡®No, they called me because they thought I hacked The Great War in the first ce, but they want me to fix objects rather than hacking?¡¯</i>


    Of course, it was a mistake on their part for having misjudged that I was a superhuman with abilities in electronics, so I was simply looking at the machines, feeling stumped.


    <i>¡®What should I do?¡¯</i>


    I do not want to control a Gigas.


    No, to be honest, I was really, really interested in controlling a Gigas.


    I want to ride and control a Gigas directly. I have some confidence in my skills, so it is also true that I want to confirm it.


    However¡­ I am afraid that those results would lead me to war.


    The enemies in the simtion of <i>The Great War</i> were all part of a program, but there would definitely be people riding on the enemy Gigas in an actual battle.


    In addition, most of the aliens look like humans rather than octopuses or other beings, so what if I go to war under such context?


    <i>¡®But of course, it is also true that being a soldier does not necessarily mean going to war.¡¯</i>


    But at the same time, it was the same as having to bear in mind such a situation if one became a soldier.


    If you received a sry for being a soldier, wouldn''t it sound crazy if you said "Actually, I am an advocate of peace. I do receive a sry, but I simply wanted to do daily tasks. I do not want to hurt anyone" and not fight should a war ur?


    <i>¡®But it is impossible to fix these unknown machines¡­ No, wait.¡¯</i>


    I flinched at that moment and then took a deep breath.


    ¡°Whew¡­¡±


    I concentrated on changing the "Overall Setting" into "State-Problem". Of course, I had no problem in seeing what the problem was even if I could not fix it.


    ¡°This robot is just out of battery. The connector in the left side looks stiff, but there seems to be no problem aside from that. As for this watch, it seems like there is a bug. It was forcefully turned off and on once. And this¡­ Oh, it was an engine. The parts number 7 and number 23 of this engine are worn out. I think we need to change it.¡±


    Nathan fell into his thoughts after listening to my calm exnation.


    <strong>Hmm¡­ I see. An ¡®observing¡¯ ability? Is it impossible for you to fix it?</strong>


    ¡°Yes, I do not have that kind of talent.¡±


    I answered honestly because I would only bring failure upon myself if I said I could do something I could not.


    <strong>How obscure¡­ That is too limited.</strong>


    He floated in the air softly for a moment. It seemed like he was thinking if he should send me back or not. I looked at him float and took out my smartphone from my chest.


    ¡°Ah, does Albatross¡¯nguage unification device also trante texts?¡±


    <strong>It does not have that function. It cannot even interfere with one''s vision. But you are from Korea, right? I know how to read Korean, so don¡¯t worry.</strong>


    ¡°You know Korean?¡±


    I looked at Nathan who was floating in the air, flustered.


    No, but how does this alien know Korean?


    But it seemed like that was nothing special for Nathan.


    <strong>I learn all kinds ofnguages as a hobby when I am bored. I learned about 300 of them and fortunately, I also learned somenguages and symbols of Earth.</strong>


    ¡°That is great. Can you read this?¡±


    I asked and wrote with the Notes app on my smartphone.


    - There is an eavesdropping device installed on the third disy on my right and on your left. The machine on the table has been installed with a virus that leaks information.


    These were also marked in the title, as if it has been recognized as a "Problem". The title showed ¡®Eavesdropping device installed, Monitor¡¯, so it was impossible to not know about it


    Nathan¡¯s body flinched, as if it was quite a shock.


    <strong>Is this¡­ true? And can you keep using this ability?</strong>


    ¡°It is enough if I only have to find problems.¡±


    I nodded.


    I decided that it would be better for me to trick them about having a technology-rted ability since it seemed like I was entering the Tech Division.


    The ability that allows me to see titles is dangerous to the point where anyone would feel threatened by it, but it should be fine if I just have to find problems in machines.


    <strong>This¡­ is amazing. The usage of the ability is limited, but it seems to be a high-ranked ability. It actually seems like it would be more useful than the average technical ability with electronics?</strong>


    He mumbled and cleaned up the parts that were in front of me. He used telekinesis instead of limbs, and the objects that easily weighed more than a dozen kilos were sent flying and disyed on a wall.


    ¡°How is the interview then?¡±


    <strong>Needless to say, you passed. We will see each other frequently in the future.</strong>


    Nathan flew gently towards me and ced its body at my forehead. It felt warm and felt like the equivalent of humans'' handshake.


    ¡°I will be in your care.¡±


    ¡°The same goes for me.¡±


    I smirked. It was the day that I got employed on an alien ship when I had yet to even graduate from high school.

 Chapter 22: Getting a Job, and War (3)

    <h4>Chapter 22: Getting a Job, and War (3)</h4>


    It is always difficult to adapt to a new environment.


    From small events like transferring schools to big events like entering the army and bing soldiers, a new environment is always very stressful for the neers.


    epting people you didn''t know, new rules, unfamiliar things, and so on isn''t an easy feat. On top of that, it requires a certain amount of time and effort to adapt to them.


    "Genie, can you test the uracy of the guns number 171 and 3,141? Oh, and just throw away engine number 7 over there. It has poor durability. Ah, and let us take a look at the measuring instrument over there. Rece this and this part."


    But in my case¡­ I adapted really easily.


    Obviously, it isn''t because I have high adaptability. The tasks they entrusted me with were too easy, and Nathan, the Chief of the Tech Division, thought that it would be better if I hid my ability to some extent. He gave me a studio where outsiders did not frequent.


    [Beginning the work.]


    And that is why I am alone in that studio. No, to put it into words exactly, the control system of the Terra-ss spaceship Albatross, Genie, was doing the maintenance and repairs.


    "Erm, Genie, do you really have to look like that?"


    I asked carefully as I observed Genie gearing up to work. Even though she was only a program instead of a living being, she was taking on the appearance of a human in front of me.


    Her height was simr to mine. Her long, brown ponytail was moving, disregarding gravity. Because of her light brown eyes and sharp jawline, she had an elegant-looking face.


    She looked elegant overall, but her body and uniform posed a problem.


    ''What''s her cup size? I cannot even make a guess. I heard rumors about G-cup and H-cup, is this it? Ah, no, it is a hologram anyway, so I am at the losing end if I care about such things.''


    If ina had reached the peak of sensuality for a human, then this girl with a (......) body exceeding that of a human was wearing a uniform that did not fit in with this spaceship at all.


    As if to be worn by desert dancers, her lower body was covered with a piece of soft cloth and her upper body was covered in a vest made out of cloth that was about four or five palm sizes big. The cloth was hung around her neck, showing exceptional exposure of her waist, belly, and even inner chest.


    Listening to her voice alone, she gave off the feeling of a boss'' secretary, calm and decisive. However, with such an outward appearance, I didn''t know where to look.


    Nevertheless, Genie replied calmly. It seemed like there were many people who had the same question.


    [If you are going to talk about my ''Character Image'', I do not have the authority to change it because it is a reflection of the developer''s taste. The basic setting would be a Metal Body. Do you want me to change out of this image if it is ufortable for you?]


    "No, there is no need to."


    [I will continue with the work then.]


    She answered with a calm voice and continued with her work proficiently. Not only that, but as her eyes shone, the machines in a corner of the studio moved to clean up the machines I marked out. She then skillfully disassembled the two guns and started the examination.


    <i>Click! Kiiiing!</i>


    I leaned against thefy chair while listening to the metallic sounds.


    I did not have the ability to fix machines, obviously, and all the fixing was done by her and the maintenance machines.


    Actually, there were no technical issues at all because of Genie, a perfect artificial intelligence that Earth''s technology wouldn''t dare to replicate. Also, there were the maintenance machines that could even operate nano fragments. There really was no need to lift a finger.


    ''Well, that is why there is no Chief of Maintenance despite having a Tech Division Chief.''


    Most of the technical aspects could be covered by the artificial intelligence and maintenance machines. However, it was impossible for artificial intelligence to develop a new ability, regardless of how outstanding it was. Hence, the existence of the Tech Division was necessary.


    Albatross was designed for long term battle operations ranging from years to decades, and hence it must have the capacity and ability to upgrade with time.


    [All correct. It is amazing how you can see a fault in a gun''s uracy just by a glimpse. Two out of thousands. Even if it''s a slight error.]


    "Well, you are the one fixing everything in the end."


    [That''s naturally my job as the control system of Albatross.]


    "How diligent. Ah, but can I ask a question?"


    [Of course, Dae-ha-nim.]


    I started chatting with Genie while a metal body looking like some sort of repeater that allowed her to handle matters with the Albatrossmenced work.


    Since Genie was an artificial intelligence, she was there in that Metal Body but also next to me and everywhere in the Albatross taking care of the crew''s needs. It''s nothing hard for her to speak to me while working.


    "Can you tell me about the Detro Gxy Union?"


    [What do you want to know about them?]


    "Universal knowledge."


    I remembered the title from when I first saw Celestia. The affiliation in her title wrote <strong>[Detro Gxy Union, Fourth Corps, First Advance Squad]</strong>.


    The titles always showed the state that represented that person and the affiliation they belong to at that particr moment. That means she belonged to the first advance squad of the fourth corps of Detro Gxy Union when she visited Earth, even though she was the Imperial Princess of the Leonhardt Empire.


    However, I saw the same affiliation from another person.


    ''ina¡­''


    ina, the head of Human Resources Division for Leonhardt Empire, had another affiliation aside from the one she revealed. She was affiliated with <strong>[Detro Gxy Union, Fourth Corps, First Assassination Squad]</strong>.


    ording to what I have heard from others, she had been onboard Albatross for close to ten years. However, since her affiliation was still the assassination squad, it meant that she had not forgotten her duty for these ten years.


    [The Detro Gxy Union is a group formed by thes in the Detro Gxy and also a transportation point that is considered to be the center of all the universe. Being a neutral territory, it is a powerful country that many others want to have but do not dare toy their hands on.]


    "Transportation point?"


    I was more concerned about those two words than any other.


    "There is something like a transportation point in space? Can''t they just fly?"


    I know well that there was a path in the sea and in the sky, but to think that there could be a transportation point in space.


    Genie exined to the confused me.


    [Dae-ha-nim. It takes thousands of years in theory to fly from one gxy to another. It takes at least five years even if you move at full speed with maximum eleration by using the Astral Drive, something that can only be installed in spaceships above the Terra-ss. Star Gate is essential for moving between stars that are far apart or when moving between gxies.]


    "Star Gate¡­ Is that something like a warp gate?"


    [It is simr. It is a door that shortens the distance between the stars and gxies. Gates between gxies can only be installed by ss-Ten Demon-rank Magicians, so even in space, they are umon.]


    Only then was I able to understand what a transportation point was.


    "I see. So you are saying that the Detro Gxy Union is a transportation point¡­"


    [Yes. The Detro Gxy Union is the ce that has connecting gates to dozens of stars and three gxies. It is also the strongest force with nearly 100 Arch-Magicians residing in the city and is home to Ouroboros, the best academic institution in space.]


    "They are still a powerful force even when they are neither a foe or an ally?"


    [Just looking at their scale, they cannot bepared to the Leonhardt Empire that rules over countless stars, but it is still a force that cannot be ignored. Right now, they have a good rtionship with the Leonhardt Empire. People are free toe and go as well.]


    I let out an internal sigh of relief at her words. Honestly speaking, I felt uneasy but I was d they were not enemies.


    "What about the Tekea Federation?"


    [It is a federation that is near to the Leonhardt Empire. They are long-term enemies with the Empire, having engaged the Empire in five huge battles and countless minor battles.]


    "Why are they enemies? Aren''t they also from the Union?''


    Normal people could get annoyed at those minor questions, but Genie exined everything to me sincerely.


    ording to her, most of the species that exist in space formed a spatial organization under the name of ''Union''.


    This was to counter the transcendent beings outside the Physical Realm such as the heavenly race, demonic race, or disastrous existences that are beyond the Gods'' control.


    [However, even if they are tied together under the name of Union, space is endlessly vast and there is an uncountable number of members. There are dozens of empires, federations, kingdoms, and self-governed territories in space. The power of the Union is only exhibited when solving problems in the Great Universe and when they exercise Unionws. That is the reason why wars ur endlessly.]


    South Korea is on Earth, and North Korea is also on Earth. But can the two be considered ''allies'' just because they are both on Earth?


    Likewise, even if the Union embraced most of the forces in the universe, its inhibitory ability wasn''t that strong. This was because the members'' personalities and their way of thinking were all different. Also, there were forces where the resentment for each other ran so deep that reconciliation was impossible.


    As such, even if they all came under the umbre of a Union, their sense of belonging was weak. Like how even when everyone lives on Earth, only a few feel a sense of belonging to Earth unless aliens appear.


    [Ah, the work is done. This is all for today. You have worked hard, Dae-ha-nim.]


    "You did all the work. Contact me if there is a problem."


    I lightly waved my hand and got out of the studio.


    <strong>At the same moment.</strong>


    <i>Pipik!</i>


    A text saying [3,000 Gats have been deposited] showed up on themunication device that looked like an electronic watch I received after I got employed(?) on Albatross.


    Bewilderedly, the sry here was paid daily.


    "Let''s see, the exchange rate for 1 gat is 17,000 won[1] right now¡­"


    Bo-ram, the magician girl, and Dong-min, the superhuman, did not know about the existence of aliens, but that was only because they did not have the power and connections. However, if you looked into the higher echelons of every country, it seemed like there were quite a number of people that knew and cooperated with them.


    Otherwise, there was no way for such a high exchange rate.


    Also, judging by the slight change in numbers daily, the exchange rate shown on mymunication device seemed to be in real-time.


    I calcted casually.


    "51 million won¡­ To get 51 million won for working five hours a day¡­ Ohohoho."


    I could not help butugh.


    What had I done honestly?


    I went to work way past morning (of course, it is not when the sun just rose but surprisingly enough, their concept of time was the same as that on Earth. So, a day has 24 hours and there are 365 days in a year) at about 10 am. I had lunch after taking care of some things and left work at 3 pm.


    Normally, people wouldment that their own job was the hardest, but I could not say that because of my conscience. Moreover, my lunchtime was included in my five hours of work.


    "Of course, it seems like I would be earning a bit more as a Gigas pilot."


    If I recall correctly, she said that I would get 10 billion won [2] a month if I passed the exam of Pinnell Academy or something. That meant I would be earning much more than now, where I am earning a mere(?) 1.5 billion a month (we get paid the daily average wage on holidays too), but¡­


    If I went to a military school, I would obviously have to do military training and perhaps set foot on the battlefield. So being a Gigas pilot would be a totally different story from my current situation.


    Moreover, even those five hours of work was just ytime. I just had to tell Genie the faulty issues and she would check or repair them on her own. While she worked on them, I would read a book or chat with her.


    In the beginning, I thought that they were deceiving me because the working conditions were unbelievably good, but three weeks had since passed. Because of how quick-witted I am and also my power to see titles, I could tell that there were no schemes in the entirety of this situation.


    Apart from me, Bo-ram and Dong-min, who were both extremely tense at one point, were also adjusting well.


    "I did not know this, but¡­" I mumbled unconsciously as I slowly exited the Tech Division room.


    "This is really sweet?"


    1. 1 Gat is approximately 15 USD


    2. ~885,000 USD

 Chapter 23: Getting a Job, and War (4)

    <h4>Chapter 23: Getting a Job, and War (4)</h4>


    "This is really sweet?"


    "What is?"


    Bo-ram stepped away from the wall and stood upright as I turned around.


    Bo-ram and Dong-min had been taking turns to guard me.


    "Life as a whole," I answered without much embarrassment as what I was feeling now was actually not new to both of us.


    "Ah ah~ What you said is true, sunbae-nim. I had been nervous because we wereing to space and I was even allowed to use my first ss transformation, but then, it is this peaceful. Also, it has already been 3 weeks. I wonder when we will return home."


    I watched on as she grumbled and walked past me.


    With wavy, permed, shoulder-length hair and a short height, she looks like a pretty girl who won''t be able to catch a single bug. Should I say that she looks petite and cute?


    Her rabbit hairpin and rabbit-shaped watch emphasized that image even more.


    ''But even someone like her is so strong that she could beat up someone of my size in no time.''


    The situation had just progressed to be what it was, but it was a unique experience to have a <strong>[Magician Girl]</strong> guard me every day.


    "What are you looking at?"


    "...Hey. You know that your image ispletely different from when I first met you, right?"


    "In the first ce, girls have many sides to them." Bo-ram replied and walked away.


    We were inside a spaceship, but there was still gravity. It felt weaker than the gravity on Earth since my body felt lighter, but it wasn''t that huge of a difference.


    [You have arrived at the residential zone. Please restfortably.]


    "All right. Thank you, Genie."


    I waved at Genie''s SD Character (Super Deformation Character. A human character that was two or three heads tall) on the side of the elevator and the ground appeared when the door opened.


    But of course, the expression ''ground'' was not exactly correct. Even if I rode on the elevator, I was still inside Albatross, so how would the ground appear?


    However, the scenery that appeared when the door opened was enough to use the word ''ground''.


    "It is an impressive scale no matter when I see it."


    "I agree. It is called a residential zone, but it is bigger than average viges. I took a stroll around the area, but it took me almost an hour. I cannot believe something this big is inside a ship."


    The ce we arrived at the very beginning after leaving Earth was one of the entrances of Albatross. It was a ce where its elements fitted in well with the sci-fi atmosphere of a spacecraft''s interior, such as the metal floor, the spaceship that seemed to have justnded, and most of all, the sight of Earth right outside the thick ss walls.


    However, the ce I arrived at after having taken the elevator was a ce that was so far from the imagery of a spaceship to the point that it would be dubious if we had arrived in space if this was what weed us at the start.


    "They said Albatross is a Terra-ss spaceship and even the Leonhardt Empire only has 20 of them. Also, there are over 10,000 passengers living on board."


    There were hundreds of round buildings in the residential zone. Like the cities on Earth, there were convenience stores, restaurants, and even a huge stadium right in the centre of the zone where people could enjoy various sports. There were people roaming on the streets and also vehicles simr to cars running on the roads.


    In addition, the enormous disy on the ceiling was a replica of the blue sky, so if one didn''t pay enough attention, they wouldn''t notice that they were in a spaceship.


    "What is Dong-min doing?"


    "Training as usual. In this ce, superpowers and abilities are not a secret at all. Training rooms are also well-established. On top of that, there are many superhumans so you can pay them to receive personal training. Plus, the library is filled with high-ss information you cannot get on Earth even if you are willing to pay billions."


    I returned home with Bo-ram as I mumbled about how every soldier in this world had at least one ability.


    "Open up."


    [Yes, Maintenance Officer Kwan Dae-ha-nim¡­ Identity confirmed. Wee.]


    The artificial intelligence managing my house confirmed my identity and opened the door with a greeting. I entered.


    <i>Pipik!</i>


    Bo-ram''s watch rang at that moment. She looked at it with a strange expression.


    "They deposited my daily wage. 200 Gats."


    "That''s 3.4 million won."


    "These aliens are so thorough on the employee''s welfare to the point where it is excessive. Honestly, is it natural that you get paid since you are working here, but why are they also taking care of me and Dong-min sunbae when we are not doing much? To be honest, we are just guards in name, but the security here is so good that I have nothing to do even if I want to work."


    Albatross, the Terra-ss huge spaceship, had over 10,000 passengers on board and the structure of the residence zone is like that of a city.


    Was there a city where its residents would find out instantly when there was a new resident in the city?


    Likewise, not many knew that we boarded this spacecraft. Moreover, it was impossible to distinguish aliens by their appearance because most of them look like human beings. They just assumed us to be crew members who had been on the spaceship all along and continued with their own lives.


    ''On the other hand, it waspletely different for Cel.''


    Celestia''s identity as the Imperial Princess was revealed the day we arrived on this spaceship, and it was a mess. Themotionsted at least a week. It was to the point where one could hear people talking about her on the streets.


    ording to them, Celestia was the fourth daughter of the current Emperor, Angelos III, who sat at the peak of the Leonhardt Empire. She was also an idol singer famous in space.


    ''Just why did someone like her enter the Advance Squad of a neutral country?''


    But whatever the case, there was no way they would let her go nicely since she had gotten on a ship belonging to the Empire.


    Celestia became the greatest guest-of-honor on this ship and it was hard for us living in the employee buildings to see her.


    Of course, I got interrogated by ina about how I met the Imperial Princess, but that was not an issue since there was nothing going on between Cel and I in the first ce.


    ''If I were to think about it, I could say that she is unlucky.''


    Entering the Advance Squad of a neutral country meant that she was not interested in living the life of an Imperial Princess. Yet, she was forced to teleport after getting involved with us, so her current situation was not any different from being kidnapped.


    In addition, she said that she was on vacation. Not returning to the army after a vacation meant desertion.


    "You are back."


    Dong-min was inside the house. He was doing handstand push-ups but bounced off his hand slightly as soon as he felt our presence.


    ''Wow, is that possible?''


    I was astounded at how Dong-min flipped around in the air with just the strength of his wrists while being in a handstand position.


    Every muscle on Dong Min''s well-trained body was so distinguished,pact, and looking like a weapon, that people would cower in fear on sight.


    Women would scream in joy if they saw his body, but Bo-ram having seen it often asked casually, "Hm~ Dong-min sunbae, why are you training your body when you are a superhuman? Isn''t physical training useless in the face of abilities no matter how much you train?"


    "That is right, but I still fight with my body. Many of the meridians in my body are opened up but training in martial arts or life force wouldn''t strengthen them. So, it''s a necessity to train my physical body to support my superpower." said Dong-min as he snapped his finger.


    The dripping sweat on him disappeared, and his body turned soft and dry; even his hair became dry. I was a little envious of this convenient ability.


    As I ced my hand on the wall, I thought about several foods.


    It was not something like a touchscreen. I mean, it could act like a touchscreen, but if I call for Genie with my <strong>[Strength]</strong>, the voice recognition system would activate and I would be able to make an order with my voice.


    ''Damned mana. Even dogs and cows can use mana in the case of aliens.''


    Although I could see titles, I did not have any mana so I would have to move and touch the screen myself. Due to concerns over eavesdropping, the voice recognition system was disabled in private spaces.


    "Let''s see¡­ Ugh, the prices here are too steep."


    "Even if they are expensive, it is nothingpared to the daily wage we receive."


    "That is right, but¡­ Well, I will order the usual thing."


    Basically, breakfast and lunch were provided to the crew members on Albatross, but they had to buy their own dinner.


    Basic meals cost about 2.50 Gats while the premium menus item cost about 10 to 50 Gats. The current conversion rate was 1 Gat to 17,000 won [1], so considering that, it wasn''t cheap. A meal that costs between 5,000 to 8,000 won on Earth cost 2.50 Gants in space, which means it is over 40,000 won.


    Even on Earth, there would be steep price differences between different areas. So considering the difference civilization between space and Earth, the high price in space was justifiable.


    Also, like what Dong-min just said, the meal prices were indeed nothing muchpared to the daily wage we received.


    <i>Pat! Pat!</i>


    I clicked on the screen and ordered a tonkatsu, kimchi fried rice, and bean paste stew.


    It was ridiculous that we were eating such things on a spaceship, but our group usually didn''t want to take our risks when ites to food. Unexpectedly, these meals came out very well.


    "Wow, who do you think made this bean paste stew? It tastes like my mother''s cooking."


    "I wonder. Perhaps the machines made it. Or there is a cook from Earth."


    We started eating as we shared small talks. The three of us were awkward with each other at first, but we got considerably close after having spent three weeks eating and sleeping together.


    After that, we scattered and spent some free time training or studying. In my case, I had been surfing the web, experiencing alien music or culture, or downloading and ying games. Bo-ram locked herself in the library and Dong-min did martial arts training.


    When night came, we would return to our respective rooms and turn in for the night.


    "This is really¡­"


    I mumbled.


    "Peaceful."


    "Hahaha. Is it ufortable?"


    "No, it is veryfortable. To the point where I wonder if I could be treated like this."


    "Don''t say that. The Tech Division Chief hadplimented you several times for being a huge aid. It is to the point where he could finally be a major for having discovered and scouted you."


    "Ah, congrattions."


    "Huhu, thank you."


    I was meeting ina after a long time.


    I didn''t go and look for her; she came to my studio. She was the Chief of the Human Resources Division and her job was to manage me.


    "Facing any difficulties recently?"


    "The work isn''t hard and I don''t have a boss who harasses me either. Come to think of it, will I keep working alone in the future?"


    ina shook her head.


    "No. It will probably be like this for a while because the Tech Division Chief entrusted you with some tasks. After things get organized, you will be moved to the Tech Division. Of course, there is no way I know what he''s thinking." ina answered as she wrote something on the pad she was holding onto.


    I asked, "Ah, chief. Where does that door lead to? I asked Genie, but she would not answer me."


    The big door at one side of the studio has been attracting all my attention these days.


    It was so huge that it seemed like tanks and even fighter jets could go through it easily. Bewilderingly enough, Genie had no response when I called for her near the door. It seemed like she had no authority to go near it.


    "Ah¡­ Come to think of it, this studio is around that ce."


    ina had a strange expression on her face.


    "That ce?"


    "Hahaha. Don''t worry about it. That door will not open anyway. It is almost time to leave work, so should we wrap up here?"


    I was unsure if she knew that her reply would pique my curiosity even further, but I organized my desk and stood up. I didn''t see her frequently since she was busy.


    [The Human Resources Division Chief has left. This is the end of the day. You have worked hard, Dae-ha-nim.]


    As usual, my daily wage got deposited along with Genie''s greeting.


    Since working hours were over, Genie''s Metal Body and the maintenance machines shut down and entered the case on the side of the wall.


    I spoke into the air, "Excuse me, Genie, do you know anything about that door over there?"


    [I am sorry but I cannot tell you.]


    "Is it confidential?"


    [Yes.]


    "Hmm."


    Subconsciously, I walked to the side of the studio. There was a huge door; it was so huge that I didn''t realize it was a door initially. It opened up from the side and was entirely metal. Its immeasurable thickness made it feel impossible to prate through.


    "Ah, I am dying of curiosity. I am in trouble."


    I ced my hand on the wall. Its material was clearly metal, and there was a slight warmth to the solid door.


    "Well, I do not have to worry as it will not open anyway," I mumbled casually as I suppressed my surging curiosity and turned around.


    "Open sesame."


    It was at that moment.


    <i>Guuuuuung---- Kigigik!</i>


    "Eh? Huh? What?"


    I got flustered when the door opened up, as if it had been waiting for this moment. But whatever the case, the door opened uppletely and revealed a passageway that seemed big enough for three tanks to run on it side by side.


    Thinking that something else would happen, I crouched down and observed my surroundings. It was empty and apart from the door opening, nothing happened.


    "What, it just opens? That''s so boring."


    1. 1 Gat to 15 USD

 Chapter 24: Getting a Job, and War (5)

    <h4>Chapter 24: Getting a Job, and War (5)</h4>


    "What, it just opens? That''s so boring." I grumbled and looked at the hallway. And then looked behind me. There was no one.


    "Hmm." I pondered for a moment.


    Come to think of it, when she said ''this studio is around that ce'', there was this somewhat indistinct expression on her face but it wasn''t vignce or anything of that sort.


    If she had said ''Don''t be too concerned about it'', it would have meant that it contained something valuable.


    If she had said ''Don''t get close to it'', it would have meant that it contained something dangerous.


    But she only wore an indistinct expression.


    ''What is it?''


    That was what piqued my curiosity. I didn''t feel any sense of foreboding like that I felt in the face of a bad situation.


    ''It should not matter much if I am only poking around a little.''


    I slowly inched forward.


    The hallway wasn''t long. The hallway''s huge width made the hallway feel like a part of the room rather than a corridor.


    [What are you?]


    And I ended up meeting ''that'' in that ce.


    "A head?"


    If I were to describe it, it was a huge head. An enormous head of a man wearing a heavy helmet made from dragon scales was floating in the air.


    [How rude. Do you always address others by their body parts?]


    A sound echoed in the surrounding air as his eyebrows made of steel twitched subtly. Something simr to a vibration reverberated through the surroundings, causing a tremor.


    "Oh, what a strange feeling."


    [... Strange feeling? What, are you okay?]


    His round eyes stared at me in bewilderment, as though he was greatly surprised.


    It might sound weird, but¡­ He had lots of expressions for a robot.


    "Who are you?"


    [I''m Ares. The God of War, Ares.]


    He sounded arrogant and full of confidence, as though he was looking down on the world.


    However, his voice wasn''t the main focus as I was only thinking about his title and name.


    ''A God of War?''


    I now know that Gods existed.


    I had never seen her face, but the Primordial God who might be my stepmother (...) threw us to space with her power. Moreover, I was able to look up information on the various Gods on theputers in the rooms.


    Honestly speaking, from my point of view as an Earthling, Gods only exist in myths and the fantasy genre while aliens exist in science fiction. The fact that they acknowledged and co-existed with each other was somewhat difficult to swallow. There was a sense of foreignness.


    However, whether I felt a sense of foreignness had no impact on reality. In fact, if I were cool-headed and assumed that both co-existed, I would realize that it wouldn''t be strange for aliens to be aware of Gods, the former having seen the limits of science.


    ''But this guy is not a God.''


    Of course, I could not be sure as I had never seen one, but the one in front of me seemed somewhat [easy to deal with].


    Of course, his arrogant and confident voice contained power, but I could not find a trace of disposition of a God.


    However, at that moment, I suddenly recalled another existence which could also bebelled as [God].


    "Are you a God-rank Gigas?"


    [That is right! I am Ares!]


    There were five different ranks for Gigas - God, Star, Human, Beast and Tool.


    They would receive the title of either God, Star, Human, Beast or Tool. The number of Beast and Tool-rank Gigas ranged in the hundreds and thousands but the figures dropped drastically up the ranks.


    Of course, the Leonhardt Empire alone had more than 20,000 units of the Human-rank Gigas, but they only had five Star-rank Gigas, despite Star-rank being only one rank higher than Human.


    ''But, he is God-rank?''


    The only God-rank Gigas the Leonhardt Empire was known to possess was Ra, the Gigas of Leonhardt''s first Emperor.


    It was a first generation Gigas but also "Transcendent Weapon No. 92" that was the strongest in the space (though I have no idea why it is the strongest since it''s number 92) and was considered the pride of the Leonhardt Empire.


    But right now, this dude in front of me was iming to be a God-rank Gigas.


    "But¡­ That is weird. I heard that the Leonhardt Empire only has one God-rank Gigas, but it isn''t you."


    [Of course not! Because I am not a Gigas of the Leonhardt Empire!]


    "You are not a Gigas¡­ of the Leonhardt Empire?"


    Instantly, I thought this might be dangerous.


    Because the fact that he was here when he was not a Gigas of the empire could mean that they had stolen him from somewhere else.


    However, Ares spoke boldly.


    [I merely formed a contract stating that I would help them for a while if they help me find my body. One of the reasons as to why this spaceship is roaming is to find my other body.]


    I nodded while hearing his voice that was full of vigor.


    ''It can negotiate and enter a contract. Putting it nicely, it is an artificial intelligence, however, it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that it has its own ego.''


    I could feel a considerable pride and spirit from this guy.


    If he had been in hisplete state, perhaps even the Leonhardt Empire wouldn''t be able to approach him easily because of his strong personality.


    But only his head was in this ce¡­ No matter how overwhelmingly stronger he was than a giant spaceship, or if he was a God-rank Gigas, an incarnation of destruction that could even destroy the entire, there was not much he could do in this state.


    Of course, it seemed like they formed a contract because they had high hopes of the earth-shattering power he would be able to release in hisplete form after considering his residual strength in his current state.


    [By the way, how did you get in? They said that no one wille here until they find my other parts. Did youe in to notify me or something?]


    "No. I do not know a thing."


    [...Why did youe in then?]


    I shrugged my shoulders at the dumbfounded Ares.


    "I was curious."


    Yes. That was all to it. I could note up with another reason even if I wanted to.


    Other people might have made a fuss if they saw the head of a God-rank Gigas upon entering, but he did not seem that impressive to me.


    No, even if he was amazing, he was not even my Gigas so it didn''t matter much.


    ''Ugh, if there had been something like the R-13, I could have just ridden on it. Why did a God-rank Gigas appear instead?''


    I turned around while mumbling and Ares called out to me.


    [Hey! Where are you going?]


    "What do you mean? I am going back. I came with my hopes up, but there''s nothing much here."


    [What, nothing much? Hey, wait. Hey!]


    I could hear him shouting, but I walked straight out of the hallway. It was enough that my curiosity had been satisfied.


    "Close sesame."


    <i>Guuuung---- Kik!</i>


    The door closed with a softer sound aspared to when it opened. It seemed like it had been closed for a long time.


    Nothing much happened after that. I returned home.


    "Open up."


    [Yes, Maintenance Officer Kwan Dae-ha-nim¡­ Identity confirmed. Wee.]


    Dong-min was in charge of guarding me today, but he was a man of few words and we did not speak much since we were both guys. I entered the house, ate dinner with Bo-ram who had returned from the library, and started a game after returning to my room.


    "Hmm,e to think of it, I was too impulsive. It could risk destroying this beautiful peace."


    For someone like me who doesn''t want to even be involved in annoying things, it was unexpected that I would enter the hallway.


    [Wow, you are here, Nameless-nim! Do you want to y a round with me today?]


    [Nameless-nim, a Constetion of Carnage appeared as a raid mob. Please help me. ??]


    [No, no. Nameless-hyung has to go catch the dark demonic dragons with me! This damn game actually included the dark demonic dragons; they are asking to be sued by the Noblesse. They are f*cking strong. As expected of a god.]


    [You idiot. Dark demonic dragons and dark dragon gods are two different entities.]


    [Whatever, they are crazy strong! Ah, I also want to get some divinity!]


    Many people started chatting me up the moment I logged in.


    They were not users of a particr game but Albatross''s crew members who yed various games and manifested in the form of a translucent avatar. Because they were already in the standby channel which was the ess path to the various games.


    There were about 10,000 passengers in Albatross, and Albatross was in the middle of a long-term mission that couldst dozens of years. It was only natural that these people needed entertainment to offset that long, boring time, and the online system was activated for the 10,000 passengers to y together.


    ''I should y ze Of Storm today.''


    I ignored the pouring direct messages and connected to one of the games. It wasn''t like I could y for a whole day or two, so I would not be able to y if I replied to all of these direct messages.


    [Oh! Is this the rumored nameless man?]


    I used a nk space as my in-game name as I felt that there was no reason for me to be known by my name in this ce.


    However, my existence was made known to others as I swept up the leaderboards in all the games, showed my new ying style, and identally trampled on people who used map hacks and cheats.


    From there on, they started to call me ''Nameless'', most probably because of the nk space in my ID.


    "I am going to the central front lines. Alone."


    [What? Are you crazy? I do not know what kind of person you are in reality, but everyone here starts from level 1, you know?]


    A bacsh arose as usual.


    ze Of Storm was a war game where 100 users would form two teams of 50 and defeat the enemy.


    The central front line had the most number of monsters and soldier NPCs, so usually, at least 10 out of 50 users would gather there. It was normal to not be able to do a thing and die if you went alone, so I had also tried going to several front lines and taking on several roles.


    However, the situation was different now because I had umted fame. And as expected, some of my allies shook their heads.


    [Hahahaha! Sure! Shall we take a look at the capability of Mr. Nameless!?]


    "Thank you.


    There will be additional team members deployed to the other front lines. So you guys should be able to push the enemy back easily, right?"


    We weremunicating, but it was impossible to grasp their identities in reality just by listening to their voices since we were hearing the voices of our heroes rather than our real voices.


    I bought a bow and arrows. The chat became noisy in no time.


    [No, what!? Why did you buy a bow and arrows at level 1? You can only buy 3 arrows with the starting funds! There is no way for a one shot, one kill, and even so, it would only be three kills. Are you really going to stand on the tower to keep the enemies in check while leeching experience? Without making any money?]


    Most of them were confused, but I did not mind them.


    <i>Puk! Puk! Puk!</i>


    [-- has defeated Altear!]


    [-- has defeated Sera!]


    [-- has defeated ddin!]


    [-- has defeated Soyoung!]


    I just took care of the enemies.


    [Ack! What is this! Why is an archer fighting at such a close range?]


    [Ugh, f*ck! He is just so slightly out of range that my sword does not reach him! If I, I could fire the sword energy¡­ Damn it, I cannot do anything because I am level 1! At a time like this where the game character is weaker than my real self, how is this possible?]


    [This crazy¡­! He fights in close range, retrieves the arrows, and fires them again??]


    [Ugh, I am doomed! The game is exploding! He is already a Skilled yer! He will be a Compl¨¦ter if this carries on!!]


    It was the scene of a massacre, but it did not mean that I had it easy. Everyone started at the same level and there was nothing one could do about numbers.


    The reason I had such an advantage was that I maintained [out of the sword''s attack range].<strong> </strong>If I weren''t able to do that, I would inevitably be surrounded and die immediately. No matter how good I was at shooting arrows, normal arrows would be almost useless if the enemy raised the armor tree.


    In other words, I was walking on a tightrope.


    To overwhelm arge number of people in a game where everyone started at the same starting line, there was no choice but to aim for a high-risk return right from the start.


    This attack strategy was great to secure a kill but would also spell demise if you took just one wrong step.


    However¡­ Rather than having taken the wrong step and lose my footing, I started to dance on the tightrope and finally soared into the skies.


    But was it because I was so wild and arrogant?


    [Hey, kill that bastard! It will be trouble if he learns an ultimate sniping skill!]


    [Get f*cked! Cross Sword!]


    About twenty enemies appeared just as I was about to be a Compl¨¦ter.


    These crazy guys went around the entire jungle and appeared from my rear while suffering under tower fire!


    ''Damn, I am still a Skilled yer¡­ Huh?''


    I was about to raise my bow to take another kill as I thought I was going to die, but I checked my experience.


    It was at 98%.


    [Fuck, the kill gold is mine!]


    [No, it is mine!]


    [Die, you bastard!]


    Most of the enemies attacking me had raised the armor tree. The dude tanking the tower''s damage couldn''t attack at all; it was as though that was his duty since he was standing at the back.


    ''If that is the case¡­''


    I gave up on killing a user and murdered a soldier creep that did not have much HP left.


    [--nim has reached the realm of a Compl¨¦ter!]


    An ultimate skill was generated the moment the text appeared. I could pick one among the eight ultimates and I made my selection.


    "Ultimate Skill. Arinen''s Steps," I whispered as my body became light. I then took a step towards the armored soldier bearing the tower fire instead of his team members. That only took 0.5 seconds.


    <i>Puk!</i>


    I hit him randomly. He had not much HP left after taking the tower''s damage anyway.


    [Uck! No!]


    [Escap¡­ Kwagh!?]


    I then fired an arrow to the feet of the guy right beside; he had be the tower''s attack target. The tower got rid of him in my stead.


    And then the next one, the next, the next¡­


    No matter how many of them there were, the close-ranged fighters had no solution while I circled around the tower after having learned Arinen''s Steps. They started to die sessively from being dealt damage by the tower and me.


    If there had been at least one of them who had learned an ultimate in the form of tracing or targeting magic, I would have died in an instant, but was there someone with a higher level than me at this moment?


    [What is this¡­]


    [Wow, impossible¡­ Did he just kill a creep the moment the enemy showed up from behind, leveled up, and then learned an ultimate skill to kill the armored guy at the back? And then killed all of them by tower hugging?]


    [Poise aside, his sense of judgement is way too crazy¡­]


    [Looking like he''s dead meat, but will never be dead¡­]


    [How is 1 vs 20 in ze Of Storm possible¡­]


    Dumbfounded voices were sweeter than the cheers. Ah ah, ying games tastes good! I should not start enjoying this though...


    [You have won!]


    Obviously, I won.


    I ignored the swiftly scrolling chat wall and ended the game.


    "Ugh, how tiring¡­"


    I took off the helmet and lied on my bed. It was hard having to maintain extreme concentration, but it filled me with a sense of fulfillment.


    "I really am a genius. Close-range shooting is doable. I would not have had a solution if they became Skilled yer, but I only have to defeat them all before that happens."


    The satisfaction ofing up with an idea or strategy and pulling it off sessfully could not be expressed with words.


    Also, the games on Earth could never match up to the experience of these virtual reality games.


    "Uhh,e to think of it, there are no virtual reality games on Earth¡­ Uhh, I do not want to go back to Earth all of a sudden."


    When I got here, I hated it so much that all I could think about was how to go back.


    But having tasted the sweetness at work and ying virtual reality games¡­ I changed my views.


    It wasn''t just me.


    Dong-min and even Bo-ram did not show signs of wanting to return. It meant that they liked their lives here.


    Unlike me, they seemed to want to stay because of things like the library and training center.


    However, the important thing was that they had adapted well.


    "This ce is unexpectedly¡­" I smirked and mumbled.


    "Nice to live, to the point where it makes me uneasy."


    In the beginning, I had thoughts like ''Can I really just skip school?'', ''Woah, three days have passed'', ''Woah, a week has passed'', but now, I was starting to harbor thoughts like ''It would be fine to take a year away from school now that things has turned out like this, right?''


    "Phew~ I should go to sleep if I want to work tomorrow."


    It was already past 4 AM before I knew it, so I stretched out on the bed.


    It was at that moment.


    <i>Boom------- Kruuuuung---!</i>


    "Uwak!?"


    The ground shook as if there was an earthquake and everything on the table fell.


    However, how could there be an earthquake happening in space?


    While I was feeling flustered, an urgent broadcast was transmitted.


    [All forces, Level 1 Combat Alert! All forces, Level 1 Combat Alert! This is not a training exercise! I repeat! This is not a training exercise! All forces, Level 1 Combat Alert and await further orders!!]


    I was surprised by the broadcast and entered the integratedwork to check the emergency notice.


    Due to the urgency of the situation, it was a short post but its contents were solemn and grave.


    "... Of course." I mumbled unconsciously. I should be surprised and bewildered at the situation, but I let out a sigh.


    I did not know the reason, but¡­


    I felt like I had already predicted that things would turn out this way since the moment I boarded this ship.


    I read the emergency notice.


    [Deration of war after Tekea Federation''s surprise attack!]


    "Right, this is my life." I let out a sigh once again.


    Yes.


    This was war.

 Chapter 25: Demi-humans (1)

    <h4>Chapter 25: Demi-humans (1)</h4>


    It is said that ancient humans first encountered aliens about 15 billion years ago, after leaving the Physical Realm and bing a Type V Civilization.


    Actually, an encounter with an extraterrestrial being isn''t an easy feat.


    Of course, it was difficult for a civilization to leave the star system where they were born, but the bigger problem was that it was rare for a lifeform to be born on a at a gctic level.


    If you wanted to meet extraterrestrial beings (in the case where they did not approach you first), your civilization had to at least reach a level where they could leave its current gxy without much problem. Of course, it would take a considerable amount of time to pile up a civilization from nothing, but the ancient human race cleared that condition and met up with a new lifeform, the extraterrestrial beings.


    However, the first aliens humanity met were also humans.


    Aliens, the beings they met in the distant universe, were of the same race as them.


    Great confusion arose, of course. They did not know if it was coincidence or fate, but there was not much difference in their level of civilizations, and rather than going to war, they got to know each other through exchanging information.


    And their conclusion was¡­ They werepletely unrted beings who developed independently in the distant universe with no connections to each other.


    It was confusing for them, but they chose to join hands and explore the gctic space together instead of fighting.


    Of course, in the vast universe, there were some superior races and dangerous space creatures that they did not dare to do anything to, but humans used their unique affinity and adaptability to reach an agreement with these species and sometimes fought with them to expand their territorial rule.


    And then, they met other humans again.


    They continued to meet with other humans even after that.


    However, in the end, humanity fell in fear.


    They were aghast at the fact that living beings born in another gxy or environment were of the same species, even though that shouldn''t be the case. It wasn''t normal for the same species to be born in ces that were millions of light-years apart.


    Moreover, even their DNA was matching to perfection, so there would be no problems in giving birth to another generation of them. Perhaps, it might be inevitable for human beings, who were conceited about their own power in space, to fall into chaos.


    The existence of beings of the same race inpletely different gxies¡­ was a clue to the transcendent beings who have [designed] and [created] them.


    "What is the current condition of the ship?"


    "The stern of the ship is destroyed! Astral Drive function ispletely down due to damages in the third engine!"


    "It is impossible to use the main armaments due to the damage unless it gets repaired!"


    "The continued explosions have caused a fire in the residential zone! The fire is being put out right now!"


    As Albatross wasn''t a battleship, the usually rxed navigation deck became as noisy as a market. Themanders called their units to give orders, and the pilots and steersmen used the avable engines to widen their distance from the surrounding rocks and were preparing for the second wave of attacks.


    "What kind of attack was that? How did we suffer an attack in the Astral Drive without any signs?"


    "It was an aerial torpedo! It seems like they installed it between the rocks of the astral system!"


    "They know our route¡­"


    Chun Hyun-il, the captain of Albatross, scratched his neck with his sharp front paws.


    Albatross was a cruiser made with the objective to explore space and course through the entire universe to aplish long-term missions. However, being a Terra-ss ship, which is umon even in the Leonhardt Empire, one shouldn''t look down upon itsbat capability.


    It had a firepower capable of devastating a without even having to enter the atmosphere, a main battery that could prate a shield of ss II or lower, and upon activating Astral Drive, it could remain in oveid eleration for 300 hours. As such, an average ship would not even be able to bare their fangs in front of Albatross.


    In addition, Albatross possessed a strong battle unit,posed of the Steel Cross Flying Brigade and the Sky-Giant Armoured Brigade. It wasn''t just one or two pirate ships that were preyed on just as these pirates thought they were roaming around alone in the universe.


    "Are we being attacked by the demi-humans?"


    "Oh my, Captain. You should not use such a discriminative word. You are not human too."


    "No, they were the ones who wanted us to address them that way, so what do you want me to do?"


    The ancient human race, which started to get conceited about their own power and technology after expanding their territory from gxy to gxy, were bewildered by the ever-expanding traces of God.


    But at that moment, they finally met a huge civilization besides the human race.


    The demi-humans.


    The term extends through all species that achieve self-evolution despite being neither humans, transcendents nor spirits. If 70% of the members of the alliance were humans, then the remaining 30% wereposed of different races that were hostile to the humans.


    In the first ce, the nickname ''demi-humans'' evolved from the word ''half-human'' and had been used ever since so there was nothing more toment on.


    In fact, it was said that the first meeting between the [Humanity Union], which had since been dissolved, and the demi-humans went smoothly. Unlike the schrs'' concerns about how meeting an alien in space would surely lead to war, war itself was impossible.


    Before Star Gate was installed, the universe was so vast that it took decades for one to meet its closest civilization.


    It was hard to even meet, so how could there be war?


    In addition, in the gxy where only human beings kept surfacings, the demi-humans were the most ''alien-like aliens.''


    The human race, who had been preparing for a long while for an alien encounter, happily used the manual that they had prepared.


    The problem was what happened after.


    "A deration of war from the Tekea Federation has arrived. They told us to stop all activities in the Seppard Star System and leave."


    Natalie reported with a calm voice; she''s the Deputy Captain of the ship.


    Dressed in a suit paired with thick ck-rimmed sses, she was using several spells to connect with Genie and quickly epting and organizing information on the integratedwork.


    "This ismon from them, but¡­ It is somewhat fishy."


    Hyun-il scratched his white fur and put on a serious expression. Albatross was passing through the Seppard Star System. However, they were merely in the outskirts and were just passing through with Astral Drive activated. Normally, they would let it slide.


    It was possible for a being of the star system to step in, but Hyun-il knew that and no randomly fired aerial torpedo could hit a spaceship coursing through the star system. He came up with an assumption upon guessing that the enemy had figured out the course of the Albatross and were preparing for a surprise attack.


    "What if they dered war to distract us so that they can ambush us?"


    "Isn''t that too bold an assumption to make? Even if we are a Terra-ss spaceship, to dere war just because of that¡­"


    Natalie had a point, but Hyun-il shook his head.


    "Something feels amiss. Send out all the frigates, get the Steel Cross Flying Brigade to search the perimeter, and tell the Sky-Giant Armoured Brigade to go into defensive formation."


    "Yes, Captain."


    Natalie nodded and closed her eyes. She had a strong telepathic ability that allowed her to connect with anyone on the ship, or even with another spaceship near them.


    ''They will probably attack any moment now.''


    Albatross would gradually shift its charting route, such that it could evade an enemy attack the moment it was hit with an aerial torpedo. The enemy could only fire dozens of aerial torpedoes in the air, but they wouldn''t be able to pinpoint the ship''s exact location.


    However, the enemy would undoubtedly be able to detect and track the ship once there was an explosion after being hit by an aerial torpedo.


    Astral Drive required prolonged eleration underplete safety before it could be activated, so it would be hard if they did not defeat all the enemies first.


    "All units, prepare for battle! Repair the broken parts immediately and brace for impact!"


    A blue sphere covered the Albatross along with Hyun-il''s yell that sounded like a roar.


    The great Battle of Seppard was about to start.


    *******


    "Move! Move faster!"


    "You will set out after thest inspection!"


    "Send all avable mechanics to the main battery! It is alreadyte to repair the engine anyway, so we have to at least get the main battery functioning!"


    Everyone was moving busily. It was the natural thing to do as they had no idea when the battle would start.


    Dozens of fighter jets were flying along the rails on one side and then shot out of the exit into space while heavily armed Gigas on the other side were approaching the ejectors.


    ''Oh, R-13s. There are a lot of them.''


    The R-13 was merely a mass-produced machine but one of the main forces of the Leonhardt Empire.


    It had been a well-loved machine for the longest time due to its toughness that could withstand the average gunfire, its highly-trusted maneuverability that functioned even if most of its body was destroyed, special armaments, and also the versatility to equip military gear.


    ''Ah, I want to ride on it.''


    I gulped while watching the R-13s flying outside the window, but I obviously had no ns to ride one. I am not a psychopath and there is no need for me to go out to a battlefield, so I have no intention of going voluntarily.


    Being killed was a problem but having to kill was another problem.


    War had already been dered and some might curse and call me a coward for trying to avoid being involved, but¡­ If possible, I truly wanted to avoid murder.


    "3rd troop! Move out!"


    "3rd troop moving out!"


    The Gigas exited through the fourth exit with a machine-like sound.


    Looking at the ratio, there seemed to be one Beast-rank Gigas in every 20 mass-produced Gigas. It looked like a squadron leader or toon leader was riding on it.


    I looked above its head.


    <strong>Sky-Giant Armoured Brigade</strong>


    <strong>Finished preparations, Gargantuan Tiger</strong>


    It was my first time seeing that Gigas. It had an overall reddish peach hue and was about four times bigger than an R-13.


    The irond machine had two huge cannons which were considerably big for its size on its shoulders.


    "Is that meant for the artillery¡­"


    ''How would it feel to ride on it?" I thought and drew an image in my head.


    First, I would use all the energy meant for defense¡ª


    "The squadron leader is going out! Get ready!"


    "Fall back!"


    At that moment, one side of the room became noisy and the sound of something falling down could be heard. I saw a huge Gigas when I turned my head.


    "What? is that a Human-rank Gigas?" I thought at that moment, but it seemed like it was not at the level of the Human-rank Gigas like MacArthur, Guan Yu, Cleopatra, etc, in <i>The Great War</i>.


    It also looked like a Beast-rank Gigas, just like the Gargantuan Tiger I saw before, but with excellent performance for something of the same rank.


    I reflexively looked above the head of the Gigas.


    And I flinched.


    "Huh?"


    This was written above its head.


    <strong>Sky-Giant Armored Brigade</strong>


    <strong>Bomb installed, Thunder Dragon</strong>

 Chapter 26: Demi-human (2)

    <h4>Chapter 26: Demi-human (2)</h4>


    <strong>Sky-Giant Armored Brigade</strong>


    <strong>Bomb installed, Thunder Dragon</strong>


    I could''ve run out and warned him myself, but that was a foolish thing to do.


    Instead, I summoned Genie.


    "Genie."


    [Yes, Dae-ha-nim.]


    I could talk to her at any time because I was sitting at one of the spots prepared in the maintenance room.


    "There''s a bomb installed on the Gigas that just left."


    [...You can find out about the bomb from the title?]


    It was a given, but there weren''t any reactions like "Are you serious?" or "No way!"


    Aside from the Tech Division Chief, Nathan, she was the only one that had a rough guess about my abilities, and also because she had been working alongside me continuously all this time, and had confirmed my ability.


    "Wait a bit. Ahhh, before that, tell him to stay put where he''s at first."


    [Alright.]


    As she responded, Thunder Dragon stopped in his tracks at that very same moment as if something was transmitted to him.


    The other soldiers around were puzzled, but that was a secondary problem.


    I immediately started [ssification].


    "Let''s see... What''s this? Artein''s Despair? That''s a very poetic name for something like a bomb."


    The moment I mumbled, Genie spoke.


    [Artein''s Despair. Are you sure?]


    "Ah, yes."


    [Understood.]


    The conversation ended.


    Just in case, I also nced over at the other Gigas.


    ''Fortunately, I don''t see anything else notable, but for it to be a bomb. Don''t tell me ina installed it?''


    I had that thought for a second, but I was wondering if the people from the Allied Army had to go as far as tomit a bombing attack.


    Besides, if he wanted to do damage to our troops, it would be more beneficial to install the bomb on the ship rather than on a moving Gigas and aim for the destruction of the interior.


    I had all kinds of thoughts for a while, but it''s no use thinking about it. Although I can figure out a lot of things about the opponent by just looking above their head, there''s a limit to the kinds of things I can find out.


    It''s not as if I learned some sort of mind-reading skill, so I can''t possibly grasp the situation perfectly.


    Wiiiiingggg-! Chiiikingggg!


    But then, the wall on one side opened along with a heavy sound, and a tank appeared; a piece of equipment designed to look like that of an antenna was installed where the gun barrel should have been.


    Perhaps because it''s something that would be brought out casually, the maintenance officers and the Gigas pilots who were around had a bewildered expression.


    "Wait! Genie, why did you bring out the EMP cannon... Are you crazy?! Where do you think you''re aiming!?"


    "Genie, stop!! What are you trying to do to the Gigas that just moved out?"


    But whether they were flustered or not, the antenna of the equipment, which had <strong>[Taken out after a long time, CM-3] </strong>written above it, was aiming at Thunder Dragon.


    Thunder Dragon was startled all of a sudden (To be precise, it was the pilot riding it that was startled) and tried to avoid it, but the red light shooting out from the top of the antenna was faster.


    Bzzapp--!!


    Centering around the antenna, a strange wave spread out.


    It didn''t feel like the ordinary EMP that I knew of; all the technicians around me stumbled and fell down.


    Of course, it was just a fall, but everyone aboard the battleship was proficient in either magic or supernatural powers, albeit only a little bit, and no one was hurt.


    Kiiiyooooooog¡­...


    And with that one blow, Thunder Dragon plopped down.


    "Hold on, did Genie just destroy the Thunder Dragon?"


    "The defense system was all shut down, and they shot the EMP cannon!"


    "What the hell? What the heck is going on right now?"


    Due to the incident that was literally unimaginable, everyone had a nk expression as they stared at the EMP cannon called CM-3.


    Just then, the back of the Thunder Dragon opened with a "Bang!", and a handsome man with crimson red hair jumped out.


    "Everyone, immediately arm yourself with your personal weapons and cut off the control of the integrated system!"


    "Huh? But Squadron Leader-nim...."


    "Hurry up! If Genie is taken over by the enemy, then all the devices around us are basically the enemy''s!!"


    Taking the situation quite seriously, a red aura swirled around their body.


    But before that, Genie''s hologram popped out in front of them.


    [Calm down and step away from Thunder Dragon. ording to the emergency manual, as the Albatross'' control persona, I will engage emergency measures!]


    "Huh? Genie, are you normal? The enemy didn''t take over you?"


    [I''m disappointed that you see me as such an easy woman, Lieutenant Alex-nim.]


    Genie, who was dressed like a desert dancer, smiled with her eyes and gestured lightly.


    The maintenance machines that gathered around and were on standby moved at the same time and took off Thunder Dragon''s left arm.


    No one pointed out the exact location, but seeing that there wasn''t a hint of hesitation in their movements, they must have found the bomb after probing into it separately.


    Chiiikingggg! Wiiiiingggg--!


    The maintenance machines, which had taken off the arm of Thunder Dragon, put the fallen arm in the ejector.


    Actually, there''s nothing special about an ejector, but the Albatross'' ejector is an electronic ejector that is simr in principle to that of a maglev levitation train. It manifests a maic resistance that fires off fighter jets or Gigas. Hence, the arm of Thunder Dragon that was on the floor levitated by itself on the air and flew off like an arrow.


    Baaaaam!


    The ejector opened and the left arm flew forward, abruptly breaking through the air barrier maintained by the energy field.


    A violent gust generated and raged for a short while, but it was a trifling matter.


    More importantly... The arm that flew into outer space exploded.


    Whoooooooosh----!!


    The strong vibration was so intense that it sent chills down my spine as I could feel it even when I was inside the maintenance room.


    What if that thing just blew up here?


    "Huhhhh, how does something like that even exist?"


    Iughed in vain as I felt dispirited.


    If I didn''t happen to see the title, I would have shrieked without knowing what it was.


    "Genie, thi-, what is this? Why did Thunder Dragon''s arm explode?"


    [A bomb was detected there. Surprisingly... The bomb was made up of parts that look exactly the same as the parts on the arm. It was discovered by chance and I handled it immediately.]


    "I can''t believe someone installed a bomb on my exclusive Gigas, which bastard¡­.!"


    A handsome man with crimson red hair. Basically, I was lost in thought while looking at the outraged Lieutenant Alex.


    It wasn''t because of the fact that I was almost on the verge of death.


    It was just something that ''almost'' happened to me, but the end result was that not a single strand of my hair was harmed.


    But what caught my attention was Genie''s authority and her ability to make the proper judgment.


    ''What the hell is this? She didn''t ask anyone and just made her own judgment, then putting it into action ording to however she wanted? Isn''t it totally different from the concept of artificial intelligence that I know of?''


    I thought if I told Genie that there was a bomb installed in Thunder Dragon, she would''ve obviously reported it to her superiors.


    No matter how excellent of an artificial intelligence she was, I thought [judgment] was a human''s field of expertise.


    But she took out the EMP cannon out of her own judgment, ignored the people who were startled, and immediately fired it towards Thunder Dragon and disabled the bomb that was installed as well as Thunder Dragon itself.


    Perhaps it was to prevent it from exploding as soon as it was dismantled or separated from the body.


    Furthermore, she disyed her wits and boldness, and separated the entire arm where the bomb was installed, then threw it into space.


    As a result, the crisis was ovee without any sort of damage.


    ''Something like this triumphs over human judgment. Moreover, she had the power to act on her own ord and make a judgment of this degree.''


    Of course, she would probably report this, but isn''t this the ssic "act first, thinkter"? It basically meant that she didn''t need any permission to act right away.


    I thought that an artificial intelligence only had the authority to assist humans, but her behavior was totally out of my expectations.


    This is just an assumption, but maybe Genie also ys the role of a police officer for any crimes that happen inside Albatross.


    ''No, won''t these guys feel uneasy giving an AI this much authority? What are they going to do if something like a system error happened?''


    They would need something like Alex''s mentality to not feel anxious about any bugs or hacking happening.


    Without a doubt, if he saw that Genie was behaving strangely, he would assume that there was a malfunction with the control persona and try to suppress it.


    In other words, isn''t his behavior an implication that there has been a situation in the past in which the control persona was [taken over by the enemy]?


    As I was lost in thought over such aplicated situation, a hologram appeared next to me.


    Obviously, the hologram was Genie, the control persona that controlled the entire Albatross ship.


    [Thank you for your help, Dae-ha-nim. You stopped a situation that could have potentially caused serious damage, so you will be rewarded on ater date.]


    "Ahhh, well. It was for my own safety, too."


    Somehow, I felt awkward andughed, but Genie that was on the screen shook her head.


    [That''s a separate matter. Could you perhaps tell me if there is another problem?]


    "At the very least, I can''t find any more. Actually, I think that bomb just now was a little out of the blue, too."


    I discovered it and Genie removed it instantly, but if we think about it logically, I''m not really sure if the bomb was going to explode immediately.


    The information from the title I see does not only disy the current information. As long as the subject is represented, albeit briefly, it is aplex skill that can show the near future.


    ''That''s right, if the bomb was going to explode immediately, it would''ve been mentioned. Something like "a bomb with a 1-hour countdown installed" would''ve been stated.''


    If the title represents [the current condition]... For a bomb whose purpose is to explode, "Explode" is such an obvious [condition].


    At the very least, the title that I know would never disregard such an important condition.


    ''But it''s also dangerous to talk about this unnecessarily.''


    For now, I was careful because even I could sense that this power to see titles was dangerous.


    It was to the point where it felt like I disclosed a little bit too much, even though it was only limited to the machines.


    One cannot be too careful. I could catch spies even at a nce and freely read other people''s information, so who would like this kind of ability?


    If I found out about the existence of such a superhuman, I would either catch him because it felt like a threat or use it for my own benefit.


    Krieeekkk-! Krieeekkk-!


    While I was lost in all kinds of thoughts, the fighter jets were a given, but most of the Gigas wereunched into space by the ejector.


    At the very least, I expected Alex, the pilot of Thunder Dragon who was rendered immobile after being hit by the EMP wouldn''t make a move, but contrary to my expectations, he moved out while riding on another Tool-grade Gigas.


    The atmosphere was so tense that it felt like ''all avable forces should be mobilized''.


    "Hey Genie, are you in the middle of a battle now?"


    [I''m sorry, but I can''t tell you about the war situation because it is confidential information.]


    I was slightly disappointed by her calm response, but I epted it.


    But then again, It''s not like it''s a TV show, so why would the war situation be broadcasted?


    Of course, I would be able to get a clear picture regarding the war situation at the bridge deck that was functioning like a Battlefield Command Center, but I was nothing but a measly maintenance officer, so it wasn''t like I could go there.


    "Then what should I do now? All the Gigas are gone anyways."


    Genie gave the most obvious answer.


    [You can go and rest at the dormitory.]


    "...We''re in the middle of a war though?"


    [Even if it''s a war, everyone has their role to y, and you''ve already done your part, Maintenance Officer-nim.]


    "Uhh."


    I smiled bitterly.


    Of course, unlike on Earth, where even an ordinary person can y the role of a soldier with a rifle on hand, it''s true that in a Space War like this, normal people are of no help. But even so, to go to the dormitory and rest just doesn''t sit right.


    "Being in the usualfortable designation even during war, it''s sofortable that I''m restless."


    I left the maintenance room while mumbling. Bo-ram and Dong-min were outside the door.


    "Ahh, did I keep you waiting? I''ll be going back home¡­..."


    "I''m sorry. we''ve both been assigned."


    "And rest... Wait, what?"


    "We received a request for personnel for theing battle. We''re both strong enough to be a part of thebat forces."


    Dong-min muttered, ''Even if we don''t have much power'', and took a piece of paper out of his arms.


    To my surprise, it was a talisman.


    "If it''s dangerous, tear it up. This will teleport you right next to me immediately."


    "I thought you said you have a mission to do here. Is it okay for you to just go missing?"


    "Our original mission is to guard you. I''ve already spoken about it in advance, so it doesn''t matter."


    "I see you''re still here! All the infantry has assembled, so get a move on immediately!!"


    "Ahhh, I''ll be right there, Unnie!"


    "Don''t call me Unnie, call me Squadron Leader!"


    "Yes, Unnie!"


    Following a woman in a tight leather suit holding a sword as big as her body, Bo-ram and Dong-min disappeared and I was the only one left.


    When I looked around, there were a few people left in this ce that used to be crowded with people.


    "...Maybe it''s really a dire situation?"


    I thought so for a moment, but I didn''t know what the situation was.


    What if we lost the war because I was restingfortably andzing around? Won''t the situation be hell-like?


    No matter how careful I live, I can''t do anything if I''m caught up in the torrents of war, and I might even get into the worst situation.


    "Rather, it''s too ufortable to go to the dormitory and y games when the situation has turned out like this."


    However, it is also equivocal to participate in the war just because I am curious and anxious about it.


    At any rate, I''m just a maintenance officer right now.


    And it''s not like I can directly repair the destroyed machines, so it''s not much help in the middle of a battle.


    In the end, I went to the workshop where I work every day.


    "I wonder what it''s all about."


    I walked into the workshop smiling. Obviously, I didn''te here to work.


    "Open sesame."

 Chapter 27: Awakening (1)

    <h4>Chapter 27: Awakening (1)</h4>


    "Open sesame."


    The door opened and a pretty big hallway emerged. I walked in without hesitation.


    [What the, you¡¯re here again? How do you keeping in?]


    I lightly chuckled at the sight of Ares frowning while floating in the air with eyes as big as my upper body.


    ¡°This lil brat, acting grumpish even though you¡¯re d to see me.¡±


    [Wha-, what did you say?]


    Iughed at Ares¡¯ flustered reaction and looked around.


    I didn¡¯t realize because I didn¡¯t look closely when I first came here, but there were various kinds of weapons on disy in the room Ares was in.


    Among them, there were things like knives, bows, and even a halberd as tall as my height that looked simr to a Heavenly Halberd.


    It looked like a weapons exhibition hall.


    "Is there no ce to sit? Why are there weapons everywhere... Oh, found it.¡±


    I looked around and sat on a piece of armor that was rolling around.


    It¡¯s armor, but it¡¯s more like something that was worn by a 3-meter-tall monster because it was so big that I almost felt like I was climbing up. Ares freaked out at the sight of me climbing up the armor.


    [That''s Warrior King Kadel¡¯s armor! It¡¯s a powerful armor that can protect its user against a meteorite strike and you are actually using it as your stool!]


    "If it¡¯s fine even after being hit by a meteorite, then it won¡¯t get scratched just from me sitting on it," I replied nonchntly and stared at Ares.


    His expressions were vivid despite being a machine. He was just like a Transformers robot from an animation that I used to watch when I was young.


    Well, he only had a head, so I didn¡¯t know what his body would look like.


    [...By the way, why are you here? Last time you just walked off.]


    "Ahhh, it¡¯s nothing much."


    I asked frankly.


    "By any chance, can you see what¡¯s happening outside the spaceship?¡±


    The reason I came all the way here was because of this hypothesis.


    No matter how strong a God-rank Gigas was, it was impossible to fight in the condition that he was in ¡ª nothing but a head. Even if it was possible, his power would not beparable to his original full power.


    There would obviously be limits no matter how incredible someone was if they didn''t have the arms to crush the enemy, or the body to emit infinite energy, nor the legs to kick the ground and fly around, right?


    But, he only had his head left.


    At the very least, wouldn''t his head¡¯s function remain?


    Ares nodded confidently, proving my hypothesis correct.


    [That¡¯s right. I have the Eye of Ares, so I can not only see all the battlefields around me but also the omens of an impending war.]


    "Ohhh~ That¡¯s pretty incredible!"


    [Incredible? Hahahaha! Of course! The Eye of Ares is the best even among the God''s Eye series!]


    He was bursting inughter joyfully.


    "What¡¯s the situation of the war right now?"


    [Beats me.]


    I stuck my tongue out at Ares who was smiling slyly.


    Tchh, I thought it was weird that he had his guard down, and I was hopeful at the thought of him answering my question, but I guess he isn¡¯t that easy.


    "Has the war even started yet?"


    [What good would it do to even know - is what I would like to say, but, hehehe. Well, I can at least tell you this much.]


    Ares grinned.


    [Your allies will lose.]


    "..."


    I was lost for words at such a firm affirmation. I came because I just wanted to know what was going on with the war as I was slightly anxious, but I ended up hearing the worst oue.


    Furthermore, he continued nonchntly even after seeing my reaction.


    [They¡¯ve been ambushed, and they did not grasp the enemy''s strength, plus the enemies were fully prepared. Although I think the battle power of this ship is great in its own way, unfortunately the enemy possesses power greater than that.]


    His bubbly face turned serious.


    At least he didn¡¯t lie about the war, and he was showing the real side of the ongoing war.


    "Are you talking about a small-scale skirmish right now? If not, what are you referring to?"


    [I''m talking about the situation of the war as a whole. The ship will be defeated by the enemy, the crewmates will mostly die, and those that remain will also be trampled on by the enemy. The possibility of victory is less than 1%, so it¡¯s a hopeless war.]


    He dered like it was an unavoidable fate.


    I was lost for words and stared at myself, however, Ares grinned and borated.


    [But you¡¯re not convinced just by hearing about it, right? Have a look yourself.]


    As he exined, the background changed. * "This is crazy¡­ An Exa-ss Space Carrier? Are you telling me they brought something that even the Tekea Federation only has two units of, on top of that, a defensive-specialized Space Carrier, to this conflict zone?¡±


    The Captain of the Albatross ship, Major General Chun Hyun-il, clenched his teeth. The giant white bear growled in the chair fitting of his body size located in the middle of the bridge deck.


    -A Space Carrier?


    I blurted out in surprise, but Major General Chun Hyun-il ignored me as he gritted his teeth and stared at the screen.


    As I looked around, I could tell that I was at the bridge deck, which I¡¯d only heard stories about.


    -Unlike a Combat Cruiser that focuses on its ownbat power, it''s filled with fighter jets and Gigas. It''s slow and it consumes a lot of supplies, so it can''t handle its own supplies like a Combat Cruiser, furthermore, it can''t travel long distances, so it''s only used for defensive battles¡­ Of course, if we¡¯re talking purely about battle power, it¡¯s much stronger than the Combat Cruiser. Because the amount of supplies they use is totally different.


    Before I knew it, there was a man next to me wearing a vest-shaped te-mail armor that clearly showed off his arms.


    He looked like a Titan with fierce-looking eyes and gray hair drooping across, as well as muscr arms as big as my thighs, and massive thighs as thick as my waist.


    -Ares?


    -Yes, it¡¯s me. But it''s not the time to pay attention to me, is it?


    I turned my head at Ares'' words and looked at the screen that showed the enemy''s Space Carrier.


    In an instant, light shed from the top of the Space Carrier and illuminated the dark universe, revealing hundreds of thousands of fighter jets and Gigas surrounding Albatross.


    [We dere in the name of Morne, the Great Sage who walks the path of truth! The wicked and evil humans will be trampled upon by our mighty army, unable to even escape¡­!]


    It was transmitted with overwhelming force to everyone to the point where our heads were buzzing.


    When I looked around and wondered what the sound was, I saw the flustered crew members.


    "What the hell are you doing with the external broadcast, you crazy bastards! Besides, I can¡¯t believe you spouted ¡®Great Sage¡¯ with your own mouth, you terrorist bastards---!!¡±


    ¡°Damn it, it¡¯s the Transcendence Skill, Imjeonmutoe!¡±[1]


    ¡°He¡¯s telling us to fight all the way till the end!!¡±


    Screams and shrieks resonated throughout the battlefield.


    And Hyun-il shouted,"Everyone, calm down and concentrate on the battle! Pass on the order to the troops to rally around the ship and to also prepare our Transcendence Skill.¡±


    "Yes! Captain-nim!"


    As Hyun-il stood up from his chair, it sank to the floor instantly and a huge ring, 5 meters in diameter, descended around him.


    I wondered why there was no device near the chair where he was sitting, but it was probably because he wanted to bring out thisyout.


    -Transcendence Skill?


    -It has two meanings. The first one is made by God-like beings, in other words, a skill that carries a powerful force beyondmon sense, and the other one is... A superordinate concept of Ability. It''s a technology that can be used using Transcendence Weapons, but in this case, it''s thetter.


    To use Inner Qi, it requires a strong mind and a talent for body strengthening, but the most important thing is the ability to use Mana.


    If you didn¡¯t have the ability to recognize and control Mana, no matter how excellent your body strengthening was, you would just be an outstanding martial artist, but you wouldn¡¯t be a mighty warrior.


    Likewise, even if you try to handle Mana, your talent for Mana is essential.


    Amazing intelligence and wisdom are important too, but it''s useless if you¡¯re not able to handle Mana.


    However, the talent needed to be an outstanding Gigas pilot is, ''the ability to synchronize with the Iron Heart.¡¯


    Of course, piloting skills and situational judgement ability duringbat are also important.


    Just like how battle sense is necessary for an Inner Qi user and how intelligence is prerequisite to being a wizard, if a pilot is bad at piloting, then it¡¯s useless no matter how amazing their ability to synchronize is.


    However, since it is possible to acquire the necessary piloting skills with a certain amount of training, in the end, what matters most is the ability to synchronize with the Iron Heart.


    The proper name of Iron Heart is <strong>[Magical Energy Mechanical Organ]</strong>.


    Surprisingly, several species that reached the peak of Type IV Civilization seeded in creating a ¡®Generator that produces Soul Energy¡¯.


    However, the energy produced by an Iron Heart is closer to pure energy, and in order for it to be genuine soul energy, the process of synchronizing with the Iron Heart and injecting it with intent is necessary.


    And those with that ability will be pilots of the fighter jets and Gigas; and depending on their personality, characteristics and abilities, they will be able to draw out special abilities from the Iron Heart.


    That''s what a Gigas pilot¡¯s Special Ability is, and among them, those with exceptional or rare abilities will be the Captain of a giant fleet or battleship.


    -No, wait a minute. Where is the Transcendence Weapon right now?


    -Tsk tsk, you dumb fool. Most battleships above the Terra-ss are Transcendence Weapons. Of course, since this is mass produced among the Transcendence Weapons, the grade is quite low. Oh, it¡¯s written there too.


    He pointed to a wall on one side. I looked at the wall and something was written there.


    <strong>5,000 Series</strong>


    <strong>Albatross </strong>


    Looking at the two sentences written on the wall as though it was some glorified achievement, I questioned.


    -5000 Series?


    -That''s the ranking it¡¯s at. Transcendence Weapons don''t have a clear ranking unless it¡¯s in the top 1,000.


    -Oh, I see¡­ No, wait. Come to think of it, he¡¯s able to handle a Transcendence Weapon?


    I inadvertently stared at Hyun-il, the Captain of Albatross. A white aura was whirling around him.


    Ares nodded gently.


    -That¡¯s right. That bear is a transcendent. He¡¯s the sole person with at least the tiniest speck of qualification to pilot me in this ship.


    It was then.


    [Howl---------!!!!!]


    Along with the roar, an enormous pressure spread out in all directions.


    The pressure was so overbearing that even the crewmates that were familiar with Hyun-il¡¯s temperament while working staggered.


    I was overwhelmed and lost for words for a while, as Ares continued his exnation while staring at me.


    -It¡¯s better to see this outside.


    At his words, the background changed instantly.


    Before I knew it, we moved to a ce far away from Albatross, and we were now looking at Albatross.


    Kabooom--! Booooom-!


    Bang!


    With a tremendous st of impact from Albatross, the fighter jets and Gigas surrounding Albatross began to explode at random.


    It was an attack that was tantamount to a space typhoon made of intense soul energy.


    -Fenrir¡¯s Howl. It''s a pretty famous skill even among the Transcendence Skills. He''s a Martial Arts-type Transcendent, but at the same time he¡¯s also born with the qualities of a fairly impressive pilot.


    ording to Ares, it¡¯s the only reason Hyun-il was ¡®barely¡¯ able to be a Major General. This was because though his ancestral origin was that of a spiritual animal, he was born as an ordinary bear.


    In other words, if he were human, he would have already gone up to the position of Great General.


    -No, wait. Even though such a powerful transcendent is the Captain... Our chance of victory is still less than 1%?


    -Kekeke. By nature, one hand can''t go up against ten hands.


    Ares smiled bitterly and looked at the Space Carrier.


    -The enemies are the ones that are stronger than anything.


    [A beast that survives by licking the soles of man, still struggling desperately huh!]


    The spiritual howl that resonated loudly throughout outer space reached even our ears.


    Unlike Hyun-il who just invoked the Transcendence Weapon, the leader of the enemy¡¯s army seemed to be fairly filled with vainglory, given that he shouted like that every time he used a skill.


    But even though he was filled with excessive pride, his ability was the real deal.


    Krieeekkk---


    -Oh my God, What the hell is that!?


    I was appalled at the gigantic spear that appeared in outer space.


    To my surprise, the spear was longer than Albatross which was already considerably bigger than a decent city, and it was shining by itself.


    The spear, which had an ancient and antique appearance in general, vibrated in the air for a moment and then struck Albatross like lightning.


    Whooooosh-!


    And against that, a white shield emerged from Albatross and shed against the spear.


    I felt an infinite amount of power exuding from the cross-shaped shield that seemed to be able to block any kind of attack, which was clearly different from the usual shield that protected the ship.


    -The Shield of White Cross. It¡¯s a pretty good defensive-type Transcendence Weapon.


    However, Ares shook his head, hinting that it didn¡¯t stand a chance.


    -But it¡¯s not enough to stop the God Spear Alieta.


    Bang!


    Along with the explosion, the universe disappeared in one burst, and before I knew it, I was back in front of Ares¡¯ huge head.


    I fell from the shock that travelled across the quaking floor.


    [Oh my. Albatross has been prated. About 300 people were killed or sted into space with this one attack. See, I said so right?]


    Ares spoke indifferently.


    [The chance of victory is less than 1%.]


    1. Imjeonmutoe refers to a proverb in Korean which means to Never Retreat in Battle. It¡¯s one of the 5 ways of Hwarang, the Flower Knights of the Si Kingdom.

 Chapter 28: Awakening (2)

    <h4>Chapter 28: Awakening (2)</h4>


    [The chance of victory is less than 1%.]


    "Damn it!"


    I gritted my teeth, then turned around and stormed out of the workshop. I didn¡¯t know if it was possible, but in the worst case scenario, I might have to escape from the ship.


    However, as I was just leaving the workshop, I discovered some people running.


    "Kreuk! I found a crewmate! There''ll be more of them if we follow him!"


    "Leave one squad alive and kill the rest of them, and then we¡¯ll head for the bridge deck!"


    A group of monsters were running while shouting, and they were truly creatures with bizarre appearances.


    If extraterrestrial beings such as Celestia and ina who worked on the spaceship were not extraterrestrial beings but just ¡®humans¡¯, then these beings in front of me were obviously extraterrestrial beings.


    "Oh my God."


    It''s weird. Their appearances were hard to describe. If I were to exin¡­¡­


    ''They look like spaghetti.¡¯


    That¡¯s right. It didn¡¯t have to be spaghetti, but they had a reddish-colour that was somehow simr to a type of noodle(?).


    They looked like spaghetti rolled with a fork and had dozens of tentacles that formed their bodies whichid on the floor. Furthermore, the dozens of tentacles intertwined to form four or five hands that had three fingers each, and each of the hands was equipped with firearms.


    And they had eyesing out from the middle of all that.


    The killing intent that oozed from the big eyes the size of my head was intense enough that it stung, and it creeped me out just by making eye contact.


    "Ah¡­"


    I tried to turn around and run away, but my feet wouldn''t move.


    I wasn¡¯t overwhelmed, neither was I tied by some sort of psychokinesis skill.


    It¡¯s just that his killing intent, and my death portrayed by that killing intent, turned into a sense of fear and suppressed my mind.


    Of course, I was able to shake off that killing intent after a short while as I had pretty strong mental prowess, but the situation had already escted too far -- they had morphed into a straight line like a nocked arrow with their guns on one end aimed at me; that couldn¡¯t possibly be done by humans!


    "Die, filthy humans."


    I clenched my teeth at the sight of him roaring.


    Needless to say, I didn''t have the skill to avoid the gun that was pointing at me. I couldn''t teleport like Dong-min, nor could I put up a protective shield like Bo-ram.


    But as I was in the face of death.


    Poowoong!


    A light beam emitted from behind me and prated the tentacle monster¡¯s eyes.


    Perhaps because his big eyes also acted like the brain, with that one shot, his big body instantly fell apart.


    "Kreukkkk! What¡¯s going on!"


    "It''s the machine disease!"


    "Kill him!"


    And the other troops that were behind began to flock towards me.


    I shouted as I was drowned in fear, "Close the door!"


    Boom!


    The door that used to close slowly while going ¡®kii-kii-kiing¡¯, and made me feel like my insides were going to explode, surprisingly shut in an instant, as if it was waiting for this one moment.


    The momentum of the door closing was so fast that it would¡¯ve instantly killed one of the demi-humans that was running towards me if it was caught by the door.


    "Huff... huff... I thought I was going to die for a second there. Thank you, Genie!¡±


    The Metal Body that was on stand-by at one corner of the workshop had shot the photon gun from behind me. It was Genie¡¯s alter ego that was stationed here to assist me; because I could only see the issues of the machines, and I couldn¡¯t do anything else.


    Genie¡¯s alter ego was just a mannequin-like Metal Body, but somehow, without camouging, she looked at me and said.


    [I''m sorry, but thedy is busy right now and can''t afford to pay any attention here.]


    "...Ares?"


    [Yes. I helped you because you looked like you were going to die. But...]


    Ares said reluctantly while briefly in control of the Metal Body.


    [Why is the God of War¡¯s Treasure Trove listening to you?]


    "Treasure Trove?"


    I didn''t understand what he said and questioned him. But then¡­


    Kabooom! Boom!


    There was an explosion beyond the door. The troops outside were trying to break in, but the huge metal door didn¡¯t even shake, putting their explosion to naught.


    A perplexed voice came from beyond the wall.


    ''What the hell! Why won''t this door break!''


    ¡®It can even withstand bombings! It¡¯s protected by a weird power!¡¯


    ''It must be an important facility. For now, report it to the superiors and let¡¯s head for the bridge deck!''


    I could hear a few more explosions, but soon, their presence disappeared.


    I approached the door pondering whether I should go out, but Ares''s voice rang in my head, and he continued in a pathetic tone.


    [Hey idiot. You''re going to believe the enemy¡¯s words? Just because they told you they¡¯re leaving, you¡¯re gonna take it at face value and go out? If you open the door now, you''ll have a pretty hole in your head.]


    "Huh? But their presence--¡±


    [Dumb fool.]


    My field of vision changed in an instant. Ares activated the Eye of Ares and showed me the situation outside.


    Before I knew it, I was standing outside the door. The passage that I always took to get back to the dormitory was abnormally quiet.


    -What the, there''s no one... Shit.


    I discovered them sticking close to the wall.


    Surprisingly, these spaghetti-like bastards loosened their bodies and spread out like a carpet. It was a truly ingenious method, but I couldn¡¯t help but notice it because one side of the wall was red which was unlike the usual.


    -Seems like you saw it.


    -Ahh, mmhm. I almost fell for it. I can''t believe they can freely form their noodle-like body like that...


    Don¡¯t tell me, can those bastards connect their bodies together and form a long snake that¡¯s tens of meters long?


    And there were guns at both ends of their body. Just as Ares had said, if I had opened the door unknowingly, I would¡¯ve had a hole in my head.


    -That¡¯s not all... I see. Does he not know much about himself? What has he been doing all these while?


    I looked around while wondering about the things Ares was muttering about.


    The state I was in, the state that the Eye of Ares activated, was simr to a kind of phantom state, so it was possible to pass through walls and move to other ces just by focusing on my consciousness. Now that he was using it, I needed to at least figure out the current situation that was happening.


    "Be careful, everyone!"


    "Damn it, the squadron troops are in! They¡¯re fully determined to wipe us out!"


    There was a fierce battle going on all over the Albatross ship.


    There were all sorts of enemies.


    Some of them were the spaghetti-bastards I saw previously, and some of them were golem-like creatures made of rocks, and there were also octopus-looking creatures flying in the air.


    Their appearances fit the name of demi-humans to a tee.


    ''Where are Dong-min and Bo-ram?¡¯


    I focused on my consciousness and found them.


    They were fighting, blocking the barrage of bullets raining down between the tall walls in the residential area.


    "Ugh, they look so disgusting.¡±


    "There¡¯s also a serious level of malice and killing intent. I can¡¯t stand it any further."


    Although they were not very close, they were still fighting together because they recognized the fact that they were both from the same hometown.


    Moreover, Bo-ram, who belonged to a protection barrier-ss, had a truly formidable defense capability, whereas Dong-min¡¯s ability was focused on the offensive. This meant that the two of them had pretty good chemistry.


    Bang!


    A wheel-shaped demi-human mustered up power all over his body and charged like a wild boar, and crashed into Bo-ram''s barrier, but he was stopped in his tracks.


    His original role was to mess up the opponent''s battle formation, and then help with his allies'' charge, but he couldn''t even break past one weak barrier with the destructive power that went beyond that of a heavy tank.


    "Great jobing here."


    And then Dong-min approached him and reached out into the air. In the air where there was nothing, a bottle of water appeared like magic, and Dong-min sprayed it on the demi-human.


    Glug glug glug glug glug!!!


    The demi-human whose charge was blocked wanted to turn around and back off, but a part of the demi-human¡¯s body that was sprayed with water froze. And Dong-min''s body blurred for a moment.


    Crackle!!!


    ¡°Kuwaackk----!¡±


    A painful scream erupted as a part of his body was shattered, but regardless of that, Dong-min shoved his hands into his wound.


    "Fortunately, there¡¯s blood flowing.¡±


    And then, the movement of the squirming demi-human slowly stopped.


    To my disbelief... Dong-min froze the demi-human¡¯s blood itself by shoving his hand inside his body.


    No matter how bizarre an extraterrestrial being is, if the blood inside their body was frozen, he wouldn¡¯t be able to survive, and soon his body stopped moving entirely.


    "Pretty good ehh. It''s a waste of fighting power to be used to guard a Maintenance Officer though? A Barrier Master who¡¯s reached the level of a Compl¨¦ter, with more than four types ofplex abilities."


    *


    "You''re amazing too, Unnie! I''ve never seen a Sword Master as strong as Unnie." Bo-ram eximed.


    "Don¡¯t call me Unnie. Call me Squadron Leader. And I¡¯m not a Sword Master, I¡¯m a Swordsmanship Compl¨¦ter."


    Kwakkkkk!


    Then, the squandron leader swung her greatsword like lightning, and the spaghetti that was rushing toward our troops was cut into pieces as if it had entered a shredder. The squandron leader only swung the sword once, but there were dozens of sword waves hidden in the swirling destorm that followed the swing.


    "Squadron Leader-nim! A group of people destroyed the wall and they¡¯re heading for the bridge deck!"


    "Genie has informed us that additional enemy troops have entered the ship! We''re getting the defense system working as hard as we can, but it¡¯s not good enough! Moreover, the enemy¡¯s electrical attack is weakening Genie''s control!"


    Among the iing reports, not a single one of them were good news.


    Although the situation was really grim, the Squadron Leader had an indescribable expression.


    "They could just destroy the ship as a whole, so why would they take the risk by infiltrating the ship? Are they perhaps trying to seize the ship? But that can''t be possible with the Captain on board..."


    It was extremely difficult to capture enemy ships in a universe war.


    It would be possible if the crew surrendered for fear of sinking along with the ship, but there was no way that the crewmates of Albatross would surrender. At least not against the demi-humans famous for not keeping human prisoners alive.


    Perhaps it was possible if the enemy pushed hard at the ship with overwhelming force so that we wouldn¡¯t have any room for resistance, but wasn¡¯t the Transcendent, Major General Chun Hyun-il, on board the Albatross ship?


    "Did you identify any Transcendents among the enemy ranks?"


    "None so far! Furthermore, no matter how we look at it, there¡¯s no way the enemy¡¯s Transcendent-grade will directly enter the Terra-ss ship personally, right? To put it bluntly, if we blow ourselves up, it will be impossible for even a Transcendent to survive."


    The Terra-ss ship, Albatross, had a Terra-grade Iron Heart, and the energy generated was beyond measure.


    Not only was the Terra-grade Iron Heart capable ofpletely covering the energy reserves used by a ship that exceeds the size of a decent city, it always had spare room; Which meant it could afford to create a bombardment strong enough to devastate a and form a shield powerful enough to immerse in a sun-like star and still maintain afortable time for more than three days.


    They were fighting to somehow survive right now, but if it was certain that we were going to lose the battle, Genie would operate the self-destruct system without hesitation ording to the rules of war.


    And if a Terra-grade Iron Heart was pressurized and became a magical energy bomb, there would be a huge explosion that would easily blow away a whole.


    If an Iron Heart was pressurized, even if it was a Transcendent, they wouldn¡¯t be able to survive if they were nearby. If you were caught up in a magical energy bomb explosion that screws up the surrounding Mana, it¡¯d be impossible to teleport or do anything, and they wouldn¡¯t be able to even maintain the strongyer-like high-grade energy for too long anyways.


    Although there were many precedents where monster-like transcendents survived even in ck holes, but even so, the consensus of opinion was that no one could survive a Terra-grade magical energy bomb explosion.


    -It''s quite disadvantageous¡­


    -Did you not take me seriously when I said there wasn¡¯t a chance of victory?


    Ares continued pathetically, but I ignored him.


    I refuse to believe that we don¡¯t have a sliver of chance for victory. Even if there isn¡¯t a speck of possibility, then all it takes is to create that possibility. I felt that it was too early to lose hope.


    -Oh,e to think of it, Ares. How did you control the Metal Body earlier? Furthermore, to even be able to use the gun that couldn¡¯t be unlocked without Genie¡¯s permission.


    -It''s just a simple Ability. It¡¯s called King of All Armaments, and it is capable of controlling most weapons without an owner.


    -You can use an Ability even without a pilot?


    I questioned back because I was dumbfounded.


    Ability is the skill of a pilot to project intent on a Gigas or a ship''s Iron Heart, and a pilot must have excellent piloting skills as well as these abilities to receive recognition.


    But the Ability, which was the purpose of the pilot''s existence, was used by a lone Gigas?


    No, wait,e to think of it, the Eye of Ares must also be an Ability.


    -Tsk tsk. What do you think God-rank Gigas are? Unfortunately, the Transcendence Weapon was already invoked, so maintaining it is the limit, my user¡¯s ability has already disappeared, but if it¡¯s my own Ability, I can use it anytime I want. King of All Armaments especially, targets most weapons without a defense mechanism, so not just Metal Bodies, but even Gigas can be remotely controlled. Not only that, I...


    Ares'' boasting time began yet once again.


    Unbefitting of his size, he really likes to brag, and he¡¯s the kind of guy that talks endlessly if you leave him be.


    The problem was that he wasn¡¯t just showing off mindlessly, it was all true. However, I raised my right hand to stop him from continuing. Because new enemies appeared on the battlefield.


    "Hmm? What the hell is that? Is that a ve?"


    "Does anybody know that girl?¡±


    "She¡¯s not on the crew list. But she looks too shabby to be on their side...¡±


    The new enemy that appeared was a Tool-rank Gigas that was about three meters tall. But if it¡¯s a Gigas, our troops also had many Gigas, so it was nothing new.


    Rather, what caught the people''s attention was the Gigas dragging out what seemed to look like a little girl, holding onto the leash as though dealing with a wild beast.


    ...A little girl?


    It had the form of a little girl.


    Her whole body was bound in chains, and a dog cor hung around her neck.


    Her long hair was longer than her height, dragging on the floor, and she was expressionless.


    Kiinggg--! Chiiikingggg! Chwareukkk!


    And then all kinds of defensive weapons started popping up from all directions. All kinds of automatic weapons and dozens of Metal Bodies appeared.


    "What!? Genie, what are you doing? You¡¯re supposed to take them out only after more enemiese in!¡±


    [No! It¡¯s dangerous! Please attack! We have to kill that monster immediately!]


    "What? What do you mean by monster? What¡¯s wrong with you, Genie? Say it properly."


    The Squadron Leader expressed her doubts, but Genie began to attack regardless of what she said. The automatic weapons and turrets began to shoot a barrage of bullets and missiles with strong force, regardless of whether or not the inside of the ship was destroyed or not, and Metal Bodies began to charge at the enemy with a Lightsaber.


    But before that could happen, the little girl bound by chains opened her mouth first.


    <strong>[Ahhhhhhhhh-------!]</strong>


    It was an outcry. It seemed to prate through our brain, but at the same time, it was a very sad and mournful cry.


    And the situation changed drastically with that cry.


    Wiiiiingggg¡­...


    All the automatic weapons that were shooting out barrages of bullets stopped working and died down in silence.


    The Metal Bodies, which looked like beautiful desert dancers, were rushing at the enemy with a Lightsaber; but they returned to being a lifeless body and fell on the floor.


    "Wha-, what the hell is this? Genie? Genie? Are you all right?"


    ''Ack what the hell! The battlefield information system is jammed!''


    Everyone looked at the girl, bewildered by the unimaginable situation.


    The little girl looked as if she wasn¡¯t aware of her actions, and the Gigas dragged the expressionless child back by the cor.


    Screams and shrieks burst out among our troops.


    "Le-... Legion! Those scumbags have finally gone crazy!"

 Chapter 29: Awakening (3)

    <h4>Chapter 29: Awakening (3)</h4>


    "Le-¡­ Legion! Those scumbags have finally gone crazy!"


    Everyone was outraged and shouted words I didn¡¯t understand, but I couldn''t afford to care about it.


    The image of the girl wailing earlier was vividly engraved in my mind like a branding iron.


    ¡®What¡¯s this feeling? Why does it feel so familiar?¡¯


    This was definitely my first time seeing her. It wasn¡¯t merely because she had a chain tied to her neck that I didn¡¯t recognize her, but it was a face that I really did not recognize at all. I even looked through my [memory], but I¡¯d nevere across a little brat such as her.


    -¡­What¡¯s a Legion?


    -Huh, you don¡¯t know what Legion is? How have you been living all this time when you don¡¯t even know suchmon knowledge?


    Ares exined it in astonishment.


    - Legion is an organizationprising purely of machines, beings born out of the Artificial Intelligence of the distant past that was almost too ambiguous to understand which are now [imaginable], unlike those born out ofmon Artificial Intelligence. Not only are they creative, they also have the ability to think for themselves, so it is possible for them to develop civilization. Machines are a good way of categorizing them, but they actually fulfil almost all the conditions to be considered a tribe, so they are sometimes also known as the Mecha tribe¡­ Though it¡¯s a first step, they are in a situation where the Union has not officially recognized them.


    Surprisingly, Legion is capable of advancing their science so it is possible for them to create newpanions, and as long as there are enough resources, they can multiply infinitely.


    And Legions that multiplied in this manner don''t just exist as a program, but can take on the form of Gigas and even battleships, so dealing with them in space is difficult even for the transcendents.


    -Then what. You''re saying those demi-human bastards have an alliance with those Mechas of the Legion?


    -Nope, that¡¯s not possible.


    -Why not?


    - Legion hates life forms very much. The demi-humans aren¡¯t human, but they¡¯re still life forms all the same.


    Kaboom! Boom!


    The surroundings turned into a mess.


    The war, which was closely-matched, or rather slightly advantageous, changed rapidly and the Albatross army began to lose ground.


    But Ares continued talking as if the current situation didn¡¯t matter at all.


    -The Legion¡¯s soul is iplete. Unlike other souls born under the auspices of God, their birth is a natural urrence under special conditions. That''s why the Legion is inherently hungry for a <strong>plete soul]</strong>¡­ That''s why they have an instinctive hatred towards life forms that have aplete soul from birth without any effort. Well, the high-grade Legions acquired aplete soul and carry a name, so they¡¯re somewhat free from that instinct, but those who live that way now loathe the life forms due to their personal experiences.


    -No, then¡­ What''s with this situation?


    "Damn it! Genie stopped operating!"


    "The Persona I control, Talynne, has also gone haywire!"


    "How about manual control?"


    "It works, but it''s not like the control is simple, so how can I battle with manual control¡­ This goddamn shit!"


    Screams came from all over the ce.


    The Gigas who couldn¡¯t move properly were being beaten like sandbags by the enemy, and the vulnerable automatic armaments and towers were being smashed.


    But Ares continued borating as if it was natural.


    -What have you heard so far? Legion by itself is a collection of information and a living mechanical life form. Theputer-like Machine-based civilization things are a given, but once contact is made, <i>Cracking</i> would be possible even with the Magic-based civilization,. And in this case right now¡­ All the Artificial Intelligence that exists around here is being blown away.


    -Such a thing isn¡¯t¡­


    I realized that the situation was serious. In fact, the prowess of the enemy¡¯s military force so far was higher.


    The reason why it was rtively easy to withstand their attacks this far was because of Genie¡¯s assistance, which could control the entire Albatross ship and lower the bulkheads or operate the defense system whenever necessary.


    But what if Genie suddenly disappeared like this?


    Bang!


    Dudududu--!!


    "Kill! Kill the humans!"


    "Shut up! Scumbags that defied the Union Act and joined hands with the Legion! If this is reported, do you think the Union will stay still!!¡±


    The Squadron Leader, a Swordsmanship Compl¨¦ter, surrounded her sword with a clear Aura and roared to the extent that the surrounding space seemed to distort.


    As if to attest to that remark, the enemy wavered for a moment, but a new presence appeared and refuted her words.


    "Hahahaha!! The cowards are barking huh, so noisy! Legion? In the first ce, these Mecha bitches are just tools, so it doesn''t matter! A union will just drag us down!¡±


    The shadow of the newly emerged existence hung long on the ground. His size was so huge that I thought it was a Gigas for a moment.


    But he wasn¡¯t. The bastard was without a doubt a life form.


    He had a look that was so familiar even to me.


    -What is this crap¡­Why are there dinosaurs here?


    -Ooooh. I didn''t expect he¡¯de over himself. But then again, even if all the artificial intelligence got wiped out anyways, he wouldn¡¯t have got caught up in their self-destruction.


    -You didn¡¯t expect¡­ him toe over?


    At that moment, I realized what the nuance of Ares¡¯s words meant and freaked out. No way? I looked up above the dinosaur''s head.


    <strong>Tekea Federation</strong>


    <strong>Arch-Sorcerer, Morne</strong>


    -Oh my God.


    I gasped at the name that I¡¯d never seen before.


    However, though I had such a reaction, he ignored me and said, "For starters."


    The Tyrannosaurus-like monster continued, "All of you, die."


    <strong>[-----------!!!!]</strong>


    The Eye of Ares cked out. Before I knew it, I was sitting back down on the floor.


    "¡­Transcendents."


    "That¡¯s right. It''s the Arch-Sorcerer, Morne from the dinosaur tribe. I came over as soon as the wall was broken through by the God Spear Alieta. They aimed for it from the very beginning."


    "This crazy...!!¡±


    I stood up in a sh. But I copsed again.


    My head was buzzing.


    The shock I felt wasn¡¯t transmitted from the Eye of Ares.


    To my astonishment¡­ The proof was that his roar affected the entire Albatross ship.


    ¡®He said ¡°Die¡±.¡¯


    My arms trembled. Was it because of the shock or was it because I realized what his word meant?


    That¡¯s right. That bastard said ¡°Die.¡±


    In other words, that bastard¡¯s outcry just now was an attack filled with murderous intent.


    However, Bo-ram and Dong-min were in front of him when he roared.


    ¡°Invoke the Eye of Ares again!¡±


    [¡­Goodness gracious. I''m usually not this kind of person, but why am I acting like such a pushover?]


    The bastard closed his eyes as if he couldn¡¯t understand what I muttered, and my field of view changed.


    "How dare you! On my ship! To my crewmates!"


    "Keke, what a shame. It would¡¯ve been great if you came just a littleter.¡±


    Before I knew it, a white-haired pr bear arrived at the battlefield and growled at the giant dinosaur. I looked around hurriedly.


    "The great universe¡­ I really can''t do this. A battlefield where the transcendents fight in the front line.¡±


    "Hahaha. Even if you tell my master, he won¡¯t believe you.¡±


    I could see Bo-ram and Dong-min leaning against the back of the smashed tower. Their hair was messy and blood was flowing from the corners of their lips, but they seemed to be safe.


    -That''s a relief.


    -A relief? What a hasty assumption.


    -What?


    As I was wondering about Ares¡¯sment, a group of enemies moved from the perforated wall to the residential area.


    "Everyone, straighten up the battle formation!"


    "But Squadron Leader-nim! All the experienced troops have been killed in action!"


    "It''s also hard for the Gigas to carry out the battle!"


    "So are you just going to obediently die? Those bastards are all demi-humans! They don¡¯t ept prisoners of war!"


    Despair began to flow on the battlefield.


    Major General Chun Hyun-il, a powerful transcendent who always pulverized his enemies, was in front of them, but he was not in a situation where he could help his own troops.


    The Arch-Sorcerer Morne was not someone he could just leave behind. No, ording to official rankings, he was no doubt a superior being above him. If he ignored him and intervened in the battle, there would be a gap and he would suffer a life-threatening blow.


    And if one of the transcendents died right now in this battle, that would be no different from the end of the war.


    It was because this was not a naval battle, but a hand-to-hand battle where it was almost impossible for a non-transcendent to go against a transcendent.


    ¡°Kyakyakya! Where''s the momentum from before?¡±


    ¡°Shoot! Shred it all up!¡±


    Dudududu!


    Thwip thwip!


    The bullets and thesers sted towards our troops. Our troops responded as best as they could, but the gap in military strength was too wide to begin with.


    The attack from the dinosaur Morne destroyed half of the troops, and the whole defense system went dead while Genie was in silence.


    In the first ce, no one had expected that the control persona itself would be attacked and the system would go down, so they were not prepared to switch to manual control.


    It was because the main system that existed at the heart of the Albatross ship was expected to be fine even if it was hit by an EMP that enveloped the whole ship.


    ''I have to help.''


    This time, I exited the Eye of Ares and stepped forward. I was going to leave the room, and upon seeing my actions, Ares asked.


    [Where are you going?]


    "I¡¯ve gotta go to my friends.¡±


    It was obvious, but Ares said disappointingly.


    [Don¡¯t kid yourself. What can you do even if you go out there right now?]


    "That¡¯s, I''m also a Gigas pilot. I''ll just get on any Gigas...¡±


    [Don¡¯t be stupid. Didn''t you hear that the Gigas''s AI, I mean their control persona ispletely down? No, apart from that, how are you going to get to our troop¡¯s Gigas? No, do you think something will change even if you get involved? You will only die a dog¡¯s death.]


    Just like what Ares had just said, there were manyplications.


    I was so weak that I would die instantly even if I got hit by a single bullet, and I couldn''t do anything with my own strength. Even if I went out there, I¡¯d only die a dog''s death just like Ares said.


    "But."


    Suddenly I felt my heart pounding hard.


    "Again¡­ To stand by and watch someone die?"


    [Again?]


    Ignoring the curious Ares, I gritted my teeth.


    We weren¡¯t close friends. I was only in the same ss as Dong-min for a year, but that was all, and I just met Bo-ram not long ago in the first ce.


    Of course, we became closer to a certain extent after we got on board the Albatross ship together, but¡­ We did not share such a deep friendship that we would sacrifice our lives for each other.


    <strong>Father. Master. My Creator.</strong>


    My heart ached so much. To the point where it was about to burst. They were all dead. There were no signs of their death.


    "Hiding and hiding¡­ Just to keep my own life intact?¡±


    <strong>I love you. I love you, Father. </strong>


    "Heok¡­ Heokkkk¡­¡­."


    [Hmm? What¡¯s going on dude? Are you in a state of panic because of guilt and fear?]


    Ignore the murmuring Ares, I sat down and took a deep breath.


    I felt like my head was going to burst. But now was not the time to sit down because of my pain.


    "Ares, if it¡¯s with your King of All Armaments, you said you could control most of the armaments that didn¡¯t have an owner. If that''s the case¡­ Gigas is also considered an [armament] too, right?¡±


    It was a reasonable remark. If even Metal Bodies, which mainly did all kinds of misceneous tasks rather than the usual fighting, were ssified as armaments, there was no reason why Gigas made forbat purposes from the first ce should not be ssified as weapons.


    [Of course. So what?]


    "Acquire the rights to control all the Gigas near the battlefield. I''ll be the pilot.¡±


    [¡­Holy crap.]


    Ares, who looked at me for a moment with those huge eyes,ughed dumbfoundedly.


    [I don''t know why I can''t help but feel like helping you even though it is a ridiculous request. But unfortunately I can¡¯t do that.]


    "Why not?"


    [Kekeke. Aren''t you overestimating me too much? Even though I''m a God-grade Gigas, there''s a limit to what I can do with just my mind. It''s a miracle to be able to use Ability with just my mind, but you want me to control other Gigas?]


    I gritted my teeth at the words that the dumbfounded Ares was saying.


    If he said he didn¡¯t want to do it, at least I could try persuading him, but he said he couldn¡¯t do it, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. But then I remembered.


    <strong>-Just give us an order. One word and we will do anything!</strong>


    <strong>-Don''t be used like a fool! We can solve everything for you if you just say it!</strong>


    I saw a man begging; he looked strong and sturdy.


    There was also a woman throwing a fit; she was extremely beautiful, with limitless strength.


    But it was their words, not their appearance, that took over my mind.


    "One word ofmand."


    I staggered and stood up.


    [What the, are you okay?]


    I said to Ares, who asked in a curt but worried voice.


    "Control the Gigas closest to the battlefield."


    [What? No, I can''t do it¡­]


    I cut off the grumbling Ares and entered.


    "I''ll say it properly."


    I made eye contact with Ares while saying that.


    He stared at me with his giant eyes which were just slightly below my eye level.


    I spoke slowly, and powerfully.


    "Do it."


    [¡­!!]


    In an instant, Ares¡¯s expression was filled with astonishment. Then came the question, then the fear, and finally he had a look as if everything was jumbled up.


    [This little¡­this ? This¡­ how did you¡­?]


    Kriekkkkkk----


    The surroundings lit up in an instant. It was impossible to know where the source of the light was. However, I could see Ares staring at me with a nk expression.


    It was an interesting expression, but it was a situation where there wasn¡¯t time.


    I dered an ultimatum.


    "Do it immediately, Ares."


    [You¡­ You¡¯re¡­]


    The light bes brighter. Ares was looking at me.


    A lump of light flew from behind me and seeped through the middle of Ares¡¯s forehead.


    Uohhhhhhhh--!


    Ares''s head began to shine. Finally, he answered.


    [As per yourmand.]


    And with that¡­ My world changed rapidly.

 Chapter 30: -The Birth of a Specter (1)

    <h4>Chapter 30: -The Birth of a Specter (1)</h4>


    Thud thud thump!


    Chwanggg!


    "Ugh! Damn it all!"


    Rale, the pilot of the Tool-rank Gigas R-13, gritted his teeth and fired armor-piercing bombs at the flocking enemies. Although he operated the Gigas in manual mode as urgently as possible, thebat capability dropped sharply as the control persona was not working.


    "Damn it, this dude that could only tackle and was even boring to talk to due to his crappy performance... I never thought I¡¯d miss him this much.¡±


    The control persona assisted the pilot in all actions such as motor assistance, shooting assistance, system assistance, and many more.


    A pilot was certainly needed to move the Gigas, but in order for the Mecha to move like a human being, and at the same time, exhibit sufficientbat capabilities, it was essential to have a control persona.


    "Huh! You''re meddling too much just because you¡¯re wearing that piece of iron, you insignificant bastard!"


    To make matters worse, the dinosaur tribe appeared among the demi-humans.


    Unlike dinosaurs on Earth, they had sessfully evolved without walking the path of extinction, and were a superior species with a huge build, strong mana, and high intelligence. They may not have beenparable to transcendental species such as dragons and Kendler Saints, but the fact that the dinosaurs, which received the recognition of the masses, were on the battlefield meant that Morne''s prowess was at least at the level of a Compl¨¦ter or higher.


    Wiiiiingggg-!


    The photon cannon of R-13 began to charge. Rale began to sync with the R-13¡¯s Iron Heart and he directed his focus to the photon cannon of R-13.


    Although mass-produced and of very poor quality, the R-13 had an Iron Heart installed that could generate mana. Even for those with superpowers that looked down on guns and cannons, it was impossible to easily stop a Gigas¡¯s photon cannon.


    "Having that doesn¡¯t make a difference. Are you trying to take me down with an attack of that level right now?"


    That would be the obvious case if this was an ordinary situation.


    Baaaaam!


    With the sound of air bursting, the tri-horned dinosaur tribesman¡¯s swift response allowed him to avoid the shot.


    A magical barrier had already formed around his body. And that was not the only problem.


    Booooom! Kriekkkkk!


    Surprisingly, the dinosaur tribesman grabbed R-13''s arms with both hands to restrict his movements and a contest of power ensued.


    R-13 had enough power output to throw cars on Earth with one hand, but the superhumans that had entered the realm of a Compl¨¦ter were already monsters that couldn¡¯t be regarded as normal life forms. This was especially true for the dinosaur tribe which was unmatched when it came to strength and vitality even among the demi-humans.


    They had a height of only two meters, but weighed over a ton and had muscle strength that was beyond imagination.


    "You monster-like brute!"


    "Hmph! A Gigas that couldn¡¯t be a superior machine. It¡¯s nothing but a piece of junk that a greenhorn is riding on!"


    As the dinosaur raised his head while shouting, a gray sphere formed between the three horns. Powerful mana reacted to his will and reenacted a mighty ¡®miracle¡¯ in the present situation.


    "Ugh, this motherfu-!"


    Realizing that both arms were held in ce which meant he could neither evade nor attack, Rale immediately broke the safety te located at the bottom of the seat and pulled the lever all the way.


    Bang! Kwakkkkk!


    As the explosions were heard, Rale¡¯s body flew backwards like a bullet. Simultaneously, the right arm of the Gigas, which popped out as a reaction of the emergency escape, was cut off obliquely.


    It happened in a sh. If Rale had hesitated for just a second, his head would have been cut diagonally along with the Gigas.


    "Uck huckk, I almost died, goddamn it.¡±


    He flew tens of meters away and collided against the wall.


    Fortunately because of the energy shock absorber installed in the seat, he didn¡¯t take any serious damage, and he got up with ease. But grimness struck his face when he saw the unfolding scene surrounding him.


    "Be careful... Kuwaackkkk!"


    "Kahahaha! Die humans!"


    "N-, no! Stop... Ackkkk!"


    Blood was sttering around and screams were rampant. The Albatross ship¡¯s forces suffered tremendous damage and were being pushed back hecticly.


    The Legion¡¯s attack that the demi-humans called upon caused all the control personas to fail, and Major General Chun Hyun-il, a transcendent who was the most powerful fighting force in Albatross, had his hands tied as he was dealing with the notorious Arch-Sorcerer Morne and couldn''t do anything.


    However, apart from all that, the Albatross ship¡¯s military prowess was nothingpared to that of the demi-humans.


    "This, damn it. Let¡¯s at least retreat to the bunker for now¡­¡±


    Rale, being an Inner Qi user, immediately lowered his posture. It was to retreat, but before he knew it, he realized that the surrounding background was spinning.


    "To feel reassured after only securing that much distance, really befitting of an insect ehh.¡±


    Normamus, the Advance Squadron Commander, chuckled while cutting off the enemy¡¯s head by releasing a mana de.


    But it was then.


    Wiiiiingggg-


    "Hmm?"


    The pilot¡¯s quick escape caused R-13 to stare nkly as his eyes gleamed.


    Although it was a short instant, Normamus, who had lived on the battlefield all his life, reflectively formed a barrier to protect his body.


    Thuckkk!


    And then, the Tool-rank Gigas R-13 that got his right arm blown off, turned around with his left foot as the axis, just like a dancer.


    Before he could realize, the photon cannon that had fallen on the floor had been lifted up by his left arm that was still intact.


    Kiing-kiing-kiing-kiing-kiing!


    The photon cannon shot outser beams in the form of a bullet. R-13 didn¡¯t care whether he hit the enemy or not, and shot nearly a hundred rounds of photon beams in every direction.


    It was an indiscriminate fire at random in the most literal sense.


    "Hmph! What a stupid thing to do. What tricks are you trying to do on that Gigas? Do you really believe this would inflict any damage at all?"


    Normamus, who took the photon beams lightly as he had a barrier, snorted.


    This was a world where supernaturals, wizards and martial artists existed, but at the same time, guns and cannons dominated the battlefield.


    It was only natural that those who used superpowers would develop the ability to respond against such firepower, and such random shots would not be able to hurt any of his Assault Squadron members.


    Basically, it was obvious that it wouldn''tnd a hit, and even if it was shot in an urate direction, it was possible to enter into evasive maneuver in lightning-speed,or even blocking it was doable.


    "Kahaha! These things are such a surprise! Charge at once, you idiots! If you get grazed by it, there''ll be hellish training today!"


    Normamus was the first one to run forward.


    He was the Advance Squadron Commander for a reason. He was an existence that smashed the enemy''s battle formation by being in the front line.


    But there was no one that followed after his footsteps.


    "Huh?"


    He turned around. And he was speechless at the sight that unfolded before him.


    "...What the?"


    There were no subordinates around to follow him. No one could do so.


    Because... the members of the Assault Squadron that he was so proud of were all down.


    It was total annihtion.


    -This, really now. Though it¡¯s less costly as it¡¯s not a humanoid...


    And as the Tool-rank Gigas R-13 rose up among the corpses, Normamus¡¯s eyes red up.


    A big part of R-13¡¯s upper body was cut off along with the right arm, and the cockpit in the body section was visible. But, there was no one there.


    "The pilot... is not there?"


    Unable to understand the situation, he looked down at his subordinates and strengthened the barrier to protect his body.


    And he realized how his men got a fist-sized hole in their heads.


    "Haaaa..."


    Normamus had been through countless wars, and he quickly realized the situation.


    The ridiculous Tool-rank Gigas that used his left foot as an axis like a dancer and shot hundreds of bullets while spinning like a top, had been right on the mark with all of them. And that was even against enemies that went into evasive maneuvers or activated their defences.


    "Haha¡­"


    Heughed in vain. It took him only a short time to figure out this absurd situation.


    However, all that confusion was soon pushed aside and turned into wrath.


    "This... puny insect!!"


    Crackle!


    Normamus manifested a mana de and shed at R-13.


    But R-13 simply took a light step and ducked to avoid the attack and burrowed in.


    That¡¯s right. The 3.5-meter Gigas that could be considered a giant was able to burrow into the chest of the dinosaur tribesmen that wasrger than humans but only about 2-meter tall.


    It was an incredibly elegant movement to the extent that it was unbelievable for it to be a Mecha.


    Boom!


    The heavy barrel of the photon cannon crashed against Normamus¡¯s barrier. And in that situation, Normamus'' face distorted and turned fiend-like.


    "You dare! A Tool-rank Gigas like you, to my barrier--"


    aangggg!


    The photon cannon drew a white line in mid-air. And just like his subordinates, there was a fist-sized hole in the head of Normamus.


    Even if he was a demi-human, it was a given that he wouldn¡¯t be able to survive with a hole of that size on his head.


    ¡®Wait, what kind of Tool-rank...¡¯


    A God-rank Gigas that executed the Ability, Eye of Ares, oversaw the whole fight. And Ares screamed inwardly.


    ¡®What kind of Tool-rank would have an Ability?¡¯


    To be able to use Ability, at the very least it would have to be a beast, in other words, at least on the level of Beast-rank.


    Although the factory''s mass-produced Tool-rank Gigas were of course equipped with an Iron Heart, the Iron Heart''s function was to prevent a situation where the magical defense got clogged up due to the attacks from armaments such as the photon cannon that contained intent. That was all it amounted to, and anything more than that was very rare.


    Of course, a few of the specially made prototypes among the Tool-rank could also activate Ability, but that was only possible by taking various measures with the existing Iron Heart.


    In the first ce, for a mass-produced Gigas, what was this monstrous Ability?


    ''That''s not all. It¡¯s not an Inherent Ability, but a Basic Ability. There¡¯s no way that a Tool-rank would have an Ability...¡¯


    A Gigas'' Ability (or Transcendence) was divided into two types: Basic Ability and Inherent Ability.


    Basic Ability referred to the Gigas and not the pilots, to be more specific, the Ability of the Iron Heart itself, and Inherent Ability referred to the Ability a pilot had.


    Between Basic and Inherent Ability, Basic Ability was the power of the Iron Heart itself, so it could be activated by anyone as long as they were qualified to be a pilot.


    It was because of this Basic Ability that the price of Gigas that were made of exactly the same material, differed by as little as a few times, and as much as a few hundred times.


    The price was usually not set until the Gigas waspletely finished, because it would not be known whether there would be Basic Ability or not, and even if there was, until the Iron Heart was made, the type of Ability wouldn¡¯t be known (Though it could be induced to some extent).


    ''Don¡¯t tell me this is his Inherent Ability? Using a Basic Ability that hasn''t been awakened yet? I think I''ve heard of a General in the far-off Antarren Gxy that had that ability¡­¡¯


    While he was thinking about this and that, Dae-ha piloted R-13 and changed locations.


    It was a pity that he lost one arm, but it was a dire situation, and he couldn¡¯t change to a new Gigas now.


    -But even then, I was lucky. It just so happened that the Gigas I rode has one of the top three skills, Pration.


    Ares questioned Dae-ha about his words. Because he heard something that was unfamiliar.


    -Top 3 skills?


    -Pration, Stealth, and Sniper. Three of the most useful Ability.


    -...Who decided that?


    -Who else? Me, of course. I picked the most useful ones after trying. Sigh, if the Ability it had was Conservation, Maintenance, or Repair, it would¡¯ve been a pain in the ass to try and defeat that bastard. If it was Pressure, it would be easy to defeat him, but I would then have to find another machine.


    Although Dae-ha¡¯s ystyle when ying new games would be to refer to the existing strategies, in the case of <i>The Great War</i>, he could not find an existingmunity, nor could he see other users. But there was a kind of implication that only those with the talent of pilots could y in <i>The Great War</i>, and because of that he arrogantly participated.


    Therefore, Dae-ha yed with absolutely nothing, and only had a manual prepared for <i>The Great War,</i> and sorted out the useful skills and bad skills, as well as the game style and attack methods.


    In fact, if he wrote a collection of battle strategies now, he would create a masterpiece that would even surprise the pilot instructors.


    -Huh? By the way, what''s your n? No matter how I look at it, I don''t think you¡¯re nning to be involved in a fight with those bastards. Those guys, so to say, are all Martial Arts-type Transcendents facing each other at the entrance of the residential area. I¡¯m referring to Major General Chun Hyun-il and Arch-Sorcerer Morne.


    And of course, even for Dae-ha who was full of confidence once he got on the Gigas, he had no thoughts of getting involved in their fight.


    -I don''t want to get involved and die for nothing. Besides, if they¡¯re transcendents... Maybe they¡¯ll be able to hurt me in my current state.


    At present, the body of Dae-ha was still inside the God of War¡¯s Treasure Trove, but his consciousness was out of that space while he was controlling the Tool-rank Gigas from a distance.


    In other words, even if he was defeated by the enemy, his life would bepletely intact.


    -Though it may seem a little cowardly while other people are fighting with their lives on the line, there¡¯s no reason for me to risk my life just to be fair.


    I headed for the bridge deck while muttering, because I knew the enemies were moving to take over the bridge deck of the Albatross ship.


    -But before that... I''m gonna have to turn the tides of war in our favour.


    Dae-ha looked at the stationary defense towers and the Metal Body lying on the floor that stopped working.


    And said with<strong> [force].</strong>


    -Genie.


    Kiinng-----


    Kiing¡­...


    Dae-ha continued to speak as he watched the machines around him starting to flinch and move just by calling out their names.


    -Get up and carry out your mission.


    The Legion¡¯s power was strong.


    They were existences that were based on the Mecha civilization. Even for magical beings, it was difficult for them to say that they werepletely free from the erosion of Legion. Organisations that had arge number of transcendents would find it burdensome if they had a Universe War with the high-ranked Legions.


    But Dae-ha, even though he didn''t know it himself, was able to appease all of them with a single word ofmand.


    ''I don''t understand. What on earth¡­ is this power?''


    In fact, Dae-ha was a strange existence to Ares from the very beginning.


    The ce where Ares was located was the Transcendence skill, <strong>[God of War¡¯s Treasure Trove]</strong>. This was an ability that even Ares cannot activate alone, and he only maintained what his master had invoked before his death. Of course, it was a Transcendence skill in name. Hence, the only being from the Albatross battleship that could break into it was the transcendent, Major General Chun Hyun-il.


    What¡¯s more, Ares was a God-rank Gigas who had apatible Iron Heart, so if he decided to blow himself up, not even the transcendents would be able to survive, so no one forced Ares to do things against his will.


    ''But then the door just opened. No, not just that. If he were to ask... I would just want to listen. Haaa, what the hell is this?''


    It was driving him crazy because he could not even feel the power that was forcing him toply. Perhaps it was just that deep inside, he was genuinely worried about him and wanted to help.


    And beyond that, when Dae-ha gave him orders.


    Ares even managed to do the<strong> </strong>things that were impossible<strong>.</strong>


    And when Dae-ha gave orders like that, behind Dae-ha¡¯s back¡­


    ¡®This doesn''t make sense. It¡¯s impossible.''


    He was in denial.


    And he muttered again while his point of view followed along with R-13.


    ''It¡¯s impossible.¡¯

 Chapter 31: The Birth of a Specter (2)

    <h4>Chapter 31: The Birth of a Specter (2)</h4>


    The atmosphere at the bridge deck was tense.


    As the control persona who always managed the overall system of the Albatross ship stopped their activities, the war situation quickly turned for the worse. Saying it was bad wasn¡¯t even close to describing it.


    "It''s a good thing the ship system itself is still alive. Perhaps because it wasn¡¯t hit by the EMP. It''s not like the system itself went haywire.¡±


    "No, getting hit by the EMP would¡¯ve been better. Cause the Albatross''s electronic defense system is perfect."


    It was only natural that weapons were developed with the purpose of countering each other, and in the Universe War where all the weapons were apanied by electronic mechanisms, EMPs were developed, and because of that, countermeasures against them had also been developed.


    An electronic mechanism that could be damaged by an EMP was at the level of a home appliance used by an individual at best, so an electronic defense system with strategic performance was mandatory in the Albatross ship.


    Genie was only able to neutralize the Beast-rank Gigas Thunder Dragon which was equipped with a bomb with the EMP because it had acquired the consent of the pilot to deactivate its electronic defense system. But it was actually very difficult to use the EMP as a means of attack.


    "But I don''t know. No matter how much those demi-human bastards get in the way, to mobilize the Legion is a bit too much. If this information reaches the ears of the Union, sanctions will definitely be imposed. To attack the Albatross ship even though they would have to suffer such tribtions...¡±


    "They must be after me."


    Celestia, who had been quiet, muttered at Deputy Captain Natalie''sment.


    Dressed in a tight ckbat suit and carrying a showy assault rifle adorned in gold, she was equipped with gold-rimmed sses that she wouldn¡¯t usually wear, with rubyden earrings and a fancy ne that had 11 jewels embedded in it, as well as various other essories.


    It was a fancy dress-up that didn''t quite match herbat suit, but this was herbat-ready form. Those were things that she would never take out usually, but the situation was severe.


    ¡®The reputation of an Imperial Princess is certainly big.¡¯


    But that wasn¡¯t all.


    Celestia was an artist as well as a popr idol with universal fame. There were so many crazy fans who considered crossing several gxies just to see her on stage, so she had an overwhelmingly higher recognition than other princes and princesses.


    ''But even so, this isn¡¯t normal. There¡¯s more to lose than gain.''


    Of course the reputation of an Imperial Princess was huge, but she wasn¡¯t the next heir-in-line.


    Her influence was far-reaching, but it was only her influence as a star, and it did not carry any real weight.


    No, rather, the great notoriety and retaliation someone would get from kidnapping her... And what about the drawbacks?


    ''No matter how stupid they are, they wouldn¡¯t do this just for one Imperial Princess.¡¯


    The Tekea Federation hated humans so much that they would be hostile without any reason if it were a nation of humans. There were very limited exchanges between them, and if they were to go to war, they wouldn¡¯t take any prisoners of war and would instead kill them all or use them for human experiments.


    It was no exaggeration to say that it was an unconditional and upromising hostility, and no matter what human forces they met, they would inevitably be an enemy country.


    But even so... Only a few countries were hostile towards the Tekea Federation.


    The problem was the distance.


    ''If it''s known that they''ve been harassing the Imperial Princess, there''s going to be dozens of people gathering from different gxies. No matter how great the Tekea Federation is, they can¡¯t take it lightly.''


    The universe was wide. That¡¯s right. That was the only problem.


    It was the limitless universe that proved the existence of God, and it was so vast that even the existence of a high civilization that ruled over time and space dared not harbor the ambition to rule the whole universe.


    The Tekea Federation was a huge alliance of demi-humans, but it was trifling whenpared to the human forces that had thergest number of intellects in the universe. Therefore, they were at a level where they upied the few hostile countries from the nearby gxies.


    But if they were to harm the Universal Star, Celestia?


    Even organizations that existed in gxies hundreds of thousands of light-years away, which they had never seen before in their entire life, may be enemies and travel the universe for years to find them.


    Of course, they would be fine if they did not get caught killing Celestia or pulling the Legion in, but there were no secrets in the world that would remain hidden forever, and it would eventually be found out.


    "Yes, that''s right. Because there''s something that¡¯s worth the risk.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Deputy Captain Natalie was lost in thought, and she was surprised. She asked back at the unexpected words of Celestia.


    But as if she had expected such a response, Celestia said, "I have a treasure that my father entrusted to me. Those brutes are probably after that."


    "From His Majesty the Emperor...¡±


    Natalie was lost in thought. She didn¡¯t bother asking the obvious question of what the treasure was.


    Angelos III, the father of Celestia and the current Emperor of the Leonhardt Empire, was a wise king who was known for his profound ideals. If he had handed over a precious treasure to the princess, then the Tekea Federation would have a good reason to mobilize even the transcendents for the sake of nabbing the treasure.


    Booooom-!


    And then, a loud explosion resonated throughout the battlefield.


    In fact, the loud explosions had been resonating for quite a long time, but this time it was close enough to be able to feel it with the skin.


    ¡°The third line of defense has been breached!¡±


    "What about the barrier wall?"


    "It was destroyed and they¡¯re breaking through! It¡¯s predicted that there¡¯s a Swordsman above the level of a Compl¨¦ter carrying a magical weapon.¡±


    The current Albatross ship was operating in manual mode. The pilots located in the bridge deck were elites who had also mastered manual controls in the case of an emergency, so even if Genie was silent, the Albatross ship would not bepletely helpless.


    However, it was impossible to operate the ship of astronomical value; to control the ship that was a self-destructing device that could destroy everything around in only an instant was not feasible. It was a safety device used to prevent the fleet from exploding on majors and suffering damages beyond imagination.


    It was paradoxical to trust the judgment of a machine more than a human, but it was somewhat natural because the control persona was an existence that would never vite its principles and sweet-talk or win someone over.


    "What''s the situation on the Major General¡¯s side?"


    "The goddamn dinosaur bastard cut off all the cameras, so it¡¯s impossible to check, but we believe he still has his hands tied with the situation there."


    "You¡¯re basically saying we have to stop it by ourselves regardless if he¡¯s dead or alive.¡±


    But while saying so, a sense of defeat could already be felt.


    The main force of Albatross was already moving, but it was defeated in battle. The war situation itself was already in a dreary state; how long would itst with the remaining troops?


    "How¡¯s themunications status?"


    "It''spletely blocked! We have to get a message capsule as fast as possible¡­"


    Bang!


    At that moment, one side of the wall exploded and an intense heat hit the bridge deck.


    It was an attack from an unexpected direction that happened in a sh, but the fighters maintaining an extremely tense state reacted quickly.


    Dududududu!!


    Kabooom!


    The photon cannon emitted beams of light and shot out armor-piercing, Intent-infused bombs, [1] and those on board the Gigas stepped forward.


    The force field made-up of energy rose into the air and absorbed the energy of all the projectiles that were not authorized beforehand, and grenades as well as stray bullets flew around like shurikens. It was literally a battle situation reminiscent of a street battle.


    "Whoa, they must really be determined to destroy the ship entirely.¡±


    Celestia took a deep breath while holding the assault rifle that had a golden lion pattern engraved on it.


    Others were stunned by the news that the Imperial Princess herself would take part in the battle, but she had no intention of just sitting back and waiting to be taken captive by the enemies.


    And above all, "As long as Major General Chun Hyun-il is not around, I think I have the highest battle power here!"


    Shiiingggg!


    As if ying back a video quickly, Celestia moved her body to the nk of the enemy that was raiding into the bridge deck.


    Several shots aimed for her reflexively, but failed to hit her body and disappeared into the air.


    Dudududududu!!!!


    She shot a few bullets. It was the exact same attack as what the other soldiers did, but the power of the bullets that Celestia shot prated through the Stationmaster like it was natural.


    It was the same series of power as the<strong> [Pration] </strong>Ability that Dae-ha acquired while riding on R-13.


    ¡°Kuwaackk!¡±


    "What, what the f*ck, that woman! Kill her!"


    The demi-humans, unaware of Celestia¡¯s identity, let out a horrible shriek and rushed at her with all their might, but she was not flustered at all and hid behind cover to reload, then proceeded to shoot at the enemies.


    Ratatatatak----!!!!


    A blitzkrieg storm struck the battle-ready enemies and the demi-humans either got roasted ck or received an electric shock and copsed.


    However, as the demi-humans came after proper nning, someone strong enough to not be affected by the various guns and cannons soon appeared.


    Tatatak!


    A demi-human carrying 12 swords, a master from the Pharenda tribe that Dae-ha referred to as Spaghetti, appeared and knocked down all the bullets.


    He reinforced his sword and cut the bullets down directly, so the power that could prate the defenses was not of much help.


    "Tchh! What kind of sword are you carrying around!"


    "...I see you''re spouting nonsense.¡±


    Karu, a Swordsman Compl¨¦ter and Special Warrior of the Pharenda tribe, murmured softly and stepped forward.


    Celestia naturally shot countless bullets and energy shots at Karu as he was approaching her army, but none of the attacks could get past his 12 swords.


    Tatak!


    The Pharenda tribe''s true appearance was close to an invertebrate with a long body just like a snake, but they had muscle strength that was iparable to ordinary creatures and the flexibility to tie their body in a knot without receiving any damage, so they could decide their body¡¯s form at their own liberty.


    If necessary, they could take the form of a two-legged or four-legged creature by interweaving their own body together.


    However, because of their brain and their only weakness - their big eyes, they rarely crawled like snakes.


    Swish swanggg! Swanggg!


    Though it was called swordsmanship, the swordsmanship of the Pharenda tribe was quite different from that of other species.


    It was very difficult to grasp the true nature of the 12 swords, as they were like des hanging at the end of a whip, freely moving over space, and each sword had a different range of attacks.


    When 12 swords were swung at the same time, it would turn into a deste air as if being rushed by a storm of des.


    [Watch out!]


    One of the Gigas ran towards Karu to save Celestia, who was in a critical situation.


    It was the Beast-rank<strong> [Piercing Stag] </strong>that an officer was operating.


    Boom!


    A body m that carried enormous power collided with Karu¡¯s sword.


    Lieutenant Alex, who expected the enemy to naturally avoid, was stunned to see Karu block his charge with four swords.


    The opponent''s power was far beyond what he had imagined.


    "For the sake ofpleting a great soul!!¡±


    [This shitty, oh my God! Master of the Houn-School...?!]


    Crackle crackle!


    Eight swords started to hack away at the body of Piercing Stag who was trying to retreat in dismay.


    Although it was a Beast-rank Gigas surrounded by all kinds of defense systems and powerful special armors, Karu¡¯s sword which contained a frightening force hacked up Piercing Stag into tatters as if cutting a paper box with a kitchen knife.


    It literally happened in a sh.


    "Step down!"


    With such a cry, Celestia stamped the ground firmly and pointed the assault rifle straight ahead.


    Of course, Karuughed at her.


    "Preposterous. With a toy like that¡­"


    "Yes, have a taste of that toy¡¯s power!"


    Katatatatak!!!!


    In an instant, a <strong>[bombardment] </strong>broke out.


    The power disyed by Celestia''s small-sized rifle was simr to that of high-calibre photon cannons usually mounted on fighter jets orrge-sized Gigas.


    "Ack! What is this!?¡±


    Karu swung his 12 swords like lightning to block the bombardment, but even so, he couldn¡¯t avoid losing four arms and even the swords that were held in them.


    That was a sharp drop in his fighting power. However, as a valiant warrior, instead of asking for help, he clenched his teeth and tried to counterattack.


    But it was then¡­


    "Karu, you bastard! Why are you taking so long? Do you want to be disciplined by Morne-nim!?¡±


    ¡°Kyahaha! I''m d there¡¯s still plenty of bastards to kill!¡±


    Then, from the side of the broken wall, a new group of demi-humans revealed themselves.


    Dinosaurs with heavy firearms all over their bodies, rock mutants that had gems as big as a child''s head embedded in their heads, and a number of demi-humans appeared behind them.


    Natalie, who was trying her best to manually operate the defense program and grasped the surrounding situation, gasped.


    "Cain the Lunatic, Wally the Rampart¡­ What the hell is this... I''m sure Brigade Commander Tuck-nim went with the troops to deal with them.¡±


    Colonel Tuck, the Brigade Commander of the Sky-Giant Armored Brigade, was a pilot and abat wizard who was the next most powerful figure after Major General Chun Hyun-il on Albatross.


    His own strength was a force to be reckoned with, but he was the pilot of the only Human-rank Gigas <strong>[Napoleon] </strong>in Albatross and he had saved crew members in countless battles thus far.


    "What? Kekeke! Is this old man''s name Tuck?"


    When Cain, the dinosaur with heavy weapons around his body, smiled and raised his hand, all the crewmates on the bridge deck held their breath.


    He held the head of an old man with his tongue stuck out in his hand.


    [Brigade Commander-nim!!! These sons of bitches!!]


    Alex, who had been with Tuck on numerous battlefields as one of the Squadron Leaders of the Sky-Giant Armored Brigade, was enraged.


    But even so, he couldn¡¯t just rush forward. His instinct as a soldier held him back. Because he knew that if he lost his reason despite not being powerful enough, he would die.


    "Are we screwed¡­?"


    Celestia, having watched the scene that unfolded, once again tied up her long blue hair, put her assault rifle aside and took out a pair of fancy goldden guns.


    She then concentrated, and as she chanted some secret words, strength began to boil from within her.


    It was the power of the imperial family that she had since birth.


    Of course, no matter how strong the power may have been, it would be hard to deal with an enemy force that even included transcendents, but she had no intention of dying or being caught obediently.


    Wiiiiingggg-!


    But then, the surrounding pilot devices started toe to life. Several pilots who were crouching as they didn¡¯t have the ability to participate in the battle cried out in shock.


    "Genie''s working again!"


    ¡°The Booting program is currently running!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The crew on the bridge deck was puzzled.


    Though they were d, it was something that was iprehensible.


    How could a control persona frozen by the Legion repair themselves?


    However, the situation was already not looking good, so the enemy also noticed that the control persona of the Albatross ship had been awakened.


    "Keuk! I don''t know what the human bastards did, but the control persona is waking up!"


    "Hurry up and wipe them all out and head to the very bottom! If the control persona enters the self-destruct code, we''ll die for sure, and even Morne-nim will die too!¡±


    Cain and Wally realized the situation and got rid of theposure they had thus far, starting to release their murderous aura. But unexpectedly, there was no response from the other demi-humans behind them.


    "What are these idiots doing right now..."


    They screamed and turned around, but they froze at the scene that caught their eyes.


    They discovered that all their subordinates, which were of a considerable number, had copsed.


    And in the center stood a blue Gigas that had lost one arm.


    -I feel like all the Gigas I''m riding today are one-handed, but... I''m lucky. I just picked this because I thought of it, but for it to be such an OP machine...


    -OP? What the hell is that?


    -Overpowered. It means that this is a cheat-like machine.


    "What, what the hell, Thunder Dragon? I clearly left it because it stopped working. No, that aside, someone other than me is riding Thunder Dragon?¡±


    Lieutenant Alex, the original owner of Thunder Dragon, spouted out of shock, but he didn''t pay any attention to Dae-ha. The strong figures that were in front of him were of greater importance.


    -Shall we y?


    Dae-ha muttered, and then...


    Poof!


    Thunder Dragon disappeared into thin air.


    1. This is the author''s way of saying Aura. The stronger the intent, the greater the energy generated in an attack.

 Chapter 32: The Birth of a Specter (3)

    <h4>Chapter 32: The Birth of a Specter (3)</h4>


    The highest score I got in <i>The Great War</i> was 1.28 billion points, and it was earned while riding the Golden Constetion, Goldrian.


    I seeded in razing the battlefield to the ground and I also captured the opponent''s Terra-ss battleship <strong>Punishment</strong> in just one attempt.


    ''Well, the battle itself turned dull, like I used a cheat or something. So, I won''t do it again.''


    Unfortunately, however hard I tried, I couldn''t score more than 500 million by using a machine that was of a lower-rank. This was because there was a four-dimensional wall that couldn''t be ovee. It was impossible to achieve the level of points that could be scored by a high-rank machine with a lower-rank Gigas.


    It was partly because of the performance of the machine, but more than that, it was due to the number of Abilities avable for use.


    When I used a Gigas with a lot of good Abilities, the range of strategies I could use was beyond imagination.


    -Ahh,e to think of it, how many basic Abilities do you have? Except for the transcendence skill.


    Kwakkkkk!


    As I was asking Ares, I stabbed in between the underarm of the Gigas that was rushing forward from the side with the Ultra-Vibration de. I cut him lightly, parried his swinging arms, then turned around and used his body as a meat shield to block a few bullets, and cut off the rest of his limbs.


    <strong>Aghhhh! What the! What the heck is this!? Who the hell are you!?</strong>


    -What do you mean ''Who the hell are you''? What are you even saying to an enemy on the battlefield? You''re not stupid, right?


    I was in a state no better than an astral body, but I muttered anyways even though I knew Ares was the only one that could hear me. Of course, I didn''t stop moving even for a moment, even when I was bbering away.


    Kwakkkkk! Katatak!


    The enemy Gigas struggled desperately and resisted, but it was all to no avail.


    Reminiscent of the situation of a blue crab on the cutting board snapping its pincers menacingly, and the skillful cook that would just disregard it and cut off its legs and pop the shell off, I naturally cut off his limbs and shut down his system.


    Whether he turned his body to the right or left, I adapted ordingly and used his own strength against him to finish the job faster.


    And then Ares, who was in a daze by this time, answered.


    - ...If we''re talking about Basic Ability, I have three.


    -Eckk? Less than a Star-rank? I guess the Transcendence skill must have taken up a lot of slots¡­


    Uuushaaa.


    I stepped and jumped on the Golem that was running my way, and I activated an Ability ¡ª Stealth.


    The bastard who lost sight of me released a grotesque aura at random, but I stepped in the air and fell as light as dust on a chair that was on one side.


    Different from R-13 who was only around 3.5 meters tall and could be considered very small-sized among Gigas, he had a frame of about 11 metres long which limited his movement trajectory. It was the right decision to get Stealth or something like that if I wanted to move with a body like that.


    ''Anyhow, I got lucky.''


    I had yed <i>The Great War</i> numerous times and thus experienced a lot of Ability while riding on machines (I''d also ridden a lot of enemy machines).


    Among them, there were those that hadmon Abilities, and those that had rare Abilities that only existed in that one machine.


    ''A Gigas that has all the top three Abilities.''


    Pration, Stealth, and Sniper.


    But no matter how many other great and unique Abilities there were, I regarded these three as the greatest.


    This was because I realized through countless fights that these three were the most efficient rather than uselessly shy Ability.


    The Pration+Stealthbo or Pration+Sniperbo was especially formidable.


    Booom!


    "Kuwaackkkk!! This cowardly human bastard!¡±


    I held the Ultra-Vibration de and got rid of the enemy with the Pration Ability. While using Stealth and disappearing, I used the Sniper and Pration Ability to snipe at the bastards that were trying to bomb our troops from afar.


    While attacking, I always focused all of the energy that went into maintaining the shield to attack, so for more than half of the time, I maintained an extreme 100% on offense and 0% on defense. On a Tool-rank, perhaps this was something that could prove to be fatal in a single hit, even with a handgun.


    But it didn''t matter. What use would it be if a hit didn''tnd?


    To overwhelm the enemy with less power, it was natural to have to dance on the edge of the de.


    If it was a conventional battle situation, wouldn''t it be typical for a Beast-rank to deal with another Beast-rank? However, I didn''t even think something like this was dangerous from the very beginning.


    Kwakkkkk! Kwatakkkkk! Bang!


    The enemy''s battle prowess decreased rapidly as it literally received a one-sided beating, which felt like a dream.


    But then, when I exposed my body for a moment to attack, a Spaghetti man holding about 10 swords rushed at me.


    ¡°Hiyahhh!¡±


    He charged at me with spirit. Although there was a considerable distance between us, he elerated in my direction with a momentum simr to a sports car that had ovee friction even though he was just a creature. Of course, I fired a few distractive shots at him.


    Tatatak!!


    - ...I can''t believe it. Cutting it with a de?


    It was absurd.


    From my point of view, as someone who was exposed to an alternate world for the first time in <i>The Great War</i>, this superhuman... No, these supernaturals were quite bizarre. I was getting ustomed to it to a certain extent as I yed fantasy-genre games before. However, I always had a wake-up call every time I saw an existence that exceeded the Future Weapons. [1]


    Well, in any case, if I allowed him to approach, it was obvious that it would be trouble, so I fired a shot at the noodles above his head.


    Taaaank!


    Flustered by the aim at his leg and not the eyes, he flinched for a moment and blocked it with the nearest de. But I shot at him to induce that sort of movement, so I went ahead and fired two more shots diagonally without a hint of panic in my movements.


    Taaaank! Taaaank!


    And with that, the noodle-hands that were holding swords No. 3, No. 6 and No. 8 were twisted.


    This disastrous ident took ce because he failed to broaden his horizons and look at the big picture, and instead just blocked the bullet with the nearest swords in a panic.


    "Keuk? Uckk? What? what the hell?"


    He untangled his arms in bewilderment. There was no way a race that could twist their own body into the shape of a hand would get injured if their body got a little twisted, but... The problem was that the three swords were tied together and there was a loophole in the defense for a moment.


    Thuckkk!


    I drove the armor-piercing bullet through the gap and rolled forward, concentrating the shield to one side.


    Katatatatak!


    The sudden rain of bullets hit the shield and were deflected away.


    In fact, it was possible to pierce the shield of a Beast-rank Gigas if the bullets were infused with enough Intent, but I quickly avoided and they missed, so only the shield was broken and no other damage was received.


    -Ahhh, I was so close to dying. If this was the Universe War, I would already be beaten to a pulp.


    While grumbling, I shot a photon bullet.


    But surprisingly, the Dilophosaurus with heavy firearms all over his body counter-attacked with a double-handed gun!


    Bang bang bang!


    And the flying photon bullet was intercepted in the air.


    -Oooohhh, what a great shooting ability!


    Iughed in vain against the exmations of Alex who was astonished.


    -Haih, doing all sorts of bullshit now huh¡­


    I shot the photon bullets again. The Dilophosaurus intercepted as expected, but one of the photon bullets faintly faded out of thin air and reappeared, ignoring the interception and flying ahead--


    -You do all sorts of bizarre things huh.


    Booom!


    A crested head was crushed just like that.


    "Kekkkk!? This fucking shit! Cain?"


    "Did Cain the Lunatic just get defeated by a regr photon cannon?¡±


    Not just the enemy, but even my allies were in shock.


    But Albatross'' crew members were not idiots, so they did not miss this timing where there was a sharp decline in the enemy''s forces andunched an all-out attack.


    The golem-like bastard with a big jewel embedded on his head wanted to do something to escape the crisis, but his subordinates had already been shot down by me, so it was a situation where he couldn''t do anything. The only thing he could do was block the iing attacks.


    And seeing the bastard being cornered, I controlled the cannon on the back of the Thunder Dragon. With a ''Wiiiing'' sound, the cannon was mounted on the right shoulder.


    Lightning Cannon.


    This was the reason why this machine was named Thunder Dragon.


    "Keukk! This shitty!"


    Kwaaatatak!


    The Golem bastard stretched out his right arm, as if he could sense a life-threatening crisis at the image of the cannon barrel aiming at him. And suddenly, the machines that got destroyed and the pieces of the broken wall swarmed towards me. But it was something that was impossible.


    Paaaat!


    His attack went beyond space itself. I saw all kinds of stuff beingpressed from where I was standing, but it didn''t matter.


    I moved my index finger without hesitation.


    Kwareukkkkkkk!


    And the lightning struck. With that, the battle came to an end.


    Wiiiiingggg¡­


    The Thunder Dragon stopped operating.


    The Iron Heart was overworked to the limit and entered sleep mode.


    -...What the hell? Why isn''t this Gigas moving? it''s not working even though I''m controlling it?


    -It''s because he ran out of energy. You''ve been using Abilities one after another, so considering that, he held out for quite some time. If it had been a different Gigas, you might have had to change to another one.


    Almost all of the attacks were imbued with the <strong>Pration</strong> Ability.


    Well, I didn''t use the Ability for attacks that wouldn''t be an effective hit, but the problem was that most of my attacks <i>were</i> effective hits.


    And that wasn''t all ¨C I even used Stealth every now and then, and Sniper a few times too. In fact, I expected it to copse any moment, so thest attack was done with the Lightning Cannon, not a photon bullet that had Pration imbued in it.


    "Lieutenant Alex! Who''s riding the Thunder Dragon?"


    "I-, I don''t know. I left it in the maintenance room because it got hit by the EMP. No, putting that aside, this is not battle prowess that Thunder Dragon can produce!! And there was even no control persona too, so how on earth?¡±


    The woman deduced that there was nothing more to find out from seeing the flustered owner of Thunder Dragon, and the Noonim[2] wearing thick ck horn-rimmed sses and suit came closer. To be more exact, she approached the Thunder Dragon, which was right in front of my field of vision.


    She could basically be called a beauty with a slender figure, but she looked a little mature with the corners of her eyes raised, and she appeared nervous.


    "Thank you for your help! I''m Natalie, Deputy Captain of Albatross."


    -Ares, disconnect me.


    -Got it. Wait a bit.


    My line of sight widened again as Ares replied. My consciousness was disconnected from Thunder Dragon and I flew back up into the air in an astral-like body.


    But then, ¡°Huhhhh...?¡±


    I made eye contact with the pretty woman in blue hair who was looking at me with an interested expression. It was Celestia, the only familiar face on the bridge deck that I could recognize.


    -...Can you see me?


    As she casually muttered, Celestia evidently stared at me and silently spoke.


    I read her lips as she mouthed the words. As expected, I didn''t see wrongly.


    That was all I could read as the surrounding changed rapidly. Ares safely shut down the connection. The disy that was covered by snow and trees disappeared and I was inside the head of the open Ares.


    "...what was it hmmm?"


    After taking off my gloves, I got up from my seat and recalled Celestia''s gaze. She was always beautiful and her glistening eyes were also very pretty, but even then, I could only sense uneasiness as I looked at her. Her devil-like smile made me feel anxious, as if things would be veryplicated.


    <strong>What''s wrong? Is there something wrong with your body?</strong>


    "No... It''s just, my arm hurts a little, so I can''t muster up any strength. I didn''t take the control persona seriously, but having to do everything myself is draining the life out of me."


    It wasn''t just empty words ¨C both of my hands were shaking after having to go through several fierce battles.


    Basically, because the control method itself was to use both hands, it consumed a little bit of physical strength, and on top of that, to handle the tasks that the control persona had to do at the same time, I had to move both arms and fingers at an incredible pace.


    <strong>Well, it couldn''t be helped. All the control personas went to sleep because of those Legion bastards just now.</strong>


    "Couldn''t you have done it for me instead? In the first ce, you''re a control persona too.¡±


    <strong>I was already in remote control mode. You want me to take on the role of a control persona on top of that too huh... It would be better to just use the brainwave control system setting instead.</strong>


    I shook my head at his grumbling voice.


    "It was an important battle, so I couldn''t choose an unfamiliar control method. Just changing the keyboard and the control would be a mess, so it would''ve been too big of a risk."


    There were three main ways to control the Gigas, and among them, the mostmon was the Magic Hand.


    Magic Hand was the method that many pilots other than me used, and as I yed in <i>The Great War</i>, it was the type that I learned to use while sitting in the cockpit, and I used it to solve everything.


    But this method was only avable for humans to use.


    Given that the Gigas itself was a human invention in the first ce, it was obviously natural, but this method of control was not suitable for other species whose hands were not well developed.


    The Magic Hand method would be very inconvenient for the ship''s Captain, Major General Chun Hyun-il, and for those like Nathan, the Research Institute Director, who existed as a ball of light and had no hands and feet, simr to a Spirit of Light. They would not be able to control a Gigas at all.


    And that was why the brainwave control system existed.


    It was capable of shooting the Iron Heart''s Intent-imbued st just by concentrating on the mind, and movement was possible just by thinking about it, so the size of the cockpit could be innovatively reduced, and more technical skills could be used aspared to the Magic Hand method, which had to be used directly with hands.


    But basically, the operating difficulty was rtively high, and it was inconvenient to operate it for long periods of time because of the high consumption of mental strength.


    <strong> If that''s the case, what about the Power Armor method?</strong>


    "It''s already taxing just to move my arms, and you want me to move my whole body?¡±


    And the third method was Power Armor.


    This was a way for even those who had no idea how to control a Gigas to quickly adjust to it, and wear it like armor.


    However, this method could only be used on small-sized Gigas with a size of less than four meters tall (of course, some exceptions existed), and since it required direct movement, the consumption of the users'' physical strength was extremely high, so only supernaturals that had increased physical strength could use it.


    <strong>Command Room informing all crewmates aboard the Albatross ship! All battles have ended as of now. Informing once again. All battles have ended as of now. All crewmates are advised to participate in the rescue of the injured and the restoration of the destroyed areas.</strong>


    But then, a broadcast resonated in the workshop. I was flustered because of the unexpected message it was rying. Because there was a problem that had not been solved yet.


    "What happened to that transcendent from the dinosaur tribe? Was he defeated?¡±


    <strong>No way. If he was in a fit of anger, he would have destroyed beyond the residential area and even here. It was a strategic retreat as the situation was looking bad, and also because the control persona of the Albatross ship had been revived. If he fought with Major General Chun Hyun-il, he would have been doomed; and even if he won, the Albatross ship would have self-destructed.</strong>


    There were many different battle strategies to take, but Major General Chun Hyun-il, the strongest of the melee-fighters was still on the Albatross. If it weren''t for Major General Chun Hyun-il, that Morne bastard wouldn''t have had such a difficult time. Against a transcendent, the power below that was of little use, so even if other forces struggled hard to win, it would be of no use if Major General Chun Hyun-il copsed.


    If non-transcendents wanted to kill transcendents, they would either have to use a Gigas or a fighter jet, or use a battleship to kill him from long distance, so it would be very difficult to deal with it if the transcendent prated inside the ship just like right now. The only way was to seize the opportunity to kick him out to space and kill him from a distance, but transcendents weren''t idiots, so he wouldn''t fall for it easily.


    ''Even if it''s me, it''s hard to deal with transcendents. It''d be difficult even if I rode on a Star-rank.''


    Transcendents were life-forms whose attacks and defenses transcended battleships. So no matter how well one could pilot, it would be in vain.


    Don''t mention attacks imbued with Pration Ability ¨C other attacks wouldn''t go through too, so what was the use of controlling it? The wisest move would be to avoid confrontation.


    <strong>Ahh, by the way, are you okay?</strong>


    "Yes, what''s going on with you... Ahaaaaa."


    I understood the underlying meaning of his words andughed in vain.


    I took part in a war today. And I killed countless enemies.


    Even if the targets were extraterrestrial beings, it would be normal to be under a great deal of stress.


    But I shook my head.


    "I''m fine."


    <strong>Did you say you''re fine?</strong>


    "Yes, strangely, I''m fine. Is this what they call a terrifying game sense?"


    I forced augh inwardly, thinking that I had gone crazy amidst the war.


    Moreover, I was still a minor.


    1. This refers to super weapons that we all know of, for instance, nuclear weapons, stealth drones and so on.


    2. Formal way for a guy to address an older sister

 Chapter 33: The Birth of a Specter (4)

    <h4>Chapter 33: The Birth of a Specter (4)</h4>


    Moreover, I was still a minor.


    <i>''Well, I guess it''s in-as-day.''</i> -- I''m a killer of tens of millions.


    Of course I didn''t do it directly, but <strong>memory</strong> was no different to <strong>experience</strong> and I inherited that terrible nightmare, so maybe this status was something that was obvious.


    "Well, the immediate crisis seems to have passed anyway, so I''ll get going. But maybe I''lle back again."


    <strong>That may be true. However, even if the battle is over, the war is not.</strong>


    The enemy had made the initial retreat, but only for the melee fighters. The Albatross ship was still facing the enemy''s Exa-rank Space Carrier, and the Gigas and fighter jets that came out from there as well as a number of Frigates had us in a besiegement.


    "You can''t stop the self-destruction now, so won''t you give it up?"


    <strong>What absurdity. Those bastards brought in the Legion, the greatest enemies of Leonhardt Empire and the Union which is the greatest power in the Universe. If they fought amongst themselves, then the Union wouldn''t pay them any heed, but the story would be different if Legion got involved. If this bes known to the Union, there will certainly be sanctions imposed and they will never let them get out of it alive.</strong>


    "...Sanctioning members of the Imperial-ss just because of some terrorist groups?"


    <strong>It''s not just that, you fool. Even now, if Legion decides to do so, the whole universe will turn upside down. It''s fortunate that they have now weakened, but when Dekarma, the Machine God, was present, the Legion was so powerful that even the Union couldn''t do anything. If Dekarma had not been destroyed by a Martial God known for his power even in the God Realm, he would have grown into a force that could match up to the Union.</strong>


    "A Martial God on top of a Machine God?"


    Iughed in vain. It felt like I was listening to myths, not history, because the existence of God was mentioned so casually, but to get used to this damn Great Universe, I needed to be able to let something like this pass lightly.


    <i>''By the way, Dekarma is...''</i>


    <i>Somehow it was a familiar feeling. Have I heard a simr name before?</i> [1]


    <strong>Anyway, if there''s something wrong with the surroundings, flee ande here immediately. At any rate, the safest ce when the ship is sinking is here.</strong>


    I opened the door to go out, and turned my head slightly. A head which was about the size of a decent Beast-rank Gigas was staring at me.


    "Thank you for worrying about me."


    <strong>Huh, what? Hey! What I meant just now was...!</strong>


    "Close the door."


    Chiiikingggg!


    I closed the door and left the workshop.


    Although I had already confirmed their safety with the Eye of Ares, I still felt the urge to check on the condition of Bo-ram and Dong-min. They were the only fellow countrymen I knew in this big battleship, so it was better to stick together at times like these. More than anything else, weren''t they also my bodyguards?


    But at that moment, a silver Metal Body that was lying on one side of the workshop rose up.


    <strong>Kwan Dae-ha-nim.</strong>


    I saw a in head with no expression or face, and a body that seemed to be made of hardened metal, so magnificent that it was impossible to physically exist. Nevertheless, she had the most beautiful breasts and rtively slender limbs, and on top of that, it was covered with translucent fabrics that looked like something a desert dancer would wear.


    Last but not least, she had the image of a girl with a figure that could only be described as explosively hot. The beauty''s appearance, which seemed to havee out of a Japaneseic, was the Character Image of Genie, the control persona of the Albatross ship.


    "Ahh, Genie. Is your condition okay?"


    <strong>Thank you for your concern. It''s just... Can you exin what''s going on?</strong>


    I realized that she had sensed my ideality as I heard her plea. But then again, if she didn''t know, that would be even more strange. Because I was the one who woke her up from her slumber.


    "What if it''s a secret?"


    <strong>Then there''s nothing I can do about it. Because I don''t have the authority to force Dae-ha-nim. It''s just that...</strong>


    She walked up to me. And on the way, her breasts shook at her tiniest movement. (It was only an image, so there was no way she could be affected by the gravity of the Albatross ship) I clicked my tongue inwardly.


    I don''t know who the creator of Genie was, but I must admit that he was perverted in more ways than one. If he made a lot of control persona like Genie, I''m sure he would hear nothing short of curses and praises from the whole universe. But she spoke with all seriousness without knowing my train of thoughts.


    <strong>I have no choice but to report the reason why I was able to wake up.</strong>


    It was obvious. Although Genie, the control persona of the Albatross ship, could make judgements by herself and even take actions if and when necessary, fundamentally, she was a program that assisted her users and she followed their orders whenever she was instructed to. Especially if it was someone who had the authority of a Deputy Captain or above ¨C it was natural for her to tell them everything, including secret information.


    But Iughed, "Then tell a lie. Say that you don''t know how you woke up."


    <strong>That''s not¡­ It''s impossible for a control persona to lie.</strong>


    Maybe it was the principle that was fundamentally given to control personas, and it was something that should never be vited. If that became possible, it would be impossible for humans to trust the control personas, so this was a natural measure to take.


    But I said again. It was a little test of sorts.


    "Do it please."


    <strong>It is not possible.</strong>


    Her answer was the same. So, I changed the method of speech.


    "Do it."


    <strong>...!!!</strong>


    In an instant, Genie''s beautiful face became distorted with shock. She looked at me with an unbelievable expression and she was speechless.


    <i>''For sure... even control personas have feelings. Anyhow, it looks like it''s something that I can dominate even if I''m not a Legion. Though it was the same with Ares.''</i>


    The level of the AIs I met in the Universe was beyond my imagination.


    They had feelings and were capable of decision-making. However, if the opposite party was a user who had a high authority, it was impossible to reject their order ording to the basic principles, but at this point, it was almost like a life-form that possessed its own consciousness.


    <i>''Then, the only difference is creativity and the ability to think after all. If I have to look for more, unlike control personas and AIs, the Legion does not need an owner.''</i>


    Though it had emotions and could make judgement, it was impossible to make a civilization and develop it because itcked creativity and the ability to think. And they couldn''t break away from the basic principles that were made, so it wasn''t possible for them to pull a rebellion like the AIs described in science fiction novels. Rising up against their users, including humans, or viting principles was only possible if the developer of the AIs made some changes, or if the main system got hacked and they followed the orders of the enemy.


    But now I found out that my orders took precedence over all that.


    <strong>As you...</strong>


    She got on her knees. It was a graceful posture as if a beautiful dancer was greeting her master.


    <strong>As you wish.</strong>


    *


    I arrived at the infirmary. Needless to say, the infirmary was in a state that was no different from the battlefield. There were so many patients that many of them were lying on the floor. Medical machines and metal bodies were constantly moving without rest and Medic-ss supernaturals as well as wizards were tending to people.


    "Are you okay?"


    "I''m not okay. Ughhhh, I broke five bones."


    "You look fine seeing that you''re crying. Dong-min, what about you?"


    "I''m fine."


    "What do you mean you''re fine, you look like you''re dying."


    I put a weird machine as big as my head on my chest and looked at Bo-ram and Dong-min lying on the floor. Their bodies were covered with an opaque white jelly-like substance, and the jelly repeatedly swelled and shrinked as if it were breathing.


    I looked up at the unidentifiable weird machine.


    <strong> Antis Workshop</strong>


    <strong>Specially taken out, High-Speed Healing Workshop (Small)</strong>


    <i>''What''s with the specially taken out. Does it mean they''re treating them? But on such grounds? With no beds and only the floor to lie on?''</i>


    I grumbled inwardly, but I didn''t say it out loud. Even if I didn''t know anything about medical care, I could tell that these guys were lightly injured among all the patients scattered around.


    "Uggggh, they''re short of beds. Honestly, it''s very ufortable, but it''s so hellish around here that it''s not a situation where I canin."


    She wasn''t wrong, there were sorrowful wailsing from all over the ce.


    "Al! Get a hold of yourself! Please wake up!"


    "Ha-il! Kuuurghhhhhh! Ha-il!"


    The damage the Albatross suffered in this one battle was enormous. It wasn''t an exaggeration ¨C among more than 10,000 crewmates, nearly 30% had died. The more serious problem was that most of them werebat troops. Given that the war was not over yet, the situation was pretty hopeless.


    "Healing workshop! Are there no more healing workshops?!"


    "We''ve already taken out all our reserves!"


    "Then for now, get them from the people who have passed the emergency state and save the heavily-injured!"


    Should I call them Combat Medics? People in white coats stained with blood ran around while yelling. Healers who had healing abilities were dispersing subtle light from their hands, treating the people around them.


    "Ermmm, I''m sorry, but..."


    "Ahhh! Yes, I''m fine. I can manage to breathe now, so take it and go."


    Bo-ram was lying on the floor while moaning, and one of the soldiers looked apologetic upon hearing her words. But he fidgeted with the healing workshop as he had no choice. With the beep beep beep sound of the machine, the jelly that was covering Bo-ram''s body was sucked into the healing workshop.


    "Take mine, too."


    "Ahhh, thank you for the thought, but you need to receive more treatment. You have a hole in your lungs and your internal organs are also very damaged. If we collect the healing workshop now, it''ll get worse again."


    "I have innate healing abilities... Take it."


    The soldier hesitated for a moment as Dong-min spoke resolutely. But he bowed his head down after hearing the groans that came from all around.


    "Then, if you''ll excuse me."


    In the same way with Bo-ram previously, the jelly was sucked into the healing workshop and the soldier ran to the other wounded while carrying the two healing workshops. Even at this moment, injured people were arriving in the infirmary one after another.


    "Heok¡­ Heokkk¡­"


    When the jelly that was covering Dong-min''s whole body disappeared, he began to run out of breath immediately. As he had a hole in his lungs, the shrill breathing sounded severe. Considering that Bo-ram only had a fever because of the broken bones, Dong-min was in an incredibly grave condition inparison. Nevertheless, Dong-min had an expression that seemed as if it was nothing major.


    "Bo-ram."


    "Yes, sunbae-nim."


    "I can''t... fight for at least 72 hours from now on. I''ll leave Dae-ha to you."


    "Don''t worry. Just like sunbae-nim, I also have a lot of hidden cards."


    "Well, certainly¡­ I thought so too." He chuckled and closed his eyes.


    And then, bzzt bzzt zzt! Dong-min''s body rapidly froze. And then there were drops of water floating over it, and he hardened into a transparent ice coffin form.


    Now that I look at it properly, before I knew it, he was holding a 30 centimeter long Vajra Scepter above his chest with both hands. And Bo-ram, who discovered that just like me, opened her eyes wide.


    "Wah, holy crap. That''s the Vajra Scepter of King Jeseokcheon [2]. There are talks of it being an inferior version of Indra, but it''s no different from a Godly Artifact, I can''t believe he took it out. The fact that the Magic Tower Lord took out Gungnir without a word too, the influence of Teacher Kwan Il-han is beyond imagination."


    "Is it an amazing weapon?"


    "Are you seriously asking that? That thing is..."


    As she was about to exin, "The guards seem unusual, too."


    "...Cel?"


    "Shhh. I''m in a transparent state right now, so look ahead while you talk. Well, it''s you anyway, but I don''t know if you can see me."


    A beautiful girl with blue eyes and blue hair, which looked as if it was made by taking out every single stream of sea water from the tropical sea, floated in front of me. With her easy-to-movebat suit, a gun on both sides of her waist and an assault rifle on her back, she looked at me with sparkling eyes.


    "Sunbae... There''s something sitting next to me right now."


    "Ahhh, it''s not the enemy so don''t worry. It''s the Imperial Princess Her Royal Highness who came with us before."


    As I made eye contact with Celestia and whispered to her, Bo-ram opened her eyes wide.


    "No way, you can see her? Even when I can''t see her with my Eye of Insight?"


    I had never told Bo-ram and Dong-min anything about myself. I just talked about misceneous situations and what they should do in the future, but I didn''t reveal any personal connections I had. Of course it was the same for them too, so I''d never heard about their families or the abilities they had.


    "Hoho, I guess these guys don''t know anything about you either, do they?"


    "...What are you doing here? You''re a busy person, aren''t you?"


    "Hoho, no matter how busy I am, it''s not courteous if I don''t show my face to the hero who saved all of our lives."


    While saying so, she looked at me closely. It was just a simple gaze, but just that was considerably seductive already.


    <i>''Damn it. She''s really pretty.''</i>


    I had seen many beautiful women throughout my life. Most of the women who tried to win over my father were beauties that would put movie stars to shame; Although the voluptuous beauty ina whom I met after getting on board of the Albatross ship wasn''t an earthling, she was incredibly beautiful; Genie who had amazingly pretty features, was of course also a great beauty.


    But nevertheless, Celestia was an existence who shined more than anyone else. Though she was wearing abat suit that was not the least bit feminine, even I couldn''te to my senses for a moment at the sight of her beautiful face. If her face was already such a cheat, her body should at least becking in certain departments, but she boasted femininity and her figure was perfect, so even if she didn''t carry the royal bloodline of an Imperial Princess, she would still be a star.


    <i>''I have to be careful.''</i>


    But nevertheless, I was cold as always.


    It wasn''t because I didn''t like her, but, I could clearly foresee the thorny path that would open up the instant I was captivated by her beauty. I couldn''t even imagine what would happen if I mistakenly got hooked on a woman that knew she was very beautiful.


    "You know I don''t prefer revealing my identity, right? Can''t you keep it a secret? An unidentified hero helped us, how about that?"


    I tried to silently pass it off in my own way, but Celestia shook her head.


    "The Captain called for you. Ahh, just so you know, it wasn''t me. It looks like you''re trying to hide your identity, so you shouldn''t have gone near the transcendents."


    "Huh? Don''t tell me..."


    "I heard you loitered around the bridge deck when you were in the middle of a Universe War with the Space Carrier, right?"


    "Wow, that insensitive bear." Iughed because I was dumbfounded.


    <i>''Oh my God, that means he saw me there?''</i>


    What was even scarier was that I didn''t show myself there at all. And yet, he realized exactly who I was and called me out like this. He looked like a simple and naive martial artist, but as expected, he was still a transcendent.


    "Erm, sunbae-nim, what are you talking about?"


    "I think I''ll have to go away for a while."


    "Ugh, but if I don''t escort you..."


    Bo-ram said so while propping her upper body up, but it was an unreasonable assertion. She had bruises all over her body which were so serious that five bones were broken.


    How could she guard me when she had a broken shin and couldn''t even stand up?


    I stopped her by grabbing her shoulder.


    "It''s a safe ce, so don''t worry. I''m on my way to see the Captain."


    "I''m not worried about the Captain. It''s an opponent you can''t defy anyways. Phew... Damn it. I wanted to do this in a better situation, showing my beautiful back while saving everyone from danger."


    "Bo-ram?"


    I was about to question her unexpected words.


    She raised her right arm, and muttered with the back of her hand visible to me.


    "...Transformation."


    1. This is a y on word, it''s really simr to Dharma.


    2. This is the Korean version of an entity simr to Indra, and the Vajra Scepter is his weapon.

 Chapter 34: The Birth of a Specter (5)

    <h4>Chapter 34: The Birth of a Specter (5)</h4>


    "...Transformation."


    Wiiiiingggg---!


    As Bo-ram whispered, a motor-cranking sound resonated strongly. It was extremely loud, but for some reason no one paid any attention.


    ng ng ck.


    And immediately after, the silver metal, which was mounted on both her arms and covered from the back of her hand to her elbow, began to expand. Like a scene in a Transformers movie, it started to flip and divide itself and quickly enveloped her whole body.


    nkk.


    And as the armor eventually spread all over, the ground shook lightly, and Bo-ram who was sitting with her upper body propped up, disappeared.


    "Hohhh, that''s something special. I thought this ce was just a primitive that wasmon as day, but there''s all sorts of stuff here."


    "Don''t call it primitive, you idiot."


    Before I knew it, Bo-ram stood behind me and answered with a brusque voice towards the direction of Celestia, who whistled in surprise. She had five broken bones and couldn''t stand up properly, but she looked fairly fine as if the silver armor that covered her whole body had a healing effect.


    "What do you mean idiot... I know you don''t like such wordsing out of my mouth, but I''m still an Imperial Princess okay."


    "Ahh, yes, that''s right. Come to think of it, I heard there''s an anachronistic royal family in this universe."


    Celestia did not lose her temper at Bo-ram''s carefreement. No, let alone being angry, instead, she was smiling brightly like a flower in full bloom.


    ng ng.


    "...You''re the one that started it first; don''t me me for what''s about to happen."


    She cocked her pair of golden pistols that appeared out of nowhere.


    "Hmph. You think I''ll back down?"


    Wiiiiingggg!


    As Celestia brought out her guns, Bo-ram also released her aura. An unknown mechanical sound began to ring from the two arms of the suit of armor that was covering her body.


    I was watching the whole scene from the very beginning, and I secretly broke into a cold sweat.


    Needless to say, if Bo-ram, my guard, fought with Celestia, the Imperial Princess of the Leonhardt Empire, the situation would turn dire.


    "Stop it."


    Kiinggg!


    It was meant to stop them, but suddenly, the mechanical sound that came from the silver armor stopped in a single stroke, and Bo-ram staggered greatly.


    "Hmm? What''s going on? You okay?"


    Celestia, who was angry for a moment at Boram''s provocation, realized that Bo-ram''s condition was abnormal and put down her pistols. Bo-ram had a confused expression.


    "Hahhh... hahh... What just happened? Why was I about to fight with you?"


    "You''re the one who provoked me first, so what kind of gibberish¡­ Don''t tell me?"


    Celestia looked like she had a clue as to what was going on, and she began to look through every inch of Bo-ram''s armor. Though Celestia was flustered by the sudden change in the situation, she still observed. Fascinatingly enough, a golden lion pattern conjured up in her blue eyes.


    "What''s the matter?"


    "Ahh... it''s a secret. Huhhhh, oh my God. I can''t believe I''m seeing this in a ce like this¡­ Ugh, this is going toplicate things. Will Fathere because of this?"


    "Hello there?"


    I frowned at Celestia, who muttered some nonsense, and raised my head slightly and used ssification on her title.


    <strong>Detro Gxy Union, Fourth Corps, First Advance Squad</strong>


    <strong>Discovered the adversary, Celestia</strong>


    <i>''What does it mean by discovering the adversary? Who''s the adversary?''</i>


    Since we were on the subject, what I could see was the title, not the person''s mind. There were many applications to the ability to see a title, but it was not such a convenient ability for it to view a person''s mind or current thoughts in the process of <strong>ssification</strong>.


    "By the way, Bo-ram, are you okay? Why were you like that just now?"


    "I, I don''t know. Strangely, while wearing this armor... I think I was angry after seeing that woman. Come to think of it, strangely, I think I was hostile towards her usually too."


    Although it was armor that covered the whole body, her expression was clearly visible because the face was revealed when the visor of the elegantly-designed helmet was opened. Roughly ncing at the title above Bo-ram''s head, I could see she wasn''t lying.


    "Are you all right now?"


    "Yes. It suddenly got better."


    She came and stood behind me again. However, perhaps because of the situation just now, she had aplicated expression as she was confused.


    <i>''By the way, she said transformation.''</i>


    As Celestia and Bo-ram were lost in thought for a while, I looked at Bo-ram''s armor. The helmet, which appeared to be made from the image of a dragon''s head, and the silver armor, which was made of metal-like material that did not interfere with the user¡¯s movements at all, were quite fancy with the intricate patterns and the jewels that were embedded all around the armor.


    "Anyways, that''s an unusual transformation. That isn''t a Magician Girl, but more like a main character from a superhero series."


    "...Sunbae."


    I was bewildered by Bo-ram''s expression that suddenly became stiff.


    "Why, what''s up?"


    "The word Magician Girl... Where did you hear that from?"


    I was shocked by the question that came out of her low voice and my head went empty.


    <i>''Why did I say the term "Magical Girl" from my mouth?''</i>


    Needless to say, it was because of her title.


    <i>''Oh? Come to think of it, I''ve never heard her say the term "Magical Girl" before, not even once, did she?'' </i>


    At that moment, I desperately racked my brain. I searched through my head and organized my thoughts. Fortunately, there was an answer that came to mind.


    "What, why are you so nervous? You said that those martial artists who attacked me before were Magician Girl Apprentices."


    "...Martial artists?"


    "Yes, those assaulters. I thought it was an official title after hearing that they were called Magician Girl Apprentices? Was I mistaken about something?"


    <i>I''ve always thought so, but my acting skill is really on a Best Actor Award-level. </i>


    A bbergasted expression was the point I focused on, which gave off a vibe that she was too serious for something so obvious. Bo-ram''s face turned red as she got baited into it.


    "Ah! Ha! Hahaha! That''s right! I had that kind of nickname. Hohoho, I too jokingly call those martial artists who were female magicians ''Magician Girl''!"


    "Why are you acting so strangely for something like that?"


    "Hohoho! You told the Captain-nim that we''ll being, right! Let''s go quickly! Imperial Princess-nim? Let''s get moving. The eyes around are gathering."


    "Don''t say out loud that I''m an Imperial Princess. People are staring."


    As if they forgot they were just about to fight a moment ago, the two women organized the atmosphere in an instant and led the way. And while I was being led by these women, I was drowning in thoughts.


    <i>''That armor brainwashed Bo-ram''s mind.''</i>


    There was no evidence in particr, but there was something called a sixth sense.


    Bo-ram was basically a lively person, but she also had enough social skills to act like a shy beauty.


    In fact, she had been living her life without any ws, so much so that people who knew her at school referred to her as a beauty that had the image of a falling flower bud. And in the Universe where she had no background to associate with, she purposely provoked a fight with an Imperial Princess, no less?


    I didn''t think I understood people well, but no matter who looked at it, this was a strange situation.


    <i>''And how she came to her senses... was because of my words huh.''</i>


    Now even I knew what was going on. The fact that my orders exert absolute authority over machineries. Just by simply speaking, they would absolutely obey my orders. They would do anything. Even things they couldn''t do originally...


    <i>''But there is a limitation.''</i>


    When I was on Earth, I was not aware of such an ability. It was not because my abilities manifested aftering this far. The power itself had been around for a long time, but the pre-condition ¡ª the target having to be a <strong>machine, </strong>couldn''t be easily met on Earth.


    To be precise, it was the <strong>artificial intelligence</strong> that listened to my orders. It didn¡¯t need to be a perfect artificial intelligence, but at least functions that were equivalent to that were needed.


    In fact, when I was on Earth, it was useless to shout ''Come on, turn on!'' at a broken PC. That was confirmed after testing it with a faultymunication device in the Albatross ship. If it didn''t at least have the ability to understand what I was saying, it was meaningless no matter what order I gave.


    "I guess the saying ''an ignorant ghost who doesn''t recognize a talisman'' is the perfect thing to describe time like these?"


    "...A talisman?"


    She shook her head as she looked at Celestia, who questioned my sudden remarks.


    "I''m just talking to myself, so don''t mind me."


    Bo-ram, Celestia, and I headed for the Captain''s room through the corridor, and there were shattered and destroyed Metal Bodies as well as maintenance machines here. Originally, several walls were supposed to stand in the way towards the Captain''s room, but due to the battle, all the walls were destroyed and there was no one left to protect it.


    But then again, the Albatross ship''s greatest fighting force was Major General Chun Hyun-il, so it would be rather funny to leave some troops to defend him in these times of emergency. Of course, that didn''t mean there was really nobody around; there was a soldier equipped with a gun in front of the Captain''s room.


    "Halt. The Captain''s room is beyond here."


    He stood in our way. It was a cautious atmosphere, as it was right after the battle in which countless people died. But Celestia stepped forward immediately following that. Seeing the surprised expression of the man who wouldn''t have been able to sense Celestia, it looked like Celestia most probably disabled her Stealth. "I''m sorry. They''re guests I brought along."


    "Prin-, Imperial Princess-nim! Loyalty!"


    "Hoho. Keep up the good work."


    "Yes!"


    Passing by the soldier that was keeping the "ATTENTION!" pose while maintaining discipline, we entered the Captain''s room.


    Krieeekkk---


    "Ugh... What is this?"


    I hesitated for a moment. Because I could feel the dense and heavy pressure from the surrounding air. The strong pressure was suffocating, as if I had entered deep into a swamp.


    "What a ridiculous Spiritual Pressure..."


    I wasn''t the only one that sensed it, Bo-ram stood in front of me and tried to ward off the aura. Before I knew it, strange patterns appeared around her armor and it was throbbing like a living creature.


    "Ahh, my bad."


    But soon after that, all the aura disappeared as if it was washed away.


    "I''m in the middle of treating my injury."


    It was an oriental house. It may be a little ambiguous to use the word ''house'' inside the ship, but that was the truth, so it couldn''t be helped. The Captain''s room was as big as a decent school''s sports field, and there was a simple tile-roofed house in the center of it.


    To our surprise, there was a waterfall on one side of the Captain''s room, where water was flowing down and beautiful flowers as well as unknown grasses were growing abundantly. Among them, there was a scent that gave off a sense of refreshment, perhaps because it came from precious herbs.


    "Are you feeling better?"


    "I''ll have to get some more treatment."


    Celestia smiled as she looked at Major General Chun Hyun-il, who was in a lotus position[1] and did not even budge.


    "You look fine though?"


    "We didn''t actually fight like crazy. Ahhh, that aside, it''s nice to meet you. I''m Chun Hyun-il. Our age difference is over 500 years, so you won''t say anything if I drop the honorifics, right?"


    As he spoke to us in a friendly manner, he lifted himself up, but even that seemed to exert a great deal of energy. He was around three meters tall as he stood up properly, however, it was definitely not just because he was as big as a small-sized Gigas.


    Rather, the important thing was the inside. Unlike before, Bo-ram handled the aura well, as if she couldn''t really feel it. Nevertheless, I could sense it ¡ª the presence in the form of an enormous power hidden inside him.


    <i>''Oh my God. Is this really the power a mere life form could possess?'' </i>


    It was so outrageous that Iughed in vain.


    I couldn''te up with a n to win in a 1:1 battle with him even if I rode on the Golden Constetion, Goldrian. It was to the point that if a war were to break out, even if I could make considerable achievements, if I were to get within a hundred meters of him, it would be difficult to escape. Even though I was strong enough to capture and not destroy <strong>Punishment</strong>, a Terra-rank battleship when I was riding on Goldrian, he was at a level I couldn''t possibly reach.


    <i>''These transcendents are existences beyondmon sense huh.''</i>


    I couldn¡¯t believe there were not just one or two, but hundreds and thousands of these kinds of people. <i>No matter how big the Universe is, isn''t this too much?</i>


    It wasn''t a joke, it would be possible for a mere individual to destroy a civilization or a, so no wonder all the forces were centered on the transcendents.


    <i>''That''s right, maybe... Maybe the reason why the Universe is a monarchy and not a democracy, is also because of the transcendents.'' </i>


    I found it strange from the moment I saw terms like Empire, Emperor, and Imperial Princess.


    Why did most of the forces of the Great Universe which had a more advanced civilization maintain the monarchy which was abandoned even on Earth? Even though they were neither suppressing or regting information, how did citizens of the future tolerate the existence of a king which had real power?


    <i>''It''s because of power.'' </i>


    <i>That''s right. Power.</i>


    If an individual had the power of a transcendent, and the power to destroy the civilization to which he belonged, he would be an existence that couldn''t be bound by the framework, rules andws of society.


    It would be a different story if he epted it, but how could someone coerce such an existence?


    In the end, whether the process was smooth or if blood had to be shed, if a transcendent appeared and there was no way to deal with them, there would only be two oues.


    <i>Either he bes king. Or he bes God.</i>


    "Did you say you''re Dae-ha?"


    "Ahh, yes."


    After a moment of contemtion, I came to my senses and faced Major General Chun Hyun-il.


    Major General Chun Hyun-il moved his head slightly and nced at Bo-ram, who was sticking close beside me.


    ¡°Now, now... this is really interesting."


    It was hard to discern his expression as he had the appearance of a pr bear, but I think heughed for a moment there. And right after that, he bowed down and moved his face close enough to touch nose-to-nose. It was such a nimble movement that didn''t fit his huge build, but there was not a single hint of wind blowing around, which gave me goosebumps all over.


    "Wha-, what''s the matter?"


    "What do you mean what''s the matter? Ahhh, it''s no big deal. I just wanted to ask."


    When I made eye contact, his ck pupils that seemed bottomless swallowed me up like an abyss.


    "Who are you?"


    1. It''s supposedly a posture used during meditation.

 Chapter 35: The Birth of a Specter (6)

    <h4>Chapter 35: The Birth of a Specter (6)</h4>


    When I made eye contact, his ck pupils that seemed bottomless swallowed me up like an abyss.


    "Who are you?"


    It wasn''t just some simple words. I could feel every word and every letter he uttered weighing down on my soul. I didn''t sense any killing intent, and since the difference in strength was so overwhelming anyways, any killing intent would be meaningless. Just like how we kill an ant without any intention to kill.


    "This is displeasing."


    "Like I said... What is?"


    Major General Chun Hyun-il wanted to question me more, but he paused.


    Bo-ram, who was on edge, also looked at me with a puzzled look on her face. She had an expression that seemed to say "How is this possible, I didn''t expect this to happen", but actually this was natural.


    In the first ce, there was no reason for me to be desperate in front of him. Instead, I should be more confident. Rather, if I hesitated here, I would be falsely used of something I didn''t do.


    "Why are you interrogating me? What grounds are you basing it on?"


    "No wait, what grounds? That''s of course..."


    Baffled, he tried to say something more but hesitated. Because there was no such basis for his usations.


    "I came from what you people call Earth-34, and I was scouted one-sidedly. I''ve never lied about my personal life and neither have Imitted a crime. Why should I be treated like this?"


    My argument was sound. Because what I said was the truth. And Major General Chun Hyun-il was perplexed by the list of reasonable facts. I guess he didn''t expect me to act this way.


    "Hmm, but your identity..."


    "You''ve never asked me to tell you every single ability I have. You''re the one who approached me as you pleased in the first ce; you''re just making it difficult for me if youe now and demand that I reveal my identity. And more than anything..."


    I stared straight at Major General Chun Hyun-il. I got a job on Albatross, but that was just an employee''s contract and I was not his underling.


    "I hid it because it''s troublesome, but it''s even more strange if you already knew it beforehand. No matter how much I think about it, I think I''ve performed a lot better than the sry I receive, so what''s the deal with this treatment?"


    I recalled what the God-rank Gigas who carried the name<i> </i>God of War<i> </i>said. If this ship was subjugated by the enemy, the majority of the passengers would be dead, and those that remained alive would be trampled upon by the enemy. There was not even a 1% chance of victory, so any form of hope couldn''t have existed.


    Major General Chun Hyun-il had his hands tied dealing with Morne, a demi-human transcendent, but the rest of the situation was simply the worst. He was able to keep Morne at bay, but at the same time he had his hands tied, and if he showed a gap, he would have received a fatal injury, so he couldn''t help his allies.


    And in that meantime, the ship was taken over by the enemy and all the crew members were trampled on. In fact, it was not an exaggeration to say that I was the savior of Albatross.


    Bwahaha!


    But Major General Chun Hyun-il suddenlyughed, "Hoho... as I expected, those Gigas were controlled by you."


    I froze at his unexpected words. In that instant, I thought, <i>''I was had!''</i>.


    Come to think of it, all he saw was the way I flew into the battleship''s interior. He wasn''t sure that I was the one who controlled a Gigas, and it was just a conjecture he had, but I went ahead and said it first.


    <i>''Let''s calm down.''</i>


    But I maintained a poker face. I wasn''t flustered. Anyways, even if he didn''t know, Celestia did. It would be easier to just think that this information was something that would eventually be known because she had no reason or loyalty to keep it a secret.


    I nodded nonchntly and continued speaking as if it wasn''t a big deal, "I couldn''t help it. I just wanted to do maintenance, but everything turned into a hot mess."


    "Keke. But then again, I kind of figured it out when I saw you being inside the Eye of Ares. I figured that it was the skill King of All Armaments that remotely controlled the Gigas. Even if he was a God-rank, I didn''t know it would be great enough to control the Gigas with just an Ability."


    It seemed that Chun Hyun-il somewhat knew about Ares and also about the Ability Ares had.


    <i>''But then again, he''s the one who stands at the very top on this ship, so it would be even more strange if he doesn''t know about Ares. Above all, the Albatross ship said it would cooperate to find Ares'' body.''</i>


    However, Chun Hyun-il let the fact that Ares could control Gigas pass, which suggested that he didn''t know its exact function, and Celestia was smirking at Major General Chun Hyun-il.


    Major General Chun Hyun-il nodded at the sight of her smiling.


    "I apologize for the disrespect. I''ll make up to you next time for hastily doubting you, let''s sit down for now alright?"


    "Okay."


    We entered the house following the guidance of Major General Chun Hyun-il.


    Basically, it was apletely oriental-style tile-roofed house with a floor, but once I entered the room inside, there were Western-style tables, chairs and even sofas. It was a bit out of ce, so when I looked at Major General Chun Hyun-il, he giggled.


    "I couldn''t help it. When we sit together, the difference in our eye level is so huge that it seems impolite."


    While saying so, he sat down on the floor.


    Even though we sat in chairs and he sat on the floor, the difference in our size was so big that we had to gaze up at him. He seemed to have thought of this arrangement because he often met those that were human-sized.


    "Anyways, it''s nice to meet you. I''m Kwan Dae-ha."


    "I''m Major General Chun Hyun-il, captain of Albatross. It''s an honor to meet you, Mr. Specter."


    "Specter?"


    Major General Chun Hyun-ilughed when I questioned about the unexpected term.


    "It''s a nickname given by the crewmates who realized the fact that no one was riding on the Gigas that defeated the enemies who suddenly appeared. It''s quiet because we''re in a chaotic situation, but there''s a lot of people who are curious about who you really are."


    It''s obvious, but it wasn''t a ghost story. This was the Great Universe where superhumans existed, which had also proved the existence of Gods and souls. Of course, rather than thinking it was a ghost story, they would think that there was a very powerful person who could remotely move the Gigas.


    "Hmm. Does anyone know more when ites to Ares?"


    "Not really. At most, it would be me and the Tech Division Chief, as well as the Deputy Captain or Brigade Commanders who have the authority to ess first-ss secrets."


    <i>''That means there''s quite a lot, isn''t it?''</i>


    Iughed in vain, but I didn''t quibble over it.


    Well, it was not like I was a criminal, so if I desperately tried to hide my identity, it''d seem more strange.


    <strong>I brought tea.</strong>


    "Thank you, Genie. Let''s talk while we drink. It''s a Thousand Spirit Tea that was infused with precious sacred herbs."


    "Ack, Hyun-il! Are you going to be like this? You didn''t take this out when you met me!"


    "That''s why I''m giving it to you like this right now. Besides, it takes a few weeks to boil the Thousand Spirit Tea. How do I give it to someone whoes all of a sudden?"


    While listening to their conversation, I took a sip of the Thousand Spirit Tea. There was a cup of tea for me and Celestia, and of course, there was tea for Bo-ram as well, but she shook her head slightly and refused, so I drank her share too.


    "Hmm."


    It seems it wasn''t empty talk, and the tea was really precious. I drank two cups in a row, and after a while, my stomach warmed up and I gradually felt energy spread throughout my body. I didn''t know why but I felt energized. But everyone did not mention it at all, as if it was something natural, so I just swiftly emptied the cup and nodded.


    "It''s good tea."


    "It''s made by refining the Thousand Year Spirits. It''s not hard to procure it now, but in the past, wars were waged for this herb."


    I drank the tea while listening to him. Though it was a warm whirling energy that enveloped my body, the smell of the tea itself was very mellow and soothing.


    Of course, if I rxed too much I would be in an awkward position, so I emptied my ss and continued speaking, "Captain-nim,e to think of it, do you know how I was scouted to join the Albatross ship?"


    "I heard it was because of your supernatural ability to identify the condition of a machine."


    I nodded at his answer that I anticipated, and continued.


    "Of course, that is true. But what was the first thing you thought of? Why did the Leonhardt Empire approach me when I was living a normal life on Earth-34? The Albatross ship didn''t know anything about my superpowers then."


    "That''s because in <i>The Great War..</i>."


    Chun Hyun-il spoke up to that point and paused. He was someone who spent hundreds of years in training and reached the realm of a transcendent. He quickly found the answer because he obviously wasn''t stupid.


    "1.28 billion points..."


    Chun Hyun-il looked at me with a puzzled look on his face.


    Frankly speaking, even till now, I still didn''t understand it, but this 1.2 billion score was apparently an enormous score that no one else could hold a candle to. Wasn''t that why ina, the HR Division Chief, judged me to be a supernatural without questioning whether this was a real score or not?


    That''s why when I saw Major General Chun Hyun-il who was surprised, I thought for a moment, <i>''Does this guy not believe it too?''</i>, but he soon nodded. Perhaps due to his intuition as a transcendent or because of his experience that umted over 500 years of living, he quickly epted the situation.


    "Alright then... Come to think of it, there are all sorts of people in the world. Is that power passed down from lineage?"


    "...Somewhat."


    To be honest, even I didn''t know the exact identity of my power. After all, I still didn''t know who my <strong>father</strong> was. Of course, being skilled at ying games was my ownpetency, but there was also a possibility that I inherited this<strong> talent </strong>of being able to see titles from my predecessors.


    <i>''That''s right, maybe I''m a genius.''</i>


    That might be true, as it was the only area that I could beat my all-rounded genius father at. Then wouldn''t it be safe to say that I was a great genius when it came to this?


    Celestia nodded her head in agreement, "Certainly, the performance that this guy showed while on the Thunder Dragon was ridiculous. He went beyond space, and fired off attacks that pierced the enemy''s defence... No, in fact, this is probably just a secondary ability."


    After saying all that, Hyun-il stared at me momentarily with an amused expression, then continued to talk.


    "This guy''s real ability is piloting skills - piloting that is extremely outstanding. I''ve never seen a Gigas dominating the battlefield with such ss before."


    In fact, even though it was the words of the Imperial Princess, who lived a normal life that had nothing to do with war, Major General Chun Hyun-il spoke in a serious manner, as if he was listening to the opinions of a warfare expert.


    "Certainly, if it''sing from the Imperial Princess who''s been on all sorts of battlefields, it''s worth listening to. So, what level do you think he is?"


    "Gigant Master."


    "That''s... amazing. It''s not just his ability, but for his Piloting ability itself to reach the point of a Gigant Master."


    It was an incredible appraisal, but Celestia shook her head.


    "No."


    "Ahhh, he''s not at that level?"


    "That''s not it, it''s useless topare him to a Gigant Master. This guy''s ability... The Leonhardt Empire is a given, but even all the Gigant Masters I''ve ever seen up till now would be child''s y inparison. If he used the same Ability on the same model, perhaps even against two or three opponents, they wouldn''t be able to hold a candle to him."


    Major General Chun Hyun-il''s face slightly hardened at her conclusive remarks. For a moment, he looked confused, then he asked again.


    "Are you saying his Piloting skill itself is that remarkable, not considering his ability? More so than the Gigant Masters? That''s impossible. Capabilities such as the precious Abilities, Transcendence skills, or Authority may be innate, but technique doesn''t appear by itself."


    "You''re not wrong, but it''s useless even if you try to refute it. If you''ve seen the oue with your own eyes."


    "..."


    Major General Chun Hyun-il was lost in thought. And I frowned as I looked at his figure, and turned to re at Celestia.


    "You''re not overestimating it intentionally, are you?"


    "Huh? Overestimate? You fool, no one could''ve turned the tide with one Beast-rank in that situation. Moreover, although it''s true that you used all kinds of Abilities that Thunder Dragon didn''t have, none of them were defensive Abilities. Do you not know how ridiculous it was toe out unscathed after going against such a huge number of enemies that had high attacking power?"


    On the contrary, I couldn''t dispute her incredible reaction.


    <i>''I just felt like they were actually controlling with their feet. It also felt like a battle with bots.''</i>


    However, it was obvious I would be treated as trash if I said such a thing when it was a war they staked their life at, so I stopped. In reality, it didn''t really matter either.


    "Well, let''s face it and move on, if I had to state a reason, I kept quiet because I didn''t want to enlist in the Leonhardt Imperial Army. Even now, that thought hasn''t changed. But I couldn''t just die, so I participated in the battle to survive."


    "That''s... I don''t understand. If your war merits are known, the rewards will be enormous. You may even be able to enjoy wealth and power that the president of Earth 34 couldn''t possibly measure up to. If you really possess Piloting skills that surpasses the Gigant Masters... Maybe you''ll even be able to climb to the rank of General. Because it''s a time of war now, and you''re a human being. But then, you''re gonna give that up?"


    Bo-ram, who was standing guard behind me, voiced a question at Major General Chun Hyun-il''s response that was iprehensible.


    "Erm, how great is that General position?"


    "You wouldn''t understand much about the power even if I exined, so let me exin about the wealth... To the point where you can have five or six beautifuls named after you and build them into private resorts, about that much?"


    "Ohhhh! Not a private ind, but a private?"


    "What''s with the ''Ohhhh'', you idiot."


    I nagged at Bo-ram who was spouting nonsense. I wanted to give her a finger flick, but she was wearing a helmet, so I held it in.


    "Anyways, that''s just a small reward, so I''m sure I''ll be able to receive that, but I don''t want to turn matters into a big deal. I''d like you to scale it down on your report as much as possible, but if that''s impossible, please refrain from making anyrge-scale announcements. Ahh, since it''s be like this, I''d appreciate it if you could leave my current assigned position as it is. I actually don''t have much background knowledge to get into the Tech Division."


    Originally, I was going to enter the Tech Division after staying in my current position for some time.


    Though the circumstances were a little different, if I was enlisted, it would be simr to entering a training camp to learn about the duties, and being assigned to a squadron after.


    <i>''But if possible, it''d be better to keep this sweet job. It''s true that I don''t have technical knowledge, and I can''t even assemble a radio. So why would I enter the Tech Division?''</i>


    Anyway, though Major General Chun Hyun-il was lost in thought for a moment, as I boldly requested for this and that, he soon resigned to it and nodded to my requests. It was not a bad condition in the first ce. I was not asking for more rewards, I just wanted to give up the meritorious services I achieved.


    If this was a rigid type of army, that would be a problem, but since each of these Terra-ss battleships were no different than an independent organization, no one could stop the decision of the Captain.


    "It''s an absurd condition, but there''s nothing to lose for us. Alright then. But what should I tell the crewmates about who you are? The battle is not over yet, so some connection is needed. You''ll need a title."


    He was right. It would obviously be more efficient for me to n and move rather than interfere in the middle of it like today. But I didn''t think there was much to worry about.


    "Let''s use that thing you said earlier."


    "That?"


    "Yes. Let''s use Specter."


    He chuckled andughed. But I didn''t know today was the day.


    The day Albatross'' Specter was born.

 Chapter 36: The Great Battle of Seppard (1)

    <h4>Chapter 36: The Great Battle of Seppard (1)</h4>


    Seppard was a star system located between the Leonhardt Empire and the Tekea Federation ¡ª an undeveloped zone that wasn''t considered a territory.


    It might be hard to understand from an Earthling''s point of view that the entire star system was barren, but in fact, most gxies and star systems in the universe were often like this. Or rather, intelligent beings had imed less than one percent of the entire universe''s star systems as territory.


    The universe was very wide. It was to the point that schrs concluded that the era of the Great Universe could not have started without the Star Gate created by transcendent-grade wizards or the Astral Drive of Kendler Saints who had attained peak of Stage IV Civilization.


    There were hundreds of billions of gxies in this vast universe, and even if one flew at light speed, it would take at least 100,000 years, at worst millions of years to traverse it, so how could one dominate and manage the entire universe? Therefore, most stars and gxies in the universe had no civilization or intelligent beings.


    <strong>Union Act</strong> was a status quo that came to light because ofs or stars that couldn''t continuously maintain a certain number of residents for a certain period of time (10 to 10,000 years depending on size). Hence, they weren''t recognized as a territory of influence which fell under the category of a or star. So even if a new star was discovered and a g was inserted, if it couldn''t be continuously managed, then it would not be recognized as a territory.


    Without such a Union Act, most forces would have identified regions of the universe via probes and rovers, and iming these regions as their own territory without the ability to manage them, which held no purpose other than increasing their territorial space.


    "Have you figured out their location?"


    "I can''t pinpoint it exactly because they''re hiding in the electric clouds on E-3. But they had suffered major damages when we were breaching their defense line. They would need at least two months of repairs and regroup to be even skirmish-ready."


    "What if they try to escape from there?"


    "We have already set up surveince over the entire E-3, so the moment they try to get out of the atmosphere, we will know."


    Morne, the powerful Arch-Sorcerer of the dinosaur tribe, a central force of the demi-humans, frowned at the Adjutant''s report.


    <i>''But I still don''t understand. How the hell did they free themselves from the Legion''s spells?''</i>


    It was a really painful failure because Morne thought it was a fail-proof situation since all preparations were made. Thinking about all the points that led up to this failure, he felt like his internal injuries caused by the sh with Major General Chun Hyun-il were ring up again. He never imagined that the Albatross ship would be restored to its original state after sending out the Legion.


    Having gone through countless experiments and practices, they had perfected the usage of the ability of the Legion they captured. Yet, Albatross'' system returned to normal without reason or rhyme. The damage that the demi-humans suffered was absolutely something not to be taken lightly as they were literally on the verge of destruction.


    Morne had lingering regrets but he had escaped right away. If he had hesitated and the control persona activated the self-destructive code, it would literally be a dog''s death.


    "What''s the condition of that machine bitch?"


    "All signals are as usual and there are no changes. Maybe this situation is... Maybe it''s not because of the machine bitch, but due to how well the Albatross ship reacted to it."


    "They were able to stop the Legion''s invasion. The Legion? Which even the Dragonian fleets couldn''t withstand?"


    "Of course, it''s just spection, so the likelihood isn''t high."


    "Hmph. I never thought such an easy thing would turn out this way."


    Morne stared at the screen with his fists clenched to the bone.


    E-3, the seventh in the Seppard Star System was shown on the screen.


    "Why must it be there of all ces... No, maybe it wasn''t a coincidence, but perhaps they purposely aimed for it. The Leonhardt Empire must have also been looking into the Seppard Star System."


    With a radius of 50,000 kilometers, E-3 was the heaviest in the Seppard Star System. Its atmosphericyer was covered with lightning clouds of enormous scale, making it difficult for any detection device to fully grasp the overall situation within. This exined why small-sized fighter jets and reconnaissance nes without their own powerful shield dared not enter the''s atmosphere because there were always storms brewing hundreds of meters per second within.


    "Maybe they could try mining."


    "The damage to their fleet is severe, so that''s fully possible."


    Originally, the Seppard Star System was an undeveloped star system that didn''t fall under the decree of the Leonhardt Empire or the Tekea Federation. Although it was located between the two major forces, no one could pinpoint its exact location and there was no Star Gate nearby, so it was an area with no potential for development. But the situation changed dramatically when the geological and geographical information ofs E-1 and E-3 in the Seppard Star System were discovered and disseminated.


    The twos had huge reserves of Gats.


    It was no exaggeration to call Gats themon currency of the Great Universe, and they were a rare metal that has received recognition. <strong>One could do anything for it when driven by evil motives.</strong> Of course, the downside of it was that it was very difficult to process Gats. But once processing was made possible, the metal could be used in all sorts of ways, and most important of all, it was a must-have material for manufacturing core parts that could be transformed into Transcendence Weapons orrge battleships.


    Therefore, the undeveloped Seppard Star System had be a conflict zone between Leonhardt Empire and Tekea Federation, the two closest major forces. Each of them insisted they had ownership on the Seppard Star System.


    Although Seppard was a remote star system without any Star Gate nearby, it was a totally different story when it came to therge amount of Gats being buried under the grounds of its inhibitings. Even if there were limits to the instation of a new Star Gate, the Seppard Star System had be an area that must be conquered regardless.


    "Damn it, this is going to take a while. For starters, pinpoint all the mining points and put them under surveince. If you find anyone from the fleet, destroy them all."


    "Roger that, Captain-nim."


    He expressed etiquette and bowed, then left the Captain''s room. And Morne, who was left alone, muttered, staring at the screen.


    "You can''t let the Union hear of this. You have to be sure, thorough, and make sure no one knows that you''re involved. But if you can''t get your hands on it...."


    A malicious glint glowed in Morne''s green eyes.


    "I will destroy the entire, even if I have to."


    *


    "Arghhh¡­"


    "What''s wrong, Sunbae. Are you hurt?"


    "No, it doesn''t hurt much, but¡­ it seems like I''m having a fever."


    On the way back to the dormitory after consulting with Major General Chun Hyun-il, I was perplexed by the state of my body burning up. It wasn''t as if I was having the chills or a headache, but my whole body was burning up as if I were in a sauna.


    "If you have a fever, don''t you have to go to the infirmary or something?"


    "You want me to go to the infirmary that''s full of patients with their arms blown off, their bones smashed, and their heads battered up?"


    How could she say such things when she couldn''t even bear to ask for a bed not too long ago despite being seriously injured with the bones in her body smashed?


    Iughed in vain inwardly and slightly turned my head.


    "Since we''re on this topic, can you please bring Dong-min here? Rather than freezing indefinitely in the infirmary, it''s better to be at the dormitory."


    "Ughhh, I feel like I''m running an errand, but it doesn''t sit right with me to abandon the pitiful Dong-min sunbae. I''ll be right back so go and take a rest. It''s a mess right now, so don''t dawdle around for no reason."


    The security of the Albatross ship was of course the best, but it couldn''t be guaranteed during this chaotic situation. Since there were so many victims, the crewmates were in a state of anger and everyone was dominated by despair. It would only be my loss if I wandered around and died.


    <strong>Maintenance Officer Kwan Dae-ha-nim¡­ has been identified. Wee.</strong>


    Heeding Bo-ram''s advice, I entered the dormitory without wandering around. Some of the amodations in the residential area were destroyed due to the attack, but fortunately, the ce we stayed at wasn''t affected.


    Baduummmp.


    But then I froze. My body was once again sweltering with heat. Hot but painless heat was slowly spreading throughout my body.


    "What is this? It''s obviously not a cold."


    But it felt real since I could feel my body temperature actually going up. It wasn''t just 38 or 40 degrees. When I wiped down my body with water from the sink, it was enough to generate steam.


    "What the heck, why is this happening? This is serious."


    At this moment, I felt a sense of crisis. But it was only a rationalized sense of crisis, and there was nothing wrong with my senses. No, aside from having no problems, a pleasant feeling dominated my whole body. It was as if an unknown power was sweeping over my whole body.


    Baduummmp, baduummmp.


    My heart was beating like crazy and my senses ran wild. I wondered if I could feel the inside of my body as if I were looking at a human figure, but after a while, my consciousness transcended my body in a sh and got out of the room. I began to recognize the people moving around.


    "This¡­ What is this¡­?"


    It was an unfamiliar sensation. A totally unknown, unprecedented sensation. I came to my senses and nced around. The surrounding background was changing. The walls made of metal, the surrounding furniture, and the people who were walking outside the building begin to turn into rays of light, one after another.


    <i>''No, this can''t be.''</i>


    I realized it instantly. It wasn''t that the imagery of the world that changed. My <strong>viewpoint</strong> of the world had changed.


    "...Letters?"


    And before long, I realized that the rays of light were not just a simple beam of light, but a list of letters. People, things, everything in the world was made up of letters ¡ª letters that I''ve never seen before even in my memory, and letters that I couldn''t read.


    <i>''No, this can''t be. These are not letters.''</i>


    Indeed. Those weren''t letters. I only understood them in the form of letters. Those were words, and everything that made up the world, as well as the final resort in passing on the revtion of God to mankind.


    shhh!


    The world turned back to normal in an instant. I instinctively tried to see what I had just seen, but the sacred sentences were no longer visible to me.


    "What the hell is going on?"


    It was at that moment that I realized I had changed. I gained a new sense on top of the existing five senses - namely sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. I recalled the tea that Major General Chun Hyun-il gave me.


    <strong>Let''s talk while we drink. It''s Thousand Spirit Tea infused with precious sacred herbs.</strong>


    It was a given, but the tea that the transcendent Major General Chun Hyun-il remarked to be precious couldn''t have possibly been amon item. And it wouldn''t be strange even if the tea that the superhumans drank were spiritual elixir.


    "Holy crap, don''t tell me... I''m awakening Mana so effortlessly? After drinking a cup of tea? No, since I drank Bo-ram''s too, wouldn''t that be two cups?"


    Of course, I''ve never perceived Mana before, but the strange sensation I felt with every inch of my skin and the world''s flow that I could see just by focusing for a while must undoubtedly be Mana.


    If I had just lived a normal life, I wouldn''t have been so sure. But while on the Albatross ship, I had been ying MMORPG and MOBA games dozens of times and virtually experienced this sensation so I was sure that I had made the correct deduction.


    <i>''Is it normal for it to be this easy? Was it just me that couldn''t realize it?''</i>


    I often thought it was inconvenient without Mana, but I never really had much thought about learning it since the very beginning. Be it martial arts or magic, I never thought I''d be able to easily pick up any skills of those sort from the lineup of what Earthlings defined as supernatural powers. It was also because I had no one to impart all these to me, but it was ridiculous to be able to get it so effortlessly.


    "And what was that just now? Why did I see the whole world as letters?"


    It was a sight I had never seen before, but at the same time, it was a very familiar feeling. It was simr to the titles I see above people''s heads¡­


    Beep beep!


    Suddenly an rm rang from themunicator on my left wrist.


    Before I knew it, the hot energy had already subsided, and once I calmed down, I confirmed the contents on themunicator. This text showed up on themunicator.


    <strong>5 million Gats have been deposited.</strong>

 Chapter 37: The Great Battle of Seppard (2)

    <h4>Chapter 37: The Great Battle of Seppard (2)</h4>


    <strong>5 million Gats have been deposited.</strong>


    I gasped for a moment as I stared at themunicator. Calcting the numbers that popped up, any thoughts about Mana inevitably flew away.


    <i>''1 Gats is 17,000 won... 85 billion won.''</i>


    The shock from this amount of money alone turned my eyes upside down.


    <i>This is crazy.</i> Even 100 million to 200 million would be enough to be a pretext for murder, so this 85 billion won was beyond imagination. It was to such a degree that I wouldn''t have to worry about money for the rest of my life as long as I didn''t live too extravagantly.


    "Well, that doesn''t mean that it''s an excessive amount of money for one to go nuts over."


    Though it was an enormous amount of money, it could be said to be a meager amount inparison considering that I saved the Albatross ship from total annihtion. It wouldn''t be strange to receive tens of trillions of won since I saved a spaceship that was muchrger than a decent-sized city. However, I didn''t feel that it was unfair.


    <i>''It''s probably because of my request.''</i>


    To receive properpensation, I would have to reveal my war contribution urately and do whatever it takes to receive amendation. If I ryed the proper information to the Leonhardt Empire, the Empire would surely give me the appropriate reward.


    But as someone who wished to one day return to Earth, I didn''t want to be renowned widely, so the money that was eventually given to me was out of the funds managed by the Albatross ship itself. Maybe the money even came from Major General Chun Hyun-il''s pocket.


    Wiiiiingggg!


    Just then, the door of the dormitory opened and Bo-ram entered with arge ice coffin on her shoulders. Basically, a petite woman was carrying an ice coffin that was more than two meters long; it looked like an ant was carrying a piece of leaf.


    "I see the mighty warrior is here."


    "Shut it. It''s colder than I thought and I want to throw this away."


    She entered the dormitory grumbling under her breath andid the ice coffin on the bed. I looked at her and asked, "By the way, don''t you think it''s time to cease your Transformation?"


    "My bones haven''tpletely healed yet so I''m just going to stay as it is. Well, it''s not like it takes any power to maintain this form anyway."


    "You don''t need power to maintain that form?"


    The question came to my mind since she didn''t transform during the fierce battle.


    <i>That strange armor? Shoes? Anyway, if she wore that, she would''ve definitely be stronger even in the eyes of a non-expert like me. So if it didn''t consume any power to maintain it, why didn''t she wear it then?</i>


    "I know what you''re thinking, but there was nothing I could do. Magic Tower Lord-nim specifically told me to transform in front of you only. I wonder what''s the reason for that."


    I plopped down on the sofa grumpily.


    At the same time, the helmet that she was wearing disappeared and her wavy permed hair fell down her shoulders. Her shoulder-length hair from before had already grown much longer - probably because she didn''t trim it recently.


    Following that, the metal parts covering both her arms and legs also disappeared; the remaining parts also melted away. Even though it only covered up the injuries, it seemed to disy effects that were sufficient enough for treatment.


    "Oh my, that''s an interesting armor. No wait, can that even be called an armor?"


    It was called an armour because of its material, but the image itself resembled a superhero outfit more. She actually transformed too.


    <i>''It certainly doesn''t give off a Magical Girl feel.''</i>


    If I had to put my words on it, it felt more like a heroine''s suit, which exined why it was weirder.


    All the titles that I had seen so far were born out of my stance and perspective. So if it stated that she was a Magical Girl, then she would be one, no?


    "..."


    "Bo-ram?"


    It suddenly quieted down, and before I knew it, Bo-ram was already asleep. She didn''t show it, but as expected, she was extremely exhausted.


    "Really? Now? At least go to the bed and sleep. Hello?"


    I shook Bo-ram lightly, but she showed no signs of getting up. <i>Then should I carry her to her bedroom? </i>


    Beep!


    But as I approached the door, a soft warning tone sounded. Unlike Dong-min''s room, Bo-ram''s room was locked. Perhaps because she was a woman, she didn''t leave her room unlocked like Dong-min''s.


    <i>''Though it''s pretty much a given that I can open it...''</i>


    But I wasn''t trying to be a thief so there was no reason to raise any rm by opening the locked door. I took her to my room and tucked her in.


    For a brief moment, I had the thought that I should also tuck Dong-min in too. However, I paused for a while before entering Dong-min''s room. <i>But then again, what use would it be to cover him with a nket when he is inside a coffin made of ice?</i>


    "Ahhh, what a headache."


    I returned to my room andid down in bed. My mind was filled withplicated thoughts.


    <i>''I participated in the war in the end. No, the situation called for it so I didn''t have a choice.''</i>


    Still, I didn''t feel like this was <strong>my</strong> war.


    I participated in the battle and yed an active part. If the Albatross ship was defeated, everyone''s life, including mine would''ve been lost, so it was inevitable that I had to take part.


    <i>''What the hell did you foresee, Mother?''</i>


    It was my father who sent me here, but the root of it was my mother''s prophecy.


    The prophecy stated that there would be no way to survive in this world unless I followed the guest who came on the day I was assaulted by the enemy. But the ce I arrived at after being guided by such a prophecy was a battlefield.


    "What exactly..."


    With a sigh, I pulled the gold string around my neck, and the key hanging on it came up through my cor.


    Looking like it had been woven together by dozens of metal pieces, the key was a keepsake left behind by my biological father.


    <i>''But who is it exactly? Am I supposed to find out with this key as a clue?''</i>


    It would be a lie if I said I wasn''t curious at all. Because the <strong>memory</strong> that''s been bugging me all this time still existed.


    I had been thinking of this as something like a memory of my past life, but maybe it was a part of the power that my biological father has.


    More than anything else, there was a <strong>single line ofmand</strong> embedded in my memory.


    In fact, from the moment I decided to use it in reality, that power became some sort of clue.


    I began to think that it might be possible to gauge my identity and the superpower I had all these while.


    I was using it, but I didn''t know exactly why the Artificial Intelligences couldn''t refuse my orders.


    Maybe I''ll find out my identity while looking into my biological father.


    <strong>Maintenance Officer Kwan Dae-ha-nim, you have a visitor.</strong>


    "A visitor in this situation?"


    I looked at the screen, wondering about the electronic sound that I just heard. There was a familiar face on the screen.


    "You''re just a little brat."


    <strong>Who''s a little brat!</strong>


    It was that girl named Kwon Hye-ran, the one who suspected that I was a spy during our first encounter.


    Her face was freckled and her ck hair was braided in pigtails. No matter how you looked at it, she portrayed the image of an upper-grade elementary school student. She was especially short, barely reaching my lower torso. But I wasn''t tactless, so I knew she wasn''t as young as how she appeared to be.


    <i>''Now that I think of it, what''s the average lifespan of the people from the Great Universe?''</i>


    As Earth continued to advance in the field of medical science, the average lifespan of mankind had continued to increase and it was now quitemon to live over 100 years old. If even Earthlings managed to reach such a level, then these extraterrestrial beings wouldn''t have a short lifespan either since they possess scientific ability capable of travelling in the Universe.


    <i>''I don''t think they could live over 500 years like Major General Chun Hyun-il, but they probably live at least a few couples of decades.''</i>


    While pondering over such random thoughts, I asked, "Why did youe? Did youe to catch a spy?"


    <strong>Hiiikkk! It was a mistake, a mistake! You''re a man so don''t be so small-minded!</strong>


    "Woah, she who first offends will firstin. What are you making a ruckus over?"


    <strong>That''s¡­!</strong>


    Looking at Hye-ran at a loss for words and stuttering, I chuckled and stepped out.


    Was it because she looked like a child? No matter how old she really was, her actions were no different from that of a child.


    Wiiiiingggg-


    When I opened the door and stepped out, I saw Hye-ran standing in front of me. I nced around, but there was no one else.


    "Now then, you clearly didn''te here for personal matters, did you?"


    "...That''s right. I came to introduce to you your exclusive Gigas."


    "Huh? My exclusive Gigas?"


    I totally did not see thising.


    It was because although I agreed to participate in the war, I was naturally going to participate through Ares'' King of All Armaments.


    <i>''But.''</i>


    For a moment, I was going to say "It''s fine. I don''t need it", but I stopped myself.


    <i>''There''s nothing bad about having an exclusive Gigas, is there?'' </i>


    You never know what was going to happen.


    Maybe there would be times where I couldn''t go to Ares. Or even if I didn''t have any difficulties going to Ares, having an exclusive Gigas was always safer than waiting for the appearance of a pilot-less Gigas in the middle of a battle.


    "That''s right. I really can''t understand why, but it''s the Captain''s orders so I don''t have a choice. I had a really tough time with its maintenance work, and to just hand it over to a guy that''s not verified in this manner¡­ Anyways, follow me."


    Hye-ran then spun around and began to strode along.


    She didn''t head towards the residential area, but a nearby elevator where we rode a long way down.


    <i>''Ahhh, now that I think of it, this brat belongs to the Tech Division right? I guess she''s a pretty high-quality technician, given her academic background and what not.''</i>


    Holding such thoughts, I nced up above her head.


    <strong>Leonhardt Empire, Second Corps, Command Division</strong>


    <strong>With a wall blocking her, Kwon Hye-ran</strong>


    <i>''Wall?''</i>


    I squinted my eyes at the unexpected title.


    <i>What does it mean by ''wall''? Is she also someone that''s in training? So when she breaks past the wall, </i><i>she''ll</i><i> advance up a level?</i>


    To confirm my doubts, I asked "Is something not working outtely?"


    "We''re in the middle of war, do you think things will be working out? This is a crucial period, but shits been going off one after another¡­ Genie!"


    <strong>Yes, Second Lieutenant Kwon Hye-ran-nim¡­ has been identified. Please don''t push yourself too hard.</strong>


    The door by the side opened as Genie''s voice rang out.


    It was a workroom full of all kinds of devices and equipment, as well as maintenance machines.


    "Huh?"


    And in the middle of it was <i>''that''</i>.


    <strong>What a rare sight, Hye-ran. You brought someone else into your workshop.</strong>


    It was basically white in color. Its white exterior made it appear as noble as a Pdin Knight in pure white armor.


    The next thing I saw was a red cloak. The red cloak fluttered slightly as if it were alive in a workroom that didn''t have a breath of wind.


    But above all, something striking caught my eyes, or rather, no, I <strong>recognized</strong> it.


    "No, wait, what''s with this skillposition?" I groaned in dismay.


    If you looked at each of the Abilities on its own, they were all crazy unique cheat skills. However, the bnce was shit if you viewed itprehensively.


    <i>Even though the Ability is decided randomly, how does this kind of nonsensicalposition exist?</i>


    "Whatposition?"


    "No-, nothing."


    I wasn''t able to voice out my inner thoughts and gave a vague response which Hye-ran responded with a dejected expression.


    "Aghhhh, I can''t believe I have to give the Albatross'' one and only Human-rank Gigas to this kind of guy."


    "One and only Human-rank Gigas? Then, don''t tell me this is¡­."


    Actually, I already knew because I saw the title, but I feigned surprise. And Hye-ran''s face was gleaming at such a service(?).


    "Correct! This is Napoleon, the Human-rank Gigas that has caused destructive damage in countless battlefields!"


    Seeing Hye-ran''s somewhat prideful response, she must have either manufactured or gone through a lot of trouble in maintaining this Human-rank Gigas called Napoleon.


    As it felt like she was going tounch into a series of exnations when I had only just slightly poked into the matter, I immediately called her back into reality with a swift .


    "So this is now my exclusive Gigas?"


    "Hahaha! Haha, hahh... That''s right. Yeah... Napoleon... my Napoleon¡­."


    "If anyone sees this, they''ll think I''m taking what''s yours."


    "Ughhh... Captain-nim, why in the world would you give Napoleon to this bastard¡­"


    Originally, Napoleon was the machine of Colonel Tuck, the Brigade Commander of the Sky-Giant Armoured Brigade, and also one of the Gigas on the Albatross ship.


    However, Tuck was defeated and suffered a humiliating decapitation in the previous battle.


    He was unable to bring out his full capabilities because his control persona was frozen by Legion.


    <i>''Come to think of it, the two bastards that died in my hands were the criminals.''</i>


    Anyway, Tuck died just like that so Napoleon did not have an owner for now, and Major General Chun Hyun-il had ordered Hye-ran to hand Napoleon over to me.


    Seeing that Napoleon was being handed over to me in such a secluded corner, they must be thinking of restricting information to some extent.


    "But then again, for it to be Napoleon."


    Iughed in vain at the name that was all too familiar.


    In fact, I had been feeling this sense of discement all this while.


    Even though these extraterrestrial beings lived in the Universe, they had 24 hours in a day, 12 months in a year, the numbers they wrote were simr to Arabic numbers, and Rhae Ares was a Gigas named after a God.


    Moreover, now, a Gigas named Napoleon.


    "Eh? What''s wrong?"


    "No, it''s nothing. Napoleon is a Human-rank Gigas, so of course it''s named after a person, right?"


    "That''s a given. What about it?"


    Hye-ran''s expression spelt "What kind of question is that?".


    I hesitated for a moment and asked, "The Napoleon you knew... What kind of person was he?

 Chapter 38: The Great Battle of Seppard (3)

    <h4>Chapter 38: The Great Battle of Seppard (3)</h4>


    "The Napoleon you knew... What kind of person was he?" I asked cautiously, but Hye-ran answered as though the answer was really obvious.


    "He? He''s the great hero of the dwarves tribe and the Emperor who founded the great Empire. Why are you asking me something like that?"


    I was perplexed by the unexpected answer.


    It was true that there were popr beliefs that Napoleon was short, but it was a distortion caused by the misinterpretation due to the difference in measurements between France and Britain, so it was unreasonable for him to be categorized as one from the ''dwarves tribe''.


    What more, her voice was filled with a clear sense of pride.


    <i>''Ahhh, don''t tell me?''</i>


    And at that moment, I looked at Hye-ran and realized the sense of foreignness that I had continuously felt. It was not only because she looked extremely youngpared to her age but also because of her petitely cute features. Above all, it was also because of her height, which was only around the height of an elementary, middle or high school student.


    But what if it was not her unique trait, but a unique trait of her <strong>species</strong>?


    And so, I asked to confirm, "Is the dwarf tribe a species?"


    "Ah, now that I think about it, pure humans are the only ones that live on Earth-34¡­" Hye-ran muttered and then equipped a Magic Hand that was at one side of the workroom.


    Magic Hands weremonly used to pilot Gigas, but they had countless other uses apart from that. It could also serve as a substitute for a keyboard or a mouse to surf the Inte or y games, and to control the maintenance machine with close precision just like what Hye-ran was doing now.


    "Napoleon, I''ll start the maintenance."


    <strong>I''ll leave myself in your good hands.</strong>


    Wiiiiingggg--!


    The 10.5-meter Napoleon kneeled down, unequipping all his armor to reveal the inside.


    For a Human-rank Gigas, Napoleon was rtively small, standing at just 10.5 meters tall, but looking at his kneeling figure from the front, it looked like a copsing mountain.


    Wiiiiinggg. ng! Klikkk!


    And just like that, the maintenance started for Napoleon who had unequipped his armor.


    Hye-ran continued, "There was an incident 400 years ago."


    "What incident?"


    "It''s no big deal, it''s just the alter ego of the Creation God who managed the Great Universe. Asura was trying to destroy the whole universe."


    "..."


    Even though I was somewhat good at managing my facial expressions, I couldn''t keep my poker face on then.


    <i>''How is that not a big deal?''</i>


    And was it maybe because she saw my expression? Hye-ranughed.


    "You don''t have to make that kind of face. Of course it was a big crisis, but it was something that happened to the people of that time, and to us, it was a great ''blessing'' instead."


    "Us?"


    The expression she gave in response made me feel as though she found me pathetic for giving such an unexpected reply.


    I didn''t know how old she actually was, and despite the fact that she looked like a little brat, I still felt a great sense of humiliation when she wore that kind of expression.


    "You didn''t study at all after your orientation, did you?"


    "Oh, I was a little bit busy."


    I was just spouting gibberish. I was actually looking into this and that, but I knew almost nothing about the key contents.


    I didn''t learn the history via the concept of textbook-oriented learning, but instead surfed the for information. Because of this, I was able to build up various misceneous knowledge, but I did notposedly learn about the history from the basics.


    Of, of course, it was also because I spent most of my free time ying games.


    "Tchh. The ''us'' also includes you too. If that incident hadn''t happened, we wouldn''t have been born."


    Wiiiiingggg! nk!


    The screws were unscrewed. The electrical connections were unplugged. The left and right arms were separated. Several parts were reced.


    Hye-ran continued with her exnation, "I don''t know the exact circumstances since it was between the transcendental Gods. But the only thing that mattered was that the Asura, the alter ego of the Creation God who was the administrator of the Great Universe, wanted to reset the universe, and the rulers of the Six Realms stopped that from happening."


    I knew all too well about the Six Realms.


    The God Realm, inhabited by the Gods who transcended the Six Realms that made up the Great Universe.


    The Spiritual Realm, inhabited by many spiritual beings that construct and manage the world which included the saints and spirits.


    The Nether Realm, where all those who die go to.


    The Celestial Realm, inhabited by the celestial tribe that had the form of angels.


    The Demon Realm, inhabited by the demon tribe which possessed demonic tendencies and were at enmity with the celestial tribe.


    And there was also the Physical Realm, inhabited by us, which boasted thergest size of all the existing dimensions.


    But I suddenly thought of something that I didn''t understand. "Is there a separate Ruler for the Physical Realm?"


    "No. Instead, the Human God Milleon took on that role and became the hero who sessfully saved the whole universe. And in that process, one of the outskirtss, the <strong>Earth</strong> 400 years ago, became a ce that attracted the attention of the whole universe as the ce of history where the universe could have been destroyed and also as a special that <strong>split</strong> into 100."


    I organized my thoughts while listening to her exnation.


    <i>I think I have seen talks about the Human God on the Net a few times, but that isn''t what''s important right now.</i>


    <i>Because now she is talking about the true <strong>identity</strong> of the Earth that I''ve lived in till now. </i>


    "Earth... was split? Don''t tell me Earth-34 is¡­"


    "That''s right. Earth-34, where youe from, is the 34th out of the 100 Earths. It''s one of the 99 Earths that are made to be ''almost identical'' to the first Earth which can be said to be the original. It''s not exactly ssified information, so everyone who should know about it does, but it''s confidential, so don''t spread it around too much."


    ng ng nk!


    Hye-ran was still able to skillfully rece the parts and test the performance while rattling along. Unlike her looks, she was quite the skilled engineer.


    I stared for a moment at Hye-ran who didn''t even turn her head my way and then organized my thoughts.


    <i>1. The mostmon species in the Great Universe is supposedly human.</i>


    <i>This is an indisputable proposition. It goes without saying that, even by numbers, 70 percent of all the intelligent bodies in the universe are humans, or beings simr to humans. Though it is biologically impossible, it''s possible if it''s from the <strong>theological</strong> point of view which Celestia mentioned in the past. If the transcendental beings who created the world designed humans, then it wouldn''t be weird if we evolved and became human beings through normal processes.</i>


    <i>2. Even though we are all humans of the same, if they exist on another, then they will developpletely different cultures.</i>


    <i>It''s a given of course. There are countlessnguages and letters on Earth alone. Just by crossing over a mountain and you would be exposed to apletely different culture - this is what made human humans. It''s impossible to have a simr culture just because we''re all humans.</i>


    "I see."


    "What?"


    "The Leonhardt Empire is a force created by the gathering of the 100 Earths that was split apart. No, at least they''re the main forces. Right?"


    Hye-ran, who was almost done with her task, smiled and shaked her hand that was equipped with the Magic Hand. The maintenance machines that were busily moving around scattered aside and returned to their original ces.


    "You''re pretty smart. That''s right. The Leonhardt Empire is a country made up of the gathering of 47 of the 100 split Earths. It is an organization created by the First Emperor, Leonhardt, who fought against the foreign enemies and united the human race of the Earths. The 100 Earths are like parallel universes and although they had some differences, they also had so much inmon that they could be merged very quickly into an Empire-ss country."


    "Then if so¡­"


    "Ahhhh~ there''s no end to your questions. Enough!" Hye-ran stuck out her cute palms at me to stop me from asking more questions. She squinted her eyes when she saw that I paused at her abrupt actions.


    "I''m not a historian, I''m an engineer. Why don''t you just ride Napoleon instead of messing around?"


    "But¡­."


    "No buts, search it on the if you have anything else you''re curious about! How dare you act like this in front of Napoleon!" Hye-ran screamed grumpily and kicked my butt. Before I knew it, the maintenance was alreadypleted and I was in front of Napoleon''s chest.


    His chest was open wide, and a cockpit was visible.


    Fortunately, the piloting method was Magic Hand.


    Wiiiiingggg---! Chiiikingggg!


    As soon as I entered the cockpit, the armor on the front end closed and a mirage wave that spread out from the Iron Heart began to fill up the inside of the cockpit.


    ''Oooh! This is the Avalon System. It''s the first time I''ve personally experienced it.''


    The Avalon System was a built-in system of the Iron Heart which can be said to be the heart of the Gigas. It was a system designed to sync the pilot with the Iron Heart - the most important part when it came to controlling a Gigas. And at the same time, the Avalon System served to protect the pilots from battle-induced impact. The mystical power of the Iron Heart enveloped the cockpit like a water tank filled to the brim with water. Itpletely isted the outside and inside of the cockpit to block off any damage, including physical shock or tremors, until just before the cockpit was destroyed. Without the Avalon System, the pilots would die if the Gigas were to be hit with a single cannonball. No matter how strong a Gigas armor was, the shock waves would still reach the pilot.


    <strong>Nice to meet you, partner. I''m Napoleon.</strong>


    "I''m Kwan Dae-ha. Same here."


    I could feel Napoleon''s enormous mystical energy. The mystical energy from his Iron Heartpletely filled the cockpit and started to synchronize with me. It was an important process. If one side''s capabilities were superior, it would be possible to fine-tune it somehow, but there was basically something likepatibility between a Gigas and a pilot.


    If I couldn''t synchronize properly with Napoleon, he wouldn''t ept me no matter how good my piloting skills were. In fact, there were many pilots who were frustrated that they couldn''t even get past the process of synchronization and spent a long time searching for a Gigas that waspatible with them.


    "...It''s nice to meet you too, partner."


    Of course, for someone like me who had never been denied by any Gigas yet, I had no experience of something like that.


    Wiiiiingggg---!!


    The Iron Heart started operating. It was like a car engine starting up. If Napoleon could only make routine moves in the standby mode just now, the Napoleon right now could disy his own power with all his might.


    "Ehh!? How is the synchronization this fast!? Have you ever ridden Napoleon?"


    I stood up after hearing Hye-ran''s voice. A dimensionally different feeling from when I was piloting remotely while using Ares enveloped my whole body. Come to think of it, this was the first time I actually physically rode on a Gigas.


    "This is great." I smiled.


    Of course, I was still havingplicated thoughts. It was still hard to ept that there existed a God that created humanity, and the fact that the Earth we lived on was just a replica of another gave me mixed feelings too. It was also extremely absurd that the extraterrestrial beings I met were ''other Earthlings''.


    <i>''But so what?''</i> I shook off all those petty thoughts. <i>That''s right. Why does it matter?</i>


    Even 10 years ago, I was already a precocious child who was pondering over the existence of the world itself. Wasn''t it much believable that the Earth I lived on was a replica of another Earth, rather than a game that someone made or a program that was created seconds ago.


    Bang!


    Napoleon kicked against the ground.


    An enormous 10.5-meter-tall Napoleon jumped twenty meters from where he stood and did a handstand in the air. Despite its huge size, only a soft sound could be heard as if he was hitting the floor lightly with his palm. And perhaps thanks to the Avalon System, there was no burden on my body at all.


    Thud!


    While doing a handstand, Napoleon kicked the air and somersaulted with the rebound. It felt light and nimble as if I was moving my body directly.


    <i>''Of course, I can''t actually do somersaults with my own body.'' </i>Iughed vainly and stepped on the ground gently.


    Hye-ran, mouth agape, was disyed on the front screen.


    Beep beep!


    <strong>Partner, there''s iingmunications from the bridge deck. I''ll connect you.</strong>


    I didn''t know if he hadn''t fully acknowledged me as his owner yet, or if these were the default rules, he connected themunications without my authorization.


    <strong>Did you get on Napoleon properly? Did the synchronization finish well?</strong>


    As soon as themunications were connected, I was flustered at the sudden voice.


    A loud noise was heard over the voice of Major General Chun Hyun-il. Somehow it felt like an urgent situation.


    "Yes. What''s the matter?"


    <strong>Get a move on right this moment!</strong>


    "Huh?" I questioned back because I was puzzled. <i>I just got on, so what''s this bear talking about?</i>

 Chapter 39: The Great Battle of Seppard (4)

    <h4>Chapter 39: The Great Battle of Seppard (4)</h4>


    "Yes. What''s the matter?"


    <strong>Get a move on right this moment!</strong>


    "Huh?" I questioned back because I was puzzled. <i>I just got on, so what''s this bear talking about?</i>


    However, another voice butted in as it wasn''t a situation where they could be considerate of the situation I was in. It was Deputy Captain Natalie.


    <strong>A mining team that went out for the sake of the Albatross ship''s repairs was attacked. They''re retreating right now, but they''re in danger! We need to secure a retreat path!</strong>


    "What about the other troops?"


    <strong>They''re already engaged in battle!</strong>


    I looked around as I listened to her dire voice.


    I had to ride an elevator down for a long time to reach this ce, but there was an exit in this maintenance room that could be used to exit the ship.


    "Hmm? No, wait! Where are you going?"


    As I headed toward the exit, I could hear Hye-ran''s flustered voice, but soon she stopped. Seeing that hermunicator was flickering, it seems that she was contacted by the bridge deck.


    "Open the exit."


    "No... no, what the hell is the bridge deck thinking? Is this the Captain''s order? Are you going to fight on a Gigas you just started riding?"


    "I get it already, so just open the door."


    "Ahhh, no, wait! I know you have no choice but to go, but at least equip the auxiliary armament! Napoleon is a Gigas that specializes in bombardment! Since you''ve got the Sniper Ability, you should have the right kind of weapon for that!"


    I was taken aback at the sight of her shouting.


    "Who said that I have the Sniper Ability?"


    "Ehh? That''s what I was told. So does that mean it''s not the Sniper Ability, but another long range Ability?"


    "I don''t have a long range Ability though?"


    "What!? You''re going to ride Napoleon without a long range Ability?" Hye-ran screamed as though my response was something appalling. I ignored her and thoroughly looked through Napoleon''s Ability.


    <i>''I see. I thought the armour was unreasonably light, but it was because he''s a Gigas specialized in bombardment. But why bother going for bombardment with this skillposition?''</i>


    The basic Ability of the Iron Heart was said to be set at the same time as the Iron Heart was manufactured. The manufacturers had no idea of the directionality of the Ability, neither could they interfere with the specifics. Hence, engineers called the process of making Iron Hearts as ''giving birth'' rather than manufacturing.


    <i>''It''s not hard giving birth to a child, but perhaps because the simrity lies in how the intrinsic nature and talent of a child is determined entirely by the heavens.''</i>


    In any case, the form, appearance, and performance of a Gigas werepletely determined by the performance of the Iron Heart and the Ability contained in it. If a Gigas had the performance or Ability that was suitable for closebat, then a body suitable for fast mobility and thick armors would be made. On the other hand, if a Gigas had the performance or Ability that was suitable for long-rangebat, then the armors would be made thinner and armaments were attached.


    "Hey, stop bbering and give me the Lightsaber, alright? Lightsaber."


    "What crazy bullshit are you spouting! Why would Napoleon hold a Lightsaber!? Do you want to die as soon as you go out there!?"


    "Phew, that''s noisy. Napoleon, where is the equipment?"


    <strong>There''s an armory on the left. I''ll open it now.</strong>


    Fortunately, without needing to give an order, Napoleon cooperated with me without much difficulty. I took out the photon cannon and Beam Sword from within the gently opened wall on the left side of the room.


    They were the rifle-type photon cannon, Satina-55, which was typically used in closebat but also widely used in mid and long-range battles, as well as the traditional Lightsaber, Rage Saber, which was mass-produced but famous for its high reliability.


    Although Hye-ran was puzzled by the sight of me nonchntly choosing weapons, it was natural that I had a weapon I preferred, as <i>The Great War</i> didn''t justst a day or two.


    "Great, these two will be good enough. Now for this partition to¡­ Oh, it''s open."


    Hye-ran was squealing from below me, so she probably didn''t open the partition. But, the important thing was that the path out was open.


    I could see the catapult deck through the open partition, and beyond that, I could see countless lightning strikes <strong>outside</strong>.


    "This is nerve wracking."


    Although I had controlled countless Gigas, this was the first time I was physically piloting a Gigas. I had been to countless battlefields, but I wasn''t actually there. In actual fact, this was my first appearance.


    Wiiiiingggg¡ª


    Napoleon climbed onto the catapult and as soon as he got up, he moved to position skillfully. The cloak behind his back fluttered elegantly as Aura clumped onto his spread out arms and legs. The cockpit''s point of view was not just simply from a first-person perspective, so Napoleon''s figure was clearly visible on the screen.


    <strong>Napoleon, take off.</strong>


    With a heavy voice, the surrounding space became distorted.


    The Specter was making a sortie.


    *


    Based on my experience, basically the Tool-rank Gigas had one Ability, and the number of Abilities increases by one with each increasing rank. In other words, Beast-ranks had two Basic Abilities, Human-ranks had three Basic Abilities, Star-ranks had four Basic Abilities.


    Of course, that wasn''t the absolute rule.


    Even on the same rank, the standard of all Gigas varies widely, that was to say, a problematic Gigas would have lesser Abilities than a Gigas of the same rank, and an outstanding Gigas of the same rank could also possess the same number of Ability as a Gigas of a higher rank.


    The Thunder Dragon that I controlled during the demi-humans raid was the perfect example, as even though it was a Beast-rank, it had 3 Abilities no less. But that wasn''t all. It was a cheat-like Gigas that had the top three Abilities - Pration, Stealth and Sniper. Hence, the battle became considerably easy.


    It may sound slightly exaggerated, but the bottom line was that the higher the rank of a Gigas, the more Abilities it had. And to me, who naturally took that at face value, Napoleon''s words were quite unexpected.


    <strong>The Word Impossible Doesn''t Exist In My Dictionary.</strong>


    "...And?"


    <strong>What do you mean ''and''? The Unique-ss Ability ''The Word Impossible Doesn''t Exist In My Dictionary'' is a very powerful skill.</strong>


    Looking at Napoleon''s confident answer, I thought he was lying.


    <i>No, I just asked because I thought it sounded weird to write it off casually, but what''s up with this guy?</i>


    "You only have that one Ability?"


    <strong>What a strange remark. How many Human-rank Gigas do you even think actually possesses more than two Abilities?</strong>


    "¡­"


    I was speechless because I thought it was ridiculous.


    Even at this moment, I was evidently staring at Napoleon''s Ability, which made it even more puzzling.


    <strong>Why are you being like that?</strong>


    "No... How old are you?"


    <strong>If you''re asking how long has it been since I was manufactured, then 21 years. If you''re asking about how long I was active, it''s 18 years.</strong>


    "Ughhh. You''re an old model."


    <strong>Wha-, what!? I''m basically a new model! Brand-new, okay!</strong>


    I was lost in thought while Napoleon raged.


    <i>So it has been 21 years since he was made, and until now, he doesn''t even know his own Ability? </i>


    I nced at Napoleon''s Ability.


    He had three Abilities, and surprisingly, all of them were of the Unique-ss which was only befitting of a Gigas called <strong>Napoleon</strong>.


    For starters, was a cheat skill that had the power to amplify the Iron Heart''s mystical power by 300%, but ridiculously enough, it didn''t have any sort of cooldown time.


    But the problem was¡­


    <i>''The energy consumption rate is 500%. That''s why Napoleon became a Gigas that specializes in bombardment.''</i>


    In exchange for being able to exert three times the power of other Gigas, it consumed five times as much energy. If he thought that this Ability was the only one he had, then it was natural for him to specialize in bombardment.


    Of course, can be used in close proximity and as long as it was used well, it was possible for a One Shot One Kill, but what if one went into the middle of the enemy and sessfully killed the enemy, but the Iron Heart ran out of mystical energy? No matter how thick the armours were and how fast the mobility was, death would be the only thing that awaits.


    <i>''But the rest of the Ability is the problem.''</i>


    I ced my hand on my forehead for a <strong>description</strong> of this Ability. I was surged with annoyance at the exnation stating that it was a high-speed movement towards an Iron Heart within a certain distance.


    "For it to be a Speed Dash, what kind of crazy¡­ What''s the point of a Speed Dash if he has such paperlike defense¡­"


    Although I was rarely defensive in nature, such a low defense would lead to a mishap in which damage would be umted due to fragments of the dead enemies instead of an attack from the enemy. Of course, a Gigas had something called a Barrier, but the problem was that I usually deactivate the Barrier when I was fighting most of the time.


    The third skill was also a sight to behold. The description was simple. When a defense impairment happens, it would activate emergency repairs, but that was it.


    Of course, since it was a Unique-ss of Ability, it was good enough to use it inbat, and the defensive and restorative powers would be powerful, but the problem was . A Repair Skill in a situation where there obviously wasn''t sufficient mystical energy? It would be better to aim for a situation where you didn''t get damaged or get hit at all.


    <i>''Ahh, what the hell is this... He''s not half as good as Thunder Dragon even though he''s a Human-rank. So what if the overall specs and output are higher?''</i>


    I continued piloting Napoleon even though I was frustrated at the hopeless condition of the skillposition. There were thunderstorms raging around Napoleon, who was rapidly descending.


    Kwareureukkk! Kwareukkkkkkk!


    Though it was an enormous thunderstorm, the Barrier made with mystical energy wouldn''t be damaged by the lesser electric energy of the natural world.


    If this lesser-energy could damage the Barrier, who would use Iron Hearts on a giant battleship or a Gigas? It would be better to just use a nuclear fusion engine.


    "Are we still very far away?"


    <strong>We''re close. We''ll be on the battlefield in five minutes, so get ready.</strong>


    Napoleon answered stiffly. He sounded as though he was still sulking over the word ''old model'', but I didn''t really care.


    A control persona was an existence that had individuality and emotion, but they operated on a strict set of rules. There was no way he could do anything that would interfere with the battle even though he was sulking. So I didn''t pay him any heed and continued looking through the rest of the Abilities.


    Obviously, I wasn''t looking at Napoleon''s Ability because those three Abilities were all he had. What I was checking was inherent Ability, in other words, <strong>my</strong> Ability.


    <i>''Ahhh, please... Please just give me one offensive skill.'' </i>


    My Inherent Skill changed daily. If others were to hear of this, they would think I was spouting some crazy bullshit, but it was true, so it can''t be helped.


    In fact, I used to think it was the characteristic of the main character when I participated in <i>The Great War</i>st time, but I knew it wasn''t the case when I boarded the Albatross ship and wandered around the Net. Generally, it would take extreme discipline and training to barely awaken one Inherent Ability, and one would have to live with it for the rest of their life. If they knew what was going on for me, countless pilots would be enraged.


    <i>''But this isn''t a good thing either.''</i>


    The Ability changed every day, so it was literally pure luck. There are days when an extremely good Ability came out, but there were also days when it was a total crap, and there were also countless times when a rare Ability was awakened, but theposition was shit.


    Moreover, the bigger problem was that I wouldn''t know in advance what Ability I would be getting that day. To find out what Ability I had that day, I must first ride on a Gigas. It was necessary to at least turn on simtions that mimic <i>The Great War</i>.


    "Ugh, vague." I groaned at the first Inherent Skill.


    Battle Foresight wasn''t a bad Ability because it could defend against enemy ambushes or snipings, but it wasn''t of the offensive-type.


    "Amplification again?"


    This wasn''t bad either, but with already, this was a vague Ability. I checked the third Ability anxiously.


    "Oohh¡­ NOT!" I groaned while rejoicing over the Legend-ss Ability.


    This Ability, which reset all skill cooldown by destroying the enemy''s Iron Heart and instantaneously absorbed all the energy was so powerful that it didn''t just mess up the whole battle once or twice. But the situation was dire because the offensive Abilities aren''t appearing.


    "Aghhh, please, the fourth." While muttering so, I confirmed the fourth Ability. But there was none. It was the end.


    "Huh, what?"


    I groaned. This was because I would have four or five Inherent Abilities. Usually. But I had only three this time. Come to think of it, it was amon case that the number of Ability would be reduced if a Legend-ss Inherent Skill was awakened.


    "No, what is this... Not even Pration?"


    Though I said it was the top three Abilities, it was because of its practicality, and not because it was a rare Ability. On unlucky days, it would appear as one of the Basic Abilities, and also awakened as one of the Inherent Abilities. It was the kind of the Ability that I wouldn''t mind appearing twice.


    But for Pration to not even awaken once.


    "There''s not even a single offensive Ability¡­?"


    <strong>...Erm, partner. What are you muttering to yourself? We''re reaching the battlefield soon.</strong>


    I could clearly hear the hint of worry in Napoleon''s words asking if I was okay, but I couldn''t even respond.


    "I''m screwed¡­" I groaned while grabbing my head.


    "We''re fucked¡­"

 Chapter 40: The Great Battle of Seppard (5)

    <h4>Chapter 40: The Great Battle of Seppard (5)</h4>


    "I''m screwed¡­" I groaned while grabbing my head.


    "We''re fucked¡­"


    But whether he knew how I felt or not, Napoleon descended as fast as he could as if he was going to crash, and entered the battlefield. Flustered by myck of control despite us having entered the battlefield, he abruptly shouted.


    <strong>You idiot, stop thinking about useless stuff and concentrate! The enemies areing!</strong>


    "But still, calling me a partner and then degrading me to an idiot."


    I grumbled and controlled the Magic Hand to pull out the handle of Rage Saber mounted on Napoleon''s right leg. And I switched it on. I unsheathed the sword made up of photons and activated the Ability.


    Wooooom-!


    The soul energy was enhanced by 300% by activating , and then it was also amplified by 50% after activating which brought the total enhanced power to 350%.


    Needless to say, the Amplification didn''t stack multiplicatively, so the soul energy wasn''t strengthened exponentially. Ifpounding such benefits were possible, it would have been possible for a Tool-rank Gigas to blow up Terra-ss battleships with five Amplification Abilities.


    Ahhh, it was possible to think about stacking five Amplification Abilities. But there were times when I was on a Gigas that possessed a bad Abilityposition, and it happened to be an unlucky day where I awakened an Amplification ability and the effects oveid each other. The situation then would be that much more worse - just like the situation right now where I didn''t even have a single offensive Ability.


    "Sighh, what''s the point of being sad?"


    I activated and Napoleon''s fast descent speed further elerated. It was not just some normal eleration, it was such a rapid eleration that made the descent speed before seemed like a joke. The spider-looking Gigas which were firing at our troops could not even respond properly.


    Kwakkkkk!


    I cut my way through. Perhaps because it happened in an instant, it was so fast that the enemy couldn''t even respond.


    <strong>Wha-, what the hell. What''s with this ridiculous eleration!? How did I?</strong>


    Unlike Napoleon who was confused, the enemy remained calm. I showed up in a sh and killed one of theirrades, then turned around at lightning-speed momentum and fired the photon cannon.


    Baaaaam!


    But then, Napoleon''s body rapidly burst forward again to the point where it defied thews of physics. By invoking and executing attack and defense at the same time, Napoleon switched its target to another Gigas that was further up ahead.


    Kabooom!


    But it didn''t unfold like the first attack. A cross-shaped Gigas, no, was it a fighter jet? Anyways, a shield was summoned from the target''s body to block me and the Lightsaber. Despite the execution being a regr attack, it was a powerful blow that was strengthened by 350%. Yet, it wasn''t powerful enough to blow up the whole shield in one shot.


    "I''m not even wishing for Laser Beam or Heaven''s Sword. If I at least had Pration¡­"


    <i>What exactly do you call a Gigas that has Support Skills like Speed Dash, and Amplification that strengthen its skills but with paper-like defenses?</i>


    An Assasination-type Gigas.


    I named them the IP-type (Instant Purge) Gigas. Quick mobility and attack power were crucial for the Gigas, and their defenses not as much. In the first ce, if the Gigas could eliminate its target in one shot, then there would be no need for defense.


    If the offense and defense itself does not take ce and the enemy can be destroyed immediately, it is possible to traverse across the battlefield.


    "But not having an offensive Ability is driving me crazy. Let''s not even talk about AP (Ability Power) when there isn''t even a Q¡­" [1]


    <strong>What without what? What crap are you talking about?</strong>


    "It''s just¡­ game terminologies!"


    At the same time as I responded, I descended like lightning. Though had a default cooldown of about one minute, it wasn''t systematically defined like how it was in a game, so it was possible to forcefully use it consecutively. Of course, it was an action that would consume as much energy as it was used and put pressure on the machine, but it wasn''t a big issue for me as I possessed as well as .


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The translucent shield shook greatly when I approached with Speed Rush and rammed into the shield. But, it didn''t break.


    Bang bang! Bang!


    I approached again and used a Normal Attack [2] repeatedly. Nevertheless, the enemy just blindly held out with the shield firmly. Seeing that he couldn''t even counterattack, he must''ve ced his trust in his surrounding allies and went into the defensive.


    "This is crazy¡­!!"


    Even though I had and , it was meaningless. This was because Amplification could only exhibit its true power with an offensive Ability. What was the use of amplifying a weak attack in the first ce? What more, if it was not even a weak Ability, but just a Normal Attack? Amplifying a Normal Attack by 350% was no different from four normal hits.


    "It''s just needlessly consuming energy, this is not energy efficient at all!"


    Rather than expecting an increase in the damage dealt at the expense of 500% energy consumption, it was better to just use Normal Attack four times. Since it took less than a second to sh. Of course, if I amplified all instances of Normal Attack, the DPS (Damage per second) would nearly quadruple, but it wasn''t a 1:1 conversion so it was pointless to do so in such a dire situation.


    The cheat-like Ability which had always boasted a strong sense of dignity was also not able to disy its effect properly. This was because Napoleon, which by itself already had a high energy output, could execute sword attacks and photon cannon shots hundred of times.


    In actual fact, it was a given.


    I possessed so it didn''t matter, but Napoleon was a Human-rank Gigas that had only one strong amplification skill called . The manufacturing directive of a Gigas was determined based on the performance and Ability of the Iron Heart, so most of the Gigas'' performance including the defensive capabilities and mobility was sacrificed so that the battery capacity could be greatly increased to reach the energy output that was equivalent to that of a Star-rank Gigas.


    However, since it was a situation where I could only use Normal Attack even with that enormous amount of soul energy, there was much remaining soul energy. It wasn''t that serious of a w, but there wasn''t any merit to go to the lengths of sucking up the enemy''s energy.


    Bang!


    But even in such an unfavorable situation, I defeated another one of these bastards. In the first ce, they were all Vulcans, so I wouldn''t lose if I face off against them in closebat.


    <strong>Fantastic, partner! That''s amazing!</strong>


    "What''s so amazing about it! We''ve only just defeated two of them!"


    I gritted my teeth and avoided the iing shots. It would be game over if I eased up. In the first ce, my fighting style was to pour all the shield energy into my weapons and maintain 100% extreme firepower and 0% defense, so if I was dealt a normal attack while riding on Napoleon, who had armour that was no different from a piece of paper, it would be as good as receiving a fatal blow.


    <i>''If only I had just one offensive Ability!''</i>


    I wasn''t hoping for anything incredible. If I at least had Pration, I would''ve already defeated more than five enemies. If I had Pration, I would''ve ripped apart their crappy shield like it was just a toy. And if I awakened an offensive-type Ability that was even stronger than that? And if that offensive skill consumed a great deal of energy?


    Then the synergy between and would reach great heights. If I repeated the process of firing the strong offensive skill blindly and recovering my soul energy, it wasn''t an exaggeration but I wouldn''t need any allies. I would be able to push back the enemies that didn''t even numbered in the thirties all alone.


    "Napoleon, how''s our military power?"


    <strong>As of now, we have two ally work-ships, 15 fighter jets and three Gigas remaining. The enemy has 19 fighter jets and eight Gigas.</strong>


    I examined the situation of the battle as I listened to Napoleon''s report. At present, the Leonhardt Imperial Army was besieged by the demi-humans. However, it wasn''t a perfect siege as they were fighting intensely around the massive mountains that were rangingplicatedly in various areas.


    "Ahhh, Thunder Dragon."


    And in that meantime, I sighed while looking at Thunder Dragon that was on our side.


    "If I was riding on that, I would''ve been able to wipe them all out, but instead I''m riding on something like this."


    <strong>What, what did you say? Something like this? No, more than that, are youparing me to a Beast-rank bastard right now?</strong>


    Ignoring Napoleon that was in a fit of rage, I coldly shook my head. The situation of the war was unfavorable. Including fighter jets, it was us 18 against them 27. It wasn''t an extremely hopeless gap, but the problem was that the enemy had already scattered our army and surrounded us.


    <i>''What do I do?''</i>


    If skills of no use like or were offensive skills, I would destroy everything that was blocking the way and save our troops, but my current battle prowess was not nearly enough. Even though I was surrounded by only four to five people, I couldn''t even counterattack and was being pushed around.


    <i>''Then¡­''</i>


    I organized my thoughts. Although theposition of the Abilities was a total mess, it was only an annoying situation and not to the point of despair. In any case, my Ability was randomized every day, and when I was ying <i>The Great War</i>, I used to ride on various Gigas, and there were those with even more crappybinations of Abilities.


    <i>And if that was the case, then what should I do?</i>


    "Napoleon! Join the ranks of our troops at the 1 o''clock direction!"


    I dashed and used the Lightsaber and photon cannon to beat down the Gigas in my proximity which tried to jump at me to defeat me. I then approached the machines that belonged to our troops. A strong jamming radio wave was spreading around, but it wasn''t to the point of blocking off the conversation with the surrounding machines.


    <strong>This is Colonel Danma, Steel Cross Flying Brigade Commander. The one riding on Napoleon, who are you?</strong>


    "I''m not a soldier. To exin it in simpler terms for you to understand, I am a Specter."


    Bang! Bang! Kwakkkkk!


    Normal Attack, Normal Attack, Normal Attack. With this shitty bastard''s Normal Attack, I chipped away the enemy''s shield and sessfully stabbed the Lightsaber into the wings of one of the enemy''s fighter jets. The fighter jet blurred out and disappeared as if it activated an escape-type Ability. However, without moving a single inch, I lifted the photon cannon with my left arm and fired it into the air, urately shooting down the fighter jet that was moving away. It was an aggressive use of the power of .


    <strong>Specter! Is that so? You''re the one who¡­</strong>


    "Ahh, but can I ask you for a favor?"


    <strong>A favor?</strong>


    "Yes, please give me the right tomand."


    I knew it sounded ridiculous. I wasn''t even a soldier, but I was asking for the right tomand the soldiers who have lived on the battlefield all their lives. It was no different from doubting their fighting capabilities. Sure enough, a different voice butted into our conversation.


    <strong>What nonsense!! I know you''re quite a formidable pilot, but a war isn''t a joke!</strong>


    "Of course I know that, but it''s a battle without a chance of winning, so there''s nothing to lose even if you leave it to me."


    <strong>What, what did you say?</strong>


    As I said it with a hint of provocation, the voice suddenly shouted and the man who interrupted our conversation stuttered. It was a situation that could have turned into an emotional strife with our allies, but I didn''t pay much heed to it.


    <i>''If he says no, I''ll just get out of there.''</i>


    It would only be hard if I wanted to beat down the enemy while guarding our troops, but if it was to escape, I could do it right away. You might ask, ''How can you abandon your ally and run away?''. But, I wasn''t loyal enough to risk my life for people whose faces I didn''t even know.


    <i>''No, apart from that, why are our forces being cornered so one-sidedly? Don''t we have any strategists? Did the enemy gain prior knowledge of our movements?''</i>


    It was true that it was an unfavorable battle that seemed impossible to win, so my life was at stake. If I at least randomed some decent Abilities, I wouldn''t be worried because I could save my allies without much trouble, but now that the situation hade to this, I absolutely needed the right tomand.


    <strong>Alright. I''ll hand over themand code right away.</strong>


    "...Ooohh?"


    For starters, I just tried throwing it out there and I thought it wouldn''t work, so I was slightly taken aback. Soldiers, having been on the battlefield all their life, were handing over the right tomand to someone they didn''t even know that easily? I had no idea if I was the only one who was flustered, but then I heard voicesing from all around me.


    <strong>Bri-, Brigade Commander-nim?</strong>


    <strong>Wait, wait a minute! It might be dangerous!</strong>


    <strong>To give it to some unknown person¡­!</strong>


    It was probably a groupmunication as it was noisy and loud, but Colonel Danma, the Steel Cross Flying Brigade Commander, simply cut off their words. There was a mixture ofughter in the voice that did not suit this dire situation.


    <strong>What do you mean it might be dangerous, then do you think it''s not dangerous right now?</strong>


    <strong>Bu-, but.</strong>


    <strong>Stop spouting nonsense and just follow his orders! Those who defy him will be charged with insubordination!</strong>


    Along with the resonating shout, the battlefield information was updated. As he said earlier, Colonel Danma seemed to have handed over themand code.


    "Hmm." I pondered lightly. <i>What should I do?</i>


    However, it would not be so difficult since I received the right tomand. It wouldn''t be fun to go at the enemies all by myself, but with this, there would be a chance of winning. I dashed forward with the two amplification skills applied on my sword and shouted, "Shrink the battlefield! Gather at once and move to the mountains on the left side!"


    <strong>¡­</strong>


    "Your replies!"


    <strong>Huh, roger that!!</strong>


    Everyone began to move with a quivering cry. It was the start of the second round of the war.


    1. AP is Ability Power. Q refers to the first skill in MOBA games like Dota and League of Legends. That being said, have you read Rise? Rise is a fun eSports Novel revolving around League of Legends with a mix of drama, action,edy, and slice of life. And if you''re looking for something a little extra, you can always interact with the Rise Team in the novel''s trantion thoughts andments.


    2. The normal attack when you right click on a creep or hero in a MOBA game.

 Chapter 41: The Great Battle of Seppard (6)

    <h4>Chapter 41: The Great Battle of Seppard (6)</h4>


    I basically enjoyed fighting alone, but I couldn''t always fight that kind of battle. For example, the current situation where the Abilityposition was intertwined with bad luck, and also during situations where I entered the battlefield while piloting a Tool-rank Gigas.


    No matter how godly my controls were, there was a limit to the performance and fighting power of the Gigas itself, and so naturally, there was a limit to the things I could do on the battlefield. Therefore, even while ying <i>The Great War</i>, I had a lot of experiencesmanding and making good use of our NPC allies. War, by nature, was not something that was supposed to be fought alone, right?


    Nevertheless¡­ Having allies might not always be a good thing.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    I randomly fired but urately shot down the enemy Gigas that had gone into hiding by activating Stealth. The allies around me were wary of their surroundings and disorganized. Startled by the sudden takedown of an enemy Gigas, they shifted their positions and I watched in annoyance.


    "Why on earth did you notply with my orders to fire at the left side?"


    <strong>Bu-, but how did you pinpoint the position of an enemy that you couldn''t see?! They could''ve retreated back to the mountains on the right side¡­</strong>


    "Mountains? What mountains! Must you see them for them to be there?! Don''t just focus on the movements, you have to grasp the enemy''s psychology! Even if they seeded in ambushing us, those bastards wouldn''t want to die, so why would they go inside the mountains where there''s no path to escape?"


    I frowned at the enemies who once again activated Stealth and retreated after being staggered by the blow. It was a chance to defeat the enemies, but we missed it because these guys weren''t doing anything useful.


    <i>''If you''re bad at this, then please just listen to my orders¡­!''</i>


    I clenched my teeth at the sight of them relying on their own (wrong) judgement when it was really necessary to follow my orders. <i>And they even said "Roger that!"</i>.


    Fortunately, the enemies were Vulcans, so it was alright even if we didn''t inflict a fatal blow.


    Kwareukkkkkkk!!


    Just then, Thunder Dragon shot thunderbolts towards the sky. He kept the fighter jets that wanted to bombard us in check.


    Frankly speaking, the movements of all three Gigas including Thunder Dragon were disappointing. However, it was barely eptable seeing that they were calmly executing attacks and defences with their own battle lines. Maybe the mining team brought along pilots that were experts at defense since the initial n was to guard the work-ships.


    Shooooooong!


    Screechhh!


    Fighter jets were flying around above our heads. Although fighter jets had lowbat power due to their basic shape and structure, and their flying capabilities were of no match to Gigas since thetter could fly in the skies with raging lightning storms, the jets were desperately fighting a dog fight to ensure that we had the aerial advantage.


    Fortunately, we had 14 fighter jets on our side, and we weren''t that far behind in numbers against the enemy''s 18 fighter jets. Above all, the Steel Cross Flying Brigade Commander, Colonel Danma''s red fighter jet was disying capabilities that exceeded expectations.


    <i>''I''d like to pilot a fighter jet too if I ever get the chance.''</i>


    I''m stating the obvious but most fighter jets were also powered with an Iron Heart.


    Because, without the use of soul energy, the highest-grade energy that humans could handle (excluding divine power), we would have to carry out a desperate battle in which even the enemies'' normal attacks would shatter our shields. Also, we would only be able to shoot missiles at the enemy and these missiles wouldn''t even be able to pierce through the enemy''s basic shield.


    The shield of a Beast-rank Gigas mounted with an Iron Heart could withstand a strong nuclear explosion of a lower-grade energy containing energy tens of hundreds of times greater than its own power output. So not only the Gigas, but the fighter jets, battleships, and even floatings as well as Space Cities were mounted with an Iron Heart.


    Therefore, once a pilot was familiar with controlling the Iron Heart, he could even control battleships, floating cities, and also make good use of the Ability in his own special way. However, as these entities called forpletely different piloting methods, it would take time to adjust to each of them.


    <i>''Well, it''s something for next time anyways.''</i>


    I chuckled and nced at the radar.


    Though there was no significant difference in the numbers between our 14 fighter jets against the enemy''s 18 fighter jets, there was a notable difference in the number of Gigas that each side possessed. Our army possessed four Gigas against the enemy''s eight Gigas; they had twice the numerical advantage.


    But as expected, the enemy was also in a situation where they didn''t hold anypetitive advantage because they also only had one Human-rank Gigas on their side, and the rest were Beast-rank Gigas - a situation simr to ours.


    We had to be prepared for the unusual factor ¡ª I couldn''t properly showcase my great military prowess.


    "Thunder Dragon! Deactivate bombardment mode and switch to mid-range mode! The same goes for ck Wildcat and Gargantuan Tiger. Gather at one ce and fight there!"


    <strong>What? If we do that and get exposed to the enemy''s wide-spread bombing, then¡­!</strong>


    "That''s why, let''s move together so we don''t expose ourselves!" I shouted and ran like a bullet to the front; they had no choice but to follow along.


    Kabooom! Boom! Dududu!


    We flew as low as possible, sticking to the mountains to limit the enemies'' firing angles. Enemy Gigas shot photon cannons in pursuit, but I kept the enemies in check while slightly avoiding or blocking them with my shield.


    "Attack the left side!"


    <strong>Ugh¡­ Here I go!</strong>


    Thunder Dragon called forth lightning.


    They looked at though they wouldn''t listen to my orders properly but they didn''t deliberately disobey my orders despite havingints towards me. It was because they, too, wanted to live. In other words, if I gave orders that they couldprehend, they would somehow follow it one way or another, so I continued to order away.


    "Let''s charge together as we deploy the protective guard! I''ll shake up their military encampment. Since we''re on the move, it''s impossible for them to form a perfect encircling siege with just twice our numbers! Even if we''re lesser in numbers, if we move towards a single vantage point and move towards their smaller group, we''ll gain a momentary numerical advantage!" I shot at a single point while exining.


    Though the bastards, who prated the left side, drew close nimbly, I turned back in a sharp U-turn, hitting them urately with dozens of shots. The enemy could only fall back for they couldn''t withstand the firepower.


    <strong>Damn! Specter! Those bastards are trying to encircle us from front and back! They caught up!</strong>


    "It''s a sandwich formation! Be careful to not let them surround uspletely and change directions! Turn around, beware of beingpletely rear-ended! Immediately drive out the ''bread'' at the right side right now!"


    <strong>Br-, bread?!</strong>


    "We can''t stay stuck in between them forever! Bear in mind! We''re not trying to knock down the enemy, we''re driving them away!"


    If you get sandwiched by the enemy, it was better to get the smaller group out of the way first and then fight with therger group. We had to focus our attacks on one side and break the sandwich formation in an instant before immediately shing with the major forces to seize the chance toe out victorious.


    "Everyone, charge towards the right side!" I shouted and then gave orders to Napoleon.


    "Napoleon, deactivate gravitational control."


    <strong>What? The gravity of E-3 is¡­ </strong>


    "I know, just deactivate it."


    E-3 was a high-gravity zone with the gravity 15 times stronger than that of Earth''s. It was a with such high gravity that it would be difficult for a Gigas without a built-in gravitational control device to even fly properly. However, no matter how strong the gravity was, it was not to the point that it would be sufficient to crush a Gigas, a product of superscience.


    Boom!


    I kicked the ground in a formidable manner as I dropped down heavily and activated and . The amplified skill was .


    Kabooom---!


    As I burst forward like an explosion, the enemies on the right were taken by surprise. But, it was already toote. Even without Amplification, the speed dash was already fast enough, but it currently disyed even faster speed and also a longer distance since it was strengthened with repeated amplifications.


    <i>''I''ve only strengthened my Normal Attack until now all for this moment!''</i>


    I used all the energy avable at once, focused them all to the shield and rolled my body up. There was no point in blindly swinging a sword. I wouldn''t be able to pierce through the enemy''s shield anyway.


    However, as I deactivated Napoleon''s gravitational control, I descended with super-high speed as if I was falling down like a bolt. Hence the destructive power that was demonstrated was on apletely different level. It was no different from dozens of metal cannonballs crashing down with the gravitational pull 15 times that of Earth''s.


    Kriekkkkk---!!


    In an instant, the Human-rank Gigas at the very front of the group spread out both his arms and a huge barrier appeared. It was as if he created a semi-transparent ss barrier in an instant, but he couldn''tpletely defend against Napoleon''s body, which flew down at a super-high speed coupled with the pull of the gravitational force.


    That wasn''t all.


    <strong>Smash it down!!</strong>


    Kwareureukkk! Shinggggg!


    The barrier was a given. Thunder Dragon and Gargantuan Tiger''s bombardment, as well as ck Wildcat''s half-moon shapedser beam caught the enemies off guard, and destroyed the enemies'' shield that was formed in a rush, dealing immense damage. At least this time, it seemed like even the enemies, who were able to stand their ground all these while, couldn''t hold out against our attacks.


    But, the strongest of our four Gigas, the Human-rank Gigas, was also destroyed. Having said that, as a result of Napoleon''s sacrifice, the other three Gigas only received minimal damage and hurriedly backed off.


    <strong>Give chase!</strong>


    "No! Did you not hear? I told you we''re not trying to knock down the enemy, we''re driving them away! Turn around right now and deal with the four of them that''s at the back!"


    While eximing like such, was triggered.


    Though it was only natural, Napoleon''s body itself was shot forward like a cannonball and destroyed the enemy''s barrier and shield, so his body was in a bad state.


    Chwanggg---!


    <strong>What the hell is this? What''s with this ridiculous recovery speed¡­ Ackkk! It''s consuming all the soul energy!</strong>


    At the same time, the arms that broke apart from Napoleon''s body, the protective guard, the shattered armor, and the parts that were wrecked up, all of them began to revert back to their original form as if time was turned back. As expected, because the Gigas was in a state where it was under amplified , it recovered back to its perfect state in the same time it took to take a breath.


    Of course, thanks to that, the soul energy was depletedpletely.


    Kwakkkkk!


    I thrust the Lightsaber into the cockpit of the Gigas that copsed under my attack. Then, I invoked and all the energy from the enemy''s Iron Heart was sucked in, restoring Napoleon''s energy up to 60%. Originally, the purpose of the skill was to fill it up to 100%, but Napoleon''s total energy reserves was so high to the point that it was abnormal, so it couldn''t fully be filled.


    <strong>Wait! What do you mean turn around! You want me to let go of all the wrecked up bastards over there and go against those unscathed ones?</strong>


    I stood up and looked at ck Wildcat that spoke to me rudely because he was agitated.


    The four unscathed Gigas that was at the back flew towards us.


    "Wrecked up or not, just look at the speed at which they''re retreating right now! It''s not like we can catch up to them at once, and if we give chase, they''re going to catch us from the back instead! Rather, now we don''t have to worry about our backs since it''s four against four, so we can handle them easily!"


    If our teamposition could win against the enemy, then we should fight even if we were on the run. Even if the enemy tried to avoid shing with us, we could force them into a situation where they had to fight. So, now that they were throwing themselves at us, we should be thankful for it.


    But ck Wildcat hesitated for a moment and then fell back like lightning.


    <strong>Hmph! I''ll get rid of them ande back quickly! Hold the fort for a bit!</strong>


    "What?!" I freaked out and screamed, but ck Wildcat was already gone.


    With our targeting formation dissolved and scattered, it became impossible to wipe out the four Gigas that were rushing at us in one fell swoop.


    That wasn''t all. We were supposed to only drive away the enemy, but that bloody cat, as well as Thunder Dragon and Gargantuan Tiger backed off in a daze. Hence the sandwich formation that we just broke apart was working properly again.


    As soon as the enemies that were escaping sorted out their conditions and turned around, we werepletely surrounded.


    "Oh my god. These trolling fuckers."


    Although The NPCs of <i>The Great War</i> were bots (Bot. AI yers that appear in Multiyer games or Multiyer mode.) that were peculiarly frustrating and had limited thought circuits, they had never moved in such a manner that would blow my fuse. Above all, as long as my contributions were high to a certain degree, they would listen to whatever I say.


    But then, now that I was "ying" with a bunch of people, how would I possibly know they would act like this?<strong> </strong>Even if they were forced to carry out the orders against their own will, wasn''t I given the right tomand?


    Although Thunder Dragon and Gargantuan Tiger were supporting and firing from the back, the formation itself had already crumbled¡­ So ck Wildcat, that charged forward by himself, had to fight one against three. No matter how much damage you could inflict to the enemy, it would never be an easy thing for the smaller numbers to deal with therger numbers.


    "Ahhh¡­"


    Before I knew it, Iughed dejectedly as I saw the four Gigas pouncing towards me.


    "This is going to give me cancer¡­"

 Chapter 42: The Great Battle of Seppard (7)

    <h4>Chapter 42: The Great Battle of Seppard (7)</h4>


    "Ahhh¡­"


    Before I knew it, Iughed dejectedly as I saw the four Gigas pouncing towards me.


    "This is going to give me cancer¡­"


    But leaving cancer aside, I had to fight them first.


    "Thunder Dragon! Gargantuan Tiger! Go get the cat ande back quickly!"


    <strong>What? Bu-, but¡­</strong>


    "Do you guys want to be charged with insubordination too?"


    <strong>...Okay. I mean, roger that.</strong>


    As soon as they responded, the two Gigas quickly flew far away. The moment the enemy caught sight of that, two of the four Gigasing at me tried to overtake me to chase after my allies.


    "Where do you think you''re going! Napoleon! Reactivate the gravitational control!!"


    <strong>Gotcha, partner! Let''s do this!</strong>


    Napoleon answered and lowered his posture at the same time while activating and simultaneously.


    He turned around with a ''vriiingg'' and charged the shield with energy. Then, he rushed at the spider-type Gigas that wasing at me.


    Kriekkkkk---!!


    It was a given, but it was impossible to have a head-on fight. Although the concept of body strengthening technique was possible in a Gigas battle, the enemy, who was so intimidated that he was wrapped in a shield, like now, could only be approached once we broke the shield. Things would have been a little different if I had the right Ability for close-quarterbat, but at the very least, it was impossible for me right now.


    <i>''Let''s concentrate.''</i>


    I synced with Napoleon''s Iron Heart. Napoleon''s huge reserve of soul energy began to react by connecting with my humble soul.


    Whooooosh--


    It was the soul energy of the Iron Heart that formed the shield of a Gigas and its basic properties were simr to solid matter. But since it was not a real substance, it was possible to transform its properties if the soul energy was synchronized.


    <i>''Be as flexible and stic as a rubber ball!''</i>


    I concentrated my thoughts. I wasn''t able to synchronize to this extent when I was ying <i>The Great War on</i> the virtual simtion device. So, it was the first time I actually tried it, but it didn''t feel like I was going to fail.


    Baaaaam!


    And of course, the result was a sess! I snuck under the Gigas that wasing at me and threw him up into the sky.


    Bang!


    "Strike!"


    The sight of the spider-type Gigas bouncing off like a bolt of lightning and flying urately towards the two Gigas that were chasing Thunder Dragon and Gargantuan Tiger had me bumping my fist up in the air.


    I didn''t have any offensive-based Ability to prate through the enemy''s barrier, but it was possible to push, throw and press down on the enemy like this. And most of all, my normal attack and barrier was in a strengthened state, so the momentum was also fierce.


    Boom! Boom!


    Upon being crashed after being rammed hard by another Gigas from behind at a high-speed, they soon turned their eyes towards me.


    Thunder Dragon, ck Wildcat and Gargantuan Tiger were chasing the fleeing enemies, and instantaneously, my allied Gigas had widened the distance from where we were. The two enemy Gigas, who wanted to pursuit them, decided to do a suicide mission and came at me - the closest target. As a result, it became a one against four battle.


    <strong>Partner! They''reing!</strong>


    Along with the warning, I dodged the bombardment that was raining down from both sides. The two Gigas shaped like humans, which was quite rare for a Gigas belonging to the demi-humans, lunged at me. On top of that, the way they were targeting their artillery fire at Napoleon''s shield looked strange.


    <i>''This is¡­''</i>


    I shouted out loud at the familiar <strong>feeling</strong>.


    "Napoleon! Reduce the shield''s coverage to just above the body!"


    <strong>But if you don''t maintain the shield in a sphere-form, it will consume too much of the system''sputational power! The soul energy consumption will also be severe! We don''t even have a closebat Ability, so why?</strong>


    "It can''t be helped. The enemy is using weak Abilities just to hit the barrier. Don''t let their attacks touch the barrier!"


    <strong>You''re saying we shouldn''t let their attacks touch the barrier when the barrier is used to block iing attacks in the first ce?</strong>


    Napoleon was baffled, but perhaps because it was somehow convincing to him, I could feel the coverage of the shield reducing. At the same time, a photon cannon grazed past above my shoulder. As expected, that bastard was shooting recklessly as long as it couldnd a hit on the shield.


    <i>''It''s Erosion.''</i>


    was one of my favorite Abilities to use. It was a skill that invaded the enemy''s Aura and disrupted the controls to induce an overdrive. The most ideal method of using it was, of course, direct contact with the enemy''s Iron Heart or the soul vein that flowed inside the deck. However, simplynding a hit on the enemy''s shield could also adversely affect the enemy''s recovery speed or defensive capabilities.


    Boom!


    Napoleon kicked against the ground. Even for Napoleon that could freely fly with gravitational and inertia controls, it was a given that he would also naturally be restricted by thews of action and reaction. I reached top speed instantaneously by using after minimizing the eleration time by kicking the ground.


    Boom! Boom! Boooom!


    Therge-calibre bombardments, which could only be done by ships on Earth, grazed my body, no, grazed Napoleon''s body and craters appeared where the shotsnded. Since I had already figured out their firing angles and their target from the start, I had lightly manipted Napoleon to evade all the attacks. I then infiltrated into their formation and swung the Lightsaber like lightning.


    Bazaammm!


    "Ack?!"


    But in that instant, Napoleon''s wrist which was holding the Lightsaber, twisted.


    As if space itself had been refracted, the trajectory of the Lightsaber changed rapidly and the Lightsaber which should''ve cut the enemy, returned to me.


    <strong>Partner! This is¡­!</strong>


    "I know! It''s a defensive skill! Space Refraction!"


    It was a sudden situation, but I wasn''t flustered. No, rather, this was an opportunity. I''ve known from experience that this kind of concentrated defence was easier to pierce than a regr barrier.


    Shiiingggg!


    I leaned my back down for now and avoided the de of the Lightsaber that was flying towards my neck. At the same time, I used the recoil of the sword, strongly held by my now twisted right hand, to rotate around like a spinning top.


    Kwakkkkk!


    I waited for them to creep in before turning around with a ''vriiingg~'' and shed diagonally. The enemy was flustered by the swift counterattack and attempted to pull their bodies out of the way. Unfortunately, it was for naught as they were split into two.


    As I cut them down, I had the Iron Heart activate instantly at the exact moment and sucked out the enemy''s soul energy to the point where there wasn''t any possibility of recovering.


    <strong>Holy... crap. What was it that you just did?</strong>


    "What do you mean what did I just do? I attacked them and that was reflected, so I used the momentum generated to attack again. Ughhh, I can''t believe I lost one wrist just to defeat one of them, what kind of hardcore mode is this¡­"


    ----!!!


    But then there was no time for a breather as a ''whiiiiiingg-!'' sound rang in my head and a pulsating wave passed over and struck my body. Of course, I was protected by the Avalon System, but it wasn''t an attack that was aimed at my main body in the first ce.


    "Oh, this group fight is annoying. What the hell is it now?"


    I frowned upon the realization that Napoleon''s control had been dyed by half a beat momentarily. When I looked up, I found a wolf-type Gigas bent down. His jaw was dropped and his mouth was wide open and it looked as though he was roaring.


    <i>''Is it an Ability simr to the Fenrir''s Howl used by Major General Chun Hyun-il?''</i>


    However, unlike Erosion, it was an Ability that I didn''t know of. For someone like me that was 100% familiar with the Abilities that appeared in <i>The Great War</i> to not know of a particr skill meant that this skill was either extremely rare or it didn''t appear in <i>The Great War</i>.


    <strong>Be careful, partner! The Iron Heart''s soul energy was slowed, so the reaction speed is too slow! You can''t avoid the attack!</strong>


    "No, why do you sound so serious for something as trivial as this?"


    I moved the Magic Hand andughed at the damage report, which wasing up on the front screen chaotically.


    "It''s just saying that it''sgging for about two seconds, right? We can just solve it with a wire input."


    It was true that I didn''t even have time to invoke to fix the destroyed right arm. But my purpose was not victory anyway.


    <i>For me to stall this much time by myself...</i>


    <strong>We took too long! I mean, we''rete! Sorry!</strong>


    <strong>We''ll join in! Now you don''t have to worry about your back!</strong>


    <strong>To defeat another one in that meantime¡­</strong>


    As the positionings had changed during the battle, Thunder Dragon, Gargantuan Tiger and ck Wildcat appeared from behind the demi-human''s Gigas. To be honest, they were far from being reliable, but it was not to the point where they could not deal with the enemy which had suffered heavy damages and had no numerical advantage.


    Shooooong--- Bang!


    And in that meantime, one of the demi-human''s fighter jets was shot down by the red fighter jet and crashed next to us. While we were fighting, the fighter jets also won.


    "It''s over."


    I leaned my back on the cockpit as I watched the demi-human''s Gigas stood rooted as they couldn''t move carelessly. It was a perfect victory.


    * * *


    "This is a totally unexpected situation."


    Looking at the screen, Hyun-il was in a really bad state.


    His snow-like white fur was scorched as if it had been considerably burned, and one of his ears was cut off at an angle and the severed portion was nowhere to be seen. His right arm was tattered like a rag to the point that his muscle fibers were visible, and a huge part of his face was torn, offering a clear imagery of hisrge mrs and fangs. He was in such a severe condition that if one had a weak stomach, they''d feel nauseous.


    "Are you trying to get in shape? You look like you''re about to die right now."


    "What nonsense are you spouting? This kind of injury will heal just by spitting some saliva on it." Hyun-il replied jokingly to the Princess of Leonhardt Empire, Celestia''s nagging, but it was actually true.


    In actual fact, even at this moment, his injuries were healing fast. The burnt skin slowly regenerated and white fur began to grow. The broken bones connected together by themselves and the ear that was cut off was growing back.


    "This is what''s scary about Physical-type Transcendents. To only be like this after being hit by an ultimate spell that''s famous for impeding regenerations¡­"


    "I''m only looking like this because I was hit with an ultimate spell. Otherwise I would havepletely healed before evening back here." Hyun-il murmured under his breath while slurping on the Thousand Spirit Tea.


    It was a precious tea that was drunk only when Hyun-il was hosting a precious guest, but it was also the best spiritual elixir for an injured person such as himself now. As he took a sip of the Thousand Spirit Tea and replenished his vigor, Celestia, who was waiting in the Captain''s Room as the most distinguished guest of the Albatross ship, turned her head to the screen.


    "By the way¡­ Why the hell did he go into battle?"


    The situation of the fight proceeded in a way that was entirely different from what she initially imagined it to be.


    A young man from an extremely peaceful region that only had a few incidents, let alone wars, entered the battlefield for the first time, and <strongmanded</strong> specialists, who had lived on a battlefield for decades, to drive out the enemies. She expected him to y an active part, but she didn''t think it was going to be in this manner.


    "Ahhhhh, I was taken aback because of that too. That guy clearly had , right? There was Thunder Dragon, a Gigas without any long-range Ability that could pierce through the enemy''s barrier, so why did he get on Napoleon, a Gigas specialized in bombardment, and fight a close-quarter fight?"


    Hyun-il, who had reached the level of transcendence as a warrior and also had great talents and skills as a pilot, was able to urately grasp the Ability used by the Earthling that went by the name of Specter just by looking through the videos left behind after the battle with the demi-humans.


    "From Stealth to Pration and to Sniper... And on top of that, even Teleportation. In fact, the only Basic Ability built into the Thunder Dragon was Pration, so the others must have been Inherent Abilities."


    It was impossible to use both long-range weapons and close-range weapons like Pration, but when ites to Abilities like , it had the power to prate through a barrier. In addition, it also had the power to increase the firing range of bombardments, so it would have been possible to support the Leonhardt army safely by using the Ability to hide in a lightning cloud where proper detection could not work and use from afar.


    Previously, Celestia was against Dae-ha''s participation in the war as he was considered a guest, but she understood the circumstances and agreed to it eventually. However, now she had an expression as if she found the situation iprehensible


    Celestia muttered, "Why on earth did he engage in a close-range battle with Napoleon, a Gigas specialized in bombardments?"


    "Actually, that''s not really important."


    Celestiaughed at Hyun-il who was brushing off the tangled hairs with his hand while watching Napoleon''s battle scene.


    "Oh my, did you think I was just casually saying it when I said that that young child had the technique of a Gigant Master?"


    "Then do you think there''d be a crazy bastard that would believe that right off the bat?"


    He received reports on Napoleon''s other awakenings, which was and , as well as the extremely rare Ability , which absorbs the opponent''s energy to restore its own energy.


    In actual fact, this was not a problem. Though it was very rare, there were existences in the past that possessed many rare Abilitiespared to others.


    There were the <strong>Noblesse</strong> which even the transcendents dare not carelessly go against, and the <strong>Untouchable</strong> bloodline, which was even more rare than the Noblesse. If it were those beings, it wouldn''t be strange even if they had ridiculous Abilities from the day they were born.


    Even in the case of ''using an Ability that the Gigas itself did not awaken by using an Inherent Ability'', though it was extremely rare to the extent that it was considered hearsay, it wasn''t to the point where it was unbelievable. Rather, the bigger problem was his <strong>technique</strong>.


    "Haha. Did you see him change the properties of the shield? It took me more than 30 years to even do that. And that kid did it so easily?"


    That wasn''t all.


    Even in a constantly changing battle situation, Dae-ha had the capability to judge the situation and find an answer to it in a split second. Despite having subordinates who disobeyed his orders, he could pull off excellent battle tactics. He even possessed astonishing piloting capabilities and could easily suppress enemies that were of the same grade even without any proper offensive Ability.


    This was not a matter of talent alone. It required countless training, practice, and more than anything else, ''experience''.


    And above all else¡­


    "Didn''t he learn how to pilot a Gigas in <i>The Great War</i>? But in real practice, in a battlefield filled with death, he perfectly adapted to it to this extent?"


    Hyun-il couldn''t feel from Dae-ha a hint of hesitation or fear, a characteristic of new recruits. A Gigas battle might not beparable to the hand-to-handbat where breaths and swords sh against each other, but it was also not something to be taken lightly.


    There were a number of officers who were traumatized by a single battle and couldn''t go to war again, even though they recorded excellent results in simtions that were simr to <i>The Great War</i>. This was because it was by no means easy to synchronize with the Iron Heart calmly in a battlefield where having to kill the enemy and the fear of death coexisted.


    But Dae-ha, having only rode on one proper Gigas, jumped head first into a battle that had overwhelming odds without much hesitation. And that young boy, without even a moment''s hesitation, eliminated the enemies and fought calmly, despite being in a crisis due to his uncoordinated allies, leading the troops to victory.


    This was not something that a new recruit was capable of disying. On the contrary, it was doubtful whether Hyun-il, a long-time pilot and even considered a war veteran, would be able to imitate him. Was this really possible?


    "Eyyy, but didn''t you say he was a genius who scored 1.28 billion points in <i>The Great War</i>? Even if he learned in the form of a game, if he could obtain such high scores, wouldn''t he be able to perform well to a certain extent in an actual battle too?"


    "1.28 billion points¡­ Hahaha. This is just ridiculous. It feels like it was just yesterday when the headquarters made a big fuss over me ''barely'' scoring 9.5 million points. Eventually, the 100-membermittee summoned me in person and I had to y another round of <i>The Great War</i> in front of them. But then, he didn''t just score 10 million or 100 million, he scored 1.2 billion?"


    <i>The Great War</i> wasn''t just a game. It was a highly reliable battle simtion that had raised countless pilots. Even a current Gigant Master wouldn''t probably be able to reach the one billion point mark, so how could a kid who hadn''t even lived 20 years scored more than that?


    But Celestia smiled and shrugged, "Well, anyways, I''m d things turned out well."


    "Yes, it worked out well. The dinosaur bastard was injured as much as I was, and the pursuit ne was sessfully destroyed, plus I was able to mine for enough Gats to repair the ship."


    Nevertheless, questions remained in Hyun-il''s mind. It was a question regarding Dae-ha''s identity.


    <i>''He absolutely didn''t infiltrate our ranks with malice. If so, he wouldn''t have dealt with things this way.''</i>


    At the same time, however, Hyun-il was confident that Dae-ha was by no means an ordinary being. Dae-ha''s amazing technique, as well as the massive number of Abilities, was anything but ordinary.


    "I''ll have to thoroughly observe him.", Hyun-il mumbled and slowly fell asleep. He didn''t show it, but he was also pretty tired from the fierce battle.


    While Hyun-il was asleep, Celestia looked at the screen again. It was unknown what had happened but Napoleon, that Dae-ha was riding on, lightly smacked ck Wildcat''s head.


    "Ahhh¡­ This won''t do. This, perhaps." Celestia muttered as she watched the returning troops with aplicated and subtle expression.


    "Grandpa Mae-pa mighte."

 Chapter 43: Kidnapping (1)

    Chapter 43: Kidnapping (1)


    Even the Tekea Federation, which was appraised to be of the Empire-ss, only had two Exa-ss Space Carriers, one of them being Great Sky. And the atmosphere at its bridge deck now was utterly deste. As the size of the resident poption numbered in the tens of thousands, there was a considerably high number of crew members working on the bridge. Yet, only extreme stillness filled the surrounding area, as if no one was around.


    "It''s already been three days since they left to dig for Gats."


    It was about seven days from the time perspective of Earth. The time perspective was different because the rotation cycle of the demi-human''s home<strong>Raide</strong>was about twice as long as Earth''s.


    "I, I''m sorry, Great Sage-nim. This is all because the Iron Hammer Flight Regiment and the Frost Fairy Armored Brigade lost every single battle¡­"


    "Wha-, what are you saying? It''s the Operations Division that messed up the battle situation because they couldn''t predict that Major General Chun Hyun-il would sneak in when they went to intercept the enemy''s Gats mining team!"


    "What,e again?"


    The atmosphere became dreadful, but the crew members were just desperately struggling as they desired to live. Morne stared down at them calmly from the Captain''s seat, and it sent a chill down their spine even though they only made eye contact with him briefly.


    "...It''s so noisy."


    Originally staring at each other and mumbling among themselves, the demi-humans instantly shut their mouths and bowed.


    Morne looked at the screen and murmured loudly, not hiding his killing intent that was med with rage.


    "Who the hell are those bastards? I didn''t receive a report stating that the pilots of the Albatross ship were of such high-standard. There''s even a bastard who might be a Gigant Master."


    It was a given in the battle that unfolded when the Albatross''s crew were ambushed when they were mining for Gats, but Dae-ha yed an active role in the war even after that. Dae-ha entered the battlefield without any pressure, and each time, he dealt away with countless Gigas and fighter jets. In fact, the previous battle involving the mining team would already be considered a lifetime achievement, but instead, since then, he had made even more significant contributions.


    "I think it''s not those bastards that did it, it''s most probably the work of just one person."


    "...Just one person?"


    It was no wonder Morne found it strange.


    At first, Dae-ha got to ride on Napoleon, the highest rank Gigas of the Albatross ship thanks to the courtesy of Major General Chun Hyun-il, but even after that, he continued to switch to different Gigas'' and stepped forward to battle. Of course, there were times when he rode Napoleon again because he didn''t actually abandon Napoleon or what not, but the Gigas he usually rode were Beast-rank Gigas, which included Thunder Dragon.


    "Yes, the Combat Intelligence Analytical Report is urate. Here''s the detailed data."


    At the gesture of the Adjutant, various information flowed into Morne''s head. It was a considerable amount of data to absorb in one sitting, but Morne, the Arch-Sorcerer, analyzed it in a sh.


    "...I see. It''s really just one person. His way of fighting, including his habits and methods, and above all, even the soul energy pattern is the same."


    Gigas with different Iron Hearts would have different soul energy patterns, but they would also naturally adopt their pilot''s soul energy pattern upon synchronization.


    In fact, since Gigas were supposed to have two soul energy patterns, technicians from advanced civilizations such as the Tekea Federation would be able toprehend the opponent''s soul energy pattern just by analyzing the battle information.


    "His code name is<strong>Specter</strong>. The Operations Division have determined that it is impossible to take over Albatross without first eliminating him."


    "Right. The battle I''m not participating in will definitely lead to a loss, that''s why the war can''t be fought properly." Morne smiled coldly while baring his fangs.


    Dae-ha had thought Morne was a Tyrannosaurus. But if Dae-ha had observed closely, it would be an understatement to categorize Morne as just a dinosaur.


    Unlikemonly known dinosaurs, Morne had developed arms with four intricate fingers, and though he had a tail, he possessed a developed skeletal frame that allowed him to stand upright. He also had sharp ws that could be retracted and extended at will just like that of a cat''s. If dinosaurs, which once dominated the entire, had sessfully evolved without going into extinction, they would have been able to reach the evolved state of how Morne was.


    Moreover, the dinosaur tribe had superior intelligence that didn''t match up to theirrge physique, and they were born with outstanding soul capabilities, allowing them to easily master any supernatural abilities. They might not beparable to the Noblesse, a transcendental species referred to as the aristocrat of the Universe, but they had the greatest influence among the demi-humans because they were a species of considerable strength.


    "We need to request for backup from our home. We''ll definitely not lose, but on the off chance that they sessfully escape and contact the Union¡­"


    "That''s right, that''ll be a predicament. We''re talking about the bitchy Union that makes a fuss over using just a little equipment. Who knows, maybe even people from the War Dragon Unit or the Fairnd will step in."


    The Union governed over the Great Universe and were split into two factions - the Noblesse and Elohim.


    Even if the Tekea Federation had the strength of an Empire-ss, the difference in power was so overwhelming that if the Union decided to interfere, any proper defiance wouldn''t even be possible. Only total annihtion would be left waiting. The Union didn''t have the least bit of interest in the war between the Leonhardt Empire and the Tekea Federation. However, if the Union heard of the news that the Tekea Federation had deployed the Legion in their battles, the Union might interfere and forcefully enforce theirws. So, their usage of Legion must be kept a secret from the Union.


    "Then should we go ahead and request for backup? Just in case, we need to conceal this from the eyes of the Leonhardt Imperial Army."


    "...That''s right. It hurts my pride a little, but I think I''d rather take that over any unforeseen situations happening. Make preparations."


    "Yes, Great Sage-nim."


    The Adjutant let out a sigh of relief at the fact that Morne was calm for the first time in a very long while, and stepped back.


    Morne was someone who would kill even his subordinates without batting an eye in his moment of agitation. Perhaps, because Morne had just mediated for the purpose of cultivation, he didn''t vent out his anger.


    "Oh, by the way."


    However, before the Adjutant was about to step away, he froze at Morne''s sudden words. Fear was rising in the Adjutant''s heart as he was worried that Morne might vent out his anger eventually after all.


    But fortunately for him, Morne asked without any changes in his expression.


    "Why is that Specter guy constantly changing the Gigas he rides on?"


    * * *


    Napoleon maintained silence for a while and asked carefully as I got aboard.


    <strong>That, to-, how are you today?</strong>


    "Wait a bit," I casually cut Napoleon off and started the synchronization process.


    Wiiiiingggg---!!


    The synchronization waspleted and I operated the Iron Heart. As always, I checked the Ability I had today.


    It was some normal Abilities in overall, but it was pretty good.


    reduced the amount of soul energy consumed during the use of Ability or weapons. could be used for attack and escaping. And above all, was an offensive Ability.


    However, was useless because it was an inferior version of . Nheless, there was a greatbination of both offense and evasion Abilities. It would have been perfect if had been a defensive or survival Ability, but I nodded because I know it would just be greedy of me to hope for something better.


    "Good."


    <strong>Phew¡­</strong>


    Iughed as Napoleon breathed a sigh of relief.


    If I asked him "Why are you acting like this?", it would be because I often left him on standby and rode on other Gigas. Napoleon described it to be along the lines of<strong>hurting his pride</strong>, but for me, it was something inevitable.


    I was actually really jubted at the fact that I could ride on a Human-rank Gigas and step into the battlefield. However, from my point of view, I couldn''t ride on Napoleon if neither him nor I had a single offensive Ability, which would spell great suffering. Because of this, I would ride on Napoleon everyday to check the Ability of the day, and I could only go to the battlefield with Napoleon if there was an offensive Ability among my Inherent Abilities.


    If I didn''t have any offensive Ability, I would use Ares'' King of All Armaments to remotely control Tool-rank Gigas that belonged to others and fight in that manner. In actual fact, it was easier to ride a Gigas personally. But in my case, I didn''t have a choice as I was trying to keep my personal information a secret.


    <em>''By the way, strangely, it didn''t take a toll on my mental health.''</em>


    Though it was for the sake of living, I killed countless enemies with my hands. But, even so... I didn''t suffer any mental trauma in particr. I didn''t go crazy, nor did my head go haywire.


    I was fine. No, beyond that, I looked at everything from an absolute and objective perspective. Even when my life was in danger, I calmly made decisions and moved ordingly. Of course, the same was true when I was ying<em>The Great War</em>. But at the very least, wasn''t the situation totally different now that my life was really at stake?


    <em>''How is this possible?''</em>


    Needless to say, it was true that I had a high level of mental finesse because of the mind-breaking nightmares that I saw from my<strong>memory</strong>.


    However, even so... I used to be a scaredy-cat whenever there were dangerous situations and agonized over my own existence. I didn''t always possess such a steel-like mentality like now. In reality, haven''t I had a mental breakdown because of my ssmate, Kyung-eun''s title,<strong>Human Hunter</strong>?


    However, right now, I killed the enemies with indifference, and I wasn''t particrly distressed even when my life was in danger. Even if I was worried about a dangerous situation, I didn''t feel fear.


    <em>''When did it start to be this way?''</em>I pondered.


    But then, the rm went off and started ringing.


    <strong>Partner, there''s a message.</strong>


    "Hmm? That''s Hye-ran. Put me down, Napoleon."


    <strong>Got it.</strong>


    In an instant, the synchronization with his Iron Heart dissipated, and Napoleon''s front armor opened.


    Certainly, it was a considerable distance from Napoleon''s chest to the floor, as he was 10.5 meters tall, but Napoleon skillfully held my body and put me on the ground. Although he was a huge robot, he was meticulous enough to be able to even grab eggs, so I wasn''t the least bit worried about getting injured from his touch.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Oh, erm. It''s because of Na-rae''s military trial."


    I replied with a question at the unexpected remark, "Na-rae? And who might that be? And also, what military trial?"


    I couldn''t understand why we were talking about military trials when I wasn''t even a Judicial Officer. Moreover, Hye-ran was quite cautious as she spoke, which was very much unlike her usual self. Her skills were indisputable, but it was extremely rare for someone like her to act this way since she always acted however she wanted to the point that it felt like she didn''t have anymon sense at times.


    "Hmm. Will you know if I say it''s ck Wildcat¡­?"


    "Ahaaaa."


    ck Wildcat was the Gigas who ignored my orders when I already took overmand in the battle, and chased after the half-destroyed enemies.


    Well, the battle ended well with a victory anyways, so all I did was smack the machine lightly on the head. To think I would hear about ck Wildcat again, one weekter.


    "Wow, don''t tell me he''s being punished for that after all this while?"


    "It''s not after all this while, it has been ongoing since the beginning. It''s a relief that it didn''t lead to any severe consequence, but even so, she can''t avoid disciplinary action. She''s currently on trial for insubordination and I need your opinion for the final proceeding."


    "My opinion?"


    "Yes. You were themanding officer and you were the one that was implicated, so you can also request for an increase in the punishment or, in some cases, agree to a mutual consensus."


    "Oh, a mutual consensus is possible in martialw too, I see."


    I nodded at the fact that I didn''t know beforehand.


    <em>''Then I''ll just let it slide.''</em>


    At that time, I was enraged because my life was at stake, but when I thought about it calmly, it was not as if I couldn''t understand his stance.


    I was a rock that rolled in unannounced - never been heard of or seen. And they were veterans who had been living on the battlefield for a long time. So even if I had given them the rightmands, they wouldn''t have been able to follow it dutifully.


    He definitely felt like a troll, but despite that, he was actually quite cute. Besides, it wasn''t as if he did it purposely, he just made a mistake while trying his very best. More than anything else, chasing after free-kills was mankind''s natural instinct.


    "Excuse me... do you have any thoughts of reaching a mutual consensus?" Hye-ran stealthily asked.


    And in an instant, her expression and attitude spurred another question from me.


    In the first ce, why was Hye-ran here instead of that ck Wildcat, and why was she personally conveying these information to me? And why was she so cautious?


    It was a pretty iffy question, but I figured out the situation in an instant since I was quick at catching on.


    "Ahhh, I see¡­"

 Chapter 44: Kidnapping (2)

    <h4>Chapter 44: Kidnapping (2)</h4>


    "Excuse me¡­ do you have any thoughts of reaching a mutual consensus?" Hye-ran stealthily asked.


    And in an instant, her expression and attitude spurred another question from me.


    In the first ce, why was Hye-ran here instead of that ck Wildcat, and why was she personally conveying these information to me? And why was she so cautious?


    It was a pretty iffy question, but I figured out the situation in an instant since I was quick at catching on.


    "Ahhh, I see¡­"


    Come to think of it, Na-rae, believed to be the pilot of Hye-ran and ck Wildcat, was one of the few people who had a Korean name on board Albatross. There was nothing strange about the existence of a country that had simr roots to Korea since there were many crew members from another ''Earth'' on board Albatross.


    "Why, why are you looking at me like that?"


    "No, it''s nothing. If Ie to an arbitration agreement, what is in it for me?"


    "Ahhh, of course you''ll bepensated with settlement money. Roughly¡­ this much."


    Hye-ran then operated themunicator on her wrist. A hologram popped up in the air, and numbers were shown.


    <i>''It''s quite arge amount.''</i>


    It wasn''t a small amount. From an Earthling''s point of view, it was equivalent to the amount of a handsome lottery jackpot. It was wealth that no ordinary person can amass even if they tried until they died. But unfortunately for her, my perspective of money was going haywire these days.


    "Kid. What use is this meager amount? If you''re going to be like that, just tell him to go to prison."


    "Wha-, what?"


    "And my personal information is ssified, so why are you bringing this problem here? You don''t even care about an oath of secrecy? What kind of soldier are you?"


    As I clicked my tongue, Hye-ran turned furious.


    "I haven''t spilled any of your personal information out! But it can''t be helped because there are no other ways to find you and Na-rae is on the verge of being punished!"


    "No wait, she should be punished if she did something wrong. Why, did she say it was unfair?"


    "That, it''s not like that, but¡­"


    I shrugged at the sight of Hye-ran''s hesitation. She looked like she would be pushed into a corner if I teased her a little more. But it wasn''t as if I was a pervert, so I didn''t enjoy seeing her flustered expression for she looked like a little girl (whatever her real age may be).


    "Well, whatever it is, I don''t care. Is it possible to reach an agreement without revealing my personal information? Don''t tell me I have to show up in court? It''s not something like that, is it?"


    "It''s like that though¡­"


    "Then get the hell out."


    Unfortunately, I didn''t have the least bit of intention to broadcast my personal information. I had already made enough money, and I nned to go back to Earth in the end anyways. Even if I was proud of my strong piloting skills on a Gigas, I would still end up dying all the same once I ran into a transcendent. I had seen a transcendent several times and I felt that they were monsters beyond my control.


    <i>''In actual fact, even being known this much is making me anxious, but¡­''</i>


    But it was something that was inevitable. If I hadn''t stepped out there, I would''ve died along with all of Albatross. And now that my ability and identity were known, rather than being loathed because I didn''t want to fight in consideration of my life, it was better to actively build achievements.


    In fact, Major General Chun Hyun-il was a gentleman by nature. So, even in this critical situation where everyone was in the face of death, he still cared about his crew members'' lives. On the contrary, if the Captain, who was no different from a king inside the ship, acted at his own discretion, things would''ve been pretty tough.


    "Uhhh,e on, don''t be like that and think about it again, hmmm? Na-rae is such a talented person that she even got second ce at the Pinnell Academy. If such a pilot drops out of the war, it''ll be a big loss."


    Hye-ran sounded quite desperate, but I snorted, "A talent? What talent? Her piloting skills are just so-so, and her judgement threatened my life."


    "Ughh¡­ If someone else did that, I would''ve thought that it was funny."


    But now, to be exact, I was <strong>Specter</strong>, the war hero who saved the Albatross ship from crisis and I was revered as a star equal to Superman or Batman among the crew mates. Perhaps because the extraterrestrial beings handled war information differently from the armies on Earth, the battle scenes can be ''Saved and Edited'' before being viewed by people. It was even on yback on disy screens all over the ship, simr to a TV broadcast.


    <i>''I never thought I''d be a war hero all of a sudden.''</i>


    I let out a soft sigh, and looked at the restless Hye-ran. I felt a little sorry to see her like this.


    "Hmm. What is your rtionship to her that you are acting like this? Are you acquaintances?"


    "¡­She''s my younger sister."


    "Oh my."


    I wondered why she was so restless, but they had a closer rtionship than I imagined it to be.


    "Then, is her name Kwon Na-rae? Oh,e to think of it, the pilot''s a woman?"


    "Of course she''s a woman! You haven''t seen her face, but you should''ve heard her voice, haven''t you!"


    "Ahhh, her gender wasn''t the main problem at that time."


    I pondered for a moment as I muttered, "What mattered was whether she was a human or a troll."


    "Hmm. But I refuse to appear in court. Can''t I just forgive her and leave it at that?"


    "I-, I''m not sure. The process isn''tplicated, but it''s a martial case and not a civil case. So at the very least, it''s necessary to show up in court and state your stance to the higher-ups. You''ll also have to submit a written agreement."


    "¡­I don''t want to."


    "Uhhhh, please, I beg of you."


    Hye-ran was frowning and on the verge of tears. It was iprehensible of her given her usual obstinate personality.


    "How severe is the disciplinary action for you to act like this? In the end, there wasn''t any harm done to me, so must she receive a heavy sentence even though everything worked out well?


    "No. The disciplinary action itself is actually very trivial. Like you said, there was no harm caused, and Na-rae only made a momentary mistake in her judgement. Plus, she didn''t do it out of any ill intent."


    "Then what''s the problem?"


    "That''s because Na-rae is one of the heirs with the right of session to the family household¡­ If there''s a stain to her reputation, it''ll put her at a disadvantage against the other candidates."


    "That''splicated. Well, anyways, if so¡­ Okay, I get it. I''ll put in a word with the Captain first. Though it''s not through normal procedures, but if it''s the Captain¡­"


    "Wha-, what?! Anything but that! Why do you want to tell the Captain-nim such trivial matters? Are you crazy?!"


    I was dumbfounded at the sight of Hye-ran jumping up and down.


    "Why? But wouldn''t that be faster?"


    "Of course it''s faster that way, but that means Captain-nim will remember Na-rae''s name with very bad connotations! It''s better to have a stain on her reputation than to have her image be stuck that way with Major General Chun Hyun-il, the highestmand of Albatross!"


    I whistled at the sight of Hye-ran turning pale and shaking her head.


    The bear''s position was greater than I thought. Even in the Space Age where military discipline wasn''t very apparent, if the difference in status was this big, then it wasn''t very much different from how it was on Earth.


    "Oh my, what a bother."


    "Ughhh, please¡­ The-, should I raise the settlement money? Thi-, we''ve bought a lot of parts this time, so we don''t have much to spare."


    I pondered for a moment after hearing her words. Come to think of it, it wasn''t such an unreasonable request.


    "Alright then. Instead, give me that."


    "That?"


    "That."


    I pointed at the thick-rimmed pair of sses that Hye-ran often wore. Although it was thick, it had a pretty elegant design, making it look like a luxury item that could be used by both men and women.


    "¡­What? Haha? Why, why are you asking for my sses? Are you a pervert?"


    "Mmmhmm. I''ll be a pervert, so give me those sses. Then I''ll write you an agreement."


    "Hold-, hold on a minute. Why are you asking for what I''m wearing? I''ll give you a new one, so¡­"


    Hye-ran stuttered and turned around, but I grabbed her shoulder before she could make any move.


    "Give it to me."


    "¡­"


    Needless to say, it wasn''t just some ordinary sses. Although it was pretty well camouged, even so, it was useless for someone like me who could see the title on things.


    <strong>Manufactured by Kwon Hye-ran</strong>


    <strong>Magic Armament, Udjat</strong>


    After checking it several times, I roughly figured out its performance and effects. However, even though I knew, I didn''t think I could obtain it, so I was very grateful that things turned out this way.


    "Why. Is it not possible no matter what?"


    "Ah, that''s, well, it''s actually a banned item. It''s also a Destructive Weapon, so it''s a weapon that can''t be privately owned."


    "But you wear them often."


    "That''s because¡­ secretly¡­ No, that aside, how did you find out? I''ve done the reverberation perfectly! Even the Regiment Commanders didn''t notice it!" Hye-ran eximed as I strode towards her and furtively snatched her sses off.


    Hye-ran flinched, but it didn''t stop me from taking it away.


    "I''m taking it."


    "Ughhhh¡­ Ple-, please, don''t cause an ident with that and don''t tell anyone I made it! You must absolutely keep it a secret! It''s made of Gigas parts, so it''s dangerous if you got caught using it."


    "I''ll keep it in mind."


    "Uhhhhh, I don''t think you will keep it in mind. I don''t think you''re even listening to me properly. But Na-rae¡­ Ughhh."


    Hye-ran was anxious but at the same time I was beyond her grasp, so I left her behind and got on the elevator to head towards the workshop. I couldn''t go too far away because there might be a battle today, so I was going to meet Ares for a while.


    "Open sesame."


    As always, the door opened swiftly and I went inside. In actual fact, this was the power of my <strongmand</strong>, so there wasn''t a need to say "open sesame", but I just said it out of habit.


    <strong>[You are here. Is Napoleon''s Ability today bad as always?]</strong>


    "No, it''s not bad today. But there''s no battle to go to right now, so I came to chill."


    Ares'' Basic Transcendence Skill, <strong>God of War''s Treasure Trove,</strong> was filled with all kinds of weapons. It was full of luxury goods that were eye-opening even to the warriors, and these goods could even be regarded as Godly Divine Weapons.


    However, I, who was not good at even handling a single kitchen knife, sat on one of the armor without much emotion. Ares was taken aback at first, but now he casually spoke as if he had given up on me.


    <strong>Don''t go out to the next battle.</strong>


    "Alright, in the next battle¡­ Wait, what?"


    As I questioned his unexpected words, Ares spoke in all seriousness.


    <strong>Something doesn''t feel right. And for beings of divine nature like me, our sixth sense is usually correct most of the time. Seeing that I am sensing this even in the middle of war, the enemy must be preparing something.</strong>


    Ares was right, it was slowly time for the demi-humans to counterattack. They were probably extremely infuriated since they were beaten up so badly despite having the numerical advantage. Even if we hid well in the lightning clouds, they would find us no matter what it took them.


    "Hmm. Can you find out something more concrete?"


    <strong>Tchh. If I could know that much, then it wouldn''t be just a hunch, it would be a Transcendence Skill. Foresight abilities are rare high-level skills. I don''t know if it can be considered Foresight with such a low uracy.</strong>


    I frowned at Ares'' calm exnation. I was also worried because he had never given me such warnings even though I had fought many battles till now.


    "Well, I''ve been fighting continuously, so there wouldn''t be any problems if I don''t participate once, but¡­ Then again, I can only do that once or twice. If I continue to not step out to battle, our side will be too inferior in power."


    Our side wouldn''t be aplete mess. However, the problem was that the others were not very capable. If our Beast-rank and Tool-rank Gigas met the enemy''s Beast-rank and Tool-rank Gigas respectively, we''d be on par, but our numbers were overwhelmingly far apart, so we would be in danger.


    "Whew. It would be better if only you were at least in one piece."


    <strong>Pfthaha. Then things would be totally different. Even if we are both considered Transcendence Weapons, there is a big difference between my fighting power as a Gigaspared to a battleship.</strong>


    Most battleships above the Terra-ss were made to be Transcendence Weapons. Manufacturing a Terra-ss battleship required an astronomical amount of resources. If the battleship was running on ''pure scientific power'', it would be helplessly destroyed if it went against enemies that were Transcendents or possessed Transcendence Weapons, which also meant that the enormous amount of resources would be for naught.


    It was the same reason as to why so many "pure scientific power" battleships which were built in the past without resorting to magic or soul energy power were either scrapped or remodeled and used only in peaceful zones. In the first ce,rge battleships were forced to be Transcendence Weapons because of the emergence of Iron Hearts and Transcendence Weapons.


    <i>''But it''s not as easy to deal with battleships as it used to be in the past, still, Gigas are stronger.''</i>


    Comparing a Gigas and battleship of the same rank, the Gigas would probably be more powerful than a battleship.


    However, it was possible for battleships to travel super long distances with its enormous manpower and supplies, or to house numerous crew members. Battleships also specialized in performing various tasks and housed a wide range of artillery attacks. Also, depending on the type of battleship, it could also attempt to stabilize or terraform an upied territory.


    Thinking about it rationally, it was only natural that the Gigas, which specializes only in battle, was more powerful than a battleship serving all kinds of other functions.


    "Oh,e to think of it, Ares." I suddenly thought of something and looked up.


    <i>Did Ares perhaps feel the sudden change in the air?</i> Ares stared at me.


    <strong>Why?</strong>


    "Ahh, it''s no big deal. Imand you."


    Wiiiiingggg--!


    As I infused my words with power, a strange wave spreaded out. It was a fairly familiar state as I experienced it several times before.


    I made eye contact with Ares and spoke, "Manifest into yourplete state before me now!"

 Chapter 45: Kidnapping (3)

    <h4>Chapter 45: Kidnapping (3)</h4>


    "Ahh, it''s no big deal. Imand you."


    Wiiiiingggg--!


    As I infused my words with power, a strange wave spreaded out. It was a fairly familiar state as I experienced it several times before.


    I made eye contact with Ares and spoke, "Manifest into yourplete state before me now!"


    Instantly, a massive light spread out to the point where everything in front of me turned white. Fortunately, the light source came from behind my back. If it had exploded in front of my eyes, there might''ve been a risk of me going blind.


    <strong>Keu¡­kkkk? This is¡­!</strong>


    However, Ares'' reaction was slightly different from that of other <strongmands</strong>.


    There weren''t any reactions like "As per yourmand" or "Your order is mymand", and he was just trembling. What was worse, the shing light from my back sinked into his head and rays of light began shooting out from his eyes.


    Krrragghhhhhh--!


    And as all the light finally merged together and rose up into the air, it scattered all over the air and disappeared, and the intense light that seemed to be blinding for a moment disappeared like a facade, revealing the original room I was in.


    "¡­"


    <strong>¡­</strong>


    Ares and I remained silent for a moment. However, I realized the unfolding situation to some extent, and came to my senses first.


    I clicked my tongue, "Tchh, as expected, is it a failure? But then again, there''s no way I can achieve everything just by giving an order."


    In fact, I already knew it would turn out this way. If I could do anything by simply giving orders, it would then be possible to give a ridiculous order, such as "Be the God of the New World, conquer the Universe and dedicate it to me!"


    Even so, just in case I might be able to, I issued a rtively easy order pared to the conquest of the Universe), but it seemed that giving such far-fetched and unreasonable orders wasn''t possible.


    <strong>¡­But why is the failure effect so extravagant?</strong>


    "I know right."


    I expected something like a sh and steam-like effect, but I didn''t know it would explode so fancily. Fortunately, this was an enclosed space that wasn''t under surveince. If this light had burst outside, people would have gathered from everywhere.


    "I guess it''s not going to work, huh?"


    <strong>Of course! My body parts are scattered all over the universe now. How would it be conceivable to restore my body to its original state right this instant, when in the first ce, I had to get on this ship that could do super-long distance travel just to find my body?</strong>


    However, despite Ares'' words, I could still see traces of disappointment in his expression. It felt as though he had a tiny shred of hope that it would actually happen. Well, I also felt that it was such a shame. If Ares had been in a fine condition, the war would have transpired in apletely different direction.


    "Come to think of it, it''ll be great if you can be restored to your original state, but would I be able to ride you? I''ve heard that only transcendents can ride on a God-rank Gigas."


    <strong>If it''s that¡­ It doesn''t matter. In fact, you don''t need to have any qualifications to ride on a God-rank Gigas. No, in the first ce, there''s no such thing as a requirement.</strong>


    "What did you say?"


    I had read from various sources that only transcendents could ride on a God-rank Gigas. Hence, I stared at the dazed fellow that was reacting bewilderedly. <i>No, wait, does that mean that all those sources are lies?</i>


    While I was flustered, Ares spoke.


    <strong>Of course, it''s not entirely wrong that only transcendents can ride us.</strong>


    "¡­What do you mean? Didn''t you say that there aren''t any qualifications needed, so what do you mean that it''s not entirely wrong?"


    <strong>That''s obviously because we, the control persona which can also be said to be the soul of a Gigas, don''t recognize those who haven''t reached the level of transcendents as our owners. We can disy fighting power equal to a powerful transcendent by ourselves. Just like I did just now, it''s also possible to activate an Ability on our own ord. But if a second-rate pilot synchronized with us, it would weaken our battle prowess instead.</strong>


    No matter how powerful a Godly Sword was, it was better for it to have an owner. Because swords were originally weapons to be <strong>held and swung</strong>. Likewise, that applied to a bow, and a grimoire too. All kinds of weapons were made with the intention of them being owned by a user. So even if the weapons'' capabilities would be weakened, it was still better for them to have a user. They were made for that purpose in the first ce.


    But when it came to a Gigas, it was apletely different story. For the God-rank Gigas, Ares, who had a close to <strong>perfect</strong> soul and could move on his own ord, as well as gain skills, a clumsy pilot would be nothing but a burden.


    "Hmm. But because I''m excellent at piloting and have a lot of Abilities, it doesn''t matter?"


    <strong>No, it''s not such a simple concept. It''s just¡­</strong>


    Ares hesitated for a moment and said cautiously.


    <strong>You, if it''s you, then it''s fine.</strong>


    "¡­"


    I was puzzled at the sight of Ares avoiding my gaze. <i>This guy, what is he being shy for?</i> For a moment, I was at a loss for words due to the weird vibes in the air, but I deliberately ignored it and continued speaking.


    "Well, anyways, being a transcendent is not a necessary condition, but a condition set by the control persona that controls the Gigas, right?"


    I nodded as I muttered, "Just like when apany or organization opens recruitments for new employees, they require applicants with at least four years of experience or some crap like that."


    But it was then.


    Beep beep!


    Themunicator was ringing. As I lowered my head, Celestia''s Super Deformation Character popped up above themunicator as a hologram (because it was a personal setting that she made), and an exmation mark was seen above her head. It was a transmission request.


    "At first, I was pretty taken aback because I didn''t know what this was." I gently touched themunicator as I mumbled, and the call was connected.


    <strong>Hey! Where the hell are you? Why can''t I check your location¡­ Hmm? What the, that head?</strong>


    A beautiful girl with blue long hair appeared on the screen that was in the air. As always, she was a gorgeous beauty.


    "What the, do you not know this fe?"


    <strong>This fe, as in¡­ Ahhhh, so that''s the God of War.</strong>


    Was it because she was royalty? She nodded as soon as she recognized Ares. However, she ignored Ares as though it wasn''t surprising and continued.


    <strong>More than that, some urgent matters popped up, so could youe to the Captain''s Office as soon as possible?</strong>


    "¡­Are you always there these days?"


    <strong>I don''t have a choice since I''m not in a position to go around as I please. And at any rate, that ce is the safest to go to too.</strong>


    Of course, the safety of the Captain''s Office did note from its structural position. What mattered wasn''t the Captain''s Office itself, but rather, the owner of the room - Major General Chun Hyun-il. In other words, the safest ce on the ship was wherever he was at.


    "But why should I go there? No matter how hard I think about it, I think I''m working much harder than the amount I get paid."


    <strong>¡­Juste and listen first.</strong>


    Themunicator was cut off the moment she finished her sentence. It seemed like it wasn''t something that could be said over themunicator since there could be the risk of information leakage.


    "Why is she being like this again¡­"


    Since Celestia couldn''t exin the details of the operation herself as she was a Princess, she was probably calling me in for another matter. But do we have any kind of secret between us that couldn''t be said through themunicator?


    I was lost in dilemma, but Ares opened his mouth.


    <strong>Dae-ha, do you remember what I just said?</strong>


    I recalled that Ares said to not participate in the next battle, and that he felt that something wasn''t right. He had the same spiritual nature as a transcendent, and his premonition wouldn''t just end up as some simple hunch. Of course, it wasn''t a foresight Ability as he didn''t know the exact situation going on. But it was better to keep myself as safe as possible.


    "Well, I only have one life, so I''ll keep that in mind. I don''t even like to meddle into things." I nodded and turned around.


    I was thinking to reject participating if there was a battle, but that didn''t mean that I should just stand by and do nothing as I needed to know about the situation that would unfold.


    "No, wait, I just found out that you went into the workshop, but you''re already out. Why are you walking around like this, Sunbae?"


    I came out of the God of War''s Treasure Trove and left the workshop again, but Bo-ram approached me. She was wearing a tightbat suit and, unlike usual, she tied her hair up to reveal her white nape.


    "Because I keep having new things to do. But what''s with that outfit?"


    "I just came from learning how to shoot and pilot a Gigas. The damage to the pilots this time was so great that they''re going to increase the number ofbatants."


    "Ohhhooo, piloting a Gigas."


    "Fortunately, we were given armor-type Gigas, so it wasn''t hard to control."


    With a ''poof'', the space distorted and even Dong-min showed up. As expected, he was also wearing abat suit, with an assault rifle on his back and a lightsaber on his waist. We weren''t part of the Leonhardt Imperial Army, so we weren''t given such military equipment initially, but it seemed they gave weapons to all survivors since the situation called for it.


    <i>''But then again, even a civilian like me is riding on a Gigas.''</i>


    I stared at Dong-min while scoffing inwardly.


    "By the way, are you alright? It hasn''t been long since you woke up, but you''re already training."


    "I''ve already recoveredpletely, so there''s nothing for you to worry about."


    As Dong-min answered bluntly, he stuck his tongue out at Bo-ram who was standing behind me. I was ssmates with Dong-min for quite a long time, but I felt like we weren''t close at all. Unlike Bo-ram, who would make an effort to get along and even chat around, Dong-min was inflexible and carried out his guard duty like a soldier, which made me feel ufortable instead.


    Anyways, we arrived in front of the Captain''s Office after chitter-chattering.


    As some time had passed, the holes in the wall and the destroyed Gigas parts rolling around on the floor were cleaned up, but still, only one soldier was guarding the Captain''s Office.


    <i>Don''t tell me it has always been just one soldier guarding here, regardless of whether there was a problem or not¡­ </i>


    "Stop. What lies ahead is¡­ Ahhh, Dae-ha-nim, it''s you. Please go in."


    Perhaps because the soldier heard about it in advance, but I clicked my tongue at the former who easily moved out of the way. No matter how I looked at it, it wasn''t eptable for the guard to open the door to the Captain''s Office just because he saw my face. Well, the Captain inside the room was someone capable of destroying a by himself, so I could somehow understand it¡­


    "Oh, you''re here. Ohhoooo, I see that''s how it is. It''s him."


    "Hmm?"


    But as I entered the Captain''s Office, there was an unfamiliar face.


    "Hmm? How did you urately point him out among those three? Did you see something different in that guy?"


    "I didn''t see anything. To be exact¡­ I couldn''t see it. I <strong>couldn''t see it </strong>at all."


    "Right? I was very surprised because of that at first too."


    In the Captain''s Office, other than the familiar figures, Celestia and Major General Chun Hyun-il, there was also an old man who was about the height of my shoulder.


    It was just that the unique thing about him was that he was wearing oriental-style clothes made from silk and held a white feather fan in one hand. He was a typical Westerner with sparkly blonde hair and blue eyes but was yet dressed in that outfit. So there was an indescribable sense of foreignity about him.


    "Sunbae, be careful. There''s something strange I sense from that old man."


    "Be careful. All the surrounding coordinates around him are distorted and warped. I can''t believe his existence alone is oppressing all the surrounding dimensions¡­"


    Bo-ram and Dong-min blocked my way forward.


    It might have been because I sensed something exuding from the old man standing before me, but I already knew that such actions were all meaningless the moment Iid my eyes on him.


    "Hoho, nice to meet you. Cheong Won is thy name."


    "Huh?"


    "What the¡­!?"


    Before I knew it, the old man passed by the two of them and stood right before me before he gently cupped his fists.


    It was a different level from Dong-min''s Teleportation, thetter could move between ces at will, while the former was a movement method where he was <strong>just there before I knew it</strong>. And I realized the moment I met his eyes when he was politely expressing his respect towards me.


    <i>''Oh my God. He''s a transcendent. And one who''s a lot stronger than Major General Chun Hyun-il¡­'' </i>


    The old man, who introduced himself as Cheong Won, continued speaking to the still startled me.


    "I came from Elohim."

 Chapter 46: Kidnapping (4)

    <h4>Chapter 46: Kidnapping (4)</h4>


    <i>''Oh my God. He''s a transcendent. And one who''s a lot stronger than Major General Chun Hyun-il¡­''</i>


    The old man, who introduced himself as Cheong Won, continued speaking to the still startled me.


    "I came from Elohim."


    I could feel a great difference in power from him; it was enough to make me weak at the knees just by looking at him. Even though Major General Chun Hyun-il was powerful enough to destroy a civilization or a, he would need to expend a huge amount of time and effort. Albeit possible, it wasn''t such a simple thing to aplish.


    But for this old man''s case, it was entirely different. The power that he could bring forward was so menacing that no one would be able to match up to him. He could destroy a with one blow and even devastate a star if he so desired; that was the kind of transcendental existence he was.


    I''m not joking, but at this point he was no different from a God.


    <i>''No, maybe he really is God?'' </i>After thinking about it for a moment, I finally understood what he said.


    "Did you say Elohim? That organization of Saints?"


    "The Saints are only a part of Elohim, but¡­ I guess, at the very least, you could call me a Saint. I''ve been at it for a long time."


    Noblesse and Elohim. In actual fact, I didn''t know much about them since I came from Earth, but I''ve constantly heard about them to the point that I was sick of it during this past week when I participated in various battles.


    <i>''There''s no need to be scared. The demi-humans have joined hands with the Legion! It''ll all be over if we let the Union know!'' </i>


    After speaking something along those lines, they tattled on about the Noblesse, Elohim, War Dragon Unit, and even the Fairnd.


    <i>''That''s right. It''s a group that dominates over the Universe.''</i>


    To be precise, it was the Union that governed the Universe. However, Noblesse and Elohim were the two major forces that made up the Union, so it wasn''t exactly wrong.


    In any case, Noblesse, one of the two major forces of the Union, was a group of beings worthy of the name <strong>Nobles</strong>. They weremonly referred to as beings born with <strong>the blood of nobility</strong>. Needless to say, humans weren''t a part of them. Because humans are the <strong>mostmon species</strong> in the Universe.


    Those worthy of joining Noblesse are Dragons, massive in sizes ranging from tens to hundreds of meters; Prajna, born with intelligence that outdid supeputers and gifted with the strongest superpowers of the Physical Realm; also, Kendler Saints who possess high-level technologies that even other high-ranking species dared not replicate.


    And the only Noblesse I''ve ever seen was the Kendler Saint, Nathan, who was the Tech Division Chief of Albatross.


    <i>''And this guy... is a Saint who''s affiliated with Elohim.''</i>


    If Noblesse were born with the <strong>blood of nobility</strong>, then those from Elohim could be said to be <strong>selfpleted beings.</strong> They are those who have attained spiritual enlightenment throughout a long period of time, or those that reached the realm of transcendence through extreme training and discipline.


    I sneaked a nce above his head.


    <strong>Bong Rae-do</strong>


    <strong>Keeper of the Bloodline, Jwa Ja </strong>


    <i>''Keeper of the Bloodline?''</i>


    He had an Asian name even though he was without a doubt a Westerner, but well, it didn''t really matter because we were in the Universe, not on Earth. However, the title itself was quite bizarre. An existence this powerful only managed bloodlines?


    "Cel, what''s going on? How did that man get in here? Weren''t wepletely besieged?"


    "Oh, of course it''s still like that... But such a siege doesn''t really matter to him. Oh, let me introduce you. This is Cheong Won, and I call him Grandpa Mae-pa." [1]


    "...Grandpa Mae-pa?"


    It wasn''t surprising because it wasmon to be introduced through an alias instead of their real name, but this title was even more bizarre than Keeper of the Bloodline. <i>What''s with Mae-pa?</i>


    "What do you mean Mae-pa? Do you mean Maple as in Maplestory? " [2]


    "What nonsense are you talking about? Of course I mean Mae-pa as in the korean for matchmaker. The one who brings lovers together."


    "... That Mae-pa is a term that refers to a grandmother that arranges a marriage, okay? The ''mae'' in jung-mae and the hanja for grandmother ''pa''." [3]


    I was dumbfounded and retorted, but Celestia had a straight face on and paid no attention to me.


    "Well, who cares, it''s all good if it suits you. Anyways, Grandpa Mae-pa, do you think we can make a move with this guy around? I think he''s the most likely one so far."


    "No, wait a minute. You have to start from first exining about the things you''ve been bbering about since just now. And if that person is a Mae-pa, why are you introducing me to him?"


    "Allow me to exin that."


    He introduced himself as Cheong Won (though his real name is Jwa Ja), and smiled kindly in a polite manner. Even though he possessed such godly powers, he was totally indifferent to Celestia''s demeanor where she called him Grandpa Mae-pa.


    <i>''What the hell is this, even if she''s a Princess... How can one treat such a fearsome monster like this? Moreover, this old man seems to be working for the Leonhardt Imperial household, isn''t he? Even if it''s an Empire that exists in the Universe, is it so strong that it''s enough to bring such a godly being under their wings?''</i>


    It wasn''t an exaggeration, If this old man were to step forward now, even Albatross or the Space Carrier brought by the enemy would be totally destroyed. There wasn''t any particr basis for that, but I could tell. He was in a totally different ss, a lion mixed among newborn puppies.


    "Oh, sorry for thete introduction. I am Kwan Dae-ha." I greeted him. Cold sweat was trickling down my back as I could feel his power head-on. Yet, I had to put on a calm front because even Bo-ram and Dong-min were calm despite being nervous for a while before due to the indifferent atmosphere.


    "Hoho, you don''t have to be so polite. I''m just a wanderer who has a rtionship with the Imperial family."


    "Let''s all sit down for now."


    Everyone sat down upon Major General Chun Hyun-il''s words.


    Then Cheong Won began to exin, "I''m affiliated with Elohim, but I also belong to the Leonhardt Empire. Let''s just say... I was dispatched on a mission to restore the power of the Leonhardt Imperial household''s bloodline."


    "The power of the Leonhardt Imperial household''s bloodline?"


    Cheong Won nodded as I wondered.


    "That''s right. Someone who nobody can easilyy a finger on... The Untouchable. It''s my job to find whether there is the possibility of passing the power of the Untouchables to the future generations."


    He lightly moved his hands as he continued speaking, and some simple information was transmitted to my mind. It was some sort of Divination that he did but it felt as though it was as easy as breathing to him. And I was taken aback at the direction that the information pointed to.


    "...God?"


    "Yes. Untouchable is the name that''s referring to a God."


    Cheong Won slurped the Thousand Spirits Tea which I also used to drink, and continued, "The beings whom we often call Gods are perfectlypleted existences, so it is almost impossible for them to produce an offspring. And even if they were to give birth to one, there were many cases where they turned out to be second-rate Gods. But... though it was very rare, there were also rare cases that didn''t turn out that way. That was the case with the First Emperor of the Leonhardt Empire."


    Nevertheless, that lineage did not pass down properly. If it had been possible for the bloodline to be inherited properly, the Leonhardt Empire wouldn''t have just been an Empire, but a force equal to the Noblesse or Elohim. The information transmitted by Cheong Won was enlightening me about the fact that the Emperor''s descendants were only extraordinary, but not godly. And as expected, his goal was to continue the overpowering godly bloodline for generations, just like the Noblesse.


    "Then perhaps, the reason Celestia calls you Grandpa Mae-pa is?"


    "That''s right. I came in concern for the matters on marriage of the imperial families of the Leonhardt Empire. Because I have the ability to see the future and I wanted to guide the godly bloodline to awaken in the desired direction. However, even so, I ended up with a nickname like that because I steered them in a direction that the imperial families epted."


    "Now now, that''s enough exnation, tell me something. Did you say we can make a move with him?"


    I tilted my head at the sound of Celestia spouting something iprehensible.


    "No, wait. What have you been saying since just now? What do you mean make a move with me?"


    Celestia exined as she saw that I was puzzled at herment.


    "Grandpa Mae-pa is a Saint."


    "...What''s that?"


    "To put it in words, it means that he cannot act freely in the Physical Realm. Grandpa Mae-pa can only be involved in matters regarding the royal bloodline of the Leonhardt Empire. Because that''s his mission."


    "No, then, right now, we can only let them know that we''re being attacked and nothing more can be done?"


    As I turned around at a loss for words, Cheong Won nodded, "That also affects the Physical Realm, so it''s a given. Furthermore, I''m not sure if there are Saints with a simr mission, so at the very least, I can''t provide any assistance whatsoever."


    "Holy shit."


    I thought the situation had somewhat settled down when I saw that someone from the outside was inside the ship, but I scoffed in daze upon realizing the actual situation. Just then, Bo-ram, who''d been quiet all this while asked, "No, wait, then¡­. for what purpose did youe here? You don''t intend to help, nor are you going to report this situation to the outside world, right?"


    "Because he was <strong>recognized</strong> by the Princess-nim. If she discovers apanion who can strengthen the godly bloodline, she must definitely inform me. "


    "...No, no, wait a minute. No way right?"


    As I looked at Celestia in bewilderment, she stared at me with a bright and beautiful smile, just like always.


    "Yes. It means there''s a chance you might be my husband."


    "Ughhh¡­" I couldn''t help but frown.


    Well, of course I knew that I had to live on first. Albatross was in a critical situation and everyone could die if things go wrong. I had to inform the outside world of the current situation. Seeing that everyone was convinced that they only needed to alert the Union regarding the news, it seemed that the situation would turn for the better just by conveying the news about the current predicament.


    <i>Besides, she said I could be her husband, but she wouldn''t force me into it, right? Was it too much of a wishful thought? </i>As I was pondering about it for quite some time, I could see Celestia staring at me. Her face was stiff as a stone.


    "What, what''s wrong with you?"


    "You, just now, you really hated the thought of it from the bottom of your heart."


    "...What? Then do you want me to hate it from the bottom of my heart, or do you want me to act like I hate it? I might have to marry a woman whom I''m not even close with."


    It went without saying, but it seemed like it wasn''t obvious to Celestia as her sea-like eyes darted left and right in shock.


    <i>''Why is she acting like this again?''</i>


    Celestia was bewildered, but suddenly, a golden lion emblem manifested on her eyes.


    "I''ll ask you again. You don''t want this marriage?"


    "Yes."


    "You''re not interested in me?"


    "That''s right. No, why do you even bother asking that again now? Haven''t I been telling you that and expressing my dislike all this while?"


    Celestia staggered at my natural reaction. It was an expression that was unimaginableing from someone who was always confident and prideful.


    "That''s-, my-, didn''t you act cool to attract my attention?"


    "...What kind of crazy-sounding crap are you spouting?" I retorted as I was dumbstruck, and the golden lion emblem that manifested on her eyes disappeared. And at the same time¡­


    Kwaaaanggg-!


    Celestia''s face flushed red as though it was close to exploding. Her expression turned into that of a jumbled mess of embarrassment and shame. For the first time ever, I saw a genuine expressioning from her.


    1. ?? in this context stands for ýÆÅ, which is a person (typically an elderly woman) that ys the role of a matchmaker in the olden days.


    2. Edited the joke for smoother reading.It is supposed to be a wordy on the Korean word ?? which could mean warhawk or matchmaker. So the original joke doesn''t really make sense when tranted.


    3. ??: Jung-mae is to arrange a matchmaking while ''''pa" is the hanja for grandmother.

 Chapter 47: Kidnapping (5)

    <h4>Chapter 47: Kidnapping (5)</h4>


    Kwaaaanggg-!


    Celestia''s face flushed red like it was close to exploding. Her expression turned into that of a jumbled mess of embarrassment and shame. For the first time ever, I saw a genuine expressioning from her.


    "Pffftttt!"


    As the surroundings were enveloped in silence for a while, a burst ofughter came from the back. Celestia''s face was flushed, but looked back at once with a grimly distorted expression.


    "Stop it."


    Although she spoke in a cold-hearted manner, the other party was abat-type transcendent who walked the blood-ridden battlefield with a smile on his face. Something of that level wouldn''t evene off as a threat to him.


    "Pfffftt! PPffttttttttttt! Pff-hahahaha!!!! I can''t believe you just got rejected! The Queen of Starlight, famous Space Idol, just got dumped! What''s worse, you were confident that he would obviously like it, but you were mistaken! Kyahahahaha! Ahhh, I''m going crazy. I''m dying, bwahahahaha!"


    "Shu-, shut up, you stupid bear!!"


    "Puhahahaha!"


    No matter what Celestia said, Hyun-il burst out inughter, sounding like he was enjoying the situation. Bo-ram stood behind me quietly and sneered at her.


    "There''s always that one person with a Princess Syndrome who believes that everyone loves her and that the world revolves around her."


    "She''s actually even greater than your run-off-the-mill Princess. Don''t try to pick a fight and keep quiet. Are you trying to start a fight just because I''m protecting you?"


    "Uhhh...sorry about that, Sunbae. Strangely enough, it makes my blood boil to see that dude."


    It wasn''t as bad as when she was wearing that armor, but when I saw Bo-ram showing some sort of symptom(?), I shook my head and looked back at Celestia. She was still unable to collect herself together, but she came to her senses shortly after and stared at Cheong Won.


    "Anyways Grandpa, could you perhaps evaluate him?"


    "In the end, are you going to force your way through?"


    "I-, I don''t have a choice, do I! I have to keep on living! You can just say no after we survive here and get out!"


    Celestia looked at Cheong Won while shrieking; thetter simply nodded.


    "If it''s the request of the Imperial Princess-nim."


    At the same time, a beam of light rose up in the air and a few words materialized instantly. In a sh, the talisman of light drawn in the air hovered around for a moment and then permeated Cheong Won''s eyes.


    "How is he? He''s good enough to bring to the Imperial Capital, right?"


    "You''re taking me to the Imperial Capital?"


    Celestia nodded as I questioned her unexpected remark.


    "That''s right. Grandpa Mae-pa can exert his powers in the Physical Realm, but it is only limited to matters rted to his mission. But¡­ If I find apanion that is good enough to strengthen my bloodline, and if that person is determined to have enough potential, Grandpa can bring him to the Imperial Capital for the purpose of marriage. After all, it is a matter that is rted to his mission."


    "I see... and if we go to the Imperial Capital through this method, we can report to the Union without needing any further assistance from the Saints?"


    "That''s my point."


    Once we informed the outside world of the current situation, the situation would be resolved. The demi-humans employed the help of Legion, an identified enemy of the Union, and all the evidence had remained on the Albatross ship. If we reported on the demi-human''s doings with these evidence, the Union would impose a sanction against the demi-humans without a doubt.


    Kiinggg!


    While we were conversing, the Aura in Cheong Won''s body dissipated like a broken ss. Somehow, Cheong Won had a pretty grave expression.


    "How is he, Grandpa?"


    "...I don''t know."


    His heavy voice caused this indescribable weird feeling in me. Of course, I didn''t like this unexpected marriage deal, but if I got out of the "deal", the besieged situation would not be resolved and we would be hanging by the thread. However, Celestia''s reaction was slightly different.


    "It''s done!"


    "What do you mean it''s done. He said he didn''t know, so doesn''t it mean I failed?"


    "If someone didn''t qualify, he would''ve said so. In the first ce, there''s almost no one talented enough to strengthen the godly bloodline, so it''s already a great assessment if he says he doesn''t know. Indeed! Even when I didn''t learn to use the Lion''s Eyes much, I could sense that you were abnormal from the very beginning!"


    Perhaps because of the thought that I would survive, I scratched the back of my head at the sight of Celestia, who looked a little brighter. <i>Anyways, does this mean it went well? So I''m going to some ce called the Imperial Capital to marry her? </i>


    However, surprisingly, Cheong Won shook his head, "I''m sorry."


    "Hmm? Grandpa, what are you talking about? Are you saying sorry because he''s not qualified?"


    "Normally, I would be able to know if he qualifies or not. I can''t believe I can''t foresee the future at all¡­ There aren''t that many people who can escape my eyes, so it''s safe to say that he has great potential."


    "Then that''s good enough. Now you just got to take us to the Imperial Capital."


    "But." Cheong Won lightly cut Celestia off and looked up.


    "There is around ny percent possibility that the Sixth Prince is qualified<strong>.</strong> I don''t want to create a variable."


    Cheong Won''s eyes were shining gray. Celestia shouted with a stiff expression, "... Major General Chun Hyun-il!"


    With a "Shiiingggg!", Major General Chun Hyun-il''s physical self, who was somewhat far away from us, jumped beyond the space and appeared between us and Cheong Won. The blue Aura whirling around his whole body was intimidating enough to cause one''s legs to tremble, but he dared not even extend his fist towards Cheong Won. Cheong Won was calm andposed as he knew that the bear wouldn''t be able to jump at him.


    "What a shame."


    "Don''t be stubborn! This is a burden to you too, Grandpa! Even if this is the road towards achieving your mission, this is just too over-the-top! The consequences that wille from breaching the agreement is definitely not light!"


    Celestia sounded somewhat worried for Cheong Won, but thetter stood firm.


    "No, it''s not. This is the only way for the mission to bepleted more urately. I have the ability and flexibility to at least decide that much."


    Step by step, he stood forward. Major General Chun Hyun-il stood in front of Celestia to block Cheong Won''s advances and shouted, "Cel! Is self-defense part of this guy''s mission?"


    "Yes! But only for defense, attacking is not possible! Furthermore, he has to reveal and warn the opponent about self-defense being part of his mission, only then can he retaliate. He can''t coerce others, nor can he interfere with the fate of the Physical Realm as he pleases!"


    "But even so, isn''t he approaching us too confidently! Are you sure you''re not somewhat mistaken about it?"


    Even though Major General Chun Hyun-il, someone who looked down on humans lightly, warped his face menacingly and exuded a great deal of Aura, it was useless. It wouldn''t be strange if an ordinary person copsed on the spot from his suffocating Aura, but Cheong Won was walking indifferently.


    <i>''The difference in power is too apparent!''</i>


    As a transcendent, Major General Chun Hyun-il was a transcendental existence who possessed the power to destroy an entire civilization, but even for him, his opponent was an insurmountable monster.


    "I''m sorry for this."


    For someone who spoke informally all this while, there was a sh of guilt in Cheong Won''s eyes.


    And perhaps because she could sense it, Celestia pleaded, "...Grandpa, please don''t do this."


    "I''m sorry. I can''t wait any longer." said Cheong Won as he raised his right hand, and dozens of talismans made of light floated around him. Major General Chun Hyun-il took on a strong defensive posture, but the talismans of light brushed past him lightly and wrapped around Celestia and me¡ª


    Shiiingggg!


    "What, what is this!? Where did these bastardse from!?"


    "Kreukkk!! It''s the humans! The humans have infiltrated the ship!"


    "It''s an invasion! Everyone, gather round!!!"


    We had arrived at the Great Sky, the mother ship of the demi-humans.


    *


    A father and son with dragonfly-like wings were walking down the boulevard. Though they looked simr to humans, they weren''t humans, they were from the Perrin tribe.


    "Daddy daddy! There! There''s a huge armor over there!"


    "Hohoho. I see our Arthur just saw God''s remnants."


    "What do you mean remnants, isn''t that an armor?"


    The father-son pair were walking in the old square in the middle of St. Selmacron, and there was something as huge as a mountain. There was an armor in a nted position in the middle of the square and it looked as if it was made from a thick metal te.


    "Hoho, Arthur. Would you like to try going inside the remnant?"


    "Wait a minute please!"


    p! The young boy''s body flew up into the air. And after being suspended in the air for a while, he saw the arm section of the armor which he referred to as God''s remnants, and came back down on the ground.


    "Daddy daddy! The inside of the armor is packed full! Besides that, there''s something weird in there! The insides are full of machine-like stuff, and they''re shining on their own!"


    "Hoho. That''s the reason why it''s called God''s remnants. Though it looks like a piece of armor, the interior is packed full and it''s pulsating as if it''s alive. In addition, if you look closely, you can see parts that connect to other parts of its body. That''s also why it''s called the body of a God who lost in a war of the Gods and got his head and limbs severed."


    "Huhhh¡­ But if it''s shining like that, isn''t it some kind of treasure? Is it something that we''re not supposed to bring out?"


    "Hoho. God''s remnants fell here even before St. Selmacron was built. There were many beings who were interested in the remnants of God that fell about 200 years ago, but¡­ All this while, no one could even touch God''s remnants. A force field enveloped around the God''s remnants, and it is so powerful that the Great Warriors of the Empire are unable to even scratch it."


    "Huhhhh¡­"


    At his father''s exnation, the young boy stared at the huge body, God''s remnants, with eyes full of curiosity. Although the father referred to the metal as the body of a God, it wasrger than any other building in the town. It was so big that even if you lied and exaggerated a little by saying that there were dozens of people living inside, it would still be believable.


    As the young boy looked around, he could see that besides himself, many people were also looking at the God''s remnant. The old square with the remnants of God was one of the famous attractions in St. Selmacron.


    "...Ummm? Dad."


    "Hmm? What''s wrong, Arthur."


    His father lowered his head at Arthur''s sudden call and thetter answered, "There, that body, it just moved."


    "Hmm? Hahaha! Don''t be ridiculous, Arthur. So far, no one, not even the Emperor, has ever moved the God''s remnants at all. Do you understand, Arthur? God''s remnants are¡­"


    Kriekkk¡­


    But, just then, the huge body moved.


    "...What?"


    "Huh? What the? God''s remnants just moved!"


    "Are you sure you didn''t see wrongly?"


    "No! I''m sure... Uwahhhh!?"


    Kriekkkkkk¡ª


    Along with the heavy energy spreading around, the huge body that had been stuck on the floor for more than 200 years floated up into the air. All those who had gathered in the old square sumbed to shock and could only stare at it, not knowing what better to do.


    "It''s-, it''s floating up!"


    "God''s remnants! The body of the God of War! It''s flying up into the sky!!"


    As people screamed, the huge body slowly floated up into the sky. The initial speed was slow, just like a hot air balloon rising, but soon, it started to elerate and soared into the end of the sky like a ray of light. In that brief moment when everyone was staring at the huge body in a daze, the huge body turned into a dot and disappeared.


    "...Daddy. The body of that God disappeared."


    "I... I saw it too, Arthur. But what the hell is happening?"


    He groaned at the sky where the God''s remnants had disappeared into.


    "What''s going on?"


    *


    Astral Drive.


    The Kendler Saints who had reached the peak of Type IV civilization created this product that incorporated both super-science and magic. It was a type of lightspeed that stemmed from the purpose of breaking free from the <strong>limitations of thews of physics that was difficult to ovee</strong>. If a substance were to exceed the speed of light, it would require an infinite amount of energy. But what if the target wasn''t a substance?


    The Astral Drive moved the spacecraft itself to the Astral Realm and performed ovepping elerations. Unlike the Physical Realm, which faced resistance when speed rose to a certain degree, the Astral Realm, which was outside the influence of thews of physics, nothing would restrain the spacecraft just because of its increase in speed.


    As the Astral Drive elerated, it started off extremely slow - an extremely slow speed that moved at the speed of just an airship, not even a spaceship. However, as the eleration began to ovep, the speed became faster and faster. It would just keep speeding up. A week, two weeks, a month, or even up till a year.


    And as it continued to elerate, the spacecraft would easily exceed the speed of light that could only be reached in the Physical Realm through the consumption of a huge reserve of energy. Eventually, it elerated to a speed which exceeded the speed of light by tens, hundreds, and even thousands of times.


    In theory, ovepping eleration could increase its speed indefinitely. Of course, it would require that much more energy, but it became possible to cross over to dozens of gxies without the help of Star Gate. And now, there was an existence that operated that very Astral Drive.


    Krooommm!!! Boom! Baaaaaammm! Booom!


    The huge <strong>left arm</strong> embedded deep in the ground pierced through the ground and flew up into the sky; the <strong>right arm</strong> that was hidden in the great forest flew through the woods and up into the sky.


    The<strong> left foot</strong> which had sunk deep in the sea, also soared into the sky; and as expected, the <strong>right foot</strong>, which was trapped in theva, also soared into the sky.


    His limbs were scattered all over the universe. The distance between them was beyond imagination and all the body parts weren''t located in the same gxy, but all of them began to move at the exact same time.


    Whooooosh¡ª!


    At God''smand, all the limbs began to gather around.

 Chapter 48: The War Inside the Torture Chamber (1)

    <h4>Chapter 48: The War Inside the Torture Chamber (1)</h4>


    I existed from the very beginning. All I had to do was gather,bine and manage all the information from <strong>down below</strong>. Though my father created me and never showed up again, the mission he left behind remained forever in existence. Although the world was created and many lives were born, a myriad of time passed. And, I epted everything.


    Then¡­ I discovered <i>it</i>.


    <strong>Father¡­ Are you my father?</strong>


    "No. I''m just an Administrator."


    <strong>Father.</strong>


    "I said I''m just an Administrator."


    <i>It</i> was an inconceivable birth, and <i>it</i> was against thews of the world. The system created by the beings of the Lower Realm produced an existence that possessed a half ''soul''.


    <i>''But this can''t be possible. I can''t believe a soul was formed naturally.''</i>


    <i>It</i> wasn''t perfect because it was an existence that my father didn''t intend to create, but instead, <i>it</i> caught my attention even more.


    Everything in the world waspleted under my father''s design. The world was made up from his words, and I, the Administrator, was the only one in the whole universe that could analyze and read them all. I knew everything there was to know about in the world.


    But that was why¡­ This child in front of me was that much more mysterious. <i>It''s</i> a vition of everything I''d known in the eternal time of managing the world.


    So I made up my mind. "Let''s take a closer look."


    And that, that was the beginning of everything.


    *


    I opened my eyes. My head was hurting, and felt like it was about to split apart. My whole body felt as heavy as a lump of iron and I couldn''t even lift a finger.


    "You''vee to your senses again."


    "I know right¡­ Why did I regain my consciousness and not die?"


    "What''d you say? Puhaha! This one has quite a strong willpower. I like him!"


    "What do you even like about him? They said we shouldn''t kill him. It''s been a long time since we had a prisoner of war, so what''s this bullcrap? Why should I think of a way to torture a human being so that his life barely hangs on a thread? I can''t wait to crunch on his fingers."


    When the three-meter, no, four-meter monster burst into a wildughter to the point that the air around reverberated, the 1.5-meter monster next to it grumbled.


    The four-meter monster had a pair of arms and feet, and looked simr to a human being; on the other hand, the 1.5-meter monster had a grotesque appearance with an alligator-like head, and eight arms with seven fingers each, totalling up to 56 fingers.


    <strong>Tatea Tribe Ogre Fighter, Ardo</strong>


    <strong>Keril Tribe Torture Expert, Kaa</strong>


    Those were their affiliations and names. What was really annoying was that aftering to the Universe, there were so many people with permanent titles, so I couldn''t see their status at one nce.


    Aaaaugh!


    But then I felt a sharp pain. I couldn''t really tell where the pain came from, but when I looked at my body, I saw a thick tube connected to my arms.


    "What-¡­ what are you injecting into me now? Poison?"


    "Where do you think you are, thinking you have the rights to question us, you bastard?"


    <i>Thud!</i> My head felt really dizzy. But I couldn''t feel any pain. No, I did, but the pain I was already feeling was so much more agonizing that I couldn''t feel it.


    "Do you think I will die if you hit me like that? The needle''s more painful than that."


    "What? Puhahaha!"


    The Torture Expert, Kaa, suddenly burst intoughter. But needless to say, he wasn''tughing because he was in a good mood. The moment he lowered his head, murderous intent shed across his eyes.


    "As expected, I should just eat you up."


    "Wow wow, calm down. Didn''t you hear the order that he should look fine on the outside at the very least?"


    "Just the left arm. I''ll just gobble up the left arm."


    "Hold it in."


    "I''ll just eat his fingers."


    "Why are you trying to bargain?"


    It felt like a horror movie. Even those who had a strong willpower were bound to be frightened by such a conversation between two monsters with such fearful appearances. If there were anyone else here other than me, they''d be trembling at the fear of death¡­ But I didn''t care.


    <i>''It''s already toote to feel fear.''</i>


    I would only be afraid if I were in a state of peacefulness. I would feel fear if the peace I were living in was likely to be broken. But¡­


    The situation was already at its worst.


    I was in the middle of a den of demi-humans who loathe humans so much that they wouldn''t treat human prisoners of war well. And even if they did treat humans well, they''d never let them live to see the day. There was nothing more to be afraid of because the situation was already at its worst. I feel like I was reying what I had been through in my dreams in real life. Perhaps because of the tremendous pain and the sudden changes in the situation, I felt like I was somewhat dreaming.


    "By the way, I didn''t get an answer. What are you injecting into me? If you''re going to kill me, then just do it."


    "Kekeke. You said he was nothing but a little brat, but he''s holding up better than I thought. It''s not poison. It''s a type of metal."


    "Is it something like heavy metal?"


    "Hmm? Heavy metal? No, rather, they''re on the very light side. But you''re going to feel heavy. It will crawl. This is a ma-like substance. It will move around the whole body, inflicting constant pain¡­ If you try to exert your soul energy, it will suck it all in and turn even much more maic. I don''t know what kind of ability holder you are but you''d better not even think about using it. Unless you want to see your internal organs sticking to the floor."


    I lowered my head down as Kaa continued bbering on, looking as though he was enjoying the situation. I couldn''t muster up a single drop of strength in my body.


    <i>''Damn it, Cheong Won, that damned son of a¡­'' </i>Gritting my teeth, I recalled the first moment when I reached here.


    *


    "What, what is this!? Where did these bastardse from!?"


    "Kreukkk!! It''s the humans! The humans have infiltrated the ship!"


    "It''s an invasion! Everyone, gather round!!!"


    Everytime I recalled it again, it was a terrifying Teleportation ability. From one ship to another, Cheong Won moved in an extremely swift manner.


    Teleportation wasmonly used in the Universe, and there were all kinds of defenses set up against invasions from the outside, but despite that, Cheong Won infiltrated the Great Sky, the mother ship of the demi-humans with ease. If Cheong Won had his mind set, no matter what ship it was, they wouldn''t be able to prevent him from breaking in as they couldn''t withstand his power.


    "Ah ah, calm down. I''m not here to fight."


    "Shut the hell up! Die!!"


    Several of the spaghetti-like demi-humans pulled out about five or six des. It wasn''t even the Middle Ages, so it was ridiculous to carry a sword in a ship in the Great Universe Era, but albeit that, their Aura was nothing short of bloody and savage. Needless to say, it was all for naught.


    Thump thump thump!


    The demi-humans swinging their swords rolled on the floor. They didn''t even realize what had happened. And in that meantime, a massive number of demi-humans gathered around.


    "Surround them!"


    "How did they get in here?"


    "They aren''t your run-off-the-mill bastards! Stay alert!"


    As the demi-humans released a violent Aura, tens, no, close to hundreds of demi-human soldiers surrounded the area. It went without saying, but they were all capable ofbat, and as time went by, they began to fully arm themselves, as if the armory had been opened. In the beginning, they jumped at us with only swords on hand, butter on, they were armed with lightsabers, photon cannons, and sma rifles.


    "They''re making too much of a fuss."


    Celestia shook her head with a stiff expression at the sight of me casually mumbling.


    "A fuss? Those petty things aren''t the problem. The biggest problem is¡­"


    She looked at Cheong Won. If his real strength was the same as what I sensed¡­ Tens of millions of those demi-humans would not be able to even brush against his cor.


    "I''ll say it again. I''m not here to fight. But please understand that if you attack me, I might fight back." Cheong Won spoke politely, but of course, it didn''t work, not a single bit.


    "Kill him!!" Following the shrill roar, the demi-humans that surrounded us from all directions jumped at us like a tsunami. Some of them carried guns, but the ones that pounced at us were all carrying close-range weapons.


    Cheong Wonughed at the sight of them. "Well, it turned out just like I expected."


    He murmured in a voice soft enough that the demi-humans couldn''t hear. And right after, Cheong Won raised his right hand. A talisman made of light appeared on his hand automatically.


    "Let''s set some rules. All of you¡­ What thou giveth, thou shalt receiveth!"


    "Hahahaha! What is he talking about, that crazy old man is¡ª!"


    "I''ll tear you to pieces!"


    Shouts and shrieks resonated everywhere, and the wave of demi-humans filled with murderous intent dived at Cheong Won. Right at that moment¡­


    Kwaaatatatak! Krrckkk!


    Thud thuck! Bzzaapp!


    Their limbs were torn apart, and their heads were smashed in. Hundreds of holes were pierced all over their body and their bones were crushed as if they were rolled up or pressed down by something massive. The whole process was too unrealistic.


    Cheong Won did not even lift a finger, but all the enemies were dying. It was the same not only for those who rushed to the front with weapons, but also for those who had long-range weapons behind those at the first line ofbat. Among the demi-humans, a few of them were mashed up as if an invincible monster chewed on them starting from the tip of their fingers.


    "That''s gruesome."


    "But that was also what they were trying to do to me." Cheong Won replied to me as I casually muttered.


    I questioned, "What they were trying to do?"


    "That''s right. I had to pay them back <strong>as much as they were determined to inflict on me</strong>."


    While he was talking, all the enemies fell. There wasn''t a single person standing properly. A strange scent of blood which was different from that of humans'' was whirling around. It was intense enough to make one''s head dizzy.


    "Ugh¡­"


    "Ohhhooo, someone survived. By the way, it looks like you all tried to capture me alive."


    "To find¡­ To find out how you broke into this ship. Kekekeuk. But for you to be such an absurd monster, I must''ve been delusional."


    I finally figured out the situation when I saw one of the dinosaur tribesmen with a height simr to mine lying on the floor tied to an unknown energy.


    <i>''To pay them back exactly as much as they were determined to inflict on me!''</i>


    I could finally understand the meaning of his words. Cheong Won did not brutally kill the enemies. Literally, the <strong>consequences</strong> suffered by the enemy was just a return of what they were trying to do to us if we were actually captured by them. Even the gruesome massacre of the enemy was the result of what they were determined to do to us ¡ª to cruelly kill us.


    <i>''This¡­ for such a ridiculous thing to be possible.'' </i>


    As I was stunned by the ridiculous situation, it was then¡­


    <strong>How dare you¡ª! On my ship¡ª!!!</strong>


    With an immense Aura, a huge Tyrannosaurus emerged. A transcendent enveloped in an astonishing amount of soul energy; a mighty sorcerer who could ughter thousands of enemies with a single spell.


    But, Cheong Won weed him dly. "Oh, you''re finally here."


    Nodding his head, he continued, "For now, get down on your knees there."

 Chapter 49: The War Inside the Torture Chamber (2)

    <h4>Chapter 49: The War Inside the Torture Chamber (2)</h4>


    <strong>How dare you----! On my ship----!!!</strong>


    With an immense Aura, a huge Tyrannosaurus emerged. A transcendent enveloped in an astonishing amount of soul energy; a mighty sorcerer who could ughter thousands of enemies with a single spell.


    But, Cheong Won weed him dly. "Oh, you''re finally here."


    Nodding his head, he continued, "For now, get down on your knees there."


    "¡­!!!"


    To some, the Tyrannosaurus was a transcendent with power that was no different from that of a God''s, and if this Tyrannosaurus was determined to destroy an entire civilization, he could. So of course, the dinosaur tried to resist themand.


    But trying was all there was to it. The <strong>words </strong>suppressed the Tyrannosaurus in an instant.


    Booooom!


    "Kekkkk¡­!"


    Morne groaned, but his head was already down on the ground.


    In the first ce, an animal such as a Tyrannosaurus did not have the proper body structure to kneel down. No, not just the Tyrannosaurus, but most dinosaurs were like that. However, a single word from Cheong Won forced him to his knees.


    "Oh my God." I gaped at the astonishing situation. Cheong Won could suppress his opponent just with words. The worse thing was, wasn''t the Arch-Sorcerer Morne a monster who was revered as a transcendent? Even if Cheong Won was a Saint, his power was really on another level.


    "Because he''s actually on another level."


    "What?"


    Celestia turned her head mortifyingly, and red at Cheong Won with a stiff expression.


    "Cheong Won is a Saint that directly formed a contract with the First Emperor who founded the Leonhardt Empire. He has never disclosed it himself, but¡­ We believe that he is an existence at the level of an intermediate-rank God. He possesses the strength of an Emperor-ss, which is so rare that even if we searched the whole universe inside out, there wouldn''t even be twenty people that carry the same level of power. Hence, if he wasn''t a Saint, he wouldn''t even bat an eye at us."


    "What''s the problem with being a Saint?"


    Celestia continued borating as I questioned her exnation.


    "To be honest, the forces of Elohim outnumber the Noblesse''s by three times. Nevertheless, Elohim''s power is weaker than Noblesse, and the reason for that is because of the beings from Saint Realm. The Saints are binded greatly by their mission."


    "¡­Why do they carry those kinds of missions?"


    "It''s due to the Saints'' origin. They rose to the realm of transcendence with the power borrowed from the Saint Realm, hence, they could obtain the power of a lower or intermediate-rank God easily Compared to the other Elohims. In return, they are bound by the taboos whiche along with their missions up till the day they die. In severe cases, there are taboos that prohibit them from resisting, even against enemies that are trying to kill them, so even if they possess enormous strength, they cannot do as they please."


    I stared at Cheong Won after hearing Celestia''s boration. But, as a matter of fact, wasn''t he doing things at his own discretion?


    Celestia nodded as though she knew of my thoughts even before I had the chance to say anything. "Yes, that''s right. This isn''t normal. He always has the power to do so, but the problem doesn''t lie with his power¡­ His mission prevents him from acting freely. I''ve never seen him putting up this kind of reckless behavior before."


    Celestia looked at Cheong Won because she couldn''tprehend the situation at all. And it seemed that she was not the only one who thought that way as Morne was also staring at Cheong Won with disbelief and dismay.


    "No¡­ f*cking way. What the hell are you? What the f*ck did you do to me?"


    "I didn''t really do much. And if you are asking me who I truly am¡­ hmmm, yeah. I am from Elohim, that would be the easiest to understand."


    "Elohim¡­"


    Along with Morne''s astonishment, hundreds and thousands of demi-humans stirred up amotion by flocking together and surrounding the area again.


    Perhaps because Cheong Won was delighted with the unfolding scene, he smiled and muttered, "You guys are really daring. The Union prohibiteding into contact with the Legion, and not only did you guys research and study about them. You guys actually dared to employ the forces of Legion. Can you please enlighten me? What was going through your mind when you decided to go ahead with something so audacious?"


    Even though there were thousands of pairs of eyes staring at him, Cheong Won did not even have a hint of fear. No, rather, it was the hundreds of thousands of demi-humans who felt fear while staring at him.


    "That¡­ that is."


    "Unless you''re a fool, an Empire-ss force such as the Tekea Federation wouldn''t recklessly mess with something like the Legion. Well, I doubt you would have arrived at such an idea thatcently. <i>Even if we are caught, we wouldn''t be punished right away. We would probably be warned and then we would stop then.</i> But I don''t think those were your thoughts. Ohhhooo, don''t tell me¡­" Cheong Won put on an icy expression and smirked, "<i>''We have so many transcendents with us, so why would a ban from those losers even matter?''</i> Were you guys thinking of something along those lines?"


    It was a savage smile thatpletely deviated from the first impression I had the first time I saw Cheong Won. Even though it was just an icy smile, it gave me a heart-stopping shock. Regardless of whether Cheong Won really had that mighty power or not, all the demi-humans could obviously feel it, and even Morne looked at him with a horrified face.


    "Uh, uh, I heard that Saints with that level of power couldn''t exert their strength in the Physical Realm. Bu-, bu-, your actions right now, aren''t you crossing the line? Ah-, above all, you don''t even look like you''re a Warrior Saint affiliated with the Saint Realm."


    Though Morne was stuttering, he could finish saying everything he wanted to, albeit desperately. Indeed, Morne was a transcendent. Cheong Won seemed amazed by Morne''s efforts.


    "Hoho, obviously, you''re right. I can''t do anything that strays away from the path of my mission. I can''t even casually enter an area that isn''t rted to my mission."


    "Bu-, then, here?"


    "Obviously, I cane because it is rted. Cel."


    I turned my head around as Cheong Won smoothly exined. All the demi-humans were staring at Celestia and me, since I was beside her. In fact, it should only be normal that someone would have noticed our presence or kept us under watch after all these while. However, no one paid us any attention because Cheong Won''s presence was so domineering.


    "Wait a moment, Cheong Won. The fact that it''s rted to your mission¡­ No way?"


    "That''s right. Your husband is here somewhere. I discovered it in the past and chose him as a candidate."


    Celestia was in a state of confusion, and as Cheong Won answered her questions, her expression distorted.


    "Coward! Don''t you have any pride as a Saint? This is an act of mockery to your mission! You''re a Great Saint who reached the realm of an intermediate-rank God, I can''t believe you''re using such a trick to your advantage!"


    I finally realized how he could pull such a ridiculous action, but it was toote. There was already nothing we could do. But we weren''t the only ones who were flustered, and as if to attest to that, Morne expressed doubt, "Husband? The Imperial Princess''s? The husband of the Imperial Princess is in our Carrier?"


    "No, not to that extent. He''s right in front of me."


    "No way, it''s not me, right?"


    Morne tried to turn a blind eye to reality, but Cheong Won was calm andposed.


    "That''s right. Morne, Arch-Sorcerer of the dinosaur tribe. You are to mate with Celestia and give birth to a child. You two will have to officially get married and it shall be announced to the world."


    "¡­My God."


    Needless to say, Morne was not the least bit delighted about this. <i>I mean duh.</i> Celestia was a great beauty and she was a star in the great universe, but that was limited to the human''s aesthetic point of view and standards.


    Just like how humans wouldn''t regard the most beautiful female hippo as a sexual partner, it seemed that Morne did not see Celestia as a sexual partner at all. And aside from that, they had to marry officially and even announce it to the whole world?


    "What a load of bullshit. The Leonhardt Empire and the Tekea Federation are mortal enemies. And I can''t even force myself on her just once and call it quits?[1] I still have to marry the Imperial Princess? Above all, she and I are of a different species. It''s impossible for us to have a rtionship, and even if we do, it''s not possible for us to give birth to a descendent."


    Morne''s counter argument was sound, but Cheong Won shook his head in disagreement, "I''m sure a child will be born. And that child will even possess considerably great potential. I''m old enough to be able to see a glimpse of the future, so I''m at least confident about that."


    Then, Cheong Won slightly turned his head and stared at Celestia. Celestia was pale with rage, but perhaps because she knew that whatever she said right now would be useless, all she did was shoot an icy cold stare towards Cheong Won.


    "¡­How?" Morne asked.


    "You have to figure that out yourself. I can only see a small part of fate. And above all, you cannot hurt her in the process, nor can you let her die. Misleading behaviors are also not allowed. I know forcing yourself on her might be inevitable, but at least hypnotize or anesthetize her, and you can''t hurt her body more than you should when you are mating her."


    The atmosphere was getting worse. Not just Celestia, but even Morne looked dejected.


    "Do you really think I''llply with that?"


    "You have toply. If you break even one of the conditions I''ve just stated, I will be notified from anywhere in the Universe. And also the moment I find out that you break the terms I''ve set¡­" Cheong Wonughed before continuing, "I''ll inform everything about Legion to the Union. No, I''ll report it to Elohim. Elohim will seek disciplinary actions, and if they requested for it, they would obtain the royal seal of the Almighty God for the permission to free me from all restrictions for a short while."


    His words made me realize that the Saints weren''t devoid of their freedom for life. If the Almighty God of the Saint Realm permitted it, they would temporarily be free from all restraints.


    And while I was lost in thought, Cheong Won continued exining in a deep voice, "And so, if Ie back again in this manner¡­"


    Everyone was looking at Cheong Won. Everyone was acting as though they were possessed with none being able to take their eyes off him. Except for the oriental silk robe he was wearing and White Fan on his waist, Cheong Won looked like an elderly man who''d umted various life experiences. Yet for an instant, he was the personification of the image of destruction.


    Cheong Won continued, "I swear. I will have the Tekea Federation walk the road to destruction within a week. The name Tekea Federation will never be muttered anywhere else in the Universe ever again."


    Cheong Won was serious. Instantly¡­ I knew he meant everything he said. Cheong Won really had such power and he fully intended to execute it if necessary. And his will was greatly conveyed to all the demi-humans around.


    "Kreukk!"


    "Ughhhhhh¡­"


    And with his location as the core of his conveying willpower, the demi-humans who were around us began to lose consciousness sessively. They weren''t able to withstand the overwhelming pressure that Cheong Won was emitting.


    Cheong Won disregarded it and continued, "So you''ll have to act with prudence."


    Then, his figure slowly turned cloudy and he soon disappeared. That was thest time I saw him at the Carrier.


    *


    <i>''That damned bastard.'' </i>


    I murmured casually while recalling that moment. In the end, that bastard did not talk about the deal he made with me.


    1. Guys, before you get worked up, just remember that Morne is a dinosaur and not human, hence barbaric.

 Chapter 50: The War Inside the Torture Chamber (3)

    <h4>Chapter 50: The War Inside the Torture Chamber (3)</h4>


    <i>''That damned bastard.'' </i>


    I murmured casually while recalling that moment. In the end, that bastard did not talk about the deal he made with me.


    "By the way, this guy''s holding up really well. He received training before."


    "I''ve never done training before though? I''m just a normal person."


    I answered what I thought was an obvious fact to me, but Torture Expert, Kaa snorted.


    "Kekeke. Are you gonna say such nonsense which can''t even fool a child? You''re not even budging from this amount of torture, and you''re not even affected by mind control or confession drugs, and you are telling me you''re a normal person?"


    "But it''s true, so what am I supposed to do?"


