Everyone Else is a Returnee

Yu IlHan and the other partic.i.p.ants from Earth returned immediately after the Battle of Compet.i.tion ended. As the tournament itself was rather short, not many days had pa.s.sed, and contrary to  Yu IlHan’s fear of the Great Cataclysm occurring and chaos ensuing, Earth was relatively peaceful.

In fact, there was a parade to welcome the DeathG.o.d and his subordinates who came back with a landslide victory from the tournament! It would also have been fine for them to hunt some monsters in the dungeon!

Yu IlHan ignored all that cheering and clapping and tilted his head.

“That’s strange. Nothing like Miss Na YuNa’s kidnapping or wars between Transcendent factions has happened. That’s strange. It’s very strange.”
[If everything happened as you expected, then we wouldn’t even be alive right now!] (Erta)

Even though he had moved after confirming that Na YuNa had pa.s.sed through the gate connecting to Earth, he was slightly disappointed that nothing had happened at all.

“How kind. You always reject me but you like me, don’t you? Don’t youuu?”
“No, even if three suns rise from the south tomorrow, there would be nothing like that.”
“Wao, you’re being embarra.s.sing!”

Na YuNa misunderstood his intent for nothing and her affinity rose! Yu IlHan pushed the annoying Na YuNa onto Kang MiRae and vaguely waved at the crowd that welcomed him.
His wave contained the hidden meaning that said ‘I appreciate your hospitality but I wish you’d all disappear since the population density is too dense here’, but unfortunately the people did not understand his intentions, and waved their hands even more frantically in response. Yu IlHan didn’t like that situation that made him feel awkward to death.

“This isn’t good. Mir, come here.”
“Ok.”

In the end, Yu IlHan ugged Yumir in his arm with a slight resolve. Yumir, with his 11-year old-figure body, accepted his hug without resistance.

The others looked like they were saying ‘why now?’ but Yu IlHan didn’t explain. Instead, he spoke to Flemir.

“Flemir, you did well. We won more easily thanks to you.”
“Not at all. I also realized a lot after looking at you fight. I feel like I found a path to become stronger.”
“I don’t think I’ll need to borrow your power anytime soon so go back to Kiroa as soon as you go back to Korea.”
“Uhh, sorry…..?”

Why say that now? The reason was very simple. Among the members here, only Flemir was the one he didn’t need to see back in Korea.

“Then I’ll take my leave first! Adieu!”

Yu IlHan extended his wings and leaped! He was several kilometers in the air in an instant, and used shockwave and leaped several times, thrusting himself even higher! With horizontal vectors on top of the vertical movement, no one could see him anymore. Yu IlHan meticulously deployed Leap as well.

[No way, the main character of this place ran away because he didn’t like people!]
[IlHan, wait for meee!] (Liera)

Liera shot up to follow him, while exclaiming certain things that made all the people left speechless. They could only stare at the sky absent-mindedly. Only Kang MiRae, who expected this to a certain instead worried about how to settle this place down with a bitter smile.

“Miraeee, you also think Mr. IlHan likes me, right?”

On the other hand, Na YuNa was speaking to Kang MiRae with a loose screw on her head, as if she was not thinking about anything, well, even though it could be that she wasn’t thinking about anything.
It seemed like Yu IlHan’s concern of her safety had struck her heart. Kang MiRae replied to her with a smile.

“Shut up, Na YuNa.”
“Wao!”

Yu IlHan, who set a world-record of reaching the apartment in Gangnam, Seoul, from New York in 15 minutes, first helped Yumir wash up. Liera, who caught up mid way and arrived together, tilted her head after looking at that.

[Why aren’t you was.h.i.+ng up together?] (Liera)
“Because I’m gonna sweat in a while.”
[There’s still something you have to do?]
“Yup. As it had done some action this time, I’m going to give some food Orochi, while cleaning up the nearby dungeons. Actually…… I think something new is about to happen soon…..”

Replied Yu IlHan. Liera tilted her head in confusion, but exclaimed after the angel’s ring on top of her head began to s.h.i.+ne.

[The Traps of Destruction that will be used on Earth… it seems like they plan to ask you to make that again.] (Liera)
“I knew that’d happen. If they aren’t planning to repeat the disaster from the 1st Great Cataclysm, they should do that.”
[But what if they ask you to make the ones that will be used in other worlds as well?] (Liera)

Yu IlHan looked at Liera with a weird gaze.

“Why should I do that!?”
[Well, you are better than the smiths from Heaven……] (Liera)

Liera was blus.h.i.+ng in embarra.s.sment even though she was saying that. Yu IlHan thought that he could let her off because she was cute. Moreover, if it was about making Traps of Destruction for other worlds…… there was something he wanted to test.

