203 - 208

It has been 2 years since the 3rd Great Cataclysm, as well as the second year that Yu IlHan was left alone.

"Oh, there's one here too."

[Khaaaak!]

[Critical Hit!]

[Kahk!]

Whether it was deep in the sea, high up above the clouds, or a forest full of thick trees, it didn't matter. With the flying fortress, Yu IlHan roamed around the Earth and killed all the monsters he could find.

[Human, we need to find and kill humans...!]

"And another one."

[Kuhuk!?]

[Critical Hit!]

[You have...]

[The skill, Deathgod, activates...]

The monsters somehow had an enormous resentment towards Yu IlHan from birth, and tried to find him, but Yu IlHan didn't want any more useless foreshadows so he killed them mercilessly and did not interrogate them for information. In fact, he found it annoying that he could understand what the monsters were saying.

"Just what did I do to piss off even the newborns?"

[Honestly, there are numerous reasons...? Do you even remember how many monsters you've killed until now?]

Just the destruction mirrors that orbited around the flying fortress like guards on patrol, had probably killed tens of billions of monsters. If there was something like a collective consciousness of monsters, then it would be strange if they didn't resent Yu IlHan.

Liera remarked as if it was absurd, but Yu IlHan replied back with a shining pose.

"Liera, do you remember how many slices of bread you have eaten until now?"

[Fine, I get it.]

Yu IlHan collected the monster he had just killed. Although it had died too easily, this guy was a proper 4th class, one that even had a magic stone.

"So Earth is such a laborious place."

[Although this is nothing new… your thought process is really shocking...]

Yu IlHan also acknowledged that he was being overly optimistic, but he also thought that he wasn't really wrong saying that. That was because just counting the number of 4th class magic stone he had acquired in the past 2 years numbered 150 thousand!

"Would it be possible to acquire 150 thousand 4th class magic stones even if we clean up a thousand other worlds, other than Earth?"

[If it's a lower world, then of course not.]

Yu IlHan looked at the pile of 4th class magic stones in his inventory and muttered. Just a few years ago, he had to be careful about using any 4th class magic stones, but now, he was literally swimming in riches!

Perhaps the heavens blessed him to be able to make anything he wants in compensation for cursing him to his lonerness. Perhaps he might have exchanged the two values which must never be exchanged!

[However, if it's a higher world, it's not impossible to gather that many magic stones. The problem is that 4th class magic stones aren't that useful to higher existences]

"So one would need a magic stone of a higher existence to go against another?"

[Well, yeah, it's supposed to be. In fact, whatever magic stones are used, it would work if the rank of the weapon is high. Rather than their abilities, it's their tier that makes the difference.]

"Explain it more simply."

Liera pondered for a moment, before giving a short and clear answer.

[Everything you make will work.]

"Yes, that's enough."

No 5th class magic stone was used in the making of the flying fortress. If he heard that the flying fortress could not confront higher existences despite it being a god ranked artifact, then even he would have gone berserk at the injustice of the system.

[In fact, I think it's really unfair that you could make epic or chaos or god or whatever using just 4th class magic stones... but that's nothing new so I'll skip past it.]

"You just said everything though."

Yu IlHan looked at his inventory and thought about what he could do with the magic stones he had gathered, but he decided to save them since there was nothing he could use them on right now.

Yes, 'right now'.

[You're planning something again!]

"It's nothing."

In fact, he had plenty of things to use the magic stones on if he wished to. He could consume them without waiting for the destruction mirrors to charge up and also use them as fuel to accelerate the flying fortress. However, the 3rd class magic stones, which numbered ten times as much, would suffice for that.

It was an infinite cycle of killing monsters and gaining their magic stones, and becoming more efficient in hunting them. The more he repeated the cycle, he acquired more magic stones, and by consuming them, the flying fortress increased its speed and destructive power in killing monsters.

The result was that, after 2 years, Yu IlHan could go around the world on the flying fortress in just a day or two. That round trip also included the process of killing monsters that appeared from various corners of the world.

[The rate at which monsters disappear is faster than the rate at which they appear... you know what may happen at this rate, right?]

"Overflow."

Like how Electrodes (Pokemon) didn't die even when they self-destruct, dungeons did not disappear even when he made them explode. Rather, as the contents were emptied out, it desperately emits mana in order to re-fill the empty space, but the monsters outside were long since cleaned up by Yu IlHan, so it would not get any re-fill.

Then what happens? The Earth, possessing a thick concentration of mana, would generate more monsters to counteract that.

The mana emitted by the Traps of Destructions, the mana possessed by the Earth, and the Akashic Records of that region would combine with each other to give birth to literal freakish monsters!

[If you know, then slow down!]

"However, if an Overflow occurs and stronger monsters appear, then the Earth's growth speed would accelerate, wouldn't it? In fact, the majority of the monsters spawning nowadays are 4th class beings."

Was it just 4th class? An overflow would be occurring even now, somewhere on Earth. Elite monsters over level 250 were being born non-stop! Of course, no monsters could survive the direct attack from Yu IlHan himself and the flying fortress!

Right now, Earth was giving off a relatively peaceful atmosphere, and was rather quiet thanks to the flying fortress. But if the flying fortress disappeared from Earth for just one week, then Earth would enter an era of chaos and destruction again. Even worlds after the 4th Great Cataclysm wouldn't be in such a dire situation.

Liera actually feared that Earth would progress into a higher world very soon.

Once, Yu IlHan had said that he would replace the 7 billion humans on Earth and kill the monsters for them, but looking at the flying fortress and Yu IlHan right now, that was an absurd lie. Yu Ilhan was doing well over 7 billion people's worth. It was more like 10 or 20 billion.

[But IlHan needs to get his 4th class too.]

"Hm."

At this point, the only requirements Yu IlHan hadn't achieved was the blessing of the goddess of fire, mastering Blaze and mastering Deathgod. Deathgod and Blaze were nearing mastery, and were at level 99. Thinking about what kind of path he had taken until now to achieve that, he wanted to cry.

"Fire.... fire."

Calling out the conditions to acquire his 4th class, Yu IlHan muttered while looking at the list.

"Should I try turning the world into a sea of fire?"

[How can you say such evil words like it's nothing?]

"Or should I try making an artificial sun?"

[I can't even keep up with you now!]

Of course, whether it was covering the Earth with fire that is enough to dry out all the oceans, or making an artifact to replace the sun, he would need a 5th class magic stone. So, whichever it was, it was still a dream inside a dream.

"I also need to evolve the Language skill too."

[You don't need to hurry. Just remember that you're progressing plenty fast right now.]

5th class magic stone? Liera didn't even know they existed prior to her becoming a higher existence. Meanwhile, Yu IlHan required them whether it was acquiring 4th class, or evolving his skill, so it was very absurd.

"Ah... okay."

[Huh?]

However, unlike her intentions, Yu IlHan looked dejected after hearing that.

"Yes. You're right. There is a lot of time, so I don't need to hurry."

[...]

"Fuu..."

Perhaps, just perhaps, the reason why Yu IlHan wasn't pedalling the breaks was to escape this stuffy reality. Although it was easy to forget because of his optimistic attitude, he was currently in a situation where it wouldn't be strange even if he went crazy.

In the beginning stages of the 3rd Great Cataclysm, there were a lot of monsters to kill, and there were a lot of weapons to develop as well, so he had a lot to look forward to, but now that 2 years have passed, there was nothing more to make, and there were no monsters to kill for 3 or 4 days once he went on a round trip.

Even now, he had just finished a round trip around the world, so he couldn't find any signs of monsters no matter how hard he looked for them. He just emptied out all the dungeons on Earth, so that was sure.

Liera finally thought that she might have committed a mistake, but it was too late by then. The dejected Yu IlHan put Blaze on his spear and swung it around, pioneering a new realm of playing alone.

His figure, making a figure of flames in the air using the Eternal Flame, was very beautiful when seen afar, but looked very miserable when seen up close. Liera couldn't leave him alone, and tried her best to think up of things that may improve his mood.

[Bath, if you take a bath, you'll feel better.]

"You're trying to share it again, aren't you?"

[I don't want to enter such a poisonous bath, duh.]