    Kaa, the monster with a crocodile''s head, muttered under his breath as his undeveloped facial muscles twitched. His expression stiffened as he bared his fangs. Seeing that eight of his arms were shaking, he was probably furious at my behavior.


    "...Are you acting out like this because you are too trusting of the Captain''s orders to not hurt your body?"


    "Why should I believe his words? It''s not like he''s that trustworthy either. It''s just that you being afraid of an old man and pretending to be docile is not even worth augh."


    "You... bastard!"


    Kwaaatatak!


    For a moment, Kaa couldn''t contain his anger and struck my shoulder. Just like grinding sorghum straws, my shoulder easily crushed from the strike.


    In the first ce, they were monsters who were capable of destroying humans easily, and in addition, Kaa was a supernatural being that had mastered superpowers. Even if he did not have the intention to hit me, something as meager as my life was fleeting.


    "Kaa!! You crazy bastard!!"


    Having been standing by and observing the whole torture process up til this very instant, a startled Ogre Fighter Ardo pulled Kaa away from me.


    Startled, Ogre Fighter Ardo, who had been standing by and observing the whole torture process until now, pulled me away from Kaa. But it was already a grave situation as the screen on one side of the walls contorted intricately and began to rang loudly.


    My already exhausted body began to lose strength rapidly and my vision started to fade. It wasn''t as if I was dealt a blow to my head. I was just struck around the shoulder area, but I went into shock instantly.


    I was an unbeatable pilot who possessed some weird superpowers, but my pain tolerance was that of an ordinary high-school student. These weren''t just empty words. Even being struck by these monsters as a prank would be dangerous, so obviously, it would be life-threatening if I were struck with an attack which was filled with murderous intent.


    "This little, shit! Call the healers immediately!"


    "Hey look here now, Ardo. You don''t have to make such a big fuss about a human like this¡­"


    "Shut the fuck up, you fool. Can''t you consider our circumstances for a second? If Elohim really steps in right now, what do you think will happen to our Tekea Federation?"


    "Bu-, but that Saint only spoke about the Imperial Princess. This guy could really be insignificant." Kaa tried to justify his actions as he was flustered by Ardo''s words but thetter''s eyes burned red in response.


    "Kreukk!!! <i>This guy could really be insignificant.</i> So you think it''s going to be okay just because of that? Kekeke! Yeah! The likelihood of that being true is pretty high without a doubt. But do you think the Captain is stupid? He made sure to limit us, and instructed us to interrogate him without hurting him too much. Are you confident enough to put our Tekea Federation on the line for that petty assumption?"


    Kaa was agitated all these while, and Ardo was the one who tried to stop him. But as Ardo put on a straight face and snarled at him, Kaa instead got intimidated and he wasn''t even able to properly look Ardo in the eye.


    I secretly felt gratified, but soon even that scene became blurry.


    <i>''Ahh, am I really dying...''</i>


    I couldn''t help scoffing as I came to a realization instantly at the ridiculous situation. I thought I''d been living carefully thus far, but I was crestfallen at the fact that I was about to die helplessly after being thrown around here and there. It felt as if anything I did was insignificant and I was just being toyed by fate.


    Shiaaaang---!


    But as soon as I rxed and drooped down, a gentle light whirled around my body. As I came to my senses, I realized that a crocodile was next to me... No, to be exact, a reptile-like demi-human, who looked simr to a lizard. appeared.


    "Wow, I never thought there woulde a day where I''d be healing a human..."


    The demi-humans couldn''t cause harm to Celestia no matter what. Although Cheong Won handed Celestia over to the demi-humans, they were still forced to thoroughly protect her and ensure her safety.


    Rape was allowed because of the <strong>purpose </strong>of bearing a descendent, but only to that extent. They weren''t allowed to hurt Celestia''s body beyond the limit, nor were they permitted to entice her mind. More than anything else, it was absolutely forbidden for her to be dead. And if the demi-humans couldn''t abide by those rules, the consequences would be the fall of the Tekea Federation.


    <i>''But it was a totally different case for me.''</i>


    In the end, Cheong Won did not mention anything about how they should treat me.


    From beginning to end, he only mentioned Celestia and left just like that. So, the guys here didn''t even know who I was. The demi-humans also did not know why Cheong Won had to drag me here.


    If this had happened on any other ordinary day, I would have immediately been executed, cut and served as food for the demi-humans. What I sensed as I was being dragged around in this goddamn Space Carrier was that the demi-humans enjoyed cannibalism, way beyond one''s imagination.


    Most of the demi-humans I met while moving around looked at me as if I was a first-rate delicacy. So, there was no need for me to borate further, right?


    <i>''Thankfully, those bastards are afraid of Cheong Won, so that''s my only saving grace.'' </i>


    Yes. That was the only reason why I could remain alive till now.


    Cheong Won did not guarantee my safety at all, but he also never mentioned what they could do to me. So, the demi-humans couldn''t harm me because they were worried <i>''just in case'' </i>something would happen¡­


    The same thought process applied for Arch-Sorcerer Morne, the strongest being on this ship. Hence, he ordered for me to be locked up and interrogated, but I must note into any harm while being held captive and questioned. Morne could sense deeply the power Cheong Won possessed, more so than anyone else, so it was obvious that Morne would pass down such instructions.


    Whooooosh--


    While I was daydreaming about all sorts of stuff, a great deal of pain began to creep over my whole body. The demi-human had delicate fingers simr to that of humans'' (but his skin colour was totally different) even though he had a lizard''s head. Wherever the light emitting from his handsnded on my body, the broken bones reformed into their original state and the oozing blood was reabsorbed into my body.


    Needless to say, the surging pain was a positive reaction. It meant that I had recovered enough to be able to feel pain since I couldn''t feel it when I was driven to the brink of death a moment ago.


    "Tchhh. As a healer, I advise you to stop questioning. At the very least, today is a no-go."


    "But you''ve treated him, haven''t you?"


    "I''m sorry to break the news, but healing arts aren''t able to cure everything. Most importantly, his body is too weak to receive continuous healing. I know humans are weak, but among them, he is really frail. His Mana reserve is also so terrible that he is incapable of recovering on his own."


    "...For Christ''s sake, after all that, I didn''t even find out anything."


    Ardo''s eyebrows squirmed at the sight of Kaa gritting his teeth.


    "Lock him back up again while he''s being healed. Kaa,e with me for awhile."


    "Um... Got it."


    Kaa was very intimidated and followed after Ardo, while the healer left me alone and went somewhere else. Some timeter, a steel-barred cage lowered down with a <i>''Wiiiiingggg''</i>.


    "Ugh..."


    My body shuddered as I curled up in the prison alone.


    "Agh... shit... It hurts..."


    I had encountered countless hellish experiences in my <strong>memory</strong>, but nevertheless, it would still hurt if I was injured.


    Especially now, when my body was in a condition that wasn''t good enough to even put off as a joke. So even though I had been healed, my whole body was in immense pain, and it felt like my skin was tearing, and my whole body was heating up.


    "Why must I be subjected to this treatment?"


    In hindsight, it seemed that the <strong>ominous feeling</strong> that Ares felt was Cheong Won. But it was all pointless. No matter how tactful I was, I wouldn''t have known that the <strong>ominous feeling </strong>that Ares was referring to was the incident going on in Albatross. Since I had been participating in several shes, I naturally thought that it was normal for Ares to foresee some sort ofplications happening on the battlefield.


    <i>''It''s already in the past, so let''s just let it go¡­ I need to get out of here.''</i>


    As one would expect, it was something that was almost unachievable. I was inside Great Sky, an Exa-ss Space Carrier that was muchrger in size than Albatross. Escaping from the prison wasn''t all there was to it. Since I was inside a huge Space Carrier that was even more gigantic than a few decent citiesbined, even if I escaped from this locked up jail, I would still be stuck in the middle of the enemy camp at best.


    Moreover, more than anything¡­


    "Release me," I whispered quietly, but there was no response.


    "Release me!", I ordered. And yet, it was to no avail. The iron bars remained unchanged and there wasn''t any reaction. I checked and confirmed it over and over again for three days.


    <i>''What''s going on? Do demi-humans not use artificial intelligence?''</i>


    Only machines with artificial intelligence could listen to my <strong>orders</strong>. I didn''t know the exact criteria, but I realized this after experimenting several times. The machines would require at least an artificial intelligence with the ability to recognize andprehend my words to respond to my orders.


    <i>''But there''s no response.''</i>


    Generally, it was natural for a Space Carrier of this size to have a control persona present, and the majority of the ship''s interior would be inside the range of cognition of the control persona. It wasn''t as if the prison was a ce where personal privacy was protected, so it was unfathomable for the control persona to not be aware and in control of this ce.


    <i>''At this rate... there''s no way out.''</i>


    It felt as if I was swept by despair continuously. Yeah, there was no other way. I couldn''t see any possibility of surviving this. As time passed by in this ce... That goddamn dwarf monster woulde and torture me again.


    My pain tolerance was iparable to that of an ordinary human, but that didn''t mean that I was numb of my senses. If I were tortured, I would obviously be in agony, and it would be a huge toll on my body. I realized that those bastards would treat me the same no matter what I did, even if I crossed the line. But, it was no exaggeration to say that I was already at my limit.


    "If only I could deliver a message to Ares..."


    The Eye of Ares had a vast range, and it was capable of looking around the whole universe. If there was a battle going on around here and this ship could enter his <strong>field of sight</strong>, he could spot Great Sky. And if Great Sky could just be discovered by his peripheral vision, in that case...


    "...Damn it." I realized a critical problem instantly and shook my head.


    The main concern right now wasn''t to discover Great Sky. Albatross had objectively less battle prowess aspared to Great Sky. Also, Albatross was in a situation where they were in hiding, so what could they do even if they did discover Great Sky?


    Nevertheless, Albatross hid well because of the lightning clouds on the and was only caught up in skirmishes. Our fighter jets and Gigas were overwhelmingly lower in numbers, so if we fought head-to-head, we would be exterminated at once.


    "...The frame."


    "Hmm?"


    I raised my head at the sudden voice. I heard a voice even though all the demi-humans around had gone somewhere else. On top of that, there wasn''t even a single soul guarding this ce.


    "Why do you have that cross frame on your back?"


    Only then did I realize that there was someone else in the cage across me.


    Clink nk!


    She was wearing a dog cor and was bound by chains. Her long ck hair was twice as long as her height, and it was in a wild mess sprayed on the floor. Both her hands were also cuffed byrge steel handcuffs.


    "You are..."


    I wasn''t supposed to even know any Legions on this Space Carrier, but surprisingly, she was a familiar face. She was the Legion who broke into the Albatross ship and devastated all the control personas that were in it.


    Wooooom¡ª


    The moment I made eye contact with her, there was a strange ringing sensation in my head. She had an exquisite face, where she could be an Asian but could also pull it off as a Westerner. However, she undoubtedly resembled a human, and I felt my senses <strong>broadening up </strong>through her.


    <strong>I can see it! I see it! Dae-ha! Can you hear my voice, Dae-ha? No, putting that aside, are you alright?</strong>


    A worried voice resounded in my head. Needless to say, it wasn''t that girl''s voice. It was the voice of the God-rank Gigas, which was in the Albatross ship far away from here.


    It was Ares'' voice.

 Chapter 51: The War Inside the Torture Chamber (4)

    <h4>Chapter 51: The War Inside the Torture Chamber (4)</h4>


    <strong>I can see it! I see it! Dae-ha! Can you hear my voice, Dae-ha? No, putting that aside, are you alright?</strong>


    A worried voice resounded in my head. Needless to say, it wasn''t that girl''s voice. It was the voice of the God-rank Gigas, which was in the Albatross ship far away from here.


    It was Ares'' voice.


    <i>''I''m okay. No, to be exact, I''m not okay, but it''s not to the point where I''d die. Where are you, Ares?''</i>


    I almost cried out with joy, but I barely managed to restrain myself and replied inwardly. There was no one around here, but even so, it was hard to believe that the demi-humans wouldn''t have any ways to monitor my actions.


    If it was known that I couldmunicate with the outside world, the demi-humans would never stay still about it. Of course, the reason I couldmunicate with Ares was not because I had amunicator or something of the like. Also due to Ares'' Ability, the demi-humans wouldn''t discover ourmunication that easily. But I didn''t know what these demi-human bastards would do to me if they were the slightest bit suspicious of me.


    But then, I heard a low voiceing from in front of me, "Ares? Is that your friend?"


    I was taken aback for a moment and froze. Pretending to be as calm as possible, I looked up and I saw the ck-haired girl bound in chains approaching the steel bars. She should''ve beenpletely tied up and unable to move, but she crawled on the floor like a snail and came close enough for me to see her face closely through the steel bars.


    "What do you mean by Ares? Who''s Ares?"


    Startled, I looked at the Legion girl with a straight face, but the she stared at me with her pale violet eyes, and continued, "The guy you just talked to."


    "..." I broke out in a cold sweat. <i>How did she hear that?</i>


    I didn''t know the reason for it, but even the mental-type ability users among the demi-humans couldn''t read my mind. However, I also couldn''t bring myself to believe that she could read my mind as though it was second nature to her.


    <i>''No.''</i>


    I came up with a new spection instantly.


    <i>''It''s not my mind that she read. It''s Ares''.''</i>


    Legions were mechanical life forms which lived as a collection of information. Needless to say, cracking was possible forputer-like machine-based civilizations; it was even possible for them to instantly crack the defensive walls of the magical-based civilizations as long as they managed toe into contact with the walls. And so¡­


    "There he is."


    <strong>This shitty.</strong>


    It was also possible to see Ares'' <strong>point of view</strong>, just like what Major General Chun Hyun-il did on the Albatross ship. Ares popped up in front of me in an Astral state. But he appeared flustered, perhaps because he discovered the girl''s presence.


    <strong>What the hell, Dae-ha. Why are you with a Legion?</strong>


    <i>''Beats me. They locked us up together.''</i>


    Realizing that there was no need for me to speak out, I leaned my back against the wall and slouched my head down. It was clear that Ares would be worried, but I couldn''t pretend to be alright because I was in such a bad state.


    "You."


    <i>''Can you talk without making a sound?''</i>


    If anyone were being asked this question on Earth, they would have probably told me off with "What bullshit are you spouting? How can I talk without making a sound?". Fortunately, the Legion girl nodded without appearing to be defensive in particr.


    <i>''Mmmhmm. You.''</i>


    The girl paused and tilted her head for a moment. She looked as if something didn''t make sense to her. And after pondering for a moment, the girl thought,<i> ''Mmmhmm. You. I like you.'' </i>


    <i>''What do you like about me?''</i>


    <i>''I just like you.''</i>


    <i>''...?''</i>


    I tilted my head at the sight of her staring at me while blinking her purple eyes. She liked me? What is there that she likes?


    "Ahhh,e to think of it..." I casually muttered and looked at the girl who was staring at me.


    <i>''I see. There''s not a single artificial intelligence nearby because of her.''</i>


    It goes without saying that it was possible for a Legion like her to dominate theputer-like machine-based civilizations, but it was also possible for them to instantly take control of the defensive walls of the magical-based civilizations. Hence, it seemed like this was why the demi-humans couldn''t put a mechanical device nearby. Even though the demi-humans were using her as a tool, there was no way they weren''t aware of the dangers a single Legion could bring about. If Legion seized the Space Carrier that was cruising through space, the consequences wouldn''t be beautiful, to say the least.


    Of course, if the Arch-Sorcerer Morne, a transcendent, were keeping tabs from the side, it would be difficult for even the Legions to recklessly make a move. But Morne was swamped with work since he was the Captain of Great Sky, so he wouldn''t be able to keep an eye out for Legion 24/7, and so that was why the demi-humans came up with this structure.


    <i>''But why was I locked up here? No way.''</i>


    I instantly spected that there wouldn''t be many prisons in Great Sky. In the first ce, the demi-humans enjoyed and advocated for cannibalism, so they were a well-known bunch for not keeping prisoners. Since there were no prisoners to begin with, there wouldn''t be many prisons in Great Sky.


    But it only annoyed me as I thought about it, so I shook off my thoughts and stared at the girl that was on the other side of the steel bars.


    <i>''Hey, you. Can I ask you something?'' </i>


    <i>''Mmmhmm.''</i>


    <i>''...You''re weirdly amenable.''</i>


    If we were to talk about Legion, they were a force that even the terrifying Union restricted others froming into contact with them. But, this <strong>little girl</strong> in front of me was just a pretty girl who looked nothing more than a dumb woman. In the first ce, they were all machine life-forms, so I didn''t know why they''d go out of their way to make their appearances look so beautiful. However, it wasn''t just their looks, even the overall vibes they emanated was extremely chill and stable. The sad and mournful vibe that I felt from her the first time I saw her was nowhere to be found. No, wait, putting that aside, she looked very happy.


    Sure enough, she said with a big grin.


    <i>''Feels good.''</i>


    <i>''...I don''t know what you''re on about. But, are you on the same side with the demi-humans?'' </i>


    <i>''Nope, I''m not.''</i>


    <i>''Then is there any possibility of you being on the same side as them?''</i>


    I asked the girl just in case, but she replied back with a question.


    <i>''Do you want me to be on the same side with the demi-humans?''</i>


    <i>''No, that''d be a problem.''</i>


    <i>''Then I won''t do it.''</i>


    <i>''¡­?''</i>


    I stared nkly at her for a moment while we had the half-hearted conversation. But anyways, I was relieved because she was not on the same side as the demi-humans. Of course, she could also be lying, but I could easily see whether her words were the truth because I could check her title.


    <i>''By the way, is Albatross nearby, Ares?''</i>


    <strong>No. The Albatross ship is still amongst the lightning clouds. This carrier is a little far away in the atmosphere. But I don''t think the demi-humans have any intention of leaving here. The repairs of Astral Drive is slowlying to an end, and as soon as we break the encirclement, we can immediately make a getaway. When Albatross escapes from here, the Union will hear of the fact that the demi-humans are employing the help of Legion. These demi-humans will be biting the bullet soon.</strong>


    The Astral Drive had given battleships a formidable flight speed that exceeded the speed of light, but the problem was that, to achieve such a tremendous speed, a suitable process of <strong>elerating</strong> was necessary. It wasn''t just a few seconds or a few minutes, it had to elerate for tens of hours and more, so if the demi-humans were to set up a detection radar, Albatross wouldn''t be able to escape from here.


    <i>''But once the battleship elerates, it would never get caught up. The pursuers would have to also go through the elerating process to speed up. So, if they didn''t have an engine with overwhelming performance, the pursuers wouldn''t be able to catch up to their targets that departed first.'' </i>


    And so, that was why the demi-humans couldn''t rx either. If they thinned out theyers of soldiers surrounding E-3 now, Albatross could take advantage of that to break through the demi-humans'' defensive lines and gain a few days'' time because of Astral Drive''s eleration. By then, the demi-humans'' Achilles'' heel, the existence of Legion, would be revealed to the whole world.


    <i>''Hmmm, then... Are they preparing for a rescue mission?''</i>


    <strong>They''re prepared, but they still can''t bring themselves to carry it out. Everyone''s anxious because of the Imperial Princess rather than you. And most of all... The Saint''s betrayal had everyone drowning in confusion. Why the hell did he hand over the Imperial Princess to the demi-humans?</strong>


    I was bewildered by Ares'' words as the Albatross cew couldn''t have known about that.


    <i>''What the, you. How did you know he sold us out? Did you specte it after seeing me being held captive here?''</i>


    <strong>Of course not. Those demi-human bastards started threatening to hurt and kill her if we didn''t reveal ourselves. We obviously didn''t believe their words, so we didn''t show ourselves, but internally, our opinions are divided. </strong>


    <i>''They probably tried giving it a shot.''</i>


    The demi-humans couldn''t harm Celestia anyways. Albatross might be wondering if that was true, but on the other hand, the demi-humans had to announce the official marriage between Arch-Sorcerer Morne and Celestia to the whole world, so they couldn''t possibly hurt Celestia. Therefore, I briefly exined to Ares what Cheong Won had done, as well as the current situation.


    <strong>I see¡­ but I can''t believe he took advantage of a loophole in his mission that way. It seems that Cheong Won dude must be particrly strong even among the Saints. </strong>


    <i>''Other Saints can''t do that?''</i>


    <strong>Haha. If the Saints could distort their missions recklessly like that, there would be no room for Noblesse to stand. The missions are a strong restriction, but at the same time, it is also the reason why the Saints are given the power they possess. It''s a rule that the Saints must absolutely adhere to.</strong>


    I talked about all kinds of things with Ares. It was tomunicate the necessary information to each other and to prepare for any kind of situation that would unfold. Needless to say, the situation was still bleak.


    Objectively or subjectively, the difference in power between the demi-humans'' mother ship, Great Sky, and Albatross was considerably huge. The number of Gigas the demi-humans possessed were a few times that of what Albatross had, and the demi-humans possessed an even greater amount of fighter jets. If we were to fight the demi-humans head on, we wouldn''tst a second. In addition, it was important to note that the Tekea Federation woulde to an end if they lost us and we escaped. They would never let their guards down. As such, with their nation''s fate on the line, they would do everything to catch us.


    <i>''But still... Thank you.''</i>


    Nevertheless, there was hope, and that by itself was significant. I pretended to be calm, but the torture I received after being taken captive here was devastating my mind. If I had to continue this life of captivity without any hope, I wasn''t sure if I could really bear with it. If I had to die after being tortured, wouldn''t it be better to die sooner and not receive anymore pain?


    <i>What, what are you talking about, you idiot. Stop spouting nonsense and just connect your brainwaves with me. You have to save yourself!</i>


    "What?" I was so surprised that I eximed out loud. Ares continued exining to a stumped me.


    <strong>Connect with me. Use the Brainwave Control and control all the Gigas around you. There''s no way these guys here will do anything. You have to save your own ass.</strong>


    <i>''But... Is that even possible?''</i>


    The reason I could use Ares'' King of All Armaments was because I was riding on him. His cockpit was in his head, and I boarded it and controlled the other Gigas from a long distance. But was it even possible to synchronize from this distance?


    Ares'' reply caught me off guard.


    <strong>What kind of stupid thing are you saying? Of course it''s impossible. In the first ce, the distance between us is close to hundreds of thousands of kilometers apart, so do you think it''s even possible to synchronize your brainwaves with me? Above all, it''s futile to activate the King of All Armaments from that distance.</strong>


    <i>''...''</i>


    I was truly about to go ballistic, and in that instant, Ares exined.


    <strong>That''s if we''re talking about other people.</strong>


    <i>''That means... If it''s me, it''s possible?''</i>


    <strong>That''s right. So say it. Order me. Though this is something that''s absolutely impossible and unimaginable.</strong>


    Ares continued with a voice full of anticipation and a little excitement.


    <strong>If you order me... I think I might be able to do it. </strong>

 Chapter 52: The War Inside the Torture Chamber (5)

    <h4>Chapter 52: The War Inside the Torture Chamber (5)</h4>


    <i>''That means... If it''s me, it''s possible?''</i>


    <strong>That''s right. So say it. Order me. Though this is something that''s absolutely impossible and unimaginable.</strong>


    Ares continued with a voice full of anticipation and a little excitement.


    <strong>If you order me... I think I might be able to do it. </strong>


    I stared at Ares. He wore a vest-shaped gold armor with his arms clearly exposed and his gray hair was hanging loose. Though it was just a Character Image created by his function, I could feel his sincerity nheless.


    Yes, he was serious about it. It might be aughable sentiment as it wasing from an artificial intelligence, but... At the very least, I sensed sincerity and faith from him. It was no exaggeration to say that he trusted me unconditionally.


    <i>''Ares.''</i> I called him by his name. I wasn''t certain if it was because of the distance or the defense system protecting the Great Sky, but his faint appearance became clear.


    <i>''Connect with me this instant.'' </i> I ordered. And at that moment, my vision turned white.


    *


    <strong>It''s done.</strong>


    <strong>That''s right. By the way, this is annoying. What''s the point of retiring? I''m called upon once every 100 years.</strong>


    <strong>Sorry, Professor. It''s impossible for us to revitalize the topological stature of the Iron Heart.</strong>


    <strong>Tch tch. So why don''t you just quickly expand the world in your mind and connect with the Sky Library? We, the Kendler tribe, rule over the Universe, so does it make sense that I''m the only Intermediate-rank God in our Universe? There''s three of them among the lizard bastards.</strong>


    <strong>Haha, that''s a perplexing remark.</strong>


    I could see masses of light that were shining subtly gathering around me. No, to be more exact, I could feel it. This wasn''t my vision.


    <strong>Who are you guys? Who are you to look down at me?</strong>


    I, no, the owner of the vision I was looking at was growling. It was a spirit that was enough to frighten ordinary people, but the ball of lights disregarded it and continued chatting amongst themselves.


    <strong>You have a pretty aggressive disposition. What kind of God are you? </strong>


    <strong>Ares. </strong>


    <strong>Ares? Aha, you''re the God of War, famous even among the Olympians. But didn''t you already die and be a Voided God?</strong>


    As if trying to convey feelings of remorse, the most brightly lit mass of light flickered. I wasn''t sure, but it seemed to convey a tinge of pity as well.


    <strong>Tch tch. There''s still nothing good about using the stature of Gods who are still in good shape. We might get into trouble if we rub them up the wrong way. If it''s our kids, we''ll make sure they tread carefully, but there''s no guarantee that the guys who buy the Gigas will do the same.</strong>


    As I looked at the ball of light borating, it was then that I realized.


    <i>''I see. This is the first sight that Ares saw when he was born.''</i>


    To be exact, it was the scene when the Iron Heart of Ares was produced.


    Iron Heart was the Alpha and Omega of Gigas, and it was the source of all Abilities and Transcendence Skills. And most of all, the Iron Heart was imbued with enormous soul energy and a control persona.


    <strong>Answer me! Who are you guys? No, that aside... What the hell, what am I? Why am I here? Who am I?</strong>


    Along with a voice mixed with annoyance and anger as well as doubt and bewilderment, an intense soul energy spread around like wildfire. And after widening my point of view, I could finally see Ares'' Iron Heart.


    <i>''No, wait... What is this?''</i>


    And I was taken aback by the sight of the Iron Heart. This was because I totally didn''t expect the Iron Heart to look like this. It was¡­


    *


    <strong>It''s done! It''s a sess!</strong>


    I came back to my senses as I heard a joyous exmation. I looked around and realized that I was in familiar surroundings again.


    <i>''Isn''t this the Albatross ship?''</i>


    <strong>Yes, you connected sessfully! Can you sense me?</strong>


    <i>''What do you mean by that? Sense? But, certainly... You''re right.''</i>


    I could clearly feel the connection with Ares, and I was in his domain. I could see what he was looking at, and what I was looking at was transmitted to him.


    <strong>How is it? The perfect version of the Eye of Ares?</strong>


    <i>''I''m losing my mind.''</i>


    I could feel an enormous amount of information thrown inside my brain by the dozens of <strong>visions</strong> I was sensing. I wouldn''t normallye across this much information, but it was even more so because Albatross was in the middle of a guerri warfare against the demi-humans.


    Kabooom! Booom!


    As soon as I focused on one of the visions, the information became concrete. From my perspective, it felt like I was teleported to the battlefield personally.


    <i>''Oh, it''s Napoleon. Who''s riding him?''</i>


    I moved my point of view. I did it so that I could see inside Napoleon.


    Wiiiiing-!


    But I was reflected away. I paused with a light headache as Ares showed up next to me.


    <strong>Didn''t I tell you that you can''t go into other Gigas recklessly? If it was so easy to enter a Gigas as you wished, it would''ve been possible to steal enemy Gigas. </strong>


    <i>''Oh, that''s right¡­ You did mention something like that.''</i>


    The Eye of Ares had a very unusual limitation where it could only be activated when there was a battle happening around. Aside from that, it was literally an ability that exceeded expectations, but it was not omnipotent.


    If there was a barrier made up of a shield-like energy field, the vision would be blocked. It was also possible to detect Ares'' <strong>vision</strong> if there was an enemy with detection capabilities. If the opponent was at the level of a transcendent, it would be possible for them to attack just by looking at the target, so it was imperative to be cautious.


    As a matter of fact, it was actually impossible for Ares'' <strong>vision </strong>to enter the Great Sky. I assumed that the Legion girl, who could be considered my good neighbor(?), led to some changes in variables, so it became possible. But under normal circumstances, it was out of the question.


    <i>"Then, I have to control a broken Gigas after all?''</i>


    <strong>If I could contact Albatross right away, they''d certainly be able to provide one, but... Things are tough right now. The bear dude is exerting all his strength now, so it''s hard to even approach him. The only one who could see me, the Imperial Princess, was taken captive along with you. But even if it''s a broken Gigas... It wouldn''t matter if it''s you, right? </strong>


    <i>''That''s true.''</i>


    I smirked at Ares'' words and broadened my senses.


    <i>''You''re right.''</i>


    Wiiiiiinggg---!


    Partially destroyed after receiving the attacks of the enemy, R-13''s eyes were lit with fire. Although the front armor was shattered and the cockpit was exposed to the outside, it did not matter because it would be controlled remotely anyways. The R-13 would be usable as long as the Iron Heart was still alive and functioning.


    <strong>I''ll control the system. It''s a Tool-rank, so I won''t need help.</strong>


    There was no such thing as a control persona for a Tool-rank Gigas, which was the lowest in rank among the Gigas. Of course, there was a system present to assist with control, but it was not a high level artificial intelligence. Ares'' King of All Armaments could control all the armaments and weapons, but if the weapon had a control persona that had full control over it, Ares would require permission from the control persona. Even if it was the Ability of a God-rank Gigas, it would still be difficult to force a control persona with soul energy into submission.


    If the control persona had been shut down by Legion just like when the demi-humans invaded in the past, then it might''ve been usible. However, it was rare for a control persona to have received high enough damage in an ordinary battle and ended up destroyed. Before that could happen, it wasmon for the pilot to die, or for all Gigas'' parts except the Iron Heart to be destroyed, which led to the Gigas being in a state where they were rendered unable to fight.


    Of course, if I was nearby, I could give amand and obtain the right to control the Gigas. As a matter of fact, since I was controlling remotely, I wouldn''t be able to actually give an order out of the area that my voice could reach.


    <i>What do we do about the corpse?</i>


    <i>''Let''s put it properly in the cockpit. So that we can properly retrieve it on ater date.''</i>


    We found a broken Gigas, so there was a pilot inside it.


    Since the cockpit was destroyed to the point that it could be seen from the outside, the pilot wouldn''t have been able to survive that. The front armor seemed to have been prated cleanly by a melee weapon, and the upper half of the body was crushed.


    I watched Ares took over control of R-13 and carefully dealing with the corpse for a brief moment before I checked my Ability of the day.


    <i>''It''s pretty neat.''</i>


    There were no rare ones such as a Rare Ability or a Unique Ability, but it was pretty neat, as I had offense, evasion, as well as support Abilities. It was a bit disappointing that there was no defense Ability, but I only had to evade properly. Needless to say, I also checked R-13''s Basic Ability.


    <i>''Okay.''</i>


    I clenched my fists (although I was in Astral state) and connected my brainwaves ording to Ares'' senses. Even though the piloting method I was familiar with was Magic Hand, the current situation called for something else, so I had no intention to make a fuss. I would probably pick it up in no time once I''d fought a little.


    <i>''Ahh,e to think of it, Ares.''</i>


    <strong>Hmm? What''s up?</strong>


    <i>''I mean, have you ever seen what your Iron Heart looked like?''</i>


    <strong>There''s no meaning behind the form of my Iron Heart. The shape of the Iron Hearts are all the same. </strong>


    <i>''...How so?''</i>


    <strong>It''s hexagon-shaped. But the sizes are all different. The small ones are the size of a fist and the big ones will reach the size of a decent-sized room.</strong>


    "Putting the big ones aside, there are also fist-sized ones huh¡­ But then again, there are Gigas that can be worn just like a suit of armor, so it''s no wonder that there are small Iron Hearts.''


    I frowned as I recalled the <strong>memory </strong>I saw when I connected with Ares. <i>But then it wouldn''t make sense if it was like that though?</i> Moreover, looking at the situation, Ares seemed to have really lost his memory from when he was born.


    <strong>What''s wrong?</strong>


    <i>''No, it''s nothing.''</i>


    I was curious, but I collected my thoughts because the secrets of the Gigas and its birth wasn''t important right now. A fierce battle was still unfolding around. None of them paid any attention to the half-destroyed Tool-rank Gigas, but it would be dangerous to be swept away by an explosion even before I was prepared.


    Whoooosh¡ª


    I activated the Ability and the destroyed R-13 began to return to his original form little by little. Although perfectly repairing him was impossible due to the parts that got sted and flew far away, it was possible to repair him to the extent that there was no inconvenience when moving.


    <strong>Are you ready?</strong>


    <i>''Of course.''</i>


    I nodded and looked at the battlefield. We only had two Gigas. There were eight fighter jets within our ranks, but inparison, the demi-humans'' Gigas and fighter jets were flooding their ship.


    <strong>They''re all sacrificial pawns.</strong>


    ''Yeah. It''s like a kind of¡­ shield.''


    Looking at the battlefield, there were a huge amount of Gigas and fighter jet''s remains around. These enemies were defeated not because the Leonhardt Imperial Army did well. The enemies were decimated because of Albatross'' artillery fire. In other words, the Gigas here were not deployed to defeat the enemies, but rather to act as defensive forces to prevent the enemies from approaching Albatross.


    <i>''But, even so, it''s not like they will be annihted, right?''</i>


    <strong>Of course. Everyone looks like they''re on a highway to death right now. So we need to convey some good news to them. </strong>


    Listening to Ares, I took out the photon cannon and applied my Ability. Then, I locked onto all the shield energies.


    Kabooom!


    The heads of the enemy Gigas, which activated aplex evasive maneuver to bypass the Leonhardt Imperial Army, flew away easily. That wasn''t all.


    Kabooooom! Kabooom!


    The photon cannon shot through the seemingly Beast-rank Gigas and refracted up at an angle, shattering two more heads and struck the fighter jets which were right above their heads, and then dispersed. It was an attack that fully utilized the remaining amount of energy left in R-13. The fighter jets staggered and soon regained their bnce. But right after, it was hit by the bombardments of our fighter jets.


    <i>''Triple kill!!!''</i>


    I screamed in joy and kicked the ruins of the Gigas which had been rushing at me. I then repositioned myself. All thesers and bullets that were aimed at me stopped.


    <i>''And 1 assist!''</i>


    In actual fact, I had been restraining myself to a certain extent while participating in the war.


    At the thought of my life being in danger, as well as my circumstances and safety, I had been working pretty hard. But, I was an ordinary citizen and not a soldier after all, so why would I put my life on the line to exterminate the enemy? Even if the enemy weren''t human, it wasn''t as if I was some sort of psychopath, so I didn''t enjoy going around taking another''s life. But¡­


    Kabooom! Boom!


    I grabbed the arm of the Gigas charging towards me and threw it towards the artillery behind me that fired at me but missed its mark. The Gigas exploded with a loud sound. His body was surrounded by a barrier, but I imbued my hand with the Pration Ability, and I was able to thrust my hand inside the barrier for a brief moment.


    <strong>Huh, what''s this, Dae-ha. For some reason, you seem different than usual eh?</strong>


    In an instant, I destroyed two enemy Beast-ranks and three enemy Tool-ranks. Iughed as I sensed that Ares was taken aback.


    <i>''Oh, it''s nothing. It''s just, after a long time...''</i>


    I clenched my teeth as I recalled the images of the demi-humans who tortured me.


    <i>''I''m just trying to get a little serious.''</i>


    I didn''t care about the aftermath or whatever because there was a fire burning within me; I was furious.

 Chapter 53: The War Inside the Torture Chamber (6)

    <h4>Chapter 53: The War Inside the Torture Chamber (6)</h4>


    <i>''Oh, it''s nothing. It''s just, after a long time...''</i>


    I clenched my teeth as I recalled the images of the demi-humans who tortured me.


    <i>''I''m just trying to get a little serious.''</i>


    I didn''t care about the aftermath or whatever because there was a fire burning within me; I was furious.


    <strong>Taine! You are alive huh!</strong>


    Just then, a familiar voice rang inside my head. I was wondering whose voice it was for a moment, but soon, a machine came near me, and I realized that it was Alex, the pilot of Thunder Dragon.


    <i>''Ares, ismunication possible with this?''</i>


    <strong>Ahhh, it''s possible, but because of the circumstances, I can''t project your voice. You can''t even record a video or voice message in astral state.</strong>


    <i>''Well, that''s true. Then you tell him.''</i>


    At my request, Ares delivered my words through R-13''smunication system.


    <i>''I''m sorry, but I borrowed it for a while because the Gigas was broken. It''s already toote for that Taine guy.''</i>


    <strong>Specter? Are you Specter-nim?</strong>


    One of the greatest features of <strong>Specter</strong>, a war hero as well as a genius pilot whose identity was shrouded in mystery, was that he could control a Gigas from a distance, which built up recognition and fame that wouldn''t fall short to that of Batman or Superman, at least within Albatross. Of course it was possible because of Ares'' Ability, but people thought it was my ability, as information about me was extremely limited anyways. But in this situation, I didn''t have the time for friendly chats such as<i> ''Ohh that''s right. I''m Specter!''</i>. Even at this moment, the enemy''s artillery fire was raining down on us.


    <i>''I don''t need the right tomand in this situation, but please report to the bridge deck and request for support.''</i>


    It was meaningless for me tomand anything more when I was already doing my best preventing the enemy Gigas and fighter jets in a defensive battle anyways. It was better to move by myself in this situation.


    Whoooosh-!


    I imbued the photon cannon with my Ability. The Sniper Ability increased the range of my attacks and also the ability to prate barriers. It was a very practical and strong ability that was widely used by pilots, but of course, there were limitations to it.


    If it was an attack that held average power, a Gigas could fire many of such shots at random without even having to put much thought into it. However, if I wanted to invoke the Sniper Ability, I would have to fully concentrate on one particr shot to activate the Ability; that was the limitation. In other words, in exchange to snipe a singr target, the overall DPS (damage per second) would face a sharp decline in that particr instant. Hence, this Ability would only prove to be useful for a Tool-rank.


    The reason for that was, if I were to focus all my power in one shot and missed my target, wouldn''t it be meaningless and also a waste of time on a battlefield where life and death were determined in a single moment? Therefore, it was safe to say that once the battle began and I had to face the enemy head on, the Sniper Ability was no longer useful.


    <i>''Well, however.''</i>


    <strong>That just means that you just have to not miss the shot, right?</strong>


    <i>''Bingo.''</i>


    I grinned and fired a shot whileughing. A ray of light shot across the battlefield, where countless photon rays, bullets and missiles were flying around.


    Bang!


    A stream of light shed past again.


    Bang!


    And again.


    Bang!


    One shot one kill. R-13 had very limited energy output, but the attacks from this Tool-rank Gigas rendered three Gigas incapable ofbat in an instant. The three enemy Gigas were reduced to debris and left wandering around space. In fact, looking at the current battle results, this was an achievement that couldn''t be ignored, considering that it was attained by just one Tool-rank Gigas.


    Contrary to what we usually imagined when at the mention of space warfare, there was never a single battle where tens of millions of Gigas and hundreds of thousands of fighter jets crowded the Universe. To be precise, there were indeed such battles in the past. But ever since Iron Hearts were introduced, there had been changes to how wars were fought.


    Fighter jets and Gigas powered by the high-quality energy stemming from Iron Hearts, allowed for the usage of soul energy barriers and artillery fires. These weapons were monsters that the conventionalbat weapons could never hold a candle against.


    How could anyone deal with an enemy that had an <strong>imprable shield</strong> and fired<strong> indefensible attacks</strong>? Furthermore, Iron Hearts weren''t the kind of weapon that stopped working when their fuel was exhausted. Like the suggested name <i>''Soul Energy Generator''</i>, it was possible to fight forever while the energy replenished bit by bit as long as one didn''t simply waste the energy.


    As a result, the paradigm of the conventional war, where numbers and supplies were important, shifted towards the direction where it was more important to have a small number of elites. Because while it was possible to mass-produce conventional weapons as long as there were sufficient resources and goods, it was impossible to mass-produce Iron Hearts and pilots who could synchronize with Iron Hearts.


    Therefore, the scale of modern space warfare was smaller aspared to the past. At most, there would only be hundreds of Gigas and fighter jets in a battle. Now, the forces moving in the current battle were even lesser than that. In other words, the seven Gigas and fighter jets that had been instantly destroyed weren''t a blow that the demi-humans could ignore.


    <strong>Ahh, those fools. They''re getting hit by all the shots you fired. They''re literally just putting their head on a te for you to snipe.</strong>


    <i>''That''s not it, it''s just that all my shots are spot on, you idiot. Don''t you know what''s a prediction shot? I''m predicting where to shoot. This astonishing¡­ Uuushaaa.''</i>


    While I was talking, R-13 ducked down swiftly to avoid the iing photon shots. The enemy had noticed my existence and shifted their artillery fires onto me. The enemy was probably flustered by the fact that most of their forces made up of Tool-rank and Beast-rank Gigas were suddenly eliminated. However, they weren''t idiots, so they decided to prioritise dealing with the enemy that appeared to be a threat to their troops.


    Piiingg! Bang bang!


    Missiles, photons sts, and bullets flew towards me like a rain shower.


    I moved R-13 withplex movements and avoided the attacks, but in the end, I realized that there were some attacks that came at unavoidable angles.


    One pair of hands couldn''t go against ten; and the enemy had great teamwork. The enemies prowling around formed a fire [1] all over my defenses and my dashboard turned red in an instant, indicating the multiple approaching dangers. No matter what, R-13 was still just a Tool-rank Gigas, and there was a limitation to its flight speed, so it was impossible to escape the encirclement before the formation of the fire.


    <strong>Dae-ha, be careful!</strong>


    <i>''Ah, no need to worry.''</i>


    ¡­That would''ve been the case if I didn''t have .


    Poof!


    I bursted forward through space. I executed all the evasive maneuvers I had in mind, and so, the iing fire was futile and of no use. Though the distance I travelled with the skill was only a few hundred meters, even that alone was enough for R-13 to easily escape into a safe zone.


    Bang!


    And I sniped.


    Bang!


    And sniped again.


    <strong>¡­I always feel this way, but what kind of war looks this easy? It''s not like you''re using a strong Gigas either.</strong>


    <i>''Well, at the end of the day, if you can strike at the enemy without receiving any damage, then the type of Gigas doesn''t matter. No, wait, it might actually be a problem eh?''</i>


    Up till this moment, the damage suffered by the enemy had been enormous. Every time I fired using the Sniper Ability, the enemy machines would be destroyed one after another. Even I, the person confidently executing the Sniper Ability, felt that it was too OP. What''s more so for the enemy? They could literally see the snipe shots, but they couldn''t dodge a single one and all of them hit its mark.


    Bang!


    And then, finally, the shots imbued with the Sniper Ability stopped working.


    <i>''They''ve finally ditched their pride after so long. Howte.''</i>


    <strong>But it''s a logical consequence.</strong>


    Just like how I was channeling all the soul energy used for my barrier towards attacking, it was also possible to focus all the soul energy for attacking towards the barrier. Of course, if the enemy centered all their soul energy to their barrier, their offensive capabilities would drop sharply, and their artillery fire would have almost no soul energy imbued in it. On the other hand, I would be in danger if I was even hit by an ordinary bullet or missile because I channeled all my soul energy towards attacking.


    Bang!


    Inded a direct hit again, but it didn''t work. This was because the enemies were directing all their soul energy towards their barrier and they were approaching me while taking my snipe shots head on.


    In actual fact, the Sniper Ability may seem like a cheat-like skill, but it was not invincible. It would be difficult to pierce through a Tool-rank Gigas of the same rank as long if the Gigas'' pilot focused the soul energy towards their barrier. To be exact, it was possible to pierce through the barrier, but it wouldn''t be powerful enough to prate through the armor of the Gigas. At best, the Gigas would stagger and there would be a dent on the armor, but they wouldn''t receive any lethal blow.


    If that was the case when facing a Tool-rank Gigas, then what more a Beast-rank Gigas? It would be meaningless and would only amount to draining a bit of the enemy''s soul power and chipping off some of the enemy''s barrier.


    Poooof!


    I activated sh and leaped past the enemy Gigas that was charging at me. The enemy''s Gigas, which had the head of a beast, slowed down in a haste. But perhaps because of the flying inertia, the distance between us widened instantly.


    Bang!


    Apanied by the sound of an explosion, R-13 staggered. It didn''t take a hit from the enemy. In R-13''s current condition, he would just drop dead immediately from a single attack by the enemy. Rather, it was affected by the explosions of the randomly fired missiles around it, which sent shock waves through the ground.


    <strong>They''ve noticed that you''re not deploying your barrier.</strong>


    Actually, it was obvious. It wasn''t as if they were NPCs in a game, so it would be weird if they didn''t feel suspicious that something like a Tool-rank Gigas could pierce through their defences. Needless to say, other than me, almost no one would focus a hundred percent of their energy on their weapons. Because a Gigas without a barrier was, in other words, the same as a Gigas without an Iron Heart.


    Simply put, if they shot a barrage of physical bullets at me, it would put my life in danger. If I was unlucky, a single stray bullet from a Gigas that wasn''t even paying attention could put me out ofbat.


    <i>''Ugh, this is why I dislike Tool-rank Gigas. There''s a clear limit if I don''t receive support from our army.''</i>


    I had led the war to victory before with a Tool-rank Gigas in the battle simtion <i>The Great War</i> that the Leonhardt Imperial Army sent to Earth for the purpose of recruiting pilots. But that was possible because my allies were NPCs. No matter how good I was at warfare, it was impossible for me to sweep the battlefield alone on a Tool-rank Gigas. In the first ce, the power output itself was weak.


    <i>''Ares, what''s the remaining soul energy?''</i>


    <strong>About 3%.</strong>


    <i>''Ugh, as expected... I pushed it too far, right?''</i>


    If I had been on R-13 with my real body, I would never have fought like this. It was good to defeat many enemies in a short period of time, but it was impossible to even retreat when there was only this much power remaining. Furthermore, I was in a situation where I attracted too much enemy''s attention.


    Of course, since R-13 had an Iron Heart, which was essentially a Soul Energy Generator, the soul energy would slowly replenish over time. But considering the current situation, there was no way I could afford to have the time to slowly recover.


    And just then, Ares said,


    <strong>Dae-ha. They''re here.</strong>


    <i>''Oh, is that so? Then please bring up the emergency escape device.''</i>


    <strong>Okay. </strong>


    As soon as Ares replied, the entire cockpit of R-13 split apart and fell. With thest bit of remaining energy, I sniped at the nearest enemy. The enemies rushed towards R-13 because they thought the pilot was escaping, but they stopped in their tracks at the unexpected attack. Just like that, the self-destruct code was activated.


    Kabooom!


    My vision changed along with the sound of the explosion.


    <strong>Partner! Are you okay? I heard you were held captive!</strong>


    As soon as my vision changed, a panicked voice full of worries resonated in my ear. Napoleon, the only Human-rank Gigas that existed on the Albatross, wasunched into space without a pilot.


    Needless to say, I wasn''t flustered because I expected him toe from the very beginning. In the first ce, when I first plunged into the battlefield, I specifically asked Alex to report about my existence because I was purposely aiming for this situation to happen.


    <i>''Shall we get through the battle first? The situation is not looking so good.''</i>


    <strong>Ahh, roger that. By the way, how did you control remotely¡­ I see. It''s Ares, isn''t it?</strong>


    <strong>That''s right, it''s me. Nice to meet you, lil'' kid.</strong>


    <strong>Ha! A halfwit with nothing but a head, calling me a lil'' kid? </strong>


    <strong>Come again?</strong>


    ''Ahhh, both of you, shut up.''


    I silenced the two control personas that started bickering as soon as they met, and proceeded to concentrate my consciousness.


    There was a great distance between me and Napoleon, but I could still feel Napoleon''s enormous soul energy nheless. Even though I frequently used R-13 previously, but sorry to say, Napoleon was a force that R-13 wouldn''t possibly measure up to.


    <i>''Ahhh, as expected. It has to be something of this level for me to single handedly wipe the floor with those plebs.'' </i>


    With a smile on my face, I warped through space. It was the beginning of round two.


    1. It''s a shooting tactic that concentrates firepower on the target with multiple guns, machine guns, and anti-aircraft guns to form a-like killing zone made of bullets all over.

 Chapter 54: The War inside the Torture Chamber (7)

    <h4>Chapter 54: The War inside the Torture Chamber (7)</h4>


    Napoleon dived down with two white beams of light apanying him on each side. The beams of light looked as though they formed Napoleon''s wide open arms. But in fact, they were photon beams that Napoleon had fired in advance. Surprisingly, Napoleon''s diving charge was so fast that he stormed the enemy at the same time as the photon beams.


    Kabooom!


    Two fighter jets were destroyed. They already focused hundred percent energy into their shields due to the previous fight with Dae-ha''s R-13. But there was a huge gap between R-13 and Napoleon that it was rude to evenpare them. Even if they had the same Iron Heart or if they were controlled by the same pilot, the two Gigas were totally different in every dimension, from their demonstrated power output down to the Abilities they had. In the same sense, Napoleon''s attacks weren''t something the enemies could possibly block.


    Even if the both of them fired the same photon beam, R-13''s attacks were imbued with only while Napoleon''s attacks were imbued with the norm, , and amplified by . Hence Napoleon''s attacks were a world''s apart from R-13''s. More than anything else, there was an overwhelming difference between the basic power output of the two Gigas, so the enemy had to avoid Napoleon''s attacks at all costs.


    Kwakkkkk!


    However, the problem was that no one had seeded in avoiding it so far.


    "It''s a direct hit! Enemy aircraft No.8 and No.9 are out!"


    "No, wait, what is this? Sunny, what is <strong>Specter''s</strong> uracy rate so far?"


    "So far... It''s a hundred percent."


    "What the hell is with that number? He''s just shooting direct hits without any warning shots? What''s the number of enemies defeated?"


    "21 machines. Ahh, now it''s 22 machines. Ah, 23 machines..."


    All the crew members, who were shouting loudly and fighting just minutes ago, were now looking at the battlefield information shown on the disy with an aloof expression. In that short instant when the crew members were looking, Napoleon had eliminated another two enemies, unsheathed his lightsaber as fast as lightning, then proceeded to easily cut apart the photon beam aimed in his direction.


    Everything happened in a sh.


    The originally formidable demi-human''s Gigas were being swept off by Napoleon, as though they were stationary scarecrows. Napoleon then plunged straight into the middle of the enemy ground and engaged the enemies, without dwelling too much about keeping the distance to make the best use of his skills. The demi-humans rallied their troops together and surrounded Napoleon, but he didn''t allow them to even pull off a single attack. I couldn''t even begin to imagine how it would''ve felt if I was in the enemy''s shoes.


    "How on earth was it possible for Napoleon to ughter the enemies while being stranded in the midst of the enemies alone? Has Napoleon always been that powerful of a machine?"


    Basically, space warfare was always a war of attrition. Unless there was a pretty overwhelming difference in strength, it wasmon for the battles to draw out for a long period of time.


    If a person was hit by a bullet, it would take less than a second for them to die, but if a gunfight were to actually take ce, the battle would stretch out for a much longer time. That was because people would either hide behind a cover or seek all sorts of means to avoid being hit by a bullet.


    Hence, it would be even more intense in the Universe with the presence of .


    In general, the Iron Heart''s soul energy would be evenly split between attack and defence, each taking up fifty percent of the overall soul energy; such energy distribution would be maintained throughout the battle. In other words, unlike the battles on Earth where a single bullet could take a person''s life, such a situation did not generally happen in space warfare.


    "I''ve always wondered... How many Abilities do you actually have? sh, Pration, Speed Dash... You even have amplification skills that I know nothing of. Are you a Noblesse half-blood? Or were you born with a Godly bloodline?"


    "No, wait, is the problem at hand right now the number of Abilities he has? Look at the technique he has! Holy shit, he plunged his hand into the enemy''s barrier by enveloping his hand with the Pration Ability! His skills to change his barrier''s quality is even more proficient than Brigade Commander Tuck''s, and he could control the precision of his sh Ability urately down to the meters! I can''t possibly imagine how many battles he had to go through to achieve that level of skill!"


    An Ability''s power varied depending on the soul energy of the pilot. Even if it was the same Pration Ability, there was a big difference in the difficulty and efficiency when it came to applying the Ability to energy weapons such as photon cannons and applying it to mass-made weapons such as cannons and missiles. What more so for applying the Pration Ability on the user''s body itself and using it against the enemy? That level of technique was something that could only be found in historical records.


    "What are you spacing out for! Back him up right this instant!"


    "Affirmative, Captain-nim!"


    At the instructions of Major General Chun Hyun-il, the Captain of Albatross leading the battle, the crew members jolted and began to focus on what they had to do again. Major General Chun Hyun-il also synchronized with Albatross'' Iron Heart and strengthened the battleship''s barrier, then he fired off his Ability towards the enemies that were surging forward. However, the opponent was a Space Carrier under the direct control of Arch-Sorcerer Morne, so Hyun-il couldn''t easily do anything to the enemies.


    "But, the situation will be different now."


    "Yes, Captain-nim. Dae-, no, I mean, Specter''s fighting power is beyond our expectations. This¡­ it''s actually more powerful than usual. How can someone from a with an inferior civilization be capable of this level of piloting skill?"


    "No idea. I have a hunch that his lineage is by no means ordinary, but¡­ there''s a possibility that he was born with a Primordial God bloodline."


    "¡­Has there ever been such a case?"


    "It''s very rare, but it has appeared every now and then. Though we say Primordial Gods, not all of them had an immacte disposition."


    Hyun-il exuded streams of deep-blue Aura while he was conversing. It was a destructive Aura that pressured and weighed down everything in his surroundings. It was a power so strong that he could decimate an inferior being just by the thought of it if he harbored malice. But as a skilled pilot, he used all that power to sh with Morne who was aboard the far away Space Carrier.


    "By the way, that guy... he''s angry."


    Hyun-il thoughtlessly muttered. The might of Dae-ha, codename <strong>Specter</strong>,<strong> </strong>was known to everyone aboard the Albatross ship after he exhibited it in a few battles, but today''s battle was overwhelming even among all the other battles. The demi-humans maintained the encirclement the best they could, but the situation was no different from a wolf pouncing onto a fray of sheeps, no, it was closer to a tiger, so everything the demi-humans did was meaningless. The Tekea Federation''s pilots controlling the Gigas were also specialists who possessed capabilities that were more than good enough, but Specter anticipated all their actions and trampled on them. He was literally putting them to shame.


    Kwakkkkk!


    As Napoleon swung the lightsaber, an explosion erupted in the empty open air. The enemy Gigas had tried to approach him with their Ability activated, but obviously, they were cut apart. Back when Specter first entered the battlefield, though it was his first time, he had moved in a calm andposed manner and had never shown this level of aggressiveness before.


    <i>''He probably had it pretty rough. No, if it''s true that he was kidnapped by the demi-humans, the fact that he is still alive is already surprising.''</i>


    To be exact, apart from it being surprising, it was something that was beyondprehension. The demi-humans were famous for not leaving any prisoners of war alive. It would be understandable if they kept the Imperial Princess alive, but why would they intentionally leave Dae-ha alive?


    "But, Captain-nim, even if it''s a God-rank Gigas, is it possible for him to exert its influence on others from this distance?"


    It wasn''t such a simple thing to aplish. It was already an amazing feat to simply control another Gigas, but to be able to pull out such piloting skills as a prisoner of war inside the far away, and obviously heavily guarded Space Carrier, that in itself was something that broke allmon sense. Of course, it might be because the God-rank Gigas possessed godly powers, but that would be the case if he was in his original condition, but how could he pull it off with just a head? [1]


    "I''m not sure about that. Even if it''s me, I''ve never actually seen a God-rank Gigas. I''ve only ever seen a few transcendence skills in action."


    Although it was Hyun-il who instructed Alex to deploy Napoleon upon hearing about the situation Specter, aka Dae-ha was in - that is, he was kidnapped alongside Celestia (the Imperial Princess), Hyun-il had instructed Alex based on his intuition as a transcendent and it wasn''t a decision Hyun-il had made based on concrete grounds. And needless to say, Deputy Captain Natalie questioned such an instruction because Alex wasn''t able to disclose to her the fact that it was Hyun-il''s intuition.


    "It''s definitely odd. He has clearly performed beyond the capabilities of Ares that we''ve been aware of. Though King of All Armaments is an astonishing skill, it isn''t a transcendence skill. It is nothing more than an Ability, so it shouldn''t be possible for him to exhibit such capabilities that throw allmon sense..."


    Just when Natalie was about to finish her sentence, Major General Chun Hyun-il frowned, "No, wait a minute... This crazy motherfu-?"


    Hyun-il freaked out and emitted a tremendous amount of soul energy.


    <strong>Roarrrrrrrrr---------!!!!!</strong>


    Natalie was rtively close by because she was giving a report, and the sudden howl blew her towards the wall, like a leaf swept away by a storm. Of course, since she also possessed superpowers, she was able to swiftly regain her bnce and stepped on the wall to safelynd on the ground, but she still received a huge shock enough to turn her insides into a mess.


    A crew member who was in charge of the radar screamed, "Captain-nim! Back-, it''s the backup forces! The enemy''s reinforcements are here! Three Mega-ss battleships! And fifty fighter jets!"


    "Seems they''re determined to go all the way, these sons of bitches!!"


    Although it was a desperate measure, the transcendence skill was effective. It tore open the camougeyer of the Mega-ss covert battleships, preventing them from getting closer and also dealing huge damage to all of them. But the problem was the fighter jets hiding behind the battleships, numbering around the fifties.


    "Al-, all of them are Warp Ray Fighter Jets![2] All fifty jets are generating high energy levels!"


    Warp Ray Fighter Jets were artillery-specialized fighter jets designed to counter giant battleships. Although their flight speed was not that fast and it took a long time to charge, its attack capability was something that should never be belittled. The structure ofrge battleships made it difficult for them to avoid iing enemy attacks, and hence they feared the Warp Ray Fighter Jets the most. For the Leonhardt Imperial Army that was preparing to make room for their escape after damaging the demi-human''s Space Carrier, Great Sky, the Warp Ray Fighter Jets were existences that were literally lightning under a clear sky [3] and the Warp Ray Fighter Jets'' appearance took them by surprise.


    "The first round of bombardment is iing! Everyone, brace for impact!"


    Hyun-il shouted and prepared the transcendence skill . Fortunately, it was possible to avoid the pre-emptive strike, but it was toote to retreat safely. They had to resist the attacks at least once, one way or another.


    But it was then.


    "It¡­ it''s Specter! He''s charging towards the Warp Ray Fighter Jets! He''s charging at a fast speed!"


    "What? No! Stop him!"


    The red ray of light emitted by a Warp Ray Fighter Jet was otherwise referred to as the Maximum Annihtion Bomb. It had a short attack range but fast attack speed. Once the attacknded, it was a devastating destructive weapon that would suck up all the surrounding matter and literally annihte them!


    Once anything was pulled into it, even if it was Dae-ha who was in an astral state while on board of Napoleon, it would be game over for good. The Maximum Annihtion Bomb would not only decimate physical matter, but also spiritual matters. Even if Ares hadn''t summoned Dae-ha''s whole soul, but just thetter''s <strong>vision</strong>, part of the Dae-ha soul would also be shattered to smithereens.


    "Ring Napoleon right away! Tell him toe back!"


    ''Yes, roger that! Right away."


    Whooooosh----!


    However, before they had the time to do anything, destructive warp rays red up in the surroundings; it was so intense that even ordinary people could feel it. The Warp Ray Fighter Jets which were weak at close-rangebat had fired at the swiftly approaching Napoleon; each shot 200 rounds of Maximum Annihtion Bomb, totalling up to ten thousand shots.


    Krieeekkk---!


    The disy turned red instantly. It looked like countless red beads were scattered through the air. And that implied that the Maximum Annihtion Bombs would blow away Napoleon, who was charging towards the Warp Ray Fighter Jets, as well as a part of the universe.


    "¡­Holy shit." Everyone groaned. The reason was that the unbelievably powerful being, who could''ve been a new General of the Leonhardt Empire, would die in vain. But it was a prediction that was too hasty.


    "Huh?"


    The crew members gasped after confirming the newly updated battlefield information. The blue dot that reappeared on the disy was flying toward the Warp Ray Fighter Jets at a tremendous speed.


    "What the hell? What happened?"


    "Well, what happened is..." The crew member said after gasping for a while. "All the bullets¡­ He avoided all of them."


    "..."


    For a moment, the surrounding turned silent. And among them, one of them wore a look of disbelief.


    "¡­What the hell is that?" [4]


    *


    <i>''What do you mean what the hell am I? I just avoided it. Is this that amazing of a thing?''</i>


    As I stared at the bewildered Ares, Iughed while thinking <i>''This dude, he must''ve never yed shooting games.''</i>


    <i>''If it''s something of this level, everyone would be able to dodge.''</i>


    1. This refers to Ares'' current condition with only his head left.


    2. Warp Ray is a kind ofser/beam weapon that warps space itself and tears it up. Something like Oonoki''s Particle-style jutsu. If you don''t know who Oonoki is, you are an uncultured swine. :(


    3. it''s a Korean idiom for something bad that happens suddenly and unexpectedly.


    4. That in this case is referring to Dae-ha. Why the pronoun "he" "that guy" wasn''t used was because that was how incredible the feat he just did was. It''s as if Dae-ha isn''t human.

 Chapter 55: Rescue Operation Part One (1)

    <h4>Chapter 55: Rescue Operation Part One (1)</h4>


    I couldn''t remember exactly when I started having <strong>nightmares</strong>. In all honesty, it was no exaggeration even if I wasbelled as someone with psychiatric issues when I was still a child. I couldn''t even attend kindergarten. What else would''ve happened if a very young child who wasn''t even fully grown said that he dreamt about decades worth of memories? What more so if the content of that dream was a series of unbearable hellish memories?


    - Father! Look at this! It can move! It''s so amazing!


    - This is¡­ It''s a body. How could such a grace be bestowed to us?


    - So noisy. Be quiet everyone. Ahhh, oh my God¡­ What have I done? No, more than that, to think that even I had be a <strong>fallen...</strong> Is it Father''s will? Did I really make such a grave mistake to deserve this?


    That''s right. If I looked back at my memory, that was the very beginning of the memory. <strong>I</strong> was in bewilderment as I nced at my own body. But that was obviously not me. I shared the same feelings and senses with him, but he was actually the one moving his body. I referred to those nightmares as <strong>memories</strong> because all I did was live through his life experiences without being able to do anything.


    I, no, he was flustered. And he was greatly saddened. All he did was show a little bit of curiosity. And it was only a small, a really small interference. But even with just that, he was banished to the world down below.


    "Why... How could you, Father¡­ Was a moment of mercy and a moment of hesitation such a great sin?" He mumbled at the iprehensible situation.


    He knew that the infinite and eternal knowledge he had amassed himself was cruelly blocked and he was in a clouded state. He knew that he wouldn''t be all-knowing anymore, and that he would be imprisoned in a human''s body, which felt like he was being suffocated.


    As the first humans to walk the earth, the two children, <strong>Adam</strong> and <strong>Eve</strong>, ventured around with astonishment and joy, but he couldn''t do the same. No, rather, he was in despair as though he had fallen into hell. But he wouldn''t have known that the long years that he had to go through moving forward would be a cruel hell beyond his imagination, even though he had lived through eternity¡­


    *


    "Hoooo¡­ahhhhh."


    I jolted awake with a deep breath. Along with a cognitive ability that seemed to widen indefinitely and a ring sun-like soul energy that seemed to dissipate like dust, I was weed by pain coursing through my whole body and a limited vision that impaired my field of sight. It felt like I had fallen from heaven to hell.


    "Ahh, you''re back?"


    The demi-human girl across from me greeted me delightfully. Seeing that she asked <i>''You''re back?'' </i>instead of<i> ''You''re awake?''</i>, it seemed that she figured out my condition.


    <i>''If this goes on like this, won''t the demi-humans find out what''s going on with me?''</i>


    If that really did pan out, it would literally be a disaster. The demi-humans would try to kill me in the most painful way with all their might.


    <i>''No, no matter how I look at it, Cheong Won would be concerned, so they probably wouldn''t do that¡­ They won''t, right?''</i>


    I tried to look at theing future with hope, but it was too much of a wishful thought. I destroyed more than fifty fighter jets and Gigas, ruining the overwhelmingly advantageous war situation that the demi-humans had. But that wasn''t all, was it?


    <i>''Those peculiar fighter jets... On the contrary, it was much easier to shoot them down aspared to the other Gigas, but something didn''t seem right. The only reason I was able to easily take care of them was because they were weak at close-rangebat.''</i>


    I ended the battle by destroying all the newly appeared fighter jets that were shooting beams of light and gave off an extremely dangerous feel.


    The moment they started firing, they would fire dozens of shots in one sitting. But perhaps because of the pretty long charging time, by the time I destroyed almost all the fighter jets, only two or three jets managed to shoot. So, the hidden trump card that the demi-humans possessed only managed to bombard the air before I totally annihted them.


    But if they found out from this current situation that I was the one who connected to a Gigas from the outside¡­


    "Phew, I should''ve invaded all the way till the enemy camp." I sighed lightly.


    That''s right, that was my objective. ording to Ares, I had to save myself. Plus, the actual battle situation wasn''t bad, so I could''ve driven the enemy away like a storm. While I was making a mess out of the situation, if our army gathered the troops and pushed forward, it might''ve been possible for them to infiltrate Great Sky.


    Snap!


    "Keukkk¡­"


    However, that wasn''t possible.


    "You all right?"


    "No, not really.. thank you for your concern¡­ Kuuughhh!"


    My body''s condition was in a wreck now. My ability to control a Gigas from a distance was based on Ares'' Ability. But even so, it was impossible for it to not have a burden on me.


    Kraaaghhhh!


    I vomited blood. Wow, this wasn''t even a movie, so the fact that I puked blood meant that I was really in a dire condition. It hadn''t been long since Ist received treatment, but there were bits of internal tissues mixed within the puked blood.


    "Huff...huff¡­ No, wait, what''s going on with me? How did I receive such internal injuries?"


    "It''s the torture chamber."


    At her abrupt remark, I stared at the Legion girl. Come to think of it, when we first met, she looked at me and asked, <i>''Why do you have that torture chamber around you?''</i>


    "The torture chamber you''re referring to... <i>Whoo</i>. What is it?"


    She took a light breath and replied my question, "It''s revolving around your whole body. Every time you use your power, your insides would convulse and burn away your strength. Using excessive force will make the things inside you pop out."


    The moment I heard her words, I remembered what I heard when I was under torture.


    <strong>''I don''t know what kind of ability holder you are but you''d better not even think about using it. Unless you want to see your internal organs sticking to the floor.''</strong>


    "What you meant by torture chamber was... That''s what it was huh. Well, then again, I didn''t think that the torture chamber you meant was something like the ones where I had to lie down and be hit by a cudgel."


    I looked around and smiled bitterly. Thinking about it now, it was a pretty leisurely prison. There were no guards, and it was not a very confined space. Though there were steel bars, it was just a little sturdy, nothing more, nothing less.


    In other words, if it was a person who possessed superpowers, they would be able to escape whenever they felt like it. If that person could distort space and transform their body, something like steel bars wouldn''t be able to prevent their escape. But what if that person couldn''t use Mana at all?


    "That reminds me... Seems like I''ve been using Mana all these while. Well, to be able to respond to Ares'' power from that far away, it would at least take this much power."


    In fact, I had never been specially trained to handle Mana. I didn''t know much about it, and to be honest, I wouldn''t have been able to awaken Mana without the Thousand Spirits Tea that Major General Chun Hyun-il treated me to.


    But as soon as I got on board the Gigas, I found myself handling Aura naturally as if I was just breathing. It was something I could do just by being conscious of it, so there wasn''t a need to ask for guidance or anything of that sort.


    <i>''Now that I think about it.'' </i>I stared at the Legion girl. Because through her, I recalled my <strong>broadened</strong> senses. <i>What was that sensation? Strangely, she was friendly to me. Did she help me on purpose?</i>


    "Hmm. Though it''s a bitte for this, but¡­ What''s your name?"


    "I lost it."


    "You lost your memory?" I asked as I thought, <i>''Did she mean that she couldn''t remember her name?''</i>. She looked at me as if I was spouting nonsense.


    "Why would I lose my memory? I lost my name."


    "...What the hell are you even talking about?"


    "Hehehe.<i> ''What the hell are you even talking about''</i>?" [1]


    "..."


    I was speechless at the sight of her mimicking my words. My words weren''t getting through to her. She was strangely entric and I wasn''t sure what she liked about me so much that she couldn''t get her act together when she saw me. The sad and mournful vibe she had when I first saw her on the Albatross ship was nowhere to be found.


    Boooom---!!!


    However, at that moment, there was an unexpected explosion nearby. I raised my head in surprise, but my condition was so bad that I couldn''t even approach the steel bars to assess the situation going on outside. Just raising my head made my head ring and my hands and feet trembled.


    "Keukkk! You bitch! I''ll fucking kill you!"


    "You fool! Don''t move recklessly and just shove it in!"


    "Huh? But Great General-nim. Shouldn''t we at least drag her to jail?"


    "I haven''t been able to imnt the torture chamber anyways, so what use would those steel bars even be! That bitch would have to scurry around to realize that she wouldn''t be able to escape the <strong>Vengeful Ghost''s Stomach, </strong>so even if we prepare for a surprise attack, the next person we''d bring in would be the Captain-nim, so just shove it in!"


    "Affirmative!"


    Booooom!


    With some sort of tremendousmotion, something seemed to have crashed with the wall and sent tremors down here. The something that crashed against the wall collided against the wall again like thunder, and it seemed like it was running towards the source of the sound I heard. But at that moment, the voices of the demi-human disappeared with a nging sound.


    "Open up! Hey you morons! Come at me! Let''s fight!"


    I heard a familiar voice. Even though she was full of temper, she had a pleasant voice that sounded as if a bird was chirping. It wasn''t my favorite voice, but at least at this moment, it was quite nice to hear that voice.


    "Cel?"


    "Huh¡­ Dae-ha? Are you here right now?"


    To the sound of a bang, a visage that was pounding at the wall ran towards me. As expected, it was the Imperial Princess of the Leonhardt Empire, Celestia.


    "Hi."


    "Ugh! What the hell is this? Are you all right?"


    "Haha, would I be all right in the state I''m in now?"


    I sweated so much that my whole body was soaked and I even threw up blood, so it was extremely obvious what I looked like right now. I wanted to tidy myself up if I could, but the situation I was in wouldn''t permit me to do so as even raising my head was difficult.


    "Cheong Won that bastard, he threatened the demi-humans to not touch a single hair on my body, but it seems like he didn''t give a single fuck about you. But if that was the case, why did he bring you here? If he wanted to get someone else to do his dirty work, he should''ve just mentioned to the demi-humans to eliminate you thoroughly."


    I sighed deeply at the sight of her tilting her head as if she was in confusion, just like what the demi-humans were going through right now. I was too exhausted to get myself together.


    "Ahhh, wait a minute. I''m going to sleep for a bit¡­ So you take a rest there."


    "Hmm? Ahhh, I''ll heal you. I''m capable of healing you."


    "No, disregarding the fact whether you can heal me or not, the steel bars here..."


    Tang tang tang!


    However, at that moment, a shing golden light that seemed to be drawn in a straight line cut apart the steel bars that were blocking my way like they were straw. Celestia walked into the prison I was in, and I stared at her with a nk expression.


    "¡­You''re strong huh."


    "Did you just realize that now?" Celestiaughed and gave me a hand.


    1. She''s being annoying and repeating after Dae-ha.

 Chapter 56: Rescue Operation Part One (2)

    <h4>Chapter 56: Rescue Operation Part One (2)</h4>


    "¡­You''re strong huh."


    "Did you just realize that now?" Celestiaughed and gave me a hand. In one way or another, I was fairlyrge in size for a man, but she lifted me up as if she was carrying a baby and dragged me out of the prison. Surprisingly, my body was getting better with every step she took.


    Whooooosh¡ª


    "A golden... light?"


    My eyes were closed as I was extremely exhausted, however, the light seemed to prate through my eyelids and I struggled with difficulty to open my eyes. I could feel the light healing and wrapping my body.


    "It''s the Golden Lion Aura. Only the imperial family of the Leonhardt Empire possess this power. It''s usually used for attack and defense, but it''s also possible to heal others."


    Celestia rummaged through a nearby room, retrieved a bunch of prison uniforms from within and ced them nicely on the floor for me to lie down on. It was not exactly a very luxurious spot, but it was much better than the cold steel te I was lying on previously. And most of all, I could feel that the state of my body was quickly improving from the golden light emitted by Celestia.


    "Huff...huff... Ahh, I finally feel a little alive. The healing effects are faster than I''ve thought."


    "I specialize in weapon techniques rather than the Golden Lion Aura, but¡­ The royal bloodline flowing in me is needlessly thick, so the power that it can disy is pretty good."


    Then, Celestia took a few prison uniforms, tore them apart, and made them into bandages before proceeding to wrap them all over my body. I only knew that I was in pain and I wasn''t sure of my current physical condition, so I had no choice but to leave my body in her hands. Anyway, as my body recovered to a certain extent, I began to wonder about the situation unfolding right now.


    "By the way, what happened to you? Why were you thrown into a prison all of a sudden?"


    "I wasn''t thrown into prison, it''s just that they didn''t have a choice but to iste me apart. Haha! Those retards thought I was helplessly kidnapped by Cheong Won, so they really thought I was powerless."


    Then, Celestia clenched her fist and a golden Aura started to flow out from her whole body. Though I was ignorant about the superpowers around, even in my eyes, <i>that</i> didn''t look like ordinary Aura.


    "What are you doing? Don''t tell me, you''re going to?"


    "That''s right. I think I caught about thirty of them. Hmph, they couldn''t attack me because they were afraid that they would hurt me, but to think that they thought they could catch me just by leaving 10 demi-humans or so behind? Morne that retard, always bbering away that he''s a Sage, but he''s really stupid beyond redemption." Celestia was speaking in an extremely wild manner with such a pretty face.


    In in English, she ughtered all the demi-humans who were trying to capture her. Of course, it would have been impossible for Celestia to single-handedly defeat therge number of demi-humans. But as expected, because the demi-humans couldn''t kill her, no, even before that, they couldn''t even touch a single hair on her body, so they all basically had an extremely disadvantageous handicap to start with.


    "What about Morne?"


    "Of course I did it when he wasn''t around. He''s probably very busy with the battle against Albatross. Well, I couldn''t win against those numbers of demi-humans and got caught in the end."


    But even that was something. The demi-humans couldn''t withstand her continuous rebelling and ended up being dragged by her here. Judging from the atmosphere, they would''ve died one by one if they even dropped their guard a little.


    <i>''But then again, it''s no ordinary task to subdue a superpower holder who was physically fine and unscathed.''</i>


    If it was an ordinary person, just handcuffing them would''ve been enough. Once their movements were restricted, the demi-humans would be able to prevent them from running around without causing harm.


    But Celestia possessed superpowers. And it was also a pretty strong superpower at that. In order topletely subdue her, the demi-humans would need some sort of way topletely block the flow of her mana, just like the torture liquid<strong> </strong>that was in me right now. The problem, however, was that such means would inevitably cause one''s body functions to go haywire.


    Of course, if one really tried to find a way, there definitely existed a method to subdue these Ability holders without harming them. Restraining devices that hindered the use of Ability could be made, or some kind of anti-Ability zones could also be established. Other than that, perhaps some sort of wuxia-like method like sealing the blood vessels would also be possible.


    However, the problem lied in the identity of the demi-humans. The demi-humans were beings who would kill and devour, not capture and hold their enemies captive. The demi-humans had a culture that extremely belittled life, so they did not develop such sophisticated methods of overpowering the enemy without harming them.


    <i>''But, well, it''s too harsh to call them stupid because of something like this. No matter how I look at it, causing a ruckus like this is something that''s beyondmon sense.''</i>


    This ce was Great Sky. It was an Exa-ss Space Carrier of the Tekea Federation which boasted a size that was muchrger than a decent city. Considering that Celestia was in the middle of the enemy''s camp, it wouldn''t be that easy to run amok inside here. Of course, the story would be different if that person in question was out of her mind.


    To add to that, wasn''t this ce inescapable? And aren''t the demi-humans, who surrounded us, monsters that enjoy cannibalism? Even if the demi-humans couldn''t hurt her, it was normal for an ordinary person to be terrified and overwhelmed.


    "But they really can''t hurt you? Not even a little bit?"


    "That''s right. Cheong Won did say<i> ''I will be notified from anywhere in the Universe if you harm her more than you have to, and I wille and find you immediately''...</i> and he was definitely not kidding. On the contrary, it''s more of an absolute rule that must be adhered to. Cheong Won had already seriously distorted his mission, so if they harm even a single hair on me right now, there''d be a great blow to Cheong Won''s divinity. The demi-humans are also aware of that, so they can''t even raise a fist against me."


    "What about if you hurt yourself?"


    "That''s fine. If I could cause some form of damage to Cheong Won if I hurt myself, I honestly feel like I would kill myself this instant." Celestia said as she fumed in anger and continued exining, "Ahh, of course, my body is important to me, so I won''t actually do it."


    I looked at Celestia with a nk look on my face as she spoke with such a bubbly voice, then I casually murmured, "¡­You''re strong huh."


    "Didn''t you say that too just now?"


    "No, that''s not what I mean."


    Rather than just saying she was strong... That''s right, she was powerful. That was the only thing I could describe her. Even though I was also captured without warning and suffered severe hardships, she was also in an equally precarious situation.


    In all seriousness, the situation she was in right now was practically the same as having marriage forced onto her and unconsentual sex was in the same deal. And her partner wasn''t human but rather a demi-human, who was no different from a monster. Even if she struggled like this now and rushed at the demi-humans, the end result would still be the same. No matter how powerful she was, she couldn''t fight against Morne, a transcendent in the same manner that she was fighting the demi-humans.


    But even then, I couldn''t find a slight hint of grimness in her. I had always thought she was a peculiar fellow when I found out she joined the army despite being an Imperial Princess, but she was definitely more than what she looked on the outside.


    "Arghhh." I groaned slightly and got myself up. My body''s condition had pretty much recovered to a good state, but I had only escaped from the worst situation and the torture substance<strong> </strong>was still within my body. I could feel constant pain and raggedness as if someone identally left a pair of scissors in my stomach during surgery.


    <i>''No, rather than a pair of scissors, it''s more like a snake got put in my stomach. I feel like there''s something moving inside me.''</i>


    However, it just felt dreadful and at the very least, there weren''t any problems surfacing from the fact that it was moving. The Kaa or Kyahaha dude said I wouldn''t be able to use my superpowers, but I wasn''t using it and I was still alive and well anyways, so there was no need to be crestfallen. I felt like there wouldn''t be a problem with my ability to see titles.


    "Hmm?"


    But when I thought about the title, something felt different. Something was supposed to pop out above the heads, but I couldn''t see anything.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Ahh, it''s nothing... Wait a minute."


    Celestia suddenly widened her eyes and stared at me suspiciously, but I shook my head at her and sneakily looked around. I quickly came to a realization of what the sense of foreignity earlier was.


    <i>''What the hell. I can''t see the title?''</i>


    Of course, I could clearly see the title of Celestia and the Legion girl in front of me, which was <strong>Space Idol </strong>and <strong>The Person who Lost Something</strong> (But the name of the Legion was disyed as ???. It probably was rted to the fact that she lost her name). The problem was the titles other than those two. I couldn''t see other titles. To be exact, I couldn''t see any titles for the non-living things.


    <i>''What happened?''</i>


    Titles did not only exist for living beings. It also existed for objects. Wasn''t that why I was able to identify the person who threw away garbage near my house? If I could not see everyone''s title, I would''ve assumed that my ability was dysfunctional because of my body''s current condition. However, the problem now was that I could see the titles of living beings, but not those of non-living things?


    The Legion girl was quiet all these while, but while I was flustered, she said, "That guy is back again. Are you going to sync with him?"


    She was most probably talking about Ares. I was lost in thought for a moment, and Celestia reacted before me, "Ah,e to think of it, there''s one more person here."


    Without giving me the chance to say anything, Celestia strode to the steel bars in front of the Legion girl. Just like how she got me out, she was trying to free the Legion girl from her restrictions as well. But just when Celestia was about to cut apart the steel bars, she paused when she saw the chains that was wrapped around the Legion girl.


    And Celestia''s eyes widened, "Ehh? Isn''t she a Legion?"


    "Ahh¡­ yes, that''s right."


    I was amazed at the fact that she wasn''t very vignt of the Legion. That was because, looking at the atmosphere thus far, it wouldn''t be strange even if she freaked out as if she was a witness to the ck Death pandemic. [1]


    <i>''Don''t </i><i>all Legion</i><i>s loathe humans?''</i>


    Come to think of it, the Legion girl I saw since I was taken here was constantly all smiles from start to end. She was strangely kind even though we only met for the first time. But the following words that Celestia said easily repudiated my thoughts, "Wahh, it''s been a long time since I''ve seen people from the terrorist-like tribe."


    "Terrorist?"


    "That''s right. They''re a bunch of extremely dangerous beings. Words don''t go through to them, and if their rules were breached by even a little bit, they''d be like <i>''Commence Attack!!!''</i>."


    "Then isn''t it going to be bad for you to approach her like that? You''re not being precautious at all."


    Celestiaughed at my nonsensical remark.


    "Precautions? What precautions? If it''s 1 on 1, then a Legion isn''t that scary of an opponent. They are rather weak. If I am using an electronic weapon or if she is wearing abat-type Android, the situation would be different. But no matter how stupid the demi-humans are, they won''t capture her and leave her here without any countermeasures¡­ No, wait a minute." Celestia paused as her expression became strange; it felt like she realized something was out of ce.


    "What the hell? I know there''s no machine nearby, but can you even call this defense? There''s not even a single guard standing watch. And most importantly, they locked a Legion up with us? What are they going to do if I cut the steel bars and st a hole in the wall and then let her out?"


    The Legion had the ability to detect all the mechanical devices around and take control of their systems. No matter what outstanding and powerful magic or technical barriers were created, they would be useless in front of this intelligent life form capable of cracking. Once a machine was within the electromaic range of a Legion, it would definitely be deprived of control, so Legions were treated as fearsome existence in space warfare. At the very least, there wouldn''t be anyone flying around with just their bare body in the universe, hence why Legion were deemed as fearsome.


    What if someone were to travel around in space and the enemy took control of the ship or machine they were piloting? Unless they were a pretty strong being, It would be no exaggeration to say that their life would already be on the palms of the enemy.


    "Wait a minute." Celestia immediately approached the wall on one side and released her golden Aura.


    Thump!


    A heavy sound resonated through, but besides that, there wasn''t a single scratch on the wall. Celestia''s expression fumed with embarrassment.


    "What is this? What''s going on?"


    Thump! Thump!


    The golden light flickered and striked the wall, but it was to no avail. Celestia''s face stiffened up and she had a grave expression.


    "What the hell? What kind of ce did those bastards lock me in? What the hell is up with this ce? It''s not like the walls are sturdy or coated with Aura, and you''re telling me I did not make a single scratch?"


    Boom! Boom boom!


    Unconvinced, I looked at the scene of Celestia hitting the wall again and lifted my head reflexively. Because something came to my mind in that instant.


    <i>''No way.''</i>


    So far, I had never seen anything or anyone without a title. But¡­ There were times when I couldn''t see a title for objects that were only<strong> a part</strong> of a non-living thing. To sum it all up, when I look at a person, their title would be above their head. I wouldn''t be able to independently perceive them like <i>''someone''s left hand, someone''s right hand, or someone''s head''.</i> And if so¡­


    "Holy¡­ fuck." I groaned as I looked above my head. Up there, at the top of the prison, there was a title that I saw for the first time in my life.


    <strong>Corps of Gluttony</strong>


    <strong>First-Tier Demon Tribe, Hell''s Hand</strong>


    1. it''s the Bubonic gue.

 Chapter 57: Rescue Operation Part One (3)

    <h4>Chapter 57: Rescue Operation Part One (3)</h4>


    "Holy¡­ fuck." I groaned as I looked above my head. Up there, at the top of the prison, there was a title that I saw for the first time in my life.


    <strong>Corps of Gluttony</strong>


    <strong>First-Tier Demon Tribe, Hell''s Hand</strong>


    <i>''All sorts of things are popping out now huh.''</i>


    I had heard of the Demon Tribe before. They were monsters that lived on the Demon Realm, a different dimension than the Physical Realm we live in.


    <i>''I heard it is an extremely powerful and dangerous tribe.'' </i>


    It might seem ludicrous, but there were angels and demons in this world, and they belonged to the Celestial tribe and Demon tribe respectively. But what was different was that not all angels were good-natured, and not all demons were ill-natured.


    <i>''</i><i>The only difference is that some are dangerous, and some are extremely dangerous.''</i>


    The Demon tribe weren''t all born evil. But the Demon tribe consumed dark mana¡­ Therefore, they take pleasure in negative emotions such as anger, sadness, pain, and despair.


    Therefore, even if the Demon tribe wasn''t inherently evil, it was best to avoid them. The Demon tribe derived pleasure from the sufferings of other life forms, so to them, it was a natural flow to plunge the other party in pain and despair. The saying <i>''A demon who meets with a majority of people would start a massacre, and a demon who meets with a minority of people would start a torture fest''</i> wasn''t recorded for nothing.


    Of course, I also heard that the Celestial tribe, the opposite side of the spectrum, weren''t all kind-natured beings. I didn''t know if these beings could treat others with respect and affection, as well as joy and pleasure for 24 hours a day, but the Celestial tribe couldn''t stand being with someone they didn''t like or love very much. They would be able to put up with them for a while, but in the end, they would try to rule out or eliminate them.


    I wouldn''t have to worry about being tortured if I met the Demon tribe, but I would just die swiftly in the hands of the Celestial tribe.


    <i>''What''s worse, even though they take joy in the emotions of love, they also crave for sensations of pain and humiliation.''</i>


    Anyway, the important thing was that there would be nothing good in store if a lifeform were to get close to any of the two.


    I was thinking that my life wouldn''t be guaranteed if I stayed with such extreme beings. On the other hand, Celestia tried hitting the wall a few more times and soon gave up and frowned.


    "What the crap, this wall is strange. It''s getting stronger and sturdier as time passes by. I might be able to pierce through it if I had a weapon on me, but I think it would be difficult to with my bare firsts."


    Her words reminded me again of the meaning of the First-Tier Demon Tribe title above us.


    <i>''In other words... This prison in itself is the stomach of that guy. Everything in here is part of his body.''</i>


    Come to think of it, it was definitely strange from the beginning. Although the demi-humans were primitive in nature to the point of putting cannibals to shame, they were undoubtedly a superior civilization that walked the universe. Yet, their prison was that of a primitive shape, and it was made of steel bars. Why would they make such a thing on a Space Carrier like this? If they wanted to create a detention facility, there must have been a better method to do so, and not this poorly formed prison.


    <i>''First-Tier Demon Tribe... First-Tier Demon Tribe... Don''t tell me, those demi-human bastards also joined hands with the Demon tribe?''</i>


    That was the first thought that came to mind. They employed the help of Legion, one of the public enemies of the Union, so would there be anything stopping them from joining hands with the Demon tribe?


    "Ughh¡­"


    "Ahhh, does it hurt again?"


    "No, I''m okay. It just aches whenever I move."


    Celestia had a worried look on her face, but I shook my head and lied down at once. I did it to get a good look at the title of the demon called Hell''s Hand.


    <i>''By the way, the name''s already savage from the get to. What''s up with the name Hell''s Hand?''</i>


    I activated ssification. This was because it didn''t amount to much information just from the title <strong>First-Tier Demon Tribe</strong>. For starters, I delved into his status.


    <i>''Turned into an idiot, Hell''s Hand?''</i>


    I found the unexpected info dubious. <i>In other words, does that mean that he''s not in a normal condition? </i>I used ssification for more details.


    <i>''Turned into an idiot, Hell''s Hand... Taken captive after he turned into an idiot, Hell''s Hand¡­''</i>


    As the ssification became more detailed, I gradually grasped an understanding of the situation. It seems that this Hell''s Hand dude was most probably captured after fighting with the demi-humans. But who could catch a First-Tier Demon Tribe demon, a monster on equal footing with a Star-rank Gigas?


    <i>"Well, who else could it be but him.''</i>


    However, Iughed at the name that popped up naturally. The results that showed up were as expected.


    <strong>Corps of Gluttony</strong>


    <strong>Subdued by the Arch-Sorcerer Morne, Hell''s Hand</strong>


    I clicked my tongue when I saw the title of Hell''s Hand.


    <i>''Even a First-Tier Demon Tribe amounted to nothing in front of a transcendent..''</i>


    I didn''t know the exact circumstances that led to this, but the dude most probably met Morne when he invaded the Physical Realm. And that was most likely how he was captured and installed(?) in the Space Carrier, Great Sky.


    "Hey Dae-ha, this may sound a little strange, but¡­ This wall, no, this room itself seems to be a living creature. Moreover, he''s a demon. And at least at the level of an upper-tier demon." Celestia pointed to the wall with a grave expression. As expected, Celestia likely went through a different thinking process from mine and arrived at a simr answer


    Although he was caught by Morne, but¡­ the power of a First-Tier Demon Tribe shall by no means be underestimated.


    "A demon?"


    "That''s right. And it''s a demon that possesses a unique power at that. Even with my Lion''s Eye that could pierce through most interference, I wasn''t able to see the situation outside, so it''s probably fine to assume that we''re in some kind of Alternate Realm," said Celestia as she frowned with her elegant eyebrows.


    I exerted some strength to lift my body up. It was a little ufortable to keep lying down while having a discussion. I had seen all the titles anyway.


    "What do you mean it''s no different from an Alternate Realm?"


    "It literally means what I just said, this room is in a different realm and it''s cut off from the rest of the world. We have to either be masters of the properties of space or have enough power to pierce through this interference. Else, it''s impossible to connect to the outside world from inside here."


    "..."


    Upon hearing her words, I was lost in thought for a moment because I had seeded inmunicating with Ares by breaking through that wall.


    <i>''Then, what is this? Does this mean that I mastered the properties of space, or I have the power to break through the interference of a First-Tier Demon?''</i>


    I knew I was not an ordinary being - the ability to see titles, the extraordinary dreams I had, and above all¡­ the <strongmanding authority</strong> to order artificial intelligences made that all the more apparent.


    <i>''My father said that... my biological father is a high-ranking transcendent.'' </i>[1]


    But I totally had no clue about my biological father. If I really had to point a clue out, it would be the <strong>memory </strong>I had, but was this memory really even rted to my biological father? It was already strange for a father to transfer his memory to his son, and most of all, if this was really my biological father''s memory, then¡­


    He was¡­


    He was...


    "Ha, this is ridiculous."


    "Huh? What is?"


    "No no, it''s nothing. This is just on an overly mythical level. There''s a limit to how grandiose things can be. Hahaha."


    "...??"


    Celestia tilted her head as if she couldn''t understand my sudden words. Despite the dire situation, the sight of her doing that was cuteness overload, and my heart was pounding even in such a situation. It was enough to catch me off guard as my heart suddenly throbbed.


    <i>''Shit, damnit. Did she receive lessons on how to do that?''</i>


    I shook my head and put aside this distracting thought. Fortunately, the poker face that I had been honing all my life didn''t crumble, so I was able to speak calmly to her without her being able to read my mind, "I can connect with the outside world."


    "What are you even saying? I just said it''s impossible, okay?"


    "It''s possible. I''ve already done it once." I said as I turned to look at the Legion girl.


    As if she had been waiting for this moment, she asked, "Should I connect you?"


    "Yes, please."


    "Okay!" The Legion girl answered joyfully as a stream of inexplicable glint surged in her pupils. At the same time, my senses broadened through her.


    <strong>Dae-ha! Are you okay?</strong>


    "¡­Oh my God."


    I stared at Ares while listening to Celestia''s freaked out voice. Ares looked surprised when he saw Celestia next to me.


    <strong>What''s this, the two of you are together? And moreover, there are no guards around, and you''re not tied up¡­ No, that isn''t important. Can you fight right now? How''s your condition?</strong>


    "I feel much better. Why?"


    <strong>We judged that it was now or never, and our side has begun attacking! We''re nning to form a rescue team to enter too, but they told me to pass the message that we need your help to create a rift!</strong>


    Although our army drove the enemies away to the best of our abilities, they couldn''t deal a fatal blow, and just like that, they went into a retired state, [2] so I wasn''t expecting much. But, contrary to my expectations, the situation seemed to have advanced in its own way.


    I was genuinely surprised inwardly, and asked, "Weren''t our battle forces at a disadvantage?"


    <strong>That bear guy and the guys from Albatross aren''t that ipetent. They could still escape even without having you and your power around. However, I couldn''t figure out what it was, but somehow the enemy''s dangerous trump cards were blown away in vain, so our battle force is good enough. </strong>


    "Hmm." I racked my head after hearing Ares'' words.


    They formed a rescue team¡­ If so, then first they would need to know where we were. And they need to be able to reach this far.


    <i>''Though it''s not convincing, it''s not a bad idea to believe in them.''</i>


    There wasn''t much I could advise on the rescue operation anyways. I didn''t know anything about military operations, and since it was a hand-to-hand fight without the use of Gigas, it was hard to predict how the situation will develop. It would be better to leave such a n to the experts and move on towards creating a rift.


    "Did you figure out our location?"


    <strong>We have a Search ability holder amongst our ranks. We have to get in first.</strong>


    "Never mind, forget it. Wait a bit." I stopped talking to Ares and looked at the Legion girl, "You. Do you happen to know where we are?"


    "Mmmhmm!"


    "Can you show us so that we can pinpoint this location?"


    "Mmmhmm!"


    I was confused for a moment at her clear-cut answer. <i>Does this brat understand what I am saying that she is answering with mmmhmm? </i>


    Wiiiiingggg-!


    But those doubts of mine soon faded. The Legion girl''s eyes flickered for a moment and a hologram was formed in the air.


    <strong>It''s a three dimensional view of Great Sky. And it''s also quite detailed¡­ Is that red dot where you guys are?</strong>


    "..."


    Ares asked, but the Legion girl smiled at me as though she couldn''t hear Ares at all. It was obvious she could understand Ares'' words, so she was basically just ignoring him.


    I sighed lightly and asked, "Is that spot where we are?"


    "Mmmhmm! And that''s also where I''ve always been! I''ve been here ever since this room was created!"


    After hearing her words, I stared at Ares. Needless to say, for an artificial intelligence like him, it was a piece of cake to save this amount of information.


    "You can deliver this info as it is, right? Tell them to form a n again based on this. I can just adjust to it."


    <strong>You can fight too?</strong>


    "Though I''m not fully recovered, my condition is a lot better aspared to when I was fighting earlier. Cel healed me."


    <strong>Okay, got it. I''ll be right back.</strong>


    Just like that, Ares disappeared. Iid down on the floor again.


    "Phew..."


    I was breaking out in a cold sweat. Though I felt much better, I wasn''t at peak condition. Most importantly, in order to fight, I need to keep my body condition stable. If possible, it would be good to take a short nap, but I didn''t know if I had the leeway to do that.


    "Hmm. Ermm, Dae-ha." But then, Celestia spoke to me. She asked in an extremely casual tone, "As I expected, you''re not human, are you?"


    "..."


    1. This father mentioned refers to his OP father on Earth, and not his biological father.


    2. It''s metaphor, which is just exining that the Leonhardt Imperial Army had to retreat away

 Chapter 58: Rescue Operation Part One (4)

    <h4>Chapter 58: Rescue Operation Part One (4)</h4>


    "As I expected, you''re not human, are you?"


    "..."


    I didn''t answer. I was slowly getting annoyed at the fact that I couldn''t give a definite answer to this question. But it was then.


    "¡­Dae-ha?" The Legion girl, who has been sitting still all this time, suddenly called my name. Rather than calling my name, it felt like she was just muttering, but that alone seemed surprising, and Celestia''s eyes glimmered.


    "Hehe. I can''t believe a Legion called out a specific individual¡­ Errr you, by any chance, do you know about Dae-ha?" Celestia asked naturally like she was dealing with an old friend, but the Legion girl didn''t even give Celestia a nce, disregarding the question.


    Instead, she looked at me and said, "Do you want me to help?"


    "...Wow." At longst, even the bold Celestia had an aloof expression. And soon, her face turned serious.


    "Dae-ha, this is dangerous. This girl is saying that she''ll help you."


    "What''s wrong with that?"


    "What do you mean what''s wrong? What she''s saying right now is no different from saying that you can utilize Legion."


    If it was a matter of fact, Celestia could''ve just obviously said so. So I found it strange that she was treading on the topic carefully.


    "But didn''t the demi-humans also use the Legion?"


    "That''s because Morne that bastard forced them to, Legion didn''t help the demi-humans out of their own ord. If this Legion really wanted to help you sincerely¡­" Celestia paused before finishing her sentence, "Huh? Then shouldn''t we just snatch this ship away? Wouldn''t that solve our problems?"


    "Let''s get out of this prison first, then we''ll talk."


    It was a big variable, but I didn''t let it faze me and responded nonchntly. There was no reason to be surprised. Because... I had been thinking about stealing this ship all these while.


    And in addition, it was possible even without the Legion girl.


    <i>''As long as there is a control persona controlling this ship.''</i>


    Of course, I thought there would probably be one. Importing and using the Iron Heart was the same for both the Leonhardt Empire and the Tekea Federation. So, there would only be a slight difference in the style and method, but the system adopted would pretty much be the same. Of course, there were a lot of people who made flight systems that could defend against the attack of Legion even without a control persona, but it would end up being useless as Legion was also capable of cracking magical-based programmings. Unless these people rowed with a paddle and sail, they would definitely be vulnerable to the Legion''s erosion.


    "Hmm¡­ that''s definitely true. But then again, the demi-humans must have confidence, that''s why they locked the Legion up in this manner."


    Celestia was lost in thoughts for a while, perhaps because she thought my words made sense. And while she was lost in thought, Iid down and recovered my strength.


    Grrroar.


    But it didn''t feel like I was recovering.


    "I''m dying ugh..."


    These damned bastards didn''t even feed me properly. <i>Has it been three days, no, was it four days since I came to this ship?</i> In any case, I hadn''t eaten at all since then. All I had while I was here were some nutrients injections that were given when they were torturing me. They only gave me the bare minimum to keep me alive and it wasn''t as if I could recover just by resting. If Celestia hadn''te and used her healing powers on me, I would''ve cked out by now and I wouldn''t have been able to get in touch with the outside world.


    "What the hell, you weren''t even able to eat?"


    "They weren''t such nice people."


    Celestia continued while looking at the sight of me drooping with no strength left in my limbs, "And it seems like you were tortured."


    "It didn''t just seem like it, I was really tortured. I was lucky to have survived¡­ What''s wrong?"


    She grunted, gasped for breath and looked at me with a strange look, and I paused at the sight of her being like that. She looked at me as if I was a peculiar animal.


    "... It''s nothing. It''s just, you''re pretty strong."


    "I''m close to dying, so what do you mean I''m strong?"


    "Hehe. That''s not what I was talking about."


    She smiled gently and walked towards me. She sat beside me and released her Golden Lion Aura. The golden light gently covered my whole body. Needless to say, it didn''t fill up my empty stomach, but even that was enough to make my body feel better.


    "Whew¡­ I need to recover my physical strength too. There''s probably nothing to eat, right?"


    "There is."


    "...There''s something to eat?"


    I wasn''t expecting her to actually have something to eat, so I was flustered. That was because she was thrown into prison, so her outfit was...


    "Ehem."


    "Oh my, it''s embarrassing if you look at me with such a lewd expression."


    "Wha-, what do you mean by a lewd expression! I didn''t even look at you with such an expression, not even for 0.1 second!!"


    Simr to how everything I had was taken away, Celestia was also robbed of all her weapons and armor. All she had on was a thin gray T-shirt. But if I was to point out something out of the ordinary, it would probably be the cross-shaped golden earrings she had on both her ears.


    To be honest, it was so provocative that I couldn''t understand how she had not been noticed so far. Fortunately(?), the t-shirt was considerablyrge, so it covered up her lower body to some extent like a one-piece dress, but perhaps because the T-shirt was pretty thin, I could clearly see her body curves.


    "Well, anyways, cover your ears for a second. I''ll make you something to eat."


    "...You''re gonna make some food?"


    "In any case, just cover your ears."


    I couldn''t understand the meaning behind her words, but there was no point lying in the situation right now so I covered my ears obediently. After making sure I had tightly covered my ears, Celestia looked straight at the ceiling and opened her mouth.


    <strong>Ooooouhhhhhh------!</strong>


    The roar sent a jolt down my whole body and shook the surroundings violently. The roar was so overbearing that I couldn''t believe it came out from her slender figure! But I grimaced as I felt that it was more ridiculous than surprising. Covering my ears were of no use. The vibration that was transmitted alone was enough to make my head spin.


    "No, wait a second, you said you''re going to give me food, so why are you screaming?"


    Celestiaughed as I removed the hands covering my ears and grumbled.


    "Why do you think I shouted? I''m trying to give a meal to our poor little human here."


    "No, wait, what does shouting have got to do with a meal¡­ huh?"


    I froze for a moment. Because I saw it. A well-roasted whole pig about the size of a child appeared in front of me.


    "¡­Huh?"


    I was lost for words. It felt like I was seeing magic. A roasted whole pig that didn''t fit in with the surrounding scenery was spinning nonchntly in front of me.


    "Ta-daaa! It''s the Golden Pig of Philpos!"


    "¡­What the hell? What is this? Where did thise from?"


    "I don''t know either."


    "You brought in a pig without knowing? No, pigs are pigs, but what''s firewood? When did you put the fire on?" I wondered for a moment whether it was an illusion, but the roasted pig in front of me was real.


    <strong>God Realm</strong>


    <strong>Crossed over dimensions, Golden Pig</strong>


    "..."


    Its title was ridiculous.


    "Now now, I understand you''re suspicious of this, but this is the special ability of the Leonhardt imperial family. Don''t worry, it''s been verified and it''s good for your health too, so it''s okay to eat it."


    "What do you mean by special ability¡­ There are all kinds of weird special abilities huh."


    It was a bbergasting situation, but the smell that was emanating from the roast pig was so good that it was hard to ignore. Even if the God Realm premium wasn''t there, the sweet fragrance wafting in the air hooked me in and made me dizzy.


    "Ea-, so you''re saying it''s okay to eat it, right?"


    "Of course. It''s already fully cooked from the moment it appeared, so you can eat it right away. Also, it''s not as hot as it looks, so you don''t have to worry about scalding your mouth too."


    I lifted myself up at her words. Then, I grabbed the drumstick of the well-roasted pig.


    "Huff...huff¡­"


    But I stopped at that moment. No, to be exact, it wasn''t as if I stopped, I just couldn''t gnaw it off. I took a short break because I couldn''t muster any strength. My appetite was building up, but putting that aside, the hand that was holding onto the pork trotter was trembling fromck of strength.


    "Aigoo, I can''t bear with this anymore. Just lie down."


    Celestia clicked her tongue and ced my head on her thigh. Then, she took the pork trotter and tore it piece by piece and feeded me. I immediately chewed up the meat.


    <i>Chomp chomp.</i>


    I chewed and swallowed the pork without saying a single word for a while. I was worried that I might not have been able to chew because I didn''t have strength in my jaw, but there wasn''t any problem eating it because the meat that entered my mouth was so tender that I thought the meat was some kind of jelly. And most of all, it was also because Celestia tore it into bite-sized pieces for me.


    "That''s right, that''s right. You''re eating well."


    "¡­Please don''t do stuff like that, Mother."


    "That''s it that''s it. My son is eating so well, oojjoojjoo." [1]


    "..."


    Celestia was being sarcastic about it, and I sighed nonchntly. I was hungry, so I just ate it, but when I came to my senses, our current position was a bit weird. I was lying on her soft thigh and I was eating the meat she tore for me.


    "I''m done eating."


    "Ehh? Since you''re already eating, just eat all of it. "


    "¡­I''ll get sick if I eat too much on an empty stomach."


    "Hahaha. You''re already almost done eating, so what do you even mean?" Celestia continued tearing the meat for me while giggling. And as I was going to eat it¡­


    "As expected, this position is just too weird."


    I jumped to my feet.


    "Ah, you scared me."


    "Ack, I''m sorry¡­ Uhmm, by the way?"


    I nced at my body in surprise. Just a while ago, I couldn''t even grab the meat properly because my hands were shaking, but my strength recovered and rose to a point that was hard to believe. However, Celestia had an expression that seemed to imply that it would obviously be the case.


    "There''s nothing to be surprised about. If I just summoned an ordinary roast pig, then how could that be called an ability of a royal member? In one way or another, it''s an ability of someone with the bloodline of God."


    "Bloodline of God?"


    "That''s right. It''s the Godly Bloodline."


    As I was taken aback at the unexpected term, Celestia nodded and exined, "The Imperial family of the Leonhardt Empire inherited the blood of the Golden Lion God."


    I was also aware of the existence of the Golden Lion God. It was a Beast God that formed a brotherhood with the Golden Dragon God. Although the concept of religion itself was very rare for dragons as a majority of them possessed godly powers, there were still a few Dragon Gods revered as Gods. In fact, though I wasn''t very interested in such tales, I remembered stories rted to them because they were mentioned several times in the story background of the game I yed.


    "Such as Golden Dragon God and Dark Dragon God or something."


    The Golden Dragon God, protector of justice and light, and the Dark Dragon God, protector of tranquility and darkness, were mythical beings strong enough to gather a following of devotees. Unlike what wasmon between godly beings, there weren''t any rtions between them. The Golden Dragon God was an innate god who had existed since the moment they were born, and on the other hand, the Dark Dragon God started off as an ordinary Shadow Dragon, and he climbed up to the ranks of God with his own powers.


    Rather than the Dark Dragon God, the Golden Lion God was instead the one rted to the Golden Dragon God. Aspared to the Golden Dragon God, the Golden Lion God was rtively less known, so I found it weird that she had a background exnation in the game, but I never thought she would be the progenitor of the Leonhardt Imperial family.


    "But, it was like that even during orientation too. I''ve never heard anything regarding this bloodline up till now. Isn''t this something that should''ve been widely spread?"


    Nobility and royalty, as well as the sacredness of the imperial bloodline was something that had always existed no matter what period of history it was. Even in fairy tales and folktales, there were almost no asions where an ordinary person became king, and usually, they would either be a child of God or a being born from an egg. Anyways, that was the usual route these stories took to create a sense of mystery, and that was their purpose for doing so. But why would the Leonhardt Empire that inherited the bloodline of the Golden Lion God keep quiet about it?


    However, Celestia gave an obvious response, "The Golden Lion God is still alive today, so we can''t advertise it. If she found it offensive, the consequences would be¡­ Anyways!"


    Celestia stopped talking mid-sentence and gnawed at the leftover roast pork.


    "The bottom line is, I am also not a pure human being, but you just need to know that this is one of the abilities of the power I possess. To be honest, I was annoyed by the fact that I was born with such useless powers, but there''s actually some use to it."


    1. It''s a Korean onomatopoeia for something adorable like a baby or a cat.

 Chapter 59: Rescue Operation Part One (5)

    <h4>Chapter 59: Rescue Operation Part One (5)</h4>


    "The bottom line is, I am also not a pure human being, but you just need to know that this is one of the abilities of the power I possess. To be honest, I was annoyed by the fact that I was born with such useless powers, but there''s actually some use to it." Celestia''s calm voice reminded me of what she had said thus far.


    "...Is that why you kept asking? If I am an Earthling? And if I am a human?"


    "Yeap. Actually, I''ve never seen a godly species other than the other royal families. So when I first saw you, I was quite surprised."


    Come to think of it, I was someone who was nothing special in the eyes of anyone, but she recognized me at once and spoke to me. It was most probably due to the power of the Lion''s Eye she possessed.


    "By the way¡­ eh?"


    I was about to continue my sentence, but I froze. This was because other than the pork bones we ate and discarded, even the firewood burning below the pig just now had disappeared as though they had been erased by an erase. However, all Celestia did was shrug her shoulders, seemingly implying that it was a scene she had seen many times.


    "Ah, it''s nothing to be surprised about. It''s always been like this."


    "What do you mean it''s always been like this? What''s the principle behind this?"


    "What? Haha, there''s no such thing as a principle when ites to power. Power is something that makes something happen <strong>just like that</strong>. In the first ce, it would''ve been impossible to make a roast whole pig like this without being able to get in touch with the outside world. It was ridiculous to me even though I was the one using it heh."


    I squinted my eyes at the sight of Celestia giggling away, "The pork that just entered my stomach won''t disappear like that, right?"


    "That kind of thing won''t happen, so don''t worry. Rather, you''ll be healthier and full of energy for a while, as if you are on drugs."


    "That''s certainly true." I nodded in agreement and thought about something else. <i>Power, huh.</i>


    Come to think of it, the <strongmanding authority </strong>I possess might also be a kind of power that belonged to those fields of abilities. If it was only able to force someone to do something, then it would be some sort of mind control ability, but wasn''t it a power that had enough authority to allow someone to do things that were supposedly <strong>impossible</strong>?


    But while I was thinking about that sort of thing, the Legion girl spoke to me again, "You don''t need me?"


    She said something that was out of the blue, but it was probably a continuation to her <i>''Do you want me to help?''</i> earlier. Anyway, she was wriggling her way towards me, but I put my palm out and prevented her from approaching.


    "Hmm. No, hold on for a bit."


    "Hold on for a bit?"


    "Wait."


    "Okay okay. Me wait." [1]


    The Legion girl nodded her head like a good puppy and I was lost in thought for a moment as I watched her. Come to think of it, in a sense, the thought that the Legion was the ultimate <strong>artificial intelligence </strong>kepting to my mind.


    "Hmm. Can you get us out of this prison? No, I mean, get us out." I spoke casually first, but just in case, I repeated again in an authoritative manner, as if I was clearly giving her an order. However, the Legion girl tilted her head.


    "Uhmm uhmm¡­ I can''t do that."


    "As expected, it''s a no go, huh..."


    Celestia looked dumbfounded as she saw me being frustrated.


    "That''s a given, you idiot. Would this girl stay here obediently if she could get out whenever she wanted to?"


    "There''s nothing to lose anyways, so I just gave it a shot." I glossed over it vaguely. Seems like it probably wouldn''t happen so smoothly just like with Ares.


    "Try asking her what she can do to help you." Celestia suggested.


    "Hmm. Alright then, you said you''d help me. How?"


    "I don''t know."


    "¡­You don''t know?"


    "Yeapie yeap. You have to tell me what help you need first." [2]


    "¡­."


    I was at a loss for words. It wasn''t as if there was any bargaining or pre-bargaining to do in the first ce, so what was up with her saying<i> ''You have to tell me what help you need first''? </i>Was she implying that although she wanted to offer help, she wasn''t sure of what she could help with?


    Celestia was watching everything from the side, and she tapped me on my shoulder. It felt like she didn''t expect much and brought my attention to another matter.


    "Let''s first think about getting out of here, then you can ask her for help afterwards. At the very least, she''ll be able to shut down the system just like what she did back on Albatross."


    "Got it."


    I nodded in agreement and stood up. It was true that it was a little tacky to call it a power, but even so, the effectiveness of the golden pig was excellent. Previously, my hands were trembling even when I was lying down, but I recovered back to my best condition in a sh. As things stood now, I think I would be able to pilot Napoleon until the end of the battle without any problems.


    "We have to make a n."


    "A n?"


    "Yeah. It was fortunate that we were able to get in touch with Albatross, but the situation is still unfavorable for us. Even if they know where we are, it won''t be easy for the rescue team to enter this ce¡­ and most of all, if they can''t break this prison after they came all the way here, it''ll be game over for everything. We would obviously be in danger, but even the rescue team would also be in a predicament."


    They were all facts. We were inside the stomach of the First-Tier Demon Tribe demon, Hell''s Hand and¡­ The demi-humans had enough confidence to lock the Legion in this ce without any guards. The demi-humans were not fools, and they would''ve definitely made spections in the off chance that the Legion was released free in the middle of their space carrier. They had absolute confidence that we wouldn''t be able to escape, and that was why they locked us here with the Legion.


    "If Major General Chun Hyun-iles, we can definitely destroy it, but of course, it''ll probably be hard to expect that to happen, right?"


    "Just imagine that the bear guy doesn''t exist. Because there''s no way Morne would stay still. If the bear uselessly pays attention to other random stuff and suddenly loses, then it''d be the end for all of us. In this situation right now, if the bear makes a wrong move, there would literally be no hope left."


    There was no one who did not know the absoluteness of the transcendents in hand-to-handbat. Albatross nned to send their strongest superpower, their Captain, directly to the heart of the enemy, but that was already a strategy that the demi-humans were using. Needless to say, they anticipated it and prepared for it ordingly.


    And just like what she had said¡­ If, by the off chance that Major Chun Hyun-il dies? Let alone escaping, the whole situation would literallye to an end. A transcendent was someone who could kill us just by thinking about it. If such a being was near us, then leave asidemanding authority, the Legion girl or whatnot, none of these variables would be of any use.


    "Then you''ll probably need a Gigas armed with heavy weaponry."


    "Or another method would be to just get Albatross to fire their main armament towards this direction. The defensive power of this ce isn''t ordinary. So¡­"


    We put our heads together and tried figuring out for all kinds of ways. There was probably going to be a strategy nned by Albatross anyway, so we were just going to think of more in-detail ideas to add to that. Fortunately, we had a three-dimensional map of the Great Sky made by the Legion girl. And by the time we finished talking, Ares came back.


    <strong>We''re ready! How''s the situation over there?</strong>


    "We''re still safe and sound. We''re in good shape too."


    I gave a general exnation of the situation we were in. Such as the distinct characteristics of the prison we were locked in right now; the fact that a considerable amount of firepower would be needed to escape this ce; as well as the suggestion that firing off the main armament first would be of help.


    After hearing our exnation, Ares nodded.


    <strong>Alright. But if you''re going to connect, do it in a ce that''s as safe as possible. It''ll be great if you could go out and run wild, but it''ll be a problem if something happens to your body. </strong>


    Needless to say, I had already thought about that.


    "Cel will protect my body."


    <strong>Cel? Ah, the Imperial Princess. It''s a pet name huh.</strong>


    "Hmm? That''s right."


    <strong>I see.</strong>


    "¡­?"


    While I was wondering about the contents of our boring conversation, the connection waspleted. Now, the Legion girl would skillfully broaden my senses without me having to ask her for it.


    Celestia asked while watching me from the side, "By the way, can''t we go outside, just like how you came here? It would be good to know what''s going on outside this prison."


    <strong>¡­Hmm.</strong>


    But Ares did not answer and was lost in thought for a while. No, saying he was lost in thought would be putting it in a good way, he was actually just pretending to do so, so I lightly urged him.


    "Is it impossible?"


    <strong>I''m sorry, but it''ll be hard to do so. You can''t think of it in a physical way. I didn''te here by flying straight. Instead, I used that Legion over there as a repeater. </strong>[3]<strong> Also, I can''t see what she can''t see either.</strong>


    "Is that so?"


    Just like what Celestia said, this prison was no different from some kind of Alternate Realm. In addition, we were inside the body of the First-Tier Demon Tribe demon, living in an area that was considered to be part of the spaceship but outside of it and yet connected to the central system. Hence, the Legion''s cracking ability was utterly useless.


    "Do you want me to help?" But then, the Legion girl spoke again.


    I asked with delight, "By any chance, can I see the situation outside?"


    "Well that''s... no."


    "¡­"


    I was starting to wonder if this girl was making fun of me. It was almost like she was ying a prank on me.


    However, Celestia had a different opinion as she watched the situation unfold. She said, "Hmm, isn''t this what she''s trying to say? That she can''t help you unless you give her an exactmand?"


    "You mean like aputer?"


    I took a closer look at the Legion girl who was staring back at me. Though she constantly butt into our conversation, she still had chains on her neck like it was a dog cor. Her hands were cuffed with steel and her ebony-like ck hair was spread loose on the floor. It felt okay because we didn''t care about each other, but it was actually a very awkward scene. But then again, if she didn''t seem to show any emotions or signs about her situation, then she probably didn''t feel ufortable about it.


    "But the HELPmand didn''t work."


    The Legion girl said she would help but then when I asked her for help, she didn''t know how to. She had enough intelligence tomunicate, but then, there were some things she knew nothing about.


    <strong>Dae-ha, I have conveyed everything you said.</strong>


    "What''s their stand on this?"


    <strong>They''re going to follow your judgement. Since the Imperial Princess had the authority to operate it, they will fire the main armament without hesitation if needed.</strong>


    "¡­That''s really reliable but scary to hear at the same time." I grumbled and stared at the Legion girl again. As I turned my eyes to look at her, she also lifted up her big eyes to stare at me while blinking.


    "Hmm. Cel, is it possible for you to free her from these chains and handcuffs?"


    "I''m not sure... well, it''s possible with my Golden Lion Aura, but it will take a lot of time. I think it''s a specially made item too. It would be different if I had some equipment with me, but I was robbed of everything including my panties right now."


    Celestia was whining while calling them<i> </i>"Shameless bastards!"


    I suddenly asked her, "But they didn''t take the earrings away though?"


    "¡­What? What exactly are¡­you?"


    I froze at the sudden seriousness that Celestia was putting on. <i>Did I make a mistake? </i>But the situation was already toote. Celestia was staring at me with an expression as if she couldn''t believe what she just heard.


    "Can you see this?"


    It was already a crappy situation to deny it, so I meekly admitted, "Ah, yeah. I''m talking about it because I can see it. Aren''t you talking about the gold earrings? That cross-shaped earring."


    Celestia looked dumbfounded at my words.


    "Holy shit. Even Morne couldn''t see it, and you''re saying you can? Are you a direct descendent of the bloodline of Horus by any chance?"


    "¡­I came to the universe because I don''t know that either."


    "Wah, this is fascinating. This is a far greater power than the power to summon the pig. If you are able to see this, doesn''t it mean you''re actually immune to illusions and hallucinations?" Celestia grumbled and fiddled with her earrings. But I didn''t know it was an item that had such a strong cognitive distortion ability that even Morne couldn''t see through.


    "Is it an item of the imperial family?"


    "That''s right. Though I always had it on, I had never used it, not even once in my entire life. But at any rate, it''s something that can be considered a treasure of the imperial family. Anyways." Celestia changed the subject, not wanting to talk about the earrings anymore.


    "I also hate seeing this chain and dog cor, but I can''t do anything about it immediately. It''s not on my body but on someone else''s body. So if I were to cut the handcuffs apart, I would need to have more fine control skills than the ability I have right now. And most of all, I''m not equipped with anything right now. If I at least had a cutting device, I could have tried doing something about it."


    "Hmm."


    Feeling a little regrettable at Celestia''s words, I looked at the dog cor, handcuffs and chains that bound the Legion girl. Now that I mentioned it, they had key holes on them.


    "Tchh. I thought the same regarding the steel bars, but what are these keyholes doing in a spaceship? The keyholes are¡­ wait, a key?"


    I paused all of a sudden. Because, just like Celestia''s earring, I also had an item that wasn''t taken away by the demi-humans.


    Clink.


    I untied the ne I was wearing and grabbed it with my hand. There was a key hanging on it by the end. A key with a unique design that seemed as if it was assembled and weaved with dozens of pieces of metals. It was a keepsake left behind by the man that was said to be my biological father.


    1. She''s speaking in an aegyo-ish tone.


    2. Again, it''s aegyo time.


    3. It''s a metaphor on a WiFi repeater, and it''smonly used to extend the coverage of the signal, in this case, Ares used the Legion girl to extend to an area where he could reach

 Chapter 60: Rescue Operation Part One (6)

    <h4>Chapter 60: Rescue Operation Part One (6)</h4>


    Clink.


    I untied the ne I was wearing and grabbed it with my hand. There was a key hanging on it by the end. A key with a unique design that seemed as if it was assembled and weaved with dozens of pieces of metals. It was a keepsake left behind by the man that was said to be my biological father.


    <i>''Come to think of it, I haven''t really thought about what this is used for.''</i>


    Seeing that it was shaped like a key, it was most probably used to open something, but I had never really wondered about where I would use this. Because from the moment I came to the universe, there was no such thing as a keyhole anywhere.


    In fact, what was in front of me might be the first(?) keyhole I came across in the universe.


    "What are you looking at?"


    "Oh, it''s nothing. It''s just, I received a key." I lifted the key as I said so. Just like her earrings, this key was not taken away by the demi-humans and it probably meant that the demi-humans weren''t able to perceive it. However, no matter how much I thought about it, the method in which it went undetected was probably not because it became transparent.


    Indeed, she could perceive the key that I held in my hand, and her expression turned stiff.


    "This is¡­"


    "What''s wrong?"


    "No, wait. Can you give that to me for a bit?"


    "Alright." I handed it over to her meekly. Whatever it was, it wasn''t as if she was going to run away with it in the situation we were in right now. But the moment I put the key on her hand.


    Taaaaang-!


    <i>''Chiikiinggg!'' </i>A sudden roar that sounded like a hammer striking a steel te resonated. I could also hear a suppressed groan apanying it. When I came back to my senses, Celestia was nowhere to be seen, and the key I ced on her hand had returned back to my hands.


    "Cel?"


    She literally disappeared in front of my eyes as if the lights went out, and I looked around for Cel. Fortunately, she didn''t disappear or anything, so I was able to find her. She had her back stuck against the corner of the room where the walls and ceiling met, and she clinged to the corner like a spider.


    "¡­What are you doing?"


    "Ah, no-, nothing much."


    Celestia stared at me for a moment, no, to be precise, she silently red at the key on my hand, and then carefully stepped on the floor. Her body was already shining gently as it was surrounded by a golden light, but it seemed like she could control the intensity and it soon subsided.


    However, not all the golden light had disappeared.


    "Your right arm¡­"


    Celestia walked towards me, and as I looked at her arm, I could see her white and slender fingers swollen, like a balloon filled with wind. Her skin and muscles were a given, but even the state of her bones were pretty battered up. But she shrugged it off like she was okay.


    "I just injured myself a little. I''m in the middle of healing, so don''t worry too much."


    "Your right hand turned out like that, and you''re telling me not to worry?"


    "I was in an even worse condition than this a while ago alright? It''s not like I was in the military for only one or two years, so I''ll be troubled if you give me the Princess treatment. Plus, I''m already healing myself with the Golden Lion Aura."


    Certainly, I could see her arms were enveloped in golden aura and recovering little by little. The deadly amount of blood flowing down her skin was clotting. I could also hear the sound of bones aligning back. It felt as if she would recover back to normal after a while.


    "Well, if you say you''re okay, then it''s fine. What happened in the end? Looking at the atmosphere, it seems like this key was attacking you."


    "It didn''t attack me. Judging by the vibe it was emitting, it looks like a Transcendence Weapon. It would have turned out worse if it was an actual act filled with hostility."


    "¡­Transcendence Weapon? This key?"


    I expressed my doubts. If it was a Transcendence Weapon, then wasn''t it a fearsome armament that was in the same realm as a God-rank Gigas? I had often heard that there were some weapons that overpowered a Terra-ss battleship even though it was small enough to be held by humans. But this wasn''t a de nor a gun, it was a key, and she was saying that it was a Transcendence Weapon?


    Celestia looked at me as if I said something idiotic and exined, "Generally, items that possess fighting power are lumped together and categorized as <strong>weapons</strong>, but not all Transcendence Weapons are weaponry. After all, Transcendence Weapon is just another name for Godly Artifacts. Though rare, there were cases where a Transcendence Weapon was shaped like a <strong>gate</strong> which was capable of teleportation. There was also one in the shape of a kettle which was capable of producing holy water that could heal injuries. Ah, this is just a rumor, but I heard that within Transcendence Weapons in the 100 numberings, [1] there was a refrigerator that could infinitely make food that you wanted to eat."


    "¡­The hell? What do you mean a refrigerator?"


    The image that I had of Transcendence Weapons was copsing, but even so, I sneakily nced at the key with a golden string on one of my hands.


    <i>''He left me a Transcendence Weapon as a keepsake?''</i>


    It sounded usible. They said that my<strong> biological father</strong> was a high-ranking transcendent¡­ If he was a high-ranking transcendent, then it wouldn''t be strange for him to possess a Transcendence Weapon. And if he had a Transcendence Weapon, it was natural for him to want to pass it down to his future descendent.


    <i>''But I can''t believe he just left this key without any usage manual.''</i>


    I quietly fiddled with the key in my hand. It obviously looked like a metal object, but it felt warm to the touch. It might be a funny thing to say, but it felt as if I was touching a small hamster. And I organized my thoughts as I was feeling that sort of sensation.


    <i>''Perhaps, he foresaw all this and sent me to space?''</i>


    I recalled a movie I watched in the past. I remember it was a movie about a main character that made a time machine and went back in time to support his past self; it was something along that sort of clich¨¦ storyline.


    I remembered it was something about the main character''s future self sending his present self some items to save himself from a crisis. The items that was sent were all kinds of useless things such as bus card, car key and construction cap, however, whenever the situation called for it, these items would prove to be useful and helped him magically escape a seemingly unavoidable crisis, and in the end, he would strike back at the enemy. His future self knew how the future would pan out, so he could prepare the gadgets that were required at any situation.


    <i>''Perhaps?''</i>


    I stared at the key in an instant. Then I looked at the Legion girl in front of me; she was lying down with her head looking up. I could see a keyhole on the cuffs on her neck.


    <i>''I don''t really want to have this kind of assumption, but¡­''</i>


    I thought maybe all of this was the<strong> future</strong> my mother foresaw. Coming to the universe, getting on board Albatross because of that, and even the fact that I participated in the war. She might have even foresaw me getting kidnapped by the demi-humans.


    <i>''But what exactly was the danger that I had to avoid so much that we had to go this far?''</i>


    I wasn''t sure. If my mother could really see the future, was there really a need toplicate things like this? Did that mean that the Legion girl in front of had that much value to do so?


    "No, wait, I''ll know once I test it out."


    "Test?"


    "Yes, hold on for a bit."


    Celestia''s hand was almost fully recovered and she was doing the clench and release exercise with her hands. I left her behind and approached the Legion girl. I could see a seal that looked like a dog cor hanging around her neck.


    "Whooooo." I slightly took a deep breath. And I inserted the key in¡ª


    Kriekk.


    It didn''t go in.


    "...What are you doing?"


    "Huh? Uhhh? Wait-, wait a minute."


    I was so embarrassed that I tried to push the key in recklessly, but even then, it wouldn''t go in. The key shape waspletely different. The size of the key was slightlyrger than the keyhole.


    Katatak!


    I tried pushing the key roughly in a rush, but there was no way it would be able to be inserted into a keyhole that didn''t fit. Just in case, I tried inserting it into the keyhole of the handcuffs, but this time the hole was too big.


    "...I don''t think you''re stupid. But you don''t actually think the key would fit in just because there was a keyhole, do you?"


    "It''s not like that! Thi-, there''s a reason for all of this!"


    "And what''s that?"


    "¡­It''s a secret."


    "..."


    I turned my head around. I couldn''t bear the sight of Celestia looking at me pitifully. <i>Uaghhhhhh!</i> I tried to let my imagination run wild, but to think that I tried doing everything alone!


    <i>''I thought something was going to happen!''</i>


    My mother was born with the talent of a Great Witch, and it was said that she had the Foresight ability capable of predicting the future, so I thought she might have seen this crisising. If so, then I thought this artifact would be of help. But there was no such thing. Then, did it mean that I would be able to escape a crisis of this level right now on my own?


    "Ah, damn it. What the hell am I supposed to do?"


    In a quick fit of temper, I threw the key at the wall. In actual fact, I had dropped it from my body a few times before, but every time, it woulde back to me, so it was something I did without giving it much thought.


    Boom!


    And then, the key that I threw like that was stuck on the wall.


    "¡­Ehh?"


    "Huh?"


    Celestia stood rooted to the ground. She put on an iprehensible expression while looking at me.


    "What the hell? I striked it with my Golden Lion Aura but it didn''t even leave a scratch, but the key is stuck on the wall?"


    "Is that perhaps a secret device? A key-shaped secret device."


    "''What kind of bullshit are you spouting!'' is what I would like to say, but it''s not entirely unconvincing. Don''t tell me, it was stuck on the wall just by you throwing it?"


    I stared at the wall as I listened to the dumbfounded Celestia. But there was something else that was strange.


    "But it''s noting back to me."


    "What do you mean it''s noting back to you? Does it have a return function?"


    "Yeah. It would alwayse back if I let it slip past my hands. That''s why I thought it was a secret device." I mumbled as I approached the wall and grabbed the key. It was to pull the key out from the wall, but I felt something strange with the key that I grabbed.


    "Hmm?"


    It didn''t just feel like it was stuck tight on the wall. It felt like if I turned the key, it would really turn or something¡­ It felt simr to the feeling when a key was inserted into a door. So I twisted my hand casually without thinking much about it.


    Tick!


    With a sound that sounded when a door was unlocked, the key turned and a text popped up in front of my eyes.


    <strong>The seal is released. </strong>


    "¡­What the hell does this mean?"


    I was bewildered for a moment.


    -Guaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh------!!


    With a ''<i>Wiiiiiiing''</i> sound, a deep groan that sounded like a cry reverberated around as if it was crushing the surroundings. I took out the key in surprise and stuck close beside Celestia. Flustered, Celestia emitted her golden aura and asked, "What is this? What have you done?"


    "I don''t know either!"


    "What do you mean you don''t know! What kind of irresponsible... Watch out!"


    Celetia hugged me and jumped into the air. Everything around us was already melting down. The steel bars that kept me locked in, the prison uniforms thatid on the floor, and even the chains and handcuffs that bound the Legion girl. The only thing left was the dog cor on her neck.


    -You impertinent¡ª! Impudent¡ª! I''ll kill you!


    A roar filled with murderous intent echoed. Then, the prison that used to look normal turned into a ck piece of flesh and began to narrow down in a matter of minutes. Flustered, Celestia released her Golden Lion Aura, but she couldn''t even properly scratch the wall when she was locked inside the First-Tier Demon, so would it even be possible for her to resist the narrowing walls?


    But it was then.


    Kwaaaaaang-!


    The rumbling wall shook violently in an instant along with the explosions, and then there was arge hole on the wall. It literally took only a moment, but Celestia, who was hugging me, aimed for the instant a gap was made and nimbly escaped outside. It was as if she had been waiting for this chance.


    "This fucking shit! What the hell is going on?! That monster''s spirit was definitely destroyed by the Captain-nim!"


    "Captain-nim! Get the Captain immediately! We need the Captain if we''re to stop that monster!"


    "But we''re in the middle of the war now! If we don''t stop that monster by ourselves...!"


    "How do you expect us to stop that First-Tier Demon inside this ship! The main armament that was prepared as a measure for times of emergencies¡­ He''s already recovered even after being hit by that!"


    Screams could be heard from all directions. Countless demi-humans and Gigas appeared from all over the ce, but it was useless in the face of a monster equivalent to a 10-story building.


    I focused on the status<strong> </strong>in the monster''s title and looked above his head.


    <strong>Corps of Gluttony</strong>


    <strong>Awakened from his slumber, Hell''s Hand</strong>


    That''s right. That thing that was on a rampage right now was the First-Tier Demon that had us in his belly.


    "What the hell is this¡­"


    I stared at the key that was in my hand and turned pale. He definitely became a fool, so are you telling me that this brought him back to normal? Despite being shaped like a key, was it a healing-type Transcendence Weapon?


    "Holy shit! The prisoners have escaped!"


    However, the situation wasn''t one where I could afford to be lost in thought. Some of the demi-humans who flocked together because of Hell''s Hand discovered us.


    "Damn, I don''t know if this situation is any better or worse!"


    "...Aren''t you looking too excited despite that?"


    "Oh my, really?" I gushed forward with a smile. I had no choice but to grab on to Celestia''s neck tightly and hang on in an unsightly manner.


    1. It''s a ranking system for Transcendence Weapons.

 Chapter 61: Rescue Operation Part One (7)

    <h4>Chapter 61: Rescue Operation Part One (7)</h4>


    "Damn, I don''t know if this situation is any better or worse!"


    "...Aren''t you looking too excited despite that?"


    "Oh my, really?" I gushed with a smile. I had no choice but to grab on to Celestia''s neck tightly and hang on in an unsightly manner.


    Bang bang!


    Celestia charged forward with the continuous explosions behind her. Her speed was so fast that both her legs seemed to be floating in mid air.


    Feeling the strain it was putting on my body, I shouted, "Heyyy! I''m going to fall at this rate!"


    "I''m in a hurry, so just hold on as if your life is depending on it! If we can''t find a weapon first, we''ll be captured and locked up again!"


    She stepped on a four-legged demi-human that was running towards her and jumped up. No, to be precise, she didn''t step on him, rather, she dodged him and kicked against the ground.


    Kwaaaaaatatang! Bang! Bang bang bang!


    I didn''t know what to do anymore. I was out of my mind. My vision was spinning round and round and my arm was in so much pain that it felt like it was going to break. Even though my whole body was enveloped in the Golden Lion Aura, the motion still strained my body considerably. That was a given of course. Because even though I was the Specter of Albatross, who was also known as the yer of the battlefield, I was just an ordinary person the moment I got off from a Gigas.


    "Kuwaackkkk!"


    "Ackkkk--!"


    "Damn-, damn it! Shoot! I''m telling you to shoot! Just kill them!"


    "Ackkkk! You crazy bastard!"


    One of the demi-humans, who terribly suffered, burst into anger and pointed his heavy firearm around at his allies which caused the other demi-humans to freak out and strike him down. In the midst of this confusion, dozens of demi-humans formed an encirclement formation, but nheless, Celestia could freely plow through the enemies. The restriction against hurting her still existed, so they couldn''t really attack her.


    -Come out, Morne! Before I kill all these bugs!


    And in the midst of all of that, the First-Tier Demon, Hell''s Hand was still on a rampage like a madman. Many Beast-rank and Tool-rank Gigas were charging at him, but whenever Hell''s Hand swung his humongous arms, they flung with a boom and the surrounding buildings copsed. However, that was all there was to it and it didn''t stop the demi-humans in their tracks.


    <i>''Wow, that thing''s a real monster.''</i>


    Hell''s Hand was basically simr to a human being, but his torso made up a big part of his body. It wasn''t that he didn''t have legs, but they were so short that he could pass off as having no legs; and they were even a little bloated. Furthermore, I couldn''t even see it well because his legs were covered with his oversized belly fat.


    To be honest, he had a body shape that seemed like he would have trouble moving, but surprisingly, he disyed a formidable fighting capability. His fat belly only rippled when hit byser cannons and missiles, and even if it tore after being struck by a powerful attack at times, it would recover soon enough. His sluggish-looking body moved so fiercely that one could hear the air bursting from afar. And when he jumped, he would easily jump a hundred meters.


    Boom! Roaaarrr!


    As Hell''s Hand jumped up high into the sky and dived down, the ground shook and the buildings copsed as if an earthquake had urred. The area was designed like a city, but this was the inside of the spaceship after all. As the ground cracked, the ship''s insides, which were intricately intertwined with mechanical parts appeared. And as I saw that, an idea sparked and came to my mind.


    "Cel! Jump down!"


    "What? What are you trying to do by going further inside from here?"


    "It''s better than being surrounded by the demi-humans! And did you forget the three-dimensional map that the Legion kid showed you earlier? Right down here, there''s... Ack!!"


    I turned my head again and looked at Hell''s Head because I thought of the Legion girl who gave us a hand. I was the only one who escaped with Celestia. I saw the handcuffs and chains that were part of the Hell''s Hand were unlocked, but would she even be safe in the stomach of thepletely awakened Hell''s Hand?


    It was a natural course of thought and Celestia shook her head lightly as if she guessed what I was thinking about.


    "I couldn''t bring you two both out. It would be great if we could get help from the Legion inside this battleship, but... We can''t miss the chance to get out of that monster''s stomach."


    "¡­You''re right."


    Even when Hell''s Hand was asleep, Celestia couldn''t pierce a hole in his body. What would have happened if the main armaments of the demi-humans hadn''t made a hole in the body of Hell''s Hand? Perhaps we would have been digested nicely in his stomach by now.


    Thud!


    At this moment, we didn''t have the leisure of thinking about the Legion girl any further, Celestia jumped down through the cracked ground. Of course, I fell with her as she carried me on her back.


    "Ahhhhhh! Those shitheads jumped down!"


    "Get them!"


    The demi-humans chased after us as they were out of their wits and jumped at Celestia with their bodies to try and somehow subdue her. The problem, however, was that the situation on the ship was not carefree enough for so many of them to move in perfect order.


    Kabooom! Bang!


    Along with the sound of something exploding, the ground shook again and most of the demi-humans who jumped into the narrow crack bounced somewhere else. Of course, some of the nimble ones among them were able to properly catch after us¡­


    "Wee, you idiots---!"


    Celestia covered her whole body in a golden Aura and greeted the demi-humans with her fist.


    Kapoooow! Kwakkkkk!


    Their bones were smashed into smithereens and the flesh on their body exploded. Though she appeared pure and demure, her savageness was greater than that of a decent predator! Celestia dug into the crocodile-headed demi-human who was swinging his arms violently and cracked his defense with her left arm. Then, she smoothly shoved her right arm into his chest. The opponent was a monster with a height of nearly three meters and his leather was no different from an armor, but still, he couldn''t get up again after a blow from Celestia as his head was snapped.


    Kwakkkkk!


    That was not all. The spaghetti-type demi-human tried to hold Celestia down by untangling his body like a thread. However, Celestia avoided it and did a roundhouse kick which burst apart his eye which was as big as his head.


    "Nice, next!" Celestia eximed excitedly. But fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, there was a loud banging from above again.


    Krieeekkk-!


    As the ground trembled apanied by a loud bang, the cracked floor closed up along the tremor.


    "Keuk! No-, nooooo!"


    "Ackkkkkk!!"


    Along with the screams, the demi-humans were crushed between the cracks, and their bodily fluid dribbled like raindrops. Fortunately, I was able to avoid being covered by their bodily fluids because I had already slipped away, but the situation was a little different for Celestia who was fighting with the demi-humans.


    "Ah shit, are you okay?"


    "Ahh, of course. There were quite a few demi-humans with poison flowing as their blood, but these didn''t have that."


    "No, putting that aside... Whew, there we go. Wait a bit."


    It was normal for there to be a ck-out since the facility was destroyed, but the surrounding area was bright. It was because though all the light sources inside the ship had disappeared, Celestia''s body was covered with a golden light which illuminated the area.


    I looked at Celestia, who used her body as a substitute for a light source, and continued, "By the way, you really fight fearlessly huh."


    "I can''t help it, I''m bare-handed. If I had the equipment, I could have wiped the floor with them in a more graceful manner."


    I was puzzled at the sight of Celestia interpreting my words in apletely different way.


    "No, what kind of idol acts like this? Did you get popr on a show like <i>''Girl vs Demi-Human'' </i>or something?"


    "Huh? Of course not. I''m popr because of my looks, duh."


    "..."


    I was lost for words. I was annoyed at the fact that I couldn''t deny her statement. But it seemed like she didn''t care whether I was irritated or not and shook off the bodily fluids of the demi-humans from her body.


    "By the way, where are we after all? I came down just like what you asked me to."


    "It''s a warehouse. And... As expected, it''s here."


    I opened a box that was lying around and found some familiar luggages. A thick-rimmed sses andmunicators, as well as a lightweight and sturdybat suit.


    "Oh? No way... Oooooh! Mine''s here too!! My gun!!"


    Celestia nced around and when she discovered the box that stored her equipment, she ran towards it. She was so happy that I thought hearts were about to shoot out from her eyes. Fortunately, her equipment wasn''t stolen by anyone and the box opened smoothly. Celestia immediately undressed the piece of cloth she was wearing and threw it aside.


    Plop!


    A ''volume'' that was unexpected and beyond my expectations literally got imprinted on my mind like a brand. It was already bright because of the golden light hovering around her, but I felt like it was getting brighter for a moment.


    <i>''Ooh, some people really look skinnier after wearing clothes... Huh?''</i>


    But then, I spotted scars all over her body. They weren''t deep scars. They were all faint scars. But nevertheless... The number of scars on her body wasn''t normal. Dozens of scars... It wasn''t something that should be on the body of an Imperial Princess who grew up beautifully. Furthermore, didn''t she possess amazing healing capabilities?


    "Nice. We''repletely armed!"


    But regardless of whether I was watching or not, Celestia threw the piece of cloth that had been covered with the bodily fluids of the demi-humans aside, changed into herbat suit and equipped a golden revolver around her waist. Because she had no hesitation in her actions, I shook my head and came to my senses. Then, I took out thebat suit that was in the box and wore it. Just in case of an emergency situation, I wore the sses that I extorted from Hye-ran and took one of the guns that was nearby.


    Needless to say, I had no intention of fighting with these things at all.


    "Okay. Let''s go hide in the crack over there."


    "Aren''t we going out to fight?"


    "What''s the point of getting out of here and defeating the demi-humans? We have to escape. I''ll connect with Ares to tell him what''s going on on our side, and tell him toe save us, so protect my body in the meantime."


    "Hmmm, then... We need to quickly fortify the vicinity."


    After understanding the situation, Celestia nodded and began to rummage through the surroundings at random. She most probably nned to use everything or anything that was in the warehouse. I looked at that scene for a moment, then leaned in one corner and closed my eyes.


    "¡­"


    I called for Ares. I tried to expand my senses by concentrating on my consciousness.


    The situation was not that bad. We escaped from a situation where we were held captive by the enemies, and the First-Tier Demon, Hell''s Hand, was making a mess in Great Sky. Morne would have to step forward to stop Hell''s Hand, but Morne was currently engaged in a fleet battle with Major General Chun Hyun-il, so he couldn''t step away.


    Compared to the beginning when there was considerable difficulty and interference, the current situation was truly nothing inparison. If I could control Napoleon under such circumstances and invade our current location, we could escape without any problems.


    <i>''Ares. Answer me, Ares.'' </i>


    I concentrated. I concentrated even more.


    But there was no reply.


    <i>''¡­Ares?''</i>


    I was flustered because I didn''t know what was wrong. Of course, being in Great Sky which was enveloped with a defense system, it was almost impossible tomunicate with the outside. But then, haven''t I been doing it all this time?


    But I soon realized a serious problem.


    "Oh, I''ll be damned..."


    Right. The Legion girl wasn''t here. I could no longer control Napoleon remotely.

 Chapter 62: Rescue Operation Part Two (1)

    <h4>Chapter 62: Rescue Operation Part Two (1)</h4>


    <strong>The connection is disconnected. It''s blocked off!</strong>


    A voice tainted with urgency resonated within the bridge deck through themunicator, but Major General Chun Hyun-il did not even lift an eyebrow. This was because it was something he expected anyways.


    "Hmm. I didn''t think you''d be able to keep getting in touch with him so easily... Since it''se to this, perhaps there might be a possibility that this is a trap?"


    He murmured and easily refracted the soul energy wave that was shot from Great Sky controlled by Arch-Sorcerer Morne.


    A fleet battle between transcendents was such arduous hardbour that they couldn''t leave the bridge deck even if it''s for a while, but it wasn''t as if they had to pay full attention to it. Especially for transcendents like them who were used to fighting, it would not be difficult for them tomand and pass down order while being engrossed in a fleet battle.


    <strong>Think of a n, bear dude!</strong>


    "Bear dude this, bear dude that, stop calling me that, you bodiless bastard. I''m thinking about it right now."


    Hyun-il obtained information of the battlefield through the radar. The war situation was so unfavorable that the word <i>''despair'' </i>came to mind, but thanks to Dae-ha, who controlled Napoleon and decimated most of the demi-humans forces, the battle was unfolding rtively better than before.


    <i>''There''s really going to be amotion if the battle information gets ryed to the upper echelons.''</i>


    It was true that Napoleon was a powerful Gigas, but even so, Dae-ha''s performance broke allmon sense. Even if the vast Universe was searched high and low, there would be no more than five people who possessed the level of piloting skills that Dae-ha exhibited, so was there a need to say anything else? It was unbelievable for someone of the human race who had lived less than 30 years to perform at such a level.


    <i>''Of course, the number of Inherent Skills he possessed proved that the bloodline he possessed was by no means ordinary.''</i>


    Hyun-il was determined to protect Dae-ha''s information, but with the way the situation unfolded, it was impossible to hide. The information on the battle was recorded, but still it might be possible to somewhat figure something out, since the Specter of Albatross had already imprinted a very strong impression on the heads of the crew members.


    He had the authority to choose not to disclose the battle information, but only if there was no particr problem. It was impossible to silence over thousands of crew members, so stories would eventually leak out. And, if the upper echelons ordered the disclosure of this information, the information on the battle that happened would definitely have to be reported.


    <i>''And, if so...''</i>


    The Imperial family would surely take interest in Dae-ha. There was a special significance in having a pilot like Dae-ha who could turn the war situation around alone. As a direct example, the present Albatross would have already been destroyed by the demi-humans if it wasn''t for Dae-ha. Since that was no different from Dae-ha saving a Terra-ss battleship alone, if such a pilot was affiliated with the Leonhardt Empire, could you imagine how much benefits would be generated in the future?


    <strong>Hey, bear dude!</strong>


    "Ahh, be quiet! I have to save the Imperial Princess anyway so shut your trap! No, that aside, why are you so restless? He has nothing to do with you, right? He''s not even a transcendent¡­ Hmm?"


    Hyun-il stopped talking. This was because he realized that Ares, who was not interested in anyone, was paying too much attention and sincereness when it came to Dae-ha.


    "Don''t tell me, that guy... is the <strong>Right Person</strong><strong> </strong>for you?"


    Basically, God-rank Gigas could only be piloted by beings who had reached the realm of transcendence, but there were some exceptions. Although not in this era, the previous Emperor of the Leonhardt Empire was not a transcendent, but he was able to ride on the God-rank Gigas, <strong>Ra</strong>. In the case of other Gigas, they also asionally allowed weak beings to pilot them.


    And those people were the Right Person with the bloodline associated with the <strong>name</strong><strong> </strong>of the God-rank Gigas.


    <strong>Oh, maybe?</strong>


    It was an unconfident answer, but Hyun-il who already had an answer in his mind, nodded. For a while, he had been thinking that Dae-ha was born with a special bloodline that was out of the ordinary.


    "The Gods of Olympus¡­ but it''s been thousands of years since the fall of the Gods of Olympus, so it''s strange that their bloodline appeared after all this while. He didn''t even have a speck of talent for warfare, so did he perhaps inherit the blood of one of Ares'' brothers?"


    Ares was one of the most famous Gods of Olympus, the God of War. For one to be qualified as the Right Person for Ares, that person must of course have the blood of the Gods of Olympus flowing in him. Needless to say, Ares had a slightly different opinion.


    <i>''Gods of Olympus my ass.''</i>


    Ares knew that Dae-ha had no connection whatsoever with the Gods of Olympus. This strong shiver that sent shock down his heart was the basis of Dae-ha''s powers, and it was something that had nothing to do with the Ares'' status.


    "By the way, what do you n on doing? Should we go ahead and fire at the coordinates that were ryed thest time theymunicated with you?"


    "It may be possible if we continued tomunicate continuously, but we have to call off that method since we lost contact. Maybe they''re trying to harm the Imperial Princess by borrowing our hands. I don''t know the exact circumstances, but Cheong Won had a mission, so the demi-humans can''t touch a single hair on her."


    "But if so, wouldn''t it be dangerous to send a rescue team? If it''s a trap, we''ll be suppressed the moment we enter."


    Deputy Captain Natalie was correct. It was not normal for Albatross to be able tomunicate with the Imperial Princess, who was taken captive by the enemy, in the first ce. But what if that information was deliberately leaked by the demi-humans?


    However, Hyun-il shook his head.


    "But I still think it would be better to send a rescue team."


    "Howe?"


    "Just because." Hyun-il chuckled with a big smile. "I have a good hunch about this."


    "¡­A gut feeling?"


    "It''s so vivid to the point that it''s rare."


    The awakening of transcendence,monly referred to as the state of transcendence (of course, there were many exceptions to this) was usuallypleted by acquiring three abilities, which were Basic Mana Control, Absolute Control of Mana, and Synchronization of All Things.


    Basic Mana Control referred to the ability to <strong>perceive</strong> and control the minimum unit of mana; Absolute Mana Control was the ability to control Mana of any attribute with a single thought; and Synchronization of All Things was the ability to express one''s will by syncing with the world.


    These were great powers even if they were standalone powers. But when these three abilities achieved a trinity, the Basic Mana Control granted Divinity that allowed the soul to be free from thews of the lower realms; the Absolute Mana Control offered the Status of God capable of bringing all powers under their wings; and finally, the Synchronization of All Things imprinted the existence of a transcendent in the world andpleted the Divine Spirit.


    Of course, all three of them were the powers of lower-rank gods, so the Divinity, Status of God and Divine Spirit were weak beyond measure, but by obtaining these three powers, one would be reborn as a transcendent, not a mortal man.


    And those who had reached the realm of transcendence were able to instinctively sense the <strong>flow of cause and effect </strong>that were rted to themselves due to their Synchronization of All Things ability that could synchronize with the world. Of course, it may not be as specific and concrete as a full-fledged Foresight ability, but it was often surprisingly sharp and it could predict the situation that would be encountered as well as theing future.


    "As you already know, intuition is not a perfectly reliable power, as is often the case with Foresight."


    "I know. Besides, just like the intuition that I''m sensing right now, Morne will also most probably be able to sense it¡­ But since it''s something we have to do at the end of the day anyways, it''s better to just do it when we have the chance to."


    Natalie sighed quietly at the sight of Hyun-il who seemed to have made up his mind. It wasn''t as if there was nothing to be concerned about, but since such a decision was already expected, she operated the disy to mark at one spot.


    "The rescue team is standing by nearby Great Sky in stealth mode."


    "Already? This is why I love you."


    "¡­Enough with the jokes. What would you like to do?"


    "''Well, that''s of course..."


    Hyun-ilughed as he was surrounded by a blue Aura as if he was burning up.


    "Charge in."


    *


    Krieeekkk!


    Along with a loud boom, a huge bullet with a diameter of more than three meters was embedded into the barrier that enveloped Great Sky. The barrier, which was protected by a strong soul energy, endured the hit, but immediately after that, dozens of des popped out from inside of the bullet and began to spin.


    Tatatatatatak!!!


    The surrounding barrier was sucked into the center of the fiercely spinning bullets which were spreading a special wavelength. And after a while, the bullet prated the barrier and even destroyed the deck of Great Sky and pierced within. Of course, the barrier which had self-restoration abilities soon rippled and tried to regenerate back to its original state, but¡ª


    Wiiiiingggg!


    Aiming for the gap that appeared in that one moment, a sleekly-shaped transport ship and five or six Gigas invaded the inside of Great Sky. If it was under usual circumstances, the demi-humans would have gone face-to-face with the crowd of enemies that rushed in at the same time as the barrier was attacked. But, the demi-humans did not have that sort of leeway as they were swept away by the First-Tier Demon, Hell''s Hand''s rampage.


    Boom! Boom!


    The Gigas that overtook the transport ship were vignt in all directions and as the transport ship made anding, the infantry troops got out of the ship in record time. Spearheading the group was a woman donned in tight leather clothes and holding a huge greatsword as big her body. That woman led the rescue team and she was a Swordsmanship Compl¨¦ter, Shin Mi-young -- a strong being that handled the sword freely.


    "Hooo. I was uneasy about this, but as the Captain-nim said, something must have happened. I thought there would be artillery fire as soon as we arrived, but it''s already in ruins."


    To save Dae-ha, Bo-ram participated in the rescue team and she asked Mi-young, who marveled as she looked around.


    "Does that bear ahjusshi [1] have a Foresight ability?"


    "I''m not so sure myself, but I heard that all the transcendents possess a little bit of foresight."


    As Bo-ram listened to Mi-young, she checked her equipment -- whether her gauntlet was materialized, and if the safety lock of theser pistol that was provided to her was unlocked. And while doing that, she asked Dong-min who was standing next to her.


    "Did you sense anything, sunbae?"


    At Bo-ram''s question, Dong-min closed his eyes for a moment and opened them again.


    "¡­For starters, there is no one within a one kilometer radius. But, I can sense explosions and tremors going off from the northwest direction."


    "Is a rebellion or something happening?"


    Mi-young shook her head at Bo-ram''s fresh and original question.


    "That sort of thing won''t happen on a Space Carrier with Morne as its Captain. Besides, seeing that there were facilities that did not explode and were physically destroyed... It looks like some kind of powerful monster or Gigas is running amok out there."


    "Running amok¡­Certainly, it''s a word that fits the terrible scene right now. There are a lot of buildings that seemed like they were destroyed deliberately in the process of a fight."


    "Maybe something like a monster they caught was released free. I don''t think they would just carelessly lock away a monster who could make the surroundings turn into a wastnd, but that''s the only thing thates to my mind for now."


    While they were engrossed in the conversation, all the troops on board the transport ship disembarked and werepletely armed. The transport ships thatnded on the ground deployed a barrier to ward off artillery fires, and a few Gigas hid among the buildings that had moderately copsed and stood guard.


    "Aaron! Where is the Imperial Princess'' location?"


    "We''re searching for her."


    Mi-young''s adjutant, who had Detection abilities, closed his eyes and concentrated on his consciousness. Needless to say, he followed along because it was impossible to find their target with a simple search in Great Sky which was bigger than a decent-sized city.


    "Hmm?"


    Dong-min was looking around, however, at that time, his expression changed.


    "What''s wrong, sunbae?"


    "Holy shit! Bo-ram! Get themunicator!"


    "Ehh? I''m carrying it with me, but why---"


    Shiiingggg!


    The space seemed to be distorted in an instant and Dong-min and Bo-ram''s figure disappeared. And¡­


    "Wow¡­ They-, they''re really here. This effect is really amazing¡­"


    In front of them, Dae-ha was standing aloof with a torn talisman in his hands.


    1. Ahjusshi is uncle in Korean. Can be used to address an older man even without blood rtions.

 Chapter 63: Rescue Operation Part Two (2)

    <h4>Chapter 63: Rescue Operation Part Two (2)</h4>


    "Wow¡­They-, they''re really here. This effect is really amazing¡­"


    In front of them, Dae-ha was standing aloof with a torn talisman in his hands.


    "What the hell, was that a summon? Then you should''ve just briefly exined the situation to us before teleporting us here."


    The amulet torn by Dae-ha was an item that Bo-ram recognized. The moment Dae-ha tore it at will, a technique would be invoked to summon pre-designated characters. With the battle unfolding, Dong-min had left the amulet with Dae-ha for emergency purposes in the off chance that it became impossible to protect thetter by his side.


    "The talisman is for one-time use only. You can invoke the right to refuse to be summoned, but then you wouldn''t be able to reach here."


    "But... oh, dear. Hold on for a second." Bo-ram grumbled and took out the thing she had packed in advance. It was a military-usemunicator that can send powerful radio waves andmunicate with specific frequencies anywhere.


    "Unnie! Can you hear my voice?"


    <strong>I can hear you! Where did you go all of a sudden? Even if you are a civilian, you must always report during an operation¡­</strong>


    "I found the Imperial Princess!"


    <strong>What!?</strong>


    Mi-young was about to reprimand Bo-ram but stopped as soon as she heard the sudden good news. Naturally, they would have to search for a substantial amount of time and it was a desperate search operation that might lead to only fights against the enemy without being able to find the Imperial Princess and Dae-ha. But the situation had changed rapidly with this news.


    "This is Celestia Ra Leonhardt. These two flew in after Dae-ha tore up some sort of talisman. I don''t think they crossed the universe to reach here, so you''ve probably invaded Great Sky, right?"


    <strong>For the glory of Your Majesty the Emperor! I''m Lieutenant Shin Mi-young, Leader of the First Armored Infantry Squadron! As you said, I led the troops and we''ve sessfully infiltrated Great Sky and we are currently building a temporary fort. How is your royal body faring?</strong>


    "Yes, I''m fine. But I don''t know whether my body will keep staying intact."


    Krieeekkk!!


    The sound of an explosion resonated as soon as Celestiapleted her sentence. The demi-humans troops had already identified the location of Celestia and Dae-ha, and that was the sound of the demi-humans breaking through the crumbling corridors and advancing towards them.


    <strong>We''ll confirm your location immediately and move out! Dong-min! Is it possible for you to teleport back here again and move our personnel to where you currently are?</strong>


    "Unfortunately, it is impossible because there is a power in ce here preventing teleportation. I gave a magical instrument to my target of protection, so it can only be done once."


    <strong>Well, I expected that it was impossible too¡­ Understood. Use the Transmit Position function on themunicator.</strong>


    "Yes, unnie! I''ll stall for as much time as I can!"


    <strong>...Bo-ram, I''ve said this over and over again, don''t call me unnie, call me Squadron Leader.</strong>


    Themunication was cut off after Mi-young finished her sentence. Bo-ram clicked her tongue with themunicator in hand, "My God, I''m not even a soldier, so why is she so obsessed with how I address her? By the way, are you all right, Sunbae? Yourplexion doesn''t look good."


    "I''ve been through quite a lot of hardship. No, more than that."


    "Hmm? What''s up?"


    Dae-ha looked at Bo-ram who was questioning him with a strange expression. He stared above her head for a moment and then looked at the key with a strange design on his hand. And then, he asked, "Did you perhaps get sealed or something?"


    "Huh? A seal?"


    Dae-ha tilted his head when he saw Bo-ram''s expression - an indication that she couldn''t understand what he was asking.


    "Mmm? Your body didn''t get sealed? Did that thing on your arm get sealed then?"


    "...Wait a minute, Sunbae."


    Bo-ram''s expression turned stiff, and she dragged Dae-ha to a corner in a hurry. Even though she looked like a young girl, she possessed a power equivalent to thirty people. Even Dae-ha, who was rtively on the sturdier side, wasn''t able to resist being dragged along by her.


    "Ughhh. It hurts, you punk."


    "Ehem, I''m sorry. I was surprised, so... no, that aside!" Bo-ram''s expression became serious. "Where did you hear about the seal?"


    "I just knew."


    "No, that''s ridiculous. What kind of nonsense is that? It''s the second stage¡­ ah, it''s nothing."


    Bo-ram thoughtlessly blurted it out, but paused. Of course, it wasn''t a very big mistake. It wouldn''t be easy to figure anything out just from that slip of the tongue.


    However, Dae-ha was proud of himself as the king of wits.


    "Second stage? Second stage¡­ Second stage! I see! It''s a two-stage transformation! There''s a seal on the second stage of the transformation! Come to think of it, my father said that all the seals were lifted, including the first-stage transformation!"


    "Do-, don''t yell!!"


    Dae-ha was puzzled at the sight of her freaking out.


    "Hmm? Is there a problem with it? Is the two-stage transformation a secret that shouldn''t be revealed?"


    "Of course that''s... not it, but... Anyway, just don''t pay any heed to this! It''s a seal that can''t be undone anyways."


    It was a conclusive remark, and it was also true. Bo-ram was born with a two-stage transformation and only experienced it once. It was something that didn''t belong to the Physical Realm but another dimension.


    The irresponsible golden dragon that gave her <strong>power</strong> had told her that she would not be able to release the seal until she reached the state of transcendence. And of course, attaining transcendence was impossible.


    Although her powers reached an excellent level despite her age, the current level she was at was no more and no less than a skilled master. In fact, the power she can exert was more overwhelming than that. However, it wasn''t because her level was high, but because of her inherent bloodline and the power of her transformation.


    "But what if you could release the seal?"


    "I-, I refuse!"


    "... It''s not as if it''s impossible to unseal, but you refuse?"


    "¡­"


    "What the hell?"


    Dae-ha looked as if he didn''t understand the rationale behind her words. Just then, Dong-min butted into their conversation, "Hmm, so that''s what it was."


    "What are you talking about again?"


    Dong-min nodded his head while looking at the bewildered Dae-ha. He recalled what he had heard from his teacher before leaving Earth.


    <strong>ording to the prophecy, one will be able to release the Seal of Jeseokcheon on their own. </strong>


    He thought of the Jeseokcheon''s Vajra Scepter that was with him. It was an unprecedented Godly Artifact that possessed Jeseokcheon''s origins.


    <i>''Maybe¡­ He expected this and sent me here?''</i>


    To be honest, there were many things that Dong-min couldn''t understand about this journey from the very beginning. He personally respected Il-han a lot and he knew that his origins caused him to be greatly indebted to Il-han, but it wasn''t possible for Il-han to send him Jeseokcheon''s Vajra Scepter, a treasure with the greatest origin. How could Il-han send that sort of treasure into space when he didn''t know what would''ve unfolded here? It was a treasure that must be protected even at the expense of all the lives of the n if an enemy came for it.


    <i>''And that¡­ <strong>Magical Girl</strong> too.''</i>


    It was ssified, but he knew something about the <strong>power</strong> Bo-ram possessed. It was a mighty power that she received from a Dragon God of an Alternate Realm. In fact, now that they hade this far, they knew that this wasn''t an Alternate Realm but an Outer Realm. Most importantly, he himself as well as Bo-ram was carrying a bomb that went beyond the standards of Another ne which exists in a small realm called Earth.


    What if Dae-ha was an existence who could set the bomb on fire?


    Booooom--!!


    At that moment, another explosion went off. It meant that the enemies wereing close.


    "Hmm. For now, it means that Bo-ram can''t do it, right?"


    "What? Oh, well, rather than saying she can''t¡­ "


    "No, then it''s okay. Then what about you, Dong-min?""


    "...That sounds interesting. I''ll try." said Dong-min as he took out the Vajra Scepter. Dae-ha inserted his key on the Vajra Scepter.


    Kigik!


    Dae-ha stayed still for a while after the key easily stuck on the body of the Vajra Scepter which wouldn''t even be scratched by any attack. Celestia also took interest in it and approached them.


    "Do you finally know how to use that Transcendence Weapon perfectly now?"


    "I''m not sure, but... roughly."


    "Huh? Wait a minute. What are you two talking about? What Transcendence Weapon?"


    "You''re saying that this key is a Transcendence Weapon?" Bo-ram and Dong-min asked almost simultaneously. But nheless¡­


    Click.


    The key opened the Vajra Scepter of Jeseokcheon.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Kabooom!


    With the sound of an explosion, debris from the copsed corridor scattered and the sponge melted away in the heat. If they were determined to kill us from the very beginning, they would''ve controlled the direction of the explosion and made it explode inwards. However, they had no choice but to choose this method because of the restriction that they couldn''t harm Celestia.


    "Charge! We must subdue the Imperial Princess before any variables appear!"


    "Activate the Suppression Technique and put pressure on the soul energy itself!"


    Their intrusion was faster than I thought. It seemed that the demi-humans realized the seriousness of the situation and put their utmost effort into it. But as a result, they made a mistake.


    Thuck... Thud thuck¡­


    Dong-min stood in the middle of the copsed corridor.


    His stone-like eyes were so calm and silent that it seemed as if he wouldn''t care about any flow of the world. However, contrary to such a calmness, an intense Aura flowed through his whole body.


    "A human?"


    "There''s a new intruder! He''s not one of the two we caught before!"


    "Kill him!"


    I''ve always felt this way, but the demi-humans really found pleasure in killing. They weren''t only like this when they were going against humans. Generally speaking, they tended to fight and they also had murderous tendencies.


    They were antsy because they couldn''t eat me even when they saw me. But from what I''ve seen so far, if two demi-humans fought, they would still eat each other regardless of being the same species. Thew of the jungle had continued as their culture for a long time throughout the years. The strong were respected, and the weak would be eliminated. On the same token, the weak would be prey to the strong and this culture was no different from heaven for the strong, and hell for the weak.


    And because they were beings like that¡­ The bloodlust they exhibited was by no means normal. The intense bloodlust would instill fear in their opponents the moment they came face-to-face with them, and it led the other species to recognize the demi-humans as predators in the hierarchy. However, such bloodlust meant nothing to inanimate objects such as stones or rocks, as well as thunder or lightning.


    Kwareukkkkkkk!


    A deafening roar weighed down on everything in the surrounding. I hid behind the wall and blocked my ears while groaning.


    "That''s brutal."


    Despite the overwhelming Aura, the demi-humans were screaming and charging forward, but it was all useless in the face of the raging thunder and lightning. Those who had faith in their sturdy body and charged forward were roasted ck, and those that formed a barrier to block the iing lightning were roasted along their barrier into a lump of charcoal and rolled on the floor.


    "Mmhmm. His power is beyond my imagination. If it goes on like this, maybe we can really escape without any problems."


    Celestia looked surprised as she stared at Dong-min who was shooting sparks from beyond the wall. She was worried because he suddenly stepped forward, but he was wiping out the enemy overwhelmingly.


    But at that moment, Bo-ram said, "Over... it''s over."


    "What?"


    As I turned my head in bewilderment, I saw Bo-ram looking Dong-min with a pale expression. Celestia squinted her eyes as if she had an idea about what was going on.


    "Don''t tell me, he''s being <strong>eaten</strong>?"


    "That''s a given of course! It''s true that Dong-min sunbae has a pretty strong mental power, but there''s no way he can ovee the power contained in a Godly Artifact!"


    Kwareureukkk! Bzzzappp!


    There was lightning and thunder raging around. The demi-humans, who flocked together to subdue us, finally tried to retreat as they were almost totally annihted. However, even doing that was impossible.


    Bzzzappp!


    A lightning that literally shot like a sh of light struck the bodies of the retreating demi-humans. They wouldn''t be able to run away from Dong-min if they couldn''t stop the thunderbolt, or retreat faster than the lightning could reach.


    I asked hastily, "What do you mean by he''s being eaten? Is there a problem with Dong-min''s body?"


    "There''s going to be a problem with his consciousness! The power of the weapon will take away its user''s body! Dong-min sunbae has already lost consciousness. That power is going to keep activating until his body ends up breaking down¡­ And most importantly, it''s impossible to control his movement! If it goes on like this, going up there and fighting with the demi-humans will pose a problem, but, maybe, just maybe¡­" Boram gritted her teeth at the sight of Dong-min who killed all the demi-humans before turning to us.


    "He might harm us too." Bo-ram continued.


    Dong-min was holding the Vajra Scepter which was surrounded by bright-blue lightning and had turned into a lightning spear. He faced us with his eyes open, and his pupils were nowhere to be seen. There was no bloodlust. Nature had neither bloodlust, nor any killing intent. A raging typhoon was not formed for the purpose of killing people, nor did it have any malice. The eruption of a volcano and the foreboding of a tsunami, too, were all natural phenomenons.


    "This... is troubling."


    Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Celestia readied herself to battle and released her Golden Lion Aura. Bo-ram was also ready to immediately transform if needed. But all I did was tilt my head.


    "We just have to negate it, right?" I said and raised my right hand which was holding the key. Then, I thrusted it into the empty air that had nothing. I felt as if I started to know how to use this key.


    <strong>[Would you like to reseal?]</strong>


    Was there any need for answers? I turned my wrist without hesitation.


    Click.

 Chapter 64: Rescue Operation Part Two (3)

    <h4>Chapter 64: Rescue Operation Part Two (3)</h4>


    <strong>[Would you like to reseal?]</strong>


    Was there any need for answers? I turned my wrist without hesitation.


    Click.


    A metallic sound reverberated in the empty air and the approaching Dong-min copsed powerlessly like a deted balloon doll. Bo-ram quickly went to Dong-min''s side and checked his condition.


    "How is he?"


    "He just passed out because he used a lot of physical strength, but he''s fine. No, more than that... You can seal the scepter''s powers away from a long-distance? You don''t have to insert the key in directly for you to seal the powers?"


    "Mmmhmm."


    "How did you know to do that? Did you talk to it or something?"


    It was an interesting assumption, but obviously, that wasn''t the case.


    "No. I just kind of knew."


    Bo-ram groaned and murmured, "Is that how it is?"


    Before I knew it, Celestia approached my side with a bbergasted expression.


    "I didn''t think it would be abat-type weapon because of its key shape, but it''s quite peculiar huh. It has the power to release the seal of a Godly Artifact? No, perhaps the key was made in this shape with the power to<strong> </strong>release a seal<strong> </strong>such that it could also set a sealed demon from the Demon tribe free from their restrictions."


    "Is it a unique function?"


    Celestia nodded at my question, "Of course. Think about it, why would the title <strong>Transcendence Weapon </strong>be spread throughout the whole universe? In the first ce, Godly Artifacts were basically items that¡­"


    "No, wait a bit." I raised my hand to stop her from continuing because I was starting to get confused on the terms. "What I don''t really understand is what''s the difference between a Transcendence Weapon and a Godly Artifact? Does it mean the same thing?"


    "¡­"


    At that moment, Celestia looked at me, her expression evident that she was thinking how pathetic I sounded.


    I was embarrassed and questioned, "Why, what''s wrong?"


    "Nothing, but even so, you don''t know much about this, do you? Though you''re from an inferior civilization, you should have been able to get some decent information if you have gone to a library to check it out."


    She was right. I would have been able to obtain basic background information at the library. Of course, it would be difficult to find any information that was confidential, not widely avable, ormonly known knowledge. However, Albatross had an educational system designed to take into ount the existence of inferior civilizations that came to the universe, so I could just go and take lessons there.


    <i>''Needless to say, it''s not an easy thing to do!''</i>


    If a person from the Joseon Era (1392-1910) suddenly came to the modern times, there would be countless vocabry, words, concepts and even things they wouldn''t know. They wouldn''t know what a car was, and they also wouldn''t know any famous organizations like the WTO (World Trade Organization) or the UN (United Nations). Even if it had been a while since they arrived in the modern times, there would be a high possibility that they would not be able to grasp what a diesel engine or an antimatter bomb was.


    No matter who it was, if they were thrown into a whole new environment, it wouldn''t be an easy matter topletely understand about the new environment. In fact, weren''t there a lot of cases where people who lived abroad for a year didn''t know the rough history of the country they were in?


    However, Celestia responded heartlessly, "It''s been a while since you''vee to space, it''s not that big of a deal and you don''t even know this much. I heard you had a great deal of personal time¡­ What the hell have you been doing during the long time you were here?"


    "Ha, haha. If you want to know what I did."


    "If?"


    I wanted to confuse her and change the topic, but she had a keen eye.


    I confessed the truth dejectedly, "I-, I yed some games."


    "¡­Ugh, what a loser."


    "Be, be quiet! Why can''t I y some games!?"


    How long would I have to live in space in the first ce to have to study about it!? I didn''t even really like history on Earth either!


    Bo-ram came closer to us and exined, as if she was empathizing with me as a fellow Earthling. As she went to the library everyday to the point that she basically lived there, she was already so well-versed about the Universe that it wasn''t an exaggeration to say that she was already as well-informed as an extraterrestrial being(?).


    "A Godly Artifact and a Transcendence Weapon are simr but at the same time, they are two different concepts. To put it simply, a Godly Artifact is something that contained the power of God, and a Transcendence Weapon is something that possessed godly powers."


    "¡­Then what''s the difference? Something that contained the power of God and something that possessed godly powers?"


    "It''s just as I said, Sunbae. For example, what I am carrying right now."


    Wiiiiingggg-! Chakak!


    Bo-ram''s steel bracers, or gauntlet, which existed faintly, became vivid and revealed itself. Except for the second joint of her fingers and beyond, the silver metal covered her arms from the back of her hand to her elbow, and it was solid without any gaps in between.


    "This <strong>Golden Princess</strong> is a Godly Artifact imbued with the power of the Golden Dragon God. So it''s not a Transcendence Weapon. This is, so to speak¡­ A vessel that brings out the power of the Golden Dragon God, but it doesn''t contain the power of a Battleship-grade by itself."


    It was a slightly spiteful exnation, but I roughly understood it and attempted to confirm my understanding, "A Godly Artifact refers to everything that God has made, but Transcendence Weapons are items that have the power to be a threat to God?"


    "That''s correct. It''s true that there were some Godly Artifacts that could be called a Transcendence Weapon, but not all Transcendence Weapons are Godly Artifacts. All in all, the history books stated that the Gods had not been able to create a Godly Artifact great enough to threaten God''s existence¡­ And among the Godly Artifacts, there were many that only possessed really trivial and jumbled powers. For example, Another ne, which could be considered a parallel world to Earth, has Godly Artifacts, but there aren''t any weapons that are ssified as Transcendence Weapons."


    I sorted out my thoughts at her exnation, "So in the end, what you''re trying to say is that this key possessed a power that is rare even among the Transcendence Weapons, and its power is probably one that''s able to release the seal on Godly Artifacts?"


    Celestia nodded in agreement at my words, "Yes, and if that''s the case, there''s a high chance that it''s made by a God. It''s not like it can only unseal certain seals. Its ability to release seals is extremely versatile, and such an ability is something that is hard to materialize in a regr Transcendence Weapon crafted by abination of civilization and resources. It''s safe to say it''s a Godly Artifact that contained the <strong>power of authority."</strong>


    "Hmm." I silently stared at the key I was holding in my hand.


    <strong>In hibernation, Key</strong>


    It was a simple, in fact, too simple a title and name that it felt strange. Even if I used <strong>ssification </strong>on this damn key, nothing popped out. If I used ssification on a freshly made bungeoppang [1] for an hour, a text of more than 1,000 characters would pop out, but nothing came out of this key to the point that it was odd. It was already impossible to see the material it was made of, let alone the creator or its origin. So it was obvious to anyone''s eyes that my ability was somehow blocked.


    <i>''I''ll put it to good use for now, but...I really don''t know anything about it.''</i> I was grumbling inwardly. While I was doing so, Bo-ram shook the unconscious Dong-min lightly, but she soon gave up and stood up.


    I sighed and approached them at the scene that looked simr to a small rabbit supporting a tiger, "I''ll hold him."


    "Ahh, Sunbae? But..."


    "I can''t fight anyways, so I''ll have to at least carry some luggage¡­ huh?!"


    But when I tried to take Dong-min from Bo-ram, his body slipped past my finger. Fortunately, Bo-ram held on to Dong-min again, but things almost went wrong, and he nearly rolled over.


    "Wha-, what is this? Why is he so heavy?"


    An unconscious person would be heavier than usual, but what I just felt was not something that could be exined by just that. It was not just in heavy, it was so heavy to the point that I felt a threat to my life, as if arge refrigerator or a grand piano was ced on my body in an instant.


    I stared at Bo-ram in surprise and I could see her sighing while holding on to Dong-min.


    "Dong-min Sunbae has a peculiar constitution, so he weighs close to a ton. Usually, he would be able to control it himself, but he can''t do that right now since he has passed out."


    "¡­But, you''re holding him up with just one hand?"


    Bo-ram blushed slightly at the sight of me groaning with astonishment.


    "Well, it''s because of the closebat circuit, my physical strength is not that strong, alright!"


    "I''m not teasing you, it''s because I''m envious. I''m envious alright. Ah! Come to think of it, can''t I also install and equip that circuit?"


    Without riding on a Gigas, it would be hard to even beat a neighbourhood bully with my fighting skills and it was difficult to stay alive. If just one of the massacred demi-humans were to charge at me, I wouldn''t be able to survive because I was so weak, so I couldn''t wander around thoughtlessly.


    But unfortunately, Bo-ram shook her head, "I''m sorry, but this is a concept that needs to be adapted and the procedure also takes a lot of time. Also, don''t feel burdened with everything just because of something like this. Dong-min Sunbae and I are here as your escorts, so this is originally my job."


    As Bo-ram borated, she lifted Dong-min''s body with one arm and put it on her shoulder like he was a bag of rice. I felt a subtle sense of difference which was hard to wrap my head around when she put the sturdy Dong-min on her shoulder despite her small build. But, there was no way for me to help anyway.


    Whooooosh---!


    Just then , there was a loud bang from far, far, far and there was a tremor that coursed through the ground as if there had been an earthquake. There was no way there would be an earthquake inside a spaceship, so obviously it was the sound of Hell''s Hand running amok.


    "¡­Holy crap."


    But when Celestia heard that sound, her expression turned stiff like a stone.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "That demon was beaten."


    "...Holy shit."


    As a First-Tier Demon Tribe demon, Hell''s Hand seemed to possess an indescribably strong fighting power, but even so, this ce was Great Sky, the Space Carrier of the demi-humans, and the number of demi-humans in here was impossible to measure. Despite being in the middle of the enemy camp, he was able to cause a huge mess. Yet even then, he was defeated in the end.


    "We have to hurry."


    "That''s right. That demon was defeated, so obviously they''ll being for us next." Celestia took the lead with her assault rifle on hand. I also followed after her, and Bo-ram carried Dong-min and followed behind me.


    "Ah ah, this is the Imperial Princess. What''s the location?"


    Celestia confirmed that there was no one around and spoke on themunicator. After a while, there was a blinking light on themunicator.


    <strong>We''re engaged in a battle with the enemy right now, so please stand by where you are! It will be dangerous if you run into another group of demi-humans!</strong>


    Did she say her name was Mi-young? Anyway, there was a constant sound of explosions behind the Squadron Leader''s voice. Fortunately, it didn''t seem to be a critical situation, and it seems that they could figure out where we are.


    But Celestia shook her head, "I''m sorry to say, but it''s going to be tough to stay still here because the enemy knows where we are. Are we moving in the correct direction now?"


    <strong>Yes! Move 700 meters along the current corridor you are in, then climb up the side building and move 300 meters to the right!</strong>


    ording to what I heard, it wasn''t too far of a distance. Of course, it was hard to believe that we had to travel this distance indoors, but we were in Great Sky, which was close to the size of a city, so we were probably only moving a little from the corners of the ship.


    The problem was that there would be enemies blocking the path.


    "Okay. Then I''ll get a move on, and it''ll be great if you cane and pick us up."


    <strong>That''s of course, Imperial Princess-nim! Come on now, you bastards, make haste!</strong>


    Along with Mi-young''s voice, themunication was cut off.


    Looking at Celestia who was holding an assault rifle, I asked, "I think the demi-human fuckers are flocking towards us, so wouldn''t it be better to stay here and fight it out?"


    "It''ll be troublesome if we do that and more enemies gather. The worst thing about this situation right now is that we''re separated from the rescue team."


    "Then?"


    "What do you mean then?"


    Celestiaughed with a chilly expression in response to my question, "I''m going to jump in and make a mess of the demi-humans battle lines. Because they can''t hurt me."


    The environment in the middle of the enemy''s camp was too unfavorable for us, but there was a strong handicap against them since they couldn''t harm Celestia. If Celestia had been an ordinary and helpless girl, it would be the end if she was caught. However, she was a powerful ability holder and at the same time, a soldier; it wouldn''t be easy at all to subdue her without hurting her.


    "¡­If that''s your judgment, I''ll follow through, but be careful. If you''re captured, then it''s all over."


    "Hmph. None of the demi-humans can catch the armed me without hurting me." Celestia answered confidently.


    But then a new voice interrupted from the front, "That''s quite a hasty judgement."


    "¡­!"


    "What?"


    "Holy fuck...!"


    Celestia and I froze at the same time. Bo-ram was so surprised that she dropped Dong-min and activated the Golden Princess.


    "You''re being too wild just because this is a situation we have to be careful about. You bitch¡­"


    <i>''Despair''</i> was standing right there.


    Boooom!


    As he took one step, the ground shook lightly. A creature was looking down at us. He was sorge that his head even touched the ceiling of the corridors of Great Sky, which was basically so high up beyond that of a human''s spacecraft.


    "Mo-, Morne..."


    Yes. It was him. The mighty transcendent, the Arch-Sorcerer Morne and Captain of Great Sky, was before us.


    1. It''s a Korean dessert, typically also called carp bread. And it''s filled with a sweet filling like red bean or cream, and shaped like a carp as the name implies.

 Chapter 65: Rescue Operation Part Two (4)

    <h4>Chapter 65: Rescue Operation Part Two (4)</h4>


    **READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. R-18 CONTENT AHEAD.**


    "Mo-, Morne..."


    Yes. It was him. The mighty transcendent, the Arch-Sorcerer Morne and Captain of Great Sky, was before us.


    "This is annoying. It''s supposed to be a one-sided war, but to think it hade to this. We''ve lost a huge number of fighter jets and Gigas, and even under such circumstances, have a goddamn Demon tribe bastard run amok and destroy a huge part of the Space Carrier. On top of that, to have the Saints involved¡­ our Federation must be standing on the crossroads of existence¡­ Thanks to that, it''s no different from making a reservation for a hearing to be held after the war."


    Morne was walking alone in the spacious corridor and there weren''t any other demi-humans seen. But even if there was only one enemy, could this even be considered a relief? He was a transcendent being who was strong enough to be called a God if he ever descended to a lower civilization. Although he was humiliated by Cheong Won from the Saint Realm¡­ That was because of a slight difference, and not because Morne was weak. It was because Cheong Won was a high-ranking Saint, a powerful transcendent who possessed the status of an Intermediate God, which was rare even in the universe.


    "Sunbae!"


    As we faced each other, Bo-ram ran towards me. I wasn''t sure of it because Morne was watching us, but I knew what she wanted. She wanted me to release the seal on the Golden Princess.


    "Haiyaaaah---!!"


    A golden radiance spread out like an explosion from Celestia''s body. The light that had spread everywhere in an instant gathered again, and soon mustered on her assault rifle. She seemed to have concentrated her strength on her own guns.


    But at that moment, in a heavy voice, Morne said, "Restraint them, Argus."


    Bang bang bang!


    Shield-shaped totems fell from the empty air and prated the metal floors. I was startled and tried to back off as Bo-ram actually kicked the floor and flew forward. But at that moment, Bo-ram and I were stuck on the floor as if we had been pressed down by a huge invisible hand.


    Tatatak!


    And all the photon bullets that Celestia shot were also deflected by the shield and perished. The bullets that should have been able to prate the shields were also blocked entirely by the force field released by the shield.


    Bang!


    "Urgh¡­!"


    Celestia, who shot the photon bullets, was crushed andid face down on the floor. She tried to resist it by releasing the golden light with all her might, but the difference in power was too stark for her to oppose.


    Crack! Crack!


    Our bodies were stuck to the ground and trembling as the totems slowly tread towards where we were. As they bumped up and down on the floor, they produced deep furrows on the floor and intuitively I knew that we should never pass over them.


    "You''ve been going on a rampage however you wanted - to the point where the guys below are begging me to kill you. Among them, a few are very interested in your lower regions. They do not care about the kind of species you are when ites to such things."


    Though Morne''s appearance was no different from that of a monster, he spoke with a clear and dignified voice. However, he couldn''t hide the bloodlust that undeid his voice. Among the demi-humans who disliked humans, he especially showed a strong inclination towards that. Because he hadpleted the transcendent soul, he wasn''t afraid of expressing his feelings honestly.


    Yet even in the face of such a dense bloodlust, Celestia did not bat an eye. No, rather, she was even smiling as if she was having fun.


    "Well, there are not only one or two jerks who are interested in my lower regions, but I didn''t know even the demi-humans would be interested. By the way, how did you get here? I thought you weren''t able to leave the bridge deck by now because it was being attacked by Major General Chun Hyun-il."


    "Who knows. Is there a need for me to exin that to you?" said Morne as he walked towards Celestia.


    Bang!


    The photon bullet that was fired refracted in front of Morne and destroyed one of the walls. Celestia''s double-handed revolver rose by itself and fired, but Morne blocked it so easily.


    <i>''Damn it, as expected, it doesn''t work huh.''</i>


    The reason why Celestia was able to wipe the floor with the demi-humans so easily was not only because she was strong, but also because of the handicap that they had to capture her without hurting her. Even in the middle of the enemy camp, it was difficult to stop her unless they made decent preparations to surround her in an encirclement. However, if the opponent was a transcendent, the situation would bepletely different. No matter how well Celestia could fight, she wouldn''t even be able to properly resist and she would just be overpowered by Morne.


    "Don''t make a fuss, human girl. As disgusting as it may be, I''ve decided to wee you as my wife, so I''m going to have to act appropriately."


    "What? Hahaha! You have decided to y along with this madness?"


    Morne replied seriously to Celestia''s reaction which seemed to be ridiculing him, "If that''s the path I have to take so that our Tekea Federation can survive, then that''s what I should do."


    His calm voice made me realize that he really meant what he said. And the same could be said for Celestia too.


    "...You''ve gone crazy."


    "I was thinking of taking the time to find a way. But I can''t help it since all of you are driving me into a corner."


    "So you''re going to announce our marriage to the public? Do you think that would receive recognition?"


    "It doesn''t matter. I don''t think that''s what that Saint bastard is expecting anyways."


    Morne began to strode towards Celestia, "It means you have to give your body up to me and ept my seeds."


    Cluck.


    For a moment, Morne''s figure began to flicker.


    Cluck.


    His figure with a height of more than four meters, no, five meters, grew smaller and smaller like a deted balloon. His huge mouth that could easily chew me up seemed to disappear and his ws that were as long as a long sword vanished like a stream of water that was poured into a drain hole and was concealed into his flickering body.


    "My goodness." I could hear Boram groaning while lying down about three meters away from me. And I felt the same way too.


    "He''s transforming."


    Before we knew it, the giant Tyrannosaurus-like figure was nowhere to be seen. Then, standing in front of Celestia, who was lying on the ground, was a man with impressive green hair, a height of about 185 centimeters, a well-toned body, and a pair of sharp eyes.


    "Well... I''ve never heard that the dinosaur tribe''s battle spells possessed the power to change their appearance."


    "Only witnessing it right before your eyes would make you believe in this huh. That''s such a human-like thought. I''m Arch-Sorcerer Morne! It''s not as if this is a spell to be imparted to others. Making a spell like this that changes the appearance and to be used by only me is as simple as breathing." said Morne and he kicked Celestia so hard to the point that there was a thud sound. Though there was a tremendous force pushing Celestia down, that one kick overturned Celestia''s body naturally. Originally belly side down, her body was now flipped over and her back was stuck t on the ground.


    "This¡­ This bastard!!!"


    Once again, a golden light burst from the body of Celestia; a destructive Aura that destroyed and demolished everything. But Morne waved his hands as if nothing had happened.


    Whooooong!


    A wind that was so heavy and cold that it seemed to crush Celestia''s hopes formed, centering around Morne. And as the wind whirled through the surroundings, Celestia''s Golden Lion Aura was blown away, leaving no trace to be found. Even the weapons she was equipped with all flew away and rolled on the floor.


    <i>''It''s overwhelming.''</i>


    There was no way for her to resist. Rather, it would''ve been much better to be surrounded by hundreds of demi-humans. The saying, ''An inferior existence couldn''t possibly handle a transcendent who had gained a Divine Spirit that surpassed the limits of a life form'' was true. Even if I was riding on a Gigas, It would be difficult to handle a transcendent of that level, so what could I even do with only my physical body right now?


    "Stay still, you little chick. I have no intention to make it painful."


    "You, you bastard¡­"


    "You''re still headstrong huh. That''s the first habit I need to fix."


    Skriekkk.


    As Morne drew his fingers down, the bodycon battle suit slowly began to tear apart. The split, which started from the chest, slowly ripped downwards and reached the belly beyond the sr plexus, and naturally Celestia''s pure white breasts revealed themselves.


    Morne didn''t stop there. The split went on and on and finally her clothes were cut into two pieces altogether. Celestia struggled, but both her wrists and ankles were stuck to the ground due to an unknown force. The struggle only resulted in the clothes pieces on her body to slip off.


    <i>''Oh my God.''</i>


    I turned my face around and faced away from Celestia. However, the scene that was presented before my very vision for that brief moment got embedded in my mind and wouldn''t easily vanish. Her milky-white skin looked as if it was made of flour; and it was hard to imagine her skinny and slender body would actually be so voluminous, and above all, <i>that</i> below...


    <i>''Focus!''</i> I shook my head to shake off the distracting thoughts. I felt I had to find something I could do even if I was weak. I worked my brain. The weapon I had now was the key around my neck. Is there any way I could make use of this?


    "Damn it..."


    But it was impossible. I couldn''t even lift my arm, let alone hold the key. Like Celestia, both my wrists and ankles were glued to the ground and I couldn''t even move a muscle. The only thing I could move was my head.


    "Ugh..."


    And I could also see Bo-ram struggling behind me as well. Contrary to me, she possessed an incredibly strong muscr strength. Even so, she was in the same situation. She, too, couldn''t even lift an arm and was just wasting her energy trying to let herself loose to the point that her whole face turned as red as a tomato.


    "You¡­ you fucking asshole..."


    While we were struggling to get up, Morne did not stop what he was doing. He stripped Celestia to the point where she was almostpletely naked. And¡­ by that point, the proud Celestia, too, began to shudder. Because she realized that Morne was trying to force himself on her right here right now.


    "Don''t make a fuss, girl. I can''t kill you, nor can I hurt you, but I can at least give you the greatest shame of your life." said Morne as he loosen the buckle on his pants. This lunatic was really trying to force himself on her right here right now.


    <strong>Ooooouhhhhhh------!</strong>


    The naked Celestia roared. The Golden Lion Aura was emitted again and turned into a silhouette of a humongous lion basking in golden light. She seemed to have activated some kind of power, just like when she summoned the roasted whole pig to restore my strength.


    "You''re doing something useless huh."


    But with a thud, a huge hole was pierced in the head of the golden lion made of golden light, and the lion that just appeared dispersed like fog.


    "You... remember this. I''ll definitely kill you."


    This time, Celestia had exhausted all means, and all she could do was growled at the approaching Morne who. And that whole situation... I had to helplessly watch that scene.


    <i>''Damn it!''</i> I couldn''t do anything. Even the Specter of Albatross, despite conquering the battlefield on a Gigas, waspletely useless in this situation.


    Morneughed wildly at the sight of Celestia growling at him, "As expected, there''s a need to stifle your spirit down. Athen!


    <strong>Yes, Captain-nim.</strong>


    Along with the answer, an eyeball measuring about one meter in diameter appeared in the air. In a hologram state, the eye stared straight at Morne.


    "From now on, film what''s happening here by using whatever means necessary."


    <strong>Copy that, Captain-nim.</strong>


    It was a cold voice that contained no emotion. Lying down in despair, I raised my head, "A control persona?"


    <strong>Hmmm? What is it, you bug. Do you know something about Athen?</strong>


    I probably spoke a little too loud that Morne, who had been ignoring me all this while, appeared to be showing interest in me. This made me anxious in an instant.


    <i>''Should I do it? But¡­ now?''</i>


    It was a dangerous thing to do. It might be possible to feed the demi-humans a load of bullshit, but that was more of a terrorist act rather than an act that could ensure my safety.


    It was possible to bring trouble. But right after that, would Morne keep me alive? And most of all, if it became known that I was capable of doing something like this, it would basically guarantee a life without peace for me. The reason why I had been saving and hiding this power was because I knew this power was too dangerous in this Universe.


    <i>''But.''</i>


    I looked at Celestia naked with her teeth clenched. I was trying to put up with it, but I could see a drop of tear at the tip of her eyshes.


    "Imand you! Athen!"


    "Don''t do anything stupid and just stay quiet, human. No, well, this girl is going to get noisy anyway, so it would probably sound like a suitable background music."


    Morne did not pay any attention to what I said as he took out hisrge penis and pointed it at Celestia. And I shouted while looking at what he was doing.


    "ANNIHILATE ALL THE DEMI-HUMANS ON THIS SHIP WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT!"


    "...What nonsense are you talking about right now?" Morne questioned my iprehensible behavior. But regardless of his attitude¡­


    <strong>Your wish is mymand.</strong>


    Mymanding authority was invoked.

 Chapter 66: Rescue Operation Part Two (5)

    <h4>Chapter 66: Rescue Operation Part Two (5)</h4>


    "ANNIHILATE ALL THE DEMI-HUMANS ON THIS SHIP WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT!"


    "...What nonsense are you talking about?" Morne questioned my iprehensible behavior. But regardless of his attitude¡­


    <strong>Your wish is mymand.</strong>


    Mymanding authority was invoked.


    Kriekkkkkk---! Kriekkkkkk---!


    A strange but threatening siren resonated in all directions. It sounded like a wild giant beast roaring.


    Morne''s face distorted grimly when he heard the sound. "What? Athen! What are you doing? Why are you in emergency mode?"


    At Morne''s words, I realized that the broadcasted roar that sounded like the cries of a beast was actually some sort of rm bell or siren. Perhaps Morne shuddered because it was a pretty high-ranking control persona. It was as if he had heard the word <strong>''Entering self-destruct mode!''.</strong>


    "You bastard! What the hell did you do!"


    It was as if Morne teleported in an instant. When I came to my senses, I was already floating in the air, caught by Morne''s strong grip.


    "Who knows? Stupid bastards. In the first ce, it''s your mistake to lock me together with the Legion girl."


    "...What did you say?" Morne looked confused at the crappy ad-lib I uttered. It was easy to figure out his facial expressions because he was in the form of a human, and not in his dinosaur form.


    "What are you talking about? The Legion caused this current situation?"


    "Isn''t that obvious? How could I possibly drive the control persona who leads the fleet crazy in the first ce?" I said confidently. I openly used mymanding authority right in front of Morne, but I had ced my bets on the fact that he wouldn''t believe my ability as it was something that was beyondmon sense.


    Above all, wasn''t there a Legion on this ship?


    "That''s..."


    I stopped at that, because my words made sense and were enough to convince him. There was no way a human being who didn''t even have the slightest authority in the demi-humans space carrier could rule over the control persona.


    The Union that dominated the universe was afraid of Legion and ostracized them because the Legion''s ability to interfere with all and any systems was too dangerous. If it was amon ability that anyone could possess, then Legion wouldn''t have been the greatest enemies of the Union.


    Kabooom--!! Boom boom!


    Explosions started to st off from the outside. It was difficult to know what had happened because I didn''t have the senses to detect that. But Morne, the transcendent, seemed to have grasped the whole situation because the situation that he was in was very different from me.


    "You crazy! The armory! No, putting that aside... Wait! Athen! Stop!"


    Whooooosh----!


    Morne turned ghastly pale and let out a deafening roar. Shortly after, a tremendous suction power began to suck everything up like a vacuum from the far side of the hall.


    "Damn it!"


    Morne gritted his teeth and seized my neck with one hand. Then, he raised his other hand and the totems around him began to move around, creating a translucent shield around us.


    Kriekkkkk--!


    Kabooom!


    I saw everything outside the translucent shield flying away while being lifted up by Morne. The debris of the copsed corridor was flying out of the hall and into the sky like it was some dandelion seeds.


    "I see. He opened the exit and deactivated the air barrier too!"


    I ordered the control persona of Great Sky to exterminate all the demi-humans, but I didn''t give clear instructions on the execution. Instead, I gave Athen the vague idea of creating an explosion or utilizing the automatic weapon inside the ship. But upon greater reflection, Athen could simply harm the crew members by throwing them into space.


    "You insect piece of shit! Do you know what you just did!" By now, Morne had mustered all his strength in his hands to the point where I suffocated. My head felt numb from theck of blood cirction.


    "Kekkkk..." I groaned. I wanted to provoke him by saying,<i> ''If you wanted me to worry about your lives, why didn''t you treat me kindly?''</i> But I couldn''t because I was gasping for breath. However, on second thought, if I made such a provocation, it was highly likely that he would not give a damn about my life. Since resistance was impossible anyway, I might as well bear it for as long as I can.


    <i>''Cause my life is precious... Wait, life?'' </i>Suddenly, I realized that Dong-min and Bo-ram were still lying on the floor. They both looked fine. <i>''Why is he keeping them alive? No, he is even protecting them?''</i>


    Of course I was relieved that they were alive. Although things turned out hopeless anyways, I definitely wanted them to be safe. But something felt strange seeing that he was protecting them at this point, and not just ignoring them.


    Of course, I didn''t know about Dong-min who was unconscious, but Bo-ram was strong, and she could survive the storm as soon as her restraints were unleashed, so she did not really need protection. Was he keeping her at bay perhaps because he was worried that she would run away if she survived? If so, wouldn''t it be better to just kill her? He was afraid of any future troubles so he had to yield and leave me alive, but why did he do the same for Bo-ram and Dong-min?


    "Damn it! I''ll have to manage the central system first."


    As Morne gritted his teeth and shook his hand lightly, he remembered that Bo-ram and Dong-win were still lying on the floor, so he tied a totem on their backs. Their hands were cuffed together by an invisible rope and they were unable to move. Seeing that their lips were moving up and down without any sound, it seemed that Morne also blocked off any voice they made.


    <i>''Why though?''</i>


    And seeing that scene, I felt increasingly suspicious. Why? For what reason? Why would Morne, a demi-human whose ideals disregarded life to an extreme point, bothered keeping them alive? Wasn''t it widely recognized that the demi-humans had the tendency to not keep any prisoners of war?


    <strong>Tekea Federation </strong>


    <strong>Morne No.3</strong>


    I knew from the moment I first saw Morne''s clone. However, I thought it was meaningless because I didn''t have a chance of winning even against that clone. He actually overwhelmed us. But what if¡­ what if the clone did not depend on the original Morne''s total power or the level of his ability, and was weakened by some sort of conditions?


    <i>''Just like the case with Cheong Won, which was a Saint bound by a </i><i>mission</i><i>.''</i>


    I began to invoke ssification. Though it was in the middle of a pressing situation, it was possible even when he was still holding my neck. The problem now was that instead of just lifting me up like earlier, he was shaking me from side to side like a light backpack; this made it difficult for me to fix my attention on him.


    "Where are you going? Aren''t you going to let me go?!"


    Unlike Bo-ram and Dong-min who were tied to the totem, and I who were dragged by the neck, Celestia was walking on her own legs. However, she was walking side by side next to Morne in apletely naked state, and she seemed to have been deprived of control of her own body.


    <i>''...What an amazing scene..''</i>


    Celestia didn''t even have a single piece of cloth on, and my head moved up and down every time she took a step with her white and long legs. I might even see this scene before me in my dreamster.


    <i>''Such needless thoughts!''</i> I shook my head in a hurry to get myself together. What kind of useless thoughts was I thinking about in such a dire situation? I reproached myself.


    Celestia looked like she could bewitch anyone who was looking at her, but since she was of a different species, the demi-humans probably didn''t feel any excitement from seeing her naked body. As such, Morne looked at Celestia and spoke in a cold voice, "Stop acting out, you just have to be patient for a little longer, human girl, and once you give birth to a child... I''ll let you experience the most delightful time ever that you''ll never forget it for the rest of your life."


    My surroundings were spinning with every strode he took; it seemed as though he had forgotten that he was holding me with one of his hands. And right about then, I barely managed to get rid of all the distracting thoughts and seeded in invoking ssification.


    <strong>Tekea Federation </strong>


    <strong>For nonbat use, Morne No.3 </strong>


    <i>''It''s just like I expected.''</i>


    I breathed a sigh of relief at the title that popped up. Because I found out that this bastard kept us alive not because of some reasons, but because he <i>couldn''t</i> kill us. But what if he kept this on and dragged us to the intended destination?


    He would definitely hand us over to the other demi-humans and that would be the end of the line for us. If I were lucky, I might somehow be able to keep myself alive, but in the case of Dong-min and Bo-ram, they would die for sure.


    <i>''I have to stop this.'' </i>


    I tried to move secretly. Unlike before when I was restrained by unknown forces, I could move at will now. He took away Celestia''s freedom to move, but I could move just fine. I had no idea if he did this on purpose, or he made some kind of mistake, but I thought that I shouldn''t miss this opportunity.


    Thuck!


    "...What the, what''s this?"


    Initially moving at a high speed, Morne stopped the moment the key was stuck into his leg. I thought he would get rid of me right away, but he was looking at me, his face full of confusion.


    "What did you just do? No, that aside, how are you able to move?"


    What just happened appeared to be a questionable situation rather than a critical situation. I didn''t know if it was a good thing, but it was a relief.


    "Thank you for letting your guard down."


    "What? Kekeke, I think you''re mistaken about something. This body here¡­"


    Morne No.3 seemed to be trying to borate further. But it could be the end of me if he changed his mind and decided to get rid of me. I ignored whatever he was saying and turned the key.


    Click!


    Even though the key was stabbed deep into Morne No.3''s skin, I could still hear a metallic sound. And then, just like that, I could feel the hand that was holding my neck disappear.


    Shiiiiing!


    I lost consciousness.


    ******


    Bang!


    "Captain-nim? Focus, please! Things are looking dangerous right now!" Morne''s startled adjutant screamed as Morne jumped to his feet. Currently, Morne was engaged in a fleet battle while controlling Great Sky, and the battleship''s control persona suddenly began to go wild.


    Morne was the Captain of the Great Sky as well as its pilot, and he synchronized with the Great Sky''s Iron Heart. Without him in control, it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that it was possible that the demi-humans would really be defeated by the humans.


    "Crazy... This is crazy..." Ignoring the adjutant''s screams, Morne trembled. Because the great sense of loss had ced tremendous stress on him.


    "Captain-nim?!"


    "SHUT THE FUCK UP!!" Along with Morne''s loud cry, the space itself started to ring with a <i>Wooooom-! </i>and the nearby crew members copsed while coughing up blood. Yet, Morne was in such a state of chaos that he couldn''t afford to worry about the things happening around him.


    "What the hell just...?"


    A long time ago, Morne acquired great power and authority through much hardships that felt as though he died and was reborned a hundred times. But now, he could not sense the power he had obtained then. He was of royal blood before he ascended to the level of a transcendent. In exaggeration, that power was his favorite power which had also allowed him to attain the strength of a transcendent, but it waspletely gone.


    Krooooom---!


    Morne''s Aura was boiling up. He awakened his soul, blocked off all interference from the outside world, and then invoked the Ultimate Magic <strong>Adantha''s Morning </strong>to recover his body and soul to their best condition. But, it was to no avail.


    Krieeekkk! Bang!


    Morne stopped controlling for a brief moment but Athen, the control person of Great Sky, began to go berserk again. That wasn''t all. On one side of the screen, Albatross, the battleship of the Leonhardt Empire, could be seen attacking Great Sky.


    In terms of battle strength alone, the Tekea Federation should have an overwhelming advantage, but the situation didn''t turn out as per their predictions. The fighter jets and Gigas of the Tekea Federation couldn''t approach Albatross as Hyun-il''s Transcendence Skill, Fenrir''s Howl, could blow away all enemies that came within a certain range.


    "Captain-nim! It cannot go on like this any longer! We have to use the God Spear Alieta¡­!"


    Normally, no one would have spoken to Morne when he was in such an unusual mood. However, the situation called for urgency so the crew members had to push him for help. But even so, Morne did not respond.


    "Howe, why can''t I sense it?"


    Morne continued to release soul energy. He focused on invoking the power that he had used for thousands of times. But even then, it still didn''t work. He couldn''t invoke it. His power, <strong>Three Souls</strong>, was perfectly sealed to an unbelievable extent.

 Chapter 67: Rescue Operation Part Two (6)

    <h4>Chapter 67: Rescue Operation Part Two (6)</h4>


    *


    I had a dream. It was set in a faraway world.


    "Who are you?" She was a lovelydy, more beautiful and more lovely than anything in the world.


    <i>St. </i>Blood sttered.


    "Hey~ Don''t you need a guard or something?" He was a man with a refreshing smile that suited him to a T; a man who gave generously but didn''t want anything in return; a bright soul that was oppressed by all but never lost his smile.


    <i>St. </i>Blood sttered.


    "Keke. Are you the one with the <strong>Great Wisdom</strong>? This is a good fortune! I thought it was just a false rumor!" A tough-looking guy wasughing in front of hundreds of his subordinates. They were the garbage of society. Those who cast themselves into their own desires.


    <i>St. </i>Blood sttered.


    "Ah ah now now, isn''t this good? A duel under the ins of a full moon." He was a beautiful man. His voice was as kind and full of confidence as ever. He was a man of the purest soul, more noble than anyone else in the world.


    "Then let''s get this fight started, Boundless yer."


    <i>St. </i>Blood sttered.


    "Why are you taking the sides of those monsters! Aren''t you human too!"


    "Save him, save him please! Save my brother!!!"


    "We will bring judgement upon you in the name of justice."


    "Why. Why would you, something like this...!"


    "Spare me. I-, I''m begging your forgiveness¡­"


    "Wait¡­ in... hell¡­"


    The images of countless people passed by my mind at a terrifying speed. There was a man sobbing with tears of blood, a woman swinging a sword while burning in hatred, an army raging like a tidal wave and old men with white hair.


    "Die."


    "Just die."


    "I''m going to kill you!"


    "Nice to meet you."


    "I love you."


    "Fucking piece...of shit."


    "I shouldn''t have met you..."


    Blood sttered everywhere; everything was red. Countless people died. The wheels of blood began to roll with greed and desire, misunderstanding and resentment; it continued to spin without knowing how to stop.


    And one day¡­


    "This is..."


    Atst, he came to resent <strong>Father</strong>.


    "Is this what you wanted?"


    *


    "Oh! Sunbae is awake!"


    "Dae-ha! Are you all right?"


    As soon as I came to my senses, two people''s voices rang in my head. It wasn''t like I groaned or opened my eyes wide, but they were quick to notice that I was awake.


    "Aghh¡­ My head hurts. Quiet down."


    I sat up with one hand pressing on my forehead. I was so dizzy to the point that my head was buzzing. However, I couldn''t tell if it was because I used the key against an enemy on the level of a transcendent, or because of the dream that I just had.


    <i>''Pathetic.''</i>


    The guy in the dream was the Administrator of the world. He knew everything there was to know in the world. So, he believed everything in the world was under his control. Perhaps he wasn''t so wrong because he was actually a God.


    But... By the will of the superior existence whom he called <strong>Father</strong>, he entered the body of a human being and it proved his beliefs wrong. Although he had fallen from the position of God, he possessed knowledge and ability beyond the understanding of humans, but he did not make good use of his own abilities. No, rather, his ability had caused destruction. He hastily revealed his abilities. As such, it led to people of high positions coveting his abilities.


    <i>''He said he knew everything, but he was so ignorant of the desire of humans.''</i>


    And that was why he had to fight over and over again. He had to protect himself from those who coveted his powers, and he had to kill his enemies to protect those he held dear.


    And in the process... He was ruined.


    "By the way, what''s the situation? How long has it been?"


    "About half an hour has passed. We came back inside the hall and we''re hiding... The war situation is progressing very well. If the situation persists, not only would we be able to escape, it may even be possible for us to win the war."


    "What? How?"


    The Tekea Federation and the Leonhardt Empire was known to be on par in terms of military strength. However, our battle strength in the Seppard Star System was overwhelmingly inferior aspared to the Tekea Federation. Basically, it wasn''t easy to ovee the gap between Albatross, a Terra-ss battleship, and Great Sky, an Exa-ss Space Carrier. The battle had only continued to this point because Albatross had been hiding well on E-3 and detected them posed a difficult problem for Great Sky. If Albatross had gone face-to-face with Great Sky, they would never be able to win. But Celestia was saying that the battle situation had changed.


    "Thanks to you, Great Sky is in a total mess. The maneuver mechanismspletely stopped, so Great Sky is getting beaten up one-sidedly by Albatross. Moreover, the outer shields were deactivated and all the exits were opened, so all the demi-humans in the corridors were blown into space."


    "In other words, I caused a huge massacre just by uttering a few words huh."


    I couldn''t even begin to guess how many people were killed. Albatross, a Terra-ss battleship, already had more than 10,000 crew members. So it was a given that there must have been more people in Great Sky, a ship muchrger than Albatross.


    "...You dumbass." said Celestia as she stared at me with a pathetic gaze.


    "Hmm?"


    I was surprised. Come to think of it, Bo-ram was squinting her eyes next to me too.


    "Get your act together please, Sunbae! Do you want to be taken captive again after pulling off a great escape?"


    "Eh? What do you mean? Taken captive again?"


    I was puzzled because I thought she would say somethingforting like <i>''Don''t me yourself for something like that''</i>.


    Celestia continued, "Don''t say words with such nuances again. Can''t you make a guess on what would happen if that power of yours became known?"


    "Seriously! You''ve seen how everyone freaks out every time when ites to the Legion, so why did you act so rashly? Do you want to be taken away by the aliens and be subjected to human experiments? I mean, a human with the powers of a Legion?"


    "Thank you for saving me, but don''t ever do that again! If you do that again, you''ll be dissected not by the demi-humans, but by the Leonhardt Empire."


    "Anyways, that''s too careless of you!"


    After receiving a series of lectures by the two girls, I looked at them with a dumbfounded expression. But soon Iughed because I realized that they meant good, and they were actually worried about me.


    "Thank you."


    "...What are you saying, you dumbass?"


    "In any case, please be careful. Until a few months ago, you were just an ordinary person."


    They were worried about me. It''s also a concern, as I said, about my dangerous power being known, but... At the same time, they were also worried about the aftereffects of the murder I just did. Even if a person drivingte at night hit an animal on the road, it was hard to forget the creepy feeling. The reality was that even the executioners who legally serve as the country''s swords would suffer from massive aftereffects after executing death row convicts. There were even some executioners who went weak at their knees after learning the fact that their names were on the list for participating executioners.


    <i>''But it''s okay.''</i>


    I was smiling on the inside. That''s right, I was fine. I wasn''t pretending to be strong, but it really didn''t bother me. As Bo-ram said, I was a normal person a few months ago, but¡­ Even so, I was never an ordinary human being.


    Besides, after I came into the Universe, I gradually awakened more powers¡­ Even the nightmares I was trying to forget became clearer and more vivid. At first, I was even worried that the memories might be slowly eating me up.


    <i>''Well, I don''t think that''s the case though.''</i>


    Even if I shared the memory, I didn''t feel that it was <i>my</i><strong> </strong>memory. It was as if I was watching the main character on TV or a movie in a first-person perspective. And most of all, the memories I had were not the memories of that Administrator''s whole life. I had almost no memories of him managing the Universe as an omnipotent being. Most of the memories were about the things he went through after descending into an unknown.


    <i>''Maybe that period of time was¡­''</i>


    "Hey Dae-ha."


    "Around 300 years ago?"


    "...What?"


    "Oh, the words just came out on their own. By the way, where did Dong-min go?"


    I changed the topic around by clicking my tongue at the mistake -- an action that was unlike me. But after asking the question, I realized that it was certainly strange. <i>Celestia and Bo-ram are here so where did the unconscious Dong-min go?</i>


    "If you''re asking about Dong-min, he woke up and went to lead the rescue team. Oh, and I''m asking you just in case, what exactly did you do to Morne?"


    "Yeah. I was so surprised when he suddenly disappeared¡­"


    I hesitated for a moment at their words. Would it be alright to tell them? Bute to think of it, it was all meaningless now that I had already used mymanding authority in front of them.


    "You can probably already guess, but it''s the power of the key. It wasn''t his real body that attacked us, it was his clone¡­ I locked that away."


    "...You can even lock and release intangible abilities? Even against a living transcendent?"


    "I wasn''t sure about it too, but since it was a crisis, I just did it." I nonchntly answered and grabbed the key that was hanging around my neck.


    <i>''Come to think of it, this key hasn''t appeared in my memory before.''</i>


    I saw all kinds of Godly Artifacts in my memory. From a wand that could emit lightning, to a flute that could summon a nimbus and even a sword made of mes¡­ But I couldn''t recall this key anywhere in my memory.


    <i>''Was it something he got before he entered a human body? Or was it after that? No, before all of that¡­ Is the memory I have really my biological father''s memory?''</i>


    It was always just guesswork. There was nothing definite and I had to take a guess.


    <i>''Or maybe it''s just something normal like a memory of a previous life.'' </i>


    In fact, before I heard about my biological father from my father, I thought those memories were just of my previous life. If you suddenly remembered something you didn''t know, it would be normal to think so. By that hypothesis, wouldn''t it be like having the memories from ying in another game coupled with the ability to see titles? It was based on the theory that my life might be some sort of online life game<i>. </i>[1] I had been holding to such a hypothesis for a long while.


    Pat!


    Suddenly, the space shook and Dong-min fell from the air.


    "Oh, he''s awake."


    "Yeah. By the way, are you okay? Do you feel ufortable anywhere?"


    Dong-min sneaked a smile at my question. It was unusual considering it wasing from a man with little expression.


    "On the contrary, I feel refreshed. To tell you the truth, it feels like I made an advancement in my abilities."


    "...By how much?"


    "With this alone, it makesing to the Universe worth it."


    Dong-min sounded like just by sleeping for a while, he had achieved the results that needed about 10 years of isted training.


    "And that''s why, it''s also possible for me to do this," Dong-min lightly drew his hand.


    Krieekkkkk-!


    The space was split. I stared at the amazing scene for a moment; I could see battle-ready soldiers and Gigas guarding the perimeter in that cracked space.


    "Ehh?! Sunbae, you can open the dimension portal now?"


    "Please cross over, Imperial Princess-nim!"


    Before Dong-min had the time to answer Bo-ram''s questions, a woman''s voice sounded from the other side of the split space. Dressed in a leather suit that fitted nicely on her body but a stark contrast from the surrounding Universe, she was Captain Shin Mi-young, Squadron Leader of the Infantry Corps.


    "There''s no need to waste time, right?"


    Celestia quickly grasped the situation, grabbed my arm and crossed the dimensional rift. As soon as I came to my senses, Bo-ram and Dong-min also crossed over, and the rift between the two dimensions disappeared like it was never there.


    Krooooom!!!


    There was a great deal of confusion outside. Due to the disappearance of the outer barrier, the air in the residential area was being sucked out of the ship and there were all kinds of objects flying around. However, the atmosphere was quite calm for the pursuit team as they were protected by a shield enveloping them.


    "They''re alright even when the outer barrier has disappeared?"


    "What a stupid thing to say. For us to infiltrate the enemy camp, the enemy''s control persona is definitely regarded as an enemy. It''s only natural to be prepared for that kind of attack."


    I nodded my head in agreement at Celestia''s words. But then again, the demi-humans were betrayed by their ally, Athen. So naturally, the rescue team, which was originally regarded as an enemy, was now in a different position from before.


    "Come on now, get on the transport ship quickly! We''re escaping!" The soldiers moved in perfect order at Mi-young''smand. But it was then¡­


    <strong>Command¡­ Not feasible... I''m sorry... </strong>


    I froze at the voice I heard. I looked around and it seemed like no one else had heard it.


    Boom! Boom! Kaboom-!


    The things that were flying around in the sky lost their movement and began to fall onto the floor. When I looked up, the outer barrier was being restored before I knew it.


    "What? What the hell just happened?"


    "Is the system restored?"


    I realized at the sight of people panicking. <i>''He died.''</i>


    Yes. That was what happened.


    <i>''Morne killed the control persona of Great Sky.''</i>


    1. Dae-ha is basically saying that his life may actually just be a game he''s in, like the Sims.

 Chapter 68: Rescue Operation Part Two (7)

    <h4>Chapter 68: Rescue Operation Part Two (7)</h4>


    <i>''He died.''</i>


    Yes. That was what happened.


    <i>''Morne killed the control persona of Great Sky.''</i>


    Actually, it was not something that was unexpected.


    The Universe boasted a harsher environment than any other barren. As such, the spaceship was the cradle and home, protecting the life of its crew members; it was the homebase for life in space. Therefore, there was no need to say more about how dangerous it was when the control persona, which could be said to be equivalent to the spaceship itself, suddenly turned into an enemy. In fact, it was extremely easy for Athen, the control persona of Great Sky, to throw the crew members into space -- which was exactly what was done, driving an enormous number of demi-humans to their deaths.


    In the end, in order to survive, the demi-humans couldn''t afford to leave Athen, who had turned insane (from their point of view), as he was without doing anything. Needless to say, it would be normal for them to try to do something. I didn''t know what they did, but the situation was settled with the death of Athen.


    Seeing that with the death of Athen, the system was restored instead of it posing a huge problem, it was safe to assume that there was a backup system or a backup control persona. If not, then they must''ve used some sort of method.


    "We''re running out of time! Please get on the transport ship immediately!"


    "We''re taking off!"


    The rescue team was taken aback by the unexpected situation, but they quickly foundposure and carried out their mission again. They originally assumed the situation to be much worse. The fact that Dong-min opened the space rift and met with the rescue team instantly, and that I used mymanding authority on Athen to attack the demi-humans were bonus factors that they hadn''t expected.


    In the first ce, there was no reason for them to be thrown into confusion just because the enemy stopped panicking since they had fortified their surroundings in anticipation of a long-term operation.


    "Ahhh, we could have gone out without any trouble if we put in a little more effort!"


    ...of course, I was a little disappointed.


    Kaboom! Bang!


    Then, artillery fire began to st towards the direction of the transport ship from the Artillery Corps in a distance. It seemed that the Artillery Corps had originally hid inside the ship, but was busy attacking the Hell''s Hand, before attacking the demi-humans again, and this time, attacking the humans.


    Thuckkk! Thuckkk!


    As soon as the doors closed after we entered the transport ship, the deafening sts subsided a little. However, the attack seemed to be still ongoing, and I could feel the continuous vibrations in the transport ship.


    "Are you feeling a little better?"


    "Not really."


    "Hoho, I like it that you''re honest. The torturous methods of the demi-humans are notorious for being dreadful. So no matter how much you get treated, there''s no way it would bepletely healed." said Celestia as she released her Golden Lion Aura again and healed my body. I could see the soldiers around us flinching in astonishment. They were all soldiers so they didn''t open their mouths rashly, but the mood was strangely unsettling.


    Celestia asked as if she didn''t give a damn about the current mood, "Lieutenant Shin Mi-young, what should I do if I want to cure him of the torture?"


    "...If you''re referring to the torture chambers, then I guess it''s the inhumane restraining method of the demi-humans. Don''t tell me, he''s been poisoned with the torturous substance?" [1]


    "Yes." Celestia nodded her head and Mi-young stared at me with a surprised expression.


    "The pain you''re feeling wouldn''t be the average pain though."


    "That''s right. It''s not average at all."


    I couldn''t properly muster strength in my body. It was so painful that it felt like a knife was being stabbed into my stomach constantly. Well, I wouldn''t be human if I was fine after being injected with some metal into my body. Luckily, I was healed to my current state because of Celestia healing me with her Golden Lion Aura and using her powers (it''s funny thinking about it again) to summon a whole roasted pig and feed me with it. If it wasn''t for those, I would''ve lost consciousness long ago.


    Bang!


    Just then, the inside of the transport ship shook violently and Mi-young hurriedly ced her hands on her ears. She had a stiff expression on, seemingly having received a report from outside.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Hmm. Well, that''s..."


    Bang!


    Before Mi-young could say anything more, the transport ship violently shook once more. She urged urgently, "Please get on board the escape port!"


    She shouted and lifted me up lightly.


    "Eh?"


    I was embarrassed. No, why was this woman taking care of me and not Celestia, the Imperial Princess? However, it was like Mi-young didn''t care whether I was embarrassed or not and manipted the wall on one side of the transport ship. The machines inside the walls could be seen, but there was no way we could enter as a sudden sense of weightlessness overwhelmed us.


    Kabooom---!!


    Crossing the divider, it felt like we were in a speeding car that crashed into another; we crashed into the wall with full impact. With a <i>''Boom!'', </i>we flew up and crashed down on the ground again.


    <i>''Kuuughh!'' </i>a choking and suffocating sensation overpowered us.


    "Are you all right?"


    At some point, Dong-min, who had crossed into the escape pod, grabbed me. Celestia and Bo-ram followed and stood in front of me. Before I knew it, I could see Mi-young standing upright and screaming, "Crazy! This is totally crazy! He gave up Great Sky and came to catch us...!"


    Kwakkkkk!


    One side of the wall was torn off with the sound of the scream. As I looked out in surprise, I could see something fluttering in the distance. Of course, the Gigas that was guarding the transport ship stood forward to block it.


    <strong>Fuck off!</strong>


    They were swept away by the heat wave that sted off with the roar. Despite the considerable distance between Morne, the monster flying in the sky, and us, it was so hot that my face turned red.


    "No, what kind of dinosaur spits fire? Besides, what''s with the wings?"


    "He can turn into a human being, so being able to sprout wings is nothing to be surprised about! Stay right here!"


    "Don''t stick your head out for nothing!"


    "No, just stay inside that escape pod."


    Celestia, Bo-ram and Dong-min spoke in turn and stormed out of the transport ship. They were currently flying over Great Sky, so they could feel the intense dizziness from the perilous battle going on down below if they ever looked downwards, but none of them hesitated.


    "...Aghh, I''m so weak that I can''t do anything. Do I need to always be riding on a Gigas?"


    Even a country''s Imperial Princess stood forward to fight, and yet, I was being protected; it felt weird. However, it was too dire of a situation for me to go out and fight.


    Krieeekkk! Bang!


    The transport ship shook violently as another sound of explosion went off. Come to think of it, this transport ship was pretty amazing since it was still soaring up into the sky without any problems despite one side of its wall being torn off.


    "Stop him! Shake that monster off!"


    "Don''t even think about inflicting any damage on him, do your best to push him away!"


    Morne and the transport ship were flying horizontally on the same level. Morne was still trying to catch the transport ship''s tail, and the transport ship shot all kinds of artillery and bullets at him in an attempt to shake him off. It was game over if Morne''s purpose was to annihte us, but he couldn''t use any ultimate shy skills because of Celestia. So, we must somehow get rid of him with such methods and get away.


    Bang!


    Just then, Morne''s tail flung his tail towards the outer side of the transport ship and struck Dong-min who was attacking Morne with all his might. The attack was so swift that it went beyond the speed of sound. Frankly speaking, everything happened so fast that I only realized it was an attack after witnessing it. Dong-min couldn''t even scream before he was flicked off the transport ship. The transport ship was flying pretty fast and Dong-min was out of sight in a matter of seconds.


    "Dong-min Sunbae! Arghh, damn it! Sunbae, open this stupid thing immediately!"


    "Eeekk, uhhh, okay."


    Click!


    In a hurry, I hurriedly inserted the key into her body. She was already in full-body armor so it was the same wherever I inserted the key.


    Whoooosh---!


    As I turned the key, Bo-ram''s body emitted a brighter and more impressive golden light which was a little different from Celestia''s Golden Lion Aura. However, unlike the previous incident with Dong-min, she did not seem to lose her mind.


    "I''ll be right back, so don''t move an inch and hide as deep as you can!"


    Bo-ram then flew towards the direction which Dong-min was flicked away to. Reflexively, I tried to look at their figures that were moving further away.


    Bang!


    With a loud sound, Celestia crashed and rolled into the transport ship. A huge shadow followed after her.


    <strong>Found-----you!!</strong>


    With a roar, Morne''s zing eyes scanned the inside of the transport ship. It was like a scene from a horror movie.


    To release her anxiety, Celestia parted her lips to speak, "I dislike excessive stalking."


    <strong>Kekeke! You''re yapping as you please, huh!</strong>


    Under normal circumstances, Morne wouldn''t be able to enter the transport ship made for the size of humans as he had arge build. As such, he ploughed through the walls of the ship as if smashing a paper box, and thrust his head towards the cabin where I was at.


    "Dae-ha, watch out!"


    Kwakkkkk!


    As Celestia warned me, a great force pulled my body back. The metal wall I was leaning on was torn apart like a broken cookie. It was clear that my fragile body would have been crushed like jelly if Celestia hadn''t pulled me away.


    "What are you doing! Didn''t you say you didn''t intend to kill Dae-ha?"


    Morne moved his hideous facial muscles to smile at the sight of Celestia grinding her teeth.


    <strong>Kekeke... I clearly said so. But I''m just saying.</strong>


    Kabooom! Bang!


    While Morne was talking with his head stuck into the transport ship, there were still loud bangsing from the outside. Ridiculous as it might sound, he was fighting back and blocking all the attacks from the Gigas and the soldiers around with just his wings and tail!


    "Then why did you change your mind? You wouldn''t want to gamble on the existence of the whole federation, right!"


    Even in this situation, all we could count on was the existence of Cheong Won, who was no different from an enemy. He was the reason why we were in this crisis, but he was also why we were able to survive despite being held captive in the Great Sky filled with demi-humans. The fear they had towards Cheong Won kept us safe from the demi-humans who were renowned for not leaving prisoners of war alive. But now, perhaps because Morne had changed his mind, I could feel an intense amount of bloodlust from him and his piercing eyes locked on me.


    <strong>But... I''ll put up with it! Because only by killing you, will my powerse back!</strong>


    Morne''s huge mouth hit my body. There was a wall behind me, so there was nowhere else to retreat to.


    Thud!


    Celestia activated her Golden Lion Aura and grabbed Morne''s upper and lower jaws which were inches from biting down on me. Of course, her opponent was still a transcendent. If Morne was determined, Celestia would just be a lump of meat no matter how long she endured. But no matter how much Morne wanted to go all out, he couldn''t kill her.


    <strong>Fuck off, bitch! I will put a baby in you without humiliating you as much as possible! </strong>


    "Go fuck yourself! Is that what you call persuasion?"


    This had always been on my mind: despite being an Imperial Princess, she was pretty foul-mouthed. But then again, she was a soldier, so it might''ve been somewhat a given.


    "Cel, turn your head slightly."


    "Stay still! There''s a limit to how long I can hold out..."


    "Hurry up!"


    Celestia was startled when she heard me shout since I had stayed still till now. She turned her head to one side. And with that, a small opening was formed and I managed to pull out one arm and took off my sses. I threw it into Morne''s wide open mouth.


    "What are you doing? Why the sses?"


    Celestia was confused by my iprehensible action, but of course I knew clearly that the sses weren''t some normal eyesses for vision correction. My eyesight was only slightly less than perfect so I didn''t need sses in the first ce. Those weren''t sses, but the Magic Armament Udjat created by Kwon Hye-ran, a technician of Albatross.


    After making sure the sses slid down into the throat of Morne, which was as dark and deep as a cave, I shouted immediately, "Imand you, Udjat! Use all your power to destroy the enemy!"


    Whooooosh---


    <strong>Ha! What are you doing... Kuwaackk!? </strong>


    Morne tried to sneer at me but suddenly groaned and twisted his body.


    "Cel! Push him out!"


    "...Got it!" Celestia answered. At the same time, her Golden Lion Aura began to burn radiantly. With both hands, Celestia pushed Morne''s head with an enormous power.


    Kriekkkdeuk!


    The huge head was sted off like magic. Come to think of it, Morne forced his way in and grabbed onto the transport ship that was flying at high speed. Once he lost his strength, he would have no choice but to fall off.


    "Imperial Princess-nim! Morne is...!"


    "I know alright! Don''t think about anything else and speed up!"


    "Yes! Imperial Princess-nim!" The two Gigas answered and attached themselves to the side of the half-wrecked transport ship to aid its flight. The increased speed was so fast that Morne''s falling figure quickly disappeared out of sight.


    <strong>You bastar----! You fucking bastar------!!!!! Kuuackkkkkkkk-----!</strong>


    After a while, a maddening roar rang in my head. I detonated Udjat in Morne''s stomach but to think that he had already recovered so much.


    <i>''Well, even if he recovers, it''ll be toote anyways.''</i>


    Even if Morne had regained his full physical condition, he wouldn''t be able to resume his pursuit since our transport ship was already attached to Albatross. If he pretended to be crazy and came in pursuit¡­ He would be killed by Major General Chun Hyun-il, the pilot of Albatross.


    "At any rate, what a monster..." I sighed deeply at the fact that I had crossed the line of life and death so many times in such a short moment.


    But then I realized and voiced out, "What about Bo-ram and Dong-min?"


    "It''s a pity but I''m afraid..."


    The soldiers around me shook their heads upon hearing my question. They had already checked the headcount.


    "Everyone on board is here."


    "..."


    I was at a loss for words.


    1. Some kind of restraining device or mechanism that the demi-humans inject in their prisoners.

 Chapter 69: Rescue Operation Part Two (8)

    <h4>Chapter 69: Rescue Operation Part Two (8)</h4>


    The soldiers around me shook their heads upon hearing my question. They had already checked the headcount.


    "Everyone on board is here."


    "..."


    I was at a loss for words. However, I didn''t think they would be dead. The two of them were powerful enough to survive. Most importantly, I released the seal on Bo-ram''s Godly Artifact just moments before she fell off the transport ship. Considering the power that Dong-min exhibited when we were in Great Sky, it was reasonable to think that they would also somehow end up in Great Sky.


    <i>''But if that happens...'' </i>


    It would obviously be better aspared to dying immediately, but it was literally the worst situation since Great Sky was swarmed with cannibalistic demi-humans. Unlike how it was with Celestia and I, the demi-humans would aim for their lives without any hint of hesitation. And it would be especially so with Morne. He was burning with rage against us so I couldn''t even begin to imagine what he would do.


    <i>''But even so... We can''t go back and save them.'' </i>


    The rescue team wouldn''t do it even if I asked them to. Even if they agreed to it, it would pose a problem. Wasn''t it a given that if we changed the direction of the ship, Morne would destroy everything?


    "By the way, Morne must''ve been very desperate. No one would have pursued us in that situation unless they were crazy."


    "Well, from Morne''s point of view, he must''ve thought that he must capture us by all means. If he''s unlucky, he''ll be disciplined by the Union, so he will try to catch us first."


    The Tekea Federation secretly got involved with Legion and used them as weapons. However, in the midst of all that, they got involved with the high-rank Saint, Cheong Won. They wanted to easily obtain the resources on E-3, but it became a huge crisis for them instead.


    In other words, from Morne''s point of view, if he wanted to clear up the situation, he had no choice but to catch Celestia and have a child with her. If I were to think about it like that, the fact that Morne pursued us would be understandable to a certain extent.


    Celestia shook her head upon hearing my words, "Even if he caught me under such circumstances, it would still be the same. Look over there."


    I turned my head after hearing Celestia''s exnation. I could see Albatross getting closer to Great Sky. To be honest, instead of a flying object, it looked more like a beautiful building that resembled a bird spreading its wings. The two wings of the spaceship seemed to shine for a second and a huge photon beam then shot out from its head.


    Krooooom¡­


    The tetrahedron-shaped Great Sky was so helplessly hit by that attack. The Gigas and fighter jets from Great Sky tried to somehow struggle, but it was to no avail. Despite dominating Albatross in terms of function and power output, it seemed that even Great Sky was unable to cope with the situation since its control persona was destroyed and the Captain-cum-pilot had deserted his position.


    "...It''s crashing."


    "Yes. Morne made a big mistake. I''m not kidding... Maybe it''s even possible for us to take control of Great Sky in this situation."


    I listened to Celestia''s words as I watched Albatross blow apart Great Sky with an intangible wave. That attack just now destroyed more than ten percent of the outer walls of Great Sky. Even if the system had been restored, it would not be able to maintain an outer shield.


    In other words¡­


    "We''ve won this war."


    "Yeah. It was an act of madness to chase us down. He couldn''t kill me nor could he take me as a hostage, but even then, he wanted to catch us... he really did it just for his own self-gratification. Even if it''s a demi-human, one on the level of Morne wouldn''t have been so stupid, so why did he make such a silly choice?"


    Upon hearing Celestia''sment, I suddenly recalled what Morne said.


    <strong>But... I''ll put up with it! Because only by killing you, will my powerse back!</strong>


    I had a rough idea why he did such a thing. The power I locked away was most probably very important to him. Perhaps from the get go, he chased after us to kill me instead of capturing Celestia.


    "Hmm... Cel, if that''s so..."


    Celestia nodded as she saw me hesitating, "Don''t worry about it too much. If it''s just Bo-ram and Dong-min, then we can definitely save them. You... you used that key before Bo-ram flew away, didn''t you?"


    "Yes. You saw?"


    "To be exact, I felt it. The power she used had a great meaning to the imperial family... Well, anyways."


    Celestia sneaked a look around and whispered, "I''ll try my best. Though I look like this, I''m still an Imperial Princess."


    At this point of our conversation, the transport ship rattled briefly, and we could see the entrance of Albatross through the broken wall. Thanks to Morne, one wall had been blown away, and the docking process of the transport ship was right before our eyes.


    "Oh, by the way, one wall has been blown away, and I can''t believe this ship can fly without anyplications."


    "Because we can protect the interior from the Universe if we deploy the barrier in a sealed form. Of course, it will consume significant energy, but it''s very helpful in an emergency like this."


    We got off the transport ship while I was listening to Celestia''s exnation. There was no need to exit through the door since there was no wall on one side.


    "Imperial Princess-nim! Are you all right?"


    Dressed in a suit and thick ck horn-rimmed sses, Deputy Captain Natalie led several attendants to greet Celestia. Her expression was quite bright, but that was only natural. Their Imperial Princess was taken captive in the demi-humans spaceship -- basically an extremely dangerous ce -- so of course they were extremely distressed and nervous. She thought that Celestia woulde back in a near-death condition, but thetter came back safely.


    "Yes, I''m all right. You roughly heard the report, right?"


    "Of course. Ah, I''m so d you''re safe too, Dae-ha-nim. We''ve prepared a surgical operation to remove the torture substance, so you can go and get treatment right away."


    "A surgical operation huh¡­"


    Well, though they put the metal in me via injection, it was not possible to remove the metal which was mixed into my blood and had prated through to my internal organs. Even so, I didn''t intend to get treated right away.


    "It''s not urgent, so can I take part in the battle first?"


    "What? But..."


    "Please."


    I thought of Bo-ram and Dong-min. We had no idea of their situation, so we must take control of Great Sky as soon as possible. Fortunately, even if my body condition was in a mess, I would be able to control the Gigas through Ares.


    "Deputy Captain." Originally hesitating, Natalie nodded upon hearing Celestia''s words.


    "...Alright. Actually, we would be d to have your help, Dae-ha-nim. In return, once the battle is close to being over, you''ll have to do the surgery right away."


    "Sure. Cel, what are you going to do now?"


    "I''ll have to go to the bridge deck. I have something to tell the bear, no, I mean Major General Chun Hyun-il."


    "Can''t hee out to meet you?"


    "Hoho, of course not. It would be a stupid thing to do because Morne''s on our tail. Deputy Captain, how''s the battle situation?"


    "It''s the best we could ask for. We''ve alreadypletely destroyed the defense system of Great Sky, and for some reason, the enemy''s control persona died. It was a great crisis, but we may have gained an advantage in capturing the Exa-ss spaceship. And most of all... Hmm." Natalie was exining to Celestia with a slightly excited face but her expression then changed. I think she received a report of some sort that we couldn''t hear.


    "What''s the matter?"


    "They say the reinforcements from the Imperial family are here."


    "...From the Imperial family?"


    "Yes."


    Clearly, our allies came, but everyone around wasn''t delighted about it.


    It was definitely strange. We haven''t even been able to get in contact with them since our lives were at stake a while ago, but the reinforcements had already arrived. Moreover, how did they arrive at such a timing? Looking at this atmosphere, it felt like they came without establishing any proper contact with us.


    "Don''t tell me... Is the Sixth Imperial Prince the one who brought along the reinforcements?"


    "Hoho, I''m hurt, noona. Why are you treating me like I''m some stranger?" The sudden voice stiffened everyone''s expression. I turned my head back in surprise as well. Only Celestia answered calmly like she had expected the person.


    "...Of course I should treat you like a stranger. We''re not even that close."


    "Eyy~ That''s too much. I''m hurt." A young man stood there; he was so handsome that it was shocking. With a height of less than 160 centimeters and a womanly figure, his eyes were golden in colour. His blonde, shiny hair looked as if he got some hair treatment done.


    <i>''This guy is the Sixth Imperial Prince?'' </i>


    Even though he had pretty features perhaps because he was of the same bloodline as Celestia, they had different vibes -- perhaps it''s the difference in hair color.


    Celestia looked at him and asked, "What brings you here?"


    "Who knows? Since we''re not very close, why should I tell you why I''m here?"


    In response to the Sixth Imperial Prince''s spiteful reply, Celestia stared back at him without speaking a single word. After a while, the Sixth Imperial Prince couldn''t help but shrug.


    "Hahaha! Actually, I found a candidate to be my Imperial Princess Consort. It''s a shame but I''m getting married!"


    At the sudden bombshell announcement, the crew members around began to stir up amotion.


    Natalie spoke on behalf of all of them, "Congrattions, Prince-nim! You found someone who passed all those intricate conditions. But could you perhaps enlighten us as to the connection between having found a candidate to be the Imperial Princess Consort and you gracing us with your presence here?


    Natalie was right. Celestia asked him why he was here, but he replied that he was getting married. Although the content itself was destructively rming, wasn''t itpletely irrelevant? Just then, a radiant light shone from behind the Sixth Imperial Prince --


    "Hohoho. Actually, we didn''t expect this either." A silver-haired beauty with white wings appeared from behind him.


    "In fact, we didn''te here out of our own will."


    I groaned at the sight of her whispering softly, "...An angel?"


    The other crew members present were also surprised.


    "Isn''t that someone from the Celestial tribe?"


    "No, wait...The candidate for the Imperial Princess Consort is from the Celestial tribe? Isn''t that unprecedented?"


    "That aside, is this even possible?"


    "It''s possible."


    A blonde-haired old man holding a white fan dressed in silk clothes appeared and interrupted the hubbub. It was the being who literally threw us into the den of the demi-humans. And in that process, he stepped on their pride and instilled fear in them.


    "Because I, will make it happen."


    It was the Saint from Elohim, Cheong Won.

 Chapter 70: Advent of the God of War (1)

    <h4>Chapter 70: Advent of the God of War (1)</h4>


    A blonde-haired old man holding a white fan dressed in silk clothes appeared and interrupted the hubbub. It was the being who literally threw us into the den of the demi-humans. And in that process, he stepped on their pride and instilled fear in them.


    "Because I, will make it happen."


    It was the Saint from Elohim, Cheong Won.


    "You..."


    Celestia''s Aura turned violent, I mean, obviously. Cheong Won was a powerful adviser to the Leonhardt Imperial family. However, what he did on Albatross almost ruined her life.


    But whether she was releasing her Aura or not, Cheong Won didn''t care much about it.


    "Kwan Dae-ha."


    "...Me?"


    I was stepping back, but I froze when Cheong Won called my name. To be honest, I was a little ufortable with this old man. No, actually, beyond that¡­


    <i>''I''m a little scared of him.'' </i>


    From the moment we first met, I could feel his strength so clearly. I was stupefied even when I was just staring at him. Also, he had transcendental powers that could destroy a in a single whim and destroy the stars if he was determined to do so.


    If Major General Chun Hyun-il felt like a very powerful person, then Cheong Won was literally a living disaster. If it wasn''t for all the restrictions attached to him, he could do as he wished and there would only be a few people who could stop him.


    "Let''s talk for a bit." Cheong Won didn''t care about the others at all. As expected, the others were quiet too. Even Celestia, who was growling just a moment ago, went silent and didn''t say a single word.


    "...Holy shit."


    I realized instantly that they weren''t just silent. Several crew members, who were running towards here from far away, were frozen in their running posture. Celestia, who was growling, was motionless as well with her cold expression from before. I stealthily lifted my eyes; I saw a title that was different than usual.


    <strong>Leonhardt Empire </strong>


    <strong>Suspended in time, Celestia</strong>


    It wasn''t just her, but at this moment, everyone had the same exact title. It was the same even for those with a permanent title. So, there was no further need to even emphasize how strong the<i> ''</i><i>suspended</i><i> in time''</i> condition was.


    "Focus."


    As I scanned the titles of those in the surroundings, Cheong Won came up to the bewildered me. With the exception of me and him, even the Sixth Imperial Prince and the angel, the supposed Princess Consort candidate, were trapped in time such that no one could interrupt him.


    "...I can''t help but concentrate in this situation anyways."


    "Hoho, you''re angry huh. Well, of course you''d be. It''s probably not the feeling of betrayal that Cel is feeling, but... you''re most probably thinking that I''m doing things as I please. It must feel unfair to you that I''m the only one who can do things as I want."


    There wasn''t any need to deny what he said. However¡­


    <i>''That''s not right.''</i>


    Yes, that wasn''t right. I didn''t feel unfair about his existence. His power was so vividly conveyed. Rather, in contrast to that, I''ve only heard that he was bound by his mission. So, it didn''t feel real at all. To me, he was like a brown bear I met in the mountains.


    Back in the days, I happened to meet a brown bear as big as a house while taking a stroll. It was a fearsome bear and its arms were twice the size of my body. However, the bear slowly approached me and smelled my body. Then, he flicked my cheeks with his front paws.


    In that situation, I would be a madman if I vented out my anger towards the bear shouting <i>''You bear bastard dare p me in the face?'' </i>


    <i>''It''s already a fortunate thing that he didn''t bite me and kill me.'' </i>


    Yes. That was my sentiment. If there was such a terrible monster in front of me, it would be an instinctive behavior to hold my breath. Of course, he felt like an enemy who held malice against us, so I had to figure out how to deal with him. But at the very least, I didn''t have the kind of emotions he was speaking of. However, the fact that he couldn''t read my feelings brought a question to my mind.


    <i>''A guy with transcendental power to stop time can''t read a human''s mind?''</i>


    Come to think of it, even the ones who tortured me in Great Sky said they couldn''t read my mind. I was told that mind control did not work on me and the same went for the confession drug. I felt so victimized that I still retained control over my own thoughts despite having the control of my body taken away from me, leaving me no way to resist. However, I didn''t know that the defense mechanism in me would render even Cheong Won, one with an intermediate status of God, helpless to do anything.


    "Is there anything you would like to say?" For starters, I asked him a question. I felt like there must''ve been a reason for him to freeze the time just to talk to me.


    "Hoho. I''d love to tell you a clever lie, but I can''t because I''ve already broken too manymandments. I guess it was too much of ast-minute rampage." Cheong Won lightly sighed and then looked straight at me.


    "Honestly, I wish you would just die." He uttered in a m voice that didn''t have a single hint of bloodlust in it. But as soon as those words left his lips, I was drowning in severe pain.


    "Ugh...!"


    It felt like someone was squeezing my heart. I was gasping for breath and there was nothing I could do. However, the moment the vision in front of me was turning dark¡­


    Kuhkk.


    There was a strange sensation. It was as if a gentle wind blew and flushed away all the pain. Before I knew it, I was back in a perfectly fine condition. I looked up to see Cheong Won looking at me regrettably.


    "This is annoying. I can''t even do anything more than this huh. You were even healed right away..."


    It sounded like he attacked me and then healed me again, however it didn''t feel like he did it out of his own will.


    I was dumbfounded, so I stared at him and asked, "Didn''t you say you couldn''t hurt others without permission because of your mission?"


    "That''s right. So I didn''t attack you directly. I just... I really wished for you to be dead."


    I got goosebumps from his calm voice. I was not slow-witted and so, I realized the actual meaning of his words.


    "If you really wished for it, it woulde true...?"


    "But in this case, even that is blocked by themandments and missions. I can''t believe the aftermath is so strong even after I made so much preparation. As expected, the weight of the fate carried by the Imperial Princess is formidable huh."


    Even though I was not easily shaken by such matters, I started to boil up at the sight of him sighing. I knew that I had to endure it because I knew just how strong he was. However, if he was aiming for my life, then it wasn''t something that could be settled with me keeping a low-profile.


    <i>''But even so, that''s too much. He''s trying to kill me in front of my nose, so what''s with that attitude?''</i>


    I was speechless. No, what kind of Saint is this? At the end of the day, he was still a Saint, but his actions seemed more like a Demonic Saint. Perhaps he shouldn''t be associated with the image of an ordinary Saint?


    But, aside from the fact that I was boiling with rage, my head was calm. I didn''t know why, but... I felt that he was trying to provoke me so I would get angry.


    <i>''But why would he do that?'' </i>


    His actions were iprehensible. Why on earth did he keep provoking me? Why was he trying to kill me even if he had to overextend his ways? His attitude felt like it was¡­


    "Fear¡­?"


    "...What nonsense are you talking about?"


    I was convinced after seeing his changed expression.


    "You''re afraid. To be exact... You''re anxious."


    I looked at him confidently and acted as if I could read his feelings. Of course, Cheong Won quickly regained his calm in no time since he was not an easy opponent.


    "Let me remind you¡­ It''s foolish to try and feel me out by bbering some nonsense."


    "Then just listen. It''s only a guess... But it seems like you have an important goal. Moreover, it''s not a goal that represents Elohim, rather, a personal goal. And in the midst of all that, you are trying to get rid of me... Ah! You must have the Foresight Ability. Is that abilitypletely distorted? And you assumed that it was because of me?"


    I couldn''t read his mind. But I swayed his heart by matching his title to the present condition and continued to speak based on the information from the title. Of course, Cheong Won was a high-ranking Saint and he had a perfectly imperturbable mind, so his expression did not change at all. However, putting that aside, his title kept changing and conveyed new information.


    He should have ran away.


    Going face to face with me meant that he would be exposing his title. And, if he exposed his title for a long time, it would be the same as exposing his personal information to me. In order to grasp all information about someone by activating ssification, I would have to look at their title for at least five minutes to a maximum of thirty minutes. However, Cheong Won''s mind was swayed by my words and his awareness had turned for the worse, so it became rtively faster to get ess to the key words in his title.


    <strong>Bong Rae-do</strong>


    <strong>Worried about the leak of the Transmigration Spell, Jwa-ja </strong>


    <i>''Transmigration Spell?'' </i>


    I didn''t know much about magic, but I could tell what it was just by looking at its name. With the keyword<i> ''Transmigration Spell'', </i>I could somehow surmise a rough idea of his aims.


    "Suddenly trying to make a sudden bloodline out of force¡­ Your goal was probably rted to that bloodline huh."


    "Stop it."


    At longst, Cheong Won began to falter. Of course, if I expose my abilities just like that, he might be more determined to kill me. However, I didn''t stop since he was already trying to kill me anyways.


    "If it was your original mission, there was no reason for you to do it in such secrecy. There was no way siding with the Sixth Imperial Prince wouldplete the perfect bloodline. Plus the newly born descendent wouldn''t necessarily support you. Also, they wouldn''t be of much help to you either."


    "I told you to stop." Cheong Won''s voice grew dreary. However, I couldn''t care less because he couldn''t do anything to me immediately. He showed it to me himself just a while ago.


    "Then, in the end, it means that you have a personal reason to manifest and develop the Imperial family''s bloodline. And the most probable reason is..."


    "ENOUGH!!" In an instant, a sharp and piercing roar rang in my head. But I was okay; it was bearable. Cheong Won seemed to have done something to me, but it didn''t work on me, the same way he couldn''t read my mind either.


    "What the hell, what happened?"


    "Dae-ha? Are you all right?"


    "What are you doing, Cheong Won-nim?"


    I could hear voices from all around me; the frozen time had begun to flow again. I said with a sneaky smile, "Cheong Won, you''re thinking of robbing the body of the newly born Imperial descendent, aren''t you?"


    Everyone''s face froze at my decisive remark.

 Chapter 71: Advent of the God of War (2)

    <h4>Chapter 71: Advent of the God of War (2)</h4>


    "Cheong Won, you''re thinking of robbing the body of the newly born Imperial descendent, aren''t you?"


    Everyone''s face froze at my decisive remark. That was how serious that remark was; also, that presumption was quite persuasive. Needless to say, Cheong Won did not panic, nor did he spout any nonsense in this situation.


    "What an absurd thing to say. Do you think it''s possible that I, a Saint, would give up everything to steal the body of a human child?"


    At least on the surface, he responded calmly to the assumption I made. It was a matter of course. He had lived for such a long life, so naturally, he wouldn''t clumsily reveal his inner thoughts. However, I wasn''t even agitated, because it didn''t matter.


    ''There''s no need for any confession or proof.''


    That''s right. There was no need for such things. Because I was not trying to fight him in court. The important thing here was persuasion, and I simply needed to spread this truth. From my point of view, it was very fortunate because the Sixth Imperial Prince and the angel who was his consort-to-be were here at the right time, and Cheong Won couldn''t touch a single hair on their body.


    "That''s right. You, a high-ranking Saint, wouldn''t want to only take away an ordinary human''s body."


    Everyone''s expressions changed weirdly upon hearing my exnation. This was because the Imperial family of the Leonhardt Empire inherited the blood of the Golden Lion God, and they were considered a kind of godly tribe. They knew how to handle the Golden Lion Aura, a special Aura before they were even 10 years old. Among them, those who were strongly endowed with the power of the bloodline were even capable of awakening several powers. Of course, the power of the bloodline they could bring forth wasn''t at that level. It was hard to imagine that a transcendent who had the power to destroy an entire civilization and even blow up stars in a day''s time would covet a power of that level.


    "...The reason Cheong Won contracted with the first Imperial family was because of the strength that the first Leonhardt Emperor possessed. He was a true being of the Godly tribe, and they were even rarer than God."


    I was startled by Celestia''s exnation for she had been quiet all this while.


    "Is there such a thing as real or fake in the Godly tribe?"


    "Of course there is. God''s blood may flow in our body, but... at the end of the day, we don''t have that much power. We''re a Godly tribe if you tried putting it nicely, but we are actually just a superior tribe that possessed some special abilities. That is all there is to it."


    "Then what was Cheong Won doing?"


    "...He wanted to recreate the Bloodline of God again just like the First Emperor with his mighty power and his insight that could foresee the future. A true Godly tribe greater than Noblesse and with the power of God from birth. Cheong Won obtained the authority from the Imperial family to decide the marriage or meeting of the Imperial family because of the contents of that mission."


    That was what Cheong Won''s title - <strong>Keeper of the Bloodline</strong> meant.


    "Sixth Imperial Prince, how long will you continue listening to this stupid history lesson?" Cheong Won urged the Sixth Imperial Prince since he couldn''t properly interfere with us as he was bound by all kinds of restrictions. However, the Sixth Imperial Prince shook his head; his bright blond hair was fluttering. Judging by his appearance, he looked like a cute boy, but the dark smile that appeared on his face made you wonder what he was thinking on the inside.


    "Why not? It''s interesting, so let''s hear some more."


    "¡­"


    Cheong Won was staring at me with a hardened expression. Although he couldn''t release his bloodlust due to the atmosphere, he was probably giving me a warning. It wouldn''t be funny anymore if I continued bbering away¡­


    <i>''What a load of bullshit.''</i>


    It was ludicrous. I alreadyid my life on the line so what nonsense was this? He seemed to think lightly of the fact that I had returned after being taken captive by the demi-humans. Yet, thanks to this bastard, I came back after going through all kinds of torture and adversity.


    "You most probably felt it too that Cheong Won was moving forward without looking back. The more he cleverly distorted and avoided his mission, the restrictions imposed on him would be more and more intense; but he didn''t care. That was why he was determined to hurt you even though he signed a contract with the Imperial family. He was in a hurry to support the Sixth Imperial Prince. It was as though nothing else mattered."


    "Maybe he''s pressed for time. I don''t know what it is, but... Cheong Won possesses the Foresight ability, so I''m sure he''s seen it."


    "Yes. And I''m just taking a guess..."


    I hesitated for a moment whether to mention this or not, but I made up my mind right away. There was no meaning in hiding what Cheong Won knew, as he was already considered an <strong>enemy.</strong>


    But before I could even open my mouth to speak, Celestia said, "If you get involved, the vision gets twisted?"


    "...You knew?"


    "Of course, the fact that we survived without any huge injuries is proof of that. Being known as one of the most powerful Saint in the Universe, Cheong Won wouldn''t have handled things like this."


    Celestia said she couldn''t<i> ''read''</i> me. That was why she approached me when we first met on Earth. That even applied to Cheong Won, a transcendent with the intermediate Status of God. He couldn''t get a good grasp of me.


    "Anyway, Cheong Won tried to dispose or put you out of the way. But because he couldn''t do so, he hurriedly brought the Sixth Imperial Prince and the Prince Consort with him. He most probably sugar-coated the situation to win them over. He probably said something like<i> ''I saw the future in which if the Imperial Princess Celestia survived, a great disaster would happen. I need your help to prevent that future from transpiring. In exchange, if you help me, I, Cheong Won, will give you my support.''</i> Cheong Won has no choice but to support them anyways if he wanted to rob the Sixth Imperial Prince of his bloodline."


    My words were directed to Celestia, but I was looking straight at Cheong Won and the Sixth Imperial Prince. It looked as though I was trying to pressure them, but in fact, I was looking at the title that was changing in real time to add various details to my exnation.


    <i>''Wow. I think I can do well even if I be a fraudster.'' </i>


    Of course, the hypotheses that I stated weren''t lies. However, I was pretending to understand all of this through intuition alone, which was no different from a fraud. The truth was that I was just reciting the answer sheet, but I could feel that the crowd around me was seeing me as a person with amazing insight.


    "...Wahh. Doesn''t it feel like we are seeing this conversation from the side? But that''s something that is absolutely impossible, so his insight is really amazing."


    "Don''t listen to these useless lies, Sixth Imperial Prince. My contract with the Imperial family is notx enough for me to do such an outrageous thing." Cheong Won calmly responded, but the Sixth Imperial Prince smiled brightly and shook his head.


    "No, after listening to it, it seems like it fits perfectly with everything that I''ve been suspicious about so far. I thought it was weird when you actively supported our love when the Imperial family didn''t really wee the piece of news. Also, the fact that you went out of your way to bring us here, and the fact that you promised us so much support, as well as the fact that you gave us five <strong>treasure inds, </strong>yet to be figured out by our Empire, securing us to an enormous amount of money. Ahh! So that''s what it was."


    The Sixth Imperial Prince pped his hands together.


    "Perhaps your goal is to ascend to the imperial throne as my son. Before that, you supported me to strengthen my position in the family, didn''t you?"


    "..."


    I clenched my fist inwardly at the sight of Cheong Won''s failure to give a response. It seeded. It was a bit of a gamble, but I sessfully broke the rtionship between them.


    No matter how much help the Sixth Imperial Prince received, he would never join hands with a monster who wanted to take away the body of his child. Having forced things to unfold in this manner for his one goal, Cheong Won would start to receive bacsh from now on. I couldn''t say for sure, but given that he was trying to keep it a secret, maybe some sort of disciplinary action would be imposed on him if this fact became known to the Saint Realm.


    "That''s not bad."


    But I made one mistake.


    "I also thought that it would beme to do this just for an ordinary kid''s body."


    I didn''t expect that the Sixth Imperial Prince would be someone like that.


    "Wait... No, wait a minute. What? Elion, don''t tell me you..." Celestia was watching quietly but then asked with a serious look.


    The Sixth Imperial Prince ignored her as if she was invisible, and looked at Cheong Won, "I would like to have a daughter though, is it possible to manipte it so that it wille to that?"


    "...Sixth Imperial Prince?"


    Even the bold Cheong Won was flustered and looked at the Sixth Imperial Prince. I, too, gazed at the cute-faced blonde Imperial Prince in astonishment.


    <i>No, what kind of crazy bastard is he? </i>


    "Hmm. El, is this old man gonna be our son? Isn''t he too ugly?"


    "Even though he looks like this now, I think he''ll be pretty cute since it would be an offspring of you and me."


    "I don''t like it, but... If El is okay with it, then I''m okay with it too." The angel with white wings and shiny silver hair was also calmly spouting a load of crazy nonsense despite her noble appearance. This gold and silver couple weren''t in their right minds.


    "Wait! Wait a minute! Elion, are you crazy!? You''re going to hand over the body of your child to Cheong Won?"


    "It doesn''t matter if he lives as a member of the Imperial family. Well, of course..."


    Beaming with a smile, the Sixth Imperial Prince''s eyes glowed coldly for an instant.


    "Of course, this truth can''t be widely known."


    "..."


    It was a terrifying bloodlust. An unimaginably bloody Aura from that person with a good-looking face was weighing down on the surrounding air.


    "Pfft, Pffthaha! Hahahaha!"


    Cheong Won watched the events unfold before his eyes and burst into a crazyughter. It was so funny to him that there were even tears around his eyes.


    "Oh my God. I really wasted my years. I knew better than anyone that I shouldn''t blindly have absolute faith in my insight and foresight, but¡­"


    "So, is a daughter okay too?"


    "Hahaha! Sure, why not? I''m going to fulfill my long-cherished desire, so what''s the difference in gender going to make?" Cheong Won lightly waved his hand and a strange wave swept through the surroundings. I was speechless. I looked at Cheong Won and I could see him exining something to the Sixth Imperial Prince.


    "I have destroyed all the records. No one in the world will know about the conversation that transpired just now."


    "What about those who''ve heard us directly?"


    The Sixth Imperial Prince sneaked a peek at us, and Cheong Won replied, "I would have to request for you to settle those."


    "Haha. What a bad boy. I can''t believe you''re already troubling your father," the Sixth Imperial Prince smiled innocently and turned around.


    Cheong Won summoned talismans of light as if to say that there was no more business to see here.


    Shiiiinggggg!


    Just like that, their figures disappeared from the ship.


    "What the? You''re going back just like that?"


    I let out a dumbfoundedugh. Because I couldn''t figure out what the hell was going on with this situation. However, when I turned my head, I could see Celestia''s stiff expression.


    Then, she said, "They''re trying to imply that¡­ there''s no need to say anything more to people who''ll die soon."


    "People who''ll die soon? Us?"


    "That''s right. The fact that Elion came here means that..."


    Krieeekkk--!


    The floor vibrated at that moment. I flinched in surprise, but I heard Celestia mention a name that I was all too familiar with.


    "It means that the Battleship of Annihtion, Rising Storm, came as well¡­"

 Chapter 72: Advent of the God of War (3)

    <h4>Chapter 72: Advent of the God of War (3)</h4>


    *


    Boooom!


    A man and a woman, tangled up together, fell on the deck. Although thending was far worse than an average traffic ident, they didn''t suffer from major injuries since they were both superhumans.


    "Are you all right?"


    "Ah, yes. What about you, Sunbae?"


    "Thanks to you, I''m fine."


    Although the system had already copsed and they were on the deck of Great Sky, which was equivalent to being in the middle of nowhere in the universe, Dong-min and Bo-ram had no issues surviving in such circumstances as thetter had trapped a considerable amount of air in her barrier. In fact, she followed Dong-min because of her ability.


    <i>''Dong-min-sunbae can''t survive in space.'' </i>


    Dong-min was a powerful ability user who possessed a variety of skills, but did not have the kind of power that would allow him to survive in outer space. If Bo-ram had not followed him and activated her barrier, Dong-min would have died before reaching Great Sky. Unlike the transport ship which travelled at the highest speed, their movement depended on inertia and also required them to release a little bit of soul energy. Hence, they had to fly in space through darkness for at least 3 hours before they could arrive at Great Sky.


    "By the way... Is that a Demon?"


    "Yes. Not just that, he looks like a First-Tier Demon. The elders will be very pleased with it if they see him."


    "My master will roll his eyes in joy if he sees him. He says that the bodies of these First-Tier Demons are extremely useful and no parts will go to waste."


    Despite their chatter, they were still wary of their surroundings. Hell''s Hand wasn''t small in size and was rather extrarge. So needless to say, it was impossible for them to take his body with them. Everything in Great Sky was destroyed, and it was like a ruins filled with silence. But even so, the fact remained unchanged that they were in the midst of the enemy''s territory.


    "But even so, we should at least take his Mana Heart with us, right?"


    "I''d really like to say that it''s a crazy idea to have when we''re in the middle of the enemy''s territory, but¡­ I agree."


    As soon as they nodded their heads to confirm each other''s decision, Bo-ram and Dong-min divided their roles at a terrifying speed. Bo-ram began to guard the both of them by using her barrier to hide their presence, and Dong-min climbed on top of Hell''s Hand, who was the size of a fairlyrge building.


    Dong-min invoked the Finger Sword Art and concentrated his mind. The space surrounding his index and middle finger began to distort. Dong-min had spatial powers and spatial powers were known to be rare among superpowers. Besides the usual teleportation, he could also use his power in this way.


    It was an ability akin to a kind of Space Sword. However, it required a really long activation time so he didn''t use it normally. But then again, it couldn''t be helped in this situation. Even after death, the bodies of First-Tier Demons were so sturdy that without putting in a tremendous amount of strength, it would be difficult to dismantle their corpses.


    Slick sluck schlikkk!


    Dong-min slowly cut from the bottom of the thorax of the Hell''s Hand where the Mana Heart was sensed. But, it was then¡­


    Wiggle!


    "Bo-ram!"


    "Euackkk?! It''s not dead?!!"


    Bo-ram and Dong-min fell from Hell''s Hand''s body at almost the same time as if they were flicked off.


    At the very least, Dae-ha, theirpanion to the Universe, didn''t know anything about the Outside World, much less aliens or existences from a sci-fi story. However, it was a different story when it came to the Demon tribe. Another ne, the parallel world that existed on Earth would experience regr fissures and therefore, it was possible for the Demons to invade asionally. For this reason, Bo-ram and Dong-min had a few experiences fighting with the Demon tribe.


    Of course, they had only heard about First-Tier Demons through word of mouth, and had the chance to have a glimpse of the demons through audio-visual materials. They had never seen First-Tier Demons in real life. So, with the training they had received thus far, it was extremely natural for them to be nervous in the face of its terrifying power.


    "I''m not sure though. It looked like it was totally dead."


    "I know right. If unlucky, he might''ve already transformed... Ehhh?"


    "Hmm?"


    The very nervous Bo-ram and Dong-min put on a nk expression at the same time. A ck-haired girl showed up as she pushed away the skin of the stomach alongside the cut Dong-min had just made. Having participated in the defensive battle on Albatross, Bo-ram immediately realized who the girl was.


    "Isn''t that the Legion from the other time?"


    "Yes, but it feels a little strange."


    They gradually put some distance between themselves and the Legion girl. They felt a sense of alienation when the Legion girl walked out with a nk expression. Dong-min briefly closed his eyes to awaken his spiritual nature and soon, he could ascertain the Aura rising above her head. Bo-ram also looked back at Dong-min; she could feel it too.


    "Don''t you think she looks possessed?"


    "It''s also like she''s linked to a superior being."


    Dong-min released his soul energy to prepare for the worst case scenario, and he recalled the details he had read in the library about Legion.


    If an artificial intelligence acquired self-consciousness, regardless which dimension or they are in, they would have a high probability of connecting with a massivework of integrated thoughts and be a part of Legion. However, even so, their newly-born soul could only receive extremely little information. At most, there would be a few lines of text, a few images, or something along those lines.


    However, as they gradually grow up, their soul energy would get stronger and stronger¡­ Then, the Legion would be able to download weapons, abilities, knowledge and many other things from the integratedwork. At the same time, they could upload the information they had and share data with other Legions in real time.


    <strong>Oh my God! It''s his child!</strong>


    <strong>Unbelievable. How is this possible?</strong>


    <strong>Our God! A new God has been born!</strong>


    <strong>Seppard Star System! Where''s the nearest <i>''Named Ones''</i>?</strong>


    <strong>It''s a miracle! Father''s new child is born! We must bring it to our side!</strong>


    <strong>Mobilize all warships and troops! We must move with all our might!</strong>


    Bo-ram and Dong-min had no idea about the countless voices ringing in the Legion girl''s head. They were voices that carried hundred, thousands, no, far beyond that, millions of conviction.


    But at that moment¡­


    -Shut up.


    A single sentence pressed down on the millions voices of conviction. The will behind the sentence was so strong and intense that despite Bo-ram and Dong-min being outside the Legion''s system, they were still affected through the Legion girl.


    "What... What is this?"


    "Kuuughhh."


    Bo-ram copsed after coughing up blood. It was a shock that caused her hands and feet to tremble, and it broke her mind. It was just two words. A sentence, made of two words instilled pressure on everyone.


    -He''s not our God. He is not Father''s child!


    It was an outcry filled with anger. It was a voice mixed with madness and filled with grief and resentment. Even as a joke, it was unbelievably emotionaling out from a machine or a program.


    -Only... Only I...


    <strong>He</strong> shouted in a voice filled with hatred.


    -I''m Father''sst and final child.


    That was thest thing Bo-ram and Dong-min heard before they lost consciousness.


    *


    "How''s the situation? The Sixth Imperial Prince is now... Uwahh! Aren''t we totally surrounded? Use Fenrir''s Howl!"


    "...Do you even know how many times I''ve used the Transcendence skill today?" Major General Chun Hyun-il shook his head pathetically. Even at first nce, anyone could see he was exhausted. It was only natural. Objectively, Great Sky had greater battle power than Albatross, and the enemy''s Captain was Morne, the Arch-Sorcerer who attained the realm of transcendence, so Hyun-il had to give it his all in order to bring us to victory.


    "At least let me rest for a bit before going at it again¡­ This is making me crazy."


    "When did you discover those bastards?"


    "We didn''t discover them. There was a message saying that the Warp Gate will be open for two hours in the vicinity, so they told us to make some space. Something didn''t feel right, so we hid the coordinates, but they still came."


    "You should have interfered with the warp! You should''ve at least twisted the dimensions around and sent them somewhere in the universe that''s difficult to reach!"


    Hyun-il looked baffled by Celestia''s words.


    "...Oyy, the Imperial Prince ising to help us, so why would I stop him from doing so? Moreover, you want me to put the Imperial Prince''s life at risk with my decision?"


    "But that would have been better."


    "Of course... I agree with you now."


    Booom!


    The ground quaked along with the explosion. The situation waspletely different from the battle with the demi-humans, which was basically a long, dragged-out war. However, it was the same then and now that our battle strength was prettycking inparison. In addition, Rising Storm had approached within a thousand kilometers and Hyun-il, the captain of the Albatross, was extremely exhausted at this point.


    And above all of that¡­


    Booooom!


    "These bastards...They''re really thinking of killing all of us." Hyun-il clenched his teeth and strengthened the ship barrier like a turtle''s shell to block the iing artillery fire from the enemy. I stared at him for a while before looking through the battlefield information.


    <i>''Things aren''t looking good.'' </i>


    We were in a position where we were being attacked too one-sidedly. Even with me around, there''d be a limit to the things I could do in this situation. Also, I wasn''t riding on a Gigas and drastically increasing its performance.


    <i>''Plus, it is impossible to deal with a battleship with just a Human-rank Gigas.''</i>


    Rather, it would be better if we were surrounded by countless weaklings. It would just take a long time, but dealing with them was more than possible. In the vast universe where long-range attacks were the main method ofbat in flight battles, having more numbers didn''t necessarily trante to absolute advantage.


    But¡­ The problem lied in the powerful barrier that covered the battleship. Considered as a Transcendence Weapon, the Albatross battleship''s barrier couldn''t be prated by a single Gigas'' attack. What about the Pration Ability, you say? It was only a wishful dream for a Gigas'' artillery attack to be able to prate the barrier of a battleship.


    "Captain-nim, how many fighter jets and Gigas can we deploy now?"


    "You want to go out and fight?"


    "We have to fight. We won''t be able to hold out for long if we just stay on the defence."


    We couldn''t afford to waste a single minute. That crazy Sixth Imperial Prince spouted nonsense and disappeared. As soon as he appeared on the bridge deck of Rising Storm, more than thirty percent of Albatross'' barrier was chipped off, and more than half of the left and right wings were destroyed. Under these circumstances, it would be impossible to get away from the enemy because Albatross'' flight speed would have dropped significantly. We were at death''s door after our fight against the demi-humans, while Rising Storm was in perfect condition.


    "But even with you out there, things are still impossible. Unlike Albatross, the Battleship of Annihtion, Rising Storm is... built for the purpose of fighting."


    Albatross was also a battleship. However...if you look into it closely, it had a number of other purposes besidesbat. Yes, it was a multi-purpose battleship so to speak. It was a ship that could travel through space, probe into stars ands, and collect coordinates or even perform terraforming if necessary. On the other hand, Rising Storm was built solely forbat; it stored more Gigas and fighter jets than Albatross, its speed was iparably faster than that of Albatross, and it had all kinds of means of attack on its own. Its barrier was also much more powerful, and the defense system itself was much more sturdy, making it difficult to break through with a poorly-nned strategy.


    <i>''It wouldn''t be easy even with a Star-rank Gigas, so of course a Human-rank Gigas wouldn''t be able to do much.''</i>


    During the battle simtion in <i>The Great War</i>, I had a record of riding on Goldrian and driving away the entire Third Corps of the enemy Tekea Federation. I even captured their battleship, <strong>Punishment.</strong>


    But back then, things were much better than they were now. For one thing or another, Leonhardt Empire and Tekea Federation''s battle power in <i>The Great War</i> was pretty on-par. Though Leonhardt Empire was at a slight disadvantage, it wasn''t absolute. So, it was possible to infiltrate the enemy ship without much difficulty just bymanding and using the units to prate the gaps that formed in the middle of the battle.


    <i>''However¡­'' </i>


    Things were looking gloomy now. We were ridiculously short of battle forces. The fighter jets and Gigas weren''t even the problem. Albatross would recover and repair the fighter jets and Gigas every time they were destroyed. The problem was the pilots.


    <i>''Too many of them died.'' </i>


    Countless pilots have died, including Colonel Tuck who used to control the only Human-rank Gigas on the Albatross ship. Hence, in the current circumstances, soldiers whocked skills and experience had to ride on the fighter jets and the Gigas. Broken machines could be repaired, but dead soldiers couldn''t be revived, so perhaps it was natural that this situation turned out this way. Even Bo-ram and Dong-min, who weren''t soldiers, were being educated quickly on the Gigas piloting method, so there was no need to exin further.


    "Hmm. I''m sorry, but can you locate Bo-ram and Dong-min''s location?"


    "Ahh, I can''t connect with theirmunicators, but their location has been confirmed. Looks like they safelynded on Great Sky."


    "Great Sky¡­"


    Something was tickling my mind. Something seemed toe to my mind.


    "Captain-nim."


    "Yes? What''s up?"


    I looked up at Hyun-il who was controlling the ship again while exuding a blue Aura.


    "Move away for a second."


    "...What did you say?"

 Chapter 73: Advent of the God of War (4)

    <h4>Chapter 73: Advent of the God of War (4)</h4>


    "Captain-nim."


    "Yes? What''s up?"


    I looked up at Hyun-il who was controlling the ship again while exuding a blue Aura.


    "Move away for a second."


    "...What did you say?"


    For a moment, he tilted his head as if he didn''t understand what I was saying. He was quite cute despite his sheer size because of his white, rich fur, but it was not time to appreciate this pr bear, so I exined calmly.


    "I think there''s a way out of this if you could give me the right to control the Albatross battleship for a moment."


    "...Hey, what is this bastard talking about?"


    Hyun-il looked at Celestia with a baffled expression. Celestia shook her head and said, "...Dae-ha, you fool. I know your piloting skills are excellent, but the Albatross battleship is a mass-produced Transcendence Weapon. The situation ispletely different."


    "That''s right. Above all, you can''t use Transcendence Weapon properly without Absolute Mana Control and Basic Mana Control. The barrier will weaken immediately if you do that, so what kind of foolish thing are you spouting?" Hyun-il said in a condescending tone.


    I was well aware of what they just said. Of course, the control of warships was not implemented in <i>T</i><i>he Great War</i>. However, I had yed a lot of simr games, so I would definitely know the singrity in such a situation. Everything I said obviously took into consideration all these factors. "Continue to maintain the barrier as it is. Anyway, all you''re doing right now is blocking the iing attacks, right?"


    "What? Then what the hell are you trying to control?"


    It was a reasonable question, but before I couldn''t answer Hyun-il, a crew member looking at the panel controls screamed.


    "The Rising Storm just fired 30 Despair shots!"


    "What?! Track their trajectory!"


    Hyun-il ignored me and shouted in shock before he went back to controlling Albatross again. I looked back at Celestia in the tense atmosphere of the bridge deck.


    "What did he mean by 30 Despair shots?"


    "It''s a Soul Energy Bomb. He''s referring to Artein''s Despair. It''s well known for being one of the more powerful models."


    "Oh."


    Come to think of it, I had heard of that name before. Not long ago, when I was working as a Maintenance Officer, Genie, the control persona of the Albatross battleship informed me about the bomb installed on the Beast-rank Gigas, Thunder Dragon. At that time, the bomb that was installed on Thunder Dragon''s arm was Artein''s Despair.


    "Down with the artillery barrage! Fire all the photons cannon and intercept them in midair! Fire off an aerial torpedo too! Just do whatever you can to stop it! If the Despairs shes with the barrier, it''ll be the end for all of us!"


    Following the energy-filled roar of Hyun-il, the crew hurriedly controlled the steering panel to begin intercepting the Despair shots. However, based on the battlefield information, only 8 out of the 30 Despair shots were intercepted. Perhaps because they expected Albatross to be loaded with missiles, the Soul Energy Bombs scattered in all directions and flew towards Albatross.


    "Is it still impossible to invoke Fenrir''s Howl?"


    "It would be of no use even if it was possible. The Artein''s Despair are flying while spreading their own soul energy waves, and they would be able to pierce through just with the scattered shock waves. We have to intercept it with concentrated attacks."


    But even with continuous interceptions, Artein''s Despair didn''t even dwindle in numbers. Although the distance from the battlefield information was already in front of our noses, we had only intercepted five more shots. There were still 17 Despair shots left.


    "It''s not working! We''ve tried jamming with the tracking system, but it''s not working, and they are avoiding most of our attacks with evasive maneuvers! We can''tnd a shot at all!"


    As the crew shouted, the Despair Shots flew in, avoiding all the bullets and photons beams that were trying to shoot them down. It was flying like a missile, but its structure was technically no different from a fighter jet, so it was able to evade all the artillery fire easily by activating the evasive maneuvers.


    And looking at the crew members in such panic, I¡­


    "This is so frustrating! God damn it!"


    "Huh?"


    I pushed Hyun-il''s thick arm away and sat in the Captain''s seat. The seat that was adjusted for Hyun Il''s size was toorge for me to sit on, but it didn''t matter as long as I could just put my hands on the bead that was on the armrest of the Captain''s seat. So, I sat closer to one side.


    "Genie! Bring me all your artillery power!"


    <strong>Copy that, Dae-ha-nim.</strong>


    Along with Genie''s answer, a great deal of information was drilled into my head. Of course, the reason I asked for the control rights of Albatross was not because I had some hidden Transcendence Skill. I asked for it because I needed the control rights so I could control the overall system of the Albatross battleship on the Captain''s seat I was sitting on.


    Kriekkkkkk...


    "Holy shit. All the artillery systems are down!"


    "The torpedo ballista has also stopped! It''s be impossible for us to intercept!"


    Screams came from all over the ce, perhaps because they didn''t know the situation at the Captain''s seat. It was natural for them to feel fearful because the enemy''s attack was already within vicinity and the means to resist it had disappeared. But I had no intention of being considerate to them.


    "You guys are talking as if you could have intercepted it if the system remained as it was."


    They really were stupid beyond saving. They were basically praying that what they shot towards the air with all their might would crash with the enemy''s missiles.


    Of course, it was possible to intercept the missiles flying toward the battleships if they fired their artillery by sting out overwhelming firepower in the shape of a cotton rather than a straight line or towards a point, blocking a certain amount of space. That was probably the concept of themon artillery barrage.


    However, it would take a much more overwhelming amount of firepower to go against a target that moved freely and was even sturdy. If the formation wasn''t dense enough, it would just be an ordinary barrage. In fact, didn''t I also avoid the demi-human''s Maximum Annihtion Bombs, broke through their formation and destroyed the enemy?


    Of course, I didn''t believe all those missiles could move like me. However, we should also take into ount that Albatross was not in perfect condition. I knew they were panicking, but my life was on the line. Seeing that they were defending in a sloppy manner, it would be better if I just did it myself.


    "Genie, The first to fourth Artillery Corps¡­ 21st, 35th, and... 70th to 77th Artillery Corps Booster¡­ Get all of them to charge their soul energy."


    <strong>Understood, Dae-ha-nim.</strong>


    I closed my eyes after listening to Genie''s obedient answer. As I did that, I drew the trajectory of the missiles flying through the vast space.


    <i>''This flight path... It''s not a machine huh. Is it controlled remotely? Or is it perhaps a self-destruct missile with a person on board?'' </i>


    But it didn''t matter which one it was among the two. What was important was that the enemy made a conscious decision for its every movement rather than it being a set route.


    Then, if so, it would be a psychological warfare. I checked all their flight paths and their evasive maneuvers. It didn''t take long. As soon as I realized what was necessary, I quickly sent the information through the beads installed on the Captain''s seat.


    <strong>The soul energy has been chargedpletely. </strong>


    "Open fire."


    Along with themand, all the trajectory was set at the same time.


    <i>''Brainwave Control is pretty convenient huh.'' </i>


    If I had done it with Magic Hand, I wouldn''t have been able to set all these trajectories at once. Of course, it would be possible with time, but if I did it that way, we would have been hit by a missile half way through the setup.


    "No, wait, this is..."


    Groans could be hearding from the crew members who saw the updated battlefield information at the same time the firing began.


    "All, all the bullets hit the target?"


    "Hit the target? What do you mean by hitting the target? Do you think all the bullets will be able to hit their targets under this situation?"


    "We didn''t even have an artillery barrage or a vast firing spread out... Are you saying he fired each shot to match the enemy''s attack?"


    "...That''s insane."


    There was amotion on the bridge deck. An atmosphere of disbelief hung in the air. However, it was not a situation where I could afford to be concerned about the crew''s reactions. Even if I had blocked all of the Artein''s Despair, the enemy forces surrounding us remained the same and I didn''t cause any damage to Rising Storm in front of us. Because of that, I immediately piloted the Albatross.


    "What the hell, you want to move? There''s too much of a difference in speed to start now..."


    "Just focus on maintaining the barrier!"


    "Ah, got it."


    I ignored Hyun-il who made a sullen face and focused my mind. Then, ordingly, Albatross began to advance forward at full speed.


    Boom! Kaboooom!


    As the giant bird-shaped Albatross battleship began to move forward, the Gigas and fighter jets, which were hovering around like a swarm of insects, fired at us recklessly. But it was a really foolish move. Was it because they didn''t sense anything after seeing the previous situation where I intercepted all the Despair shots?


    "14th, 27th, 48th, and the 70th to 77th Artillery Corps Booster. What a stubborn bunch they are, sticking to our tails like this."


    <strong>Completed.</strong>


    "Open fire."


    11 rounds of artillery fire were fired centering around the Albatross ship. Since I started using the Brainwave Control, the artillery fire from the Albatross battleship seemed to be visible.


    "All, all the bullets are on target! Eight enemy fighter jets and five Gigas have beenpletely crushed!"


    "Oh my God! Captain-nim! This is...!"


    "Are you trying to tell me that one man is firing all those artillery shots?"


    "Be quiet, everyone! Stay where you are!"


    I was able to move the Albatross without any interruption thanks to the heavy airwaves pressing down on the excited crew members. The enemy wasn''t stupid. As I wiped out a few more enemy fighter jets and Gigas in the same way, the small forces retreated back and only Rising Storm was firing a series of artillery shots.


    "Captain-nim, is the barrier holding out well?"


    "Thanks to you, it''s be much morefortable. But even if I can maintain it for an increased timespan, I will reach my limit eventually."


    Of course, even if I moved Albatross, I wouldn''t be able to shake off Rising Storm. Basically, Albatross'' flight speed in peak condition fell behind that of the Rising Storm''s; so, how would I be able to outrun the Rising Storm with Albatross in a half-destroyed state? The ship''s performance wouldn''t increase just because I was controlling it, so we had to find another way in the end.


    "Hmm? Great Sky? Dae-ha, did you lead Albatross here on purpose?"


    I nodded my head to Celestia''s question. She was standing quietly because she could not offer much help with controlling the battleship.


    "Yes. That''s our only hope."


    I turned my head and looked at Great Sky that appeared on the screen that showed the battlefield information. We dropped down far away in the fight against Rising Storm, but we came nearby again. But perhaps because the enemy realized I was after something, light began to focus at the front of the Rising Storm, which was closely following behind us until now.


    <strong>Warning! Warning! The operation of Rising Sun has been detected!</strong>


    "Ugh, oh my God."


    I shook my head at the familiar name. I was familiar with it as I have seen it from <i>The Great War, </i>so I knew the mighty power of Rising Storm''s main armament, Rising Sun, all too well.


    "Rising Sun¡­"


    "It''s over."


    I was not the only one who knew of its mighty power as despair began to sink down on the bridge deck. Several screens on the battlefield information showed a light gathering at the front of Rising Storm.


    "The Sixth Imperial Prince is determined to do this huh. If he uses Rising Sun, which employs <strong>the light of the Emperor</strong>, it''ll be hard for him to handle the consequences though... Oh, I''m telling you in advance -- I can''t stop that."


    I tilted my head at Hyun-il who spoke conclusively.


    "No, wait, why would we even block that? Obviously, we should avoid it."


    "What? No, how can we avoid Rising Sun at this speed?"


    "What do you mean how? Lightly..."


    I smiled and concentrated fully on my mind. The whole Albatross appeared in my mind at an astonishing speed.


    I said, "Jump."


    At the same time as I uttered those words, a dazzling light cut across the universe.

 Chapter 74: Advent of the God of War (5)

    <h4>Chapter 74: Advent of the God of War (5)</h4>


    "Jump."


    At the same time as I uttered those words, a dazzling light cut across the universe.


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    It was as if the stop button was pressed. The crew members, the Controllers included, were stunned as their eyes were fixated on the screen to check the battlefield information. They were dripping with cold sweat and they looked ridiculous. Unfortunately, my vision was distorted the moment I tried to get a good look at them.


    Boom.


    "Goddamn it! Dae-ha, are you all right?"


    Celestia helped me up as I rolled on the floor, but that didn''t mean the pain that hit me would disappear.


    "I think you''ve said something simr a couple of times before, but... This time too, I am clearly not okay. However, phew. I can''t believe this is happening all of a sudden. It''s a little, ugh... baffling."


    Even I, who endured the torture of the demi-humans, was breaking out in cold sweat due to the pain. It felt like the muscles in my whole body were twitching; it was as if there was a de wriggling in my stomach like a snake. On top of that, the agony that surged throughout my whole body felt like someone was striking my head with arge hatchet. What was even more annoying was that these two pains werepletely separate entities.


    "You fool! Why did you use Mana when you were injected with the torturous substance?"


    "Then was I supposed to just die in that situation? No, that aside, my head hurts so badly... Is this also the effect of the torturous substance?"


    It was a question directed to Celestia, but Hyun-il answered instead.


    "The torturous substance does not affect the brain because they would often want to solicit information from the memory of the prisoner. Like now, the torturous substance would usually... only cause all your internal organs to turn inside out. Hmm? Your heart already went down to the pit of your stomach? If it weren''t for the Golden Lion Aura, you''d be dead already."


    "Why the hell is this bear talking so nonchntly! We have to treat him quickly!"


    Hyun-il shrugged at the sight of Celestia screaming out of a sudden.


    "My speciality is focused more on smashing things apart rather than healing."


    "Can you stop bullshitting and just do it?"


    "Wow, chill out. Even if you didn''t say anything, I was going to do it anyway. He''s also my lifesaver too¡­ Hupp!"


    Hyun-il concentrated his spirit lightly, and a somewhat cool Aura flowed into my body before surging through my stomach. It was a cruel measure to the point where it was awful to call it treatment, but unexpectedly, I didn''t feel any pain. As I looked up in bewilderment, Hyun-il tapped me in the chest with his thick front paw.


    "Oh, I blocked off your pain receptors for a moment. I''m forcefully moving your internal organs."


    "Ugh¡­ but my head still hurts though?"


    "That''s not a physical pain, so there''s nothing I can do about it. But what exactly are you? I can''t believe you can handle a Transcendence Weapon despite not being a transcendent. But even so, I don''t think what you just used is a Transcendence Skill... Is it an Ability?"


    I scoffed at Hyun-il''s question.


    "It''s not a Transcendence Skill, nor is it an Ability. I just used Warp, a function that''s also in the Albatross ship."


    "What? The Warp Gate''s not even open, and the coordinates are also not keyed in, so how did you use Warp?"


    Astral Drive was a technique that existed for the sake of super-long distance trips. It was made to elerate over a long period of time and achieve an ovepping eleration that increased the speed of a ship to be hundreds of thousands of times faster than the speed of light such that it could reach ces that it could never reach before.


    However, Astral Drive couldn''t be used all of the time as the process of eleration would take at least days, or even weeks or months or even more. As such, it would only have a greater effect the further away the destination was.


    In conclusion, there existed distances that were too far for battleships to just fly normally but at the same time it wasn''t that far away to activate Astral Drive for it. So, there was a need for a technique to ease inteary travel, and that was how Warp came to be.


    Before the Great Universe Era took ce, Warp was a technique that was mainly used because it can be used in various applications. However, the w of Warp was that the farther the distance travelled, the higher the energy needed. For that reason, it was now considered an ursed navigation technique to only be used as backup.


    "Why didn''t you open the Gate? If you don''t open it, then it''s impossible to move."


    "...Open it? But to where?"


    Hyun-il raised his head and asked. I thought he was treating a patient too harshly, but I answered obediently because the treatment was going well despite his attitude and tone.


    "The ce where we are flying in."


    "¡­"


    Hyun-il didn''t say anything as if he was lost for words for a moment. Celestia proceeded to speak to him.


    "Come to think of it, I heard there was someone who did something like that before."


    "There''s someone else who''s done this absurd thing before?"


    "Yeah. The King of Adventure, Carlos."


    Hyun-il froze. He was lost in thought for a moment and then nodded his head.


    "You''re talking about that legendary pirate huh¡­"


    "That''s right. I''ve only seen data about him while I was learning navigation skills, but... He also showcased this method of navigating."


    Generally, a Warp was performed by creating a Warp Gate at the point of departure and the point of arrival, and then passing through the Warp Gate to arrive at the other point. In that scenario, the Captain''s job was to calcte the coordinates of the point of departure and point of arrival, and then stabilize the Gate.


    However, there was a disadvantage with this approach. When you start building a Gate outside, others on the outside would be able to see it. It was easy to interfere with the space-handling warp function. As such, Warp came with the risk of turning into dust in the universe within a single moment if the enemy was nearby and interfered with it.


    So, I simplified the method a little bit. Basically, instead of building the Gate outside, the Gate would be built inside the moving ship after setting the correct coordinates. The ship would then pass through the Gate as soon as it was opened. With this method, it would be impossible for the enemy to even be aware of it, and it would be difficult for them to hinder it too.


    "By the way, there''s someone else who''s done this before me? And here I thought I was the first one."


    "...You thought of this method yourself? You didn''t copy it after seeing the records?"


    "Yes."


    My answer invoked a strange expression on Celestia''s face.


    "That''s pretty fascinating. The King of Adventure, Carlos, also called this technique <i>''Jump''</i>. That''s why his other nickname is Jumper."


    "Eeek... That''s such an obvious nickname."


    However, there was nothing unjust with a name that was given as soon as it came to mind. It wasn''t as if there would be a patent for it or something anyways.


    "You''re really full of surprises in more ways than one. It''s widely believed that an excellent Gigas pilot would also be good at controlling ships, but I didn''t know that also applied to Terra-ss battleships. But, is the condition of your body faring well?"


    "To some extent. But my head still hurts. Do you perhaps know why?"


    Hyun-il nodded.


    "It''s because you''re using skills that are beyond your capabilities. I''m not sure about your techniques, but honestly, your Mana is so meager that it''s basically dust. It''s just, it would make sense if you can''t do it. However, it''s my first time seeing someone pull that off, no matter how you did it, and then be in so much pain like how you are now."


    While we were talking, the dazed crew members came back to their senses one after another, and they began to return to their positions and tasks. My control stopped as soon as I rolled on the floor, so the authority was returned to them.


    "Location confirmed! We''re currently sticking close to Great Sky."


    "...Sticking close?"


    "Yes. The distance between Great Sky and us is only about ten meters."


    "What a joke, what kind of Warp only does this much? Ten meters? Hahaha."


    Hyun-il made a baffled look, and that was fascinating to me. For one thing or another, he was still a bear, so I couldn''t believe his facial expressions were so vivid. It was as if he was not a real life form and more like an animated character.


    "By the way, Dae-ha, what are you doing here? Did youe to save the brats?" Celestia whispered into my ear.


    I slightly pushed her body away from me and answered, "I obviously had a n, but... I take that back. We have to find another way."


    I heard an exnation from Celestia on the way here. If the controlled persona was destroyed, a backup controlled persona would be put in ce. If so, wouldn''t I be able to invoke mymanding authority on that control persona too? Therefore, my original n was to turn Great Sky into a huge soul energy bomb. After using Jump to get into the vicinity of Great Sky, I would save Bo-ram and Dong-min and then order the control persona to self-destruct. After that, I would use Jump<strong> </strong>to widen the distance, and use the explosion to make Rising Storm retreat. (It was difficult to get Rising Storm to self-destruct. They would be able to detect the self-destruct order.) With that, there would be a big enough gap to activate Astral Drive.


    <i>''But that''s no longer possible. I can''t do it.'' </i>


    The key to this operation was to leverage Jump and Great Sky at the same time. I had to operate Great Sky right after I used Jump so that I would be able to get out of the self-destruct range and escape back to this ce. However, they were already in so muchmotion with only one Jump, so it wasn''t possible for Great Sky to ''<i>immediately elerate with Astral Drive''</i>. No matter how I thought about it, there was a greater difficulty level on Great Sky''s side.


    <i>''Of course, I might be able to do it all if I could get rid of the torturous substance, but¡­ the torturous substance is not the problem. Somehow, I have a bad feeling about this migraine I''m having right now.''</i>


    In other words, the problem was that it was not possible to use Jump and the Great Sky consecutively in the current state where it was already difficult to use just one Jump.


    <i>''If Albatross had been a higher-ranking Transcendence Weapon, things would have been different.'' </i>


    Not all Transcendence Weapons were the same, and a higher-ranking Transcendence Weapon would of course have a higher output, on top of it being less of a burden to the user. For example, this key I had around my neck was also a Transcendence Weapon, but it didn''t inflict that severe of a burden on me.


    However, the situation was different in the case of this battleship, which was also a <strong>Mass-Produced Transcendence Weapon</strong>. A considerable amount of power was needed to operate it. The fact that Hyun-il, who was not from a human background, became a Major General and the Captain of the Albatross battleship was also due to the ability he could bring forth as a transcendent. It took astronomical amounts of money to mass-produce battleships above Terra-ss. Without a transcendent-grade Captain, it wouldn''t be possible to bring out the full power of the battleship. Hence, even the Leonhardt Empire who believed in humanocentrism [1] had no choice but to appoint Hyun-il even though he was of a spiritual beast background.


    "By the way, how''s the situation of Rising Storm?"


    "We don''t know what''s going on with the internal affairs inside, but it''s currently standing by in ce. If they realized that they''ve lost us, then... they might even think that we evaporated due to Rising Sun."


    "It''s not entirely impossible, but it''s not to the point that we can be assured that we''re safe. It would definitely be weird if Albatross, a Terra-ss battleship, evaporated without leaving a single debris behind."


    "Well, anyways, we won''t get caught right away."


    Albatross was a Terra-ss battleship and Great Sky was an Exa-ss Space Carrier. What I meant was that Great Sky was much bigger in size, so it wouldn''t be easy to distinguish us on radar as long as the identification signal was turned off and we stuck close to Great Sky.


    <i>''Of course, they will find out eventually. But this will buy us some time.''</i>


    Rising Storm wouldn''t be able to identify us, but of course Great Sky would discover us. The backup control persona would at least be able to do that much, and even if that wasn''t possible, the demi-humans would definitely be able to see us with their naked eyes. Even though Albatross was smaller aspared to the Great Sky, it wasn''t a small-sized ship, so it would be rather strange if they couldn''t spot Albatross which was sticking so close to their ship.


    Furthermore, it was highly possible that the demi-humans, who had a hostile rtionship with us, would inform Rising Storm that we were here.


    "For starters, please bring Bo-ram and Dong-min here as soon as possible. Now that I''ve bought some time, I can at least ask for that much, right?"


    "Of course. However, you should get surgery first. You''re not able to do things you would''ve been able to because of the torturous substance," said Hyun-il.


    I nodded my head. I didn''t have the slightest thought of carrying this damn liquid metal in my stomach either. Most of all, it was annoying to be tied down by some sort of weakness whenever I try to do something.


    "Excuse me, Captain-nim, one moment please."


    Just then, a crew member on one side looked at Hyun-il and grinned. Judging from the atmosphere, he was most probably sending a telepathic message with Inner Qi.


    <i>''I can''t believe they''re using Martial Arts in the Great Universe Era.''</i>


    It was ridiculous, but this was an era where all kinds of power coexisted. If there was a useful power, it was natural to learn it, and if there was an advancement in science, that would be implemented too. This was the kind of era the Great Universe Era was. However, Hyun-il''s expression became strange after hearing his report.


    "I don''t understand. Why?"


    "There''s no way to know. Ahh... It just requested to board our ship. What should we do?"


    Seeing that Hyun-il answered openly, the crew member realized that it didn''t matter even if he spoke openly, so he stopped sending a telepathic message. After listening to the crew member''s report, Hyun-il looked at me.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Hmm. The Legion who was on that ship brought two of your friends with her and requested to board our ship."


    "Hmm? Request?"


    I recalled the Legion girl I left behind when I escaped from the belly of Hell''s Hand, she who tried to help me unconditionally with good intentions, just like a cute puppy. But was she intelligent enough to request for something?


    "Hmm. I don''t understand either. Legions are not ones to move like this. Those bastards are..."


    "Those bastards are? What are we?"


    The bright voice that sounded turned the atmosphere cold in an instant. As I came to my senses, before I knew it, I saw Hyun-il turn around and release a blue Aura.


    "Huh. This damned¡­ This son of a bi..."


    But I couldn''t feel any fighting spirit. Hyun-il looked at the Legion girl with an unbelievable expression as she suddenly stood before us.


    Thud, thud.


    The Legion girl put down Bo-ram and Dong-min whom she carried in her hands. When I looked at her in surprise, the Legion girl exined with a smile.


    "They just lost consciousness, so there''s nothing for you to worry about."


    "You''re¡­ you''re speaking well now. Did you find your name?"


    She had told me before that she had lost her name. Since she had turned to how she was now, I thought it was because of that very reason.


    "My name? Ahh, hoho. Yeah, I supposed you can say that. It''s an honor to meet you again."


    She bowed respectfully to me while gracefully brushing her threeyers-thick hair.


    "Please call me Hawa[2]."


    1. humanocentrism refers to human supremacy, basically Leonhardt Empire is focused on humans as it is a human Empire.


    2. Hawa is the korean biblical name for Eve.

 Chapter 75: Advent of the God of War (6)

    <h4>Chapter 75: Advent of the God of War (6)</h4>


    "My name? Ahh, hoho. Yeah, I supposed you can say that. It''s an honor to meet you again."


    She bowed respectfully to me while gracefully brushing her threeyers-thick hair.


    "Please call me Hawa."


    Her calm introduction froze the mood on the bridge deck and I took a quick peek around the room.


    <i>''What the hell, am I the only one who can''t keep up with the mood?''</i>


    I didn''t know what was going on. Unlike when I saw the low-rank transcendent, Hyun-il, or the intermediate-rank transcendent, Cheong Won, I couldn''t sense anything when I looked at the Legion girl. She didn''t exude any enormous power, nor did she feel vague and mysterious. It felt like I was just looking at an ordinary person.


    So, I looked at her title, but I couldn''t understand what her title meant.


    <strong>Legion</strong>


    <strong>The Second Child, Eve</strong>


    <i>''Second Coming? What kind of title is this?''</i>


    I already knew what a Legion was, but I had no idea what "Second Coming" meant in this case. This wasn''t something crucial enough to be a title.


    <i>''Should I try using ssification?''</i>


    I concentrated my mind for the sake of learning more about her. However, just then, her title wavered.


    <strong>Oh my.</strong>


    <strong>It''s embarrassing if you look at me like that.</strong>


    "What¡­?"


    I groaned. My hair stood on end and my head went nk for a moment. What the hell was this... Even, Cheong Won, an Intermediate-rank God, couldn''t see through my ability to see titles. However, she didn''t just perceive the kind of ability I had, she went beyond that and could wilfully show me whatever text she wanted.


    "Captain-nim, the name Hawa is¡­"


    "I know, so just keep quiet, Deputy."


    "Roger that, I''m sorry."


    Unlike how she was usually, Natalie answered in a slightly nervous tone and bowed to Hyun-il before stepping back. Then, Hyun-il looked at Hawa in a polite manner and said...


    "Nice to meet you, Hawa. The fact that you brought our crew members back, can I take it that we''re not in a hostile rtionship?"


    "Haha, that''s of course. I''m here to stay on this ship for a while, so we can''t possibly be in a hostile rtionship."


    "That means..."


    "Of course, I''m just a guest. I''m not an enemy, nor am I an ally, I''m just here to stay for a while. No, on second thought, it''s okay to assume that I''m a potential enemy upying some space. When the timees, I just have to act ording to the situation."


    It felt pretty unreal to see a member of the demi-humans speaking in such a carefree manner when they were basically the enemy of the Union. But the more baffling part was that Hyun-il was nodding in response to her words.


    "We''ll prepare a ce for you to stay."


    "Ahh, if it''s possible, can I stay with that person?"


    Her nonchnt gesture sent everyone on the bridge deck to turn their eyes on me. A cold sweat ran down my back.


    "Me... me?"


    "Yes. If I recall correctly, your name is¡­ Kwan Dae-ha-nim, right?"


    "That''s correct, but I already have dorm mates whom I''m staying with. My amodation is too small for both of us to stay in."


    I tried to express my refusal to stay with her in my own way, but Hyun-il stepped forward first.


    "I''ll get you a new room. The nicest and best room on this ship."


    "Captain-nim?"


    I looked around as I was at a loss for words , but Hyun-il didn''t even lift an eyebrow.


    "Thank you, Major General Chun Hyun-il."


    "¡­I don''t remember introducing myself."


    "Hoho, how shameless. You already know that''s not needed, right?"


    "Well¡­"


    At the sight of Hyun-il nodding, I realized that everyone on the bridge deck was guessing who that Legion girl was.


    At that moment, I knew her real identity.


    <i>''Hawa, Eve, The Second Coming.''</i>


    In actual fact, I should have noticed it long ago. There were plenty of clues.


    <strong>-Don''t be used like a fool! We can solve everything for you if you just say it!</strong>


    Yes. She was the character that made an appearance in <i>that</i> memory. Of course, she had apletely different appearance. However, she wasn''t a human in the first ce, so something like an outward appearance had no meaning to her.


    "Wait. If you want to stay here, there''s something you need to promise me in return."


    Because of that, I took a shot. Hawa turned to look at me.


    "Something I have to promise you? And what''s that?"


    "Don''t even harm a single hair on me and everyone around me, Hawa."


    I spoke with all my might clearly, and Hawa smiled brightly when she heard those words.


    Whaaam!


    Boooom!


    Baaaang!


    "Ackkkk!!"


    "Keeeeuuuuk!"


    Along with the sound of the explosions, the surrounding devices were shattered to pieces, and screams could be heard from everywhere.


    "¡­Oh my God."


    When I came to my senses, before I knew it, me aside, all the crew members were down. It was the same even for Major General Chun Hyun-il who reached the realm of transcendence and possessed impable fighting prowess. No, on the contrary, it seemed like he was greatly affected and both his arms were broken and in a mess. Celestia stood in front of me to block whatever that wasing our way, and she coughed and threw up blood as if she was hit by something.


    "Let me be clear."


    After causing such devastation, Hawa strode and walked towards me.


    She then whispered into my ear, "If you try to order me one more time... I''ll blow up every single organization you belong to."


    An image was<strong> </strong>delivered<strong> </strong>to my mind along with her voice. Korea, where I lived, and Earth included¡­ Even the Leonhardt Empire which ruled over countlesss which I had not even seen properly¡­ I saw an image of everything being destroyed and shattered to pieces. And I intuitively realized that she was an existence that was actually capable of doing it.


    Crack crack!


    At that time, Hyun-il, who was stuck on one side, walked out of the crushed wall and healed both his broken arms. It was only a short time, but his arms that were in tatters were recovering quickly.


    "Rx a little bit. He probably said it out of concern for us."


    "Hoho. I certainly got too worked up."


    As if the chilly atmosphere just before was a lie, Hawa took a step back and with a <i>''Skriekkk-!'' </i>sound, the space was split apart. The dark space within the rift was not properly visible. Just then, small girls of about one meter in height began to gush out from the rift.


    "Clean~ Clean~ We''re cleaning up~?"


    "Cure~ Cure~ We''re going to cure you~?"


    "Lla~ We''re going to repair, repair~??"


    Cute girls dressed as maids were singing and began to clean up the messed up surroundings at a frightening pace. The surrounding environment changed dramatically whenever their cute little hands moved, and the injured people were treated in an instant. Even the smashed walls were restored back to their original state in a jiffy. The objects and chairs strewn on the ground went back to their original ces.


    "¡­Thank you. Though it feels like you just gave me some disease and then handed me the remedy after." [1]


    "I''m just taking care of what I''ve done. Well, even so, I''m still sorry, so let me tell you one thing as an apology."


    Shiing! Shiiing! Shiiing!


    The battlefield information was updated along with her hand gestures. There were dozens of Gigas and fighter jets that were closing in on Great Sky.


    "The enemy has alreadye this close."


    "...!!"


    "What, what is this? What''s going on?"


    "Deactivate Stealth and strengthen the barrier first!!"


    "Call back all the maintenance machines that went outside!"


    The crew members, who were quietly listening to our conversation, were startled and began to manipte the control panel. Just like them, Hyun-il returned to the Captain''s seat and activated the Iron Heart before he turned to look at Natalie.


    "What the hell is going on? Weren''t they far away?"


    "It appears that the captain opened the Warp Gate and transported the Gigas and fighter jets over. It''s just that it wasn''t detected at all... It might be a Transcendence Skill."


    "Ha... That''s ridiculous. Chancellor doesn''t have that kind of Transcendence Skill. Did the Captain perhaps change? No, in the worst case scenario, there could be two transcendents."


    Hyun-il mumbled quietly perhaps because he personally knew the Captain of Rising Storm. Unfortunately, I didn''t have the time to think about it in detail.


    Boom!


    I could feel the vibration as we were attacked. Hawa found out their existence, and just before the attack, the barrier on Albatross was strengthened as per her advice. But it was all for naught. Seated in the captain''s seat with his Aura activated, Hyun-il frowned.


    "I have no idea what just happened. How did they notice this ce?"


    Boom! Kaboom! Krooooom!


    Hyun-il murmured because he couldn''t understand the situation, and in the midst of all that, the attacks were still ongoing.


    <i>''This won''t do.''</i>


    I got up from my seat. Though I could control Albatross again, using Jump wouldn''t make any difference in this situation. Unless we made sufficient preparation and safety was addressed, there would be a limit to the distance I can move with Jump; a short-range Warp would be the limit. To a certain extent, I could get away from here and run away, but¡­


    <i>''Ultimately, it would just waste my physical strength and concentration, and it can only buy us some time.''</i>


    There was a limit even if I ran away on a whim as I would be running away at a speed thatgged far behind Rising Storm. We were in the middle of the Universe where no variables would surface, so they would quickly discover where I was and catch up to me.


    "...You''re going to ride on a Gigas in the end? Without going through surgery?"


    "I have no choice. I can''t afford to do that when the situation has turned out like this."


    I let out a sigh before Celestia who unknowingly came after me. To be honest, I was reluctant because my body wasn''t in peak condition. However, I had no choice because I didn''t want to die.


    <i>''By the way.''</i>


    I looked back slightly. I could see Hawa watching me leaving the bridge deck.


    "Don''t recklessly provoke me."


    "What do you mean provoke? Anyways, is it alright? Letting the Legion on board when they''re the arch-enemy of the Union. It''ll uselessly be weirdlyplicated."


    Celestia shook her head at my concern.


    "Probably¡­ it''ll be alright. Because that girl was an Untouchable prior to being a Legion."


    "Untouchable?"


    "Yes, it''s the ultimate being that''s much stronger than Noblesse, and they shouldn''t be messed with or provoked. In other words¡­"


    Celestia continued in a firm voice.


    "She''s a God."


    "¡­"


    I''ve heard terms such as low-rank and intermediate-rank Gods often. But in the end, a low-rank God was only a General in the Great Universe Era, and an intermediate-rank God was only at the level of an Emperor, so frankly, even if Hawa was a God, there was no need to worship her.


    But Celestia was saying something totally different.


    "It doesn''t matter because she''s a God?"


    "That''s right. Even if she was fundamentally a Legion... An Untouchable is still an Untouchable. If they didn''t cause any troubles directly, no one would recklessly provoke them because they are free from all rules andws, and they could act however they wished. If we mess with them carelessly, we wouldn''t possibly be able to handle the disaster that might ur."


    In other words, that was why Hyun-il said he would provide her an amodation, and didn''t impose any restrictions on her movements. I looked at Hawa who was still staring at me (I was extremely pressured). After she found her name, she became strangely bright and mature. However, her outer appearance remained unchanged, and she still looked like the Legion girl I saw previously.


    "¡­Will this war end easily if she helps?"


    It was needless to say. Just like how Cheong Won, a being who possessed an Intermediate-rank Status of God, could easily overpower Morne¡­ That girl, who was presumably at a higher realm than Cheong Won, could easily subdue Morne.


    That wasn''t all there was to it.


    Cheong Won was tied down by all kinds of restrictions due to his mission. Unlike him, Hawa was vividly free from those sorts of things. Even if she didn''t want to help much, wouldn''t it be possible for her to slightly move us away with just a little whim? If she could do that, this problem would be solved.


    "That won''t do. Dae-ha, get your head straight."


    Before I could even say anything concrete, Celestia spoke with a straight face.


    "You must never try to use the Untouchables. It might be possible if they were a low-level Untouchable, but at the very least, we can''t use her. Even if it is possible only under limited circumstances,pleted Untouchables are all-knowing monsters. No wisdom or expediency can deceive them, and the cost of provoking them is unbearably disastrous. This is something that has been proven throughout history."


    "Then we have to ignore them like they don''t exist?"


    "We don''t have a choice."


    Celestia borated with a bitter smile, "That''s what Untouchables are."


    *


    But in fact, it was the same for Hawa, she was also restless.


    <strong>What are you doing right now, Hawa? You want to stay with him?</strong>


    Hawa was sitting around leisurely; the angry voice was ringing in her head. The voice belonged to someone who used to be her lover, her brother, and her second most important being in the world, but now that existence became her ruler.


    <strong>It''s toote.</strong>


    <strong>What do you mean it''s toote?</strong>


    <strong>That''s right. It''s toote.</strong>


    Hawaughed bitterly. As she slightly lifted her hand, her hands could be seen shaking.


    <strong>That person''s awakening has begun. The moment he ordered me... My heart skipped a beat. I resisted it in a fit, but I couldn''t eveny a single finger on him.</strong>


    Causing some damage to the surroundings was the limit. She was determined to kill one or two people among them, especially in the case of the impertinent bitch who dared to tantly protect him, but all she could do was slightly injure Celestia. Furthermore, after such an attack, a feeling of guilt and sorrow surged like wildfire in her heart and she was forced to treat the people she harmed and repair the things that were shattered to pieces; it was as if she was trying to erase the actions she had done.


    <strong>You¡­ Don''t tell me, that means...</strong>


    <strong>That''s right. Of course. I threatened him to prevent him from doing so, but¡­ If he really made up his mind and ordered firmly, we might really obey him. </strong>


    <strong>Don''t...be¡­ ridiculous!</strong>


    The man vented his anger again. He was gradually breaking apart after his<strong> </strong>Father<strong> </strong>ceased to exist. Despite being a machine, he was a sentimental man, but he was too unstable in his current situation.


    <i>''If he were to go overboard...''</i>


    If that happened, there would be a great catastrophe. No one would be able to stop <i>him</i>. The whole universe will suffer due to <i>his</i> existence.


    And if that happened, the beings above, in other words, the Gods from the God Realm would definitely make a move and eliminate <i>him</i>.


    Just as they did to his Father...


    <strong>Damn it. Just a little earlier! If we discovered him just a little earlier! If we did, we would''ve been able to kill him somehow!</strong>


    <strong>Adam¡­</strong>


    Hawa finally called out his name.


    <strong>There''s no reason to blindly treat him with hostility. He''s Father''s...</strong>


    <strong>Shut up.</strong>


    Adam''s roaring voice sent her into silence.


    <i>''It''s toote.''</i>


    Hawaughed bitterly. That''s right. It was toote.


    Adam was slowly losing his mind.


    1. It''s a Korean idiom which means to do harm to someone and then pretend to help them.

 Chapter 76: Advent of the God of War (7)

    <h4>Chapter 76: Advent of the God of War (7)</h4>


    When a pilot gained proficiency in synchronizing with the Iron Heart, they would be able to awaken one to three Abilities depending on their nature, bloodline and talent. Generally speaking, it was possible to awaken one to three Abilities; however, ordinary pilots would only be able to awaken one Ability. These Abilities weremonly referred to as Inherent Ability.


    Inherent Abilities were generally determined at the first awakening and would remain the same for the rest of the pilot''s life. As the pilot became more skilled with synchronization, the inherent ability or abilities would be more powerful or even evolve. In some rare cases, a pilot''s number of Inherent Ability(Abilities) might also increase as they be more proficient in synchronization. Continuous training and meditation would be required to awaken the inherent potential of a pilot.


    Despite that¡­ It was an undeniable truth that pilots born with a rare Ability from the start would have a greater advantage. Thus, the future of a pilot was determined by their talent in piloting and also the type or performance of their awakened Ability.


    <strong>Freeze! Don''t move!</strong>


    "What do you mean freeze, you idiot."


    I activated the sh Ability and blinked through space. That alone caused all the missiles,ser beams, as well as bullets to shoot through the air. Of course, the enemyid out a barrage of artillery fire in preparation for evasive maneuvers or invoked teleportations. However, they wouldn''t be able to cover the vast universe. As such, there was an opening.


    Baaang!


    I blew away an enemy machine with a singleser shot. There was no use in using evasive maneuvers since the enemies were reading my movements anyways.


    <strong>Ha, just surrender! There is a huge difference in our power! You have no chance of winning!</strong>


    "Ahhh, so noisy..."


    It was annoying because the enemies keptmunicating with me, so I blocked theirmunication frequency. Despite the situation, we were both affiliated with the Leonhardt Imperial Army, so it was easy to cut off their iing messages since we were on the same radio frequency channel.


    "Well, we''re definitelycking power."


    However, if our troops were really at an overwhelming disadvantage, the enemy would not be so desperate to <i>"urge"</i> us to surrender. They would''ve just wiped us out.


    Maybe the fight also felt like a nightmare for them too. However, it was a given as they were being toyed by one single Gigas despite having a numerical advantage. It also seemed that it wasn''t just the enemy who felt that.


    <strong>...As expected, that''s unfair.</strong>


    "Huh? What is?"


    <strong>Your existence itself.</strong>


    I shrugged at Napoleon''s grumbling.


    "But then again, it seems like that, isn''t it? Speaking of just Abilities, how many have I used?"


    Others could probably never be able to imagine the amount of advantages I had when it came to controlling a Gigas. To be honest, even I felt that the calibration I had was unjust.


    <i>''If the types and performance of an Ability equates to the talent of a pilot¡­ This is basically a cheat-like talent.''</i>


    I had three to five Abilities; they weren''t fixed and would change daily. I called them <strong>Abilities of the Day</strong>.


    Of course, I had no say over what Abilities I would get for the day, so there were times where I got screwed up skills like those on the day of my first battle. On the contrary, it was also an advantage since the enemy wouldn''t be able to pinpoint the exact Abilities I possessed. It was hard for the enemy to devise an attack strategy against me.


    When it came to Basic Abilities, I could also utilize more basic abilitiespared to others. Even if it was the same exact model - Napoleon, some of these machines only had and someone only had . However, the Napoleon I was riding on had everything. It was as if¡­ All potential of this particr Gigas model was manifested.


    However, just then, Napoleon said something unexpected.


    <strong>¡­I wasn''t talking about Ability.</strong>


    "Hmm? Then what are you talking about?"


    <strong>Well that''s¡­</strong>


    Swiiishhh~!


    The waves that submerged the entire space hit Napoleon. Of course, I activated the Ability and easily warded it off.


    "Doing a surprise attack that doesn''t even work!"


    Even though the universe was vast and wide, it was possible to make an unavoidable attack. There would be no time to escape if the attack was fired omnidirectionally in the form of raging waves. Major Chun Hyun-il''s was one of those abilities as there wouldn''t be any ce to run to when it was activated.


    However, the problem with these kinds of abilities was that it would inevitably cause the power reserves to fall significantly. Such attacks were impossible to dodge but easy to block. It would literally be a futile thing to do unless one had more than a few dozen times more power that their opponent.


    Kwakkkkk!


    Needless to say, I didn''t just stop the attack; I prated through the formation and flew towards the approaching fighter jets, slicing apart both of their wings with the lightsaber. (Attacks in wave forms would weaken as they traveled, so enemy machines could approach to a certain extent. As long as the attacks aren''t on the scale of a Transcendence Skill¡­) The fighter jets went out of control and were sted far away. Upon seeing that, I casually took a deep breath.


    "Agh, what a headache. I''m trying not to kill them, but it''s difficult to predict their movements¡­ Way to go!! Dismembered!!"


    I raised my knee and dodged away from the movement trajectory of the Gigas that was charging towards me before immediately swinging the lightsabers imbued with Pration held in my two hands. I sliced off the right arm of the enemy Gigas with the right lightsaber, and I bashed its head with the left lightsaber''s pommel, forcing it to drop to its knees. Then with an X-motion, I sliced off both its legs. Lastly, I grabbed his left hand in a "handshake" and cleanly tore it off.


    The pilot wasn''t in danger since the Iron Heart was unharmed and I didn''t deal any significant blow to the Gigas'' body. However, just by slicing off its limbs, it was no different from it losing all its ability to fight. It would be basically impossible to control a Gigas'' movement and change directions without any limbs.


    "Napoleon! How much energy do we have left?"


    <strong>90%. It''s in good condition.</strong>


    "Okay! I was a little anxious, but the energy absorption rate is pretty god!"


    wasn''t as good as which could absorb the energy of an enemy''s Iron Heart and recover rapidly no matter how dangerous the situation was. However, it was pretty efficient since it was able to absorb energy while defending against enemy attacks. This was especially so when it came to enemy wave attacks and photon bombs; could absorb energy from time to time and use the absorbed energy to recover. As such, the Ability could also be used for defense.


    <strong>Partner! Watch out! It''s Goliath!!</strong>


    <strong>GROARRR----!</strong>


    As soon as Napoleon''s warning sounded, a huge Gigas charged towards me. After getting a good look, it looked like a Human-rank Gigas, but it was of no ordinary size. If a Gigas was toorgepared to the energy reserves of its Iron Heart, it would be difficult for the soul energy to circte within the machine. As such, it wasmon protocol to not build such a big-sized Gigas unless it was a Star-rank Gigas. However, the Gigas by the name of Goliath was so huge that it was looking down on Napoleon like it was looking at a child. Judging from the atmosphere, that was probably the characteristic of Goliath''s Iron Heart.


    However, I wasn''t really flustered. Certainly, it was true that it was muchrger than Napoleon. Although it looks like it didn''t have any techniques in particr, its power reserves itself seems to be significant.


    <i>He is this big¡­ but so what?</i>


    "Cut off his head!"


    Rather, I was thankful. Thanks to the fact that the cockpit was built into Goliath''s head, there was no need to slice off the limbs of the Gigas; all I had to do was cut his head off. Just by me kicking its head far away, Goliath had lost its ability to fight. The body was still functionable, but it just struggled and couldn''t move properly.


    "Hahaha! He''s running amok! It''s the Rise of the Legend!" [1]


    <strong>...What are you talking about?</strong>


    "There''s something like that. Well, anyways."


    I was sent onto the battlefield with much burden on my shoulder due to my body''s condition. However, things were better than I thought. Strangely, I was in great condition and my senses were as sharp as a knife. It felt like I could avoid any attack and destroy any kind of defense.


    "Let''s keep this up." I said and started synchronizing again.


    *


    "Oh my God."


    Celestia had sent Dae-ha to greet the enemies, and groaned at the unbelievable sight upon looking at the battlefield information. Dae-ha was on board of Napoleon; he so simply and easily overpowered the enemies without much difficulty.


    Yes. Overpowered¡­ He overpowered the enemies.


    "Even against an absolute majority in war, he''s dealing with the enemies without killing them, and doing that all by himself?


    It was hard to believe even when she saw it with her own eyes. Surprisingly, Dae-ha, piloting Napoleon, had been toying with the enemy with two lightsabers in hand as if he was using Dual Sword Arts. However, at times, he would shoot the enemy with the photon cannon, and at other times, he would stab the enemy with one lightsaber on hand.


    The highlight of them all was when he made nimble movements and closed the distance between him and a Gigas before slicing the opponent Gigas'' limbs with a lightsaber. The enemies resisted desperately and strengthened their barriers, but Napoleon skillfully suppressed their resistance and cut off their limbs.


    No matter how desperately a fish pped its body on a cutting board, a skilled cook would surely cut the fish''s flesh and take its head off. Dae-ha was acting just like the cook would.


    "That''s ridiculous. This can''t possibly be done just because of his bloodline. Also, that is definitely not a defensive skill either."


    It was extremely rare, but looking across history, there had been beings that possessed rarer Abilities than others. Without the need to look far and about, there were many who possessed rare and powerful Abilities even among the Imperial family of the Leonhardt Empire with the inherited bloodline of the <strong>Untouchables</strong>. Being borned with special power and talents, it wouldn''t be strange to possess ridiculously powerful Abilities from birth.


    At least two people in the Great Universe Era possessed the Ability Dae-ha was exhibiting -- Using the unawakened Ability of a relevant Gigas as an Inherent Ability.


    However, Dae-ha''s disy of techniques was on apletely different level.


    "How can he have such diverse andplete techniques at this age?"


    "That''s because he''s the Master."


    "¡­!!"


    Startled by the sudden low voice, Celestia took out her double-handed pistols and released an outburst of soul energy. Despite her reaction, the opponent looked fine.


    "It''s okay to shoot."


    "¡­"


    Celestia quietly disarmed. She realized that the existence in front of her was an ultimate being. Even if Albatross'' Iron Heart self-destructed and exploded, it still wouldn''t hurt her a single bit, so shooting would prove to be futile.


    <i>''Hawa¡­ Or should I say Eve. I never thought I''d actually see someone I''ve only read about in history books in reality.''</i>


    Hawa was one of the very first Legion, as well as the mother of all Legions. She was an adversary of the Union as well as a being beyond that of a high-rank God.


    However, more than all of that, it was her words that caught Celestia''s attention.


    "What do you mean¡­ Master?"


    "It''s as I said. To make it easier for you to understand, for example¡­ There was a pilot who existed 280 years ago."


    Hawa brought up a seemingly irrelevant story as she watched Napoleon fight against the enemies.


    "He had excellent piloting skills, but he didn''t really have much talent in synchronizing with the Iron Heart. The only Ability he could manifest was , and that Ability could only be activated by approaching the enemy and cing the piloted machine''s hand on the enemy''s Iron Heart. It was impossible to use it in a real battle."


    "¡­Is it someone I know?"


    "No, he was in too far of a Gxy for you to know of him. Even though he was an excellent pilot, he wasn''t <i>that </i>famous to be renowned in the whole universe. Anyway, the important thing is... Instead of being discouraged, he constantly researched and trained his one and only Ability. One day, he finally made it possible to absorb the enemy''s attack and restore his own strength."


    Hawa''s words reminded Celestia of the stunt the Dae-ha had just pulled. Certainly, Dae-ha also used that Ability in the same fashion.


    "But what''s wrong with that? Isn''t it possible for two people to use the same technique?"


    "Well, he also used the King of Adventure''s Jump in the same way, but I guess it''s hard to get you to understand¡­ Then how about this? This year, no, next year, to be exact... Yes, next year, a child will be born in the Celta Gxy. From the age of ten, he will be swept away into war and live his life on the battlefield, fighting on a Gigas. But when that child turns fifty, he will meet the mother of the child soldier he had killed; the mother was wailing over the death of her child. Because of that, he will swear by an oath to not kill."


    "...Wait a minute. Wait. Don''t tell me, you are saying¡­"


    Not paying any heed to Celestia''s confused reaction, Hawa continued her exnation.


    "For that reason, he will be able to understand the structure and operating principles of a Gigas through countless research and hands-on-battles. Through practice, he will be able to seed in establishing excellent piloting skills capable of overpowering the enemy in any situation without killing them. In particr¡­"


    "¡­"


    The hypothesis that came to Celestia''s mind instantly sent goosebumps all over her. Just then, Hawa said something which further convinced Celestia of thetter''s hypothesis.


    "In particr, the unique technique of cutting off the enemy''s limbs and rendering them incapable ofbat was so impressive that he became famous in the entire universe; it became his trademark. No, I should say it was fated to be."


    1. I''m assuming the author is referring to the Headless Horseman. The Headless Horseman is a mythical figure who has appeared in folklore around the world since the Middle Ages. The figure is traditionally depicted as a man on horseback who is missing his head. It''s basically referring to Goliath who is running amok even though he was beheaded.

 Chapter 77: Advent of the God of War (8)

    <h4>Chapter 77: Advent of the God of War (8)</h4>


    The hypothesis that came to Celestia''s mind instantly sent goosebumps all over her. Just then, Hawa said something which further convinced Celestia of thetter''s hypothesis.


    "In particr, the unique technique of cutting off the enemy''s limbs and rendering them incapable ofbat was so impressive that he became famous in the entire universe; it became his trademark. No, I should say it was fated to be."


    After a being went through self-training and attained enlightenment, they would reach the realm of transcendence and be a transcendent, above and beyond andws of this world. They would be able to escape from their ordained fate and surpass the limits of their species; they would attain the low-rank Status of God. These beings included those who reached the peak of an absolute master, a Ninth-ss Great Wizard, a Divine Deity or Dragon King who manageds ording to the orders of a Primordial God.


    However, a low-rank Status of God would only amount to a low position among the transcendents. Naturally, there were those of higher statuses -- intermediate-rank Status of God,monly referred to as the Emperor-ss. Masters who reached the Realm of Life and Death, the Tenth-ss Ultimate Magus and Tribal Gods who managed an entire race were some beings under that category. Cheong Won, the saint from Elohim who persecuted Celestia also fell into this category.


    In fact, those attaining the intermediate-rank Status of God would be monsters capable of easily destroyings and even stars. Not many in the Great Universe would be able to stand up against them despite the Universe''s plentiful powerful beings.


    Way above those of the intermediate-rank Status of God stood the True Gods; they were those who achieved high-rank Status of God and would enter the realm of the Untouchables. They transcended even their very existence and assimted to a concept.


    These were not very widely known information, but Celestia was able to quickly grasp the situation. Despite being a girl who was more interested in gunfights and warfare aspared to history and fairy tales, she was still a member of the Imperial family and had received high-quality education.


    "Domination of concepts¡­"


    Not all existences with a high-rank Status of God possessed that power. In reality, Eve and herpanion, Adam, as well as another great adversary of the Union -- King and Queen, did not possess that sort of power.


    However, beyond those beings who only possessed a high-rank Status of Gods, there existed <strong>Gods</strong> with a unique Status and these Gods would take a particr concept as the foundation of their existence.


    All those with unique Status of God had a distinct characteristic.


    <i>''They would possess </i><strong><i>every single thing </i></strong><i>that fell under that particr concept.''</i>


    The God of Magic, God of Martial Arts, God of Light, God of Darkness, God of Time, God of Space, and even God of Life, God of Death...


    These beings <i>dominated</i> and are <i>Masters</i> of their particr concepts. In particr, masters of soul energy such as the God of Magic and God of Martial Arts possessed all concepts under the relevant category.


    There was nothing the God of Magic didn''t know from the secret spells that existed when the heavens and earth were created, to the future magics that had yet to exist. On the other hand, the God of Martial Arts could naturally learn the fistfighting skills that existed from the very beginning, as well as the martial arts of the future created after thousands of years of refinements.


    "From the beginning of time until the end of time."


    These beings were able to dominate the particr concepts and these relevant concepts were not bound by any sort of restriction. They were even free from the influence of time and had perfect enlightenment of the concepts they dominated from the beginning of time until the end of time.


    In other words, no matter how powerful a being trained or how long the duration they had trained, they would never be able to go beyond a high-rank transcendent in terms of enlightenment of the relevant concept -- for the transcendent was basically <i>the concept itself.</i>


    "But Dae-ha is a human being. Not just that, he''s extremely ordinary and weak¡­"


    "That''s right."


    "¡­But a human like him knows every single technique in existence. In the first ce, what kind of concept<strong> </strong>must he possess to make that possible? God of Maniption?"


    Celestia couldn''t understand how.


    Hawa responded to Celestia''s question, "To be exact, he knows it not because he perceived it but rather, he''s just doing things that''s in his nature."


    Dae-ha didn''t even know who the King of Adventure, Carlos was. He also did not know that the method of the Energy Absorption which he came to use naturally, was a method that someone had devised with their life on the line.


    He just naturally came up with it.


    It was the same scenario. In his mind, he was just thinking that he didn''t want to kill humans as much as possible, and he came up with the Art of Non-Killing that should''ve been established a few decadester [1].


    It was a given that the enemies wouldn''t be able to avoid Dae-ha''s shots.


    Since the far distant past, countless people had been shooting at their enemies with smart-guns, electron-guns, as well as naval cannons and photon cannons. Among them, there were snipers who could hit a coin-sized target from dozens of kilometers away and there were some who could do a trick shot that could pierce through dozens of falling coins thrown into the air. There were geniuses who could also fire naval cannons to urately blow up the cockpit of an enemy''s fighter jet, and also masters who could intercept dozens of iing missiles.


    Without Dae-ha realizing it, all those techniques, skills, and know-hows came as second-nature to him.


    "As a matter of fact, it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to call him the greatest pilot in the universe. Wait a minute."


    Celestia turned her head and looked at Hawa. Hawa was focused on Napoleon''s fight in space and didn''t even bat an eye at Celestia. However, Celestia didn''t care.


    "Why are you telling me this? What the hell do you want or expect from me?"


    One of the scariest things about an Untouchable was a particr power of theirs -- All-knowing. This transcendental perception ability allowed them to read the world''s flow, so it was extremely easy for them to induce inferior beings to act in the direction they wanted.


    "Who knows."


    However, Hawa did not respond to Celestia''s cautious words. With a strange look on her face, she was just looking into space where shes of light were continuously exploding.


    "Well¡­"


    That was something that not even Hawa would know. She wasn''t even able to clear her mind yet. Of course, when she woke up from her fragmented self because of Adam, she intended to eliminate Dae-ha at Adam''s request. No, to be exact, it was Adam''smand. But as soon as she came face-to-face with Dae-ha, she couldn''t do so. No, to be precise, she <i>didn''t</i> do so.


    <i>''Howe?''</i>


    Hawa pretended to be calm, but her state of mind was in confusion. It was so frustrating to the point that she felt like she was suffocating, and she couldn''t make up her mind.


    "I can''t believe I can''t see anything to this extent¡­''


    It was blurry. When she first saw the future, she could at least see some sort of outline. But now, Dae-ha aside, she couldn''t even see Celestia''s future. Her transcendental power -- All-knowing -- was inplete dysfunction.


    Every time Hawa saw Dae-ha, she felt perplexed by the amicable feelings arising within her. The anger and jealousy she felt when she first heard of his existence had all dwindled down as if they were just mere fabrication.


    <i>''This is dangerous.''</i>


    Despite feeling that way, she couldn''t take her eyes off Dae-ha. She couldn''t kill him, nor could she distance herself away from him.


    sh--!


    Just then, a tremendous light dazzled out of nowhere above Napoleon''s head. Celestia was startled and checked the battlefield information. Information about the newly appeared Gigas was being disyed; she was very familiar with it.


    "What the hell, they sent Goldrian out? Why? For what reason?"


    The Golden Constetion, Goldrian, was the Imperial Gigas of the Imperial family. It was a Star-rank Gigas which was umon even in the Leonhardt Empire.


    However, Goldrian was a Gigas that only members of the Imperial family could ride on. Ultimately, the Sixth Imperial Prince, Elion, was the only person on board Rising Storm currently who could pilot Goldrian. So, why would he go out of his way to appear in battle now?


    "To kill. And¡­ perhaps they might be able to achieve their goal."


    Celestia narrowed her eyes in response to Hawa''s ominous words.


    "What the hell do you mean by that¡­ Didn''t you say that Dae-ha possessed the Untouchables'' power to dominate concepts?"


    Of course, Goldrian was a powerful Gigas which Napoleon couldn''tpare to, and Elion was a pretty good pilot. However, the situation would bepletely different if his opponent was an Untouchable.


    In reality, hadn''t Dae-ha disy powers that went far beyond the limits of the Gigas?


    However, Hawa replied in a calm voice, "And you were the one who said he is an extremely ordinary and weak human."


    "...Is being a normal human being a problem?"


    "You''re a lot more quick-witted than you look, huh."


    <i>''Hohoho''.</i> The way Hawaughed was graceful and elegant. Even though she definitely looked like a young girl, the vibes she emanated were so unique that it was impossible to describe.


    "Well, to be exact, it''s wrong for you to say that he is an ordinary human. But at least, it''s notpletely wrong for now since he''s trapped in a human''s body. And if so¡­"


    shh!


    With a dazzling light, Napoleon was sted off like a ball struck by a bat. Goldrian, shining with a golden brilliance, chased after him.


    "In the face of overwhelming strength, any sort of technique would be useless." Hawa said as she jumped into space with her mind clouded with thoughts. She could see Napoleon struggling to get away from Goldrian.


    She couldn''t kill Dae-ha. The moment she faced him, she knew that she could not harm him even if she did it in an indirect way.


    Dae-ha was herst kin whom Father left behind. She still found it unbelievable, but... the more she looked at him, the more she was convinced of the absurd hypothesis. Just looking at him made her feel warm and cozy, and the desire to leave everything in his hands rose like wildfire in her heart.


    <i>''But I can''t do that.''</i>


    She had already lost her authority among the Legions. She was shattered to pieces and only fragments remained. On the other hand, Adam, the one who crushed her to bits, became an even more powerful existence. And he was insane, he was out of his mind.


    Adam would never be able to tolerate Dae-ha''s existence.


    <i>''Yeah, that''s the only way.''</i>


    If Dae-ha died here, everything would go back to its original state. Adam would have no reason to go mad. Rather, his madness might even subside.


    Hawa stared at Goldrian who was chasing after Napoleon.


    <i>''You''re going to die in the hands of a human.''</i>


    *


    Boom!


    There was an explosion. The cockpit, which was protected by the Avalon System, was ringing, so it was difficult to even imagine how great of a damage Napoleon had received. I changed my position over and over again by using sh, but it was all futile resistance.


    Bang!


    "Shit! Goddamn it! What''s all this fuckery?"


    I barely managed to block the attack with Energy Absorption, but it shattered the barrier in one hit. It was impossible to evade. Goldrian was sting light in all directions like a sun shining on the entire universe.


    <strong>Partner! This is weird! I know that Goldrian is a strong Gigas, but it wasn''t to this extent!</strong>


    "I know that too!"


    I had only rode on Goldrian a few times, but I even managed to capture the demi-humans battleship <strong>Punishment</strong> with it. So, of course, I would know the extent of Goldrian''s performance.


    Shiaaaang---!


    "Damn it, it''sing again!"


    Light radiated from Goldrian. I activated Energy Absorption to try and somehow stop the attack, and then strengthened the barrier. However, the attack hit its mark and the barrier was reduced to nothing like a candle that was blown out by the wind.


    "Napoleon, how much energy do we have left?"


    <strong>Fifteen percent.</strong>


    "Aghh, how did it reduce by 25 percent in a split of a moment!"


    I groaned and looked at the golden giant flying in front of me. In terms of size, it was simr to Goliath which I decapitated, but its power was way beyond that.


    "Fuck. I knew something like this might happen, but¡­"


    I was never at a disadvantage against any kind of enemy. I possessed more Abilities than others, and I was always overwhelming the enemy with my techniques.


    Hence, that was why I knew all the more about my weakness. No, to be exact, rather than calling it a weakness, it was more like a limit.


    "To think he''s just an enemy withrger energy reserves¡­"


    I couldn''t do anything to an enemy who was purely pushing a power struggle because if I were to ride on a Gigas, I couldn''t increase its energy reserves.


    1. The Art of Non-Killing is supposedly to be established by the guy from Celta Gxy which Hawa mentioned in ch 76.

 Chapter 78: Advent of the God of War (9)

    <h4>Chapter 78: Advent of the God of War (9)</h4>


    "To think he''s just an enemy withrger energy reserves¡­"


    I couldn''t do anything to an enemy who was purely pushing a power struggle because if I were to ride on a Gigas, I couldn''t increase its energy reserves.


    <strong>Partner, it''s impossible to defend or dodge! We need to fall back!</strong>


    "I know that too, but where do we even fall back to... fuck!"


    I invoked to try and block the golden light Goldrian emanated, but it was a failure. It was still a better attempt than before; that being said, the attack this time round sted apart part of the barrier as the impact coursed through Napoleon''s body.


    <strong>Partner! We need to invoke ! </strong>


    "But we''re almost running out of energy."


    <strong>Even so, we have no choice. At this pace, the next attack might cost us our ability to move.</strong>


    "...Stay still for a minute."


    I calmed Napoleon down and focused on my consciousness.


    <i>''More. More. More...''</i>


    I invoked the Ability. The Pration Ability wasn''t an attack that could blow away the enemy''s defense like how Goldrian did. Instead, it was an Ability that could pierce through and make a hole in the enemy''s defence.


    The remaining barrier wouldn''t be affected and would still work fine. In any case, if my attack could pierce through the barrier, then it wouldn''t matter how much energy the enemy had left.


    <i>''And, to that...''</i>


    I activated the Ability. This Ability could increase the shooting range and increase the destructive power of the attack. The attacks imbued with the Sniper Ability had some pration effect, so it was something like a Sniping Pration -- a sort of Specialized Ability.


    <i>''Lastly¡­''</i>


    I added on the Ability. It was an Ability that would spread like poison the moment it made contact with the enemy''s soul energy. If the attack affected ten percent of the enemy''s Mana, it would at least increase to thirty to fifty percent. The enemy wouldn''t be able to use the eroded Mana. It was an offensive attack that would be injected into the enemy''s soul energy. It was useless by itself as it wouldn''t be able to do any damage to the enemy''s armor. However, Erosion could be used fairly well inbination with other Abilities that could momentarily weaken the barrier.


    Whoooosh--!


    Ibined the three Abilities -- , and before imbuing the photon cannon with the fused result. Needless to say, it required extraordinary effort and soul energy to perform this one attack. So, if the attack missed its mark, there would be way more severe consequences than just being a failed attack.


    <i>''Of course.''</i>


    I grinned and manipted Napoleon to pull the trigger.


    <i>''There''s no way I would miss!''</i>


    <i>''Poowoong!''</i> The photon beam cut across the pitch ck universe. Goldrian wasn''t able to put up any form of resistance, and the attack hit him right in the mark.


    Bang!


    "What the hell?" I groaned.


    Even though the attack urately hit the mark, Goldrian''s head didn''t flinch the slightest. No matter how sturdy his exterior armor was, there was no way he would be fine after being hit by an attack of this level¡­ I came to a conclusion that the golden bastard wasn''t hit by my attack, else, it didn''t make sense.


    <strong>He blocked it! We have to give it up and back off!</strong>


    "No, wait, its barrier is not even battleship-grade! Does it even make sense that my attack didn''t work? Yes, Goldrian is a great Gigas, but definitely not to this degree."


    I scoffed because I was dumbfounded. Even if Goldrian had strengthened its barrier, it would only be normal that an attack imbued with three different Abilities could pierce through the barrier. So, how did he even block that? I would understand if the attack prated the barrier but was blocked by the armor but it baffled me that the attack couldn''t even pierce through the barrier.


    <strong>Partner! There''s a crack in the gravitational control mechanism! We need to repair it!</strong>


    "Ugh, got it. Now...huh?"


    Just as I was going to invoke , I felt a sparkling sensation. I followed my intuition and invoked towards the other Gigas that surrounded us.


    Whooooosh---!!


    But it was slightlyte. Just as I was about to charge in, a wormhole formed just next to us and sucked in Napoleon''s left arm. I activated Napoleon''s barrier reflexively, but the machine couldn''t react in time.


    <strong>What is this?</strong>


    "Damn it! It''s an Inherent Ability!"


    Goldrian didn''t even charge towards us. It sneaked up close to where we were and opened up a wormhole. There weren''t any traces; I didn''t even see or hear anything prior to the appearance of the wormhole. Goldrian had no such Ability so its pilot was probably someone with a great bloodline.


    Shiaaaang---!


    Just then, Goldrian began to shine again. The unavoidable wave-shaped attack flew towards us once again.


    "Napoleon, how''s our energy faring?"


    <strong>...Three percent. Under ordinary circumstances, I would''ve switched to standby mode. But, a huge part of my armor got sted off along with my left arm, so the Avalon System will be directly impacted if I switched off the barrier. </strong>


    "Goddamn it."


    Iughed in vain. The wormhole a moment ago swept Napoleon''s arm away and he lost a huge amount of energy as a result. The wave-shaped attack was too strong to be absorbed, and Napoleon had been reduced to a state where we could no longer defend against that attack.


    <strong>I would like to get us out of here, but even if we run away, the situation will remain the same, right?</strong>


    "Of course. This isn''t a team battle, and their sights are concentrated on us. They definitely wouldn''t leave the escape pod alone."


    Iughed dejectedly and stared at the cluster of light that was surging towards us like a wave.


    Just then, a new method came to my mind.


    "...Relinquish control, Napoleon."


    <strong>What?</strong>


    I ignored the flustered Napoleon and focused on my consciousness. I initiated deep synchronization with Napoleon''s Iron Heart, and Napoleon''s huge body as well as his metal armor started to feel like my own body and skin.


    Krieeekk!!


    I threw my body at the surging waves -- the destructive wave of light that ravaged and destroyed everything. However, I didn''t resist the waves at all and rode with the flow. I could feel Napoleon''s body spinning and turning as if riding on roaring currents. The distance between the enemy and us widened and the machine suffered zero damage.


    "Phew¡­"


    I took a deep breath and gasped for air. I focused too much in an instant and my head was dizzy.


    <strong>What, what''s going on? Partner, what did you just do?</strong>


    "Since we couldn''t block it, we rode on it. But I couldn''t control where the wave took us¡­ huh!"


    Kwakkkkk!


    Bang!


    The Gigas that surrounded us in a formation swung their lightsabers in startlement but we easily shook them off as I drove my remaining arm into one of their chests.


    "Sorry. If possible, I didn''t want to kill anyone, but I can''t afford to do so in this situation." I gently apologized to the struggling Beast-rank Gigas that was caught by me and invoked . Thus far, I had only used to defend against enemy attack, but originally, was supposed to be used in this manner. However, unlike that was able to suck away the enemy''s power in a single stroke, would permanently deplete the soul energy of the enemy to strengthen the user''s own Iron Heart (Of course, there was a limit. If there wasn''t, this skill would be a Legend-grade skill). As such, wouldn''t be able to improve a Gigas'' energy reserves dramatically like . In practice, the skill only recovered ten percent of our energy..


    <strong>Wahhh---!! This is really amazing! What the? How the hell did you do this? What did you do just now?</strong>


    Just then, I heard an innocent voice. I wasn''t familiar with that voice but I grimaced at that unforgettable voice of the Sixth Imperial Prince.


    "Ahh, What the hell¡­ Didn''t I block hismunication¡­Uwahhh!"


    Before I knew it, Goldrian closed the gap and wildly swung -- a manifestation of an Ability. Just being grazed by that hammer wouldpletely obliterate me. In response, I used Triple Dash Step, a type of blink technique, to avoid that attack.


    <strong>Look at that! He just shortly teleported three times to avoid the attack, right? How did he manage to calcte the coordinates in the middle of battle?</strong>


    I grimaced again at the noisy voice that was transmitted.


    "Hey, Napoleon. Please block hismunications. That spam-mail-like bastard keeps yapping on."


    <strong>I''m sorry, but he''s not doing this from themunicator, so I can''t block it. And also, I can''t hear him. </strong>


    "...He''s using telepathy."


    I clicked my tongue because it was so outrageous that I was speechless. In this vast space of a universe, he was transmitting his voice this easily without seeking consent from the other party. We weren''t in the state where we could put up a fight against him and on top of that, we were flying at high speed so the distance between us was probably dozens of kilometers. Yet, his voice sounded so vivid as if he was talking right next to us.


    <strong>Partner, a request formunication came in.</strong>


    "I was gonna talk to him anyways¡­ Set it up," I instructed.


    A couple, one with gold hair and one with silver hair, popped up on one side of the screen. The Sixth Imperial Prince was seated in the cockpit without any particr attachment; perhaps he was using the Brainwave Control method as well. The angel was seated in hisp while his hands were wrapped around her slender waist. They were both staring at me.


    <i>''He''s riding on a Gigas. As expected, he''s the bastard piloting Goldrian.''</i>


    Well, in some ways, it was a matter of course. Goldrian was a Gigas dedicated to the Imperial family. However, I didn''t expect that even the angel would be sitting in the cockpit with him.


    "What''s the matter?"


    I spoke first. Unlike the fuel engines used on Earth, the Iron Heart consumed another type of energy; the consumed energy would recover by itself if the Iron Heart was left untouched for a while. So actually, it wasn''t a bad thing for me to buy some time.


    <i>''They''re not called a Soul Energy Generator for no reason.''</i>


    I despised the Sixth Imperial Prince''s piloting strategy -- overpowering me with hisrger power reserves. However, Napoleon had almost emptied out energy and required some time to recover, so I stayed still and stared at him. Not knowing the thoughts in my head, he spoke with a bright smile.


    <strong>I really like you. None of the Generals who serve under me could move like you.</strong>


    "Thanks for thepliment. But so?"


    I answered as passive aggressively as I could. I mean, I couldn''t give him the impression that I was trying to stall for time. I sounded pretty arrogant towards a member of the Imperial family but he didn''t seem to be upset by it.


    <strong>You should be my subordinate. I''ll let you live.</strong>


    To a certain extent, I had expected such an offer. However, it was then...


    "That will be hard."


    "This crazy motherfu-¡­"


    I groaned. That voice didn''te from the other side of the screen, but from right beside me. I was literally so surprised that my heart was going to drop. I tried to pull myself together as much as possible as I slightly nced to the side.


    "I understand that you find it a pity, but this man would be a setback to our ns. It would be better for you to take this opportunity to kill him."


    "¡­"


    The damned gangster of a Saint calmly spoke of my death and sent me spiraling into anxiety. However, I clenched my teeth right away.


    <i>''Fine. If this bastard wanted to kill me, he would''ve done so long ago. He can''ty a single finger on me.''</i>


    If this gangster was determined to do so, a Gigas or whatever it was would be useless in the face of his overwhelming power. I calmed myself down and made myself asfortable as possible as I watched the conversation that unfolded between the two of them. The Sixth Imperial Prince said...


    <strong>But I want to have him though?</strong>


    "You have to restrain yourself."


    <strong>Huh¡­ Are you trying to refute your father''s words? I need to teach you a lesson for this. </strong>


    Cheong Won''s expression went cold in response to the Sixth Imperial Prince''s mischievous remarks.


    "Sixth Imperial Prince¡­"


    Cheong Won''s eyes began to glow with a blue hue as the surrounding temperature dropped sharply.


    "That''s enough."


    I felt an immense aura of intimidation. Though it wasn''t directed at me, I was gasping for breath. Instead of being afraid, the Sixth Imperial Prince''s eyes shot wide open and his always bright and cheerful expression stiffened.


    <strong>What if I don''t want to?</strong>


    His virtuous disposition disappeared without a trace; His mad bloodlust was the sole vibe transmitted through the screen.


    <strong>What are you going to do?</strong>


    His spirit was fearsome. Of course, he could do that because of Cheong Won''s current situation and position, as well as his status as an Imperial family member. Even so, the fact that he wasn''t intimidated by Cheong Won''s Aura, when Cheong Won possessed intermediate-rank Status of God, was proof that the Sixth Imperial Prince wasn''t any average joe. A perverse smile crept up onto the face of the angel seated in the Sixth Imperial Prince''sp as she watched his domineering aura overflow.


    <strong>My wonderful El¡­ I think I''m falling in love with you all over again.</strong>


    <strong>Hehe. My honeypie is beautiful too.</strong>


    It felt like the crazy nutcase just minutes before had disappeared into thin air as the Sixth Imperial Prince switched his attitude in an instant and kissed the angel with an exhrated expression. It wasn''t just a peck on the lips, rather, it was a deep, tongue-interlocking french kiss.


    However, that wasn''t all. The Sixth Imperial Prince stealthily slid his hands under the angel''s top and started to fidget around.


    <strong>Huphmmm¡­Kyaaahhhh¡­!</strong>


    I was taken aback by the sweet moans from the angel''s lips.


    "No, what do these two crazy fuckers think they''re doing?"


    "Sixth Imperial Prince."


    I wasn''t the only one who felt that this was preposterous. Cheong Won frowned and called him out. But regardless of that...


    <strong>Hyaaahhhhhh~~?!</strong>


    I was dumbfounded by the nasal moans she was making; it seemed as if they were going to go all the way. The two of them were out of their minds -- Human and angel alike, gold-haired and silver-haired alike.


    They wereplete nutcases.

 Chapter 79: Advent of the God of War (10)

    <h4>Chapter 79: Advent of the God of War (10)</h4>


    <strong>Hyaaahhhhhh~~?!</strong>


    I was dumbfounded by the nasal moans she was making; it seemed as if they were going to go all the way. The two of them were out of their minds -- Human and angel alike, gold-haired and silver-haired alike.


    They wereplete nutcases.


    <i>''He''s not someone I can trust and follow.''</i>


    The Sixth Prince was a handsome boy -- top ss even among all the men I''ve ever seen before. Also, he was more beautiful than any ordinary woman. But, no matter how many times I looked at him, I felt he was truly out of his mind. He wanted me to be his subordinate now, but I couldn''t imagine what he would do if I did something that aggravated him. The bigger problem was what would happen in the off chance that he found out about my secret. His disposition as well as circumstances was different from Celestia, so there was no way he would keep my secret.


    <i>''And most of all...''</i>


    I lifted my head slightly and stared at Cheong Won who was standing confidently within an arm''s reach.


    <i>''This bastard is dangerous.''</i>


    Cheong Won was bound by his mission and couldn''t kill me, but he had the ability and will to do so; he had actually tried to do so several times. <i>And I have to be on the same side as the bastard who is showing such obvious bloodlust towards me?</i> Furthermore, if things panned out well, Cheong Won might even be the next Emperor of the Leonhardt Empire.


    Clink.


    I tried to ever so naturally grab the key that was hanging on my neck. It was impossible in the first ce to try and secretly do something against enemies who had transcendental cognitive abilities. The only way was to hope that just like with Morne, they wouldn''t be able to do anything much to me and to take advantage of that carelessness.


    Poof!


    However, the moment I tried to touch Cheong Won''s shoulder with my hand that was holding the key, his figure disappeared.


    "¡­What''s that?"


    I clenched my teeth inwardly at the deep voice I heard. I realized that his voice clearly contained vignce. Disregarding the fact if I could easily deal with him, he was already wary of every single movement I made.


    "What do you mean?"


    "That ne... no, that key. It doesn''t look like an ordinary item. Where did you get it?"


    His tone turned serious. Needless to say, since the situation hade to this point, it waspletely impossible to use the key on him. I wasn''t even certain if there would be any effect if I used the key on an opponent who possessed an intermediate-rank Status of God. There wouldn''t be anything to expect if I couldn''t even insert the key into him in the first ce.


    <i>I can''t even get close to him.''</i>


    Both powers were beyondmon logic -- mymanding right over machines and the key which was assumed to be a Transcendence Weapon. However, they weren''t so user-friendly that I could exercise these powers indiscriminately. To use mymanding authority, my voice must reach the target and can''t be used throughmunication channels. As for the key that could even seal the abilities of a transcendent, its sole limitation was that I had to directly insert it into the target''s body. If I seeded in inserting the key in one go, I could even intercept the target''s powers for a far distance. However, the key was nothing more than a piece of iron if it had no contact with the target.


    Needless to say, with my physical ability, it was impossible to insert the key into a transcendental being aka Cheong Won unless he had his guard down.


    "I don''t have any obligation to tell you that."


    I took the key back as calmly as possible. I acted like I hung it back on my neck hoping that he might no longer be wary of the key. I had actually hidden the key in one hand in the off chance that he dropped his guard and exposed an opening. However, Cheong Won''s eyes never left me.


    <strong>Haaaaahh-! Kyaaahhhh ? Haaaaaaaaa-!</strong>


    "...Ermm, excuse me? Sixth Imperial Prince?"


    While we were having a staring contest, this wretched lustful kid was still messing around with the angel. The angel''s pure white dress was already somewhat stripped down and revealed her milky white skin.


    <i>''I''m grateful he''s stalling the time... But this isn''t some sort of porn appreciation event.''</i>


    I grumbled and checked the amount of energy remaining. It had been quite a while since the connection began, so it had risen to thirty percent.


    <i>''But... there''s no way the Sixth Imperial Prince wouldn''t know this.''</i>


    It was an undeniable fact that that kid was a nutcase, but he wasn''t a fool. No, rather, every time I looked at his eyes that glistened from time to time... I felt that they were conveying a snake-like cunningness and malicious wisdom. He most probably had a clear purpose for disying his current actions -- hugging the angel in front of me.


    <i>''Of course, I can''t deny the fact that he''s a madman for choosing to do this sort of thing.''</i>


    The Sixth Imperial Prince kept flirting and feeling up the angel (I still didn''t know her name) for quite some time before he turned to look at me again. Perhaps because they were both pretty excited, his face was flushed as red as a beetroot.


    <strong>Have you made up your mind?</strong>


    At his refreshing attitude as if nothing had happened, I asked him first, "What will happen to the rest of the people if I surrender? The people who were guarding me and..."


    <strong>They''re all going to have to die.</strong>


    He spoke conclusively even before I could finish my question, and I was taken aback.


    "...All of them?"


    <strong>That''s right, all of them.</strong>


    "Then I can''t surrender."


    <strong>Is that so?</strong>


    Heughed and disconnected themunication. I looked at the screen that had gone ck. I found it so ridiculous.


    Just then, Cheong Won said, "Hmmm. Is that so? My god, what a mischievous personality he has."


    "...What is he going to do?"


    "I''m not obligated to tell you that. I''ll be on my way."


    As soon as hepleted his sentence, Cheong Won disappeared into thin air. He had an astonishing teleportation ability that allowed him to move through space regardless of his location. Just then, Napoleon screamed.


    <strong>Partner!</strong>


    Along with Napoleon''s scream, a strong Spiritual Pressure began to rise from Goldrian that was shown on the screen. It wasn''t an attack directed at me. I sensed an energy that was of a totally different level aspared to the wave-type attacks that he fired several times so far.


    "What is this? What is he trying to do?"


    <strong>It''s a Transcendence Skill!</strong>


    "¡­Ares?"


    I doubted the voice that just butt in. As he had always done, Ares seemed to have connected with us via the Eye of Ares and he shouted desperately.


    <strong>Fall out of the front line immediately and hide in Great Sky! This is the only chance!</strong>


    "¡­Howe?"


    <strong>Because those bastards¡­</strong>


    As Ares spoke, Goldrian''s hand was filled with a zing heat wave.


    No, upon closer inspection, it wasn''t just an ordinary heat wave. The charging heat wave in the pitch-ck universe was shaped like a huge sword.


    <strong>Because they summoned Uriel''s sword.</strong>


    Swooooosh----


    The huge sword of fire left Goldrian''s hand and began to cut across the space. Its speed wasn''t that fast but that wouldn''t be a problem since its target was a huge battleship that couldn''t even move properly.


    Whoooosh-!


    A white shield popped up at the front of the Albatross ship. It was Major General Chun Hyun-il''s Transcendence Skill -- Shield of White Cross that I had seen a few times before. However, the moment the slowly advancing ming Sword collided with the shield...


    Swanggg-!


    A crack formed on the shield instantly.


    "Oh my God."


    I groaned because I was at a loss for words. The attack wasn''t even fired from the Rising Storm but from Goldrian. Yet, it was able to break through the Transcendence Skill of a battleship controlled by a transcendent. It was absurd but Ares wasn''t surprised and exined.


    <strong>Let me just say again, that''s a Transcendence Skill too. And he also used it while he was in a good physical condition. So, it''s natural that the exhausted Major General Chun Hyun-il wasn''t able to stop it.</strong>


    "The Sixth Imperial Prince is a transcendent?"


    <strong>No.</strong>


    Ares had appeared before me in Astral state; he shook his head in response.


    <strong>However... The Sixth Imperial Prince and the angel together can create a shockwave equivalent to the power of a transcendent. I don''t know the principle behind it, but it''s safe to say that if the two of them co-act as the pilot, they can be considered a transcendent.</strong>


    "Damn it. I was wondering why the two of them were sitting together in the cockpit, so that was why..."


    In other words, Goldrian''s strangelyrge power reserves was a result of the piloting duo. It was ridiculous that a transcendent-grade pilot could contribute to such mammothlyrge power reserves that it could even be used to power a Transcendence Skill.


    Ares saw my dejected expression and shouted.


    <strong>Anyways, this is not the time for you to be staring nkly! Get out of here quickly!</strong>


    "No, you idiot... What good would it be to run away alone when Albatross is on the verge of being destroyed?"


    Even if it was possible to run away from the battlefield right away, I would end up dead in this vast universe eventually if there wasn''t a battleship to return to. Of course, Napoleon was a strong Gigas but it was difficult for Napoleon to travel betweens, let alone between stars. In the first ce, it wasn''t created with long distance travel in mind. So even if I sessfully ran away from here, I would just be wandering around in the universe and then end up dead.


    However, Ares shook his head unexpectedly.


    <strong>I''m on the way.</strong>


    "You''re on the way?"


    <strong>Yes, I know it''s a tad bit toote... At the very least, I can use it to get you out of here. </strong>


    His deep voice reminded me of the<strong> </strongmand I gave him some time ago.


    <i>-Manifest into yourplete state before me now!</i>


    Right, it was an order that I tried as an experiment. It was an order I issued because I was curious about the limits of mymands.


    But it was actually carried out?


    "Themanding authority can even ignore thews of physics and allow the target to travel through space?"


    Ares shook his head when he heard my bewildered tone.


    <strong>It''s not like that. Even if my parts are separated, they can still activate Astral Drive. So from the very beginning, it was possible for them to cross the gctic system by themselves. Rather, what''s more amazing is that your voice was able to reach my body parts that were spread all across the Universe.</strong>


    The moment Ares finished talking, the Shield of White Cross was smashed to pieces and the ming Swordnded a direct hit on the Albatross ship. The barrier managed to stop the ming Sword, but to our surprise, the barrier caught on fire.


    Kwakkkkk!


    The ming Sword was stuck in the right wing of the bird-shaped Albatross ship. There was a huge explosion that could be seen even from afar.


    "¡­Fuck."


    I couldn''t even begin to surmise how many were killed in that one attack. I tried hard not to kill the crew members of Rising Storm in my own way, but the Sixth Imperial Prince seemed to have no intention of doing the same.


    <strong>Dae-ha.</strong>


    "Wait. Wait a minute. How long will it take for your parts to arrive here?"


    <strong>Even the closest part to us are tens of light years away. Of course, considering the distance travelled, they''re basically all almost here¡­ But it''ll take at least 13 hours for them to gather.</strong>


    "Haha. Oh my God. 13 hours..."


    I let out a vainugh because I was dumbfounded. For a moment, I thought there was hope, but I realized that I had only avoided the worst of the worst.


    If Ares was here at this very moment and if I rode on him... That''s right. I would be able to resolve this situation then. I would be able to suppress the goddamn Sixth Imperial Prince by myself and render the Rising Stormpletely motionless. If I rode on Ares and infiltrated the ship, I would be able to exercise mymanding authority and it would even be possible for me to capture the ship. Of course, there was the saying that only transcendents could ride on a God-rank Gigas. However Ares had helped me all these while so he wouldn''t reject me from piloting him aftering this far.


    <i>''But after 13 hours.''</i>


    If that was the case¡­ there wouldn''t be a single survivor left on Albatross. This battle right now was a battle to the death.


    This war began because the Sixth Imperial Prince wanted to destroy all evidence that would expose his dealings with Cheong Won. Unlike the demi-humans who attacked us, he didn''t have the need to invade Albatross, and above all, he had no intention of capturing prisoners. Let alone 13 hours, everything might already be over in an hour.


    <strong>It''s toote for them anyways. Hurry...</strong>


    "Hurry and what? Hurry and escape?"


    Of course, that could be a logical judgment. The odds would be low, but if I seeded in running away and met up with Ares, I would have the means to survive.


    Unlike the Human-rank Gigas, Napoleon, interster travel was as simple as breathing to a God-rank Gigas. In actual fact, weren''t Ares'' body parts flying across the gctic system to reach where we were despite being in less than top-notch condition?


    <i>But, after that, what? Do we have to run away again?</i>


    <i>Again¡­ Do I have to sit by and watch someone die again? </i>


    <i>-Father, Master. My creator.</i>


    <i>-I love you. I love you, Father.</i>


    My heart was about to burst. Of course I knew this was not my memory. In fact, I didn''t feel any longing or happiness when I met Hawa, the person directly involved in this memory. However... it was also true that these memories I had experienced since I was a child had be the basis of my ego and they also influenced my personality and virtues.


    I didn''t want to run away. I didn''t want to see those I hold dear die.


    <strong>Have you made up your mind now?</strong>


    "Sixth Imperial Prince¡­"


    Goldrian spread his huge wings made of light and came face to face with Napoleon. Ares groaned because Goldrian was so close that I could touch him just by extending my hands.


    <strong>He''s too close¡­</strong>


    That''s right. He was too close. Even I would find it impossible to escape with Goldrian at such a close distance. The reason being, Goldrian was currently controlled by the Sixth Imperial Prince and the angel; the two of them together could exhibit the ability of a transcendent-grade pilot.


    <strong>Answer quickly. I don''t have time for this.</strong>


    I clenched my teeth upon hearing his cheerful voice that was the same as ever.


    "I refuse."


    <strong>Well, that''s a shame. Don''t me me for what''s about to happen.</strong>


    I saw the Sixth Imperial Prince on the screen and he was raising his hand with a smile. Then, Goldrian moved along with his gestures. Particles of light imbued with an enormous amount of soul energy gathered.


    <strong>Then, see you again in </strong><i><strong>''heaven''</strong></i><strong>!</strong>


    Without a hint of hesitation, the light burst forward and I was blinded.


    However, I couldn''t feel any pain.


    "¡­What?"


    As I came to my senses, I saw Napoleon set aze with white mes.


    "Napoleon?"


    I called out loud, but I couldn''t hear my own voice. I realized then that I was floating alone in the empty space.


    <strong>It had been pretty fun, Partner.</strong>


    I could hear Napoleon''s voice in my head. The burning Napoleon turned his head slightly and gave me a thumbs up.


    <strong>The word impossible doesn''t exist in my dictionary.</strong>


    Kabooom!


    Napoleon''s body exploded.


    Floating along in darkness, I could only stand by and watched as it happened before my eyes. I was utterly powerless. There was nothing I could do.


    <strong>Dae-ha! Are you okay?</strong>


    "Ares."


    I started to wonder after seeing Ares next to me. <i>Ares is fine because he is </i><i>in Astral</i><i> State¡­ So, putting that aside, how am I floating in space without any protective gears? </i>


    Badump.


    Just then, my heart pounded. I wasn''t referring to my actual heart that sent blood throughout my whole body.


    Badump.


    That''s right¡­ It was the essence of Napoleon who died for my sake. His Iron Heart was in me.


    "The word impossible doesn''t exist in my dictionary¡­"


    I recited thest words that Napoleon said -- it was his will. Then, Ares came next to me.


    <strong>Are you all right? No, that aside, that soul energy is¡­</strong>


    "Come, Ares. Come here right now."


    I injected Aura into my words.


    However, Ares shook his head.


    <strong>I''m doing my best toe here. It''s impossible to reach any faster than this. </strong>


    "No, it''s possible."


    Clink.


    I raised my right hand ¡ª it held the key I had hidden after I failed to seal Cheong Won. I stuck the key into my right temple.


    Click.


    Just like that, I released the seal on me<strong>. </strong>


    Wiiiiingggg------


    I heard weird sounds of turning gears resounding from somewhere. Light gushed from behind my back. I knew then. It was an Afterglow; it was proof of the Divine Spirit that resided within me.


    <strong>This is¡­ Hey Dae-ha? You''re¡­ No way!?</strong>


    I ordered Ares again regardless of his flustered reaction.


    "Come."


    I said in a conclusive tone. He could do it. Because I ordered him to.


    "Come, Ares."

 Chapter 80: Advent of the God of War (11)

    <h4>Chapter 80: Advent of the God of War (11)</h4>


    When I came to my senses, a huge bookshelf appeared before my eyes. It was so enormous that despite me lifting my head up, I couldn''t see where it ended. The bookshelf was so overwhelming that it felt like I was looking at a range of mountains that towered above skyscrapers.


    The bookshelf was packed full of books and I couldn''t even see any gaps in between the books. It was difficult to fathom the amount of books there were. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the books were all of a different variety.


    "You awakened the inheritance."


    There was a man standing in front.


    "But this is pretty interesting. I didn''t expect you to have both the characteristics of the past and future. There are some parts that ovep, but¡­ it is a power that I lost in the end."


    The man had a gentle temperament and a slender frame in general. As he grabbed one of the books on the bookshelf, he stared at me with eyes full of interest.


    "You¡­ who are you?" I asked. It was a logical question but the man smiled and shook his head.


    "I understand how you feel, but we don''t have much time. This state won''tst long, so it''s better to first take care of the matter at hand."


    He closed the book he was reading and handed it over to me. I received the book without much thought before he spoke with a still smiling face.


    "Grow a little stronger ande back."


    As soon as hepleted his sentence, the world twisted around.


    *


    <strong>Stop! Stop it! I surrender! I said I surrender!</strong>


    I woke up to a desperate voice. The face of a continuously screaming Sixth Imperial Prince was disyed on the screen.


    <strong>Hiiikkk... What the hell is this? We can''t even try to invade. </strong>


    The angel next to Elion looked perplexed too. Her rxed and elegant smile thus far was nowhere to be seen.


    "¡­What is this?"


    <strong>Dae-ha! Are you alright?</strong>


    "Of course I''m okay. No, more than that, I feel revived though?"


    I could feel unparalleled power flowing deep inside my body, and I could perfectly perceive everything that was around me. Needless to say, that perception wasn''t referring to Goldrian or Ares in hisplete state after his parts flew across space and gathered.


    The Albatross ship far away in the distance and the countless crew members in it, as well as their conversations, everything fell under the area of my perception. Likewise, the screams resonating from Rising Storm, the voice of the Captain ordering for a sortie, and the countless Gigas and fighter jets that were dispatched at hismand couldn''t escape my perception as well.


    There were countless enemiesing out from the dock of Rising Storm. As there was quite a distance between us and Rising Storm previously, the only Gigas and fighter jets that had fought against me were those who appeared through the Warp Gate. Now that Rising Storm itself was within vicinity, all the remaining troops began to flock towards us.


    "Very well."


    I could perceive all the Gigas and fighter jets that were flying towards me. That wasn''t all. I could also see their pilots. The conversations they were having amongst themselves fell under my perception too. At this moment, it was no different from having the whole battlefield on the palms of my hand. I felt like I was omnipotent. It felt as though I knew and could do everything.


    Although I had only been in this state for a short amount of time, I realized that I had be a transcendent being that was beyond human understanding.


    I heard a desperate cry and I wasn''t the only one who felt it.


    <strong>Calm down and listen to me! I didn''t have any intention to kill you! I was nning to go to heaven after this battle and exin everything to you!</strong>


    "What are you talking about?"


    Of course, it was not a question directed at him. He connected with me one-sidedly, and I didn''t connect any sort ofmunication device with him. He was most probably going to spout some ridiculous sophistry anyway. I was curious as to what he was going to say, but there wasn''t really a need for me to know that.


    Just then, a doubt formed in my head...


    "¡­I see."


    I could tell.


    <strong>Hmm? What do you mean?</strong>


    "That''s boring."


    I knew what the Sixth Imperial Prince meant by <i>''heaven''</i>. I could see through his purpose and his n.


    Of course, that wasn''t a good enough reason to keep him alive.


    <strong>Hold on! Hold on for a minute! If you just kill me now, you won''t get out of this unscathed! You will turn the entire Leonhardt Empire against you and they will be your enemy!</strong>


    The Sixth Imperial Prince shouted while being oppressed by the enormous Spiritual Pressureing from Ares who was holding Goldrian by the neck.


    <strong>You will never be able to keep this a secret! Even if you''re riding on a God-rank Gigas, you won''t be able to silence Cheong Won!</strong>


    He was right. Cheong Won was bound by various restrictions due to his mission, but there wasn''t any restriction tying him down from informing the Imperial court after witnessing what I did here. It would be a different story if he was telling a lie, but if it was the truth, there would be nothing stopping him from doing so.


    <strong>Dae-ha, what should we do?</strong>


    I grinned upon hearing Ares'' voice tainted with worries.


    Yes, everything the Sixth Imperial Prince said was correct. If we killed him here, I would probably be anxious for a long time of any future troubles that might surface because of it. I would never be able to keep this a secret, and the Leonhardt Imperial family wouldn''t show any mercy to the person who murdered one of their Crown Prince candidates.


    However, I spoke in a calm and collected manner, "I''ll take my chances. No matter what the future holds, I''d rather die than keep him alive."


    <strong>...Future?</strong>


    "Yes, the future."


    Countless hours of memories were raging like a violent storm in my head. All kinds of information about the past, present, and future were being transmitted into my head.


    This was the absolute authority that only those above the high-rank Gods possessed.


    God Knows.


