Everyone Else is a Returnee

Yu IlHan first decided to a.n.a.lyze the composition of Raphael’s body. In the process of accepting Uriel into Dragon’s Nest, he did get to know a lot of information about the extent of G.o.d’s powers as well as that of the Four Great Archangels, but in the end, Uriel had become a dragon midway. The records he acquired from her weren’t complete.

“However, Raphael had died as an archangel. My dad completely threw away his position in the Four Great Archangels, and Michael surpa.s.sed that and became a transcender, so the only remaining member of the Four Great Archangels is Raphael.”
“Though, he’s the worst in terms of performance.”

Added Liera. Yu IlHan picked up his tools with a bitter smile.

“Well then, let’s start the a.n.a.lysis.”

His wings, skin, brain, flesh, muscle, bones – he dismantled everything perfectly and delicately extracted the shoulder blades. In a scene where other people would mistakenly a.s.sume to be a murder investigation, Yu IlHan eventually came to a conclusion.

“This guy’s a miss too.”

“He has almost no power as one of the Four Great Archangels. Compared to the Uriel from before she became a dragon, he’s almost weaker by two entire cla.s.ses.”

“No.”

Yu IlHan remembered that Raphael’s specialty lay in healing. He had a tremendous self-regenerative powers, but his power to heal others had also reached the extreme as well. And at the moment where he healed Michael, he definitely did possess a tremendous amount of power. But…….

“He was so easily killed by me.”

“Considering how the Four Great Angels stole power from G.o.d. They should practically be leaps and bounds stronger than the Battalion Commanders of other factions.”

However, Raphael’s death was in vain, much more so than that of any other Battalion Commander. That was because he was insta-killed by Yu IlHan’s Transcendent Trajectory.
Not only that, he didn’t die alone, but was killed together with the 1st Battalion Commander Keshein of the Destruction Demon Army. Even the buy one get one free packages of cookies at the store wouldn’t have such a vain ending.

“Raphael’s power were transferred to Michael before he was killed by me. I’m sure of it. There are traces here.”

“It would have been impossible if he didn’t have the qualities at all, but, mmm…….”

Yu IlHan pondered for a moment. Too many things appeared on his head.

“I made a countermeasure for Michael and whoever that was backing him, but I guess I’ve got another weapon now.”

“Didn’t you say Raphael gave Michael his power as one of the Four Great Archangels, darling? Do you mean that you can do something with this empty sh.e.l.l?”

“Huh? Mm……mm!”

Helièna soon realized what he meant.

“Michael stole it!?”

“Pretended to hold him back? What do you mean…….”
“He only called him back with words. If he really wanted to hold him back, then he would have beaten him up then and there.”

They became speechless. That was actually true!

“I didn’t think much about it since I don’t have a lot of interest in Raphael, but Raphael made an expression as though he wasn’t supposed to die in a place like this. It wasn’t that he was overconfident in himself, but a natural kind of confidence. But? He instantly died with one Transcendent Trajectory. Why? Because he had lost his healing powers by then. I can even remember his last words. [Aah, how can-] (T/N: Chapter 296 for those who are interested). [How can this be, to think I’ll be betrayed. I shouldn’t have trusted that d.a.m.ned b.a.s.t.a.r.d!] or so it could have been.”

Raphael should have had complete faith in Michael, but Michael splendidly betrayed him and even stole his power. He had already realized something the moment Yu IlHan awakened as a transcender and was preparing something! And he stole Raphael’s power for that reason!

“Wait, darling. I get that it’s very likely for that to be the case.”

Helièna still had some questions remaining.

“But that doesn’t change the fact that this is an empty sh.e.l.l. Just what are you going to do with it?”

“Sorry, darling. I’m a complete idiot in that field.”
“Good, then I shall put it in words that even elementary schoolers can understand.”

Yu IlHan picked up one of Raphael’s resentful eyeb.a.l.l.s and made a refres.h.i.+ng smile.