However, Yu IlHan's mood didn't get better even when he finished bathing. That could be seen from how the figure of flames he was making had evolve from a rabbit to the perverted vibration demon. If it was possible, Liera wanted to ask him to make something else, but Yu IlHan right now was like a bomb that would go off at any moment.

[Th, then...]

This was her chance. Liera decided to try a bolder approach to make Yu IlHan feel better. In no way this was to fulfill her desires. It was to console Yu IlHan! – even her own excuse was perfect.

[IlHan.]

"Speak."

She licked her lips while blushing in embarrassment, before closing her eyes and opening her mouth.

[IlHan, how about you…..]

"Huh?"

At that moment, Yu IlHan abruptly raised his head. The figure of the vibration demon in the air dissipated. Did he realize without her having to say it? Just as when Liera's face turned as red as a tomato,

"It's an Overflow."

[....]

"This aura is explosive. Is it because I cleaned out all the monsters from the ground? No, several Traps of Destructions are resonating at once. Don't tell me it's..."

Yu IlHan, who even showed signs of listlessness until now, instantly turned proactive. Well, this was the reason why he could grow until now, but Liera couldn't help but think that she just became a fool when she saw that he was moving so busily.

[Should I just…..]

"Talk to me later, Liera. It looks like the thing I was waiting for is about to happen."

[Waiting for? I was waiting for hundreds of years! ...wait, waiting for what?]

Yu IlHan didn't answer and drove the flying fortress, he applied concealment on the entire castle and wasn't satisfied with just that and collected all of the Hundred Eyes into one place and prepared them to be able to shoot at any moment.

Liera thought 'no way' while looking at that, but could realize when the flying fortress reached the region of the Overflow.

A storming current of golden light; movements of the Traps of Destructions that defined reason and was gathering in one area; amplifying mana and the records belonging to the Akashic Record.

And a violent life form that was struggling inside it.

[A naturally occurring...5th class…..?]

A miracle that cannot happen, and should not have happen, was occurring on Earth right now.

Author's notes

Is a 5th class finally being born on Earth…..? Find out next chapter ????

All beings are born as lower existences. This was an absolute condition applied to any and all worlds, even higher worlds weren't an exception to this rule.

It wasn't that there weren't absurd monsters born with a level above 270 as a result of a catastrophic cluster of mana, but no matter how 'hard' the 'world tried', there was a fundamental difference in the amount of records and mana between higher and lower existences. If they were born here and there, then the multiverse would have collapsed long ago.

[If it was that easy, then the Destruction Demon Army should have destroyed the Heaven's Army long ago. In fact, the Destruction Demon Army numbers the most among the 4 factions. There are many monsters born with really high levels in worlds after the 4th Great Cataclysm. Although the trail to become a higher existence is as hard as anyone else, if the Destruction Demon Army reaches their hands out...]

"So even Dareu may have given birth to many Destruction Demon Soldeirs."

[Yes, if it was maintained that way.]

"Then what is that?"

Yu IlHan pointed at the golden storm of mana that was arising on the ground and asked Liera. Liera became speechless.

[Uh, so, it's....]

It was a storm that raged as if every item containing mana was being sucked into it.

The life form raging at the center, definitely possessed the violent presences of higher existences Yu IlHan had felt many times while living with the angels, attacking the fallen angels, and when he met Teraka in Dareu, the one that became a higher existence as a dragon.

[It looks like there was a mistake!]

Replied Liera in the brightest way possible. However, her expression was still not that pretty to look at, and she couldn't hide her despair.

However, Yu IlHan just firmly accepted those words.

"Yeah, I was wondering why you weren't saying that nowadays." 1

Rules becoming twisted and broken just on Earth was nothing new anymore. Moreover, Yu IlHan was always waiting for this to happen. Experience given from 5th class beings was always welcome. Their magic stones were even more warmly welcomed.

Liera became worried after seeing Yu IlHan licking his lips.

[What are you going to do?....Kill it?]

"There's no reason why I can't. In fact, the Deathgod skill is still maintained right now."

The Deathgod skill's activation requirements were loosened once he entered the 90s, and currently, at 99, it was strengthened to the extreme compared to level 1.

Before, his buffs would be reset if he didn't kill an enemy within 5 minutes of each other, but right now, even if he didn't kill continuously, he could maintain the buffed state for one hours and 30 minutes.

Of course, that was nothing to stop the skill from being cancelled if he failed in killing the enemy in one strike, but the duration being lengthened by 18 times was a huge boon. Especially in situations like now where he found a monster after playing around a lot!

"There's around 5 minutes left I guess. Although, it would be fine if I can get just a single hit in."

[You do know that the situation is much different from the time you attacked a fallen angel in surprise, right...?]

"Yup."

When he attacked the fallen angel in surprise, his conditions were too good. Not only was there Na YuNa, the strongest buffer in the world, he had also learned about the weakness of the fallen angels from Liera. If he attacked the head or the heart recklessly, he wouldn't have killed them so easily.

However, Yu IlHan dared to say that his current conditions were much better than that. Two years had passed, and although his level didn't rise by much, his power was incomparable to before. Just speaking about the Deathgod skill, although 80% was the limit at that time, right now, it was possible to enhance everything by 90%. Blaze, his Spear techniques, and other weapon mastery as well as support skills had developed a lot as well.

And decisively, he was now with the Destroyer's Flying Fortress. The flying fortress was treated as his equipment, so not only did it receive the effects of the enhancement from the Deathgod skill, it also received the benefits of a surprise attack!

Liera saw that Yu IlHan was completely rearing for battle, and spoke after looking at the golden storm of light that was slowly dissipating.

[It is not far from birth. If you really need to kill it, you need to do it now when its ego still hasn't taken root.]

"Got it."

[...Don't you have any plans on waiting? If it was the birth of a simple monster, I wouldn't care, but this is an unprecedented incident. 5th class and above can no longer be considered 'monsters'. I mean to say that it might not be born evil.]

"Liera, you should know this, but."

Yu IlHan activated the greatest attack system on the fortress, the Hundred Eyes, before replying.

"I don't like gambling that much."

If that was a harmless existence, then all was well. He would welcome that at any time. Perhaps that being might understand Yu IlHan's intentions and even support him.

However, what if it was like any other monster born on Earth, born with the resentment and killing intent towards Yu IlHan? If Yu IlHan's concealment wore off, then he would be threatened with death. No matter how strong he was, he could not sustain a full frontal fight with a 5th class being without the help of the Deathgod skill.

"And in fact, I don't really like the concept of good and evil either."

If Yu IlHan was a man who could only act after judging the good and the evil, then he wouldn't even be standing here right now. He would have died long ago.

Despite what kind of grand schemes one may have, once the standard of good and evil became oneself, then it only becomes hypocrisy. So, he does not judge the good and the evil. He only killed due to necessity and for survival.

In that, was neither good nor evil. Only life.

[Okay, I get it.]

Hearing his firm reply, Liera also did not say anything and took a step back. Yu IlHan thought that Liera may have perhaps mentioned that just in case he hesitated, but he didn't pay any heed to that and just focused on deploying the destruction mirrors.

One hundred mirrors floated on top of the flying fortress, and tilted at precise angles, as if they were preparing to focus their power into a single point. This was the 'one point focus' mode that Yu IlHan had prepared for scenarios like this.

[Wow, that's amazing...]

"Of course it is. How many magic stones do you think I'm using to do that?"

The most grand and overwhelming aura made Liera swallow in nervousness. She was sure that even she wouldn't be able to block all of that without coming out unscathed, even if she were to release all of her power as an angel.

Even though the feathers of the fallen angels were from higher existences, now that they were separated and lost their lives, it had to be weaker than the time they were in active use. However, Yu IlHan had focused all of that power and stacked it in order to bring out a power that could harm higher existences. That, was a blessing and simultaneously a disaster, born from power and technology.

A set of weapons made for mass destruction. What that was aiming at was of course the central regions of the storm occurring on the ground. Although it hadn't even taken shape yet, the absurd amount of mana could still be seen. Yu IlHan finished the minute adjustment of the trajectory and smirked.

"Even magical girls are the weakest when they're transforming."

[I like how you say such words without hesitation.]