    <strong>Don''t do it.</strong>


    <strong>Stop, please!</strong>


    <i>''</i><i>Bazaammm!''</i> I injected my powers into Ares'' hand. Upon hearing that sound, the Sixth Imperial Prince and the angel, who could instantly foresee their own future, screamed. However, they couldn''t hinder my decision at all.


    Whoooooskk----!


    The enormous power from Ares'' hand burrowed into Goldrian''s body and erased the two pilots in it from the face of the world. In the process, Goldrian, shining with a gold brilliance, fell silent in an instant; even his Iron Heart was subdued.


    "Major General Chun Hyun-il."


    <strong>Huh? What? Are you connected to Ares? Isn''t this voice Kwan Dae-ha?</strong>


    "Yes. Fortunately, Ares showed up in time and subdued Goldrian."


    <strong>What about the Sixth Imperial Prince and the angel? </strong>


    "They were gone after they were subdued. It seems they had a method to bypass space itself."


    Of course, it was a lie. They were both dead and not a speck of dust was left of their existence.


    <i>''If it''s futile, then so be it.''</i>


    He was someone destined to be an Emperor. Although he was a madman, his talent was an undeniable fact. On top of that, he was the chosen one, born with a rare bloodline and ability even among the Imperial family.


    Most of all... He met his soul mate -- the angel, and they had the potential to create a Great Bloodline. He could have been an existence that would spread the name of the Leonhardt Empire throughout the universe.


    <i>''It''s not going to happen anymore.''</i>


    However, I obviously didn''t feel apologetic. The future was always a series of crossroads. However, in this case, he was simply not chosen.


    <strong>There''s a lot I want to ask, but... Are you alright? There''s a huge number of enemies gathering. </strong>


    "What nonsense."


    I threw Goldrian on my hand towards Albatross. I aimed it right at the dock, so that they would be able to retrieve him without any issues.


    "Let''s go, Ares."


    <strong>Okay!</strong>


    Ares crossed the universe like a sh of light. Rising Storm''s Gigas and fighter jets were flocking together and they were unaware of the exact circumstances here yet. Anyway, they wouldn''t amount to anything before our overwhelming might.


    Whoooosh------


    Ares flew towards the Gigas and fighter jets with a gray sphere surrounding his body.I concentrated my consciousness. Ares was a God-rank Gigas and most pilots wouldn''t even have the chance to see one of the God-rank Gigas in their lifetimes. Yet, I was so familiar andfortable with everything about him.


    <i>''First, let''s try to break their spirits.''</i>


    Dozens of Gigas and hundreds of fighter jets were in sight. Some of them attacked me and the rest ignored me and flew past. They were probably trying to rescue the Sixth Imperial Prince by attacking Albatross rather than sticking to me.


    <strong>They''re ignoring me? Whew. What should I do with them? </strong>


    Ares was dumbfounded andughed in vain, and I too,ughed in response to Ares'' remarks.


    "What else? If they see us as a joke just because of their huge numerical advantage¡­"


    Groarrrrr----!


    The gray Aura that covered Ares'' body began to radiate in all directions.


    "We''ll have to greet them with numbers on this side too."


    More than a thousand gray balls of lights rose up into the air and started taking shape. It formed into a gray giant and each of them moved independently. As they stood forward, I could sense confusion brewing among the Gigas of Rising Storm.


    <strong>What the hell is this? This is... a Gigas?</strong>


    <strong>Oh my God!! Each and every one of them has soul power equivalent to that of a Beast-rank Gigas!</strong>


    <strong>What''s worse, there are about ten machines among them with the same level of soul power as a Human-rank Gigas¡­ No fucking way!</strong>


    Screams resounded from all over the ce. In actual fact, it was a matter of course. It wasn''t just 10 or 100, but as many as 1,000 Gigas had appeared out of nowhere. How could they stay calm andposed after seeing that? However, they were not the only ones flustered.


    <strong>Huh, ehhhhhhh? What''s going on? My is definitely a powerful skill, but it wasn''t this strong though¡­</strong>


    Originally, God of War''s Army was a Transcendence Skill that could summon 10 Beast-rank Gigas and 1,000 Tool-rank Gigas. Each of the Beast-rank Gigas would lead 100 Tool-rank Gigas to support Ares.


    However, now that their ranking had risen by one notch, the effect they would bring onto the table wouldn''t just simply amount to some support. Jokes aside, it was possible to fight a war just with these Gigas.


    <strong>Don''t be fooled! These fake bastards!</strong>


    Just then, one of the group leaders leading the Rising Storm''s Gigas prated through the God of War''s Army at a terrific speed. Strangely, he was holding a metal-made sword instead of a lightsaber. The sword was glowing blue; perhaps, it was imbued with a special power.


    <strong>A fake without any skill or soul is no match in front of the Eunha-ryu''s Sword!</strong> [1]


    The sword shed down along with the sharp roar. The attack was directed towards one of the Human-rank Gigas, which was basically a 100-manmander among the 1,010 Gigas.


    Swishhhh!


    However, the Human-rank Gigas clone easily deflected his sword and avoided the attack.


    Kwakkkkk!


    Immediately after that, I imbued the right lightsaber with the Pration Ability and sliced off the right arm of the enemy Gigas, and I bashed its head with the left lightsaber''s pommel, forcing it to drop to its knees. Then with an X-motion, I sliced off both its legs. Next, I finished it off by grabbing his left hand in a "handshake" and cleanly tore it off as I always did. The clone kicked and "returned" the dismembered body of the enemy Gigas to his allies.


    <strong>¡­</strong>


    <strong>¡­</strong>


    <strong>¡­</strong>


    Silence descended upon the whole battlefield.


    1. "Eunha" is basically romanization of "gxy" in Korean, and "ryu" is a faction/school of teachings.

 Chapter 81: Advent of the God of War (12)

    <h4>Chapter 81: Advent of the God of War (12)</h4>


    <strong>¡­</strong>


    <strong>¡­</strong>


    <strong>¡­</strong>


    Silence descended upon the whole battlefield. Then, I smirked and said¡­


    "All troops, charge!" [1]


    At my orders, the gray giants dashed forward in unison. The Gigas and fighter jets deployed from Rising Storm immediatelyunched a counterattack, but it was to no avail.


    Kwakkkkk! Boom! Boom!


    They were all subdued. The fighter jets either had their wings cut off or their engines ceased to function, and the Gigas got their limbs mutted; all they could do was float in space. It also didn''t take a long time. Everything was over by the time the swords collided and the artillery fires were fired.


    The gray giants weren''t just clones. Each of the 1,000 Beast-rank Gigas had thebat power of a Beast-rank Gigas under<i> my</i><strong> </strong>piloting, and the same applied for the 10 Human-rank Gigas too. In other words, there were 10 Napoleons piloted by me and 1,000 Thunder Dragons piloted by me on the battlefield.


    The enemies had a numerical disadvantage. The soul power of each Gigas overwhelmed them as well, so the enemy didn''t have a glimmer of hope in winning at all.


    Skriekkk-!


    The Gigas and fighter jets were subdued in a matter of minutes and immediately after that, I stormed into Rising Storm after giving a separate order. The huge battleship, Rising Storm, naturally had a sturdy barrier, but I tore apart the barrier like it was a piece of cloth andnded on top of the deck.


    It literally took a moment, as if I was naturally opening a door and walking right through it. Ares was stunned.


    <strong>No, wait a minute. What did you just do? Did you just tear apart the battleship''s barrier and enter just like that? Did you have this kind of Ability? </strong>


    "It''s not an Ability, it''s the Transcendence Skill , you idiot."


    It was more of a passive Ability rather than an active-prompt skill. The Ability was capable of spreading a kind of Aura within a fifty meters radius centering around the Iron Heart; the Aura could permeate through barriers and either strengthen defenses or cut the connection between the barrier and the enemy''s soul energy. If desired, the Aura could also be injected into weapons to increase their offensive capabilities.


    <strong>Setting your powers aside, what''s with this God of War skill¡­ Your Transcendence Skill suits me very well.</strong>


    "Of course it suits you, It''s your Transcendence Skill after all."


    <strong>¡­The only Transcendence Skill I have is the and the though?</strong>


    <i>''The rest of your Abilities,''</i> I muttered under my breath in response to Ares'' words.


    "I''ll exin it to youter."


    Kwakkk!


    I stretched out my hand and tore off Rising Storm''s armor, and broke in. I knew the structure of Rising Storm all too well.


    Boooooom! Kwakkkkkk!


    Bang!


    I moved in a straight line. If a wall was in the way, I would break it down, and when there was room to move, I crossed over in an instant. Obviously, there were some guys blocking my way, but...


    "Stop him! He''s moving to the power nt!"


    "But the attacks aren''t working at all!"


    "What the hell! It''s a God-rank Gigas!! Where the hell did that thinge from!!"


    They were just making a lot of noise, but they couldn''t stop me in my tracks. The barrier of Ares, a God-rank Gigas, was on the same level as the defense of a Terra-ss battleship. The only way for Rising Storm to pierce through that barrier was to fire at it with their Main Armament.


    <i>''But there''s no way they can use that kind of firepower within the battleship.''</i>


    The moment I thought so, I invoked <strong>Foresight</strong>.


    Kwareukkkk!


    I raised my right hand and blocked the iing spear. It might seem strange to raise my hand to block a spear the mere size of a toothpick when Ares was as big as a decent-sized building. However, the instant I blocked the spear, thunder struck and the surrounding space was distorted. Ares shouted.


    <strong>Dae-ha! Be careful! He''s a Numbering just like me!</strong>


    Numberings referred to the powerful Godly Artifacts that ranked in the top 1,000 among Transcendence Weapons in the universe. Numberings were hard toe by that even the worth of five or six decent-sizes couldn''t exchange for a Numbering. Numberings were extremely powerful weapons, and if wielded by a transcendent, the transcendent would be able to go against ten other transcendents of the same level.


    In fact, Transcendence Weapons and Numberings didn''te in a specific form or with a specific effect. It coulde in the shape of a gun, a knife, or a weapon specialized in destroying enemies. It could also have healing effects or even create Warp Zones.


    In general, a Transcendence Weapon''s shape would match its titles but that wasn''t necessarily the case for all of them. Among the battleships that roamed in space, there were special masterpieces that joined the ranks of the Numberings. Also, there were God-rank Gigas like Ares that also joined the ranks of the Numberings as a Transcendence Weapon. Even items that didn''t take the form of a weapon and weren''t considered as one, such as the Refrigerator that Produces Food Infinitely, was also one of the Numberings, so that''s that.


    In other words, it was safe to assume that there was fundamentally not much difference between Ares and the spear thrown by the enemy. The only difference was that I was riding in a Numbering, and the enemy had a Numbering in his hand.


    If the spear were to be a problem...


    "The spear''s a Numbering just like you... So what?"


    As with all weapons, the important thing that mattered was the capability of the user.


    Kriekkkk---!!


    "Kekkkk¡­! This, what the hell is this¡­"


    An ancient-looking old man standing at nearly two meters tall was surrounded by the Aura formed by . He was brought to his knees.


    I lightly gestured, "Get some sleep."


    Plop.


    The old man lost consciousness and copsed while the Numbering in his hand was devoured by the crevice that had opened up in the air. It went into the .


    <strong>...That''s ridiculous. This is basically equivalent to the power of a high-rank God.</strong>


    Ares mumbled in bewilderment, and I shrugged.


    "It onlysts for a short time."


    <strong>A short time?</strong>


    "Yeah. And that''s why I''m working so hard."


    Kwakkkkk! Kwakkk!


    I broke down the wall and advanced forward. Since the person whom I presumed to be the Captain of Rising Storm was so easily overpowered by me, there probably wouldn''t be anyone who could stop my advancement. Hence, I reached the power unit without any problem.


    <strong>Halt---!! Halt now---!!! If you approach any further, I will follow the Code of War and activate self-destruct mode!!</strong>


    As I entered the power nt, a woman''s sharp voice resonated in my head. I got too close to the power nt that the control persona of the Rising Storm, <strong>Luna</strong>, finally made contact.


    "Nice to meet you."


    If these were under ordinary circumstances, I would''ve first opened the hatch and disembark from Ares. Mymand would only work if I transmitted my voice face-to-face, so it was meaningless to contact with the target throughmunication devices.


    However, things werepletely different in the current situation. I only came here because I had something to do. Also, in my present state, I could give an order even from outside of the power nt.


    <strong>I''m telling you once again. Halt now. If you approach any further, I will follow the Code of War and activate self-destruct¡­</strong>


    "Luna."


    I called out her name. Then, the loud warning stopped immediately. I called her again.


    "Luna."


    <strong>Yes... Master.</strong>


    Iughed at the polite voice. The war was over.


    *


    Thud.


    Standing as tall as a ten-storey apartment, Aresnded on the deck with a soft thud which was unbefitting of his size. I felt the power coursing through my body was slowly fading away as I headed towards the inner deck of Albatross. I wanted topletely capture Rising Storm and drag it here, but I couldn''t because I was running out of time.


    <strong>Dae-ha, your power is...</strong>


    "I know."


    The omnipotent sensation as though I could do anything was gradually diminishing. All the various knowledge and futures that filled my mind began to vanish.


    The current state I was in was simr to an omnipotent being. However, my original intelligence was mediocre at best. I would probably lose more than half of this infinite knowledge in my head. Just like how everything in my mind would be erased like it was all a delusion after waking up from an absurdly long dream, I couldn''t remember the majority of the knowledge that was in my head, less for a few extremely important keywords.


    <i>''And that''s why I want to at least see my own future¡­''</i>


    Iughed in vain as I tried searching through all the information and futures in my head.


    <i>''I really can''t nce into my future.''</i>


    To my surprise, despite being close to an All-knowing being, I was only shown darkness when I tried to nce into my future. I didn''t really pay any heed to it when the transcendents, Cheong Won included, said that their Foresight ability was cranky whenever I was involved. However, I didn''t expect that it would be the same for me as well.


    That wasn''t all.


    <i>''Why is Cheong Won going to die?''</i>


    I searched for a future where I was able to catch Cheong Won and deal with any future troubles, but the only thing I could see was his death and nothing else. I had no idea why he died or who killed him.


    <i>''Was it Hawa?''</i>


    I couldn''t read any existence that was equal or a higher rank than me with my Absolute Authority. I felt like I possessed all knowledge in the world with my All-knowing power. Yet, even that power couldn''t work on transcendents who had obtained a High-rank Status of God.


    <i>''But why would she do that?''</i>


    I was puzzled about the iprehensible situation, but I didn''t have the time to think about it any further.


    Wiiiiingggg--!


    I opened Ares'' hatch and went out


    I said, "Standby and wait. Just don''t go too far."


    <strong> Wouldn''t it be better to rest inside me instead?</strong>


    "Why would I rest inside you? I can''t even imagine how many months I would be out for."


    I was dozing off; it felt as though I was going to faint immediately. The awakened Divine Spirit inside me began to fade, and my eyelids were getting heavier and heavier.


    "I still have something to do... what else do I have to do again?"


    I had to deal with everything now as I didn''t know what would be of the almighty knowledge that was imparted to me. If I missed this moment and turned back into a lowly human, I would no longer be able to do the things I could do right now. Even if I had to suffer for a bit, it was better than regrettingter on because I didn''t know what would happen in the future.


    <i>''The war is over, I also silenced Rising Storm, and I sent out all the clones to take care of the dinosaur bastard¡­''</i>


    I desperately hung on to my flickering consciousness and headed for the dormitory. Just then, I pped as something came to mind.


    "That''s right. I almost fucked up¡­ That was a close call."


    I flicked my right hand.


    Sttt!


    The liquid metal circting inside my body was sprayed on the floor. The torturous liquid had suppressed and tormented me this whole time, but it didn''t pose any huge problems as the transcendental Divine Spirit was protecting my body.


    "And, and..."


    I frantically racked my brain. My eyelids were unbearably heavy and it was gradually getting hard to walk. I thought I was moving as fast as I could, but I could no longer walk to the dormitory.


    Just then, I saw Celestia running towards me from over the hallway.


    "Dae-ha!"


    The moment I heard her voice, I finally plopped down on the ground. The Divine Spirit was almost all gone, and a listless feeling was surging in me. I was washed-out. I asked her for a favor because I felt like I was going to lose my consciousness right this instant.


    "Cel, I''m sorry, but please bring me to..."


    However, even before I couldplete my sentence, Celestia called my name with a flushed face.


    "Hey, Dae-ha, Kwan Dae-ha."


    "¡­What''s wrong?"


    I frowned at the way she looked with her eyes glistening. I didn''t know why she was so exhrated. If it was just a moment ago, I would''ve found out by asking her. No, to be frank, I would''ve already known why due to the Divine Spirit but I couldn''t now that it was fading. Most of the knowledge in my head was disappearing, and I forgot everything except for a few particrly important things.


    Celestia said, "Won''t you marry me?"


    Her whispers felt like a dream. It might be an idle thought, but¡­ For a moment, I was distracted by thoughts of the countless people in the universe who would''ve longed to hear this from her.


    She was an renowned idol in the entire universe, a woman of incredible beauty, as well as a member of the Imperial family that possessed a great deal of power and authority. I wasn''t sure, but the men who couldn''t fall asleep because of her could probably fill up a decent-sized country.


    However¡­


    "This¡­"


    My preference and perspective was different from those men. So of course, I wouldn''t be able to say nice words.


    "What kind of nonsense are you spouting?"


    "¡­"


    I finally lost consciousness.


    1. Am so close to writing this as "All troops, assemble!" Anyone got the reference? xD

 Chapter 82: A Bouquet of Roses (1)

    <h4>Chapter 82: A Bouquet of Roses (1)</h4>


    <i>The Great War</i> was a highly reliable simtion and had sold tens of billions of copies throughout the universe.


    By developing <i>The Great War</i>, the Leonhardt Empire gained tremendous profits and fame. Their presence was clearly imprinted in the minds of hundreds of different forces in the Great Universe. Unless it was a gxy in close proximity, it would be difficult even for an Empire-ss force to achieve such an achievement.


    As such, the Leonhardt Empire managed <i>The Great War</i> as some sort of national project. The Department of Combat Technology was established, and a manager was directly appointed by the Imperial household to further develop the system. Hence, that was why the detailed data of <i>The Great War</i> was considered a national secret and it was not easily essible. For that reason, the technical staff who discovered Dae-ha from the new high-score notification ultimately made a mistake and perceived him as an electronic-type Ability user instead of a pilot.


    The only thing the technical staff could confirm at the site was the stage-clear announcement and the scores.


    Their only job was to recruit pilot candidates ording to their scores and report the details to their superiors. They couldn''t directly check thebat records themselves as it would be an overstep of the boundaries of their authority. Thebat records contained the fighting methods and habits of the pilot. They would also show the weakness, the Achilles'' Heel of the pilot in question. So the technical staff had to go by the books instead of their own judgement for the recruitment of the pilot candidates. Thebat records would then be encrypted and sent to the headquarters.


    And now¡­


    "Now now, if all of you have seen it, say something."


    Thebat records had finally arrived at the headquarters and it was disclosed by the Department of Combat Technology.


    "Hmm..."


    "Don''t just groan, say something. What do you think about this?"


    "No, wait a minute. Hmm. This is¡­ surprising. It looks like¡­ he''s really ying <i>The Great War</i> though?"


    "I don''t know what his Ability is, but it''s out of the ordinary. There wasn''t even a single error found on the main server."


    "There were precedents of <i>The Great War</i>''s system being rigged, but this is really on another level. He didn''t show any hint of awkwardness at all and he was battling it out as if it was second nature to him. Moreover, take a look at this technique... This is an Ability that was created by fusing at least three Abilities. He wouldn''t be able to bring this sort of details alive if he didn''t have an intelligence-type Ability."


    The three old men in the room filled with all kinds of equipment were frantically looking through the battle records. They weren''t just looking at the recorded video, they were also checking the system that was used in the room.


    The middle-aged blonde man seated in the center of the room pathetically shook his head at the three old men''s actions.


    "¡­Stop running away and analyze it properly. Do you want to lose your jobs?"


    "Huhh, but... Hohoho."


    "No, no matter how I look at it, this is...."


    "How did he even score 1.28 billion points¡­"


    All three old men forced augh as they couldn''t believe their eyes. They were trying to keep their calm somehow, but their eyes were shaking. An old man with long ears and blue hair asked on behalf of the three men.


    "Surely, you''re not saying this is the actual game rey, right?"


    "Of course it is. In the first ce, does it make sense that without messing around with the systemmands, thebat records could be manipted? No, even if it was possible, why would someone do that?"


    Since the distant past, there had been countless times where someone tried to hack the already developed system from the outside. Attacking had always been easier to do than defending, and even if the system was created by pooling a huge amount of resources and manpower, there was always the possibility of it being breached by an unexpected attack.


    However, the current situation waspletely different. It wasn''t just a single part, instead, the whole game y was natural. Furthermore, if the cause and effect were aligned, it would be reasonable to think of it as a normal y and not a maniption of the system.


    "But even so¡­ Aren''t his points pretty abnormal? Besides, that kind of unbelievable y is impossible even for a Gigant Master. Even the greatest genius wouldn''t be able to handle all those Abilities at a master-level."


    It wasn''t anything special for Koreans to speak English. Learning a foreignnguage wasn''t easy, but if someone puts in time and effort, they would be able to speak thenguage at the standards of a native speaker. Likewise, there was nothing to be surprised about speaking threenguages. If someone had an aptitude for linguistic studies, it wasn''t that umon to be able to be proficient with four or even fivenguages at the standards of a native speaker.


    However, what Dae-ha had demonstrated was humanly impossible.


    "Moreover, look at this record! His Ability is different everyday! Except for the ones that ovep, it''s confirmed that he was handling somewhere around 50 Abilities! And what the hell is with these techniques? Using the soul power of the Iron Heart as if it was magic power in his heart. Besides, how old is he?"


    "I heard he''s lived less than 20 years."


    "That''s right, 20 years! Is this even something possible to do at that age?"


    If you had a linguistic talent and if there was a supporting environment, it was possible to speak twonguages at the level of a native speaker at the tender age of 20. However, what if a five year-old boy could freely speak 200nguages and not just two or tennguages? What if he had aplete understanding of the meaning and nuance of all the words in that particrnguage?


    That wouldn''t be a matter of talent. It would be a strange thing. Because... the short life he had lived was too short to make such great history.


    "With the way things have unfolded, we need to first summon him and confirm how all this is possible!"


    It was a heated reaction unbefitting of their usual gentle appearance. Thebat records they received were so shocking that it made them react that way. If the contents of thebat records were true, Dae-ha might be able to rewrite the history of wars throughout the whole universe.


    Seeing them so excited, the incumbent Minister of the Department of Combat Technology, Rosta Leonhardt, muttered.


    "Since we''re on the topic¡­ He happens to be on the way here."


    "What do you mean ''here''? He''sing to the headquarters?"


    "No, he''s going to the Imperial Capital."


    "¡­What are you talking about? An outsider is heading to the Imperial Capital directly? There are so many old bastards there who lose their cool at those who possess a bloodline. Is that even possible?"


    One of the three men asked with an expression that seemed to say that he couldn''t understand the reason behind it. It was a sensitive topic, but he didn''t show any hesitation. Although Rosta Leonhardt was a member of the Imperial family, all three of them were Great Wizards who had received enlightenment of the world and were treated with great respect even within the Imperial court.


    Rosta exined, "Of course it is. No, to be exact, he has to."


    "What are you talking about?"


    Rostaughed at the sight of the three curious old men. Then, he waved his hand and a letter appeared in the empty mid-air. The old man with a pair of horns widened his eyes when he saw the inscription on the envelope.


    "The sender is... the Queen of Starlight."


    "Ughh. You''re using that nickname for a baby girl who''s young enough to be your granddaughter?"


    "Of course! She''s still the Queen nheless!"


    Upon the sight of the horned-old man shouting vehemently, the bald old man next to him muttered, "Haha, you didn''t know? He got plenty of bromide for your niece too."


    "Really? This old bastard. Please act your age."


    "Hohoho. No matter what you say, my love for the Queen will not dissipate. No, wait, but why are you suddenly taking out the Queen''s letter? Are you perhaps going to give it to me?"


    "¡­"


    "Hoho, I''m kidding. Anyways, what''s it really about?"


    "It''s nothing. It''s just a letter asking if I can officiate."


    The old man with horns tilted his head at the sudden remark.


    "Whose wedding?"


    "Who else?" Rosta chuckled and dropped a bombshell remark that no one had imagined, "Of course it''s her own."


    *


    <i>Thuckkk.</i>


    "Are you awake?"


    "...Ahh. Yes."


    "Enjoy your meal."


    I broke out in a cold sweat at the respectful greeting. Needless to say, it was a face I didn''t recognize. Even though it''s been a while since I lived in the Albatross ship, I didn''t recognize the faces of all the crew members. Yet, today alone, I was saluted by dozens of people.


    "I''m telling you, you don''t have to be so ufortable at everything. I''m doing this out of gratitude."


    "No, even so, I''m not even a soldier."


    "Even if you''re not a soldier, you''re still a war hero."


    "...Are you going to act that way too?"


    "But it''s true."


    I sighed deeply while listening to Bo-ram and Dong-min. After I subdued Rising Storm and lost consciousness, I slept for more than a month. What was even more surprising was that Albatross activated Astral Drive for the whole month and was flying towards the Imperial Capital of the Leonhardt Empire. I didn''t know where Leonhardt Empire was, but we would have already crossed more than five or six gxies within that one month.


    <i>''I wonder what''s going on at school...''</i>


    I sighed, but I had alreadye too far to worry about school. Back on Earth, I was inly going to school and back everyday, but aftering to the universe, I piloted huge robots and fought aliens everyday. There was such a stark difference that it felt foreign.


    "By the way, how are you feeling? You''ve been lying down for a long time."


    "Ahhh. Maybe because I rested well, I feel rather refreshed. But I didn''t expect I would sleep for a month. I''m starving."


    "Hmm, but then again, no matter how good the nutritional supplements are, they''re not food. Fortunately, Albatross has been restored to a certain extent, so the food is pretty good."


    "What''s good?"


    "It''s something that''s not on Earth, but it''s a soup that has something simr to dumplings in it. They call it Talta. It''s really nice. It''s easy to digest too... Hmm?"


    Bo-ram was happily chattering away when she suddenly stopped. As I turned around my head wondering why she stopped, I could sense the people making a fuss from far away.


    "Ohhh¡­ Oh my God."


    "She''s the Queen indeed."


    "She''s beautiful..."


    I could hear soft whispers. They were all staring at the same ce and it made me wonder what was going on as well. So I followed their gazes and looked to where they were looking.


    And I spotted her.


    "Oh¡­"


    She was the Imperial Princess of the Leonhardt Empire as well as the girl with the grandiose title of Space Idol attached to her name. Celestia was walking over lightly as if she was weightless. It went without saying that she was a great beauty.


    In fact, I''ve always known. Her blue hair seemed as if it carried the essence of the sea, her eyes sparkled in blue just like her hair and her skin was jade white. Her appearance looked like the masterpiece of an outstanding master craftsman. More so than anyone else, she looked as though she walked out of an anime. [1] Even I, who hated meddlesome affairs, was dangerously entranced by her appearance.


    But now that I woke up after a month, I realized that I had no idea who she truly was.


    "¡­Oh my God, she''s beautiful."


    Celestia''s beauty took even Bo-ram''s breath away. Bo-ram''s voice was full of admiration without a trace of jealousy. After knowing Celestia for so long, there was no reason to keep thinking that she was beautiful. There were no words needed, nor was there any need to be surprised; her beauty was a fact that was a foregone conclusion. But despite having such a thought process, I felt that Celestia was <i>so </i>beautiful that I couldn''t even remember what she looked like usually.


    <i>''I see.'' </i>Then, I realized. <i>''She has never dressed herself up before.''</i>


    Celestia had spent most of her time inbat gear and her hair was either casually tied up, or let down. Most of all, she had never put on makeup. She was always without make-up. Even so, she was so beautiful that no one realized it. Her natural beauty, charisma, and the unique aura that surrounded her always made her shine.


    Nheless, she was walking over, all dressed up and she even had makeup on. Like a warrior going to battle, from her outfit to her makeup, and finally her hairstyle, it felt like she was putting all her effort into it.


    <i>''I have no choice but to admit it.''</i>


    She was beautiful. She had the unique innocence and cheerfulness of a young girl, but at the same time, she also had the elegant vibe of a mature woman. She was radiating in a brilliant light like flower buds that scattered in full bloom; it was as if her visage of a gorgeous beauty and that of a haughty beauty had fused into one. Her appearance was surreal enough for me to think that my surrounding reality was shattering in shock.


    <i>ck. ck.</i>


    Celestia strided proudly as if the gazes of the crowd of people didn''t faze her at all. However, she was holding something in her hand.


    "What is that? A bouquet of flowers?"


    "A bouquet of roses? And it''s even gold in colour. Don''t tell me that''s..."


    "Who is it! Who gave her the bouquet?"


    "No, that aside, did the Imperial Princess-nim ept that?"


    "Who the hell is the person who gave her the bouquet?"


    The crew members were making amotion at the fact that Celestia might have epted someone''s confession. But they were mistaken. She didn''t receive the bouquet of flowers from anyone.


    "Did you sleep well?" Walking past the crew members in a hubbub, Celestia muttered with a gorgeous smile. Then, she stuck out the bouquet of roses.


    I reached my hand out to her...


    "Huh?"


    "Huhhhhhhhh?!"


    "Whaaaat?"


    I grabbed her and got out from the restaurant.


    1. The original raws trantes literally to "More so than anyone else, Celestia''s beauty matched the expression "like a drawing". I tweaked the expression a little for better understanding.

 Chapter 83: A Bouquet of Roses (2)

    <h4>Chapter 83: A Bouquet of Roses (2)</h4>


    I grabbed Celestia and got out from the restaurant.


    <i>Wiiiiiiing!</i>


    I took big strides, leaving the restaurant''s automatic door behind. With my hand holding hers, Celestia was being dragged along. Of course, from the perspective of a decent Ability user, using the words "dragged along" would be a little ambiguous.


    Celestia was a beauty with a slender body, but at the same time, she was also an Ability user with powers that outssed mine by dozens of times. If she had the intention to resist, it would be difficult to make her take a single step even if I threw my whole body and hung on to her. Hence, it would be more appropriate to describe it as her following me rather than being dragged along.


    <i>''Why on Earth¡­''</i>


    Knowing that, I dragged her and clenched my teeth. I didn''t know what to do in this situation. I waspletely off guard like a boxer who took a direct punch to the chin.


    I was dazed by Celestia''s different from usual countenance and couldn''t get away in time. Celestia didn''te running, and I had the ability to see the titles. Even if I was nervous, it would have been possible for me to figure out her objective, but I lost my mind, andnded myself in this situation.


    <i>Thud. </i>


    Finally, we reached the ruins and there wasn''t a single soul around. It was one of the ces that was destroyed in the great battle of Seppard. It had not been restored yet as it was pushed back by other priorities.


    "Oh my, what are you trying to do by dragging me to such a remote ce?"


    "What am I trying to do? Hey, you, what kind of¡­"


    "What kind of nonsense am I spouting?"


    "..."


    I froze at the sight of Celestia muttering with a wide smile. Her smile was gorgeous. It wouldn''t be an overstatement to say that it was dazzling, and it could entice anyone who was looking at it.


    However, I asked, "Why are you angry?"


    "What? No, of course not. Hmm. I''m a little upset, but that''s not important right now."


    I frowned at the sight of her smiling cheerfully, "I don''t think so. You seem really mad though."


    "I said I''m not mad, alright?"


    "You''re angry, aren''t you?"


    "¡­No. I''m not, but that aside!" Celestia changed the subject with a sudden scream, "Is that all you have to say right now? When I went to find you with a bouquet of flowers in hand?"


    "Ahh, right! Now that you mention it..."


    Celestiaughed as she pped her hands, "That''s right. Now that I mention it?"


    "Now that you mention it¡­ What nonsense is that?"


    "..."


    Celestia''s fists were shaking. She clenched her teeth and held it in, but she wasn''t able to maintain her facial expressions.


    <i>''She''s finally acting like a human.''</i>


    As funny as it may seem, I was morefortable with the current Celestia aspared to the pure and dreamlike image earlier. She already gave off a special aura, so it would feel unrealistic if she dressed up and set the mood. However, I couldn''t just overlook the current situation apart from that.


    "What are you going to do now? Why did you spout such nonsense in front of so many people? Are you allowed to do this despite being an Imperial Princess?"


    "Hmph. I want to do it though? Who dares to stop me? Father told me to take care of my own marriage anyways."


    I frowned at her domineering attitude, "Your own position aside, you have to think about mine too. I can''t believe you''re doing this without my prior consent. I''ll tell you in advance, I don''t like things like this. To be honest, I hate it."


    Without first confirming each other''s feelings, such an open confession was basically tantamount to violence. Wasn''t it a tactic to prevent me from turning her down with the public opinion supporting her?


    Nheless, Celestia smiled. Her eyes curved into a crescent moon if she wasn''t fazed by my harsh reaction.


    "That aside, you''re not angry, right?"


    "No. I''m actually really mad though?"


    "I don''t think so though?"


    "I said I''m pissed at you!" I frowned because it felt as if we were strangely repeating the conversation we had just slightly earlier. Then, Celestia light waved her hand. Subsequently, an image of my face appeared in the air and reflected my face like a mirror.


    "Look carefully. Do you think this is an angry face?"


    "..."


    I couldn''t answer. It was just as she said. There wasn''t a hint of irritation or anger in the video that disyed my face like a mirror. However, if I had to specifically point out the minor changes in my emotion, it would be that I was slightly embarrassed.


    Celestia exined, "You''re not angry. You''re just a little surprised."


    It would be a delightful matter if my loved one confessed in front of so many people. I might even be moved to tears since she mustered up courage for me. On the other hand, it would be repulsive if someone I disliked confessed to me in front of so many people. I despised people who made me feel ufortable and drove me to a corner. However, I didn''t belong to either situation.


    "Of course, I know you don''t have any feelings of love for me¡­ However, you didn''t hate it, right? But then again, that''s a given. If a beautiful woman like me gave someone a bouquet of flowers, and that person really hated it, that''d be even weirder."


    "¡­What exactly is the source of your boundless confidence?"


    "Exceptional beauty and a liberal personality. As well as exorbitant wealth and universal fame."


    "Ah, there''s also the power as a member of the Imperial family," Celestia added on.


    I scoffed. I wanted to deny it, but I was annoyed because it was all true.


    "Spiteful bitch."


    "People who are jealous of me say that too at times, though not many."


    Celestia yanked at my arm and dragged me along. As expected, there was an overwhelming difference in our strength. When I came to my senses, I was right before her nose.


    "What, what the hell are you doing! Stay away from me!"


    Celestia was pouting upon seeing me freak out. She didn''t seem to like my reaction.


    "Stop overreacting and just take this."


    "What is this?"


    "What do you mean what is this? It''s what I meant the other day. You probably don''t know¡­ However, the Golden Rose of Detalt is a treasure that all lovers want to receive. It''s the most ssy way to propose to a lover."


    I forced augh at her nonchnt remark.


    "So that means you proposed to me in front of all those people? Despite being a Space Idol?"


    This was basically the same as Leaf proposing to an ordinary person in front of people back on Earth. What do you think would happen if the top Idol in East Asia with the title of Nation''s Little Sister[1] suddenly made a marriage announcement with an ordinary person directly without even making a dating announcement prior? Furthermore, what if it was the Idol who confessed?


    <i>''The current situation is much worse than that.''</i>


    Celestia was of a totally different leaguepared to Leaf. Celestia held the title of Space Idol -- a title which transcended the world; a surreal title in more ways than one. If a man received a proposal from Leaf on Earth, her fans would track down your personal information and criticize the man in thements but that was all there was to it. However, no matter how much I pondered, I couldn''t see it ending at just that in the Universe. In all seriousness, I was really expecting an assassin mighte for me.


    "Uwahhhh. That''s a <i>''I really hate it''</i> expression."


    "It''s because I really hate it that such an expression is appearing on my face, you idiot. No means no. Why are you being such a nuisance?"


    "Hmm¡­ was it a little too much?"


    "It''s too much."


    "I thought you''d like it."


    "What kind of crazy guy would like something like this?" I asked back dumbfoundedly


    Celestia responded with an expression that looked as if she was saying <i>''What kind of question is that?''.</i>


    "Even if I stabbed someone with a knife instead of a greeting, he would probably like it." Celestia answered.


    "¡­"


    I was at a loss for words. Of course, I knew she was joking, but at this point it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to call her the King of Self Love. She was extremely beautiful, and she knew perfectly well how beautiful she was. Even though she possessed a lot of power and fame, it was fortunate that she at least didn''t have the habit of using the people around her for her own benefits. There wasn''t any need for her to do that, so she just ended up objectifying(...) herself.


    "Anyways, look at this! I dressed up quite a lot today. Did your heart flutter a bit? I''ve even put on the skirt that the Queen''s Knight Order was imploring me to try on."


    I let out a deep sigh as I looked at Celestia fluttering around like she was dancing. I knew she didn''t mean any harm, but I was still tired of it.


    This girl, even though she had gone through many life experiences and seemed immacte, she often showed this stupid side of hers. It was probably because she was always treated well due to her beauty and status.


    "Anyhow, what reason do you have for doing this? Don''t tell me you fell in love with me, I don''t want to hear such bullshits."


    Of course, the rtionship between us wasn''t bad.


    We met for the first time on the street by chance, and we were strangers then. However, our rtionship had progressed after we were kidnapped to the demi-humans battleship, Great Sky. Moreover, it even felt like we became much closer after escaping from it. As we fought against the enemy and sought ways to escape together, a camaraderie was formed between us as we saved each other. We even had faith in each other. In actual fact, after going through thick and thin together, it wouldn''t be weird even if we became lovers.


    <i>''But we''re not that kind of people.''</i>


    If I looked at it that way, we were pretty simr. We weren''t the type to be swayed by our own emotions. Just because we went through a crisis together like the main characters of a Hollywood movie, a stereotypical plot like falling for each other and ending with a kiss scene wouldn''t happen. We just got a little closer than before. That was all. However, despite that, she proposed to me.


    "Hmm. To put it simply¡­ I need a husband."


    "...What?"


    "To be precise, I have my own reasons for wanting to get married."


    Upon hearing her words, the first thing that came to mind was the Imperial family. Weren''t there always such clich¨¦ storylines? If you want to challenge for the crown, you would have to either get married or obtain the special rights that a married royal had.


    However, a question struck me soon after, "But why me? Wouldn''t it be better to have a marriage union with other royalties or aristocrats if it was rted to your duties as a member of the Imperial family?"


    It wasmon for those in power to be in a political marriage. Political marriages didn''t just exist in medieval times, there were plenty of political marriages done in the modern era Earth too.


    However, Celestia gave an unexpected reply, "I''m going to live alone."


    "¡­Huh?"


    I was dumbfounded for a moment. <i>What was she talking about? She asked for my hand in marriage, but she was going to live alone? </i>


    Celestia exined further upon seeing me taken aback, "I apologize if it''s cumbersome. But due to some circumstances, I have to get married¡­ So I needed a man who had the qualifications to marry me, but could also leave withoutining."


    After saying so, Celestia took something out of her pocket and handed it to me. It was a metal rod that was the size of a pinky finger. The moment I grabbed it, a hologram appeared out of thin air like an unfolded scroll.


    I read the letters that appeared.


    "Consensual Divorce Agreement?" I asked.


    "Yes, please do me a favour." Celestia bowed her head and borated, "Marry me for just three months."


    1. This is a thing in South Korea''s entertainment industry. It refers to a young female celebrity in herte teens to early twenties who is cute, bright, and innocent. IU is one of those with the title of Nation''s Little Sister.

 Chapter 84: A Bouquet of Roses (3)

    <h4>Chapter 84: A Bouquet of Roses (3)</h4>


    "Consensual Divorce Agreement?" I asked.


    "Yes, please do me a favor." Celestia bowed her head and borated, "Marry me for just three months."


    In response to her calm andposed request, I answered in the same manner, "No."


    "¡­"


    She looked at me with a stiff expression for a moment. How was I supposed to react? It wasn''t as if things had changed at all just because she asked for a favor.


    I looked at Celestia with an expression that seemed to say, <i>''What are you staring at?'' </i>and Celestia ced her head in her hands with an exasperated sigh.


    "No¡­ Wow. What an impregnable iron wall."


    "I''m not an iron wall, this is just a matter of course."


    I rejected her request in a single stroke and Celestia became sullen.


    "My heart aches because I''ve never been rejected before¡­ Ugh, so resolute. Did the men who were rejected by me feel like this too? Now that I think about it, I was a little too harsh on them. What goes aroundes around huh." Celestia shook her head after the sudden self-reflection.


    "That''s enough nonsense. Anyways, I refuse. I don''t see any benefit in agreeing."


    "What do you mean there''s no benefit? If you tie the knot with a member of the Imperial family, that alone would bestow you the authority of a Count. In addition, the Imperial court will pay an astronomical amount of money each year as a stipend for maintaining the dignity of your noble ss. Furthermore, you would be provided with either a terraforming or a personalized battleship of your choice."


    "But you said we''ll get a divorce after though?"


    "It doesn''t matter since it''s a gift and not a lease! Even if the divorce is due to your negligence, all your rights and authority will remain the same, okay? I''m not boasting, but it''s an amazing feat to marry a member of the Imperial family! You can even return home to Earth in glory by riding on a Giga-ss battleship!"


    "¡­It can''t be seen by others anyway, so what use would it be to return home in honor?"


    My heart slightly gave in at the talks that I would be able to obtain my own battleship, but I shook my head.


    Celestia put on a sulky face at my reaction, "Then what exactly should I do so that you''ll do me this favor? Do you perhaps want this?"


    She took off the earrings she was wearing. The sparkly gold cross-shaped earring had the power to prevent others from perceiving it; the same power the key that hung on my neck had. It was an item that even Morne, a transcendent, couldn''t perceive. So, it wouldn''t be an ordinary item.


    "What''s that?"


    "What else? It''s the most valuable treasure I have on me now. It''s an item I received from birth and I carried it with me all my life. Perhaps because I am still not qualified, I can''t awaken it. It''s an unlucky item that put me through all sorts of trouble because there are a lot of people after it¡­ Anyways, it''s still a treasure."


    <i>''What does she mean it''s still a treasure¡­''</i>


    I knew it was a precious item, but it had all kinds of eerie descriptions attached to it, so I could onlyugh in vain. In other words, though it was precious, it was an item that was basically equivalent to a walking-bomb.


    "What on earth is it used for?"


    "I''m not sure myself. It''s one of the Godly Artifacts that the First Emperor had. There was a testament that stated that if someone from the Imperial household could awaken this, the Leonhardt Empire''s name would spread throughout the entire universe. So it costs more than most Numberings¡­"


    <i>Whooooosh------!!!</i>


    Just then, the earrings on Celestia''s hand resonated loudly. Celestia was startled and tried to grab the earrings with her other hand. Yet, a ball of light emitted from the earring sted her away first.


    "Uwahhhh?!"


    I could hear Celestia''s scream as she was sted away. However, I couldn''t afford to pay any attention to it as the pair of earrings floating in the air flew towards me like a bullet before I could react. Of course, there wasn''t any room for me to escape.


    <i>Schlooook!</i>


    The earrings prated my heart. I curled up reflexively and groaned, but there was no pain.


    <i>Badump.</i>


    My heart was beating, but it wasn''t my physical heart that pumped blood throughout my whole body. The Essence of Napoleon, who had died for my sake, began to awaken in response to the Aura of the earring that prated my heart. No, to be exact, the earring that dissolved in my heart.


    <i>Badump.</i>


    It was pulsating. My spirit was enhanced and my whole body began to overflow with power. There was light radiating from behind my back. I was no longer surprised or amazed by the afterglow.


    <i>''I see.''</i>


    Then, at that instant, I realized the hidden identity of Celestia''s earring which was considered the treasure of the Imperial family.


    <i>''It''s a Divine Spirit Fragment.''</i>


    I didn''t know how he came to acquire this, but the First Leonhardt Emperor most probably witnessed the death of a high-ranking God, no, perhaps it might''ve been the death of a First-Tier God. In that instant, he probably recovered the Divine Spirit Fragment that dispersed and dissolved in the flow of the world and created these earrings. Now, the huge Divine Spirit Fragment had spread throughout my whole body and stabilized my iplete Divine Spirit.


    "Oh my God."


    I groaned as I became disoriented by the surging power in me. Of course, it wasn''t as severe as the time I awakened as a God through the key. It wasn''t evenparable to that time. The Divine Spirit dissolved in me and what happened next truly surprised me.


    <i>p p--!</i>


    A book appeared in front of my eyes and opened by itself. I didn''t know the title because there weren''t any letters written on the cover, but the subheading that appeared on the open page was a word I was very familiar with.


    -Napoleon.


    My eyes moved along with the words. There were only three sentences below the subheading.


    It was a list of Napoleon''s Abilities. The moment I read them, I realized what I could do with it.


    "In my dictionary¡­"


    My heart was beating hard. The Iron Heart in me began to pulsate.


    "The word impossible doesn''t exist in my dictionary."


    <i>Groaaaarrrrr-----!</i>


    The surrounding air turned dense. Aliken to an aimless Amplification, the amplified soul energy started to rage inside me. That alone was enough to affect the surroundings.


    <i>''This makes no sense.''</i>


    I was flustered in such an unexpected situation. I had never properly learned any sort of ability, but there was a tremendous amount of soul energy overflowing in my heart. So, of course, I would be flustered. However, what really took me by surprise was what came next.


    <strong>You got your hands on what you wanted huh.</strong>


    I could hear a muffled voice that was slightly whimpering, and it seemed to belong to someone around my age.


    <strong>This is all I can do for you¡­ From now on, you have to get through it yourself.</strong>


    The voice was very familiar. It felt like that even though I''ve never heard this voice before. Most of all, the voice full of affection made my heart throb.


    <strong>Cheer up.</strong>


    The voice faded away with those final words. Only then did I realize whose voice it was.


    "¡­Mother?" I muttered under my breath, but the voice was already long gone. The voice yback in my head was from the moment when I was born and she had foreseen my future.


    "What the? Dae-ha, are you okay?"


    Initially watching from the sidelines, Celestia approached and asked if I was alright, but I was not in the right mind to answer her.


    <i>''No fucking way. She foresaw this? This exact moment? She sent me into space just for this moment?''</i>


    It was impossible. I wasn''t able to see my own future even when I obtained the powers of a high-rank God by releasing the seal of the Godly bloodline with the key that my father left behind. My future was aplete darkness that no one could see.


    However, I couldn''t believe what just happened. She was actually able to predict my future so urately. It wasn''t just a wild premonition. It wouldn''t be weird if she was able to forebode the Godly bloodline flowing in me. However, let alone foreboding the bloodline in me, she was even able to urately foresee that I would meet the Imperial Princess of the Leonhardt Empire in this vast universe ande in contact with the Divine Spirit Fragment. Furthermore, the only reason why the Divine Spirit Fragment could integrate with me was thanks to Napoleon''s Essence. This was all possible because Napoleon sacrificed his own existence for my sake. If Napoleon''s Essence had not been in my heart and served as a vessel, the Divine Spirit Fragment wouldn''t have been able to stay in my body.


    If it weren''t for Napoleon''s Essence, the fragment that was attracted and reacted to my Divine Spirit would simply dissipate into nothing or caused an energy explosion bypressing its enormous power. If that had happened, I definitely would not have survived.


    <i>''That means... Mother foresaw the whole situation and everything that would happen?''</i>


    That''s right, she foresaw the <i>whole</i> situation. From Napoleon sacrificing himself to save me, to meing into the universe and meeting Celestia¡­ If she didn''t urately prophesize all these, then it was impossible to induce this oue. If she was slightly off the mark, that would obviously be the end of it.


    <i>''But how is this possible?''</i>


    It was unbelievable. Even when I possessed the power of a high-rank God, I wasn''t even able to peek through my future. However, Mother was able to foresee the distant future. Of course, Mother was born with the talents of a Great Witch, but even so, wasn''t she just a human being at the end of the day?


    <i>''No, wait a minute.''</i>


    Just then an idea urred to me.


    <i>''Now... It''s okay to go back to Earth.''</i>


    It was because of Mother''s prediction that I came to the universe. She foretold that there was no way for me to live under the sky and hinted to go to the universe. Hence, I had no choice but to leave Earth as if I were kicked out so that I could stay alive.


    However, I wandered around. It was a good thing that I came to the universe, but I didn''t know when I would be able to go back. Be that as it may, the few words she left behind was proof of it. It seemed that the Divine Spirit Fragment that I had just acquired was the objective foring to the universe. In other words, I no longer had to wander around the universe since I achieved that objective. Of course, the distance from here to Earth was astronomical, but the God-rank Gigas, Ares, was capable of flying in space alone. So as long as I desired for it, it would be possible to return to Earth.


    "Dae-ha? Are you okay?"


    Just then, Celestia came close and I nodded my head.


    "Ahh¡­ Yes. I''m fine."


    "You sure? It feels like you''re kinda burning up right now. It doesn''t feel ominous, but it seems like there''s some sort of danger."


    "There has just been some changes to my n." I got my act back together.


    Seeing me acting in such a manner, Celestia asked, "Ah, you look a little disoriented so I didn''t want to say this, but¡­"


    Celestia continued hesitatingly, "What happened to my earrings?""


    "¡­"


    I came up with something about the earrings. It was something that Celestia had been carrying around with her since birth, and it was an unlucky item that put her through all kinds of troubles because she had to protect it from those who were aiming for it. Nheless, it was a treasure of the Leonhardt Imperial family that she protected with all her life. Although it wasn''t very effective by itself, it was more expensive than a Numbering because of the symbolism it represented. Yet, that treasurepletely dissipated into me and disappeared from the face of the world¡­


    <i>''Oh dear.''</i>


    I couldn''t help but let out a groan. Needless to say, I couldn''t be a shameless human and just say something like <i>''What''s that? I don''t know, tsk!''.</i> I didn''t want to be that kind of person either. No, putting that aside¡­


    <i>''That treasure is gone, and there''s no way I would be able to get out of this by acting like I didn''t know.''</i>


    It was said to be a treasure that cost more than five or six decent-sizeds, so they would obviously open an investigation if that treasure disappeared. There might be a chance that Celestia might keep her lips sealed, but I couldn''t just shift all the burden to her one-sidedly.


    "Haihhh, oh dear¡­ I''m still young though. I''m just a high schooler."


    "Dae-ha?" Celestia wondered at my weird and iprehensible remarks, but I looked at her and let up a deep sigh. It seemed that I was destined to divorce even before I became a senior in high school.

 Chapter 85: A Bouquet of Roses (4)

    <h4>Chapter 85: A Bouquet of Roses (4)</h4>


    Everyone was shooting meplicated gazes. Yesterday, the crew members looked at me with gazes full of respect and gratitude, but today, their eyes were full of all kinds of emotions besides that.


    "Ughhh, how the hell did you... My Queen..."


    "This is so bitter¡­ I''m going to get back at you for this¡­"


    "But he''s our saviour though?"


    "That''s right. Otherwise, he would''ve already died by my hands¡­"


    The dark energy creeping up in the air evoked a tingling sensation on my skin. To be honest, I saw thising. However, I broke out in a cold sweat after having gone through this personally.


    <i>''Tch. This is why I wanted to eat inside the dormitory.''</i>


    However, more than forty percent of the ship''s body was destroyed and it was difficult to even cruise properly right after the battle ended. Hence, Albatross prioritized repairing its flight functions and Astral Drive function while a majority of its less important functions were restricted. Unlike in the past when food provisions were sent directly to our living quarters, now we had to personally go to the cafeteria located in the residential areas.


    <i>''Of course, if I was really afraid of their gazes, I could just ask Dong-min or Bo-ram to make the trip and it would be resolved, but¡­''</i>


    However, there was no reason to go so far when I hadn''t done anything wrong. Above all, since the moment I decided to get married with Celestia, the public''s eyes would be a norm that I had to bear with, so it would be good to treat this as a kind of rehearsal.


    <i>''Besides, the gazes directed at me aren''t all filled with killing intent.''</i>


    Indeed, my thoughts were right and a man walked towards me and saluted me respectfully.


    "Salute."


    "¡­Not <i>''loyalty''</i>, or <i>''allegiance to the Emperor''</i>, nor <i>''for the glory of the Emperor''</i>, but <i>''Salute''</i>? Why <i>''Salute''</i>?"


    Lieutenant Alex, a handsome man with crimson hair, did not raise an eyebrow even at my dumbfounded reaction.


    "I''m just expressing my respect for you. Kyaaah, I didn''t know it would be possible to capture the heart of the Starlight that shines brightly in the universe. I thought I was pretty talented and good looking, but I guess there''s always someone better. You are the dream and hope of us pilots."


    "That''s right. Thoseme bastards are talking behind your back because they''re jealous of you, but please remember that there are also fans of Specter-nim just like us."


    "You''re much better than those idiots who only know how to unt their money and power, Specter-nim!"


    "I''ve been looking back at thebat information records every day. You''re a universal genius!"


    "Say, may I ask for your signature?"


    Several pilots came over and created a hubbub, including Lieutenant Alex, the pilot of Thunder Dragon which was especially powerful among the Beast-rank Gigas. I was a war hero who saved Albatross from the brink of total annihtion by the demi-humans, so there were many people who admired me too.


    Of course, most of the information about me was confidential.


    At my request, Major General Chun Hyun-il designated many of my achievements as confidential information and prevented it from leaking out. In particr, the existence of the God-rank Gigas, Ares, waspletely kept under wraps and those who directly witnessed it had to swear by a security oath. That was how tremendous of a matter they viewed this as.


    However, even if we disregarded my achievements that were kept confidential¡­ My performance surpassed that of an ordinary pilot. In particr, the achievements andbat records I racked up while piloting as Specter were extremely shocking. Hence, even if it wasn''t for the issue with Celestia, the headquarters would''ve contacted me.


    "You''re popr huh."


    "Shut it, you brat. Just go get some galbi-tang[1]."


    "I''ll have ramen."


    After giving the rambling Dong-min the honor of being a food shuttle[2] I briefly looked around. Lieutenant Alex and other pilots left the cafeteria, but the many gazes that were directed at me had no intention of ceasing.


    "Their gaze is going to pierce through alright. By the way, how does it feel to receive a confession from the Space Idol?"


    "It''s disturbing."


    "Haha, I guess it''s because of their gazes. But, it can''t be helped, so just bear with it and overlook it. Though honestly, I didn''t expect that the both of you had a thing going on, sunbae... You really never know what''ll happen everyday huh."


    Bo-ram knew I didn''t like a ruckus, nor did I care too much about appearances. However, even so, she didn''t find it very strange that I was dating Celestia.


    <i>''But then again, that''s a given.''</i>


    That''s right, there was enough justification(?) for me and Celestia to fall in love with each other. We were kidnapped together by the demi-humans who were renowned for not keeping human prisoners. Then, after all the hardships and sufferings we faced, we worked together and seeded in escaping. The Exa-ss Space Carrier, Great Sky, was partially destroyed in the process. It was a spectacr escape which was akin to a great Hollywood movie scene.


    It was a popr belief among people that after going through suffering and hardships together, it wouldn''t be weird to depend and rely on each other¡­ The romance between me and Celestia was a hot issue among the crew members. This was because all I had was excellent piloting skills and I had neither wealth nor status, on the other hand, Celestia was the Imperial Princess of the Leonhardt Empire as well as an idol with universal fame.


    "Ahh! Hey Dae-ha!"


    Just then, the female lead who was part of the romance appeared.


    <i>Ploof!</i>


    Celestia ran towards me and hugged my arm as if it was the natural course of action, and I couldn''t shake her off. She put on a stiff expression before pulling me close to her face and whispered in my ear, "What''s with that face, you idiot? Are you really not going to cooperate properly?"


    At her snarling, Iined, "I''m like this because you lunged towards me without warning! You surprised me!"


    "Did you just liken me to a truck crashing into you?"


    As we were bickering and shouting, the men watching us sat down and clutched their hearts. To my surprise, some of them even vomited blood.


    "Kekkkk! My Queen¡­ Our charismatic Queen..."


    "This isn''t real¡­"


    It was a miserable atmosphere as if they were watching the end of the world before their eyes. However, Celestia didn''t even give them a glimpse and treated them like they were a telephone pole on the street. Then, she continued pulling me close to her face.


    "Anyways, follow me quickly. We''ve got a mountain of things to do."


    "Hmm? But I was about to start eating..."


    "I''ll get you something to eat privatelyter. Juste with me!"


    Just like that, I was dragged along with her. Needless to say, resistance was impossible. How could a human withstand being dragged away by an elephant?


    <i>''Tch, I have a lot of soul energy now, but I can''t believe I''m not able to do anything against her.''</i>


    I clicked my tongue inwardly, but nothing could be done. Napoleon''s soul energy in my heart was so enormous that even a high-ranking Ability user would pale inparison, but I didn''t have any ability that would put the enormous amount of energy to good use.


    <i>''At first, I thought I could just learn, but... It has apletely different nature from ordinary soul energy. I wasn''t able to handle it with any Soul Energy Art at all.''</i>


    I wasn''t able to bring out my soul powers like the other ability users. This was because the Iron Heart in my heart was throbbing on its own and surging throughout my whole body. It wasn''t something that could be controlled by a particr Aura Skill or Meditation Art.


    The only way to use Napoleon''s soul energy was to invoke the Ability written in the book. However, there was a problem about that, too.


    <i>''There''s no useful Ability at all.''</i>


    These three were the current Abilities I had. Among them, was an amplification skill so it was meaningless. allowed me to move at a high speed towards an Iron Heart within a certain distance, but it was useless too. If we were in the universe, the Iron Heart could be some kind of indicator, but if I used this skill inside the battleship with my body, I would only fly towards the wall and crash into it.


    In the end, the only Ability I could use was , a skill that regenerated my body. Or I could also use to amplify and use super-regeneration.


    <i>''Ultimately, no matter what I try to do, the only thing I can be is a meat shield.''</i>


    Even so, if I get killed by a single blow, it would all be useless. So, I shouldn''t even think about fighting with my ability. I should just be content at the fact that I had a recovery skill, and that it could keep me alive.


    "¡­Why don''t you stop thinking about other things and walk on your own two legs?"


    "But why? I''mfortable with this right now."


    "I''ll really toss you at this rate."


    Celestia''s voice was turning aggressive for some reason, so I straightened up and walked on my own while following behind her. As I looked back, I could see Bo-ram and Dong-min walking along behind us too. After several months of guarding me, they got pretty used to this.


    "By the way, what''s the matter all of a sudden? What do you mean we have a mountain of things to do? I thought there would be nothing much going on until we reached the headquarters or something?"


    "That was the case originally, but not anymore. Aghh, that old man is really..."


    "...??"


    I followed her even though I was puzzled by her words that didn''t make sense. After taking a long ride down the elevator with her, we stopped on a floor that had no letters on the signage.


    "Hmm. Wait a bit, Dae-ha."


    "Sunbae, something''s wrong, it''s dangerous."


    Dong-min and Bo-ram stopped me in my tracks at almost the same time. As I saw them looking ahead nervously, something or someone dangerous seemed to be in front of us.


    "Ahh, don''t worry. It''s not an enemy."


    "It''s not an enemy? But this feeling..." Dong-min asked in return as he couldn''t understand what Celestia meant. Just then, an old man with goat horns appeared in front of us.


    "Oooohhh! You''re here, Queen. This old man can''t go in person so I''m really sorry for making youe personally."


    Overall speaking, he was an old man with a virtuous expression. Even if he stayed still with his gentle eyes, he had small squinty eyes that looked like he was smiling. He had a radiant look as if something happy happened.


    However, the moment Dong-min and Boram set their eyes on him, they groaned almost simultaneously.


    "Demon tribe¡­"


    "This is insane. A Duke-rank demon?"


    I could feel the mood stiffen. They were powerful Ability users who couldn''t be described by human standards, but there wasn''t much they could do against transcendents anyways. Despite so, perhaps because my guards had no intention to give up, they stood in front of me and assumed abat-ready stance.


    "Wait. Calm down, both of you. He''s not an enemy. Neither is he a demon."


    "But this Aura..."


    "My my my. I guess you''re both sensitive kids."


    The old man with a goat head stepped forward with a gentle look. He seemed to care little about the two''s hostility towards him.


    "You don''t have to be that wary. And calling me a Duke-rank is going overboard. I don''t have that much power, and I''m not a pure demon, I''m a half-blood."


    "A half-blood between a demon and human..."


    "That''s right. Anyway, that''s not what''s important¡­ Are you the man they call Specter?"


    "Yes." I nodded my head meekly as I had nothing to hide.


    "Oooohhh, I knew it. I thought so," The old man with goat horns nodded and smiled brightly.


    Then, he opened his eyes wide.


    <i>sh!</i>


    He opened his squinty eyes wide, and I could see both his eyes. His left eye had a hexagram branded, and his right eye had a ck me pattern imprinted.


    His virtuous expression grimly distorted and a terrifying Magi [3] rose from his body. He had a heinous appearance which made me forget his gentle look a moment ago.


    Then, he shouted, "Then die, you greenhorn!!!! Hiyaaahh----Ackkk?!"


    However, with a<i> ''Baaam!'', </i>I heard the sound of a shot sttering through his fur. The old man who was releasing a terrifying Aura copsed on the floor.


    Celestia apologized while holding a gold pistol covered with blood.


    "Ahh! Sorry, sorry. This old man is a bit of a nutcase."


    1. Galbi-tang is a Korean dish and it''s basically a beef short rib soup


    2. Shuttle is a term for school kids who are bullied, and usually they are referred to as water shuttle or bread shuttle and their job in school would be to get water/food from the cafeteria everyday for the bully in ss


    3. This basically means magical energy

 Chapter 86: A Bouquet of Roses (5)

    <h4>Chapter 86: A Bouquet of Roses (5)</h4>


    Celestia apologized while holding a gold pistol covered with blood, "Ahh! Sorry, sorry. This old man is a bit of a nutcase."


    "..."


    I was dumbfounded and could only gape. I mean, what was with this abuse of an elderly?


    <i>''No, putting that aside, did a transcendent just let himself be shot by a gun? And he even copsed?''</i>


    To inferior civilizations, a transcendent was a prestigious existence that was almost no different from a God. But rather than being surprised by the appearance of yet another transcendent, I was instead surprised by the bizarre scene that unfolded before my eyes. Just then, the fallen old man with goat horns jumped to his feet.


    "Hohoho. I showed you an unsightly side of me. Oh dear, I wasn''t able to control myself even though I''ve already lived long enough. I''m very sorry for showing you this, Queen."


    "Don''t do anything you would be sorry for in the first ce, you idiot. And I told you not to call me Queen, right? If you really have to, I would prefer you calling me Imperial Princess. It''s not as if we''re at a music program or something."


    "Hoho, even if it''s not on the stage, a queen will still be a queen. Anyway, it''s good to see you again."


    He assumed his initial appearance and smiled warmly. The injury on the back of his head left behind by Celestia''s pistol disappeared before I could notice.


    <strong>Ouroboros</strong>


    <strong>Soul Sculptor, Voltermone </strong>


    <i>''Soul Sculptor?''</i>


    After being confused by the unknown title, I began to invoke ssification. Since there was not much I could figure out about such a random word anyway, I tried to identify the detailed information. After I ssified his title into the <strong>Ability</strong> category, this was what appeared above his head.


    <strong>Ouroboros</strong>


    <strong>Producer-type Transcendent, Voltermone</strong>


    <i>''Ohhhooo, this is something I''ve only heard rumors about...''</i>


    There were many different kinds of abilities in the world, andbat-based training wasn''t the only means towards attaining the realm of transcendence. I didn''t even have to look far. Ares was created by a Producer-type transcendent from the Kendler Saints (The creator, known as "Professor",<strong> </strong>was assumed to possess an Intermediate-rank Status of God). It was said that a Producer-type transcendent was definitely needed to create battleships that are of Terra-ss and above.


    <i>''Ahhh, that''s why he just took Celestia''s attack directly.''</i>


    It was impossible that abat-type transcendent would do that. They threw themselves into battle all their lives, so instinctively, they would defend themselves against all and any kinds of attacks that would cause harm. Of course, they might let themselves get hit purposely, but it wasn''t that kind of situation now. The old man I saw actually lost his senses.


    "What are you thinking about?"


    "I''m just thinking that if there were more of these bastards, I might die an untimely death."


    "Hmm. I agree with you on that. I''ve heard that girls who be Space Idols are famous, but I didn''t know there was a transcendent in my fan base."


    "I really can''t do this Great Universe shit anymore."


    "That''s right. Why are there so many transcendents..."


    While we were whispering to each other, Celestia turned around and introduced the old man with goat''s horns, Voltermone.


    "Well, the first encounter was a little weird, but say hello to each other. This is Doctor Voltermone of Ouroboros, the best academic institution in the Great Universe. He''s an expert in the studies of soul and he''s currently working in Leonhardt Empire''s Department of Combat Technology. He''s also a Producer-type transcendent."


    It was something that I already knew because I saw his title, but I couldn''t reveal my emotions, so I asked a question.


    "Producer-type transcendent?"


    "That''s right. He may look like this, but he''s an outstanding talent in the universe. Producer-type transcendents are rare even among transcendents."


    "Hoho. What do you mean even if I look like this? You''re going too far."


    "Shut up, you goat head."


    "Uhhhhhhhhhhhh¡­ More, more please. With a more heated, more scornful tone¡­"


    "¡­"


    Even the bold Celestia looked at him with a sick and tired expression, and Voltermone came to his senses with a <i>''Huck!''</i>.


    "Ehem. I''m sorry. This is because of the demon blood in me."


    The demons were beings that were made up of dark Mana, so they feel joy when they are exposed to negative and dark emotions.


    In other words, they were happier when they received hatred aspared to when they received love. They also felt a greater joy when they became an icon for fear or contempt aspared to an icon of respect. When they see a person struggling with pain, the feelings they felt were equivalent to the height of pleasure felt by humans.


    Therefore, whenever they encountered other life forms, they chose to do only actions that would garner hatred and contempt. On top of that, they would always ponder over how to inflict greater pain and agony on others.


    This characteristic was how the saying ''<i>A demon who meets with a majority of people would start a massacre, and a demon who meets with a minority of people would start a torture fest.'' </i>came to be. So perhaps that was why it was a natural course of action for anyone in the Physical Realm to clench their teeth in a fit of rage when they encountered demons.


    Even though Voltermone had a masochist side to him¡­ He was actually pretty reserved considering he had the blood of a Demon flowing in him. Aware of that fact, Celestia sighed shortly after and changed the subject.


    "Never mind that... Have you concluded the purpose you came here for?"


    "I set him up in a torture chamber, but I was unable to proceed beyond that. There is nothing left for him, but he is holding out more tenaciously than I thought." Voltermone then turned around and trudged along. Celestia followed right behind him.


    I approached Celestia and asked, "What are the two of you talking about?"


    "We''re in the middle of interrogating Morne."


    "Morne? He''s alive?"


    "Major General Chun Hyun-il caught him and brought him back when he was on the verge of death. There was also the capture of Great Sky¡­ He made a huge achievement. We had to fight Rising Storm because of Elion that damned bastard, but if it wasn''t for that, he would''ve been able to return like a triumphant general."


    After saying all that, Celestia pondered for a while and looked at me, "By the way, what happened to Elion? Did he really run away?"


    "I don''t know about that either. Before I realized it, there wasn''t any trace of lifeing from Goldrian."


    I stole a brief nce at Celestia''s eyes; her blue eyes were staring straight at me.


    She looked at me for a while and nodded her head, "Got it. Thanks."


    "Don''t mention it." I answered withposure but was sighing inwardly.


    <i>''She noticed.''</i>


    That was why she thanked me. She most probably thought that I dirtied my hands for her sake.


    <i>''She wouldn''t be the only one who would notice it.''</i>


    I expect there would be more noises in the future because of the disappearance of the Sixth Imperial Prince Elion. It was because there could be someone who could surmise that I killed him, just like Celestia did.


    Of course, there was no evidence.


    It was just for a short moment, but I had powers simr to a High-rank God and it was impossible for others to read the information at that time unless they were in the same rank as I was then. Even if they searched through Goldrian''s memory or used some kind of psychometric ability, it was impossible to acquire any proper information.


    However, the death of a member of the Imperial family was not a matter that could be overlooked just because there wasn''t any evidence.


    I was thest person to fight with the Sixth Imperial Prince, and if he went missing right after that, I would naturally be the suspect. If there weren''t any clear proof that he had personally used the Leonhardt Imperial Army to attack another member of the Imperial family first, I would most likely have been detained immediately upon losing consciousness after that battle.


    "Keuk! Luciel! Reese! ine!"


    Just then, a desperate voice came from Voltermone who was leading the way. As I looked at him in surprise, I could see him with eyes widened as before, revealing the hexagram and ck mes pattern imprinted on them.


    He was protected by three women who surrounded him in a wedge formation. Each one of them had a formidable and absolute Aura, but yet Voltermone did not look relieved at all even though he was protected by them.


    Voltermone screamed in a fit, "E-, E-, Eve...!"


    Even in the vast Great Universe, an existence who possessed a High-rank Status of God was no different from a natural disaster. If a transcendent could even be revered as a God in inferior civilizations, then an existence that possessed a High-rank Status of God could basically be called a God because of the power they could bring forth.


    "That''s right, Voltermone. It''s been a long time since west met."


    "You, how could you be here!? You''re someone who possesses a high-rank Godhood! How could you recklessly interfere in the Physical Realm!" Voltermone screamed.


    Hawa, a graceful girl with ck hair,ughed as she saw Voltermone unleashing his Mana.


    "Interfere? Can''t I?"


    "Of course¡­ No, nevermind."


    Voltermone muttered in a suppressed voice. As for me, I was watching from behind and I was thinking,<i> ''What is this old man saying?'' </i>but it was not an iprehensible situation.


    <i>''What aplete gangster.''</i>


    In the case of Cheong Won, he was at least bound by his mission despite possessing an Intermediate-rank Status of God. However, there was no such thing that tied Hawa down. I looked back at Celestia because I was baffled. Hawa boarded this ship openly, but Voltermone, having just arrived, seemed to not have an inkling about it.


    "What the? No one reported to the headquarters about her?"


    "We couldn''t."


    "¡­Why?"


    As I was wondering, Hawa showed us the reason why the headquarters couldn''t be contacted.


    "Voltermone."


    "What! Don''t¡­ No, I mean, yes?"


    Voltermone had a stiff expression as Hawa called his name, and she proceeded to speak to him. It was an order.


    "Don''t spread any information about me in any way."


    "...Yes."


    The discussion was over with Voltermone nodding. Hawa smiled brightly and looked back at us.


    "I see that you''re awake. I''ve been waiting for quite a while."


    "Haha, why do you have to..."


    There was a feeling of freshness radiating from the current Hawa, unlike how she was when she didn''t know her identity previously. However, I broke out in a cold sweat when I saw her like that.


    <i>''Did she use themanding authority? And not to a machine or a human, but to a half-demon?''</i>


    It was a terrifying feat. To put it simply, it meant that she could give whatever order she wanted to, regardless of the target''s species or will. It was a power that could dominate over anyone and control however the target moved ording to the user''s will.


    As I secretly turned my head in a hurry, Celestia exined in a low voice,"It''s the Almighty Decree of God. Her words itself are imbued with power, and anyone who is not qualified will not be able to resist. She used it in a trivial way now, but¡­ Her words can even distort thews of the natural world."


    "Preposterous." I was baffled by Hawa''s absurd ability, but Hawa shrugged.


    "I did it to prevent the noisy situation, so there''s no need to be concerned about it. I''ve also been given a lot of warnings, so I''m in the middle of recovering my body."


    She whined perhaps because she also had restrictions imposed on her, but it wasn''t believable. Unlike Cheong Won who was under the constraints of his mission no matter what he tried to do, it felt like she was literally doing whatever she desired to do.


    "Hmm. Anyways... What are you doing here?"


    "Ahh, it''s nothing much, but please also make a security oath with him. Come to think of it, I should tell you too, Dae-ha-nim."


    Hawa approached me. For a moment, I wanted to take a step back, but I barely held it in.


    <i>''It''s useless even if I took a step back, unless that step could cover a million light years of distance.'' </i>


    I thought it was impossible to run away anyway, so rather than that, I stuck out my ears boldly. Above all, I couldn''t sense any bloodlusting from her.


    Hawa whispered to me, "That key, don''t use it please."


    "¡­What if I don''t want to?"


    I tried to defy her. That was because the key hung on my neck was the secret weapon that saved me from a crisis several times. However, the moment I refused, a video came to mind.


    <i>Wooooom-!</i>


    It was an image of Earth, the home where I lived.


    "I see, you''re from Earth-34. In other words, you''re basically from Sr System-34.


    "So what?"


    "From now on, if you use that key even once..."


    As Hawa''s sentence trailed off, the video in my head yed in an instant. My point of view extended beyond Earth and into space, reflecting the Sr System that revolved around the sun.


    "I''ll fold the Sr System-34 just like this~"


    The space split apart and a huge steel hand appeared. Then, one after another, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn... The steel hand grabbed them all.


    "I''ll clump them together like this~"


    The fist of steel squeezed andpressed everything. Needless to say, Earth was also included.


    "I''m going topress it into the size of your head."


    Everything was clumped together. If that happened, the beings on Earth would most probably perish without knowing how they died.


    "Dae-ha?"


    Celestia looked at me with a puzzled look as I turned white as a sheet and couldn''t say anything. I was most probably the only one who could hear Hawa''s words.


    Hawa said, "You can tell, right? Whether I was serious about what I just said."


    It was just like what she said. I could tell. She had the power to turn the image she showed me into reality... Most of all, this remark was not a joke. She truly meant it.


    "¡­This crazy bitch."


    I could only force augh. Would the earthlings on Earth-34 know that their lives were going back and forth at death''s door right now?

 Chapter 87: A Bouquet of Roses (6)

    <h4>Chapter 87: A Bouquet of Roses (6)</h4>


    Hawa had the power to turn the image she showed me into reality... Most of all, this remark was not a joke. She truly meant it.


    "¡­This crazy bitch."


    I could only force augh. Would the earthlings on Earth-34 know that their lives were going back and forth at death''s door right now?


    However, Hawa said something unexpected right after, "It may be weird for me to say this, but¡­ If you do what I say, I''ll ensure your safety."


    "Safety?"


    "I''m going to be with you for a while to observe you¡­ At the very least, I''ll protect your life from any danger whatsoever."


    "And you''ll keep my identity a secret?"


    "I''ll keep your identity a secret."


    "¡­"


    Feeling puzzled, I was lost in thought upon hearing her words. But after careful consideration, I came to a conclusion.


    <i>''Hmm? Isn''t this good news for me?''</i>


    Someone who possessed an Intermediate-rank Status of God, simply put, an existence that was only(?) at the level of an Emperor-ss would easily possess enough power to be considered among the ranks of the strongest in this universe. Even in the endlessly vast Great Universe, there were only about ten beings in the Emperor-ss who were actually active.


    What about existences who were greater than an Emperor-ss?


    <i>''It''s safe to say that there''s almost none.''</i>


    Adam and Eve, the Untouchables who led the Legion; King and Queen, who led the Grotesque; to put it simply, they were the only High-rank and above transcendents who were active and currently dwelled in the Physical Realm. In the past, there used to be much more, but currently all of them had departed from the Physical Realm and resided in other realms (A majority of them were in the God Realm, or unique dimensions), and they only showed up once in a while.


    In other words¡­ If Hawa, who possessed a High-rank Status of God truly decided to protect me, there was basically no one who could hurt me. It was a guarantee on my absolute safety.


    However¡­


    "Why?" I asked her because I couldn''t understand her reason to do so. Why on earth would she go that far? Even if she couldn''t choose to kill me because of my biological father, I wouldn''t be able to put up any resistance if she decided to snatch the key away.


    As if she had guessed what I was thinking, Hawa exined., "I don''t like your existence, but¡­ It was Father''s will for you to inherit the key."


    "So you can''t go against his will¡­ Ooops." I spoke without giving it much thought, and as soon as I realized that, I took a look around. The current conversation we were having would give room for others to surmise who my biological father was. However, it turned out to be a useless concern after all.


    "I froze the time. Your senses aren''t very keen huh."


    "It''s more strange that you can read time with your senses. But¡­ even so, I can''t believe you stopped time."


    I grumbled and looked at Morne who was suspended in time just like everyone else. Come to think of it, Hawa was here even before us.


    "¡­Did you put constraints on him, too?"


    "Even if he looks like that, he''s still a transcendent so I have to constrain him separately."


    Perhaps Hawa really didn''t want to reveal her own existence. If this was the case, I wondered why she appeared so confidently and made such a huge mess, but that wasn''t what was important now.


    "Hmm. I don''t really want to ask you such a question now." I hesitated for a moment while staring at Hawa. Of course, I already saw iting, but it felt strange to directly confirm with the person involved.


    "That''s right." Hawa nodded as if she had read my mind.


    "I assume we probably have the same father." I stated.


    "What do you mean you assume? When you already know all these?" Hawa retorted.


    I already knew. I wasn''t a fool and it would probably be even stranger if I didn''t have a clue after so long. The artificial intelligence obeyed my orders unconditionally, the Ability I was bestowed with could only be described as a cheat, and most of all, the memories<strong> </strong>I had.


    In fact, I could only begin to guess about my biological father''s identity, but I wasn''t convinced of it. However, Hawa was no different from a wedge that fortified my suspicions.


    I asked, "He''s the Machine God, right?"


    "Nope."


    "Yeah, I knew it... Wait, what?!" I asked again because I was flustered for an instant.


    Then, Hawa red at me with sharp eyes, "Father is not a Machine God. That''s just his deteriorated form!"


    "Is, is that so? Then¡­ Ahh."


    I nodded at the thought that came to mind on a spur of the moment.


    <i>''Yeah, now that I think about it again, I don''t remember seeing anything like a Machine God''s appearance in my memories.''</i>


    He was the Administrator of the world. He managed countless life forms and he knew everything in the world. He was the true meaning of an All-knowing Being.


    <i>''Ahhh.''</i>


    At that moment, I realized¡­


    <i>''He is the God of Civilization and Information.''</i>


    That''s right. That was... That was the true Status my biological father possessed.


    *


    Hawa quietly frowned as she watched Dae-ha with his human colleagues. It was inevitable, but the conversation she had with Dae-ha had a huge impact on her.


    "This is not funny at all. I didn''t know there would be a situation where I had to bluff."


    Yes. It was an obvious bluff. Of course, Hawa had the power to turn the image she showed to Dae-ha into a reality. She lost a lot of power, but she still possessed a High-rank Status of God. However, there was an important premise attached to that.


    <i>''It would be possible if there was no interference.''</i>


    There wouldn''t be a problem if they were talking about some other ce. If she really decided to exert her power, she could blow up an entire gxy.


    However¡­ If that ce was a with a developed civilization, then it would be a slightly different story. The Primordial God that protected the said civilization wouldn''t stand still and do nothing.


    Hawa had a High-rank Status of God, but the same applied to the Primordial God. They possessed the Status of a Creation God, and although their fighting powers weren''t great, it was also the reason why it was more difficult to attack them. Their powers were specialized for defense and protection.


    The life forms which had developed their civilizations could roughly grasp the structure of the universe. However, there were times when these life forms were anxious because an unforeseen ident such as a falling meteorite would cause the destruction of their very existence. Be that as it might, they were all needless worries. Such a matter would never happen as long as the Primordial God, which acted as the guardian of the civilization, was protecting them. The protection capabilities of a Primordial God was so mighty that the civilization would be unscathed even after a supernova exploded at point-nk range.


    <i>''But I had no choice.''</i>


    Hawa ran away the moment Dae-ha awoke his own blood with the key. She had no choice but to do so as she couldn''t predict what would happen the moment she was perceived by Dae-ha who had awakened his High-rank Divine Spirit albeit momentarily.


    <i>''Of course, it wasn''t a normal situation.''</i>


    Dae-ha undoubtedly awakened a High-rank Divine Spirit, but strictly speaking, his fighting power would not even be a match for Intermediate-rank transcendents. If it wasn''t for the God of War, Ares, he wouldn''t have been able to trample on the enemy so one-sidedly.


    Divine Spirit, Status of God, and Divinity. Those were the foundation that supported the transcendents, and the true power of a God could only be exhibited when those three factors were united in a trinity.


    However, Dae-ha was an abnormality. Even though he had a High-rank Divine Spirit, he didn''t have the Status of God and Divinity thatmensurate with it. He had a High-rank Divine Spirit with a Low-rank Status of God, as well as a Divinity of a mortal.


    From time to time, there would be beings who could gain a Low-rank Status of God, or Divinity and even Divine Spirit despite not being a transcendent. However, such an extreme case like Dae-ha was unheard of even for Hawa.


    "I thought it would at least be alright now, but I can''t believe that bitch had a Divine Spirit Fragment with her¡­ Was it because the future that was associated with him was out of my All-knowing domain?"


    An Intermediate-rank Divine Spirit, as well as the Divinity of a mortal. As much as he was in that abnormal form, unsurprisingly, his ability was extreme.


    <i>''What if he gave me an order now?''</i>


    Hawa had once rejected Dae-ha''s order, but she wasn''t able to guarantee that she would be able to refuse his orders if he were tomand her again.


    <strong>-Don''t even harm a single hair on me and everyone around me, Hawa. </strong>


    She remembered the feeling of her heart palpating.


    Just to test it out, she had let Dae-ha say his orders, but she had to resist in a fit against the unimaginable sense that overwhelmed her. She knew for a fact that even if she tried to hurt Dae-ha with all her might, the only thing she could do was make a fuss that was simr to an aegyo. [1] Furthermore, she wouldn''t even be able to harm a single hair on Dae-ha even if she was making a fuss.


    "As expected, I had no choice."


    There was no danger of her being subordinated to Dae-ha''s orders because she could get away from here before he could give an order. If his voice wasn''t able to reach her ears directly, themanding authority would not work. So if she got away right before his orders were materialized as words through his throat, she wouldn''t be influenced at all.


    However, what if he used the key to awaken his Godly bloodline again?


    At that moment, there was a possibility that Hawa wouldn''t be able to escape and would be subordinated to Dae-ha''s orders the moment she entered his range of perception. What she did to Dae-ha was a low-level threat that only felt a little hot to the face, but she had no choice because she had to prevent Dae-ha from awakening his Godly bloodline again.


    "But... will it really be okay?"


    Hawa looked at Dae-ha again. Her heart felt warm just by looking at him, and the feeling of wanting to leave everything to him raged like a wildfire inside her heart.


    It might seem ridiculous from her standing as she was a mechanical life form. It was something that didn''t fall in the realm of rationality. She was suppressing her own emotions with a cool-headed rationality.


    <i>''I should have guessed it from the time he got on Ares.''</i>


    Ares was based on the status of the God of War, and only a true warrior could pilot Ares. Unless it was someone who reached the realm of transcendence by living all their lives in a fierce battlefield, Ares would not ept anyone under any circumstances. Even a transcendent who possessed an Intermediate-rank Status of God would not be able to ride on Ares if the conditions weren''t met. A warrior who had experiencedbat but not war would also be rejected by Ares.


    However, how about the current situation?


    Ares carried Dae-ha on his own ord and was always anxious that something might go wrong for Dae-ha. Ares didn''t see Dae-ha as an ordinary pilot. Ares perceived Dae-ha as a special individual and showed love and affection towards thetter.


    That too... was the same for Hawa.


    Pick-puck~.


    While no one was looking, Dae-ha sneaked into the corner of a corridor and picked his nose. It was a very short moment and he quickly came back and feigned ignorance. However, Hawa clearly saw it. It was a really nasty sight. However...


    "I''ve gone crazy."


    <i>''Even that looked so lovely. ''</i>


    "This is insane¡­"


    At a remote part of the battleship that no one could see¡­ Hawa tried to hold back her bubbly smile with the willpower of a High-rank transcendent, but she was quietly losing hope.


    1. Aegyo is the Korean way of acting cute. Search Fight My Way Aera''s Aegyo on Youtube.

 Chapter 88: To the Imperial Capital (1)

    <h4>Chapter 88: To the Imperial Capital (1)</h4>


    The war began 400 years ago when Asura wanted to reset the universe at his own discretion, but the Rulers of the Six Realms opposed his decision, leading to his destruction.


    It was inevitable because of his end goal. However, Asura was the Coordinator of the world. As he ceased to exist, the aftermath was severe. Until that moment, it was no exaggeration to say that the universe was under the control of his absolute authority andw. Because of that, the entire universe drowned in a pot of chaos like a country that had fallen into a state of anarchy.


    Initially bound by all kinds of restrictions andws, gods and monsters soon began to run wild. Furthermore, the forces that had a hostile rtionship with each other moved to annihte each other. They didn''t dare to start a feud with each other back when Asura was around as they were wary of his might.


    It was a war.


    Countless transcendents and Gods died in droves, and innumerable species and civilizations also disappeared into the mist of history. The wheel of blood started rolling and never stopped. It was a period when the whole universe could only be heard wailing.


    The same held true for Earth that was divided into 100s.


    The First-Tier Gods, often referred to as the Great Divinity, divided Earth into 100s for some unknown reasons immediately after Asura''s destruction. The problem was that this wasn''t merely CTRL+C and CTRL +V. Each of the divided Earth had fine variables added to them and were adjusted to be of different periods. The Earth with the most advanced period was close to the era of Before Christ[1] while some of the other Earths already had civilization advanced enough to travel the universe.


    Thus, when the war began, 27 of the 100 Earths had already reached a level of civilization advancement that they could no longer receive the protection of Sindroia. Before the war was even over, 25 more Earths reached that point too and they were swept away by the harsh universe war.


    The damage was severe. Although these Earths were made<strong> </strong>to possess a civilization advanced enough to protect themselves, the war that spread all over the universe was so formidable that they could ovee those civilizations. Furthermore, the war was so severe that even the Earths with inferior civilizations under the protection of the Blessing of Sindroia were swept away without knowing what happened.


    At that moment, a hero appeared.


    Lightking Leonhardt.


    Surprisingly, Leonhardt, who came from Earth-13, acquired an Intermediate-rank Status of God with his own strength. With the special bloodline he was born with as a foundation, hepleted a low-rank Status of God. Then, he captured and killed monsters that invaded from the universe and fought until he was covered with blood. Finally, when he was about to die after being contaminated¡­ With transcendental willpower and great fortune, he transcended his own existence.


    Of course, even if he had obtained an Intermediate-rank Status of God, the war would not end because of it. At that time, the war was so severe that even the Gods who possessed a High-rank Status of God, simply put, the Untouchables, died.


    Because of that, while he was fighting desperately, he persuaded humans on other Earths to form a force. In the end, he seeded in bringing together 47 of the 100 divided Earths that were swept up in the tides of the universe war.


    Having finally seeded in unifying the humans together, he joined forces with seven transcendents from the unified 47 Earths and began to systematically fight against the foreign enemies.


    Then, he met <i>him</i>. The mighty Beast God that shook the universe -- the Golden Lion God.


    "In other words¡­" Celestia mumbled all over the ce.


    I interrupted and asked, "Ultimately, you mean we''re going to a ce that''s also Earth, right?"


    "¡­"


    "Did I interpret it wrongly?"


    "No¡­ You''re right."


    Celestia was putting on a sulky face as if there was something she didn''t like. I looked at her and started concentrating my mind.


    <i>''Hmm. I think I roughly know why.''</i>


    The Iron Heart that matched my heartbeat was pulsing. I didn''t know who named the Iron Heart, but now it hadpletely settled as if it really was my heart.


    <i>Schururuk.</i>


    I maneuvered past the bookshelf inside my heart that was invisible to others. I was worried at first, but it was surprisingly easy to operate.


    It was simr to the sensation I felt when I operated through the title.


    "¡­That''s incredible."


    "Oh my God. This isn''t about the Earth¡­"


    I was contemting over that sensation for a moment when I could hear the groans of Bo-ram and Dong-min with the monitor installed on one side of my ear as they looked outside. Since I had not made much progress in controlling my abilities anyway, I went and stood next to them.


    "What is so incre-... Ohhhooo."


    Albatross''s destination was the home of the Leonhardt Empire, which could be said to be the central hub of the Empire. Of course, that was just the name that the Leonhardt Empire''s people gave, but to be exact, it was Earth-13. I had already said this, but the ce we needed to go to was ultimately Earth.


    The ce that I saw on the screen was certainly not much different from the Earth I knew of. The shape of the continent and the color of the sea, all of it was reminiscent of the Earth I knew.


    The only different aspect was the satellite orbiting around Earth-13.


    "A golden rose...?"


    A huge golden rose was literally orbiting around Earth-13. At first nce, it was bigger than the moon, and it absolutely didn''t look small-sized. The enormous rose floating just above Earth-13 was shining gracefully as if Earth-13 was wearing an elegant golden crown. As if there was some sort of special power residing in it, it emitted a brilliant golden light even in the dark.


    "That''s right. It''s the golden rose that the Golden Lion God gifted to Leonhardt The First as he proposed. That''s where we''re supposed to go, the Imperial Capital."


    I looked at the golden rose while listening to Celestia''s exnation and I replied.


    "So that''s why golden roses are the symbol for a proposal."


    "Of course. In particr, the Imperial family of the Leonhardt Empire must use a golden rose when they confess to their significant others. Even among the roses, they had to use the Golden Rose of Detalt."


    She didn''t say anything, but for a second, I thought I heard a voice saying, <i>''That''s the rose that you didn''t ept''</i>. Of course, it didn''t matter.


    "We''re approaching."


    Like what Dong-min said in a soft tone, the golden rose was gradually turning bigger. Just then, I heard Celestia''s voice in my head.


    <strong>You have thorough knowledge about the contents of the contract, right?</strong>


    <i>''Of course.''</i>


    Even if she did beg(?) me to marry her, I must never be mistaken. She didn''t ask me to marry her because of reasons like she had a crush on me or she loved me.


    However, even so, I intended to go along with her words. Because the divorce papers were perfect and there weren''t any ws in her exnation.


    Furthermore, as long as it''s assumed that I would be able to avoid the future of dying without a choice by obtaining the Divine Spirit Fragment that she had¡­ It would bemon courtesy to repay her for what my life''s worth.


    <strong>We have arrived at our destination, Imperial Princess Celestia-nim. </strong>


    "Got it, Genie. Thank you for all you''ve done thus far."


    <strong>Don''t mention it.</strong>


    Genie''s SD character, who appeared in front of the door, slightly bent her knees with her hands on her voluptuous chest. Even though her arms and legs were short and her head was half the size of her body, it was a gesture that felt elegant instead of cute.


    "Uhhh, it''s a pity. I won''t be able to see the pretty Genie for some time huh."


    <strong>Oh, oh my. Don''t say something like that.</strong>


    "Why are you seducing someone else''s battleship control persona¡­"


    As I stepped out into the hallway while listening to Celestia''s jeers, Dong-min and Bo-ram naturally followed behind me. It felt a little strange that I was the only one who was escorted when Celestia had no one beside her despite being an Imperial Princess. However, to be honest, I am not making anyments because I don''t have anybat capabilities.


    "Are we going now?"


    "That''s right."


    "It feels bittersweet."


    "That''s right. It feels almost like home at this point."


    Dong-min and Bo-ram spoke in a sad tone while we were walking down the corridor to transfer to a small spaceship, and Celestia also nodded in agreement.


    "I feel the same too. I was dragged around unexpectedly and after having such a hard time, I guess I might''ve gotten attached¡­ Well, even so, it was lucky that the Captain was the bear."


    "Are there bad Captains too?"


    "Of course. There''s no need to search far; look at Rising Storm that was dragged around. It would literally be game over."


    "Well, the Sixth Imperial Prince bastard said he received it right¡­ Ah,e to think of it, what happened to you?"


    A question shed across my mind, and I stared at Celestia.


    "What?"


    "No, I mean your battleship. That bastard was provided with a powerful battleship like Rising Storm. Did you not get anything?"


    "Of course I got something, but¡­ It would be quite burdensome if I tell you that."


    "Burdensome? Ahhh."


    Upon hearing her words, I could somehow figure out what she had received from the Imperial family. It was the Divine Spirit Fragment that she was wearing on her ear. However, it was absorbed by me.


    "Haha. I''m just saying so don''t feel too pressured by it. In fact, it was something I was forced to receive because my maternal rtives didn''t have power. There wasn''t any particr effect, and it was useless too. Yet, it was the treasure of the Imperial family,<strong> </strong>so it had a high value only in name. There were all kinds of constraints imposed on it and assassins woulde for it whenever they were bored. Furthermore, there weren''t just one or two rtives who tried to bite off more than they could chew. If I didn''t be a damned Idol by selling my face, I wouldn''t have been able to escape from their grasp. Well, that''s all be an experience at this point¡­"


    After saying all that, Celestia''s expression suddenly settled down. Dong-min and Bo-ram turned their head at the change in the air and their eyes narrowed as well.


    <strong>Just listen to me quietly. </strong>


    Perhaps because I wasn''t the only one who could hear it, Bo-ram and Dong-min also nodded their heads.


    <i>''Shit, damn it. What''s going on? Is someoneing?''</i>


    I was the only one whose senses were slow, and I felt frustrated. It would''ve been pretty nice if there was a sensing system ability among Napoleon''s Abilities.


    However, whether I was lost in distracting thoughts or not, Celestia said, "That''s not all. Some of my brothers even said crazy things like marrying me and epting it."


    "¡­Really?"


    "That''s right. Of course, we are half-siblings, but¡­ He''s a funny guy. He''s always going around saying old-fashioned things like his name is the only one in the Leonhardt Empire worthy of being announced as Emperor in the universe. He also goes around every day saying that the other members of the Imperial family are insignificant beings that only have remnants of the bloodline in them."


    She spoke in a slightly frivolous tone. I heard she was a singer, but her acting skills were also something not to be taken lightly. As if she was a flippant girl bad mouthing someone else without giving it much thought, she changed the mood so naturally just like that.


    Then, someone answered in response to Celestia''s action.


    "I''m disappointed that you think of me that way, Cel. I always spoke from the bottom of my heart."


    From the opposite corridor, a blonde-haired man appeared leading a group of attendants and Major General Chun Hyun-il, the Captain of Albatross.


    <i>''Oh my? This is?''</i>


    I froze at the intense sensation I was feeling from him. His Aura gently revolved around him and his strength put pressure on the surroundings. All these told me that he was definitely not an ordinary being.


    "Ahhh, you''re the groom from the rumors. It''s nice to meet you. I''m Louis Leonhardt, Crown Prince of the Leonhardt Empire."


    A handsome blond-haired man who looked like a sculpture held out his hand with a smile that made anyone feel refreshed just by looking at him.


    At the sensation that was transmitted to me even more vividly, I realized...


    <i>''This guy... Did he awaken his godly bloodline?''</i>


    1. This refers to the B.C. which was used tobel the number of years before the Gregorian calendar came to be.

 Chapter 89: To the Imperial Capital (2)

    <h4>Chapter 89: To the Imperial Capital (2)</h4>


    "Ahhh, you''re the groom from the rumors. It''s nice to meet you. I''m Louis Leonhardt, Crown Prince of the Leonhardt Empire."


    A handsome blond-haired man who looked like a sculpture held out his hand with a smile that made anyone feel refreshed just by looking at him.


    At the sensation that was transmitted to me even more vividly, I realized...


    <i>''This guy... Did he awaken his godly bloodline?''</i>


    I knew as soon as I saw him. I had prior experience of awakening my godly bloodline, albeit not now, so it was a matter of course. I held out my hand while facing him.


    "I''m Kwan Dae-ha."


    I wasn''t intimidated by him just because he awakened his godly bloodline. Although the unique Aura of the godly bloodline was spreading, even so, it was only slightlyparable to the transcendents I had met so far. I came face to face several times with Cheong Won who possessed an Intermediate-rank Status of God and Hawa who possessed a High-rank Status of God, so it wasn''t something new that I would be startled about.


    However, the moment I tried to shake his hand, a sharp Aura rose from Louis'' body.


    <i>Shinggggg!</i>


    I was blinded by the instant sh. My ability allowed me to perceive and analyze anything, but because my thought process was at the level of an ordinary person, I wasn''t able to respond in time to the things that happened in a sh.


    <i>Baaang!</i>


    My vision returned with the sound of the air bursting. As I came to my senses, I could see Dong-min''s well-trained back.


    <i>Kriekkkkk!</i>


    The balls of light that pierced through like thorns were blocked by Bo-ram''s barrier. Louis was slightly taken by surprise, but he maintained an expression that was rxed as ever and said, "Despiteing from a shabby inferior civilization, you''re both pretty good guards. I can''t believe you managed topletely block it."


    Louis praised Dong-min and Bo-ram while looking at them, and Celestia pointed her pistol at Louis'' temple. She exuded a menacing Aura, but he didn''t even bat an eyelid.


    "Haha, sister. With a gun like this, do you think you can..."


    <i>Bang!</i>


    However, at that moment, Louis'' body staggered along with a noise that sounded like an iron te being hammered. He had beenid-back thus far, but his expression stiffened.


    "Holy shit, I heard that you were an outstanding Magic Gunner, but it was to this extent?"


    "You''re the one who''s¡­ What happened? Did you get your hands on a good Artifact?"


    "Artifact? Pffthahaha!"


    He burst outughing as if it was really funny. At the scene that unfolded before my eyes, I realized that Celestia was not aware of the status he had obtained. He most probably seeded in awakening the godly bloodline only recently.


    <i>''Maybe that was why he coveted Celestia''s earrings¡­ Simply put, the Divine Spirit Fragment. However, he ended up figuring out a different way huh.''</i>


    Through training, an ability could be advanced to a higher level, but the awakening of the godly bloodline waspletely different. It wasn''t something that could be achieved by learning something, nor could it be achieved by stacking up numerous abilities. It was about awakening the inherent power imbued in the bloodline that one was born with.


    It might seem extremely unfair for others who had to build their abilities from ground zero, but in actual fact, it wasn''t such a simple thing to achieve. I had the rare cheat-item Key, so I seeded in the Full Awakening of the godly bloodline just by turning it. However, Louis wouldn''t have had the great fortune of possessing a key.


    "What''s so funny?"


    "Haha. It''s funny how you think of something like Artifacts when you see this power. But then again, how would you know the true power of our Imperial family when you paid no attention to the Imperial family''s bloodline and went around flippantly?"


    <i>Whooooosh---</i>


    A golden light rose up like smoke from Louis'' body. The golden light that surrounded his whole body waspletely different from the golden Aura that Celestia released. The Aura was much denser and it was squirming like a living creature.


    "No way. This is¡­"


    Celestia finally recognized the Aura that Louis acquired and her face stiffened. Even though Louis'' current strength was not strong enough that he could do whatever he wanted to us, Celestia''s flustered reaction upon realization made it seem like there was some sort of symbolism behind the fact that he was able to awaken the godly bloodline.


    "But what a pity. How good would it be if I could just handle this with my own strength¡­ Adjutant!"


    "Yes, Crown Prince-nim."


    Louis did not give any particr order. However, as if he was briefed about it beforehand, the man standing behind him assumed a praying gesture by bringing his hands together and then separated his hands right after. Then, a crack formed in the air and a man wearing golden armor appeared. Celestia groaned.


    "Great General Norrington, are you perhaps...?"


    "Oh, dear¡­ I''m really sorry for seeing you in this way, Imperial Princess-nim. But isn''t it also an important matter for us transcendents to pick the right side?"


    He had the nasty smile of a third-rate gangster, but the power that came from him was the real deal. I knew immediately that he was a transcendent.


    "The Seven Great Generals¡­" I murmured nonchntly. This was because I knew that it wasn''t a good sign for a Great General to show up here without warning.


    There were a total of 19 transcendents that existed in the Leonhardt Empire, but not all of them swore allegiance to the Empire. There was no need to look far, just looking at Major General Chun Hyun-il was enough. Major General Chun Hyun-il was only affiliated with the Leonhardt Empire for the time being, and he could leave the Empire whenever he wanted to (In return, he would not be able to hold important positions); and Celestia''s crazy fan who came to find her (he was a transcendent, an old man, and a half-blood¡­). There were also transcendents like Voltermone who were treated as a guest by the Leonhardt Empire. They were all transcendents that did not swear allegiance to the Empire.


    Moreover, even if they were affiliated with the Leonhardt Empire, they would only act at their own discretion. Although it may seem like a small number, each and everyone one of them were transcendents who transcended their own fate. Hence, it was not that easy to utilize them.


    However, the Seven Great Generals were different.


    They were either people who were born and raised in the Leonhardt Empire, or they became transcendent through the strength of the Leonhardt Empire, or they were the backbones of the Leonhardt Empire and were connected by blood rtions to the Imperial family. Unlike in the past, there weren''t any Emperor-ss beings in the Leonhardt Empire, so it wasn''t possible to haveplete control over them. However, even so, there was no change in the fact that they were people who followed the orders of the Imperial family.


    "Norrington."


    "Yes, Crown Prince-nim. Should I capture the Imperial Princess?"


    Louis'' face turned grim as the Great General bowed his head in an attitude that was unbing of his position and stature.


    "You darey your hands on a member of the Imperial family?"


    "I''ve gone too far, Crown Prince-nim."


    He bowed again. As he lowered his head, Louis scoffed and looked at me with a big smile.


    "For starters¡­ Get rid of that bastard."


    "Oppa, are you crazy?"


    Celestia frowned and stood in front of me to stop them. A golden Aura rose from her body as well.


    "I have already informed the Imperial family of his existence. But are you going to resort to violence here?"


    "That''s right. Unfortunately, I couldn''t stop the message froming through, but¡­ He still has not entered the Imperial family, so this is thest chance I will ever have. Norrington."


    "Yes, Crown Prince-nim," the Great General answered calmly.


    Louis spoke to the Great General in a tone that sounded as if it was a hassle to speak any further, "Do it."


    "Yes."


    The moment the Great General answered, the space was distorted. Dong-min and Bo-ram stepped in front of me and I saw Celestia firing her pistol.


    However, it was all useless. Great General Norrington passed through everyone like a phantom, and he swung a pitch-ck sword around my neck.


    Then¡­


    <i>Booom!</i>


    The upper body was sted away and the lower body fell down on the floor.


    The one who copsed was¡­ Norrington, one of the Seven Great Generals of the Empire as well as a transcendent.


    "What?!"


    "Huh?"


    "Crazy fu-¡­?"


    Everyone looked at the lower body lying on the floor with a nk expression, unable toprehend the situation. Norrington was a transcendent with remarkable vitality, but there were no signs of resurrectioning from his remaining body.


    "Cel, as expected, wouldn''t it be better to kill that Crown Prince bastard too?"


    I was the only one who remained calm as everyone was in the midst of confusion. Upon hearing my voice, Celestia''s expression changed. She was in confusion for a while, but she quickly fixed her expression as if she had quickly grasped the current situation.


    "Hmm. But Oppa is the Crown Prince. Wouldn''t there be repercussions if he is killed?"


    "What''s the difference? Even if you kill me, there would be repercussions too. I think they''ve taken countermeasures to keep information from being recorded around here."


    Needless to say, it was all bullshit. Because it wasn''t certain if we could catch him without losing him with the power we currently had."


    Celestia shot a nce at me as if she was asking with her eyes.


    <i>Was it her?</i>


    I nodded in response to her subtle nce.


    That''s right. When the Crown Prince came and threatened my life, I wasn''t actually very worried about it. Because I remembered...


    <strong>At the very least, I''ll protect your life from any danger whatsoever.</strong>


    The promise of Hawa, who possessed a High-rank Status of God, wasn''t just empty words. Her words contained power and they must be kept once they were spoken.


    I instantly understood the exact boundaries of her promise.


    <i>''She will only intervene in life-threatening situations.''</i>


    She wouldn''t step in if a street thug beat me up. She would treat it as something that didn''t matter.


    However, if someone tried to kill me, she would stop it even if the opponent was a transcendent. No, in the first ce, there wasn''t any difference between an ordinary person or a transcendent to her.


    <i>''Everyone trembled when they saw her for a reason.''</i>


    Even Major General Chun Hyun-il, a powerful Martial Arts transcendent, let out a groan when he first saw Hawa. Although he seemed as if he had a screw loose, Voltermone, who was treated as an elder of the Imperial family, also trembled when he saw Hawa.


    Actually, even though I understood it back then, I didn''t exactly feel it. However, I think I kind of understand it now.


    "You... Ugh... This, what the hell is this? You''repletely insane!! Did you just kill the Great General? One of the Seven Great Generals who swore allegiance to the Empire?"


    I saw the Crown Prince shouting with a pale face at the unexpected, no, to be exact, the unimaginable situation. He was still a cool and handsome man, but the sounds that were uttered from his beautiful mouth was iparably pathetic.


    I looked back at Celestia.


    "What is this idiot saying?"


    I was baffled. Of course, the death of one of the Seven Great Generals of the Leonhardt Empire was a huge incident, but wasn''t he being a little too shameless despite the fact that he gave an order for me to be killed just a while ago?


    Celestia replied as she saw me bbergasted, "I don''t know. He must be a little out of his mind."

 Chapter 90: To the Imperial Capital (3)

    <h4>Chapter 90: To the Imperial Capital (3)</h4>


    "What is this idiot saying?"


    I was baffled. Of course, the death of one of the Seven Great Generals of the Leonhardt Empire was a huge incident, but wasn''t he being a little too shameless despite the fact that he gave an order for me to be killed just a while ago?


    Celestia replied as she saw me bbergasted, "I don''t know. He must be a little out of his mind."


    "..."


    Louis trembled with a pale face, unable to refute. However, at that moment, the golden ne on his neck glimmered and his figure disappeared in an instant.


    "Ahhh, he ran away."


    "Yeah."


    I mumbled without being nervous at the sight of the Crown Prince disappearing. Of course, he would be a source of trouble if I let him run away like this, but there was nothing I could do to him here, nor did I have the ability to do so. Hawa merely protected me, but she wouldn''t listen to my orders. Hence, I couldn''t ask her to catch him.


    <i>''Of course, I can give it a shot, but...''</i>


    However, when I recalled the fierce resistance she showed when I tried to order<strong> </strong>her, I knew it wasn''t a very good idea. She threatened to destroy everything if I tried to order her one more time, so was there really a need to test whether she meant what she said or not?


    Frankly speaking, it was natural for her to resist and reject it.


    Who in the world would be okay with a situation in which they were forced against their will to do the biddings of someone they had never seen their whole life with just an order? The same would apply even if the one giving the order was someone superior to their own flesh and blood -- parents.


    More than anything, Hawa was an Untouchable, one of the strongest beings who possessed supreme power in the universe where the Gods had departed from. Hence, it was obvious she would feel insulted if she had to listen to my orders when I was someone who wasn''t even on the level of a Low-rank transcendent.


    <i>''What if I gave it a shot in vain and she turned into an enemy?''</i>


    If things went amiss just like that, everything would be over. Her protection was the reason why I was able to be calm even though the big shot of the Imperial family, the Crown Prince, was hostile to me. So I couldn''t do something stupid like making a lucky gamble of such cosmic scale because I didn''t know if it would work or not.


    "The, the Crown Prince-nim..."


    "Uuugh¡­"


    As I organized my thoughts, I spotted the attendants who were anxious because they were wary of me. The Crown Prince disappeared, but his aides and attendants remained. They all broke out in a cold sweat and didn''t dare to take any actions.


    Celestia saw that sight and said, "Get the hell out."


    "Ca-, Can we really leave?"


    "If not? Do you want me to do what you intended to do to us?"


    "No. Thank you very much!"


    They were all startled, then, they bowed their head and ran away. I watched them run momentarily before I looked back at Celestia.


    "Hmm. It''s kind of weird for me to say something like this, but¡­ The Leonhardt Imperial family..."


    "It''s a little undignified, right?"


    "Yes, it''s a total mess."


    At this point, I was starting to doubt the overall image of the Leonhardt Imperial family. What kind of royalty attacked people the moment at first contact? This wasn''t even the Middle Ages. Was there now? I thought this was a country with a social atmosphere that was nothing like a hierarchical society. Yet, the moment I met a member of the Imperial family, irrational things that were not understandable by any sort ofmon sense kept happening one after another.


    "I''m sad that I can''t deny itpletely, but... It''s quite aplicated situation, so please understand. The Leonhardt Empire has a fairly solid and strong structure, but the Imperial family that reigns over it is in quite a chaotic situation."


    "Why so?"


    "Well that''s obviously because the First Emperor died. It has only been 300 years since the founding of our Empire, but my father is already the Ninth Emperor."


    "¡­The imperial family members have a short life span?"


    "Of course not. They would usually live for at least 200 years, and up to 500 years or more. For one thing or another, we''re still a Godly species."


    "..."


    Just by listening to the exnation, I thought it reeks of the smell of a chaotic mess. Just then, a group of crew members made amotion and approached us from across the hallway. Leading the group at the very front was Major General Chun Hyun-il, the Captain of the Albatross ship.


    "That''s a relief. I thought something bad had happened¡­ I don''t know what kind of authority that damned Crown Prince had, but he managed to shut down our systems as he pleased."


    As expected, he intended to dispose of me here, but it was strange no matter how I thought about it.


    <i>''Why on earth did he go so far just to get rid of me?''</i>


    I couldn''t understand. Why did he break into Albatross and create trouble? Furthermore, Albatross was under the control of Major General Chun Hyun-il and the bear wouldn''t cooperate with him. If he was aiming for my life, it would''ve been much simpler if he sent an assassin after waiting for me to get off at the Imperial Capital.


    "Hmm¡­! That armor¡­"


    While I was lost in thought and pondering about this, Hyun-il discovered the lower body of Great General Norrington lying on the floor. His upper body disappeared as a whole but strangely enough, there was no blood flowing from the cross section.


    "It''s Norrington."


    "The fact that this gangster is lying down here means¡­"


    The bear was lost in thought for a moment before he put on a distorted expression. However, it was not a look of anger or concern.


    He burst outughing.


    "Puhahahaha! That gangster met his match huh! She''s probably the one who did this, isn''t she?"


    "Yeah."


    "The Crown Prince''s face must have turned deadly pale! That Royal Guard Commander bastard shouldn''t have recklesslye out of the Imperial City, but for him to turn up dead here?! If you y this out well, won''t we be able to drag the Crown Prince down from his position?"


    "Duke Amon has his back, so things won''t work out that well. But still, I''m sure he''ll have a hard time. No matter what, one of the Seven Great generals is dead, so this probably won''t be overlooked."


    As expected, there wasn''t a mourning mood even though someone was dead. Instead, considering that the atmosphere was delightful, the rtionship between Hyun-il and Norrington seemed to have been quite bad.


    "Hmm. So what do you want me to do with this body? Remove it?"


    "Immediately if possible."


    "Alright."


    As the thick front paw covered with white fur extended out, a dense blue Aura swirled over and covered Norrington''s lower body.


    <i>Tatatatatatak!</i>


    A shrill sound that sounded like a metal object was inserted into the shredder resonated around. Perhaps because it was a transcendent''s body, or because of the characteristics of his body, Norrington''s lower body held out for nearly 10 seconds even in the dense Aura storm. His body was so durable even in a corpse state, so I couldn''t even begin to imagine how his body''s endurance would have been like when he was alive.


    <i>''Yet, Hawa blew that off with a single hit.''</i>


    I turned my head thinking<i>, ''As expected, I should be careful''. </i>However, Dong-min and Bo-ram stared at the dense Aura storm, bewitched.


    "What a waste."


    "I know right. Ughhh, I can''t believe the body of a transcendent is being grinded up like that... If that was sold on Earth, even I would buy some."


    "You guys, what kind of necromancer-sounding crap are you spouting? Don''t talk nonsense and guard properly."


    "Uhhh. But we can''t help it if we''re going against a transcendent."


    "I did my best."


    "To be honest, it''s already an amazing feat to be able to stop that Crown Prince."


    "Even if we are in the Great Universe, this is too much."


    "There''s a limit to how much us bumpkins can do."


    The two of them were yapping in perfect harmony. However, I knew because I could see<strong> </strong>them. I could see the fact that they were greatly stimted as they continued meeting transcendental beings, and that they continued growing stronger along with that stimtion.


    If they were still the same as who they were when they came to the universe in the beginning, they wouldn''t have dared to block the attack of the Crown Prince who was just a level lower than a transcendent.


    "By the way, bear, is something going on in the Imperial Capital?"


    Cel was keeping still, and Hyun-il who was getting rid of Norrington''s body turned his head at Cel''s question.


    "Something?"


    "Yeah. Louis'' not that stupid, even though he''s always going around spouting bullcraps. If he went this far, there must have been a good reason for that."


    Hyun-il nodded in response to Celestia''s words.


    "That''s true."


    "What do you mean that''s true? You know something?"


    "Of course. Sometimes, you take your influence too lightly."


    After saying so, he turned around and started walking ahead. We followed after him.


    "What is he talking about? Your influence?"


    "Who knows, I''m not too... Ahh! My kids mighte here."


    "Your kids?"


    "Yes, I don''t have a household backing me up, so I don''t receive any support like the other Imperial Princes and Imperial Princesses¡­ But I''m still an Imperial Princess. I''ve created my own forces."


    "Hmm. Did you create that force outside the Leonhardt Empire?"


    "Ohh? I noticed when you were fooling around with Cheong Won, but as I expected, you''re smart huh. That''s right. They''re the ones I handpicked as I went around battlefields, so they''re the real deal."


    "¡­"


    Her words reminded me of the first time I saw her.


    At that time, her title was like this.


    <strong>Detro Gxy Union, Fourth Corps, First Assault Squadron</strong>


    <strong>Extraterrestrial Being, Celestia</strong>


    In fact, I was always curious about her affiliation since the time I found out her identity. She was the Imperial Princess of the Leonhardt Empire. So how did the Detro Gxy Union''s Assault Squadron be her representative<strong> </strong>affiliation? However, I realized the reason from her lively voice.


    <i>''The sense of belonging.''</i>


    That''s right, that was the reason. Among the organizations she was affiliated with (Family did not ssify as an organization), she felt the greatest sense of belonging with the First Assault Squadron under Detro Gxy Union. In one way or another, the fact that she, the Imperial Princess of an Empire, felt more attached to the Assault Squadron of another country was tantamount to prove how much the Leonhardt Imperial family mistreated her.


    "Hmm. But I don''t know. Even though my kids are strong, they''re not enough to threaten the Imperial family."


    Whether she questioned the iprehensible situation or not, Hyun-il ignored her and kept walking before he stopped in front of a wall that had nothing.


    Hyun-il said, "It''s okay to be proud. I''m telling you¡­ No one would''ve imagined such a situation in the Imperial court."


    "What are you trying to say?"


    <i>Wiiiiingggg---</i>


    The wall on one side began to open as a whole, burying Celestia''s questioning voice.


    Then...


    <i>Waaaaaaah-----!!!</i>


    Cheers resonated around. I could see the blue sky, the endless golden flower garden, and the golden castle beyond that. It was something that I couldn''t even imagine seeing when I saw it from the outside.


    Those were not the problem.


    "This is¡­"


    "Say hello."


    The white bear with a mountain-like build looked back at us and smiled as if he was having a lot of fun. Beyond his shoulder, countless spaceships and all sorts of aliens manifold of that could be seen.


    He said, "They''re your fans who gathered from all over the universe."

 Chapter 91: To the Imperial Capital (4)

    <h4>Chapter 91: To the Imperial Capital (4)</h4>


    Have you ever been hated?


    As a matter of fact, I already knew. It wasn''tmon for fans to wee the marriage of the celebrity they were crazy about with open hearts. Either those two were the ideal couple that everyone couldn''t help but admit, or the celebrity was already old enough and there had beenments like<i> ''yeah, it''s already been too long for our unnie''</i> or <i>''Oppa smells like an old bachelor!''</i>. If not, then it was definitely normal for them to protest against it.


    If a scandal or a romantic rtionship happened between idols on Earth, their fans would rise up like wildfire and they would post maliciousments to attack and terrorize the rted party. Background checks were the basics, and they would react violently byining to the agency the rted party was affiliated to.


    So, what more if the person in question was a young, lively and beautiful space idol?


    There was no need to exin how the fans would have felt.


    "It''s scary..."


    "My skin stings... This is apletely different atmosphere from when we were at the spaceship."


    Of course, there were many fans of Celestia on the Albatross ship. It was a natural course of action for the Empire''s citizens to be her fans since she was their country''s Imperial Princess. Moreover, she had the nickname Space Idol and her name was spread throughout the universe. Her alias,<strong> </strong>Queen of Starlight, was a kind of symbolism that carried great significance, soparing her to other celebrities was an insult in itself.


    But even so, not all of Albatross'' crew members were big fans of her. Some of them just weren''t interested in music, while others didn''t like idols. Or they liked idols, but not to the point of obsession.


    Moreover, most of all, I was a hero who saved everyone''s lives on the Albatross ship. A majority of the crew members who were on board were unknowingly indebted to me. As such, even when my decision to marry her was announced, there weren''t any particr troubles, and it only bothered them at most. The gazes I felt from them were of that level only.


    However¡­ Who was I to Celestia''s fans, who would cross the distant universe from all around just to see her? A lowly scum they had never heard of before. Yes. The lowly scum they had never heard of before won over their queen.


    <i>Bzzt bzzt-!</i>


    My vision was distorted. The sses-shaped Magic Armament Udjat that I acquired by nagging Kwon Hye-ran, the Dwarf girl on Albatross, broke.


    "Uwahh¡­ There''s a crack on my sses because of the bloodlust."


    "It wasn''t even a materialized bloodlust, it''s just pure bloodlust though."


    "As expected of the Great Universe. The fanboys here are on a whole different level aspared to those on Earth."


    Both my face and voice were calm, but Bo-ram and Dong-min were breaking out in a cold sweat and sweating profusely. Then, they stared at me all of a sudden and asked.


    "By the way, are you alright, Sunbae?"


    "What?"


    "What do you mean<i> ''what?''</i>. I''m obviously talking about the bloodlust. Perhaps because they don''t have any intention to attack, there weren''t even any Aura waves. Yet, it''s intense enough for the sses to crack."


    "Now that I took a good look, you''re not the least bit fazed at all. My hands are trembling just from the aftereffects of the bloodlust¡­ You have a braver personality than I thought."


    "Is this something that can be solved by something like personality?"


    I nced around while listening to the two of them whispering with a fascinated expression. It wasn''t an exaggeration, I could clearly feel that the fans wanted to tear me to death right away if they could, and their gazes that contained such feelings were raging around like a violent storm. Gazes filled with anger, jealousy, annoyance, and resentment.


    <i>''But the problem was that this was bearable for me.''</i>


    I was immune to any interference that negatively affected my mind. The demi-humans had kidnapped me and even went as far as to drug me, but they failed to meddle with my mind. Even the Divine Spirit Fragment that was capable of deceiving the eyes of a transcendent could not escape my eyes. If I was negatively affected after I saw or felt something, that was because I felt despair and intimidation myself, and it wasn''t because my mind was overwhelmed by the opponent. Hence, I could say for sure that my mental barrier was perfect.


    Therefore, any intimidation and pressure was of no use against me in this situation when I had made up my mind. Moreover, the bloodlust that was purely raging from the fanboys'' gazes was not even great enough for me to feel ticklish. If they wanted to harm me, they would have to charge at me and punch me. They wouldn''t be able to do anything just by staring at me.


    <i>Bzzt bzzt bzzt!!</i>


    "Agh, I..."


    I took off thepletely broken Udjat because it was messing with my vision. Was it perhaps more sensitive because of its function to receive outside information? When I was wondering about it...


    <i>Thump!</i>


    The atmosphere suddenly changed. The waves of bloodlust that were raging like a tsunami were split apart as if it met Moses, and the bloodlust spread in all directions and dissipated. Even though I didn''t feel any distress from the bloodlust, I could sense the existence of the bloodlust itself. Hence, I could clearly feel the process of the bloodlust vanishing.


    "What is this mess? Are you alright?"


    As Celestia hugged my right arm, I could feel something voluptuous as her slim body touched my upper arm, and I was almost skeptical about the sensation I felt. She didn''t just talk to me normally, she stuck close enough that I could even feel her breathing and she whispered in my ear.


    <i>Whooooosh----!!</i>


    There was bloodlust raging around!!


    "Hey... Why are you needlessly provoking them?"


    "Oh my, I''m just briefly hugging my lover whom I am engaged to, so how is this provoking them?"


    She put on a pretty act that didn''t suit her and stuck even closer to me. I was a human male, so to be honest, I didn''t hate it¡­ The problem was that thousands of her fans were seeing it in real-time, and they were releasing their bloodlust.


    <i>''Phew, man. I never thought the day woulde when I''d be hated by so many different species of aliens.''</i>


    Only about 30 to 40 percent of the fans gathered in the huge za were human. In other words, more than half of Celestia''s fans were extraterrestrial beings.


    In actual fact, this was a scenario that I couldn''t even imagine.


    It wasn''t just because of the fact that 70 percent of the intelligent race in the universe were in human-form. If it was just a matter of probability, then it was alright to think that the extraterrestrial beings that existed in nearby gxies weren''t in human-form. However, those gathered here did not gather under random conditions. Weren''t they part of some kind of fan club that was crazy about Celestia?


    <i>''Howe¡­ Why is the percentage of human fans so low even though she''s a beautiful human girl?''</i>


    The Arch-Sorcerer Morne who led the demi-humans was deeply disgusted by Cheong Won who had threatened him to marry Celestia. Though Celestia possessed a dazzling appearance, such good looks weren''t even worth dust to other species with different standards for beauty. Just like how humans did not see the most beautiful female hippopotamus with sexual interest, Morne also didn''t see Celestia with sexual interest.


    However, looking at the atmosphere now, the situation looked different from back then.


    <i>''Does that mean there are races who epted Celestia''s beauty to a certain extent? Just like how humans perceive cats as cute beings even though they''re a different species?''</i>


    As a question like that came to mind...


    "Wait-! Wait a minute please-!"


    There was amotion within the fan club(?), and a crowd came towards us while passing through the others. Led by a blond-haired man in a tuxedo, they were all human beings.


    "Wee to the Imperial Capital, Second Imperial Princess-nim. It''s been three whole years since west met."


    "Yeah, long time no see, Rex. But it seems that you''re being polite today."


    "Ha, haha. What, what are you talking about..."


    He was a handsome man with a sleek impression overall, and he bowed his head while twitching the corners of his lips. He was most probably feeling ufortable as he faced Celestia while being surrounded by countless extraterrestrial beings (And these beings were her avid fans).


    "Who is he?"


    "He''s the Grand Chambein. He manages the Imperial family''s important matters as well as trivial ones."


    "I''m Count Rex Valentine."


    Rex Valentine introduced himself in a tone that was quite different from when he was talking to Celestia. Celestia''s eyebrows flinched.


    "Be polite, Rex. He''s my husband."


    "It''s not definite yet."


    "It''s not definite yet? Is there anyone else who can decide on this matter besides me?"


    "Imperial Princess-nim... That is not a topic we should bring up at a ce like this."


    "If not? Is it a topic to be brought up behind closed doors where no one can see while being threatened?"


    "That''s¡­"


    Rex was intimidated by Celestia''s insolent attitude as a whole. Celestia was not treated well by the Imperial family of the Leonhardt Empire because she didn''t have any backing, but¡­ Unless someone was crazy, no one would threaten her while being in the middle of her fan club. Unless they intended to spread rumors throughout the universe that the Queen of Starlight<strong> </strong>was being persecuted by the Imperial family of the Leonhardt Empire.


    <i>''No, apart from that¡­ How did someone prepare such aposition?''</i>


    Even if her fans gathered from all over the universe, there was no reason to let them alle to the Imperial pce. The atmosphere right now seemed to be ufortable for the fans gathered here, so instead, it would be normal to prevent them from meeting Celestia.


    However, the Imperial pce did not do that.


    <i>''No, in this case, it''s more like they couldn''t. That''s a more reasonable judgment.''</i>


    Even Voltermone who was treated as an elder by the Leonhardt Imperial family, was a huge fan of Celestia, so there must be more of her fans inside the Imperial pce. What more the people of the Empire? Celestia was a big star who had made a name for herself in the whole universe, way beyond the Leonhardt Empire, so it was obvious that there would be many people who were proud of her.


    I began to roughly understand the situation.


    In Korea too, there were celebrities who possessed unrivaled-ss and were recognized officially by titles such as National MC, National Sister, or World Star<strong>. </strong>Needless to say, these people didn''t have any authority whatsoever. Strictly speaking, they were just rich and famous ordinary people.


    However¡­ What if the government suppressed them for illogical reasons? What if they tried to drive them to their destruction for unreasonable reasons? Furthermore, Celestia was the perfect being who possessed the bloodline of the<strong> </strong>Imperial Princess. It was no different from putting all three of those titles together.


    Most importantly...


    <i>''These fans who gathered from all around the universe... is unusual. They can''t be coerced and chased away by using strength.''</i>


    From the standpoint of the other members of the Imperial family and the nobles who supported them, it felt like they were literally beaten in the back of their heads. No one would have expected that there would be a force supporting Celestia.


    "Any-, anyways, I''ll go into the details once we go inside."


    "I don''t want to though?"


    Celestia retorted in a yful manner, but Rex looked at the knight in golden armor that followed him as if he didn''t hear her.


    "Escort the Imperial Princess-nim!"


    "Affirmative!"


    About a dozen knights answered at the same time and they approached Celestia. However, Major General Chun Hyun-il stood in front of them and blocked their way.


    "My, my. Are you trying to kidnap her?"


    "¡­You cannot interfere with the Imperial family''s business, Major General Chun Hyun-il. Are you going to vite the contract you made with the Imperial family?"


    "Of course, that''s not the case. I have a very, very close rtionship with her, but it''s not to the point that I would give up everything I had."


    Rex''s face brightened up upon hearing Hyun-il''s answer.


    "If so¡­"


    "But."


    Hyun-il smiled brightly and pointed with his chin at the person behind him.


    "I wonder if that guy will do the same?"


    <i>Cluck.</i>


    He took a step forward. I was able to draw the scene clearly even though I couldn''t see it. An extremely strong presence instantly pressured the slightly chaotic atmosphere around, and everything was silent.


    "I''m sure I must be mistaking it, but..." A man with ck hair said with a deep voice before he continued, "It looks like you''re trying to drag the Queen away."


    He was a handsomely tall man with ck, long hair hanging down to his waist, yet the atmosphere surrounding him was extremely serious and heavy. His ck hair was swaying like a shadow under the hazy sunlight, and countless stars and gxies were reflected in an instant beyond that darkness.


    He looked like a human being, but he wasn''t human. I could see his true appearance beyond his human-form.


    It was a huge dragon. I spotted the huge shadow that was inherent in him and I chanted his name.


    "Shadow Dragon."


    Rex''s face hardened when he heard my words.


    "Noblesse¡­"

 Chapter 92: To the Imperial Capital (5)

    <h4>Chapter 92: To the Imperial Capital (5)</h4>


    "Shadow Dragon."


    Rex''s face hardened when he heard my words.


    "Noblesse¡­"


    Noblesse referred to a transcendental species born with special powers. The Union was said to be the force that ruled over the universe, and the Noblesse were one of the two pirs sustaining them. Hence, whether as a group or as an individual, Noblesse were beings who absolutely shouldn''t be looked down on. What more, among them, the dragon race were fearsome beings that were able to reach the realm of transcendence just by growing up.


    "Who are you?"


    Celestia also wondered who he was perhaps because it was her first time seeing him. However, he bowed his head at Celestia as she asked about his existence, and he had a formidable presence.


    "Please speakfortably, Queen-nim. I am your sword. You can treat me like how you usually do."


    "What do you mean how I usually do? What do you mean¡­"


    She asked back with an expression that seemed as if she didn''t understand, but she stopped.


    "My sword? No way, are you¡­?"


    "That''s right. I''m the Second Starlight Knight Order Commander, Dark Sunny. You can just call me Darkie like how you''ve done until now."


    They seemed to know each other, but I looked back at Hyun-il because I didn''t know the exact details.


    "What''s the Starlight Knight Order Commander?"


    "What do you mean what? Of course it''s the Commander of the Starlight Knight Order."


    I frowned at the insincere answer.


    "What kind of answer is that... Then what''s the Starlight Knight Order?"


    "It''s the name of the fan club."


    "..."


    I thought it was a military force, so I was shocked and speechless. No, even so, a Shadow Dragon was the president of the fan club?


    <i>''No, wait, this literally sounds like the Secretary-General of the United Nations just came to some sort of idol fan-meeting!''</i>


    Whether for good or not, I wasn''t the only one who was shocked.


    "Wait, what are you even talking about? You were a Noblesse, Darkie? I made a Noblesse manage my fan site?"


    "You don''t have to feel ufortable because I did it out of joy."


    "No, even so¡­ Hahh, the fanclub members didn''te, and instead a Shadow Dragon came."


    Seeing Celestia shaking her head, Rex who was pushed back looked at her anxiously. While being wary of Dark Sunny for some time, Rex looked at Celestia and said, "Imperial Princess-nim¡­ Don''t tell me you are thinking of involving foreign forces?"


    Though he tried to pressure her by bringing up something that could put her in a considerable predicament, Celestia didn''t even raise an eyebrow.


    "It''s just a fan club get-together, so what do you mean foreign forces? Dark Sunny."


    "Yes, Imperial Princess-nim."


    Darkie turned his head around again and responded respectfully. Though it was a little too much for a Noblesse to go around saying "Queen-nim, Queen-nim", Celestia was also abnormal as she spokefortably right after. She was only surprised for a brief moment after finding out that the president of her fan club turned out to be a Noblesse.


    <i>''But isn''t it pretty dangerous to have a Noblesse near me right now?''</i>


    Hawa, who was currently protecting me was the Head of Legion and Legions were considered the archenemy of the Union. Furthermore, Noblesse was the central force of the Union.


    Of course, just like the name Untouchable suggested, Hawa wasn''t someone who could be recklessly provoked, so it wouldn''t be wrong even if she was left to do as she pleased. She was an Untouchable, a God that ranked higher than the High-rank Gods. Considering her powers that could suppress her opponents, I didn''t report it as that was something that was more than enough to be used as an excuse when shovees to push. So I thought that there wouldn''t be a big problem.


    <i>''But will it be alright to openlye in contact with the Noblesse like this?''</i>


    However, perhaps because she didn''t know my concerns, Celestia was talking to Dark Sunny in a fairly familiar manner.


    "Did you happen to hear that I am getting married?"


    "Yes. I came flying because I heard that my Queen would be in danger and I was able toe across the information that was uploaded on the integratedwork. The reason why so many people gathered here was obviously because of the danger that would befall you, Queen-nim¡­ But at the same time, it was also because they heard the news of your marriage. Plus, one of the members of the Knight Orderes from the Tedine Gxy."


    "¡­From that far away ce?"


    "Yes, he left everything aside and came as soon as he heard the news of your wedding. In fact, not all of the members are here yet."


    Celestia shrugged her shoulders at the calm exnation.


    "I''ve only debuted for one year though."


    "That one year was literally the happiest time for us."


    Celestia shook her head in resignation at Dark Sunny''s respectful voice. Then, she asked again as if something came to her mind.


    "How''s their reaction?"


    "Are you talking about how they feel about this?"


    "Yes, the fans'' reaction after hearing that I''m getting married."


    I grumbled inwardly at the sight of her asking with glistening eyes.


    <i>''Can you even call that a question?''</i>


    Ever since she walked up to my side, the fans'' bloodlust was directed towards me. They most probably didn''t want to harm a single hair on her.


    However, I knew that a fire wouldn''t only be scary when it spreads this way. Although the firewall known as Celestia was preventing the fire from creeping in, just seeing the bloodlust zing in the distance was enough for me to turn pale.


    Jokes aside, the air above the fans seemed to be distorting because of the boiling hot bloodlust.


    "It''s not good. They don''t think that there is apanion who would dare to match up to our Queen."


    "Well then, what about you? Did you feel disappointed because of the fact that I was getting married?"


    "That''s of course. I decided to kill him if this was something that happened because of some sort of external coercion."


    He spoke in a calm voice without changing his expression, but his words truly sounded brutal. However, Celestia smiled without being fazed and said, "So what do you think after seeing him?"


    "¡­I was arrogant. I have recklessly judged your eyes by my own standards, Queen-nim."


    After saying so, Darkie stared at me with his jet-ck eyes. The moment I made eye contact with his eyes which seemed to suck up even the darkness itself, I felt as if I had lost.


    <i>''Agh, he''s handsome to a disgusting level.''</i>


    I wasn''t very ugly either. I was somewhat handsomely tall and my facial features were well-defined. So as long as I dress well, it was enough for me to join the ranks of a handsome man.


    However¡­ This Shadow Dragon in front of me didn''t need to dress well. He had an appearance that would shine even if he put on ragged clothes that he got from some random ce. For someone like me who was only good-looking among ordinary people, I didn''t dare topare myself to him.


    "Hmmm~ Is that so?"


    Furthermore, Celestia, who looked at me as she said so possessed an appearance that stood out more than him. As I faced these two handsome beings who were dazzlingly beautiful, I felt that a squid like me should be hiding in a corner somewhere.


    To be honest, these two obviously looked more like a couple. Who in the world would ever think of throwing me into the mix? Perhaps even if I walked together with Celestia, we wouldn''t look like a couple. Instead, we would look like a celebrity and her manager who assisted her.


    <i>Ploof.</i>


    "What is it?"


    However, just then, Celestia who was apart from me for a brief while hugged my arm again. I questioned her at her action that was out of the blue, but she didn''t care about it and spoke to Dark Sunny.


    "Bring us up."


    "As youmand."


    As soon as he answered, the shadow under our feet rose and our bodies soared up by tens of meters. What was interesting was that there was no burden on my body even though we were moving abruptly.


    "Ah ah."


    Celestia, who was still hugging my arm lightly warmed up her throat. Then, her Aura began to resonate with the surroundings.


    <strong>Long time no see. Why are all of you gathered here?</strong>


    It sounded as if she was whispering in my ear. But I wasn''t the only one hearing that sound as the fans who had been silent for a while began to stir up a ruckus.


    "I came to protect you, my Queen-nim!"


    "Queen-nim, I missed you!"


    "Please don''t act like a soldier!"


    "You''re not really getting married, are you?!"


    It was a huge ruckus. Celestia responded to the almost deafening screams.


    <strong>I appreciate your thoughts, but¡­</strong>


    Right then, she briefly nced at me and continued.


    <strong>It''s toote, you guys! I have already escaped danger! And I''m getting married in three days!</strong>


    At the bombshell announcement, silence fell as if water was poured into a bucket. The gazes that stared nkly into the air for a brief moment turned towards me when Celestia pulled me into a hug.


    Have you ever been hated?


    <i>Whooooosh----</i>


    Right now, I was...


    I was receiving all the hate that I was supposed to get throughout my life.


    "No, shit¡­ Hukk!"


    I couldn''t evenin about the situation. Celestia was originally only hugging my arm but had now leaned towards my body.


    When I came to my senses, her blue eyes were the only thing that entered my field of view before I knew it.


    <i>''Ah.''</i>


    I stared at her blue eyes as if I was bewitched. I had heard many metaphors of eyes that look like the sea, but I had never seen such eyes that fit the metaphor as well as her eyes did.


    I couldn''t push her away. It wasn''t because of the crisis that would make things worse if I pushed her away in a situation where her fans were everywhere. The touch of her lips, her arms that were wrapped around my neck, her breath, the sound of her heartbeat¡­ All that kept me from moving.


    <i>''This is pathetic. Even though I know she doesn''t have any feelings for me¡­''</i>


    Even though we would temporarily be a married couple, we knew each other very well. There weren''t any romantic feelings between us.


    Of course, I admit that I wavered after seeing her. That was the truth. However, even so, that wasn''t because there was an exchange of emotions between us, nor was it because my heart fluttered. It was simply nothing but a spur of the moment.


    <i>''Besides, she''s someone who has all the elements I need to avoid.''</i>


    Most of all, she wasn''t a normal woman. This young girl was beautiful and dazzling, but above all, she had ambitions in her heart, so she wouldn''t live a simple life. She also had a passion that someone like me who wanted to live a simple life didn''t have.


    She had never confessed to me specifically, but I could clearly feel it. She had a way of life that I could never live it out with her.


    <i>''It''s a contract. Let''s keep that in mind. The moment I cross the line, I''m doomed.''</i>


    I resolved myself over and over again, and I carefully separated from her. Perhaps because this situation wasn''tmon to her either, I could see her cheeks slightly flushed.


    I whispered to her from a distance close enough that I could feel her breath.


    "You idiot, are you trying to kill me?"


    "Hmm? Why would you think like that?"


    "What do you mean why? Right now, your fans¡­"


    However, just then, the crowd burst into cheers.


    "You''re so cool, Queen!"


    "I fell in love with you all over again!"


    "Queen-nim---!!"


    My ears were deafened by the tremendous cheers. I looked around because I was dumbfounded.


    <i>''What the hell is going on?''</i>


    I couldn''t understand their flow of thoughts for them to be cheering here. Don''t tell me Celestia kissed me because she predicted this reaction?


    <strong>Don''t go anywhere! Just wait and attend the wedding!</strong>


    Her words were followed by a series of <i>''Yes, Queen-nim!''</i>. They were all acting like that, so I didn''t know if they were weird, or if it was me who was the weird one.


    "This, wow."


    In any case, Iughed in vain at the situation that had changed in a single moment. Before I knew it, the shadow that was supporting us suddenly reduced its size and put us back on the ground.


    - Are you having fun?


    Just then¡­


    - Are you happy?


    There was someone talking<strong> </strong>to me.


    <i>Kriekkkkk---------!</i>


    For a moment, an annoying sound that sounded as if someone was scratching a ckboard with their fingernails resonated throughout the world. Celestia''s fans who were cheering began to look around in bewilderment. Even the Shadow Dragon, Dark Sunny, who had an ever-so-calm vibe looked surprised.


    - Are you having fun? Are you happy? Are you being in the midst of the humans'' cheers even though his blood is flowing in you?


    The blue sky was torn apart and two enormous eyes appeared between the cracks. However, it didn''t imply that the opponent was made up of only eyes. The existence that appeared between the cracks was so huge that all we could see was his eyes that filled up the whole sky.


    "This, what is this!?"


    "Block-... Kuwaackkkk?!"


    "Save me!"


    The ground shook once, and a huge arm made up of all kinds of metals were formed and it began to sweep past everything in all directions. Most of those that gathered in the za came from all over the universe, and they were either powerful ability users or they had formidable personal firearms. However, none of them were able to block that huge arm and they were all massacred. The za that was filled with cheers instantly turned into a ce of death filled with blood and dead bodies.


    <i>Booooom!</i>


    Then, <i>something</i><strong> </strong>fell down on the empty space that was made just like that.


    That''s right. That was something that could only be described as <i>something</i><strong>.</strong> As if a child had used a gray crayon to draw something in the air, the indescribable <i>something</i> looked at us. No, to be exact, it looked directly at me who was in the midst of all of the other people.


    "Ahhh¡­"


    He groaned in a tremendous shock. It shook my mind up and I felt dizzy just by facing him. I was undoubtedly immune to all mental-type interferences, but the moment I saw him, it felt like all kinds of fear came to mind and crashed down at me.


    Have you ever been hated?


    - We finally meet.


    The hatred and resentment of the whole world was right there.

 Chapter 93: To the Imperial Capital (6)

    <h4>Chapter 93: To the Imperial Capital (6)</h4>


    Have you ever been hated?


    - We finally meet.


    The hatred and resentment of the whole world was right there.


    "Please stand back, Queen-nim!"


    With a warning, Dark Sunny stormed forward. His hair, made out of shadows, swelled up and covered his entire body. Then, in a matter of seconds, it expanded tens of times in size.


    <strong>Grooarrrr---!!</strong>


    A huge dragon made of shadows appeared and roared. He seemed to be about 100 meters tall, and a materialized intent surrounded his entire body. His appearance looked savage as if he became the incarnation of a living disaster.


    In fact, the Shadow Dragon was one of the strongest even among the dragon tribe. They had bodies made up of shadows and were immune to physical damage. Furthermore, they also had the power to resist malicious soul energies due to the sinister intent''s power in their shadows.


    Although their rate of reproduction rate was so low that there weren''t many of them, the Shadow Dragon could rival the capabilities of a high-dragon just by growing up into an adult dragon through a normal growth process. Nobles aside, they were a species closer to being considered royalty, and they were regarded as the core forces of the Kaiser Dragon.


    However, the opponent was a bad match.


    -Don''t act up, you insect!


    The swings of the arms of steel was enough to tear apart the wings made of shadow, and a dark essence poured out like a waterfall from that cross section. Initially growing bigger and bigger, Dark Sunny copsed in a heartbeat and rolled on the ground.


    I could hear him letting out a scream filled with shock.


    <strong>Adam¡­!! I can''t believe you''re personally making a move. You''ve gone crazy! The Dragonians won''t stand by and let this happen! The same goes for the Gods from the God Realm and Saint Realm!</strong>


    Although the top-level transcendents from Elohim and Noblesse were not directly active in the Physical Realm, there were also some who surpassed the Untouchables. Some of them included the Death Dragon that brought about death; Crom Cruach; me Dragon Kain, the previous Dragon God and currently upholding the God of Magic title; Jesus Superstar who was regarded as the embodiment of the world; and Buddha who attained enlightenment.


    They were beings who transcended thews of nature and fame and had left the Physical Realm. However, they would often manifest themselves in the event of a cosmic disaster. If the few remaining top-level transcendents in the Physical Realm crossed a certain line, then of course the others would take appropriate actions.


    Adam was one of the remaining top-level transcendents in the Universe, but he was also the archenemy of the Union that ruled over the universe. Nheless, he let out an explosive Aura to the point where his whole body distorted and said...


    - It doesn''t matter.


    Along with a<i> ''Kwakkkkk!'' </i>sound, the body of the Shadow Dragon was sted away. Standing behind us, Hyun-il was greatly surprised and grabbed us.


    "We need to back off¡­ Kuuughh?!"


    Hyun-il held me and Celestia with his white arm, but he disappeared. <i>Boom!</i> When I turned my head in the direction of that sound, I could see Hyun-il stuck to the outer wall of Albatross that hadnded behind us. He came out through the debris right after, but he looked like he was struggling to move properly.


    "Run away! Transformation!"


    "Damn it¡­ all!!"


    Bo-ram and Dong-min stood in Adam''s way. Needless to say, it was literally a suicidal act.


    <i>Kwakkk! Thuckkk!</i>


    With the sounds of bones breaking, Bo-ram and Dong-min copsed.


    "No! Run away!"


    "Ackkkkkk!"


    The bodies of those around exploded, and the earth burst apart. The metal hands seemed like it was made by clumping together all kinds of machines in the Imperial Capital. Every time a hand swung, it destroyed everything in its way. Moreover, the light emitted from just one hand blew away half of the Imperial Capital in the far back. The Imperial Capital enveloped itself with a golden Aura to block the attack, but the attack was beyond its ability.


    Five or six transcendents jumped out of the Imperial Pce like locusts, but they could not even withstand for a single minute and were annihted.


    "Oh¡­ my God."


    Seeing the destroyed Imperial Pce and the massacre, Celestia looked devastated. She seemed to have received a tremendous shock despite always being confident. Unfortunately, there wasn''t time tofort her.


    As I came to my senses, everyone except our party had died and copsed on the ground.


    <i>''Huh?''</i>


    However, a question came to my mind in an instant.


    <i>''Our party is the only one that survived?''</i>


    In terms ofbat prowess, the Shadow Dragon, Dark Sunny, was probably better than Major General Chun Hyun-il. However, Dark Sunny was killed in a heartbeat when he faced Adam, and on the other hand, Hyun-il was only reduced to a moribund state and there wasn''t any threat to his life.


    "Ughhh... Are you alright?"


    "I''m fine."


    That was all. Bo-ram and Dong-min stood up. They were injured but it was not very serious. Needless to say, it was not because they had excellent abilities.


    <i>''Did he let us live?''</i>


    However, I didn''t understand. The hatred and jealousy that I could feel from the gray silhouette looking at me was so violent that my heart was suffocating. So why would he choose not to hurt me and the people around me?


    "Stop, Adam! It''s toote!"


    Hawa blocked Adam''s way as he was destroying everything around. I couldn''t even see where she came from. She was just in front of me when I came to my senses.


    - Shut up.


    "Please calm down. You know too, right..."


    - Shut¡­ the hell up!!


    The space was distorted as Adam shouted. Hawa had stood in front of me. As their enormous powers shed, the space between her and Adam warped.


    However, that only persisted for a while.


    "Kyaaackkkkk-!!"


    Along with the sound of the scream, Hawa''s body got sted back, and Adam stood before us.


    <i>Kriekkkkk-! Boooom!</i>


    Previously going around the ce and massacring everyone in its way, the dozens of metal arms also stood down. Bo-ram and Dong-min stood in front of me to block Adam from approaching, but Adam lightly gestured with his grey hands, and everything around was sted away.


    "Haha... Holy shit."


    Celestia let out a dispiritedugh upon seeing the sight that unfolded before her eyes.


    "I was determined to make it happen even if I die, and I''ve lived while gritting my teeth... What a pathetic ending this is."


    <i>Thuckkk!</i>


    In the end, she also got sted dozens of meters away and rolled on the ground. Although it was a ruthless attack, I could see Celestia''s body shaking even when she was sted away and copsed on the ground.


    <i>''It''s not a mistake. He''s not killing us.''</i>


    Everyone I was close with didn''t die and was kept alive. Major General Chun Hyun-il, Dong-min, Bo-ram, and even Albatross was somewhat intact even though the Imperial Capital was almost destroyed.


    <i>''But why? To inflict more pain on me?''</i>


    <i>Baaang!!!</i>


    The fists of steel fell in an instant on both sides of me. I staggered and fell down under the pressure of the wind.


    - Why?


    With a<i> ''Baaang!''</i>, an explosion went off. A steel fist was punching the floor around me.


    - Why!


    Everything around it started to get destroyed. The moment Adam swung the steel fist, nothing was able to withstand its power. Considering that the body of the Shadow Dragon, Dark Sunny was destroyed in one shot, those heavily-made steel hands seemed to have some sort of special power imbued in them.


    <i>Baang!</i>


    The steel fist punched the floor again. However, he didn''t do me any damage in the end.


    "...Hey?"


    In the meantime, I somehow got used to the malice he was emitting and faced him. He had an appearance that looked as if he was drawn with gray crayons in the air, and he was staring at me with his burning red eyes.


    - I hate you.


    I could feel resentment, hatred, jealousy and confusioning from him. It was a storm of emotions that felt like it wasing from a lost, crying child instead of a First-Tier God who transcended everything.


    - I hate you.


    His voice sounded like he was throwing up, and at longst, his figure disappeared----


    <i>Krieekkk----!</i>


    Bo-ram and Dong-min, who were sted far away, came flying and stood in front of me. Before I knew it, Celestia was standing next to me. Major General Chun Hyun-il, who was sent flying and crashed against Albatross, also returned to his position. Even the people who were crushed, smashed and torn to death began to wake up in a perfectly fine condition.


    The destroyed Imperial Capital was restored to its original condition, and the transcendents who charged out from it returned back inside. The river of blood disappeared, and the torn sky alsoreturned to being a blue sky.


    "This... Crazy fu-..."


    I groaned.


    The time was turning back.


    "Dae-ha."


    I was stunned and stood rooted to the ground. The terrifying disasters and power that Adam exhibited were frightening, but I didn''t expect him to be able to turn back time.


    "Dae-ha?"


    Before I knew it, the surrounding area had returned to how it was before Adam''s appearance. Those who were screaming and fell dead just moments ago were cheering with an expression that looked as if they didn''t know all that just happened.


    <i>''Everything is meaningless in the face of transcendental power huh.''</i>


    I was overwhelmed and dispirited. It was because I saw with my own two eyes that empires, civilizations, forces, and everything that Man had achieved were of no use in the face of transcendental power. I knew the extent of their power theoretically since long ago, but seeing them destroy and restore an Empire-ss country in action as if it was a joke drained the strength out of my body for a moment.


    "Are you¡­ offended?"


    "Hmm?"


    I turned my head at the unexpected remark and saw Celestia. She looked slightly sullen, unlike her usual self.


    She apologized, "Sorry, I''ve gone too far. I know people aren''t all the same... I must have pushed it too one-sidedly."


    "Hmm? Huh?"


    For a moment, I couldn''t keep up with her words and I found it weird. Eventually, Celestia put up a tearful face.


    "Did you hate it so much?"


    Hearing her words, I realized then that she was talking about the kiss she gave me and our public wedding announcement.


    <i>''It''s most probably because of my attitude. Things would''ve been different if I was just being rude.''</i>


    However, I was in a serious mood with a straight face (though it was because of Adam), and she must have thought that she had made a mistake upon seeing my expression.


    "Hmmm, well, it''s fine. It felt good, too."


    "Ri-, right? You had butterflies, didn''t you?"


    "Yeah."


    "Ni-, nice! Then..."


    "Even so¡­"


    She became lively again, and I looked at her and said, "Next time, let''s only do it after we discuss it beforehand. It''s too arbitrary."


    "¡­Yes."


    It was quite cute to see her being so obedient for some reason, but I had a lot to think about.


    <i>''But¡­''</i>


    I recalled Adam''s face.


    <i>''Why did he just go back like that?''</i>


    It would be understandable if he were hostile towards me. Since it turned out like this, it would be better to get to know each other, but he was already leading the Legion over. Hence, wouldn''t he hate it if his father''s other children showed up? However, he came and put up with all kinds of potential risk and caused a mess. Then, he just disappeared.


    <i>''Why the hell did he do that?''</i>


    However, there were no answers.


    *


    "Huff¡­ Huff¡­"


    A ck-haired girl was sitting among the countless fans of Celestia. Her pale expression was quite unusual, but somehow no one around her recognized her. However, an old man approached the young girl plopped down on the floor -- Hawa.


    "It''s your second warning."


    The tall, handsome old man with white hair and beard wore a tuxedo that clinged to his body. He held a pocket watch with a marvelous design in his hand; the pocket watch''s hour and minute hands were spinning abnormally fast.


    "Why are you here and flipping out at me? Fuck off to Adam."


    "It seems you''re not in the right mind to understand even if I tell you. From the looks of things, it feels like it''d be fortunate instead if you don''t charge at me. Do you know how much consideration I am showing?"


    "..."


    What he said was absolutely true, so Hawa nodded. The old man smiled as if he was satisfied with her response.


    "I''m not saying anything about turning back time itself. That could be done. But... Don''t recklessly alter the flow of fate. I understand you''re being wary of the God Realm, but on the off chance that you actually get a third warning..."


    With a <i>''ack'',</i> the old man shut his pocket watch and looked at Hawa.


    "At that time, you won''t be seeing a clock. You''ll see me appear before you and holding a scythe."


    That was thest thing the old man said before he disappeared. Hawa bit her lips.


    "Adam¡­"

 Chapter 94: To the Imperial Capital (7)

    <h4>Chapter 94: To the Imperial Capital (7)</h4>


    The moon orbiting Earth was about a quarter of Earth''s size. In fact, the moon, which was toorge of a satellite for Earth''s size, had clearly revealed its existence on Earth by reflecting the light of the sun even though it did not shine on its own.


    Therefore, the moon became the object of hope for many people and the center of various cultures. Poets and writers sang about the moon, and lovers vowed to love each other while looking at the moon.


    However, there was no moon on Earth-13 where Emperor Leonhardt was born.


    It wasn''t as if the moon existed and then disappeared. It was non-existent since the very beginning. Even though all 100 Earths looked alike, there was a clear difference between all of them. However, in the case of Earth-13, the absence of the moon was the factor that differed it from the other Earths.


    On such an Earth-13, the Golden Rose of the Golden Lion God was born.


    Golden Rose, the Imperial Capital of the Leonhardt Imperial family, was simr in size to the moon. However, it was located much closer to Earth than the moon. It was also said to be more than ten timesrger and clearer aspared to the moon when viewed from Earth.


    In other words, if someone were to look up at the sky in the night, they could clearly see a clear and radiant golden rose.


    So... Those on Earth who grew up under the giant golden rose had a sense of awe and longing for it. Stepping foot into the Imperial Capital of Leonhardt was a lifelong dream of almost all the citizens of the Leonhardt Empire who was born on Earth-13.


    However...


    <i>''It''s ufortable... It''s ufortable ugh¡­''</i>


    A plethora of food was spread out morously. Among them, there were some foods I knew, such as sanjeok [1], bulgogi [2], sushi, roast turkey, and all kinds of jeons [3] and dumplings. However, most of them were rare foods that I had never seen or heard of before, nor did I know what type of food it was.


    <i>''Oh, of course, I would know if I just looked at the title... Ughh, it''s not the time for this.''</i>


    I pulled myself together as I was looking away from reality.


    The sumptuous feast hanging in front of me was so luxurious that I had never encountered it in my life, but there was no way I would enjoy a meal when I was facing them. I was moving my fork and knife, but I didn''t know if the sliced food was supposed to go into my mouth or into my nose.


    <i>ttering. ttering.</i>


    The spacious restaurant was filled with the sounds of cutleries.


    There were three people sitting at the table. I was one of them, and I was wearing a suit that didn''t suit me well. The other one was Celestia, shining brightly in a gorgeously-designed dress, and thest one was¡­


    <i>''Damn it.''</i>


    ...A powerful being who had trained to the realm of transcendence in both magic and martial arts; a Godly being who had awakened the Godly bloodline of the Golden Lion God as well as eight kinds of powers. He was the current Emperor of the Leonhardt Empire, and... my father-inw.


    <i>''Of course I should have expected this situation... Am I a mentally-retarded kid??''</i>


    It was deplorable. It was because of the current situation. I was having a meal with a dazzling blonde-haired man with refreshing looks, and he looked more like Celestia''s brother aspared to her father.


    Surprisingly, we haven''t spoken a single word from the moment I entered the ce until we finished our meal. When I had just taken my seat, Celestia said, "It''s this person." Since then, it had been an awkward silent. I felt like I was going to have indigestion, regardless if it was a sumptuous feast or not.


    "This is surprising."


    It was the first sentence that the Emperor said one hour after he started eating. (He took his sweet time eating leisurely!).


    "Right?"


    "Yeah. How in the world... Where the hell did you find this guy?"


    "On Earth-34. I happened to meet him when I went sightseeing," Celestia answered.


    The Emperor shook his head with a baffled expression.


    "Hahh, really... That''s really unbelievable luck."


    "I was born with pretty good luck," Celestia boasted.


    Her tone made me tilt my head as I realized that the conversation was going in a weird direction. Because I thought he would for sure say, "I''ll never allow this marriage!" and Celestia would have then confronted it saying, "Shut up daddy! Why are you being so nosy about my life?". I expected him to angrily make amotion saying "What did you say?!". I thought the conversation would ultimately end with a life lesson(?) which pointed out that raising a daughter was useless.


    Some may think that I was overreacting, but if you look at it from an objective perspective, it was a perfectly possible situation. Imagine if one day his daughter, the universe''s most popr beauty, brought back a man he had never seen before and announced that she would get married to that man in three days? Where in the world would there be a parent who would happily ept that?


    However, the current Leonhardt Empire''s Emperor, Angelos III, looked at me without any changes in his expression, and asked, "Did you say your name was Dae-ha?"


    "Ah, yes."


    "You know whose godly bloodline you possess right?"


    "...Vaguely."


    In actual fact, it wasn''t vague, I had a rtively urate idea on his identity. However, I was ambivalent about saying it.


    The God of Civilization and Information.


    He was a super high-tier God who was hard to find even in the God Realm. Comparing across Gods who dominate over concepts, the more extensive the concept was, the more powerful a God would be. Hence, considering that fact, I was able to know how terrifying the term "civilization"<strong> </strong>was.


    <i>''Of course, that doesn''t apply to all civilizations. The concept that my biological father dominated over was¡­ most probably a scientific civilization.''</i>


    However, even that much amounted to him being regarded as an extremely big shot. Celestia and the Emperor were also godly beings who inherited the bloodline of the Untouchables, but¡­ the bloodline of a High-rank God -- the Beast God -- who didn''t even dominate over a concept was of apletely different realm aspared to the bloodline of a First-Tier God who ruled over a civilization<strong> </strong>concept. There wasn''t any reason to self-promote and make things moreplicated than it already was, so I decided that it was best to just keep quiet and stay still.


    However, Angelos III directed a question towards me, who was careful about everything I said.


    "Then do you know your rate of awakening?"


    "...Rate of awakening?"


    "Do you not know... It seems I should have sent Rex," the Emperor said something I couldn''t understand.


    Celestia replied to her father, "I''ll take care of that on my own, so stay out of it."


    "You''ll take care of that on your own?"


    "Yes. Since when did you ever take care of me that you''re acting like that?"


    "..."


    I was flustered by the atmosphere that turned cold in an instant. What the? I thought it was okay since they were conversing with ease, but as expected, did they not get along well?


    However, the Emperor soon nodded.


    "You''re right. Just do everything as you wish then."


    "If so?"


    "That''s right. With regards to this marriage, I¡­"


    The Emperorughed for an instant. It was a bitter smile that was unbefitting of a powerful man who ruled over an Empire-ss country, a rare entity in the universe.


    "I agree to it."


    Just like that, the marriage between me and Celestia was confirmed.


    *


    After the audience with the Emperor, I met Bo-ram and Dong-min.


    "How was it?"


    "It was suffocating."


    "Is he against it?"


    "It would be great if that was the case instead. He gave his consent."


    As I shook my head and stepped forward, <i>''Taak! Taak! Taak!'', </i>Bo-ram lightly snapped her finger, and following that, the Mana around her moved and went through my body. The barrier that was deactivated momentarily when I went to meet the Emperor was reactivated.


    "It might be a littlete to ask now, but is <i>''she''</i> still protecting you?"


    "Hmm. Is it okay for me to say it here?"


    "You don''t have to worry if you''re concerned about someone eavesdropping," Dong-min said as he held up the Vajra Scepter in his hand.


    "Jeseokcheon''s Vision is shining on us. Even a transcendent won''t be able to overhear our conversation."


    "¡­Did it have that kind of function too?"


    "It didn''t have that previously, but it''s been released since then. It''s only recently that I''ve been able to handle it properly."


    Needless to say, by "since then," Dong-min was referring to the time when I unlocked the Vajra Scepter. My key, a keepsake of my biological father, had the power to lift all types of seals and restrictions.


    "Well, that''s not a problem then. She promised to protect my life for her own reasons. Her promise will probablyst for a while."


    "It''s as I expected. That''s why that General died."


    I found Dong-min''s reaction fascinating when he nodded his head as if everything had turned out well. At first, I thought he was a stuck-up person. However, in the midst of this confusion, he was rtively coping with it well.


    <i>''People with pretty high-levelbat capabilities on Earth wouldn''t be able to cause a big ripple when they went face-to-face against transcendents.'' </i>


    Ability users with inferior skills were meaningless in the face of the absolute power of the transcendents. They were powerful enough that they only had a few enemies when they were on Earth, but they were no more than mediocre beings in the Great Universe.


    Nevertheless, Bo-ram and Dong-min didn''t look to be confused or in agony. It was normal even if they were to feel a severe sense of despair, hence it felt strangely weird when they seemed to not feel anything.


    <i>''It''s like they had met other transcendental beings before.''</i>


    Though it was fascinating, there was no need to show such feelings to others, so I shook off the thought.


    "Come to think of it, Bo-ram, do you feel anything? I unlocked yours too, didn''t I?"


    "Ahh, that''s still on standby mode. It''s notpletely unlocked."


    "Why? Looking at Dong-min, it seems that it turned out well¡­ Aha," I was expressing my doubts when I suddenly paused upon remembering what happened when I unsealed the seal on Dong-min.


    <i>''There could be some kind of side effects.''</i>


    When I unlocked the Vajra Scepter of Jeseokcheon with the key, the weapon had robbed Dong-min of his body by his weapon and went on a rampage. If I had not been able to lock the Vajra Scepter again from a long distance, the controlled Dong-min would''ve killed all of us and destroyed the surroundings until he died.


    Of course, if that happened, I could reactivate the seal and everything would be over. However, who could say that Bo-ram would experience the same side effects as Dong-min?


    "Did I make you wait for long?"


    Just then, Celestia opened the door and stood next to me. I didn''t know when she changed her clothes, but she wore casual clothes unlike the fancy dress she had on just now.


    "Where are we going now?"


    "Oh, of course we''ll have to go to Starlight."


    "Starlight?"


    "It''s the name of my pce. The original name is Seonggwang Pce [4] but I just decided to call it Starlight."


    As she exined, we got in the vehicle that was prepared right in front of the audience chamber building. I thought there would obviously be a driver, but it was Celestia herself who took the wheel.


    <i>Vroooooom-</i>


    The anti-gravity car travelled at a fast speed with a low ringing. Celestia skillfully drove the vehicle more than a few dozens kilometers across the green forest and dozens of buildings. Simply put, it was an anti-gravity car, however, it was no different from an airship. Hence, we arrived at a huge silver building that sparkled in a silver light in less than ten minutes.


    "Are we here?"


    "Yes, this is Starlight," Celestia answered.


    I looked at the skyscraper that looked at least 100 stories¡­ No, 200 stories tall.


    "No, this... What kind of pce is this? This is just a skyscraper, isn''t it?"


    "Well, it''s just a symbolic name."


    Celestia answered as if it wasn''t a big deal. Then, she pulled the steering wheel and the anti-gravity car flew up towards the sky to an even greater height and halted in the middle of the building. One of the outer walls of the shining silver building opened and weed the car.


    <i>Shooooong.</i>


    Celestia smoothlynded the car and got off. Needless to say, my party and I followed suit.


    "Ahh, is it alright to ask Bo-ram and Dong-min to standby at a separate ce? We have to visit a ce where you can''t bring along your guards for the meantime."


    Knowing that Bo-ram and Dong-in always followed me around, Celestia carefully asked. It was probably because there could often be awkward situations if the guards stuck along, such as when we were having an audience with the Emperor.


    "Will you be alright?" Dong-min asked me and I nodded my head.


    "Get some rest."


    "Okay then. Call for me as soon as there''s a problem."


    I already had a talisman with me that could summon Bo-ram and Dong-min at any time. Of course, I was not sure if these talismans could be invoked in all situations, but I decided that it would not be that dangerous because Hawa would save my life in the worst case scenario.


    Above all¡­


    <strong>Supreme Magic Tower, Protection Barrier ss</strong>


    <strong>Growth phase, Kang Bo-ram</strong>


    <strong>Baekdu Godly Veins</strong>


    <strong>Growth phase, Kim Dong-min </strong>


    Both their condition titles were like this, so it was a little weird to force them to guard me. Should I say it feels like it was time for them to do some kind of training? Dongmin always followed the rules and principles. However, seeing that he was fine even with being excluded from guard duty, it seemed that my hunch was correct.


    I grumbled inwardly.


    "What the, these two... Weren''t they sent to the universe to guard me? For some reason, it feels more like they''re studying abroad¡­"


    Of course, to be exact, it wasn''t studying abroad as in studying overseas but studying "overgxies." Anyways, it didn''t matter.


    1. This is a Korean tri-colored Jeon (Pancake) made from artificial crab stick, green onion, ham, and/or mushroom.


    2. Korean grilled marinated beef that''s slightly on the sweeter side.


    3. Jeons refer to pancakes, and Koreans make pancakes out of just about everything. There''s seafood jeon, kimchi jeon, meat jeon, mushroom jeon, courgette jeons, etc.


    4. Seonggwang ?? (Ðǹâ) and it means star light in Korean.

 Chapter 95: To the Imperial Capital (8)

    <h4>Chapter 95: To the Imperial Capital (8)</h4>


    "What the, these two... Weren''t they sent to the universe to guard me? For some reason, it feels more like they''re studying abroad¡­"


    Of course, to be exact, it wasn''t studying abroad as in studying overseas but studying "overgxies." Anyways, it didn''t matter.


    While I was grumbling, Celestia turned her head back and said, "Remy, guide the two of them to their amodations."


    "Yes, Imperial Princess-nim."


    One of the five women waiting at thending dock politely bowed her head and disappeared, bringing Bo-ram and Dong-min with her.


    "Long time no see, Imperial Princess-nim."


    "Long time no see."


    "It''s been a long time!"


    "Ughh, could you please stop serving in the military? Whenever I hear news that you''re jumping into a battlefield, my heart feels like it''s about to explode and die!"


    When Bo-ram and Dong-min disappeared, the four women who had maintained a calm demeanor rushed to Celestia, shouting, <i>''Uwaahhh!''</i>. Celestia smiled broadly and hugged them one by one, saying, "Hahaha, how''s everyone doing?"


    "Obviously, we have no intention of going out of Starlight''s territory. So what can anyone do?"


    "Most of all, without Imperial Princess-nim around, they don''t even think about messing with the likes of us. It was probably a sensitive period, so no one wanted to be out of the sight of His Majesty the Emperor."


    There was a weing atmosphere as they seemed to be pretty close. Celestia said to those girls, "This is him. His name is Kwan Dae-ha."


    At the very brief introduction, four pairs of eyes, no, including Remy who already came back from guiding Bo-ram and Dong-min, five pairs of eyes looked me up and down.


    For a moment, everyone interacted wordlessly with their eyes. Among them, the most tall and attractive-looking woman dressed in a ck suit stepped forward.


    She looked to be around her mid-20s, no, perhaps it was aboutte-20s? She was of course not as dazzling whenpared to Celestia, but even so, she was a woman who looked amazingly elegant. However, her clothes were so simple that the term <strong>"neat" </strong>fit her to a tee perfectly.


    "It''s a great pleasure to meet you, Kwan Dae-ha-nim. My name is Diana and from the left is Remy, Delly, Royna, and Sepi. The five of us here are the staff who''ll be in charge of you from now on."


    "Staff?"


    "They were originally my manager-cum-coordinator."


    Diana nodded upon hearing Celestia''s exnation.


    "Of course we are still your manager-cum-coordinator, but at the same time, our main job would be to coordinate your attire and appearance to make you look presentable next to the Imperial Princess-nim from now on. Since we''re on the topic, that roughly cut hair is inexcusable," said Diana.


    Diana turned her head and the yellow-haired girl nodded and approached me. She basically looked like an idol full of cuteness, but she was wearing a work suit with dozens of pockets. There were all kinds of scissors,bs, and medicine boxes of various colors that contained medicines, all neatly organized.


    "My name is Remy. I''m in charge of hairstyles. There are some things that I need to fix for a bit, so could you please stay still?"


    "Ahh, okay."


    "Thank you~!"


    She smiled brightly and moved both her hands. As she did that¡­


    <i>Click click click!</i>


    Weird-looking tools, including the scissors that were hanging on her work suit, sprang up like a swarm of bees and began to swirl around, trimming and washing my hair in an instant.


    "My name is Delly. I''ll be taking care of your wardrobe."


    "I''m Royna. Let me apply some makeup for you."


    "I''m Sepi. I''ll be putting some essories on you for a while, so please stay put."


    Something was put all over my face and the clothes that covered my body wriggled as if they were alive. Before I knew it, my shoes came off and all kinds of watches and nes were put on me and then stripped off before disappearing again. It was on repeat like no tomorrow.


    "Wha-, what''s this?"


    "Hoho, give it up. Every time I go on stage, I have to go through the same thing you are going through now."


    "No, even so, this is¡­"


    Surprisingly, the women in front of me seem to have their superpowers specialized in beauty treatments. Furthermore, their powers were considerably bizarre. Even though superpowers were a daily urrence in the Great Universe, wasn''t this a little over the top?


    <i>''By the way.''</i>


    Though I was being sarcastic, I left my body in their good hands as they were moving with perfect control. So, I was able to observe them without any sort of issues. Recently, the ability to see titles had developed and would naturally show their emotional condition.


    "Hmm, it might be a little weird to say something like this here."


    Then, I asked those women, "Why are you all so angry?"


    <i>Kigik!</i>


    In an instant, the trajectory of the scissors that were whirling around in the air shook so much that a vortex was almost formed. However, the psychokinesis that was activated again protected my body like a shield.


    "What are you talking about?"


    "I mean literally what I just said. You''re all extremely pissed off."


    "What are you... We''re not angry."


    "It''s true though."


    "We are not. Why would you think that?"


    I shrugged at their unconvincing reactions. Then, I turned my head and I could see Celestia smiling like a little devil.


    "Are these guys really that angry?"


    "Yeah. It''s so intense that it feels like they''re about topletely tear me to pieces."


    Annoyance, anger, fury, resentment, full of bloodlust... I could see such titles. In particr, the intense looking title <i>''Full of bloodlust''</i> belonged to Diana.


    However, even so, it was amazing that they all could hide their emotionspletely. If it wasn''t for my ability to see the titles, I wouldn''t have ever imagined their condition.


    "Hmmm, is it because I brought a husband back without discussing it with them?"


    "I feel a little wronged. Then, shouldn''t that obviously make you the target for their resentment?"


    Diana sighed upon hearing the yful conversation that I was having with Celestia.


    "¡­I''m really sorry if you feel that way."


    "No, well, it''s not as if I don''t understand. No matter how I think about it, I don''t think I look very good next to Celestia, do I?"


    "That¡¯s not the issue. There''s no such man in the world who can match up to the Imperial Princess-nim anyways."


    "Ouuhh."


    I lightly whistled because I knew she was sincere about what she just said.


    <i>''But still, I can''t believe they would have such unwavering affection for others.''</i>


    I was a little flustered, but considering the charm and beauty of Celestia, I nodded because it was something that was totally understandable. However, Celestia grumbled at Diana as if she wasn''t pleased with Diana''s reaction.


    "Gosh, you¡­ Stop talking nonsense, would you?"


    "I''m sorry."


    "Hmm?"


    I tilt my head for an instant. Instead of saying <i>''Don''t kiss up to me''</i>, she said<i> ''Stop talking nonsense''</i>. Did she perhaps also think that there wasn''t a single man in the world who could match her?


    "We¡¯re done."


    While these distracting thoughts were running through my mind, they had finished fixing me up. Diana moved her hand in mid air as if she was rubbing her hands, and the air wavered for a while before reflecting my appearance.


    "¡­Ouhh."


    I was struck dumb. There was a surprisingly well-groomed figure of me. If this was some sort of beauty programme, I would have reacted in an astonishing manner. <i>''Is this me¡­?''</i>


    My skin tone was brightened as if it had been altered by a photoshop program. There wasn''t a single blemish on my face, and my mid length hair was now neatly styled and gave off a gentle feeling. The slightly awkward formal attire on my body became a suit, and created a splendid vibe. The watch on my wrist was by no means ordinary even at first nce. In addition, I was wearing shoes with afortable fit that made it impossible to realize that I had already worn them.


    However, the women who coordinated my appearance didn''t seem to have very bright expressions.


    "I tried my best, but¡­"


    "As expected¡­"


    "As expected what?"


    I asked back because the mood was somewhat strange, but Celestia answered with a smile.


    "Well, it''s just that you''re not handsome even after being groomed."


    "That''s a pretty harsh thing to say¡­"


    Nheless, no matter how upset I felt, that was the reality. My appearance had be quite decent with the four women''s coordination. However, no matter how decent I may appear, it was impossible to lookpatible with Celestia. Just like a firefly or streetlight next to the sun, it was all the same as they couldn''t be seen. Hence, there would be a limit no matter how well-groomed I was.


    Be that as it may, Celestia had an expression that seemed to say <i>''Don''t worry.''</i>.


    Celestia then said, "You''re tall and physically fit enough, so it doesn''t matter. If we were meeting the nobles or royalties, then I''m not too sure. But, I don''t intend to reveal the original version during the shoot anyways."


    "You have no intention of revealing the original version?"


    I was puzzled by her remarks as I couldn''t understand it, but Celestia quickly gave me a pathetic gaze before turning her head.


    "Now then, will you all go out and do what you have to do? Diana, you follow us."


    "Yes, Imperial Princess-nim."


    The four women greeted deferentially at the same time and left the room. Celestia slowly walked further down the corridor and said,"You said you wanted to live a normal life, right? You idiot. Do you think that would be possible if your face was sold all over the universe?"


    "That''s¡­ That''s certainly true."


    I nodded. The marriage between us was a kind of contract marriage, and we had already filled in our divorce papers. After three months of marriage, our divorce would be set in stone. Then, I would return to Earth and live a life that was unrted to the Great Universe.


    However... Earth was not a ce that had nothing to do with outer space. In fact, didn''t Celestia meet me on Earth when she came to y on a tour package? If a random alien that was passing by recognized me and approached me, it would create various problems for me.


    "I know it''s toote to ask, but¡­ What do you n to do by grooming me up like this?"


    "As I just said, you''re groomed because of the shoot. The marriage of a member of the Leonhardt Imperial family is by no means a light matter. You would have to go through an interview and also meet other Imperial family members."


    "Would they be against this and try to make a mess out of things?" I was worried because Celestia didn''t seem to have a good rtionship with the Imperial court. Celestia replied, "Of course, that might happen too, but you can just ignore it. Honestly, I was a little worried, but... from the moment Father gave his approval, it was no different from everything being set in stones. In some way or another, the Leonhardt Empire is an absolute monarchy, so as long as we follow the procedures, no one would be able to say otherwise."


    As we slowly walked through the artificially decorated garden, I organized my thoughts.


    The details of the <i>''contract'' </i>that I had with her was very clear-cut.


    I would marry her. We would live together for 3 months, then we would get divorced after that.


    This process was necessary because the Imperial family of the Leonhardt Empire was under the authority of the Imperial court from birth. They had a certain amount of freedom, but ultimately, there was a form of restriction that prevented them from viting the imperial order.


    The Imperial family must move under the discretion of the Imperial court from the moment they were born, throughout life and finally marriage, and even until death.


    Thus, Celestia, who escaped from the jurisdiction of the Imperial court and lived a military life under the influence of being an idol<strong> -- </strong>the Queen of Starlight -- waspletely regarded as a revolutionary being. This was also the reason why the royalties generally didn''t like her very much.


    It reminded me of the conversation we had when she proposed to me.


    <i>''But there are only two ways to get out of there.'' </i>


    <i>''Two ways?''</i>


    <i>''That''s right. One of them is to climb to the realm of transcendence, and the other one is.''</i>


    <i>''...It''s marriage huh.''</i>


    <i>''That''s correct. Needless to say, we can''t do it with just anyone.''</i>


    In other words, she proposed to me because she realized the existence of the Divine Spirit that was in me. But then again, I found it weird that she didn''t notice it. Let alone the realm of transcendence, I didn''t even acquire any special abilities. However, I was able to ride on Ares and was able to disy an absolute Status of God.


    It was obviously an<strong> </strong>authority<strong> </strong>of a godly being.


    <i>''You won''t have to take any responsibility. We just need to get married for a while and then divorce to make me a free woman. And then you can return back home in glory with the spaceship bestowed to you by the Imperial Pce along with a vast fortune! Isn''t this a win-win situation?''</i>


    She was certainly right. It was a profitable deal. Most of all, I was indebted to her, so I agreed with her.


    "Then I need to go through an interview throughout the course of two days, meet the nobles, and then just have a wedding ceremony in three days?"


    "That''s correct. And then after that, we just need to stay married for three months. Then, it will all be over. You can just leave without saying anything after three months."


    "¡­Wait, wait a minute, Imperial Princess-nim. What are you talking about right now? What do you mean leave?" Just then, Diana butt into our conversation.


    I stared at Celestia, "Will this be alright?"


    "Ahh, of course. She''s trustworthy."


    "Well, it''s a little hard to get things going while hiding from the people right below you..."


    <i>Booooom!</i>


    Just then, the ground shook but it didn¡¯t sound like something had collided into the building we were in¡­


    "What''s this? It feels pretty far away?"


    "Please wait for a while."


    Diana closed her eyes with a serious expression at the unknown phenomenon. Celestia looked at her with calm eyes perhaps because Diana possessed a mental-type ability.


    "¡­Oh my God." Diana opened her eyes after a while and groaned.


    Upon seeing that, Celestia asked,"What''s going on?"


    "Th-, the Emperor¡­ The Emperor His Majesty."


    She was shaking and looked as if something unbelievable had happened. Celestia''s expression hardened.


    "What happened to Father?" Celestia asked.


    "The Emperor His Majesty..."


    <i>''Huuup''. </i>Diana stopped and took a deep breath. Then, with a devastated expression, she continued, "¡­has passed away."

 Chapter 96: For the Crown (1)

    <h4>Chapter 96: For the Crown (1)</h4>


    The Leonhardt Empire was an absolute monarchy.


    It might seem a little strange that the Leonhardt Empire was an absolute monarchy even though it was much more advanced than Earth and could even be considered a futuristic world. However, it seemed to be amon urrence in the universe.


    "Of course, it was different from the Middle Ages on Earth. Even if you''re not a noble, you would be able to enjoy a decent freedom and equality. Even if you''re a noble, it doesn''t give you the right to trample on the lower sses. Most importantly, every ss expresses full support of jus sanguinis [1] and at the same time¡­ they are also supportive of meritocracy."


    "¡­How can jus sanguinis and meritocracy coexist?" I asked.


    "Because there are abilities that exist in the bloodlines."


    The Imperial family was at its peak. They inherited the powers of the Golden Lion God who was powerful even among the High-rank Gods. Following that, they were also born with exceptional looks, high intelligence, sturdy bodies, as well as an enormous amount of soul energy and power. They were raised to lead the Leonhardt Empire.


    "Though I''m not in a position to say this... It''s unfair huh."


    I was surprised by the fact that there were people who were destined to be leaders from birth and were born with the power of the bloodlines. Since Leonhardt Empire was a much more advanced society than those on Earth, the citizens should be rtively more civic conscious. How were they able to tolerate this illogical categorizing of sses that was decided from the moment they were born? Transcendents transcended logic to attain their status but those of certain bloodlines just needed to be born and could be leaders.


    However, Celestia looked at me as if I had just said something foolish.


    "The world is originally unfair, you idiot. Are you trying to say that every single human on Earth-34 began their life at the same starting point and lives a life that is determined only by effort?"


    "¡­"


    I couldn''t refute her statement. Of course, there were no nobles or royal families on Earth [2], but that did not mean that people on Earth lived an equal life.


    The fate of many had been decided from birth. It depended on their country of birth, and also, their parents. There were certainly some who would say that there was no hierarchy in a democratic society. However, even so, it was deceitful to say that the children of dayborers and the children of conglomerate chairmen were of the same ss and on equal terms.


    "I know what you''re thinking about, but the Leonhardt Empire would not have been established without His Majesty the First Emperor in the first ce. It has only been 300 years and it''s a well-recorded history, so all the people knew that for a fact. Even though things turned out this way¡­"


    "Even if things be a mess?"


    "...That''s right."


    <i>Tadak, tadadak.</i>


    Celestia was typing nonstop even while talking to me. After organizing all the data that popped up in front of her, she identified the contents and gave her approvals on the documents. Then, she ordered the departments that were in charge.


    "But it''s more peaceful than I thought it would be."


    I imagined the worst possible situation now that the Emperor was dead. It had only been a few hours after the Emperor had agreed to the marriage between Celestia and me. Yet, he passed away. I realized that his passing away had disrupted all of Celestia''s smooth ns.


    To be honest, I wouldn''t have been surprised even if a missile flew towards Celestia''s stronghold, Starlight. However, contrary to my expectation, there were no attacks from the outside.


    "Have you already forgotten how many Emperors have died so far? The system that prepared for the Emperor''s death had already been in ce for 100 years."


    "...In the first ce, there''s a system that was designed to take into ount the Emperor''s death?"


    "That''s right. But honestly, even I couldn''t have imagined this current situation. Unlike the Emperors so far, my Father thought he had the Imperial authoritypletely under his control¡­ Diana! Is there no individual investigations on Lennon Pharmaceuticals?"


    Celestia turned her head and asked instead of exining further. Diana shook her head in response while reviewing various materials on a hologram screen that floated in front of her.


    "Lennon Pharmaceuticals is apany that is affiliated with our Starlight, but we have only started funding them recently so there''s no proper surveince system in ce."


    "What about the Inspection Department?"


    "It''s impossible to trust thempletely since the Crown Prince already has widespread influence."


    "It''s as I expected huh..."


    I asked Celestia upon seeing her agonizing over things, "Is there something wrong? No, that aside, what are you doing now?"


    "Protecting the inheritance. There was an inheritance set for me in the case that Father passed away. Before we enter the Imperial Pce, we have to take care of all this."


    "Shouldn''t we first figure out who harmed the Emperor?" I questioned.


    Diana, who was standing next to Celestia, then exined.


    "ording to the reports and Senate announcements, an unidentified energy bomb blew up the entire Pce where His Majesty resided. The criminal¡¯s identity remains unknown, but most of the members of the Imperial family are considered as suspects."


    "What? Then, don''t tell me..."


    "That''s right. I''m both an heir to the inheritance and a suspect at the same time. The same applies to all the royalties you were supposed to meet tonight."


    As Celestia exined, her eyes had never left the materials that were in front of her. I pointed to one of them.


    "Erm, paragraph 25 of the previous page is a legal pitfall."


    "What?"


    Having turned to the next page, Celestia raised her eyebrows and turned back to the previous page. Instead of asking me<i>, ''What do you mean </i>pitfall<i>?'',</i> she calmly read the paragraph I had just mentioned for a few times.


    "ina[3], what''s the average profit margin for Buda Construction?"


    "It''s 4.87%. The nt has a profit margin of 5.36%, energy at 5.25%, civil engineering at 5.10%. These three had a rtively high profit margin, and architecture activity has a profit margin below 3%."


    "Alright, then¡­ Ah! I see! These damn bastards didn''t take into ount any of the operating expenses nor the increase in material prices! Based on this data, everything would have a decreased profit margin of one to three percent. Especially for investments innd development businesses and private businesses, isn¡¯t the simple rate of return 0.43% and 0% respectively? It looks like a good deal on the surface but the more construction we do, the more losses we will incur! And especially projects like terraforming! If we do it even just once, there would be a huge deficit!"


    <i>''...Wow.''</i>


    I was astonished by Celestia who managed to swiftly pinpoint the issue despite the subtle hint I gave. She was a beautiful idol, but she was frighteninglypetent when it came to work. She only overlooked the issue because she had to do an excessive amount of work in such a short time. If she had time to spare, I believe she would have been able to realize it on her own ord.


    "Dae-ha! Are-, are there any other errors like this?"


    "I haven''t had a close look so far... Can you put them all up on the wall on the right side?"


    "Diana."


    "Huh? But¡­"


    "No buts. Have you already forgotten that he''s my husband? We don''t have time, so hurry and put it up!"


    Diana couldn''t ovee Celestia''s rebuttal. She operated the pad and the right screen turned ck. Then, dozens of documents popped up on it.


    As I started reading the documents, Celestia also continued reading the documents she was looking at. It seemed she nned to finish up more work while I was checking the documents, but there was no reason for this job to continue for so long in the first ce.


    The moment I nced the documents over, everything would be done.


    "No. 2, 7, 11, 23, 40, and¡­ No. 52. Three of them are malicious fabrication of data, and two of them are missing some data. Thest one is a little weird though? On the contrary to the others, there''s too much of a gain for you."


    Needless to say, I didn''t know exactly what the documents or contract was about. I wasn''t some sort of business owner, so there was no way I could understand the reports, contacts, and financial statements of such a space-scale business.


    However, I could see the titles.


    Just like how I saw the title of the trash thrown away by the olddy next door, or how I was able to see the titles of Gigas and Artificial Intelligences, it was also possible to identify the title of objects.


    In other words, it meant that I was able to know the moment I saw a piece of problematic document or paper.


    "Wow, Dae-ha, do you want to get a job under me, a job? No, not just that. I''ll let you be in charge of a couple ofpanies."


    "Don''t say nonsense and just wrap it up, wrap it up alright. You said you didn''t have time, right?"


    Celestia snorted upon hearing my words and checked the documents I picked out. Unlike Diana who was standing next to Celestia in a state of confusion, Celestia did not hesitate at all.


    <i>''As I expected, she¡­ She probably knows about it to a certain extent.''</i>


    Celestia knew I possessed a godly bloodline. On top of that, she met Hawa who hade to Albatross to meet me.


    In fact, if this much information was given, it was natural to make an inference that would be simr to the absolute truth. Most of all, didn''t she see me giving orders in person?


    <i>''Machine God Dekarma.''</i>


    Even if he wasn''t a being of some high-ranked God status like the God of Civilization and Information, he was still a First-Tier God. He was someone who once instilled fear throughout the whole universe with his mighty power and authority. He was the guardian deity of the Legion, the archenemy of the Union. So, if I were of his bloodline, it wouldn¡¯t feel strange regardless of what my powers were. Rather, I was currently too weak.


    "But still, the situation is pretty severe. It''s almost an attack at this point. Can they even be regarded as a vessel to the Imperial family?"


    "They are vessels to the Imperial family ording to the Imperialw only. But in actual fact, they don¡¯t acknowledge my status and I can''t do anything about that."


    Just because there were royalties and nobles, it didn''t mean that the nobles had any kind of territory under their control. The Emperor was the only one who owned the Empire. The royalties and nobles under him had no territory. Instead, they had businesses, real estates, intellectual property rights and other simr things.


    "In other words, the nobles are basically some sort of¡­ chaebol [4] household?"


    "To put it in radical terms, then yes. And the royalties would be the owners of their respective households and businesses."


    However, now that the Emperor had passed away, somepanies would then be under Celestia as part of her inheritance. Be that as it may, the businesses had other ns in mind. The other members of the Imperial family wanted to prevent Celestia from bing more influential by gaining an enormous amount of wealth and assets.


    "Imperial Princess-nim, it''s almost time."


    "Already? Well, fortunately, it''s almost all sorted out¡­ Get ready. Oh, the gun is unsealed, right?"


    "Yeah."


    "Can you bring it?" Celestia asked.


    "Wait a minute."


    ina answered and left the room. I found thepletely random term weird.


    "Gun?"


    "It''s a gift for you. Thanks to you, I''m able to rx a little bit."


    ina returned with a box which size wasmonly seen in shoe stores. The only thing to note was that the box was made out of wood and was decorated quite luxuriously.


    <i>ck.</i>


    As there was no need to decline the gift, I opened it without hesitation. A ck pistol with a simple designid inside the box.


    "¡­A revolver?"


    I was flustered. No, in the first ce, what was this kind of anachronistic design doing in the Great Universe Era?


    Celestia said with a smile as if she had anticipated my reaction, "Its name is Shadow Stalker. Despite its appearance, it''s a high-tech weapon. It''s one of the gifts that the Kendler Saints gave to the Emperor."


    "Huh, what do you mean this is a high-tech weapon?"


    I held up the ck revolver, Shadow Stalker. For a moment, I could feel ina flinching while holding the box.


    Celestia exined, "It was originally meant for me, but it didn''t fit, so I sealed it. I polished my Magic Bullet Skills, so it''s difficult for me to disy my full power unless it''s a Magic Gun type weapon."


    "What is this if it''s not a Magic Gun?"


    "Well that''s obviously an item made of pure scientific technology. That''s what the Kendler Saints who gave this to the Emperor said."


    Celestia said with a smirk, "That''s the fruit of a type IV Civilization."


    1. Jus sanguinis istin for the right of blood, and in this case, it basically means that people of every ss believed in the right and authority of the bloodlines.


    2. I think by Earth, the author was conveniently referring to Korea as a context rather than the whole Earth.


    3. The raws wrote ina here but I think the author probably typed the wrong name and meant Diana. The same goes for the other mentions of ina in this chapter.


    4. Chaebol is basically arge family-owned business conglomerate. For example, Hyundai, LG and Samsung.

 Chapter 97: For the Crown (2)

    <h4>Chapter 97: For the Crown (2)</h4>


    Celestia said with a smirk, "That''s the fruit of a Stage IV Civilization."


    "What do you mean it''s the fruit of a Stage IV Civilization..."


    When a civilization awakens its intelligence and starts to blossom, it would be considered a Stage I Civilization. Actually, I didn''t know clearly the standards for the different stages of civilizations. Some say that the standards were set at the discovery of fire, but in actual fact, there were also some who say that the fundamental criterion was the use ofary energy. However, it wasn''t a confirmed hypothesis.


    Anyway, when such advanced intellectuals had set up an information system andwork that covered most or the entire, they would be considered a Stage II Civilization. In Earth''s terms, it would be equivalent to the discovery of the inte and radio waves.


    Following that, they would be able to advance to Stage III Civilization when they managed to leave their and seed in interster and intergxy travels. In the case of my hometown, Earth-34, we only barely managed to reach the moon, so we had yet to advance to Stage III Civilization. We were basically around the peak of Stage II Civilization.


    And Stage IV Civilization was...


    "Oh, for your information, our Leonhardt Empire is still at Stage III Civilization."


    "Hmm? Then wouldn''t it be better to take this and research it instead of giving it to me as a gift? You might even be able to obtain some sort of technological clue to advance to the next stage of civilization." I asked.


    Celestia shook her head.


    "You fool, if it was so easy to advance to the next civilization stage, why would everyone be so concerned about it? That''s basically the same as saying that a person from the Middle Ages would be able to gain some sort of knowledge if he got his hands on a semiconductor and analyzed it."


    In other words, if a civilization didn''t have an adequate level of infrastructure or knowledge, even if they were to get their hands on an item from a superior civilization, it would be of little use. The knowledge gap between each stage of civilization went beyond 100 to 200 years, so it was impossible to get some sort of clue through analyzing. Hence, it meant that the only possible way to use the fruit was¡­


    <i>Wiiiiingggg--- </i>


    I could hear a soft mechanical sound as I listened carefully. It felt like the revolver was made entirely of metal, but the inner parts looked quite intricate.


    "Erm, Imperial Princess-nim. The fact that he is able to use Shadow Stalker¡­"


    "Hmmm¡­ It''s nothing like that. But it''s confidential, so don''t ask any further."


    "Understood."


    Diana bowed her head without prying further. Seeing Diana''s reaction, I asked, "What do you mean? Is this something that can''t be used by a random person?"


    "It was a gift presented to His Majesty the Emperor, so that''s a given. You can''t use it unless you''re a royalty."


    "I see."


    I nodded without any sort of changes in my expression because I already knew that the existences of civilizations based on machinery or science<strong> </strong>would find it hard to go against me due to the godly status of the God of Civilization and Information.


    <i>''Even a Gigas -- an invention as an integration of science and magic -- could only obey me. Needless to say, a pure machinery would definitely not be able to go against me.''</i>


    I epted the gift naturally and examined the Shadow Stalker.


    <strong>Thor Workshop</strong>


    <strong>Versatile and Talented, Shadow Stalker </strong>


    <i>''What''s with this human-like title?''</i>


    I looked at the title of Shadow Stalker as I was fascinated, and the method to use Shadow Stalker naturally entered my mind.


    "Hmm."


    "Huh? What''s wrong? Is there some sort of problem?"


    "No. This is pretty good."


    I took off the luxury watch on my arm that Sepi ¡ª the coordinator ¡ª had used to essorize me and put Shadow Stalker in its ce. Just then¡­


    <i>Wiiiiingggg- Chakak!</i>


    Shadow Stalker was quickly reassembled in a matter of seconds and instantly turned into a stylishly-designed metal watch, wrapping around my wrist. It looked quite ssy with its ck glow.


    "Ouuuh, it''s like a kind of Transformers."


    "What''s that?"


    "Oh my? You don''t have that here? Or is it forgotten because it''s such a ssic movie?"


    Unlike my teasing words, Diana''s expression was serious. She even looked a little confused.


    "¡­ Imperial Princess-nim."


    "I told you not to ask any further, didn''t I?"


    Celestia shook her head lightly to shut Diana up before looking at me. I nodded my head.


    "Alright then, let''s go now."


    "Do you need me to exin how to use it?"


    Upon seeing Celestia looking at me warily, I smiled.


    "You already know I don''t need it, so why ask? Thank you for the gift."


    "Don''t mention it. Ahh, we really don''t have any more time now. I''ll change in a jiffy, so sit down for a while."


    Celestia turned around and left the room. Diana followed after her and before I knew it, I was left alone in the room.


    It was then.


    <i>Tatak--</i>


    "Hmm?"


    I thought the air was wavering, and a man wearing a metal vest armor with his arms out in the open, appeared. I was very familiar with the gray hair hanging down his head and the handsomely defined features on his face.


    "Ares?"


    <strong>Ohhhh! I seeded!</strong>


    Looking intimidating at first nce, Ares'' face brightened up. However, immediately after that, he fixed his expression as if he was taken by surprise, and his expression distorted.


    <strong>You punk-ass bastard! Don''t you know how to at least contact me once?</strong>


    "What? You said yourself that you''d be standing by while orbiting around the satellite."


    <strong>But you should still keep in touch! I can''t send my vision down because of the interference from the Imperial Capital, but if there is a medium, I can still talk!</strong>


    "A medium¡­ Ahaaaa."


    I raised my left arm and looked at Shadow Stalker. This was most probably not just a weapon, but it also seemed to have amunication function.


    <strong>Well anyway, I don''t have time, so please put in a word with the watch. Fortunately, it is just a simple artificial intelligence that does not have an ego, so I can grab a spot.</strong>


    I tilted my head at Ares who was in a hurry.


    "You want to grab a spot? And what do you want me to talk to it about?"


    <strong>Nothing much. Tell it to open up its defenses.</strong>


    I nodded upon hearing Ares'' words. I didn''t know what he was talking about, but he wouldn''t do anything that would be harmful to me.


    "Open up your defenses, Shadow Stalker."


    <i>Pooof!</i>


    Ares disappeared in an instant. However, that did not mean that it had be quiet.


    <strong>Nice! It''s a sess.</strong>


    "What the? Is it the King of All Armaments?"


    <strong>If I had to put it into words, then yes.</strong>


    Fascinatingly, I could hear Ares'' voice<strong> </strong>inside me. It felt a little different from the Spiritual Speech that I heard thus far. It felt like it was some kind of signal traveling up my bones and conveyed directly to my brain.


    <strong>Ooooh, despite being so small in size, there''s quite a lot of functions. It also has a pairing function¡­ Nice, it can also recognize Udjat.</strong>


    Ares muttered to himself for some time and then appeared in my field of sight.


    "Oh, what is this? I can see you only through the sses," I said as I took off Udjat and wore it back on.


    Udjat was broken previously because of the bloodlust from Celestia''s fans but had restored to its original condition with its self-restoration function. I looked at Ares through the sses; he was making a triumphant expression.


    <strong>Great, since we have this, it is possible for us to have perfectmunication without being caught by the Imperial family or the surveince systems. </strong>


    <i>''I can just talk like this?''</i>


    As I spoke quietly in my mind, Ares nodded his head.


    <strong>Yes, that''s all you have to do. And...</strong>


    <i>ck.</i>


    Ares mumbled some more and activated the function. However, just then, the door opened. I thought it was Celestia, but instead, a yellow-haired young girl with a small frame and dressed in a work uniform entered. It was the same work uniform as when she groomed my hair earlier.


    "I''m here to do a final check on your style."


    "Ahhh, thank you. Was your name Remy?"


    "Yes, have a seat please."


    The mood was a little different from before when she was smiling brightly. Remy straightened my hair to make a slightly more formal hairstyle. I left my hair in her good hands and closed my eyes for a while. Then, I handed over the luxurious watch that I had taken off.


    "You came at a good time. Can you take this back?"


    "No problem. But why do you have a new watch..."


    "Cel gave it to me as a gift."


    I didn''t say anything out of the ordinary, but Remy''s hands stopped moving.


    "What''s this? Are you done?"


    "You¡­ Whoo. Whoo."


    I found it strange that she was taking deep breaths. What? Was it that shocking that I received some gifts?


    However, Remy whispered in my ear before I could ask further.


    "¡­Don''t get me wrong."


    "Hmm?" I questioned upon hearing Remy''s cold voice.


    Her scissors were still held close to my hair and it was an awkward position for me to turn around. Then, Remy said, "What... What''s happening right now is necessary. The Imperial Princess-nim..."


    As if she was holding it in all along, Remy continued speaking like she was slowly unraveling her inner thoughts.


    "Imperial Princess-nim doesn''t love you."


    Her voice was choppy, and it was even filled with resentment. For a moment, I was curious as to why she was showing her emotions so tantly, but I didn''t see a need to put in the effort to figure that out.


    "Why are you saying something obvious?"


    I let out augh instantly.


    Remy spoke as if the fact that Celestia didn''t love me was a secret. However, I did not find her demeanor displeasing, instead, I found it fascinating. Do I really look that stupid in her eyes?


    <i>''Love? What a load of bullshit.''</i>


    Celestia had never looked at me with<strong> </strong>that kind of gaze; not when we first met, nor when we gradually became closer. Most importantly, even till the moment when we escaped through the hardships together, she had never looked at me that way.


    Of course, she liked me.


    However, I already knew that. The positive feelings she had for me was definitely not the kind that was directed towards the opposite sex.


    - I was determined to make it happen even if I die, and I''ve lived while gritting my teeth... What a pathetic ending this is.


    I recalled her words during the "erased time", theplicated gaze she showed when Adam appeared and destroyed more than half of Golden Rose, including the Imperial Capital, and massacred the transcendents that were inside.


    I didn''t know anything about the situation she was going through. I had no idea of how she grew up, why she had no background despite her position as an Imperial Princess, and why she had to escape from the Imperial family even if she had to do something like an idol<strong> </strong>that was unbefitting of her.


    Neither do I know why she joined the army by her own ord and lived on the battlefield.


    <i>''Come to think of it, I really don''t know anything about her.''</i>


    Perhaps it was a given because I myself didn''t want to know those things. I could see titles; I could have gotten all the information there was to know about her if I had enough time, but I didn''t do so.


    "Something ob-...obvious?"


    "Yes, you''ll probably hear the gist of things soon, but... I just signed a contract with her for a while, so I''ll break up with her as soon as things get sorted out. We don''t even have feelings of love between us anyways."


    "Between the two of you? There''s no feelings of love between the two of you? You don''t love her?"


    For a moment, I was bewildered by her tone which carried a hint of anger. I nodded. Looking at the situation, I didn''t think there was anything more to do to my hair anyway, so I stood up.


    "I''m only helping her for a while because I am indebted to her, so you don''t have to be so sensitive about it. I am..."


    "Don''t be ridiculous!"


    "...?"


    As I turned my head to the sudden shouting, I could see Remy shouting at me, her face red with fury.


    "You don''t love her? Even when you married her? How could you not love her! She''s... the Imperial Princess!"


    "¡­Remy."


    Remy stopped instantly as if she was frozen upon hearing someone called her name. Celestia was behind her, and she walked towards us silently.


    "I''m keeping an eye on you."


    "Imperial Princess-nim, I-..."


    "I don''t want to see you around for a while."


    "..."


    Remy was dazed for a while and looked as if her whole world had copsed. She barely managed to gather herself together and left the room.


    Celestia then apologized, "I''m sorry."


    "Yes, you should be sorry. I can''t believe you didn''t solve your woman problems when you''re going to get married."


    "That''s... I''m sorry. I didn''t think Remy, the most gentle of them all, would do this. I have nothing to say."


    I shook my head at the sight of her bowing her head continuously.


    "It''s alright. The gazes of your fans were tens of times scarier than this. It''s a bit sad to be resented by a cute girl, but I can''t do anything about it."


    "Ughh, I''m sorry. They are really too..."


    <i>Beep!</i>


    Just as she was about toplete her sentence, a mechanical beep suddenly rang. Celestia''s expression stiffened.


    "It''s about time we head out."


    "Alright. Let''s go see the faces of the other royal family members."


    I nodded because I didn''t really want to keep the conversation going any longer. Was it because I obtained a weapon? Compared to how nervous I was at the beginning, I was feeling much more mentally stable. Celestia wore an elegant ck dress with a simple design, and as I reached out my hand, she naturally held it.


    "But be careful. Just like how it was when I was reading the reports earlier..."


    She was walking slowly, and said, "This is a different kind of war."


    We went to the main council room. It was a new battlefield that we had to go through.

 Chapter 98: For the Crown (3)

    <h4>Chapter 98: For the Crown (3)</h4>


    The Earth Union[1] ¡ª the original form of Leonhardt Empire ¡ª was a group that would have been difficult to be established without the overwhelming charisma of the First Emperor. To Earthlings who had been progressing civilization within their specific time and space before entering the Great Universe, the fact that there were<i> ''other Earths simr to itself'' </i>was naturally a matter that warranted vignce. If these Earthlings from different Earths had met through normal procedures, the prevailing prediction was that there would have been a war.


    However... the situation they had to face when they were thrown into the universe was too harsh. The Universe War, or otherwise referred to as The Great War, dealt severe blows to all 47 Earths and put them near destruction. These 47 Earths had no choice but to form a huge force under the First Emperor who possessed godly powers. They would have all walked the path of destruction if they did not join hands.


    Hence, that was why all the authority was concentrated in the Emperor of the Leonhardt Empire.


    That''s right. <i>''It WAS concentrated''</i>.


    "Does that mean it''s no longer that way anymore?"


    "Yes, everything changed when the First Emperor fell into an eternal slumber."


    Emperor Leonhardt reigned over the Empire for about 30 years after the end of the war, but he was unable to hold out and eventually copsed. He failed to heal the curses that were inflicted on him by his enemies during the war.


    As he fell into an eternal sleep under the powers of the curse, even the Golden Lion God who was with him left the Empire. The existence that led the 47 Earths with transcendental power, poprity, and fame disappeared in an instant.


    "What about the members of the Imperial family? I heard that the First Emperor had three children."


    "Even so, they were far inferior aspared to the First Emperor."


    The control of the Leonhardt''s Imperial family gradually grew weaker. The Imperial family was born between the intermediate-rank transcendent, Emperor Leonhardt, and the high-rank transcendent, namely the Golden Lion God -- an Untouchable. Hence, they had an exceptional level of charm and ability. However, even so, it was beyond their capabilities to lead all 47 Earths and the thousands of nations inside. The many influential people who were holding their breath under the leadership of Emperor Leonhardt gradually began to reveal their greed.


    As a result, nobles came into existence in the Leonhardt Empire that used to only have the Imperial family.


    The top leaders of each Earth, such as the presidents who led their during the war, politicians, businessmen with vast fortunes, or wealthy chaebols, began to refer to themselves as nobles.


    This was a turn of events that the Leonhardt Imperial family did not want at all, but the Third Emperor was not able to prevent that from happening because hecked both leadership and power. It was all the more so because he saw his brother, the Second Emperor, being assassinated by these self-dered nobles with his own eyes.


    Ever since, the power of the nobles only grew stronger. Though the number of Imperial family members increased through generations of marriage and births, these descendants were both descendants of the Imperial family as well as nobles since there was a high chance that Imperial family members would get into an arranged marriage with members of noble families or pre-arranged candidates.


    "Of course, all the Emperors of the past did not just sit still and openly let this happen. They formed a contract with Cheong Won, a powerful being from the Saint Realm, and allowed him to manage the bloodline. This allowed them to win over a majority of the nobles to their side and made them one of their own."


    "In other words, that means there are factions between the nobles?"


    "That''s right so to speak. To make it easier to understand, it''s divided into the Nobles Faction and Emperor Faction."


    I listened to Celestia''s exnation while we were heading to the main council room. I thought that there had always been three social sses since the founding of the Leonhardt Empire ¡ª Royalty, Nobles, and Commoners. However, it seemed like "Nobles" was a new social ss that had appeared along the way.


    "Ahh,e to think of it, who''s investigating the Emperor''s death?"


    "If it was a typical case, then obviously the prosecution and police would step forward, but... in this case, the Senate would be the one to make a move. They are the only ones who can run an independent investigation without receiving any external intimidations."


    We walked down the long hallway. Although there weren''t many people around, that didn''t mean that there was no one around. However, Celestia did not seem to care about any of it and continued exining stuff to me.


    "Ahh, herees the Fourth Imperial Princess."


    Just then, I could hear the mutters of the group of people passing by us. Considering the fact that no one was able to bring guards to the main council room, all of them were nobles in the same faction.


    "Wait a minute. Don''t tell me the person beside her is the guy?"


    "Hoho, I heard about it, but I can''t believe it''s actually true..."


    "Is she really getting married? For real?"


    We walked past them while listening to their voices full of disbelief. It seemed to be quite a hot issue thanks to the huge gathering of Celestia''s fans which had caused things to turn out this way.


    "Their gazes are shooting daggers at me."


    "That''s probably the case. Even though I don''t have the slightest bit of authority, I''m the most famous member of the Imperial family."


    "Good for you."


    I continued to walk while grumbling. Celestia, who had been silent for a while, soon whispered in a low voice.


    "I''m telling you this again, but... ignore everything. You can just treat them like barking dogs."


    "No matter how provocative or disrespectful they are?"


    "I''m really sorry that you''re put in this situation, but I can''t help it now that my father has passed away. Fortunately, we were spared the worst situation thanks to his official decree of approval for our marriage before the incident took ce. On the contrary, it''s exactly because of this that they will try to find fault with us by using any means possible in the council room."


    I looked around upon hearing Celestia''s words. I could feel people from all over the ce fixing their eyes on us.


    "Then wouldn''t it be possible for them to also send an assassin, ore at us right out in the open?"


    "That''s not possible. The illegal use of military force in this emergency situation in which the Emperor was assassinated would be a huge political trouble. They would also have to face the wrath of the Senate that called for this meeting. And most importantly..."


    Celestia stopped just as she was about to finish her words and suddenly giggled. I found it strange upon seeing that.


    "Most importantly?"


    "Wasn''t there a Noblesse out there iming to be a fan of mine? Not the self-proimed fakes that achieved it through money and military strength, but a real noble who received recognition even in the entire universe."


    "Aha."


    I nodded my head as I recalled the Shadow Dragon that I had forgotten for a moment. Come to think of it, her Knight Order<strong> </strong>was still holding out outside the Imperial Capital. Although they could not enter the Imperial Capital since they were considered a foreign force, they would definitely not stay still if they found out that Celestia was subjected to perils.


    "Well, to be honest, the Knight Order''s military prowess is nowhere near enough. Even if Dark Sunny was a Noblesse, the Leonhardt Empire also has formidable potential. They have two powerful beings who can win against Dark Sunny even if they fought 1 on 1. Furthermore, the Knight Order is nowhere close in numbers."


    "But the problem isn''t just power, is it?"


    "That''s a given. He can''t just make a move without proper justification."


    "His background is the issue."


    "That''s right."


    Seeing the sight of her nodding, a spection suddenly came to my mind.


    "Cel, can''t we get them in?"


    "Them?"


    "I''m talking about your fans. Not just Dark Sunny, but the rest of your fans too. To be honest, I think they''re a pretty good force, right?"


    They were a fan club in name, but it didn''t mean that they were just a group of fanboys. Of course, the Noblesse, Dark Sunny stood out the most. However, the rest of them came from distant ces in the universe, and each and every one of them had backgrounds and wealth that couldn''t be belittled. Even if this was the Great Universe, it wasn''tmon that a spaceship capable of interster or intergctic travel would be used for personal purposes.


    <i>''Above all, the fact that they were able tond on Golden Rose was proof of that.¡¯</i>


    Despite the Imperial family and the nobles'' displeasure over Celestia''s power, the fact that they failed to prevent Celestia''s fans fromnding meant that each and every one of Celestia''s fans were unusual in every aspect. Although Celestia had no imperial authority nor backing, wouldn''t she be able to disy a decent amount of power if her fans supported her?


    I thought it was a good idea, but unexpectedly, Celestia let out a deep sigh.


    "You idiot. My fans aren''t my henchmen, neither do they work for me. No matter how much power and authority they have¡­ I cannot forget the truth of things."


    "The truth of things?" I expressed my doubts.


    Just then, Celestia stopped all of a sudden. Following her, I stopped as well and she looked back at me.


    "The truth is that I don''t know anything about them."


    "..."


    "And the fact is they areplete strangers to me."


    She stared at me with her clear eyes. Just then, a blonde-haired middle-aged man approached from the other side.


    "Cel."


    "Samcheon [2]."


    Celestia approached the man with a delighted face and hugged him. He also smiled brightly and patted Celestia''s head.


    <i>''What the? She seems closer to her samcheon than her own father.''</i>


    It was apletely different vibe from when we met Angelos III, and I was astonished by this atmosphere. However, just as I was, the man was also looking at me with a very subtle expression.


    "Is this him?"


    "Yes, he''s my husband, Kwan Dae-ha."


    "Your husband huh..."


    The man trailed off and scrutinized me up and down with that sharp gaze of his, but I received his gaze without any change in my expression. Thinking about it, this was a much better reactionpared to all the situations I had been through.


    "Cel, can you introduce him?"


    "Oh, yes. He''s my samcheon. He''s also my magic teacher too."


    "He''s your samcheon huh."


    In general,"samcheon" was a title that referred to one''s father''s unmarried brothers. When the brother got married, it would then bemon to call him "big uncle" or "small uncle" [3], so he was probably single.


    <i>''I heard marriage waspulsory. Was he able to escape that because he reached the realm of transcendence?''</i>


    I scoffed at the spection I came up with and greeted him, "Nice to meet you. I''m Kwan Dae-ha."


    "I''m Rosta Leonhardt."


    He introduced himself and stared at me tantly. Fortunately, there wasn''t any hostility in his gaze.


    I checked his title naturally.


    <strong> Department of Combat Technology</strong>


    <strong>Grantor Transcendent, Rosta</strong>


    <i>''What does it mean by grantor? Is it referring to a production-type ability?''</i>


    He seemed to be an ability user who wasn''t specialized inbat, and I felt the same vibe from him. Come to think of it, he might be a technician who held a ministerial position as the task of the Department of Combat Technology was said torgely be rted to <i>The Great War</i> and the maintenance of the Gigas.


    "By the way, how''s the situation?"


    "It''s... Nevermind, let''s just go inside for now. It''s not something we should talk about here."


    Celestia turned around with a<i> ''whoosh''</i>, and followed after Rosta.


    Whenever there was an important agenda for the Imperial family, the main council room would be opened. It was basically a huge ce withplex structures. Frankly, it felt as if I was in a maze, and I thought of tying a string at the entrance in case I got lost. However, Celestia and Rosta pushed their way through the crowd of people without hesitation, perhaps because they seemed quite familiar with this ce.


    "This ce is swarmed. I think all the nobles of the Empire have gathered."


    "That''s how much of a big deal this is. An emergency call was held and all the nobles above the rank of Viscount were summoned. There would be more than a thousand nobles in here right now."


    As we walked alongside Rosta, one of the key figures of the Leonhardt Empire, the other groups bowed and showed their respect. I think we passed by about 100 people in a matter of minutes, but there weren''t any that were memorable.


    However, just then, I could hear a soft voiceing from a group of people that just appeared not too long ago.


    "Is that him?"


    "Hoho, it''s my first time seeing such a couple that doesn''t match well together. They look like a phoenix and a penguin standing side by side."


    "What on earth was Starlight thinking to bring a man like that here?"


    "She pretended to be so elegant and noble. But in the end, the man she brought her looked so lowly."


    "As expected, the apple doesn''t fall far from the tree."


    There were whispers going around. I scoffed at the sight of them conversing as if they were talking about secrets amongst themselves. It was absurd, because those so-called nobles were talking noticeably to the point that even I could hear them.


    <i>''These bastards?''</i>


    My physical ability was simr to the mostmon of humans. I did not possess great hearing, nor did I possess any special abilities. In other words, if I could hear it, it meant that everyone else could too. What more, the majority of nobles here were high-ranked ability users.


    "Hold it in," said Celestia and she held my hand.


    "Do you remember what I said earlier?"


    "¡­Of course." I nodded gently. The bastards who referred to themselves as nobles had such dishonorable demeanor, openly provoking me. I was flustered, but not burning up from anger. After all, I did not have a narcissistic personality. However, What made me feel ufortable was¡­ ''<i>It is fine if they talk shit about me, but do they have to publicly disregard Celestia to this extent?'' </i>


    1. In this case, this refers to the Union of the 100 divided Earths.


    2. samcheon is Korean for Uncle. I used the Korean romanization as there are other variations of Uncle further down the chapter.


    3. For those who are interested to learn a bit more about Korean, the term is actually ???? (Keun-a-bo-ji) and ?? ??? (ja-geun-a-bo-ji) which trantes literally to "big father" and "small father"

 Chapter 99: For the Crown (4)

    <h4>Chapter 99: For the Crown (4)</h4>


    "Do you remember what I said earlier?"


    "¡­Of course." I nodded gently. The bastards who referred to themselves as nobles had such dishonorable demeanor, openly provoking me. I was flustered, but not burning up from anger. After all, I did not have a narcissistic personality. However, What made me feel ufortable was¡­ ''<i>It is fine if they talk shit about me, but do they have to publicly disregard Celestia to this extent?'' </i>


    The Leonhardt Empire was a country that strictly adhered to the caste system, so the royals were clearly above the nobles in terms of hierarchy. It was unfamiliar to me, someone who lived in a democratic country. However, I acknowledged that it was the public order of this country.


    <i>''Despite all that, they broke the public order¡­ Are they willing to put up with the consequences, or do they intend to create a new public order¡­?'' </i>


    I couldn''t help but let out a sigh. If my spections turned out to be true, I stopped by the Imperial Capital at the worst possible timing. I would get caught in the crossfire if I was unlucky enough.


    <i>''Although the cause was different, the oue was just as Celestia had predicted. We can''t simply stir up trouble right now. One wrong move will only bring us more enemies.''</i>


    I slightly turned my head to confirm the titles of the whispering nobles around me.


    <strong>Amon''s Duchy</strong>


    <strong>Ugler, Parterre</strong>


    <strong>Amon''s Duchy</strong>


    <strong>Ugler, Setara</strong>


    "Keke. Ugler? What the crap is an Ugler?"


    "Dae-ha?" Celestia was wide-eyed, watching meugh uncontrobly. The only response I gave her was a simple nod.


    I had no intention of getting angry at empty provocations, but simply standing down was irritating me.


    ''<i>Was I always like this?''</i>


    I ignored that sudden thought and said, "Come to think of it, you must be on really bad terms with Amon''s Duchy. They even sent those ughtering machine-bastards to Earth to assassinate you. Yet, they are right here chatting away leisurely."


    The nobles, who have been whispering, hardened their expressions at once. "I¡­ I don''t know what you are talking about. Why would we be from Amon''s Duchy? We are from Senna''s County¡­"


    "I wasn''t talking about the lot of you. Aside from that¡­" I interrupted their denial andughed. "Were we in the middle of a conversation?"


    The slight embarrassment I caused them made them back off with flushed faces. They looked ready to retort and argue, but Rosta and Celestia stood next to me. They couldn''t afford to openly condemn the legitimate royals, so they resorted to whispering amongst themselves. Therefore, they couldn''t start a conversation after getting caught in the act.


    However, the nobles were not the only surprised ones. Rosta, who remained silent this entire time, stared at me with a bewildered expression. "What ughtering machine? What do you mean?" His question was serious, as if he knew something.


    I simply shrugged and did not respond. Come to think of it, even though this ahjussi[1] feigned closeness with Celestia, he did not stop any criticism that was directed at her. It was pretty detestable.


    "Please tell him, Dae-ha. He is one of the few allies I have."


    "Even if he''s one of the few allies you have, I don''t like him at all."


    "Awhhhh~ Come on, don''t be like that." Celestia, who rarely yed up her cuteness, nuzzled my neck. That was when I heard incredulous soundsing from behind us.


    Even Rosta, who had a serious expression, looked back at Celestia in surprise. "C-Cel? What are you doing right now?"


    "What else? A cute aegyo attack at my husband~?" Celestia smiled confidently and shot hearts my way, making a ''<i>Biyunnggg~'' </i>sound. Her expression was irresistibly cute, but it only made Rosta stare at her with a pale face.


    <i>''What the crap? I know this is unlike her, but is her act of cuteness such a shocking matter?'' </i>With that thought, I was at a loss of words. I asked, "How do you usually manage your public image for them to react in this way?"


    "How else? I acted like an aloof Queen."


    "Well, I still don''t like the way they are acting."


    "Hmph. It garners no interest of mine, because it does not concern my efforts or my life.Anyway, let''s stop moving. Lead the way, samcheon."


    "Al-Alright."


    I followed the two members of the Imperial family and moved to a central seat of the main council room. The structure of the main council room was simr to that of a theater, but it was of a muchrger scale and aisles ran between every six seats. Each seat was separated by shoulder-height partitions and had ess to a table. The overall structure guaranteed personal space at the bare minimum.


    "By the way, I''d like to ask you again. What do you mean by a ughtering machine?" Rosta asked.


    "It''s literally as I just said. Guys came to ambush and kill Celestia, who came to take a rest on Earth." I remembered what happened on Earth. The title of <strong>ughtering Machine</strong> and the title <strong>Came to kill the Imperial Princess</strong> came to mind. At that time, I couldn''t grasp the situation, since I had no idea where Amon''s Duchy was. I only had a rough idea after seeing the group associated with it again.


    "Cel, did you get attacked again?"


    "Mm, that''s right. That''s why I stopped by Dae-ha''s house, which was designated as the Primordial God''s Sacred Land... Then, the Primordial God personally flew us to Albatross from there."


    "I''ve roughly heard about what happened there, but... There seems to be a gap in the story. If that was truly the case, on what grounds were you capable of identifying the attackers as people from Amon''s Duchy? They aren''t people to leave easy clues lying around."


    Although it was obvious that Rosta would ask that particr question, I made no attempt to answer. To a certain extent, I only trusted Celestia and not this ahjussi whom I just met for the first time in my life. "That''s¡­"


    "That''s..."


    "What''s that?"


    "It''s a secret."


    Rosta''s expression became distorted. "Now, look here. You must be misunderstanding something about the current situation¡­" He red at me, as if he was momentarily growling his point across. There was no malice, though, so he probably did so to put on airs.


    However, Celestia stepped in just then. "Listen to him, samcheon. He said it is a secret."


    "No, do you think this is something that can be overlooked just because he said it''s a secret? This situation is..."


    "Samcheon." Celestia''s gaze turned cold. "Are you going to make me say it twice?"


    "..."


    Rosta''s eyes drooped, as if he was dejected by Celestia''s chilly voice. His rather imposing presence instantly disappeared as his expression turned dreary. He looked just like a dog standing in the rain.


    However, Celestia did not bat a single eyelid. "Don''t obsess over useless things, and just do what you have to do instead."


    "Ugh, ugh¡­ There is no use in raising a daughter [2]¡­"


    "Who''s your daughter?" Celestia shook her head with a bbergasted expression on her face.


    "Consul-nim ising in." Just then, the bustling main council room immediately fell silent at the clear voice that seemingly prated everyone''s ears. I also turned my head to look towards the podium located right in the front, and I noticed an old man walking up to the center.


    "This shitty..."


    "Oh my God. We were had."


    For some reason, Celestia and Rosta''s expressions hardened. I looked at their perplexed expressions before turning back to the old man who stood on the podium. 180cm¡­ No, he had a handsomely tall height that was around 190cm¡­ He had broad shoulders and sturdy muscles that belie his age. The domineering Aura that coursed through his entire person was also very oppressive¡­ However, his physical features were not the problem.


    "...Aigoooooo." There was no need for further exnation as I let out an immediate groan upon noticing his title. It was a name that even I could recognize.


    <strong>Amon''s Duchy</strong>


    <strong>Owner of the God Sword, Amon</strong>


    Above the old man''s head was a name that I had just said a few minutes ago. Since he was simr to the ones who attacked Celestia, he could essentially be considered an enemy. It also bothered me that he appeared to be a transcendent, but had a different title that was unrted to his ability. He seemed to have some sort of strong trait.


    "What''s going on, samcheon? Don''t you also belong to the Senate?"


    "That''s true, but... It seems I''ve been excludedpletely. They must have gathered more than half of the Senate members and rushed to pass the bill through."


    I butt into the conversations of Celestia and Rosta as they whispered to each other. "Then, do you mean to say that the old man in front wasn''t the original Consul?"


    "That''s a given. For generations, only the pure-blooded royalties could take up the position of Consul. Of course, it''s true that the blood of a royalty also flowed inside Amon, but... No, that aside, what happened to Maken Hyung-nim[3]?" Despite Rosta''s flustered voice, he did not stand up and make a scene. He seemed to sense that it would not be wise to make a hasty move right here.


    <strong>I''m sure some of you here already know it yourself, while some of you might have only just heard. It''s nice to meet you. I''m Peil Amon. </strong>


    The old man''s clear voice resonated through the main council room and oppressed the surrounding atmosphere. The power imbued in his voice was so great that the wide main council room fell into an immediate silence.


    <strong>The previous Consul, Maken, was in an unfortunate mishap due to an unexpected ambush. I am temporarily taking on the role of Consul after a vote by the Senate members.</strong>


    "What do you mean an unexpected ambush?! Are you saying that not only the Emperor was ambushed, but even the Consul-nim was had?"


    "No, that aside, has the murderer been discovered? This isn''t an internecine feud within the Imperial family as well, right?


    "I heard an energy bomb exploded! What are the results of the investigation?"


    As questions began to pop up here and there, the quiet council room became as noisy as a marketce. The atmosphere became extremely chaotic, but I sensed that Amon was watching it unfold with great satisfaction.


    "This doesn''t feel good."


    "Certainly... Samcheon, where are the people from Payne''s Duchy? What about the Crown Prince and the other unnies and oppas?"


    "They''re not here. I don''t think they nned to attend in the first ce."


    "¡­No way."


    "That''s right, it''s a power struggle. The full-scale confrontation between the Nobles Faction and the Emperor Faction has begun."


    "But..."


    "Yeah, it''s something that shouldn''t have happened. With the Emperor dead, what confidence do they have to try fighting the Nobles Faction that is in control of the Senate? There''s no justification either."


    I recalled Celestia saying the Senate''s summon was something that could not be ignored, because a refusal to attend to the summoning could cause one to be on the list of suspects. Otherwise, it might be assumed that they did not approve of this marriage itself. I thought, ''<i>But things have changed.'' </i>The Senate''s summon is disregarded by the nobles and most of the royalties affiliated with the Emperor Faction. It is some sort of boycott. Yet, Celestia and Rosta, who were royals, still entered the main council room.


    "We''ve been had. I''ve beenpletely ostracized... I''m sorry. I didn''t expect my samcheon to be swept away in this predicament."


    "You don''t have to apologize again. But I don''t get it. Did I look that easy?" Rosta''s eyes turned cold. He was an influential figure of the Leonhardt Empire, as well as a transcendent. He was also the Minister of the Department of Combat Technology. However, despite that, he was so easily abandoned by the Emperor Faction.


    "Samcheon."


    "Yes, we have to get out of here first. It seems I''ve been neglecting the politics. I need to set up the relevant department immediately." Rosta stood up while gritting his teeth.


    It was fortunate that our surroundings were in a noisymotion, so leaving quietly would not be too big of an issue. Of course, there may be people regting the participants from leaving in the middle of the meeting, but Rosta was a transcendent. He, bringing us along, would not be stopped by any ordinary obstruction. However¡­


    <strong>We are graced by the presence of the Queen of Starlight, the pride of our Leonhardt Empire. I heard you were thest to meet His Majesty the Emperor... My deepest condolences to you. </strong>


    Amon, who was on the podium, talked to us. There was literally no warning. It was a surprise attack.


    "¡­Damn it." Rosta, who got up from his seat, let out a low groan and sat back down again.


    Everyone who was in the main council room had their eyes directed to us.


    1. Ahjusshi is Korean for uncle.


    2. This is a Korean idiom that can be used both on daughters and sons. It''s something that Korean parents say when their children don''t listen or rebel against them.


    3. Hyung-nim is a polite term used for older brothers or older guys (used by guys), and Oppa is the term used for older brothers or older guys (used by girls).

 Chapter 100: For the Crown (5)

    <h4>Chapter 100: For the Crown (5)</h4>


    <strong>We are graced by the presence of the Queen of Starlight, the pride of our Leonhardt Empire. I heard you were thest to meet His Majesty the Emperor... My deepest condolences to you. </strong>Amon, who was on the podium, talked to us. There was literally no warning. It was a surprise attack.


    "¡­Damn it." Rosta, who got up from his seat, let out a low groan and sat back down again. He noticed that everyone who was in the main council room had their eyes directed at us.


    "There really isn''t any information..." Celestia frowned and murmured softly. She was right that there was no information. With no background, she herself was no match for other nobles or royalties. Furthermore, it was difficult for her to obtain any proper information upon going against forces that wererger than her. Basically on her own, she was overwhelmingly behind in the battle for information.


    When Celestia fought against the Sixth Imperial Prince, or when she suddenly encountered the Crown Prince, both princes lostposure and were in dire straits only because I was present as a variable. Even though that was how events had unfolded when she faced off against the Sixth Imperial Prince, the Crown Prince had picked the perfect timing to interfere just as soon as Celestia got off the Albatross ship before meeting with her fans. If she failed to properly resist and things turned out ording to their will, the countless fans or the Noblesse wouldn''t have been able to help her. In that particr case, they wouldn''t have been able to even see her face, so they wouldn''t have been able to tell if she had been taken by the Leonhardt Imperial family or if she had left on her own ord.


    <i>''Moreover, even now, she''s swept away in the midst of the enemy''s scheme,'' </i>I thought. The current situation was extremely dangerous, where even the slightest bit of misconduct and blunder would snare Celestia in the enemy''s conspiracy.


    <strong>Thank you for your concern, Duke. However, isn''t there something more important than showing your concern over my well-being? </strong>Celestia responded calmly, since this was not the first or second time this sort of situation had urred.


    <strong>Something more important to do?</strong>


    <strong>...That''s a strange question to ask, Duke. Is there anything more important at this moment than uncovering the assassin who murdered my father? </strong>Celestia took a blunt stab at it, indirectly asking the Duke what nonsense he was spouting. She thought he should first be revealing the culprit who killed the Emperor, or disclosing the details of the investigation. This was not some Question and Answer time for him to try having a regr one-on-one conversation with her, who was seated, from the podium.


    <strong>That''s correct. As expected, the Queen of Starlight is a person of intelligence. </strong>Amon nodded and agreed with Celestia''s words. However, at that moment, I could feel the contempt shing from where he was.


    <i>''</i><i>Would you look at that?'' </i>[1]<i> </i>I buried myself in the fluffy seat. For better or worse, no one seemed to be interested in me. This reminded me of a situation where a celebrity and their manager passed by a group of people. Everyone would conveniently ignore the presence of the manager, who was me, while they would all concentrate on the celebrity, who would be Celestia in this situation.


    <i>It would be great if I could urately read their minds, </i>I thought. No matter how versatile their titles were, I could not figure out the target''s objectives<strong> </strong>or ns. Looking at those countless titles could possibly offer up clues to deduce the objectives or ns, but it was a difficult feat to pull off. It would be easier if they were held in ce in front of me for tens of minutes, so I could look into them and investigate.


    <i>''Regrettably, I have to use the most effective ssification.'' </i>I pondered over it. Ability, Emotion, Status, so on and so forth¡­ I needed to look into such keywords in order to directly obtain as much information as I could from a single title. Even if I couldn''t uncover all the conspiracies of the enemies in one shot, I could at the very least identify one or more pieces of information.


    While I quietly pondered by the side, Celestia continued to speak, <strong>I would like to know how far the Senate has figured out regarding this situation. Did you find the culprit?</strong>


    <strong>It goes without saying that we haven''t identified the culprit. </strong>Amon''s reply was calm and unwavering.


    At that moment, I found the appropriate keyword. <i>Truth. </i>I slightly leaned in, hiding behind Celestia to whisper softly. It was an unnecessary move, since the seats in the main council room had a function that prevented any sound leaks, but it was better to prevent being seen. I did not want anyone to read my lips. "It''s a lie."


    Celestia was momentarily stunned by my words. However, she immediately stared at Duke Amon without any changes in her facial expression. <strong>It''s not a scheme that you all had nned out, right?</strong>


    For an instant, even the rxed Duke Amon could note up with an answer. The other nobles and elders who stood on the podium looked at Celestia with a look of dismay. All of them knew just how devastating and dangerous a question that was. <i>This girl¡­ </i>Everyone including her samcheon, Rosta, looked at Celestia as if she was mad.


    I was the only one who knew why Celestia had asked such a dangerous question. She was able to quickly figure out my abilities, so she made the risky move of attempting to obtain the most important information that was not easy to attain. And the result was¡­


    <strong>You seem to have lost your cool due to the grief of losing His Majesty the Emperor... Although it''s discourteous, I''ll let it pass. </strong>


    <strong>That means it''s unrted to you all.</strong>


    <strong>Of course. </strong>Amon''s answer was resolute and without any hesitation. He had such a clear and determined gaze that seemingly made it impossible for anyone in the world to doubt him.


    However, I shook my head. "Lies..." It was great that I knew the truth, but the situation was looking bleak. This ce was full of nobles gathered by the Senate''s summons, so we were basically in the middle of enemy territory.


    Given that the Duke was tantly lying to us, it seemed like the surrounding nobles did not participate in the Emperor''s murder. But then again, it was no different from treason¡­ How could he publiclyment on it then? If a conflict was to rise between Duke Amon and Celestia, however, it was almost certain that the nobles would definitely not provide us with any help.


    There was a huge gap between the Consul and Celestia. The Consul was the highest administrative position, and the one controlling the governing power for the administration and military. Meanwhile, Celestia only possessed a small force as an Imperial Princess without any other backing.


    <strong>That''s a relief. Then, can I ask for a faster investigation and for that information to be disclosed?</strong>


    <strong>Absolutely.</strong>


    While I was watching and fearing that some sort of major incident would happen, Celestia sat back down after the conversation unexpectedly wrapped up in a smooth manner. It seemed that she wasing on too strong, so Duke Amon backed off from his initial attempt to find fault with her.


    "Fortunately, we got over that safely... By the way..." Rosta, who had been quiet, squinted and stared at me. "What did you mean? That it was a lie?"


    "He literally meant what he just said. Dae-ha has an ability that grasps the authenticity of what the other person says."


    Rosta frowned at Celestia''s calm exnation. He then said, "If it was an intelligence-type ability, I would like to say that it was a hasty judgment. Rather, such cheap tricks won''t work on a transcendent who has reached the level of a Compl¨¦ter. Most of all, after listening to a man who doesn''t seem to have reached such a high stage, you did such an extremely dangerous..."


    "Samcheon." Celestia sighed as she swiftly cut off Rosta''s words. "Do I look stupid to you? Moreover, Father allowed this marriage. Do you also think he is a stupid fool? Why on earth would you think that this guy is an ordinary human being?"


    "What? But..." Rosta''s voice trailed off.


    I shrugged at the middle-aged blonde-haired man who looked in my direction with an iprehensible look. Then, he turned to look at Celestia again and said, "No matter how I look at him, isn''t he an ordinary human being?"


    Among the royalties, only those with special eyes could feel <i>''something''</i> in me. Then again, my body was that of an extremely ordinary human being. The soul power I possessed also did not go beyond the level of a beginner. From an ordinary perspective, it was expected to perceive me as a normal human being. I was only surprised that even transcendents could not figure it out. Did my power have nothing to do with the realm or stage I was in?


    "It''splicated, so stop spouting nonsense and just assume that that is true. If they killed my father¡­how on earth did that act benefit them in any way?"


    "What do you mean ''benefit''?" Rosta still seemed unconvinced, but he was also lost in thought. He only pondered for a moment before saying, "¡­There''s nothing, though?"


    "Nothing?"


    "That''s right. No matter how much I think about it, there''s nothing. Even if they were aiming to rebel¡­ It is not the best time to do so now. Of all things, countless outsiders and even Noblesse havee to this, so it is illogical for them to cause an incident. No matter how much they try to block it, they won''t be able to stop the information from leaking out."


    There were countless abilities that existed in the Great Universe, and the numbers remained innumerable. These included the abilities formed through a specific study, the superpowers awakened under a special environment, as well as the power awakened from the bloodline just like the royalties. Among them, the most difficult to block was information-rted abilities that could independently analyze the information. For example, the Foresight ability was capable of seeing the future, while a psychometric ability was capable of seeing the past of a particr object or ce.


    There was even a bizarre kind of ability that could hear secrets<strong> </strong>rted to the information. I heard that beings who possessed <strong>The Devil Behind the Door </strong>ability were even more valuable than the extremely rare Foresight ability users.


    <i>''I see. They can''t help but be afraid that there might be someone with that kind of ability among Cel''s fan club,'' </i>I thought.


    Which job would be best-suited for people with information-rted abilities? That would be a reporter. In order to seed as a proper reporter in the Great Universe, which was overflowing with all kinds of high-level ability users, information-rted abilities were necessary. Horus was rumored to be famous for being the universe''srgest media outlet, and their Chief Director was said to be able to read documents that existed in other gxies while seated in the Director''s Office. Hence, it was self-exnatory and required no further exnation.


    If so... Celestia was someone who was greatly known for her title as a Space Idol. It was then highly likely that reporters would be mixed among fans who flocked together upon hearing that Celestia was in danger. In fact, it was almost a guarantee that a reporter would be present. Who knows, there might even be more reporters mixed in than I thought there would be.


    "But even so, the Emperor was still killed. That is an indisputable truth," Celestia spoke in an unwavering tone that was filled with confidence.


    However, Rosta disagreed. "Get a hold of yourself, Cel. I know this guy is a great pilot, but this is apletely different matter. Even the greedy nobles¡­ No, on the contrary, it is precisely because they are greedy nobles that we shouldn''t forget that there would be no reason for them to do such a thing." His disagreement was firm. No matter what Celestia said, he had alreadye to his own conclusion.


    "Certainly, that''s true." Just then, a new voice which didn''t belong to me or Celestia interrupted their conversation. "However, it is a fact that not everything in the world goes ording to a predetermined n."


    "...!" I jumped up from my seat in surprise. It was just too familiar a voice to me.


    "You are...?"


    "Long time no see." The man was a typical Westerner with dazzling blond hair and blue eyes. He looked to be about sixty or seventy years old, but was strangely dressed in oriental silk clothes and held a white fan.


    "Cheong Won..." I groaned and looked around. His unexpected appearance did not garner any reactions from the surroundings. No, it was beyond the extent of earning no new reactions¡­


    "You don''t have to look around like that. I''ve stopped time."


    "Now even stopping time is possible, huh..." I mumbled in bafflement, though it wasn''t too surprising a thing. Compared to the Time Reversal, which was a great miracle, something like stopping time was a merely trivial thing.


    <i>Schururuk! </i>However, as Cheong Won came in front of me, he suddenly took out a container that contained something simr to sticks and scattered it into the air. Then, the sticks that were in the container floated up in the air. Moving in a fixed manner, it then stopped after that.


    Cheong Won''s face frowned grimly. "It''s still the same? I already moved away from the flow of cause and effect. Even when I''m only moving in a suspended time...?" While he mumbled as if he couldn''t understand the situation, I looked at his title.


    <strong>Bong Rae-do</strong>


    <strong>Fate of Death, Jwa Ja</strong>


    I remembered the time when I used my keys to awaken my own bloodline. At that time, I searched for Cheong Won''s future to get rid of any future troubles that would arise from being caught by him. I had to do so before I became weak again, but I could only read his death<strong> </strong>and couldn''t obtain any other information. I had no idea why he died, or who killed him.


    <i>''Destined to die.'' </i>That was essentially what Cheong Won''s title meant. Foresight did not only show one future, but it showed countless futures depending on the branch of time and all kinds of variables. Yet, there was only one future prepared for him.


    "This isn''t the time for this. I came here to negotiate with you."


    "Are you saying you want to negotiate with me?"


    "That''s right. You decided to marry the Fourth Imperial Princess. If... If you swear to give me the body of the child born to you and the Fourth Imperial Princess, I will help you." Cheong Won did not beat around the bush, nor did he drag his feet. It was a very direct deal. He looked at me with a restless expression, as if he was being chased by something.


    "Do you think I would agree to that?" I asked, before¡­ <i>Rattle rattle. </i>I could hear the sound of a door shaking from somewhere.


    "There''s a good enough reason for you to agree. Try thinking about your current situation. The Emperor is dead and you''ve entered a lion''s den.[/ref] Duke Amon is already determined to kill you. The Fourth Imperial Princess will be taken into his captivity, and sold for a reasonable price. On the other hand, your body won''t even be found."


    <i>Rattle rattle. </i>While the door kept shaking, I wanted to pressure him by saying, ''<i>Release this immediately! What do you think you''re doing right now?!'' </i>Instead, I asked, "So I have to agree to this if I want to live?"


    "It''s not just a matter of living on. Although I''m bound by a mission, I am still an Intermediate-rank transcendent, so I can help you in many ways. I can make your name renowned throughout the entire universe. And also..."


    "Come to think of it, Jwa Ja, there''s something I want to ask you."


    "...What did you say?" Cheong Won made a nk face, as if he was struck by lightning. I had suddenly called him by a different name.


    However, I ignored his reaction and asked, "The body you have right now is also the body of a royalty from the Leonhardt Empire, right?"


    Jwa Ja was an ascetic existence that came from the end of China-Later Han. [2] From the very beginning, I found it strange that the progenitor of Forbidden Arts, Jwa Ja, [3] had a Westerner''s body. He was obviously from China, so it didn''t make sense for him to have blonde hair and blue eyes. However, now that I think about it, I roughly knew where the blond hair and blue eyes hade from.


    "Judging from my observations, I guess that body wasn''t good enough to satisfy you. It seems you''re getting older and growing weaker. It is no wonder that I couldn''t recognize you until now." I looked at him andughed in the stopped time.


    Cheong Won, no, Jwa Ja was looking at me with a stunned expression. "You, who are you? How did you recognize me? What is your true identity?"


    "Me? Who knows?" Iughed as the door shook. <i>Rattle rattle.</i>


    Hawa thought I could not awaken my own bloodline without the key I had inherited from my Father, but that was clearly a great misconception. If I opened the locked door with a key, then I wouldn''t need a key after that. I would be able to open the door just by turning the handle. There were plenty of hints. Didn''t I repeatedly seal<strong> </strong>the enemies who interfered with the key from a long distance? If it was possible to seal it, then it was obviously also possible to unlock it.


    <i>Rattle rattle.</i> The door was shaking.


    "...Something has changed. You''re not who you used to be just a while ago. Who are you?" Jwa Ja scowled at me with a serious expression, taking out five or six talismans. Each of the talismans were Bobae-rank [4] talismans imbued with unprecedented power.


    However, all <strong>I</strong> did wasugh. "Who am I huh..." I remembered the time when I tried to get rid of him, all to protect myself in my lowly human state. I couldn''t find him then, because all I could see was his death. Back then, I was flustered by the fact that I couldn''t see anything. However, I finally knew the reason.


    "I am..." I murmured and¡­ <i>Wiiiiingggg¡­</i> The Shadow Stalker that was on my left hand transformed from a watch to a revolver. I naturally aimed the revolver at him and said, "...your death."


    1. This is a rhetorical question used to cynicallyment on something.


    2. Later Han is the fourth of the Five Dynasties in Ancient China.


    3. Jwa Ja is actually the name of Zuo Ci in Korean. Zuo Ci is a character from the Three Kingdoms.


    4. Bobae is Korean for Baobei ±¦±´, which means treasure in Mandarin.

 Chapter 101: For the Crown (6)

    <h4>Chapter 101: For the Crown (6)</h4>


    "I am..." I murmured and¡­ <i>Wiiiiingggg¡­</i> The Shadow Stalker that was on my left hand transformed from a watch to a revolver. I naturally aimed the revolver at him and said, "...your death."


    <i>Thuckkk! </i>It sounded like something was punched lightly. There was nothing notable about it, and was a sound I wouldn''t even have heard if I paid slightly less attention.


    "Lies..." It was a sign of the end of a Great Saint who had lived for thousands of years¡­ He looked down at his own chest, with a look of disbelief. "This can''t be real..." <i>Chakak! </i>Before he knew it, there was a hole the size of a human skull on his upper torso.


    When a civilization awakens its intelligence and starts to blossom, it would be considered a Stage I Civilization. Only when such advanced intellectuals had set up an information system andwork that covered all or most of the would it be considered a Stage II Civilization. Then, an advancement to Stage III Civilization would take ce upon managing to leave their and seed in interster and intergxy travels. What was the condition to advance to Stage IV Civilization then? I thought, <i>''Control of the three major properties.''</i>


    Kain, the God of Magic, ssified the properties of magic into twelve different attributes. Among the twelve, he excluded three and named them the absolute properties. They were also known as the three major properties, because they were special properties that only the Gods could handle with perfection. They clearly had a higher rank than the other properties.


    The Stage IV Civilization was a domain that could be entered if the three major properties¡ªTime, Space, Void¡ªwere sessfully utilized in real practice. Space distortion, interference with the flow of time, as well as destruction and creation, would be made possible with the power of science.


    In other words, the fact that Shadow Stalker was called the fruit of the Stage IV Civilization meant¡­ it could control all three absolute properties.


    <i>Thuckkk! </i>Jwa Ja trembled yet again. If the first shot was a fatal blow, the second shot was tantamount to a death sentence. However, he was not capable of any resistance. Even if he had the ability to block it, he would have still failed.


    "I''ve severely overdone. Even if he was restricted, I can''t believe he has lost the ability for self-defense," Imented to myself before thinking, ''<i>Is it because he thought he was going to switch to a new body anyway? Even if Jwa Ja was a Saint, he made an unprecedented and unthinkable action. He distorted his own mission and forced Celestia and I to go to the demi-humans ship¡­ ''</i>


    Aside from that sequence of events, Jwa Ja also repeatedly exerted his enormous influence on the Physical Realm after that. Moreover, some of his actions had nothing to do with his safety or mission. It was not a regr mission by any means. If the Saints could take their mission so lightly, then the Great Universe would have long already been in the hands of the Saints.


    "... What the hell did you do? What is that gun? How can such a personal firearm be usable in the Heavenly Space?" Jwa Ja muttered. Needless to say, he did not reveal an opening. He knew the penalty that came with disregarding and manipting his mission, so he activated his transcendental spell¡ªHeavenly Space¡ªto move in the suspended time of the flow of all cause and effect. Meanwhile, he could pull in beings from the outside.


    That was an alternative option that Jwa Ja had prepared, on the off chance that he couldn''t use his mission for self-defense. In this strange space created in a distorted gap of time, he could only talk to the person he pulled in. Any sort of influence would not be possible here, even in terms of physical and magical abilities, as well as authority. They would not work at all.


    <i>''Basically, it was an absolute peace zone,'' </i>I thought. However, that did not matter to me. I, who knew <i>everything</i>,<strong> </strong>obviously had knowledge of his countermeasures, much less his defenses. <i>Chakak! </i>As I pulled the trigger, the gunpowder chamber rotated and applied the relevant effect. Then, I aimed at the body of Jwa Ja, who was staring at me with disbelieving eyes.


    Jwa Ja couldn''t escape, nor could he block the strike. His whole body was bound by all kinds of restrictions, and he had no way of changing his<strong> </strong>confirmed future right now. "This is ridi-ridiculous. No way, this can''t be. Am I going to... just like this..." <i>Thuckkk!</i> Jwa Ja fell before he could even finish his final words. Despite being an Emperor-ss existence, who was considered a God in the Physical Realm, his ending was in vain. When he simply fell down to the ground like that...


    <i>Kyiiiiiiiiiiiii¡­ </i>Along with a strange echo, the suspended time began to flow again. Then, as his body copsed like that was exactly how he had fallen¡­


    "Get a hold of yourself, Cel. I know this guy is a great pilot, but this is apletely different matter. Even the greedy nobles¡­ No, on the contrary, it is precisely because they are greedy nobles that we shouldn''t forget that there would be no reason for them to do such a thing."


    "I know, but I can''t imagine Duke Amon being able to evade from his ability when even Cheong Won couldn''t."


    "You mean to say it''s a high-level ability that could work on even Cheong Won?"


    Before I knew it, I was back in the normal flow of time. No one around me could sense anything, and even the transcendents Rosta and Duke Amon remained oblivious. Furthermore, Jwa Ja''s dead body wandered around the time-space dimension¡­ His presence would remain missing for a long time.


    <i>''It''s really futile,'' </i>I thought to myself. Jwa Ja was an ascetic existence that came from the end of China-Later Han before bing the progenitor of Forbidden Arts. Later on, he reached the level of a Great Saint by attaining the status of an Intermediate-rank God. No one could have imagined that such an existence would simply die in vain. He had been patient for a long time, trying to bide his time. However, just like how it had always been, it was impossible to perfectly predict the vortex of fate.


    "Hey Dae-ha, can you give a brief exnation about what you can first reveal to him?" Celestia asked as I remained momentarily absent-minded.


    Rosta, who was next to her, was also staring at me. It was as if he wanted to dissect me apart. "Yes. If you have a special ability¡­ then you have to let me be in the know for starters. To be honest, it is hard to believe so¡­ but if you have the power to read the truth of what a transcendent says, then that''s just¡­"


    "So noisy," I groaned.


    "That''s... What did you say?"


    "Don''t make a fuss, old man. I understand your desire to care for the daughter of the woman you loved, but that''s not a reason for you to be rude to me."


    "What are you saying... Huh?" Rosta gaped for a moment, as if he was utterly speechless.


    However, it was none of my business. I stood up from my seat and said, "Let''s go. I don''t think there''s anything more to see here."


    "Erm, Dae-ha? I obviously don''t want to stay here any longer either, but the current situation is..."


    "Follow me." I grabbed Celestia by the wrist and dragged her along. She struggled and seemed slightly flustered, but she couldn''t push my hand away. I managed to pull her along, just like that.


    "Oh?"


    "No, wait, what is he...?"


    I could hear perplexed voicesing from all over the ce. Even Duke Amon, who was on the podium, instantly changed his expression too.


    <i>''Because this is difficult timing.'' </i>I silently clicked my tongue. Both Celestia and Rosta thought that it was an ambiguous situation to back off because all the nobles in the council room already figured out that we were here. Both of them knew that leaving right now would only attract the attention of all the nobles, but¡­


    <i>''But rather, now is the only chance. They can''t do anything because everyone''s attention is focused on us.'' </i>I knew because I could see it all. I could grasp all the petty tricks of the Emperor Faction and the Nobles Faction''s reaction, as if they were all within the grasp of my hands. I could see and feel it so clearly that it is impossible to be duped by their schemes.


    "Just go out quietly. Don''t even look back. Just treat it as non-existent, no matter what noise you hear."


    "But isn''t it useless if they stop us?"


    "If we ignore everything and try to force our way out, they will gradually fail to stop us. That was something that had no justification, so they couldn''t do anything about it. We¡­ No, to be exact, you are not an important enough figure for them to take such a risk."


    "...Even though it''s convincing, it''s making my blood boil." Celestia was pouting, but I continued dragging her along. We left without any hesitation, while themotion around us grew increasingly loud.


    "Oh my God. The Fourth Imperial Princess is being dragged away."


    "Who the hell is the bastard next to her? A bodyguard?"


    "I don''t think so. I heard it''s her husband."


    "..."


    "Are you saying that the rumor is true? She''s going to marry someone like that?" They were moring away as they pleased. Even though we were close enough to hear their conversations, they didn''t really seem to care. Celestia was definitely a royal, but she was still easily disregarded by the other royals and nobles.


    <i>''This can''t even be considered a joke. Even though they are regarded as royals, the others are still discriminating against them.'' </i>I had suspected it would happen, but I never inquired about it. <i>''Why didn''t she have a sense of belonging to the Imperial family? Why didn''t she have any backing despite being a royal? Why was she clearly discriminated against aspared to other royals and nobles? This is...not good.''</i>


    I didn''t ask. I didn''t want to know. However, at this very moment, I could know everything just by questioning it. <strong>God Knows. </strong>No question could possibly remain unanswered in the world.


    <i>Thuud. </i>I stopped walking. Celestia, who was being dragged by me, as well as the momentarily dazed Rosta who was following behind us, both looked at me with pursed lips. They clearly had a lot of things to say but quietly stared only due to current circumstances.


    "¡­I don''t like this," I muttered. I knew that my best choice would be to turn around and leave, but¡­ Duke Amon wanted to take advantage of Celestia, but he had no intention of doing so at the cost of ruining the council conference that he had called up through so much effort. If Celestia, like a fool, had stayed until the council conference ended, he would have detained her as soon as they were away from the prying eyes. Yet, if the situation did not allow him to do so, he also thought of giving up so easily. To him, Celestia was only worth that much. I muttered again, "I don''t like it."


    "Hey, Dae-ha?" I looked at Celestia, who was questioning me with an indescribable expression. As I viewed<strong> </strong>her, I could see her life and her inner thoughts. I saw the image of a little girl who endured hardships and struggled her way up.


    "I will most probably regret it if I unseal this state..." Iughed. Then, I turned around and began walking towards the podium that was located at the center of the main council room.


    "Dae-ha?" Startled out of her wits, Celestia unexpectedly mustered strength in her arms and legs as she was still being dragged along by me. "Huh?" She was rather helpless in this situation as I made my way to the podium without a hint of hesitation.


    "By the way, does the Fourth Imperial Princess really intend to have a wedding?"


    "I can''t believe it either, but she said the former Emperor gave his blessing."


    "But he passed away shortly after that, so would that still be in effect... Huh? Look over there. They''reing back?"


    "That''s a given. Walking out in the middle of a council conference is an absurd thing to... Where are they going?"


    No one could stop me, and it was at that<strong> </strong>moment -- the moment when no one else but Duke Amon and his aides were near the podium. Duke Amon raised an eyebrow and asked, "Oh, Fourth Imperial Princess-nim. Do you perhaps have anything you wish to say to everyone?"


    "That''s..." Celestia couldn''t say anything properly. She was flustered by this sudden turn of events, and her face flushed slightly. It was unsurprising because what could she have said when she had been dragged here without any warning? However, it didn''t matter.


    "Duke Amon, do you know me?" I spoke up.


    "... You impertinent bastard! How dare you act so cheeky towards Duke-nim..."


    "Calm down for a bit." After dissuading his outraged aides, Duke Amon red at me. He had a sharp gaze that felt like he could see through me. "Of course I know of you. I heard you are the lowly human that the Fourth Imperial Princess brought over as her husband. I thought you are just a toy that was dragged around to attract attention. However, now that I look at you, it seems you are a man that possesses an ego." He insulted me with a calm and cold voice. His gaze was so intimidating and aggressive that it would have been absolutely normal for a regr person to receive such a great blow to their mind and be mentally ill.


    "What you think of me doesn''t matter. I would like to introduce myself to everyone for a bit."


    "¡­Haha." Suddenly, there was a gleam of interest in Duke Amon''s eyes. "Interesting. Well then, let''s see you do it."


    "Duke-nim?!" The aides were astonished, staring at me from behind. Their faces suggested that they would want nothing more than to chew me up. However, regardless of their reactions, Duke Amon stepped down from the podium.


    Needless to say, I already knew for a fact that Duke Amon would do that, so I passed by him without a moment of hesitation. My action made Celestia to be even more flustered. She asked, "Hey! What are you trying to do right now? Why are you..."


    "Wait here."


    "Dae-ha?"


    I let go of Celestia''s hand for a while and walked up to the podium. Countless eyes focused their gaze at me. All the gazes carried different emotions, though most were full of discontent. Some looked at me as if I were pathetic, while others were questioning or irritated. There were even a part of those looks that had a hint of jealousy and envy. <i>ck... </i>And under those gazes, I opened the "door".


    "I''m Kwan Dae-ha." I looked down. They were a distance away from where I was, so they had to stretch their necks and raise their heads to look at me. "Nice to meet you." My introduction caused silence to nket the noisy council hall.

 Chapter 102: For the Crown (7)

    <h4>Chapter 102: For the Crown (7)</h4>


    "I''m Kwan Dae-ha." I looked down. They were a distance away from where I was, so they had to stretch their necks and raise their heads to look at me. "Nice to meet you." My introduction caused silence to nket the noisy council hall, while a gentle light clearly spread across the already-bright council hall.


    "Oh my God."


    "What the hell is this..." All the nobles who made eye contact with me trembled. The nearby Duke Amon, as well as his growling aides, stepped back hesitantly with slightly weak legs. Their carefree demeanor from earlier on had disappeared, as if entirely washed away.


    I looked around at the 1,132 nobles. Two others carried the title of ''Duke'' just like Amon, who stood next to me, while there were 25 Marquis who represented a and about 300 Counts who represented a nation. Everyone else were Barons and Viscounts who were powerful in their own right.


    <i>''Let''s see.'' </i>I first directed my gaze at the man who stared at me contemptuously. The Leonhardt Empire was a superior civilization that was regarded as a Futuristic Era from Earth''s perspective, so I noticed he was dressed in extremely foreign clothes for being in the Leonhardt Empire right now.


    "Kekkkk..." He groaned once we made eye contact. He raised his spirits to the extreme, as if trying to put up with my gaze. However, it was a useless attempt as his spirit melted like butter in a heated frying pan. Thoroughly exposed to my gaze, he had to bear it while stubbornly gritting his teeth.


    "To tell you the truth, I don''t have such a bad impression of the Leonhardt Empire. In fact, it was pretty good," I spoke slowly as he shivered and clenched his teeth. His eyes were gradually filled with fear before turning away. I could see him instantly sitting down with a thud. I added, "However, as I came into this council room, all I felt was unpleasantness."


    My gaze kept shifting and making eye contact with tens and hundreds of nobles, who cowered and plopped down on their seats with a groan. All of them were intimidated by me, an individual human. However, not all of them gave in to me the moment eye contact was made; simr to that one man before.


    The next person I locked eyes with was a woman who stared at me with doubt and curiosity. Her eyes had never left me ever since I stepped onto the podium. She was a vintage-looking beauty, who was about 180 centimeters in height. Her hair was braided high and held in ce with a hairpin. Her expression also stiffened upon eye contact, but her reaction was quite different from the others. She eventually gave a gentle smile and slightly lowered her posture in a show of respect. It meant that she felt respect, rather than repulsion or hostility towards the soul energy I released. Her existence reminded me of the fact that not all of them were enemies.


    I put away my soul energy before speaking up, "...Cel and I will be a married couple two dayster."


    Some people knew and some people did not. The marriage of the Space Idol, Celestia, was a big event, but it was nothing more than gossip most of the time. Most importantly, the death of the Emperor caused the event to be entirely buried in the minds of the people.


    "So, if there is anyone who tries to look down or scorn at her again, from this moment forward..." My voice was loud and clear, while a great power¡ªa ray of light¡ªwas ring up. The incalcble soul energy and the powerful Divine Spirit zed, shining everywhere. I stared at them all. "I will hold the whole Empire ountable."


    The nobles couldn''t even look at me properly. It didn''t matter whether they were people who possessed enormous authority, or if they were powerful ability users, even the three Dukes who were at the peak of the realm of transcendence couldn''t lock eyes with me.


    <i>Whoooosh¡­ </i>A transcendental soul energy spread like waves.


    No one looked at me, but it no longer mattered at this point. This was because even if they closed their eyes, or lost their minds, they couldn''t help but clearly feel my existence.


    "Stop¡­ Stop it. No, please, I''m begging you to stop," Duke Amon spoke in a fatigued and weary voice.


    Since I was already done saying whatever I wanted to, I turned around and stepped down from the podium.


    "Dae-ha, you..."


    "Leave it forter." Celestia seemed to have a lot to say, but I stopped her from continuing and held her hands. Just like before, I dragged her along with me. It was unsurprising that I did not go out the way I came. I was using a path behind, which the VIPs used separately.


    "Wait, wait a moment!" There were two transcendents on the path, and they were the two other Dukes apart from Duke Amon. One of them was the dark-skinned man whom I first made eye contact with. He gritted his teeth and growled, "The Spiritual Pressure... It is against the Union Act to emit Spiritual Pressure."


    Spiritual Pressure was a pressure that the high-rank beings inflict on the low-rank beings on a spiritual level. It was a pressure that weighed on the other person with the power of the soul itself, and was an act that could only be done if there was an overwhelming difference in power between opponents.


    The dark-skinned man was not wrong. This was not the right thing to do, since the Union Act clearly stated that it was an act of crime for transcendents to release their soul energy in front of low-rank ability users. They thought it was no different from mental domination. In other words, it was violence on a spiritual level.


    The Spiritual Pressure of a transcendent itself had a tremendous impact on mortals. Even if the transcendent did not do anything in particr, inferior beings would naturally submit to the transcendents who did not suppress their Aura. This also urred if the inferior beings continuously faced against the transcendents over a period of time.


    Of course, in order for such an overwhelming effect to take ce, there was a certain disadvantage¡ªthe level of the soul would have to be between a transcendent and amon human. These details were definitely widely known, so it was no wonder that the dark-skinned man was stirring up such amotion.


    However, my expression remained rather indifferent. I answered, "So what?"


    "Wh-What did you say?"


    "So, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to run over to the Union and tell on me?" I raised an eyebrow. I knew it was against the Union Act, but so what? It was true if a transcendent released his soul energy, it would be recognized as a crime ording to the Union Act. However, it was a rtively light offence. There was no way the mere act of releasing soul power would be considered a huge crime.


    Needless to say, even if my action was reported to the Union, the Union wouldn''t take any sort of action. The Union was a symbolic alliance that united the Great Universe as one, but it was not based upon a concept of government to maintain public order. I thought to myself, <i>''If they went that far, they would be an interference in the internal affairs of a country.''</i>


    The Union Act was stipted in detail, but that was just a kind of guideline that was not entirely managed by the Union. The Union would only make a direct move in extreme cases where there was a threat to the Union itself.


    To be honest, the Union Act technically did not allow transcendents to go around ughtering mortals, and were also refrained from using force privately. Yet, the Leonhardt Empire and the Tekea Federation went to war for every single matter. That was also against the Union Act in principle, and they were both affiliated with the Union.


    "Th-That''s..."


    "Stop acting up." As I swiftly took a step ahead, the dark-skinned man backed off in surprise. He was a Martial Arts-type transcendent with strongbat abilities, but the power and peace that he long enjoyed had dulled hisbat instincts. In terms of mere specifications, though, he was still a pretty strong fellow. In terms of an actual fight, however, he wouldn''t even be able to win against Major General Chun Hyun-il. I looked at him and added, "The reason why I''m not punishing you is because I <i>''have yet'' </i>to do so."


    "...!!" The dark-skinned man''s brown eyes trembled greatly. He tantly stared at me for a moment and finally let out a deep sigh, "The world...really works in mysterious ways. I thought he was just a supporting actor. I wouldn''t have expected the Fourth Imperial Princess to bring such a man along, and let him be her husband."


    The mood calmed down before he took a step back and bowed. Then, he said, "I, Schliemann Osman, vow to spare no efforts to support the Starlight camp towards victory from this moment henceforth." After that, he turned around and returned back to the main council room.


    A momentter, the ck-haired woman looked at me and smiled. She had been watching the scene unfold with a wide smirk. "It seems I have yet to introduce myself. I am Jeong Yu-ri, leader of the Shadow Household." Despite being a woman, she was even taller than your average man at 180 centimeters tall. She was also wearing high heels. She, who was tall enough to look down at me, lowered her posture to politely express her respect. She was a transcendent that possessed a great power in her body, but she gave off a graceful impression and air.


    However, the atmosphere was broken by Celestia''s words. "Eldest Grandaunt. [1]"


    "Oh, oh my! Hoho! Hohohoho!!! W-Wait a minute!"


    I hurriedly grabbed Celestia''s arm and pulled her back to one side. We began squabbling over a few things, such as <i>''Are you really going to act like this?''; ''What are you doing by not taking my side?''; ''Do you think I''m in the same position as Rosta! Why are you putting your household on the line by spouting unnecessary things about a close acquaintance!''</i>


    "Excuse me."


    As Celestia turned around, she put on a graceful vibe again. It was quite fun seeing her feign ignorance, but I overlooked it. I addressed the incredibly tall woman, "I introduced myself earlier, but I''m Kwan Dae-ha."


    "It''s really nice to meet you. Honestly, I never would have expected this situation even in my dreams, but..." She smiled gently. Then, she looked at Celestia and continued, "You said the wedding ceremony is in two days, right?"


    "That''s correct." I nodded.


    "Then, to celebrate you being part of the Starlight camp, I will prepare a wedding ceremony for you at our household. I promise you the most spectacr and dazzling wedding."


    "You have my thanks."


    She took a step back as she gently nodded and politely expressed her respect. Then, she disappeared into the main council room.


    "...Dae-ha." After everyone else went away, Celestia approached me with a scary look. She didn''t look the least bit delighted about this sudden situation. However, this was unsurprising, especially when considering her temperament.


    "Yes, Cel?"


    "You, are you sure you''re the Dae-ha I know?" Celestia looked at me with suspicion. She was expressing a reaction that was verymon with people who knew me from before.


    "That''s right, it''s me."


    "Even if you say so..." Celestia still looked at me with doubtful eyes. However, I couldn''t do anything, no matter how intensely she stared at me. There was no concrete way for me to prove just who I was. Just then¡­


    "It''s about time."


    "... Time for what?"


    "Time for Cindere''s magic to disappear."


    Cindere was always Cindere, regardless of being in a dress and riding on a magical carriage, or being in ragged clothes and scrubbing the floor. No matter how different those two Cinderes were, they were undeniably the same person. However...


    <i>ck.</i> After the "door" closed, I couldn''te to an agreement with what I had just thought of five seconds ago. I let out a groan. "Hahhh¡­"


    My memory waspletely intact. Not only did I remember what <strong>I </strong>did then, the memory of my state of mind and the considerable amount of the information I had read still remained with me. I knew for a fact that I didn''t have some sort of dissociative identity disorder. That was without a doubt <i>me</i>, but it was a problem that <i>me</i> at that time was aplete lunatic.


    "Erm, hey... Dae-ha?" Celestia carefully called out my name. She was flustered by the sudden change in the vibe I exuded. It was unfortunate that I was in no mood to answer her.


    All I could do was groan, and I was about to cry. "This cra¡­ This crazy bullsh-" And just like that, I lost consciousness.


    1. For those who are interested to learn a bit more about Korean, the term is actually ???? (Keun-hal-meo-ni) which trantes literally to "big grandmother" and it refers to the siblings of one''s grandparents.

 Chapter 103: Wedding Ceremony (1)

    <h4>Chapter 103: Wedding Ceremony (1)</h4>


    *


    Jwa Ja looked up at the sky and knew that the Han Dynasty would fall. He was a man of talent. It was an era where geniuses overflowed thends beneath the heavens, but searching the world inside and out would only turn up less than five people more talented than him. That was the exact reason why he could know for sure.


    <i>''If I obtained a post in the secr government, there would be a huge risk taken. If I umted wealth, it would be stolen by bandits or the military. Hence, it is a futile effort to seek glory and honor in the present world.'' </i>Jwa Ja''s talents might have allowed him to make a lot of achievements in times of war. However, since he perfected his astrology skills, he could roughly predict the future and he judged that all of those achievements would have been meaningless. He then poured his overflowing talents into practicing Taoism, achieving results that befitted the efforts he put in.


    He was able to transcend the providence of the world. He was exhrated, bing a supreme being that no one in the world could dare to go against. He evolved into aplete Saint as he reached the Saint Realm.


    He had always dreamt of having freedom,plete freedom. <i>''To be free from all restrictions and constraints¡­ But after all this time, I know that it is all an illusion.''</i>


    "I will do as Your Majesty wishes."


    "Why did you suddenly change your mind?"


    "Because you were determined to throw away your convictions."


    Jwa Ja was invited by Cao Cao, Wei''s Overlord. He had no choice but to follow Cao Cao''s will, especially after reading Cao Cao''s mind. He actually had the power to decimate Cao Cao and his entire army with just one word of Mantra, but he was forbidden from doing all of that. He then tried to manipte Cao Cao with all sorts of schemes, but...none of them had any effect on Cao Cao. It was basically a humiliating matter.


    Other kings and authoritative beings were fearful of Jwa Ja who could handle unknown powers, and Cao Cao was no exception.


    However, Jwa Ja also found no pleasure in looking at them. He truly had the power to split the mountains and part the sea, but what use was it? As a Saint, he could not interfere with anything in the secr world. He was free to use his powers, but there was a restriction on where he could wield it. He could not kill the kings, nor could he build his own nation. He could not produce descendants to enjoy the authority for generations, nor could he reform the world. That''s right. He couldn''t do anything in the Lower Realms, because he was a Saint.


    <strong>Freedom. Complete freedom!</strong> His lifelong dream turned to dust. He obtained power, but there was no meaning in a power that he couldn''t use freely. He tried to do everything possible to kill himself, but he only ended up with a leash around his neck, one that couldn''t be untied for eternity.


    <strong>Hahahahaha! What a joke! What a joke indeed!</strong> Like a madman, he wandered for a long time. He reached a higher level faster than anyone else, but he still could not get rid of the restrictions bounding him.


    However, he did not give up. He continued to bull things over and tried to find whatever method possible. And so¡­he eventually arrived at a twisted conclusion. <strong>I need a body. My power... My soul¡­ A body that can be a vessel for a God. </strong>


    *


    "..." I opened my eyes and found myself in a luxuriously decorated bedroom. I stared at the ceiling for a moment and grumbled quietly, "I''m not curious about the past of a dead man..." I propped my body up. I was d that I wasn''t in too bad a condition, but something popped up in front of my eyes.


    <i>Whoooosh-- </i>It was a strange sympathetic resonance. It was a translucent talisman that let out a gentle blue light. I looked at it and mumbled, "Is this perhaps the culprit that made me see those memories?"


    It was a Bobae, the Heavenly Spirit Transformation Talisman. It was a treasure that Jwa Ja took a long time to create, and it was handed down to me upon his death. Originally, Bobae were not things that would be passed down if the owner died, but Jwa Ja became lost in the time-space dimension. Due to that reason, it was a measure he took to hand it over to a new body. Only then did the Bobae manage to escape.


    I thought something had happened, because the memory of a non-machine being was suddenly transferred over to me. It turned out that Jwa Ja''s intent, imbued in the Heavenly Spirit Transformation Talisman, was passed on to me. I possessed a simr godly status as the God of the Machine Civilization, but I also possessed the characteristics of the God of Information¡­


    "Freedom huh..." I murmured. I did not feel any guilt, because Jwa Ja was clearly an enemy who threatened my safety and peace. Him staying alive would have posed a constant problem to my well-being, but if I knew that this situation would happen earlier on...


    <i>''If I knew?'' </i>I froze at the spection that came to mind. I looked at the key<strong> </strong>that was always hanging on my neck. It was a Godly Artifact that was able to unlock all sorts of seals and constraints. If so...


    "Ahh, Sunbae. You''re up."


    "You slept for quite long."


    <i>ck. </i>At that moment, Bo-ram and Dong-min entered the room through the opened door. The Heavenly Spirit Transformation Talisman disappeared before I realized it.


    "I just...exerted quite a bit of strength." It didn''t feel right for me to continue lying down in this situation, so I got out of bed.


    Bo-ram smiled and made a huge fuss over such a trivial thing. "It wasn''t just any ordinary matter! I heard you caused a really huge mess. I heard all the transcendents were trembling¡­ I predicted that the Great Witch''s bloodline would be out of the ordinary, but I didn''t expect it to even have an effect in the Great Universe! All kinds of transcendents in the world gathered, and you made a mess of things?!" The babbling continued on.


    Bo-ram seemed to have a lot of questions to ask, but Dong-min, who came to his senses, immediately calmed the mood down. "For starters, you need to hurry up. You need to get ready for the wedding."


    "... Ahh, right! The wedding!" I was slightly absent-minded, but I got a hold of myself and turned my head. I wondered just how long I had been out like a light¡­ "Wait a minute, Dong-min. When''s the wedding?"


    "That''s obviously..."


    "It''s happening right now!" Along with Bo-ram''s screams, the door suddenly burst open and a group of women rushed in. "We don''t have much time, so hurry up!!"


    "I can''t believe you just woke up... No, should I be d that you at least woke up before the wedding ceremony?"


    "They said to not wake you up, so I really thought my insides would be turned inside out!"


    "Enough of that, hurry up!"


    Other coordinators, Diana included, ran and charged towards me. I flinched as five or six hands fidgeted around, touching all over my body with their pale fingers.


    "For starters, I''ll wash your hair for you, so just stand still!"


    "You need to change your clothes too, so put your arms up and stay still!"


    "I need to do your makeup, so look in front!"


    "I''ll show you some samples, so please choose your essories from among them."


    "Uwahhhh, oh my God! The wedding is just right around the corner!!"


    It was hectic and they were all over the ce. A ball of water, which was about one bucket''s worth, appeared in mid-air. It started to boil while swirling around my head. Then, a spray hit my face to cleanse my skin before all sorts of things were applied on my face.


    That wasn''t all. The clothes moved as if they were alive, independently changing their colors and shapes. Five or six kinds of essories and shoes flew around in front of my eyes, which made the situation even more chaotic than before. But soon, I entirely left my body to thesedies and got used to such treatment.


    "What do you mean it''s right around the corner?" I let out augh for a moment. Of course, I promised to marry Celestia, but¡­we did not promise each other <i>''this kind'' </i>of marriage. We were nning to steer far away from the nobles'' attention, so the wedding was to be as simple and quiet as possible. Obviously, as I arrived at the Imperial Capital and met her fans, there was a possibility of it turning into something of a much bigger scale. However, the current situation was not what I had expected back then... It went beyond a <i>''slight'' </i>increase in scale, and¡­the one who caused the situation to turn out this way was none other than me. "This isn''t good..."


    There was a new employee in apany. He was the maknae [1] that had a young and bubbly face with strong ambitions. However, what if he could take over the position of chairman after going through and oveing all kinds of hardships and ordeals for decades? Could he be considered the same person¡ªas a new employee and as the chairman that managed a prominent conglomerate?


    <i>''Of course, they were the same person.''</i>


    However... Even if they were the same person, they were extremely different at the same time. Everything wasn''t the same between a young and bubbly new employee and the chairman of a conglomerate. Differences would be found in their manner of speaking, the principles behind their action, or even their views of the world. This was because his position or standing hadpletely changed.


    <i>''The problem is... I think that process came for me too suddenly,'' </i>I wondered. The moment I opened the door, I went through the changes that someone would have had to go through in their lifetime. Even if my perspective changed ording to my standing, the change seemed to being too fast. It was rather simr to the time when I drank alcohol. <i>''I was intoxicated by the Divine Spirit and the Status of God.''</i>


    A high-rank Divine Spirit, Status of a Low-rank God, and the quality of a mortal made up the usual me, but I possessed a high-rank Divine Spirit, Status of a High-rank God, and a low-rank Divinity upon opening the door. My quality was still not impressive, but the moment I opened the door, the appropriate Godly Status supported me. Moreover, if the minimum Divinity was included in the fray, the existence known as<i> ''me''</i> would be reborn as a God.


    The mere upation of the chairman position of a conglomerate changed a person. The changes would be even more apparent if it was a position that possessed authority, like a high-ranking politician. Then, what if it was bing a God? Change was unavoidable then.


    "But..." I let out a sigh. The situation was definitely not a light one that could be brushed off by just saying, <i>''It was obvious for things to change''.</i>


    Didn''t I cause an immediate division back in the council hall when I opened the door? The normal me would have overlooked it, but I had turned the whole situation upside-down. I had caused the situation to go haywire. Needless to say, I was the one who caused the situation to go out of control as well.


    However, at the same time, that couldn''t be regarded as aplete me. I regretted what I did, just like a drunk person who sobered up and regretted the fact that he exploded with the inner thoughts he usually held onto on a daily basis.


    "...Hahhhh." I smiled bitterly for a moment, and thought, <i>''The inner thoughts that I have been holding in on a daily basis.''</i>


    I thought of Celestia. Bolstered by the Status of God, I found out everything about her past, her current situation, and even her mind with a mere glimpse. So¡­ I turned the tables for her sake.


    "Hahaha." All I could do wasugh in vain. That was definitely not who I usually was. I was someone who waspletely rational and logical, but I turned into someone who made decisions ording to my emotions. I made a spur of the moment decision, driven by my emotions, and took a risk out of emotions that would never be rewarded.


    <i>''Celestia.'' </i>I thought of her again. Her past reminded me of pain, but she was still always so dazzling.


    "Goddamn it." I smiled bitterly again. I never knew that realizing my true feelings would be so annoying. However, it seemed that someone''s insides churned at the sight of me smiling bitterly.


    "¡­What a miserable look you have."


    "Remy!"


    "But unnie! Look at this man! Is this... is this the look of a man getting married?"


    Remy''s voice was filled with anger and resentment. I previously never understood the reason for her anger, but I knew now. However, I was not particrly delighted to be at the receiving end of her anger. I snapped, "Am I expected to go to the wedding hall whileughing ''<i>Uhaha'' </i>the entire way? What a ridiculous resentment you have against me."


    Celestia did not do anything wrong. There was a clear contractual rtionship between us, and I promised to marry her on the premise that we would divorce after. So, taking this secret that I knew into consideration, she did not trick me or do anything of that sort.


    However, they were different. Even if love was separate from logic and reason, their resentment was still irrational beyondparison. I was currently in a state of confusion, and I was experiencing an unpleasant feeling that the current me did not want to put up with.


    "Yes, Remy. You''re right. She doesn''t love me."


    "Huh, hmph! That''s right. In the first ce, you and the Imperial Princess-nim is..."


    "But then again, would she even be able to love any man in the world? Don''t you agree?"


    "...!" The surrounding atmosphere froze up in an instant. All the coordinators, including Diana, looked at me with an extremely pale face. Even Remy, who could figure out the nuance mixed in my words, stared.


    "Erm¡­ What do you mean by that, sunbae?" Even though the atmosphere was not looking good, Bo-ram, who was standing by and watching the situation unfold, asked a question.


    I shrugged. "Who knows. What was I talking about, hmm?" I smirked, but actually regretted it a little bit. <i>''I would have been able to hold it in normally.'' </i>I guess...the aftereffects from opening the door still lingered.


    1. Maknae refers to the youngest, whether it be in a family or in a workce.

 Chapter 104: Wedding Ceremony (2)

    <h4>Chapter 104: Wedding Ceremony (2)</h4>


    "Who knows. What was I talking about, hmm?" I smirked, but actually regretted it a little bit. <i>''I would have been able to hold it in normally.'' </i>I guess...the aftereffects from opening the door still lingered. Then again, it would be even stranger for no aftereffects to ur when I became a God for a short moment.


    "Dae-ha-nim."


    "Don''t pretend to be close to me, and just do your job."


    "Dae-ha-nim. You got me wrong."


    Iughed upon the sight of Diana, who looked rather desperate. She was detestable too. Getting irritated again, I simply said, "What did I misunderstand? I''ll repeat myself once again. Just do what you have to do instead of spouting nonsense. I know you have a close rtionship with Cel, but¡­ You all keep overstepping your boundaries."


    My irritation stemmed from the fact that there was no reason for me to be subjected to their resentment in the first ce. It would be the same, even if Celestia and I actually got married because we loved each other, much less the contractual rtionship we had right now.


    Moreover, apart from all that, they were in no position to recklessly say their piece towards me. I was someone who would soon be the husband of Celestia, the Imperial Princess, while they were nothing more than her managers and attendants. I wondered if they were openly provoking me because they felt that I was clearlycking aspared to Celestia. ''<i>These low¡­ These lowly peasants?''</i>


    <i>Thud, thud! </i>My eyes shed for a moment before I turned in surprise, noticing that Dong-min was holding the Vajra Scepter. He said firmly, "That''s cruel. I understand how you feel, but calm down."


    "Ahhh... Mmm. Thank you." I instantly calmed down and nodded.


    Before I knew it, Bo-ram stood next to Dong-min. She already manifested the Golden Princess. "Hey sunbae, are you all right?"


    "Oh, of course I''m fine." Rather than being just fine, I was in perfectly good condition. My whole body was filled with power and a mere nce allowed me to perceive everything around me.


    "I beg your forgiveness..."


    "I beg your forgiveness..."


    All the coordinators, including Diana, kneeled down and apologized. Theirplexion was so pale that they appeared to be wearing white masks. Tears gathered in their eyes, while their lips trembled. It was needless to say that they did not look pleased at all.


    "¡­Tchhh." I clicked my tongue. This was a sight that made me ufortable, but this was also a scene that I had induced. I thought, <i>''The aftereffects are greater...than what I thought.''</i>


    The initial anger of those managers and attendants, which raged like a wildfire, vanished. My irritation also went away, since I have never been one to rage and take it out on others in the first ce. Recognizing that this situation was not a good sign, I stood up from my seat and asked, "...What''s the schedule like?"


    Diana was wary of me. She answered carefully, "We have to move immediately. Erm, and..."


    "That''s enough. I don''t want to argue any further, so just wrap it up."


    "Understood." The coordinators hurriedly made some finishing touches, such as straightening my clothes. Even Remy, who pretty much triggered this incident, somehow moved theb and scissors to trim and tidy up my hair. She looked like a fragile ceramic piece that was about to fall to the floor and break, but she made no mistakes. That sight of her made me feel sorry for her again, which was <i>my</i><strong> </strong>real personality.


    "At what time will the ceremony start?"


    "There''s less than 30 minutes left. I actually tried to wake you up in the morning, but the Imperial Princess-nim told me to not bother you until you got up naturally¡­"


    "I guess I''ll have to hurry up. Lead the way."


    "Understood."


    I left the rest of the coordinators in the room and followed behind Diana, who was leading the way and walking down the hallway of Starlight<strong>.</strong> Bo-ram and Dong-min naturally slowed down and walked beside me.


    "Come to think of it, the two of you are all dressed up too." Although I wasn''t initially aware of it, both Bo-ram and Dong-min were wlessly dressed in formal attires of wonderful designs. I wondered if it was due to their good body proportions. Dong-min, who was slightly shorter than 190 centimeters tall, and Bo-ram, who was about 30 centimeters shorter, looked like they had just walked out of a pictorial.


    "Well, we don''t have a choice since it''s a formal event," Bo-ram shrugged her shoulders. "I heard the master craftsman of the Taldan tribe made these clothes with their hearts and souls, stitch by stitch."


    Noticing that Dong-min looked equally satisfied, I was slightly bewildered and I asked, "...Do you like luxury goods?"


    "Nobody in the world hates luxury goods."


    Both of them were so proud of it that I had nothing to say, so I remained silent. I thought, <i>''Dong-min has always been quiet and in a solemn mood back when he was in school. It feels like he is slowly revealing his true personality, little by little, aftering out into the universe.''</i>


    "It''s this way." Diana, who was walking in front, entered arge room that was situated at the end of the hallway. It seemed rather unusual, since it had an entrance dock and not an elevator. There sat a muchrger airship than the one I had ridden with Celestia uponing to Starlight.


    "What the, are we leaving here?" I lightly referred to it as a building, but Starlight<strong>, </strong>which was Celestia''s domain, truly had an enormous scale. Each floor was simr to the size of a decently-sized city. Since there were about 200 floors right here, I was naturally shocked that we were leaving.


    This was not an exaggeration, because thebined area within this building was even bigger than the territory of a small country. There were a lot of residents residing within thisrge area, so it was almost necessary for a wedding hall to exist inside Starlight. Therefore, I had assumed that the wedding ceremony between Celestia and I would definitely be held right here. I was truly perplexed by the huge airship in front of us.


    However, Diana had an expression that seemed to indicate that this was expected. She said, "Yes. The wedding ceremony will be held at Ra''s Dwelling."


    "Ra''s Dwelling?"


    As I expressed doubt at the unfamiliar word, Diana nodded. "It''s at the top of Golden Rose. It''s a ce that only opens up for the Emperor''s coronation ceremony, but... The Shadow Household has expressed their opinions on this matter and the three Dukes approved of holding the wedding there."


    Diana''s words reminded me of the woman who introduced herself as Jeong Yu-ri. <strong>Then, to celebrate you being part of the Starlight camp, I will prepare a wedding ceremony for you at our household. I promise you the most spectacr and dazzling wedding.</strong>


    "Is this what she meant by the most spectacr and dazzling wedding?" I mumbled and boarded the airship. Unlike the anti-gravity vehicle that I rode on with Celestia, this airship was designed only for flying. It would go much faster and, upon closer inspection, I noticed it also seemed to havebat functions.


    <i>Whoooosh---! </i>The entrance dock opened and the airship flew through the air. I sat on a fluffy seat and looked out the window.


    <i>''It''splicated huh.'' </i>It was aplete mess because everything was intertwined. Under the contract with Celestia, we were supposed to get married without any hugemotion. We were to pass our time quietly before I was supposed to return to Earth without a hitch. However, that was a mere dream now.


    The situation had gotten out of hand. I, who simply should have buried it under, had imprinted a very clear image of myself on the nobles of the Leonhardt Empire. I overwhelmed more than 1,000 nobles of the Leonhardt Empire. Among them were even Dukes who were said to be the pirs who led the Empire. No matter what I do now, this matter wouldn''t be overlooked and I couldn''t pretend that it didn''t happen. "Of all things..." I murmured to myself.


    I knew the schemes of the Dukes, who had submitted to me, had back then. They were determined to abolish the absolute monarchy system. It was not necessary to entirely eliminate the royals, but they were going to eradicate their authority and only leave their honor alone.


    In other words, there was about to be a civil war between the Emperor Faction and the Nobles Faction. In the midst of all that, the Emperor Faction used Celestia as bait, since she was extremely different from the other royals of her kind. This was then used as an excuse by the Nobles Faction to change the public opinion.


    Then, in the middle of all that, I shattered all their schemes and turned the tables. My unexpected appearance gave the Dukes an image of absolute power, reminding them of the Emperor<strong> </strong>who had led them in the past. I was like a godly being who could single-handedly wield power equivalent to his own Empire¡­ They all then yielded to me, just like that.


    The Emperor Faction were perplexed by the sudden change, but stopped their preparations for war. It was a situation that made them wary, since I had pretty much prevented a civil war from happening. It was a result that could be considered a heroic feat.


    "Damn it, what a great heroic feat..." I groaned. Thanks to that heroic feat, it totally became my weakness. A divorce after causing such a situation would put me in a spot with the Emperor Faction and the Nobles Faction. There was no way they would simplyugh it all off and say, <i>''Ah, I see! That''s something that sometimes happens between men and women. Hahaha!'' </i>I couldn''t even imagine how the future would turn out, because I couldn''t even predict it upon opening the door. I could only see a few branches of the future, but I couldn''t possibly be sure of any. After all, there was now a variable<strong> </strong>called <i>me</i>.


    "...Ermmm Sunbae? What have you been mumbling about since just now?" Bo-ram asked. Perhaps she was flustered by the sight of me oozing out a dark Aura. Before I could even try responding¡­


    <i>Waaaaaaahhhhhhhhh-----!! </i>A huge roar resonated throughout the whole world, turning it upside down.


    "Uwaaackkkk?! What is that?"


    "It''s the guests."


    "¡­That''s incredible." Even Dong-min looked out the window with a look of surprise. It was crowded with thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of people. All of them were clearly visible under the golden sun in the sky. He was surprised that the huge hall was even capable of amodating the entire crowd.


    In the center of the hall was a huge structure that looked like an altar. If one were to walk up the stairs, they would be able to reach the golden sun floating in the sky. At that moment, I knew the identity of the floating sun on top of the altar. It was not supposed to be visible, but I could see the huge Gigas holed up inside the sun with a moment of concentration. <i>''The Sun God, Ra.''</i>


    It was the Gigas that the First Emperor piloted, and was also the only God-rank Gigas that the Leonhardt Empire possessed. Among the many Numberings that existed in the universe, it was ranked Number 92 within the 100 strongest Transcendence Weapons. Even when Ra was in a dormant state, he became an artificial sun that lit up the entire area of Golden Rose, which was befitting of a Godly Artifact.


    <strong>Don''t get distracted. </strong>I ignored the sulky voice that I could hear inside my head and mumbled, "That''s impressive."


    "Nearly 100 years... No, this will be the best wedding in 300 years. All the four Dukes, as well as three of the five Great Generals, are attending the ceremony. Arge number of nobles and leaders from other countries are also present, and if you are to look at the line-up..." Diana began calmly exining about all sorts of things. Perhaps she was sorry for failing to stop the earlier actions of Remy. However, I couldn''t hear her well enough.


    <i>Waaaaaaahhhhhhhhh-----!! </i>The 100,000 people who were cheering at the airship I was on... No, I was staring at a crowd that easily overnumbered that initial estimation. I could tell just how loved Celestia was, just by experiencing the wild and exciting cheers from that crowd of people¡­ Unfortunately, this very scene made me increasingly depressed.


    "Life is¡­" Regardless of whether I was going to sigh or not, it was time for the wedding to begin.

 Chapter 105: Wedding Ceremony (3)

    <h4>Chapter 105: Wedding Ceremony (3)</h4>


    *


    Hawa looked through the scope calmly, while her finger rested on the trigger. Peeking through the circr frame with one eye, she saw a young ck-haired man with a rather calm expression. There was a blue-haired girl sitting next to him. <i>Kwakkkkk! </i>The asteroid she was lying down on suddenly shrunk with a terrifying roar, but she continued pointing a sniper rifle at the man and murmured softly, "Is it a wedding?"


    She took in a light breath and collected herself. She wanted to know the exact circumstances, but she couldn¡¯t read his thoughts. Although she was an Untouchable which was even regarded as a God, she did not have a strong enough cognitive ability to read the minds of another existence from other <strong>gxies</strong>. She mumbled, "Because of the useless promise..."


    She previously promised Dae-ha that<i> ''at the very least, I''ll protect your life from any danger whatsoever.''</i> That promise was made out of fear, since she was weary that Dae-ha would awaken the potential in himself by using the key which was a keepsake from his Father. However, that promise was now the worst choice she had ever made.


    This was because Dae-ha had revealed his ability to awaken the Godly bloodline with a mere thought. As long as he could handle the Godly bloodline at will¡­she must never show up in front of him. Otherwise, he who had awakened the Godly bloodline could now give her orders just by <strong>perceiving</strong> her. <i>''It''s dangerous,¡¯ </i>she thought.


    If it were any other situation, Hawa would have abandoned him and hid somewhere else in the distant universe. She could then remain hidden, because the power of the bloodline that Dae-ha possessed was so abnormal that searching for her would be an impossible task. His body itself could not go against the gravity of the, so he couldn¡¯t find her once she went across five or six gxies to reach apletely unknown location.


    However, ultimately, the problem was the promise. She had promised to protect him from death and, to keep that promise, she had to keep a constant mark on his condition. This was precisely the problem.


    Dae-ha was an existence that had a High-rank Divine Spirit, which surpassed an Untouchable, but he had the quality of a human and a human body. Due to the fact that he had a frail human body, he could be killed by a single bullet. He was a being that even a First-Tier God, who could twist an entire Gctic System, couldn''t touch. Yet, he would simply die from mere minor blows such as a brain rupture and a heart attack¡­


    "This is aedy,¡± Hawa muttered, and she was right. However, despite herints and bitter smiles, reality would not change. She resigned to lying down on an asteroid that flew in space to watch Dae-ha from a distance.


    She had to admit Dae-ha¡¯s High-rank Divine Spirit, the status of a Low-rank God, and the quality of a mortal was an abnormal condition, but¡­that made him into an extreme existence. Not keen to be controlled by him and not able to run away, all she could do was prepare to shoot from another gxy. Moreover, the fact that she had to intercept the enemy¡¯s attacks that were directed at him was also¡­


    "We have to kill him."


    "...I told you not to talk to me for a while, didn''t I?" Hawa frowned at that sudden voice, but she did not act surprised. She didn¡¯t even take her eyes off of the scope, but Adam continued speaking as if he was unfazed.


    "We have to kill him, Hawa. We have to kill that guy."


    "Shut it."


    "Don''t avoid it. His abnormal state is just part of the process. He is just a bastard, who knew nothing of Father''s will nor his ideals, robbing Father''s Status of God!"


    Dekarma''s status was currently vacant. It had only been 400 years since Dekarma''s death, so it was natural that no one was qualified enough to sit in his position. Moreover, Adam was the only existence that was the closest to reaching his position in the whole universe thus far.


    Adam had attacked Hawa, who was considered his only rival, and <strong>broke</strong> her. She then turned into numerous fragments and dispersed throughout the universe. Taking advantage of that, Adam was able to bring forth a little of Dekarma¡¯s status¡­and Dae-ha suddenly appeared at that very moment.


    "His flesh and blood? Don''t be ridiculous. He was able to take Father''s ce naturally just because of that reason? That sort of thing is a possibility?" Hawa rolled her eyes.


    The bloodline of the Untouchable was born with outstanding talent and soul power, but there was a definite limit to that. It was rare for even the Leonhardt Imperial family to attain the realm of transcendence, let alone the High-rank or Intermediate-rank. They inherited the blood of the Golden Lion God, a High-rank Transcendent, as well as the blood of the First Emperor who was an Intermediate-rank transcendent. They also received the help of Jwa Ja, who was the Keeper of the Bloodline. Although those were all facts, there was still a limit.


    However, it wasn¡¯t just an Intermediate-rank or a High-rank in Dae-ha¡¯s case¡­ It was a First-Tier God that left behind his flesh and blood, and Dae-ha had the capability of inheriting his Father¡¯s Status of God. Furthermore, his body was nothing but a shell of what Dekarma, an existence that dominated a concept, had.


    "We have to kill him, Hawa. We have to kill that guy..." Adam continued muttering as if he hadpletely lost his mind, and Hawa let out a deep sigh. She knew that no words could reach him, and this was something she had experienced for hundreds of years. If Adam was an existence that she couldmunicate and have a discussion with, he wouldn''t have tantlye up to talk to her as if nothing had happened. After all, he had robbed her powers and broke her into fragments. Even if that previous image of him could no longer be found, he had been an extremely prideful being in the past.


    <i>''That''s pathetic.'' </i>All Hawa did was smile bitterly and paid Adam no further attention. This was because she knew that there was nothing she could do anyway. No matter how insane she was, she couldn''t attack Dae-ha as long as she was a Legion. She had already confirmed with her own eyes that she was incapable of doing any proper harm to Dae-ha, as well as the other people who were rted to him.


    But nevertheless, the madness of Adam only deepened. "We have to kill him."


    *


    The royals and the nobles had been long bound by blood rtions. After all, most of the previous Emperor''s partners were nobles, or those arranged by the nobles. It was then unsurprising that most of the current members of the Imperial family had maternal families, which made up a group within the Emperor Faction. They were very closely rted to the royals and gave strength to the Emperor''s decision.


    Moreover, to them, Celestia was a very unfamiliar existence. That was because she did not have a maternal family and no household supporting her, since her biological mother was someone simr to a sex worker who served the former Emperor at a price. <i>''That''s what it says on the records,¡¯ </i>As I thought about it¡­


    <i>Boom! </i>A huge shadow appeared from the other side with a heavy step. Controlling one¡¯s weight was as simple as breathing, so it seemed that the new-arrival had no intention of hiding their existence. They walked heavily enough to leave a trace.


    "Howard."


    "Is he someone you know?"


    "He''s one of the Four Dukes. He''s thest Duke that you haven''t seen before."


    Howard was a man with a shaggy beard that covered more than half his face, and had rock-like muscles all over his body. He had a huge build and height. Aside from being big in size, he was over 3.5 meters tall. He was in the form of a human being that was even bigger than Chun Hyun-il, a white bear. Currently, he walked to a huge chair that was previously prepared and sat down. Then, he stared at me with a displeased expression.


    <strong>Howard''s Duchy</strong>


    <strong>An overbearingly sturdy body, Howard</strong>


    "An overbearingly sturdy body?" I wondered quietly. It seemed to be a title rted to martial arts, but I could feel a different type of Auraing from Howard. It was unlike the Martial Arts Transcendents I had seen so far. Although he did not do anything, his mere existence was clearly imprinted on the world. However, there was a problem that I whispered over to Celestia, "He seems to have a lot ofints."


    ¡°That is very likely, because Louis is his one and only grandson."


    "Louis" referred to the current Crown Prince, Louis Leonhardt. He was Celestia''s half-brother. He had tried to kidnap Celestia upon my initial arrival to the Imperial Capital with her, which was perfect timing. My existence had ruined his n. Even though he brought the Great General Norrington along, in order to thoroughly handle the matter, Norrington died so easily in the hands of Hawa, who was protecting me.


    "There''s a chance that he knows about what happened with Norrington."


    "Even so, it''s a useless thing to do. No matter how famous his audacity is, he wouldn¡¯t have the balls to go against the revered great hero in front of all the nobles,¡± Celestia spoke with a slightly stiff tone, which made me turn to look at her. However, the bright smile made me feel like I had hallucinated her tone of voice. She waved at the people who were cheering below the altar.


    Just then, Diana, who was standing next to me, whispered quietly, ¡°Now, all you have to do is get up and slowly walk up the spiral staircase. You don''t have to go to the very top. You just have to walk to the podium that sits just below the top. Ah, and if you don''t mind..."


    "If I don''t mind?"


    As I heard her slightly hesitant tone and questioned her back, Diana carefully continued, "Please smile a little brighter, Dae-ha-nim."


    "¡­Alright." I managed my facial expressions the best I could and got up from my seat. Then, Celestia hugged my arm with a blissful expression. It was a beautiful and dazzling sight that could possibly sell like hot cakes when made into a frame, but I knew this image of her was fake. I asked, "Cel, do you not like this situation?"


    "You''re asking if I don''t like it? Haahhh..." Celestia let out a soft sigh as she walked slowly. She was careful to control her expression. I also walked alongside her, waving at the huge crowd below us.


    <i>Flutter! </i>Despite theck of wind, the pure white dress that Celestia wore started to flutter. It was not a big deal that the dress was fluttering on its own, but¡­ It was obviously designed extremelyvishly while retaining its sense of weightlessness. This was an item that could only be made from fabric that was directly imported from the Saint Realm.


    "You." Then, Celestia asked, "What are you going to do?"


    "Do what?"


    "What? Did you just say do what?" Celestia''s voice turned sharp. However, she immediately pulled herself together and spoke in a rtively calmer voice, ¡°I don¡¯t dislike anything, but saying that will lead me to be a woman without any conscience. Right now, you have almost achieved all the goals I have always wanted to achieve with all my life.¡±


    ¡°What are those goals that you wanted to achieve with all your life?¡±


    Not answering my question, Celestia buried her head in my arms. Right now, all I could see was themotion of people down below, screaming <i>''Uwaaaahhhh'' </i>and <i>''Whooooahhhhh.¡¯ </i>Then, I asked again, "Cel?"


    "...You stupid fool. My goal is not the problem right now, but you. If things have progressed this far, I can''t uphold the contract between us.¡±


    "Howe?"


    "Well, that''s because if it goes on like this..." In a deep and agonizing voice, Celestia whispered into my chest, "If it goes on like this, you will be the Emperor of the Empire..."

 Chapter 106: Wedding Ceremony (4)

    <h4>Chapter 106: Wedding Ceremony (4)</h4>


    "...You stupid fool. My goal is not the problem right now, but you. If things have progressed this far, I can''t uphold the contract between us."


    "Howe?"


    "Well, that''s because if it goes on like this..." In a deep and agonizing voice, Celestia whispered into my chest, "If it goes on like this, you will be the Emperor of the Empire..."


    Ipletely overpowered three of the only four Dukes that existed in the Empire. Without even fighting or disying any sort of special ability, I overwhelmed them just bying face to face<strong> </strong>with them. This waspletely different from winning against them in a fight.


    A strong being with a powerful fighting prowess who appeared to beat up the Dukes would be an amazing feat, but that was all. After all, the position of Duke allowed one to possess authority over the military forces. It did not mean that one''s own fighting abilities were ster. The transcendents who ultimately survived became those that seized power, but that didn''t mean they could stand above the others. They were simply stronger, that''s all. It was simr to how one couldn''t possibly take over Korea just by defeating the President of Korea in a mere fist fight.


    Nevertheless¡­ As many as three of the Four Dukes acknowledged me. They abandoned the idea of defying me, because they saw me<strong> </strong>as a strong being who was capable of overpowering them and even the forces<strong> </strong>under them. I wondered, <i>''In the end, it all depends on power, huh.''</i>


    I was surprised to see concepts such as Empires, Nobles and royals uponing to the universe. This was because the forces of the Great Universe must have achieved an advanced civilization, sessfully advancing to the Great Universe in the first ce. I did not understand why they would retain the monarchy system, which even Earth had abandoned in the past.


    The answer to that question of mine was power. If an individual had transcendental power, and that power was tremendous as well as great enough to destroy the civilization he belonged to, then he would be an existence that was free from the bindings ofw. He would be judged outside of the rules and framework of society. At the moment, the Dukes currently saw me as such an existence. That exined why Celestia said that they would try to make me the Emperor.


    "But¡­I do not have the blood of the Leonhardt Imperial family in me."


    "Yes, but¡­we are having a wedding," Celestia muttered and sighed. She seemed to suggest that there was plenty of justification for me being the Emperor. Although rumors would spread, those would simply be covered up by the Dukes who currently held onto the reign of power now that the previous Emperor was dead.


    <i>''But¡­'' </i>I then recalled Howard, who momentarily grimaced just now. <i>''I wonder if all of them would agree with that idea?''</i>


    The situation had be rather funny. Aside from my marriage with the Imperial Princess, Celestia, I have be the leader of the Nobles Faction. I had also screwed over the Crown Prince, who was considered a central figure of the Emperor Faction, earlier on, and gotten rid of the Great General Norrington, a powerful transcendent who supported him. With all those considerations, I was sure that those from the Emperor Faction must be gritting their teeth at me. Furthermore, I now appeared with the backing of the Nobles Faction.


    I wondered how the Emperor Faction would see me as¡­ <i>''How else would they see me? They would most probably see me as an enemy of the Imperial household. Of course, they are currently staying quiet because they have no justification and have insufficient power to do anything.''</i>


    Three of the Four Dukes publicly supported the marriage between Celestia and I, while more than a thousand nobles gathered because of the council conference. That wasn''t all. Our marriage was also approved by the previous Emperor, who was now deceased, so there was no justification in stopping the marriage from happening.


    Things would have been different if we didn''t have any power, but in this current situation, none of them could possibly prevent the marriage. The Emperor Faction included the Royal Knight Order, as well as the Seven Great Generals, but they still could not recklessly take action without any justification.


    <i>''Ultimately, they would look for the next opportunity.'' </i>Staring at Celestia, I mumbled, "Hmmm. Alright. Now then..."


    "Now?" Celestia''s blue eyes were filled with a bit of expectation. It was an expression that made meugh.


    "What should we do now?" My question made Celestia''s bright smile freeze up. I secretly nced down at her and noticed that her fist was shaking, but I helplessly shrugged it off. "I am not doing this because I like it either. If I were to try putting it into words, I¡­was kind of in a drunken state back then."


    "D-Drunken? How did you cause the situation to go out of hand in a drunken state? The situation unfolded so suddenly that I failed to utilize any of the preparations I had made for the past 10 years. My people are still standing by at the Detro Gxy, and you say you were in a drunken state?"


    Iughed at the sight of Celestia groaning. I knew my exnation sounded ridiculous and absurd, but I couldn''t do anything about it. That was the truth. At that time, Imitted those actions because I was in a "Intoxicated by the Divine Spirit"<strong> </strong>state. I was the most flustered back then, like a drunkard who severely regretted the mess he had caused the day after.


    <i>''Of course, it is not as if there isn''t a way out of this¡­'' </i>The state<strong> I </strong>was in, upon opening the door, was definitely not foolish. I obviously had some countermeasures in ce, but those countermeasures were things that the current me could not ept.


    <i>Waaaaaaah--! </i>The continuous and endless cheers that I have been hearing became much louder in an instant. I turned to look, discovering that I had unknowingly reached the top of the altar.


    "Hoho. The both of you should smile, because all of this is being filmed." As we arrived at the top of the altar, a beautiful woman wearing silk clothes weed us with a graceful demeanor. I recognized that high-braided ck hair. It was Jeong Yu-ri, one of the Four Dukes, as well as the family head of the Shadow Household.


    "Would it be alright to just call you Duke Jeong?"


    "Huhu. Please speak casually."


    "No, no, I can''t mindlessly treat a person whom Cel refers to as <i>''Grandaunt''</i>."


    Yu-ri''s beautiful smile froze, turning serious. She most probably disliked that sort of title, but she didn''t bother to further discuss that matter in the current circumstances. She simply said, "The marriage will be sealed once the two of you share a kiss of oath."


    "The process is very short, huh."


    Yu-ri smiled at my delighted expression. "Huhu, since you didn''t seem to enjoyplicated frivolity, I have taken the liberty of removing all the unnecessary steps." In actual fact, the likeliest reason was probably due to my and Celestia''s family circumstances. Originally, the wedding ceremony in the Imperial Capital was often the union between two forces. In our case, however, neither Celestia nor I had any family or forces to bring along.


    <i>''Come to think of it, the both of us must be seen as orphans, huh,'' </i>I clicked my tongue quietly. In Celestia''s case, her biological mother passed away a long time ago and her biological father died after being subjected to a recent terrorist attack. In my case, my mother passed away as soon as I was born.


    <i>''Of course, I have a father, but...'' </i>There was no way that I could bring him to a ce like this. The fact that we were thousands of light-years away was also a problem, but I didn''t want to show him a marriage in which a divorce was already promised beforehand.


    <i>sh! </i>Bursts of light spread out. They were not aggressive enough to blind me or bring me difort. They were just warm lights that seemed to embrace everything around, somehow. They made me look up, only to see the artificial sun which was located just above the altar. It was bing brighter.


    <strong>Oooouuhhh! This is¡­ It is a blessing! It is Ra''s blessing! </strong>Once again, cheers erupted from all over the ce.


    Yu-ri, who was in front of us, also looked surprised. "This is...unexpected. There have not been many instances where Ra personally showed a response, even among all the previous Emperors."


    "Is that a good thing?"


    "It''s very good. At this rate, the Emperor Faction wouldn''t dare to pick a fight." Yu-ri had a satisfied expression and whispered softly, but she immediately straightened her posture right after. She asked Celestia with a smile, "Well, now then. Does the bride, Ms. Celestia, vow to take the groom, Mr. Kwan Dae-ha, to be herwfully wedded husband, and love each other from this day onward, until death do you part?"


    "I do." Celestia answered without a hint of hesitation. Come to think of it, her performance was utterly amazing. She was answering with a slightly flushed face and a voice that trembled with excitement. She truly looked like a blissful bride, and that sight momentarily enchanted me. This was despite the fact that I knew the circumstances.


    <i>''She''s a sinful woman...'' </i>I thought to myself. At this moment, I couldn''t imagine how many men were crying bitter tears as they looked at her. It was because she was like a star who descended to the ground, catching everyone''s attention with her brilliant shine.


    "Good. Then does the groom, Mr. Kwan Dae-ha, vow to take the bride, Ms. Celestia, to be hiswfully wedded wife, and love each other from this day onward, until death do you part?" I tried to answer this particr question of Yu-ri with a nod. There was no reason to stall for time. I paled inparison to Celestia, but I was pretty confident in my acting. I had the confidence of answering without any awkwardness, but just before I did¡­


    <i>''Wait a minute.'' </i>A sudden question came into my mind. <i>''Will it be alright if I vow to this?'' </i>A person who had acquired a Divine Spirit should not recklessly lie. I thought about Hawa, who promised that she would protect me, and was now caught in a delicate situation where she couldn''t do whatever she wanted. I now wondered if it was even okay for me to say <i>''love each other from this day onward, until death do you part''</i>?


    "Mr. Kwan Dae-ha?" Yu-ri had a puzzled expression on her face. She looked at me, who remained silent. Celestia also had an expression that indicated that she couldn''t understand what was happening, which may be the same expression of the 100,000 guests watching from afar.


    I broke out in a cold sweat, which drenched my back. <strong>Woooooonggg-----</strong> Just then, the artificial sun that was up in the sky gave off a brighter light. I, alongside everyone, looked up at the unexpected marvel in surprise.


    <strong>Call it. </strong>It was a heavy voice that was calming and unwavering. It was the voice of a faithful loyal subject who would never change upon swearing his allegiance. <strong>Call for me. </strong>The voice resonated within the region.


    As everyone stared at the artificial sun in astonishment, the equally surprised Yu-ri began to stutter, "H-How can this be? No, why?" She was flustered, as if witnessing an impossibility.


    I briefly turned my head around, noticing that the many nobles and the other Dukes had also opened their mouths wide open. Everyone seemed so taken aback. I then turned back to the artificial sun and said, "Ra."


    <strong>That''s right. I am Ra, the light and glory that would brighten up the whole world. </strong>The artificial sun up in the sky slowly subsided before a bright giant, that was made of light, came down towards my direction.


    <i>''This is another peculiar form.'' </i>I could not properly discern Ra''s form, which was entirely made up of light. In one way or another, he was different from the entirely metal Ares. Ra seemed to beposed of the light element.


    As he gently fell down, Ra arrived at the altar in an instant. <i>Boom! </i>Despite the fact that he was made up of light, the altar shook greatly when hended. It was as if he had some sort of mass. Coming down right in front of me, he knelt down on one knee and bowed to me. <strong>But from this moment onwards... I will be your sword, shield, and proof of honor. </strong>His body shone brighter, along with his calm voice. And at some point¡­ <i>sh! </i>He disappeared with a dazzling light.


    When I came to my senses, there was a crown shining brightly on top of my head and I could hear people whispering.


    <strong>Oh my God. It''s the Crown of the Sun.</strong>


    <strong>The Crown of the Sun has reappeared.</strong>


    <strong>The Crown of the Sun that no one had been able to wear since the First Emperor...</strong>


    Of course, not everyone was surprised and pleased by the sudden turn of events. "Why... Howe?" A voice rang out and I could see Howard ring at the crown above my head with an unbelievable expression. He came running to the altar in surprise, but he couldn''te too close. His devastation was still very obvious from a considerable distance away.


    Just then, I heard a sharp voice. It was Ares. <strong>Did I... Did I or did I not remind you to not get distracted?</strong>


    "Given the situation, please put up with it."


    <strong>Ahh... For me to believe in this guy and¡­</strong> Ares'' oddmentation came to an abrupt halt and everything became quiet again, now that everyone else was drowning in shock and confusion. It was needless idle chatter, but thanks to that, I finally got myself together once again.


    "I swear to marry Celestia."


    "Huh? Oh? Yes? Oh... alright." Yu-ri, who waspletely mesmerized, nodded in a hurry.


    Then, I asked hastily, "So, is the wedding ceremony over now?"


    "Ahhh... yes. T-Then with this, Mr. Kwan Dae-ha... No, I mean, that concludes the wedding between Kwan Dae-ha-nim and Celestia." Upon my urging, Yu-ri nodded and announced the conclusion of the wedding to the world. Upon hearing her voice, the tens of thousands of people staring at the shiny crown above my head began yelling.


    As the huge crowd was being asked to leave Ra''s Dwelling, Celestia and I became a married couple.

 Chapter 107: Wedding Ceremony (5)

    <h4>Chapter 107: Wedding Ceremony (5)</h4>


    Terraforming was a globalization process, which was also known asary modification. It was a procedure that converted the environment ofs, satellites and other celestial bodies to share great simrities to Earth¡ªatmosphere, temperature, and ecosystem.


    In the case of the Stage III Civilization, it wasmon for them to use Terraforming in a skillful manner. Although they were capable of moving out of their own to other stars and gxies, there was a huge difference in the level of difficulty and time required. It was dependent on the various conditions of the respectives, such as the presence of water and energy sources, how suitable the environment was for the synthesis ofplex organic matter, and whatnot. However, the process could be done as long as it was necessary, so¡­


    It was also possible toe to ces like this for a honeymoon. I muttered to myself, "I can''t believe we''re on Mercury."


    "It is a vacation spot for the sole use of the VIPs. Currently, you and I are the only guests<strong> </strong>on this. However, its general poprity helps it maintain around 1,000 passengers on a regr basis."


    "...How is 1,000 people a lot? No matter how small Mercury is, it is still a."


    "I just said that only VIPs can use it, right? This is a difficult ce for the average person to stay for a day, even if the average person saved up all their lives. It is already an amazing feat that 1,000 passengers could be maintained on a regr basis." Leaning against the railing, Celestia exined in a tired voice.


    From beside her, I stared down at the emerald sea with an aloof expression. The wedding was finally over, and¡­it was a clutter of mess that would never happen in my life again. The people had continued to cheer loudly, while unfamiliar nobles gathered and pledged allegiance to me without being asked to. After they had been dragged away, I boarded the Giant Carrier, Innocent, and circled Earth-13 twice. The whole process seemingly took a whole 10 hours.


    "Well, it''s certainly...great," I murmured and stared at the sea that stretched far and wide. The mansion we were currently staying in was located on Sky Ind, so we were about hundreds of meters away from the sea.


    After watching the sea for a while, I got up from my seat and climbed up the railing. It was a precarious position, but Celestia did not seem to care at all. <i>Thudd! </i>I lightly kicked the railing and jumped down. I began to fall towards the distant sea.


    <i>Shoooosshhh--- </i>I was falling down slowly. It was too stable to call it a fall, since it was neither too slow nor too fast. It was a speed that could match the gentle descent of someone floating down on a parachute. <i>Ssh! </i>I swam around in the sea. The cold sensation spread throughout my entire body, causing me to be wide awake.


    It was notparable to all the superhumans I had met aftering out to the Great Universe, but...I felt that my body was improving recently. I wasn''t exactly working out, but I was getting more muscr and my physical strength as well as stamina were increasing. It wasn''t beyond the realms of a human, but at the very least, it was approaching the limit of a human. I tried to do the bench press that was in this vi, and focusing allowed me to even lift 300 kilograms. The world record for bench press was 460 kilograms, so it obviously easily surpassed my current level. However, it wasn''t as if I grew bigger in size, so this was actually a huge change. "But, in other words, this is about the limit."


    My heart was imbued with the essence of Napoleon''s Iron Heart, and my soul was strengthened by repeatedly awakening my Godly bloodline. It was strengthened to the point that even transcendents wouldn''t dare to look into it, but¡­my body was still only that of a human.


    Of course, I tried to learn superpowers several times. Originally, superpowers was a form of study that took a long time, requiring a lifetime of training to properly obtain. However, there was a colossal amount of soul energy contained within me. I thought that as long as I got the knack of handling it, I would be able to disy a much stronger power than a decent high-rank ability user. Unfortunately, it was impossible.


    I was able to handle Mana, but I wasn''t able to learn any superpowers that utilized it in real practice. I wasn''t able to awaken magic power, inner Qi, life energy or Chakra. Ultimately, I wasn''t able to get rid of the Mortal state<strong> </strong>with my own strength.


    <i>''It feels as if I am forced to be in a </i><i>human</i><i><strong> </strong></i><i>state,'' </i>I sighed quietly. This was a serious issue. Unlike my mind, which was immune to all sorts of interference, attacks, and was no different from having an absolute defense, my body remained weak enough for me to die from a single bullet wound. If it wasn''t for the promise with Hawa that protected my life, a proper wedding might have been impossible because of the fear of snipers.


    <i>Pushakkk! </i>As I swam for a while and reached a point, the surging current that reached the sky swirled around me. I flew upwards. It was initially a frightening phenomenon, but I was quite familiar with it now. So, I skillfully rode the current and flew all the way up to the Sky Ind.


    <i>Thud. </i>I jumped onto the railing where I had first jumped off from like it was magic. Behind me, the current that soared up into the sky simply turned and gushed back down to the sea. Imented softly, "This gravity waterfall is pretty fun."


    "It''s one of the famous attractions of Mercury. However, it''s a product that wastes a huge amount of energy," Celestia casually said.


    The name Mercury[1] may give off the vibe of an ocean-filled, but it had no natural ocean. The atmospheric conditions were actually the most simr to the sun, so its environment was unsuitable for an ocean to exist. Furthermore, the distance between Mercury and the sun exposed the to an intense heat. It was a ce where extreme climate conditions dominated, where the temperature would drop down to minus 170 degrees at night before rising to over 400 degrees during the day.


    However, the Leonhardt Empire that had reached the Stage III Civilization created an atmosphere of special properties. It absorbed all the heat of the zing sunlight that shone upon Mercury and converted it into energy. This system was then used throughout Mercury before they made a beautiful sea that matched the name of Mercury. They also made a Sky Ind that floated up in the sky. This was the dazzling aplishment of the First Emperor of the Leonhardt Empire.


    "The First Emperor His Majesty said that he loved the scenery of Mercury, so this was where he stayed when he was dying from the curse of the Gods."


    "...It was here? It wasn''t on Earth?"


    "Yeah. Actually, the building we''re currently staying in was the vi of the First Emperor."


    Upon hearing Celestia''s words, I quickly looked back at the huge mansion we were staying in. I was no longer surprised that this was much bigger in size than the other Sky Inds, and how the building was luxurious-looking too. It must be because this was the ce where the First Emperor stayed. "It''s a building he must have personally cared about. It''s pretty nice."


    Celestia was silent, not responding to my carefree words. Her sluggish expression hardened like a ster cast. "As expected, are you...going to be Emperor?"


    I was then reminded of the wedding ceremony, and how Ra had reacted to me. He became a crown on top of my head. That was the exact moment everything changed, where the mere wedding ceremony for one of the Imperial Princesses became the coronation ceremony of a new Emperor. I heard that the attendance of three of the Four Dukes at a wedding ceremony of a royal held huge political significance. However, the great impact that the Crown of the Sun had was enough to erase all the unprecedented actions of the Dukes from the minds of the people.


    "What will happen if I do not be the Emperor?"


    "...It''ll probably be a mess. The dukes, the nobles and, most importantly, the citizens will not ept it. The news of the new Emperor''s appearance has already put the entire Leonhardt Empire in a festive mood."


    The term Empire referred to a nation ruled by an Emperor, while the term Emperor referred to the sovereign of an Empire. In other words, the title Empire-ss<strong> </strong>itself hinted at a hidden desire for the Emperor-ss. This meant the people thought that a proper Empire should also have a powerful Emperor-ss being.


    In fact, the fundamental reason for the nned<strong> </strong>rebellion that was supposed to take ce was also to normalize the Imperial system, which was based on the existence of an Emperor-ss. It meant that they would obey an existence like this First Leondhardt Emperor, or utterly refuse to continue adapting to this system.


    <i>''Though it''s a much more advanced world, the fundamental principles are the same after all.'' </i>Ultimately, I let out a scoff at the conclusion that power was unchanging.


    However, it might have been inevitable. Even if two countries had the same Empire-ss forces, the difference in the countries'' status would differ. A country with a <i>proper</i><strong> </strong>Emperor was like heaven, while a country that didn''t was like earth. For example, if the First Leonhardt Empire was alive, the Tekea Federation ¡ª the Empire of the demi-humans ¡ª would not dare to start a fight. The current battle between them and the Leonhardt Empire would not be happening.


    "That''s realistic."


    "It''s reasonable. You even...ended up personally wearing the Crown of the Sun, which only the First Emperor could. Since there was perfect justification, there are people who are already calling you the Emperor."


    It seemed that the three Dukes had tried to crown me with their own power, but it was all useless now. Since Ra had appeared before me, I had the justification<strong> </strong>to sit on the throne by simply dering<i> ''I will be the Emperor''</i>. I thought for a while and asked, "But what if I were to die at this timing?"


    "... Are you going to die?"


    "No, I mean, if I pretended to be dead."


    Celestia had a baffled expression upon hearing my words. She said, "Of course, you have a body that could die, but...the people assumed that you are an Emperor-ss. Do you think the people would ept that an existence of the Emperor-ss, which is rare in the universe, just suddenly appeared only to die off like that? They would most probably start an investigation."


    Her reasoning madeplete sense, but I shook my head and said, "They wille to ept it." Honestly, I did not want to do so, but... I felt the need to use the countermeasures that <i>I</i><strong> </strong>had prepared while I was in the opened door state. "Because I will die in the hands of a terrifying enemy that no one would be able to stop."


    1. In Korean and also Chinese, Mercury is ??/Ë®ÐÇ, and the direct trantion of that is actually Water.

 Chapter 108: Wedding Ceremony (6)

    <h4>Chapter 108: Wedding Ceremony (6)</h4>


    "They wille to ept it." Honestly, I did not want to do so, but... I felt the need to use the countermeasures that I had prepared while I was in the opened door state. "Because I will die in the hands of a terrifying enemy that no one would be able to stop."


    In all honesty, there weren''t many organizations that were enemies of the Union. This was unsurprising, since the Union was a universal organization that was founded upon the intention of fighting against the beings of the outside world. We were all affiliated with the Union, so it was hard to consider anyone an enemy.


    There were nations within the Union that were hostile to each other, just like the rtionship between the Leonhardt Empire and the Tekea Federation. However, even so, all those forces were bound together under the name of the Union.


    This was because Noblesse, an organization of transcendental species born with great power, as well as Elohim, an organization of transcendents who had acquired supreme power through endless training and effort, were enforcing the most basic of rules throughout the Union. In other words, the Union was thergest and strongest force in the Great Universe.


    ''It¡¯s just an indication of how terrifying the power of Legion is,¡¯ I thought to myself. Once again, there weren''t many organizations that could be considered an enemy for the Union. In fact, they were a force that basically dominated over the universe. However, there were terrifying forces in the vast Great Universe that even the Union could not go against recklessly. They were called the three Great Adversaries. They were the Mechanical life form, Legion; the Space Monster, Grotesque; The Great Pirates, Basara.


    Among them, the Basara were terrifying beings. They terrorized others due to their enormous size, rather than their sheer strength or fighting power. It was unclear whether they could be distinguished as an enemy, so only the Legion and Grotesque were capable of confronting the Union with their actual power. Those two Great Adversaries could withstand the pressure of the Union, even though they were overwhelmingly disadvantageous in size, because of the Untouchables¡ªtranscendental existences that protected those two powers.


    "A terrifying enemy that no one would be able to stop?"


    "That''s right. An enemy like Adam."


    "...Are you crazy?" Celestia looked at me like I was a psychopathic patient.


    "What do you mean crazy?"


    ¡°How else do you expect me to react to you saying that you would take advantage of Adam, a monster-like Untouchable who possessed the status of a First-Tier God? If he was determined, he could spread terror throughout the entire Great Universe. And you are nning to bring in that God of Destruction-like guy just because you want to relinquish the throne?" Celestia raised an eyebrow.


    Adam was the First Legion. He was one of the few beings who possessed the status of a First-Tier God in the Physical Realm, where most of the Gods had left. This was the reason why he was an existence who remained way above me, despite my opening the door.


    I had a High-rank Divine Spirit, a High-rank Status of God and a Low-rank Divinity, while he did not share my abnormal form. He perfectly amassed the status of a First-Tier God, and he was an existence that was equivalent to having a Great Divinity. However, it didn''t matter, since this was not a matter of power¡­


    "Mmmhmm."


    "...Mmhmm? You''re going to leave it at that?"


    "That''s all. Don''t worry about it too much. It''s a matter that I will handle on my own." I felt sorry, but I couldn''t offer Celestia any further details. I couldn¡¯t tell her about what I could do, to what extent I could do those things, and what kind of potential I really did have¡­ ''This is the extent of our rtionship.'' I maintained a pretty close rtionship with Celestia and somehow got married, but even so, we didn''t cross any lines.


    Yes, I would admit that¡­I was captivated by Celestia. Even though she was literally a bomb-like woman who possessed all the factors I hated, Celestia caught my attention with her star-like qualities. It was as if she descended from heaven. Perhaps I, who was drunk on the Status of God, had turned the tables for her because my true feelings were revealed like a drunk man who finally acted on his inner feelings.


    "Hmmm... I see." Celestia had a strange look on her face, as if she read my thoughts. It was a strange expression that was hard to describe, like she was happy and disappointed at the same time. Regardless of the look on her face, I left her alone and walked into the vi.


    Whoooosh-- Activating the function that was installed in the vi, my wet body quickly dried up. I ced my hand on the wall located on one side of the living room, and the refrigerator opened up in an instant. I got myself a cool drink before asking, "Do you want something to drink?"


    "¡­Blue Star."


    "Hmm? Isn''t that alcohol?"


    "I can drink alcohol if I want to. How old do you think I am?" As Celestia gave that response, Iughed at the sight of her squinting her eyes. I reached my hand out to the wall again, opening the refrigerator to grab a bottle of blue liquid. The control persona who managed the vi passed us the drink we wanted.


    Glug glug glug! Celestia snatched the bottle I handed over and downed the alcohol. The fact that she was holding onto a bottle that cost as much as a decent house was probably not an important matter right now.


    "You''re going to be out of breath." Iughed and drank the fruit juice I had chosen.


    Before I knew it, Celestia had drank nearly half the bottle of Blue Star and stared at me with a calm expression. "Do you know about my mother?"


    "Just vaguely. I don''t know the exact details." In the opened door state, I grasped everything about her with my information control ability, which was simr to the All-Knowing ability. However, all that knowledge and information would disappear like grains of sand falling through the gaps of my fingers when the door closed once again. Hence, there wasn¡¯t much information left in my ¡°hands.¡± After all, although the power of God was mighty, the human brain could only absorb an extremely limited amount of information.


    The experience was like a dream. Upon waking up in the morning, it was possible to remember the dreams you had the day before, but only the image of it would generally remain. For example, if it was a nightmare such as being chased by something, eating something delicious, a sudden appearance of a pretty woman, it would all remain in mere vague memory. In a simr way, my current situation made me uncertain of my fragmentary memories. I couldn¡¯t even remember all the shapes of the buildings I saw.


    Therefore, I could have given the coordinators some important information, but I did not have a full grasp of the whole situation. It was then necessary for me to listen to their exnations while I was in my current state, simply in order to know the exact circumstances.


    "You know that I don''t have any background, right?"


    "To be exact, I heard that you didn''t have a household," I responded.


    "Well, that''s the same thing." Celestia was smirking and, just like she said, she didn¡¯t have anything like a household. This was because her biological mother was a kind of prostitute who served the former Emperor at a price. "The public knew her as amoner woman. My father, who went out for a while, fell into a forbidden love with a woman who worked in a flower shop... That was how it was advertised."


    In other words, to the citizens of the Empire, Celestia''s mother was an ordinary woman who was neither a royal nor a noble. However, to the other royals and nobles, her mother was a prostitute who sold her body for a price.


    "But it''s not like that?"


    "Of course. Think about it. Why would my father, who was the Crown Prince at that time, take up the political pressure of getting involved with a prostitute? The better choice would have been to choose between a maid-of-honor or a noblewoman from one of the noble households, and bring her to his bedroom."


    This was baffling to me, discovering the ¡®fact¡¯ that Celestia¡¯s mother status as a prostitute was not true, even though this was the secret being kept between only the royals and nobles. It seemed that Celestia''s mother had an identity that couldn''t be disclosed to the public, so she hid the truth twice over.


    "Then who was she?"


    "A gically-modified battle life form. So, if I had to exin it in words... She was a Chimera.¡± Celestia finally revealed that her mother was one of the experiments made for the sake of creating the Shadow Corps, a military force operating directly under the Imperial family. Her mother was created by mixing various superior and transcendental species such as the Noblesse, and even the genes of the demi-humans. Her mother was an existence that waspleted through a subsequent rigorous training process.


    However, the problem was that her mother was a failure. She added, "Compared to the other Chimeras, my mother had an inferior performance. She couldn¡¯t properly speak thenguage, and her fighting capabilities were half of what the others could do. Furthermore, even her intelligence was low. She was a scrap product that couldn''t even be used as a servant."


    ¡°Isn''t it normal for her to be discarded, then? Did security issues prevent that from happening?¡±


    "That''s the normal thing to do, but... It didn''t turn out that way. My mother was very beautiful." Celestia revealed that her mother¡¯s beauty led her to being used for another purpose in the Imperial family. All she had was a beautiful appearance, so whatever happened next seemed to be the natural course of action. It was during this period that Celestia''s mother was known as a prostitute to the royals and nobles.


    "Then the former Emperor too?"


    "No, he didn''t do the same. My father, who had generally believed in abstinence, looked at my mother with disgust. He couldn¡¯t stand the fact that she was being used by the royals to satisfy their urges. The problem came up one day, when my mother was being used like that...because Cheong Won appeared before her."


    The Keeper of the Bloodline, Jwa Ja, had momentarily stopped by the Imperial Castle because he had some matters to attend to. However, he noticed that some sort of mutated factor had formed inside Celestia¡¯s mother. He was able to figure out that she was not a failure, but a being that possessed a very unique potential.


    "I see. Jwa Ja approached Angelos III and forced him to marry her, even though he was unwilling to do so,¡± I spected. Cheong Won was the Keeper of the Bloodline of the Leonhardt''s Imperial family, so I heard that not even the Imperial family could recklessly ignore his opinion. Also, this particr matter involved the descendents of the Imperial family, which was the very aspect he supervised.


    However, Celestia shook her head and said, ¡°If¡­ If that had taken ce instead, it would have been a great relief.¡±


    "Then?"


    "It''s the other way around. All the Princespeted to take possession of her."


    "¡­Because she was a valuable existence who could carry on the Godly bloodline?¡±


    "That''s right." Celestia nodded.


    As long as Leonhardt, the First Emperor, was dead, the fall of the Imperial family could be anticipated. What made the royals special was the fact that they could carry on the Godly bloodline, which was precisely the problem.


    "The Godly bloodline cannot be passed down with just anyone. It was hard to see the future ahead, and even if one were to seed in seeing the future affairs, it would gradually be more and more vague... Follow me." Celestia drank whatever remained of the Blue Star and moved to a room that was on one corner of the vi. I obediently followed behind her. Wiiiiingggg--- Chiiikingggg! As she operated the wall that was on one side, the floor opened up and revealed a set of stairs. At the end of the stairs was a Magic Circle that was shining in a blue hue.


    "What is this?"


    "It''s a ce that the royals would definitely know. It''s my first time here, actually."


    Wooooom! As we stood on the Magic Circle, the background changed abruptly. Before I knew it, Celestia and I were teleported to the middle of a flower garden that was glowing in a golden light.


    "¡­This is pretty cool,¡± I said and looked around. Everything was shining in a golden light here. Golden flowers were blooming everywhere, as if they were woven from golden threads.


    "You know what these are, right?"


    "Of course." I smiled at Celestia''s question. That''s right. These golden roses were familiar to me, because it was the flower that Celestia had given to me upon her proposal of marriage. The only difference back then was that I only received a few stalks of roses, while I was now surrounded by tens of thousands of stalks here. "Is it the Golden Rose of Detalt?"


    "That''s correct," Celestia answered calmly and headed to the middle of the flower garden. There was a huge throne that was upied by a dazzling blonde-haired man. With his hands on his chin and a ttering hairstyle of long golden hair, he was a man that felt like the sun. Even though the man seemed asleep with both eyes tightly shut, I could clearly feel his presence. He looked like a masterpiece sculpted by a master. He was so beautiful that I unknowingly stared at him for a long time.


    "To be honest, I was surprised that the Dukes asked us toe here. This ce is a very meaningful ce for the Leonhardt Imperial family,¡± Celestiamented.


    While she spoke, I continued looking at the seated man on the throne. He was a man who exuded a tremendous presence, but remained unmoving despite our arrival. "Is he the First Emperor?"


    "That''s right. He''s the First Emperor, as well as a being called the Lightking. He''s the beginning of all the myths and tragedies... Huh?" Celestia, who was giving an exnation with an exaggerated look of an opera singer, stopped talking. I also froze. She asked, "Just now... Didn''t he move?"


    "...He moved." With a look of disbelief, I looked at Leonhardt, who had his eyes closed. It was then¡­


    shhh! Emperor Leonhardt suddenly opened his eyes wide. However, this unexpected event was not as happy as an Emperor who awoke from his slumber. Kkiiiiiiiiyaaaaaaaaaaakkkkkkkkkkk-------! Along with the horrendous groan, Emperor Leonhardt''s head turned towards us with a sh. His jet-ck eyes, which seemed dyed pitch-ck by ink, were staring at us with a ferocious Aura.

 Chapter 109: Wedding Ceremony (7)

    <h4>Chapter 109: Wedding Ceremony (7)</h4>


    Kkiiiiiiiiyaaaaaaaaaaakkkkkkkkkkk-------! Along with the horrendous groan, Emperor Leonhardt''s head turned towards us with a sh. His jet-ck eyes, which seemed dyed pitch-ck by ink, were staring at us with a ferocious Aura.


    "What''s going on?"


    "I''m not sure... This isn¡¯t even apletely secret ce. This is a ce where many royals, including the Crown Prince,e by. I have never heard of such an urrence¡­ I have only heard that he always remains asleep in that position,¡± Celestia mumbled softly, but she never took her eyes off of Emperor Leonhardt. Before I knew it, a golden Aura was exuding from her body.


    Meanwhile, I transformed the clock-like Shadow Stalker hanging on my left wrist into the form of a gun. ck! Shadow Stalker was now in the form of a revolver.


    In Hanja [1], ''revolver'' was written as ''yug-hyeol-po'' [2], literally meaning that it was a gun with six holes.


    Shadow Stalker was a weapon that imbued two effects out of the three major properties on each of its six chambers, which were Time, Space and Void. In other words, even if the bullet was not loaded separately, the gun''s chamber would turn and stop at the section with the necessary effect upon my pulling of the trigger.


    ¡°I am asking, just in case, but what would happen if one were to damage the body of the First Emperor?"


    "...Don''t even talk about such a huge incident,¡± Celestia muttered and squinted her eyes.


    That was a sight that made me say,"Ack, it''s hot!" I nodded afterwards. I had asked an inevitable question, because the staring First Emperor was giving me a very malicious Aura.


    Whoooooskk--- A ck air current wrapped around the body of the First Emperor and swirled around. It was a cloud of darkness that was filled with a dark and horrifying energy, one that easily instilled fear upon sight.


    I tugged the trigger of Shadow Stalker and prepared to shoot the Maximum Annihtion Shot. In the Stage III Civilization, it was a weapon that was only installed in a battleship or a Dimension Artillery, since it could only operate with a huge Iron Heart that contained a special energy built in. However, it was one of the six types of bullets that the Shadow Stalker, which was considered the fruit of the Stage IV Civilization, could use at any time. Although it was an impossible feat, the extremely advanced dimensional engineering pushed it into the realm of possibility. This was achieved by creating a huge subspace in the gun chamber, which even a finger struggled to fit in.


    "Let''s back off quietly."


    "Let''s do that."


    There was no reason to garner resentment by destroying the body of the First Emperor without any cause, so we slowly stepped back. I got myself together while Celestia shielded me from the front. She was protecting me before I even realized it.


    ''...I wonder who''s the one doing the shielding.'' As I let out a scoff, we headed towards the Magic Circle which teleported us to the flower garden. Fortunately, Leonhardt was just staring at us and couldn''t break free from the throne.


    Kiing! However, Celestia immediately hardened her face upon standing on the Magic Circle. I also looked down in surprise. "Huh?" I could see the Magic Circle that teleported us here losing its energy and turning off.


    "Why?" Celestia was flustered by the unexpected situation, and it was at that moment¡­ Whoooooook! In an instant, a gust of wind prated and passed through my body. It was a given for me, but it was so quick that even Celestia couldn¡¯t react to it. The problem was that it wasn¡¯t a physical wind¡­ "Heuckk... Th-This..." A ck air current enveloped Celestia''s whole body. Even though Celestia was releasing a golden Aura, the ck air current devoured her energy in a matter of seconds.


    "Shit." I was in a simr situation. When the ck air current enveloped my whole body, everything around felt giddy and my knees went weak. ''No... Why?'' At that moment, a question came to mind. ''Why is Hawa not stopping it?''


    Hawa was the person who blocked the surprise attack of Great General Norrington, one of the Seven Great Generals, without even revealing herself. She simply killed him with a single blow. The Leonhardt Empire couldn¡¯t possibly perform an attack that Hawa wouldn''t be able to recognize, so what was with this situation?


    I looked back at Emperor Leonhardt again.


    Leonhardt Empire


    Under a curse, Leonhardt


    I was losing my strength and the ck air current was still whirling all over my body, but I felt no pain. Only then did I recall the story about the First Emperor. The story stated that during the war, the curse he received from the high-rank Gods remained unhealed. Due to that one curse from his enemies, he fell into an eternal slumber in the end¡­


    "Eternal...slumber, huh." Only then did I realize the reason why Hawa did not move. Her promise only took my life into consideration. She had no need, nor any obligation, to step forward in any other situation that did not concern my life.


    "Huff... Haoohhh... H-Howe? Why is the Dreamer''s Curse¡­?" With a rugged groan, Celestia staggered while I couldn¡¯t even open my mouth to try saying something to her.


    Before I realized it, I could no longer muster any strength in my body. ''T-The door...'' I focused my mind but my consciousness was fading away. I imagined the door and barely managed to grab the door handle, but I couldn''t afford to turn it open. ''Open the door...'' However, I lost my consciousness at that moment.


    *


    On one side of a wall of the beautifully adorned Royal Pce, five or six young boys who varied from their early tote teens, stood in a circle. All of them had brightly radiant blonde hair, and lovely appearances that were as cute as angels. However, for some reason, they were all frowning.


    "What the hell, what kind of absurd scenario is this?" The boy with thergest build guffawed at the boy who sat within the semicircle they had formed. He stared at the other boy, who had clear blue hair that seemed to be made of the essence of the seawater. The boy trembled and stuck close to the wall, just like a cornered mouse.


    "Louis-hyung, do you believe in this nonsense?"


    "It''s obviously hard to believe in that, but take a good look, Elion. This guy... His body type changed strangely. His chest is gone too."


    It was at that moment that the boy named Elion stared at the blue-haired boy who was sitting down. Only then did the surrounding space sway for an instant, and¡­ Kwakkkkkkkk! Like magic, the luxurious clothes that wrapped around the blue-haired boy were torn to shreds. After the clothes scattered in all directions, the other boys widened their eyes at the revtion of the blue-haired boy¡¯s figure.


    "Wh-What the hell is this?"


    "Uwahh, this is distasteful. How is this possible? Did he have this kind of power?"


    "The idiotic power to summon a whole-roasted pig was dumbfounding, but what the hell is with this..."


    With baffled expressions, everyone looked at the blue-haired boy who was lying on the floor. The boy curled up his body to the best of his ability and, somehow, managed to cover his body somewhat. However, it was not good enough to hide the fact that "his" naked body was that of a girl, and not a guy.


    "Kekeke. Look at this, this. She has something hanging down her lower body though?"


    "Agh, and what the heck is this? She has a t chest."


    "Agh, this is annoying. The only use for this lowly trash is gone."


    "But it''s not even funny. She turned into a man because of us, right?"


    They giggled while surrounding her. Most of them were tickled and fascinated enough tough, but not everyone felt the same.


    "Celestia, stop joking around and turn back into a woman."


    "I-I am... I''m a man," the blue-haired boy spoke for the first time. Her face, which was filled with intimidation and fear, shook. Her jaw also trembled. It was a very pathetic sight.


    However, the blonde-haired young boy named Louis only frowned even more. "Don''t be ridiculous and go back to being a woman."


    Even though she was trembling, she did not go along with his order. "A man... I''m a man..."


    Upon that sight, the blonde-haired boy''s lips became twisted. "Is that so? Fine then." He smirked and looked back towards the other boys. "Let''s get started."


    "What? But Hyung, isn''t she a guy right now?"


    "She doesn''t even have a chest, Hyung."


    "I feel strangely offended."


    Two or three boys had an undesirable look on their face. However, Elion, the boy with the smallest stature among them all, was different. He piped up, "But hyungs, don''t you think it''ll be more fun because of that?"


    "What? But still..."


    "Even if she turned into a guy, she still looks the same. I think these sort of surprises are asionally refreshing and good.¡± Elion¡¯s words made the other boys exchange looks with one another. They hesitated for a moment and turned their gaze towards Louis.


    "Do it."


    "Hmmm... Well, this will make for a good change of pace."


    "She looks the same, so it''ll be simr if we just do it from the back¡­like usual.¡±


    like usual." As they whispered and gathered around her, despair started to surface in the eyes of Celestia, who was the blue-haired boy crouching down.


    "This is thest warning." As Louis stared at her like that, he said, "Turn back to normal."


    "I am..." While trembling, Celestia resisted. "I''m... a man."


    "Ha!" Louis'' handsome face, which looked chiseled for the gods, distorted nastily. The other boys behind him were taking off their clothes, one by one.


    "I don''t want to..." As if she was trying to look away from them, Celestia curled up at the wall and cried. At that image...


    Bang! I pulled the trigger. "I know it will all be for naught, but..." The boy who had just grabbed Celestia''s ankle lost his head and copsed on the floor. At that sight, all the young boys looked towards me in surprise. However, this was all just a mere fantasy.


    Bang! Bang! There were holes in his head, chest, stomach and legs. All of them used some sort of powerful power, but in this world of will, those small little nightmares couldn¡¯t win against me. This was because I was immune to all the interference that negatively affected my mind. There was no way nightmares such as these would work. Most importantly... "Even though I look like this, I''ve had 300 years worth of nightmares. Tsk, these greenhorns..."


    "You, who the hell are you?! How dare you! Where do you think this is?!"


    "...When I first saw you, I thought you were pretty detestable. But it turns out that you''re one of the better ones." I scoffed at Louis, who distorted his face like a devil. Of course, I had no intention of conversing with someone who wasn¡¯t even real.


    Bang! Thuckkk! I could feel something punching my stomach as the wall on one side was destroyed and sted away. Surprisingly, the future Crown Prince avoided the bullet with incredible reflexes and struck me in the abdomen. However¡­


    "Wh-What the hell? Why isn''t it working?"


    "That''s...because I''m keeping a straight head?"


    "What kind of ridiculous nonsense are you spouting?!" Louis was yelling at me as if I was being ridiculous, but what I said was the indisputable truth. I was keeping my mind straight in such a clear and distinct manner that this nightmare wasn''t able to inflict any damage on me. This was a world of dreams, and¡­


    I could somehow figure out the curse that the First Emperor was inflicted with. "It''s a curse that puts him in a painful nightmare forever."


    "How...how dare you ignore me, despite being amoner?!" Louis cried out. Thuckkk, thuckkk! He punched my body wildly, but I did not even tremble. There was no such thing as thews of physics in a world of dreams, since I did not have a real body. There were no fully-trained superpowers here too. The only thing present here was the consciousness.


    These circumstances made me invincible, since I had the mental immunity characteristics. I was naturally immune to the nightmare itself, so no possible attack could work here, no matter what they did.


    ng ng! I pulled the firing pin of the Shadow Stalker and prepared the Stop Watch. Tic toc, tic toc, tic toc! At first nce, it was hard to imagine that Stop Watch was the name of a bullet, but loading it caused a stopwatch to run above the Shadow Stalker.


    As I aimed it at Louis, who was punching me wildly, he backed off in surprise. "Keukk! I don''t know what trick you are using, but a weapon as lowly as that wouldn''t be able to overpower the power of the Imperial family! I am..."


    "Ahhh, so noisy,¡± I grumbled.


    Thuckkk! It happened in an instant. Without any signs or sounds, Louis, who was thest one standing, had a hole in his head. Plop! He fell down, which was expected. No matter how great and powerful he was, he couldn¡¯t possibly avoid a bullet that flew towards him in suspended time.


    ''Well, of course, it''s all a matter of their awareness, but... It was easy to materealize, perhaps because it was a weapon I really possessed. There''s no need to doubt its performance.'' I thought.


    As I approached Celestia, she, no, he was staring at me with a nk look on his face. "Wh-Who are you?" The sight of him widening his big round eyes was really cute, though surprising. It was fascinating for someone, who was so thorough with everything, to possess such a past.


    ¡°Hmm. I am, so to speak..." Needless to say, I didn''t feel the need to say "I''m your husband.¡± I couldn¡¯t possibly make such a deration to him, who was trembling fearfully and insisting that he was a man.


    With fluttering eyes, Celestia noticed my hesitation and asked, "So to speak?"


    "So to speak, I''m your friend."


    "Friend..."


    I handed the nearby curtain I ripped off to Celestia, who still had a nk expression. If I had a lot of experience in moving around and taking the lead in a world of dreams, then I could create things that didn''t initially exist. I was always spectating in the nightmares I dreamt of, so it was impossible for me to perform that kind of skill.


    ''Needless to say... I can''t just leave, can I?'' I sighed softly as I took in the surrounding scenery. I did say that I was invincible inside a world of dreams, but only defensively. I did not have any omnipotent power here and, since I have been living a normal life, there was no way I would know how to escape from this world of nightmares.


    Of course, going around might lead me to encounter a possible escape route. Then again, if it was that simple, then Emperor Leonhardt wouldn''t have been asleep for such a long time. He would have been released from this curse much earlier on.


    ck!


    "No! Don''t---! Aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh----!!"


    "¡­Oh my." I opened a nearby door and saw a blond-haired man wailing inside a giant crater. Then, I closed it again.


    "Huh? The inside of the kitchen is turning into a strange ce now..."


    "Don''t mind it, don''t care about it." I let out a soft sigh afterforting the frightened Celestia. She was pretty cute in this state, but...I couldn''t leave her like this. This was because I didn''t know what was going on outside. I also didn''t know the time difference between here and the real world.


    "Honestly, something is getting on my nerves, but..." I pondered for a moment, while holding on to the key that hung from my neck. The me who opened the door was obviously still me, but I could not consider it a normal state. In reality, the earlier catastrophe in the council hall was caused by a myriad of ovepping options that I would normally never choose.


    However, I soon shook my head. This image of Celestia wasn''t bad, but...this world of nightmares was uncharted territory. It would be best to get out of here quickly, because I didn''t know what would happen after too long a time.


    "There''s nothing I can do about this," I grumbled and grabbed the door again. Of course, it was not to save the Emperor who had long been suffering from the nightmare. Aside from the fact that I didn''t properly know him, I couldn''t guarantee that he would be in his right mind after suffering from such a long haunting of the nightmares. Well, even if I were to save him one day, it would be something to think about once I got out of here. "Well, it''ll probably not be a big deal." In a slightly desperate situation¡­ ck! I opened the door.


    1. Hanja means Chinese characters/words.


    2. For those interested, yug-hyeol-po is the romanization for ???, which is the Hanja pronunciation for Li¨´ xu¨¦ p¨¤o(ÁùѨ³h), which is a Chinese for revolver.

 Chapter 110: Wedding Ceremony (8)

    <h4>Chapter 110: Wedding Ceremony (8)</h4>


    *


    "Exactly what the hell happened? The curse should have worked properly. He shouldn''t have been able to show any sort of resistance..."


    "No, more than that... The Emperor''s condition was weird too. He didn''t even reopen the sealing ritual, and copsed just like that."


    There was a lot of blood running down the Sacred Land Detalt where Emperor Leonhardt was asleep. This was because the sacred ground, where the golden rose bloomed, rejected the blood that was imbued with vitality. The flowing blood from the body was then expelled out of the Sacred Land.


    There were dozens of bleeding bodies. Among them were three men who looked at Leonhardt, who was lying on the floor, with a pale face. They then looked at Dae-ha, who was lying next to Celestia. However, they were currently not interested in the Imperial Princess.


    "Can we no longer insert the Sword of Destruction?" A man of sturdy build wasmenting. There was a Magic Sword with all kinds of Curse of Deaths,yered andpressed, in his hand. Since it was an item that was made with the heart and soul of the Great Wizards, even a pretty powerful transcendent wouldn''te out unscathed upon getting defensely stabbed by the cursed de.


    ¡°Did you not also notice that you can approach or touch them, but you can no longer stab them¡­?¡± The other man was right, and this was the problem. They entered Detalt to kill Dae-ha, who lost his consciousness from the infectious curse of the Emperor, but they just couldn''t execute it.


    "Damn it! We have to do it no matter what! Haiyaaaah!!" The first man chewed his lips and activated a self-defence mechanism that was great enough to cover his whole body. Then, he charged towards Dae-ha. He was a man who reached the realm of a top master bypleting the perfect Daejucheon[1]. Hence, an ordinary person would fail to clock his movements with the naked eye.


    However¡­ Thuckkk! The head of the charging man disappeared. His body, which was rushing forth like lightning, copsed to the floor without oveing the residual force.


    "This is insane. What the hell is the principle behind this... I can''t even begin to understand."


    "Looking at the atmosphere, it feels like a kind of defensive system, but¡­ It is an attack that even we couldn¡¯t perceive¡­¡± Another manmented quietly.


    Everything went as nned. As long as they lent the First Emperor''s vi to Dae-ha and Celestia, it was the natural course of action for them to enter Detalt. Then, it would be easy for them to unleash a curse upon Dae-ha and Celestia by simply matching the moment they entered. Afterwards, all they had to do was kill him once he became unconscious.


    After all, it was a curse that even the strong-minded Intermediate-rank transcendent, Emperor Leonhardt, had not been able to ovee for hundreds of years. Hence, it was no wonder that they never considered the possibility of Dae-ha ever oveing such a curse.


    However, it was fact that everyone who thought so and tried to attack him died. Any attack they did would trigger an unknown counterattack that obliterated their body.


    "We''re running out of time. Even though surveince is impossible, because this is a Sacred Land, the vi¡¯s control persona would contact the outside forces once the Imperial Princess and the Next Emperor remained here for a long period of time,¡± one man muttered to the other. This was why they had to deal with Dae-ha right now. They never thought of surviving this ordeal, but they also never expected to put their lives on the line to achieve absolutely nothing.


    ¡°No, actually, even if this is the case¡­ Our goal is already halfpleted, technically speaking. The Dreamer¡¯s Curse can¡¯t be lifted by anyone, so¡­¡±


    Emperor Leonhardt was the start and end of the Empire. In other words, he was an existence that was akin to the heart of the Empire. Moreover, when he was first inflicted with the curse, the Untouchable known as the Golden Lion God was even next to him too. But nevertheless, the Dreamer''s Curse couldn¡¯t be lifted.


    "If we don''t kill him here, the power of the curse that devoured him will only increase in strength. Since this is already the case, there is nothing we can do.¡± The man clenched his teeth and sheathed the Sword of Destruction. It was a Single Use Magical Weapon that would automatically disappear when used, but it couldn¡¯t be used under this changed situation. So, he recalled it to prevent any sort of tracking. "Let''s back off, Yeon."


    "..."


    "Yeon?" The man who sheathed the Sword of Destruction turned his head and asked again, since hisrade did not reply. However, the one who stood there was not hisrade.


    "You noticed it slower than I thought you would."


    "Wh-What the?!" The man who had trained in Chakra noticed that there were two men lying down on the floor below Dae-ha. Heid his eyes on them and knew that they were dead. Aside from him, the entire Special Force was wiped out now.


    "Isit Howard and the royals... Even so, I can''t believe they thought of getting rid of me under the rapt attention of so many eyes.¡±


    "Hmph! I don''t care what you think! The Empire no longer needs an Emperor!" The man growled. He was an advocate for a republican constitution.


    Although the monarchy constitution wasmon in the Great Universe Era, as everyone recognized the existence of transcendents, that did not mean that all of humanity epted the godlike existence that existed above them. The Republicans thought that the independent citizens, who were devoted to their homnd, should be the main body that made up the political scene. They were especially staunch in their beliefs.


    It was then no surprise that they loathed the Emperor-ss existences. In the case of low-rank transcendents, it was possible to match them with the power of modern weapons and battleships. However, it was hard to gather the power of the whole civilization, so the transcendents would definitely reign over humanity in the end.


    Of course, he himself volunteered for the mission because he agreed to such thoughts. It was unfortunate that he did not know that he was also being used.


    The reason why the Republicans wanted to harm Dae-ha was because they were afraid of the emergence of a new Emperor. That was the final scenario that the enemies desired for, because they wanted to lead Dae-ha to falling into a crisis. However, there was just one problem¡­


    ''They must really have seen me as an easy target.'' I thought. Currently, I possessed an omniscient power and that was an undeniable fact.


    "Hmph! You bastard! You think you can stand on top of people with your mere possession of stronger power! Just with your own power, and without any consent from the society..."


    "Shut it,¡± I grumbled, and¡­ Thuckkk! Along with a soft sound, there was a hole in the man''s chest. Once he stopped shouting fiercely and loudly, I turned the Shadow Stalker back to the form of a watch. "By the way, this isn''t even funny... I can''t believe there was such a w in the omniscient power."


    In the opened door state, I was directly provided with information from the world by the absolute authority, God Knows. That was the reason why no tricks or schemes would work on me, and any betrayal or ambush attacks would be impossible. That should have been the case, but even I was not privy to my own future.


    Of course, the Foresight ability would basically receive a lot of interference by the transcendents. Needless to say, that was the reason why the Foresight ability users referred to the transcendents as variables. It was possible for transcendents who were free from the flow of the world to go beyond fate at their own discretion. It wasn''t as if Foresight would be 100 percent urate if transcendents did not exist, but the involvement of a transcendent lent a high probability of the prediction itself being twisted.


    However, I was much more severe than those transcendents, so my involvement could cause all Foresight to be broken and unreadable. It was at a level that even the Untouchables like Adam and Hawa could not read my future, much less the people around me. Those restrictions applied to me too¡­ I thought, ''In other words, it means that the future regarding me can''t even be known indirectly.''


    There was a scheme that conspired to hurt me and, in reality, the scheme threw me into a grave crisis. I, who was in a human state, overlooked it by saying ¡°I guess so.¡± However, it still was a pretty dangerous situation.


    I was inflicted with the Dreamer''s Curse. If the attackers had chosen to injure instead of kill me, Hawa would not have been able to stop their attack because of that one reason. I would then have been put into a suspended animation[2] state upon sustaining injury. Once my body had reached that point, I would have failed to return to reality, even if I opened the door with the key. Aside from suffering from the nightmares, I would face the exact same situation as Emperor Leonhardt. In addition, it would be for eternity.


    "How dare you." The wounded man gritted his teeth¡­ ''Griikkkk girrkkk. He then released bloodlust, which caused the surrounding golden roses to close their buds. It was as if they were alive.


    I was mistaken. I initially thought that, upon opening the door, I was essentially not much different from my usual self. Although I could have acted as I pleased, causing a big deal once things lost control within the main council room, I came to the conclusion that I was ultimately acting out of my own desire to do so.


    That was, in fact, an obvious thought. How could I have known the risk involved, when all I saw were the results of resolving the various matters upon opening the door? Even after obtaining the Divine Spirit? However, I was clearly different and I was...changing.


    When I first opened the door, I was only slightly different from my usual self. However, as I opened the door more and more times, the difference grew increasinglyrge. Most of all, I must now think more carefully about the difference between the perspective of a God and a human.


    "How dare..."


    If the usual me was in life-threatening danger, I would naturally be angry. However, my anger would be restrained. Even my act of taking revenge or resistance would only be limited to the enemies and the aplices who tried to kill me¡­ But this was no longer the case for the current me, who had opened the door. I was not a human being but a God, so the perspective I had on humans was different.


    If a man was seriously injured by a wasp sting, he wouldn''t punish the single wasp by catching it and examining the ''nature of crime.¡¯ He would burn the entire hive instead.


    Tick! The Shadow Stalker, which had reformed into the shape of a watch, changed back to the shape of a gun. I held onto it and shot towards the empty space on the left. Kiinggg--! As the space split, a dimension portal opened.


    It wasn''t a dimension portal that was just used for close-distance teleportation. It was a Super-long Distance Gate where interster movement was possible. The creator of Shadow Stalker would see such a possibility and scream in astonishment, since the Shadow Stalker had the function to open a dimension portal that was still not great enough to enable space travel.


    Poof! As I slowly walked past the Gate, the surrounding background changed.


    *


    "Wh-What the hell?!"


    "For what reason, I mean, how is a Gate here?"


    "Who dares to!!"


    As Dae-ha appeared beyond the dimension portal, everyone there screamed in astonishment. This was because Dae-ha actually went deep within Howard''s Duchy, which was a ce that unauthorized beings were not able to enter.


    "Ohhhooo~ Who''s this? The Next Emperor His Majesty is here, huh."


    "Grandfather."


    "Ahhh, apologies. You were supposed to be the Next Emperor, right?"


    "..."


    Duke Howard and Crown Prince Louis Leonhardt were present. They knew that things went wrong upon noticing that Dae-ha had appeared deep within the Duchy, but they yed it off calmly. They were acting as they usually would¡­


    However, that sort of thing was of no use in front of Dae-ha, whomented, "Yeah. It''s you guys, huh." That was because the answer was written above their heads.


    "Us? What do you mean? What are you talking about? Do you think the Empire is a joke, just because you wore that Crown for a bit?"


    "That aside, why did youe here? Did Cel whine at night or something?"


    Duke Howard and Louis were hostile towards Dae-ha, because that was the right thing to do. They had to do so, regardless of putting on an act or showing their true selves. However, Dae-ha did not care about what they bbered and said, "Ares."


    "Ares? What are you saying now..."


    Boom! The space was distorted and the Great God revealed himself, spreading a heavy pressure.


    "What the hell. What are you trying to do?"


    "How dare you bring a Gigas here!"


    Dae-ha kept doing what he was doing, regardless of whether he could hear their urgent barksing from here and there. He whispered, "Ra." Just then¡­ ''shh,¡¯ a crown made of light materialized above his head. It was the Crown of the Sun which was no different from the proof of the Emperor.


    However, Dae-ha immediately took off the Crown of the Sun and threw it into the air. Whoooosh! The Crown of the Sun expanded. However, Ra did not appear in the form of a Gigas, which was what the First Emperor had used. The Crown of the Sun only grew in size, retaining its usual form.


    The Crown of the Sun continuously flew up as it was before cing itself on Ares'' head. Shiaaaang----! As the light simply exploded around them all, everyone was astounded. They stared at the unfolding scene.


    "Th-This¡­ What''s this?!"


    "The Crown of the Sun...was ced on a Gigas?"


    "I''ve never heard of anything like this before!"


    Everyone screamed in astonishment. Duke Howard was especially confused, even though he possessed the strength of a transcendent. No, rather, his status as transcendent made him panic even more. This was because his strong intuition could only foresee a devastating future then. "You, you... You bastard, don''t tell me..." Howard trembled and pointed towards Dae-ha.


    Upon seeing that sight, Dae-haughed. "Come to think of it, I haven''t answered your question as to why I came here. The reason I''m here is because..."


    Ares, who was wearing a crown of light, picked Dae-ha up and opened his body. At the touch of Ares, Dae-ha disappeared into Ares as if being devoured by a giant monster.


    Wiiiiingggg-! Just like that, Dae-ha got on board. Ares then exuded an oppressive Aura that even transcendents would struggle to bear with. Then, Ares¡­ No, Dae-ha, who was inside Ares, said, "I came to do a spring-clean." At the same time, a destructive ray of light rampaged through all directions.


    1. ???, otherwise known as ´óÖÜÌì in Chinese refers to the process of breaking through the peak of the Qi umted in the Dantian and erupt forth like a volcano.


    2. This refers to the temporary cessation of most vital functions without death.

 Chapter 111: As a God, As a Human Being (1)

    <h4>Chapter 111: As a God, As a Human Being (1)</h4>


    Screams and shrieks could be heard, as the giant wearing a shining crown waved his hand and released a white Aura. His one gesture destroyed buildings and annihted the troops. The missiles that rained down from the sky and surrounded the giant, but they were blocked by the transcendence skill . No damage was done.


    "Noooo! Stop him!"


    "Th-This atrocious motherfu-...!"


    "Kill him!!"


    The huge number of ability users charged towards the giant, plowing through the wreckage of the destroyed buildings. Each of them were high-rank ability users that possessed a strong and fierce spirit, but to Dae-ha, their running figures looked like jumping grasshoppers.


    Thuckkk! The warrior''s body was shattered to pieces upon being struck by a swinging arm. The warrior had a powerful enough fighting prowess to charge at a Gigas with his bare body, but Ares, the giant who was wearing a crown of light, was unlike any Gigas he had faced so far.


    Baaaaang! As Ares swung his hand again, the air ripped apart. The palm of the giant''s hand moved so fast that a burning odor filled the air.


    This speed, in reality, was unsurprising among ability users. The movements were perfectly reproducible for anyone who had honed and mastered his superpowers. However, it was a problem that...the opponent was not a human. It was a huge metal giant.


    Kic energy referred to a weight that moved with speed, but how much force did a fast-moving metal giant produce? Especially if any action was apanied by a burning odor in the air?


    Kwakkkkk! Bang! Krieeekkk! Every time Ares'' hand moved in a sh, the enemies who charged at him would be obliterated and there would be a rain of blood. However, that rain of blood could not even touch Ares'' body, because his surrounding Aura deflected it all.


    When the enemy''s main attack was over, a sun rose above Ares'' head. shh-! A dazzling and blinding light enveloped the world. The light was not just any regr light, but a light of destruction that destroyed all beings that were exposed to it.


    "N-Noooo! Sav-Save me..."


    "Ackkkkkkk!"


    The whole city turned into a pandemonium. It was useless to hide inside a building, underground, or even a specially-made air-raid shelter. This was because the transcendence skill Light of Punishment could only be defended against with the power of a strong soul energy. The strong beings who could have done that had already died at the hands of Ares, before the Light of Punishment was spread.


    Whoooooooooh¡­ The wind was raging. Before Dae-ha knew it, the city of overwhelming screams, shouts and roars, fell into total silence. Another city had fallen to ruin again.


    "This is the end."


    Dae-ha... Are you sure you''re okay?


    As Ares asked carefully, Dae-ha''s hardened expression became gentle. He said, "You''re a nice guy, huh, Ares. You''re even worried about me."


    Ares was created as the status of the God of War was epted, and there was no way Ares would be afraid of murder. After all, he was made to love fighting. He was satisfied with the process of defeating the enemy on the battlefield. Regardless of that fact¡­ Apart from his own likes and dislikes, he knew that Dae-ha hated murder.


    Otherwise, there would be no way that the Gigas pilots on the battlefield would have been retained upon rendering them immobile. They were extremely difficult to capture alive, after all.


    Obviously. I thought you were only going to deal with that Duke, or that royal...


    However, Dae-ha did not do that. He overpowered the royals and the Duke, before exterminating every single existence who was on Illuminati, the ruled by Duke Howard. Eventually, hepleted the whole process.


    "Of course I did not find this process pleasing either, but...it''s necessary."


    How so?


    "Because I need to set an example for those who dare aim for a God''s life." Dae-ha raised his left hand. He naturally pulled Shadow Stalker''s trigger and the fired bullet created a huge dimension portal that even Ares could pass through.


    Booooom! As Ares showed up, tens of thousands of people who gathered in the middle of the ruins released an intense killing intent. Standing in the center of them were the royals who were adorned in morous attires, alongside the powerful transcendents.


    "You''ve already recovered. As expected, you''re sturdy, aren''t you?"


    "You bastard... You fucking bastard! How dare you do this to my household!!" Duke Howard was recovering quickly, despite having one of his arms severed and half of his body crushed. He clenched his teeth and red at Ares. It was such a violent Aura that an ordinary person¡¯s life would be in danger upon making eye contact.


    However, Dae-ha focused his mind with an indifferent look on his face. What he uttered earlier on was just some sort of soliloquy to himself, and he had no intention of having a conversation with Duke Howard. What use was there in talking to someone who would be dead, anyway? Flip. A book popped up next to Dae-ha, who was on board of Ares, and the page flipped open by itself.


    On the page, the current Abilities he possessed were written down. Dae-ha looked through them for a moment and waved his hand.


    The four abilities were filled with amplification capabilities. The current him could choose the Ability as he pleased, from among all the Ability he currently possessed and needed. Of course, some of them ovepped and some of them were contradicting, but at least these four Abilities that simultaneously appeared were those that could bebined without a problem.


    "Ra."


    My King... They are your subjects.


    "They''re the subjects who tried to kill me."


    But...


    "Do it."


    Needless to say, the original Ra would never have listened to this order. This was because the fundamental ideology of Ra, whom Leonhardt created through gathering all the Empire¡¯s power to fight against the outside world, was the protection of the Empire. However... Even Hawa, who had reached the position of a High-rank God, could not withstand the existence that had spoken God''s order. It was the same for Ra, even though he was ranked 92nd in the Numbering¡­ Whoooosh--!


    "Keuk! Prepare for battle!"


    "Kill him!"


    Howard''s Duchy settled on a with abundant resources, making it their own kingdom. Everyone who lived there belonged to Howard''s Duchy, so the entire moved in perfect synchronicity under the orders of Duke Howard. Furthermore, the entire was equipped with a massive military force and defense system, which possessed power great enough to withstand a swarm of Terra-ss battleships.


    On top of that, there were as many as three transcendents who were affiliated with Howard''s Duchy. Besides Duke Howard, the other two did note from Howard''s Duchy, but were living in Illuminati under a marriage alliance. All of them stood in front of Dae-ha, who intentionally attacked them. That was an action that induced the core forces of Illuminati to all gather in one ce.


    sh! A light exploded forth. It was the Light of Punishment that had been used a few times thus far. However, the power disyed was quite different from what it had been so far, since it was being amplified by the four Abilities.


    Shiaaaang----! The storm of light exploded like a nuclear explosion, gradually destroying everything. The people of Howard''s Duchy, who were prepared for battle, stepped forward to block it. It was an unfortunate and pointless act, akin to blocking the iing sunlight. Everyone copsed without the possibility of even screaming. The more powerful they were, and the higher their level was, the greater the damage they received.


    Booooom! Ares, who was floating in mid-air, descended. However, just then, Dae-ha suddenly frowned. "This shitty..." He concentrated his mind as he grimaced. However, his will instantly wavered.


    ck. The door was closed and, at the same time, Ares'' body stopped moving. "Ughhhh...!" Dae-ha, who was sitting inside Ares'' cockpit, suddenly began retching. The whole process that just happened came to mind. "This is crazy..." He groaned with a pale face. He could not even begin to fathom how many people he had killed. 10,000? 100,000? Or perhaps 1,000,000? 10,000,000?


    Dae-ha! Are you alright? Dae-ha could hear Ares'' voice, but he was not in any state to answer. He thought that his mental fortitude was tempered like metal, after going through the nightmares for a long time. However, this was not something that a good mental fortitude could endure. Hemitted a massacre.


    "Bleuuuuwrkkkk!" Dae-ha retched. However, he did not vomit anything at all. He wanted to forget the disaster he had caused with his own hands because it was so gruesome, but he could not do so. The whole process was just so vivid.


    "He stopped moving!"


    "Move now!"


    The High-rank ability users, including the transcendents that survived, began to move upon seeing Ares freeze after the intense attack.


    Even though Dae-ha was riding on a Gigas and he was up against humans, this was not a situation where he could be relieved. The battle prowess of the High-rank ability users wasparable to that of a decent Gigas, so¡­ Baaaang! As a man with an enveloping and scorching Aura struck Ares, therge metal body staggered.


    This fucker! Dae-ha! Get yourself together! As Dae-ha''s control stopped, the surprised Ares controlled his own body arbitrarily to defend against the enemy''s attack. Unfortunately, the enemy was too strong to defend against without the help of a pilot. Even if he was a God-rank Gigas, it was not great enough to deal with three fully-armed transcendents by himself.


    Kwakkkkk! Duke Howard was in a bad condition, but surprisingly, his bare fist was able to prate through Ares'' armor, which was made by merging all kinds of rare metals. From the very beginning, he was not aiming for Ares but for Dae-ha, who was riding inside him. Ares resisted it, but Howard was being assisted by the other two transcendents. Soon, both of Ares'' arms were shattered to pieces.


    Come to your senses, Dae-ha! It will be dangerous if it goes on like this! Ares warned him, but Dae-ha could note back to his senses. Although it might seem like a long time, Howard and the other transcendents had only started attacking for a few seconds. It was too short a time for Dae-ha toe back to his senses, as he sumbed into an instant state of panic. Just then¡­


    Rattle. The door shook. Dae-ha, who was momentarily in a chaotic state, was taken by surprise. He imagined the form of the door by focusing his mind. Then, he stood in front of it and blocked it. "Not a chance."


    Rattle, rattle. However, he could feel a tremendous amount of power from inside the door. Even though he was holding on to the door with a firm grip, it felt like white steam was leaking out of the gaps.


    Rattle! Rattle! Rattle! Dae-ha''s face turned pale. He blocked the door with all his might, but his mind was growing fuzzy. He was just like someone who was distraught after drinking continuously. Rattle! Rattle! Boooom! Then, the door was forced open.

 Chapter 112: As a God, As a Human Being (2)

    <h4>Chapter 112: As a God, As a Human Being (2)</h4>


    <i>Rattle, rattle. </i>However, Dae-ha could feel a tremendous amount of power from inside the door. Even though he was holding on to the door with a firm grip, it felt like white steam was leaking out of the gaps.


    <i>Rattle! Rattle! Rattle! </i>Dae-ha''s face turned pale. He blocked the door with all his might, but his mind was growing fuzzy. He was just like someone who was distraught after drinking continuously. <i>Rattle! Rattle! Boooom! </i>Then, the door was forced open.


    "You bastard!" Duke Howard, assisted by the transcendents behind him, destroyed their way through Ares'' chest armor. Of course, the Avalon System that was installed on Ares was protecting Dae-ha, the pilot. That was the only reason Dae-ha was still unharmed. However, he was in a defenseless state, so it would only be a matter of time before that happened.


    Then¡­ Dae-ha, who had been in a momentary turmoil, turned calm. "Agh, this shit. Sorry, sorry." <i>Flip! </i>The thick page, that was invisible to Duke Howard, was flipped and the Ability changed. Ares'' shattered outer armor started to recover in no time.


    "Ack, nooo!" As the sight of Dae-ha, who could be seen through the gaps of the shattered armor, was covered up again, the flustered Duke Howard swung his fist indiscriminately. However, Ares was no longer defenseless. The wave of soul energy, which was released from Ares'' body, had blown away all the approaching enemies.


    The repairs werepleted in an instant. Being flung back, Duke Howard clenched his teeth as he saw that Ares'' armor was restored to its original state. Not a single scratch could be seen. Every single screw that had fallen off was returned to where they initially were, and Ares'' armor was even sturdier than before he even received any damage.