“What could have this guy thought the moment he died realizing that everything he had was stolen?”

“Not that one.”

“Similar, but not that one either.”

That was way too simplified! After Liera’s parade of wrong answers, the one that gave the correct answer was Helièna.

“I want to take revenge in the exact same way.”

A smirk appeared on Yu IlHan’s lips after hearing her answer. That was the most Destruction Demon Army-like answer, and at the same time, the most human of answers.

“That’s it. Do you now get what I’m trying to make?”

“Dammit, you won’t normally think of such a creepy thought.”
“When you are almost dead and dying, you can naturally think of such creepy thoughts.”

Yu IlHan separated the unnecessary parts and the less st.u.r.dy parts from Raphael’s body and melted them down. This process allowed the flames to be more synchronized with the materials and raise the league of the completed product.

“Well then. We have the fire and the materials, so I guess I should begin.”

“I don’t need such things anymore.”

Yu IlHan chuckled and activated the Creation skill.

[Activating Creation. Achieving what you aim for, in this place.]

Creation embodied both life and non-organic materials, and since he was not the inferior self of before, he didn’t have to try and infuse a soul every time he created something.

However, it wasn’t like there wasn’t a being that was suited to this weapon.

Raphael? Well, of course, since it was his powers that were stolen, he would have the most resentment towards Michael, but the most enraged was someone else regarding this incident. The most upright, angelic, beautiful, yet tragic person to Yu IlHan’s knowledge.

Yu IlHan took a deep breath…… and carefully, very carefully called ‘her’ name.

“Spiera, are you awake?”

“Darling?”

Having heard his voice, Liera’s and Helièna’s eyes both widened. They still wondered if things could get any more surprising than this, but this really took the cake.

“What do you mean Spiera, IlHan, don’t tell me you…?”
“Yeah.”

After Yu IlHan fought and killed Spiera, Yu IlHan had never voiced the words ‘Spiera’ even once. That was because he knew that he had to kill her, but he still felt unpleasant for having killed her himself. Every time he thought of her, he even felt that he was facing the inhumane, cold and utterly merciless side of himself.

The others also didn’t voice her name out in consideration for him. That was why it was hard to believe his words right now.

“You possess Spiera’s thought-soul?”

“I thought you didn’t take it.”
“What are you saying.”

It seemed like the others still didn’t know what kind of powers Yu IlHan possessed as a deathG.o.d. Yu IlHan chuckled and corrected their misconception.

“All actions that end a life have an inerasable responsibility behind it. For others, it may be a debt to their heart, or sin, but for me, the responsibility for killing, after a certain point…… were souls.”
“IlHan, those words…….”

Liera’s eyes trembled. Yu IlHan made a merciful smile and finished his words.

“Darling…….”

The two higher existences became speechless. And as if having waited for that moment, a streak of a clear voice entered Yu IlHan’s ears.

[I am awake, Yu IlHan. After I was taken with you, I did not close my eyes even once, and have not covered my ears even for one instant.]

Her voice could be heard by Liera and Helièna as well. The two became quiet as they remembered Spiera’s final moments. Only Yu IlHan replied to her.

“You have not called out to me even once, have you?”

“You are really, such a kind person.”
[Call me foolish instead.]

The two exchanged conversation as though they had never battled to the death in the first place. Perhaps others may view them as weird, but that was the relations.h.i.+p the two had. This did not change even after she had died.

[But you called out to me first. You must have really met with yourself. Escaping the you that treated everything you did as wrong in fear of the contemptuous gazes of others, and now you truly reflect on all of your actions, admit the right and wrong of all of them, and accept them while proceeding forward.]

[Same goes for me. I always enforced my views on you and did not listen to yours. I apologize.]

To think Spiera, whom he considered to have possibly broken but never to bend, would speak such a thing. No, well, perhaps she had broken? Yu IlHan made an awkward smile and continued.