He was confident that he could kill the enemy with just this, but as the opponent was a higher existence, he decided to put another measure as insurance. Never would Yu IlHan get struck on the back of his head due to carelessness. He had learned countless patterns of sure-fail tactics from novels and their protagonists!

[IlHan, hurry up. It will awaken and move soon.]

"Even if you don't tell me that, I'll...."

He activated Dragonic Blood and Blaze successively. As always, he had made it white using Eternal Flame. The location he placed the power of the flames was of course, the central regions of the destruction mirrors. Liera shouted in shock.

[Such a thing was possible?]

"Of course, it's a part of my equipment. Although, I do wish I can acquire the blessing of the goddess of fire with this..."

He always failed when he got greedy. He shook off his regrets about the blessing of the goddess of fire with a light smile, and shot the weapon before that thing actually found consciousness and stood on guard. There was no need for any grand movements. It was just enough for him to grip his left hand more.

[Kyak!]

Just as Liera instinctively shrunk her body and stuck to Yu IlHan after feeling the scale of the compressed mana, the destruction mirrors shot out a ray of white light without the slightest bit of vibrations.

It was compressed to the extreme that the ray of light that was thinner than a fishing line not only contained the mana contained by the hundred destruction mirrors, it also had the power of Blaze enhanced by Dragonic blood.

[Critical Hit!]

In that instant, the line connected the sky with the ground, and struck the center of the storm at a speed that could not be followed with the eyes. Yu IlHan made the flying fortress charge towards the ground the moment he was sure that his attack had succeeded.

[What are you doing!]

"It's not dead yet!"

[Then why are you dropping the fortress!]

"Watch closely!"

The flying fortress rapidly shot towards the ground! With the 'sudden descent' option, this speed had plenty of room for improvements!

"Although it doesn't amount to much, let's add the weight of the inventory."

[What do you mean not much it's becoming fasterrrrrrrrrrrrrr!]

The ground neared. Yu IlHan covered the flying fortress with a spherical barrier to protect the crucial parts of the fortress, and covered that barrier with Blaze. This was a perfect artificial Meteor!

[So you can do everything with Blaze!]

"It's only pitiful that I can't use Dragonic blood simultaneously yet!"

The power of the stacked rays from Hundred Eyes was so strong that the 5th class enemy that appeared after the storm had dissipated due to the sheer force, couldn't move even a little. As the ground neared, Yu IlHan could also confirm the figure of the enemy.

"Oh, dang."

At that place was the figure of a feeble, pretty lady that even made Yu IlHan hesitate for a moment. The enemy that couldn't even move due to a perforation on the chest was leaking tears from its clear eyes as if to provoke Yu IlHan's empathy!

[A, a woman!?]

Liera shouted in panic. Just from the scale of the storm, it wouldn't have been strange if it was bigger than the golem that he fought in Lanpas, but what actually appeared had the figure of a human! And moreover, she was such a feeble and delicate and beautiful lady!

"Screw yourself!"

And this guy here didn't consider that at all and still made the flying fortress charge without stopping! There should be a limit to how dried out his emotions can be!

However, there wasn't even any time for Liera to say anything. Yu IlHan would not stop at all, and before she could do anything, the figure of the woman disappeared as the flying fortress flattened her!

A sound, if that could be considered a sound at all, resounded across the lands. The enormous weight of the flying fortress had just struck the ground, despite the 'shock absorption' from the higher existence, so that was nothing strange.

The extreme ray of energy followed by the charge of the flying fortress split apart the region at the point of collision and brought about a large scale earthquake, but as Yu IlHan had immediately collected the body of the higher existence the moment he killed 'her', the ground was of no concern for him.

[You have earned experience.]

[??? ???? ?????? ??? ?????? ?? Lv 3?? ???????]

"Ah, these question marks again."

[IlHan, you just!]

No matter how you looked at it, it was a 'good' existence! – just as Liera was about to say that, a screeching woman's voice rang out in Yu IlHan's head.

[Hey! You! You really had to kill that!?] (????????)

"Of course, I had to kill that."

Yu IlHan spoke as if he was expecting that.

"When you become a pro loner like me, you would be able to differentiate fake tears. How dare you try to deceive me when you were just born."

[....Huh?]

[....Tch.]

Liera tilted her head after finding out the situation a little late, and the thought-soul of the higher existence ???????? acknowledged that she was inferior to Yu IlHan.

[Uuuuuugh, again...another being I can't win against!]

While the unexpected farewell and unexpected meeting happened in silence, only Orochi was swallowing his frustration.

Author's notes

There are quite a lot of things he can do with Blaze! But he still hasn't mastered it yet!

Will Orochi be able to win against a higher existence's thought-soul?

1. She said the same thing when 10 years became 1000 years.

The thought-soul that newly registered on Yu IlHan's collection was a very noisy one.

[How could you kill me without differentiating whether I was an ally or enemy! Huh!?]

"And you had any thoughts on becoming friendly with anyone?"

[I was going to kill them all.]

Well, of course. There was no way the naturally occurring higher existence born on Earth, where everything was born with resentment towards Yu IlHan was going to be friendly. Yu IlHan confronted the pitiful thought-soul that couldn't lie, and spoke with a sigh.

"Done differentiation, you're an enemy."

[How can you only check after you kill!]

"You always start off by killing before anything in war. And my life has always been a war."

[IlHan is so cool…..}

[Cool!? That's COOL!?]

The thought-soul sounded very enraged. Well, it was nothing surprising since it died before it could do anything even though it was born as a higher existence.

However, Yu IlHan did not regret his actions at all. To be exact, he was sure that his will wouldn't have wavered no matter how the situation developed out.

She was an enemy. The reason he could have a luxury talk with her right now was only because he had killed her and made her into a thought-soul, and if she was at all alive, then there would be no room for any conversation.

[Coward, how are you so well off after killing me with a surprise attack!]

"Hahaha, a loser dog is barking."

Yu IlHan also had the trait of a non-social person that became arrogant once be was sure of his complete superiority.

[Eeek, what do you mean a loser dog. There was no chance to fight at all!]

"I said life is a war. Why didn't you prepare the moment you were born? Well, you still wouldn't have seen through my concealment."

[Eeeeeeeek!]

[IlHan, you're being scary…..]

While Yu IlHan was thinking of ways to extort information from this noisy girl, the thought-souls rants continued on.

[But cowardly is still cowardly! Just as I was about to take a breath after being born, a weird beam screws up my body, and after I barely endured that, a giant castle falls on me! There's a reason why this world is trying to kill you!]

"Mastering Death Collector is quite annoying. I collect weird thought-souls like these without my permission."

Yu IlHan quietly levitated the flying fortress and muttered. Of course, he said that but it wasn't like she was a useless thought-soul. Not only was it a big plus that he had gained a thought-soul of a 5th class that had intelligence, if he used her well, when she was born from the records of the Earth, it was possible for him to gain information on what he couldn't even come in contact with until now.

[Khhhhh, it's so frustrating dammit!] (Orochi)

"It's alright, Orochi. You're doing your best."

If it was any other ordinary thought-soul, he would have borrowed Orochi's power to interrogate, but she was of the 5th class – not someone Orochi could currently do something about. What was left was a peaceful negotiation, but the problem was whether this soul fragment that was just smashed by him would be cooperative or not.

From her words, she sounded like a little child that had no experience despite having a lot of knowledge, perhaps due to being just born.

[Anyway, free me! I still have my body, and my soul is here too!]

"I'm sorry but your soul has already passed onto somewhere I do not know. You are only a fragment of the original."

[What....!?]

Oh? Would she go into self-retrospective now? The matters of life and death and the soul was always a difficult matter for any being. For her to accept that when she was just a newborn, the weight would be too much on her.

[IlHan, what are you doing to a newborn?]

"Well, she's an enemy."

[Oh, yeah. I forgot since you acted so freely with her.]

Yu IlHan had completely levitated the flying fortress and checked the barrier while waiting for her reply, and the thought-soul that was silent after realization of her own identity finally spoke after a little time.

[Th, then...]

"Then?"

[Then it's the same as me being born again thanks to you, isn't it?]

Never did he think she would accept that so optimistically!

[You are quite amazing! Well, yeah. At the time I was born, I was only thinking about killing all the humans on Earth, but now my thought-process is quite free! So that's it, it's because I was born anew!]