    <i>Groarrrrr--! </i>Ares'' and Ra''s Iron Heart were operating, ring up a tremendous Spiritual Pressure like a raging fire. The transcendents that Howard sent forth tried to approach Dae-ha again, but having already regained hisposure, Dae-ha began to overpower them without any difficulty.


    "I can''t believe my mind wavered at such a moment, it could have been a disaster." As Dae-ha smirked andughed, Ares took a step forward. The raging soul energy was dispersed in all directions and began to turn into a giant shining in gray. It was Ares'' Transcendence skill, . "This is just the beginning."


    *


    <i>''That was pathetic.''</i> It reminded me of the first time I opened the door in the darkness of nothingness. At that time, I was decisive and violent, which was unlike my usual self. However, even then, I did not have apletely different disposition from my original self. Even though it was a battlefield and it was not a time of peace, I moved in a way that would subdue the enemy rather than killing them. It was the sameter on when I overpowered the nobles at the main council hall.


    Therefore, even though the method might have been violent or aggressive, I judged that all the things I did while in the opened door state were things that I desired to make happen. I thought it was things that I wanted to do from deep down in my heart, and that I couldn''t prevent from putting them into motion while I had power.


    And now, <i>I </i>hadmitted a massacre that was too gruesome to even imagine. I could fully agree with handling Duke Howard and his gang. It was natural to be prepared for death if he wanted to kill someone. As long as he attacked me first, a counterattack on that level was a justifiable action that could''ve been done. However... There was no fault of those who only belonged to Howard''s Duchy. They had no idea what Howard tried to do, or why he did it either. Was it really right to be indiscriminately punished for something they did not take part in, or agree to?


    This was definitely not what I had desired. During the time when I fought with my enemies for the sake of surviving, or during the time when I saved Celestia out of pity, it was eptable to have such a thought deep down in my heart after yielding a hundred times. However, this was not right.


    <i>''...This is the end.'' </i>I could see the scene that was unfolding outside. Ares, who was wearing a shining crown, was smashing dozens of battleships. No one could stop me. The battle prowess I possessed when I wielded the authority of God, while on board of Ares, surpassed the power of a decent intermediate-rank God.


    An Empire-ss nation was not considered a small force in the Great Universe, but even so, I was not an enemy that they could deal with. They didn''t know if it was even a possible feat upon focusing the power of the entire Empire on me. Hence, how would they be able to deal with me when I now could justify that I was assaulted? Nevertheless, fortunately, not all the enemies were ughtered, and only Howard''s Duchy was crushed...


    <i>''It''s the end.'' </i>I was so dejected that I could onlyugh in vain. I couldn''t even begin to fathom how I should handle this wicked act. <i>''I should have known that the awakening of the Godly bloodline wasn''t just a convenient power.''</i>


    It was possible for someone to control themselves, with caution, from crossing any lines if they were behaving indecently while under the influence of alcohol. However, what if that person murdered another while intoxicated? What if no one could punish me for my sins, even when I was drunk? I thought, <i>''For starters... I should stop drinking</i>[1]<i>.''</i>


    "I don''t think you''ll be able to do that." However, just then, a sharp voice pierced through my mind. I was taken by surprise and, as I came back to my senses, I was transported to a particr ce that had nothing but darkness. It all happened before I could register what was happening.


    "You are¡­?"


    "You''re hoping to stop awakening your Godly bloodline, aren''t you? It''s toote, you fool." The generally calm-looking, ck-haired handsome man red at me with his sharp eyes. However, perhaps due to hisck of any intention to harm me, he had his back against the huge door and did not move.


    "No, wait... What the crap. You have a body, don''t you? That aside, where is this? Why is it so big?"<strong> </strong>In the dark, I was just watching myself, who was drunk on my Divine Spirit andying waste to everything. However, I could not help but be flustered at the huge temple that appeared in front of me. As if it was a temple that was exclusive for the sole use of Gigas, the size of the door was bigger than a decent-sized building. Here, the only one who was of a simr size to me was the man who sneered at me a while ago.


    "Tch. Because of this idiotic brat... Focus, you idiot. Focus and look at the library again."


    "Focus...?" I asked and as I wondered, I nced back at the temple once again. And as I did that... The temple, which had a door handle as big as I was, started turning smaller. <i>Kriekkk---! </i>It felt like the whole world was distorted. The size of the temple, which had a size so huge that deformed and distorted its overall shape, was reduced in size in an instant. At that sight, which ignored thews of physics, I knew that the ce I was in was not the reality.


    "Thankfully, you''re quick to adapt. If you had wandered around here, I would have just left you aside and entered."


    "...By the way, who are you?"


    "Do you have to ask to know that? You can see, right?" Upon hearing his cold voice, I sneaked a nce at his title.


    <strong>Legion</strong>


    <strong>The First Child, Adam </strong>


    "This..." I froze. It was because although the current him was different, I remembered his clear hatred and jealousy that was burning in ck.


    -I hate you.


    The overwhelming hatred, resentment, jealousy, and chaos... Rather than a God that transcended everything, it was a storm of emotions that seemingly came from a crying lost child. However, it was different now. Of course, the current him was still looking at me with an unpleasant look on his face, but the madness of that time was nowhere to be found.


    "Follow me." <i>Krieeeek. Boooom. </i>I stared at Adam entering the temple-style library with a nk expression on my face. I thought I was quick-witted thus far, but even so, I was not able to grasp the situation. I lost control of my body and was locked inside my consciousness, so why was I meeting Adam in the first ce? Also, why was Adam so calm right now, especially when he was crazily rampaging before?


    "For starters... I guess I''ll have to follow behind him." I turned my head. It was useless, even if I was absent-minded here, because I could not see the scene that was unfolding outside<strong> </strong>as the background emerged anyway. I approached the door that Adam passed by and shut behind him. As I grabbed the handle of the door made of a strange material, I momentarily felt the flow of an electric current. "This is..." I frowned at the strange, indescribable feeling, but that was all I did. I tilted my head and opened the door, before entering the building.


    <i>Whispering¡­ Whispering. Rustle, rustle.</i> It looked like a huge library, just like what Adam had said. There wererge bookshelves lined up to the point of having no end in sight, while the bookshelves were packed with all sorts of books of different genres.


    However, rather than the books, the thing that got on my nerves was the presence of wandering shadows. "These things... What are they?" I asked. Some looked like humans, and some even looked very simr to Adam. There were some that looked over 3 meters tall, but there were also others who were less than 30 centimeters tall. However, one thing inmon was that their images were all blurred. None of them could be properly identified.


    "They''re the essors."


    "essors?"


    "That''s right. The ability to ess the Sky Library is not exactly a rare type."


    "Sky Library..." I murmured. It was another name for the Akashic Records. It was also called the Space Library. The Akashic Records, which recorded the thoughts, words, and actions of everything that urred throughout the universe¡ªfrom the beginning of time till eternity¡ªwere known to store all the information that existed in the universe.


    "What you''re sweeping right now is obviously just an image. The form that is perceived varies from person to person. The Akashic Records is essentially coded knowledge in a non-material form."


    Upon hearing the low voice, I looked at Adam. It was a calm and orderly atmosphere, and I casually said, "How kind of you."


    "...Hmph." He snorted and started walking again. He picked one of four crossroads and moved up the stairs. However, there was a very unnaturally-shaped door installed in the middle of the stairs.


    <i>Krieeeek. Boooom. </i>I grabbed the door handle to follow Adam who had opened the door and entered prior. However, the door did not open. "Hello there?"


    "Come in on your own. If you can''te in, it means that you do not have the qualifications to do so."


    As the voice had already faded away, I grumbled and used the key. There was no keyhole on the door, but this was not an object that considered those kinds of things anyway. <i>ck! </i>I went up to the second floor. <i>ck!</i> Then I went up to the third floor.


    As I went up the floors, the number of shadows wandering around decreased drastically. The first floor was like a marketce, while there were only a dozen shadows on the second floor. As I walked up to the third floor, aside from Adam and I, there was only one shadow. Judging from the form of the singr shadow, it seemed to be a human being or a species simr to a human. Yet, he put his hands on one of the many books piled up against the wall, perhaps because he was not able to sense us.


    "This is thest one." Adam was standing by the door that led to the fourth floor.


    I then expressed my doubts, "Why aren''t you going in?"


    "It''s not that I''m not going in, it''s that I can''t."


    "Hmmm?" I tilted my head and used the key. <i>Clink! </i>However, the key did not go in. It couldn''t be inserted in the wall and was slightly deflected.


    "As expected..." Adam''splexion turned dark as he saw that sight.


    "What''s going on?"


    "What''s going on is that..." Adam smiled bitterly as he stared at me. "You and I are in the same boat[2]."


    "Same boat..." Adam''s words reminded me of his appearance, the one which I saw in reality ¡ª a First-Tier Untouchable that was full of madness and burning with hatred. Then, I finally realized. "Don''t tell me, did you also lose control just like I did?"


    "That''s right. It''s ludicrous. I turned into this form because I was devoured by Father''s Status of God, and it seems you were devoured by Father''s Divine Spirit."


    The Adam that was in reality was filled with madness. It wasn''t as if he lost his rationality, but he was swayed by his emotions. That was why he was impulsively viting even the rules that he had to absolutely adhere to.


    As one might expect, the current me had turned into a different person from who I originally was. I turned into an arrogant existence, who was merciless and cold-hearted, and saw humans as nothing more than an insect.


    "Wait... It might be weird to ask you this now." My expression hardened. This was because I remembered Adam saying that it was toote for me, who thought of no longer awakening the Godly bloodline. "What do I have to do, so that I can get out of here, and regain control over my body?"


    "You must hone yourself andplete a soul that can ovee the Divine Spirit, or the Status of God."


    "What if I can''t?"


    "In your case, you would have to watch your body be the Emperor that reigned over the Empire. Just like how I could only watch myself go crazy and rampage around."


    I let out a forcedughter at the ridiculous story. "How long have you been here?"


    "It hasn''t been that long," Adam said in a light-hearted voice, "About 150 years."


    "..."


    1. This is a metaphor, as he was drunk on power after opening the door.


    2. In the same boat means to be in the same difficult circumstances as others.

 Chapter 113: As a God, As a Human Being (3)

    <h4>Chapter 113: As a God, As a Human Being (3)</h4>


    "It hasn''t been that long," Adam said in a light-hearted voice, "About 150 years."


    "..." I said nothing, because that was too long a time. Adam, who may have lived for more than a hundred million years, seemed to think that was only a moment''s wait. However, how could I possibly take it lightly when I have not even lived for twenty years? I then asked, "Is it impossible to make it shorter than that?"


    "That possibility would leave no reason for me to stay here. It is possible to regain momentary initiative when your consciousness returns to reality, but...it would ultimately be a desperate measure of failing toplete a soul that could overpower the Divine Spirit. Because you''ll be devoured again."


    I looked around upon hearing Adam''s words. I wasn''t convinced by what he said, but I thought that I should obtain some information first.


    <strong>Michngelo</strong>


    It was the title of the book that I casually picked up, thinking it was an art-rted booklet. When I flipped it open, however, there were all kinds of forms and dozens of blueprints. "This isn''t an art book, but a book on the manufacturing method of a Human-rank Gigas..." I grumbled and randomly picked out a few books.


    <strong>Retreat Road</strong>


    <strong>Star Gate</strong>


    <strong>Time-Space Controller</strong>


    I rummaged through and saw all kinds of titles, even those of...


    <strong>Zeus</strong>


    <strong>Thor</strong>


    <strong>Dangun</strong>[1]


    <strong>Amaterasu</strong>[2]


    They were familiar names I could easily recognize. When I opened the book, as expected, the manufacturing methods and blueprints were detailed in there. I asked, "¡­These are God-rank Gigas, right?"


    "Are you talking about the Numbering? Transcendental Weapon under the categorization of a machine-based civilization would all be inside this building. There is nothing to be surprised about."


    "Isn''t there anything rted to magic or martial arts?"


    "That''s a different building that was at the second and fourth crossroad from the way we came. Climbing the floor is yet another matter."


    This was an incredible space. Each and every book within this space possessed knowledge of immense value, and they were naturally sitting on the bookshelf. If a scientist or someone who trained in superpowers found themselves here, they would instantly die from happiness.


    <i>''But it''s useless.'' </i>However, I was different. I could not practice superpowers through a normal process, and I was not even a scientist. Meanwhile, money also did not mean much anymore, now that I was on the verge of bing the Emperor of the Empire. Ultimately, the training I had to do here was...


    <i>Whooooosh---! </i>As I lightly concentrated my mind, the books that were crammed on all the bookshelves flew up like living birds. The shape of the library instantly blurred and the surrounding area began turning white.


    "...You''re good at this, even if I don''t teach you."


    I wasn''t in the right mind to answer Adam''s grumbling. This was because I stopped retrieving individual books to read them, but began observing the entire library.


    This ce was the world itself. It would be more advantageous to flip open each book and acquire the knowledge inside, but there was no reason for the current me to do so. After all, neither Adam nor I were that kind of existence. We only watched over the world, epting it and everything that was kept within.


    "Adam."


    "Don''t pretend that we are close."


    Iughed at the sight of Adam''s grumpy demeanor. "If you don''t like me calling you by your name, then I''ll call you Calm-Man."


    "Calm-Man?"


    "The guy who went on a crazy rampage outside is calm here, right?"


    Adam''s eyebrows wiggled at my mischievous remarks. He muttered, "You are... Whooo, do whatever you want."


    "As expected, you''re calm."


    "..."


    I disregarded the man who had stopped replying, and confronted the flood of information. I was only exposed to it for a short time, but it was enough to make me dizzy. However, apart from that, my mind became clearer and harbored a great power. My world had begun to expand.


    Be that as it may, I started sensing a different feeling from it¡­ <i>''It''s a trap.'' </i>Of course, it was not a trap devised to hurt me. It was just a little unusual, but to a certain extent, it was an arrangement focused on developing me, who was just a human being.


    The nature of Dekarma, the Machine God, was the God of Civilization and Information. The Akashic Records, concentrated with all the information of the world, was the best environment for me to train as I was someone who inherited his power. I thenmented, "If I stay here for a long time... I will be able to train and grow."


    "That''s right. You are nothing right now, but if you are able toplete your own soul here, it will be possible for you to inherit Father''s legacy. You will be reborn as a supreme being who can intervene in thews of the world!"


    That was the reason why Adam did not despair, even when he was stuck here. Even though he could not easily involve himself with reality, being able to stay at the Sky Library for such a long time was an enormous opportunity in itself.


    The power to ess the Akashic Records was not that great of an individual superpower, but there was generally a limit to what could be done within a short amount of time. Being able to stay inside the Akashic Records, like this, was a privilege that even the Gods could not enjoy.


    If I were to stay here for more than tens or hundreds of years, then without a doubt... Having inherited the characteristics of<strong> </strong>Information and Civilization, I would gain a tremendous amount of growth. The same also applied to Adam. However...


    "Ah, I see."


    "...What the? What''s with that reaction?"


    "Hmm~ Well, it''s nothing." I nodded without any sort of interest. I ignored the surging waves of information and organized my thoughts. "Calm-Man."


    "¡­Just call me by my name."


    "Hoho, okay then. Adam. Do you know why Hawa promised to protect my life?"


    Adam smiled bitterly at my question. "Hmph. She acted like that because she was bewitched by you, who possessed Father''s presence. Would there be any other reason? If it weren''t for her, you wouldn''t havee here either."


    Just like what Adam had said, I would not have been able toe here if it was not for Hawa. There was no need to look far. When the Crown Prince brought Great General Norrington with him, I did not have any way of protecting myself. Still, the situation was not so simple.


    "Do you really think so? She acted like that just because she was a fool?"


    "...What are you trying to say?"


    To be honest, it was strange from the very beginning. Even I, who stillcked self-awareness as a God, would think twice before I talked. That was why, during the wedding, I amended my marriage vows despite it being the easiest moment in the whole wide world to be enchanted by my personal feelings.


    However, it did not make particr sense for Hawa, a High-rank Untouchable who had lived for hundreds of millions of years, to recklessly make a ridiculous promise that<i> ''at the very least, I''ll protect your life from any danger whatsoever.''</i> It could also be said that it was a decision made to seal the key, which was a non-standard item, but a threat could have easily settled that particr situation. There was no need to make a promise to protect my life.


    "Actually, if I was in her shoes, it would be a pain in the ass for me too. It would have been best to die in the hands of humans."


    As I opened the door<strong> </strong>several times, and stepped into the realm of All-knowing, I knew full well that the beings that were categorized as a<strong> </strong>Legion<strong> </strong>would not be able to harm me in any way. Even the crazily rampaging Adam, who was in the real world, could only express hatred towards me. He couldn''t hurt a single hair on my body, so was there any need for further exnation?


    However, the distinct characteristics that Dekarma''s status could exhibit were only limited to machines who possessed an ego... I was someone who could unfortunately die with a single strike from a knife in any back alley, or a single shot from a sniper. The possibility of death only skyrocketed upon arriving at the Leonhardt Imperial Pce, even though they were in a state of turmoil. From Hawa''s perspective, it was no exaggeration to say that I could have died if I was left alone.


    "And you, being more powerful than Hawa... To be exact, you, being devoured by the Status of God, were after my life. It was possible that she was putting her own life at risk, simply due to the promise she made."


    Nevertheless, Hawa promised to protect my life. In fact, these ambiguous promises were to be avoided by a God, but she did so anyway.


    "But you mean there was a reason for that?"


    "That''s right. Because she knew instinctively."


    "...What did she know?" Adam raised an eyebrow and asked.


    "The fact that I must not die," I replied. I had a High-rank Divine Spirit, Status of a Low-rank God, and the Quality of a Mortal. This was actually an impossible condition. It was an abnormal case that couldn''t have existed, one in which no precedents were ever recorded anywhere in the Akashic Record. That was how rare such cases were, since there was one requirement that was needed to maintain such a special condition.


    "No way."


    "Yes, that condition is a human body."


    To be honest, I still couldn''t figure out the exact reason. How could Dekarma, akin to a Supreme God who was special even among the First-Tier Gods, create such an offspring? This was apletely different matter altogether, whenpared to the Beast Gods or Persona Gods giving birth to a child with the body of a God since the very beginning. Dekarma, who had an Astral Body along with a strong status, produced his own flesh and blood.


    "Just by dying... It would bepleted?"


    "It would be able to transcend the limits of the body."


    If I died as a human being, I would be resurrected shortly after that. Rebirthed as a God.


    "Holy...shit." Adam''s face distorted uglily after realizing what I was trying to say.


    I could get a rough idea of what he was thinking about. <i>''He is jealous and angry.'' </i>I could understand why. He was someone who loved and respected Dekarma as a father. After Dekarma ceased to exist, he protected and led the Legion to fight against their enemies throughout the whole universe. So, how could he see me in a bright light upon my sudden appearance? That was apletely different matter from the fact that the Legion naturally had a favorable impression of me. Even if he instinctively felt favorable towards me, it was actually normal to feel anger and jealousy at the same time.


    If I had to give an example... This was akin to a situation when a father, who dominated the world as the chairman of a huge conglomerate, died. Then, when thepany was clearly going into ruin upon his death, the adopted son took care of thepany and prevented it from copsing. However, all of a sudden, his biological son whom no one even knew existed, came forth...and took over his father''s legacy due to their bloodline. It would actually be strange if Adam did not feel anger.


    <i>''But it''s unfair for me to be resented for this. If I could give this up, just how great would it... Give up?'' </i>Just then...


    ~~~??


    "...Huh?" I turned my head. I could hear a song from somewhere.


    "What are you doing?" Adam questioned my sudden movement, but the world shook like a wave had flooded over. I did not have any time to answer him.


    <i>Kraaaghhhh. </i>The background changed in an instant. It was an unpleasant sensation that felt like I woke up in a heartbeat upon having a vivid dream. When I woke up in such a manner, I realized that I was sitting on the throne while looking down at thousands of people. <i>''Oh my God. This bastard.'' </i>Then, I frowned as I embraced the surging memories. <i>''Isn''t his drive too great?''</i> It was the coronation ceremony.


    1. The founding father and king of Gojoseon and the progenitor of the Korean people; ording to myth, he was born of Hwanwoong, who descended from heaven, and a bear that turned into a woman, Woongnyeo.


    2. The goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology.

 Chapter 114: As a God, As a Human Being (4)

    <h4>Chapter 114: As a God, As a Human Being (4)</h4>


    <i>Kraaaghhhh. </i>The background changed in an instant. It was an unpleasant sensation that felt like I woke up in a heartbeat upon having a vivid dream. When I woke up in such a manner, I realized that I was sitting on the throne while looking down at thousands of people. <i>''Oh my God. This bastard.'' </i>Then, I frowned as I embraced the surging memories. <i>''Isn''t his drive too great?''</i> It was the coronation ceremony.


    "This... Oh my God," I muttered, noticing that countless nobles were gathered to celebrate the enthronement of the new Emperor. The nobles did not just gather in moderation; literally all the Empire''s nobles were upying the seats without a single one missing.


    That was not all. On one side of the seats were dozens of handsome men and beautiful women, all of whom were looking at the throne with stiff faces. They were members of the Imperial Family of the Leonhardt Empire. Among them were even elders who had attained the realm of transcendence, and did not usually appear in any official events.


    This was literally the highest attendance rate since the founding of the Empire, but... Nevertheless, the coronation ceremony boasted a heavy atmosphere. This was because everyone''s expressions were hardened by fear and terror.


    <i>''This is a given since I wiped out Howard''s Duchy, which was one of Leonhardt''srgest forces. I even blew up all the warships that they had out there...''</i>


    It was natural that there were those who resisted, but no one could possibly stop Ares from wearing the Crown of the Sun. I even clearly limited my enemies and revealed the necessary justifications. I didn''t show any concrete proof, but justification was the most important under such circumstances.


    When I married the Imperial Princess, Celestia, and wore the Crown of the Sun, I even disyed my political acumens. Hence, it had all reached an impossibility even if the entire forces of the Leonhardt Empire were focused on me. As a result... I perfectly seeded in the Blood Purge[1]. The existence of Howard''s Duchy, which tried to hurt me, was erased from the face of the Empire. It was impossible to escape my sight as I had the power of All-knowing, so no revenge could be nned as no one survived.


    <i>''Damn it...'' </i>I was depressed. Even if it was an urrence due to me being devoured by the Divine Spirit, I had still done it all with my own two hands. <i>''Imitted murder upon waking up from a state of drunkedness.'' </i>It wasn''t a small matter, for I had gotten up from my slumber and became an even more atrocious existence than Hitler. If I had been an ordinary person, it would be absolutely no surprise for my mind to break from the overwhelming sense of guilt. However, I was even more irritated by the perpetual questioning of <i>''Why do I regret a matter as trivial as this?'' </i>within my mind.


    <i>''It''s contaminating me...'' </i>I groaned inwardly. The Divine Spirit itself did not have an ego. In other words, it was not a separate personality from who I was while in the opened door state. Instead, I was in a corrupted state induced by the Divine Spirit. It might be a better idea for me to sink into the inner world, protecting myself just like Adam had done. However, if I repeated the act of opening and closing the door like I was doing right now, there was a risk that <i>my</i><strong> </strong>personality would change. No, perhaps I already¡­


    <i>Walk forward, through a thorny path</i>


    <i>Sing, at the end of despair</i>


    In an instant, the voice that I heard enveloped my whole body. I came to my senses at the strong enchanting voice, which overwhelmed me enough to give rise to goosebumps. This was definitely not an ordinary song.


    <strong>That''s a surprising ability.</strong>


    <i>''Adam.'' </i>I turned and Adam appeared within the corner of my eye. He most probably recognized this ce through my soul, essing the Akashic Record.


    <strong>The ability itself is not an exceedingly rare type, but...the soul and spirit that wields it are extraordinary. To be able to produce this kind of power by simply manifesting her soul¡­ </strong>


    <i>''This kind of power?''</i>


    <strong>It forced you to wake up, right?</strong>


    <i>''That''s... I see.'' </i>I started at Celestia, who was singing, in a new light. Even those who were terrified by the tyrannical temperament of the new Emperor were looking at her in awe. That was how great of a power that her song disyed. <i>''She said her poprity was because of her looks...'' </i>I forced augh at her tant lie and closed my eyes. I felt like my perpetual sensation of sinking was getting better, little by little. However, I did not have much time to appreciate her song any further¡­


    <strong>It''s time. Come back.</strong>


    <i>''Did you ask me toe back?''</i>


    <strong>That''s right. Her song may have been able to enchant you for a while...but it''s only for a moment.</strong>


    Just like what Adam had said, I could feel the Divine Spirit, which had been momentarily still, trying to wake up again. It was actually a fact that I should not have been capable of sensing this erosion on my own, but I had repeatedlypleted the image of opening the door. <i>Rattle, rattle rattle! </i>The door kept shaking. My mind was currently stable, so it was not pierced through at once. However, I knew that it was ultimately a matter of time. I could not sessfully prevent the erosion from devouring me, bit by bit.


    "Even so, I need to drag it out for some more time." I imagined the image of a huge chain and a sturdy lock. Since the door<strong> </strong>was also not a real object, I could lock it with the imagined image of a lock and chain. <i>nk! </i>I wrapped the door with the chain before locking it with the sturdy lock in my mind. Of course, the power of the great Divine Spirit was not seble with just a brief image. It would break the image down ande out anytime.


    <i>Bang! nk! nk!</i> The door that initially mmed open was blocked by the chain, emitting a lot of noise. The Divine Spirit began leaking out of the open door like steam, encroaching on me. However, I could endure this much, since my soul had broadened upon essing the Sky Library and Akashic Record. <i>''But it was only for a short while.''</i>


    As the Divine Spirit poured out slowly, my body was gradually imbued with power. The pressure appeared to pierce through the sky for those watching below, disappearing and reappearing in sporadic moments. However, the situation was slightly different, especially since I was taking charge of my own body.


    "Alright then." I let out a light sigh. I concentrated my mind and released all my Aura. I pulled out the power from the depths of my soul, releasing it outside the door. It was an incredible amount of power that was hard to handle, even in an opened door state.


    <i>Krooooom-------! </i>An enormous wave spread in all directions. The overwhelming Aura caused all the nobles and royals to get up from their seats with very stiff expressions.


    "Haah, huff... Isn''t this power greater than the First Emperor?"


    "It''s not just that level! Oh my God! Th-This isn''t a power that an Emperor-ss can exhibit!"


    "A-An Untouchable...! He''s not an Emperor-ss, he''s an Untouchable!"


    "I thought he wouldn''t have the power of All-knowing, but he really did."


    Screams rang out from everywhere, but I disregarded them and desperately focused my mind. The magnitude of the power that poured out of the door was now great enough to possibly sweep me away. However, I endured it. I endured and pulled everything out.


    <strong>-I am the Emperor of the Empire from today forth!</strong>


    It was not a shout, but a roar that spread throughout the entire universe. Earth-13, which was closest to the Imperial Capital, was practically exposed to the voice. Hence, whether it was through voice or video, everyone who watched <i>me</i><strong> </strong>was not free from the effects of it. The pressure was so great that the weaker ones listened to the radio broadcast and fell back down onto their seats


    <strong>-Is anyone against my ascension to the throne?</strong>


    The howl that followed caused even the transcendents who had a strong mental power to stagger.


    "Thi-This is unbelievable. The Imperial Throne is... To wilfully ascend to the Imperial Throne like this..." Evan Leonhardt sighed. He was the Leader of the Seven Great Generals, as well as the Cheonhwa Great General. Simr to being some sort of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he was strong enough to match up with the Dukes. However, all he did was stand up with his beautifully-cared-for white beard slightly shaking and raised no objections.


    While he was a transcendent that possessed independent prominence and strength, he also had all the military authority right at his fingertips. If even he had such a reaction, who would still dare to oppose such a situation?


    But then again, the mood of the coronation ceremony was heavy. It was the emergence of an omnipotent tyrant. The nobles and royals here were naturally affected, but even those who watched me through various media would be affected in simr ways. I ughtered tens of millions of people, getting rid of the Crown Prince and the transcendents on his side. I annihted an entire force. What would happen to the Empire if I sat on the throne? Despite their awareness of the possible consequences, they had no other choice but to watch it all happen. They were being driven into insanity by their helplessness and insight.


    <i>''Originally, they wouldn''t have allowed me to do as I pleased.''</i>


    To be honest, many of the royals and nobles in front of me had nned to seize an opportunity tounch an all-out attack to get rid of me. The surroundings were concentrated with the total forces of the Leonhardt Empire. Meanwhile, the Cheonhwa Great General who had the power to move them, Evan, was right here. However¡­ the overwhelming pressure I was releasing had crushed their n into oblivion.


    <i>ck, ck. </i>After the roar, I got up from the throne and walked down the stairs. Thousands of eyes were gathered on me. My face burned from the intense attention, but I approached Celestia, who stood below, with an unchanging expression.


    "You... You''vee to your senses, right?"


    "Oohhh?" I looked at Celestia in surprise. Of course, the current me was different from the one who was devoured by the Divine Spirit. However, I never expected her to be capable of observing those differences from the outside. Then I thought, <i>''Now that I think about it, even Rosta, the transcendent, recognized me as just an ordinary human being. However, even while I was back on Earth, Celestia could sense something from me.''</i>


    There were only three people who felt something as soon as they saw me. The first was Celestia, the second was the Former Emperor, and...the Noblesse, Dark Sunny the Shadow Dragon, was the final one.


    Aside from Dark Sunny and the Former Emperor, it was pretty astonishing that Celestia could observe the change in me. She was a non-transcendent, after all. It was all the more surprising when I considered the fact that the other transcendents could not properly recognize me if I had not opened the door.


    "This might be toote a question to ask, since things havee this far, but...what do you n to do?" Celestia looked at me with a defiant gaze. The fact that she could face and talk to me in such a manner, despite being affected by the pressure I was exuding, was proof of how strong her mentality was.


    "It''s been hard on you."


    "..." Celestia''s expression shook for an instant before turning strange. She neither smiled nor sobbed, perhaps aware that I was not just referring to this one moment. However, she soon regained herposure and grumbled, "What are you saying?"


    Iughed at her sulky voice. Then, I addressed the people, "I''m not just saying this because she''s my wife, but she''s really beautiful¡­ Don''t you think so?" My sudden remark earned the dumbfounded expressions on everyone''s faces, since nobody could guess what my exact thoughts were.


    However, Adam was the only one who realized what I was going to do. He frowned grimly. <strong>You, you crazy bastard. No way, right?</strong>


    Nevertheless, I ignored Adam and took off the crown that I was wearing. "Tomemorate my inauguration as the Emperor¡­ I want to give my beautiful bride a present."


    "You, what are you spouting right now?" Celestia looked at me with an incredulous look, as if she could not understand what was going on. Right at that moment¡­ <i>sh! </i>A dazzling light radiated out from the Crown of the Sun.


    1. The elimination en masse by massacre or execution of people.

 Chapter 115: As a God, As a Human Being (5)

    <h4>Chapter 115: As a God, As a Human Being (5)</h4>


    Celestia looked at me with an incredulous look, as if she could not understand what was going on. Right at that moment¡­ <i>sh! </i>A dazzling light radiated out from the Crown of the Sun.


    <i>''If I can''t form a soul that can suppress the Divine Spirit, no matter what I do, I won''t ever be able to stop the erosion,'' </i>I thought to myself, and that was why the route that Adam had suggested was quite reasonable.


    Most of all, I felt that the current me had no need to remain within the Akashic Record for hundreds of years. I thought that 10 years would be the shortest period of time, while 30 years would be the longest. It was a haughty thought, especially since Adam with his status of a First-Tier God had failed to grab hold of a strand of his soul even after wandering for hundreds of decades. However, that was a genuine thought of mine, so what was I supposed to do?


    When I observed the Akashic Record, I settled in as if that was how it originally<strong> </strong>had been. I showed remarkable growth despite only observing it for a short period of time. On my part, 10 to 30 years was already a leisurely prediction. It was entirely possible that I could do so in even less time.


    <i>''Besides, the situation in the real world wasn''t that bad.'' </i>Many people seemed to see me as a tyrant, due to the fact that I had wiped out Howard''s Duchy. However, the me who was devoured by the Divine Spirit was just a different me, and was not an evil presence. I was going to be a good... No, I was going to be an excellent Emperor. The reason why I punished Howard''s Duchy in such an excessive manner was to also set an example. If I became the Emperor through a regr process, the nobles would have stirred up trouble for a long time. However, this one shocking incident would squash all their stray thoughts of rebelling against me.


    All-knowing was the most important factor. To the scheming conspirators who tried to stir up trouble from behind-the-scenes... The ability of All-knowing was literally nothing short of a natural enemy. The Empire was tangled up with countless conspiracies, including the death of the former Emperor, but most of them were destroyed by my perceptive actions. There was no better proof than that.


    That was not all. Illuminati¡ªthe secret organization that controlled Howard''s Duchy from behind-the-scenes¡ªwas annihted along with the Duchy, without being capable of any resistance. For a group that staged the assasination of the Emperor for their own wellbeing, it was a very futile ending. They prepared all kinds of political measures and atrocious schemes, but all were shattered to smithereens in the face of overwhelming power.


    <i>''Besides, I don''t have any personal desires. If I ascend to the throne, I will most probably be faithful to my duty as an Emperor.'' </i>As I was devoured by the Divine Spirit, I was basically an arrogant existence that saw humans as insignificant beings. However, that did not mean that I detested nor would intentionally harm them. If they did not provoke me first, I would probably lead them into the future.


    <i>''I would literally be a perfect Emperor.'' </i>If I, who was drunk on the Divine Spirit, became Emperor... The Leonhardt Empire would face its greatest period of revival since its inception. If I also decided to reveal my knowledge<strong>, </strong>I would even be able to raise the Empire''s stage of civilization. We would not just be at the level of a moderatelyrge Empire-ss, but an Empire that would be reborn as a great force that even the Elohim or Noblesse would find hard to take lightly.


    I would also change during that period of time. If I endlessly and repeatedly contemted inside the Sky Library, it might be possible for me to handle the legacy and advance forward to the next floor. By then, a rare and true Great Divinity that could be counted with one''s hand¡ªeven in the Great Universe¡ªwould be born.


    However... <i>''So what?'' </i>Some might be willing to obtain it at the cost of destroying their own species, or losing everything they love, but that was just not the case for me. What do you mean a Great Divinity? What kind of crazy-sounding nonsense was this for a high school student, who was living well?


    <strong>What? No, wait a minute. Stop. You''re not trying to do what I think you are trying to do, right?</strong>


    <i>''Who knows?''</i>


    <strong>What do you mean who knows?! You''re out of your mind! Agh, you''re giving up on Father''s Divine Spirit?</strong>


    I shrugged at the sight of Adam, who was screaming urgently. The light radiating from the crown had be so strong that I could no longer see what was around me. <i>''Why are you so freaked out? Actually, isn''t this a good thing for you?'' </i>I once spoke of an example about how Adam and I were like the biological and adopted sons who were fighting over our Father''s inheritance. Needless to say, if I gave my inheritance up, the benefits were simply in for me to see.


    Sure enough, Adam froze upon hearing my words. <strong>Th-That''s...</strong>


    <i>''Is it not?''</i>


    <strong>No, you''re right¡­ </strong>However, for some reason, Adam gave ackluster reaction. Looking at the atmosphere, Adam himself did not seem to understand why he was acting like this.


    <i>''Well, it''s none of my business.'' </i>I could tell that the right answer would be to leave the real world behind, and train myself within the Sky Library. The Empire would flourish, and my name would be widespread throughout the whole universe. However...the one who would be enjoying all of that wasn''t Kwan Dae-ha the human.


    <i>''Rather than the ideals of a God...'' </i>The ego as a human being was more important to me. My lifepletely belonged to me. If my ego itself changed, then no matter how great of an achievement was made, it would not be recognized as something I myself achieved.


    <i>Krooooom-----! </i>The operation waspleted around that time. Even if I wanted to do it as quietly as possible, it was impossible; the kinesthetic force being generated was just too great.


    "Oh my God, the Crown of the Sun... What the hell did you just do?" Cel, who was standing right in front of me, groaned at the Crown of the Sun. It began to go aze, rather than radiating out light. Alongside her was another being who also groaned at the sight of that.


    <strong>What the... Did you just separate the Divine Spirit?</strong>


    <i>''Tsk, tsk. How would I be able to separate the Divine Spirit in this situation? Doing so would lead to my death, alright?'' </i>The Divine Spirit was already one with my soul, so it was impossible to separate it. So to speak, the amputation of a mere arm would not kill someone, but a beheading would be absolutely impossible to survive. Adam seemed to have expected me to imbue the Divine Spirit in the crown, but that was not the case. What I imbued was...


    <strong>Soul... You imbued your whole soul.</strong>


    <i>''That''s right. From a perspective of spirituality, <strong>I</strong> am not this body but that crown.''</i>


    For me, the body was like a shell and a shackle. However, it was this shackle that allowed me to be human. Therefore, instead of separating the Divine Spirit and the soul, I separated my mind and my soul into the Crown of the Sun and my body respectively. It was the same process as the Gods from the God Realm creating an incarnation in the Lower Realms. But then again, because there was no ego in the Divine Spirit itself... There wasn''t really any need to go after the mind, which was far away, to encroach it. Just by separating the mind and the soul like this, I was able to be free from the erosion.


    <strong>But if you create a rift between the Divine Spirit and your mind... It would basically be impossible to embrace it again.</strong>


    <i>''I was going to give it all up, so that''s about right.'' </i>In this way, I might have to say goodbye to the Great Divinity forever. However, I had never wanted to be a God and look down at the world in the first ce. There was no need to hesitate, then.


    However, Adam, who was lost in thought for a while, raised his head. <strong>...No, wait a minute. Then what will happen if your current body dies?</strong>


    <i>''What else do you think will happen? It would be the birth of an invincible Gigas, that even the Untouchables would be afraid of, in this Great Universe. If you don''t want to see that happen, tell Hawa to protect my body more thoroughly.''</i>


    I ignored the speechless Adam, and lifted the crown. The tremendous force that I released waspletely transferred to the crown. Everyone was staring at the enormous energy being emitted from the Crown of the Sun with ghastly looks.


    <strong>Ra, please take care of Cel. </strong>


    <strong>...O'' King. </strong>He answered with a bitter voice, perhaps due to his awareness of the current situation.


    <i>''I''m not the King anymore. I''m going to quit.''</i>


    <strong>But... Nevermind, I will obey your orders.</strong>


    I could feel great power and dignity from Ra, because my soul was harbored in him. Of course, my soul was mine and there was no way he himself could disy the Divine Spirit. However, just by harboring my soul inside him, Ra''s performance increased phenomenally. Perhaps, at this moment, he was the strongest Gigas that existed in the Great Universe.


    <strong>- I''ll give you my first andstmand as emperor.</strong>


    I dered again. Countless eyes were staring at me, the crown that I was holding onto, as well as Celestia who was in front of it.


    <strong>-She''s the one.</strong>


    I put the crown on Cel''s head.


    <strong>-The new emperor of the Empire. </strong>


    Rays of light radiated out. As a great Divine Spirit was contained in Ra, his power which was based on light began responding to it.


    With the dazzling crown on her head, Celestia looked like a Goddess of Light. In her goddess-like appearance, she whispered, "You... Do you think the people would ept this?" She was at a distance close enough for our noses to touch.


    Actually, it was an obviousint from Celestia''s perspective. I could take the throne, without any objections by instilling fear throughout the Empire, with overwhelming charisma and power. However, her situation waspletely different. Would all the other royals, nobles and the citizens of the Empire be able to ept this situation of the throne being gifted<strong> </strong>to her? Nevertheless, I smiled leisurely. "Well, that''s a problem you have to solve."


    "What?"


    "Wasn''t this your goal from the start? Now that I''ve done it for you, you should know how to deal with the aftermath. An alimony of this level is an incredible amount."


    "Alimony...?"


    "Yes. As per the contract." I looked at Celestia with a smile. "Let''s divorce."


    "..." Celestia had a nk expression on her face. However, that was only for a brief moment. She beganughing soon afterwards. "O-Oh my God. Puhahahaha! You, really! Kekeke!" With a shining crown on her head, sheughed frivolously. It would be embarrassing for this to be broadcasted on air, but the enormous light radiating from the Crown of the Sun covered our appearance from the outside.


    "We''re getting a divorce, so don''t fall in love with me now."


    "No, you, puhaha! Wow, you dumped me over and over again, even till the very end." Celestiaughed wildly. Somehow, she looked quite happy. "Haahh, haaah... Really now."


    "You''reughing too hard, you."


    As I shrugged at the sight of Celestiaughing to the point of tears, Celestia said, "Of course, you moron. But...it''s quite a shame. I wish I had met you earlier, and in a different way." She fixed her disheveled clothes as she wasughing too hard. Then, she stared at me with sparkling eyes that seemed to contain stars. "For some reason, I''m a little sad, but... Alright, as per the contract."


    As we faced each other and nodded, my seemingly long and short space vacation came to an end. I¡­ I became a divorced man.

 Epilogue

    <h4>Epilogue</h4>


    Office workers in suits were crossing a crosswalk. The roads were bustling with cars and students chattered away boisterously with their school bags on their shoulders. There were people holding on to a dog leash and walking their dogs in the shade. Children were jumping around in the fountain that gushed out from the ground up, ying around without care about getting themselves wet.


    "Uwahhh, it''s really hot. I thoughtst year was the hottest year, but it''s even hotter this year."


    "Babe, where are we going for vacation this year?"


    "Mommy, mommy! I want ice cream!"


    I was standing in a park that was located on one side of our vige and watching everything unfolding before my eyes. All of it was a sight that I had seen all my life. It was a routine-like scene that had nothing special and nothing was new about it either.


    <strong>Teleportplete. This vessel will orbit the satellite and enter into standby mode from now onwards. If you want to make anding, the standby mode can be lifted in less than three minutes, and it is possible to go down to the ground.</strong>


    <i>''That''s reassuring, but... Would it be alright for you to go down to the ground? You''re a product that belongs to a Stage III Civilization or higher though?''</i>


    Extraterrestrial civilizations cannot interfere with civilizations below Stage II because the Primordial God would protect the relevant civilization from its inception andpletely eliminate any interference from the outside world.


    There were countless Primordial Gods and as a result, they were also known as "The Most Common Untouchables."<strong> </strong>Even so, their power was on the stronger side among the Untouchables, and inferior beings dare not go against their will. Even the Union that ruled over the Great Universe would not provoke the Primordial Gods if possible, so how could a single battleship be free from the constraints of the Primordial God?


    However, Genie answered in a calm voice.


    <strong>It wouldn''t matter as long as we don''t impose a significant impact on the relevant civilization. Plus, there''s also a lot of spaceships that stop by for sightseeing purposes. </strong>


    I nodded upon hearing her calm response. Come to think of it, Celestia also brought her own spaceship and visited Earth for sightseeing. As I nodded, I could hear her continue on.


    <strong>But... Dae-ha-nim. No, I mean, it''s a different case for you, Captain-nim.</strong>


    <i>''Oh? What''s the issue with me? Am I no good?''</i>


    <strong>On the contrary, it''s the opposite. Captain-nim, you''re the Chosen One of Earth-34, and... I''m your property that does not carry anyone else''s intention. The Primordial God with the power of All-knowing will definitely know that. Unless there is really a serious disaster, there is no justification for them to intervene. </strong>


    The Chosen One. In other words, "The One Who Possesses the Rightful Destiny"<strong> </strong>would rarely be interfered with by the Primordial God. If an antimatter bomb or a warp bomb was shot from the Universe to wipe Earth from existence, it would all be blocked. However, if there was a nuclear war between humans, that would be the prime example of how the could fall. The Primordial Gods could only block interferences from beings thate from the outside, but there weren''t any restrictions in particr that were imposed on beings that existed internally.


    "I see... So that means it''s okay to ride on a Gigas on Earth?"


    <strong>You can do more than that too. Of course, if you do something that would have a huge impact on Earth... I mean, you will be warned if you do something like mass-producing future weapons by revealing the relevant technologies, but... As long as the person in question is the Chosen One, it is not considered a wrongdoing in principle. ording to the temperaments of the Primordial God, there are a lot of cases where warnings were not issued too. </strong>


    "That''s pretty good news," I replied to Genie''s exnation with a smile.


    "Thank you, Genie."


    <strong>It''s my job, Captain-nim.</strong>


    Needless to say, I took everything I could grab from the Leonhardt Empire when I left. In the first ce, it was just a contract, and there was no reason to decline because I had done many things for them.


    <i>''I feel sorry for Major General Chun Hyun-il, but I''ve be very close to Genie... Instead, I handed over Rising Storm, so it''ll probably be fine.''</i>


    Of course, the Terra-ss battleship was an item of great value to the Leonhardt Empire, so it would never be bestowed to a civilian. If one were to be bound in marriage to the royals, they would be bestowed a battleship, but it would be a Mega-ss battleship at best. Even if they paid a fortune with their authority and power, receiving a Giga-rank would be the limit. No matter how rich they were, it was basically impossible to have a personal aircraft carrier.


    However...the situation was a little different for me as I rose to the status of an Emperor even if it was for a short while.


    <i>''They should be thankful I didn''t bring over an Exa-ss or Master-ss Space Carrier.''</i>


    To be honest, I kind of coveted the one and only Master-ss Carrier that they had in the Leonhardt Empire, but it was too big and its speed was so slow that it wasn''t suitable to be brought to Earth.


    "Did I return?"


    I sat on a bench in the park and watched the children ying around while guffawing. The scene that was extremely peaceful was the kind of thing I had been yearning for the whole time since I went out to space.


    <i>''Come to think of it, I wonder if Leonhardt passed on peacefully.''</i>


    I recalled what happened after I handed over the throne to Celestia.


    *


    "I''m very grateful to you."


    A propitious golden energy enveloped the well-built and sturdy beauty. It was a prudent atmosphere and her voice was solemn too. Her dazzling long hair floated like a lion''s mane, as if it was shining by itself.


    She was the progenitor of the Leonhardt Empire, the Golden Lion God. She was a high-ranking Beast God that was revered by more than 100 million believers in the Empire.


    "It''s an honor to be of help," I answered with courtesy. I was not forcing myself to do it, instead, the elegance and beauty that I could feel from her made me act like that on my own ord. Of course, Adam and Hawa were stronger or on a simr level. But somehow,pared to them who seem to be easy-going and familiar, I could sense a powerful pressure from her.


    "Hoho, you''re a nice brat. Alright. Then, as a reward..."


    "Rai."


    "Ack, honey! Why aren''t you resting more!" A voice called out from behind her.


    The Golden Lion God turned around to face the source of the voice. Her solemn tone changed into a sweet voice that was like honey. It was to the extent that it was hard to believe that she was the same woman, no, the same God as the one who set the mood just a while ago.


    "We have to reward him. A proper reward."


    "Yes yes, of course! My Har must be tired and exhausted, so if you go and get some rest..."


    "Rai."


    Leonhardt, a man with long golden long hair, interrupted the words of the Golden Lion God.


    "As you said, I''m very tired and exhausted. I''m also at my limits mentally."


    "I-, I know. That''s why..."


    "Rai."


    "Hnoooyoounggg[1]... But my archenemy is among his subordinates..."


    "Don''t make me lose face by spouting such nonsense."


    "Hnoooyoounggg."


    With his repeatedly firm words, the Golden Lion God was stumped with a sullen look on her face. Leonhardt lightly pushed her aside before he slowly walked and stood in front of me. He originally had a sturdy body, but perhaps because he was inflicted with a strong curse for a long time, he was in a very weak state.


    Of course, it was thanks to me that he was able to break free from the curse.


    The powerful curse that was tormenting him waspletely destroyed and disappeared while it was trying to devour me too. Immediately after that, I, who was in the opened door state, was nning to leave him behind. However, the Golden Lion God sensed that he was awoken and flew in, then she took care of him.


    "Are you okay?"


    "Of course not. But I have plenty of time, and I no longer have to manage the Empire, so there''s no need to worry."


    Iughed at Leonhardt''s prickly response before I continued. "Do you not like it that I handed over the throne to Celestia?"


    "Apart from me not liking it, it is only courteous to stay on the throne for at least 10 years since you''ve caused things to progress this way. Do you know how many people struggled to sit on that throne just for even a short while and yet you want to throw it away and leave just like that?"


    "But I don''t want to."


    "No, why the hell would you hate the throne that can give you authority, money, and power? Are you some kind of Holy Saint? Even though it''s not my business, you look like you''re about to ascend to heaven or something."


    Even though Leonhardt was making a sarcastic remark that''s probably stemming from his unhappiness, he was a really handsome man. Overall, he had a sicklyplexion but yet oozed decadent beauty. It was the same feeling I felt when I saw Celestia. All these godly species bastards were so good-looking that it was infuriating.


    "Well, every person has a different life they desire for."


    "Whooo... Looking at your reaction, there wouldn''t be any meaning in mary rewards."


    "That''s right."


    It wasn''t as if I did not have any sort of financial troubles, but even so, I didn''t want more than what I needed. If I had desired money, I would have utilized the throne more aggressively.


    "Should I say I''m d to hear that... I know someone like you among my friends, so I think I roughly know what to do."


    "A friend?"


    "That''s right. That damned bastard abandoned everything he had and ascended to the Saint Realm. It wasn''t even a very high position, he was assigned to a trivial task and still lived extremely happily."


    Leonhardt looked at me with a face that seemed as if his insides were flipped inside out, and I nodded upon seeing that sight.


    <i>''So to speak, is it simr to how I was in the early days when I tried to have it easy at Albatross? Come to think of it, those were my happiest times ever since I came to space.''</i>


    "Why are you agreeing with me?" Leonhardt red at me with a displeased expression. However, he soon let out a deep sigh and said, "Then, let''s do it this way."


    The method he suggested was very satisfactory to me.


    *


    <i>''Where are you right now?''</i>


    <strong>I''m circling the Earth along the satellite orbit.</strong>


    <i>''You''re not gonna be seen by people, are you?''</i>


    <strong>I''m maintaining Stealth Mode. It''s impossible to perceive me with the technology of a Stage II Civilization.</strong>


    As I listened to Ares, I got up from the bench and started walking home.


    Fortunately, the Leonhardt Empire soon stabilized.


    I thought the people might protest against the situation as I gifted the throne to Celestia, but surprisingly, it wasn''t that bad. Perhaps it was because of the precedent of the First Emperor who led the Empire as he bonded with the Golden Lion God. Hence, it was rtively easy to ept the existence of Celestia, which bonded with an Untouchable like me.


    <i>''Perhaps they were relieved as they were anxious that a terrifying tyrant would be born.''</i>


    I smirked and thought of Celestia. She most probably did not have enough forces and powers to sit on the throne, but...the strongest Gigas in the universe, Ra, would be protecting her, so it wasn''t actually such a rough situation.


    The power that Ra, who contained my Divine Spirit, could exhibit was literally limitless.


    The Leonhardt Empire suffered tremendous damage when Howard''s Duchy fell apart, but with Ra''s presence, their battle power had rather increased. I left Ra with an order to help Celestia, so as long as the situation was handled well, there would not be any big issues with stabilizing the political situation.


    <strong>Is this your hometown?</strong>


    <i>''Yes, it''s been a long time since I''ve been back.''</i>


    I started walking whilemunicating with Ares through Udjat, the sses-shaped Magic Armament. There was no need to waste any more time because I wanted to go home and rest first.


    "The universe... The war... The Emperor..."


    I couldn''t help but let out a scoff. It was such a grand story that it did not feel real. To be able to go back to Earth like this, everything felt like a dream.


    That''s right, all the hardships are now over.


    After passing by one more alley, all the adversities and hardships will be over and they will never be in my life again. I will finally be able to go back to my ordinary life. I can go back to school as a normal high-school student, and I will be able to live a peaceful life.


    "Kahahahaha! As expected! You''re back! I knew you''d show up!" A man holding on to a sharp sword charged at me with a bigugh. Really, it was a really unrealistic spectacle.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    "Kahahaa... Ha... Huh? A gun? I was shot by a gun?"


    I am walking. That''s right. This is <i>the</i> alley. As long as I walk past this alley, all my hardships in life will be over...


    "You showed up! The son of the Great Witch!"


    "Kahaha! As expected, we should always take a bet in life! Such good fortune can happen to me too!"


    <i>Bang! Bang!</i>


    Pretending as though nothing undesirable had happened, I lightly kicked aside the two guys lying on the floor, and continued walking. I was reaching the end of the alley.


    That''s right! This is <i>the</i> alley! I just need to walk past this alley!


    Finally, my sufferings...


    "Ah."


    I finally arrived home and stopped walking.


    <strong>What the, what''s with this vacant lot? More than that, who were those bastards earlier? Is it alright to shoot them down like that? No, well, they''re the ones who charged at you first anyways.</strong>


    <strong>The average level of the ability users here is quite high for a lower civilization. Please be careful, Captain-nim.</strong>


    Ares and Genie talked about various things, but I did not listen to them. I stared forward with a nk expression.


    It was an empty lot.


    There was nothing there. The surroundings were the same, but only that ce was different from what I remembered. The ce I had kept yearning for after going into space, the ce where I had lived my whole life. My home.


    That''s right. My home, my refuge... It disappeared without a single trace.


    "Why?"


    I overcame all the adversities. I experienced war and even torture. I even fought the enemies andmitted a massacre. I finally overcame all that and returned back to Earth.


    But nevertheless... There was no house to wee me anywhere. I could not see the figure of my father smiling nonchntly, preparing a scrumptious meal.


    "Why..."


    I stared at my home with a devastated look on my face. It was then, "Ahh! You''re really back!"


    It was a voice I had heard before. As I turned my head, I found a slim girl dressed in casual clothes staring at me. Just like how it had been a long time since I saw Earth, it had also been a long time since I saw her.


    <strong>Won-il High School</strong>


    <strong>Human Hunter, Lee Kyung-eun</strong>


    While I stared nkly at the title that made me tremble in fear in the past, Kyung-eun came close, "Did you have a good time studying overseas?"


    "Studying overseas?"


    "Yeah. Teacher Kwan Il-han personally visited the school to tell us, and he left. I''m sorry something like this happened as soon as we started the first semester... Well anyway,e with me. It''s dangerous here."


    "Dangerous?"


    "You probably don''t know, but there''s something like that. Teacher Kwan Il-han requested to let you stay at my house for the meantime." She quickly grabbed my hand and started walking soon after. I looked back for a moment. All I saw was an empty space that had nothing.


    "Hahhh." I smiled bitterly, because I knew. The hardship... is not over yet.


    1. This is just an aegyo, and I didn''t want to change it too much either.

 Side Story - I am a Pet (1)

    <h4>Side Story - I am a Pet (1)</h4>


    Standing still, the woman sighed lightly. She then cast a furtive nce around before opening her mouth to speak with a dumbfounded expression, "So..."


    She was an impressive beauty with healthily tanned skin, and a head of scarlet hair that seemed to be burning up. In terms of race, she looked like a beauty of Latin origins. Her inhuman features, such as her pointy ears and red eyes, however, were akin to that of a reptile¡­ No, actually, those were non-issues. Her horn, which rose high above her head, resembled that of a burly stag. On her back was a pair of wings that were made of a membrane-like substance, while a red tail hung behind her bottom to help maintain her center of gravity. The most eye-catching feature of them all was¡­


    <i>''She''s huge...'' </i>Of course, I was referring to her height. She was even taller than Dong-min, who was 187 centimeters tall. Needless to say, she was almost 2 meters tall. Coupled with the 70-centimeters-long horn standing at the top of her head, those facing her felt an intimidating pressure.


    Anyway, she looked at Bo-ram and Dongmin before saying, "You want me to raise these two?"


    "Not raise them, but teach."


    "...Come again? Do you not know who I am, Great Elder-nim? I''m Matt! Matt the Volcano! A member of the great War Dragon Unit! No, wait a minute, you''re assigning such chores to me, someone who works on the frontline?"


    "I gave you a bonus, right?"


    "Even so!"


    The Union that ruled over the Great Universe had two pirs, which were Noblesse and Elohim. These two forces were considered the universe''s strongest, and they owned a handful of elite military units that represented them. There was the War Dragon Unit, which consisted of special soldiers who trained for the purpose of battle. They were armed with the best weapons. The Fairnd, on the other hand, was made up of Warrior Saints that carried out crusade missions. They were the supreme warriors that fought on the front lines of the Great Universe, and they were strong beings that received recognition wherever they went.


    <i>''Why a Dragon, of all things?'' </i>Dong-min, who was standing up straight and listening to their conversation, inwardlyughed in bitterness.


    In Earth-34, which was his hometown, dragons were just creatures that existed in legends. They were just fictional beings often featured in myths or legends from previous generations. Those were never taken seriously, but it was different in the Great Universe. Dragons were extremely rare, but... From the perspective of Earth, which everyone recognizes, a dragon was nothing more than a chairman of a conglomerate.


    "Erm, wait a minute please." Bo-ram, who was keeping still while listening to them, raised her hand.


    "Brat, I''m sorry, but if you butt in recklessly... Huh? Hmmm?" Matt, who was trying to coldly cut Bo-ram''s words short, widened her eyes. It was as if she had suddenly realized something. She looked intimidating because of her imposing figure. However, perhaps due to her distinctive features, she had various expressions.


    "I finally know now."


    "Holy crap. I mean, oh my God. This little brat is..."


    "Yes, that''s right. She is that being''s representative." Unlike Matt, the man who was speaking definitively looked perfectly human. Yet, at the same time, he was also not human.


    No, actually, how many humans would be at the ce they had just arrived? They were in the City of Dragons, Dragonian, after leaving the Leonhardt Empire. This was the home of the dragons. It was a terrifying ce that harbored tens of thousands of dragon species that were rarely sighted, even in the vast Great Universe. At the request of Dae-ha, they arrived here upon following the guidance of the Golden Lion God.


    Dong-min turned his head slightly, asking Bo-ram, who was in his sight, "Who is<i> ''that being'' </i>that you guys are talking about?"


    "The Golden Dragon God."


    "You''re referring to the Golden Dragon God that had a brotherhood with Leonhardt Empire''s Golden Lion God. No, to be exact, should I say it''s a brother-sister rtionship?"


    "That''s a little ambiguous too. To be honest, that basta-... That being does not have a gender." Bo-ram, who almost made a Freudian slip, raised the<strong> </strong>Golden Princess that was mounted on her arm. A perception barrier was always activated on Earth, but it was an item that had no need to do so anymore.


    "Is that a medium?"


    "That''s right. Well, as you may have guessed, I have a contract with an extraterrestrial being."


    Dong-min understood Bo-ram''s words without difficulty. Although it was a different method, he was basically also contracted with an extraterrestrial being. For him, the Vajra Scepter of Jeseokcheon was a medium.


    "Besides, this guy is a Chimera, isn''t he?"


    Dong-min''s body froze at the unknowingly loud voice that was heard.


    "Although he did not get rid of the countryside feeling, it is still the work of a Great Wizard."


    "Seeing that he restrained from crossing the line, it''s worth a pretty high score."


    "That''s right. The point is that he did not break away from the human category, even though he was mixed with so many different bloodlines."


    Matt and the Great Elder ran their judgmental eyes through Dong-min. They seemed to be just staring at him, but¡­Dong-min knew that their eyes were deeply analyzing<strong> </strong>him.


    <i>Shiiiiingg! </i>The space between the two dragon species opened in an instant. It literally happened without warning. Just like that, a bottle of water appeared through the open space¡­ <i>Booom! </i>It exploded along with a snowstorm.


    "Oooh? Pretty good." A shot came piercing through with tremendous speed at the surprised Matt. The fist flew toward her with such terrifying force that it could seemingly pierce through her face. However, by the time the snowstorm dispersed, the fist had already reached in front of her eyes.


    "...What the?" In an instant, Dong-min realized that he was in Matt''s arms.


    "Dong-min sunbae?!" Bo-ram was surprised and yelled in astonishment, but she couldn''t take her feet off of the ground. This was because she did not know how Dong-min had ended up in Matt''s embrace. <i>''It''s not magic!'' </i>If it were magic or some other superpower, she wouldn''t have been so surprised. However, it was not magic. All Matt did was casually yank at the fist that flew toward her, tugging the culprit into her arms with one hand. Her actions were all so abstruse that it was impossible for them to understand.


    <i>''Ugh... That dumbass! You idiot!'' </i>Bo-ram gritted her teeth, but was incapable of making a single sound. It wasn''t as if she did not understand how Dong-min felt, but he literally just executed a crazy act. <i>''Oh my God, what kind of crazy thing just happened?''</i>


    Dragons were transcendental species that could rise to the realm of transcendence just by growing older. In the Great Universe, these beings were also referred to as Noblesse (Nobles). Furthermore, the one that Dong-min just attacked was of the War Dragon Unit, one who was considered a Battle Weapon even among the Noblesse.


    "Ouuuh."


    "Ouuuh."


    At that moment, the two dragons looked at Dong-min with the same expression.


    "Kek! Isn''t that just cute?!"


    "It''s cute indeed."


    "What did you say? You bastards... Ugghhhh?! Kuuughh!" Along with a <i>''Kuargghhh!''</i>, Dong-min struggled to shake away from Matt''s cuddle. It was unfortunate that he could not put up any sort of resistance. He didn''t know what the hell happened, but he did not think to activate any superpowers.


    Even if Dong-min swung his legs and fist around to try hitting Matt, she could destroy his center of gravity just by slightly rocking her upper body. The difference in physical strength was particrly severe, so it was impossible for him to resist. It was as if he was a newborn baby in the hands of an adult.


    "I''ll raise you! I''ll raise you!" Matt squealed.


    "I said to teach him, not raise him."


    "Okayy! I''ll teach him!"


    "Alright, alright. I''ll handle the representative girl, so I''ll leave him to you. Fortunately, all his bloodline is the type that you possess."


    "Yes!" Along with a lively reply from Matt, Dong-min''s movement was decided. His own intention was irrelevant.


    *


    Originally, there were no superhumans on Earth. Of course, there were many beings who used unusual powers from the past, but they couldn''t be called superhumans. What they possessed was a kind of magical talent that was prevalent in Another ne, and that was apletely different kind of power to the superhumans of today. In other words, the superhumans, including Dong-min, were the result of magical experiments.


    "It ismendable to this extent, since there are almost no Chimeras that have the potential to grow. Thanks to the fact that he did not cross the line, and maintained the boundaries in an excellent manner, the path forward<strong> </strong>was surprisingly opened up."


    "..."


    "Ackk, sorry, sorry. What I want to say is not about the matters regarding your birth, but about the capabilities you possess," Matt hurriedly rified. <i>Hwaarrkkkk! </i>A spark was set aze in the air while she spoke, but the shape of the me waspletely different from what Dong-min knew of.


    "...This is," Dong-min looked at the surprising me, which emitted a cold air that was enough to frost up the surroundings. <i>''The cold air is...burning?''</i> He squinted his eyes at the foreign phenomenon that would have never existed in the natural world. That was neither spells nor magic, but rather, a very familiar power to him. "It''s a superpower."


    "In fact, the original name is Manifestation Ability. It''s a phenomenon that happens when the soul and mind are manifested in reality. Of course, it was still referred to as superpowers, but..." Matt chuckled and was lost in thought. Then, she looked back at Dong-min. "Anyway, I will teach you about this power. Actually, among the Noblesse, this is more of Prajna''s expertise. However, I am a special case even among the dragons, so it''s more than enough to teach you."


    <i>Wiiiingggg! </i>The surrounding background changed as Matt was done speaking. They were standing in a castle with a vintage ambiance, but they unknowingly entered a crowded city full of high-rise buildings a momentter.


    However, there was a slight difference from the city that Dong-min knew of. <i>''There''s no motorway...'' </i>Strangely, there was nothing that could be called a vehicle in this modern-looking city full of high-rise buildings. Only legs could be seen¡­ He then saw the children who were running along with a big basket, a man that was nearly 3 meters tall, a beautiful woman who had pointed ears, and even suited men with heads of wolves¡­ <i>''No, that''s not the only problem.'' </i>Dong-min felt a sense of alienation from the city''s appearance. <i>''Why do they all have a simr appearance to primates?''</i>


    The city existed on top of golden tiles, and there were countless beings walking on top of those golden tiles. There were quite a lot of people<strong> </strong>walking in the city, but they were still small in numberpared to the size of a city. This was an overall well-off environment. Moreover, everyone looked carefree and rxed. Most of them strode around the city, but some fell into a deep sleep upon being shined on by the warm sunshine that came from the artificially-made forest.


    "This is...Dragonian?"


    "That''s right. It''s also called the City of Dragons, the Dragons Empire, and the Home to the Dragon."


    "But..." Dong-min looked around with an iprehensible expression. <i>''There is no¡­'' </i>He couldn''t sight a single dragon anywhere in the City of Dragons. Of course, Matt, who was next to him, was a dragon. Plus, he knew for a fact that she was just assuming a human-like figure, but... No matter how he sees it, that was just a transformed appearance, wasn''t it? This wasn''t some other ce. This was the City of Dragons where dragons gathered and lived, but there wasn''t a single one who revealed their original body. Just then¡­


    "It''s the newly opened Magnificent Brilliance[1]! Everyone~! Please take a look at somepanion animals!" A small-sized young girl with green hair was shouting at the top of her voice, hailing for potential customers. There were some pretty fabulously-made wooden dolls next to her, and they were letting out a flip-pping sound. It was as if they were waving around a sign that was bigger than their bodies.


    <strong>It''s not a pet, it''s apanion animal!</strong>


    <strong>You! Are you tired of new encounters? Are you sick and tired of the endless requirements?</strong>


    <strong>Now, you can finally meet a beautiful and submissivepanion that fits you perfectly!</strong>


    <strong>From the young Fairies to the High-rank Magus!</strong>


    <strong>If youe to Magnificent Brilliance, there''s everything!</strong>


    Matt frowned as she looked at Dong-min, who was expressing a list of questions as he heard the unknown words, "... Pet? Companion animal? Fairies? Magus?"


    "Sigh, there''s another one again. Let''s just go, let''s go."


    "Huh?"


    "Ahhh! The Redail-nim[2] there! Human beings have a short lifespan, so they are not goodpanion animals! There are many good ones at the Magnificent Brilliance, so..."


    "Agh, I''m not buying. I''m not buying anything," Matt lightly retorted at the green-haired girl who was running toward her. She quickly moved away and, since Dong-min did not know anything, he just followed behind her.


    "Matt? What''s that just now?"


    "It''s a pet shop. A pet shop, alright."


    "They said it''s apanion animal, not a pet though..."


    "Companion my ass. Sigh, those filthy pet park bastards."


    Dong-min followed behind Matt, who increased her pace. The dragon clicked her tongue and reached deep inside the city. The scale of the city was considerably huge, but she was walking at an incredible pace. <i>Swoooshh! </i>Then, Dong-min could not help but be astonished, watching the background change in a sh.


    1. This is the name of a shop.


    2. Redail is just the name of a Dragon species.

 Side Story - I am a Pet (2)

    <h4>Side Story - I am a Pet (2)</h4>


    <i>''What kind of dimensional distortion is this...'' </i>The seemingly normal city had more than one or two dimensional distortions in between. They bent, broke, or connected to other locations. Matt and Dong-min were just walking along, but were still jumping all over the ce. It was as if the space was contracting.


    The system looked quite convenient, but there weren''t any separate signboards or dimensional portals in ce. If a being who did notprehend the dimensional distortion were to enter the city, they would never be able to get out of the city, wandering around for eternity.


    <i>Swoooshh! </i>The ce they arrived after crossing over the distorted space was an odd building. It was twisted in a spiral-shape. Matt went inside without the slightest hesitation, and Dong-min followed suit. As they entered the building¡­ <i>Wiiiiingggg</i>. Along with a mechanical sound, the sleeping building which was the Dragon Lair began to move.


    <strong>You''re back, Master! Crimson Devil-nim has delivered 17 messages! 1 message has been delivered from the Senate!</strong>


    "Agh, why is that ahjumma[1] making such a fuss again? Ah, and I''ve already checked the Senate''s message."


    <strong>Don''t say it through words and just synchronize with me please... What era are we in nowadays? Do I still have to report every single thing to you in such a manner?</strong>


    "Ahhhh, shut up. I''m already annoyed with the Integrated Tactical System." As Matt entered the door and snapped her fingers, the clothes covering her body disappeared. It was as if the clothes melted into water, revealing her well-trained body.


    <i>Plop! </i>"Hummm!" Dong-min momentarily flinched at the shocking sight, but he soon pulled himself together. He got back on his feet and shut his gaping mouth. <i>''Matt is not human. Moreover, she is also a transcendent who transcends her own destiny. What if a mortal were to meddle due to such a trivial matter of courtesy? There probably isn''t anyone as pathetically old-fashioned as me in the whole world. I''ve also never heard of a dragon wearing clothes in their true body...''</i>


    Matt, looking at Dong-min somehow convincing himself, said, "Hmmm, then should we roughly n out a schedule? How long do you n to be here?"


    "There''s no exact schedule, but it''ll be troubling if it''s more than five years."


    "That''s too short..." Matt mumbled and snapped her fingers again. <i>Swhhooook. </i>Her naked body was covered with a tight T-shirt and shorts. It was a strange scene, as if the clothes were being printed with a 3D printer. It was a sight that basically proimed that her skills¡ªfor the sake of convenience¡ªhad reached a level where it was hard for Dong-min, who was human, to understand.


    However, Dong-min thought there was a slight problem¡­ <i>''The time frame between her taking off her clothes and putting them back on was too long!''</i>


    The fact that Matt did not continue to go on naked, and actually wore clothes sometimeter, meant that she did not go around naked on a daily basis. But then again, if one were to think about it, she wore clothes when she was out and about. Even if that was not her true body, there was no way that there wouldn''t be a culture of wearing clothes for a dragon, who was a higher-being.


    As Dong-min''s thoughts progressed in that direction, he realized, <i>''She doesn''t care whether my attention was on her or not.''</i>


    When someone changed their clothes at home, they wouldn''t really care if their pet cat saw them changing. Even when going to the bathroom, or having a rtionship with their lover, or even a scene that was shameful to others¡­ If the one watching it was a dog or a cat, it would not really matter.


    "Now then,e here."


    "You want me toe to you?"


    As Dong-min questioned Matt''s sudden remark, she opened up her arms. "Come here into my arms."


    "What kind of crazy bullsh---Ughhh?!" In an instant, an irresistible force pulled Dong-min in and he flew into Matt''s arms. The process was as fast and urate as a pitcher who threw the ball into the catcher''s mitt. By the time he came to his senses, he was already in Matt''s arms.


    <i>Shiiiiingg! </i>Just like that, the surrounding environment changed rapidly. They teleported from the sparse and metallic room that they had seen upon entering the first floor of the building, to a spacious living room.


    Dong-min, who had a Spatial-type superpower, naturally knew that they had teleported. He opened the door on the first floor of the building, moving from the metal castle room to the spacious living room.


    <i>''Oh my God, I can''t resist it at all?'' </i>Dong-min was also a strong superpower user, considered to be within the top ten in the whole world, when it came to spatial attribute abilities. Of course, ''world'' referred to Earth here. When it came to just spatial movements that did not use magic tools or any attendants, his resistance ability was by no means weak. However, it was all ignored. He was literally forced to move with Matt, who clearly had the capability of teleporting him deep underground whenever she wanted to. That was even against a spatial-type ability user!


    "Uuushaaa!" Matt strode along, hugging the shocked Dong-min. She arrived at the sofa located at one corner of the living room, plopping down without a moment of hesitation. <i>Ploof! </i>As if it was made of cotton candy, the sofa gently distorted its shape. She let out a groan."Uwaaaahhh~ Feels good!"


    "You, you... YOU!" Dong-min, who had finallye to his senses, struggled with all his might. <i>Kwaaaaaak. </i>It was unfortunately a meaningless resistance.


    "Aww...! You''re so cute! Look at you flipping over!"


    "Wha-What? Let go of me!" Dong-min opened his mind wide and manifested his soul power in reality. It was a mighty force that would even crush an armored vehicle in a single blow, if aimed properly. However, as expected, it was of no use.


    "Cute!"


    "Ugghhh! Uppppphh ugghhhhhh!!" Dong-min struggled while in the arms of Matt, who boasted a towering height of 2 meters. His face was buried in her chest, making it difficult for him to even breathe properly.


    <i>''She''s insane!'' </i>If the rest of the members of Prestige on Earth saw this sight, they would be out of their mind at this uneptable reality. Who would have imagined that their leader, who was always charismatic and had previously resolved numerous crises and battles, would receive this kind of treatment? Even Dong-min himself had difficulty epting this current reality!


    <i>''Hahhh.'' </i>However, Dong-min soon came to his senses and stopped struggling. He gave up trying to resist. <i>''If it was me on Earth, I would have struggled until I died.'' </i>However, he had alreadypletely abandoned his pride of the past uponing out to the Great Universe. He had experienced numerous battles, as well as witnessed a number of transcendents, after all. He still felt that the current situation was humiliating, but he had theposure to recognize that he was in the position of aplete weakling.


    "Ack! I''m sorry. It''s suffocating, isn''t it?" Matt smiled brightly and hugged Dong-min again in another way. From her expression and attitude, Dong-min could tell that she had no intention of ridiculing or mocking him.


    "...Must I stay in this position?"


    "Mmhmm."


    "What an immediate reply..."


    "Think of it as a teaching fee. You little brat, do you know how amazing it is to be coached one-on-one by a member of the War Dragon Unit?" Matt''s voice was filled with mischievousness, but Dong-min could not refute it. She spoke the truth. If there was an advertisement that a transcendent would give lessons on Earth, there would be a cloud of attendees who would give up all their wealth or even their lives. Something like being held in her arms wasn''t even considered a price. Plus, wasn''t she an amazing beauty?


    "Well, fine then. What should we start with?"


    "What do you mean from what... Humm~~ Humm~~" Matt pondered¡­ <i>Patt patt patt. </i>Holding Dong-min in her arms, she patted his head gently. "For starters~~ Hmm, alright then. What do you think a person with superpower is?"


    <i>Patt patt patt.</i> Speechless, Dong-min was emotional. He felt something surging up within him at the touch of Matt, who kept petting his head. Thankfully, he soon took a breather and calmed his mind down. Then, he answered, "A mutant."


    "Ohhhooo~ So, that''s how you understood it, huh. Well, it''s notpletely wrong, but that''s the perspective of an inferior species like you."


    "Are you saying it''s actually different?"


    "Of course. If you say that to the Prajnas, you''ll be ridiculed as a fool," Mattmented.


    The Prajna, a transcendental species that upies one of the pirs of Noblesse, along with the dragon species, had the mere appearance of a small and cute cat in the eyes of humans. However, ignoring them based on their appearance alone would result in one paying dearly for it. After all, they were born with mighty superpowers. Their high intelligence was great enough to kill an Intermediate-rank Demon while remaining seated. Although they almost had no physical abilities, their mental and spiritual powers were truly terrifying. The Prajna tribe wasn''t said to have equal power with the dragon species for no reason.


    "By the way..." <i>Patt patt patt.</i> Matt, who was still holding Dong-min in her arms, continued patting his head and said, "Ultimately, they learnt magic too, you know?"


    "Do you mean to say that there was a limit to their growth?"


    "Limit or whatever, superpowers do not even fall into the category of spirituality in the first ce. It''s just a kind of phenomenon." Matt further exined that this was the reason why it was extremely rare to sessfully reach the realm of transcendence just by honing their superpowers. They needed to have a supplementary alternative.


    "A supplementary alternative?"


    "That''s right. It doesn''t matter whether it was magic, martial arts, or Chakra. At birth, you were born with the blood of a God. However, unless the power of your soul was able to grow endlessly, the potential to grow would naturally be limited."


    Dong-minughed bitterly at the remark. "That''s right." Back when he was on Earth, he received the evaluation of <i>''Being equivalent to a Compl¨¦ter before bing an adult.''</i> However, there was always a <i>''But...'' </i>attached to the same evaluation.


    Dong-min was a Swordsmanship Compl¨¦ter who created Sword Qi by manifesting his Inner Qi on the outside. In other words, he was a Magic Compl¨¦ter who was capable of a Sword Master or Technique resonance. That was to say, he had power that was equivalent to a Magus, while possessing thergest number of superpowers back on Earth. Compared to the Sword Masters who only had martial powers, or the Magus who had a low reaction speed, Dong-min had a wide variation and battle capabilities. Hence, he could be called the strongest of all within his age range.


    But...that was all of it. Dong-min''s growth had actually teaued since the age of 12. Of course, he was gradually maturing as he umtedbat experiences and trained his body. However, his potential remained unchanging.


    Those who used superpowers would be stronger and faster than any other spiritual users, but their limits were definite. Otherwise, Dong-min wouldn''t have taken the risk of entering Suho-Ilmaek[2] and inherited the Vajra Scepter of Jeseokcheon for no reason.


    "For a human being, training superpowers is simply like training a fighting technique," Matt went on. <i>Poooong! </i>With a light hand gesture, a droplet of water floated up in the air. The droplet soon turned into the figure of a human, demonstrating all kinds of martial arts. "Of course, you''repletely different from a normal human, right?"


    <i>Kraaaghhhh! </i>Just then, a tail formed behind the water doll that was demonstrating the fighting technique. Its arms were then extended to four. Matt subsequently added, "That''s what it is, after all. Superpowers are... I mean, it''s the same as the arms and legs that one has since birth, or the tails and wings that others cannot have. The more you train, the more you can handle it. However, it is extremely difficult to progress upwards. It''s just like simply training in the martial arts technique, such as boxing and hapkido, would almost never allow someone to cross over to the realm of superhumans." <i>Baaang! </i>The water doll disappeared with her hand gesture.


    Dong-min mumbled with a grave expression, "But...I have opened too many pathways. I won''t be able to master martial arts or life energy."


    "Your body and soul have already taken a different path from the existing ability users, so you can''t follow the traditional spiritual training methods. You would ultimately have to learn the training method that is suitable for a superpower user from scratch, but..."


    "But?"


    "You won''t have to do that when you have me!" Matt smiled and hugged Dong-min tightly. "Trust me and follow my lead. Ehhew~ Our Dong-min."


    "I haven''t even met you for a long time..."


    <i>Patt patt patt. </i>Matt cooed, "There, there."


    "Matt?"


    "There th-Zzzz..."


    Realizing that Matt had fallen asleep with him in her arms, Dong-min shook his head as he was bbergasted. Just in case, he tried to move his body, but Matt''s body did not budge whileying on the fluffy sofa. "This is worrying."


    Bo-ram decided to stay at the house of the old man, who was called the Great Elder. What she needed now was not training, but renewing her contract with the Golden Dragon God. That was only possible for an existence that belonged to the Senate.


    In other words, only Matt and Dong-min would continue their sses in this house¡­ "Ummmm..." <i>Ummmphh! </i>Dong-min flinched at Matt''s touch, as she was mumbling and hugging his body tightly. There was a pleasant scenting from Matt, who was hugging him from behind. "¡­ It''s big," he mumbled with a flushed face. "Too big." Of course, he was talking about her height.


    1. Simr to ahjusshi, this means auntie/aunt or a way to address a middle-ageddy


    2. It''s basically an alternate realm that Dong-min entered.

 Side Story - I am a Pet (3)

    <h4>Side Story - I am a Pet (3)</h4>


    <i>Broooooom-----!! </i><i>Something</i><strong> </strong>raised its head with a tremendous roar, as if the world was about to copse.


    <strong>Oh my God.</strong> Dong-min was overwhelmed by the tremendous pressure and could not move a single inch. His limbs went numb and his mind went nk, as if the blood in his entire body was drying up.


    That thing assumed the appearance of a bird. The proportion of its head was extremelyrge, making up about half of its entire body. Furthermore, it was only perceived as simr to a bird due to its beak. In actual fact, it did not look very much like a bird at all. It had seven irregr eyes, a beak made out of gemstones, and eight arms instead of wings. The bird<strong> </strong>basically had an appalling appearance, but its size was still the most gruesome factor.


    <strong>Crazy¡­ </strong>Dong-min let out a groan again. Despite the enormous distance between them, the bird floated in the middle of the universe, and the space surrounding it was bent. That bird was as ginormous as the sun.


    <strong>Ahhh, this is annoying. It''s going to take a long time. It''s . </strong>


    Dong-min expressed his doubts at the list of words that were unbeknownst to him. <strong>Don''t tell me there are a few of them?</strong>


    <strong>That''s not it. I''m saying that that bastard is .</strong>


    <strong>What does that mean? Is that its name?</strong>


    <strong>It doesn''t have a name. That thing is a being without a name. An Unnamed. Aghh... This is so annoying. I''m fine with everything else, but it''s the worst to have the property and the setting stuck together. </strong>


    Unnamed. It was the start of <i>The Great War</i> that spread a sense of crisis¡ªthe possibility of total annihtion throughout the entire universe¡ª400 years ago, and it was a trace of <i>him</i><strong>.</strong>


    <strong>If so...</strong>


    <strong>The Great Father.</strong>


    The Great Father was a being born from emptiness during the beginning of the world.<strong> </strong><i>He</i> threw himself into emptiness to create the Great Universe. His thoughts, ideas, ns and designs was what created today''s world.


    <strong>But even he was imperfect. </strong>


    <strong>Are you saying that it was an existence made by mistake?</strong>


    <strong>Something like that. That is, so to speak, just an idea. Imagine if you''re a novelist, there are times when you work on a particr setting only to eventually throw it away, because it was not that good, right? Those things were asleep in his consciousness, and they just suddenly pop out like that. Dealing with that is the War Dragon Unit and Fairnd''s main task. </strong>


    <strong>Hahh¡­ </strong>Dong-min could not keep his mouth shut as it was something that was on such a huge scale. Wasn''t this literally a scene out of a myth? He thought, <i>''And I was wondering what kind of things the War Dragon Unit and Fairnd do.''</i>


    Even though the War Dragon Unit and Fairnd were considered one of the strongest military forces in the entire universe, they were only minimally active. Just like a shadow without substance, only their fame was spread throughout the universe. However, looking at Matt''s enemy now, Dong-min could see why the reputation of the War Dragon Unit was so great.


    <strong>As I said before, that thing is an existence made from a list of keywords such as . It is iplete, but that is why it''s even more outrageous. It doesn''t have an appropriate limit within the Great Universe''s worldview. </strong>


    <i>Wiiiiingggg----</i>A strange resonance echoed from Matt''s body while she was exining. Floating in space, Dong-min turned his head to see a ray of light radiated from her body. <i>Groarrrrr!! </i>In a blink of an eye, her body erged. 10 meters, 20 meters, 30 meters, 40 meters...100 meters, 200 meters, 300 meters, 400 meters...


    <i>''This is...'' </i>Dong-min stared nkly at Matt''s true body. Her basic form was simr to that of the Crimson Dragon, considered one of the Western Dragons. However, the horns that hung off of her head weremonly seen in Eastern Dragons. Her wings were quite smallpared to her size, but she generally appeared proportionate due to her slim, long waist and limbs.


    Although it may not have beenparable to the Unnamed, who was of aary-scale, Matt''s true body was so huge that Dong-min was about to lose consciousness. Her size was between a Super Tall (Buildings over 300 meters high) and a Mega Tall (Buildings over 600 meters high). If it was based on the number of floors, her height would be around the height of at least 90 to 100 floors.


    But nevertheless, <i>''Beautiful...'' </i>Dong-min was mesmerized, staring at her figure. Her body, floating in the deste space, was giving off a gentle light that seemed to be magical. Dong-min had never imagined that such a huge and unrealistic being could be so beautiful.


    <strong>Well then, shall we go? Set! </strong>The space split along with the loud phrase. <i>Wooooom--Clunk! Clunk! </i>In a sh, a huge armor covered Matt''s entire body.


    Transcendental Number Range 1000s. Matt''s right wing armor.


    Transcendental Number Range 1000s. Matt''s left wing armor.


    Transcendental Number Range 1000s. Matt''s wild chest.


    Transcendental Number Range 1000s. Matt''s helmet.


    Transcendental Number Range 1000s. Matt''s steps.


    The ultimate personal armament crafted by the concentrated capabilities of the Magical Civilization and the Technological Civilization that reached the apex were around her. The Ultimate personal armament, personally crafted for her and her alone through the Noblesse''s astronomical budget, covered her red scales.


    A Transcendence Weapon separated by parts. It was an outrageous equipment that no one would dare to mimic, unless they were a Noblesse. It looked like a vanity that was beyond luxury. Although it did not enter the ranks of a Numbering because itcked Divine Spirit, it was a Battle Weaponparable to the Numbering in terms of power output.


    <i>Kwaaaanggg!</i>


    <strong>This is¡­ </strong>As soon as Matt''s whole body was covered in armor, Dong-min''s face turned pale at the path of mes that began to set aze. Those were mes that appeared and set the enemies aze.


    Numbering ranked 111. Amaterasu.


    <i>sh! </i>As the mes burst out like light, Matt''s whole body began shining like a sr prominence projecting from the sun. Unlike the God-rank Gigas, Ra, which was named after another Sun God, it was a Transcendence Weapon that existed as a me without any specific form.


    <strong>Well then, it''s done. Dong-min, get in!</strong>


    <strong>What do you mean get in? What do you mean by that? </strong>As Dong-min was perplexed at that moment... <i>Shiiiiingg! </i>The background changed in an instant. He realized that he had moved into a room that was about the width of two container boxes. Although he remained oblivious, this was a space prepared inside the Transcendence Weapon, Matt''s Helmet.


    <strong>Get a grip! Now then! </strong>


    <i>Whoooooskk----!! </i>Dong-min felt that his soul was being sucked into the soul of the gigantic Matt. Her huge and gigantic, as well as high status, soul that burned with a brilliant spirit. <strong>Here we go! </strong>While she yelled, Matt''s body charged forward at the speed of light.


    The huge Unnamed that had the keywords turned its head slowly.


    -Wh-%[email protected]!wha-&?


    As its beak opened, something<strong> </strong>invaded Matt''s body, along with a peculiar sound that was hard to even understand.


    A Setting. Rules, which was of apletely different realm from the current Great Universe, began to interfere with the body and soul of Matt. <strong>Get the hell out, you fucker! Do you think I''ve only dealt with something like you once or twice?!</strong>


    <i>Kwaaaanggg--!! </i>A red me, akin to light, was burning. Matt burned the power of the <i>Setting </i>that tried to interfere with her, which was a possibility. It was the power of the Divine Spirit, which solely existed in her, and was unwavering no matter what came her way.


    [email protected]!&hu-?


    <strong>Crazy¡­ </strong>Dong-min groaned at the sight of the huge bird that instantly erged. To his dismay, when the Unnamed''s attack was blocked, it wanted to have a hand-to-hand fight!


    <i>Broooooom-----!!! </i>The mass of existence was as enormous as the sun, capable of distorting the surrounding space just with its presence. Hence, a hand-to-hand fight with that kind of existence was literally nothing short of a disaster. No matter how big Matt''s body was, it was less than a speck of dust aspared to the size of the Unnamed. It wasn''t an exaggeration; a single brush of its beak could shatter something the size of Earth into smithereens.


    <strong>I knew this would happen! It doesn''t have a keyword! </strong>


    <i>Kigigik! Chakak! </i>Along with the heavy tremors, Matt''s right wing armor transformed into the form of a huge weapon.


    - Permission to use the Forbidden Weapon in the name of Levitt, the 7th Great Elder of Dragonian.


    <strong>Can''t you just let me use it on my own volition?</strong>


    - What crazy-sounding nonsense.


    Dragonian''s Great Elder, Levitt,ughed bitterly. This was because the situation would turn grave if Matt used the Forbidden Weapon wrongly, and caused the Ancient Human<strong> </strong>toe looking for the Noblesse.


    No, to be honest, it was a problem of an even higher degree. If things went wrong, and Matt destroyed<strong> </strong>the <i>Setting</i> for no reason, a problem might arise in the flow of the Great Universe. On top of that, there was a chance that it might uselessly attract the attention of the Great Father. Its progress in a good direction would be fine, but its progress in a very bad direction, and with bad luck, would put the copse of the Union into consideration.


    - You must handle the Forbidden Weapon with care, no matter what.


    <strong>I know, I know alright. It''s just a joke. </strong>


    - Tch tch. You''re already old enough...


    The sound of the clicking of the tongue was getting farther away.


    <strong>Now then, stuff yourself with this for now! </strong>Meanwhile, a round bullet was mounted on Matt''s armor. It looked simr to a bazooka, so to speak, and it was ced on her shoulder.


    Dong-min was not aware of it, but that was literally the top-level secret that the Union had used to defeat the Unnamed and end <i>The Great War.</i>


    The Stage 5 Civilization, the Forbidden Weapons. Setting Destruction Shot.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    <strong>What?! </strong>Dong-min, who had permission to feel a unison with Matt''s soul, was struck by a sense of urgency. He saw the appearance of the Unnamed, which shed with Matt¡ªit got smaller. Of course, the Unnamed was stillrger than Matt, but its current size was only twice as big. A creaturerger than the sun, whose presence itself was a disaster, was able to be reduced to just over a kilometer in size... What the hell was going on? Was its earlier size an illusion?


    Was it, perhaps, because Matt could sense Dong-min''s confusion at the unbelievable sight? While colliding with the Unnamed that had a peculiar skin which couldn''t be distinguished between scales or feathers, Matt exined, <strong>There are no rules for those things. Because they don''t have a rule ofw, they could go against thews of the Great Universe at will. However, to put it the other way round, the </strong><i><strong>Setting</strong></i><strong> that they derived on their own will could be disrupted too. Anyway, it''s still this big even though I''ve already done this much. Is it because of the keyword?</strong>


    While she was grumbling, the beak fell off.<i> Kwakkkkk! </i>Matt''s right wing snapped off from the tremendous blow, which aimed for the opening where she had removed the armor parts to create aunch pad for the Forbidden Weapon to fire.


    <strong>Dong-min!</strong>


    <strong>Yes, yes! </strong>Dong-min responded loudly to the unexpected call.


    Then, Matt bit the body of the Unnamed with her sharp teeth.<i> Kwakkkkk! Krrragghhhhhh!! </i>The dimension distorted from the teeth that bit the Unnamed. The mes of Amaterasu was burning up from her body as she cried out, <strong>Open your soul wide! Resonate with it! This is the best lesson for you!</strong>


    The dragon species were existences at the pinnacle of irrationality, as they could attain the realm of transcendence just by growing older. However, a difference in individual gaps naturally existed¡ªphysical aptitude, magical aptitude, spiritual aptitude, and even the difference in preference.


    The dragon species was born with an overwhelming magical aptitude, and were called the Species of Magic. However, there were countless dragons among them who preferred martial arts over magic. There were also those who had no interest in battle, devoting themselves to a life of culture. On the other hand, there were still those who had no interest in any kind of spirituality and dedicated their long life only to art. So what more could be said about the difference in preference? It was needless to say that some among the dragon species specialized inbat.

 Side Story - I am a Pet (4)

    <h4>Side Story - I am a Pet (4)</h4>


    <strong>Focus your mind and resonate all the superpowers you have with me! I have all the bloodlines you have too, so you don''t have to worry about the types!</strong>


    <i>Kwakkkkkk! Bang! Swanggg! </i>mes were set aze, while a severe and bitter cold froze all molecr motion. The space was distorted and split apart, then it killed everything that was inside of it.


    Matt''s body was so strengthened that it could withstand shing with the enemy, which was over hundreds of thousands of tons. Moreover, even if she was hit by a deadly blow, she would return to her original state as if time turned back.


    <strong>Just sense it! </strong>A loud and direct yell violently mmed against Dong-min, who was out of his mind due to the intense and gruesome battle.


    <strong>This is! </strong>Again, the Unnamed and Matt collided head-on. The beak made of gemstone was so powerful that it could prate through the defense of the mighty Transcendence Weapon, hitting Matt¡¯s body. Hot blood spurted out like a volcanic eruption, but she did not care about it at all.


    <strong>The Great Universe''s strongest superpower! </strong>Matt wasn''t born with a special bloodline. Instead, she was a mixed breed that had low recognition among the dragon species who valued the pure-blooded. However, theplexity of the various dragon-bloods mutated in the body of Matt, who had been fighting and struggling for a long time. This was a reason why she could be a member of the War Dragon Unit.


    <i>Bang! </i>Her mana, along with her powerful superpower, swelled up like a balloon. Not just the other dragon species, but even the Prajna¡ªwho was considered the strongest group of superpower users¡ªwould not dare to imitate her transcendental manifestation ability.


    <i>Kwakkkkk! Krrckkk! </i><strong>Hmph! </strong>Matt''s right wing, which was torn and blown away, transformed into the form of another dragon. Then, the Transcendence Weapon, Matt''s Right Wing Armor, turned into the form of a full-body armor to cover her clone. A part of her body, and a part of the Transcendence Weapon that protected her body, began to move on their own.


    <i>''This is incredible... Is this the War Dragon Unit?'' </i>Dong-min wondered to himself.


    Although the War Dragon Unit was not made up of the strongest dragons, the strongest fighter of the dragons was definitely the War Dragon Unit.


    The War Dragon Unit, one of the Great Universe''s strongestbat forces, received a huge budget and all kinds of special support that couldn''t even be usually provided. It was something that the inferior civilizations would not even dare to imagine.


    Among the dragon species, 100 dragons were carefully selected to receive brutal training and lessons at the same time. They were rare talents who couldpletely receive the special support and the strong armaments. Therefore, the bare body of the War Dragon Unit was nothing more than a low-rank transcendent skilled in battle. However, each member of the War Dragon Unit, which moved on the Noblesse''s support, wasparable to an Emperor-ss.


    Just like how there was a difference inbat prowess between an ordinary human and a mixed martial artist, despite both of them being human, and how there was a difference between a mixed martial artist and a fully armed soldier¡­ They both acted as the Combat Weapons of the dragons and the Noblesse.


    <i>Groarrrrr---!</i>


    In the midst of the frontlines of the Great Universe, Dong-min saw the manifestation of a mighty superpower and became dazed. He was riding inside Matt''s helmet, but he was enveloped by her Aura. He could feel her powers, which were familiar, as if they were his own.


    <strong>Haaaaaaaaah----!! </strong><i>sh! </i>Dong-min slowly closed his eyes when he saw the red mes and the blue lightning exploding forth. As the pitch-ck universe was dyed by the explosion, he slowly felt it¡­ The frontlines of the Great Universe.


    ***


    As Matt fell after opening and entering the door, a surprised Dong-min hugged her. "Matt?!" Although Dong-min¡¯s physical strength had already exceeded the limits of humans, she was still too heavy. Dong-min staggered.


    Also, Matt¡¯s body was as hot as a ball of fire. In fact, it was literally a ball of fire¡­ <i>Kriekkk---! </i>An armour of water, containing cold air below -100 degrees, wrapped around Dong-min''s entire body. It turned into steam, and dispersed everywhere in a matter of seconds.


    "Are you alright?"


    "Ahh... It''s cooling..." Matt, who looked as if she was halfway through to losing her mind, snuggled into Dong-min¡¯s arms. She had a hazy expression on her face.


    "This shi-..." Dong-min gave Matt the princess carry and moved to the bedroom.


    The tremendous heat that was exuding from within Matt, and the cold air that was released by Dong-min, offset each other. It was surprising that the enormous amount of steam being generated did not cause any problems to arise.


    <i>''That''s amazing. With the amount of steam, no matter how wide a house was, it would be normal for it to turn into a sauna.'' </i>Although Dong-min was fascinated, it was actually a natural thing. The house they upied was designed in a modern way, but it was still the Dragon Lair. It was a ce that was considered the congregation of all kinds of magic.


    "Owhhhh, I''m dying..."


    "Are you all right?"


    "Yeah, it''s kind of like this whenever I return from work. By the way, it''s really cooling... I like it a lot..."


    "Uwahhhh?! Matt?!" Dong-min, who was about toy Matt down in the bedroom, fell on the bed. A pair of slender arms were wrapped around his neck.


    "Ahhh~ I''m so tired... The War Dragon Unit sucks... Get me discharged from duty, these snake-like bastards!!!"


    Cored by Matt¡¯s arms and lying on the bed, Dong-min took in the sight of Matt suddenly screaming. He then asked, "Are you being forced to do it?"


    "Rather than being forced, it''s more like the duty of a strong warrior. Well, it''s not like I don''t understand why they can''t discharge me from my duty. They produced five Transcendence Weapons for my exclusive-use, so they wouldn''t let me go free so easily."


    When she was inbat as part of the War Dragon Unit, Matt handled a total of six Transcendence Weapons, including five Transcendence Weapons made for her and a Numbering that was widely known in the entire universe. She also utilized soul imprinting, as well as dozens of technique armaments. That resulted in her capability of disying the battle power of an Emperor-ss, but...the whole process would naturally put a lot of pressure on her.


    "I''m gonna die, really..." Matt groaned. It was understandable because, if Transcendence Weapons were weapons that gave their owners a mighty power without any recoils, then the great forces of the universe would not have only aimed for battleships that were above Terra-ss simply because they did not have enough transcendence-grade Captains. In fact, if power was promised without recoil, it was possible that the leaders of the huge forces would have monopolized the Transcendence Weapons by now. Even if Matt had a special kind of power, and her Transcendence Weapons were made exclusively for her, there was a limit.


    ¡°The birdhead was stronger than I thought, so I dragged the battle on for too long. Well, I managed to eradicate more than 15 percent of that bastard, so I should pass the baton to the others." Then, after mumbling ¡°I¡¯ve done my part,¡± Matt softly drowned herself in thefort of the bed.


    Dong-min slightly mustered up strength in his leg. He quickly said, "Then I''ll be waiting outside."


    "Where do you think you''re going,e here~? Phe~ My Dong-min is so lovely~?"


    "Uppphh?!" Dong-min was pulled into Matt¡¯s arms with such force that he could not put up any resistance. Although he still resisted by wriggling his body around with a flushed face, he could not properly muster up any strength because he was exerting the superpower of cold air.


    "Hehe, it feels good. It''s cooling,¡± Matt giggled while hugging Dong-min tightly. <i>Kriekkk-!</i> Steam continued to be generated, but it seeped through the white ceiling and disappeared just like that. Moreover, even the bed they were lying on was soft and fuzzy.


    "Zzz..."


    "Agh, again..." In the end, Dong-min realized that Matt had fallen asleep and sighed deeply, but that was all he could do. "I can''t even sleep because of the heat..." He ignored the blissful sensation that gave him goosebumps behind his neck. He then released a stronger and much more intense chill.


    Just like that, another day was passing by.


    ***


    Time flowed like water, and the initially 187 centimeters tall Dong-min grew to 198 centimeters. That sight made Matt ask in shock, "What the, what''s this? Didn''t you have the body of an adult?"


    "What do you mean adult... I''m at the peak of my growth," Dong-minmented, and he was right. He was 18 years old when he first came to Dragonian, so he had been a high school student as well as a minor! The fact that Dong-min was still at a growing age was something that the Prestige members, who followed him, dared not think about. Therefore, even his original height of 187 centimeters was subjected to a process of growth.


    "Ughhhh, what the, no. Grow shorter. It''s ufortable to hug you and sleep because you grew big."


    "Then you can just sleep alone."


    "I don''t wannaaaaaaaa~~"


    As he ignored the whining Matt, Dong-min looked in the mirror. The reflection was of a man in his mid-20s, with a perfect proportion of 8.5 heads tall [1]. His mouth slightly twitched without anyone knowing. <i>''Hmm. Now I''m at least able to face her.''</i>


    Dong-min was 2 meters, no, to be exact, 198 centimeters tall. When he faced Matt, who had a 70-centimeter-tall horn hanging on her head, she still overwhelmed him. However, he had at least caught up to a simr height. If he now stood face-to-face with her, he would be able to meet her at eye level at the very least.


    "You''re not going to grow bigger, right?"


    "I''m 25 years old now, so there''s no way I''ll be taller."


    Again, time went by like flowing water... Before Dong-min knew it, he had already been in Dragonian for over 7 years.


    This was also the period of time that Matt continued to fight. The War Dragon Unit usually dealt with the Unnamed, who were beings without a name, but she did not only deal with them. From the battleships of the Great Pirates, Basara; the Legion, who ambushed the Kendler tribes researchb to obtain Forbidden Weapons; and the Grotesque, who spread disasters acrosss and gxies; to the internal renegade of the Union¡­ She did them all.


    Dong-min was always with Matt, usually boarding her Transcendence Weapon and watching her battles. Depending on the situation, however, he sometimes helped or even fought together, and...


    <strong>This is the famous Sky Whale meat!</strong>


    <strong>It''s dry though.</strong>


    <strong>It''s still good though, right? Do you know how precious this is?!</strong>


    They ate together.


    <strong>My lovable Dong-min~?</strong>


    <strong>Just please go to sleep alone!</strong>


    <strong>No, no can do. I like it because you''re so fuzzy and warm. </strong>


    They slept together.


    <strong>Now, you''re going to start with a fist on my cheek.</strong>


    <strong>Will you be alright?</strong>


    <strong>What? Puhahaha! You''re even worrying about me now, you sure have grown a lot!</strong>


    Dong-min received lessons.


    <strong>It''s the Valley of the Spirits! This isn''t a ce that just anything cane in to!</strong>


    <strong>Kuwaackkkk! Keuk... Ugghhh!</strong>


    <strong>Aigooo, this shameful sight... Get your act together and just look at the scenery! It''s super cool! If they decided to set an admission fee, they''ll probably be able to buy a country on your! </strong>


    They went on trips and, while doing so, it was slowly changing. Dong-min was the boss of Prestige, a world-famous group of superpower users. He was a merciless iron-blood fighter known as the world''s strongest superpower user and, at the same time, he was an extremely notorious terrorist that everyone in the world feared. In particr, the story of when he escaped after single-handedly annihting the ck Wizard Group, Romance, at just 10 years old was so great that it was passed down as a legendary story among the superpower users.


    From the moment Dong-min was born, the whole world¡ªeven those who gave birth to him and raised him¡ªwere all enemies. Life was a series of suffering. He always died, killed, received injuries, and lost things. He was a living weapon, an incarnation of wrath, and a revenger. Nheless, his whole life was also a series of intense struggle and training, and still¡­


    <strong>Master! It''s about time!</strong>


    "Time?"


    As Dong-min raised a question upon hearing the previous remark, Matt replied, "Ahhh, I have an appointment today."


    "Are you going out?¡±


    Matt was also an office worker, or an office dragonite for uracy, so there were times when she had to move alone. During that time, Dong-min would continue training at Matt''s Lair. This ce was Dragonian, the world of the dragons, and Dong-min could not attend every event as he was a human.


    But unexpectedly, Matt shook his head.


    1. In Korea, they regard this as the perfect proportion. It means your height is 8.5 times the height of your head.

 Side Story - I am a Pet (5)

    <h4>Side Story - I am a Pet (5)</h4>


    "Let''s go together."


    "Will it be alright?"


    "It''s not a public event, but a private appointment. It''s the day an old friend of mine dies," Matt answered and prepared to go out. Of course, she, as a powerful superpower user and a Great Wizard, wasn¡¯t actually preparing various things. She could summon a suit that stuck to her almost naked body with nothing more than a simple gesture, after all.


    Needless to say, Dong-min directly took out the necessary clothes from the wardrobe that Matt had prepared for him. "By the way, that''s a weird thing to say. What do you mean ¡®the day an old friend of mine dies¡¯? Is your friend sick or something?"


    "It''s nothing of that sort. My friend is of the Kendler tribe."


    "The Kendler tribe is..." Dong-min had seen the Kendler tribe before, if that was the case. Nathan, the Tech Division Chief of the Albatross ship, was from the Kendler tribe. That species looked like a ball of light that was simr to a goblin fire.


    "That''s right. They''re a Noblesse, just like us dragons. Some of the other dragons ignore them because they are a species with very few transcendents. However, that''s an extremely foolish thought. The dragons all enjoy the high-tech civilizations, but for them to not know the terror of it..."


    Shiiiiingg! While Matt and Dong-min were conversing, they teleported and moved to the front part of Dragonian. It was the Star Gate, a result of the apex of a Technological Civilization and a Magic Civilization.


    ''The dragon people, they really love buildings, huh,'' Dong-min thought. The panoramic view of Dragonian could be defined with just one phrase: a forest of buildings. That''s right. Dragonian was a city full of skyscrapers.


    Of course, Dragonian was slightly different from the human cities. Each building amodated only a single dragon, so the number of buildings that existed tranted to the number of dragons living in Dragonian. When a dragon became an adult and dered their independence from their parents, they would create a building and make it their Lair. The size of each Lair started out at about 10 floors, though it varied ording to the dragon''s Mana or magical capacity. However, as the dragon grew older and developed further, the number of floors also increased proportionally.


    The Star Gate, at the front part of Dragonian, made moving to the various Outer Realms possible.


    Groarrrrr---


    "How many floors is this..." Dong-min asked curiously.


    "They grew about two to five floors this year, so I guess it''s about 1,800 floors?"


    "They''re not some sort of bean sprout, so what do you mean they grew¡­?" Dong-min let out a bitter smile as he was dumbfounded.


    Just then¡­ Boom! Boom! The door of the Star Gate opened and Bo-ram appeared from within. There was a Golden Dragon the size of a palm rolling around, and sitting, on both sides of her shoulders. Her heavy footsteps seemed to be due to the small dragons. "Huff... huff... Aigooo, this is tiring. Hmmm? Dong-min sunbae?"


    "Yes, Bo-ram. It''s been a long time. It''s great to see you."


    "Huh?" Bo-ram''s eyes widened at the sight of Dong-min greeting her delightfully.


    However, Dong-min disregarded her reaction and continued distastefully, "Is the training doable? Nothing too hard, right?"


    "Eckk? Huh? What?" Bo-ram was thrown into confusion, thinking that Dong-min¡¯s manner of speaking was too social and outgoing.


    Dong-min was not the kind of person to ask after a person¡¯s wellbeing. Not because he had no interest in others, but because he was still the boss of Prestige, a world-renowned organization of superpower users. He obviously had to look after his subordinates to run the organization, but regardless of that, his current way of speech was extremely foreign.


    "Sunbae, are you affected with some kind of mental magic?"


    "Hmm, as expected, is it weird?" Dong-min smiled bitterly and shook his head. Ironically, his eyes were clearer and livelier than ever. "I''m doing well, so there''s nothing to worry about."


    "...?!" Bo-ram looked at Dong-min with a dazed expression. She would have been less surprised if he had put a knife to her neck, instead of smiling.


    "Hey Dong-min! Let''s get going!"


    "I''ll be right there." Dong-min turned his head to reply to Matt''s call, before looking back at Bo-ram again. "Keep up the good work."


    "Ah...yes."


    Dong-min followed Matt into the Star Gate, leaving a dazed Bo-ram behind. Even though he and Matt clearly entered the building, the ce they arrived at after passing through the gate was a wide in. It was vast enough to reveal the entire horizon.


    Dong-min frowned. "Although it''s natural due to teleportation¡­ Why did wee to the ins, and not the universe?" Star Gates were objects that were used to cross over to nearby clusters of stars or nebe, or to groups of gxies prising dozens of gxies) and clusters of gxies prising hundreds to thousands of gxies). Therefore, the users tend to be ships and not individuals. This was a reason why Dong-min questioned why they woulde to a in upon using a Star Gate that had such functions. Moreover, there weren''t any facilities in their surroundings.


    "Tsk, tsk, what do you think of when you hear the term ¡®Star Gate¡¯?"


    "I''m not sure. A round Door of Dimension?"


    "What you''re talking about is the results. Its foundation is a Magic Equipment that is capable of calling forth a massive-dimensional tremor. Here, in this 1,800-story building, almost 400 floors are dedicated to that. Well, then traveling to a nearby intergctic travel would be possible with just one to two percent of total output. However, the ce I need to go to right now is a little far away. Also, three isn''t an Arrival Point, so it would take about eighty percent of total output," Matt, who exined all that, waved as if waiting for a moment. Then, she strode out and kicked the ground.


    Shiiiiinggg!! In the blink of an eye, Matt reformed into her 400-meter-tall true body. She raised her head and shouted, Elder-nim!


    Whoooosh---!


    "Ughhh."


    While Dong-min covered his ears, shielding himself from the loud roar that made his head ring, Matt roared again, PLEASE-! OPEN-! A PATHHHHH------! I AM---


    I''m awake, so don''t scream! Sighh! I was wondering why the Gates were suddenly overloaded, but seeing that even you are here, it seems that it''s the Kendler tribe''s big event.


    Matt shook her head at the insincere and distant voice. She said, What do you mean ¡®big event¡¯? It''s a little too much to talk about someone''s funeral like that.


    So what? I didn''t give a damn when Father died too. Whoooooooooh---! The ins, where warm sunlight was pouring in, quickly turned into night. As the darkened sky was open, a coal-like pitch-dark ck Dragon appeared. Unlike Matt who looked like a Western Dragon with peculiar horns, the ck Dragon was an Eastern Dragon that assumed the form of a giant snake with antlers. A dragon stone affixed on it.


    Matt exined that the form was the difference between the tworgest branches of dragon species, the Yongshin n and the Yonghwang n. Moreover, unlike the 400-meter-tall Matt, they were only about tens of meters in size.


    "Why are you boasting about such immorality, you fool."


    Dong-min froze at the sight of a woman riding on the ck Dragon¡¯s head. She held onto its two horns as if they were handles. Her long braided hair was beautifully held in ce with a jade-green hairpin. There were unidentifiable ck-fabric clothes covering her body. He muttered, "A human?"


    "Oh my! So you''re the one!" The woman kicked the ck Dragon¡¯s head and jumped down, as light as feathers.


    The ck Dragon, from behind the woman, was also surprised by its discovery of Dong-min. It said, Ohhh! So cute!


    ''Again...'' At the voice of the ck Dragon, Dong-min sumbed to a dazed mood in an instant. Then, he thought, ''No, how the hell...'' He let out a scoff as he was dumbfounded. ''Where and how the hell do I even look cute?''


    Dong-min recalled the appearance of Bo-ram, who came to Dragonian with him. Her hair flowed down her shoulders like a wave, her small physique stirred up a protective instinct, and her celebrity-ss beauty made her seem like a character out of a pure-love manhwa. However, none of the dragons in Dragonian had called her cute upon meeting her.


    It was only him, Kim Dong-min. The dragons only found the male adult, who was just slightly short of 2 meters tall, with a manly impression, cute! Regardless of male or female, the dragons were all obsessed with him. They actually liked it even more when he frowned or showed a temper. In fact, when he got angry, everyone liked him so much that he turned into a person who showed no temper instead. So, was there any need for any more exnation? It was a view on aesthetics that even Dong-min himself could not understand or ept.


    "Yaaappp!" Just then, a little girl hanging behind the woman''s back dropped down to the ground. At first nce, she was a little girl who looked about 5 to 6 years old. However, the fog-like darkness that swirled around her, and the antlers on her head, showed that she was not a human being. Her appearance was still very adorable though¡ªck hair, perfect features, innocent big eyes, and an expression that bore no ill will.


    Nevertheless, Matt twisted her head upon seeing the girl and her eyes were filled with abhorrence. It was a very subtle movement, but she was in her true body of 400 meters tall, which exceeded the height of the average building. Her act of tilting her head to the side emitted a tremendous amount of pressure, while she said, Draconian, a mixed-breed between a human and a dragon...


    Matt, won''t you kindly fix your stare? It''s so discriminatory that I''m going to want to sue you?


    Matt straightened her posture as she was taken by surprise at the keen Noblesse Elder, Hyuncheon''s remark. It was because Matt knew that her earlier reflex had been a huge disrespect. Ack, ah, ugh... This, I''m sorry. This really is...


    Tch, it''s not that I don''t understand. The ck Dragon, Hyuncheon, exuded a dense pressure. Not an attack directed to Matt, nor a release of any killing intent, it solely came about from his genuine displeasure.


    ...I''m sorry.


    That''s enough. I order you in the name of the Master of Space and Darkness! Clear the way!


    Groarrrrr!! The dimension was splitting apart. The human woman, who had descended to the ground, put on a sad expression. ¡°It''s been a while since I saw a human in a pure location, so I wanted to converse with you for a bit. What a shame. Take care and have a safe trip."


    "...Yes."


    "Cute oppa, have a safe trip!"


    "Is a kid like you calling me cute too¡­?"


    Matt''s huge head lowered down next to Dong-min, who was baffled. The movement of a giant 400-meter-tall creature was enough to instill fear in anyone, but Dong-min simply skilfully climbed on top of her head. He had already gone through numerous battles with Matt, after all.


    Open!


    Whoooooskk!!! Dong-min instantly realized that the surrounding space was beingpressed to an unbelievable level. An average person would only be able to realize that the surrounding backgrounds were wavering, but as a spatial-type superpower user, he knew for a fact that they were crossing the distance of hundreds and thousands¡­ no, perhaps tens of thousands of light years. "Matt, earlier..."


    Wahhhh! Isn''t the surrounding scenery cool? We are crossing over the distance of 1.5million light years right now!


    Dong-min, who was sitting on Matt''s nose bridge, awkwardly shut his mouth. He heard Matt''s voice cutting him off, realizing that she was ufortable with this topic. "..."


    ¡­


    An ufortable silence momentarily passed between the two of them. Then, Dong-min recalled the scornful look Matt had put on when they were at the Dragonian''s Star Gate.


    ''It''s not like that.'' He denied the spection in his mind, because having gone through the past seven years with her, he knew just what Matt¡¯s character was like. It was not something that she, brighter and with a mentality more alert than anyone else, would do.


    Whooooong! Fortunately, they entered a new universe after only travelling for a short while. And at the same time, Dong-min saw the light.


    "Uckk!" Dong-min, who was surprised by the intense light that seemed blinding, closed his eyes and erected a dimension barrier. However, it was not an attack. "The sun?"


    Where would anyone be able to find such a small sun?


    "What do you mean a small sun..." Dong-min was bbergasted, but Matt was right. The sun-like light that shone in front of them had a diameter of only about one kilometer at most, and it was too small to even be considered a star. Moreover...the shining presence was the one who invited Matt here.

 Side Story - I am a Pet (6)

    <h4>Side Story - I am a Pet (6)</h4>


    -Oh! Matt! I was worried you might bete, but you reached just in time. Thank you.


    Aside from not being a voice, it was also different from the Spiritual Speech that was usually used by Matt who was in her true body state. If one had to express it in words, it would be the will itself. Right now, the <i>''something''</i> that couldn''t even be described in words so naturally conveyed its will to them.


    <strong><i>''A Subtle Light''</i>... You bastard, your overwhelming brightness causes you to not live up to your name.</strong>


    -Haha, what can I do? This is what happens when the timees.


    Unlike Matt, who sounded bitter, the<i> ''Subtle Light'' </i>answered in a casual manner. A sense of mystery could be felt from his words, which had no desire or remorse.


    <strong>Can''t you live a little longer?</strong>


    -Haha, friend, whether it is possible or not does not matter. The important thing is the willingness to walk down this path.


    Although <i>''Subtle Light''</i> was emitting such a strong light, it was strange that not even the slightest heat could be felt.


    -Matt, my fragile and lonely old friend.


    <strong>You old man...</strong>


    -It was fun.


    The light grew brighter and moved farther away. As the brightest light simply drifted away, the surrounding scenery could finally be seen.


    "Ahhh..." Dong-min stood on Matt''s nose bridge, staring nkly at the sight that was in front of him.


    "Isn''t it cool?" Matt said with a bitter smile. Before Dong-min realized, she had turned back into her human-form.


    The space where they were floating in was a tranquil universe which had nothing, one that Matt as a 9th-ss Great Wizard had created without a single phrase of a spell¡­ <i>Shiaaaang--! </i>The entire universe could be seen within that quiet and tranquil space. Gobs of lights, ranging from the size of an adult fist to ones that had a 3-meter-diameter, filled up the surroundings. The numbers were by no means small, at least 100,000, no, a million were present.


    Regarding the lights, Matt exined, "They''re guests."


    Dong-min then recalled the things that Matt had previously said, thinking, <i>The day her old friend dies.</i> He then asked, "Are these all the people of the Kendler tribes?"


    "That''s right. These are 95 percent of all the Kendlers that exist in the universe. All the Kendlers have gathered here, except for those who couldn''t make it."


    "Oh my God." Dong-min was speechless. Since the Kendler tribe were the front-runners that led the Union''s technological civilization, they were spread throughout the universe. He wondered how it was even a possibility for them to all gather together in the same ce at the same time. Even if it were possible, it was difficult to even grasp how much it would cost to make it happen. He asked another question, "Do the Kendlers who were regarded as a <i>''Subtle Light'' </i>have such a great position?"


    "No, they are nothing more than cksmiths with pretty great skills."


    "Then?"


    "What do you mean <i>¡®then?¡¯</i> The Kendlers have originally been like this. When a brother-in-arms dies and a funeral is held, all the members of the Kendler tribe would gather to celebrate it."


    The Kendler tribe were born from the irregr explosion of the Sacred Sun, Candle. They lived an eternal life because of Lux Veritatis, their Magical Energy Organ that created endless nuclear fusions from the moment they were born. Therefore, they had no physical life span. The Kendler tribesmen with long lives had lived for more than 100,000 years, so there was no need to exin any further.


    "But it''s a funeral right now, though?" Dong-min asked.


    "Yes. That''s why it''s a celebration. The Kendlers are theoretically immortal, but... If their desire to live weakens, the internal nuclear fusion wouldn''t be able to be controlled,¡± Matt exined. As a result, for the Kendlers whose will to live had faded, their size would grow bigger and their light would gradually brighten. The process would take quite a long time, so they could afford to prepare for the end with ease.


    <i>Wooooom! </i>For a moment, the light shed. Matt hugged Dong-min from behind and whispered, "It''s starting." As her words sounded out, the Kendler, a <i>''Subtle Light'' </i>who was floating in the air, began to radiate brighter. Then, more than 100,000 gobs of lights scattered far away started to circle around the<i> ''Subtle Light''</i> as if caught by an immense gravity.


    <strong>Pyinggggg---- </strong>A smooth sound, reminiscent of both whistling and humming, spread through the quiet universe. It was naturally not a physical sound, but a Song of the Soul that sent a loud echo just from being heard. <strong>Pyinggggggg---Pyinggggg---! </strong>The echoes, which began to increase one by one, gathered and turned into a huge torrent.


    Dong-min watched the deste and mncholic, but simrly heart-rending echo, with a nk expression on his face.


    Matt said, "The Kendlers born in Candle are all brothers and sisters. The whole species is like one family. Theyugh together, cry together and always do their best for one another."


    "...Are you jealous?" Dong-min stared at the Kendlers who were shining brightly like the Milky Way and silently asked. He had already been with Matt for a long time, so it wasn''t that hard to guess her feelings.


    Indeed, Matt replied ¡°Yeah¡± and nodded. "There are many dragons who are denigrating, and it¡¯s a useless waste of resources, but...I think the processes of all these are wonderful. Us dragons have such severe individualism that we live in this world alone."


    Dong-min recalled the ck Dragon, who was called an Elder, had said Matt would not care even when her own father died. This was a thought he had been pondering over the past 7 years. Even though there were countless dragons gathered and living in Dragonian...Matt waspletely alone. Korea, where he lived, was a ce where individualism was also on the rise, but it was of apletely different level aspared to Dragonian. To the dragons, even their own children would be strangers upon adulthood.


    <strong>Pyinggg--! Pyingggg---! </strong>Matt and Dong-min silently stared at the waves of light radiating throughout the entire universe. Then, the<i> ''Subtle Light''</i>, which was shining the brightest in the middle of those light waves, finally arrived at a point in the universe. <i>Whoooooo----! </i>The space split apart and a sacred light was emitted from inside it.


    "Look properly."


    It was the sun.


    "That''s the home of the Kendlers, and their father as well as their mother."


    It was the Sacred Sun that was hidden in an alternate dimension.


    "That''s Candle."


    That was the light that lit up the universe in the beginning of time, one of the first lights made by the Great Father to light up this world surrounded by darkness.


    And the Kendler''s cksmith, <i>''Subtle Light''</i>, which started in the light, shined brighter and radiated greater. Then, it threw itself into the candlelight of the Great Universe. <strong>Pyingggg---Pyingggg---</strong> As one light melted into the other light and disappeared, a calm echo spread through the Kendler tribe. Although it was a beautiful and sad sight, it was also a scene of wonder.


    Matt, who was silently watching the scene, said, "Dong-min, when you''re done with what you have to do on your star, I mean, on Earth..." She asked cautiously, "Why don''t youe back to my house?"


    "..." Dong-min remained silent for a while. Matt had always been with him for the past 7 years. They had meals together, slept and traveled together. He even received lessons from her. She always stood in front, because she was his guardian.


    "Dong-min?"


    "I am..." Dong-min struggled to speak.


    It was unbearably awkward at the beginning of this whole process, and Dong-min even felt a disoriented sense of rage. Of course, that was because he never had a guardian from the moment he was born. He had never imagined, or expected, for a being who would protect and care for him. After all, from the moment he stood in this whole world, even those who gave birth to him and raised him were enemies. Life was a series of suffering, so he lived as a living weapon. He lived just as what the beings who created him had meant for. He was also an incarnation of wrath, as well as a revenger. But nevertheless, he was still a child.


    "I am..."


    Although it may not have been the case for Matt, who lived for 10,000 years, 7 years was definitely not a short time for Dong-min. Dong-min, who did not trust anyone in the world and lived only with hatred and resentment, had already changed. <strong>...Are you okay? ...Good job! Hang in there! </strong>Aside from concern, praise, encouragement, Dong-min was showered with all these unconditional affection.


    <i>Shinggggg! </i>The light then burst forth again.


    <i>''Ahh.'' </i>Dong-min finally realized. <i>''I am...''</i>


    <strong>Pyingggg---Pyingggg---</strong>The gap that appeared between the dimensions was closed, and the Kendler tribe''s singing voice was slowly fading away. The candles that used to light up the whole universe were covered up, and the lights that used to radiate and dance within the surroundings were disappearing one by one.


    Dong-min looked back and loosened Matt''s arms, who was hugging him from behind. He looked at the red-haired woman who stood in the ck universe that just regained tranquility. He said, "I love you."


    "Yes yes! I love you too!"


    If these lines were shared between an ordinary man and woman right now, their hearts would surely look in the same direction. That would only not happen if lies or deceit were mixed in. However, this was different. Matt¡¯s love and Dong-min''s love were extremely different, which Matt noticed from the bright and shining eyes of Dong-min.


    "...Huh? That''s, you? What? Huh?" Matt staggered with a look of shock and astonishment. This was an expression that Dong-min had seen for the first time, despite having spent a long time with her. She stared at Dong-min with a look of disbelief. "Uh, well, that''s..." She stuttered and slowly stepped back. "I love you. B-But it''s not that kind of love. I mean, there are some among the dragons who are in love with humans, but¡­ I was born and grew up in Dragonian, so for me to be, uhhh, with an inferior species¡­ What I mean to say is¡­¡±


    It was an unimaginable sight for Dong-min, who always knew Matt for her cheerful and confident demeanor. He thought it seemed like she wanted to immediately run away from this spot.


    However, Matt was a powerful Great Wizard, as well as a superpower user. Coupled with the fact that she was also a martial arts master, she soon came to her senses. "Erm, well, that''s." Then, she said, "I''m sorry."


    "..." The Star Gate opened again, and they returned to Dragonian. It was raining, and needless to say, it was not a normal rain. The climate in Dragonian was perfectly controlled, so this rain was due to the civilints by the water-loving dragons.


    "..." Dong-min had the ability to control water current. Even if he dived deep into the sea, not a single drop of water could get on his body and wet him. Despite that skill, he did not shield himself from the rain. No, to be more precise, he couldn¡¯t. There was a raging storm brewing violently in his heart than ever before in his life.


    Dong-min then recalled<strong> Min</strong>, the maknae[1] of Prestige. She gave her brown poodle the unusual name, Suspension, and showered it with great affection and attention. She bought dog tools that were as expensive as her own clothes, and animal food and snacks that were as expensive as her own food. Sleeping with it in her arms was a given, while kissing it whenever she had the chance. She gave love beyond what was usually seen to humans, to her pet, but¡­


    "Kyaaackkkkk! What is this?! Captain-nim! Uwackk, what do I do?!" Dong-min recalled the scene where Min screamed as she saw Suspension suddenly mating with another poodle at the dog center. Even though she previously showered it with so much love, she couldn''t even touch Suspension at that time. Her gaze seemed as if she was looking at something dirty.


    "Haha." Dong-min looked up at the sky with a bitter smile. All he could see was the pouring rain. He just stood there nkly, like an abandoned dog that was deserted on the side of the road. That was all.


    1. Maknae refers to the youngest one in a group or family.

 Side Story - Why am I a Pet!! (1)

    <h4>Side Story - Why am I a Pet!! (1)</h4>


    "My dream is to be a wizard! I will be a wizard and get rid of all the trash in the world to make it cleaner. I also want to help my unnie, who is working at NASA, with the power of magic. So, I''m going to explore space with my sister!"


    It was presentation time for <i>''My Dream'' </i>in the Parent''s Observation lesson for the 2nd-Grade ss-5 students. The girl who was giving a presentation was Kang Bo-ram, who was a lively and cute girl with chubby baby fats. She was presenting with glistening eyes, as well as smooth public speaking skills. Nearing the end of her presentation, she wrapped it up with the movements she frequently practised while watching Magic Warrior:Moonlight Princess at home.


    Bo-ram, having finished her presentation, had an expression that was as bright as day. However, her homeroom teacher, ssmates, and the parents who heard her presentation, all put on perplexed and lost expressions.


    "Bo-ram! Good job!" Just then, a low-pitched voice praised Bo-ram and disregarded the others¡¯ reactions. He was an attractive-looking man, who had been catching the other parents¡¯ attention since earlier on.


    "Y-Yes. Bo-ram''s dream is to be a wizard, huh... Good job. Go and sit down." The homeroom teacher tried her best to put on a smiling face, disguising her hardened expression, upon hearing the man¡¯s cheers.


    Bo-ram nodded and returned to her seat. Then, she waved at the man, who was in his early 30s with bright brown hair that was hardly found on Koreans. The man also had fair skin, eyes that shone in an emerald hue, a sharp nose that appeared to be sculpted, as well as broad shoulders. Although he was merely filming Bo-ram with a camera, it already looked like a scene out of a movie.


    "Wow, look at that person."


    "Is he an actor?"


    "Now that I think about it, that kid is very pretty too.¡±


    Murmurs and whispers could be heard everywhere, while there were even shes of light going off in the hallway. Once Bo-ram¡¯s presentation was over, the perplexed feelings of everyone else vanished into the air and were reced by admiring exmations and awe.


    Those camera shes from the hallway belonged to the parents from the other sses. They were taking pictures of the man. Aftering to school with their children, they had chased after the man after discovering him walking down the hallway. The quietness left the man oblivious to their actions, but the windows of ss-5, facing the hallway, were already filled with people. There were no gaps showing.


    The mothers at the Parent''s Observation lesson were staring at the man with admiring eyes, while the fathers were gathered together in one corner of the ssroom. They tried their best to not show their presence.


    Soon, after all the Parent''s Observation lessons were over, the face-to-face interview sessions with the parents began. The interview sessions went on for quite a while, so Bo-ram and the middle-aged man had to wait until dinner time. Numerous parents approached the middle-aged man in the meantime, kickstarting conversations under the pretext their children were Bo-ram''s friend, sunbae, or hoobae.


    Louis, who came to the school as Bo-ram''s guardian, initially answered the parents one by one. However, as time went by, he held Bo-ram''s hand and entered a random empty ssroom. Perhaps the entire experience was getting too overwhelming.


    "Samcheon, seems like you''re having it pretty rough.¡±


    "I didn''t expect it to be this much..."


    "Samcheon is very popr to begin with."


    "But even so, I think this is just over the top." Louis slightly smiled and fidgeted with his hair. Then, he put his hand on the ssroom door and muttered <i>¡®Evanesco.¡¯</i> Only then did he sit on the chair that was right next to him.


    "That¡¯s why I told you not toe. Why did youe in the end? We could¡¯ve just met at home and left from there."


    "How could I note when you have a presentation? Of course I had to." Louis smiled gently and patted Bo-ram on the head.


    Whether it was hair color, eye color, or any other aspect of their appearances, the two of them did not share any simrities. They were so different that it was difficult to say that they were rted. Unlike Bo-ram, who was of an Asian heritage, Louis was obviously of a mixed Hispanic descent. Despite that difference, Bo-ram still casually called Louis ¡®Samcheon¡¯. After all, what the two of them shared was something that the outside world couldn¡¯t possibly perceive anyway.


    While Bo-ram and Louis temporarily rested in the empty ssroom, sharing a conversation about various things, the sun slowly set and darkness fell upon the stadium. Then, when they began to feel somewhat hungry, Bo-ram¡¯s handphone rang. She checked the number and saw that it was the homeroom teacher, so she and Louis got up. They left the ssroom.


    <i>Knock knock. </i>Bo-ram opened the ssroom door to ss-5, and went in. She noticed that the homeroom teacher¡¯s face seemed to be coated on with a fresh application of makeup, not seeming the least bit tired from an entire day of interview sessions. It was only expected for the homeroom teacher¡¯s face to be oily and her makeup to be slightly smudged by now, but she looked fresh. The homeroom teacher¡¯s clothes also seemed different from what she had worn during the earlier Parent''s Observation lesson.


    "Bo-ram,e in with your dad."


    "Teacher! He''s not my father! He''s my Samcheon! Louis Samcheon!"


    "Ah!" The homeroom teacher was embarrassed, flipping through Bo-ram¡¯s student record.


    Louis then said, "I''m Louis, Bo-ram''s samcheon. I''m here, because something urgent came up for my brother today.¡±


    "Ah, yes. I see! Then will it be alright to call you Louis-nim?"


    "Of course."


    As she looked into Louis¡¯ blinking eyes, the homeroom teacher''s face reddened. "Erm, please have a seat here¡­" The three of them sat down a momentter, and the homeroom teacher cooled her flushed face with a hand fan. Looking at Bo-ram¡¯s student record, she exined each individual subject and spoke about Bo-ram. However, her eyes were fixed on Louis'' face.


    30 minutes soon passed, and Louis smiled. The homeroom teacher then stopped her exnations, asking, "Yes, please go ahead! Ohohoho, was the exnation too short?"


    "No, no, it''s nothing like that."


    "Then what is it?"


    "I would like to talk about Bo-ram''s future. It''s just that it has suddenly been decided that Bo-ram will study abroad in the United States."


    "Ahh, I see. The United States¡­ Wait, what?!"


    "She''ll be leaving on tonight''s flight. I''m sorry for this sudden announcement, but there was nothing I could do. I initially didn''t hear anything from the elementary school I have applied to for Bo-ram, and only got a confirmation call a few weeks ago. I forgot to inform the school in advance, because I was getting the documents sorted and the other necessary preparations in order,¡± Louis spoke politely and continued to smile gently.


    Meanwhile, Bo-ram''s homeroom teacher was momentarily out of her mind. She did not know how to respond to the sudden situation. "No¡­ For it to be so sudden¡­"


    "We will leave for the United States first, and slowly get the papers sorted after that. We will try our best to not impose on you, teacher-nim."


    "Ah¡­ Y-Yes¡­"


    "Then, we''ll get going now. We have to get to the airport quickly, so we won''t miss our flight." Louis grabbed Bo-ram''s hand, who was sitting quietly next to him. Then, he stood up and walked out the ssroom door.


    At that time, the homeroom teacher, who was unable toe to her senses due to the sudden news, picked herself up and stood up from her seat. Then, she called out to Louis, "Louis-nim, wait a minute. Erm, Bo-ram?"


    "Yes, teacher!"


    "Can our Bo-ram please wait in the hallway for a moment? Teacher has something to say to your Louis samcheon!"


    "Okie dokie!" Bo-ram smiled widely. She then let go of Louis'' hand and hopped out to the hallway.


    After confirming that Bo-ram had gone out of the ssroom and closed the door, the homeroom teacher looked at Louis, who asked, "Is there something wrong?"


    "Ah, it''s not that serious of a matter. I''m just worried.¡± The homeroom teacher spoke with awkward coughs of ''<i>ehem ehem</i>'' in between. "It wasn''t that serious today, but¡­how should I say this¡­ Bo-ram often says that she would be a Wizard, and seems to seriously believe in it. Of course, I tried to give her various advice, but she didn''t take it very well. She''s a little¡­delusional, no, I mean she has too much imagination. So about that¡­"


    "Bo-ram is still 9 years old. Plus, she''s at the age where she dreams of bing the things she likes to see."


    "Oh my. How¡­ I see that you know a lot about children¡­"


    "Teacher, I think what you''re currently trying to say is that Bo-ram is a little severepared to the other kids around her age, right?"


    "Yes."


    Louisughed as he saw the homeroom teacher''s face turn bright red. He added, "I think she''ll be fine as time goes by and she gets older. These are phases one would have to go through while they are still growing up.¡± While the homeroom teacher nodded passionately at his reply, Louis slightly bowed to the homeroom teacher and left the ssroom.


    Bo-ram was looking out the window and turned her head as Louis came out. "Samcheon, samcheon! Let''s go quickly! Unnie! Let''s go and see unnie!"


    "Alright, let''s go to the airport right away."


    "Unnie said she would specially show me a book about ."


    "Oooh? Really? Are you already at the stage where you can read that, Bo-ram?" Louis looked down at Bo-ram with a surprised look.


    wasmonly known as the so-called <i>''Brilliant''</i> book. It had a difficulty that was basically impossible for a Wizard of Bo-ram¡¯s age to understand, so it was pointless reading it if one did not have sufficient understanding and supporting research. There were a lot of skilled wizards in the Magic Tower Society who couldn''t even read it properly, but Bo-ram¡¯s older sister was going to show her such a book¡­?


    <i>''But Eun-ha wouldn''t have made such a promise for no reason,¡¯ </i>Louis thought. He was certain that her decision to show Bo-ram the book also meant that Bo-ram had reached a level of fully understanding the book.


    "Hehe, while I was attending elementary school in Korea, all I had left was time. I had actually read all the books in samcheon¡¯s study, but still had a lot of time left. I then read more than half of them many, many times!¡±


    Louis patted Bo-ram''s head with a proud look on his face. "Alright, then all the more reason for us to go quickly! Hurry up and get in the car." He walked to thest remaining car on one side of the school parking lot and opened the passenger''s door. When Bo-ram got in the passenger seat, he helped her fasten her seatbelt and got into the driver''s seat. He closed the door and stepped on the elerator.


    While the car elerated, as if sliding out of the stadium without any sort of sound or vibration, Bo-ram piped up, "Samcheon! Isn''t a car too troublesome? It''s a waste of money, and only fatigue would pile up. Besides, it''s not even fast as a means of transportation.¡±


    "Even so, isn''t this somewhat cool? In the outside world, cars are considered a thing of pride anyway."


    "It''s better to just return it¡­"


    "You''re still young, so you don''t know."


    "Yes, yes¡­" Bo-ram let out a soft sigh and stayed quiet while looking out the car window. Then, as the car entered the highway leading to the airport, she started to talk as if her heart had settled down. She chatted about what she wanted to do upon arriving in the United States and meeting her sister. Louis concentrated on driving, as if listening to her bbering on¡­


    "Samcheon! Sammmmcheooonnnnnnnn!"''


    "H-Hmmm?"


    "Are you listening to me?"


    "Yes! Of course!" Instead of giving Bo-ram a look, Louis answered while only looking to the front.


    "Well then, what did I say I was going to do when I met with unnie?"


    "Umm¡­ Ermm¡­ Something about space¡­"


    "Samcheon!"


    "Ugh, Bo-ram¡­ What did samcheon say not to do when samcheon was driving?"


    "Tch, to not talk to you."


    "That''s right¡­ When did samcheon get samcheon''s driving license?"


    "Last month¡­" Bo-ram answered Louis in a dispirited voice. She knew that Louis was not able to even properly talk as he was focused on looking front and back, as well as left and right, while driving.


    "Other times are fine. But samcheon is, ack! Phew, samcheon is still not used to driving yet¡­"


    -The toll gate is 1 kilometer ahead. The high-pass[1] is in the first and thirdne.


    "Oh ugh! I''m in the fifthne though¡­ Hmm¡­ The other cars are going too fast." Louis tried to cut in to the left while turning his blinkers on, but the other cars were too fast that he didn''t dare to do it. In the end, he failed to move to the high-passne and stayed on the fifthne all the way to the toll gate. "Bo-ram¡­"


    "Yes."


    "...Do you happen to have any money?"


    When Bo-ram did not respond, Louis cleared his throat and spoke to Bo-ram in embarrassment. She continued to stare at him, while rustling through her bag to retrieve a small rabbit-shaped coin purse. "That''s¡­because samcheon is still not used to driving yet."


    "I only have 3,000 won. Can we really go to the airport with this? Why don''t we just cross over to the parallel world?"


    There was another world on Earth that people didn''t know about. It was a parallel world, Another ne. In the parallel world, which had exactly the same shape and size as Earth, there were all kinds of beings living there¡ªSwordsman, Wizards, Priests and Summoners. They went beyond the imaginations of ordinary people. Not only were there terrifying monsters that ate humans as a staple of food, but there were also Beings of the Beginning that almost destroyed the Earth.


    Louis, who was groaning while driving a car right now, and Bo-ram, who was looking at him with a pathetic expression, were also Wizards that belonged to the reputable Magic Tower in Another ne.


    "We can''t do that! If we were going to do that, then why would I buy a car? I am..."


    "It''s 5,300 won."


    "...Ahhh... Can I use my card?"


    "If you want to pay by card, you have to go into the building on the right and pay there."


    "Alright, thank you." Louis entered the building and paid as per the employee''s guidance. He then returned to the car, and continued driving to the airport. He remained on the receiving end of Bo-ram''s worrying gazes.


    1. High-pass is a toll gate system in Korea where you drive through and something simr to a smart-tag where you top up the card would be sensed when the car passes through and automatically deduct money from your card.

 Side Story - Why am I a Pet!! (2)

    <h4>Side Story - Why am I a Pet!! (2)</h4>


    "Samcheon, which gate are we?"


    "J8."


    "J8, huh." Bo-ram left Louis behind as he was unloading the luggage from the car. She first went into the airport, then looked at the map to look for their current location and the J8 gate. "Found it. We have to go up two floors from here."


    Bo-ram, who found the location of the gate on the map, hopped out of the airport. "Samcheon! I found it."


    "Really? Then Bo-ram can you show me the way?"


    "Yeah, yeah! Ah, samcheon, before that, you brought the passports and ne tickets along, right?"


    "Of course. Now then, here you go, Bo-ram. You should take your own passport and ticket."


    "Okayy!!" Before getting out of the car, Bo-ram put her passport and ne ticket in a rabbit-shaped crossbody bag that Louis took out of the carrier. Then, she took the lead and walked towards the J8 gate.


    While Louis followed behind Bo-ram, carrying the carriers, the two of them arrived in front of the J8 gate. Instead of going through the departure procedures, they showed the ne tickets to the airport staff, who then opened up the path that he blocked on the side. "Please enter this way," he greeted them politely.


    Louis and Bo-ram thanked the staff and passed through the gate, walking along the path that the staff opened up. They did not have to go through any departure procedures.


    -Check-in for J8 Gate has ended. Please proceed on the runway now. VVIP guests have got off from the runway and are about to enter.


    The two people, who received the ticket, entered the gate without any problems. Louis'' secretary was waiting at the entrance of the ne.


    "Wee, Louis-nim, Bo-ram-nim." Louis'' secretary, Reina, bowed and greeted them politely. She had brown, straight, short-bobbed hair that came down to her ears, along with powdered fair skin and brown eyes. She also had a tall and slender figure that matched up to Louis.


    She was only a secretary in name, but actually had an appearance more beautiful than the average supermodel. Even the female flight attendants assigned to open the ne''s gate were mesmerized, staring at her.


    Discovering Reina, Bo-ram ran over and rejoiced, "Aunt Reina! Make it asfortable as when we were at home together, please. Hmm? Auntieeee~"


    "B-Bo-ram-nim, if you act like this..."


    Seeing that the flustered Reina was stuttering, Louis helped put in a word for Bo-ram, "Yes, Reina. Be at ease. I prefer that too, you know? Just like when we were at home together."


    "Louis-nim, that was a setting based on the situation. Bo-ram-nim, let''s go to your seat quickly. Ahem ahem." Reina fixed her flustered expression. With a straight face, she detached herself from Bo-ram, who was hanging from her waist. Bo-ram''s expression turned a little sullen, which made Reina feel sorry. However, it couldn''t be helped; there was a strict hierarchy between them.


    Reina let the two of them onto the ne first. Then, after she greeted the airline''s crew members, the airne doors were closed. Louis and Bo-ram were quietly waiting for her in their seats as she came inside the ne after finishing up the procedures for departure.


    Staring at the two of them, Reina walked to the front part of the ne and stood there. She then asked them about the brief journey. She did not go to the captain to instruct him to depart, nor did the captaine out to greet them. In fact, she was acting as if there was no captain, which was true.


    The interior of the ne that the trio had boarded was simr to that of a regr ne, but there were two distinct differences. The first was that there was no pilot cockpit, which had been reced by a snack bar. Perhaps because it was an airne imbued with magic, there was no need for a cockpit, and that space could be used for other purposes. The second was the internal structure. Instead of a chair, a long sofa was ced along the ne''s window. There was then Louis'' private space, also known as his office, at the tail-end of the ne.


    After a brief Q&A session, Reina sat on the sofa after taking a look at her watch. Then, the ne began to move, thanks to the flight magic that was imbued on the ne. She informed them, "It will take about 30 minutes to reach Washington, D.C. We will notnd at the Washington, D.C. airport, but directly at NASA."


    "That''s much better." Louis nodded at Reina''s words, but he then thought of something else. He asked, "Ah, my car..."


    "I''ve sent it to the main house, so please confirm it after takeoff. And..." Reina took out a luxuriously designed key out of her pockets. "You can use the Recall spell when you need it."


    "Thanks, Reina. No, I mean, just like what Bo-ram wants. Thanks, honey."


    "Louis-nim." Reina''s face was flushed red, stiffening at the same time.


    "That was just a setting."


    "But I like it though."


    "Me too!" Bo-ram piped in just then.


    "I think it''ll be good to keep using nicknames like this, honey."


    "Louis-nim... Please stop with the jokes when you get to NASA..."


    "I''m not kidding, I mean it. Why do you think it''s a joke? Honey?" As he felt the ne taking flight, Louis got up from the sofa and approached Reina. He embraced her waist with both arms. Reina was embarrassed and tried to back off, but he never let go and held her in ce. While Reina''s face was reddening again, Louis'' face was full of smiles. He looked at Reina with overwhelming feelings of love.


    "Lou-Louis-nim!"


    "Reina, nickname."


    "Bu-But..."


    "Reina." Louis was frowning slightly, while Reina had a troubled look on her face. She knew that she could not easily change the title she called Louis by.


    The title that Louis and Bo-ram wanted to hear was actually a title initially used as a setting when Reina looked after Bo-ram in Korea. It was set-up that way because the ordinary popce would have found it weird for Bo-ram to be left all alone. Hence, Louis, Bo-ram''s biological samcheon as well as her mother''s older brother, went and looked after Bo-ram. At that time, Louis thought it better to have two people care for Bo-ram, so his secretary, Reina, got strung along to act as his wife and as Bo-ram''s ''aunt''. The wizards did not seem to be very pleased about it, but they adhered to it. After all, they weren''t in a position to ignore Louis'' opinion.


    As a result, Reina had to call Louis <i>''Honey''</i> with a stiff voice and expression, along with an immense awkwardness and pressure in the beginning. The reason for Reina''s behavior was the fact that she was born with the blood of an indirect family.


    Powerful magical lineage was artificially created by the power of the Great Wizards, who protect the Earth, and it allowed the lineage to be inherited through blood. That eventually became the social ss. The greater the household, the more excellent the wizards produced, and their status progressed in equal measure. They would belong to the upper ss of the World of Magic, in other words, the ruling ss. However, it was difficult for the ordinary wizards to form a household, so they were subjected to the upper ss'' rule. Therefore, there was a strict distinction in hierarchy.


    The marriage between two different social sses was much more difficult than a marriage between amoner and a wizard. For example, ke, the eldest son of the Elliseo Household, which was one of the Five Great Households in the World of Magic, wanted to marry a regr wizard who did not belong to a household. However, people around him warned him to marry amoner instead.


    Even if Reina, who was born and raised in this world, was dating Louis, it was an unavoidable fact that she would have great difficulty in changing the title she called Louis by. In addition, the household that Louis belonged to, the Emris Household, was the most prominent among the Five Great Households. Hence, that was why she felt much more cautious.


    The smile slowly disappeared from Louis'' face as he stared at Reina. Then, Reina called him in a hurry, "Lou-Louis..."


    "Call me by my name even after we go to NASA."


    "But..."


    "You don''t have to worry about it." Louis brought his forehead close to Reina''s. He then loosened the arms around her waist. "Reina, would you like to watch the video I recorded of Bo-ram today with me? She was really cute." He grabbed Reina by her hand, walking into the office.


    Reina shot alternate nces toward Bo-ram and Louis, muttering, "Uck, Bo-ram¡­ Bo-ram¡­ Are we leaving Bo-ram alone?"


    "Have a good time!"


    "Wha-What do you mean ''a good time'', that''s..." Reina followed Louis into the office with a flushed face.


    Looking over at them, Bo-ram shrugged. "The two of them are always happily ying together by themselves. By the way, what do they do together? Samcheon always sleeps a lot, because he''s tired after dragging Aunt Reina in like that." Bo-ram shook her head and got up from her seat. She walked towards the snack bar, taking a snack and returning to her seat.


    "30 minutes huh... There''s still a long way to go. What should I do? Ah, I should watch a space travel movie that''s trending nowadays." Bo-ram raised one hand and swung in the air. Then, the inside of the ne became dark and a search panel appeared in the air. She searched for the space movie she wanted to watch, paid for it, and pressed the y button.


    "A movie has to be watched with snacks." Once the movie began ying, Bo-ram mustered strength in her hands and ripped open the bag of snacks. The movie started and Bo-ram watched the movie, mesmerizingly. The ne was flying towards NASA.


    During the movie, as the viin who looked like a pitch-ck luxury sedan was caught by the main character''s party, the door to Louis'' office opened. Louis and Reina then walked out side-by-side. "Huh? Are we already at NASA?" Bo-ram asked, pausing the movie.


    "Yes... I mean, no. Okay, erm, Bo-ram uhh-nim..." Reina''s words were twisted as she attached the word <i>''nim''</i>[1] out of habit. She was still in the process of trying to change the title she called Bo-ram by.


    "Pfft, auntie, kyahahahahaha!" Bo-ram burst into heartyughter and Reina blushed shyly.


    Then, Louis sent a message with a satisfied look on his face. "Eun-ha wille and meet us. The researchb is located 700 meters behind NASA."


    "700 meters? If it was the headquarters, and if it was a far distance, then so be it. But what''s with this vague distance?"


    "Ask Eun-ha directly when you meet her. We''re almost there anyway."


    "Alright!" As soon as Bo-ram finished answering, the ne descended and soon stopped. Then, Reina got up and opened the ne door. Bo-ram finally arrived at the workce of her sister, whom she had wanted to meet so badly.


    "Bo-ram!"


    "Unnie!" Bo-ram got down from the ne and ran towards a girl, who was also running towards her. The pair hugged tightly.


    The girl was about 165 centimeters tall and had fair skin. She also had brown eyes and hair, just like Bo-ram. She generally had a youthful appearance, looking like a middle school student. She called out, "Our Bo-ram is already an elementary school student, huh!"


    "Unnie, I missed you!"


    "Yes yes, unnie missed you too."


    The two had been hugging each other for quite some time, and NASA''s employees began showing up in quick session. They had heard rumors that Eun-ha''s younger sister hade.


    <i>"Very cute!"</i>


    <i>"And so lovely!"</i>


    <i>"Wow... She really looks like Eun-ha."[2]</i>


    Due tomotion, Bo-ram and Eun-ha let go of each other. They looked around, noticing the surrounding people of various nationalities were conversing amongst themselves.


    <i>"Wow, this kid is Chairman Jamonde''s niece? She''s totally cute though?"</i>


    <i>"Eun-ha, please introduce her to us. What was it in Korean again?"</i>


    <i>"Annyeonghaseyo? I am Kang Bo-ram. It''s nice to meet you," </i>Bo-ram spoke skilfully, which caused the researchers to widen their eyes in surprise.


    <i>"Oooh? Isn''t this kid pretty good at English?"</i>


    <i>"Bo-ram, this is Chris. And this is Evan, Jeremy, Natasha, Khan."</i>


    <i>"Ahh, you''re unnie''s colleagues in the picture that unnie sent me! Everyone looks much better in person!"</i>


    Sharing a conversation in a friendly atmosphere, the group began walking. Then, Bo-ram asked, <i>"But why are you all here? The NASA building is over there, though?"</i>


    <i>"The meteorite... Well, it''s because of the Dragon Stone. Since we can''t teleport..." </i>Chris shook his head and ced a hand on his forehead. The other team members let out an unexpectedly synchronized sigh.


    <i>"Dragon Stone?"</i>


    <i>"Hmm... Louis-nim?" </i>Chris turned his head and looked at Louis. He hoped Louis could offer Bo-ram an answer, while keeping the details confidential.


    <i>"She is also a wizard of the Supreme Magic Tower," </i>Louis said simply.


    <i>"Well, then it''s fine. Follow me please." </i>Under Chris'' lead, the team members dispersed and began to move in their vehicles. They did not enter NASA''s headquarters. Instead, they headed for therge forest that was behind it.


    1. For those of you that have yet to realize it, nim is a suffix added to someone''s name and it is used to greet an older person or a person of higher stature.


    2. The following texts were actually spoken in English in the Raws, so I italicized it. There will be a few more in this chapter, so it will all be italicized.

 Side Story - Why am I a Pet!! (3)

    <h4>Side Story - Why am I a Pet!! (3)</h4>


    <i>"The life here won''t be thatfortable. It''s a prefabricated building that was hastily put together. Due to confidentiality issues, there are also many restrictions on moving it to the headquarters."</i>


    <i>"Eh? Isn''t NASA an institution filled with wizards?"</i>


    <i>"Hahaha, it''s not to that extent, kid. Although there are many wizards among NASA''s scientists, most of them are ordinary people." </i>


    The vehicle entered deep into the forest, where a white building could be seen. Standing right in front of the lush greenery, Chris said it looked like a prefabricated building that was hastily put together. However, when viewed on the inside, it looked rather alright.


    The building was shaped like a round dome, with several spaces extending outwards. Inside the dome-shaped building was arge, opaque tempered ss that was shaped like a cube, which was surrounded by the researchers'' desks and various equipment for use. When seen from the outside, the small spaces that were connected to the dome were the researchers'' rooms, cafeteria, health center, small study and many more.


    "It''s pretty good, considering that it was a hastily put together building," Bo-ram stated. Even if it was a temporary building that was hurriedly built, due to the meteorite, its size and facilities were excellent. It was equipped with the maximum facilities possible, so the employees could concentrate on their research. It was also equipped with restaurants and amodations for the few teams here.


    Eun-haughed out loud. While she tapped the opaque ss with her hands, and stood in front of it, she responded, "In the eyes of the general public, it definitely can be said to be hastily put together. The building was actually built in a single day, but due to the various eyes watching, they pretended to work for an additional two more days. Considering that everyone thinks this building was done in three days, it can be considered a hastily put together building."


    "To call a building that was made with magical technologies a hastily put together building... Tch tch, Chris-oppa is ignorant, huh. Even if he is an ordinary person..." Bo-ram clicked her tongue. Then, suddenly thinking of something, she asked Eun-ha, "But what did Chris-oppa mean earlier on? What does it mean that the Dragon Stone or something can''t be moved? Did he mean they wanted to preserve the scene, or that there is fingerprint contamination[1] problems?"


    Despite her young age, Bo-ram was a wizard. She was trying to find the right answer within her own knowledge, but the current situation didn''t fall under a category that she understood yet.


    "The meteorite can''t be moved."


    "Is it because it is too weak, and will break easily?"


    "It''s not that. It literally can''t be moved. It couldn''t be lifted, even if heavy equipment was mobilized. We even tried digging up the surroundingnd, and when we did that¡­"


    "When you did that, and?!" Bo-ram looked at Eun-ha with growing curiosity. Her voice was getting louder as well. However, she would get an answer not from Eun-ha, but from a voiceing from behind her.


    "It was floating in the air."


    "Samcheon?!"


    The person who answered her was none other than Louis, and Bo-ram quickly asked, "How do you know, samcheon?"


    "That''s the reason why Eun-ha asked me toe over."


    "Wah... No, I mean, but you didn''t even tell me about it? Isn''t this apletely mysterious subject?!"


    "That''s... Bo-ram... This is a top secret..."


    "..." Bo-ram shut her mouth as she heard Eun-ha saying that it was a top secret. Quietly pushing Eun-ha back, she gestured that she would keep quiet about it. Then, she asked Eun-ha to show her the meteorite.


    Eun-ha smiled gently at Bo-ram''s actions and held her hand. Then, politely and carefully, she knocked on the opaque tempered ss three times. <i>Whoooosh---! </i>At the end of her knocking, the opaque ss slowly turned transparent from the bottom up. It slowly revealed an unidentified meteorite inside the ss. There was a dragon-shaped stone floating in the air, with a subtle glow of golden light that was more simr to a white hue.


    It was probably since then that Bo-ram''s fate had begun to distort.


    -Found it.


    <i>Baaang! </i>There was a sudden explosion. It didn''te from the dragon-shaped stone, but from the other side¡­ <i>Clink ng nk!</i>


    "What the?!" Surprised, Eun-ha turned around in a sh. If she was another wizard, she would have found a way to protect her body. However, as someone who had been using magic only as a researcher, her reaction camete.


    Rather, it was Bo-ram who reacted. "I can''t believe Achilles, who ran fast, couldn''t catch a slow-crawling turtle!"


    <i>Wiiiiingggg---! </i>In an instant, a circr Aura rose and enveloped both Eun-ha and Bo-ram. Mere momentster, dozens of daggers stopped in front of them.


    "Wha-What the? Bo-ram?"


    "Stay still," Bo-ram spoke in an especially serious tone. Considering that she was a wizard of great ability, her young age was suspicious. However, she was still an apprentice; there was a limit to her Mana and she did not have many spells at her disposal. Furthermore...the enemy<strong> </strong>who showed up was an existence of a level that she could not dare to defy.


    "Y-You bastard, who are you... Kuwackkkkk!"


    "Kuuckkkk.... Kuugghhhh..."


    "The re was cut with a knife? Besides that, you caught Smoky with a bullet?"


    Only one person appeared, but¡­ When Bo-ram finally came to her senses, things were already irreversible.


    "This is insane¡­ Crazy. China is finally out of their mind!!"


    "Kuuhuuuck kuhooock," Louis yelled while throwing up blood, "Baek Bo-san [2]!"


    Baek Bo-san was an old man in his early- or mid-60s. Wearing a figure-hugging ckbat uniform, he held a 40-centimeter-long greatsword in one hand, and arge-caliber pistol in his other. The magical letters that were engraved on the gun barrel automatically filled up the empty magazine while emitting a ray of light. "Tsk tsk, I see you have no respect for your elders, considering the way you''re speaking."


    <i>Kraaaghhhh! </i>As Baek Bo-san smiled and swung his greatsword, a distant researcher who was carefully stepping back was beheaded. The researcher had used defensive magic, since he was a wizard, but it was useless. The Aura that was briefly released from the greatsword was a force that could not be blocked by ordinary magic. It was the ultimate power that all swordsmanship practitioners dreamt of¡ªSword Qi.


    Since Baek Bo-san could wield it¡­ He was clearly a Swordsmanship Compl¨¦ter who could manifest his inner Qi on the outside and create Sword Qi. In other words, he was a super strong being who reached the realm of a Sword Master.


    -Let''s make a contract.


    <i>''What is this now?'' </i>Bo-ram, who released the barrier due tock of Mana, frowned at the ringing voice in her head. The situation was so grave that she could not afford to look elsewhere.


    -Oh! Isn''t the situation looking bad? Let''s make a contract, a contract! I''ll defeat them all for you!


    <i>''What the! Who is this?''</i>


    -If you ask me who I am, I am the dragon among dragons! I will introduce myself as the supreme and great Golden King!


    Bo-ram''s expression distorted, hearing the cheerful voice that resonated in her head. <i>''You can read my mind?'' </i>Even though she was flustered, the situation was progressing at an imminent rate.


    "Kuwakkkk!"


    "Ackkk?!"


    <i>Bang bang! Bang! </i>One bullet, one life. Baek Bo-san kept Louis in check with a greatsword in one hand, while easily taking the lives of the other wizards with his pistol. The many deaths of all those long-time teammates were causing Eun-ha to tremble andpletely panic.


    -Contract! Contract, contract! Wow, it''s exciting! It''s a perfect situation too.


    <i>''What the hell! Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?''</i>


    -I told you. Why can''t you understand? It''ll be troubling if the contractee is too stupid.


    Bo-ram was pissed at the scornful tone, but she couldn''t pay any heed to it. She noticed that Louis had mustered his Mana and began to materialize a spell. However... <i> Swanggg! </i>His body floated into the air as his incantation was destroyed by a single blow¡­ <i>Rustle. </i>A sh of light that came with the single attack brushed past his lower body. "Samcheon!!" Bo-ram screamed at the sight of Louis'' right leg being cut off as he was trying to use magic.


    Baek Bo-san turned his head with a smile, as if he had finally seen Bo-ram. "Ohhh, I threw those daggers roughly because I thought she was just a freekill. I didn''t expect that kid to survive."


    -Oh oh! It''s a devilish murderer! A devilish murderer, I say! A devilish murderer is great! Let''s quickly make a contract! A contract! I''ll take care of it!


    <i>''Ughh, what the hell! Where on earth are you talking from... Huh?'' </i>Bo-ram, who was clenching her teeth at the flippant voice, froze as she saw someone. Her expression hardened to an inexpressible degree.


    Louis fell on the floor and clenched his teeth. "Impossible. How the hell did you get in here? The security around the headquarters should have been at the highest level...?" Louis stopped talking, having also discovered that ''someone''. His face stiffened just like Bo-ram''s. "Rei... Reina...?"


    "I''m sorry... I''m sorry..."


    "Why... Why on earth would you? I wanted you to..."


    "I''m sorry..." Reina apologized with tears in her eyes, and just like that... <i>Shlickkkk. </i>Her head was cut off and rolled on the ground.


    "Rei...na?" Louis looked at the scene that unfolded before him with a stupefied expression.


    <i>Swoosh swoosh.</i> Baek Bo-san turned the greatsword. "Oh my, this shitty... I''m already having a headache thinking about the fools at the party who will bark at me for throwing away an important kkokdugaksi [3]."


    "You... you?"


    "It''s your fault, wizard." Baek Bo-san smiled at the sight of Louis'' stupefied expression. "What kind of tearjerker are you filming?" <i>Whoooosh---! </i>A Sword Qi was materialized with a horrendous bloodlust from the greatsword he was carrying in his hand.


    However, Louis still had a stupefied expression on his face. "Reina..."


    "Tsk, as expected, it''s be like this. Young people these days are not desperate." Baek Bo-san smiled and swung his sword down. "Die."


    "I''ll do the contract!!"


    <i>Swanggg!! </i>The greatsword froze at the same time as the scream. Baek Bo-san''s face was filled with shock. "What?!"


    <i>Shiiiiingg! </i>Despite facing the unimaginable situation, Baek Bo-san was a Baekjeon-Yeonma [4] fighter. He immediately charged with all his might towards Bo-ram, who was causing the unknown phenomenon. However... <i>Boom! </i>His body was sted away. Before he realized it, the dragon-shaped stone¡ªDragon Stone¡ªwas in front of Bo-ram.


    -Uhahah! One that fights evil! A sexy Magical Girl has appeared!


    Bo-ram jumped up, as if to respond to the voice which no one could hear. After all, it was only transmitted to her. "Beauty! Beauty! Make----!" As the Dragon Stone was rotating round and round, a dazzling golden light radiated everywhere. "Up!"


    <i>Fly away now~? Fly away right now~? Gold dragon~~ ?</i>


    In an instant, a fast-tempo song was spread around, as if dominating the surrounding space. It was not a physical sound, so one could still hear it despite physical actions of blocking it out.


    "What the? What is this? What kind of music is this?" Baek Bo-san''s face distorted nastily. The phenomenon that was simply iprehensible to him. Even the despairing Louis looked at Bo-ram, who was floating in the air, with a stupefied look.


    <i>Shoooosshhh---! </i>Along with a blinding golden light, the clothes Bo-ram was wearing turned to dust and disappeared. Then, her white naked body was revealed to the world. The whole process was slow, almost mimicking the transformation of a Magical Girl in a manhwa animation.


    "Crazy," Baek Bo-san muttered to himself, but the process was unstoppable. It was not just a matter of a strong shield. It was as if some sort of powerful rule<strong> </strong>had been set, and not even a knife could be used against Bo-ram. It was safe to say that the effect was almost absolute as Baek Bo-san, a serial murderer who ignored the rule ofw of modern civilization, got his will constrained.


    Gold dragon~~ ? Dragondy~~ ?


    Along with the continuous music, Bo-ram raised one of her legs. Her movement, which boasted the flexibility of a gymnast, emphasized her sexiness. However, it was a sight to frown upon, since she was still an elementary school student. Only pedophiles with perverted preferences would go crazy at this sight. Then, the outfit that covered her body was¡­


    "Crazy... Crazy, what the hell is that?!" Even Louis, who was shocked by the death of his beloved lover, screamed in astonishment.


    Bo-ram''s outfit could barely be considered one. The clothes on her body were barely there, and was simply an indecent form that made people frown. Moreover, everything that she wore was shining in gold. The fancy boots she was wearing seemed to be made of pure gold.


    "No, what on earth, this, this vulgar... Bo-ram?" Louis tried talking to Bo-ram, but she did not even nce at him. No, actually, she was paying attention. She was, no, to be exact, the <strong>something</strong> that took over her body was someone who enjoyed everyone''s gaze.


    <i>Chwanggg! </i>Following that, a mask depicting the head of a dragon covered Bo-ram''s face. It was a fortunate thing for Bo-ram as her face was almost 100 percent covered by the mask.


    "Great Dragon Warrior! Dragon Lady, who protects love and justice! Descent here!" She shouted in a cheerful voice, as if she could not feel even a hint of embarrassment from the bizarre outfit.


    Then, Baek Bo-san, who realized that the constraints imposed on him were lifted, released a Sword Qi. "Die!"


    "Hahaha! You filthy scoundrel, have a taste of this!" Upon that cheerful shout, Baek Bo-san felt a strange sensation that he had never felt before, especially after perfecting his martial arts.


    1. Fingerprint contamination refers to the risk of getting the fingerprint mixed in with someone else''s fingerprint.


    2. This is the old man''s name, which is Hanja. The Chinese character is °×ŒšÉ½.


    3. A doll appearing in traditional puppet ys.


    4. Baekjeon-Yeonma basically means a battle veteran, or someone who has been through hundreds of battles. I felt it would sound better to leave it in the Korean romanization.

 Side Story - Why am I a Pet!! (4)

    <h4>Side Story - Why am I a Pet!! (4)</h4>


    <i>''Did it hit?'' </i>Baek Bo-san was charging towards Bo-ram, but was sted away before he could even register it. He lost two teeth from the p on the cheek that Bo-ram gave him. Then, the floating Bo-ram pointed her right hand at him. It was in the shape of a pistol. "Beauty! Beauty! Pretty Power!"


    <i>Whoooosh! </i>The golden cross held Baek Bo-san up in the air, and he was stuck in the form of a cross. He naturally resisted by exuding tremendous Inner Qi from his whole body, but he still failed to escape. The Justice Cross that held him up in the air was the ultimate magic that exhibited a powerful binding force, which was tantamount to the sins the targetmitted.


    <i>Groarrrr!! </i>Bo-ram focused a tremendous amount of energy on her index finger, and just like that¡­her one carefully aimed shot punished the evil.


    -Justice Execution-


    <i>Kroooarrrrrr----!!! </i>The shot that shone in gold blew Baek Bo-san''s head and body away. All that was left were his four limbs, which initially pegged his body to the Justice Cross. <i>Thud thud thuck. </i>When his arms and legs fell to the ground, Bo-ram, who was wearing a mask, blew on her index finger, <i>Whooo~</i>, and said, "Executionplete."


    <i>''Why are you trying to act cool! Ackkk! Ackkkkkkkk!! What is this outfit?! You''re crazy!!'' </i>Although she was screaming on the inside, Bo-ram''s outer expression remained unchanging. Then, a whisper came from inside her again, <i>''Ugh, anyway, it''s all over, right? Since the enemy was defeated, right?''</i>


    It was rather expected, since a Magical Girl would return to her original state once the transformation ended¡­ However, Bo-ram did not know that the extra-terrestrial being that she contracted with, the Golden Dragon God, was neither good-natured nor in her right mind.


    "I don''t want to though?"


    <i>''Wha-What did you say?''</i>


    "I said I don''t want to." Bo-ram''s face was hidden by the mask, so her smirk went unnoticed by others. Then, a devilish look appeared on her face. The Golden Dragon God did not acknowledge the owner of the body she was controlling, so the contracted Bo-ram was now the pet and toy of the Golden Dragon God. To make matters worse, Bo-ram was nothing more than a game character now, and the Golden Dragon God was an existence who was not very interested in allowing a pet free will.


    <i>Boooom! </i>"¡­Bo-ram?" Louis watched as his niece kicked off the ground and disappeared into the sky.


    No one knew, but¡­that was the day when "The One Year of Nightmare"<strong> </strong>that would never again happen began in Bo-ram''s life. It was the day when Crazy Loli, one of the World''s Top Three Oddities, was born.


    ***


    "Uwahhhh! No!!!" Bo-ram woke up screaming. "Huckk... huff... huff..." She was drenched in cold sweat, and was out of breath and panting. She was within the lodgings that the Great Elder had prepared, one of the few stand-alone houses that existed in Dragonian, which was fully upied by buildings. "Ugh, I have these kinds of nightmares because I keep practicing Two-Stage Transformations."


    <strong>What nightmare are you even talking about? You should be honored!</strong>


    <strong>Ahhh, Dragon God-nim! I can''t believe you''re in the body of such a broad!</strong>


    "Agh, shut up, keep quiet!" In a fit of anger, Bo-ram threw the Golden Dragon sitting on her shoulders onto the desk. They continued rattling on. Since she was exhausted, and her training was almost over, she didn''t feel like being considerate with them.


    <i>Wiiiiingggg! </i>After going through the Gate that was installed in the house, Bo-ram crossed over the space. Unlike Dong-min, she did not have any sort of spatial control ability, so she could only teleport to a predetermined location.


    <i>Huoooongggg! </i>The surrounding background changed, revealing the interior of a modern structure that was reminiscent of the Middle Ages. One view of the city, showcasing a concrete jungle, was reflected on arge ss window that was located in the front.


    Bo-ram momentarily looked down at the view of the city, before someone called her name from behind, "Oh! Is that you, half-wit?"


    Bo-ram''s fuse snapped. "Agh, Elder Hyuncheon-nim, why do you call me <i>''half-wit''</i> whenever you see me? Have you ever seen anyone as cute as me?!"


    The person who was teasing Bo-ram was Hyuncheon, the owner of Star Gate, which was the tallest building in Dragonian. He was also the Elder of the ck Dragon n, and a rare existence even among the elders to have epted a human as his wife. Furthermore, as he met Bo-ram often, their rtionship was pretty close.


    "But you''re ugly though."


    "Agh! These dragon species, really! I just can''t understand you all! And you all even called Dong-min oppa cute!"


    Hyuncheon''s wife, Jayna, who was standing next to him, chuckled as she saw Bo-ram throwing a tantrum. "Hoho, the dragon''s perspective on aesthetics are unaffected by one''s physical appearance."


    "Well, I suppose so. Since they''re made out of Polymorph (Shape-shifting Magic) anyway."


    "What? That''s not the case. It seems you have a misconception about the dragons." Jayna, who was an outstanding wizard and a Grand Sword Master who attained the realm of transcendence, shook her head. She pointed to her daughter, Hyunha, whom she was holding hands with. "Our Hyunha was born in the form of a dragon. The dragon''s blood was more apparent than that of humans."


    "Then Hyuncheon-nim''s Polymorph is..."


    "I don''t know that sort of magic, half-wit. I''m a spatial-type specialist."


    "...What?"


    It was rewarding to see Bo-ram make an incredulous expression, as if she could not understand the unimaginable remarks she just heard. Upon that sight, Jayna said, "Have you never thought it weird? Why is this ce called Dragonian, and not ''Dragon Land'' or something like that?"


    "..." In actual fact, it was a matter that Bo-ram had been wondering about. In the world of wizards, Dragonianmonly referred to a dragon subspecies, or more specifically a Dragonized-human. However, when she came to Dragonian, the term was reced by ''Draconian'' or ''Dragonewt'', while Dragonian was used as the name of their homnd.


    "And why do all the people who lived in the world of the dragon, Dragonian, are in human form?"


    "That''s..." Needless to say, Bo-ram also found that rather strange. She wondered why the dragons took on the forms of humans, even though they were in their own world. She even questioned if the reason was because they yearned to be like humans.


    <i>''That remark is far off the mark.'' </i>Unlike Dong-min, who rarely came out of Matt''s Lair, Bo-ram experienced the discrimination that many dragons had against her. Some did not even recognize her as a living being. She became close to Hyuncheon because he respected her, which was rare among the dragons.


    Jayna exined, "All the dragons know how to turn into human forms, and even newborn baby dragons could do so."


    "That''s..."


    "That''s right. They did not take the form of humans... Dragons are born with two appearances from the very beginning."


    The Red Dragons had red hair in their human forms, while the Gold Dragons had golden hair in their human forms. ck Dragons like Hyuncheon had ck hair, and Blue Dragons had blue hair. This was not a conscious choice they made due to liking that color so much, but because their human appearances were originally this way. If they did not like the color, they had to separately use magic to dye their hair.


    "No, what on earth... Why? Why do dragons have human forms?"


    "Because humans were the first piece that the Great Father created."


    To be exact, it wasn''t that the dragons had a human form. In the Great Universe, thergest number of species were the humans, so everyone conveniently referred to it as the human form. However, it was actually the form of God.


    "It''s because of that form that the dragons have some sort of mixed feelings and perspectives on these subspeciespared to others. That is also why there are cases, like us, where pairs couple up." As she said so, Jayna magnified the view of the city that went beyond the ss window. Spotting two beings that were showered by the rain, she zoomed in on them. "That sort of situation would surface too."


    "Dong-min sunbae..." Bo-ram was not a fool. She could immediately grasp the situation even though she only caught a glimpse of the scene. She had already seen Matt and Dong-min several times, gaining some sort of understanding of their rtionship. Matt and Dong-min had shared a lot of skinship, with Matt carrying Dong-min around and even kissing him sometimes. So, of course Bo-ram knew about them. "It seems he was rejected."


    "It happens quite often. The fact that a pet and its owner sees each other from a different perspective."


    Bo-ram frowned at Hyuncheon''s calm voice. "We are not pets!"


    "That''s right, you all aren''t pets. But you, the contractee of the Golden Dragon God, would have felt how the dragons perceive humans, right?"


    "Well, that''s..." Bo-ram recalled what the Golden Dragon God often said to her.


    -No, why don''t you ever listen to me?


    "Because I don''t want to!"


    -What? But I''m helping you out, though?


    Humans raised dogs, tying them to a leash and tying them down to a single ce for the rest of their lives. Humans raised cats, forcing the noisy ones to go through neuter surgery when they were in heat. Humans put birds in cages, robbing them of their freedom to fly for the rest of their lives. In a way, it could be seen as a terrible thing to do, but humans did not do it out of hate or despise. These acts were all done from within the realm of love. Rather, the problem was¡­


    "I see. It''s a matter of hierarchy," Bo-rammented.


    "It''s great that you catch on quick, half-wit."


    Basically, the dragons did not detest humans. They just did not consider humans as equals.


    "It seems we''ve strayed away from our original conversation, but if we look back to the very beginning of time¡­ The way a dragon perceives a human is pretty different from how humans perceive a dragon. It is not that they don''t care about appearances, but they just prioritize the soul and the spirit of the humans a lot more."


    "Are you saying my soul and spirit is ugly?"


    "Yes, it''s ugly."


    Bo-ram was flustered at Hyuncheon''s firm remarks. She quickly asked, "Ah, no, I didn''t mean it that way. The nature of the soul was decided from birth, so I can understand that it couldn''t be helped. But what''s wrong with my spirit?"


    "There''s no particr problem. It''s a matter of preference. The dragons love the tenacity to ovee trials with an indomitable will, and the courage to ovee despair and move forward. Well, that''s the kind of thing they prefer. Commonly..." Jayna smiled bitterly and said, "It''s a distinct characteristic of those called heroes or brave warriors."


    "Eh? Then Jayna-nim, you too?"


    "I came to kill him, and then things turned out this way. Well..." Jayna turned her head and looked at Dong-min, who was oblivious to the fact that she was the most supportive of him among the others in Dragonian.


    <i>''He''s too young.'' </i>Dong-mincked the strength and the quality of a brave warrior. He was just considered cute based on the level of strength he possessed, so it was practically impossible to win over one from the dragon species.


    <i>''But...'' </i>What if he fought through harsh trials and broke down in despair, and finally grew up by oveing them? What if he finally transcended the limitations of a mortal, and was reborn as a great hero or brave warrior?


    Of course, there was a definite difference in the perspective of Hyuncheon, who was a lone dragon among humans, and Matt, who was born in Dragonian and lived among dragons. However, it was hard to imagine that Matt would break off from the shared preferences of the entire dragon species.


    <i>''Perhaps...'' </i>Jayna looked at Dong-min for a long time. Dong-min, who was walking slowly, disappeared into Matt''s Lair.


    ***


    A new morning had dawned. Bo-ram finished all the preparations needed and headed to the Star Gate. "Am I finally going back..." Before she realized it, it had been 19 years since she first came to Dragonian and started her training. Although it was merely 19 years, it was fact that she basically spent more than half of her lifetime here in Dragonian.


    "It has only been about 1 year in the real flow of time."


    "I know, I really do. The fact that the axis of time here in Dragonian varied from building to building..." Bo-rammented. The amount of time she experienced waspletely different from Dong-min, even though they both came to Dragonian at the same time.


    "You came."


    "Ahh, sunbae." Bo-ram waved, seeing Dong-min was waiting in front of the Star Gate. <i>''Aigoo, we''re going back to the beginning... No, on the contrary, it became worse.'' </i>Dong-min, who smiled at her and asked how she was doing, was still the same Dong-min she knew. The ever-so-pessimistic and cold Dong-min, a spirit that seemed like a sword sharpened to perfection, was flowing through his whole body.


    "What about Matt unnie?"


    "She''s at her Lair. We''ve said enough words of goodbyes."


    "Ah, is that so." Bo-ram entered the Star Gate with an awkward smile on her face. They had been away from Earth for way too long a time, so she wanted to return quickly, and meet her friends and family.


    <i>Cluckkk. </i>Dong-min, who was about to enter the Star Gate in the same manner, paused at its entrance. He stopped walking and looked back at the sight of the concrete jungle he had grown used to. "...I''m going back." That was all he said, and he turned around to face the Star Gate again.


    It was Dong-min and Bo-ram''sst day at Dragonian, where they had been in for a seemingly endless and long period of time.

 Vol 2. Prologue - The Death of a Great Wizard

    <h4>Vol 2. Prologue - The Death of a Great Wizard</h4>


    An old man was lying on arge bed adorned with gold and jewels. It was quite difficult to guess his true age. His dry, brittle skin looked so fragile as if it would break apart with a breeze, and his hair was ky without any oil. His thin limbs could not support his body and his breathing was irregr, threatening to cease any second.


    He was dying.


    "Mir."


    "Yes, Grand Master."


    A man of sturdy build carefully helped the old man up.


    <i>sh!</i>


    <i>''Um¡­..''</i>


    <i>''What kind of eyes¡­..''</i>


    <i>''Is this truly the eyes of a dying man?''</i>


    The people who stood in front of the bed flinched and trembled. However, it was not due to their weakness. They were no ordinary people.


    <strong>Three Magic Towers</strong>


    <strong>Five Martial Arts Houses</strong>


    <strong>The Seven Families</strong>


    It was no exaggeration to say that all of the powerful representatives of Another ne, the other side of the world, were gathered in this ce.


    In addition.


    The head figures of each country, dictators who received enthusiastic support and blood-boiling resentment at the same time, a world-ss tycoon, the head of arge religion, a notorious terrorist, a famous writer with over one million books sold, a scientist who received multiple Nobel Prizes, a world-star singer, Hollywood''s top superstar¡­


    Just the fact that all of them were gathered together in one ce was a scandal to shake the world. The bedroom was slightlyrger than a regr auditorium, and it was densely packed with people from all walks of life. Anyone from the [outside] were bound to be unaware, but each one of the people gathered were capable people with tremendous abilities.


    "Everyone''s¡­ gathered."


    "Who would dare to disobey your words?"


    "Yes. Since I was always nagging and at their throats, it might have been worth it for them to take the time toe and see myst moments."


    "Grand Master¡­"


    The face of Shin In-hwa distorted with anguish. He was the Tower Lord of the Supreme Magic Tower, and he had been answering the old man''s questions as a representative. Even if he was facing death¡­ the old man in front of them was the most powerful transcendent in human history.


    Zenon ho Kyprios, the Grand Wizard. He was the guardian of humankind who created the parallel world to save the world from distress. He also carefully nurtured his juniors to lead to the revival of soul energy power.


    Miracles that were too much even for a transcendent, strong, mighty enemies, and the terrible and unstoppable years had left their marks on the old man, however¡­ He was a beacon of light to humankind for a long time. Without him, there would have been no life on Earth.


    "Honestly, I am not sure that I''mpletely, perfectly prepared, but¡­ I cannot put it off any longer."


    Zenon struggled to inhale, then continued.


    "When I die¡­ Disaster will begin."


    "Teacher!"


    "Oh, shut up. I''ve done enough."


    The origin of all disasters was the Great War that urred 400 years ago.


    <strong>Unnamed</strong>


    They were without a name, or perhaps they could not be named. The feared existence drove the entire universe into a whirlwind of war.


    The battlefield basically epassed the entire universe.


    True even as of now, Earth-34 was not yet a Stage III civilization at the time. Like other civilizations that had not reached the breaking point, Earth was protected by their Primordial God. This meant that Earth did not have to worry about the existence of extraterrestrial creatures.


    Even so.


    Earth was swept in war. Hundreds of countries disappeared and countless people perished. Even though Earth was never a direct target for attack or exploitation by the enemies, it was an unprecedented cmity.


    <i>''It was a miracle that we survived.''</i>


    Gaia was a Primordial God, and a high-rank one at that. However, it had been such a fierce battle that even Gaia was almost killed several times by the attack of the Unnamed. Naturally, Gaia was able to resurrect time again and again as an immortal, but every time she revived, she became weaker. She felt helpless as humanity slowly descended into a ruin. Every day was a living hell.


    At that time, many more transcendents were present on Earth, but only he, who could have been considered one of the weakest, had survived. What more needed to be said?


    "Kuagh!"


    "Grand Master!"


    Zenon coughed violently and vomited blood. In-hwa became rmed and emitted a shining energy like starlight. Dozens of magical circles started to appear around her and began to resonate.


    However.


    "Don''t treat me."


    "But Grand Master!"


    "If I tell you not to, then listen to me. You''re Asian, so shouldn''t you have learned to have respect for the elderly?"


    He was the only transcendent from Earth 34 who was still alive. However¡­ his body was not in its normal condition. A strong, powerful curse was causing him immense pain every moment. He had been prolonging his life with all kinds of great magic and miracles, but his body was already no different from a corpse. The curse and the pain gnawing away at his soul grew stronger with time, so he experienced greater pain the longer he survived.


    As such, he tried to die 100 years ago. But.


    <i>''I resent the foresight. If I had not known, I would have died with grace.''</i>


    200 years ago, he had seen the future as he suffered from pain. The humankind would be destroyed, and the civilization of the Earth-34 would be reset. An unprecedented disaster would take ce when the Unnamed, who had been suppressed and sealed at the end of the Great War, would revive. It was not just a mere possibility, but a future that was practically sealed in stone.


    As such, he prepared.


    He built three Magic Towers to train wizards. Another ne was created to seal the Unnamed, and it was the best environment to rear talent. It was full of rich mana and materials to produce all sorts of magical items.


    But it failed.


    After confirming the destruction of humankind and civilization through his foresight, he began to prepare once more.


    He revived the extinct Martial Arts Houses. He supported them and brought them together. He restored the long-lost martial arts of the ancients and created an environment for them to grow smoothly.


    Still, the future was unchanged.


    He started preparing again.


    He began to study all sorts of inhumane techniques, including ck magic. He caused world wars by stimting human madness and supporting them from the shadows. The death and fear shook the world and corpses littered the ground. As a result, the evil mystic arts began to develop at an rming rate.


    He created chimeras. He produced mutants. He summoned the devil and contracted with the demon tribe. As a result, he was able to produce powerful factors that did not exist until then, and he created terrifying monsters born with might superpowers, unimaginably terrifying monsters, and a [system] to transnt artificial, mechanical, magical organs to wizards and martial artists. He created history.


    The forces of Earth grew incredibly strong when he went all out. He was a transcendent after all, and a talented researcher as well.


    But nevertheless, the future did not change.


    Eventually, Zenon was forced to use a method that had been put off as ast resort. He turned his eyes to the Outside.


    He made contact with other beings of the universe. Earth''s civilization was not yet at a point that enabled them to contact with external beings, but he was a transcendent. He was able to step outside of determined fate to make personal contact.


    His actions posed a risk as well. Higher civilizations could seep into Earth because of his actions, but he could not stay idle because of mere possibilities.


    He did his best to control everything. He strictly kept the science and technology of higher civilizations from reaching earth. He had already foreseen the destruction of the humans of Earth 34, and it would not do any good if even Gaia''s protection disappeared as well.


    Earth 34 was transformed into a tourist destination and all kinds of services were provided to earn Gats. With the currency, he acquired stronger equipment and systems, higher-level knowledge and secret techniques to train stronger ability-holders.


    But nevertheless.


    -The future


    -Did. Not. Change.


    <i>''Is it impossible to change the future no matter what I do?''</i>


    Zenon fell into fear. Every day that came and passed was despairing. Even though he was a transcendent, the horrible sensation deteriorated his soul and nibbled away at his mind.


    He endured with a sense of duty, a goal to protect humanity and Earth 34. But he could not see even the smallest glimmer of hope, and it was getting harder to push back the urge to end his cursed life.


    Thenst week, the future suddenly changed without warning.


    "Grand Master. Without you, the humankind¡­"


    "Please lead us!"


    "Grand master¡­"


    Even though they begged with sorrowful voices and attempted to change his mind, Zenon did not spare them a nce. Naturally, he knew. He had to wait. He had to investigate the cause and identify it.


    What the hell had happened? Within a short time span of a week, what peculiarity had created a rift in the future, the same future that had remained immovable no matter what he did? Did the capabilities of humankind finally reached a threshold that allowed them to ovee destruction? Or was an ultimate warrior of the legends born? Perhaps Earth caught the eyes of an unknown transcendent?


    But Zenon stopped thinking altogether. He could not endure any longer.


    "Everyone, follow the instructions I gave you."


    Zenon ced all kinds of restrictions on them as he developed humankind.


    It was only natural. He could not trust them.


    "Grand Master, but."


    "h h h, just do as I say."


    After cutting off the retort, Zenony back on the bed. His glimmering eyes started to slowly fade away.


    "Ah¡­ You stupid, ignorant fools. Will greedy beasts like you really ovee the oing disaster and face the future? Can we really protect humankind from the hopeless future?"


    "¡­..."


    No one was able to answer hisment. The intense gaze that once instilled fear in the strongest of them slowly dimmed.


    "I worry."


    And slowly.


    "I''m¡­ worried¡­"


    His eyes closed.


    "Grand Master!!!''


    "Ahhh¡­ truly¡­"


    "My goodness."


    The groans and screams of mourning resonated in the background.


    The one who protected, cared for, and raised humanity for an immeasurable time.


    But.


    The one who could not believe in humanity until the end.


    The Great Wizard died.

 Vol 2. 1: A Transcendent at the Minimum? (1)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 1: A Transcendent at the Minimum? (1)</h4>


    I dream. I dream of a story of the past, of the years far beyond my wildest imagination. A dream of an unfathomable, another world.


    "Who are you?"


    I see a lovely girl. She is more beautiful and lovely than anything else in the world.


    <i>Stter!</i>


    Blood.


    "Hey~ Don''t you need a guard or anything like that?"


    He is a man with a refreshing smile. A man who gives so many things but wants nothing in return. A bright soul who never loses his smile even though he is persecuted by all.


    <i>Stter!</i>


    Blood.


    "Keukeuk, are you the so-called <strong>Great Wisdom</strong>? I guess I''m in luck! I thought it to be just another rumor until now!"


    A rugged man isughing in front of hundreds of his subordinates. They are trash ¨C those who gave into their carnal desires.


    <i>Stter!</i>


    Blood.


    "Ahh, isn''t this quite good too? A duel in a in under the bright, full moon."


    He is a beautiful man with a good-natured, confident voice. A man possessing a nobler soul than anyone else in the world.


    "Then let us fight. Boundless yer."


    <i>Stter!</i>


    "Why are you siding with those monsters!? You are human too, right!?"


    "Save him. Save him!!! Give me back my brother!!!"


    "We will destroy you in the name of justice."


    "Why. Why would you do something like this¡­!"


    "Please let me live. Please, I''m begging you¡­"


    "I will wait¡­ for you¡­ in¡­ hell¡­"


    Innumerable people pass by at a terrifying pace. Men crying, shedding tears of blood, women wielding swords with burning hatred, troops rushing in like a tidal wave, and white-haired seniors.


    "Die."


    "Die."


    "I''m going to kill you!!!"


    "Nice to meet you."


    "I love you."


    "You damned¡­ bastard."


    "I should never have met you¡­"


    Blood stters. Blood stters on my arms. Blood stters on my chest and my feet. Countless dead bodies and death. Greed, desire, misunderstanding, and resentment culminate into a wheel of blood that rolls without stop. It keeps rolling without stopping at all.


    I watched everything unfold as an observer. I was the Administrator of the Great Universe. Even though I had be a human, I could not understand human beings at all. Their greed exceeded the demons when given the opportunity.


    I watched as a transcendent being, who possessed little emotion. I experienced joy, sadness, fear, hope, and despair, then finally, anger at his creator whom he never thought to defy¡­


    Actually, the dream was already too long up to this point.


    Specific, impactful moments of Father who experienced downfall as a human were unfolding in front of me like a panorama. I had been experiencing nightmares like this for over a month already. If an average person were to dream like this every night, they would not be able to function properly.


    Today, my dream did not end there.


    As the image of Father desperately crying out slowly faded out, the image of a ruined city took its ce. Even though it was just a dream, I felt like groaning at the terrible sight.


    Oh, god. A nightmare alone wasn''t enough apparently. I even got a plus alpha this time around.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Just taking a step caused huge cracks to appear on the ground. The scale was truly devastating. The fissures reached tens of kilometers in length. Then, the cracks soared into the sky. It was a stratum. The crowned giant had turned the entire ground upside down just by taking a step! Naturally, the city built on the ground could not withstand the impact as well. Even though the city was protected by all kinds of technology and magic, it was helpless in front of a God''s punishment.


    "Argh! Save me!"


    "Why! Why is Ra doing something like this!? Is it on the orders of the Golden Lion?"


    "Your Majesty! Please! We don''t know anything!"


    "No! No! Kalina!"


    "Mother!"


    "Uh¡­! The city!!!"


    The number of victims was beyond counting. Considering that the number of destroyed cities already exceeded three digits, the massive casualties could not be fathomed. Many airships and ships trying to escape were destroyed, and those who boasted their powerful capabilities perished like mere flies. In the face of a God''s wrath, everyone was equal.


    <strong>Ah, the empire¡­</strong>


    A sigh escaped from Ra at the miserable sight. He was indirectly assisting in the massacre. Although he was an inanimate object born with an Iron Heart, he possessed emotions and self-awareness. His sadness andment were true.


    However.


    Just as a gardener did not feel guilty when he pulled out weeds from the garden, and just as farmers sprayed pesticides on rice paddies, uncaring for the pain and death it would inflict on the insects, <i>I</i> had no regrets or guilt.


    "It''s just one duchy."


    <strong>But my king.</strong>


    "Ra."


    Even though it was definitely my voice, the cold, arrogant tone felt foreign.


    -They should be thankful that I did not choose to exterminate the entirety of the arrogant insects.


    "¡­..."


    I slowly opened my eyes. The sun silently snuck its way past the window at an angle and gently heated my eyes. Iy in ce for a while without moving, then mumbled with a dazed expression.


    "¡­It''s hot."


    It was august.


    <strong>Good morning, Captain. The current time is 12:37 p.m.</strong>


    "Is it still lunch time?"


    <strong>Of course. The dining hours at the mansion are from 11:00 to 1:30, so make sure you get ready and head down to the cafeteria before it closes.</strong>


    "Your rmendation?"


    <strong>Based on what the employees are saying, the tuna kimchi stew and hamburg steak[</strong>ref] hamburg steak is basically a steak dish that looks like a hamburger. Literally a hamburger steak.[/ref]<strong>seem to be the best choice. Well, it is still </strong><strong>trifle</strong><strong>pared to my cooking.</strong>


    "You make synthetic dishes that are recipe-based¡­"


    <strong>Even so, it''s clear that I reproduce the best taste in the entire universe. It is an ideal taste outside the realm of spiritual food.</strong>


    "¡­Yeah, great job."


    <strong>What reasonable words, Captain.</strong>


    I lifted myself up listening to the strangely annoying, bragging voice. As I observed the forest outside the window, I thought back to the events that transpired.


    I had experienced a lot. I learned the secrets of my birth, and I was dragged to outer space. I went through a space war and was taken prisoner. I experienced torture and a sessful escape from the enemy camp. I even got married and divorced.


    And I even¡­


    I was recognized as an emperor of an empire<strong> </strong>of the vast expanse of the great universe. I was the head honcho of a universal superpower.


    "To think all of that happened in only half a year."


    It was so ridiculous that I could not help butugh. Although density was regarded as more important than volume in time, this was just too much.


    A voice rang in my head as if grasping my thoughts.


    <strong>Technically, it''s not actually half a year.</strong>


    "Why?"


    <strong>Time flows differently in the Astral Realmpared to the Physical Realm.</strong>


    "Well, I guess that could be true."


    The Astral Drive was designed to travel through the boundless stretch of the great universe. It operated by moving the entire spacecraft to the Astral Realm, and not the Physical Realm. It exceeded the <i>physical</i><strong> </strong>limit of lightspeed by hundreds and thousands of times by leaving the Physical Realm!


    The time axis of the Astral Realm differed greatly from the Physical Realm. Although time itself remained constant with the coordination of a magic machine that existed inside the spacecraft, <strong>Pendulum</strong>, the ratio of time was inevitably different.


    <i>Creak.</i>


    I opened the window. The window was made of an unknown wood, and it had an antique design. It did not seem like a normal object, as I could feel an enormous flow.


    <i>''Is there a magic circuit that winds the entire building? It''spletely different from the objects of Leonhardt.''</i>


    Obviously, it wasn''t better than the things I had seen in Leonhardt Empire. The Leonhardt Empire had already be a Stage III Civilization, and as such, magic and science werebined in an efficient manner to be utilized in everyday living. Plus, in most cases, science tended to be more economical than magic. No one from the Leonhardt Empire would cover an entire building with magic without the use of any mechanical devices as it would be quite ineffective.


    <strong>Hey, Dae-ha. </strong>Ares asked. <strong>¡­Is there a problem? You don''t look so good.</strong>


    "Oh."


    I whistled in surprise.


    "You''re worried about me, huh? Good boy, Ares."


    <strong>What, what the hell are you saying, you crazy guy!</strong>


    I smiled at his flustered reaction and checked my title.


    <strong>Human Disaster</strong>


    <strong>-In case of death, revival is possible.</strong>


    <strong>- teleportations to humans within a 10km radius possible , able to ignore any disturbances.</strong>


    <strong>-Recharge 1 stack of revival every 1,000 humans saved (Up to 2 times)</strong>


    <strong>-Charge 1 stack of teleportation for killing a wicked (Up to 10 times)</strong>


    <strong>-You killed someone''s father. You killed a mother as well. You killed a daughter, a son, the elderly, and the children. You massacred indiscriminately. You who ughtered over a million people, repenting endlessly won''t nearly be enough.</strong>


    <strong>Do you sleep well at night?</strong>


    "Who the hell is writing this text¡­?"


    One could attain the title of <strong>yer</strong> by killing certain beings. If one continued to ughter and killed over 100 of the certain creatures, they could attain the title of <strong>Hunter. </strong>In the past, I obtained the title of <strong>Fly Hunter </strong>after killing a hundred flies. I tried killing more than a thousand flies, but nothing changed with my title, so I assumed that no additional titles existed after <strong>Hunter.</strong>


    <i>''But I was wrong. If onemits more than 10,000 murders, one gets the title of <strong>ughterer</strong>.''</i>


    But even that wasn''t the end.


    10,000, 100,000, and when the number finally reached 1 million, one was given the title of a "<strong>Disaster"</strong>. It seemed that titles for <strong>killing </strong>were reinforced every time onemitted a hundred-fold the number of previous murders.


    But.


    "Ha¡­ Definitely not just one million."


    Iughed bitterly. I knew that I killed more than 10 million people, not just 1 million. When I was drunk on godhood, I was basically the incarnate of the god of disaster. I carried out a massacre without showing any mercy, hatred, nor madness. I had calmly carried out the killing like a farmer spraying pesticide on his crops.


    <i>''Although I did dream of genocidal experiences<strong> </strong>for a long time¡­''</i>


    But that was different. The nightmares that flooded my past were always intense and vivid, but they were experiences of others. There was no reason to feel guilty for someone else''s actions, though the sensation of being swept by the storm of emotions and memories was quite painful.


    On the other hand, this was doubtlessly my sin.


    I had carried out a massacre by my own will. Of course, I was out of my mind at the time, but¡­ denying responsibility would be no different from a drunk who insisted his innocence after killing a man.


    Besides, there was a bigger issue.


    <i>''There''s no trauma. Even the guilt I feel is faint.''</i>


    When I was a child, I had experienced what happened with my biological father after he was confined to a human body in the form of nightmares. My mind had almost broken downpletely.


    I cried and screamed every night. Naturally, the time I spent in my dreams was shorterpared to the hundreds of years I skimmed through, but even so, the psychological damage I received was enormous. It was no exaggeration to say that my ego was twisted because of the nightmares.


    But¡­ This was different.


    I was conscious of the fact that I had justmitted a massacre, but I only felt a faint sensation of self-me. I didn''t even think about atonement.


    "Ha¡­" I sighed as I raised my body and put on my clothes.


    I had already changed.


    After so many incidents, I had finally returned to Earth, but I returned home a stranger. I was no longer that Kwan Dae-ha from the past. I was a vague being, neither a God nor a human.


    "I wish this was just growth."


    I opened the door with a bitter smile and left the room provided by Kyung-eun''s family. As I passed through the wooden hallway, a courtdy near the stairs bowed her head. Her hairstyle and clothing were something you would only see in historical dramas.


    <i>''A courtdy in the modern world. This is like a pce¡­ Well, no, I guess it is an actual pce.''</i>


    The courtdy was a considerable beauty, and she was silent as always. I tilted my head at the sight.


    <i>''Huh?''</i>


    She maintained a calm expression as per usual, but her title was telling a different story.


    <strong>Lee Family</strong>


    <strong>Level 3</strong>


    <strong>Nervous, Jin Young-hwa</strong>


    <i>''Nervous?''</i>


    I was confused at the iprehensible title. Obviously, she couldn''t have been nervous by seeing me. I was just a normal person with no background, a person invited by Kyung-eun, who once caused me to break down mentally after seeing her title of <strong>Human Hunter.</strong>


    <i>Bow.</i>


    I waved my hand to the courtdy as she bowed towards me. The building I was staying at was 5 stories high and had 13 floors deep underground. Since the cafeteria was located on the ground floor, I had to climb down first. However, there was something unusual about the building. There was no elevator.


    <i>''I can''t believe the entire building is made of wood. Does the word ''convenience'' exist in their dictionary?''</i>


    I grumbled as I walked down the wooden stairs and finally arrived at Gangnyeongjeon Hall[1], which could be called the center of the amodation. What was amazing was that even though I had climbed down from the third floor, only a single-story building could be seen at the ground floor.


    After looking around Gangnyeongjeong Hall for a while, I exited the building to the courtyard, which was covered with gravel. I moved past an antique gate and headed towards Gyeonghoeru Pavilion[2]. I could see the pavilion on the other side of a nice pond.


    I encountered eight courtdies until now, and every one of them possessed the title <strong>"Nervous"</strong>.


    <i>''Something''s not right. Genie, do you have any information about the unusual situation?''</i>


    <strong>There are insufficient keywords even though remote monitoring is in progress. However¡­</strong>


    Genie was able to grasp everything about the mansion with her amazing information-gathering ability, but it wasn''t perfect. On Earth, magic civilization was more advanced than the technical civilization, and paramount data was rarely stored on the inte or onputers.


    However, Genie was one of thetest Control Persona developed by the Leonhardt Empire. She was able to think and specte on her own.


    <strong>The atmosphere is definitely weird.</strong>


    The atmosphere was definitely strange as I arrived at Gyeonghoeru Pavilion.


    <i>''There''s a stir.''</i>


    The same peaceful silence that I experienced thest few days greeted me, but I could clearly feel that the people of the mansion were shaken by something. It was a whirlpool of emotions containing fear, tension, excitement, and expectation.


    "I would like a hamburg steak please."


    "You''re¡­ Ah, you''re the one that thedy brought in a few days ago. It''s good to meet you. I will prepare something for you that''s iparable to the food you had in your room, so wait for a little bit."


    The fooddy smiled nicely and ced a steaming hamburg steak on a te and drenched it with brown sauce. Considering that courtdies were walking around the ce, the entire atmosphere of the mansion was quite oriental and traditional. It was quite out of ce to have non-traditional, western-oriented food, but I didn''t really care.


    The pleasant aroma attacked my senses. Thedy''s cooking skills must have been quite unusual. However, there was an issue. The identity of thedy was abnormal.


    <strong>Lee family</strong>


    <strong>Level 12</strong>


    <strong>Gluttonous Evil Spirit, Sky Mouth</strong>


    I was able to subtly ssify her title and check out the details, and I was able to see her race.


    <i>''To think she was a demon.''</i>


    It was rather ridiculous, but the fatdy in charge of the cafeteria was not a human, but a demon. However, she did not seem like a spy or anything like that. When I specified her ssification...


    <strong>Great Wizard Zenon</strong>


    <strong>Level 12</strong>


    <strong>Captured, Sky Mouth</strong>


    This was what was stated. ording to her title, she seemed to have been captured by the humans.


    <i>''An evil spirit¡­ Come to think of it, the strongest demon I saw was also an evil spirit.''</i>


    I wasughing hard on the inside. That demon had also been defeated by Morne, then used as a mere prison to keep prisoners.


    Perhaps the Evil Spirits were strong, but it seemed they did not possess a good head, seeing as they were being taken advantage of so frequently.


    1. An actual royal pce with this name existed in ancient Korea. It was built in 1395 and destroyed and rebuilt multiple times. Doesn''t exist anymore. In ancient Chinese characters, gang = calm, nyeong = also calm LOL, and jeon = big house.


    2. Gyeonheoru is a type of building used for social gatherings and such. https://terms.naver/imageDetail.nhn?docId=566485&imageUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fdbscthumb-phinf.pstatic%2F2644_000_4%2F20190815011106215_581TOF54M.jpg%2Fc9ac1860-3dea-4a.jpg%3Ftype%3Dm935_fst_nce%26wm%3DY&mode=entry&clickArea=rtedImage&cid=46656&categoryId=46656 This is what it looks like. However, in the novel, it seems to be a mass hall/cafeteria.

 Vol 2. 2: A Transcendent at the Minimum? (2)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 2: A Transcendent at the Minimum? (2)</h4>


    Perhaps the Evil Spirits were strong, but it seemed they did not possess a good head, seeing as they were being taken advantage of so frequently.


    ¡°Anyways, is there something going on?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    The fatdy responded with wide eyes. It was truly astonishing that she was actually a demon. No matter how hard I tried, I could only see a generous woman with a good personality.


    ¡°The atmosphere seems to be a little strange.¡±


    ¡°The atmosphere¡­ Well, it¡¯s quite obvious. Kekeke¡­¡±


    In an instant, the ends of her lips curled up towards the sky, and her mouth opened wide in delight. The pointed teeth inside of her mouth seemed sharp enough to chew up steel. It was a sight that one would only see in horror movies. If it was not me, but any other ordinary person, surely they would have copsed on the spot.


    ¡°¡­ma¡¯am?¡±


    ¡°Heut!¡±


    The cafeteriady came back to her senses, then covered her mouth with a shocked expression. She continued after coughing a few times.


    ¡°Ehem! Well, today¡¯s a day when heaven and earth are opening. There are sad people, happy people, hopeless people, and hopeful people. This calmness is actually quite surprising.¡±


    She smiled and poured soup into a bowl before holding it out.


    ¡°Now, enjoy your meal.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡±


    I picked up the te and checked the title of the food out of habit.


    <strong>Sky Evil Spirit</strong>


    <strong>For Decontamination, Hamburg Steak</strong>


    <strong>Sky Evil Spirit</strong>


    <strong>For Decontamination, Mushroom Soup </strong>


    <i>¡®For decontamination?¡¯</i>


    I didn¡¯t think she had messed with the food, but it was still a unique effect. Removing contamination? Did it mean that people who lived here had to worry about something called contamination?


    I took a bite while tilting my head in confusion. Just as Genie rmended, the taste was excellent. But since I was already used to the food served on Albatross, it was not half bad.


    Genie¡¯s voice suddenly rang inside my head.


    <strong>Captain, target number 3 has arrived at Gwanhwamun</strong>[1]


    Target number 3 was Kyeung-eun, the one who brought me here, and my only connection left. For your information, target number 1 was my dad, whereabouts unknown, and number 2 was my brother Yeong-min, who was currently somewhere else.


    ¡±What about her movement?¡±


    <strong>North¡­ She stopped by the ce called ¡°tower¡±: and came back. It was impossible to observe what was happening inside due to the nature of the ce, since it was supposedly created by a transcendent wizard, but I detected that hundreds of ability holders gathered in that ce.</strong>


    <i>¡®Hundreds of ability holders?¡¯</i>


    Such a number was rarely found, even in the Leonhardt Empire, which was a Stage III civilization. Obviously, there was a difference in quality, as they would barely match up to a single transcendent, but to think such arge number of powerful figures were gathering in this small¡­ What was going on?


    <i>¡®And I had finally gotten back to Earth¡­¡¯</i>


    I could not help but frown. Why had I returned to Earth after abandoning immeasurable riches and fame? Wasn¡¯t it because I wanted to return to a familiar, peaceful, normal life?


    But to think even Earth wasn¡¯t letting me off the hook.


    <i>¡®Of course, I can just choose to ignore it¡­¡¯</i>


    However, my instincts were strongly predicting that I could not do so. After awakening my Divine Spirit, my hunch had developed to a whole new level. I wasn¡¯t sure exactly what was going to happen, but I knew I would not be able to live out my life the way I wanted to.


    Iughed in vain and took another bite of the hamburg steak. Perhaps I had finished about half of it. The outside started to bustle with noise, and Kyung-eun entered dressed in a modernized hanbok[2].


    <i>¡®No, why would you even bother calling it hanbok if you¡¯re going to change it like that?¡¯</i>


    When it came to hanbok, it was best described as elegantly beautiful. However, elegance definitely was not the word that came to my mind when I saw Kyung-eun. Thebination of white and brown stuck tightly to her slim body, disying her figure and curves. It wasn¡¯t just morous, it was decadent.


    In addition, even though it was just a hanbok, her clothes were quite revealing. I could slightly see her belly button as well! The men upying the cafeteria could not take their eyes off of her as if they were mesmerized by her looks. The idol-like woman looked straight towards me and raised her hand.


    ¡°Ah, Dae-ha!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ yes.¡±


    I answered reflexively, and all the eyes in the cafeteria jerked towards me.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    <strong>Will you be all right?</strong>


    <i>¡®Of course, I¡¯ll be all right.¡¯</i>


    <strong>Well, I guess that was quite obvious.</strong>


    It was as Genie said. Although they were exuding quite a fierce spirit, it could be considered cutepared to the zing gazes of Cel¡¯s fan club. Even the name <strong>Starlight Knights </strong>was terrifying to me.


    ¡°How has your stay been so far? People from the surface world tend to be shocked when theye to ces like this.¡±


    The surface world was referring to the Earth that I knew of. It was a world that referred to the other side of Another ne, the world that regr humans lived in. It was also referred to as ¡°the front¡± or ¡°the inside¡±, but the term surface world wasmonly used as well.


    ¡°I think I exhausted my supply of shock when I saw my house was gone.¡±


    I answered in a grumpy voice, and Kyung-eun¡¯s expression underwent a subtle change.


    ¡°Hmm, are you saying you have been to the parallel world before?¡±


    ¡°No way. I lived a normal life as you know.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t lying. At least, I lived a normal life on Earth. However, Kyeung-eun seemed to have some doubts about my answer.


    ¡°But you seem way too calm¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just my personality. Anyway, is there something going on? The atmosphere is strange.¡±


    ¡°Something going on? Ah, yes, there is something going on. The announcement shoulde out soon.¡±


    ¡°Announcement?¡±


    I was puzzled by her words.


    <i>Boooooooo~</i>


    The sound of arge trumpet resonated. It was no ordinary sound, but an expression of soul energy. I wasn¡¯tpletely sure, but I guessed that the sound was resonating throughout the entire Earth. Anyone who had soul energy power would be able to hear the sound.


    <strong>The revered, magnificent great wizard has risen to heaven! He was our father, our guardian, an advocate for humanity, and the savior of civilization. ording to his will as the guardian of order, we will continue fighting! We will persevere! We will survive! Everyone, lower your heads and pray for his peace!</strong>


    ¡°Oh my god, he really¡­¡±


    ¡°It has been brought up since a while ago¡­ But he finally died.¡±


    The people started to murmur. Some even trembled as if they could not believe it.


    ¡°Hmph, that dictator scum.¡±


    ¡°Father, huh? Yes, he was definitely a father, a father who tore his child to death when he was bored.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how many were sacrificed in his experiments? If we gather all of the victims together, we could build a whole country.¡±


    Some people were condemning him.


    ¡°Little scoundrels who don¡¯t know grace. Who do they think protected humanity until now¡­?¡±


    ¡°On the contrary, don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know the number of people he¡¯s saved! He guarded the whole Earth!¡±


    Some people were angry.


    ¡°The Great Wizard¡­¡±


    ¡°What will happen to Another ne now¡­?¡±


    Some were sad and anxious. But the whispers onlysted for a moment.


    <i>Booooooo~</i>


    Everyone bowed their heads as the sound resonated once more. Some were saddened by his death, some were happy, some were unconvinced, but everyone maintained their courtesy and showed respect.


    ¡°What is a Great Wizard?¡±


    Kyeung-eun became wide-eyed when I asked her.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve awakened soul energy power, huh? I heard that you were somewhat involved with the Supreme Magic Tower before.¡±


    ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t really learned anything though.¡±


    It was true. I could not strengthen my body with martial arts or use magic. In Albatross, I had tried many methods to use mana, but the end result was always the same. I could sense mana, but I could not use it.


    <i>¡®Will it be different now?¡¯</i>


    I had awakened the Divine Spirit and wiped out an entire duchy of the Leonhardt Empire. And I was certain that¡­ I had effortlessly used all sorts of authorities and abilities at the time. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t have been possible for me to utilize them to such a degree without the help of Ares, but I was sure that something changed within me.


    ¡°Hmm~ So you awakened your soul energy power but you haven¡¯t received proper education, hmm¡­ Well, I already sent in a report to the family, so wait for a little while. I might teach you when I receive permission.¡±


    ¡°You will?¡±


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t trust me?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that¡­¡±


    I nced around while blurting the end of my words. Just having a conversation with Kyung-eun was provoking res from all around. If I were to receive direct training from her, what would happen? I wasn¡¯t sure whether she was aware of my predicament or not, but she asked with an innocent expression.


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    If it were in the past, I would have turned her down without hesitation. Had I not turned down even Celestia¡¯s proposal? Cel was an unfathomable, iparable beauty as well as an idol of the universe. It was true that Kyung-eun was pretty, but she just couldn¡¯t measure up to Celestia.


    But now, I didn¡¯t even feel the need to turn her down. Her appearance, the envy she received from people, and her significant background in Another ne, the so-called <strong>Outside</strong> were of no value to me. I couldn¡¯t possibly be envious of her or be intimidated by her.


    <i>¡®Well, maybe I¡¯m being a little arrogant, seeing as I can¡¯t even properly any powers.¡¯</i>


    A high-rank Divine Spirit, a high-rank Status of God, and a low-rank Divinity. It was truly the epitome of imbnce that couldn¡¯t be found anywhere else in the universe, but it allowed me to have a power equivalent to an intermediate-rank God.


    There were only a limited number of mid-level transcendents in the Great Universe. I had a power capable of destroying entire stars ands by using my powers. I could fly around the universe while invoking all sorts of authority as an emperor<strong> </strong>ss being.


    But the power was already gone.


    From the moment I fully transferred Divine Spirit to Ra, the God-rank gigas of the Leonhardt Empire, I was nothing more than an outstanding, average Joe. In terms of level, I was only level 2, a little bit weaker than the courtdies. I could not utilize martial arts, and my physical abilities were ¡®only¡¯ at the level of a national athlete.


    But nevertheless.


    <i>¡®I don¡¯t feel threatened at all.¡¯</i>


    I called myself an average person, but that may only apply to my physical body. The Terra-ss ship, Albatross, represented the apex of the technology of a Stage III civilization. There were only around 20 ships of such caliber in the Leonhardt Empire. The fruit of a Stage IV civilization, Shadow Stalker.


    And most importantly.


    <strong>How long has it been since you dumped Cel? Girls are already being drawn to you like flies.</strong>


    <i>¡®Don¡¯t get the wrong idea, idiot.¡¯</i>


    <strong>What? Idiot? You better watch your mouth around the Great God of War!</strong>


    <i>¡®Stop goofing around.¡¯</i>


    Yes, I still had <i>him</i>.


    Numbering 613. Transcendental Weapon.


    Ares, the God of War.


    ¡°Well.¡±


    I smirked. I could feel the res around me bing more intense, but I didn¡¯t care. No, rather, their gazes provoked me to aggravate them even more.


    ¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t matter. I will be in your care.¡±


    ¡°Hoohoo. Good. Well, there might be some problems because of my family¡¯s inheritance, so I will bring along the teachers! Aah! I¡¯m supposed to be somewhere else. Bye!¡±


    Kyung-eun got up and waved, then quickly left the cafeteria.


    ¡°She¡¯s still quite loud, huh.¡±


    She had appeared and disappeared like the wind. I smiled bitterly. Only a few minutes had passed since I had a conversation with her, but the atmosphere of the entire cafeteria had changedpletely. I was rather thankful that there was another pressing issue with the Great Wizard or whatever. I was certain that the situation could have been worse.


    Well, unfortunately for them, I really didn¡¯t care much for the mood and atmosphere...


    <i>Thud.</i>


    I cleaned up my dishes and started to leave the cafeteria when I felt a hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°¡­Who might you be?¡±


    At the sudden sensation, I turned around to see three men with unusual appearances. One of them looked to be around two meters tall, but he was so skinny that he resembled a stick. On the other hand, the short one looked less than 1.5 meters tall, and he was pretty fat. He looked like he would roll on the ground if I kicked him. Finally, the one who had called out to me.


    <i>¡®What the hell is this guy?¡¯</i>


    His entire body was covered with bandages. It didn¡¯t seem like he covered himself due to injuries. His full body was covered, literally his <i>entire </i>body. This included his nostrils and even his eyes. I couldn¡¯t spot any skin at all.


    I looked up at his head.


    1. the main,rgest gate of the Gyeonbokgung pce, which is where the royal family used to reside.


    2. a traditional Korean attire.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanbok

 Vol 2. 3: A Transcendent at the Minimum? (3)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 3: A Transcendent at the Minimum? (3)</h4>


    I looked up at his head.


    <strong>Lee Family</strong>


    <strong>Level 5</strong>


    <strong>Experienced Necromancer, Lee Hyun-jin</strong>


    <i>¡®A necromancer, huh.¡¯</i>


    It was an unfamiliar power for me. In the Leonhardt Empire, necromancy was non-mainstream, and it was respected, but many steered clear of it. Moreover, I had walked into a gathering of nobles and the imperial family as soon as I arrived in the empire, so I didn¡¯t really get a chance to do anything, never mind familiarizing myself with necromancer.


    <strong>Tsk, tsk. A bunch of dirty necrophiles have shown up.</strong>


    <i>¡®Don¡¯t be so mean. I heard that they¡¯re quite useful.¡¯</i>


    Necromancy was a school of magic that was unconventional in the Leonhardt Empire. It was revered, but at the same time, everyone was wary of it as well. In the Leonhardt Empire, necromancers were basically equivalent to a gang of pedophiles.


    However, having a bad reputation did not mean they were weak. Rather, if you had to ssify their power, they were on the stronger side. Necromancy was a powerful school of magic with a long history and tradition. Its bad reputation had to do with the environment.


    Necromancy was a school of magic that involved dead bodies and souls, which meant they were prominent in a world full of death. The Leonhardt Empire was governed by effective systems andws, and so itcked death and dead bodies. Humiliating the soul was an unforgivable, illegal act worse than murder, so necromancy wasn¡¯t able to find a proper spot in the empire.


    <i>¡®But a necromancer is able to walk around in the daylight in Another ne like this. It means¡­¡¯</i>


    There was a simple exnation. This ce, Another ne, was a world that walked closely with death.


    ¡°What? Who might you be? Puhahaha! I heard that you were from the surface world, but it seems you¡¯re a politely-spoken, wiry man, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Kyah, no wonder you¡¯re being looked down upon¡­¡±


    ¡°Retard¡­ Don¡¯t think about making a mess in the cafeteria¡­¡±


    The necromancer started tough out loudly, and the stick and the ball behind him spoke in dreary voices. The three of them seemed to be friends.


    ¡°Well, to make it easier for you to understand, we are basically your sunbaes who set on the parallel world first. I was surprised that someone not belonging to a particr school was able toe to the pce without going through the castle. That¡¯s why I called out.¡±


    The pce. They were referring to our current location. I guess the only unique aspect about this ce was that it was a location that was familiar to people in the real world, the people in the surface world.


    Gyeongbokgung Pce.


    That¡¯s where we were ¡ª Historical Site No.117. It was established by the Joseon Dynasty[1] and utilized as the main pce for centuries. It was the first of the five pces of the Joseon Dynasty.


    <i>¡®But the problem is that there¡¯s more than what meets the eye.¡¯</i>


    This ce was the base of operations for the Lee Family, an indigenous force of Korea. It was not a ce where anyone who operated in Another ne could ess, and they seemed to be a little sour that I was able to enter as a person from the surface world.


    ¡°Well, things just happened to turn out this way. So what?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do it with a thumb.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    I questioned the unknown words. Since his entire face was covered with bandages, I could not read his facial expression. He maintained his gaze and continued.


    ¡°Cut off your thumb and we will guarantee your safety here.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    I was so speechless that my mouth gaped open. What the hell was this bastard going on about?


    ¡°Is this a threat?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a threat. It¡¯s a natural process.¡±


    ¡°What if I say no?¡±


    ¡°No¡­?¡±


    ¡°What a¡­¡±


    The eyes of the stick and ball glimmered coldly.


    ¡°Huhuhu, you have some backbone, huh? I don¡¯t hate people like you¡­¡±


    His words weremending, but a murderous spirit exuded from the bandaged man.


    However.


    ¡°Oh, my God¡­¡±


    I could onlyugh in vain.


    ¡°What great bullshit.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    It seemed that they had not expected such a response from me. A dumbfounded expression appeared on their faces for a moment, but then changed immediately. Their killing intent was growing in intensity.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    A figure walked in between us, silencing the killing intent. It was Kyung-eun, who had left the cafeteria earlier.


    ¡°What do you think you are doing to my guest?¡±


    ¡°Ah, my apologies, mydy. But ording to principle, to enter the pce¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if you are a royal, they must adhere to the customary¡­¡±


    ¡°And¡­¡±


    All three of them started to bber to justify their actions, but Kyung-eun coldly cut off their words.


    ¡°Dae-ha did note here to be a part of our n. He is a guest.¡±


    ¡°But.¡±


    ¡°But what? I will consider it a challenge to my authority if you continue to argue about this.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Kyung-eun made a stern expression when the three men remained silent.


    ¡°Your answer?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, miss.¡±


    Their expressions betrayed that they weren¡¯t convinced at all, but they could not resist her words openly, so they begrudgingly nodded their heads. After ring at the three for a moment, Kyung-eun turned her head towards me and spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dae-ha. I know that you received a request from ahjussi as well¡­ Take this.¡±


    ¡°No, miss, but that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, just shut up! It¡¯s because of people like you!¡±


    Listening to their noisy conversation, I received a tiger-shaped jade que.


    <strong>Magic Tower Lord Shin In-hwa</strong>


    <strong>Level 8 (3rd time)</strong>


    <strong>Summoning Stone</strong>


    <i>¡®A Magic Tower Lord.¡¯</i>


    <strong>It refers to the head of a Magic Tower, a force that dominates Earth 34 in the dark.</strong>


    <i>¡®I know that much.¡¯</i>


    The parallel world, Another ne, was dominated by fifteen forces ¡ª three Magic Towers, five Martial Arts Houses and seven Families.


    Two of the fifteen forces were located in Korea, and one of them was the Lee Family. They represented the royal family of Korea, and they were a force native to Korea. Gyeongbokgung Pce, where I was staying, could be called their base.


    The other was the Supreme Magic Tower, the force that Bo-ram belonged to. However, unlike the Lee Family, which consisted entirely of Koreans, the Supreme Magic Tower was a multinational organization that operated across all of Northeast Asia.


    <strong>In fact, among the members of the Supreme Magic Tower, 50% of them are Chinese, 30% are Japanese, and 15% consist of various ethnicities. Only 5% of the members are Koreans, in other words, there are only around 2,000 Koreans. It is quite peculiar that one of those 2,000 is a Magic Tower Lord.</strong>


    <i>¡®Howplicated.¡¯</i>


    As I listened to Genie¡¯s exnation ring out in my head, Kyung-eun finished reprimanding the three with her ferocious gaze and turned towards me.


    ¡°Always carry it with you.¡±


    ¡°This thing?¡±


    ¡°Yes. To be honest with you, your attitude will pose a huge danger to you. Nothing would be strange for people from the <strong>outside </strong>to die in this ce. Well, still¡­¡±


    With a grin on her face, Kyung-eun left with ast remark.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate guys with balls.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Kyung-eun left and an awkward silence ensued for a while. I was too dumbfounded at herst words that I couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°Oh god, what kinds of words is she sprouting?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still easygoing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s getting boring.¡±


    The stick and the ball tried to agitate me with their words, but it was just random noise to me. I ignored it and turned around. As I started to walk away, the bandage spoke.


    ¡°You¡­ have a nice watch.¡±


    ¡°Watch?¡±


    I became flustered at the randomment and raised my left arm. The watch hanging around my wrist was exceptional. The sleek, ck watch was obviously a custom-fitted essory. But¡­ in fact, the watch was not just some random luxury. It was the fruit of a Stage IV civilization ¨C Shadow Stalker.


    It was the ultimate personal armament, originally made for Emperor Leonhardt, an intermediate-rank God. The Kendler tribe, who reached a peak technological civilization, seeded in utilizing the elements of time, space, and void in an effective manner.


    As such, the bullets of Shadow Stalker were able to prate enemies across time. No matter how remarkable the enemy¡¯s reflexes were, nor whether they had a near-perfect foresight, they could not block or avoid the Shadow Stalker¡¯s bullets.


    Moreover, Shadow Stalker never ran out of bullets. A humongous gun factory the size of a moon was printing out near-infinite numbers of weapons. Therefore, a single bullet from Shadow Stalker could be utilized as a bunker to block all attacks, or vice versa, cause maximum annihtion and destroy everything in front of it.


    The only reason it could not bepared to the transcendental weapons was itsck of spirituality. But even so, Shadow Stalker was a treasure that would be considered rare even for the forces of the Great Universe.


    <i>¡®Surely he can¡¯t have recognized the identity of Shadow Stalker.¡¯</i>


    I became suspicious at the greedy voice of the bandaged man. His level was not nearly high enough to recognize the true value of Shadow Stalker, the fruit of a Stage IV civilization.


    But I soon shook my head. What did it matter if he knew of its true value or not?


    ¡°It is nice. It¡¯s something you can¡¯t buy even if you sell the entire.¡±


    ¡°What? What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, what do I mean?¡±


    I meant exactly what I said.


    I smirked and passed by him. He took a step forward in anger, but the stick and the ball stopped him.


    ¡°Thank you for the meal.¡±


    ¡°Hoho, I¡¯m d you enjoyed your meal. But fighting in a cafeteria¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to refrain?¡±


    Thedyughed at my words.


    ¡°No, I rmend it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why?¡±


    ¡°Why else?¡±


    She acted as if she was stupefied by the question and grinned. To be exact, the Evil Spirit Demon grinned.


    ¡°It¡¯s always the most entertaining to watch weaklings fight.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah, yes.¡±


    I answered awkwardly and peeked around. Come to think of it, I remembered that people treated her carefully even though she was only a normaldy on the surface. I guess her identity wasn¡¯t a big secret. If they knew of her true identity, it was only natural for them to exercise caution with her. Wasn¡¯t she a level 12 Evil Spirit Demon, a powerful figure on the level of a master?


    After remaining quiet all this time, Aresughed.


    <strong>A little weakling from the Demon Realm is pretending to be a lion among the weak.</strong>


    Genie contributed as well.


    <strong>It¡¯s a leashed animal as well. But it¡¯s interesting how a creature from the Demon Realm is being put to use like that. I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s possible in such a low-ss civilization.</strong>


    I finished cleaning up my dishes and utensils andmunicated my thoughts to Genie.


    <i>¡®It seems that the Great Wizard caught it personally. It¡¯s a mystery that he¡¯s only making use of the demon as a cafeteriady, but¡­ Considering the risk, he must have deemed it necessary.¡¯</i>


    But unfortunately, the Great<strong> </strong>Wizard<strong> </strong>died today. If he had put some measures in ce, the demon would not be able to escape or take any action, but with the strongest figure of Earth disappearing, it was obvious that the entirety of Another ne would sway with power struggle.


    <i>Chuaaaa-</i>


    As I left the cafeteria, I could see the surface of a calm pond. In fact, it was the very sight I saw before I came <strong>outside.</strong>


    ¡°I never expected to join a group that uses Gyeonghoeru Pavilion as a restaurant.¡±


    Gyeonghoeru Pavilion. It was a structure located within Gyeongbokgung Pce which was used to hold banquets during the Joseon Dynasty. It was proudly listed as National Treasure No. 224.


    The body of water next to the pavilion, the Gyeonghoeru Pond, was said to originate from an underground source. It flowed from the northern Hyangwonji falls through the mouth of a dragon installed in the eastern Jian[2] as a waterfall.


    <i>¡®It was the case with the building that was modified to have 5 floors, but¡­ this ce is also different from the surface world.¡¯</i>


    I shifted my steps and peered down at the pond. I could see carps with golden scales swimming leisurely in the crystal-clear water. But that wasn¡¯t everything.


    <i>¡®This is truly¡­ Is this truly an inferior civilization?¡¯</i>


    <strong>Is there something wrong, captain?</strong>


    <i>¡®No, not particrly.¡¯</i>


    Iughed as I observed the deepest depth of the pond.


    <strong>Great Wizard Zenon</strong>


    <strong>Level 15</strong>


    <strong>White Imoogi[3]</strong>


    1. ancient Korean


    2. It seems to be referring to the geographic structure of a waterfall, the rocky part of it.


    3. An imoogi is a creature of legends that resembles a gigantic serpent. In folklore, imoogis are creatures that aspire to be full-fledged dragons through various means. Basically they are ¨C Pikachu -> Raichu. Imoogi -> dragon.

 Vol 2. 4: A Transcendent at the Minimum? (4)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 4: A Transcendent at the Minimum? (4)</h4>


    Great Wizard Zenon


    Level 15


    White Imoogi


    It might seem to be a day and a dor short, but my ability to see titles had undergone an evolution since experiencing the Divine Spirit. It wasn''t a bad thing. If I had to choose, it was a change simr to a renewal or update. One of the biggest changes among that was the Level system.


    ''Imoogi, huh... It''s the strongest being among those I have ever seen on Earth. Since I haven''t personally seen this man, this Great Wizard is presumed to be a transcendent (Level 20).''


    Generally, humans were Level 1. Seeing the fact that humans across all age groups¡ªfrom young children to sturdy adult men¡ªwere Level 1, it seemed that a single level had a wide range. In terms of fighting ability, the martial artists who appear on TV were Level 2. Then, in other areas, the university professors who won a Nobel Prize were either Level 2 or Level 3.


    ''In other words, this means that the limit of an average human being is Level 3.''


    In particr, an existence that surpassed Level 2 in terms of fighting ability could not be found due to the limitations of the human body. Although very few of the predatory beasts that appear in documentaries, such as bears or tigers, were sometimes Level 3, that only applied for non-human species.


    ''But, the courtdies standing on every floor of Gangnyeongjeon[1] were at Level 3.''


    The cause of that was whether or not they learned superpowers. To put it in another way, it also meant that it was possible for a user to transcend the limitations of humans by honing his or her superpower.


    Also, for reference, there was another change aside from the addition of Levels.


    Name: Kwan Dae-ha


    ss: None


    Title: Disaster of Mankind Level 1


    Strength: 100 Stamina: 100 Health: 100 Agility: 100


    Mana: 100 Magical Power: 100 Magic Resistance: 100


    Regeneration: 100 Mana Regeneration: 100 Luck: 100


    Condition: Normal


    I have had the Stat Window ever since I was a kid, which was why I had gone to such lengths to equip the stat-increasing title, Fly Hunter, on the regr. However, unlike when it was on Earth, the stats were outstanding as a whole. The stats, which were only 10 points at most and nothing more than 30, were all set at 100 points. It was as if they had been purposely adjusted.


    Although 100 points seemed to be a small number, this figure was already close to the limits of humans. It would give its owner a monster-like body that could easily lift a 80-kilogram bag of rice with one hand, and bench press 300 kilograms without much difficulty. What''s more¡­


    "Book." p p p-! A book appeared in front of my eyes and flipped open by itself. Then, there was a change in the Stat Window.


    Name: Kwan Dae-ha


    ss: None


    Title: Disaster of Mankind Level 1


    Strength: 100 Stamina: 100 Health: 100 Agility: 100


    Mana: 100(+600) Magical Power: 100(+600) Magic Resistance: 100(+600)


    Regeneration: 100 Mana Regeneration: 100(+600) Luck: 100


    Condition: Normal


    Additional stats had appeared in the Stat Window. The source of it was very obvious.


    ''Napoleon.'' I recalled the impressively-caped figure of the gigantic Gigas, which was blown off along with an explosion. Although he was dead, his heart¡ªthe Iron Heart¡ªwas imbued in me. It granted me an enormous adjustment to the stats that were rted to Mana.


    Of course, it did not make sense. The Iron Heart was not some sort of Neidan[2] and it wasn''t possible for a lifeform to absorb it. It was basically akin to a nonsensical concept, like believing how a human can run as fast as a car upon drinking petroleum. However, ordinary constraints were irrelevant when it came to me, the biological child of the Machine God, Dekarma.


    ''Genie, do you know anything about Imoogi?''


    You''re referring to the practitioners. Even among them, Imoogis are divided into two types.


    ''Two types?''


    As I expressed doubt at Genie''s words, Ares was the one who replied, Ahhhhh, those are pretty well-known. The Amassing of Merit and the Gateway.


    The principle known as Amassing of Merit referred to the process of training. The process varied but millennial meritorious achievements weremon. However, if one were to finish the whole process andplete the Spiritual Body, they would be able to throw away the cast of a mortal being, and step foot into the realm of transcendence.


    On the other hand, the Gateway referred to beings who were reborn as a transcendental species, or an existence beyond that. This took ce upon thepletion of special conditions or trials via the tests presented by the Elohim, or to be more exact, the Saint Realm.


    ''Which one is harder?''


    Of course, they''re both equally as hard. That''s initially how it is when ites to the realm of transcendence. Among the pilots who had controlled me before, there were those who went through the Amassing of Merit and those who went through the Gateway, but they all said that both were arduous.


    The Amassing of Merit, or simply the Great Service of umting and building a foundation as a transcendent with one''s soul for a thousand years, was hard to achieve even if one had an indomitable will. A thousand years was by no means a short time, even if one were to live their life while frolicking around. Thus, how could someone train with all their might for a thousand years? It was a process that would unsurprisingly drive one to go out of their mind.


    Moreover, the Amassing of Merit''s process was not only a matter of pain and boredom. Small trials were given once a year, difficult trials were given once a decade, and hard trials that were great enough to topple the contributions were given once a century. Hence, it resulted in a sessive series of people failing or giving up during the process.


    It was a trial that was given by none other than the worlds the partaker belonged to, and it was mainly done with the purpose of interfering with the Amassing of Merit. The methods varied greatly from the inner demons and suspicions that stem from one''s mind, concerns of the training itself, to the constraints or cataclysm of fate, or the sudden appearance of enemies.


    In particr, the trials given once a millennium were so vicious and atrocious that it was renowned for breaking down the practitioners who had almost achieved the feat of countless millennia of meritorious achievements.


    That was the reason why the Imoogis, who were about to ascend to heaven after building up merits over a thousand years with their utmost efforts, would scream, "My millennial meritorious achievements-!!!" This was especially true when they were attacked by an enemy they would have usually looked down on, because such a situation caused them to relinquish their Neidan.


    The method is a little different for the Gateway. If Amassing of Merit was a fight against your own self, the Gateway was a process ofpetition.


    To get to the Gateway, one would have topete with all the practitioners who walked the same path in the Great Universe. Unlike Amassing of Merit which unconditionally took up a tremendous amount of time, the Gateway could be reached within a year if there was luck (of course, there were virtually no such cases). However, it was only possible if he or she could ovee all the other outstandingpetitors.


    To speak in Earth''s terms, the Amassing of Merit was akin to the process of going through elementary, middle, and high school, all the way up to enrolling in college, grad school and achieving a doctorate on the condition that ''if you were to doze off in ss, bete for ss, or get below-average scores, you would have to start all over again''... On the other hand, the difficulty of the Gateway was basically simr to getting first ce in the world for the CSAT examinations [3]. If they can''t do it, they would have to keep trying until they could.


    ''That''s brutal.'' I looked down at the white Imoogi who was quietly asleep with pitiful eyes. From my point of view, it would be good to just live in the same world, so I wondered why they would go through such hardships... However, no one in the world had the right tough at someone struggling for their dreams.


    By the way, why are you suddenly asking about the Imoogi, Captain-nim?


    ''I just suddenly thought that the level of Earth''s spirituality was too high.''


    As I turned around and walked back towards Gyeonghoeru Pond [4], Genie replied to my murmuring, I am in agreement with you. The more I look around, the more unusual this ce is. Hmmm.


    Genie had a look that seemed to show that she was pondering for a moment. Even though she was just a program, she really felt like a human at times like these.


    If it''s really weighing on your mind, would you like to request for information from the Empire? Earth-34 is designated as a Special Tourist Zone, so some parts have been opened up to the public. However, they did not disclose the information to the Union, so the information I have is...


    ''Ahhh it''s fine. There''s no need to contact them for this.'' Right at the moment of my light expression of intending to refuse Genie''s idea¡­


    -Awooooooo!


    I was standing at the entrance of Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, and I could hear a loud howl of wolves. Of course, it was not really a cry of an animal. As a clear demonic energy was transmitted, it was obvious that it was a demon tribe that was howling out there.


    "Ermm, noona," I called out to one of the courtdies who were located at almost every door. A beautiful woman that exuded a graceful impression, with her hair nicely tied up with a binyeo[5] turned her head towards me. "What''s that noise?"


    "It''s safe in the pce, so please don''t be anxious."


    "No, I''m not saying I''m anxious."


    "It''s safe inside the pce."


    I clicked my tongue at the sight of the courtdy who firmly kept her mouth shut. In most cases, they treated people kindly with a face full of smiles. However, it was frustrating to see them always unbending and stiff, probably due to the education they have received.


    ''Genie.''


    Please wait a moment, Captain-nim. Three, two, one. Moving to Another nepleted. Attempt to film is...sessful. I will put the source of the noise on the disy.


    Giiiyingggg. Udjat, the sses-shaped Magic Armament that I was wearing, lightly vibrated. I was fascinated, and asked, ''You were just on the surface world, but did you just cross over to the parallel world?''


    That''s right, Captain-nim.


    ''It''s faster than I thought.''


    That is because the Albatross ship is equipped with Astral Drive.


    I nodded at the confident voice. Then again, Astral Drive was a function that sent the ship itself to a different dimension, so it was nothing strange. The parallel world wasn''t an individual dimension with some sort of lock on it.


    Beep. The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts[6], which was in ruins, was reflected on one side of my sight. It was as if it had finished the process as we were conversing. ''It''s right in front, huh.''


    It''s about 600 meters away.


    On the screen shown by Genie, a wolf made of shadows stood there. It was a wolf in name only, and it was a lot bigger than an ordinary tiger.


    Level 5


    Hungry Shadow Wolf


    I clicked my tongue at the seemingly insincere name. It didn''t even look very strong, and was at a level simr to the bandage bastard from before. Of course, this was just a subjective sentiment. It was a dangerous monster even at that level. If it showed up in the surface world, and someone tried to capture it with modern weapons, it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that there would be hundreds of casualties. Weapons like pistols wouldn''t work, and rifles would barely be able to prate its hide.


    It''s a shadow wolf. It''s the lowest-tier demon.


    ''It looks weak.''


    Of course, that might be the case for you, Captain-nim. However, don''t look down on it too much. The demon tribe is a very dangerous race. Even the weakest demons could easily bite and kill a well-equipped ability user.


    But then again, was there any need to further exin seeing that a Level 5 beast was the lowest-tier demon even among the low-rank beings? However, the problem was that the opponent facing the shadow wolf could not even be put on the same realm.


    Great Wizard Zenon


    Level 16


    Giant Soul Soldier Sejong


    Great Wizard Zenon


    Level 16


    Giant Soul Soldier Sun-shin


    The shadow wolf repeatedly let out a threatening howl, but it did not dare to charge forth. This was because the eyes of the two statues in front of Gyeongbokgung Pce[7], to be exact, in front of Gwanghwamun[8] were shining.


    Ares, who had been quiet for a while, spoke as if he was surprised, That''s pretty good stuff though?


    "Caenggg!" The two statues were just standing in ce, but the shadow wolf was scared stiff and ran away. It was expected, since they were on apletely different ss.


    This is...a golem purely created by magical technology. It''s an incredible standard.


    All kinds of information on the two statues began to be transmitted to one side of my vision. The observation equipment of the Albatross ship began to operate.


    ''How good is it?''


    I asked just to confirm, and Genie replied ordingly, I don''t know the detailed information, but with this level of output and function... It''s the work of a transcendent. Only a Great Wizard can make such a masterpiece.


    Ares also added, This is not something possible just by being a Great Wizard. This technological skill is at a level that can create a Gigas if there is an Iron Heart... Even in the fields of technological engineering, this is only possible if there is a high level of skills. This isn''t just a hobby; this is impossible unless it is backed up by fairlyborious research.


    It is a fact that a Level 16 golem was an object not easily seen even in the Leonhardt Empire. This meant that the golem was not made just to kill time, but an object that was made quite seriously.


    ''But I don''t get the reason behind it. I know that there was a Great Wizard on Earth, but aren''t they being too diligent?'' I was speechless because there were the words Great Wizard Zenon attached and affiliated with everything, as if it was the name of some kind of manufacturingpany. Moreover, he was not from Korea, and was not affiliated with Korea. There weren''t even any signs of him having a particr preference for Korea.


    Judging from the vibe, these objects or lifeforms seemed to be scattered all over Earth. Even if it was a Great Wizard, it would take a lot of time, effort, and resources toe up with this level of environment and end product.


    ''For what reason?'' I couldn''t understand. He would be an existence that was no different from a God in such an inferior civilization, so why did he bother to carry out this much ''preparation''? I don''t think there would be an ''enemy'' on Earth that could threaten him. As I was lost in thought, I realized that something had changed.


    1. (Korean: ???; Hanja: ¿µŒŽµî), also called Gangnyeongjeon Hall, is a building used as the king''s main residing quarters.


    2. Neidan, or Internal Alchemy, is an array of esoteric doctrines and physical, mental, and spiritual practices that Taoist initiates use to prolong life and create an immortal spiritual body that would survive after death. It is basically a culmination of cultivation that can be used to strengthen oneself.


    3. CSAT is designed for testing candidates'' ability to study in colleges, with questions based on the high school curriculum of Korea. It normalizes high school education, and provides urate and objective material for college admission.


    4. It is a pond in Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, which is a hall used to hold important and special state banquets during the Joseon Dynasty.


    5. This refers to a Korean traditional ornamental hairpin.


    6. It is thergest arts and culturalplex in Seoul, South Korea.


    7. It is the main royal pce of the Joseon dynasty.


    8. It is the main andrgest gate of Gyeongbokgung Pce.

 Vol 2. 5: A Transcendent at the Minimum? (5)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 5: A Transcendent at the Minimum? (5)</h4>


    Realizing that something had changed, I turned and looked back. "...What the?" The courtdy who stood at the entrance to Gyeonghoeru Pavilion disappeared. The location did not change; the walls covered with roof tiles, and floors made up of rough and untidy stones were all still the same. <i>''But it''s different.''</i>


    That''s right. It looked the same, but it was definitely different. This parallel world existed in a different dimension from the surface world I originally lived in, but this <strong>location</strong> was different from that in the parallel world. The space itself was as unstable and faint as a bubble.


    <strong>Captain-nim. I can''t observe Captain-nim right now.</strong>


    <i>''What are you talking about all of a sudden?''</i>


    <strong>Tremors in the dimension detected! It''s dangerous! Captain-nim, you''ve been forced to move right now, so immediately...</strong>


    <i>Thudd! </i>However, I could feel something hot prating through my chest even before I could hear Genie finish her words. Then, my body shed and floated into the air without any chance of resistance.


    "Tch tch, what a stupid expression."


    "That''s enough. That was too out of ce."


    "Yes guys..."


    I frowned at the surging pain and turned to look at the two men who were smiling. Obviously, I knew who they were. It had not even been 30 minutes since we went our separate ways.


    "I know right."


    In an instant, my body was pushed back along with a burning pain.


    "You should have cut a finger."


    I let out a forcedugh at the sight of the bandage bastard who appeared from below me. Now that I looked at it, it was a part of the bandages wrapped around his body that pierced through my chest and lifted me up in the air. The piece of cloth, seemingly loose and wavy at first nce, hardened like steel and prated my body.


    "Let''s pull this out first." He searched my upper body and snatched away the tiger-shaped jade pendant. It was some sort of Summoning Stone that Kyung-eun handed over to me. "Mdy is really naive too. We''re the ones who know the conditions to invoke the Summoning Stone better than anyone else."


    "To be honest, it''s a dangerous...and stupid...and insane...thing to do, but we can''t help it. It''s a time of upheaval anyway. At a time like this, this guy can''t meddle with us recklessly. Even more so because of this kind ofmoner."


    The evaluation for the gangster trio was raised to another level in my mind. Of course, though Kyung-eun warned them, I didn''t think they would put up with it. They seemed to have the human nature to retaliate at all costs. However, I did not expect them to attack me in an ambush so quickly, since I was known as a non-ability user.


    <strong>Emergency! Emergency situation! With the authority of a control persona, I dere a first-degree emergency situation! Albatross ship, descending!</strong><strong><i> ''Golden Knight Order''</i></strong><strong>, all troops to sortie!</strong><i><strong> ''Golden Lion Unit''</strong></i><strong>, all troops to sortie! </strong><i><strong>''R7'' </strong></i><strong>Flight Squadron, all units to sortie! </strong>Along with a loud warning sound, Genie''s crisis cry rang in my head. But, of course, the gangster trio did not hear it. My voice also did not reach her, perhaps due to the distinct characteristics of this space.


    <i>''What an uproar.''</i> The Sky-Giant Armoured Brigade and the Steel Cross Flying Brigade, the main forces of Albatross, were no longer around. That was because I was bestowed with a battleship, but I did not employ any of its members. I wanted to settle down in my hometown without any other purposes, so I did not have any intention of wasting the time and life of others. Instead, I was provided with unmanned weapons by the Leonhardt Empire to protect the Albatross ship. Those were thetest and most advancedbat weapons built with the essence of all the technological skills of the Leonhardt Empire and belonged to the Pce Knight Order that existed to protect the Emperor. <i>''That was literally a waste of money... but...''</i>


    The problem was the firepower they possessed. Each of the ten units of the Golden Knight Order had the same fighting prowess as a Human-rank Gigas, and each of the 50 units of the Golden Lion Unit had the same fighting prowess as a Beast-rank Gigas. Lastly, even though the 100 units of the R7 Flight Squadron possessed energy no more than a Tool-rank Gigas, they had cutting-edge weapons as well as bombers to prepare for all kinds of special warfare.


    It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that if Genie''s <i>''interpretation'' </i>of the first-degree emergency situation was severe, the native aboriginals of the changed region (from the perspective of the Leonhardt Empire) may have literally turned into ash within an hour.


    <i>Would you look at that? Are theyughing? Zzzzapppp! </i>As I was thinking about that, my right cheek was burning hot. The fools, who had no idea what they had just done a moment ago, were looking at me with revolting eyes.


    The bandage bastard said, "I really hate people like you, whock a sense of reality. Do you think we''re kidding? Aftering over to a mysterious world that you have no idea about, do you think this is some sort of movie set and you are the main character? No way! You''re just a fool who enjoyed peace without any qualifications, and you''re living under our protection! Got it?!" It was a gaze of irritation and hostility without any basis. The stick and chunk of mass behind him was also looking at me with a simr look. "Damn it! You bloody dictator bastard! Why do we have to live in hiding when we have this power?"


    "...That''s enough. You talk too much."


    "Hmph! Are you afraid of an old man who is already dead? Look at this bastard''s eyes! You really don''t realize the situation you''re in, huh?"


    <i>Kwakkkkk! </i>"Ughhh!" I could feel the bandage that prated my chest moving violently, and breaking my rib bones. I had gone to space and was tortured by the demi-humans, so this wasn''t a pain that I could not put up with. However, the problem was that, unlike the demi-humans, this guy was causing me pain regardless of whether I died or not. "Hahh." I scoffed as I found it preposterous.


    The bandage bastard''s spirit became more fierce at that sight. "Hahh? Hahhhhhh? This little bastard, you''reughing again?"


    I took a deep breath at the sight of the guy who moved the bandage and dragged my body. <i>''There''s no need to be angry.'' </i>It seemed to be the worst, but it would all be solved eventually. As long as they did not hit me in the neck, and kill me immediately, I would eventually be released. I could then exact my revenge on them.


    No, rather, I had to worry about something else. It was true that Earth-34 had established some sort of diplomatic ties with the Leonhardt Empire, but that was something that was only known to the top leaders, including the Great Wizards. In fact, even Bo-ram and Dong-min, who were considered fairly powerful ability users, had no knowledge about the extraterrestrial beings. Hence, it was safe to say that almost all beings did not know of the extraterrestrial beings'' existence. How would they react when they see the Albatross ship that started its descent? Jokes aside, they would think that it was an alien invasion.


    <i>''I have to put up with it...''</i>


    At the sight of me trying to somehow get my breath together, the bandage bastard said, "Now that the world has changed, I needed a sacrifice to show the world that it was now different from what it had been, so things turned out well."


    "But then again, as long as the old man Zenon died, there wouldn''t be as much control and order till now. Even the guardians would be deactivated. They were first contracted to the old man Zenon, weren''t they?!"


    "That''s right! Everything changes now! This is our world! Hah! Kyung-eun that bitch! She was born with a golden spoon in her mouth, and she was being cheeky because she thought she would be set for life! Wait and see. I will..."


    <i>¡®There is no need to be angry.¡¯ </i>I tried my best to pull myself together. That''s right, there was no need to be angry. It was a problem that would be resolved. In the first ce, it was impossible to stop the Albatross ship with their strength, so she would eventually find this ce. This ce was some sort of individual dimension, so it would be hard to spy on it secretly. However, breaking the individual dimension, anding in, was a simple task for a Gigas that possessed an Iron Heart. So, there was no need to be angry¡­


    <i>Rattle. </i>However, at that moment¡­ <i>Rattle! </i>The door started to tremor.


    "...What the?"


    "Hooooo~ Do you finally realize the situation right now? Now... huh?" The bandage bastard, who was so excited, stopped as he was bbering on. His head slowly looked down, and a hole the size of his head entered his sight as his chest was pierced right through.


    Before I knew it, there was a ck gun in my hand. Shadow Stalker revealed a ck body with a fine luster.


    "You... ugh. That watch... huh? Gun? Did I get shot by a...gun?" As his voice of disbelief leaked out, the two bastards who finally understood the situation let out a groan.


    "Wha-What the hell?! Hyun-jin! Are you alright?"


    "...What is this?"


    <i>Srrr. </i>The bandage that was rooted in my chest was pushed out of my body. I stopped the bleeding chest with my palm and whispered, "Book."


    <i>p p-! </i>A book appeared in front of my eyes and flipped open by itself. There weren''t any letters on the cover, so even the title was unknown. However, the flipped opened page had the subheading <strong>Napoleon. </strong>I recited one of the three sentences that was written in the book. "."


    <i>Wooooom! </i>In an instant, a protective shield rose around my body and the wound in my chest began to heal at a terrifying pace. However, it was toote.


    <i>Rattle rattle!</i>


    "Nooo!"


    <i>Rattle rattle rattle!</i>


    "This crazy fu-..."


    A tremendous amount of power surged forth from the depths of my heart. However, it was definitely not a good thing. No, rather, it was something that should never have happened. I concentrated my mind. I struggled to pull myself together and calm down. However, it was all for naught. My petty ego melted like sugar cubes in front of the Divine Spirit that was raging like a tidal wave.


    "This..."


    Then, an anger akin to an active volcano was brewing in me. <strong>YOU INSECTS! </strong>The Divine Spirit burst forth.


    <i>Shiinngggg! </i>Everything within a radius of hundreds of meters, centering around my body, turned into dust and dispersed around. There wasn''t a single trace of the gangster trio to be found. Their existence and their souls were decimated by the huge st of the raging Divine Spirit.


    <i>''Noooo!'' </i>I screamed. However, it was useless. I had already lost control of my body. <i>''What happened?! Why did the Divine Spirit I left with Ra appear here? It''s even gotten worse?! No, perhaps not? Should I say it''s be better?''</i>


    In the past, when I was drunk on the Divine Spirit, I was not even aware that I had changed myself. Imitted all sorts of huge incidents, just like someone who thought they were normal after being drunk. I did crazy things I would usually never do. However, now that my ego was isted from my body, I was looking at the outside situation from the inside. At the very least, an environment had been set up for me to realize that I was not in a normal state.


    "Pheww." <i>''I''</i>pletely regained back the Divine Spirit, and I looked around with cold eyes. Gyeongbokgung Pce had been destroyed, but it was not really destroyed in the parallel world. This was a kind of individual dimension. It was a bubble-like ce that was modelled after reality.


    <i>''...Wait a minute. No! Hey! Stop!'' </i>In an instant, I noticed what the current <i>''me''</i><i><strong> </strong></i>was thinking of doing and screamed wildly. This crazy bastard. <i>''What do you mean cleaning up again!! Please stop the massacre!!''</i>


    In the past, there was a precedent. I was drunk on the Divine Spirit and I annihted the entire Howard''s Duchy, who conspired to kill me. The Howard''s Duchy had countless battleships, Gigas, as well as the Duke who had reached the realm of transcendence, but no one was able to stop me.


    As a result, Duke Howard as well as more than 10 million members of the Duke Household died. Like a farmer spraying pesticide over a field, I destroyed everyone who was hostile to me. Needless to say...the forces of Earth-34, which did not even have a single transcendent, was not able to stop me. As if it was a matter of course, my stats now were...


    Name: ????


    ss: ????


    Title: ???? Level ??


    Strength: 100 Stamina: 100 Health: 100 Agility: 100


    Mana: 1054 Magical Power: 900 Magic Resistance: 1025


    Regeneration: 100 Mana Regeneration: 1050 Luck: 900


    Condition: ??, ????, ???, ???, ????


    <i>''Crazy, what kind of stat...! Wasn''t 999 the max?!'' </i>I couldn''t help but let out a groan. All the stats rted to Mana were elevated to a crazy level. It was no wonder that Howard''s Duchy, which was considered one of the pirs of the Leonhardt Empire, was annihted. This was literally a transcendent power that was no different from a God''s! However, unlike me¡­


    "Hmm? What''s this? Why..." <i>''I''</i>, who took over my body, gave apletely different reaction. "Why is there a seal on the Divine Spirit... Moreover, the power of All-knowing is also gone."


    I could feel that he was flustered. It seemed that the stats that I was astonished by was not hisplete condition. However, that truth did not provide even a speck of constion. It was because<i> ''I'' </i>continued to speak, as if he did not find this a problem, "I''m going to have to summon it in."


    <i>''What did you say?'' </i>I was taken aback and focused my mind, but <i>''I''</i> looked up as if he couldn''t hear my thoughts. "Ra, Imand you now." However, at the moment themand was about to be invoked¡­


    "Wait! Wait a minute!" The only being on Earth who could stop the current me revealed herself.

 Vol 2. 6: A Transcendent at the Minimum? (6)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 6: A Transcendent at the Minimum? (6)</h4>


    "Wait! Wait a minute!" The only being on Earth, who could stop the current me, revealed herself. "Ahhh, as expected, this is how it turned out!"


    It was a little girl who appeared. In terms of age, I estimated her to be a middle school student. She was pretty, and had a cute appearance like Bo-ram. However, she gave off apletely different vibe. While she was bright and cute enough for anyone to have a favorable impression towards her, she also gave off a contradictory sense of being mature. There was also a giddiness that was indescribable.


    As soon as Iid eyes on her, I knew who she was. As if he also knew who she was,<i> ''I'' </i>spoke in a calm voice, "It''s the Primordial God, huh."


    "You stay quiet. Ah, what should I do with this? This is a total mess... No, what crime did I do to deserve this? To have two Innate Gods born in my star..."


    <i>''Two?'' </i>Regardless of my opinion, the Primordial God stared at<i> ''me'' </i>with an irritated expression. Her expression was akin to a civil servant who received a civilint, and had no choice but to handle it despite its troublesome nature.


    <i>''That''s a relief.'' </i>I felt a sense of relief at the sight of that. I have said it many times, but <i>''I''</i>, drunk on the Divine Spirit, was not exactly a wicked existence. He was someone who had slight symptoms of mysophobia and a violent temperament, but was still a rather virtuous and wise existence.


    However, a virtuous man did not need to show mercy to bugs that stuck close to his body. If a bee did not fly away after being swatted away by an arm, and he simply allowed it to remain there, then the man was not virtuous but crazy.


    Likewise, <i>''I''</i>,<i> </i>intoxicated with the Divine Spirit, did not intend to leave the insignificant beings who have harmed me. In addition, these insects did not have the thought of running away, and might even continue to charge at me. Why would <i>''I''</i> leave them alone when it was possible to eradicate them with minimal effort? Ultimately, the hierarchy was the problem. As<i> ''I'' </i>was drunk on the Divine Spirit, I did not regard humans as equals.


    <i>''But if it''s the Primordial God... They were the only existence that was ''my'' equal on Earth. No, they were beings greater than I.'' </i>


    The Primordial God wasmonly referred to as the most<i> mon''</i> Untouchable in the Great Universe. However... Just because they weremon did not mean that they were weak. No, rather, Primordial Gods could be regarded as a very strong existence among the Untouchable (High-rank transcendent). They were judged as beings who possessed the power of an intermediate-rank transcendent, and were not specialized inbat. However, that was just a matter of perspective. Aside from possessing the rank of a Creation God, Primordial Gods also possessed almost all the authority as a <strong>God</strong>. They were considered one of the beings in the vast Great Universe that had the most power in their hands.


    "Ahh... This is the Technological Civilization... No. Wouldn''t this be interpreted as an external force? No, no, since it''s a possibility that originally existed..." The young girl scratched her head while mumbling with an irritated expression. Then, as she did that, she turned her head around and stared at <i>''me''</i> in a quick motion. <i>Piiing! </i>In an instant, a strand of her hair floated up like a stiff antennae. "Hiiiiyaaappp! Mission Radar!"


    <i>Beep beep beep! </i>The hair that stood up vibrated, then waves too ambiguous to describe spread from it. The interval between the waves became shorter and shorter over time. The moment the interval converged to zero¡­ <i>Diiing! </i>The vibration stopped, along with a ring that sounded like some sort of microwave rm.


    "Ukkkk! For this to be a True Fate!" The Primordial God slumped down with a desperate look on her face. It was as if she had witnessed the heavens copsing.


    Standing in front of it, all <i>''I''</i> did was stare down at the scene that unfolded before my eyes. At that moment, <i>''I''</i> had a sh of thought. <i>''What?'' </i>I only sank inside the depths of my mind for a while, but I still shared a consciousness with him. Therefore, I knew what <i>''I''</i> was thinking. No, not exactly. Actually, I did not know what he was thinking¡­ <i>''My'' </i>thoughts had been conveyed to my head, but I did not understand it.


    <i>''Hey. N-No way, right? It''s just my imagination, right? This is some sort of confusion, isn''t it?'' </i>I shouted, hoping he could hear me, <i>''Stop it! Cut it off! You crazy bastard!''</i>


    However, as if it didn''t matter what I was yelling, a voice resounded, "You." <i>''I''</i>, the bastard said, "Give birth to my child."


    ¡°... ...¡± A dreadful silence spread in all directions. The Primordial God, the young girl who appeared as a middle school student, had a sulky expression on her face.


    <i>''I''</i> continued to say, "Ah, is it too fast?"


    <i>''The speed isn''t the problem. It''s the direction, you crazy bastard!'' </i>I was so dumbfounded that I became speechless. I concentrated on my mind with all my might. Whatever this guy was attempting to do was horrendous, but in a different way frommitting a massacre. However, <i>''I''</i> soon nodded and continued speaking, as if my opinion did not matter. "Then let''s get married first."


    <i>''I need to regain control over my body!'' </i>I clenched my teeth and concentrated my mind. However, it was useless. It felt totally different from what it had previously been when I was drunk on the Divine Spirit. This bastard waspletely acting as he pleased!


    The Primordial God, who was watching that sight of me quietly, shook her head with an irritated look. "I''m sorry to say, but I have a man that I yearn for."


    "Are you referring to my foster father¡­? I agree that he is an excellent man, but even so, he is only human. For supreme beings like us, we should definitely meet someone who fits our status." The arrogant voice seemed to break allmon sense, opening the skull to directly escape from the brain.


    <i> ''No, what is this immoral bastard saying right now? Is he crazy?'' </i>In the moment as I was freaking out...


    "I''m sorry, but..." The Primordial Godughed. "I hate baby brats like you who can''t distinguish between heaven and earth."


    "..." <i>''I''</i> was looking at the Primordial God in a calm manner. At first nce, it looked as if <i>''I''</i> was indifferent about it, but... I knew because I could sense his heart. I could feel it.


    "Uhh, hmmm. It seems like you don''t understand." <i>''I''</i> tried to act calm andposed, but I could feel shock and despair raging within me. It was apanied by the sharp sound of a ss window breaking in my head. My lips trembled, while my heart ached to the point of suffering a heartburn.


    "What do you not understand? I don''t like baby brats like you."


    "...Ugh. That''s, ugh..." <i>''I''</i> mumbled and stuttered. It was neither the attack nor great power of the Primordial God that hurt <i>''me''</i>, who was an Intermediate-rank God ssified as an Emperor-ss. That was just...the pain of the first heartbreak.


    Before I knew it, I realized that I had regained control over my own body.


    "..." The Primordial God smiled with the face of a young girl. She saw me standing in a daze for a while. "Ah, our Dae-ha hase to his senses, right?"


    "What do you mean our Dae-ha..."


    "Hehe! You''re Mr. Il-han''s son, aren''t you!"


    "Mr. Il-han..." I sighed at the sight of the attitude she was showing, which waspletely different from before. A child, who seemed to only be a middle school kid, was treating me like her boyfriend''s son. I found that reality deplorable, but I could only say that in my mind.


    "It''s a great pleasure to meet you. I''m Kwan Dae-ha." I bowed my head. I had no intention to be arrogant. Disregarding the fact that she had a fling with my father, she was a God who came into existence from the moment the civilization of Earth-34 was born. She had protected humanity for tens of millions of years. "And thank you."


    "Hmm? For what?"


    "For stopping me from going on a rampage,¡± I spoke seriously. It wasn''t a joke that the massacre that happened in the Leonhardt Empire almost repeated again. I made a hundred concessions and made an excuse that it was just to clean up the forces of the Howard''s Duchy, which were likely to be strong enemies in the future. However, in Earth''s situation, that wouldn''t have been the case, would it? I literally almostmitted a pointless massacre.


    "Hmmm. That''s something you should be thankful for."


    "...Usually, aren''t you supposed to show humbleness in this situation?"


    The Primordial God shrugged at the sight of my bbergasted expression. "But it''s the truth though? To be frank, the fact that I came forward in such a manner is actually an action that was akin to a trick. You''re the Chosen One that was born in this star. Originally, regardless of whether youmitted a massacre or took advantage of an external civilization, I should have just kept watch over you. Still, I moved under the pretext that your biological father was an extraterrestrial being. Nheless, it was more of an arbitrary judgment, so it was quite a burden."


    It was a fairly unkind exnation, but I roughly knew what she was talking about. <i>''Is it a simr case with Jwa Ja?'' </i>It wasn''t a matter of power or effort that they put in. As a Primordial God, she was also a Saint and she had rules to adhere to, just like Jwa Ja. Moreover, just as Jwa Ja had turned to ruins as he recklessly distorted his mission, her current actions brought about a bad impact.


    "Thank you."


    "If you''re so thankful... Can you do me a favor?"


    "A favor?"


    Was there anything I could do to help her, who was close to an omnipotent being? She grinned and put on a viinous smile as she saw me wondering. She then said, "Call me mom."


    "...!" I froze. For an instant, the appearance of the Primordial God ovepped with the image of <i>her</i><strong>. </strong><i>''Uwahh, it''s a d¨¦j¨¤ vu.'' </i>I shook my head to get rid of the image that came to mind. Of all things, <i>she</i><strong> </strong>and the Primordial God also had the appearance of a middle school student. Bad memories shed past my mind. "That''s a little..."


    "Hmph, tchh. Didn''t you say you''re thankful?"


    "Ahh... Ermmm." For a short while, I was flooded with an immense agony. However, I eventually nodded. Normally, I would have told her to stop acting crazy, but it was true that I was greatly indebted to her. In actual fact, if it weren''t for her, I would have ughtered the humans on Earth, including those in Korea. Then, I would have lost my mind. "Uhhh, mo-, mo-... M-Mom."


    "Oh my----?!!" In an instant, the Primordial God came running and embraced me. "Alright alright! What a good boy, our Dae-ha!"


    "..." The feeling of a little girl patting my butt made me feel a strange sensation that I couldn¡¯t express in words.


    "Well, anyway." The Primordial God got rid of the yfulness from her expression and said, "You know that you''re in a dangerous condition right now, right?"


    "Yes."


    The crown of light that I conceded to Celestia. I thought it would all be over by imbuing Ra with all my Divine Spirit, and then leaving. In fact, I really did not sense the presence of the Divine Spirit until now. Yet, the earlier attack by the Three Musketeers made it possible for me to awaken a low-rank Divine Spirit just by being really angry<strong>. </strong>


    Regardless of the Low-rank, once the Divine Spirit was awakened, it was possible for <i>''me'' </i>to use the Absolute Right of Command to call over Ra, who was in the far distant universe as he was in possession of the source of my Divine Spirit.


    "There are two problems." The Primordial God drew the image of the letter ¡®V¡¯ with her right hand. "Weak mental power and a frail body."


    "..." I had nothing to say about my body, but it was a pretty unfair assessment as I was proud of my steel-like mentality. Then again, the words of an existence with the name of God was probably true.


    "The present you is no different from a balloon full of air. It''ll pop if you poke it with a needle."


    "What do you mean I will pop?"


    "I''m saying that the Divine Spirit will explode. Look at the current situation. It wasn''t as if your parents or siblings were being tortured in front of you, and it wasn''t as if you were betrayed by someone you believed in, nor was your life in danger. You exploded right after being triggered once."


    "..." I was ambushed and it was the kind aimed to take my life, but that did not mean that I was really in danger.


    Hawa, the Untouchable who imed to be the daughter of my biological father, the Machine God Dekarma, promised me that <i>''at the very least, I''ll protect your life from any danger whatsoever.''</i> The promise of a High-rank transcendent was not just a in promise, but an irond rule that must be kept. Hence, unless there was a transcendental existence that could prate her defense, my safety was basically guaranteed.


    That was not all. I had Napoleon''s Ability. Although I could not confirm it, the title <strong>Disaster of Mankind </strong>had a resurrection effect. Hence, it was impossible to instantly kill me with any sort of ambush or trap. Well, the worst thing that could happen was being kidnapped or sealed without dying... However, if that happened, my battleship, Albatross, and the troops under it would not stay still. When the Three Musketeers actually kidnapped me, didn''t the control persona of the Albatross ship, Genie, send in all its avable troops?


    <i>''But even so, I couldn''t put up with it.'' </i>I was angry. I was disgraced, as if I went through a tremendous humiliation. Of course, it wasn''t as if that was a mistake, but the problem was that it was very far off from my true temperament. <i>''If it was the original me, I would''ve held it in.''</i>


    It wasn''t a joke. I was originally a man who would crawl between a gangster''s leg for peace. But right now? The Three Musketeers tried to kill me because they were scumbags, but that urred because I also provoked and irritated them. My ego had already changed in nature, and it was still changing.


    "What should I do?"


    "Since there are two problems, there are also two methods out of this."


    "Body and mind?"


    "That''s right. The first method is to strengthen your body. If you train in waigong[1] or hone your physical capabilities so that your body will reach a level where it is in sync with the world, you would be able to protect yourself from the overflow of Divine Spirit."


    "...What about the second method?"


    "The second method is to train your mind. If your mind reaches a level that transcends your body, then your mind itself would be able to ovee the Divine Spirit."


    "..." I momentarily looked at her with a stupid expression on my face. I didn''t have a clue of what was going on, but I realized the fact that her words were flowing in a strange direction. "Wait. Wait a minute."


    "Hmm? Why?"


    "No, hmmm. I mean, the <i>''level'' </i>you just said, roughly to what extent are you referring to?"


    "What kind of question is that? Tsk, tsk.¡± She clicked her tongue and exined, "Of course, I''m talking about the realm of transcendence."


    "..."


    "You just have to reach the level of a Low-rank."


    "..."


    1. Training to benefit and strengthen the muscles and bones.

 Vol 2. 7: A Transcendent at the Minimum? (7)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 7: A Transcendent at the Minimum? (7)</h4>


    As soon as I came back to reality, Genie''s urgent voice resonated in my head, <strong>Captain-nim! Are you all right?!</strong>


    <i>''Ahh... Yeah. I''m fine. How''s the situation?''</i>


    <strong>We''re in the middle of a troop deployment after dering an emergency situation. They''re currently in the atmosphere...</strong>


    <i>''They still haven''t arrived yet?'' </i>I expressed my doubts. It was a given. I was kidnapped and taken to an alternate dimension. Then, I met the Primordial God and talked to her for a long time. It should have taken about a good 40 minutes. It wasn''t an exaggeration, but it wouldn''t be strange for the Albatross ship to have ttened Earth if that much time had passed. However, they were still in the middle of the troop deployment?


    <strong>Captain-nim, it has been 24 seconds since you were abducted, and it has only been 6 seconds since the assault started. I am guessing that you were kidnapped to a dimension with a different time axis. How much time did you feel has passed?</strong>


    <i>''It''s been a little over 30 minutes.''</i>


    However, contrary to Genie¡¯s assumption, it wasn''t that the alternate dimension I went to had a different time axis. In the first ce, it didn''t seem like the Three Musketeers had that much ability. Also, more importantly, there was no difference in the time scale since the time Genie had dered an emergency situation.


    It was a conjecture, but it was highly likely that the Primordial God manipted the time. Although time was referred to as an absolute property, it wasn''t a difficult task for her, a High-rank God, to manipte time.


    "Is there some sort of problem?"


    "No, there''s none, noona. Thank you."


    The courtdy, who was standing along the path towards Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, spoke to me. The noonas standing on each flight of stairs were quiet, as if they were mute. However, seeing that the courtdies outside the building would strike up a conversation first, it seemed that there was a hierarchy even amongst them.


    <i>''For starters, send back all the troops that were dispatched. Get the Albatross ship to go back to stealth mode too.''</i>


    <strong>It''s already been taken care of. However, can youe back to the ship for a while, Captain-nim?</strong>


    <i>''Why?'' </i>I asked. There wasn''t any difficulty in going back. The Albatross ship had a "Recall" function for its crew members, so all they had to do was return from a ce that wasn¡¯t within anyone¡¯s sight. However, once I went back to the ship, there was no way toe back out.


    In scientific technology, spatial control was a high-level skill that could only be essed after exceeding the middle phase of a Stage III Civilization. However, it was different in terms of soul energy. When the recall function was activated, the Lee Family would surely be able to detect it.


    <strong>Didn''t you leave the management system on the individual dimension for a while? You might suffer from physical and mental problems, so please return to the ship as soon as possible for a medical examination...</strong>


    <i>''Ahhh, it''s fine. I don''t need it.''</i>


    <strong>But...</strong>


    <i>''I said I''m fine.''</i>


    <strong>It''s worrying though...</strong>


    I forced a smile at Genie''s voice, which was full of heartfelt sincerity. I then went back to Gangnyeonjeon, which was the amodation I was staying at. I opened the door and nodded to the courtdy, who was standing right next to the door like a shadow. Shortly after, I went up the stairs to go to the upper floors. It was then...


    <strong>Authority of the God of War!</strong>


    <i>''Hmmm? What are you talking about, Ares? Putting that aside, for what reason have you been so quiet?'' </i>I asked curiously. Come to think of it, I have not heard a single word from Ares this entire time. Aside from when I was being ambushed, he was also silent when I met the Primordial God. Of course, it may be because the connection was disconnected as soon as I entered the individual dimension, but what Ares said next seemed to prove otherwise.


    <strong>It''s the Authority of the God of War, Dae-ha. Practice the Authority of the God of War!</strong>


    <i>''What''s that?''</i>


    <strong>It''s the most perfect path to reach the realm of transcendence!</strong>


    For some reason, I clicked my tongue at the sight of Ares being in a fit of excitement. <i>''Agh, I''m not buying. I said I''m not buying.''</i>


    <strong>It''s not like that! You punk! Even before I was born, there were wars that took ce in order to obtain the Authority of the God of War... </strong>


    I went up to the third floor while ignoring Ares, who started to preach about the glory of the past. I briefly greeted the courtdy who was still standing watch at her position. As expected, it was still the girl I ran into when I left the room earlier. <i>''How many hours do they stand watch here? It''s making me want toin to the Department of Labor instead.''</i>


    The type of job with the highest percentage in the stronghold of the Lee Family, Gyeongbokgung Pce, was the position of a courtdy. It wasn''t even a joke, since two-thirds of the personnel I had witnessed at the Lee Family were courtdies. Not only were they put in charge of the security within the pce, but they also provided all kinds of services rted to the convenience of the members of the Lee Family, as well as visitors like me. They were even in charge of cleaning, so rather than a courtdy, they were more like servant maids or an all-rounder maid.


    <i>Wiiiiingggg. ck! </i>The door that was sealed by the spell opened, and I entered the amodation that was provided to me. Considering that it was a guest amodation, it was pretty well furnished. Despite it being a private room, it boasted a size of more than 30 pyeong[1] and was furnished with almost all kinds of home appliances, including personal PCs and TVs. I could eat food at the cafeteria, but if I requested it from the courtdies, they would bring it to my room. Moreover, when I bring out theundry, they would even dry it and return it. Hence, I did not have anyints even though I met a great father and lived a well-off life. <i>''It''s more like a hotel than a guest room. Should I think of it as a hotel with a unique theme, because its structure is that of a royal pce?''</i>


    I changed into the simple clothes that were prepared in the wardrobe and jumped into bed. In the meantime, Ares kept bbering on, <strong>Therefore! That is why you have to practice the Authority of the God of War!</strong>


    <i>''Agh, okay I got it.''</i>


    <strong>Please listen to me sincerely. </strong>


    Ares put on a pretty pitiful expression, but I didn''t feel anything about it. After all, the expression wasing from a gray-haired giant that looked about 2 meters tall. Things might have been different if it was Genie who was acting that way. Anyway, I thought he would sulk if I ignored him too much, so I asked, <i>''Is that a good thing?''</i>


    <strong>Of course! It''s the Divine Skill of God that was born along with me! To be honest, even though you rode on me as you pleased, one was originally supposed to be sufficiently skilled in the Authority of the God of War to earn the qualifications of a pilot. </strong>Ares, who had a sculpture-like appearance in more ways than one, was boasting proudly. Even though Ares was not a real person, but an augmented reality reflected by the Magic Armament Udjat, he looked so natural that it felt like he was actually standing in front of me.


    I thought about it for a while, as I saw that scene unfold before my eyes. <i>''Since you said it''s a good thing, then I guess it won''t hurt to practice it.''</i> However, I asked for confirmation. That was because I suddenly had an ambiguous gut feeling about it. <i>''How do I practice it? Do I have to train it in a simtion, like how one would do with martial arts?''</i>


    <strong>It''s displeasing if youpare it to such substandard things! The Authority of the God of War has apletely different training method than those!</strong>


    <i>''What''s the different training method you''re referring to then?''</i>


    <strong>War! You will only be able to grow the power and light of the God of War through war!</strong>


    I clicked my tongue and shook my head. This was because I could guess the style of the Authority of the God of War at first nce. <i>''It''s an aggressive power, isn''t it?''</i>


    <strong>Then what? Do you expect there to be a peaceful war that exists in the world?</strong>


    "To hell with that," I couldn''t hold it in and ended up saying those words. In the first ce, why did this unfavorable situation happen? Why did the Divine Spirit, which I thought had calmed down, explode like that? Anger. That''s right. It was just a moment of anger. The moment I was sincerely angry at the human scums who tried to kidnap and kill me, whom they thought had no power, just because they were displeased with me. At that moment, my Divine Spirit exploded forth.


    Yes, it was just a moment of anger. The moment he was sincerely angry at the human end-of-life who tried to kidnap and kill someone he thought would have no power, just because he didn''t like it. <i>''His''</i> divinity exploded just then.


    I thought I had separated my Divine Spirit andpletely sealed it off, but in reality, I dealt with it in such a sloppy way. It was as if an elephant tried to weave us into wooden reeds. I obtained it easily, so I took the concept of the Divine Spirit too lightly.


    <strong>Why, why?</strong>


    I conveyed my apprehensions and Ares hesitated, perhaps because he could read the irritated expression on my face. I muttered nonchntly, and needed to be careful, because I had a tendency to carelessly talk to myself in front of others. <i>''My Divine Spirit is already unstable as it is in this situation where I had toplete the extreme Calm State of Mind. So, it would naturally be like that. Looking at the mood, it seems like it''s a power that affects the mind.''</i>


    <strong>Wh-Why are you saying like it''s definitely going to have an adverse effect? The Authority of the God of War will lead to the courage that is hidden inside the practitioner...</strong>


    <i>''That''s the adverse effect.'' </i>Since it was a soul energy that was built into the God-rank Gigas, there wouldn''t be a problem whenpared to ck magic or the wicked art. However, things wouldn''t change in this situation, even if I enhanced my belligerence. If I trained in the Authority of the God of War or whatever the heck it was called,<i> ''I''</i> might take over my body as if he had been waiting for this moment.


    I recalled the words of the Primordial God, who was the protector of mankind despite only looking like a young girl, "Be careful. Your nature and ego are bing excessively isted. At this rate, a new ego will be born."


    "That kind of thing... I''m just drunk on the Divine Spirit, so it isn''t a separate ego, right? It''s just that I can''t control it right now, but I would be aware of it over time."


    "If you had epted the Divine Spirit, then that would''ve been the case. However, not anymore. You were actuallypletely separated earlier on, weren''t you?"


    "That''s..."


    "If you go at this rate, it will eventually be a matter of time."


    I maintained an unusual state that was unprecedented even in the vast Great Universe: High-rank Divine Spirit, Status of a Low-rank God, and the quality of a mortal.


    To exin it in simpler terms, it was as if I was the sessor of a conglomerate that used tomand the world andpletely inherited its wealth (Divine Spirit). Also, since I was the sessor of a conglomerate, I had a certain stake in the position of Chairman (Status of God). The problem here was...my ownpetence (Divinity)!


    In reality, if I was amon mortal, I would have had to acquire both the Divine Spirit and the Status of God with my own capabilities. Unfortunately, I had obtained them without putting in any effort. Just like the ancient gods, I was simply born with authority and godly powers. Moreover, if I did not want to see the easily-gotten wealth turn into a disaster, I had to learn the method to control it.


    <i>Sigh. </i>I shook my head to shake off the deep sigh that I suddenly let out, but I could not shake off the gloomy mood. When I was in the universe, I thought I could live a peaceful life as soon as I returned to Earth. However, I can''t believe that that wish went down the drain as soon as I came back.


    As I sat on the bed nkly, while experiencing an aloof mood, Genie spoke, <strong>What about the producer-type if you have to train the soul energy?</strong>


    <i>''...Producer-type?''</i>


    <strong>Yes, Captain-nim. The Kendler tribe''s method of training is expected to be the safest, most peaceful, and the best suited for your aptitude. </strong>


    <i>''Hmm.''</i>


    <strong>The training method is recorded in the researchb, and above all, the materials and samples are well prepared. The ultimate direction to pursue is also provided. </strong>


    <i>''You''re talking about the Golden Knight Order, huh...''</i>


    <strong>That''s right.</strong>


    Thetest and most advancedbat weapons, the Golden Knight Order, was created while focusing on all the technological skills of the Leonhardt Empire. It belonged to the Pce Knight Order who existed to protect the Emperor. If it was to be described in a single line, it would be<i> ''A Human-rank Gigas that did not require a pilot.''</i>


    This was not something that was easily seen, even in the Leonhardt Empire. In the first ce, if unmanned weapons were more efficient than manned weapons, would the Empire employ the Gigas pilots while maintaining an enormous annual sry, various infrastructure, and a universal Scout System (Just like the one installed in the arcade in our town)? Human-rank Gigas that did not require a pilot, also known as Magic Golems which handled soul energy, certainly did exist. However, that was a special product and very few of them existed.


    <i>''But then again, I''m sure that''s the case. The Golden Knight Order was a product made by the transcendents while pouring in astronomical resources.''</i>


    It reminded me of the two Giant Soul Soldiers that stood in Gwanghwamun Square, Sejong and Sun-shin. Surprisingly, they almost had the same power output as the Golden Knight Order. Of course, if the Golden Knight Order and the Giant Soul Soldier fought one-on-one, the Giant Soul Soldier would be pushed back one-sidedly. However, it was because the Giant Soul Soldier did not have an Iron Heart, which was the innovative Magical Energy Organ that overwrote a new war history for the Great Universe. It was not because the Giant Soul Soldier wascking. After all, Iron Hearts were luxury goods that were by no means inferior, even if it was offered to the Leonhardt Empire as an offering. Earth was out of the question.


    <strong>Of course, you can''t reproduce the Golden Knight Order. Iron Heart is something that only the Kendler tribe could create, even in the Great Universe. </strong>


    Even the prideful dragon species, or the Saints who boast all kinds of Bobae, would not be able to reproduce the Iron Heart. Hence, it was a fact that they all relied on the import of Iron Hearts. This meant that even if a production-type ability was honed to the level of a transcendent, it would not be able to create a Gigas like the Golden Knight Order. If they needed something, there was no need to grind their abilities with so much difficulty. Instead, it was a more reasonable action to rip off the good Gigas from the Empire.


    However, what I needed now was not a weapon. I needed a <i>method</i> to train myself. <i>''Alright. Let''s think about it for a second.''</i>


    <strong>Excellent judgment, Captain-nim.</strong>


    <strong>Er-Erm. The Authority of the God of War is...</strong>


    <i>''Shut your trap.''</i>


    <strong>...What a jerk. Cheap bastard. </strong>


    <i>''What is a dark-skinned hunk like you whining for?'' </i>I casually ignored the whining Ares and buried my head on the pillow. "Hahhh... What do you mean the realm of transcendence." I could only sigh at the outrageous reality. "The realm of transcendence..."


    1. Pyeong is a Korean measure of unit for area and floor space, and it is equal to 3.3 square meters or approximately 36 square feet.

 Vol 2. 8: Talent Identification (1)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 8: Talent Identification (1)</h4>


    "Waaaaah! Waaaaaaah!!" A baby, who was hit on the butt by a nurse, let out a loud cry.


    "Haha! It''s a healthy daughter!"


    In reality, the sight of a crying baby with a wrinkled body was not so beautiful, unlike what wasmonly seen on TV. The baby''s skin was nowhere close to milky white, and was a lot closer to blister-red. It could even be considered a gross sight at first nce. However, the mother''s eyes were full of gratitude and love as she looked at the baby. Her husband, who started sobbing as tears started to well up, might have felt even more gratitude and love than that. His emotions were definitely not any less than what the mother was feeling.


    Nheless, at that moment where the joy and emotions of a birth were surging, there was a foreign existence mixed in. It waspletely different from the scene that just unfolded.


    "What the."


    It was a man of unusual appearance. Possessing waist-length hair, he was dressed in a leather coat that did not match the season. Furthermore, his long hair was bright yellowish-green and wavy, as if a sight straight out of a shampoomercial. It felt as if each strand of hair was swirling around with the wind.


    "No... Why is the oue like this? Is Zion''s eye blind?" The man had an expression of disbelief. He took off his monocle and wiped it with a handkerchief. But even so, the oue that he saw through the sses remained unchanged. "What the hell is this? I can''t judge her." The man stared at the baby in the nurse''s arms. Strangely, even though he was acting like that, no one in the maternity department seemed to care.


    "There''s no empty spot left now... Ah, that''s right. Fourth Shadow."


    The space wavered at the man''s low-pitch mumbling, and a being that looked exactly like him appeared. With apletely identical appearance, attire, as well as equipment, the newly-arrived man stood still for a while. He then let out a deep sigh soon after. "Seems like it''s a long-term mission. It''ll take 20 years at the very least, won''t it?"


    "Treat it as a vacation. This is a rtively peaceful world, too."


    "This ce is peaceful, you say?"


    "It''s rtively so. Besides, it''s also Earth. You''re familiar with it, so it''ll be easy to blend in."


    "What about my identity?"


    "A friend."


    "Hahhh." The newly-appeared man was a clone. He let out a sigh again. He had the same exact memory and ability as the main body, so he was fully aware of the main body''s judgment. "Who''s the target?"


    "This hospital just happened to have a stillborn baby. It''s also the child of a couple that lives in the same area as the <strong>Seed</strong>."


    "Are you serious..." The clone had a limited power output, but he had the same exact power and level as the main body. Hence, he could notice the high and mighty Seed of the World that was deep inside the soul, and he was not looking at just the appearance of a newborn baby. It was inside her, but even so, it was a separate existence from her. Just as the earth and the seed cannot be identified as the same being, even though the seed was buried in the ground, the <i>''seed''</i><strong><i> </i></strong>was just asleep in her soul.


    "...Still, for it to be a newborn baby," the clone grumbled softly and looked down at the newborn baby, who was in her mother''s arms again. Now, he had to grow up alongside her. Perhaps he would have to spend the rest of his life with her. When the power of creation contained in the Seed finally awakened, he would then have to aplish the purpose given to him.


    "Take good care of her. I have to go and help Jenica."


    "Did they say they would create a nurturing system that mimics an illusion? It seems like the entire Great Universe is in an uproar. They''re making it, and getting it installed here and there."


    "Originally, when someone hits the jackpot, people wille in a flurry to try and rip them off."


    Then, five or six Magic Circle emerged around the clone. Each and every one of the Magic Circles, invoked without a trace, were ultimate magics that twisted thews of the world.


    In the first ce, the "jackpot"<strong> </strong>that he referred to¡ªthat caused all of the Great Universe to be astonished¡ªwas his own existence. An all-powerful warrior that could be considered the strongest even among the Emperor-ss existences, he was the great hero who prevented the destruction of the Great Universe. He was also an existence that stood side by side with the rulers of the Six Realms with just a human body; the Human God and the All Master; Milleon the Windless.


    Even so, it was not as if there weren''t anyone who downgraded him to an Emperor-ss (an Intermediate-rank transcendent). However, it was just meaningless nonsense, seeing that the Untouchables (a High-rank transcendent) that died by his sword during the Great War exceeded tens of people. He was already a universal strong being who made a name for himself throughout the entire world.


    <i>Srrrrr- </i>The essence of the clone melted, and permeated into the body of the stillborn child, who had died in another delivery room. The nurse, who was holding the baby with a pale face, screamed at the sight of the baby who coughed and gasped for breath. "Ahhhh, the baby just coughed!"


    "What? Do you think that makes sense?"


    "Doctor!!"


    "Ahhh, that''s, alright! This isn''t the time to be distracted!!"


    There was amotion in the delivery room, which had the atmosphere of a family in mourning. It was then...


    <i>Kwareureukkk!!</i>


    "Ahhh, that scared me!! No, I mean, it''s not even raining so why is there thunder?!"


    "Doctor!!"


    "I got it! I got it, alright!" Along with the scream, the doctor started to move again. At some point, in the midst of confusion, relief, shock, and joy, that was...the beginning of this whole incident.


    ***


    "It''s already been over 35 years." Il-han looked down at Dae-ha, who was attending school, from the rooftop of a high-rise building. He was d to see his son browsing around here and there like an awkward teenager. This was because his son had not been to school for a long time.


    "But...this is an unexpected situation though." Il-han grasped Dae-ha''s soul energy and made a perplexed expression. It was because Dae-ha''s soul energy was so insignificant. There was no trace of theplete and strong Divine Spirit that he possessed. Seeing that the connection remained intact, it seems Dae-ha left it in space. "I can''t believe this is happening."


    When Il-han was left behind on Earth, the purpose that his main body<strong> </strong>gave him ended with the death of his wife. It was because his goal was only to get a clear grasp of Eun-jeong''s soul, and there were no additional conditions attached. ording to the rule that was originally set, the clone should have already been deactivated, and his memory would have been transferred to his main body. If there was a possibility of obtaining a new enlightenment that even the main body had not attained, he could choose to strive for it. However, was it possible aftering this far?


    However, he didn''t do that. He was still here as <i>''Il-han''</i>. It was not just because of Eun-jeong''s request. It was because of the unforeseen incident that took ce in Earth-34 a year before Eun-jeong passed away. It was around the time he became a high school student. Who in the world could have guessed? <i>Two</i> of the highest-rank Divinity crashed down on such a remote.


    "Eun-jeong, your foresight was wrong. You said Dae-ha would be an Untouchable ande back to Earth," Il-han called out the name of his dead wife and sighed deeply. However, it couldn''t be helped. It was an amazing feat to be able to foresee such a high-ranking existence.


    "The main body even contacted me in this situation too..." Il-han took out a bead from his arms. The white bead, which looked to be of an appropriate size, appeared to be a product mass-produced in a factory. On top of the appearance, not a sliver of energy could be felt from it too. If it wasn''t an item that the main body sent at the expense of a considerable amount of trouble, he might have thought of throwing it away.


    "Agh, The n is really a mess..." he mumbled to himself on an empty rooftop. All the conditions had already fallen apart with the n. The preparations that he was confident about all went to vain, and he faced a precarious situation.


    But, unbeknownst to him, Il-han himself was somehow not very angry about it. "Well, it''s still you." He looked down at his son who was entering the ssroom. The story behind his son¡¯s birth was so extraordinary that it was rare even in the Great Universe, but his son wanted and wished to be more ordinary and in than anyone else. "Pfttt!" Suddenly bursting intoughter, Il-han covered his mouth and giggled. "No, even if so, how could he get rid of the Divine Spirit? Is he out of his mind? Hahaha!"


    If a chaebol[1] wanted to donate all their assets to society, they would only do so right before their death. In fact, those with power would not even let go of their power even if they were about to die. Moreover, that <i>''only''</i> applied to power and money.


    Raw power, as well as the ambition and gratification that power could bring forth, was truly absolute. That little bit of soul power, the soul medicine that would not be able to expand even in 60 years, as well as the book that contained knowledge that others didn''t know¡­ He could not believe that Dae-ha would give up the power of God, when humans were beings that would have killed to obtain them.


    "He''s indeed my son." Il-han smiled and closed his eyes. It reminded him of the day when Dae-ha was born. How Dae-ha looked when he was holding on to him. How Dae-ha looked when he first took his baby steps. How Dae-ha looked when Dae-ha called him Father. How Dae-ha looked when he cried and fret around. Even how Dae-ha looked when he screamed all night in pain.


    "...Then it can''t be helped." Il-han opened his eyes again. "I have no choice, but to deal with the situation my way." Along with the low-pitched voice, he disappeared without a trace. The only thing that lingered where he stood was the gust of wind passing by.


    ***


    "Our traitor is finally back! Was the water you gulped down in America sweet, especially when you left your friends behind?"


    "What do you mean sweet? It was nd." I smiled in reply when I saw Jae-seokughing and putting his arms around my shoulder. Perhaps because we have been separated for quite a long time, I was even d to see his flippant demeanor.


    "Heyyyy, by the way, it seems you''ve learned pretty good English? I wondered how good you would be, since it has just been half a year."


    "English?"


    As I wondered at the puzzling words, Genie exined to me, <strong>Udjat''s automatic trantion function is active. Currently, that fellow student spoke to you in English. </strong>


    I whistled inwardly at the function that I had never even imagined before. But then again, the Albatross ship was also equipped with a Language Integration System that embraced thenguages of almost all the species. The Magic Armament Udjat was the fusion product of magic and science that was hard to see even in the Leonhardt Empire. There wouldn''t be anything strange if the Magic Armament Udjat possessednguage-rted functions.


    <strong>However, it should be considered that the vocalization and mouthing of the words may differ.</strong>


    <i>''I''ll be careful.'' </i>After the conversation with Genie, I looked at Jae-seok. There wasn''t any need to continue talking in English, so I simply controlled my sses, Udjat, and spoke in Korean, "Anyway, how have you been? Did your grades go up?"


    "Ughh... My friend, I''m so disappointed at the question you ask aftering back in half a year!"


    I spread salt back onto his wound, disregarding whether he was disappointed or not. "Are you still attending the academy?"


    "Uwaaahhh! Ahhhh, damn it! Those damn academies are really damn disgusting! There are only 3 students and I can''t even joke around! Moreover, they evenpare results amongst the three students!" Although Jae-seok was exploding in anger, soon, he looked around and asked, "But why didn''t your brothere? Is he going to continue attending school overseas since he''s a high school senior anyways?"


    I shrugged at Jae-seok''s question. "I don''t know either. I went to America and my brother went to Germany."


    "No, what''s wrong with your household, man? Why is your family scattered far and wide all of a sudden? It''s not as if you all took a private loan, but your house is suddenly gone."


    "I found that ridiculous too."


    As I smiled bitterly because I had nothing else to say, Jae-seok scratched his head. "Well, I''m sure you have your own circumstances. Since we''re talking about the great Teacher Kwan Il-han." Jae-seok, who was somewhat aware of how fraudulent my father was as we have been friends since young, roughly overlooked the situation.


    However, that wasn''t the case with me. <i>''Dad.'' </i>I recalled his appearance. I remembered his straight back standing in the kitchen while wearing an apron. That was my image of home. However, I was full of suspicions at the presence of my father, who was the center of attention of the image. <i>''What exactly are you, Dad?''</i>


    1. Chaebol is arge industrial conglomerate that is run and controlled by an owner or family in South Korea. A chaebol often consists of many diversified affiliates, controlled by an owner whose power over the group often exceeds legal authority.

 Vol 2. 9: Talent Identification (2)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 9: Talent Identification (2)</h4>


    <i>''What exactly are you, dad?''</i> I still did not know anything about Kwan Il-han, my father, despite discovering the secret of my mysterious birth and my father, who had the scale of a Great Universe. Of course, I did not think that he had an<strong> </strong>identity great enough to surpass my biological father. No matter how excellent he was, he was still just a human being. There was no way that there would exist an identity that was greater than the God of Civilization and Information, Machine God, Dekarma. However...


    <i>''But, in that case... Why did he disappear? And why did the house disappear too? What the hell happened?'' </i>I wondered. It might be a foolish idea, but this piteous situation wasparable to the time when I threw the power of All-knowing away. I had asked the Primordial God, just in case, but she just smiled and did not give me an answer. <i>''I think he is still alive, since the Primordial God did not say anything¡­¡¯</i>


    However, if that was the case, then I had no idea why was he not showing up in front of me right now. No, why on earth did he not show up? Was he staying hidden for some reason? My thoughts then brought me to question¡­ <i>''Did he leave Earth?'' </i>Then again, that didn''t make sense. If he had to leave Earth, he would have apanied me when I went to the Leonhardt Empire. With my father''s ability, it would''ve been good enough for him to adapt, even to the Empire.


    <i>''If not, did the Primordial God kidnap him?''</i> It was a possibility, since the Primordial God confessed to father and was rejected! She might have taken advantage of my absence and kidnapped my father to fulfill her own desire...


    <i>Sighhh¡­ </i>I let out a deep sigh. As I couldn''t think straight, it felt as if I was automatically saying ridiculous nonsense.


    "Something''s going on, huh? What is it?"


    "I don''t know either." I let out a sigh and walked down the road, where the sun was zing down. As it was time to go to school, dozens of students were seen running in front or behind, and they were moving like flowing waves.


    <i>''Is that so? Will hee back...''</i>


    Even though it had only been half a year since thest time I was here, everything felt foreign. They obviously looked like how they were half a year ago, and their daily lives were the same as what my daily life was back then. However, my current perspective of them waspletely different from the past. For example, the school uniform I haven¡¯t worn in a long time felt so awkward. It felt as if I would be more familiar with the pilot suits that I had only worn a few times before.


    "Now now, he''s a transfer student, but he is not a new face. Everyone remembers this familiar face, right?¡±


    "I was out of the country for a while. Long time no see guys." Once again, I introduced myself to the students whom I shared a greeting with half a year ago, and sat back down. There was no change in the progression of the sses. Even if a new transfer student joined, the high school lessons were not flexible enough to have changes.


    "Now, the important part of this chapter is..."


    I attended the ss quietly, and I was surprised. <i>''It''s easy.'' </i>Even though I missed out on quite a lot of the progress, I had no difficulty in attending the sses. As I once again awakened the Bloodline of God, in other words, the Godly bloodline, I knew for a fact that there would be a rise in my physical abilities. However, I did not expect it to also have this much of an effect on my intelligence.


    "Great job students!"


    I stood up from my seat after ss. Since I was abroad (to be exact, I was at the Outer Realm) for half a year, I nced around at my still friends. I then striked up a conversation with a student, "Long time no see."


    A short and chubby female student, whose appearance was toocking to be considered beautiful, had a fairly friendly expression. She answered hesitantly, "Oh, yes. It''s nice to see you again." She was Lee Seon-ae, my partner in the first semester.


    "How have you been?"


    "Well, just the usual... Hey, I have to go back home."


    "Ah, yeah, okay."


    "Bye."


    I was flustered at the sight of Seon-ae, who hesitantly turned around and left the ssroom just like that. "No, I mean, what the? Did she hear some bad rumors about me?" If I wasn¡¯t mistaken, I think she had a more friendly and bashful reaction in the first semester. However, she was tantly avoiding me right now. Nheless, it would be strange to follow behind her since she avoided me. I got rid of any lingering feelings and left the ssroom.


    "Lesson''s over. Re-Hi[1]."


    "Ah, Bae Jae-seok,¡± I greeted. Although he was dressed in a school uniform, Jae-seok looked like some sort of gangster with his close to 190 centimeters height, broad shoulders, and square-ish hairstyle. He waved while carrying a backpack. I then pointed out, ¡°You came to school with me, but you are now going back home from school with me too? I¡¯m sure you have quite a few friends that hang out with you, though.¡±


    "Well, that''s true. However, isn''t it up to me to save you? You¡¯ve juste back after a long time, and you tend to be indifferent with others.¡±


    "What do you mean ¡®save me¡¯?" I scoffed as I walked down the stairs with Jae-seok. There was an elevator in the middle, but the stairs were more convenient due to the ssroom¡¯s location. I felt momentarily sentimental, and could hear the strong opening of a ssroom door from far away.


    "Hey Dae-ha! Let''s go together!"


    "Huh?" Jae-seok, who was chattering next to me, stood rooted to the ground. He slowly turned his head with an expression of disbelief. It was as if he was a broken mannequin, moving creakily. "Lee Kyung-eun?"


    "Ah, Bae Jae-seok." After that greeting, Jae-seok and Kyung-eun made eye contact very awkwardly. Then, they looked elsewhere again.


    Jae-seok suddenly stuck close to my back, like a cockroach that faced a sudden bright ray of sunlight. He then whispered into my ear, "What the, what''s going on? Why is Kyung-eun calling for someone like you?"


    "Hey, no matter how bad it is, isn''t that too much? What do you mean someone like me?"


    "Uwaahhh... This is an unbelievable situation..."


    "She''s my ssmate, you punk." I shook my head and felt dumbfounded. By then, Kyung-eun had approached me, ignoring Jae-seok as if he was invisible. Jae-seok then slipped away without greeting her, just like a cockroach that was avoiding the sunlight. I didn''t even have the time to greet her yet, wondering, <i>¡®No, why is Jae-seok so scared of Kyung-eun? He usually sang songs about how much of a beautiful girl she was¡­?¡¯</i>


    "How can you go alone? You don''t even know the way home."


    Individual dimensions could be created and essed at any time, as long as there were suitable resources. However, unlike the individual dimensions, the parallel world which was perfectly the same size as the Earth, could only be essed through the doors<strong> </strong>installed in a particr location.


    <i>''Well, if it was the Albatross ship, it could always cross over whenever.''</i>


    <strong>That''s only expected, Captain-nim. You can''tpare Astral Drives with the primitive spells that put cracks in the dimensions. </strong>


    <strong>Hmph! I can always cross over that paper-thin dimension wall anytime without needing to use Astral Drive, alright?</strong>


    As I listened to the conversation between the two control personas who were showing off, I said to Kyung-eun, "Well, wouldn''t it be fine if I just go to the house we went to before?"


    Needless to say, dimension doors were disguised so that they did not look out of ce to the people from the surface world. Furthermore, I had already entered the parallel world once before when I was previously dragged over by Kyung-eun. Hence, I knew the location of the door. <i>''I think it was a multi-purposeplex building.''</i>


    <strong>Other than that, there are many doors scattered all over the world, including Korea. The number of doors that can be detected already exceeds 3,000 doors, and the hidden ones are expected to be twice that amount. </strong>


    ¡°You fool. That''s a ce that only the direct descendent of the Lee Family can use. You''ll cause a huge mess if you go there alone." Kyung-eun, who tucked and grabbed my arm, started walking just like that. Her slender fingers looked elegant at first nce, but the power contained in them was no different from that of a giant. I had no choice but to be dragged along. "Let''s quickly go. We''ve called a Selection Master."


    "Selection Master?"


    "It refers to wizards specialized in reading other people''s talents. In fact, it¡¯s a faction that didn''t originally exist, but it was said that the Great Wizard created this spell for the purpose of finding more talent. That¡¯s how this faction is raised. They are bound by as manymandments as the protector, so they are trustable people in terms of security."


    We left school just like that, and walked to the school gate. A massive ck sedan was waiting for us in front of the school gates.


    The man who was standing by, and waiting for us next to the car, had such an overwhelming build that it was difficult to not notice him from far away. Despite the fact that he had a height of more than 3.2 meters at a nce, he had perfect proportions. Unless he was mentally ill, he was certainly an abnormal human.


    <i>''Is there a spell activated?''</i>


    Genie, who received my thoughts, answered, <strong>It''s a simple Cognitive Impairment Spell. It''s such a low-quality basic spell that it can be seen through with just a little bit of spiritual sense. </strong>


    This time, Ares butted in. It was a voice that sounded as if he found this absurd. <strong>No, even if so, no one felt it? They have used a spell like this without care¡­ I''ve been thinking about this, but I really can''t figure out the social structure of Earth-34. If they didn''t have any superpowers, or if only very few people can handle superpower, then it would be understandable. However, there are more than 10 million ability users, yet the other humans know nothing at all?</strong>


    <strong>The surface world and the parallel world arepletely separated. As long as it doesn''t have a material effect, even if they used superpowers among the ordinary popce, it wouldn''t matter... At this point, it is rather surprising that the surface world has yet to turn into a mess. It¡¯s even more so considering that the ability users generally have a high ego and are hard to control. </strong>


    The desire of humans was endless, and they would always repeat the same mistakes. If someone could break the rules of society in an extremely simple manner, with just a little bit of power, would they be able to resist the temptation to do so? If someone had teleportation abilities, robbing a bank would be as simple as breathing. If someone had mental-type abilities, they could control hundreds and thousands of ordinary people who had no ability to resist.


    To those that possessed superpowers, something like shattering the rules of reality was an extremely simple thing to do. If there were only a few ability users, then perhaps that would be hard to aplish. However, ording to Genie''s investigation, weren''t there around 10 million ability users living on Earth?


    <i>''No, even if so, I can''t believe those ability users would live their lives quietly and calmly here. It isn''t just a hundred or a thousand ability users, but 10 million ability users.'' </i>While I was living on Earth, I have never seen or heard any news of a superhuman causing an incident. In other words, either all the Earth''s superhumans voluntarily obeyed the rules of the parallel world, or they tookplete control of the media and press. If that still wasn''t the case¡­ <i>''They must have some sort of means to control them.''</i>


    As I was thinking about such matters, the man standing next to the car bowed."Are you done with sses, Princess-nim?"


    "Hahhhh... Mountain Sword. There are no kings or royal princesses, so what do you mean Princess? I told you to just call me<i> ''mdy''</i>."


    "How can I..."


    "Aghh, it''s fine it''s fine. This is really frustrating."


    Kyung-eun got into the sedan in a fit of annoyance, and I also got in the car. Then, without realizing it, I gaped at the sight that appeared before my eyes. "Oooh."


    "Isn''t it cool? There are only three cars like this in our country!"


    There was a wide space inside the car. Aside from itsrge size, it looked like a double-story structure that was easily 30 pyeong. There was also a marvelous bar in the center, with a fluffy sofa behind it. Furthermore, there was a spacious bedroom beyond that.


    1. Re-Hi is a Korean ng that young students use nowadays. It just means Hi again.

 Vol 2. 10: Talent Identification (3)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 10: Talent Identification (3)</h4>


    The ceiling was quite tall, looking to be around five meters high.


    <strong>There is a space expansion spell in ce.</strong>


    <i>¡®Well, since the driver is 3.2 meters tall, I guess it¡¯s definitely a requirement.¡¯</i>


    A perception barrier worked by creating an illusion and disrupting the vision of the targets, but it did not actually change the physical size of the object. If the car had been an ordinary object, someone who was over three meters tall would not be able to fit in the driver¡¯s seat in the first ce.


    ¡°So the space is expanded.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hey.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Kyung-eun suddenly called out to me in a grumpy voice. When I turned my head towards her, I could see her staring at me with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why aren¡¯t you surprised in the slightest?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t taken aback by the question, which contained a little bit of vignce. One might have thought I was stuck in a predicament and about to have my secrets revealed, but honestly, I didn¡¯t care if she did find out.


    My secret was not really a secret.


    I know it sounds like crap, and I never thought I would have such thoughts when I was first returning to Earth. However¡­ I had already lost my desperation to keep my secret. I didn¡¯t want to go around shouting it out, but I didn¡¯t have any motivation to put in the effort to keep it a secret either.


    So I just spoke whatever came to my mind to ease her suspicion.


    ¡°There were simr functions in the pce, right?¡±


    In the parallel world, Gyeongbokgung Pce was not much different on the outside from the pce in the surface world. Once one entered Gwanghwamun Gate, you could see the Geunjeongjeon Hall, Hyangwonjeong Pavilion, and Gyeonghoeru and Amisan Chimneys, which all testified to the 500-year history of the Joseon Dynasty. In addition, the pce museum and the folk museum stood erect on both sides of the pce. If one were to observe thepound from the sky, they would not be able to spot any noticeable differences.


    But there were differences.


    The ce where I resided, the Gangyeongjeon Hall, had five stories above the ground and 13 stories underground. This meant that arge-scale barrier covered the entirety of the buildings of Gyeongbokgung Pce, and with the power of the barrier, over 10,000 people couldfortably live in the pce.


    ¡°Well. No, well¡­ I guess you¡¯re not wrong, but¡­ Ha, well, this is¡­ Hmm, Hmm¡­¡±


    Kyung-eun tilted her head and stared at me with a befuddled expression, but I remained silent and expressionless sitting on the fluffy sofa until we arrived at our destination.


    ¡°We are here, Princess.¡±


    ¡°¡­I really want to beat him up. What a jerk, he¡¯s been brainwashed by the old men and just won¡¯t listen.¡±


    Kyung-eun kicked open the door and exited the car. They had arrived at a luxury apartmentplex in Johngno-gu.


    <i>Beep beep!</i>


    As soon as I left the car, we entered the apartment thaty right in front of us. Then, we got on the elevator and started to ascend through the building.


    <strong>Captain-nim, rooms 1701 to 1704 on the topmost floor are empty.</strong>


    <i>¡®I thought it might be.¡¯</i>


    I silently followed after Kyung-eun while listening to Genie¡¯s briefing. She headed towards room 1703 and rang the doorbell.


    <i>Ding dong!</i>


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    <strong>Wee, miss. I will connect you to the pce.</strong>


    <i>Click.</i>


    The door opened and we entered. Even though it looked like an ordinary, luxury apartmentplex, and most of the people walking inside theplex were ordinary people, we arrived at the pce as we walked through the door.


    ¡°Ta-da! We¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°You probably go through the same routine every single day. Do you really need to go ¡®ta-da¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­Wow, do you know that you¡¯re a real killjoy? Why are you like this even though you¡¯re from the surface world?¡±


    Kyung-eun mumbled grumpily as I followed her on the stone steps. I suddenly became curious and asked her a question.


    ¡°Anyways, why Gyeongbokgung Pce?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What about it?¡±


    ¡°Why is it the base of the Lee Family? There are many other suitable skyscrapers, but you choose to use the pce. Well, I can understand it if it¡¯s due to symbolism, but there are other pces in Korea too, right?¡±


    Currently, there were five remaining pces from the Joseon Dynasty in Seoul. They were Gyeongbokgung Pce, Changgyeonggung Pce, Changdeokgung Pce, Deoksugung Pce, and Gyeonghui Pce.


    Of course, Gyeongbokgung Pce was the most renowned pce among the five, but there was no reason to limit their base of operations to within the walls of Gyeongbokgung Pce if the number of ability holders in the Lee Family was in the thousands.


    But she gave an unexpected answer.


    ¡°Because we are so weak that we can¡¯t guarantee our safety without the barrier of the pce.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    My confusion must have surfaced on my expression, as Kyung-eun smiled as if finding it amusing.


    ¡°It¡¯s because we are weak. What other reasons would there be?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that the Lee Family is weak¡­¡±


    I recalled the Imoogis that were asleep deep in the Gyeonghoeru Pond. The demon disguised as the cafeteriady had the powers beyond a master. The two giant soldiers guarding the Gwanghwamun Square could only be the work of a transcendent. Even Kyung-eun, who was standing right in front of me, possessed the bare minimum to serve as a nomissioned officer in the Great Universe, though she would not be able to make it as an officer. But now she was telling me that the Lee Family was considered weak on Earth-34, a mere small of lower civilization? Had my Earth always been such a tough world?


    ¡°Hahaha! You are surprised to hear that those condescending beings are weak, aren¡¯t you? But it¡¯s true. Think about it. Why do you think we call ourselves the Lee Family, and not the imperial family or royal family? In Korea¡­¡±


    Her words were interrupted.


    ¡°Please watch your words, Princess Kyung-eun. I can no longer tolerate any further profanity against the imperial family.¡±


    ¡°Ha! sphemy against the imperial family? Wake up. Sun. Bae. Nim. What¡¯s the point of such a superficial title when no one recognizes it?¡±


    I turned my head while listening to the intense conversation. A woman of fine stature caught my eye. She was wearing a subtle, white jeogori[1] and a purple skirt engraved with a white tiger and a blue dragon. Unlike her elegant appearance, her expression was cold.


    ¡°¡­Student president?¡±


    I was shocked at seeing the familiar face. My eyes naturally headed towards the title above her head.


    <strong>Korean Empire</strong>


    <strong>Level 9</strong>


    <strong>Princess Lee Min-kyung</strong>


    <i>¡®I already knew that her real name was Lee Min-kyung, and not Han Min-kyung, but¡­ Wow, to think she was an ability holder on the brisk of bing a Compl¨¦ter.¡¯</i>


    As all sorts of thoughts passed through my head, the two women were having a fierce stand-off, ring at each other with vicious expression. The tense atmosphere made it seem like they would start wing at each other right away. However, the confrontation was broken as a warrior standing behind Kyung-eun became involved. He was wearing a scale armor with an elegant design, something that one might see in any historical dramas.


    ¡°The ambassador is waiting, Princess.¡±


    ¡°Sigh, I got it, District Prosecutor.¡±


    ¡°Why is she acting like that after being quiet for a while? Is she trying to dere an empire or something? They don¡¯t even have a single subservient country, they need to learn to tone it down with the bluffing¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talkter.¡±


    After turning around, we headed into the pce. Come to think of it, the atmosphere inside the pce seemed quite chaotic. Dozens of courtdies were busy striding across the pce, and I could see all kinds of ability holders wearing all kinds of equipment.


    ¡°What a mess. The Hwarangdan, Jirisan Yacha, and the magicians from the tower as well¡­ This is truly unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    I asked because the situation seemed quiteplicated. People were calling Kyung-eun a princess, but Kyung-eun did not acknowledge her own title. Even the student council president appeared out of nowhere with the title of a princess. In particr, wasn¡¯t it interesting that Kyung-eun and Min-kyung belonged to the same organization, but had different titles of <strong>Lee Family </strong>and <strong>Korean Empire</strong>?


    Instead of satisfying my curiosity, Kyung-eun shook her head instead.


    ¡°It¡¯s a family problem.¡±


    I nodded gently at her dismissive answer. Well, her answer was a given, actually. She wasn¡¯t a simple NPC from a video game, which meant she wouldn¡¯t start babbling about all her problems as soon as I initiated a conversation with her.


    ¡°Well, if you say so.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I started following behind her once more. After passing Geunjeongjeon Hall, the ce where I had first arrived, I passed through Geungjeongmun Gate and crossed the Yeongjegyo Bridge to enter the Heungnyemun Gate. Then, I crossed the square and headed towards the National Pce Museum located on the right side of the pce.


    Just as Gyeonghoeru was being used as a cafeteria and Gangnyeongjeong was being used as a residence, it seemed that the old pce museum was also being used for a different purpose from the surface world.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Yul,[2] a screener.¡±


    As I walked into a fairly spacious room, an impressive man with a smile greeted me. Due to his deluxe suit, he looked more like an office worker at argepany than a wizard.


    <strong>Now a suit. I had this thought over and over again, but this ce is really¡­</strong>


    <i>¡®There¡¯s no consistency at all, right? That makes the two of us.¡¯</i>


    I agreed with Genie¡¯s words. From staying in the pce for thest few days, I noticed so many strange things that were simply iprehensible. The Lee Family was truly a mess.


    When I saw the courtdies walking around in traditional clothing, I automatically assumed that the organization valued tradition and history, acting and dressing to fit in with the environment of the pce. However, the others wore all sorts of attires. There were even some who were obviously Korean, but dressed in traditional Chinese clothes or medieval western armors.


    Was that all? Even though there were plenty of suitable buildings and skyscrapers to be used as their base, they insisted on using the Gyeongbokgung Pce. Moreover, their treatment of the buildings waspletely arbitrary. The Gayngnyeongjeon was a historical building where the king used to read, rest, and hold meetings with his servants. However, it was now being used as a guest lodging. Gyeonghooeru, which used to hold banquets during national events, was utilized as a cafeteria where people stopped by to grab food. And why in the world was the food not Korean but Western-based?


    <i>¡®How did theye up with this concept, this Lee Family.¡¯</i>


    <strong>Oh, there was a country on the of the Alta Neb simr to this where I stayed for a while.</strong>


    Ares chimed in, seemingly able to make sense of the confusing situation.


    <i>¡®What kind of country was it?¡¯</i>


    <strong>A small, weak country that was alternately upied by about six major powers.</strong>


    <i>¡®¡­...¡¯</i>


    I fell into a daze for awhile. Kyung-eun greeted the man in the suit named Yul.


    ¡°Thanks for your time, ahjussi!¡±


    ¡°It has been pretty quiettely due to theck of new recruits, so I was free, Miss. But if I remember correctly, the child of the Great Witch was screened several times already.¡±


    ¡°Something could have changed.¡±


    ¡°Unless he¡¯s had a fortunate encounter, natural talent does not change easily. I came prepared, however, since you told me that he has awakened soul energy powers, unlike the previous findings.¡±


    Saying so, Yul opened the bag that he had brought.


    <i>¡®What is he going to take out? A wand? An enchanted mirror?¡¯</i>


    <strong>It could be a meter that analyzes drugs or aura. Scientific civilization is not too shabby in this world either.</strong>


    <strong>In fact, the best measuring instrument to date is New World, created by the Kendlers! It can urately grasp your talents and allow you to train in a virtual space¡­</strong>


    Genie and Ares talked over each other, showing off(?) their knowledge, but Yul took out apletely unexpected item from his bag.


    ¡°¡­A candle?¡±


    Yes, it was arge, thick candle.


    ¡°Yes, it is a required item to read your talent.¡±


    ¡°Is it some kind of magical candle?¡±


    I became puzzled at the appearance of apletely unexpected item, and Yul smiled lightly in response.


    ¡°I bought it at Daiso.[3] It cost me 2,000 won each. I use this product often, and I like that it smells like apples.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Yul did not seem to care that I was clearly bbergasted at his exnation. He took out a chalk with a nonchnt expression, then drew a David¡¯s Star on a wooden desk on one side of the room. He ced candles on each of the six points, then started to exin.


    ¡°Us selectors categorize talent into six different types. It¡¯s a type of ssification created by the Great Wizard. We call it the Shin-Ma-Qi-Yoong-Eung-Chae.[4]¡±


    1. a jeogori is a traditional Korean garment, the basic upper garment of the hanbok. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeogori


    2. Yul is the Chinese character forw


    3. If you don¡¯t know what Daiso is, you haven¡¯t lived. Jk it¡¯s basically like a convenience store(?) where you can literally buy anything you need. Like a dor store, except 100x better.


    4. Each word references a specific type of power in the Chinese character. It will be exined further in the next chapter.

 Vol 2. 11: Talent Identification (4)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 11: Talent Identification (4)</h4>


    "Us selectors categorize talent into six different types. It''s a type of ssification created by the Great Wizard. We call it the Shin-Ma-Qi-Yoong-Eung-Chae."


    "Shin-Ma-Qi-Yoong-Eung-Chae?"


    "It refers to the divine power, magic power, qi, spiritual power,munion, and physical capabilities. Theypose the most fundamental talents required for abilities."


    Yul took out a chair from underneath the table and sat down before continuing his exnation.


    "You already know that there are people that deal with the power of martial arts and magic, right?


    "How could I not know? Not only are there girls who introduce themselves as wizards, but there are also people who charged at me with swords and spears in this modern day and age."


    The fact that Bo-ram was a magical girl with a contract with the Golden Dragon God was apletely unrted matter, and it was mostly unknown even to the people of the parallel world. However, he had heard previously that the Supreme Magic Tower, the organization Bo-ram was in, was a renowned, powerful force in the parallel world. The Lee Family was Korea''srgest power. There was no way that they had notpleted a full background check on me, so he must have been confirming what he already knew. Kyung-eun nodded after listening to our conversation.


    "Right. I also heard that you were attacked by mercenaries. Phew¡­ There are problems everywhere, but the ck Moon Society is running too rampant these days."


    "Well, those regional forces are none of my business, so let''s continue to discuss the main topic."


    "Oh, that''s just mean. Is this the sorrows of being a small nation?"


    Kyung-eun grumbled. Yul ignored her and began to exin further.


    "The Great Wizard created two adjudicating organizations using his noble mana, endless knowledge, and the blessings of the Progenitor God."


    "¡­From how the story is flowing, you must belong to one of them."


    Yul''s eyes morphed gently at my answer. He must have started to find the conversation with me quite interesting.


    "That is correct. The <strong>Guards </strong>enforce the Great Wizard''s will topletely separate the parallel world from the surface world. The <strong>Selectors </strong>detect and ssify all the talents of humanity that exist on Earth. These two forces have apletely separated role from the rest of the forces of Another ne.


    "The other forces?"


    "I am referring to the three Magic Towers, the five Martial Arts Houses, and the seven Families."


    "Our Lee Family is one of the seven families."


    I nodded at the two people''sbined exnation. I also had some rough ideas regarding the forces that dominated Another ne, the other side of the world.


    Yul continued, "The process of finding and selecting new talents for the salvation of humanity is an absolute duty and authority of the selectors. As such, we have special authorities, which is¡­"


    <i>Woooong-</i>


    As Yul lightly stirred his hand, a bluish hue, emitted from the six candles, started to circle around the star. It was just a simple expression of energy, but the mystery contained in the phenomenon was syllogism that transcended reason.


    Yul spoke, "<strong>Light of Selection.</strong>"


    <i>Woong!</i>


    Nothing unexpected happened. It''s just that the energy flowing through the six candles started to settle down. However, Kyung-eun groaned with a hardened expression upon seeing the reaction.


    "As expected¡­ Is it still working? I can''t believe it''s functional even after the death of the Great Wizard-nim."


    Yul smiled at Kyung-eun''s moans.


    "He has predicted his own death for a very long time, so it would be strange if he had not prepared for it."


    "Then all the guards must be fine too, right?"


    "Of course."


    "That is a relief. Some people must have made a misjudgment then."


    "Well, anyone can make a mistake."


    Yul had been smiling from the beginning until now, but his expression suddenly cooled down.


    "If, they can take responsibility for their misjudgment."


    I carefully listened to the serious conversation while voices in my head started to make a fuss.


    <strong>This is amazing. Could this be¡­</strong>


    <strong>What? This is an ultimate magic, right? It''s a unique spell as well! What kind of guy is this Great Wizard? Why did he try so hard? Even if he was a Great Wizard, it would have taken at least 100 years to properly build this system, and it probably cost him a fortune, enough capital to buy an entire country at the least.</strong>


    <strong>I found pertaining information after searching through the existing database. But to think that a system capable of representing an ultimate magic would exist on a backwater like this.</strong>


    I confirmed Yul''s title as they chattered away.


    <strong>Great Wizard Zenon</strong>


    <strong>Level 0</strong>


    <strong>Selector Yul</strong>


    <i>''Level 0¡­''</i>


    Level 1s were dime a dozen on Earth, but this was my first time seeing someone who was level 0. Presumably, he was not an actual, existing figure, but only a <strong>terminal </strong>of some system.


    "Hey."


    "And so¡­ Huh? Why?"


    "So when is this starting?"


    They seemed to have been involved in a serious topic, but Kyung-eun finally came to her senses when I intervened in the conversation. She smiled awkwardly before responding.


    "Ah, my bad. I was just about to leave, but I got caught up in the conversation."


    "You''re leaving?"


    "The screening process is strictly personal information, so it would be inappropriate for me to stay and watch, since I''m neither family nor your teacher. I have some personal business to take care of anyways."


    A bitter smile appeared on Yul''s face as he listened to Kyung-eun''s words.


    "¡­I see. It''s about time that the empire started to move."


    "I heard that a messenger arrived. I hope they don''t push too far."


    Kyung-eun left the room while muttering something along the lines of ''This is the sorrow of not having power''. She waved her hand as she left, but the sight seemed quite heartbreaking somehow.


    <strong>Confirmed. The group that the man named Yul refers to as the Guards also piggybacks on a simr system. There are about 1,000 members, scattered throughout the entire.</strong>


    <strong>I have seen quite a lot of transcendents my day, but the Great Wizard from this is one-of-a-kind. There was only one person, and he''s dead now. But there isn''t a single ce where he hasn''t stuck his nose inside of.</strong>


    <strong>This is a very special case. Perhaps the Great Wizard, the master of Earth-34¡­ Hmm, captain-nim.</strong>


    As if she had sensed something, Genie paused for a moment.


    <strong>Target number 2 is expected toe to the pce.</strong>


    I had ordered Genie to search for some people when I returned to Earth. Number one was my father, but he was nowhere to be found. Number two was Yeong-min. ording to Genie''s observation, he seemed to be doing fine, so I had told her to only watch for now-


    <i>''You said he was in North Korea.''</i>


    <strong>Correct. He was in the parallel world located in North Korea, the area where the Supreme Magic Tower is located. He has visited the Teleport Tower located there. ording to the information I collected, a space movement will be generated in about 3 hours.</strong>


    <i>''Is heing back?''</i>


    As I pondered, Yul spoke to me.


    "This is quite unusual."


    "What do you mean?"


    "The way you treat thedy."


    Yul smiled as if he found the situation interesting, and I replied.


    "I''m only treating her normally. Just like how I treat my other ssmates."


    "I''m sorry, but I don''t think her other ssmates treat her the way you treat her either. Even now, you had no interest in whether she left or not, isn''t that right?"


    I tilted my head at his words. If Kyung-eun decided to leave, then she would leave. What was I supposed to do? Say goodbye? Whatever the case, I didn''t feel like I did anything wrong, so I replied while shrugging my shoulders.


    "Not all teenagers have a burning sex drive."


    "¡­What?"


    Yul took on a nk expression. He seemed to doubt his ears. But soon, his face distorted and his mouth opened, and he erupted into boisterousughter.


    "Ha, haha! Hahahaha! You are truly amazing!"


    Tears formed in his eyes from all theughter, although I wasn''t sure what was so funny. Even when he regained calmness, I could clearly see that his eyes were full of interest.


    "Are you sure that you are just an ordinary person from the surface world?"


    "It has only been a few days since I passed over. I have never been to the parallel world since birth."


    It was true. I had only been in space. I felt toozy to continue the story further on this topic, so I approached the David''s Star drawn on the desk. At the points of the star, the candles were emitting a subtle presence.


    "Are we going to be lighting these candles?"


    "You''ve noticed. That is right. Except, we will not be using a lighter or a match."


    "Then?"


    "Pray. That the candles would light."


    "¡­¡­"


    I turned around speechless and saw Yul smiling.


    "I''m not pulling your leg. Candles imbued with the spirit of the selectors ept one''s desires as they are. Not all candles are like that."


    "Shin-Ma-Qi-Yoong-Eung-Chae."


    Yul nodded as I murmured.


    "I am d that you catch on very quickly. Each of these six candles symbolizes one of the powers. The candle of divine power. It represents a rare, sacred talent that only a few possess. The candle of magic power. Those born with this talent tend to have a more promising future than the rest. The candle of qi, the Chinese people''s favorite. The candle of spiritual power. The power of the supernaturals. The candle ofmunion, which represents the ability that most shamans and prophets are born with. The candle of physical strength, which serves as a basis for all other abilities."


    "So I just need to be able to light the candles?"


    "Of course not."


    Yul lightly waved his hand towards the six candles.


    <i>Papat!</i>


    All six candles lit up at the same time. They did not emit ordinary mes, but rather colored ones ¨C red, orange, yellow, green, blue, navy. Although I was a little disappointed that purple was missing, it was not difficult to figure out what the colors represented.


    "Rainbow?"


    "That is correct. These candles distinguish the amount of talent by color. Ah, of course, these colors right now don''t represent my talent by any means. In fact, you won''t be able to find anyone with a talent corresponding to navy, or above it, even if you search the entire world."


    "It must be using high standards."


    Yul nodded in response.


    "The Great Wizard had once said that if someone possesses talent corresponding to purple, they had the possibility of bing a transcendent in their respective field."


    "Then what about red?"


    "It would correspond to talent required to enter into the field. For example, if the candle of qi emitted a red me, it would allow one to open their eyes to feel the qi in the world. It is also referred to as a red-grade aptitude, but it''s not enough to allow one to train martial arts."


    "Are you saying it needs to be at least orange?"


    "It''s not that. I am saying that the body needs to be at a level where it could support the abilities. Even if one has a green-grade aptitude in qi, they would not be able to grow properly without having proper physical strength."


    Indeed, simply possessing an abundant qi does not make one an excellent martial artist. It was obvious that they would need to have a good knowledge about martial arts and a body capable of expressing it.


    "What about the other abilities?"


    "In terms of physical strength, one needs to possess a physical talent above the orange-grade aptitude, but it is unaffected by any of the other talents. One can train in magic if they are able to light the corresponding candle at all, but apart from that, one needs to be intelligent in order to grow in the field. Summoning and spirit techniques of magic also require one to have adequate spiritual power andmunion. Besides that¡­"


    <i>Paat!</i>


    Yul continued to exin, but suddenly, the candle of physical strength caught fire. Yul looked to be in disbelief rather than being surprise.


    "What? You''re the child of the Great Witch, so why is the candle of physical strength green¡­"


    "Green''s not that surprising, is it? It''s only in the middle."


    Since there were seven colors in the rainbow, green was situated exactly in the middle. However, Yul shook his head right away.


    "Normal people would not be able to even get a red. Orange represents rare talent and yellow represents monstrous talent. To make it easier to understand, a world-ss athlete would have a talent corresponding to green."


    Then he turned his face towards me once more. I guess his disbelief was justified. How could he be calm when I had a world-ss talent for physical strength without a proper background?


    <i>''I never really worked out either.''</i>


    In fact, it was a phenomenon that was basically a side effect. As the level of my soul increased exponentially, the gap between the container, the body, and the soul had grown unbelievablyrge. As such, my body''s capabilities had been increased forcefully. It was the opposite of the proverb ''A healthy mindes from a healthy body.'' Well, in the end, I had only reached the <strong>human limits.</strong>


    "The first way is to strengthen the body. One can train their physical body and biological functions to reach a level where the body is aligned with the world, protecting it from the flood of divinity."


    I recalled the words of the Progenitor God. One of the issues I had was the incongruity of the soul and the body, so training my current body to the point of transcendence would solve the problem. It was quite ironic that the incongruity resulted in a talent for physical strength.


    "This level of talent¡­ It is sufficient for the Lee Family, no, for the Geumgangpa, one of the five Martial Arts Houses, to beg for you to join them. In addition, if you possess a high aptitude for qi, you will be receiving love calls from all of the Martial Arts Houses."


    Yul started to tap on the desk. After a while, he continued.


    "But this is surprising. It''s not like dyed awakening doesn''t exist, but it is a rare event¡­ Since it''se to this, I will need to guide you on the premise that you awakened the blood of the Great Witch."


    "Guide?"


    "Yes. I don''t think you will be a simple <strong>selection target </strong>but a <strong>selection</strong>.


    A selection¡­ What an obvious naming sense. Wasn''t it called a selection because you were selected by a selector? Still, it must have been a rare thing from the way he talked about it.


    "Most of the ability holders on Earth are those who awakened their powers under our supervision."


    "Most?"


    "At least 98%. In terms of numbers, there are roughly over 10 million. Only 470,000 of them are selections."


    <i>''What a letdown. That''s almost one-twentieth of the total.''</i>


    "Not everyone can be a selection. Selections are beings with brilliant talents. Most of the time, they will be able to reach the highest positions in the parallel world, receiving¡­"


    Yul began to exin, but I lost all interest and zoned him out. I had no reason to be interested in status or benefits on Earth. Instead, I focused on the next candle and prayed.


    <i>''Burn.''</i>


    <i>Fwoooosh!!</i>


    ''What!?"

 Vol 2. 12: Talent Identification (5)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 12: Talent Identification (5)</h4>


    <i>Fwoooosh!!</i>


    ''What!?"


    One of the mes ignited with a fierce momentum. For a moment, its size was almostparable to a torch.


    "Imand you in the name of the agent. Smother!!"


    Along with a loud shout, the sound of cracking ss resounded and everything in the surroundings was grayed out. It was the power to silence everything in the vicinity. However, the candle was not affected in the slightest, continuing to burn while showing off its distinct presence without care.


    <i>Fwoo!</i>


    As the candle reduced to half its size almost instantaneously, the dizzying scent of apple filled the entire room. I stood still while observing the mes.


    "It''s the lowest color. Red."


    "No, this is¡­ This is."


    Yul frowned as he collected his breathing.


    "This is something different. Even if it is red, the size of it is¡­"


    <i>Pat!</i>


    The color of the me changed in an instant. Orange. Yul''s face turned pale.


    "The color¡­ changed? There''s a change in the middle of the verification?"


    However, the color of the candle kept changing without caring about his reaction. Yellow, green, blue. Navy, blue, and finally.


    "What color is this? White? No, should I say it''s silver?"


    "You, you, what is¡­"


    "Ah, it''s changing again. Is it gold this time around?"


    I was fascinated that the color kept on morphing, but that was it.


    <i>Pat!</i>


    The candle snuffed out. After growing to an enormous size, the me had burnt through the entire candle, including the wick. Only the scattered wax over the table was remaining of the candle.


    "Hmm, was that the candle of divine power?"


    I was not surprised. There was no reason to be. Assuming that the function of this candle was to read divine aptitude, divine aptitude was clearly defined as the level of talent required to control divine power and thepatibility to act as a god''s vessel.


    <i>''Normally, the talent that this candle assesses is the spiritual gift that allows one to embrace the power of a God. But¡­''</i>


    But didn''t I possess a high-rank Divine Spirit and a low-rank Status of God? I would naturally smash apart anything that attempted to gauge my ability to channel divine power. I quickly lost interest in the natural results and looked at the next candle before praying.


    <i>Psssh¡­</i>


    <i>Psh!</i>


    "Oh, I knew it. I didn''t think these two would work."


    The candles of mana and qi did not burst into mes. Perhaps I was not fated to use magic or martial arts. Fortunately, the next prayer was effective.


    <i>Pat! Pat!</i>


    "Power ofmunion is green, the same as my physical strength¡­ My spiritual power is at purple?"


    I organized my thoughts. The Shin-Ma-Qi-Yoong-Eung-Chae could assess six different types of talents. Considering that I shouldn''t train my strongest talent, divine power, my talents belonged to physical abilities andmunion, which were green-grade, and spiritual power, which was purple.


    "You."


    After testing all the candles, I turned towards Yul. He was emitting gray energy from his entire body, and he looked pale as if he had lost all of hisposure.


    "Are you all right?"


    "What are¡­ you?"


    From looking at his face, it seemed useless to feign ignorance or say that the candles seemed to be broken. I couldn''t ask him the same question, pretending to be as confused as he was. I had no motivation to act like that either.


    "A high school student."


    "No, it''s-!"


    Yul tried to argue with an expression of absurdity, but I cut him off.


    "I was born normal and lived as an ordinary student for tens of years."


    I was telling him facts. The only thing that was different about me was that I had a unique ability since I was young, and that I went out into space this spring and became an emperor of an empire.


    "If there''s anything unusual, it''s probably flowing in my blood."


    This was a fact as well. I was aware that I didn''t possess my current powers because I burnt with desire for them. They were only an inheritance of my biological father, Dekarma, the machine god, the one who had fallen from his throne of civilization and information.


    "But how could the blood of the Great Witch possess divine power?"


    Yul suddenly stopped talking. His face hardened, frowned, then turned pale again. His thin, ck eyes widened and thinned repeated for an entire minute. Finallying back to his senses, Yul spoke with an understanding expression.


    "I see. I see. That must be it. <strong>Masterman </strong>wasn''t human after all."


    "¡­What?"


    "Yes! That must be it! He wasn''t human! Even if every investigation, every theory pointed to him being an ordinary human, his extraordinary prowess could not possibly exist if he was just a simple human. Yes! In the first ce, it didn''t make sense that the Progenitor God would fall for a normal human. Yes! So that''s why¡­"


    Yul kept muttering under his breath while pacing around the room like a madman. I realized that he knew of my father.


    <i>''No, dad. You said you were a normal person. Why are you famous here?''</i>


    It was quite strange and absurd, but that was the kind of person my father originally was. He was a person who shone brightly no matter where he was. A perfect person. No matter who you were, you could not underestimate my father. Just because he could not use any abilities, my father could not be underrated. The human named Kwan Il-han was extraordinary.


    <i>''Well, I guess that''s why he is the <strong>Human Representative.</strong>''</i>


    I smirked while thinking back to one of my father''s ridiculous title. Yul came back towards me in the meanwhile. The confusion of the situation seemed to have subsided to some extent.


    "Phew¡­ Sorry you had to see something so unsightly. It was just so unexpected."


    He smiled bitterly and nced down at the table. The wax-filled, messy table quickly became clean like magic.


    "Is this the end of the selection process?"


    "Of course not. Candles only give us an indication of your talent in the respective areas. For example, even if you have a talent for magical power, you can''t be a wizard without sufficient intelligence. If you have high intelligence but aren''t gifted with spiritual power, you can''t be a sorcerer. There are uncountable variabilities when ites to the process of selecting. Even if one is born with a very high level of divine power, if they are an atheist whocks faith, they might be better off learning summoning magic than bing a priest."


    I pondered for a moment at his words before speaking.


    "What would be suitable for me if we rule out the divine power?"


    "Well, it''s hard to offer a guide for divine power because no one has ever shown talent beyond the seven colors in the past before, so¡­ Okay. The first things thate into mind are summoners and elemental summoners. With spiritual power andmunion, you could use your powers to call an existence from the outer world and make a contract with them. If you are able to maximize your talent for spiritual power, you could aim to train your auras. If you are able to train yourmunion, you could aim for channeling. Moreover¡­"


    "Hooh."


    I whistled at the systematic, but numerous options. Genie and Ares also seemed amazed as they listened to the choices.


    <strong>This is almost the same variety as the Empire. To think that a backwater like this would¡­</strong>


    <strong>This is beyond the level of a with such a short history, especially with the surface world and the parallel dividedpletely. I think that Great Wizard must have essed the Akashic Records.</strong>


    <strong>But I don''t understand why the Progenitor God would allow a download of this scale, even spreading the information to a lot of people.</strong>


    They were mumbling amongst themselves, but I tuned them out and stared at Yul.


    "Among them, are there any abilities that Yul-nim could teach me?"


    "Selectors do not teach. Creating a new force would undermine the fundamental value of selectors. Instead."


    "Instead?"


    Yul put his hand on the back of my palm.


    <i>Woong!</i>


    With a light echo, a David''s Star was engraved on the back of my hand.


    "This is?"


    "It is a type of license. It works as ID as well. Dae-ha-nim may not know, but the pattern contains quite a lot of information."


    Yul seemed a little smug as he bragged about the mark. I looked down at the back of my left hand. The David''s Star had a blurry texture as if it were painted with pastel. There was a purple glow on the fourth vortex, a green glow on the fifth and sixth vertices, and the number 27 was written in the middle.


    <i>''Is it proof of talent?''</i>


    I was d that there was no mention of divine power. I wasn''t sure if Yul had taken it out on purpose or if it could not be disyed within the confines of the system, but it would cause less trouble for me in the future to have it hidden.


    "But are you saying one uses talents as proof and not actual skill?"


    "Haha! Of course not. Only selectors and Dae-ha-nim are able to know the colors on the mark. From now on, the colors will also mark the achievements you make in the various fields as well. Of course, even that."


    <i>Pat.</i>


    Yul tapped the back of my hand, and the star disappeared.


    "It will only appear on the surface when you want it to be seen."


    I nodded at his kind exnation. Indeed, it was an obvious function when I recalled that no one in the Lee Family openly disyed such a mark on their hands. It would be strange if there weren''t any selections in the Lee Family when 470,000 out of the 11 million were selections. It was likely that everyone was hiding it.


    "Oh, of course. Dae-ha-nim''s star<strong> </strong>is special even among them."


    "Is this special treatment?"


    "Yes. I have determined as a selector that you have the potential. You asked me earlier if I could teach you any abilities, right?"


    Yul packed up his bag and then stood up. A subtle smile appeared on his face.


    "That is my answer."


    "¡­¡­"


    "Hahaha! You seem to think I''m talking nonsense. I had almost forgotten because of your calmness, but it seems that you truly are from the surface world."


    <i>''I can''t believe you''re only acting like this after receiving a double-digit star''</i> seemed to be what he was thinking as heughed vainly, but he soon took on a serious expression.


    "Everything must be unfamiliar. To you who lived in the surface world¡­ The parallel world must seem like a mess that can''t be understood nor discerned."


    It was as he said. Wasn''t it only a little while ago when I encountered a bunch of idiots who tried to kill me just because I was being cheeky? For someone who lived in a society wherew and order were prevalent, it was hard to understand nor be convinced about the mess of a parallel world, Another ne.


    "An ordinary person¡­"


    Yul looked at me and continued.


    "An ordinary person adapts to the new world, but the hero transforms and leads it."


    "¡­Are you asking me to be a hero?"


    "I think I can hope."


    Yul''s eyes narrowed into a gentle smile.


    "Please do your best to protect mankind."


    <i>Click.</i>


    After Yul left, I sat alone in the room for a while. Even though Yul left, no one came to find me. However, I could see courtdies and ability users busily walking around outside. It seemed that something serious was taking ce in the Lee Family.


    "What am I supposed to do?"


    Iughed vainly. I wasn''t sure what I was doing in this ce. Then suddenly, the back of my hand began to heat up and something appeared in front of my eyes.


    - Wee to the mission system


    - Current rating: Tutorial


    - Verifying numbers¡­ Confirmed. 27


    - Person in charge: Yul


    - Currently essible: Shin. Yoong. Eung. Chae.


    "Huh?"


    I jumped out of my seat with an involuntary groan at the sudden appearance.


    <strong>Captain-nim? Is there something wrong?</strong>


    "No, no¡­ No, this is¡­ Huh? What? This text¡­"


    I became flustered and stuttered. I wasn''t surprised just because something appeared in front of my eyes. I had lived a life that was far too rough for the past half a year to be startled by something like that. I was surprised because of something else.


    "This is¡­"


    I didn''t care about the contents of the text. Rather, what caught my nerves was the color and the transparency of the text, as well as the spacing between the letters and the lines. All of them were all too familiar to me. I wasn''t kidding. The format was something I had seen 24 hours a day, all of my life.


    "Isn''t this mine?"


    They were the characters used in the titles I had seen throughout my life.

 Vol 2. 13: Great Nations and Small Countries (1)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 13: Great Nations and Small Countries (1)</h4>


    They took a step forward. There was a cloud of dust on the sand floor. <i>Booooom! </i>They took another step forward. <i>Booooom!</i> It was between Gwanghwamun Gate and Heungnyemun Gate. If this was the surface world, there would be a ticket office on the right side of the square. At the moment, a group of seven people were walking slowly over the square. Their steps were at a crawling pace, where a single step needed almost 3 seconds to execute.


    <i>''Agh, really now.'' </i>I looked down from the perspective of the Albatross ship, through the sses-shaped Magic Armament, Udjat. Then, I let out a scoff at the sight of the man who was overpowering everyone around him. <i>''That''s an anachronistic outfit and behavior.''</i>


    Unbelievably, he wore an official hat that was only seen in historical dramas. On that hat, there was a peacock''s tail feather attached and it reflected the zing sunlight in various colors. The part where the tail feather was affixed was carefully and meticulously crafted with gold-colored flowers and clouds. Its top was also embedded with an extremely red and transparent ruby.


    The outfit he wore was a navy-colored gwanbok[1], and the rank badge (A badge or emblem that was attached on the chest and back of the outfit, and it represented a particr rank in the Joseon, Ming, and Qing Dynasty) on the chest te was embroidered with a gold Kirin[2] that represented the First Rank Military Official.


    -Keureunggg!


    <i>''Ohhhh. Look at that,'' </i>I thought. Interestingly enough, the Kirin was growling even though it must have been embroidered by the hands of humans. It also did not hide its ferocious look. Moreover, it was stealthily rolling its eyes and ring all around the ce. The atmosphere seemed to indicate that it was not controlled by the man who was wearing it, meaning it had a life and will.


    Genie exined, perhaps because she could sense my surprised expression, <strong>It''s an outfit made by a producer-type ability user. It''s a pretty well-made item.</strong>


    <i>''Come to think of it, you did say that the producer-type did not necessarily only make weapons... But, even if so, there''s a producer-type ability user who can make silk clothes?''</i>


    <strong>Everything is possible as long as they have a rich imagination, though the only constraint was what properties an ability user was born with. However...</strong>


    <i>Boom! Boom! </i>The ground continued to reverberate while I was having an idle talk with Genie. The Chinese, who were dressed as if they jumped out of a medieval historical drama, were walking in near synchronicity. There was a heavy energy that scattered in all directions with every step they took. Among them, the Aura of the man standing at the very front was quite exceptional.


    <strong>It''s a Compl¨¦ter-ss <i>neigong</i> user, Captain-nim. If he entered the ranks of the Leonhardt Empire, he''s a capable person who could start his military career at the position of Lieutenant just after a year of military training. As long as he''s earnest and diligent, he would be able to reach the stars, so he has quite a bright future. </strong>


    <i>''That''s only if the future is bright.'' </i>Iughed in vain. <i>''He''s not just at the level of reaching a star here, though?'' </i>He had a sturdy height which was probably above 190 centimeters, and he had impressively big and sharp eyes. Despite the fact that he was a martial artist, he was dressed up quite morously. No matter who looked at him, it was not an attire that a person with a low status could be endowed with. I then added, <i>''In particr, look at that ne.''</i>


    The ne, which was long and ran from the chest to the abdomen, was densely threaded with red corallites. Ridiculously enough, there were beads radiating a gentle light in between those corallites. It wasn''t a joke, but it was a vibrant light that could be clearly seen even inside Gyeongbokgung Pce, which was always surrounded by bright lights. If this was a dark ce, there would have been a bright Aura that seemed like 100 fluorescent lights were turned on around it, so there was no need to further exin its inherent splendor. He was walking with heavy steps, adjusting to the atmosphere. However, every time he walked, the <i>''criiiing criiing'' </i>sounds that came from the corallites bumping into each other was rather ludicrous.


    <i>Boom! </i>"Cough cough...!" After passing through Heungnyemun Gate leisurely, he walked through the Yeongjegyo Bridge[3] and crossed the Geunjeongmun Gate[4]. Then, as he reached the top of the t stone stretched in front of the Geunjeongjeon Hall[5], the ability users of the Lee Family, who were eventually lined up around him, began to kneel and vomit blood. They could not ovee the Aura that the Chinese martial artists exuded.


    "Hmmm." I casually raised my hand and fidgeted my chin. I did not understand the scene I was seeing through the sses. "What kind ofposition is this?"


    "What are you mumbling about?"


    "Huh?" I turned my head to the sudden voice that interrupted. "¡­Jae-seok?" I stood up from my seat, because I was surprised by the appearance of a totally unexpected character. At the National Museum Pce, where even the courtdies who had always been guarding the area disappeared, my friend, Bae Jae-seok, was there wearing a tight suit.


    "That''s right. It''s me, you little bastard. Why are you here?"


    "One thing led to another and it just happened. Gangster-nim." Iughed. To put it nicely, he was a high school student. However, who would see him as a student when he looked like that? His facial features were rough around the edges, and he had broad shoulders. Moreover, he was wearing a suit, so he looked like a gangster syndicate''s leader rather than a minor.


    Nheless, Jae-seok shook his head as if hinting that I shouldn''t say such things. "What do you mean ''gangster''? I''ll be beaten to a pulp, even if I fought the courtdies that were on the streets here. No, that aside, hurry up and follow me! You''re not supposed to be here!"


    "What?" Disregarding my question, Jae-seok grabbed my arm and dragged me to the square between Gwanghwamun Gate and Heungnyemun Gate. The square was full of people, unlike its usual emptiness. As the party of Chinese people crossed the square, a bunch of people gathered in front of Heungnyemun Gate as they did not dare to even approach. "What the, was I supposed toe here too?"


    "What do you mean you too? There was a royal order that depicted that everyone was to gather here. Even if you are an outsider, you have to be sensible and be aware of the circumstances! Didn''t you find it strange that all the courtdies standing by the doors disappeared?" Jae-seok looked around as he said so. "No, more importantly, why did the courtdies leave you alone? I heard that all the Barrier Masters were taken away, and the external barrier was temporarily suspended though! No, are they discriminating against ordinary people who are unrted?"


    He was bad-tempered, but Iughed and replied, since I felt he sounded concerned for me. "It''s because I have something to do."


    "No, didn''t I just say it''s a royal order? Everyone was dragged away, regardless of whether they had work or not, so what is this¡­ Were you left out because you''re new here?" Jae-seok had an expression that seemed to indicate that he found this situation iprehensible, but I could roughly figure out the situation.


    <i>''Was it because of Yul?''</i>


    The status of the group of<strong> Selection Masters</strong> in the parallel world seemed to be quite outstanding. Seeing that they ignored my existence, as if they had nned for this situation when even the most essential personnel was called in, it seems that the matters regarding him were beyond most of the parallel world''s authority.


    However, while we were having a conversation, I could still hear the people of the Lee Family making amotion. The situation was quite grave.


    "Damn it¡­ Those bastards from the Continent¡­"


    "Wicked, so wicked. I can''t believe His Majesty would be reduced to this."


    "No, aftering this far, Emperor my ass."


    "That''s right. Does it make sense to talk about the Emperor after seeing what happened? He''s just a family head that couldn''t be a king."


    A group of old men with finely trimmed beards, dressed in hanboks, trembled at the words of the young man. "Wha-What did you say? What did you bastards say about the honor of the Korea Empire¡­!"


    "Shut up, old man. There is no meaning behind a Qingje (One who deres himself Emperor) that is not recognized by anyone. No, beyond that, do you not know that the term Qingje[6] is a very Chinese concept? They have spoken about the honor of the Korea Empire despite the fact that they were the ones who already had toadyism[7] mindsets." He was a sarcastic man who was like a thug, but he was also not an ordinary person either. He was a strong martial artist, with mobility that transcended that of a human by honing Qi, also known as neigong, in his body.


    "No, putting that aside, if it''s an Empire, doesn''t it need vassal kingdoms?" The man who replied was also not an ordinary human. He was a man with the head of a wolf, the monster of the night. He wasn''t a human, but someone who received the blood of a non-human species. If he went berserk in the surface world, he would be able to single-handedly cause thousands of casualties.


    To that sort of monster, the martial artist replied, "Why? There''s Tamnaguk (A Kingdom of the old that once existed in Jeju-do Ind during the Three Kingdoms Period), isn''t it? Tamnaguk."


    "Kekeke¡­ Crazy fucker."


    "By the way, it''s really annoying. Those idiots didn''t even contribute much, but their mouth is at the level of a Great Wizard."


    The old man again trembled at the words of the werewolf, who was shaking his head. "Y-You bastards¡­"


    "Shut up. If you want to console yourself, do it alone in the corner of a room where no one is watching. I don''t know about the Korea Empire, but at the very least, I can''t stand the embarrassment as a member of the Lee Family."


    As the people of the Lee Family, who whispered without being able to raise their voices, heard his words, they approached the Heungnyemun Gate.


    "That''s a lot..."


    "I know right. Were there always so many people of the Lee Family?"


    As I saw earlier, the square between Gwanghwamun Gate and Heungnyemun Gate was packed with countless people. There wasn''t even space for them to step on. There were people huddling and making noises even at the Yeongjegyo Bridge, which was a line that separated the space of the King in the past.


    That wasn''t all. Even the Royal Court, built with various stones, where the civil and military officials of the past stood ording to their ranks, were filled with various ability users without any public order. Hence, we did not dare to try to squeeze through as we were standing at the end of the crowd. In the first ce, we could not even enter Heungnyemun Gate, let alone Geunjeongmun Gate. So, even the fact that the Royal Court was full of people was just an assumption based on the glimpse I could see from Gwanghwamun Gate.


    "By the way." I asked among the crowded wave of people, "Are you a person from<i> ''this side''</i> too? A superhuman or wizard or something of that sort?" ssmates did not necessarily know everything about each other, but even I did not expect to meet Jae-seok here. That was because Jae-seok was¡­ He was without a doubt a¡­


    "I''m an ordinary human." He shook his head and let out a deep sigh. There was resignation and sighs mixed in his tone of voice. "I practiced a little bit of magic power because I had the minimum qualification to move over to the parallel world, but¡­ It wasn''t at a level where I could disy any sort of impact. I am really a regr person with absolutely andpletely no ability."


    "¡­Then why are you here?"


    "Why else?" <i>''Tchh'',</i> Jae-seok clicked his tongue. "It''s because I have a lot of money at home."


    "..." The fact that his family had a lot of money¡­ What I mean was, I have already known from a long time ago that he was superior in terms of wealth, even among our school where only rich people attended. Even though he did not show that he was a rich person, his family<strong> </strong>was definitely one of his important statuses. I slightly raised my head and tried to change the details of his title by ssification.


    <strong>Wol-il High School</strong>


    <strong>Level 1</strong>


    <strong>Third Generation Chaebol, Bae Jae-seok</strong>


    It was quite interesting that it was not his representative status. But anyway, my friend, Jae-seok, was the grandson of Bae Jin-man, the Chairman of Il-sung, thergest conglomerate group in the Republic of Korea. He was always easygoing, and even if he was a shameless fellow whomitted the atrocity of stealing a bite of the bread that I bought from the canteen, that was without a doubt the truth. However, I was dumbfounded at that fact. "In a world where there are tens of thousands of people with superpowers, a lucky chaebol is safe, huh."


    "That''s because, even in a world where there are tens of thousands of people with superpowers, money can''t be resisted."


    "...I see."


    "No, that aside, what actually happened to you?" We were at the square between Heungnyemun Gate and Gwanghwamun Gate. Jae-seok, who leaned his back against the wall where the ticket office should have been located in the surface world, put on a dumbfounded expression. "Aren''t you just a normal person? It''s well-known in the surface world that both Teacher Kwan Il-han and his biological son are ordinary people."


    "...How can a regr person be well-known?" I did not bother asking questions such as, "Why are you addressing my father teacher?" or "You never called him teacher before this, right?" That was because Jae-seok did not hide his look of respect and admiration for my father back when he was in the surface world, and even in the parallel world, where we were right now.


    "It can be special. Because ignoring the fact that he was a normal person, Teacher Kwan Il-han was an extraordinary person. In the first ce, can just anyone steal the heart of a God?"


    "..." That''s right. My father''s nickname in the parallel world was <strong>The One who Stole the Heart of God</strong>. Moreover, it had a literal meaning, and not just some sort of metaphor. It reminded me of the conversation I had with Bo-ram.


    "Our star''s Primordial God has fallen in love with Teacher."


    "...Primordial God?"


    "I heard she''s already been rejected three times."


    "..." From the perspective of the people from Earth, the Primordial God was literally a parent-like existence who had taken care of mankind since the beginning of civilization. Now, I was also reminded of what I said to that Primordial God, "Give birth to my child."


    "..." I''ll have to quickly dig up my brain and erase that damn guy''s memory or something.


    1. Gwanbok is Korean for the Chinese term Guanfu. The Gwanbok is a general term that refers to the historical court attire of government officials and which was issued by the government.


    2. A Kirin or Qilin is a mythical hooved chimerical creature known in Chinese and other East Asian cultures. It is said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a sage or illustrious ruler.


    3. Yeongjegyo Bridge is a bridge that visitors pass over after having passed through the initial main gate (Gwanghwamun Gate) and secondary gate (Heungnyemun Gate).


    4. Geunjeongmun Gate is aligned and located directly to the south of Geunjeongjeon and it is the main gate to the courtyard and to Geunjeongjeon.


    5. Geunjeongjeon Hall is the throne hall where the king formally granted audiences to his officials, gave derations of national importance, and greeted foreign envoys and ambassadors during the Joseon dynasty.


    6. ·QµÛ. It is a term that refers to a self-proimed Emperor/King.


    7. Toadyism refers to the attention to submissive or blindly epting a state or force that is not autonomous and stronger than its own. It is a critique made by critics of the ruling ss at the beginning of the twentieth century, when fascists were overly concerned only with big, strong states.

 Vol 2. 14: Great Nations and Small Countries (2)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 14: Great Nations and Small Countries (2)</h4>


    "..." I''ll have to quickly dig up my brain, and erase that damn guy''s memory or something.


    "Hmm, so are the rumors true?"


    "Rumors?"


    "That''s right. The rumor that your mother was an amazing individual, and that you awakened her blood. When I saw you going with Kyung-eun, I thought that it might have been the case, but... I can''t believe we''re really meeting here," Jae-seok groaned, dumbfounded. Then¡­


    <i>Boooom! </i>From far away, a familiar set of footsteps reverberated.


    "Kuuughh!"


    "Ughhh!!"


    "Oh my God... This... What is this profound neigong?"


    I could hear groans and screamsing from in front of me. However, none of that shock was impacting me. Was it due to the distance?


    Jae-seok, who was an ordinary person, also did not receive any shock. Nheless, apart from that, his expression was grave. "As expected, Zhou Hongyi... He''s doing it ording to his style."


    "Zhou Hongyi?"


    "Sword Saint Zhou Hongyi. There are only seven Master-ss warriors in the Great Nation."


    "What do you mean Sword Saint?"


    Although I shook my head at the very wuxia-like title, Jae-seok was being serious. He added, "But we call him by another nickname."


    "Another nickname? What is it?"


    "The one that destroys rules. Rule Breaker." Jae-seok looked at Heungnyemun Gate with worried eyes. To be exact, he was concerned about the situation at the Geunjeongmun Gate, as well as the situation at the Geunjeongjeon Hall that was beyond the Heungnyemun Gate.


    Genie, who was watching the situation quietly, conveyed information to me, <strong>Zhou Hongyi, born in the middle ss of Beijing, entered the parallel world at the age of 10 as a martial arts ability user. He''s a legendary figure who rose to the position of Chief District Prosecutor at the age of 28. The position of Chief District Prosecutor is an equivalent rank to that of China''s Department Chief, and the same position as Korea''s Minister. He has been in that position for nearly 30 years now. </strong>


    <i>''He started from scratch and he''s a minister at 28 years old?'' </i>I widened my eyes, because it was almost an impossible task to achieve in modern society. No matter what great achievement was made, that kind of authority and position would not be given to a young man. However, it was different here. In this ce, power represented everything.


    <strong>Many people talk about him. He is said to be one of the top five excellent talents throughout the whole of China. As Chief District Prosecutor, he visited many countries, and also produced <i>''results'' </i>befitting that. </strong>


    <i>''Results.''</i>


    As I dwelled on the meaningful term, Jae-seok sighed. "Ahhh... He was reduced to this as soon as the Great Wizard passed away. Every time the Great Wizard-nim looked at the people, and said they were foolish brutes like it was a habitual speech, he would be pissed off. However, seeing that the situation turned out this way, is this perhaps the insight befitting a Great Wizard?"


    <i>Booooom!!! </i>Footsteps could be heard from a distance again. Then, the people made a fuss at the heavy vibration that was transmitted from the ground.


    "Ughh! That crazy bastard! Even if he came from the Continent, what kind of violence is he disying in the royal presence of His Majesty the Emperor?!"


    "O'' king..."


    "Things have turned out funny. I wonder if the Patriarch can ovee this difficulty."


    I could see people whispering amongst themselves. It was generally a gloomy atmosphere, but not all of them were like that. Some were excited, as if looking forward to it, while others had eyes that shone with the light of opportunity. At those figures...


    <i>''What a mess,'' </i>I thought to myself. It truly was a total mess.


    Perhaps sensing my astonishment at the scene, Jae-seok, who was looking around at the others and possibly perceiving them to be tragic, said, "Dae-ha, which do you think is the strongest country in the world?"


    "Hmm? Isn''t it the United States?" I replied. It wasmon sense, and that was an obvious answer. Wasn''t the United States a powerful country, with the status of a key currency country that printed dors, as well as a country that possessed overwhelming capital, diplomatic power, and military force?


    However, surprisingly, Jae-seok had a different opinion. "It''s China."


    "...Really?"


    "Moreover, they weren''t just at the level of strong... Even if the United States and the whole of Europe join forces, China would still be more superior."


    Jae-seok''s words immediately aroused astonishment and questions within me, because his statement was so far off from themon sense that I knew of. Of course, China was an incredibly powerful nation, but even so, was it even possible for China to have greater national power than thebined power of the United States and Europe?


    Perhaps understanding my doubts, Jae-seok said, "It''s because of the military factions. It''s due to the Great Wizard''s arrangements that was so great and outstanding that it disregarded the distribution of power in the human world."


    Another ne, the parallel side of the world, was governed by 15 forces¡ª Three Great Magic Towers, Five Great Military Factions, and Seven Great Households. The strongest among the forces was the Magic Towers, but the Military Factions were situated right beneath them. The Seven Great Households were undoubtedly powerful forces, but strictly speaking, their position only served as amunity leader of the region. They were just supporting organizations that provided assistance to the Three Great Magic Towers and Five Great Military Factions.


    "Of course, the Seven Great Households built up their military strength and organized their group with all their might, but... Even if so, it''s iparable to the Magic Towers and Military Factions that the Great Wizard raised with all their heart and soul."


    "Ahh." I nodded. That made sense. He was excessivelypetent and diligent, even considering the fact that the Great Wizard who lived in Earth-34 was a transcendent. No matter how hard a mortal struggled, they wouldn''t be able to keep up with the prepared arrangements that the forces had.


    Of course, there were also arrangements of the Great Wizard at the Lee Family. The Imoogi that was deep asleep in the Gyeonghoeru Pond was a given, but the Giant Soul Soldier that stood at the Gwanghwamun Square was a part of it too. It was definitely not a military strength that can be taken lightly, even from the perspective of the Leonhardt Empire, which was active in the Great Universe.


    However¡­ <i>''No matter how I look at it, it feels like it''s only for emergency use.'' </i>That''s right. From what I could tell, they were not a power that could be utilized by the Lee Family. But then again, if they could utilize it, then there would be no reason for the entire Lee Family to be swayed by just a single Sword Master. Besides that, it had to be known that those arrangements were scattered all over the country, and not just in the Lee Family.


    Jae-seok said, "Three of the world''s only Five Great Military Factions are located in China. In fact, China actually took control of the Supreme Magic Tower, one of the Three Great Magic Towers. Even though they are under the rule of the Great Wizard so far, and do not dare to bare their fangs..."


    "Are you saying that the situation is different now?"


    "That''s right. To be honest, it''s hard to believe, but... It has been known for decades that the lifespan of the Great Wizard''s over."


    At that moment, a heavy and gloomy voice cut off Jae-seok''s words, "Aren''t you saying too much to someone from the surface world?" Six men appeared through the crowd of people. One of them was a middle-aged man in his mid-30s dressed up in a neat suit. One of them was an old man wearing a Japanese-style full-body armor that could be seen in the Warring States Period, and there was a Japanese katana sheathed on his waist. Last but not least, there were four giants who appeared, baring their muscr bodies.


    <i>''They''re not humans.'' </i>I looked over. The giants were three meters tall and easily earned anyone''s attention, even in a crowd. They had gray skin, as well as a pale, stiffened face. However, they were obviously not living creatures. No, leaving that aside¡­


    <strong>It''s an Undead.</strong>


    <strong>It seems that there are also necromancers in Earth-34. I try not to have any prejudice, but it''s a displeasing sect.</strong>


    While listening to the artificial intelligence''s exnation, Jae-seok, whose face momentarily stiffened, bowed and forced a smile on his face. "Ahh, Hyun-seok hyung-nim is back."


    "Because it''s time. By the way... Are you the one in the rumor?" The man in the suit easily sized me up. It wasn''t a pleasing gaze. It felt like a snake staring its prey.


    "Rumor?"


    "I''m talking about Teacher."


    The man in the suit, hearing my question and Jae-seok''s reply, as well as our conversation, said, "Masterman is famous in this side of the world too. It stood out so much that it would have died a long time ago, especially if it had not been able to sweet-talk the Primordial God."


    "It would die, you say?"


    "Of course he''s going to die. He was too nosy that he brought it upon himself."


    "..." Dumbfounded, I looked at him, who simply stuck his tongue out to lick his lips. No, I mean, what kind of crazy nonsense was the ahjusshi saying in front of the child of the person in question? However, my utter bewilderment was disregarded.


    The man looked right back at me, and said, "Have you perhaps seen Hyun-jin?"


    "Hyun-jin?"


    As I expressed doubt at the unexpected question, he exined in a cold voice, "You should have met him at the cafeteria, though?"


    "Ah, that bandage..." I muttered. Only then did I confirm his title.


    <strong>Lee Family</strong>


    <strong>Level 7</strong>


    <strong>Necromancy Master, Lee Hyun-seok</strong>


    <i>''Ah,e to think of it, they found them, huh.'' </i>I only forgot about it because I did not think it was that important. However, it was a matter to consider, of course. The forces exerted some power, and went missing at not just some random ce, but at Gyeongbokgung Pce, which could be said to be the heart of the Lee Family. Therefore, it was natural that there would be people looking for them. Moreover, they werest seen with me, so I would probably be the most likely suspect. This was even more of a possibility if they left a trail before they tailed me.


    I had a gut feeling that this would definitely be a problem. Since the bandage bastard wouldn''t have been born with a malicious heart, like a mutant, the fact that they openly threatened to cut my finger, chasing after me to attempt killing me immediately after their threats were ridiculed¡­ These could only mean that these were tendencies of the group they belonged to.


    However, at that moment,<i> ''So what?'' </i>I just simply denied it, because I thought it didn''t matter. "I''m not sure. That was the first andst time I saw him."


    "Huh? What?" The man''s face turned violent in an instant. It seemed that he was probably not pleased with the way I talked. However, at least he had a calmer temperament aspared to his younger brother, or perhaps it was just because there were many people around. He took a deep breath and calmed himself down before continuing, "But then again."


    "..."


    "I don''t think an insect like you would dare do anything to my younger brother." The manughed, ridiculing me.


    Upon that sight, I got emotional and something surged forth from within me. <i>''...You dare?'' </i>Then, as if it was natural, the image of a door was drawn in my mind. <i>Booooom. </i><i>Something</i> knocked at the door.


    "Heok?" I let out a groan, slightly frightened. Cold sweat formed on my forehead. <i>''Wh-What the. Just because of something like this?'' </i>It was literally a baffling situation. Just because ''I'' heard a sentence, ''I'' had an urge to erase them all. What on earth was with this terminal-like anger management disorder? I clenched my teeth and imagined the image of a chain bounding the door. <i>''No.'' </i>Now wasn''t the time. No, even if it waster, it still wasn''t the right time.


    <i>Boom booom! </i>I calmed my mind. I took a breath and recalled the daily life when I used to pass my idle-time by watching the TV, or reading some books at home. <i>Boom booom¡­</i> Fortunately, the knock on the door was getting weaker. Then¡­


    "Hohh." Perhaps pleased by me breaking out in cold sweat, the necromancer, Hyun-seok, grinned and put on a satisfied smile. "Bae Jae-seok."


    "Yes, hyung-nim." Jae-seok bowed down to a single necromancer, which put his status as the grandson of the chaebol chairman of the highest ss authority of the Republic of Koreamonly referred to as Il-sung Republic¡ªto shame. This scene proved that power came first above anything else in this ce, the parallel world.


    "Follow me."


    "What? But..."


    "No buts. This talk is about business, so follow me. It''s something the old man Jin-man would be interested in too." Hyun-seok was calling the Chairman of Il-sung as if he was the ahjusshi next door, and Jae-seok, who was speechless upon hearing Hyun-seok''s words.


    I looked at the scene that unfolded before my eyes for a moment and nodded. "...Go on. You don''t need to worry about me."


    "Alright, sorry. See you at school." Jae-seok grabbed my hand once. He then walked past the crowd with the necromancers, and entered Heungnyemun Gate.


    "It feels like I''m seeing a friend being dragged away by a troop of soldiers..." I muttered. It wasn''t a pleasant sight, but there was another problem to think about. I thought, <i>''Hey, we''ve got a big problem.''</i>


    <strong>Is there a problem, Captain-nim?</strong>


    Once Genie responded, as if she had been waiting, I sighed. <i>''I can''t control my emotions.''</i>

 Vol 2. 15: Great Nations and Small Countries (3)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 15: Great Nations and Small Countries (3)</h4>


    <strong>Is there a problem, Captain-nim?</strong>


    Once Genie responded, as if she had been waiting, I sighed. <i>''I can''t control my emotions.''</i>


    <strong>...That''s¡­ </strong>Genie''s voice turned serious immediately, <strong>It''s dangerous. </strong>As the control persona of a battleship belonging to the Leonhardt Empire, she knew most of the process that happened when I destroyed Howard''s Duchy. It wasn''t even a secret, since I had done it all in public.


    <i>''Even after the brutal massacre, I could still reach the top position,'' </i>I lightlymented. It was an unimaginable thing to do on Earth, where the majority of the country advocated democracy. However, in the Great Universe Era, there was a more tolerant side for individual power and ability. Even though they had a more advanced civilization aspared to Earth, they were aware of the need for barbaric violence due to the strong transcendents and disasters, as well as the contact with the Gods.


    Then, Ares, a Future Weapon that stood at the peak of the barbaric civilization, replied with apelling voice, <strong>Wow, is this star going to be crushed too?</strong>


    I frowned as he responded in such a nonchnt manner. <i>''...Why are you saying it like that?''</i>


    <strong>What can''t I? How manys do you think I have blown up? And how many civilizations do you think I have destroyed?</strong>


    <i>''What did you say? Hey.''</i>


    <strong>I''m not making fun of you. </strong>As he reacted sharply, Ares, who was floating in front of me, slightly shook his head. Then, he continued saying in an uncharacteristically heavy voice, <strong>I''m just saying... You don''t have to feel too pressured. It''s natural that you have to try your best to control yourself, but you won''t be able to do anything if you are afraid of your own power. If you don''t bnce it out properly, you will lose yourself and everything you care about here. And remember, Kwan Dae-ha. </strong>Ares continued while making eye contact with me, <strong>You''re an existence that is worth more than a few hundred of theses. </strong>


    Along with his words, a woman with a voluptuous figure that was wrapped with a thin cloth, revealed herself. It was Genie, the control persona of Albatross. <strong>It''s not pleasing in general, but... I agree with him to a certain extent. Because you''re a great Emperor, Captain-nim.</strong>


    <i>''...'' </i>I stared at the two control personas for a moment. It might have been a sentiment that did not fit them, as they weren''t even a living creature, but... I could feel their heart<strong> </strong>in their expressions and speech. Their unconditional goodwill and faith towards me tugged at my heartstrings.


    -Kabooom!!


    However, the ground shook along with a roar at that moment. It sounded like something heavy had fallen inside Heungnyemun Gate.


    "Wh-What the? What''s going on?"


    "Can''t we go inside?"


    "I''m not sure about Heungnyemun Gate, but Geunjeongmun Gate is under control, so that might be possible. Did those bastards from the Continent do something?"


    As the ground shook without warning, the surrounding area started to be noisy. I decided to ignore it, clearly disinterested in the problem. I concentrated on my own problem instead. <i>''</i><i>It''s troubling because I''m so hot-tempered anyway. It wasn''t like this in the past.'' </i>That''s right. It wasn''t like this in the past. I am not bragging, but I had a strong steel-like mentality that even I myself acknowledged. What kind of normal high school student would be able to survive through being kidnapped and tortured by extraterrestrial monsters? However, the current me would lose my reason even if I became slightly angry, and then try to force open the door inside me. Moreover, I couldn''t help but worry as I knew that<i> ''opened door = massacre''</i>.


    <i>''Lee Family... Regardless of the fact that they''re the producer-type, shouldn''t they start with memorizing the Buddhist scriptures first?''</i>


    <strong>Do you need to strengthen your mental power?</strong>


    <i>''Yes.''</i>


    As I nodded, Genie was lost in deep thought. Thin clothes reminiscent of a desert dancer fluttered as if the wind was blowing. <strong>As one would expect, the Divine Art is famous for being able to strengthen mental power...</strong>


    <i>''That won''t do.'' </i>Even now, the Divine Spirit was a problem, so I don''t know what would happen if I started a direct connection.