“Okay, just get me the materials. How long does it take?”
[There’s quite a lot. To go there now, submit the doc.u.ments, have meetings, and rip as much materials as possible from the storage, it should take at least 13 hours.] (Liera)
“Okay, go then.”
[Ok, I’ll be back soon!] (Liera)

Liera tried to kiss Yu IlHan’s cheek as if it had already become a habit. Yu IlHan gave up trying to retort and obediently gave her his cheek. Liera kissed Yumir’s cheeks as well and disappeared from that place.

“The angel-noonas are busy.”
“Dad is also about to get busy, and quite a bit at that.”

Yu IlHan took out the Eight-tailed dragon spear from his inventory and let out a deep sigh. Although he didn’t hate Smithing work, creating Traps of Destruction used his mental power even more. Doing that in parallel to what he was bout to do, the difficulty would rise even more.

“Good, let’s start with a shout.”
[Kruooooooooh!]
“Okay, I got it. I’ll give you some food.”

Yumir watched Yu IlHan conversing with Orochi within the Eight-tailed dragon spear, and asked. His finger was pointing towards the Eight-tailed dragon spear.

“Is this guy alive?”
“Not quite. It’s a thought that split off from the monster. Although it’s not the soul itself, it is a fragment too. It might be that they are becoming unique existences by eating other life force and thoughts.”
“Dad is amazing.”
“This daddy is a DeathG.o.d even though I don’t look like it.”
“Dad is so cool.”

Yumir’s admiration reached the extreme. Yu IlHan was proud since he didn’t need to show his bad side to his son. This could be said to be quite amazing considering that he was the father of a dragon. Yu IlHan acted quite proud.

“Then is this guy similar to the elf hyungs and noonas and Ericia-noona?”

Yumir’s words that weren’t thought out, pierced through Yu IlHan’s head.

“……What did you just say?”
“You said unique existences, so you aren’t ruling over it?”
“No, it isn’t quite like that, cooperation formed because what the Orochi and I are pursuing is quite simi…….”

He said that, when he felt something strange. He felt that his abilities as a DeathG.o.d was resonating with the ability he had acquired by himself.

His heart pounded. He felt like he found a path that was open to him from the beginning, but felt like he couldn’t go there so easily.

[Kurururururu!]

Orochi cried, as if saying ‘you realized that just now?’.

Yu IlHan smiled in retort and activated the Rule skill without hesitation. He needed actions to confirm his feelings.

“You can’t reject now, right?”
[Kroaaaar!]

Hmph, I can’t help it since I need to get my meals, or so was the nuance behind Orochi’s cry.
After that, the Rule skill activated successfully.

[The thought of Yamata no Orochi became your subordinate. The growth speed of the thought accelerates.]
[The skill, Soul enchant, receives affect from the Rule skill. The growth of the artifact accelerates if the soul enchanted thought is ruled.]
[The skill, Rule, has become level 56. It is possible to receive more subordinates.]
[The skill, Soul enchant, has become level 24. Suppressing and ruling thoughts of existences stronger than you, become easier.]

The moment the skill activated successfully and the bond between Yu IlHan and the Orochi became thicker, Yu IlHan s.h.i.+vered as mysterious and indescribable thrill and excitement shot through his body.

He felt like he finally found a path in which he should walk as a DeathG.o.d. With this ability, he could do his work in an easier fas.h.i.+on!

How could he not realize until now, that the first step to becoming stronger is not learning advanced skills like the Comos-severing Spear, but finding a way to use his current abilities to the maximum and finding ways to apply that power.
And now, Yu IlHan was convinced that his first step could not be more successful.

“Mir, I love you.”

All of this was thanks to Mir. He was no different from a lump of luck.

“I also love dad!”
“Yes, yes.”

The father and son spun around like that. Well, until Erta, who arrived a little later than Liera, made a strange expression.

Yu IlHan really did wipe out all the dungeons in Seoul, to Korea, to j.a.pan, to China, and even other nearby countries. Well, as they were dungeons in worlds that didn’t even undergo the 2nd Great Cataclysm, it was as easy as 3-minute microwave curry for Yu IlHan, as he was strengthened through experiencing Dareu, Kiroa, and Ferata.

[The taste really isn’t good.] (Orochi)

Perhaps due to the Rule skill itself, or perhaps its intelligence was enhanced due to the Rule skill, Orochi could finally transmit its will to Yu IlHan using human language.
Well, as Yu IlHan had the language skill, he could understand its words before, but conversing directly like this was a leap forward. Yu IlHan shrugged his shoulders and consoled it.

“I gave you most of the thoughts I got in Ferata. Be satisfied with quant.i.ty rather than quality for once. I should leave some to use for others.”
[Hmph, I will eat to my hearts content instead then.] (Orochi)

Although he felt this before, the thought from the Orochi which was about to bring disaster upon j.a.pan, was quite cute unlike the original. Well, its current form would be closer to a completely different existence though.

Erta, who noticed that Yu IlHan had pioneered a new realm, asked him with sharp eyes.

[What happened in this short while? I think your spear became stronger.] (Erta)
“Secret.”