"Well, yeah. I'm quite amazing."

"Yes. I didn't die. I was born!"

The shift in the thought-soul's thought process was surprisingly fast. Even Yu IlHan wouldn't be so optimistic as her.

However, it was not a bad thing to accept reality and think positively about it. Whether it was for her, or for Yu IlHan, it would make her advance forward.

And as expected, once she left the negative thoughts, she went on to expand her thoughts.

[But this is still too stuffy for me. I don't like this feeling of being trapped in unknown darkness. Give me a body like that snake.]

[Groaaaaar, I'm not a snake. I'm Yamata no Orochi.]

"Hmm."

[The body my soul was in is still intact right? If it's you you can transfer me back over!]

"I'm sorry but it's not that simple."

Yu IlHan spoke in a really unfortunate tone and took out her corpse. Perforated with a Blaze-imbued laser beam, and being smashed by the flying fortress, that 'body' made one wonder if it can even be considered a body anymore.

[...]

While the thought-soul was at a loss in front of the unfortunate reality, Liera spoke after looking at the state of the corpse.

[Perhaps it would look like this if an ogre ate a human and vomited it back out.]

[Uwaaaaaaaaaaaan!]

The thought-soul burst out crying. This was a real cry and not one to make Yu IlHan hesitate like before!

[It turned into paste, my pretty body! Although it's not my body but still! Uwaaaaaaan!]

Yu IlHan glared at Liera as if he was innocent, despite him being the one that made the body like this, and calmly spoke to the thought-soul that was crying noisily in his head.

"However, I can give you a different body."

[...A different body?]

The moment she heard that voice, her voice floated up as if the crying never happened. Success – Yu IlHan smiled after he was sure of that.

"You should know that everything in the world is a give-and-take process, right?"

[But you killed me! No, well, a soul that shared consciousness with me!]

"Then stay like that if you don't want to. I'll come back for a 2nd round after making Orochi grow. I'll say this now, but the conditions then wouldn't be as good as it is now."

[Ugh...!]

There was no need for Yu IlHan to provoke any further. Her intelligence was very clear, enough for her to judge that the situation was too disadvantageous for her to drag things out.

Adding on top of that, the fact that she was considering the higher existence that just died and herself as different beings, finally, she obediently replied to Yu IlHan.

[I, can't help it.... and so? What is this condition?]

"It's very simple. You only need to become a subordinate under my rule. It's the best method for the two of us to be able to trust each other."

[Aha, like that snake...?]

[I'm not a snake!]

Shouted Orochi. Yu IlHan giggled with the two fighting as BGM. Although it was a pity that he couldn't acquire a 5th class magic stone from her body, it looked like this was a jackpot in its own way.

[???????? has become your subordinate.]

[Uugh, this feels unpleasant. I can feel a connection with another being.]

"Hold it. It's not only you that feels unpleasant."

Although she was only a thought-soul, she was still a part of a higher existence. It was an enormous matter to make her submit under his rule.

It would have been difficult even if he had mastered the Rule skill, but as the abilities of a Deathgod supported him, and she was being cooperative as well, he safely succeeded. And naturally, his skill level rose by quite a lot!

[The skill, Rule, has become level 97. It becomes easier to accept a higher-levelled opponent under your rule, the growth speed of all beings under you accelerates, and you receive natural loyalty from all of them. You can apply a little bit of forcefulness in the activation, but only against beings overwhelmingly lower-leagued than you.]

"Hhm. This skill is becoming frightening too. That forceful part really nags on my mind….."

If he could forcefully submit someone, it meant that someone overwhelmingly stronger than him could do the same to him. Yu IlHan was worried about that, but Liera replied as if that was nothing to worry about.

[It's normal stuff to make others forcefully submit even without the Rule skill, when there's a large gap in levels, no? There's no need to worry about that. What's more important is the speed you're levelling the Rule skill at.]

"Hmmmmm, that's true, but thinking about how it could affect the opponent's mind, it feels a little….."

[Sheesh minor details. There are not many people who raised the Rule skill as much as you in the first place!]

The Rule skill. It was a skill with a tremendous difficulty of acquisition made for rulers, and it was even harder to raise them. However, not only did Yu IlHan acquire this skill from Heaven's Quest, he had also made quite a lot of footholds for its growth by subordinating elves and even dragons…..

Moreover, this growth accelerated as the subordinates, who were in places unknown to him, were developing rapidly. Adding a higher existence into the mix, it had reached an absurd level of 97.

[Ugh, this is uncomfortable. I can't hate master even if I wanted to! Eh? I called him master and not master but why do I keep calling him master?]

"Please speak something I can understand."

[I am!]

It looked like the speech patterns of the subordinates were also affected. Yu IlHan became afraid of his own skill for a moment, but then thought that everything was fine since he was fine.

"Well, it would be fine if I became stronger faster."

[You're quite progressive when you've just killed a higher existence in a surprise attack.]

[Master, body! Where's my body?]

The thought-soul that just finished the contract, shouted in a bright voice. Yu IlHan stopped thinking about the Rule skill completely and confronted her.

"Before that let's give you a name. There's also something I want to ask you."

[Although I want a body, but I guess that's fine... name me anything.]

"Well, then. How about Mistic."

[....Mystic, I like it! Master is quite good after all!]

"Huh."

In fact, he meant for the name to be a part of 'optimistic', with her being naïve and all, but she heard that as 'mystic', i.e. being mysterious. But since she liked it, Yu IlHan decided to not talk about the source of the name.

Well, everyone grew up that way. Even Yu IlHan wouldn't be standing here if the pain of the 'Bl****d Lancer' didn't exit!

Like the name, Mystic 1 asked with the endlessly positive attitude.

[So, what is it that you want to ask?]

"The current state of the Earth. You talked about this right? That you thought that you had to kill me the moment you were born. It would be fine if that was your instinct as a monster, but after talking with you, it doesn't sound like that."

[I'm not a monster!]

"That's why I'm asking, Mystic."

Yu IlHan's voice lowered. Perhaps this was the most important moment after the 3rd Great Cataclysm.

"I have a lot to ask, but let me ask this first. How... were you born as a higher existence?"

[That's…..]

Mystic hesitated for a moment but replied soon.

[Probably, I was part of a large pool of shared records before I was born.]

"...Huh?"

Yu IlHan momentarily couldn't understand and asked back, but Liera instantly understood her words.

[So you aren't a naturally ocurring higher existence?]

[Yeah.]

Acknowledged Mystic.

[I was born with the help of another higher existence sharing his own record. With the orders to kill you.]

"...."

At that point, Yu IlHan could understand her words.

It looked like there was a higher existences other than her on Earth right now.

Author's notes

Let me announce the results of the popularity poll, this will be very long!

There were a total of 1485 votes. And let me announce you the most obvious 1st place. It's none other than Yu IlHan with 437 votes!

"Because He's MC" such simple reasons numbered the most, and the next popular ones are "He's similar to me" "He puts in endless effort" and the like. Haha, that's strange. I'm not even wearing glasses but my vision is getting hazy…. IlHan, do your best, we're all loners!

Let me omit the ones with 1 or 2 votes. The one that left the most impression was the 'Mantis Scythe Armguard' that briefly appeared at the very beginning of the story. Even this author forgot until I saw that vote. To think that would get a vote!

Thanks to Spiera doing something bad just before the poll, she only got 3 votes. The Bittersweet persona, which has now become the flying fortress received 5. Meanwhile, the unrevealed master of the hell dungeon where Mir is currently in, received 7 votes and gave Spiera a big hit!

The author of this novel, I, have received 8 votes. One reason said "Because he looks handsome". Although I'm very thankful, you won't get anywhere with flattery! There's one with the same number of votes as me, which is MiRae's brother, Kang HaJin. 6 of them said 'because no one will pick them'. Let's do our best together!

The Eternal Flame received 12 votes. Without a single in the novel, it surpassed HaJin just with its actions alone. Look forward to its tongue-flickering actions later on too. Meanwhile, Kim YeSeul, Yu Ilhan's mother, as well as the hell dungeon's mascot, the Perverted Vibration Demon have received 17 votes each….. How? How can this be?