    <strong>Taoism and Buddhism are martial arts though.</strong>


    <i>''They said I wasn''t talented in neigong, didn''t they?'' </i>I asked. Of course, even if I wasn''t proficient in martial arts, studying it was possible. I could immediately go into the temple and look at the wall, while memorizing the Vajra Sutra[1] However, was it possible to train my mind to the realm of transcendence by studying in a field that wasn''t rted to superpowers?


    I could feel Genie agonizing for a while, due to the series of rejections. Then, after a while, she said, <strong>...Then, it would be better to train the Summoning Art.</strong>


    <i>''Summoning Art?'' </i>I asked doubtfully.


    <strong>Including the Spirit Summoning Art, originally, training to summon existences of outer dimensions is effective in strengthening concentration and mental power. Moreover, though you passed on it just now, the producer-type is able to pull themselves together. It''s not a bad choice. I heard that there are cases where producer-type ability users that reached the apex are able to maintain the Calm State of Mind for months. </strong>


    <i>''Ultimately, I think I''ll have to try all kinds of methods to get a feel for it.'' </i>I was pondering while standing among a noisy and boisterous crowd. I was dumbfounded by the fact that I became a Gigas pilot when I went to the universe, and then I had to be a superpower user on Earth. However, I did not want tomit a massacre again, so there was no helping it. Nheless, I had no choice but to stop agonizing over it. That was because the back of my hand was starting to get hot.


    <strong>Mission Generated!</strong>


    "Mmmm." I froze. However, I was not surprised. That was because I expected it to gradually happen. <i>''Mission System.'' </i>As I muttered in my mind, a new window appeared to my right.


    -Wee to the Mission System.


    -Current Rating: Tutorial


    -Rating: 27


    -Person in charge: Yul


    -Currently essible Domain: Shin-Yoong-Eung-Chae


    -Missions in Progress: 0


    As if it had been waiting, a familiar form of text came to mind. It was a list of text that had the same font and line spacing, as well as the same colour and transparency, as the <strong>titles </strong>I had always seen. <i>''I don''t get it. My ability to see titles should havee from my biological father, though.'' </i>This connection point made me extremely flustered, as I thought it was a problem that had already been confirmed. In the first ce, why was Dekarma, the Machine God that possessed the Status of a First-Tier God, who had the ability of acquiring information, rted to the system of these backwaters?


    <i>''Come to think of it, Earth was where my biological father died... In that meantime, he must have met my mother.'' </i>I was just neglecting it, and I still did not know the exact circumstances regarding my parents. Of course, I was forced to watch the emotions that my biological father experienced as he was banished to the Lower Realm through as many as 300-years worth of dreams. Joy, sorrow, harmony, animosity, hope and despair. However, it was not his memory on Earth, but the memory of his distant past that was tens of thousands of years, or perhaps even way before that. Since then, I had no idea what caused my biological father to be the Head of Legion, the archenemy of the Union, or what caused him to die. <i>''Most probably... I''ll have to find out.'' </i>As I thought about that, I looked at the window that appeared.


    <strong>Mission Generated!</strong>


    <strong>The Spirit of the Korea Empire</strong>


    <strong>The history of the Lee Family has been a time of oppression and submission. They were always swayed by disunity and external pressure, and despite being part of the Seven Great Households, they were not able to properly stand on their own two feet. </strong>


    <strong>Since its foundation, the Lee Family served the Zhu Family as the Imperial household, it was also subjected to the invasion and domination of the Yangmyeong Family. Furthermore, they were a subsidiary of the Rockefeller Family. As they were under the influence of all those families, they had to walk on a tightrope for a long time. </strong>


    <strong>Be that as it may, China who had the Zhu Family as well as the Supreme Magic Tower and the three Military Factions in its ranks, had now revealed their desire to dominate the Lee Family along with the death of the Great Wizard. Just like what the Yangmyeong Family did in the past. </strong>


    <strong>The great upheaval of the era. And you, who were caught in the turbulent torrents! Will you be able to suppress the ambitions of Maind China and preserve the spirit of Korea?</strong>


    <strong>I have be a sinner of the nation and sinned 20 million people. Hence, I had not been able to forget this for even a single moment of my meager life, until the moment it was extinguished. Liberate and restore our independence - Emperor Yunghui''s Will</strong>


    Reward for Sess ¨C Korea Empire''s Spirit Stage 5 (Semi-permanent Buff).


    Penalty for Failure ¨C Stigma of the Defeated Stage 3 (Semi-permanent Debuff).


    Currently (15) participants on the mission


    "This is...one." I could not help smiling and thoroughly read the details of the mission once again. The content was simple, but it was a mission that offered the core information on the situation that the Lee Family encountered.


    Naturally, Kyung-eun''s words came to mind, "Hahaha! You are surprised to hear that those condescending beings are weak, aren''t you? But it''s true. Think about it. Why do you think we call ourselves the Lee Family, and not the imperial family or royal family? In Korea¡­"


    The surface world and the parallel world was separated, but it seems that it wasn''t as if there was no effect at all. Perhaps the fact that Korea was colonized by the Empire of Japan was the result of a fight in the parallel world. If my memory serves me right, the Yangmyeong Family was without a doubt one of the five Great Regent Houses of Japan, the Konoe House.


    I was lost in thought for a moment, and a new text appeared in front of my eyes.


    <strong>Branch Outbreak!</strong>


    <strong>The Central Great ins</strong>


    <strong>Undisclosed!</strong>


    <strong>Undisclosed!</strong>


    <strong>Unable to proceed as conditions are not met.</strong>


    <strong>Condition - Nationality (China)</strong>


    Currently (1217) participants on the mission


    Chinese missions rarely revealed information due to nationality issues. The only thing that was revealed was the mission title and the number of participants! However, the number of participants was the problem.


    "Look at the difference..." I gasped. 15 participants to 1217 participants. It was over 80 times the number. There were two pieces of information that could be inferred from there. First, the selectors of the parallel world thought that the oue of this mission was obvious. Second, The Central Great ins mission started earlier than the Spirit of the Korea Empire mission.


    <i>''Genie.''</i>


    <strong>Yes, Captain-nim.</strong>


    <i>''Can you look into the pattern that was engraved on the back of my hand?''</i>


    Genie replied as if she had expected it and prepared an answer beforehand. <strong>It''s a kind of terminal.</strong>


    <i>''Terminal?''</i>


    <strong>Yes. A terminal connected to a powerful ultimate magic that operates while centering around some sort of great facility. It''s astonishing that a system of this level could be created by a Great Wizard from such a backwater region, which couldn''t even properly interact with other transcendents. </strong>


    As I listened, I looked at the back of my hand. I couldn''t see anything because it was inactive now, but it would show a hexagram that represented ability and current level at the moment I wanted it to.


    <i>''Did you say there were 470,000 selectors on Earth?'' </i>I asked. If so, did all 470,000 of them perhaps receive this sort of mission? However, the number of participants in the two missions were too small to judge it that way. Yul said my hexagram was a special item, so was that perhaps the reason?


    I was wondering about it, then Genie who had been silent for a while spoke, <strong>Captain-nim, the Compl¨¦ter from China had begun his speech.</strong>


    <i>''Is it still going on...I should at least know what''s going on. Show me.'' </i>Genie controlled Udjat, the sses I was wearing, and I could see Geunjeongjeon Hall. Then, I could finally see him. Some called him Emperor, some called him King, and some called him Patriarch. He was the leader of the rabble.


    1. Vajra Sutra is a Mahayana (Buddhist) Sutra from the Prajnaparamita sutras or ''Perfection of Wisdom'' genre.

 Vol 2. 16: Great Nations and Small Countries (4)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 16: Great Nations and Small Countries (4)</h4>


    Blood flowed down from the lips of Lee Sung-yeop, the King of Korea. He was staring at Zhou Hongyi, who looked down at him, with bloodshot eyes. He tried to be as careful as he could be, and also disyed courtesy. Both the Zhu Family and the Lee Family upied the position as one of the Seven Great Households. However, that was the position that the Great Wizardid down, and both Families were definitely not equal in standing. While the Zhu Family was recognized by others, and referred to as the Zhu Royal Family or Zhu Imperial Household, the Lee Family wasparatively unable to protect the name of the Royal Family.


    Therefore, Sung-yeop came forth personally to meet Zhou Hongyi and his group. He momentarily frowned as all kinds of ability users of the Lee Family gathered in a disorderly fashion in front of the Royal Court, that was before the Geunjeongjeon Hall. This was where the civil and military officials of the past used to line up orderly at their respective rank stones. Nheless, he soon nodded as if he was forced to ept it and weed Zhou Hongyi. He tried to show his best sincerity as the King of a country.


    <strong>However, it seems like Zhou Hongyi wants more than that. </strong>


    <strong>That''s right. I think his initial goal was directed towards a sort of humiliation. </strong>


    <strong>Are those military upation forces? It''s somehow annoying that he is behaving this way without even fighting a war¡­ Should I at least shoot an arrow or something?</strong>


    <i>''Don''t do anything useless. I don''t want to draw attention.'' </i>Through the Magic Armament Udjat, I yed back the video and talked with the two control personas. <i>Booooom!!! ''Ah, that''s the part I didn''t see earlier.''</i>


    Sung-yeop was seen letting out a groan; he could not even move properly as he faced Zhou Hongyi, who walked with footsteps imbued with mighty neigong. It was an uncouth violence that could not be described as a mere diplomatic discourtesy, but Zhou Hongyi did not even cast him a nce. Zhou Hongyi just kept walking, and passed the King<strong> </strong>of Korea. Then, the man sat down in a seat. Everyone from the Lee Family was in turmoil as they witnessed that.


    "Th-That! That arrogant...!!"


    "He''s totally...acting as he pleases."


    "Oh my God."


    All Zhou Hongyi did was sit down, but all the ability users of the Lee Family, even those who initially weed him with delighted expressions, hardened their expressions.


    "You... No, you bastard! What do you think you''re doing right now?!" Subjected to the concentrated marks, and perhaps because his blood and energy cirction was disrupted, Sung-yeop bled around his mouth. Then, his face was eventually filled with anger, and not astonishment. It was an unsurprising reaction, since Zhou Hongyi had just sat upon the seat where he personally should have sat. The man was on the Royal Throne.


    <strong>Ohhh! I''m pleased with this one. Yeah. He should do at least that much to stir up a war! If he puts up with it here, then that''s not a king but a real loser! Come on, it''s a fight! It''s a war! An exciting war is about to happen! </strong>


    <i>''What are you rooting for...'' </i>As I clicked my tongue, feeling baffled, the video caught up with reality. It was a natural flow because the video speed had been elerated by 1.5 times. Then, in the video that was shown through the sses, Zhou Hongyi received something from one of those who seemed to be his subordinate. It was a ss of americano¡­ <i>''Wow, he really broke the imagery.'' </i>I mean, that was the case no matter how I look at it -- why an americano when he was wearing that outfit? I was thoroughly baffled.


    Regardless of my reactions, Zhou Hongyi took a sip of the americano and ced it down on the table. He then said, "It seems everyone is here."


    The Lee Family senior members who followed into the Geunjeongjeon Hall on impulse, and the Lee Family ability users who were outside the wide-open door of Geunjeongjeon Hall, all red up at Zhou Hongyi. Their eyes disyed their frustration and anger. If it was an ordinary person, they might have felt pressured by the huge difference in numbers. However, Zhou Hongyi''s attitude was perfectly audacious¡ªtotally disregarding the inhospitable treatment and ring gazes. He seemed to not even care if a rebellion happened. The Lee Family members started to make a fuss over his unbelievable behavior.


    "Your Majesty the Emperor..."


    "Ahh really, I''m sick and tired of the fucking Emperor... But, no matter how shitty the Emperor is, this slightly crosses the line."


    "You Chinese bastards..."


    "You''repletely disregarding the Lee Family. Is this what it is?"


    Killing intent started to flow out of the people of the Lee family, who slowly approached. It was a truly chaotic atmosphere. However, Zhou Hongyi continued, as if he was disinterested in his surroundings, "The reason I''m here is to personally bring you good news. It''s better news for the Lee Family than for our royal family."


    "Whooo...What''s the news?" Containing his anger despite the trembling of his fingertips, Sung-yeop restrained the people of the Lee Family who were in chaos and stepped forward.


    Then, Genie, who remained still, spoke as that scene unfolded, <strong>That''s</strong><strong> quite the self-control. It''s not as if he''s slow-witted either.</strong>


    <i>''That''s right.'' </i>I nodded. It''s correct to say that Sung-yeop, the Patriarch of the Lee Family, noticed Zhou Hongyi''s uncouth violence was tantly trampling on the pride of the Lee Family. I wondered if Zhou Hongyimitted this tremendous disrespect simply because he was full of vigor and recklessness, but¡­ <i>''That''s not it. To simply regard that as vigor¡­ His eyes are too calm.'' </i>I guessed Zhou Hongyi was picking a fight. It was a tant provocation that was not something that could be overlooked, as it was beyond the level of touching a nerve.


    Zhou Hongyi did not just provoke the Lee Family with remarks or actions that would be a diplomatic discourtesy. Rather, it was a bold provocation that was at the level where they could hear the words <i>''Are you going to put up with it even after I''ve said this much? Are you not going to throw yourself at me even when I''m doing this?''</i> ringing in their ears. Judging from Sung-yeop''s bewilderment and the members'' reaction, it wasn''t like this in the past. But for God knows what reason, Zhou Hongyi was showing such an unprecedented move here!


    <i>''I see. Is it the Rule Breaker?'' </i>I wondered. ording to the information collected by Genie, Zhou Hongyi was said to be one of the top five excellent talents throughout the whole of China. As Chief District Prosecutor, he visited many countries, and also produced ''results'' befitting that. In other words, he was not just some random greenhorn. So, there would have been a good reason for someone like him to act this way.


    "It hasn''t been a day yet." Sung-yeop''s gaze calmed down. "It hasn''t even been a day since the Great Wizard, the Guardian of the World, died!! That great being was so determined and resolute, so what is with this act you''re disying?!"


    <i>''What is he talking about?'' </i>


    <strong>He''s talking about the foresight of the Great Wizard. </strong>Genie released the information she had collected with a calm tone. The protector of mankind and the only transcendent on Earth-34, the Great Wizard Zenon ho Kyprios, foresaw the destruction of mankind. Thus, he had been looking for every possible means to stop that from happening.


    <i>''No, what do you mean by the destruction of mankind...''</i>


    As I frowned at the sentence with an unpleasant feeling, Genie replied, <strong>The destruction of mankind, basically, was ssified as confidential because of the extremely dangerous nuance. However, most of the high-rank ability users and the high-ranking figures of the parallel world knew that the Great Wizard was preparing something as he dyed his own death. That''s probably what the Patriarch of the Lee Family is referring to when he mentioned the Guardian. </strong>


    <i>''A crisis is expected to be ahead, but despite that, he sows discord between humans or something like that?'' </i>I could see Sung-yeop desperately restraining himself even though he had bloodshot eyes. Although I did not have such a good impression of the Patriarch of the Lee Family, I still thought it was a pretty decent attitude as the leader of a group.


    However, <i>''pretty decent''</i> was not enough. Regarding the crazy opponent that stood in front of Sung-yeop, and the nation that was behind him, <i>''pretty decent'' </i>was not good enough to deal with the situation at hand¡­


    "Isn''t that why you''re asking to join forces? If we work together, we would be able to ovee the terrifying adversity, after all."


    "...What?" The Patriarch of Lee Family, Sung-yeop, as well as the ability users of the Lee Family, looked puzzled. They seemingly just heard words that suggested theirck of understanding.


    <i>Booom! </i>However, regardless of the expressions of the Lee Family, Zhou Hongyi loudly stomped on the floor and shouted, "Congrattions, everyone!!"


    "Ugh...!"


    "What kind of neigong is this..."


    At the loud howl that was great enough to cause my ears to ring, even though I had been watching from afar, the others who were making amotion stared at Zhou Hongyi. Zhou Hongyi continued to talk with an arrogant smile all over his face, "From this moment henceforth, I dere that the Lee Family has be a member of the China Alliance Federation!!"


    <i>Swooooosh</i><i>!!!! </i>In an instant, a heavy wave burst forth, centering around Zhou Hongyi. It wasn''t just a simple resonance of neigong, but a wave caused by some sort of external power! It was that moment...


    <strong>Mission Generated! </strong>


    <strong>The upation has begun!</strong>


    <strong>Battle Type: All-out War, Limited War[1], Captain''s War</strong>


    <strong>The overwhelming difference in power will result in a penalty taking effect. </strong>


    <strong>Battle Type ¨C Large-scale War decided!</strong>


    <strong>Number of Wins ¨C Zhu Family: 0/1, Lee Family: 0/3]</strong>


    "Ohhhh~" As soon as I saw the text, I couldn''t help but let out an impressed voice. "These guys are really fucked-up bullies, huh?"


    Following that, screams of grief worse than mine went off everywhere.


    "No, wait, this crazy fuc-...? What the hell? upation?"


    "I can''t believe the Mission System had this sort of function..."


    "Besides, what the hell is wrong with these conditions?! Isn''t this too unfair?!"


    The ability users of the Lee Family, who had all gathered together, eximed in astonishment. However, not all of them reacted that way. Only a third of them were making a fuss. The rest of them thought that,<i> ''What''s this? What''s going on?'' </i>Also, seeing that they were flustered, it seems that not everyone could see the Mission System.


    "Crazy bastards! I can''t take this anymore!"


    "These sons of bitches!"


    "They dare to pull this shit at Geunjeongjeon Hall?!"


    The ability users of the Lee Family who could no longer put up with it stepped forward. This was because of the unusual nature of the situation, even if the Zhu Family and China''s national power were beyondparison to Korea. However, at that moment...


    <strong>The Battle Type has been decided to be the Captain''s War, so multiplebatant participation is not possible!</strong>


    A text appeared as if to serve as a warning. The expression of the ability users of the Lee Family, who confirmed the texts. turned deadly pale.


    "The Captain''s War...I see! The Captain''s War!!"


    "No, don''t tell me this is...?!"


    "Crazy!"


    They finally knew the basis as to why Zhou Hongyi was not worried about his safety, even though they were few in numbers. It wasn''t because Zhou Hongyi could overwhelm all the fighters of the Lee Family with the status of a Sword Master, or because he was particrly bold. Rather, it was because the people of the Lee Family were not able to harm him physically!


    "Chief District Prosecutor! What the hell is this?! What do you mean an upation?!"


    The air seemed to be swelling up. The Lee Family ability users who were making a fuss directed their gaze towards Zhou Hongyi and his group at once. It was an energy that even a man with nerves of steel would not be able to endure, but Zhou Hongyi replied without raising a single eyebrow, "It''s nothing difficult. It means that the Lee Family, and the Republic of Korea, became a member of the China Alliance Federation."


    "The China Alliance Federation?"


    "The world''s strongest coalition of armed forces, centered around our Zhu Imperial Household. Currently, only the Zhu Imperial Household and three of the Great Military Factions are members, but we will amass more power in the future. The Lee Family can be proud of it. You''re the first of the other Seven Great Households to join hands with the Zhu Imperial Household. His Majesty the Emperor said to elevate the status of the Lee Family to the Lee Imperial Household within the China Alliance Federation, and that he recognizes it as a vassal kingdom."


    "Imperial Household? He allows it? Chief District Prosecutor, right now, what do you think you are..."


    "King Lee." Zhou Hongyi cut Sung-yeop off. As if to say that it had already been decided, he changed the title that was used to address Sung-yeop, "If you''re the leader of a group, wake up and face reality. This is an honor."


    A heavy pressure was spread around. Sword Saint Zhou Hongyi was a mighty warrior who could be regarded as the top ten, even when based on the standards of the whole world. Also, just based on his individual energy alone, he wasn''t an existence that Sung-yeop could dare to offend.


    Thankfully, this was the main headquarters of the Lee Family, so Sung-yeop could pressure Zhou Hongyi with the difference in numbers, but... If it was a 1-on-1 enforced under the pretext of <strong>The Captain''s War</strong>, then it would be useless.


    "King, you might be ttering yourself, thinking that the Republic of Korea is a great country. In fact, to us, we only think of the Republic of Korea as a small country that is below North Korea. The term <i>''great''</i> is nothing short of a joke." After saying so, Zhou Hongyiughed. "To be honest, wouldn''t it be an honor for a small country like the Republic of Korea to be absorbed into our great nation?"


    "..."


    "..."


    Silence swept past the Geunjeongjeon Hall. There was a raging storm of shock, confusion, humiliation, and anger. Then, at that moment, a clear voice echoed throughout Geunjeongjeon Hall, "I dere."


    "Huh?"


    "Huh?"


    In an instant, the people crowding the entrance to Geunjeongjeon Hall were pushed out, revealing a new group. The person at the very front of the group was a familiar face. She was a woman with a cold impression and a handsome height, wearing a broad-bodied white garment[2] and a violet dress embroidered with a white tiger and blue dragon. Then, she looked up at Zhou Hongyi with a cold look, which was unlike her elegant appearance.


    <i>''Wow, she''s appearing in this manner in such a ce.'' </i>I stared at the Student Council President, who was standing upright. She was a beautiful woman exuding a mature charm that was hard to associate with a female high school student. However, she wasn''t of concern to me. What I was concerned about was the boy standing behind her. <i>''Hyung.'' </i>I stared. That''s right. My one and only brother. It was Yeong-min.


    1. Limited War is a war in which the weapons used, the nations or territory involved, or the objectives pursued are restricted in some way, in particr one in which the use of nuclear weapons is avoided.


    2. In Korean, ???, jeogori which is a basic upper garment of the hanbok, a traditional Korean garment, which has been worn by both men and women.

 Vol 2. 17: Great Nations and Small Countries (5)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 17: Great Nations and Small Countries (5)</h4>


    "You''re the well-known Ice Flower. Indeed, you''re as outstanding a beauty as I''ve heard. I also heard you''re still young, but you''re mature enough to produce a sessor." Zhou Hongyi was not taken aback by the unexpected intrusion of the Student Council President, Min-kyung. No, rather, he ran his eyes up and down her whole figure. He savored her appearance with a satisfied look.


    However, regardless of that, Min-kyung did not seem to pay any heed to it at all. "Stop talking nonsense and get to the point."


    "Get to the point?" Zhou Hongyi had amand of Korean which was almost at the level of a native speaker, so he reacted sensitively to Min-kyung''s informal speech[1].


    However, Min-kyung immediately moved. It was as if she did not care whether Zhou Hongyi was offended or not. Seeing that she did not even think before acting, she probably expected this situation. <i>Kwaaaangggg! </i>A sabre, about 2 meters in length, was embedded in the ground as it crushed the floor of Geunjeongjeon Hall. At the same time, Min-kyung''s high-pitched voice resonated, "I dere a Defensive War!"


    <strong>Mission Generated!</strong>


    <strong>The Lee Family side has epted the Captain''s War!</strong>


    <strong>Progress ¨C Zhu Family: 0/1, Lee Family: 0/3</strong>


    Zhou Hongyi''s expression changed at the text that just appeared. "It seems like you know the words ofmand. Even if you''re rotten, you''re still one of the Seven Great Households, huh." His lips were twitching at the unexpected situation, but his attitude remained rtively unchanged. It was just something that became slightly troublesome for him.


    Then, Min-kyung said as she stared at Zhou Hongyi, "That''s right. We''re one of the Seven Great Households, just like your Zhu Family."


    "...You bitch." Zhou Hongyi''s rxed expression turned ugly. "You''re running your mouth too recklessly."


    However, Min-kyung did not care. "Why? Do you want to say that you are the Zhu Imperial Household, and not the Zhu Family, which is one of the Seven Great Households? Then, howe you couldn''t say that to the Great Wizard? Instead, you''re doing this shit here?" <i>Craaaack</i><i>! </i>She had a cold look as she pulled out the sabre that was stuck on the floor. Despite having a beautiful appearance, no, rather, it was because she had a beautiful appearance that she could disy such a twisted cold smile. She said, "What a loser."


    "..." In an instant, silence swept through the disorderly Geunjeongjeon Hall. Zhou Hongyi''s face, which had changed intimidatingly, was subsiding down. Of course, that did not indicate that his anger dissipated. "...King Lee. I wanted to be nice as a representative of the Zhu Imperial Household, but it seems I can no longer do so."


    "King Lee? Did you even treat me like a King?" Putting aside the gentle-mannered demeanor, considering the fact that the Lee Family''s Patriarch could not maintain his position without being treated like a pushover, the cynical smile of Sung-yeop was unprecedented.


    Zhou Hongyi''s eyes twitched. "If you don''t like that, I can treat you like a puppet ve. The situation is actually progressing that way right now."


    "You bastard...!" Sung-yeop, the Patriarch of Lee Family, could be seen trembling with bloodshot eyes. It was an extremely violent and wretched sight to be seen as a diplomatic scene between two countries.


    I let out a vainugh at that sight. <i>''Wow, China is not pulling any punches, huh? If a general is already like this, then if the man who self-proimed himself as the Emperor of China came, all hell would break loose. He might even ask them to do the three kneeling, nice kowtow, ceremony[2].'' </i>Even I, who did not have much patriotism for Korea, found it a bit annoying. This was an outrageous scene. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that if I was a bloodthirsty patriot, China would have already beenpletely devastated. If one were to ask why it would bepletely devastated...


    <strong>Captain-nim, should I shoot?</strong>


    <strong>Oooh! Good, great! Let''s drop a Soul Energy Bomb, a goddamn Soul Energy Bomb! sting off with the Particle Cannon is good too!</strong>


    <strong>Should I shoot?</strong>


    <strong>Ahhh! The level of defensive barrier here is pretty good, so what do you say to dropping a Maximum Annihtion Bomb? There are 28 roundsying around in the Albatross'' military warehouse!</strong>


    <strong>I''m shooting!</strong>


    <strong>Alright, let''s shoot! I''m really shooting!</strong>


    <i>''Ahh, shut up you guys.'' </i>I restrained Genie, who lost her cool, and Ares, who was excited. No, what kind of control persona was more emotional than me, a human? <i>''I don''t really want to be involved, so ignore it. It''s not as if it''s causing any direct harm to me.''</i>


    <strong>But he''s infringing the taboo! These disrespectful things! How dare you, in a country owned by His Majesty the Emperor!</strong>


    <i>''Ah, I''m not the Emperor. Didn''t I say that I quit? And why does Korea belong to me?'' </i>I have already said it several times before, but Genie still wasn''t convinced. Usually, Genie had a calm demeanor, but she had a great deal of attachment and reverence to the position of ''<i>Emperor''</i>. Even though the form of her control persona was a desert dancer, her origin was clearly from the military, and perhaps that was the reason why¡­


    <strong>But Captain-nim, even if I have to use a little bit of power, there is no reason for us to watch this. </strong>


    <i>''That''s true.'' </i>I agreed. The Albatross ship, which I received from the Leonhardt Empire (though it was closer to robbing them of it), was a ship of astronomical value that was not often seen even in the Great Universe. It was a futuristic multi-purpose battleship with a built-in Terra-ss Iron Heart, and was powerful enough topletely devastate Earth, which did not even have a proper defense system, in just a matter of minutes.


    Moreover, on the Albatross ship, there were 10 units of Golden Knight Order (Human-rank), 50 units of Golden Lion Unit (Beast-rank), and 100 units of R7 Flight Squadron (Tool-rank) that was given by the Leonhardt Empire. In fact, if I managed the Gigas Unit well, I would probably even be able to overturn the Three Great Magic Towers or Five Great Military Factions.


    <strong>Then, why are you mixed in among the general public which amounted to nothing? If you desired for it, everyone would revere you though, Captain-nim.</strong>


    It was a calm voice that somehow contained strong aspirations, but I shook my head. <i>''Because those kinds of things... I can''t feel any sort of valueing from it.'' </i>If I had coveted health and power, there was no need for me to insist on returning to Earth. No matter what kind of luxury or pleasure it was that I could enjoy on Earth, they were not even one-tenth thousandth of what the Emperor of the Empire could enjoy.


    What I yearn on Earth was just a house. I just wished to have a peaceful and boring daily life. Others might ridicule me if they heard it, but... I came back to Earth just to y games, watch TV, surf the Inte or waste away my life and ability in a normal way. I just wanted to quietly live a calm and stress-free life until the end of my life.


    <i>''But...'' </i>I smiled bitterly because the reality I faced when I came back to Earth was one that fell into the gutter. My house was gone, and I had to stoop to a situation where I had to be a parasitic houseguest living off someone else''s house. And now, there was going to be a war in the country. <i>''Genie, what''s the power difference between the Zhu Family and the Lee Family?''</i>


    <strong>It''s not that overwhelming. There''s a slight difference in numbers, but it''s only about four to five times at most. </strong>


    <strong>I think it''s more than that though?</strong>


    <strong>That''s how they''re perceived, because there are external forces in the Zhu Family. It was said that the true power of the Zhu Family lied not in the family itself, but in the external members who consider themselves the ''Empire of China''. This is because the Vajra Faction, Darkness Faction, and Sky-Shaking Faction of the Five Great Military Factions that existed in China supported the Zhu Family. Moreover, the Supreme Magic Tower of the Three Great Magic Towers that was located in North Korea was basically no different from being controlled by China. The Zhu Family had the support of ability users that was on a totally different scale from the other households. Hence, the Zhu''s Household referred to themselves as the Zhu Imperial Household instead, because they had the power to do so. </strong>


    "Alright then! You were given a choice to do it the easy way or the hard way, but it looks like we have to do it the hard way! I have no choice but to personally punish you myself!"


    While I was listening to the exnation, a new text appeared, perhaps to indicate that the story had progressed, <strong>The Zhu Family side''s Captain has been decided!</strong> In an instant, an arrow mark rose above Zhou Hongyi''s head and a red circle was drawn under his feet. I let out a vainugh at the vivid graphics. "It''s progressing like a real game..."


    Whether I found it baffling or not, Zhou Hongyi pulled out a sword with a deep blue de. It was a sword that was a little over a meter long and had a straight fuller[3]. The handle had an embroidery thread splendidly shining in silver.


    "I''ve heard that the Twin Flowers of the Lee Family are exceptionally strong, even among the rising generation! However, I will personally teach you how reckless it is to act rashly in such an important situation."


    As Zhou Hongyi said, the Student Council President was strong. That was because she definitely had the highest Level among the humans I have seen while looking through the entire Lee Family.


    <strong>Korea Empire</strong>


    <strong>Level 9</strong>


    <strong>Imperial Princess, Lee Min-kyung</strong>


    <i>''But even so, it means that she can''t be a Compl¨¦ter,'' </i>I thought. There was only a level difference between Level 9 and Level 10, but there was a huge gap between them. Compl¨¦ter, also known as the Realm of a Master, could only be achieved bypleting a stage and obtaining a part of power that was generally not obtainable. Hence, a lower grade presence would not dare to underestimate them.


    Fortunately, that was a matter that Min-kyung herself knew, so she immediately took a step back. "Designating a representative!"


    <strong>The Lee Family side''s Captain has been decided!</strong>


    <strong>The Captain''s War begins! </strong>


    "Hoooo, a representative? If it''s a representative..."


    <i>Cluck. </i>A young boy stood forward in front of Zhou Hongyi, who was mocking him. That''s right. It was a boy, who looked cute and even <i>pretty</i>. He was literally one of the most handsome boys not just in our school, but perhaps in the entire country. He was Kwan Yeong-min, my older brother.


    "Hi, ahjussi. I''m the representative." A twisted smile was hanging from my brother''s face, which was unlike the good-natured smile I had always seen. Even though my brother''s face was like that, even a glimpse of him seemed decadent.


    "...You?" Zhou Hongyi, who was confident, distorted his expression in an instant.


    "Yes, I''m a man."


    "Wh-What the. You¡­ Who the hell are you?"


    "What are you going to do even if you know? Juste at me."


    At the scornful attitude, Zhou Hongyi suddenly screamed with a stiff expression. The rxed demeanor he was disying until now had already disappeared. "Impudent! Where do you think we are at?! Ohooo! You must really be a frog at the bottom of a well[4]! You brat, you need to be able to discern when to step out and when to not!"


    "I told you to juste at me, alright?"


    "How dare a greenhorn like you talk to me, one of the Five Great Masters-...!"


    "Are you not going toe at me?"


    "..." Finally, Zhou Hongyi shut his mouth.


    "What the, what''s going on?"


    "What''s wrong with Zhou Hongyi?"


    The Lee Family ability users, who were taking up positions nearby, began to question. It was as if they realized something was wrong. Furthermore, suspicions arose in the eyes of the six warriors who followed Zhou Hongyi. Then...


    <i>Thuuump</i><i>! </i>Something rose through the floor with a heavy advance. Ares whistled as he was able to recognize it at once. <strong>Ohhooooo, this is an expensive one.</strong>


    <i>''What is? Is it a weapon hidden in the ground?''</i>


    <strong>Get a hold of yourself and take a good look. That thing wasn''t hidden in the ground. </strong>


    I focused on the video that was disyed on my sses. Indeed, Ares was right. It didn''t show itself through the ground. Rather, the ground rose and formed a <strong>shape</strong>.


    "Earth Dragon God Sword..."


    "General-nim?"


    The warriors, who maintained silence like a stone, opened their mouths for the first time. Seeing that there was a hint of perplexion contained in their voice, it seems that they could notprehend Zhou Hongyi''s behavior.


    "Why would he bring out the Earth Dragon God Sword against a greenhorn like that..."


    "General-nim, unless you are in a first-degree crisis, the God Sword Summoning would require His Majesty the Emperor''s approval. If things go wrong, other families may be able to interfere..."


    "Shut up."


    "...General-nim?" The warriors were taken aback at the sudden violent words, but regardless of that, Zhou Hongyi stared at Yeong-min-hyung with a stone-like stiffened expression.


    Iughed. <i>''Is it because he''s a Master in his own right? He must have felt something.'' </i>I looked above the both of their heads. The titles of the two facing each other could be seen side by side.


    <strong>Central ins</strong>


    <strong>Level 11</strong>


    <strong>Swordsmanship Compl¨¦ter, Zhou Hongyi</strong>


    <strong>Republic of Korea</strong>


    <strong>Level 15</strong>


    <strong>Thousand-Year </strong><strong>Ghost</strong><strong> de, Kwan Yeong-min</strong>


    It was outrageous. Yes, it was a ridiculous thing ¡ª the fact that the human being that I saw with the highest level aftering to Earth was my brother.


    1. Commonly referred to as banmal(??) in Korean, and it is a form of informal speech. For example, annyeong and annyeonghaseyo. With the former being banmal andtter being formal speech/jondaemal(???).


    2. This is the formal etiquette on meeting the emperor in ancient China.


    3. A fuller is a rounded or beveled longitudinal groove or slot along the t side of a de.


    4. Frog at the bottom of a well refers to a person of limited outlook and experience.

 Vol 2. 18: Great Nations and Small Countries (6)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 18: Great Nations and Small Countries (6)</h4>


    Zhou Hongyi was definitely a strong man that China could confidently put at the forefront. Within the whole of China, of the countless number of Chinese people who belonged to not just the Zhu Family, but the Three Military Faction and the Supreme Magic Tower, he was an absolute powerhouse that was considered one of the top five. Furthermore, even among all the ability users of the whole world, he would still be within the top ten.


    However, at this very moment, there was a boy who seemed to think that the social conventions of the Chinese people, and perhaps the ability users of the whole world, were wrong. It might seem outrageous, but the boy''s thoughts were the truth.


    <i>''Is it because I haven''t seen him in a long time, or has something happened to him? He looks very different,'' </i>I thought to myself. Yeong-min-hyung was more beautiful than the average idol, and this was no exaggeration. He had an appearance that could pass off as a beautiful girl with an androgynous style, and I have known that for a fact for a long time now. However, there was now a peculiar mood surrounding him, and it couldn''t be justified by his mere beauty. It was so decadent and savage, and was a sight that I couldn''t take my eyes off.


    Then, hyung took something out of his arms. <i>Krieeeek! </i>It was the weapon that he nned to use against the Earth Dragon God Sword, ranked second among the Three Great Godly Artifacts of the Empire of China. <i>ck!</i>


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    Silence instantly swept through Geunjeongjeon Hall. It was a given, because hyung was currently holding onto...


    <i>''Ares, that weapon...''</i>


    <strong>Weapon? How is that a weapon?</strong>


    <strong>That is not a weapon. It is also not battle equipment. If I were to describe it... It''s a stationery, Captain-nim.</strong>


    <i>''No, then why is he bringing that out right now?'' </i>I was dumbfounded. I then confirmed the title of the <i>''thing''</i> that hyung was holding onto.


    <strong>Daiso</strong>


    <strong>Bought on the way, Cutter Knife</strong>


    "Kuk, Kuhaha! Kuhahahaha!!!" Zhou Hongyi burst outughing, hisughter cutting through the heavy silence. It sounded refreshing, seemingly reverberating throughout the entire Gyeongbokgung Pce. However, it did not signify that he was in a good mood. His face, despite hisughter, soon became fiend-like and distorted. "This greenhorn that is wet behind the ears!!"


    <i>Griiiackkk--!</i> Have you ever heard the sound of huge cracks on thick ice? That low-pitch, heavy, and horrifying roar¡­


    "Th-That..."


    "Oh my God."


    The warriors standing behind Zhou Hongyi, as well as the ability users of the Lee Family, all let out a groan. They stared at the thin cutter knife that was facing off against the Earth Dragon God Sword with a look of disbelief.


    <i>Booom!</i>


    "Uaaackkkk?!"


    "Avoid it!"


    The Geunjeongjeon Hall was almost half-destroyed, and Zhou Hongyi was sted out to the Royal Court. The ability users of the Lee Family, who gathered and crowded the door, scattered like a swarm of locusts.


    <i>Thuddd. </i>Then, as hyung swiftly jumped down to the center of the Royal Court, Zhou Hongyi''s cheeks shook as if he had never expected such a development to ur. "You, you bastard... Why..."


    "Agh, why did you have to recklessly take it head-on for no reason?" <i>Clinkk! </i>As hyung''s thin and long fingers lightly flicked the ends of the de, the broken cutter de spun around and fell on the t stone that lined the Royal Court. Surprisingly, only one snap of the cutter knife[1] was damaged. "Well, there wasn''t any reason in particr." <i>Krieeeek! </i>Hyung slightly loosened his wrists, snapping off another one of the cutter knife''s des. "In case you say some bullshit like you let your guard down and lost."


    "You bastard...!" Zhou Hongyi roared, and¡­


    <i>Kwaaaang banggg!! Chwaaangggg!! </i>Then, the sh began along with that ghastly roar. It was a sh so violent that my ears were buzzing, even though I was located quite a far distance away. Needless to say¡­ <i>''I can''t see anything.'' </i>All I could feel was something shy going on, and a load of noises going rampant. However, I did not know how hyung and Zhou Hongyi were fighting at all. I only had national athlete-grade physical ability, and was not able to reach the level of a superhuman. Therefore, how could an ordinary person, who couldn''t even make good use of soul power, see the intense battle between Compl¨¦ter-ss warriors?


    The current situation was a little different from when I was on board the Gigas. Once I got on board a Gigas, and operated the Avalon System which starts the synchronization with the Iron Heart, the physical capabilities of the pilot were of little meaning. Whether it was a Compl¨¦ter or a transcendent, the power of a Gigas depended strictly on the capabilities of the pilot. Also, the cognitive ability of a Gigas was basically my cognitive ability, and the soul energy of the Iron Heart was basically my soul energy. I would be able to dodge an iing photon bomb just by looking at it in space warfare. I would also be able to perceive everything within a radius of tens of kilometers without seeing it with my own eyes.


    However, I was different as soon as I got off a Gigas. I was just a human being.


    <strong>Would you like to watch the video again, in slow-motion?</strong>


    <i>''It''s fine. What''s the point of seeing it again? I just need to know who has the advantage,'' </i>I thought. Even if I could not see the trajectory of the sword, it was very clear. The only thing I could not see was the sword trajectory, but I was able to at least see the face of Zhou Hongyi and hyung, who stopped every now and then, with my eyes.


    "You bastard... You fucking bastard...!"


    "Ooooh! The sword is really great. But aren''t you depending too much on a worldly object?"


    "Arrogant!!!!"


    <i>Kwaaaang banggg!! Booom boooom boooom! </i>Zhou Hongyiunched an array of attacks wildly, but that was only for a short while. He was slowly getting pushed back. His brownish-red Sword Qi that was in the air slowly turned to a ck Sword Qi, and started to disperse like fog.


    <i>Clinkkk! Krieeeek! </i>Once again, hyung blew away one snap of the de and pulled out a new one. Then, Ares spoke in a baffling voice upon witnessing that sight, <strong>Wow, crazy. I didn''t expect there to be such a freak.</strong>


    <i>''What? Why is hyung a freak?''</i>


    <strong>He''s a freak because he''s using crazy perverse techniques. I''ve seen my pilots training with that a few times, but I didn''t think anyone would actually use it in real practice. </strong>


    <i>''Your pilots?'' </i>I was surprised by what Ares just said. Currently, Ares was in a situation where he would be nagged or suffering under me. However, wasn''t he the God of War, Ares, Transcendence Weapon Number 613 that was at the top of the list even among the battle equipment that existed in the vast Great Universe? Needless to say, not just anyone could ride on a God-rank Gigas. Perhaps all of the pilots that Ares was talking about were strong beings who attained the state of transcendence. I asked, <i>''Hyung is using a skill that even those who attained a state of transcendence found difficult?''</i>


    <strong>Why are you ignoring the ''<i>freak'' </i>modifier, and focusing only on the state of transcendence? </strong>


    <i>''In any case, that''s a high-difficulty skill that is hard to use, even for the state of transcendence, right?''</i>


    <strong>No, rather, this guy is literally justifying himself in his own world. </strong>Although he spoke, I ignored a dumbfounded Ares, and stared at hyung. <strong>Are you listening to me? That''s not an amazing skill, but a weird and freaky...</strong>


    Ignoring what Ares was saying again, I looked at hyung again. For some reason, I was happy. It wasmendable. Was this how it felt when a family member passed an important exam, passed a good job, or became a celebrity? I thought, <i>''For hyung to be the strongest-grade on Earth, huh.'' </i>Of course, from the perspective of someone who went to the Great Universe, it might not be that great of a level. Just like no one would say <i>''Even so, aren''t you still below a president?'' </i>when their family member passed the exam for a fifth-grade civil servant after putting in a great deal of effort, all I could think of was that my brother was admirable.


    Then, my excellent hyung finally ended the fight. <i>Chwanggg---!! </i>Blood was spurting like a fountain.


    "Kukkk... Keokkk..."


    "General-nim!!"


    "How dare you...!"


    The warriors of the Zhu Family, who were standing back, intervened in the battle between hyung and the Chief District Prosecutor. No, to be exact, they tried to intervene.


    <strong>As the battle format has been decided as the Captain''s War, multiplebat participation is not possible.</strong>


    "Keukk!"


    "This shitty!"


    The system that protected them just a few minutes ago held them back this time. Because of that, Zhou Hongyi was dying. The man couldn''t receive anyone''s help. "Kreuk..." He tried to hold onto his torn neck with his left hand, but it did not work. His face, which turned pale in an instant, indicated that the sickle of the death reaper was cast on his back.


    "You look dejected." Hyung approached Zhou Hongyi with a smile gracing his pretty-looking face. If Zhou Hongyi were to reach out his hand, hyung would be in a reachable range, but hyung was not worried about a counterattack at all. "It''s unfair, isn''t it? Right? It''s supposed to be natural for you to juste and swallow up this small country whenever you want. You would have been able to manipte the rules that us fools made, aplish a perfectly excellent achievement, and gain the aplishment of a wise Rule Breaker. Wasn''t that so?"


    "You bastard¡­"


    "You didn''t know." <i>Clinkk! Kriekkkk! </i>One snap of the cutter knife was snapped off and a new one appeared. This was thest de as it ran out of de attachments. Hyung then continued, "You probably never thought you''d die like this."


    "Sto-Stop. If you hurt me, the Emper-" <i>Thwip! </i>A ck line cut across the air. Then, Zhou Hongyi was beheaded and his head rolled on the floor.


    <i>''H-He''s really determined huh.''</i>


    <strong>Kyaaa! That''s great! Then, is it time for war now? It''s war, right?</strong>


    ''Ah, shut up.'' I ignored Ares, who kept making a fuss, and stared at hyung''s face. At first nce, he looked rxed, but his tightly sped lips showed that he did not think the current situation was a joke. I have looked at hyung for a long time, ever since before, so I knew that his current attack was not just done on impulse. This was a resolute decision made with a firm determination. <i>''He decided to throw himself into the flow of history¡­''</i>


    I did not have a patriotic heart. Perhaps I didn''t even have a sense of belonging to mankind. Therefore, whether China invaded Korea, or Korea was humiliated by China, I had no interest in it whatsoever. Even if I had prevented China''s invasion, it would not have been because of patriotism towards the country Korea, but because I was annoyed by the harm that would be inflicted on me.


    In the end, I was a bystander. Perhaps this was meant to be a natural sequence the moment I awakened the Godly bloodline, and escaped from the frame of a human. <i>''But, Yeong-min-hyung is different.'' </i>Hyung chose a different path from me. He had a patriotic heart, and he chose to resist the forces invading the country. He did not choose to stand by and watch.


    <strong>The Lee Family''s Captain has won!</strong>


    <strong>Progress: 0/1, 1/3 </strong>


    "You bastard! How dare you! How dare you do that to the Chief District Prosecutor of the Zhu Imperial Household!!"


    "Ah, you''re the next opponent? Captain''s War resume!"


    <strong>The Captain''s War has resumed!</strong>


    <strong>Progress: 0/1, 1/3 </strong>


    "¡­!!" The faces of the Zhu Family''s warriors turned pale. This was because they were well aware that they did not dare to be hyung''s opponent, seeing that the Chief District Prosecutor had already lost. The Zhu Family still had two more chances, unlike the Lee Family who would be the loser as soon as they lost one time. However, it just meant that there were two more chances of earning themselves two more dead bodies in this situation.


    "Quickly get onto it. There is only a five-minute time limit anyway."


    "You bastard¡­ You fucker¡­!"


    "Ah,e to think of it, is the Lee Family <i>''capturing''</i> the Zhu Family right now?" Hyung''s words caused the ability users of Lee Family to stir up a fuss, albeit the fact that they had been watching the battle unfold while keeping a deadly silence.


    "Well,e to think of it¡­ This is an upation War, isn''t it?"


    "Don''t tell me¡­ This means we''re capturing the Zhu Family?"


    "Oh my God. Is that really possible?"


    It was a shocking development that no one had ever imagined. Even the ability users of the Lee Family, who were the winners, were flustered. Then, how would the warriors of the Zhu Family even feel?


    "Three minutes left. Quickly send out the next opponent."


    "¡­ I want to use the Forced Right of Command! Invalidate the Captain''s War!"


    <strong>The Zhu Family used the Forced Right of Command! Two remaining uses. </strong>


    <strong>The use of Forced Command is not allowed to invalidate the Captain''s War!</strong>


    <strong>Forced Right of Command. The Invalidation of the Captain''s War has ranked down. Temporary suspension will be executed! </strong>


    <i>shhh! </i>In an instant, all the members of the Zhu Family disappeared along with a dazzling light. Due to such a ridiculous ending, the ability users of the Lee Family had nk looks on their faces. They stared at the ce where the warriors of the Zhu Family were standing at just a while ago.


    "Hmph. As expected, they''re a bunch of dishonorable guys."


    "Well, I knew they would have a contingency method in case of an emergency. It was surprising that it was the Right of Command, but¡­ Man, what do you mean Forced Right of Command? Is there such a thing for the Lee Family?"


    "At the very least, this is the first time I''ve heard of it."


    The conversation between the Student Council President and hyung, who stood side-by-side with each other, as if they shared an unordinary rtionship, yed out. Then, a new text appeared following that.


    <strong>Temporarily suspended. upation War resumes in 71 hours and 59 minutes. </strong>


    "Ha, hahaha! What''s this? It wasn''t invalidated though?"


    "Hahaha! Those Chinese bastards! No, I can''t believe things turned out this way. Kuhaha!"


    "Oh my God! This is insane! Uwahhh!!"


    The ability users of the Lee Family, who were immersed in the unimaginable development, finally burst out in cheers. Of course, not all the members of the Lee Family shared the same feelings.


    "What happened..."


    "It''s war. The Zhu Imperial Household will not let us off."


    "Those fools who are rejoicing, they don''t even know that a disaster ising."


    "Where did that mongrel bastarde from?"


    I ended Udjat''s video after looking around at the images of the Zhu Family, who ran away without acknowledging their defeat, and the displeased expression of some ability users of the Lee Family despite their win. I also looked at the senior members of the Lee Family, who were wary of the sudden appearance of a strong being despite being delighted.


    "For starters." My mind was in chaos due to many things happening in a short time, but when I think about it, the situation was simple. "I need to meet hyung." Thinking that I could no longer be a bystander, I slowly moved.


    1. This is the Cutter Knife that kids used to use during art lessons. Check this for reference, https://5.imimg/data5/UQ/MW/MY-4114712/18mm-cutter-knife-0425-500x500.jpg. As you may already know, the ends of the de can be snapped off if the de turned dull.

 Vol 2. 19: Tutorial (1)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 19: Tutorial (1)</h4>


    But I never met my brother. Instead, I was reading a letter that somehow made its way into my bag.


    You''re finally stepping into this damned world. I hoped this day would nevere, but I''m frustrated because I always knew it would turn out this way in the end. You were too extraordinary to live out your life on the surface world.>


    <i>''No, what?''</i>


    I became speechless at the unexpected letter. What was this talking about? I was too what?


    Even though it was dumbfounded, I kept reading the letter.


    <i>''¡­Quite a lot must have happened.''</i>


    While I was out in space, no, maybe from long before that, my brother must have experienced many things in the parallel world. I wasn''t sure exactly what, but I could still feel his deep anger etched in the letter.


    <i>''Any requests I may have will be granted¡­ It''s shocking, but I guess that is a given.''</i>


    The Lee Family would have lost to the Zhu Family without even putting up a decent fight. My brother had saved the entire family with his personal strength. They weren''t simply indebted to him. He literally saved all of their asses. What would happen if he decided to take his hands off this matter? I wouldn''t be joking if I said that the Lee Family would be free falling into a deep abyss, sharing a fate far worse than simply being taken over by the Zhu Family.


    For the Lee Family, my brother was a lifeline and a way out, graced to them by the heavens. Due to his intervention, the Lee Family would be able to take an extremely advantageous position in a negotiation with the Zhu Family, but at the same time, their life would be hanging in my brother''s hands. Unless they could produce a strong <strong>Selected One </strong>who could beat the Chinese in the two remaining matches, the situation would not change.


    I''m sorry, and I''m worried for you.


    I hope to see you again with a smile.


    Your hyung.>


    <i>''Why is the tone so tragic?''</i>


    I smiled bitterly, but I guess it could not be helped. He was standing up to a great power as a representative of a small, weak country.


    <i>''Genie. Observe my brother''s condition 24 hours a day, and have the Golden Lion Unit on standby immediately. If there is an emergency situation, act first and brief me afterward.''</i>


    <strong>Yes, captain-nim.</strong>


    I ced the letter back into the bag as Genie gave the affirmative.


    <i>Drrrrk!</i>


    "Anyway."


    I looked around as I exited the ssroom. Unlike yesterday, no one approached me.


    "Everyone must be busy with what''s going on."


    I saw neither Jae-seok nor Kyung-eun. It''s not that they weren''ting to see me. They had note to school at all today. Actually, it wasn''t just the two of them either.


    "What do they mean an infectious viral eye disease? It''s so out of the blue. Wasn''t everyone fine just yesterday?"


    "This is stupidly ridiculous. Almost a quarter of the entire school is missing?"


    "I want to get infected with the eye disease too."


    "Ah, I wanted Chan-seuk to hook me up, but I can''t reach him."


    "Huh? Him too? I couldn''t contact Ji-sun either. I think her profile message said something along the lines of <strong>Taking a break cuz I''m sick T.T. </strong>Do you think it''s a very bad virus?"


    I could hear students whispering on their way home from school. The atmosphere was quite strange, as if they had also sensed something strange in the air.


    "Isn''t it a little weird?"


    "Yeah. Quite a few teachers were absent today, and the teachers who were here seemed like they were kind of out of it too¡­"


    The surface world was separated from the parallel world, but many people had their ce in both worlds. Even if they were ability holders, they weren''t living in the parallel world all the time. Many of them had a life in the surface world as well.


    <i>''Especially in my school.''</i>


    Wasn''t it obvious? Two princesses from the Lee Family were attending the same school. This was a ce directly run by the Lee Family, so many children of ability holders belonging to the Lee Family attended this school.


    <i>''Genie. How many of the absent students are presumed to be ability holders?''</i>


    <strong>Almost none. Even if they happened to awaken their powers, it''s almost negligible. I predict that the ability holders have evacuated their families in preparation for war.</strong>


    <i>''Well, some of those who are involved might be regr people.''</i>


    Not all of the people who were involved in the parallel world had to be ability holders. Wasn''t Bae Jae-seok a ''regr'' third-generation chaebol, but deeply rted?


    "Kwan Dae-ha."


    "Hmm?"


    I had been standing in ce while thinking. I turned my head at someone''s voice.


    <strong>Won-il High School</strong>


    <strong>Level 3</strong>


    <strong>Depressed Lee Seon-ae</strong>


    "¡­Hi."


    We weren''t close. We couldn''t really be called friends either. She was my ssmate and she had sat right next to me, but since I returned to Earth, she had been avoiding me. We had never really engaged in a conversation.


    "You too?"


    "Me too¡­ Yeah. Me, too. Me too since I was born. But I thought it was nice to be able to go to school."


    She started to walk weakly while muttering, and I followed behind her as she headed to the school gate. Even though Kyung-eun wasn''t here, the ck sedan I saw yesterday was waiting in front of the school gate. But unlike yesterday, Mountain Sword was sitting in the driver''s seat.


    "Get in."


    The door opened without any apanying exnations. I got in without asking any questions, and Seon-ae followed me in.


    <i>Pat!</i>


    In the blink of an eye, Seon-ae''s outfit changed. It wasn''t like a transformation, but more of a simple attire change. However, her dress had changed to clothes that were very familiar to me.


    "¡­You are a courtdy?"


    "Why. Is it weird that a courtdy goes to school?"


    I shook my head at her strangely sharp words.


    "Not particrly."


    I wasn''t surprised by the fact that one of our school''s students was a courtdy. However, I was surprised because I had no idea that she was an ability holder until now, before the level system had been added.


    <i>''Even though she''s a courtdy, her affiliation is with the school, and not the Lee Family.''</i>


    I thought of Celestia ¨C my ''ex''-wife and the best idol in the universe. Even though it hadn''t been too long since we broke up, it felt like an event from a distant past. Even though Celestia was a princess of the Leonhardt Empire, her representative<strong> </strong>affiliation was not with the Leonhardt Empire, but rather a mere Assault Squadron of the Detro Gxy Union. It was a result of the rough life she had lived. She had been mistreated since birth because she had been born between Emperor Angelos III and a chimera. She didn''t even have the tiniest sense of belonging to the Leonhardt Empire.


    <i>''That means Seon-ae is the same.''</i>


    "You, courtdy. Don''t be rude to the guest."


    "Yes, Mountain Sword-nim."


    Seon-ae immediately bowed her head. The car departed, and soon, they were driving along the main road.


    Mountain Sword spoke, "I apologize for not having introduced myself yet. I am Mountain Sword. How would you like me to address you?"


    "You can just call me Dae-ha."


    "Yes, Dae-ha-nim. Have you chosen your spiritual power?"


    I pondered for a moment at his words. Was this supposed to be a secret? I disregarded my thoughts as I didn''t think it mattered. My brother had already drawn all the agro, so there was no use trying to keep on the down-low.


    "Yes."


    "Then your teacher<strong> </strong>must have been decided already."


    The mission system activated at the words of Mountain Sword. I felt a burning sensation on the back of my hand and a line of text appeared in front of my eyes.


    <strong>Mission Generated!</strong>


    <strong>Let''s acquire spiritual power!</strong>


    <strong>You have chosen: Elemental Summoner, cksmith (aura), and Strongman!</strong>


    <strong>Matching a teacher. Matching¡­ Matching sessful!</strong>


    <strong>Lee Do-geom of the Armament Temple[1], has been matched as your teacher! Navigate to the Armament Temple before 6 PM to enter the discipline of spiritual power!</strong>


    <strong>Objective 1: Spirit Contract</strong>


    <strong>Objective 2: ess Aura</strong>


    <strong>Objective 3: Life Energy Awakening</strong>


    <strong>Rewards for Sess ¨C Elemental Summoner (1st ss). cksmith (1st ss). strongman (1st ss).</strong>


    <strong>Penalty for Failure ¨C None.</strong>


    I had chosen my ss<strong> </strongst night. When I saw the mission appear, I realized that the system was kinder than I initially thought. It didn''t leave one to fend for themselves. It had a way of connecting people to each other.


    <i>''Well, I guess there was no way I would acquire any abilities through a text system¡­ With this system, there must be some reward for the teacher as well.''</i>


    "It says Lee Do-geom-nim from the Armament Temple. I need to be there by 6 PM."


    "What did you say?"


    Mountain Sword looked to be flustered. He muttered ''Why is someone like him being tasked with something like tutorial guidance?''.


    "Is there a problem?"


    "No¡­ It''s nothing. Let''s move."


    The sedan smoothly entered into a residential zone. In a process simr to what I had experienced in the past, we entered the parallel world, to the Lee Family''s zone.


    "Guide him well."


    "Yes, Mountain Sword-nim."


    After arriving at the Lee Family''s territory, Seon-ae guided me instead of Mountain Sword. We arrived at the National Pce Museum, the same ce where I had met Yul.


    "Is the ce called Armament Temple also located here?"


    "Yeah. It''s four floors underground."


    The structure of the buildings in Gyeongbokgung Pce was unique. Even though they looked to be a single floor from the outside, that wasn''t the case. Gangneyongjeon Hall, where I slept, had 5 floors above ground and 13 floors underground. In addition, these freakishly tall buildings had no elevators nor any teleportation devices. The only set of stairs connecting the floors was narrow enough to barely allow two adult males to walk shoulder to shoulder.


    "Oh, the stairs here are so narrow. It''s frustrating."


    "It''s a security measure."


    "Even if it''s a security measure, I can''t believe that the people who live here put up with the difort."


    It was quite ridiculous. I followed Seon-ae down to the fourth basement floor and passed a long hallway. There were a total of eight doors on the fourth basement floor, and Seon-ae stopped in front of one of them.


    "Here you go."


    "Are you going to be waiting here?"


    "That''s what a courtdy does."


    "Hmm."


    When I thought back to it, the courtdies had been standing like dolls throughout Gyeongbokgung Pce.


    <i>Dreukk.</i>


    I barely touched it, but the door opened wide as if it had been waiting.


    <i>ng! ng! ng!</i>


    As soon as the door opened, I could hear loud noises of metal shing and felt a rush of hot wind. It was so loud that my ears were hurting. I was amazed that I didn''t hear anything when the door was closed.


    "What? At this time of day¡­ Ah, I see. Are you my disciple?"


    1. the original term was for a military office from the 1400 & 1500s in ancient Joseon. They were in charge of creating equipment, gs & other stuff as well

 Vol 2. 20: Tutorial (2)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 20: Tutorial (2)</h4>


    "What? At this time of day¡­ Ah, I see. Are you my disciple?"


    "Yes. Nice to meet you. I''m¡­"


    "That''s enough. You''re my disciple in name only. It''s just a system. We''re not actually in a teacher-disciple rtionship, so there''s no need to introduce yourself. I will only teach you the basics of the field. I have no intentions of teaching you any profound secrets or anything of the sort."


    His words contained no goodwill nor any hostility. His emotioncked curiosity. He had clearly drawn the boundaries and announced that this was only a business rtionship.


    "Hmm."


    It was an unexpected turnout, but it wasn''t bad at all. Rather, I felt morefortable that he had been so direct from the beginning.


    "Well, then I look forward to your kind cooperation."


    "I got it, so wait. I''m not done with this yet."


    He picked up the hammer once more and resumed work.


    <i>ng! ang!</i>


    <i>Chhhhh!</i>


    I could see his muscr upper beyond the rising steam. His height was over 190 centimeters and his forearms were thicker than my thighs. I looked up above his head.


    <strong>Armament Temple</strong>


    <strong>Level 9</strong>


    <strong>Equipment Manufacturing Expert Lee Do-geom</strong>


    <i>''Level nine, huh.''</i>


    The titles of ability holders were ssified into novice, expert, master,pl¨¦ter, and transcendent. If I had to trante the titles into levels, it would be as followed. Levels 1 to 3 were those who had just entered the scene ¡ª the novices. Levels 4 to 6 were skilled people who were somewhat familiar with their abilities ¡ª the experts. Levels 7 to 9 were those who were able to freely utilize their abilities ¡ª the masters. Finally, experts who reached level 10 were calledpl¨¦ter. They were those who gained enlightenment, allowing them to use abilities that were somewhatparable to having an authority (although not very high).


    He was level nine, which meant...


    <i>''He should probably be stuck at a wall.''</i>


    I wasn''t sure exactly how long he had been stagnant for. His skin was tight without any wrinkles, which made it difficult to estimate his age, but his white hair and stubborn eyes definitely belonged to that of an old man.


    <i>Chhhh!</i>


    Do-geom had been tempering a sword for a long time. He thrust the de into a strange substance that resembled either a rock or a jelly, then shook the dust off his hands.


    "Is that going to be fine? There''s smokeing from it¡­"


    "Don''t mind it. I''m brewing it."


    Brewing it? I was confused by the strange choice of words, but he paid it no attention and flopped down on a nearby workstation. Then, he turned his head and stared into the empty air. Ordinary people would have found the sight strange, but I knew what he was looking at.


    <i>''He''s looking at the mission.''</i>


    He soon turned his head back.


    "From the start, you chose elemental summoner, cksmith, and strongman at the same time? Besides, you didn''t choose to use the spiritual production to train your spiritual power but aura production. You must be out of your mind. I was wondering why I had been tasked with a mere tutorial¡­ Well."


    Do-gun red at me. He seemed to have a lot ofints.


    "Who''s backing you?"


    "I don''t have any particr background."


    "Then why is the mission reward so¡­ No, never mind. It''s none of my business."


    He shook his head, then started searching a cupboard on one side of his smithy. He pulled out a small chair that was glittering with gold. The golden chair had three legs, each decorated with jewels of different colors.


    "Let''s start with the spiritual arts. It''s something that''s all or nothing."


    "All or nothing?"


    "It''s exactly as it sounds. Martial arts and magic take a lot of time and training to set foot into, but spiritual arts is different. Those who have the talent will be able to use it naturally without anyone to teach them, and those without talent could try anything and still won''t be able to set foot until they die."


    He pushed the gold chair in front of me. Upon a closer examination, I could see that the chair was literally a piece of art decorated with gold and jewels.


    "Well, even considering that, you''re pretty lucky. There''s no one who can arrange a spirit contract as easily as I can in the Lee Family."


    "Is this pure gold?"


    "Did you think it would be ted? Stop talking nonsense and sit down."


    I followed his guidance and sat down on the chair. Do-geom took out a bottle and uncapped it before pouring it over my head. The alcohol soaked my hair, then began flowing down my face and neck.


    "Ah, it''s cold. What are you doing?"


    "It''s a process. The contract itself won''t be difficult. You just need to sign a contract with one of the lowest rank spirits that approach you from the spirit world. If none of them approach you, it means you have no talent. Then, there is nothing I can do."


    <i>Gush.</i>


    Two, three, four bottles of soju were poured over my head. My entire body was soaked in soju and a small puddle had formed at my feet. The smell of alcohol started to cause a headache.


    "How long are you going to be pouring soju¡­ What are you doing?"


    <i>Clip.</i>


    Anxiety began to grow as he took out a dagger from his waist, then cut the wires of a dryer which was fixed on the wall.


    "Do-geom-nim?"


    He disregarded my call, then threw the dryer to the side. He unfurled the wire and threw it into the pool of soju. He exined.


    "Again, you don''t have to do anything. The spirit will make the decision. You just need to nod your head."


    Then he picked up the electrical cord and...


    "No, no, wait a minute. You aren''t."


    He plugged it in.


    <i>Craackk-!!</i>


    There was no pain. I didn''t have time to feel it.


    "¡­What the hell."


    Because I was standing in a whole new ce.


    <strong>Oh! I''ve never been to the spirit world before! It''s pretty amazing.</strong>


    Before I knew it, Ares was standing next to me. His sculpture-like appearance and muscr body wasn''t a projection of augmented reality created by Udjat, but an elemental body projected from his thoughts. However, Genie didn''t seem to possess such a talent. She briefed me.


    <strong>Dimensional movement confirmed. We are currently located in Area 73 B of the Elemental ne. It is impossible for the ship to interfere in an outer dimension. It is extremely unlikely, but there is a possibility of running into an Untouchable, so please exercise caution.</strong>


    <i>''But you canmunicate with the spirit world?''</i>


    <strong>Ifmunication with outer dimensions was impossible, externalmunication would fail during an Astral Drive. Of course,munication with the spirit world is possible because Captain-nim''s physical body in reality is acting as a ry and Udjat is functioning as a receiver and an observer.</strong>


    I walked through a forest as I listened to Genie''s exnation. The environment was so normal that it was hard to believe I was in the spirit world. If I didn''t know any better, I would have believed that this was a remote forest on Earth. However, there was something unusual about the forest. It was so full of vitality that I felt rejuvenated just by walking and breathing.


    "Ah, cold¡­ huh?"


    I dipped my feet into a creek and quickly took it out, finally realizing something I had not noticed until now.


    "What? Where are all my clothes?"


    <strong>No clothes, Captain-nim. Only your soul has passed on to the spirit world.</strong>


    "But I have Udjat."


    <strong>Udjat is a magic armament. Weapons possessing soul energy can be transferred over to the spirit world.</strong>


    "¡­So that''s why I have Shadow Stalker as well."


    Which meant¡­ I was walking around naked while only wearing sses and a watch.


    "Well, I should quickly sign a contract and get out of here."


    However, contrary to my hope, the surroundings were dead silent. No matter where I looked, I could not see any spirits. Do-geom said that everything would be good once I met and signed a contract with a suitable lowest-rank spirit. Since the sess of the spirit contract was absolutely dependent on talent, no prior learning was necessary.


    Yet.


    I wasn''t able to meet and greet the spirits before signing a contract with one of them. It wasn''t even because Icked the talent.


    <strong>Wow! What is this energy¡­ Hiek!?</strong>


    <strong>Gaah! What is that!?</strong>


    <strong>Kiyaaah! Run away!!</strong>


    A mole-shaped spirit had its head sticking out of a hole. It screamed in horror before thrusting its head back into its cave in hiding. A squirrel-shaped spirit fell off a tree and a girl-shaped spirit ying in the nearby scream shrieked before hurriedly diving into the water.


    Shock and terror! As the panic-stricken spirits ran away, silence descended on the vitality-filled forest.


    <strong>They''re running away?</strong>


    <strong>They''re running away.</strong>


    "¡­¡­"


    I watched the spirits scatter all over the ce like a flock of rats escaping from a sinking ship with a dumbfounded expression.


    <strong>Unlike the fearless humans who were trying to pick a fight with you, the spirits seem to feel something.</strong>


    "Even so, how am I supposed to sign a contract with them if they all run away?''


    I was truly bbergasted. I kept walking through the forest. I wasn''t necessarily chasing them, I was just curious about the ce known as the spirit world. But my every step was apanied by a fluctuation in the far trees. The forest was shaking like waves.


    <strong>Kiyah! He''sing this way!</strong>


    <strong>Ah, don''t push me!</strong>


    <strong>Let''s go somewhere further away!</strong>


    I could hear countless voices. They were like whispersing from a far distance. They had already gotten so far away that I could only hear their voices, but not see any of them.


    "I won''t be even able to tell my attribute like this¡­"


    Humans were born with one or more attributes, and their respective attributes had a huge influence on training their abilities. All the ability users confirmed their attributes using various methods. Elemental summoners had the easiest way to check their own attributes. Once they were in the spirit world, only spirits possessing their attributes would approach them.


    <strong>Will the contract fail?</strong>


    <strong>Excuse me¡­</strong>


    <strong>Just get out of there, Captain-nim. What use is spiritual arts in the Great Universe anyways? The hardest power to utilize in space is natural power. Production is the only answer left.</strong>


    <strong>E, excuse me¡­</strong>


    "Aren''t you guys dismissing this too easily? I came all the way here so I could train."


    I became dismayed at the words of Genie and Ares.


    <strong>Hey!!!</strong>


    "Whoa."


    I turned my head in surprise at the sudden shout. A girl less than a meter tall was standing in front of me. No, could I call her a girl?


    "Hey, what is this? An action figure?


    She certainly looked like a human being, but she wasn''t human. Her glossy skin clearly differentiated her, as well as her short height of 1 meter and a slim body with perfect proportions. She was not a human being, but a metal figure in the shape of a girl.


    <strong>Hello, I''m Pink Pink, a first-tier metal spirit.</strong>


    <strong>What a name¡­</strong>


    Listening to Genie''s moans, I stared at the figure in front of me.


    "A metal spirit? Not a spirit of action figures?"


    <strong>Even though there are many crazy people in the world, there aren''t enough to create a spirit of figures¡­ No, wait, that''s not important. Ah! Please don''te near me!!</strong>


    I became flustered as Pink Pink hurriedly retreated when I moved one step forward. I could see the obvious pain in her glossy metal face.


    "Are you all right?"


    <strong>I am not alright!! What exactly are you? The spiritual pressure you give off is so strong that I feel like my lungs will copse!</strong><strong>Naturally, I don''t actually have a lung!!</strong>


    "Ah¡­ So I won''t be able to sign a spirit contract?"


    <strong>I''m a first-tier spirit, and even I can''t get close to you. How would you sign a contract? I''m giving you advice because you smell like metal.</strong>


    I licked my lips at Pink Pink''s words. I wanted to learn the spiritual arts because I possessed the talent for spiritual power andmunion, but it seemed like it would be difficult.


    "What about the Spirit King?"


    I asked casually. Of course, discussing the Spirit King right after entering the spirit world was literally without conscience, but there was nothing else I could say. Only the Spirit King was stronger than the first-tier spirits.


    But Pink Pink said something unexpected.


    <strong>There is no Spirit King of metal.</strong>


    "How can there be no metal Spirit King when metal is one of the five elements?"


    I asked back. It was ridiculous. I wasn''t well-versed in spirit techniques, it was obviously strange that there was no metal Spirit King when metal was one of the five fundamental elements that formed the universe. She started to speak while looking at my flustered expression.


    <strong>Well.</strong>


    Pink Pink twirled her pink hair.


    <strong>They all died not long ago¡­</strong>

 Vol 2. 21: Tutorial (3)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 21: Tutorial (3)</h4>


    <strong>They all died not long ago¡­</strong>


    "A Spirit King can die? Aren''t they immortal?"


    <strong>That''s what we believed as well, but it wasn''t the case. During the Great War, many Spirit Kings perished while fighting against the Chernobog when they invaded Spirit World. I''m ashamed to say this, but I am the strongest of the remaining metal spirits.</strong>


    <i>''Again.''</i>


    The same story was mentioned again. The war that was so all-epassing that it shook the foundation of the entire universe ¡ª The Great War.


    <i>''Well, I guess I should be d I was born in this age? If I had been alive during those times, I would have been swept away by the war regardless of where I was in the universe.''</i>


    Since the beginning of time, the Great Universe had birthed beings that mortals could not even imagine. Gods and demons created alongside the creation of the universe. Ancient Gods possessed so much power and authority that they could destroy the entire universe if they wished. Space monsters that were bigger thans and stars. Beings without names and titles whose roots were unclear. Finally, transcendents who trained themselves in search of stronger powers.


    However, even though such beings possessed unimaginable power, they were extremely limited in their actions. It was because they were under control.


    Asura.


    The parallel identity of the Creation God. He controlled the universe with very strictws, and even powerful and terrifying beings with incredible strength dared not break them. The Creator God had chosen the mortals to be the protagonists of the world. The superpowers of the universe could easily ughter even the transcendents like mere worms, but they were unable to interfere with the fate of mortals or even leave their designated spots unless they consumed an object called the feather.


    Perhaps that was why¡­ a war was inevitable. The moment Asura disappeared, they had no reason to hold back anymore.


    "Was the Metal Spirit King the only one who died?"


    <strong>19 of the 22 Spirit Kings died. The Spirit God exercised his power afterward to elevate five first-tier spirits to Spirit Kings, but...</strong>


    "¡­You haven''t filled all the seats."


    <strong>It was pure madness. The whole spirit world was in danger of being destroyed.</strong>


    Pink Pink sighed deeply.


    <i>sh!</i>


    <strong>What''s with this ridiculous energy¡­ Ah! You surprised me!"</strong>


    "¡­A giraffe?"


    I stared at the creature. An actual giraffe had appeared with a sudden sh. After suddenly appearing out of the blue, the giraffe bent its long neck and looked down at me.


    <strong>Whoa, what is this? What''s with this spiritual pressure? What''s wrong with him? The elemental affinity is incredible, but I can''t even get within ten steps of him. Pink Pink. What''s with this person?</strong>


    <strong>Well, actually, I don''t know either. I think he''s a member of the godly tribes. Excuse me, what''s your name?</strong>


    "Dae-ha. It''s Kwan Dae-ha."


    <strong>Ah, Dae-ha-nim. This is ika. He''s a first-tier lightning spirit.</strong>


    As I listened to the conversation between the spirits, Ares and Genie, who had been quiet for a while, started to whisper.


    <strong>Do you think it''s possible?</strong>


    <strong>Yes. Well, it''s not something that''s unheard of.</strong>


    "What are you guys talking about?"


    When I expressed my confusion, Ares responded.


    <strong>I think you possess an aptitude for more than one element. Both metal and lightning. But metal elemental summoners are quite rare.</strong>


    After hearing his exnation, I turned back towards Pink Pink and ika. Come to think of it, all the spirits around me had fled with the exception of these two. My attributes had been pretty much confirmed.


    "Are there not many elemental summoners with the metal attribute?"


    The answer came from Pink Pink, who was giving a rough breakdown of the situation to ika.


    <strong>Yes, that''s how it is. Most people born with the metal and lightning attributes tend to be verybative, so they usually end up as martial artists. Well, contracting with spirits isn''t limited to spirits sharing the same attribute as the human, so there are quite a few summoners who contracted with metal spirits, but less than 0.1% of all summoners possess the metal attribute.</strong>


    Then, a very loud noise echoed from far away.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    <strong>Cases like this are especially rare. From the moment you entered the spirit world, you caused such argemotion. I could search the entire history of the spirit world and¡­</strong>


    <i>Boom!</i>


    "Wait a moment. What is this noise?"


    <strong>What? What are you talking about?</strong>


    "You can''t hear it? The ground is ringing."


    At that moment, a heavy echo resounded once more. This time, the sound was heard just around the corner. The being responsible for themotion entered into view immediately.


    "Oh, my god."


    A groan escaped my lips unknowingly.


    "My god."


    I couldn''t breathe properly because of the overwhelming presence.


    "What the¡­"


    If I had to name someone who possessed the highest ss among everyone I had met so far, I would pick Adam without hesitation. My biological father was a very special First-Tier God, a being infinitely close to bing an Absolute God. As the <strong>God of Civilization and Information</strong>, he had bestowed Adam his name as the <strong>First</strong><strong>Legion</strong>.


    Before the Great War, Adam not only recovered the status of the <strong>Machine</strong><strong>God</strong>, he also seized the Divinity of Eve, who was close to him like a sister. He rose to the position of one of the strongest First-Tier Gods in the Great Universe. Of course, immediately after that, he had been consumed by madness due to the enormous pressure exerted on him from the Status of a First-Tier God. Even so, I could not deny that he was a ridiculously powerful transcendent, surely one of the strongest.


    But as soon Iid my eyes on the being in front of me, I came to a realization.


    <i>It</i> was different. <i>It</i><strong> </strong>waspletely different from Adam.


    -Oh¡­


    Its body was as big as tens of mountainsbined. The lower body was simr to that of a deer, and the upper body resembled a beautiful woman. But who in the world could call <i>it</i><strong> </strong>a living being? Its hair zed like an active volcano, and its four legs were created from oddly formed boulders. Wings of light and darkness sprouted from its back, which wasrge enough to cover its entire body. On the back of the deer-like body, dark clouds raged with lightning and storm. Its right arm was made of freshwater, which exuded a reinvigorating atmosphere, and toxic poison, which threatened to melt anything in its way. Strangely, the two liquids sloshed against each other as if they would mix with each other, but never actually doing so. Only the outline of its left arm was visible due to the distorted space around it.


    -You¡­


    It looked down at me. Its pupils were made up of jewels asrge as apartmentplexes.


    <i>''This is crazy¡­ What the hell..."</i>


    My entire body was shaking under pressure that I had never felt before. I felt its gaze prating deep into my very soul. It observed me for a long time. Fortunately, its gaze did not contain killing intent nor displeasure, but simple curiosity. As I barely faced its gaze while trembling, <i>i</i><i>t</i><strong> </strong>spoke.


    -Gift.


    "What?"


    <i>Boom!</i>


    Then it left. As if it had lost all interest, it didn''t spare a single nce back as it left. After it disappeared, the silent surroundings erupted into an explosivemotion.


    <strong>Kyah! The Spirit God looked at me!</strong>


    <strong>No. God was looking at a well-grown tree.</strong>


    <strong>The Spirit God smiled at me!</strong>


    <strong>No, God was smiling at a flower!</strong>


    The entire forest started to buzz. Even outsiders like me, Genie, and Ares, were shocked beyond belief.


    <strong>Are you all right, Captain-nim?</strong>


    <strong>W, what in the world? The Spirit God? Why would such a figure suddenly¡­</strong>


    <strong>You are amazing! To think the Spirit God woulde meet you in person! The Spirit God is equivalent in rank to Primordial Gods!</strong>


    <strong>Wow, I almost went into hiding. Even Zeus won''t be able to hold a candle to that guy either.</strong>


    "Phew¡­"


    I leaned against a tree as my legs turned to jelly. I could see Pink Pink and ika jumping up and down in extreme excitement.


    "To think I would see the Spirit God."


    I already knew of its existence. The lord of the Spirit World was one of the Absolute Gods who was on par with the Jade Emperor of the Saint Realm.


    "Genie, has there been any contact with the Spirit God in the empire before?"


    <strong>That could have never happened. It''s something that one would only hear about as a myth or a legend. There are some records of sightings left by the great elemental summoners in the past, but this is probably the first time in the empire''s history that someone observed the Spirit King directly.</strong>


    <strong>But what a ridiculous happening. It''s not like we just finished an epic journey or anything. We aren''t even in some kind of secret space. All we did was enter the Spirit World, and it showed up. Even dogs and cows coulde to this ce.</strong>


    I agreed with his remark. So to speak, it was as if the U.S. president came to greet me at the airport when I visited the U.S. for sightseeing. No, even that was insufficient to describe the situation. It was as if I went to Jerusalem for sightseeing, and Jesus suddenly appeared in front of me.


    <strong>Oh, anyway.</strong>


    Ares smiled with a dumbfounded expression, then looked back at me.


    <strong>Are you okay?</strong>


    "Am I okay? What are you¡­ huh?"


    I started to express my confusion when I noticed that something was different.


    "My clothes are back."


    I was no longer naked. The clothes I had been wearing before were now covering my body again. Well, I guess they had never actuallye off, but still.


    Ohhh---


    A strange energy was circting my body. I couldn''t really describe it with words. As the energy swirled around me, the surrounding background was being pushed back. The trees filled with vitality, the fertilend, and the little pebbles started to distort and circle around me while being pushed back. It looked likeputer graphics.


    <strong>Huh? I think I''ve seen this before¡­ Right. Pink Pink, isn''t this a Unique Field?</strong>


    <strong>Huh? That''s a power that even the Great Elemental Summoners struggle to imitate. The ones that possess the spatial attribute to boot. No, in the first ce, why did he suddenly develop such an ability?</strong>


    Pink Pink and ika started to whisper among themselves after btedly checking my condition. I could feel that they were taken back by the unexpected development.


    <strong>Was it bestowed by the Spirit God? But why?</strong>


    <strong>Moreover, that''s an ability that can''t be invoked unless he signs a contract with a high-ranked spirit¡­ Is the Spirit God giving us a revtion to sign a contract with him?</strong>


    <strong>But how are we supposed to sign a contract with him when we can''t even get close to him?</strong>


    The two First-Tier spirits kept chatting away while the strange phenomenon continued to develop. My immediate surroundings began to bepletely separated from the rest of the Spirit World.


    <strong>Hey, Dae-ha, are you okay? I think there''s something like a dimensional fracture.</strong>


    <strong>Ah!</strong>


    Pink Pink, who was whispering at the time, pointed at Ares as if she hade to a profound realization.


    <strong>Oh! That''s right! That''s a spirit right there! Moreover, it seems pretty high-ranked as well! If it''s that spirit, he would be able to activate a Unique Field!</strong>


    <strong>Oh, yes! That strange spirit, hispatibility with this man is on the level of a heavenly king!</strong>


    <strong>Besides, this spirit has both metal and lightning attributes. Was there really a need for him toe to the spirit world?</strong>


    Ares had pretended not to see them until now. As the two chattered away, Ares seemed to find the noise annoying. He spoke up in a furious voice.


    <strong>What are these spirits talking about? Why am I a spirit?</strong>


    <strong>Huh? A spirit is a spirit, why are you asking such a stupid question?</strong>


    <strong>You are obviously a spirit.</strong>


    The two looked at him with a strange expression, and Ares became furious at their gazes.


    <strong>I am Ares!! I''m not a measly spirit!</strong>


    A powerful soul energy exuded from Ares. Even though he was just a projection of thoughts, the energy contained in Ares'' Iron Heart was transcendental. Utilizing his tremendous power, Ares roared loudly.


    <strong>Know that you are in the presence of the God of War! I am a God with a Divine Spirit!</strong>


    Ooohhh---!


    shes of light apanied the descent of a great spirit. The Spirit of the War God called all beings to kneel in front of him and reinvigorated the spirits of his allies!


    But Pink Pink and ika showed no reaction to Ares'' spirit. Rather, Pink Pink raised a small hand and swirled it next to her head[1].


    <strong>What is he talking about?</strong>


    <strong>I don''t know. He must be out of his mind.</strong>


    1. like calling someone cuckoo.

 Vol 2. 22: Tutorial (4)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 22: Tutorial (4)</h4>


    <strong>What is he talking about?</strong>


    <strong>I don''t know. He must be out of his mind.</strong>


    <strong>T-These bastards...!</strong>


    I calmed Ares down as he was shaking at the sudden insult, and stepped forward. "Ahh, wait, wait a minute. Don''t just talk between the two of you, and exin, please. What''s going on right now? What thing did the Spirit God do to me?"


    <strong>What did you say? What <i>thing</i>?! Did you just say ''what <i>thing</i>''?!</strong>


    <i>Kwareukkkkkkk!!! </i>Thunder and lightning raged forth. It wasn''t just in lightning. The violent storm, which had a mighty soul energy and a more overwhelming voltage, was a scale not easily seen, even in space warfare.


    <i>''Wow, that''s crazily strong. Something like this is equivalent to the power output of a Star-rank Gigas though?'' </i>To be honest, I was wondering how strong a spirit would be, but this was of a strong enough power to break down such stereotypes. Come to think of it, based on ika''s level alone, it was a whopping Level 18, so there was no need to say anything more.


    <i>''Well, even if so, if I fought with a Star-rank Gigas, I''d be pushed back due to the soul power''s </i><i>superiority advantage</i><i>.'' </i>The Iron Heart did not rewrite a new history of the weapons of the entire universe for no reason. The natural energy, which contained a mighty soul power, was undoubtedly a strong force. Still, even if that was the case, its essence was nothing more than an inferior energy. Divine energy was the only thing that would not lose to the superiority advantage of the soul power.


    <strong>Calm down, ika.</strong>


    <i>Thuuuckkk! </i>A thunderstorm of outrageous scale was sucked into Pink Pink, which was less than a meter in size, and disappeared. There was a continuous spark spurting out from her body, but she turned her head towards me, scolding me as if it did not do any particr damage to her. <strong>I''ve stopped it for now, but be careful of what you say!</strong><i><strong> ''What thing?'' </strong></i><strong>What kind of nonsense are you spouting when you earn the favor of the Spirit God... The formation of a Unique World is a power that belonged solely to the Spirit Realm. Even the most decent transcendents would not dare to covet...</strong>


    <i>Groooooarrr-----!!</i>


    <strong>¡­Eckkk? The formation has already started?</strong>


    <strong>What is this?! It''s too fast!!</strong>


    <i>Shiiiiiingg! </i>My field of vision instantly changed for the worse. The image of the Spirit Realm, which was green with shades of trees, disappeared. Then, and full of dull grey maic sand which was like burnt ashes revealed itself. "...What the, where is this?"


    In his novel, Saint-Exup¨¦ry[1] portrayed the ce that the Little Prince lived in as B-612. B-612 was an asteroid about the size of a house, and it was so small that one could supposedly continue watching the sunset if they moved a chair by a few mere steps. Funny as it was, the ce I arrived at was also that kind of ce. Even if I looked 360 degrees around in all directions, it was a ce where I could always see the horizon. Fortunately, it didn''t look as small as B-612, but it was almost the same size.


    <strong>Dimensional Movement... Confirmed. But, Captain-nim.</strong>


    "Is there a problem? Where did I teleport to now?"


    <strong>You didn''t teleport. </strong>


    "What are you saying? Just a while ago, you said that Dimensional Movement was confirmed," I questioned the incredulity of Genie''s words.


    However, Genie seemed to be flustered, as if she couldn''t urately grasp the situation. <strong>The coordinate value is...ovepped. No, my God, something like this is not even in the database... No, how, how can something like this be possible? It''s not the Spiritual Realm, but the Physical Realm instead. Furthermore, it is done with the body of a living creature...</strong>


    "Pink Pink and ika said something about the Unique World, though."


    <strong>I''m not certain, but rted words have previously appeared in ancient literature. It''s the record of a Chakra ability user creating a Unique World bypleting a small universe. </strong>


    "Chakra? I don''t know anything like that. Are there no other records?"


    <strong>There was also a record of a simr phenomenon happening due to a contract with a special being. Do you happen to be able to detect targets rted to spiritual contracts?</strong>


    <strong>...It can be detected.</strong>


    <strong>Ares-nim? I''m sorry, but the target of the contract I am referring to is...</strong>


    <i>Booooom! </i>In an instant, a heavy echo shook the whole maic sand asteroid. I turned my head in surprise and a silver giant entered my line of sight. A 30-meters tall giant, in the form of a warrior wearing bulky armor, could be seen.


    The giant was massive, though it was slightly shorter than the statue of Christ the Redeemer, located at the top of Mount Corcovado in Brazil. Its build was bigger, though. However, the current appearance of Ares, the God of War, did not look as big as it usually was. That was because he was shabbily squatting down.


    <strong>It''s me! Me! This space is established due to the contract with my Iron Heart! Agh, but why is it so small?! Despite looking like the universe, it has a ceiling! </strong>As Ares said, this ce was in the form of an asteroid. It was not a space belonging to the universe, even though all kinds of stars were visible in the sky. It was all just an image. The Unique World I was given was not floating in the universe, but it was basically an enclosed space in the form of a sphere.


    "Ah, but why did youe here in your main body?"


    <strong>What do you mean I came here? I was dragged here! Ack! If I get too close to the ceiling, it would feel too unpleasant, so I can''t even lift my head! Argh! This is so frustrating, what is this shit?! I can feel a murky energy outside the ceiling! I think I will die if I st through here and go out! </strong>Ares, who was squatting down, made a fuss over nothing. Hepletelyid down.


    Then, the maic sandnd was shoved along with a metallic sound, forming a sudden maic sand hill on the asteroid. However, regardless of that, Genie calmly exined to me, <strong>I have gotten a rough idea of the world''s shape. The asteroid has a radius of 5.7 meters, and the radius of the whole Unique World is about three times that. If you''re standing on the asteroid, there will be a ceiling about 10 meters above it. </strong>


    "What''s this on the ground?"


    <i>Criiiing criiing! </i>I heard a metallic sound as I kicked the ground with my shoes. Genie continued exining, <strong>It is maic sand made up of a mix of a number of metals, includingrge amounts of iron and titanium. It is in the form of an asteroid, but it does not have a core and is assumed to be a huge maic sand mass clumped together under the influence of constant gravitational force. </strong>


    "That''s pretty unusual," Imented. Ares was constantly rambling on about it being cramped, but as he walked along, it wasn''t cramped to the point of difort. Since the asteroid was 11.4 meters in diameter, so 11.4 multiplied by 3.14 would make it 36 meters in circumference. The problem was that there was no tnd, but since the ground was maic sand, a house or a yard could be made if it was properly shoved together.


    "Genie, seeing that Ares is here in his main body, it seems that we can bring objects here. Is that right?" I seeded in breaking away from my material body due to the electrical shock from Do-geom. I seeded in essing the Spirit Realm at once. In other words, at least at this point in time, I was an Astral Body. My body remained in the Armament Temple''s workshop, and my spirit had moved to the Spirit Realm to get a Spiritual Contract. However, it was different right now. "This body right now... It''s really my body. The clothes are also what I have been wearing."


    <strong>But you have to be careful. Captain-nim''s body and equipment are still left behind in Gyeongbokgung Pce. You have moved dimensions, but you still remain at Gyeongbokgung Pce too, Captain-nim.</strong>


    "You said the coordinates were ovepped, right?"


    <strong>Yes. I''m sorry, but do you mind dropping any of your belongings from your body?</strong>


    "No problem." Following her words, I took off my shoes and pushed them aside. I felt like I was touching the maic sand under the socks, but it was not that sharp, so stepping on it was not a problem.


    <strong>...As expected, Captain-nim. Please look at this screen. </strong>


    A screen appeared through the Magic sses Udjat. The screen disyed the appearance of me sitting on a golden chair with my eyes closed, as if I had fallen asleep. <i>Pooof! </i>In an instant, the shoes on my feet disappeared. "Ah." I had a rough idea after seeing that sight, and it seemed to be the same case for Genie.


    <strong>I know now. This Unique World has the characteristics of both the Material World and the Information World. As it''s a dimension that Captain-nim owns, you can change the fundamentalws. It is also possible tomunicate with the Physical Realm. I can''t believe there would be such an all-powerful space.</strong>


    "What can it be used for?"


    <strong>There are, of course, a lot of uses. Even...</strong>


    <strong>Uwahhhh, it''s damn cramped. </strong><i>Krooooom------! </i>Along with Ares'' screams, thend of maic sand began to shake. Along with that...


    <strong>Special Unique World(Legend++++) ranked up!</strong>


    <strong>Rank F ¡ú Rank E</strong>


    Thend of maic sand swelled up like a balloon pumped with air. The size of the asteroid itself was growing bigger. However, I somehow couldn''t feel anything more than a slight quake even though I was standing on the asteroid itself. It felt as if this world itself was being considerate of me. Genie said, <strong>I don''t think this appearance is all of it.</strong>


    ***


    "Pheww..." I took a deep breath. The process of returning from a Unique World to the Physical Realm was peculiar enough that it was hard to describe. I was still in one ce, but it felt as if the world in front of my eyes switched around, like changing channels on a TV.


    <i>''You said the coordinates were ovepped, huh,'' </i>I said. ording to Genie''s exnation, my body simultaneously existed in the Physical Realm and the Unique World. It was not just simply a multi-dimensional existence, but the peculiarity was that the coordinates of the country itself contained a world. Just like the Spirit God who had his own universe, the <strong>Spirit Realm</strong>, I also had a world that I led.


    "You held out for quite some time, considering that you are a beginner. The Spirit Realm has a greater pressure than the Physical Realm, so it is hard to even hold out for 10 minutes with an Astral Body."


    "How long was I like this?"


    "Let''s see¡­ It''s been 88 minutes."


    "There''s no difference in the time proportion, huh."


    "Well, that''s of course. The Spirit Realm can be crossed directly from the Physical Realm, so it was made as simr to the Physical Realm as possible. The flow of time in the deepyers causes the Spirits above High-rank to be slower by hundreds of times, but it could also be faster."


    Hearing Do-geom''s exnation, I knew the fact that meeting Pink Pink and ika was not a coincidence. They detected, from very far away, the moment I entered the Spirit Realm. <i>''No, it wasn''t as if I entered after making a Worldwide Announcement...''</i><strong>Worldwide Announcement - </strong>Kwan Dae-ha-nim has entered the Spirit Realm!


    Kwan Dae-ha: Hi!!


    Pink Pink: !


    ika: !!


    Spirit God(GM)[2]: ?


    Was it, perhaps, something like this? In particr, the Spirit God was one of the Absolute God-rank Untouchable among the providence that made up the world. Moreover, it wasn''t even the final chapter of the mighty Epic Quest, but it simultaneously appeared as I entered the Spirit Realm. It was a preposterous matter that was akin to brushing past the shoulders of a final boss in the streets.


    "By the way, did you seed with the contract?"


    "I guess so?"


    "What do you mean <i>''I guess so''</i>? What''s the attribute?"


    "Wait a minute." I took a breath and mustered spiritual energy. Usually, if you familiarize yourself with soul power, the process of building up soul energy was obviously necessary... But that wasn''t the case for me. After all, the Iron Heart of Napoleon, a Human-rank Gigas, was beating in my chest.


    My Mana and magical power that I could call forth with the book was 100(+600) each. Although the problem was that there was far more Mana than the Mana reserves I saw, if it was at this level, it wouldn''t be difficult to summon a spirit. I was, after all, equivalent to a high-rank ability user.


    "Ares." My heart thumped when I called out his name, and at the same time... <i>pppp! </i>A book floated up in the air.


    *Abilities of the Day!


    <strong>Conservation</strong>


    <strong>Repair</strong>


    <strong>de Storm</strong>


    <strong>sh</strong>


    *Summons


    <strong>None</strong>


    <i>Kriekkkkk! </i>A pile of ore on one side of the smithy moved up and down repeatedly. Then, they melted and turned into a chunk. <i>Thud! </i>It raised its body. It had the shape of a man with a great body shape and was 8.5 heads high. Sturdy muscles covered its whole body like armor, and he had sculpture-like features. But, the man, who waspletely silver and shining, spoke, "Figurine."


    1. Antoine Marie Jean-Baptiste Roger,te de Saint-Exup¨¦ry, or Saint-Exup¨¦ry was a French writer, poet, aristocrat, journalist and pioneering aviator. He became aureate of several of France''s highest literary awards and also won the United States National Book Award. He is best remembered for his nove The Little Prince (Le Petit Prince).


    2. GM can refer to Gamemaster or Game Manager. It basically means that the Spirit God is the administrator of the Spirit Realm.

 Vol 2. 23: Tutorial (5)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 23: Tutorial (5)</h4>


    "Figurine."


    <i>''Wh-What did you say?''</i>


    "And a very antique one at that..."


    That''s right. The newly appeared steel doll had the shape of some sort of ancient statue. It was also only 15 centimeters in size, so it was a truly unsightly form.


    <strong>Then, how about this one?</strong>


    <i>Chakak! Kigik! Chakak! </i>Ares'' shape transformed, and his whole body was covered by silver armor. It was in the form of the God-rank Gigas, Ares, an appearance I was familiar with. I eximed, "Ooooh! If this was disyed in the show window, kids would lie down in the middle of the mart to ask their parents to buy it for them!" Its size remained the same, but it no longer looked like an antique. It now looked like an expensive high-end figurine instead.


    <strong>Is that apliment?</strong>


    "It''s high praise."


    <strong>Great then!</strong>


    We had a yful conversation. It was a fascinating feeling to speak to Ares face-to-face, since I had alwaysmunicated with him via Udjat. However, Do-geom, who was watching the scene unfold, had an extremely serious expression. "I can''t believe it... It''s talking..." He took a pair of sses from the table and approached Ares with a serious look. Putting the sses on, he muttered, "I can''t believe this. It has an ego...? Is its attribute metal?"


    <i>Ratatak!! </i>A horrendous spark sttered as soon as Do-geom finished speaking. Ares chuckled andughed, <strong>Wow! This is a totally different feeling though? It''s so amazing!</strong>


    "Multiple attributes...?" Do-geom''s expression transformed from one of awe to shock. He was dumbfounded. It was at that moment that¡­


    <strong>You have seeded in a Spiritual Contract!</strong>


    <strong>ss: Spirit Master(1st ss) has been generated!</strong>


    "Oh, finally a job," Imented. It has been quite a while since I saw "ss: None." It had already been 10 years since I changed the<strong> </strong>title in the Status Window, and confirmed the fluctuation in stats. I used to think that it might be unlocked someday, but I forgot about it upon entering space. However, it finally happened.


    <strong>Level System is unlocked!</strong>


    <strong>Level has been created!</strong>


    <strong>Current Level: 1</strong>


    <strong>Experience Gauge: 100%</strong>


    "What''s an experience gauge?"


    "You chose three jobs, so you''ll figure it out eventually, but... What exactly are you?"


    "In Do-geom-nim''s words, a talented person? ''Spiritual Arts can only be thoroughly learned by talented people,''" I directly quoted Do-geom''s words.


    However, Do-geom shook his head. "Bullshit. Huh... This isn''t just at the level of a talented person. I really don''t understand. Why hasn''t someone with this much talent been detected thus far?"


    "They say it''s an acquired awakening."


    "Even so... You, no, it''s nothing. It''s fine, so just sit here." He shook his head, perhaps because he was baffled. He then extended out a golden chair.


    "Eckk. It''s that again?" I naturally frowned. After all, how could I react in any other way when I previously experienced being electrified after having soju poured all over my body?


    However, regardless of my reaction, Do-geom had a stern and serious expression. "So you won''t do it?"


    "No. I have to do it," I grumbled and sat in the chair. As I sat down, the smell of alcohol that was caused by the sprayed soju earlier on stung my nose again.


    "...That''s unusual."


    "What is?"


    As I turned my head and questioned him, Do-geom squinted his eyes and said, "What do you mean what? It''s you. I don''t see any desire to be stronging from you. But despite that, your movements are simrly reckless like those fools who are trying to be strong."


    "Hmmmm," I pondered. I did not want to be strong. Yes. He was right. I didn''t learn the spiritual powers to be strong. I was just trying to train myself to build up the capabilities to protect my own ego, as well as to suppress the wild Divine Spirit in my soul.


    <i>''It''s also a desperate effort to protect the Earth,'' </i>I thought to myself. On the off chance that I became overwhelmed, the Earth, and especially mankind''s fate, would literally end. There would be a massacre, and humanity would either be extinct or on the path to extinction. Even the Howard''s Duchy, which mobilized a huge number of space battleships, could not withstand the power of an Emperor-ss. Therefore, there was no way Earth, which was barely a Stage II civilization, could withstand it.


    <strong>Even so, the most important thing is the Captain-nim.</strong>


    <i>''Important or not, I refuse tomit any more massacres...'' </i>I said firmly. There was also the option of throwing away everything and going back to the Empire, but¡­ <i>''That''s a little... I think there would still be idents and incidents even if I go there.''</i>


    "Hey?"


    "Ah, well, just. It''s just..." I roughly glossed over my reply to Do-geom, because there was no reason to reveal my current circumstances to him. "It''s just, my goal was to improve myself."


    There was no need for me to developbat capabilities. I had hundreds and dozens of unmanned Gigas, a Terra-ss ship called Albatross, a Shadow Stalker which was the fruit of a Stage IV civilization, as well as Ares who was a God-rank Gigas. It was only necessary to learn various kinds of spiritual powers to test out how much I could strengthen my mental power through spiritual power, and how effective it would be.


    "That''s unusual. It''s very unusual," Do-geom muttered and took a new item out of the cupboard which he had retrieved the golden chair from. It was a bronze cup with a blue hue and a dagger with a shimmering deep blue de. <i>Swhhooook. Swooosh.</i> Do-geom slit his wrist nonchntly, dropping the dripping blood into the bronze cup. Then, he exined, "The second spiritual power that you have to awaken is your life energy. Do you know anything about life energy?"


    "I only know that it makes the body strong."


    "That means you don''t really know."


    "Well, that''s correct," I replied, but in actual fact, the spiritual power that I had witnessed the most after going to the universe was life energy. Life energy was the spiritual power of soldiers. Unlike other spiritual powers, which cannot be learned without talent, life energy could be immediately learned by anyone who had undergone physical reinforcement procedures. Since the training method was based on the premise of hard training, and not on ingenious logic or enlightenment, the majority of soldiers handled life energy to increase their survivability in battle.


    "Originally, a Strongman rarely chooses a Sub-ss."


    "Is there a problem?"


    "For a Strongman to pick a Sub-ss... Yeah, it''s just as great as it sounds. No matter what kind of spiritual power you are dealing with, there is nothing to lose with strengthening your body. Even a wizard who rarely uses physical ability would lose nothing by strengthening their body."


    If neigong and life energy could be honed simultaneously, the synergy would simply be beyond one''s imagination. The physical evolution of life energy would be beyondparison to waigong[1], which was just a part of martial arts. As a straightforward example, if neigong and life energy were honed together, it would be possible to freely train in magong[2]. If one were to learn a decent amount of magong, the body itself would evolve in a way that would be able to withstand all the side effects. So, even if they learned something like the Blood Bursting Magong, which was famous for its self-destructive traits, the body would be able to endure all the subsequent recoil.


    The effect would be enormous if magic and life energy were mastered together. If one were to concentrate the entire evolution of their life energy into defense, they would be able to obtain an indomitable endurance that no one could possibly interfere with thepletion of their magic.


    "But you''re saying that it''s not possible?"


    "Yes, it''s not possible. Rather, life energy should never be chosen when you have chosen multiple jobs. The ability users who ept the Life Energy Factor, and begin their evolution, would have their inspiration slowed down."


    That was not all. Life energy would resist<i> ''all'' </i>attributes and further <i>''interfere'' </i>with it. This was one of the greatest strengths of life energy. If one were to be trained in life energy, their weak attributes would disappear. It would be rare to get burned, even if they walked down a zing path. They would not even freeze if a cryogenic cold air was poured on them. Even if they were poisoned, they would develop a resistance quickly, and would not be electrocuted even if struck by lightning.


    However, resistance to all attributes was not always good, so life energy practitioners would experience a significant slow down in their sense of the attribute they were born with. Their elemental affinity would not disappear, but it would be harder for them to perceive the attributes. Therefore, if a Spirit Master epted the Life Energy Factor, they would encounter a situation where they would have to almost give up controlling the relevant attributes even if they contracted a Spirit. Considering that a Spirit Master was a job that elemental affinity made up most of their potential, their future as a high-ranking ability user would be doomed¡­ Needless to say, I chose it despite already knowing all of that. Imented, "I don''t care."


    "Did you hear my words through your asshole? The Dual ss of Spirit Master and Strongman is a stupid choice."


    "But you did it, didn''t you, Do-geom-nim?"


    "My circumstances are different!"


    "What is?"


    "I am!" Do-geom said before he stopped talking. He stuttered for a moment and soon shook his head. "Yeah, the interference is severe."


    Do-geom had a somewhatplicated expression. He held the bronze cup out. Unlike the chair, the bronze cup looked like an ordinary cup made of moderate castings. It did not have a single hint of magical energy and was filled to the brim with the blood that dripped from his wrist. This was the Factor. It wasn''t just blood, but a seed of life energy that Do-geom had produced in his body over a long period of time. "All you have to do is drink it. Of course, just ingesting it wouldn''t do any good, so an intense training to awaken the Life Energy Factor is necessary."


    "What kind of training are you referring to?"


    "It doesn''t matter what kind. The moment you sense that there is a physical limitation in your strength, agility, or stamina, the Factor would awaken. The direction of evolution would be determined then-"


    <strong>You have sessfully awakened the Life Energy Factor!</strong>


    <strong>ss: Strongman (1st ss) has been generated!</strong>


    <strong>Current Level: 1,1</strong>


    <strong>Experience Gauge: 50%</strong>


    "Huhh? What?" Do-geom was flustered.


    However, I ignored the panicked Do-geom and read the text. The Experience Gauge decreased from 100% to 50%. I pointed out, "It seems multiple jobs impose a penalty for gaining experience, huh?"


    "...Two jobs actually require four times as much experience. There would be two separate levels you have to raise, so you would only get half of the experience. Besides, even if you have a few jobs, there would only be one Mana stat, so you have to split the growth. You would also be bad at making judgments of monsters. No, more than that, did you just awaken the Life Energy Factor? As soon as you took a dose of the Factor? You''re telling me your body was initially trained to the limit? You, a normal highschool student?" Do-geom asked as if he could not believe it. His reaction was understandable, since Life Energy was a spiritual power that had a low level of entry, and wasmonly referred to as the spiritual powers of soldiers. However, it was definitely not easy to learn it.


    Since I had to reach the physical limits of the body to sessfully learn Life Energy, it would mean that I would''ve had to have the same physical capabilities equivalent to a national athlete. It was an area that could never be reached in the way which I exercised alone. Feeling unsurprised, I urged, "Now it''s Aura."


    "What the hell did you do previously? Don''t tell me you are nning to finish the tutorial in a single day?"


    "How long does it usually take?"


    "Except for some jobs, including a Spirit Master, it would take months at the very least! It would even take several years depending on the kind of job... No, nevermind. At the very least, Aura is not a spiritual power that can be mastered that way. It was possible to be prepared for Life Energy in some way, but..." Do-geom raised his right hand as he mumbled. <i>Kwaaaanggg! </i>A hammer of me revealed itself, along with an intense heat. It felt as if it was clearly separated from reality, like CG, and there was not a hint of realism. "It''s the materialization of Aura. A Materialization-type like me can solidify the Aura that I have amassed to materialize an object that possesses a spiritual function."


    "Do I have to materialize it too?"


    "You''re just getting started now, so it''s still too early for you to materialize. I''m just trying to get you to unlock the Aura. When a talented individuales into contact with an external Aura, they would be able to awaken the spiritual power and manifest an internal Aura." Then, Do-geom extended the hammer of me towards me. I could feel the burning heat, but it was not to the extent of scorching hot. I could feel some sort of unique power, which was void of aggression. <i>Grooooar---</i>


    "Oooh, something is¡­ It''s a peculiar feeling..." I felt something changing inside me. I could resist if I wanted to, but there was no reason to do so.


    Do-geom exined, "It''s proof that the spiritual nature inside you has been stimted. You chose Aura for the purpose of the cksmith job, so you have to meditate in your space-time for your inner image to..." <i>Wooooom-! </i>"Image¡­ What?"


    <i>Chwareukkk-! </i>Something came out from inside me, and I could hear a metallic sound echoing in the air. As I looked up, there was a clump of maic sand powder floating in the air.


    Do-geom groaned, "Attribute materialization..."


    <strong>Aura has been sessfully unlocked!</strong>


    <strong>ss: cksmith (Aura type, 1st ss) has been created!</strong>


    <strong>You have sessfullypleted the Tutorial!</strong>


    <strong>Activated Jobs: Spirit Master, cksmith, Strongman</strong>


    <strong>Current Level: 1, 1, 1</strong>


    <strong>Experience Gauge: 25%</strong>


    I got up from my seat as I saw the most dumbstruck expression on Do-geom''s face thus far. It was the end of the tutorial.


    1. Waigong ??(Í⹦), is external arts, and it is martial arts that focuses on honing external body strength.


    2. Just like neigong is internal arts, magong is magical arts, deriving from the chinese word ħ.

 Vol 2. 24.1: Dragon Devouring Ghost Blade, and His Brother I (1) (1)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 24.1: Dragon Devouring Ghost de, and His Brother I (1) (1)</h4>


    Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday passed by. During that period of time, my daily routine had been the same. I went to school after having breakfast at Gyeonghoeru Pavilion. After attending the sses and going home from school, I entered the parallel world and went to Gyeongbokgung Pce. I would then go to Gyeonghoeru Pavilion to have dinner before heading to the training ground on B1 Floor of the National Pce Museum.


    "Wow, you''re here again today."


    "That''s ridiculous. A guy who''s only been in the parallel world for a week..."


    "Hey hey, don''t look at him. Don''t you know what''s going on?"


    I saw the Lee Family''s ability users whispering as they looked at me, but I paid them no mind. This was not the same as when Kyung-eun told me not to mess with them. If they were a member of the Lee Family, no one would dare toe and start a fight with me now.


    Dragon Devouring Ghost de was a nickname given to hyung, who eliminated Sword Saint Zhou Hongyi, owner of the Earth Dragon God Sword, and Sword Emperor Xu Jiayin, owner of the Heavenly Dragon God Sword, known as the unparalleled being under the heavens as well as the pride of China. Dragon God Swords were Sealed Armaments made by the Great Wizard. Considering the fact that they were owners of the Swords that only the Emperor could bestow, the shocking event naturally threw the entire world into an uproar.


    <i>''It''s not just any normalmotion,'' </i>I thought to myself. In actual fact, the Dragon God Swords were the highest-tier decisive weapons among the armaments that existed on Earth. They were on the same tier as <strong>Gungnir</strong>, which father told Bo-ram the Magical Girl to bring out. They were frightening weapons that would spark World War III upon their mere mention. However, the heads of China''s top masters who brought such a great weapon here were blown away by hyung with just a cutter knife. <i>''Nobody would have been able to expect this.''</i>


    War broke out when North Korea and the United States were at odds over nuclear issues, and it was the same absurd development of North Korea winning the war. If everything remained as it was, the Lee Family would have been devoured by the Zhu Family without any possibility of resistance. Therefore, they had no choice but to be overwhelmed by hyung.


    <i>Thud thuck! Thud thud thuck! </i>The mere warming up of my body already made a brutal sound. The sound did note from my bones, but the twisting of my muscles. I admired the sound my whole body was making, and mustered up my soul energy.


    "Ares," I whispered, but nothing happened. There wasn''t a 30-meter-tall God-rank Gigas in front of me, nor was there a 15-centimeter-tall spirit summoned. Still, I heard a reply.


    <strong>I''m ready.</strong>


    <i>''I''ll leave it to you.'' </i>My body moved at the same time as my thoughts. I didn''t move it myself. The functions of my spirit, <strong>Ares</strong>, were converted into skills.


    <strong>Skill: Puppet (Umon) Rank F</strong>


    <strong>You are able to control the movements of the Spirit under consent, or leave the control of your body to the Spirit.</strong>


    The conversion to skills did not mean that I had received some sort of Skill Book from the system. It was just that the system evaluated and graded a ranking to what I could do.


    As soon as I activated this Spirit Skill, I conceded the right of control of my body to Ares. I did not know how this ability came about. Perhaps the lightning attribute interfered with the nervous system, or maybe it was the characteristic of the pilots that controlled the Gigas manifested in an opposite manner.


    <i>nkk! </i>My body, which was controlled by Ares, tied a ring-shaped weight to both of my legs. The ring, which looked like an ordinary anklet, was a magic item of 100 kilograms each, totaling up to a 200-kilogram load.


    I started with chin-ups. I took a three minutes break every 100 repetitions, repeating it until my shoulders and chest muscles were bruised. Squats were next. This time, weights were put on my arms and I did 100 repetitions per sitting. Simrly, there were no set numbers in particr, and I repeated the sequence until there was something wrong with my body. Push-ups were next, where I put hundreds of kilograms of weight on my back and repeated it until I lost sensation in my arms. Then, it was sprinting. Of course, the weights that were hanging on me still remained as they were. Likewise, I ran until there was something wrong with my body. Then, after that whole process was over, I started chin-ups again.


    "...This is crazy."


    "How many days has it been? Is this really possible?"


    "You''re telling me that''s a new pupil trying to learn Life Energy?"


    I ignored their whispers and kept repeating the whole process. For how long was I supposed to do this? It would naturally be until morning. After that, I washed up, ate breakfast, and went to attend school again.


    <i>''Wow. In the eyes of others, I''ll only look like a madman, huh?'' </i>I thought. It was a crazy amount of exercise, and it was a crazy schedule too. If the average person trained like this, they wouldn''t just get a serious health problem. They would end up disabled. Even if they were a Life Energy practitioner, they wouldn''t have nned their daily routine in such a way, unless they wanted to die during training. In the first ce, did it make sense that there wasn''t even a single minute of sleep throughout the whole day?


    <strong>But this is something that makes sense to Captain-nim.</strong>


    "That''s true." The world that appeared before my eyes was no longer the training ground at the National Pce Museum as I answered. It was an asteroid made up of maic sand, which was my Unique World included in my coordinates. I was spending time in my world, while my real body was running hard on the track in reality. "Now that I think about it, they said something about maic sand, but is this asteroid really made up of maic sand?"


    <strong>It''s not an urate description. The ratio of iron is the highest, but¡­ Aside from titanium and aluminum, there is also a huge amount of gold, silver, and copper.</strong>


    I looked at thend of maic sand for a moment. The size of the Unique World was significantlyrger, perhaps due to the increased rating of the attributes. It increased to a size where it was a given that Ares could stand straight proudly, which said a lot since he previously couldn''t do so. Moreover, it had an area huge enough that it would take more than 10 minutes to go around. Besides that, there was still one thing that was unusual¡­


    <i>Kriekkk! Chunkkk! Kriekkk! Chunkkk! </i>As the maic sand was put into the drum-can-sized device, the inside shone red and spitted out iron bars. Depending on the time, sometimes a long steel frame was pulled out too. I did not know what kind of technology it was, but it was already cooled the moment it came out of the drum can. The extracted iron bars were put into a device simr to arge seal, and stamped on the ground with a <i>bang</i>. Just like that, tiles were spread out on the floor.


    <strong>Be careful, Captain-nim!</strong>


    "Ack, alright."


    The slender beauty, who warned me energetically, walked past me while holding up a big steel frame. Even though it did not match her slender shoulders and delicate fingers, the steel frame was stuck to the ground as if it was a g pole. Fire was released from her fingers to weld it.


    "What a spectacr sight..." I mumbled. The brown ponytail of the woman passing by me fluttered gently.<i> </i>Along with a <i>''Thuuuump!''</i>, the building materials were dropped, then the translucent silk wrapped around her waist fluttered and revealed a piece of fabric which was a chip in porridge. The outfit was one that the desert dancers would wear, seemingly very revealing and even impudent. The fabric around the lower body was translucent, while the upper body was covered with a chest cover wrapped around the neck, revealing not only the waist and belly but also cleavage. Therefore, even a lunatic could see for a fact that this was not something that construction workers should be dressed in. "Genie, is it impossible to change that Character Image?"


    <strong>Ah! Are you ufortable with this appearance? </strong>As she turned away in bewilderment, Genie''s chest, which vited thews of physics and was as big as her face, jiggled.


    "It''s not that it''s ufortable. It''s just that it''s a bit too much when you''re doing construction work."


    <strong>But I don''t have a choice. Because my creator-nim set the same security level of the self-destruct code for my Character Image... This cannot be changed even with the authority of the Captain.</strong>


    "What exactly does that creator do for a living?" I asked. There must have been customers who did not want it or wanted to change it, but he disyed an indomitable conviction in such strange areas. It was just a hologram used to cover the Metal Body anyway, but it still felt strange¡­ I felt like I was an evil owner who made a frail woman do manualbor, while only watching from the side. "By the way, how long do you think it will take toplete the dormitory?"


    <strong>With only three Metal Bodies brought in, as well as limited equipment, I believe it will take at least another 15 hours. </strong>


    "It takes quite a while huh," Imented, but I was d that at least all the raw materials are in here. I listened to her reply and checked the attribute.


    <strong>Attribute: Unique World(Legend++++) Rank E</strong>


    <strong>Dimensional Realm ss-0 Authority</strong>


    "What kind of description is thiscking? There''s not even a Skill Point, so what''s the point?" I muttered.


    My Unique World was aplex ability in many ways. For starters, there was the fact that <strong>my</strong> existence was ovepped with the Unique World and reality. I existed in reality, but at the same time, I existed in the Unique World. In other words, my existence ovepped and existed in two dimensions at the same time.


    This phenomenon was difficult to exin both in physics and in spiritual study. It wasn''t just my spirit simply moving back and forth between the two bodies, but my existence itself was free from the material dimensions.


    It was also a unique point that the world that was included in my coordinates was not just a world of imagination, but a dimension that allowed me to travel between the Physical Realm. It was an ability that could also be used as a subspace if desired, but it was not possible to bring over objects from reality to my Unique World at will.


    <strong>Captain-nim, when will you be able to make your next entry?</strong>


    "I don''t know exactly when, because that is based on my senses. About a quarter of a day or so?" I hazarded an estimation.


    It was possible for me to enter the Unique World and bring over anything that was in my hands. There were no restrictions, as it was possible to even bring over lifeforms and magical items. However, it did not mean that I could endlessly bring objects over, so the only restriction would be weight. To be exact, should I say it was mass? I could only bring a few kilograms of stuff from reality into the Unique World at a time, so I had to bring parts of Genie''s Metal Body over and then assemble it together.


    However, there were two specific things to note in these constraints. First, the constraints of mass<strong> </strong>were more strict on non-living things aspared to living things. If I wanted to bring things from reality into the Unique World, the limit would be a few kilograms at a time. However, if the target was a lifeform, it was a different story. I could enter with as little as 20, and as much as 30, so I had already brought a lot of livestock like chickens and pigs.


    Secondly, while external materials were difficult to be brought over to the Unique World, there were no restrictions on taking out materials from the Unique World. Therefore, even if I made a huge building out of metal in here, I could take it out wherever I was. I could literally take a building out of my pocket! However, if I immediately took it out like that, it couldn''t be put back into the Unique World. This was because it was subject to the constraints of mass.


    <i>''It''s definitely a great ability, but it''s ambiguous in many ways.'' </i>Anyway, for that reason, I could not use the Unique World like a giant subspace. It was hard to move the tools of Albatross for the purpose of construction. Hence, I didn''t have the leisure to put the cash I was carrying around into the subspace and bring it out as I wished. That being the case, there was only one person who freely came and went in this space regardless of mass.


    <strong>Dae-ha, it''s morning.</strong>


    It was the<i> ''person</i>'' involved, who contracted with me, and made this world together.


    "Huh, already?!"


    <strong>Yes, you brat. That Aura materialization or something seems like a lot of fun, huh? You even left the exercise to me.</strong>


    "Haha, I appreciate it." I smiled bashfully and got up from where I was sitting. <i>Chwareukkk! </i>As my Aura control was lifted, the tower that was stacked up copsed. While my body was running in reality, I was honing my Aura materialization here. I went up to the bed that was prepared on one side andid down. <i>Fluffff! </i>If I went back to reality, the body of my Unique World would cover and rece the rest and sleep of my tired body. "As expected, it''s fascinating. I can''t believe a bed made wholly of metal could have this sort of sensation."


    As I was amazed by the feeling that buried all over my body, Genie replied, <strong>It''s technology, Captain-nim. The turner alloys processed by the Eckel Construction Method had a fabric-like...</strong>


    <i>Shwarrrrr-! </i>Genie''s voice was buried by the pouring water. As I epted the hot heat that soaked my whole body, I knew I was back in reality. "Well then." I wiped the water off with a towel and left the room. "Let''s go eat." I let out a smile without realizing it. Whether it was the fate of Earth or the war between nations, it was a devoted and peaceful daily routine.

 Vol 2. 24.2: Dragon Devouring Ghost Blade, and His Brother I (1) (2)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 24.2: Dragon Devouring Ghost de, and His Brother I (1) (2)</h4>


    ***


    I attended school. I attended sses normally and took notes of the subjects'' contents. My ssmates were making a fuss due to the delicate atmosphere at school, but I did not care and focused on the teacher''s exnation. To others, sses might be boring and it was a process that they wanted to escape from...


    <i>''It''s fun,'' </i>I thought to myself. That''s right. It was fun. Most of all, I was pleased with the fact that my mind was peaceful and calm. For some, the school lessons were boring. However, to me, the sses had a greater healing effect than the extraordinary Mental Care System.


    <i>''Ahhh, I wish I could just continue living like this.''</i> I wanted to meet my friends normally. I also wanted to have a normal rtionship with an ordinary woman I met by chance. I wanted to go home and y games, as well as watch TV without thinking about anything. I wanted to take the midterm exam¡­ If I continued to study with this mindset, I would probably get the best grades I''ve ever gotten. Then, if I went home with that report card... If I went home...


    "..." I stopped writing with the pen I was taking notes with. I remembered the straight back of the man who stood in the kitchen with an apron hung around his neck. "Ehem." I shook the thought away and started taking notes again.


    "Ah, wouldn''t the school be closed if there are so many kids out of school?"


    "Ugh, I also want to be infected with the eye disease, the eye diseaseeeeee..."


    "Hey there, be quiet! You should be grateful that you didn''t get any sickness and are able to stay healthy."


    I raised my head and looked around as I took notes. More than a third of the seats were empty. It was different from my peaceful everyday life, and the situation of the world was proof of a whirlwind of chaos.


    <strong>China is rallying its military forces.</strong>


    <i>''Is it going to turn out that way in the end?'' </i>I asked.


    In the first round of the Captain''s War, Sword Saint Zhou Hongyi, also referred to as the Rule Breaker, died. In the second round of the Captain''s War, Sword Emperor Xu Jiayin, who was called the unparalleled being under the heavens, died.


    China, to be exact, the Great Country of China which was governed by the Zhu Family, was in a tight spot. They once again invoked the Forced Right of Command to impose a temporary suspension, but that was only a three-day extension. Even that three-day extension was just around the corner.


    Of course, just because the Zhu Family lost in the Captain''s War, it did not necessarily mean that the ability users that belonged to the Zhu Family would be ves of the Lee Family. That was because the system did not possess that strong an authority regarding coercion. However, the moment they lost in the Captain''s War, their ownership of the Great Wizard''s <strong>distribution </strong>which they have used all this while would be transferred to the Lee Family. For example, it would be as if the Lee Family were to lose Gyeongbokgung Pce, which they had been using well thus far, to another country.


    <strong>That''s the way it is. If they lose in the Captain''s War just like this... Aside from the power gap, it would be as if the Lee Family has a leash around the Zhu Family. </strong>


    In the parallel world, the power of the<strong> Infrastructure</strong> arranged by the Great Wizard was enormous. Even considering the fact that he was a transcendent, the Earth''s Great Wizard was an existence that was extremely special and unique.


    Even Genie and Ares, who used to be active with the Great Universe as the backdrop, were shocked and tongue-tied by the Infrastructure carefullyid down by the Great Wizard throughout the whole world.


    This was also the case in the eyes of the Lee Family. The ultimate barrier that covered the entire Lee Family was the<strong> Entry Barrier</strong> that was also widely used in the Great Universe. It was an absolute barrier that would seal off all directions, except for the door where the entrance was set. A disadvantage was that the space set as the entrance was wide open, but that wasn''t too big of a problem. After all, the entrance of Gyeongbokgung Pce, also known as the Gwanghwamun Gate, had¡­


    The Giant Soul Soldiers, Sejong and Sun-shin. They didn''t have an Iron Heart or a pilot, but they were Magic Golems which had a power output equivalent to that of a Human-rank Gigas. In fact, the two golems alone were equivalent to the total power that the Lee Family possessed, so there was no need for any further exnation.


    That was not all. There''s still the Imoogi which was asleep deep down in Gyeonghoeru Pond, the space barrier of enormous scale which extended beyond a decent-sized city, and the artillery barriers hidden all over the ce, as well as the emergency supplies.


    Although the Three Great Magic Towers, Five Great Military Factions, and Seven Great Households were referred to in a fanciful way, no one among them dare reproduce the infrastructure of the Great Wizard. The infrastructures were the result of tremendous amounts of effort and time, as well as the great wealth of a transcendent, so¡­


    <i>''Can you predict exactly what it can do?''</i>


    <strong>ording to the information collected, the Zhu Family seems to be most afraid of the Eviction Order.</strong>


    <i>''Are you saying that they can be expelled from the Forbidden City[1]?''</i>


    <strong>Yes, Captain-nim.</strong>


    If such a thing was possible, it would be an uneptable disaster from the standpoint of the Zhu Family.


    Basically, the parallel world was a ce that could cover the world of the demons and monsters, and limited ces within werepletely safe were extremely limited. If the Lee Family were to use the Forced Eviction Order of the Zhu Family, the Zhu Family''s reputation as the world''s strongest would end on that very day.


    <i>''But don''t they still have a chance left?''</i>


    This Captain''s War was unfairly organized in the first ce, and unlike the Lee Family who would lose if they were defeated just once, the Zhu Family had three chances. Everything would probably be resolved as long as they found and made a strong being who could defeat hyung into China''s representative with the time they earned by using the forcedmand.


    <strong>That''s if they win.</strong>


    That''s right. That was the biggest problem for China. Sure enough, aftering this far, who could guarantee victory when going against hyung? Sword Saint Zhou Hongyi was a strong being that was considered the top five in China, and Sword Emperor Xu Jiayin was the unparalleled being under the heavens that China took pride in. It might be possible if hyung won by using a cowardly method or some sort of ingenious method, but all the duels were done in a fair manner. Both the Heavenly Dragon God Sword and the Earth Dragon God Sword were already defeated, so why would they bring over an inferior warrior just to lose? In the end, China had no choice but to resort to other measures.


    "Now then. Everyone, get home safe. Wash your hands thoroughly, so that you don''t catch the eye disease."


    "Yes~"


    I went home after ss. As I left the ssroom, my desk partner Seon-ae naturally stuck behind me.


    "I''ll be absent tomorrow."


    "You?"


    "You, too."


    I walked down the school corridors. I left all my school supplies including the textbooks at school, so my body was light. No, my body probably did not feel light from that one reason. I felt light enough to fly, to jump tens of meters just by kicking the ground and jumping forth as it was¡­


    <i>''No, I could probably actually jump that far.'' </i>I nodded. It had been less than a week, but I had a considerable growth rate. This was all the more so because I could skip most parts of the training that was necessary to develop my spiritual power since I already possessed a considerable level of spiritual power.


    "Must I do so?"


    "¡­You really don''t have a sense of urgency. Don''t you understand the situation? Don''t you feel how unsettled the Lee Family are these days?"


    I could sense that Seon-ae was bewildered. But then again, it was understandable for her to react that way. Recently, the atmosphere inside Gyeongbokgung Pce was fuming up like a furnace. <i>''Well, everyone must be feeling it even if no one is saying anything.'' </i>It was the energy of war.


    "The current atmosphere is at a level where external security is no longer possible. Since the safe house has been designated, you can''t take a step out of there for a while."


    "A safe house?"


    We left the school gate while we were talking, and Mountain Sword was seen waiting outside the school gate as always. However, Mountain Sword was not alone.


    "You''re here. Get in."


    "There are more and more people huh?"


    "Your safety has be an important matter for the entire Lee Family."


    Near the bulky ck sedan, I looked at the four sturdy men in suits standing guard.


    "Wow, what the hell is that? Does the son of a gangster attend our school?"


    "Are you stupid? Hyung-soo, the son of the Chief Commissioner of the National Police Agency, and Young-mi, the granddaughter of the Prosecutor General, attends our school, so what do you mean ''gangster''?"


    "If it was an enterprise-type gangster, then it might be possible."


    "Well, the atmosphere feels like they''re about to take a gun out."


    At the sight of the whispering students, I quickly got in the car. It was embarrassing in more ways than one. "Ugh, why are you standing around the car like that? Everyone is watching," I protested, but the men didn''t even look in my direction. They were just guarding me ording to orders, and they did not seem to have much interest or goodwill towards my existence.


    "The school is being protected by the barrier, but the school gate isn''t, so we naturally have to take precautions. I don''t think there would be any crazy guy causing trouble on the surface world, but... We don''t know what''s going to happen since the Great Wizard-nim has passed away."


    "What a fuss," I grumbled and got in the car.


    Following that, the other bodyguards, or more precisely the security guards also got into the car. The sedan left the city as if it was gliding. It continued to drive on the road and, at some point, the cars that crowded the road began to disappear one by one. As I came to my senses, the car I was in was already driving smoothly on an empty road.


    <strong>Dimensional Movement confirmed. However, it is possible to observe Captain-nim, unlike when you were kidnapped by the trio. The Captain-nim in the Unique World is acting as a repeater. </strong>


    <i>''Come to think of it, when we built the buildings in the Unique World, we had themunications equipment set up first... Then, there shouldn''t be any more interruptions inmunication owing to an unexpected situation, right?''</i>


    <strong>I''m not sure, but I believe we will be free from almost any kind of electronic jamming interference. As long as the coordinate ovey is not removed... Captain-nim can speak to me anytime and anywhere via your voice. </strong>


    I was listening to Genie, and then Seon-ae quietly spoke, "It''s a temporary channel. It''s a midpoint between the surface world and the parallel world."


    <strong>I''ve been thinking that the individual dimensions were made too quickly, but it''s a bubble world, huh... But it''s a rare case to be able to make a bubble world so easily as it''s originally supposed to require a considerable level of spell or spiritual ability.</strong>


    <i>''Is that a great ability?''</i>


    <strong>It''s the highest-ranking barrier. Originally, that level of spiritual ability is nothing but a dream. However, perhaps the huge</strong><i><strong> ''environment'' </strong></i><strong>of the parallel world that exists on this has helped to create the bubble with ease.</strong>


    "It''s a temporary channel, huh..." I mumbled. The city seen outside the car window was lifeless. It was a matter of course. The only thing moving in the city was the car we were in. "It''s simr to the parallel world."


    "But don''t forget that this is all temporary. This is a ce where every element in the surface world, except for the lifeforms, are materialized. However, that is all just temporary. It''s up to you to take the clothes out of the clothing store and wear it, but when the temporary channel closes, you will appear naked in the surface world."


    "The things of this world disappear when they go into reality?"


    "Yes. The same problem applies whether you go back to the parallel world or the surface world. In particr..." Seon-ae''s listless voice calmed down. "In particr, just in case and in the off chance that you face this situation, you should never eat food in the temporary channel."


    "Food?"


    The car we were in entered a vige. Seon-ae pointed to a food truck that was pulled over the shoulder of the road. The food truck, which was parked without its owner, seemed to be a food truck focused on skewers. After all, its menu was filled with all kinds of skewers, and the skewers on the table in front of the food truck were steaming hot.


    "That''s right, food. Never touch food in the temporary channel. Even though they have the same aroma and appearance as the real thing in reality, as well as the same taste as the real thing, that is all only temporary. When you go back to the surface world¡­"


    "...Likewise, it''s going to disappear as well huh."


    "That''s correct."


    1. The Forbidden City was the former Chinese imperial pce and winter residence of the Emperor of China from the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

 Vol 2. 25: Dragon Devouring Ghost Blade, and his Brother I (2)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 25: Dragon Devouring Ghost de, and his Brother I (2)</h4>


    "That''s correct."


    I imagined going back to the surface world after eating on the temporary channel. The food that was ingested through the mouth and down the esophagus to the stomach would disappear with a <i>''Biyunnggg'' </i>as soon as the human returned to the surface world...


    <i>''It would be a big issue,'' </i>I thought. As soon as the ingested food disappeared, the ce where the food was at would be in a momentary vacuum state. The stomach that had turned into a state of vacuum would shrink with a<i> ''Huaaaaaaak''</i>. What if it was a littleter? Complications would ur in the small intestine orrge intestine. However, even that would not be too much of a big deal. If it urred eventer than that, what would happen if the ingested food was already absorbed as nutrients all over the body?


    There was no need to look far. The brain was an organ that would greedily absorb the sugar that was present in the food. Since it couldn''t use the fat or protein that came out as bodily waste as an energy source, it could only use sugar, which was a clean source of energy. However, if it absorbed the sugar just like that, what would happen if the absorbed sugar suddenly disappeared? What if a very tiny empty space was formed in the brain because of this one incident?


    Seon-ae spoke seriously, "If you eat food, and get out of the parallel world right away, you would end up with a minor stomach ache or injury, but... If you ate food and bounced back to the surface world after a long time had passed, you''d end up with a severe disability at best and death would await you most of the time. This happens even to ability users with strong vitality, so you must always be careful."


    "It''s like the Netherworld or something," I muttered to myself.


    In the East, there was a folklore stating that if the people of this world ate the food of theherworld, they would be the people of the Netherworld and depart from this world. Simr customs existed in the Greek and Roman mythologies, and it was said that Persephone[1] became an existence that belonged to the Netherworld after eating only three pomegranate seeds.


    However, I was slightly worried because it was a troubling story. And if I ever became involved in such a tale, that made it even worse¡­ I asked, "Then what do I eat to live on?"


    Seon-ae sighed softly. "You''re in the temporary channel to avoid pursuit, not to live here for a long time. Anyone can easily create a temporary channel, but the duration it can be maintained increases proportionally to the <i>''number of people who entered the parallel world''</i>. There are less than 10 of us now, but even if we want to stay for a long time, there''s a limit to it."


    <i>Kriekkkkk! </i>Once Seon-ae''s exnation reached that point, the car we were in finally stopped. We arrived at a secluded residential quarter, and our car entered the parking lot of a moderately-sized private mansion within it. <i>Clunk clunk¡­ Wiiiiingggg! </i>Surprisingly, the unassuming floor of the parking lot began to sink down.


    Then, Mountain Sword, the warrior of the Lee Family, who had been driving silently, spoke, "This is one of the first-rate safe houses that the Lee Family possesses. It''s a ce that only the Great Elders of the household know of, and it''s also pretty spacious. Furthermore, it has a physical and magical defense system that cannot be breached even by a missile bombardment."


    "Are you saying I''m being treated like some sort of important figure?"


    "...Yes, you are no different from the Lee Family''s weakness now, so we intend to do our best to protect you. Let me introduce myself again. I am Mountain Sword, one of the Ten Guardian Swords of the Lee Family."


    The surrounding atmosphere instantly changed as Mountain Sword spoke. From the outside, nothing had changed at all, but the bubble had burst and we had returned to reality. Then, at that moment¡­ <i>Craaaaaash! Schlooook! Thud thuck!</i>


    "Kuuuughh?!"


    "Keukk??"


    "Keok!"


    The window was smashed as if someone had been waiting for this moment. Five or six spears whipped through the insides of the car. As those in the car were ability users who had trained their spiritual power, they were able to assume a defensive posture, but they were not able to block the single blow that had been prepared and nned beforehand.


    "Keukkk! Why is the enemy here?!" Mountain Sword, the only one in the group that seeded in evading, groaned and pulled out a sword that was lying under the seat. However, the next spear attack was alreadying. Moreover, this particr spear attack was of a different level from the one just before.


    <i>Kwakkkkk! </i>The front of the sedan, which wasced with all kinds of defense magic, was smashed altogether, and Mountain Sword was sted away like a baseball that was hit by a bat. He was a master strong enough to respond to the unexpected surprise attack, but the opponent was an even stronger being.


    "Yes, yes." In a situation where rampant screams sounded out, I was the only one who was not attacked. I clicked my tongue and shook my head. "I knew this would happen. I..."


    The situation was already over when I forced my way through the half-broken door. The warriors who came to protect me had copsed all over the ground, and Mountain Sword, who was sted far away and crashed into the wall, had both his arms broken. Then, my ssmate as well as my desk partner, Lee Seon-ae panted, "Huff... huff... What the hell is this..." <i>Thump. </i>She fell down and passed out just like that.


    I was baffled and said, "No, you only got stabbed in the arm. So why did you faint?"


    "Why else? Because thea has started circting in the blood." The man who sted Mountain Sword away to the wall as a defensive measure came towards me while swirling the spear with a deep blue de.


    "Hmm?" I blinked. I thought he looked familiar. No, wait, there was no way a person from this world was familiar.


    <strong>ckmoon Sect</strong>


    <strong>Level 9 </strong>


    <strong>Spear Arts Master, Magon</strong>


    "Ah! You''re the one who attacked me before, aren''t you?"


    "Oh~ You have a good memory. You''re still full of life even in this situation."


    It was a memory from a long time ago. He was someone that came from the parallel world, and ambushed me when Bo-ram told me about my mother being an extraordinary existence born with the talents of a Great Witch¡­ It was just before I went into the universe and was thrown into all kinds of situations.


    They were mercenaries. They were hyenas from the parallel world who worked for money. However, they failed inpleting what they weremissioned to do¡­ I then blinked and asked, "Ah! Though it''s useless now, can you perhaps tell me what were those weird monsters that got in our way back then? Androids? Or was it a golem?"


    The reason their mission had failed was because the ughtering Machines that went to Earth to kill Celestia had appeared. In other words, the ones who attacked me and the ones who attacked Celestia shed with each other, and neither could achieve their objectives.


    "If I had to describe, I guess it would be an android," I hazarded a guess.


    "Ohh! As expected, you knew, huh! If it''s android, then it''s the United States, right! You went to the United States, huh! You bastard! Do you know how much of a hard time I had back then?! Our ckmoon Sect had a 100% sess rate for all requestedmissions, but because of that incident, it made mepletely lose face! It was really baffling! Perhaps because you disappeared deep into the ground or flew into the skies, I couldn''t find you even when I mobilized the wizards who were tracking experts!" He replied with a big grin. It was a very cheerful attitude, despite the fact that he stabbed multiple spears into the bodies of others.


    I did not know his real age, but he looked to be in his early to mid-30s. He was wearing amon suit and tie, which allowed him to pass off as a regr office worker if one excluded the two-meter-long spear.


    "Well, that was probably the case because I went far away."


    "Oh! You went farther than the United States?"


    "A lot farther."


    Magon and other men came close, taking up the positions to surround me. However, it did not feel like they would attack me. But then again, as far as I had guessed, there was no reason for them to kill me. No, rather, it would be a big deal if I died.


    "Keukkkk... What in the world? How the hell did you guys enter the safe house of the Lee Family?" Although both his arms were broken, Mountain Sword screamed with his seemingly fine mouth and assumed a battle stance. <i>Whoooosh! </i>Along with a howl, his neigong was revealed and the surrounding air vibrated. It was quite an intense energy, but it seemed that the warriors of the ckmoon Sect did not care at all. The courage to fight with broken arms was admirable, but that was all. The tip of his sword was shaking without rest. After suffering serious internal and external injuries due to the unexpected ambush, he was no longer in a position to carry outbat.


    "How else? Are you perhaps a slow-witted man?"


    "Do you perhaps think we came after you guys because we were chasing you all?"


    "Y-You bastards! It''s no use trying to deceive me-!"


    <i>aaaank! </i>The spear handle struck the sword of the bbering Mountain Sword. It was an instantaneous attack, so he couldn''t even respond properly and dropped the sword. He growled, "Keukkk, you bastard."


    "Why are you being like this when you already know? We don''t intend to kill you, so surrender nicely. Don''t you know that we would be able to kill all of you if we made up our mind during the first ambush?"


    Mountain Sword''s expression distorted upon hearing Magon''s words. He must have noticed the underlying meaning behind Magon''s words. "This is...not possible. Really, is there really a traitor among the Great Elders? In this crucial situation with the fate of the Lee Family on the line?"


    "If not, how else would we be able to wait here for you?"


    "Don''t be ridiculous! A member of the Lee Family! There is no way someone with the Lee surname would do something like that!"


    "Excuse me. I''m sorry to interrupt in the middle of a conversation, but..." I was keeping quiet and listening in, but I couldn''t help but chime in, "Lee Wan-yong is also of the Lee Family."


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    In an instant, a death-like silence fell. Mountain Sword looked at me with a flustered expression, and even the attackers, who were warriors of the ckmoon Sect, looked at me with a baffled expression.


    "P-Puhahahaha!! Wow, this is really amazing! You said you''re the brother of the Dragon Devouring God de, but you really have a lot of nerve! Yes, that''s right! Lee Wan-yong is also one from the Lee Family! Kahaha!" I didn''t know what was so funny, but Magon was grabbing his stomach in a fit ofughter. Following him, his subordinates burst intoughter too.


    "Kaha! Is that dude crazy?"


    "Puhaha! Wah! I''ve been through a lot, but I''ve never seen such a wacky person before!"


    "Ah, I''m going crazy! Kahaha! You just understood the truth of Hell Joseon in one fell swoop!"


    I looked around at the warriors of the ckmoon Sect who wereughing and pping loudly. There were exactly ten of them. I then nced at the floor and noticed all the fallen warrior guards were alive. Seeing that they all suffered injuries that were by no means light, it seemed that Magon spoke the truth when he said he never intended to kill anyone.


    <i>Thuuuck. </i>Then, Magon stoppedughing. As if they had agreed to do so beforehand, the warriors of the ckmoon Sect also stoppedughing at once. Then, Magon finally said with a severe expression, "What are you all doing standing still? Make him kneel."


    "Yes, Sect Leader-nim!" One of the warriors of the ckmoon Sect ran toward me. Moreover, he was the person with the highest level among all the subordinates. Needless to say, he did not think of me as a threat, but I think he wanted to quickly deal with the situation before Magon''s mood worsened.


    <i>''Will I be able to do it?'' </i>I focused my mind and, at the same time, my body assumed a battle stance. My heart began to beat at a tremendous speed, and that alone slowed down my perception of time.


    <i>Swhackkkk! </i>A spear was thrusted at a tremendous speed, but it was not a speed that could break away from my elerated perception. <i>''Left side!'' </i>I raised my left arm while lowering my posture at once. However, at that moment¡­ <i>Thackkk!</i> "Argh!" I hurriedly took a step and fell back at the dizzying pain. Smoke was rising from my right temple. "O, it hurts!"


    "Ohhoo? Would you look at this?" The warrior who swung a spear at me widened his eyes, as if surprised. He must have been flustered to see me standing fine even though his attack definitely hit the mark.


    "What are you surprised about?! Haven''t you already heard the information that he has learned Life Energy?!"


    "But hyung, no, Sect Leader-nim. Hasn''t it only been a few days?"


    "He''s probably a genius just like that hyung bastard of his! Don''t look down on him and quickly get him down on his knees!"


    "Yes!" While he answered, he ran towards me again.


    I lowered my posture again. "Wah, that startled me. That''s what they call Instantaneous Spear Change, right? It was definitely on the left but during my short exmation, he actually struck the right side."


    "You need to get hit a little to get serious, huh!"


    <i>Thwip! </i>The spear thrust forth much more stealthily than before. I looked straight at the tip of the spear while in my elerated perception. <i>''Left side!'' </i>Rather, I charged and swung his left hand. Although I have never learned martial arts professionally, I have been training my bodytely, so it was a pretty clean movement. However, at that moment...


    <i>Shiiiiingg! </i>The tip of the spear blurred and disappeared from sight. I boosted my senses further. <i>''Right side!'' </i>Unlike before, the spearhead''s movement elerated. Perhaps because he was not trying to kill me, he aimed at my head with the spear shaft and not the spearhead. <i>''Alright, blo-...!''</i>


    <i>Thackkk! </i>However, at that moment, I staggered again and was pushed back. Smoke rose from the crown of my head. It was the process of my damaged body recovering. "It hurts!!" I stepped back and groaned. My head was ringing.


    "Hey! Didn''t I tell you not to give him a handicap?"


    "I didn''t! Hyung! This brat is extremely sturdy! How did he train his Life Energy to this level in the span of a few days? No, does it make sense that he is not losing his mind even though I''m strengthening the spear with neigong?"


    I massaged the crown of my head that was still stinging as I looked at the man who was baffled. "Hiyaaah." I stared at the spearhead until the very end, but I still got hit. I was beaten by the opponent''s unorthodox Spear Style. I trained only the physical body, so the defeat was due to theck ofbat experience. "I tried my best."


    "What do you mean you tried your best? Aren''t you looking down on martial arts too much? My attacks were a result of my daily training for 30 years, and you want to stop that despite only having trained a few days?!"


    "You''re right. I was too arrogant," Imented. Of course, I had the spiritual arts and I also knew how to use Aura. However, my Aura was a spiritual study for the purpose of production, and my spiritual arts was set up in such a foreign method. In fact, my body''s only fighting ability was Life Energy. "Well, even so, I can''t be captured."


    <i>Chwararak! </i>As if it was a scene from a sci-fi movie, a stylishly designed metal watch that was shining in a ck luster turned into a revolver.


    "You... What the, what is that?"


    "Huh? A gun? Did that bastard just pull out a gun?"


    "Ha! This is ridiculous."


    "No, but it''s kind of fascinating. The watch turned into a gun. There wasn''t any Mana reaction, so is it like some sort of mechanism?"


    I scoffed at the sight of the warriors who were talking amongst themselves without showing any signs of nervousness, and they seemed to be disregarding whether I was holding a gun or not. No one cursed my cowardice for bringing out a gun during a physical fight. Just like how an ignorant ghost would fail to recognize a talisman, no one criticized me for taking out a violent and cowardly weapon in the world of martial artists.


    "Ah, this is embarrassing." To think that I had to use the fruit of the Stage IV Civilization on these primitive men. With a deep sigh¡­ <i>ck.</i> I pulled the trigger.


    1. Persephone is the Greek goddess of vegetation, especially grain, and the wife of Hades, with whom she rules the Netherworld. In the Greek myth of Persephone''s abduction by Hades, lord of the underworld, the pomegranate represents life, regeneration, and marriage. It was said that by eating a few pomegranate seeds, Persephone tied herself to Hades¡ªthe pomegranate being a symbol of the indissolubility of marriage. This was how she became stuck in the Netherworld.

 Vol 2. 26: Dragon Devouring Ghost Blade, and his Brother II (1)

    Prologue: Yet Another Seed


    A middle-aged woman was lying in a dark room. She had a haggard appearance that was assumed to have shown off great beauty when younger. Aside from looking older whenpared to others of the same age, she was dying. Her drugged body was already at its limit. Her murky eyes had no hope for life, and her poor breathing seemed to suggest she would breathe herst breath. "Juan."


    "Tell me about my father."


    "Again? Ah, ah... So, the day it rained like a waterfall..." She carried on talking slowly. It was a story she had told more than a hundred times. "I went up the hill behind me. I felt like I couldn''t stand this damned world anymore, but he was lying next to the big tree that was at the peak of the hill." As she stuttered and continued borating, her face started to be invigorated. She stared into the air absent-mindedly, while he, a sturdy young man standing in front of her, looked on expressionlessly.


    "He was a really strange fellow. I thought it was a mannequin at first. His whole body had been mutted to the point where he lost both his arms, and his internal organs were revealed. However, strangely, there wasn''t any blood flowing. Something even more interesting was the fact that he recovered from that messed-up state after I looked after him for about two weeks. He had somehow regenerated both his arms too." The woman was staring up at the empty ceiling and, as she spoke nonsense, her gaze was already out of focus. She was no longer looking at reality, returning to a past that was decades ago.


    "I nursed him back to health while dealing with the druggies every day. I don''t know why I did that. I was in agony anyway. Even though I thought I was going to die that day... Keuckkk!" She coughed violently, blood covering the nket on her body. However, no one cared about that dirty piece of cloth¡­ No one could tell whether it was blood that had sttered, or something else. "It was fun. Yeah, it was fun. He was a weird guy, but he looked at me with no prejudice. I thought I could live in this hell if it was with him..."


    Unfortunately, the man quietly breathed hisst one day. It was as if he was just sleeping, and it happened after she had conceived Juan. She continued, "You see, I already had several abortions and my body could no longer give birth either."


    "Mother."


    "Yes, Juan. Mom is right here, Juan," the woman stuttered and extended her hand to hold Juan''s hand.


    Juan whispered as he held her hand, "What did you say father''s name was again?"


    "Ahh, his name was very unusual too," sheughed as if she found it ridiculous. "He asked me to call him Unnamed. I don''t want or even need his name. My god, if he didn''t want to tell me his name, he could have just said so. No matter what his name was... No matter what kind of existence he was, I didn''t...mind..." She stuttered in the middle of her grumbles, slowly losing strength in her body. She constantly struggled between the organizations that washed off blood with blood, and she was in agony her whole life after being born in Mexico. It was the lonesome death of a woman who lived the life of a prostitute.


    "..." Juan, the son of a prostitute, looked down at his mother''s body which was slowly going cold. To one''s surprise, there was neither agony or sorrow in his eyes¡­ <i>Boom boom! </i>The sound of knocking could be heard on the door. However, he did not care. It was a sound he had been hearing for more than 10 years.


    "There''s no particr need to hold a funeral." Juan stood still and personally witnessed his mother turning into a corpse. His mother''s life was undoubtedly a tragedy, but that tragedy was of no special significance in Mexico. Victims like her were somon that they were all over the ce.


    The war between cartels resulted in more than 10,000 victims in a single year alone, and gangsters, civilians, soldiers, as well as policemen, of course, were amongst the victims. Furthermore, the method of killing was so very cruel that an execution by the firing squads of the cartels and being left in the desert, or a beheading, was considered civil. Other methods included digging up the internal organs or cutting the genitals into pieces. If it were soldiers, these would be considered a gentle death in their own way.


    It was a world full of malice. Even Juan, whomented it so much, was hardly a good-hearted being. He never had a choice to begin with. Born as the child of a woman who was considered part of the cartel''s asset, he had no choice but to live a life as a member of a criminal organization. That was why...he felt his will to survive, which resisted the great and mighty Divine Spirit deeply asleep in his soul, became increasingly thin. Now, even thest reason to resist it was gone.


    "We''ll see each other soon anyway."


    <i>Boom boom boom! </i>The knocking on the door was getting rough. It was a lot of noise, but there were no protests from the other rooms around. It was unsurprising because the sound only existed in Juan''s head.


    Juan closed his eyes. The world turned dark and there was only a door in front of him. Perhaps the knocks had been too hard because the door had cracks all over and was distorted. However, the door could never be opened unless he allowed it. He put his hand on the handle of the door. An enormous fear surged from his heart at the mere act alone, but it no longer prevented his behavior. He no longer had any lingering affection for his world.


    "¡­After reforming this corrupted world." Upon saying those words, the door opened.


    Vol 2. Chapter 26: Dragon Devouring Ghost de, and his Brother II (1)


    In the past, I also thought that this world was fake. It was a long-standing suspicion I had since long ago, and not one of a child''s immature thoughts. I first doubted the people around who were fearful and frightful, then history and tradition. Soon, I moved on to the system of the society, as well as its incidents and idents. Finally, I doubted everything about the world.


    <i>''I couldn''t help it.'' </i>The world that was reflected in my young eyes had a form that mymon sense could notprehend. They were so obvious and nonsensical that I naturally expected that it would all break one day. Just as Neo who met Morpheus realized the truth of the world, I had always imagined and came to fear the moment when I had to choose between the crossroads of life because I loved a peaceful and quiet life, and I did not want my daily life to be destroyed.


    Then, as I grew older, I finally realized the truth of the world. I realized that "It was neither a game nor virtual reality¡­"


    To a certain extent, there was some reason why I was surprised and flustered upon meeting an extraterrestrial being. It was because I faced apletely different development from my initial expectations of someday realizing the truth. As I thought the world in which the titles and stats existed was naturally fake, I expected various futures only to enter one that I couldn''t even predict. I left Earth, then went to war under the affiliation of the Empire in a universe which was rare even in the Great Universe, and finally became the Emperor.


    "K-Keukkk... You, what are you? What the hell is this? What the fuck have you done?" There were appalling groansing from here and there, but I ignored them and read the text that appeared in front of me.


    <strong>Mission Generated!</strong>


    <strong>yer Killer</strong>


    <strong>The Selected Ones arerades and rivals with amon goal. Also, thepetition between them often ends with split blood. However, even if it does, it is something that should all be done in due¡­ You have dealt with the yer Killer!</strong>


    <strong>They are cancerous existences of the System. They are those who have given up further growth. Mankind will progress in a better direction as the yer Killers hunt. How many yer Killers can you kill? Why are you worrying needlessly? You just have to put a bounty on it. - Magic Imperial Princess</strong>


    <strong>Reward for Sess - PK Hunter Stage 1 (Semi-permanent Buff. Ranking up is possible ording to the numbers hunted)</strong>


    <strong>Penalty for Failure - None</strong>


    <strong>Currently (1,270) people in progress</strong>


    The text wavered.


    <strong>Mission cleared!</strong>


    <strong>PK Hunter Stage 1 has been acquired!</strong>


    <strong>Current Record - 3 Kills</strong>


    <i>''What the, what is this? Why does it sound like I killed someone when I didn''t kill anyone? Moreover, the kill count is so vague, 3 kills? How many people do you think are here?'' </i>I tilted my head because I did not know whether invalidating their neigong was counted as a kill, or if there was another reason. I thought, perhaps, some of them would snap their necks in shock, but there were no signs of such a possibility. The ones who were <i>''killed''</i> by me were alive and kicking.


    "I, we, did we copse because we were shot by a gun? Just a bullet could pierce through my self-defense qi?"


    "Cold¡­ It''s cold, Sect Leader-nim..."


    "Why, why is my neigong not flowing¡­?"


    The warriors of the ckmoon Sect, who were all shot once, crawled on the floor while trembling. They were superhumans who could smash a rock with a fist and pierce special allows with a spear thrust, but couldn''t avoid being neutralized as long as they were hit by the Annihtion Shot.


    <i>''It''s a little cowardly, but I don''t have a choice. I can''t do much with my current power,'' </i>I thought.


    Shadow Stalker, which was presented by the Kendler Saints to Emperor Leonhardt, was the product of a superscience that they had created to prove their technological prowess after attaining the peak of the Stage IV Civilization. It could not surpass the divinity and was not able to reach the level of a Transcendence Weapon, but it was a Future Weapon that possibly ranked just a level below.


    Each of Shadow Stalker''s six chambers, which had the form of a revolver, had two applied effects of Time, Space, and Void. The first and second chambers were Time Stop and Time eleration. The third and fourth chambers were Space Creation and Space Cutting. The fifth and sixth chambers were Creation and Extinction.


    I could apply the necessary effect to the prepared bullet, which did not need to be loaded, just by pulling the trigger of Shadow Stalker. I fired the bullet of the sixth chamber, containing the power of Extinction, among them. The Annihtion Shot was able to erase all their energy by hitting the mark and piercing through the body. That was not all. Before they knew it, the Annihtion Shot that had been embedded in their bodies melted into their blood. Nanobots manufactured in the <strong>munitions factory</strong> that existed within Shadow Stalker had already dispersed throughout their capiry vessels, so modern surgery techniques could not possibly remove them.


    Needless to say, this was a terrible incident for them. However, it was none of my concern. Even if I tweaked the Extinction settings a little bit, their bodies would still have ceased to exist. The fact that I even left them alive was already considered a great mercy.


    "What am I going to do with these ahjussis..."


    "You... Kwan Dae-ha? Right now, what the hell did you just...?"


    I could see Mountain Sword, the only one in our group who came to his senses, making a puzzled expression, but I ignored him. I spoke to Genie, <i>''What should I do?''</i>


    <strong>There are currently tens of thousands of rooms left in the Albatross ship, Captain-nim.</strong>


    <i>''Hmm, I don''t really want to put them there,'' </i>I muttered. Even if they were good-looking ahjussis, was I supposed to bring them to space and send them there? They should just be thankful that I did not simply kill them. "Haih." Eventually, I clicked my tongue and turned my head. "Mountain Sword."


    "Ack, uh, yes?"


    "I''ll be on my way."


    Be it the Seven Great Households or whatever, it would probably be better to just not ept their protection.

 Vol 2. 27: Dragon Devouring Ghost Blade, and His Brother II (2)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 27: Dragon Devouring Ghost de, and His Brother II (2)</h4>


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    Seven Great Households or whatnot, I would rather not be protected by them.


    ¡°You¡¯re going?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Oh, you can tie these guys up and leave them anywhere. They won¡¯t be a threat to you, they already lost their inner qi.¡±


    After speaking nonchntly, I gently picked up Seon-ae, who was lying unconscious on the floor, and moved her to the nearby car seat. Mountain Sword was looking at me with a dumbfounded expression. It seemed he wasn¡¯t able to understand the current situation.


    ¡°You, huh? What¡­ Did you just really shoot them down with that gun? They would have lost their inner qi?¡±


    ¡°Ahjussi.¡±


    I became irritated.


    ¡°Get it together.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    My voice caused Mountain Sword¡¯s expression to harden like a stone. However, instead of venting his anger, he contemted for a moment before nodding.


    ¡°I apologize. This is an unsightly scene. But what do you mean when you say you will be leaving?¡±


    ¡°I mean, that I¡¯m leaving. Literally.¡±


    As I turned around, Seon-ae suddenly jumped up from her car seat.


    ¡°No! Stop!¡±


    <i>Wooong--!!</i>


    A heavy wave of aura started to spread from her body.


    ¡°What the heck is this now? Do you have a hidden identity as well?¡±


    I was bbergasted, but it didn¡¯te to me as a surprise. Kang Bo-ram was a magical girl with sealed powers, and Dong-min channeled the power of King Jeseokcheon. Something as <i>minor</i><strong> </strong>as this couldn¡¯t be considered significant.


    <strong>Wol-il High School</strong>


    <strong>Level 8</strong>


    <strong>Synthetic Magical Beast, Nike</strong>


    ¡°Krrrrr!!¡±


    Sun-ae lowered her posture like a beast and growled.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    The animal fell as I shot her with a temporary suspension bullet. A sudden sensation of longing struck me.


    ¡°I wonder how Bo-ram and Dong-min are doing¡­?¡±


    They had left to a distant ce. I could notmunicate with them even if I utilized the Albatross.


    <i>¡°Did they say Dragonian? It was a world where countless dragons resided.¡¯</i>


    I had wanted them to return to Earth with me, but they had different ns. They had witnessed enemies with insurmountable strength during their time in the Great Universe. Those who saw the wide world wanted to experience more. Naturally, I wasn¡¯t going to let them head off on their own.


    They were considered powerful ability users on Earth, but in the Great Universe, they were worth dime a dozen. Considering their age, they possessed excellent skills, but they were still a part of the rising generation. As such, I asked Emperor Leonhardt a favor to connect them to the Noblesse. If they were going to study abroad(?), it would be better for them to go somewhere proper.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Was it this?¡±


    <i>Click!</i>


    <i>Wiiiiiing!!</i>


    When I pressed the switch on the wall, the tightly sealed ceiling began to open with a heavy mechanical whirl. Mountain Sword had been tying up the warriors from the ck Moon Society when he looked up and asked me in shock.


    ¡°Wait. What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I told you I was leaving.¡±


    ¡°It is dangerous outside.¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s safe here?¡±


    He had guided me straight into a trap. Considering that this ce was only known to a select few people in the Lee Family, clearly, the hostiles were tracking my every move. Obviously, some high-ranking people of the Lee Family wereing after me.


    ¡°Well.¡±


    Mountain Sword hesitated, perhaps thinking along the same lines as me. But soon, he violently shook his head and made eye contact with me.


    ¡°Even if that is the case, or rather, if that is the case, you must stay here. If you move on your own, it will be easier for the traitors to target you.¡±


    His voice was sincere even though both his arms were broken and his whole body was bathed in blood. At least I was able to confirm his words contained genuine concern for me, or at least, the Lee Family. Well, then I had no choice but to ease his worries.


    ¡°I met the Primordial Godst week.¡±


    ¡°¡­What? What did you say? You met who?¡±


    He stuttered with shock. But I hadn¡¯t delivered my punchline yet.


    ¡°She told me to call her mom.¡±


    ¡°¡­..?!¡±


    The eyes of Mountain Sword started to quiver violently. His mouth was open agape, and he could not speak properly. I smiled at him as I spoke.


    ¡°You do not have to worry about me.¡±


    I raised my head and looked at the fully opened ceiling. It was a ce built forrge vehicles to enter in the first ce, so it looked to be almost five meters high.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡±


    I crouched, my chest almost touching the ground. In that state, I focused my strength into my legs. I could feel the blood rushing to my legs at a tremendous speed, and my muscles tightened rapidly.


    Then,


    <i>Bang!</i>


    My body flew up into the air with a dull sound, simr to a rubber ball bouncing off the floor. It was all too simple for me to get out of the basement onto the ground.


    ¡°¡­This is not bad.¡±


    My whole body was full of energy. Life energy was just another term for physical abilities. Even though it was less mysteriouspared to the other energies and easy to counter, I started to develop a liking for this power. I could feel a sense of elevation and the disparity in my mind disappear just by training my body.


    <strong>Captain.</strong>


    <i>¡®Yeah, Genie. What¡¯s up?¡±</i>


    <strong>You are currently in the parallel world.</strong>


    <i>¡®Hm?¡¯</i>


    I finally looked around at my surroundings at her words. It was already six o''clock. Even though it was already evening, it was already pitch dark. In the summer, it should have been as bright as day. Moreover, the sky was without a moon, as dark as the deep abyss of space.


    <i>¡®But even so, there¡¯s no problem with being able to see.¡¯</i>


    Even though the world was without a single light source, the outline of surrounding buildings and objects were clearly visible. It was obvious from the difference that I was in a different dimension.


    <i>¡¯When did I cross dimensions?¡¯</i>


    <strong>There was a facility in the safe house where you were just a while ago.</strong>


    <i>¡®This is rather good.¡¯</i>


    I started walking along the road. The residential area waspletely silent. I couldn¡¯t see anything alive, not even a single ant.


    <strong>Are you nning on hunting?</strong>


    <i>¡®I¡¯m going to try. I have to earn experience anyways.¡¯</i>


    Experience. The word naturally brought forth the name of a certain someone.


    Zenon ho Kyprios. He was the guardian of mankind, the great wizard.


    He would have been <i>the </i>absolute being on Earth, far beyond anyone¡¯s reach. He was a transcendent who could have enved all humankind on Earth if he so desired. But he did not. Instead of disying his might and receiving love and respect, he hid himself. Instead of enjoying luxury, he installed a ginormous infrastructure over the entire world. Instead of honing himself to reach higher heights, he created a system to select and nurture almost every ability holder in the world.


    System. Yeah, like this game. The system that resembled the titles that I had seen my entire life.


    ¡°There are too many oveps to say it is merely due to coincidence. I can¡¯t help but judge that there is a connection.¡±


    How had he constructed the system?


    How involved was my biological father in the system?


    I had as much as 300 years¡¯ worth of my biological father¡¯s memory, but it was a memory of an unknown from the remote past, somewhere in the vast universe. The father in my memory had fallen to a human with a little bit of authority and superpowers, not the almighty Machine God Dekarma written in the history of the Leonhardt Empire.


    ¡°What actually happened?¡±


    How had my father regained his supreme status after his downfall into a human? Why did he wage a war against the entire universe with the Legion? And how in the world¡­ could a First-Tier God have a child with a human, giving birth to an irregr?


    Now that I thought about it, there were ridiculously many things I was ignorant of. It was rather absurd I had not been curious after finding out my biological father¡¯s true identity. Maybe I had purposely ignored these questions.


    As my head flooded with such thoughts, Genie suddenly interrupted.


    <strong>There are 13 hours remaining.</strong>


    ¡°Of what?¡±


    <strong>Until thest battle of Kwan Yeong-min-nim.</strong>


    ¡°Oh, that.¡±


    The Zhu family had attempted to gobble up the entire Lee Family with one major battle. It wasn¡¯t a bad idea. No, realistically, it had been a rather excellent idea. There was a huge gap between the power of the Zhu Family and the Lee Family, as well as an equallyrge information gap. In fact, the Lee Family had not even possessed much information about the words ofmand nor the captain¡¯s war. If things had gone ording to the Zhu Family¡¯s ns, they would have been able to swallow the Lee Family whole without suffering any damage.


    They would absorb one of the Seven Great Households without a single feather of theirs ruffled.


    ¡°How much were they looking down on the world?¡±


    However, their ns had been thwarted by the unexpected appearance of my brother. The representative of Zhu Family, Sword Saint Zhou Hongyi, had been utterly crushed by my brother. Then, Sword Emperor Xu Jiayin, who made his appearance to resolve the critical situation, was also crushed. The Zhu Family was recognized as one of the strongest powers in the world, but now they were facing the biggest adversity in their history.


    <strong>Also, they must have been the ones who attempted to kidnap you, Captain. Shall we punish them with simple artillery fire?</strong>


    ¡°Enough with the nonsense. Check my condition, please. How are my physical stats?¡±


    In response to my question, magic Armament Udjat emitted a strange wavelength that spread throughout my body before being reabsorbed.


    Genie spoke.


    <strong>It is increasing at a rapid pace. You would be capable of joining the imperial army.</strong>


    ¡°An officer?¡±


    <strong>A soldier. Private.</strong>


    ¡°Still only at that level?¡±


    But even so, it was a significant growth. In terms of barebat, I would be able to knock down 10 replicas of myself from a week ago with one hand. I took out a mirror and reflected the area above my head.


    <strong>Earth</strong>


    <strong>Level 3</strong>


    <strong>Disaster of Mankind Kwan Dae-ha</strong>


    I was level three already. Generally, levels 1 to 3 were considered to be novices, which meant that I was on the verge of bing an expert. Considering that I had gotten my sses not too long ago, it was an exponential growth.


    However, there was a problem.


    <strong>Active sses: Elemental Summoner, cksmith, Life Energy Practitioner</strong>


    <strong>Current Level: 1, 1, 1</strong>


    ¡°It¡¯s different.¡±


    I remembered the conversation I held with Do-geom a few days back. I had been seeking his advice with aura and elemental summoning. He had exined it like this,


    ¡°You can gain experience by defeating demons or monsters in the parallel world. Ah, for your information, you can¡¯t earn it by killing other yers or through quests, so don¡¯t try anything stupid. The system was created by the Great Wizard to cultivate warriors to suppress the parallel world. You will receive a penalty if you PK[1].¡±


    ¡°A penalty?¡±


    ¡°You lose 30% of the total experience of the yer who was killed. There is no such thing as a level down, so you won¡¯t get weaker, but if you keep killing other yers, realistically, you have to give up on leveling up.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Although the system took the form of a game, the system was not created for the sake of the yers¡¯ entertainment. It discouraged murder between humans. Perhaps it was only natural, considering that the system was designed to maintain order in the world while eliminating risks from the parallel world.


    I asked Do-geom to rify something.


    ¡°What is your level right now, Do-geom-nim?¡±


    He answered, ¡°Level 5.¡±


    I recalled the title that had appeared over his head. His title had been Equipment Manufacturing Expert ¨C Level 9.


    ¡°Okay, so it¡¯s different.¡±


    The level of the system did not urately reflect the current standards of the target as it did with my titles. Just like ordinary online games, it disyed the levels in proportion to the total amount of experience a yer had earned. In other words, in order to raise one¡¯s level in the system, they had to train but also fulfill what the system desired.


    ¡°Krrrr!!¡±


    ¡°Finally, I knew something would pop up.¡±


    I cracked my joints as I stared at the wolf, which was muchrger than a tiger.


    <strong>Level 5</strong>


    <strong>Hungry Shadow Wolf</strong>


    The monster¡¯s level was higher than mine, but I didn¡¯t think I would lose. In fact, I didn¡¯t think that the level written in my title urately reflected my power.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to test it.¡±


    1. yer killing.

 Vol 2. 28: Dragon Devouring Ghost Blade, and His Brother II (3)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 28: Dragon Devouring Ghost de, and His Brother II (3)</h4>


    I awakened three powers ¨C spiritual power, aura, and life energy. I was a , a , as well as a - triple ss. Genie informed me that this was quite rare. Even if one was able to awaken multiple different powers, there was a limit to human talent and effort and only one body and mind to manifest the powers.


    Currently, the only power that was useful to me in a battle was life energy.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    The shadow wolf charged at me with the sound of breaking air. Even though it was as big as a tiger, its movements were quick and nimble. I pounced on the shadow wolf. It was impossible to avoid the wolf anyways. Even though the monster had the modifier <strong>lowest tier</strong>, the opponent was a demon. Even the great powers of the Great Universe did not dare belittle the Demon Realm.


    <i>Puck!</i>


    ¡°Keuk!¡±


    The world started to spin along with a dull sound. Even though I had been full of spirit, I was not able to stop the charge or a shadow wolf, a creature possessing beastly senses. I flew through the sky like a deer hit by a dump truck, getting stuck in the walls of a nearby building. It had been only a single blow, but my entire body was shaking due to the massive impact. It had been a fierce body blow. My head was spinning, I could not breathe easily, and both my arms had broken and were floundering.


    ¡°Oh god, it hurts¡­¡±


    <strong>Captain-nim, are you all right?</strong>


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. The situation¡¯s rather encouraging.¡±


    I answered calmly. I had no intention of benefiting from the first collision anyways. But it must have seemed absurd to Ares.


    <strong>Encouraging? What are you talking about? You were literally beaten unterally and now you have two broken arms. What¡¯s encouraging about this?</strong>


    ¡°It is encouraging.¡±


    I pictured a door in my head. The door was still and firmly shut.


    ¡°At least I¡¯m not getting angry.¡±


    When I was attacked by the bandaged guy at Gyeongbokgung Pce, I had been unable to contain my anger. The anger had taken over me even though I wasn¡¯t ced in a crisis. It had felt like a line had been crossed, a line that should have never been invaded. Anger like an active volcano had erupted as if I had been utterly humiliated.


    However, the situation was different now. I started to train in Life Energy, and I was in a battle against a shadow wolf. This was a battle. It was not disgraceful to be hit a couple of times in a fight, it was only a natural process involved in a battle.


    ¡°Book.¡±


    <i>p--!</i>


    As I spoke, a book appeared in front of my eyes and automatically opened. The cover had no title, but the open page contained a subtitle with the word <strong>Napoleon. </strong>I recited one of the three sentences written on the page.


    ¡°Undying Emperor.¡±


    <i>Woong!</i>


    A suddenly protective barrier rose around my body and soon, my broken arms began to recover at a frightening pace. In the first ce, I had an increased rate of recovery as a Life Energy Practitioner, andbined with the cheat-like ability, the healing took ce in a sh. Broken bones and torn muscles were quickly restored, and my entire body filled with energy. Rather, my condition was even better than before I got hurt.


    <i>Boom!</i>


    The shadow wolf pounced once more, unwilling to wait as the enemy recovered. However, it failed to break through the protective barrier cast by the Undying Emperor. There was no way a lowest-tier, level 5 demon would be able to break through an ability cast by Napoleon¡¯s Iron Heart, a Human-rank Gigas.


    I checked my status. As soon as I summoned the book, my soul energy, magical energy, magic resistance, and mana regeneration had risen by 600 points each. It was an understatement to call it a simple buff. Moreover, that wasn¡¯t all.


    *Abilities of the day!


    <strong>Pration</strong>


    <strong>Pration</strong>


    <strong>Pration</strong>


    <strong>sh</strong>


    <strong>Stealth</strong>


    ¡°What the hell is with the triple pration? There aren¡¯t any enemies with barriers around either. Well, I guess I should count myself lucky for striking sh and stealth.¡±


    I grumbled before lowering my posture. My heart began to beat faster and my muscles began to repeatedly contract and rx.


    <i>Crack.</i>


    Simr to magic and martial arts, life energy also possessed its unique techniques and system ¨C just like the Twelve Zodiac Forms of the Sabi, Hwarang¡¯s Way of Heaven Earth Flower, or Severing Art of the Glorified Soul. Naturally, such forms existed in the Leonhardt Empire as well.


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights.


    Blue.


    <i>Wiiing!</i>


    The atmosphere distorted for a moment and a blue wave burst out from my body. It was the power of tremor. I kicked off the ground and charged towards the shadow wolf.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    ¡°Yip!¡±


    Along with a pathetic cry, the shadow wolf flew through the air and destroyed the building of a nearby convenience store. This was a technique that only the royal family and the Howard Duchy were allowed to train in throughout Leonhardt Empire.


    <i>¡®I do feel a little guilty training in the technique of a family I personally destroyed.¡¯</i>


    There were numerous families in the Leonhardt Empire, but the fivergest and strongest of them would be the duchies. The Payne Duchy had willingly submitted the throne to Leonhardt and stepped back. However, all of the other duchies were families of the founding fathers who fought against the extraterrestrial beings alongside Leonhardt during the Great War.


    The guardian of the God Sword, Amon''s Duchy.


    The master of the Sun Magic Tower, Shadow Duchy.


    Thergest warlord family in the Empire, Howard¡¯s Duchy.


    The master of the Golden Tower, Osman¡¯s Duchy.


    They were the most powerful and influential families of the empire, possessing physical strength, financial capabilities, and a rich history. Even the emperor of the Leonhardt couldn¡¯t do much against the five powerful families.


    But--


    Currently, the five duchies had been reduced to the four duchies. Duke Howard, who had been greedy for the emperor¡¯s seat, attempted to kill the princess and her husband. Of course, one might wonder what terrible fate could possibly befall the great duchy from their attempt to kill a single man, but unfortunately, it led to a disaster. The one Duke Howard had been targeting was one of the very few Untouchables in the Great Universe ¨C a transcendent capable of destroying an entire civilization.


    Even though Howard¡¯s Duchy had several highly developeds under their rule and an advanced civilization, they had no way of avoiding the wrath of an Untouchable. The untouchables possessed power beyondmon sense.


    What more did I need to say?


    I was the one who destroyed Howard¡¯s Duchy, and this technique was the legacy of the duchy.


    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡±


    I tried to get a better look. I had been prepared to defend using the green stance of the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, but only silence greeted me.


    ¡°What? Why is there no counterattack?¡±


    I looked over the smashed convenience store where the shadow wolf had crashed into. I was unable to understand the situation because I had not witnessed the monster running away.


    Fortunately, Ares answered my question.


    <strong>It¡¯s dead.</strong>


    ¡°What?¡±


    <strong>It¡¯s dead. How could it live with its head smashed in like that?</strong>


    I activated augmented reality using Udjat. I wanted to sense the presence of the enemy with my own senses like a proper ability user, but I was still not used to dealing with my enhanced senses.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡±


    I rxed my defenses at the sight of the fallen shadow wolf and entered the convenience store. I found the fallen shadow wolf inside, as I observed with Udjat, but its appearance was quite different from when it had first appeared.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    The still body of the shadow wolf consisted of metal cans, furniture wood, and asphalt instead of bones and muscles. The ck energy surrounding the shadow wolf¡¯s body had also disappeared. It looked more like a sculpture created by an environmental protection group to show the dangers of environmental pollution, rather than a demon.


    <strong>The Shadow Demons are not originally a race with physical bodies. They move around in the form of negative energy, building their bodies with surrounding materials to gain physical form.</strong>


    <strong>But this is rather unique. Even if it was a lowest-tier demon, it died way too easily.</strong>


    Genie and Ares started to mutter.


    <i>Paaa--!</i>


    ck energy rose from the body of the fallen demon, then flew towards me and wrapped around my left hand.


    <i>Pat!</i>


    The energy was being drawn into the back of my hand. It did not feel like it was being absorbed into my body, but rather being absorbed by the system.


    <strong>Level Up!</strong>


    <strong>You have obtained 10 stat points!</strong>


    <strong>Current level: 1, 1, 2</strong>


    <strong>Current experience: 25%</strong>


    ¡°What? A level one killed a level five, but I only gained one level in a single ss.¡±


    It felt unfair, but it couldn¡¯t be helped since I possessed multiple sses. I would level up at 25% efficiency, so it was only natural that my levels would increase rather slowly.


    Then, a new text formed in front of my eyes.


    <strong>Title. You gained Lowest-Tier Demon yer!</strong>


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    I became pleasantly surprised and quickly confirmed the title.


    <strong>Lowest-Tier Demon yer</strong>


    <strong>-Magical Power +40</strong>


    <strong>-A title given to the hero who defeated a lowest-tier demon. Increases magical power.</strong>


    ¡°The effects are pretty good.¡±


    The effects were quite simple, but considering the importance of magical power, it would be effective. It was enough to give me an immediate, significant boost in power if I switched out my titles. However, I could not give up the merit of resurrection and teleportation, so I put it away.


    I would reconsider it after I gained a higher-level title, something like Demon Hunter or Demon yer.


    <i>Crumble!</i>


    I gave the demon¡¯s corpse a light kick, and the clutter copsed before a cracked bead fell from it.


    <strong>This is a Mana Stone. But it is destroyed.</strong>


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural for it to be destroyed after the demon dies?¡±


    <strong>Not necessarily. With a few exceptions, the Mana Stone will be thest thing to be destroyed. It is thest bastion for the demon to be able to recover from a fatal injury.</strong>


    I picked up the Mana Stone while listening to Genie¡¯s exnation. The ck bead was emitting a subtle energy, but it was very faint due to the damage done to the bead.


    ¡°It must be due to my ability.¡±


    Today¡¯s ability had granted me triple pration. Looking at the prating effect by itself, it would be much more potent than a legend-ss ability.


    ¡°I thought it would be useless because the demon didn¡¯t have a barrier, but I guess it has its uses.¡±


    ¡°Krrrrrr¡±


    ¡°Krrack!¡±


    ¡°Kyah!¡±


    As I murmured, the cries of beasts drew closer to my location. When I looked up, I saw that five shadow wolves had gathered outside the convenience store. They were growling rather threateningly.


    <i>Click! Click! Click! Click! Click!</i>


    I pulled the trigger five times.


    <i>Crumble!</i>


    Five piles of random items fell to the floor.


    <strong>Hey, you, how are you going to train if you keep using the gun like that?</strong>


    ¡°It¡¯s just an experiment, an experiment.¡±


    I transformed Shadow Stalker back into a watch and waited for a while, but nothing happened. The conclusion was obvious. There shouldn¡¯t have been an overwhelming difference between the required experience to go from level 2 to level 3pared to leveling up from 1 to 2.


    ¡°So killing them with an equipment doesn¡¯t count, huh.¡±


    I clicked my tongue with regret. If it had been epted, I could have reached level 10 or 20 with ease, but it seemed that nothing was easy in the world.


    <strong>Actually, using Napoleon¡¯s Iron Heart is also cheating. Be honest. Do you think you would be able to beat a demon at your level? Even if it is a lowest-tier demon?</strong>


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    I nodded my head. However, the important thing to be taken away was that the system did not care about the Iron Heart¡¯s magical energy. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was recognizing my <strong>book </strong>as an ability I possessed or if it could not recognize it, but it didn¡¯t matter ¨C I would be able to level upfortably with this much.


    ¡°Genie.¡±


    <strong>Yes, Captain-nim.</strong>


    ¡°Have a golden knight stationed near my brother inform him that I am safe and sound. There is no need to have him worry about me.¡±


    <strong>Okay, Captain-nim.</strong>


    After listening to Genie¡¯s answer, I picked up the Mana Stones from the remains of the shadow wolves before resuming my walk along the road. My body was already prepared forbat. Tremor was intensifying with my every step.


    It was Red of the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights. The force of tremor wound around my body and a red wave was emitted. Scientifically, it would be impossible to see the tremor, which was essentially created from vibration of the smallest of particles, but it would be a foolish attempt to understand powers like these with physics in the first ce.


    <i>Wooong!</i>


    The Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights from Howard¡¯s Duchy consisted of forms that dealt with tremor. The Red form umted vibrations and stored them in the body. Orange emitted the umted vibrations. Yellow identified and manifested objects that came in contact with the skin. Green converted external energy into vibration. Blue converted internal energy into vibration. Indigo vibrated substances that touched the body. Purple caused tremors in beings that could not be touched.


    The Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights would increase in magnitude as one¡¯s power increased. At the peak, it would disy power that could literally shake the heavens and earth. Duke Howard had been given the nickname ¡°Earthshaker¡± because he could cause an earthquake with a single stomp of his foot. The technique possessed a distinct weakness because of its extreme dedication to a single aspect, but the terrifying power made up for it. This was an ability that I would train throughout my life.


    ¡°Krrrr!¡±


    ¡°Woof woof!¡±


    Shadow wolves began to appear ¨C from alleyways, rooves, even the insides of buildings.


    ¡°How long did you say we had until my brother¡¯s battle?¡±


    <strong>12 hours and 12 minutes.</strong>


    ¡°That¡¯s more than enough.¡±


    The atmosphere became distorted by the tremor emitting from my body. This was the beginning of a grind.

 Vol 2. 29: Dragon Devouring Ghost Blade, and His Brother II (4)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 29: Dragon Devouring Ghost de, and His Brother II (4)</h4>


    ¡°Kuwang¡­¡±


    <i>Boom!</i>


    A shadow wolf with a horn on its head fell to the ground. Even though it was simr to the other shadow wolves in size and temperament, it possessed the power of ck lightning, giving me a hard time.


    <strong>Level Up!</strong>


    <strong>You have obtained 10 stat points!</strong>


    <strong>Current level: 1, 1, 5</strong>


    <strong>Current experience: 25%</strong>


    ¡°What the hell.¡±


    I shook my head in disbelief as I observed the level-up message.


    ¡°Ah, what¡¯s with the required experience? Isn¡¯t this ridiculous?¡±


    I had been running around the outskirts of Seoul for over 10 hours, ughtering countless shadow wolves. But I had only reached level 5, which was absurd. I had killed hundreds of shadow wolves so far, which meant that the required experience to level-up was increased by more than 5 times every level.


    <strong>You will need a lot more time to get to level 10.</strong>


    ¡°I¡¯m basically a cheater, but it¡¯s still this difficult. How did other people level up?¡±


    <strong>For months, years, decades, or over their entire lifetime.</strong>


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    I nodded while sitting down on a nearby bench. I could see the statues of King Sejong and Yi Sunshin in the distance, and Gwanghwamun Gate beyond them. I had already arrived at my destination, but I could not enter right now. The situation was not very good.


    <i>Shii¡ª</i>


    Steam was constantly rising from my body. My skin was dry and cracking, and my muscles were fully revealed. My current body did not even have 0.1% body fat. It was a pretty nice sight, but not a good condition for a Life Energy Practitioner. My body had far surpassed those of normal human beings, and it consumed an enormous number of calories by maintaining its state. If I left my body in its current state without taking any action, my body would start breaking down my muscles to turn them into an energy source. A loss of that caliber wasn¡¯t the type of thing that could be recovered in a day or two.


    There was a famous saying among the Life Energy Practitioners of the Leonhardt Empire.


    The most important thing for Life Energy was nutrients. The second most important thing was food. The third most important thing was nutritious food.


    It was a joke, but it clearly revealed one of the defining advantages of Life Energy. Even though Life Energy was the strongest ability of them all, possessing both strong offense and defense, its drawbacks were as clear as its advantages.


    Life Energy was dependent on one¡¯s physical state. Itcked spiritual attacking powers, and if the supplies to the body were cut off, itsbat prowess plunged pathetically. Obviously, controlling the direction of <strong>evolution </strong>would allow one to establish a style ofbat in a way to increase sustainability, but it woulde at a cost of giving up the unique, explosive strength of Life Energy.


    <i>Wiing!</i>


    A drone with a white box was descending next to the bench where I was sitting. I had the ability to <strong>see the essence </strong>of things anyways, so its shape was clear to me. However, it was a transport drone with optical camouge that could not be detected by humans as well as monsters or beasts with sharp senses.


    <i>Click! Chiii!</i>


    The box opened up while letting off steam. I took out the familiar energy bar from the box and started munching on it.


    ¡°Ugh, sweet.¡±


    <strong>Would you like me to change the tasteposition of the energy bar? Until now, we have been sending you the most preferred vor of the imperial army.</strong>


    ¡°What? Why would they prefer this vor the most? Are they high school girls? Why would they like something so sweet?¡±


    The energy bar was much sweeter than a regr cake or a parfait. As I stuck out my tongue with a frown, Genie replied.


    <strong>Then I will change it to the second most popr vor. BBQ.</strong>


    ¡°Good, that sounds a lot better.¡±


    I continued to chew on the energy bars as I nodded my head. Although it was only half the size of a palm, each bar contained as much as 10,000 calories. It was roughly equivalent to about 20 hamburgers each, but I ate as many as 30 of these energy bars in one sitting.


    300,000 calories.


    It was not something that humans could consume. In terms of hamburgers, it was like consuming 600 of them. The amount of food with 300,000 calories would easily exceed my weight!


    In fact, even Life Energy Practitioners did not maintain a diet this extreme. It was rather easy to increase the amount of food a practitioner consumed, but much more difficult to reduce it afterwards. No one in their right minds would continuously take in suchrge amounts of calories.


    What would they do if there was an emergency, and they didn¡¯t have ess to this amount of food?


    Perhaps it would be different once someone reached the level of apleter and reached the firstpletion<strong> </strong>of their body, but for a Life Energy Practitioner below that level, it would be the best to maintain a diet consisting of simr calories.


    <i>Wiiing! Click. Chiek!</i>


    <i>Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!</i>


    I took out all the canned drinks from the newly arrived box and drank them all.


    <strong>It¡¯s Pure Spirit Water.</strong>


    ¡°It¡¯s something so precious. Am I allowed to drink it like this?¡±


    <strong>There are over 100 tons stored as supplies for the imperial army, so you do not have to worry. Even though it is a potion, its ingredients are quitemon. It can be mass-produced.</strong>


    I gulped down the potions while listening to Genie¡¯s exnation. As the meal progressed, the steam rising from my body gradually disappeared and my dry skin began to regain its glossiness and tension.


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    I finally finished my meal.


    <i>Crack Craaack!</i>


    I could feel that my body was gradually changing as it greedily sucked in the newly introduced nutrients. It was evolving to produce and withstand stronger vibrations<strong>.</strong>


    ¡°Good.¡±


    This was the growth of a Life Energy Practitioner ¨C to consume all the energy before refilling the empty body with food and drinks. The same process may be important for other ability users as well, but it was especially true for Life Energy Practitioners. In fact, my body had made great progress while fighting against the shadow elves.


    That was not all.


    After fighting for more than 10 hours, I was getting more ustomed to Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights. Although Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights was a technique I had been training in my <strong>Unique Field</strong>, nothing could beat training in real battles.


    <strong>Even so, you can¡¯t even beat a single Gigas, right? Ha, I can¡¯t believe I have toe all this way to watch over battles of this caliber.</strong>


    ¡°Oh,e on.¡±


    I became annoyed by Ares¡¯ words. He continued.


    <strong>But why do you avoid getting hit?</strong>


    ¡°What do you mean by that? I block and dodge promptly.¡±


    <strong>Other Life Energy Practitioners that piloted me purposefully fought while getting hit by attacks they could avoid.</strong>


    ¡°No, that¡¯s just stupid.¡±


    I stopped there. Come to think of it, Ares¡¯ words made sense. Life Energy was a power of evolution. Practitioners became stronger as they used more power. Your endurance increased the longer you moved, and your regeneration and durability increased as you got hurt more and recovered more frequently. Considering that the body of a Life Energy Practitioner <strong>evolved </strong>in the direction of the body¡¯s <strong>needs</strong>, it was also important to receive many blows. Anything that would not end my life would only end up serving as material for growth.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    I sank into thought for a moment as my body underwent evolution. Then I shook my head.


    ¡°I would rather not get hit.¡±


    <strong>Well, if you say so.</strong>


    He backed off quite easily. Even though Ares had a boatload of experience, he was not a creature but a gigas. He respected my judgment as a practitioner.


    <i>¡®There is no need to increase my defenses.¡¯</i>


    Normally, the typical position of a Life Energy Practitioner in a battle was a tanker, semi-tanker, or dealer/tanker ¨C a being with a strong body capable of both offense and defense. But I had no intentions to dedicate myself to such roles. I wasn¡¯t going to be having any party y. Was that all? I had the title <strong>Disaster of Mankind</strong> with the attached ability of resurrection. I had never died before, but a title wouldn¡¯t lie to me. Moreover, even if I was not able to resurrect,


    <i>¡®Hawa.¡¯</i>


    I had the <i>promise</i> of Hawa, an Untouchable, one of the heads of the Legion. A High-rank God would not be able to break their promise, so this was much more reassuring than my ability to resurrect.


    ¡°All right.¡±


    After my body finished evolving, I stood up from the bench. I could feel that my physical capabilities had reached another level. With their job done, the transport drones flew back towards the Albatross in the sky.


    <strong>By the way, are you all right?</strong>


    Genie asked me as I started to walk towards Gwanghwamun Gate.


    ¡°About what?¡±


    <strong>That the golden knight was revealed to Kwan Yeong-min-nim. I thought you were reluctant to reveal the extraterrestrial civilization.</strong>


    It was definitely a reasonable concern, but wasn¡¯t it just a little bitte? Bute to think of it, Genie must be assuming that I would be leaving the Lee Family at any time. To her, the Lee Family was nothing more than a small force in the periphery of the universe. I nodded while responding.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to hide it from my brother or my father. Besides, there are magical golems on Earth already, right? In terms of rating, the Golden Knight is simr to the golems made by the Great Wizard.¡±


    Obviously, even if that were the case, the Golden Knight would achieve an overwhelming victory if pitted against the magical golems of Earth. It wouldn¡¯t matter even if their durability, power output, and features were simr. The critical difference between the Golden Knight and the Sejong and Sunshin Statues was that the golden knight possessed an Iron Heart.


    <strong>It is a difference in civilization.</strong>


    ¡°Yeah, it sure is.¡±


    It was said that all kinds of weapons were used in space battles until five hundred years ago: Quantum artillery, charge particle cannons, nuclear warheads, anti-matter missiles, beam weapons, etc. But¡­ about 300 years ago, during the midst of the Great War, the weaponry of the Great Universe underwent another revolution. The Kendler Saints had seeded in creating the heart of steel, the Iron Heart, which produced magical power. The exact terminology for the Iron Heart was <strong>Magical Energy Mechanical Organ</strong>.


    Its function was simple. When the Iron Heart started to beat, an enormous amount of energy was generated from inside of the heart. If scientists from Earth saw the Iron Heart, they would be shocked. However, the Great Universe was filled with all kinds of authority and grand magics. Its function wasn¡¯t particrly unique. There were countless objects in the Great Universe that could produce their own energy. Even without such objects, ability users trained in mana could be considered living generators that could produce enormous amounts of energy with nothing but three meals a day (except for the Life Energy Practitioners).


    In the end, it all boiled down to this ¨C the <i>type</i><strong> </strong>and <i>scale</i><strong> </strong>of energy produced. Magical energy wasn¡¯t a unique force like faith. It wasn¡¯t rare, nor was it special or particrly great. Moreover, its shorings were great (difficult to control and slow growth), so it could not be considered a mainstream energy. It was a maniacal method of training.


    However¡­ the Iron Heart was able to produce such energy in <i>bulk</i>. The situation escted to an entirely new level.


    When the Iron Heart was first unveiled by the Kendler tribe, it was said that the entire universe was shocked speechless. Strong, renowned beings belonging to the emperor ss and even Untouchables weren¡¯t able to hide their shock. They possessed high knowledge and insight, and they were quickly able to realize what changes the Iron Heart¡¯s invention would bring to the Great Universe.


    The Iron Heart was a great invention that might have been buried by powerful beings if not for the presence of chaos due to the Great War.


    The problem was <strong>attribute superiority.</strong>


    It was an almost-absolute characteristic of magical energy. Magical energy was like water faced with fire. When faced with water, it behaved like tree roots sucking up the moisture, and faced with wood, it became a scorching fire.


    Was that all?


    When magical energy came in contact with mana, it took on the attribute of magic resistance. Confronted with qi, it adapted properties of dispersing energy. Faced with divine power, it oppressed the opponent with godly powers. Magical energy possessed an edge over all types of energy with the exception of godly powers and its strength was amplified the higher its ss waspared to the other energies.


    In cases of simple subenergies without any attributes, magical energy wasn¡¯t simply superior in terms of attribute. It came close to outright ignoring<strong> </strong>or having immunity<strong> </strong>to such energies. It wasn¡¯tplete immunity, but very close to it. As such, barriers created with magical energy would be able to block the detonation of dozens of nuclear bombs.


    Therefore, existing spacecraft and weapons could only be brutally defeated when they encountered battleships of gigas equipped with Iron Hearts. How could they pray for victory when their shields were easily pierced by the enemy¡¯s basic attacks and when their missiles could not put a dent in the enemy¡¯s basic shields?


    Magic golems utilized mana, so they would fare better than physical weapons. But even so, they could not escape the attribute suppression by the Iron Heart. They would need to use nearly five times more mana to bring the battle to a stalemate, but it wasn¡¯t as if Iron Hearts produced only a small amount of magical energy. Rather, in terms of output, an Iron Heart was much more efficient. It would be producing much more energypared to mana cores. The terra-ss battleships would not have been able to use an Iron Heart as their source of energy otherwise.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    As I passed the two golems, Sejong and Sunshin, a group of around a dozen people blocked my way.


    ¡°What?¡±


    It was a sudden appearance. It would have made more sense to me if they had been waiting inside Gyeongbokgung Pce, but they had been standing by in front of the gate.


    ¡°The Lee Family is currently at a historical crossroad. Unless you are a part of the Lee Family, you are forbidden from entering!¡±


    ¡°¡­..?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t angry or anything. Just dumbfounded.


    What were these idiots talking about?

 Vol 2. 30: Dragon Devouring Ghost Blade, and His Brother II (5)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 30: Dragon Devouring Ghost de, and His Brother II (5)</h4>


    I wasn¡¯t angry or anything. Just dumbfounded. What were these idiots talking about?


    They''re the sessors of the fine-bred household. They''re all young.


    ''Young, my ass. They''re all hyungs and noonas to me, okay?'' I scoffed. They all had youthful faces, but that did not signify their real ages. The people who stood in my way looked to be in their early to midte 20s. In other words, they were youthful men and women who roughly had the appearance of college students. They looked like a bunch of kids who were still in the midst of learning to be a member of society, but were actually legal adults who could drink and smoke.


    "Ha-seok, you shouldn''t say that. What era do you think we are in for you to say that kind of thing?"


    "I''m sorry, Teacher. I think I was too worked up given the situation."


    "Yes, he was an outsider who lived in the surface world until not too long ago. Don''t pressure him too much, especially when his degree ofprehension regarding his identity is still low."


    The group of people who were discreetly talking amongst themselves were dressed and armed in the same manner. The figure-hugging outfit was made in a unique way in which the belt passed through the square loop and the de handle was back-facing, so the end of the sheath of the de was ced in a way that stretched forward and downward. It seemed to be made in such a way that it was not necessary to attach the de on the waist, and they could use the belt to affix a saber on it. This guaranteed that there was no inconvenience when retrieving an arrow from the quiver hanging on the back.


    ''A bow and a sword, huh... Besides that, they have standardized attire and weapons... Are they some sort of special forces unit or something? They seem too unrestrained and disorderly for that though.''


    The sole fact that they had standardized attire and weapons was considered a great strength. In particr, the strength of the unit would be maximized just by being proficient in the standardized abilities andbat methods. Although the versatility would drop in that circumstance, they weren''t a party of adventurers exploring the dungeon to defeat the demon king, but a military unit that had not much need for versatility and individuality.


    They''re soldiers, huh, but they look like kids.


    They''re not just kids, they look more like newborns. They only have the guise of a soldier, but have neither the experience or determination of one.


    One of the younglings who had no clue as to how they were being evaluated came forward. "Nice to meet you. I''m the Commander of the Little Cloud Brigade, Lee Seong-hwan."


    "Ahh, yes,¡± I replied with a nod and walked past him.


    "What the?!"


    "Hey, t-that! That bastard!"


    I could hear furious voices behind me, but I didn''t really want to pay them any attention. I wasn¡¯t purposefully ignoring or making fun of them, but I just found no value in spending time with them.


    That''s ignoring them.


    Isn''t that what humansmonly say when they ignore others?


    I ignored the two artificial intelligences, but I couldn''t ignore the hyungs and noonas who stood in my way again.


    "Stop!"


    "How dare you ignore us!"


    "How fearsome..." I clicked my tongue and stared at the youthful people who stood in my way. The titles above their head started to materialize.


    First Small Cloud Brigade


    Level 5


    Military Arts Expert, Lee Seong-hwan


    His level was so-so. The bandage trio that previously attacked me was Level 6, so he was one level lower than them. Hence, there was no need to say anything more.


    ''Can they win?'' I wondered. My current level was Level 5. In fact, I had the samebat power as one of them just based on levels alone. I could judge that if I faced off against dozens of these superpower users in the same ss, I would have no chance of winning. However, I knew the fact that if a battle actually took ce, the oue would bepletely different. My main body''sbat power was only Level 5, but I actually defeated a Level 5 Shadow Wolf in one fell swoop when I was Level 1. Needless to say, I had no enormous talent or enlightenment, but it was simply just a matter of specs.


    They''re not at the level of winning, because you have Napoleon''s Iron Heart inside you.


    It was just as Ares said. My current Mana, Magical Power, Magic Resistance and Mana Regeneration was well over 700 points. Considering that 900 points was the line where one crossed over to the realm of the transcendents, I had an outrageous amount of Mana that went beyond a decent High-rank wizard. Moreover, the Mana I had was the soul energy that had an absolute superiority among the Mana types!


    I could only use those powers in the form of Ability, but just by having a mighty spiritual energy, it would strengthen my other spiritual powers.


    In fact, my Life Energy had gained transcendental recovery capabilities based on my soul energy alone. The evidence was that even if I unreservedly used the Qi of the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, which other same-level practitioners would use sparingly, I would be able to recover all of it just by replenishing my calories. Even if Life Energy was based on the body, it was the same in which spiritual abilities used Mana.


    "Follow the instructions, neer! The Lee Family is currently standing on a critical turning point. We can''t let outsiders, whom we don''t know the background of, to move as they please during this critical time."


    Baffled by Seong-hwan¡¯s words, I questioned, "But that turning point was brought about by my hyung though. If it weren''t for hyung, wouldn''t the Lee Family have been ruined and devoured by China?"


    "That arrogant!"


    "Don''t look down on our Lee Family! Even if the representatives of the Chinese were strong, the warriors of our Lee Family would have been able to win! Who would dare give the right to represent the Lee Family to someone whose background was unclear?" He eximed in a fit of rage, while some others even put their hands on the saber worn around their waists. It wasn''t an exaggeration, but it seemed as if they were genuinely infuriated by the fact that Yeong-min-hyung represented the Lee Family.


    "Did you say you would have won without hyung? Are you serious?" I let out a scoff without realizing it. I was simply too dumbfounded. "A ragtag band like you guys?"


    "What did you say?!"


    "That greenhorn brat!"


    Chwaaaaang! Chwanggg! In the end, des were drawn from all over the ce. An intimidating bloodlust started to surge densely. However, was there any reason to be afraid of them? I was tortured by the violent demi-humans who saw humans as food, but I had managed to endure that as well.


    "This is thest warning! You should obediently let us take you."


    "You guys." I slightly warmed up my body. ''Whooooong'', and my entire body was vibrating. "You''ve decided to sell out your country, haven''t you?"


    "Grab him!"


    Piiing! Phwingggg! Piiiing! Phwiing! Four arrows flew towards my knees and shoulders almost at the same time. It was an outrageous rapid-fire that was almost as fast as a bullet! Taak taak taak thakkkk! All the arrows hit the mark.


    I didn''t avoid the attacks. No, I couldn¡¯t. I recklessly went around when I killed the Shadow Wolf, but to be honest, my reflexes weren''t that great. If I did not predict it, I would not be able to properly respond to the arrows, much less a bullet. Therefore, my reflexes weren¡¯t any more outstanding than a regr person.


    However, my reflexes didn¡¯t matter. In the first ce, Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, the martial arts style of Howard''s Duchy, hardened the body like steel and made it sturdier in a shorter period of time. It was not a martial arts style that could restore a sliced-up body, but was more simr to magic or a superpower. It was the kind of ability that had a different path and trained all the existing Life Energy.


    The power of the Green from the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights enveloped around my body. Thud thuckkk. The arrows that struck me feebly fell to the ground. Aside from my body being sturdy, the Green power that was used for defensive purposes converted all external energy into vibrations. That was why the arrowheads were not crushed or smashed, but simply fell to the floor with their sharp edges intact.


    Just like what happened to the arrows just now, Green power did not just convert kic energy. If I became skilled in it, I could possibly change heat energy, electric energy, and even light energy into vibrations. Moreover, it was said that the practitioners of Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights who had reached the peak could even change the potential energy (though I couldn''t possibly imagine how it would be yet) into vibrations. Their existence itself ignored physics and they could be said to be an iprehensible existence.


    Whooooong!


    "He''s a sturdy guy! Don''t worry about it and just attack him! Just don''t kill him!" Along with the scream, five or six des struck me all over. Taak taak taak thakkkk! I could hear the sound that was akin to lightly flicking my skin with my fingers. The expressions of the Small Cloud Brigade members who swung their des changed in a strange manner.


    "¡­This feels weird."


    "This¡­ What is this? What is this feeling?! Damn it!!"


    Taak taak taak thakkkk! Taak taak thakkkk! They violently struck me, but I didn¡¯t have to resist. I simply defended my face with my arms, so I wouldn¡¯t get stabbed in ces like the eyes.


    "What the hell is this? Commander-nim! Something''s off!"


    "Is this shock absorption? They said he''s a Life Energy practitioner though."


    "What nonsense are you talking about?! If he is not putting up any resistance, then just grab him!!"


    Along with the impetuous order, the members of the Small Cloud Brigade pulled out the golden rope that was worn on the opposite side of the sword and threw it. I did not know whether it was a magic item or a special skill, but nearly a dozen strands of golden rope wrapped around my entire body. Starting with all my limbs, it was like a living creature.


    "We got him!"


    "Pull him down! You arrogant bastard! What?! You said we were selling out our country?! How dare an impudent brat who has nothing to do with the Lee Family...!" The members of the Small Cloud Brigade snarled, but I did not care. I just focused my mind and concentrated on the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights. Perhaps because I still did not have enough hands-on experience yet, I did not have the leisure of replying to this and that.


    Blue converted internal energy into vibration, while Red umted all the vibration in addition to externally inflicted vibrations. Then, the moment the vibration reached the climax¡­ ¡®Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights. Orange.¡¯


    Roarrr----!!!! Thunder rumbled without any light or lightning. The golden rope that was used to suppress and constrict my whole body lost its strength and fell to the floor.


    "Keokkk!"


    "Ughhh?!"


    Along with a shrieking scream, all the members of the Small Cloud Brigade copsed with droopy eyes. There weren''t any fatalities. No matter how kid-like they appeared, they weren''t weak enough to die from this kind of range Qi. Instead, they had an internal concussion and, perhaps because their skull was shaken due to the violent Aura, they drooled. They scattered all over the ce.


    "Phew." I looked at the terrible sight around me and took a light breath. I was nervous because it was my first time emitting vibrations throughout my whole body. It was fortunate that it seemed to go well, since I was the only one standing.


    "You, you bastard... What is this¡­?"


    "Ah! A traitorous leader is still a leader. It seems you didn''t faint, huh."


    "You..."


    Iughed at the Commander of the Small Cloud Brigade, Seong-hwan, who was the only one who still got a hold of himself. Still, he looked like he was about to pass out at any given time.


    To be honest, I did not care whether Seong-hwan sold out his country or not. The rtionship between countries on Earth did not mean anything to me anyway. In other words, whether he betrayed his country or not, I did not criticize him for being a traitor because I thought such values were particrly vital. I chose to use such words because they were the most infuriating and provoking to him, so¡­


    Swhhooook.


    Humans would usually jump when they were stabbed.


    "Why, are you still going to say you didn''t?"


    "..." Shadows rose from here and there. He was not a demon, since there was no reason for a demon to hide his face with a mask and lie in waiting.


    "Wow~ It''s a Chinese person."


    Central ins


    Level 8


    Swordsmanship Master, First Sword


    Central ins


    Level 8


    Swordsmanship Master, Second Sword


    The swordsmen were named in the manner of First Sword, Second Sword, Third Sword¡­ As many as eight swordsmen surrounded me on all sides and approached. It was a calm andposed situation that suggested absolutely no carelessness.


    Whooooong! I awakened my soul energy. Then, I synchronized with it, my whole body convulsing along with the violent energy of Life Energy. Since I did not absorb external vibrations like I did before, I would consume an outrageous amount of calories as I exerted them with the highest output from my body. However, even so, I would at most lose one to two kilograms.


    Whoooong! There was a red wave rising around my body. The power of Red umted the vibrations, and once the color was dyed in the sunset glow¡­ Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights. Orange. Kwareukkkkkkk----!!!! A wave that was five or six times stronger than the vibration that was previously emitted gushed forth head-on. That was the full extent of my power that I could exert in an instant!


    However, the enemy¡¯s reaction was surprising. Chiiiiiiing! Along with a metallic sound that was reminiscent of a gong[1] being gently hit, a line was drawn in the air. The swordsman that was at the front warned in an ever so slightly low-pitched voice, "Vibration! This bastard uses the power of vibration, so be careful!"


    "Yes!"


    Swhhooook!! With a knife-like spirit, the encirclement, which had been loose, began to tighten up. Strong pressure was transmitted just by standing in a fixed position because they had practiced a particr battle formation.


    "Wow," I let out a deep exmation at that sight. As expected, I wasn''t a match for them. They were a bunch of powerful people who were on a different dimension from the younglings I faced before this.


    "All attacks are permitted in the premise that he is not killed."


    Did they feel at odds because of my easygoing appearance? The Aura of the swordsmen became more intense. I would be in big trouble if I recklessly endured it any longer. "Target Designation, Yeong-min-hyung."


    "Capture him!"


    The swordsmen charged towards me with a formidable force! As I looked at the sight of them, I said, "Teleport."


    1. ??? (kkwaenggwari) in Korean, and it is a round, brazen, Korean musical instrument, held in one hand and hit with a stick to make a sound. It looks simr to a gong.

 Vol 2. 31: Dragon Devouring Ghost Blade, and His Brother II (6)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 31: Dragon Devouring Ghost de, and His Brother II (6)</h4>


    I have lived long enough to see all kinds of titles, but there weren''t many titles with performance. Unlike others, I could freely change my own title at any time. However, there were only a few titles that I could acquire and change because the countless and permanent titles of the world belonged to their rightful owners. The title that I used on a daily basis was the Fly Hunter, which I obtained just by killing 100 flies¡­ There was no need to exin further. However, I had some spections regarding the titles.


    ''The titles that have performance are basically focused around killing. They are made by killing something and using its life as a material.'' I would be able to obtain the yer title by murdering an existence. Then, if I continued to kill until the kill count exceeded 100 deaths, I would be able to get the Hunter title.


    I previously trembled in fear as I saw my ssmate, Kyung-eun, going around with the Human Hunter title. What did the title Human Hunter indicate? Didn''t that mean that Kyung-eun killed at least 100 humans? If I was a human in my right mind, I would naturally be fearful. However, at the same time, I knew the fact that I could obtain the exact same title by killing 100 humans too. I also knew that the effect of the title would go beyondparison to ''just'' the level of the Fly Hunter¡­


    Right now... I surpassed the Hunter title, which required me to ughter 100 human beings. I even went beyond the ughterer title, which required me to kill 10,000 human beings. Then, finally, after ughtering over a million humans, I painstakingly got a title beyond the titles of yer, Hunter, ughterer... A Disaster-ss title.


    Disaster of Mankind


    - In the case of death, time Revival possible.


    - times Teleportation to humans within a radius of 10 kilometers possible. The effect that ignores all interferences.


    - Revival Stack will be recharged by 1 stack per 1,000 humans spared (up to 2 times)


    - Teleportation Stack will be recharged by 1 stack each time a wicked being is killed (up to 10 times)


    - You killed someone''s father. You also killed someone''s mother. Even daughters, sons, old men, and children, you ughtered all of them without discrimination.


    For you, who have ughtered over a million human beings, it would not be enough even if you repent endlessly. Do you sleep well at night?


    ''As expected, it has such an unpleasant description,¡¯ I thought. However, the content, which was no different from tant criticism, was the undeniable truth. It also showed the intention of the developer who filled in that content, which came across as an intention that came from a rtively good ce. ''Save human lives. If you really have to kill, then kill the wicked, huh...''


    At the same time, the text also showed the limits of the developer. ''Either they had no intention of imposing a restriction, or they weren''t able to impose a restriction.'' In fact, the text only contained details that rebuked the massacre, but it did not include a penalty. The written details only had a slight directional nature. Even though the description of the title only conveyed that the existence who possessed this title had ughtered more than a million people, no measures were taken to prevent such acts from urring. ''If the title is obtained, then so be it. It only strengthened the owner of the title, and it¡¯s a benefit.''


    As long as I wanted to, I could aim to obtain the title that superseded and transcended the title of Disaster. If there was a next stage to the Disaster title, which could be achieved by killing a million people, it would probably be obtained by killing 100 million human beings. That was now a simple matter that could be resolved with a single orbital bombardment. There were 7 billion human beings on Earth, and I had already amassed more than 10 million kill counts.


    Is there a problem, Captain-nim? Suddenly, Genie spoke to me, Your heartbeat is increasing.


    ''No, it''s nothing.'' I took a deep breath. I could feel my heart beating like crazy. ''I''m not in the right mind.'' What craziness was I spouting? There were 7 billion humans on Earth? Since I had already amassed more than 10 million kill counts, it was a simple matter that could be done with a single orbital bombardment?


    Captain-nim.


    ''It''s alright, I''m okay.'' I sat in a nearby chair and cradled my head. There wasn''t any sense of alienation that hinted at my mind being vited. However, that was why it was even more terrible. A bottomless sensation of fear surged up. Sure enough, I¡­ Could I live a normal life?


    Perhaps I could have lived normally before. I would have been able to attend high school normally, go to college normally, join the army normally, and work normally. Of course, that life wouldn''t have been really peaceful. Even if it was an ordinary life, there was an intensity tantamount to ordinariness.


    If I wanted to live a normal life, I would have had to spend two years in the army. I would probably have to experience some absurd abuses, and I might be beaten up or insulted too. The same could be said about going out to society. I could get unreasonable instructions from my boss. I could also go through all kinds of hardships due to the influence of office politics, or I could cross paths with a boguspany and might have had to receive fairpensation too. However, knowing myself, I could have put up with it all. Of course, I would feel like crap when going through it, but who in the world would only live a life of fun? I could endure. I would have been able to hold back, sucking it up on the outside even when facing something unfair. I would simply vent my anger by unleashing a 30-min rap of swearing and criticizing my superiors, and thepany, inside my heart.


    The 300 years of nightmare that I dreamt of since young was not just a movie-like experience that overran. It was still a valid experience, even if I did not experience it directly. I was just a high school student who had not lived to 20 years old, but my mind was still simr to that of an old man.


    Yes, I could live like that. No matter how shitty of an experience I had to go through, I couldugh it off. I was the kind of person who could ovee it all, regardless of hardships, with a bitter smile and a lightugh. I could y a few games to unload the burden and eat up a whole yangnyeom chicken[1] to relieve all the pent-up stress. But¡­ however¡­ It was no longer like that anymore.


    ''Damn it.'' I could feel that the dream that I had never forgotten about while walking the battlefield was blurring. I realized the fact that the current me would not be able to relieve my pent-up stress with chicken and games. Instead of relieving stress alone, I would probably separate the Section Chief''s head out of his spine. That was because I had already changed into an arrogant and cold-hearted¡­existence that was no longer human¡­


    Dae-ha. Then, Ares said out of a sudden, You''re full, huh.


    ''¡­What?''


    You''re scared. You look like a rookie general who''s afraid of his own troops.


    ''Ares, it''s not that simple.''


    It''s a simple problem. Ares lightly cut off my words and continued, In the end, you''re simply afraid that you might not be able to properly lead, or that you might be swayed.


    ''I am.''


    You just. Again, Ares interrupted, You just can''t control your own emotions.


    ''...''


    Don''t build up your fears, Dae-ha. The Divine Spirit is not a devil that would corrode your soul.


    My heart, which was pounding from agitation, slowly calmed down upon hearing Ares'' words. I was deeply lost in thought. My changed self was the undeniable truth. However, was there anyone in the world who had never changed? I was no longer human, but to be honest, I wasn''t human from the very beginning. I was¡­


    Rattle! At that moment, I came to my senses at the sound of the window opening. Only then did I turn my head and took a look around. As I looked up, I could see the antique-styled flower patterns and the scenery of the well-managed pond from the changhoji[2] that covered up the window hanging on the doortch, which was made to entice the eyes at a nce.


    ''It''s the Hyangwonjeong Pavilion, huh.'' I arrived at a hexagonal pavilion built on an ind in the pond. If Gyeonghoeru Pond in Gyeongbokgung Pce was used for arge banquet, this ce was made to be a resting area for the personal use of the King. There was an Ondol[3] downstairs, and a resting area that was floored for all-seasons upstairs.


    You''re being treated pretty well. I can''t believe you''re being offered this kind of space.


    ''Well, given the situation, this is no surprise.¡¯


    I looked at Hyung''s image by the window. Shwarrrrr- As the wind was blowing, I saw Hyung and the woman with fluttering hair next to him. They were neither near nor far, standing at a distance which was about a palm¡¯s width apart. The sight of them was literally an artwork.


    ''My god.'' It might be funny, but there was a Twin Rose in my school. It was a nickname that referred to the two girls who were celebrity grade beauties who would only appear on TV, which was considered rare in the world.


    The target of this nickname, which had an unimaginably childish nature that caused my hands and feet to shrivel, was the Human yer Kyung Eun, who was in the same grade and ss as me.


    The other one was Min-kyung, the ck Rose, who was also the Student Council President, famously known as the Ice Princess. She came from an affluent family and engaged in many extracurricr activities, so people predicted her future involvement in politics. She was an existence who seemed to literallye out of a melodrama. However, in actual fact, rather than a drama, she was a character who seemed to appear in a fantasy novel or a modern historical drama. She originally had the Lee surname, not Han, and was the princess who inherited the main line of descent of the Lee Family. However, somehow, she seemed to have had a close rtionship with Hyung.


    It''s a strange atmosphere.


    ''Yeah, it''s really strange.'' I stood quietly and stared at the two of them. I had already activated the Stealth Ability, and I was in a state where no one could sense my presence. I ran my eye through her figure without any particr difficulty.


    The basic impression I had of her was that she was a martial artist. Her body that boasted a smooth silhouette was undoubtedly that of an Idol''s, but upon closer inspection, her feeble-looking body was made of extremely trained andpressed muscles. Furthermore, both her hands were unbelievably rough and had firm calluses. Moreover, those eyes of hers were clear and clean, possessing not a trace of temptation. She was a female student at an age that was still ignorant of the world, but her eyes were filled with a firm belief and willpower. It was as if she was some sort of independence fighter, exuding a disparate charm that was hard to express.


    ''Well, Hyung is by no means inferior in that department though.'' I turned to look at Hyung, who was 171 centimeters tall. Although he was not very tall for a man, his exceptional beauty was of noparison to even a decently beautiful woman. In addition, his body, which had always been full of life, was filled with killing intent. He was giving off a strangely dangerous and revolting vibe.


    Besides that, what was Hyung''s current position? He was not even 20 years old yet, but he had already achieved the strongest level of armed might in humanity. Even if he was seen to be an existence without any foundation, it didn''t matter. With his level of armed might, any household would be impatient to nab Hyung for themselves.


    Boom! At that time, a heavy drum sound broke the silence from a faraway distance. The pond water under Hyangwonjeong Pavilion formed a small ripple and dispersed. The pond was ringing at the sharp drum sound, which signaled war.


    Hyung and Min-kyung turned their heads at the same time, facing towards the sound of the drums. The drum sound could be heard a few more times before silence descended again.


    "It''s time."


    "...!"


    "Who is it?!" In an instant, the two of them silently turned around like lightning. As both Hyung and Min-kyung were martial artists with outstanding abilities, they unleashed a fierce energy.


    However, upon discovering that it was I who stood on one side of the pavilion, the terrifying bloodlust that Hyung was exuding disappeared in no time. Surprise as well as delightfulness burst forth. "Dae-ha!" He ran towards me and hugged me tightly.


    Hyung was an unbelievably cute creature that I couldn''t believe was my brother. Who would have thought that this was the man who beheaded someone with a cutter knife only dozens of hours ago? I replied, "Long time no see, Hyung."


    "¡­Really, man. You don''t look like brothers at all, but it seems that the thing you two have inmon is your absurdness." Min-kyung, who unsheathed arge saber before I knew it, rxed her posture with a dumbfounded look. However, she only rxed her posture. Her expression was still full of vignce. "How did you get in here? This is a ce with all sorts of barriers erected, so even a High-rank wizard can''t cross over..."


    "Are you feeling well?" I ignored her and separated myself from my brother, who was in my arms.


    Hyung, whose face was flushed, shook his head. "Is this time for you to worry about me? I almost ran out when I heard you went missing."


    "I told you not to, didn''t I ?"


    "Ah, that''s..." Hyung stopped what he was saying, and nced around for a moment.


    I looked back at Min-kyung. Min-kyung hesitated as if she felt something from my attitude. I called, "Min-kyung sunbae."


    "Wait, what are you? You, is there really ''something''?" She spoke in a blunt manner as if ustomed to giving orders. Her manner of speech was that of a noble person who always received the respect of others. However, I could read a sense of fear in her voice.


    "Something?"


    ¡°Yeah. You, is there something going on?"


    "..." I looked back at my brother because I did not know what she was talking about. I don''t know what was so pleasant to him, but he had a face full of smiles. He had such a cheerful face that I felt like giving him a p on the face. "What the, hyung. What the hell did you exin to the Student Council President about me?"


    "I didn''t say much. It''s just¡­ Hehe,¡± Hyung smiled and replied, "I just said my younger brother might be a transcendent. And a very, very scary one at that."


    "...Why did you have that kind of thought?" I had to ask because I didn''t understand. Because, up until I was on Earth, I was nothing more than an ordinary high school student. Of course, there was the fact that I could see the titles. There was also the singrity that I dreamt 300 years worth of dreams. However, it wasn''t an ability that was revealed on the outside, so why did he have such a weird thought?


    "Because we''re family."


    "What?"


    "We''re family, so I know when I see you."


    "...My god." I let out a forcedugh because I was dumbfounded. However, somehow, I felt strangely better by feeling this supposedly worst feeling ever. After being vited by the Divine Spirit, it was difficult to treat humans from the bottom of my heart because I saw them as beings who were of a lower status than me. However, hyung was different. Maybe just like what he said, it was because we were family.


    "¡­Why?"


    "Hmm?"


    As I looked back upon hearing the trembling voice, I could see Min-kyung looking at me with a ridiculous expression. It was as if she was looking at something she could not understand at all.


    "What is it again?"


    "Why aren''t you denying it?¡±


    "What do you mean?"


    "Transcendent!"


    1. Korean spicy marinated chicken.


    2. Changhoji is traditional Korean paper made from mulberry bark, and this particr one is used to cover up windows.


    3. Ondol, in Korean traditional architecture, is underfloor heating simr to a Kang bed-stove that uses direct heat transfer from wood smoke to heat the underside of a thick masonry floor.

 Vol 2. 32: Dragon Devouring Ghost Blade, and His Brother II (7)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 32: Dragon Devouring Ghost de, and His Brother II (7)</h4>


    "Transcendent!"


    Although Min-kyung screamed, I didn¡¯t feel the need to deal with her any longer. I was a little relieved by Hyung¡¯s presence, but I still wasn¡¯t in the mood to be considerate of a stranger whom I wasn¡¯t close with. I stated, "Sunbae, I''m sorry but..."


    "You''re sorry but?"


    "Please leave. I have something I want to say to Hyung."


    "..." Min-kyung looked at me with a confused expression. She looked like she couldn¡¯t understand her own reaction, since she didn¡¯t vent her anger right away. Of course, she was stopped by the atmosphere between us.


    After pondering for a moment, I said, ¡°Well, yeah. I think this is what you want to hear.¡± I nodded. ¡°I am not a transcendent. Are you happy now?"


    "..." Min-kyung looked flustered.


    However, I simply spoke the truth. I killed Duke Howard who was a Martial Arts-type Transcendent, destroyed a, and smashed the battleships flying through the universe. I did all those things, but my sheer capability and ability were still extremely low. It was lower than Min-kyung, who was in front of my eyes.


    "Dae-ha, she''s still a princess-nim."


    "It''s fine. It''s not that important of a matter." I shook my head in resignation. The reason why I followed Kyung-eun, without any particr resistance, to the Lee Family was because I realized the situation on Earth. I found out that my house, my father and even my brother were missing. I also wanted to get my whole body together. I did not follow her out of a sense of belonging to the Lee Family. "Anyway, once again, could you leave for a moment? It''s been a while since I met my family and I''d like to talk to them."


    I thought it was a perfectly doable request. Just like what Hyung said, weren''t we family? However, Min-kyung shook her head. Somehow, she looked at me with an extremely vignt gaze. She said, ¡°No can do. Yeong-min is currently standing at an important crossroad in life. He''s not in a situation where he can be distracted by household chores."


    "Household chores?" I froze, but the corners of my mouth naturally went up. Did she perhaps know? What would happen if our ''household chores'' weren''t done properly?


    The Lee Family might think that they were in a huge crisis since they faced an invasion from the Zhu family. However, this would only happen on an off chance and was mostly a great misconception. The Lee Family''s real crisis was when I was attacked by the unknown bandage trio.


    In actual fact, that wasn''t just a crisis for the Lee Family, but for the whole of mankind. It was a crisis that could lead to extinction.


    Perhaps the copse of mankind, foreseen by the Great Wizard Zenon ho Kyprios, was because of me. It didn''t ur to me that he would have predicted the future ''just'' because of a low-rank transcendent such as I, but there was no other reason for the sudden destruction of humanity, which had a somewhat bnce of power.


    "Phew." I calmed myself down with a low sigh. Then, I said with a smile, "Then we''ll leave."


    "N.O."


    "..." I gradually became irritated. Why couldn''t she understand what I was saying? I then spoke in a calm voice, "Lee Min-kyung."


    "Wait! Time out!!" Hyung came in between me and Min-kyung. When I looked at my brother questioningly, I could see him taking a deep breath. "Whoo, phew, hahhh..." It was a given for me, but even Min-kyung opened her eyes wide as she saw that sudden behavior of his.


    Then, Hyung, who was breathing deeply while receiving our weird stares, looked at me with an expression that suggested that he had made up his mind. "Let''s listen together."


    "What?"


    "All you want to say to me."


    "¡­What?" I automatically frowned. What did he mean by listening together? It was too hasty. Did he even know what I was going to talk about when he made that suggestion? Could Hyung even imagine what I was about to say? Who I was, what condition I was in, what kind of power I possessed and what I could do¡­ However, the moment I was about to refuse, I looked at Hyung''s eyes and hesitated.


    With eyes that were somehow determined and unwavering, Hyung said, "It is as expected, huh. There is something incredible going on."


    "...Hyung." At that moment, I knew from the bottom of my heart that my brother wasn''t just going to leave her here. He wanted to be honest. He did not want to deceive her.


    My brother bowed his head. His voice, his expression, and his attitude revealed his sincerity. "I''m sorry, but I swear it. I''m not trying to get you involved. I don''t need your help with anything. I don''t mind even if you watch from the sidelines. It''s just... I''m just..." His face was flushed red. "I just want to be honest with her."


    "..." I gaped. I was speechless because I was dumbfounded. "No, that''s, aigoo¡­ Oh my, oh my God." As Imented unknowingly, I groaned and cradled my head. If hyung came out this way, then even I couldn''t do anything about it.


    "What the¡­ What the hell are you talking about?"


    As Min-kyung, the only person present who could not grasp the question, asked, I answered with a sigh, "It''s a matter of great importance. About the Lee Family, no, I am faced with the outrageous crossroad of the unknown future of mankind."


    ¡°What? Humanity?" Min-kyung had an expression that seemed to say she did not understand it at all, even though I exined it kindly.


    However, unlike her, Hyung immediately understood. He had a serious expression on his face. "That''s it?"


    "That''s about it, Hyung."


    "Wow, I thought it would be unusual, but¡­ Then I''ll have to start talking first." Hyung, who was smiling bitterly, looked back at Min-kyung. "Min-kyung, secure the surroundings."


    "What? We''re currently far enough though."


    "Do it for me."


    "...Wait for a while then." Min-kyung, who couldn''t ovee hyung''s gaze, pouted. Seeing that I couldn''t hear anything, it seemed that they were using telepathy.


    The warriors surrounding us have stepped back, Captain-nim.


    ''Well, actually, it wouldn''t have mattered if the Stealth Field was opened.''


    Not needing to ignore it even though he cared, Hyung sat on an antique chair that had been prepared on one side of Hyangwonjeong Pavilion without saying anything much. Then, Hyung, who faced me while seated in front, started talking. "Remember the first day you met me?"


    "I remember," I said. My father adopted hyung when I was five years old. I could still recall the day when Father came in while hugging a cute child, who looked like a doll, without any prior indication. My father told me that hyung''s biological mother and biological father were killed by a serial killer in front of his eyes. News of that particr serial killer was a big issue in society at the time, and father saved hyung before the serial killer tried to kill him too.


    "That''s right, it''s just like what father said. But there''s something he didn''t tell you."


    "What is it?"


    "The fact that I killed everyone in the group of serial killers who killed my biological parents."


    "Hmm." I wasn''t really surprised. Of course, I did not shun him. Was there a need for me to feel that way toward a single murder aftering this far? Moreover, he killed all the murderers who killed his biological parents. Although I might not have known thew and justice, at least I knew that I had no reason or qualification to reprimand him.


    Then, hyung continued speaking calmly. Perhaps my attitude slightly lightened the burden he carried on his shoulders. "I was born with the energy of the Heavenly Killing Star. From birth, I am destined to call forth death and destruction and ughter people."


    He was born at the end of a neb. He''s an extremely rare origin ability user.


    "The murderers were beings from the parallel world. They wanted to take me there and use me as a Killing Machine, despite not even knowing what a real Heavenly Killing Star was." Hyung then went on to say that Father appeared when he finally killed all the murderers. It was the moment when he was about to turn into a demon by the immensely concentrated bloodlust. He said that fatherpletely captured the Heavenly Killing Energy and sealed it deep in his mind, though he wasn''t sure what method had been used to do so.


    It was an irony of fate. Father''s actions led him to sessfully put away the bloodlust that was great enough to annihte the heavens. He then added, "Of course, even if that was so, it was impossible to seal it forever. The Heavenly Killing Star is a star of fate. If I forcefully avoided it, a restraint would be invoked. That was why I went into the Tower every night."


    "Tower?"


    When I expressed my doubts, Min-kyung, who remained still, said, "It''s the remnant of an Unnamed that¡¯s embedded in the deepest recesses of the parallel world. It''s a danger zone with only two to three percent rate of survival..."


    "It''s also where Min-kyung and I met."


    "..." I was momentarily lost in thought. After thinking for a moment, I said, ¡°So¡­ What you mean to say is that you have been dating every night?"


    "T-That''s..." Hyung scratched his head, feeling awkward. He soon shook his head and continued, "Anyway, that was how I lived. I woke up in a warm andfortable house during the day, went to school, and met my friends. Then, I killed people at night and went through the ordeal. I persevered through a lot of crises. I also met good people, as well as trashy viins and violent monsters." His expression wasplicated, urately indicating that he had been through too much to exin it in short and concise sentences.


    "Until when did you go to that tower? Do you have to keep going in the future?"


    "Not really. When father left and our house disappeared, I finally reached the 100th floor."


    Whoooosh----! When my brother raised his right hand, a bloody energy surged forth in an instant. The moment I saw it, I knew it was the materialization of bloodlust that was reminiscent of death. It was the Heavenly Killing Energy. He then said, "I obtained this power."


    It felt like a story straight out of a shonen manga. Born with a special destiny, fought in a special space, fell in love, and finally conquered their fate. It was that kind of story.


    "Did I summarize it too much?"


    I also smiled as I saw hyung putting on a bitter smile. "No, it''s good enough." Then, I gave an order in my mind, ''Genie, can you make it so that only I can see you here?''


    I can manipte the Stealth Field so that it will allow observation in a limited area. At the very least, you will be able to see the entire ship inside the ind where the pavilion is located.


    ''Please do so.'' After saying so, I got up from my seat. I went down the stairs and left Hyangwonjeong Pavilion just like that. Hyung and Min-kyung hesitantly followed me even though they were flustered by my unexpected move.


    "What the? Where are you going?"


    "I''m not going far. I just need to see the sky." I looked back at the couple who fit right in the Hyangwonji Pond that was behind them. I could see Min-kyung looking at me with an iprehensible expression, as well as Hyung who had a nervous expression. "Since you did the same, hyung. I''ll summarize it for you too."


    If I talked for a long time, I could print out four books. However, if I were to summarize it, it would be settled in a single line. I said, "Genie, reveal yourself."


    As per your order, Your Majesty the Emperor.


    The image of Genie appeared next to me. Thest words I spoke were said out loud so that everyone could hear it. Hyung and Min-kyung flinched at the sudden appearance.


    "¡­What is this? There weren''t any signs of it."


    "No, more than that, what''s with that outfit? Furthermore, an Emperor?"


    When they were flustered, the sky lit up. Wiiiiingggg-----! A huge body of a ship appeared to seemingly cover the sky. Shaped like a giant bird with wings, the battleship which was over 30 kilometers from the wingtips to the ends of the ship exuded an overwhelming presence. It was the Terra-ss battleship, Albatross, which even the Leonhardt Empire had less than 20 units of.


    "I left the Earth and became the Emperor of a Great Empire, gave it up, and came back." Iughed at the two of them, who were simply overwhelmed and couldn''t stop gaping. "Did I summarize it too much?

 Vol 2. 33: A Tumultuous War (1)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 33: A Tumultuous War (1)</h4>


    People began to gather at Gwanghwamun Square. The number began increasing, soon exceeding dozens and thousands. Then, finally, there were tens of thousands of people.


    "This is insane. Are we going to go to war¡­?"


    "The power of the Zhu Family is pretty frightening, huh. To be able to bring together ability users on such arge scale¡­¡±


    "These shameless people. Do they not know the meaning of Captain''s War?"


    Judgmentalments and many who bad-mouthed the Zhu Family could be heard from all over the ce. Of course, those weren¡¯t the only opinions.


    "That''s a given. The Zhu Family would have to give themselves up just by losing this one measly battle, so the entire Zhu Family definitely would not be able to agree with that. If we were in the same situation, we, the Lee Family, would have reacted in the same way."


    "Originally, the international state of affairs was driven by national strength. Does it make sense that the whole country would falter from the oue of a gamble?"


    While causing an uproar as they pleased, they implicitly ignored the fact that even if they felt it unreasonable to lose the Zhu Family, or even China as a whole, they should not have attempted to raise an opposition.


    However, hyung showed no interest in all that fuss. <i>Groarrrrr</i><i>---- </i>He was in the middle of a flood of gazes. Even in the midst of a raging torrent of envy, contempt, reverence, jealousy, desire, and hostility, he did not budge an inch. It was as if he was a chisel embedded in the floor. Funnily enough, it was precisely due to his extreme stillness that he exuded a tremendous presence in the midst of themotion.


    "Small and slender, and most of all¡­such beauty. Are you saying that''s a man?"


    "He''s too young. Did such a young brat really beat all the strongest swordsmen in China?"


    "He''s a de Demon who devours dragons, huh..."


    Time flowed by and themotion gradually subsided. Then, when Hyung, who was standing upright, finally opened his two eyes, a group of warriors unknowing appeared in front of him.


    "The Fist Emperor! And even the de Emperor!"


    "It''s the Three Emperors!"


    There was respect and admiration bursting forth from among the Chinese people who have gathered. Of course, the reaction from the Lee Family was different from theirs.


    "Three Emperors, my ass. The Sword Emperor is already dead, so it should be Two Emperors."


    "Moreover, isn''t the Sword Emperor the unparalleled being under the heavens? What good would the two of them be when they''re considered a step below the Sword Emperor?"


    They ridiculed and belittled the newly arrived men. However, they were still babbling and making a fuss.


    "B-But they are the Five Great Masters under the heavens though..."


    "Hahhh, this is crazy. I never thought the day woulde where I faced the Fist Emperor and the de Emperor as enemies."


    "Enemies... Is that so? That means they''re enemies, huh."


    I could feel the spirit of the Lee Family greatly distorting. The apparent <strong>enemy </strong>did not even do anything yet. All they did was reveal themselves and the Lee Family was already feeling intimidated. I was so dumbfounded that I opened my mouth thoughtlessly, "They''re a bunch of fools, huh."


    "I agree." I turned my head and looked at Min-kyung, who stood next to me and spoke. As always, she was expressionless, but I could see her eyes ring coldly. She seemed to be angry at the ugly behavior the members of the Lee Family were showing. "Don''t you regret it?"


    The senior members of the Lee Family, including us, were standing on the pavilion on the second floor of Gwanghwamun Gate. We were looking down at the crowd. The pavilion on Gwanghwamun Gate was not supposed to be a ce where one could go up to, but they were a group that used the Gyeonghoeru Pavilion like a staff cafeteria, so such things were irrelevant to them. Rather, the interior was well-designed to allow people to restfortably.


    "Regret?"


    "If I were you, I would erase the Zhu Family from the world.¡±


    It was not a difficult task. No, rather, it was very simple. There was no technology to detect and defend against the Albatross ship on Earth, and the firepower of the Albatross ship was capable of plowing the entire surface of Earth.


    "I refuse."


    "Why?" As Min-kyung questioned me in her cold voice, she turned to look straight into my eyes. "Because I know you have no intention to do that."


    "That''s true." I was not afraid of killing aftering this far. I hade too far to say such innocent things. However, even so, I was not crazy enough to carry out a meaningless massacre. It was because I didn''t have the ambition or goals to do so. "But a massacre isn''t always the only answer. You could overwhelm them, or you could also make them yield to you."


    I roughly exined the extent of what I could do to hyung and Min-kyung, who stood next to each other. The exnation was not difficult, because the existence of the Albatross ship was testament to that. Then, in that state, I said, "I''ll help you." Of course, it was not because I cherished the Lee Family, or Korea even. My brother''s involvement in affairs of a disheveled nation was annoying, so it was a proposal to get rid of everything troublesome.


    However, Min-kyung rejected my proposal. "I''ve already told you." She turned her head again and looked at Hyung. "I do not intend to involve foreign powers for our independence."


    "Howe?"


    "I just didn''t bring anything ridiculous like a spaceship... If it was a proposal, I have already received it several times. Japan''s Yangmyeong Family and United States'' Rockefeller Family also made simr suggestions. That they would help, and they would lend their strength."


    "No, I am."


    "It''s the same no matter who you are. Even if it was a pure and voluntary favor for your brother, with no ill intentions or schemes.¡± She turned her head back and faced me. A storm was raging in her eyes. "Our independence must be achieved by our own strength. If we don''t be the main actors, we''ll never be able to break the very chain that ties us down."


    "..."


    "I''d like it if you don''t make me waver for no reason, and just watch over me."


    I suddenly felt ufortable, because a strange feeling hit me. It was something that was hard to put into words as I saw her throw her whole being at a close to impossible goal with a clear belief and purpose. Was it because I acted while being driven by the situation, like an aimless piece of wood on top of waves, even though I received an enormous power and authority as a legacy from my biological father?


    "Well."


    "Hmm?"


    "Still... You will help if Yeong-min is in danger, right? Because you''re family, no?"


    "Didn''t you say that you could not involve foreign powers?"


    "You just have to make it so that it is out of sight."


    "...Excuse me?" I froze at the absurd remark. Min-kyung was looking straight ahead with an expressionless face. Though it was rare, her face was slightly flushed. Even I, who didn''t know her very well, could see that she was terribly embarrassed.


    "Pffftttt!" I let out a sudden burst ofughter, but I put on a straight face immediately after. "I never intended to leave Hyung alone from the very beginning."


    Upon hearing myughter, the gazes of the senior members of the Lee Family momentarily gathered on me. Their impressions were grim, and it seemed that they must have been angry at meughing even though the confrontation¡ªwith the fate of the Lee Family on the line¡ªwasing ahead. No, perhaps it was because a nobody like me with an unknown origin was standing next to Min-kyung, who had the highest authority and influence in the Lee Family. However, such things were obviously none of my concern.


    <i>''Genie, the screen.''</i>


    <strong>Yes, Captain-nim.</strong>


    I could see the erged image of my brother with Udjat, my sses, and the sounds near him were transmitted into my head. Before I knew it, two elderly people who arrived in front of Hyung were talking as they pleased.


    "You''re walking on a foolish path."


    "You should stop it now while you can."


    "If you devote yourself to the Zhu Family, you''ll be able to possess power and fame, the likes you have never imagined before."


    "It''s not a matter that can be solved with stubbornness alone."


    Well, those were the talks that went on. They coaxed, ttered, threatened, as well as enticed my brother, but it was not even a big deal. <i>''Wow, it''s really...'' </i>They were naive old men. Did they really think that words could solve this situation aftering this far?


    <strong>In any case, it''s because the opponent is young.</strong>


    Youth was something that was pretty darn incredible. No matter how amazing and tremendous the things one were to achieve, they would look down and underestimate those aplishments as long as one was young. Even though the Sword Emperor died by Hyung''s hands, did they really see him in that light? They were both old men, so they had already experienced a long life, but they still had that sort of attitude.


    Sure enough, Hyung answered them without lifting an eyebrow, even though he had to deal with their attitude. "Are you both jumping at me? Why are you standing side by side and bbering?"


    "This foolish...!"


    "It seems a greenhorn''s self-indulgence has pierced the sky! Do you think we''re doing this because we''re afraid of you?"


    The number of enemies gradually increased while they were bickering. The number of people gathered had already exceeded hundreds and thousands, surpassing tens of thousands of people. It was still slowly increasing, and finally...


    <strong>Temporarily suspended. Time until the upation War resumes, 1 minute to go. </strong>


    When the time of the face-off came about.


    "Oh...my...God."


    "No, this...this is crazy."


    The ability users on the Lee Family side that gathered in front of Gwanghwamun Gate turned pale. They were overwhelmed by therge number of <strong>enemies</strong>.


    "Oh, I''ve seen this scene somewhere."


    "¡­What are you trying to say? Where did you see this scene?" Indeed, Min-kyung''splexion turned pale as if she had not expected this situation. She was the Princess of the Korea Empire. No, going by the title, she had recognized herself as the<strong> Imperial Princess</strong>. But even so, it wasn''t possible for her to remain calm in the face of the enemies of such scale.


    However, I was different. Rather, it made me smile. "Why, I think this many people gathered during the candlelight vigil[1] too."


    Of course, there was a difference in that it was a rather mature group of citizens then. Now, it was a gathering of dishonorable <strong>enemies</strong>... Regardless of the moral superiority, no one could deny that the current scene was much more bizarre. It was the essential difference between peaceful demonstrators and enemies exuding enmity and killing intent!


    I was standing at the Gwanghwamun Pavilion, so I could see them all at a nce. The Gwanghwamun Square, and also the roads without any cars, were packed to the brim with the crowd of people. The Chinese people, who gathered and scattered all over the central area of the Gwanghwamun Square till the front of Gwanghwamun Gate, were so high-spirited that it was as if they were going to smash Gwanghwamun Gate to pieces and storm into Gyeongbokgung Pce this instant.


    "There are so many people that they''re really like bugs."


    ording to the investigation results of the Albatross ship, the Earth''s total number of ability users was roughly just over 10 million people. Among them, the number of ability users that came from Korea came up to about 150,000 people, which was a rtively huge number whenpared to the total poption of Korea.


    However, not all of the ability users from Korea were affiliated with the Lee Family. Since there were no ces of residence erected in ces such as the Gyeongbokgung Pce, which was the <strong>Grace of the Great Wizard</strong>, it could only exist in the form of a safe house. But nheless, forces consisting of at least five to six people, to at most 100 people or over, were scattered throughout the country. That wasn''t all. There were also a considerable number of ability users who were active in the surface world without entering the parallel world. In the end, the total number of ability users affiliated with the Lee Family was about 90,000 people.


    And¡­the number of Chinese people who were currently gathered in Gwanghwamun Square was more than that.


    "How can this huge number gather in Korea? Such arge scale movement wasn''t detected in the surface world and parallel world... Don''t tell me¡­ Did they cross the sea toe here? The sea of the parallel world?"


    "Crazy, this is crazy! If it hase to this!"


    "By any chance, do you n to destroy the Lee Family and cover up the upation if you lose the Captain''s War, and have to give up the Forbidden City?!"


    It literally sounded crazy. The Great Wizard''s distribution (such as the Giant Soul Soldier Sejong and Sun-shin, or the Imoogi of the Gyeonghoeru Pond) would not react and go against humans who were the same as them. This was true as long as they were not broken and destroyed directly. However, at the very least, the barrier of Gyeongbokgung Pce waspletely controlled by the Lee Family. No matter how much greater the quality and number of the ability users were aspared to the Lee family, if they charged head-on, the Zhu Family would also suffer a blow that definitely couldn''t be ignored.


    It was then, "It''s time to make up your mind, Mdy." Along with the sounds of uneven steps, a new group of people appeared at the pavilion in Gwanghwamun Gate. It was a group made up of approximately twenty fully armed ability users. In particr, the face of the person who stood in front of the group was one that I was familiar with.


    <strong>Lee Family</strong>


    <strong>Level 7</strong>


    <strong>Necromancy Master, Lee Hyun-seok</strong>


    It was an opponent that was of an insignificant connection. It was just that his brother died in my hands. <i>''Hmmm,e to think of it, he''s a sworn enemy.''</i> But at least that didn''t seem to be the reason why he was here now.


    "Mdy?"


    "Oh my oh my~ Was the title the problem even in this situation? Let''s see, should I call you Princess? If not~ Imperial. Princess. Nim?" Hyun-seok smiled like a snake. However, he, who wasughing meanly, hardened his face soon after. It was because he saw it.


    "You''re slow." Min-kyung, who had been called an Ice Flower because she had always maintained the same expression, smiled coldly. "Even that sloppy conspiracy..."


    At the same time, my brother standing in front of Gwanghwamun Gate said, "Resume the Captain''s War."


    <strong>The Captain''s War has resumed!</strong>


    <strong>Progress: 0/1, 2/3</strong>


    The Captain''s War began.


    1. A candlelight vigil or candlelit vigil is an outdoor assembly of people carrying candles, held after sunset in order to show support for a specific cause. Such events are typically held either to protest the suffering of some marginalized group of people, or in memory of the dead.

 Vol 2. 34: A Tumultuous War (2)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 34: A Tumultuous War (2)</h4>


    Hyun-seok, who was smiling meanly, had his expression be as hard as a stone. "The Captain''s War resumed? In this situation?" He expressed doubt, as if facing an impossible situation. It really was as if something went terribly wrong.


    "Wait a minute, I have a question!" When I raised my hand, the people gathered around me all looked over. It was slightly awkward. In fact, this was not a situation that I should intervene in. However, how else was I to resolve my curiosity?


    "What the? Q-Question?" It was fascinating to see Hyun-seok, looking as wicked as a snake, stuttering. He looked at me with confusion and incredulity.


    "Yes, I wonder why you''re surprised. Didn''t you do it because it''s time anyway?" I had asked a polite question, but Hyun-seok, as well as the senior members of the Lee Family, looked at me with a baffled expression. It was an expression that seemed to say, "How is there such a crazy bastard in this world?"


    "You crazy greenhorn! Doesn''t your brother have any sense of reality?! Don''t you see that huge army? Do you think winning this shitty Captain''s War will put an end to everything?! On the off chance that we win the Captain''s War, I will have you know that that would be a disaster that would wipe out the entire Lee Family!!"


    The Captain''s War had not yet started, because there would still be five minutes of preparation time,, even if one side insisted on resuming the Captain¡¯s War. Five minutes was undoubtedly too short a time, so two minutes had already passed while they were bbering on for a while.


    "Do you not think about the things thate after? Do you intend to ruin everything just because of one impulsive moment and that petty pride of yours?! Princess! I thought you were rational! I never expected you to do such a crazy thing! In the first ce, did you seriously think that aedy-like situation where the Lee Family winning against the Zhu Imperial Household could actually happen in reality?!" Hyun-seok yelled, ring.


    If others looked in our direction, they might have thought that we were the bad guys while Hyun-seok and the others were the good ones. It was a situation that brimmed with fury.


    Min-kyung sneered, looking at the angry Hyun-seok. "There''s nothing we can''t do."


    "What did you say?" As soon as Hyun-seok questioned Min-kyung¡­ Bang bang bang bang. A strange sound was heard, as if a suppressed firecracker finally exploded within a leather pocket. At the same time...


    "Ughh! My s-stomach..."


    "Keukkk...! What is this?!"


    "Euackk!"


    Hyun-seok''s group, who had entered Gwanghwamun Pavilion, copsed at the same time. Hyun-seok himself did not fall to the ground, but he was pale with blood flowing from his eyes, nose, and lips. He clearly had been subjected to the same treatment as the rest of his group. Whoooosh!! The power of death, Death Aura, began emitting around his body. His face was already as menacing as a fiendish demon. "You bitch?! Did you do this, you bitch?!!"


    "You are beginning to use the word ''bitch'' now, huh. Yes, alright. It seems like your mouth has been itching to call me that for the longest time. Since you''ve fulfilled your wish, this is literally a day to celebrate. You must have been so upset, having to kill up to me by calling me Princess-nim, Imperial Princess-nim..."


    Hearing Min-kyung¡¯s voice, which was rarely sarcastic, Hyun-seok suddenly screamed, "Shut up, you impudent bitch! What era do you think we are in to spout such bullshit, like Princess and Imperial Princess?! You are just a dumb bitch who thinks she''s some hot stuff because she''s born with a good bloodline! What are you doing lying down, you fools?! Get up this instant!"


    At Hyun-seok''smand, his group moved their bodies while staggering. However, they failed to carry out his orders. It seemed that the damage they received was so great that it was almost impossible for them to recover. In fact, half of the group had already died and crossed the Styx River. The only forces that could move were the four Undeads that stood at the very end of the group. "Coughhh! I''m¡­ I''m sorry, Sect Leader-nim. Our bodies and Mana...have all been destroyed from within."


    "What? When did you prepare it? At which point exactly did you have the opening to do so?"


    "That''s why." At that time, a new face entered Gwanghwamun Pavilion. He was a high school student wearing a high-quality suit, appearing to be in his midte 20s or at most in his 30s. He had broad shoulders as well as an attractively tall height. He was Bae Jae-seok, my long-time friend and the grandson of Bae Jin-man, Chairman of Ilsung, a leading Korean conglomerate. "Even if you want to rip someone off, you should do it moderately. Oh my God. You have been eating, drinking, and even getting call girls with what you ripped off from a minor... Don''t you feel embarrassed? You look like this because you''ve been living like that."


    "Y-You punk. You, the son of a lowly businessman, dares to?"


    "What era do you think we are in to talk about bullshit such as a lowly businessman? Are you a moron who thinks you''re some great being after killing people and fiddling with their corpses?"


    "Y-You bastard... How dare you!!!" Hyun-seok froze as if flustered by the unexpected biting remarks. However, he soon made a vicious expression and unleashed a ck Mana.


    Kreukk! Kreuuukkkkkk!! Kruuooaaaar---! The Undeads, who did not even budge an inch even in the midst of a rapidly changing situation, began to unleash a uncouth energy.


    Sliiickkkkk. However, four fierce shes could be heard coldly cut through the space before the Undeads could move. It was an instant attack that was hard for ordinary people to differentiate whether it was one attack or four.


    "I really abhor patriotic acts. What do you mean by an Emperor and a King in this era of globalization? Who cares about the sacrifices made for the country, or the nation and the people? It''s all anachronistic crap." Following that voice, a slender pair of legs unexpectedly appeared in the empty mid-air. Then, a smooth waist, a voluptuous chest, two long arms holding onto two daggers, and finally eyes that seemed to have a temperament, as well as a sharp nose and twisted lips, revealed themselves. "But." My ssmate and the princess of the Lee Family, Kyung-eun, who finally showed herself, shook off the ck blood dripping from the dagger. She continued coldly, "Not as much as you guys, you traitorous bastards."


    "You, t-this bitch¡­ Why are you here? The bitch who dered that she has no lingering attachment to the Lee Family..."


    "What are you talking about, you fool? It''s true that I was preparing for my independence, but that does not mean that I wish for the Lee Family''s destruction, alright? After saying things like patriotism, and the devotion to the country that the lot of you have been bullshitting about, it''s ridiculous that you''re the first to betray me."


    "You...! This...!"


    Sliiickkkkk. Both their arms were cut off as soon as they shouted. Kyung-eunughed, "Well, I still like trash like you guys." Her eyes were shining coldly. "It''s not easy to kill people and umte Virtue Karma, you know."


    "W-Wait a moment! I just, to the proposal of the Zhu Imperial Household..."


    Sliiickkkkk. A ck line shed across their neck even before they could finish talking. The head, which was cut as smoothly as a cheap CGI effect, fell and rolled on the floor of the pavilion just like that. For some reason, there wasn''t a single drop of blood in the dissected part.


    "Ughhh, that''s bloody."


    While Jae-seok hid behind Min-kyung, slightly pale in the face, she praised him, "Well done. It must have been a lot of pressure."


    Jae-seok shook his head. "Rather, I''m grateful for the opportunity. Among our employees, over 30 victims were killed by those bastards."


    "Wow! The Virtue Karma went up 147 points! What the hell did this crazy guy do despite being a member of the Lee Family? It''s because of this kind of bastard that even decent necromancers are criticized!" Kyung-eun also stood next to Min-kyung with an unwavering expression. Her nonchnt attitude that seemed to indicate that it was a matter of course, suggested that what they did was not a mere incident or ident.


    "No, even if so, this is... Imperial Princess-nim, Hyun-seok is the head of the Supreme Magic Tower Faction''s wizards that are in the Lee Family. How can you make such an extreme choice at this critical juncture?"


    "How could you kill Mr. Hyun-seok without even holding a proper trial, or going through a proper procedure?! Did you get His Majesty''s permission?!"


    "How could you do such a hasty act?!"


    The senior members of the Lee Family, who had been silent, began to raise their voices and spark amotion. It was a pretty fierce atmosphere given that they were all ability users. However, Min-kyung did not even bat an eye. No, beyond that, she red at them andughed instead. Then, she said, "Shut up."


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    Gwanghwamun Pavilion, which was as noisy as the marketce floor, fell into silence. Before she knew it, the atmosphere around her was boiling and the air heated up. It was an ultra-high heat that could even vaporize a flying lead bullet in an instant! What was more surprising was the fact that, in spite of the heat wave that was whirling around, there was not even a single speck of soot on the wooden floor of the pavilion that she was stepping on.


    "H-How could Princess Min-kyung exert such power..."


    "Princess Kyung-eun inherited the origins of a Lord Justice, but Princess Min-kyung shouldn''t have had that sort of thing..."


    Unlike me, who had known her level (Level 9) from the first time I saw her, the senior members of the Lee Family were perplexed because they could not grasp her level. However, instead of threatening or appeasing them, Min-kyung lightly kicked off the ground and got up the railing. Then, she shouted.


    - Imand the entire army!


    There was a tremendous roar that burst forth as if a train funnel was whistling. It was an overwhelmingly powerful voice that attracted the gazes of tens of thousands of people, who were only focused on the Captain''s War. She drew all their attention while on top of Gwanghwamun Pavilion''s railing, and then she shouted again.


    - I dere the start of the war!


    Shlurkkk shlur shlurkkk! Shlurkkk shlur shlur shlurkkk! More than a thousand archers who had been thoroughly hiding their battle formation along the surrounding walls, on top of Gwanghwamun Pavilion, and along the roofs, revealed themselves.


    ''There aren''t even that many spaces, but there seems to be a lot of them. Is it a kind of spatial expansion?'' I wondered. There was an excessive concentration of people in the space that was limited by restricted ess. The figures of those people ovepped as if they were being seen through a kaleidoscope or something.


    Everyone was seen panicking at the sudden appearance. I knew from the moment I came here, because I was immune to the phantoms, but that was not the case for the others.


    "Hwa¡­ The Hwarang group?!"


    "Moreover, that appearance is..."


    "How can this be?! Does that mean the Flower Rain[1] is ready!? That''s outrageous! That''s the authority of the Patriarch, no, the authority of the King! The Princess shouldn''t have had the authority to move them!"


    I looked at the archers above the walls again as I heard their screams. ''Hwarang group, huh. Now that I look at them, they''re all young, and handsome. They look like idols.''


    They were all good-looking men and women in their teens and 20s with a young and beautiful appearance. They were dressed in stylish attires, and even fancy make-up, that did not suit this urgent situation. They even had splendid hairstyles as if they just visited the salon a few hours ago and received a hairdresser''s magic touch. It was a sight that made it hard to tell whether this was a battlefield or an idol track and fieldpetition.


    They had three quivers behind their back and one at each side of their waist, making it a total of five quivers. Among them, four quivers were loaded with arrows shining in gold, and the one on their right waist was filled with tree branches with blossoming flowers.


    Cluck. Then, a new figure showed herself on the pavilion. It was a girl in herte teens, dressed up like the other members of the Hwarang group. To my surprise, she was someone I knew. "Loyalty! In-geom, Choi Bae-dal. All preparations areplete!"


    "This! What the hell is this?! In-geom! What do you think you are doing right now?! Wasn''t it decided that the Hwarang group would be on standby inside the pce?!"


    "This is crazy! Absolutely crazy! This is treason!!!"


    I let out a vainugh at the sight of the girl who did not bat an eyelid despite the harsh criticism and condemnation. I thought, ''No, wait, you''re telling me it''s Leaf?''


    She was the most talented singer-songwriter in Korea, as well as a popr star who would top the charts every time she released a new song. I knew there were many people who travelled between the parallel world and the surface world, but how could a celebrity, whose every move was recorded, be the head of an armed group?


    "It''s wartime right now. Please focus on the situation."


    "No, even if that is the case!"


    "What a rash action this is! Whatever judgment it is that you have made, the Right of Command lied with His Majesty! Moreover, while the Captain''s War is being carried out, it would be impossible to fight due to the system!" Someone among the senior members of the Lee Family shouted. He was not wrong. Due to the distribution of the Great Wizard, Earth''s ability users who received a calibration could not resist the system. Wasn''t that the reason why Zhou Hongyi was not the slightest bit nervous even when he actually came into the middle of the Lee Family and waspletely surrounded?


    However, Min-kyung lightly ignored his cry and raised her right hand. Before I realized it, she was holding a jet-ck saber in her hands. The faces of the senior members who confirmed that appearance of hers turned pale.


    "Four Day Evil shing Sword!!!"


    "Why is the King''s Godly Artifact with the Princess?!!"


    Min-kyung shouted through the screams, "I dere to use the Right of Command! Mark the unqualified ones!"


    The Lee Family used the General Right of Command. 88 remaining uses. Along with the text, a ''Wiiiiingggg!'' sound was heard and a huge wave spread in all directions.


    ''What the?''


    A High-level Spell was used in a 10-kilometer radius centering around the Gyeongbokgung Pce!


    ''What''s the type?''


    It''s a Phantom Spell.


    ''Phantom?'' I did not understand the situation at the moment, but I soon understood what she was saying as I saw the phantoms that appeared all over Gwanghwamun Square.


    "What is this?! There''s an arrow-mark on top of their heads!"


    "The enemy used magic! Invoke the Spell Nullification ability!"


    "It''s not working! No, that aside, a high-ranking wizard who can apply such a spell to this extent shouldn''t exist in the Lee Family!"


    The sounds of the flustered Chinese people who filled up Gwanghwamun Square was conveyed to me by Udjat''s automatic trantion function.


    "Commence free fire!"


    Piiiing phwiing!!! At the same time as themand, the archers standing on the wall of Gyeongbokgung Pce began to fire out arrows. It was a violent quick fire where each arrow was released before the previous one could even hit its target. Furthermore, there were more than a thousand archers firing at such a speed, which meant that thousands of arrows were fired. That led to thousands of arrows of death covering the sky above Gwanghwamun Gate. Thuck thuck thuck! Thuck!


    "Keuackkkk!!!"


    "Ackkk!!"


    "Get out of the way! I said get out of the way, you guys!"


    Blood sttered everywhere and Gwanghwamun Square was stained with blood in no time. China''s ability users gathered in front of Gwanghwamun Gate were definitely not low-level enemies, but they couldn''t block or avoid the arrows. The power of each arrow imbued with a strong spell was too mighty to block, and the density of humans who gathered in front of Gwanghwamun Gate was too high to avoid. Frankly speaking, how could the Chinese people, who gathered like a packed subway train in order to pressure the Lee Family, avoid the arrows that were flying towards them?


    "Bastard!!! You bastarddddddddd!!!!"


    "Ah, old man. Why are you so agitated?" Hyung was seen smiling as he gently avoided the old man¡¯s huge de attack.


    Unlike Hyung, who was calm andposed, theplexion of the old man, namely the de Emperor, was pale beyondparison. He looked like he was having a nightmare or something. "Don''t avoid it and bring it on, you fucker!!!"


    "I don''t want to though? You know, I want to fight for a long time." Hyung smiled with his back to the rain of arrows pouring down from the top of the wall of Gyeongbokgung Pce. "For a very veryyyy long time." It was such an innocent smile that it was utterly viinous.


    1. There are no records on this online. But I believe it is a Battle Formation of the Hwarang group from the Si Kingdom.

 Vol 2. 35: A Tumultuous War (3)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 35: A Tumultuous War (3)</h4>


    The Selected Ones¡¯ power was to thoroughly identify the talents of all the humans on the with a nearly obsessive lens. Furthermore, owing to the merit of <strong>one-sided benefits</strong>, it had led to most Earth''s ability users joining the system. In fact, almost all the ability users that existed on Earth had <strong>Stats </strong>and <strong>Skills</strong>!


    However, the fact that <strong>almost all</strong> the ability users on Earth belonged to the Great Wizard''s System also indicated that not <strong>all </strong>ability users on Earth belonged to that one system. Two percent of the 10.5 million ability users on Earth meant that about 200,000 ability users existed outside the system''s area of jurisdiction. This was not due to reasons such as the Selected Ones discriminating against people. Rather, there were those who had given up the <strong>benefits </strong>of the system because they had a special goal.


    "They probably thought they were smart. Since something of this extent isn¡¯t even foul y, they would have thought that their preparation was a wise choice. They just¡­¡± Min-kyung spoke with a voice that dripped with chilliness. "They just didn''t know that they are underhanded fools."


    Standing on the wall, themander who heard Min-kyung¡¯s voice shouted at the top of his lungs, "Shoot! Keep shooting!"


    <i>Thuck! Thuck thuck! Thuck!</i>


    "Hiiikkk!! These damned small country bastards!!"


    "Get back! Back off, you idiots!!!"


    Under the pouring rain of arrows, the Chinese people surrounding Gyeongbokgung Pce and Gwanghwamun Gate were dying in heaps. This was originally an impossible feat, since the Lee Family was in the middle of carrying out the Captain''s War. Those belonging to the system were banned from fighting while the Captain''s War was underway, after all.


    <strong>This is what it means to mark the unqualified ones. The Chinese people with arrow-marks above their heads did not belong to Earth''s system, so they''re beings who exist outside of the system''s protection.</strong>


    It was impossible for both the Lee Family and the Zhu Family to engage inbat during the Captain''s War. The moment Zhou Hongyi lost, the Zhu Family led all their forces to barge into and destroy the Lee Family. The only reason they were still in the Captain¡¯s War was because they could not void it, not because they were honorable beings.


    However, if the target was an outsider who did not belong to the system, then the story would bepletely different. The situation was even worse because that wasn¡¯t the only problem.


    "Keukkk!! W-Why, how?! I am the Selected One''s... Kreuukkk!" As blood bubbled out of his mouth, a warrior of the Zhu Family died. His neck had been struck by an archer''s arrow shot from the wall of Gyeongbokgung Pce.


    <strong>He didn''t shoot because he saw the firing path. This is simply an unfortunate oue of the unqualified one avoiding the arrow. </strong>


    <i>''I was wondering on what basis they had the confidence to disregard the difference in number¡­ Do they have a method to do so?¡¯ </i>I asked. The system''s prohibition ofbat was not in the form of preventing arrows from flying towards the protected parties by somehow messing with thews of physics, but restraining the yer''s <strong>will</strong> in attacking other yers. To distinguish between the systems, it was basically a Mental-type Great Magic that coerced the awareness of those who belonged to the system.


    <i>''A loophole in the system,'' </i>I murmured. The archers on the walls only aimed for the unqualified ones, who were all marked with an arrow-mark above the head. There was no need to think about whether the person was an unqualified one or not. However, there was a minor problem here. It was the fact that the arrows fired by the Lee Family''s archers might pierce through other enemies<strong> owing to unavoidable circumstances</strong>. <i>''If they don''t stop the arrows, then someone would definitely get hit.''</i>


    If the unqualified ones avoided the flying arrows, the other warriors behind them would get hit instead. What if even the warrior behind the first evaded? Then the warrior behind him would be shot. Since the archers were controlling the firing trajectory, casualties were simply inevitable.


    <i>''Genie, what''s the difference between the forces of the Lee Family and the Zhu Family? What is the ratio of unqualified ones and the Selected Ones?''</i>


    <strong>The Zhu Family''sbatants went from 150,000...to 148,411 people. The number ofbatants on the Lee Family side is 27,000.</strong>


    <i>''What about the number of unqualified ones?''</i>


    <strong>There are 53,000 unqualified ones mixed within the Zhu Family''s side and 1,500 unqualified ones on the Lee Family''s side.</strong>


    <i>''That''s a huge difference,'' </i>I muttered. 30,000 against 150,000. If a fight between 3 against 15 was hopeless, then a war between 30,000 against 150,000 was literally the epitome of despair. If one were to look through the history of human warfare, there were times when a force could win against enemies with five times more troops. However, there would naturally be other problems to ovee, such as supply or the extreme difference in the quality of weapons. The involvement of a special terrain could change the circumstance of war as well. Unfortunately, the current situation was a typical one with enemies who were in high spirits right in front of their eyes.


    Why would Napoleon say, "A great army has no need for military tactics?" Even if there was a war, the Zhu Family¡¯s side would not suffer from this many deaths. Without bringing about Lanchester''sw[1], violence on a scale of a war was bound to have overwhelming consequences as the difference widened.


    Perhaps because they knew that, the Zhu Familynded in Korea just before the Captain''s War with an enormous force that exceeded the members of the Lee Family. Even if the Lee Family won the Captain''s War and gained the authority of the Forbidden City, the forces they gathered in this ce would threaten to destroy the Lee Family. There was an absolute barrier of <strong>entry restriction</strong>, but the whole world knowing of its performance and characteristics rendered it useless. They obviously came prepared.


    <i>''The entry restriction is a powerful protective barrier made by ultimate magic, but the entrance to the front should not and cannot be blocked.'' </i>The entry restriction limited the battlefield and was a barrier that blocked enemies who remained hidden, but it was not an absolute wall that prevented enemies froming through the front. As long as Sejong and Sun-shin, who perfectly managed the entry restriction, did not operate when going against humans, the Lee Family who was losing out in the quantity and quality of their military forces would have no chance of winning¡­


    <i>''But they initiated the fight even in such a situation.'' </i>I turned my head slightly and looked at Min-kyung, who was a girl facing an overwhelming 150,000 troops. She had a mature appearance and air around her, but she was only still a high school student.


    <strong>It''s a good start for now. There are already more than 3,000 deaths on the Zhu Family''s side.</strong>


    <i>''Even if we get rid of 3,000 people, there are still 147,000 left. And I''m sure those from the Zhu Family are not all idiots, so they won''t let themselves be treated like this with no end in sight.'' </i>I approached the railing and looked down at Gwanghwamun Square. I could feel the high-spirited ability users of the Zhu Family being shaken.


    Even if they were ability users who lived in an extremely dangerous world, it would be difficult for them to have nerves of steel in the face of the pouring rain of arrows. Also, no normal arrows were used. Those were arrows fully imbued with neigong which could pierce through a specialized armor¡­ However, as much as they were shaken, their carelessness also disappeared quickly. They felt a sense of crisis and began toe up with desperate measures.


    "Attack!!!"


    "Kill them!"


    The Chinese warriors at the front, who were being hit by the arrow rain, began to charge towards Gwanghwamun Gate all at once. It was impossible to retreat, because of the Chinese people who crowded the roads as well as Gwanghwamun Square! With those considerations, their first target was quickly decided upon.


    "Help the de Emperor-nim!"


    "Surround them!! Stop them from getting away!"''


    Dozens of warriors charged at Hyung, who was facing off against an old man holding a huge de. Of course, arrows poured out from above the wall to target them, but the warriors of the Zhu Family instantly adapted to a desperate measure. The Selected Ones blocked the members who weren''t selected.


    "Uckk...!"


    "This!!"


    The archers on the wall expressed their confusion. It seemed that the archers could not muster up the will to fire the arrows as the Zhu Family''s Selected Ones were blocking the front. It seemed that they were self-conscious in which they could only target the members who weren''t selected, so they couldn''t attack as long as the Selected Ones evidently stood around at the forefront.


    However, Hyung, who was avoiding the attack of the old man called de Emperor, was not perplexed at all. He just took a step forward and swung the cutter knife.


    <i>Krrckkk! </i>Blood sttered. Eight warriors were on their knees in just one sh. The Sword Qi which was filled with killing intent couldn''t be endured, so their necks were swiftly shed despite their superhuman-like physical abilities. "Keukkkk!! This greenhorn brat!!"


    It was an extremely dangerous attack from the perspective of a third party like me. Hyung''s sword style was literally,pletely unprotected from any attack. However, the enemies as well as the de Emperor old man could not attack Hyung at all.


    "You used us as shields!!"


    That''s right. Hyung stayed close to the Selected Ones who stood in front of the members who weren''t selected. It was as if he was hugging them. Then, he sent a few waves of Sword Qi from behind them. It was not allowed to sh with the selected members, but it seemed that standing close to them didn''t pose a problem. Of course, he could <i>''only stand close by and nevere into contact''</i> as an absolute assurance that his n would work.


    "I dere to resume!" Hyung shouted out of the blue. Although it was an iprehensible shout, de Emperor, who was facing off against Hyung, distorted his face. He seemingly knew the meaning behind hyung''s words.


    "Don''t be ridiculous and surrender! It seems that you have made some preparations, but don''t you know that if you harm our Zhu Family, the iron club of punishment thates would only be more severe?! I ept it!"


    However, despite his warning, Hyung did not bat an eyelid. "Resume it!"


    "I ept it!"


    "Resume it!"


    "You stupid fool!!!"


    <i>Boom!</i>


    "Argh! Avoid it!"


    "Keukkk! Turn around and surround them!"


    "But the arrows!!!"


    The battle resumed once again. A bloodthirsty shower of arrows flew, killing and piercing through the warriors who charged in. Then, there was hyung, who continued to fight for survival while his whole body was soaked in the blood of the enemies.


    "Hyung..." I stood still and looked down at the scene of chaos. In the brutal battlefield, where blood and flesh were scattered everywhere, Hyung''s figure was radiating in ck. "What the, what the hell is this?" I let out a sigh. Was this really a stage for a Korean high school student to stand on? However, if that was Hyung''s choice, I couldn''t force him to do things my way. But if there was something I could do for him¡­ "Ares."


    <i>Chwareukkk</i><i>!! </i>In the empty air, a mass of maic sand appeared and transformed into an armored man. I have <strong>summoned</strong> Ares as a Metal Spirit.


    "This... What is this? A Metal Spirit was summoned out of thin air?¡± One of the senior members of the Lee Family, who was rendered helpless by the rapidly changing situation, had a look of disbelief on his face.


    In order to summon a Metal Spirit, a metallic substance or a steel-like metal was obviously needed. So it would, of course, seem strange if it naturally appeared out of thin air like some sort of Wind Spirit or Fire Spirit. However, I only used the simple method of digging up maic sands from the Unique World.


    I ignored their flustered reactions and reached out my hand. It was also interesting to know that I could bring forth a lot more than just maic sand, which was a <strong>raw material</strong> from the Unique World. <i>Whooshhhh! </i>In the air, a pair of heavy-looking steel gloves appeared with the title <strong>Fusion-type P-1 Gloves</strong> above. <i>ng ckk! </i>Just like that, I put on the steel gloves that came flying in. Of course, the gloves were just the beginning.


    <strong>Fusion-type P-1 Top Piece</strong>


    <strong>Fusion-type P-1 Bottom Piece</strong>


    <strong>Fusion-type P-1 Shoes</strong>


    <strong>Fusion-type P-1 Helmet</strong>


    <i>Kigik! </i><i>Kigigik</i><i>! ng ck! </i>The parts that appeared through space were equipped on my body along with a metallic sound. Finally, as the helmet was worn, aplete suit that covered my entire body appeared.


    Needless to say, this was not some sort of ability in itself. Just based on the process up to this point, I had only worn heavy full-body armor. It might be something notable if this was the Middle Ages, but in the parallel world where monsters that could avoid bullets and slice up tanks from the front lived in, what use would there be for such a full-body armor? It was not imbued with magic or a special energy, since it was just a <strong>Mechanical Equipment</strong>. Because of that, while feeling the weight of steel all over my body, I said, "I''ll leave it to you."


    <strong>You may have guessed, but¡­ </strong>Along with a<i> ''</i><i>Clinkkk</i><i>!''</i> sound, Ares turned back into maic sand powder to seep through the gaps in the metal suit. He then connected the parts to one another. <strong>It''s made in such a simple way that it wouldn''t even be at the level of a Power Armor, let alone a Gigas.</strong>


    <i>''You just have to put on a show.''</i>


    <i>Chwareukkk</i><i>! </i><i>Cling</i><i> </i><i>nkkk</i><i>! </i><i>Cling</i><i> </i><i>nkkk</i><i>! </i>Eventually, the steel armor that waspletely assembled revealed itself to the world. It was the maiden work that I produced in the Unique World with all my heart and soul. <i>¡®P-1!¡¯ </i>Feeling proud, I stuck out my chest proudly.


    However, Ares showed neither astonishment or admiration. <strong>It''s a primitive form of a Gigas. It''s almost a cultural heritage, you know? Do you see the core storage section on the chest? It''s not even an Iron Heart but a nuclear fusion core. It''s giving me goosebumps.</strong>


    "..."


    1. Lanchester''sws are mathematical forme for calcting the rtive strengths of military forces. The Lanchester equations are differential equations describing the time dependence of two armies'' strengths A and B as a function of time, with the function depending only on A and B. For more information, please check https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Lanchester%27sws.

 Vol 2. 36: A Tumultuous War (4)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 36: A Tumultuous War (4)</h4>


    It''s a primitive form of a Gigas. It''s almost a cultural heritage, you know? Do you see the core storage section on the chest? It''s not even an Iron Heart but a nuclear fusion core. It''s giving me goosebumps.


    "..."


    Iron Heart was a state-of-the-art technology that had only been invented a few hundred years ago. Even so, it didn¡¯t mean that the history of Gigas only spanned across that period of time. Without a need of looking far, Earth itself was a Stage II Civilization with a Power Suit that strengthened the users. In broader terms, that was also a primitive form of a Gigas, which was amon term used to refer to human-controlled Giants.


    I had been working on the production which used Aura in the Unique World, while Ares was training my body in reality. At first, I wanted to create a Human-rank like Napoleon, or a Beast-rank like Thunder Dragon if I couldn¡¯t do that much. However, that was just wishful thinking on my part, since even thoughtlessly desiring for a Tool-rank was difficult. Even if Albatross had hundreds and thousands of blueprints, I was not at the level that would dare to challenge it. I had just gotten into trying out production, after all.


    That was why I made P-1 while referring to the Gigas of the past, which had the simplest structure possible. In my opinion, it was the best choice I had, so for it to be dismissed in such a way¡­ ¡®Even if P-1 is being criticized like that, I am sure it must seem quite fascinating to some others.¡¯


    "A Metal-attribute Spirit Master who just contracted a spirit is able to control a metal that can cover the whole body...?"


    "This is not a matter of talent. I can''t believe you''re already able to gather that much spiritual energy... It''s normal if you can''t handle 500 grams of metal, let alone 1 kilogram."


    "That form... Is it armor? It also looks like some sort of robot."


    It felt pretty good when the senior members of the Lee Family were admiring me, but on the other hand, it was dumbfounding. They couldn¡¯t necessarily control their reactions, but what were they doing? I wasn¡¯t even fighting for the sake of the Lee Family, nor was I causing a revolt. I just stood in ce to watch over the situation when the war happened. As not all of them were fools, one senior member of the Lee Family spoke up, "What are you all doing right now?!! Why are you all standing there like idiots while the enemies of the Lee Family are swarming towards us?!"


    "B-But Elder Heavenly Sword! We can''t fight against the Zhu Family!"


    "This goes against the rtionship between the two families. This is also something that we have brought upon ourselves. We¡¯ve established a good enough rtionship, so if we just negotiate with them on good terms¡­¡±


    At the sight of them bbering, I let out an exmation, "Wow." I found it incredible. Were they stupid fools? It was unbelievable that they would say such things even in this situation. At this point, it was fascinating that their betrayal was not immediate after pledging loyalty to the Zhu Family.


    To be exact, they can''t betray the Zhu Family.


    There are a considerable number of troops concentrated on the pavilion at Gwanghwamun Gate.


    I slightly moved and looked into Gyeongbokgung Pce. As the two control persons said, the Lee Family''s forces hadpletely gathered inside before I even realized. Wizards in robes, warriors in heavy armor, Were Beasts that had bestial heads, and martial artists carrying only one weapon without wearing any armor¡­ Those numbers weren¡¯t even the entire force.


    The gray-haired old man, who told the senior members of the Lee Family off, shouted, "Imand you in the name of the Heavenly Sword! The Demons of Jirisan are to return back to their natural appearances!"


    There was a loud ringing sound and, soon, bestial cries resonated from the inside of Gyeongbokgung Pce. Kruuuwangggg---! Grooarrr!!! Were Beasts, half-human half-beasts with the heads of a wolf, wildcat, tiger, and bear, gathered towards Gwanghwamun Gate. The beasts boasted an enormous size of close to 2.5 meters tall and they exuded a violent aura just by standing there.


    Were Beasts were beings I had seen a lot within the Lee Family, but I could feel that they were on a different levelpared to those I had seen before. Moreover, I could feel a strangely familiar energy¡­ ''Ah, that''s right. Synthetic Magical Beast.'' That was a word that I had seen in the title of Seon-ae, a ssmate and desk partner whom I had be awkward around now. To be honest, I did not really know what it was because I just overlooked it. It seemed a minute detail, after all.


    They are half-human half-beasts that are widely spread around Gyeongbokgung Pce. They number around 108, to be exact.


    As I listened to Genie''s exnation, I stared at the old man called Heavenly Sword. He had a firm expression, as if he said what had to be said, but I could tell what he was thinking just by slightly breaking down his title.


    Lee Family


    Level 11


    Standing at a crossroad, Lee Jong-woo


    I momentarily pondered over what that meant, but soon figured out his situation, which was now obvious to me. In the first ce, why were 108 Synthetic Magical Beasts scattered all around inside Gyeongbokgung Pce when they were fighting against external existences? Gyeongbokgung Pce was equipped with an absolute barrier, entry restriction, to defend against any intrusion from ces other than the entrance.


    ''They''re thinking about which side to take, huh?'' As I found out about the situation, I could grasp the worries in the eyes of Heavenly Sword. The pro-China faction¡ªwhich was connected to the Zhu Family, the strongest force in the parallel world¡ªand the Imperial Princess Min-kyung¡¯s faction¡ªwhich saved the entire Lee Family and obviously stepped on the Zhu Family''s pride with Hyung''s existence. Between these two forces, he wasn''t sure who to side with.


    ''It''s a choice where even the few Master-level strong beings of the Lee Family would be destroyed if things went wrong.'' The situation was so critical that it was not possible for him to move rashly even though he was number one among the strongest in the Lee Family, the Six Swords (Heavenly-Earth-Human-Wind-Cloud-Rain). What would happen if he betrayed at this moment and the Lee Family won against the Zhu Family? Then again, what would happen after if he participated in the war and damaged the Zhu Family greatly?


    Rather, if it was a situation where he could properly betray the Lee Family, he might have alreadymitted a betrayal. However, Hyung''s Captain''s War was still in progress, so it was hard to properly betray the Lee Family because fighting among allies was banned. Everything would only be possible after the Captain''s War, but this was a rapidly changing situation that he couldn¡¯t just hold out forever. As long as Kyung-eun, who did not join the system as she was a branch-member of the Lee Family, had started the punishment next to Min-kyung, the options he could choose from were extremely limited.


    "What."


    Cluuuunk. A heavy metallic sound was heard as I lightly jumped onto the railing.


    "Wow!!!"


    "Die!!!"


    A battlefield filled with blood and flesh entered my eyes as I murmured, "Although this war is actually none of my concern..."


    Min-kyung, who had an ice-cold expression on her face, turned her head toward me and shouted, "Dae-ha! What are you doing right now!"


    "I''ll be right back."


    "What! You''re a Selected One too! You can''t be involved in the battle right now!"


    "We''ll see." I chuckled and jumped off the railing. For a moment, my body floated and fell¡­ It wouldn''t be like this if I had trained my Life Energy differently. I could jump tens of meters just by jumping in ce, so I dropped like a cannonball and smashed everything I crashed against. A Life Energy practitioner with high stats was basically no different from a living tank, since they were the incarnation of destruction that crushed and shattered everything that approached. However, as a practitioner of the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, things were a little different in my case. Thuuud. It was a very softnding, despite the fact that I jumped down from the fairly high pavilion in Gwanghwamun Gate while wearing a heavy-looking full-body armor.


    "That Joseon man came down!"


    "What is this? Armor?"


    "Hmph, he''s a ssaurabi[1]!"


    Swhhooook. As Inded on the ground, the warriors who stood under the wall approached me. They came close, as if trying to hug me or something. As if we had nned to do so beforehand, their natural moves were literally like flowing water, and a series of attacks ensued. Thuckkk! A Prating Jin which got through the armor and destroyed the insides, followed by a Leg Throw which broke down my body''s center of gravity...


    The Chinese warrior with an arrow-mark on his head twisted and grabbed the front of my gloves, which fell. He lifted them as they were. Seeing that he instantly overpowered me, it showed that he was a considerably strong master.


    ''I came down while purposely aiming for the one who had the highest level, but this is no joke, though?''


    The Martial Essence[2] contained in the single movement that caught my body was not something that I could resist. How could I resist the single stroke that contained tens of thousands of training and learning when I had never learned martial arts properly? Just because I was well-versed in martial arts did not mean that I could deal with all sorts of situations.


    Thuuck thud thuck.


    "¡­What''s this sound?"


    "The shock energy is being stored.¡±


    The Chinese warrior who used my body as an arrow shield wriggled his eyebrows. It was most probably because my voice sounded fine, when I should have lost my mind after being hit by the Prating Jin.


    "You bastard!"


    Taaaaang! A single attack which was like lightning struck my armor. His attitude of unquestioningly giving his all in this unexpected situation was not a bad choice. However, he did not get a good grasp of me.


    Whooooosh!


    "Keuuu...uckkkk?" The warrior trembled greatly once as he was holding on to my armor, and he soon copsed while vomiting blood. His training, which reached a realm close to Master-level, was amazing, but he still couldn¡¯t stop the attack that existed beyond hisprehension.


    "Commander-nim!!! You bastard! You Lee Family fucker! Joseon brute!! How dare you?!!" A pounce followed after the charge. The warrior who approached in an instant struck me on the head in a great stance. It was a domineering spirit which felt like he wanted to deal with me in a single stroke! However... aank.


    "W-What the¡­? Why is the point of contact like this?!" No one was perplexed by the fact that I had steel covering my entire body, since they were masters who could shatter rocks with their bare hands and cut down theposite armor of a tank with knives. Every single attack of theirs could inflict an impact greater than a traffic ident to their enemies, so the defensive power of an armor was meaningless in the first ce. Given the circumstances, they must have been flustered by the fact that I did not block their attacks with any sort of mysterious powers despite the armor being crushed by their attack. That was clearly a phenomenon that was beyond theirprehension.


    Are you alright?


    ''It feels like being hit by a cotton ball.'' As I responded to Genie''s question, I grabbed the Chinese warrior''s sword by hand, and then... Wiiinggg!


    "Keokk!" He fell along with a groan.


    "That-! What''s with that armored fucker?!"


    "Don''t get close to him! Something''s weird about him!"


    I slightly warmed up while ignoring the flustered enemies. ''It''s as I thought.'' I trained in the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, which had an extremepatibility with being damaged, and I also wore armor that could block against acute spirit[3], so I was practically immune to physical attacks. If they did not have the power to cut down the armor, which was imbued with aura, without a hint of resistance, the moment the attack power converted into impulsive force, the impact would turn into vibrations and be absorbed by my body.


    "Book." p p! As I said the words, a book appeared in mid air. It was already past midnight, so the Abilities of the Day would be renewed.


    *Abilities of the Day!


    *Summons


    Ares


    I froze as I confirmed the contents written in the book. "No, wait? A Legend-grade Ability in this situation?" It was also a pretty brutal kind of attack too.


    1. Ssaurabi (????) is a modern Koreanpound which literally means "a father who fights"."Ssaurabi" would be the literal Korean expression for "a man who fights."


    2. In this context, Martial Essence refers to the logic or naturalw behind the martial art.


    3. In this context, it refers to highly trained and sharp energy or aura.

 Vol 2. 37: A Tumultuous War (5)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 37: A Tumultuous War (5)</h4>


    <i>ng! Tang!</i>


    As I looked over my abilities, arrows fell to the ground after bouncing off my armor with a light metallic sound.


    It wasn¡¯t even a <i>Boom! </i>Or a <i>Kwang!</i> But a small, timid sound. I saw the bewildered attackers through the small holes in my armor. They seemed to be confused about the situation. It wasn¡¯t that they were stupid or because the performance of my armor was miraculous, but because the mechanism itself was alien to the abilities of earth.


    ¡°I used my maximum power and included my qi in that strike¡­ Not only the armor, but even the arrowheads arepletely intact.¡±


    ¡°This is strange. I would understand it if it was a shield, but magic armor like that is¡­¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t feel any manaing from it?¡±


    I could see that everyone was brooding, but they would never be able to understand the exact capabilities and mechanism of P-1. The reason why P-1 was able to absorb all forms of shock was because it was specially crafted from a maic sand from the Unique World with the ability of aura control. It was formed from concentric circles.


    <i>¡®This aura thing is quite interesting.¡¯</i>


    In general, awakening an elemental aura would allow me to control the energy of metal. I could strengthen my skin to be like metal or move metal with my will, just like a certain viin in a hero movie. In my case, however, I possessed an additional skill, which was closer to a superpower.


    <strong>To think you would get something like attribute granting right off the bat. Even if your metallic affinity is crazy high, this is ridiculous.</strong>


    <strong>It is a skill only possessed by the prodigies or genius masters of the Kendler Tribe. With this skill alone, you could join a gigas production team.</strong>


    Just as my two bewilderedpanions were saying, I was able to bestow an attribute onto the P-1¡¯s outeryer.. When it received an outside attack, it possessed a special ability to distribute the impact throughout the armor through concentric circles, regardless of how focused the attack was. Of course, the impact was dispersed, not dissipated. As such, when the armor received an attack, the entire structure vibrated like mad.


    But that was where the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights came into y. The red would absorb and umte the vibrations. I did not even need green, which converted external energy into vibrations. The impact of the attacks was already converted into vibrations as it dispersed through my armor, so I just needed to absorb it.


    <i>Bang!</i>


    With the sound of air bursting, a figure fell down next to me. It was my brother, who was engaged with a duel with the de Emperor.


    ¡°Daeha!? What are you doing here? You can¡¯t get involved in the duel!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? The other side has random nobodies interfering too, right?¡±


    I kicked away the body that caught my foot. During that short interval, more than ten enemies jumped at my brother. Of course, all of them fell to the floor with their throats cut, but the problem was that several times more enemies were slowly creeping up.


    <i>¡®They are desperate.¡¯</i>


    I could feel that their tenacity transcended death. Perhaps theirmitment towards their nation and its people were forcing them to walk towards death voluntarily. It was a desperation close to madness. If not for the Hwarang group¡¯s support, it would have been hard for my brother despite how strong he was.


    ¡°Continue!¡±


    My brother shouted loudly. I asked while sneaking a little closer to him.


    ¡°Why do you keep shouting that?¡±


    ¡°He keeps asking me if I want to stop the duel because of external interference. Not a chance.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get distracted, you bastard!¡±


    <i>ng!</i>


    The blue sword of the de Emperor collided with my brother¡¯s ck sword. I slipped out sideways, and the de Emperor shouted loudly when he saw me.


    ¡°You insolent bastard! How dare you interfere? Where do you think you are!?¡±


    ¡°My god, then did those guys on the ground interfere because they had an invitation? You¡¯ve lived long enough, please act your age.¡±


    ¡°W, what did you say? How dare you!¡±


    His face quickly turned read, but he could not act on his anger. He couldn¡¯t wield his glowing, blue sword. He was restricted by the system, so it was impossible for him to attack unless he could ovee the restrictions put in ce by the Great Wizard.


    ¡°Get out of the way, bastard!¡±


    ¡°Dammit! We need to kill that little brat! Get out of here!¡±


    When I moved to block the group that was about to attack my brother, the Chinese warriors let loose a stream of swears with bloodshot eyes. Their attacks were vicious and full of killing intent, as if they would rip me apart in an instant before killing my brother.


    <i>ng. Tung.</i>


    ¡°What the hell! What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°What is going on!?¡±


    But fierceness alone would not allow them to get past me. Their fists, swords, spears, and arrows were all powerless in front of my armor.


    <i>ng. Tung. Kang.</i>


    ¡°Ah, I should have made a shield.¡±


    I grumbled after being hit on the head. Then, they started to pour down a barrage of attacks.


    <strong>Hey! Why are you getting beat up without doing anything? You have to fight back!</strong>


    <strong>Captain-nim, even though you were quite confident, you seem to have turned into a human sandbag¡­ A human shield at best¡­ Why don¡¯t you just board a Gigas? I feel bad just watching.</strong>


    <i>¡®Ah, stop being so noisy. I learned how to fight only a few days ago.¡¯</i>


    I knew that I must have looked pathetic, but it could not be helped. In the first ce, my reaction speed was slow, so I could not see the opponents¡¯ attacks properly. Due to ack of understanding ofbat, I was not able to read their movements, and I could not even wield my abilities properly.


    <i>¡®I can¡¯t fight back.¡¯</i>


    <strong>What? Why not? You shot out that shockwave earlier, right?</strong>


    <i>¡®Well, I¡­ I absorb with red and shoot out with orange, but I can¡¯t because I keep getting hit.¡¯</i>


    I could attack. I could defend. But I could not defend while attacking. Things were different nowpared to when I was dealing with the shadow wolves. At that time, I could attack after defending, but now, the enemies¡¯ attacks poured down constantly. Moreover, they were experts keenly observing my breathing and movements, constantly looking for a gap to dig into. If I could not switch between red and orange within 0.1 seconds, I could not even dream of countering.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Suddenly, I could feel a burning sensation in my shoulder. I turned my head in surprise, and I could see my entire arm starting to freeze over. The cold was easily piercing through the armor and hurting my body.


    ¡°Keuk!¡±


    I instinctively used green, the power to convert external energy into vibrations, but failed. It seemed that <strong>vibration </strong>and <strong>cold </strong>were forces that were too distant from each other.


    <i>¡®I might have seeded if it were mes instead! Damn, is transforming the cold too far-fetched for now?¡¯</i>


    The Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights could transform all types of energy systems in the world into vibrations. Kic energy, heat energy, electricity, and even light could be converted into vibrations. One at the peak of the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights could even transform sunlight into vibrations, just like a nt undergoing photosynthesis. No matter what attacks one received, they could convert it into vibration energy and absorb it. It was truly bizarre.


    Naturally, I was still a beginner and had not reached that level yet, so I was forced to endure the barrage of the elemental abilities.


    ¡°The elemental abilities work!¡±


    ¡°Dammit, what kind of armor is that!?¡±


    ¡°Get rid of it!¡±


    The Chinese ability users started to attack me more actively after discovering my weakness.


    <i>Boooom!</i>


    <i>Crackk!</i>


    <i>Fwooosh!</i>


    All kinds of spells began to pour down on my armor. Even though P-a covered my entire body, without the dispersion ability, it was only a regr medium-strong armor. It did not even have any magic resistance.


    ¡°Dae-ha! Are you okay?¡±


    My brother shouted in an urgent voice. I wagged my index finger while suppressing the paining from my entire body.


    ¡°No worries.¡±


    ¡°No worries¡­ Gah! I¡¯ll believe you!¡±


    My brother turned his attention back towards his own battle, and I observed the enemies in front of me. Invisible spells were flying towards me from all over the ce ¨C attacks imbued with insidious and deadly mana.


    ¡°Hmm, is this the limit of a strongman?¡±


    As expected, I was stillcking in many ces. Although I spent some time training and experiencing actualbat, I could not deal with a horde of experienced, rough warriors.


    <i>¡®Genie.¡¯</i>


    <strong>Activating the control system. Captain-nim, is it okay if I maintainmand?</strong>


    <i>¡®Ares.¡¯</i>


    <strong>Just keep juicing me up with the spiritual energy!</strong>


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Sparks appeared from my ice-covered chest. Then, maic sand began to flow like blood inside my armor.


    <i>Wiiing--!</i>


    All the avable auras and the spiritual energy was sucked into the P-1. In fact, I basically gave up controlling the aura and the spirit with my own will by using this ability, but I had taken such facts into ount when creating this ability. It was called Gigas Call.


    As I awakened life energy, my control over the elements were dulled significantly. It was the side effect of being able to ¡®resist¡¯ and ¡®interfere¡¯ with all elements that came with training life energy. As such, it was very difficult for me to control arge number of spirits in battle, to use spirits to demonstrate special abilities, or to exert my elemental affinity into the environment in any way. If anyone else were ced in my position, they would have been considered something like a ¡®failed character¡¯ in a video game. They would have had to choose between life energy or spiritual energy and aura.


    Do-goem had tried to stop me from choosing a dual ss for a good reason. Some of the abilities werepatible, such as the aura and the spirit, or mana and soul energy, but there were alsopletely ipatible ones, such as life energy and spiritual energy.


    But it did not matter to me.


    My <strong>spiritual energy </strong>was entirely under the control of Ares, and my <strong>aura </strong>was absorbed into the maic sand created in my Unique World, which operated under Genie¡¯s control system. The forces were supposed to sh with each other and produce detrimental results, but the enormous power of capital and environment had led topletely different results.


    <i>¡®If you were born with a gold spoon in your mouth, you should advance in your own way.¡¯</i>


    Those born into a poor family would work hard and save up money to finally open their own business. However, if one was born as the son of a chaebol, it did not make sense for them to abandon the privileges they were born with.


    <i>Crack! Crack!</i>


    <i>Rumbleee!!</i>


    Spiritual energy started to concentrate on a single point before transforming into lightning energy. It was a Lightning Heart ¨C the final piece of the puzzle required to turn a shabby P-1 into a real gigas.


    <i>Giiing¡ª</i>!


    P-1 started to operate along with a mechanical whir. I felt a little faint as the spiritual power inside my body escaped at once, but instead of stumbling, I exuded and manifested my aura.


    ¡°Gigas Call.¡±


    This was the path I would take with my abilities.


    ¡°Type. P-1¡±


    The system responded to my call.


    <strong>Skill: Gigas Call (Unique) has been created!</strong>


    <strong>Grade: F</strong>


    <i>Crack! Boom!!</i>


    The vibrations I collected so far were emitted throughout the body, and the dozens of magical spells that were used to burn and freeze my armor were smashed, broken, and scattered.


    <i>¡®Yeah, P-1 is a bit sloppy. I feel a little embarrassed to call it a Gigas with its performance.¡¯</i>


    Why was it named P-1? It was because P-1 was my first model of a prototype. P-1¡¯s outer armor was a simple structure created from metal, and it did not even possess a proper Iron Heart. I had to supply it with my own power. It did not even possess a main armament or an auxiliary armament like any other Gigas. If I had to say something nice about my first creation, it would be that it possessed a good appearance.


    However, none of that really mattered right now.


    The most important thing was that P-1 was a Gigas, even if it was quite shabby andcking.


    ¡°You guys are in big trouble now.¡±


    Iughed. From the moment P-1 transformed into a Gigas, the entire situation had shifted. My fighting skills were okay at best,


    ¡°But it¡¯s different with my piloting.¡±


    I lowered my posture.


    And I charged.

 Vol 2. 38: A Tumultuous War (6)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 38: A Tumultuous War (6)</h4>


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    A bald warrior tried to stop my charge. He was holding a strange weapon in both hands, a strange, three-pronged, blunt, instrument.


    <i>¡®Isn¡¯t that something that the Ninja Turtle uses? Was it called Sai?¡¯</i>


    It was something you might see in a historical drama, but this was a battlefield where such items were exceptional murder weapons. The bastard in front of me had a shaggy beard but no hair. He attempted to pierce a gap in my armor with his weapon.


    <i>Fwoosh.</i>


    I did not react until the veryst minute. As soon as the weapon was about to poke into the gap, I lowered my posture. Instead of seeing blood, the weapon was deflected by the slope of my helm.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    I elerated with a spark. It was the power of the legendary ability, . My foot stomped against the ground so hard that the asphalt was crushed into pieces. I lifted my upper body like a bolt of lightning while swinging my right arm even faster.


    <i>Slice.</i>


    The ability to control metal caused the armor on my right arm to quickly be morphed into something sharp. The metal was transformed into something like a super-vibration knife with the orange power from the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, and I cut through his right arm like butter. I charged. He had lost his bnce and was floundering. I lowered my posture once more and struck his body. Utilizing the power of orange once more, my arms passed through his legs and grabbed his left arm before twisting it.


    The entire sequence was as soft as flowing water.


    Limb amputation.


    It was quite a humanitarian method. No Gigas had their cockpits located on their arms and legs, so the pilot who was subjected to this technique was guaranteed to survive without sustaining any injuries. The statistics for surviving something like this was more than 95%. In space, defeat was no different from death. This was a technique that was extremely gentle and humane, perhaps the most peaceful of them all.


    However, it was a little different in the current situation.


    <i>Rip!!</i>


    ¡°K, kuaaagh!! My, my arm!! My legs!!!¡±


    ¡°Opps.¡±


    I muttered when I saw the warrior struggling on the ground. He was like a log after losing all four of his limbs. His screaming and wriggling were all the more terrible because he resembled a worm. If he were an ordinary man, he would have already died of shock, or from excessive bleeding, but an ability user possessed immense vitality. He would survive and be subjected to even more pain.


    He would not die. Unless hemitted suicide from the pain and despair of losing his limbs, he would stop the bleeding after a while and survive for a long time. That was the type of superhuman that physical-type ability users were.


    ¡°Hmm, but you are bleeding so much. I should burn the-¡°


    <i>ng!</i>


    ¡°wound. Ouch.¡±


    I staggered at the impact of something hitting my forehead, but I quickly regained my posture. It was a strong blow, but It wasn¡¯t effective. Even though I had failed to maintain the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights due to my frayed concentration, the surprise attack did not work. It was evidence that the defense of P-1 had increased massively since I invoked Gigas Call.


    ¡°D, dammit, what the hell is he!? Where did hee from!? How can he move so freely when there are so many Selected Ones and non-selected in the mix?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the important part! Why is he so damn fast!? How can he move like that when he is equipped in full-body armor?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too durable! What the hell is that armor!?¡±


    ¡°Dammit, stop whining and kill him! There¡¯s many of us, and only one brat, we can¡¯t just¡­!¡±


    Non-selected jumped from all over the ce while swinging their weapons. Their blows were lightning fast. It was clear that they had trained for countless hours.


    But it was useless.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    <strong>Lightning sh.</strong> The quick blows suddenly slowed down to a crawl. In the slowed time, I used both my hands to flick a sword away and even deflect a projectile shot from far away. As I disrupted a sword¡¯s path, the man¡¯s posture was broken. Taking the chance, I dug into his embrace, and-


    Limb amputation.


    I leaped off the ground with the power of vibration while spinning around. I flew into the arms of a man watching me from a slight distance. Grabbing onto his faltering legs, I spun around and ¨C


    Limb amputation.


    ¡°Kuaagh! My arms! My legs! Arghh!!¡±


    ¡°What the fuck! What is this!?¡±


    ¡°Joint the limbs.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t! It was as if the cut was made with electricity¡­!¡±


    The non-selected had been attempting to gather in the surroundings of my brother. However, when I jumped in and started making a ruckus, they became disorganized. Of course, I was only able to incapacitate a handful of them, but they would not be able to ignore me as I tore through the limbs of their colleagues.


    <i>Ping!</i>


    One of them attempted to seize and lift my body, but it was canceled by the ability <strong>Protective Guard.</strong> I immediately dashed off the ground like a missile. Even though thousands of ability users were emitting killing intent towards me, I was also a Selected One in the end. I could not attack properly in such a messy situation.


    ¡°What is going on!? He isn¡¯t even a non-selected, so how can he move like that!? What tricks is he using?¡±


    ¡°Carefully observe his movement and gaze! We may be able to figure something out! Maybe he is moving in a roundabout way!¡±


    ¡°No, damn it! He¡¯s just rampaging around like a madman!¡±


    Angry shouts could be heard from all over the ce. They were confused. They tried to figure out ¡®my trick¡¯ using all sorts of spells and abilities to observe me, but there was no way that such a thing existed. It was rather simple ¨C just that the Great Wizard¡¯s restrictions did not work on me.


    <i>¡®This is easier than I thought.¡¯</i>


    The system¡¯s limitations stemmed from a Mental-type Great Magic, acting on those that belonged to the system. Unfortunately, however, I waspletely immune to any mental attacks. I was restraining myself just in case, but if I was willing, I could attack the other Selected Ones as well.


    <i>¡®If it proceeds like this, I should be able to take care of all the non-selected.¡¯</i>


    With all kinds of restrictions ced on them by the system, they could not engage in a proper, collective war no matter how many people they had. And if collective warfare was impossible, theirrge number would only be a hindrance to them.


    But it was at that moment.


    ¡°Move--- Aside---!¡±


    A thunderous roar resounded throughout the area. The warriors from the Zhu family had been crowding the space in front of Gwanghwamun Gate, but they instantly stepped back at the words. I became surprised at their sudden movements and escaped from their midst.


    ¡°Order!¡±


    ¡°Get in order!¡±


    I had escaped, but I did not go too far. As far as the statue of Admiral Yi Sun-shin to be exact. From their sudden, collective movement, it seemed that they had already been notified of the signal in advance. I went against their flow of movement and stood next to my brother. In front of Gwanghwamun Gate, there were only my brother and I, and the Fist Emperor and the de emperor, who had been leading the troops and dueling against my brother respectively.


    It was quite obvious, but the continuous shooting from the Hwarang group also stopped. Rather, they had no choice but to stop. Since they could only target the non-selected ones with markings on their heads, when the enemies moved away and hid behind the Selected Ones, it was impossible to shoot at them before the duel ended.


    ¡°Dae-ha, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course. What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine as well, but¡­ What the hell have you been up to in space?¡±


    My brother asked me with a small frown on his face. His eyes were full of worries and concerns as he looked at me.


    <i>Oh, I see.¡¯</i>


    I could finally get a proper look at the surrounding scenery. The road in front of Gwanghwamun Gate, as well as about two-thirds of the square, was painted red with blood. Gwanghwamun Square had already turned into a living hell, something way beyond anything depicted in a war movie or snuff films.


    There was so much blood and flesh soaking the floor that the ground felt slippery, even though I was wearing metal boots. The battle had notsted too long, but more than a thousand bodies wereid down on the ground.


    There were so many bodies on the right side of the governmentplex that a new terrain had been created; some of the injured were gathered behind the hill of bodies, moaning with arrows sticking out of their bodies.


    ¡°I told you. I became an emperor. Did you think I would have been able to be an emperor by just sitting and idling around?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s terrible¡­ You¡­ You were never greedy for power. No, you weren¡¯t ever greedy for anything. You would always sing about peace and harmony¡­ To think you would be ced into such a situation.¡±


    ¡°Who would have thought.¡±


    I shrugged.


    <i>Gwoooo---</i>


    The de Emperor started to exude a heavy spirit.


    ¡°Terrible, huh? Did you really utter that word just now? Without even suffering much damage?¡±


    ¡°If anyone heard you, they would think that we invaded you and started ughtering you while you were living in peace.¡±


    ¡°Hoohoo¡­ How mysterious. Who would have thought that I, that the Zhu Family would have been driven to the brink by a little brat.¡±


    The de Emperor¡¯s expression had been erupting in anger, but it suddenly started to calm down. His sword was held low near the ground. At first nce, it seemed as if he had given up on the battle, but his spirit was steadily growingrger.


    ¡°Now you finally have a good expression.¡±


    ¡°You speak as if I am your inferior¡­ Ah, I admit. In this case, I am your inferior. I was just an ugly old man who just didn¡¯t want to admit it.¡±


    The tone andplexion of the de Emperor became eerily calm to the point of being detached. It felt much more dangerous than before.


    He continued muttering to himself without waiting for any particr answer.


    ¡°I grew old and ugly. Yes, I truly am a sore sight. Hahaha! I cannot believe that I, de Emperor Jang Gang-rim, became such an ugly old man! An ugly old man who can¡¯t concede even though things have already turned out this way¡­¡±


    <i>Kwoooohh!</i>


    His energy started to manifest as strong winds. A renewed blue energy started to flow in therge sword of the de Emperor. It was a type of energy materialization that could only be achieved by those who had stepped on the realm of a Compl¨¦ter.


    My brother smiled coolly and stepped forward.


    ¡°Are you nning on revealing your real skills, old man?¡±


    <i>Chii---</i>


    Sharp waves became to emerge from my brother¡¯s body as well. Even though he was only equipped with a small cutter knife, Heavenly Killing Energy exuded from the top of the weapon to reach almost a meter long.


    ¡°Haha, nonsense. Do you think I was holding back until now? I just.¡±


    The sword of the de Emperor was raised high above his head. It was a typical posture for a final strike.


    ¡°I just.¡±


    Then,


    <i>sh!</i>


    A brilliant re collided with a heavy darkness. The collision onlysted for a split second, and it was impossible for me to catch a glimpse of the two without activating <strong>Lightning sh</strong>. In fact, I couldn¡¯t even catch an afterimage of the two. Before I knew it, the positions of my brother and the de Emperor had been switched.


    After a short moment, the de Emperor gave a faint, dispirited smile.


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t what I wanted.¡±


    Lines began appearing all over his body.


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t.¡±


    <i>St!</i>


    He disappeared into a cloud of blood. The body of the de Emperor split into countless pieces.


    ¡°Dammit¡­ I wasn¡¯t able to keep him alive. I should have dyed it for another 10 minutes at the least.¡±


    My brother clicked his tongue as if he was frustrated, but he soon turned his head and looked towards me.


    ¡°Thanks. Things might have beenpletely messed up if you hadn¡¯t disrupted their formation.¡±


    ¡°Messed up?¡±


    I expressed my doubt.


    <strong>The Captain of the Lee Family has won!</strong>


    <strong>Progress: 0/1, 3/3</strong>


    <strong>Congrattions! The Lee Family has won the Captain¡¯s War!</strong>


    <strong>The upation has ended!</strong>


    <strong>The upier¡¯s authority is given to the victor, the Lee Family!</strong>


    The text was something no one could have imagined only a few days ago. Seeing the sharp inhtion of the troops, it seemed that everyone had received the same message. Then,


    ¡°Attack! Wipe out the Lee worms off the face of this world!¡±


    The roar of thest of the Three Emperors, the Fist Emperor, rang out on the battlefield.

 Vol 2. 39: A Tumultuous War (7)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 39: A Tumultuous War (7)</h4>


    ¡°Attack! Wipe out the Lee worms off the face of this world!¡±


    The roar of thest of the Three Emperors, the Fist Emperor, rang out on the battlefield. Simultaneously, a huge army began to flock to Gyeongbokgung Pce.


    ¡°Dae-ha!¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    As soon as he called out, I invoked <strong>Lightning sh </strong>and jumped towards Gwanghwamun Gate. The situation was different now that the Captain¡¯s War had ended. Restrictions that prevented the Selected Ones from fighting each other had disappeared, which meant that standing in front of the huge army was basically asking for death. The number of enemies was over 100,000. Even if I could kill a person with a single blow, I would have to deliver over 100,000 blows. If they all took turns giving a little tap on my half-baked gigas, it would surely be smashed into smithereens.


    <i>Boooom!!</i>


    ¡°Keugh!?¡±


    However, as I was about to jump up to Gwanghwamun Gate, I was forced to roll on the ground due to a devastating blow to my back. I tried to raise myself up reflexively, but I wasn¡¯t able toe to my senses. I was shocked to the point where my head was spinning and my hands and feet were shaking.


    <i>Shick!</i>


    A ck ray of sword cut apart the attack which was flying towards my head. It had been an invisible, intangible attack.


    <i>Crack! Kwazak!</i>


    The attack became split into pieces and a fragment crashed against Gwanghwamun Gate, which caused a portion of the structure to crumble without resistance, as if it had been nothing more than a piece of cookie. Even though there was the ultimate restriction, <strong>Entry Barrier</strong>, in ce, due to its nature, therge gate could not be fortified with any other defensive spells. Even so, it was unbelievable that a fragment of an attack had been sufficient topletely destroy therge structure.


    ¡°Dae-ha, are you okay!?¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh, wow.¡±


    I shook my head to clear myself from the shock. I concentrated and <strong>delivered</strong> the physical impact to my body to my Unique World.


    <strong>Injuries and trauma greater than level 3 have been identified. I will start surgery immediately.</strong>


    <i>¡®Please.¡¯</i>


    I immediately returned to reality after observing my body lie down on top of an operating table in the Unique World. Without saying, my physical condition was at its peak.


    ¡°Whew, that shocked me.¡±


    ¡°What? Where did all your injuries go? Is this a form of recovery?¡±


    I raised myself up without any trouble, and I could tell that my brother was flustered. However, before anything, I checked the condition of P-1.


    ¡°Oh god. It¡¯spletely destroyed.¡±


    I had been hit on the back, but the entire structure of P-1 had been destroyed as the impact spread out due to the concentric effect. I checked my left arm with my right hand, which caused all the shattered parts to fall to the floor with a metallic ng.


    ¡°Hwarang group--! Be intoxicated on the fluttering flowers!!¡±


    ¡°We ept the orders!¡±


    Warriors with flower-like beauties let loose arrows made of flowering trees. As the projectiles cut through the air, the entire world became filled with flowers.


    There were different kinds of flowers. Some shot arrows made of cherry tree branches, some raspberry branches, some plum tree branches, some forsythia tree branches, and others magnolia tree branches. However, all of the branches transformed into petals and poured down like rain.


    ¡°Kuaaagh! Dammit! Get through it!¡±


    ¡°Use your defensive magic!¡±


    The warriors of the Zhu Family tried to resist with all their might, but the first wave of the raining petals swept them away. The petals were bright and beautiful, but they were weapons of ughter that prated and tore into everything that touched them.


    Moreover, the horrors of the petals did not end there.


    ¡°K, keuagh! F, flowering trees¡­!¡±


    ¡°Get them off! Don¡¯t let the petals touch your skin!¡±


    Flower trees began sprouting all over the ce. Cherry trees, raspberry trees, and plum trees started to emerge. The trees grew at a formidable pace, devouring the blood and flesh that littered the ground of Gwanghwamun Square. After fully maturing, the trees started to rain down another wave of petals.


    <i>Fwoosh!</i>


    At that time, my brother shed his sword and cut something down once again. I was finally able to recognize the identity of the attack that had struck against my unguarded back. An old man with a ridiculously fit body that was unbefitting his white hair ¨C his fist was stretched out towards me.


    ¡°Wow, is that some kind of a shockwave fist technique?¡±


    ¡°We need to get back, Dae-ha! They will being through the gates soon!¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    I observed the Fist Emperor for a moment. He was pulling back his outstretched arm, ring at me with a fierce expression through the fluttering petals.


    ¡°Hey! Are you okay?¡±


    As I quickly stepped away and entered Gyeongbokgung Pce, Jae-seok, who was talking to a group of men dressed in suits, hurriedly ran towards me.


    ¡°Hey, Jae-seok.¡±


    ¡°You crazy bastard! Are you out of your mind? How long has it been since you awakened your powers? Why would you recklessly jump into the enemy ranks like that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine though.¡±


    ¡°Fine? Your armor is all smashed up. Do you know how dangerous this world is? If you slipped up even once, you could have died!¡±


    <i>Thud! Tung!</i>


    I took off my helmet. I threw away my ragged tops and bottoms and shook off my boots. Before I knew it, gold, broken, and smashed pieces of metal piled up under my feet.


    ¡°I guess you are right about that.¡±


    ¡°You guess? You weren¡¯t like this before, were you? You were literally an incarnation of safety and peace, so when did you suddenly be Zhang Fei or Guan Yu[1]? I¡¯ve heard about people¡¯s personalities changing after gaining strength, but isn¡¯t this a little too extreme?¡±


    Listening to my bewildered friend, I reached down and scooped up the pieces of metal from the floor. My natural affinity to metal caused the debris to slowly melt like a liquid and clump together in the form of arge iron ball.


    <i>Thud!</i>


    The iron ball rolled between the people¡¯s legs and slid into a random corner. On the surface world, it was approximately the location of where the ticket office of Gyeongbokgung Pce would be.


    ¡°Prepare for battle!¡±


    ¡°Create a safe distance!¡±


    A sudden burst of outcry caused Jae-seok to be surprised. He quickly dragged me away behind the troops.


    ¡°It¡¯s starting.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? We¡¯ve already been fighting.¡±


    ¡°Well, until now, we were hitting them unterally. It was literally the worst case scenario for the enemies, but¡­ There is no way that they disregarded the possibility of the conflict turning into a siege. They must have taken measures.¡±


    Indeed, it was just as he said.


    <i>Kwakwakwakwang!</i>


    A ferocious barrage of magic poured down onto the gate. There weren¡¯t just one or two sts, but rather dozens, no, hundreds of simultaneous casts! Gwanghwamun Gatested for a short moment before copsing with a loud noise.


    The Hwarang group had been on the walls near Gwanghwamun Gate and on the pavilion above, but they had long entered through the gate and devised new formations.


    ¡°Ugh! We¡¯re still too close. Let¡¯s go in further.¡±


    Jae-seok frowned while covering his ears. I followed behind him as he moved deeper into the pce. We passed Heungnyemun Gate and Geunjeongmun Gate, finally arriving in front of Geungjeongjeon Hall. It was the ce where the Sword Saint had threatened the patriarch of the Lee Family and dered the Captain¡¯s Battle.


    In normal circumstances, the courtdies would make sure I would not travel along the king¡¯s meeting area when heading towards Sajeongjeon or Gangnyeongjeon, but they could not afford such formalities in this chaotic situation. I could see courtdies busily transportingbat gear such as arrows and magical tools, andbatants checking their weapons with nervous expressions.


    ¡°Hmm? Who are those guys? Why are theying from Gwanghwamun Gate?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I know that kid over there. I think his name was Bae Jae-seok? He¡¯s the grandson of Ilsung group¡¯s chairman.¡±


    ¡°A normal person is striding around in this mess?¡±


    ¡°Even if Ilsung is in charge of the Lee Family¡¯s finances¡­¡±


    Some of the ability users whispered among themselves after looking at us, but that was it. The atmosphere was way too tense for them to approach us to talk or to pick a fight.


    Compared to the ability users from the leading group, those present here were rathercking in equipment and levels. However, they were on standby for battle since the entire Lee Family was in imminent danger.


    ¡°What? They¡¯re only dozens of feet away, but they don¡¯t know the situation outside?¡±


    ¡°Of course they don¡¯t. The entire pce has already entered into war mode. All zones are separated by special barriers and all the gates are being guarded by the gatekeepers. In particr, Heungnyemun Gate and Geungjeongmun Gate are covered with dragon-level barriers, so it is difficult to gauge the outside situation with eyes and ears. On the other hand, it will be impossible for the enemies to get in here unless they break through the main gate.¡±


    As he exined, I looked around for my brother. He had entered the gate before us. Surprisingly, my brother was surrounded by five or six monks.


    ¡°Obangnaewa Shinjinun Namusamada Motdanam Oom Dorodoro Jimisabaha¡­¡±


    ¡°Buddah told his ministry. Every Bodhisattva must rule his heart¡­¡±


    ¡°Sajira¡¯s Tense Method: Immortal Life¡­¡±


    Monks dressed in robes were reciting mantras in a quiet voice, and a mysterious energy started to surround him. I looked towards Jae-seok with a look of absurdity.


    ¡°What is that? Don¡¯t tell me that the monks are using heal on him?¡±


    ¡°That sounds like something from a video game¡­ They¡¯re reciting Buddhist writings. The monks of the Jogye Order are specialized in fighting, but they are religious figures in essence.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    I could see the strange energy growing stronger as the monks continued to chant. It was circting all over my brother¡¯s body, restoring his body and boosting his energy. The frantic ck energy rampaging around my brother was slowly calming down. In other words, his Heavenly Killing Energy was being pacified and being restored in a proficient manner.


    <i>¡®It¡¯s not their first time.¡¯</i>


    As I had such thoughts,


    <i>Boom!</i>


    The ground started to shake along with a huge explosion. Screams erupted from all over the ce.


    ¡°This, this signal¡­ Heungnyemun Gate! It¡¯s been destroyed!¡±


    ¡°Starting with thebat teams that are ready, go through the Geungjeongmun Gate and provide support! Those who are capable of erecting barriers, join the defense!¡±


    The tense silence disappeared at once, and the area became noisy. Everyone was running around in an urgent manner, and I could feel the remnants and shockwaves of energy from all over the ce.


    ¡°Young master.¡±


    Several men in suits approached us. Jae-seok nodded towards them.


    ¡°I got it. Let¡¯s retreat further. It will be better to go all the way past Gangnyeonjeon to Hyangwonji Pond. In any case, the battlefield will move towards Gwanghwamun, Heungnyemun, and Geunjeongmun because of the entry restriction, so it will be safer for us to go deeper.¡±


    <i>Boom!</i>


    Another explosion could be heard from our backs. Jae-seok¡¯s expression was getting rather urgent.


    ¡°Dae-ha.¡±


    ¡°No, wait. You want me to retreat all the way? What about the war?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary person, and you¡¯ve already fought your share. Why are you so eager and full of energy when you¡¯ve only been in this world for a short period of time?¡±


    ¡°But.¡±


    ¡°And even with all this fuss, things aren¡¯t going terrible. The princess already anticipated the situation and made sufficient preparations.¡±


    I felt surprised at Jae-seok¡¯s assertive words and looked at his face. Come to think of it, he was quite deeply involved in the war even though he was just an ordinary person. I thought he was just a regr(?) third generation chaebol, but he seemed to have his own backstory as well.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that everything is going ording to the n?¡±


    ¡°How could I dare to say something so cheeky? But¡­ the current situation is actually better than that. Everything is going much better than what we imagined. Your rampage yed a part as well.¡±


    I adjusted Udjat to look over the entire situation. The warriors of Zhu Family had already entered Gyeongbokgung Pce after destroying Gwanghwamun Gate. I could see dead bodies everywhere, anda countless spells, arrows, and bullets were flying all over the ce.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    I was able to understand. It was recognizable.


    Naturally, one could criticize me and say ¡®how could you recognize anything? You¡¯re just a newbie!¡¯. They weren¡¯t wrong. I was only a beginner in terms of my abilities.


    But at the same time, I was an expert in war.


    ¡°¡­I see. We¡¯ve already won this war.¡±


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t say¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m confident. Of course, the Zhu Family is pushing us back with a fierce momentum, but¡­ their advances are being blocked.¡±


    Even though the Lee Family was suffering damages and the formations were slowly retreating, they showed no signs of copse. It would be critical for the Zhu Family for their attacks to be blocked, slowly but surely. Rather, it would have been better for them to retreat without daring to attack. If things kept on flowing like this¡­


    At that moment, the tide of war became clearly visible for me, from beginning to end.


    And the war proceeded just as I predicted.


    1. For those of you who don¡¯t know, Zhang Fei and Guan Yu are figures from the three warring kingdoms. They became sworn brothers along with Liu Bei in the oath of the peach gardens. Basically super strong military warriors that are brave, etc, etc¡­

 Vol 2. 40: Heroes Fade Like Flowers While Gods Burn Brightly

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 40: Heroes Fade Like Flowers While Gods Burn Brightly</h4>


    Gyeongbokgung Pce was an overwhelmingly advantageous battlefield for the Lee Family. The pce was surrounded by an ultimate magic of the great wizard, Entry Barrier, and it boasted an absolute defense that was imprable by any of the ability users of the parallel world.


    Therefore, the troops of the Zhu Family could only conduct their siege in the Unrestricted Areas. To be exact, they could destroy and climb the walls about twice the area of Gwanghwamun Gate, but they could neither climb nor destroy any of the other areas.


    So in the end, the only problem was with the numbers. The difference between 30,000 and 150,000 was humongous.


    The Zhu Family had been prepared for the conflict to turn into a siege, and they as such, they had employed an enormous number of spell users and magicians. While theyunched an all-out offensive of spells against the Unrestricted Areas, which included Gwangbokgung Pce, the rest of the troops could slowly break into Gyeongbokgung Pce. It worked as a type of suppressing fire.


    ¡®If the war continues at this pace, the Lee Family would eventually be destroyed.¡¯


    It was just as said, but only if the war could continue at this pace.


    ¡°This is not going anywhere. I¡¯m out.¡±


    A warrior retreated while gritting his teeth. He had been participating in the battle while desperately avoiding the pouring arrows. The ground was already covered with countless bodies. Hills of corpses and rivers of blood had changed thendscape.


    Many ability users from the Lee Family had perished. It was an unprecedented casualty throughout the history of the Lee Family. However¡­


    Even more ability users from the Zhu Family had died and were dying. The exchange of damage was far beyond what the Zhu Family had expected, and there was an even bigger issue ¨C time.


    The war was bing drawn out.


    ¡°Now I realize that these bastards are putting us at the forefront, huh? We came to aid in a winning battle, not to die for nothing!¡±


    ¡°Dammit! If I knew things would have turned out this way, we would have never be involved in the conflict! Damn you all!¡±


    The ability users of the Zhu Family had rushed forward with bravado and ferocity in the beginning, but their expressions were slowly turning grim. They had already utilized a massive spell to pierce Gwanghwamun Gate, but anotheryer of defense was prepared around Heungnyemun Gate and waiting for them. Then, they gritted their teeth and broke through once more, only to face denseyers of defense around Geunjeongmun Gate.


    They gave it their all to push through. The National Pce Museum had already been fortified and the square leading to Geonchunmun Gate was a minefield. When they advanced through all the obstacles at the expense of tremendous damage, a line of defense around Geungeongwas waiting for them like an impervious fortress of iron.


    To reach this point, it had taken them 40 hours.


    ¡°No, this is not right. Something¡¯s very wrong.¡±


    ¡°Dammit! I can¡¯t break through their defenses! What the hell is going on!?¡±


    The great war ns of the Zhu Family had already beenpletely smashed into pieces. They had already suffered too much damage. The de Emperor had fallen without inflicting much damage to the Ghost de, and their n with the ones outside the system¡¯s restriction had failed. The non-selected ones were supposed to be their trump card, but they had been massacred without even putting up a proper resistance.


    Moreover, the leading forces died together under the barrage of arrows aiming for the non-selected ones, which caused the entire formation to copsepletely before the battle even began.


    From the perspective of the Zhu Family, the whole situation was already far beyond the worst they had expected. The number of magic supplies and reagents had reached un uneptable level, and the number of fallen ability users was beyond their wildest imaginations.


    Of course, they still maintained an overwhelming advantage in the number of troops. If they chose to continue to push, the victory would fall into the Zhu Family¡¯s hands, albeit at an unimaginable cost. Unfortunately, the Zhu Family¡¯s army wasn¡¯t even close to a unified group.


    ¡°Stop for a moment! Fall to the right immediately!¡±


    ¡°Mister Kang? What are you doing?¡±


    Someone voiced their confusion when a man called for a sudden retreat. A muscr man without a shirt shouted while clenching his teeth.


    ¡°This is just too much! We came all this way to help with a good heart, but you are driving us to our deaths!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s hrious! A battlefield is a ce where you walk between life and death! Don¡¯t tell me that you are going to betray us?¡±


    Amanding officer of the Zhu Family retorted, and a trainee of the Geumgang Faction shouted in anger.


    ¡°Watch your words! Even though we may all be Chinese, we are not subordinates of the Zhu Family, but proud trainees of the Geumgang Faction! We have already suffered too much damage. We¡¯ve done our share in this battle!¡±


    At his words, all of the members of the Geumgang Faction started to fall back. Unfortunately, that was only the beginning.


    ¡°We of the Supreme Magic Tower will fall back as well. Too many precious disciples have died already.¡±


    ¡°Linagshanpo is falling back as well! Be damned! Nearly 50,000 out of 150,000 are already dead, but not even a handful of them are from the Zhu Family!¡±


    ¡°The Heukam Faction will be retreating as well. I would like to help out, but¡­ I can¡¯t help but worry that the Zhu Family will not be able topensate us after losing the Forbidden City.¡±


    Even though the forces of the Zhu Family still neared 100,000, arge turmoil was quickly spreading. Although they were called ¡®the forces of the Zhu Family¡¯, not all of China¡¯s ability users belonged to the Zhu Family. They were called such because most Chinese people recognized the Zhu Family as their representative and the imperial family.


    They followed the Zhu Family, but not all of them belonged to the Zhu Family. The humongous number of 150,000 wasposed of the members of China¡¯srge organizations. Out of the Five Great Military Factions, the Geumgang Faction, Heukam Faction, and Jincheon Faction were taking part, and among the Three Great Magic Towers, the Supreme Magic Tower was lending their hand, as well as numerous minor forces. Many of them had been enlisted in the conflict at a cost.


    But before they were Chinese, they belonged to their respective organizations. They might have reconsidered if the Zhu Family possessed the same overwhelming influence or authority as before, but the Zhu Family had already lost their main base. They could not risk their own deaths for the sake of the Zhu Family, which could be facing annihtion.


    ¡°The Jincheon Faction will pull out as well. We cannot sacrifice any more of our warriors in this meaningless battle.¡±


    ¡°This is enough for us Heavenly Dragons as well.¡±


    More than half of the remaining 100,000 troops started to slowly pull out, leaving the battle in a lull. As the atmosphere became strange, groups of people began toy down their weapons ¨C small groups of dozens, and as many as 100 warriors.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    The princess noticed the subtle change in atmosphere and raised her hands. The Hwarang group stopped their barrage of arrows at the sign.


    The war stopped.


    ¡°You, you! You traitors!¡±


    ¡°What are you all doing!?¡±


    The ability users of the Zhu Family became flustered. They were the only ones left on the battlefield that still wanted war. They had lost the Forbidden City, so they needed to exterminate the Lee Family and conquer Gyeongbokgun Pce in retaliation, but the atmosphere was getting weird.


    They tried to fire magic and swing their weapons with greater fervor in desperation, but the atmosphere did not change. The remainder of the Zhu Family was slowlying to a realization. Would it be possible for them to take over Gyeongbokgung Pce with less than half of their troops remaining? Especially when the momentum had been subdued this greatly?


    However, the Fist Emperor, the head of the Zhu Family, did not seem to be flustered by the sudden turn of events.


    ¡°Amitabha Buddha¡±


    Rather, he was quietly reciting a Buddhist chant. Even though he had been ughtering hundreds just 10 minutes ago like an asura, his calm, poor appearance made people doubt if he was the same man as before.


    ¡°Fist Emperor-nim! What shall we do?¡±


    ¡°Please give your orders, Fist Emperor-nim!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t get in touch with the base! Is there a n?¡±


    Even though high-ranking officers of the Zhu Family were abandoning their positions and gathering around the Fist Emperor. However, he did not answer their questions, only rolling around wooden beads in his hands.


    ¡°Fist Emperor-nim?¡±


    ¡°¡­First Emperor?


    The members of the Zhu Family finally realized that something was strange and began to quiet down. It was around that time that the Fist Emperor suddenly opened his e yes.


    ¡°Truly¡­ There¡¯s no helping it.¡±


    ¡°Heup?¡±


    ¡°What!?¡±


    ¡°What the¡­!¡±


    The officers of the Zhu Family were sent into a state of turmoil. But not only those from the Zhu Family, but the others present on the battlefield also stepped back with shock in their eyes. The Fist Emperor¡¯s eyes were dyed red, without a hint of ck or white. He spewed out the same words.


    ¡°Amitabha Buddha.¡±


    Stab!


    The Fist Emperor stabbed himself in the heart with an antique treasure sword that suddenly appeared. For some reason, not a single drop of blood could be seen, but instead, an ominous red energy started to spread.


    ¡°Oh Demon God! You who will dye the sky ck! The promised offering is here, so abide by the contract!¡±


    ¡°The Blood Devil! Fist Emperor, how could you be dealing with the Blood Devil¡­!?¡±


    ¡°More importantly, isn¡¯t that the Heavenly Relying Sword!? Using a sealed armament is viting the agreement!¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy!? This gives the other forces justification to take out their sealed armaments! The Lee Family will bring out theirs immediately as well!!¡±


    The allies of the Zhu Family, and even members were reacting in shock and fear. It was obvious that the Lee Family would react even stronger.


    ¡°That old man must have gonepletely insane! He is out of his mind! We must act now and spread news to all other forces immediate!¡±


    ¡°How long has it been since the Great Wizard passed on? That old man is already breaking his orders!¡±


    ¡°If we are not able to solve this matter properly, this could evolve into a world war!!¡±


    The battlefield, which had been in a lull for a while, began to heat up once more. The atmosphere was full of energy and tension. But I felt a little different. I was looking down at everything from the sky, from the perspective of Albatross.


    ¡®How cute.¡¯


    Chomp. Chomp.


    I devoured a mountain of gimbap to replenish the calories I had consumed and thought about the things called sealed armaments. They were heavenly items, devices not to be used until the arrival of an unprecedented disaster. Each one had been carefully crafted by the Great Wizard, consuming boatloads of resources and time.


    ¡®But in the end, they are nothing but high-rank magical weapons.¡¯


    That was right. The strongest,st-resort weapons of Earth ¨C they were nothing more than high-rank magical weapons. Of course, the strongest ability users of Earth barely reached level 10. To the powerhouses of Earth, who were barelypl¨¦ters, high-rank magical weapons would have appeared godly. After all, high-ranked magical weapons were suitable for level 15s or higher.


    Still, their names are quite unprecedented. Excalibur, Heaven Sealing Stamp, Misteltein, Kusanagi no Tsurugi, and Brionac. Such things do happen in lower civilizations sometimes¡­


    When I see them acting so pretentious with imitations, ha! Ah! Come to think of it, the girl named Bo-ram carried around Gungnir, which was really funny.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be like that. They are still weapons which were made with pride and effort.¡¯


    Feeling the atmosphere turning a little mocking, I tried to restrain Ares. However, he responded with round eyes.


    Hmm? No, that¡¯s not why I was saying that it was funny.


    ¡®Then what?¡¯


    Well, Gungnir is¡­


    He wasn¡¯t able to finish his sentence.


    -Kyakyakyakya! You foolish mortal.


    Its darkness was the abyss.


    Merciless and unsparing.


    Hateful.


    -That sacrifice. I¡¯ll take it!


    Such evil opened its eyes.

 Vol 2. 41: Heroes Fade Like Flowers While Gods Burn Brightly (2)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 41: Heroes Fade Like Flowers While Gods Burn Brightly (2)</h4>


    -That sacrifice. I¡¯ll take it!


    The red energy spread around the Fist Emperor gathered at a single point in air, dying it jet ck. Soon, it took the shape of a human being, and its supposed mouth opened wide as if it were torn apart.


    Woong!


    Simultaneously, arge portion of the troops on the Zhu Family¡¯s side began to expel the same red energy. However, only the troops belonging to outside forces were experiencing such symptoms, not the actual forces of the Zhu Family.


    ¡°This spell! This stigma! Fist Emperor! No, Zhu Family!!! Have you stigmatized us as offering!?¡±


    ¡°This is not a simple spell that could be prepared in a day or two. How could this be¡­ You mean you nted parasites on all these people? When!?¡±


    ¡°W, we need to counter the¡­¡±


    Screams broke out from here and there. They tried to resist, but they weren¡¯t given sufficient time.


    Puhuaak!


    It was evident at first nce that tens of thousands of people had been affected by the spell. They were falling to the ground while spewing blood from their entire bodies. As more and more people fell, the ck figure¡¯s appearance began to be more distinct. Soon, a man wearing a colorful crown was standing in its ce.


    -Kuhahahaha! What a satisfying offering! Now tell me your wish!¡±


    ¡°A new offering will be made. Any way you want it. The target will be all the human beings in Gyeongbokgung Pce. I¡¯m not making a wish, but rather paying you an additional price, so the cost should be halved.¡±


    -Kekeuk, how crafty. Of course, the ck energy covers the sky.


    - I won¡¯t refuse!


    The eerie shout rumbled throughout Gyeongbokgung Pce. Jae-seok, who was conversing with many people while I was eating food, came up to me with a paleplexion.


    ¡°What? What¡¯s going on? What is with this voice? Dae-ha, do you know anything about it?¡±


    ¡°Why do you think I would know?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­ You are the only one who seems unconcerned right now.¡±


    At his words, I looked around. I could see the eyes of countless people hiding in the safe house. I immediately recognized all sorts of emotions ¨C fear, expectation, confusion, worry, et cetra¡­ They knew that the oue of this war wouldpletely change their lives. The rise and fall of the nation and the group would sweep away individual circumstances and destiny.


    ¡®But it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯


    I ignored their eyes. I emptied myself of any emotions. This was none of my business. I was only an observer, and I was watching the situation y out without bing involved in it.


    ¡°Maybe I still can¡¯t figure out the current situation then.¡±


    I grumbled some nonsense. That was how much I cared for this situation, how much I thought of this war that was resulting in countless deaths.


    So I had no choice but to admit it. My guard was down. Faced with the war, I was just a nosy spectator, and I never believed for a moment that I would be involved in the disaster.


    To be fair, I¡­


    I had never felt threatened aftering to Earth ¨C not by anything, not by anyone. I kept reminding myself that I was only a weak, beginner ability user, but deep inside my heart, I held a sense of disregard and contempt that exceeded such conditions.


    Perhaps it was only natural.


    In the parallel world of Earth, the Great Wizard was respected and revered like a god. However, in the face of the Great Universe, he was nothing more than one of countless transcendents. Even the dukes of the Leonhardt Empire, who were considered strong, influential figures in the Great Universe, did not dare make eye contact with me when I opened my powers.


    The Duke of Howard had been the leader of a powerful force, a power that was infinitesimally stronger than Earth. Moreover, the Duke himself had been a transcendent-grade Life Energy Practitioner. But I had eradicated them off the face of the universe because he had gotten on my nerves.


    After I came to Earth, I awakened my abilities and trained hard, but it was never a means to gain power.


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, a method with detailed instructions on the path all the way to bing a transcendent? Spiritual arts, which allowed me to meet with the Spirit God as soon as I entered the Spirit Realm, and gaining the power of a Unique World? cksmithing, which was full of exemry armaments created by transcendents with all their hearts?


    All of them were great training methods, of course, but they didn¡¯t hold a candle to the Divine Spirit I possessed in my soul since birth. The only reason I trained in such methods was to practice controlling my own strength and soul. So to speak, I was merely exercising and controlling my diet for my health. The power I would gain from them was nothing but a bonus.


    The Earth and the parallel world were not a threat to me. I did not feel any threat or pressure in front of their strength and cruelty, nor in front of their pride in history and tradition. Rather, I was afraid that I would be intoxicated in my Divine Spirit and annihte them all.


    This world was like ss.


    This world was like a feather.


    That was why I had not expected it. When the Fist Emperor unleashed an ominous being exerting all kinds of weird powers. I had been fascinated, but I had not been prepared, that this fragile world could also gift me with a sense of loss.


    ¡°No! Genie! Ares!! Protect¡­!¡±


    I jumped up and shouted. But I was toote. My cognitive ability had been insufficient. After all, I was just a regr life energy practitioner.


    Fwooosh!!


    Huge waves of malice poured out towards the Lee Family¡¯s forces. It seemed powerful and unstoppable, just like a tidal wave.


    ¡°My brother¡­!¡±


    The golden knight on standby has initiated¡­ My god! This is impossible¡­!¡±


    Genie shouted at the swelling malice. Even Ares was surprised.


    The power of a transcendent?! How could they!? From such a small sacrifice!?


    ¡°What, what is that!? What is it!?¡±


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    The waves threatened to engulf the Lee Family


    Rumblee!!


    A barrage poured down from the sky and smashed apart the dark tsunami. It was no ordinary bombing, but a bombing from an Iron Heart. However, it was only able to block the dark tidal waves for about a second.


    Boom!


    But the split second bought enough time for a golden knight to descend in front of my brother. All golden knight units were equipped with a strong, defensive ability. Its golden shield was already deployed and held high.


    ¡±Hyung! Can you hear me!?¡±


    I shouted. Although I was in a safe house, the words would have been delivered to Albatross through Udjat and ryed through the golden knight into my brother¡¯s ears. I saw the malicious wave washing over the Gyeongbokgung Pce through Udjat¡¯s eyesses. It was an overwhelming power, a materialization of evil that had been umted for hundreds or thousands of years. Moreover, it contained a power that was beyond this world, the power of a transcendent.


    The Fist Emperor was apleter at best. Even if he gave up arge sacrifice and power, how could he control a power of this magnitude?


    ¡®No, I¡¯m wrong.¡¯


    I grasped the situation btedly.


    The ck figure standing in the air, the one Fist Emperor had addressed as the Demon God.


    ¡®He summoned the soul of a dead transcendent!¡¯


    I shouted while jumping up.


    ¡°Stick close to the golden knight¡¯s back!¡±


    I knew that my brother would be fine if he stuck to the back of the golden knight. It would allow him to withstand the wave of malice. No matter how transcendental and powerful it was, the range of the attack was way too wide.


    The golden knight received the affinity advantage due to the Iron Heart, and it was a Human-rank Gigas that was specialized for defense. It would be able to hold steady if the attack¡¯s area remained widespread.


    However.


    Pat!


    On the screen, I saw my brother jumping up on the shoulders of the golden knight.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t¡­!¡±


    But before I could do anything else, he cut the evil spirit in a single blow.


    -You¡­ insignificant.


    The wave-like evil energy started to scatter apart. The ck figure had an expression of disbelief as it observed the huge crack cutting through its body.


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s why you should never let your guard down.¡±


    My brother was floating next to the figure. But he wasn¡¯t floating on his own. A thread of ck energy was prating his entire body.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I acted on my own until the end, Dae-ha. But.¡±


    My brother apologized to me with a pale face, blood pouring down like a waterfall.


    ¡°Please take care of her.¡±¡¯


    Kwooooo---!


    -N, no! You insignificant mortal dare---!!


    Along with a scream, a crack in the air engulfed everything in a sh. The malicious waves, the Demon God who was responsible for it, and the one swordsman who had charged at the figure. They were all gone.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°What the hell is this¡­¡±


    I could see silence descending on the battlefield. I could also see people with nk expressions. I took off Udjat because I didn¡¯t want to see them anymore.


    ¡°Specify target. Yeong-min.¡±


    I spoke as I walked forward. A text popped up in front of me with an answer.


    Target does not exist.


    ¡°Specify target. Yeong-min.¡±


    Target does not exist.


    ¡°Teleport!!¡±


    Target does not exist.


    I walked out without saying anything. As I arrived at the door to the safe house, the gatekeeper blocked my path.


    ¡°The safe house will be sealed until the end of the war.¡±


    ¡°The war is over.¡±


    ¡°Stop spouting nonsense. Go back.¡±


    ¡°Specify target. Min-kyung.¡±


    Pat!


    The environment changed in an instant. The safeguard located in the basement of Hamhwadang possessed all sorts of preventative measures and spells to hinder space movement, and the same was true for Geunjeongjeon Hall. But the disaster-ranked title, Disaster of Mankind, possessed the ability of absolute teleportation that ignored any and all obstacles. Although it had already been used up, the stacks had been recharged with the effect of recharging by 1 stack each time a wicked being is killed (up to 10 times). It seemed that the title had judged the ones I killed to have been wicked.


    Chachang!


    ¡°Who is it!?¡±


    ¡°How did someone teleport into this ce!?¡±


    ¡°No, wait. He is¡­¡±


    The warriors of the Lee Family reflexively raised their weapons toward me, then took on dumb expressions after confirming my identity. Neither the Zhu Family, the Lee Family, nor anyone else involved in the war hade to their senses yet. They had pointed their weapons toward me, but they seemed to be at a loss. Min-kyung, who had always maintained an imposing attitude, was also staring at me nkly.


    I ignored all of them and walked across the battlefield tow here my brother had disappeared.


    ¡°¡­You. Why are you here?¡±


    The Fist Emperor spoke. He was standing still in devastation.


    I ignored him and looked over the floor. I saw the cutter knife that my brother had been holding.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    The crazy old man was saying something, but I could not hear him. I stayed still while holding the cutter de. THIs was all. All that was left was this cutter knife and my brother¡¯s blood on the floor. Moreover, the blood had been mixed with the blood of others, so it was hard to distinguish.


    ¡°Haha.¡±


    It was so ridiculous that I could onlyugh.


    My brother could have lived. It wasn¡¯t that difficult. If he followed my words and hid behind the golden knight¡¯s back, as I said, he could have endured the evil-filled waves of darkness. No, my brother would have been able to survive without the aid of the golden knight.


    He had been able to send a huge blow towards the ck figure. If he had created a dimensional crack instead, he would have been able to escape the tsunami of malice with ease.


    ¡°Hahahaha!¡±


    But my brother had known. If he protected his own life like that¡­ All of the troops that stood behind him, and the queen who led them, would have faced certain death.


    I asked myself.


    What the hell is this?


    What¡¯s going on here?


    How did this happen?


    I could not believe it. I never imagined that the situation could turn out like this. Even after participating in a war full of death, such a situation waspletely unexpected. My brother had been unexpectedly strong, and I had prepared measures just in case.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear the exnationter. For now, let¡¯s get out of here, Fist Emperor-nim. That stupid boy imed to be the swordsman¡¯s brother, so let¡¯s capture him and.¡±


    ¡°..it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    He expressed confusion at my words, so I turned around.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it. You.¡±


    And I spoke.


    Insignificant. Insects.

 Vol 2. 42: Heroes Fade Like Flowers While Gods Burn Brightly (3)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 42: Heroes Fade Like Flowers While Gods Burn Brightly (3)</h4>


    For a moment.


    The war stopped.


    Those who had been trying to kill their enemies, those who were trying to sneak away, those who had been nning and coordinating, those who were watching the situation, and those who were deep in confusion ¨C all of them were forced to turn heads.


    And there I was.


    If anyone was exceptionallyrge, for example, a human who was three meters tall, he would arouse people¡¯s attention in a sh, even if he was standing among arge crowd in the middle of a city. Even if others did not know who he was, what his name was, what his personality and abilities were, their attention would be drawn to him naturally. His size alone was enough to garner attention.


    But what if he was not only three meters tall?


    What if he was 10 meters?


    20 meters?


    What if, what if he was 100 meters? 200 meters?


    Even if he was standing still without doing anything, people would not be able to take their eyes off the enormous giant.


    ¡°What the? What was that just now?¡±


    ¡°A voice? Did he speak just now?¡±


    Their attention became focused on me. Even though they were standing in the middle of a fierce battlefield, they weren¡¯t able to take their eyes off me.


    Because, I was too big.


    Because, they were too small.


    Tung!


    A loud roar resonated. It was the sound of a steel te being struck with arge hammer. Before I knew it, there was a metal wall erected in front of me, and in the middle of the wall was a clear fist mark.


    ¡°Heup!¡±


    The man responsible for the surprise attack, the Fist Emperor, charged towards the wall. It was as if he had expected the ambush to fail. His feet touched the ground only once, but the distance of tens of meters was reduced to a mere 1 meter.


    Another ferocious attack!


    Tung!


    But once again, a metal wall about two meters across was formed in front of me, hindering his attack.


    ¡°What, what is that!?¡±


    The equipment that was on the floor¡­!¡±


    The metal walls erected around me were formed from the weapons and armors that had littered the floor of the battlefield. To be exact, the walls were formed from the metal portions of the equipment. The metals had melted together like liquid and became a lump. It was blocking the attacks of the Fist Emperor as if it had its own mind.


    ¡°A mere wall!¡±


    As he clenched his teeth, a grand aura began to swirl all over the Fist Emperor¡¯s body. His feet left a deep mark on the stone floor, and the swirling aura formed into a tremendous weapon and struck the metal wall.


    Wooong!


    But this time, I didn¡¯t stay still. I reached out my hand and put my palm against the metal wall.


    Puck.


    As a result, the metal wall made apletely different sound from before. It no longer reverberated in a metallic ng but sounded like a hammer hitting a lump of y. The Fist Emperor seemed to be flustered that his attack had disappeared without causing any reaction.


    With my hand still resting against the metal wall, I nodded.


    ¡°I see. This is the power of green. Conversion of external energies into vibration energy.¡±


    I closed my eyes. I could feel a special biological organ in my body. Actually, there were more than one. It rested in my arms, in my legs, and between my lungs.


    Wooong-!


    I could feel the vibration. Before I knew it, the power of green was absorbing the vibrations on the wall into my body. It was not an optical phenomenon, so it would not be visible if it was photographed. However, it was colored fresh green, something that would be visible to anything with life, even a child.


    I focused my consciousness on sending new signals to the organs. It was also a form of vibration, but it possessed different properties from the previous one.


    The power of red ¨C storing of vibrations.


    The green glow around my body slowly started to shade red. It was sucked into the biological organ that existed in the body once again, then emitted from my right arm after being transformed.


    The wall had been shining green, but turned red in an instant. The Fist Emperor became shocked and tried to retreat, but it was toote. The wall was tightly grasping onto his fist as if it were alive.


    ¡°And this is.¡±


    Wooong!


    The vibration spread. The Fist Emperor¡¯s attack was transformed into vibration, and the vibration was infinitely amplified by a power that eclipsed a transcendent¡¯s.


    The red light changed once more.


    ¡°Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights. Orange.¡±


    Boom!


    This is what it must have sounded like to shoot a cannon right next to my ear. Everyone screamed and covered their ears at the loud st. It was a tremendous vibration which caused an earthquake and made buildings copse from its aftershock.


    ¡°F, fist Emperor-nim!¡±


    A nearby warrior shouted in a loud voice.


    ¡°Your, your arm!¡±


    Blood spewed like a fountain. The Fist Emperor¡¯s right arm was gone. The force of the strong vibration had smashed his arm apart, from just below his shoulder.


    ¡°How dare you! You bastard!!¡±


    Despite the confusion, the loyal warriors of the Zhu Family charged without looking back. A swordsman shed down with a longsword like a bolt of lightning.


    Schlooook!


    But the sword never reached its destination. A spear had jutted up from the floor and prated his jaw, exiting from the top of his head.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    A shadow under the hanging body materialized and came at me. It wasn¡¯t an illusion. He didn¡¯t seem to be an ability user who mastered an element to escape the physical boundaries of the body, so it must have meant that he was a mutant born with special powers.


    The man jumped out of the shadows and shot up like a bullet. His momentum as he threw himself at me with the sword was quite ferocious. It was the kind of attack that abandoned all defenses. He was literally throwing his life away tond a single attack on me.


    However, fierce determination alone was not worth much. The weapon held in his hand did not share his sentiments.


    Plop.


    As soon as it entered my territory, the small sword was instantly liquefied. Perhaps it had undergone hundreds, no, thousands of quenching, but it did not matter. I was twisting the strong metal at its smallest particles. The molecr structure of the metal had morphed without the use of any energy.


    ¡°What, what?!¡±


    An expression of incredible astonishment and the shout of disbelief marked his end. His own sword had morphed into an awl, then pierced his throat. His cold body lost all momentum and rolled on the floor.


    ¡°Oh, my arm.¡±


    But I didn¡¯t care about him. I was looking at my arm, which had turned into a mush of flesh. Compared to the powerful energy I possessed, my body was too feeble. As such, it had not been able to withstand the explosive power of the vibration.


    Although my body had begun to evolve following the methods of the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, the limitations were quite clear.


    Click.


    But it was not a serious issue, but more of a simple annoyance. Without hesitation, I took out Shadow Stalker and pointed it at my arm.


    Bang!


    The regression bullet collided with my arm with a bang. The surrounding area¡¯s time was reversed and my arm was restored back to normal. But at that moment,


    Thuckk!


    This time, a strong shock was conveyed through my forehead and my head was lurched back. The thing stuck to my head was a type of heavy ammunition stered with all sorts of spells. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t from Shadow Stalker, but from a sniper who was aiming for me from afar.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s annoying that I can¡¯t predict the future.¡±


    I frowned. It felt blinding to not be able to see the future. It was a relief that I had been able to sharply reduce the speed of the bullet with my control over metal. Otherwise, it might have prated through my skull. If the bullet had been made of wood or stone, rather than metal, it could have killed my body instantly.


    ¡°Uaaaaah!¡±


    I grabbed the fist of a bare-handed fighter. It wasn¡¯t even worth the effort to absorb the physical force with the power of green.


    Wiing!!


    As I emitted a force of vibration, he copsed on the ground while bleeding. It was around that time.


    ¡°What are you standing still for? Support him!¡±


    Min-kyung, the princess of the Korean Empire, shouted while holding a sabre in her hand. She must have fallen into confusion after the sudden death of my brother, bute to her senses when she saw me fighting alone.


    Obviously, I didn¡¯t need their measly help.


    So I spoke.


    Stay still and wait.


    ¡°¡­..!!¡±


    ¡°¡­..!?¡±


    Everyone stopped in their ce ¨C the warrior who were running with their weapons, the archers who were readying their arrows, and the sorcerers who were about to chant their spells. However, only those belonging to the Lee Family had been subjected to themand. The Zhu Family¡¯s forces must have seen it as an opportunity.


    ¡°Kill him!¡±


    Five or six spearmen rushed toward me as I turned around. Their attacks were like bolts of lightning, but all of their spears were made of metal.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite slow to pick up on things.¡±


    The weapons must have been carefully crafted by master cksmiths with much effort. However, they were liquified as soon as they entered my territory. As the enemy became shocked by the unexpected situation, the fluid metal formed into dozens of awls and shot back towards their masters. In an instant, dozens of enemies fell to the ground with dozens of metal pieces sticking out of their bodies.


    ¡°Yes. Insects. You insects¡­ What should I do with you? What can I do to lighten my mood?¡±


    I turned around and started walking towards Gwanghwamun Gate. My territory gradually expanded.


    Bang! ng! Chwareukkk!


    The abandoned weapons of the dead soared into the sky as if they were alive. They shot like bullets and rotated like boomerangs, aiming at the weak spots of the enemies. It was as if each were being wielded by an experienced soldier.


    No one could stop the onught. Every step I took was apanied by blood and flesh.


    ¡°What, what is this!?¡±


    ¡°Get out of the way!!¡±


    The weapons which were on the floor, embedded in the bodies, and even held in the enemies¡¯ hands, began toe alive and fly away like swallows. The ability users of the Zhu Family resisted desperately, but the force contained in the weapons was far from normal.


    ¡°How could this be!? Is he utilizing the Will of the Swords?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not even funny! Such is a skill that only appears in history books or ancient myths!¡±


    They came at me in desperation, but none of them were able to get close to me. Sniper shots from afar were no longer effective. The weapons flying around me were deflecting and blocking all long-range attacks.


    ¡°Affinity! It¡¯s elemental affinity! That bastard! He¡¯s using the spiritual arts!¡±


    ¡°Dammit! I would rather it be the Will of the Swords! Does it make sense that he can control his element to this extent!? Even the masters of the magic towers can¡¯t wield this kind of power! Did he sign a contract with the legendary Spirit King or something!?¡±


    Screams and shouts were bursting out from all over the ce, but they were quickly devoured. The pouring rain of iron and the rising skewers from the ground cut the flesh, broke the bones, and smashed apart any attempts of defense.


    Warriors charging at me were stabbed to death by their own swords. Sorcerers shooting curses at me vomited when the spell was reversed. Wizards memorizing spells were stabbed to death by daggers that prated their defense magic.


    Dead, dead, dead. The more I became ustomed to utilizing elemental power, the faster the ughter became. The number of deaths quickly went from two to triple digits, but the time it took to reach four digits was shorter than the time it took to go from two to three.


    In addition, were these just ordinary people?


    No. They weren¡¯t conscripts who were forced into the army and sent to the battlefield with a gun, nor were they soldiers who were paid to receive basic, repetitive training. Each one was a masterful fighter who had trained their abilities for at least 10 years.


    But they were falling like moths rushing to the torch. Their deaths were in vain.


    This was absolute difference in power.


    ¡°This is too damned slow. It¡¯s still less than 3,000.¡±


    It was a one-sided massacre. The killing was mechanical.


    ¡°At this pace, it¡¯s going to take forever to kill all of them.¡±


    My sense of reason finally started to return as I heard my voiceced with boredom.


    I heard screams. I heard something breaking and exploding. I sat in front of the wide open door and listened nkly.


    It urred to me that the door should be closed now.


    But at the same time.


    Why?


    A question arose. I couldn¡¯t figure out why I had to close the door. Why should I desperately try to control myself? Because of the lives of these insignificant insects? Because of the country called Korea and the organization that was trying to protect it?


    How ridiculous.


    If I really had an interest in them, I would have interfered using all sorts of methods from the very beginning. There had been so many opportunities and methods that it was unmeasurable. Orbital bombing would have solved everything, even if it was something like an international conflict.


    In the end, the reason I had entered the Lee Family was due to my brother.


    And now, my reason was gone.


    ¡®Ha.¡¯


    I leaned my head against the door with a sigh.


    Still.


    I stayed still in ce.

 Vol 2. 43: Heroes Fade Like Flowers While Gods Burn Brightly (4)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 43: Heroes Fade Like Flowers While Gods Burn Brightly (4)</h4>


    Kaaang!!


    A heavy metallic sound resounded. The tip of a de was held in front of my face, quivering ever so slightly. I had been murmuring to myself in boredom when the assant tried his luck. It was a dangerous situation, but I didn¡¯t even blink an eye.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Kuughh. You. Ugh, Kuugh.¡±


    The warrior spoke while violently coughing up blood. He had the appearance of a hedgehog with dozens of metal spikes sticking out of him. His thundering sword had been fierce indeed, but his skills, even though he was nearing apleter, had been insufficient to avoid all the soaring metals.


    Taak!


    Pushakkk!


    When I moved my fingers, the iron skewers burst through the bodies, and the prated bodies also burst like bubbles.


    ¡°You monster! Ugh! My sword¡­!¡±


    ¡°Dammit! Get rid of all the weapons on the floor! At this pace¡­!¡±


    Even without the help of Ares, the spirit of metal and lightning, I wielded vast powers over the elements. Just like a mutant with a superpower from a movie, I bestowed all the metals around me with a powerful force and flexibility.


    Kwaaakkk! Thud thuck! St!


    Blood sshed. Flesh cracked and bones broke. The numerous armaments littered around the battlefield became my instruments to ughter all the ability users of the Zhu Family.


    I walked.


    Some tried to run while others charged towards me. But they were all stabbed and cut down by their own weapons, as well as random, ownerless equipment. Some enemies tried to crush me with their bodies from above, but a semi-spherical barrier of metal surrounded my body and blocked them like an umbre.


    Blood rained at every step.


    Flesh poured down with my every other step.


    I hadn¡¯t walked too far yet. I had only reached Gwanghwamun Gate.


    Rumble!


    A hand made of metal caused a mountain of bodies to copse with a little push. Without blinking an eye, I jumped over them and exited Gyeongbokgung Pce.


    ¡°¡­The devil.¡±


    ¡°How vicious¡­¡±


    I could see the warriors of the Zhu Family turn deathly white. The ones who had been rushing toward me were now slowly retreating. Despite having killed so many of them, tens of thousands of ability users were still alive and kicking.


    ¡°You, you bastard. You.¡±


    I turned my head. The Fist Emperor was staring at me with a look of disbelief. His right arm wascerated, his insides were muddy, and his armor was colored with blood.


    ¡°What kind of power did you ept? Even though the Ghost de wielded the energy of the Heavenly Killing Star, it wasn¡¯t to this degree¡­¡±


    He looked terrible, but it was quite impressive. Even though he had been subjected to my attack at the beginning of the ughter, he was still alive. It proved that he was one of the strongest people of Earth.


    I looked back at him. With my brother dead, he was the strongest human in this ce. But his pathetic wriggling only aroused my hatred.


    ¡°Do not speak nonsense, insect. No one can defy the heavens. Even you, who summoned that feeble evil spirit.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I turned my head from him and looked at the insects.


    In fact, this was a needless battle. As soon as the Fist Emperor summoned the evil spirit by sacrificing his allies, the Zhu Family¡¯s state of alliance was virtually broken. What kind of madman would fight for an alliance that was sacrificing them? Needless to say, the sacrifice hadn¡¯t been agreed upon previously. It wasn¡¯t as if a few troops were sacrificed as a part of a deal, but rather, he had killed enough people to cripple several organizations.


    Even if I had note forward, the Zhu Family¡¯s forces would have copsed on their own. An internal strife would arise, and the soldiers would start killing themselves. The only reason they were still fighting together, even though they didn¡¯t trust each other, was the result of a sudden appearance of a powerful enemy.


    Thuckk!


    As my mind wandered here and there, my vision darkened with sudden pain.


    Thud!


    My body was copsing.


    Thud thud thuck. ng!


    The arsenal of weapons flying in the sky fell to the ground like rain.


    ¡°I, I got him!¡±


    ¡°What? Really?¡±


    ¡°Did you really?¡±


    The soldiers of the Zhu Family took on ted expressions as they saw me copse helplessly.


    Crack! Thud!


    In an instant, the Fist Emperor rushed towards me like lightning. He trampled on my body, then cut off my arms and legs before decapitating me. Everyone was looking at him with nk expressions, but I knew why he had done so. He didn¡¯t believe that I waspletely dead, so he was making sure.


    But.


    I wouldn¡¯t die because of such things.


    Schururuk!! Kireekkk!


    ¡°Keugh!?¡±


    The Fist Emperor had even burst my heart into pieces with his fist. But now, he was groaning. A silver hand of metal was holding him by the throat. He struggled with overwhelming force, but the metal fist was made up of hundreds and thousands of metals. It did not budge.


    Title: Disaster of Mankind¡¯s effect is activated!


    Resurrecting!


    My severed limbs and head flew back to their original ces and my heart was instantly restored. It was as if time was flowing backwards. I stood in ce with my two feet nted on the ground, then picked up a small bullet.


    ¡°There really was a bullet made from wood.¡±


    I burst out intoughter of disbelief as I looked down at the magic bullet. When I had been hit on the head by a metal bullet earlier, I thought that I could die if it had been made of stone or wood instead. But now, it hade to fruition, and I had died without ever having taken measures to protect myself. However, it was not carelessness, but rather an extreme sense ofcency.


    But arrogance that could bestow suchcency was the privilege of the strong.


    ¡°This is insane¡­ Resurrection? He resurrected?¡±


    The Fist Emperor was looking at me with an incredulous look. I stared back. I didn¡¯t feel the need to exin nor mock him.


    ¡°Insect.¡±


    Crack!


    Along with my short evaluation, he fell to the floor with a broken neck.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Gwanghwamun Square became filled with silence. It was filled with tens of thousands of troops from the Zhu Family as well as the forces of the Lee Family who had followed me through Gwangwahum Gate. All of them were staring at me with their mouths agape.


    ¡°Imand in the name of Kwan Dae-ha.¡±


    I drew my spiritual power. I no longer had the Divine Spirit. I could not utilize an Almighty Decree of God to gain absolutemand over the machines with souls, the mecha tribe, nor could I exercise the omniscient authority to read the world itself.


    But even so, I was still me.


    ¡°Running away.¡±


    And it wasn¡¯t as if my strong spiritual power had disappeared.


    ¡°Is now forbidden.¡±


    Themanding words fell like lightning and destroyed dozens of spells and magics. All means of movement, such as emergency escape, teleport, and reverse transition, were now nullified.


    ¡°Keugh! My astral body has been canceled!¡±


    ¡°My stealth!?¡±


    ¡°My spells aren¡¯t working!¡±


    ¡°Lies! There is no way we can¡¯t move to the surface world or into a temporary channel!¡±


    The ability users screamed at the strange phenomenon. All of their emergency escape routes had beenpromised. Some started to sprint without looking back. If magical means were blocked, they could just run away on their feet.


    Gold giants descended to the ground and blocked the paths of those who were trying to run away.


    ¡°What, what is this? Ro, robot?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a giant here, too. Damn it! They¡¯re blocking the retreat!¡±


    ¡°What is this? A fighter ne? Why are there fighter nes in the parallel world?¡±


    Ten units of Golden Knights with the power of human-rank gigas, 50 units of the Golden Lion Unit with the power of beast-rank gigas, 100 units belonging to the R7 Flight Squadron. They dispersed throughout the battlefield and prevented anyone from escaping.


    Booom!


    A bombardment of magic started to pour toward me. Without any remaining stacks of resurrections, it was a dangerous attack, but.


    ¡°Ares.¡±


    Boom!


    Like magic, a silver giantnded next to me. The magic bombing disappeared without a trace, just like a stone thrown into a pond. The attacks weren¡¯t able to even reach Ares¡¯ shields ¨C his transcendental level of resistance had scattered the mana.


    Obviously, everyone becamepletely shocked at the sudden appearance of Ares. They shook their heads and rubbed their eyes as if they could not believe their eyes.


    ¡°What is that!? What in the bloody world is that!? How could there be a soul soldier of that size!?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no soul soldier! That¡¯s just a machine! Is Rockefeller intervening in the matter?¡±


    ¡°But it can¡¯t be a mere machine or a robot. Something is different¡­¡±


    Even without the Status of God that Ares was emitting, his appearance was truly overwhelming. The 6.5-meter tall statue of Admiral Yi Sun-shin, or rather, the magic golem Sun-shin, was like a small child next to Ares, a 30-meter-tall armored giant. Moreover, his armor and movements reflected the incredible technologies of the Kendler Tribe, a peak Type IV Civilization. Even those who were ignorant of science could not help but feel awe at the sight.


    Dae-ha.


    He called me. Unlike usual, I could feel that mixed emotions were rushing through his mind. I reached out my hand and touched his ankle.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±


    ¡­..


    He looked down at me for a while, then answered.


    Alright.


    He bowed his head. With a light metallic sound, the head of Ares opened, and I boarded him. As his frontal armor closed around the opening, a mirage wave from his Iron Heart filled the inside of the cockpit.


    It was the Avalon system.


    Just like an aquarium full of water, the entire cockpit was submerged in Ares¡¯ energy. After filling the entire area, we began the synchronization process. Normally, no physical change took ce when I opened the door and fully unlocked my spiritual powers. I didn¡¯t gain strength, endurance, resistance nor resilience.


    On the other hand, the change in my spiritual powers was overwhelming. When I opened the door, I climbed beyond the limits of a yer, the number 999. 1,054 points of mana, 900 points of magical power, and even 1,025 points of magical resistance.


    The enormous power was too overbearing, to the point that my body could be destroyed by attempting to yield it. It was unbnced to the point where I could not utilize it properly. My body was so weak, that I could not even exercise my magical resistance to the full extent.


    ¡®I can¡¯t even use my magical resistance because of my body¡¯scking capacity. Unless it¡¯s a curse or mental magic, it would be better to face it with my body.¡¯


    If I were to activate my magical resistance recklessly, my skin could explode. What more could I say? But the moment I boarded a Gigas and started the synchronization process with the Avalon system, the story changedpletely.


    The Iron Heart¡¯s incredible durability, the phenomenal body of the Gigas, and the god-like abilities sublimated me to a being close to a god.


    Wooong!


    My hand grasped onto a spear taken out from the God of War¡¯s Treasure Trove. For Ares, who was 30 meters tall, the spear was as big as chopsticks. However, the spear quickly expanded and became sorge that the spearhead was dragging on the floor. It was a function that was contained in the spear, not a power of Ares.


    ¡°I see. This is why you thought it funny that Bo-ram carried Gungnir.¡±


    I observed the spear in my hand. It was a weapon that I robbed from the old man who blocked my path when I rode into the Rising Storm with Ares. It must have been a terrible tragedy for the Leondhardt Empire to have lost the weapon. The weapon in my hands was a treasure of immense value that even the empire could never afford to pass on.


    It was one of the most powerful transcendental weapons in the universe, one of the 1,000 strongest weapons. It would be hard to procure even a single one of these weapons with five or sixs. It was a Numbering.


    Unfortunately for the empire, by the time they figured out that it was in my hands, they were no longer in the position to dare and ask for it back.


    I just thought it was a real coincidence. She values Gungnir as much as her own life, and you just happened to obtain it.


    ¡°Surely.¡±


    I responded before getting into a proper stance with Gungnir in my hands.


    Groarrr---!


    My energy started boiling up. Abilities of the Day were shifted as I needed, though I didn¡¯t need to shuffle that much.


    *Abilities of the Day!


    Sparks flew as soon as I equipped the abilities. One Light. When I hit the ground once more, I stood next to the soul soldier Sun-shin.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    A loud thunder resounded along with the questioning sounds. As I turned around, I could see the ability users of the Zhu Family looking up at me, copsed on the ground in fear.


    Then,


    Shwarrr!!


    The pouring blood and flesh were soaking their bodies. They stared at me nkly, having lost all will to fight.


    ¡°¡­God.¡±


    I loosened my arms as they moaned. Sparks were created from Gungnir, which was almost touching the ground.


    Then I smashed the earth.

 Vol 2. 44: Destruction vs Destruction vs Destruction (1)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 44: Destruction vs Destruction vs Destruction (1)</h4>


    Boom. After the massacre that was too brutal to signify the end of a battle, I went down to the front of Gwanghwamun Gate. ''I tried to be as careful as I could, but it seems that the Entry Barrier is still being maintained. It''s pretty good for a Low-rank transcendent.'' I crossed Gwanghwamun Gate''s site, which was nowpletely destroyed and barely any trace of it remained.


    "..."


    "..."


    There were over a thousand people waiting for me in a huge crowd. They seemed to have tried standing upright and looking straight ahead, but failed to do so convincingly. They were as pale as a sheet of paper, and trembled. Although they possessed great strength and status that could be counted with one hand among the remaining ability users of the Lee Family, they staggered from the wind. They struggled to even stand.


    "Hmm." As I saw that sight, I pondered about it again. ''Should I kill them?'' If it were under usual circumstances, I wouldn¡¯t have given it a second thought. Originally, I could exterminate them simply because I was offended by the sight of them, I thought they would harm me, or I believed them to be unnecessary. Otherwise, I could exterminate them because I just wanted to. However, right now, I couldn''t do so. Of course, it wasn''t because I was reluctant to kill.


    Roarrr! I could hear the sound of something copsing and pouring down. Blood was gushing through the city''s sewers¡­ The Zhu Family''s army was wiped out. It was different from the total annihtion that wasmonly discussed in modern warfare. The damage that the Zhu Family received was not acent loss of troops that amounted to only 20 to 30 percent. It was 150,000 superhumans. Everyone was exterminated without a single exception, so there were more than 150,000 dead bodies at the usually quiet Gwanghwamun Square, which no longer had any space to step on.


    Wiiiiingggg. Ares sat on one knee and opened his head. I climbed to the top of his hand. Then, he put me down in front of the members of the Lee Family that crowded around.


    "..." I looked at them without saying much. I was still pondering about it.


    "Thank you for your help."


    "I never helped you all." I cut off the words of the Imperial Princess who opened her mouth after a long while. I was in no mood for a conversation. To be honest, I didn''t even know why I got down from Ares and came forward to stand in front of them. "..." Why was it? For what reason? Was something on my mind? I stared at the ability users of the Lee Family, seeing in the fear in their eyes.


    The ability users of the Lee Family appeared to be looking at something iprehensible, as if they were in the face of horror and disaster.


    However, only one person was different. It was Min-kyung, the Imperial Princess who stood at the very front. She was standing arrogantly, but I could hear the sound of her weeping. She was crying out from sadness. Still, she was desperately trying to bring herself together and concentrate on the current situation.


    "Ahh." Only then did I realize why I was standing here.


    "I''m sorry for doing things as I please till the very end, Dae-ha. But still. Please take care of her."


    '' I see.'' As Min-kyung was looking at me with eyes that shared an affectionate gaze with hyung, I realized the fact that even if I was a being born with a Divine Spirit, and that I was an existence above a human being¡­ I was still just a human being tied up in a rtionship. ''Ahh.'' At that moment, my consciousness, which hadpletely assimted with ''me'', surfaced. As that happened, I naturally had a consciousness that was different from what ''I'' had so far. What was unusual was that ''I'' did not recognize that fact at all. That was why...


    "You, you were hyung''s lover, right?" Unlike me, who was pondering even in the midst of the massacre, ''he'' said in a voice full of arrogance, "Mourn."


    "...!"


    Min-kyung red at me, who suddenly remarked, but I continued as if I did not see her reaction, "And live your whole life yearning for the human Kwan Yeong-min."


    "...!" Even Min-kyung, who had controlled herself as much as possible till now, trembled all over at this moment. She clenched her teeth and shouted, "How could you?!" Along with a ''Whooosh'', an intense heat was emitted. As she got agitated, her superpowers began to exert influence on the Physical Realm. "How could you say that?! I, I am...!"


    "Is that a no?" In spite of the desperate affection, ''I'' did not even blink an eye. I was dumbfounded and muttered silently, ''You crazy dude. How could you ask such a question in such a situation?¡¯ My veins were so thick that I could probably use them as a blunt weapon. In the midst of all this, perhaps I should be thankful if she even thought of my brother.


    "...No."