“Not everything is revealed yet. Perhaps calling you out like this may put you through more suffering. However, I wanted you to confirm with your own eyes. I wanted to pay you back for teaching me the spear even if it was like this.”
[Now you became able to not only reflect back on yourself. However, as a side effect, you started cheris.h.i.+ng all of your acquaintances too much. Be careful. Women may misunderstand and fall deeply in love with you all by themselves.]

That hit a sore spot. Looking at the world with his newly founded eyes, his love and appreciation towards all of them overflowed and couldn’t do anything about it. That was also the reason he called Spiera back to them.

[However, in my position, that does not sound unpleasant either. Did you just mention that it may put me through more suffering? That is not the case. I am thankful and grateful because I finally have a path to vent my emotions in. So Yu IlHan, please ask me. Please ask me the one thing you wish to ask.]

Yu IlHan gladly complied. He was happy that Spiera understood him, that he could communicate with her again and let himself reveal a great big smile, but uttered a question that was in complete contrast to his expression.

“Spiera, what do you want to do with Michael and the one called G.o.d that played around with the lives and wills of countless beings since the beginning of history?”

The reply was even crueler.

[I wish to rip them apart to death and then some more.]

[I would like to request that instead.]
“Good, I heard your request.”

Yu IlHan raised one hand with a smile. In his hand was a spear of pure white that was the result of Creation. Strangely, it was completely identical in shape to the spear that Spiera had used in her long life.

“If I wish for it, I can make their start, but I still cannot comprehend the essence of souls properly. Though, I have vaguely grasped on how to treat them. The point is that they are extremely rare and complicated compared to other materials, but they are, in the end, a ‘being’! In other words, materials!”

“That’s exactly it! I sometimes do nice things, but I’m fundamentally a bad guy!”
[You became more evil!]

Spiera couldn’t enter the spear right away. Although it was somewhat sorry to say this after he had seduced her into doing this, but the current Spiera’s thought-soul was too weak. As such, Yu IlHan prepared a special enhancement process for her. It was none other than a super-luxurious buffet composed of specially selected thought-souls!

“Spiera, it’s meal time!”
[Somehow, your way of saying it irritates me to no end…….]

Even while regretting the moment where she had exchanged a kind conversation with him, Spiera faced the thought-souls that he had prepared for her.
What kind of karma had he piled up until now? There were an innumerable number of pitiful thought-souls, and there were still a lot even after he had hand-picked them.

[Painful…….]

[I do not want to think any more…….]

Facing thought-souls that spoke eternally-traumatic lines for every line they spoke, Spiera fell into a truly tragic feeling. However, Yu IlHan’s will was firm, and since she had decided to grab his hand again, she couldn’t escape reality at this point.

[Tch, I guess I can’t help it…….]

Spiera resolved herself. Then she opened her mouth.

[I shall bear all of your resentment and karma. Now leave everything to me.]
[Khaaaaaaaaaak!]

Spiera’s thought-soul hunting started. Like how Yu IlHan said he was able to treat souls now, he could directly feed her thought-souls that were even stronger than her when she was alive without much difficulty.

This was the biggest difference between the past Yu IlHan and the current him. How much suffering did Orochi go through in order to face thought-souls stronger than him? But Spiera became much stronger with no effort whatsoever…….

[Is this the path of an Asura? Yes, going against G.o.d will require me to become the devil himself. Fufu, so I fell to such a point.]
“Hey, your words are hurting me.”

Spiera may have a strong sense of justice, but to Yu IlHan, treating thought-souls as food and ingredients wasn’t even considered ‘evil’. Even though they said they understood each other, there was still the width of the Rubicon river between the two.

“Ooh, I can feel Spiera’s thought-soul becoming stronger.”

“It’s near impossible to completely take in a dead soul. You and Spiera belong to the relatively whole faction. And as for Orochi and Mystic, they could be considered to have been completely reborn.”
“I’m scared now…….”