With the grand villainous entrance, but now Yu IlHan's ally, Orochi, and Yu IlHan's father Yu YongHan, who has such a faint presence in the novel have come in joint 7th place with 24 votes. A lot of you said that Yu YongHan may do something later because he hasn't done anything until now. Well, the truth? Would he stay faint! Or will he do something after all!

6th places is Kang MiRae with 28 votes. A lot of the comments said that her arduous efforts to advance forward suited Yu ILHan a lot. Perhaps she would get more votes in the future according to how she acts! However for now…. yep, she's the last among the heroines! T_T

5th is Erta with 76 votes. Like how she was a stiff and direct character at her appearance, many of you said that you liked her changing attitude while she stayed with the main character was clear. There are also a lot of votes saying 'Erta must be the one to retort!'. I also wish Erta came back soon!

4th place is Yu IlHan's son, Yumir! With 224 votes, he overwhelms Erta at 5th place. He looks cute, he acts cute, the way he imitates his dad is cute and such were the comments. Hahahaha, everybody, you are dangerous people (clink clink)

I've already announced the 1st place so there's only the 3rd and 2nd place. In fact, this could be the battle for the main heroine. You should know if you've read the votes, but there was an unpredictable miracle that actually occurred.

Yes, 3rd is Na YuNa with 238 votes! She was a character that received all the hate when she first appeared, but there were a lot of you who looked at her honest approach to Yu IlHan in a positive light.

Other than that, there are opinions like "Her 'Wao!' is characteristic", "She's pretty", "She has big boobs", "She's proactive", "She has big boobs", "She has big boobgs", and "She's the first one to break through Yu IlHan's iron guard.". Just how much do you like boobs! Although I like them too!!

Then the grand 2nd place? There's only one! It's our pitiful angel Liera that crushed everyone other than Yu llHan himself with 336 votes!

She's cute, she's so pitiful, she's pretty and even has big boobs, She's like a kind next-door noona, etc. There were a lot of reasons why you liked her, but the most numerous reason was 'Hundreds of Years only looking at him'. Perhaps many of the readers felt both charm and pity, seeing her unfortunate figure running after Yu IlHan.

In fact, I never planned to make Liera the main heroine at first. Instead, it was going to be Kang MiRae, but as you see here… haha… in fact, something same happened in my previous-previous work, so I can only laugh… Her charm was that attractive I guess. I'm only happy to have come up with a character like her.

The one comment I've heard the most in my previous work is that the 'characters' don't have any 'character'. Those became a trigger to make me think again about how I think about characters. Is it thanks to that? The main characters of this vote (the ones in 1st to 5th place) had a lot of comments talking about their characters so I was very satisfied and happy. Please stay with this work and these characters in the future. I'll try to make them more lively and attractive characters!

Translator's notes

The one in author's notes is the result from the KOREAN POLL not ours.

I'm not gonna make any grand interpretations.

Here's the results

Ranking Character votes notes

1 Yu IlHan 575 Main character

2 Lita/Liera 315 She wins the best waifu poll!

3 Yumir 193 Yu IlHan's son

4 Eternal Flame 120

5 Erta 87

6 Orochi 83

7 Na YuNa 63

8 Kang MiRae 49

9 Yu YongHan 32 Yu IlHan's father

10 Kim YeSeul 28 Yu IlHan's mother

11 Lecidna 20 Yumir's mother

12 Dakié Von Illastra 5 4th class mage that got pile-bunkered to death

12 Ericia 5

12 Paté 5 Elf, male archer

12 Spiera 5

16 Chamber 3 I'm pretty sure Chamber doesn't appear in the novel

17 Earth 2

17 God of Smithing 2 Unnamed

17 Han YeoRang 2 Suppression, got more votes than her superior

17 Keshna Golem 2 From the magic ruins in Lanpas

17 Perverted Vibration Demon 2 this guy got one more vote than me…

22 Akashic Records 1

22 Author (note) 1

22 Bingryong 1 Translator who did half of prologue, the name is here cuz someone voted 'Translators'

22 Carina Malatesta 1 Magia, Italy

22 Dmirel 1 5th class fallen angel

22 Elbani Da Qurad 1

22 Giant Bucket 1

22 John Cena 1 Who the hell was this? Can I IP-ban you?

22 Leytna 1 Goddess of Beauty

22 Michael Smithson 1 Metal Knights, England

22 Reta Kar'iha 1 Deceased elf that tried to take over Yu IlHan's body

22 The guy who named him Sungdaein Bolt 1 Congratulations, O, nameless one

22 Yoon DaeHan 1 Suppression

Here's the full results!

A total of 1,609 answers! Thanks for your participation!

And seriously, can I kill the guy who said John Cena? Like, really?

A certain someone (speshul person) added 1 vote for Chamber after the votes ended. Let's not add any more…

1. I'll just keep it Mystic

[It was also at the moment I was born so I don't know the specifics. However, I do know that someone had given me the record. It was an enormous portion of power.]

"And you don't know who that is?"

[No. However, I do know that 'he' resents you a lot. That is probably also why he interfered with my birth and gave me the power.]

"Fuu..."

[I'm the proof. Now that I've escaped my body, I do not resent you any more.]

"That makes me tearfully happy."

Would 'mountains over mountains' fit any better for this situation? He thought that he had finally defeated a higher existence, but it turned out she was just someone else's underling. This was a cliche plot that even novels didn't use nowadays.

But if there was something that was positive, it was that now the situation was clear.

"He's probably the dungeon's master, with the way he hates me, I'm sure."

An overwhelming pool of mana hat could make such a wide dungeon, his concealing ability that allowed him to hide from even Yu IlHan, who was as good in finding others as he was in concealing himself, and most of all, the voice that told him to never return the moment he left the dungeon all pointed towards this 'strong being'.

"So he came out of the dungeon too....?"

[A dungeon's lord does not need to protect the dungeon forever, so it's not improbable. In an case, it is fortunate that we left without confronting him before. If Mystic, born from his record, is already this strong, he must be a stronger existence. Perhaps, he's....]

"Perhaps?"

[....No, it's nothing.]

Yu IlHan did not dig any further. He could predict what she was about to say, and reality wouldn't change even if she said it or not.

'I need to become stronger, faster.'

Yu IlHan Muttered to himself and gripped his fists. The enemy was much stronger than he had thought, and was much more proactive in confronting him. He couldn't rest content just because he defeated Mystic.

"Mystic, don't you know anything else about Earth?"

[None. What I know is that there is a super strong being in this world, and that that being is disgusted with you.]

"Really, you aren't helpful at all."

[I answered so give me a body already!]

Mystic urged Yu IlHan. She didn't seem to realize how big of a problem she had just given to Yu IlHan.

However, right now, that was better. Nothing would get better if they stayed dejected. Yu IlHan sighed and replied to her.

"Your body is already complete."

[Where!]

"Here."

Spoke Yu IlHan while pointing down and the ground he was stepping on. For a moment, she went silent because of his firm tone, which then she shouted as if about to cry.

[You want me to get buried, right? Like my dead body! In . The. Ground!]

"No, if I wanted to do that, I wouldn't have made you submit under my rule. What I pointed at was not the ground, but this flying fortress."

[Flying fortress...?]

"Yes, this giant castle that crushed your body into paste."

His voice regained vitality from sometime onwards. No matter how strong the enemy in front of him was, it was also a clear fact that he was advancing step by step at every moment.

"I'll have you manage this flying fortress inside it. You definitely won't feel bored."

[Wha…..t!?]

It wasn't easy to persuade her to have this 'body' that was billions of light years away from what she had expected, but Mystic, in the end, accepted that she was going to be enchanted into the flying fortress.

It was a giant building, far from being capable of 'free movement', moreover, although it was a separate being, her original body was literally crushed by this 'new body' of hers, and if she said she didn't feel bad, it would be a lie, but the overwhelming energy and mobility of the fortress did have a certain charm to it.

[Hmph, I guess it's better than being stuck inside a weapon.] (Mystic)

[You're funny for a newbie thought-soul. I'm much more free than the likes of you.] (Orochi)

[What good is being free? You're weak.] (Mystic)

[Eek, eeeeeek!] (Orochi)

Despite acquiring different bodies to each other, the two thought-souls continued to fight. Of course, the were both under Yu IlHan's Rule, so nothing much would happen even if they fought.