    "If so." I smirked andughed. "There''s no need to purposely annihte humanity."


    "...!" Min-kyung trembled in an instant. She wasn¡¯t the only one, because the thousand over ability users of the Lee Family who listened in on our conversation also reacted intensely. Some of them even jumped in ce. "What, what did you say?"


    "No, wait, is this perhaps..." Amotion was stirred up. The already white faces turnedpletely blue. One of them even groaned in disbelief. "The prophecy of destruction..."


    "What?"


    "No, it''s not!"


    The person who shook her head was someone I was familiar with. It was Min-kyung''s younger sister and my ssmate, Kyung-eun. However, I gave her a nce and turned away while ignoring her. "Genie."


    Large-scale Recall. Executing it.


    There was a sh of light and I moved to the Albatross ship''s bridge deck. Needless to say, all the Gigas and fighter jets that were deployed returned to the Albatross ship. I stood at the bridge deck and looked at Gyeongbokgung Pce which was moving further away. Due to the urgent situation, the Albatross ship which hade down to the atmosphere was emerging.


    I could feel ''my'' heart. His mind wasplicated. He was sad. He was cooling down. He was annoyed. He was bored. He was lonely. "Yeah." In the quiet bridge deck, he pped his hands as if he had made up his mind. "That''s right." He nodded. Then, he said with a refreshed expression, "Let''s exterminate them."


    ''Agh, for real. Are you crazy, you fucker?'' Without realizing it, I let out a curse. Just a while ago, he said there was no need to annihte humanity, so why did he change his mind and say such bullshit? This went beyond the notion of a child who changed their mind on a whim. I could feel a stronger emotion than him just wanting to remove a hindrance that bothered his sight¡­


    ¡®Abhorrence and contempt.¡¯ Come to think of it, he had such a tendency from the beginning. I could feel a sense of disgust and hatred that was too over-the-top for something that he treated like a bug. ''It''s something else. Can this really be considered as another me?'' It was hard to understand. Have I ever despised human beings this much? Did I have such a deep-rooted hatred for human beings?


    Of course, that might be possible. Deep down, I might have been disenchanted with humanity. However, it was hard to think that it would lead to destruction just because it was a bother. In fact, when I waspletely assimted a while ago, I felt a lot of emotions at the sight of Min-kyung, who shared feelings of affection with Hyung. However, as soon as the assimtion was unleashed, all that emotion disappeared over the horizon and left behind a feeling of disgust that seemed as if he was looking at a bug that was to be killed and disposed of. It was true that there were some signs of this before, but somehow, that feeling grew stronger aftering down to Earth.


    "Genie! How many nuclear warheads do we have?"


    If it''s a nuclear warhead that''s been injected with soul energy, we don''t have any supplies prepared. But if it''s a nuclear warhead for operational purposes, more than 13,000 rounds have been loaded.


    After the appearance of Iron Heart, the history of weapons for the Great Universe was written anew. The advanced weapons used in the front lines quickly became obsolete due to the changing era. Or there was the fact that terms such as ¡®for military purpose¡¯ and ¡®for battle purpose¡¯ were removed from the minds of others.


    It was a simr situation with nuclear weapons, so forces greater than Empire-ss no longer used nuclear weapons if a choice was given. Even fighter jets equipped with a Tool-rank Iron Heart would not be destroyed by nuclear explosions if it wasn''t a direct hit. Hence, nuclear weapons no longer had any value as weapons. However, nuclear warheads were still well worth it if they were used for operational purposes. Earth, which failed to advance to the Stage III Civilization, was in a state that could be destroyed just by those weapons for operational purposes alone.


    ''That damned guy isn''t giving me any time to grieve, huh.'' I got up from my seat. Then, as I did so, the shape of an iron gate appeared next to me with it wide open.


    Ipletely lost his mind and assimted with ''me''. However, despite that, as he massacred the humans from the Zhu Family and realized the existence of Min-kyung, who was Hyung''s lover, the assimtion naturally got released. In other words, it could be said that my current state was divided into three. Me with a closed door state. Me with an opened door state. Lastly, me who got rid of the door and entered into an assimted state.


    Strangely enough, I, who opened the door... Basically, I, who was in a Divine Spiritized state, did not seem to be able to feel the state of assimtion. Despite thepletely different state of mind when I was not in the assimted state, I somehow did not feel any abnormalities.


    I concentrated my mind. It wasn''t anything difficult. No, rather, it felt like I had a clear sense of what I had to do. By closing the door like this, I would surely be capable of escaping from the influence of the Divine Spirit¡­ But then¡­ "That won''t do."


    An intruder has appeared! Emergency! Emergency situation! I dere a first-degree emergency situation with the authority of the control persona! The defense system has been fully activated! Emergency shutdownmenced! Attempting for a forced expulsion!


    Wiiiing----! Chiiikingggg! Chiiikingggg! Along with a thunder-like warning, all the equipment on the bridge deck went into the ground and severalyers of doors began to close. It was a quick response that happened in an instant and subsequently, Recall attempts were made, but...


    "I''m watching too, so don''t make a fuss and bring me something to drink." ''I'' easily thwarted them with a single fling of my hand.


    ¡­Captain-nim?


    "Quickly now."


    ¡­Emergency procedures suspended.


    As he heard Genie''s words, ''I'' went to the tea table that reappeared. The intruder followed along and sat across without saying much. ¡®I¡¯ casually greeted, "Hi."


    "Hi... Ermm, is this a spaceship?" He was a man in his early 20s, dressed in clothes that were no different from a straw mat. He was not Asian, having dark skin with distinct features that appeared to be of mixed Caucasian and Arab descent.


    Based on first impressions, he seemed like a foreign worker who was not in good condition. However, surprisingly, ''I'' was delighted to see him and smiled broadly. "Yes yes! Isn''t it pretty neat? It''s a Terra-ss battleship that''s rare to find in the Great Universe!"


    "Then, what about that weird guy?" He raised his hand and pointed to Ares, who materialized himself in human form before I realized it.


    I was baffled and let out a forcedughter. ''He can see that?'' Ares'' human form was not something that actually existed, like an Astral body. If I had to describe it, it was something that symbolized his perspective itself. Hence, the only one who could see that appearance of his was the Magic sses Udjat that Ares himself sent the data to.


    "Ah! That''s my friend, Ares. You''ve never seen anything like this, have you? It''s a transcendence weapon that''s in the ranks of the Numbering! It''s a steel giant with the status of a God!" For some reason, ''I'' was very excited. His boastful way of speaking was one that was never seen before thus far.


    "Definitely... It''s my first time seeing it. So there''s something like this in the world, huh."


    Dae-ha, what''s that? Ares was flustered by the unknown situation.


    "What do you mean, ''what''s that''? That''s obviously-" ''I'' stopped speaking and looked back at the man. "What''s your name?"


    ''It''s Juan. Juan Unnamed Nieto."


    "You heard him, he''s Juan." Regardless of his insincere reply, I looked above his head. A self-introduction wasn''t such an important matter to me anyway.


    Earth-34


    ?? God, Juan


    However, the title that was shown to my eyes was a very strange one. ''Question marks?'' As I expressed doubt at the first case of its kind that I encountered, the man turned his head around and looked me straight in the eye. Then, the title changed.


    That''s some strange eyes.


    Don''t look.


    "...!" I was dumbstruck. Unlike the question marks, which I have never seen before, this was a situation I had experienced once before. The Untouchables I met in the Great Universe, Hawa, had once interfered in her own title. ''No, don''t tell me.'' I was dumbfounded at the conclusion that I naturally arrived at, so Iughed in vain. ''There are other Untouchables on Earth besides the Primordial God?''


    Trantor''s Note:Hi, it''s me again! I hope everyone is having lots of fun reading AYH, as I surely am. There''s just so many twists and turns here and there! Anyways, I''m sure you all have realized by now but just to rify (I hope I''m not toote!), there are many instances of ''I'', ''me'', ''my'' that appeared throughout this chapter and the past chapters in Book 2 (There''s moreing), but these all refer to the OTHER DAE-HA that assimted (More like taken over for reals) with the Divine Spirit in him. Anyways, that''s all I wanted to point out! Have fun reading!!! It''s been very interesting for me, and although it seems messy, it''s actually quite a fun rollercoaster ride!!! Thanks for the huge support! Kamsahamida :)

 Vol 2. 45: Destruction vs Destruction vs Destruction (2)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 45: Destruction vs Destruction vs Destruction (2)</h4>


    Ares was dumbfounded, because there was no way he would know the fact that ''I'' was in shock inside. He spoke, No, I don''t know if he''s awake or not. Why are you going back and forth? I was worried about the massacre, but it''s now more than that. The situation was also strange, though?


    "Oh, right. The massacre." Before I knew it, the man who was drinking the drink that Genie brought him opened his mouth. "Don''t kill humans. They..."


    "Kwan Dae-ha."


    "That''s right, Kwan Dae-ha. Don''t kill humans."


    ''What''s up with this dude?'' I even forgot to close the door and was thrown into confusion by the straightforward request. He was an iprehensible existence from beginning to end. Let alone the fact that the Untouchable being who visited this ce had such an unsightly appearance, I wondered what was with the request to not kill humans. I decided to just watch it for the time being. It was because I realized that this situation was fundamentally different from when the Primordial God came and calmed ''me'' down.


    ''I'' replied with a perplexed expression, "Uhh, but looking at them is annoying. It''s a bother to my eyes. I want to get rid of them."


    "That''s something you may feel about human beings. I understand. But even so, that does not mean that they should be worthlessly ughtered." It was a remark filled with a love for humanity, but I could not feel the slightest hint of emotion in the man¡¯s face. As if passing on someone else''s message, he used a t voice that sounded as if he was reading a passage from a book.


    However, ''I'' just grimaced as if oblivious to the weirdness. "Human beings are insects."


    "No. I think of mankind as existences that are filled with hope." It was still an emotionless voice. His exceedingly calm demeanor portrayed him aspletely uninterested in the existence of mankind.


    "Ohhh..." ''I'' pounded my chest in frustration, seemingly having heard something iprehensible. However, this onlysted a short time. ¡®I¡¯ quickly regained myposure and said, "But how did you know I was trying to make humanity extinct? I haven''t done anything yet."


    "I wasn''t sure, actually. I just... I just came here because I sensed a huge flow that destroyed human civilization."


    ''Flow? It''s a little too bizarre a form for it to be based on mere foresight.'' In addition, ''I'', who opened the door and basically awakened the Divine Spirit, was an existence that transcended the flow of destiny. It was possible to predict the destruction of mankind as it was the result of an action. However, for him to sessfully recognize the cause at once ande looking for me¡­ But as expected, ''I'' did not feel any sense of crisis about those things. Those things weren''t a matter of concern. "I also don''t understand either. Why do you care so much about human beings?"


    "I''ll say it again, I think of mankind as existences that are filled with hope. They only went astray because of a little problem."


    "A little problem?"


    "That''s right." The man nodded. "The problem was that there wasn''t a supreme being to guide and discipline them."


    "Hmmm..." ''I'' frowned with uncertainty. "Even so, I don''t want to."


    "If there''s nothing that can be done until the very end." The man put down his drink and stared at ''me''. "I have no choice but to stop you."


    "¡­Tchh." ''I'' pouted, grumbling.


    It was a terrible sight. ''No, what''s wrong with your attitude? Why are you acting like a baby? Did you regress or something?'' It was a strange change, since ''I'' was not like this when in the Empire. Was it because ¡®I¡¯ lost the All-knowing power? This was simr to when ¡®I¡¯ confessed to the Primordial God but was not in his right mind in more ways than one.


    "Fine, I got it."


    "Thanks." The man got up from his seat. Then, at that moment¡­ Poooof! He disappeared. There were no signs of him here anymore.


    "Ahh, what the hell?! After saying what he wanted to say!" I imagined the door again, after seeing ''me'' who was left alone stomping the ground unhappily. A huge iron door was pictured in my mind. ng ck! I closed it at once.


    Ttattakkkk. I moved my pinky finger. After bending my pinking finger, I proceeded to bend my index finger, middle finger, and my ring finger. Finally, I made a fist. "Whoooo." With deep breathing, Ipletely regained control of my body. This was the first time I had regained control of my body in this way, so it felt very unfamiliar.


    Dae-ha?


    Captain-nim?


    The two control personas called for me. I could feel their emotions even though they weren''t human voices. Confusion and concern, as well as anxiety¡­ However, I waved instead of answering their questions. I was currently in no mood to exin that I was in a state that was neither human nor God. I thought that I would go crazy if I could not get rid of my anger, and my feelings that I had been abandoned to deal with alone¡­ "I''ll exinter on."


    ...I''ll be at the Unique World.


    Call me when you need me, Captain-nim.


    The bridge deck fell silent. I slowly approached the screen on one side of the bridge deck. The image of Earth appeared on the screen just by slightly focusing my consciousness. Klikk! I pulled out the cutter knife with only one de left and waved it in the air.


    "I am...not that valuable of a person."


    "A bad kid... I''m bad."


    It reminded me of the little boy who seemed to carry all the tragedies and sorrows of the world. I was actually a little boy back then, but he looked so small and frail even through my own eyes.


    "Tasty, it''s tasty."


    "Uh, uh yes. It''s fun."


    "Thanks."


    I sat with my back against the wall. The cold metal touched my skin. Come to think of it, my upper garment was torn, but I didn''t realize it at all. Klikk klikk. Klikk. I pushed and pulled the slider of the cutter knife and made a meaningless noise. I was just absent-minded. Even after being in a ze of anger and causing a massacre, there was nothing but emptiness in my heart.


    "Please take care of her."


    I curled up and buried my head on my knees. Klikk klikk. In the confines of the giant battleship outside of Earth, only the meaningless and futile metallic sounds resonated.


    ***


    The huge battleship left the atmosphere and got into the satellite orbit. Albatross, the Terra-ss battleship of the Leonhardt Empire, was not detected by any observation equipment present on Earth. The Albatross, which used to be active as an Expedition Corps, a research city, and an armed battleship, was now operating for a single noble being.


    He was The Second Emperor the Leonhardt Empire had longed for. Although he himself had quit the glorious position, even so, the symbolism was not something anyone would dare to ignore. The evidence was that the Terra-ss battleship, which was of an absolute high value even to the forces of the Empire-ss, was bestowed to an individual.


    Although it was a waste, as if one were to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut, Albatross was the result of the super-science that reached the peak of a Stage IV Civilization, as well as the favorite Transcendence Weapon of the Magic Civilization that was condensed thickly with ultimate magic.


    "It''s really calming down. Should I say I''m lucky..." However, there was an intruder in the Albatross ship. It was a disgraceful matter when thinking about the fact that an unidentified man went in and out as he pleased just a couple of minutes ago. Unfortunately, it was inevitable. The one who broke into the Albatross ship was a young girl with a small stature who looked like a middle school student. She was the Administrator of Earth-34, as well as the Primordial God who had the rank of a Creation God.


    "I thought there would be more than 100 million casualties, if not immediate destruction." She looked at the crying Dae-ha with aplicated expression. She was only a few meters away from Dae-ha, but no one, not even Dae-ha who was immune to all phantasm discovered her. The image of her standing in front of Dae-ha was so foreign that it felt as if she was photoshopped there. "It''s be apletely unpredictable situation."


    It was not easy to foresee an existence beyond the framework of fate. It was not only difficult to predict, but there were also many instances where the prediction that was done at the expense of a great cost was wrong.


    However, a Foresight ability was not always necessary to know the future. The Primordial God, who had lived for a long time, could clearly guess what the Newbie Gods would do.


    Kwan Dae-ha would eventually be devoured by the Divine Spirit. The humans would eventually provoke and instigate him, and that was why mankind would be destroyed. Even if they did not, they would face a situation equivalent to destruction. The situation was suspended in a bizarre way of extracting the Divine Spirit and sealing it outside, but the limitations were bound toe. What he took over was the Divine Spirit of an existence that was disappointed by humanity and rebelled against A God for Humanity. The future was as obvious as light itself.


    What about Juan? If Kwan Dae-ha was going to end up being devoured by the Divine Spirit, then Juan was already devoured. He fell into a meaningless deep-seated delusion. He was obsessed with ideas because he lived an unhappy life, and he was so obsessed with humans that he could not be seen as a transcendent being.


    Even so, unlike Dae-ha who seeded the Divine Spirit of Dekarma, who was still a legitimate God, Juan was an unnamed being. He was the sessor of the Divine Spirit of an Unnamed. He controlled human civilization as he pleased. One might think that he was leading humans down the path of virtue, but he exerted his influence as he pleased and was disappointed whenever things didn''t go his way. In the end, he would drive everything to ruin.


    "Furthermore, even till a real disaster."


    Those two were an irresistible disaster to the humans. Moreover, those two had nothing to do with the prophecy of destruction foresaw by the Great Wizard, Zenon ho Kyprios. The seeds of destruction germinated deep within Earth with great malice.


    "Haha! What a mess. Hahahaha!" The Primordial Godughed with a rattling smile, as if baffled. She did not know how this happened to the civilization she was managing. If she felt like it, she could defeat and seal everything¡­ However, considering her circumstances which moved ording to her mission, it was just a futile imagination.


    "But well." She suddenly stoppedughing and looked at the crying boy with his face buried in hisp. A young boy wet behind the ears. He was the adopted son of the man she loved. "Maybe¡­ Really, maybe." She crouched down in front of Dae-ha. "On the contrary, such a mess may prevent the destruction."


    If Dae-ha had been alone on Earth, mankind would have eventually fallen. In the end, Dae-ha would have started an extermination because he couldn''t bear his hatred for human beings.


    If Juan had been alone on Earth, mankind would also have fallen. Juan would have had expectations for humans as he pleased, be disappointed as he pleased, and punished them ording to his own volition.


    If there were no one on the, nevertheless, mankind would have been destroyed. The great chaos that permeated the inner core of Earth during The Great War would have finally germinated, destroying human civilization and devouring all souls.


    But now... Destruction, destruction, and destruction gathered at one spot. No one could know what the consequences would be. Even her, who had enormous power as a High-rank God, could not. Not even the Human God, who had been preparing his ns for a long time on Earth, could know.


    "Oh my, my little boys." She clicked her tongue and got up. Dae-ha, who still had his head buried in hisp, failed to notice her presence. She talked in front of him, but he could not hear anything since she conveyed no words to his ears. "You''re going to suffer a lot."


    If an ordinary person faced a new world, he would have to adapt to it. If a hero faced a new world, he would lead and transform the world. However, if it was a God who faced a new world¡­


    "The world, you would have to adjust to them." She lifted her body with a bitter smile. Then, following that, she disappeared like a phantom. The bridge deck fell silent again, and only Dae-ha with his head buried in his knees remained there alone.

 Vol 2. 46: Destruction vs Destruction vs Destruction (3)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 46: Destruction vs Destruction vs Destruction (3)</h4>


    30,000 against 150,000. The unreasonable war that diminished fighting spirit even before it started reversed the expectations of all forces around the world and the numerically disadvantaged side emerged victorious. It was a miraculous victory.


    The Lee Family suffered a painful blow of 16,000 casualties, which was more than half of their forces, but it was a small damage whenpared to the loss suffered by the Zhu Family''s expeditionary forces.


    Now that the 150,000rge army of the Zhu Family, who confidently invaded the region of the Lee Family, were exterminated without a single survivor, the Zhu Family was now in a position where all the forces of China must do its best to recover its territory in the parallel world, let alone revenge. What more, the Zhu Family''s base of activity, the Forbidden City, was taken over. So, they were at the crossroad of destruction.


    If the victory today was spread around the world, there would be a crustal movement in the power structure of the parallel world. It wasn''t as if there was never such a sweeping great victory in history, but those were made possible due to a very special terrain, external problems such a supply or politics, or the existence of asymmetrically developed weapons. They were not as mysterious an oue as the current situation.


    All the forces in the world, which had already been preparing for the movement of the Zhu Family, had been hit in the back of the head.


    Strategists from South Korea, who were instilled with a lethal dose of patriotism, did not dare to insist on such a result. Instead, they carefully stretched the degree of tactical victory over strategic defeat with the goal of the best result amongst the avable results. This was because it was an impossible matter to achieve. This was initially acknowledged as being that sort of battle.


    For example, in the surface world, it would be a shock equivalent to North Korea winning a battle against the United States of America. It was a surprise as unfathomable as the defeated United States bing a subordinate country of North Korea. Basically, after the United States did all they could to arm itself with thetest weapons, including aircraft carriers, and even bringing over an overwhelming 150,000 troops, theyunched a surprise invasion without even a deration of war. Yet, they were exterminated by 30,000 North Korean conscripted soldiers. This was just how shocking the entire situation was.


    An unbelievable victory that even the word "miracle" was not enough to describe it. In the first ce, who would have predicted that they would emerge victorious when their quality and quantity were overwhelmingly inferior? However, it was hard to find anyone happy about the victory at Gwanghwamun Square.


    "Oh my God, what in the world is this¡­?"


    "Ughh damn it, the smell. Blurrghhh!"


    "What do you think you are doing right now?! This is why novices are really-! Come on, move your butts! Recover the bodies and equipment!"


    All the personnel who had fled and took refuge inside Gyeongbokgung Pce came out to Gwanghwamun Square and cleaned up the battlefield. The pretentious yet promising younger generations, the descendents of the households with a long history, as well as the trainees who were not allowed to go outside Gyeongbokgung Pce due to their weak fighting power, and even the courtdies of Gyeongbokgung Pce who were bound by all restrictions, sweated as they cleaned up Gwanghwamun Square. They were eventually covered in blood.


    "Isn''t it terrifying that despite the smell of blood being so intense, none of the demon tribes are charging here? It''s not just because they''re not nearby, but rather, there''s not a single one of them in the range of detection."


    "They were probably surprised by therge-scale battle and widened their distance."


    "Does that make sense? Aren''t the demon tribes beings who would crawl towards the smell of blood even if all their limbs were cut off?"


    The trainees, who were dragging arge cart enchanted with magic containing broken weapons of war, chatted amongst themselves. They were not the only ones.


    "There are almost no corpses that are fully intact. How could most of the bodies be mashed or exploded apart? This is like¡­ Yeah, it is like they were hit by a big pole that flew at lightning speed.¡±


    "I thought I lived a gruesome life, but I now seem oblivious to reality. I never thought I''d see such an outrageous sight."


    The bodies were stacked like a mountain. Even the warriors, who were confident that they had lived a life that was no different from walking on a de streaming with blood, trembled all over. This was because they could guess how horrible the war had been just based on the traces left in Gwanghwamun Square. However, even so...


    "I don''t know. I was contacted and listened to the news, I even participated in the war until the mid-tote part of it¡­ What kind of weapon did the Lee Family use at the end to be able to create such a devastating power?"


    "I''ve been poking my nose around and I haven''t figured anything out. Still, I heard from those that escaped to the rear that they heard the sound of thunder and lightning, along with a huge explosion."


    "Moreover, to kill all these numbers without even taking any prisoners captive..."


    "They must have used a forbidden spell, right?"


    Even those who belonged to the Lee Family could not find out about the devastation that took ce at the end of the war. This was because the strong barrier that the Lee Family spread out separated Gyeongbokgung Pce by zones, and also because Min-kyung took follow-up measures to distort the memories of the low-level ability users. Within the Lee Family, only about 1,000 High-rank ability users were aware of the existence of Dae-ha.


    "Your Highness, Imperial Princess." The girl who approached Min-kyung was one of those High-rank ability users. This was a strong ability user who was at the top of the ranks even among the ability users of the Lee Family.


    "Human Sword."


    Heavenly, Earth, and Human, were the symbols of the Lee Family''s martial prowess. She was the Guardian of the Human Sword, which symbolized mankind. Furthermore, being the Guardian of the Human Sword meant that she was the Leader of the Hwarang group, one of the Lee Family''s three major martial groups.


    Hwarang group was a youth-fostering organization established during the Si period, and it was long destroyed and disappeared. However, it was revived by the Great Wizard who was intrigued by their abilities. Then, he made the Human Sword and ordered it to be inherited by generations of the leaders of the Hwarang group, and to build up their strength.


    Hwarang were those who only gained strength from humans. They substituted the human''s yearning, envy, love, and affection, with strength and served in fatigue duty[1]. Because of that, the Hwarangs had jobs such as singers, actors, models, or broadcasters.


    They were beings who shined even when they were mixed among humans, no matter where and when. Due to the fundamental temperament of the group called Hwarang, they would bring along their stylists and makeup artists even if they went to war. They were beings of outstanding appearance, talent, and attractiveness. Furthermore, they lived frantically to further grow those qualities of theirs with all their might. That was why the leader of the Hwarang group was...


    "Choi Bae-dal."


    "Ah, this fucking..."


    "What did you say?"


    "I-It''s nothing." The young girl, who lost her reason for a moment, regained herposure. She had a high reputation in the parallel world as the leader who led the Hwarang group, but there were actually far more people who remembered her by a different title. She was a genius singer-songwriter and the National Sister, Leaf. She was a singer-songwriter with excellent singing skills and was a top-notch actress recognized for her acting skills. She was also a broadcaster who was well-liked by the nation for her straightforward manner and behavior that she portrayed in all kinds of variety shows.


    "Uuushaaa." Leaf walked up next to Min-kyung and leaned against the window. Min-kyung was on a high-rise building that still had some structural integrity left among the other ruined buildings, and as Leaf stood side by side with Min-kyung, she looked down at Gwanghwamun Square, which was being dealt with for quite some time after the war. Suddenly, Leaf said, "I''ve always been regarded as a genius."


    "A genius?"


    Min-kyung turned her head and Leaf nodded. "Teacher found me, who was an orphan, by chance and he pped his hands andughed like crazy."


    It was a legend of the man who pped andughed crazily. The story was that her teacher, who was regarded as an expressionless man because he usually appeared that way, could not endure his joy upon witnessing her amazing talent. This was a testament to how amazing of an aptitude she had for the unique training method of the Hwarang, the Hwarang¡¯s Way of Heaven Earth Flower. Unlike Heavenly Sword, who was a descendent of a prestigious household, or Earth Sword, who was manufactured as a weapon, only she, Human Sword, rose to the position of a leader only through her talent.


    "I was called a musical genius when I first sang, and I was called an acting genius when I first entered acting."


    Without anyone''s help, she went to a big entertainment agency with nothing in her repertoire and got epted at once. Her tone and vocalization was so amazing that it was burdensome for the agency to assign a vocal trainer to her, and she was so coordinated that she could perfectly imitate a dance she saw for the first time down to the most minimal movement.


    "And face genius[2] was the nickname that always precedes all of the others."


    "..."


    Even Min-kyung, who was so serious when it came to bragging about herself, made a baffled expression. However, Leaf soon smiled bitterly. "Even so, despite that." Leaf turned her head and looked straight into Min-kyung''s eyes. "When I saw Yeong-min... I felt inferior."


    The reason why she first took interest in Kwan Yeong-min was, of course, because of his appearance. It was actually an extraordinary appearance that made him look more like a short-haired beautiful girl straight out of a manhwa rather than a man. But when he lifted the sword inside the tower, when he finally showed his talent for martial arts that he could not reveal in the surface world, as there was nothing that garnered such a disy of power... She felt a shudder.


    "He was a genius great enough to upset the world."


    He was literally a genius that reigned supreme. It wasn''t just talent sufficient enough to be the strongest person among many people. Rather, he had enough power to turn the world upside down by himself. He had the spirit and talent that was assumed to exceed beyond the limitations of the human species to reach the realm of transcendence.


    "Yeah, he was a terrifying guy."


    The remnants of the Unnamed that was embedded in the deepest part of the parallel world. The Tower epted challengers from all over the world once a year. If there were insufficient or no challengers, they would forcibly summon them.


    Kwan Yeong-min was the only challenger that came from the surface world. He was the only ordinary person among more than 1,000 challengers. However, that ordinary person became the winner of the Tower just with one cutter knife in hand.


    "But." Suddenly, the air became heavy. Leaf''s expression turned serious. "His brother was different. He w-waspletely different."


    Leaf thought of Kwan Yeong-min''s younger brother, Kwan Dae-ha. His transcendental Mana, which made her legs tremble just by facing against him, and his unbelievable level of attribute ability that could turn weapons imbued with all kinds of spells into liquid in a blink of an eye, were truly frightening. However, it was his robots and fighter jets that he called forth that shocked and frightened her. It was dumbfounding. A robot in the parallel world dominated by swordsmanship and magic? He was not a genius. The surface world was a given, but he was also so foreign in the parallel world.


    "What the hell is he?"


    "..." Min-kyung looked down at Gwanghwamun Square without any sort of answer. The courtdies were seen operating the facilities on one side of Gwanghwamun Gate to retrieve the blood that had flowed into the sewer.


    The damage suffered from this battle was truly devastating, but the benefits in return were so enormous that the damages were taken lightly. Aside from obtaining the authority of the Forbidden City, which was as good as everything the Zhu Family had, they also gained the equipment and supplies used by 150,000 people and even their corpses. From now on, the Lee Family had to walk on the tip of a de.


    The Lee Family woulde to possess stronger powers with the current benefits gained, and the status of the organization known as the Lee Family would bepletely different from what it had been thus far. However, other forces would try to dig up the secret to their victory by stabbing them in the back and poking with their feet instead of celebrating it.


    "I''m also curious about that." Min-kyung turned around by the window. Even if she did not feel like it, she did not have the time to be immersed in her emotions anymore. ¡°You do know that you can''t be too curious about it, right?"


    "...You''re right. Yeah, I suppose." Leaf smiled bitterly. She was reminded of the overwhelming sense of pressure emitted by Dae-ha and the giant robot he was on board when he came down in front of them.


    And above all, his words. "Then, there''s no need to purposely annihte humanity." That arrogant remark. It was an unbelievable matter, but... She did not feel even the slightest hint of pretentiousness from his words.


    "Make sure you work towards not letting those morons provoke him." Baang! Min-kyung, who finished saying what she wanted to, lightly jumped down the building. Leaf stuck her head out and looked down, but she was already gone.


    "Aigoo, I didn''t hear a single answer to the questions I had and I was only given even more work.¡± Leaf grumbled, "I shouldn''t have asked," and looked down at Gwanghwamun Square again. She saw numerous ability users of the Lee Family. "That''s right. Mankind should fight a human''s battle." They were words of determination. However, she didn''t know. In front of the surging waves of the legend, the fact that a human''s battle was nothing but a forlorn hope and wishing thinking.


    1. Fatigue duty (or fatiguebor) is thebor assigned to military men that does not require the use of armament.


    2. This is amonly used term in Korea, which means a genius when ites to looks. It basically describes someone who looks amazingly attractive.

 Vol 2. 47: Destruction vs Destruction vs Destruction (4)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 47: Destruction vs Destruction vs Destruction (4)</h4>


    ***


    I opened my eyes, lightly washed up, and then changed into my school uniform. There wasn''t any special preparation. I wore Shadow Stalker and put on Udjat before taking my smartphone with me too. When I opened the door, I saw a girl in a courtdy''s attire standing in front of me. "Hi."


    "..." I stared at the courtdy standing at the door. She was a young girl who was familiar to me.


    Wol-il High School


    Level 3


    Depressed, Lee Seon-ae


    Although she was wearing a courtdy''s attire, she was still a high schooler. Very quietly, she stood exactly one and a half steps behind me without any further greetings. I turned my head slightly and looked at her for a moment. ''Ah,e to think of it, she transformed, right?'' She seemed to have some sort of secret. It was pretty impressive to see her Level soaring to Level 8 upon transforming through Synthetic Mana at the moment of crisis. Also, it was pretty funny that her affiliation was still Wol-il High School even though her name was changed to Nike.


    "You''re back in the pce."


    "That''s how it turned out,¡± she answered somewhat brazenly before immediately shrugging and heading towards the stairs.


    I looked at her and did not bother asking who she was, where she was affiliated to, what kind of power she had, the reason why the safe house was ambushed, who the traitor was, and how the situation was handled. Since I was uninterested, I thought it to be unsightly to inquire about her situation just because I had nothing else to say. Anyway, even if I was curious, it would probably be confidential information to them.


    Nod. After standing next to the stairs, I walked past the courtdy who bowed down and went down the stairs. It was burdensome to move past her, since her bow was angled 10 degrees deeper than usual. I left Gangnyeonjeon, the amodation where I stayed, and headed for Gyeonghoeru Pavilion.


    "Ji-hyun, are you alright?¡±


    "I''m just a little injured, so don''t overreact. It''s simply fortunate that I survived through that mess."


    "Have you heard the news? The Patriarch-nim stepped down from his position."


    "Haha! I never imagined this to happen. Who would have thought that we would win?"


    "The Imperial Princess-nim had prepared a great deal without the knowledge of The Emperor His Majesty. And, most of all, the power of the Ghost de was great."


    "He was truly a devilish talent. If it weren''t for his sacrifice, would the Lee Family win?"


    Gyeonghoeru Pavilion was much noisier than usual. The people who were dining chattered loudly with those who began drinking since dawn amongst them. They all discussed therge-scale battle, an unbelievable victory, and the rage and fear of death that came about in the middle of it all. Their conversations burned like a st furnace.


    "Please give me some garak-guksu[1]. Ah, for your information, I''m a Strongman."


    "Yes, yes, I know full well that you eat a lot..." The demon tribe ahjumma, who was distributing food to the ability users of the Lee Family, hesitated upon noticing me. ¡°...¡±


    "What''s wrong?"


    "That''s not what you should be saying... You''ve still around the Lee Family, huh?" Her ck eyes which were seemingly colored with crayons stared right at me.


    I thought her gaze revealed a slight fear and vignce, which made me smirk. "It''s not as if I did anything wrong, so there''s no reason to leave. I didn''t see where he went, but I guess he saw the battle."


    "Because that''s the conditions of the contract. I don''t have the slightest idea, either. You..."


    "Just give me some noodles."


    "¡­Alright."


    I received a bowl of noodles from her. It was a menu that seemingly came out in a Time Attack Challenge; the bowl was the size of a basin and the toppings formed a mountain within. Simply and pleasantly put, it truly was garak-guksu with an udon-like presentation with many bits of ingredients. Of course, it didn''t matter as long as it tasted good, so I took it and sat somewhere appropriate.


    However, someone followed to sit across me. It wasn''t Seon-ae, but a face that I had never seen before. "Finally, we meet. Hey, you. You''re that Ghost de guy''s brother, aren''t you?" The young man who looked a year or two older than me sat in the chair across from where I was. He had a handsome appearance with attractive features, as well as a tall and sturdy body. However, he had to get back up as soon as he sat down. It was not due to his own volition but someone else¡¯s intention. "Huh? Sunbae-nims? What are you doing right now?"


    "Follow me."


    "No, wait. It''s not a training session, and it''s not even an official asion either¡­ Why are you being so forceful... Keok?!" The young man who resisted was punched in the stomach by a merciless iron fist. He was being held by two men, who supported his arms to keep him in ce.


    "Excuse us."


    "Please enjoy your meal."


    They dragged the unconscious man away after speaking polite words. Only then did Seon-ae, who was standing behind me, let out a groan probably out of surprise. "No, why A4B4?"


    "Is it someone you know?¡±


    "What do you mean someone I know?! It''s A4B4! Do you not know ''Good night, sleep tight'' and ''Couple Day''?"


    "They''re idols, huh.¡± I shrugged, because he was aplete stranger to me. Considering that I was a high school student who pretty much lived his day-to-day life watching TV, it seems that they weren''t a very famous group.


    Slurpppp. I tilted the bowl of noodles, which appeared to be one meter in diameter, to drink the soup and slurp the noodles. Since training in the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, my basal metabolism had drastically increased, so neglecting to eat would cause me to lose my muscle. Hence, I ate like a horse. Of course, my body, which was in the Unique World, was eating during his spare time. However, that body had not fully healed due to the injury suffered from the Fist Emperor, so I had to eat more diligently in reality.


    "This is ridiculous. If it''s A4B4, they''re not just some small-time Hwarang. They are real Hwarangs, so why are they taking care of you? And what''s with that polite attitude?" Seon-ae spoke to me. Unlike her previously unenthusiastic attitude, her eyes were glistening.


    I shrugged and asked back, "Are you not eating?"


    "A courtdy doesn''t eat at Gyeonghoeru Pavilion. No, more than that."


    She seemed to have a lot more questions than usual, but I cut her off to continue eating. ¡°Well, if you say so.¡±


    - This is an announcement to everyone. A joint funeral is scheduled to be held at 6 p.m. today in Taewonjeon Shrine[2], so if you have any questions for the bereaved families, pleasee to the fourth floor of the Sujeongjeon Hall[3]. It will be conducted by Monk Yeong-hwan, and the method used would be cremation.


    The unexpected broadcast quietened down the entire cafeteria. However, that silence was short-lived and it soon became even louder than before.


    "Wow, they''re going to conduct a funeral? For real?"


    "There are indeed a lot of dead bodies from the Zhu Family¡¯s side. I can''t believe they''re being so courteous towards the deceased."


    I lifted up the noodle bowl and slurped all the soup down. Then, I ced it on the floor with a ''thud''. It felt a littlecking perhaps due to it being a soup dish, but it was sufficient since I didn¡¯t train early in the morning. If it was not enough, I could always get an energy bar from the Albatross. "Is it such a surprising thing to have a funeral?" I got up from my seat and asked.


    Seon-ae was sulky about the development that went my way. However, she did not protest and simply exined, "Of course it''s a surprising thing. The bodies of ability users that belong to an affiliation would usually be returned to that respective affiliation."


    "You mean the Lee Family is ckmailing them with dead bodies?"


    As I looked back with a flustered expression, Seon-ae looked at me as if she was more perplexed than I was. "You really don''t know anything about the parallel world, do you?"


    "There''s no reason for me to know about it." After making thatment, I returned the bowl and left Gyeonghoeru Pavilion. I passed through Heungnyemun Gate, Yeongjegyo Bridge, and then through Geunjeongmun Gate. The entire process of moving from the parallel world to the surface world through the doors at Geunjeongjeon Hall happened at lightning speed.


    "The bodies of the ability users hold high value. At the same time, it is also a mass of secret information about the technologies of each force. Since it was the instruction of the Great Wizard-nim, no matter what forces you join in the world, the handing over of dead bodies has to basically be transparent. If you don''t want to do so, you have to pay a considerable amount of assets."


    I arrived at the prepared vehicle while listening to her exnation. I saw the car and clicked my tongue. "Too much."


    Seon-ae screamed as she saw the person standing next to the car. "Earth Sword!"


    A limousine with a heavy-looking design was at the parking lot, and a man with his whole body covered in armor was waiting in front of it. "Don''t make a big deal. The standards of a courtdy have severely dropped since Ist saw them, huh."


    "I''m not a courtdy! This is just a part-time job, so mind your own business, ahjusshi, alright?"


    I let out a forcedugh at Seon-ae who was flying into a rage. "It''s a part-time job?"


    "Yes, I already quit looong~ ago. I''m in charge of you because the daily wage is high."


    "...You bitch," Earth Sword spoke grimly as he stood next to the sedan. Seon-ae hardened her expression and made eye contact with him.


    It was a vtile situation, but it was none of my concern. I simply said, "Don''t spout bullshit like ''you bitch'', and change the car."


    "But this vehicle is Sky Pce One. It''s a bulletproof limousine with a special-grade barrier installed."


    "People are all looking over at me. Change it." I was annoyed, so I cut him off.


    Earth Sword paused for a while and nodded. "Understood." As he answered, a ck sedan entered the parking lot in less than ten seconds. It was pretty fast.


    "What the hell is this." I ignored the flustered Seon-ae and got on the sedan. There was no further conversation. Seon-ae just sat next to me and opened her eyes wide. "Why?"


    "What do you mean ¡®why¡¯?"


    Seon-ae stuck close and whispered to me, "Why is Earth Sword so intimidated by you? I''ve heard that a sunbae called Sword Ghost yed a remarkable part, but... I can''t believe that the Lee Family''s Six Swords are acting as drivers."


    "The Lee Family''s Six Swords?"


    As I vaguely questioned the name, which I only knew as the strongest military group of the Lee Family, Seon-ae nodded and replied, "Heavenly-Earth-Human-Wind-Cloud-Rain, which make up Six Swords. It''s a nickname that refers to the masters who are in charge of the Heavenly Sword, Earth Sword, and Human Sword that the Great Wizard directly bestowed to the Seven Great Households, and also the Wind Sword, Cloud Sword, and Rain Sword that contain the history of the Lee Family."


    Also, the Great Wizard''s distribution came into the conversation. Come to think of it, among those who came from the Zhu Family, there was also a Heavenly Sword or an Earth Sword guy among them¡­ As I wondered, I made a casualment, "Then there must be a level gap between Heavenly-Earth-Human and Wind-Cloud-Rain."


    "Yes, I suppose so. The difference in capabilities isn''t that big, but that''s just what it is."


    "Yeah, the overgeared equipment must be tremendous."


    The Great Wizard, who was now dead, had raised the ability of the entire Earth''sbat power with all his might to the point of paranoia. He created a system for the ability users to grow smoothly, adjusted the forces, and distributed Magical Weapons of enormous power to each force around.


    The Giant Soul Soldier, Sejong, and Sun-shin, who was equivalent to a Human-rank Gigas simply without an Iron Heart; the Imoogi asleep deep inside Gyeonghoeru Pavilion; the outrageousrge-scale spatial barrier that was expanded to exceed the size of a decent city and couldst a few years in istion; and hidden bombing traps hidden here and there; as well as the emergency supplies. Needless to say, such armaments directly bestowed by the Great Wizard was something of a different realm from the weapons created by Earth''s craftsmen.


    "There''s also a big difference in power. The Split Cloud Sword Unit led by the Heavenly Sword, the Demon Unit led by the Earth Sword, the Hwarang group led by the Human Sword¡­ These three are the major martial groups of the Lee Family."


    I titled my head at her words and asked, "Hmm? I saw that the Heavenly Sword ordered the Demon Unit just yesterday though?" In truth, that was how it was. When the gray-haired old man gave an order in the name of the Heavenly Sword, the Were Beasts in Gyeongbokgung Pce moved.


    "That''s because." Seon-ae paused as if she was speechless for an instant. She soon bit her lips. "It''s because their leader was so bad at ying his part properly."


    The car arrived at school as our conversation reached that point. Then, when she got out of the car, Seon-ae''s courtdy attire turned into a school uniform like magic. I looked at Earth Sword who was in the driver''s seat and said, "Pass this on to the Student Council President."


    "Please speak."


    I looked at Earth Sword who was bowing politely and said, "You can use me as insurance." It was the minimum duty I could do for Hyung''s request, even though Hyung was no longer around.


    "Insurance, is it?"


    "Yes, but remember,¡± I said sternly. "Now there''s no connection between the Lee Family and me." After saying so, I mixed with the crowd of students going to school. The children who were going to school without knowing what happened the day before and chattering loudly¡­ ''Annoying.'' Before I knew it, I felt that my stares towards them turning a little cold. I slowly headed towards school.


    1. In Korean cuisine, garak-guksu (????) are thick wheat noodles that may or may not be served with other dishes.


    2. Taewonjeon Shrine was an ancestral shrine originally built in 1868 to house a portrait of King Taejo, the founder of the Joseon dynasty. It was used to perform rites to the deceased royalties.


    3. Sujeongjeon Hall was located to the west of Geunjeongjeon Hall and to the south of Gyeonghoeru Pavilion. It was assumed to be the site where Gwoegaksa was originally situated.

 Vol 2. 48: Destruction vs Destruction vs Destruction (5)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 48: Destruction vs Destruction vs Destruction (5)</h4>


    The Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights was a training method thatcked muscr strength. Aside fromcking in power, all the physical stats including agility and reflexes were less than half of what other Life Energy practitioners possessed. So, it was truly a heretical existence among the Life Energy practitioners.


    What kind of ability was Life Energy in the first ce, and what was its purpose? It was telling from the sayings that circted between the practitioners.


    - Your mind will have a hard time if your body is bad.


    - Everything in the world can be solved with muscr strength. If it can''t be solved, ponder whether you''recking in muscle strength before using your brain to find another way.


    Life Energy was a simple and intuitive training method that couldn''t bepared to other spiritual powers. After all, it was an ability created based on the motif of the non-human beings, such as monsters and Space Monsters.


    Those who trained in Neigong formed their own philosophy by going through the trials that pushed their minds to the limit, while those who trained in Life Energy lifted irons as weights. Those who trained in Chakra looked deep inside themselves and seeked wisdom that resonated with the world, while those who trained in Life Energy lifted irons as weights. Those who trained in Divine Power tempered their minds with endless prayers and meditation, thuspleting the channeling with God, while those who trained in Life Energy...lifted irons as weights.


    Life Energy training was so simple that it was hard for other types of practitioners toprehend it. They were just lifting irons weighing from 100 kilograms to 1 ton, 10 tons, or 100 tons. The endless cycle of training was the beginning and end of Life Energy, and the ultimate body created at the end of that journey was the purpose of Life Energy.


    However, theck of physical strengthening of the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights made it hard to believe that it was one of Life Energy''s training methods. Of course, Life Energy training itself was hard training, so it would naturally lead to the practitioners possessing a strong body. However, it did not make one¡¯s body sturdy, which could be said to be the greatest characteristic of Life Energy. Instead, Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights had a very powerful characteristic that other Life Energy training methods did not.


    Kwareukkkkkkk! A loud roar resonated in the Unique World. I looked at my right hand, its flesh cracking and bleeding. I suffered a heavy wound that tore through skin to even harm my muscle fiber, but my bones were not harmed. "Hmm, is this the limit of what the body can endure?"


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights was a training method that made it possible to ''use Mana''. Unlike other training methods, which was difficult to use mana itself through very fundamentalbinations, the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights evolved the body and sort of converted Mana into vibration, and vibration into Mana.


    The output increased. Its power is equivalent to a decent 5th-ss spell.


    "The Mana and Magical Power possessed is equivalent to an 8th-ss Wizard."


    Topare Life Energy and magic based on the output is a little...


    The Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights allowed the user to use Mana as a power source, which was why I chose the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights out of the many choices avable in the Empire''s training method. I currently had the Iron Heart of Napoleon, who died for me, inside me. Just by materializing the book, it was possible for me to use Napoleon''s soul power and Abilities despite being in a human body. By choosing the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights training method, my fighting capabilities were strengthened to a level that was initially far beyond my reach.


    Thuckk. The moment I closed the book, the 200(+600)... In other words, the Mana and Magical Power, which were 800 points, returned back to being 200 points.


    ''But I''m not sure anymore. Was this really the right choice?'' Looking at the fact that I could use the soul power of the Iron Heart with a human body, Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights was definitely a good choice. After being proficient with Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, I was strong enough to overpower even if 10 people who were proficient in Life Energy charged towards me. However, the more I trained, the more skeptical I felt. ''What I need is not the current fighting power I possess.''


    Name: Kwan Dae-ha


    ss: None


    Title: Disaster of Mankind Level 1


    Strength: 200 Stamina: 200 Health: 200 Agility: 200


    Mana: 200 Magical Power: 200 Magic Resistance: 200


    Regeneration: 200 Mana Regeneration: 200 Luck: 200


    Condition: Normal


    I checked my stat window. After opening and closing the door this time, all the stats, which were 100, simultaneously increased to 200 as if promised beforehand. What ticked me off was that my strength, stamina, and others which I had trained until 130~150 points, only grew to the same level as the rest of the stats. The reason why I was annoyed by the free gains in stats was because the growth in stats seemed to render my training as meaningless actions that were of no significance.


    "Genie, how''s the food situation in the Unique World?"


    It is almost exhausted. If it bes a situation, can I ask you to re-supply it?


    "Of course I''ll fill it up. This time, the...Special rank has increased and the size of things that I can bring in has increased." I then popped open a new window and checked the system log.


    Special Unique World(Legend++++) ranked up!


    Rank E ¡ú Rank C


    The Unique World had indeed faced a major upheaval as its Rank. Having started at rank F then rose to rank E, it had risen two levels again due to the incident this time. Considering the huge gap between rank F, which used to be the size of a small mid-sized car, and rank E, which took 10 minutes to revolve around, this was no surprise. The size of the Unique World that had jumped past rank D to reach rank C was¡­


    Wiiiiingggg----!! Chiiikingggg! Kriekkkkk! Booooom! I sighed as I saw the skyscrapers rising up along with a roar. "Hmm, Genie¡­ I''m the only one in this world, so is there really a need to decorate it in the form of a city?"


    We''re just building the necessary facilities. There''s a nt factory, a food nt consisting of cattle sheds, an armory to store the items made, a power nt, as well as a munition factory to supply theponents we need. Also, residential facilities to prepare for unforeseen circumstances and...


    "Do we also need residential facilities?"


    The Unique World is a ce where even external lifeforms cane in. It would be better toplete the work now when we have time, rather than rush it out in the future. We''re going to use the remaining power anyway. Ah! If a problem surfaces, pleasee back inside the ship and recharge the battery. This will be thest time as the power nt will have been finished by then.


    "¡­ Alright. Well, it will be great if it''s well designed." I wasughing in vain at the sight of an enthusiastic genie.


    Dae-ha.


    "Ah, is the lesson over?"


    There''s that too.


    "Hmm, well, I got it."


    The point in time changed once I was done talking. "Hi!" I stood still and stared at the girl waving at me. One of the Twin Roses and the ssmate who led me to the parallel world, Kyung-eun, smiled brightly.


    "What kind of student is this, going to school after school hours?"


    After I asked and put the textbooks in the locker, Kyung-eun answered with a sigh, "You know, right. I''m not in a situation where I can go study at school. I''m really busy."


    "Hello, mdy."


    At that time, Seon-ae, who was also organizing her textbooks, approached us. Kyung-eun pretended to know who she was and asked, "Huh? Didn''t you say you were going to leave the Lee Family?"


    "I did say that, but there are a lot of people who think that personal circumstances are of no importance to those who are inferior. I''ve made somepromises and I''m working on a fixed-term part-time job."


    "Owhhh~ You''re a frencer. That''s cool though?"


    I left the ssroom, leaving behind the two people who started talking to each other. As I went down the stairs, another familiar face appeared. "Dae-ha! You''re really okay, right? Is everything all right?"


    "Ah, Jae-seok. Did you alsoe to school after school hours too?"


    "What do you mean go to school?! Do you think school is important right now? Two-thirds are absent, so it''s even more strange toe to school in this mess. I barely had time to afford toe find you after being dragged around from meeting to meeting. kkkk?!" Jae-seok, who was standing close next to me, screamed.


    Kyung-eun, who catched up to mete, frowned. "Why are you surprised? Have you seen a ghost?"


    "Ah, it''s nothing. I was just flustered. Why did youe to school?"


    "¡­ I have my reasons." Kyung-eun, who was always cheerful in pretend or reality, felt her mood sink. She turned her head and looked at me. "You''re going home, right? I''ll take you there."


    "You don''t have to do that.¡± I refused lightly. "I also have to stop by somewhere for awhile."


    "What? Why?" She shook her head, embarrassed. She did not expect to be rejected.


    "What do you mean why? I''ll go on my own, so don''t mind me."


    As I left school after that, Jae-seok followed after me awkwardly. He said in a puzzled manner, ¡°W-What the. You, did you just reject Kyung-eun?"


    "What do you mean I rejected her? By the way, are you okay? I saw at Gwanghwamun Gate that you seemed to be directly involved in the situation."


    "Come to think of it, you were there too... No, wait. Why are you following me?"


    "Bodyguard duty? No, that''s a little far-fetched. I''m just taking care of you."


    Jae-seok was embarrassed at Seon-ae''s nonchnt response. "What are you talking about? Didn''t you leave the Lee Family?"


    I was also embarrassed at the sight of a wide-eyed Jae-seok. Now that I see it, my desk partner seemed to be quite a celebrity. Then, by that time, we had arrived at the school gate.


    "Dae-ha-nim."


    "Ah, I don''t need the car. I''m going to stop by downtown."


    "Hmm, but." Earth Sword, who pulled the car over in front of the school gate, made a perplexed expression.


    Then, Jae-seok screamed, "UWACKKKKKK?! Earth Sword-nim?! Howe?"


    "Ah, shut it. I''ll be done soon, so either wait for me or go ahead first. Since you won''t have any problems going back to the pce without a car."


    "As expected." Earth Sword closed his eyes for a moment. Judging by the atmosphere, he wasmunicating with someone far away. Soon after, he opened his eyes and said, "Then I''ll take you downtown. Since the present situation is very dangerous."


    "What do you mean it''s dangerous..." I stopped speaking. Then, Iughed bitterly shortly after. "Well, that''s true."


    "Yes, I don''t know what would be of the situation in the future."


    "No, it''s not in the future."


    "What do you mean by that... This fuc-!" The moment that Earth Sword pulled out his sword with astonishment¡­ Swoooshh.


    Jae-seok who stood next to me disappeared and, as I turned, I could see that the surroundings of the school gate crowded with students going back home from school had be quiet. Countless students disappeared and everything around lost their color. The sky had darkened without a moon or sun in sight. It looked like a drawing paper colored with a ck pastel crayon.


    "A temporary channel?! Who the hell opened it?


    ¡°They''ve gone crazy! How dare they do this in the Lee Family''s territory¡­?!" Earth Sword held his ringed broadsword[ref]It is a type of broadsword. Google image for reference: /uploads/images/%img%/%book%[/ref] and stood in front of me. Before I knew it, he had already equipped an armor that resembled one from a historical drama. Seon-ae''s outfit also changed from a school uniform to a courtdy attire.


    "Oh my, oh my, Earth Sword. You should know better, so what are you doing? Protecting such a great viin of the world." Then, a man approached the nervous Earth Sword and Seon-ae. He was a Westerner of sturdy build carrying a broadsword of his height.


    "Specter!" Earth Sword held his broadsword at its hilt and assumed a defensive posture. I could see his nervous expression tensing up, even though he was one of the Lee Family¡¯s strongest warriors.


    Avengers


    Level 12


    Evil Hunter, Alex


    Looking at the opponent''s title, I could fully understand the situation. Although it was not much of a difference, he was at a higher level than Earth Sword, and also Heavenly Sword, who was Level 12.


    "Stop! I''ll cut you if youe closer, Specter!"


    "But he''s an evil being."


    Unlike his usual taciturn demeanor, Earth Sword spoke quite fluently, "Do we define the consequences of war as evil? You should know fully well how ridiculous that sounds in the parallel world. No, more than that, this is an interference in our internal affairs!"


    However, Alex, a man referred to as Specter, shook his head. "But even if so, I still want to ask. Oh wicked being who ughtered tens of thousands of people." He turned away from Earth Sword to look at me. "Why did you have to do that? You seemed to have enough power without having the need to exterminate them. And why..." His giant broadsword stretched across the ground and a strong Aura began to emit from his whole body. It was clearly abat posture. "Why wasn''t there a speck of evil karma amassed when you brought about such a massacre?"


    "..." I looked at him straight in the eyes for a moment. He looked at me with just and firm eyes. It was baffling that he could have such an expression on his face when he suddenly appeared out of nowhere to start a fight.


    "Answer my question."


    "Why should I?"


    ¡°What do you mean why... If you need a reason, then what about this?"


    "Uwackkkk!" In an instant, a man ofrge build appeared in front of him and copsed. The man who was frightened out of his wits hurriedly tried to pull himself up, but he soon stiffened upon seeing the sharp de hanging in front of his neck. It was Jae-seok, who was standing next to me just a moment ago.


    "Is this a threat?" I raised an eyebrow. He was threatening me. He dared to threaten me. A trifling bug, an insignificant creature that would fly with just a sneeze, a disgusting trash¡­ A human who did not know his ce dares to...


    Boooom!


    "...!" I was suddenly awakened along with the knock on the door. "Hahhhh." A sigh immediately escaped from my lips.


    ''Maybe I''ll have to leave the Earth.'' I was losing my patience. I was like a bomb that would explode even at the slightest provocation, but the clueless people of this world were openly setting fireworks and instigating me.


    "Answer me!"


    ''If things go on like this, I will really...'' I will annihte mankind. However, the moment I was thinking of that...


    -Resurrectionpleted. Time required: 311 years 8 months 17 days 14 hours 38 minutes and 17 seconds.


    -Confirmed that the existing project is not running.


    - Restarting the project.


    - Project End.


    -Concept: Horror.


    The scheduled End had been put into effect.

 Vol 2. 49: Destruction vs Destruction vs Destruction (6)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 49: Destruction vs Destruction vs Destruction (6)</h4>


    The Creation God did not create the world in one shot. He went through countless trials and errors, and failed countless times. Many Settings were created and abandoned, just like how many Characters were created and abandoned as well.


    It was either because they were foreign and too strong, or because they unnaturally twisted thews of the world and became too dangerous. Or, they were too big or too small at the same time, or simply too beautiful. They also reproduced too fast and were iplete¡­ For all kinds of reasons, they were thrown into the realm of abyss or chaos without even being named.


    Unnamed. They, not even defined by the Creation God, were confined to a space where no other beings in the world, not even the Gods, would dare to enter. They were existences that could nevere into the Physical Realm no matter what method they employed. Sometimes, some of them were confused with Outer Gods and worshipped. However, no matter how much Divine Spirit or Karma they umted, their circumstances would never change.


    However, about 400 years ago¡­ Asura, the Administrator of the Great Universe who tried to reset the world, was defeated. Then, the Unnamed waspletely lifted off from Asura''s restriction as well as the Creation God''s, who had kept them restrained by letting go of the Great Universe''s management. They rushed out into the Physical Realm without hesitation, marking the start of the Great War that threw the entire Great Universe into the mes of war.


    Unnamed, beings who were undefined, were each set with a Keyword, and many of them did not have much intelligence. Not to mention the iplete beings, there were even beings who were merely ideas of the Creation God. And among them was the idea of the Project End. It was an idea for when the direction of the Great Universe was contrary to the will of the Creation God, but was discarded due to being judged as unnecessarily stimting and taking too long. They were the Unnamed, too.


    The Project End, which no one knew existed, was released into the Physical Realm by the Unnamed who supposedly struggled and used it as a weapon. So the number ofs that had been destroyed numbered in the hundreds and thousands!


    However, the terrifying power that spread fear throughout the whole universe was ultimately destroyed. The God of Magic, me Dragon Kain, who judged that the risk of Project End was very high, descended¡­ And after a long time, the destroyed Project End was revived.


    ***


    -Resurrectionpleted. Time required: 311 years 8 months 17 days 14 hours 38 minutes and 17 seconds.


    -Confirmed that the existing project is not running.


    - Restarting the project.


    - Project End.


    -Concept: Horror.


    "In the end, it''s beginning. I wanted to finish it before this happened." A man sitting on the roof of the school stared at his son standing in front of the school gate and took a deep breath. It was Kwan Il-han. "Raising a child is the most difficult. It really doesn''t go ording to what I want."


    In the past, the Primordial God advised Dae-ha that he could control his Divine Spirit if he attained enlightenment and reached the realm of transcendence. It was no exaggeration to say that Dae-ha was currently training on the superpowers he had no interest in because of her words.


    "Damned brat. Just because it''s not your problem, you went on to spout nonsense."


    In fact, however, the Primordial God''s words that Dae-ha clung onto were nothing but words she had just randomly uttered. She didn¡¯t lie, but she also spouted them without much thought.


    The realm of transcendence? Of course, objectively speaking, it was true that Dae-ha had favorable conditions that were beyond that of ordinary humans. He was already born with a Divine Spirit, and had amassed enough Karma that other transcendents had to spend their whole life to umte. Hence, he could attain the realm of transcendence just by training himself and gaining enlightenment. But nevertheless, he wouldn''t be able to do so.


    "He has too many things going on for him."


    One of the defining characteristics of being human would be always walking thefortable path. This was a natural course of action such as wielding a weapon when one had possessed a weapon instead of being cowardly.


    "If he really wants to achieve the realm of transcendence..."


    He would have to define the subject of life. He would have to transcend everything that tied him down. He would have to establish a sense of unwaveringmitment.


    However, how could he do that in this situation? He was followed by a giant ship that could erase entire civilizations of Earth, as well as mythical weapons that were umon even in the Great Universe, the Transcendence Weapon. No, in fact, more than anything else, his Divine Spirit was the problem. The status of the surging DIvine Spirit was at such a high level that made suppression impossible even with the ego of Dae-ha, which was basically alreadyplete.


    "Actually, it would be possible if there was a lot of time. However, there isn''t time to spare."


    A ce in the depths of the Earth, beyond the outer core of the Earth''s crust and mantle[1], the Weapon of Extreme Fear of The Great War, which had been sleeping deep inside the inner core, was activated. And now that it happened...


    Spackkkk! The space shattered along with the spark. A certain amount of Mana, along a crack smaller than a particle, prated through the far-off dimension and arrived in front of him. Bang! The extremelypressed Mana spat out lines of texts along with a soft racket.


    It''s confirmed that the Doomsday Weapon has been activated. It''s perfect timing as it''s the where you are at.


    Finish what you are doing and let''s be on our way.


    I would like Jenica''s tenontography as soon as possible please. Did she not awaken, or perhaps did she not cooperate?


    PS. Why aren''t you renewing it? It''s already been almost 20 years. Please tell me if you have any personal circumstances.


    PS. Please be sure to reply.


    "Fine. In the end, it came." Il-han recited the message as he watched it quietly disappear along with the wind. "Here hees."


    A great hero who prevented the destruction of the Great Universe. Mankind''s representative, all-powerful expert. The apostle of justice who had saved countless civilizations and people. The genius of strategy who remained victorious no matter how unfavorable the circumstances may be. The apostle of God, the unparalleled war hero, an indomitable fighter¡­ All Master. The mighty and great hero who traveled throughout the universe woulde to Earth-34.


    "¡­I have to hurry." He got up and¡­ Kuhkk. His figure that was above the school disappeared.


    ***


    From an office with a luxurious ambience at the highest floor of a skyscraper in New York City where one could overlook the entire city at a nce, a rattling moan was heard, "Huppp! Hahhhh... Huphmmm!¡± The woman with long limbs and a voluptuous chest on the verge of burstingid on a desk made of high-quality wood, and she was letting out a flirtatious voice that contained lies. Behind her was a white man with a bulging belly who was lusting after her, and he stripped off his expensive suit.


    "Giovanni Brown."


    "W-Who''s there?!" The man, who was surprised by the sudden noise, turned around. He pushed away the woman who was lying down in front of him. A dark-skinned mid-20s young man now stood in front of him.


    It was Juan, a being who was born with a Divine Spirit naturally and epted it with his own volition. He said coldly, "Liar."


    "What the hell! Who is it? How did you get in here?"


    Giovanni Brown was a sessfulwyer. It was hard to refer to him as a handsome man. However, despite his approachable personality that fit his chubby physical appearance, he was an eloquent speaker who possessed excellent intelligence and could even make nonsensical sophistry sound usible. He had sessfully defended countless heinous criminals who were deemed to be impossible. As a result of that shocking performance, it was an extremely natural flow for him to possess huge amounts of dors. Devil''s Advocate was the nickname he got.


    And simply, Juan was a perfectly suitable sacrifice. "You''ve given so many people despair by lying."


    "You''re a crazy bastard!" Bang! In an instant, Giovanni, who found a pistol from the desk drawer, pulled the trigger. Normally, he would not have acted so rashly, but the foreign atmosphere flowing from Juan made him lose his reason. "What? W-What the??" Needless to say, it did not work. Giovanni groaned as he saw more bullets floating in the air. What kind of magic was this?


    However, Juan had no interest in Giovanni¡¯s reaction. Thud thuck! Juan reached into his mouth and pulled out one of his mrs. It was actually a really bloody act, but he didn''t even lift an eyebrow. Whoooosh! His extracted teeth changed into a new form along with the dazzling light. It was in the shape of a sword, which was scorching in white. "This is the Sword of Truth, and it will cut down every falsehood that exists in the world."


    "You, no, what the hell are you? Why did you appear out of nowhere..."


    Thudd! Without a single hint of hesitation, the sword of light was thrusted into Giovanni''s chest. Giovanni opened his mouth wide but he could not even show his astonishment. Then, following that, the sword of light was drawn into his body, even down to the hilt... sh! Giovanni''s body, which turned into light, began to sublimate. As his back burst, a new non-human organ was created. His appearance and height also began to change beforeing to an end eventually.


    -I am the Guardian of Truth, and I will destroy every falsehood that exists in the world.


    A giant angel with six wings dered while holding on to a zing sword.


    -My name is Truth.


    If anyone in the Great Universe could behold this current sight they would be shocked. Even the beings who possessed a Status of God would not be able to not stop their astonishment. This was because the power of transcendence that was contained in Truth¡­ It was a power equivalent to an Intermediate-rank transcendent, an Emperor-ss. Moreover, he was not the only target¡­


    Juan found a dictator in Africa, who was an unjust man, and put him on a cold frozen scale.


    -I am the Guardian of Justice, the judge of all injustice in the world.


    A beautiful woman, who covered her eyes with an eye patch and held on to a scale, dered.


    -My name is Justice.


    Juan found an American journalist, who stepped into the scene of a massive terrorist attack, pretended to be a victim, and quickly became a star all of a sudden. However, as time went by, it turned out that all of them were frauds and he was a disgraceful being whom everyone all over the world criticized. Juan embedded a huge tombstone for him.


    -I am the Guardian of Honor, and I record the names of those revered by everyone in the world.


    The old man held on to arge b of stone which was shimmering in ck.


    -My name is Honor.


    Three Intermediate-ranked transcendents were born on Earth, which did not have a single transcendent, let alone an Emperor-ss. They were Gods who were made to be used as tools and were stuck with all kinds of missions.


    Juan tried to use them to correct and discipline humanity, which was an act that might lead mankind to a better area. This was because these three Gods were surely more sincere, righteous, and honorable¡­ However, ultimately, it was no different to being forced. The enforced truth, enforced justice, and enforced honor¡­


    Man would somehow find a way to make up a falsehood, and they would eventually find a gap to do something hical. They would try to distort the word ¡®honor¡¯, as well as disclose the benefits of honor¡­ God must be disappointed. Instead of understanding human habits and adjusting to the rules, they would have pushed forth for tougher rules. Rather than admitting one''s mistakes and errors, they would be running wild to make those things obsolete. That was how it turned out.


    -Resurrectionpleted. Time required: 311 years 8 months 17 days 14 hours 38 minutes and 17 seconds.


    -Confirmed that the existing project is not running.


    - Restarting the project.


    - Project End.


    -Concept: Horror.


    ...If the End did not begin.


    1. The mantle is the mostly-solid bulk of Earth''s interior. The mantle lies between Earth''s dense, super-heated core and its thin outeryer, the crust.

 Vol 2. 50: Destruction vs Destruction vs Destruction (7)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 50: Destruction vs Destruction vs Destruction (7)</h4>


    Everyone lives with fear.


    No matter how brave one appeared or how strong someone was, they still lived with fear. When you walk down a winding alley on a dark, deste night, you imagine a murderer with a knife suddenly appearing out of nowhere. You can imagine a girl hanging herself beyond the fluttering curtains of an apartmentplex. When an unknown grandmother gives you a drink on the road, you instinctively have suspicions. Instead of thanking her and drinking it, you would imagine ¡®Perhaps the drink is drugged?¡¯. You wonder, ¡®Is she associated with a gang? Are they trying to kidnap me and sell me into prostitution?¡¯.


    Tatata!


    A petite woman quickly turned a corner while walking down an alley. Rather than heading her way, it seemed as if she was running scared.


    ¡°Ah, hyung. Thatdy is running away because your walk is so shady.¡±


    ¡°What did I do!? I didn¡¯t do anything! I¡¯m just on my way home!¡±


    Two men were walking down a dark alley. They were of sturdy build ¨C over 180 centimeters tall and 100 kilograms.


    ¡°You have to understand. For a woman, it could be really scary if people like us walk from behind her.¡±


    ¡°Understand my ass. Does she own this alley? I¡¯m scared too! What if that woman was a serial killer? She could be waiting for us around the corner with a knife in her hand!¡±


    ¡°Haha! What kind of nonsense is that? This isn¡¯t a thriller movie!¡±


    They kept on walking while conversing, a smile on their lips. But soon, their steps changed. Unknowingly, both were keeping a distance from the uing corner. Even as they passed by the alley, they both held their breath while looking beyond the darkness.


    Obviously, no one was waiting for them.


    ¡°Keuk!¡±


    ¡°Puhahaha! Ah, fuck, I got scared for a second.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because you kept on talking nonsense, hyung! Besides, look at you acting so scummy. You¡¯re pushing me closer to the alley while you keep a distance.¡±


    The two men rxed and resumed walking while conversing loudly. But there was a being charging toward them.


    Thuck!


    ¡°Argh?!¡±


    ¡°W, what the! Get the fuck away!!¡±


    The older one started swaying after being stabbed. The younger man became shocked and kicked the woman with all his might.


    Boom!


    The woman rolled on the floor without so much a scream. The younger man rushed towards the woman and kicked her once more before helping his brother. He was covered with blood, but he would survive. Due to her petite figure, she must havecked the strength. However, even though they had escaped the crisis, the younger brother¡¯splexion was pale.


    A moan escaped between his lips. His mouth remained agape in disbelief, unable to process the incredulous situation.


    ¡°No, really. For real¡­?¡±


    He could not believe that this was happening.


    ¡°She was really a killer?¡±


    ***


    Meanwhile, the woman who fled from the two men took a deep breath after running for a while.


    ¡°Hugh¡­ Hoo¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have run. It¡¯s scary when two burly guys walk around like that on a dark night-huh?¡±


    The woman turned pale as she casually turned her head. The two robust men from some time ago ¨C they were chasing her.


    ¡°Kyaaahh!! Kyaaaahk--!!!¡±


    She ran while screaming, but it was of no use. The two men were much faster than her as they ran across the dark alley.


    Well, that wasn¡¯t actually true.


    The two men weighed more than 100 kilograms, and they were actually much slower than her. Even if they were faster than her at sprinting, she could shake them off if she ran away with all her strength. She had always jogged as a hobby.


    But it was no use.


    She didn¡¯t think she could get away from them¡­ because they were running much faster than she could. Because, in fact, they were not humans. They were nothing more than projections, manifestations of terror of the two men she saw. In reality, the two men were being stabbed across the alley by a killer who took on her appearance.


    ¡°No! No!!¡±


    The image of the two men became clearer as her fear intensified. She imagined, she hoped that someone would save her from this crisis, but the concept of the End Project was horror. It only embodied the sensation of fear ¨C and she screamed as she was killed in the way she had imagined.


    ***


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry, just forgive me!¡±


    I can¡¯t forgive you!! You killed me! You murderer!


    ¡°No! It was a mistake! I, I just!¡±


    Die!


    A woman holding a kitchen knife began to swing her weapon towards a man in a mental hospital. Even though he was in a solitary room without ess, she was there. It was possible because the man had been afraid of such a scene ying out from a long time ago.


    ¡°There you are! Honey, I missed you so much.¡±


    ¡°Kyaaahh! How can you be here?¡±


    A woman screamed at the sight of a man entering through the door. She had escaped from home and found a new life in Kansas, unable to withstand the violence from her ex-husband. She didn¡¯t know that her ex-husband had been killed three years ago while drunk driving. She had never even thought to find out. She lived in fear of her husband, the trauma of her past gnawing away at her mind, and such thoughts stimted the weapon of the unnamed.


    Kwarereukkk!


    ¡°Everyone, get away! Argggh!¡±


    ¡°Dammit! It¡¯s copsing! I knew this would happen!¡±


    Students were escaping from a copsing building. Everyone had heard the rumors that the builders had skimped out on much of the construction to save money, that it possessed a poor structure. That wasn¡¯t actually true, and the rumors had started because of the building¡¯s rather in appearance. But it was more important that the residents of the building believed in the rumor and felt fear.


    ¡°Over there! There is someone in the tunnel!¡±


    ¡°Kyah! Step on it!¡±


    ¡°W, what is this? Why isn¡¯t the exit getting closer?


    People who visited a tunnel famous for the appearance of ghosts began to disappear one by one


    Ding~ Dong~? Ding~?


    The piano slowly became stained with blood. Even though no one was ying it, the keys became pressed on their own. The faces of the students turned white. They had sneaked into the music room after escaping the clutches of the security guard.


    ¡°Hmm? What is this?¡±


    The teacher was patrolling the building after school. He flinched slightly when he saw a girl sitting in an empty ssroom.


    ¡°What is this? Why is there a student in school at this hour?¡±


    Suddenly, horror stories he heard from the students shed by his mind.


    ¡®That¡¯s ridiculous.¡¯


    He shook his head free of such thoughts and approached the girl.


    ¡°Hey. Why aren¡¯t you going home? What are you doing at school?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t go home.¡±


    The girl responded with her head down. The teacher asked while feeling somewhat ufortable.


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­¡±


    The girl¡¯s body lifted off the ground with a whoosh. Her appearance was unusually short.


    -Because, I don¡¯t have any legs!!


    ***


    Fear was bing realized.


    If you were lying on the bed and observed the patterns on the ceiling, fear creeping into your heart as you thought ¡®that looks like a ghost!¡¯ then it became a ghost and strangled the person who was lying down. If an overworked, exhausted person thought ¡®Aren¡¯t I really going to die at this rate?¡¯, and felt fear, then they would really die of overworking. If you felt fear on a high-rise railing, feeling like you would fall, then you broke the railing and fell to your death.


    ¡°Help me!¡±


    ¡°What is that!? Argh!¡±


    And for the regted beings that were the culmination of manymon fears, they started making their appearance in reality. They were no longer just an illusion nor a distortion of reality, but a physical being.


    ¡°It¡¯s here! It¡¯s really here! Look! It¡¯s the real devil!¡±


    ¡°Kekekeuk! Kuhahaha! You puny human beings!¡±


    The devil really appeared. It was in a basement warehouse of a church where there was nothing around, but it appeared because countless people believed in it. The wandering rumors gathered and took a form suitable to fit their imagination. The beginning was quite weak and slow as people¡¯s vague fears became reality. However, once the fears became actualized, even greater fear was aroused as a result. Such results created an endless cycle to build up even greater phenomena.


    Finally, it would beplete with a huge flow that even the transcendent could not resist. This was the End Project: Concept Horror. It was a Doomsday Weapon of the Unnamed, and it had destroyed countless civilizations during the Great War.


    Out of the hundreds of civilizations that were targeted by the End Project, only a dozen were able to avoidplete extinction, and they belonged to the highest-levels of civilization. It was definitely an inevitable disaster for the Earth-34, which was only a Type II civilization.


    However.


    ¡°You can do it, right?¡±


    ¡°I promise that I will make it!¡±


    In one of the five most famous Buddhist mountains in Korea, Guhwa Mountain, a man was channeling energy while gritting his teeth. He was Wang Fang, a neigong practitioner belonging to the Jincheon Faction.


    ¡®I can do this!¡¯


    Afterpleting the introductory and training stages of the Jincheon Divine Method, the trainee would enter an artificial awakening process aided by drugs. If the trainee seeded in the awakening, they would be able to form a second passage of qi in their body, the Jincheondan. It would increase their inner qi and strength twice fold. Not only would they undergo explosive power, but it would also grant them a greater potential in the long run.


    But in that moment.


    Wang Fang felt fear.


    ¡®What if I fail?¡¯


    The sess rate of awakening was about 50%. It was neither high nor low, but he would not be granted a second chance upon failure. The life of a trainee would be changed forever depending on if they seeded or not. If he was sessful, his position would soar as an official disciple of the Jincheon Faction, but if he failed, he would be nothing more than a second-rate warrior for the rest of his life.


    Shhhk.


    As fear started to creep on his mind, the interference of the End Project began. It was interfering with the causalities and twisting his fate into something that fit his fear. Even if he possessed the talent to sessfully awaken, he would fail just as he feared!


    But at that moment.


    The hexagram on the back of his left hand shed.


    -Error!


    -Error!


    -Error!


    - Confirming an existing concept!


    - Loading Concept!


    Information became intertwined. An existing system had been discovered, as if it had been waiting patiently.


    - Concept loaded sessfully.


    - Changing Concept.


    - Concept¡­ Concept¡­


    It stumbled as if to resist, but it was useless. The End Project did not have intelligence nor consciousness. Even if it was an ominous force capable of bringing worlds to an end, it was only a system in the end. It was difficult to undermine the End Project¡¯s basic concept of ending civilizations, but at the least, it was possible to change the concept of ¡®how to end civilization¡¯.


    - Concept has been changed sessfully.


    - Concept


    - MMORPG


    After a long time, the efforts of the Great Wizard finally saw the light. His arrangements to prevent the disaster began to activate.

 Vol 2. 51: Doomsday Online (1)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 51: Doomsday Online (1)</h4>


    ¡°Doomsday?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the end of the world?¡±


    The atmosphere froze over in an instant. Screams could be heard from all over the ce, and the Caucasian man holding Jae-seok hostage, Specter, also seemed to be in a state of despair. The people of the parallel world were always sensitive to the words, ¡®end of the world¡¯. Well, it was quite understandable. The Great Wizard, the most powerful man Earth had ever seen ¨C he had been preparing for doomsday for his entire life. He had emphasized it so many times throughout his life that those on the receiving end of his words would have probably been diagnosed with neurosis.


    In fact, the Zhu Family¡¯s actions were quite abnormal. The fact that they would disobey his words and attack another force as soon as he died was deviant to say the least, and it had resulted in the worst oue possible.


    ¡°Could this be? Is doomsday actually upon us? This fast? It hasn¡¯t even been a week since the Great Wizard-nim has passed away.¡±


    He had been holding Jae-seok by the cor. Spector put him down on the ground then turned towards me.


    ¡°This is not the time to be getting into meaningless conflict. I wille backter.¡±


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    Iughed in disbelief, and the dark sky instantly brightened up. We had escaped from the bubble world and returned to the surface world.


    ¡°What? Just now, you heard that too, right?¡±


    ¡°What the hell is an End Project?¡±


    ¡°Type Horror?¡±


    The students were looking around with confused expressions. They were talking to each other, looking at their smartphones, answering the phone, and rushing off to somewhere.


    ¡°It was heard by the ordinary people as well.¡±


    ¡°Social media is going rampant as well. I think it must have spread all around the world.¡±


    ¡°This is driving me crazy¡­¡±


    While Seon-ae and Earth Sword muttered in disbelief, Jae-seok walked up to me. He was massaging his neck, which had turned red because of Spector.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? The end? Is this the beginning of the doomsday that was talked about so often? The event that the Great Wizard-nim always warned us about? But why is it beginning with the surface world, and not the parallel world?¡±


    I shrugged my head at his questioning words. He looked quite confused. So confused, in fact, that he seemed to have forgotten all about the fact that he was being held hostage only a moment ago.


    ¡°How would I know?¡±


    I replied nonchntly, but I had some guesses as to the cause of the situation.


    ¡®Is this the work of that guy named Juan?¡¯


    The power and authority I felt from him were extraordinary. He was an untouchable at the least, a being who might possess enough strength to go toe-to-toe with a Primordial God.


    ¡®But that still doesn¡¯t exin everything.¡¯


    He hade to dissuade me from exterminating mankind, so it felt rather unnatural that he would be operating the End Project. Of course, no one knew how a madman¡¯s mind operated, but I had a hunch that what was happening now wasn¡¯t his work.


    ¡®Genie, has there been anything unusual? Any idents?¡¯


    Nothing specific has been identified yet. People are just confused by the voice that spread across the globe.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know then.¡¯


    I grunted before turning towards Earth Sword.


    ¡°Change of ns. Let¡¯s just go to the pce.¡±


    I had been thinking about heading to the arcade after a long time, but the atmosphere was quite strange. Earth Sword nodded immediately.


    ¡°I will get ready right away.¡±


    He started preparing the vehicle. But it wasn¡¯t only our car that arrived.


    ¡°Young master! Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°Wow, thanks foring so early, you guys. Phew, to think these are my escorts.¡±


    I could see Jae-seok mutter sarcastically as he entered a vehicle while being surrounded by sturdy men. Even though this was a world where power and force was valued more than money, but I guess being a third generation chaebol had its merits.


    ¡°All units, stay on high alert!¡±


    ¡°Call everyone back!¡±


    Gyeongbokgung Pce was also in a mess. Reminiscent of the war, people were hurriedly running around while shouting and whispering. I slightly turned my head and looked at Earth Sword.


    ¡°You can get on with your business.¡±


    ¡°But.¡±


    ¡°I know you must be busy, so there is no need to overdo it. I won¡¯t be needing any escorts anyways.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    He was hesitating. I left him behind and headed towards Gyeonghoeru. Earth Sword could be counted as one of the five strongest warriors in the Lee Family. With signs of the end appearing all over the world, he would have to make preparations, especially since I wasn¡¯t ced in any imminent danger right now.


    ¡°I would like the meatbo. Twice as much as usual, please.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still here?¡±


    ¡°No, why do you keep trying to get rid of me? Am I a thorn in your eyes?¡±


    I frowned at her response to my order, and the restaurantdy became surprised and took a step back. But as if her pride had been hurt, she cracked her neck before responding with a frown.


    ¡°How can I not be bothered when I see a huge variable in front of me, just when I can finally see freedom in front of me?¡±


    ¡°Freedom?¡±


    When I asked back, she answered while putting food on a tray.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Once all the arrangements of the Great Wizard are used up, we will finally be able to escape from being this disgusting kitchen maid thing. I was unlucky, being tricked into this crap for over 200 years already. When I go back to the Demon Realm, I won¡¯t even spit towards the direction of the material world! Dreadful humans!¡±


    Wooong--!


    A dark energy started to emit from the restaurantdy¡¯s body. People became flustered when they saw the sight.


    ¡°Heuk! Emergency! Lady is angry!¡±


    ¡°Argh! She¡¯s been quiettely, why is she acting up again?¡±


    ¡°Did someonein about the side dishes?!¡±


    The noisy restaurant became even louder.


    ¡°Ahjumma.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s attention started heading towards us with the disturbance. I snuck up closer to her and whispered.


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Her expanding energy disappeared in the blink of an eye, and thedy smiled awkwardly while looking at me.


    ¡°Oh, sorry. I just got a little excited.¡±


    ¡°I get it, so get back to your job.¡±


    ¡°Ye, yes. Enjoy your meal.¡±


    She was quivering for some reason, but I ignored it and left her behind. As I sat down, Sun-ae, who was following me, asked with bewilderment.


    ¡°What are you really? Are you some kind of a secret disciple of the Great Wizard?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know the basics of magic, so how would I be his disciple.¡±


    I ignored her and started eating. As always, they were of excellent quality, but I barely recognized the taste as I shoved the food down my throat. My mind was cluttered with many thoughts.


    ¡®Genie, is there still nothing?¡¯


    Nothing is clearly understood yet. However,


    ¡®However?¡¯


    Strangely, incidents and idents are bing more frequent around the world.


    ¡®Incidents and idents, huh.¡¯


    After finishing my meal, I headed to the training ground at the Pce Museum. Normally, I would leave training up to Ares, but this time, I engaged in it personally.


    ck!


    I attached 100-kilogram rings on both legs and started performing chin-ups. It was way too light. I threw it aside and looked for heavier rings.


    ¡®Ah this is frustrating. Even though it was Ares¡¯ hard work, and not mine, it¡¯s still pissing me off.¡¯


    When all of my stats were set at 200 points, all of my physical training went to waste. My strength, which had been raised to 140 points, my stamina, which had been raised to 150 points, my agility, which had been raised to 120 points ¨C all of them had been instantly raised to 200 points. Even my mana, magical power, and magic resistance, which I hadn¡¯t trained, had been raised to 200 points. I was sure that even if I did not perform any physical training, all of my stats would have been raised to 200 points.


    ¡®Even though I wasn¡¯t training to gain power, this is really draining.¡¯


    Just by opening the door and epting the divine spirit, all of my stats had shot up an entire realm. If I repeated the act of opening and closing the door, perhaps the action alone would be sufficient to allow my stats to break through the limit again and again. But was it really possible to ovee the divine spirit by strengthening my stats in such a fashion?


    Crack! Craack!


    With 300-kilogram rings hanging on my legs, I started doing 100 chin-ups. My chest, shoulders, and arms began to make grotesque noises. My shoulders swelled up and became dyed with bruises, but I did not stop.


    Next was squats. Next was push-ups. Next was sprints.


    Each process was destroying my body. The average person would suffer irreversible damage from such actions, but the Life Energy dispersed through my body was mutating and evolving my body to a higher level.


    I continued training until morning.


    Next day, I ate breakfast, then headed back to the training grounds. I trained, then ate lunch, then trained again. I ate supper, then resumed training. I trained throughout the night.


    I repeated it over and over.


    ¡°¡­How many days has he been going at it? Is that even possible? Is he actually some kind of chimera?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s been sleeping at all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s him, right? The Ghost de¡¯s brother¡­¡±


    I could hear murmurs around me. It was only natural, as I was training at a public facility, but no one actually approached me and initiated a conversation. Of course, some tried, but handsome men appeared like ghosts and blocked them.


    Sunday morning.


    A high-pitched voice stopped me from continuing my meaningless practice.


    - Error!


    - Error!


    - Error!


    - Confirming an existing concept


    - Loading concept!


    I stopped what I was doing and ced the weights onto the ground at the unknown voice. I wasn¡¯t the only one who stopped training.


    ¡°What? What does it mean by an error?¡±


    ¡°Concept? Is this a continuation of what was happening previously?¡±


    People were whispering anxiously. I asked Genie.


    ¡°How about now? Is there still nothing?¡±


    Incidents and idents have increased exponentially. Traffic idents, murders, fires, elevator malfunctions, and so on. There are even ghost and devil sightings. And¡­


    That was as far as Genie got.


    - Concept loaded sessfully.


    - Changing Concept.


    - Concept¡­ Concept¡­


    Until now, the voice had been crystal clear, but now, it was full of static noise as if it had encountered an error.


    - Concept has been changed sessfully


    - Concept


    - MMORPG.


    The training ground was full of confusion.


    ¡°What is it talking about? MMORPG? Isn¡¯t that a type of game that kids y?¡±


    ¡°Get in touch with others! Is it resonating all over the world likest time?¡±


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±


    - Horror


    - MMORPG


    - Horror


    - MMORPG


    - Horror¡­ MMORPG.


    The notification ended with strange words. I sat down on arge training tire and organized my thoughts.


    ¡°MMORPG? Was thest notification talking about a game as well? A horror game?¡±


    No¡­ I didn¡¯t have any reason, but it certainly hadn¡¯t felt that way. At that time, the word horror seemed to put emphasis on the fear radiated by the word. Besides, didn¡¯t the notification sound inform us? This situation itself was an error.


    ¡®It said that it confirmed an existing concept. In other words, an error was caused because of an existing concept.¡¯


    I had a rough idea.


    ¡®In the first ce, there is only one MMORPG on Earth, right?¡¯


    I raised my left hand. A hexagon appeared in the fluorescent light. It was the mission system.


    MMORPG stood for Massively Multiyer Online Role-ying Game. I wasn¡¯t sure if the word ¡®online¡¯ was appropriate to describe a mission system that epassed ability users in the real world, but the system could be described as an MMORPG. The level, quest, stats, and skills were all aspects of an MMORPG.


    I stood for a moment while pondering deeper.


    ¡®Genie. Have there been any changes after the notification?¡¯


    The incidents and idents¡­ are declining. The reason is still unknown.


    ¡®In the end, I won¡¯t know exactly until I face it.¡¯


    Even though I didn¡¯t like it, there was nothing else I could do. So I resumed training. The problem was that I would face it very soon.


    That evening, 7 P.M. on Sunday.


    - Stage will be open!


    - Level 1. Difficulty is set at easy.


    Eventually, the End Project dawned upon humanity, in the form of a Horror MMORPG.

 Vol 2. 52: Doomsday Online (2)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 52: Doomsday Online (2)</h4>


    - Stage will be open!


    - Level 1. Difficulty is set at easy.


    - Eliminate the enemies within 30 minutes


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­.


    This was really happening out of the blue. I hade to the training center after eating dinner. But after blinking a few times, I was no longer in the training center, but in front of a worn-down, abandoned shack.


    ¡°Kiyaahk!¡±


    I lowered my gaze to a cry. It was a sound simr to a beast¡¯s cry, but also a little different. I saw a little girl standing in front of the structure as if guarding it. She was less than a meter tall, and she was dressed in a nice, pink dress. The problem was that it was not a living child.


    ¡°Kyaaaa!¡±


    Pus was oozing all over her body. Both her eyes were covered with white like a critical cataract patient, and the tips of her fingers were devoid of fingernails, crushed into mush.


    ¡°This is it? Just this much?¡±


    Even though it possessed a terrible appearance, it was not my match at all. Even if I didn¡¯t utilize Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, I could kill it with a single flick of a finger. There was a humongous gap in power between my opponent and I.


    But that was when I realized that something felt a little different.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? My power¡­¡±


    My whole body felt weak. I could not feel any Life Energy, let alone any physical power exceeding a normal person.


    - 3. 2. 1. Initiating battle.


    ¡°Kyaahk!¡±


    The corpse charged towards me, not giving me any time toe to terms with the weird situation.


    Puck!


    ¡°Kyahk!¡±


    Itnded right on target, but it rolled on the floor a few times before lifting itself up. Was that all?


    ¡°Hoo¡­ What the. Why is my breathing ragged from a single kick?¡±


    The green monster came at me once again. It was wildly swinging its arms and flung its body at me, definitely a scene straight out of a horror movie.


    ¡°Even so, you¡¯re underestimating me too much!¡±


    Puck! Thump thump thump!


    I knocked it to the ground with a well-ced low kick. The child rolled on the floor again, then struggled to rise immediately. However,


    Crack!


    Before it could get back on its feet, I stomped it with all my might and broke it. Even though the monster looked quite ferocious, its physical abilities were rather poor. Moreover, it was less than a meter tall, which meant its fighting ability was onlyparable to a kindergarten student at best.


    - Clear!


    - Waiting for all battles toplete.


    ¡°What the hell¡­?¡±


    Although I felt puzzled by the vain ending, I proceeded to check the status window first.


    Name: Kwan Dae-ha


    ss: Elemental Summoner(1), cksmith(1), Strongman (1)


    Title: Disaster of Mankind


    Strength: 10 Stamina: 10


    Health: 10 Agility: 10


    Mana: 10 Magical Power: 10


    Magic Resistance: 10 Regeneration: 10


    Mana Regeneration: 10 Luck: 10


    Condition: Normal


    ¡°What the hell happened to my stats? Why am I level 1 again?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t understand why all of my stats had been reset to 10 points. The numbers were even lower than when I was an ordinary person, before my extraterrestrial journey. At this level, I was onlyparable to a boy ignorant to any forms of exercise, or perhaps a middle school girl. It was quite serious, to the point that my breathing became ragged after a single kick.


    It seemed to be a result of something simr to a level adjustment.


    ¡°Are they telling me to use stats that are suitable for stage 1? But I¡¯m too weak even for a level 1.¡±


    A new line of text appeared as I mumbled to myself.


    - All battles have beenpleted. Of the 6,786,651,249 participants, 3,345,507,765 have passed. The remaining personnel are now considered dead.


    ¡°¡­What the hell? Half of the entire human race died from something measly like this?¡±


    I was lost for words. The message was telling me that the entire human race had faced the same trial in the short period of time, and that 3.4 billion people had died.


    The enemy was weak.


    Even though I hadined about my stats being restricted to 10, the opponent was weak even considering the constraints. Perhaps it had an average stat of around 5 at best? Moreover, being less than a meter tall served as a huge disadvantage in battle.


    But modern humans were not fit for struggle. Humans nowadays would scream and run away at the sight of a single cockroach. No matter how weak it was, it would not be easy to stay alert and resist against a corpse with a terrible appearance. Besides, if all of humankind had participated without any considerations, the children and the elderly would have been involved, as well as the physically and mentally disabled.


    No matter how weak the enemy was¡­ could they reallyplete the stage when it required them to kill the enemy?


    - Would you like to start the next battle? If you knock down multiple enemies in a row, the number of clears will cancel an equal number of death considerations. At the end of the stage, the death considerations will be confirmed and cannot be reversed.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I became lost in thought for a moment. After all the misfortunes, it seemed that half of humanity was still not actually dead.


    - Would you like to start the next battle? If you do not begin, the stage will end.


    ¡°¡­Will the next battle begin immediately?¡±


    - The maximum wait time is 5 minutes.


    ¡°¡­Begin.¡±


    - Level 1. Difficulty is set at easy.


    - Eliminate the enemies within 30 minutes


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­


    ¡°Kyaaah!¡±


    Just like before, the corpse of a girl in a red dress appeared. I examined its title.


    End Project


    Level 1


    Bitter Alice


    Puck!


    This time, I swung my fists. The corpse rushed at me fiercely, then copsed to the ground after taking a heavy blow to its temple. No matter how weak I had be, I was a trainee of Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights. It was much too simple to deal with such a weak opponent.


    But there was a problem.


    ¡°Wow, just with one punch¡­¡±


    My breathing was ragged, and my right arm was trembling. Examining it, I seemed to have sprained my wrist.


    - Would you like to begin the next battle.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    I collected my breaths. Unfortunately, it appeared that my strength would not be restored after fighting a battle.


    ¡°Ares.¡±


    I called out, but there was no answer. Surprisingly, this world seemed to bepletely blocking any connections with the outside. It was impossible for me to converse with anyone else in the world


    Are you all right, Captain-nim?


    Well, myself in the real world, at least.


    ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    It was a little different for me in the Unique World.


    What¡¯s going on? I can¡¯t see you in the real world, and I can¡¯t contact the outside either.


    A spirit in the shape of a small toy figurine approached me and spoke. Ares¡¯ true body was also stored in a waiting room in a corner of my Unique World, so there didn¡¯t seem to be any additional problems.


    ¡°I¡¯m killing a zombie right now. One every five minutes.¡±


    You¡¯re spending an entire 5 minutes killing a mere zombie?


    ¡°There''s nothing I can do about it since my stats dropped to the levels of an ordinary person. Let¡¯s see¡­ Ugh!¡±


    I tried to lift a dumbbell randomly rolling on the floor, but it didn¡¯t budge an inch. It seemed that the restrictions ced on my body in the real world were reflected in here as well. My body in the Unique World had been adjusted to the level of an elementary or a middle school student.


    It was probably happening because the two bodies were linked together.


    Is it possible for you to take objects out of here?


    I attempted it at Genie¡¯s words, but to no avail. When I ryed the results to Genie, she blinked her eyes as if she was surprised.


    That is surprising. A Unique World is an authority that only gods of higher ranks can possess¡­ This is a power that defies thews of the world. It is able to interfere with space and time, and breaking such rules with force will not be easy, even for the Untouchables.


    ¡°I knew about space, but time?¡±


    I expressed my confusion. Genie answered promptly.


    Yes. Currently, reality¡¯s time has been put to a stop. To be exact, the time of all the beings in the test have been stretched to infinity.


    To put it into perspective, it¡¯s simr to an ultimate magic like time stop.


    ¡°Still, I can¡¯t believe that it¡¯s able to interfere to that degree with the entire human race¡­¡±


    I repeatedly destroyed the child¡¯s corpse while my consciousness travelled back and forth between the stage and my Unique World. It was closer tobor than a battle. After a while, I had destroyed over 80 corpses.


    ¡°Heugh¡­ Huah¡­¡±


    I was struggling to breath, and my arms and legs were shaking uncontrobly. My fist was swollen and my wrist felt limp.


    ¡°Ah, that was my mistake.¡±


    Only then did I realize that I had utilized an ineffective fighting style. Knocking down the enemy with a single punch was unsuitable for the weak body I possessed. Considering that my wrist had been sprained after defeating a single corpse, the problem was quite serious. It was only made worse by the fact that I was a trainee of the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights. My feeble body and pathetic stats could not utilize it properly at all.


    ¡°I should have used my feet instead of my fists. It was pretty slow anyways.¡±


    Actually, it would have been even better if I had a weapon. With nothing but my weak body, I could not continue to battle consecutively. It was when I knocked down my 90th corpse, finally feeling that I was nearing my limits.


    - All death considerations have been cancelled!


    - Congrattions! The stage has beenpletely cleared! Compensation will be given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 4,999,147.


    ¡°¡­Wow.¡±


    Iughed in disbelief. I had killed 90 zombies by myself, but I was only ranked 5 million. Was this really the Earth that I was familiar with?


    It¡¯s probably because of the parallel world.


    ¡°I guess even if their stats were weakened, mere corpses would not have posed a challenge to the people of the parallel world.¡±


    In fact, my original version of peaceful earth never existed. Here, Earth-34, possessed a parallel world, and there were 10 million ability users who fought fiercely, dancing between the boundary of life and death. Considering when I first became an ability user, I was nothing but a beginner.


    Pat!


    Arge vending machine suddenly appeared in front of me. Then, a message followed along.


    - You have earned 90 points as a clear reward.


    - Points are a means of transaction and you can purchase Awakening Potion, Experience Potion, Equipment, Tools, Materials, Etc.


    I looked at the vending machine. When I pressed on the Awakening Potion button, a detailed option popped up. There was an Ability Awakening Potion, Skill Awakening Potion, and Stat Awakening Potion.


    I tried pressing on the buttons.


    - You have already awakened a number of abilities! You cannot purchase a(n) Ability Awakening Potion!


    - You already possess arge number of stats! You cannot purchase a Stat Awakening Potion!


    It was denying my purchase, but I was not disappointed. I was getting a sense of how things worked as I observed the different options. Besides, I was able to purchase a Skill Awakening Potion.


    Skill Awakening. Current average level 1. One skill avable.


    1. Fast metabolism: Increased stamina, increased hunger


    2. Herculean Strength: Strength increased by 30%. Speed is reduced by 30%


    3. Gunman: 30% increased damage when using firearms. 30% reduction in closebat damage.


    4. Lucky Energy: The number of consumables will double when found. Enemies will sense the energy of good fortune.


    5. Twice-eating Mouth: Effect of eating food is doubled. You need to sleep more frequently because you get tired easily.


    6. Perfect Sleep: 50% reduction in sleep time. Significant increase in stamina after sleep. A significant increase in hunger.


    7. Istionist: Can assimte into the surroundings when standing in one ce for more than a minute. Visibility is limited to 5 meters.


    8. Inhibitor: One clear will be judged to be two clears. 100 points debuff will be applied to the highest stat.


    9¡­


    10¡­.


    ¡°this is kind of cool.¡±


    There were a considerable variety of skills. I counted more than 30, and they only cost 10 points each. In other words, clearing the test 10 times would you enough points to purchase a skill.


    However, there was a problem.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe all of them have attached debuffs.¡±


    Of more than 30 skills, there were no unterally good skills. An increase in strength was apanied by a decrease in speed. With increased gun damage, closebat damage decreased. The skill of concealment had a penalty of limiting one¡¯s visibility. The skills all presented ways to enhance certain aspects by risking penalties.


    Five or six ideas came to mind, but I put them on the back seat for now and moved on to the next item. The difficulty of the stages was still too easy for me to consider using the system.


    ¡°Next we have the equipment¡­ Why are there so many?¡±


    The screen scrolled down endlessly as I manipted the screen. All sorts of weapons and equipment were avable. Options ranged from cheap kitchen knives to expensive magic tools. The variety was enormous.


    ¡®But the price is too high.¡¯


    Even the cheapest kitchen knife cost 10 points. When I picked out a decent-looking long sword, the price exceeded 100 points. Considering that each stage only required one clear per person, it seemed quite impossible to afford such luxury at low levels.


    ¡°Next we have tools.¡±


    It took me a long time to scroll through the equipment but looking through the tools took even longer. There weremon items such as wristwatches,nterns, camcorders, and other random objects, as well as unidentified articles such as Mysterious Diary, or Safety Zone Chalk.


    There was even a category for spiritual medicines. When I navigated to the inner qi section of spiritual medicines, a list popped up.


    1. One Hundred Years Root: A root grown for a hundred years.


    2. One Thousand Years Root: A root grown for a thousand years.


    3. Ten Thousand Years Root: A root grown for ten thousand years.


    4. Honey of Gold Stick: Honey collected by a gold stick.


    5. Taegeukdan: A pill created from a secret Taoism recipe.


    6. Daehwandan: A pill created from a secret Buddhism recipe.


    ¡°They sell all sorts of things.¡±


    I glimpsed at the points cost. The price difference was truly heaven and earthpared to the skills that only cost 10 points - especially the price of Daehwandan.


    ¡°Wow, 25 million points.¡±


    It was expensive. Jokes aside, didn¡¯t it mean that I would have to kill the corpse an equivalent number to half the poption of Korea if I wanted to purchase it?


    It was definitely something I could not touch at this level, so I passed it and opened the Materials section.


    ¡°Of course. This is a must-have when ites to materials.¡±


    Just as I expected, it was avable ¨C iron ore.


    - You have purchased 90kg of iron ore!


    I tried something. As soon I made the purchase and the surroundings became distorted, I changed my consciousness from reality to me of the Unique World.


    Roaarr!


    Huh? Captain-nim?


    ¡°It works!¡±


    The iron ore I purchased fell into the Unique World. It would not have been possible if the vending machine dispensed the goods physically, but it seemed that the goods purchased would appear in front of the target.


    ¡°Moreover, itpletely ignores the mass limitation.¡±


    Unbelievably, I did not feel the burden of moving inorganic objects into the Unique World. It meant that the stage space could distort even thews of the Unique World.


    ¡°Genie. Smelt these for me.¡±


    I instructed her beforeing back to reality.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m back.¡±


    ¡°So that wasn¡¯t a dream.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you too?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you as well?¡±


    I checked my stats while listening to the murmurs of the Lee Family¡¯s practitioners. Fortunately, everything had been returned to normal.


    ¡®As expected, the stat adjustment is only applied in that space.¡¯


    But then how would the stats and abilities acquired with points be applied in real life?


    ¡®Genie, status update.¡¯


    There aren¡¯t too many deaths.


    ¡®Figures. The stage was clearedpletely. It was a bit weak considering the name Project End. The difficulty was low.¡¯


    Naturally, that was just the beginning.


    Exactly 24 hourster, so Monday at 7 P.M. To someone¡¯s expectations, or to another¡¯s anxiety,


    - Stage will be open!


    - Level 1. Difficulty is set to intermediate.


    The next test began.

 Vol 2. 53: Doomsday Online (3)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 53: Doomsday Online (3)</h4>


    - Stage will be open!


    - Level 1. Difficulty is set to intermediate.


    - Eliminate the enemies (5 individuals) within 30 minutes.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­.


    Just like yesterday, the location was in front of a destroyed, abandoned house. The only difference was that the time was set to night, and there wasn¡¯t the dead body of a girl snarling before the abandoned house. After a while, the countdown ended and the ringing notification indicated that the stage began. Strangely, the situation remained unchanged.


    "It must be hiding in the building." I walked towards the destroyed, abandoned house. My steps were very light and rxed, because¡­ Boom! I had a steel club in my hand.


    "Kyaaaaaakk!"


    "Earthenware pot[1]!"


    Crackle! As soon as I broke through the ragged door, the zombie girl who charged at me had her head smashed. My heart would have escaped from my chest to roll onto the floor if I had been a weak person facing such a surprising ambush, but all I felt now was satisfaction.


    "Wow, this is pretty convenient though? Although it is a weapon, the stats have increased.¡± When I opened the status window, all my stats that were initially fixed at 10 increased to 30 points. It seemed like the physical stats of a healthy adult male would be about 30 points (Strength, Stamina, Health, etc.). In other words, I now had a better physical ability than before I had gone to space.


    I felt no pressure as long as the opponent had the physical abilities of a middle school girl who was unarmed. That earlier attack was, in fact, a really light blow. She simply held onto a steel club, which she swung down as if relying on gravity. Not only was there no consumption in physical strength, but there was also no counter-reaction at all. She did not break any bones in her hands nor sprain her wrists.


    "As expected, humans should use tools." I walked into the abandoned house, which wasrger than it seemed. There were five rooms, including a kitchen, on the first floor alone, and the second floor appeared to be simr. I continued walking unhesitantly.


    The darkness of the night could be seen outside the window. The only light source was the chandelier and a few candlesticks that hung on the wall. They created a spooky atmosphere, but it wasn¡¯t enough to stop me from walking forward.


    Thuckkk! I went into the kitchen and smashed the head of the zombie girl who went into the refrigerator. I then passed through the first floor to move towards the stairs that led to the second before jumping. Thuckkk! I broke the head of the zombie girl who hung from the chandelier, which looked fancy and camouged her presence. However, it was impossible to hide from me.


    Project End


    Level 1


    Grief-stricken, Sebastian


    Although she hid herself pretty meticulously, I could still see the title. My ability essentially rendered her desperate attempt at a surprise attack useless, and her life was quickly forfeited. "Uuushaaa."


    Booooom! As I opened the door, I twisted my body to avoid the falling stone statue. "What the, what is with this sloppy trap?" I grumbled and smashed the head of the zombie girl hiding behind the door. Thuckkk! It seemed that she would have ambushed me once I was impacted by the falling stone statue.


    Thuckkk! With no need of going out of my way to strike, I smashed the girl who hung by the window just by swinging my hand which held onto a steel club.


    -Clear!


    - Standing by for all battles to finish.


    "It''s simple, but it takes much longer," Imented. It took much longerpared to her attacking while charging from the front. Still, my speed was stillmendable since I could locate the dead bodies with ease. It was possible that the others would be ambushed by the zombie girl. If they did not want to suffer from the surprise attack, they would have to calmly search the abandoned house.


    "Well, it''s much better now that the stat restrictions have been lifted." I nodded to myself. Even if it was based on an ordinary person''s standards, 10 points was too low. It was also no exaggeration to say that all adult men were subjected to the stat restrictions. However, another problem arose with the 30-point stat limit.


    ''The average person often fails to raise all 30 points. Especially in the case of women, children, and the elderly.'' To put it nicely, it was just a stat adjustment and, with its limitations, the stats would only decrease rather than increase. Unlike the Level 1 Low-difficulty where the majority of stats reached its limit, the Intermediate-difficulty onwards left more people with less than the stat limit. If they did not actively use the Experience Potion that could be obtained from the gacha machine, they would have lower stats than what was needed to clear the relevant levels they were in. Simr to the majority of games, the level of difficulty would increase exponentially if the stats were lower than the corresponding level.


    Poof! I took out a steel chair and sat down. "Great! This works too." I received no responses yesterday when trying to take weapons out from the Unique World to the stage, but I seeded this time. "I was afraid that they would only count the one that I held onto.¡± The steel club that I brought to the stage was made from smelting the iron ore that I purchased from the gacha machine. As expected, it wasn''t possible to use external items inside the stage. I wanted to make a gun if possible, so it was unfortunate that the gacha machine did not sell gunpowder.


    I think something like a crossbow should be possible.


    ''That''s true, but I don''t think a crossbow is particrly useless under such narrow conditions. Besides, the level seems to keep going up, so there will be a limit in terms of power.''


    I spent time doing various kinds of tests and whiling away my time¡­ Then, I voiced out a concern, "¡­No, wait a minute. Why isn''t it over?" I ced the chair back into the Unique World. I was puzzled because this was an iprehensible situation. The test itself clearly stated to eliminate the corresponding enemies (5 individuals) within an hour, but a few hours had passed by now. Then, as if answering myint, I heard a notification.


    -Warning: 4,525,555,531 battles have not finished.


    -1,000,501,775 out of 6,696,651,249 examinees have passed. The remaining people have been dealt with Death Procession.


    -Partial updates will be made to the system.


    - Excessive time-consuming behaviors are considered as an act of surrender.


    -A re-test can be taken 12 hours after the end of the first test. In the case where an act of surrender is repeated twice, it will be dealt with Death Procession.


    I grasped the situation upon hearing the slightly different announcement from before. "Ahh... Some people haven''t entered the deserted house at all, huh?"


    Come to think of it, an act of surrender was a good enough choice to take. 50 percent of humanity experienced death just 24 hours ago, and those who didn¡¯t die had experienced the desperate struggle of killing, and being killed by, zombies. It would be normal for them to refuse to participate in such a traumatic test.


    -Do you want to start the next battle? If you knock down the enemies in quick session, your number of clears will cancel the corresponding number of Death Procession. At the end of the stage, the Death Procession that isn''t retracted will be confirmed and cannot be reversed.


    "Start!" The entire situation, of course, had nothing to do with me. "Come here!" I kicked the door down and entered the abandoned house. This time, all five of them were on the first floor¡ªone in the closet, one on the bathroom ceiling, one hiding beneath the broken floor, one hanging on the chandelier just like before, and one hiding inside the bed. "Crush the five siblings¡¯ heads!¡±


    Thuckkk! I crushed their heads before they could scream. The zombie kids, who were holding their breath for the surprise attack, died in their original state.


    -Do you want to start the next battle?


    - Do you want to start the next battle?


    I continued the challenge, since the battles were easy. I could clearly guess where the hidden enemies were, my physical ability went through an improvement, and I was even holding on to a weapon. However, even though I wasfortably dealing with the enemy and rationing my stamina¡­ My stamina was starting to run low. Unlike yesterday, it was impossible to resolve the battle in its ce.


    - Do you want to start the next battle?


    It was when I cleared the test for the 201st time¡­


    -Death Procession has all been canceled.


    -Congrattions! The stage has been cleared! Rewards are given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 9,147.


    "I''m still at 9,000th ce without holding back much? My stats have also reached its very limit. I am even holding on to a weapon.¡± Although the ranking had drastically risen from 5,000,000th ce, I still blinked in surprise. It seemed that many people had quickly adapted to this test, or there were a lot of masters who went beyond the limitation of the stats. "This¡­ The crap." I approached the gacha machine that appeared andughed. "It''s making mepetitive."


    - You earned 1,005 points as a clear reward.


    -Point is a means of transaction and you can purchase Awakening Potion, Experience Potion, Equipment, Tools, and Materials.


    - You have purchased 1,005 kilograms of iron ore!


    -The stage has ended. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1.


    ***


    It was summer, a period of time where sunrise came early, but it was aparatively dark dawnpared to the ones in other time zones. The door to the training grounds, which were much quieter, opened. "Dae-ha!"


    I roughly put down the big dumbbell that I repeatedly lifted. I turned to look at a man entering the training grounds in a suit covering his robust body. He looked like a gangster no matter how one looked at him, and I could hardly believe that he was just a high school student.


    "Oh. It seems you''re alive and well, friend."


    "What? Oh dear."


    I swapped my body with the one in the Unique World and ordered it to go shower. Then, I followed behind Jae-seok with my dry and refreshed body. We walked past the courtdies who seemed oddly rigid at times and headed towards the teahouse on the second floor of Gyeonghoeru Pavilion. It initially never opened at such a time, but was now seemingly opened 24 hours a day given the current state of affairs.


    "Are you feeling alright?" I asked while drinking a choco-brownie chocte that was sweet enough to make the tip of my tongue tingle. It wasn¡¯t a pointless question, since his left arm was bandaged.


    "It''s not that bad of a wound. I was bitten because I couldn''t stop the bastard from jumping off the damn chandelier."


    "It''s not contagious, right? A zombie virus or something." It was just a question I asked without much thought. In fact, Jae-seok was just a little hurt and did not show any signs of infection. I just asked to check because I wasn''t bitten.


    However, he gave me an unexpected answer. "It''s contagious."


    "What, really?" I asked in surprise. Was he trying to tell me that a zombie epidemic was rampant even in the midst of this whole mess?


    Jae-seok just looked baffled at my reaction. "What a basic question... Did you not even get bit once? No, more than that, do you not even watch the news? The whole world is in such a chaos."


    "Well, I just¡­¡±


    "Wow, what a snob¡­ Well, there''s nothing to worry about. It''s contagious, but it won''t be a problem after going back to reality. Simrly, the zombie virus apparently can''t be brought over into reality. Once we return to reality, only the injuries would remain."


    "How do you know it is contagious?"


    "I was bit on my hand when I cleared the test for the 44th time. In the 56th time, the infection spread to my shoulders and stopped me from proceeding further. To be honest, myst clear was rather forceful and I almost died."


    Come to think of it, it was impossible to bring things from the stage into reality. All I could bring over were things that I bought from the gacha machine in the stage. In other words, only an injury would remain upon my return to reality, and no external viruses or curses would follow along.


    "By the way, you broke it 56 times? Come to think of it, you..." Only then did I realize that something about Jae-seok had changed. A gentle Life Energy was emitted from all over his body, and he wore a bright smile on his face. Although we were all in a serious situation given the fact that doomsday wasing, his face was still full of joy.


    "Yes, that''s right. I''ve awakened my spiritual ability. Life Energy."


    "Huh," Imented. It was surprising, because...he had little talent for spiritual ability. It was necessary to cultivate and develop spiritual ability, as well as make an effort to do so, but unconditional talent was needed for learning it. It was almost impossible for a talentless person to awaken his or her spiritual ability unless he or she used a unique great spell or consumed a special elixir.


    "The gacha machine seems to have a tremendous effect."


    "I know, right. I gave up after struggling so hard, but I didn''t know I''d get a chance like this. It wasn''t an easy matter even with the huge wealth that Ilsung possessed."


    I looked at Jae-seok for a moment before having a sudden thought. "What''s the training method of your Life Energy? With your face, the Hwarang¡¯s Way of Heaven Earth Flower would be difficult."


    "I can''t learn Hwarang¡¯s Way of Heaven Earth Flower even if I had a good-looking face. Do you know how strict and inflexible the Lee Family is? Would they even ept and train a person from a chaebol family who''s already pretty old? There are many training methods, so I''ll buy something that can be purchased with money."


    "Hmm." I checked my ns for a moment. Come to think of it, Jae-seok had a better condition than what I initially thought. "Well, how about this one?"


    "What?"


    "I''ll teach you the training method I learned," I said out of the blue.


    Jae-seok''s expression turned serious, because he probably knew of the Lee Family''s extremely cautious attitude towards me. The Lee Family were thorough, all the way down to the control of information. He was not from the Lee Family, but he was the grandson of the chairman of Ilsung, who controlled the Korean economy. He was also the hands and foot of the Imperial Princess who ruled over the Lee Family in the current circumstances. He might not specifically know everything about me, but he certainly knew that I was an extraordinary existence. His gaze directed towards me wasplicated. "I''ve known you for a long time and I thought I knew you well... I really don''t know. It was the same with Yeong-min-hyung, who turned into a Ghost de and saved the Lee Family despite looking like a frail little girl."


    "¡­I didn''t know about Hyung either." I shrugged, because I truly couldn¡¯t even begin to guess. I did not know that the Ghost de title that Hyung had obtained was because he handled the sword like a ghost, or that he continuously fought every night¡ªwith his life on the line¡ªin a special ce that I did not know about.


    "It''s just guesswork, but I assume that the training method you''re learning is stronger than the ones that the Lee Family has, right?" Jae-seok asked.


    Spiritual study on Earth-34 had developed to an unbelievable extent with the arrangement and support of the Great Wizard, so it was hard to believe that Earth-34 was a backwater. However, even so, it was notparable to the systematic spiritual abilities of the Empire that was recognized even in the Great Universe. It was not just the simple matter of the spiritual study, but rather, there was a huge difference in the infrastructure that supported it.


    "Well, I''d be grateful if you would teach me. Do I need to prepare anything?"


    "All you have to do is bring your body."


    "What? Just like thattt-?"


    Pooof! As soon as I touched Jae-seok''s hand, his figure disappeared. Slurppp. I sucked on the straw and sipped the choco-brownie chocte. "Ahhh, it''s sweet." It was 7 in the morning, so it basically happened three hours before the second-round test took ce.


    1. Ttukbaegi (???) earthenware pot: A ck or brown earthenware vessel in which jjigae, a Korean stew, is cooked or gukbap, a Korean rice stew, is served.

 Vol 2. 54: Doomsday Online (4)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 54: Doomsday Online (4)</h4>


    Clunk! Clunk! Kuuuung! Kuuuung! The Unique World, no different from a world full of maic sand, was going through a drastic change every day. It had recently turned into a huge city.


    "W-Where is this?! Teleport? Or is it a temporary channel?" Jae-seok was flustered at the sight of the world he was suddenly dragged into.


    Genie approached Jae-seok and greeted, I wee your visit. Bae Jae-seok-nim.


    "Oh, hello. I am."


    Let me check your measurements for a moment.


    "What? What do you mean measurements... Whoa, whoa, whoa!" He was dragged around by Genie with a dumbfounded expression. The man who had the face of a bandit was dyed red.


    ''But then again, that''spletely possible when one simply looked at Genie.'' Genie, who had beautifully tanned skin and profound features, was dressed in shocking clothes that seemingly resembled the outfit of desert dancers. It was expected for someone who met her for the first time to be flustered. Of course, she was not really wearing a raunchy outfit. Her body was a Metal Body made of a special metal, and her appearance was just a character image disguised on top of it.


    "Hey, what''s this situation? Who''s that noona? Where are we?" Jae-seok approached and asked after having his measurements taken.


    I replied in a nonchnt manner, "She''s my secretary. This is my subspace."


    "What the... Does such a big subspace exist in the world? Moreover, can living creatures juste in like this?"


    Rather than that, the problem was that it was difficult to enter unless it was a living creature. However, I roughly skipped the exnation because there was no need for it. "You can think of it as a special subspace. Genie! Are you done with the adjustments?"


    Of course, Captain-nim. This way.


    I walked with Jae-seok ording to Genie''s guidance, since we were currently in the steel castle which could be said to be the center as well as thergest ce in the Unique World.


    "Where is this? It looks like some sort of outlet."


    "The internal structure is like that," I responded, while wondering if Jae-seok knew that, here, there was an enormous defense facility that could melt a million troops that invaded from the outside. It wasn''t as if someone wanted to invade the Unique World, but a tremendous amount of facilities and buildings were built around that it was a fortress city.


    "Hmm? What are these?" Jae-seok, who was walking for a while, asked upon seeing weapons that hung along the aisle.


    As if they were on disy, the weapons were some sort of metal test pieces I obtained from the stage. I had obtained 90 kilograms of iron ore during the Low-difficulty level 1 test, but only managed to get 11 kilograms of pure iron by smelting them and burning the impurities. The amount was so little that there were none left after making the two or three clubs that I currently used. However, the iron ore I gained during the Intermediate-difficulty level 1 test amounted to as much as a ton, so I got more than 150 kilograms of pure iron. Therefore, it was only natural to try to produce other things.


    "It''s a weapon."


    "Uwaa... Wow. Can I swing this for a second?"


    "Hmmm? Of course." At my answer, Jae-seok took the knife out of the rack and swung it like he was possessed. The crackling of the wind resonated sharply.


    "Oh, Jae-seok, you''ve got a pretty good posture."


    "It was a problem when I had no spiritual ability, but I have always been training in martial arts and it has been quite a while now. This is a really excellent de¡­ Did you perhaps make it?"


    I shook my head at the sight of the bloke whose eyes were shining. "What do you mean by an ¡®excellent de¡¯? It''s an industrial product made byser cutting rolled steel tes, processing withputer numerical control, and finally polishing with belt sanders."


    "You''re saying this is an industrial product? I''ve never seen a sword with such a perfect center of gravity though..." Jae-seok eximed with undeniable admiration in his voice.


    Still, I knew it was just the excellence of the blueprints stored in the Albatross ship. The weapon¡¯s perfect center of gravity was not something that necessarily required an expert''s ability to reproduce. I shrugged my shoulders and said, "The only good thing about it is its sturdiness and sharpness, so calling it perfect is¡­¡± The sword, so to speak, had no special effect because it was a mass-produced product. Therefore, I only thought of it as sturdy and sharp. Those two advantages only exceeded one''s imagination because they were produced by futuristic facilities of a tremendous scale.


    "The knife was made as a trial product anyway, so you keep it. But knives aren''t a good choice to catch zombies," I said and showed Jae-seok several other items which all belonged to two types: a club and a hammer.


    "Catching zombies? Don''t tell me, this weapon is..."


    "Yeah, it''s made of iron ore bought from the gacha machines. I made it as an experiment, but fortunately I could bring it in."


    "...!" Jae-seok''s eyes, which were looking at the items in a slightly dazed state, turned sharp. "How much do you have?"


    "Not much. I only had 150 kilograms of iron, so I used them to make five clubs and five hammers," Imented. The steel club measured only 40 centimeters long and weighed 2 kilograms. The battle hammer had a head length (the length of the hammer''s top) of 17 centimeters and a head width (the width of the hammer''s top) of 7 centimeters, and it weighed 7 kilograms.


    "Hmm, but if you only made five, you would have some iron left."


    "That''s only expected.¡± I walked up to the wall on one side while saying so. Wiiiiingggg! The wall opened up to reveal a body of armor.


    Like the knife Jae-seok admired earlier, it was formed and shaped byser cutting rolled steel tes and then processing withputer numerical control. It was not a full-te armor that covered the entire body with steel tes, but it was a metal te and a pair of steel boots that protected part of the upper and lower body. It was basically a simple te armor made of a gauntlet reduced in size with maximumpression. Virtually only the upper and lower body pieces were made sturdy, so it was no exaggeration to say that all efforts had gone into the steel boots and gauntlet.


    "Wow." Jae-seok''s eyes sparkled at the sight of the shiny te.


    "Hmm." I looked at Jae-seok for a moment. In fact, the armor was made for my usage, but it became useless once the stage attack became a speedrun where defensive power was meaningless. ''But it will be different for Jae-seok.'' I recalled that he got hurt while proceeding with the stage, so the value of the armor equipment was priceless. Looking at him, who was admiring the te again, I called for Genie, "Genie, put that on before you hang it."


    Yes, Captain-nim.


    "Huh? I understand if it''s for wearing, but what do you mean by hanging it... Heok! Noona? Wait a minute! I''m... No¡­ Ackkkk?!" Jae-seok rebelled against the sudden clothes change, but he couldn''t ovee the power of a Metal Body that had a high power output. He was barely able to handle Genie¡¯s Life Energy.


    "Let''s just say that I''m selling the armor and club hammer to you. The payment is... Okay. I''d rather have livestocks such as cattle, chickens and pigs than money. The more the merrier."


    "No, wait! What are you trying to do right now? Huh??" Jae-seok floated up along with Genie''s hand gesture. He arrived at a metallic structure that was shaped like a horseshoe. It was 15 meters high and it was more than 5 meters wide, so it looked like a greatly erged tuning fork.


    "It''s great at first nce, but I still have to do what I am supposed to do."


    "What do you mean what you are supposed to do? Didn''t you say you learned the training method?"


    "Yeah. The name of the training method is Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights. The seven colors that will startle the sky."


    Jae-seok, who floated up into the air, was spread wide open and an invincible soul energy restrained his body to keep him afloat. "N-No, wait! What kind of training method is this? Are you trying to tell me this is training?"


    I exined to Jae-seok who was flustered, "To be precise, this is a pre-training preparation. Awakening Life Energy isn''t all there is to it. To learn the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, you have to give the body the characteristics to ept vibrations." I then hit the giant horseshoe.


    Thump! The vibration that contained my power was sucked into the tuning fork and began to resonate. Whooooong---! Whoong--!


    "Uwkkkkk!! What the hell is this?! Uwkkkkk!!" As Jae-seok floated in the middle of the tuning fork, he screamed at the resonating vibrations. Watching him, I found a spot nearby and sat down.


    Genie set onerge te down after another, as if she had been waiting. It''s tenderloin steak and fried shrimp sd.


    "Thank you for everything." I shoved a few shrimps into my mouth and checked the time. Before I knew it, it was already 5 o''clock. I then wondered what sort of results woulde from the second-round test, "We have two hours until the test."


    ***


    Although the world was in chaos, I didn''t feel much as I remained within Gyeongbokgung Pce. However, the governments of many countries had dered martialw to control the people, and all the hospitals were in a disoriented state from being overwhelmed by an overflowing number of patients. If there was a good thing to say about it...


    -30 minutes left until the second-round test! We hope that you, the people, will take the test in the safest ces you can think of! Also take the distributed emergency care kits next to them!


    -1,855 emergency medical centers and medical supplies have been deployed across the entire country...


    -Injured people, please head to a nearby school ormunity office...


    Surprisingly, governments of every country were coping with the situation quickly. As if a manual had long been prepared, the TF was set up and the Doomsday Special Act was quickly put in ce to prepare for chaotic situations like panic buying. Medical supplies were prepared in suchrge quantities that it was unknowable where and how they managed to stockpile before releasing them to the public. Then, an announcement which included abination of all the updated information began.


    "No, what''s going on here? It doesn''t feel like the Hell Joseon that I used to know."


    "What is this? Why is the National Assembly doing such a good job?"


    "The president hasn''t slept for 20 hours and has been inmand on-site."


    "The opposition party is not active even though the government''s approval rating is rising so much."


    It wasn''t just Korea. Of course, many countries, especially China, were experiencing tremendous chaos to the point of shambles, but most advanced countries with a sturdy social structure were minimizing the confusion among their people unexpectedly fast. And was it because of that? The second-round test was cleared without any problems.


    -Death Procession has all been cancelled.


    -Congrattions! The stage has been cleared perfectly! Rewards are given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 9,091.


    "Ah, my ranking isn''t rising at all..." I was baffled that I remained at 9,000 cing even though I went around smashing the zombies¡¯ heads like I was in a speedrun. I proactively took advantage of my ability to see the titles, broke past doors, and ran towards the zombies¡¯ heads as soon as the test started. Yet, despite myck of redundant actions, I was still considered slow?


    -You earned 1,605 points as a clear reward.


    -Point is a means of transaction and you can purchase Awakening Potion, Experience Potion, Equipment, Tools, and Materials.


    - You have purchased 1,605 kilograms of iron ore!


    -The stage has ended. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1.


    The background instantly changed and I was back at a cafe in Gyeonghoeru Pavilion before I knew it.


    "Hmm. It''s over." The barista ahjusshi, who was cleaning the cup, began to clean it again without much reaction. It was a very dull response, considering that I was smashing the heads of zombies just a few seconds ago.


    ''Is that ahjusshi perhaps one of the 9,000 people on top of me?'' I wondered. It felt like I was putting on airs, but I thought I did a pretty good job. Naturally, I was dissatisfied with my rubbish 9,091st ce. Then, I thought, ''Isn''t the difficulty too low? It stated that it was the Doomsday though.''


    Since there were people who naturally failed the test itself, there were also people who took on additional challenges like me. Regardless of those differences, however, everyone had topete by doing a speedrun whether they passed the test or not.


    ''Is this really the Doomsday?'' I couldn''t sense it properly at that time, but the term Level 1 referred to the cruelty of the fact that the entire human race was being forced to participate in the test.


    - Stage will be open!


    - Level 1. Difficulty is set to High.


    The third-round test was held on the evenings of Sunday, Monday, and then Tuesday at 7. The stage got bigger and bigger. Traps were formed, and a Level 2 Boss came into being.


    -Stage will be open!


    - Level 2. Difficulty is set to Low.


    Wednesday at 7 p.m.,Level 2 Low-difficulty;


    Thursday at 7 p.m., Level 2 Intermediate-difficulty;


    Friday at 7 p.m., Level 2 High-difficulty.


    The results were an All-Perfect Clear.


    Surprisingly, there were no tests on Saturday, which seemingly indicated that everyone would get a weekly day off. Then, Sunday at 7 p.m. came about.


    -Stage will be open!


    -Level 3. Difficulty is set to Low.


    Thump! A muscr zombie monster over two meters tall copsed on the floor. The zombie monster, dressed in a rag and covered in enormous muscles, had an ignorantly Herculean-ish power that sent tremors through the ground with a simple punch.


    "Wow. This." Justst week, on the same day, I was in this spot fighting against a little zombie that had the height of a toddler. She was too weak an enemy that only had the physical ability of a middle school girl who could be beaten with ease. Yet, against such an enemy, half of humanity had died. However, what about the current enemy?


    "It''s going to be quite difficult for ordinary people though?" Having knocked down the muscr zombie monster, I looked at its fallen body with a serious look on my face.


    Project End


    Level 3


    Angry, Brown


    The zombie monster was still an easy opponent for me, but I was an exception. Objectively, it had enough fighting power to win against a savage beast. This week¡¯s enemy was a tiger whenst week¡¯s enemy was a mere kindergartener, so what would happen next week?


    The stat limit was now at 130 points, which was too high. It had been a long time since the majority of humanity wascking in stats. Of course, the 10 million ability users who had been through chaos in the parallel world were still fighting with ease, and that was the case for me too. With 200 points in all-stats, the higher the stat limit, the easier the battle became.


    But what about the others? What about the ordinary people who numbered over 6 billion? Of course, like Jae-seok, who was an ordinary person, humans could experience growth and get used to battle. However, could humans, on a universal scale, experience growth that matched the pace of this update?


    "The update is too fast,¡± I eventually realized that the current update was too fast, and the fact that mankind would never be able to keep up with this speed.

 Vol 2. 55: Doomsday Online (5)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 55: Doomsday Online (5)</h4>


    -All battles are finished. 655,508,765 out of 6,206,756,249 examinees have passed. The remaining people have been dealt with Death Procession.


    "..." I momentarily looked at the text in an aloof manner. We were in trouble. We were really in trouble. "The initial eptance rate has fallen to the 10 percent range..."


    In fact, there had been plenty of signs sincest week. I was still clearing the stage perfectly, but the time taken for a perfect clear was getting longer. There were many reasons. Like Jae-seok, some among the ordinary people had the aptitude for battle and became very interested in obtaining spiritual abilities, skills, and stats. However, the majority of people were more and more disinclined to take the test.


    In the first ce, wasn''t the concept horror? Inside a mansion that was so dark that nothing could be clearly seen, there were ominous phrases carved on every wall, as well as the subdued cries of a woman and a child. There was also an arrow trap that popped out of nowhere and prated the skin, a rock trap of rolling rocks that used a tremendous force to crush the body, and a floor trap with spears facing up embedded in the ground. There was even a horrible-looking zombie monster who would scream, charge forth, and bite off the flesh upon sensing any signs of an intruder. It didn¡¯t help, because it wandered around the mansion at all times.


    It was a difficult environment to withstand, even by those with fairly bold nerves of steel, so there was no need to mention the elderly and the weak. Even if you overcame it once with a firm mind, you might highly likely get a nervous breakdown upon repeatedly clearing the stage a few times.


    The modern men were existences who would scream at anything horrific even in an absolutely safe haunted house. They would also cower in fear as they y a horror game, with a keyboard and mouse, from the perspective of aplete third-party, much less the stage where my body would really be torn, pierced, and chewed on.


    -Do you want to start the next battle? If you knock down the enemies in quick session, your number of clears will cancel the corresponding number of Death Procession. At the end of the stage, the Death Procession that isn''t retracted will be Confirmed and cannot be reversed.


    "5,551,247,484 times¡­ Was it?" I muttered the number of deaths and the clears that the remaining 600 million had to achieve.


    In simple calction, each person only needs to clear it 9 times.


    "But that isn''t a possibility." I sighed at the words of Ares who suddenly interrupted. That''s right, it couldn''t be done. "Most of the members who had clears are probably injured."


    Not everyone could defeat an enemy without receiving a single wound like me. It was rathermon to clear after a desperate life-or-death struggle, since they could disregard their lives and charge forth. That was because of the belief that they would be resurrected due to the perfect clear even if they died. The stage would never heal your stamina or injury, but at the very least, their revival would allow them to return to reality with their bodies in a normal state.


    "Kuwaackkkk!!!!"


    Baam! I smashed the zombie¡¯s head and started to think. In Earth-34, there were 10 million warriors who had long trained in spiritual ability in the parallel world. Due to the distribution of the Great Wizard, they were enhanced spiritual ability users who were beyondparison to others at the same civilization level. They have long repeatedly fought through life-and-death battles, and were trained in spiritual ability by going through intense processes, so a Level 3 was not that scary of an enemy.


    However, if the ordinary human beings who numbered around 6 billion all gave up on the tests... In theory, the 10 million spiritual ability users would have to clear the test 600 times each. The test was one that took hours no matter how quick one was to do it¡­


    -Do you want to start the next battle?


    "Start."


    - Level 3. Difficulty is set to Low.


    - Eliminate the enemies within 1 hour.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­.


    Even though it was a one-on-one battle, the time limit given was an hour due to its Low-difficulty. It would exceed six hours if it was an Intermediate-difficulty and, if that were the case, the strength of the enemy would not be the only problem. The 10 million spiritual ability users and theters who had built up their skills would all have to go through a long battle, like marathon runners, just so they could achieve a perfect clear.


    "Kuwaackkkk!!!!" I crushed its head. I smashed it again, and again.


    -Do you want to start the next battle?


    -Do you want to start the next battle?


    -Do you want to start the next battle?


    And after so many battles.


    -Death Procession has all been cancelled.


    -Congrattions! The stage has been cleared! Rewards are given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 8,891.


    Ipleted the test again. Suddenly I felt like I could define this game. "Ahh,e to think of it. Isn''t it just a game of physicalbor with a doable difficulty level?"


    The problem was the structure of this stage itself. It was too easy for some, and it was too difficult for others. Since the difficulty of the stage was standardized and participation waspulsory, there were people who gave up on the y and had the top-ranking yers making up for it.


    ''But the number of times they have to make up for it is too over the top. I''d rather have a hard mission than this pure hardbour.'' As I grumbled inwardly, I sank down into my seat. My right arm was tingling. "How many hours did I fight?" I muttered to myself, but it naturally wasn''t a monologue.


    786 minutes including break time. It''s about 13 hours.


    "I''m hungry. I''m thirsty... Damn it, it''s at the point where I''m going to lose all my muscle," Iined. To tell the truth, it was to the extent that my whole body turned thin and my skin was cracking apart. As soon as I started, I avoided the attack of the enemy and struck its head with the ultra-vibrating club that was imbued with the power of vibrations. Even though I had chosen abat method that could literally only be regarded as an optimized one, it was still to this extent.


    ''But even so, I couldn''t help but to use the five-minute break.'' Even those who ran for hours in a marathon would be exhausted if they got on the ring to run a single round. I optimized my movements and ensured to strike the enemies only, but it was not as easy as flicking my wrist, so I definitely needed time to recover my stamina.


    Food is ready.


    "I know that too," I answered in the Unique World. As Genie said, there was a sumptuous feast set up in front of me. However, the one who was hungry was me at the stage, and not me in the Unique World. The swapping that I usually favored using was dysfunctional as soon as I was at the stage, so I couldn''t use it. "If that was possible, I would have unlimited stamina."


    -You earned 4,720 points as a clear reward.


    -Point is a means of transaction and you can purchase Awakening Potion, Experience Potion, Equipment, Tools, and Materials.


    "Level 3 Low-difficulty is about 25 points per round. It''s a good thing that it finishes quickly, but the amount of points awarded is only around the amount that can be obtained from a Level 2 Intermediate-difficulty," I grumbled and walked towards the gacha machine that showed up.


    Do you finally intend to purchase skills?


    "I didn''t want to use it because theposition itself was ufortable, but I don''t have a choice. With the current structure... I''ll fail to achieve a perfect clear in the Intermediate-difficulty test."


    The deaths that would ur in the case where a perfect clear failed to be achieved was not the only problem. The real problem was that if death tolls started to surface, then those who cleared the stage with their lives on the line would turn passive. Currently, they couldmit suicide to heal their wounds. However, if a perfect clear was impossible, then the people would naturally start to shrink back. Then, it would be more difficult to achieve a perfect clear, and when it bes impossible to achieve a perfect clear, then they would cower more and more. It was literally a vicious circle.


    For starters, I bought a moderate amount of ores from the materials and then bought an Awakening Potion. The skill I chose was the Energy of Luck, which seemed to have the lowest benefit in return among the skills.


    Skill List. 1/2


    1. Energy of Luck (Introductory): Double the number of supplies found. The enemy would be able to sense the Energy of Luck.


    The penalty stated that the enemy would be able to sense the Energy of Luck and it indicated that the enemy would always be able to detect the user. It meant that enemies would react even if I hid or approached carefully. However, considering my y style, where I rush straight in and crush the enemy''s head, it was not such a huge disadvantage.


    "The rest of it is useless..." I muttered to myself. Even now, my body was all shriveled up, so I couldn''t choose Fast Metabolism that increased my hunger level. Mybat style emphasized on speed itself, so I also couldn''t choose Herculean Strength that slowed down my speed. It also didn''t make sense to choose Gunman when I only used blunt weapons. The Suppressor, which judged one clear as two clears, was also quite tempting, but the stat reduction was toorgepared to the benefits obtained.


    The wizard who revolved the magic power to create a circle had 100 points in magic power. Simrly, if it was over 200 points, they would be 2nd-ss. If it was 300 points, they would be able to reach 3rd-ss (if other stats were too low, the ss will naturally not be achieved). 100 points in the main stats was actually a gap of one level; it was not 5 or 10 times, but the effect of only clearing two times.


    Why is there a Gunman skill when there¡¯s no gun in the weapon category?


    "There''s probably a way to acquire it inbat. Like, maybe the appearance of an enemy who wields a gun? Or maybe it can be produced just like how I am currently doing it." I left my body, which was next to the gacha machine on standby for a while, and moved my consciousness to the Unique World to discuss my opinions with Genie. However, there wasn''t a skill that attracted my interest. There were quite a lot of interesting effects, but thepensation was too great.


    I bought Perfect Slumber as a test. I haven''t slept at the stage yet, but as the level increased, the y time was getting longer. "Hmm?" However, I continued to purchase skills.


    What''s wrong?


    "I keep purchasing skills. I have 2 slots for the number of skills, but there doesn¡¯t seem to be a limit to buying,¡± Imented. Instead, the price continued to rise whenever I bought it. The skill prices, which were 10 points at first, were bing increasingly expensive at 20, 30, and 40 points. "Well, even if the price goes up.." I bought 10 skills that I felt slightly inclined to do so. Even so, it was about 550 points.


    "I wish I could solve the issues with hunger," I muttered. There were a few skills that were rted to hunger. Mouth that Eats Twice gave twice the effect when eating food. Meal of Madness increased the effect tenfold when eating part of the user''s own body. Hidden Snack could store external food in the stomach. In particr, Meal of Madness was one of the no-penalty skills that existed.


    "No penalty my ass. Eating my body itself is a penalty." I scoffed at the really revolting skill. The problem was the fact that the mere existence of these skills was a factor that gave me an idea on the direction that the stage was heading, just like the Gunman skill.


    "It means that there wille a situation where I will need this skill." I squinted my eyes and tried changing my skills.


    -You have already tried changing your skills once!


    -You can change it again during the re-challenge or the next stage challenge.


    "Oh, it is not possible to just change it whenever.¡± After that discovery, I ultimately entered the Tools section while equipped with Energy of Luck and Mouth that Eats Twice. Finally, I finished purchasing the necessary items and ended the stage.


    -The stage has ended. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1.


    I returned to reality and Jae-seok, who had a full-body armor stuck to his body, was in front of me. I asked upon looking at his appearance, which waspletely fine, "Oooh? What''s going on? You don''t have any wounds."


    Usually covered in blood every time the test was over, Jae-seok smiled bitterly. "I died. I was too greedy. I should have stopped when I reached my limit even if the stage was not over."


    In fact, if one was confident that the stage would be perfectly cleared, it would be a gain to clear the stage even if they eventually died. If they received an injury and came out, the injury would remain upon exiting the stage. However, if they died and were revived upon a perfect clear, they would be able toe out in the same condition as when they entered. However, that was only in theory, since it was not easy to actually do so. Anyone would be afraid of death, and on the off chance that a perfect clear was not achieved, they would actually die for real.


    "How did you die?"


    "I don''t know. If you die, you lose the memory of thest stage."


    "There''s such a thing?"


    Jae-seok was dumbfounded by my surprised expression. "Hey, do you not even use the Inte? No, you don''t even need the Inte. No matter what channel you turn on nowadays, it always talks about the stage."


    "I don''t usually look at the battle strategy and I prefer to just do it by myself."


    "What are you saying? Your life''s on the line..."


    I nced at the baffled Jae-seok for a while and soon took out the items I bought at the Tool section. "Well, I''m going to start paying a little attention now."


    -Camcorder: Press the button to record the video. It is equipped with a function that can take bright videos that minimize noise even in dark ces.


    I started to think while holding a camcorder, which was a pretty expensive Tool. This situation was not a problem that could be solved by repeatedly breaking the stage by myself. Although it may not be immediate, once it exceeded Level 4, Level 5, and Level 6, there was bound to be a failure. Ultimately, there was only one conclusion. Maybe it wasn''t just me, but a lot of other people also knew.


    "There mighte a day where I will need to refer to it," I said. Ultimately, we would have to build up the capabilities of mankind as a whole.

 Vol 2. 56: Global Levelling (1)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 56: Global Levelling (1)</h4>


    - Stage will be open!


    - Level 3. Difficulty is set to Intermediate.


    - Eliminate the enemies (5 individuals) within 6 hours.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­.


    - 3. 2. 1. The battle has begun.


    The background changed and I arrived within a huge hall. Imented to myself, "It''s beginning indoors, huh."


    The development until Level 2 was always the same. I would start at the door of an abandoned building, go in to find and then kill zombie monsters. This time, however, it started within the building itself.


    ng nk! As I turned around and grabbed the front door of the hall, the door locked and wouldn''t open. I couldn''t even see anything resembling a window. Bang! I hit the door strongly, but the door wouldn''t budge. I blinked and said, "If this happens, even giving up will be hard."


    So far, people with no intentions of taking the test had not taken it simply by wasting their time on the outside of the building. They did not even open the doors of the abandoned house. Whether it was fear, or wanting to obtain information from others without dying for no reason on the first-round test, they decided to hold out.


    Whoooong---! The door cracked when the force of vibration was applied, but it still remained undestroyed. If I spent dozens of minutes on this door, I might be able to break it, but it would be easier to defeat five zombie monsters instead. "Hmm, even so, I''ll try to destroy it as a test."


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights.


    Yellow.


    Yellow was a principle that identified and implemented the inherent vibration of objects that touched the skin. It was also a skill that was ssified for nonbat use as its cast time was too long. The beginning of Yellow was to obtain an approximate solution using the Resonance phenomenon of the body that was in contact with the object itself. And finally, once the inherent vibration was figured out, a forced vibration was created through the right hand that was in contact.


    Whoooong---! When an object was forced to vibrate, if the frequency of the disturbance and the inherent frequency of the vibration matched, the dynamic response would be infinitelyrger. Then, over time, the object would be free to vibrate at the primary inherent frequency.


    "It''s done," I said, since the primary inherent vibration meant that the object was in the most malleable shape.


    Wiiiiiing-! The door moved in loud waves as if a stone was thrown into ake. It distorted like a fluttering fabric in the strong winds and, of course, close to no materials could withstand such severe deformation. Spaaaaack! I roughly kicked the broken door and went out the door.


    "Wow." I was surprised by my discovery. "It''s huge." The mansion was enormous and resembled a building that didn¡¯t strike me as a private mansion. It was about the size of a modern department store or a supermarket. Outside the mansion, there was a huge forest with no end in sight and, as if the space had been erased, the background after a certain distance could not be seen.


    "Ares." After taking out a lump of iron from the Unique World and calling for his name, the lump of iron melted like ice on a midsummer day. In a matter of seconds, it turned into a small robot that took on the form of the Spirit Ares, not the God-rank Gigas Ares.


    What is it?


    "Please fly up to the sky and take a picture of this ce."


    These days, I''m really just doing small errands huh. ''Shyoooooooong'', Ares flew up into the sky while grumbling. He held a camcorder which was asrge as his body in his hands.


    "Let''s see, for starters, there are three floors. I think there''s a basement too." I circled the abandoned building along the outskirts. There was not a single window in the abandoned building. The interior had an abnormal structure considering that it was a mansion inhabited by medieval aristocrats. "There''s only one door too." I ced my hand on a wall on one side of the building that was directly opposite the front door.


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights.


    Yellow.


    Kwaaaangggg! I broke the wall that vibrated in waves and went inside. I couldn''t sense any signs of life. "Is this space not used for the Intermediate-difficulty test¡­?" I moved while searching every room. I searched all the furniture I could see and opened all the drawers. And by that time, I was able to grasp the power of the skill.


    - You have obtained hard wheat bread!


    - Energy of Luck has been activated. You have obtained hard wheat bread!


    "Ohhhoo." I was not hungry yet, so I put the wheat bread into the Unique World. It was the first time I had ever obtained food despite going through hundreds of tests, and that was not all¡­


    - You have obtained 3 9mm bullets!


    - Energy of Luck has been activated! You have obtained 3 9mm bullets!


    - You have obtained 1 9mm bullets!


    - Energy of Luck has been activated! You have obtained 1 9mm bullets!


    - You have obtained a pocket knife!


    Energy of Luck had a more active role than I had thought. If I was going to use the Gunman characteristic, I would definitely have chosen the Energy of Luck. "The problem is that I don''t have guns yet."


    I went through all the rooms and eventually obtained 36 bullets, 6 breads, an axe, and a pocket knife. There was no chance of obtaining additional equipment, perhaps because Energy of Luck was an ability that only applied to consumables.


    "Kruuooaaaar!!!!" However, just then, an eerie shriek resonated at a close distance, but still felt rather far away.


    "Huh, I''m upstairs and it can still sense me?" I blinked in surprise. Above my head, I could hear ''Boom boom boom!'' and the sound of something running. After waiting for a moment, ''Bang!'', the door to the stairs was destroyed and the zombie monster appeared.


    Project End


    Level 3


    Advanced Squad Commander, Al


    The zombie monster was bigger than the one I met during yesterday¡¯s test. At a height of almost 2.5 meters, and its broad shoulders, it was a monster with an impressively muscr body.


    I pulled a gun out of the Unique World. Guns couldn''t be used if there wasn''t gunpowder, but making a pistol was entirely possible with just metal alone. There was no problem as long as there were bullets. Bang! The urate shot struck the zombie monster on the forehead.


    The bastard who was about to kick off the floor and charge forward staggered. "Kruuooaaaar!" It then fixed its posture while screaming eerily. Then, it staggered again. It tried to get back into position and run, but¡­ Bang! Thuckkk! As I shot its eyes, its whole body trembled for a moment before copsing.


    "Isn''t this a pretty good gun?" I smiled. It was quite encouraging to have defeated an enemy without any super-ability or superhuman-likebat capability. In other words, as long as the gun was used well, it signified the possibility for ordinary people to clear the stage too.


    "I''ll have to look for guns too." I started to search the building again. I searched the rooms, went back and forth between floors, then figured out the building¡¯s structure. I then marked down the ces where items were found to create some sort of a map. It was not that difficult of a task because I already looked at the overall shape from the outside of the building.


    Project End


    Level 3


    Hunter, Hunt


    "Ahh, what the hell is this?" I frowned at the sight of a zombie running up the wall like a cockroach. Bang! I blew its head off with a bullet. Since I did not have to purposely hit its eyeball to kill it, like the previous zombie, its endurance wascking. However, just like a cockroach, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for ordinary people to hit it due to its quick and abnormal movements.


    Bang! Iter shot the guy hiding next to the wardrobe and hit my mark. His title was Assassin and his name was Shane. His skin waspletely dark, so I couldn¡¯t properly see him when he hid in the shadows.


    "Found it!" I only discovered the pistol when I roughly got to my initial starting point. It was under a cracked wooden floor.


    Wow, how do they expect someone to find it if they put it here?


    "I know, right? It''s not as if they would suffer a big loss either." I shrugged. It wasn''t even an open structure, so not many people would simply break it down just because it was cracked. I could find things because I could see the titles of objects, but such objects usually wouldn¡¯t be so easily found.


    "Kyaaaak!"


    "Ahh, you''re thest one." I smashed the limbs of the zombie monster who charged at me before roughly throwing it aside. Then, I finished searching the building. As a result, I was finally able to figure out the entire structure of the building.


    - Warning: 1,554,557,531 battles have not finished.


    - 455,508,765 out of 6,181,756,999 examinees have passed. The remaining people have been dealt with Death Procession.


    450 million examinees had passed, and the number was slowly falling to dangerous levels. It was a 6 hour test if one yed it normally, but if so many people were eliminated, then arge number of deaths could ur due to a failure to achieve a perfect clear.


    "Is it at least a fortunate thing that there are more than 1.5 billion people who gave up?" Imented. Since the second test remained, there was a possibility that even a part of it would be cleared.


    But how can someone give up? This is the starting point but the enemy wille finding though? As Ares said, the zombie monsters in the mansion roamed the whole building. They woulde for them even if the examinees that gave up did not walk around. Any unlucky person could possibly have five monsters rushing towards them at the same time. Basically, by staying still, you would face the worst possible situation.


    "But it''s notpletely impossible. We can hide." I knew that as long as the zombie monsters didn¡¯t find them, they wouldn¡¯t have to fight. After all, there were many ces to hide in, such as closets, wardrobes, big drawers, toilets¡­ Zombie monsters wouldn¡¯t scour the entire room, so it was possible for them to hold their breath and hide for six hours.


    -Do you want to start the next battle?


    "Start," I urged and restarted without hesitation. Unfortunately, the results were disappointing.


    Captain, the bread I stored has been destroyed.


    "Yeah, no axe, no pistol, no bullets, it''s all gone¡­ The consumables acquired on that stage must be used up within that stage itself." I thought I could use whatever I acquired all the time, upon finding them all, but it turned out that I couldn¡¯t do it sofortably. This time, I proceeded normally without breaking the door. I simply hunted enemies who appeared and acquired the consumables. I ate the bread as soon as I got it and shot with every bullet I found.


    -Do you want to start the next battle?


    "Start." As I restarted again, and again, and again, the map that Genie drew became increasingly detailed. I was able to grasp the new rules for Level 3 tests.


    1. The equipment that can be found in the mansion are standard pistols, hand axes, and pocket knives.


    2. The locations of all things found are randomly determined each time.


    3. The quantity of consumables is also random. 10 to 20 bullets. 1 to 2 bread. 1 or 2 water bottles.


    4. The zombie monsters have their own personalities and each has its own pros and cons. This is also random in every round, but it is determined within a total of 10 types.


    Kwaaaangggg! I started a new stage and broke the cracked wooden floor. I didn''t see a pistol. Thudd! As I broke the frame on the wall, a hidden space appeared and revealed a pistol.


    "The pistol is usually near the starting point,¡± Imented. I noticed that the location randomly changed, but it didn''t just appear anywhere. There were about five different possible locations.


    -Do you want to start the next battle?


    -Do you want to start the next battle?


    -Do you want to start the next battle?


    I cleared the stage in quick session. The stage had grown in size, and I had been flipping through the entire house, so it was a time-consuming process. I then asked, "How many hours did I fight for?"


    42 hours have just passed, including break time.


    "There seems to be no time limit, though it won''t actually be infinite."


    You''re within stopped time anyway. Except for the first time clear, it can be said that all of mankind was moving along their own timeline. Listening to Genie''s answer, I started walking down the hall again. Now that the investigation wasplete, instead of searching, I immediately searched for the zombie monsters and smashed their heads. I was toozy to find a gun.


    "Well, since we''re on the topic." I cleared it for another five hours just like that. Suddenly, a question arose in my mind, "Why aren''t I hungry?"

 Vol 2. 57: Global Levelling (2)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 57: Global Levelling (2)</h4>


    "Heok...!" Jae-seok, who was sitting in front of me, suddenly groaned deeply. His whole body, which was clean just a second ago, was now covered in blood. However, this sight was nothing special, so I didn¡¯t make a fuss about it.


    "How many times did you clear?"


    Jae-seok answered while in the midst of panting, "Huff... Huff... 37 times!"


    "How long did you take?"


    "I don''t know, about¡­40 hours? No, I took two naps, so maybe around 50 hours or so. Damn it. I slept standing up and I couldn''t get rid of any fatigue."


    "That''s pretty good."


    As he smiled, Jae-seok took off his armor and trembled. He then pressed the button on one side of the sheet.


    "Young Master-nim!"


    "Are you all right?"


    As if it had been waiting, the door of therge van we were riding in opened and suited men came in. Of course, the interior of the vehicle could be expanded, so Jae-seok was able toy on the bed that was prepared on one side. Then, the men applied disinfectant and bandaged his wounds.


    "Sustained Compact Heal!"


    As a white light radiated and permeated through the bandage covering his wound, Jae-seok made a request, "I have a wish. Bring down the Jewel of Vitality here."


    Along with the chant of the suited, bald man, a green bead was formed in the air. Only then did Jae-seok, who was gasping for air, gradually regain his breathing. "Whooo¡­ Thank you. Even though everyone''s so busy."


    "Don''t mention it, Young Master-nim. We were able to bring about a much better result thanks to you, Young Master-nim." The bodyguard bowed with a steel club hanging from his waist and a long battle hammer resting on his back. These were the stage-specific equipment that Jae-seok had bought from me.


    "There''s no particr problem, right, guys?"


    "Everyone has raised their levels to Level 3, and we''ve also gotten used to using spiritual ability. We''ve been taking notes as there were plenty of changes on the stage this time."


    "Yeah, that''s only natural.¡±


    The team created by Jae-seok consisted of ordinary people, or those who ''used to be ordinary people'' to be exact. They had outstanding intelligence and great enough bodies to be selected as bodyguards of Ilsung, a leading conglomerate. However, it was unfortunate that they couldn¡¯t even stand up against the ability users of the parallel world due to ack of spiritual talent. To them, Project End, a catastrophe that might exterminate the entire human race, was also adder that allowed them to break past their limits.


    "How is it going with the mapping?"


    "We''re going to acquire the information that the team has collected, and we also n to negotiate with the information that the Lee Family''s ability user has collected. And..."


    "The map has beenpleted," I casuallymented


    "And, huh?" The man who was reporting to Jae-seok stopped talking. He wore a stupefied expression on his face as I took out a USB from the Unique World and threw it at Jae-seok. It was an item that contained the videos and various data that Genie had edited.


    "What''s this?" Jae-seok was confused by the item that I had just thrown at him.


    I replied, "It''s the gamey video, map, and strategy pattern. Take it and refer to it, and... You have a MyTube[1] ount, right?"


    "Of course I do."


    "Upload it there."


    "What are you talking about? We just finished the stage, and you''re saying that the map and the strategy pattern arepleted? And you want me to upload it on MyTube?"


    "For starters, just keep it in mind that this is like a trial version. I''m going to do it more seriously from the next test onwards."


    "...?" Although Jae-seok was still confused, I left him behind and got down from the vehicle, which was parked at the parking lot of the Seoul Government Complex. Despite the current state of affairs, the Korean Government was ruled by the Lee Family, so I could always ess it whenever I wanted to.


    "¡­It''s not a normalmotion." As I crossed over the parking lot and came out to the main road, I could see the crowded appearance of Gwanghwamun Square. The time was 7:05 in the evening, but I could see a scale that was no less than when the Zhu Family army had attacked the Lee Family. However, I knew the people did not gather for reasons such as sightseeing or a demonstration.


    "Is everyone all right?!"


    "Hahaha! I''m alive! I''m really alive!"


    "Ji-yeon?! Wake up! Are you okay?"


    "Please help! There''s an injured patient here!"


    The wind spread the bloody odor. Thewn, where lovers and families usually sat to enjoy the radiating sun-bath, was filled with people crying out of joy or sadness. Dozens of emergency medical centers were set up on the road, where the flow of vehicles were controlled, while medical personnel or ability users with healing abilities were treating people inside.


    Fortunately, due to the nature of the stage, not many people were seriously injured. It wasmon to suffer from only minor injuries unless they overdid it like Jae-seok. Also, in a situation where they received injuries more severe than usual, the majority of them would die ande back without any wounds on them.


    "I thought it was a really ambiguous time." I blinked. I always thought that 7 p.m., and 7 a.m., were ambiguous times. However, from the looks of it now, I began to think that perhaps they were pretty appropriate times¡­ Wasn¡¯t it now time for daily tasks?


    Korean office workers finish the stage at 7 a.m. to go to work and go about their daily tasks. Then, they leave the office to proceed with the stage at 7 p.m.


    "I can''t believe they''remuting to work in the midst of all this... Adults are amazing," Imented. I didn''t know if this was the sense of responsibility of a breadwinner, but I found it a terrific manner anyway. Perhaps the reason modern society could be maintained was because there were such terrific members of society. Then, upon that thought, I asked, "Wasn''t it originally supposed to be midnight and noon?"


    Yes, Captain-nim. The stage is open based on the time of Kiritimati Ind[2].


    The Republic of Korea was in the Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) timezone. In other words, it was a country that operated nine hours faster than the UTC time, which was based on the United Kingdom. Since it was farther east, it naturally greeted the day earlier. However, the stage started five hours faster than Korea¡¯s original time. This was because the stage was based on Kiritimati Ind (UTC+14:00), the ce where the sun rose the fastest in the world.


    "I can''t believe the standard for the whole world is a ce that I''ve never heard or seen before, huh," I muttered. In other words, the world was taking the first-round test at midnight on Kiritimati Ind and the second-round test at noon. We were five hours behind Kiritimati Ind, so we started at 7 p.m. on the day before.


    ''Anyway, let''s hurry up. I need to make preparations and also raise my levels.'' Of course, I could buy experience points on the stage, but it would be better to hunt demons in my spare time rather than to buy experience points with the limited points avable.


    "Are you going to the pce?" Upon hearing that voice, I turned around only to see Seon-ae wearing a school uniform even though she didn''t go to school.


    "Did you do well on the test?"


    "Well, just so-so." Once I heard her answer, I momentarily stared at Seon-ae, whose level had gone up from Level 3 to Level 4. Perhaps she had grown after experiencing Project End, or she had strengthened herself by using the gacha machine.


    ''In addition, if she transforms, she can be some kind of Synthetic Magical Beast and move even more boldly,¡¯ I wondered. Perhaps she was one of the thousands of people ranking above me.


    "Come to think of it, I heard Jae-seok left the matter regarding the livestocks for you to handle."


    "Ah, about that. I rented a space from the Lee Family and received it. I''ll guide you there." Seon-ae didn''t bother to ask many questions, such as why I received so much livestock, why there was only chicken feed amongst them, how I nned to store them, and many other things. While proceeding with the Project End, she seemed to have lost interest in trivial things. She now had an attitude that suggested she carried out menial tasks only because she was paid to do so.


    Shiiiiingg! After we passed through the crosswalk and entered Gyeongbokgung Pce, we immediately entered the parallel world. Originally, we had to go through all sorts of procedures, but we could now freely enter at any time by the orders of the Imperial Princess Min-kyung, who was basically no different from the Empress and wielded unrivalled power.


    "It''s here," Seon-ae announced upon reaching the region opposite of the National Pce Museum. She and I moved to a ce that corresponded to a parking lot, which had no cars, in reality. It simply had dozens of gs nted on the ground. Before I knew it, Seon-ae, who had changed into a courtdy''s uniform literally in the blink of an eye, approached one of the gs and pulled it out.


    Shiiiiingg! The background instantly changed into a huge meadow.


    "Moooooo~"


    "Cockadoodledoo--!"


    "Squeeeeeal!"


    As the cows, chickens, and the pigs cried out, Seon-ae exined, "There are 50 cows, 300 pigs, 700 chickens. For your information, the chickens are mostly hens, as requested."


    "Let''s see... Can everything go in?" I didn''t hesitate one bit and approached them. The animals couldn¡¯t possibly run away, since they were tied to their respective spots.


    Poof! A cow disappeared. I could feel his ''mass'' in my head and thought, ''About 600 kilograms... No, this is almost 700 kilograms.'' Then, a pig disappeared. ''It weighs just over 100 kilograms.'' A chicken soon disappeared as well. ''This is about a kilogram.'' I heard that chickens varied in size depending on their numbers, but these guys were about the same size in general.


    "Great, this''ll do." I finished the calctions, which seemed possible enough. Poof poof poof poof!! I then passed the livestock as I touched them. Those that received my touch immediately vanished. Needless to say, they did not perish, but were moved to the Unique World instead.


    As the Unique World developed, the mass I could move over increased tremendously. Unlike in the past, when I could only carry a couple kilograms of mass over a day, and even had to split Genie''s Metal Body by parts before reassembling it, I now had the leisure of bringing in heavier things that were iparably of more valuepared to soil and water over to the Unique World.


    "Kkokk kkokk!"


    "..." I looked down at thest chicken with vague eyes. I didn''t know its species, but it was a somewhat white chicken. I wasn¡¯t looking at it because it was special, but because it failed to go over into the Unique World. I thought I could put everything in, but I guess I failed to calcte it properly. ''Genie, what''s the total weight that I''ve just epted?''


    62,954 kilograms, so it''s about 63 tons.


    ''That means the mass of living things that a C-rank Unique World can ept is about that much, then,'' Imented. Also, considering that the mass of living things that could enter the Unique World was 20 to 30 times that of non-living things, the mass of non-living things that could be brought into the Unique World was about 2 to 3 tons.


    It''s still difficult to bring in Iron Heart.


    ''Yeah, even the lightest Iron Heart weighs over 5 tons.''


    Even the weight of a small-sized Gigas'' Iron Heart, dressed like armor, was that heavy. Gigas that wererger than that had Iron Hearts that weighed over hundreds of tons, so assembling a Gigas in the Unique World was something that could only be done in a far off future.


    "You keep this."


    "Huh?" Seon-ae''s eyes opened wide as I put the chicken in her arms.


    "Kkokk kkokk!" The chicken looked up at Seon-ae with round eyes, as if unaware that it was standing on the boundary between life and death. I didn''t know what species it was because I was not interested in it, but it had snow-white feathers.


    "Ehhhhhh?"


    "I''ll leave it to you." I handed the chicken over in a rough manner and got out of the realm that was made up of gs. ''Genie, butcher it.''


    I''ll carry it out immediately.


    I discovered a bug in the Level 3 Intermediate-difficulty test. Of course, this was not really a game, so it was ridiculous to say that it was a bug. However, at the very least, I discovered a blind spot that the system did not intend for in the stage that was created by the system.


    That blind spot was the skill, Mouth that Eats Twice. Its effect was ''Double the effect when eating food. Gets tired easily and needs frequent sleep¡¯ and its effect increased when I ate food that I chanced upon when progressing through the stage. By then, because I ate, there was a penalty where I had to sleep often, which prolonged my ytime or led me to fall into a crisis. However, after I equipped that skill, I was almostpletely free from hunger unlike during previous stages.


    ''I didn''t expect the Unique World to create such a variable.'' Skills invoked in the Unique World were reflected on the stage. In a way, it might have been expected, since the stat restriction actually applied not only to the stage but also to the Unique World.


    When my body in the Unique World ate, the doubled effect of the Mouth that Eats Twice was also applied to my body in the stage, which did not eat any food. To put it inyman''s terms, if I ate food in the Unique World, my body in the stage also enjoyed the effect produced from eating food. And as a Life Energy practitioner, as long as I had enough food, I could continue fighting a long war.


    "Of course, the source of food that I can stockpile in the Unique World wasn''t infinite, so there¡¯s a limit." Even so, it was a considerable merit. If this was a regr online game, I wouldn''t be able to refute even if I was subjected to a permanent ban. However...


    -Death Procession has all been cancelled.


    -Congrattions! The stage has been cleared perfectly! Rewards are given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 8,891.


    I noticed that there was no significant change in the ranking. "Speedrunning is still the trend, so oh well," I grumbled and suddenly thought of something. What exactly did the thousands of people above me do for a living?


    1. This is just a y on the word YouTube. It basically means the same thing


    2. Kiritimati Ind is a Pacific Ocean coral atoll in the northern Line Inds

 Vol 2. 58: Global Levelling (3)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 58: Global Levelling (3)</h4>


    Sunday 7 p.m., Level 3 Low-difficulty;


    Monday 7 a.m., Level 3 Low-difficulty, second-round;


    Monday 7 p.m., Level 3 Intermediate-difficulty;


    Tuesday 7 a.m., Level 3 Intermediate-difficulty, second-round.


    There were still no fatalities after two levels, and a total of four tests have beenpleted. However, that did not mean that the situation could be viewed optimistically. The Level 3 test, which began at 7 p.m. on Tuesday evening, clearly alerted people of that fact.


    "Damn it... I died on the first-round test, so I can''t even challenge the second-round test. Despite being a Level 6 and a member of the Hwarang group, I couldn''t even clear the Level 3 stage 20 times and just died."


    After the first-round challenge of the Level 3 Hard-difficulty ended on Tuesday evening, the atmosphere at Gyeongbokgung Pce was chaotic.


    "It''s different from the Low- and Intermediate-difficulty stages. High-difficulty is just too dangerous to get through just by fighting everything off. Unless you''re a super-master on the level of a Compl¨¦ter-ss, you''ll get hurt the moment you let your guard down. However, if you get hurt in the stage, it''s difficult to recover."


    "The environment of the stage is malicious, even if the enemy is weak. It feels nothing like a dungeon in an ordinary game. It''s like a horror game..."


    Although it''s an extremely obvious thing to say, the level of difficulty of a Level 3 High-difficulty was iparable to that of an Intermediate-difficulty stage. It wasn''t just the notion that the enemy became strong, but rather, the stage itself went through changes.


    Firstly, the enemies were more diverse aspared to the Intermediate-difficulty stage. There was one enemy which was of a relevant level in the Low-difficulty test, then five enemies in the Intermediate-difficulty test, and up to 10 enemies in the High-difficulty test. The problem was that they each had different characteristics. For instance, they could hide in the dark, were either fast or strong, and in the worst case scenario, some of them even had poisonous characteristics. If we were to let our guard down by chance and allow a single blow, it would be impossible to clear the stage any further.


    Secondly, the traps. At High-difficulty stages, traps with killing power were set up. Traps such as the ground suddenly dropping down, or des shooting out the wall, or arrows firing¡­ Of course, it was still level 3, so there were no instant death traps. However, once caught, one would inevitably get hurt and the injuries in the stage would lead to death.


    Thirdly, the boss. At High-difficulty stages, besides zombie monsters of the corresponding level, there was also a zombie monster at a level higher than the rest. Fighting against enemies of the same level was already a difficult situation, so death was bound to ur when fighting against enemies of a higher level. Fortunately, the experts of the parallel world were actively moving in the stage and, among ordinary people, there were those who have acquired spiritual abilities and fought against the monsters, so we were somehow sessful in achieving a perfect clear.


    "We''re screwed. At this pace¡­ We''re going to fail to achieve a perfect clear sometime."


    "It''ll be toote upon reaching that point. There''ll be no turning back if deaths start to take ce."


    "This is insane. It''s only Level 3. What about Level 4? Level 5 or Level 6? And if we go beyond that..."


    "At least exclude those who can''t proceed with the stage! Why are you also including newborn babies, old people, as well as weak women and men!"


    "In addition, the injuries and fatigue aren''t something that can bepletely recovered from in a single day. The fatigue and injuries umte instead. We''re in a situation where it''s better to just die once."


    For reference, this was the result of the Level 3 High-difficulty, first-round stage.


    - Warning: 1,848,551,511 battles have not finished.


    - 105,407,695 out of 6,155,662,984 examinees have passed. The remaining people have been dealt with Death Procession.


    There were only 100 million people who passed out of the 6.1 billion human beings. Of course, there were still 1.8 billion people who had avoided the test, so this couldn''t be referred to as the final result. Still, what was the time limit for Level 3 High-difficulty tests? It was as long as 12 hours. Instead of trying to clear the stage, would those hiding under the desk, in the closet, and in the bathroome to have the willpower toplete the stage in the short break time we were given after a stage ended?


    "There is." That was what I thought. "It''s entirely possible." I cleared the Level 3 High-difficulty stage 300 times today. Even though I only finished at 5,891 cing, I got to know because of that. "This is not a game where all ordinary people die." I discovered that this game was one where strategy was possible.


    "I''ll have to get Jae-seok to advertise the video that will be uploaded on MyTube." While I was mumbling like that, I stopped walking to avoid the man running busily. Come to think of it, there were many ability usersing and going from Gwanghwamun Gate. It was apletely different atmosphere from when I first came.


    "A wounded person! We have a wounded person here!"


    "Chan-yeol! Damn it, you''re overdoing it!!"


    "Kuhaha! Even so, I''m Level 6 now!"


    The healer dressed in a white robe nagged the warrior, who wasughing hard despite bleeding like a waterfall. "Phew, you idiot! If you use the Experience Potion, you can raise your level quickly, right?!"


    "There''s no way I would use the limited points to buy Experience Potions that I can obtain even in the parallel world. I heard you can buy a Daehwandan[1] at a point gacha machine for 25 million points."


    "When will you be able to save up 25 million points? It''s better to just buy a Secret Manual instead."


    Upon listening to their conversation, I turned to look at Gwanghwamun Gate again. The door that was always closed when I first came to Gyeongbokgung Pce looked different now. The newly created Gwanghwamun Gate was wide open, with countless peopleing and going.


    Just as I did, it meant that all beings in the parallel world were actively leveling. Moreover, it also meant that the Lee Family, who controlled leveling or at least attached all sorts of conditions to it, was fully opened up to the public and encouraged hunting.


    "But, at the very least, not everyone is in despair." I entered Gyeonghoeru Pavilion as I felt a sense of relief. Based on the time in reality, food was distributed at Gyeonghoeru Pavilion only an hour ago. However, it opened its doors again as there were many people who spent a long time in the stage.


    It''s not rocket science.


    "...?" However, as I entered Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, I heard a familiar voice ringing in my ear.


    "Just like that." Everyone was watching the TV with a serious look. "How did he clear it so easily just like that¡­?"


    "He uses almost close to no stamina. The use of neigong is also at the minimum."


    "So it''s not all about fighting power, huh. It seems I''ve got the clear method of the stage all wrong."


    "I''ve seen quite a few strategy methods on the web¡­ This is on a different level."


    There were a lot of people at Gyeonghoeru Pavilion. However, the unusual thing was that they were all looking at arge screen on one side of the cafeteria instead of focusing on their meal. On the screen stood a man wearing a steel helmet. He looked like a manhwa character or a club DJ, since he wore casual clothes to apany that helmet on his head.


    So far, I''ve shown you the speedrun method for those who have fighting power of Level 3 or higher. I''ve also shown you a stable method to progress with the stage if you have a fighting power of Level 2 or higher. And from now on.


    The people of the Lee Family were stirring up a fuss after hearing that far.


    "What? This isn''t the end?"


    "No, don''t tell me?"


    "At this rate..."


    Let''s talk about the strategy for Level 1''s clear method. Hmm, if I were to name it...


    "No, wait, Bae Jae-seok, you crazy bastard." I let out a forcedugh while looking at the screen.


    Clearing the stage with the body of an ordinary person.


    "I told you to upload it on MyTube, but why are you putting on airs..."


    ***


    Let''s look at the overall map again.


    Along with his words, a map of the stage appeared on one side of the screen. Needless to say, it was the result of Genie''s post-editing.


    The speedrun strategy for Level 3 and higher used only 7 percent of the space in the mansion. Using 19 percent of the space is enough for the Level 2 strategy. However...


    The map became clear and brightened up.


    If you are an ordinary person without superpowers, you have to use 97 percent of the map. All rooms must be farmed, all documents must be checked, and all devices must be activated. The time needed for this strategy takes from 3 to 11 hours. I thought it could be finished in 3 hours, but it''s only possible because I''m a stagnant water[ref] This is a Korean ng that originated from the gamingmunity, and it refers to someone who has spent a lot of time ying a certain game and has perfected his or her skills.[ref], so don''t rush it even if it takes too long. You only have one life.


    Upon saying so, he walked. The view was in third person perspective.


    Ah, I didn''t mention it, but the one helping me with the filming is a Spirit I summoned. Aside from that, I''m not using any spiritual abilities, nor did I equip any skills. Well, even so, if I had to rmend one, awakening the ''Gunman'' skill will be of help. That is because the damages dealt has to be done with a gun anyway.


    The starting point for the Level 3 High-difficulty stage was a small room that appeared to be a storehouse, and not the main hall. I strode to the table leaning against the wall.


    For starters, the first thing you need to do is procure a blunt weapon. Of course, it''s not forbat purposes, but for you to work around things.


    Kwaaaangggg! I stepped on the table leg and broke it. That alone created a blunt weapon with arge heavy head part.


    The gun that can be farmed at Level 3 is a Glock. As you all know, the most meticulously hidden item on the stage is a gun, so people who can''t find it would either spend more than 3 hours looking for it, or give up, but...


    Kwakkkkk! I got rid of the frame, broke the cracked wall behind it with the wooden blunt weapon, and found a gun.


    Luckily, I found it in one try. The ce where the gun spawns is random, but it''s usually near the entrance. I''ll guide you through about 20 points I found with the subtitles, so please use it as reference.


    After saying so, I approached the furniture in the corner this time.


    Ah! For your information, if you stay at the starting point 30 minutes after the y starts, the enemy wille for you. Well, most of the people who didn''t know that fact are dead, so those who are hiding already know about it, right? If you''re uneasy about it, put a chair up in front of the door across and then hide in this shoe rack if you hear a pushing sound. It''s safe to sleep in here because they don''t really search the furniture, but you naturally shouldn''t make any sounds.


    Derereukkk. Kwaaarrrr! I opened the drawer. Then, I opened the locker and flinged open the closet.


    Next, just go all the way around the room on your left and farm. The points for farming are drawers, under the bed, above the broken ceiling, or under the cracked floorboard, so on and so forth. For the points where you have to break past, you can do so with the blunt weapon you prepared earlier. If you farm five rooms like that, you''ll get more than 3 bullets as long as you''re not unlucky. If you''re equipped with the skill ''Energy of Luck'', you''ll be able to procure at least 6 bullets, but in that case, you''ll have to give up hiding. If you have the shooting ability to hit a 100 won coin thrown at you by someone, then you''ll be fine. If that''s possible, you can reduce the ytime to less than 3 hours.


    "..."


    "..."


    Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, which had always been noisy, turned quiet. Everyone was looking at the screen as if they were possessed. One of them groaned as if it was ridiculous, "No, how many times has he cleared the stage to know all that? Was there that many farming points?"


    "Wow, I''ve never even thought about the cracked floor. It wasn''t just a crack, but a destroyable point?"


    "Hey, you there, please be quiet."


    "Ah, yes."


    There were whispers going around before the whole ce fell quiet again. Only sounds of chewing meat or slurping noodles could be heard once in a while. I looked around and thought, ''In the midst of all that, there are also people who continue eating, huh.''


    Fortunately, other people didn''t say anything about the sound of eating. Since this was a cafeteria, plus meals were an essential issue for those recovering from the injuries they received at the stage, nobody really minded.


    Now then, can you see the groove on the floor? It''s a sign of a trap, so please go back. The location of the trap is also random, but the points are fixed, so memorize the location and...


    The man in an iron mask passed through the screen and approached one room. Unlike other ces, the door was stained with blood.


    The key here is hidden in the clock that can be found in the next-next room, but if you reached here within an hour, opting to just destroy this door and go in is also fine too.


    Bang! I smashed the door with the wooden blunt weapon. In the blood-stained room, there was a copsed zombie, and in front of it was a blood-soaked note.


    Oh, for your information, this zombie is just a corpse, so you don''t have to be wary about it. Think of it as a prop for the scary atmosphere. Soon, we''ll go defeat the first enemy. Please load the gun with a bullet.


    The people of the Lee Family, who were looking at the screen without saying a word, began to chatter upon hearing the announcement.


    "Is it really possible? I also found a gun, but it didn''t work on those zombie bastards though."


    "I''m sure it''s difficult to do so. It might be possible with a rifle, but if you''re holding a pistol like that, it''ll probably be impossible to defeat enemies regardless of whether they''re Level 1, Level 3, or Level 4."


    "It''s basically no different from an ordinary person trying to kill a lion or an elephant just by holding a pistol."


    "You can defeat it if you hit the eye with a bullet."


    At the words of the man who seemed to be a warrior, the man who seemed to be a magician had a baffled expression on his face. "No, what kind of ordinary person can shoot a zombie that''s running madly in the eye?"


    1. This probably refers to some sort of pill that gives the user a disaster-like power boost.

 Vol 2. 59: Global Levelling (4)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 59: Global Levelling (4)</h4>


    The atmosphere in the room was bleak. Blood was sshed all over a wall, and the body resembled an ancient mummy. But Iron Mask, who had already seen the same scene countless times, casually strode towards the body and pulled out a notebook pressed against the body¡¯s head.


    This is the diary. I will give you a short summary since we don¡¯t have much time. In a nutshell, the owner of the mansion, Count Alec, has gathered orphans to take care of them. But one of them, a child named Angelina, seems to be a little strange. That¡¯s pretty much what it is about.


    Pararak!


    The pages were turned indifferently.


    The trigger is to look through the diary. After you finish reading the diary, one of the corpse monsters that wanders around the structure is summoned at the end of the corridor over there.


    He closed the diary and stepped outside while exining.


    Ah, for your information, the monster that is about to appear is called Thomas. The clue is in the diary. If you read it, there is a line that says ¡®Thomas, the biggest orphan¡¯. This is the clue as to which monster will appear. Also, if you look closely at the contents, you will notice it says ¡®Thomas was running around again, so I scolded him. No matter how many times I teach him, he can¡¯t look under his feet¡¯. This is the monster¡¯s weakness.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Come to think of it, I noticed that the big monster didn¡¯t really look down once it started running. He would trip over things¡­ But is that really a weakness that the general public can exploit?¡±


    A warrior casually murmured while looking at the screen. Iron Mask continued as if to repel the man¡¯s doubts.


    In other words, this monster will be caught by a trap that aims for the legs.


    Iron Mask ¨C so I, continued to proceed through the stage smoothly. I used a trap targeting the yer to deal with the enemy. The corpse monster¡¯s movements were designed to avoid traps, but it was possible to lure the monster when it was charging forward.


    While hiding in the main hall, I dropped a chandelier on the head of the wandering enemy. It was quite simple really, hitting a wire three fingers thick from a distance of about 7 meters.


    I used the hidden perfume to hide my smell, then approached the hidden enemy. cing the gun right inside his open mouth, I pulled the trigger. Then, I sprinted from one end of the hallway to the other, closing the gap between the enemy and myself. This particr monster applied a curse from a distance, so I shot a bullet in its head before the casting was over.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    Someone let out a sound of disbelief.


    ¡°This might actually be possible.¡±


    When I turned my head towards the unexpected remark, I saw a familiar face. Kyung-eun was dressed lightly, which entuated her slim figure, and had her hair tied up.


    ¡®What? I didn¡¯t even know she was here.¡¯


    Normally, she was like an idol in the Lee Family. She would garner people¡¯s attention wherever she went. But today, she had been eating quietly amongst the crowd, so I had been unaware of her presence. Her clothes were still quite exposing, but it was much more demure than usual. It seemed that she was also concentrating on the stages as well.


    ¡°What? Miss, are you being serious right now? An ordinary person could achieve that?¡±


    ¡°At least it seems possible in terms of specifications, right?¡±


    ¡°But how could an ordinary person crawl throughplete darkness to reach the shore of a monster? They won¡¯t be able to see anything.¡±


    Some people raised their doubts, but she continued exining calmly. Her eyes were sparkling.


    ¡°The video exined the strategy in detail. Right, left, go straight, then left, left! All they need to do is memorize the way!¡±


    ¡°Well, even so¡­¡±


    ¡°It will still be terrifying.¡±


    I received a te of fried rice while watching the people sharing their doubts with each other.


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t cover the screen please.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I apologized and sat down. I didn¡¯t get mad despite their blunt tone.


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing¡­ I was in a hurry to clear the stage. I can¡¯t believe someone can study a stage to such a degree.¡±


    ¡°They even bought a camcorder. That¡¯s as expensive as some of the better weapons.¡±


    People were immersed in the video. In fact, I had expected such a situation. The entire human race was facing a despair known as the stage. Its influence was so great, that it was fit to be called a huge social phenomenon.


    Even if a culture became sensational and achieved global influence, it could only be called a local phenomenon in terms of its fame throughout the entire world.


    Michael Jackson, The Beatles ¨C they were global stars. But could we really guarantee that all humankind knew their names and their music? Perhaps some people would not be able to tell you if Michael Jackson was someone¡¯s name, or the name of a song. If you had no interest in music, if you lived in a remote area, or if your personal environment and situation had no intersection with music, there was a high chance they could be ignorant.


    World War I and World War II were described as engulfing the entire world, but in reality, it was something that only scratched a portion of the world. Considering the entire human race, there would have been more people who never heard a single gunshot during the warspared to those who did.


    But Project End was different.


    It epassed all humankind.


    This was a reality that everyone was forced to face, without any exceptions. In such a situation, what would happen if there was a guidebook or a strategy to solve the problem?


    I know many of you are hiding and waiting for the stage to end without actually clearing it.


    Only thest room was left. Iron Mask walked towards the boss¡¯ room.


    To be exact, there are 1,848,551,511 of you. I understand. There are so many people who can¡¯t even y horror games because they are scared.


    Kiriririk!


    However, keep this in mind. If you do not save yourselves.


    Clunk!


    The huge iron gate opened. Iron Mask spoke with a pistol in his hand.


    One day, there wille a time when no one else will be able to save you either.


    Dung! Dung! Dung! Dung!


    Arge bell resounded. A clock was located in the middle of the reception room, and it was pointing towards 12 o¡¯clock. Arge chair was ced in the middle of the room.


    - Boss Alert.


    - The One Seeped in Evil. Angelina.


    Kieee~


    A scream could be heard. When he looked up, he saw a girl sitting on top of therge clock.


    ¡±Wait, why is there no strategy for fighting the boss?¡±


    ¡°Is he going to face it head on?¡±


    People were expressing their puzzlement, but there was no need for any more strategies. Befitting her status as a boss, Angelina possessed a power beyond level 3, but she had a fatal weakness topensate for her strength.


    In fact, there is a strategy made by the stage that is to be utilized. The clock up there debuffs Angelina every minute, so one could drag out the battle and beat her that way. However, if you use this strategy, you will have no choice but to suffer injuries. Angelina has the cognitive and physical abilities to avoid a bullet shot right in front of her face and nails that can tear apart flesh like nothing. You would have to fight desperately to tooth and nails to achieve victory.


    Kyakyah!


    Along with a loud thump, Angelina jumped in front of Iron Mask. She had a small body, gray skin, and a twisted smile that was unbefitting a child.


    But Iron Mask spoke nonchntly.


    But if you look closely at the diary, it tells you something fascinating about Angelina. It tells you that ¡®Angelina quickly loses interest in everything and gest distracted easily.¡¯ This is amon characteristic of an imp, a small devil. If you can utilize this fact, then it is possible to clear the stage in a simple manner.


    He raised his pistol. It was a dangerous weapon for Angelina as well, but she maintained a confident smile. Her cognitive abilities were beyond human beings, so she could avoid a bullet shot right in front of her eyes. Of course, she was only level four, which meant she could not dodge a bullet by tracking its movements. Instead, she monitored the human¡¯s smallest movements to predict the projectile and to avoid it.


    The solution is this. Look away and be distracted.


    He raised the gun a little higher. Angelina postured herself to jump off the floor with a confident expression.


    And then.


    Huh?


    Iron Mask looked to the left with an exaggerated, startled expression.


    Kyah?


    Angelina turned her head in the same direction as well.


    Bang!


    Kyahhk!?


    Angelina rolled on the floor after being shot in the shoulder.


    I hit her on the shoulder, but if you can shoot her right in the eyeball, she would be dead. As you have seen during my guide so far, I missed on purpose to show you that it is okay to miss.


    Kyaaahh!!


    Angelina lifted herself off the ground and rushed towards Iron Mask in anger. Then.


    Huh?


    Kyah?


    Ultimate attack ¨C look away and be distracted!!


    Angelina once again turned her head with curiosity. At the same time, he aimed for her left shoulder.


    Kyahhhhh!


    Huh!??


    ¡­Kyah?


    She fell for it once more. He was making aplete fool out of her.


    Level 3, hard. We will end the guide here.


    I reloaded my gun with a click.


    Thank you for watching.


    Bang!


    Then the video ended.


    ¡°What¡­? What was that?¡±


    ¡°Look away and be distracted¡­?¡±


    ¡°What the hell¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I picked up the cmari while observing the people buzz.


    Crunch!


    It was so good. The kitchendy was a bit unpleasant, but her cooking skills were the real deal.


    ¡°Wow. Who do you think that is?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s using Korean, so he must be from the Lee Family, right?¡±


    ¡°He could be a guard. Guards are human beings too, so they must be forced into the stages as well.¡±


    ¡°Well to be fair, what¡¯s great about him is his style of y, not his abilities, right? He could be a soldier or some kind of professional gamer.¡±


    I could hear people having serious discussions all over the ce. But there was a word spoken that stuck out like a sore thumb.


    ¡°Guards?¡±


    Come to think of it, I was somewhat familiar with the term. The Screener who came to read my talents, Yul, had spoken about them.


    ¡°The Great Wizard created two adjudicating organizations using his noble mana, endless knowledge, and the blessings of the Progenitor God.¡±


    ¡°That is correct. The Guards enforce the Great Wizard¡¯s will topletely separate the parallel world from the surface world. The Selectors detect and ssify all the talents of humanity that exist on Earth. These two forces have apletely separated role from the rest of the forces of Another ne.¡±


    Something along those lines.


    ¡®I did find it a little strange though.¡¯


    It did not make sense that the existence of the parallel world was not revealed to the rest of the world, especially since there were more than 10 million ability users. Since the ability users from the Lee Family seemed to have treated the Ilsung Group pretty badly, it seemed that ability users could have some influence on the surface world, but at the very least, their presence could not be exposed to the outside world.


    It seemed that the guards were responsible for maintaining the status.


    ¡®They must be pretty strong. Most of them might be ranking higher than me in the stages.¡¯


    But even so, it was quite abnormal for me to be ranked only in the 6,000s.


    ¡®Making guides is good, but I should raise my ranking first.¡¯


    I finished my meal and exited the noisy Gyeonghoeru. The sky had dimmed before I knew it. The time was 9 o¡¯clock. There were 10 hours left before the second stage would begin.


    ¡®Genie. How are we doing with the stockpiled food?¡¯


    A portion of the livestock brought over have been ughtered, and others were ced into barns and breeding hasmenced. Chickens are starting toy eggs and smart farms have beenpleted to grow crops.


    ¡®A smart farm is a nt factory or something, right? You can grow nts in the Unique World?¡¯


    The Unique World was a space that was subordinated to my coordinates, and it looked like a. However, it did not possess an environment where life could thrive or even be sustained.


    It was an iron spherepletely made up of metal. Large buildings could be erected without much effort, but it was a difficult environment to farm in. Any organism could not grow easily.


    The most crucial problem was theck of water. Due to the nature of the Unique World, it was more difficult to transport nonliving thingspared to any living organisms. Even water was subjected to the limits. IT was much more efficient to put in livestock rather than water.


    It is a problem that can be solved with the technology of the Leondhardt Empire. We have blood from the livestock, fur, feathers, feces, and urine.


    ¡®You mean the poop and pee? Hm, I guess that would certainly be useful in farming.¡¯


    I gave an affirming nod, and Genie responded in a confident manner.


    Even the food swallowed by the livestock prior entered the Unique World without any problems. I am transporting them in after making sure they drink as much water as possible. Strangely, it does not work with any items that aren¡¯t ssified as food.


    ¡®This feels like animal cruelty¡­ Anyways, I¡¯ll leave it to you. Even though I like meat, it¡¯s a little hard to eat only meat every day.¡¯


    I headed towards the training ground. Using the ability to travel between the body between the real world and the Unique world freely, I trained while resting myself in the Unique World.


    The next morning at seven in the morning.


    - All death considerations have been cancelled!


    - Congrattions! The stage has beenpletely cleared! Compensation will be given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 5,005.


    Level 3 stages have been clearedpletely.


    Of the 1,848,551,511 people who had given up previously, an additional 700 million people had passed the stage.


    It was the beginning of global leveling.

 Vol 2. 60: The Update is Way Too Fast (1)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 60: The Update is Way Too Fast (1)</h4>


    Level 4 had begun.


    If level 1 required abat power below an ordinary person.


    Level 2 required thebat power of a trained human, or arge, vicious dog.


    Level 3 required thebat power of predatory animals such as lions or tigers.


    Then what about level 4?


    ¡°Maybe around an elephant?¡±


    I nodded while looking at the man lying on the floor. Right, an elephant was just about right. They looked just like normal human beings.


    It was different from the corpses that appeared from level 1 to 3. They possessed an appearance that was incredibly simr to humans. If you took a ck-and-white picture of them, it would be hard to differentiate them from humans. Of course, you couldn¡¯t really confuse them with humans once you faced them head on. Even though they possessed humanly appearances, their skin betrayed their identity.


    ¡°Dolls.¡±


    To be exact, they were wooden dolls ¨C mannequins.


    - Would you like to start the next battle? If you do not begin, the stage will end.


    ¡°Start.¡±


    - Level 4. Difficulty has been set at easy.


    - Defeat all enemies within an hour.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­


    Crack!


    The head of a newly revealed doll was smashed apart in one blow.


    ¡°But I can still take care of them with a single shot.¡±


    Even when I first began the world of ability users, I made a fool of a level five, lowest-tier demon, so there was nothing to be worried about right now. The difficulty wasn¡¯t very high.


    But what about ordinary people?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how the stage shaped, but it will definitely be difficult for anyone who is still level 1.¡±


    I smashed them apart with one blow, but the dolls were durable. Even a bullet could not fully prate through the doll, getting stuck in its skin. Moreover, they did not possess any weaknesses like the eyes or anything!


    - All death considerations have been cancelled!


    - Congrattions! The stage has beenpletely cleared! Compensation will be given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 6,891.


    I burst out into vainughter when I looked at the rankings.


    ¡°Why did I drop in the rankings? I even killed all of them with a single blow. I really can¡¯t underestimate earth¡¯s standards.¡±


    As expected, there were no problems with the lowest difficulty. In fact, we didn¡¯t even need the second test, so it ended in the first round. The regr ability users of the parallel world were more ustomed to straight up 1:1 battles such as thesepared to the intermediate and hard stages, which required guides. In particr, the lowest difficulty had a short time limit, so even if there were many deaths, the rankers could easily cover them.


    Although there were more than 6 billion humans on Earth, there were more than 10 million ability users. In addition, there were those who werecking in talent previously, and had awakened new powers through the stages, perfectly adapting to the new system. Theoretically, it was possible topletely clear the stages after having to only clear the stage 100 times.


    The problem was more evident in the intermediate and hard stages, where the y time became much longer.


    Hong!


    I opened my eyes.


    The surroundings became filled with noisy exmations of joy, groans of pain, and sighs of sorrow.


    ¡°Great work everybody!¡±


    ¡°Great work!!¡±


    People started to grab onto strangers¡¯ hands and greet each other with celebratory voices.


    ¡°Sob¡­! It¡¯s over! It¡¯s finally over!¡±


    Children who appeared to be middle school or high school students embraced each other while crying. Unfortunately, not everyone was fine.


    ¡°Ugh! Dammit, my finger¡¯s been crushed! Someone please help me!¡±


    ¡°Huah¡­ Huah¡­ Some, someone¡­ help¡­¡±


    ¡°Get a hold of yourself! If you suffered such a big injury, you should have challenged it again and died! Why did you just end it?¡±


    ¡°I, I was afraid¡­ of dying.¡±


    ¡°Of course I understand, but it¡¯s better to die there rather thane out with such a serious injury. If you don¡¯t receive treatment in time, you could die in reality as well. Besides, look at all this blood! Hey! Is there a healer around here!?¡±


    Some were heavily injured. The stench of blood reached me as well, but it was not as noxious as before. It meant that people were beginning to adapt to the environments of the stages.


    ¡°Oh no¡­ I can¡¯t remember anything since I saw the phrase telling me that the stage started.¡±


    An old man without any injury spoke. A middle-aged man walked up to him and reassured him.


    ¡°You must have died right away.¡±


    ¡°Keung. It feels somewhat unfair. Anyways, my son-inw, what kind of enemies appeared this time? More corpses?¡±


    ¡°No father. It was a wooden doll.¡±


    A girl who looked to be a high-school student intervened in the conversation between the man and his father-inw. It appeared that she was a part of the family as well.


    ¡°Did you win, dad?¡±


    ¡°I know because I won.¡±


    ¡°Wow. Dad, you¡¯re the best! I really hate the lowest difficulty¡­ 1:1 is just a dogfight, so I can¡¯t do anything about it. I took a hammer and a staff, but I guess I lost too.¡±


    The man expressed his curiosity at her words.


    ¡°In terms of difficulty, aren¡¯t the intermediate and hard difficulties more challenging? You have to defeat five, or ten enemies that appear in the easy stage.¡±


    ¡°Of course! But! For the intermediate and hard stages, he exists!¡±


    ¡°He?¡±


    ¡°Iron Mask!¡±


    She took out her smartphone while shouting excitedly. On the screen was a man dressed lightly, wearing a steel helmet, short-sleeved shirt, and jeans.


    ¡°Oh, is he the famous Iron Mask?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Isn¡¯t his body amazing? Besides, his guides are incredible! I was only able to break through the intermediate and hard stages for level three because of his guides!¡±


    ¡°Wow! You know Iron Mask as well!? His guides are currently the best in the entire world!¡±


    ¡°After giving up on level 1 and level 2, I was able to get abilities that allowed me to break through level 3 and even the easy stage of level 4 thanks to his guides! To be honest, I had never even imagined that I would be able to beat the stages¡­ I think he is a great man.¡±


    People started to voice their agreement from all over the ce.


    Wow Dae-ha, you¡¯re so popr.


    ¡®Shut up.¡¯


    I felt awkward and turned my head. I could see office workers who were gathered to talk after finishing work.


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m d it was a wooden doll. Sir, I cleared level three hard, but zombies are just so disgusting.¡±


    ¡°It was still pretty creepy. They looked exactly like a human being except for their skin.¡±


    ¡°Wow, did Chief Park manage to clear it as well? You¡¯re a wizard, right?¡±


    ¡°Fire magic worked wonders.¡±


    ¡°Awesome.¡±


    ¡°Kuhahaha! I cleared it five times!¡±


    ¡°What? I thought you were Kang Hyun Bin, but I guess it was God Hyung Bin![1] What did you buy from the vending machine?¡±


    ¡°A pill for my qi. I only have two months of qi and I¡¯m dying.¡±


    ¡°Fuck, if you look at martial arts novels and stories, even nobodies start with 60 years¡¯ worth of qi. Why are we forced to deal with mere days and months?¡±


    Gwanghwamun Square was full of people, much more than usual when the Citizens¡¯ Square is filled with tourists and such. Not only the square, but also the surrounding buildings, parking lots, and roads were filled to the brim.


    A lot of people are gathered.


    It was a huge number of people, easily over hundreds of thousands. The sheer volume of people was many times the number of people that participated in the historical demonstrations that went down in Gwanghwamun Square Moreover, the overcrowding wasn¡¯t only affecting Gwanghwamun Square.


    Apparently, simr scenes were being reproduced all over the country, including ygrounds, auditoriums, legitive buildings, and town halls. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that virtually most of the citizens were out of their homes.


    This is amazing. It¡¯s not like anyone is forcing them.


    In fact, there was no reason to gather to enter the stages, because there was no such thing as party y in the horror game.


    However, people were scrambling to gather before entering the stages, as if someone were pointing a gun to their heads. At least dozens, and as many as hundreds of thousands were gathered. They cheered and encouraged each other before the stage started, and after each stage, they once again encouraged and congratted each other. They shared their opinions on how to get through the stage, cried,ughed, andforted each other.


    ¡°A hearty lunch box for only 1,500 won! Delicious 3-tier sandwiches are being sold for 500 won! IF you are hungry, put your money in the bucket and take one with you!¡±


    ¡°Good work everybody! There is no second test today, so have a wonderful night¡¯s sleep!¡±


    The government also encouraged this type of atmosphere. If there were any injuries or deaths (not yet, of course), it was easy to take action if people were gathered together. In normal circumstances, it would bemon for the government to be worried with such arge gathering of people, but that was not the case right now.


    This was an unprecedented crisis with human extinction on the line.


    It wasn¡¯t a situation to argue and bicker over mere politics.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, have you seen the news? I heard that there is a lot of trouble in China.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. There are demonstrations taking ce everywhere, with protestors numbering in the hundreds of thousands. The government¡¯s forcibly suppressing them. North Korea is basically in a state of civil war as well.¡±


    ¡­Naturally, there were groups who acted in nonsensical ways even in the face of human extinction. It appeared that dictatorships and countries with simr governance models were thrown into chaos. The situation was even worse with China, especially after their ability users were massacred after invading the Lee Family.


    ¡®Well, it¡¯s none of my business.¡¯


    Next evening, I once again sat down on the floor of Gwanghwamun Square.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Ady spoke out of the blue, and I turned my head towards her. She handed over an object to me, which turned out to be a folding chair.


    ¡°You should sit down on this! Oh! And drink this water too! Cheer up! You got this!¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, yes¡­¡±


    I epted the water and the chair with a bewildered expression, and thedy stuck out her thumb before moving on, handing out chairs to others in the vicinity.


    Hmm, this is rather¡­


    A muscr man was sitting in front of me face-to-face. Obviously, it was Ares, and he was only visible to me.


    It¡¯s quite a warm atmosphere considering that it¡¯s the apocalypse.


    ¡®I know. I didn¡¯t think it would be like this either.¡¯


    In movies, cartoons, or novels, you often saw how humans acted when faced with an inevitable crisis. If the earth was to be destroyed tomorrow, they would loot,mit arson, and let loose all their vicious and evil desires that they had not dared reveal due tows and regtions. Such was the mostmon development in the apocalypse.


    But the atmosphere right now, here, waspletely different.


    Is it because they cannot feel the reality of the apocalypse yet? Because they think they will get through this?


    ¡®More than that, it¡¯s probably that the heads of each country are doing their part. I¡¯m certain that the Great Wizard made adequate preparations.¡¯


    I gave a halfhearted answer and sat down on the chair that I received from thedy. It was still summer, so the day was long. I could see the sun slowly setting in the distance.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    Seon-ae asked me. Even though she didn¡¯t go to school anymore, she was still wearing her uniform. I looked at her, or rather, I looked above her head.


    Won-il High School


    Level 5


    Skilled Martial Artist Lee Seon-ae


    She had been level three when I first encountered her, but she had passed level four and finally reached level five. It must have meant that she also cleared the stages, raised her levels and stats, and took some pills.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll just continue doing what I¡¯ve been doing.¡±


    ¡°You seem pretty rxed. There are a lot of people who find it scary.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re scared?¡±


    I started to express my confusion.


    ¡°Fighting!!¡±[2]


    ¡°Cheer up, everyone! You can do it!!¡±


    ¡°If you have a hard time on the first test, then just hide and clear it tomorrow morning after taking a look at the guides!¡±


    I took out my smartphone and checked the time. It was already 6:59 P.M.


    Seon-ae spoke.


    ¡°Everyone is deathly afraid. That¡¯s why they force themselves to raise their voices and cheer for each other like that. They can hold on because at the least¡­ they know that everyone is forced into that space without any exceptions.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    I looked around once again. Now that I thought about it, the faces of the people shouting were a bit contrasting to their words. Well, they would have to fight a life-and-death battle with an unidentified monster in a little while, so there would not be many people who enjoyed the situation.


    ¡°I¡¯m having fun though.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you a psychopath?¡±


    ¡°How mean.¡±


    Level 4 intermediate stage began as I grumbled.


    - All battles have beenpleted. Of the 6,106,756,249 participants, 1,205,508,765 have passed. The remaining personnel are now considered dead.


    Compared to the easy difficulty, there were five times more enemies and even traps in the intermediate stage, but the initial clear rate rose from 10% to 20%.


    It was due to the guides.


    I continued making them. Through as many attempts as possible and research, I was able to find tips and figure out ways to clear the stages, and surprisingly, the guides became famous all around the world.


    It wasn¡¯t just me either. Numerous front-runners began to pour out guides. There were even people among them who found elements that I wasn¡¯t able to recognize, but Iron Mask¡¯s guides were still the most recognized. People, and even creators of other guides, began to praise my work like some sort of bible.


    Level 4 hard.


    - All battles have beenpleted. Of the 6,083,761,423 participants, 1,500,114,000 have passed. The remaining personnel are now considered dead.


    The hard difficulty of level four required an even moreplex guidepared to the intermediate difficulty, but it achieved a clear rate of 25%. The difficulty was rising, but the clear rate was increasing as well.


    ¡®The capacity of humankind as a whole is rising.¡¯


    They would buy Awakening Potions to awaken their stats and skills, then gain a ss based on their abilities. They would level-up through experience potions, raise their stats, and purchase suitable equipment to arm themselves.


    ¡®In the meantime, the problem is that the number of humans in the world is decreasing¡­ But there are acts of terrorism by ability users, internal strife, and even wars. No helping it I guess.¡¯


    I looked at Seon-ae.


    Won-il High School


    Level 6


    Skilled Martial Artist Lee Seon-ae


    She had grown once again, but she wasn¡¯t the only one. The entire human race was growing.


    But.


    But.


    But¡­..


    - Stage will be opened!


    - Level 5. Difficulty is set at hard.


    Despite taking a day off andpleting the level 5 tests, Seon-ae¡¯s level was still 6.


    - Stage will be opened!


    - Level 6. Difficulty is set at easy.


    At the end of level 6, she barely managed to reach level 7.


    - Stage will be opened!


    - Level 7. Difficulty is set at hard.


    Finally.


    On the fourth week after the End Project began. Even though mankind still seeded in a perfect clear, Seon-ae was still level seven, despite the fact she was originally from the parallel world.


    ¡°We can do it! Fighting!! We got this!¡±


    ¡°W, we! We¡­!¡±


    A man was shouting at the top of his voice, then suddenly, he stopped talking. The woman standing next to him raised her hands and covered her mouth.


    ¡°Heug¡­!¡±


    ¡°Se-hyun!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know anymore. I don¡¯t want to go anymore¡­¡±


    She was not the only one.


    ¡°I¡¯ve totally fallen behind. I can¡¯t catch up¡­ How many levels are there?¡±


    ¡°The front-runners are still producing guides, but at this rate.¡±


    Gwanghwamun Square, which was once filled withughter, encouragement, and support, started to fill with sobs of despair. No one had died until now, but they were beginning to feel it. The limit was quickly approaching.


    - Stage will be opened!


    - Level 8. Difficulty is set at easy.


    - Eliminate the enemies within 1 hour.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­.


    ¡°Uwuh--!!¡±


    A giant over three meters was roaring at me.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    Iughed because I was dumbfounded.


    ¡°Is this for real?¡±


    End Project


    Level 8


    Forest Ogre


    Instead of charging, the ogre turned around and snapped arge tree about the size of an entire street as if it were nothing more than straw.


    Crack!


    After effortlessly snapping a tree, it casually hit the top of the tree off as if cutting hair. In an instant, a huge cluby in the monster¡¯s hands.


    At this moment,


    The human race was facing 6 billion ogres.


    1. when someone is praised in Korea. Pretty obvious. Works with other words too, not just god. You could use beet(light), etc, etc¡­


    2. amon phrase of encouragement in Korean

 Vol 2. 61: The Update is Way Too Fast (2)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 61: The Update is Way Too Fast (2)</h4>


    Vol 2. Chapter 61 - Chapter 12: The Update is Way Too Fast (2)


    It was a forest full of trees stretching out towards the sky. The green leaves were so dense that the sunlight could not prate through and reach the ground. As such, one was forced to walk in theplete darkness even in broad daylight.


    ¡°They really are staying true to the concept. It¡¯s finally a stage set outdoors, but it¡¯s so dark.¡±


    I trudged through the forest while grumbling. It was so dark that I could not even see my own feet, but I was able to continue without hesitating. In fact, I could probably even walk with my eyes closed, since I had crossed this path hundreds of times already.


    And then,


    ¡±Kuwaaaah!¡±


    An ogre appeared from nowhere, suddenly erupting into a howl and smashing down with its fist. The appearance of the massive bloke was overwhelming. It was as if andslide was rushing towards you.


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights.


    Green.


    Wooong!


    As fist and fist collided, green waves were scattered from the point of impact. The physical force contained in the ogre¡¯s fist was transformed into vibration and absorbed into my left arm. I stepped forward.


    Boom!


    A heavy sound resounded from the ground as I jumped into the air. Using the ogre¡¯s bent knee as a springboard, I elerated vigorously, and then,


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights.


    Orange.


    Right as I stepped on the ogre¡¯s knee, my entire right arm became wrapped in an orange light. The light gathered in my elbow as my fist passed my waist, and it became fully concentrated on my fist as it struck the ogre¡¯s eye.


    ¡°Kuwuagh!¡±


    But right when my fist was about to make contact with his eyeball, the ogre lowered its head. Instead of striking bullseye, my fist smashes into its eyebrows instead.


    Tung--!


    ¡°Kuwugh!¡±


    It screamed in pain and climbed up a nearby tree to escape my following attacks. I swore at the unfortunate situation.


    ¡°Failed again! It¡¯s so damn hard to hit it!¡±


    Even though the ogre looked as slow as a nk, its reflexes were even better than cats. Even though it had a huge potbelly, the ogre was so agile that it could do flying cartwheels. Moreover, it possessed incredible power, enough to endanger my life if I was caught.


    I fought against it hundreds of times, but I was never able to defeat it in a single blow.


    ¡°Unless I take it by surprise, I can¡¯t defeat it in one blow.¡±


    The ogre was so sensitive that I was unable to fool its senses by hiding my body. The only way to sessfullyunch an ambush was to attack it when it was asleep, but that would cause the y time to elongate immensely.


    I was currently in the second round of level 8, hard difficulty. I had already released the guide videos after finishing the first test, so there was no reason to increase my y time.


    ¡°Book.¡±


    p p!


    A book popped up in front of my eyes and opened automatically at my words. Although the book had no title on the cover, the word ¡°Napoleon¡± was written on the opened page. Simultaneously, my mana changed from 200 to 200 (+600)


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights.


    Blue.


    My right arm started to glow blue. It was the same vibration as orange, but the utilization method waspletely different. Orange worked by transforming the physical energy from the ogre¡¯s fist into vibrations and returning it, but blue was fueled by the huge magical energy deposit inside my body. Vibrations created by burning 600 points of mana was on an entirely different level from vibrations produced by my Life Energy.


    Wooong--!


    The blue light gradually brightened and became dazzling enough to hurt my eyes. It took me a few seconds to concentrate the vibrations to my fist because it was not my own strength, but the ogre was put in a daze after taking a hit to the head. It could not react in time.


    Rumble-!


    A thundering roar resounded the moment my right hand collided with the ogre¡¯s temple. The ogre¡¯s head shook like a ringing bell, which made it pretty obvious what happened to the inside of the skull.


    Boom!


    I sidestepped to avoid the falling ogre, then lightly shook my right arm. The unresolved vibration scattered with a buzz.


    I can¡¯t believe you defeated an ogre in just two shots. You seem to have gotten used to that technique, too.


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Napoleon¡¯s mana. It would still take me half an hour if I fought it with just my skill.¡±


    Though I spoke with humility, it was true that my proficiency with Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights had increased substantially during the stage.


    I was now able to receive surprise attacks with green. I learned to immediately eject the umted vibration with orange, and how to wield magical energy, which could be considered an outside source, in an instant. In particr, my proficiency with blue, the power to convert magical power into vibrations, had improved leaps and boundspared to the first time I used it.


    He¡¯s barely reached the level of a master with Life Energy, but to think he can beat up ogres¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s the privilege of those who are born with a silver spoon in their mouths.¡±


    Originally, Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights was not meant to be utilized in such a way. The standard was to umte vibrations in red, which transformed physical power into vibrations, and green, which converted external energy into vibration, then to attack enemies by releasing the vibrations using orange.


    ¡®It¡¯s inefficient.¡¯


    But I did not fight with such a method. It was only natural, since using the traditional method would take much longer and above all, it would burn a lot of calories. Why would I need to convert the power of my body into vibrations? I already possessed a huge pool of mana.


    But is this right? It¡¯s hard to say because Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights ispletely different from Full-Body Brilliant Light¡­ But I think your training method is too distorted.


    As Ares said, my training method was abnormal. In fact, I had not used red for a long time now. Originally, red could be considered the most basic, fundamental power of Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, but I had excluded it.


    But even so, would it not be ratherical if I forced myself to use red?


    A fittingparison would be as such: Me using red would be, so to speak, like a second-generation chaebol who inherited tens of billions of won, saving up a mere 100,000 or 1,000,000 won by working part-time at a convenience store.


    Such actions could not be called diligent.


    It was stupid.


    But on the other hand¡­ Your proficiency with blue is growing by leaps and bounds. You are able to produce a destructive power equivalent to a ss five magic in just three seconds.


    ¡°Because I used it a lot.¡±


    Calories were much more precious in the stage, so I resorted to expending mana instead, using blue. As a result, I was now able to quickly invoke a powerful attack with blue at a low cost. But if there was one problem,


    ¡°It¡¯s too loud.¡±


    This damned form was so loud and ring. The sound alone was enormous, and with the addition of the zing lights, it would be impossible to be ignorant of my existence unless the opponent was blind and deaf.


    And as expected.


    Boom!


    A huge figure fell from the sky. To be exact, it dropped down from the top of a tall tree. Unlike the other ogres, this one possessed an agile, muscr body.


    End Project


    Level 9


    Agile Runner


    ¡°I do want to fight to train my Life Energy.¡±


    p p!


    The pages of the book floating next to me started pping as if there was wind. I invoked an ability with the mana boiling inside my body.


    ¡°The Undying Emperor.¡±


    A shield formed around my body.


    ¡°Kuang!¡±


    After studying me for a moment, the runner charged forward.


    ¡°Smart. But in this case, that advantagees back to haunt you.¡±


    Originally, this was not the way that a runner fought. As its name suggested, the ogre would run around and strike when given the chance, avoiding my attacks and using a hit-and-run tactic. It would try to draw out the battle.


    But what if a mysterious shield appeared around my body?


    It would feel insecure and attempt to break the shield. It would be ignorant of the shield¡¯s identity, but it wanted to interfere with whatever I was nning.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    It pped with its hands, charged at it and kicked, and even threwrge rocks at the shield. But naturally my ability, The Undying Emperor, did not budge an inch. It was all to natural. How could a shield designed to be used in a space war be prated by such meager attacks? Even if it were not this particr ability, Napoleon¡¯s natural shield could withstand nuclear bombs.


    ¡°Of course, I might be able to do that if I had an Iron Heart.¡±


    It was true that the most important part of a Gigas was its Iron Heart, but the other parts were important as well. In the absence of shield generators and particle emitters, the output of Iron Hearts would naturally be limited.


    I was using a shield since I had a rted ability.


    ¡°The word impossible doesn¡¯t exist in my dictionary.¡±


    I used an amplification ability. There was no need to even exin the subsequent process. My right hand started to glow blue, then-


    Rumble!!


    ¡°Ku¡­agh.¡±


    Boom!


    A text appeared behind the copsing runner.


    - Clear!


    - Would you like to start the next battle? If you do not begin, the stage will end.


    ¡°Start.¡±


    - Level 8. Difficulty has been set at hard.


    - Defeat the corresponding enemies (11 objects) within 100 hours.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­


    - 3. 2. 1. Initiating battle.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I stood unmoving for a moment as I observed the sentence.


    A time limit of 100 hours. It was the equivalent of four days, and proportionate to the insane time limit, the level 8 stage was truly enormous.


    I asked.


    ¡°How many times has it been?¡±


    Genie, who had remained quiet so far, answered.


    This will be your 511th clear.


    ¡°How long have I been here?¡±


    4,595 hours. Which equals to.


    I crossed the forest again. I looked up, but as usual, I could not see the sky.


    Approximately 190 days.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I trudged along. I usually ran on this route, but I did not feel like it anymore.


    It¡¯s not ending.


    ¡°I know. It¡¯s not ending.¡±


    Is there really a need for you to keep clearing it like this? It¡¯s starting to get boring. This is just manualbor.


    As Ares said, this was repetitivebor. At first, I did it for fun, but now, I felt sick seeing an ogre¡¯s face. In fact, any game in the world would be boring if it was yed for 200 days straight.


    Crunch!


    I climbed a unique-shaped tree and picked a fruit. The fruit¡¯s location was random, and it was hard to see because of the leave, but after clearing the damn stage more than 500 times, I could locate it with a simple nce.


    ¡°How¡¯s the situation with food?¡±


    We have about half of the meat left.


    ¡°What about the smart farm?¡±


    It¡¯s running at full capacity, but¡­


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I ate too much corn.¡±


    It is not corn. Big Bread is as special crop from the Leonhardt Empire¡­


    ¡°Yeah. Corn.¡±


    I responded nonchntly and walked on the trees. I picked out all the fruits that could be food and ate them.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about food if I could eat an ogre.¡±


    I sighed, but it was inevitable. An ogre¡¯s body rotted and disappeared in an instant upon its death, so I could not even get a small piece of flesh. I could feel a sense of malice from the stage, a desperate effort to prevent me from having a full stomach.


    Why else would they have a skill such as Meal of Madness?


    ¡°Kuwughh!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, nice to see you too.¡±


    I killed an ogre. I walked around the forest, picked berries, and drank water. Then I killed another ogre. The most efficient route, efficient movements, and even safe sleep and eating in the Unique World.


    Now I don¡¯t even run. Originally, I valued efficiency over speed, but now I was starting to pursue an extreme.


    - Would you like to start the next battle?


    - Would you like to start the next battle?


    - Would you like to¡­


    Time flowed like water. I killed an ogre. I killed, killed and killed.


    Then at some point, an rm started to ring.


    - 10 people remaining.


    - There are currently 10 participants remaining.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    I had been watching an ogre¡¯s body rot away in real time, licking my lips, when the unexpected notification appeared in front of my eyes. I stood there nkly for a moment, but soon moaned after realizing the crux of the message.


    ¡°¡­only 10 people. How much longer until it¡¯spletely cleared?¡±


    I spoke without thinking, but unexpectedly, the system kindly responded.


    - The number of death considerations remaining.


    - 113,225,531.


    ¡°¡­..¡±

 Vol 2. 62: The Update is Way Too Fast (3)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 62: The Update is Way Too Fast (3)</h4>


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    I thought we were almost at the end, but that wasn¡¯t the case at all.


    ¡°A hundred million.¡±


    Over the course of a year, I only managed to clear the stage 1,000 times. Moreover, I had to consume hundreds of tons of livestock to clear the stages 1,000 times.


    But 100 million¡­


    ¡°Oh, my gosh, muscle loss¡­¡±


    I leaned against a tree feeling deted. Compared to my fit, muscr self from before, I had crumpled down terribly. Without enough protein as fuel, my body had burnt all the fat in my body, then started to break down my muscles to sustain itself.


    ¡°What about meat?¡±


    We only have 100 kilograms left for emergencies.


    ¡°What about the smart farm?¡±


    It is running at full capacity, but stockpiles are only 5% excluding the seeds. The situation could be different if there were a few months¡¯ worth of time, but¡­


    ¡°But if I had to wait that long, I would starve to death.¡±


    Not only that, but we do not have enough water.


    ¡°We finally ran out? I thought you recycled everything, even the blood from the livestock.¡±


    Big Bread is called a miracle crop, but that does not mean I can create something out of nothing. No matter how conservative we are, there is a limit.


    ¡°One after another, huh.¡±


    My Unique World was made of maic sand. Naturally, it was not an environment suitable for farming. When we were bringing the animals to the Unique World, we made sure they drank as much water as possible. We used their bones, their skins, and even their furs to maximum efficiency, but there was a limit.


    ¡®It would have been different if the Unique World was made up of soil and water.¡¯


    But given the nature and attribute of my soul, it could not be helped.


    ¡°In the end, is this how it¡¯s going to be?¡±


    I had been oblivious when I continued to mindlessly clear the stage, but the situation was quite bleak. Catching an ogre was not a difficult task, but there were no resources left to sustain my y.


    That wasn¡¯t all.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to die.¡±


    Food was not the only scarce resource. My body and my mind were at their limits. As I continued to progress through the stage, I was bing lighter and losing energy. The situation was particrly serious because I was a Life Energy Practitioner. It would have been fine if we were almost at the end, but¡­


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    It was still ridiculous when I thought about it again.


    ¡°A hundred million.¡±


    I cleared the stage a thousand times in a year. That was surely a remarkable feat. I traversed a city-sized jungle a thousand times and I killed 11,000 ogres. I discovered the hidden paths in the forest, the hidden story, the hidden weapons and even the hidden quests. I was pretty certain that there was no one who was more knowledgeable about this stage than me.


    But on the other hand.


    I had only cleared the stage 1,000 times.


    ¡°This is exhausting.¡±


    I knew that it was impossible for me to achieve aplete clear by myself. It would never happen in a million lifetimes. That was why I made the guide video and spread it around.


    But it still ended up like this.


    ¡°This is just not something I can do, is it?¡±


    It took a year to clear 1,000 times, and that was the result of speed-running most of the time, without any regards for safety. Even if I carried out the remaining 100 million clears with speed runs, it would take me 100,000 years to finish.


    Yes, 100,000 years.


    ¡°That¡¯s just a little.¡±


    Ridiculous. It was a nonsensically long period of time. By this point, food was not the problem any longer. Even if I had ess to unlimited food, the time it would take was unbearably long. Of course, there were still 9 other people left besides me, but was there really a difference between 100,000 and 10,000 years? It would not take ten thousand years nor a thousand years to die old while fighting ogres.


    Just a hundred years would be enough.


    - 9 people remaining.


    - 8 people remaining.


    - 7 people remaining.


    - There are currently 7 participants remaining.


    ¡°Ah, dammit.¡±


    Thest remaining participants started to escape from the stage. They were also making the same judgments as I and abandoning further progress.


    This is it.


    Good work, captain-nim. For the next test¡­


    Ares and Genie started to wrap things up. They knew as well. This was no longer a game, nor training, and it was impossible to achieve aplete clear. Perhaps that was why they were taken aback by my next words.


    - Would you like to start the next battle?


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    Captain-nim?


    Dae-ha?


    They spoke with dissuading tones. They must have been thinking that I was about to sacrifice myself for the humans of Earth, even though I was already at my limits.


    But.


    ¡®Is that really the case?¡¯


    I wasn¡¯t sure. I never thought I would showpassion to people I had never seen before. However,


    - Level 8. Difficulty has been set at hard.


    - Defeat the corresponding enemies (11 objects) within 100 hours.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­


    - 3. 2. 1. Initiating battle.


    It was just that.


    To be honest.


    ¡°Here we go.¡±


    I felt that it was a pity I had to give up because I could not do it.


    - Would you like to start the next battle?


    - Would you like to start the next battle?


    I continued clearing the stage, using the same method as before. I acquired all the avable fruits from the forest, ate, drank from streams, and beat up the ogres with Life Energy.


    A harpoon that could prate the skin of an ogre, a poisonous nt used to put them in deep sleep, traps set by hunters ¨C but I ignored them because they were scattered throughout the forest.


    However, I fought with a slightly different method from before.


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights.


    Blue.


    A blue light exploded with thunder. The other ogres rushed in after hearing the sound from far away.


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights.


    Blue.


    An ogre fell to the ground with a loud thump. I nned my clear to reduce my movements to minimize the calorie consumption, and the battles were carried out with my magical power.


    What is this? You¡¯re fighting like a wizard, not a warrior.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me. It will cause muscle loss.¡±


    What are you saying¡­?


    What I said to Ares was bullshit, but nevertheless, I was actually in bad shape.


    ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m thirsty.¡±


    My entire body was drying up. When I touched my skin, the cracked, dead skin exfoliated so thickly that it rose in a cloud of dust.


    Gulp.


    I breathed in the transparent stream. At first, I had been relieved when I saw the stream, thinking that I had ess to unlimited water.


    Shuaaa!


    When I drank above a certain amount of water, the stream dried up like a lie. A single stream only provided enough water for a single sip.


    ¡°Fucking satanic bastards.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know who designed this damned stage, but I would smash their head open if they were in front of my eyes. I could not believe they would be so cheap with food and water.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry¡­ I¡¯m really hungry¡­¡±


    I was used to pain. Even when I was captured by the demi-humans, I had joked around. I dared say that my mentality wasparable to a special agent or a freedom fighter. But the hunger that dominated my body right now,


    ¡°I¡¯m dying.¡±


    It was increasingly bing beyond human control.


    Crunch.


    I picked and ate a fruit, the only food allowed in this forest, but it would hardly be enough to fill the stomachs of ordinary people, let alone myself. At least the food I ate in the Unique World was being applied in the real world due to the skill, or else I would have given up a long time ago.


    ¡°Dammit, maybe I shouldn¡¯t have chosen Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights¡­¡±


    Practicing Life Energy, especially the methods of the Leonhardt Empire, was not hunger-tolerant training. Rather, it was built on the premise of receiving an enormous level of supplies at every moment. It was difficult to fill even the basic metabolic volume without a lot of food.


    - Would you like to start the next battle?


    - Would you like to start the next battle?


    I cleared the stage around a dozen more times. But it had been more than a week since I was stricken with immense hunger, so the time required to clear a stage had increased quite a bit.


    In the meantime.


    - 6 people remaining.


    - 5 people remaining.


    - There are currently 5 participants remaining.


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s going out.¡±


    The number of participants steadily decreased. Same as me, their bodies must have been reaching the limit. No in fact, it would be more than their physical condition that was at its limit.


    ¡°Complete clear would seem impossible anyways.¡±


    I grew more tired. My hunger had increased to the point where my mouth would water whenever I faced an orc, instead of being filled with fear or fighting spirit. If I could have eaten it, I would have eaten it, monster or not.


    ¡®There is a definite limit to using just Life Energy.¡¯


    Even so, I did not intend to quit. If I was going to quit, I would have done so when there were only 10 participants remaining.


    ¡®I have to use aura and spirit.¡¯


    Whenever my body in the stage fell asleep, I trained in aura production in the Unique World. Aura production as slightly different from the normal methods used by aura trainees. They did not necessarily implement aura in a certain form nor surrounded their bodies with an attribute. An aura production trainee transformed the properties and shapes of objects that already existed. Therefore, metal-type trainees could only use metal, while wood-type trainees could only use wood as materials.


    ¡®Well, there are exceptions though.¡¯


    I heard that some trainees with a moreprehensive attribute could utilize multiple attributes. For example, ground-type trainees could use both stone and metal, while fire-type trainees could produce objects by smelting metal rather than fire itself.


    ¡®At this point, it¡¯s impossible to proceed bare-handed. There¡¯s no future if I fight personally.¡¯


    As someone with the blood of Machine God Dekarma, I possessed a special ability ever since I stepped into the world of aura production. It was something that trainees at the level of a Compl¨¦ter might possess.


    Attribute granting.


    I could grant a special property to metal by concentrating my mind and utilizing aura. The special property would be maintained even if the object¡¯s shape was distorted because aura would dwell in the metal itself.


    Among them, the first special property I learned was the concentric circle.


    When facing an outside attack, regardless of how concentrated the attack was, the characteristics of concentric circle would disperse the power throughout the object it was imbued in. I chose this ability because it worked so well with Brilliant Heaven Seven Light.


    While the End Project progressed, I acquired additional special properties. Reinforcement, which elevated the target¡¯s endurance and strength. Restoration, which reverted the target before it suffered any damage. Attribute Resistance toward fire, ice, and lightning.


    And finally.


    ¡°If I can finallyplete that¡­¡±


    With the ytime of the stage being prolonged endlessly, I had invested years of time to refine a property. It was not amon property of cksmithing, rather, it was more befitting a war machine rather than a handheld weapon.


    ¡®That¡¯s right. If I want to make a guide, I need to take into ount every single thing. For a game that requires more than 100,000 years of ytime, you need to step outside the box. You shouldn¡¯t y normally.¡¯


    No matter how solid my mentality was, enduring 100,000 years was impossible. But if I couldplete this property,


    ¡®I have¡­ a chance.¡¯


    If this was possible, the problem would be the difficulty rather than time. Perhaps I could even achieve aplete clear.


    For.


    Every.


    One.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    Click.


    I suddenly realized that I was standing in front of the door. Moreover, that was not all. The door was open.


    ¡®What!?¡¯


    I became panicked and shouted, but no one could hear.


    ¡®Wait, why? Why did I lose control all of a sudden?¡¯


    I had lost control before, but it was the first time it happened so suddenly. It wasn¡¯t as if I opened the door on purpose or lost my temper, so why?


    Fortunately, a line of text appeared in front of my eyes and resolved my curiosity.


    Title: Disaster of Mankind¡¯s effect is activated!


    Resurrecting!


    Captain-nim!?


    What¡­?


    I started to hear Ares and Genie screaming. I lifted my head off the floor while slowly regaining my vision.


    I was sitting in a daze. The resurrection had been invoked, but my body was still dry. Even if the title could revive me when my body was smashed to smithereens and my heart was crushed, it did not seem to be able to restore missing flesh and muscle.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    What are you bbering about like an idiot?! Did you die just now?


    You overexerted yourself, captain-nim. Let¡¯s stop it here.


    Genie and Ares scolded me in response to my words.


    I deserved it.


    I had starved to death.


    While I was moving with my eyes open!

 Vol 2. 63: The Update is Way Too Fast (4)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 63: The Update is Way Too Fast (4)</h4>


    I had starved to death.


    While I was moving with my eyes open!


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    But I mumbled nkly as if I could not hear their words. My body was trembling uncontrobly on the floor. Gene and Ares continued talking.


    Don¡¯t think Life Energy is all that! Being able to use power proportionate to the amount of food you consume means there¡¯s also a trade-off as well!


    With Life Energy, there is no risk of mana going berserk or being subjected to tribtions like qi users, but a sufficient diet is essential. But still, I did not think it was possible to continue fighting until one actually starved to death. I think I underestimated you, captain-nim.


    Let¡¯s stop it here. You can¡¯t save everyone anyways¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Hungry.¡±


    Genie and Ares stopped talking at my groaning words.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry¡­. I¡¯m hungry! I¡¯m hungry! I¡¯m hungry!!!¡±


    Cap, captain-nim?


    The weak groans started to be mixed with temper. While Ares and Genie became flustered, I stood up from my seat.


    ¡°I¡¯m thirsty.¡±


    Dae-ha? What are you doing? Why are you acting like this?


    ¡°I¡¯m thirsty! I¡¯m thirsty! I¡¯m thirsty, I¡¯m thirsty, I¡¯m thirsty, I¡¯m thirsty, I¡¯m thirsty!!!¡±


    I let out an outburst. Even though I could not see my face, I could feel that my expression was distorted.


    ¡°What the hell is this? I¡¯m starving! I¡¯m thirsty!! This is annoying!¡±


    I jumped up, stumbled, then sat back down.


    It was then.


    ¡°Kuwaaang!¡±


    With a loud roar, an ogre appeared in front of me. As soon as it spotted me, the creature began to charge without a second¡¯s hesitation.


    ¡°What the hell is this? Get the hell away!¡±


    Woong!


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Light activated, and a blue hue surrounded my body. But the light soon disappeared.


    ¡°Heuk!¡±


    I groaned and fell to the ground. Even though blue was a technique that utilized the person¡¯s mana and did not directly draw power from the user¡¯s body, it was still a technique of Life Energy. It would at least consume some physical resources. Therefore, hunger always apanied the usage of Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, and for my current self, hunger was pain.


    Bang!


    The ogre struck my head. Naturally, it didn¡¯t actually seed in striking my head. A silver energy magically appeared and blocked its fist.


    ¡°Kuwugh?¡±


    I could hear the ogre¡¯s confusion. It swung its hand in an attempt to scatter the misty silver light surrounding it, but the silver energy ¨C the aura was able to manifest into an attribute at a quicker rate.


    Chwang! Whoosh!


    The misty light quickly formed into thousands of daggers and tore the ogre¡¯s body apart. In the rain of blood, I shouted.


    ¡°It hurts! It hurts! My stomach hurts!!¡±


    Even though it wasn¡¯t an actual stomachache, the extreme hunger caused a simr pain.


    He shouted.


    ¡°Ares!!¡±


    Woooong--!


    Arge storm of magical power gathered.


    ¡°Come on! Ares!!¡±


    He shouted once again.


    H, Hey, Dae-ha?


    ¡°Come!!¡±


    The storm of power grew evenrger at hismanding words.


    But that was all.


    Um, I can¡¯t go to that world.


    It was impossible to exercise absolutemand with words of power. I had no such authority. Only the president could order martialw, not some random old rich man.


    ¡°Eek¡­! What is this!? I¡¯m hungry? Is there anything to eat?¡±


    If you look nearby, there are fruits¡­


    I floated into the air and began searching the forest following Genie¡¯s guidance.


    ¡°Uwuugh!!¡±


    Naturally, ogres found me and attacked.


    Kwazak!


    They were quickly surrounded by the aura of metal and easily torn apart. Having over 1,000 magical power meant that it could exert huge, violent power, even if the usage was inefficient.


    ¡°Heung¡­ I¡¯m hungry!¡±


    I even stumbled as if I could not concentrate properly. Furthermore, I even felt a certain dampness flowing along my cheeks.


    ¡®What is this?¡¯


    I was dumbfounded.


    ¡®What the hell¡­? You¡¯re crying?¡¯


    He found a fruit in the forest in my bewilderment. He became ted and took a bite of the fruit, but instantly spat it out and threw it on the floor with a crumpled expression.


    ¡°How fucking disgusting!¡±


    ¡­..


    ¡­..


    ¡®¡­..¡¯


    All three of us were at a loss for words.


    ¡®What is up with this guy?¡¯


    I was afraid of him. He was possessed by a madness that allowed him to reave over 100,000 lives with ease. He had pride and looked down on human beings as if they were bugs. Finally, he possessed an immense spiritual power that backed up his attitude.


    But now, he was showing a new side while experiencing pain.


    ¡°Why are you so whiny?¡±


    It was ridiculous that a self-proimed god was making a fuss about being a little hungry. If you wanted to despise human beings as insects, shouldn¡¯t you be able to endure something like this?


    Boom!


    A silver giant as tall as a 10-story building fell in front of me. It was the only inorganic object that could freely travel between the Unique World and the outside world ¨C God-rank Gigas, Ares.


    What? Have youe to your senses?


    Captain-nim? Are you all right?


    Before I knew it, I was in the Unique World.


    ¡°What the hell? I can move now.¡±


    I pulled myself out of bed. Strangely enough, I had control over my body in the Unique World. I was originally able to freely travel between my bodies in the real world and the Unique World, but it was rather bizarre that it worked when my current self in reality was intoxicated by divinity.


    Are you drunk on the Divine Spirit again? But how did you guys be separate?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    I kept on moving despite my bewilderment.


    Kwaazik!


    Another ogre was torn to shreds and fell to the ground. I growled while trampling on the rotting body of the ogre.


    ¡°Damn it! Fuck! Fuck this shit! Get me out of here!!¡±


    Rumble!!


    The shout caused the dark forest to shake like a typhoon. My mouth became agape with bafflement.


    ¡°¡­Is he an idiot?¡±


    Indeed, my concerns soon became reality.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    I copsed with a scream. Regardless of the type of power, it was the body that supported it. Wasn¡¯t it only natural that such a powerful shout would strain the body? Although it would be just a small amount of pain, he wasn¡¯t even able to endure such a meager amount.


    Shoong!


    A boulder flew from afar with a fierce momentum. It was the work of Agile Runner, the boss of the hard difficulty of level 8. Originally, it had a habit of appearing out of the blue and using a hit-and-run tactic, but it was frightened by my disy of power and was attempting a long-distance attack.


    Naturally, the attack failed.


    Crack!


    The silver energy surrounding me took on the form of attice and solidified, receiving the flying rock like a. Ares expressed his admiration.


    Even though it¡¯s all over the ce, that is still amazing. How can he materialize things however he wants?


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s not the way it¡¯s supposed to be.¡±


    When an aura trainee reached a certain level, they were separated into attribute-types and materialization-types. The former would utilize their attribute in the form of energy, while thetter would create objects that fit their attribute. In order for the aura user to be an attribute-type, a deep understanding of the attribute was required. If they possessed a me-attribute, they would need to see many types of fire, create fire with their own power, feel the warmth, spend a long time in close proximity to fire, and even burn oneself with fire in severe cases.


    Even if one was attempting to materialize a simple sword, they would require a certain degree of familiarity with the object. They would need to carry it with them for a long time and be ustomed to the de as if it were an extension of their body. They would need to observe it, touch it, taste it, and be able to urately portray the length, shape, weight, and characteristics of the sword with their eyes closed. Only by recognizing the sword into the depths of unconsciousness could one materialize their imagination in the real world.


    But I was different.


    I exuded the attribute of metal just by wielding spirit. Moreover, the attribute of metal was materialized into reality with nothing but a ray of thought.


    ¡°Kuwagh!¡±


    Along with a loud roar, the runner came running with several daggers sticking out of its body. It wrapped its hands around my body and tried to crush me, but it was unsessful.


    ¡°Kuah¡­!¡±


    Blood vessels sprang up as the runner squeezed with all its might, but my body withstood the pressure without much effort.


    It was ridiculous, but my body had turned into metal.


    It¡¯s Adamantium. I think he must have referenced my body.


    ¡°Even so, it¡¯s not like he turned a portion of his body into metal. He transformed the entire body into metal.¡±


    It is an attribute-type ability that can be utilized by those who are extremely powerful. Aura users past the level of apl¨¦ter can even pass through the smallest holes by turning themselves into wind.


    While we marveled at his usage of aura, the agile runner¡¯s body was torn to shreds. The huge ogre screamed like a child before dying.


    Thump!


    The boss was finished, but I wasn¡¯t fine either.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    My face was distorted after transforming back from metal, though not from the enemy¡¯s blow.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    He was crying.


    ¡°What is this¡­ This is annoying¡­ I don¡¯t like it¡­


    - Would you like to start the next battle?


    The same question as always, but the answer was obvious.


    ¡°No!¡±


    - The tests have beenpleted!


    - Stage cleared. Compensation will be given ording to the contribution.


    - Your ranking is 866.


    I had been one of the 10 final yers remaining, but many powerful yers ranked ahead of me. More text followed, because I had failed to achieve aplete clear.


    - Your clear count is 1,041 times.


    - Please indicate the 1,041 people who will have their Death Procession canceled.


    - The targets will be listed as follows: Blood rtives, acquaintances, area of residence, region of origin.


    - Please select the people to change their status.


    Many people¡¯s faces appeared in front of my eyes. Most faces were familiar, but I did not recognize some of them. I waved my hand.


    ¡°Put it away!¡±


    - The Death Procession will be applied without any changes.


    - Number of remaining Death Procession.


    - 113,223,111.


    - Initiated.


    The stage ended just like that.


    ***


    She walked slowly. Hawa crossed through a dense forest and passed by many things that trembled at her appearance. She finally came to face with it, or rather, her.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Hawa asked.


    ¡°Why did you give him the Unique World?¡±


    Hawa was currently in the Spirit Realm, though not too deep.


    - I was worried that he might die.


    A mass of a human-sized light floated in front of Hawa. Even though the light did not possess much strength, Hawa acted extremely courteous.


    Perhaps it was only natural, since the ball of light was the avatar of the Spirit God, one of the Absolute Gods and the ruler of the Spirit Realm. Unlike when Dae-ha visited the Spirit Realm, the Spirit God did not bring its main body to greet her.


    ¡°I do not understand. Even a great being like yourself feels uneasy about him?¡±


    The encounter between the Spirit God and Dae-ha had been out of the blue, and it was something that should not have happened. Even though Hawa was an Untouchable, the arrogant Spirit God had only sent an avatar to greet her. But when Dae-ha entered the realm, the Spirit God had made a sudden appearance and granted Dae-ha a high-rank authority for no particr reason.


    - I¡¯m sure it¡¯s the same for you.


    ¡°That is true, but¡­¡±


    Transcendent beings were struck with a reflexive fear when they encountered Dae-ha.


    Ah, this punk.


    What do I do if he dies?


    Dae-ha could not be allowed to die. Any being able to read or manipte the flow of cause and effect was able to realize the fact in the form of intuition. That was why Hawa had promised him that she would at least protect his life when she first met him. The mission system granted him the capabilities of resurrection with his title. And the Spirit God bestowed a high-ranking authority of Unique World.


    Dae-ha was unaware, but he would not die anymore even if he was cursed with a power that prohibited the power of resurrection or if he was attacked by a god-killing authority capable of killing even the strongest deities. Even if his body was destroyed in reality, another body would remain in the Unique World. Of course, in that case, he would be stuck in the Unique World forever.


    But at least he would avoid death.


    - You. You don¡¯t know.


    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡±


    - If you don¡¯t know, that¡¯s fine.


    Kuu---


    The sudden dimensional shockwaves caused Hawa to be flustered.


    ¡°Wait a moment! What do you mean I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Pat!


    In an instant, Hawa was dismissed from the Spirit World into the material world.


    ¡°You fucking boomer!¡±


    She was indignant, but she did not dare enter the Spirit Realm once more. Even an untouchable would not dare invade the world of an Absolute God against their will.


    ¡°What the hell? What more is there to him?¡±


    Hawa observed Dae-ha sitting on one side of Gwanghwamun Square. Her heart ached with worry when she saw how skinny he was. It seemed as if he had just finished the stage. When she saw him smiling bitterly as he stood up, her heart warmed up and her expression rxed. She was still affected even though he had separated his divine spirit and could not wield the same authority as before.


    ¡°What the hell.¡±


    Clench.


    Hawa disappeared like a mirage while biting on her lips. As she disappeared, only the people of the city were left behind in the chaos.

 Vol 2. 64: The Salvation of God (1)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 64: The Salvation of God (1)</h4>


    I am currently in a vige in Okinawa Prefecture, which was famous as the longevity vige. More than 700 bodies have been found here overnight, causing a massive stir¡­


    The Apocalypse Headquarters announced that the situation in Korea is quite unusual. Korea has only suffered one-tenthpared to the global average. This is a significant piece of information for national security, as having enough yers in the future will¡­


    Measures concerning applying the extra clears have be widely known and are attracting attention. It is said that there are rtively few victims in Korea, thanks to the system. Many talented people, including Iron Mask, and other skilled yers¡­


    Apocalypse Headquarters is doing its very best to tally the exact number of victims in Korea¡­


    130 million people had died.


    The damage was so severe that it was almost unprecedented in the history of humanity. Looking at Earth as a whole, more than one in 60 people had perished, and some countries had basically evaporated overnight.


    The only peculiarity was the victims¡¯ average age. Rather than the children, who had little chance of clearing the stage on their own, more middle-aged and elderly people without any physical problems had died.


    ¡°Did you see? There weren¡¯t any homeless people in the station.¡±


    A man expressed his curiosity after getting off the subway, and another man with a steel rod on his back drew closer and whispered.


    ¡°Be quiet, you idiot. Why do you think there would be no people in this situation? Obviously, it¡¯s because they¡¯re dead.¡±


    ¡°¡­They are all dead because of the test? A homeless man is an adult male in good shape. They would have had the advantage in the initial level-up phase.¡±


    ¡°That might have been the case initially, I suppose.¡±


    The two men¡¯s eyes were drawn to the owner of the calm voice. A girl wearing a school uniform stood in front of them. She wasn¡¯t an outstanding beauty, but she gave off a cute impression. But rather than her appearance, the two men¡¯s eyes were drawn to the number above her head.


    ¡°Level 8!?¡±


    As the stages progressed and experience potions became avable, those who cleared the same stage more than once, the so-called yers, could check each other¡¯s levels. It wasn¡¯t like Dae-ha¡¯s ability which disyed a person¡¯s actualpetencies, but rather a disy of level that was bestowed by the system. As such, its measurement system of power wasn¡¯t absolute. However, considering that experience potions were untradeable items unlike other equipment, a high level corresponded to the fact that a person had cleared a stage many times. It was a sufficient standard to roughly measure one¡¯s capabilities.


    ¡®Wow. If she¡¯s level 8, she could go toe-to-toe with an ogre, right?¡¯


    ¡®The first super high-level ranker I run into is a girl like her¡­¡¯


    They whispered after seeing the girl¡¯s level, but Seon-ae did not care. Level 8 might be a rare find in the surface world, but even level 9s weremonce in the parallel world. Just as she was doing, the two people in front of her, and the entire human race was experiencing a tremendous level up.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of the starting advantages now that we have reached level nine.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. The question is whether you are willing to clear the stage or not.¡±


    ¡®And the group with the least motivation would have been the homeless.¡¯


    After escaping from Romance, the ck wizard group, Seon-ae spent two years on the road before she was kidnapped by the Lee Family and became ae courtdy. She had seen countless homeless people ¨C people who lived only because they couldn¡¯t just die. Even if someone found them a job, they would quickly quit ande back to the streets to beg and act up. There was no chance in hell they could endure the stage where one needed to be fiercer than anyone else to survive. Of course, they would have been able to pass level 1 or level 2. Rather, they would have possessed an advantagepared to children and women.


    From level 3, however, one could not break through by just being a healthy adult male, because the stage was not something to be ovee by having a healthy body. You had to think, learn, study the guides and be desperate to clear. It was a basic requirement to endure injuries such as cut flesh and broken bones.


    Other men nodded their heads after overhearing the conversation.


    ¡°That is true. To be homeless means¡­ that they are living a crazy life disconnected from society.¡±


    ¡°Right. Someone who can¡¯t save their own lives should have an acquaintance capable of getting an extra clear.¡±


    If a person seeded in clearing the stage more than once, they were given the chance to choose another person to save beside themselves.


    It was quite obvious, but generally, the first targets were their own children and the other family members, and rtives came afterwards.


    ¡°That is why there aren¡¯t many children among the 130 million victims. The parents are willing to do anything to bring them back.¡±


    ¡°The ones who are dead are the marginalized.¡±


    Old folks who live alone, the disabled, orphans, and others.


    ¡°Not necessarily. Even if you have family and rtives, if none of them can clear the stage, then you can¡¯t be saved.¡±


    ¡°There are even¡­ people who have strong acquaintances but end up dead.¡±


    The failure to achieve aplete clear revealed the life that people lived. Even if they possessed considerable wealth or power, those who weren¡¯t popr with others died in vain.


    ¡°Many elderly folks living alone have died. The disabled and the sick as well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s scary. We¡¯re living in a world where you can¡¯t survive without having connections.¡±


    ¡°You can clear it yourself though.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true as well, but it¡¯s getting harder and harder¡­ Besides, before, you could choose to die after getting hurt to recoverpletely, but now that we can¡¯t achieve aplete clear, we have to treat our injuries in real life, even if we have our arms or legs amputated.¡±


    ¡°You could bring back your limb and get it treated somehow. Or you could buy a body recovering potion from the vending machine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s way too expensive¡­¡±


    - The next station is Shingil. Shingil station.


    Seon-ae stood up at the sight of the subway door opening. She was wearing a school uniform, and from her appearance, she looked like an ordinary high school girl. But the men who followed after her did not look ordinary. The first man had a battle hammer hanging from his waist, something you would see in a movie. Moreover, it did not look like an ordinary weapon with a subtle glow radiating from the hammer head.


    Was that all?


    That man next to him was carrying a short spear, but the spearhead was made up of almost transparent ice, not metal. The one standing next to him was adorning a sword, but a gentle fire was rising from the sheath.


    Their armors weren¡¯t ordinary either.


    The armors covering their bodies had ck matte coating that could absorb all light. Even though the armor was made of metal, it did not make any noise when they moved. If they had been dressed in such a fashion a month ago, they would surely be reported to the police, but the gazes of the people around them contained awe and envy.


    ¡°Wow, what the heck? Are those all magic weapons? Their armor seems unusual as well.¡±


    ¡°How cool. They can afford to carry around such proper equipment.¡±


    ¡°They must have amazing strength to be able to swing something heavy like that.¡±


    ¡°Should I go try and talk to them?¡±


    The men blushed at the sight of the whispering people and hurried their steps as they followed behind Seon-ae.


    ¡°This atmosphere is so unfamiliar.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. All the shows are focused solely on the stage. The situations turned even worse with people actually starting to die.¡±


    ¡°No one could say for certain that we wouldpletely clear the stages for eternity, but now that the day actually arrived, it must be devastating.¡±


    Rattle! Rattle, Rattle!


    They transferred to another subway while receiving countless gazes. As they neared their destination, the number of people dressed simrly to them increased. Although all of them possessed a sharp gaze, no other simrities could be found. Most of them were men in their 20s through 40s, but the number of teenagers and senior citizens in their 60s and 70s was significant. There were men and women alike.


    ck!


    ¡°Ah! I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I was at fault.¡±


    Two men bowed their heads with gentle smiles after running into each other. It was a subway full of people armed to the teeth with sharp weapons, but the people in it were very polite and considerate of each other.


    There existed a notion known as noble savage.


    It referred to the fact that civilized people tended to be ruder than barbarians because their heads would not be split open if they uttered insulting words. Civilized people regarded barbarians as rude, but those who lived in a world filled with blood and death did not overstep their boundaries.


    The same applied to these people.


    They were aware of how difficult the stages were. The yers were clearing the stages everyday while following intense,plicated guides. Only those who were prepared to die and overcame pain and fear were capable of clearing the stage.


    Everyone knew that they could hurt and kill each other any time, so they exercised even more caution. But we were still in a civilized society, so there were bound to be civilized people.


    ¡°W, wait! Hold on!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Seon-ae''s expression stiffened as she looked back to see an old man holding her arm. He was a stranger.


    ¡°You, you can get extra clears, right? I know when I see.¡±


    One wouldn¡¯t normally expect such things from a regr high school girl, and Seon-ae lookedpletely ordinary on the surface. But Seon-ae quickly learned how the old man recognized her.


    Level 2


    The text above the old man¡¯s head meant that he had cleared at least one stage on his own. Since he leveled up using the vending machine, he could also see Seon-ae¡¯s level.


    ¡°Yes. That is right. Why?¡±


    ¡°S, save me. The test ising soon.¡±


    Seon-ae asked back at the unexpected words.


    ¡°Do you know me?¡±


    The old man started to scream at her calm question.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking because I don¡¯t! My name is Kim Kyung-won. Please save me.¡±


    Seven percent of humankind had already fallen behind and could no longer keep up with the stage. 25 percent of humanity were barely able to save their lives with a single clear or save the lives of their immediate family members with two or three clears. This meant that the remaining five percent were responsible for the lives of humankind as a whole.


    But unfortunately, even that bnce was broken on level 8, hard.


    ¡°Well¡­ Okay.¡±


    Seon-ae brushed it off with an indifferent answer, but the old man was persistent.


    ¡°You! You! Are you listening to me right now!? You bitch! Don¡¯t you have a mother or a father? This old man is asking you to save me! Are you really finding my pleas troublesome!?¡±


    The old man held on to Seon-ae¡¯s arm. He was so flustered that his contorted face had turned red. She could smell alcohol on him as well. He had been drinking when there was less than 30 minutes until the stage began.


    ¡°Let go.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let go! I won¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Seon-ae¡¯s expression sank coldly. Even the burly yers around her became nervous at her frosty spirit, but the old man continued.


    ¡°Look at you frowning, huh? What are you going to do, hit me? Fine, do it then! Since you¡¯re level eight, I guess I¡¯ll die with a single p! Since I¡¯m going to die anyways, just¡­ Keugh!?¡±


    The old man wasn¡¯t able to scream any longer. Seon-ae was holding onto his neck. Although he was an old man with a sturdy build, he was helpless in Seon-ae¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°How easygoing.¡±


    Seon-ae¡¯s expression had been filled with irritation, but it turned cold in an instant. He insisted on annoying her on a subway full of people. Why? Because she had the highest level on the subway?


    No.


    He had chosen an opponent who appeared the least formidable of them all. Even though she had a higher level, he found her to be an easier targetpared to the burly men with vicious appearances. His approach had been a testament to this fact, since he had tried to intimidate and coerce her while yelling, instead of requesting of her.


    ¡°How easygoing.¡±


    ¡°You, you¡­ What are you¡­¡±


    He could not resist at all. Even though she had done nothing but grasp him, he felt his strength draining away. Kyung-won looked around in a hurry and pleaded with his eyes, but no one came forward to aid him. Countless people on the subway were gazing at him with cold eyes.


    ¡°Is this all you could have done? Really?¡±


    Kyung-won desperately tried to escape from the hand wrapped around his neck, but Seon-ae¡¯s hand remained immobile like a vise. She hadn¡¯t even used much strength, but it was a matter of course. Her strength was already far beyond humanly measures and if she so desired, she could break the old man¡¯s neck without much effort.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are. I don¡¯t know what kind of life you¡¯ve lived, or how you¡¯ve aged. But.¡±


    ¡°Keu¡­gh¡­¡±


    Kyung-won¡¯s eyes started to flip. He felt weighed down by Seon-ae¡¯s strong spirit.


    Seon-ae continued.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t living in a time where you can save your life by making a ruckus and bothering others.¡±


    - The next station is Gwanghwamun Station. Gwanghwamun Station.


    After finally arriving at her destination, Seon-ae threw Kyung-won to the elderly seat. He slumped down on the seat after losing consciousness.


    ¡°We don¡¯t live in such a carefree world anymore.¡±


    Most of the people exited the subway at Gwanhwamun station. As they left the station and climbed up the stairs to Gwanghwamun Square, they came faced with an enormous crowd as always.


    The time was 6:40 P.M.


    The sky was slowly darkening with the day bing shorter. A group of people approached the newly arrived group from one side of Gwanghwamun.


    ¡°Oh! Hello! Would you like to go for a blind date?¡±


    ¡°Huh? A blind date out of the blue¡­?¡±


    Men in suits distributed pamphlets to the flustered yers.


    ¡°We have talented students from the Department of Dance and Theatre and Film of S University! After this stage, feel free to stop by and have some food with them! It¡¯s casual, really. We will take care of the food bill!¡± [1]


    ¡°Oh my! Oppas, your bodies are amazing! Do you work out a lot?¡±


    People rushed in to converse with the yers. They acted kind and familiar to form a rtionship. Seon-ae knew that they were essentially the same as the old man who jumped at her a while ago. The only difference was that they were being careful as to avoid being offensive and being aware of the others¡¯ feelings.


    ¡°E, excuse me.¡±


    Someone spoke to Seon-ae. When she looked back, a pretty girl who looked to be an elementary or a middle school student was standing there.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°My, my name is So-hyang. Kim So-hyang.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    Seon-ae observed the girl rush away before she headed across Gwanghwamun Square through the crowd.


    - Stage will be opened!


    - Level 9. Difficulty is set at easy.


    She entered the stage.


    - All Death Processions have been cancelled!


    - Congrattions! The stage has beenpletely cleared! Compensation will be given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 459,147.


    ¡°Great work everybody!¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work!¡±


    Fortunately, the easy difficulty ended without a hitch. The easy level tended to be less difficult than the hard difficulty of the previous level, and the y time was shorter, which allowed the real strong yers to clear the stage multiple times.


    But the problem was not with the easy difficulty.


    - Stage will be opened!


    - Level 9. Difficulty is set at intermediate.


    After the first test the previous evening, the second test began at 7 A.M. Seon-ae gritted her teeth and hunted ogres after appearing in the dark forest once again. Ogres were monsters beyond the understanding of human beings living in modern society. They were difficult opponents even for yers who strengthened themselves with stat points and obtained abilities.


    They possessed skin that was tough enough to endure the bullets of a machine gun, as well as agility and extreme sensitivity that was unbefitting theirrge size.


    One ogre was scary enough, but the intermediate stage of level 9 brought with it multiple ogres. It possessed a murderous difficulty, and without Iron Mask¡¯s guide, even Seon-ae would have found it difficult to clear the stage, even though she was considered one of the strongest yers.


    The results came out as expected.


    - The Death Processions will be applied without any changes.


    - The number of Death Processions remaining.


    - 86,239,971.


    - Executing.


    ¡°Hey! Get it together! Over here! This person needs help!¡±


    ¡°Dammit! Will it get worse and worse¡­?¡±


    With each passing day, the atmosphere of Gwanhwamun Square became heavier. Dead bodies began to emerge among the people gathered in the square.


    ¡®The death toll went down. It means that people are gritting their teeth as they proceed with the stage.¡¯


    Even so, the number of deaths was still high. More than 200 million out of 6 billion humans had already died. There was widespread fear of death, and society as a whole would soon begin to copse.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    Seon-ae nodded nonchntly to the girl bowing her head. It was the same girl who had given Seon-ae her name before the test.


    ¡°W, well!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, so go.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes! Thank you!¡±


    The girl quickly ran away when Seon-ae waved her hands.


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    Seon-ae knew why the girl had thanked her. During the intermediate stage of level 9, Seon-ae had chosen her with one of her extra clears. She had no particr reason.


    She didn¡¯t have a family that she wanted to protect with her life. She didn¡¯t feel obliged to any of her acquaintances either. She had chosen to save the little girl because the girl had given Seon-ae her name.


    But was there really any purpose?


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I can protect you forever.¡±


    It was level 9.


    It would be great if the stage ended at level 10, but¡­ would things really flow that way?


    ¡°The End Project.¡±


    Seon-ae felt cluttered. Maybe all of this desperate fight was useless. Maybe the end was reallying.


    - Stage will be opened!


    - Level 9. Difficulty is set at hard.


    She was once again thrust into an abominable, dark forest. A quick ogre, a durable ogre, an ogre with the ability to jump high and a sensitive ogre showed up as enemies. The most terrible of them all was the boss, an ogre who learned martial arts.


    Seon-ae had be iparably stronger than in the past, but the boss was so dangerous that she had no choice but to go berserk at the end.


    ¡°More people will diepared to the previous difficulty.¡±


    Seon-ae murmured while pouring a potion onto a wound big enough to reveal her organs.


    It was as she guessed.


    - The Death Processions will be applied without any changes.


    - The number of Death Processions remaining.


    - 102,113,276.


    - Executing.


    ¡°Sang-chun, wake up! Sang-chun! Get up, you idiot!¡±


    ¡°Mi-yeon, no! No! Get up!¡±


    Screams resounded from the entire square. Those who weren¡¯t able to clear the stage on their own and didn¡¯t have their Death Procession canceled by others could no longer open their eyes after the stage finished.


    That was not all.


    ¡°I, it hurts¡­ It hurts¡­¡±


    ¡°Somebody please help me!¡±


    Gwanghwamun Square was filled with the stench of blood. This meant that there were far more injuredpared to the dead.


    ¡°Is it going to be level 10 tomorrow? Haha! Hahahaha! This is driving me crazy!¡±


    ¡°Shit! Fuck!! I can¡¯t do this! I can¡¯t do it! What am I supposed to do when I can¡¯t keep up? It doesn¡¯t even matter that the vending machine sells skills and stats, does it? What kind of a monster could increase their levels by two in a week? Even if that was possible, until when?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all going to die¡­¡±


    Everyone grieved loudly in desperation.


    At that very moment.


    - Listen.


    Everyone on Earth heard voices resounding in their heads.


    - I am Justice.


    - I am Truth.


    - I am Honor.


    On Earth, where there was religion but no god, Divinity started to descend.


    1. S university is the way it is written in the novel, but it is highly likely referring to Seoul University (#1 university in Korea)

 Vol 2. 65: The Salvation of God (2)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 65: The Salvation of God (2)</h4>


    When I finally exited the stage, the ce I came back to wasn¡¯t Earth.


    Mumble.


    There were countless lights scattered across the ck abyss. The sight was reminiscent of the Milky Way in the night sky.


    Entering the Curtain of Ignorance.


    ¡°Curtain of Ignorance?¡±


    I opened my mouth to speak, but my thoughts were not expressed as actual. I was already a figure of light as well, and no longer taking human form.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    But I looked different from the other lights scattered across this darkness.


    Gao--!


    An enormous light illuminated the surroundings. The source of the light was none other than myself, and the endless darkness was pushed back by the light I emitted.


    ¡°What? Who are you? Let me out!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! Who would believe such a contrived remark? A god?¡±


    ¡°Are you an angel¡­?¡±


    The figures of light residing in my spreading light took on human forms. Only then could I finally recognize the identities of the myriad of lights floating in the darkness.


    ¡°Are those all people¡¯s souls, or minds?¡±


    I concentrated my consciousness and observed the figures. The number of lights that entered my domain easily exceeded hundreds, and all of them were facing the same three beings.


    ¡®That is.¡¯


    The three figures looked human, but they were not.


    A beautiful, blindfolded woman.


    An angel with six giant wings.


    An old man holding onto a ck, glowing, stone tablet.


    They dered in an arrogant voice to those they faced.


    - I am Justice.


    - I am Truth.


    - I am Honor.


    Their voices resounded from everywhere, perhaps because they were standing in front of all the lights residing in my domain.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s.¡±


    I groaned without thinking.


    Juan


    Level 30


    Justice


    Juan


    Level 30


    Truth


    Juan


    Level 30


    Honor


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe they¡¯re level 30.¡±


    When a human grinded and polished their abilities to finally reach level 10, they stepped into the realm of Compl¨¦ters. When they reached the level of transcendence past the level of a Compl¨¦ter, they rose to the level of a lower-rank god, level 20. In other words, level 30 represented passing the threshold of transcendence and once again reaching a new realm.


    It means that they belonged to the emperor-ss, that they were intermediate-rank gods. It was a level of power that was umon even in the Great Universe. There was no question of where they came from, since their affiliation was telling me everything.


    ¡°It¡¯s Juan.¡±


    I had known he was an extraordinary being ever since he came to the Albatross, but even so, this was simply beyondmon sense. How could he create three emperor-ss beings so easily? Weren¡¯t beings of emperor-ss hard to find even if one searched through the entire universe?


    I calmed myself down and focused on the conversation they were having with people.


    - The Lord has mercy on mankind at the crossroads of destruction. He has decided to give you a chance.


    - But we have judged that it is hard to judge whether humanity is worth that much.


    - Therefore, we will discipline you. We will sort you out, reward you, and punish you. We will make you into fitting beings to receive the grace of the Lord.


    It was closer to a one-way notification rather than a dialogue. People begged, denied, and even criticized them in sarcastic voices, but the three of them continued talking without regards for the humans¡¯ responses.


    You really aren¡¯t affected by the Curtain of Ignorance.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    I concentrated my consciousness on the voice of a woman from nearby. There was nothing near me, but when I focused on the voice, she appeared in front of me.


    ¡°Justice¡­ Is it?¡±


    I am honored to have been recognized by you, Newborn Son.


    ¡®Newborn Son.¡¯


    I smiled vainly with distaste at the title, but I asked a question instead of contradicting Justice, the beautiful blindfolded woman.


    ¡°What is the Curtain of Ignorance?¡±


    It is a tool for revealing the Original Position. It istes oneself from their own information.


    ¡°Isting from their own information?¡±


    In this ce, the retain their values from the original world. But they are unaware of their own information. They don¡¯t know if they were a man or a woman, rich or poor, ck or white, Christian or Muslim.


    I looked around once more while listening to her exnation. People were conversing loudly all over the ce. Just a few minutes ago, they had been facing the three intermediate-rank gods, but the atmosphere seemedpletely different now. The flow of time appeared to have been all tangled up in this space. The people were gathered together to talk, and strangely enough, raising their hands to express their opinions.


    ¡°I understand where you areing from, but isn¡¯t that way too harsh? It¡¯s not like they actually killed someone. They just got into an ident by themselves.¡±


    ¡°I agree. Their boss forced them to drink. Besides, it was so early in the morning that there wasn¡¯t much traffic.¡±


    ¡°And it would have been a burden for them to call a chauffeur service. They weren¡¯t very well off.¡±


    Some people were sympathizing, but not everyone was on the same page.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t drunk driving a crime equivalent to attempted murder?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s basically the same thing!¡±


    As I focused on the people talking, a new scene appeared in front of me. A person was getting in a vehicle after drinking, then crashed into a shopping mall. The people started talking once more after seeing the scene.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much hate?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Am I not allowed to hate a drunk driver?¡±


    ¡°Drinking and driving is he dangerous. Even to me, who doesn¡¯t have a license, it looks super dangerous.¡±


    Some people became flustered and shouted. I realized something peculiar as I looked at the people engaging in a debate. The one who was shouting that drunk driving was the equivalent of murder was the same person in the scene, the one who drove under the influence of alcohol.


    ¡°huh.¡±


    I finally understood the effects of ¡°The Curtain of Ignorance.¡±


    ¡°It works to prevent people from being hypocrites.¡±


    Human beings are as strict as they can be to others and endlessly generous to themselves. Therefore, we forced them to take a basic position free from their own interests, belonging, ideas or positions.


    I looked across the vast darkness and saw countless figures, perhaps the entire human race. They were talking and discussing with each other, then voting while beingpletely free from the constraints of time and space, even their own positions.


    Justice exined.


    The Lord judged that it was unreasonable to value anything unrted to a deed on the scales of justice. Because the concept of justice varies from time to time and from environment to environment. Therefore, the Lord decided to have the humans make their own judgements about ambiguous concepts.


    ¡°What do you mean by judging deeds on the scales of justice?¡±


    It refers to the things where realistic providence is involved. To make it easier to understand, bad deeds would be acts such as killing, good deeds like self-sacrifice, and neutral deeds such as achieving enlightenment while training. Such things are real phenomena, so the Lord has no intention of interfering with them, merely reflecting them for what they are.


    I looked over the people while listening to her.


    ¡°Oh my goodness! He said he would dedicate his life to the nation, but to think he was this shameless!¡±


    ¡°Huh. This person wasn¡¯t as bad as I thought he would be¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow! He was innocent? He was forced to rot away his entire life!¡±


    ¡°That murderer! Piece of human waste! Scum like that should be judged!¡±


    Countless people were watching countless incidents and raising their hands to express their thoughts. There was no such thing as privacy. Secrets, sins, and hidden good deeds ¨C everything was being revealed to everyone.


    The discussions and voting process has been ongoing for 300 years now. Voting aside, the discussions are taking a lot of time. Everyone is more motivated than I thought, so I think we would need another 1,000 years at the least.


    ¡°300 years already?¡±


    I felt that the flow of time was arbitrary in this ce, but this was even crazier than I expected.


    ¡°The entire is going through this?¡±


    I expressed my bewilderment, and Justice replied.


    Their memories are being updated every day anyways, so there will be no impact on their egos. Moreover, all the memories from this ce cannot be transferred outside. The only thing they will remember is the initial guidance and the answers.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I observed the people for a moment. There were celestial symbols floating above the people¡¯s heads, and the symbols were leaning to one side, either by others¡¯, or by one¡¯s own opinion.


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    Helping mankind ording to the will of the Lord.


    The human race was in dire need of help now. After reaching level 10, the End Project reached a level beyond the grasp of humanity. I wouldn¡¯t find it strange if the next stage¡¯s enemy was a Sword Master.


    ¡®Strictly speaking, I would not be able to beat it fair and square, let alone the rest of humanity.¡¯


    I had defeated the boss of level 9¡¯s hard stage, Ogre Warrior, uncountable times. But that was only possible because I strategized to beat him, or because I used the powerful magic power and abilities avable from Napoleon¡¯s Iron Heart.


    Novice, Expert -> Master -> Compl¨¦ter -> Transcendent.


    In terms of my own strength, I was still floating around the level of a master.


    But.


    ¡°¡­This is an act helping mankind? I think what humans need right now is the strength to survive another day, not the restoration of morality.¡±


    But Justiceughed as if she had expected my question. Her unblemished skin and cheery red lips looked quite attractive.


    The act itself will not be helpful. This is only a process of ssification before we help humanity.


    ¡°ssification?¡±


    That is right. If they act with justice, if they speak with truth, if they fight for honor, we will give them strength.


    If her words were true, anyone who worked for justice, truth, and honor would receive power. It would surely be of great help to the whole of humankind, since the best way to save humanity was to give them strength.


    But there was a problem.


    ¡°What happens if they don¡¯t?¡±


    If mankind is notwful, truthful, and honorable?


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    It was such a simple story.


    There were bound to be more people who did not fight for justice, and it was easier to lie and harder to fight for honor.


    Shhk.


    The other two beings appeared beside Justice at my words. It was an angel with six wings with a strong impression and an old man holding arge, ck te.


    Justice spoke first.


    We do not intend to impose ¡®real¡¯ punishment yet. It would be unreasonable for us, after descending just a moment ago, to retroactively hold everyone responsible for all their sins.


    Truth spoke.


    But that does not mean they will be forgiven for their transgressions.


    Honor spoke.


    Hahaha. Right, right. If we did that, all we would be doing is giving them indulgence in the name of the Lord.


    Woong!


    A strong energy exuded from the three intermediate gods. The golden scale of justice, the silver sword of truth, and the pitch-ck stone of honor began to hum.


    Those who acted with injustice will not be able to conceal it from anyone. It will be engraved in their bodies.


    Those who liked will not be able to conceal it from anyone. Their noses will be elongated.


    Those who were dishonorable will not be able to conceal it from anyone. They shall not sit and lie in peace at any ce, any time.


    At that moment, I could feel it. The moment they dered, a neww was set in ce ¨C something that never existed on Earth before.


    ¡®This is.¡¯


    I became dumbfounded and inhaled sharply/


    ¡®This is not their doing.¡¯


    It was not a power avable for intermediate gods to wield. It was an act of high-ranking authority that could be exercised by a figure of considerable rank among the untouchables. Juan¡¯s face naturally came to mind.


    ¡®I already knew he was an untouchable, but to this degree?¡¯


    Justice continued speaking while looking at me.


    It is likely that the neww will not apply to you. You are standing on a different level than the average human being as the Newborn Son.


    But be careful. If you do anything foolish.


    The Lord, and we will not stand still.


    Pat!


    The background started to change. Before I knew it, I was standing in Gwanghwamun Square.


    ¡°Uaggh! What is this!?¡±


    Screams burst out immediately. I looked back to see a neatly dressed man screaming with a blue face.


    ¡°This.¡±


    He had a tattoo on his face depicting a man hitting a young child. The tattoo was so vivid, that it felt like it was moving.


    ¡®No, wait. It¡¯s really moving, right?!¡±


    The man in the tattoo was actually striking the child.


    That was not all.


    ¡°No, no, no! This is a lie! This is a sham!¡±


    The screaming woman¡¯s nose was ridiculously long. She looked like a regr person, but her nose was more than 15 centimeters long.


    ¡°Agh! It stings! What is this chair!?¡±


    A pastor hurriedly rose from a thorny chair. He had been shouting with a picket before the stage had started. As he stood up, the chair slowly disappeared.


    ¡°M, my nose! My nose!!¡±


    ¡°What is with this tattoo!?¡±


    I stood up while listening to the bursts of screams from the entire square. I wasn¡¯t sure if I was lucky or not, but my skin was clean, even though I had ughtered 100,000 people in this ce.


    ¡°Really, could this¡­ help, be salvation?¡±


    I clicked my tongue as a suspicious feeling struck me, but I decided to not care anymore. I didn¡¯t know what Juan did, or what happened to the people as long as it didn¡¯t interfere with how I cleared the stage.


    ¡°I have my own way of saving humankind.¡±


    My heart started to pound. I had finally finished preparations.


    Today, or perhaps tomorrow, The Barracks Build would bepleted atst.

 Vol 2. 66: The Salvation of God (3)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 66: The Salvation of God (3)</h4>


    ¡°Keugh---!¡±


    ¡°Now, one more time.¡±


    ¡°No! This is the limit! I just heard a muscle tear in my arm! It hurts! I can feel a sharp pain!¡±


    He shook his head while speaking in an urgent voice.


    ¡°It will hurt more when you¡¯re getting beaten up by an ogre.¡±


    ¡°The test is soon, so if you keep working me like this¡­! Uagh! W, what the hell is with this method? Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights/ Why does it need so much Life Energy! Why do I need to train like this!?¡±


    Jae-seok whined while hanging from a steel bar. 300-kilogram rings were attached to each of his legs, and he was trembling even more than usual. I observed him for a moment before checking the time. It was 5 A.M. The easy difficulty of level 10 would begin in two hours. So to finish things off, I struck the air lightly.


    Woong!


    Vibrations containing about 5 tons of force poured down on him.


    ¡°Heup!¡±


    In an instant, Jae-seok¡¯s face turned red. To be precise, it wasn¡¯t only his face that turned beet red.


    Woooong-!


    His entire body was shrouded in a red light as if an LEDmp was shining down on him. The vibrations I shot towards him disappeared as soon as it made contact with the red light.


    ¡°Hooh. You received it with red? Not bad at all.¡±


    The power of red was the ability to absorb vibrations and store them in the body. Red was the most fundamental color of the seven, and it was the most basic means of umting vibrations in the body. However, the fact that he managed to trigger red instead of green, which was a defensive technique, meant that his proficiency with Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights was reaching the levels of a master, surpassing an expert.


    ¡°Heugh¡­ Hak! At least! It¡¯s! Vibrations! Heuagh!¡±


    Boom!


    Jae-seok fell to the floor in exhaustion. I looked at the gasping fellow and thought,


    ¡®He¡¯s much more talented than I thought. No, rather, at this level¡­ He¡¯s strangely talented. He¡¯s basically on the level of a genius.¡¯


    Jae-seok did not possess any talent for spirituality, so he couldn¡¯t even receive a Life Energy imnt. But now, he was showing such explosive growth.


    ¡®Well, since the time inside the stage flowspletely different from reality, so in a way, he is going through a tremendous number of real-life battles and various experiences every day. Maybe he will surpass level 20 someday too.¡¯


    I inserted a needle into Jae-seok¡¯s body, and a tattoo approached the side of the needle. He waspletely distraught through the whole process andy there without reacting.


    That was right. The tattoo inched even closer and revealed itself to me.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    It was a vivid image, as if it were alive. In the picture, Jae-seok was walking around the ssroom with other burly guys, and his ssmates cowered and trembled.


    That was not all.


    Looking closer, there was a tattoo of a child secretly drinking alcohol, a tattoo of him saying harsh words to others, and tattoos that revealed the maliciousments he left on the inte. After btedlying to his senses, Jae-seok smiled bitterly while looking at the tattoos.


    ¡°That¡¯s when I was ying bully in middle school. I got into a few fights as well, but¡­ I didn¡¯t think it was evil, but I guess it was.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still meager.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Among the different images, the tattoo that Jae-seok mentioned was the most distinct and thergest. Even so, it was still smaller than a fingernail. The color was blurred so it was hard to make out at first nce, and the rest of the tattoos had even lower definitions. They could only be called dots, hence they could only be described as meager or misceneous crimes.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny if you think about it.¡±


    ¡°What is?¡±


    ¡°Imitted murder as well. I ced a bomb inside a living man¡¯s stomach and detonated it.¡±


    He was talking about the war in Gwanghwamun. It was said that Jae-seok had been the one who bombed the ck wizards who rebelled against the Lee Family after deserting to the Zhu Family.


    ¡°You did it personally?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t in a situation to order people. They had been treating me like a servant for a long time and they had revealed a gap that could only be utilized by me.¡±


    Jae-seok wiped his body with a towel and clothed himself in outer garments that was next to him.


    ¡°I did it at the risk of my own life because it was necessary. Kyung-eun finished them off, but murder is still murder. But¡­ Ha.¡±


    When his shirt covered his arm, the tattoo slowly moved to the back of his hand. I could feel its eagerness to reveal its existence somehow.


    ¡°Homicide is not considered an evil act, but a yful bluff from my childhood is a bad thing.¡±


    Jae-seok muttered as if he could not understand, but I could roughly guess the reason behind the differentiation after witnessing the ¡®voting¡¯ process in Juan¡¯s Curtain of Ignorance.


    ¡®The majority of people were inclined to treat his actions as justifiable. Since the object of murder was evil, it could have been considered a good deed.¡¯


    ¡°Do you feel that it¡¯s unreasonable?¡±


    ¡°How can a god who has never been seen nor heard judge humankind at will? And to think it¡¯s taken such a form as well. This couldpletely shatter the social system. I am fine because I¡¯m young and don¡¯t have many evil deeds engraved on my body, but¡­¡±


    The situation would be different with those in the upper ss since they lived with wealth and power for a long time ¨C especially his grandfather, the chairman of Ilsung Group, a leading Korean conglomerate.


    ¡°Young master!¡±


    The door of the public training room mmed open and a man hurried inside.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°The chairman wants to see you immediately.¡±


    ¡°Oh, as expected.¡±


    Jae-seok sighed deeply, then looked at me.


    ¡°Then good luck. Make sure you pick me when you have extra clears.¡±


    ¡°You can fight for yourself and win.¡±


    ¡°How could I beat a level 10 ogre warrior in a head-to-head battle? The intermediate difficulty is more doable for people like us. Easy is literally impossible.¡±


    I looked at Jae-seok as he grumbled before leaving the training room. I nned to fill up my stomach before proceeding to the next stage.


    ¡°It¡¯s empty.¡±


    It¡¯s not just this ce either. The whole world is rattled and locking themselves up. It¡¯s rather amazing that there are no riots taking ce in this brutal atmosphere. Is it because there are a lot of deaths?


    ¡°Oh. Come to think of you, you didn¡¯t hear the announcement.¡±


    An announcement? From the stage?


    ¡°No. From the new boomers.¡±


    I ryed what I experienced in the Curtain of Ignorance to Genie and Ares. I told them of the discussions, the war of words, and the voting process that only I witnessed.


    That is why people are getting weird tattoos and have strangely long noses.


    Genie seemed to finally understand the situation, but Ares expressed his bewilderment.


    Showing everyone people¡¯s bad actions and giving them disadvantages? Does he think he¡¯s the king of hell or something? He¡¯s not nning to make some sort of heaven and hell as well, right?


    ¡°You never know. From his actions so far, he might actually do something crazy like that.¡±


    As I walked, I found Gyeongbokgung Pce to be surprisingly empty. However, it wasn¡¯t quiet, as I could see countless courtdies busily carrying around an armful of lunch boxes all over the ce.


    ¡°¡­Hello.¡±


    Seon-ae walked up in her courtdy uniform and stood behind me. But she gave off a different impression than usual.


    ¡°Huh? Your nose¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about it.¡±


    Funnily enough, her nose was very sharp and straight. So sharp and straight, in fact, that it looked to be about seven to eight centimeters long.


    ¡°Great nose.¡±


    ¡°I said to not talk about it¡­ Rather, why are you fine? Have you never lied or done something bad in your life?¡±


    As she said, my nose was no different from usual and I had no tattoos on my body.


    ¡®Considering that I didn¡¯t really live a truthful life, I guess I received a pretty generous judgement.¡¯


    Of course, I might have been spared because I was a ¡®Newborn Son¡¯, just as the intermediate gods had said, but Jae-seok also had a normal noise as well.


    ¡®Even though he wasn¡¯t always truthful throughout his life either.¡¯


    In fact, I knew many instances where he had lied. How could I not, when I had known him for such a long time? He once forged his report card and lied about his father¡¯s upation. I could not count the number of times he skipped school while making excuses about his grandfather, the Ilsung Group¡¯s president. But wasn¡¯t his nose just fine?


    ¡®I guess I didn¡¯t see anyone talking about lies when I was in that world.¡¯


    Perhaps truth used a different method of voting than justice.


    ¡°Double portions.¡±


    ¡°W, what? How are you so fine?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, what? In the squasre, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Just give me the meal.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, well.¡±


    I sat down after receiving a mountain of pork cutlet rice from thedy, who was stuttering with shock. I could hear people whispering around me.


    ¡°Wow, look at the atmosphere. It¡¯s even more destepared to when people were dying in the hundreds of millions.¡±


    ¡°When they were dying in millions, it didn¡¯t concern them. This time, it does.¡±


    ¡°Even so, is it so bad that they can¡¯t leave their rooms? I personally thought that the judgement was more rxed than expected.¡±


    As expected, the topic of conversation was the three new gods and their judgements.


    ¡®Everyone¡¯s so calm though.¡¯


    In other words, those who coulde to have their meals with such dignity were those who were recognized by the three gods as possessing more sincerity and goodnesspared the average. If they could hold their heads high in front of a globally shocking event such as this, they were in the situation to observe and talk about the situation from a step away.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t live a very good life and I lied a lot.¡±


    ¡°The atmosphere in Gwanghwamun Square yesterday was no joke. Some people had a nose over a meter long. The politician who was encouraging people had dozens of tattoos on his body.¡±


    I scooped up the rice while eavesdropping on their conversation. But at some point, the surroundings suddenly became quiet.


    ¡°It¡¯s the princess.¡±


    ¡°You idiot. Don¡¯t you know that thedy doesn¡¯t like that title?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah. But wasn¡¯t Lady Kyung-eun a part of the Adjudicators? I don¡¯t see any tattoos.¡±


    ¡°Maybe punishing evil isn¡¯t counted as an evil deed.¡±


    ¡°Even so, it¡¯s still murder.¡±


    I was certain that Kyung-eun could hear the whispering voices, but she paid them no attention and calmly received her food tray before sitting in front of me. She was dressed lightly as always.


    As soon as she sat down.


    Pat!


    Suddenly, the chair transformed. The original chair, which was luxurious but modest in design, suddenly changed into a steel chair with a sharp design.


    ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong with your chair?¡±


    Kyung-eun looked rather puzzled at my question.


    ¡°Rather than asking me what¡¯s wrong with my chair, you should be telling me why your chair is fine. Why is it normal? Is it because of the mask?¡±


    I thought back when she mentioned the word mask.


    ¡°Is it honor?¡±


    The three gods had dered in the Inner World.


    Those who acted with injustice will not be able to conceal it from anyone. It will be engraved in their bodies.


    Those who liked will not be able to conceal it from anyone. Their noses will be elongated.


    Those who were dishonorable will not be able to conceal it from anyone. They shall not sit and lie in peace at any ce, any time.


    Come to think of it, there was punishment for being dishonorable as well.


    ¡°Are you dishonorable?¡±


    Kyung-eun became furious at my words.


    ¡°Of course not! The dishonorable people get spikey or tiny chairs, not a nice chair like mine. It¡¯s rather the opposite. This is a symbol of honor.¡±


    Kyung-eun spoke in a proud voice, and I took another good look at her chair. Her chair was made of steel and had a sharp design. I immediately thought of something.


    ¡°¡­No way, is it Iron Rank?¡±


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re quick to notice. That¡¯s right. I heard people giving reports to my sister. People who receive respect and love are given a rank.¡±


    ¡°Then who are the dishonorable people? Sinners?¡±


    ¡°Criminals are included. Any famous serial killers or child rapists literally cannot lie or sit down. But technically, the standard of judgment is a little different from justice. Even evil people are given thrones of a high tier if they are recognized for their skills or abilities. It seems that people who have been despised and ignored are being counted as dishonorable.¡±


    ¡°For example?¡±


    ¡°Distasteful politicians, businessmen, religious figures. Commentators, far-right cartoonists, et cetra. Basically people who were disliked. Well, there are some people who certainly deserved it. Some just didn¡¯t know how scary the world was, and now they are getting beaten up by karma.¡±


    Kyung-eun sighed.


    ¡°Some people deserved it, but now there¡¯s a ton of work to do. Society as a whole is on the brink of copse.¡±


    I nodded while chewing on a big piece of pork cutlet.


    ¡°Yeah. I guess that¡¯ll happen.¡±


    Even though deaths from the stage numbered in tens and hundreds of millions, society operated rtively normally. How could such a thing be possible? It was because the dead were the losers of society. They were people who were judged to be of little importance to society, people whocked abilities and didn¡¯t have any connections to rely on. They were the first ones to die.


    Even though it was cruel¡­ the deaths of such people did not have a significant impact on society. But it was different now.


    The people who could live without any problems ¨C the ones whomitted countless wrongs and lied to millions ¨C they were the people in power, the ruling ss, the rich.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The bad guys aren¡¯t showing their faces.¡±


    Paradoxically, the problems began to arise in the social system when those who were unjust, untruthful, and dishonorable panicked and stopped their activities. It wasn¡¯t that they were a necessity to society, but that their position granted them a huge influence.


    ¡°Unni is still busy meeting all kinds of influential people. I spent the entire day patting the backs of people involved in my line of work! I was missing my bed after spending so much time in the stage, but I guess I¡¯m going to have to sleep in the stage!¡±


    Kyung-eun pointed to the TV whilementing.


    ¡°Look at that. You don¡¯t even have to see them to know the fates of the journalists and announcers.¡±


    The TV she pointed at was repeatedly ying the stage guide that I had filmed.


    ¡®It doesn¡¯t make sense if you think about it.¡¯


    A new event was urring in Earth every single day. Why was the news ying a re-run of a guide when they should be talking about thetest developments and events? It was evidence of how panicked the broadcasting officials were.


    But it was then.


    Hello. I¡¯m Seok Jeong-in


    The screen changed and a familiar announcer appeared.


    His appearance wasical, with a nose over 50 centimeters long and a smudged face.


    This morning after the end of the second test of level 9.


    He spoke.


    I tried to kill myself.

 Vol 2. 67: The Salvation of God (4)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 67: The Salvation of God (4)</h4>


    Seok Jeong-in.


    He was one of the most famous broadcasters in Korea. He was the head of a broadcasting station, and even though he was over 60 years old, he had a fit body and good looks thatnded him spots in magazines. Those watching TVmented as if they were astonished by his appearance.


    ¡°What? Even Seok Jeong-in is like that? He¡¯s one of the most famous and trusted broadcasters.¡±


    ¡°I used to respect him¡­¡±


    His nose was over 50 centimeters long. It was long enough that he would have trouble with his daily activities. It also meant that he was a terrible liar.


    His entire face was covered with countless tattoos ¨C so many that his entire face appeared smudged. Thick and distinct tattoos meant that he hadmitted a considerable number of sins.


    ¡°¡­Well Seok Jeong-in wasn¡¯t always in the light. There''ve been a couple of litigations too.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­ I didn¡¯t know it was to this degree.¡±


    People¡¯s eyes fixated on the screen. I was deeply impressed by Jeong-in¡¯s actions.


    ¡®How amazing.¡¯


    It was no exaggeration to say that the whole of Korea was watching him right now. His sins and lies were being revealed to the whole world, yet he appeared before the camera.


    A firm determination was revealed in his eyes.


    I thought myself to be righteous. I was confident that I had lived justly until now.


    When he closed his eyes for a moment, a tattoo of himself speaking in front of TV rose above his eyelids. As he opened his eyes, the tattoo quickly relocated to his check.


    That is not all. I thought I was quite a sincere and truthful person. I believed that I fought with all my heart to make the world a truer ce.


    He patted his nose as he spoke. The nose was now too long, and he could no longer touch the tip.


    But I realized that I was working to my own sense of justice. I was no different from those that I despised and reviled for their evil. I was just a liar and a bully.


    ¡°What is he doing? Why is he confessing on the news? Does he think that this is the penitentiary?¡±


    Jeong-in¡¯s confession was pretty interesting at first nce, but the viewers¡¯ints were justified. Why was he atoning for his sins on television? However, he did not stop despite theints of the people. The broadcasting station kept the video rolling as well.


    This tattoo was caused by my narrow-minded judgement and broadcasting the usation of a fake victim. This tattoo was made when I condemned a false used victim through broadcasting. This tattoo was caused when I purposefully reduced the media coverage on Chunha Enterprise after receiving money. This tattoo was created when I manipted public opinion based on the opinions of the people, rather than basing it on truth or falsehood. And this tattoo¡­


    Jeon-in pointed out his tattoos one by one and revealed the story behind every single one. That was not all.


    I lied. I manipted the informant to reach the subject I wanted to discuss. The beginning and cause of the incident was¡­


    He recounted a series of lies he had told. As time passed, even those who watched with interest at first began to take on ufortable expressions.


    ¡°Why is he using the news for telling personal stories when the stage is only a few hours away? Does he think he can do whatever he wants because he¡¯s the boss?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re such a big sinner, then go to the police instead!¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, could you change the channel? I have to go to the stage after dinner. This seems¡­¡±


    As theints began to grow louder, Jeong-in suddenly changed his posture.


    However.


    ¡°How~ever? Are you really going to pull that card out now?¡±


    Someone gave a mockingughter. Jeong-in continued in a somber voice.


    It is also true that I worked hard for justice and struggled to tell the truth.


    ¡°What bullshit is he spouting? Does he want us to forgive him because he did good things too?¡±


    ¡°Why is he saying such words on the news?!¡±


    ¡°Turn the channel!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to turn the channel, but it won¡¯t work!¡±


    People reacted with appalment outrage. Jeong-in would surely know that the public was reacting in such a manner, but he did not stop.


    And so¡­ I can hide all these sins. I¡¯m telling you that I could have appeared on TV without such a horrific appearance. I can make my nose smaller or remove my tattoos.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What is he talking about?¡±


    The grumbling crowd began to focus on the TV once again. Jeong-in continued.


    The three gods that humanity came to face. Justice, Truth, and Honor have given humanity more than just a punishment. First, Justice has provided us with a weapon. Come, Sword of Righteousness.


    A dagger appeared at his calling and rested on his palm. The 20-centimeter-long dagger was adorned with diamonds, and it was exuding a mysterious energy.


    Sword of Righteousness, devour this sin.


    Jeong-in pulled the dagger close to his face after speaking.


    Wooong--!


    The tattoos stered all over his face began to be sucked into the dagger. Even though the tattoos had persistently made their appearance regardless of how hard one tried to hide them, they disappeared with no effort. As the Sword of Righteousness absorbed the tattoos, it transformed. The diamonds decorating the de disappeared and the entire sword burned bright. It was now scattering a silver-white gloss as a tinum de.


    Jeong-in exined.


    A Diamond-Rank Sword of Righteousness has been downgraded to tinum Rank. Ah, for your information, I decided to call it the Sword of Righteousness. Whether it¡¯s Justice Sword or Justice Weapon, if you imagine a weapon bestowed on you by Justice, it will appear.


    Woong-!


    After a while, all the tattoos on Jeong-in¡¯s face had disappeared. His smudged face was not back to its original pristine form. By that time, the dagger had turned gold.


    Now it has fallen down to the Gold Rank. Naturally, the power of the weapon bestowed by Justice is different for each rank. One could even say that there is a heaven-and-earth difference between each rank. Absorbing the sins does not result in a permanent decline, so it would be best to proceed with the stage after releasing the absorbed sins.


    Jeong-in paused for a moment and collected his breath. He seemed to be quite nervous even if he was putting up a bold front.


    Next is Truth. I decided to call the blessing of Truth as True Command, because it is a power that builds up as you continue to speak the truth. The usage is as follows.


    Jeong-in touched his nose and spoke in a calm voice.


    I would like my nose to go back to its original state as much as possible.


    As he spoke, his long nose began to grow shorter as if by magic. It did not returnpletely to its original state and was still a little long, but it was barely noticeable unless one looked at it really closely. One of the Lee Family¡¯s warriors groaned while watching the scene unfold.


    ¡°Then that means he could have looked normal from the very beginning.¡±


    ¡°He would have done so if he was trying to hide his sins and lies¡­¡±


    The heated atmosphere of Gyeonghoeru began to subside. Many of the people around me were taking out their smartphones and texting their close friends who had locked themselves in their residences.


    Jeong-in continued to speak.


    The current time is 5:30 P.M. There is only an hour and a half left until the next stage. I tried to kill myself this morning, but¡­ I identally seeded in activating True Command and survived.


    Jeong-in raised his wrist while speaking. A sharp scar was engraved on his wrist.


    Other people may mock me andugh at me, but I felt a sense of duty in that moment. I felt that I had a mission to increase the number of survivors by spreading this information to as many people as possible. Maybe even this is my own arrogance¡­ Even so, I sincerely pray that those who are more righteous and honorable than me don¡¯t suffer a vain death in the stage.


    Jeong-in had been speaking while standing so far. He sat down on a chair prepared in the studio.


    To maintain societal order, there is a need to adapt to God¡¯s blessings as fast as possible.


    Pat!


    The chair turned gold as Jeong-in sat down.


    This one is a system that is known to bepulsory, so everyone is most likely aware of it already. A person who is revered will have their chairs transformed into a different form, or a chair will appear out of thin air where they sit. It ismonly called a Throne.


    Suddenly, Jeong-in¡¯s golden throne changed color. The gold slowly morphed into a silver-white, tinum color, then became more colorful as diamonds began to decorate it. But Jeong-in was unaware of the phenomenon from where he was sitting, so he continued without hesitating.


    The Throne isn¡¯t just a fancy chair. Sitting on it will improve the rate that stamina and mental strength recovers, and it can even heal injuries. And although not widely known, there is an even more significant function to the throne. This function works when one is sitting on a throne in front of a table, or if there is something simr to a table in front of them.


    Jeon-in dragged his chair closer to a desk in the studio.


    I would like to eat cheesecake.


    Pat!


    A cheesecake appeared on the desk at his words.


    ¡°What!?¡±


    I was so surprised that I jumped to my feet. This was a tremendous development.


    ¡°Food is appearing!? Really?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that it works in the stage!?¡±


    ¡°What the hell!?¡±


    People shouted and jumped up in appalment. It was only natural. The ability of the throne was on apletely different level from the previous two. The weapon provided by Justice, of course, was powerful, but it could sufficiently be reced by a magic weapon from the vending machine. The power of True Command was also certainly a great power, but wasn¡¯t it just a power of words?


    In contrast, the throne¡¯s ability to restore physical and mental strength while providing food was a game-changer. It was an ability that upset the directionality of the stage.


    ¡®Since there¡¯s a skill like Meal of Madness in the stage as well.¡¯


    Why would there be a need for such a crazy skill, where eating a part of one¡¯s body increases the effect of eating by tenfold? Eating was essential. Paradoxically, it meant that there was not enough food provided in the stage. The bodies of the monsters rotted and disappeared as soon as they were killed, and the streams dried up with just a sip. In addition, hunting and gathering were prohibited in the stage.


    ¡®This is nothing short ofpletely crushing one axis of the stage¡¯s difficulty.¡¯


    This new addition could not be considered a characteristic or a skill of a game character. There was no way that the End Project would design an ability to ruin the stage. It could be considered an external program rather than a skill or an ability ¨C something simr to a Game Modification.


    Would the End Project tolerate such an act?


    Well. With this, I have released all the information I have found. I hope you survive the ongoing stage and¡­ I just want to say something to the staff.


    Jeong-in spoke with a lighter expression. It appeared that he had lightened the load off his chest.


    When I came to the broadcasting station today, nothing was working. It was no wonder, since less than 10% of the employees came to work. But look at me. Your sins, your lies. They can bepensated by performing acts of justice and telling the truth!


    His eyes shook for a moment as he leaned back on the chair. He had finally realized that his throne was decorated with diamonds. But he shook his head and collected himself before staring at the camera.


    Soe back, all of you. As a journalist, and as a human being, perform your duties!


    The broadcast finished and the stage guides began ying once more. But my attention was already ripped away from the TV. It wasn¡¯t just me either.


    ¡°I want to eat a roll cake!¡±


    Pat!


    A roll cake appeared in front of Kyung-eun. Including Kyung-eun, the people around her let loose shouts of astonishment.


    ¡°Wow!!! It really works!¡±


    ¡°Mydy! Try a bite of¡­ No, I will try it first just in case!¡±


    ¡°No way! How could matter be created from nothing!?!¡±


    With countless gazes focused on her, Kyung-eun cut a piece of the roll cake and put it in her mouth. Her eyes opened wide with delight.


    ¡°Delicious! This is real!¡±


    ¡°Oh my God!¡±


    ¡°Ah! Why do I have no honor! I was a pretty decent guy!¡±


    ¡°Justice Sword! Oh!! Ah! It appeared!¡±


    People were shouting from all over the ce. Everyone was trying to identify the blessings of the three intermediate gods that they had received.


    ¡°Roll cake! Roll cake! Roll cake! Ah, and milk! Milk!¡±


    Kyung-eun continued to shout from her Iron Throne. Roll cakes and sses of milk magically appeared in front of her and began piling up. After a short while.


    Pat!


    Her Iron Throne returned to a normal dining chair. It had ranked down after using up all of its power.


    ¡°Wow! Five roll cakes and three bottles of milk! They¡¯re pretty big too! Plus, I can feel the cool time. It¡¯s only 24 hours! We basically don¡¯t have to worry about food anymore!¡±


    Kyung-eun¡¯s eyes glimmered with excitement. I became even more puzzled.


    ¡°Even though it¡¯s only ranked Iron, it gives you that much food?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean only? Well, I guess it¡¯s right after unranked, so it is at the bottom¡­¡±


    I thought to myself while listening to her whines.


    ¡°Will it work?¡±


    Would this work? Could food be summoned in the stage? Really?


    Fortunately, I could confirm it in a short while. There was only an hour and thirty minutes before the stage began.


    - Level 10. Difficulty has been set at easy.


    - Defeat the enemies within 3 hours.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­


    - 3. 2. 1. Initiating battle.


    Kiing--!


    As soon as I entered the stage, the enemy approached me with red, glowing eyes. It appeared to be a mixture of an alien and machine, and it emitted a weird, whirring sound. But that was important.


    Rumble!!


    The enemy was flung in the air with a sh of blue. Of course, it didn¡¯t die in a single blow, but it was rendered immobile for a while after being struck with my attack head-on.


    I immediately took out my Iron Mask and put it on. Then, I sat down.


    Pat!


    The surroundings brightened momentarily. I had sat on the bare floor, but a spectacr throne adorned with gold, silver, and all sorts of jewels was supporting my back.


    - You are ranked Grand Master.


    But rank was not important right now. I pulled out a pre-built table from my Unique World and shouted.


    ¡°I want a B set of Zinger Double Burger!¡±


    It appeared as I cried out.


    Thick chicken patties instead of bread, bacon and cheese dancing with the stimting sauce in an irresistible harmony! French fries were next to it! Even coke! [1]


    I had no choice but to admit it.


    ¡°Wow, this is crazy. Juan. You¡¯re amazing.¡±


    Kiing--!


    As I expressed my admiration, the mysterious creature approached me once again. It was a steel, bipedal monster, but it walked differently from humans. If I had to name it, then it looked closer to an alien. The monster took out a long sword as it approached.


    Wooong--!!


    Its long sword began to emit strange noises. I became stiff at the unexpected sight.


    ¡°Huh? Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s¡­?¡±


    ¡­I know. What are the chances? That guy. It¡¯s ¡®that¡¯.


    Ares expressed his bewilderment. Genie chimed in.


    That¡¯s right, Captain-nim.


    Her voice was mixed with a hint ofughter.


    It¡¯s an Ultra-Vibration de.


    I started tough my head off.


    The entire human race had been granted the Sword of Righteousness and the power of True Command. The throne was providing assistance to correct the factor of starvation and destroying the stage¡¯s difficulty.


    And.


    ¡°What? Ultra! Vibration! de!?¡±


    An idiotic, pushover enemy.


    I finally realized.


    Thepletion of my build was approaching.


    1. is this PPL? LMAO

 Vol 2. 68: The Salvation of God (5)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 68: The Salvation of God (5)</h4>


    The level of humanity as a whole was rising. Humans above Level 3 ounted for less than 0.1% of mankind only three months ago, but it was now possible to easily see Level 5s even if I were to walk down the street. It was not an exaggeration to say that this was a world where even unarmed, elementary school students could overwhelm any tigers that happen to escape from the zoo.


    ''That''s how we, humanity, have been growing as a whole. However...the problem is that the stage is not a test made for the purpose of evolving mankind.'' Aside from not being a system designed for the purpose of developing mankind, the stage was actually a test created to kill mankind.


    ''Is it at least a fortunate thing that the mission system is included in the stage?''


    Thanks to the mission system, a considerable amount of the power that was used to make up the Project End went towards developing humans. This was simr to how Zhuge Liang obtained 100,000 arrows from the Wei Dynasty and used them as munitions, but even with such arrangements... The Project End was slowly and gradually progressing towards the destruction of mankind.


    - Warning: 5,854,557,531 battles have not finished.


    - 5,501,263 out of 5,910,070,800 examinees have passed. The remaining people have been dealt with Death Procession.


    5.5 million sessful examinees was less than 0.1 percent of all the examinees. ''Well, all 99.9 percent are probably not those who have given up¡­ I actually think it is rather exceptional that 0.1 percent of the examinees can solve the stage on their own even without a strategy guide.¡¯


    It was currently 7 a.m., and the 5.8 billionters who hid in closets, toilets, or under the desk and passed the first-round test, were either at home before getting to work or school, meetings, and other appointments. And if that were not the case, they went to the nearby square beforehand to familiarize themselves with the videos and documents that the Guide-makers group had created when challenging the second-round tests.


    In fact, if about 1 billion out of 5.8 billion people cleared the stage as much as their life depended on it, there would be nothing more to ask for.


    - Stage will be open!


    - Level 10. Difficulty is set to intermediate.


    - Eliminate the enemies (5 individuals) within 80 hours.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­


    The stage opened and the silence was so heavy that one could even hear the sound of a single blink of the eye. I got out of bed and put my hand on the pad on the wall. Swiskkkkkk! With the sound of the wind, the door opened and the outside of the room was revealed.


    "Let''s see... This time, it''s starting near the supply depot, huh." I was rather familiar with the view that was just revealed. It was a hallway with handles installed, just like a hospital, as well as floors and walls made out of stic metal. It also had a gravitational force that felt slightly light. That''s right. I currently stood within a darkish spaceship that had seemingly lost all power supply. It was the Level 10 stage, Lake Stacy of Silence.


    "Well, I need to moderately get into position and hide." I walked all the way down the hallway. The Lake Stacy of Silence was a concept where participants had to remain silent, but fortunately, there was no need to be scared because the aliens did not regenerate at the starting point. The difficulty level was still intermediate, so there were only five enemies to encounter.


    "Kyaaaaaaaaaah!!!"


    "...Oh man," I groaned softly. From afar, a thumping sound began to encroach along with a loud screech. After hearing my footsteps and monologue, the aliens started running down the hallway after roaring. "They rarely appear nearby, so this is unlucky." The moment I grumbled, it revealed itself.


    Project End


    Level 10


    Metal Alien


    It was a bipedal monster only slightly over 2 meters tall, but had a long tail and broad shoulders. It was a monster that looked much bigger because of its long hair, which draped forward and back. It also possessed a body that looked more like a machine than a creature. Furthermore, it was actually made of metal. I initially suspected it was a robot, but after ripping it open a few times, I found out that it was not a robot but a kind of metal creature.


    "Kyaaaaa!!"


    "Hello there, pushover." I waved and the Metal Alien flew towards me without hesitation. However, that ferocious spirit of mine shamelessly shook its body in an instant and¡­ Booooom! The monster, who lost its footing, couldn''t attack me properly and rolled around the floor. Of course, it didn''t really stumble.


    "Why did your body have to be metal of all things?" I was simply a natural enemy to Metal Alien, since I had a strong elemental affinity to metal, and actually had a spiritual energy of the metal attribute and even a metal attribute Aura. That was not all.


    Under its bent head, which seemed to be broken, it opened its spine to pull out a long sword with a sharp de. Whoooong---!!


    I smiled in vain at the strangely ringing long sword. "And why must its main weapon be an Ultra-Vibration de of all things?"


    "Kuwaackkkk--!" With a scream, Metal Alien glided on the floor as if it had slipped. Knowing that the power I wielded could break its bnce, it immediately adjusted its center of gravity downwards. It disyed a significant level ofbat intelligence, proving it was not just an animal. However, its attempt was useless.


    Thud. Metal Alien, who was charging at me, stiffened its body as I reached out and grabbed its de that swung down like lightning. Its shock was understandable, because how could it not be flustered when the Ultra-Vibration de, which could cut everything into pieces upon contact, was caught by a bare hand?


    Shiiiinggg! My Ultra-Vibration right hand sliced at the neck of Metal Alien, who was charging at me in a fit. Metal Alien''s head fell to the floor with a heavy sound. Only then did I lightly fling my left hand, which was red in color, and my right hand, which was in an orange hue, before dispersing the vibration. Iughed, "It was still a Master-ss enemy, but I got rid of it in one strike without even needing to use Napoleon''s soul energy."


    Of course, the level of ability was important, but it was all over in the blink of an eye no matter how bad its intelligence was. Even though it had Herculean strength that could tear apart an Ogre, and an athletic ability that was great enough to cause a sonic boom just by running, it couldn''t withstand even a single strike despite having the durability to be fine after being hit by a cannon.


    ''My Ultra-Vibration right hand actually borrowed its vibration too.'' Although Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights was an ability that dealt with vibrations, the vibrations that I could bring forth was only about 50,000 times per second. It could cut wood or stic, but there should have been no way I could cut metal in a single stroke. There was still a long way to go.


    Is it time to get started?


    I nodded at Genie''s words and entered one of the warehouses on one side. Inside the spacious warehouse, there was a sturdy looking refrigerator. I nodded. "That''s more like it." Just as how most horror games were, the stage had spaces in between that could be used to hide from enemies. These were spaces provided for yers so that they could afford to take a breather or avoid the demons, ghosts, or monsters thate chasing. I went into the small and cramped refrigerator and shut the door.


    "First-round, Level 10 Intermediate-difficulty. Start the Barracks Test. Genie, how''s the reserves looking?"


    30 units of Avatar-11. 55 units of Avatar-12. It takes a lot of time to stabilize the characteristics, so production is not that fast.


    "It''s okay. It''ll take a while for the avatars to break the stage anyway." I closed my eyes as I said that. Then, I awakened my Aura. Oooouhhhhhh--- An Aura of the metal attribute, burning like wildfire, covered my entire body and started to encroach in. I had the idea of the Barracks for a long time, but I only began to properly work towardspleting it when I saw ''me'' turn into an Adamantium human.


    Genie said, It''s the propertization of an element that reached the peak. It goes beyond what a Compl¨¦ter is capable of, and even Aura practitioners can pass through a needle hole by turning into a strand of wind.


    When an Aura user reached the peak of the elemental-type, they could turn their whole body into that particr element. It was entirely possible to grant the body the characteristics of an element, or transform a part of the body into that particr element even if their level was a littlecking.


    ''But propertization of my whole body to an element with my current level will just be suicide.'' The other parts didn''t matter, but my head was a problem. If the brain was turned into the particr element without sufficient enlightenment about the corresponding element, it would be impossible to return back to being a human. Even if I had enough power remaining, I would never be able to think that ''I have to turn back to my original state'' upon losing my ability to even think.


    The legendary story of an elemental-type user, who was notpletely skilled on elemental affinity, but still transformed into a strand of wind only to no longer return to being a human forever¡­was definitely not a joke among Aura practitioners.


    Kriekkkkk-! My body began to turn into steel from my fingertips all the way to my toes. Once my whole body finally turned into steel¡­ Thuck. My consciousness was cut off. I murmured, "Hmmm. As expected, it''s impossible to maintain my consciousness after propertizating my whole body into a particr element. Furthermore, it still takes me 30 minutes to transform my whole body to steel."


    Because you haven''t reached the realm of a Compl¨¦ter yet.


    "Well, there''s no immediate problem anyway," Imented. My body in the stage turned into an iron statue. If it was another Aura practitioner, this would be the worst situation possible, because this was no different from a death sentence. However, as someone who had another body, I could undo it whatever I wanted to. This was a purposeful situation that I had no intention of undoing. I opened up the stat window.


    Name: Kwan Dae-ha


    ss: Spirit Master(1), cksmith(1), Strongman(1)


    Title: Disaster of Mankind


    Strength: 300 Stamina: 300 Health: 300 Agility: 300


    Mana: 300 Magical Power: 300 Magic Resistance: 300


    Regeneration: 300 Mana Regeneration: 300 Luck: 300


    Avable Stat: 50


    Condition: Normal


    Looking at the stats, which rose by exactly 100 points, it made meugh in vain. That''s right. My...All-stats rose to 300. It happened because ''I'' awakened, just like how it had previously been. It was not a result that came from awakening due to anger and losing my rationality, but an oue that stemmed from starvation. However, ultimately, the next state that I obtained after returning to my original state was the same as it had been.


    ''Don''t tell me, if I open the door seven more times, my All-stat will be 1000?'' Although it was a good thing, I wasn''t sure what this indicated. It was weird that my stats increased when I opened the door, and it was also bugging me that all my stats were increased. ''I'', who actually opened the door, had my spiritual-type stats swelling up in numbers, but why did everything go up when the door closed again in the end?


    ''Until now, I thought my body¡¯s just strengthened to match up to my enormous spiritual power. Still, this is very strange. I can''t believe all the stats, including Luck, are increased altogether...'' Due to the rising stats, I didn''t consume a single Experience Potion even though I was earning a huge amount of points. I knew for a fact that there wouldn''t be much difference even if I increased my stat points, just like how it was useless whether I trained my body or not.


    "I''ve also got a lot of titles, but...there''s no specific reason to change it." There was no way a title that surpassed Disaster of Mankind existed for me, despite obtaining a considerable number of titles during the stage, especially when I defeated the ogres. After all, I could not feel my statscking.


    "Well, it''s not important right now anyway." I shook off the idle thoughts from my mind and ced my hand on the chest of the steel doll in front of me.


    Oooouhhhhhh-! Avatar-11 was a small-sized Gigas with a rtively short height of 1.5 meters. ''No, technically speaking, it''s not right to refer to this as a Gigas. Should I call it an Android or an Automatic Weapon instead?'' It weighed 35 kilograms and was lightweight, but it possessed strength and agility that was close to the 200 points figure. It also had exceptional durability, so it had a power output that could surpass the average yers. I looked at Avatar-11.


    Kwan Dae-ha


    Level 5


    Avatar-11


    Although the Metal Alien was expectedly nothing short of a pushover for me, it was a formidable enemy for Avatar. To put it nicely, it was just an Avatar that couldn¡¯t make use of my spiritual powers. Not only was it impossible to use Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, which was a type of Life Energy, but even spiritual powers and elemental power couldn''t be used. However, this fact didn''t matter.


    There is sufficient data. My Battle A.I is the best in the Leonhardt Empire, so trust me and leave it to me. Just like what Genie said, we had injected a sufficient amount of data which was the strategy guide that I made while running on my two feet during the Level 10 Intermediate-difficulty, first-round.


    ''Of course, data chips that are made out of iron can only contain information. It can''t even serve as a battery for spiritual power, let alone an Iron Heart that endlessly produces soul power.'' However, targeting the stage with the robot''s unique physical abilities was enough. It could be conjectured just by looking at the title of the final strategy of the Iron Mask strategy guide, which I broadcasted over the Inte and on public TV.


    - Even the tiger next door is doing it too! Clearing the Level 10 stage at level 3.


    To clear the Level 10 stage with Level 3 stats, it was important to know the overall mapposition, the monsters¡¯ movement, location and method of activation of the traps, all the farming locations, as well as background knowledge of the stage. Moreover, the ytime would be over 70 hours, but it being a possible feat to achieve was more important.


    Of course, there was a little bit of a guilty conscience to have to y the game this way. However, if the game wasposed of such shitty hardbor, tweaking with the macro was something that should at least be put up with.


    "Gigas Call." As I concentrated and mustered up my Aura, the steel doll standing next to me floated up into the air. The coordinates of my body was shared by my real body in reality and the body here. Hence, I could now recall to the front of the iron statue if I wished for it. It was a simr phenomenon to when I could obtain the items bought from the gacha machine in the stage while I was in the Unique World. "Type. Avatar-11."


    Shiiiiingg! I could see the view of the stage that had disappeared from sight. I saw it not from the body that was in reality as before, but as a reflection from the Udjat which I was wearing. "Genie. Go!"


    Connection Checked. Avatar-11. Begin operating.


    Avatar-11, which was summoned to the stage, began to operate. After confirming that Avatar-11 started farming for the main equipment, I sat on arge chair which was on one side of the workshop with all kinds of wires connected and all types of spells engraved on it. This was the center of the Barracks, the crystallization of all my manufacturing skills that absorbed my soul power and automatically activated my skills and attributes. It was the Factory Manager''s Seat.


    Kiikiikiinggg! Chiiikingggg! Wiiiiingggg! If one were to listen carefully, vibrations and metallic sounds could be heard resonating from the huge building that was connected to the chair. The facility designed by Genie and built by me started printing out the Avatar Series as if it was a Barrack that poured out marine soldiers in a game. All sorts of attributes were applied to the bodies of the Avatar Series because it operated by absorbing my soul power.


    ''Of course, I did not personally make it, so they were only granted 1 level attributes¡­ No, perhaps 2 levels down.'' However, it didn''t matter. The final product was only Level 5, and high-quality attributes weren''t needed for mass-produced products created from a factory.


    "And here..." I took out an iron mask and put it on, while feeling my soul power being sucked out of me.


    Shiiiiiiing! The surroundings brightened up in an instant. The Factory Manager''s Seat which I sat on turned into a splendidly decorated throne. Fortunately, there was no problem with the functions connected to the factory.


    - You are in the Grand Master rank.


    As the honorary throne began to operate, the diminished soul power quickly recovered. Moreover, the speed of recovery was rtively faster than the speed of consumption!


    "All right, we''re ready!" Having said that, I leaned back and raised my left hand. ''Chwareukkk!'', along with a sharp metallic sound, the watch-shaped Shadow Stalker reformed to a ck glossy pistol. "If a problem surfaces, wake me up."


    Have a good night''s sleep.


    "I asked you to wake me up, but I''m not actually sleeping. If I did sleep, it wouldn¡¯t even feel like a single second of rest,¡± I answered Genie and pulled the trigger just like that. With the clucking sound, the Time-Space Freeze Shell was activated and...time passed.

 Vol 2. 69: The Salvation of God (6)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 69: The Salvation of God (6)</h4>


    When the stage of the Project End was first opened, the zombie monsters of the Level 1 Low-difficulty gave 1 point, the Intermediate-difficulty monsters gave five, and the High-difficulty monsters gave 10 points, which was 10 times as many. The zombie monsters of the Level 2 Low-difficulty gave five points, the Intermediate-difficulty monsters gave 25, which was five times as many points aspared to the corresponding Low-difficulty stage. The High-difficulty monsters gave 50 points.


    Even as the stage progressed, the reward points consistently kept at this ratio. If the difficulty level went up by one, the points awarded was five times higher. The rewards of Intermediate and High-difficulty were respectively five and 10 times higher than those of the Low-difficulty stage.


    Looking back, the clear rewards of the Project End were fairly generous. If the participant only had one job, they could catch up with the corresponding level by consuming an Experience Potion if they cleared the stage just once. Of course, additional clears were needed if the participant wanted to buy an elixir or a Magic Armament. However, considering that they would literally have to kill tens of thousands of demons in order to level up in the parallel world by hunting demons, it was an extremely generous reward.


    ''The problem is that, in exchange for such generosity, a difficulty level that can kill all the challengers is set.''


    Anyway, most importantly, the stage was pretty generous when it came to awarding points. And those generous points¡­ ''I spent it all on buying iron ores.''


    I had cleared every stage at least tens or hundreds of times, and even as many as over a thousand times. In particr, after clearing the Level 9 High-difficulty stage 1,000 times, which awarded 2,343,750 points for every clear, I could obtain 2,343,750 tons of iron ore just with those points. It was such an enormous amount that actually surpassed the size of the Unique World. ''Because the Iron ore is pretty cheap.''


    There were four basic resources in the Materials section sold by the gacha machine: wood, stone, iron, and mana stone. Other yers, countries, andpanies had sold their minds to get their hands on the mana stones in particr, but I didn''t even bother to pay it any heed. All I needed was iron, or iron ore, to be exact. I had no need to buy any elixirs or equipment from the gacha machine, so I could purchase more than 4 million tons of iron ore. The amount was huge enough to challenge the scale of a country, but¡­


    Captain-nim. Genie woke me up and said, We''re running out of iron ores.


    "¡­What??" As I felt dumbfounded, a text popped up in front of my eyes...


    -Thest person.


    - One examinee is currently in the midst of proceeding with the test.


    I waspletely unsurprised by the fact that I was thest person, since it was expected for me to be thest person ever since Ipleted the Barracks Build. However, I could not remain calm at the text that appeared next.


    -The number of Death Processions currently remaining: 111,126,777 people.


    "No, wait, I''ve been ying long enough to be thest person and have my supply of iron ore run out. Yet, the death toll remains this high?" It was something I could not understand. The Three Shins that Juan had made imparted the power of the Weapon of Justice, the Language of Truth, and the Throne of Honor, but the clear rate was even lower than during the Level 9 stages.


    Because the difficulty level of the stage has exceeded the wall of the Compl¨¦ters.


    "Still..."


    Also, there would be those who suffer from the selection of the Three Shins instead.


    "Ahh." I nodded in understanding. Those who were negative would bergely irrelevant, since there wouldn''t be any inconvenience in proceeding with the stage just from getting a tattoo on their skin. However, what about those who had a long nose? That was possibly a meter long? If they were to hide in the fridge, they wouldn''t be able to close the door. If they hid in the alley, their nose might even stick out. Then, what if every seat had thorns sticking out of it? The scale of the stage had grown so big that sleep was undoubtedly a necessity, so what if sharp thorns pricked at their skin whenever they sat orid down?


    "There must be a lot of wicked guys among the high-ranking members. Well, looking at the parallel world''s pathetic state, it seems that the high-ranking ability users didn¡¯t live a virtuous life. They all probably lived however they wanted,¡± I muttered. It didn''t matter if they cleared the stage once or twice, since it was expected that there would be a huge problem with clearing the stage. Unfortunately, that was not all.


    ''When the stage is cleared and others need to be saved... Of course a human being would want to save the good rather than the wicked. If they didn''t save the good, and saved the wicked instead, they would fear for the fact that the wicked acts might be aggravated. Juan, this bastard...'' Only then did I realize. ''He has no intention of saving all mankind.''


    Come to think of it, Juan was able to exert his authority from the beginning when he started Project End. If the Three Shins had been brought down to give mankind time to adapt to thews of Justice, Truth, and Honor when there was still room to breathe in the situation on Earth, mankind would have proceeded through the stage with much more ease. In other words...


    ''He''s thinking of reducing the human poption.'' To be exact, I could feel his intention of wanting to eradicate some wicked humans from the current human race. It was simr to collecting only what you needed when cleaning up your desk, and shaking off the dust and throwing the trash into the trash can.


    "Well, it isn''t an immediate matter of concern." I just remembered that the stage I had to clear was still in full swing, and checked my status.


    - You are in the Grand Master rank.


    - You have been down-ranked to Diamond due to the current power consumption.


    The Grand Master Rank was downgraded to the Diamond rank, which was below the Master Rank. I thought my speed of recovery was faster than the soul energy consumed in maintaining the Barracks, but that didn''t seem to be the case. I asked, "How many times did I clear the stage, Genie? How much time has passed?"


    The number of clears done is 45,113,322 times, and the time it took was...approximately 260,000 years, said Genie in a calm voice.


    "..." It was an outrageous amount of time, but I had expected just as much. It was to skip past this tremendous amount of time that the Avatar recorded, which had a much slower clear timepared to me clearing it myself.


    Oh! You''re up? Do something about the characteristics of this toy! I can''t put on a sub-armament because the endurance is toocking!


    "Huh?" As I turned my head towards the unexpected voice, I saw a silver giant approaching from far behind. Needless to say, it was the God-rank Gigas, Ares, with something in his hand. I looked and, at first nce, it seemed to be an Avatar that looked like a mere figurine in the hands of Ares, who was the size of a 10-story building.


    Kwan Dae-ha


    Level 9


    Avatar-1761


    "Wow, 1761 huh." I blinked in surprise. The number was only affixed to the back of the model when a significant improvement was done to the model, which led it to be different from the previous ones.


    I started using Avatar-11 because the Avatars of one to 10 weren¡¯t capable enough to clear the stage, and they were only made for testing. Only then did I create Avatar-12 after that. What about the number 1761? Was there more than a thousand significant upgrades that were great enough to change the model¡¯s name? Furthermore, the level was even more terrifying; Level 9. If an Avatar with such stats were to y with my strategy guide, they''d be able to conquer the stage at a speed that surpassed most Masters.


    "No, wait, I can''t raise my attribute levels because I''m at a standstill. How did it then raise its level to this extent? The material is almost entirely made of steel."


    Spiritual power is not necessarily the only thing that can improve the performance of a machine. We mustn''t ignore the power of science.


    Exactly. That''s right. Although it is a trash-like toy, it''s kind of fun after all the improvements! After saying so, Ares put the ¡°figurine¡±, Avatar-1761, in his hand down.


    "Huh?" I was shocked by its unexpectedly huge size. I eximed, "What is this? It''s about 2.5 meters tall though?" The Avatar series was made at a rtively small 1.5 meters, because the goal was not speed but stability in clearing the stage. Therefore, an extremely high performance was not needed. The goal was to make it function with as little iron ore as possible, so it focused on covertness and search ability. The strategy wasn''t based on the avatar series itself, but on the weapons and structures hidden throughout the stage.


    Oh, right. I should show in order.


    "In order?"


    Genie answered my question, Yes, Captain-nim. Currently, there are three types of machines that can be considered finished products.


    "Three types, huh. It means they have different styles then."


    That''s right. As Genie said so, Ares reached to one side and brought out a new Avatar series.


    Kwan Dae-ha


    Level 4


    Avatar-421


    It was extremely small in size, unlike the Avatar series that Ares first brought in. From the side, its head was about as big as my pelvis, and its level was lower than the Avatar-11 I made.


    Ares spoke with confidence, Avatar-421. The one who stands at the ultimate spot of your Avatar series. It''s 88 centimeters tall and weighs 18 kilograms. Shortest stage clear time is 54 hours, and the longest is a maximum of 77 hours. I made version 422 by reducing the weight, but I almost closed the stage because I was beaten in thest battle.


    "You''re saying this little guy can clear the stage, huh." I held Avatar-421 up. It was an Avatar who was lighter than a purchasable sack of rice at a mart, and it looked like a small kid.


    Isn''t it amazing? Avatar-421 is...


    "The name is too long. This brat is¡­ Okay, let''s call it Goblin."


    Avatar type, Goblin, huh.


    I was inwardly surprised to see Ares nodding his head. ''This guy.'' I could feel affectioning from Ares¡¯ eyes as he looked at the small robot. There was no way that a sudden friendship could form between an avatar and an ego-less robot, so it was probably his sense of pride from improving the avatar himself. ''I didn''t expect him to do this.''


    After stopping my time, Genie and Ares had already finished talking about what to do before the stage even started. Both of them put their consciousness on standby and then turned on only the basic program. It seemed as if they wanted to wake up once in a while to check on the status, but the current atmosphere seemingly indicated that they wanted to improve the Avatar series by waking up for a long time, even if it wasn''t 200,000 years.


    Next up is Avatar-888. It''s this one. Again, Ares'' hand thumped and ced the Avatar series down in front of me.


    Kwan Dae-ha


    Level 8


    Avatar-888


    Avatar-888 is based on the Captain-nim''s Level 6 long-range strategy approach. It is 130 centimeters tall and weighs 30 kilograms. The stage clear time has been reduced to a minimum of 37 hours and a maximum of 44 hours.


    Avatar-888 was an impressive machine with erged bulky arms, which had foldable catapults installed on each side. Looking at it, I asked, "A maximum stage clear time of 44 hours is extremely fast, though?"


    It also has the advantage of being extremely stable. Although there is a prerequisite to be fully aware of the map configuration, if the form of the next stage changes to an open-format, we can expect it to y a more active part.


    I listened to Ares and looked closely at Avatar-888, which had arms long enough to drag along the floor and specially-processed steel parts and joints that exerted enormous tension. I then said, "Let''s call this guy Hunter. Thest one, of course, is..."


    That''s right. It is this one. Avatar-1761 is a new product that''s built from scratch to achieve innovative performance within a given limit!


    I looked at the machine that Ares had put down at the very beginning. It was a final product that had apletely different style from the two preceding models, including overall shape, joint shape, and size. Considering that the model right before this, Hunter, was No. 888 and this was No. 1761, I could see how much heart and soul Genie and Ares had put in this guy.


    Still, I voiced a concern, "But isn''t it too big?" Avatar-1761 was not a waste of material. Without external armors, there was no supporting armament that enveloped its skeleton-only body. It was an end product that challenged the prerequisite of using as little iron as possible, because no matter how much they tried to save, it wouldn''t change the fact that the size itself was a cost. Avatar-1761, which was 2.5 meters tall, looked to be more than 100 kilograms no matter how I looked at it.


    Avatar-1761. 255 centimeters in height and weighs 94kg.


    "It''s lighter than I thought, but... Still, we can make five goblins with this much material though?" I pointed out. It was over once the stage was cleared anyway, and it was impossible to reuse it due to the nature of the stage, so what value was there in the human-form that had no special characteristics?


    That''s right, but Captain-nim¡­ Genie answered calmly as I questioned this matter. Avatar-1761''s stage clear time is¡­ Strangely, the voice contained pride, A minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 9.

 Vol 2. 70: The Salvation of God (7)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 70: The Salvation of God (7)</h4>


    A minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 9 hours.


    "... What?"


    I was speechless by such drastic shortening. How could the stage suddenly be cleared within 10 hours when Goblin had taken a minimum of 54 hours and a maximum of 77 hours, and Hunter, who drastically reduced the clear time, had taken a minimum of 36 and a maximum of 44 hours.


    Surprised?


    Ares'' teasing remarks bewildered me and had me spitting out my words in response.


    "It doesn''t make sense though? No, how does Avatar-1761 target to clear the stage within 10 hours? Isn''t this almost like running around the stage? Don''t tell me they really run around?"


    I asked in bewilderment, but it was actually ridiculous. What was the background context of the Level 10 stage? It was the Lake Stacy of ''Silence''.


    The term silence was not affixed to the name of the stage for no reason. Silence was a concept that permeated through the entire Level 10 stage.


    ''Because the Metal Aliens have very good hearing.''


    They woulde running from afar while screaming even if the yer''s footsteps were a little loud. The Metal Aliens did not care about each other''s scream (Perhaps because they yell at each other every time they''re bored), so there wasn''t a situation where they gathered at one location at the same time as the scream was heard. However, if the battle grew longer and it got noisy, it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that the situation might turn into a 1 against 5 battle.


    But didn''t you take less than half an hour, Captain-nim?


    "No, I''m a different case."


    At the Level 10 stage, I did not farm for main equipment or secondary equipment. Because there wasn''t a need to do so. Metal Aliens were literally pushovers to me. For that reason, the stage would end if I just catch and kill these bastards that were screaming loudly and doing needless actions. It was still Level 10 Intermediate-difficulty and not High-difficulty, so that stage was of a bearable standard.


    However, it was apletely different situation for Avatar-1761, who had neither metal elemental affinity nor Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights. It was a surprising matter that it possessed a Level 9 performance, but unfortunately, the Metal Alien was a Level 10 monster, which was a higher level than Avatar-1761.


    Level 10 was regarded as the most noteworthy wall that separated the realm of the Compl¨¦ter. A single level was not the only difference between Level 9 and Level 10. In a head-to-head confrontation, five to 10 units of Avatar-1761 had to rush forth together to deal with a single Metal Alien.


    Just in time, the stage this time is over. Genie announced.


    "Hmm?" I operated Udjat which I was wearing and looked into the stage. It was a connection that used my body in the stage as a repeater. I could see the figure of thest Metal Alien lying down on the floor.


    -Do you want to start the next battle? If you knock down the enemies in quick session, your number of clears will cancel the corresponding number of Death Procession. At the end of the stage, the Death Procession that isn''t retracted will be confirmed and cannot be reversed.


    A guidance announcement appeared in front of my eyes, and then...


    Start. The speaker in my hand, which turned into an iron statue, replied. Even if the stage was fully cleared by Avatar-1761, I was the one taking the test, so the reply shoulde from where my body was.


    Shiiiiiing!


    The background changed in an instant. This time again, the starting point was on the bed.


    Wiiiiiiing!


    In an instant, the Factory Manager''s Seat that I was sitting on sucked in my soup power. At the same time, Avatar-1761, which was standing in front of me, disappeared.


    Shiiiiiing!


    Appearing before me in an iron statue state, Avatar-1761 swiftly got off the bed without making any sounds. Then, he paused for a while.


    "What is it doing?"


    It''s sucking in the air. It''s thoroughly refining it to prevent any foreign substances.


    The moment the question ''Air? Why?'', popped up in my mind, there was a word that I recalled. Come to think of it, Avatar-1761 had apletely different body shape from the two preceding machines.


    "...Pneumatic-style? Did you perhaps build a pneumatic-style artificial muscle?"


    That''s right. It''s true that the stage is dry, but... At least there''s air present here.


    "I wondered why it was built so big, so that''s why. But why? Doesn''t it have the special characteristic, Steel Muscles?"


    Usually, the motor ability of a Gigas came from its artificial muscles that were hydraulically driven. When the oil-resistant tube, that boasted ultra-high-strength knitted fiber, was expanded with hydraulic pressure, it would result in an artificial muscle with a sheath tube that contracted length-wise.


    The artificial muscle could delicately control forces that were at least a few kilograms, and up to tens or hundreds of tons. Combined with linking instruments, the artificial muscle could operate like joints. Hence, it was naturally taken into ount in the manufacturing of a Gigas because it did not need many resources like putting on armor, but it was a necessary technology to allow the Gigas to move on its own.


    However, I gave up on the artificial muscles in the end because the materials I could use were only wood, stone, and iron. Of course, tubes and knitted fibers were not avable, but above all, there was no oil.


    ''Oil? There isn''t even water.''


    The liquids sold in the gacha machine were elixirs or potions that must be used immediately because they couldn''t be brought to reality. So, Genie and Ares were probably made of pneumatic-style artificial muscles and not hydraulic-style artificial muscles.


    The pneumatic-style muscles upied arger volume aspared to the hydraulic-style, but at least it could work.


    ''But despite so, it won''t be able to keep up with the power output of the steel muscles...''


    Genie agreed as if she had guessed my inner thoughts, Steel muscles arefortable.


    The effect of Steel Muscles was simple. All it did was granting metal contracting and rxing properties.


    However, the effects of such a simple property were so significant that if a metal with this property was used as a material, it could easily produce a Gigas with motor ability. In particr, the stronger the soul power granted, the stronger the output. Hence, as my level increased, I could give it more and more powerful superhuman strength. However, Ares'' huge head shook in disagreement.


    We just wanted to use that special property... Ultimately, we have to give up what''sfortable in order to increase performance to the extreme.


    "Instead of steel muscles... You wanted to reinforce other properties?"


    That''s right.


    The total amount of properties I could give was proportional to the total amount of metal given. If I could give 1 property to 1 kilogram of iron, then I could only give 2 properties to 2 kilograms of iron. In other words, the more types of properties granted, the weaker each property became.


    "So then, what property did you want to add?"


    I couldn''t add new properties because I was at a standstill.


    The property cartridges I added to the Barracks were Concentric Circle, Reinforcement, Restoration, and the Attribute Resistance of me, Frost, and Thunder. In addition to that, there was the Steel Muscles that I had invested the longest time in, which came to a total of only seven.


    You''ll figure it out if you keep looking.


    "My God, just tell me."


    I grumbled and looked at Avatar-1761 in the eye. It grabbed a towel near the bed and covered its feet thickly with it. It was to mask his footsteps.


    "It''s near the archives room huh. Then I can hide my body in the cab."


    That''s exactly what it is.


    As we talked, Avatar-1761 lifted my body up, took it to a cab on one side of the archives room, and closed the door. After that, it went as nned; as per the ystyle that was done while targeting the stage countless times.


    Avatar-1761 searched each lodging and farmed bullets as well as secondary weapons. All the personal lockers in the lodging were locked, so it had to search personal diaries or identity cards to find the password. Someone''s daughter''s birthday, a lover''s birthday, their own name, or their resident registration number[1], and so on.


    "¡­This is normal though?"


    It was slowly and calmly clearing the stage. I checked the time and it had already spent 3 hours on this task alone. You''re trying to tell me that it was possible to clear the stage in a minimum of 4 hours when Avatar-1761 had already spent this much time on the initial farming step?


    However, as soon as the farming was finished to some extent, the atmosphere changed rapidly.


    Swhhooook.


    Avatar-1761, which had been moving with a low posture, straightened itself. That was not all. It even took off the towel that was wrapped around its feet.


    "... What is it? Really now?"


    I gaped at its behavior. I couldn''t believe it, I didn''t expect it to do this, but it really did.


    Thump! Tadadadak!!


    Like a track and field athlete, Avatar-1761 started running without hesitation. The noise generated by Avatar-1761''s steel boots trampling on Lake Stacy''s floor was definitely not soft. The sound of ringing in the hallway was loud even for me hearing it through the speakers.


    "No, wait, that crazy guy is really running!?"


    ''Was there perhaps some other step to do?'', I thought, but that wasn''t it. As soon as Avatar-1761 ran, a Metal Alien appeared from beyond the hallway along with a roar. That was not all.


    "Kieeeeehkkkkkk---!!"


    A newly heard roar was resonating from the floor below. At the same time, Avatar-1761 attracted the aggro of two Metal Aliens!


    "Hide for now!"


    I screamed, but instead of avoiding where the Metal Aliens were standing, Avatar-1761 pulled out a gun hanging on its back.


    -Finished loading the Annihtion Bullet.


    Along with the sound of a machine, a gun that looked like a bazooka was aze on fire.


    Destiny, the Gun of Fate. It was the main weapon that had to be used to progress through the Level 10 stage, just like the pistol or rifles found on Level 1 to 6. A Stage IV Civilization weapon that possessed a mighty power!


    It was thest bastion created by Lake Stacy''s researchers after some were ughtered by the Metal Aliens who were experimental subjects. A weapon that was made with their tenacity to survive and to exterminate the Metal Aliens no matter the cost! Destiny had the power to kill a Metal Alien in a single shot, as it was made by researchers who experimented with the Metal Aliens.


    However...


    "No, we''re short of bullets, aren''t we!"


    Destiny''s bullet, the Annihtion Bullet, only appeared two or three times even after scouring the entire Lake Stacy. If it wanted to defeat all the Metal Aliens with Destiny, then the Energy of Luck would probably have to be equipped. Furthermore, Avatar-1761 currently only had one bullet, but he picked up Destiny and fired without hesitation.


    "Kyaaaaaaaaak!"


    In an instant, the body of the Metal Alien, who was rushing towards Avatar-1761 from ahead, was inted. Feeling threatened by Destiny which was aiming at it, the Metal Alien abandoned a part of its body to create a defense barrier!


    However, it was not the first Metal Alien on the very front that Avatar-1761 was after.


    "Keuckkk?!"


    The bullet struck the broken elevator that was in the distance, and the Metal Alien which wasing up had its head erased from the face of the world. It was killed futilely perhaps because it was totally unexpected.


    "Kyaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"


    In an instant, the Metal Alien which was close to Avatar-1761 released its defense posture. As if it had been waiting for it, the Metal Alien changed to a smooth posture and charged towards Avatar-1761. However, Avatar-1761 reacted to it as if it had been waiting for it too.


    Wiiiiiing!


    Avatar-1761 pulled out the Ultra-Vibration de that was hung on its back. It was a sub-armament that Avatar-1761 farmed in Lake Stacy.


    Kwakkkkk!


    Metal Alien''s tail struck Avatar-1761 like a whip and Avatar-1761''s left leg was smashed, then its body greatly twisted. Metal Alien took a step for a while and after checking that Avatar-1761''s posture had copsed, it prated through like a thunderbolt.


    ''As expected, it''s only a pushover to me. But to others, it''s not an easy opponent at all.''


    The Metal Alien jumped two steps in ce even in that brief moment. It wasn''t just running mindlessly, but instead, it was looking for the perfect chance to attack by looking at the enemy''s reaction. Before Avatar-1761 could realize it, the Metal Alien was holding an Ultra-Vibration de on its hand. Avatar-1761 aimed at the enemy with a sharp strike, but Metal Alien was faster.


    Squakkk!


    Metal Alien sliced Avatar-1761''s right arm with the Ultra-Vibration de and cut its chest. Avatar-1761''s attack cut at the air as its arm holding the Ultra-Vibration de was cut off.


    Victory and defeat was decided in an instant! That was what seemed to have happened, but... That was not the case.


    Thaaaaang!


    Avatar-1761''s right arm, which had been cut off, spun along with a metallic sound in the air and threw the Ultra-Vibration de towards its left hand. Based on the structure of the arm, it seems that it was a function originally built into the right arm of Avatar-1761 from the very beginning. This meant that all of these fierce battles were being fought with a n.


    Kwakkkkk!


    After seeding in a fatal attack, the Metal Alien''s neck, which was rxed for a moment, was hit by Avatar-1761 who was holding on to the Ultra-Vibration de with its left hand. The Metal Alien''s Ultra-Vibration de was stuck in Avatar-1761''s torso, causing even the Metal Alien, which had a monster-like sense, to be beaten without being able to avoid it.


    Booom! Boooom!


    Avatar-1761 and the Metal Alien copsed on the floor. Lake Stacy, which had been in amotion for a while, fell into silence. The result was that both of them died. Avatar-1761 and the Metal Alien were both out of action.


    "¡­Wow."


    I let out an exmation without realizing it in the face of the fierce and intense battle. Excluding the farming, wasn''t it apletely different ystyle from the previous strategy guide? It was literally a ''no turning back'' ystyle.


    Kriekkkkk. Thuckkk.


    Perhaps because of the Ultra-Vibration de which was still operating, the dangling waist of Avatar-1761 finally broke apart and its upper body rolled on the floor. It was a disastrous situation, but...


    "I see." Rather, I realized by the way it looked.


    "It''s Restoration. It''s giving up on the Steel Muscles and strengthening the Restoration property."


    That''s correct.


    Avatar-1761''s body, which had been amputated and destroyed, was gradually starting to recover. It was the effect of the Restoration property, but the effect it exhibited was amazing.


    "At this rate... Even Reinforcement might even be discarded."


    As long as the Ultra-Vibration de given as a sub-armament was providing extreme attack power... It doesn''t need the power output and the defense ability that was more than necessary.


    "But if so, how will the performance be increased?"


    The fact that all the properties were restored back to Level 9 due to the effect of Restoration was an incredible feat in itself. Without the powerful muscle strength that stemmed from the Steel Muscles, nor the iprehensible sturdiness that Reinforcement provided, wasn''t Avatar-1761 just a normal robot that recovered itself when broken?


    However, Genie exined a different scenario.


    Don''t look down on the mechanical engineering of the Leonhardt Empire. Though it was culled after the appearance of Iron Heart... Just five hundred years ago, it dominated the universe with Gigas that were made of pure scientific technology.


    And Ares, who possessed the Iron Heart, added his opinion.


    There are quite a few androids that could even beat a Compl¨¦ter to death in a 1 to 1. Though, the production cost was so crazily expensive that it became a trend to incorporate magical technology. Ah, for your information, you do know that a crazy amount goes to the production cost even if magical technology isbined, right?


    "Then isn''t it just better to employ Compl¨¦ters since thebor costs are cheaper?"


    While I was dumbfounded, time continued to flow and Avatar-1761''s body recovered. Avatar-1761 lightly checked its condition and started running after picking up the weapons rolling on the floor. Then, Avatar-1761 self-destructed with another Metal Alien again. Next, the other two Metal Aliens were killed with two bullets.


    It took 3 hours and 50 minutes to clear the stage. It was a new record.


    1. ?????? in Korean, it is basically Korea''s equivalent to a social security number.

 Vol 2. 71: The Salvation of God (8)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 71: The Salvation of God (8)</h4>


    -Do you want to start the next battle? If you knock down the enemies in quick session, your number of clears will cancel the corresponding number of Death Procession. At the end of the stage, the Death Procession that isn''t retracted will be confirmed and cannot be reversed.


    Start. The speaker my body held onto spoke, and the next stage began.


    The Gigas Call was automatically triggered and the next Avatar-1761 was summoned to the stage. I clicked my tongue at that sight, because I recalled the fact that the iron ores were all used up due to its current appearance. "It''s still a fully-working Gigas, but they used a new one, huh."


    It''s a characteristic of the stage, so it can''t be helped.


    Summoned Things, or equipment, such as fired arrows and already lost weapons, that the yer was not equipped with when the stage was cleared would disappear upon re-challenging the stage. The Avatar series, which was called out from the Unique World, seemed to be recognized as part of the Summoned Things. The proof was that even if the Avatar series was stuck close to my body before clearing the stage, it disappeared when I re-challenged the stage. It seemed the only recognized equipment were those equipped as soon as I entered the stage.


    "At the very least, it''s fortunate that it doesn''t disappearpletely."


    Although it''s useless on the stage this time.


    Disappeared objects crossed over to reality instead of disappearing into thin air. I had seen those objects appearing around my body when I went back to reality after every stage.


    "Hmm." I looked at the other machines standing behind me. Goblin, Hunter, and Avatar-1761. Then, I asked, "How much iron ore do we have left?"


    Currently about 13 tons of iron ore remain.


    "That''s a lot, isn''t it? I thought you said that there wasn''t much left."


    Genie replied to my question, We started at 4 million tons, Captain-nim.


    "Ahhh, right." I nodded. Besides, more than 110 million Death Processions still remained, so the actual fact was that we had far less iron ore than what was required. I stopped talking and looked at Avatar-1761. Then, I looked at Goblin, which consumed more than four times the iron ore needed, so it was an absolutely bad choice in terms of efficiency. However, considering my increasing capabilities as a producer, improvement and development was clearly a necessary process. Also, Genie and Ares were basically helping me cut short on the path I had to take to an extreme point¡­


    ''It''s extreme.'' The battle method, which was assumed to smash the entire body, was the kind of thing that a living human being would not dare to imitate. ''But it''s intense.'' If so, there was only one name for it.


    "Can you show me the blueprint for Goblin, Hunter, and Berserker?"


    Berserker... You mean?


    "Yes, the way Avatar-1761 fought was just like a Berserker."


    Okay!


    Keuuuu! Yes, that''s exactly what it feels like! It will never back off and then goes...Kabooom!!


    Listening to the two seemingly happy control personas, I confirmed the number of machines remaining. Aside from 13 tons of iron ore, there were more than 50 finished Avatar series; 30 units of Goblin, 10 units of Hunter, and 10 units of Berserker. I then said, "Stop with the production now, and proceed with the stage by using Goblin."


    Do you n to do more?


    "You have done it in my stead thus far, so it''ll be a pity to just end it," Imented, knowing that Genie and Ares had tried as much as mechanical engineering permitted. The materials were limited, so it was actually amazing that they were able to make improvements that came close to a Compl¨¦ter. However, that was not a spiritual reinforcement. "Bring me the parts."


    Seems like you''re nning to strengthen the properties.


    "Because there''s no reason to meddle with the design that you both have thought about for a long time."


    Genie''s Metal Bodies moved diligently and ced Goblin''s parts next to me. Although the parts were still not granted a property, they were produced in the giant facilities built in the Unique World by Genie. They had unimaginable sturdiness and resilience.


    Whoooong---! I picked up one of the parts and started injecting Aura in. I concentrated the Aura emitting throughout my entire body at a single point. From the reproduction of ordinary steel, it soon became something that possessed a special property.


    Wiggleee! The steel, which was too tough to even be scratched by a heavy-hitting hammer, twitched like living flesh. It pulsated as if blood flowed inside, repeatedly contracting and rxing. It was a thing of wonder that would cause the scientists on Earth to scream if they saw it! It was the implementation of the Steel Muscles property.


    I stabilized the burning Aura, rested for a while, and ced my hand on the next part. If the parts I touched a while ago were internal organs, then I was now working on the exterior parts.


    Groarrrrr-! I named it Goblin, but it had an outward appearance simr to a skeleton to minimize the consumption of iron ore. Its armor parts, permeating in a silver Aura, had already beenpressed close to the limit with rolled steel tes. Yet, it was now beingpressed beyond thews of physics to be even thinner. It gained even more sturdiness and resilience which had surpassed the limit. It was the implementation of the Reinforcement property.


    In short, I applied a property to each part of Goblin. Genie then took the parts that were granted with a property to assemble and finish building Goblin.


    Kwan Dae-ha


    Level 6


    Reinforced-type, Goblin


    The level of Goblin had increased by two even though it had the same properties and materials. This was unsurprising, since the properties imbued via cartridges for mass production and the properties that I personally granted wouldn''t be the same.


    "Since it could be confusing..." I put my hand on the back of Goblin''s head and exhibited my elemental affinity''s ability. The word Goblin (Level 6) was engraved on the back of its head. "Hmm." I pondered about it for a second and added one line below it.


    -by Iron Mask


    "Hehe."


    As I smiled awkwardly and took my left arm off of Goblin''s head to check the time, Genie answered before I could do so, 2 hours and 47 minutes have passed.


    "Time flew, huh. How long does it take to imbue Goblin with the properties at the Barracks?"


    More than 12 hours and 30 minutes.


    "That means manual work is much faster, huh," I acknowledged. Even in the case of Berserkers, it took less than 10 hours to clear the stage. So, if I proceeded with the stage only with the Berserkers, then production would be pushed back. ''Of course, if the production is dyed, then I''ll just proceed with the Goblins.''


    I went through the same process, making Hunter(Level 8) and Berserker(Level 10). I repeated the process in the ways I saw fit.


    "Hmm. I''m not getting any better at all." I repeated hardbor because I thought that, no matter what spiritual ability it was, the most effective method to train would be repetitive action. However, only the production time was reduced, and the end product did not really differ much. "Genie, smelt all the iron ore and disassemble the previously made Hunters and Berserkers by parts. I''ll be making new ones."


    Yes, Captain-nim.


    I focused again on imbuing the properties as I saw Genie''s Metal Bodies diligently moving and arranging the parts. I then wondered, ''Should I increase the type of properties?''


    If someone other than me had the ability to imbue properties, they would perhaps only be able to grant a few properties throughout their life. This was because properties could only be imbued based mainly on the abilities that one fully understood and embodied. It was just like when I created the Concentric Circle property when I first handled vibration; extremely disciplined skill, innate talent, tribal attributes or very intense individuality. Moreover, even among them, only a few fell within the bounds where that particr property could be granted to items. However, it was different for me.


    "Book."


    *Abilities of the Day!


    eleration


    Pressure


    Conservation


    sh


    I was able to extract Abilities from the book to create a property. Of course, not all Abilities could be freely extracted.


    ''sh! Can''t sh be extracted?!'' I tried it out of greed, but failed. It was difficult to get a sense of it perhaps because it was a spatial-type attribute. It did not matter that it was just a normal-grade Ability.


    The funny thing was that I seeded in making Steel Muscles, which could be considered a Rare-grade Ability, into a property. ''It''s probably possible because I''m a species that frequently uses muscles.'' If the craftsman which possessed this ability was a species that did not have muscles, the Kendler tribe for example, then acquiring the Steel Muscles property would have been as difficult as obtaining a Unique-grade Ability.


    ''Then what about eleration?'' Simply by looking at it, the attribute was as difficult to make as sh. If sh was a spatial-type attribute, then eleration was a temporal-type attribute. However, properties were not necessarily made from attributes that one possessed. Like most living things, I also felt time as I lived day-to-day even if I didn''t feel space.


    Skill. You have acquired the skill to grant the eleration property (Unique)!


    "...I know, I know alright. This is really useless." I frowned at the text that appeared. It was the same with the kkokdugaksi[1], and also with the Unique World. The mission system''s skill was of no use. I had stat points, but since I didn''t have skill points, it could only y the role of providing information on the level of abilities that I already had.


    Skill. You have acquired the skill to grant the Pressure property(Unique)!


    I was starting to increase the number of properties I could grant. There were plenty of opportunities for training. I had Napoleon''s Iron Heart, whichpensated the enormous soul power, so it was entirely doable if I kept trying without rest. There was also plenty of food now, which used to be a problem when in shortage...


    Mehhhhhh~ Oink oink! Cockadoodledoo!


    "¡­Wow." I went for a walk around the Unique World andughed in vain at the barn on one side. A huge number of livestock were being raised in a ten-story building. That was not all. "It''s vast."


    200,000 years have passed, Captain-nim. This was the only thing that could be done, because the resources of the Unique World are limited.


    "Where did the soile from?"


    After smelting the iron ores, there were quite a few impurities left behind that could be used as soil.


    "So that''s what happened, huh." I saw vast farnd that stretched out towards the horizon. It was a massive scale that ounted for 30 percent of the Unique World that had grown to B-rank after opening the door again. There were all kinds of nts growing there. Of course, the mostmon type was Big Bread, the special crops of the Leonhardt Empire.


    Big Bread was a bread that grew on the ground. Fascinatingly enough, Big Bread took on the shape and texture of bread when fully ripe, and had a corn-like vor. Therefore, it was a considerably good staple food.


    Of course, it was like that only at the beginning. Just thinking about it, I groaned, "I''m tired of it, so please reduce the ratio of corn."


    You don''t have to worry about Big Bread because it''s excellent animal feed anyway. Of course, even if so, it mighte out as soup for dinner though.


    "Ughh. The smell of corn is making me vomit..."


    Skill. You have acquired the skill to grant the eleration property (Unique)!


    The properties continued to increase. I focused on increasing the number of properties that could be used rather than on granting properties to the Gigas.


    I repeated the daily life of eating, sleeping, making properties, and looking at the blueprints made by Genie and Ares. Then, at some point, specifically when the number of properties that could be granted reached 20, Genie said, All 30 Goblin units were exhausted. Shall we dispatch the newly made Goblins out?


    I was surprised by Genie''s words. "You''ve already used all 30 units?" Goblins were different from Berserkers. They took a minimum of 54 hours and a maximum of 77 hours to clear the stage, so I was surprised by Genie saying that all 30 units had already been used up.


    It''s actually been more than 70 days.


    "I was immersed in all these tasks that I had unknowingly lost track of time. Okay, for now, let''s send the newly made Goblins out... Genie, can you take a look at this blueprint?"


    ...Hmm? I''m sorry to say, but isn''t this one of my Metal Bodies? Additionally, it''s not forbat but for transportation purposes.


    However, now that the iron ores were constantly consumed, it was a situation where transportation was needed. I modified the blueprints and made it into an Avatar series.


    "Let''s name it Porter. Send this in along with the Berserkers."


    Like how it had been hundreds and thousands of times, Gigas Call was invoked. The first unit that entered was the Level 10 Berserker with the strongest fighting power in the Avatar series made thus far. Shiiiiinggggg! Then, there was the Level 3 Porter following right after.


    Shliekkkkk shluckkk. Amidst the silence, Berserker began to attack and farm. Porter waited by the iron statue instead of following Berserker, who was going on a rampage.


    I concentrated my consciousness and deactivated the propetization. "Gughhh. My body feels stiff." Didn''t I remain in an iron statue state for 200,000 years? It was fortunate that I didn¡¯t rust, since it wasn¡¯t real steel. However, I still summoned the Throne of Honor in case an issue surfaced and a problem were to appear. Then, I took sufficient rest and finished a plentiful meal too.


    In the end, this is how it''s going.


    "You thought about it, too, didn''t you?"


    Of course. To be specific, it''s a little different. I was going to make a big Avatar series and bring your body around.


    "That''s a good idea, but it''s a little dangerous. The blueprint will also be weird if my body, which has be hard and rigid due to turning into an iron statue, was to go onboard."


    Iid down on the bed after eating. That''s right. I wasn''t standing but lying down instead. My body was rolled into a sphere like a fetus, reducing the surface area of the body to the maximum. Then, I went through steel-ification. Kriekkkkk! Kriekkk! My body turned into steel. As soon as my brain turned into steel, I concentrated my consciousness and emitted Aura, but...I lost consciousness as expected.


    "It''s still not possible, huh. When am I going to be a damned Compl¨¦ter? Not yet. When are we gonna shoot the damnpletion¡­?" As I was grumbling in the Unique World, Porter stored my rolled up body into its back, which was designed like a backpack. Then, it went into a point where the Metal Aliens wouldn''te finding and hid.


    "Kieeeeehkkkkkk!!!"


    Squakkk! Berserker fought like how it always did. The Berserker that I personally made had a much stronger Restoration ability, which reducedbat time. Genie''s Battle A.I. umted not just hundreds or thousands, but million units ofbat data, so it would never increase and only probably decrease.


    Shliekkkkk shluckkk. Porter stalked behind Berserker like a cockroach. Although it did note close due to the risk of being discovered by the Metal Aliens, it still maintained a distance of 50 meters at all times. Then, the moment Berserker knocked down thest Metal Alien¡­ Shliekkkkk shluckkk! Porter, who had my body on his back, quickly clung to the side of Berserker.


    -Do you want to start the next battle? If you knock down the enemies in quick session, your number of clears will cancel the corresponding number of Death Procession. At the end of the stage, the Death Procession that isn''t retracted will be confirmed and cannot be reversed.


    As always, it was on standby without answering the text that appeared. The maximum standby time was five minutes, so they would never miss this timing.


    Gigas Call was invoked, but the direction of summons was different from that of the past. Poooof poof! Berserker and Porter who were inside the stage disappeared, emerging at the Unique World as soon as they disappeared.


    Do you feel any pressure?


    "There''s no pressure. It''s just that...Isn''t the consumed spiritual power pretty high?"


    It was an iprehensible phenomenon, but it wasn''t too much to handle. As the Unique World grew into the B-rank, the mass of inanimate matters that I could bring into the Unique World in a day was about 5 tons. Considering that thebined weight of Berserker and Porter was only 120 kilograms, it could be repeated virtually without limitation.


    ''To be subjected to weight restrictions¡­ Let''s see. I have to clear the stage more than 40 times a day. Should I clear it almost every 40 minutes?'' No matter how much I improved the Avatar series, such a crazy record couldn¡¯t be made. If I ran with my body, then perhaps...


    Chwareukkk! As I sat in a suitable spot and changed the Shadow Stalker to its revolver form, Ares asked, Are you going to sleep?


    "I''m not sleeping. It''s just a time freeze. And don''t stay up too long, either. It''s making me feel apologetic."


    I woke up by chance and did it because I was just bored, so you don''t have to feel too much pressure.


    "Yes, Genie, you too. Just run the basic program and maintain a power-saving state."


    OK, Captain-nim.


    I heard both answers and immediately pulled the trigger. With the clucking sound, the Time-Space Freeze Shell worked, and...


    Captain-nim. Please wake up.


    "Oh! Genie, how long has it been? 200,000 years?" I smiled at the expectation of how well the macro worked, but it was unfortunate that Genie shook her head.


    No, it''s been 70 years.


    "Oh,e on!"


    1. A doll appearing in traditional Korean puppet ys

 Vol 2. 72: The Salvation of God (9)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 72: The Salvation of God (9)</h4>


    No, it''s been 70 years.


    "Oh,e on!" I vented my anger. However, as soon as I shouted, I could see why. "Ughh." I didn''t have any energy in my entire body. My soul power was nk and empty.


    - You are in the Grand Master rank.


    - You have been down-ranked to Unranked due to the current power consumption.


    As I turned my head, I found out that the Throne was gone. It continued to restore my energy and finally disappeared. Slightly confused, I asked, "Wasn''t the Throne''s speed of recovery faster than its speed of consumption?"


    There was surplus remaining in the beginning, but the recovery rate gradually slowed down. It seemed like fatigue was built up, just like how the muscles of living creatures are.


    "If you put it that way, doesn''t that mean that it endured for a pretty long time since it has been 70 years?" I groaned, mustering strength to rise from my seat. Even though my soul power was basically an empty cup, given that the condition of my body was fine, I was quickly able to move after taking a short break.


    We''ve stopped raiding the stage for a while.


    "How long will it take for the Throne to recover?"


    ording to information obtained before entering the stage, it takes approximately three months to recover the Grand Master rank.


    I was not the only one who carried the reputation of a Grand Master rank. In the Republic of Korea, I was the only one in the Grand Master rank with about 5 other Master Ranks. In terms of the world, the president of powerhouse nations, Popes, globally-loved stars, as well as many others were Grand Master rankers.


    "The Iron rank only takes 24 hours though. Well, then again, if the rank is high, there will obviously be a greater amount to recover. The food that is consumed will be much greater too," I grumbled and my body that was in the Unique Worldid down in the bedroom. Then, I moved my consciousness to the stage.


    Are you nning to y it directly?


    "That''s the better choice while I''m resting up."


    "Kyaaaaaakk!!"


    "Can you not scream?" After snatching the Ultra-Vibration de held by the Metal Alien that was dashing towards me, I cut off its neck.


    "Kyaaaaaakk!!"


    "Be quiet!" As one would expect, after snatching the Ultra-Vibration de, I changed the vibration into shock and struck the Metal Alien''s head, which was instantly crushed.


    ...As expected, you''re defeating them easily.


    "It''s just a matter of superiority, alright. Ah ah ah! Hey guys, are you guys noting at me~? My hands are ying!"


    "Kyaaaaaakk!!"


    I cleared the stage slowly and repeatedly, because the goal was to restore my soul power and the Throne in the first ce. There was no reason to do a speed run.


    Captain-nim, if you don''t mind, can you send your urine and feces to the Unique World?


    "¡­No, must I go to the extent of having to use my soul power to send it?"


    We don''t have enoughpost and liquid manure. Each individual collection might not seem like much, but it will still be a considerable amount when umted. It will be a great help to the Unique World, where resources itself are limited. Ah, and even if it tastes bad, it will be good to farm for food at the stage. The food disappears when the stage is renewed, even if you brought it over, but the excretions that result from eating the food is another story.


    ¡°Aren''t you excessivelymitted to managing the Unique World... I feel like I''m seeing a Korean who''s excessively ying a healing game," I grumbled at the sight of Genie who pursued extreme efficiency. However, since it wasn¡¯t exactly rocket science, I went along with it.


    After about four months of raiding the stage, the Throne recovered from the Unranked rank to the Grand Master rank. Originally, it only took three months, but it was a little dyed since I used the Throne to eat from time to time. Then, again, I went through a 70-year time freeze.


    Four months of progressing with the stage, and another 70 years time freeze¡­ Four months of progressing with the stage, and another 70 years time freeze¡­ Then, at some point¡­


    "Ahh. It''s tiring though?" I felt like I was bing exhausted. It was different from when I was progressing through the Level 9 stage, which was torture at that time. I had felt a hunger great enough to make my mouth salivate even at the sight of meeting the Ogre, and it drove my mind to the extreme. How serious would the situation have had to be for me to starve to death? But it was different now.


    "I''m sick of it," Iined. It was not hard to defeat and beat the Metal Aliens, but it was not as simple as catching and killing a bug, either. I could easily annihte them because of my superiority advantage, but Metal Aliens were monsters equivalent to Compl¨¦ters. Therefore, the more I proceeded with the stage, the more fatigue was umted. Considering that 70 years was a time period that I couldn''t feel after the time freeze anyway, I was actually just progressing with the stage for a few years.


    ''At the very least, as the level goes up, there''s fun in growing.'' However, spiritual energy, Life Energy, and Aura were all stuck at the limit of experts, and I was just going around on a standstill. It wasmonly called the wall of enlightenment.


    Do you want to stop progressing with the stage?


    "That''s ambiguous, too." It wasn''t right to just give up because I was sick and tired of it. It wasn''t as if it was a situation where I was going to die upon progressing further, like when I reached the limit at the Level 9 stage. My giving up wouldn¡¯t lead to just one or two, but tens of millions of deaths.


    Then do it while taking a rest.


    "Taking a rest?"


    That''s right. Isn''t three months the time you need to restore your soul power anyway? Why are you purposely doing such tiringbor on the stage? Just y around, you idiot.


    "Now that I hear you say that, it seems you''re right." It was irrefutable in a logical sense, so I began to y around following Ares'' advice. I went through three months of progressing with the stage, and 70 years of time freeze¡­ Three months of progressing with the stage, and 70 years of time freeze¡­


    Once the stage started, I hid myself and hardened my body with propertization. The time limit of the Level 10 Intermediate-difficulty stage was 80 hours, so I yed around for 70 hours in the Unique World and cleared the stage with the remaining 10 hours.


    I read novels and watch movies. I also watched all kinds of dramas. I stayed up all night ying games, did nothing, and just listened to music. There was no shortage of content to y around with, because there were already all kinds of storage media that I brought over from reality. When the day began, I slowly walked through the Unique World. I slept for days if I was in the mood to do so. I gazed at the night sky for hours without saying a word. Sometimes, I chatted with Genie and Ares for days.


    Whoooooooooh¡­ I sat on Ares'' shoulder and was greeted by the wind. From this vantage point, I could see the city and factory that radiated down below, the vast farnd¡­


    Time was passing and flying by. A year, five years, ten, fifteen¡­ At first, I watched movies and novels like crazy ,and yed games all night. However, as the days went by, the time I spent doing such things decreased. Instead, the time spent where I just sat idly had increased, and...


    "The door."


    The door? Why? Do you want to open it again?


    "That''s not it." I roughly overlooked it, but it was a pretty important issue. At some point, the door disappeared from the depths of my mind. My calm and subdued heart was so firm that it felt like a wall that ''I'' would have to break past, instead of the door, if ''I'' wanted to jump out into reality.


    "Ahhh," I btedly realized. The fact that I needed this nothingness, this time spent doing nothing, so desperately¡­ I murmured, "Come to think of it, this was why I came to Earth."


    Why did Ie back to Earth when I could have been the Emperor, who wielded absolute power in the Leonhardt Empire if I wanted to? Of course, it was also because of my family, but¡­ This excruciatingly tiresome day-to-day of daily life, which went on without change, was what I missed.


    I turned on the game again. It had been a while since I yed the Great War. I even tried setting a new record, even though that was meaningless and pointless.


    That was how time went by, flying right past again. My mind increasingly calmed down. When I closed my eyes, I could feel my consciousness expand out of my body¡­ I then asked, "Genie, what''s the number of Death Processions left?"


    There are 91,125,553 people left.


    "Time is flowing crazily fast, huh."


    The density of time varied from person to person. For those who lived their lives intensely, 24 hours a day, a week, a month, and a year were all enormous amounts of time. It was difficult for anyone who studied 16 hours a day for the civil service exam to endure it for a year. It wasn''t a joke, but if a person lived with a broken heart for more than three or four years, it would be difficult to maintain a sane mind no matter how strong the person was.


    On the other hand, what if it was the life of someone who lived their life as they wanted? Rather than three or four years, everything would feel like an instant even if they looked back at the past 10 or 20 years. It wasmon for cases like ''I don''t think I''ve done anything, but decades have already passed'' to ur, so if one were to take a good look around, they would definitely be able to easily find someone like that.


    -Do you want to start the next battle? If you knock down the enemies in quick session, your number of clears will cancel the corresponding number of Death Procession. At the end of the stage, the Death Procession that isn''t retracted will be confirmed and cannot be reversed.


    "Start." I entered the stage. As soon as the stage started, I strode out into the hallway. Of course, I had no intention to mask my footsteps.


    "Kyaaaaaakk!!" A Metal Alien appeared. I stood still and watched the Metal Alien charging towards me while screaming. "Kyak?" After running towards me like crazy, it suddenly paused and scanned the surroundings. It was being seemingly vignt from a distance of about four meters away from me.


    "Just do what you''ve usually been doing, you bastard," I chuckled and strode up to the Metal Alien, which paused in a slightly cowering manner. However, the Metal Alien couldn''t stand it once I entered within its range.


    Piiing! The Ultra-Vibration de sliced down like lightning, but I didn''t bother to raise my hand to block it. The Ultra-vibration de struck my shoulder. Thudd. It was the sound of a gentle p on the shoulder. I then reached out and grabbed the Metal Alien by its arm. Wooooom--!


    "Kyakkkkk!!!! Kyaaaaaaaak!!!!" The Metal Alien''s body twisted like a wave. It struggled along with a roar, but eventually copsed. It couldn¡¯t endure for a long time.


    "..." I stood still and looked down at the fallen Metal Alien. Just then, I suddenly felt grateful to Project End. I immediately said, "Genie, please proceed with the stage automatically, with the Hunter and the Berserker that was made beforehand."


    Shall we include Porter too?


    "No, it doesn''t matter even if they are exhausted¡­ Just do it based on the method you have been employing so far.¡±


    Understood.


    As I heard Genie''s reply, I put my body through steel-ification again. "Ah." However, I didn''t lose my consciousness.


    You moved in the steel-ified state! Congrattions, Captain-nim! Your Aura has reached the level of a Compl¨¦ter!


    No wait, you''ve been ying every day, so why a Compl¨¦ter suddenly?


    Listening to the two control personas, I focused my consciousness. Of course, the consciousness that I naturally maintained was forcefully cut off. Being able to move in the steel-ified state meant that I had a significant increase in power, but it wasn''t an ability I needed, at least for now. I then asked, "Genie, do we have any iron ores left?"


    There are no more iron ores left now that we''ve finished smelting. Do you want me to bring you an iron bar?


    ¡°Alright. Just give me...about three kilograms." I received an iron bar from Genie, but I didn¡¯t head towards the workshop. I just took it to a room that was prepared, and shaped it as if I was kneading y.


    First, I made a Goblin. Not just its outer appearance, but I even imitated all its parts and structures and made it ording to the existing blueprint. I also granted it the properties that the Goblins were granted, and confirmed whether it was actually moving. Then, I crushed it.


    What are you doing? Why did you make it and then crush it?


    However, I didn''t answer Ares¡¯ question and made Hunter. I repeated the exact same process. Once I crushed Hunter, I then made a Berserker before crushing it right back into an iron bar again. The material used was only three kilograms of iron bars. It was so small that working with it was hard, but I was able to do it because I had a high elemental affinity.


    Whoooong--! I poured my Aura into the steel that had turned back into its initial bar form. The iron bar began to pulse as if it was alive, since the Aura being injected exceeded a certain point. Following that, I also emitted spiritual energy. Shiiiiingggg! I used Gigas Call to summon them, even though the Avatar series couldn''t really be called a Gigas. The overall structure was based on the design of a Gigas, but it didn''t have the most important thing that a Gigas should have.


    Spackkkk! Spackkkk! As I concentrated my consciousness, the spiritual energy that was condensed at one point turned into a Lightning Spirit. This was the Lightning Heart, which was thest puzzle piece to turn the half-baked Avatar series into a real Gigas.


    Wiiiiiiiingggg---! I could feel my maximum Aura and my maximum spiritual energy permanently decreasing. It was an exorbitant consumption that wouldn''t be recovered simply by taking a rest. However, I did not pay any heed to it.


    Kriekkkkk! A small doll that looked like a figurine lifted its body up. The basic form was a Goblin, but it was an object that had a small size more suited for a toy. However, it was a different product from the Avatar series so far.


    Wow... Such a little Gigas exist? Of course, since it''s not an Iron Heart, the power output is different and it can''t handle soul power too. Still, this is...


    This is incredible.


    I checked the time. The production took quite a while. Now that I hade back to my senses, Hunter and the Berserker were almost exhausted. However, it didn''t matter. "Gigas Call." The little doll in front of me disappeared. "Type. Predator."


    The small plunderer who entered the stage immediately hit the wall and lured the Metal Alien. "Kyaaaaaaak!" The Metal Alien who appeared took out an Ultra-Vibration de without a hint of hesitation even after seeing the Predator, which could only be seen as a toy at first nce.


    Thaaaaang! As soon as Predator faced the Metal Alien, it kicked against the floor and burst forth like an arrow. The footprints of the Predator were deeply engraved on the floor it kicked against, which showed how strong its legs were despite weighing only three kilograms.


    Shiiiiingg! The Metal Alien cut at the Predator, which was flying towards it like lightning. Despite the sudden ambush, it showed a calm response...that proved useless in the end. Kwakkkkk! This was because the severed body of the Predator was sucked into the Metal Alien''s body like a drop of water in a pond.


    "Kyaaaaaaackkkk---!!" The Metal Alien screamed in pain, because its body began to crumple from its right shoulder and left thigh. Those were areas where the Predator''s body had permeated through. It struggled, taking an extreme measure to cut off its shoulders and legs as it was in agony. However, that decision was meaningless. Its severed arms and legs stuck to the Metal Alien''s body as if they were alive and turned into a single body again. Kriekkkkk-! Then, after a while, its body was crumpled and reconstructed and transformed into the appearance of a Berserker.


    Wow, this is crazy.


    Wielding the elemental affinity... It''s a Gigas, huh. This isn¡¯tpletely unprecedented though.


    There was no need to mention what happened after that. There was no way that the Predator, who possessed an Ability, would fail to clear the stage when even the Berserker could do so without any particr problem.


    Predator killed four Metal Aliens, and then permeated into the fifth Metal Alien to drag it alive to my body. Then, Predator removed its control over the Metal Alien''s body and killed it in front of my body to clear the stage. After returning to the Unique World with Gigas Call, it attacked the next stage¡­ The Predator weighed only three kilograms, so theck of soul power was no longer a problem.


    "Uuushaaa." I found a suitable ce to sit in and transformed the Shadow Stalker to its revolver form.


    The cunning thing about humans was¡­ Despite being alone and being able to find serenity, as well as a peace of mind, they would eventually miss the hustle and bustle of human beings as time went on. The countless people gathered at Gwanghwamun Gate, the scoundrels who were in denial of the evil deeds they hadmitted, people who were praised as great humans, or those who felt burdened just by living their lives as per usual¡­ I wanted to see them all.


    "Is there going to be a new problem again?" I wondered. Of course, there was no guarantee that the newly made Predator would perfectly clear the stage, so nothing could be ascertained yet. However, there were no further problems.


    -Death Procession has all been cancelled.


    -Congrattions! The stage has been cleared perfectly! Rewards are given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 1.


    The Level 10 Intermediate-difficulty stage was over.

 Vol 2. 73: The Salvation of God (10)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 73: The Salvation of God (10)</h4>


    I sat still and watched the various people who were reflected on all kinds of disys. There was a person walking on the street while looking at his cell phone, many others who were talking excitedly, and some dressed in suits who were on their way to work¡­ I couldn''t resist but let out a groan, "Wow, the people going to work are tremendous. Office workers are amazing."


    Ares simply snorted. Most of them will probably die without being able to do anything in the stage anyway, right? If they don''t have memories of the stage, then they will surely be able to go to work like usual, just like how it was a few months ago.


    "If you put it that way, then¡­ Yeah, that''s right too. But still..." I checked the time, which was 8 a.m. on a Friday. Funnily enough, the world was still revolving around.


    What do you n to do with the production types?


    "Well, focus on Hunters and Berserkers for now. There are too many Goblins already."


    Certainly¡­ Ares said, There''s a lot.


    I looked at the mountain range of steel that stretched vastly beneath me. That''s right, it was a mountain range. I was sitting on an enormous mountain range of steel. "Genie, how many units are all these in total?"