Spiera regained her former might by preying on the thought-souls recklessly, surpa.s.sed it, and eventually acquired a power that rivaled the 7th cla.s.s in league. However, that was not the end. The special buffet course that Yu IlHan had prepared still had one remaining.

[……Raphael.]
[This cannot happen.]

Raphael’s thought-soul that he had imprisoned so that he could never again see the light of day ever since he took it, also awoke deep within Yu IlHan’s consciousness.
If Yu IlHan interrogated Raphael’s thought-soul in the past, he would have realized that his powers were stolen much earlier, but in the first place, he never treated Raphael as someone worthy to be his enemy, so he didn’t even see the need to interrogate him.

“Raphael, thank me for putting you on the show twice even though you are a side character.”

[Fuu…… Raphael, I shall take your last bit of emotions with me as well. Pour it out with no regrets. I am currently in need of your disgusting and sticky emotions.]
“I think she really became evil.”

Yu IlHan tilted his head and utilized his power. Raphael, who struggled to escape from Spiera, could not resist Yu IlHan’s dominating power and was restrained without being able to do anything. He could only shout while cursing his own vulnerable state.

[Dammit! I only believed in the lord and followed him! Why do I have to meet such a tragic end! I am one of the Four Great Archangels! One of the four brightest ever since G.o.d, and still should be! Why has Lord Michael betrayed me? Why did Gabriel not mention anything to me? Why is Uriel in love with Gabriel!]

Hmm, it seems like Uriel received the affection of both Michael and Raphael. Though, the person in question loved Gabriel…… Even the Four Great Archangels that lived countless years have a morning drama-like relations.h.i.+p. Yu IlHan acquired a new realization.

[Thank you for the meal.]
[KHAAAAAAAAAAAAK!]

Spiera ignored Raphael’s words and ate him whole. At that moment, a strong shockwave was emitted from within Yu IlHan. Spiera had succeeded in absorbing everything of Raphael and growing.

[It feels more stifling the more my power grows……]

[You are being unpleasant when you act overly kind. Just be the trash that you always are.]
“So that is why I never saw Spiera’s body when you disposed of the other angels’ bodies.”

Liera would have persuaded Yu IlHan to give her Spiera’s body if he was going to use it somewhere, but it seemed that Yu IlHan had just left it alone.
She just thought that he didn’t want to be related to Spiera in any way anymore, but Yu IlHan also seemed to be agonizing over it. Liera smiled, and Spiera entered the pure white spear even while feeling somewhat unpleasant.

Once all materials were in place, Yu IlHan activated Creation once again. A delightful message appeared on his eyes.

[Blade of the Avenger was completed.]

He saw the name of the artifact, and put it inside him. Since he had made it perfectly, he would be able to call it out in the form of flames whenever he wanted.

“Spiera, adjust to your condition in there for a while.”

“Huh.”

Looking at him, Helièna tilted her head and asked.

“Don’t you have to check the artifact rank or the details of it?”

“Oh my…….”

That was a cool line he always wanted to say! Helièna’s heart skipped a beat due to the sudden intensity of the line, while Yu IlHan proceeded to the next job without hesitation. Since he had limitless amounts of all types of materials, he could make limitless things.

He had to take a look at the equipment that the others would use, and had to make a one-time artifact that would protect them in case of emergencies, and had to make specialized artifacts that contained Yu IlHan’s Declaration power just in case something outside of his expectations arose, and…….

Hearing Yu IlHan’s perfect plan without any gaps at all, Liera asked him in a defeated voice.

“IlHan, is there any method to win against you?”

“Wao!”

Yu IlHan firmly replied to Liera and activated the Creation skill once again. He put a flame in midair as in resolve to erase all the materials that he had gathered until now.

Just like that, a year pa.s.sed.

Author’s notes

Translator’s notes
Yeah… this chapter is suddenly 50% longer than usual…

DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNNNNN~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!!!!!!!!!!! Spiera is still here!

And also, uh, 10 chapters left of the main story.