Yu IlHan wanted the two of them to be close if possible, but as of right now, when Orochi was weaker than Mystic, he thought that that maybe impossible.

[Ooooh, so this castle is an artifact! There are a lot of things I can do!]

"But I'll scold you if you suddenly lower the altitude or accelerate."

[Hmmmmmm, so the beams from these mirrors pierced my body after all. Oh, ooooooh? How do I stop this!?]

"Dammit, I should have waited for a much calmer thought-soul!"

There was no way Mystic would have easily adapted to the controls of the flying fortress when she was unable to take a single step forward when she was born.

She had to go through numerous days of trial and error in order to get used to the management of the flying fortress, and Yu IlHan couldn't rest even for a little as one moment of carelessness would make the fortress suddenly descend and crash, or the destruction mirrors would spontaneously activate.

[Amazing, it's as if those the monsters on the ground are trash!]

"I already said that."

[Wow, I can shoot a hundred beams at once!]

"I already said that too. And hey, if you don't change directions, you're gonna crash."

However, the fruits of the suffering was very satisfying. With a new manager of the fortress, when before, Yu IlHan had to split his consciousness to control it and as such, impede his ability to fight, now, Yu IlHan could fight to his best capabilities on his own and also order Mystic to control the fortress.

One problem was that not enough monsters were generated for them to try cooperating.

Even before Mystic had appeared, the appearance of monsters on Earth had deceased, which made him think that Earth was perhaps in a recovery period since it had used up a lot of mana in giving birth to a 5th class.

[Perhaps it's because it's making another 5th class.] (Liera)

"Then I'm only thankful. I was thinking that I was short on resources in any case."

[Resources...? IlHan, wait!] (Liera)

Yu IlHan vaguely replied to Liera's sharp words. However, Liera had spent ten centuries with him, so she could understand his words without misunderstanding… much. Yu IlHan didn't give her any time to retort and took out the 'resources'.

"I'll now make the strongest equipment in this world with this!"

[Hey!] (Liera)

[Wh, what are you taking out? Just bury it already!]

It was none other than Mystic's remains. Moreover, the place he was going to work at was inside his workshop inside the flying fortress. Really, he had no consideration for others at all.

"It's already irreversibly damaged anyway. You just get used to your current body. I'll cleanly erase all traces of your past."

[Great excuse, huh!] (Liera)

[*Sob sob*, now that brute is insulting the dead as well...]

While the flying fortress and the angel was shocked, Yu IlHan boldly continued to work. In any case, no part of the remains was usable other than the bones which had metallic properties, as they were too soft to use. What he did was to throw the remainder of the corpse to the furnace where Eternal Flame was burning to incinerate it to nothing.

Disposing aesthetically unpleasant stuff, and letting Eternal Flame absorb a body belonging to a very high level being to make it evolve again. Everything was perfect!

[You're inhuman!]

"You don't say."

The biggest characteristic that Mystic's bones had was its hardness, unharmed even after the maximum output of the destruction mirrors, or the smashing of the flying fortress.

Of course, the relatively weak muscles and flesh had turned to paste so the remains would remind other people of horror movies, but Yu IlHan thought that it was finally time to make a new equipment.

"I could hold out with these armors until now, but now, I don't think they are enough."

[Ah, so you're making armor.] (Liera)

At first, he thought about making a weapon if he acquired the body of a higher existence. However, after hearing that Mystic was just a being born with the help of the hell dungeon's master, he felt a sense of crisis.

Until now, he was confident in both his concealment abilities as well as his defense, but in the future, it won't necessarily be like that.

His abilities had developed to support all of his attacks, while his defense wasn't quite enough. In the worst case scenario, he had to make an armor that could hold out for at least one strike regardless of who it was that attacked him.

[I was worried that you were going to make something like a drill again.] (Liera)

[Drill? What's that, that sounds cool!]

"In fact, I did want to make a drill, but the situation is too urgent."

Yu IlHan melted down almost all the rare metals he had acquired until now, along with some dragon bones, and alloyed it with Mystic's bones.

Crafting a perfect metal without allowing the slightest mistake. Never was he so thankful that he had the blessing of the god of smithing.

"The metal itself is perfect after all..."

[What are you saying when it hasn't even solidified yet?] (Liera)

"Idiot, I won't be able to shape it at all if it solidifies."

[You can't do anything with the Eternal Flame either!?] (Liera)

Eternal Flame flickered as if to deny that, but no matter how amazing it was, there was a limit. No, if Eternal Flame could melt it, he couldn't say that it could block any attack at least once.

[Then just how do you make it?]

"Like this."

He took off the armor he was wearing, and filled it with a special mould, comprised of perverted demon's flesh and magic stone powder as well as some others. Ignoring Liera that looked like she was about to vomit at any second, he scattered 4th class magic stone powder on top of the armor, and poured the molten metal on top of it.

[What are you doing!]

"I'm making a cast out of my armor. The demon flesh inside will hold out long enough for the metal to solidify."

[I think that's already beyond the realm of metalworking...]

"Yes, it cannot be worked on with a normal method. If anyone calls this metalworking, you need to kick that guy's ass. And so."

Yu IlHan raised his hand. In his hand was a magic stone emitting brilliant violet light.

"What I'm doing is not metalworking."

[IlHan, you!?]

[Hiiiiik, what the hell is that! The quantity of mana is absurd!]

"I can't help it."

He gritted his teeth and muttered.

"I can only wish that 5th class beings would appear a lot on Earth in the future!"

The magic stone he was holding emitted brilliant light and melted. At the same time, the molten metal on the armor also emitted light.

Metal that comprised a higher existence, and a magic stone that was the core of another – the two met in front of the blacksmith with the best ability across all worlds, and brought each other to a higher realms.

This was a secret technique only allowed to the smiths that have received the blessing of the god of smithing, as well as being extremely proficient in mana crafting due to absorbing the essential knowledge of magic engineering – blacksmithing through mana crafting – was being carried out.

The enormous amount of mana, which was somehow crammed into that small magic stone instantly spread out and filled the entirety of the workshop.

It was a very beautiful scene, but at the same time, it could make Yu IlHan, melt or explode and annihilate everything including the workshop itself if something went wrong.

"Fuuu...fuu..."

The area was sealed in order to prevent the mana from flowing outside of the workshop. Yu IlHan took deep breaths while leading the mana that filled the workshop, calmly. The mana that formed blue waves resisted his control and tried to escape it, but Yu IlHan desperately held on with the thought that he was not going to let a 5th class magic stone go to waste.

The overflowing mana, and Yu IlHan who desperately guided it towards the armor. That scene looked similar to a god of the sea controlling the waves.

[Why does master make such a ruckus when creating a single item?]

[That's what's good about him, idiot.]

The armor, which was already resonating with the mana, started taking shape the moment it came into contact with the flowing mana. Yu IlHan's experience and knowledge as a blacksmith was changing not only the shape, but the traits of the metal through the usage of mana as a medium.

[The materials you filled inside the armor is evaporating!] (Mystic)

[It's not simply evaporating, but that it's reacting to the mana that IlHan is controlling to shapeshift the inside of the armor.... although it's still disgusting.]

It wasn't just that. The Iron-armored fire dragon armor that acted as the mould also could not resist the temperature of the molten metal and the pressure of the mana and melted down. It had completed its job to be the mould of the new armor, but the important sentimental value that influenced a lot of battles until now was just gone like that.

"Hhhp."

Of course, Yu IlHan was not planning to let go of that armor just like that. The fire attribute resistance as well as the other options were those he couldn't let go of!

The moment the armor melted, Yu IlHan lead the waves of mana to swallow the mana from the armor that flowed out at the moment of destruction of the armor, and that was about to dissipate. Seeing the light of the mana turning red instantly as if a red drop of ink had fallen into the sea, Liera also realized what was happening.

[So you didn't just melt it, but extracted it! I didn't know you could raise the effects that way...!]

"No, it was just my desperate attempt to not let go of the armor's effects."

Through the tedious and flashy-sounding process, the armor took shape. However, the process had just started!