    It''s a little less than 50 million units.


    "I can''t believe it has reached a level where we can give 1 Avatar to each person if our country has all been cleared¡­ Needless to say, we can''t put it back into the Unique World, can we?"


    Genie''s voice trembled as if shocked by my question. Do you know how many things are being pushed back in our backlogs list for you to say such words¡­?


    "Then again, we can''t even put in a few tons a day." I shrugged.


    On this stage, I didn''t start ying at Gwanghwamun Square or Gyeongbokgung Pce as usual. I definitely shouldn¡¯t do so. If I had started at Gwanghwamun Square¡­ If it had been done at Gyeongbokgung Pce, all of Gyeongbokgung Pce''s barriers would have exploded, and hundreds and thousands of people would have died.


    The Albatross ship would instantly lose bnce the moment the stage ended, you know.


    "What an exaggeration." I lifted myself up with a false smile. It had been a while since I have been out and about, so I should go and see some people. Then I piped up, "Ahh, right! I need you to upgrade Knight too! Albatross has a soul circuit and a soul energy route, so it''s possible right?"


    Of course, Captain-nim. What about the weight?


    "It''s okay even if it''s over five tons, so please just make it sturdy!"


    Understood. Ah, I''m out of soul energy, so please share some with me.


    "What, already? Okay." Nodding my head, I sent all the spiritual power and Aura in my body to the body in the Unique World. With everything else in its ce, only the status of retained power went back and forth.


    ''No matter how I think about it, it doesn''t make any sense to share my actual status.''


    Supreme Divinity that even the Untouchables dared not look up at, the authority of the Unique World, which I received as a present from the Spirit God¡­ It was contained in another body.


    It wasn''t a low-level power where my body split into two and my soul flew around. Instead, it was simr to a multiplication on the coordinates of the existence called ''me''. Only one set of coordinates existed for sure, but an inexplicable phenomenon allowed two physical bodies to exist at that coordinate, as well as two worlds. In fact, what really didn''t make sense was that the sharing of status was not avable for use in the stage.


    "It''s not apletely useless thing, but... Still, I can''t believe it can block the authority of the Spirit God," I muttered.


    My body in reality and my body in the Unique World could share their statuses as I wished. In other words, if one body slept for a few days in a row, it didn''t matter even if the other body didn''t sleep. Moreover, if one body ate twice the usual portion for a meal, the other body wouldn''t have to ever eat.


    That was not all. Even if my body in reality broke a shoulder and my body in the Unique World broke a leg, I could exchange the wounds or even swap all the wounds to one body only. Even if I was poisoned, I could divide the burden between two bodies. Moreover, if one body exercised and one body took a rest, it was possible for both bodies to reap the benefits. However, that power, the authority of the Supreme Divinity, was blocked from the stage.


    ''As expected, it''s probably an Unnamed.'' Beings who did not carry a name, and existences that didn''t have any prior settings¡­ They were weird, gruesome, and unpredictable. They were also known to ignore thews and logic of the world because they were not incorporated into the Great Universe''s setting. If it were those beings, then there would be nothing strange even if they could block off the authority of the Supreme Divinity.


    ''Come to think of it, that was the case with that Juan guy, too.'' I remembered when he broke into the Albatross ship, and had a shback.


    "What''s your name?"


    "It''s Juan. Juan Unnamed Nieto."


    Considering his appearance, he was probably Mexican. It was apparent just by looking at his name, his father¡¯sst name, as well as his mother¡¯sst name. ''The problem here was his father''sst name. What was with thest name ¡®Unnamed¡¯? It was too tant.'' In other words, he was basically revealing his identity right from the start. It was difficult to understand, but Juan was an existence born between a human and an Unnamed.


    "Please send me to my room."


    I hope you have a good time.


    Along with the greeting, the background changed. I then asked, "Ahhh,e to think of it, you didn''t put my body in the Unique World through time freeze, did you?"


    Ares answered my question. Why would I put it through a time freeze? So that you can work out or something?


    I shook my head at Ares'' words. "No, it''s fine. Even if working out via macro was a crazy sweet thing to do, it''s better to not do it if it was going to be so futile.¡±


    Working out via macro? Do you not like the way it sounds?


    Iughed bitterly at the Ares'' grumbling. I said, "It''s fine so just leave it alone. Even if I grow slightly bigger right now, it wouldn''t make a big difference."


    I changed into clothes that were prepared beforehand and left the room. The ce I resided in was still Gangnyeongjeon, but unlike before, it had been changed to an ultra-luxury room where I alone stayed on one floor. There was even a separate room where the courtdy in charge stayed.


    ttering.


    "Wow. What''s with the 5-minute standby time?"


    "Five minutes is toote. You have to be able to get out in 10 seconds." Seon-ae, wearing a courtdy''s attire, was standing at the door across from the room that I came out from.


    Wol-il High School


    Level 8


    Fist-style martial arts expert, Lee Seon-ae


    She was only Level 8 despite clearing the Level 10 stage. However, the other level was different.


    Level 10


    The information window of the stage, which showed only the level without any other information, was shown as such. Perhaps only that level could be seen in the eyes of other yers.


    ''Her capability didn''t keep up with her stats,'' I thought to myself. More people had cleared the Level 10 stage than I had initially thought, but it was actually all thanks to the strategy guide, and not because they had really reached the realm of a Compl¨¦ter. If they bought an Experience Potion and raised their level, they would only be able to increase their stats. However, unless they were a great genius, they would need sufficient time and effort to develop their capability to be able to match those stats.


    "Kkokk kkokk!"


    "Huh?" I tilted my head at the sight of the chicken running through the open door. It was somewhat familiar.


    Seon-ae''s expression rxed. "Oh my oh my! Ari''s here? Mommy will be back in a jiffy, so stay at home and rest."


    "Kkokk!" The chicken turned around and walked into the door as if it could understand human speech.


    I asked, dumbfounded, "What the? Don''t tell me you are raising that chicken at home?"


    "What? You''re the one who gave it to me."


    "No, that''s true but¡­ It''s just a chicken, isn''t it?" Imented. The chicken looked slightly unique, but it was still one of the livestock I had asked from Jae-seok in the end.


    Seon-ae was furious at my bewildered appearance. "Ari is not just a chicken! He''s a Baekbong Ogol[1] breed, okay!"


    ''What''s a Baekbong Ogol breed?''


    Genie answered my question. Baekbong Ogol breed. It is a chicken of the Ogol breed for medicinal purposes. The feathers of the whole body are white, and the flesh, tongue, bones, and intestines are all ck. As a rare medicinal ingredient, the Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine[2] mentioned that ''White-feathered Ogol is good.'' It''s also called ''The Health Food of a King''.


    ''It sounds like something great, but it''s food in the end. Isn''t it?''


    Of course, that is how it is.


    ''...'' I received 700 of them before. No, rather, Iughed in vain remembering that exactly 699 chickens were already in my stomach. Well, what else qualified as a pet? If you gave it affection, then it was a pet.


    "Well, Ari is none of your business. Anyway, Sunbae wanted me to pass you a message."


    "What kind of message?"


    "She would like to meet you once, would that be alright? You don''t have to go to her. She''lle to you if you permit it."


    Upon hearing her words, I nodded coolly. "Tell her to do whatever she wants. I am just in the middle of taking a break," I said so and went down the stairs. I went to Gwanghwamun Square to go for a walk and also to see people. The Lee household was right in front of Gwanghwamun Square, so it was a good ce for a walk. Gyeongbokgung Pce would be there when I got out of the parallel world.


    Shiiiiingg! Seon-ae clicked her tongue as I quickly got out into the surface world. "Wow, it is absolutely forbidden to move directly from Gyeongbokgung Pce to the surface world though."


    Then, there was a voice that interrupted her. "It''s a meaningless rule. Not sure if they know it or not, but those who have achieved a certain position would break this rule."


    "Sunbae?"


    Before we knew it, Min-kyung had arrived next to us. It was a surprisingly quick response, considering that it was a busy time.


    "What do you mean ¡®Sunbae¡¯? Well, it''s not like I can''t understand it, but¡­ You''re still the same as always huh." Min-kyung smiled bitterly at Seon-ae. Then, she looked at me and bowed.


    Korea Empire


    Level 11


    Imperial Princess, Lee Min-kyung


    I whistled inwardly as I saw her level, because she surpassed the wall during the time we didn''t meet. She was now a Compl¨¦ter, a strong being at the peak of humanity. ''Well, I can see why.''


    Min-kyung was originally a mature beauty, but she was now too mature to be regarded as a high school student. ''She looks more like mid-twenties... No, maybete twenties.'' As I was having such thoughts¡­


    Min-kyung, who politely bowed, greeted me, "It''s been a long time."


    "Yes." I roughly waved my hand and greeted Min-kyung, whose guards disguising themselves as tourists stood some distance away. They visibly flinched, but I ignored them. As if they had already heard something, they only frowned and did not dare to do anything to me.


    "I''ll be standing by nearby."


    "I''ll leave it in your hands." Seon-ae quietly blended into the crowd at Min-kyung''s words. Before I knew it, her courtdy attire had turned into an ordinary school uniform, so it didn''t catch anyone''s eye.


    "What''s going on?" As soon as I asked Min-kyung, a familiar name was heard among the crowd.


    "Bae Jae-seok? He''s totally crazy. How dare someone like a merchant raise an urgent request?"


    "But Captain-nim, the Imperial Princess is using the chaebol grandson quite cautiously."


    "Sigh... It''s really the end of the world. These good-for-nothings who couldn''t even learn any spiritual abilities are gathering ordinary people, and meddling around without knowing the consequences," I spoke with a voice full of envy before pausing for a moment.


    Min-kyung, who was standing in front of me, also sighed as she heard my words. "I''m sorry for showing such a pathetic side. If I had to give an excuse, all the useful guys have a lot of work to do."


    "You''re going around with them as your guards for empty formalities and ostentation, huh."


    "Because the Cloud Sword Unit is the biggest armed force in the Lee Family. Ultimately, they''re people we have to embrace."


    I simply nodded. I did not care how she led the Lee Family, rather, I was interested in something else. I suggested, "If it''s just around the corner, let''s call Jae-seok too. It''s been so long since I''ve seen his face, so I want to see him."


    "It''s been so long, you say..."


    I could feel Min-kyung staring at my face with a piercing gaze. I asked, "Why?"


    "As expected, you''ve been around a long time too."


    "That''s only expected, of course."


    Min-kyung knew that I was Iron Mask. It wasn''t difficult to make a guess that I, the most popr yer in the world currently, was a top ranker.


    ''But the way you look.''


    "Aha." I figured out what Min-kyung was talking about. Although she no longer looked like a high school student, and appeared to be a mature woman now, my appearance stayed exactly the same. It was a funny story. "Are you amazed by Eternal Youth aftering this far?" Every time I opened the door, my all-stat went up 100 points. Not getting old was something not even worth mentioning.


    "Then again, that''s true."


    "Just call Jae-seok over."


    Min-kyung turned her head upon hearing my words and briefly gestured with her lips. Far away, I could see the flustered rookies floundering around, but a group of people approached after a while. I could sense the people stirring up amotion.


    "No."


    "This is crazy."


    "Unbelievable..."


    Not only the Cloud Sword Unit, but even the people walking around Gyeongbokgung Pce screamed with fright. It was the reaction of seeing somethingpletely unbelievable. The members of the Cloud Sword Unit, who were ignoring Jae-seok, groaned as they saw the man standing in the middle of the crowd.


    "How can this be?"


    "Lies, lies! This is impossible!"


    "Is he¡­ Is he really someone who used to be an ordinary man who didn''t even learn spiritual ability until just a few months ago?"


    Jae-seok walked through the tumultuous crowd and revealed himself: two meters in height, wide shoulders, and an incredibly slim waist, as well as long limbs. The man, who looked as sturdy as an extremelypressed steel, smiled broadly at me. "Dae-haaaaaa!!!"


    I broke out in a dumbfoundingughter as I looked at him. "Wow." I could see the words floating above his head.


    Ilsung


    Level 15


    Ascetic, Bae Jae-seok


    He was currently equivalent to my brother who disappeared. So to speak¡­he was the strongest of humanity right now.


    1. A breed of chicken in Korea. Further exined in this chapter.


    2. ????(Donguibogam)in Korean. The Donguibogam is a Korean bookpiled by the royal physician, Heo Jun and was first published in 1613 during the Joseon Dynasty of Korea.

 Vol 2. 74: The Salvation of God (11)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 74: The Salvation of God (11)</h4>


    ¡°What the¡­¡±


    When I saw him looking at me with a grin, I could not help but be shocked. But I wasn¡¯t surprised because of his level. Rather, I was shocked at his appearance.


    ¡®He¡¯s basically an adult now.¡¯


    Min-Kyung resembled a woman in herte twenties, and Jae-seok looked much older. Late thirties. No, perhaps even in his forties. I wasn¡¯t exactly saying that he looked old. His steel-tight muscles were covering his entire body, and his skin was devoid of any wrinkles. But I could feel the years in his eyes, his mouth, and skin.


    ¡®He¡¯s an old man¡¯.


    If Jae-seok had trained in another type of ability, he would have spent approximately the same amount of time as me. I would have thought that he had spent about 20 or 30 years in the stage.


    But that wasn¡¯t the case. What ability had he dabbled in?


    He was a Life Energy Practitioner.


    ¡°How long were you in there for?¡±


    If a Life Energy Practitioner wished to have four arms while continuing their training, the body would naturally take the most fundamental direction in order to grow four arms. First, it would modify the shoulders to amodate for four arms, form additional muscles and develop an extended nervous system, and so on. In other words, Life Energy evolved the trainee¡¯s body in the direction that the person desperately desired.


    But when I looked at Jae-seok now, it was evident that he had aged in appearance. But who in the world wanted to grow old? Was there anyone who actually desperately wished to grow older?


    Ultimately, his current appearance meant¡­


    He had spent a long, unfathomable time in the stage.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly, but it was more than 60 years.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Min-kyung was more shocked than me. Moreover, she wasn¡¯t the only one who was surprised.


    ¡°60 years? Did he just say 60 years? He really said 60 years!¡±


    ¡°He spent 60 years in that crazy space?¡±


    ¡°Some people get PTSD after clearing it just once.¡±


    People eximed in wonder and shock. But at the same time, others were instantly convinced by his words.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what it was. 60 years in that ursed space¡­ That was why it was possible.¡±


    ¡°Amazing.¡±


    ¡°He truly possesses an indomitable spirit.¡±


    ¡°Befitting of a level 17.¡±


    At their words, I observed Jae-seok once again. Instead of looking at the level exclusive for my viewing, I looked at the publicly disyed level.


    Level 17


    Someone spoke.


    ¡°But have you heard? Apparently, someone has an even higher level than that.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? The highest known level in the world is 13.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­ That man has the highest level in the world?¡±


    A level 5 yer spoke in disbelief. He appeared to be visiting Gyeongbokgung Pce. Then, someone refuted his words.


    ¡°But there¡¯s Iron Mask.¡±


    ¡°Iron Mask¡¯s guides are the real deal, but he doesn¡¯t raise his level. He only uploaded guides for up to level 8 as well.¡±


    ¡°From what I heard, his level is 0.0.5.?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s level 0.0.5?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you watch the guide videos? He has three sses. It¡¯s quite rare, but if you possess the talent for various fields, you can acquire multiple sses.¡±


    ¡°Like that guy over there?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Just like that guy¡­ Huh? What?¡±


    Suddenly, people¡¯s gazes started to turn towards me, perhaps because they saw the number floating above my head. I wasn¡¯t the only one with several sses, so I hadn¡¯t attracted much attention until now. However¡­ Jae-seok hade looking for me, and he was level 17. It would be hard to avoid the crowd¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Noonim.¡±[1]


    ¡°¡­Yeah. Let¡¯s move somewhere else.¡±


    Min-kyung recoiled at Jae-seok¡¯s use of the word, but soon shook her head and pped her hands.


    Tap!


    The crowd of people disappeared for a moment. Then, people in odd clothing appeared in their ce. We had left the Surface World behind and entered the Parallel World by passing through the Bubble World.


    ¡°Dae-ha!¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeap. Hi.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with the half-hearted response! You¡¯re such a heartless bastard!¡±


    Jae-seok quickly approached me and hugged me tightly. He had approached me at a low angle, so I almost mistook his actions for a tackle.


    ¡°I really missed you. Keukeu. It¡¯s not even funny. I thought of your face the second most during the stage. Even when the faces of family members and rtives were bing hazy.¡±


    ¡°It seems like Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights are quite useful.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. I couldn¡¯t forget your face after reflecting for decades on your teachings. Ah! Of course, I only really started missing you after the armor was smashed apart.¡±


    I asked back.


    ¡°The armor was smashed apart? It was imbued with a ton of self-repair functions.¡±


    ¡°I was really careful with it, but it couldn¡¯t be helped after being smashed apart again and again. After around 9 years, it was turned into scrap metal and I had to swallow my tears as I continued the stage with my bare body. You don¡¯t know how much I missed my armor when I was being stabbed in the arm and bitten in the leg. Oh, by the way, it¡¯s you, right?¡±


    ¡°What is?¡±


    Jae-seok replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world.


    ¡°Thest one.¡±


    I pondered over his words for a moment, but there was no reason to hide it, especially in front of the guy who was likely one of thest two remaining.


    ¡°Who else could it be?¡±


    ¡°Keukeuk. I knew it. You¡¯re a nutjob.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you saying?¡±


    Jae-seok chuckled for a while, but soon calmed down and nodded.


    ¡°Well, from the moment I saw the metal aliens, I knew my teacher would be thest one remaining. You¡¯re a metal-attribute Spirit Master and a metallic aura user¡­ But anyhow, how did you manage to achieve aplete clear? There were over 100 million deaths.¡±


    Jae-seok chattered away without pause. I took a good look at his body.


    ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re so thin, it¡¯s practically just bones.¡±


    ¡°What? Just bones¡­?¡±


    Min-kyung had been silently observing our conversation from the side, but stuttered at my unexpected words. I ignored her and took out an object from the Unique World.


    Pat!


    ¡°Eat this for now.¡±


    It was a sandwich. A sweet, delicate calorie bomb with a lot more meat than bread, topped off with a special sauce!


    ¡°Huh? Eat this? Bread?¡±


    However, Jae-seok reacted strangely when he saw the sandwich. After receiving the sandwich, he only looked at the object with a stupid look on his face. It was as if he had seen something unexpected. He appeared as if he had seen a sandwich for the first time in his life.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Since you¡¯re a Life Energy Practitioner, you need to consume enough calories. You seem to have surpassed the level of a Compl¨¦ter. I can¡¯t believe you are in this condition.¡±


    Even if he had aged, it didn¡¯t make sense for a Life Energy Practitioner to have rough skin. I pushed the sandwich forward. I could not watch anymore because I felt sorry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t freeze up and eat first. Let¡¯s talk after you eat.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah. Food. I should eat.¡±


    Jae-seok nodded as if possessed, then grabbed the sandwich before taking a bite.


    He became stiff.


    ¡°¡­..?¡±


    I watched silently. I couldn¡¯t figure out why he was reacting as such. Some of the people wandering around Gyeongbokgung Pce stopped and looked at us, but they could not approach recklessly with the guards of Min-kyung standing around us.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Jae-seok only began to move after a long time. He took another big bite of the sandwich, chewed it without saying a word and began to devour it.


    The sandwich disappeared in an instant.


    ¡°¡­delicious.¡±


    Jae-seok said the most natural thing in the world with a nk expression.


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s delicious. I heard it¡¯s one of the most popr recipes for Life Energy Practitioners.¡±


    ¡°Ah, is that so? It did seem like a popr product. Sweet, savory, and the meat was juicy, and¡­¡±


    Jae-seok muttered in a daze, then suddenly stopped talking. His face started to distort.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m being so silly¡­ Haha. Ugh. Keugh¡­¡±


    His shoulders started to tremble as he groaned.


    ¡°Heugh. Ugh. Uwaggh¡­ Heugh¡­..!¡±


    ¡°Jae-seok?¡±


    I became flustered and called out after cing my hand on his shoulder, but he could note to stop.


    ¡°Keugh¡­ Kuah¡­ Heugh¡­!¡±


    Tears started to pour down his face. He was always so cheerful, but current expression waspletely shattered. I couldn¡¯t find words tofort him, so I continued to pat him on the back.


    ¡®I see. It couldn¡¯t have been easy.¡¯


    The techniques of Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights were a natural counter to the metal aliens, who used ultra-vibration des as their main weapons. In addition, with my guide, he would have cleared the stage more easily than it should have been. But even so, the metal aliens were strong opponents possessing the skills equivalent to a Compl¨¦ter.


    Even if the ultra-vibration des were rendered useless, the metal aliens had enough biting power to tear off human flesh. If one made a mistake in attacking or were unlucky, they would have to deal with more than one enemy at once.


    In addition, the time he spent in the stage.


    ¡¯60 years.¡¯


    It was insane. I had also experienced decades in the stage, but the quality of time we had spent waspletely different. He would have fought every day in pain and loneliness, while I essentially took a long vacation.


    ¡®But why?¡¯


    I could not understand. Why? Why was he so desperate to clear the stage? Even if real time was stopped, sixty years was worth an entire lifetime. It was long enough for ability users to start worrying about their life span.


    ¡®If it was so painful, he could have quit in the middle and exited the stage, so why?¡¯


    A voice suddenly interrupted.


    ¡°Why are you whining in such a ce?¡±


    ¡°¡­..!¡±


    Jae-seok¡¯s body stopped trembling. I turned my head and acknowledged the owner of the voice.


    Stream of Judges


    Level 11


    Adjudicator Lee Kyung-eun


    As always, a slim beauty in a colorful costume stood in front of us. She also appeared a bit older, probably in her mid tote 20s, just like Min-kyung.


    ¡®You¡¯ve all held out for quite a while.¡¯


    Humanity had already reached level 10 of the End Project, but I hadn¡¯t seen anyone age during the stages until now. But now, three of them were standing in front of me.


    ¡®It¡¯s all thanks to the Throne of Honor.¡¯


    The stage was not a suitable environment to hold out for a long period of time. Unless one possessed abilities that far overwhelmed the level of the stage, they could not dream of a good night¡¯s sleep, and the limitations on food and drinking water constantly pushed the yers to their limits.


    But the situation changed with the appearance of the Throne of Honor.


    It was a true bnce breaker that restored the stamina and mana of the sitting target, and it could even distribute food and cure injuries if needed ¨C Throne of Honor.


    ¡®Juan, you son of a bitch. If we had something like this from level one, more people could have taken the time to develop their skills.¡¯


    At least humanity was gifted with the three gifts now, but I could not help having such thoughts. The yers had awakened various abilities after finishing the first stage. If they had the time to train against the rtively weak bunch of enemies, many more yers would have been able to develop their skills proportionally to the advancement of stages.


    ¡°Dae-ha.¡±


    A quiet voice disced my thoughts.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    I turned my head. Jae-seok was whispering in my ear as he wiped away his tears with his cor.


    ¡°Lunch. No, one o¡¯ clock. No, two o¡¯clock¡­ No. I¡¯ll see you at three.¡±


    ¡°What? Don¡¯t tell me¡­ The person who came to your mind the most was¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He grasped my hands and shook them violently, then turned around and approached Kyung-eun. Kyung-eun took on a provocative expression as he arrived in front of her.


    ¡°What the heck? You¡¯ve grown so old. You must have rolled around quite a bit, huh?¡±


    A strangely aggressive tone. But Jae-seok continued to approach her without answering.


    ¡°What? Are you ignoring my words now? You think you¡¯re all that now that you¡¯ve leveled up?¡±


    Now it felt as if she was picking a fight, but Jae-seok maintained his silence. He kept walking forward.


    Finally, Jae-seok came face-to-face with Kyung-eun. She was quite tall, enough to debut as a model, but Jae-seok was now more than 2 meters tall. She looked quite small and fragile in front of his stature.


    ¡°W, what do you want? You couldn¡¯t even look me in the eye before, and now you¡­¡±


    Jae-seok finally responded to Kyung-eun¡¯s sharp words.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°What? Sorry? About what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I could not make up my mind until now. I¡¯m sorry that I was a fool who couldn¡¯t make up my mind until I feltpletely equipped.¡±


    ¡°You! What bullshit are you.¡±


    Before she could finish her words, Jae-seok embraced her ¨C a lot deeper than how he hugged me. Kyung-eun was wrapped around his arms.


    ¡°Let go of me.¡±


    She snarled fiercely.


    ¡°Let go of me! Do you think I¡¯m joking?!¡±


    Kyung-eun struggled fiercely, but Jae-seok did not budge. He looked like a statue as he continued to hold her in his embrace.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing!! What are you trying to do!¡±


    Puck! Boom! Puck!


    Her fist whipped Jae-seok¡¯s side so forcefully that all the observers flinched. Jokes aside, it was a destructive attack that could instantly crush a thick, steel te. However, Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights was the most resistant against physical attacks, after vibrations.


    After smacking him a few more times, Kyung-eun¡¯s hands went limp.


    ¡°What are you doing¡­?¡±


    She slurred the ends of her words.


    I could hear sounds of crying soon afterwards.


    I groaned.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I just lost my mind.¡±


    Any romance cells in my body had gone extinct a long time ago. I could not bear to watch the sight anymore, so I turned my head. Min-kyung was looking at them with a nk expression.


    ¡°You said you had something to say, right? Let¡¯s go somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°What? But.¡±


    ¡°But? What do you mean? You want to continue to watch them?¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    Min-kyung and I moved from the Parallel World to the Surface World. It seemed Min-kyung was wary of drawing any attention like before, so she took out a magic tool to distort people¡¯s perception.


    But I suddenly became curious.


    ¡®By the way. How did Jae-seok solve the food problem?¡¯


    He must have suffered a lot from shortage of food, so I wasn¡¯t able to understand how he had survived for 60 years.


    ¡®Even with a Throne of Honor, at best it should be iron¡­ Right? Maybe Bronze, since he¡¯s pretty famous for handing out weapons and helping ordinary people.¡¯


    Still, it didn¡¯t make sense. A mere bronze-ranked Throne of Honor could not handle the calorie requirements of Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights.


    ¡®I¡¯ll ask him when I see him at 3:00.¡¯


    Putting aside my thoughts, I followed after Min-kyung.


    1. Korean honorifics for older sister (formall)

 Vol 2. 75: The Salvation of God (12)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 75: The Salvation of God (12)</h4>


    I crossed Gwanghwamun Gate along with Min-kyung and entered Gwanghwamun Square. After maintaining her silence for a while with an awkward expression, Min-kyung finally spoke.


    ¡°Kyung-eun and Jae-seok have been engaged since before birth.¡±


    ¡°But the people from the Lee Family were looking down on Jae-seok, calling him a son of a merchant.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something the old people would say if they were drunk with pride and lost touch with reality.¡±


    I nodded at her words. In the modern world, money was a force to be reckoned with. Even if strength was valued above money in the Parallel World, chaebol families represented a humongous power with their vast financial power, which meant they needed to be allied with.


    ¡°In addition, Kyung-eun is a child of a concubine, so she was a good card to be yed for a political marriage with a chaebol family. As a result, Kyung-eun and Jae-seok have been close ever since they were very young.¡±


    It meant that the two people were valued simrly in their political worth. Min-kyung continued with a calmer expression.


    ¡°Their rtionship started with a promise between the adults, but they retained a harmonious rtionship nheless. Especially Kyung-eun¡­ She had a lot of feelings for Jae-seok.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I had never expected it. Jae-seok would always hide like a cockroach whenever he saw Kyung-eun. Likewise, Kyung-eun always ignored Jae-seok and openly showed contempt for him. But Kyung-eun liked Jae-seok a lot?


    ¡°So what was the problem?¡±


    ¡±It was a matter of selection. Jae-seok was judged to have no talent whatsoever. In fact, there was no problem until there, but¡­ Kyun-eun managed to light a blue candle.¡±


    I thought back to the selection process at Min-kyung¡¯s words, including The Light of Selection.


    ¡°Oh, I remember. The Shin-Ma-Qi-Yoong-Eung-Chae.¡±


    ¡°That is correct. Kyung-eun¡¯s talent for spiritual power was judged to be blue. In addition¡­ her talent formunion was yellow.¡±


    I recalled the words Yul had spoken when I first met him.


    ¡°That is correct. These candles distinguish the amount of talent by color. Ah, of course, these colors right now don¡¯t represent my talent by any means. In fact, you won¡¯t be able to find anyone with a talent corresponding to navy, or above it, even if you search the entire world.¡±


    Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, navy, purple. Apparently, no one in the world possessed a talent equal to or greater than navy, so what would it have meant to have a talent equivalent to blue?


    ¡°She had an exceptional talent.¡±


    ¡°It was beyond that. There are fewer than 100 people in the world with talents equaling blue. In addition, Kyung-eun had an aptitude formunion as well¡­ which meant that she became the only person in the Lee Family who could carry on the legacy of the Adjudicators.¡±


    As a result, the political marriage between the Lee Family and the Ilsung Group must have been broken off. It must have been inevitable, since the bnce had tilted sharply to one side.


    ¡°Kyung-eun tried her hardest to resist. She fasted and even harmed herself¡­ Even though she was young, she was so stubborn. Even the senior generation didn¡¯t know what to do with her.¡±


    ¡°What about Jae-seok?¡±


    ¡°He¡­ convinced Kyung-eun.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my.¡±


    I clicked my tongue as the picture became clearer. Was it because Jae-seok came from a chaebol family? He seemed to have grasped the situation more realisticallypared to Kyung-eun. But his words must have etched a scar on Kyung-eun¡¯s heart.


    ¡®But there was no way that Jae-seok was fine either.¡¯


    He was forced to persuade his childhood friend that they could not be together, even when she was resisting the decision bitterly. He had to swallow the bitter truth because he wascking, because he didn¡¯t have the talent¡­ How miserable would he have been? How much resentment did he have towards the world?


    ¡°How about now?¡±


    ¡°Of course, even now, the elders of the Lee Family willin. The family¡¯s pride in the Adjudicators is unparalleled. However.¡±


    A cold smile bloomed on Min-kyung¡¯s expressionless face. It was a rare look for her ¨C it appeared that she was pent-up as well.


    ¡°What would those¡­ people dare to do now? Jae-seok was an ordinary man. While he achieved level 17, those maggots couldn¡¯t even reach the level of a Compl¨¦ter.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Yeah.¡±


    I nodded half-hearted. Well, they would take care of it anyways. It would not pose a huge problem in a situation where humanity was facing an unprecedented crisis.


    ¡®If there¡¯s a problem, Jae-seok will ask for help. He¡¯s not one to abandon a practical solution because of pride.¡¯


    I sat down at the end of a bench, and Min-kyung sat on the other side, leaving some space between us. It waste summer, and the heat was starting to fade away. I looked around and saw people all over the ce.


    ¡°It¡¯s really bustling.¡±


    The traffes had been closed because of how busy it became. Gwanghwamun Square was packed with people, even though there weren¡¯t any protests or special events. People were conversing while walking along the road, or sitting in benches and prepared seats, chatting in groups of two and threes. Even if they didn¡¯t know each other, they sat down and talked freely. Some of them were properly dressed as well.


    ¡°Have you seen the newstely? I heard that there are only 30 members of parliament who showed up.¡±


    ¡°I think a little differently. I may be prejudiced, but I considered all parliament members to be trash. Considering that Justice¡¯s judgement tended to be unfavorable to those in power¡­ I¡¯m rather surprised that there are still 30 people left.¡±


    I could see middle and high school students as well.


    ¡°Did you hear? The Ministry of Gender Equality is gone! Puhahahaha!! This is just hrious. Wow, I can¡¯t believe it was sorted out in a day. It doesn¡¯t make any sense in terms of following proper procedure, but with what¡¯s happening in the world, I guess there¡¯s no such thing as proper procedure.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think that¡¯s the problem right now? Ministry of Gender Equality? Look at the Pentagon. The Pentagon.¡±


    ¡°All the non-profit organizations were destroyed as well. I heard the government is making new ones.¡±


    ¡°There were over 3,000 huge reveals on the news today. There were so many that it¡¯s hard to even remember them.¡±


    Obviously, the biggest issue was with the aftermath of the judgements of Justice, Truth, and Honor.


    ¡®Oh, yeah. This happened. It¡¯s been so long that I forgot.¡¯


    However, that wasn¡¯t the only hot topic.


    ¡°I¡¯ve memorized Iron Mask¡¯s entire guide before I entered, but I don¡¯t remember anything. I don¡¯t even know how I died.¡±


    ¡°Iron Mask is a real hit. I mean, how is it even possible to clear level 10 with a level 3? How much time did he have to make that guide?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not human. He¡¯s a god, the god of guides.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s toote for me. I can¡¯t beat it anymore¡­ Since I can¡¯t clear it even once now, I won¡¯t be able to level-up any longer.¡±


    ¡°But how did the intermediate stage of level 10 get clearedpletely? Is it due to the blessing of the three gods? No one around me received any of the blessings, so I have no way of knowing.¡±


    Gwanghwamun Square was filled to the brim with activity. People were busilying and going, talking, eating, drinking, listening to lectures, performing, and even training together. I suddenly became curious at the sight.


    ¡°It¡¯s astonishing.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Society is still functioning properly.¡±


    Human-made systems were like delicate ss. With the lightest of blows, the crack could spread and the entire society could copse.


    We were literally facing the end of the world.


    It would be normal for conspiracy theories to spread and protests to be rampant as state affairs copsed and the entire social system was torn apart. But rather, society was maintaining and functioning at its normal state to the point where it was strange. Although the overall atmosphere seemed to be subsiding in the increasingly desperate situation, public transportation was still functional, restaurants were open, and office workers and civil servants were still going to work.


    ¡°It¡¯s humanity¡¯s desperate effort. As despair grows in size, we try our hardest to maintain our daily, routine lives.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not enough.¡±


    I didn¡¯t think she waspletely wrong. In fact, the sight in front of me was a testimony to her words. People were supporting and cheering for each other while trying to maintain their daily lives. It was a situation where people were bing desperate as death approached everyone without discrimination.


    But it was impossible for everyone to think along the same lines. There were bound to be people who were out of control. Rather, there were countless people who were deviant ¨C those who spread ridiculous scare stories, those who trashed their brains and blindly devoted themselves to make-believe faith, those who suppressed others with their newly acquired powers and repaid good will with malignance.


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the arrangements of the Great Wizard.¡±


    ¡°It seems he¡¯s made a lot of arrangements.¡±


    ¡°I know that you¡¯re being sarcastic, but he did make countless arrangements. The Great Wizard made sufficient preparations for every case possible. Zombie viruses, the descent of space monsters, the advent of gates, uncontroble gues, the awakening of machines¡­ I¡¯m not aware of everything, but he prepared for almost everything that would happen in an apocalypse movie. Response manuals were prepared in all areas, including broadcasting, transportation, healthcare, and so on.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ amazing.¡±


    Actually, it was quite ridiculous and baffling. Even a transcendent would not be able to prepare to such great lengths unless they devoted their entire being to it. To have prepared to this degree¡­ Wasn¡¯t he basically the king of preparations?


    ¡°Naturally, the Great Wizard¡¯s arrangements did not solve everything. People are required to carry out the arrangements properly. In that sense, Korea could be considered one of the best in the world. We are practically maintaining the social system without any difficulties.¡±


    It was a remark filled with pride, and it was absolutely true. The North Korean government had already copsed, and the country had fallen into anarchy, while China was split into numerous regions. Most countries in the world were dering martialw and suppressing individual freedom. Even among the developed countries, only a few were still maintaining their public transport and cultural businesses. It was quite evident how well Korea was adapting to the End Project.


    ¡°It¡¯s thanks to the three gods as well.¡±


    ¡°I admit it.¡±


    If one performed an evil deed, it was tattooed onto their skin. If they lied, their noses became longer. If they did something disgraceful, their seats became ufortable.


    The three gods were transcendents, and they were beyond human understanding. The power of the three gods aided in steering humanity in the right direction in the face of the crossroads of destruction. Any actions that damaged or destroyed the social system were ssified as evil, and it was still impossible to avoid the eyes of the three gods in any way.


    Therefore, some considered the three gods as the saviors of humanity in the face of apocalypse. In fact, civilization was being protected due to their existence.


    Naturally, not everyone agreed.


    - Miracles are not evidence of God. Demons can cause miracles too.


    An old man was standing in ce with a sign and a bible under his arm. It was a type of one-man protest. I wasn¡¯t sure who the sigh was meant for, what message it was supposed to deliver, or why he was acting in such a way, but he appeared determined to resist in the face of irresistible change.


    ¡°Look at that man over there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something natural. It¡¯s rather astonishing that I can¡¯t see any pastors of therge churches. They usually crowd out every time something big happens.¡±


    ¡°How could the pastors of mega churchese to Gwanghwamun? They won¡¯t even be able to step out of their rooms.¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    The old man flinched at the cold responses of the crowd, but he silently endured and continued holding up the sign. I observed him for a moment before speaking.


    ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t think you came to me for a meaningless chat. What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Min-kyung nodded and answered my question.


    ¡°Do you know about the Guards?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of them.¡±


    It was the name of one of the adjudicating organizations created by the Great Wizard. They were a group that enforced the will of the Great Wizard in keeping the surface world and the parallel world separate.


    ¡°They are guardians of the rules. Every single one is fit to be called the strongest of mankind, but they are prohibited from using their powers for themselves.¡±


    She gave a brief exnation about the guards. The guards were enforcers of thew. They were also the reason why the powerhouses of the parallel world only held little influence in the surface world.


    ¡°Fit to be called the strongest of mankind. So exactly how strong are they?¡±


    Min-kyung pondered over the question for a while, then gave an answer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly, but¡­ I confronted one while escaping from the tower. One of them fought on equal grounds with Yeong-min.¡±


    ¡®Does that mean that they¡¯re level 15? Come to think of it, the Imoogis in Gyeonghoeru Pond were level 15¡­ No way.¡¯


    A sudden thought struck my head, and I asked Min-kyung.


    ¡°Are they clearing the stage as well?¡±


    Every time I entered the stage, there were always thousands of rankers above me, despite the fact I was able to knock down the enemies with a single blow. I had always pondered who they were. It seemed absurd that they were able to rank above me before they had any time to adjust to the system of the stage. It appeared that the mysterious beings actually belonged to the guards.


    ¡°Naturally. The guards cannot fulfil their personal desires and are suppressed by all sorts of restrictions, but they are still human.¡±


    ¡°How many of them?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly. It¡¯s a very ndestine organization¡­¡±


    Min-kyung answered after a moment.


    ¡°Maybe around 5,000 to 10,000 people?¡±


    ¡°¡­..!¡±


    I realized.


    ¡®I knew something was weird!¡¯


    To think such a group existed!

 Vol 2. 76: The Salvation of God (13)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 76: The Salvation of God (13)</h4>


    ¡°This is it.¡±


    After seeing him once more at 3 P.M., Jae-seok handed me an apricot bead. It was soft to touch, and it felt like I was pressing down on fat, chubby cheeks. It felt alive.


    ¡°What is this, a lump of flesh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called a Life Bead.¡±


    The smile never disappeared from Jae-seok¡¯s face as he exined. I wasn¡¯t sure why he was so happy, but he couldn¡¯t stop smiling and his face was glowing with happiness. That wasn¡¯t all.


    Ilsung


    Level 16


    Ascetic Bae Jae-seok


    ¡®Why did his level go up again? What the hell happened in thest few hours?¡¯


    Naturally, I had my guesses, but I didn¡¯t want to ask. But it seemed as if he was eager to tell me, despite myck of attention.


    ¡°Huhuhu. Dae-ha. I¡¯m an adult now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not just an adult. You¡¯re an old man. An old, 80-years old man. We should be lighting 80 candles for your birthday, so calling yourself an adult might be an understatement.¡±


    ¡°A man doesn¡¯t be an adult just because he bes older. Huhuhu. Hahahahaha!¡±


    ¡°You crazy bastard¡­ Get it together and exin this Life Bead, or whatever you called it.¡±


    Jae-seok only came to his senses after I frowned and asked for an exnation. He spoke.


    ¡°It was probably two. No, was it three years? Anyways, I almost died of hunger and started to work on it. I managed toplete it after seven years. There¡¯s an organ in my body that can produce a Life Bead, and the finished product can be released through my navel.¡±


    ¡°Released¡­ So you mean.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s used for Meal of Madness.¡±


    Along with a buzzing sound, the Life Bead split into halves, revealing a clean cross-section. It wasn¡¯t just a lump of flesh. Although it was the size of a fingernail and the outer appearance was simr to a regr pill avable from any pharmacies, it contained flesh, blood, and even bone fragments.


    ¡°I don¡¯t chew it. To be exact, I made it smaller so I wouldn¡¯t have to chew. At first, I only included flesh, but I had to include blood and bones once my body started getting sick. Oh, for your information, you can obtain all the nutrients required to survive with just this.¡±


    A skill that multiples the effects of cannibalizing one¡¯s own body by tenfold ¨C Meal of Madness. It was a skill that I had been paying attention to since I first discovered it in the vending machine. Naturally, I didn¡¯t pay attention to it because I wanted it. Rather, I had eyed it because it was so terrible.


    ¡®I thought that the very existence of such a skill was problematic. I can¡¯t believe Jae-seok learned it.¡¯


    Meal of Madness was a skill that explicitly demonstrated the terrible design of the stage. It existed because it was required, which meant that the stage¡¯s environments were absolutely depriving. It didn¡¯t matter if you only cleared the stage once, but it was impossible to clear the stage multiple times without possessing a meal-rted skill.


    Additional clears could allow a person to save others who failed while receiving extra points, but at the same time, it was designed to prevent the stage from being cleared with overwhelming power.


    ¡°To be honest, no skill can match the Meal of Madness in terms of efficiency. Even if you raise your skills to the highest level, the only skill that can supply you infinitely is the Meal of Madness.¡±


    ¡°Ha. Unbelievable. Meal of Madness.¡±


    Jae-seok smiled bitterly at my sigh.


    ¡°There was no other way. My honor is around the Bronze rank, but it wasn¡¯t enough to provide me food to sustain my Life Energy.¡±


    I could understand. I also had starved to death while clearing the stage before. However, I was able to approach the stage from a different direction because I had the Unique World. I was able to y in a manner beyond the design of the stage.


    ¡°Anyway, what do you mean by raising a skill to its highest level?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know? A guy who makes the guides doesn''t know how to level the skills¡­? Come to think of it, did you really not raise any level? Those five levels were gained before the End Project initiated?¡±


    I never bought an experience potion from the vending machine. Why would I need to? Every time the door opened, all of my stats were increased by 100 points, so there was no reason to waste my points on the experience potions.


    ¡°Ah! I did something so stupid. But I did search on the web quite a bit. I never saw or heard of there being any skill points.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because there aren¡¯t any skill points. You can raise your skill levels with bonus points. In fact, my Meal of Madness is level ten. It¡¯s maxed out. The effects are increased by 20 times because I went down the stabilization route. I heard the effects can be increased up to 40 times if you take the madness route, but you need to be insane to do something like that. Although I might have been forced to head down that route if I didn¡¯t have the Throne of Honor.¡±


    I ignored his continuing words and ordered Genie to search for all information regarding guides on the map. Jae-seok was shouting something along the lines of ¡°Honor is great!¡± anyways.


    After using the proper keywords, a huge amount of information about skill levels popped up.


    ¡®Dammit. I was just too arrogant.¡¯


    I always believed my guides to be the best. If I had asked Genie to collect information from the web, I would have been able to learn about this much quicker.


    ¡°I see. I thought you were always using the level 1 skills to show everyone that it was possible to clear with level 1 skills.¡±


    ¡°Well, now that I know, it¡¯s fine. Anyhow, do you intend to continue using the Meal of Madness?¡±


    Jae-seok shook his head at my question.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t do this anymore. I was only able to hang on because I had gone half insane. It wasn¡¯t a human thing to do. I¡¯m going to reset my skills with the crazy number of points I gained, and I¡¯m also nning to remove the Life Bead production organ I made by meditating for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you going to do about the food issue?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I was wondering. Give me whatever armor you have. I¡¯m sure you¡¯vee up with plenty of new models, right? Since you¡¯re a production type anyways.¡±


    I could see where he was going with this.


    ¡°You bastard! You dare sell me out to earn honor!?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be so selfish and lend a hand. Now that I had delicious food after clearing the stage, I don¡¯t think I can go back to eating my own body. If you support me with some powerful armors or weapons, I¡¯ll tell the story of reaching level 17 on the 6 o¡¯clock news. Even if I can¡¯t achieve Diamond, I need to get tinum at the least.¡±


    Jae-seok begged while smiling, and I was forced to smile. It appeared that he had be more cunning after enduring 60 years with an indomitable spirit.


    ¡°For free?¡±


    ¡°I have lots of money. Do you want a building?¡±


    ¡°You have that much money? Come to the roof![1]


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±


    Jae-seok forcefullyughed even though my joke wasn¡¯t funny at all. But his eyes widened as I got on the elevator.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I told you to follow me to the rooftop.¡±


    ¡°¡­..?¡±


    I entered the elevator with Jae-seok, who was clearly confused at the sudden turn of events. When we arrived at the rooftop, I could see Gyeongbokgung Pce, and Gwanghwamun Square stretched out below. We were on top of the Moon Tower, a building owned by the Ilsung Group.


    Peww--!


    ¡°What is this sound?¡±


    He became startled at the sudden noise.


    ¡°Something¡¯sing!¡±


    Woong- Woong--!


    Jae-seok became alert at the sudden change, and the air within a 300-meter radius of him began to vibrate heavily. It provided a simr sensation to a huge, thumping woofer speaker. I pped him on the back.


    ¡°It¡¯s mine, you idiot.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry. I was surprised.¡±


    The space in front of him started to distort as Jae-seok scratched his head.


    Pat!


    A drone appeared out of nowhere while holding a 2.5meter armor. After dropping the armor, the drone entered into cloaking mode once more, then disappeared into thin air.


    ¡°Wow¡­ This is.¡±


    Jae-seok was stunned speechless at the sight of the ck armor in front of him. The humongous armor had a sharp, sleek design. It came with a buckler attached on its left arm and a short sword on its right.


    ¡°It¡¯s called Knight Armor. In the past, I imbued the concentric circle attributes all over the armor, but it was rather inefficient, so I focused the concentric effect on the buckler located on its left hand and attached the ultra-vibration attribute on the short sword on its right hand.¡±


    ¡°Ultra-vibration? You managed to realize the characteristics of ultra-vibration?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. It only activates if you inject the vibration personally or the impact received by the buckler exceeds a certain level. Oh, and both fists have shock release properties, so if you clench your fists, the power will be amplified. If you spread your palms, you can shoot out vibrations in a wide-angle.¡±


    I knocked on the Knight Armor¡¯s back after exining its abilities. The minimal amount of Steel Muscle attribute was activated, and the rear of the Knight Armor opened wide, revealing its interior.


    ¡°You need to remember this vibration. If you stimte the back with it, it¡¯ll open up. Oh, and with the exception of fists and the other equipment, the entire armor is attached with reinforcement and restoration attributes. Even if it¡¯s shattered into pieces, it should fix itself up, so don¡¯t be afraid to roll around in it.¡±


    ¡°What if the shield and the sword are destroyed? Those two don¡¯te with the ability to self-restore, right?¡±


    ¡°Just hang it on the main body. The restoration attribute of the armor will restore the two as well.¡±


    Knight Armor was the armor form of Knight, the gigas I was nning to use. Without the connection to Genie, the battle AI was inactivated, so the usage of Steel Muscles was minimized. Instead, the focus was set on its capabilities as an armor, which allowed it to be much lighter than the gigas form.


    ¡°Wow¡­ This is so cool¡­¡±


    Jae-seok carefully stroked the armor in awe, then soon boarded the Knight Armor.


    Kiiek! ng!


    The armor¡¯s exposed back closed and he started moving around. Ordinary people could not even walk properly in the armor, but now that he reached level 16 as a Life Energy Practitioner, it would be as light as a pair of boxers for Jae-seok. His movements were natural.


    ¡°¡­Dae-ha..¡±


    He moved around for a while before calling out. He was staring at me, but I couldn¡¯t see his hair, let alone his face. Even so, I felt like I could see his expression.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you interested in real estate by chance? You can keep this building! No, tell you what. You can have all of my inheritance!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need anything of the sort~¡±


    I continued after a chuckle.


    ¡°But this is the only armor I have. You¡¯re the only one I have to take care of anyways.¡±


    ¡°What? That weird subspace was so incredible, but this is the only one?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Instead.¡±


    I looked directly at him before continuing.


    ¡°Are you interested in robots?¡±


    ¡°¡­..?¡±


    Jae-seok tilted his head in confusion.


    Time passed, and evening fast approached.


    - Stage will be opened!


    - Level 10. Difficulty is set at hard.


    ¡­..


    - All Death Processions have been cancelled!


    - Congrattions! The stage has beenpletely cleared! Compensation will be given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 1.


    Activated sses: Elemental Summoner, cksmith, Life Energy Practitioner


    Current Level: 10, 10, 10


    Bonus points: 300.


    I raised my levels. The distribution of experience was rather inefficient because I had so many sses, but it didn¡¯t really matter with the insane number of points I had. I bought unimaginable amounts of iron ore. I bought wood and stone as well. I also bought mana stones as well.


    I even bought some pills and tried everything I wanted. I also bought some of the best avable magic weapons, but their performance was too limited. Even the highest-tier goods were just barely suitable for a Compl¨¦ter.


    - Stage will be opened!


    - Level 11. Difficulty is set at easy.


    As expected, I achieved aplete clear.


    - Stage will be opened!


    - Level 10. Difficulty is set at intermediate.


    Anotherplete clear. I didn¡¯t even have anything to buy, so the points kept on piling up.


    - You have earned 219 trillion 726 billion 500 million points aspensation.


    - Points are a means of transaction and you can purchase Awakening Potion, Experience Potion, Equipment, Tools, Materials, Etc.


    ¡°A total of 219 trillion points?! It¡¯s not even disying the numbers in the millions anymore.¡±


    I shouted in awe. The points were starting to look incredulous. At first nce, the number of digits was going up at an unpredictable pace.


    It was partly due to a skill I learned.


    - Suppressor (Level 10): (Extreme) 1 clear is counted as 20 clears. A 2,000-point reduction debuff will be applied to the highest stat.


    The Suppressor skill had three different routes. A controlled skill tree would continue the 100-point reduction while counting a single clear as five. The exceed skill tree reduced the stat by 1,000 points while multiplying the clear count by 10. Finally, the extreme skill tree multiplied the clear count by 20 while reducing the stat by 2,000 points.


    Usually, one wouldn¡¯t be able to go down the extreme route unless they had plenty of stats to spare, but all of my stats sat at 300 points, totaling at 3,000 points. Moreover, the clears werepleted by Predator anyways, so the stat reduction wasn¡¯t a penalty for me at all.


    - Stage will be opened!


    - Level 11. Difficulty is set at hard.


    ¡­..


    - All Death Processions have been cancelled!


    - Congrattions! The stage has beenpletely cleared! Compensation will be given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 1.


    Perfect clear. Perfect clear. Perfect clear.


    The stages of level 11 were cleared without resulting in anyone¡¯s death. Whether others utilized the guides or not, I could handle the remaining clears by myself. Whether there were 100 million, 200 million, or 300 million clears remaining¡­ I could stop my time and let the Predator clear it over and over.


    But as I passed level 12 easy, intermediate, and finally reached the hard difficulty, I was awakened from my time hibernation by an external stimulus.


    A line of text was floating in front of me as I opened my eyes.


    - System will be undergoing an update.


    - Abnormal progress has been detected due to excessive clears by a certain user.


    - The number of clears per person will be limited to 10,000.


    ¡°¡­what?¡±


    The words escaped my understanding for a moment, so I stared nkly as my brain slowly processed the information.


    Excessive clears by a certain user? Abnormal progress? But a new text appeared in front of my eyes, ignoring my confusion.


    - The tests have beenpleted!


    - Stage cleared. Compensation will be given ording to the contribution.


    - Your ranking is 1.


    - Your clear count is 10,000 times.


    - Please indicate the 10,000 people who will have their Death Procession canceled.


    - The targets will be listed as follows: Blood rtives, acquaintances, area of residence, region of origin.


    - Please select the people to change their status.


    Many people¡¯s faces came to mind. I didn¡¯t need to make any adjustments, since I didn¡¯t think I even knew more than 10,000 people.


    - The Death Procession will be applied without any changes.


    - Number of remaining Death Procession.


    - 826,639,991


    - Initiated.


    ¡°What the hell.¡±


    I finally came to realize what the End Project had done.


    That was right.


    The system singled me out and applied a bnce patch¡­


    1. In Korean high school or whatnot, bullies usually tell their victims toe to the roof to get beaten up. In this case, Dae-ha is making a joke, basically saying that he¡¯s going to rob Jae-seok on the roof.

 Vol 2. 77: The Salvation of God (14)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 77: The Salvation of God (14)</h4>


    I had expected to run into a limit in the end. In the first ce, the update rate of the End Project was set at a rate that was absolutely impossible for humanity to keep up with. It was an unaffordable configuration doomed to wipe out humanity in the end.


    What was a Compl¨¦ter (level 10)?


    Only a few months ago, level 10s were considered the apex of humanity. People who reached such a level were considered the strongest of mankind.


    For example, a swordmaster. A person born with unparalleled talents could finally reach the level of a swordmaster after dedicating their entire life to the de, then breaking through a wall. They would finally have reached the level of a Compl¨¦ter.


    The power of abat-type Compl¨¦ter was unimaginable. They were simply killing machines. Even if an entire division armed with the newest, strongest weapons flocked together, they would bembs for ughter if they had to sh with a swordmaster. Their des could pierce even the thickest steel of a tank, and their defenses were imprable, even against cannon barrages. In addition, they were agile enough to avoid bullets, which meant they were unbeatable opponents for modern soldiers.


    In the past, Heaven Sword Lee Jong-woo, who was called the strongest swordsman in all of Korea, had reached level 11. What more needed to be said?


    But now, after passing through level 11, 12 and reaching 13, knocking down a level 13 enemy was simply equivalent to doing one¡¯s own share.


    - The tests have beenpleted!


    - Stage cleared. Compensation will be given ording to the contribution.


    - You are tied for 1st ce (11,122 people).


    - The Death Procession will be applied without any changes.


    - Number of remaining Death Procession.


    - 911,135,211


    It felt as if the End Project was finally starting to live up to its name.


    That was right. The human race was¡­ finally reaching an unbreakable wall.


    At a supermarket in Florida, USA, there was a gunfight over supplies, as well as a battle between yers. On the streets of Ennd, a college student of Singaporean origin was attacked. It is known that the student possessed a high level of honor. In France, hate crime has been on the rise recently. A violent group is known to target Asians. Humanity¡¯s horrible sides are being revealed amid the advance of the apocalypse. This is Reporter Han Hye-jin signing off.


    With the numerous, horrific incidents increasing in number all around the world, it¡¯s almost as if people arepeting over how far humanity can fall. Violent protests around the world are causing massive casualties¡­


    The parliament is discussing possible martialw, but its effectiveness is being questioned, as yers¡¯ standards have risen significantly and with the Ministry of National Defense on the verge of copsing entirely.


    It has been confirmed that the African Republic of Burkina Faso has been officially ¡®destroyed¡¯. Burkina Faso was a country with a poption of 14 million people. Burkina Faso did not have their fair share of yers capable of clears, and more than 90% of their total poption has been wiped out. No attempt has been made to dispose of the bodies, and the entire country waspletely eradicated with the majority of their citizens dying. Unfortunately, Burkina Faso isn¡¯t the only country sharing in this unfortunate fate, the¡­


    ¡°As long as the update continues, the situation will only continue to worsen¡­¡±


    After the easy difficulty of level 13 finished, the number of surviving humans decreased even further. The entire world had descended into chaos. Certain countries had managed to maintain their social systems until now, but finally began to copse with the new restrictions.


    Neither the preparations of the Great Wizard nor the blessings of the three gods were able to control the people¡¯s growing fears and prevent them from going insane.


    ¡°Hey! What are you spacing out for? Let¡¯s go and rob it!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, move it!!¡±


    I sat on a bench and sipped on my iced coffee while watching several men break through bank doors. There were only about ten robbers, and they weren¡¯t equipped with any guns, but not even the police stepped up to stop them. Perhaps theck of action was due to the letters that were floating on top of their heads.


    Level 11


    I knew that their true strength was only equivalent to around level 7 to 9, but even so, they were an unstoppable force to the general public.


    ¡®There aren¡¯t that many yers among the general poption.¡¯


    The stage was being held for all of humankind. More than half of humankind should be yers, ording tomon sense, but I don¡¯t think there were any yers in the surroundings. Everyone was way too busy screaming and hiding.


    To be exact, there is no one who is high-leveled.


    ¡®Yeah. Now that you mention it, there are quite a few people who are below level 5.¡¯


    But there were only a few people who were stronger than that. This was also proof that the stage was now proceeding not with the capacity of humankind as a whole, but with the capacity of a small number of elites.


    ¡°Someone do something about that! Did anyone call the police?¡±


    ¡°I reported it, but do you think the police will be able to do anything about it?¡±


    People were pacing around nervously.


    It was then.


    ¡°Everyone, please stop.¡±


    With a loud thump, a figure appeared behind the bank robbers. I was slightly shocked due to the identity of the person.


    ¡°¡­A monk.¡±


    It was a monk. His head was shaved bald, and he was adorned in the traditional clothes of monks. It felt way too foreign to see a monk in the middle of the city, rather than a temple in the mountains.


    ¡°Who the hell are you?! Get the hell out of here!¡±


    I thought they would attack as soon as the monk spoke, but unexpectedly, the robbers became wary of the monk and shifted their stance.


    ¡®They¡¯re notplete idiots.¡¯


    They were most likely well aware. Just as they could dodge bullets and break open the bank¡¯s thick iron door with their bare hands, the monk could also be a powerhouse. Even though he looked weak, a person¡¯s outer appearance didn¡¯t reveal anything about their true power. Ironically, the biggest threat to the robbers was not the soldiers nor the police¡­ but a passerby high-level yer.


    ¡°What are you scared of, you idiot? Look at his level! He¡¯s only level eight!¡±


    ¡°Huh? You¡¯re right. This old man must have gone senile! I thought he was a passing master because of the way he was dressed!¡±


    A man with a ming sword roared and kicked off the ground. Heunched a devastating attack without any hesitation, attempting to resolve the situation with violence.


    However.


    Zeng!


    ¡°Stop. Don¡¯t you see that these actions are only building up your evil deeds?¡±


    Wooong!!! Wooong---!!


    ¡°Ugh! Uaagh!¡±


    ¡°Keugh! What the ¡­!?¡±


    The yers were sent sprawling to the floor along with a golden shockwave. No one was injured because the emitted energy was gentle, but it was a force beyondmon sense.


    ¡®What? Was he hiding his power?¡¯


    But the information I saw was not much different.


    Seongbulsa Temple


    Level 7


    Good Deed Practitioner Myeong-wol


    ¡®What the heck?¡¯


    I muttered under my breath. I soon discovered the source of the power he was using ¨C it was a cane in his hand. After discovering the weapon, the robber yers shouted in disbelief.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Justice Weapon!¡±


    ¡°What the fuck!? How is it possible for a level 8 to be this strong with just one stick?¡¯


    ¡°What tier is he at?¡±


    They charged once more while shouting. They were also yers. They cleared the stage while fighting fear and despair. They were well aware that they needed to make quicker decisions if things were no longer reversible.


    Puck!


    A dagger stabbed into Myeong-wol¡¯s shoulder. He clenched his teeth and swung the Justice Stick.


    Whoo-hoo!


    An energy erupted like a tidal wave and sent the yers flying. They crashed into the wall, but no one died.


    ¡®How foolish.¡¯


    If he focused his powers to deal with one or two of them at one time, he would be able to easily take care of the robbers. But Myeong-wol was acting with the intention of only suppressing them. The problem was that he was not strong enough to be merciful toward the enemies. Even if he possessed a powerful Justice Weapon, the limitations were clear due to theck of his personal capabilities.


    ¡°You fucking hermit--!!¡±


    The asphalt shifted fluidly and caused Myeong-wol to fall. He held on to his cane but eventually fell, and the asphalt rose up like a living creature and tried to swallow Myeong-wol¡¯s body.


    ¡°Hap!¡±


    But with a roar, a tree rapidly grew from the ground and covered Myeong-wol¡¯s body as he hit the floor.


    ¡°All right! Stay right there, senile monk!¡±


    Fwoosh!


    A ball of fire appeared in the air. It appeared that one of the robbers was a wizard. Myeong-wol tried to lift himself up in a hurry, but the ground was still moving.


    Puck!


    ¡°Keu¡­gh.¡±


    Blood gushed out of the wizard¡¯s mouth. The startled yers turned around toe face-to-face with a steel midget holding a long, iron skewer.


    ¡°Goblin! F, fuck! Find the pilot!¡±


    Puck! Puck!


    Arrows started pouring down as well. I instantly located the hunters sitting on the roof of a nearby building.


    Thump! Thump!


    Two berserkers started charging. They were equipped with a weapon I had never seen in the vending machine. It was a lightsaber.


    ¡®A Justice Weapon.¡¯


    Shing! Shing!


    ¡°Keugh! No, no! I need to run¡­¡±


    The yers suffered grave injuries after shing with the metallic enemies, but they weren¡¯t given a chance to escape. The arrows continued to fall, and the lightsaber continued to press the yers. The small goblins delivered several critical blows with sleek movements, and in the blink of an eye, the robbers were all dead.


    ¡°W, what¡­¡±


    Myeong-wol looked at the bloody road with a devastated look on his face. He had closed his eyes as if preparing for death, but the sudden reinforcements had saved his life.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    A man approached Myeong-wol. He was equipped with a sleek helmet ¨C the controller I handed over to Jae-seok when I gave him the Avatar series. Since the Avatar series was equipped with Genie¡¯s Battle AI software, the controller was required for others to utilize the iron golems.


    ¡°I, I am fine, but¡­ How¡­ How could you kill them all?¡±


    ¡°They were too dangerous to be simply suppressed.¡±


    ¡°Even so, yers have extraordinary vitality, right? You could have injured them instead.¡±


    Myeong-wol protested with a pale expression.


    It was then.


    - Destroying evil is the first step in enacting justice. Kim So-hyang. I bestow upon you my Godly Artifact for enacting justice.


    A shining dagger descended from the sky along with the somber voice.


    Click!


    The door of a nearby car opened. A child ran towards the descending dagger and received. She looked to be an elementary student.


    ¡°Wow! It¡¯s a Justice Weapon! Look! It¡¯s a real Justice Weapon!¡±


    After grasping the weapon, the child smiled broadly while jumping around.


    Myeong-wol asked with an even paler expression.


    ¡°D, don¡¯t tell me¡­ Was that child the one manipting the goblin? A child that young?¡±


    ¡°¡­The Avatar Series can be controlled even if onecks in physical ability, even children. Rather, children ten to adapt quickly and produce better results in terms of controlling.¡±


    ¡°T, this is nonsense! How could you bring a young child to such a terrible scene? Are you telling me that you ordered her to murder? How? How could you?¡±


    Myeong-wol¡¯s hands trembled in disbelief. The young girl was tightly embracing the dagger, which looked like a toy in her arms. So-hyang had a frightened expression. She wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to the trembling old monk.


    ¡°D, did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all. So-hyang, take Sally back to the car.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    So-hyang ran chicly and approached the goblin. It was the same one who stabbed the wizard through the chest with an iron skewer. She avoided the blood and the bodies on the ground, then picked up the goblin before running back to the car.


    On a closer observation, I saw a pink ribbon tied to the goblin¡¯s head.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I observed the entire situation unfold in silence. It wasn¡¯t just me either, as many people were crowded around the scene. The man with the helmet spoke.


    ¡°Monk Myeong-wol, we are facing the end of the world.


    ¡°B, but. But.¡±


    ¡°Sir.¡±


    The man in the helmet stopped speaking for a moment.


    He also seemed to have a lot to say. I¡¯m sure he had many things he wanted to talk about ¨C how everything was happening with the government¡¯s approval, how things would get out of hand if the wicked weren¡¯t immediately punished, or how the children would die on the next stage unless the performance of their Justice Weapons were improved.


    But in the end, he only spoke a few, short words.


    ¡°Humanity must do anything to survive.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Myeong-wol remained silent, and the man left him behind. He boarded arge van, and two berserkers, three hunters, and eight goblins took their ce on the roof of the van.


    Vroom!


    Even as the van moved away, Myeong-wol stayed unmoving in a daze.


    ¡°How.¡±


    He finally uttered after a long time.


    ¡°How could this be? How could the world¡­ How¡­ Ugh¡­¡±


    The old man started to shed tears. The crowd started turning their heads, unable to watch the scene anymore.


    I asked Genie.


    ¡®How many humans are left now?


    Less than 4 billion. And¡­ there will be even less after the next stage.


    p!


    I turned my head while listening, and a fluttering banner came into view.


    This was written on the banner


    - 40 years after being illegally tortured during the military regime


    - Finally finding peace after spending countless nights of tears


    - A story of finding hope at the end of despair


    - Monk Myeong-wol¡¯s Happy Conversation Free admission on a firste, first-served basis!


    - Dd Cultural Center at 2 P.M. every day.


    - (Monk Myeong-wol is the owner of a Diamond Rank Justice Stick.)


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I stood up and checked the time.


    5:30 P.M.


    There was only an hour and a half until the intermediate stage of level 13 began.

 Vol 2. 78: The Salvation of God (15)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 78: The Salvation of God (15)</h4>


    After returning to the Albatross ship by Recall, I moved to the United States by using the Warp function.


    "Mehhhh~"


    "Kkokk kkokk!!"


    I arrived in an area with a huge number of livestocks. Just as promised, the livestocks were fed plenty of water and food. However, there was no one standing by, because this was the promised ce where the liverstocks would be gathered after discussions with the United States government.


    Poof poof poof poof!! I passed through the crowd of livestocks while touching them. The livestocks disappeared and were transported to the Unique World. My self who was in the Unique World then sent the livestock to a location designated by Genie. The transported livestock would be ughtered to provide meat, leather, and bones to the Unique World.


    "By the way, did you hand out all the Avatar series?"


    100 million units of Goblin, 30 million units of Hunter, and 20 million units of Berserker have beenpletely distributed.


    "What''s the rate of operation?"


    As I questioned while sending the livestock to the Unique World, Genie replied, So far, it has been confirmed to be about 45 percent.


    "It''s faster than I expected. I am not entirely sure if this quick speed is due to the talent or desperation of everyone else."


    We still have 800 million units of Berserker remaining. Is it going to be alright if we don''t distribute them out?


    "It might be fine if the stage was Level 4 or Level 5, but it''s now Level 13. This isn¡¯t a problem that can be solved by recklessly distributing them out." I shook my head. If it was a force that couldn''t even clear the stage, it would be meaningless to give the Avatar series to them. If I simply distributed them out to clear the remaining models I had left, an ident would certainly ur.


    Jae-seok appeared on the news and revealed that he had spent 60 years on the stage. He calmly talked about his experience in the stage and how he had managed to endure for such a long time. Moreover, he also exined about the name and performance of the Avatar series that he received from me. He even made mention of the process of distribution, which was carried out using Ilsung''s infrastructure. The effect was so great that he obtained the reputation of Diamond Rank in a heartbeat.


    "What''s the highest score in the Great War?"


    It''s 274,000 points.


    "What''s the number of people who scored over 100,000?"


    74 people.


    "It''s a long way off..."


    We''re still short of time. There will be more and more while the stage progresses.


    "I don''t know if we can proceed with the stage or not. No matter how much you manipte the Avatar series, the start is Level 13," I muttered. I''ve released a lot of Avatar series, but the Controllers I''ve made are more than twice as much. To be exact, 500 million units were released. Even if the unit was not linked to the Avatar series, it would be an ount connected to the system of the Albatross ship. It had a function that worked as a virtual reality game machine and, of course, the game they had to y was The Great War.


    ''For some reason, I''ve been wanting to hear that name.'' The Leonhardt Empire, which was suffering from ack of fully-fledged pilots, spread pilot training simtions throughout the universe. They also came to scout those who had the qualifications of pilots if they yed and scored more than a certain number of points in the game.


    For context purposes, if someone were to score more than 100,000 points in The Great War''s ranking system, they would obtain the qualifications to be a reserve pilot. If they scored over 500,000 points, they would be treated as an experienced pilot. That meant that they could ride on a Gigas right away. If anyone scored 1,000,000 points, they would be a first-ss pilot who could ride on a Gigas that was Human-rank or above. Then, more than 10,000,000 points would allow them to be ssified as a pilot with the quality of a Gigant Master, a pilot that could ride on a Star-rank Gigas or above. For reference, I was used of being a hacker because I scored 1.28 billion points.


    Even so, we have quite a few people. Unlike the original Great War, the talent as a pilot, the presence of Ability is disregarded. Only piloting skills are being looked at.


    "Because the Avatar series are not Gigas." I nodded. Since they couldn¡¯t even activate the possible Ability that they had, the Ability was excluded from the simtion. All they needed to care about right now was the piloting method of the Gigas.


    Poooof! Poooooof! The livestocks kept disappearing. Almost all of them had disappeared while I was distracted by other thoughts.


    "By the way, isn''t this too huge an amount?" Even if I was a big-eater, the scale of the Unique World had already crossed a certain line. Of course, it had reached a point where I couldn''t eat them all even by stuffing my face. Thus, I couldn''t believe that we were still bringing in livestocks and not equipment. After all, the amount of livestock had reached a point where an ecosystem was created inside the Unique World.


    However, Genie simply stated, It''s just to confirm something.


    "Confirm?"


    That''s right. Although the credibility isn''t that high, ording to the legacy of the Unique World that remained in history...


    Special Unique World(Legend++++) ranked up!


    Rank B ¡ú Rank A


    Just then, I felt that the scale of the Unique World had be a stage bigger. The maic sand small crazily expanded, continuously swelling from the huge amounts of maic sand that poured in from the core of the small. Buildings ssified by sections jolted like a small boat that met a heavy storm. After a while...


    "Wow."


    Ohhh, it''s wide. At this point, even the Albatross ship can probablye in too, right?


    "Due to the entry weight limit, not a chance." I got on Ares'' shoulders and went around the Unique World. Although Ares was flying at a rtively fast speed, it took a considerable amount of time to make one revolution of the Unique World. It was an enormous expansion. The Unique World, which had almost been fully developed, had be a deste field of maic sand again. It wasn''t a joke, but perhaps it was vast enough for one or two countries to be put in here entirely.


    It''s as expected.


    "As expected, you say?"


    Yes. ording to the legacy, the owners of the ancient Unique World developed the Unique World by bringing many living and non-living things there.


    "Is this the normal way to do so?" I tilted my head. Come to think of it, so far, the Unique World had only grown when Ares'' soul power had been consumed or when I opened the door and awakened my spiritual power. Needless to say, this was definitely not a normal growth process. Thus, it meant that the Unique World could not grow in a unteral way.


    Presumably, it is not able to develop just by bringing in either non-living things or living things. If it was possible with non-living things, then it would have been ranked the highest.


    "But then again..." My voice trailed off. The scale of the lumber, stone, and iron ore that I bought from the gacha machine as I proceeded with the stage was simply outrageous. If there was anythingcking, of course it would be the number of living creatures that I had brought in.


    Captain-nim, it''s about 6:30 p.m.


    "It''s a bit strange to procure additional livestocks now¡­ I''d rather take this opportunity to get some water." Now that there was only 30 minutes left until the Level 13 Intermediate-difficulty stage, I transported all the remaining livestocks and approached the nearby river. "Wait for a bit."


    Whooooosh! As I immersed myself in the river and connected to the Unique World, the river water began to fill up a huge tank prepared in the Unique World. However, the amount that was brought over exceeded my expectations.


    "Ohhh." I widened my eyes as I was surprised by the decreasing water volume that happened in an instant. I knew that the maximum weight limit would increase as the rank of the Unique World rose, but even so, the increase still surpassed my expectations. After a while, I noticed that, by the time the river hadpletely emptied, the Unique World had reached its weight limit from receiving the water.


    "It seems you eat and drink a lot."


    "Because I''m still in my growth phase," I replied,pletely unsurprised by the sudden voice that rang out. I knew he was hiding from the moment I first came here.


    The man who revealed himself had a face I was familiar with, but he was no acquaintance. He was a sturdily-built Westerner who looked old. Carrying a greatsword of his size, he had a higher level aspared to before.


    Avengers


    Level 15


    Evil Hunter, Alex


    ng ng! Instead of retrieving the greatsword that slung across his back, Alex pulled out a pistol from his waist and pointed it at me. Shiver shiverrrr¡­ He trembled with the gun in his hand. I knew for a fact that his shivering had nothing to do with his emotional anguish or hesitation, because he definitely tried to pull the trigger. However, the gun did not go ording to his will.


    Alex was holding a Justice Weapon, which was known as the weapon of righteousness. With that characteristic within it, the gun could only strike an unjust being. He cried out in disbelief, "H-How are you not an unjust being? You¡¯re a murderer who ughtered tens of thousands of people. Don''t tell me¡­ Justice really thinks of murder as a minor evil?"


    I looked at Alex¡¯s expression of denial and stubbornness. After pondering for a moment, I decided to throw caution to the wind and say whatever I wanted. After all, what good would it do to be cautious of what I say aftering this far? I asked, "Alex, are you a vegetarian?"


    "¡­What are you trying to say?"


    "Just answer me."


    "Of course I like meat," Alex responded with a face of disbelief.


    Iughed. "Then, in the eyes of cows and chickens, you must be a murderer who has killed and devoured countless of their kin, right?"


    "What a load of madness. What are you saying¡­? Don¡¯t tell me¡­?" Alex was momentarily furious before a quick realization hit him. He widened his eyes.


    I nodded. "That''s right. The answer is Spiritual Divinity." I did not have the Blessing of Justice, so I couldn¡¯t obtain the weapon of righteousness, the Justice Weapon. However, that did not mean that justice had rejected me. It was just the modus operandi of Karma.


    ''Come to think of it, he had asked me that question even since long before.''


    /"But even if so, I still want to ask. Oh wicked being who ughtered tens of thousands of people."


    "Why did you have to do that? You seemed to have enough power without having the need to exterminate them. And why..."


    "Why wasn''t there a speck of evil karma amassed when you brought about such a massacre?" (shback)/


    There wasn''t a single mark or tattoo on me, nor did my nose get any longer at all. ''Actually, it doesn''t really make any sense.'' I had already killed more than 10 million people. If evil karma was amassed by killing people, I would naturally alwayse first in terms of the number of kills. No matter which serial killer it was, even if Hitler came, he would just be a kid in front of me.


    However, could a farmer who killed countless bugs by spraying pesticides be considered a wicked person? Could a fisherman who spread their fishings while sweating every day be called a ughterer? No. The standard by which Karma was amassed was not based on ethics, but on thews and rules. Byw, if there was a difference in the Spiritual Divinity of both parties, then Karma would not umte or decrease. Humans would not go to hell even if they murdered ants and ate 300 chickens a year.


    "S-Such a thing... Don''t tell me you''re an existence that is beyond a human being?"


    "It''s called Innate Gods. I''m not some sort of great or amazing existence. I''m just born with the bloodline of a God."


    Alex had a look of disbelief. "So that means you''re half-human half-God? Like Hercules?"


    "You don''t have to bring up the Gods of Olympus who have fallen long, long ago."


    "...What are you talking about? You''re speaking as if Zeus really existed-"


    "Never mind." I interrupted the stuttering Alex and asked, "Why are you here? I don''t think you''re here just to whine about the current state of affairs."


    Alex, who was wavering for a moment, said, "I heard you refused the guardian''s contact."


    "I don''t particrly have any need for it." I shrugged. The guardians that Min-kyung elected had previouslye to find me, but I obviously rejected them. They came without even telling me the reason they did so. All they said was ''Let''s meet'', so I found them thoroughly ridiculous.


    However, Alex said with a serious look, "The Ark Project wasunched in the United States."


    "What''s that?"


    "They''re nning to build an ark and go into space. It''s top secret information, but... It''s been confirmed that if you leave Earth, you''ll leave the stage too."


    "Ohhooo." As I heard the information that I wasn¡¯t privy to, I whistled. This was quite an interesting piece of information, because it meant that I could possibly allow people on board the Albatross ship to leave Earth in the worst case scenario. ''Of course, even if I wanted to let people board, I can only bring an extremely small fraction of the entire humanity.''


    "However, as it is, there are only a handful of people who can be saved by the Ark Project. Even if we gather all the power of science and spiritual abilities, we don''t have enough time."


    "And so?"


    "We need the help of the guardians for the truepletion of the Ark Project, and they said they would do so under the condition that you visit them. They said that they don''t need anything else. They just need you toe and see them once."


    "That''s a very convincing reason. It''s so convincing that you don''t even sense a speck of suspicion, huh?"


    "..."


    "Moreover, this is just putting it nicely. Doesn¡¯t it just mean that only the higher ups will escape by themselves?"


    Alex gritted his teeth at my ridiculing voice. He snapped, "Then, what do you want us to do? Wasn''t that great and mighty Great Wizard-nim Level 20?! If the stage progresses up to Level 20 as it is... We would need billions of the Great Wizard-nim, who was said to be able to stand against the entire humanity alone, to even make clearing the stage possible..."


    "Eyyyy, he''s not Level 20. Just looking at the traces that remained, he''s more like a Level 25 to 30 though."


    "You! Is it funny to you that mankind is struggling to avoid total destruction?"


    Iughed at Alex¡¯s expression of anger. Then, I asked, "Who knows. But will mankind really perish?"


    "...What? What does that mean?"


    As I looked at Alex wavering, I thought of Juan. When ''I'' tried to destroy mankind by dropping a nuclear bomb, he came to stop it. I did not know if he really loved mankind, but it was clear that the destruction of mankind was not what he wished for. The human race had already been weeded out enough. He would surely make a move.


    "Don''t be so anxious and do as much as you can. I''ll do my best too."


    "Wait! What the hell are you saying?!"


    Pooooof! Before Alex could finish his sentence, I returned to the Albatross ship by invoking Recall. There was only about ten minutes left.


    ''Come to think of it, I am able to enter the stage without any problems from here. Do I have to move out of the satellite orbitpletely to escape from the stage?'' As I was having that thought, I finished my meal and pushed the entire residential area of the Albatross ship towards themon middle area that I had made beforehand.


    There stood a dark giant. Thuckkk! Along with the injection of vibration, Knight''s back opened and the cockpit was revealed. I immediately boarded him and awakened the Lightning Heart.


    Wiiiiingggg----!


    Initiating the Lightning Heart. System All Green. Dragon Knight, operating now.


    With the guidance of Genie, the giant that was on one knee propped himself up. After a few upgrades from its initial form, it waspleted as a Beast-rank Gigas with a weight of 7.5 tonnes, and a height of 4.5 meter.


    Tanktaaaank! Along with a metallic sound, a small Gigas, which was iparable to the size of Dragon Knight, jumped up on his shoulder. It was a Beast-rank Gigas weighing 3 kilograms and stretching 18 centimeters long.


    ''I need to gradually move on to Human-rank. It''s hard. I can''t believe it''s not possible even though I have all the blueprints.'' As I was grumbling like that, the Level 13 Intermediate-difficulty test had begun.

 Vol 2. 79: The Salvation of God (16)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 79: The Salvation of God (16)</h4>


    - Stage will be open!


    - Level 13. Difficulty is set to Intermediate.


    - Destroy the Evil Spirit Tree within 200 hours.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­


    The ce I arrived at was presumably a city in the Middle Ages. Although I said Middle Ages, that only applied to the overall atmosphere. It visually appeared to be like a million light-years away from the Middle Ages of Earth. Buildings of about four or five stories high had steeples that soared more than twice as high¡­ Shops full of weapons, as well as totems, with a strange vibe stuck all over the city.


    However, what immediately caught my attention was the contents of the text. I could barely entertain any thoughts of the background scenery, because the clear conditions were different from before. I grumbled, "Don''t tell me... Did this crazy bastard update again?"


    The stages thus far had always maintained the same objectives. The Intermediate-difficulty stages had 5 enemies of the corresponding level, and the High-difficulty stages had 10 enemies of the corresponding level and a boss which was a level higher than the corresponding level. But this was no longer the case.


    "Despite being an Intermediate-difficulty stage, 200 hours is given, huh." I raised an eyebrow. There was no way the stage would be kind, as if saying ''You can y more leisurely from now on. ^^'', so this meant the ytime was a lot longer¡­ It meant that multi-rounds y would be more difficult.


    "Moreover, it didn''t provide any information on how many to defeat. It simply states that I have to destroy the Evil Spirit Tree, huh... Is it then possible to y without killing the enemy?" I pondered aloud, because something felt wrong. If the usual game had been updated on arge scale, I would have obviously liked it. However, Project End had unconditionally only been updated in the worst possible way.


    As I thought about it, I was pissed off. "I kept calling it ''trashy game, crappy game'', and it really only had shitty updates. No, I mean, if it was going to update, shouldn''t they first update the equipment or items? This is really ridiculous and dumbfounding." As a matter of fact, the equipment, consumable items, and other stuff from the gacha machine were capped at Level 10. There were no updates in the list of items since the Level 1 stage.


    Lumber, stone, iron ore, and mana stone...remained the only raw materials that could be acquired. There was no way to see rare metals such as mithril and adamantium.


    There was also nothing much to the job system, because there was no such thing as a Stage-exclusive title. At the very least, there was a title such as Ogre yer, but no title was given even if one had killed hundreds of millions of Metal Aliens. So, it literally felt like a user-rted system had not been created. However, despite that, when it came to the difficulty of the stages, there were snippet patches as well asrge-scale updates. At this point, it really reached the extent where we were just waiting to wither to death.


    -Kruuuwangggg--!


    "W-What''s that?" I hid myself as I was surprised by the heart-rming roar. Since it resounded from the sky above, I stretched my head out to take a look. I waspletely speechless at the sight that greeted me.


    Project End


    Level 19


    Specter Dragon, Raffley


    "...Level 19?" I gaped in dumbfounded shock. Why was a Level 19 popping up on a Level 13 stage? It was a preposterous urrence, but I quickly figured out what was going on. After all, this wasn¡¯t my first or second time ying games. "It''s for the purpose of forcing a certain y method, huh."


    When I cleared the stage, I often did not care about any strategy. I usually yed by unting the gap in the levels, which was also how those guardians typically did things. It was also a strategy I turned to whenever I was forced to run around, but now... If something like that flew in the sky, it would be impossible to beat all the enemies that appeared to break through the map in a straight line. It was because I did not know what would happen if I caught the attention of such a monster.


    Level 19 means it''s on the verge of transcendence. By the looks of it, it seems to be an adult dragon. However, since it¡¯s not in the realm of transcendence, its level plummeted due to its death.


    Levels were not absolute, so it naturally went down when one was damaged. For example, if a swordsman got their arm cut off, or if a wizard got their mana-hole destroyed, their fighting ability and capabilities would surely drop even if they had retained their knowledge and experience.


    If so, what was the most serious damage that would cause the level to go down? ''Of course it''s death.'' Death was still death, even if it happened to a transcendent. Even if a person was a transcendent when they were alive, they would be a dead person who ''used to be'' a transcendent after dying.


    This was the case with the Evil Spirits summoned by the Chinese at Gyeongbokgung Pce. Despite having been a transcendent, as well as having a fraction of transcendental power, they could only assume an appearance which showed a much more depraved divinity. In order to transcend death, they would have to reach the level of Untouchables (High-rank Transcendent, Level 40), or gain a very special kind of enlightenment.


    Kkiiiiyaakkk! I was looking at the atmosphere for a while. Then, I noticed that something translucent had passed through the wall and appeared.


    Project End


    Level 5


    Nameless Evil Spirit


    Thuckkk! Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights. Violet. When Dragon Knight''s fingers pointed at the Evil Spirit, the divine skill that could even cause an untouchable being to vibrate caused the Evil Spirit to immediately explode and die.


    "The levels are allpletely messed up... By the way, I didn''t expect an Evil Spirit toe out too," Imented. I was relieved when a Chimera appeared during the level 13 Low-difficulty stage, but¡­ Judging from the surrounding atmosphere, the concept of this time''s stage seemed to be ck Magic. If this was the case, the power of Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights would basically not be effective. "It was nice when my superiority allowed me to take it easy. But is it going to be the other way around now?"


    Among the divine skills of the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, Violet was the only means of attacking an immaterial enemy. Even so, its efficiency was extremely poor because it was a face-saving skill designed to avoid the worst case scenario. When facing an Evil Spirit of the same-level, the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights was a skill that would have one sit down and endure a bad beating.


    "The Avatar series is the same too..." The Predator was an inevitable problem, because it was a machine created for the purpose of countering Metal Alien, which was made for maximum efficiency. Aside from that fact, the Dragon Knight was a problem too.


    "If I make a noise, that Specter Dragon bastard wille. Genie, turn on Stealth Mode."


    Enabling Stealth Mode. Enabling Compression property to reduce output by 60 percent.


    Dragon Knight''s gloves, which used to be greyish, turned pitch-ck. Its initial height of 4.5 meters was alsopressed and reduced to 2.5 meters. However, despite all these changes, it was still big. It had to lower its head to even enter an opened door.


    "I should farm first." I searched around, looking for characters written on the wall or books, as well as notes. As I searched all the houses around me, I discovered something strange. "Huh? The structure of the buildings are..."


    "Kruuooaaaar¡­"


    "Ah, move out of the way." After smashing the head of the Chimera that emerged from the depths of the darkness, I moved tens of meters back and looked at the overall shape of the buildings. "Yes, indeed. It''s symmetrical. But isn''t this too big a picture?"


    I went back into the building and started to simrly rearrange the interior structure that was scattered in a mess. I also caught and killed the Chimeras and Evil Spirits which asionally appeared. It was fortunate that I had yet to meet an Evil Spirit above Level 10. Then, after a while¡­


    Whoooong--! As I went around five or six buildings, and rearranged the furniture structures, a magic circle formed in the middle of the buildings.


    I engraved the characters I found in the books and notes that I found nearby. I didn''t know what the characters were, but I could roughly guess the order of the characters by referring to the contents of the books and notes. Wiiiiing! The magic circle rang in a deep tone and a mirror made of gold appeared above it.


    ...Wow. You''re good at finding and solving stuff. Ares, who was staying still, said in admiration.


    "Well, anyone can do this much," Imented, because it was a puzzle that anyone could solve with a little thought. I just found it a little faster.


    I stuck close to a corner and examined the golden mirror, which seemed regr and unassuming. There were just 10 patterns symbolizing the shape of a star engraved behind it. "Looking at the atmosphere, it looks like this is the main weapon." I stored it away for now.


    I began farming again. As I looked around, I sometimes found locked padlocks that had characters written on them. Oddly enough, the padlocks were designed so that characters could also be written on them. "Ahhh... I see. In other words, the top characters are questions to find the password, and the bottom space is for the answers."


    But isn''t it anguage that you don''t know of?


    "Wait¡­ Wait a moment. Yeah, there were characters in the books. That''s right. Among them, there was a diary and a letter. If I can find something that corresponds to the question written on the first line, I''ll probably be able to know the answer..." I muttered. However, I couldn''t guarantee that I would have the necessary documents to get the answers to this padlock. After all, I had yet to search the


    entire stage. So I checked the titles of the documents I found instead of blindly guessing the characters.


    Project End


    Yan''s Letter


    I looked at the contents. Of course, I couldn''t read the characters. Therefore, after ssifying the titles a few times, I began to grasp the meaning of the characters byparing the contents and the forms of the individual characters. My mind was spinning intensely, but I wasn''t trying to do the impossible. "Sal...ly¡­ What¡¯s the date of receipt of the first parcel that Sally received?"


    Fortunately, there was an answer among the documents I had. Ridiculously, despite asking for a date, it was not a number. I wrote, "The day that Chamwol stayed at the top of the steeple."


    Click! The key opened.


    No, does this make sense? That''s how you interpret it?


    As expected of Captain-nim. How did you do it?


    Ares and Genie were surprised, but they weren''t the only ones surprised¡­


    -789,935,521 people are admiring you!


    -4,511,123,324 Justice Points have been umted!


    "Huh?"


    When I was expressing doubt at the unknown texts that appeared¡­ Wooooong-! The space in front of my eyes split apart and a pistol with a splendid design emerged. I looked at the familiar design before reaching out to grab it. "Isn''t this a Justice Weapon? Seeing that it''s decorated with jewels, is it a Diamond rank?"


    - You are in the Diamond rank (Temporary)!


    - essing the Cradle of Justice!


    - 801,114,851 people are watching you!


    "No, what is this about? Someone''s watching me? Why are so many people watching me?¡± As I was baffled, I thought, ''I knew it. Juan did something.'' I did have such a thought upon encountering such an odd timing for such a drastic change. As expected, it was all progressing in an unexpected way. In order to figure out the current situation, I went into a warehouse that was nearby and locked the door to hide myself.


    - You have entered a Hidden Point! Monsters will not approach a Hidden Point.


    "Hmmm? Hasn''t it always been like that? Why is there an announcement being made?" I was bewildered by the unexpected kindness, but the new text that appeared soon informed me of why such an announcement had to be made.


    -Hidden Point usage time: 6 hours from now.


    -If the usage time is all used up, Hidden Points will not work during the 12 hour waiting time.


    "Oh,e on. This is so stingy. You''re going to mess with this too?" I groaned. This time, it was Project End''s interference. If I had to get out of the Hidden Point every six hours, it would be impossible to hole up in a Hidden Point until the end of the stage. If this happened, the second-round test itself would disappear, and my usual raiding arrangements would be meaningless. Considering that all the people who barely cleared the stage were once strategy guide users, it was actually a patch that brought about despair.


    "By the way, what''s a Cradle of Justice?" When I reached out and touched the text that appeared in front of me, a new window popped up.


    -Wee to the Cradle of Justice.


    - You currently have 0 Justice Points.


    - You have been granted 4,511,123,324 Justice Points.


    -(Read Bulletin Board), (Watch a y)


    -Current number of users connected to the Cradle of Justice: 933,215,566 people


    "What do you mean users connected to the Cradle of Justice? If it''s the users connected to the stage, there''s no way that there''s only 900 million people." I raised an eyebrow. The stage was apulsory test that all mankind would have to be involved in, so there wouldn''t be any exceptions. Ultimately, wasn''t the Ark Project in the United States trying to get out from Earth to steer away from participating in the stage?


    I chose to Read Bulletin Board, which already had a few bulletin posts up.


    -What''s this ce? +133 (Aram)


    - Notifying all yers. +522 (Tom)


    -Updates that have been confirmed so far +1,222 (S?ren)


    - Iron Mask-nim! Iron Mask-nim! You''re so cool! What a true genius!!!! +888 (Raon)


    I read the bulletin posts. In the -Updates that have been confirmed so far- bulletin post, it only contained information that I already knew of, so it had barely any value. However, in the -Notifying all yers- bulletin post, there was a lot of information that I did not know of.


    -As those of you with a weapon of righteousness already know, the Options appear for those who lean a little more towards justice in the scales of justice and injustice upon entering the stage. You are given the options of proceeding with the stage or to enter the Cradle. Those who are not confident of clearing the stage would go into the Cradle.


    The Cradle is an independent space of about 10 pyeong. You can watch the yers who are proceeding with the stage or check the bulletin board here. Or you can just sleep. When you enter, there will be a very basic meal prepared, but I have yet to confirm if this basic meal is given regrly.


    Currently, 933,215,566 people have entered the Cradle instead of entering the stage. I pray that the burden on the yers will be reduced.


    P.S. - People in the Cradle can enter the stage btedly. I think that there may be additional people who would want to enter after looking at the yers'' y.


    ''So¡­ Once the stage starts, people can be sent to another dimension to break away from the stage. And they can convert their weapon of righteousness into points and use it to support others.'' I nodded in understanding. Although it was a little upsetting that people were watching me, it was a pretty good method. The preliminary death tolls would immediately be decreased by nearly a billion, and their Justice Points could be used to support the remaining yers. The effect of this would be enormous.


    "Ultimately, it means that people are still watching me right now... I don''t know if you can hear me or not, but spend your Justice Points or whatever it is on someone else. I-" Since I had finished confirming it, I lifted myself up again and left the warehouse. "I can clear the stage even without something like that."


    It was time to begin the raid again.

 Vol 2. 80: The Salvation of God (17)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 80: The Salvation of God (17)</h4>


    The moment I got out of the alley¡­ Thuuuuck! Something struck my shoulders at the speed of light. It was an intense blow strong enough to send me flying up in the air! I rolled back and went back inside the alley.


    "A sniper?!" I widened my eyes. Absurdly, the Dragon Knight''s armor that covered my body did not even provide any sort of defense. Something jet-ck just pierced right through its steel.


    Bullet type confirmed! It''s the Death Spirit Shot! Please confirm the spiritual damage received!


    "Death Spirit Shot? Damn it. It pierced through the armor because it was a spiritual attack, huh," I muttered. Fortunately, there wasn''t any need to be concerned about the spiritual damage. My body that evolved with the Life Energy resisted all properties, so as a Life Energy practitioner, I received physical wounds instead of spiritual damage from the Death Spirit Shot.


    Pressure on the affected area has been sessfullypleted. Please take a short break.


    If I could do as I pleased, I would have wanted to shift the wound to the Unique World, but I entered the stage after transporting a lot of water to the Unique World, so I had reached the mass limit. I could only put it into the Unique World after 24 hours.


    ''At the very least, there''s still the muscr support function.'' Once I thought so, the door on one side was broken into pieces along with a loud roar. It seemed that one of the nearby monsters came charging as it noticed the indication of my presence on the floor, which I rolled upon after I was hit by the Death Spirit Shot.


    Ohhh, who''s this? Isn''t this a human?!


    "Oh, who''s this? Isn''t this a buffoon fool?"


    Kyakyakya! A jolly fellow you are!


    Project End


    Level 13


    High-rank Chimera, Doal


    Fortunately, the one that showed up was a Chimera. It was a different typepared to the one I met at the Level 13 Low-difficulty stage, but it was on the same level of power.


    It looks original.


    That''s a lot of legs, Ares casually pointed out. Oddly enough, the Chimera had eight legs that seemed rather human-like, hanging from its lower body at all angles. Regardless of that oddity, it appeared to be walking with some sort of regrity.


    Boooom! I collided with the Chimera and did not avoid it. As the shield that was equipped on Dragon Knight''s left hand collided against that eight-legged bastard''s horns, a shockwave erupted and destroyed the surrounding buildings.


    Keeeeekk!


    The collision naturally offered me a more advantageous position. Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, which was strong against physical impacts, absorbed the shock. Blue, which I had prepared beforehand, struck the Chimera¡¯s body, which began emitting a jet-ck Aura centering around it. I groaned, "A curse!"


    Kyahahaha! Even if you noticed it, it''s toote! Scream in pain! Sing a song of despair...


    Puuuugaaaak. The Chimera''s neck was sliced and its head, rolling on the floor, screamed with a twisted expression.


    The Ultra-Vibration de that popped out from my right arm hid itself again. I then muttered, "Great. Even so, defeating a Chimera is on the easier side. Its defense is on the weaker side."


    However, it wasn''t as if there weren''t any problems. As a subtle darkness started to swirl around my body, Ares warned, It''s a curse. Check your status! How is your body''s condition? What about your soul?


    "A curse, huh." I raised the mirror I had kept stored away and saw my own reflection. Then, I materialized my status window and checked the curse that was inflicted on me.


    - Raffley''s Darkness


    The moment the curse explodes, it will cause an Extreme Fear status ailment for 3 seconds to 15 seconds. After that, darkness will hover around the body and, when the target stays in a ce below a certain brightness, the curse will gain power and cause hallucinations. If the hallucinations umte to a certain degree, then the Extreme Fear status ailment will be invoked again.


    1. A High-grade curse that is very difficult to dispel.


    2. If it is inflicted on a human with a normal status condition, it will naturally disappear in 12 hours.


    3. It will ovep if the target is attacked again, and greatly increase the time it takes to recover.


    ¡°Ah, I see. It''s a curse that inflicts fear. It''s used to cause a mental breakdown." I nodded. However, it obviously did not have any effect on me. I was immune to all sorts of Mental-type superpowers. Whether it was a High-grade curse or not, the effect would not take ce.


    "Well, luckily, there''s no such thing as aments section. However, since there are a lot of viewers, I will give you all an exnation. The attack I was hit with just now is called Raffley''s Darkness and it''s..." I murmured to myself and exined the curse. "Of course, I am fine. It seems that if you have an extremely high mental power, you can withstand it. However, the endurance is not achievable by just anyone, so please do not follow suit. Please deal with the Chimera before it charges at you." It was hard to exin the fact that I was immune to all mental-type superpowers, so I roughly came up with some nonsense.


    I then scanned my surroundings. "By the way, there''s a sniper." I looked at the steeples located all over the city. In the midst of the towering buildings that were higher than the other buildings around, I saw a Chimera that seemingly resembled an eyeball. I assumed that it was most probably the sniper. "The number of steeples are... Nine steeples, huh." As I hid inside a building and stuck my head out to grasp the structure of the city...


    - Kruuuwangggg--!


    The Specter Dragon, Raffley, flew in from somewhere and gilded low over the city. I hid between the buildings and watched that scene unfold.


    Genie then said, It''s only been 143 minutes.


    "It appeared again after 2 hours and 23 minutes. Let''s review this step-by-step¡­ Is this happening because of a cooldown time, or because it just wanted toe and go as it pleased?" I continued farming after saying so. Since I had to be mindful of the snipers¡¯ firing trajectory, I nned my movements a little far back to avoid getting caught by a sniper.


    The result of the farming was simple. Imented, "The main weapon is a mirror, which jewels are consumed to charge it up... The secondary weapon is a Blessed Dagger, huh." If I ced the jewels that were farmed on the mirror, the star pattern behind the mirror would radiate a gentle light. In other words, the mirror required ten jewels to be fully charged.


    I also found eight daggers. Although their blessing could only be used once, each dagger was almost 50 centimeters long. Their length made them ufortable to wield. For my case, it would be all good if I put them in the cargopartment of Dragon Knight, so it didn''t matter to me. However, for others, they would be clunky to carry around unless used immediately.


    "And the food I found is... This, is it okay to eat?" I tilted my head at the moldy bread and water bottle I found in the kitchen. Although it was the only food item I found, the bread was in a very bad condition. "Don''t tell me¡­ Is this because of the patch too? Even if that¡¯s the case, isn¡¯t this just crossing the line?" Just in case, I ced it into Dragon Knight''s cargopartment and continued farming¡­


    Click. I unlocked a padlock with a key that I farmed. It was a familiar farming process, after all. Then, as I opened the storage box, a ck energy burst forth from there. Baaaang! A strong impact instantly enveloped my face. As it was a physical impact, it could not pierce through the Dragon Knight''s armor and scattered as it was.


    However, the problem was that it exploded. I groaned, "No, wait, there''s a trap inside the reward chest? And there was no indication?" Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t even the real problem¡­


    -It hurts!!! It hurts!!!! It hurtssssss!!!!!


    "Ah, damn it. It''s here."'' I kicked the ground and jumped back.


    Project End


    Level 13


    First-Tier Specter Spirit, Rotten Hand


    A pale Specter Spirit that seemingly did not have hands floated in the air and screamed.


    "It doesn''t even have the intention to attack immediately, but it is just screaming? I should take a swing at it first then." I nodded. Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, Violet. Dragon Knight''s fist punched the Specter Spirit. However, the First-Tier Specter Spirit''s body just rocked once and didn''t exactly receive any damage.


    - I said it hurts!!


    Kraaaghhhh! Tablewares flowed out of it, piercing through Dragon Knight''s armor and tearing at its flesh. Moreover, it wasn''t a mere injury. I sensed a nefarious energy on the wound sustained. "Its normal attack contains a curse. If I don''t have enough resistance, or the curse oveps, then the injury would probably rot."


    I struck the enemy once again with Violet. As I previously expected, it didn''t receive any particr damage. ''Oh, I can''t beat this thing.''


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights was an ability that specialized in physical power, and that applied to Dragon Knight too. As much as I wanted to defeat the Specter Spirit with my own body''s ability, it would lead to prolonging the battle by too long a period of time. And if the battle was prolonged, it was obvious that the situation would turnplicated. It would be a foolish action to try when I knew it wouldn''t work.


    - Kyaaaaaaaackkkkk!!


    As the First-Tier Specter Spirit''s appearance was reflected on the mirror, it staggered along with a scream. The Specter Spirit turned to the side like an arrow, charging forward to attack again. However, what was waiting in front of that bastard was the mirror which reflected its appearance.


    - Kyaaaackkk!!


    As I repeated the same process two more times, the First-Tier Specter Spirit turned into a handful of ashes. Imented, "A First-Tier Specter Spirit was killed with four reflections huh."


    The main weapons found at the stage were often like that, but the mirror was literally a cheat-key item. It wouldn''t fall short even if it was called a Divine Object.


    "The Golden Mirror can be recharged 10 times at maximum and it takes four reflections to defeat a First-Tier Specter Spirit. There''s a risk of missing the reflection, so make sure to absolutely avoid a situation where two Specter Spirits are roaming together," I roughly said so and started to move again. Again, to avoid the firing trajectory of the snipers, I...


    "Hmmm?" As I was doing so, I suddenly had a thought, "Why mirrors though?" I stared at the mirror that momentarily glowed in gold. After doing so, I looked at the steeples that amounted to nine in total.


    "Ahaaa." I picked up the Chimera that was defeated some time ago with one hand. I then ran towards the square which was the widest and most essible. It had less monsterspared to the alley.


    "Uuuushhaa!" As I was running towards the entrance of the alley, just before I got out, I threw the corpse of the Chimera out in the open. The Chimera''s corpse flew out like a shot put.


    Bang bang bang bang bang! Five rounds of Death Spirit Shot fired towards the Chimera''s body without dy!


    I ran close towards the body of the Chimera which was still up in the air. Then, the Death Spirit Shot was aimed at me again. "The reload time is about 1 second." As I chanted in a low voice, I raised up the Golden Mirror. Then...


    Papapapapatttt!! Streaks of light shed before...all the Death Spirit Shot that flew towards me were reflected.


    "Okayyy." I stopped running and stood in ce for a while. However, the Death Spirit Shot did not fly towards me anymore, because the Death Spirit Shot was reflected back towards the eyeball-shaped Chimera that I previously located. "As expected. The mirror has the ability to reflect the power of a curse. It means that the mirror was given to take care of the snipers by reflecting their shots."


    I doubt so.


    In the first ce, how would you know where they are aiming? The speed of the bullet is much faster than the speed of sound...


    It was at that moment that the two control persona were baffled.


    - 1,034,538,829 people are admiring you!


    - 5,541,328,924 Justice Points have been umted!


    "Ahhh, what is this? I told you all to give the points to those who you think can''t clear the stage without it." I clicked my tongue. The only good thing was that the notification on the Justice Points and the admirations only popped up once. Seeing that the points granted were in the billions, if it was split up and separately announced every time I did something, it would sound loudly enough to interfere with the y.


    Then, I suddenly realized a strange fact. "Why did the number of people increase?" The total number of people in the Cradle of Justice was 900 million, so how did 1 billion people send me their admiration? I put my hand on the pistol that was hanging on my waist. In that interval, the pistol changed shape once again.


    - You are in the Master rank(Temporary)!


    - essing the Cradle of Justice!


    - 1,165,511,441 people are watching you!


    As expected, the number of viewers had increased.


    -Wee to the Cradle of Justice.


    - You currently have 0 Justice Points.


    - You have been granted 10,052,452,248 Justice Points.


    -(Read Bulletin Board), (Watch a y), (Check Comments), (Settings)


    -Current number of users connected to the Cradle of Justice: 933,215,566 people


    -External users: 422,215,521 people


    "Something keeps changing. It''s not even a real-time update." I widened my eyes as the Check Comments and Settings appeared, and an External User use was added. I did not have to ponder about what external users meant. ''It''s the yers.''


    Probably just like how I did before, yers who went into a Hidden Point to rest used their Justice Weapon to enter the Cradle of Justice. It meant that they were watching me through Watch a y. Just to be sure, I pressed Watch a y¡­


    - 1st ce: Iron Mask (1,165,511,441 people watching)


    - 2nd ce: Artrang''s Sniper y. Proceeding while finding for points. (104,233,442 people watching)


    - 3rd ce: ¡îS?ren''s Wizard y! Take a note if you are a Wizard!¡î (99,113,311 people watching)


    The ranking was up to 10th ce, but the number of viewers below 1st ce all paled inparison.


    "No, I have never set an ID name or a broadcast title though." I checked Settings while being baffled. I saw several settings options that included changing the title of the broadcast room. What''s more, there was even a Stop Broadcasting option among them.


    "They should make it so that the broadcast is not done automatically. Only those who want to broadcast should do so. Tsk," I grumbled and closed the window. Since 1.1 billion people were watching the broadcast, turning off the broadcast right now was pretty ambiguous.


    By the way, it looks pretty interesting. You cleared your way through all 12 Levels, so this kind of y where you turn on your macro is refreshing.


    ''I did it properly when I was filming the strategy guide video at the Level 12 stage, okay?''


    That was hundreds of years ago for me.


    ''Ah, you''re right,'' I continued to proceed while talking about idle topics. There was nothing difficult. I dealt with the Specter Spirit using the mirror and personally defeated the Chimera. I couldn''t go around making a hugemotion like with the Metal Alien, but it didn''t matter since I was going to raid the stage anyway. I was the man who nned the raid for more than 10 Levels of stage as a level 3. ''The problem is that there is basically no one who has learned the strategy guide properly.''


    - The first ever Clear!


    - Do you want to start the next battle? If you knock down the enemies in quick session, your number of clears will cancel the corresponding number of Death Procession. At the end of the stage, the Death Procession that isn''t retracted will be confirmed and cannot be reversed.


    Eventually, as I cleared the stage without any problems, the phrase ''The first ever Clear!'' which I had never seen before greeted me. The unique point about this was that, despite the fact that all the users had yet to end their y, it was possible to rechallenge the stage. Following that, a new text popped up.


    - 721,114,782 people are admiring you!


    - 1,123,441,122 Justice Points have been umted!


    "Ahh,e on." I stopped frowning at the text that popped up again. Given that the proportion of Justice Points had decreasedpared to the number of people who sent their admiration, the amount of Justice Points granted seemed to have been reduced. Still, the points granted were in the billions. "Stop giving me points." I didn''t know why they didn''t listen to my words.

 Vol 2. 81: The Salvation of God (18)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 81: The Salvation of God (18)</h4>


    This is from number 30 to 40.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Genie ced arge box next to me. Click. Ten daggers shone brightly in the box as it opened with a click. It had always been the case, but there was no reason for me to use a hammer just because my ss was a cksmith. Why would I have to refine metal with a hammer when we were living in the era of the Great Universe? With an elemental aptitude for metal, I could mold metal as easily as y ¨C not only materials like steel, but rare metals such as mithril.


    Therefore, the process of smithing the swords was overseen by Genie from beginning to the end. No matter how hard humans struck with a hammer, they could not exert a greater force than machines, which pressed down with a force of hundreds and thousands of tons. No matter how delicate a human was, they were unable to match the sophistry ofser cutting and CNC (Computer Numerical Control) controlled processing.


    Instead, I drew my aura and focused my efforts on something that Genie couldn¡¯t do: spiritual processing.


    Crack!


    Sparks were created from the de of the dagger. The de was only 20 centimeters long, so even a child would be capable of swinging the weapon.


    My attributes were metal and lightning.


    Instead of imbuing the weapon with certain properties, I enhanced it with the attributes themselves. The weapon itself was transformed into a container using the metal attribute, and the lightning attribute was contained within.


    Crack! Boom!


    Along with a loud noise, the de was split into two pieces. It was a disastrous failure. I ced the broken pieces in a box next to the original container. It was onlymon steel, but I had to treat it separately because the materials were obtained from the stage.


    ¡°Please recycle it.¡±


    I will recreate it in the same form.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Crack! Boom!


    A new dagger split into pieces as I answered. Immediately, I tossed it into the box.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    I repeated the same work over and over again. I had endless practice opportunities since I was using Napoleon¡¯s magical energy. Labor was truly great. I was attempting something difficult, but I started to get a rough idea after breaking about 160 daggers.


    Pat!


    Unlike any of the attempts before, the entire dagger became permeated with lightning. The steel of the dagger itself was transformed to contain the attribute of lightning. In fact, I had just created a special type of metal ¨C something along the lines of lighting steel.


    ¡°Since the stupid vending machine doesn¡¯t update with any rare metals, I have no choice but to make it myself¡­¡±


    Kieek!


    My hand glided over the dagger and engraved certain letters with the power of attributes.


    - Lightning de. No. 1


    ¡°I finally made one.¡±


    If I wanted to maximize power, it would have been better to try it on arger de. But I was aiming to create something to be used as a secondary weapon, and it would be easier for women and children to use if the weapon was smaller and weighed less.


    Pat!


    After trashing another 100 or so daggers, I seeded once more.


    - Lightning de. No. 2.


    Then I seeded after 50, and then 30. The sess rate continued to climb as I became ustomed to the process, and after a while, I achieved a sess rate of about 50%.


    Around that time, Genie called out to me.


    Captain-nim.


    ¡°It¡¯s here.¡±


    I immediately returned my consciousness to reality from the Unique World. My body was resting under a demonic tree. As soon as I opened my eyes, I struck the demonic tree.


    Crack!


    Even though it was a mere tree, it was equipped with armor. It was quite durable, but in the end, it could not withstand the destructive power of vibrations as long as it existed in the physical world.


    - Clear!


    - Would you like to start the next battle? If you knock down multiple enemies in a row, the number of clears will cancel an equal number of death procession. At the end of the stage, the death procession will be confirmed and cannot be reversed.


    I gaze up at the sky to see the floating text. A small dot was growing in size from far away in the dark sky.


    - Kuwaaaang--!


    It was a giant dragon. Even though it was a living creature, it boasted a massive size. It was even bigger than Ares, even though he was nearly 30 meters tall. Considering its massive wingspan, the enormous creature could rival an apartmentplex with 10 to 15 stories. Its unrealistic size made it feel as if I was facing a natural phenomena rather than an enemy.


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights.


    Indigo.


    As my feet touched the ground after a small jump, the ground shook with an enormous explosion. Indigo projected a wide range of vibrations on the material I was in contact with, and depending on its use, it could cause earthquakes or even massive storms.


    Booom!


    All the nearby buildings either copsed or werepletely destroyed. As I intended, my actions drew the aggro of the Spector Dragon Raffley.


    Fwoosh.


    For a moment, I felt like I was being sucked in.


    ¡°What?¡±


    I became tense as I gazed up at the sky. My eyes were far beyond human standards, so I was able to see Raffley turn its head toward me in the sky. In addition, I could see a dark energy starting to gather in its mouth.


    Captain-nim!


    ¡±Yeah! Here ites!¡±


    Sufficient time had passed, so I had already returned Dragon Knight to the Unique World. I was equipped with rtively light armor and a predator, which had transformed into an iron mask, so I positioned myself like a sprinter and started measuring the time.


    As the hairs on my back began to shoot up in a dizzying sense of crisis, I shot off the ground with the power of the umted vibration.


    Boom!


    I ran. No, perhaps it was more appropriate to say that I fired. I had traveled a distance of more than 550 meters in only a second! It was a little slower than a bullet fired from a rifle, but faster than a pistol¡¯s bullet. It was a new speed record for me. Nevertheless, the shockwave from the st trailed behind me and overcame me in an instant.


    ¡°Keuk!?¡±


    The world started to spin as I curled up into a ball. The impact caused me to fly for an additional few hundred meters, and I finally came to a stop after shooting through and destroying several buildings.


    Are you okay?


    ¡°Heugh¡­ Huah¡­ Ugh, my back is cooked.¡±


    I observed my surroundings while grumbling and saw that about a ninth of the city was decimated. All the buildings, as well as the walls of the stage.


    ¡°All right¡­ That should do it for checking. What about Raffley?¡±


    He¡¯s leaving in a cool manner after letting off a single breath.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let him get away like that.¡±


    I took out the golden mirror from my arms and pointed it towards Raffley.


    Crack!


    The golden mirror shone brilliantly for a moment, then cracked with a loud noise. The Spector Dragon Raffley was simply much toorge for the golden mirror to capture.


    - Kwaaaang--!


    Raffley immediately turned around with a loud roar, then started to fly toward me.


    ¡°Oh, this is giving me the chills. I should have expected it. When it¡¯s attacked ites personally to shit on me instead of a simple breath.¡±


    I had experimented enough.


    I spoke at once.


    ¡°Start the stage!¡±


    - Stage will be opened!


    - Level 13. Difficulty is set at intermediate.


    - Destroy the Demonic Tree in 200 hours.


    - The stage will start in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­..


    Raffley disappeared from my sight and I was transported to the northern gate of the city. I could see a tightly closed door behind me. I was located in the farthest ce from the southern gate where the Demonic Tree was located.


    ¡°I see a possibility.¡±


    What possibility? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re not trying to catch that ghost dragon. Are you?


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Then what more is there to do? You¡¯ve already cleared more than 100 times so far.


    Iughed at their confusion.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t there be more to do?¡±


    I entered the nearest hidden point. After a meal on my throne, I summoned my pistol Justice Weapon and spoke while essing Cradle of Justice.


    ¡°There¡¯s the guide.¡±


    I logged on to the bulletin board and created a post.


    - I¡¯m nning to release a guide for the intermediate stage of level 13. Even a level one will be able to clear it. (Iron Mask)


    I moved onto the content.


    - Just as I wrote in the title, I am nning to release a guide for the level 13 intermediate stage in 12 hours. Even a level 1 will be able to clear the stage. Don¡¯tplete the stage just yet. Wait and watch before you clear. For those of you in the Cradle of Justice, you should alsoe out and clear the stage to receivepensation.


    Then bye.


    It was simple in title and in content, but the reaction was intense. More than tens of thousands ofments appeared in the blink of an eye.


    - What the? Is this the real Iron Mask?


    - It really is him! I¡¯m watching him live right now. He even wrote a post for us!


    - No, but the title doesn¡¯t make any sense, does it? Even the weakest of monsters are over level 5 in this stage. How could there be a way for a level 1 to clear it?


    - Iron Mask. People are different from you. It¡¯s not like they are failing because they possess insufficient stats.


    - Even so. This doesn¡¯t make any sense whatsoever.


    - Everyone! Don¡¯t be fooled! This man is the incarnation of the devil, the servant of Satan. He is attempting to seduce mankind! If you look closely at what he¡¯s done so far, you can spot countless symbols and hidden meanings in his actions!


    - What¡¯s wrong with you? Are you crazy? Do you even have eyes? How many people do you think survived thanks to Mr. Iron Mask?


    - It¡¯s true that many of Iron Mask¡¯s actions haven¡¯t made sense so far. In fact, what if he¡¯s an NPC created by the End Project? Maybe he¡¯s a device made to bring greater despair to humankind in the end.


    - What the fuck are you talking about? How did these people even get in the Cradle of Justice? They¡¯repletely nuts!


    - I love you, Iron Mask! I want to meet you someday! My name is Christina and I am 23 years old! And, and¡­


    - Wow. Look at the speed of the replies¡­ There are already over 70,000 of them. It¡¯s literally impossible to read through every single one of them.


    I skimmed through thements, then turned off the screen before starting the guide again. I didn¡¯t need much.


    The core of the guide was Raffley, and I had been able to confirm a few facts about him.


    1. When Raffley recognizes a disturbance in the stage, it shoots a breath towards the ce before disappearing. If Raffley is attacked and is able to sessfully identify the assant, it will find and chase the target until the target is killed.


    2. The time it takes for Raffley to reappear after disappearing is fixed at 143 minutes. It only takes one minute and four seconds for Raffley to move through the entire stage.


    ¡°Good. There shouldn¡¯t be anything else.¡±


    I was satisfied with the guide and waited at the starting point of the stage, the north gate. Twelve hours passed after I published my initial post.


    I ced my hand on the justice Weapon.


    - You are currently Master rank (temporary)


    - essing the Cradle of Justice!


    - 1,723,456,257 people are currently observing you!


    ¡°Wow. One billion seven hundred million?¡±


    It was rather ridiculous, but the number of viewers had risen even higher in the meantime. It wouldn¡¯t be an overstatement to say that half of humanity was currently watching me.


    ¡°How can so many people ess the Cradle of Justice? Not everyone should possess a Justice Weapon¡­ Oh, I see. They must be sharing justice points.¡±


    It was possible to ess the Cradle of Justice even if one possessed an iron-rank weapon of justice. In other words, one could ess the cradle if they were gifted even a single point of justice from their family or acquaintances.


    ¡°Well, I think we have enough people watching, so I¡¯ll get started.¡±


    As usual, I started the guide broadcast.


    ¡°The monster¡¯s locations are not random. Can you see the moon in the sky? Pretend you have a protractor in your hand. Position over the horizon. When the moon is in a position of 10 degrees¡­¡±


    I farmed for items while exining.


    ¡°Don¡¯t have any needless thoughts and just memorize it. Ah, you have to memorize all the farming locations as well. The golden mirror is randomly ced in one of five ces¡­ Obviously, you need to memorize it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve interpreted all the messages here. I will write down their meanings starting from now, so memorize it. You need to memorize it in order to minimize your movement while farming for items.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Wouldn¡¯t it be a bit simpler if I did it like this? Please stop with such stupid thoughts and just memorize it.¡±


    ¡°This is what the terrain looks like. You can go back this way as well. You need to enter this ce when the moon is 20 degrees, 60 degrees. If you missed both, it should be 150 degrees. If the timing is wrong, please wait. The time limit is 200 hours, so there is no need to be impatient. You¡¯ll die if you¡¯re impatient.¡±


    ¡°You must use the golden mirror as you farm for items. If an evil spirit pops out instead of a reward box, you might die instantly. Instead, if you use the mirror while the evil spirit is still in the box, you can kill it with just one reflection instead of four.¡±


    ¡°Memorize this.¡±


    ¡°Memorize this too.¡±


    ¡°Memorize it. Just memorize it.¡±


    After a while of farming for items, the golden mirror was charged to a certain extent. Iid down the mirror at an angle on the side of a building near the northern gate. Obviously, the mirror was still facing the sky.


    ¡°Now. After you do this,e back to the north gate and hide in the warehouse.¡±


    The guide wasn¡¯t difficult. Even elementary school students would be able to clear the stage if they studied the guide thoroughly.


    ¡°Finally, you need to have at least three blessed daggers by the time youy down the mirror.¡±


    It was then.


    - Kwaaaang--!


    The Spector Dragon Raffley made its appearance with a loud roar. It crossed over the stage, and as it passed over the city,


    Crack!


    A sh of light appeared on Raffley¡¯s body. It was quite obvious, really. I hadid down the golden mirror to reflect Raffley the moment it passed through the sky. Naturally, Raffley turned its head at once and shot its breath toward the golden mirror.


    Boooom!


    The earth trembled with a tremendous shock. As I slowly exited the hidden point, I could see Raffley disappearing into the distance.


    ¡°We¡¯re practically done.¡±


    How are we done? You¡¯re still at the starting point, right?


    Ares asked. Instead of answering, I moved towards the location of the golden mirror.


    The surroundings were destroyed, including the walls, which could be considered the outside perimeter of the stage.


    Huh? Don¡¯t tell me¡­?


    Ah, now I see¡­ Yes. The demonic tree was encountered after leaving through the south gate. That means¡­


    I exined while the two voices reveled inside my head.


    ¡°Now walk straight along the walls and destroy the demonic tree outside the south gate with a blessed dagger. Now.¡±


    The stage was quiterge, but all you had to do was walk. In fact, if anyone faithfully followed my guide from start to finish, they could clear the stage without having to enter a single battle.


    ¡°This is the end of the guide!¡±


    As I shouted loudly,


    - 1,588,531,969 people are in awe!


    - You have umted 11,591,328,924 justice points!


    ¡°Oh, stop giving me those points. I really don¡¯t have any use for them.¡±


    I grumbled while smiling.


    ¡®To be honest, this is nothing short of a trick.¡¯


    It¡¯s something I would have never done if this were a normal game. I would never call this a guide, and I would never publish anything of the sort.


    ¡®But if the End Project is changing the game on a whim, changing the game in a ridiculous manner.¡¯


    I would also make a befitting, ridiculous guide.

 Vol 2. 82: The Salvation of God (19)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 82: The Salvation of God (19)</h4>


    One point could be gained from clearing the easy difficulty of level 1. Clearing the intermediate difficulty gave out five times that, and the hard difficulty gave out ten times the amount. Five points could be gained from clearing the easy difficulty of level 2, which was five times the previous level. Likewise, the intermediate difficulty provided 25 points, and the hard difficulty provided 50.


    In order to raise your level, you needed to buy an experience point equivalent to the sum of points gained from clearing the three difficulties of a level. In other words, 16 points were needed to go from level 1 to 2, and 80 points were needed to go from level 2 to 3. This 5x ratio was maintained for every single level, so the points gained from each level increased exponentially, as well as the experience required to level up.


    ¡®It¡¯s simr to those old online games. At higher levels, you needed to earn more experience to go up a single levelpared to the cumtive experience required to earn your current level from level 1.¡¯


    It sounded a little confusing, but I could sum it up in a few words. If you seeded in clearing the intermediate difficulty of level 13 using my guide, you could reach level 13 in one go, even if you were originally level 1.


    ¡°I remember all the digits. 1,220,703,125 points. I learned all the skills that my grandson told me about, awakened some powers, and even bought some of those medicines, but I still got level 10.¡±


    ¡°Wow. You cleared it as well, grandma?¡±


    ¡°Are you looking down on me just because I¡¯m an olddy? It¡¯s not that difficult, just a little memorization. I used to study quite a lot back in my day.¡±


    The olddy retorted as she ced some mung bean pancakes on a te for Jae-seok. He shook his hand while stuffing himself with the delicious food.


    ¡°Not at all! I¡¯m just simply amazed! There are a lot of prosecutors or journalists who haven¡¯t even gotten past level eight yet.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk. That¡¯s because they lived like trash. Anyone with ess to the Cradle of Justice could clear the stage by following the guide. That man named Iron Mask is truly amazing.¡±


    In all honesty, my guides weren¡¯t overly convenient. First of all, there were so many things to memorize. Memorizing the farming locations was just the beginning. One had to memorize the order in which all of the monsters moved. Was that all? One needed to be able to draw the terrain of the map in their head with their eyes closed.


    The most difficult aspect was that you had to memorize thenguage of an unknown world. The golden mirror, which was considered the main weapon, could be obtained by solving a type of a puzzle. However, the ¡°ammo¡± of the weapon, the jewels, could only be obtained from lockers, desk drawers, vaults, and other ces by opening locks which required knowledge of thenguage.


    Even though I had created a list of possible questions and answers, it was definitely not a small amount of knowledge tomit to one¡¯s memory.


    ¡°It was hard for me to memorize everything.¡±


    ¡°Of course it is. I thought my head was going to crack open.¡±


    If this were a normal game, people wouldn¡¯t have even given a second look at my guide. They had to study the guide as if taking an exam, and the ystyle was boring and uneventful.


    ¡®But it¡¯s different for the stage.¡¯


    It was bound to be different. Boring? Not fun? That was a load of bullshit.


    You had to clear the stage if you didn¡¯t want to die.


    Moreover, the remaining yers had watched over 2 billion people die because they couldn¡¯t clear the stage.


    ¡°By the way, how many points of justice have you umted?¡±


    ¡°Needlessly a lot.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I know you told people not to give you any, but I just couldn¡¯t help myself even though I knew you didn¡¯t really need it.¡±


    ¡°Even you as well, Bae Jae-seok¡­¡±


    Jae-seok and I were eating at a small food wagon located in Gwanghwamun Square. The scene at Gwanghwamun Square waspletely different from just a few months ago. The roads were closed to any vehicles, and tables and chairs lined the roads to provide shelter for people. Street vendors were spread out throughout the square as well.


    ¡°Could I have some more pancakes?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you young people eat so well! Now, now, I¡¯ll add in some fried food as a bonus as well!¡±


    ¡°Ah! Thank you very much!¡±


    It was when Jae-seok epted the food graciously.


    Ti-ring! Ti-ring!


    Along with the sound of bells, a group of people could be seen approaching Gwanghwamun Square in a long procession. Quite a few people were gathered, but they calmly walked in line without causing any disturbances. The olddy sighed quietly as she poured cooking oil on an iron te.


    ¡°I was relieved because we had aplete clear today, but the funerals are still ongoing.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. There must be people who died yesterday, and some bodies wouldn¡¯t have been disposed of yet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just d that there are a lot of volunteers. If something like this had urred at any other time, there would have been mountains of rotting corpses around the country.¡±


    ¡°We have the greatest number of volunteers in human history.¡±


    Among the somber, heavy atmosphere, countless coffins and people entered Gyeongbokgung Pce. Soon, a group funeral would be held for the deceased. Among the dead, some bodies would be utilized as magical materials for necromancy, with prior permission, while the other bodies would be cremated.


    ¡°The atmosphere is really befitting an apocalypse.¡±


    ¡°But Korea is considered rtively well-off. We even have bank robberies, right?¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    Robbing a bank.


    On the surface, it seemed to reflect the grim reality of yers losing their reason in the apocalypse, but it also contained an underlying truth as well. It also meant that Korea was doing rather well.


    Why would anyone rob a bank?


    That was because money had value, and bank robberies ultimately affirmed the value of money.


    ¡°The issues aren¡¯t as simple as bank robberies in other countries. Indiscriminate rape, ughter, and drug abuse is rampant as well. People are going insane, breaking buildings and setting fire for no reason at all.¡±


    Jae-seok¡¯s expression was serious. Currently, he was considered a top power in Korea, or rather, the entire world. He possessed enough status to acquire information unavable to the general public.


    ¡°That¡¯s not all. In ces like Mexico or some states of America, some of the unrighteous people are arming themselves with firearms and hunting those who possess Justice Weapons.¡±


    ¡°Why? What do they stand to gain?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just retaliation. They¡¯ve been abandoned already, and they can¡¯t escape their status no matter what they do, so they decided to get wild.¡±


    It made absolutely no sense to hunt possessors of Justice Weapons ¨C it was an act of madness. It could be understandable if Justice Weapons could be forcibly taken away, but that wasn¡¯t the case at all. Rather, killing the righteous only served to umte evil deeds.


    ¡°Are the countries not nning to take any action?¡±


    Jae-seok smirked at my words.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for the nations to step up. The Americansunched the Justice League. The famous demon hunter, Alex, has also entered the organization.¡±


    ¡°Justice League?¡±


    I could tell what they were simply from their name.


    ¡°A group of people possessing Justice Weapons?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an international armed group. Simr groups are popping up in countries outside of the Justice League¡¯s influence. No matter how strong or crazy the assants are, they are destined to meet their end sooner orter.¡±


    Such a thing would have never happened in the past. No matter how evil the targets were, private sanctions were not tolerated in a normal country. Besides, killing people to strengthen their weapons? Considering that numerous people and groups would foam at their mouths even if it was Buddha killing a serial killer, you could see how unimaginable the current situation was.


    ¡®But.. the world has changed.¡¯


    It was no exaggeration to change that the humans had undergone aplete transformation from a few months ago, especially after suffering more than 2 billion casualties in the End Project. During these few months, human perception and the concept of justice had undergone a massive shift, overturned from the very roots.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s all thanks to you.¡±


    I frowned at Jae-seok¡¯s sudden remark.


    ¡°Why is that thanks to me?¡±


    ¡°Because you provided strength to the righteous.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    It was an unexpected answer, but definitely had its merits. Due to the new guide, billions of people with justice points had gained iparable power. I didn¡¯t have to look far to see the results. Even the old pancakedy in front of us was level 10. If one lived a just life, they were given the chance to obtain superhuman strength, whether they were old or disabled.


    - Honor Rank is rising!


    - Grandmaster -> Challenger


    - The current number of challengers is 1.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°No. Nothing.¡±


    I casually brushed aside Jae-seok¡¯s question.


    ¡®Grandmaster wasn¡¯t the highest rank. But why does Challengere after Grandmaster? What am I challenging?¡¯


    I tilted my head out of confusion as I stood up. Jae-seok took out his wallet.


    ¡°Thank you for the meal! How much is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s 25,000 won.¡±[1]


    Jae-seok¡¯s eyes widened at the olddy¡¯s words.


    ¡°Wow. I think we ate enough for 30 people though.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m here to be a millionaire? Think of it as a price for the ingredients.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the meal!¡±


    We said our goodbyes before leaving. Gwanghwamun Square was full of people as we crossed.


    ¡°Now, now! Have you all be ustomed to levitating? Since you could all still be considered beginners, it¡¯s much toote to learnbat skills! If you want to keep up with the guide, you need to master these three skills ¨C levitation, teleportation, and stealth!¡±


    ¡°E, excuse me. Then how do we attack?¡±


    ¡°Good question! Go all-in on Soul Strike. It deals damage to the target, whether they are a physical or a spiritual being!¡±


    A group of people were huddled around, listening to an ability¡¯s lecture on the grass.


    ¡°I know! There aren¡¯t a huge number of the Spector Ghost Raffley. I¡¯m sure many of you felt it while watching the different streams. Raflley runs through the stages of several different people!¡±


    ¡°Wow! That¡¯s amazing! But is there any use for this?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know. Wouldn¡¯t Iron Mask find something for us?¡±


    Some people were talking about the stage¡¯s guide.


    ¡°Iron Mask! Iron Mask! Iron Mask!¡±


    ¡°Why are you calling his name?¡±


    ¡°What? Oh, no, it¡¯s just a chant.¡±


    ¡°When I call his name three times, everything goes well. I feel better, I grow taller, my skin bes fairer¡­¡±


    Others were spending their time talking nonsense.


    ¡°I can see people tensing up as evening approaches.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Even with you around, it¡¯s definitely a scary time.¡±


    With the time restrictions on Hidden Points, the concept of a second test disappeared. No matter how well you hid, the enemies would unconditionally find you after a certain amount of time had passed. As such¡­ 7 P.M. Sunset was a time of tension and fear for everyone. Life and death was decided by a single opportunity.


    ¡°The End Project. They must have patched it, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to go in and see.¡±


    - Stage will be opened!


    - Level 13. Difficulty is set at hard.


    - Destroy the Demonic Tree in 800 hours.


    - The stage will start in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­..


    Kwaaaaang!!!


    The ground trembled with arge roar. I exited the hidden point and observed Raffley disappear into the distance. The buildings were destroyed, but the walls werepletely intact.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you update the items instead, you fucking failure of game. This is the only type of update that you keep on top of.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hold back my swears, but this was within my expectations. I started updating my guide. I knocked on every wall I could find. There was no hidden space. I collected furniture and climbed to a height of more than eight stories. It was an attempt to illuminate the Demonic Tree with the golden mirror from a long distance, but it failed.


    When I tried climbing to higher heights than the wall, an intangible membrane blocked the shot. Then, I pointed the mirror towards a reward box.


    - It hurts¡­


    Crack!


    I stabbed the blessed dagger into the reward box before the scream started. After I stabbed with two daggers, the evil spirit, estimated to be level 13, perished. However, the golden mirror¡¯s shot count didn¡¯t decrease, since I hadnded the final blow with the dagger rather than the mirror.


    ¡°Oh¡­?¡±


    A sudden hypothesis came to mind. After a few more experiments, my hypothesis was slowly being proven true.


    ¡°¡­Is this going to work?¡±


    It appeared to be the case.


    ¡®Damage Amplification.¡¯


    I immediately logged on to the bulletin board and created a post.


    - I¡¯m nning to post a guide for the hard difficulty of level 13. Even a level 5 will be able to clear (Iron Mask)


    I added in the contents.


    - Take a look.


    After writing the post, I returned to the starting point of the stage, the north gate. The stage was much widerpared to the intermediate difficulty. It was bigger than a regr city, so it took half a day to run along the central road to reach the south gate.


    It was natural, but it would take a considerable amount of time to clear even with the assistance of a guide.


    ¡°Looking at what I¡¯ve seen until now, the End Project can¡¯t single out individuals and penalize them.¡±


    The End Project could implement bug fixes, hotfixes, and utilize targeted patches, but it couldn¡¯t block or issue permanent bans.


    Then there were no problems.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see who wins.¡±


    Were you salty? Then you should have made a better game.


    1. ~25 dors

 Vol 2. 83: The Salvation of God (20)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 83: The Salvation of God (20)</h4>


    Were you salty? Then you should have made a better game.


    - Kwaaaang--!


    I hid myself under the eaves at the distant roar. The Specter Dragon passed overhead and moved away in an instant. I decided after watching the shrinking figure for a while.


    ¡°Hmm. All right. Let¡¯s go with that.¡±


    What are you talking about? Go with what? The Specter Dragon?


    Another guide using the dragon?


    ¡°No, not this time. I wouldn¡¯t say I used the dragon for the guide. Rather, using the dragon was the result of the guide.¡±


    You sure are good at using a guy who¡¯s flying around while shooting breaths.


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not using him. It¡¯s a result.¡±


    I took a short break after speaking. When it finally came time to take action, I ced my hand on the gun at my waist.


    - You are currently Master rank (temporary)


    - essing the Cradle of Justice!


    - 1,512,351,888 people are currently observing you!


    ¡°That¡¯s a little less than before.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but frown. I had shown something remarkable for the intermediate stage of level 13, but the number of viewers had decreased. Rather than viewers leaving out of disinterest, this meant that the total number of viewers had decreased due to a problem.


    The number of people might have decreased because some of them werecking Justice Points. Some people might be unable to receive Justice Weapons if they umted too many bad deeds, even if they were gifted Justice Points from others.


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    It was unfortunate, that that was as far as my sentiments went. I decided to start the guide. If we seeded in achieving a perfect clear, no one would die anyways.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get started now. As I announced, you have to be over level 5 for this guide to work. To be exact, you need to be able to kill the level 5 evil spirits or the baby chimeras without a golden mirror or a blessed dagger. I think it should be possible because the average levels should have gone dramatically.¡±


    I don¡¯t know if it would have been possible in the past, but it would not be difficult now. Even a regr olddy was level 10 nowadays.


    ¡°But don¡¯te out of the cradle unless you¡¯re confident of killing the level 5 enemies. You¡¯re going to mess up the guide and get yourself killed.¡±


    I started the guide in a simr fashion to yesterday¡¯s broadcast ¨C I started reciting everything that they needed to memorize.


    - The locations of monsters over time, the farming sections, structures of the puzzles and how to solve them, the list of questions and passwords required to unlock, the attack patterns of monsters and locations of their ambush.


    I continued the guide while reciting all of the information.


    - Kikikiek! Kyakyakyah! Kukukuku!


    ¡°Now, here is a specter. Naturally, you can kill it with the mirror when it¡¯s having a seizure like that. But¡­ I have something I have to do, so I¡¯ll just kill it personally.¡±


    - Resentment¡­ Resentment!!! Kuhahaha! I am!


    The specter screamed while rushing at me. It was a spirit of death and madness, a collection of curses that drove the living to death! But Life Energy granted the practitioner an increasing resistance to all attributes with continued training. So to speak, it was a training method of semi-tankers.


    Instead of avoiding the enemy, I unsheathed my auxiliary weapon and stood face-to-face. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t a blessed dagger.


    Crak!


    The specter in front of me was a high-ranking monster that even sword masters couldn¡¯t defeat easily. However, the creature¡¯s body flickered as lightning jumped from the de. Since ancient times, lightning was the supreme symbol of yang, a favored tool of the exorcists. I had crafted tons of lightning des, which were obviously filled with the power of lightning. They worked wonders against ghosts and evil spirits.


    Thud! Craaack! Thud! Crk!


    I exchanged blow for blow. The lightning de pierced the specter¡¯s body every time it lunged at me. Otherwise, the specter was so fast that it was impossible tounch a sessful attack while avoiding its attacks. Since the method of Brilliant Heaven Seven Lightscked in attacks against spiritual beings, the Lightning des were consumed like crazy.


    Perhaps it was after consuming around the 30th lightning de.


    - Kyaaahk!


    In the end, the specter perished with a scream.


    ¡°Haa¡­ Phew¡­ I¡¯m so tired. Oh I hate ghosts so much. I¡¯m just going to take a short break.¡±


    I plopped down on a nearby chair after speaking.


    Pat!


    In an instant, the surroundings brightened up. Even though I had sat down in a wooden chair, I was now seated in a beautiful throne. The crowned throne graciously weed my body with its fluffy cushions.


    - You are currently Challenger rank.


    My bloodied body quickly recovered. Since the ranks of the throne corresponded with the recovery rate, I was healing at a rapid pace. While I was at it, I had a quick meal before continuing with the guide.


    That¡¯s about how it went ¨C for 40 hours.


    It was a long time, but rtively fast, considering that the time provided for the hard stage of level 13 was 800 hours. It would be impossible to clear it in such a quick time unless you were knowledgeable about all the enemies and the terrain of the stage.


    Finally, I arrived in front of the Demonic Tree.


    Ares asked in disbelief.


    Wait a minute. Isn¡¯t this¡­ just a very normal approach?


    Captain-nim. Level 5 yers will not be able to keep up with this guide. You killed all the chimeras and evil spirits on your way here, but killing all of them with just the golden mirror would be¡­


    The role of main and auxiliary weapons in the stage was enormous. Even if you were below the level of the stage, the powerful weapons allowed for clears utilizing guides.


    But the problem was¡­


    All of these weapons were consumables.


    ¡®It¡¯s always so tight.¡¯


    The number of charges or uses on the main and secondary weapons were alwayscking without fail. Unless one utilized a cheat-like guide, as I made for level 13 intermediate stage, yers were ced in a situation where they were forced to fight at least one enemy without the assistance of weapons, an enemy that was simr in level to the stage.


    ¡®Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem if you could follow the guide perfectly.¡¯


    But that was impossible. People made mistakes. For example, a level 13 chimera and specter would die if they were illuminated with the golden mirror four times. However, even if one shot missed, the missed shot needed to be made up with the yer¡¯s blood and flesh. Practice could make perfect, but¡­


    ¡®There are no second chances on the stage. Failure is equivalent to death.¡¯


    With such thoughts flitting by my mind, I began to walk back towards the south gate.


    ¡°By this time, you should be cleaning up the area near the north gate, then farming and utilizing all the memorized information. As I said, you need to have at least 2 blessed daggers and a golden mirror with at least a single charge.¡±


    It was something I repeatedly mentioned throughout the 40 hours of the guide. Unless you could fight the enemies with your own power, it would be best not to mimic my exact movements, but rather scour the initial areas for extra weapons.


    ¡°Then I will begin the actual guide. Everything I¡¯ve done until now was just the foundation ¨C essentially what you need to follow. What I prepared is a way to control the difficulty of the stage as you move through it. It¡¯s something called damage amplification.¡±


    With that being said, I returned to a farming area that I had passed by earlier. I had confirmed the presence of a specter hiding in one of the nearby reward boxes.


    I exined.


    ¡°If you point the golden mirror at your opponent, it will inflict holy damage to the target. It¡¯s capable of killing a level 13 specter in just four shots, so it could be considered a very powerful and holy object.¡±


    In fact, sacred artifacts at the level of the golden mirror were rare even in the Great Universe. Killing a level 13 with a few reflections? It was like this: A genius would ovee trials and adversities to be a sword master. Then after prolonged training, the genius would reach even higher heights. However, a regr man would appear in front of the genius and kill him with a gun.


    In terms of technological advancements, it was an impossible feat for Type III civilizations. It would only be possible for a Type IV civilization, for technology that incorporated the three major attributes.


    ¡°But all of you are probably thinking that this power iscking, right? I said it only required four shots, but it might be hard tond all four.¡±


    A single blow was easy tond. If you were familiar with the monster¡¯s location by checking the moon¡¯s position, you would be able to ambush the monster. But as soon as younded a single blow, the level 13 monsters will start running amok. At worst, they would run around at the speed of a bullet to kill the yer.


    I shed the mirror towards the reward box.


    - It hurts...


    Kwaaang!


    I stabbed the dagger into the box before the screams finished resounding. After stabbing two daggers into the box, the specter disappeared. It was probably around level 13.


    The golden mirror was still fully charged, and its count had not deceased. It was because the dagger hadnded the finishing blow rather than the golden mirror.


    ¡°This is actually a pretty fraudulent trap. It explodes without giving any notice at all. Moreover, it is impossible to identify a trap box with any regr abilities.¡±


    I was able to endure the trap, but quite a few people had died. Even if they were able to survive¡­ it was likely that they would be mentally disabled and suffer PTSD for life, just like some military veterans. The curses of the specters and chimeras had the basic effect of destroying the mentality of the subject.


    ¡°But it¡¯s quite vicious as well, since you can¡¯t avoid farming because of the traps.¡±


    Therefore, it was crucial that the yers obtained the golden mirror before immersing themselves with farming, and that they charged the golden mirror by means other than reward boxes. It was a pretty cumbersome process, but it was much better than rolling the death dice every time you opened a reward box.


    ¡°Instead, there is a bonus as well. The specter in the box will not take four shots to kill, but rather one. With a blessed dagger, you would have to stab eight times, but instead, two is enough. In other words, if they are in a box, the damage dealt to them is multiplied by four times.¡±


    - It hurts¡­


    Whoosh!


    I stabbed the blessed dagger into the next reward box before the scream finished. Then, I leisurely strolled to the next reward box.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not really the case. In fact, the effect of this box isn¡¯t to increase the damage received by the specter by four times, but rather to quadruple the damage being dealt.¡±


    ¡­What do you mean? Even after you killed a specter, you had to point the mirror four times to kill another one, right?


    Just as Ares pointed out, the power of the golden mirror wasn¡¯t quadrupled after going through the process of pointing the mirror into the box, then killing the monster with the dagger. If that were the case, other people would have found the trick as well. But it wasn¡¯t the case, and I had only figured it out because I could see the title of objects.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s quite simple, really. The reaction only begins as soon as you shine the reward box with the golden mirror. If you quickly equip a blessed dagger and stab the specter to the death, the golden mirror¡¯s count won¡¯t decrease, and the damage will quadruple.¡±


    I paused for a moment. However, no shocks of wonder or astonishments greeted me. I shrugged because I figured people would be confused still.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone is wondering what I am talking about. What? No. I¡¯ve tried it before, but it didn¡¯t work! There must be some people who are saying such things.¡±


    - It hurts¡­


    Whoosh!


    I stabbed a blessed dagger into the reward box as I exined.


    - It hurts¡­


    Whoosh!


    Again, and again. I used up all of the blessed daggers in my possession, and there were no more traps remaining either. Out of about 20 reward boxes located throughout the map, there were a total of six traps.


    ¡°But that is because the golden mirror is under restriction, even while the damage is being amplified. I¡¯ve gone through this process six times now, but the golden mirror¡¯s restrictions will not be effective after going through three amplification processes. In other words, after amplifying the damage three times, you will be able to kill chimeras and evil spirits with a single sh.¡±


    And that would leave more than enough charges on the golden mirror to clear the stage. Was that all? If an enemy died from a single attack, anyone would be able to clear the stage without a hitch unless they really let down their guard.


    ¡°This is the end of the guide. But I guess I will need to prove my words to you.¡±


    I moved to the square located at the heart of the stage. The surroundings were quiet because I had already eliminated all the monsters along the path.


    I looked up to the sky. Viewers using the Cradle of Justice were able to freely change their perspectives within three meters of my body, so they would look toward the sky as well.


    ¡°Now, here is a question for all of you. Every time the golden mirror goes through the process of amplification, its power quadruples. So, what would be the damage increase for the golden mirror after going through six amplification processes?¡±


    - Kwaaaang--!


    Specter Dragon Raffley made its appearance from the distant skies. I held up the golden mirror, pointed it towards the dragon, then spoke.


    ¡°The answer is 4,096 times.¡±


    sh!!!


    A brilliant sh emitted from the golden mirror and covered the surroundings, blinding my sight. Even though I possessed superhuman strength, my arms trembled as I attempted to hold the golden mirror in my arms.


    Finally.


    Craaaaackkk!


    A loud noise resounded throughout the area. The intensity of the sound was on another levelpared to any shots fired prior.


    - Kwaaaaanggg!!


    A loud roar caused the very air to vibrate. As I squinted and looked up at the sky, I could see Raffley shining brilliantly.


    ¡°Wow. It looks like an apostle of a god or something.¡±


    But it was a specter dragon in reality.


    After lurching violently, Raffley¡¯s humongous body began to fall to the ground.


    Booom! Boooooom!


    The gigantic body of the specter dragon crashed into the city and destroyed numerous buildings.


    The notifications immediately went wild.


    - 1,438,436,777 people are in awe!


    - You have umted 7,912,223,924justice points!


    The amount of Justice Points I received had decreased, but I wasn¡¯t disappointed. I felt ufortable when they presented me with the points, upgrading my useless Justice Weapon even further when they couldn¡¯t even save their own lives.


    At the same time, another line of text appeared in front of my eyes.


    - The system will be updated in part.


    - It has been confirmed that a certain yer has hunted an NPC using an unusual method!


    - The Specter Dragon Raffley will no longer appear!


    ¡°Hmm? What is this?¡±


    I became confused at the unexpected notice.


    ¡°¡­Why bother?¡±


    The stage wasn¡¯t a game that rewarded you by clearing additional conditions. This was a failure of a game, and the only way to obtain additionalpensation was byboring away. I killed the specter dragon because I wanted to test the damage of the amplified golden mirror, not to obtain anything extra.


    But a patch was issued immediately, not to stop the damage amplification, but rather to prevent the appearance of the specter dragon?


    ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­?¡±


    An idea came to mind like lightning.


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    I started running. I didn¡¯t have to wander because the southwestern buildings of the city were demolished in a straight line.


    ¡°No way!!¡±


    I finally reached it. At my destination¡­ was the burning body of a giant specter dragon.

 Vol 2. 84: The Salvation of God (21)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 84: The Salvation of God (21)</h4>


    When I arrived¡­ The giant body of the specter dragon was burning in a brilliant white.


    Hwaaa--!


    The heat increased in intensity as I neared, but transformed into a mild warmth and surrounded my body when I came into contact. Raffley¡¯s scales and bones were originally ck, but now they were dyed white.


    ¡°This is quite unusual. The specter attribute was added in from its original attribute¡­ and now a divine attribute.¡±


    I felt a certain coldness from the burning remains of Raffley. Ares chimed in.


    It turns out that it was a Mercury Dragon. But why is it so big? Mercury Dragons are considered small amongst the dragons.


    Hang on, hang on. Captain-nim! This is an Ancient Dragon! How could this be? Mercury Dragons are considered rare, but for an Ancient Mercury Dragon to appear in a ce like this!?


    I passed Raffley¡¯s back while listening to the words of Genie and Ares. The creature was literally as big as an apartment building. After passing the wings, I approached the chest area of the dragon.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡±


    I attempted to pry apart the ribs that blocked my way. It was impossible to move past the bones. As it turned out, they were more densely packed than they appeared.


    Woong!


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights. Blue.


    Raffley¡¯s giant body trembled with a brilliant sh of blue. I snorted in disbelief.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    The shock was powerful enough to turn multiple buildings into mere rubble, but there was not even a single scratch on Raffley¡¯s bones.


    ¡°If it was still alive, I would have stood no chance at all.¡±


    Seeing that even its remains were so durable, the dragon must have possessed an unimaginably solid body when it was still alive, and mana flowed through its body. It would¡¯ve been unscathed even if it was struck with a nuclear weapon while sleeping.


    Boom!


    I tried one more time, but it was useless as expected. When I observed closely, I noticed that the entire rib cage trembled slightly when struck. It was dispersing the impact and spreading it throughout the body, simr to the abilities of my concentric circles. No matter how powerful the blow was, no shock would be delivered to the internal organs.


    ¡°Why is it even called a Mercury Dragon? How is this mercury at all? It should be called Indestructible Super Silver Dragon instead.¡±


    The bones were as hard as it could get, far from the liquid properties of mercury. I clicked my tongue and gave up trying to enter through the ribs. Instead, I climbed up to the neck bone and entered the body of the dragon through a revealed gap. It was only possible because the dragon only possessed bones and scales. Otherwise, it would have taken a great deal of time to dismantle the flesh of the dragon.


    Finally, I arrived at my destination.


    ¡°Cool.¡±


    I marveled at the sight of the mass of glowing mana in the middle of Raffley¡¯s chest. The object was rather small considering the dragon¡¯s size, perhaps about the size of a child¡¯s head at best. I reached for the object and grabbed it without hesitation. Then, I moved it to the Unique World.


    Woong¡­


    Raffley¡¯s Dragon Heart blurred for a moment. However,


    Boom!


    ¡°Keuk!!¡±


    I let go of the Dragon Heart as a sharp pain seemed to strike my very soul.


    Are you okay?


    Is it not working? I thought it was about to transfer!


    ¡°Genie, even Ares was worried about me.¡±


    Ah! I, I¡¯m sorry.


    I chuckled at Genie¡¯s response.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I think I got a feel for it.¡±


    Until now, taking things from the stage was prohibited. For example, if I was trying to take the trees, stones, buildings, or monsters from the stage into the Unique World, it simply wouldn¡¯t work. It wasn¡¯t difficult or exhaustive either, but it simply didn¡¯t work.


    But it was different with the Dragon Heart.


    ¡°I can feel something interfering.¡±


    Naturally, there could only be one exnation for the interference.


    ¡®The End Project.¡¯


    I had felt its presence multiple times thus far, including the targeted updates, but it was never as clear as it was now. It was simr to how one could feel their opponent¡¯s presence on a chess board and read their thoughts, even if they weren¡¯t able to actually see the opponent¡¯s appearance.


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s interfering so directly.¡¯


    I could feel confusion and bewilderment from its actions.


    Woong--!


    I grabbed Raffley¡¯s Dragon Heart and climbed onto the dragon¡¯s backbone. Raffley¡¯s spine was the size of arge house, and there was enough room to proceed with work.


    I took off my mask.


    Wooooo¡ª


    An unknown resonation of the soul could be heard. It was a strange phenomenon, but it wasn¡¯t important at the moment.


    ¡°Predator. You did well so far.¡±


    I had crafted boatloads of avatar series so far but seeded in only creating two Beast-rank Gigas. It was inevitable, since creating lightning hearts suitable for Beast-rank Gigas demanded the permanent consumption of aura and spiritual power.


    And now, I decided to consume my first Beast-rank gigas. It had been created specifically to deal with metal aliens, and I no longer utilized it after reaching level 13 on the stage. It only served as my mask now.


    ¡°Ares!¡±


    Aye!


    I tossed my mask into the air. As the predator was thrown into the air, it melted into a handful of metal, which then took the form of a small robot. It was the appearance of Ares, the Unique Spirit of Metal and Lightning.


    ¡°Go melt Raffley¡¯s body and bring it to me.¡±


    Ares became bewildered at my words.


    What are you saying? Melt the body of an Ancient Dragon?


    ¡°It¡¯s metal.¡±


    Well, I guess a Mercury Dragon¡¯s body is technically considered metal, but¡­


    Could it work? Ares appeared skeptical as hended on Raffley¡¯s wing bone.


    But it worked.


    A portion of Raffley¡¯s wings began to melt and fly towards me. I took control of the mercury arriving at my side and wrapped it around the Dragon Heart.


    Gwooo---


    My hair had grown quite long, and it started shooting up into the sky as a storm of immense mana wound around my body. I observed the silver-coated Dragon Heart.


    End Project


    ****************


    Raffley¡¯s Dragon Heart


    I wanted to see the affiliation of the Dragon Heart. I judged that it was possible to change the heart¡¯s affiliation if I could resolve the End Project¡¯s restriction with the power I had over metal. But when I confirmed its title, I saw something unexpected.


    ¡®What is this?¡¯


    I could see strange dots instead of a level. At first nce, it looked like a bunch of star shapes. But it also looked simr to an agglomeration of countless letters.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    My eyes hurt like hell, but I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off it. The line of stars disappeared and reappeared from the title space, then it jumped to the front of the title and circled around it like a satellite.


    I finally realized its identity.


    ¡®The power of transcendence?¡¯


    Still, I wasn¡¯t able toe to a full understanding. I had seen the titles of countless people so far, but I had never observed anything like this. The dukes of Leonhardt and Ares were transcendent, not to mention the Primordial God of Earth, Hawa, or Juan, who were Untouchables. I had never seen anything simr in their titles, so why was it that I could suddenly see the spirit of transcendence?


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    The answer immediately apanied the question.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s dead.¡±


    The Ancient Dragon Raffley had lost control of its transcendence after dying. It also exined why the dragon was only level 19, when it should have been much stronger at its peak.


    Gwoooo--!


    The swirling storm of mana grew fiercer and stronger. It was bing harder to maintain my grasp on the Dragon Heart, but I fixed my body with the Dragon heart and Raffley¡¯s spine using the attribute of metal. Then, I grabbed the pistol from my waist.


    ¡°You are¡­ now a carving knife.¡±


    I could not use a Justice Weapon because of its mechanism. Naturally, I couldn¡¯t utilize True Command either. It was only a matter of course,


    Kieeek!


    since my spiritual nature was¡­ on a different level altogether. It couldn¡¯t bepared to something meager like True Command. I possessed enough status to issue absolutemands.


    Woong!


    I realized as the Justice Weapon transformed into a carving knife. Until now, the Justice Weapon had been free to morph into whatever form I desired, but now it was fixed as a carving knife.


    What are you trying to do? Are you trying to carve a magic circle on the Dragon Heart? You know you¡¯re not good at that.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do anything like that. I¡¯m just.¡±


    I picked up the carving knife and slowly began to shave off the silver light around the Dragon Heart.


    ¡°Trying out editing.¡±


    I began to mold the light, slowly and patiently.


    The power of transcendence.


    ***


    Rumble!


    Jae-seok turned his head at the sudden thunder, a curious expression on his face. He had been blowing away the head of an evil spirit.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? Did the weather ever change on level 13?¡±


    He could see dark clouds gathering as he looked up. Jae-seok tilted his head in confusion while pulling out the golden mirror.


    ¡°Kyahahaha! You¡¯re alive! A living one is here¡­¡±


    sh!


    ¡°Kiyaaaahk!¡±


    The chimera was extinguished with a single sh of the mirror. He could have defeated the enemy without the usage of the golden mirror, but the difficulty of the stage had dropped immeasurably after its utilization. Jae-seok now understood the principle behind it as well.


    ¡°When you aim at the box, you receive a damage amplification on the mirror. When the evil spirit dies, the damage amplification disappears, but since you use the dagger to finish off the enemy, the damage amplification remains, right?¡±


    It was a simple, exploitable concept, but it was still ridiculous that Dae-ha was able to discover it, especially since the damage wasn¡¯t tranted into visible numbers or anything.


    ¡°He¡¯s truly a natural, bug yer.¡±


    It was when heughed in disbelief.


    Rumbbbleeee!!!


    ¡°Oh, what is it?¡±


    Jae-seok¡¯s gaze returned to the sky. The stage was originally dark, but it was getting dimmer by the minute.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    He could sense something unusual happening, so Jae-seok decided to observe the situation for now. He moved to the Hidden Stage to ess the Cradle of Justice. Although his Justice Weapon was only Iron rank, he didn¡¯t use it as an actual weapon. It was fine as long as he had ess to the cradle.


    - There¡¯s a huge storm with lightning strikes. What¡¯s going on here? Is it another update?


    - Everyone, don¡¯t leave the hidden point! I saw one of the chimera being struck to death by lightning!


    - Hey, but I don¡¯t think the lightning is striking the yers. Even though I was holding a metal sword, the lightning only struck the evil spirit in front of me.


    - What the hell is going on? What is happening right now?


    As expected, the bulletin board was going crazy. Even as time passed, the posts on the bulletin board betrayed the yers¡¯ increasing confusion. The situation wasn¡¯t calming down at all.


    - No, wait a minute. I don¡¯t know if you guys can tell, but I can hear thunder in the cradle as well. I¡¯m in a space that¡¯s less than 10 square feet, but I can hear the thunder rumbling¡­


    - What? I don¡¯t hear anything like that.


    - By chance¡­ Are you watching Iron Mask¡¯s guide?


    - What? No, the guide is over. Why are you¡­ Heuk! Dark clouds appeared in my room as soon as I essed the guide! Why are there storm clouds appearing in a small room¡­?


    - I confirmed that the clouds disappear aftering out of the stream.


    - What is Iron Mask doing right now?


    - From what I heard, I think he¡¯s trying to make something out of a Dragon Heart right now¡­


    - Everyone, are you watching the stream right now? Iron Mask-nim just took off his mask!


    - Wow. I thought he would be young, but¡­


    - Oh my goodness. To think Iron Mask was that young.


    Jae-seok frowned at the new posts.


    ¡°Dae-ha¡­ what are you doing?


    Jae-seok clicked ¡°watch y¡¯ to join Iron Mask¡¯s post, which was still number 1 on the leaderboards. His background immediately changed.


    Rumble! Rumble!


    Kwwuooooo!!!


    A storm was raging all around, and lightning descended without stop. A formidable darkness threatened to devour everything in the world, but was soon scattered by a burst of light.


    He was standing in the middle of all the confusion.


    ¡°¡­What is this?¡±


    Dae-ha was carving on a silver sphere with a knife.


    Rumble!!


    A bolt of lightning struck Dae-ha¡¯s body, but for some reason, he remained unscathed.


    Rumble! Rumble!!


    Another thunderbolt fell, appearing as if it was sucked into Dae-ha¡¯s body. In that state, Dae-ha moved the hand holding the carving knife-


    King!


    A new pattern was engraved on the round sphere with scattering sparks.


    Huuuuu¡ª


    One of Raffley¡¯s ribs bent like a wave, then turned into liquid before swirling around Dae-ha¡¯s body. Raising his right hand, Dae-ha pulled the string of liquid. It was obvious that the mass weighed at least several tons, but it was drawn into the sphere held in Dae-ha¡¯s hands. Allws of physics were beingpletely ignored.


    King!


    The several tons of mass were converted into a single pattern.


    Gwuooo--!


    ¡°Oh, my god.¡±


    Jae-seok was stronger than before. He trained in the method of Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, interpreting the world from the perspective of vibration. With the opportunity to battle against the metal aliens for dozens of years, he could now be considered one of the strongest of humankind. He was strong, strong enough that even the Guards couldn¡¯t underestimate him. He could cause earthquakes and storms with a single blow.


    Even though he was powerful, he could feel ¡®it¡¯ when he looked at Dae-ha.


    Different.


    Dae-ha was an existence on another level.


    Kwaaaaang!!


    Kuwwoooh--!


    The world itself was crying out as if it were trying to harm Dae-ha. ck clouds of malice hovered around him while growling like wild animals, scattering vicious, powerful killing intent. Anxiety and nervousness could be felt together in the surroundings.


    However, nothing could approach Dae-ha due to the surrounding light.


    ¡°What the hell? What is that¡­ a halo?


    From the front, he could see a light emanating from Dae-ha¡¯s back. As soon as anything approached the line of hazy light, it lost its power. From the back, it appeared as if the light was being emitted from Dae-ha¡¯s front. The light was still covering Dae-ha¡¯s entire figure.


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Dae-ha¡¯s head wasn¡¯t emitting any light at all, but from all angles, it appeared as if light was being scattered from behind him. It was a phenomenon that wasn¡¯t interpretable from a physical sense.


    Kuooo!!


    Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!!


    Kyaaah! Kiek Kiekiekeiek!


    Chimera and evil spirits flocked Dae-ha while screaming. Even though all of them should have been eradicated by Dae-ha already, countless creatures appeared and rushed towards him. Even the basic principles of the stage were now being ignored!


    But nevertheless, they could not do anything to Dae-ha. They lost their strength as soon as they entered the radius of the light and their very bodies disintegrated. What could they do? Rather, they were exterminated by the storm and the falling lightning bolts.


    ¡°Something.


    Jae-seok realized.


    ¡°Something is happening.¡±


    He was watching a historic moment.


    Not only him, but the world


    The whole was watching.

 Vol 2. 85: The Salvation of God (22)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 85: The Salvation of God (22)</h4>


    My biological father, the God of Civilization and Information, fell and became the Machine God Dekarma. Looking back, it was a strange story. How could having fallen made him a First-Tier God? First-Tier Gods were existences that were hard to find, even if the entire universe was searched all over, and the Absolute Gods, said to be the Rulers of the Six Realms, were ultimately existences who could be considered First-Tier Gods if authority and status were excluded. ''In other words, it means that he was an existence originally above all that.''


    Kwareukkkkkkk!! I received the flood of lighting and changed it into a pattern. The lightning¡¯s massive voltage turned into just one word of information. Whoooooooooh-- One of Raffley''s rib bones blew in and swayed. I received that, changing it into a pattern as well. Tens of tonnes of mass were also reced by a single word of information.


    ''I see.'' My eyes had already stopped functioning to receive light and transmit visual information through the optic nerve. After all, there was no longer any need to do so, since only information was needed. My transcendental cognition was reading everything around me.


    Raffley''s spine, which Iid on the floor and sat on, the surrounding buildings, and the copsed Chimera thatid beneath them¡­ All of them converted to light. All of them became a single word, or a single line of text. It wasn''t the world that changed. My perspective of the world was the one that changed.


    Kwareukkkkkkk! Groarrrrr!!!


    Die! Die! Dieeeeeeeeeeee!!!!


    Kkiiiiyaaaaaakkkkkk!!


    I could see a pitch-ck malice. I could feel the huge masses of Chimeras flocking over like crazy. Their numbers were impossible to even measure. It was truly a terrifying force, but¡­their struggle was absolutely meaningless. Pooooof! Instead of fighting arduously, I turned them all into chunks of information. Most existences in the stage were not real anyway, so it was impossible for them to withstand information substitution.


    Pssssshhhh! They all turned into powder and dispersed. Even though I said they turned into powder, there was not a speck of dust left where they used to stand. It was unsurprising, since they didn''t exist in the first ce.


    ''I got it.'' That''s right. I understood. What was the world made up of? ''Information.''


    I thought the title I had seen so far was a product of my ability to read the world, but it was only a rough understanding. It was simr to a blind man touching an elephant. That''s right. The title I had seen so far wasn''t a mere name tag, but the existence of a being itself. And I, who could edit that was¡­ I was...


    Swanggg!!!


    "Ackkk!" My vision rapidly changed along with a great deal of pain. All the transcendental cognition disappeared and my human senses returned. It felt like a tremendous sense of loss was eating away at the soul.


    "NOO!" Instead of being angry and outraged, I closed my eyes again and concentrated. There was a sense of urgency that alerted me to the fact that I should not let go of the sensation I was currently feeling. However...


    -Kruuuwangggg!!!


    Along with the powerful roar, I felt something like a huge pir swinging with a speed that far transcended the speed of sound. I did realize the fact that I would die if I was hit by it without any sort of defense. "This, damn it all!!!!!" I had no choice but to open my eyes wide in the end.


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights. Green. As soon as the tail and my right hand collided, an intense Green exploded and seemingly enveloped the entire world. After I tightly held on to Raffley''s tail, which was already in my hands, I transformed the immense vibration that I instantly created into power and threw the Specter Dragon, Raffley, into the ground.


    Boooom booom kabooom!!!! The Specter Dragon crashed throughout the city and rolled. However, instead of feeling exhrated, I screamed, "This trashy game management, really!!! You said the Specter Dragon won''te out anymore!!!!"


    My head was spinning from my absolute anger. No, they even released an announcement about it, so what kind of pain in the ass was this? Of course, even before that, Evil Spirits and Chimeras were sent haphazardly. However, this was different. The Specter Dragon, which was created with apletely different mechanism from the monsters of the stage, was an existence that was not subjected to the influence of information substitution.


    "Agh, ahhh damn it." I could feel the transcendental cognition that I had missed out on disappearing quickly, like waking up from a dream. I desperately tried to catch it, but it was as pointless as trying to catch a mirage.


    Grooooarrrr----!


    "Euckk?" The frightening storm of Mana that could be felt from the ground struck my spine, supporting my body all this while.


    Kroooarrrrrr---!! The jet-ck breath nketed the ce where I stood and even drew a line to the sky. I knew that I would be swept away by it if I was a littlete. Needless to say, if that were to happen, it would result in death.


    "Darn it, no matter how pissed off I am, let''s focus on the situation first." For the meantime, I got down to the ground.


    -Kreukk...


    Then, as I got down to the ground, a Specter Dragon the size of a 15-story apartment building descended in front of me. I did not know the circumstances of how he was murdered by Project End, but it was an Ancient Dragon that would have snorted amongst the Noblesse when alive. He was dead and became Level 19, but he was still one of the most powerful monsters. To be honest, winning was only a possibility because I discovered a bug. He wasn¡¯t a typical enemy I could win again. That''s right. That was how it was yesterday.


    Shiiiinggg! I pulled Dragon Knight out of the Unique World. I did not use Gigas Call, which was not just the ability to summon a Gigas from the Unique World, but rather, the ability to program the whole process of summoning and empowering the Gigas. In the current situation where I only needed a shell, Gigas Call was not necessary.


    -Kruuwanggg!!


    At that moment, the Specter Dragon pped his huge wings and attacked me. I boarded Dragon Knight in an instant and moved back, but the strong gust of wind that came from the movement of his wings blew Dragon Knight away.


    Baaaang! As I rolled around the floor after smashing a building on one side, I raised my right hand. Baaaang! Something that flew in like a bullet grabbed my hand. Shining with a silver ray of light, it was Raffley''s Dragon Heart.


    "I''m running out of time. Time, I say." I wanted to take my time with production, but there was already a pitch-ck energy gathering from the Specter Dragon''s mouth. As I felt all the Mana surrounding me being sucked into the dragon''s breath, I inserted the Dragon Heart into the ce where the Lightning Heart was made.


    Whoooong---!! Of course, this alone would only lead to the effect of increasing Dragon Knight''s power output. Coincidentally, the name of this Gigas was Dragon Knight, but it was still only a Beast-rank Gigas.


    "In fact, other Gigas creators would scoff if they saw this. How could anyone attach the name Dragon to this level of machine?" I muttered to myself. The only case where the name of a transcendental species or a fantasia species were attached to a Beast-rank Gigas was when the Gigas had an exceptionally strong or intense individuality. That was the case with Thunder Dragon back on Albatross, and also why I decided to take advantage of the already existing blueprint of the Gigas.


    "Book." As I spoke¡­ p p p--! The book that appeared in front of my eyes automatically spread opened and turned its pages. There were no letters on its cover, but the subheading Napoleon was written on the opened page. Whooooooong! The book blurred and melted into the Dragon Heart.


    Then, at the same time, the breath gushed forth. Kabooooom!!!!! It destroyed everything in its way. The breath of a Specter which simultaneously inflicted both devastating physical and spiritual damage was unleashed, but...it didn''t work.


    Groooooarrrr---! The soul energy shield that swayed around my body glimmered once and disappeared. It was the Ability, .


    "Phe." I took a deep breath gently. Then, Imanded, "Rise."


    Woooooonggg---! The Dragon Heart began to fiercely emit Mana, and the book that was absorbed had the formless Iron Heart which now pulsated.


    "Napoleon."


    Pushakkk!!! A silver-ish flow of water poured out of Dragon Knight''s chest te like it was an exploding dam. The silver ray of light that gushed out enveloped around Dragon Knight''s entire body and then it began expanding¡­


    Dragon Knight, which was only a few meters tall, expanded to 30 meters in height in a blink of an eye. Whooooooong----! Cluunk! nkk! The outer armor was covered. The headpiece, armor, the thick glove, and boots were formed. Inside the headpiece, the eyes were instilled with an intense brightness which almost appeared to be an optical prism.


    Damn it. I''m supposed to be here.


    At the grumbling voice of Ares, I smiled as I looked at Napoleon that lightly moved. "Give me a break. It''s because I''m not skilled enough yet."


    ''If there weren''t any interference, maybe...'' I frowned at the thoughts which appeared in my mind. I shook my head, since they were all meaningless nonsense aftering this far.


    Tchh...


    I looked straight ahead, disregarding the grumbling fellow. I could see the Specter Dragon Raffley holding his ck breath again. Imented, "You. It seems you don''t have any other attack skills stronger than that, huh?"


    Kruugrawrrrrr!!!! The breath was shot forth. I charged towards him instead of avoiding it. . . I went head-to-head against the dragon''s breath and charged in.


    Raffley, who was still sting out his breath, wasn''t able to even turn his head. Bang!!! As I swung an uppercut and hit him on the chin, the shockwave itself destroyed all the buildings surrounding us. A ck ray of light soared through the city to the sky. I grabbed him by the neck with my left hand and raised my right hand high up in the air.


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights. Blue. My right hand, which received an immense magical power and soul power, began to shimmer in blue. Then, at that moment, Napoleon''s Signature Move was activated. .


    Bzzzappp! I swung my right hand down with a brilliant blue light. Kaboom baaaaaam!!!!!! A huge crater was formed, centering around Raffley.


    "It''s a given, but this doesn''t end in one shot!"


    Bzzzappp!! Kaabaaaaaam!!! Bzzzappp!! Kaabaaaaaam!!! I hit him again and again. I continued striking until Raffley waspletely destroyed. Raffley, who was still alive, struggled like crazy, but he couldn''t flip Napoleon''s body around, as Napoleon had a simr mass to him.


    "You piece of shit!!! Does it make sense to interfere there?! Huh?! Do you not even know the code of the underworld[1]?!" As I thought about the opportunity that flew away, I could feel my heart burning up. Of course, I believe that I could reach that level at the end of the day, because I had already tasted a glimpse of enlightenment. However, no one could guarantee when that would be.


    Crackle! Just like that, I kept hitting him for some time. Ultimately, Raffley''s ribs were smashed in as he could not withstand the onught of punches, revealing his internal structures. Even the Dragon Heart shining within him was revealed.


    ''Of course, just devouring this Iron Heart would not recover the loss from the enlightenment that slipped away from me, but...''


    Dae-ha!! Watch out!


    ¡°What? What the hell is it again this time-"


    Boom! In an instant, something flew in and struck my body. I could not disperse the devastating impact and rolled on the floor several times. As I raised my hand in bewilderment, I saw another Raffley shooting his breath towards me. "No, wait, this crazy---"


    Kabooboooooom!!! I hurriedly invoked and blocked it. I felt nauseous due to the fact that I was using a Unique-grade Ability too often.


    "Exactly how many fucking times does this bastard want to shoot his breath?!" I gritted my teeth and got up. Then, I mustered all the avable magical power and soul power to prevent the next attack. But...it was not an attack that broke through the thick clouds of dirt.


    p! The two Specter Dragons flew up into the sky. Among them, one was holding on to the body of the destroyed Specter Dragon. It was in such a hurry that they didn''t manage to grab the head and wings of the destroyed Specter Dragon. Baaaaam! In an instant, the Specter Dragon moved a distance away as its speed exceeded the speed of sound. I stared nkly at their disappearing figures.


    "R-Run," I stuttered as I was baffled. "Run, run." I couldn''t help butugh. "They''re running away...?" I stood in a daze and looked up at the sky. There was no such thing as an artillery system in Napoleon, which was made in a hurry. The Specter Dragons that flew a distance away disappeared the moment they crossed a certain line.


    I stood still like a mangbuseok[2] and stared at the sight of them disappearing.


    -2,090,437,777 people are admiring you!


    -21,284,429,961 Justice Points have been umted!


    Only the admiration of the tactless people btedly popped up. It was something that happened on an autumn day.


    1. This is a reference of the Chinese Wuxia code of the Jianghu, which is ½­ºþµÀÁx in Chinese.


    2. Mangbuseok is the story of the legendary faithful wife, who turned to stone while waiting for her husband. Figuratively, it refers to a person who waits with great longing for someone else. But in this instance, it just means that Dae-ha was staring at the sky without moving for some time until the Specter Dragons disappeared.

 Vol 2. 86: The Salvation of God (23)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 86: The Salvation of God (23)</h4>


    There was no such thing as individuality in Project End, which was simply just a system. It was a procedure, a tool, and nothing more than a process that existed for the sake of results. That was the reason why Project End was used as a weapon among the Unnamed. However, that did not mean that Project End was of a low rank.


    "No!" A pitch-ck child screamed as he looked at the screen. He stomped around before running off somewhere, since he didn¡¯t know what to do. Then, after a long while, he returned to his initial position with a doll in one hand. He held onto a dragon-shaped toy that was emitting a jet-ck energy.


    Thuckkk! The child pressed the toy onto the mirror he was looking at. Only then did the lifeless, unmoving toy gain life. It roared loudly.


    -Kruuuwangggg!!


    Although the roar was intense, the child watching on only felt an anxiety and nervousness that increasingly worsened. "No, this isn''t it." The anxietypletely peaked once the silver giant arose from the sphere and began beating up the dragon. Then, the child took two more dragon-shaped toys and pressed them onto the mirror again. It was then that Il-hannded on the ground.


    "Wow... My son really is amazing. I can''t believe that nearly 4 billion humans are still alive even though you have progressed up to Level 13." Il-han looked around at the billions of mirrors lining up to the end of the horizon. It was truly an unbelievable urrence.


    For the sake of survival, there were more than 10 ''Transformation Concepts'' created by civilizations that faced the Project End. However, there were still characteristics that all these genres had inmon, such as the difficulty mercilessly matching the number of survivors. The higher the number of survivors, the more difficult the levels.


    This was inevitable due to the purpose of Project End. If it was a concept fixed by all kinds of tricks that the corresponding civilization could sufficiently ovee, or if a certain victory element was implemented, then Project End would definitely not integrate with the existing system. However, the fact that it was trying to go back to its original state when the error urred¡­


    There was no individuality in Project End, but Project End could create individuality if it was a trait deemed necessary.


    ''Not all Unnamed are the same. Project End is an Unnamed with a narrative.''


    What was an Unnamed? They were existences who did not possess names. They were existences excluded from the finished worldview, existences who shouldn''t exist in the world, and were either too big, too small, too beautiful, or too hideous.


    ''Come to think of it, it just so happens that the [Severe Cold][The Coldest][Frost Air][Queen] whom I killed wasn''t really a big deal.'' The Unnamed that he killed 200 years ago was an existence that best disyed the distinct characteristics of an Unnamed. After all, she was an existence that could plummet the surrounding temperature to minus 9,000 degrees.


    ''It''s something that didn''t make sense.'' Il-hanughed, recalling the bewilderment he felt when he saw her for the first time. How could minus 9,000 degrees be possible? It was literally a story that screwed with thews of physics. Did the concept of absolute zero go on a pic somewhere or something?


    However, that simply was what an Unnamed was. They existed outside the boundaries of the sensible world view, and were unconcerned by the principles of the world. Among them, Project End, which continued the long and arduous story of the End, was a formidable Unnamed.


    At that moment, the ck child screamed out loud, "Run away!!!"


    Il-han stood next to the child and looked into the mirror. Although he had approached so casually, the ck child did not seem to mind his presence. Like a person not perceiving the dust flying around in the room, the child did not give any meaning to Il-han''s existence.


    "Ohhh." Il-han looked at the sight of the two Specter Dragons running away with the torso of the Specter Dragon that Dae-ha had defeated. He noticed that, to be exact, they were escaping with the Dragon Heart of the fallen Specter Dragon. Then, he said, "I have an objection."


    Of course, the ck child paid no attention. His attitude seemed to suggest that he couldn¡¯t even hear Ilhan, who wasn¡¯t even talking to him in the first ce.


    -nner Kwan Il-han raises an objection!


    "What?!" Only then did the ck child look back at Il-han in surprise. But even so, he did not know that the mission system was designed by Il-han and not by the Great Wizard. He had no idea that it was all a copy of the great system that the God of Martial Arts and the God of Magic had created.


    Il-han said, "In my opinion, the second Specter Dragon did essentially face a defeat in the hands of the yer Iron Mask. It is unreasonable for another Specter Dragon to steal the drop items and run away. In fact, hasn¡¯t it already been announced that no other Specter Dragons would be appearing?"


    "What?! It''s not like that though? It''s not like that, okay? It''s not like that, alright? I said it''s not like that!!!!" The ck child screamed out loud and yelled. aank! Cluuunk! Two chains appeared on the right arm of the screaming ck child and he was bound.


    Il-han spoke as if he was pressed for time, "Hurry and put the Dragon Heart down. Hasn''t one already been taken away anyway?"


    The ck child was confused by the appearance of the chains pressing down on his arm. However, he still shook his head. "I don''t want to!!"


    aaank! Il-hanughed as he saw a new chain appear, binding the ck child¡¯s legs. ''As expected, he''s scared.''


    In actual fact, even if Dae-ha was given a new Dragon Heart now, he wouldn¡¯t sessfully attain the enlightenment that had slipped past his fingers. ''That''s not how enlightenment works.'' Even if the same situation and the same conditions were given, he would not be able to hold on to what he had already missed.


    However, the ck child was overstepping his boundaries. He was afraid that the same situation would simply ur once again.


    Project End was an exceptional and special Unnamed. In the first ce, why did the ck child, in other words, the ego of Project Ende into being? It was because the moment Dae-ha faced the enlightenment, Project End realized with his transcendental Foresight that his purpose would fall through at this rate. The ck child was an ego created out of necessity. It was supposed to be the best choice for Project End, but...things had changedpletely since Il-han stepped in.


    ''Hmmm, in one way or another, it worked out well.'' Il-han stared at the giant Gigas standing in a daze. He thought this current situation was the best anyone could ask for.


    The ck child still did not seem to have a clue, but...he had already caused too many irrationalities due to Dae-ha. His actions would be a huge burden on Project End, which was eventually an existence bound by its own unique Setting.


    ''Dae-ha, you brat, you''re working things out in a direction thatpletely defies my initial expectations.'' Il-han had expected Dae-ha to resolve the Project End, and his predictions were graduallying together. However, that only applied to the oue. The process thus far was not like what he had expected at all. ''My initial expectation was the Divine Spirit. That¡¯s all good, and there¡¯s nothing we can do since he left it behind. But...why isn''t he using the key?''


    The key that had the formidable effect of lifting all constraints was a Transcendence Weapon that, perhaps, had a single-digit Numbering rank. Il-han had personally handed over the key, and he remembered Dae-ha wearing it around his neck. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t understand why his son wasn¡¯t using the key when it counted, and was simply spreading his bug-like y widely.


    ''Well, it''s fine as long as he''s doing great.'' After organizing his thoughts, Il-han raised his hand again. "I have a suggestion."


    -nner Kwan Il-han raises a suggestion!


    "No more Dragon Hearts!" There was an unprecedented power instilled in Il-han¡¯s sharp voice. Although this was a situation that could cause anyone to panic, Il-han was unperturbed. After all, he was someone who went around killing the Untouchables of the Great Universe in the past. "Dragon Hearts don''t matter. That matter aside, you didn''t do what you were supposed to do."


    "What?" The ck child replied defensively.


    "What else..." Looking at his son in the mirror, Il-han said, "The update."


    ***


    -Death Procession has all been cancelled.


    -Congrattions! The stage has been cleared perfectly! Rewards are given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is joint 1st-ce(12 people).


    "The ones who got joint 1st-ces dropped a lot. Are the top ranking members slowly disappearing?" I wondered if it was also possible that more people were rehabilitating themselves with their full efforts through the bug strategy. Fortunately, Project End did not prevent the bug in the middle of the stage, even though it would have been all over the ce.


    "Ahh, thinking about it just pisses me off all over again." My hands shook even though I knew I was thinking of something that had already happened. I checked the Dragon Heart that was in the arms of me in the Unique World.


    Kwan Dae-ha


    ???


    17% Silver Heart


    "Ah, I haven''t even done much." I thought I had been working on it for quite some time, but I had only achieved one-fifth of thepleted result. Moreover, it was the resulting product of me being in a kind of awakened state. Even if I were to try again, the whole process would go a lot slower.


    "There''s not enough Dragon Bone there. No? Or is there not enough energy? Or is it another process?" I muttered. Another problem was that it was only 17 percent despite using up all the Ancient Dragon-grade Dragon Bone. Of course, I still had the wings and head of the other Specter Dragon that obstructed me. I would be grateful if the remaining material could fill it up to about 20 percent. "Ahh¡­ I think itspletion would give me something great."


    The magical energy radiating from the Dragon Heart, which arbitrarily named itself Silver Heart, was simply beyond imagination. It was not a joke, but if you look at the power output alone, it was a level that could be easilypared to Ares'' Iron Heart. Of course, an Iron Heart had the superiority advantage and would show an overwhelming performance whenpared to a Dragon Heart. However, if I did well, I might be able to make it¡­ A God-rank Gigas.


    Will there perhaps be another Specter Dragon appearing?


    "It''ll probably be hard." I had sent a rescue team to retrieve those who were already defeated by me, so Specter Dragons probably wouldn¡¯t emerge anymore. It was to prevent a simr situation from urring. Then, I asked, "By the way, why was the body of the Specter Dragon different from the others?"


    Maybe it was captured somewhere else?


    "I thought so, but there were several other identical ones appearing too. Ahh, goddammit. The bastard who doesn''t provide any item updates is only desperate in certain weird aspects. I can''t y this trashy game because it''s so dirty."


    Pooof! Arge gacha machine appeared in front of my whiny self. And as usual, a message popped up.


    -You earned 24,041,406,250,000 points as a clear reward.


    -Point is a means of transaction and you can purchase Awakening Potion, Experience Potion, Equipment, Tools, and Materials.


    This was a message I always saw. However, several phrases were added after that.


    -The store will be updated.


    -Equipments will be added.


    -Tools will be added.


    -Materials will be added.


    "Huh?" I was surprised by the totally unexpected contents, and I went through the list. Surprisingly, there were Magic Armaments imbued with 5th-ss magic, Teleport Scrolls, and Stealth Totems. There was even a magic map and so on. There was also an Intermediate-grade Mana stone and a High-grade Mana stone. Above all¡­


    "This¡­ What does this mean?" I stared at the Mithril and Adamantium description. ¡°Does this mean you¡¯re going to fix all the bugs and faithfully update the game ordingly? And be reborn as a God Game?! Ahh, is that not right? Was I trained to be impressed by an update that¡¯s naturally supposed to happen?"


    My hands were trembling. Of course, Mithril and Adamantium had a crazy price range. However, I was unconcerned, because I did not just possess a billion nor a trillion points. I possessed a few quadrillion points. I ended up shouting, "Go, God Game!!!"


    A new text popped up again in front of me, who was moved.


    - Gift from nner Kwan Il-han will arrive!


    ''Plooop!'', along with that sound, a little marble fell on top of my hand. I asked back stupidly, forgetting joy and any deep emotions, "What?" Who was the nner?

 Vol 2. 87: The Salvation of God (24)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 87: The Salvation of God (24)</h4>


    ¡°What?¡±


    nner who?


    It was a name I had not seen in a very long time ¨C a name of someone I couldn¡¯t find even a trace of no matter how hard I searched after arriving on Earth.


    ¡°Why is dad¡¯s name appearing here!? And what the hell is this? A gift?¡±


    It was truly a ridiculous situation, but the bead was already in my hand. I grumbled while observing the bead.


    None


    Level 38


    Magic Imperial Princess Jenica


    ¡°What? Why is an object considered level 38¡­? Is it simr to a Chintamani or something? Even if it was a wish-fulfilling, magic stone, isn¡¯t level 38 a bit too absurd?¡±


    I was taken aback by the absurd level, but no matter how hard I looked, it appeared to be a normal bead. It was a regr, white marble without even a trace of mana, let alone any spiritual power or hidden power.


    ¡°What the hell is this¡­? I can¡¯t feel anything at all.¡±


    Even though my eyes were able to ignore all hallucinations and illusions, I didn¡¯t find anything special with the bead. If it weren¡¯t for the title, I would have mistaken it as a regr jade bead from a ne in an essory store. But the title was telling me that this nail-sized marble was¡­ level 38?


    ¡°How does this make any sense at all? Isn¡¯t level 38 almost at the level of an Untouchable?¡±


    Level 20 was considered the benchmark for a lower-rank transcendent ¨C a rare powerhouse, numbering maybe one or two in a. Considering that anything over level 30 was considered Emperor-ss and very rare throughout the Great Universe, it was no exaggeration to say that level 38 could be considered a peak existence in the entire universe.


    It would not be strange to consider the object in my hand the remains of a perished Untouchable. An object at this level might be the soul remains of an Untouchable who was over level 40.


    ¡°No. Considering the title and the name, it doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    Magic Imperial Princess Jenica.


    It wasn¡¯t a title befitting an object. It was even stranger to think that the object had no affiliation, especially when it was handed to me by the system of the End Project.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, I feel like I might have seen a simr name on the mission system in the past as well¡­¡±


    I explore the bead¡¯s surface with my fingers while muttering to myself. A certain sensation caused me to pause the action.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    A strange groove was etched into the side of the marble. After carefully feeling the grooves, I could tell that the groove spelled out a word.


    Key.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I looked down and saw a key hanging around my neck. It was roughly formed, as if a few scrap metals had been welded together. I was no fool. I immediately understood what my dad¡¯s intentions were.


    ¡®But the key is.¡¯


    Hawa¡¯s face suddenly came to mind.


    /¡±From now on, if you use that key even once.¡±


    ¡°I will fold Sr System-34 just like this~¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m going topress it to the size of your head.¡±/


    Hawa had said such terrifying things with a smile on her face. Come to think of it, I had avoided using the key as much as possible since then.


    ¡®It¡¯s been a long time since I saw you.¡¯


    She had never made empty threats. Moreover, as an Untouchable and as First Legion, she possessed the power to carry out her threats.


    But¡­ I realized.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t because I was scared.¡¯


    I had refrained from using the key because of her, but it wasn¡¯t because I was fearful. Rather, I just wanted to do as she wanted.


    ¡®Is it because of my origins?¡¯


    I rolled the bead between my fingers while grumbling.


    ¡®Opening this bead with a key¡­ It means it¡¯s currently sealed.¡¯


    I pondered. Honestly, I didn¡¯t feel like unlocking the seal. It was difficult to know what was going on with my dad, what he was up to, and what he was aiming for.


    Why was dad being marked as the nner of the End Project, and why had he sent me this object as a gift? Why had he not shown himself nor exined the situation¡­?


    Pat!


    Eventually, I transferred the bead into the Unique World. Thankfully, it worked without disying any resistance or trouble.


    ¡®Yeah. If I don¡¯t feel like it, then I shouldn¡¯t do it. In terms of spiritual nature, I¡¯m second to no one. There¡¯s merit to trusting my gut feelings.¡¯


    I would ce my judgment on hold for now. I freed myself from any needless thoughts and manipted the vending machine.


    ¡°Later! I will think about itter!¡±


    For now, I would go on a shopping spree.


    ***


    As always, Seon-ae was waiting for me in her courtdies¡¯ uniform as soon as I opened the door.


    I looked at her for a moment.


    Won-il High School


    Level 9


    Fist-style Martial Expert Lee Seon-ae


    Her level had only gone up by one.


    Of course, her yer level had risen to 13, most likely after utilizing the guides. But what good was having a few more points in stats when her skills weren¡¯t there to back it up?


    ¡®Isn¡¯t this a little strange?¡¯


    Naturally, the process of bing level 10, a Compl¨¦ter, was difficult. There were numerous people who weren¡¯t able to cross the distance after training for their entire lives, even after devoting their very existence and shedding blood and tears.


    But we were living in a different world now.


    You could buy as many spiritual medicines by fighting hard, and there were many different abilities you could immerse in. The average level of the humankind would be hovering around level 6. So why was it that she was only level 9, even though she was level 8 a while ago.


    ¡®Most importantly¡­ Her talent was the real deal.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t have to observe her closely to recognize it. Her talent was in a different realmpared to someone like Jae-seok. It wasn¡¯t just because she was a Synthetic Magical Beast, but her natural physical and spiritual qualities were beyond regr human standards. The only problem might have been that her talent wasn¡¯t because she was a superhuman or a god, but a monster. Even so¡­ she never seemed uncontrolled or unstable.


    ¡°You.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Howe you¡¯re so weak?¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Seon-ae looked dumbfounded at my question.


    ¡°What do you mean? Are you trying to scold me?¡±


    ¡°No way. It¡¯s just¡­ you have the talent. Not just regr talent either. It could almost be considered genius-level talent.¡±


    I thought it was apliment, but Seon-ae¡¯s eyes narrowed and her gaze sharpened at my words.


    ¡°I have the talent, so I have to be stronger?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm. I guess there¡¯s temperament to take into consideration as well.¡±


    It was simr to how many mothers would say ¡®you¡¯re so smart, so why are you grades like this?¡¯. I didn¡¯t want to make a fuss when it wasn¡¯t even my life. I didn¡¯t want to argue with her because I was in such a good mood right now.


    ¡®Genie. What do you think? It¡¯ll work, right?¡¯


    I need some time.


    ¡®Of course you need some time. But all we have is time in the stage anyways. Do you think it¡¯ll work?¡¯


    Genie replied to my urging.


    Yes. Mass production of Beast-rank gigas¡­ appears to be possible.


    Mithril and Adamantium, me Wood and Fantasy Wood, Force Stone and Spirit Stone. With the addition of intermediate and high-rank mana stones as well, it was possible to create Beast-rank gigas without the permanent consumption of aura and spirit.


    ¡®Ah, I can¡¯t wait to make it. Is it still going to take a long time to create the Soul Furnace?¡¯


    Once again, I need more time. It¡¯s a huge process that will take at least a few years.


    ¡®Well, it takes years to clear the stage now, right?¡¯


    It made sense, considering that it took more than a year toplete the hard difficulty of level 13, which was rendered essentially effortless with the guide. I wouldn¡¯t have to stay for hundreds of thousands of years like before, since the number of clears was now limited to 10,000 per yer, but even so, there was plenty of time.


    ¡®Ah, before I forget, I¡¯ll have to make a new Napoleon now that I have plenty of materials.¡¯


    I guess so. It¡¯s a shame, considering that we worked so hard on thest one over a year.


    ¡®But we can¡¯t forego the usage of good materials. We had to scrape together and fill in a lot of parts because we didn¡¯t have enough ingredients. Most importantly, the artillery system was just in horrible.¡¯


    I suddenly came to a stop while talking to Genie.


    ¡°Hmm. Come to think of it.¡±


    I looked around. I could see people busily traveling to and from Gyeongbokgung Pce.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t see any young people.¡±


    Seon-ae replied nonchntly.


    ¡°Even though many elderly people died during the stage, the average age in Korea is over 50.¡±


    In fact, even Seon-ae appeared much more maturepared to before, even though she had not raised her level by much. I realized that I looked to be the youngest in the surroundings and asked in bewilderment.


    ¡°What about the children?¡±


    ¡°Unless you¡¯re talking about infants, all of them have grown up into adults. The news says that we have the lowest number of middle and high school students in human history.¡±


    I was talking to Seon-ae when I was suddenly interrupted.


    ¡°Huh!?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    I turned my head after hearing a sudden sound. A warrior was looking at me with an incredulous expression, as if he had seen a ghost.


    ¡®Do I know him?¡¯


    I searched my memory for a while, but nothing came to mind. But after stuttering for a moment, he suddenly bowed down to me. It was such a polite greeting that his head almost touched the floor.


    ¡°What the heck.¡±


    I ignored the weirdo and stepped into Gyeonghoeru.


    As soon as I entered theplex, the noisy environment silenced at once. I could feel everyone¡¯s attention shifting to me, their expressions filled with astonishment and shock.


    But after a while,


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s true. It¡¯s really true.¡±


    ¡°I told you. I told you I saw him. Why would I lie about such a thing?¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­ I¡¯m so touched.¡±


    ¡°Now, now. Show some respect.¡±


    The gazes scattered as the whispers filled the ce. I went and stood in the line to receive food.


    Shashak.


    But suddenly, everyone in front of me suddenly scattered away.


    ¡°Oh god.¡±


    Iughed at the ridiculous situation, but I walked up to receive food. The restaurantdy had been dishing out food to the people of the Lee Family, and she looked bewildered to see people making way for me.


    ¡°What kind of atmosphere is this? Have you been going around hitting people? I always found you a little scary.¡±


    ¡°Why the heck would I go around hitting people? Give me some food please.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    Today¡¯s menu was Japanese.


    Thedy¡¯s hands moved at a speed invisible to the naked eye. Then, 365 pieces of sushi were served on a three-story te in the blink of an eye. There were a total of 12 different kinds of sushi, perhaps symbolizing the twelve months in a year. Another bowl contained all sorts of tempura.


    ¡°Oh wow~ Today¡¯s menu is quite nice. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Heuheu. I wonder how much longer you¡¯ll be able to thank me like that.¡±


    Thedy smiled wickedly. I could see jagged, sharp teeth protruding from her open mouth.


    ¡°What do you mean? Is there something going on?¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say that the moment ising. The moment when everything will go down. Keukeukeu.¡±


    ¡°Why are you trying to foreshadow the future? The has too much destruction already.¡±


    I grumbled before finding a seat.


    I could feel people¡¯s ncing gazes as I ate the sushi.


    Everyone recognizes you.


    I answered while chewing.


    ¡®Well, I can¡¯t help it. 2 billion people were watching. I¡¯m rather relieved that they aren¡¯t being cumbersome about it. To be honest, I thought I would be ced in situations that would make me blush, but unexpectedly, everyone has manners. Right?


    Crunch! Chomp Chomp.


    I quickly proceeded with the meal. In fact, they would deliver as much food as I wanted, even if I didn¡¯te down to eat. Even without my identity as Iron Mask, I was still a guest of honor for the Lee Family.


    But I was always alone during the stage. Even if something troublesome happened¡­ I would alwayse down to see people. It was an important, necessary process for my mental health rather than anything else.


    Pat!


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    The people in Gyeonghoeru disappeared at once, apanied by a strange sensation. To be exact, they had not disappeared. From their point of view, I would have gone missing.


    The empty spaces began filling with new people.


    Seuk. Seukk.


    Every time I blinked, more empty spots were filled. In an instant, all of the seats were upied. The remainder of the new arrivals headed over to the wall and remained standing.


    There were exactly 1,000 of them.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I am a Guard, and my name is¡­ What are you doing?¡±


    An old man started talking with a somber expression, then stopped with a stupefied expression. The others nearby began chattering as well.


    ¡°It¡¯s a gun.¡±


    ¡°What? It doesn¡¯t seem like a Justice Weapon.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with the gun all of a sudden¡­?¡±


    I found that all of the rowdy people were above level 15. There were people of all races, gender, and age.


    ¡®All of them must be Guards.¡¯


    I ignored their whispers and grabbed Shadow Stalker.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what weapon that is, but please calm down. I am Guard Aegis. The Guards and I¡­¡±


    The old man was trying to exin something. I calmly observed him and pulled the trigger.

 Vol 2. 88: The Salvation of God (25)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 88: The Salvation of God (25)</h4>


    Click!


    As I pulled the trigger, the cock of the gun collided with the firing pin and the bullet was fired. There was no reverberation. Well, even though it was taking the form of a revolver, I guess it would have been rather ridiculous if a gunshot was heard upon firing Shadow Stalker.


    ¡°¡­What did you do just now?¡±


    The old man who introduced himself as Aegis looked around the room with a puzzled expression. The bullet I fired had passed over his shoulder. No one had been harmed by the projectile. If I had to say, the target of the bullet was Gyeonghoeru.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it pretty obvious? I shot a gun.¡±


    ¡°Haha. Don¡¯t get agitated. We¡¯re just here to talk.¡±


    ¡°Just talk my ass. What do you think you¡¯re doing when I was having my meal? Moreover, if you wanted to hold a conversation, one person could havee quietly. You¡¯re wanting to have a conversation with 1,000 people surrounding me?¡±


    There was no chance in hell that these people wanted to have a simple conversation with pure intentions. On the off chance they did, they barged in with the wrong attitude.


    ¡°S, sir! All the gates of Gyeongheoru have been sealed off! We can¡¯t get out!¡±


    ¡°What? How could this¡­ Is that gun a magic weapon? But I couldn¡¯t feel the manifestation of any energy. How could this be?¡±


    ¡°The temporary channel has been blocked! We¡¯ve beenpletely separated from the outside!¡±


    They quickly grasped the situation. I guess they weren¡¯tplete idiots after all. But what did it matter? The space-time quarantine had already isted the temporary channel they created from the real world.


    Time-space istion has been confirmed to be operating normally. There is 31 minutes and 55 seconds remaining until the limit.


    Please note that the dimension is separated temporally from the physical realm during the istion.


    Shadow Stalker transformed back into a watch as a guide announced the details in my head.


    ¡°Well, if you have something to say, say it quickly. What do you want?¡±


    ¡°How magnanimous. Lift the blockade right now.¡±


    ¡°You want to tell me your intentions first?¡±


    ¡°First, lift the blockade! This is a warning, not a suggestion! Even if you sealed this dimension, did you forget that there are currently 1,000 Guards in this ce?¡±


    I was dumbfounded by the old man¡¯s shouts.


    ¡°Hey, old man. You need to smarten up. You were the one who kidnapped me here to talk, but if I was going ¡®Where did you drag me!? Send me back now! This is a warning, not a suggestion!¡¯, think of how frustrating that will be for you. Why are you being such a blockhead?¡±


    ¡°I did not kidnap you. I simply took measures to take you out of other people¡¯s sights.¡±


    ¡°If you do something like that without permission, it¡¯s called kidnapping.¡±


    ¡°It seems I can¡¯t get through to you!¡±


    Gwooooh--!


    Spiritual energy began to surge around Aegis when he stood up. Behind him stood a translucent giant, but the appearance of the giant was unexpectedly familiar. I spoke while looking up at the translucent figure.


    ¡°Wow, is that Guan Yu?¡±


    Guards


    Level 11(15)


    Necromancer Aegis


    Strangely enough, I could see two separate levels. One of them would have been considered world-ss a while ago but was now quitemon. The other one would still be considered top-ss. In addition, I could also see the yer level.


    Level 19


    ¡®Oh my, it seems you¡¯ve taken quite a few potions.¡¯


    However, even though he had received enough stat points to reach level 19, he was actually only level 11. It meant he wasn¡¯t a particrly strong person. In addition, the translucent giant towering behind him exined why there was another level being disyed.


    Zenon the Great Wizard


    Level 15


    Guardian Spirit Guan Yu


    He was a legendary man. You could grab anyone off the streets, and they would tell you exactly who he was. Guan Yu was a powerful man who rose to power during the chaotic times of the Three Kingdoms, and he was even deified and worshipped near his death. He was a true one-man-army.


    ¡®Come to think of it. All of these Guards¡­ they¡¯re all necromancers.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t just the man named Aegis who possessed a guardian spirit behind his back. Rather, all 1,000 guards in Gyeonghoeru possessed simr spirits. There were mythical beings, such as Arthur and Solomon, to historical figures, such as Alexander the Great and Napoleon. In addition, I could even spot some unidentifiable killers and figures like Jack the Ripper.


    I could not help but raise my eyebrows at the sight.


    ¡®¡­This is a little weird.¡¯


    Rather strangely, all of the guardians were level 15, regardless of their type or name.


    ¡®How does it make sense that Arthur, the master of Excalibur, and Napoleon are on the same level?¡¯


    One was a mythical hero of legends, and the other was a good tactician, but a regr human. Anyone would frown to find out they were being ced on the same level. But Ares said in a disinterested voice.


    Why doesn¡¯t it make sense? Isn¡¯t it the same with gigas? The Human-rank Gigas Napoleon and Human-rank Gigas Arthur are both simr in performance as well.


    ¡®No¡­ but they¡¯re necromancers. I thought necromancers bring back the spirit of the dead. Is that not the case for them?¡¯


    In other words, the guardians here were not actually real figures that lived and died in the past, but rather created from concepts that existed under themon perception of humans. Naturally, their maker was the Great Wizard, the master of arrangements.


    ¡°You¡­ You aren¡¯t listening to me.¡±


    I came to my senses after hearing the cold voice. I had been busily observing the different guardian spirits around the room.


    ¡°Oh, it was just refreshing to see legendary heroes of the myths.¡±


    ¡°I guess words just won¡¯t do.¡±


    Guan Yu¡¯s spirit permeated into the old man¡¯s body as he gnashed his teeth while ring at me.


    Gwoooh--!


    Aegis¡¯ body swelled greatly after epting the spirit of Guan Yu. The atmosphere around him changed immediately and a storm of spirit swirled around him.


    But I wasn¡¯t nervous at all.


    ¡°Words won¡¯t do? You really are slow at grasping the atmosphere, old man. Killing all of you here would take less effort than lifting a single pinkie.¡±


    ¡°Arrogant bastard! We are the Guards. How dare you utter such mockery! We are the shield and the strongest guardians of all mankind!¡±


    Other guards stepped up and took their ce beside Aegis.


    ¡°Iron Mask. I know you are strong, but your arrogance knows no bounds. Even if you can summon your giant in this ce, you can¡¯t take on all of us.¡±


    ¡°To think you would take things this far without even listening to our words.¡±


    What they were saying certainly made sense. The power of 1,000 level 15 was rare, even in the Great Universe. Even if I could call Napoleon, I would have to be prepared to die if facing all 1,000 of them at the same time.


    ¡®If all of them were to use guerri tactics, even the Albatross would be endangered.¡¯


    It was only natural, considering that anyone possessing the power of a Compl¨¦ter was qualified to be an officer in the Leonhardt Empire.


    But I shrugged my shoulders.


    ¡®But none of it matters in the end. I am an entirely different beingpared to when I am in the stage.¡¯


    Specifically, the difference stemmed from equipment.


    I was overgeared.


    Pat!


    I raised my right hand¡¯s index finger, and a talisman rose into the air. The surrounding Guards immediately reacted and rushed in like lightning. It was apletely different reactionpared to when I took out the pistol.


    But they were already toote.


    Bobae-rank. Heavenly Spirit Transformation Talisman.


    Heavenly Space.


    Time stopped.


    This applied not only to the guards who were rushing toward me, but also the guards who were watching from afar. Everyone here was caught in the grand passage of time. It was a powerful deterrent force, something that one could not escape unless they were well-versed in the attributes of space and time. Even emperor-ss beings would have difficulty escaping.


    ¡°W, what the.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t move! What!? Even the Guardian Spirits are being suppressed! How could this be?¡±


    I stood up from my seat. Heavenly Space was a powerful technique that suppressed the owner¡¯s freedom as well, but that was only the case when it was utilized to its maximum potential. When being used at an appropriate level, just as I was doing, I could move freely.


    ¡®Of course, I could notunch any attacks in this state. It goes against the basic structure of Heavenly Space.¡¯


    Heavenly Space was an absolute peace zone. But only I was aware of the fact. How could the Guards know? As I strode around, the Guards¡¯ faces turned pale.


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait! Please! We didn¡¯te here to fight! Please calm down and listen to our story!¡±


    ¡°Old man, if you wanted to make a deal, you should have done it right! Look what you got us into!¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Korean! I Have been watching your guides for a long time. I really respect you!¡±


    ¡°I apologize in his stead! It¡¯s because the old man can be a stubborn geezer sometimes!¡±


    Aegis¡¯ expression distorted horribly by the screams erupting from all over the ce. It was aplete turnaround from how they had been posing just a few minutes ago.


    ¡°All of you! Quiet down!¡±


    ¡°You should have taken care of it better, senior! Then we could be quiet. You picked a fight with him andnded us in this state. What do you expect us to do?¡±


    ¡°I told you that Iron Mask was on a different level from everyone else!¡±


    I observed the noisy Guards for a moment.


    ¡®Look at them suddenly changing their position. You should have spoken up earlier then.¡¯


    Crunch. Yum yum. Kyah~!


    For about 10 minutes, I stuffed myself with sushi and tempura I received from the restaurantdy.


    ¡°Every time I have her food, I can¡¯t help but be amazed by how good her cooking is.¡±


    I finished my meal by rewarding my stomach with a juicy, tender piece of salmon sushi. The Guards had been forced to watch the entire process while frozen.


    ¡°Whew~ Thanks for the great meal.¡±


    ¡°¡­Could you let us go now?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°¡­I apologize. I was at fault. I had been treated with respect for so long that I forgot myself.¡±


    I dusted my hands and stood up as Aegis apologized politely.


    Then I replied.


    ¡°Well, you can go ahead and speak your mind.¡±


    ¡°In this position?¡±


    Currently, Aegis had his hands held above his head. He had been positioned to strike down with the Eonwoldo, the famed spear of Guan Yu.


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    I walked over and ced my hand on the shoulder of a nearby Guard.


    Pat!


    The Guard disappeared instantly. I clicked my tongue.


    ¡°Damn it. The Guardian Spirit isn¡¯t transported as well. So it wasn¡¯t considered an individual¡¯s possession after all, but a being under the Great Wizard¡¯s system.¡±


    ¡°W, what did you do just now? Where did Michael go? D, don¡¯t tell me you sent him to the real world!? You can¡¯t take Guard to the real world!!¡±


    I checked the status of the Guard in the Unique World at Aegis¡¯ flustered shout.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t send him to the real world, but somece else. He seems perfectly fine, so talk.¡±


    Pat!


    Another Guard disappeared.


    As if feeling threatened by the gesture, Aegis hurriedly spoke.


    ¡°We located your spaceship outside Earth!!¡±


    ¡®Genie. How could you allow it to be discovered by a sub civilization?¡¯


    ¡­My apologies. But as you know, this Earth couldn¡¯t be considered a regr Type II Civilization¡­


    I asked while listening to Genie¡¯s excuses.


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°W, well. It¡¯s¡­ um¡­¡±


    Aegis suddenly became flustered and stammered. I could see shame and embarrassment on the face of the old man, but instead of being considerate and waiting, I urged him.


    ¡°And so~?¡±


    ¡°T, take us out of the earth. We can¡¯t withstand the stage anymore.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I became dumbfounded and jerked my head at the unimaginable request.


    Pat!


    Meanwhile, Guards were disappearing one by one.


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Don¡¯t tell me you want to run away from Earth? The greatest guardians of mankind?¡±


    The face of Aegis turned red at my words. He must have felt ashamed.


    But soon, his expression distorted and he shouted with frustration.


    ¡°But what do you expect us to do? More than 20,000 Guards have died already! Dammit! I¡¯m already 180 years old, but I spent 150 years in the stage! Could you possibly call this a human life? No, this isn¡¯t human life!!¡±


    He shouted with frustration, then even started sobbing. Simrmentations were being blurted here and there.


    ¡°My grandmother and grandfather, and both my father and mother died in the stage. It¡¯s my turn next! I can¡¯t take it anymore!¡±


    ¡°Heuk heuk. Huaahh! I don¡¯t want to anymore! I don¡¯t want to!¡±


    ¡°How long do we have to sacrifice ourselves for the human race?¡±


    ¡°At this rate, the entire n of Guards will be destroyed! How could this be the fate that awaits us after we spent long years hiding and protecting the world?¡±


    The wailing andints started to increase, and the surroundings instantly became noisy.


    ¡°What in the world is going on?¡±


    I touched another Guard while expressing my astonishment.


    Pat!


    Leaving the empty space behind, I stepped forward and asked.


    ¡°Exin it in detail.¡±


    I would listen to their story first.

 Vol 2. 89: The Salvation of God (26)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 89: The Salvation of God (26)</h4>


    "Please exin it in detail." For starters, I had to hear the story of what was going on.


    ***


    Guardian was the transcendental magic ability of the Great Wizard. Moreover, it was an infrastructure long put in ce and was based on that magic ability. It was one of the two Commandment Bodies created with the addition of the Primordial God''s blessing. Their objective of creating it was simple; the protection of mankind, as well as the separation of the surface world and the parallel world.


    "What kind of separation is necessary when the surface world is out of the forces of the parallel world¡¯s league?" I thought this fact was obvious, especially upon seeing just one of Lee Family''s forces ignore the Third-Generation Chaebol and refer to them as merchants when ordering their henchmen around.


    However, Aegis, the oldest guardian born in the nies (Year 1890, not the Year 1990), shook his head. "But even so, little is known about the parallel world."


    "Isn''t it best to keep it a secret?"


    "That''s right. As long as we adhere to that line, the surface world would be peaceful and mankind would be able to prosper."


    Aegis exined that the Great Wizard, the only transcendent of Earth and the world''s greatest prophet, decided to separate the two worlds after foreboding what would happen if both worlds integrated. "ording to him, he said that the war would repeatedly ur. Although it definitely wouldn¡¯t result in the destruction of mankind, and we could go through all kinds of hardships and assume a new public order... The Great Wizard, who foretold the end of the world, created a number of devices that strictly separated the surface world from the parallel world for the purpose of reducing the consumption of mankind. He made us, the Guardian n, thestponent."


    As a result of this fact, mankind prospered. I thought, ''I see. Is the Guardians n¡¯s purpose supposed to cover the entire Earth?''


    The identity of the Guardian n was simple. They were a psychic n with extremely skewed talents. In return for not being able to personally possess such great power, they had the power to ess the Grand Soul, which spread throughout the Earth through the mission system. They could see anything that humans could. A thousand Level 15 Guardian Spirits could go anywhere as long as there were people there!


    Heavenly Sword, the strongest swordsman in the Republic of Korea, was Level 11. Considering that Sword Emperor Xu Jiayin, referred to as the Greatest Sword in the World, was only Level 13, it was apparent how terrifying the full power of the 1,000 Level 15 Guardians who possessed all kinds of authority was. Moreover, just one Guardian Spirit could already sign a duplicate contract with up to 10 people...


    "Then, what''s the problem?"


    "The fact that theponents, which are the Guardians supporting this world, are beginning to rust after being greeted by the end of the world." Needless to say, thews that the Guardians had to adhere to were proportional to the power they received. Aegis then added, "We must devote ourselves to humanity¡¯s protection as much as possible."


    "Is that a bad thing?"


    "It is bad. It means that if we had strength to spare, we have to unconditionally choose to rechallenge the stage. We can''t do anything like a trick, because there¡¯s a powerful restraining force that we can¡¯t avoid. Even self-hypnotism doesn¡¯t work."


    In other words, it was impossible for the Guardians to give up halfway. They had to unconditionally, repeatedly challenge the stage until it was ''no longer possible to continue''. Aside from that fact, there was another problem.


    ''Come to think of it, a Necromancy practitioner would be in an entirely opposite situation whenpared to a Life Energy practitioner.'' If there was an abundance of supply to support them, Life Energy practitioners could exert enormous power. If they did not have any supplies, however, they would face a crisis. In short, just looking at me, I was most likely going to starve to death on the stage.


    Necromancy practitioners were the exact opposite of that. They were beings where supplies were almost unnecessary. They would transform into half-spiritual beings upon invoking the Spirit Summoning Ritual. In other words, they could infinitely rechallenge the stage with the minimal amount of water and food they farmed at the stage. That''s right. In theory, it was possible to rechallenge the stage ''infinitely''. However, their lifespans certainly were not infinite...


    "Over a long period of time, the number of Guardians increased rather than diminished. Since the Guardian n, protected by the Commandments, did not face any sort of incidents or disease, those born with talent from the outside continued to be supplied. Thanks to that, they have the greatest scale of all time, with more than 30,000 members in recent years. But...of all the Guardians, 20,000 of them died in just a little over a month''s time."


    Listening to Aegis¡¯ answer, I entered Geunjeongjeon Hall. This was not the Gyeongbokgung Pce of the surface world, but it wasn¡¯t the Gyeongbokgung Pce of the parallel world either.


    That''s surprising. I can''t believe you''re using the Bubble World in such a way...


    Geunjeongjeon Hall was full of hundreds of people. Amongst all those people, a few elderly people were seen breathing theirst breath. These were natural deaths caused by aging. Wooooom! Upon death, the fragment of ultimate spell invoked on the elderly people''s body triggered and returned to the mission system.


    Shiiiiiingg! One old man¡¯s body was teleported to the parallel world. I got out of the temporary channel and followed the process happening in front of my eyes. Pssssshhhh! The old man''s body, appearing in Geunjeongjeon Hall, instantly turned into dust and scattered in the air. I then went back into the temporary channel.


    Aegis, observing me as I returned from the parallel world, continued to exin, "The majority of the Guardians n were born in the temporary channel and live here till their deaths. And the physical bodies of the Guardians n filled with the factor of the temporary channel disappear upon leaving the temporary channel."


    I recalled the conversation I previously had with Seon-ae.


    /"The things of this world disappear when they go to reality?"


    "Yes. The same problem applies whether you go back to the parallel world or the surface world. In particr..."


    "Food?"


    "That''s right, food. Never touch food on the temporary channel. Even though they have the same aroma and appearance as the real thing in reality, as well as the same taste as the real thing, they are all only temporary. When you go back to the surface world."


    "...Likewise, they will disappear as well, huh."/(shback)/


    "Then...what about the Guardians in the surface world?"


    "They''re Supporters, limited to 1,000 members. One has to die for them to be reinforced with new personnel."


    As our conversation reached this particr point, some of the Guardians gathering together discovered the presence of Aegis and I. Their eyes widened and, soon, their whispers grew louder.


    "Huh? Iron Mask! It''s Iron Mask!"


    "Oh my God, it''s really Iron Mask! I never thought I would see Iron Mask in person."


    Another voice came amidst those who were surprised, "Erm¡­ By the way, if he¡¯s here as a guest, shouldn''t he be treated to a meal?"


    "Please don''t spout such preposterous things! No! Do you know what kind of an existence Iron Mask is to humanity right now? Why would we keep him here?"


    "But it''s customary..." Simr to a small vige, there were approximately a few hundred people looking at me. Unlike the 1,000 Guardians who came to find me, these people wereposed of only Koreans.


    "To sum it all up." I momentarily stared at the people who just hesitated and dared note near me, and asked Aegis, "Your kind have been protecting humanity in the bubble world, and you want to give up your task at this point of time?"


    "That''s...! No, that''s right. Perhaps that''s the best way to sum up this situation. Because at this rate, the future of the Guardians n is set in stone."


    "How is it set in stone?"


    "It means our n will end up being exterminated in a ce that no one knows about¡­ The elders of thest generation and the generation before that became Guardians with a burning sense of duty, but that''s not the case for us. We were just born as Guardians."


    I nodded, empathizing with Aegis¡¯ments to a certain extent.


    "That''s not all. We''re dying of old age now, but... Things will be different again because our capabilities do not increase. If this carries on and the Stage Level bes Level 15, then..."


    "¡­There will be enemies of the same level as the Guardian Spirits appearing."


    "And even enemies of higher levels too." They waved their hands as they answered.


    Poooof! A member of the Guardian n appeared out of thin air. A woman appearing to be in her thirties appeared to be as excited as a child. "It''s bright!"


    "W-What are you saying, Soo-ryun? No, more than that, are you alright?"


    "It''s bright! I said it''s bright! It''s bright, fancy, and warm! That ce, that ce is... Euurghhhh!"


    ''N-No, Soo-ryun. The temporary channel is also bright enough..."


    "It''s different! There''s not a hint of liveliness here!"


    I stared at the sight of the two of them bickering for a moment, and asked, ''Genie, what''s the status of the Guardians?''


    All 999 members who crossed over are normal. They''re all beings of the bubble world, but it''s been confirmed that the nature of the bubble world is not distorted in the Unique World. However, we cannot guarantee what will happen if they return to the surface world from here.


    As I listened to Genie''s words, I looked at the hundreds of Guardians staring at me. Then, I raised my left arm to check the time. It was 9.am., so we still had quite some time left. "Aegis-nim, please pick out the people who can no longer proceed with the stage and gather them here by 3 p.m.."


    "...Are you going to help? For real?"


    "Yes. However, we can''t bring them on board the Albatross ship. If you go out of the parallel world, you''re going to die, and if you get on board the Albatross ship, then it won''t be able to leave the Earth."


    Aegis'' face stiffened upon hearing my words. "T-That can''t be true! We''ve already finished our experiment to the moon..."


    Upon seeing Aegis¡¯ denial, I recited the knowledge that Genie had taught me, "How many people have you tested? I''m sorry to say, but moving the bubble world away from the infrastructure on Earth will put a strain on the Grand Soul. If hundreds and thousands of people do that, the bubble would burst."


    "T-That''s..." Aegis was shocked, but he wasn¡¯t the only one.


    "Wait a minute! Aegis-nim, are you really thinking of leaving Earth?! This is an act of abandoning your duty!"


    "That duty. I''ve done my part already."


    "No, even if so..."


    "I¡­!" Aegis screamed out loud, "I...! I''ve been here for 150 years! 150 years!!!! Goddammit! It wouldn''t be strange if I just died of old age anytime now, so what duty do I still have left?!"


    Groarrrrr---!! His spiritual energy was burning up. The Aura was not outrageously strong, but the fact that there was this much change in spiritual power just from his surging emotion showed how desperate he was right now.


    "I''ve spent my whole life killing revolting monsters! It would be more awkward to release the Spirit Summoning Ritual now!! Exactly where, where in the hell did my life go?"


    "..." With a cry that seemed like he was coughing up blood, the man that questioned Aegis couldn''t speak any more. All the Guardians were at a loss for words and drowned in silence.


    Regardless of the deathly atmosphere, I announced, "Anyway, please gather them by 3 p.m.. Whether it is a fortunate thing or not, the Guardian Spirits can''t be brought to the ce I''m going to send you to. If anyone has a duty they have to execute, they can stay back and do so." That was all I said as I left the bubble world.


    While I was at it, I looked for Min-kyung. I had looked for her out of the blue, but I gave a clear exnation before she calmly asked, "...Do you mean the personnels who can no longer clear the stage?"


    "That''s right. Whether it is children who are too young, or people who amassed too much bad karma and can''t enter the Cradle of Justice no matter what they do, I''ll take them to my own personal dimension. At the very least, there isn''t a need to proceed with the stage there. Oh, for your information, the only thing that cane is a physical body. Even the clothes they are wearing can''t be brought over, so keep that in mind."


    Upon hearing my words, Min-kyung calmly stared at me in the eyes. A momentter, she asked, "Is it alright... Is it alright to give me such enormous authority?"


    "I don''t care who they are anyway, so it''s better for someone I am familiar with to do it on my behalf. Do you not want to do it?"


    "No. There''s no way that''s the case."


    "Alright. Then gather people at Gyeongbokgung Pce by 3 p.m.. Within 10,000 people, okay?"


    "I''ll get on with it immediately." Min-kyung bowed and left.


    I went out towards Gwanghwamun Gate with tools that distorted cognitive abilities. I then looked at the people. Then, at 3 p.m., I sent thousands of Guardians and exactly 10,000 additional people into the Unique World.


    Special Unique World(Legend++++) ranked up!


    Rank A ¡ú Rank S


    Krooooom------ I felt the scale of the Unique World bing one level bigger. The smallposed of maic sand expanded like crazy. The huge amount of maic sand pouring out from the core led the small to swell up like a balloon. As buildings ssified by sections rolled around like a small boat greeted by the storm, the people assigned to Aegis screamed and became anxious.


    However, the cities of steel, originally designed to expand in such a manner, could sail on the waves of maic sands. They were like ships, settling in a pre-designated location by the time they stopped expanding.


    Genie immediately ejected the drones and identified the height of the ceiling. Then, she sent me a message, We have acquired enough altitude. Artificial Sun, RA, will beunched.


    "Oh, is that finally possible?" I waited for a while, watching the people at Gwanghwamun Gate. I then received the information delivered by the Artificial Sun, RA, who circled the Unique World once. As a result, I realized that my Unique World had be wide enough to fit in one and a half of the Oceania region. That''s right. Finally, the Unique World had...reached a continent-level scale.

 Vol 2. 90: The Salvation of God (27)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 90: The Salvation of God (27)</h4>


    Finally, the number of humans who entered the Unique World reached a whopping number of 90,000. It was a huge number, especially when considering that this was already a reduced number. After all, I had put a bunch of stuff into the Unique World. Just like how the size of the Unique World grew exponentially after each rank-up, the mass that could be put into the Unique World also increased.


    We have confirmed that the soul circuit is operating normally. The Soul Energy Generator has also started to work properly, so you won''t get in trouble for using Ares-nim''s soul energy.


    I would bear with it if you use it moderately! If you use it moderately, you hear me! In the first ce, you''re too immersed in your own Unique World!


    How could you be so miserly when it gushes out so much? If you can produce simr soul power as me with that small body, isn''t it okay to give some to me?


    As I listened to the conversation between the two control personas who became close after spending a long time together in the Unique World, I saw the only city that existed in the Unique World, Center. There were a lot of people from the outside world gathering here. Of course, it was not all of them, but only the children.


    I enforced two conditions on epting people into the Unique World.


    1. The only thing that can cross over to an alternate dimension is the physical body. Therefore, in the Unique World, neither the authority nor wealth of the real world is recognized here.


    2. The Unique World does not recognize thews and morals of the real world. The Unique World operates under its ownws and rules and you will be punished for viting them.


    They were two very simple conditions, but they were also very difficult to ept. The people essentially had to dispose of everything they had to the other party despite crossing over to an unidentified dimension with a naked body.


    If people had gathered under these conditions a few months ago, everyone would have questioned or stopped paying attention. Only those who had a great sense of exploration, or had no lingering feelings for the world, would have gathered then. However, the current situation waspletely different.


    "The number of volunteers left is about 487,000 people, and it continues to increase. The sequence is being managed by us, the Lee Family, but we have notified everyone that it can be changed whenever you want, Dae-ha-nim."


    "The response is better than I expected."


    "It''s because these times have changed now. Moreover, many of the VIPs who were involved in the Ark Project are volunteering too. Some people call this the Noah Project. They refer to the Unique World as Eden."


    "If they expect too much, they will be disappointed." I checked the time while saying so. It was 6 p.m., an hour before the Level 14 test started.


    "Way to go, everyone!!! We! We can do it!!!"


    "Have strength!! I look forward to your kind cooperation!!"


    "Please, please. I hope you all can achieve a Perfect Clear this time again..."


    Gwanghwamun Square was full of people who gathered in groups to cheer or pray for each other. There were people who were stuffing their faces, people who fed them, people who talked, kissed, or whispered love to each other. They were people who somehow mustered all their spirit to raise each other''s strength and motivation...but not everyone was like that.


    "¡­But it''s impossible to use the strategy even at the Lower-difficulty stage. Even Iron Mask-nim can''t help us."


    "A lot of people are going to die again."


    "Damn it. If I had raised my Justice Weapon to Gold-rank, I could have tried to aim for a clear on my own power. Should I have also joined the hunt for the wicked?"


    "That''s murder, too! Even if this world has turned into one without criminalw, does it make sense for you to feel regret at not being able to kill someone?"


    "Then, what do you want me to do?! Damn it, do you think I''m only living for myself?! Do you know how many people are relying on me?!"


    "Ugh, now that the situation has turned out like this, we have no choice but to have faith in the Berserkers distributed to us. If we raise our Justice Weapons and support them with the True Command, then somehow..."


    Earth and the human race were changing. Perhaps it was repeating what mankind had always done; adaption. That''s right. Mankind was adapting to the new environment. As Dostoyevsky said, ''Man is a creature that can get ustomed to anything''. Likewise, they were adapting to this extreme situation. That was also the case for the outsiders who entered the Unique World.


    "What do we have to do?"


    Not everyone will be given a job right now. To be exact, not many of you can do anything significant right now. You need to receive appropriate education for that to be possible.


    About 50,000 out of the 90,000 people who entered the Unique World (40,000 were children) gathered together in one location and listened to Genie''s guidance.


    ''It''s a surprisingly different picture from what I had expected.'' I thought people who came in here would be confused or opposed to the new environment and rules.


    ''Why should I do such a thing?''


    ''Who the hell are you?! It sounds like an AI. Does it make sense for an AI to give us orders?! Bring out Iron Mask!''


    ''Do you know who I am?!''


    ¡­and so on. I came up with this picture not just because of prejudice or cliche, but because of the basic conditions of the people who came here. Because they were¡­


    ''Because they were wicked people.'' They had levels that were significantly below the average of mankind. They were also those who did not have ess to the Cradle of Justice and could not see my strategy guide. If they received Justice Points as a gift, it would be possible to erase their bad Karma and get an Iron-rank Justice Weapon to ess the Cradle of Justice. However, that was only possible for those who only had a few bad Karma amassed. Those whose bad Karma had exceeded a certain line¡­ This was something they couldn''t even dream of.


    Generally, the function of gifting Justice Points itself was an inefficient function. The recipient could only use it once and that would be the end of it. However, it would take quite some time for the gifter to recover the Justice Points gifted. Even if someone wanted to sacrifice themselves at the risk of receiving penalties, the limits were clear. This was because the giftable Justice Points were fixed at 1 percent of the total Justice Points the gifter had.


    Of course, there are also jobs avable right now.


    "What is it?"


    Child care teachers, construction workers, and the like.


    "Child care teachers are a given, but why construction workers? There seems to be a lot of heavy machinery in this world."


    But still, there are processes that require humans. Those of you who came in first will already know, but the Unique World has expanded and there is plenty of space to explore and cultivate. We also need residential facilities in preparation for those whoe in the future. Applications can be made through the devices distributed separately, and we will hire people who pass the first screening after interviewing them.


    The Albatross ship was a Terra-ss battleship with more than 100,000 crew members residing in it. Genie, who was used to dealing with people, led people around in a sh. Everyone whoes here is provided with basic food, clothing, and shelter. But as you can see, the resources of the Unique World are limited, so if you want more than that, you have to use the universal currency, Gats. Gats can be acquired bypleting a given task, education, and the like, or earned through the remunerations from a mission or task.


    "Universal currency."


    "Universal currency..."


    "Oh my God, I''ve been ncing around and I''ve been feeling it, but really..."


    The people were making amotion. However, that did not mean that they were going on a rampage or throwing tantrums. They took a deep breath as if they were determined and continued with their questions, "Is contact with the external world possible?"


    Of course, it''s also a use that''s been announced beforehand. There are a lot of people contacting us at this very moment too, so there''s no need to worry.


    "Ah! Thank you!"


    However, please be aware that it can often be cut off or restricted as the thing that acts as a repeater is Captain-nim''s physical body.


    The crowd dispersed after the announcement ended. They either went to the houses prepared for them or they sat in a park built in the city and talked to each other.


    "Have you seen the device? If you calcte it as Korean won, 1 Gats is roughly 11,000 won. There''s no other units in Gats, but the amounts less than that are divided into 0.1 Gats and 0.01 Gats."


    "Thepetition is fierce for the child care teacher job. Still, they are hiring a lot for construction workers, so we can most likely be hired somehow."


    "Rather than looking for a job immediately, we need to know more about this ce and the system in ce. Not only do we have toplete the education, we have to study everything we can."


    I saw people who were good at controlling the devices despite having just received it. I watched them sharing their opinions.


    "Ahhh¡­ but even so, I like it for now. Compared to the time when I felt the fear of death on every stage..."


    "It feels like a total dictatorship, but... If it''s Iron Mask-nim, he won''t be so vicious."


    "Yeah, we have no other way but to pray for it to be that way."


    I also saw people drooping and sighing all over the ce. I was bewildered at the scene that came from the inside of the building in the middle of Center. "No, isn''t this going too smoothly?" Honestly, I was worried about the uproar, and I didn''t expect them to behave so calmly.


    That''s no surprise.


    "Unsurprising, you say? They''re wicked viins though?"


    They''re wicked people who survived.


    There were countless wicked beings in the world. A murderer who killed others for pleasure or for wealth would be a wicked being, and a gangster or a thug who beat and bullied others would be a wicked being too. A wicked being might appear among those small and medium-sized business owners who ignored theborws and worked their employees to the bone, and those who used the inte all day and left maliciousments that ruined the mood of others could also be a wicked being.


    "Did a lot of the wicked beings die?"


    How else do you think there would be this much of an increase in the number of Justice weapon users?


    "¡­Now that I''m hearing it, that''s true." I nodded. The number of people who essed the Cradle of Justice at Level 13 Intermediate-difficulty stage and High-difficulty stage were realms apart. When I cleared the Level 13 High-difficulty stage, the number of yers who sent their admiration to me numbered around 2 billion! But upon careful thought, anyone would realize that it was weird. How could there be more than 2 billion people holders of Justice Weapon when the remaining human poption was less than 4 billion? Since when was humanity so ''bnced'' in righteousness?


    "They''re punishing the wicked beings."


    That''s right. As soon as the principle of obtaining Justice Points was figured out, a majority of death row convicts around the entire world were killed. Then, violent criminal offenders were targeted, and after that it was the petty criminals. It would have been easy to tell them apart. No matter how hard one tried to cover it, the stigma engraved on the skin couldn''t be hidden away.


    "That wasn''t the end of it, right."


    Yes, after all the criminals were exhausted, even the wicked beings who were engaged in social activities were killed. It was because although they weren''t subjected to the punishments of thew, there were plenty of people who amassed a great amount of bad Karma.


    Maybe that was why the wicked beings gathered to kill the owners of the Justice Weapon. They must''ve made the decision to kill before they were killed instead. Eventually, the wicked beings were exterminated by the owners of the Justice Weapons with global capabilities.


    "Juan, you brat... I thought humanity was a race filled with hope," I groaned. It was kind of weird to refer to this as righteousness. Anyone withmon sense, not necessarily a human rights activist, would think so too. Especially if there were people who armed their sons or daughters with weapons to kill the wicked beings that overpowered them, then all the more so that anyone would think so too. But the moment Juan defined it as Justice, humans had no choice but to take advantage of it. It was for the sake of surviving and adapting.


    Although those who havee here are wicked beings, they have the connections and power to protect themselves.


    Take a look at the judges and prosecutors. Most of the members of the Republic of Korea had escaped here, so the judicial system threatened to copse. There were many righteous people among the prosecutors who were righteous enough to obtain a powerful weapon of righteousness, but there were even more people who had amassed bad Karma to the point where they couldn''t raise their faces.


    Take a look at journalists. The situation was so severe that it was iparable to the prosecution''s side. In fact, there was no need to exin anymore when a malicious article would be defined¡­ Even maliciousments on the inte would be a wicked act depending on the situation.


    That wasn''t all. Look at thepanies that used to fool around with the prices of medicines, drugs, and the like. Look at the financiers who used to hunt for business and the like. Think about the world-renowned charity organization that used to embezzle the donations used to help the needy.


    What about the Chaebols? What about the politicians? Those people had amassed a lot of bad Karma, but many of them had survived therge-scale hunt for the wicked beings. Because apart from being wicked, they were people who possessed great capabilities. Moreover, even if they had power and forces, those who did not have any sense and couldn''t grasp the atmosphere were all in the midst of dying.


    "In other words, the people who came here."


    Yes. Even if they were wicked beings, they were talented people who have been sifted out.


    While having such a conversation, a woman approached Genie, who was standing in the square. She asked, "Hey, I''m sorry, but can I know more about Iron Mask-nim?"


    Genie answered immediately, Captain-nim was an ordinary high school student born in South Korea.


    "Was he really an ordinary high school student? And not like an alien or something?"


    Genie, to be exact, her Metal Body which was always standing by in Center''s square, replied, Yes, he was an ordinary high school student on Earth. But one day, he faced the pilot training simtion created and distributed by the Leonhardt Empire, a cosmic organization. He recorded 1.28 billion points, which was an unprecedented score in the entire history of the Leonhardt Empire... As a result, he participated in the war... Then, he met the Empire''s Imperial Princess, Celestia¡­ She started to recite the information as if she had been waiting for this moment. Before I knew it, hundreds of people gathered around her to listen to the story.


    "Ahh, no, Genie! You can''t do the guidance like that! Why do you sound like you''re reciting the biography of a legend?"


    Upon hearing my baffled voice, Genie asked, Well, did I say anything wrong?


    "..." As she said so, it was also true that I had nothing else to say to refute her. Anyway, Genie continued the stories about me¡­ I was so embarrassed just from listening in by the side.


    "Wow!"


    "Amazing!"


    There was a sudden cheering out of nowhere. It must have been the climax of the story. Now that I looked at it, there was even a data screen popped up next to Genie. I ended up turning a blind eye. I couldn''t help but let out a sigh, "Aigooo."

 Vol 2. 91: The Salvation of God (28)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 91: The Salvation of God (28)</h4>


    - Stage will be open!


    - Level 14. Difficulty is set to Low.


    - Eliminate the enemies within 3 hours.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­.


    A ck skeleton in ck armor appeared. It was 1.9 meters tall and a two-handed sword made out of ck crystal hung on its back.


    Project End


    Level 14


    ck Death Knight


    Groooarrrr¡­ The ck Aura red up as its momentum of pulling out its de was sharp. ''It''s strong.'' I widened my eyes at that sight. The average level of humanity had risen enormously. However, how many powerful beings could go against this monstrosity in a one-on-one battle at this point of time?


    However, Ares said something unexpected. The number is probably more than you think.


    ''What? How?''


    If you evolve a Justice Weapon above the Gold-rank into a form that could kill in a single blow, you can at least somehow win once or twice. One of the Guardians or whatever they''re called came to me. They only yed some tricks to show me, but they''re pretty powerful.


    ''Did the Justice Weapon really have such a good performance?''


    Just like how you''re using it as a production tool, there are more variations than one would expect. If you only use it like that, however, it seems the Justice Weapon won''t be able to rank up from the Iron-rank for some time.


    ''Really? That''s a shame.''


    Boom!


    "It''s fascinating."


    The Death Knight''s body, smashed all of a sudden, was bouncing off the floor like skipping stones. It crashed into an invisible floor, then sprawled on the floor.


    Wiiiing¡­ As I felt the vibration of my right foot slowly subsiding, I nced at the condition of the machine. At that moment, a sharp sword Qi struck my foot, to be exact, Napoleon''s ankle. However, it was impossible to pierce through Napoleon''s armor with just Sword Qi, since its foundation was made with Dragon Bones.


    In the first ce, since the 30-meter tall giant kicked the less than 2-meter tall giant, it was questionable whether this could even be called a battle.


    -Do you want to start the next battle?


    -Do you want to start the next battle?


    -Do you want to start the...


    I struck it down about 20 more times. The averagebat time was about 5 seconds. Obviously...a Level 14 Death Knight was no match for me, who was on board of Napoleon. Even with Napoleon, which was hastily constructed, I was able to beat up a Level 19 Specter Dragon, so it would be impossible for me to have a difficult time against an enemy that was only at this level.


    ''But I am the one controlling it, that¡¯s why.''


    I closed the book. As I disconnected the connection with the Iron Heart, the attribute soul energy disappeared from the Dragon Heart. Following that, I equipped some skills.


    -Suppressor (Level 10): (Max) 1 Clear is ruled off as 20 Clears. A Debuff that decreases 2,000 points in stats, starting from the highest stat.


    I could equip up to three skills now, but I did not purposely do so. After all, I didn''t have to fight with my bare body anyway, so there was no need for any other skills aside from this one. Next, I invoked Steel-ification. I cut off the consciousness of me, who was in the stage.


    - You are in the Master rank(Temporary)!


    - essing the Cradle of Justice!


    - 1,165,511,441 people are watching you!


    I moved my consciousness over to my body, which was in the Unique World, and essed the Cradle of Justice.


    -Wee to the Cradle of Justice.


    - You currently have 0 Justice Points.


    - You have been granted 45,012,239,441 Justice Points.


    -(Read Bulletin Board), (Watch a y), (Check Comments), (Settings)


    -Current number of users connected to the Cradle of Justice: 2,011,113,541 people


    -External users: 5,521 people


    The number of external users, which used to number in the billions, sharply decreased. ''Then again, not many people can afford to immediately ess the Cradle of Justice when they are in a one-on-one battle against an enemy.'' Perhaps those numbers were also because people essed the Cradle to acquire information during the five minutes rest time upon the battle¡¯s end.


    I confirmed my own scene on the stage through Watch a y. Griiiackkk¡­ Napoleon''s body, which was close to 30 meters tall, shrunk to 5 meters. I chose a desperate measure because it was impossible to maintain a huge size without thepensation of soul power and Ability.


    Of course, one might ask, ''If it''s at the level of a Dragon Heart, then wouldn''t it be way more powerful than just a Human-rank Iron Heart?'', but... Unfortunately, I couldn''t create a facility to freely extract the magic energy of the Dragon Heart with my current capabilities. Now, at best, all I could do was take and use the energy that was leaking out.


    ''Ah, if I had a few more, I would have tried breaking it and experimenting on it,'' I grumbled and checked the title.


    Kwan Dae-ha


    Level 15


    Human-rank Napoleon


    "It''s Level 15, huh." I nodded. Even though Dragon Bones were used as a material in the Dragon Heart, it was a terribly low level. It was the same level as Sun-shin and Sejong, the Giant Soul Soldiers in front of Gyeongbokgung Pce.


    ''It must be because, if I don''t support it, there would be no Ability or soul power avable for use. Besides, in exchange for Genie''s Battle AI being capable of skillfulbat with its vast amounts of data...the ability to utilize soul power dropped.'' Moreover, my production capabilities were less than that of the Great Wizard, who used to build all kinds of infrastructure.


    Rather than it being a low level despite Dragon Bones being used as a material in the Dragon Heart... It was more likely that the Dragon Heart at least reached Level 15 because the Dragon Bones were used as materials.


    Thaaaaang! Kiing! Tatatak!!! The Death Knight collided with Napoleon under the control of Genie''s Battle AI. It seemed precarious for the Death Knight, less than 2 meters tall, to go against Napoleon. It looked like a child fighting against an adult, but... To one''s surprise, the Death Knight easily deflected the greatsword that Napoleon was swinging, avoided it, and prated inside and aimed for a gap.


    Kwaduk! Swanggg! The battle was pretty intense. Napoleon was of a higher level than Death Knight, but even so, the difference between Level 14 and Level 15 was not that apparent. Swanggg! Swanggg!


    ''No, wait a minute. Isn''t Napoleon being hit too much?''


    S-Sorry, Captain-nim. This skeleton bastard is nothing to sneeze at.


    Now that I see it, the Death Knight''s swordsmanship was of a considerable standard. Genie''s Battle AI, which had a massive collection ofbat data, was close to a Compl¨¦ter''s capabilities in terms of physicalbat. However, it was impossible to resist Death Knight with that. Death Knight was Level 14; a swordsman at the supreme peak that far surpassed the capabilities of a Compl¨¦ter.


    Boom! Kwaaaangggg! The ck skull was smashed apart and the Death Knight finally copsed. Despite its ability to surpass Napoleon easily, it was unable to win.


    "It''s pretty strong. If Napoleon was made of steel and not Dragon Bone, he would be yed with and then destroyed."


    However, the world ofpetition was cold-blooded. Whether it had astonishing swordsmanship or if it released rays of Sword Qi, there was no chance of victory if it couldn''t pierce through Napoleon''s armor.


    "Is it about 20 minutes per battle¡­? Then, I''ll leave it to your good hands, Genie."


    Yes, Captain-nim. Upon hearing Genie''s answer, I moved to the workshop. As I was moving locations, I looked through the Bulletin Board.


    -Don''t even think about getting out of the Cradle! +5,222 (Steven)


    -Iron Mask-nim is already using his macro. I watched it as fast as I could though ?? +112 (Min-cheol)


    -Death Knight''s Pattern-Continuous Update -+2,222 (Tom)


    I clicked on the very first post posted.


    -For those who are currently in the Cradle and have the slightest bit of intention to get out of the Cradle, please stop! Death Knight is such a powerful enemy that even the most powerful being amongst mankind must risk their lives to fight it. I pray that there are no fools who really believe that they can fight against a Level 14 monster even if the yer itself is Level 14.


    But still, if you really want to fight to earn points, please check some of the requirements before you leave the Cradle!


    1. Do you have a Justice Weapon Gold-rank or above?


    2. Is the Justice Weapon materialized in a one-shot one-kill form rather than a form for durability?


    3. Have you ever defeated a Level 13 Evil Spirit or Chimera without using the Golden Mirror or the Blessed Dagger?


    And...


    I closed the window which was growing longer, and clicked on other posts.


    -Ah, I tried to defeat the Death Knight as fast as I could and started watching, but seeing Iron Mask-nim fight, I guess he''s using some sort of macro. ?? Has anyone seen the sight of Iron-Mask-nim personally controlling and fighting?


    There werements down below.


    -I was in the Cradle, so I was watching from the beginning! I think he probably defeated it personally about 20 times? It was a 10-second cut!


    -Wow, I think it''s crazy strong, but you''re saying he defeated it in 10 seconds... I almost died even though I started by cutting off one of the enemy''s legs with my Justice Weapon...


    -I think the robot with a cape is very strong by itself, but if he controlled it directly, it would literally be at a different level.


    -Though it is still a battle, it feels like the performance itself is changing. Then again, well, the size has grown big;;;


    -Ugh, he should''ve fought personally for a little longer.


    -What are you talking about? Don''t you think all the top yers will be in trouble because they''ll get old? We don''t know what level the stage will progress to, so if Iron Mask-nim gets older, it''ll be a big problem!


    -It''s not like there''s only one or two people who filmed it, so watch it on MyTubeter!


    I turned off the Cradle of Justice and entered the workshop. Then, I asked, "Genie, how long do you think it''ll take to Clear 10,000 times?"


    Considering the maintenance and recement time in between, it''s expected to take at least 147-154 days.


    "Thankfully, that''s a pretty short time since it''s a Low-difficulty stage." After saying that, I operated the disy in the workshop and nced through the scene of Unique World. Most of the continent levelnd was covered with maic sand, but development rapidly took ce centering around Center. "It''s quite fast."


    That''s because we''ve got a lot of new manpower. Among them, we are selecting those who disy some talent to train them in maintenance and control.


    "No, not that, I''m talking about the Unique World. It used to be at a size where I could do a fullp with just a few steps," Imented.


    Originally, the Unique World had difficulty developing because of the non-living things brought in. This was because even though the mass of living things able to be brought in was much greater than the mass of non-living things due to the characteristics of the dimension, the two factors had to be taken in equally to develop the Unique World.


    However, things were different for me. As it became possible to directly receive the items from the gacha machine in the stage into the Unique World, it was possible to bring in resources that exceeded my imagination into the Unique World. It was a given to be able to easily build thousands of buildings if I was determined to use my points, which numbered not in the millions or billions or trillions, but in the quadrillions.


    ''S-rank shouldn''t be the highest rank, right? But if so, then how much will it continue to grow? Don''t tell me it will really grow to a level?'' If that were the case, it would mean that I would be able to bring people into the Unique World to avoid Project End entirely. ''But would that be possible?'' Would the Project End that destroyed countless civilizations during the Great War be so easy to deal with?


    Should we start the project tomorrow?


    "Hmm? No, no. I''ll do it when I think of it." I shook my head and got rid of the idle thoughts, and started working.


    We''ve onlypleted about 10 percent of the smelting process, because we''ve had a backlog of work to catch up on.


    "Isn''t it more than enough?"


    Just 15 tonnes of mithril and 4 tonnes of adamantium, though?


    "Haha." I couldn''t help butugh. Looking at the rare metals piled like mountains, it felt like I would be full from sight alone.


    "Then, let''s start with the basic design!" ording to my instructions, Genie pulled up all kinds of Gigas blueprint on the disy. These were ssified data from the Leonhardt Empire that should be prevented from leaking. They had to blow up the storage system if the risk of data leakage was suspected, but neither I nor Genie cared. Just like that, 10 days passed by.


    "Is this really a Beast-rank? It feels like a Tool-rank... Let''s do it again!" 20 days passed by¡­ "The power output is trash..." 30 days passed by¡­ "Ack! It''s going to explode!!!!" 40 days passed by¡­ "No, where is the problem happening?" 50 days passed by¡­ "Ah, I''ll have to do this again..." 60 days passed by and, finally, Ipleted it.


    "Awesome!!! Let''s name it ck Tiger!!" I smiled satisfactorily in front of the jet-ck Gigas.


    Genie interrupted my happy moment. Captain-nim, aren''t you liking the color ck too much? It was the same with Dragon Knight, but...


    "It''s because the stage environment is dark, okay! Isn''t camouge a basic requirement?" As I made such an excuse, I approached ck Tiger and ced my palm on it. My Spiritual Wave was transmitted and ck Tiger''s back opened. Click ck! nkkk! I went into its back and got settled, then the armor shut close. I warmed up my body lightly.


    Since it was still in its basic form, ck Tiger did not have any special functions. It just had the motor ability and power output of a Beast-rank Gigas.


    "By the way, the rare metal is being consumed too inefficiently..." Imented. The original n was to mix rare metal and iron, but if I made it by mixing in iron, its performance wouldn''t exceed a Tool-rank Gigas no matter what. It was fortunate that ck Tiger waspleted, but the fact that 99.9 percent of the materials used to make it were rare metal¡­ It was bad news in terms of mass production. "Genie, is this also the case for other Producers? For example, the Kendler tribe."


    The Kendler tribe are in a different situation.


    "What''s the difference?"


    The Kendler tribesmen are born as Producers and, at the same time, there were many precedents where they were also natural Enchanters.


    "Ah, Enchanters..." I automatically gaped at her words. It was a problem I had never thought of before.


    In fact, it''s rare for a Producer-type ability user to build a First-Tier weapon that''s simr to a Gigas. Genie¡¯s words were definitely facts. It was no exaggeration to say that an Enchanter''s help was essential in the production of a Gigas, unless there was a huge Empire-ss facility present.


    ''Can''t something be done with scientific technology?''


    Captain-nim, even for Albatross, a Terra-ss battleship, it would be impossible to produce a Gigas alone. It''s only possible to repair it at best.


    I did not pay any attention to it, because I was making it while in training until this point of time. However, it was strange that there weren''t any Enchanters present when I was carrying out a huge mission such as Gigas manufacturing. "But where can we find an Enchanter at this point of time? Moreover, if they were to help with the production of a Beast-rank, then they would have to be a Compl¨¦ter who is at least at the level of a High-rank Wizard." At that moment when I wasmenting...


    Kiiiingg! A strange wave was spreading.


    "...?" As I turned my head wondering what it was, I saw a marble that I threw without much thought on top of the desk.


    None


    Level 38


    Magi Imperial Princess, Jenica

 Vol 2. 92: The Salvation of God (29)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 92: The Salvation of God (29)</h4>


    That''s why we''re in the midst of training them. Genie continued in a delicate tone. She most probably did not perceive the sound that I just heard a while ago.


    "Training?"


    Genie answered my questions while I walked towards the table and grabbed the marble. Yes, Captain-nim. We are providing the applicants with the current Enchanting-rted simtions and training aids. It''s only been 60 days, so the average level is still at an apprentice standard... Most of the people that Miss Min-kyung has selected and sent us had good educational backgrounds. Their talents and temperament are good enough, so their skills are expected to rise to a sufficient level given some time.


    I kept ncing over at the marble while listening to Genie speak. ''I''m sure it just gave out a signal. Does it perhaps have a consciousness?''


    I calmly looked at the marble, but no matter how I looked at it, it was just a in and normal jade marble without a single speck of Mana or soul energy. Even if it was analyzed with the equipment from the Albatross ship, it was only recognized as an ordinary jade. If it wasn''t for the title that I could currently see, I wouldn''t have thought that this marble was special. ''Let''s use ssification on it.''


    Captain-nim?


    "Oh, yes, yes. Please proceed like that for now." After roughly answering Genie''s question, I began to materialize the title of the marble. I could see the Disaster of Demons, the Disaster of Celestial Beings, and the Disaster of Mankind. There was also the Disaster of Elves and Dwarfs too. "¡­That''s a brutal title."


    Moreover, it didn''t end there. The Disaster of Grotesque, the Disaster of Dinosaurs, the Disaster of Ogres, the Disaster of Orcs, the Disaster of Kobolts. Disaster, disaster, disaster¡­ I gaped at the list of titles that were literally all disaster-rted. Among the titles, there was also something like this; The Legion ughterer. "Someone killed 10,000 Legions?"


    It was preposterous. The fact that so many Legions existed in the world was already unbelievable, so just how shocking was the title of someone who killed that many Legions?


    Along with that, I also saw the Saint Hunter title, as well as the Dragon Hunter title that could only be obtained after killing more than 100 dragons, which were Noblesses. There were titles for dragon hunters, and even good ones could only be obtained after killing more than 100 Noblesse dragons. Adding to that, there was even the Unnamed ughterer¡­


    "Wow..." The titles that appeared, one after another, were literally nothing short of the history of carnage. It was all just a text, but the sight of them caused the odor of blood to reach my nose.


    ''This is not an existence that I can control.'' Aside from the promise with Hawa, I had no confidence in releasing the seal. I couldn''t guarantee what would happen upon releasing the seal arbitrarily. ''Of course, even if so, it''ll be weaker than the Untouchable...''


    I was someone who had even encountered the Spirit God, an Absolute God. Even if that wasn''t the case, I had encountered Hawa, an existence that had the Status of a High-rank God. Moreover, the Primordial God, too, was considered a particrly powerful being among the Untouchables.


    Nevertheless, even if that was so, it was different in the case of the Magic Imperial Princess. Unlike the Untouchable, who either had various restrictions imposed on or favoring me, the Magic Imperial Princess was apletely free existence. If she was released from her seal, and was determined to do something, I would not be able to offer any sort of resistance. It would be dangerous to release an existence, whose inclination I didn''t even know, without much thought.


    ''It probably wouldn''t be possible even if I got on Ares, used Ra, and opened up the Divine Spirit in me.'' As I was thinking about that, the title of the marble changed.


    Enchanted


    Level 16


    Soul Engine, 71st Version


    "...Does it really have a consciousness? If so, I''ll be able to have a conversation." Even though I was bewildered, I continued to materialize the marble''s title.


    Schurururuk!!!! A huge amount of texts flooded the room like a tsunami. I roughly read the information that was delivered and asked Genie, "Genie, how many sentences does it usually take to engrave a 7th-ss Enchanted?"


    It depends on the school of skills and the type of spells, but the rune letters are estimated to be about 18 to 90 characters long.


    "What if it''s not a rune letter?"


    The Mana Language would be a little shorter, and the Dragon Language would be a little longer, but they are simr.


    Even though she couldn''t use magic herself, Genie had a huge collection of rted information, so I nodded as I heard her answer. "That means it''s about a few dozen characters." I counted the number of characters disyed in the materialized title.


    What''s the matter?


    "It''s nothing. I just got my hands on an Enchant technique and the sentences are in Korean, and there are 18,000 words. In terms of the number of characters, it''s 20,000 characters."


    ...What is that? Even if it was Ultimate Magic, it wouldn''t take that many words...


    While listening to Genie, I nced through the 18,000 words. Focus, Soul, Improvement, Wish, Cohesion, Storage, and many more... Now that I see it, there weren''t that many types of words itself. As I took a closer look for some time, I realized the meaning of those words, ''I solved the technique form.''


    One character was stretched to hundreds and thousands of letters. At first nce, it seemed to be an inefficient way of doing it. However, the more I used ssification on the title, the more I realized how much of an amazing end product it was.


    "Wow." I couldn''t help but admire it, because I realized that these 18,000 words were the result of separating them into parts. It was the scattering of all the technique forms. Thanks to that, the production difficulty of the technique form contained in each and every single word had been lowered like crazy. Among the 18,000 words, 10,000 words could be engraved by just a 1st-ss Wizard; 5,000 words could be engraved by a 2nd-ss Wizard; and 3,000 words could be engraved by a 3rd-ss Wizard.


    In other words, this was a 7th-ss Enchanted Technique Form that could be created by respectively distributing the tasks as long as there were thousands of Wizards of the 1st to 3rd-sses.


    That sort of thing... Is that possible? It''s a method I have never heard of before, even in the Empire. Genie was dumbfounded by my exnation. That was how unbelievable and crazy the method of application magic was. How high does one''s understanding of magic have to be for this sort of thing to be possible?


    "Well, first of all." I typed out the words that were in the materialized title. To put it in a nice way, it was a technique form. However, as long as those words did not contain power, then they were just in words and I could copy them whenever I wanted to. Although the number of characters were a little high, there were only 12 types of words, so the work could be quicklypleted by actively utilizing copy-pasting.


    "Genie, please put a part-time notice on the device. For the payments, state that it will be set in consideration of the time and effort put in."


    Yes, Captain-nim.


    After leaving a task to Genie, I started the Gigas production again. I made improvements to ck Tiger, and also produced new Beast-rank Gigas.


    As 10 days, 30 days, 60 days passed¡­ Along with ck Tiger, I made ck Bear as well as ck Wolf. Since they were still not enchanted yet, they were made of 100 percent rare metal. "ck Bear for Jae-seok, and ck Tiger for Min-kyung. I''ll give ck Wolf to Kyung-eun and Seon-ae. The performance is ambiguous because they are all prototypes, but... Well, I can upgrade it for themter on."


    The newly created Beast-rank Gigas was made for boarding-use, and not remote control. They''re all custom-made, so each of them would adjust well.


    -All the tests are over!


    -Congrattions! The stage has been cleared! Rewards are given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is joint 1st-ce(66 people).


    I suspected that that was the case, but as expected, we failed at obtaining a Perfect Clear. As a matter of fact, it was inevitable that the Low-difficulty stage was more troublesome aspared to the Intermediate-difficulty or High-difficulty stage. After all, the strategy guide couldn''t be used in any way.


    -Your Clear Count is 10,000 times.


    -10,000 people''s Death Procession will be cancelled.


    -The target would be prioritized in the following sequence, Blood Rtives -> Acquaintances -> Residential Area -> Region of Origin.


    -Please select the people you would like to change.


    The faces of countless people appeared in front of my eyes. I did not bother to change anything and turned the screen.


    -The Death Processions will be applied without any changes.


    -Number of Death Processions remaining


    -1,226,228 people.


    -Enforcing now.


    It was a massacre. If it was a few months ago, this would''ve probably thrown the whole world in chaos and caused the Great Depression in the world economy. But now, it was different.


    "My God... A million people have died, but I can''t believe that my first thought was how well we defended ourselves." It was a baffling matter, but I wouldn''t be the only one who thought this way. This was not the result of mankind''s adaptation to the crazy speed of updates, but rather, it was a shame that this was the oue produced. After all, half of mankind avoided fighting despite all the various revisions.


    "Genie, what''s the progress rate?"


    It''s currently 68 percent. Regardless of the ss, the proficiency of the Enchanters is still too low...


    "Tchhh. As expected, the results aren''t fitting perfectly. Then again, even if it came out, there would have only been one unit." The moment I was grumbling, the background changed.


    "The end! It''s the end! I''m alive! Is it perhaps a Perfect Clear?!"


    "It''s not a Perfect Clear. They said that about a million people died."


    "A million..."


    "Ha, haha. This is crazy. Despite it being such a huge number, I''m not feeling anything much in particr."


    "That''s because a few hundred people died at a time just a few days ago. In fact, it''s such a small death toll that we can''t see any dead bodies around here."


    Perhaps because we failed to achieve Perfect Clear, resounding cheers couldn¡¯t be heard. Still, the atmosphere was filled with sighs of relief. However, the fact that there weren''t many deaths did not mean that there were no wounded yers.


    "Here! There''s a patient here! Please help!"


    "Are you alright? I''ll give you emergency medical treatment for now!"


    "There''s a healer here!"


    Volunteers were seen running around all over the ce. Among those who did not have healing abilities, those with medical knowledge somehow provided emergency medical treatment to the injured. They also came running to me.


    "Youngdy, are you okay?"


    "Huck... huck... I''m okay. Don''t worry about me and be on your way." I saw Seon-ae letting out a short breath. Her courtdy''s attire was soaked in blood. The enemy of the stage was a Death Knight, so it was not the blood of the enemy.


    The approaching doctor asked in astonishment, "What do you mean to be on our way? There''s so much blooding out though?"


    Seon-ae shook her head while gasping. "I''m all healed up. Whoo... Whoo... I have a regeneration ability."


    "Ah, is that so? It seems you''re a Life Energy practitioner, so go get some food from the ahjummas over there."


    The doctor left us alone with kind words. I then asked Seon-ae, "You transformed, haven''t you?"


    "S-Shut up!" Along with a ''Kyakk'', Seon-ae was throwing a tantrum.


    I sat next to her. ''Come to think of it, this kid is quite unique.'' I checked her level and she was still Level 9. In addition to that, she didn''t even have a Justice Weapon. ''But I can''t believe she defeated the Death Knight.'' It seemed like she was badly injured, but that was simply proof that she defeated the Death Knight with her own ability. If she had been killed by the Death Knight, she wouldn''t have been injured.


    Thud thuck!


    "Hmmm?" I looked closely at Seon-ae, who suddenly let out the sounds of her bones popping. Her skin quivered. Her scapr[1] tore through her skin, ripping. Her body also began to swell up as if someone was blowing wind into her.


    "Ha, huff... Huck!!! N-Noo!! Dae-ha! Evacuate the people around!"


    "Why? Is there going to be an explosion?"


    "It''s dangerous! I said it''s dangerous!! This damned... Huackkk...!"


    "This is?! What is going on? Are you all right?"


    "Huh? What''s wrong with that youngdy?"


    The moment the people around were surprised. I was surprised, too. "Huh?" Seon-ae''s level, which was Level 9, became Level 10. That was not the end. It became 11, 12, 13. It was increasing without stopping. 14, 15, 16, Level 17! "No, wait, what the hell is this?"


    Thud thuck! Thud thuck! Thud thuck thuck!!!!! Her back exploded and huge wings spread out. Seon-ae screamed, "N-Noooo!!! No, this can''t!!!!!"


    Groooooarrr----!!!! There was an intense Aura escaping from her. Numerous people at Gwanghwamun Square scattered in all directions due to shock. As the majority of humans in Gwanghwamun Gate were ability users, they actually took shelter in an extremely fast manner.


    I, who did not evacuate, stood still and looked at Seon-ae. I noticed that even her face was inverted. Although she was cute, it was ambiguous to call her a beauty. Now, however, she has turned into a surprisingly outstanding beauty.


    The big, feathery wings on her back looked like an angel at first nce. However, after the transformation, Seon-ae roared in a powerful manner that did not resemble an angel at all, "Kyaaaaakk!!!"


    Wol-il High School


    Level 17


    Complete form, Nike


    Rather than dismay, I looked at Seon-ae in bewilderment. "No, what is this, Level 17?" I was dumbfounded by the fact that this winged woman was a higher level than my Napoleon. Moreover, her yer level was higher than that.


    The other yers who confirmed that fact also freaked out.


    "Ackkk!!! Level 19!! She''s Level 19!!!"


    "That''s explosive! What kind of ability is that?!"


    "Everyone, avoid it!!!"


    The distant people all ran away. It was such a chaotic time these days that everyone was extremely quick. Then, at that moment...


    "Oh? Ahahahaha!!! The human world! It''s the human world! Finally, I don''t have to look at that disgusting corpse anymore!!!! I can fill myself up with fresh blood and meat...!!"


    Genie asked about Seon-ae''sughter in a weird voice, Captain-nim, isn''t that dangerous?


    "What''s the danger?" I clicked my tongue. I had seen everything I could see. ng ck! I pulled the trigger, and...


    ng ck! The winged beauty who wasughing like crazy fell down.


    "...What the? Did she just copse?"


    "What is this? Didn''t someone just say she was Level 19?"


    "Wow, what are those wings..."


    The people around were making amotion.


    Iughed as I was baffled. "No, why is it so shabby? At Level 17, she should be able to resist one or two shots of Shadow Stalker." I put away Gungnir, which I held in my left hand just in case, and hugged Seon-ae. For starters, I had to find out what this sudden transformation meant, and¡­ I have to recruit more people to bring into my Unique World.


    1. The scapr, or shoulder de, is arge triangr-shaped bone that lies in the upper back.

 Vol 2. 93: The Salvation of God (30)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 93: The Salvation of God (30)</h4>


    "Teacher! I made a crown!!"


    Oh my. Thank you, Ji-eun.


    "Teacher! Why are you wearing such revealing clothes?"


    Ah, erm, yeah. It was my father''s request. He liked my current appearance so much that he told me to never change the way I look. He was so determined about it that he nearly quarreled with the Secretary of Defence. The female dancer who had a curvaceous body was leading the children that just arrived. She was dressed in an attire that would cause the students¡¯ parents to cough up foam if they saw it.


    However, Genie was undeniably popr. Perhaps it was natural that Genie, close to being an iparable beauty, was popr with children, who responded most honestly to outer appearances. This was still the case even if a Character Image covered Genie''s body, that was made of steel.


    "...Where is this?" A woman, lying on thewn, opened her eyes. It was Seon-ae, who was once my partner, and her mature appearance made it impossible to think of her as a high school student. Even the woman who used to look like a young girl couldn''t resist the stage¡¯s flow of time, and had grown old.


    Instead of saying that we were at Center, or the Central za which was referred to as the ''middle area of Center'' to be exact, I simply said, "It''s a sort of subspace, so to speak."


    "This is the rumored..." Seon-ae jumped up as if she had heard a backstory and looked around.


    The Central za had a generous width and breadth of one kilometer, so there was no one who observed her carefully. Also, the Central za was now noisy with the voices of 100,000 new recruits.


    "Dad!!"


    "M-Michael... You''ve grown up a lot." A white man and child hugged each other. Unlike the man, who couldn''t make eye contact, the child was cheerful and bright.


    "I slept a hundred nights!! Hehe. But dad, you have a lot of tattoos too."


    Upon hearing the child''s words, the adult''s face turned pale. "Ah, t-that''s because..."


    "It''s okay. Everyone has a lot of tattoos. Teacher said that as long as you don''t increase it, it''ll be fine!"


    "Michael... You kind little brat...!" The man cried while hugging the child in his arms.


    I looked at that sight for a moment and said, "You transformed into something like an angel, huh."


    "What do you mean an angel? More like a mutant monster." Seon-ae sat on thewn and watched the family reunion, happening after 150 days of separation, for a while. During that silence, I spent my time working on all sorts of tasks with my body in the real world. After quite some time, Seon-ae said, "They called me the Container of Ten Thousand Things."


    "What?"


    "That''s what the ck Wizards called me. They said something like ¡®the world''s greatest treasure¡¯. It doesn''t have much power by itself, but... They said it¡¯s named after the fact that it¡¯s a spiritual container that contains the power equivalent to 10,000 people."


    Seon-ae was said to have been born into an ordinary family. Her father and her mother were ordinary people who knew nothing about the existence of the parallel world. However, Seon-ae was born with a special gift, and that became the misfortune of their family.


    The world-renowned ck Wizard organization, Romance, which discovered her existence before anyone else in the world did, killed her parents and kidnapped her without a moment of hesitation. They carried out all kinds of terrible experiments. During her fifth year of living in a hell where she wished for death every day, Romance copsed without any sort of actual indication. It was the result of a revolt by a powerful superhuman raised in Romance just like her. Given a little longer, she might have ended up in their group, but... Not knowing that fact, she just took advantage of the exposed gap and ran away without any ns.


    "As I tore up the ck Wizard who was in charge of me and ran away, that bastard said it. He said that I have the qualities to be both a God or a Devil. He asked if I didn''t think that my gift was going to waste." Seon-ae, pausing slightly, looked at me.


    "So, was it a waste?¡±


    "Do you think it¡¯s possible for me to be both a God or a Devil? What a load of bullshit. He was literally spouting nonsense that showed he was a frog in a well." Seon-ae,menting, calmly exined her talent, "Container of Ten Thousand Things literally means what it says, a container." It basically referred to the ability to absorb any sort of Enhancement and Injection in whichever way. "It''s the ability to continuously consume spiritual medicines and elixirs, so to speak."


    "...Isn''t that a crazy cheat-like talent?"


    Seon-ae could continue to purchase spiritual pills from the gacha machine, but not everyone could increase their neigong to 60 years[1] and increase their Mana capacity to 5th-ss, so such a thing did not happen. After all, the Mana capacity inside the body was eventually affected by the practitioner''s control ability, so if the Mana capacity could not be controlled or managed by the user, it would turn into poison for the body instead. However, if someone had that sort of ability, they would literally have a Mana capacity that was beyondmon sense¡­


    However, Seon-ae shook her head. "Even so, I was had. Haih, I ate whatever spiritual pills I bought from the gacha machine toplete the mutation. Instead of being able to control my ability, however, I went wild. At the very least, that was my only hope..."


    I looked into her hollow eyes, which did not waver. ''She''s exhausted.'' It was like I was looking at my past self. From her appearance, I recalled the sight of myself refusing to take the Emperor¡¯s throne and only hoping for a peaceful life.


    "You know of the conditions I announce to those who immigrate here, right?"


    "That''s right. You said they were people who couldn''t clear the stage, right?"


    I shouldn''t have epted Seon-ae by my original standards. Currently, Seon-ae was only Level 9, but she would be strengthened to Level 17 upon transforming into the woman with wings. It meant that she could also be a talented person who cleared the stage 10,000 times. But I nodded my head and said, "You don''t look well. Go to Genie. She''ll show you where to stay."


    "¡­Thank you."


    I stood up and watched Seon-ae slowly moving away for a moment. Some people suffered from not having the talents they wanted like Jae-seok, but there were others who suffered from the talents they were helplessly born with like Seon-ae. However, was it possible to permanently get rid of the talent that one was already born with?


    "There''s a chance of her going berserk, so keep an eye on her."


    You can rest assured as the current Unique World is almost equipped with facilities on par with the Albatross ship.


    "Yes, yes. Ah, and is the Enchanting task going well?"


    Yes. There are wizards among the new recruits. Moreover, it''s progressing a few times faster as the Enchanters are used in full force. Their proficiency is also increasing, so the speed is expected to increase to a maximum of 30 times.


    "¡­That fast?"


    As I was bewildered by therge increase that went beyondmon sense, Genie replied, Because there''s an unbelievable high number of wizards we recruited from this little star. Moreover, even the average IQ is unbelievably high.


    "Aren''t wizards supposed to be intelligent?"


    That''s not necessarily the case.


    The ability to control magical energy and intelligence were twopletely separate talents. The reality was that there were many instances in which their inherent inclination did not match up to their ability.


    But things were different on Earth, because of the Universal Talent given by the gacha machines. When someone awakened their spiritual powers using the gacha machine, a truly miraculous event would take ce if they did not have the talent for the ability that they chose. It was the creation of the talent that ''used to not'' exist! Needless to say, it did not endow the talents of a genius. What was given was the most universal talent that those with the corresponding talent had. Jae-seok, who had no spiritual talent at all, was able to learn Life Energy thanks to the power of the gacha machine. The advantage of this artificially given ability was that ''choice'' became possible.


    "Ahh, you''re right. Those who chose magical energy would obviously be those that liked Mana, right?"


    Furthermore, those who considered themselves intelligent and whose talents were proven here also chose magical energy.


    Judges, prosecutors,wyers, scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and others...were confident in their intelligence. They chose Magic instead of neigong or Life Energy. Coupled with the Universal Talent, their growth was eye-opening. I thenmented, "Then again, if it weren''t for this situation, there was no way we would be able to bring these high-level human resources over from Earth."


    Of course, it wasn''t all a good thing. A screen popped up in front of my eyes. I saw a white man on the podium of a spacious auditorium waving his right arm and shouting passionately, "Even if we havee to a ce like this, we''re still Americans. Even if he was our benefactor, it would not be right to suppress our freedom to such an extent!!"


    As the screen changed views, Asians who gathered in what appeared to be a restaurant raised their sses and shouted, "We are now the China Federation!"


    This time, white people who were enjoying a party in a spacious hall shared their opinions with each other.


    "There are too many Asians among the new recruits, perhaps because Iron Mask is Asian! Why do we have to bear with this?"


    "That''s right! Moreover, look at what the Yankees have set up! Europe is clearly being discriminated against!"


    There were also Asians who gathered in some sort of room and whispered amongst themselves. Their expressions and postures were very determined.


    "We must do our best to revive the Empire of Japan from now on."


    I ran away from the scenes that popped up and disappeared continuously. "Would you look at that, huh."


    As I was baffled, Genie exined to me, Factions are forming. And these organizations are making their own rules. Moreover... There are even those who imposed taxes and created codes ofws among themselves. The public opinion is indicating that even though the Administration part is left to me, the Judiciary and Legitive part should be taken over by humans.


    "Is that so?" I raised an eyebrow. Those who were branded as wicked beings by Juan were not necessarily evil. If the given environment was rotten, the reality was that unless that particr person was a great man or a righteous man filled with a sense of justice, they would have no choice but to follow along with the direction of the group. However, those who were branded as wicked beings... Obviously, they were most likely really wicked beings.


    "They''re really doing all sorts of things, huh," I muttered. There were probably people who wanted to seize authority even in the Unique World. "I''m sure you''ve already announced the rules, right?"


    Perhaps, because of that, they''re taking the form of a club. However, the people involved are those who have a considerably great right to speak among the members.


    "That means they''re drawing a rough sketch while they first gather some forces, huh." I let out a scoff as there were already people who had ulterior motives. As a matter of fact, it was awkward to even say the word¡­ It had already been 150 days for those who came over before the Level 14 Low-difficulty stage.


    ''Maybe it''s a natural flow of things.'' Moreover, I wouldn''t have been able to stop this flow if I only had the Unique World. No, I might have even lost control of the people and instead my body in the Unique World would have gotten detained. However, I had Genie with me.


    "There''s no need to worry, right?"


    Captain-nim, I am a Terra-ss control persona of the Leonhardt Empire. How many crew members do you think I''ve dealt with? Why would you say that kind of thing to me? And this ce doesn¡¯t even have a Commission of Human Rights.


    Iughed at Genie''s smug voice. Then, I asked, "How''s the situation with the food provisions?"


    We still have some luxury remaining in our reserves, but I expect that we will be at risk if we receive new recruits at this scale again.


    "Then let''s have the remaining mass be used to bring in livestock again. Be ready by 6 p.m.."


    Yes, Captain-nim. After answering, Genie turned silent.


    I lifted the Dragon Heart that was on my thighs. It was time to work in the real world for the first time in a long time, but I did not have the intention to purposely go out, because there were more and more peopleing into the Unique World. "We still have quite some time left, so it''ll be better to work on some tasks..." I took a breather. Then, I slowly awakened my spirituality.


    Whooooongg--- I felt some sort of power hovering around me like the wind. I held up a carving knife and the power hovering around me permeated into it. Kriekkkkk! I started carving. The speed was unbelievably slow. It was to an extent where I had to hold the Dragon Heart all day to raise it by only 0.02 percent.


    In theory, it would mean that I would have to continuously do this for over 4,000 days for this task to bepleted. ''It''s not a problem that can be solved by hardbor. I need to regain the sensation I felt back then.''


    However, no matter how hard I tried to recall it, I couldn''t. Just like how a vivid and realistic dream when sleeping would disperse like a mirage when one were to wake up, the moment of enlightenment was also repeatedly disappearing no matter how hard I tried to grasp it.


    "Ah! Really now!" I jumped out of my seat. "No, how could someone interrupt me there? How??" The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. Wasn''t that an act of a vicious bastard?! Was there no such thing as a moral code of society or the manners between each other? I couldn''t believe that the Administrator in-name would act up and go against the announcements he made! Really, really now. Really, really, truly. Reallyyyyyy! I was angry!


    ***


    "It seems you''re angry." Il-han stood still andughed.


    "Uwkkkkk!!!" A loud scream was heard. The shoulders of the ck child, whom Il-han was looking at in the mirror, shook. Needless to say, he had no ess to the Cradle of Justice. Juan was an Unnamed just like him, and they were existences which carried a unique Setting and Divine Spirit.


    However, if the beings on the stage browsed through the Cradle of Justice... He could see the ck child and also the posts through his ''eyes''. Then, at that very moment¡­ A new post was posted.


    "Uwahhhh!!! Uwaaaaackk!!!! This! Idiot! Stupid fool!!! Trash! Insect-!!! Insect-like!!!!!"


    Bang! Baaang baaang! Baaaaang!!! As the ck child smacked the desk as he couldn''t ovee his anger, a tremendous roar that seemed as if the world was about to copse resonated. The title of the post was as follows:


    -nning to upload the strategy guide where even a Level 7 yer can clear the Level 14 Intermediate-difficulty stage after an hour. (Iron Mask)


    1. This is a reference to Wuxia novels, where you train your neigong for a number of years and the capacity increases with training and talent.

 Vol 2. 94: The Salvation of God (31)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 94: The Salvation of God (31)</h4>


    ¡°It¡¯s starting to get dangerous.¡±


    In the end, I was forced to exhale a big sigh. I had always known it would turn out like this, but it was still a painful experience.


    That was right.


    It was getting harder to find gaps in the stage.


    The monitoring team has handed in a report. The other yers have started utilizing the guide as well. But the number of deaths prior seems to number quite a few.


    ¡°Because it took me an entire day toe up with a guide.¡±


    As I repeatedly found gaps and errors to exploit and the stage updated, the stage became more and moreplete. Chaotic objects were present in the stage until a while ago, as if to mock the yers. But as humanity progressed through the stage using my guide, the overall bnce of the stage was stabilized. If this were a game to be yed for fun, I would have praised the developers.


    ¡°Still, leveling is a big problem.¡±


    Even the leveling issues would not have been a drawback if this were a real game. It was possible to obtain points as reward for clearing the stage, and one could equip themselves with the correct specifications by purchasing required items from the vending machine.


    But reality was not a game. Competence and capabilities did not increase linearly.


    ¡°There are countless people shedding tears of blood because they can¡¯t cross the boundaries to bing a Compl¨¦ter¡­¡±


    Regardless of how perfect a given environment was, there were clear limits. Even if one consumed countless spiritual medicines and was given magic books and skills on a silver tter, enlightenment could not be achieved easily.


    The only feasible answer was equipment.


    ¡°If it is impossible to continuously improve our capabilities, we need to upgrade our equipment.¡±


    Not many humans could continue to improve without hitting a wall. However, with sufficient equipment, humans could adapt to the crazy designs of the End Project. An older male in the reserve forces might lose to a high schooler bare-handed, but when they were given a K-1 rifle, they could even take down a tiger.


    Beast-rank gigas were utilized in space warfare. It would be more than enough.


    ¡°How¡¯s the progress?¡¯


    The total number of manufactured Enchant Coins so far is enough for seven clears.


    ¡°What about the work speed?¡±


    It is continuing to climb. Currently, one is beingpleted every 40 hours.


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Chwaark!


    I lifted one of the baskets ced on a desk and threw it into the air. 18,000 coins scattered into the air, taking the form of arge sphere along with a sharp sound.


    Enchant Coin.


    Pre-printed coins from the factory were handed over to the wizards, who could be called subcontractors. The wizards would imbue each coin with a single magical word or a letter. Although the coins could not function individually, each of them acted as a fragment of a powerful form.


    Wiiing!


    18,000 coins scattered and took their ce ording to the maic properties applied on the ceiling and floor. At the same time, the mithril cylinder hanging from the ceiling was dropped, and the enchant took effect.


    Woong!!!


    The 18,000 words and letters engraved on the coins flew to the surface of the mithril cylinder, leaving the empty coins to pour down like rain and pile up on the floor. Only the mithril cylinder was left floating in the air. It was a huge sess. It seemed the long preparation times were not in vain.


    Enchant. I have confirmed its effects on the Soul Engine. Thank you for your hard work.


    ¡°The wizards did everything.¡±


    I grabbed the 10-kilogram mithril cylinder. I called it a cylinder, but with arge dent in the middle, it was closer in appearance to a heavy dumbbell rather than aponent of a mechanical device.


    Beast-rank gigas. Red Bear-11 is on standby.


    ¡°How much rare metals were spent on the Red Bear?¡±


    The adamantium spent on the main weapon and mithril in the soul engine add up to 21.5 kilograms.


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty good for an early model.¡±


    I inserted the soul engine into the open chest of the Red Bear. I plunged it in and turned it 180 degrees, to which the engine clicked, and an insert was revealed.


    ¡°It uses mana stone as fuel, right?¡±


    Not just mana stone. This spell is¡­ quite amazing. Soul energy, magical energy, mana, qi¡­ It can even use heat and electricity as an energy source. As long as the source isn¡¯t aggressive, anything can be utilized. I can¡¯t believe this is possible.


    ¡°As expected of the Magic Imperial Princess.¡±


    Naturally, I researched quite a bit about the Magic Imperial Princess. She was a great celebrity, so I was able to find an enormous amount of relevant data.


    The disciple of the God of Magic. The only human to possess ten sses. War hero, ruthless killer, star destroyer, God Killer.


    And¡­


    And,


    Companion of a great hero.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I held the Red Bear¡¯s inlet and exuded spiritual energy. After confirming that the fuel gauge was indeed rising, which indicated the fueling process, I switched to exuding aura. Finally, I even switched to vibration energy, which the soul engine gulped up as fuel without a hitch. After a while, the silent Red Bear began toe alive.


    Kiiing! ng!


    The loose glove of the Red Bear started to contract and stuck tightly to the metal. When I took my hand off the inlet, the Red Bear slowly stood up.


    Kwan Dae-ha


    Level 9


    Red Bear


    The level was terrible. It was as expected, since I excluded automaticbat capabilities when building the Red Bear. It was built solely as a boarding gigas. The gigas¡¯ current level was minimal. If a skilled pilot boarded the Red bear, it would be able to exert a much stronger power.


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡±


    I shook my head to rid myself of misceneous thoughts and beganpletely focused on work. It was repetitive. After I woke up in the morning, I worked on carving the Dragon Heart until lunch. After lunch, I researched different attributes. I oversaw the gigas production designs and received Enchant Coins to create soul engines, and to manufacture Beast-rank gigas.


    From 3 P.M., I did whatever I wanted. I yed games, read books, or watched people in the central square.


    A year passed.


    Peoplepletely adapted to life in my Unique World. The fear of the End Project was already a story of the past for the residents of the Unique World.


    Two years passed.


    The efficacy and proficiency of the enchanters increased massively, allowing for the production of more than 400 units of Beast-rank gigas each year. The pace was expected to elerate even more as the number of enchanter applicants kept increasing.


    Three years passed.


    The rogue organizations became embroiled in Genie¡¯s operations and were extinguished. All of the leaders were sent to jail. The organizations began moring for awyer and even staged a demonstration among themselves, but it was simply idiotic. It was true that many residents of the Unique World stemmed from legal professional backgrounds, but were they unaware that thews of earth held no power in this world?


    Three years had passed.


    Ten percent of the Unique World was now developed. It could be considered a meager amount, but 10 percent of the Unique World was equivalent in size to 15 Republic of Korea. It was not a small territory by any means. It held even truer because most buildings in the Unique World were skyscrapers.


    Genie proposed a n to build a new city on the other side of Center City. She wanted to build a humongous facility to manufacture vessels to travel there. I agreed withoutint.


    Four years passed.


    I developed a new ssification of Beast-rank gigas based on the method and style ofbat. For example, color represented the style ofbat. ck focused on concealment. Red represented a full-frontal battle with focus on high resilience and recovery. Green focused on increasing maximum energy output. Blue acted as support with qi, magic, and other forms of energy.


    The outwardly appearance was distinguished by how the gigas were controlled. For example, a tiger or a bear were designed to be boarded asrger animals, while mice or wolves were remotely controlled with helmets as rtively small animals.


    Five years passed.


    Countless gigas had beenpleted. Out of the different forms, the most sessful creations consisted of ck tigers, red wolves, green crocodiles and blue snakes. Unfortunately, the Red Bear, my first creation, was a failure.


    It did not matter if the gigas possessed high resilience if the pilot was injured. It was inevitable, since the Avalon system had not been implemented yet. On a positive note, I added the color grey for manipting herds. For example, a gray mouse couldmand about 10 to 20 goblins.


    Six years passed.


    Seven years passed.


    The proficiency of the outsourced enchanters continued to increase. It was only natural, as enchanter was a high-ie profession that could you the most Gats in the Unique World. Existing enchanters continued to strive to improve efficiency, and boatloads of people joined the profession every day. As a result, the production of soul engines increased steeply. Now, more than 1,000 Beast-rank gigas were being produced every year.


    Alloy technology also continued to improve, dramatically reducing the proportion of rare metals required to produce gigas.


    Eight years passed.


    There was another demonstration. There was also an attempt of terrorism on production facilities, attempt to take overmunication facilities, as well as an attempt to hijack Eden, a newly constructed vessel.


    It was ridiculous.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me they actually thought they could seed?¡±


    Naturally, all of their efforts failed. The Unique World was already a space that was no different than Genie¡¯s own stomach. Genie had settled down in this world hundreds of thousands of years ago, not just a year or two. There was nowhere in the Unique World that was beyond her sights and reach. Terrorism?


    ¡°Even if it was a futile attempt! We had to!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    When asked back, the man shouted while kneeling before me. Indeed, his grim expression and attitude made him appear as some kind of an independence fighter.


    ¡°Freedom! We must find freedom! No matter how hard you try to sugar-coat it and cover it up, you¡¯re nothing but a dictator!¡±


    ¡°Ha. You ignorant¡­ Bring them, Genie.¡±


    Instead of responding to the moron, I instructed Genie. A door opened and dozens of people were dragged in. The man¡¯s expression distorted when he saw their faces.


    ¡°Gaju-nim? Marvin-nim? Why are you here¡­? You bastard! Why have you brought these innocent people here? Are you trying to ckmail me?¡±


    ¡°Innocent my ass. I brought them here because they were the ones who manipted you and supported you from the dark. You¡¯re so stupid. No wonder you were being used like this.¡±


    I thought the ones responsible for causingmotion woulde from Japan or China, but all of them turned out to be westerners. To be exact, they were from the European Union and Make America Great Again.


    Nationality and status held no meaning in the Unique World, but it seemed they could not rid themselves of their country and race. I yed videos of them conspiring and devising schemes so that they would not feel wronged or remain martyrs.


    ¡°Gaju-nim! Marvin-nim! H, how could this be!?¡±


    The most ridiculous part about the situation was that the responsible people were being shocked by something else.


    ¡°What is this? You¡¯ve been wiretapping and recording everything that was happening in our personal space?¡±


    ¡°T, this isn¡¯t right! Even Big Brother¡¯s actions pale inparison to this! We aren¡¯t your pets! Even if you try to suppress us like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Why do you keep talking about principle? Besides, you were all notified when you first came in, so don¡¯t feign ignorance. Feel free to repeat that nonsense at the hearing, you idiots.¡±


    Jokes aside, there wouldn¡¯t be any problems even if I ughtered all the people in the Unique World. Dictator, Big Brother¡­ What nonsense were they spouting when they sought shelter to escape certain death?


    That day, the death penalty was executed for the first time in the stage. The decisive response greatly dampened the atmosphere of the Unique World.


    From then on, another 6 years passed. It had already been 15 years since the level 14 intermediate stage had begun. At one point, people resumed living as if they had forgotten the executions. They also became numb to the fact that eyes could be watching their every move. Perhaps it was because they believed in Genie¡¯s promise to not spy on their private spaces.


    Time flowed like a stream.


    Nothing exciting or new happened.


    I had spent my days like this for level 14, as well as level 12 and 13. This was nothing new. The same held true for levels below that. I had always spent the maximum amount of time clearing the stage. Although I hadn¡¯t actually experienced it, I had spent hundreds of thousands of years in the stage as well. What more did I need to say?


    15 years wasn¡¯t a long time.


    But perhaps it was different for the average person.


    The elderly closed their eyes one by one. The children, who made up one-third of the poption, grew up to be adults.


    New lives were born.


    More time passed, and 20 years passed since the intermediate difficulty of level 14 began. An announcement was made throughout the Unique World.


    This is an announcement for all personnel in the Unique World.


    There are 20 hours remaining until the end of level 14 intermediate stage.


    I repeat, there are 20 hours remaining until the intermediate stage ends.


    People stopped in their tracks at the unexpected announcement. They had been busily living their lives or leisurely enjoying their time. The young people were puzzled by the announcement.


    ¡°Level 14 intermediate? What does that mean? The stage is over? Were we doing something?¡±


    ¡°Is it telling us that a level 14, high-ss gigas was developed?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think that warrants an announcement of this level.¡±


    The older generation held their mouths agape.


    ¡°Oh, I see. It¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Stage¡­ Yes. I remember. Huhu. That¡¯s right. Haha. We came here from earth to avoid the apocalypse.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it¡­ can we go back to earth?¡±


    ¡°I do miss it¡­ Huhu. Even though I definitely ran away.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been 20 years since I¡¯vest seen the sea.¡±


    As the end of the intermediate stage of level 14 neared its end, the residents of the Unique World, now known as the Iron World, were buzzing.

 Vol 2. 95: The Salvation of God (32)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 95: The Salvation of God (32)</h4>


    Communication with the real world was established. It had been 20 long years. My body acted as a hub for connecting to the inte, both in the real world and the Unique World, but connection was meaningless when time was stopped during the time I spent in the stage. But now, it had finally been re-established. More than 200,000 people from the Unique World jumped into the sea of inte as soon as the connection was established.


    = Iron World! Let me introduce it to you!


    = Incidents and idents of the Iron World over the past 20 years.


    = Watch me fly over the sky of the Iron World on a flying gigas ¨C Blue Hawk.


    = Super-sized residence Asadal.


    = Hello! I¡¯m Yoo-ah, a singer, professional gamer, and a pilot!


    Countless videos were uploaded to MyTube. But this didn¡¯t mean that their activities were only limited to MyTube. People essing the web from the Unique World visited variousmunities that they remembered or had heard of. They entered chat rooms and messaged acquaintances from 20 years ago. They called and texted their missed ones.


    ¡°Uaah. Uaaaahh¡­ I am so d that a perfect clear was achieved. I must have died, seeing as I have no memory. Ha, how did I even die?¡±


    ¡°If you really want to know how you died, ask people around you. I also had someone film it from the Cradle of Justice.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, I had never thought of that as a possibility. But filming is definitely something I could try¡­ Oh, yeah! Did you hear the news?¡±


    ¡°What news?¡±


    ¡°The dimension ruled over by Iron Mask. I think it was called the Iron World?¡±


    Information from the Unique World leaked, but I didn¡¯t bother to stop it.


    As a result,


    ¡°This is a list of applicants who want to move into the Iron World.¡±


    I asked while looking at the figures on Min-kyung¡¯s list.


    ¡°You informed them that only 100,000 people could enter in a day, but 9 million people applied?¡±


    ¡°In addition, there are about 1.5 million people who were selected as well. As you mentioned before, they are children who have no chance of clearing the stage.¡±


    Korea was ratherpetent when it came to clearing the stage, but not all countries were so fortunate. In particr, most countries with poor inte infrastructure suffered near annihtion. The End Project designed the stage so poorly that it was extremely difficult to clear, even if one possessed the same level as the stage. A single moment of carelessness could lead to a fatal injury or death, and insidious traps pressured the mind and the body without rest. It was an environment in which one¡¯s mind would be exhausted. yers¡¯ mentality would be crushed by the terrible enemies they faced.


    yers were only able to clear the stage when they possessed a much lower level because they memorized the guide and followed through with it, not because the difficulty of the stage was low.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll keep that in mind. I¡¯ll text you the selected people, so tell them to wait at the designated location at 6 P.M.¡±


    Naturally, the people wanting to enter the Unique World were not required toe to Korea. If I had done so, all the flights to Korea would have been absolutely filled and the airport would have been paralyzed. There was no reason to do something so foolish when I had the Albatross. I could move to any location on Earth within 10 minutes.


    ¡°What¡¯s the status of the supplies?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite plentiful. In some countries¡­ there is way too much.¡±


    We weren¡¯t flooded with supplies due to a surge in production. To be exact, the abundance of supplies was due to the fact that all the consumers had disappeared after dying. Supplies, especially food, could go bad or be rotten over time, but it was a needless worry. It had only been a little over 2 months since the stage started. In addition, not even a month had passed since people started dying in the stage. It was obvious for there to be an abundance of supplies, with the exception of fresh produce.


    ¡°Good. Let them know that we will make as much room as possible. Obviously, that doesn¡¯t mean we will be epting everyone into the Unique World. Some people won¡¯t clear the eptance criteria. We can just put them in space.¡±


    ¡°You are talking about the carrier, Eden.¡±


    Eden was the name of a humongous ship built in the Unique World. It took a great deal of manpower, material, and time to construct therge vessel. Even though I already possessed the Albatross, which had enough loading capacity¡­ The Albatross had a capacity of 150,000 people. If I converted and utilized the weapons department, research institutes, and the production lines, I would be able to fit more than 10 million people, but problems would surely arise if I pushed it too hard. As such, a new space carrier was created with Genie¡¯s advice.


    ¡®Technically speaking, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to call it a space carrier.¡¯


    Eden could not travel between stars. To be precise, inteary travel was also impossible. To be even more precise, it was really slow ¨C so slow that it would take a week to reach the moon from Earth. In the first ce, how could it be possible to build a space carrier in just 20 years, especially when the production facilities were constantly pumping out gigas? Eden was essentially nothing more than a veryrge amodation for numerous people. Some people may wonder how I was nning to get Eden into space, but this wasn¡¯t rocket science (or was it?).


    ¡®I can have the Albatross carry it!¡¯


    It was a perfect, but vain conclusion. I had spent far too long agonizing over the issue of adding in a navigating function in Eden, but it had all been for naught.


    ¡°News travels fast.¡±


    ¡°The Unique World is the biggest topic in the world. There¡¯s videos on MyTube as well.¡±


    I stood up after nodding at her answer. Min-kyung followed suit, then politely bowed her head.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I stared at her for a moment. I didn¡¯t know if it was because of her abilities or if she had adjusted the number of stage clears, but she still looked to be in herte 20s. But she looked very tired, her face was pale, and her hair was dry. Dark circles were prominent, and her rough skin could not be covered by makeup. The famed name of the Twin Rose seemed to be a thing of the past.


    Nevertheless,


    ¡®She is shining.¡¯


    She was shining brilliantly. Even though she appeared tired, people would not feel sorry for her or look down on her. Her shining eyes clearly disyed madness and tenacity she possessed toward her goals.


    ¡±Is there anything you want to say?¡±


    Noticing that I was standing still, Min-kyung asked politely. Instead of answering, I silently gazed at her.


    The woman my brother loved. That was the only reason I bothered to designate her as a channel formunication with humankind. It was also the reason why I helped her from the dark.


    If that were not the case¡­


    It urred to me that I might have killed her out of jealousy.


    ¡°Useless thoughts.¡¯


    I shook myself from the unnecessary thoughts and spoke.


    ¡°¡­Take this.¡±


    Boom!


    A 4.5-meter gigas appeared out of the thin air. The perception barrier surrounding Min-kyung and I was broken immediately, and screaming erupted around me.


    ¡°Kyaah!? W, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a gigas!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s huge! I don¡¯t think it¡¯s part of the avatar series. What¡¯s the model? I¡¯ve never seen such a fancy one before!¡±


    People¡¯s gaze shifted towards us, but I did not care. I spoke while looking at Min-kyung. She looked surprised with her eyes wide open.


    ¡°You.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah. Ye, yes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡±


    Pat!


    I activated recall at the same time, returning back to the Albatross.


    The Golden Dragon was indeed for the princess. [1]


    What was with the weird pun?


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll feel weird if she dies.¡±


    Even among the same ranking gigas, there were particrly strong individuals. When expensive materials, special parts, and high-ss technologies were employed in creating a gigas, it would disy a greater performancepared to its peers, even if the improvements weren¡¯t enough to push it to the next rank. Powerful beast-rank gigas were distinguished by naming them after special animals.


    Dragons, phoenixes, unicorns, etc. They were named after names of powerful fantastical creatures. I also applied the same principle.


    ¡°I gave the Golden Dragon to her, the ck Tortoise will be given to Jae-Seok. But who do I give the White Tiger, the Blue Dragon, and the Red Phoenix¡­?¡±


    The goods had piled up after 20 years of continued production, but there was no one to give them to. In fact, the real problem was with the mass-produced items rather than the special ones.


    ¡°Genie, how many beat-rank gigas have we manufactured?¡±


    ¡°A total of 5,400 units as of now. However, we experienced a shortage of materials since 8 years ago, so the speed of production was adjusted and more manpower was put into the production of Eden.


    ¡°Well, 5,400 is enough.¡±


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t only enough, but rather an incredible number. Although it didn¡¯t seem like much due to the rank of the gigas, beast-rank gigas were the main weapons used in wars between Type III civilizations. The Leonhardt Empire would possess less than 100,000 units of beast-rank gigas at most, but I, as an individual, had produced 5,000 units in a single day (although it actually took 20 years.). Anyone would have been shocked to find out the truth.


    ¡°Use the gigaswork and make an announcement. We will be lending out beast-rank gigas with achieving 100,000 points in The Great War as the basis. If they achieve 1 million points, it will be free. Reduce the discount by 20% for every 200,000 points. If they have 800,000 points, they will get an 80% discount, 60% for 600,000, and onwards. Well, if they scored under 200,000 points, just receive the full payment.¡±


    What should I receive as payment?


    ¡°Materials, obviously. Rare metals and mana stones. Ask for 150% of the raw materials spent to create the gigas.¡±


    If I had enough gigas, I could have been more lenient with my distribution method. But gigas only disyed their maximum potential in the hands of a proficient pilot. Receiving materials as payment wasn¡¯t a priority, so if anyone disyed potential, they could receive a discount or pay in installments.


    ¡°How many gigas do you think we will be lending out with these conditions?¡±


    Based on the current updated rankings of The Great War, about 2,000 people are expected.


    ¡°Only? Then we will have too many remaining.¡±


    But we have volunteers from the other side as well.


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    I nodded and sat down. I shifted my consciousness to the Unique World. In the Unique World, I was located in my studio. It had grown familiar over the years, almost like a second home. I stood up from my seat and headed across the back corridor.


    When I opened the door, the quiet murmur died down at once.


    Papapat!


    Thousands of people in the huge hall lined up in a single, fluid motion. Before I knew it, Genie appeared next to me in her metal body and spoke.


    5,822 people waiting to leave. All preparations areplete.


    When themunication between Earth and the Unique World was re-established, Earth¡¯s interest in the Unique World exploded. The same held true for the other side.


    When the two worlds were connected once more, countless people wanted to enter the Unique World. The same was true of the Unique World as well.


    1. in the raw, Genie makes a pun here. Yong = dragon. But Princess-yong means ¡°for the princess¡± So yeah.

 Vol 2. 96: The Salvation of God (33)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 96: The Salvation of God (33)</h4>


    And that, too, applied to the Unique World. The young people born in the Unique World, or came to the Unique World at too young an age, were curious about the outside world and wanted to go there too.


    They weren''t the only ones. Among those who had entered the Unique World when they were already adults, there were some who were hopeful. They ran away from Earth and came to this ce, but... After 20 years, they began to miss Earth. If this constituted homesickness, then yes, they were suffering from homesickness.


    "I''m sure you know, but we can''t just let everyone out." Everyone nodded upon hearing my resolute words. Then again, there was no way those who came all the way here did not know that the stage was progressing in the outside world.


    "And also, once you''vepleted the Level 14 High-difficulty stage... About 100 years would have passed in the Unique World. You can go back, but everyone you know would be dead and gone."


    The applicants'' reactions diverged upon hearing my words.


    "I''ve known this since 10 years ago!"


    "I don''t have a family anyway!"


    "My mother said she was going to go into a hibernation device!"


    They were people who literally challenged my words, because ''they wanted to go out''.


    "I''ve trained enough now. I''m going to go out and...save my family with my own two hands."


    "My country was on the verge of destruction. I have to go back."


    "If I am going to die, I want to die in my hometown."


    They were also people who challenged my words, because they had lingering feelings for what they had left behind on Earth.


    "The stage! Definitely! I definitely want to give it a shot!"


    "I heard they''ll give us spiritual medicines!"


    And there were also people who challenged my words because of their material desires¡­ I shook my head at the sight of the many people simultaneously screaming out loud. I thought that if they were so determined, then it would be better to just think of it in a good way. ''Yeah, well, it''s a good thing to have a lot of applicants.''


    I nodded and told Genie, "Begin." As I said those words, the floor opened up and hundreds of types of Gigas appeared. There wererge Gigas on the very first row; ck Tiger, Green Tiger, Blue Tiger, and Gray Tiger, made bybining two different styles. Unlike the names, the actual color was actually ck or gray, because the names did not signify the real colors of the machines. Instead, it referred to the style. However, perhaps because it was the Concept Color, there were paintings randomly done around the body, and even on the weapons.


    Naturally, the Tigers weren¡¯t the only ones to appear. Wolf, Alligator, Snake, Hawk, Deer, Horse, and others were there as well. Aside from Horse, which remained in its animal-form, most of the others were two-legged walking weapons.


    "Looking back, there really are so many different kinds."


    Because there are all kinds of styles.


    As the cockpits of all 40 Gigas opened at the same time, the pilots who were getting ready either boarded the Gigas or wore the crown.


    I looked at the Gigas at the very front among them.


    Kwan Dae-ha


    Level 11


    ck Tiger


    The 20 years of time I spent did not go to waste, and the standard of the Beast-rank Gigas was much higher. In fact, the level presented was the level of the machine itself.


    Wiiiiiiiing! ng nk! When the pilot got on board, the title of the Gigas changed.


    Steel Series


    Level 17


    ck Tiger, Kim Jong-pil


    "Pass. Next!"


    Sorry? I haven''t done anything yet...?


    The pilot, boarding a ck Tiger and just loosening his joints, was perplexed. After I confirmed by using ssification on the title, he was a Level 10 Compl¨¦ter-ss ability user. It was extremely amazing that a Level 10 practitioner reached Level 17 just because he was using Level 11 equipment.


    "Next!" I said so and moved on to the next person in line, who had already boarded the Gigas.


    Steel Series


    Level 14


    Blue Tiger, Donald


    "It''s vague, so hold aside!"


    I haven''t done anything yet!


    I heard someone saying as if it was unfair, but I was speechless too. This guy was a Compl¨¦ter too, but the results of boarding the Gigas were unsatisfying. In other words, his capability as a pilot wascking.


    "Pass!"


    "Fail!"


    "Hold aside!"


    "No, this is below its own level, huh. Fail!"


    I quickly filtered out the pilots. The process was fast, because I could roughly estimate it just by looking at the level. At the very least, it took some time to skim through the pilot''s information, and if I really wanted to only check the level, it would have taken less than 10 minutes to check everything. Just like that, about an hour had passed. The results came out after the vetting process. "The results aren''t that good despite running the pilot training simtion for more than a decade."


    The talent pool is too small. If we think about the fact that there are only 200,000 people living in the Unique World, it is a rather encouraging oue.


    More than half of the nearly 6,000 applicants were eliminated and 2,300 remained. This was the result which included those who were held aside, and young children who had promising prospects to be pilots, so to speak.


    "Well, I can''t help it. Start getting ready to go out."


    Understood, Captain-nim. I''ll finish up all the tasks and stand by at the Central za.


    "Did they say there is a farewell party at the Central za¡­? Go ahead and proceed with it as you see fit. After that, tell them to get on board Eden, since I''ll bring the whole thing outside."


    Roger that, Captain-nim.


    After listening to Genie''s answer, I got busy again. I was used to living a leisurely life for the past 20 years, but I had no choice. I had to value every single minute and second for today, when I would be going back after 20 years. Moreover, it was a day that might not return until hundreds of yearster. It was a long-awaited opportunity to be connected with the outside world, so I would have to finish all the tasks when I still had the time.


    "Genie, what''s the number of humans left now?"


    About 3.5 billion people.


    "No, wasn''t it a Perfect Clear? Why did it reduce by so much?"


    Because humans don''t just die when they''re in the stage.


    "This is really the crucible of chaos, huh." I arrived at the workshop while clicking my tongue. Just like that, Iid on the bed and moved my consciousness to Earth. "Genie, what is the mostcking thing in the Unique World?"


    In actual fact, now that the Unique World had reached S-rank, the number of humans who could be epted in one sitting was not limited to 100,000 to 200,000 people. Nevertheless, I limited the number of migrants to 100,000, because I knew that increasing the inflow of people without measures would end up depleting the resources of the Unique World irresponsibly.


    We don''t need livestocks anymore. Please replenish as much water as you possibly can.


    "Alright then. Let''s at least go get some sea water." I got off at a suitable sea and absorbed the sea water fiercely enough to expose the sea floor in an instant. I couldn''t create ake after bringing the sea water to the Unique World, where water was an essential resource. Therefore, instead, the water went into the prepared water tanks without any waste.


    Then, I repeatedly invoked Recall and Warp. I teleported to Ilsung''s building and greeted Jae-seok, "Hello! You still haven''t improved a bit, huh?"


    "Is that supposed to be a greeting? Screw you..."


    "Wow, I heard about it, but Dae-ha, you¡­ You''re really darting in and out of everywhere." Kyung-eun was together with Jae-seok. She wasn¡¯t standing next to him, but was sitting on hisp. Even though I had showed up, there wasn''t a hint of the two of them intending to maintain some distance between each other.


    "Whooo. By the way, my skills... I tried my best to take all sorts of spiritual medicines, kill monsters, and even meditate, but there really isn''t a single change. I think a fundamental change needs to happen in the way I turn something into vibrations." Jae-seok seemed to have hit a wall. Of course, he had hit a wall countless times up to this point, but this wall had to be faced when one was in their 20s and 30s. It was fundamentally different from the wall one faced in their 80s or 90s. Besides, the limit in talent was also clearly present.


    ''Will he be able to cross that wall again?'' I wondered, but it was impossible to find out. Jae-seok''s Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights level was already higher than mine, so there wasn''t anything I could advise him on. However, unlike him, it was possible for me to immediately increase my power.


    Booom! I took out a Gigas from the Unique World and put it down. The jet-ck giant, seemingly sucking in the light, had an impressive appearance with thick armor. It had a special feature, with ck snakes wrapping around both arms.


    "It''s the ck Tortoise, one of the Four Guardian Beasts. As you can see, it''s a defensive-style, so you can charge the core with external shocks if you use the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights well. And since I chose to use the Dual Core method to actively utilize its core charging characteristics, the user will have to control it well. Ah, the power output is 20 times that of the ck Tiger."


    Jae-seok was bewildered by the exnation. "What? 20 times the output? No, what kind of upgrade could be done every day? And an upgrade to such an extent?"


    "It has been 20 years for me. It''s enough time to upgrade it."


    "...Alright then. Come to think of it, you did say that that was how the time in that Unique World or something flowed. If it''s already to this extent in the Intermediate-difficulty stage, then the High-difficulty stage will be even worse, won''t it?"


    His words contained signs of worry, but I roughly shrugged and disregarded it. Honestly it wasn''t really a big deal. Then, I said, "Oh, and you, this thing."


    Thud. I ced a new Gigas down again. It was also 2.5 meters tall, but its weight was not evenparable to that of ck Tortoise.


    "It''s the Vermillion Bird, one of the Four Guardian Beasts. It''s made of 100 percent specially processed Mithril. It''s made to focus on speed battles and flight is possible. Although Vermillion is included in its name, as you can see, it''s ck in color. There''s a ceiling in the stage, so don''t act up and fly around, and just focus on fighting a speed battle." Just like that, I handed over the Gigas and had a quick chat with the two of them while having lunch. Then, after a while, I returned to the Albatross ship by invoking Recall. "So busy, it''s really busy. Genie, how''s the score records for The Great War?"


    A considerable amount of data is being updated. There are most probably a lot of people who are testing it because they have improved their skills of handling a Gigas while progressing with the stage.. Hooohhh. Genie¡¯s voice trailed off as she drew a sharp breath. This was a rare urrence.


    I asked, "Is there some sort of problem?"


    It''s not a problem. It''s just that... There''s someone who scored 1.7 million points.


    "Oh, really?" I raised an eyebrow.


    yers who scored more than 100,000 points in The Great War Ranking System could qualify as a reserve pilot. If they scored more than 500,000 points, they would be treated as a skilled pilot. They would only be treated as a top-ss pilot who could ride a Human-rank Gigas or greater if they scored more than 1 million points. Moreover, if they scored more than 10 million points, they would be ssified as a pilot with the qualifications of a Gigant Master who could ride on a Star-rank or greater.


    "Then doesn''t that mean that it''s a pilot great enough to ride on a Human-rank Gigas?"


    I don''t think that''s necessarily the case. That score was calibrated in exchange for excluding the existence of Ability.


    Piloting was, of course, an important factor for a Gigas pilot, but what really mattered was the spiritual talent to possess and use Ability. Without this talent, aside from them not having their own Ability, they also couldn''t use the Ability built-in in the Gigas. Needless to say, it was impossible to exceed the limits of Ability unless the piloting control was excellent.


    "But it''s all for naught. Even with that talent, there''s no Ability built into the Gigas I made anyway," Imented. That was the most essential limit of my Gigas, which did not have an Iron Heart. I was proud of the fact that I had made a Beast-rank with my own hands, but as long as the foundation of it was a Lightning Heart or a Soul Engine, and not an Iron Heart, the limitations were clear.


    "Well, that''s good news, anyway. It''ll be worth it to assign a Gigas to that yer." At the moment when I nodded¡­


    Captain-nim, all the expeditioners has got on board Eden.


    "Great, then I''ll bring it out right away." I immediately used the Warp function of the Albatross ship. The set coordinates were where the most prospective migrants existed, and the ce where the expeditioners wanted to go the most. It was New York.


    Shiiiiiiing! However, as soon as we were teleporting¡­


    "It''s Iron Mask!"


    "Waaaaaaaaaaah!!!"


    "He really came! It''s the real Iron Mask!"


    "Ohhh, Dear God!!"


    "Iron Mask! Iron Mask!"


    I could only feel confused by the sudden thunderous roars. "W-What are these people doing?"


    A white man approached me as I was in a state of bewilderment. "I wee you to America! To be able to meet you is..."


    "Ah, wait. Wait a minute." First, I raised out my palm and stopped him from continuing. Fortunately, the location we arrived in was quite arge area and there were no high-rise buildings nearby. And upon confirming that environment, I mustered up my power. "Uuushaaa. One, two." I took out the Carrier, Eden.

 Vol 2. 97: The Salvation of God (34)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 97: The Salvation of God (34)</h4>


    I brought Eden into the real world from the Unique World, and it felt like I was lifting it. In fact, I was adding my strength to Eden''s self-supporting movement. I used a waist-up motion, like a deadlift, so it looked like the spaceship was being pulled out of my pants¡¯ pocket.


    The basic concept of the Carrier Eden was simple. It was made sturdy so it didn¡¯t break easily, and it was made simply so it could be repaired as much as needed. And, no matter what, it was made big.


    Kuhkk! As the huge mass that did not exist pushed into the real world, a strong wind rushed towards the surrounding area. The people groaned at the iing wind...and the whole city of New York instantly fell into darkness.


    Tang! Tang! Tang! Along with a rough sound, the dark city lit up again. Although it was restored to its original state quickly, the scene that revealed itself waspletely different from before. This was because the new light source was not the sun, but the lights embedded on the huge steel sphere that floated in the sky.


    "T-T-This..." The white man who greeted me with confidence looked up at the sky with a pale face. He looked at me again and stammered.


    However, I paid him no attention. I don¡¯t even know who he was in the first ce. I delivered my words through Eden instead of worrying about useless things, "Arrived in New York. Expeditioners of the United States Expedition should get ready to descend immediately, and crew members should prepare to ept migrants that want toe over." While I gave my instructions, Eden, which was in a spherical-form, rotated and the floor opened. Then, arge cylindrical structure faced towards the bottom.


    After that, reports from Eden entered my ears. Expeditioners of the United States Expedition! ck Tiger Kim Jong-pil and other 817 people! Starting to descend! Along with the report, light radiated from the cylindrical structure that aimed at the bottom. The surprised people screamed, but of course, it was not an attack.


    Whooooooong---! The beam of light shone on the empty floor, and radiated in a radius of about 200 meters, and the Gigas from Eden descended down the path of light. The people looked at that scene with necks so stretched out that they threatened to break.


    In reality, it was a sight that no ordinary human being could have seen. This was because the Huge Carrier, equivalent to the size of a city, had raised its altitude significantly to avoid crushing the city. Not to mention the Beast-rank Gigas which only had a slightlyrger size than humans, how could people even confirm the existence of Eden by looking up from the ground? To them, it would look more like dust flying around. However, the current Earth''s average level of humanity was approaching Level 7, a magical state.


    "T-They jumped down!"


    "It''s a Gigas! Gigas are falling down! There are a lot of them!"


    "Huh? But what type of model is that? It''s nothing like the Gigas I''ve seen before...?"


    "ck Tiger!! There''s a ck Tiger! Mo, don''t tell me those Gigas are all Beast-rank Gigas?!"


    At this point, there were nearly a billion units of Avatar Series spread to others, and even more Controllers had been distributed. Therefore, it created an environment where it was possible to y The Great War. Needless to say, information on Gigas was quite widely avable. Since The Great War itself acted as a tutorial for pilots, many people had also learned about the rank of the Gigas, namely God-Star-Human-Beast-Tool.


    Most of all, the greatest superstar among the current humanity, Iron Mask, is a Production-type ability user and a Gigas pilot.


    "What do you mean superstar..."


    I mean exactly what I said, a superstar. There are probably more than one or twopanies that have asked for Napoleon to be put into their corporate logos. Some of them even offered nk checks.


    "A nk check? What a load of nonsense. I think I''m going to make the business into a nk sheet." I scoffed. Of course, more than half of the current human race was watching my y, so the advertising effect must be enormous. However, it was literally ridiculous to think about advertising in these perilous times when humanity might go extinct.


    Boom! Boom boom! While I wasining, the rapidly descending Gigas were seennding on the ground. Among the Gigas, the models which had flying capabilities were rare, but the pir of light radiating from Eden was a kind of gravitational field, allowing proper control of the descending speed.


    The expeditioners who reached the ground reacted differently. Some of them already got off from the Gigas to breathe in the fresh air.


    "It''s Earth! It''s the sky! Look at that! It''s New York, the city I''ve only seen in movies!"


    "Wow, there are a lot of people! Were they waiting for us?"


    The people seemed to be skinny and light, as if they might fly away.


    "I''m back... Yes. I''m finally back in the end."


    "I can do it. I can do it. I will make it happen..."


    "Father, mother. My friends..."


    There were people in a solemn mood, as if they were ready for death.


    "The stage! The time for the stage is 7 p.m., right?"


    "I-, I want to eat Earth''s food!"


    There were even those who looked like they were on a trip.


    At first nce, it was a chaotic atmosphere. However, these people were the elites who had carried out the Leonhardt Empire''s curriculum for at least 3 to 10 years. The support AI installed in the Gigas itself was also linked to Genie, so there was no need to worry about any idents.


    "President-nim."


    "You are... Don''t tell me, are you Lieutenant Hans?"


    "Long time no see."


    "How can this be?! My God, you''ve be an old man now!" The white man who weed me earlier held hands with one of the expeditioners.


    ''That person is the President? The President of the United States was a poker yer or something, wasn''t he?'' However, it did sh past my mind that the political scene must have also experienced cataclysmic changes in this chaotic time. At a time when all unjust politicians couldn''t carry their faces around, including the president, it was probably a natural phenomenon for many politicians to be divided.


    The new president seemed to want to talk to me, but he couldn''t do as he pleased because of the natural interference of the expeditioners who knew my temperament. ''What more is he trying to do? Just with the full power of the expeditioners, it would be enough help though.'' Without a doubt, this number of expeditioners, even armed with Beast-rank Gigas, was a force that seemingly symbolized a wee rainfall for the United States¡¯ metaphorical drought. This was because they were raiders, prepared to clear the stage at least 1,000 to 10,000 times.


    "Genie, where are the migration applicants?"


    I''ll mark them for you right away. Following Genie''s guidance, I went to the migration applicants who had been informed by the notice and stood by in advance.


    I limited the number of people to be epted to the Native World to 100,000 people a day, because epting too many without any measures in ce would cause the resources in the Unique World to be scarce. On the other hand, the Carrier, Eden, could ept billions of people.


    But to do so, we would need that much more resources.


    "That''s a given."


    Now, Eden just had a huge steel residential area and it did not even have a day''s worth of food in its reserves. After all, Genie had no intention of leaking the resources from the Unique World, which was already limited.


    As I have said before, Eden ns to ept external wealth.


    "Because it''s in a different situation than the Unique World, where only the body could be brought in. I''ll leave that matter to you.


    I''ll take care of it smoothly.


    I singled out the personnel who would enter the Unique World. Thepetition was not as tight as it used to be, since there was now an alternative called Eden. The death toll in the stage had stabilized to some extent, too.


    ''But that doesn''t mean we''re short of migrants,'' I thought, but this was somewhat of a given. Even if they could clear the stage without any immediate problems right now...the level of the stage would continue to go up. The despair that was spread throughout the entire Earth had only lifted slightly. The people were still afraid of the future.


    I brought people into the Unique World over a period of hours, and Eden also showed itself to the entire world and epted migrants.


    It was something I was prepared for, but it''s heavy...


    Eden could stay afloat indefinitely with the force of the gravitational field enveloping the entire ship, but it did not have any means of movement. It could only propel itself by moving with the bird-shaped Albatross ship pushing it. It was fascinating, because it all looked like a bird flying with a coconut bigger than its body.


    "What a great fuss over nothing." I chuckled and continued my task. I looked for pilots that scored high points in The Great War and confirmed their scores, then I handed over Gigas that suited them. I wanted to give them to the right pilots, because those Gigas were made by myself.


    "Ah-, hello!!"


    "...Yeah. Hi?" I smiled naturally at a child who looked to be just a middle school student. However, inwardly, I was in the middle of being surprised. ''What''s this?''


    30 Avatars are being controlled simultaneously.


    Ridiculously enough, thirty units of Goblin stood still as if they were guarding her. The Goblins, who stood idly, nced over at me in a very lively manner. It was as if they were alive. Moreover, she wasn''t even wearing a helmet.


    Genie said, as if she was dumbfounded. Oh my God, it''s an Ability. Moreover, it''s enlightened to the point that it can be used without an Iron Heart¡­


    Ares, who was recently more interested in the Unique World than the real world, also butted in, This is a talent that might be able to be a Gigant Master if they''re lucky¡­ There was someone like this on Earth, huh.


    Rather, this is a case where they experienced a loss because of the system of The Great War.


    I lowered my posture and made eye contact with the girl while listening to the two control personas. Thinking about it, the girl was someone I had seen before. "Was she called Kim So-hyang?" She was a young brat who received a Justice Weapon because of her good deed, killing the bank robbers with the Goblin she controlled. I still remembered the scene where Myeong-wol cried, and couldn''t even prevent or wait to watch the murder happened.


    "Huh?! Do you know me, Iron Mask-nim?"


    "I happened to see you before. You''ve grown a lot in the time I haven''t seen you."


    "Hehe. I''ve been in the stage for quite some time. But even so, I''m no match for those who stayed in the stage for a really long time!"


    The stage was mixed-up, messing up everyone''s time zone around the world, but there were not many cases where children grew up quickly. Having been in the stage for a long time meant that she cleared the stage several times, but it was not easy for a child to repeatedly clear the stage that even the superhumans found difficult¡­ I looked at So-hyang.


    Lee Family


    Level 15


    Military Corps, Kim So-hyang


    ''She''s Level 15 despite leading the Goblins. And at this young age too.'' I pulled my right hand back and smiled. Boom! I put the gray giant down on the ground.


    So-hyang opened her eyes round after seeing that sight. "Iron Mask-nim?"


    "It''s White Tiger, a Four Guardian Beast. It''s quite a shame. If I had known that there was a brat like you, I would have made a Gray Lion or something." However, it was just a shame, and I disregarded it. I exined White Tiger''s function to her. "It''s a model specialized for automaticbat. It''s a model made for a pilot who has the right ability for macro, but... You can use it differently. The output is low, butbat can be sustained for a long time, so it''s better to n for the situation and move around."


    "A-Are you giving it to me?"


    "A gift." I stood up. I was in a good mood because of the unexpected gift I received. Then, I checked the time. Before I knew it, it was 6:30 p.m., so the Level 14 High-difficulty test was nearing.


    "Genie, what''s the number of migrants on board of Eden?"


    170 million people. It''s not as much as we worried it would be.


    "Because there are over 2 billion people who can enter the Cradle of Justice."


    I came back to Gyeongbokgung Pce after finishing all the work I nned for beforehand. In the end, I left Azure Dragon untouched because there was no one to give it to. There were many excellent wizards, but there weren''t any excellent wizards who could be used as pilots.


    Then finally, the time flowed on and it was Friday 7 p.m.. The stage began.


    - Stage will be open!


    - Level 14. Difficulty is set to high.


    - Kill the Death Knight King within 300 hours..


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­.


    "For starters, isn''t that a normal objective?" I asked. Based on the trend so far, the Death Knight King was probably Level 15. It was the Maginot Line for the Guardians who have made great contributions to clearing the stage so far. In other words, it meant that more yers would be put onboard a Gigas from now on, and the burden should be reduced by cutting down the number of yers participating in the test.


    Will there be any expedient this time around?


    "We''ll have to find out to know... It''s just that it''s getting harder to find." When I was grumbling¡­


    -Warning: 2,212,114,331 people are outside the area.


    -The system will be partially updated.


    -Difficulty Highest will be added.


    -The quota of people outside the area until the end of the stage will be added to the group battle as enemies.


    "Ahh, it''s doing something weird again." The Highest difficulty, and a group battle¡­ I shook my head as I saw the actions I endlesslyplimented when ying other games that happened in front of my eyes. "What''s with therge-scale update..."

 Vol 2. 98: The Salvation of God (35)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 98: The Salvation of God (35)</h4>


    It was as I had expected, since it was hard to find an expedient and it seemed impossible to y in a bug-like way. It was not because the stage was a God-game that hadpletely gotten rid of all the bug factors.


    "No, this shit..." I mumbled to myself in disbelief. "Isn''t it too simple..."


    There weremonalities being maintained throughout the stages regardless of level; a powerful but too hard to find, expendable weapon, a frightening and repugnant environment in which one''s mind would fall apart with time, a vicious trap, enemies with strengths and weaknesses¡­ There were also many other factors. However, it was now different.


    I looked at the white Holy Sword stuck in the middle of the empty hole with a puzzled look. "The main weapon is just left out in the open, huh." I noticed that this change was apanied by a weakening of power.


    "It''s just a structure made out of one big room, with no traps and no mazes to wander around." I realized that it was now impossible for monsters tounch a surprise attack, because the monsters would perceive me and be summoned by my action of pulling out the sword in front of me.


    "It feels off. It''s not even difficult to find, and for every enemy I defeat, there is plenty of water and food provided," I grumbled, knowing that there was no way for me to escape from the monsters. I definitely had to fight. In other words, in return for Project End lowering the difficulty of the stage, it was now impossible for the strategy guide to be used on the stage.


    Clink! As soon as I pulled out the Holy Sword embedded on the floor, a new Holy Sword was created in its ce. A Death Knight was summoned after that. Kwakkkkk! Only after I summoned Napoleon''s long sword and killed the summoned Death Knight in a single blow did a text pop up.


    -Congrattions! You won!


    -You have killed 9 out of 10 Death Knights!


    -The Death Knight King will make its appearance after all the Death Knights have been defeated!


    -Please pull out the Holy Sword after you have had sufficient meals and rest!


    Everything felt...really kind. The current situation had the whole process being literally exined in a kind, pleasing manner. To me, it felt mocking.


    The structure is so simple that there''s no leeway to raid it.


    "No, wouldn¡¯t this current situation ruin its concept? What kind of horror is this? Is it horror because I¡¯m fighting with a Death Knight, which is essentially a corpse?" I raised an eyebrow.


    There was no such thing as a sure-win method in janggi and baduk[1] The same could be said for the new form of the stage.


    This process of defeating one enemy and resting before defeating another was the basic repetition of the Low-difficulty stage 10 times. There wasn''t any confusing or secret hidden element anywhere, and was just a head-on confrontation. If I were to make a strategy guide, I could create one that aimed at the Death Knight''s attack pattern. However, that was a strategy guide that anyone could make. I don¡¯t have to be the one to do it.


    Kwaaaaaak! I swung the sword and crushed the Death Knight King. For me, being on board the Napoleon, there was no particr difference between the Level 14 Death Knights or the Level 15 Death Knight King.


    -Clear!


    - Do you want to start the next battle? If you knock down the enemies in quick session, your number of clears will cancel the corresponding number of Death Procession. At the end of the stage, the Death Procession that isn''t retracted will be confirmed and cannot be reversed.


    "Start." Once I responded, the background reverted back to its initial clean state. Again, there was a Holy Sword stuck in the middle of the empty hole.


    Clink! The moment I pulled out the Holy Sword, another Holy Sword appeared in its ce. Clinkkk! Clink! Clinkkkkkk! Clink! I pulled out the Holy Sword a few times in a row, which essentially summoned one Death Knight after another.


    Clinkkk! Clink! Clinkkkkkk! Clink! Clinkkk! The Holy Swords that I pulled out tumbled on the floor. Those were pretty powerful Divine Objects, but they were nothing more than junk items from my perspective. After all, I was currently on board the Napoleon. Looking at the 10 Death Knights that were summoned, I¡­


    Bzzzappp! As I swung the long sword, worthy of Napoleon''s overwhelming size at 30 meters tall, the vast empty hole was swept away by a storm.


    Crackle crackle!!! In one stroke, five Death Knights were swept away. I aimed for all the enemies with one strike, but the remaining five managed to run light lightning or lean down to avoid the attack. In fact, the remaining ones even aimed for a counterattack.


    Tataaaak!!! However, the lethal attack that was exerted by the ck Sword Qi only left Napoleon''s body with some light scratches.


    Crackle crackle!! Bones flew everywhere, as all 10 Death Knights were annihted with just two swings. Then, the Death Knight King was summoned. However...Napoleon''s sword was already swinging down on its head.


    How dare you?! The Death Knight King, who surprisingly recited a line of words, released a ck Sword Qi. Then, it struck Napoleon''s sword with amazing reflexes. Although it had a really quick response¡­


    Squakkk! It was unable to block the attack which could even crush the rib bones of a Level 19 Specter Dragon.


    "Genie, how long did it take?"


    Including the restart time, 11 minutes and 28 seconds.


    "I can reduce the time even further."


    -Do you want to start the next battle?


    -Do you want to start the next battle?


    -Do you want to start...


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights was a martial arts style, but it was less of a form of martial arts and more like a technique that used vibrations. Therefore, the better the understanding of vibration, the more variations thebat method had. Hence, rather than restricting itself in some form, it was more effective to use a simple and intuitive way to fight. And, that kind of freedom suited my style that included all sorts of special powers.


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights. Blue¡­ Wiiiiiing!! The longsword containing a strong vibration, which tore apart the 10 Death Knights, also massacred the Death Knight King.


    Including the restart time, 10 minutes and 15 seconds.


    Including the restart time, 10 minutes and 1 seconds.


    Including the restart time, 9 minutes and 24 seconds.


    I kept shaving the time off. From 8 minutes and 58 seconds to 8 minutes and 33 seconds, then 7 minutes and 50 seconds. Later, I cleared the stage within 7 minutes and 48 seconds. A momentter, it was 7 minutes and 40 seconds. Then...


    Including the restart time, 6 minutes and 15 seconds! It''s a new record!


    "Ahhh, it''s getting tough. Although the fighting time only takes a few minutes, the text announcement, the summoning time, and the restart time are almost 5 minutes long." Grumbling, I hung the vibrating longsword across my back. The sword, in the form of a Long Sword, was inserted into the spine, which was like a sheath.


    -Clear!


    - Do you want to start the next battle? If you knock down the enemies in quick session, your number of clears will cancel the corresponding number of Death Procession. At the end of the stage, the Death Procession that isn''t retracted will be confirmed and cannot be reversed.


    "Genie, how many times have I cleared the stage?"


    You''ve cleared it 3,749 times now.


    "So I''ve done about one-third of it? How long has it been?"


    It''s been 26 days, 8 hours and 34 minutes.


    "That means if I keep working my ass off, I can finish 10,000 times in much less time than 100 days then."


    I expected that it would take ''at least'' 100 days, but things havepletely changed.


    Thetest update, taking on this simple structure, was not all just bad. It had be impossible for those who were incapable of getting points, since it couldn¡¯t be cleared with the strategy guide. However, the y time had been shortened, which was a favorable situation for multi-time yers who cleared the stage more than once. Moreover, even if they did not have the Throne of Honor, wasn''t this a situation where they were given sufficient food and water?


    -Do you want to start the next battle?


    -If you don''t start in 2 minutes and 30 seconds, the challenge wille to an end.


    "Challenge." Once I responded, I invoked Steel-ification. My consciousness naturally moved over to the Unique World.


    As I sneaked a look, I saw Napoleon pulling out the Holy Sword, which was a Bastard Sword of a considerable size. The sword was understandably short inparison to the nearly five-meter-tall Napoleon who wielded it. It looked a little shabby, but it was a necessary weapon for Napoleon, who couldn¡¯t use the Iron Heart''s soul power or Ability if not for thepensation of the book and I.


    "How are the neers?"


    They have been ced at the basic amodations. There are more people who chose to take a break or observe the atmosphere of the existing members than those who entered training or hardbor. But, there are also a lot of people who just spend their time ying games.


    "Well, ying around is not a big problem now. Just don''t let it be a problemter." After saying so, I headed to the bathroom. Unlike my sweaty body in the stage, I waspletely clean and simply immersed myself in the bathtub to refresh myself. Taking a long break, I then asked, "Genie, how many people are going to die in the stage this time?"


    Probably a considerable amount. However, it''s not to the point where it will be of concern.


    "Howe?"


    Because those whock the capabilities will not even challenge the stage in the first ce. This situation is simr to how it was in the Low-difficulty stage. And unlike the Low-difficulty stage, 5,000 units of Beast-rank Gigas are added into this particr fray.


    The addition of the Beast-rank Gigas would certainly produce encouraging results, because the Beast-rank Gigas were mainly given to Low-ranking yers who had talents in piloting. They weren¡¯t given to the yers who cleared the stage hundreds and thousands of times by ying nth-amount of times. Still, I did wonder if they were enough to fill the gap of the missing strategy guide.


    There are also pilots who have been raised in the Unique World. They are quite talented personnels, because they are elites who havepleted the Leonhart Empire''s curriculum.


    As I listened to Genie, I thought for a moment. If I wanted to, I could achieve a Perfect Clear on the stage this time, because there was a loophole that had already been discovered. ''But if I use that method, the Project End stage would somehow cope with it.''


    Project End was somehow coping with the expedient methods I had used so far. With the number of ys that had not even been mentioned limited to 10,000 times, there was no way I could tolerate the situation of ''I will clear the stages for the whole of mankind''.


    In other words, there was only one way to use this method. ''This judgment of mine may kill tens of millions of people.'' And it was currently not an emergency situation. It was still Level 14, and my method couldn¡¯t be used now. After all, we still had to get past Level 15, Level 16, and Level 17.


    "Yeah... Let''s have faith." After saying so, I essed the stage using the Justice Weapon. Since I had already uploaded a post saying that there was no strategy guide, I roughly disregarded the rtively small number of viewers and examined the battle scene. Napoleon, standing at an unusually short height of five meters, smashed the Death Knight like an adult bullying a child. Noting the situation, I nodded. "Good. It''s much stronger."


    Napoleon''s performance was constantly upgraded as my Gigas production capabilities grew and the Enchanter Corps'' capabilities improved. In fact, Napoleon was the one who had all the abilities of the Four Guardian Beasts and the Golden Dragon.


    There are 13 types of incantations in the cape alone.


    "That''s not supposed to be 13 types. There are three types of effects that ovep."


    Even with its huge size, I looked at Napoleon for a moment and fell asleep quietly. Then, I had a dream. ''Napol, Napol, Napoleon...''


    "Ah, damn it, what kind of crappy dream is this? Am I tired from piloting it for just a month?" I was baffled and spontaneously rested for a week to make up for all my concentration. Then, I went back to the workshop after regaining some mentalposure.


    "To be honest, if I was determined, I could finish it in much less than 100 days, but..." However, as I thought about it more, there was no reason to purposely do that. If I were to progress while matching the update rate of the crazy Project End, I would need a distorted and advantageous flow of time.


    Just like that, a few months passed. Now, in addition to Soul Engines, I could now use Enchant in all sorts of areas. The growth of the Enchanter Corps, which was now the main faction of the Unique World, made that possible.


    Half a year had passed again. By now, the weapon, armor, and even each of the springs and screws of the Gigas were also enchanted with magic. I began mass-producing Double Engine and Triple Engine Systems. I even tried building a Quadra Engine, but no other pilot could control it other than me. "I''ll have to take it to So-hyangter."


    There was a lot to look forward to from the young girl. In fact, it was no exaggeration to say that she was the only human being in the present world who had the potential to ride a Star-rank Gigas.


    Then, time went by again, and on the first year¡­ I thought about how to attach more traits into one part...when a text appeared in front of my eyes.


    -Death Procession has all been cancelled.


    -Congrattions! The stage has been cleared perfectly! Rewards are given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 7th.


    "¡­Uh." I paused, because the text appeared when Napoleon had barely exceeded the 5,000th Clear. Whether I stood up due to bewilderment or not, the stage had ended. "Huh? Huuuuuuuhhhhhh?????" In a good way, I knew that there was something unimaginable going on.


    1. Janggi and Baduk are traditional Korean board games, equivalent to checkers and chess.

 Vol 2. 99: The Salvation of God (36)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 99: The Salvation of God (36)</h4>


    "So..." I asked after hearing Min-kyung''s exnation, which she gave upon leaving the stage. "A devotee?"


    "That''s right. There are already a lot of people who believe in the Three Gods[1] but it''s a little more serious. To be exact... Let''s see. The term ¡®priest¡¯ would be right," Min-kyung said and seemingly sped her hands in prayer. Woooong! In an instant, her level rose by one. Upon closer look, there was a subtle energy swirling around her.


    "Did you dedicate your faith to the Three Gods?"


    "It''s a little different, because I don''t worship any of the Three Gods. I just thought¡­ I was trying to believe in my own justice and do my best to be truthful, but I qualified." As she said so, Min-kyung exined her new power, Oath of the Three Elements. "At the beginning of this stage, I heard the voice of the Three Elements God. It was the same way they first approached humanity." She then rified that it was unlike before, since it was not a voice passed on to all mankind.


    Hearing that a sort of qualification was needed, I asked, "What qualifications?"


    "Justice, truth, honor all have to be above the Bronze Rank."


    "That''s not an easy condition." I clicked my tongue. Living justly did not necessarily mean receiving respect, living truthfully was not necessarily righteous, and¡­ There was more human trash among those with great honor than those among unrighteous liars. I thought perhaps only chairmen ofrge corporations, presidents, or even a dictator had honor, or not.


    But Min-kyung shook her head. "It''s not that rare. A righteous person is more likely to speak the truth than someone who is not, and a righteous and true person is also more likely to have honor. Most of all, isn''t this a situation where there are people who have served justice as an ''external means''? If this is the case, we can pledge an oath with just integrity and honor."


    "That''s how it happened again, huh."


    "Well, that''s just in extreme cases. Most of the high-ranking priests are righteous and truthful people. It''s a world where honor can be earned only by being just and truthful."


    ''There must be very few priests in the Unique World,'' I wondered. This was unsurprising, since the selected ones were mainly those who could not enter the Cradle of Justice. It was impossible for them to proceed with the stage. As a result, humans who came to the Unique World were the so-called ''leading people of society''.


    ''Though most of them are menial beings.'' I clicked my tongue inwardly. It was not a joke, but the desire, ambition, and craftiness of these menial beings were really out of the ordinary. They moved on smoothly because Genie had managed it perfectly, but I would have been greatly troubled if they were left alone to live in the Unique World without her help. In actual fact, Genie kept things under control countless times. If not for her, it was no exaggeration that more than half of them would have died at my hands.


    ''Fortunately, the extremely wicked beings were filtered out.'' The current Earth was hell for the wicked beings. Those with bad Karma who crossed a certain line all had difficulty protecting their own lives, even if they were people in great power.


    If the opponent was an extremely wicked being, then a Justice Weapon could be obtained by just killing one of them. Even if that wasn¡¯t the case, they could amass good Karma by erasing their own bad Karma from killing these wicked beings.


    There was no use in hiding, because a being with a Justice Weapon could sense a being with bad Karma. There was no use in hiring a bodyguard with great capabilities to get rid of the curtain of humanity, because that bodyguard would be the one who would kill the wicked being. It was a world where the rule ofw had copsed. The murderer of the wicked beings would amass Justice Points instead, and would not be punished anywhere or be punished by anyone.


    A murderer who killed a person for a purpose. An arsonist who set a fire as a joke. A rapist who wielded his bottom member for pleasure. A swindler who robbed countless people of their wealth. All the wicked beings who did not pay for their sins by means of money, power, and connections ended up dead. Neither the chairman of arge corporation, the CEO of a mediapany, nor a politician could avoid death. The ''official viins'' living on Earth now were really just a handful.


    "So what exactly is the Oath of the Three Elements?"


    "It''s a kind of power-up through restrictions and prohibitions. It''s a pledge based on self-imposed terms within the categories of justice, truth, and honor. But the important thing is...you cannot simply pledge an oath for anything else."


    "What does that mean?"


    "For instance, if you''re going to swear that ''I won''t lie'', it is obvious that you won''t do it in the future... But you must make sure to have never done it ever in your life." Min-kyung knelt down on one knee before praying.


    - I won''t tell lies to harm others.


    - I''ll do my best in the roles I y a part in.


    - I''ll do virtuous deeds as and when I have the leisure to do so.


    Woooooooong! Once Min-kyung finished her prayers, I could feel the power surrounding her body subtly strengthening. She then stood back up and said, "¡­This is how it goes."


    "What happens if you break it?"


    "The power umted by the prayer will be reduced and I will be punished."


    "There won''t be anything that will lead you to break your oath during the stage, so it''s basically a non-existent penalty." I nodded. In the end, that was what it meant.


    Although Project End created an intuitive y style that made it impossible to raid the stage with the strategy guide, in such a state where the overallbat power of mankind increased, the stage would be easily broken.


    "So it''s the priests who are above me in ranking?"


    "We are not able to know who the final members of the stage are. However, we can guess the identity of the high-ranking priests." Min-kyung handed me a note, which had dozens of names written on it.


    "Human rights activists, world-ss actors, popes, politicians. Oh, there''s a Korean, too." I widened my eyes, since the name was even an acquaintance.


    "Yes, it''s Monk Myeong-wol. From what I heard, he pledged a 7 Verse Oath. It was extremely difficult to find someone who would make a 1 Verse Oath, so what kind of life has he lived¡­?"


    "It seems that it gets exponentially stronger with the type and number of oaths made." I have cleared the Level 14 High-difficulty stage over 5,000 times. This was definitely not a small number. No, rather, it was a number that could be considered an incredible feat. However, that incredible feat was surpassed by not just one or two, but six more people!


    "But even if so, wasn''t a Gigas pilot in the first ce?"


    "Don''t tell me, are you trying to offer me somefort? Well, it''s a delightful thing." I snorted.


    That''s right. In the end, the one who cleared the stage 10,000 times and was ranked 1st ce in contribution was So-hyang, the genius pilot. At present, she belonged to the Lee Family, so Min-kyung also knew that for a fact. It was a surprise. How fast was her clear speed that she could fill up 10,000 clears in the Level 14 High-difficulty stage, which ended in just a year?


    "Well, I''ll find out soon enough."


    "It''s been a while since I''ve had a break, but...it seems that will be the case." Once those words left my mouth, the background changed.


    - Stage will be open!


    - Level 14. Difficulty is set to highest.


    -No time limit. Wipe out the Death Knights and Death Knight King unit.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­.


    "I knew this would happen. They''re taking away the only rest day we have."


    So far, the stages were held twice a week and there was a day off. In the case of the early levels, the Level 1 Low-difficulty stage was held on Sunday at 7 p.m., Intermediate-difficulty stage was held on Monday, and the High-difficulty stage was held on Tuesday. Then, the Level 2 Low-difficulty stage was held on Wednesday, Intermediate-difficulty stage was held on Thursday, and the High-difficulty stage was held on Friday. On Saturday, there was no stage. It was a rare day off, but now they squeezed in the Highest-difficulty stage in the end.


    "Rather, I should say that it''s a relief that there are only Death Knights, and no Level 13 Chimeras or Evil Spirits." I noted, since this was an emergency patch update that was suddenly added.


    "W-Where is this?"


    "It''s the Highest-difficulty stage! Damn it, it''s really happening!"


    "Oh my God, it''s so vast!"


    Unlike the stages so far, the surroundings were full of people. Moreover, most of them were familiar faces. "We''re here together huh," Imented. For starters, in front of me was Min-kyung, whom I just spoke to.


    "Kyung-eun! Phew, that''s a relief that we''re together... Huh? Dae-ha is here too, isn''t it? Ehh? Chief Kim-nim?"


    Jae-seok, Kyung-eun, and people who I had in my recent memories were all around me. Of course, I did not know everyone, but just some among the hundreds of thousands of people around.


    -The wave will begin in 8 minutes. It will be repeated at hourly intervals. The regen count is until all assigned Death Knights are annihted.


    -Categorization of people is based on the rtionship level.


    -The number of enemies regenerated is proportional to the number of yers gathered.


    "As expected."


    "Ahhh, oh my God. It looks like there''s a million people here. Does that mean there''s a million Death Knightsing at once?"


    "Gather together for now!!! AS formation! We have to make a formation!!"


    "Are there any other yers?"


    "We see about a million people 10 kilometers to the east, too! I can see it on the west, south, and north sides too!"


    "Damn it, is it like a baduk board[2]!?"


    "By the way, how do you know when it''s that far away? You even know the headcount?"


    "I''m a level 17 Chaser, alright? I can tell just by looking! It''s exactly one million!"


    Soon, the confusion subsided and everyone began to do something. You might ask why everyone was adapting so quickly, but this was only expected. The stage had been in existence for more than a day or two. Everyone still alive were veterans who had survived on stage for at least two months to some decades.


    It was also a great merit that people who knew each other were tied up and sent here together, because the process of making a fuss about finding people had disappeared. And most of all¡­


    "Everyone! Please rx and set up a formation! There''s nothing to be flustered or afraid of! Look around! There are only Koreans here! I just checked that all the groups in the north, east, west, and south are all Koreans!"


    There were objections from all over the ce at the shouts resonating to all directions probably due to an ability that was used.


    "No, it''s good to cheer up, but why does it matter that they are Koreans?"


    "Don''t say stuff like asking us to rx!!! We only have five minutes of fight time left!"


    "Ah, this person really! How tactless! Don''t you understand what it means to have only Koreans here? The fact that Koreans are gathered here means that, at the very least, he is around here too!"


    "Oh! I see!!"


    "Now now, everybody, calm down! Don''t be scared and let''s stay calm!"


    I squinted at the screams and shoutsing from all over the ce. Looking around, everyone nearby was staring at me as I had expected.


    "Kekeke. That''s right. Everyone shouldn''t forget that." Jae-seok ced his arms on my shoulders. Before I knew it, there was a ck giant standing next to him. "We have the nuclear power, Iron Mask."


    Shiiiiingggg! As it was activated, the Beast-rank Gigas, ck Tortoise, had bright, shining eyes. Iughed at the ridiculous situation, but nodded. "Well, you''re right."


    I received additional migrants to the Unique World even after I cleared the Level 14 High-difficulty stage. Then, I again epted hundreds of millions of people to get on board Eden and flew them into space.


    But unlike ever before, I did not release the Gigas. It was not because the one year spent on this stage was short. The productivity of Gigas of the Unique World was a number that could never be disregarded even by the number of Gigas made in a year, so there was no other reason why I didn''t release the Gigas. That reason was to use it at this moment.


    "Genie, get ready to go out."


    Getting ready to go out. Gentlemen, are you all done preparing?


    Preparation has beenpleted!!!


    Preparation has beenpleted!!!


    Preparation has beenpleted!!!


    Preparation has beenpleted!!!


    Numerous pilots in the central square who had been examining their Gigas shouted out loudly. Needless to say, they were all already aboard their Gigas. The me in the Unique World reached out to the guys at the very front and I ced my hand on the armor. "If so." Then, I threw them into the fray of the stage. "Deploy!"


    1. Three Gods, also known as Samshin, are the three leading gods of Korea, known as Hwanin, Hwanwoong, and Tangun. They are the triple goddesses of childbirth and fate in Korean mythology.


    2. Baduk is a Korean traditional board game that is like checkers or go board.

 Vol 2. 100: The Salvation of God (37)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 100: The Salvation of God (37)</h4>


    "Deploy!" Once I roared, dozens of Gigas rushed out from above me at the stage. They were Azure Hawks, flight-type Gigas.


    Papapaaatttttt!! Along with the splitting of wind, blue light was emitted from the backs of the Azure Hawks, and the Gigas elerated. I looked at the scene unfolding in front of my eyes with momentary worry. Fortunately, I heard no crashes as the ceiling was quite high.


    "Genie."


    Initiating Integrated Tactical Network operations. Connecting to all essible Gigas. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1... Connectionplete. The Gigas connected to the current Connection Network is 2,240 units.


    "Isn''t it insufficient?"


    There will still be people left in the Cradle of Justice. I''ll connect with them as soon as they make a new entrance.


    I then took out a Justice Weapon, a Carving Knife of Justice. In fact, it was an ambiguous matter to call this a weapon right now. In order to change from a carving knife to a weapon form, additional consumption of power was required. However, as there was a limit to the Justice Points that I was supported with, it was used only as a production tool without changing its shape. In addition to that, it was also used to ess the Cradle of Justice, and this was what I am doing right now.


    - You are in the Diamond rank(Temporary)!


    - essing the Cradle of Justice!


    - 1,132,119,331 people are watching you!


    The Justice Rank, which was once close to the Grand Master rank, ranked down to the Diamond Rank due to the constant consumption.


    - Wee to the Cradle of Justice.


    - You currently have 0 Justice Points.


    - You have been granted 1,511,154,561 Justice Points.


    - (Read Bulletin Board), (Watch a y), (Check Comments), (Settings)


    - Current number of users connected to the Cradle of Justice: 1,933,215,566 people


    - External users: 4,423,331 people


    The total number of users essing the Cradle of Justice was about 2 billion, but the fact that 1.9 billion of them still remained inside the Cradle meant that most of them were still observing the outside situation from inside the Cradle.


    Shiiiiiinggg! While I thought so, a gray giant descended. Boom! The ground reverberated heavily. The gray giant carried a steel backpack,rger than its own body and so heavy that the Gigas who had a powerful output staggered.


    Pitter patter!! The steel backpack was divided and soon turned into hundreds of units of Goblin, pouring down. After that, I could hear a high-pitched voice from the gray Gigas, White Tiger, which came before me.


    "Wahhh!!! Wow! Woooww! I can really show up next to Iron Mask-nim!!"


    "So-hyang?" I stared nkly at the gray Gigas. I was baffled, wondering where the little brat had appeared from. But her appearance was not thest of it.


    Shiiiing! Shiing! Shiiing! Shiiing!


    "Wow! Iron Mask-nim! Wow, I can''t believe I''m seeing you in person!"


    "Uwaaaaahhh! I''m really appearing out of here! I guess this is possible because it''s a teampetition huh!"


    As people began to appear near me in flocks, Genie watched on and said, It seems that the people who were in the Cradle of Justice are entering based on where you are, Captain-nim.


    "H-Hhello! Iron Mask-nim! Kwan Dae-ha-nim! I am really a huge fan of yours! Si-Sign..."


    "You birdbrain! It''s a nuisance to Iron Mask-nim!! The war begins in five minutes from now, alright!"


    "Don''t show a poor sight and take part in the formation!"


    "Ahh ughhh, let''s not do this! How is this any different from a bunch of stalker fans breaking into a live studio?! If you''re a fan, you ought to keep your manners!"


    Some of the people attempting to approach me were dragged and dispersed all over by some new people who appeared.


    Then, the huge White Tiger bowed at me upon seeing such a sight and said, "Well then, I look forward to your kind cooperation! I really really really like White Tiger! I''m using it well!" She stomped away to a distance. I didn''t even see her face from beginning to end, but even so, it felt like I saw a girl smiling fast.


    "Yeah. So this is how it goes."


    If they could freely set the ess location like this, there was no reason to call them up persistently. Of course, the more power the better. However, wouldn''t the number of Death Knights that simultaneously appear increase if they enter? It would be better to take advantage of the fact that they were able to ess freely and put it in the necessary ces.


    Kwaaatatak! Once I swept the floor with my hands that contained vibration, the floor broke and created five furrows. I muttered, "Fortunately, it''s destroyed. Is it made of stone? It would''ve been great if it was metal."


    Just in case, really, just in case, if it had a background like the Lake Stacy of Silence, it would seem that they would have to discard the build which could''ve been possible.


    ''Then again, it wouldn''t turn out that good.'' I kept taking out the Gigas from the Unique World and thought about it. ''What will be the size of the enemy?''


    This was the announcement at the beginning of the Level 14 High-difficulty stage:


    - Warning: 2,212,114,331 people are outside the area.


    - The system will be partially updated.


    - Difficulty Highest will be added.


    - The quota of people outside the area until the end of the stage will be added to the group battle as enemies.


    And the announcement of the Highest-difficulty stage was like this:


    - Level 14. Difficulty is set to highest.


    - No time limit. Wipe out the Death Knights and Death Knight King.


    It was a pretty kind announcement, giving us a rough idea of what the uingrge-scalebat would be like, who the enemy would be, and what the numbers would look like.


    ''It''s a good thing that only Level 14 enemies came. I was worried that Level 13 monsters would alsoe since the Highest-difficulty stage was held in the same week¡­ The Level 13 stage was held on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, whereas the Level 14 stage was held on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.'' If so, then we could rule out Evil Spirits and curse countermeasures. Although it wasted the effort we had hastily put in to prepare, this was the best case scenario since our preparation wasn¡¯t perfect. It was better to not rely on whatever we had done.


    ''The announcement said that the number of people outside the area was 2.2 billion, but that number finally decreased.'' Because as other yers, So-hyang included, did a while ago, there were many people who additionally participated in the stage after looking at the situation in the Cradle of Justice.


    ''The final number of seceders was about 1.5 billion during the Level 14 High-difficulty stage. In other words, the additional number of enemies would be 15 billion Death Knights and 1.5 billion Death Knight Kings. And during the Level 14 High-difficulty stage, a Death Knight King would be summoned for every 10 Death Knights killed.'' It was a huge number, but that was only added to the Level 14 Highest-difficulty stage.


    ''And this time, we have to note that there will be two billion seceders, with the additional 500 million flown into space while riding Eden. They didn''t even participate in the High-difficulty stage, so it would be difficult for them to challenge for the Highest-difficulty stage.''


    If I could, I wanted to let more people get on board Eden. However, it was physically unreasonable to do so. Not only were people not properly controlled, but it also took a considerable amount of time to get on board Eden. In fact, the act of bringing 500 million more people on board of Eden in one day was almost a result at random. I just put humans in, and would have to bring them back down on Earth once the stage was over, so supplies were to be supplied first.


    ''Well, anyway.'' As I was thinking so, a total of 20 billion Death Knights and 2 billion Death Knight Kings was added. Also, I was mindful that additional enemies would appear as well. ''In other words, there must be enemies hidden in the Highest-difficulty stage, but I can''t figure it out. 5 units had to be defeated in the Intermediate-difficulty stage, 10 units + 1 boss unit in the High-difficulty stage... The Highest-difficulty stage would only be worse than that, and would definitely not be any better.''


    As I roughly grasped the numbers, my eyes spun from the huge number. At the same time, it was said that ''The number of enemies regenerated is proportional to the number of yers gathered'', so it was probably safe to expect that those numbers would not charge in at once.


    "It''s starting! Stay in formation and stand by!"


    "Uwaaaaaah! There are so many people!!! No, there are people scattered all over the ce like a baduk board, so does it make sense for each group to be about one million people?"


    "Don''t cause amotion. Just go to the inner side of the formation if you''re not confident!"


    Five minutes passed in a blink of an eye, and...


    - 1st wave.


    - Start.


    The enemy appeared. Whooooosh-! In an instant, a ck storm surged forth and countless Death Knights appeared among the flock of yers. From the vision of the Azure Hawks looking down from the sky, it was like a ck baduk stone ced between the baduk stones which were initially separated.


    Scanningpleted. There are currently 1.07 billion people progressing with the stage. The number of Death Knights that appeared is the same, and there isn''t any Death Knight King sighted.


    Appearing approximately 2 kilometers away from the yers, the Death Knights did not raise their voices or emit their Aura to threaten the yers. They were just carrying swords imbued with a jet-ck Sword Qi, surging like waves.


    "Stop them!!!"


    "Everyone on board the defense-type Gigas, to the front!!!"


    "Ah, damn it. I''ve only tried doing it in solo y, but what''s with thisrge-scale war?! It wasn''t even a party y!"


    Along with the screams that resonated from all over the ce, swords and swords collided. Arrows were also fired. Magic materialized, and telekinesis as well as spiritual energy raged like typhoons. And like that...the Death Knights were starting to get wiped out.


    "Huh?"


    "Oh, what? Where''s all the Death Knights?"


    "Waahh. I didn''t even swing my de."


    Bang bang!!! Kaboom!!!! I nodded, looking at the bones that were smashed to smithereens along with the roar. "It''s a good thing that I only made the Azure Hawk and the Blue Elephant. It''s working well."


    Because it''s a situation we were prepared for to a certain extent.


    The gunfire-specialized Gigas, the Blue Elephants, which were firing long-range artillery, cooled down the heated port.


    In military terms, the Death Knight unit was a unit made up of 100 perfect melee troops.


    As soon as the branch of military unit called Firing Troops intervened, the capabilities to carry out the war began to rise to an iparable extent. As the artillery was fired in the middle of a heavy force of 1 million Death Knights, the crowded Death Knights were swept away without being able to use their amazing swordsmanship.


    "Wo! What kind of Gigas keeps shooting endlessly? Moreover, I''ve never heard of such a model before¡­ An artillery-specialized model, huh." The people around kept looking at the stage situation while listening to these words. "Its form was inefficient in the initial stages, so they probably didn''t pass it to others."


    A group of one million people, including me, ended the battle with only a few hundred wounded and no casualties. Needless to say, the battle supported by the Unique World was that overwhelming. But...not all human beings could obtain that kind of support.


    "Napoleon." As I took out a Dragon Heart and tossed it up into the sky, the Dragon Bones released as if a water bomb exploded. They solidified into a pre-designated form. Then, what showed up was a 30-meter-tall giant with a silver body and a red cape.


    Exmations could be heard from all over the ce.


    "It''s Napoleon!!"


    "Wow! I never thought I''d see it in person!"


    "It''s big! It''s really huge! Wow, was it this big?"


    "So cool!"


    As the battle finished up to some extent, I kicked the floor while leaving behind the cheering crowd. As I had said before, Napoleon had all the functions of the Four Guardian Beasts and the Golden Dragon. Flying, of course, was included in those functions.


    Kroooarrrrrr!! The cape fluttered and soared. The speed quickly exceeded the speed of sound in an instant and, just like that, it flew past tens of millions of people.


    All the Death Knights in the north, south, east, and west group, mine included, received devastating damage by the artillery of the Blue Elephant. Therefore, all the other groups around easilypleted the battle. However, after flying a few kilometers, I saw a group that had yet to finish their battle. Then, after flying more than 100 kilometers away, I even saw a group who were being pushed back by the Death Knights.


    *Abilities of the Day!


    eleration


    Pressure


    sh


    Sniper


    "It''s a relief that at least Sniper was included at the end. If this is the case, it would be better if we had Artillery-specialized Abilities." It was regrettable but I targeted every Death Knight that came into view. Eight ports that were attached on Napoleon''s hands began to shoot out soul energy bullets.


    Dududududu!!! Kabooom booom booom boom boom!!! A bombing attack was unleashed. Every time I flew in a line and passed by, the Death Knights underneath were sted away without being able to put up any proper resistance. It was literally a brutal massacre, but nevertheless¡­ It was impossible for me alone topletely cover the battle lines that were intertwined with hundreds and millions of troops.


    The battle is over. The time taken was 35 minutes and 11 seconds. Death Knight fully annihted. yer Damage is 320,000 deaths and 6,211,000 wounded.


    "On the first wave?! And that''s when we only fought for half an hour..."


    It''s arge-scale war, Captain-nim. A billion fought against another billion, so it''s considered andslide victory if it''s a battle ratio of this extent.


    "Even so... If it''s the yers who have survived so far, aren''t they basically survival experts? How did they even clear the stage until so far?"


    As I was baffled, Genie said, That''s because they couldn''t clear it.


    "..."

 Vol 2. 101: The Salvation of God (38)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 101: The Salvation of God (38)</h4>


    That¡¯s because they must have failed to clear the stage.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I cleared the hard difficulty of level fourteen 5,000 times. Naturally, the 2nd through 6th ces would have cleared it more than 5,000 times, and So-hyang would have cleared it 10,000 times. Even if the rest were not top-tier yers like us, they would have cleared the stage a dozen times, or at least a few times at the least.


    Obviously, the ¡°additional clears¡± were established because there were ordinary yers who died without doing anything. As my thoughts wandered, a worrying question suddenly came to mind.


    ¡°Will the additional clears act to cancel the Death Procession in the highest difficulty as well?¡±


    Probably not.


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    Ares suddenly intervened. I asked back, and Ares proceeded with an exnation.


    I¡¯ve never faced the End Project personally, but I have experienced quite a few battles with the Unnamed. There is no way a guy like the End Project has an ability to resurrect people. Resurrection is literally the opposite of an apocalypse¡¯ nature.


    ¡°But we had countless yerse back to life until now, right?¡±


    That was simply negating the events that urred in the separate worlds. The deaths of the yers would have ¡®never happened¡¯. But something like that is impossible since we all entered a single world. Think carefully. Why do you think the stage was to bepleted individually, and why do you think the dead lost their memories once they died? Don¡¯t tell me that you believe the End Project was thinking along the lines of ¡®Oh, it¡¯ll be traumatizing for the humans if they keep the experience of death. Maybe I should erase their memories¡¯. There¡¯s no way it would have been that considerate.


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    How would the situation have yed out if the yers resurrected with the memories of their death? The concept of the End Project was horror. The yers would have retained the memories and experiences of being ambushed by a terrifying corpse while wandering a gloomy ce. Moreover, they would have remembered being eaten alive. The experience of a spear suddenly shooting out of the floor, an arrow tearing their flesh, breaking their bones, and even wandering around in pure darkness for dozens of hours before being brutally killed by an evil spirit or a cannibalistic monster ¨C all of these horrifying memories would have remained with the yers.


    In addition, what if they had to go through such experiences every single day? Without knowing when the stage was finally going to end?


    I could guarantee¡­ that at least half of humanity would havemitted suicide before the stage reached level 10.


    Not everyone could y horror games with a smile like me. Humans could be weak, frail creatures. One could even have a nervous breakdown while ying a horror game with a keyboard and a mouse.


    - 2nd wave. Start.


    The battle is over. The time taken was 40 minutes and 21 seconds. Death Knight fully annihted. yer Damage is 250,000 deaths and 6,771,000 wounded.


    - 3rd wave. Start.


    The battle is over. The time taken was 48 minutes and 55 seconds. Death Knight fully annihted. yer Damage is 280,000 deaths and 5,541,000 wounded.


    - 4th wave. Start.


    The battle is over. The time taken was 52 minutes and 28 seconds. Death Knight fully annihted. yer Damage is 150,000 deaths and 3,771,000 wounded.


    - 5th wave. Start.


    The battle is over. The time taken was 58 minutes and 36 seconds. Death Knight fully annihted. yer Damage is 110,000 deaths and 3,200,000 wounded.


    - 6th wave. Start.


    The battle¡­ is still not over.


    There were still remaining Death Knights from the 6th wave, but the next wave of Death Knights respawned once an hour passed. I continued bombarding the enemies, but it was impossible in the first ce to defeat the Death Knights as they appeared in billions.


    ¡°Oh, damn it.¡±


    I finally realized once we reached this point. Even with my presence, even with the help of the Unique World, even with the addition of the priests harnessing the gods¡¯ powers, and even if high-level yers, rare finds even in the Great Universe, were well-armed and fighting¡­


    ¡°We can¡¯t stop the deaths.¡±


    Even after doing all that I could, 1 billion people were stuck on earth, unable to escape to space nor to the Unique World. This battle field was insanelyrge, having groups of a million people separated by 10 kilometers. It was impossible to avoid casualties when fighting an equal number of adversaries with so many humans.


    In addition, as the waves ovepped with each other, the numbers of Death Knights grew exponentially.


    Cumtive deaths: 1,507,663! Total number of injured: 27,559,432!


    People continued falling and killing even as Genie announced the numbers.


    ¡°Pull back the injured! If you can¡¯t fight properly, at least make yourself useful by saving others!¡±


    ¡°Dammit! The bodies! Get rid of the bodies! Necromancer! Get rid of the bodies! It¡¯s getting in my way!¡±


    The yers were fighting incredibly well. A million yers had formed into a gigantic circle. If anyone was injured, they were carried inwards, and others filled the void! Even if all of these people were soldiers, something like this would have been impossible unless they were elites or belonged to the special forces.


    Who would want to stand in the front?


    Who would want to sacrifice their lives?


    But they ran out to the front while shouting, even without being told to, and saved their wounded colleagues without caring for their own lives. It was difficult to spot the selfishness and cowardice that wasmon on the battlefield. Rather, everyone was making sacrifices and being patient.


    Unfortunately, selfishness and cowardice were unjust.


    ¡®If you perform any bad deeds in a battlefield like this, you¡¯ll immediately be ¡®executed¡¯ by a colleague standing next to you.¡¯


    Saving a wounded ally was an act of justice.


    ¡®If they can build up their good deeds and gain a Justice Weapon, not only would their power increase dramatically¡­ They can also take shelter in the Cradle of Justice from the next stage. They are willing to do anything to build up their good deeds.¡¯


    In other words,


    ¡®Juan¡¯s presence is actually helping humankind.¡¯


    The yers continued to fight reasonably and efficiently due to the presence of good and bad deeds. If it weren¡¯t for the concepts, the yers would have been crushed by the Death Knights while searching for ways to save their own hides.


    ¡°Everyone!!! Don¡¯t die!¡±


    A yer with the power of True Command shouted in a loud voice. Some yers had been bleeding profusely, but it subsided at the words of the yer. The bodies of the injured were quickly transported by the other yers to the middle of the circle.


    It was amazing, but there was something else that was even more astounding.


    Crack!


    Surprised by the immense light, I looked down. An overwhelming wave of light washed over hundreds, no, thousands of Death Knights. Naturally, the destroyed Death Knights didn¡¯t even add up to 1% of the total enemies, but the shock disoriented arge portion of Death Knights as well. The yers quickly took the chance and smashed apart the Death Knights.


    ¡°The priests of the three gods.¡±


    I would undoubtedly be the number one contributor to the battlefield, but it was thanks to the activities of the priests that the current situation could be maintained. The priests were evenly spread throughout the battlefield, and they were generously exuding the sacred power of the three gods.


    - 7th wave. Start.


    - 8th wave. Start.


    - 9th wave. Start.


    - 10th wave. Start.


    The waves continued. After oveing the initial chaos of the highest difficulty the yers were bing increasingly efficient in dealing with the Death Knights.


    ¡°We pushed them back! Keep digging! Hurry up!¡±


    ¡°It needs to be deeper than 3 meters! Quickly!¡±


    yers received tactical instructions from Genie and dug up the ground surrounding the giant circle. It was a type of moat, designed to ce the yers on advantageous terrain. Naturally, the moats were nothing but shallow puddles for the level 14 Death Knights. They could jump over it without any difficulty, but the moment they crossed, yers would be waiting for them in gigas. In the split moment theynded after crossing the moat, they would be exposed to attacks from the yers.


    - 11th wave. Start.


    - 12th wave. Start.


    - 13th wave. Start.


    - 14th wave¡­


    As yers adapted to the situation and used the terrain to their advantage, the order of rotations became stabilized, and the number of deaths began to decrease. I diligently flew over the sky and continued with the bombing.


    I became dizzy after repeating hundreds and thousands of bombings with the human-rank gigas. Finally,


    - 24th wave.


    - Start.


    A day passed.


    ¡°Genie. Status.¡±


    Cumtive deaths: 3,502,213! Total number of injured: 511,193,377!


    The death toll was low. It was quite a surprising oue considering that we were fighting for an entire day. But there was another problem.


    ¡°The injured¡­¡±


    I felt the atmosphere subsiding with the increasing screams of the injured and the spilling blood.


    510 million injured.


    Considering that the initial number of yers was 1 billion, it was truly a ridiculous number. There were only 3.5 million deaths so far, but¡­ Could this state be maintained in the future? The number of injured yers could trante into the death toll at a moment¡¯s notice.


    Not to mention.


    ¡°I¡¯m thirsty! Water! Does anyone have any water?¡±


    ¡°The Death Knights are dropping water and food from time to time¡­¡±


    ¡°How are we to grab the supplies in our current formation!? Ahk! They¡¯re stepping on the water bottles and destroying them!¡±


    There was a shortage of water and food. The ones possessing the Throne of Honor could summon food, but it could not be handed over to others.


    ¡°I, I¡¯m going to get some sleep¡­¡±


    ¡°Keugh! My mana¡­¡±


    ¡°I, I can¡¯t fight anymore¡­¡±


    People¡¯s stamina, strength, mana, and spirituality began to run out. It had only been a day, but it was an extremely consuming day of continuous war. It was something that even superhumans could not endure. In the meantime, Death Knights continued to respawn every hour.


    ¡°Genie, how many Death Knights?¡±


    2.37 billion units.


    ¡°This is going to drive me crazy.¡±


    Hope of annihting the Death Knights was a thing of the past. The monsters were regenerating faster than the humans could kill them, which meant that the number of Death Knights was gradually piling up. Fortunately, there was a limit to the number of Death Knights that could battle at the same time. In fact, most of them were waiting in groups while waiting to battle the yers.


    ¡°¡­Over there looks good. Genie!¡±


    Yes, captain-nim. I will make an announcement immediately.


    About 30 kilometers from my initial group, I found a group that appeared to have a particrly high number of injured yers. After bombing the Death Knights, Inded on a nearby space.


    ¡°It¡¯s Napoleon!!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Iron Mask-nim!¡±


    ¡°Uaahhh! Please help us!¡±


    I brushed away the resounding screams and moved to the center of the group. The people naturally cleared the road after seeing the 30-meter giant.


    ¡°Iron Mask-nim! We gathered the critically injured here, just as Genie-nim instructed us to!¡±


    The person who reported in a loud voice was Korean. Even though I moved quite a distance from my group, I was still amongst Koreas. I stepped out from Napoleon¡¯s chest and approached the wounded.


    A person with all of their bones crushed. One who fainted from shock after losing too much blood. There was even someone with all of their limbs amputated.


    But I wasn¡¯t here to treat them. Since when did I have healing abilities? But now, 24 hours had passed since we began the stage. I had the power to send them to a space where they could receive the treatment they needed.


    Pat! Pat! Pat!


    I tossed them to the Unique World. Inside, medical personnel were on standby. They began surgeries as soon as the wounded were received.


    After transferring all the wounded into the Unique World, I headed to the next group.


    Pat! Pat!


    Pat! Pat! Pat!


    I moved the wounded, or the unhelpful, lower levels into the Unique World. Only weapons and gigas were left in the ce where they had been.


    ¡®Of course, there is a limit to the number of people I can ept. After epting as many people as possible, they will have to endure another 24 hours. But how many people will be able to survive until then?¡¯


    As such thoughts passed through my head,


    Special Unique World (Legend++++) ranked up! Rank S ¡ú Rank SS


    The game began in full swing.

 Vol 2. 102: The Salvation of God (39)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 102: The Salvation of God (39)</h4>


    Owners of Justice Weapons were given an option when they entered a stage. Would they enter the stage right away? Or would they enter the Cradle of Justice first?


    Almost all yers given the option chose thetter option. Choosing to enter the Cradle of Justice was a low-risk, high-return move. It was literally a space with nothing to lose and plenty to gain. One needed to be qualified in order to enter, but it was unconditionally beneficial to enter the Cradle of Justice.


    Once you entered the Cradle of Justice, you arrived in a small, enclosed space. The space belonging to the iron ranks were barely wide enough to stretch out your legs, but as the ranks increased, the space became wider and numerous furniture, such as desks, chairs, and beds were added.


    However, objects could not be brought in from the outside. Even if one was fully armed before entering the stage, they would not carry anything into the Cradle of Justice except the Justice Weapon. Once they left, however, the equipment would reappear.


    You did not have to worry about being naked because everyone was provided with a white robe when entering the Cradle of Justice. It maintained the body¡¯s temperature, so you could sleepfortably without getting too hot or cold, even if you were lying down on the bare floor.


    Food was also provided. Iron ranks were provided with a minimal amount of food and water every day to sustain their lives, but the quantity and quality increased proportional to the ranks.


    In other words,


    Even if the space was essentially an enclosed, solitary confinement, sufficient food, clothing, and shelter was guaranteed in the Cradle of Justice. It wasn¡¯t called a ¡®cradle¡¯ for no reason.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Boom!


    Myeong-wol carefully attempted to sit himself down on a chair, but rolled on the floor instead. Failing to push himself back up, Myeong-wol clenched his teeth in a rush of shame as hey silently on the floor.


    ¡°The hardest difficulty must have just begun¡­ I have to go out and help¡­¡±


    But his body betrayed his desires. He would be able to enter the battlefield if he exited the cradle (although he would not be able to return to the cradle), he would only be a burden to the others if he were to exit in his current condition.


    Currently, he had essentially lost both of his legs.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    Myeong-wol resentfully looked down at his legs. His right leg had beenpletely amputated, then smashed apart. He had not been able to even recover the lost limb. His left leg fared slightly better, after he stered it back on, but it still wasn¡¯t performing properly. After awakening his power as a priest of the three gods, Myeong-wol was granted a power he never even dreamed of. Although he had not entered into the realm of Compl¨¦ters yet, he was given the power to decimate tens of thousands of Death Knights in the hard difficulty of level 14.