Although Yu IlHan’s spear could be safely said to be on the peak level, now that his emotions with Orochi were deepened, he could now wield the spear like he was handling the Eternal Flame.

Although he didn’t enjoy using the technique that split his spear into eight branches, his thought changed after using the power of Orochi for real.
Orochi butchered the weak mobs by swinging the eight branches, with more elegance and power than the time it had pressured Yu IlHan with its eight tails. That figure made Yu IlHan look more like a mage than a spearman.

It wasn’t that the absolute amount of his attack power had increased a lot. However, it was clear that his methods of attacking became more varied. That, in the end, would make Yu IlHan stronger!
Yu IlHan became even more thrilled and rampaged. The monsters that could just breathe now that the strong people of each country had left their countries for a while, were slaughtered without even being able to stretch themselves, and Orochi had a full meal.

However, he couldn’t do that refres.h.i.+ng workout forever. Just as he was about to go to the next ocean after cleaning up all the dungeons distributed over two continents and one ocean, Liera came back with her inventory full of materials for the Traps of Destruction.

[There are places where the Great Cataclysm just began! Let’s start, IlHan!] (Liera)
“Dammit, I planned to achieve level 60 for the Rule skill!”

Yu IlHan realized that the tools to create the Traps of Destruction were already inside his workshop. Angels… they worked quickly only at times like these.

“Good, good. Let’s see. Are the rewards plenty?”

He nodded with a satisfied smile and took of his armor before tying a headband for sweat absorption on his head with a cool pose, and confirmed about the rewards.

[First, there is one pa.s.sive skill and 40 status points ready as rewards. This is the basic reward.] (Liera)
“That sounds a little lacking considering the enormous amount of labor. I’ll think about it if you add 100 bottles of advanced mana potions on top of the basic reward.”

Liera pondered for a little before looking towards Spiera. Spiera nodded.

[The angels believe in your ability. I’ll add another 50 bottles of advanced mana potions on top of what you just said.] (Spiera)
“Done deal.”

Yu IlHan accepted and unequipped Ruin Calling as well. Of course, he didn’t forget to extract the Eternal Flame in the wings into the furnace. Using the Eternal Flame was compulsory in making Traps of Destruction! It was the alpha and omega.

He did raise the Eternal Flame until now, and was now quite used to wielding it, so he would have an easier time making Traps of Destructions…… he thought until there when something else flashed in his mind.

“Wait, Eternal Flame is also a living being, isn’t it?”
[Didn’t we say so until now?] (Liera)

Liera tilted her head in confusion. This was nothing new. Yu IlHan said ‘right?’ and smirked.

There was a saying that ‘Regretting after is better than regretting for not doing it’. He thought that this was the time to do it.

‘Activate Rule skill.’

Eternal Flame expressed its will of submission as if it had waited for it. Their relations.h.i.+p was already close to a master-servant before!
However, what was the problem? That the league of Eternal Flame is much higher than himself? The Rule skill wasn’t successful and deactivated mid-way. He tried twice more, but it was no good.

[IlHan, don’t tell me you…?] (Liera)
[No way!] (Erta)
[No, IlHan already has the t.i.tle, ‘Hero of Fire’. Moreover, his cla.s.s is also related to fire too. His fire affinity and resistance is absurdly high right now, perhaps he……] (Liera)

It was no good right now! Then what did he need to do, how could he enhance the Rule skill? Superhuman strength was no good, Na YuNa’s blessing wasn’t either.

However, if it was the Dragon rider’s skill it may just be possible!

‘Dragonic Blood.’

The mana in his body started boiling. He finally felt it. This skill wasn’t just a simple enhancement skill, but one that raised his league, forcefully!
If there was a next stage to this skill, that wouldn’t end with just being active but would change his existence entirely!

“Rule!”

Although he had no need to shout it out loud, he felt like doing it, so he instinctively did so. He would leave the embarra.s.sment for later before going to bed! And his try achieved a miraculous success with Eternal Flame’s proactive submission!

[Eternal Flame has become your subordinate. Eternal Flame’s growth accelerates.]
[The skill, Rule, has become level 63. The abilities of your subordinates become stronger.]
[The G.o.ddess of fire wants to give you a blessing. If you achieve one more requirement, you can receive the Blessing of the G.o.ddess of fire!]

“Oh, gawwwwwd.”

The text he expected and the completely unexpected text filled his retina, when Yu IlHan wanted to swear.

[What is it IlHan? Did some penalty occur since your skill failed!?] (Liera)
[Didn’t I say Eternal Flame was impossible? There was no way a human can endure a flame that lasts for eternity!] (Erta)
“No, it’s not like that.”

Yu IlHan raised his hammer while replying powerlessly. The angels asked him in antic.i.p.ation.

[Then what is it!] (Liera)
[Yes, just what is it!] (Erta)
“Not telling…”

Yu IlHan replied with a rotten face.

“…Returns”

This was a historical moment when the blessing of two G.o.ds were awaiting one human.

Author"s notes

Translator"s notes