The Iron-armored fire dragon armor was replaced by the pure white and thin metallic armor. When the strong mana that composed the 5th class magic stone poured onto that, the white metal that had just began to take shape in the form of the armor, started making clanging sounds and was processed real-time. It was an unbelievable scene to the eyes.

[Wow, is making equipment all like this?] (Mystic)

[There's no way that's true.] (Liera)

A portion of mana became the anvil that supported the armor while the other portion became the hammer that shaped it. Can this really be called blacksmithing? However, another expression that fit this situation really couldn't be found. Liera could only dumbfoundedly stare at it.

[Wow...]

The violent flow of mana that looked like it would explode at any second gradually decreased in strength. In the form creation of the armor, it was being naturally absorbed into it. The armor soon completely solidified and did not allow any further form changes.

"Hhp."

However, the really important thing only just started from this moment. Yu IlHan focused to the extreme. Until now, a mistake would just end with affecting the outer appearance of the armor, but from now, any mistake would bring this entire process to a failure.

He gathered the now-less-concentrated mana into one place to pull out a thin, red thread from it. The mana concentration of the string was high enough to kill any ordinary monster with a single strike!

[You weren't going to mana craft just like that?]

"Didn't I tell you? This is neither blacksmithing, nor is it mana crafting. Please keep your volume down from now on."

Yu IlHan warned Liera, then completely closed his eyes. Then, he stroked on the surface of the armor, which now, had cooled off quite a bit, to check the engravings he had etched in the process just now.

The engravings were perfect. Now, it was time to fill them in! Yes, inlaying with pure, materialized mana was the climax of this process.

Inlaying with mana was a very absurd concept. Lower existences would laugh at him for not being able to differentiate between matter and non-matter, and higher existences would laugh at him, asking him why there was a need to confine mana to such a tiny space.

However, Yu IlHan couldn't care less about what the people around his said. As a loner, he didn't even know if what he was doing was right. He only did it in a way that he thought was correct.

[Master, are you really a lowly 3rd class?]

[Shh.]

Yu IlHan perfectly calculated the density and thickness of the red mana thread and started filling the engravings on the armor. The mana was glowed and was absorbed into the engravings as they had found their homes, and at that moment, the league of the armor rose drastically.

No, perhaps that expression wasn't suitable. Just the armor that had the form had no meaning in and of itself. Only after inlaying the red mana did it come alive and start breathing.

If the Destroyer's Flying Fortress was a masterpiece that brought out Yu IlHan's everything at the largest scale possible, this armor could be said to be the opposite, and was no different from a process that compressed everything he could do in the smallest possible unit. There was no grandeur but the mysticism and beauty did not lose out to the flying fortress.

"Hhp, fuu….."

[Au, so cool…..]

[And who was it that told me to keep quiet...]

[Shh.]

Red lines were being etched into various places of the blindingly white armor. As the size of the frighteningly dense mana decreased, the lines on the armor became brighter. As the work progressed, the light emitted increased more and more, but Yu IlHan's eyes were closed, so he wasn't affected.

An unknown amount of time had passed since the whole process started; and Yu IlHan realized that his hand was now touching the very top of the helmet, and heaved a deep sigh.

"Fuuu."

The frightening lumps of mana had now disappeared. They were all inlaid onto the armor; from the helmet to the boots. The red lines that looked like human blood vessels on top of the sturdy plate armor, gave a sense of fear, at the same a, strange beauty.

Especially, the heart of the armor had a magic engraving that Yu IlHan had put his heart and soul into; and the red lines were so tangled up that no one could really recognize what that acted as.

[Did it end?]

Carefully asked Liera. Yu IlHan seemed to hesitate a little, but still nodded his head.

"Yes, for now."

At the moment Yu IlHan declared the end of the process, the armor again, emitted bright light. In that light, Yu IlHan's retina was engraved with new text.

[Firedragon Body was complete.]

[Firedragon Body]

[Rank – Demigod]

[Defense – 15,000]

[Durability 2,000,000/2,000,000]

[User restrictions – 100% or more fire attribute resistance]

[Options –

1. 100% increase in fire attribute resistance and attack power.

2. Can freely change form of the armor at will, and using the armor to attack will have 70% of the defense of the armor as attack power.

3. 30% increase in all Physical Combat-category skills.

4. 50% increase in all recovery-category skills.

5. Absorbs and re-analyzes weapons and armor, before ejecting them.

6. Endlessly creates fire-attribute mana and stores it. The stored mana can be ejected for offensive purposes, and the power amplifies when using a fire-related ability.]

[One of the miracles made by the Blacksmith that creates myths. This is a masterpiece that all that wield fire will sell their souls to acquire. It is absurd in itself, but the armor still has a lot of un-interpreted engravings.]

"So there's a demigod rank."

Just as Yu IlHan was muttering that after looking at the armor, Liera replied as if it was nothing new.

[Yes, so you already created a God-ranked, so Demigod seems easy to you, huh?]

"No, it still looks like it's higher than Chaos, and I never thought that this would become God-ranked."

[Why?]

"Because this is still incomplete. You have a feeling after looking at those options right?"

[The part where it says it absorbs weapons and armor to re-analyze and eject them?]

"There's that too, but the more important one is the 6th option."

Liera, who didn't understand a single thing about the artifact even after looking at the same item window, pondered whether to retort in this situation or not, but decided to keep quiet. This was her common sense when dealing with Yu IlHan to keep her blood pressure down.

Meanwhile, Yu IlHan, who never even thought about what she felt like, called out his partner to perfectly finish off the armor, before he wore it.

"Orochi."

[Why do you call for me?]

Replied Orochi as if it was annoyed of everything in the world now. Perhaps that was because he got too many strong enemies lately. Yu IlHan, who understood what he felt like, laughed and spoke.

"Time to move to your new house."

[New house….? Then, to that armor?]

Shouted Orochi in surprise. To think Yu IlHan put in all that effort to make his new home? However, Yu IlHan added a condition.

"How many perverted demon thought-souls are there inside me right now?"

[Around 300 thousand I guess?]

"I'll let you move if you eat them all."

[...]

Orochi became silent for a moment, but still replied like a man after some time.

[I'll try.]

"When?"

[Right now.]

"Good."

Orochi escaped the Eight-tailed dragon spear, and immediately invaded the 'space' where Yu IlHan put all his thought-souls into. Mystic, who thought back to how she was in that space until just a few moment ago, shuddered.

[Just what are those strange things in there? I think it'll be very hard for that guy to win.]

"But right now, the other thought-souls should have shrunk back due to your appearance. No matter how strong of a lower existence they were, they're no different from frogs in front of a higher existence."

Said the 3rd class that killed 5th classes. Mystic, who was the person in question of 'being killed by a 3rd class despite being 5th class', ended up harboring killing intent towards her master despite the fact that no one ordered her to. Yu IlHan didn't care, though, and continued explaining.

"So, I'll aim for this moment. And moreover, Orochi will grow quickly after he eats one or two of them."

Above all, Orochi had the safe haven known as the Eight-tailed dragon spear. They couldn't escape the thought-souls area, but only Orochi had a free exit pass!

[Kehk, Kugh, Kuhuk. I almost finished eating an entire one!]

"Do your best Orochi!"

[Don't eat popcorns dammit!]

As he had predicted, Orochi utilized his advantage and did guerilla attacks, and succeeded in devouring a perverted demon in mere 15 seconds. That was the signal for Orochi's counterattack.

[Kuooooooh!]

[Kihaaaaaah!]

Watching the grand series drama in his head, Yu IlHan polished the Firedragon Body until it shined, cleaned his workshop, and chatted with Liera and Mystic to become closer. This was all very frustrating for Orochi!

And like that, the 30 minutes that felt like an eternity, passed, and Orochi returned.

[I... finished them all. Urgh.]

Hearing the report from Orochi, which was now unbelievably stronger than before, and made him wonder if he was still a lower existence, Yu IlHan nodded in satisfaction and activated the skill. With the mastered Soul enchant skill, he let him settle inside the Firedragon body.

[Infernal dragon body was complete.]

Checking the information on the artifact that was still Demigod-ranked, but had marginally better specs, he struck the Eight-tailed dragon spear on his hand into the armor.