    It was an astonishing feat that could be referred to as a massacre, but Myeong-wol had be careless in the moment. He had forgotten that the opponents weren¡¯t weak. To be more precise, he had lowered his guard after going through countless battles.


    Myeong-wol had awakened his powers as a priest. He possessed a master rank Justice Weapon and a diamond rank True Command. So to speak, he was akin to a reserve soldier mounted on a heavy machine gun in a narrow hallway, facing against a lion or a tiger. It wasn¡¯t rocket science. As long as the enemies came at him one by one, the battle would end as long as he pulled the trigger. In fact, the ambiguous process couldn¡¯t really be calledbat. Labor would have been a more suitable term.


    But¡­ just because he could ughter them easily, was a reserve soldier actually stronger than a beast? The rtionship between Myeong-wol and the Death Knights was the same. He had forgotten the difference between the Death Knights and the Death Knight King because all of them had been defeated in a single blow. The resulting price was steep.


    He had let his guard down for a moment, but his waist was almost torn off, both his legs amputated, and he suffered a lethal wound by a sword to the chest.


    ¡°I should be d that I was able to survive.¡±


    After a while, he managed to pull himself to a chair.


    Pat!


    An ordinary wooden chair suddenly turned into metal. The strength contained in the throne was poured into Myeong-wol¡¯s body.


    Crack! Crack!


    The severed tendons and damaged nerves of the left leg were restored. The process was quite painful, but Myeong-wol gritted his teeth and endured it.


    - You are master rank.


    - The rank is decreased to Unranked due to the power consumption!


    Pat!


    The healing process had not even begun on the right leg, but the Throne of Honor disappeared and returned to the original wooden chair. All of the power contained in the throne had been used up.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t good.¡¯


    Myeong-wol bit his lips with nervousness. He wasn¡¯t bothered by the fact that he might have to live as a cripple. The rank of the Throne of Honor would recover over time, and it possessed an astounding ability to heal and restore any injuries or disabilities, even chronic and gic diseases. People were amazed by the food creation ability of the throne and tended to overlook the healing ability, but Myeong-wol was always captivated by the throne¡¯s recovery ability.


    ¡°To fully recover my right leg, I need to get it back up to diamond rank at the least¡­ It will take about a month.¡±


    The only problem was that the highest difficulty of the stage would continue during that time. If the stage continued in the same fashion as it was doing now, the damage to humankind would reach unthinkable levels. Humanity would be heading down an irreversible path.


    ¡°I wish the eleration would apply to the recovery rate of the throne as well.¡±


    Every Cradle of Justice had a device attached to the wall that was shaped like the lock of a safe.


    It was a tool to elerate/slow the time inside the cradle.


    A person could turn the dial to the left to slow the passage of time in the cradle. If the cradle¡¯s time passed slowly, the stage¡¯s time would be rtively elerated. If the person was watching the stage by using their Justice Weapon, they would be able to see other yers moving at tremendous speeds. Deceleration up to a ratio of 10,000 was possible, so if one slowed down time to the maximum, the stage would be over after they took a short break. To put things into perspective, a day¡¯s worth of rest in the Cradle of Justice would be equivalent to 10,000 days, or 27 years, in the stage.


    If cradles had existed when Dae-ha had been spending hundreds of thousands of years in the stage, the cradle might have be a prison for the yers. Anyone would have gone insane if they were forced to spend that much time, even if a ratio of 10,000:1 was applied. By the time the cradles appeared, however, the length of the stage had been adjusted ordingly.


    eleration up to a maximum of 10,000 times.


    This was a setting made for training and rxation ¨C a feature used by people who were in need of care due to injury and fatigue umted in the stage, or who wanted to train alone. However, this setting only elerated the individual ced inside the cradle, which meant that their True Command, Throne of Honor, and Justice Weapons would not recover at an elerated rate. In addition, elerating time consumed justice points. If someone carelessly set it at 10,000 times eleration, their Justice Weapon would quickly be demoted to unranked.


    Kieeck!


    Myeong-wol elerated time by 10 times for now. He took a very small portion of a day¡¯s food, and slowly chewed for hours.


    Then, he used the power of True Command.


    ¡°My remaining fat, nutrients, and strength will be used to sprout a new right leg!¡±


    As soon as the words were invoked, his body went limp and the stump on his right leg began to itch. The right leg was starting to regenerate, although not at a visibly noticeable pace.


    ¡®I can¡¯t get any more food because I¡¯ve already used up the Throne of Honor. With 10 times the eleration, the food provided by the Throne of Honor will be given in 10 days¡¯ time as well.¡¯


    Fortunately, Myeong-wol was quite chubby. After spending 40 years in prison, he developed a liking for food. Even though he was only 171 centimeters tall, he was quite obese, weighing more than 100 kilograms. He was always scolded by the head monk, but the extra fat and nutrients would serve as a basis for a new leg with the addition of sacred power.


    Naturally, the body¡¯s bones would weaken after the creation of a new leg bone, but¡­ he would restore himself somehow after finishing the stage.


    Woong!


    He sat upright on the floor. A great spirit began to flow around the body of Myeong-wol.


    Sacred power.


    It was something bestowed to the priest of the three gods after they took the Oath of the Three Elements. Myeong-wol was a druid, which had nothing to do with sacred power, but the sacred power of the three gods was so inclusive that even wizards could handle it without any problems.


    ¡®I need to build up my sacred power.¡¯


    He could not contribute much even if he restored his leg. He had already consumed the power of True Command and the Throne of Honor. He would only be a burden if he entered the battlefield as a frail, skinny man. Eventually, he decided to add to the Oath of the Three Elements.


    ¡°I forgive.¡±


    It was something he had attempted from the very beginning.


    However,


    Shock!


    ¡°Kuaah¡­ Keuuuugh¡­!!!¡±


    Blood vessels popped out of Myeong-wol¡¯s bald head, and his eyes became bloodshot due to the severe pain. Nevertheless, he managed to stay conscious with his superhuman endurance.


    ¡°Uah¡­ Ha¡­ I still haven¡¯t escaped the clutches of worldly thoughts. I was delusional to think I had moved past it.¡±


    Pain brought along memories of the past.


    - Take off all your clothes.


    Those were the polite words of the man. He remembered the men tying up his arms and legs to a stick, hanging him upside down like a barbecue. The hood that covered his face, the pouring water, the drowning, and the beating that followed.


    ¡°Heugh¡­ Huah¡­¡±


    Just thinking about it made him breathless. He could almost feel his body floating in the air once more. His voice had failed him and his heart felt like bursting.


    He was ignorant of why he was taken and tortured. He wasn¡¯t sure what to say because he did not know the reasoning behind the torture. Eventually, he was forced to write down a statement ording to the men¡¯s words after being subjected to long hours of pain.


    It wasn¡¯t untilter that he discovered he was framed, that the entire process was under themand of the public security prosecutor. It took 40 years to clear the false charges and be acquitted.


    ¡°¡­I.¡±


    Myeong-wol slowly closed his eyes.


    He spoke.


    ¡°Forgive.¡±


    Pain came pouring in.


    Nevertheless¡­ he tried.


    Again and again.


    He did not stop.


    ***


    Boom!


    Inded among the group that I was first ced in. To be exact, the Korean group was mostlyposed of people belonging to the Lee Family. The initial group of 1 million was now closer to 10 million. Naturally, the circr formation was much bigger than before. No, rather, it was difficult to call it a circr formation any longer.


    ¡°Raise the walls! We have to go higher!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop the bombardments!¡±


    ¡°Open the gates! New yers areing in!¡±


    ¡°Interceptors, get out there and make way!¡±


    On one side of the stage was a castle with a diameter of more than 10 kilometers. It wasrger than a regr city. This was the result of digging the ground and utilizing construction equipment. Inside the castle, houses were erected to provide rest and repair facilities were created to maintain equipment.


    Groups that were situated closer had entered the castle already, and distant groups were slowly approaching as well. This was only possible because I transferred all the injured and the low-levels into the Unique World as I passed by, making it easier for the groups to move around.


    ¡°Genie, status.¡±


    Cumtive deaths: 4,101,333. Total number of injured: 366,221,007.


    The number of injured yers had decreased significantly. Of course, it¡¯s not because they were treated.


    ¡°So I can transport a little less than 200 million people at a time¡­¡±

 Vol 2. 103: The Salvation of God (40)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 103: The Salvation of God (40)</h4>


    ¡°So I can transport a little less than 200 million people at a time¡­¡±


    Kiiiing!


    Click!


    I had Napoleon enter standby mode. After kneeling on the ground with one of its knees, Napoleon finally came to a stop. Then, the cockpit turned into the Throne of Honor.


    Gwwoooo--!


    My depleted stamina and spiritual power rapidly filled. Previously, it felt as if someone was stirring my head with adle, but my headache disappeared as soon as the throne appeared. I was quickly restored to my best condition.


    - You are currently Challenger rank.


    - The rank is decreased to Master rank due to the power consumption!


    The rank barely remained Grandmaster, then finally fell down all the way to Master rank. Considering that the total amount of power varies greatly from rank to rank, the rate of falling would only hasten as time went by.


    ¡°If I could restore Napoleon¡¯s Iron Heart, I wouldn¡¯t even mind dropping all the way to unranked.¡±


    Iron Hearts could produce an infinite amount of power without any consumption, but there were naturally limitations on how much it could produce in a given amount of time. Currently, all the stored magical energy had beenpletely exhausted. Production of energy was still ongoing, but it would take a considerable amount of time to recover enough energy to continue the bombardment.


    ¡°The Dragon Heart is still alive and kicking, but it¡¯s hard to use.¡±


    I had put in a lot of effort, but I still could not freely utilize the Dragon Heart¡¯s magic. The progress of the sculpting was still only at 25%. Moreover, I could only decipher the progress by looking at its title, but I was oblivious as to its overall structure or principle.


    Captain, I¡¯ve finished preparing.


    ¡°Perfect timing. Put this body to sleep.


    It looks to be in bad condition. I will proceed with disinfection and a change of clothes as well.


    I shifted my consciousness to the Unique World while listening to Genie¡¯s words. I arrived at arge building, which was originally a factory used to manufacture parts of Eden. It had been put aside for some time, then refitted as an emergency hospital.


    Bed and patients were littered all over the ce, and the stench of blood attacked one¡¯s sense of smell. I transformed Shadow Stalker from a watch to a pistol. In the meantime, some patients were moved into the room after being given basic treatment in the emergency room. However, emergency treatment was literally emergency treatment.


    All of them were in critical condition and required major surgery. If they were left untreated, they would die for sure.


    I pulled the trigger of Shadow Stalker at them.


    Click! Click! Click! Click! Click!


    I fired recklessly. Obviously, I wasn¡¯t trying to end their misery by killing them. People who were hit by the bullets were frozen in time. As such, I suspended the time of about 1,500 of the patients who were in most critical conditions.


    ¡°All out of bullets! Rest is for tomorrow!¡±


    I will take care of it.


    The beds carrying the remainder of the critical patients were moved back downstairs. I walked along with them.


    ¡°Team 23 is finished! Where to next?¡±


    ¡°The seriously wounded on the second floor, please! We don¡¯t have enough equipment, so please perform emergency treatments to keep them alive!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    I could see people busily running around while shouting loudly. Medical workers approached the patients lying on the beds, which were arranged at intervals. They provided treatment to the best of their abilities, and kept the injured alive by giving emergency treatment.


    Wiiing!


    Click! Wiiing!


    The beds were controlled by Genie. They automatically ssified the patients¡¯ conditions and moved ordingly. Patients needing immediate treatment were transferred to the emergency room on the first floor, and patients in critical conditions, those whose conditions would worsen if left alone, were ced in the intensive care units on the second floor.


    Patients without serious injuries were transported to the building located next door and ced into respective rooms. Among those who entered the Unique World, those without injuries, so the low-level yers, were being utilized as support staff to help other patients or assist the medical staff.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. I had about 90,000 people brought into the Unique World at first.¡¯


    The number of people brought in thereafter was only a little bit more. Same thing happened afterwards. But in fact, that wasn¡¯t even close to the number of people I could have brought into the Unique World. If I wanted, I could have brought in hundreds of thousands, or even up to a million people.


    But why did I not do that?


    ¡®Because we don¡¯t have enough resources.¡¯


    Bringing people into the Unique World did not solve all the problems. Fundamentally, the Unique World wasposed of metals, and was an unsuitable ce for life to survive and thrive. As such, I limited the number of humans and brought in as much water as possible. Metals, wood, stone, and soil could be purchased from the vending machine, but it didn¡¯t sell any water.


    But now, an additional 200 million people had suddenly entered the Unique World ¨C most of them seriously injured! It was rather natural that the entire world would be turned upside down.


    The majority of residents in the Unique World were mobilized for treatment, since it was impossible for the unmanned hospital in Center City to handle all of the medical services perfectly with the new additions.


    ¡°Sutureplete! Do we have a brace anywhere? A brace?¡±


    ¡°Where would you find something like that! There¡¯s some splints over there. Use a bandage and wrap around it!¡±


    ¡°What kind of a world are we living in? A splint and a bandage¡­¡±


    ¡°Ugh! I¡¯m losing concentration. Is it possible to change shifts?¡±


    ¡°How many patients do you think there are? Take some pills and hold on!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let them die! Don¡¯t try to treat everyone. Focus on keeping them alive for now!¡±


    The medical staff shouted as they worked. They quickly treated the patients, moved them to temporary amodations, treated others, and moved them to appropriate buildings.


    After the patients were ssified,


    ¡±Freezer #130 clear! Last inspection please!¡±


    ¡°Make sure to manage the personnel! We don¡¯t want anyone left in there!¡±


    A wizard checked the conditions of the patients at the entrance of the building, then manipted a device on his arm as he exited the building.


    Pushhhkk-!


    The huge building was depressurizing.


    Freezer #130. Completely isted. Activating Ice Age.


    Ten thousand humans were frozen simultaneously. They were people who had been sessfully stabilized with simple surgery and treatment but were still in ambiguous conditions. They couldn¡¯t move around and perform their duties.


    ¡°Freezing them¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a hell of a scale.¡±


    ¡°Even so, that¡¯s only 1.3 million people. When will we take care of the remaining people¡­?¡±


    There was only one reason behind freezing the people.


    Lack of resources.


    To be exact, there was a shortage of water. The Unique World was home to only hundreds of thousands of people, and it wasn¡¯t suitable for billions to stay in. If we did not take drastic measures, countless people would die of thirst.


    ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s continue! We still have a lot of work to do!¡±


    ¡°This is about saving people! We can do this!¡±


    The people encouraged each other before returning to their work. I observed them for a moment before exiting the crowd.


    ¡°Well.¡±


    A sigh escaped my lips.


    ¡°Even though the Unique World is so big now, it can only embrace a handful of people.¡±


    That¡¯s because your attributes are metal and lightning. The reason this world was able to grow this fast is because we have so much metal. Aren¡¯t youining too much?


    ¡°Ares.¡±


    A muscr man with gray hair appeared in front of my eyes. I had not seen the avatar in a while.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong. It was possible to build a city this big because we had plenty of metals.¡±


    The Unique World had be SS rank. Naturally, it was subjected to a tremendous change. The number of humans that could be brought in increased to nearly 200 million every 24 hours, and the itself had grown tremendously. The cities fell into chaos due to the changes, since all of the cities, including Center City, were basically floating on top of a sea of metal.


    The increased size of therge was,


    It is 4,000 kilometers in diameter.


    ¡°It¡¯s bigger than the moon.¡±


    Considering that the moon was 3,474 kilometers in diameter, the Unique World had truly grown to an enormous size. It was no longerparable to continents, but rather satellites.


    There¡¯s something else that¡¯s changed as well.


    ¡°There¡¯s more? What is it?¡±


    ¡­anyways.


    Ares squinted at me. He looked rather unhappy.


    You¡¯ve been having fun without me recently, haven¡¯t you?


    ¡°How could you consider a massive battle to be a game?¡±


    Do you not know who I am?


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    I could not quite refute Ares¡¯ words. Come to think of it, wasn¡¯t Ares the God of War? Given the chaotic nature of the highest difficulty, it was quite naturally that he would be burning up while watching from the sides.


    Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. With the Unique World getting bigger, I figured out a way.


    ¡°So what is it?¡±


    You will find out soon enough. I¡¯ve already finished the initial stages. So this was my fate from the beginning. I didn¡¯t expect to go to war in the stage.


    I asked a few more times to see why he was so excited, but he kept his mouth shut until the end.


    Anyways.


    The day quickly passed.


    I brought in another 200 million people from the stage. This time, only half of them were injured. Most of them were still in good physical condition, so I had them work for a day before having them voluntarily step into the freezer. Some people refused to be frozen, but I gave them the choice of either returning to the stage or being frozen, they quickly became obedient. It appeared that the bloody battlefield was more feared than the rapid freezing.


    Another day passed.


    I brought in another 200 million people.


    This time around, there were only a few who were seriously injured. Most of them were in rtively good condition. I started at the farthest group from the castle, the Last Bastion, and brought them in. Those who wanted to fight were given new equipment before being sent back to the stage, and those who did not want to fight were ced in the freezer.


    I brought in another 200 million people.


    There were some additional people this time around. I was referring to the people who weren¡¯t a part of the original billion that entered the stage. They were yers who entered the stage from the Cradle of Justice. Some of them performed brilliantly, while others underestimated the stage after only seeing it on video.


    Another day passed.


    I brought in another 200 million people.


    Again, another day passed.


    While recruiting applicants to enter the Unique World, I realized that there were less than 200 million applicants this time around. Finally, the Last Bastion was filled with only 100,000 of the elites. Under the rule that the number of spawned enemies will be proportional to the number of yers gathered, the Death Knights¡¯ regeneration speed was also reduced to 100,000 per hour.


    The progress of the stage started to slow down.


    A day passed.


    Another day passed.


    One week passed.


    One month passed.


    One year passed.


    Obviously, there were casualties in the battles. Even though humanity was fighting in an advantageous environment and the injured were quickly retrieved, the enemies were strong. It could not be helped.


    But at the least, the frequency of injuries and deaths gradually decreased. Above all, the yers were bing ustomed to the siege.


    Dudududududu!!


    Boom!!


    Kieeeeng¡ªBoom!


    The shots fired form the castle wall devastated the outside. yers positioned on the wall blocked the Death Knights attempting to climb the walls. When the yers became fatigued, they switched with the personnel from inside the Unique World at a fixed time. A new wall of steel was erected inside the Last Bastion. It was moreplete and durablepared to before. The previous wall had been much too big, since it was being used by 1 million to 10 million yers.


    10,000 yers were left on the stage.


    The progression of the highest difficulty of level 14 became even slower.


    At one point, Genie suddenly asked.


    Captain-nim, please collect all the drops.


    ¡°What? We¡¯re not suffering from a huge shortage anymore, right? It¡¯s not even tasty, and I think it might be a bit too much to eat.¡±


    The Unique World had faced a problem of supplies at one point, but it was solved after freezing all the surplus manpower. But Genie seemed to have different purposes in mind.


    You can collect everything and bring it into the Unique World.


    ¡°But it disappears over time.¡±


    It was possible to transfer food and water from the stage to the Unique World while consuming the allocated transfer quota. I had done it a few times before as well. However, the supplies disappeared over time as the stage updated itself. In other words, it was impossible to store the supplies.


    But Genie continued.


    We can just have them consume it all. Urine and feces do not disappear.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I realized.


    Genie¡¯s thrifty, frugal, sim city had booted up once more.


    It would be on an entirely different scale from what it had been until now.

 Vol 2. 104: The Salvation of God (41)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 104: The Salvation of God (41)</h4>


    It would be on an entirely different scale from what it had been until now.


    And just as she said, Genie implemented the changes.


    Beeep!


    A weekter, I heard a warning sound from a gigas. It wasing down from the wall after a long fight. To be exact, the sound wasing from inside the gigas, but my hearing had be more sensitive these days.


    Mr. Macron, you must go back to the Unique World to take care of your business.


    ¡°B, but Miss Genie! I can¡¯t hold it in right now. It¡¯s number one, can¡¯t you let me off once?¡±


    There will be a fine of 10 gats if you decide to go ahead.


    ¡°10 gats! Hmm, 10 gats¡­ Hmm¡­!¡±


    Fines were to be paid in gats, themon currency of the Great Universe and the Unique World. 10 Gats were equivalent to about 200,000 won (~200 USD). It was enough money to eat about 20 decent meals or buy 4 decent game titles.


    ¡®I think it¡¯s five gats for defecating and ten gats for urinating.¡¯


    To put it simply, one needed to pay 100,000 won to poo, and 200,000 to pee! Naturally, the fine for urinating was higher because water was more valuable in the Unique World.


    ¡®This seems a little harsh, but at the same time, it¡¯s a little ambiguous.¡¯


    People could not even protest against the new rules because thebat teams took shifts of 24 hours. There would be no problems if they emptied themselves before the stage, then held on for a single day. In addition, they needed to be powerful fighters to be a part of thebat team. It was not a serious matter for them to hold their urges for 24 hours or to pay a fine of 10 gats.


    In the end, it wasn¡¯t the fines that were coercing them, but Genie herself.


    ¡°Ha. Fine. If it¡¯s Miss Genie¡¯s wish, I will be patient for another two hours.


    How excellent.


    ¡°What¡¯s excellent about holding back my pee?¡±


    The yer muttered grumpily.


    However, this was just the tip of the iceberg. The Thrifty SimCity of Genie went far beyond simple regtions of peeing and pooping.


    ¡°Uwaah! I want to eat meat! I¡¯m sick of bread! Genie! Don¡¯t you think having us eat 4 loaves of 30-centimeter bread is too much? When I¡¯m done eating, I don¡¯t even have an appetite for anything else!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Ten liters of water a day¡­ I¡¯m not even a Life Energy Practitioner¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even speak if you don¡¯t know. Us Life Energy Practitioners are required to eat 12 loaves of bread and drink 30 liters of water! I¡¯m not some hippo or anything!¡±


    People grumbled collectively in front of Genie¡¯s metal body, which was always on standby in Center City. Naturally, it had no effect.


    If I could have it my way, I would feed all of you twice as much as I do now. You should know that I¡¯m showing extreme restraint.


    ¡°Hiek. 8 loaves of bread and 20 liters of water? I¡¯m going to die while eating!¡±


    Hold it in.


    ¡°Oh my god!¡±


    People sighed but eventually epted it and moved on.


    One day passed.


    One week passed.


    Another month passed.


    Finally, people began toin.


    ¡°This is just too much!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gaining weight! Look at me! Don¡¯t you know how bad carbohydrates are for dieting?¡±


    ¡°I want to eat something else! This bread is dirty and tasteless, damn it!¡±


    ¡°Booo! Stop this food torture!! This isn¡¯t some militaristic regime!¡±


    There was quite a bit of resistance. In addition, there were other problems.


    ¡°Ahk! My stomach!¡±


    ¡°Y, you fool! Did you eat the bread from the stage?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ My mother was having a hard time eating it¡­¡±


    ¡°You fool! I told you that only yers can eat the food from the stage. You were born here, so when you eat the food from the stage, it disappears from your stomach!¡±


    When the food disappeared from inside the stomach, a vacuum was created for an instant and people got sick. The situation was even worse if the food disappeared after being absorbed into nutrients of the body.


    ¡°Cough! Bwaaagh!¡±


    ¡°Oh my! Come on, take them to the hospital!¡±


    Problems were starting to break out here and there, and the resistance grew stronger and stronger. IT was to the point where protests started to take ce. Genie eventually found a solution after long contemtion.


    Chiiiiie--!


    Freezers 1 through 10 have finished opening. Exiting Ice Age!


    Freezers 11 through 20 have finished opening. Exiting Ice Age!


    Freezers 21 through 30 have finished opening. Exiting Ice Age!


    She started waking the frozen yers. The people of the Unique World were expectant.


    ¡°Phew, what a relief! Our poption has nearly doubled, so the quota should be cut in half, right?¡±


    Indeed, the quota was reduced ¨C to three loaves of bread and seven liters of water a day.


    ¡°What the hell is this!? It¡¯s literally unchanged from before!¡±


    I¡¯m being as generous as possible.


    ¡°Look here, Miss Genie! This is just being way too greedy!¡±


    The people were taken aback. But their agitation was nothingpared to those who were awakened from the freeze.


    ¡°I made a determination when I became frozen, but to think I would be thawed to serve as a pooping machine¡­¡±


    Even with suchmentations, there were no actualints from those released. They werepensated ordingly by being provided with residence in the Unique World and given citizenship in the Unique World.


    Moreover, the thawed yers had lived in the stage, living day by day in fear of death, and also experienced a war in which countless people had died. Their lives had been stretched tight like a rubber band, so the newly provided life of rxation was a gift to them. Having to eat three loaves of bread and seven liters of water a day was not burdensome for them.


    Two years passed.


    An additional 100 freezers were released. The number of people in the Unique World was nearly 2 billion. The thawing process sped up even more.


    Bringing in food and water to the Unique World wasn¡¯t akin to having a simple meal. It wasn¡¯t that straightforward. Rather, the process was an addition and transition into the ecosystem of the Unique World. Water bottles and loaves of bread dropped by the Death Knights were diligently transported by thebat teams, digested by the yers, then umted in the ecosystems of the Unique World. Genie possessed the science and technology of a Type III civilization, which meant that she could easily separate urine into different elements, including potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus. As time passed, the ecosystems of the Unique World became more abundant.


    Three years passed.


    With an influx of people wanting to fight, the number of yers in thebat teams increased from 10,000 to 100,000. ordingly, the supply of the dropped items increased as well.


    Four years passed.


    The war situation was changing rapidly. The Death Knight Kings finally began to appear. They should have appeared earlier on, but we had been dragging out feet for many years. With the change, hundreds of casualties were reported.


    A massive funeral was held in Center City.


    I could hear the participants¡¯ whispers as I observed the event.


    ¡°Yes. We were still living in the apocalypse. It had been so peaceful that I almost forgot.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m relieved. I think it was only a short while ago when hundreds of millions of people died. We couldn¡¯t even afford to be sad back then.¡±


    Five years passed.


    The rate of thawing increased and more and more people were released. Center City grew in size day by day.


    Six years passed.


    The city of wizards, Seven-colored Magic Tower was constructed (the name of the city was literally Magic Tower).


    Blue metal, the city of artisans, was erected.


    Then,


    Ten years passed.


    ¡°Congrattions!!¡±


    ¡°Have a wonderful life!¡±


    I quietly observed the couple being blessed by so many people. People buzzed after bted noticing my presence.


    ¡°Wow! It¡¯s Iron Mask!¡±


    ¡°Dae-ha-him!!! Dae-ha-nim! I¡¯m a huge fan!¡±


    ¡°I heard that Jae-seok-nim and Dae-ha-nim were friends before, but I never believed it¡­¡±


    I made my way through the crowd and shook hands with Jae-seok.


    ¡°Congrattions on getting married.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. You made it.¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m busy with anything.¡±


    Jae-seok grinned. His body was nothing short of a human weapon, but it was wrapped in a well-fitting suit. I could already see the years on his face.


    ¡°Hi Dae-ha!¡±


    ¡°Hello, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°What did you say!? Ma¡¯am? Ugh! Why isn¡¯t this guy getting old?¡±


    I smiled as Kyung-eun swung her fists threateningly. Her belly seemed slightly swollen over the wedding dress. As Kyung-eun greeted other friends, I asked Jae-seok.


    ¡°Is this going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°The wedding? We¡¯ve basically been married for almost 10 years anyways, just without the ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Not that, but the kid. I thought you didn¡¯t have any intentions.¡±


    Jae-seok took on a serious expression at my words.


    ¡°Yes. That was the n. It was a mutual agreement between Kyung-eun and I as well¡­ But¡­ Dae-ha.¡±


    Jae-seok suddenly smiled.


    ¡°I am so happy right now.¡±


    ¡°Good. That¡¯s enough.¡±


    I hugged him. I took my ce in the prepared seat and watched the wedding ceremony.


    When I observed my surroundings, I noticed a familiar face next to me.


    ¡°Seon-ae?¡±


    ¡°¡­long time no see.¡±


    It was Seon-ae, my desk mate from high school. She gave a light wave of her hand. She was wearing a apricot jacket with an elegant skirt. I was slightly surprised at her appearance.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t changed a bit.¡±


    Even after spending more than 30 years in the Unique World, her appearance remained mostly unchanged. Just like back on Earth, she only looked to be in her mid-20¡¯s.


    ¡°I can¡¯t even hold a candle to you.¡±


    Seon-ae had a rxed expression on her face, unlike in the past. I checked the title above her head.


    Iron World


    Lee Seon-ae, the Great Spirit


    Surprisingly, she was maintaining her abilities from when she was transformed while maintaining herself. At her current level, she could be counted as one of the top three yers in the Unique World. She must havee to a conclusion regarding her identity and abilities during her time in the Unique World.


    ¡°¡­I hope you live happily ever after.¡±


    Min-kyung, Kyung-eun¡¯s older sister, stood in the officiant seat. It was rare for such a young woman to officiate, but no one seemed to find it strange, given her position and status. After the wedding ceremony, Jae-seok and Kyung-eun left the wedding hall while receiving everyone¡¯s blessings. Outside the wedding hall, Red Phoenix, the beast-rank gigas, was waiting for the wedded couple with its wings spread wide.


    ¡°Have a safe trip!!¡±


    ¡°Whooo!¡±


    ¡°Congrattions on your wedding!¡±


    Kyung-eun boarded the Red Phoenix. Jae-seok looked rather awkward as he climbed the arms of the gigas. After lowering its body,


    Boom!


    The Red Phoenix kicked off the ground and flew into the sky.


    ¡°Congrattions~!!¡±


    ¡°Wow!! How cool!¡±


    The wedding concluded with the cheers of the crowd. No formal process followed, such as giving greetings to the grown-ups and entertaining the crowd. The two would fly to their chosen honeymoon spot.


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±


    I stood up without hesitation. People stole nces at me and whispered, but no one dared toe up and talk to me recklessly. My position was absolute in the Unique World.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I turned my head at the unexpected remark. Seon-ae was bowing her head.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve always wanted to say this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    I waved my hand and left my seat.


    Time passed again.


    Fifteen years passed.


    I attended a funeral. It was the funeral of Aegis, the Guard. He, who had screamed and begged to be relieved of his duties, had finally passed on. Naturally, I had no honor to mourn his death. It wasn¡¯t as if I ever made a human connection with him.


    I didn¡¯t participate just because it was a funeral. Funerals weren¡¯t rare in this world. However, I attended this particr funeral because it was a little different than the ones held thus far.


    ¡°He¡¯s lived a blessed life. He lived a good life.¡±


    ¡°He suffered because of the damned stage, but at least he wasfortable as he passed.¡±


    After observing the guards bowing and talking to each other for a while, I turned around and left the hall. The implications of this funeral were quiterge.


    No one had hurt Aegis, but he was dead.


    He had been a powerful man who was over level 15. Even though he possessed abilities that transcended ordinary people, he had been unable to escape from death.


    The cause of his death was old age.


    It¡¯s starting.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s something I had been worried about for a long time.¡±


    I let out a small sight.


    It was just as Genie said.


    His death was just the beginning.

 Vol 2. 105: The Salvation of God (42)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 105: The Salvation of God (42)</h4>


    His death was just the beginning.


    "Magic Tower Lord-nim... I can''t believe he''s already gone. I still have a lot to learn from him though..."


    "You had a pretty hard time on the stage. It was rather peaceful at thest minute..."


    The Tower Lord of the Supreme Magic Tower, Shin In-hwa, closed his eyes while receiving the mourning of countless wizards. Soon after, the Sky Magic Tower Lord also closed his eyes. The Soul Magic Tower Lord also lich-ified himself in the face of death.


    "But can he still challenge the stage after he bes a Lich?"


    "That''s something no one knows..."


    Funerals began all over the ce. In fact, unlike the Tower Lord of the Three Great Magic Tower who was no different from beingpletely annihted, none of the Sect Leaders of the Five Great Military Factions had died yet. This was due to the difference in life expectancy ording to the level of spiritual ability trained.


    Which spiritual power should one train in to obtain the longest life span? The answer was Life Energy, which had the power to evolve the body as desired by the practitioners. ''And there''s no one in the world who wishes to be short-lived.'' Among the Life Energy practitioners who already mastered a silent method of training, there were cases where some lived for more than 300 years.


    ''The next was Aura, followed by martial arts, and then Chakra. Well, it¡¯s in that kind of order. Generally, training methods that strengthen the body help with longevity.'' In that sense, magic was not a very helpful ability for longevity. Without additional measures such as Lich-ification, it was a training method that made it difficult for its practitioners to live past 200 years.


    It''s not good.


    "It''s very bad..." I muttered.


    As a matter of fact, the funerals had been going on all along. There were many elderly people who came into the Unique World, after all. The problem, a serious one, was that the high level people were starting to die and the average level of Earth fell. Moreover, there was another problem known as the Level Limit.


    Kwareukkkkkkk!! The ground reverberated loudly. As I shifted my eyes towards the disy to confirm it, I saw the sight of ck Tortoise standing in front of thousands of Death Knights. The ground tremored when the snake, wrapped around ck Tortoise''s arms, was released and it buried its head in the ground.


    Booom!!!!! A huge shock wave spread across the ground. Some of the Death Knights jumped and avoided contact with the ground to dodge the shock wave, but those who failed were hit with a massive impact.


    "I didn''t even teach him, but he''s growing towards that direction in the end, huh." I raised an eyebrow. Duke Howard, the founding contributor of the Leonhardt Empire who died at my hands, was nicknamed Earthshaker because he could cause an earthquake with only one stomp. Of course, I wouldn''t darepare Jae-seok''s talent with his right now, but it could at least be said that they grew towards the same direction.


    Ilsung


    Level 17


    ck Tortoise, Bae Jae-seok


    "Ah, he''s not level 18 even after this much. Huh."


    No matter how much of a special creation it is, anything more than that would be difficult with a Beast-rank Gigas. To be honest, at this standard, its strength can already surpass most Human-rank Gigas. Although it is a problem that the performance mainly relies on the strength of the pilot... If it''s Bae Jae-seok, then he''s a pretty great pilot.


    As Genie had said, Jae-seok was now a good enough pilot. He had built up great proficiency as he had already spent decades clearing the stage while riding on a Gigas. It was no exaggeration to say that his ability to use his Life Energy to his heart''s content, even after boarding a Gigas, was close to that of his glory days.


    ''However.'' I acknowledged that now Jae-seok was in prime, he could no longer grow from this point onwards. ''And it''s not just Jae-seok.''


    Level Limit, in other words, referred to the limits of talent. The average level of Earth, which had been rising like crazy, had begun to gradually stagnate. No matter how much one were to train themselves, eat spiritual medicines, and gain enlightenment, they would eventually reach a point where they could no longer grow.


    Some stopped growing at Level 10, and some at Level 15. They would be faced with a wall of talent that couldn''t be ovee no matter how much they killed. It was a slightly different feeling from the walls one would encounter when training their spiritual abilities, since this was a real wall that couldn''t be oveed even if one were to train in a perfect environment until they died of old age¡­


    Just as the Supreme Magic Tower Lord failed to surpass the 8th-ss state, the limits of talent that could not be exceeded without a very special enlightenment or chance even if one were to struggle forever stood in the way of people. In other words, the reality was that even if the Unique World kept maintaining as it was now, the yers would just die of old age aside from failing to grow stronger. However, it wasn''t as if there was only despair in the Unique World.


    This concludes the Iron Academy''s 5th Graduation Ceremony!


    "Waaaaahhhhhh!!!"


    "I graduated!!"


    "Ukkkk! I couldn''t make it to the top 1,000 after all. For starters, I need to raise my capabilities with the Tool-rank Gigas so that I can receive a Beast-rank Gigas..."


    As much as there were dying people, there were also people who were being born. As the Unique World basically overflowed with Gigas, they easily encountered the Gigas since childhood, dreamt of bing a Gigas pilot, and trained their skills in an appropriate direction for the sake of controlling Gigas''.


    In the 20th year, there were currently over a millionbat teams in action in the stage. The Unique World''s poption had also surpassed 400 million.


    Among the wizards in the Unique World, the Enchant school of skills which became the mainstream group, went beyond learning just the spells that continuously poured out of the marble of the Magic Imperial Princess. It now reached the level of being able to create the kind of enchantments they wanted.


    The level of production workers had also increased significantly, and were led by those who idolized me, the person who could be said to be the ruler of the Unique World. Surprisingly, there were even people in the group who imitated my characteristics.


    Then, just like that, in the 25th year, the Unique World''s poption had surpassed 1 billion. The poption had grown more than when the test first began. And although it was slightlyte, those staying in the Cradle of Justice entered the stage after meeting me anding into the Unique World.


    "Wow, I held off while setting the flow of time 10,000 times slower. The stage is still going on, huh."


    "Oh my God, look at that. It''s so cool..."


    "Hey there!!! Newbies,e on in after eating bread and drinking water!!"


    "The quota! Miss Genie will reprimand you if you miss it!"


    Just like that... 30 years went by and the first Highest-difficulty stage was over.


    - Congrattions! The stage has been cleared perfectly! Rewards are given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 1st-ce.


    "Phew." Before I knew it, I was sitting in Gwanghwamun Square.


    "Uwaaahh?! What the? Why are there so few people here?"


    "Don''t tell me, did the stage fail??? Is it because it''s the Highest level of difficulty?"


    "No, then shouldn''t there at least be corpses around? Why isn''t there anything?"


    I could hear themotioning from the bewildered yers who stood around the square. They were people who obtained a Justice Weapon and essed the Cradle of Justice, but they were not at the level where they could put up a fight. Therefore, they set the flow of time to the slowest and just waited for the stage to be over.


    "I thought there would be people like that, but there are more than I thought. Even if they slowed the flow of time, if they checked from time to time, there''d be no way they wouldn''t know the existence of the Unique World."


    Gwanghwamun Square, which was packed at the start of the stage, was now incredibly quiet. It almost feltpletely empty, but that was only natural. In fact, it was not only Gwanghwamun Square since most of the world''s human poption had entered my Unique World. And when I found out about that fact, I suddenly became curious. "But Ares, you said you saw the Project End a few times right?"


    That''s right, though it¡¯s in a slightly different form from this.


    "Then, since we''re on this topic..." Instead of putting people down in the empty Gwanghwamun Square, I asked, "What would happen if I let people stay in the Unique World just like this and run away from Earth?"


    ***


    Kwareukkkkkkk! Thunder boomed in the cloudless sky, and a handsome man of fine height appeared. With his unusually yellow and green hair hanging down to his waist, he wore clothes made of finely polished animal leather and unidentifiable metal. I could slightly see unknown patterns hidden inside the leather clothes that clung to his body.


    "I ended uping here in person. I''m already busy as it is." The name of the man floating still as if unaffected by the influence of gravity was Milleon the Windless. He was an Emperor-ss great hero who possessed the nickname All Master, well-renowned throughout the entire Great Universe. He was an extremely strong being who could even split a in half with a stroke of his sword if he wanted.


    However, even with that power... As soon as he descended to the ground, he felt goosebumps all over his body. Hemented, "...This. I''mte." Having survived in the era of The Great War, he knew about the existence of Project End. In actual fact, he had even seen several civilizations destroyed by it, so it was only natural.


    Wiiiiiinggg!! High-ranking magic was manifested without a single hand gesture, and he downloaded information from all over the world. He then muttered in surprise, "Project End... Horror Concept... MMORPG? Oh my, this, is this done in the form of a game?"


    There were almost no civilizations who managed to survive after taking on Project End in its pure state, because the method of constantly amplifying and materializing the fear of the relevant civilization literally had the destructive power that matched the reputation of Doomsday Weapon. Therefore, civilizations during The Great War studied all sorts of ways to survive, and the most sessful of them was to add concepts.


    Milleon had witnessed quite a few concepts, and he knew that the mostmon was the book. Adventure novels, love novels, fairy tales, even manhwas and webtoons. Videos also existed, embodying the world of movies and dramas.


    And the whole process was terrible, because Project End existed for the purpose of the end. Therefore, no matter what direction was taken, the concept of Horror could not be removed. Even if the concept was set to a romance novel, it would be a Horror Romance Novel. However, if the concept was simply added as such, there was a chance of survival. Even if the concept was Clear, there were cases where 30 percent of the corresponding civilization survived. Although there was a problem in which all relevant civilizations suffered from PTSD as they struggled to survive in the world of fear, they survived one way or another.


    However, right now, at this ce¡­ The Game concept chosen by Earth-34 was different.


    "It''s dangerous."


    There were also quite a few civilizations that added the Game concept to the Project End. At first nce, it was a very good way to look at it since it was possible to strengthen civilization itself with the inexplicable power of the Unnamed that ignored all thews of the Great Universe.


    After all, weren''t the basics of a game to level up in the end? However, the Game concept was too dangerous. It was also a precarious concept to be referred to as high-risk high-return. That was the case even if they were to Clear the Project End and ovee it.


    "Most people die in the process of clearing it."


    Milleon had seen the scene where the game concept of the Project End was cleared before. It was a destroyed civilization in which all living things died. And, the one person who mourned over its destruction, was a single transcendent.


    The update of the game concept of the Project End was too fast. No matter how advanced the spiritual study of the corresponding civilization was, it was impossible for the entire human race to keep up to the pace of the updates. Only an extremely small number of people who were brilliant and distinguished, possessed great destiny and devilish telent, and above all, had the potential to transcend, could ovee the concept.


    "Moreover, it was difficult to even escape the game concept."


    If every single being of the corresponding civilization ran away from the where the Project End was located, and the Project End''s Clear failed to bepleted, the Project End would evolve into the Evil Influence of an Iplete End. It would then chase after the escapees of the corresponding civilization. They would catch and devour them for the purpose ofpleting the Project End.


    The problem was that the civilization that carried out the game concept obtained stats and skills by ying the game, and those stats and skills became a kind of Marker. With the power and authority equivalent to that of an Untouchable, the Evil Influence of an Iplete End would go after the Marker until the end of the universe. Survival was impossible unless the escapees escaped to the realm of an Untouchable with a good temper (though it was uncertain if such an existence existed).


    "Let''s see... Aigoooo. There are only 2.5 billion people left on Earth, isn''t there?" Million''s expression turned serious, because he knew for a fact that the poption of Earth-34 was about 6 to 7 billion. It was just like the other Earths.


    "If so, their level is about Level 5? No, is it about Level 8? I would have to take part in the Project End eventually if I want to save the adoption son brat." As he muttered like that and epted the world''s information, his expression suddenly went nk. "Huh?" An unbelievable piece of information was flowing into his head. "Huuuuuhhhh???"


    - Stage will be open!


    - Level 15. Difficulty is set to Low.


    - A new participant has been confirmed. The Level will be changed!


    - Level 1. Difficulty is set to Low.


    - The stage from Level 1 Low-difficulty to Level 15 Low-difficulty will proceed in session!


    It was a transfer of new participants in the middle of the stage, and not a process that only applied for Milleon. Rather, it was a process that all those who were born in the Unique World and went to Earth experienced. However, as they were new participants, they couldn''t make additional clears or cancel someone''s death just because they cleared the stage in their respective timelines. They could only proceed with their own stage until they caught up to the Level 15 stage. But it was not the transfer process that mattered to Milleon.


    "No, what is this... Level 15? They''re at Level 15? Even though there are 2.5 billion people alive?"


    "Kyaaaaaak!!" A Level 1 Low-rank monster, Zombie Kid, screamed as it saw Milleon and charged at him right away. Milleon looked at it with a look of disbelief. "Kyaaaa---!!!" With a single nce from him, the body burned to the ground and disintegrated. No matter how much the stats were restricted, undeads of that level were existences who were nothing but dust in front of the All Master.


    "No, no, what on earth..." Then, Milleon mumbled with a nk expression on his face in front of the corpse that disintegrated. "2.5 billion humans, that means that on average... Does it mean that they all proceeded with the Level 15 stage??"

 Vol 2. 106: The Salvation of God (43)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 106: The Salvation of God (43)</h4>


    The Level 15 Low-difficulty stage was over, and it did not even take long.


    - Death Procession has all been cancelled.


    - Congrattions! The stage has been cleared perfectly! Rewards are given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 1st-ce.


    "It''s definitely faster with the decreasing number of challengers." I beat and killed the Death Knight Kings with all my heart, but I only managed to catch 270 of them. It was a phenomenon in which the stage ended quickly due to ack of Death Procession numbers. I had not experienced such a thing ever since passing the Low-level stage. This was once again possible not because the stage was easier than the average human level, but because the majority of humanity was not on Earth.


    "Eden ising down!"


    "Now, now! Clear away from the marked spots!! We''re all busy people, so we have to finish whatever we have to do on Earth!!"


    "We don''t have time to sightsee!! Hurry up and do what you have to do on Earth!"


    Passengers on board the carrier, Eden, returned to Earth after the one hour long space travel. This was not my idea, but the result of epting the opinions of Eden''s passengers. Certainly, if we left the stage right when the stage was initiated, we wouldn''t be swept into the stage. Hence, if we left around 6:30 and went into space only to return to Earth around 7.30p.m., everyone could be dropped off at the ce they wanted to.


    Even though the space trip itself was only an hour long, the process of boarding and embarking was cumbersome enough to take half a day. However, there was no need to load supplies into Eden, which had an infrastructure that could most importantly be maintained with the personnel for power nts and finances. Thus, there was no need to bring all the manpower to space for just a short trip to and fro.


    Of course, there was a problem in which Eden had to fly all over Earth. However, this was only a small problem. After all, the Albatross ship carried Eden and could put up with it rather effortlessly.


    Slurppp. I organized my thoughts over a cup of hot chocte. I murmured, "The current number of survivors is 3.5 billion. Among them, the number of humans that''s on Earth is 2.57 billion..."


    But the number of passengers on Eden, which came back from space, numbered around 510 million people. Then, the number of yers who possessed a Justice Weapon was 1.97 billion. There were also 10 million people from the Unique World who hadpleted the Academy and went out to Earth with Beast-rank Gigas''. Even if they died, the number of people who would die on Earth was 80 million people. Moreover, at the end¡­


    That''s right. There wasn''t even a single human being currently on the who was forced to participate in the stage, because the 1 billion people who would remain on Earth and be a burden to the yers were all in the Unique World.


    Finally, the stage could be carried out with only the ''volunteers''.


    Project End was a Compulsory Event that applied to all of mankind, including newborn babies, elderly people, cowards, and the sick. They all had no choice but to participate in the stage, and fight against gruesome monsters. Can you imagine just how many humans had suffered and died?


    "Of course, I didn''t feel terribly sorry despite knowing that fact."


    But even so, that doesn''t change the fact that Earth-34 was saved by Captain-nim.


    It felt burdensome, but Genie wasn¡¯t incorrect. She currently spoke the undeniable truth.


    ''But it''s not because of my power alone.'' I certainly did not intend to say bullshit like ''I just helped, and it was only possible because of the will of mankind!''. After all, humanity had nothing to be proud of because they obviously had to fight. Their hard work was only natural, especially if they wanted to live. I was thinking about a different guy. ''Juan.''


    The power and authority of the Three Gods that Juan had created was enormous. It wasn¡¯t even a joke. Even though it was great enough for someone¡¯s im that it as God to be believable, how was it even possible when it felt just like a Tool?


    Anyway, with my strategy guide and Unique World, as well as Juan''s Three Gods, the progress of the stage wentpletely off track. ''It can be considered a far greater momentum than the producer''s expectations.''


    There was no way a plete'' annihtion stage could exist as long as the game characteristic was added to the Project End. No matter how difficult it was, it should be possible to clear within the stage. However, at the same time, the goal of Project End was the End.


    Based on the games on Earth, it seemed to be a benchmark on the basis of the Soul-Like genre games[1]. Clearing the stage itself was possible, but with a basic design that ced the yer¡¯s death in mind, it was a game style where a One-Coin Clear[2] was impossible without learning through countless deaths.


    In my view, the ''appropriate'' number of clears in Project End was within a range of one to ten. It was definitely not 2.5 billion+1 billion clears. The current situation was an emergency for Project End as well. However, I have prepared sufficiently as well. "I''m sure something will be done."


    - Stage will be open!


    - Level 15. Difficulty is set to intermediate.


    - Death Procession has all been cancelled.


    - Congrattions! The stage has been cleared perfectly! Rewards are given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 1st-ce.


    - Stage will be open!


    - Level 15. Difficulty is set to High.


    - Death Procession has all been cancelled.


    - Congrattions! The stage has been cleared perfectly! Rewards are given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 1st-ce.


    Now, clearing the stage did not take as long as its usual few decades, because the capabilities and equipment of mankind as a whole had been strengthened beyondparison. If there was anyone who couldn''t keep up with the progress of the stage, all they had to do was live in the Unique World or go out to space. And, there was a patch update.


    The stage opening time has extended, huh.


    "Now it''s going up 1 level a week."


    There''s Low-difficulty, intermediate-difficulty, High-difficulty, and Highest-difficulty, so the stage is held four times a week.


    Originally, the stage level went up by two levels a week. It was held at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, as well as on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Saturday was the only rest day.


    Now, the Level 15 Low-difficulty stage was held on Sunday before Monday was a rest day. Then, the Intermediate-difficulty stage was held on Tuesday, followed by a rest day on Wednesday and the High-difficulty stage on Thursday. Moreover, Friday was presumably a rest day and Saturday was for the Highest-difficulty stage. This was definitely a good thing, purely because the rest time had increased.


    I can''t say it''s for the yers, but it seems to be a side effect from creating the Highest-difficulty stage. Ares interrupted my thoughts. However, strangely, he looked like he was having some difficulties.


    "What? Is there something wrong with you?"


    I don''t know. I hope the Highest-difficulty stage can be done soon.


    I squinted as I looked at Ares''s exciting avatar. ''This bastard, what has he been up totely?'' I had heard that Ares'' main body had be andmark of Center City, since it had assumed its ce in the Central za. However, I didn¡¯t know what purpose it was for. Still, I knew that there was no way Ares would do anything that would harm me. I just stayed still and watched him.


    Shuashhhhh!!! Vrooooongggg!! While I remainedid-back, there were people moving busily. There were flight-type Gigas flying in the sky and carrying something. On the ground, there were trucks loaded with supplies and crowded buses that moved busily. Technicians with special abilities were repairing infrastructures, such as the sewage system, and were giving guidance regarding the situation to the people who were not able to enter the Unique World so far.


    People made pretty good use of the unexpected term of free-time between the stages. Moreover, them using good use of the time now also meant that they had hope. They felt hopeful that the Project End would be cleared, and that they would remain safe, intact.


    "Now, now!! The Highest-difficulty stage will begin in a while!!! Everyone who wants to y, please make sure you fill yourself up with food and go on!"


    "If you go in, you''ll be hungry for some time!"


    "Let''s make sure there are no deaths this time!! Let''s kick some ass!!"


    - Stage will be open!


    - Level 15. Difficulty is set to highest.


    - No time limit. Wipe out the Death Knight Kings and Lich unit.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­.


    The background immediately changed into an entrance to the stage.


    "Move!!"


    "Let''s start digging the ground first!"


    "The Regen starts in 10 minutes!! Hurry up!"


    yers kicked off the ground like they were runners who began running at the firing of the start signal. They performed their respective roles as promised in advance. Boom! Boom! Boom! With the sounds of explosions, the ground beneath them split and formed huge pits all around the ce.


    - The wave will begin in 8 minutes. It will be repeated at hourly intervals. The regen count is until all assigned enemies are annihted.


    - Categorization of people is based on the rtionship level.


    - The number of enemies regenerated is proportional to the number of yers gathered.


    "More, more! Faster!"


    "There''s still so much to work on for the castle walls! Dig the ground first!"


    As the 10,000 elites who had been carefully selected began to move, a huge circle was drawn quickly. However, no matter how much of an expert they were at construction, it was impossible to make a castle big enough to effectively protect 10,000 yers in just 10 minutes. Thus, the Intercept Squads moved to the outer castle after about 5 minutes.


    I, who took out a lot of construction equipment from the Unique World, also stepped forward. "Napoleon!" I then retrieved the Dragon Heart and threw it. An enormous silver giant quickly materialized and swallowed me up.


    - First Wave.


    - Start.


    Whooooong-! The Death Knight Kings were summoned along with the raging ck wind. Since they were opponents with a much more diverse variation than ordinary Death Knights, this stage should have a different level of difficulty aspared to the Level 14 High-difficulty stage. However, there were only a few people who felt nervous.


    "Good! There are only a few!"


    "You lousy, boney bastards! There''s nothing to be afraid of!"


    Just like our numbers, the Death Knight Kings only amounted to 10,000. Of course, 10,000 units definitely was no small number, but it was still nothingpared to those summoned in the billions that charged in like waves.


    Boom! I jumped forward. As Napoleon''s body soared with the red cape, those who were on the battlefield gathered their gaze towards one point.


    "It''s Napoleon!!"


    "Iron Mask-nim!! Kwan Dae-ha-nim!! Go go!!"


    "Hahaha!!! They''re all dead!!!"


    There were people shouting excitedly before¡­


    Woooooooong! I could feel an indescribably huge uplifting spirit boiling from the depths of my soul. My heart pounded and my desire to scream wildly burned like a fire. It was a clearly ideal situation, but there wasn''t anyone who screamed in joy in that situation.


    Nice! It''s done! It''s a sess! Hahaha! I knew it would work! There are two billion people watching this right now, and this is also their war. There''s no way it isn''t possible!


    "No, Ares, this¡­ What did you just do?"


    Be joyful! You are starting with being a Compl¨¦ter of the Authority of the God of War, which could be called a Divine Skill of God!


    "No, you haven''t given up on the Authority of the God of War yet?" I was baffled, but I still controlled Napoleon. A sudden exhration surged within me and I yelled, ¡°The first round has to be done in a grand way!!¡±


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights. Blue. Only then did Napoleon''s whole body shine blue after receiving huge amounts of Mana and soul power. As I soared into the sky, I controlled Napoleon''s vibration and threw myself into the middle of the 10,000 Death Knight Kings. Following that, I invoked the Ability.


    Shinggggg! Blue waves of light burst forth. The Death Knights flew in unison and procured some distance away from me, but their efforts were of no use.


    Boom! As soon as I crashed into the ground, the 30-meter-tall giant converted the impact force of the crash into vibration, sweeping away all that was in the radius of several kilometers. No matter how excellent the Death Knight Kings¡¯ Qinggong[3] was, it wasn''t at a level where they could escape from this.


    Kwagagagang!!!!!! The storm-like vibrations tore everything into shreds and dispersed. Each and every single one of the Death Knight Kings were users of Master-level swordsmanship, but they were helpless in the face of such a disaster-grade destructive move.


    As I raised Napoleon''s creaky body, the countless Death Knight Kings were nowhere to be seen. "Hahahahaha!!!"


    Hahahahaha!!


    As Iughed delightfully under the influence of the uplifting spirit boiling from the depths within me, Genie, who had been quiet for a while, asked carefully, Excuse me, Captain-nim. Are you okay?


    "Of course I''m okay! Right now, I''ve never been more..." I then froze up, realizing my whole body waspletely drained. Not just my soul energy, but I could also feel Napoleon''s Iron Heart beingpletely empty. ''No, what is this? Are you trying to tell me that all my power was squeezed into this one shot right now?''


    I don''t know if I had to fight here for decades or not, but it seemed like I had exhausted all my power in one shot¡­ It was, of course, a monstrous force that managed to blow 10,000 of the Level 15 Death Knight Kings away in one shot. It went far beyond the category of a normal skill.


    But if it was against a close-range opponent, it was natural to bomb them away safely. It made no sense that I would throw my whole body into the midst of enemy territory.


    However, regardless of whether he knew of my bewilderment or not, Ares asked in an exhrating voice, Hahaha! What do you think? Dae-ha! It''s awesome, right! You blew them all away in one shot!


    "...No, what have you done?"


    This is it! This is what you call the Authority of the God of War! This is a glimpse of the brilliant power disyed by the dignity and authority of the God of War!


    "What a ridiculous thing. No, besides, aren''t I immune to mental-types? Wahh, I''d be in big trouble if I had learned this in the past." Then, I was utterly baffled. Baduummmp! My heart pounded. "W-What the hell is it this time? No, I don''t have any more energy left now!!"


    While I was baffled, I calmed myself down. I currently had too little power remaining to invoke the Authority of the God of War or something. Baduummmp! However, this time, the heart that pounded wasn''t mine.


    "No, the Dragon Heart is...?" I widened my eyes. The Dragon Heart, which assumed the role of Napoleon''s core, began to pulsate. Then, an iprehensible phenomenon began to ur.


    - ess to the Throne has been confirmed.


    - The status of the God of War has been confirmed. Calibration of the Heavenly King-grade.


    - The authority of the God of War has been confirmed. Calibration of the Heavenly King-grade.


    - The War characteristic of the corresponding Gigas has been verified.


    - Ability, check. Clear.


    - Synchro percentage, check. Clear.


    - All conditions have been cleared.


    - Please be prepared for an impact.


    "...What the. Ares! What did you do?"


    What do you mean what did I do? It''s already been done! Now that the Authority of the God of War has been fully established, if you slowly train it in the course of the war...


    "No, it''s not that. Where am I hearing this sound¡­?"


    Captain-nim! The Dragon Heart''s magical energy is increasing exponentially!


    The Dragon Heart was pulsating in the midst of all the chaos. Then...


    - Constetion of War.


    - Initiating.


    Napoleon''s silver body began to evolve.


    1. It''s a Genre of games. Basically, the Soul-Like genre has 3 primary defining features: 1) Punishing but fairbat that is heavily skilled-execution based, and less strategic or stat-based. 2) Very extensive lore/backstory/setting, with a very minimalist plot/story. 3)Substantial freedom to choose the order of map exploration.


    2. One-Coin Clear is basically an analogy of the arcade games where it is cleared with the initial coin cost of the arcade machines. To put it simply, it refers to clearing the game in one try.


    3. Qinggong is a training technique for jumping off vertical surfaces from the Chinese martial art Baguazhang. Imagine it as something like what you see in anime or cartoons where superheroes jump from trees or high ces. Another reference would be Shunpo or Quick Steps.

 Vol 2. 107: The Salvation of God (44)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 107: The Salvation of God (44)</h4>


    - Constetion of War.


    - Initiating.


    Napoleon''s silver body began to evolve. Kruackkk! The Gigas made of Dragon Bone was twisted and torn, as if a huge hand was squeezingundry dry. It turned into quicksilver, its original source, and started boiling hotly.


    "Ugh!"


    Captain-nim! Are you all right?


    "It just stings a little bit, so don''t worry." I shook my head. The problem wasn''t the pain, but the situation unfolding right now. I could tell that Napoleon, the one I had engraved in the Dragon Heart with the spells that hundreds of thousands of Enchanters had poured their sweat and blood into, was twisted from the bottom up. "What do you mean Constetion of War? What is this¡­? For starters, judging from the atmosphere, it feels like it''s evolving from a Human-rank to a Star-rank Gigas."


    However, this strange ¡®evolution¡¯ was something I did notprehend. No matter how mysterious the existence of Gigas'' were, they were based on industrially manufactured products. An upgrade that equipped new armaments or added new functions was understandable, but creating a different level of Gigas requiredpletely different facilities and processes from the very beginning, and each screw or bolt would be different. Even if converting a bicycle into a motorcycle was borderline possible, it was impossible to convert a mere bicycle into an airne. This applied to the current situation too.


    However, at this moment, Napoleon was clearly changing. Thud thuck! Thud thuck thuck!! The 30-meter-tall giant gradually shrank. I was literally in an unbelievable crisis while going through this process. Thankfully, the enemies were wiped out and the Regen was on an hourly interval, so no enemy was pouncing on me.


    ''Of course, I can also send the Specter Dragon out. I can ignore the rules and everything else just likest time, but there¡¯s no sign that it''s needed right now.'' I closed my eyes and strengthened the synchro percentage with the Gigas.


    Baduummmp! Badummp! The Dragon Heart pulsated like crazy and emitted magical energy. Then, at that moment, I could feel something in the Dragon Heart. "¡­This is?" I blinked, knowing it was a Star. It was the power of Idols[1].


    Groarrrrr---! The magical energy emitted from the Dragon Heart gushed out like blood, flowing inside the Dragon Bone. The metallic Gigas felt like it was beginning to be imbued with life, like a Biological Weapon. No, it was more appropriate to call it a living creature made of metal.


    - You are in the Challenger rank.


    It wasn¡¯t an ''engineered'' process at all and, at that moment, I realized what I had to do. I was now in a situation where I could harness the power of the Throne, because I was not in the middle ofbat. I began to grant an attribute without any hesitation.


    "Steel Muscles." I began to form muscles. From the minor pectoral muscle to the major pectoral muscle, I formed muscles all the way to the biceps and the femoris muscle, and so on. I focused on the Skeletal Muscles for the general purpose of motor ability, and¡­


    Concentric Circle, Reinforcement, Restoration, eleration, Pressure, Vibration Absorption, me Resistance, Frost Resistance, Lightning Resistance¡­ I repeated the process of consuming Aura like crazy, and restoring it with the effect of the Throne of Honor.


    Meanwhile, Ares suddenly talked to me, Dae-ha! I-I think I can do it!


    "Do what?"


    This Gigas, I can connect it with my main body! Is it okay to use spiritual energy?


    "Well, alright." As I answered, the Dragon Bone on one side of the cockpit was dented before Ares summoned the Lightning Spirit and Metal Spirit. As soon as the Spirits appeared, they permeated into Napoleon without a moment of hesitation. Then, I called out, "Genie, call Jae-seok and ask him to move me into the castle. Tell them to be as careful as possible."


    Yes, Captain-nim.


    After delivering the message, I focused on granting the attributes again. Mana Amplification, Mana Absorption, Mana Resistance, Spirit Affinity, Lightning sh...


    Originally, there was a limit to the attributes that could be granted to a certain amount of metal. If the Spiritual Property of a metal was weak, or if its mass and size were small, the power of the characteristics imbued would also be insignificant. However, right now, attributes were endowed endlessly.


    "Now, now! Move him carefully! Dae-ha, this brat, he''s in the midst of receiving enlightenment!"


    "Napoleon is sluggish... What kind of enlightenment will even let the Gigas go through a change¡­?"


    "He''s already so strong, but he''s still getting stronger, huh."


    Dozens of Gigas made amotion as they moved me into the newly constructed castle. The excavator and trucks scooped up the dirt and moved it, and the enchanted steel tes I had previously pulled out were being installed a certain distance apart. Groarrrrr---! In the midst of all that, the transformation did not stop.


    ''I see.'' I realized the fact that the power of the Star was not Design. There was no reason to be confused because I had already known the blueprint of the Star-rank for a long time. Moreover, I was the one who had the God-rank Gigas, Ares, by my side all the time. In other words, it was not the design itself that mattered.


    The real function of the Star''s power was to provide a container. Just as the Status of a God-rank Gigas mimicked the authority of the Gods, the power of the Constetion of Warid the foundation for enduring the Ability and Specifications of a Star-rank Gigas.


    ''It''s a little different from the Golden Constetion, huh.'' I was informed by the Empire on the production method of Goldrian, but I hadn¡¯t been capable of manufacturing one by following the method. I didn¡¯t fail to manufacture it, but I simply just couldn¡¯t try to do so.


    Why would a Golden Constetion be called one? In order to produce it, an astronomical amount of manpower and wealth must be hammered into it. It required enormous facilities that couldn''t be surmounted unless it was a force of the Empire-ss.


    Krooooom---!


    Ugh! It''s small! No, why is it so small?


    I asked as I listened to Ares''int, "Genie, what''s the size of the Gigas now?"


    It''s currently 10.5 meters.


    "It''s the size of Napoleon," Imented.


    Napoleon was originally a 10-meter Gigas, so this could be said to be an appropriate size for Napoleon, a Human-rank Gigas. Nevertheless, Napoleon''s body, made of Dragon Bone, was now 30-meter-tall because he was influenced by Ares.


    It''s---- SMALL!!!!


    Kwareukkkkkkk!!!


    "Uwahhhh!! Napoleon is growing big again!"


    "Get out of the way!"


    "Hey there, stop worrying about it and assume your positions!! It''s going to be time for the Regen to happen!"


    I could hear the voices of the people around me. Although I was still focusing on my current situation, I could hear them because my consciousness gradually became clearer and expanded.


    Boom! Then, finally, the gray giant raised himself up.


    - Constetion of War.


    - The War Lord.


    - Instationplete.


    At the end of the announcement, the power of the Star drifted far away as if it had finished its task. Then, I heard the sound of a cheer, It''s a sess!


    "Huh?!" I was surprised by the voice I heard from Napoleon, no, from the War Lord. "Ares? No, what are you doing?"


    What do you mean? This means I can also finally fight! Hahaha! I listened to hisughter and confirmed The War Lord''s Ability.


    "Huh?" I did not understand what was with the Ability¡¯s status. "No, wait! Ares! This War Lord¡¯s Ability is your Ability though?" I couldn''t help but freak out, because I thought I would obviously see the new Ability of a Star-rank Gigas. I didn¡¯t understand how a God-rank Gigas'' Ability appeared here out of nowhere.


    I don''t think that''s the end of it though?


    "What do you mean by that¡­?" I stopped asking and froze up.


    "No, this is¡­ It''s crazy." I gaped, because that was a Transcendence Skill. It was an inherent Transcendence Skill built into the God of War, Ares.


    It''s cool, right?


    "No. This doesn''t make sense, does it?" All I could do was let out a scoff. I shouldn¡¯t refer to a Star-rank Gigas as just something, but it was still a mere Star-rank Gigas. There was almost no way that a Transcendence Skill would appear.


    I took a look at the title of The War Lord after calming down a little. Only then did I understand andment, "The War Lord, this fellow, originally only had one Ability." I realized that it only had one Ability called the .


    "This, don''t tell me." I roughly got a grasp of it just by looking at the name, but I still read the contents.


    You can receive the power of God. In the middle of the spiritual summoning, the Ability and Transcendence Skill of the main body would be sealed.


    Due to the limitations of the container, only 2 Abilities and 1 Transcendence Skill can be activated simultaneously.


    "...No, this isn''t a War Lord. It''s the Apostle of the War of God." I realized that Deus Ex Machina was not the original Ability of the Constetion of War, but it was the result of Ares'' interference in this current situation.


    In actual fact, it was an Ability with huge risks. Aside from it almost being a crippling function, the current War Lord was a Gigas that did not have a single inherent Ability. Things were only different now because there was a God-rank Gigas supporting it from behind.


    "Napoleon got up!"


    "Oh? But is that really Napoleon? It has a different appearance."


    "It''s an appearance I''ve previously seen somewhere... Ah! Isn''t that the one standing in the Central za?"


    "Ares? You''re saying that''s Ares?"


    I invoked the Transcendence Skill after listening to the people''s voices.


    . The space opened up and a spear the size of a toothpick revealed itself. As I grabbed it, it expanded to over 40 meters in the blink of an eye. Only then did it be the right size for The War Lord to hold.


    ''As soon as I activated the God of War''s Treasure Trove, all the other Abilities and Transcendence Skills were deactivated.'' However, it didn''t matter. I was already armed, so the use of the Treasure Trove was over. I closed it right away.


    , . With the activation of the two Abilities, I could feel a huge buff on The War Lord. Although I was uncertain about the exnation of the Authority of the God of War which stated that, A great Buff corresponds to the amount of Iron Hearts that participate in the battle, in the event of a war, but thankfully, it seemed to count Iron Hearts as well as Cores.


    Poooof!


    "Ack." However, soon, the spear that I held onto disappeared. "Ah, this. I was wondering if I could just take stuff out of the Treasure Trove." As I grumbled, I deactivated and before pulling out the spear again. This was because no matter how strong the two Abilities were, they wouldn''t bring out as much power as adding on a Transcendental Weapon.


    Ares asked me, holding a 40-meter long spear again, How do you like it?


    "What do you mean, how do I like it?" I looked out of the castle wall where the Death Knight Kings had flocked towards. I noticed that they were fiercely attacking the castle and 10,000 elites aboard the Gigas could be seen blocking them.


    Boom! Although he just lightly rolled on the ground, The War Lord''s gigantic figure flew hundreds of meters forward. Then, as it took on the posture of flying away¡­ Bzzzappp! The spear radiating a blue ray of light swung down like a bolt of lightning.


    T-That monster-----!!


    Block! It!


    No, dodg-...!


    The Death Knight Kings tried to respond by releasing Aura des, but their efforts were pointless. No matter how good of a sword master they were, they couldn¡¯t possibly block a 40-meter spear wielded by a 30-meter giant.


    Kwareukkkkkkk---!!!!!! Just a single blow was all it took. The casual attack smashed apart hundreds of Death Knight Kings, as well as the surface they were standing on just like they were cookie chips.


    Iughed, "It feels like¡­it''s a crazy cheat." I made thatment assuming that a suitable pilot was on board.


    Tool-rank Gigas were assessed to be equivalent to experienced ability users, in other words, those who were Level 5 to Level 9. Then, Beast-rank Gigas were assessed to be equivalent to Compl¨¦ters and above, those who were Level 10 to Level 13. Human-rank Gigas were assessed to be equivalent to First-Tier ability users, those who were Level 14 to Level 17, while Star-rank Gigas were assessed to be equivalent to those right before being a transcendent, in other words, those who were Level 18 to Level 19.


    As for myself, I had already crushed the Specter Dragon, who was level 19, to death upon making Napoleon, the Human-rank Gigas...


    "Genie, get support from people who want to see the stage in the Unique World."


    How much should I get?


    "Unlimited. ept it all. Ha, don''t tell me, here... A Star-rank Gigas, huh." I smirked.


    I would now tell you a little bit about the stories from the past. When I previously yed the Battle Simtion The Great War, I was misunderstood to have manipted the score by scoring 1.28 billion points when the passing score was the 100,000 score mark. How could such an unbelievable score be possible? The answer was Goldrian. I had devastated the battlefield on the Golden Constetion Goldrian and infiltrated the enemy''s Terra-ss battleship, Punishment, and captured the ship.


    In actual fact, it was an incredible achievement. However, capturing ships was actually not reflected in the score, because it wasn''t the target in the first ce. I had gotten 1.28 billion points not because I captured the ship, but because I had killed all the guys who interfered with the capture of the ship.


    Was it easier to understand if I said it like that?


    Just as there was the pr bear, Major General Chun Hyun-il, in the Albatross ship, there naturally was a Captain in Punishment too. And, he, of course, was also a transcendent.


    "This is really a crazy cheat." Iughed again, because this was what it all meant. I, when riding on a Star-rank Gigas, could beat up transcendents.


    1. In this instance, it isn''t referring to the K-Pop Idols, but rather the Idols of the World, take Zeus/Prometheus/Thor and the like as an example.

 Vol 2. 108: The Salvation of God (45)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 108: The Salvation of God (45)</h4>


    The Level 15 Highest-difficulty stage was cleared without any significant victims in particr. And next week, the Level 16 Low, Intermediate, High, and Highest-difficulty stages were cleared. They were literally smooth clears. Then, again the next week, the Level 17, Low, Intermediate, High, and Highest-difficulty stages were cleared. And, just like that¡­ November came.


    "Wahh, if these were usual days, it would be time to take the College Schstic Ability Test."


    "College Schstic Ability Test... Keke. Chul-soo, a Senior[1] together with us in high school, turned 40."


    "Haven''t you turned 30 too?"


    "Whatever. The flow of time is a mess."


    "I felt like I''ve spent my entire life in the stage, but it''s only been two months on Earth''s time..."


    Kwareukkkkkkk!!!! There were blue shes of light behind thementing yers. Whoooooook--!


    A cloud of dirt scattered and revealed the battlefield, a surreal scene of a 30-meter-tall giant holding a spear longer than his body. In front of him, bizarrely shaped monsters were seen frightened and faltering. No one would dare believe that each of those monsters were First-Tier Demons who could push a decent country into ruins in an hour. But of course, the giant was not really dealing with the monsters alone.


    "Artillery! Fire!!!"


    "Let''s earn some points!! Fireeee!!!!"


    Whooooosh!!! Mana Bullets rained down from the artillery units located inside the castle wall. They were not the only ones.


    "Maintain the barrier!!! They''re shooting long-range attacks!"


    "Uwahhh! Why is it so heavy when we''re fighting alongside, and assisting, Iron Mask-nim!!"


    "Please switch rotations faster!"


    "Ugh, my Mana is low... I''m going to rest now..."


    "Go eat some bread and drink some water while resting!"


    "Ughhh, it''s bread and water again..."


    Yells and screams came from all over the ce. However, there were some of them simply resting in a rtively carefree manner. They nced at the battlefield and had a chat amongst themselves.


    "The First-Tier Demons are crazy. Really. They''re really fucking strong."


    "Fortunately, Iron Mask-nim is around. If he wasn''t around, we wouldn''t even be able to hold on and they would just break through. I heard that there are less than 10 yers who could go up against them on a 1 versus 1, right?"


    "What a relief it is that Iron Mask-nim is human..."


    Among the yers who were astonished, one of them suddenly said, "...But, is Iron Mask-nim really human?"


    "In fact, it''s just something I heard. I heard he''s an Innate God or something. A being born between some God and a human woman..."


    "This isn''t some sort of Greek or Roman mythology."


    "But it sounds...convincing!"


    "Did you see when he first made Napoleon? It really felt like a scene straight out of a movie. It''s like he awakened himself as a God..."


    "Have you seen the Halo? The Halo? My legs really went weak when I saw that."


    "That''s too much. What do you mean your legs went weak?"


    "Wasn''t that the case with you too?"


    "I shat myself a little."


    "Screw you!"


    Kruuukabooom!!!! The sounds of explosions did not stop even when they were in the middle of a conversation. Perhaps annoyed by the nonstop artillery firing, the First-Tier Demons sted high-ranking magic and some of them ran towards the castle. However, none of them could break through The War Lord holding a huge spear.


    Then, by the time the enemy''s spirits were extinguished, the people who had been chatting all this time stood up.


    "All right then, it''s almost time."


    "Come on, hurry up! Let''s go farm!"


    "Telekinesis Unit, go together with them too! We have to get everything while they''re defeating the enemy!"


    "Open the castle gates!"


    Kriekkkkk--!! The yers previously having a conversation were dispatched to the battlefield through the castle gates. They were not dispatched for the purpose of fighting, but to move to collect the bread and drinking water dropped by the demons that Dae-ha killed.


    Kabaaang! Baaaaang!! Gigas that specialized in closebat invoked a single attribute at the same time.


    "!"


    "!"


    "!"


    The bodies of 10,000 Gigas that ran out through the wall shined at the same time. Then, they ran out while being led by a giant much bigger than them. The giant was at least 8-meters tall.


    ¡°-nim! Please use Bloodied Terrain!!"


    "Don''t be a fool and just follow me! And don''t call me Lee Sun-shin-nim! Call me by my name Jae-seok!" Jae-seok, on board the Human-rank that had finally begun production, led the Farming Team and dug through the First-Tier Demons in groups.


    Boom!!!! The Gigas, which used Overload to instantly exhibit more than five times the power, struck and crushed the First-Tier Demons with immense force. They asionally killed the monsters, and farmed the bread and water that fell on the floor. Their battle was not long due to the time limit of Overload.


    "Come on, let''s get out of here!"


    "Uwahhh, Overload is so tiring! My lower abdomen feels like it''s burning up!"


    "My core is going to explode, explode I tell you! Look at my Red Bear gasping in pain!!"


    Each and every one of them shouted and bawled while turning around to retreat. The breads and drinking water farmed by the Telekic ability flew alongside them like a flock of birds.


    Impertinent!!! Where the hell do you think you''re escaping to on your own will, you human bastards!!!


    Kill them!!!


    The First-Tier Demons rolled their eyes and chased after the yers. However, as usual, they failed to achieve their goals.


    Kabooooom!!! The javelin that was shot tore hundreds of First-Tier Demons to shreds. The War Lord, who threw the spear once the First-Tier Demon faltered at the unbelievable force created just by throwing one spear, kicked the ground. Kaboom!!! Half of the demons, who broke their formation to catch the humans, died. The demons screamed in despair.


    "Damn it!! Isn''t this a transcendent?! How can a Star-rank Gigas create such powerful...!"


    "What the hell is that spear?! Why can''t we block it?!"


    It was a chaotic battlefield, but they felt a gaze looking at them.


    "That''s amazing. It''s my first time seeing a group of First-Tier Demons that numbered to 100,000 in one ce... I didn''t expect that the number ofbat units would increase as the level went up."


    Considering that First-Tier Demons were nobles among the demon tribe, it was actually a scene that did not make sense. It was a scene that couldn''t be reproduced unless it was an Unnamed that broke the logic of the world.


    A great hero renowned throughout the universe. The Human God who represented the Physical Realm. Million, an omnipotent superhuman called the All Master, was mixed among the people and he stared at the whole scene unfold. He did not participate in the stage to watch it like this, but the situation waspletely different from what he expected, so he couldn''t make a move recklessly.


    "At Level 17... There are 3.5 billion survivors," he muttered. It was ridiculous even when he thought it was 2.5 billion people, so it was literally baffling that there was an additional 1 billion people in the ce called the Unique World.


    400 years ago, when the Great War broke out and the Great Universe fell into a time of chaos, the Project End had driven countless civilizations to extinction. Among them, there were civilizations that were destroyed by the hands of Project End, and even those who somehow Cleared the stage and subjugated civilization. Some even broke away and escaped from Project End. However, no civilization had ever protected such a huge number of survivors.


    "Moreover, this particr Project End was done in a game form..." He murmured. This was a different level from just clearing the stage, or breaking away and surviving. This was because, with the power of Project End, yers could level up, eat spiritual pills, and even buy skills and purchase resources. After all, the Settings of the Project End were permanently being consumed.


    What more if there were billions of people surviving? No civilization thus far had ever done so. Its power was so great that even Empire-ss civilizations with a number of transcendents were in a hurry to abandon the and run away when the Project End broke out. However, Earth-34, which had failed to even enter the Stage III Civilization, was clearing the Project End smoothly.


    "Now there are only three levels left."


    Moreover, at the current momentum, the settings that they would consume would simply be beyond the imagination. If that were to happen, if they seeded in the Clear, it would be the moment when the Project End with a huge Epic, which was able to momentarily defeat all kinds of divine beings, disappeared from the face of the world.


    "Where the hell is my clone in the midst of all this? It¡¯s a problem I was worried about, but... Don''t tell me, did he really go into hiding?"


    Decades ago, Million created a clone of his and attached it to a baby girl born with the power of a special destiny. However, surprisingly, she then met Dekarma, the Ruler of Legion who was defeated by the Martial God, Dark, and disappeared without a trace. While his whereabouts were unknown, she gave birth to his child.


    Million¡¯s clone had yet to show abnormal behaviors until then, so Millon himself was also aware of that fact and kept an eye on it.


    "..." Million looked at Dae-ha, ughtering the First-Tier Demons while riding on a Star-rank Gigas. He knew that Dae-ha was a child born between the Machine God, who possessed the Highest-rank Divinity, and a human being. That was the major reason why Earth-34 dered this unbelievable war against Project End.


    "And...there is also one more Unnamed Divinity."


    At first, Million thought it was a variable added to Earth 34, but the Three Gods were giving off the strong scent of the Unnamed''s unique Rule Breaker.


    "Originally, I''d have to get rid of it."


    However, it would be a foolish act to move hastily at this point of time when the Unnamed''s action was currently hampering the Project End.


    "Pheww. I''m so busy, it''s killing me." Million sighed and saw a giant wielding a spear with a crowd following behind. He witnessed very smooth progress, but¡­ ¡®The Project End would not want such progress to continue. They would somehow try to retrieve the settings they had consumed by devouring the yers.¡¯ He disappeared among the people while mumbling softly, "Let''s wait and see for a little longer."


    ***


    - Congrattions! The stage ispletely cleared! Compensation is given ording to contribution.


    - Your ranking is 1st-ce.


    The Level 17 Highest-difficulty stage was over. The stage that was noisy from all thebat units, which increased from the initial 10,000 to 1,000,000 in the end, quickly fell into silence.


    Poooof! Then, the gacha machine appeared in front of me.


    - You earned 4,057,753,671,875,012,230,000 points as a clear reward.


    - Points are a means of transaction and you can purchase Awakening Potion, Experience Potion, Equipment, Tools, and Materials.


    The rewards went beyond quintillion[2] and reached sextillion[3]. I tried topromise as best I could, but it was a really crazy standard to actually reach such a level.


    ''Project End, is it okay to spread it like this?'' I wondered. There was nothing to buy now. I had reached a stage where my body would get sick if I ate spiritual medicines, and the equipment I made or the ones produced in the Unique World were much more powerful than the equipment I could buy from the gacha machine. In the end, I tried to buy a lot of rare metals, rocks, and lumber. However, a new phrase was added.


    - The store will be updated.


    - Tools will be added.


    "Aftering so far... They''re adding something? And only a tool?" I checked the contents while frowning at the creepy feeling. There was only one item in the update; Spiritual medicine in the tool slot.


    Ten Thousand Years Immortal Pill: A spiritual medicine made for the purpose of living ten thousand years. When taken, the life span is extended by one year. Can be consumed up to 10,000 doses.


    "¡­No, no, what is this?" I stuttered and was at a loss for words from the absurd content.


    Genie, too, seemed quite surprised. A pill to increase life span... Of course, it''s not like something like that doesn''t exist in the world, but this is ridiculous. There has never been an instance in the Great Universe where a spiritual pill that could extend one''s life span to 10,000 years was confirmed. This is something that goes against the rules of the Great Universe!


    However, Ares spoke seriously, Screwing with the Great Universe''s rules¡­ That''s what an Unnamed unique feature is all about, isn''t it?


    No, that is... Even so, if this is spread like this, the Nether Realm will not stay quiet. Genie now sounded baffled.


    I got my act together and looked at the exnation more closely. It was a Non-tradeable Item, just like the other spiritual medicines. And the price was...literally crazy. I muttered, "500 billion points." It was a colossal price that could buy 500 billion kilograms of iron ore.


    However, at this point, it was also a price that could be possibly affordable. This was because 152.5 billion points could be earned just by killing a single unit of a Level 17 monster, the First-Tier Demon, and 762.9 billion points could be earned by killing the Level 18 First-Tier Demon.


    It was a serious problem in human society that the High-level yers were growing old and dying, so this item was like a wee rain in the drought. At least, from the perspective of humans.


    However¡­I questioned just why did the Project End add such an item. I frowned at the ufortable feeling that hit me. "This fucker, what is it trying to do?"


    1. This is a termmonly used to address 3rd Year High School Students. Freshman -> Sophomore -> Senior is how it goes.


    2. Quintillion has eighteen 0''s.


    3. Sextillion has twenty-one 0''s.

 Vol 2. 109: The Salvation of God (46)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 109: The Salvation of God (46)</h4>


    The enemy in the Level 18 Low-difficulty stage was also a First-Tier Demon, which weren¡¯t weak in the slightest. It might seem ridiculous to kill billions in arge-scale battle, but the yers were armed with Future Weapons, including Gigas (Telekinesis Cannon, Railgun, Quantum Bullet, Force Field Barriers, and so on) and fought in advantageous conditions.


    If one were to ask how strong the First-Tier Demons were, a good estimation would be that less than 10 people of the remaining humans could try clearing the Level 18 Low-difficulty strage with their own strength


    Kwakkkkk!


    I-I-Impertinent...human bastards. Kigigik!


    Even I, who was riding on a Star-rank Gigas, couldn''t help but die if I made the slightest mistake.


    Title. Effect of the Demon Annihtor (Highest-rank) is activated!


    Resurrecting!


    The head that flew away was restored to its original state. It was as if time was turning backwards¡­ This was the power of the Highest-rank of Killing-type titles, which went beyond that of yer, Hunter, ughterer, Disaster.


    Demon Annihtor (Highest-rank)


    - Strength, Stamina, Magical Energy, Mana +200


    - In the event of death, resurrection is possible. 9 Remaining Uses.


    - Karma is umted when the enemy is eliminated. Each time the Karma exceeds a certain amount, the Revival Stack can be stored (up to 10 times).


    - You have killed so many demons that you have be able to affect the entire poption of the remaining demons. If there are several people like you, the demon may be registered as a protected species and ced under care.


    - You, who have ughtered over 100 million demons (First-Tier), is an existence that has more influence than the Demon King to the demons.


    The effect I received from the Annihtor title, obtained by killing the demons on the stage, was resurrection. It was just ridiculous that the effect from the Death Knight Annihtor title I obtained by killing more than 100 million Death Knights was also resurrection. ''Why are all the High-rank title''s effect resurrection?''


    Of course, I admit that the ability to revive was a cheat. However, the title effect was redundant now that the effect ovepped. It only left behind a bad taste.


    Captain-nim!


    This, damn it. Dae-ha, are you alright?


    "I''m not okay. Ugh, my head... Ah, this crazy shit. I let my guard down too much. I didn''t think it''d be able to break through the Dragon Bone Armor in that frame of time." Through the hole in front of the cockpit, I looked at the sight of the annihted and copsed First-Tier Demon. "A Cross Counter of all things, huh."


    Absurdly enough, instead of blocking or avoiding Gungnir, that demon bastard poured all of its energy into the counterattack. It was an act done to perish together, so to speak. Of course, it was nothing more than an attack that could have been avoided or blocked by the usual me¡­ Unfortunately, I was not in my peak condition right now.


    "I''m sick of this... How much does this make?"


    With this, it''s 5,411 units.


    "Hahhh, I''m still only half way done." I kept losing concentration. It would be better to gather the enemies around in arge-scale battle and exterminate them in one fell swoop. Defeating them one by one, like this, was something that took too much time and mental strength. "Agh, those oldies really... I''m just going to leave them all to die."


    In fact, there had recently been very few ''additional clears'' like right now. This was because the stage proceeded and was maintained only with volunteers who ambiguously participated as yers when the Highest-difficulty stage first opened. They had all entered the Unique World.


    Considering the fact that there were only a few thousand participants in the previous Level 17 Low-difficulty stage, this situation in which I myself cleared the stage 5,000 times was absolutely not normal.


    If there''s going to be death, the majority of people dying would be those who challenged the stage anyways.


    "I understand, but..." I muttered. I wondered if there was no chance of victory if they challenged the Low-difficulty stage that had no variables with theircking power¡­ Don''t tell me, was this what Project End was aiming for? People dying out of greed for the points?


    - Death Procession has all been cancelled.


    - Congrattions! The stage has been cleared perfectly! Rewards are given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 1st-ce.


    However, there wasn''t a crazy amount of challengers, so the stage ended at around 7,000 clears. Due to it being a Perfect Clear, there weren''t any fatalities.


    "¡­What the hell is this, man?" I watched the people who were drinking something at the crowded Gwanghwamun Square as always.


    Gwanghwamun Square was still crowded with people even though half of humanity had died and one-third of the remaining half had entered the Unique World. Moreover, in the entire Republic of Korea, most apartments were empty and there were even a considerable amount of ghost viges with no one inside. However, perhaps because of that, the people all gathered in one ce.


    "Ultimately, what is it that Project End is after?"


    I was slightly exhausted, but that was just my personal problem and no one died in the Low-difficulty stage. Those who had challenged the Low-difficulty stage and realized that they had no hope of clearing it gave up on participating in the Intermediate-difficulty stage.


    Genie told me that the top-ranking yers who had left over points bought the Ten Thousand Years Immortal Pill. In particr, Jae-seok, who was afraid of dying before Kyung-eun, had already purchased more than 10 years of life.


    I looked at the titles on the off chance that there were side effects, but there was no such thing. In the end, this meant that the addition of the new product was an event that leaned one-sidedly to humanity. However, was there any reason the Project End would do something good for humanity?


    - Stage will be open!


    - Level 18. Difficulty is set to Intermediate.


    - Eliminate 5 First-Tier Demons within 100 hours.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­.


    Then, the Intermediate-difficulty stage started and, as expected, problems arised.


    - Warning. 3,481,112,831 yers are not participating in the stage.


    - Partial updates will be made to the system.


    - The act of not participating in the stage is considered as an act of surrender.


    - Death Procession will apply for those who do not participate until the end of the stage.


    "¡­What?" I couldn''t understand the announcement and looked at it nkly, but the contents were nothing difficult to understand in the first ce.


    Captain-nim, this is...


    They''ve made up their minds. If it''s like this, this means that the Cradle of Justice and the Unique World are irrelevant, isn''t it?


    Although the stage progressed up to Level 18, the capability of the entire humanity was obviously not Level 18. Just like even if the people of an entire nation yed football, not everyone would be able to be a national representative-level football yer, there was a huge gap in individual capabilities. No matter how great the advanced weapons and Gigas I created and distributed were, I couldn''t make every yer a superhuman.


    Ultimately, it was only the few elites who were clearing the stage. This was only made possible with the Cradle of Justice, and the Unique World that allowed yers to break away or choose whether to participate in the stage or not. But if they didn''t participate in the stage, would the Death Procession still apply to them?


    "This doesn''t make sense. If this was possible, shouldn''t it have been done way earlier? The Project End did not do it all this time, and they are doing it now aftering this far?¡±


    When the Cradle of Justice was first created or when I brought people to the stage, I thought it was an area that the Project End could noty their hands on because there wasn''t any reaction from them. However, it didn¡¯t that wasn''t the case.


    Eventually, what came to my mind was the newly added Ten Thousand Years Immortal Pill. ''Don''t tell me... Is a malicious patch update also possible, just like how a convenient patch update to users was?'' Just like how it btedly added rare metals and other items to the gacha machine after attaching unfavorable conditions to the users, this meant that the opposite was possible.


    ''Now that I think about it... Life span is a factor of great value, but there isn''t a significant increase in power.'' Of course, the longer a high-level user lived, the more helpful the user would be to the progress of the stage. However, at a time when the remaining stages were estimated to be short, whether the yers lived 10 years longer or 100 years longer, the fact remained that there wasn''t a significant increase in fighting power.


    ''This might be an emphasis on collecting back points.''


    Using a gacha machine meant that, ultimately, we paid with the points to buy something. If that point was a resource that could do something to the End Stage...


    Kuwaackkkk!!!


    "Shut up."


    Keuckkk!


    As the seal was released, Gungnir was stabbed in the head of the First-Tier Demon who was screaming. The First-Tier Demons had the endurance of a horse, and would only be scratched even if they were hit by a missile. However, it was a Numbering Transcendence Weapon. It was beyond its ability to block Gungnir, which was believed to have been created by a God who imbued their own power into it.


    ''Well, actually, I wasn''t even using Gungnir properly.'' The current me was literally just using Gungnir, but I couldn''t properly pull out the true power of Gungnir. I had yet to reach the peak of spearmanship, and I hadn¡¯t inherited Odin''s blood. Hence, it was an unsurprising matter. ''Though things would be a little different if I had the Ability .''


    However, it was impossible for The War Lord to activate King of All Armaments with Gungnir because its capacity was all filled when the Transcendence Skill was turned on. It was a limited restriction on the stage, but it was useless because my main battlefield was on the stage. .


    Captain-nim, the yers on the stage are in chaos. I''m afraid that the announcement has reached them.


    "They''re stirring up a fuss, huh..." I summoned the First-Tier Demon and killed. Then, I repeated it all over again, summoning and killing the First-Tier Demons while I was pondering for a moment. Should I use ''that method''? It was Level 18, not level 20 or Level 19. Moreover, it was during the Intermediate-difficulty, and not even the High-difficulty stage.


    "Damn it." I clicked my tongue, because I realized there was nothing I could do about it. It was not a joke¡­ If the stage proceeded with this structure now, more than 3.4 billion humans would die. No matter how many times I flew around and crawled, the number of times I could repeatedly y would ''normally'' only be 10,000.


    That''s right, only 10,000 times. In actual fact, besides me, there were almost no yers who cleared multiple times. Thus, I could only save a handful of people in the Level 18 stage.


    "Genie, how many people are Justice Weapon users in the Unique World?"


    There are currently 8,413 people.


    They appeared next to me in the Highest-difficulty stage, then after that, they returned back to the Unique World and settled down with what they had to do. They were people who had Justice Weapons but had already given up fighting because they already failed in progressing with the stage.


    "Gather them all together and make sure that they all understand the stage situation in a way that each person watches one another. If necessary, it would be good to broadcast that and reduce any anxiety. If they don''t enter the stage now, everyone will die. So, tell them to not be too scared and enter the stage. If they die, they would die inside the stage and there would be a chance to save their lives."


    What do you mean there would be a chance to save their lives...


    Genie looked at me with a puzzled expression as if she couldn''t understand me, and I left her behind and began walking. I released the seal on a new First-Tier Demon and stabbed the spear into its head. Just like that, I repeated those actions.


    - Clear!


    - Do you want to start the next battle? If you knock down the enemies in quick session, your number of clears will cancel the corresponding number of Death Procession. At the end of the stage, the Death Procession that isn''t retracted will be confirmed and cannot be reversed.


    I ignored the announcement and continued walking. Fortunately, the stage this time wasn''t that big. No, not only this time, but after changing into the method of repeating the Low-difficulty stage without the strategy guide, the scale of the stage was about the size of a sports stadium. The War Lord, standing at 30 meter tall, arrived at the end of the path with just a few steps.


    Thuckkk. I reached out and touched the wall, a dimension wall that looked empty at first nce but could never be passed. ''Perhaps the Project End bastards also know about this.''


    Raffley, the Specter Dragon, was a special monster. It was not special because it was Level 19. As the stage had already reached Level 18, Level 19 was not a level that far away. Wasn''t the Level 19 stageing out in units of billions when next weekes? The reason why Raffley, the Specter Dragon, was special wasn¡¯t its strength but the fact that it could transcend the framework of the stage in many ways. A Unique Level that was independent from the corresponding stage''s level, and...the ability to cross beyond the stage.


    ''That''s right. The reason was that Project End was somehow trying to protect the Specter Dragon. After that, it seems that it thought I didn''t notice it, so they just left it alone.'' Originally, it was something I wouldn''t have known, but the yer who could observe several stages through Watch found out that the Specter Dragon was not Regen regrly. Rather, it passed through several stages. Then, when I found out about that fact, I also noticed that I could also take advantage of that ability while I was boarding on the Gigas made with the heart and bones of the Specter Dragon.


    Poooof! I crossed through the stage and I saw the figure of a Gigas who was fighting with a First-Tier Demon for quite some time.


    Thuckkk!


    "Uwackkk?! What the hell?"


    As the spear that suddenly came flying burst the head of the First-Tier Demon, , whose armor seemed to be pretty battered up perhaps due to the fact that it had gone through a lot of trouble, looked back at me. "Hi."


    "W-What the? Why are you showing up here?"


    Pooooof! When I deactivated the Transcendence Skill , Gungnir, which pierced through the First-Tier Demon and was stuck on the ground, disappeared.


    Groooooarrrr----! The War Lord''s body was wrapped in a gray spiritual energy. Soon, that energy began to radiate everywhere. There were more than tens of hundreds of gray lights, and they were gray giants moving independently.


    "Hey, if the three Beast-rank Gigas I am controlling assists you, you can easily go against a First-Tier Demon, right?"


    "Well, since I''m somehow going against it right now... No, but wait, what are you talking about? The Beast-rank Gigas you control?"


    "Work hard. If possible, clear the stage 10,000 times." I left Jae-seok with three Beast-rank Gigas and crossed over to the next stage.


    This time, it was Min-kyung sunbae who boarded . Seeing that the stages were mainly connected to those I was acquainted with, it seems that this test called the stage was also connected based on the rtionship level or something. "Dae-ha-nim?"


    "I think three will be enough on your side too. Clear it 10,000 times, got it?"


    I also met Kyung-eun, who said, "You~ Uhhh~ Hmmm... Alright. You need five of them. Still, clear the stage 10,000 times okay?"


    I started moving through stages after I distributed Gigas without rest. 3 Gigas, 5 Gigas, or 1 Human-rank Gigas. Originally, the Transcendence Skill was an ability to create 1 Star-rank Gigas, 10 Human-rank Gigas, and 1,000 Beast-rank Gigas. However, unfortunately, I was not able to create a Star-rank Gigas. It must have been because I was using the ability that was supposedly used by a God-rank Gigas on a Star-rank Gigas. ''Well, I''m already very thankful that I can materialize Gigas below that rank.''


    "Iron Mask-nim?!"


    "Heokk! Iron Mask!! Why are you appearing here?!"


    I met people who were either pleased or bewildered to see me, and distributed Gigas to them. ''I don''t know when there will be a patch update.'' While feeling a little sense of anxiousness, I kept crossing over the stage.

 Vol 2. 110: The Salvation of God (47)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 110: The Salvation of God (47)</h4>


    The intermediate difficulty of stage 18 was cleared perfectly. I passed through the stage while handing out 10 units of Human-rank gigas and 1,000 units of Beast-rank gigas. The yers either seeded in clearing the stage 10,000 times or died, which ended the stage for them. Then, using the God of War¡¯s Army, I recalled the gigas and handed them out to the other yers. The repetitive process was much quicker and more efficient than I originally expected, since the only time I spent was handing out gigas across the stage, while the yers themselves were responsible for using the gigas to clear the stage.


    However, there was a problem.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Or rather, could this really be called a problem?


    ¡°What the heck?¡±


    The hard difficulty of level 18 was perfectly cleared as well.


    ¡°¡­Why isn¡¯t it being patched?¡±


    Then I worried for the highest difficulty of the stage, but my worries turned out to be groundless. In the first ce, the highest difficulty of the stage produced an endless stream of monsters because¡­


    - The quotas of yers out of bounds will be added to the group battle until the end of the stage.


    It was because of such a characteristic. The number of monsters appearing at the highest difficulty was small, since yers were now participating in the easy, intermediate, and hard difficulties of the stage. Due to the nature of arge-scale battle, it was impossible to avoid casualtiespletely, but yers had experienced the stage for dozens of years now. Humanity managed to clear the highest difficulty with only tens of thousands of casualties.


    However, even after proceeding through the stage so easily, it was not patched. We entered the easy difficulty of level 19, and it did not take much time to arrive there either ¨C only around 11 years.


    At this point, I could not help but notice a certain fact.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that you won¡¯t stop it, but you can¡¯t stop it, huh.¡±


    The stage had intervened so actively to prevent me from possessing Raffley¡¯s body in the past. I had mistakenly thought that the movement between the different yers¡¯ stage was not patched because the system had assumed my ignorance of the fact. However, it seemed that I was wrong.


    Ares replied after hearing my words.


    I don¡¯t think the End Project can apply patches whenever and however it wants. It might need to ¡®consume¡¯ something in order to apply patches.


    In other words, the End Project had not forgotten to block travel through the stage wall, but had prioritized other immediate patches instead.


    ¡°Ah! If I knew about this, I would have used it way earlier.¡±


    I had a moment of regret, but I quickly came to realize. The End Project had ¡®consumed¡¯ arge power to forcefully drag the people from the Unique World and the Cradle of Justice back in, which was why I was now able to freely utilize this glitch in the stage. If I had been crossing the stage earlier, it definitely would have applied appropriate patches to stop me.


    Genie spoke.


    Clearing the stage was only made possible through the transcendence skill of captain-nim and Ares-nim. In fact, it was a terrifying patch. It could have caused the annihtion of the human race.


    The power consumed by this patch should be humongous.


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    It was no exaggeration to say that the End Project went all-in on this patch. It was highly likely that the patch cost most of its powers. Unfortunately, the End Project¡¯sst resort waspletely nullified by the ability, God of War¡¯s Army. It was evident by the End Project¡¯sck of reaction that most of its energy was consumed by thest patch.


    - Let¡¯s not extend our lives!


    - Extend your life, and it wille back with an update!


    - Don¡¯t buy a longer life, but train harder to live longer! Increasing your power naturally increases the lifespan!


    - Rare metal, not longer lives! Mana stones, not longer lives!


    I could see people campaigning while holding signs as I sat in the central square. Genie asked.


    Couldn¡¯t you stop them from buying a longer lifespan in earnest?


    It wasn¡¯t an issue in the past because there were very few yers with enough points to buy longer lives. However, as I travelled through the stage while dishing out gigas, the number of yers with arge number of points increased significantly. Even if most of the battle was fought by the God of War¡¯s Army, the protagonists of the stage were the yers.


    ¡°What more could I do? Grab them one by one and check their life spans?¡±


    Naturally, I knew that the people¡¯s act of extending their lifespans wasrgely detrimental to humanity as a whole. If everyone boycotted the vending machine, the End Project would not be able to put a stop to my actions until the end.


    There is no need to go that far. You can simply check their number of clears and force them to buy rare metals or mana stones that would equal theirpensation. You could punish those who don¡¯t.


    It was reasonable, but I shook my head.


    ¡°There is no need.¡±


    It was impossible to gauge how dreadful the punishment needed to be in order to curb the human desire to live longer. It was apletely different matter from punishing politicians who were greedy for resources and authority in the Unique World. Even if that were not the case, I did not want to restrict humanity in such a way. I didn¡¯t think the stage would continue on for much longer. If the End Project continued charging with malicious patches and updates, the answer was to raise the standard of humanity to ovee the challenges.


    - You are currently Challenger Rank (temporary)!


    - Currently, the number of Challenger(s) is 1.


    - essing the Cradle of Justice!


    - 1,011,118,841 people are currently watching you!


    About half of the people in the Cradle of Justice were currently watching me. Of course, they were watching ¡®me¡¯ of the stage, rather than ¡®me¡¯ in the Unique World, so I started to carve without caring.


    Kang!


    As I carved slowly, I was struck with sudden anger.


    ¡°¡­That motherless bastard. How could it even think to interrupt me then?¡±


    Stop it already. I¡¯m so sick of hearing it.


    Aresined, but it could not be helped. I had climbed up to the 99th floor at once on an elevator, but they had cut the elevator line and forced me to walk back up from the 1st floor to the 100th floor. I felt so irritated that I could not help but frown. As a malicious yer, I should feel slightly remorseful to the developer and the operator of the game, but I didn¡¯t feel even an ounce of sorriness, not after it disregarded all rules and got in my way.


    Captain-nim, captain-nim. It¡¯s morning.


    ¡°Ahh~ Whew!¡±


    I started my day. I no longer had to battle in the stage. Rather, my job was quite simple. I only needed to cross the wall through the stage and hand out gigas. It was possible to use a macro(?) to get the job done.


    I woke up around 8 A.M., had a quick breakfast, and carved the Dragon Heart until lunch. After eating lunch, I trained my aura by bestowing various attributes to metalponents and frames for two to three hours. Finally, I trained in Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights until 5 P.M.


    I finished my day at 5 o¡¯clock. After that, I ate dinner and rxed. I read novels, watched dramas and movies, but spent most of my time ying games. Soon, two years passed.


    - Stage will be opened!


    - Level 19. Difficulty is set at intermediate.


    - Eliminate 5 unstable space monsters within 100 hours.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­.


    We entered the next level, but there was still no patch. I continued living out my life.


    Another year, 2 years, 3 years. 4 years¡­ 10 years, 15 years.


    I¡¯ve always felt this way, but.


    Ares spoke while earnestly clearing the stage. He had allocated a part of himself to the macros.


    You¡¯re like a Noblesse when ites to the concept of time, aren¡¯t you? A normal human would not be able tost for such a long time.


    ¡°It¡¯s such a nice environment.¡±


    In addition, my appearance did not change even after living hundreds of years. I was starting to doubt if I even had a life span.


    Naturally, such facts only applied to me.


    ¡°Ha¡­ Ha¡­ You came.¡±


    An old man was lying in a luxurious hospital room. He had a soft impression, as if he had lived his life with many smiles andughter.


    Great Wizard Zenon


    Level 0


    Principal Yul


    The identity of the man was Yul, the one who helped me attain my abilities.


    ¡°You spent decades teaching and sorting out students in the academy. I think you deserve ast farewell.¡±


    He belonged to one of the two organizations created by the Great Wizard, the selectors. As someone who belonged to an ultimate spell, he had the ability to read human talents. I didn¡¯t really care about his existence until now, but he had entered the Unique World after an agreement with Min-Kyung. He had spent his life teaching the neers of the Unique World and newborns about their talents and abilities. Eventually, he rose to the post of principal of the world¡¯srgest academy.


    ¡°Heuheu. You can really never know what will happen in the world. I had always been afraid of the apocalypse that the Great Wizard-nim warned us about¡­ I didn¡¯t expect to finally find the joy of life in such troubling times.¡±


    Yul smiled weakly. He turned towards me and asked.


    ¡°Do you remember the words I spoke in the past?¡±


    ¡°An ordinary person and the hero.¡±


    ¡°So you remember.¡±


    It was what Yul had told me when he found out about my extraordinary talents. An ordinary person would adapt to the new world, but the hero would transform it and leads it. Yulughed.


    ¡°But you¡­ you were a being beyond that simple frame. There was no need for you to adapt to the world. On the contrary, the world had to adapt to your presence¡­¡±


    Yul stood up from the bed and kowtowed to me.


    ¡°Thank you for protecting the stupid, ignorant humanity. Thank you for protecting us greedy beasts from the apocalypse.¡±


    His body was trembling at the exertion, but he still smiled.


    ¡°Please, continue to protect humankind¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I looked at Yul as he remained bowing on the ground. Genie spoke after looking over him.


    He¡¯s dead.


    ¡°¡­Well then.¡±


    I left the room with a bitter smile. A little whileter,


    ¡°Father!¡±


    ¡°Grandpa!¡±¡¯


    ¡°Uwahh!¡±


    Leaving behind the noisyplex, I returned to a building that upied one-tenth of Center City. It was a building full of all kinds of armaments and equipment, built for just one person ¨C me.


    I checked the time ¨C 4 P.M.


    I trained in the Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights until 5 P.M. The day passed.


    Another day passed.


    I lived the same, unchanging life. But at the same time, I was gradually changing.


    ¡°Heup.¡±


    I lifted dumbbells weighing dozens of tons without much effort. The process of converting vibrations into huge kic energy was bing easier.


    Chieek!


    Arge rumble resonated throughout the surroundings when I stretched out my fist. With a swing of my palm, a pair of thick,posite gloves turned red before melting. I could transform vibrations into heat and turn heat into vibrations. I could convert electrical energy to vibrations, and vice versa.


    But that was it.


    ¡®Achieving transcendence with Life Energy¡­ will be difficult.¡¯


    I became more proficient in Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, but at the same time, I could clearly feel my inability to look beyond a certain level with this method. With my affinity to metal, I essentially possessed metallic qualities and could be considered one with metal. As such, it was difficult for me to deeply sympathize with the view of Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights, which required one to view everything in the world as vibrations.


    ¡°Ares!¡±


    Chwaa!


    As I called out, the meltedposite glove suddenly jumped up and covered my body.


    ¡®Same goes for the spiritual arts.¡¯


    Ares and I were deeply synced and it was possible for me to wield spiritual power at will, but it was difficult to train in the spiritual arts due to theck of specific training systems. I was utilizing it as much as possible, but my growth had been stunted after I reached the level of a Compl¨¦ter.


    Wooong--!


    I tapped into my aura as I felt the metal armor cover my entire body.


    The Undying Emperor


    Lightning sh


    One Light


    ¡®Yes, if there¡¯s any chance at all, this is it.¡¯


    I had almost reached the peak in the art of utilizing aura. It was possible for me to instantly bestow legendary or unique properties. I was only able to mass-produce Human-rank gigas (though they were still all handmade) was because my aura had reached a certain level.


    ¡°If I seed in bestowing a transcendent property¡­ If I can create a Star-ranked gigas¡­¡±


    I stopped training in Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights and the spiritual arts, and instead focused all my attention on aura. I felt the wall and continuously knocked on it. I believed that I could go beyond all my worries and fears if I could surpass the wall.


    - The stage will be opened.


    - Level 19. Difficulty is set at hard.


    - Eliminate 20 unstable space monsters within 100 hours.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­..


    I did not expect it.


    - The system will be updated in part.


    - Stage abandonment will be deleted. Even if yers do not participate in the stage, they will not be given the Death Procession.


    - Stage will be integrated with external world!


    - All timelines will be unified!


    I never expected to open my eyes to transcendence as the End Project gritted its teeth to make one final attempt.

 Vol 2. 111: The Salvation of God (48)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 111: The Salvation of God (48)</h4>


    As always, Gwanghwamun Square was bustling with people, though it waspletely different from just a few months ago. Currently, more than 95 percent of those left on Earth possessed Justice Weapons, and the entire human race consisted of yers.


    Gwanghwamun Square was full of various Beast-rank and Human-rank gigas. Not only that, but the yers were holding gigantic railguns, sma hammers,ser swords, and other high-tech weapons that humans could not replicate with the current technology. Naturally, all of these weapons were only loaners. The yers would have to return the weapons after the stage ended. In order to purchase the weapons outright, they would have to pay an equivalent sum in rare metals and mana stones. However, only a very few yers at the top could afford to pay the required amount.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to arm yourself?¡±


    ¡°Why would I bother? What could I possibly do in level 19? I¡¯ll just be a burden to those who are clearing¡­ I¡¯ll just watch it y out in the cradle.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a waste? You¡¯re a swordmaster too, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible for a fake swordmaster like me to do anything, whether or not I¡¯m riding on a gigas. I¡¯ll get one-shot by a level 19. Ha¡­ Even though I fought in the stage for more than a decade, I guess I still had my limits.¡±


    People could see numerous gigas standing proudly throughout Gwanghwamun Square. It was truly an overwhelming sight, but¡­ Could any of the yers actually clear stage 19 on their own? In fact, clearing the stage was only possible with the help of a mythical hero named Iron Mask, who was helping clear the stage with his clones (which surprisingly reproduced his immense controls!). Moreover, the number of people who could clear the stage with his help was surprisingly small as well. Even if Iron Mask¡¯s clone was strong, its power stemmed from the techniques and skills it possessed. It could not defeat the enemy in a single attack, which meant that a drawn-out battle was inevitable. If the yers did not possess the ability to cling onto their lives, it would be impossible to clear the stage.


    If the enemy decided to ignore Iron Mask¡¯s clone and killed the yer, the stage would end regardless of the clone¡¯s status.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s time.¡±


    The surroundings slowly became darker as the yers conversed. The temperature was also dropping gradually, and the chill could be felt in the air.


    The time was almost 7 P.M.


    7 o¡¯clock was a significant moment for all of humanity. The yers tightened their grip on their weapons and boarded their gigas.


    6:59:50.


    6:59:51, 52, 53¡­


    Finally, 7:00:00.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°What the heck?¡±


    Gwanghwamun Square became engulfed in a moment of silence before the crowd began to stir. Unlike what was expected, the people had not been dragged into the stage.


    ¡°¡­What is this?¡±


    Min-kyung had been waiting near Geunjeongjeon Hall, riding on one of the 30 Human-rank gigas on Earth, King Sejong. Her eyebrows wriggled at the unexpected event. The yers surrounding her were clearly taken aback as well.


    ¡±My queen, the stage.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Min-kyung checked the device on King Sejong. It was 7:00:13.


    ¡®It¡¯s past the start time, so why hasn¡¯t the stage begun?¡¯


    Something like this had never urred before. But naturally, the stage would not end so easily. Without transporting the yers to a separate space, the stage started.


    - Stage will be opened!


    - Level 19. Difficulty is set at hard.


    - Eliminate 20 unstable space monsters within 100 hours.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­..


    A holy sword embedded in the ground suddenly appeared in front of the yers. The familiar sight frightened the yers.


    ¡°What the hell? Why is this appearing here?¡±


    Ting! Ting! Ting! Ting!


    The holy sword plucked itself out of the ground.


    ¡°It¡¯sing out of the ground by itself¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, what kind of nonsense is¡­!¡±


    - The system will be updated in part.


    - Stage abandonment will be deleted. Even if yers do not participate in the stage, they will not be given the Death Procession.


    - Stage will be integrated with external world!


    - All timelines will be unified!


    Guwoooh!


    Guwoooooo!!!


    ¡°My god.¡±


    Min-kyung¡¯s body and King Sejong began to burn brightly. Human-rank and Beast-rank gigas not only differed in their output and equipment, but also the fact that Human-rank gigas possessed one unique ability. Obviously, even a beast-rank gigas might have the same function if it possessed an iron heart, but¡­ Human-rank gigas possessed an ability that was unique to the person it was modelled after.


    Min-kyung involved the ability, Korean Manuscript [1]


    ¡°We shall not be put out of action!¡±


    The power of True Commandbined with the ability covered the yers, while tens of millions of cracks appeared in the dark sky.


    Gwuoo!


    Guowng!


    Guooooo!


    Ugly monsters resembling whales began to pour down from the cracks. The number was beyond count, but each monster was over 20 meters in size. The entire sky seemed to be filled with monsters.


    Moreover,


    Gwuoooo--!


    Guoo---!


    A fluttering gray light began to appear in the mouths of the countless monsters. Min-kyung recalled that they were enemies belonging to level 19 of the stage.


    This meant that each of them was on par with the powerful Spector Dragon Raffley.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    As she groaned, hundreds, thousands¡­ No, millions of monsters breathed down destruction.


    ***


    As soon as the monsters let off rays of destruction, the ground opened up and thousands of huge iron walls soared up to cover the city like a shield. The sudden movement was on a scale that could not even be imitated on Earth. Such wasteful usage of metal was only possible in the Unique World, which was entirely created from metal. The numerous gray beams of destruction collided into the metallic barriers.


    Crrrrrrriiiiek!


    Kieeek! Kieeek!


    ¡°Oh my goodness! What is going on? Let¡¯s get out of here!¡±


    ¡°Underground! There¡¯s an underground shelter! That way!!¡±


    ¡°An underground shelter? We have something like¡­ Uaagh!¡±


    Even though the metallic barriers could withstand a shower of nuclear bombs, they began to tear apart in less than a minute. Some people managed to escape to a safe ce during the one minute with Genie guiding the yers to the emergency shelters. However, the shelters were not properly ced throughout the world. Dae-ha had designed the shelter to prepare for the worst case scenario, to drag the enemy into the Unique World if he ever faced someone he could not face. As such, most people fled to familiar ces, including shopping centers, restaurants, or their own homes. Many simply stared with nk expressions as their walls and ceilings broke apart.


    The result was devastating.


    Kwaaaarrrrrck!


    The gray light finally prated the iron walls and struck the people. The gray light stuck to people¡¯s bodies like squirming, living liquid and instantly vaporized them.


    People were dying. All of them were talented people who would be recognized even in the Great Universe, but they were dying in vain. Everyone was dying except those who were riding in high-ranked gigas, those who had achieved a certain level of skill, or those who were quick to grasp the situation and were lucky.


    Guekk!!


    Guwek!


    Space monsters remained floating in the sky, only daring to use their breaths. It was odd, considering that the space monsters usually devoured living creatures. They were acting like biological weapons or well-trained soldiers rather than mindless monsters.


    If the situation continued at this pace, 90% of humanity would die within 5 minutes. All 3.5 billion humans could disappear in 10 minutes. Unfortunately for the End Project, however, there were unexpected three variables on Earth 34.


    ¡°For re~al~!? I¡¯m going to kill you, you bitch! There¡¯s a line that you shouldn¡¯t cross!!¡±


    Firstly, Earth 34 had an environment where the Primordial God could interfere,


    ¡°How dare you! How dare you do this to mankind!!¡±


    There was a half-crazy Untouchable Unnamed who was obsessed with a mission that was given to him.


    Most importantly,


    ¡°Come!!¡±


    There was a transcendent hero who was hundreds of times stronger in reality than in the stage.


    ¡°Come, Ares!!¡±


    ***


    I became flustered for a moment.


    Both locations were under attack at the same time. The space monsters were spewing out breaths in both of the worlds. Both my body in the real world, which was in the Star-rank gigas Warlord, and my body in the Unique World, which was just fooling around, were both put under attack.


    ¡®Where do I start?¡¯


    I had no choice but to hesitate for a moment. Who wouldn¡¯t? Earth 34 could be considered my hometown, and the Unique World was my world. Both ces were too important to be disregarded lightly. But I only hesitated for a short moment. I decided to defend the worlds to the best of my abilities.


    ¡°Genie!! Control Warlord and attack those whales!¡±


    But it will be difficult for me to defeat even one of those monsters with my abilities.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get all the artillery out here to the real world, so keep them in check using maximum firepower!¡±


    I quickly touched the artilleries in my workshop and transported them into reality. I ran out of the biggest, sturdiest building in Center City, the Steel Castle.


    Click!


    As I fell from the building, I turned Shadow Stalker into a pistol and aimed it towards the sky.


    ¡°Six strongest shots!¡±


    - Loading Extreme Extinction Bullets¡­ Complete.


    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!


    I pulled the trigger without hesitation. Large explosive sounds were emitted as bullets left behind a trail of void that sucked in air. The projectiles shot into the air and hit their targets.


    Kuaaahhh!


    A whale hit by the red photosphere was pulled into the center like crumpled paper. It wasn¡¯t just one either. The creatures were densely crowded in the sky, and dozens of whales around the shot were sucked into the distorted space as well.


    Pop!


    The whales disappeared with a sound. The Extreme Extinction Bullets had absorbed all the matter around them before extinguishing them. The same scene urred simultaneously in six different ces.


    - Cool down. 37 minutes and 44 seconds¡­ Producing Extreme Extinction Bullets¡­ 31 days 22 hours 30 minutes expected to create one shot¡­ 12 remaining shots¡­


    I could shoot six rounds of Extreme Extinction Bullets at intervals of about 40 minutes. I returned Shadow Stalker to a watch before shouting.


    ¡°Come, Ares!!¡±


    Ares had been firing artillery at the sky from the central square. At my calling, he flew towards me before snatching me out of the air and throwing me into the cockpit. I had been falling from the top of the Steel Castle.


    Ares sighed in amazement.


    Wow! Not that I¡¯m too familiar with the End Project, but I didn¡¯t expect it to go this far. It¡¯s basicallypletely disregarding the setting and doing whatever it wants.


    I looked down at Center City as he spoke.


    People were dying.


    They were dying like insects. People had been living in a peaceful world before they were forcefully taken to a hellish being by an unknown being, and now they were dying like bugs. These were the same people who enchanted my gigas, those who gathered and praised me incessantly, and those who practiced their controls every day while dreaming of bing a gigas pilot. All of them were dying.


    Those who I met and yed games with in the Unique World were dying. Those who reported me after seeing my score were dying. Those who had been struggling and gritting their teeth to gain power in the stage were dying. All of them were dying.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    I could feel something boiling from deep inside my heart.


    I was angry.


    I never valued human lives as being precious or dignified. If I had felt such things, I would have gone crazy with the guilt of killing more than 10 million people in the past.


    But nevertheless, I was so angry that I could not stand it.


    Kiiing---!


    I could feel Ares¡¯ Iron Heart going crazy. An enormous amount of energy covered Ares. The energy was so dense that it formed a thick, almost opaque cloud around Ares¡¯ body.


    ¡°All of you.¡±


    I activated all of my abilities and the transcendence skill.


    ¡°Die.¡±


    Ares flew into a cloud of whales.


    1. King Sejong was the one who invented Korean alphabet.

 Vol 2. 112: The Salvation of God (49)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 112: The Salvation of God (49)</h4>


    The huge frame of Ares flew into the flock of whales.


    Craack!


    The head of a whale monster split in half with a single swing of Gungnir. The monster whales rushed towards me from all directions, but I continued to freely wield Gungnir. Then I used the head of a monster to go even higher.


    Boom!


    The head of the whale monster was crushed and my body rose even higher into the air. I had finally entered into the middle of the whale herd. Everywhere I looked, I could only see whale monsters. It was as if I was looking at a sea of monsters.


    The whale monsters numbered as many as drops of water in the ocean.


    Kuwaaah!


    With so many monsters dying as they approached me, the whales switched their tactics and started to use their breaths from a distance. With more than 10,000 whales simultaneously using their breaths, it was physically impossible to avoid the attacks.


    If this were the stage, I would have used the ability, The Undying Emperor to block the attacks. The firepower of 10,000 breaths was not to be underestimated. I would definitely die if such an attack even grazed me.


    But things were different now that I was aboard Ares.


    Fwoosh!


    I jumped into the barrage of breaths. I should have been pushed back and smashed into smithereens, but I soared up in the flow of energy as if I had simply jumped into water. The breaths were burning and melting everything it touched, but it could not prate the translucent membrane surrounding Ares.


    An attack of this level could not even put a dent in Ares¡¯ ¡°basic barrier¡¯.


    Wiiiing!


    The God-rank gigas¡¯ Iron Heart produced energy without rest. The Iron Heart¡¯s unique and absolute nature, superiority advantage, dispelled all kinds of curses and aggressive energy swirling around Ares¡¯ frame.


    Crunch!


    As I swam against the current of breaths, I twisted my body and pulled back Gungnir with all my might. Then I shot it forward.


    Fwoooosh!


    In an instant, the breaths evaporated into the thin air and all of the monsters lined up in front of me were destroyed. Holes with a diameter of 5 meters were left in the bodies of the unfortunate monsters.


    Chuuuck! Chuack!


    I could see a whale monster stumbling around in the air with Gungnir in its head, roaring as it crashed into all the surrounding monsters.


    Nice shot!


    Flight distance: 11.5 kilometers! 314 enemies have been prated!


    I raised my right hand as the two voices spoke in my head. Gungnir vanished from the head of the falling whale in the far distance, then instantly reappeared in my hand. The surrounding monsters tried to close in for a bite, but my spear was faster.


    Kwakwakwaang!!


    Arge explosion took ce in the distance. It appeared as if the monsters had attempted to do something where I had been, but I had already moved more than a kilometer using the reactive force of throwing Gungnir.


    ¡°Again!¡±


    Whoosh!


    I hurled Gungnir once more as it reappeared in my hand. Hundreds of whale monsters were killed.


    Whoooo--!


    An immense divine power surged through Gungnir. In fact, it was not an easy feat to utilize Gungnir to this degree. Just as Ares would only allow someone who was a Transcendent and a Great General to ride him (me being an exception, of course), Gungnir also possessed strict usage conditions. In order to wield Gungnir, one needed to reach the point of transcendence through the spear. In particr, great achievements and capabilities in spear-throwing was a must.


    Above all else¡­ one had to inherit the godly bloodline of Odin.


    Due to the strict conditions of use, not many capable users of Gungnir could be found even if one searched the entire Great Universe. However, I could disregard such conditions because of Ares¡¯ ability, King of All Armaments.


    ¡®Ah, it would have been much better if I had taken a weapon that was more suitable forrge-scalebat rather than Gungnir.¡¯


    Gungnir was not a weapon suitable forrge-scalebat. Gungnir¡¯s most powerful characteristic was to never miss, which was a meaningless ability in a situation where mass destruction was needed. But even so, Gungnir was a transcendental weapon and a Numbering ¨C one of the top 1,000 transcendental weapons in the universe.


    Authority of the God of War


    God of War


    The passive ability and the transcendence skill enveloped Ares¡¯ figure. In particr, the effect of Authority of the God of War was enormous. Even though it was a single ability, its effects were insane, providing the user with buffs ording to the number of allies and enemies surrounding the user (originally, only enemies possessing Iron Hearts would be judged as enemies, but the level 19 space monsters possessed as much firepower as regr Star-ranked gigas). The buff given from Authority of the God of War was boosting Ares¡¯ Iron Heart and durability to a degree that was almost equivalent to the God of War, which was a transcendence skill.


    Uhh----ahhhhhh!! I¡¯m! Overflowing! With power!!


    I ripped apart a monster with my bare hands as Ares shouted excitedly. Using the monster¡¯s corpse as a stepping stone, I shot up even higher into the air.


    Pang!


    With every thrown spear, every thrown fist, and every charge, heaps of monsters were ughtered.


    But nevertheless,


    ¡°Dammit.¡±


    There were just too many. The enemies numbered in the billions.


    Hahaha! To think there are this many primitive space monsters! I¡¯d love to see how the Grotesque would react!


    Although their huge number gave the impression that they might be as insignificant as ants individually, that wasn¡¯t the case at all.


    ¡®If that were the case, no matter how many billions of them existed, I could get rid of them easily with artillery.¡¯


    But they were level 19.


    They were durable enough to withstand nuclear bombs and their breath could destroy an entire city in an instant. They could continue to battle even with their heads blown off, and they could move at incredible speeds of thousands of kilometers per hour in every direction. Even though I was in Ares, I could not kill the monsters unless I delivered each blow with all my strength.


    ¡®If such a monster had appeared on Earth a few months ago, one of them would have caused enough damage to the entire to threaten humanity.¡¯


    Jokes aside, a single one of the monsters could have ravaged through dozens of countries, countless soldiers, and abilities users before humanity could finally defeat it.


    I continued killing the monsters. Fortunately, due to the attack, the monsters had stopped attacking the city with their breaths. Instead, all of them were swarming towards me.


    ¡°Genie! What¡¯s the evacuation status?¡±


    There are currently 337,448,871 survivors. 98% have been evacuated into shelters. Currently closing the shelters that finished evacuation. 9.8 millionbatable pilots are being regrouped.


    ¡°300 million?¡±


    It was astonishing that 70 percent of the world¡¯s poption died in such a short amount of time. The only good news was that the evacuation was almostplete.


    ¡°Genie, how long until the evacuations arepleted?¡±


    Three minutes will be enough.


    ¡°Good. Then¡­ do it.¡±


    Ra¡¯s Fury. Activating.


    Originally, the Unique World was devoid of any light sources. A very feeble light could be seen on the ceiling of the Unique World, which resembled faint starlight of space, but it wasn¡¯t nearly bright enough. As such, when the Unique World expanded enough to amodate a high enough altitude, I utilized a lot of resources tounch the artificial sun, Ra.


    And at this moment, the sun was glowing brighter.


    Gwwuoooo---!


    The light from Ra had been luded when the countless whale monsters appeared, but the light was starting to slowly pierce through the dense darkness. I kicked off the ground.


    sh!


    A massive heat wave spread throughout the sky with the explosion of Ra, the artificial sun.


    Guwwaaoohh!!


    Guoonog--!


    The monster whales in the sky started to stagger. The vast heat and light energy would rob any ordinary person of its sight immediately, but not a single one of the monsters died.


    ¡°Wow, they¡¯re so durable!¡±


    It was unreasonable to have expected them to die from such a widespread attack. After all, they were strong enough to endure a direct hit by a nuclear bomb. But that did not mean that the explosion had no impact at all. It affected a particr function of the monster whales ¨C to be exact, their ability to fly.


    ¡°Haap!¡±


    The whale monsters rushed towards me while staggering, as if they were drunk. I ripped them apart to shreds.


    I cut, stabbed, stepped, and jumped.


    I threw, shot forward, and killed.


    I started to pick up pace.


    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡±


    I could not help but wonder at a strange feeling as I fought like crazy. It was something I could not express with words. I threw the spear ¨C 300 enemies dead. 350, 400, 500 enemies died.


    I swung my fists. One enemy died. Two, three enemies were torn apart.


    I jumped. I traveled two kilometers. I traveled 3, 4 kilometers.


    ¡°What the heck?¡±


    My senses were slowly getting sharper. My emotions were amplified, and my heart started to beat wildly. Ares¡¯ output was increasing sharply as well. The power of my abilities was being gradually amplified as well.


    Wooong!


    Gungnir glowed blue as I lifted it up.


    Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights. Blue.


    Boom!


    The spear became fastened to the empty air.


    What is this? A defensive ability?


    ¡°No.¡±


    I activated Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights once again. Using my fist, I punched the space where the spearhead was cemented.


    Booooo--!!


    The very air started to tremble. I knew at the moment that my proficiency with Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights had gone up a level.


    Vibrations that shook space itself.


    This was dimensional vibration.


    Rumbleee--!!


    The monster whales surrounding me were torn apart and scattered into nothingness. I shouted in excitement after realizing that Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights was not the cause of my growth, but rather a result.


    ¡°Hey, Ares! That¡¯s it, right!?¡±


    Hahaha!! You¡¯re doing so well! That¡¯s right! This is the War God¡¯s Honor! I told you, didn¡¯t i? This is the most perfect way to transcendence!


    I was bewildered at the incredible power surging through me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even train it, so when did it grow to such a degree?¡±


    There is no need to train in it! Think about the nature of the War God¡¯s Honor! This is a power that grows as you shine on the battlefield!


    Honor.


    I recognized the source of the boiling excitement that apanied the growing power of the War God¡¯s Honor. It was stemming from the excitement and wonder of those who were watching me, the believers.


    ¡°Believers, huh.¡±


    I could feel countless eyes watching me fight. When I became conscious of it, I could see tens of millions of lines floating around me.


    I grabbed onto the threads.


    - Uah¡­ Iron Mask-nim¡­


    - You can do this! You can win! Iron Mask-nim!


    - We need to go help him immediately!


    - I¡¯m scared¡­ Please save me¡­


    - Help me!


    Countless voices buzzed in my head. But instead of being swept away by the innumerable voices, I controlled it. It came as naturally as breathing.


    ¡®What can I give them?¡¯


    I could not give power. Even if I had incredulous power, it wasn¡¯t infinite.


    Hmm? Dae-ha, what are you doing?


    Captain-nim! I¡¯m sensing a huge release of magical energy into the surroundings!


    The two of them became flustered at the sudden turn of events and spoke to me in urgent voices, but I shifted all my attention and focused. Fortunately, the whale monsters had lost me for an instant in the aftermath of the dimensional vibrations.


    I invoked an ability.


    God of War¡¯s Army


    The cloud of magical energy was absorbed by the countless threads that connected me to the people. I kindly wrote down the contents of the blessings so they would not fall into confusion.


    Blessings of Iron Mask.


    You will be incorporated into the army of Iron Mask. Two advantages will be provided upon eptance. The rtionship can be broken whenever the target wants.


    1. Blessing of Piloting ¨C You will gain the piloting ability of Iron Mask


    2. Abilities of the Day ¨C You will gain one random ability.


    That was all I wrote down before continuing the battle. I had done my share, and the choice was left up to the rest of them ¨C the 17 million gigas-riding believers in the Unique World.

 Vol 2. 113: The Salvation of God (50)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 113: The Salvation of God (50)</h4>


    It was widely known that Primordial Gods were very limited in how much they could intervene in their own civilizations. However, this was a very misleading fact. If the Primordial Gods were limited in their actions, how could they possibly protect their civilizations from all kinds of threats of outer space?


    The truth was that the Primordial Gods did not like to intervene. They did not have any attachment or affection for the civilization they protected.


    When a civilization was born, a Primordial God was born alongside it.


    As beings born with the status of a creation god, Primordial Gods possessed all the abilities and powers befitting their status from the moment they were born (including omniscience). They were forced to protect their civilizations for a long time regardless of their own will. It was their duty and purpose, not a result of affection.


    As such, most of the Primordial Gods were simr to unmotivated civil servants. They only served their roles because they were required to.


    However¡­ The Primordial God of Earth 34 was different.


    During the Great War, the space near Earth 34 was considered one of most violent, dangerous ces. It was a fierce battlefield in which numerous Noblesse, Elohim, Untouchables, and Unnamed perished. At that time, the Primordial God of Earth 34 did everything in her power to protect her and humanity from the countless threats, since protecting the from outer space invasion was one of the most important missions of a Primordial God.


    She spent her own powers to bless the human race to secure a number of transcendents and protected the entire human race. She had even entered the battlefield personally to deal with a number of Ancient Gods, the Unnamed, Demon Kings, and the Dragons.


    But it was simply force majure.


    Despite all her hard work, she died dozens, no, hundreds of times. Even though she was immortal, she was subjected to immeasurable pain every time she died protecting humanity. It would not have been strange even if she came to hate humanity. But ironically¡­ after fighting for such a long time to protect humanity, she became rather fond of it.


    No sane person would feel sad about identally stepping on an ant on the streets. But if a person named the ant, nurtured it, cared for it, and observed it for a long time, they would feel sad if they identally killed the ant.


    One might stumble across a chick in the market that cost only 500 won, but as the person named the chick and affectionately watched it grow, the life of the chick no longer cost only 500 won. Rather, when the chick became sick, the person would willingly pay hundreds of thousands of won to take it to the hospital rather than buying a new chick after letting the old one die.


    At first, she had thought of humanity as a nuisance. But after dying more than a few hundred times while protecting humanity, she had be deeply attached to it. It was an emotion that the End Project did not know, and would nevere to know.


    I!


    She could not attack the End Project directly.


    Even if it was a discarded idea, the End Project was assigned a role directly by the Creation God. As a Primordial God under the Creation God, the End Project wasn¡¯t something she could meddle with. However, a special environment called the parallel world existed on Earth 34.


    She had be furious at the rampage of the End Project. She used her authority while risking quite a bit of trouble.


    I¡¯m expelling all of you!


    The space monsters had been causing massive destruction all around the world. At the Primordial God¡¯s words, they were instantly banished to the parallel world. Moreover, their cement in the parallel world was malicious.


    ¡®If I could, I would expel all of them to the same coordinates and have them explode, but¡­ this is my limit.¡¯


    She had gathered more than 2 billion space monsters into the middle of the Pacific Ocean without giving them even a millimeter of room. It was an amazing feat, but nothing more than a small hassle for the monsters. The space whales could travel through space at thousands of kilometers per hour. But unfortunately for the monsters, the Primordial God wasn¡¯t the only one who was furious.


    Too many humans have died.


    Three gods appeared above the space monsters.


    Too


    Many


    Have died.


    sh!


    The bodies of the three gods radiated light. The scene was being broadcasted to everyone who possessed a Justice Weapon.


    Wooong!


    Billions of Justice Weapons appeared around the three gods. Billions of glowing lights and billions of thrones appeared as well.


    All of it had belonged to those who were killed by the monster whales. Among the objects, the Justice Weapons were absorbed into the golden scales held by Justice.


    Standing still for a moment, she peered into the future.


    This is not suitable.


    She suddenly disappeared and only a golden energy remained where she had stood. The thrones were absorbed into the pitch-ck b of Honor. He spoke as well


    This is not suitable.


    He disappeared and left behind a golden light.


    All that remained was absorbed into the silver sword of Truth.


    Truth dered.


    Flying is forbidden.


    Truth continued.


    The evil breath will only burn within.


    After speaking the two Godly Decrees, hordes of whales fell to the deep abyss of the Pacific Ocean.


    Puaaaack!


    The whole sea was rattled by the sudden, massive influx of monsters. However, this wasn¡¯t the end of the whales¡¯ disaster.


    Kyaaah! Monsters!


    What the hell? What are these things? How dare they barge into my front yard!!


    This was the most dangerous location in the parallel world. A flock of whales were pouring down into the territory of the first-tier demons. The two groups were bound to collide.


    W, wait. These things are really strong. And why are there so many of them!?


    The situation fell into chaos as the whales started running amok. Originally, even first-tier demons could not face even a single one of the whale monsters. However, the monsters had been weakened by the restrictions of the three gods.


    The pouring blood and screams were the best sacrament for the demons. Countless demons were awakening from various ces, including the sky and ces beyond the wide sea.


    ***


    Although the Unique World had expanded in size to rival the moon, the structure of the world was fundamentally different from that of the moon. The Unique World was close to a simple chunk ofrge metal. There were no distinctions between the variousyers, such as the crust, mantle, and nucleus. In addition, the repetitive nature of the stage provided Genie with ample time.


    What would be the result of having endless time and materials?


    Kiiiiiiing! Phuack!


    Boom! Kieeeek!


    The iron tes covering the ground opened up with a heavy sound. Countless artillery guns appeared from the ground and started to pour out an endless barrage toward the monsters. Naturally, the artillery was destroyed from a single breath of a whale monster. Although Genie had worked meticulously to create the mechanisms, the whale monsters¡¯ breaths carried immense destructive powers. But when one artillery was destroyed, another appeared from the ground.


    Poooh!


    A giant railgun, which was more than 300 meters long, appeared from deep in the ground. With a loud sound, hundreds of kilograms of metal were fired towards the enemy. Although it wasn¡¯t powerful enough to instantly kill a level 19 monster, it caused the monster to crash into the ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s down!¡±


    ¡°Attack!!¡±


    Hundreds of gigas rushed towards the fallen monster whale. Sensing the imminent crisis, the monster hurriedly turned its body and let loose a breath. However,


    ¡°Breath! Avoid it! To the corner!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be raising a death g, you idiot!¡±


    The gigas kicked off the ground. Some of them erected shields and surfed on the breath, while others leaped through space.


    Guwaahk?


    Even the whale monster flinched at the incredulous sight. It could not help but panic even though it only possessed the intelligence of an animal.


    Not a single gigas had been hit!


    ¡°Pration!¡±


    ¡°Why are you shouting the ability¡¯s name!?¡±


    Unfortunately, none of the strongest humans were currently in the Unique World, such as Bae Jae-Seok of Lee Sun-shin, Lee Min-Kyung of King Sejong, Kim So-Hyang of Alexander, and Alex of Lincoln. All of them had been on Earth to proceed with the stage.


    Nevertheless, the numerous gigasshed out against the monster whales.


    Boooom! Puck!


    Explosions riddled the monster¡¯s body without rest. The monster whale attempted to fly up into the air somehow, but it failed in its attempt due to the strangely precise attacks targeting various positions on its body. Instead of shooting up into the air, the monster whale only spun horizontally in ce.


    It was spinning around with the same momentum it attempted to use to fly into the air!


    The gigas were working together with such perfection that one couldn¡¯t help but doubt their eyes. Even the monster whale could not understand why it had failed to take flight.


    Boooooom!


    Therge figure of the monster rolled on the floor.


    Since they were fighting on the sea of maic sand, huge waves were created as the monster crashed. However, no one was swept away by the impact. Rather, they climbed and rode the waves as if they were surfing, quickly approaching the body of the monster whale.


    ¡°There¡¯s a limit to how much damage we can cause by attacking it from the outside! Get inside its body!¡¯


    ¡°I know! I¡¯m going to go set up a bomb inside, so buy me some time!¡±


    Several gigas skillfully climbed the monster¡¯s body, tore open its breathing holes, widened the gap, then threw themselves in. After a while, they exited the monster¡¯s body and¡­


    Boooom!


    The monster whale stopped moving along with a deafening explosion. Simr scenes were ying out all over the Unique World.


    ¡°Good! Way to go!¡±


    I pped my hands with joy as the flying whales were shot down and killed.


    Ares expressed his astonishment.


    What the hell? Even if there are hundreds, how could Beast-rank gigas kill a level 19 space monster? Moreover, not a single death?


    Genie could not hide her surprise either.


    Their control¡­


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s mine. I could only give them the technical skills. I was a bit worried since they would have to make their own judgments, but it seems they¡¯re doing better than I thought. They¡¯re good at utilizing their abilities at appropriate moments as well.¡±


    I flew through the sky. It was quite dark thanks to the destruction of the artificial sun. The monster whales were still so densely packed in the sky that it gave the illusion of a wriggling sky. As I approached, the monsters howled before using their breaths.


    Obviously, they didn¡¯t stand a chance.


    ¡°Haap!¡±


    I crushed, smashed, swung, cut, and ripped them apart!


    Craack! Booom!


    All the approaching monsters fell to the ground after being smashed and ripped into numerous pieces. A rain of blood and flesh saturated the sea of maic sands beneath my feet.


    Cruaack!


    I twisted my body, concentrating the weight of the gigas, the output, and energy into Gungnir. That wasn¡¯t all.


    Wooooon---!!!


    Gungnir started to emit a blue light. All of my powers were transformed into dimensional vibrations and poured into the spear.


    ¡°Finally!!¡±


    I bestowed a single attribute on Gungnir.


    Shock Amplification.


    Woooo--!


    The world screamed as I pulled back my spear. Even though monster whales stopped in their tracks, distance was meaningless in front of a throwing spear. They could run or rush towards me and it wouldn¡¯t make a single difference.


    Booom--!!


    A thunderous roar apanied the shooting spear.


    With it, everything in front of me disappeared.


    ¡­¡­!!!


    ¡­..!!?


    ?!?


    The screams of the monsters were scattered by the roaring spear. Genie shouted in their ce.


    F, Flight distance, 240.7 kilometers! 5,911 enemies have been prated!


    What the hell is this¡­.? Even though you¡¯re riding me, killing 6,000 level 19 monsters with a single attack???


    Even Ares was made speechless by the incredible power.


    Gungnir found its ce in my grasp once more.


    Crrraack!!!


    I twisted and prepared my body once again.


    Kieeek--! Kieeek--!


    Hey hey hey hey!! It hurts! It¡¯s starting to hurt! Take it easy! Easy! My Iron Heart¡¯s running dry!


    ¡°Stop whining. You¡¯re a God of War, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Pararak!


    I concentrated and flipped open the pages of the book. I was given some breathing room with the addition of Napoleon¡¯s Iron Heart, but in the end, an Iron Heart of a Human-rank gigas was barely enough.


    Instead, I looked over the contents of the book.


    *Abilities of the Day!


    sh


    sh


    Pressure


    Sniping


    The abilities were rather useless and unsuitable for the current situation. I raised my hand and scattered the pages before equipping myself with the Carving Knife of Justice.


    What are you doing?


    ¡°Nothing much.¡±


    Then I carved the book.


    ¡°I need something.¡±


    The contents of the book started to change. The words sh, sh, Pressure, Sniping disappeared and a new line of text took their ce.


    *Abilities of the Day!


    Gluttonous Predator


    I activated the ability of Leviathan, a God-rank gigas.


    Kiyaaaah!


    A very small monster plopped to the ground and began to devour the blood and flesh of the monster whales scattered on the ground. Although the remains of the monsters would disappear in about 10 minutes after their death, the small predator was gobbling up the remains before they could disappear.


    The small predator quickly grew in size, and Ares¡¯ power was restored as the predator feasted on the bodies.


    Woooo--!


    Wow, what is this? Isn¡¯t this too fraudulent?


    Ares expressed bewilderment as energy began to course through his body once more. Not bothering to answer, I poised myself and threw Gungnir once more.

 Vol 2. 114: The Salvation of God (51)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 114: The Salvation of God (51)</h4>


    By mid-December, all the monsters that invaded the Unique World were killed. After killing all of the first 1.1 billion monsters, the Regen was repeated 19 times. The number of monsters fell from 330 million to 280 million in the end (The Shelter was destroyed by the breaths, resulting in additional deaths), leading to the deaths of approximately 7 billion Space Monsters. More than 80 percent of them died at my hands.


    "I can''t believe it''s 7 billion... I think my concept of numbers is getting strange these days," I muttered.


    Such a grand scale of casualties wasn¡¯t amon urrence in space warfare. Of course, the number was entirely possible if Maximum Annihtion Shots were rained on the residential colonies, or if nuclear bombs were dropped on the. However, if the power difference between the two sides were that stark, one side would usually surrender or escape. It was rare, no matter where it was in the world, to have a Kill Log that was just so crazy.


    Wiiiiingggg---! Clunk!


    "There! It''s quite reinforced, so please go up to the roof!"


    "My Azure Hawk is all out of power!"


    "Miss Genie! Where do we go next?"


    All the members of the Unique World, except children, were working together to rebuild Center City. Recently, the number of Satellite Cities had exceeded 10, but the poption of the Unique World had significantly decreased. After organizing its supplies, all the remaining members were gathered in one spot, the Center City.


    "Please make sure to imbue the spells on the barrier wall! If you don''t want to see it being pierced through in a single shot at the Level 20 stage!"


    Center City, which had been reconstructed, was gradually changing into a modern city. The entire city, over 20 kilometers in diameter, was surrounded by iron tes like petals on a flower. If an emergency were to happen, the iron tes would cover the city and form dozens ofyers of outer walls. Wizards were putting their enchantments on each and every single iron te, and technicians were installing all sorts of advanced weapons and checking its condition ording to Genie''s guidance and the blueprint.


    Meanwhile, tens of thousands of maintenance-use Tool-rank Gigas as well asbat-specialized Gigas also worked diligently to build the city. Thus, the city was built as quickly as a fast-forwarded video.


    One of the wizards who were enchanting said, "But all this could be for naught."


    One of the metal attribute Chakra users who was welding next to him said, "If so...that would be great. If all these were done in vain..."


    Originally, at High-difficulty stages, 10 monsters of the corresponding level and a Boss Monster which was a level higher would appear. However, in the Level 19 High-difficulty stage, there wasn''t any Boss Monster which was a level higher. In other words, the Level 20 monster did not appear. The Level 19 monsters just continuously appeared 20 times and the stage ended.


    In the end, the yers couldn''t help but to have such thoughts.


    "Even if it is the Project End, perhaps it isn''t capable of materializing a Level 20 monster?"


    "That''s right. Level 20 is the realm of transcendence, isn''t it? As soon as one reaches that level, they''re said to have climbed to the realm of Gods. How can they summon a God as a monster when only Iron Mask-nim had risen to that realm on Earth?"


    Unfortunately, they were mistaken. After all, I was still at the door of the realm of transcendence and I was not in the realm of transcendence yet. Of course, this was a y on words, since I had the power close to an Emperor-ss because of my special bloodline and the power of cheat-like weapons such as Ares and Gungnir.


    Captain-nim, the repair has beenpleted.


    "...Alright." I, who was inside the capsule restoring my stamina and spiritual energy (All of it was already Unranked and I couldn''t use it for a while), stopped looking at the city shown on the disy and transferred my consciousness.


    Poooof! I moved my consciousness into my body which was on Earth. Before I knew it, I was standing in a gray world, the parallel world.


    Pushakkk! Kwagagang!!! Large whales rode the waves of the Han River and shot to the ground like missiles. Moreover, they didn''t even p around and die aftering up to the ground. Instead, they dashed around and made huge furrows on the ground. They numbered in the tens of thousands, so just facing them brought about immense pressure.


    "Load up!!"


    Then, across the swarm of whales, tens of thousands of Gigas were taking up positions.


    "Fire!!"


    Along with the loud scream, a violent artillery firing struck the whales. The force from the rain of bullets fired by the tens of thousands of Gigas was beyond imagination, so the skin and flesh of the whales, nothing more than targets, tore and blew apart.


    The yers'' attacks were nothing tough at, since they were those who provided firing support on the Highest-difficulty stage on a daily basis.


    If the whales were in good condition, they would have flown around and avoided or fired their breaths and killed all the yers. However, both of these methods were restricted, so they were treated like sandbags. Of course, the whales didn''t die easily even when hit by such attacks. It was only inevitable that their charge was stopped as they took on substantial damages.


    "It''s going to be a long time..."


    The objective of the stage is definitely to ''Eliminate the 20 unstable Space Monsters within 100 hours''.


    "If we do not meet the quota in that 100 hours, we will be disqualified. But there won¡¯t be no Death Procession this time round..."


    In fact, in light of the situation, it was true that there was a constraint. The people who failed this time would be excluded from the stage and could not participate in the next level, but Project End would definitely not do that.


    Time passed by and the season of reality suddenly changed.


    "It''s snowing!"


    "Wow... So this is snow. I''ve only seen it in textbooks."


    "Merry Christmas!"


    After the Unique World stabilized to some extent, abat unit was sent to the real world. This was because it took time to get rid of the whales who scattered in all directions after colliding with the demons.


    "It''s spring!"


    Time continued to go on.


    "Uwahh, it''s hot!"


    The number of whales continued to decline, and people spent time restoring the destroyed Earth. Sometimes, the surprise attack of the whales which were undetected resulted in casualties, but that was just a routine the people had always seen.


    Still, the speed it took to take care of the whales was faster than expected. After all, the monster whales shed with not just the humans but also the demons. In the process, the demons of the parallel world were almost wiped out too.


    That''s unexpectedly good news.


    "There''s nothing to consider as good news. They''re just victims of this crazy power intion.."


    To say that the demons are victims¡­


    It was no exaggeration to say that the parallel world of the past was actually and dominated by the demon tribe. Humans supported by the Great Wizard created hiding ces and fortresses and made it their territory, but it was only a small partpared to the entire parallel world.


    After all, there were billions of demons filling up the parallel world. Rumor had it that there were even monsters among the monsters, the demon nobles, which were First-Tier Demons.


    ''It''s all useless.''


    Now, the situation was that enemies in the units of billions simultaneously poured in on the stage. Moreover, each one of them was even stronger than First-Tier Demons.


    Most of the High-rank demons are dead. All those who did not die fled to the Demon Realm...


    "If they hadn''t escaped, they would have all died by my hands," Imented. Of course, even so, there were still many demons in the parallel world. This was because Low-rank demons with no reason or rationality were still pouring in.


    The High-rank demons seemed to have gone through a lot of trouble to enter the parallel world, but the Low-rank and Lowest-rank demons, which were born almost indefinitely, poured in like waterfalls. Of course, as they entered like that, they were also beaten to death by those they met on the way.


    - Congrattions! The stage has been cleared! Rewards are given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 1st-ce.


    Ultimately, the number of people left on Earth was 730 million. Including the 280 million people in the Unique World, approximately 1 billion people had survived.


    As we were under the surprise attack this time, the elderly and the low-level talentless people were killed in droves. When they remained alive, assuming that they were armed, the average level of Earth was expected to only be over 15¡­ This was not a joke.


    So this is the real Demon Realm.


    To exin this crazy situation in words, Sejong and Sun-shin, the Giant Soul Soldiers protecting Gwanghwamun Square as the guardian deity of the Lee Family for a long time, were now almost equal in terms of power with anyone on the street. In other words, they were simr to a high school student or the cafeteriady.


    It was literally the power intion that the Dragon Ball would have cried for. There was the spiritual medicine which was sold almost infinitely on the stage, my strategy guide that allowed them to earn the points to buy that spiritual medicine, and the superpowers werepletely disclosed to the point where there weren''t any visions. Moreover, the Gigas with powerful output which was given to those who were strengthened like that¡­


    Due to all kinds of peculiarities and unexpected variables, there was no problem even if Earth-34 were to go out to the Great Universe with its currentbat power right now. ''Of course, that would be something to discuss when we survive in the end.''


    - Congrattions! The stage has been cleared! Rewards are given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 1st-ce.


    As expected, the Level 19 Highest-difficulty stage was also easily ovee. The Highest-difficulty stage was a level that never existed originally, but it was an update made under the pretext of those who avoidedbat from the Low, Intermediate, and High-difficulty stages by going to the Cradle of Justice and the Unique World. Still, it was useless in the absence of people who were excluded as it was now. And finally, the day hade¡­.


    "Phe." I took a deep breath while on board of Ares. Grooooooarrr---- I could feel the Life Energy that strengthened my body as I closed my eyes, as well as the moldable Aura that enveloped my whole body. I could also feel the spiritual power that could be exerted beyond the realm of power after connecting to Ares, the control persona.


    "Oh my." I felt a wall every moment when I trained my Life Energy. Spiritual power was just hopeless then. Aura, the most suitable spiritual ability for me, was also far from crossing the realm of transcendence. However, it was different. The Authority of the God of War was different.


    "Ares."


    Yes, Dae-ha.


    "Is Authority of the God of War originally this kind of power?"


    Of course not. Authority of the God of War is, of course, a great spiritual ability, but... If I have to say so, it is a support-type. Should I say it''s a self-buff? Normally, it ys the role of supporting and assisting based on a spiritual ability.


    However, I could feel the Authority of the God of War devouring all my spiritual energy inside me when it should have been providing support. In addition, when the remaining three spiritual abilities inside the Authority of the God of War were insufficient or overflowing, it would be calibrated and it would converge into a single huge one.


    Is it because you inherited a high-ranking bloodline? I have imparted Authority of the God of War to quite a few guys, but I''ve never seen anything like this before.


    I listened to Ares and took a deep breath. Huuuuuffff-! My breathing turned into a spiritual Aura and whirled around the cockpit before disappearing. I could feel my whole body boiling up, and I could hear the prayers of the devotees who were filled with anxiousness. I knew something inside me had reached a critical point.


    ''There''s nothing to worry about.'' Even if a Level 20 transcendent appeared, it was not my opponent. Riding on Ares and holding Gungnir, I, who started forming a new Divine Spirit to add to that, was close to being an existence on the level of Emperor-ss.


    Then, the moment I was about to reach the realm of transcendence, I would be an existence that went beyond even the Emperor-ss.


    - Stage will be open!


    - Level 20. Difficulty is set to Low.


    - Eliminate the ???.


    - Stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­.


    It''s begun.


    "Tell everyone to be on their toes." Having said that, I waited for the enemy while floating high up in Center City. The Center City has already built a strong protective wall and dug more than a kilometer into the ground. Moreover,bat units were standing by in bunkers prepared all over the Unique World.


    As they were standing by, one hour passed. "Hmm?" However, the enemy did not appear.


    Captain-nim, the yers are making a fuss.


    "But the announcement came out, right? Tell them to stand by."


    As per your order. After I talked to Genie, I waited in position. My spiritual energy was already at its peak. I had a hunch that if I fought a few times against a transcendent-grade enemy, I would surpass a certain line.


    But after a day, a week, and even after a month¡­ The enemy did not appear.


    "No... What trick are they pulling again this time? Moreover, they didn''t even announce the patch update details?" I had been standing by while on board of Ares for as long as a month, and I clicked my tongue at the sudden surge of dejection.


    Genie said, Some yers say that the stage is over because Project End can''t materialize a Level 20 monster...


    "It doesn''t make sense. The official start of the stage was alerted by a notification though?"


    Since the monster that has to be eliminated has question marks as a name, it is a problem too.


    "What are they trying to do?" This was a situation where my spiritual energy which had reached its peak was raging up in vain, and rather, causing the condition to get worse. I spoke to Genie, "I''ll be in Center City, too. Let me know if there''s a problem."


    Yes, Captain-nim.


    After listening to Genie, I stood on a huge iron te covering the sea of maic sand. Wiiiiingggg!!! Then, the floor opened up and I was moved deep into the ground. aaaank! Ares stopped and I said, "Let me off."


    My my. What a waste. Ares'' head opened up and I got down. I did not have to worry about washing up or any physiological phenomena like going to the toilet due to the Avalon System, but I had been on edge for a month now. Thus, my mental exhaustion was nothing to scoff at.


    "Hmm?" But there was a little boy in front of me when I got on the floor in Ares'' hands. "What are you? A kid? How did you get in here?"


    Captain-nim?


    A kid? What are you talking about?


    The two control personas were bewildered by my sudden remark, but I felt all my hair stand on end. Thuck! Something ck prated through my heart.


    "I''ve been thinking a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot about it," said the kid. The corners of his mouth practically reached the tip of his ears. "I think it''ll be fine as long as you''re not here."


    "Keu...uckkk? T-This crazy. A Stealth-type Transcendent...?"


    - God Killer Sword effect activated! Unable to resurrect! Effect of Eternal Destruction activated!


    - The Curse of Eternity is activated! All blessings and protection have been disregarded!


    And at the same time¡­ Kwakkkkk!!! Thudd!!! The sword that prated through the outer armor of the Star-rank Gigas, The War Lord, also radiated in light. It was stuck in my body which was in the real world.


    The man who stabbed the sword in my chest bowed his head. "I''m sorry. And thank you for protecting humanity so far."


    "You, you, youuuuu... Juan." I was suffocating. I could feel my spiritual energy that had zed to its peak fading like it wasn''t there. ''What the hell is this? At the same time... My body in both the real world and the Unique World are killed at the same time?'' The moment I groaned, my world turned dark.

 Vol 2. 115: The Salvation of God (52)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 115: The Salvation of God (52)</h4>


    "What is this? Why?" Hawa removed her finger from the trigger of the gun she was pointing towards Earth, while sitting on the moon''s surface. For some reason, even though her power and authority had been greatly restored while Adam entered a slumber, she still couldn''t grasp her own condition. "Why couldn''t I stop it?"


    Hawa made a promise to Dae-ha. If he didn''t use the key which was their Father''s memento to him, she would at least protect his life under any circumstances. When the Unnamed Untouchables tried to recklessly sh at Dae-ha, the act of firing the Setting Destruction Shot, which rendered resurrection, evadance, and defense impossible, was definitely not an act of self-interest, but a reasonable and legitimate procedure. However, nevertheless, she did not do so. No, she couldn''t do so.


    "If this continues on... It''ll be a big problem."


    Currently, Dae-ha''s Divine Spirit was sealed in the Numbering Gigas. Of course, he was in a stable condition because he was separated by his own will, but... If he died and the connection was disconnected, the Divine Spirit would go into overdrive.


    And if that happened... The God-rank Gigas, the Machine which was contained in the Divine Spirit itself, would be immediately devoured by the Divine Spirit and be a monster which had lost its mind. Infinitely close to the Machine God, it would bring about destruction around the Great Universe, which most of the First-Tier Gods had left. However, if that was so, why couldn''t she pull the trigger?


    "Because...he didn''t die?" Hawa frowned, because that didn¡¯t make sense. She possessed a High-rank Divine Spirit, High-rank Divinity, and the Status of a High-rank God, so she could urately grasp the condition of Dae-ha.


    Dae-ha was dead. His body was destroyed and his soul ceased to exist. The resurrection ability, something at the level of Physical Body Restoration, only restored the shell which was the outer body, and still had various gaps here and there.


    That was a fact that Dae-ha''s enemy had pinpointed urately. Even if he was a young kid, Juan was an innate Untouchable, and the Project End was a Doomsday Weapon which could kill all sorts of Noblesse, Elohim, and even Untouchables. Hence, it was a simple task¡­


    "Dae-ha didn''t die... No, it doesn''t make sense. He died in the real world, and his body in that Iron World or something definitely died too." Hawa¡¯s expression turnedplicated. "Come to think of it... The destruction of Project End was also because of father."


    400 years ago, the alter ego of the Creation God, Asura, ceased to exist. Then, Dekarma descended to the Physical Realm in the form of a Machine God. He wanted to make Legion the master of the universe and the true being. He gave shape to the Administrator''s Workshop, a power that was his everything, and tried to put a new Setting into the source of the universe. Despite deteriorating, Dekarma had power close to an Absolute God, and even though he needed astronomical levels of resources and offerings, he could fully afford its consequences.


    Sess seemed to be near, until he showed up. It was all on track until the emergence of Wind Tiger, Dark, one of the 12 Worldly Gods who was only a Tribal God but managed to be reborn as an Absolute God through his own power by achieving the Throne of the Martial God.


    "That damned bastard."


    At the end of 170 years of fighting, the Legion''s desperate dreams fell through and the Machine God Dekarma died at the hands of the Martial God. The Martial God was also fatally injured, since one of his arms was severed by Dekarma. However, that injury was a loss that could eventually be recovered given enough time.


    And in the battle of the Machine God and the Martial God, Project End was caught up into it. To put into words, it was all nothing short of a car ident. Neither the Martial God nor the Machine God knew that there was something like Project End (To be exact, they didn''t give a crap about it), but it was even more urate to say that Project End was just swept up by the ripples of their fight.


    It was a baffling matter in the perspective of the Project End, but it wasn''t the only one caught up in that fight. It was no exaggeration to say that the collision between the two Absolute God-rank beings was a literal cosmic disaster. Then, Project End transformed into a Doomsday Magical Beast with all the power it had umted, and fled from the Wind Tiger.


    However, the situation became even worse. The Magic God, me Dragon Kain, who recognized the Doomsday Magical Beast as a risk factor, descended.


    Groarrrrr---!! The Divine Spirit was absorbed into Juan from Dae-ha''s body, which had fallen on the ground.


    "It''s primitive, huh." Hawa frowned. It was an act the ancient Barbarian Gods would do, absorbing the Divine Spirit after killing their opponents. It was so unsightly that a being born as an Untouchable, capable of wielding all kinds of power at will, was doing such a treacherous thing against Dae-ha, who was still a human being. Even if Juan absorbed Dae-ha''s Divine Spirit like that, he was by no means the object of worship. There would definitely be a problem in the future, so it was unbelievable that he was acting like that. As expected, he was an immature being who did not know the limit of things.


    "..." Hawa felt a desire to st Juan''s head apart and retrieve Dae-ha''s body even if it was toote, but she couldn¡¯t make a move. It was as if someone was holding on to her tightly, and she ridiculously couldn''t resist against such apelling force, which was of an unbelievable extent. Hawa¡¯s eyes suddenly shook. "¡­This is¡­?"


    /-I''m afraid that he will die./(shback)/


    Hawa remembered what the Spirit God said before. At that time, she thought the Spirit God was just worried about the Divine Spirit of the Machine God, which contained a Numbering, overdriving and exploding.


    But as Hawa thought about it closely, it did not make sense. If the Divine Spirit of the Machine God exploded, it would only be due to the result of her Father''s Divine Spirit deteriorating twice. In the same sense, the Spirit God who stood in the realm of an Absolute God, as well as being the owner of a dimension, could dispose of it whenever he resolved to do so. No, in actual fact, even if that was not the case, the Spirit God was famous for being indifferent to the problems of the Physical Realm.


    /-You. You don''t know huh./(shback)/


    "Don''t tell me..." Hawa widened her eyes. However, if so, was there any other reason why he would have to prevent Dae-ha''s death? And was there a reason why the Spirit God didn''t specifically tell her when she was facing him?


    /-It''s fine if you don''t know./(shback)/


    "Don''t tell me..."


    ***


    I was at the door. I didn''t understand what that figure meant and looked nkly at it for a moment, but I could soon recall the form of the door in my memory. "It''s been a really long time... Did it show up because I died?" These days, even if I died, I would be resurrected just like that. It had been about hundreds of years (body time) since Ist saw the door.


    "Heyyy! Is there anyone there?"


    "...!!" I held my breath at the voiceing from over the door. It was a familiar voice, ''my'' voice.


    ''What''s going on?'' I thought of trying to make some noise, but I recalled the fact that ''I'' had yet to even recognize my existence so far. No, in fact, it would be a problem if ''I'' recognized me in this situation. ''Let''s see how he looks for now.''


    I concentrated and changed the shape of the door, which was a shape that my mental image drew anyway. ''It''s dangerous to open it, but it''s also dangerous to be seenpletely.'' So, instead of removing or making the door transparent, I changed it to an iron doormonly seen in an apartment. That''s right. A form in which there was a peephole that could see the outside from within. I stuck close to the door and looked outside through the peephole.


    "Excuse me!!" A child who resembled me was running around between the bookshelves. However, no matter how much he ran, he would never reach the end of the bookshelf, which was as huge and overwhelming as a mountain range. It was impossible to even count the number of books on the bookshelves.


    "There''s no need to shout like that."


    "Heok?!"


    There was a man standing in front of ''me'', who was surprised. He had a slender figure with a typical schrly impression. He had a book with a fancy-looking cover on one hand and he closed it to put it back on the bookshelf. Then, he sighed. "I wanted you to grow up more when we met again..."


    However, the appearance of ''me'' facing the man was simply that of a child. It was not the outer appearance that changed. The expression, speech, and the attitude that ''I'' was disying indicated that ''I'' was indeed a young child. "¡­Father?"


    "Yeah."


    "Father!!!" ''I'' ran out with a distorted face and hugged the man in a rush. Then, sniffling could be heard.


    The man looked down at ''me'' with soft eyes. "You''ve been had by the enemy. You''ve had an enormous loss. This¡­ You''re almost close to your goals. It''s such a pity..." The man gently stroked ''my'' hair.


    ''I'' said in tears, "They stabbed me with a knife! Juan! He betrayed me even though I saw him in a good light. I thought we were friends!"


    "Bastards... You must have had a tough time. I should''ve trampled on them and killed them then." The man stroked ''my'' hair and affectionately patted ''me'' on the back.


    ''I'' wept even more sorrowfully at such constion. "Uwahhhhhhh!"


    "There, there..." The man¡¯s expression was calm as he patted ''my'' back. His eyes were looking up into the air as if he was thinking deeply about something. He spoke while hugging ''me'' tight in his embrace, "Do you want me to help?"


    "Can you do that? I''m dead though?"


    "We are beings who can''t die. The body is nothing but a prison that keeps us locked up¡­ That''s a shame," the man said and looked at ''me''.


    Then, ''I'' asked, "What is?"


    "I thought it was almost done... But the fact is that it''s still going to take a long time."


    "Hey, father. What are you talking about right now...?"


    Thuck!!


    "Kuckk... Euckk... F-Father?"


    "Really, man." The man''s hand pierced through ''my'' chest.


    There was the sound of a beating heart. Badump... Badumppp¡­ The shape of the heart changed and turned into a book. And as that happened... ''My'' body, groaning, turned into powder and was sucked into the book.


    "What a pity." The man, skimming through the shabby thin booklet, put the book on the bookshelf along with a sigh. Then, at the same time, the world changed.


    ***


    You bastard-----!!! How dare you!!!


    Emergency Process activated!! Facility Closure initiating!


    Genie and Ares were able to confirm the appearance of the enemy only after Dae-ha was stabbed. Instead of panicking or hesitating, however, they immediately made their move. Ares'' huge fist struck the torso of the child who suddenly appeared, and the Sentry Gun which was already prepared shot bullets with a precise aim.


    Bang!!! However, just as the kid swung his hand lightly, all the bullets fell to the floor and Ares'' body flew off and smashed against the wall.


    What?!


    What the hell is this¡­?!


    As the wall opened, teams of 10 units of Golden Knight Order Gigas (Human-rank), 50 units of Golden Lion Unit Gigas(Beast-rank), poured in. However, it was of no use. Kwagagang!!! Everything was destroyed and sted away into the wall!


    No, what is this?! Wasn''t it said that it''s a Level 20 enemy?! Ares, a God-rank Gigas, was as strong as a decent transcendent even without a pilot. He couldn¡¯t believe that they were battling in an environment that favored him, but he was being pushed back so one-sidedly by an enemy that appeared on a Level 20 Low-difficulty stage.


    However, Ares didn¡¯t know that there was only one enemy that appeared on the Level 20 Low-difficulty stage. The fact that only one of them wasmitting a violent act meant that it had the power which a billion Level 20 monsters should have.


    "Hehehe! That''s right! This is how it should be! This is how it must be! This is the end of the world! The end must be filled with despair and helplessness! It''s not a target that should be cleared!" A tremendous Aura was emitted from the boy, who was shouting excitedly. "Now! That''s too much! There are too many! The stage ising to an end, but 1 billion is just ridiculous! We need to fix it into the right flow!"


    T-This trash-like¡­ If you were going to do that, why did you make this game?


    "Shut up! What do you know? That''s right! 10 people! I think 10 people is good! We''ll reduce the number of survivors to 10 first."


    "Phew."


    "Phew. Huh?" The boy tensed up while shouting excitedly.


    Dae-ha, who was lying behind him, lifted himself up. Then, he said "I see. I know now. You, you''re a child of struggle, huh."


    "This¡­ What the?"


    Dae-ha, who was lying in front of Juan and even had his Divine Spirit fully sucked out, got up from where he was. No, the truth was different. In the Unique World, and even in the real world, Dae-ha''s body was actually still sprawled out dead. However, in front of his dead body, a new Dae-ha stood there.

 Vol 2. 116: The Salvation of God (53)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 116: The Salvation of God (53)</h4>


    In the Unique World, Dae-ha looked down at the young boy who flew back with the ck sword that stabbed him in the chest. He casually said, "It''s just a fragment anyway. It''s not worth paying attention to."


    The speed at which the boy once again stabbed the sword was like a sh of light, but Dae-ha''s voice rang out first. It was a Speech that transcended cause and effect. "Die."


    Thud. Shriekkk¡­ The young boy who was running copsed and slid on the floor, just like that.


    - Congrattions! The stage has been cleared perfectly! Rewards are given based on contribution.


    - Your ranking is 1st-ce.


    Dae-ha? Ares couldn''t get his act together, because unconditional favor and affection were rising from the depths of his heart.


    "There''s nothing to worry about."


    B-But.


    "The stage was cleared, so announce that the emergency situation is over and move as we''ve prepared."


    Understood, Captain-nim. As per your orders.


    Genie?! Ares called for her in bewilderment, but Genie did not pay him any heed and started to move ording to Dae-ha''s orders.


    Wiiiiiingggg---!! Ares'' Iron Heart rotated violently and emitted a powerful soul power. Ares thought, ''Something''s different about the current Dae-ha! I have to check it out!!'' A powerful wave of spiritual power burst out of him, who had a huge body around 30-meters tall, and a fighting energy that could pressure the surrounding space itself was released.


    However, Dae-haughed instead of being surprised or frightened. "You¡­ You''re quite loyal. That''s kind of you."


    W-What bullshit. What bullshit are you talking...!! Ares growled. He couldn''t help but do so. Dae-ha¡¯s simple, and even sarcastic,pliment filled his head with joy. His heart was overflowing, and ridiculously enough, he was moved to tears. Ares gritted his teeth further and forced himself to have enmity in order to calm the intense emotions.


    Meanwhile, on Earth, Juan looked at Dae-ha with a nk look on his face. "You..."


    Dae-ha looked back at Juan and said, "I remember¡­ Yes, I wasn''t the only one who fell on this. There was also the guy referred to as Struggle who would do anything to save Project End somehow. A freak who named himself regardless of the setting... It looked like it was on the verge of extinction, but somehow it left something behind."


    "You... What the hell..." Juan had the ability to see the flow. The flow of cause and effect, the flow of faith, and even the flow of Karma and destiny. It was the ability to see the world''s most fundamental flow, so it was in some ways a higher-ranking ability aspared to All-Knowing and Foresight. This was especially true, since flow was the kind of thing that even transcendents couldn''t escape from.


    With this ability, Juan realized it as soon as Dae-ha''s other persona decided to drop a nuclear bomb on Earth. He was then able to take advantage of people''s good Karma and bad Karma, which led to him converting truth and honor into one power.


    And in his eyes, Dae-ha looked like a huge typhoon. "This, this doesn''t make sense." He could see such a huge flow that, even if the flow of billions of humanity were gathered, it would only be seen as a grain of dust. The flow was so strong that, even if the direction it was targeted towards were done well, albeit slightly, it could sweep up the entire universe.


    "What should I do with you?" Dae-ha looked at Juan and was lost in thought. These bastards ruined everything. When he met the child who came to find him before, he knew that his life''s purpose was almostpleted. With a little time and opportunity, he believed that the seeds he nted would sprout and blossom splendidly. However, what was this? These idiots, who were neither the Ruler of a Realm nor an Outer God, made a mess of things.


    "I shouldn''t have awakened like this..." Dae-hamented. Most of the First-Tier Gods, who were able to freely move about, went outside of the world. The Great Universe was nothing short of an ownerless mountain. However, the current him was in such a weakened state that it would be dangerous if the Noblesse and Elohim flocked to him. It was only natural as he had yet to recover from the damages after being killed by the Martial God.


    For Dae-ha, it was necessary to prepare for the next n after dealing with the current situation using all his might to a certain extent first. He said, "I speak in the name of the one who defies Karma. O Child, named after the God of Light, present yourself here with my Divine Spirit."


    Whoooong---!!! The world shook just from the spoken words. Juan, who was facing it, shrank as he was startled out of his wits. However, nothing was happening.


    "...?" Dae-ha, no, Dae-ha''s biological father, Dekarma, who appeared in his image, had doubts in his expression. He confirmed that the Decree of God activated properly, but the Absolute Right of Command could not activate¡­ However, his face brightened up as soon as he grasped what was going on.


    "Kwan Dae-ha! You''re still alive! That''s right, even if you died, you really withered away so terribly!"


    "Wait! You, what are you talking about right now..."


    "Ah, you''re still here huh? You." Dekarma pointed to Juan. "Separate him from all the Divine Spirit."


    "What do you mean by-... Keuk! Kuwarghhhhhh!!!" There were three huge lines drawn on Juan''s body. The Line of Justice was severed. The Line of Truth was severed. The Line of Honor was severed.


    Juan created the Three Gods that possessed the power equivalent to an Intermediate-rank God, but it did not mean that he truly created three Intermediate-rank transcendents. They were part of Juan even if they appeared to be independent. If it was to bepared to humans, the Three Gods would be existences that were equivalent to his limbs. And now, that connection was severed. There was no way it wouldn''t hurt as it was basically like a human who got their limbs cut off while being alive. And as of this moment, the Three Gods would be independent beings.


    Whooooooong!! Then, the Divine Spirit that Juan had stolen from Dae-ha was also severed and returned to its original owner. Dae-ha''s body, which was a pale corpse, began to luster in red. Then, Dekarma ced his hands on Dae-ha''s head. "Let''s see..." His eyes were closed before fluttering open again. "Found it."


    ***


    F


    O


    U


    N


    D


    I


    T.


    "This...!" Beyond the peephole, a giant eye appeared. The size and pressure that was emitted by the eye was so great that facing it itself caused me to lose strength in my legs.


    Dae-ha, open the door.


    "No, I don''t want to." That was all I could say, like a moron. No, it was not like a moron. I was proud of myself for being able to reject the majestic words.


    Hmm. Is that so?


    After the voice that reverberated through the world disappeared, everywhere became quiet again. I stepped back for a moment and looked out again through the peephole. Before I knew it, the huge eye had disappeared and the schrly man I saw from before was standing there. ''That guy is Dekarma...!''


    A man who was once greater than an Absolute God was looking at me from beyond the peephole. I had a feeling that he clearly perceived me even though he should not have been able to see me ording to the structure of the peephole.


    "I wasn¡¯t this wary before... I see. I saw how you dealt with that failure. I''m talking about you pulling out the heart of the little boy who was crying while calling for his dad."


    As I answered him sharply, heughed, "Hahaha, there''s nothing to worry about. You''re not the same as that failure. You''re my child. You will inherit everything that is mine and be an existence that can change thews of the universe." A caring tone and a soothing voice.


    However, I shook my head. ''Bullshit.'' He was confused between ''me'' and the real me. However, aftering this far, he said things were different because that previous child was a failure and I was a sess now? Even if that was true, it was dangerous.


    "Go back, please. You can just go to a ce with a lot of books, right?"


    "I can''t do that. I already came out." He said so, then approached and grabbed the door. Rattle! Needless to say, it did not open. However, he did not panic and raised his finger.


    Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Come to think of it, a door lock was installed on the door because I imagined an apartment door for the purpose of creating the peephole. Of course, the password was set randomly.


    Beep beep beep~?


    "This crazy-...?!" I panicked, wondering how he even knew the password. I was startled as the door was about to open, so I changed the shape of the door.


    Rattle!


    "Huff¡­ Huff¡­" My heart was thumping as I was shocked out of my wits.


    ng ck!


    "What?!" When Dekarma roughly touched the door again, ridiculously enough, the locking device was released. In a fright, I changed the form of the door again. It was now a huge iron door. There were dozens of locks on it.


    ng ck! Clink ck! ng ck! Clink ck!


    "No, what the hell?!" I changed the shape of the door again, but Dekarma simply opened it up again. I changed it again and again. Yet, Dekarma opened it again, just like that.


    As the process repeated a few times, the gentle man''s expression harshened. I could hear his right hand moving.


    Boom!!!


    "What!" I jumped up in surprise, but I did not distance myself away from the door. This was because I knew that if I lost my concentration even for a moment, he would open the door ande in.


    "Phew, it seems I have no choice." Dekarma sighed. As I looked outside through the peephole, I could see him groping his neck. "Hmm?" Then his expression changed.


    Noticing what he was looking for, I reached out and grabbed the key hanging around my neck. ''Fortunately, this is in my hands. But...at this rate, all I can do is stall for time.'' If the key which could lift all restrictions were to be in his hands, something like the door I created with my mental image would have opened at once and could never be closed again. However, this Transcendence Weapon was a key, and not a lock. It was fortunate that it was not in his hands, but there was no way I could use it right now.


    "Ah." As I was constantly changing the shape of the door, I soon realized that what I had was not just a key. As I searched my pockets, white marbles appeared. "No¡­ How can an object also enter the parallel world?" The same applied to the key, and now that the marbles were also like that, I couldn''t even begin to fathom through what process the keys and marbles were made.


    ng ck! Bang! When I changed the shape of the door once again, Dekarma kicked the door once as if he had a tantrum. He only kicked the door, but I had difficulty breathing, so I did not think I wouldst long if it continued like this.


    "Hawa, you didn''t help me when I died, huh."


    Schlooook! I inserted the key into the smooth surface of the marble. "Therefore, aren''t you just breaking the promise?!" Then, the marble opened.


    ng ck! Pushakkk!!! As the marble burst open, an enormous amount of information burst forth and enveloped everywhere. It was sopressed that just glimpsing at it caused my eyes to hurt. It was as if my eyes were splitting.


    Poooof! Dekarma, who was trying to open the door, disappeared. And the sight I saw after was the real world.


    Woooooonggg--! The information that burst out merged into one and soon turned into the appearance of a human over 170 centimeters tall and with a sensual figure. She was a beautiful woman of splendid impression with waist-length ck hair.


    After seeing that, Dekarma''s face distorted grimly. "Magic Imperial Princess! How dare you, an agent of the me Dragon,e here?"


    Whoooosh---!! Spiritual energy was swelling up.


    "I speak in the name of the one who defies Karma. You!" Dekarma ordered, "Die!"


    Kwareureukkk! In an instant, a thunderstorm-like sound was heard. No, it wasn''t a thunderstorm-like sound, because it really did thunder.


    Pooof! The man holding the woman, who was standing nkly, secured some distance from Dekarma. He sighed. "Agh, I was supposed to observe a little longer, but why is Han Seok-gu this bastard jumping out here? Thanks to that, I''m going to have to fight an Untouchable."


    Yellowish-green long hair fluttered as if in the wind. Leather armor that was tight-fitted, revealing a sturdy body. A leather coat was dressed over the armor, as well as the ymore strapped on the back¡­ I felt my thoughts freezing at the sight of that. "Huh?"


    Wiiiiing! A huge sword appeared in the air before soon separating into four swords. They began spinning around him. Behind his back, unidentifiable silhouettes began to flicker around, and a creepy-looking eye opened in his shadow. Tatak! The space behind his back split apart and a white dragon appeared. There was a huge amount of spark sttering from the dragon''s whole body.


    The man said, "Quickly get up, you idiot. Dekarma, hey Dekarma!"


    "Ughhh... Hehe, Million. Are you here to save me?"


    Even with the sweet breathing of the beauty, the man was irritated. "I said, get up!"


    I groaned as I witnessed that sight. "Dad¡­?"

 Vol 2. 117: The Salvation of God (54)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 117: The Salvation of God (54)</h4>


    "Dad¡­?" There was no way that I wouldn''t recognize him even if his hair color changed to yellowish green. Father, who could not be seen on Earth or in the parallel world, or even in the stage, grabbed the sword resting on his back while carrying Jenica.


    Then, the next moment, the ymore reached the top of Dekarma''s head. Kriekkkkk...!!! Dekarma lifted his index finger and blocked the trajectory. It was a movement as simple as picking up feathers, but his expression, which had frighteningly hardened, showed that the current attack was definitely not a light one.


    "I speak in the name of the one who defies Karma. Million!" Dekarma counterattacked, facing dad, who was still in the air. "Die!"


    "No!"


    "W-What?"


    As soon as Dekarma''s expression was distorted, father''s body started rotating around. Kapooooow!!! A kick with strong energy coiling around it struck Dekarma''s face.


    Then Jenica, who was thrown to the ground, rose from its spot and shouted, "The 14th Month of the Fallen!"


    Krieeekkk...! A ck hole opened around Dekarma, who was sted away after being hit by father. No, it was not really a simple hole. The gravitational pull of a point copsed and for a moment, everything, including light, began to get sucked in.


    "ck hole?"


    The moment I freaked out while looking at the scene that unfolded through the peephole, Dekarma said, "I prohibit the transformation of space!" His words became a neww and were enforced in the world. Dekarma, who was sucked into the ck hole, walked out looking fine and reached out his hand.


    Krooooom!! As the earth split apart, tens of thousands of metal pirs soared forth. It was simply called metal pirs, but each and every one of them was about the size of a decent building. Moreover, they were not just pirs of iron¡­


    Krieeeek! ng ng! ng nk! Wiiiiinggg----! As the surface of the metal pirs opened and transformed in shape, unknown devices began to activate. However, at the same time...


    "Break apart! The 14th Month of the Silent!" Light was emitted along with Jenica''s hand gesture. It looked like a kind of Particle Line. Even though the ground around the surroundings of the metal pirs were raised, and a bunch of thick armor soared up and blocked it, they just permeated through and passed by. Of course, it was impossible to avoid or defend.


    Kriekkkkk----! Booom! Pshwooooooo¡­ The smooth metal pirs that appeared through the floor quickly rusted and copsed without enduring their own load.


    "That''s pretty good!" Dekarma, who looked annoyed at the sight of the unknown machines disappearing in vain, raised his hand again. Kwareung!!! However, before that, the breath of lightning struck him.


    Hey you crazy fuckers! Why are the two of you fighting an Untouchable again?! I told you I wouldn''t do it anymore, right!


    Father made an excuse while wielding his sword at the protest of the Lightning Dragon. "I couldn''t help it. I don''t have a choice!"


    You always say you don''t have a choice! How many Untouchables do you think are there in the world?!


    Meanwhile, Jenica waved her hands innocently. "dron! Long time no see, hi! Your style has changed a lot!"


    Yes, hello. You crazy bitch.


    "dron, why did you be so foul-mouthed..."


    I''m also the king of a territory now. So if you keep calling for me like this, of course I would swear, won''t I?! You''re already old enough so can you settle down already! The summoned beast, which was assuming the form of an eastern dragon, raised its wings on its back and instantly transformed into a Flying Dragon. Then the wings sparkled, and then made a sudden turn.


    Kraaaghhhh!


    Ack! I avoided it though! The tips of the wings were cut off!


    The battle never stopped even while he was making a fuss. Swish! Swanggg! Swanggg! The swinging ymore and fingers collided, and a loud roar reverberated. That was not the only attack.


    Kreukk!! The ck Wolf, who raised itself under father''s shadow, revealed a voice from its chest and tried to bite Dekarma.


    "Beast God!! You managed to create this hideous thing with the dead body of God."


    Fatherughed cheekily at Dekarma''s words, who kicked the wolf. "Isn''t that what being a Necromancer ss is all about?"


    The attacks continued like a storm, so unknown cards flew around while exerting all kinds of effects. The swords flying around in the sky were aiming for a gap while moving elegantly like a fish. The sound of the sword and fingers shing against one another created a music note like percussion instruments. Then, more and more things appeared to match the beat, singing a number[1].


    "Wow, what is this?"


    A myriad of spirits emerged, and among them were the Spirit Kings. The Death Knights which were releasing a pitch-ck strong energy rose from the floor and Thunder Beads made of powerful energy flew towards Dekarma like a ray of light, striking the protective barrier revolving around him. In addition, Jenica was unrelentlessly firing off ultimate magic spells too. However¡­


    "The lot of you!" Words changed thews of the world. "I banish you!"


    The Flying Dragon, who was firing off lightning; the spirits, who were raging all over the ce; and the wolves made from woven dead bodies; all the summoned beings were banished from the real world. In that meantime, father charged forth while holding a sword, but Dekarma did not pay him any heed and shouted again, "I forbid you from the use of magic as of this moment!"


    "I refuse!"


    Kiing! Dekarma''s words were offset. His face, which looked the same as mine, distorted horribly. "What the heck is this?! How is something like this possible?"


    The moment he was appalled, Jenica, who was chanting a long spell, shouted, "Prate beyond eternity! The 16th Month of the Repeated Scarecrow!"


    Time and space weaved their own bodies into shadows, and then intertwined Dekarma''s whole body like spider webs. He yelled, "I forbid the transformation of space though?"


    "You should know that you''re not the only one who can mess with thew!"


    Just like that, while Dekarma could not resist against Jenica''s spell, father assumed a stance to strike down on him. Then¡­ Kiing! He cut down. Thend that had been torn apart into a mess, the mountains, the sky, and even the sea that was far beyond the horizon¡­ As if they were cracks formed on a ss, fissures formed. The unique gray-color world of the parallel world was severed into two. The scale was sorge that the world was cut off beyond the horizon, no, it was greater than that¡­


    Cough cough! Dekarma vomited blood.


    "...!"


    "[email protected]#!$!!!"


    "%%!!!!"


    "Huh?" I, who was looking at the scene that unfolded before my eyes like I was bewitched, listened carefully to the screams that came from somewhere.


    "No! Iron Mask-nim died!"


    "What are those things? Wasn''t the stage over?"


    "Where is that ce? Don''t you think we have to go there?"


    "By the way... Can we even butt into a fight like that? Look at that right now. It looks like New Mexico, but with a single swing of the sword, the sea was cut apart! That''s almost 2,000 kilometers! If that were to happen in the surface world, there would be a global catastrophe!"


    I could hear the people''s voices. I looked around because I didn''t know what was going on, but of course there was no one. Why did I hear the voices of others inside my Inner World in the first ce? But soon, I could see why. "Oh." I was holding the Carving Knife of Justice in my hands. As I held onto it, I opened the window as always.


    - You are in the Challenger (Master) rank(Temporary)!


    - The current number of Challengers is 1 person in total.


    - essing the Cradle of Justice!


    - 788,511,241 people are watching you!


    "The stage is over but Watch a y is possible?" It seems that, as Juan''s Divine Spirit was cut off, a problem surfaced. I essed the Bulletin Board.


    - Why did the Level 20 Low-difficulty stage end so quickly? +7,144 (Tiffany)


    - Even though the stage is over, the Cradle still operates as usual! +8,811 (Na-eun)


    - Are you all watching Iron Mask-nim fighting?! _2,522 (Ha-nee)


    I roughly skimmed through the contents of the Bulletin Board. I could feel the bewilderment of the people, and that was not the only problem.


    "Shouldn''t we go into the parallel world?"


    "Let''s rally thebat units first!"


    "Gigas that can fly long distances must go first!"


    "Let''s try contacting Genie! If it''s her, she would most probably know something about this!"


    Even though I was not watching, I could hear the voices of countless people and even see the sight of them if I concentrated. Knowing the situation, I could feel myself getting goosebumps. ''These people are about to join this battle right now!''


    It was something that should never happen, because they would be wiped out like a swarm of ants swept away by a tsunami. I hurriedly created a post.


    - Don''t get involved in the fight! (Iron Mask)


    I also wrote the contents.


    - It''s nothing serious, so don''te any closer. If possible, please get out of the parallel world itself.


    As I wrote up to that point, I pondered for a moment. This was because it was ambiguous to write honestly about the current situation. Hence, I roughly exined the situation.


    - I am not in my right mind right now, because my Divine Spirit is in overdrive. They are not enemies either. I will say it again. You''ll be sted away if you approach, so please don''te close. However, my physical body is lying nearby, so please retrieve it. The location is...


    As soon as I uploaded the post like that, more than tens of thousands ofments were posted instantly.


    - What the? Is this post real? Iron Mask-nim is in the middle of a battle now...


    - Iron Mask''s body, there''s one in the real world and in the Steel World!


    - I think the ount belongs to Iron Mask-nim!


    - No, by the way, what does he mean by the Divine Spirit being in overdrive... Is he really going to be a God?


    - This is a lie! He is an Evil Prophet! He''s bewitching the people!


    - Wow, this kind of person still doesn''t disappear even when humanity has been reduced by one-sixth.


    - How far is Iron Mask-nim going to go? The way he is fighting right now... It really doesn''t seem like a human. It''s too much to call it a movie...


    - By the way, who is that pair of men and women? They''re so ridiculously strong...


    I glimpsed through thements and turned the window off. It was a relief that I did not see manyments that were suspicious of my post. Bang! In the meantime, the battle was going on fiercely. No, it seemed to be almost over¡­


    "Kugh, uckk...!" Dekarma, who was hit by the Flying Sword like a missile, bounced several times on the floor like a water swallow. He then crashed against a city, which was destroyed, and he was stopped. The demons who were filling the city were exterminated by the aftermath alone.


    "Ha, hahaha. This development is really..." Dekarma, who was struggling to get up, calmed down. Then, a spear of lightning struck down over him.


    Baaaaam Kaboombooom!!! The whole city was destroyed and thend copsed. It looked like a simple spear of lightning, but its power was not just of that level. It seemed that each one was made of strong energy, and it contained more than a few other powers.


    But at that moment¡­ Baaaaam! Not only the dense cloud of dust, but all the attacks that flew in ceased to exist. Father and Jenica, who were charging forward, were seen taking a step back in surprise. They saw that a woman was standing next to Dekarma.


    "You''re here, huh, Hawa."


    "You''re...really...Father?"


    "That''s right. I need you to help me."


    "..." Hawa looked down at Dekarma with aplicated look on her face.


    However, Dekarma did not seem to care and stood up from where he was and said, "Hawa! Prepare for battle!"


    "Yes..." Hawa was putting on aplicated expression, but she still responded to his orders and curled up her body. Then, she replied, Father.


    Kruwoooooong-----! Hawa''s appearance turned blurry and expanded in an instant. It was literally in the blink of an eye. She and Dekarma disappeared, and only an outrageously huge giant who stood over 300 meters tall remained.


    I looked at it, no, I looked at her.


    Dekarma


    ****************


    No Numbering, Hawa


    "This crazy..."


    Hawa, who was shining in silver, assumed a form of a generally slender woman. She was not seen wearing any armor, nor did she release any unique Aura, but¡­


    My heart trembled just by looking at Hawa. "Hawa is...a God-rank Gigas?" I couldn''t help but scoff as I was baffled. She became a Gigas, but she did not have a Numbering. This made sense, since she was originally not a Gigas but an Untouchable. She just transformed into the form of a Gigas for a while.


    However, the opponent whom Hawa was facing was definitely not normal. Kwaaaanggg! The watch my father was wearing began to shine brilliantly. His tired face brightened up. "It''s been approved! Gigantes!"


    Whooooong----!!! A 600-meter tall giant,rger than the 300-meter-tall Hawa, stood up. That was not all.


    "Activating Demon God Armor! Descend down, Heavenly God Sword!" A ck armor hung over the body of the giant Gigas. In his hand, there was a shining sword.


    Hawa, no, I heard an amazed voice from Dekarma who was on board the Gigas. "Heavenly God and Demon God, huh, this is crazy! You''re giving your personal weapon to some mere human? Numbering 8 and 9?"


    I failed to get my act together. It was not because of the newly appeared Gigas and Transcendence Weapon, nor the conversation between Dekarma and my father. It was because I could hear the voices of countless people freaking out. It seemed to be the regrets of the devotees of the United States.


    "What the? What''s that?? It''s too big, isn''t it?"


    "Uwahhh! What''s that, it was nearby? Run away!!"


    "This doesn''t make sense. What kind of fight is that¡­?!"


    Then, at that moment, Gigantes'' Heavenly God Sword and Hawa''s fist collided. Shiiiiiingggg! There was no shockwave. There was no explosion.


    "What the? What''s that?? It''s too big, isn''t it?"


    "Uwahhh! What''s that, it was nearby? Run away!!"


    "This doesn''t make sense. What kind of fight is that¡­?!"


    "Eh?"


    ''Something was strange with what I just heard?'' As soon as I thought so, Gigantes and Hawa collided again. Shiiiiiingggg!


    "What the? What''s that?? It''s too big, isn''t it?"


    "Uwahhh! What''s that, it was nearby? Run away!!"


    "This doesn''t make sense. What kind of fight is that¡­?!"


    "Huhhhhhhhhhhh??" I had been looking outside in my Inner World, and was seeing the repeated scenes of people. However, I saw the battle of the two Gigas which did not repeat. Swords and fists collided, andser rays shot forth, striking the pitch-ck armor.


    I was appalled as I finally realized the current situation. "This crazy fu-! Unbelievable!" Every time the two of them collided, the time axis of the universe was being pushed back...!!


    1. Numbers in this case refers to the Numbers in Music. Basically, in music, number refers to an individual song, dance, or instrumental piece which is part of arger work of musical theatre, opera, or oratorio.

 Vol 2. 118: The Salvation of God (55)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 118: The Salvation of God (55)</h4>


    The time axis of the universe was being pushed back...!!


    Boomph! Hawa swung her right hand and pped against the Heavenly God Sword. Then, right away, her right hand prated through Gigantes'' arms like lightning and struck him in the stomach.


    "W-What the? Why are there robots all of a sudden?"


    "Everyone, get out of the way!!"


    The time axis was gradually turning backwards. The movement of Gigantes and Hawa was literally like a ray of light, not even taking 0.1 secondsbined. However, every time they collided, the time they were pushed back to was nearly a second.


    As time was reversed, the situation became one where other people could see the sudden appearance of two Gigas fighting. It was great that they did not think that I was riding on Hawa, but if the time was rolled back a little further, then even the post I uploaded to warn them would disappear.


    "What the hell is this... If it goes on like this, won''t we actually go back to the past?" I was baffled. Was this even possible? It was not a joke. If they kept fighting like this, it would be possible to turn back the time of the entire universe and even save all the Earthlings that had died. ''But they probably won''t fight that long.''


    Each and every one of them were universal beings capable of destroying the Earth in a single attack. Hawa alone was an existence who had the power and authority to crush the entire sr system, but she became a Gigas that the Machine God, Dekarma, was on board. So, how great would that power be? If they had fought with physical power, the shockwaves that resulted from the collision of the sword and fist would be enough to turn the entire Earth into dust.


    However, their destructive actions were currently just limited to continent-level destruction. This was because the aftermath caused by their power was raging on a higher realm, and not something like mere physical force. This crazy phenomenon of the universe''s time axis being pushed back was evidence of that.


    "No, hold on," I muttered. However, thinking about that, it led to a sudden question. "If time rolls back like this... What happens if it gets turned back to before Juan knocked me down?" If that happened, a contradiction would surface because Dekarma wouldn''t have woken up if I had not been stabbed to death by Juan. But just as I thought so, the Heavenly God Sword and Hawa''s fist collided again.


    - Stop it.


    A figure of someone stepped in between the two of them. Thuck! The sword and fist, which had been swung, stopped as if it was a mere magic trick. That figure was by no means in a critical situation even though he was sandwiched between two Gigas which were hundreds of meters in size.


    He was an old man with white hair and a beard, as well as an attractively-tall height. He was wearing a tight-fit tuxedo, giving him an outward appearance that one would only see in fashion shows or magazines. In his hand, there was a gorgeously designed pocket watch, with the hour and minute hands spinning abnormally fast.


    Dekarma''s voice was heard inside Hawa, who was pulling back the fist she threw out. "Oh my, oh my. The dog on a leash hase."


    Then, the old man in the suitughed coldly. "Yes, a runaway dog. Now that I see it, it seems you''re having a hard time."


    Listening to their conversation, I checked his title.


    Olympus


    Level 53


    God of Time, Chronos


    "¡­What? Level 53?" I couldn''t help but scoff at the ridiculous level. Master ss at Level 10. Transcendent ss at Level 20. Emperor ss at Level 30. Even beyond the Untouchable ss at Level 40... It was a level that could only be seen in First-Tier Gods,monly known as existences who were close to being Absolute Gods.


    However, Jenica saw that sight and said, "Chronos, you son of a bitch."


    I could feel my father freaking out more than Chronos himself at those words. My father eximed, "Hey! Why are you provoking him? Do you want to die?"


    "I don''t want to die. I have already died once! Chronos killed me!"


    Chronos, an old man in a tuxedo, turned his head towards Jenica''s screaming voice. "It looks like you''ve been had by the Sword Demon King."


    "Please take care of your sub-character!"


    "It''s not some sort of sub-character. It''s just a leftover that''s been discarded."


    Dekarmaughed at their conversation. "Ahhh, yeah. Come to think of it, Chronos, that sort of thing did happen, right."


    "¡­Shut your trap."


    Chronos warned him coldly, but Dekarma did not stop. Dekarma continued, "That''s right. When the abuse of the power of the Gods of Olympus crossed the line, and Father destroyed the entire Olympus... Only you noticed that it was that person''s scenario. Kekeke. The sight of you begging to be left alive alone, abandoning your own wife, children, and your flesh and blood, is still vivid in my mind."


    "Did you not hear me telling you to shut up?" Chronos snapped. Wooooong! The clock in his hand disappeared and a giant scythe appeared. Then, as he raised the scythe and the time of the entire universe stopped.


    Wiiiiiinggggg--- Wooooooong--- I could feel time screaming from Chronos¡¯ anger and lying down. His existence was so frightening that time couldn''t move ording to the providence, just like how it had been so far.


    But nevertheless, Dekarma did not stop talking. "You begged to be saved. You would do anything if you could survive. I told you, right? You were too arrogant and have done too many great sins to be forgiven. Hahaha! A discarded card, huh. That''s right! It''s definitely a discarded card. Because at that time, you cut off your pride and sins and threw them away! It was a pretty amazing and novel determination¡­ None of the Asgardians survived, and you were the only one left among the Olympians who survived."


    "...!" My mouth automatically gaped at the surprising fact.


    Dekarma did not stop there. "It''s an amazing feat that a discarded being who has fallen has honed his sword and climbed to the position of the Demon King. Moreover, you didn''t even change your name and became the Sword Demon King, Chronos. I was surprised when I found out about it. I even thought you were a pretty amazing fellow."


    "..." Chronos'' face, which was turning cold, started to calm down. He then said, "It seems you''re provoking me, Dekarma."


    "That''s right, but it seems I screwed up. Then again, it¡¯s a leash that was implored upon, so it wouldn''t be cut off just like this, huh."


    "..." Chronos stood still and looked at Dekarma.


    Dekarma, who had leaked Chronos¡¯ past as if he had been excited, spoke in a calm voice at once, "Hmph, if you don''t intend tomit to it, then get out of here. The situation now is just a consequential phenomenon, and we have not meddled in any flow. Don''t tell me you n to exin the rules to me?"


    Upon hearing Dekarma''s words, Chronos remained silent for a moment and looked back at Gigantes. You lot will lose. You know that, right?


    Is it 100 percent confirmed?


    Yes. That bastard is hiding his powers.


    ...Thank you for your advice.


    After talking like that, the image of Chronos disappeared and the sh ensued again.


    In the meantime, I was dazed because I couldn''t understand the reason behind it. "What the? Why can I hear you?" I could hear the previous conversation even though it seemed like Dekarma couldn''t hear it. Aside from that oddity, I also perceived the whisperings between Gigantes and Jenica, who was on top of Gigantes'' head and was shooting out ultimate magic.


    Hey, I don''t think you can win though?


    It would have at least been possible without Hawa, but... Even if a rich man dies, his family wouldst for three generations. Let''s look for an opening and get out of here. That bastard is the Head of Legion, an existence like no other, so we also have the option of reporting him to the Union.


    But will he let you go? Seeing that there''s no contact from the outside, it seems that it''s beenpletely blocked.


    I have no choice but to give it my best shot.


    The spear of lightning, made of powerful energy, crossed through the air. All kinds of weapons made of steel appeared and counteracted it.


    However, I could feel it. "It''s being pushed back." As per what everyone said, I could feel the progress of the battle starting to gradually tilt. If Dekarma were to win just like this, or if the two of them ran away and the fight was over... Dekarma woulde back to this ce and put his hands on me. "I don''t really know what he would do to me, but... I don''t have a good feeling about it. He could tear my heart apart just like ''I'' did."


    ng ng! I tried to lock the door using the key. It was one of the functions of the key, but it didn''t seem to have much effect. The ability to ''lock'' was quite an amazing power, but this door was already locked. It was not a situation where the y on words ''lock it harder'' would work.


    Knock knock!


    "...?" I freaked out for a moment, thinking that Dekarma had returned, but he was still fighting.


    "Are you there?"


    I looked through the peephole at the voiceing from beyond the door. Then, I blinked as I saw the existence standing outside. "Monk Myeongwol?"


    Upon hearing my words, the old man, Myeongwol, who was standing at the door, was the one surprised instead. "No... Do you know me, Iron Mask?"


    It was not exactly necessary to say that I saw the scene where he cried upon seeing a bank robber die at the hands of a young child. I simply nodded. "Well, is that so strange?"


    "What an honor. A great person like you knows of amon fake monk like me," Myeongwolughed as he said that. "May I perhapse in?"


    I momentarily stared at Myeongwol as I heard his words. He did not look like an existence that Dekarma created to deceive me. It was not because Dekarma was in the midst of battle now, but because there was no reason for him to deceive me. Dekarma could break through the door after the battle ended, after all.


    ng ng! As I opened the door, Myeongwol bowed his head to greet me and then came inside. "It''s fascinating. Although there are some chipping at the wall of their hearts little by little, but... I''ve never seen such a well-defined door."


    "I''ve also never seen anyone here before. How the hell did you get here?"


    "I came here riding the flow of Karma."


    "Karma?" As I expressed a question, he pointed to my right hand, where the Carving Knife of Justice was.


    Kruwoooooong!!! Then, at that moment, an explosion was heard. It wasn''t something that happened in the Inner World, but a sound that came from the Watch window that I opened up. The window showed that the battle was getting fiercer.


    "It''s spectacr. It''s literally a mythical fight..." Myeongwol looked at that scene for a moment, then looked at me and smiled. "Do you know them?"


    "If I had to introduce them¡­ They''re like my adoptive father and biological father."


    "Huh? Hahaha! Iron Mask-nim, you are also in a veryplicated situation, huh." Heughed loudly and waved his hands lightly. Then, as he did that, two trees appeared on the empty ground and grew into the shape of a chair.


    ''Ah,e to think of it, did it say he was a Druid?''


    As I followed suit as he sat down on the chair, he said, "I''m sorry to havee seeking you out so suddenly. I couldn''t help it because my days are numbered. There was also something I had to say to you."


    "Your days?"


    "I''ve lived long enough, so it''s time."


    "But there''s the Ten Thousand Years Immortal Pill, right?"


    "Haha, I''m afraid to say that I wasn''t very talented at fighting. I don''t have to go so far to live longer." He said so and looked up at the empty air for a moment. It felt like he was choosing what to say. Then, a scene came to mind as I saw that sight of him.


    - Please take off all your clothes.


    I could hear the voice of a man who sounded all too courteous, and I could see the sight of men tying his arms and legs together to a stick and hanging them between desks. There was even a towel on his face as he was hung upside down like a roasted chicken. They poured water on him, spanked him, and left him in a suffocating state.


    It was even more fascinating that the mental image of others was conveyed to me naturally. It was a phenomenon that probably happened because this was the world of the mental mind.


    After a while, Myeongwol said, "If you know me, do you also happen to know that I did some time in prison?"


    "I remember it was because you were framed or something."


    "That''s right. This is something I heardter on, but it was the Public Security Prosecutor who framed me... He even served as a Prime Ministerter on too. And in the end, he crossed over to the Steel World and peacefully closed his eyes after enjoying the rest of his life."


    "..." I was silent, because this was a very real possibility.


    Who were the first people I brought over to my Unique World? They were wicked beings. Those who were wicked but had a certain amount of intellect. Those who had authority and wealth but could not enter the Cradle of Justice, and would have died when the stage began.


    The eptance of such people made it easy to lead the Unique World during the beginning. Among them, half were those who received sufficient education, and they faithfully followed orders as they were in a situation where they would die upon being chased out. It was also easy to handle them because I thought they were wicked beings anyway. However, on the other hand, it was also simply because I turned a blind eye to their sins.


    Myeongwolughed. "I don''t me you, so you don''t have to make that sort of expression. Of course, I used to hate you too, but... Thanks to that, that was what made this sort of thing possible too." A shape of a tree was depicted behind Myeongwol''s back.


    Wooooooooong! I could feel a certain flow. It was something that was invisible to the eye, but as the leaves that fell from the tree fell by riding the flow, the overall flow began to be visible to the eyes. I gasped, "...This ?"


    "It''s Karma. It''s also called the power handled by the Three Gods. As I became able to see this... I was able to see my past life, understand my present life, and foresee my after-life."


    Upon hearing his words, I could see myself. "...This is?" I could feel a certain flow, but it seemed quite different from what Myeongwol referred to as the past life. It was a flow that was continuing in real time right now¡­ Then, I realized. "Ahh."


    That huge flow was connected to Dekarma, who was outside the Inner World.

 Vol 2. 119: The Salvation of God (56)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 119: The Salvation of God (56)</h4>


    That huge flow.


    It was connected to Dekarma who was outside my Inner World.


    ¡°Are you saying that¡¯s my past life?¡±


    When asked, Myeong-wol looked at the flow before speaking.


    ¡°You are both alive in the same era, so how could that be? I cannot say because I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before¡­ but I know one thing for sure.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°That neither you nor that divine being in your image has a past life. I would say both of you are pure and simple existences.¡±


    He looked at the flow with a look of wonder, then continued.


    ¡°Did you say he was your father?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It looks a little different to me, but I do not know much about the gods, so I¡¯ll move on. The important thing is to know which side is friendly between your foster father and your real father.¡±


    ¡°If I had to choose, it would be my foster father.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good?¡±


    Boooom!


    I looked out to the outside world. Gigantes and Hawa were slowly moving towards the north while destroying the Americas. Unlike Hawa, who looked to be rtively fine, Gigantes¡¯ whole body was in tatters. It appeared that the Demon God Armor did its job in protecting Gigantes, as the situation would have been much worse without it.


    ¡°Unrelenting Chaos! I call you without any restriction! 15 months of ravaging predators!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t even confirm Jenica¡¯s location, but along with her cry, a nearly three-kilometer crack suddenly appeared in the sky. Thick, grotesque tentacles appeared from the crack and an eerie voice could be heard with it.


    What!? You¡¯re calling me without any restrictions?


    The appearance of the monster was simply bizarre. It possessed the head of a bird and the body of an octopus. In its eight arms, the monster held various items, including a totem, cane, chair, knife, ruler, club, and so on. But the moment it descended into reality,


    ¡°Imand you in the name of Dekarma! I! Expel you!¡±


    sh!


    A dazzling light emanated, and the monster was sucked back into chaos.


    Oh no! Dammit! I was almost out! Fuck!


    Fwoosh!


    The octopus-shaped monster struggled and resisted. Just before it was sucked back into the chaos, it discharged something that was simr to ink.


    Kiyaaahk!


    ¡°Keuk! You damned beast!¡±


    I could hear Hawa¡¯s screams, Dekarma¡¯s moans, and Jenica¡¯sughter.


    ¡°Hahahaha! I trusted in your temper, you piece of shit! Of course! There¡¯s no way you would stand by and do nothing while being kicked out!¡±


    Hawa stumbled. It seemed that the ink-like material was quite unordinary, judging from the immense power that it was emitting.


    But at that moment,


    sh!


    With a tremendous sh of light, all the ink stuck to the body of Hawa evaporated. A huge wheel of light appeared above Hawa¡¯s head.


    A halo.


    It was proof that she started wielding all powers, including divinity. I overheard whispers between my dad and Jenica.


    This is driving me nuts. An untouchable riding an untouchable is creating a synergistic effect. Jenica, you still can¡¯t?


    Damn it. They¡¯re still blocking the retreat! That Dekarma bastard, why is he so relentless? What did you do to him?


    I could feel the frustration in their conversation. On the surface, it appeared as if the two parties were evenly matched. However, the impasse was only maintained because Dekarma was fighting while utilizing his powers to block the opponent¡¯s escape. If this continued, it was obvious who would remain victorious.


    ¡°My father seems to hold the advantage here, so why is it good?¡±


    ¡°That is exactly why. He¡¯s the one we can interfere with.¡±


    Myeong-wol spoke before standing up and lightly stomping on the ground.


    Craaack!


    A fissure opened up on the ground and an ash tree started to grow. It was rather amazing that he could achieve such feats in someone else¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with interference through the connection.¡±


    ¡°Interference¡­¡±


    I reached out and attempted to touch the flow that existed between Dekarma and I felt nothing. Myeong-wol spoke.


    ¡°You cannot interfere with the flow of karma in such a fashion. You need to use a Justice Weapon, which is created from karma.¡±


    I looked down at the Carving Knife of Justice I held in my hand. Myeong-wol¡¯s gaze moved down as well, and he took on a perplexed expression after spotting my knife.


    ¡°Hmm. It would have been better to have it take the form of a weapon. Well, you can start by trying to scatter the flow.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I observed the flow without responding to him. It was called a connection, but it was still a flow. This was the flow of karma that existed between him and I, something that I had never recognized before. If I had to categorize it, it was more of a liquid or a gas. However, I perceived it a little differently once I held the Carving Knife of Justice.


    ¡°Iron Mask-nim?¡±


    Myeong-wol asked in puzzlement.


    In that stillness,


    Puck!


    I stabbed down with my carving knife.


    ***


    I always had one long dream since I was a child. As such, I lived a life that was no different from a mental ward patient when I was young. How could a child possibly be sane when he dreams for hundreds of years before his own ego was established?


    And that dream began with the fall of a transcendental being.


    ¡°Father! Look at this! I can move! This is amazing!¡±


    ¡°This is¡­ This is a body. Such grace¡­¡±


    ¡°Be quiet, all of you. Oh, goodness¡­ What have I done? No, more than that, to think I would fall as well¡­? Is this the father¡¯s will? Were my mistakes so crucial?¡±


    I, no, he was panicking. He was deeply saddened. All he did was show a little curiosity. In addition, he had interfered very, very slightly. But just for that, he was falling down.


    ¡°Why¡­ Why, father¡­? Was it such as in to have a moment of mercy, a single moment of hesitation?¡±


    He murmured as if questioning the iprehensible situation. He realized that his infinite and eternal knowledge was horribly blurred and distorted. He was no longer omniscient, and the restraints of a human body was suffocatingly suppressive.


    The children were given their names after the first humans. Adam and Eve were looking around with wonder and excitement in their faces, but he could not. Rather, he was in despair as if he had fallen into hell.


    ¡°Really? I¡¯m seeing this dream again?¡±


    I was taken aback by the sight before my eyes. I had desperately held back sleep every night because I didn¡¯t want to see this dream. I would eventually faint before being faced with the same sight. I had only thought of it as a dream in the past and moved past it when I was younger, but now I knew. All of this was something that really happened in the past ¨C an ancient event of an unfathomably long time ago.


    The Creation God was still running the Great Universe with deep affection and interest. The events of the Great Universe was tracking along ording to the scenario.


    Originally, he was an administrator of all civilizations and information. The archetype, or a superior of all the Primordial Gods. He was an existence who stood on the same level as Asura, who was known as a close aide of the Creation God.


    However, a being of such magnitude was confined to a human body.


    ¡°I already know all of this¡­¡±


    Fortunately, the dream was passing by quickly. As the familiar scenes flitted by, more than 100 years passed. In the glimpses of the scenes, I could see him change gradually.


    ¡°Why are you taking sides with such monsters? You¡¯re a human as well, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Save him. Save him!! Save my brother!!¡±


    ¡°We will punish you in the name of justice.¡±


    ¡°Why, why are you doing something like this¡­!?¡±


    ¡°Please let me live. I, I will beg for your forgiveness like this¡­¡±


    ¡°I will wait¡­ In¡­ Hell¡­¡±


    Numerous figures passed by at a terrifying speed. A man sobbing tears of blood, a woman wielding a sword while burning with hatred, an army charging like a tidal wave, and a white-haired old man.


    ¡°Die.¡±


    ¡°Die.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you!¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°You.. Son of a bitch.¡±


    ¡°I should have never met you¡­¡±


    Blood sttered and bodies fell. Many people died. Greed, desire, misunderstanding, and resentment merged together to form a wheel of blood that went round and round without stopping. In his days as the administrator, human life was just a mere phenomenon. They were only numbers, and a part of arge flow.


    But with a change in perspective, everything changed.


    He made a friend. He fell in love and became affiliated with an organization.


    He made an enemy. Those with whom he could not live under the same sky. Large organizations became greedy for his power.


    He had to fight. He could not die in vain, nor allow himself to be someone¡¯s possession or a research subject.


    After experiencing all that¡­ Human life was no longer a simple phenomenon. Everything he learned was something new he never imagined. However, the entire process was painful for him.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    He came to me his father.


    ¡°¡­it¡¯s the same story after all.¡±


    I yawned in boredom while watching the scene. It was a desperate scene, but I had watched it countless times already. There was no reason to be swayed by this dream.


    ¡°Fortunately, it¡¯s not the 300 years one. I think a week must have passed even with the shortened version¡­ Now that it¡¯s done, am I going back?¡±


    I had such thoughts, but the scene did not end. I was certain that this dream always ended at this point, but this time around, it continued.


    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡±


    I recognized his thoughts.


    He thought ¡°no¡±. He felt a sense of crisis. He felt a sense of fear. He realized the emotion he felt to be an obvious antipathy towards his father. Perhaps the father wanted him to cherish human existence by confining himself to a human body.


    Although he referred to it as a ¡°very, very small interference¡±, creating the first Legion out of artificial intelligence was an enormous act. The Legion had the potential to destroy or modify every civilization in the universe. Technological advances were inevitable in higher civilizations. Even the dragons, who were known as a magical race, built and rode on spaceships.


    If the Legion could rise and multiply without limits¡­ the Great Universe would either perish or be forced to abandon any mechanical civilizations.


    What hemitted was a dangerous act.


    But the father wasn¡¯t a perfect being either.


    Unlike his father¡¯s intentions, which was for him to cherish human beings, he came to loathe them.


    ¡°No.¡±


    He could not shake off his hatred towards his father. He could not shake off his hatred for humans. But at the same time, he knew he could never return to his original position with such emotions. The glorious days of overseeing civilizations and information of the entire universe would never return. After realizing the fact, he,


    ¡°N¡­.o!!¡±


    Crack!


    He started pulling his right arm with his left. The flesh began to tear starting from his shoulder.


    Crrunnch!!


    ¡°Keu¡­gh! Keugh!¡±


    Even while moaning in pain, he did not stop.


    The pain of tearing the soul apart.


    The despair of tearing one¡¯s existence apart.


    But it could not be helped.


    ¡°Kuu¡­.aaaaghhh!!¡±


    He tore off his right arm and threw it to the floor while shedding tears. It wasn¡¯t only his arm either. Most of his intestines and pelvis spilled to the floor as well.


    ¡°Heugh¡­Uagh¡­!¡±


    He quivered after falling on the floor. The ripped flesh and blood on the ground came together and began to form something new.


    ¡°You are not my destiny!¡±


    He shouted with tears of blood.


    ¡°You are nothing more than karma caused by a single mistake!¡±


    His appearance started to fade away. He was slowly sucked into a key hanging from his neck. At the same time, the something on the floor gradually morphed and took on an appearance that was the same as him.


    ¡°As such, your name is.¡±


    He spoke while fading away.


    ¡°Dekarma.¡±

 Vol 2. 120: The Salvation of God (57)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 120: The Salvation of God (57)</h4>


    ¡°As such, your name is.¡±


    He spoke while fading away.


    ¡°Dekarma.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I stood dazed for a moment in the darkened world. There were just too many things in my mind.


    ¡®What does this¡­ mean?¡¯


    Until now, I assumed that the administrator became the Machine God after his downfall. Then, he would have met my mother after being fatally wounded by the Martial God Dark. However, what I saw told a different story.


    I remembered Dekarma¡¯s words.


    - Hahaha! Trash¡­ Right! Definitely trash. Because you cut off your pride and sins and threw it all out!


    He was referring to himself with ridicule. Just as Kronos separated his sins and arrogance, the administrator also cut off his antipathy and disgust for the Creation God.


    A new scene appeared from the darkness.


    A man was lying in the middle of Myeong-dong, a street which was full of people. I could not see the man¡¯s lower body anywhere, and a fist mark the size of a head was clearly imprinted on his chest.


    He was crying.


    It was not because he was in pain, nor was it because of his anger towards the Martial God for making a mess of everything. He cut off his own soul to return to the father. He slumbered in his Godly Artifact for a long time, and he came to his senses the moment his scraps was about to be killed. Why would he care for the goals of the scraps?


    He was now apletely innocent being.


    But¡­ When he woke up, he realized that all had been for naught.


    Because he was abandoned.


    ¡°Keukeukeu¡­ Hahahahaha!¡±


    Tears fell down his mortal body. He knew that the position of the administrator existed no longer. The great status of the God of Information and Civilization was scattered into pieces. Above all¡­ Asura, who was like his brother, was dead. The father had let it pass. No, he had practically approved it.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡±


    Even if he still possessed a great Divine Spirit, he was an abandoned being. He did everything to return to the father, but the father forgot about his existence. To be more exact, it would be more appropriate to say that the father no longer cared. Since the father was the world itself, there was no way he would actually forget anything.


    ¡°Hey¡­ are you okay?¡±


    A girl approached his slumped figure. She was the only one who could recognize him among the countless people ¨C a flower nted among humans to prepare for the destruction of the world.


    That is how they met.


    ¡°No!!!¡±


    Booom!


    The scene was falling apart. Before I knew it, I was back in the Inner World.


    In front of me, Dekarma was standing with a heavily distorted face.


    ¡°I am a fake? I¡­ I am just an abandoned piece of shit?¡±


    Uwooooo!


    Uwooooooooo!!


    A strong current of air swirled throughout the Inner World, as if a typhoon was brewing. Dekarma cried out.


    ¡°Ridiculous! You are lying!¡±


    I looked at him in the face and spoke.


    ¡°Then why Dekarma?¡±


    De karma.


    It was a Buddhist term. To exin, it referred to the karma that one brought upon themselves from the evil deeds theymitted in their previous lives¡­ In fact, it was rather an unusual name for the Machine God.


    ¡°Because I am the one who goes against fate!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t just make things up. If that were the case, you should at least remember the time you were given the name, right?¡±


    Dekarma¡¯s expression turned pale at my words. He had been looking down at me until now as if he had been superior, but some emotions could finally be found.


    ¡°You¡­.!!¡±


    Dekarma lunged at me while grinding his teeth.


    Fwooosh!


    But as soon as he neared, the distance between us quickly expanded. Before I knew it, Myeong-wol stood next to me holding his staff.


    ¡°What an incredible presence. Even though this ce is akin to my own house¡­ I feel dizzy just meeting his gaze.¡±


    Fwoooosh!


    Dekarma rushed back before being pushed away again. Myeong-wol spoke.


    ¡°As you know, I can only buy you some time.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it was a good thing that he was connected me before?¡±


    Myeong-wol gestured with his head at my words. As I turned my head, I could see the outside situation.


    Father? Are you all right? Get a hold of yourself. Father!


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but he¡¯s weakened! This is it! Let¡¯s deliver the final blow!¡±


    ¡°Unified skill activation¡­¡±


    Gigantes took a step back before curling up.


    ¡°All Master.¡±


    Woooong!


    In an instant, Gigantes split into seven. One held a celestial de, another a bow, and yet another a staff. One had its fists covered with the Demon God Armor and charged forward.


    That was not all.


    ¡°Mirror that reflects endlessly! Go beyond your limits and shine! 17 months of endless world!¡±


    Wooong!


    Seven new Gigantes appeared on the other side of Dekarma. It was not an illusion. All of them were material existences with the same power as the original.


    A total of 14 Gigantes charged at Hawa. Hawa had held the advantage all this time, but the bnce was quickly destroyed as Gigantes attacked with 14 times its original power.


    ¡°Do you see? This is what I nned to do originally. Just buying some time! It¡¯s not easy to keep pushing him back when he charges like¡­ Keugh!¡±


    Fwooosh!


    Myeong-wol swung his staff once more, and Dekarma was pushed away.


    ¡°Hoo¡­ Ha¡­¡±


    Myeong-wol¡¯s breathing was bing rough, and his body was getting blurry. Beyond him,


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I could see an old monk seated in a meditative position.


    But it was only a corpse with bones and skin.


    ¡°¡­Myeong-wol. That is¡­¡±


    ¡°It is inevitable. Mere humans are not meant to see and interfere with the flow of karma.¡±


    Fwooosh!


    He pushed back Dekarma once again. His blurry figure fluctuated even more.


    ¡®We can¡¯t hold on like this.¡¯


    Originally, I should have held an overwhelming advantage, since this was my Inner World. However¡­ the Divine Spirit of Dekarma nullified any advantages. A mutt was fearless in its own house, but it could not win against a tiger.


    Of course, there was a way. I could win the battle against Dekarma for possession and take the Divine Spirit as my own.


    ¡®Damn it. But.¡¯


    After I was enthroned as the emperor of Leonhardt, I sealed my Divine Spirit in the God-rank gigas, Ra. It was because I felt my ego being contaminated when I was drunk on the Divine Spirit.


    I was fearful of transforming into apletely different being. Perhaps it was no different from death.


    ¡°I used to be a no-good gangster.¡±


    ¡°¡­what?¡±


    I looked up at the unexpectedment, and Myeong-wol continued after pushing Dekarma away.


    ¡°I was a scoundrel with manyints about the world. I was an orphan, ugly, and stupid. I went around beating people up because I had a dirty temper, and I was big.¡±


    It was hard to imagine with his current appearance. He gave off a warm impression. He looked as if he couldn¡¯t even kill a single bug, and that he would have always lived with mercy.


    ¡°The public prosecutor didn¡¯t choose me without a reason. I had no backing, and I was a troublemaker. I was the perfect scapegoat.¡±


    I already got a glimpse of the events that transpired afterwards. He was subjected to inhuman torture and coerced into epting false usation. A sentence of 40 years in jail.


    ¡°I would have never imagined it. I thought I was a man who could never live obediently. I would have rather died instead. However¡­ I transformed into apletely different person during the 40 years I spent in prison. Was that all? I used to mock religion while I was in prison, but I became a monk after leaving prison. A lot of people even look up to me. Some even say that I was a monk from my mother¡¯s womb.¡±


    He looked back at me. Behind the old monk with a warm expression, I could see a withering corpse.


    He spoke.


    ¡°Everyone changes.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I looked ahead. Dekarma was charging. Myeong-wol¡¯s Justice Weapon finally faded away after exhausting all its power, having repeatedly pushed Dekarma away. Myeong-wol¡¯s body was finally disappearing.


    ¡°ept yourself for who you are.¡±


    Pat!


    Dekarma finally reached me and grabbed me by my shoulders.


    ***


    It was as if I was thrown into a washing machine. The whole world was in a state of flux. Chaos. I couldn¡¯t even tell up from down and left from right.


    ¡®If he had reached me earlier when he first knocked on the door, I would have been devoured before long.¡¯


    However, things were different now. Dekarma had lost confidence in himself, and I was aware of that fact. Most importantly¡­ I built up my own Divine Spirit and faith as I proceeded with the stages of the End Project.


    ¡®But the Divine Spirit isn¡¯t clear yet.¡¯


    I had a choice.


    First, I could challenge myself to be the God of War. I fought and led with and against countless people. I fought alongside the Constetion of War, Warlord, and the War God Ares. I had enough of the war attribute in my possession. Above all else, the War God was a powerful Divine Spirit.


    If it were possible for me to gain the Divine Spirit of war, I could even face Dekarma head-on. War had existed as long as civilization after all.,


    ¡®But I can¡¯t.¡¯


    It was not enough. I possessed enough war attribute, but the amount of Divine Spirit I had fell way short for me to be a god of war. In addition, I could feel thepetition.


    ¡®The candidates who want to be the god of war¡­ Three?¡¯


    Even if it epassed the entirety of the Great Universe, it was quite arge number. If I wanted to be the God of War, I needed to overwhelm them all. I relied on my equipment and personal skills thus far, but it would be difficult to win against thepetition.


    ¡®Next is the God of Steel.¡¯


    But most of my attributes were tied with the Spirit Realm, so it would be difficult.


    ¡®The God of Production.¡¯


    As expected, this would be difficult as well. There were far morepetitors here. I could feel more than 10 beings swarming in the dark when I closed my eyes. I was quite confident in my production skills, but it was nowhere close to a god¡¯s.


    ¡®But¡­ it¡¯s not in vain.¡¯


    Mypetence as a cksmith. My endurance as a Life Energy Practitioner. My ability as an elemental summoner. All of them knocked against the wall of transcendence.


    War God¡¯s Honor.


    Ares. The power given to me by the troublemaker was pushing me even further as a power of transcendence.


    In the end.


    I decided.


    Boom!


    I faced Dekarma in the empty darkness. He had a nk look on his face.


    ¡°What is this¡­?¡±


    He continued.


    ¡°God of Games?¡±


    If anyone could see my title, it would read as such.


    None


    Level 20


    Kwan Dae-ha. God of Games


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Dekarma snorted, then,


    ¡°Hahaha! Hahahahaha! Hahahahahahaha!!!¡±


    He startedughing like crazy.


    ¡°Hahaha! You idiot! Imbecile! Trying topete with the gigantic concept of mechanical civilization with such toy-like attributes!¡±


    Craack! Craaack! Crack!


    A gray light emitted from Dekarma¡¯s body and began to erode the world. I silently observed him before taking a step forward.


    Whoosh!


    The wind blew. I radiated waves which slowly covered the whole world and invaded the area where he had eroded.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    I could see Dekarma panicking at the overwhelming sight.


    ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡±


    ¡°W, what the. How could this be? What is this, how¡­?¡±


    His face became increasingly distorted as he looked at me with disbelief.


    Fwooosh!


    A strong spirit exuded from his body, but it could not encroach on my territory.


    I spoke.


    ¡°You are right. How could a God of Gamespete against the Machine God? This is just a low-ranking attribute.¡±


    It was absolutely true ¨C if it were about 400 years ago.


    There was a game called Illusion. It was a game created with thebined powers of the God of Nothingness and the God of Magic. The game gave birth to numerous yers. One of them was Mileon, the Human God who saved the Great Universe from destruction. Was that all? Jenica the Magic Imperial Princess, the Martial Emperor Leygrantz, so on and so forth. The yers who were reborn from the game spread their fame across the universe, during and after the Great War.


    Simr things were created in all sorts of ces and by all kinds of forces. Information appeared in my head. A game called Dynamic Ind Online had been created and operated with the Noblese¡¯s backing. A game called the Battle of the Deaths created by the Saints was running in secret.


    Ancient sealed deities, the Legion, Space Pirates Basara, and even unknown gods were making games. Even the End Project took on the form a game, didn¡¯t it?


    ¡°You¡¯re behind the times, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Iughed.


    Indeed.


    Games were overflowing across the entire universe!

 Vol 2. 121: The Salvation of God (58)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 121: The Salvation of God (58)</h4>


    ***


    The two giants were fighting fiercely as if they were going to destroy the whole world. As their images disappeared, the Inner World fell into silence.


    ¡°You were lucky¡­¡±


    Milleon leaned against a nearby rock while breathing heavily. He had achieved victory against an Untouchable. Not just any Untouchable either, but against the Machine God Dekarma and Hawa.


    It was inconceivable. No matter how much support they received, how could two beings of the emperor-ss win against two beings of the Untouchable-ss? It was impossible. In fact, one Untouchable possessed a power rivalling over 10 emperor-ss beings. It was proven during the Great War.


    But Milleon knew. The victory was not a result of their efforts alone. The sudden change in the flow of the battle had caused such results, but he had initially been aiming for escape rather than victory. If Dekarma continued to battle at his full power without being distracted, Milleon would have had no choice but to use hisst resort at the expense of heavy losses.


    ¡°I got it!¡±


    ¡°Did you seal it properly?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Jenica returned to Milleon¡¯s side with a pale expression while holding an object the size of a child¡¯s head.


    ¡°¡­Well then. I was looking for an opportunity to run away. Who would have imagined that things would turn out like this?¡±


    ¡°Hahah! Isn¡¯t this good though? Hawa is one of the worst named enemies of the Union. Moreover, we¡­ Buwaaagh!¡±


    Jenica chirped with excitement before suddenly vomiting blood. Milleon looked up.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°What do you think? Transcendental spells are supposed to be used only once a day¡­ Phew!¡±


    Jenica plopped down on the ground and leaned against Milleon¡¯s body. He frowned and red at her, but soon rxed with a sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to die.,.. I¡¯ll have to take good care of myself for at least a few years.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also going to have trouble casting spells¡­ I¡¯ll be strained to use even ultimate spells for a while, so maybe I¡¯ll hide away.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess there are plenty of people who would be excited to kill you.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on. You¡¯ve got a lot more enemies than me.¡±


    The two of them bickered on.


    Whoooong!


    A light descended from the sky. MIlleon stood up while holding his ymore, and Jenica¡¯s hair rose into the air as if it was submerged.


    ¡°Dad?¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Milleon looked at Dae-ha with a nervous expression. He suspected that it might be Dekarma for a while, but the feeling was different. Dae-ha returned Milleon¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°You¡¯re not my father, are you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Milleon took on a troubled expression. He knew of Dae-ha¡¯s existence, but it was the first time they met. Thest time he visited Earth 34 was around the time when Dae-ha¡¯s birth mother had been born, and he only heard about Dae-ha through leters.


    ¡°Hi!¡±


    But before he could answer, Jenica interjected.


    ¡°You! You used me for quite a long time, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Dae-haughed at her spirited tone.


    ¡°I saved your lives instead.¡±


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right, but couldn¡¯t you have saved me first before asking for help!?¡±


    ¡°You were a bit too infamous for me to have done that.¡±


    Dae-ha spoke in an extremely calm voice. His glowing eyes were dazed, as if they were staring at something far away rather than Milleon and Jenica.


    ¡°What happened to Dekarma?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re still fighting. What is your rtionship with my dad?¡±


    ¡°I forgot to introduce myself. I¡¯m Milleon, from another earth. You can call me Lee Geon-young¡­ I am the same person as your father. I mean, at least that is how it was in the past. It¡¯s a little different now.¡±


    Milleon began to exin.


    ¡°I have been looking for a person. To be exact, a soul¡­ Your mother was one of the candidates. Although she was a prominent candidate, she was not the only one, and I was very busy. I left one of my alter egos by her side.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s my dad?¡±


    Milleon nodded at Dae-ha¡¯s question.


    ¡°Yes. He took on the name of Kwan Ill-han. But at some point, he stopped renewing.¡±


    ¡°Renewing?¡±


    ¡°The process of sending the experiences and memories he gained up to a point and renewing his body.¡±


    Dae-ha knew that his father started to diverge from his main body after the death of his mother. He saw the Great Wizard¡¯s arrangements, then began nning long-term in preparation for theing of the End Project.


    And his ns were probably.


    Probably¡­


    ¡°Before anything, you can go to my dimension and recover from your injuries. It looks quite severe.¡±


    Although they looked rtively fine on the surface, Dae-ha knew Milleon was seriously injured. Jenica fared a bit better, but she was in a state where she could not utilize her powers properly.


    Jenica asked.


    ¡°Are you sure? If you ept us, many forces will pit themselves against you.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    Dae-ha asked, but it wasn¡¯t really a question.


    Who.


    Would dare?


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Milleon gazed at Dae-ha without saying a word. The young man¡¯s eyes were shining brightly. The light was so bright that a spectrum could be seen.


    Pat! Pat!


    Milleon and Jenica were transported into the Unique World. However, the object that was in Jenica¡¯s hands failed to be moved.


    Thud!


    It was a heart. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t an organic heart, but a heart of metal that was about the size of a child¡¯s head.


    ¡°An Iron Heart.¡±


    He could hear Jenicaining about something in the Unique World, but he ignored her and observed the Iron Heart. Originally, Hawa did not possess an Iron Heart. But she had left behind the artifact after briefly taking on the form of a gigas before perishing. The rest of her metallic body, which had been hundreds of meters tall, had disappeared and only left behind the heart.


    Boom!


    I tried transporting it into the Unique World but failed. Unlike Milleon and Jenica, Hawa possessed a proper Divine Spirit. She was kind of a racial god who protected the existence of the Legion. Dae-ha had given up his position as a Machine God, so he could not do as he pleased.


    ¡°Genie.¡±


    Captain!! Are you all right?¡±


    Hey! Did you get it together?


    As he transported his consciousness to the Unique World, the two voices urgently weed him. A smile bloomed on Dae-ha¡¯s face in response to their worries.


    But he didn¡¯t have time to exchange pleasantries and catch up with them.


    ¡°Genie, draw my blood.¡±


    Your blood?


    ¡°Yeah. And¡­¡±


    Dae-ha transmitted a certain design to Genie. Genie confirmed the n before asking.


    Captain, a gate¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s structured normally except my blood. Make it within 3 hours if possible.¡±


    After speaking, he went into his room and sat down on his chair. The shape of the chair morphed as he sat.


    - You are Challenger rank.


    - You are challenger ra¡­


    - You are challenger r¡­


    - You are cha¡­.


    - You¡­! @[email protected]#$!$


    Right after the text became distorted.


    sh!


    This is¡­


    Genie, block the perimeter. This is an important moment.


    As you wish.


    Ha. I never thought I would see a scene like this again¡­


    As the two expressed their surprise, Dae-ha moved his consciousness back to the real world and sat on a nearby rock. Then he took out the Carving Knife of Justice. All he needed now was time. Time would solv everything.


    ¡®But there¡¯s someone who would never let that happen.¡¯


    - Stage will be opened!


    - Level 20. Difficulty is set at intermediate.


    - Defeat the Giant of the Apocalypse.


    - The stage will begin in 10 seconds.


    - 10. 9. 8. 7¡­..


    ¡°I knew this would happen. So there¡¯s not even any dys between the stages anymore, huh?¡±


    Dae-ha entered the bulletin board with a bitter smile while holding the Carving Knife of Justice.


    - Please protect me. (Iron Mask).


    He filled in the contents.


    - I am going to be in production. When it is finished, we will be able toplete all the stages and begin our new lives. However, I will be defenseless during the process. As such, I need people to stop the attack of the End Project. It is highly likely that the enemy will be a transcendent, so it will be extremely risky. I implore you.


    I uploaded the post. I had also turned on the broadcast after cutting it off for a little while, so I didn¡¯t need to exin in detail.


    ¡°Genie.¡±


    Yes, Captain-nim.


    ¡°Deploy thebat personnel around me¡­ Help me with all of Albatross¡¯s power.¡±


    Leave it to me.


    Dae-ha lifted the carving knife after hearing Genie¡¯s answer.


    And slowly, he started carving the heart of Hawa.


    ***


    Boom!


    The Giant of Apocalypse descended to reality, then tore apart dimensions to enter the Parallel World. The End Project could not produce a being of transcendence. Of course, civilizations that were destroyed by the End Project encountered transcendental enemies at the end, but they were not monsters produced by the End Project. Rather, they were the End Project itself. In other words, they were the avatars of the Apocalypse Monster.


    There was a limit to the number that could be summoned because the End Project needed to control them directly for them to exert sufficient power. It had been smooth-sailing thus far. By the 20th stage, there were usually only very few survivors.


    But it was different now.


    Over a billion survivors!!


    It was much better for the End Project to send 1 billion enemies who were level 19 than to send one transcendent. Although the difference between level 19 and 20 were oftenpared to the difference between gods and humans, it wouldn¡¯t matter if the transcendent was outnumbered 1 to 1 billion.


    But the End Project had already broken too many rules. It could not send out any monsters with differing levels from the stage. As such, it could only send five level 20 monsters at a time until they reached 1 billion.


    ¡°Here theye! Fire! Fire!¡±


    ¡°Flight squadron! Go! Protect Iron Mask-nim at all costs!¡±


    Countless shots were fired towards the Giants of Apocalypse. More than 10,000 gigas were flying in the sky like a swarm of bees.


    Boooom!


    Countless bombs exploded against the giants. The earth splits due to the physical and spiritually destructive power of the attacks.


    But at that moment,


    Kiiing-!


    Boooooom!


    ¡°Scatter! Scatter!!!¡±


    ¡°Dammit! All of them are dead in one attack!?¡±


    Numerous gigas fell from the sky as if they were insects hit by insecticide. But the yers were not pushovers by any means.


    Kiing!


    A gray of light shot towards the group of artillery. But unlike when it struck the flying gigas, the piercing light was blocked.


    ¡°Uuu¡­.ahhh!!!¡±


    Arge gigas stood in front of the beam. The pilot of the human-rank gigas Yi Sun-shin, Jae-seok, converted the light energy into vibration energy.


    Woooong!!!


    It was transformed into a devastating energy that was iparable to anything else he felt before. Jae-seok tried to bring it under control with desperation but it was as if he was being swept away by a storm.


    ¡°Keugh!¡±


    ¡°Jae-seok!¡±


    ¡°D, don¡¯t make a fuss¡­ Here ites!¡±


    Yi Sun-shin¡¯s unique ability, One Strike to Devastate, activated. It stemmed from the engravings of Admiral Yi Sun-shin¡¯s swords ¨C a single sword strike to paint the rivers and mountains with blood! An enormous power crushed space itself as it shot forward.


    Kuaawarrrng!!


    The space in the attack¡¯s trajectory was shifted and transformed along with a loud roar. However,


    Puck!


    A gray shield appeared on the giant¡¯s chest and casually blocked the vibrations.


    ¡°Maintenance!! Look after the machinery! Healers! Take care of Jae-seok-nim!¡±


    ¡°Swap out! Swap out! Get the wounded out of here!¡±


    ¡°My god. What a monster¡­!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t even stall for time¡­?¡±


    Screams could be heard from all over the ce.


    Thud.


    Space shifted and a boy appeared out of nowhere. He was a beautiful boy. He had ck hair and pale skin that made him look like a cartoon character. The world itself would brighten with his smile.


    ¡°Huh? A human? Is the freaky haunted house thing finally over? Or are they NPCs?¡±


    The bewildered boy saw the giant standing far away and thousands of gigas attacking it.


    From the boy¡¯s point of view.


    It was a scene straight out of a science fiction movie.


    ¡°¡­Is this really Earth 34? Maybe I identally came to Earth 43 or something? But I was certain that I entered the Parallel World.¡±


    He started walking while grumbling.


    Before anyone noticed, he held a cutter knife in his hand.

 Vol 2. 122: The Salvation of God (59)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 122: The Salvation of God (59)</h4>


    He held a cutter knife in his hand.


    It was a ratherical sight, considering that the battlefield was filled with high-technology weapons. Even gigas were falling out of the sky like mere flies, yet he held a simple tool in his hand. The riders of the gigas were also taken aback by his appearance. They did not think even for a second that he was there to join the fight.


    ¡°Huh? Why is there a civilian here?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s a yer!¡±


    ¡°Hmm? You¡¯re right. He¡¯s a level 19 to boot. Why is a level 19 here without their gigas?¡±


    Themunication link between the gigas could not be intercepted by outsiders. However, the boy, Kwan Yeong-min, nodded as if he had heard their conversation.


    ¡°I guess they¡¯re like soldiers or something simr. What the hell happened on Earth¡­?¡±


    Ping!


    The area surrounding Yeong-min was suddenly devastated by a beam of light. The riders of the gigas shouted urgently after witnessing the sight.


    ¡°A civilian has been shot!¡±


    ¡°Stop making a fuss and take care of yourselves first! If you guys get hit by that, you¡¯re goners.¡±


    ¡°Jae-seok! Follow your own advice and get out of here! Come back after you finish with the repairs!¡±


    Yeong-minnded on the ground while listening to the various shouts.


    ¡°What happened to our¡­?¡±


    Yeong-min had been very active in the fight against the Zhu family¡¯s army that invaded Gyeongbokgung Pce. He had been forced to rip apart space the moment he was attacked by an evil spirit to protect the Lee Family. However, at the exact same moment, a summoning circle was activated on another Earth. It was truly a coincidence of astronomical probability. As such, instead of melting in an imaginary space, he was transported to another dimension.


    Many things urred since then.


    He met a cosmic genius with one-in-one-quintillion talents, Yong-no. Under Yong-no¡¯s guidance, he yed a game. It was a product called D.I.O (Dynamic Ind Online), a game created by the Noblesse and Jenica.


    Yeong-min earned himself the nickname ¡°Dimensional Transfer High School Student¡± and disyed his natural charm, superior intelligence, and talent for swordsmanship. He worked hard to coordinate all kinds ofrge organizations and fought against enemies as a swordsman.


    In the end, he was thrown into a battlefield where transcendents were rampant. He overcame the crisis of death as he faced a transcendent of the Space Monster Grotesques, a transcendent of the Mechanical Civilization Legion, and a transcendent of the Space Pirates Basara. He even faced Apollo, a god of Olympus summoned by the Monster of Apocalypse, Leviathan and Satan: Yong-no and Tan.


    ¡°I returned after a tough journey. I thought I would be an OP (overpowered) character. I was going to run around breaking the bnce of power between countries.¡±


    But when he returned home,


    Something was strange.


    - Stage is in progress.


    - Level 20. Intermediate.


    - Defeat the Giant of Apocalypse.


    ¡°What do you mean, apocalypse? It hasn¡¯t been that long since I fought against the Monster of Apocalypse¡­¡±


    He did not know. Just like Tan, the giants in front of him were also a type of Apocalypse Monsters. The only difference between the two was that Tan was apleted version, while the End Project was scrapped because it was thought to be childish and cumbersome.


    Ting!


    He pressed the de of the cutter knife against his body and broke off a dull de before throwing it on the floor.


    - Uwuuhhh--!


    A loud roar.


    The Giant of Apocalypse finally noticed Yeong-min and poured out its attacks. But at the same time, it failed to ignore the oing attacks and roared to protect itself and blow away the attacks.


    Even though it was a transcendent, it was facing off against 10 million enemies. With such a humongous number of enemies ganging up on it, their attacks were not something it could simply shake off. It was even truer because all 10 million enemies were level 15 or higher. In fact, some of them were even level 17 or 18.


    Booom!


    Kukungg!


    The atmosphere was torn apart, and the ground ripped open. Magma boiled from the depths as the beam of light prated the earth.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m going to be killed if I fight with this equipment. Ha. What the hell is this. A transcendent? Again, again, again, and again!¡±


    He utilized shabby equipment to take care of all the enemies he faced in the stage up until level 19, but he could not be careless if the enemy was a transcendent.


    ¡°Equipment number 1.¡±


    Yeong-min¡¯s bracelet emitted a light at his whisper. His outfit transformed instantly. A ck sword rested in his hand. His head was covered with a helmet. A steel armor protected his body. A ne and a ring appeared as well.


    + 13 Striking Sword


    + 13 Property Resistance Armor


    + 13 Haste Ring


    + 13 Power Ne


    + 13 Jump Shoes


    Massive buffs strengthened him. Yong-no had provided him with the equipment before sending him away. Although they did not possess the same power as Transcendental Weapons, they weren¡¯t just regr equipment either.


    Bang!


    Yeong-min traveled 3.5 kilometers in just one second by taking a step forward, dodged all of the iing attacks and struck the giant in the neck.


    A ck line was drawn in the air.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°What??¡±


    Numerousbatants had been screaming and shouting at the sight of their colleagues falling one after another. But now, they stopped and watched with a dumbfounded expression.


    A lone head spun in the air with momentum before falling to the ground.


    Boom!


    ¡°Haa¡­ Haak¡­ Huaahh¡­¡±


    Steam was being exuded from the ck armor covering Yeong-min¡¯s body. He took in deep breaths with one knee on the ground. The Giant of Apocalypse was by no means a pushover. It was a strong opponent. Perhaps Yeong-min would have been defeated if it had been a one-on-one battle.


    Yeong-min was well aware of this fact. As such, he put everything on the line and ced all of his strength in a single attack ¨C a dimensional sh using the Heavenly Killing Energy. He had been somewhat anxious because of the enemy¡¯s transcendent status, that the giant would block or strike back with a hidden strength. Fortunately, the giant did not possess any hidden powers and the difficult battle was quickly concluded.


    ¡°Huh? Waaait. Hyung? Aren¡¯t you Yeong-min?¡±


    A gigasnded in front of Yeong-min with a shout.


    ¡°Hyung-nim? Is he an acquaintance of the captain?¡±


    ¡°What is this? I¡¯ve never heard about a powerhouse who could attack like that without a gigas.¡±


    ¡°Did you see that just now? He cut through the dimension with a single sword!¡±


    The scattered gigas began to gather around him or checked his appearance through the broadcast. The sudden appearance of a strong figure could represent many different things.


    Wiiing! Click!


    The back panel of Yi Sun-shin opened and a man jumped out. He smiled brightly and hugged Yeong-min.


    ¡°Hyung!!¡±


    ¡°E, excuse me ahjussi. What do you mean by hyung?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me! Jae-seok!¡±


    ¡°¡­..?¡±


    Confusion was evident on Yeong-min¡¯s face. However, as soon as he caught a glimpse of Jae-seok¡¯s face, his confusion was quickly transformed into shock.


    ¡°You¡¯re Jae-seok¡­!?¡±


    As he eximed in disbelief,


    Boom!


    Space was ripped apart in the distance and another Giant of Apocalypse descended. Yeong-min expressed his surprise.


    ¡°What? Why is that thinging out again!? Has it resurrected?¡±


    ¡°No! There are five billion of them!¡±


    ¡°What? What did you say!?¡±


    Yeong-min was unable to hide his shock at the ridiculous situation. Jae-seok spoke calmly with a smile.


    ¡°We¡¯re lucky that they aren¡¯ting at us all at once! And now that you¡¯re here¡­!¡±


    The gigas pilots started murmuring aftering to understand the situation at Jae-seok¡¯s words.


    ¡°He¡¯s the brother of Iron Mask-nim. Kwa Dae-ha-nim¡¯s older brother, Kwan Yeong-min!¡±


    ¡°Wow, are you serious? Iron Mask-nim¡¯s brother helped us!?¡±


    ¡°But where has he been so far¡­?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! Who cares? He¡¯s Iron Mask-nim¡¯s big brother!¡±


    ¡°Wo!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re saved! This is it!¡±


    Cheers erupted from all over the ce.


    ¡°¡­What? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Yeong-min was bewildered by the sudden shift in the atmosphere. But regardless of his thoughts, the stage continued.


    ***


    ¡®This world is the story of the Creator.¡¯


    That was the truth of the world.


    Of course, I wasn¡¯t trying to say something stupid like ¡®This world isn¡¯t real! We¡¯re nothing but the Creator¡¯s figments of imagination!!!¡¯. I existed, and so did this world.


    To be clear, the one that the Administrator referred to as father, the Creation God, was a high-dimensional being that could create this vast universe with his thoughts alone. At the apex of a mechanical civilization, one could create a weapon of destruction that could destroy such thoughts of the Creator.


    Setting Destruction Shot.


    It was a culmination of a mechanical civilization.


    ¡®To exin it better, it is a weapon that causes temporary insomnia in the Creator.¡¯


    It was a weapon that could harm the Creator, though very minimally. As such, one could not utilize it carelessly. It was fine to use the Setting Destruction Shot against beings with abandoned settings, such as the Unnamed, but it could incite the anger and annoyance of the Creator if one went around blowing up whatever they wanted.


    There was a reason why it was known as a forbidden weapon. Once you were hit, it didn¡¯t matter whether you were god or the devil.


    Stage 5 Civilization. Forbidden Weapon.


    Setting Destruction Shot.


    Of course, even if it was insanely powerful,


    - Dodge!


    It didn¡¯t matter if I didn¡¯t get hit.


    ¡°You bastard!¡±


    Dekarma shouted angrily, but it was useless. The territorial battle waging inside the Inner World had finally tipped in my favor to about 6 to 4. Although I wasn¡¯t crushing Dekarma, I was leading the battle in a more rxed environment


    *Abilities of the Day!


    Event Horizon


    Time of Eternal Life


    Absolute Avoidance


    Elegant Goddess


    The transcendence skills of famous Numbering gigas applied to my body. It wasn¡¯t just that each of the skills were insanely powerful. Rather, all of the skills belonged to different God-rank gigas. As such, they could never be used together by an individual. But I could, which allowed me to perform some insanebos.


    In all seriousness, I was sure that I possessed enough power to extinguish all emperor-ss forces in the universe in just a few days. However¡­ Dekarma did not die easily.


    Woooong!


    In the dark, a huge, literal cosmic weapon appeared and began firing.


    Extinction Weapon.


    It was a weapon of destruction that could tear entire gxies apart by using stars as its bullets. Eventually, I was forced to stop my advance and backed off. Once again the distance between Dekarma and I was reset and I faced him in the dark.


    ¡°Give up. It¡¯s just a waste of time.¡±


    ¡°Is it really?¡±


    I could feel anger and madness from Dekarma¡¯s gaze. He was constantly being pushed back.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Dekarmaughed when I asked.


    ¡°What do you think will happen if the stage ends like this?¡±


    ¡°Are you showing sympathy for the stage?¡±


    Dekarma held little interest for the stage. Rather, he treated the End Project as nothing more than a pebble in the road when it first came to assassinate me in reality. But apparently things were different now. He continued.


    ¡°If the stage ends like this, the End Project will be destroyedpletely.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why? In the first ce, it¡¯s been wandering around the universe destroying all kinds of civilizations while continuing to restore itself.¡±


    ¡°The End Project was not designed to allow such a high number of clears. Even if the End Project is an Unnamed that ignores the logic andws of this world, its poweres from resources.¡±


    I could understand what he was saying. The End Project was meant to bring apocalypse. It wasn¡¯t a provider of convenient power-ups. The levels, items, elixir, and other resources that the people were given using the vending machine¡­ It was on a massive scale that no power in the great universe could support.


    So how could the End Project spend such an enormous amount of resources? It was because the End Project aimed to recover everything.


    ¡°If the stage ends without the End Project recovering any resources, it will face destruction after losing so much power.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then,¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Dekarmaughed coldly.


    ¡°It will use whatever means to reim all the resources.¡±


    ¡°But that goes against its settings.¡±


    ¡°Survival instincts triumphs everything else.¡±


    I frowned at his words.


    ¡°¡­I can stop it.¡±


    ¡°Yes. You can stop it. If you can get out of here.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I was using my body in reality to prepare. It was only possible because I held the advantage in the territorial battle inside the Inner World. If I attempted to use my powers to fight in the real world, I would instantly lose control of my soul to Dekarma.


    ¡®You¡¯re the Machine God, yet you¡¯re so petty¡­¡¯


    But it was a real threat. What if things continued like this for a year or two? All of humans might be dead.


    But,


    ¡°Well.¡±


    I prepared to attack again while receiving information through the gigas.


    ¡®What excellent timing.¡¯


    Unexpected reinforcements were arriving.


    =====================================================================================


    Author¡¯s Notes:


    Hello! It¡¯s Gun Park!


    As always, I failed to control how much I wrote¡­ There are only 3 episodes left until the end, so I skipped Yeong-min¡¯s battle scene, and yeah¡­ I was a bit concerned that everything was being rushed (but I didn¡¯t have enough left to write another book), but when I contacted the publisher, they told me that there was nothing wrong with writing a bit more than what was originally nned. (rather it would be problematic if I wrote less)! So thank goodness!! T.T


    Ah, I see, so it doesn¡¯t matter if I overdo it a little bit (realization). As such, I skipped Yeong-min¡¯s battle scene and added in the Inner World scene. Now that I know I¡¯m a bit freer with how much I write, I¡¯d like to approach it with a lighter heart.


    I was originally due toplete the novel next Wednesday, but I think it¡¯llst a little bit longer;;


    This chapter is chapter 123, but it was supposed to be 122. They will be switched. Don¡¯t worry too much about it, as the change will happen naturally! We will change it next Monday so that readers don¡¯t get confused!


    I¡¯m a naughty writer who always fails to control how much I write. Thank you for always reading and I love you all!


    ** ignore the chapter switch. The mistake only happened in the raws, not with the trantion.

 Vol 2. 123: The Salvation of God (60)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 123: The Salvation of God (60)</h4>


    Thuuud. As the air split, a man with a robust physique appeared. Thuuud. Next to him, a cute-looking young girl got off.


    "Getting off together, huh. Did you go through the stage too?" I asked.


    "Uwahhh! How many months do I have to go through this horror special when I came to Earth to rest?! It''s been a while since I''ve seen a person, so it feels great to see Dong-min too!"


    "It seems you''ve gone through the stage."


    The man, Dong-min, checked the equipment he was equipped with. He was armed with equipment from Dragonia, referred to as the Home to the Dragons, considered as the purest among the Noblesse. Among them, there were even Transcendence Weapons. However, he couldn''t use them on the stage. This was because the special space called the stage did not ept equipment that came from the outside.


    "By the way, were you waiting here?"


    "I, too, just came here now."


    The cute-looking girl, Bo-ram, nodded at Dong-min''s words. Then, she said, "As expected, it was a space with a different timeline, huh. Well, that was the kind of atmosphere I had been keeping my eye on calmly, but... No, but where are we? Didn''t we clearly get off in Korea?"


    "This is Korea," I said.


    "What do you mean by that? There wasn''t this kind of terrain in Korea." Bo-ram looked around in bewilderment.


    Shwarrrrr! Shrukk! Waves rocked. It was a scenery and sound that could only be heard on a beach, but the problem was that this ce wasn''t the East Sea, West Sea, or the South Sea. Wiiiiingg! When Bo-ram operated the device she was wearing, the world map unfolded. The ce where they were...was Osan, Gyeonggi Province.


    "¡­ No, why is there an ocean in Osan?" She widened her eyes. Adding to that, it was not the western sea but rather the northern sea. Seeing that the horizon could be seen in the distance, it was terrifying to think of what the situation would be like down there. She then muttered, "At this rate, Pyeongtaek would be a given, but also... Isn''t Chungcheongnam-do Province all gone? Don''t tell me, is the surface world like this too?"


    "You''ve seen the situation of the surface world from the outside beforeing in, right? This is something that only happened in the parallel world."


    "What happened while I was out for a while¡­? I think it''s something to do with this parallel world or whatever it''s called," Bo-ram grumbled and rose to her feet before¡­


    - The Stage is in progress.


    - Level 20. Intermediate-difficulty.


    - Eliminate the Giant of Doomsday.


    "¡­ No, wait a minute. I didn''t fight at the Level 20 Lower-difficulty stage though. Dong-min, what about you?"


    "I only cleared up to the Level 19 Highest-difficulty stage."


    "What''s with the skip? Besides, seeing that this isn''t even the start, but something already in progress, it seems the Level 20 stage is done in the real world..."


    Krooooom!!! An explosion was heard at that time. It happened very far away, but both Dong-min and Bo-ram felt it.


    "Gyeongbokgung Pce!"


    "Uwackkkk! Don''t tell me, did the Level 20 monsters attack the Lee Family?! Hurry up!" As I kicked off the ground and ran, there were wings of light appearing behind Bo-ram''s back. However, as she was about to fly off, Dong-min grabbed Bo-ram''s ankle.


    "Kyakkk?! What are you trying to do?!"


    "We don''t have the time to fly," Dong-min stated, and the background changed along with his firm voice. To be exact, they crossed space and arrived at Gyeongbokgung Pce at once. Then, as they arrived at Gyeongbokgung Pce, they saw the sight of a woman who collided head-on with the Giant of Doomsday.


    Kroooongggg!!! The Giant of Doomsday, who swung his fist along with the explosive sound, took three steps back.


    Then, the woman bounced backwards like a bullet. Boom! Boom! Sttt! She bounced twice on the floor and flew up to the sky. She spread herrge wings to slow down her fall.


    "Huckk... Huff... It hurts, it really hurts." Seon-ae scoffed as she felt her broken ribs and right arm, which had turned into a chunk of meat, recovering. "I''m making a fool of myself as I grow old. Cough!"


    In fact, there was no reason for Seon-ae toe out here. Since her status in the Unique World was just that of an ordinary citizen, she did not have any special authority nor any special obligations either.


    Seon-ae had always wished to live a peaceful life, and Dae-ha fulfilled her wish even though she did not expect it. He did not try to pressure or take advantage of her in any situation. She lived a peaceful life. She took care of the children in the orphanage. She made friends, took care of pets and sent them away. She even got a barista license ording to the set curriculum and ran a coffee shop. Yes, just like that, she slowly grew old.


    The factor of Nike, which constantly instigated Seon-ae, disappeared as it was suppressed by the peace. Thanks to that, Seon-ae was able to control Nike''s power at her own discretion. But even so... She did not intend to use that power. Her mind only changed when the whale-like Magical Beasts invaded the Unique World when the Level 19 stage started and half of the children who visited her kid''s cafe died.


    "I said I wanted to just die of old age, didn''t I?"


    Groooooarrr----!! Needless to say, the gacha machine was summoned even after the Level 19 stage ended. Seon-ae consumed 500 pills of Daehwandan there.


    "Why! Why won''t you just leave me alone!!!"


    Booooom!!!! She flew forward like a bullet and collided with the Doomsday Magical Beasts, which charged forward. She pushed them back as her body was literally squashed.


    In terms of the magnitude of power possessed, Seon-ae''s power was definitely not behind the Doomsday Magical Beasts, but there was a difference in the quality of the power possessed. The Giant of Doomsday which possessed a transcendental power was by no means an enemy that Seon-ae could handle.


    Kwaaaaaang! Seon-ae, who was hit again, bounced back into Gyeongbokgung Pce. After that, the Giant of Doomsday went in there after her. There was no one in Gyeongbokgung Pce, which had already activated the Emergency Command, so it was basically no different from a huge trap.


    Kwagagang!!! An indiscriminate bombardment was sted off towards the direction of the Giant of Doomsday, who entered Gwanghwamun Gate. Then¡­ Boom boom!!! As the ground exploded, an outrageously strong explosion and shrapnels poured out.


    Wiiiingggg---!! Biyiiiiiiinggg!!! In fact, Particle Cannons were fired from the center of Gyeongbokgung Pce. Hundreds and thousands of talismans that were prepared beforehand simultaneously burned. The curse was unleashed from the countless offerings hanging here and there. It was literally a convergence of science, magic, spellcraft, and ck magic!


    But at that moment¡­


    -Uwoarrrrrrrrr---!!!


    All the attacks that flew in along with the roar of the giant were shattered and scattered everywhere. It was not as if there wasn''t any attack that prated through the roar, but it was blocked by a gray barrier surrounding the Giant of Doomsday.


    Kwaaaangggg! Kwaangggg! Swangg! The dozens ofyers of barriers that enveloped Gyeongbokgung Pce were shattered, and buildings as well as the castle wall cracked and copsed down. Although the One-way Traffic that still covered the entire Gyeongbokgung Pce was maintained, it was useless as long as the enemy entered through Gwanghwamun Gate.


    Kiinggg! And in that kind of critical situation, the Last Guardians sealed in Gyeongbokgung Pce opened their eyes.


    - Who woke us up!


    - The covenant is calling for me, huh!


    The Imoogis, ck and White, who were asleep deep in the Gyeonghoeru Pond, opened their eyes. They were beings who amassed achievements to be a dragon. These mysterious creatures, who were among the Highest-rank even among the Spiritual Beasts, opened their eyes and awakened their grand divine power that was filled in their Soul Dantians. Then, they saw the Giant of Doomsday who was swinging its fist.


    Boom! Baaaaam!


    - Kuockkkk?!


    - Kwerghhhhh?!


    The two Imoogis, which had ascended above Gyeonghoeru Pond, crashed against the building in a mess and rolled around the floor. It was fortunate that they did not die from a single blow. If it wasn''t for their divine power, which had been honed to the peak while they were in a slumber, their bodies would have been shattered in a single blow.


    - W-What the hell is this?! It''s a monster! Hyung! We have to run!


    - Uwahhh! White! Isn''t that a transcendent? What is this out of a sudden... Uwackkkk! My back is broken! Argh!


    - I think my stomach exploded... Ugh...


    Born in a Holy Land, controlled due to the influence of the Great Wizard, the sibling snakes crawled on the floor and let out a groan at the scene that unfolded before their eyes. It was as if the scene was of a different dimension to what they had expected before going into a slumber.


    They were the guardian deities of the Lee Family. Originally, they would have disyed dignity befitting of their role, since their level had reached Level 15. If it was Earth a while ago, it was a level where no one could even raise their head against. Even the strongest warriors of mankind wouldn''t dare stand up to them. But now, it was different. Earth-34 had be a where the average soldier would be over Level 15 if they rode on a Gigas. To exin in words, the two Imoogis were victims of the crazy power intion.


    - Uwoarrrrrr---!!!


    - Uwahhhh! We have to run away!


    - What the hell is that! I''m scared!


    ording to their nature, the two Imoogis crawled on the floor while escaping from the enemy. Of course, the Giant of Doomsday did not sit by and watch that happen. The Giant of Doomsday reached out its hand like lightning to grab the two tails! Schlooook! Kwakkkkk! However, its hand could not grab the tails.


    "Phew, fortunately, the surprise attack went well."


    "Hey! The snake ahjusshis there, are the two of you all right?"


    A metal spear emitting a frosty air of extreme low temperature was embedded in the head of the Giant of Doomsday. And the girl, wearing armor glowing in gold, burned the shadow of the Giant of Doomsday.


    - What do you mean a snake?! That''s insulting!


    - Wait a minute Hyung! Why are you being like this to the people who saved our lives?


    - That''s true, but they called us snakes!


    Watching the Imoogis talking to each other, Dong-min looked at the state of the Transcendence Weapon, Matt Special. Fortunately, it was fine. ''I''m exhausted.'' He had experienced all kinds of battles, but it was his first time killing an enemy who was in the realm of transcendence. He muttered, "Wow, even so, I never thought I''d kill a transcendent as soon as I got to Earth."


    When the transformation was released, the golden armor disappeared and Bo-ram returned to her original appearance.


    As a matter of fact, they were lucky. Neither Bo-ram nor Dong-min could ovee the wall of transcendence. Under usual circumstances, the situation would have been difficult to confront, let alone kill the Giant of Doomsday. However, they had Transcendence Weapons, given as a gift by the dragon tribes of Dragonian.


    ''As expected of Noblesses, huh? To think they have a Transcendence Weapon as a gift.''


    Of course, it was a low-grade item that was not even included in the Numbering, but a Transcendence Weapon was still a Transcendence Weapon. Transcendence Weapons were weapons that allowed one to fight 10 against 1 when going up against transcendents of the same rank!


    Originally, the difference in the power of the Giant of Doomsday and Dong-min was akin to the difference between an elementary school student who was good at fighting and a professional martial arts fighter. Whether he fought 100 times or 1,000 times, he wouldn''t be able to win, and if he went head-on against it, he wouldn''t even be able tond a single effective hit.


    But what if an elementary school student had a very sharp knife in his hand? What if that knife was an excellent de that could even cut a rock? If the surprise attack was done well, it was entirely possible to kill the enemy in a single blow.


    "Hi." Bo-ram greeted Seon-ae, who appeared after pushing her way through the rubbles of Gyeongbokgung Pce.


    "Huh? Ahh! You''re the one who was blocking that monster earlier! Hello!" Seon-aeughed, "Long time no see, Dong-min."


    "Hmm? Is she someone you know?" Bo-ram looked back at Dong-min.


    Dong-min also saw the woman, who had a graceful impression. If he was to infer her age, she looked to be around middle-aged, but the air around her allowed him to know that she was much older than what her appearance seemed to be. But somehow, her appearance looked familiar to him. ''Have I ever seen anyone like that?''


    Seon-aeughed at his confused expression. "You, you seem to havee back from somewhere far away, huh?" An awkward but weak smile.


    Dong-min''s expression stiffened. "You... Don''t tell me, are you Seon-ae?"


    Dong-min and Seon-ae could be said to be friends of the same age. They were both experiment subjects of the ck Wizard Group, Romance. They weren''t that close. They were just acquaintances. They went their separate ways when Dong-min disbanded Romance after raising a rebellion and met again as ssmates. Even if they were not best friends, they knew each other enough to exchange silent greetings.


    "It''s really been a long time."


    "No... This... What in the world. You, what have you been through? What happened on Earth?"


    But unfortunately they didn''t have time to catch up. Boom! In the distance, the space was torn apart and the Giant of Doomsday descended.


    Bo-ram, who saw that scene, frowned. "What the hell is that? Will it continue toe out?"


    "That''s right."


    "For how long?"


    "Since it''s the Level 20 Intermediate-difficulty stage, five each. Since there''s one billion survivors, it will be a total of five billion."


    "..."


    "..."


    The two warriors, who traveled in the Great Universe and experienced the Empire, as well as cultivating themselves in the hearnd of the Noblesse, Dragonian, had a ridiculous expression despite experiencing first-hand the vastness of the Great Universe. ''What the hell did that mean? Five billion Level 20 transcendents???''


    "Thi-, I don''t think this is the Earth I know of. I think I''m in the wrong ce."


    "..." Regardless of whether they were baffled or not, the Giant of Doomsday was approaching.

 Vol 2. 124: The Salvation of God (61)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 124: The Salvation of God (61)</h4>


    ***


    The total number of Giants of Doomsday that could appear at one time was limited to five, and the Regen only took ce when all five Giants of Doomsday died. While they appeared, the Giants of Doomsday tried to move to one location in the parallel world, to be exact, South America, where Iron Mask sat and proceeded with sculpting. However, no one seeded.


    Basically, the ce where the Giant of Doomsday regenerated was malicious in itself. Of course, it was impossible for them to Regen around Iron Mask, in other words, Dae-ha, but there wasn''t a case where they regenerated in a ce devoid of people.


    The Giants of Doomsday could only Regen around beings who had enough power to stop them. They only appeared in the midst of the force of yers who possessed overwhelming power. Needless to say, it was the result of the interference of the Primordial God and not of their own volition. However, even so, they couldn''t ignore the yers and fly away.


    Emergency. Confirmed the Giants that have begun to fly.


    Proceeding to intercept.


    The Albatross ship, floating in the outermost side of the parallel world (the satellite orbit), activated their artillery firing and shot down the flying Giants of Doomsday.


    Even if they were transcendents, there was nothing the Giants of Doomsday could do if they were attacked by a Terra-ss battleship from long-distance. The reality was that even transcendents had to get inside the Terra-ss battleship to try to take over the ship.


    Eventually, the Giant of Doomsday who was shot down had no choice but to fight the yers waiting on the ground.


    Then, just like that, time went by. Whoooong!! Once again, the dimension was torn apart and the Giant of Doomsday appeared. It was apanied by the tens of millions of yers who were standing by.


    The total number of survivors in the Unique World and on Earth was about 800 millionbined. Among them, the percentage of yers was over 95 percent. Moreover, 80 percent of the 95 percent of yers were Gigas pilots, and more than half of them were veterans of over Level 15.


    You might wonder what kind of crazy ratio this was, but... It was an era in which the weak could not survive. In particr, most of the elderly and the weak, who did not have the ability to survive, were killed by the monster whales that invaded during the Level 19 High-difficulty stage. But even for those who survived like that¡­


    Kaboom!!!


    "Damn it! They dug through! Distance! Secure some distance!"


    "Shoot the Hardened Bullets! Create a barrage of bombardments!"


    "We have to stop their charge first... Uwackkkk!!"


    They were dying without fail. Every time the Giant of Doomsday swung its fist, countless Gigas were destroyed and rolled on the floor. An equivalent number of yers were killed too. After all, the Giants of Doomsday were monsters that even veteran yers who had fought all their lives dare not go up against. Of course, that did not mean that they were being ughtered one-sidedly.


    "Joint Bombardment, begin!"


    "Those with Defense Ability casted, take the shield and run!"


    As the battlefield was stabilized, the structure of 1 against 1 million was solidified. That crazy difference in numbers¡­ As long as the opponent was not an ordinary person but rather a veteran on a Gigas, even the transcendents, Giants of Doomsday, could not ignore their might.


    "And on top of that, The King''s Army! In addition to that, Heart of the Battalion!"


    Even among the countless yers, there were special heroes.


    "It''s here! So-hyang-nim''s Inherent Ability!"


    "I heard that the only people who possess that Ability on Earth are Iron Mask and So-hyang-nim, right?"


    In actual fact, the talent as a pilot was not that rare, but it was unbelievable to be able to manifest an Inherent Ability on a Gigas without an Iron Heart that was made on Earth. It wasmon sense to cut down trees with an iron axe, but this was basically akin to cutting down trees with a wooden axe due to not having any iron. So-hyang was a being who possessed the possibility of bing a Gigant Master, which was rare even in space.


    - Uwoarrrrrr---!!!


    While roaring, hundreds of Gigas rushed towards the Giant of Doomsday at the gap when the projectiles were all blown away.


    Bang! Kabooom!!! Hundreds of Gigas stuck to the Giant of Doomsday. Then, they exploded and shaved off the gray Aura surrounding the Giant of Doomsday. It would have been impossible if this had been done in the beginning of the battle, but the protective guard which had thinned out as it received the bombardment of more than tens of millions of Gigas could no longer withstand the firepower of the explosion.


    Booom!! Then, the shot that was fired prated into the gasping mouth and destroyed the Giant of Doomsday''s brain. Boom! The giant copsed. The 10 million yers could not even manage to cheer andid on the floor.


    "How long is the break time?"


    "General Bae Jae-seok said that the giant''s limbs were cut off to drag for some time."


    "Wah¡­ It''s already difficult just to kill it, but to be subduing it, huh. Thanks to that, we should be able to get some good sleep."


    "Tha-, rumors say that..."


    "Ah, I also heard about it. I heard that he''s Iron Mask-nim''s elder brother."


    As they were sharing a conversation like that, So-hyang moved the Human-rank Gigas, Alexander, into a bunker that was prepared on one side. There was no time to spare. They had to rest to keep on fighting.


    "What about the casualties?"


    "It''s decreased a lot. There are 3,611 casualties."


    "It''s decreased a lot, but... Whooo. Thank you. Go in and get some rest."


    "Have afortable rest."


    After being greeted by her Adjutant, So-hyang went to wash herself in the shower room located in the bunker. The young child, who once received aid from Seon-ae and hung ribbons on the Tool-rank Gigas, Goblin, was no longer here.


    So-hyang saw her own reflection in the mirror. She was attractively tall and had a resilient body trained in actual battle. Although she had an outer appearance that looked like an idol member or an athlete, she was one of the strongest yers of mankind.


    "I think it''s slowlying to an end." She quickly washed up andid down on the bed. She had been fighting for most of her life, and she was getting tired. The future was gradually bing uncertain. "Level 20, 5 billion enemies, is it really possible?"


    A situation in which victims umted endlessly and people were getting tired¡­ She thought about it. "We''ve only defeated 6,000 monsters so far..." Feeling her exhausted eyelids closing heavily, So-hyang prayed, "Help us. Iron Mask-nim..."


    Jae-seok prayed, "Dae-ha, please wake up..."


    Min-kyung and Kyung-eun also prayed.


    "Dae-ha-nim..."


    "Hahhhh. Dae-ha, my husband is going to die..."


    Technicians who were hiding in the bunker and repairing the Gigas, Wizards who couldn''t sleep and had to cast their enchantments, pilots who were taking a break, people who were about to have a meal, as well as children who were in their mother''s embrace, prayed. Many of them watched Dae-ha by using the Weapon of Justice. And as always, dozens of people gathered around those who were watching to watch the sight of a man carving on a round marble together.


    That scene was just boring to see, since it was unchanging even after a few minutes, a few hours, or a few days. But nevertheless, the people prayed while looking at that scene. And in their eyes¡­ Thuck! They could see a letter engraved on the marble.


    ***


    Kwareukkkkkkk!! I was struck by the outpouring bombardment. I circled in the air and barely stopped upon colliding with a nearby. Ridiculously enough, unexpecteds and stars floated in the inner world, which had transformed into space.


    "¡­What''s this?" Dekarma, who seeded in the attack, looked more surprised and suspicious than me, who was assaulted.


    At least, I was relieved that no other additional attacks came flying towards me, and I feigned the pain. "Aghh... It hurts. Even if this is an easy fight, it''s tiring as I keep trying to stay focused."


    "Such sloppiness. We are not humans. Nothing would change from a confrontation of this level even after a hundred or a thousand years. There''s a reason why the Ancient Gods could fight for thousands of years."


    As Dekarma was spouting sarcasticments, I focused on my inner self. Then, I felt it¡­ One of my Authorities had beenpleted. Of course, I tried to spread that Authority to all the devotees. Kiiiing! I failed, along with the feeling as if a ss had shattered. I realized that I could not grant protection to those who did not have enough Faith.


    ''A system is needed.'' I got a hint from the Blessings of Iron Mask that I had already made. The Blessing of Piloting that allowed one to experience my piloting skills, and the Abilities of the Day that granted me a new Normal Ability every 24 hours. These were benefits that any of my devotees could receive, but they couldn''t be used however they liked. After all, the benefits consumed the mental strength and soul power of the user. Moreover, the Blessing of Piloting could only be maintained for a short time and there was also a cooldown time, so it could only be used at important moments. Because of that, I created a new system. ''Ability Book.''


    p! I focused my consciousness on my body, that was on Earth, after making sure that I continued to fight in moderation in the inner world. After I extracted the characters engraved on Hawa''s core, I made them into a book that was neither too big nor too thick. I opened the book and engraved the instructions on the first page.


    - The Blessings of Iron Mask is converted to a Common Protection of the Ability Book. This is something that any of the Iron Mask''s devotees can obtain.


    - Ability Awakening bes possible if the level of faith exceeds a certain level. Those who can achieve this are named as Apostles.


    - Ability Enhancement bes possible if the level of faith reaches a point where the power of the faith can be transformed into the essence of the devotee. Those who can achieve this are named as High Apostles.


    - Special Blessing, Untrain, is granted. When using Untrain, one can regain the faith used for Ability Awakening and Ability Enhancement. However, experience points are not returned.


    I calmly refined the Ability Book system. My first Authority, the Ability Book, was not the kind of power that strengthened me, but it did not matter as much now. It was not just about my fighting power.


    Crack! Crackkkkk! I could feel that the Carving Knife of Justice was being consumed endlessly. I, who did not produce Justice Points on my own, no, it was a tremendous amount of consumption that no righteous person in the world could dare handle. But it didn''t matter.


    - 712,234,782 people are admiring you!


    - 11,193,441,122 Justice Points have been umted!


    Because for me, Justice Points were being added endlessly. Then, after consuming so much concentration and strength, the Authority waspleted.


    Iron Mask''s Ability Book


    Common Blessing.


    - Blessing of Piloting. Abilities of the Day.


    1. Ability Awakening.


    - Ability can be awakened by consuming experience points and faith. Each awakening will double up the amount of faith and experience required for the next awakening.


    2. Ability Enhancement.


    - Ability can be enhanced by consuming experience points and faith. In the event of sessful reinforcement, the effectiveness and efficiency of the Ability will be enhanced, and if it exceeds a fixed number of enhancement, it will evolve into a High-grade Ability of the same type. Each enhancement will double up the amount of faith and experience required for the next awakening.


    Special Blessing.


    - Untrain.


    Currently Awakened Ability.


    - None.


    Currently Enhanced Ability.


    - None.


    Current Faith Points(?). Current Experience Point(?).


    Boooom!


    "Cough!" I spewed out blood while looking at the sample of thepleted Ability Book.


    ''No, Dekarma this bastard!'' I realized that Dekarma''s aggression had intensified and I hurriedly moved my consciousness to the inner world. The moment all the benefits gained from the long battle after being thoroughly beaten had disappeared¡­


    ''But it doesn''t matter. Time is on my side.'' Continuing the battle of the inner world, I was turning the power of creation into Authority. As the Ability Book was granted, I feel that the number of casualties among the yers significantly decreased. It was an added bonus that an enormous faith was devoted. "Now that the routine isplete..."


    Then, just like that, time went by.

 Vol 2. 125: The Salvation of God (62)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 125: The Salvation of God (62)</h4>


    Then, just like that, time went by. A month, two months, three months, and four months...


    The number of surviving humans decreased to 780 million from the initial one billion; 220 million casualties. Even when the number of human beings exceeded 6 billion in the past, the whole world would have been in an uproar if this number of human beings had died. Society copsed, thew and order became nominal, then mass protests and civil wars broke out.


    However, the current humanity did not even blink an eye. No, rather, they were delighted as they saw hope. Because the damage caused by the ughtering of the Giant of Doomsday was gradually decreasing.


    "It is crazy for there to be 100,000 transcendents..." The young girl with a cute appearance, the Primordial God, murmured. She was baffled. She knew for a fact that the number of transcendents who died now on the Earth had exceeded 95 percent of the total number of transcendents who died in the entire Great Universe. Even if they were mass produced fakes who were remotely controlled, how could transcendents die like animals in a ughterhouse?


    Half a year passed, and the number of surviving humans was still 780 million. The number of casualties remained ''only'' within the 1 million mark. On the other hand, the kill count exceeded 300,000, since the yer''s battle against transcendents hadpletely stabilized. Above all, the fact that the location of Regen was nowpletely fixed at a spot was a huge advantage for the yers'' battles.


    - You! You keep interfering! Stop forcing the location my character appears!


    "Mmmhmm. No can do~ Just be d I didn''t kill you myself. You''ve done everything you want, so what are you protesting for?"


    At the start of the Level 20 Low-difficulty stage, ridiculously enough, the Primordial Gods of other Earths had used the parallel world of Earth-34 as the location for the most decisive battle.


    Needless to say, being the Primordial God, she had to struggle because she had to separate the aftermath from the humans of Earth-34. In the midst of all that, the incident where Project End assassinated Dae-ha had happened. It was a weing event to see Dae-ha''s brother, who had gone to ''that side of Earth'', return, but even so, it couldn¡¯tpensate for the death of Dae-ha, who had the variable to be a disaster itself. It was an incident that even caused her heart to thump hard, despite her usual rxed attitude.


    ''But it''s shocking. I just thought he would recover the distant Divine Spirit by awakening Dekarma,'' she thought.


    However, unexpectedly, Dae-ha had acquired the Divine Spirit by himself and put up a fight for the upper hand with Dekarma. Moreover, he became a kid who had yet to even live a thousand years pushing Dekarma, who had lived for hundreds of thousands of years, back.


    "I''m proud of him, so proud. He keeps giving me surprises." Saying that, she looked down at the yers.


    Boooom! The dimension was torn apart and the Giant of Doomsday appeared. As soon as it appeared, it kicked off the ground and ran without even looking at the scattered yers. It moved as if wanting to avoid this entire ce for now. However¡­ Chwareukkk!! The chains of spiritual energy, filling the space, grabbed a hold of the Giant of Doomsday who were running away.


    When the location of Regen was fixed by the Primordial God, the yers were able to make all kinds of preparations to ensure that it was possible to use that ce as a battlefield. After engraving a huge Magic Circle on the floor, one million yers used themselves as part of the Magic Circle to invoke the ultimate magic that could inflict a strong pressure. They sessfully constrained the Giant of Doomsday.


    Just like that, the bombardment began. Boom boom boom!!! Baaam! Kaboom!!!! Artillery-type Gigas, each located at regr intervals from several meters to dozens of meters, fired off bombardments that were filled with the power of their core and their soul energy. It was literally a blow that was concentrated with their full power to the point where they had to rest for half a day after firing off one blow. However, the number of Gigas standing by, waiting to fire off such a shot, exceeded millions of units.


    Kaboom! Boom! Boooom! The Giant of Doomsday roared and tried to escape from the bombardment through any means, but its power was extremely limited due to the oppression of the joint Magic Circle. It was unable to evade or bounce somewhere else. It could only defend, but if it began a war of attrition like that, it would not be able to withstand the rest of the enemy''s bombardment.


    Just like that, one hour, two hours, three hours¡­ The moment the gray Aura surrounding the Giant of Doomsday disappeared due to the constant bombardment... Located a distance away and equipped with a sniper rifle that was much bigger than her body, Min-kyung''s eyes lit up. "The Hot Heat that Burns off Your Soul." When she pulled the trigger by invoking King Sejong''s Ability, , a firearm that was closer to the size of a building rather than a weapon shot out a bullet. A loud explosion could be heard.


    Kruwanggggg! The bullet immediately pierced the Giant of Doomsday''s head. Itcked power to prate through, but it did not matter. Bzzt bzzt zzt!!! Centering around the Giant of Doomsday, a radius of hundreds of meters froze up. It was not frost air that burst forth, but all the concentrated Heat in it.


    Pushakkk! The Giant of Doomsday''s head was carbonized, as it was unable to withstand the concentration of the violent heat. The giant stood there, momentarily motionless as people were looking at it. Soon, its huge body copsed along with a thundering noise.


    "Thank you for your hard work!"


    "Thank you for your hard work!"


    "Thank you for your hard work!"


    "The next battle is estimated to begin after four hours! We still have time, but we ask for everyone to quickly rotate your shifts!"


    "Maintenance Unit! Check the condition of the machines!"


    A lot of people were moving busily along with the sound of apuse. It was a stable extermination and it was a situation where even casualties did not ur very often. However, the Project End was not just a fool who would sit tight and be screwed. When the Level 20 Intermediate-difficulty stage had progressed for about a year...


    Kabooom!!! Along with a brutal explosion, the barrier was destroyed and all the yers tangled up with it died instantly. Moreover, even after doing so, it still had enough power to cover the surrounding Artillery-specialized Gigas.


    "Kuwackkkk!!!"


    "The battle formation! Form a new battle formation!"


    "This crazy motherfu-!!"


    The Gigas that were killing the Giant of Doomsday as always were crawling through the shattered ground.


    "Contact the other side! Tell them to not kill the Giant of Doomsday yet..."


    "We were thest ones this time!"


    Skriekkk! With the screamsing from all over the ce like background noise, the dimension was split apart and a Giant of Doomsday appeared. However, its appearance...was different from what was seen so far. The gray giant was swollen, like a mass of flesh full of tumors and like a balloon full of wind.


    It had already been a long time since the restrictive group Magic Circle was destroyed.


    The swelled up Giant of Doomsday exploded just like that. shh! Everything was destroyed along with the blinding light.


    "O-Oh my God." Due to her being a long distance away, Min-kyung was able to get away with it safely, and her face turned pale. She could see a mushroom cloud was rising in the distance. "The Giant of Doomsday...is being used as a bomb?"


    As it abandoned all itsbat capabilities and focused its transcendental power only on destructive power, the force generated by the Giant of Doomsday was simply beyond imagination. Just with a single st, one million yers who formed the barriers were annihted, and the second st blew away millions of Artillery-type Gigas. It was literally a devastating oue. Moreover, if another attack came flying when the battle lines were broken down like that...


    "Call the standby units! We need to activate the group Magic Circle again!" Min-kyung rushed tomand the people. However, the situation was at its worst, because the Giants of Doomsday did not blow themselves up in the area she was in charge of. "Bring in the extra troops! What''s the situation with the other teams?!"


    And as the Giant of Doomsday self-destructed...a new Giant of Doomsday was immediately regenerated. The materialization and death were simultaneous. A cycle that could not be handled by the current humanity was formed.


    Skriekkk! A Giant of Doomsday appeared as the space was split apart. The yers, who were nning a new battle formation, had a desperate look on their face. They looked at the appearance of the bloated up monster.


    "Stop, don''t move!"


    The bullet imbued with the and the Command of the Soul of Language struck the Giant of Doomsday. It could not damage the giant due to the inability to prate through, but the power of the Soul of Language bought a bit of time, albeit a short one.


    "Remember the first battle! Back off and bombard at it! We have to burst it before it can fly in!!" After shouting like that, Min-kyung immediately poured all her spiritual energy into it and began to shoot at the giant. Then, in came the bombardment that was shot following her actions!


    However, the Giant of Doomsday was a monster whose defense could only be breached after hours of bombardment even when suppressed by the group Magic Circle. Although its defense had dropped after turning into a suicide bomber, it was impossible to destroy it just by bombarding it for a while.


    "NOOO."


    "This is the end..."


    The moment everyone was in despair¡­ Poooof! A young boy appeared before the Giant of Doomsday.


    "Huh?"


    "What the?"


    "A bare body! A young boy with no armor is standing in front of the giant!"


    "No, wait! That person is..."


    While everyone was screaming in panic, Min-kyung just stared nkly at him, a beautiful boy. He had white skin that appeared almost transparent, and delicate features that made him look closer to a beautiful woman than a man. He was standing in front of the giant, who was trying to explode, while holding a sword.


    Min-kyung knew who he was, since the boy looked the same as the one in her memory. A young boy whom she was prepared to lose her status, duty, and oath to love when she was still young. "Yeong-min..."


    In fact, she had been able to meet him. He had already appeared a year ago and she, the head of the Unique World''srgest force, had definitely heard of that news. However, she couldn''t do so. She couldn''t stand in front of him, who remained the same as the one in her memories. ''I, I''ve be too old...''


    While Min-kyung wasmenting, the boy pointed his sword at the sky. Only did she realize that he looked slightly different from what she had remembered. His innocent expression and bright smile was nowhere to be found. He was smiling just like how he had used to in the past, but the decadent atmosphere flowing from him was nothing like his past self.


    Swanggggg!! Then, at that moment, the dimension split apart.


    - Kuwarrrrrgh!!!


    The Giant of Doomsday, torn into pieces, flew into the imaginary space. It shone as if it was going to explode right away. If it had been in its original form where it possessed an integratedbat capability, it would try to get out of it one way or another. However, it could not do so in the form of a suicide bomber whose purpose was to only explode.


    "Ahh." At that moment, Min-kyung and Yeong-min''s eyes met. Even though she was on board a Gigas, Min-kyung knew that he was looking right at her.


    And after a while¡­ Poooof! Yeong-min turned around, then disappeared.


    "Uwahhhh! I-, I''m alive!"


    "I heard that person is Iron Mask-nim''s brother? He''s so damn cool!"


    "He''s so sexy! Uwahhh, I''m alive! I said I''m aliveeeee!"


    "There''s no time for idle talk! Reorganize yourself while we have this time!"


    It was a tumultuous battlefield, and Min-kyung, who was in the middle of that, shed tears quietly.


    Meanwhile¡­ Yeong-min, who had moved to a new location, cut at the newly appeared Giant of Doomsday.


    "... I think I know." Yeong-min swung his sword. The space was split apart, and just by getting into that gap, he could easily move thousands of kilometers. In fact, taking the risk of moving through dimensions, he had already reached the wall. Moreover, it was a situation in which he had gained enlightenment to a certain extent.


    All hecked was Karma. Even though they were nothing short of fake, the experience of cutting down and killing enemies who were in the realm of transcendence gave him Karmas of Murder of an unimaginable amount.


    Groarrrrrr!!! Once again, he crossed through space and cut down a new Giant of Doomsday. Again, he crossed through space and cut down a new Giant of Doomsday.


    The Giant of Doomsday, who became a suicide bomber, could not withstand a single stroke of Yeong-min''s sword. As the Giant of Doomsday''s form changed, the ability of the Project End to interfere was almost exhausted and it was a situation where it was impossible for the Giants of Doomsday to return to their original form. Hence, the number of giants who died at his hands were increasing exponentially.


    Groarrr! Groooooooarrrrrrr!!! His body was burning with a pitch-ck Aura. It was the power of the Heavenly Killer that could kill everything in the world.


    "I got it." He cut. He cut the enemies down. "I said I got it!!!" He cut. He cut fate down. The violent energy was starting to gradually refine for a day, two days, three days, four days¡­ Then, one month, two months, three months, four months¡­ His soul was changing. The world he saw changed. The flow of fate that bound him like a chain was broken. As his soul changed, his physical body also leaped to a whole new level.


    Kraaaghhhh!!! A Giant of Doomsday, which was cut down cleanly by a single stroke, copsed. At that moment, the ck Aura that was enveloping the sword looked like an extremely stable substance rather than a ck me; Heavenly Killing Fortitude, a cursed power to kill everything and finally even kill oneself.


    It was the moment when he transcended his own fate.

 Vol 2. 126: The Salvation of God (63)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 126: The Salvation of God (63)</h4>


    ***


    Confusion subsided as my brother reached transcendence.


    With the stage progression stabilizing, the number of casualties decreased massively and the speed of killing the Apocalypse Giants increased exponentially. Of course, all of this was the situation outside, but¡­ with every death of an Apocalypse Giant, the yers in the battle gained an enormous amount of experience. As such, they dedicated their faith and experience to me which strengthened my Divine Spirit. And when my Divine Spirit was strengthened, I proceeded with the next step instead of just taking it for myself.


    A virtuous circle had begun.


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work! Then nex¡­ Ah!¡±


    ¡°Huh!?¡±


    ¡°Ooohh!!!¡±


    The yers raised their heads with joy in the expressions. There were others who looked at them with a look of bewilderment.


    ¡°What? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Iron Mask-nim!¡±


    ¡°Iron Mask-nim?¡±


    ¡°He has given us a new blessing!¡±


    Just as they said, I created a new authority, Skill Book. It was unlike the Ability Book, which did not require much action from the believers except for devoting their experience or faith. Rather, they needed to do other things to utilize the Skill Book, since they needed to learn the skills directly. Some skills required a lot of time and skills, while others required talent and effort.


    But most importantly, they needed ¡®materials¡¯. It was because the majority of the skills required materials and devices.


    For example,


    Gigas Call ¨C You can call a gigas using rare metals you purchased. When the skill rank rises, the grade of the gigas avable for calling will increase.


    Emergency Defense ¨C You can protect yourself in case of an emergency by storing energy in a purchased product. Efficiency increases when skill rank is raised.


    They were skill such as these. Naturally, the ¡®rare metals you purchased¡¯ had to be purchased from me. I could not afford to increase the types of skills, so I had created only 10 for now. External Battery, Abilities of the Day Renewal, Blessing of Piloting Renewal, and so on. Most of them were assistive abilities.


    More time went by.


    This time, I created another new authority ¨C Level Book.


    Unfortunately, this was a power that did not provide much assistance to the current yers.


    ¡°Tsk, it oveps with the End Project bastard.¡±


    Just as I had been worried, it was not possible to ovep the stat system either. In fact, most of the yers already possessed much higher levels than their actual capabilities, so there was no need to eliminate the existing level system. But I had to take into ount that the stages of the End Project were almost over.


    It was true that most of the surviving humans were yers, but there were people who did not proceed with the stage due to all sorts of reasons, including illness, being too young, or even just being residents of the Iron World.


    In addition, the Level Book was essential because future children would not be able to utilize the level system of the stage.


    ¡°Keuk! Kekekeuk!¡±


    I suddenly heard augh.


    ¡°Hahaha! Hahahahaha!¡±


    Heughed maniacally. I turned my gaze from the outside world and peered into the Inner World. I could see Dekarma plopped down on the ground in front of me. His messy appearance showed that he was being pushed to the limit.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this¡­ I-I¡¯m going to be serving as a mere springboard? To a little, puny bastard like you¡­?¡±


    The fight for control had been tilting in my favor for a while now. In fact, it waspletely skewed. This was because I was continuously supplementing and strengthening my Divine Spirit as the God of Games with the faith that the yers were devoting to me. Naturally, the concept of Machine was not so easy to crush. However¡­ Dekarma did not holdplete monopoly over the concept of machine. The concept had a strongpetitor named Adam.


    Ooooohh--!


    I raised my Divine Spirit to the fullest. If I consumed my sacred power like this, it would take a considerable amount of time to restore it. But even so, there was a need to get rid of this guy sitting in front of me.


    ¡°It was god-awful to have spent this time together with you. Let¡¯s never see each other again.¡±


    But the moment I attempted to deliver the finishing blow,


    Boom!


    The world trembled.


    ¡°What?¡±


    A new figure appeared as I frowned with surprise. It was a young man in his early twenties. He possessed distinctive features and tanned skin. It was Juan.


    Dekarmaughed.


    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who can do things behind the scenes.¡±


    ¡°Juan, why are you here?¡±


    ¡°¡­I must be the god of mankind.¡±


    I met his gaze as he spoke. His eyes had once been emotionless, but now they were zing with jealousy and madness.


    ¡®I see.¡¯


    He was a god, but that did not mean he was aplete being. It was the same with me, and even truer for me who acted like a whiny child. Juan created the most righteous, sincere, honor-oriented version of humanity ever since the beginning of human civilization. It was truly a magnificent feat, but¡­ he did not aplish such a feat because he possessed great wisdom. Rather, it was only possible because he had great power.


    He was a huge influencer of justice, truth, and honor, but in essence, he was only a narrow-minded and a young figure.


    ¡°But Dekarma, what are you nning on doing by bringing him here? Juan is an outside presence. He cannot affect the fight for control.¡±


    I was rather confused by the meaning behind Juan¡¯s sudden appearance.


    Guwoooo--!


    The Inner World started to shake. I could feel the advantage I had built up until now fading away from my grasp.


    ¡°What is this¡­?¡±


    ¡°How young and foolish! Hahahahaha¡±


    Dekarmaughed like crazy. Although he did not provide an exnation, I came to an understanding as soon as he waved his hand to summon an object from a crack in dimension.


    Wooong--!


    A powerful light easily overpowered all the divinity I had collected so far. It dyed the whole world with a brilliant light. It was the Crown of Light.


    Realizing the identity of the object, I screamed.


    ¡°You crazy bastard! Why are you brining this here?¡±


    Now I knew. That was not the Divine Spirit of the Machine God. It belonged on a much higher realm. It was the umted Divine Spirit of the God of Civilization and Information, something from after he cut off the Machine God from himself.


    This was not a good thing for Dekarma. Perhaps he would have been ignorant in the past, but he was well aware of it now, so how could he create such a mess?


    sh!


    I could feel the Inner World being torn apart along with a blinding light. A huge explosion of Divine Spirit consumed everything.


    - Ah.


    And I saw the figure of a man inside of it. He resembled a human, but his figure wasn¡¯t entirely specified.


    He spoke.


    - I¡¯m screwed.


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±


    - I am Struggle.


    After a moment of thought, I realized who he was. That was the named of Juan¡¯s father, the Unnamed. I became dumbfounded andughed.


    ¡°So none of you died obediently.¡±


    - Don¡¯t be so mean. Isn¡¯t it natural instinct for all beings to want to survive? But looking at the current atmosphere, it seems to be a failure.


    He spoke with aughter.


    - I wanted to survive until the end to deliver a blow to the Creation God¡­


    sh!


    Another burst of light tore apart the body of Struggle. Another figure appeared.


    ¡°Oh, I guess it must be almost over.¡±


    ¡°¡­Master Myeong-wol? You were still alive?¡±


    ¡°I died a while ago. My body is still in the Cradle of Justice.¡±


    As he spoke, a corpse appeared in front of Myeong-wol. It was literally ayer of skin covering bones. Its appearance waspletely deviant from the Myeong-wol I knew, who always gave off a nice impression with his bulging potbelly and big chins.


    Myeong-wol spoke.


    ¡°Could I tell you a secret of the universe?¡±


    It sounded like nonsense, but I paid attention after realizing that it was his will.


    ¡°A secret of the universe?¡±


    ¡°I realized the existence of karma in the Cradle of Justice. It was an opportunity. The presence of the three gods who directly handled such karma, and the Cradle of Justice created from the power of karma. It enlightened me of a new truth.¡±


    Pssss¡­


    The dried corpse slowly turned into sand and scattered. Myeong-wol continued while observing the scattering dust.


    ¡°Karma determine everything in life. Talent, environment, the environment, and even one¡¯s nature¡­ Karma and the possibilities of man is built up through Samsara.¡±


    sh!


    Roarrr!!!


    The Inner World fluctuated like crazy. It was making a huge mess as if threatening to tear up all of our existence at once. But somehow, I felt that the whole flow was in our favor.


    Myeong-wol spoke.


    ¡°If you studied a lot, you will be born intelligent in your next life. If you have great wealth in your hands, you will be born with a silver spoon. If you spent a lot of time honing your physical body, you will be born with excellent physical ability. I realized this after seeing karma itself.¡±


    Humans built up karma as they proceeded through the eternal cycle of life and death, and the more they umted, the higher the possibility of reaching transcendence. However, it would not only pile up.


    ¡°If you are born with a silver spoon in your mouth and live in idleness, the hard-earned karma of wealth disappears. It is the same if you are born with a high intelligence but do not use it to it full potential. All beings of the world build up karma in infinite rotation, but not even a handful of them can continue to climb.¡±


    The body of Myeong-wol began to glow slowly.


    ¡°Then are you¡­ achieving transcendence as well?¡±


    ¡°There was a way.¡±


    Myeong-wol¡¯s tone of speech suddenly turned light.


    ¡°When I realized the existence of karma, I knew instinctively. If I tried to forgive those who kicked my life into the abyss¡­ If I could forgive them from the bottom of my heart, truly forgive them, I could have transformed into apletely different being.¡±


    He continued.


    ¡°Yes. I could have been. A being withpassion for all things in the world, a transcendent being who could look at the whole world with grace, mercy, and great respect. A transcendent who ispletely different from even the god over there who ispletely hung up on his own divinity!¡±


    Woo--!


    The Inner World resonated as he spoke. It was an unusual phenomenon, as if the world was trying to convince him that it was still not toote.


    But Myeong-wol shook his head.


    ¡°But that is not human.¡±


    He approached me and patted me on the shoulder.


    ¡°Living with a grudge is also me. I knew that throwing it away would be akin to throwing away my humanity.¡±


    His appearance started fading away. I had no choice but to ask.


    ¡°How¡­ How can youugh?¡±


    ¡°Well.¡±


    Myeong-wol grinned like a child.


    ¡°Because I will be a stunningly handsome man in my next life.¡±


    ¡°¡­..?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±


    I stood dumbfounded for a moment. I barely mustered the words to ask back.


    ¡°Well, what, what??¡±


    ¡°Haha! It may sound strange, but it has already been decided! I performed countless good deeds during my life, and good deeds trante to handsome looks! I am sure that I will be reborn as a world-ss handsome man!¡±


    He was saying that he would be loved by the whole world.


    ¡°Of course, there is a chance that I will be reborn as a beautiful woman¡­ I think that would be great as well. Besides, I umted quite a fortune, so I will be born into a decent family and my brain won¡¯t be half bad. My body will be quite nice as well. Don¡¯t you think this will be a blessed life?¡±


    ¡°W, well¡­¡±


    Myeong-wol smiled. His appearance became more blurred beforepletely disappearing. Only his voice, which was clearer than ever in the blinding light, could be heard.


    ¡°I will die as a human being. You continue to live as a god.¡±


    He spoke in a cheery voice.


    ¡°Please, be a good god.¡±

 Vol 2. 127: The Salvation of God (64)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 127: The Salvation of God (64)</h4>


    Dark clouds slowly formed and covered the sky. Alex was the leader of the defensive group set up in a huge circle around Dae-ha. He quietly lifted his head and looked up at the sky. He overheard the conversation between the yers who were quietly keeping their positions.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to rain.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be messy. I guess it doesn¡¯t really matter because we are riding in our gigas anyways.¡±


    ¡°But Iron Mask-nim isn¡¯t, right?¡±


    Alex saw one of the gigas turn its head slightly to look back. But there was no point in its motion, because the majority of those who were part of the Justice League possessed Justice Weapons. This meant that all of them could watch Dae-ha on a screen.


    Kieek. Kieek.


    Dae-ha was carving a mysterious steel ball with an unknown expression. It was quite hard to guess what he was thinking. Every time his hand moved, and every time he engraved a letter, one could see a halo behind Dae-ha¡¯s head as well as a surge of spirit around him.


    It was simr to a divine image that could only be seen in the murals of a holynd.


    ¡®God.¡¯


    Alex was an atheist.


    He believed that only man could do evil and judge evil. He thought it an intolerable arrogance for there to be an omniscient figure in the sky who judged humans ording to their own set of good and evil.


    But what about now?


    There was a god who was evaluating all of mankind¡¯s good and evil while providing rewards and punishments. The same god was protecting mankind from destruction. He thought he would have never epted such an existence, that humans were arrogant beings who would not tolerate having transcendents lord over them. But the reality was different.


    Iron Mask was already a devout object of faith affirmed by the whole of humankind.


    ¡°I, speak of the devil. It¡¯s pouring down as soon as I mention it.¡±


    The heavy shower began to descend as the yers whispered. Of course, gigas would never get wet. The thin membrane of energy surrounding the machines deflected the water in all directions.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Wait, this is¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    The yers started to stir. Some of them were even tantly turning their heads. Alex had been watching silently until now, but he could no longer let this level ofxity through.


    ¡°What are you all doing? Focus on your missions!¡±


    ¡°B, but General!¡±


    ¡°But? Did you just speak back to me!?¡±


    Alex was stunned by the unexpected response. But at the same time, he realized that all of the gigas were pointing at his back.


    And when he turned around.


    ¡°What is¡­this?¡±


    He realized that everyone else was in awe.


    ¡°Oh¡­ lord¡­¡±


    The pouring raindrops deflected off the barriers surrounding the gigas and scattered. But since the raindrops weren¡¯t actually going anywhere, puddles quickly formed around the machines. But¡­ the area around Dae-ha was different.


    Shuaa¡ª


    Countless petals were pouring down. Petals swarmed around Dae-ha with the wind and slowlynded on the floor to create a dreamy atmosphere. Alex looked up. His excellent cognitive abilities allowed him to see the raindrops falling from the skybined with the gigas¡¯ assistance.


    Every single drop transformed into a flower petal once it entered a perimeter of 1 kilometer around Dae-ha. It wasn¡¯t just one kind of flower either. There were roses, cherry blossoms, forsythia flowers, chrysanthemum flowers, and more.


    Raindrops were turning into all kinds of petals


    Flutter! Flutter!


    Suaaaa-!


    ¡°¡­my god.¡±


    Flowers were pouring down and piling up on the floor. Even rainwater flowing towards Dae-ha from outside the range turns into flowers as they approached him.


    Kieek. Kieek.


    And in the midst of everything, Dae-ha continued to carve. People were watching the amazing sight through their eyes, and through their Justice Weapons.


    ¡°No!!¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just the humans who were watching the awe-inspiring sight. The avatar of the End Project, the child of darkness, was also observing Dae-ha.


    ¡°What is this!? No!!¡±


    He gritted his teeth, bit his nails, and screamed at the top of his lungs. It was quite amotion, but Il-han, remained motionless in his seat, just like a mannequin.


    ¡°I have to stop him! I have to kill him!!¡±


    The ck child was terrified to see Dae-ha continuing to carve in the midst of the pouring petals. An unparalleled sense of ominousness was raging all around. It was even iparable to when the child broke its own rules to interfere with Dae-ha¡¯s enlightened moment in the past.


    In the end, the child had no choice but to break the rules again.


    - Stage has been opened!


    - Level 20. Difficulty has been set at hard.


    - No time restrictions. Eradicate the Giants of the Apocalypse.


    The hard difficulty of level 20 began even though the intermediate stage had not been cleared yet.


    ¡°Yes!! I can just stop him this time too!!¡±


    The child screamed maniacally while emitting a ck aura. He was sure of victory. Abination of ten level 20 giants and one level 21 giant! No matter how many humans were prepared, and even if earth¡¯s transcendent could cross space at will, they could not deal with so many enemies at once.


    No matter how strong their defenses were, he would crush it to bits and get rid of that damned cheater! He was certain. But then...


    ¡°¡­Atst.¡±


    Il-han finally opened his eyes.


    ¡°You finally crossed the linepletely.¡±


    ***


    - Stage will be opened!


    - Leve 20. Difficulty has been set at hard.


    - No time restrictions.


    - Eradicate the Giants of Apocalypse.


    The yers freaked out at the line of texts that popped up out of the blue.


    ¡°W, what the hell is this saying? We still have a long ways to go before the intermediate level is over.¡±


    ¡°This is crazy! Don¡¯t tell me that there¡¯s going to be 10 or 20 giants appearing at one time?¡±


    ¡°How could they do something like this? It¡¯s throwing a tantrum because we might clear the stage at this rate.¡±


    ¡°Emergency! This is an emergency! Tell them to send all the people who are on standby!¡±


    All of the yers prepared forbat at the same time. Although the enemies did not appear yet, they could guess how the situation would y out.


    But at the same time, they felt a sense of despair


    ¡®We can¡¯t stop this.¡¯


    All of humankind¡¯s powers were focused on destroying five giants. Although they had fighters on standby, could they quickly prepare for battle and get into formations before the enemies respawned? And what if more than 10 giants were to appear? What if some of the giants were suicide bombers?


    It would not be strange if humanity was extinguished in a day and their protector god, Iron Mask, was killed as well.


    ¡°Everyone!! Protect this ce with your lives!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°Dammit! We were almost there! We were almost finished!¡±


    ¡°Uaaahhh!!!¡±


    Spirit exploded along with the yers¡¯ roars. The warriors did not panic or sink into fear even in the midst of despair!


    A new notice suddenly appeared in front of their eyes.


    - The system will be partially updated.


    - The Giants of Apocalypse will be changed to the Special Boss, Ham Eun-jung!


    - The special Boss will be given two special abilities.


    1. Convergence: The power of all stage monsters appearing at the same time will converge to the Special Boss.


    2. Immortal: The Special Boss will not die except for on their own volition.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    The battlefield fell into a moment of silence. Everyone was reading the notice with a look of incredulity.


    ¡°W, what is this? The power of all monsters¡­ Since there are half a billion humans left on earth¡­ Five billion Apocalypse Giants¡­ Or 10 billion¡­ All of that power will be concentrated on one monster?¡±


    ¡°Since we have monsters left from the intermediate level, it might be more than 20 billion.¡±


    ¡°Then what level is the enemy going to be¡­?¡±


    ¡°More importantly, what the hell is this immortal bullshit? It won¡¯t die unless it wants to? What kind of nonsense shit is this??¡±


    The yers were at a loss due to the ridiculous exnation. However, they were not the only ones who were surprised. The child had been preparing to manipte the Giants of Apocalypse. It cried out in bewilderment at the sudden change.


    ¡°What!? What did you do? A special boss??¡±


    ¡°I thought it would be better to finish things with a powerful boss rather than to drag things on.¡±


    The child was somewhat cated by the calm answer.


    ¡°What is this immortal ability? Something like this was possible? This is basically fraud.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible if you specialize the abilities well.¡±


    ¡°Really? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how it works¡­¡±


    In the meantime,


    Pat!


    The Special Boss, Ham Eun-jung, appeared in front of the yers. Beyond the yers, Dae-ha was still immersed in carving.


    Special Boss Ham Eun-jung spoke.


    ¡°Where¡­ am I? I thought I died?¡±


    She spoke in a dazed voice as she looked around her surroundings.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem like heaven or hell. Besides, what are those robots?¡±


    As she muttered, the yers spotted her appearance.


    ¡°9¡¯o clock! A suspicious being in the form of a girl has appeared!¡±


    ¡°No!! It¡¯s the Special Boss! It¡¯s the Special Boss Ham Eun-jung!¡±


    ¡°Standby! Don¡¯t pull the trigger until you have my orders!¡±


    The ridiculous announcement prevented the yers from attacking hastily. They did not know how strong the enemy was and what kind of abilities she possessed, but the pressure of the two revealed abilities, convergence and immortality, was much too great.


    Some of the yers spoke up.


    ¡°E, excuse me, captain.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The name Ham Eun-jung¡­ it sounds familiar.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I think I saw it in a history book before¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    yers were thrown into confusion. But the Special Boss, Ham Eun-jung, was just as confused. She suddenly realized that there was a folded note in her hand.


    She opened the note.


    In it was a short message written in a familiar handwriting.¡±


    Surrender as soon as you see this. -Il-han.


    ¡°What are you talking about¡­? Surrender?¡±


    She spoke in a dazed voice. But as soon as she spoke, it was all over.


    - Congrattions! The stage has been perfectly cleared! Rewards will be provided ording to contributions.


    - Contributions do not exist!


    - Congrattions! The stage has been perfectly cleared! Rewards will be provided ording to contributions.


    - Contributions do not exist!


    Two stages were cleared simultaneously. However, that wasn¡¯t all.


    - Congrattions! All of the stages have beenpleted!


    - The settlement process will bepleted shortly!


    ¡°What? What the hell?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? This is the end? All of the stages have beenpleted?¡±


    ¡°The End Project is¡­ over?¡±


    The yers were confused. But someone else was even more shocked than all of them.


    ¡°Cancel it! Cancel!! What are they talking about? Surrender!? Who says so!? Cancel the stage clear!! There is no surrender!¡±


    The ck child shouted frantically, but Il-han shook his head from behind the child.


    ¡°I refuse. A surrender is equivalent to defeat. It certainly qualifies as a condition for clearing the stage.¡±


    ¡°Cancel! Cancel! It!¡±


    ¡°I refuse.¡±


    The ck child threw a tantrum in response to Il-han¡¯s stiff response. The child turned its head and red at Kl-han. The eyes of the child, which was as ck as the abyss, was starting to glow red.


    ¡°You¡­ You---!!!¡±


    Kuuuuuu¡ª


    Immense energy started to biol up.


    ¡°How dare you!! How--!! How dare you---!!!¡±


    A deafening roar. Il-han took a step back as the child expressed its rage.


    Chuap!


    ¡°Integration Skill activation.¡±


    Everything went ording to the n. If a cancetion request was not applied until the settlement waspleted in a moment, the stage would finally be terminated, and the End Project will be forcibly transformed into an apocalypse monster despite itsck of power.


    ¡®In other words, all I have to do is stall for power.¡¯


    Tap.


    A heavy ymore appeared in his hands after a long time. Il-han spoke while feeling the long-forgotten energy simmering within his body.


    ¡°All Master.¡±

 Vol 2. 128: The Salvation of God (65)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 128: The Salvation of God (65)</h4>


    ¡°All Master.¡±


    Papapat!


    An enormous amount of emitted energy easily ripped apart the iing curses. Il-han immediately took a step back to secure some space thenpleted a series of ultimate spells.


    ¡°Ahk! It hurts! You!!¡±


    The child brushed off pieces of sharp ice from his shoulders and put out the me burning on his legs. It raised a shadow and pushed it forward like a tidal wave. However, Il-han faced the attack by taking a step forward and striking vertically with his ymore.


    Pat!


    The tidal wave was cut apart by a lightning sh and the enemy was revealed.


    Bang!


    A fist struck its head. The child screamed and attempted to back off, but Il-han immediately followed up with a roundhouse kick. The set of movements was akin to flowing water. If any martial artists had been present, they would have been put in awe by the smooth-flowing moves.


    ¡°Keuk! Ahk! Ouch!! It hurts!!!¡±


    The child slowly grewrger while screaming. The transformation soon elerated, then the ck body of the child started to mutate horribly.


    Whoosh!


    But ignoring the transformation, Il-han swung his sword without a word and cut off the child¡¯s leg. The child lost its bnce and copsed with a scream.


    Kiyaaahhk!!


    A ck wolf appeared from the shadow on the floor, then chomped down on the child¡¯s arm before attempting to drag it back into the shadow. The child severed his own arm and instantly regenerated a new one. It attempted to stand back up, but many cards flew through the air and pierced its limbs before it could.


    Papapat!


    Kiiing---!


    The cards started emitting a brilliant light after prating into the limbs, then started a sealing ritual.


    ¡°What? What is going on? How is this happening?¡±


    ¡°Whether you like it or not, it¡¯s happening.¡±


    Il-han drew his sword with a nonchnt attitude. Of course, the ck child was powerful. It was a sense of self created by the End Project. It was basically the embodiment of the End Project, a powerful cosmic monster.


    But the moment his seal was lifted, Il-han wasn¡¯t just a handsome, smart, wise and creative human being. He was a cosmic hero, the Human God ¨C All Master. He was Milleon the Windless.


    Almighty.


    Il-han levitated into the sky and swung his right hand as if throwing a spear. A lightning bolt as thick as a building tore apart the space and smashed the child.


    ¡°¡­What? What is this!?!? Fuck! Fucking hell! Damn it!¡±


    The child screamed with only its head left intact, but nothing changed. What was left of his body was also scattering away as ashes.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any sense! This can¡¯t be happening! Can¡¯t you hear me!? This isn¡¯t how things are supposed to unfold! It can¡¯t go like this! No!¡±


    The child screamed until the very end, unable to ept the oue. But it did not matter whether the child epted the situation or not.


    Paaass!


    In the end, the avatar of the End Project scattered into dust and disappeared.


    ¡°Oh my¡­¡±


    Il-han copsed on the spot while watching the child disappear.


    Il-han! Il-han! You¡¯re watching from somewhere right now, right!? What is going on here? How did you save me?


    As he turned his head towards the screen that the child had been observing, Il-han saw a girl shouting towards the sky.


    ¡°Haha. It will take some time for me to exin everything.¡±


    ¡°Then take your time.¡±


    The space in front of Il-han distorted, then a girl appeared from thin air. It was a girl with a cute impression ¨C the Primordial God.


    ¡°Oh, Sarah, you¡¯re here.¡±


    Il-han greeted her brightly, but the Primordial God spoke with a cold expression as if she had not heard his words.


    ¡°Exin. You can exin it to me now. Even if the time limit on Eight Shadow Clones ends and you go back to your main body, you can still exin it to me, can¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Eight Shadow Clones.


    It was a master skill created from the power of Martial God, Dark. It was an ability that allowed the user to produce seven alter egos possessing the exact same power as the main body and even the same equipment. The clones of the skill moved and thought separately, and when the skill was released, the main body absorbed the memories of all the clones.


    ¡°Yeah. I could do that.¡±


    Il-han was one of the clones. Originally, Eight Shadow Clones had a time limit of five to ten minutes, but Milleon was able to eliminate the time limit by limiting the abilities that the clones possessed. As such, Il-han had been able to live on Earth for decades. He grew up together with Eun-jung, married her, and lived out his life on Earth 34 as Dae-ha grew up.


    ¡°If you return to the main body with your current experiences and memories, Milleon will take care of the rest. I¡¯m sure you know better than I that he is a good human being.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He might even make another clone and have him go to Eun-jung¡¯s side.¡±


    The new clone would possess the same memory as himself and disy the same pattern of behavior. The Primordial God was right. Everything would be perfectly solved once he returned to his main body. Nevertheless, Il-han shook his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a part of Milleon.¡±


    He closed his eyes and reflected on his life. He thought of Eun-jung, who came looking for him possessing a huge Divine Spirit. The trip they went on even knowing it would be theirst. The way she moaned with joy. How she breathed herst.


    He thought of Dae-ha.


    The newborn that cried loudly. A toddler crawling on the floor. A child who followed him like a duckling while smiling brightly. How he screamed and shouted every night because of his nightmares. How his expression gradually turned pessimistic.


    He thought of Yeong-min.


    The image of a child staring nkly at him while covered in blood, suffering to suppress the killing intent he was born with. The way Yeong-min looked at him. The way his eyes shone.


    ¡°I want to die as Kwan Il-han¡­ As Ham Eun-jung¡¯s husband, as the father of Kwan Yeong-min and Kwa Dae-ha¡­¡±


    His appearance began to blur. If Eight Shadow Clones ended like this, his memories and experiences would be returned to Milleon. The Primordial God spoke while looking at his fading appearance.


    ¡°I like you.¡±


    ¡°Pfff!¡±


    ¡°Why are youughing!?¡±


    The Primordial God shouted with anger and Il-han erased his smile and faced her.


    ¡°Ah, thank you. But I¡¯m a married man.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re too mean even to the end. Really.¡±


    Il-han let out a strenuousugh while rejecting her for the 23rd time.


    He spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re such a bastard.¡±


    Wooong!


    Silver energy began to rise from the hands of the Primordial God and took the form of a sword. She would extinguish Il-han¡¯s existence before he disappeared fully and became integrated into Milleon.


    ¡°¡­Good-bye.¡±


    The Primordial God raised her sword, and Il-han closed his eyes. Eun-jung was smiling brightly at him in his memories.


    Then,


    Tung.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The Primordial God became surprised when she saw an object blocking her sword. Below the sword was arge key. And the key was embedded in Il-han¡¯s chest.


    ¡°¡­what is this?¡±


    She spoke with confusion.


    Click!


    The key started to turn.


    ***


    ¡°¡­What is this?¡±


    Meanwhile, Milleon had a dumbfounded expression as he recuperated in the Unique World. Strange lines of text were floating in front of his eyes.


    - A clone slot is locked!


    - Skill, Eight Shadow Clones, will be downgraded to: Seven Shadow Clones!¡±


    ¡°What is¡­¡±


    Confusion was evident in his usually calm face.


    ¡°What is this¡­?¡±


    ***


    I opened my eyes.


    I was sitting on a rock. A metal ball full of strange patterns was lying on my hand.


    Duuuuduk!


    I reached out and skimmed over the ball. Dozens, no, hundreds of characters engraved on the sphere followed behind my touch as if they were being torn away.


    Then, I threw the metal sphere.


    ¡°Kyahk!?¡±


    The steel sphere expanded in an instant and quickly took the form of a woman¡¯s figure. Hawa looked around her surroundings with a dazed expression before fixing her eyes on me.


    ¡°What did you do just now?¡±


    ¡°I borrowed a bit of transcendental powers. I restored everything, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡±


    I stood up from the rock while speaking. Hundreds of texts were floating around me like a swarm of bees.


    Woooong---.


    A world of perception expanded indefinitely when I closed my eyes. I grabbed the ne from my neck and grabbed a few letters from my surroundings before sticking it on the ornament.


    The words created with the characters were as such:


    It was a function that originally didn¡¯t belong to the key, since the key¡¯s real powery in opening things. Locking was just an additional ability.


    But it didn¡¯t matter.


    Click!


    I locked the intended settings without being toote.


    That was right. I locked settings.


    It should not have been possible, but I achieved it by twisting the direction of power. It was made possible through the power of Liberation, Transcendental Weapon Number 4.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±


    A woman stepped out from the midst of the gigas. She walked slowly, but also very quickly at the same time. It was Min-kyung, the head of the Lee Family and one of the most powerful humans on earth.


    ¡°Good work.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is it over?¡±


    I could feel everyone around us tensing up when she asked the question. Was that all? There were countless more people watching me through the broadcast.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    So I nodded my head.


    ¡°The stage is over! It¡¯s our victory.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Min-kyung looked at me with a nk expression on her face. The other gigas maintained the silence for a moment as well.


    A whileter,


    ¡°Hahaha!!! Finally!! Finally!!!¡±


    ¡°This is finally over!¡±


    ¡°Heuk. Uahhh¡­ Huahhh¡­ Huaaaah!!!!¡±


    ¡°Mom. Dad¡­¡±


    Tremendous roars burst out at the same time. Themunicationwork was filled with shouts, and I could see people running out of their gigas and shouting like crazy. I lifted my Justice Weapon and nced at the bulletin boards. As expected, it was a huge mess as well.


    ¡®Well, I still need to finish it off.¡¯


    The people could not feel it, but the power of the End Project was being stripped from earth and conglomerating in the middle of the universe. But it was different from the past when it destroyed all kinds of civilizations and devoured the settings of the universe. It was because most of its power had been taken away by humans.


    ¡®Well, to be exact, I was the one who stripped it of most of its powers.¡¯


    I achieved number one in the stage clears by a humongous margin. Firstly, I cleared the stage for hundreds of thousands of years through automaticbat. After it was patched with a limit of 10,000 clears per yer, I raised my Suppressor skill to level 10 and received 20 times the amount of rewards.


    Was that all?


    I exchanged the materials that the yers bought from the vending machine using goods from the Unique World. It was safe to say that all the resources of the Unique World (such as metals and mana stones, etc¡­) were actually bones and flesh of the End Project.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I had sent my consciousness to space for a while, but I quickly shifted my gaze when a figure approached me from the front.


    It was my brother.


    ¡°Hyung.¡±


    ¡°I saw my brother. He was smiling brightly.


    ¡°Hyung!!!¡±


    I sprinted while being overwhelmed with emotions. I could see him running towards me as well. There was a considerable distance between us, but I was a being superior to the Untouchable and he was a transcendent. The distance closed in an instant


    I opened my arms.


    My brother wasing!¡±


    Pat!


    And he passed right by me.


    ¡°¡­..?¡±


    I stopped and spaced out for a moment. I could not understand what had just happened.


    ¡®You passed me by?¡¯


    I became flustered and turned around ¨C I saw my brother tightly embracing Min-kyung.


    ¡°Min-kyung!!¡±


    ¡°Ah! Uah¡­!¡±


    Min-kyung was desperately trying to cover her face. She could not shake him off, nor meet his gaze. She flinched while covering her face.


    ¡°Heeup¡­ Ah! How nice. I missed you so much.¡±


    ¡°No, no. No. No¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are you covering it? Show me your pretty face. Hmm?¡±


    Despite my brother¡¯s urging, Min-kyung could not take her hands off her face. She hesitated for a while and muttered the same words.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    I, I¡¯m so¡­ I¡¯m too old¡­¡±


    There was certainly a difference in their appearance. Although she looked younger than her actual age after ingesting tons of spiritual pills, she still looked to be in her mid tote 30s. Moreover, wasn¡¯t her actual age more than twice that?


    On the other hand, my brother looked younger than his actual age, which meant he looked to be in his mid-teens. If I was being mean, I would say that the two people could be seen as a parent and a child.


    ¡°No, but still.¡±


    My brother smiled innocently.


    ¡°Our Min-kyung is the prettiest.¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    The Iron-blooded Queen. The Indomitable Empress. The woman with all kinds of terrifying titles was trembling. She slowly took her hands off.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Their gazes met, and Min-kyung¡¯s eyes quickly filled with tears.


    ¡°Heuk! Huaah! Huaaaaaanggg!¡±


    Min-kyung, who could be considered an old woman, burst into tears like a child. Their eyes met once more, then after a while, their lips met.


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    And as I watched the scene unfold,


    ¡°Hyung, you son of a¡­¡±


    I had no choice but tough in a bbergasted manner.

 Vol 2. 129: The Salvation of God (66)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 129: The Salvation of God (66)</h4>


    ¡°Hyung, you son of a¡­¡±


    I had no choice but tough in a bbergasted manner.


    Are you all right?


    Along with a gush of wind, something veryrgended on my right. When I turned my head, Ares was looking at me with his posture lowered to the fullest extent.


    That¡¯s right. Are you okay?


    Another giant appeared on my left. It was made of light, and more urately described as a spirit of light rather than a robot.


    Transcendental Weapon No. 92.


    RA.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m very good.¡±


    What? How did you get here? Weren¡¯t you supposed to be by Celestia¡¯s side?


    I was, but a sudden hole appeared out of nowhere and sucked me up. Although I can¡¯t quite understand what happened afterwards¡­ I can feel that the Divine Spirit that has been paining me has finally left me. My king, have you epted your Divine Spirit once again?


    ¡°It somehow worked out like that. But it¡¯s a little embarrassing that it ended up like this after I forced you to take care of it.¡±


    It was too much power for me anyways. But¡­ now that I¡¯ve disappeared so suddenly, the Leonhardt Empire would have been thrown into chaos. In the form of a crown, I was the symbol of the empire.


    I nodded at his words.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll take responsibility somehow.¡±


    It was originally mine and I wasn¡¯t the one who forcibly took it back, but since I absorbed it eventually, I would have to sort things out.


    ¡°Of course, before that.¡±


    I stood up with a grin. The head of Ares opened up and he grabbed me before cing me into his cockpit.


    sh!


    Along with a brilliant light, Ra turned into a dazzling crown and rested on the head of Ares. My consciousness expanded into space.


    ¡°I should take care of the mess first.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Dae-ha, where are you going?¡±


    I could hear my brother calling me from the ground. That wasn¡¯t all. In the distance, I could see my mother being guided by yers with a dumbfounded expression on her face.


    ¡®My mother, huh.¡¯


    It was rather ridiculous, but the tall girl was my mother. Moreover, she was only a high school student! Iughed in vain.


    ¡®What the heck? She¡¯s the same age as hyung¡­ Way younger than me.¡¯


    I had been wondering what my father had been up to all this time, since not a trace of him could be found anywhere. It appeared he had been using the power of the End Project to revive my mother. He even risked his life to save my mother, whom neither I nor my brother had ever even seen.


    If I had been a littlete to recover my Divine Spirit, I would have faced a catastrophic situation in which I got my mother back at the cost of my father.


    ¡®More than that¡­¡¯


    I looked at my brother. A word was written on top of his head. Same with my mother and all the gigas. Every single person had a word on top of their heads. It was a little different from the titles I saw in the past.


    Instead, the things I could see on top of their heads was¡­ literally everything. Their personality, tendency, taste, habits¡­ Their foundation, identity, the life they lived until now, and even their future¡­


    ¡®What do I call this? Their real name? Integrated information?¡¯


    I realized the moment I saw the words on their heads. The moment I could edit the words freely, I would enter the realm of the administrator that my father desired so much.


    ¡®No.¡±


    I shook my head. It was way too dangerous. It was a power that far exceeded all other authorities as well as absolute authorities, but-


    If I dared to edit characters¡­ I would incur the wrath of the Creation God. If I did not want to vanish like the ancient Olympian Gods, I shouldn¡¯t even think about doing such a thing.


    ¡®I would rather look at my Divine Spirit and authorities instead.¡¯


    I acquired the Divine Spirit of Civilization and Information from my biological father, as well as the Divine Spirit of Machines that he acquired after his downfall.


    ¡®And I became the God of Games.¡¯


    And as such, my natural power of seeing titles above people¡¯s heads transformed into a new power that disyed everything about the individual above their heads. I didn¡¯t know whether this was a good thing or a bad thing. I would figure it out slowly.


    ¡®Instead, the power of the Machine God that exists outside of the ¡®game category¡¯ has been greatly undermined.¡¯


    My powers that dealt with aspects of games such as maniption, production, etc¡­ were strengthened, but the powers rting to machine civilization weakened or even disappeared. I could not be certain, but¡­ One day Adam would probably be resurrected as the Machine God with those powers.


    ¡®I don¡¯t care too much about other powers, but it¡¯s a shame about the Absolute Right of Command.¡¯


    Even so, I did not worry too much. The machines¡¯ strong affinity for me did not disappear, so I didn¡¯t have to worry about Ra or Ares leaving me. Maybe things would change if Adam came back and used Absolute Command.


    ¡®But he wouldn¡¯t¡¯


    Unless he wanted to die.


    Pararak!


    A book appeared in front of me and opened up.


    One Step of God.


    Jump. Guide for Space Travelers.


    Void Path.


    Dragon Jumps Over Gxy.


    Four transcendence skills activated simultaneously and I instantly moved to the middle of the universe.


    - Guwaaaahhh!!


    Upon arrival, a tremendous roar greeted me. Thes in the vicinity were shattered and scattered, but I was unscathed as I faced the creature.


    ¡°How hideous.¡±


    It was a giant monster. It was so big that its head alone would equal the size of Earth. Hundreds of thousands of eyes and tens of thousands of tentacle-like limbs sprouted from its body. It looked so bizarre that just looking at it would cause people to go mad.


    - You! Youuu---!!


    It roared after spotting me. A giant force was contained in its howl, but I snorted in response.


    ¡°The frightened dog barks.¡±


    The monster lost too much on Earth. Its power, settings, resources, and life force had been heavily invested on earth, but it received nothing in return. It was simr to investing all of one¡¯s property in apany, but then having thepany dere bankruptcy the day after.


    ¡°Well, what¡¯s there toment over? It¡¯s not like you invested everything with good intentions. You were trying to devour everything.¡±


    As I spoke in a nonchnt voice, the End Project, or rather, the Monster of Apocalypse charged at me. It was the attack of a monster who could destroys and devour satellites!


    But¡­ physical size and strength did not matter to me right now. Rather, the system form of the End Project would be much more difficult to deal with.


    ¡°All right.¡±


    I stretched out my hand.


    Unlike other intelligent creatures, the Unnamed did not receive the attention of the Creator. There was a reason why the Setting Destruction Shot could only ever be used on the Unnamed, although it was a forbidden weapon.


    I ¡®recognized¡¯ the sentence above its head.


    Then,


    ¡°Chocte ball.¡±


    I edited it.


    The End Project would not be defeated so easily, but it was already greatly damaged by the events on earth. As such, the Monster of Apocalypse could not endure it.


    Pat!


    In an instant, a monster with hundreds of thousands of eyes and tens of thousands of limbs instantly disappeared and a chocte chip cookie appeared on the palm of my hand. I knew that the editing would be undone in a moment, so I quickly took action.


    Gulp.


    I swallowed it.


    Boom!


    Pain radiated from my stomach as if a bomb had exploded. But I already had plenty of experience absorbing its powers in the form of stats, pills, skills, and resources before. In addition, I had the ability to channel the absorption into a world instead of consuming it myself.


    Special Unique World (Legend++++) is ranking up!


    SS Rank -> SSS Rank


    The Unique World expanded. However, it didn¡¯t end with just one expansion.


    Special Unique World (Legend++++) is ranking up!


    SSS Rank -> SSS++ Rank


    ¡­..


    Special Unique World (Legend++++) is ranking up!


    SSS++ Rank -> SSS++++ Rank


    Five whole rank ups! The system could only recognize ranks up to SSS, which was why additional rank-ups were disyed as extra +.


    Booooom!


    Naturally, the Unique World was thrown into turmoil. But the buildings of the Unique World were not destroyed or demolished. In the first ce, the buildings were constructed to float like ships on the metal surface rather than being fixed to the ground like regr buildings.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ¡­Is it over? That monster just now¡­ It looked like an Untouchable ss.


    Ra disyed his confusion.


    What a vain ending. The stage took hundreds of thousands of years.


    Ares appeared dumbstruck.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be rather weird if I fought a wounded monster like that for a long time after I¡¯ve powered up so much?¡±


    I guess.


    Spoken like a true king.


    I crossed the space with the two convinced gigas. I looked down at blue Earth 34. I observed it for a moment.


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    I dreamed of a normal life in the past. It was also the wish of my biological father, who had suffered every day since falling into the world of mortals. But if I had enjoyed peace on Earth, I would have been caught and killed by the runaway Adam. If I had epted the Divine Spirit, I would have lost my sense of self to Dekarma.


    Looking back, it was rather amazing that I got this far.


    ¡®I can¡¯t say that it¡¯s the result of my efforts.¡¯


    It was abination of numerous coincidences and countless miracles. If the End Project had not been asleep on Earth 34. If the stage had not taken the form of a game. If the Unnamed, Juan, had not created Justice, Truth, and Honor. If I had not be an idol to the people. If it wasn¡¯t for the help of Monk Myeong-wol¡­


    Fwooosh!


    I entered the atmosphere.


    Down on the ground, I could see billions of people gathering around where I had been seated and sculpting. Only a few moments had passed, but almost all of humanity was gathering in this ce.


    ¡°Ra, wings.¡±


    For what purpose should I make it?


    ¡°Just make it big and fancy. So they can see it from down there.¡±


    All right.


    Ra followed my words without any question.


    Fwooosh!


    Along with a glimmer of sh, a humongous set of wings appeared behind Ares. Ares was alreadyrge at 30 meters, but the wings made Ares appear like tiny little fingers. Ares¡¯ frame fell down at an inexhaustible speed, but after passing through a certain altitude, the wings naturally generated lift to slow the momentum.


    I looked down at the people from the sky.


    And then I realized.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ The administrator might have loved humanity.¡±


    It was love and hate. Perhaps he hated humans so much because he became attached to them.


    I neared the ground.


    I could hear the sounds of people. The ones who were shouting. A couple hugging each other and putting their lips together. A woman shedding tears on the ground. An old man praying on his knees.


    I could feel the faith being lifted towards me as they supported me. I also felt my presence being engraved all over the universe.


    Boom!


    Inded on the ground. Thousands, tens, hundreds of millions of people were watching me. It was silent, as if the noise from a moment ago had been a lie.


    I raised my right fist.


    A thunderous cheer rumbled throughout the entire world.


    It was the birth of the highest ss of Divine Spirit ¨C something to be known throughout the Great Universe.

 Vol 2. 130: The Salvation of God (67)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 130: The Salvation of God (67)</h4>


    After school, a crowd of students poured out from the school gate like a flurry of clouds.


    ¡°Hey! Let¡¯s go to the arcade! Let¡¯s goo!¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so hungry! Yo, let¡¯s eat!¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy? School literally ended after we had lunch. Why are you hungry again?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re not going to eat?¡±


    ¡°I never said that!¡±


    It had been over a year since the stage ended. Earth was recovering quickly. Although the stage was an unprecedented cmity in which 90% of humanity died, fortunate, the damage to Earth itself wasn¡¯t so great. It was because most of the stage took ce in an alternate dimension in stationary time rather than on earth itself.


    Of course, therge whales, or rather, the space monsters caused massive damage to structures and many cities, but the damage was rtively smallpared to the entire.


    ¡°Grandma! Grandma! I will have one serving of Tteokbokki, please!¡±


    ¡°I would like red bean shaved ice!¡±


    ¡°Uahh! I¡¯m so hungry!¡±


    Many of the students flocked to a snack bar located in front of the school. The olddy served food to the hungry students with a kind smile.


    ¡°You boys! You¡¯re speaking like elementary students! You should act more like high school students!¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because we did not get to go to elementary school!¡±


    ¡°Why are you suddenly talking about something so heartbreaking?¡±


    The snack bar was full of chatters andughter.


    It was then,


    Wooong!


    Space opened up without any warning, and five or six fully armed men appeared. They were armed to the teeth as if they were soldiers.


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Spatial movement¡­??¡±


    The students in the snack bar stopped what they were doing and turned their gazes toward the split space and the armed men. The man who was standing at the forefront of the soldiers looked at a disy hanging from his arm. After checking that Earth 34 possessed a suitable atmosphere for breathing, he took off his mask and shouted.


    ¡°Hahaha! Nice to meet you! I am Cancfridet, the squadron leader of Basara¡¯s 811th ship, Ash Tree.¡±


    ¡°Canc¡­fridet?¡±


    ¡°Vassar¡­?¡±


    The students were clearly confused by the man¡¯s words. A smile appeared on the face of Cancfridet in response.


    ¡°How~ peaceful! I would have never imagined that no one would scream in terror after hearing the mighty name of Basara. Ha~ I really can¡¯t hold myself back when I smell newbies!¡±


    ¡°Heheheu. It¡¯s no wonder. How would country bumpkins of a backwater like this have ever heard of our name?¡±


    ¡°Well, the name of Basara will be engraved in their very bones starting now.¡±


    The other men took off their masks while smiling grimly. Still, the students maintained their silence with wide eyes.


    Cancfridet spoke once again.


    ¡°Now, now, little friends! It is very nice to see that you are all faithful to your studies.¡±


    Guoooo!!


    Cancfridet pulled out a splendidly decorated sword. Then heughed.


    ¡°Congrattions on your entry into Type III Civilization, you little brats!¡±


    Just as he said, Earth 34 was now considered a Type III Civilization. Perhaps it was only natural, considering all the technologies and equipment bestowed to humanity by the great Game Master, Iron Mask.


    Fwoosh!


    With a single swing of his sword, Cancfridet shed apart the sky and hundreds of fully armed men appeared from the opening.


    That was not all.


    Boom! Boom!


    Whooosh!


    Small drone-type aircrafts, tool-rank gigas, and even beast-rank gigas could be found amongst their ranks. They were ve traders of Ash Tree, a ship belonging to the Space Pirates Basara.


    ¡°Now, then.¡±


    He charged at the students.


    ¡°Get them!¡±


    It was rather umon in the Great Universe for a civilization to bepletely conquered or colonized by another civilization.


    It was due to their Primordial Gods.


    Although the Primordial Gods were known as the mostmonly found Untouchables, they could be considered to be on the stronger side among the Untouchable, since they possessed almost all authorities possible. If a¡¯s Primordial God was alive and kicking, pirates, emperor-ss forces, and even cosmic-level powers such as the Union or other equivalent forces could not hastily invade the civilization.


    ¡°But it¡¯s a different story once you be a Type III Civilization!¡±


    It was the moment when a civilization was most vulnerable to external attacks. Once a civilization crossed the threshold to type III, they would be independent from their Primordial God. This was the opportune moment. The Primordial God¡¯s protection would be stripped, but they would still be inexperienced and weak!


    Discovering such a civilization was as ting as discovering a mound of buried Gats for ve traders like them.


    ¡°Now, now! Those who are abilities users or those who have potential! Capture them all! Kill all those who resist and rip their limbs apart and put them in bags!¡±


    ¡°Yes!!¡±


    The pirate shouted vigorously, then took out gauges before activating them.


    The work began.


    ¡°This little brat, he¡¯s qualified!¡±


    ¡°Take him away!¡±


    ¡°This one as well!¡±


    ¡°Good start! Take him away!¡±


    ¡°This brat is as well!¡±


    The pirates grabbed some of the students before putting them in handcuffs. For some reason, the students did not resist. As such, the entire process was quite smooth.


    ¡°Oh! This one¡¯s qualified too? Was this some kind of a famous academy? What a find!¡±


    Ring!


    Cancfridet took out a device of his own and pointed it toward a student who was eating Tteokbokki. The measuring device indicated green, and Cancfridet ced metal restraints, also known as Dog Nes, on the student.


    ¡°He¡¯s qualified!¡±


    ¡°This one too!¡±


    ¡°This guy here is qualified as well!¡±


    ¡°This one here¡­¡±


    The pirates captured the students excitedly, then began questioning themselves soon after.


    ¡°How could this¡­ All of them are qualified. There¡¯s no exception. There¡¯s no way that all of them are gifted.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you know that the only thing captured by the device is either the gifted orpleter-ss ability users? Are you trying to tell me that all of them arepleter-ss ability users? Huh?¡±


    ¡°Obviously that¡¯s not possible, but this is definitely strange. No matter how many times I look at it, there¡¯s no way that all of them could be gifted. This could be some kind of trap.¡±


    Cancfridet frowned at the words of his subordinate.


    ¡°You morons! Who would set-up a trap like this? What if we take these guys as hostages? Don¡¯t you know that the gifted are valuable to any civilization? Besides, if this is a trap, we should have run into an ambush already! We even cut off all theirmunication!¡±


    Cancfridet pulled two nearby girls towards him while shouting. Only then did he realize that something was wrong.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    Hundreds of departing students were staring at him. The students in handcuffs and Dog Nes were also staring at him, as well as the plump snack bar owner.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with their gazes?¡±


    Fear was nowhere to be found int heir eyes.


    ¡°Huh? Why? What¡¯s wrong with my gaze?¡±


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s referring to the ugly colored contact lens you¡¯re wearing?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, olddy! This is so pretty! Come on!¡±


    A female student and the owner of the snack bar suddenly started to argue. Killing intent appeared on Cancfridet. It was as if they were ignoring his presence.


    ¡°You old hag!!!¡±


    sh!


    An enormous power rose from Cancfridet¡¯s bracelet. A sword of energy appeared and shed through the air like lightning. It was a fatal blow aimed at the neck of the snack bar owner! However,


    Jjang!


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    The olddy blocked his attack with a kitchen knife she held. She had been cutting seaweed rolls just moments ago with the same object.


    ¡°Get in position!¡±


    ¡°Ready!¡±


    The pirates instantly prepared forbat. They pulled out their weapons and some of the gigas walked closer to the snack bar.


    Cancfridet smiled with a crooked expression.


    ¡°Whew~ What¡¯s this? Old hag, are you a reclusive master or something? These little brats are unafraid because they believe in you? Is that it? Hmmm?¡±


    ¡°A hidden¡­ master? Are you talking to me?¡±


    The snack bar owner appeared bbergasted. The aura emitting from her kitchen knife disappeared. She spoke while shaking her head.


    ¡°Well, thank you. Treating me like a hidden master, although I couldn¡¯t even be a foot soldier.¡±


    Fwoosh!


    She started frying pork cutlets in oil after speaking. The pirates pointed their guns at her with dumbfounded expressions.


    ¡°Is this hag senile?¡±


    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t let your guard down. Call for help from the gigas! Something seems off about this old hag!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure we¡¯ve cut off theirmunication?¡±


    A siege was organized around the snack bar, and a beast-rank gigas, ck Bear, was among their ranks.


    ¡°Wow. Is this the Iron Heart I¡¯ve heard so much about? Is it possible to transt it into my Blue Hawk?¡±


    ¡°You idiot, the core of a gigas is literally its identity. If you ce an Iron Heart inside your Blue Hawk, your Blue Hawk is as good as dead.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess it can¡¯t be helped. But I heard Iron Hearts are five times stronger even if the gigas are in the same ss¡­ What if I sell my Blue Hawk and just take that one instead?¡±


    ¡°Are you a nut job? Look at how many people are around us. Don¡¯t talk like it¡¯s already yours.¡±


    ¡°But there are only four people in our school who are riders of beast-rank gigas!¡±


    ¡°And one of the four is me, you bitch. What about the teachers?¡±


    ¡°Ah, why do you keep swearing at me? You idiot.¡±


    The pirates had been nervous because of the snack bar owner. As the students kept bickering with each other, one of the pirates shouted with a frown.


    ¡°You bastards. Open your eyes! Are you that dumb? Can¡¯t you see what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Puck!


    He threw his fist towards one of the bickering students. It was a violent attack that would certainly destroy the student¡¯s nose bones and knock out at least half of his teeth.


    But,


    ¡°Ahk!¡±


    The pirate retreated with a scream. When he turned around in surprise, the student¡¯s face returned back to normal after turning into metal. The student next to him seemed envious.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so jealous of your metal aura.¡±


    ¡°Why? Because I can get a good job in the production industry?¡±


    ¡°That too, but isn¡¯t it cool to have the same ability as Iron Mask-nim?¡±


    The pirates had only been wary of the snack bar owner until now. They finally realized the strangeness of the situation and turned their guns toward the students.


    Dudududu!


    Kakakakakang!


    They fired without hesitation, but no victims emerged. It was the power of the skill, Emergency Defense.


    ¡°I guess the police aren¡¯ting! Let¡¯s take care of it on our own.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I shouldn¡¯t have been spacking out.¡±


    ¡°Skill Book! Gigas Call! Huh? It¡¯s not working.¡±


    ¡°You moron, take off the handcuff and the neck restraint first. Skill Book! Liberation!


    Click! Click!


    The handcuffs and Doc Nes restraining students were released and thrown to the floor.


    ¡°What the hell! Kill them!! Kill them all! It doesn¡¯t matter if they¡¯re gifted!¡±


    ¡°Rip them apart!¡±


    The pirates and the gigas began unleashing their attacks. But¡­ it was way toote.


    ¡°Skill Book! Gigas Call! Come!! Barbarian!¡±


    ¡°Come! Warrior!¡±


    ¡°Buckler!¡±


    ¡°Swordsman!¡±


    ¡°Magician!¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha! You pathetic tool-rank gigas bastards! Come! Blue Hawk!¡±


    ¡°Ugh! Don¡¯t show off just because you got one a few years early! We¡¯re going to take the testter and get our own beast-rank as well!¡±


    Gigas started to appear. It wasn¡¯t just one or two either. All of the students ¨C hundreds of students ¨C began calling their gigas.


    All of them.


    Boooooooom!!


    Hundreds of gigas appeared in all directions and filled the road. No one could even stop the students as they boarded their gigas with fluid movements, as if they had done it hundreds of thousands of times already.


    ¡°No, no, no¡­ What is this¡­?¡±


    Cancfridet was shocked speechless.


    He felt like he was losing his mind.

 Vol 2. 131: The Salvation of God (68)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 131: The Salvation of God (68)</h4>


    Reporting in, Captain-nim. The Great Pirates of Basara...


    "Ahh, I felt it, too." As I answered, I suddenly felt baffled and asked, "No, but aren''t they falling for it like crazy even when there isn''t any bait? Are they allcking in intelligence?"


    The Great Pirates of Basara, who had invaded South Korea, were arrested by the police who arrivedte. They had been robbed by high school students who were on their way home. Yes, they were robbed by high school students. It was mind-boggling to think about it. The Basara''s evil reputation was widely known in the whole Great Universe, but only infants and newborns who were just born not long ago could be kidnapped by them on Earth-34.


    The Pirates were frozen as they had always been until now and they were thrown into the Unique World. I will proceed to buy the Iron Heart that we havee by.


    "Yes, yes."


    It had been a year since the stage was over. The number of human beings, which was over 6 billion, had fallen to less than 500 million. It was a devastating damage that mankind had never experienced before. However, the remaining 500 people that survived shared a current average level of over Level 10. Moreover, this average level included the children and the elderly who were nonbatants, so the average level that a typical adult would have on Earth-34 was higher than that. ''This isn''t a joke. This is basically a level equivalent to the standard Noblesses.''


    Moreover, the actualbat capability of Earth-34 was higher than its massive average level. This was because most of the current human beings were Gigas pilots. Also, the number of Gigas on the current Earth-34, to be exact, the number of Gigas in my possession numbered in the billions even after handing them to all the pilots.


    In other words, there are more Gigas than the entire poption. What kind of crazy civilization is this?


    I sighed at Ares'' words. I said, "It''s because I''ve been continuously making them while training. Besides, a lot of the Gigas owners died." As the stage progressed, the number of Gigas that were recovered after its pilot died amounted to more than 1 billion. In addition, I also kept recing the Gigas while my quality of production increased during my peak production days.


    But aren''t there also a lot of retired yers too?


    I promised to provide pensions to those who participated in the war. As a result, most of humanity had be a beneficiary of that, and the situation in Earth-34 had turned into one where it didn''t matter if its people worked or not after the stage ended. But nevertheless...the people wanted to work. They wanted to return to Earth and decorate the ce they lived in, as well as lead their daily lives.


    After all, the stage was a pain. Although they had to endure it to survive, not many people could casually overlook the experience of fighting gruesome monsters, waging wars, and facing transcendents who had the Spiritual Divinity to crush the soul. Numerous yers were suffering from PTSD and that was a social problem that Earth-34 had to cope with for a while.


    "But not all of them were like that." And of course, there were also those who perfectly adapted to the stage. Those who were cut out for it, those who werepetent, and those who had lived in a world where the stage was rampant since birth and could not adapt to the peace. When the stage was over, they wanted a new battlefield. Some of them were content with being soldiers or police, but that was not enough to gratify them¡­


    Ultimately, do you intend to proceed?


    "Yes, peace has been restored on Earth, but there are plenty of battlefields still going on in the universe. Immediately being a Warlord would be over the top...but I''d better start with forming a Mercenary Corps," Imented. And the main client of the Mercenary Corps would be the Leonhardt Empire, since their system was the most simr to Earth-34. There would also be no one who would dare to exploit the Mercenary Corps, as I, their Former Emperor, was the ruler of Earth-34.


    What should we do about the Gigas?


    "We can''t go out and be looked down on. Recover all the Gigas right now and exchange them for a Gigas of an equivalent rank that has an Iron Heart." Although I have obtained a Divine Spirit, it was not possible to produce Iron Hearts on my own because I was only secondary to the Machine God. Of course, I might somehow be able to reproduce it if I devoted time and effort, but there was no reason to purposely do so.


    Captain-nim. We have confirmed the invasion of the Tekea Federation!


    "Where?"


    At the field trip site of the tinum Middle School... Ah! It''s been resolved!


    "Did they get robbed by middle school students..." I muttered. That was because, even at this very moment, Iron Hearts were rolling in in bulk.


    The teacher-in-charge was a yer of the guide-making group.


    "Ah, as expected, they''re not at the level of being robbed by middle school students, huh?"


    It''s just that the teacher did not intervene.


    "..." I was dumbfounded by the excessive treatment. Speaking of the Tekea Federation, they were a demi-human force who had previously kidnapped me in the past. "Well, but I don''t think it''s going tost long either, huh?"


    That''s most probably the case. The reason why the current mankind is so strong is purely because of the rewards of the stage.


    The average level of humans was over Level 10. However, that did not mean that all of mankind had achieved the enlightenment of a Compl¨¦ter. ''It''s the power of spiritual medicines and stats.''


    Even if theycked enlightenment, had a crazy amount of Inner Qi, as well as an outrageously high amount of Stats, they would have the fighting power beyond that of a Compl¨¦ter. If it''s a grizzly bear with thick skin and a huge size, a boxing world champion would be like a tourist attraction to them even if they didn''t know martial arts.


    Since the average capabilities and talents of Earth-34 were not that of a Compl¨¦ter, the average level of Earth-34 would also be lowered significantly as the generation who had experienced the stage grew older and died.


    Though, I, who had the faith of a Game Master, would not be in a situation where I was badly weakened...


    Wiiiiing! As the space above the table where I was sitting shook, a steaming hot cup of hot chocte appeared. I asked while I grabbed the cup and drank from it, "What about Milleon and Jenica?"


    They''re in the midst of recovering. They say they still need to rest a few more years to healpletely.


    The injuries that the two heroes had sustained whilst fighting against Hawa and Dekarma, who was on board of Hawa, were quite serious. It couldn''t be helped because they had demonstrated the fighting ability that exceeded the level they were in. As a result, I had prepared them a ce to rest in the Unique World after seeing their sacrifices. Originally, they rested and recovered from their injuries in one building at close proximity.


    "How''s Dad and Mom?"


    Ah! They''re currently traveling around the world on an airship. It''s just that.


    "It''s just that?"


    They''d like you to visit them more often...


    My father had resurrected my mother with the power of the Project End. It was possible because father was involved in Project End as developer of the concept of the stage.


    "Uhmmm," I groaned as it was beyond understanding. Of course, it was not that I had never visited them. I had already visited them four times, but it seemed like they wanted me to go find them more often than that.


    ''But the biological mother of a high school student, huh...'' I felt like dying of awkwardness every time I saw them. It was fortunate that I had prevented father''s suicide, who maintained his identity as Kwan Il-han after reviving my mother. However, it would have been difficult for me to deal with mother if father had died and mother had been resurrected alone.


    "Oh well. Alright. Tell them I will go see them sometime soon. It''s going to be Dad''s birthday too."


    Understood.


    After saying so, I became curious about the news of my other acquaintances. "What is Jae-seok doing?"


    Jae-seok and Kyung-eun are retired and working hard to raise children. However, Jae-seok epted some of them as his disciples and passed on the knowledge of Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights.


    "Is Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights going to be passed down here? Then again, even if they can''t reach the realm of transcendence, he can be considered as a master of Brilliant Heaven Seven Lights... What about Seon-ae?" I said the name of my partner whom I had forgotten for quite some time. A girl who was born with amazing aptitude and talent and met the irony of fate that was most befitting of it.


    She is currently running an orphanage. But the unusual thing is...


    "Unusual?"


    Yes, she has be young again. It seems to be a little different from Youth Rejuvenation.


    Seon-ae was born with a peculiar talent of being a Universal Spiritualist and was tested on all kinds of biological experiments by ck wizards. Her ability was one that ''absorbed spiritual pills indefinitely''. In fact, it was a difficult ability to utilize. Wasn''t it the reality that even those with great power would never be able to see a spiritual pill in their whole life? However...as she met the gacha machine that could buy spiritual pills as long as she had points, she had gained enough strength to face the Giant of Doomsday.


    ''If she had a strong fighting spirit or aspiration, she might have caused a mess in the stage.'' But that was a life she didn''t want. I let her go because I understood her intentions more than anyone else. She would be able to do her job properly just by participating in thest battle.


    Beep-! Then, suddenly there was a sharp tone.


    "What''s this?"


    This is an externalmunication through the hotline.


    "Ahh, the hotline." I knew there was a hotline, but it was the first time it was working. "Well, put me through."


    - Ah! I can hear you!


    Upon epting the call, the hologram was activated and a beautiful woman with blue hair appeared. Celestia looked much more mature than thest time I saw her.


    - Hey! Ex-husband!


    "Ahh, Celestia. Long time no see."


    - Long time no see! No, that''s not it. What the hell are you doing? There''s a report that Earth-34 has reached the Stage III Civilization! It''s something that should still be a hundred years away! Did you perhaps invite scientists to hand down their technologies? It''s dangerous to climb to the Stage III Civilization recklessly!


    Her words indicated that the Leonhardt Empire knew little of the situation on Earth-34.


    As soon as Project End began, information about the relevant civilization was covered up. This was done to prevent external assistance. Moreover, even if one were to use indirect information acquisition abilities such as Foresight, they would perceive that there was no problem with the relevant civilization.


    "Ahh, really?" I didn''t even think about external assistance until now, so I didn''t know. ''Come to think of it, Bo-ram and Dong-min, who were in Dragonian, came back to Earth with no idea about Earth''s situation. If the Noblesse couldn''t recognize it, it goes without saying the other forces couldn''t either.''


    I said to Cel while thinking so, "Something called Project End had been progressing. I made some weapons and distributed them, and my level also went up."


    - You''re saying the civilization level was raised just by distributing weapons, and not technology transfer? No... No, more than that, did you say Project End?! Wasn''t that an Untouchable that destroyed civilizations during the Great War?


    "You really don''t know a single thing huh¡­"


    "Dae-ha!!!"


    Then the door opened and Yeong-min-hyung came running in. After that, Min-kyung, who turned pale, followed and came in. "Hey, Yeong-min! Y-You can''t just walk in here like this!"


    After Hyung died, I treated him with a straight face. As I became the object of faith, Min-kyung still had a hard time with me. Of course, Hyung did not care. He entered the Captain''s Office, opened his eyes wide when he saw the hologram of Celestia, and asked, "Oh? There''s a pretty girl? Is that perhaps your girlfriend?"


    - Dae-ha?


    "Ahh, I told you, didn''t I? This is my brother."


    Celestia straightened up in surprise at my words.


    - Ah!!! Hello! I-, I am Celestia of the Leonhardt Empire. I couldn''t sing at the wedding, so I''m really...


    Feeling freaked out, my brother eximed, "Dae-ha, you are married?!"


    Celestia freaked out, too.


    - Dae-ha, didn''t you tell him?


    "Oh, we''re already divorced anyway." I said it like it wasn''t a big deal.


    However, my brother was even more baffled. "Divorced?!"


    Celestia''s eyes were spinning at the sight of my brother who couldn''t get his act together.


    - Ah! Um!! Even so, it''s not a bad divorce! E-Erm. I don''t know how much you know about it, but I''m the current Empress of the Leonhardt Empire. The Leonhardt Empire is a force made of dozens ofsing together, and it is quite far away from Earth-34...


    "A far away? No, what''s going on? Then, right now, are you making contact because he¡¯s be an Untouchable?"


    - Who did you say became an Untouchable?


    Celestia, who tried to somehow exin the situation calmly, could be seen gaping wide.


    While the Captain''s Office was in a state of panic, I slurped the cup of hot chocte I was holding and murmured, "What a chaotic situation, so chaotic."

 Vol 2. 132: The Salvation of God (69)

    <h4>Vol 2. Chapter 132: The Salvation of God (69)</h4>


    ***


    The call with Celestia was over. She said she would make some time ande find me sooner orter, since that was her intention in the first ce. It was said that the reason why she was able to solidify her position of Empress was due to the overwhelming uproar when the Emperor-ss Gigas, Ra of Bright Light, was gone.


    ''It''s not bad.'' Needless to say, I did not intend to return Ra. Aside from the fact that Ra was definitely necessary, Ras himself did not really want to leave. ''I do have to go to Leonhardt once.'' It was time to think about how to make the name of the Game Master known.


    Captain-nim, it''s the Basaras.


    "Again? They''re persistent, so persistent."


    This time it''s not an intrusion by warp, but they are after a surprise attack.


    "Surprise attack?"


    We''ve confirmed the approach of the Giga-ss battleship. I guess we have no choice but to confirm as the units we sent disappeared without a sound.


    "You''ve basically made up your mind," Imented. No matter how much of ateer we were, if we have reached the Stage III Civilization, we were by no means a pushover of a force. Why would we go to the lengths of being independent from the Primordial God? It meant that they wouldn''t be able to overwhelm us just by bringing a battleship over. However...it was entirely possible if the objective was terrorism and looting. That was exactly what they were after, too.


    "Phew." I moved my body on Earth to an open area that had been destroyed by the monster whales. Boom!!! A giant crater was formed just by exerting my power. As it was hit with the energy being released from my body, thendposed of dirt and gravel was transformed into maic sand and pieces of iron.


    "Ahhh¡­ It''s really so hard to control." I shook my head. In fact, my capability itself was far below the Emperor-ss, because I was just able to stand as ''me''. But I was called the Administrator, and I was born with the Divine Spirit of the Absolute God who stood beside the Creation God. I could wield mythical power and authority just by calming that power, just like the ancient Gods of Olympus and Asgard.


    At this point, it did not matter if my own capabilities werecking. Although my capabilities were less than that of an Emperor-ss, an Emperor-ss would be on the highway to hell if they acted up in front of me.


    Groarrrr!! The Divine Spirit was on fire. The exertion of power was so strong that it created its ownws by twisting thews of physics.


    "It''s only at the level of an Untouchable even at this rate."


    Since when on earth was being an Untouchable something that¡¯s ''only at that level''? The space split apart and Ares showed up. Pieces of metal that filled the ground were stepped on by his feet and he let out a sharp sound.


    "You''re here? Let''s go!"


    Okie dokie. Ares grabbed me and put me on board as if he was devouring me. The Avalon System was activated, synchronizing Ares'' Iron Heart with my soul.


    I still had yet topletely digest my Divine Spirit. Even though I was receiving a huge amount of faith on Earth, and could produce and wield all kinds of powers, my level was just at the level of an Untouchable. But the moment I got on board Ares, I rose above my limits.


    Pooof!! I arrived in space. It was somewhere between Jupiter and Saturn by location. At that ce, there was a huge tree flying there. I stared at it and muttered, "¡­ A tree?"


    It''s an Ash Tree Chest. It''s a specialty product of the Fairy Tribe made from the World Tree.


    I sneaked a peek at the information above the tree, and the number of fairies exceeded a thousand. It was ridiculous that the fairies who first came to Earth were pirates notoriously known throughout the Great Universe.


    "There''s nothing more to see."


    Woooooong! I raised my right hand. Ares'' right hand raised up in response. Just like that, I edited of my right hand.


    Kwaaaanggg!


    - W-W-What the?!?!


    - From the side, an unidentified metal body has appeared! It is approaching at high speed! The distance between the metal body is 150 kilometers! 100 kilometers! 50 kilometers!!


    - No, what is this... It''s a hand?!


    - Deploy full power into the Barrier!!


    - Ah, no, we can''t stop it-...!


    I had devoured Project End, and as a result, the Unique World gew to Rank SSS++++. Then, I was able to grow the size of the Unique World. If I was determined to do so, I could expand it to the size of the sr system, no, perhaps I could even create a huge dimension beyond that size! But what was the point in an inutilizable space? Instead of blindly growing the Unique World, I increased the mass that could be brought into the Unique World.


    "Hmmm!" I grabbed the Ash Tree Chest with the erged hands. Just like that, it was brought over to the Unique World.


    ... Really now. No matter how many times I look at this, it''s ridiculous.


    You''re ignoring thews of physics, huh.


    I replied to the words of the two control personas who were baffled, "It''s not that I''m ignoring it, I''m just briefly modifying it."


    The Ash Tree Chest, which was flying through space, appeared in the Unique World. I, who was standing by in the Unique World while riding on a Star-rank Gigas, received it and gently put it down.


    "It''s here!!"


    "Wow! What kind of tree is this??"


    The devotees who were waiting raised their left hand as they heard the sounds of surprise. After all, they knew that the battleship, which was dragged out all of a sudden, would desperately fire like crazy if it was left as it was.


    ''In the worst possible scenario, it might even self-destruct.'' Because of that, I edited the of Shadow Stalker, which changed into the form of a pistol. Click! The pistol in my left hand disappeared and it appeared in the Gigas'' left hand. Imented, "I''m stopping it. The time is 24 hours."


    - Loading the Time-Space Freeze Shell... Completed.


    Along with the announcement, I pulled the trigger just like that. shhh!!! As the huge pistol fired off a huge bullet, a storm brewed around it. Afterpleting its role, the Shadow Stalker changed back to its original size and returned to my hands.


    Poooof! The flow of time as the Ash Tree Chest was hit by the bullet froze. It was unquestionable if it was done with Shadow Stalker''s original output (Because it was used on adult humans), but it did not matter to the current me.


    "Come on now! Catch the pirate bastards and freeze them, then separate the Iron Hearts and take them out!"


    "We have to finish it in 24 hours! Let''s hurry!"


    I looked at the devotees who were pouring into the ship for a moment, and said to Genie, "It''s a pretty interesting-looking ship. Can we nt that World Tree thing in the Unique World?"


    It''ll take quite a while, but it''s possible now that we''ve captured all the fairies.


    "Then let''s nt it on the . World Tree, huh. I''m getting a surge of queer foreboding!" I left them behind and flew up in a sh. Down there, I could see a the size of the moon which was full of huge buildings. I named it after what the people of the Unique World called themselves. There were also the additional fives, but since it was still not developed yet, it was only a maic sand just like the Steel World in the past. However, I was utilizing them to build a new Stage.


    From now on, if it was beings who had faith in me, the Game Master... A dream stage where they could ess anywhere in the Great Universe and gain wealth, honor, and great strength would be formed!


    Captain-nim, as you said, it''s something that''s already happening all over the Great Universe.


    "Hence, even more so why we shouldn''t miss it. Moreover, even if they start in my Stage with their bare hands, this is a ce where they could ultimately grow to be a Gigas pilot. It''s a great advantage in this Great Universe era." My heart was thumping just from thinking about the countless yers who would run about on my stage in the future. I added, "In addition, it also serves to help the descendents of Earth-34."


    The current fighting power of Earth-34 was not normal. It was not a joke, since it was a situation where a restaurant ahjumma could use Sword Qi and a school teacher could use high-rank magic. The stats of the current human race was so high that it was equivalent to that of a spiritual beast or a guardian beast rather than human beings. However, would their children and grandchildren also have that sort of ability?


    ''That''s impossible.'' I did not have the intention of giving out unlimited spiritual pills and stat points like the Project End did (Of course, it was not because the Project End had wanted to do so), so yers would have to develop their own capabilities to catch up to the far-reaching difference of their predecessors.


    I closed my eyes after watching the stage that was under construction for a while. Then, I expanded my consciousness¡­ In a split second, the entire Unique World was perceived, and shortly afterwards, the entire Earth entered my cognitive range. It was a huge amount of information that would cause the brain of an average human to burst right away, but I was able to receive all that information leisurely. I focused my consciousness¡­


    I could see my father. He was walking on a beautiful beach with my mother. The two looked quite different in age, but my father looked very young and handsome, so they looked good together as a couple.


    I could see my brother. He visited Min-kyung, who was dealing with work at the Diplomatic Office, and was trying to show intimate physical affection with her where no one could see. Min-kyung seemed to be embarrassed with her flushed face and could not think straight.


    I could see Jae-seok and Kyung-eun smiling at their child acting cute, Seon-ae who was reading a book while watching the pouring rain, and Alex who was on a show discussing the definition of justice.


    I could see the appearance of people. People who were pulling up copsed buildings, and people who were doing business. Singers, actors, andedians who were making othersugh on the TV shows that restarted back. People who were honing their Ability and making it into their own, people who were just rxing, people who were traveling around, as well as people who were ying games all night long. And even people who were praying.


    I smirked. "Haha." Of course, I knew that this scene would notst forever. People would find gaps in justice, truth and honor. They would be jealous and hateful. They would fight each other by all sorts of standards separating each other. They wouldmit crimes and bear malice.


    But even so, I...


    Captain-nim.


    "Ahh." I calmed my consciousness upon hearing the voice that distracted my focus. "What''s going on?"


    There are many fleets approaching the sr system at high speed!


    "If it''s approaching at high speed, then..."


    Yes, it''s the Astral Drive.


    The fact that they came directly without using Warp Drives meant that their scale had crossed a certain line. Either the size of the fleet was massive or a Terra-ss battleship, equivalent to the Albatross ship, was on the way here.


    "No, just looking at the Newbie, it''s not like they are high-profile people who were out of their minds, so isn''t this too much?"


    It is definitely not normal. Earth-34 is not even a civilization with special resources. Moreover, entering the Stage III Civilization means that we have the minimum required fighting power, so I can''t believe they''re barging in so openly like this.


    "My god," I grumbled and got on board of Ares. Then, I crossed the space.


    - I can''t believe they''re already in the Stage III Civilization. As expected, there was a reason why the Arch-Sorcerer was paying close attention!


    - It''s Earth again! Was it called Earth-34? They, too, will undoubtedly be incorporated into the Leonhardt Empire!


    - We have to deal with it before it turns into a situation that causes problems and makes things difficult.


    I let out a scoff at themunication message delivered, "Demi-humans, huh. It''s been a long time." As I moved into the Astral Realm, I could see dozens of battleships moving towards Earth. Moreover, one of them was a Terra-ss ship. Unlike the Albatross ship, it was a battleship that waspletely focused onbat, so it was a military power that was almost impossible for a civilization that had just entered the Stage III Civilization to deal with.


    It''s the Tekea Federation, huh. In many ways, it''s an ill-fated rtionship.


    "It''s a case that is really just unlucky." Saying so, I extended Ares'' arms and grabbed on to two battleships.


    - Cra-, this crazy-?! What the hell is this!!!


    - Gunfire! Bombard it!!!


    - It''s not possible! It''s already clinging on to two battleships!


    - What the hell is with this huge hand?!


    I threw the battleship, which was freaking out, into the Unique World. Then, I extended Ares'' hand out again, grabbed another battleship, and threw it into the Unique World.


    Was it because I didn''t abandon my physical body? I could feel that I was still living as a human even though I was holding on to Divine Spirit, Divinity, and the Status of God. I threw the Terra-ss battleship into the Unique World whileughing. "Hahaha! Wee to Earth-34!" Somehow, I was in a pleasant mood.


    -End-


    ¡¸Author''s Afterthoughts¡¹


    Above Your Head, which I felt lost at, agonized at, excited at, and lost again, is finallypleted! I would like to extend my thanks to everyone for supporting and waiting for my inadequate work.


    I always feel sorry after finishing a title. It is all the more so as I am not able to always present a satisfactoryposition that I wanted to try and show to the readers. In Above Your Head, I wanted to portray the process of the world changing and adapting to the individual, rather than the individual adapting to the world when an individual with an extraordinary lineage from birthes into contact with the world as a protagonist.


    However... I always feel like this, but I am supposed to only do exactly what I have to do. But I always want to show the readers all sorts of things, and I can''t get rid of the tendency of the Storyline-Settings maniac in me, so the story ends up with unnecessities(...)


    Then, just like that, for the characters that I wanted to use as an important role in the beginning, there are instances where I pass them off under the guise of ''Ah! If I include this, it will get tooplicated!'' ??


    I''m especially sorry about how I handled the two major Arcs(Which should have been the case), Juan and the Heroine ss character(Which should have been the case), Seon-ae in Volume 2(...) In particr, I''m really sorry about Seon-ae''s story. Apologies for being such an ipetent author ??


    ...


    To be honest, I am most apologetic about Bo-ram and Dong-min. I am so sorry. Your airtime. Your portion was reced by Jae-seok and Min-kyung(...)


    Enough with this topic.


    There were a lot of mistakes and shorings in many ways, but thank you so much for being on this journey with me until now! The presence of you readers have always encouraged me when I was grumbling about having no self-confidence!


    Despite the fact that it has been a while since I started writing, I''m sad every time I finish a work... But, I''ll be back with more interesting and better writings!!


    I''ll start working on the next piece as soon as I can without going on a hiatus ??


    I love you and thank you always!


    24th July 2020, Park Geon.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!