Seeing the armor absorbing that while glowing, Liera screamed, but Yu IlHan only snorted and opened his inventory.

"Orochi, meal time!"

[I'm already full!]

That day, Yu IlHan emptied out his inventory to stuff the Infernal dragon body.

Such was the creation of one of Yu IlHan's strategic classed weapons.

Author's notes

I tried to make a full chapter, but was shorter than I expected….

Next chapter will definitely be longer!

[Infernal Dragon Body]

[Rank – Demigod]

[Defense – 16,500]

[Durability – 2,550,000/2,550,000]

[User restrictions – 120% or more fire attribute resistance]

[Options –

1. 120% increase in fire attribute resistance and attack power.

2. Can freely change the form of the armor at will, and using the armor to attack will convert 75% of the armor's defense into attack power. It is possible to change it's form into an absorbed weapon, and in that case, 20% of this armor's defense will be added to the weapon's ability.

3. 40% increase in effectiveness for all Physical Combat-category skills.

4. 60% increase in effectiveness for all recovery-category skills.

5. Absorbs and re-analyzes weapons and armor, before ejecting them. Currently stored weapons : 2,294,475

6. Endlessly creates fire-attribute mana and stores it. The stored mana can be ejected for offensive purposes, and when using a fire-related ability the effect will be amplified.]

[One of the miracles made by the Blacksmith that creates myths. This is a masterpiece that all that wield fire would sell their souls to acquire. It is absurd in itself, but the armor still has a lot of un-interpreted engravings. Through the process of absorbing numerous weapons, it is now able to wield the power of those weapons.]

"Liera."

Yu IlHan checked with Liera after he had emptied out his inventory of weapons, and showed her the completed Infernal Dragon Body.

"Is this much enough to endure a full blown strike from you?"

[A single strike, yes.]

Judged Liera. Yu IlHan heaved a sigh after hearing that.

"So I can survive one blow."

[Surviving a second blow would be hard. Honestly, it has the second best ability out of all the armors I've seen in my lifetime... but in blocking attacks filled with mana, the health and magic status of the physical body is just as important as the armor's defense. The equipment becomes stronger as the wielder grows stronger. You should know this, right?]

"Of course, I possess the record of the god of smithing, after all."

[To elaborate, if I wear this…..]

Liera made a cute smile while speaking nonsense.

[I think I can kill 7th class beings without a hitch.]

"What level are 7th class beings on?"

[Just below God, I guess?]

The weight of the armor in his hands suddenly became heavier! Yu IlHan extended the Infernal Dragon armor towards Liera while shaking.

"Sh, should I lend it to you once?"

[...That's a very tempting offer, but it's no good. My fire attribute resistance is not high enough.]

Liera replied while blushing for some reason. In fact, her heart was pounding, not because of the increase to her abilities that she would get while wearing the armor, but because she would be wearing something that Yu IlHan once wore, but Yu IlHan couldn't possibly know that, and nodded while accepting her answer.

"Well, yeah. It's quite demanding..."

[But without that much resistance, you'll not be able to endure the heat that the armor emits. User restrictions aren't there for nothing.] (Orochi)

[Boasting when it isn't even your ability.] (Mystic)

[Shut up, building.] (Orochi)

[Building!? You called me a building!?] (Mystic) 1

There was only one restriction to equip the Infernal dragon body, the fire attribute resistance. However, the number on it was the problem. Although Firedragon body, which was before Orochi was enchanted into it, had a 100% requirement that was quite demanding, after undergoing its first growth, it had jumped up to 120%!

[It's practically an armor made for higher existences. Even 4th class fire mages would not have such a high fire resistance.]

"I also barely make it."

[Why don't you realize that it's strange that you can 'barely make it'?]

Yu IlHan's fire attribute resistance and attack power had a fundamentally 20% increase from his class, Blazing Reaper. Then, another 20% from the effects of the blessing of the god of smithing, and another 40% from the effects of the 'Hero of Fire' title!

Without counting the minor details, just the basic resistance amounted to 80%. Since his fire resistance had broken through 50% from levelling his Blaze skill to level 99, his fire attribute resistance right now, was about 130%.

[At that point, it's the same as a newborn phoenix, born from fire.]

[So he wasn't aiming for the blessing of the goddess of fire for nothing…] (Mystic)

While everyone was watching, Yu IlHan took off everything he was wearing and ended up nude. When he had been left alone on Earth, he had been short and had a slightly chubby stomach, leaving him with an unsightly body that he couldn't show to others, but now, the story was different.

[Fuu~~…] (Liera)

[Huh? That angel collapsed.] (Mystic)

[She's like that everyday so you don't need to mind.] (Orochi)

191 cm in height, and a perfect 1:7 head to body ratio. Moreover, the battle toned muscles that covered his body were proof of the cruel times he had lived through. Because he had mastered Transcendent regeneration, there was not a single scar on his body, however the rigidity and mass that he obtained through the numerous years of training and real-life battles could not be hidden.

Then he proceeded to put on the 'Infernal Dragon Body'. The Infernal Dragon Body was very thin, considering the exceptional abilities and defensive properties that it had. And as the word 'body' in its name implied, it was intended to be worn right beneath the normal layers of clothing.

Although the outer appearance was made from the Iron-armored fire dragon armor, the inside was different. In the process of mixing the perverted demon's flesh and magic stone powder, the magic engineering was already in effect, and as a result, he could reform the shape of the armor even if it was in direct contact with his body.

The transcendent mana in his armor would also change to fit the body of the new owner if the owner ever changed. Though, something like that would likely never happen.

"Eternal Flame, you come over too."

Eternal Flame, who had been residing in Ruin Calling all this time, moved to the Infernal dragon body, and finally the Infernal dragon body become one with Yu IlHan and almost seemed to start breathing.

After checking that there was another 10% increase in fire attribute resistance and attack power, Yu IlHan put the Ruin Calling inside the armor as well. Now, he would be able to call out the Ruin Calling in the equipped state whenever he had to, without any delays. Truly, a one-for-all armor.

"Well, then."

[There's still something left?]

"Yup."

Yu IlHan took out the Giant Bucket and filled it with pure dragon blood.

"So I only have around 3 thousand liters of dragon blood left. I should restrain from making Breath now."

[It's like that because you're using them up rapidly like oil-rich countries.]

"Isn't there some dragon-rich world somewhere..."

While muttering that, he entered the Giant Bucket. Of course, he was still wearing the Infernal dragon body.

"Fuuuuuu."

Drenching both his body and the armor in dragon blood, Yu IlHan released white flames using the ability on the Infernal dragon body, which then made the dragon blood inside the Giant Bucket glow a little before it started boiling. The ones watching did not know what he was doing, but Yu IlHan was serious.

[Is that magic engineering too?]

"Yeah."

Before, there existed a resonance between the Bucket, the blood within it, and Yu IlHan, but now, the Infernal Dragon Body forced its way into the mix. At first, it seemed to wander around aimlessly but eventually it resonated with the others and began emitting light. This was because Orochi, who had understood Yu IlHan's intentions, was helping.

"Fuuuuuuu."

Every time he let out a deep breath, the dragon blood boiled even more. Every time the Infernal dragon body emitted fire along with light, the boiling blood was absorbed into the Infernal dragon body.

[Why is everything master does so flashy?]

[Shut up.]

To elaborate, this was something like tempering; the final tempering process for this armor. It was also a kind of blessing that Yu IlHan could bestow on the armor as a dragon rider.

"Done."

An unknown amount of time had passed. When Yu IlHan had opened his eyes after declaring that, there was not a single drop of blood left inside the bucket now. Everything was sucked into the Infernal dragon body.

The armor was still shining in a blinding white light, but the red engraving on the armor emitted an even more mysterious aura than before. Liera asked with glistening eyes.

[God? Did it become God-ranked?]

"Uh, no? This was just a process to make this armor one with me. There should be no immediate effects."

Yu IlHan disappointed Liera and put away the bucket into his inventory. Then, he moved his left finger and saw that it was covered by a thin, metallic gauntlet, and was finally sure that his body had synergized with the Infernal dragon body.

"Good, perfect."

This was the second equipment he had made with all his heart in after the flying fortress. It needed to be at least this good. He had used the most precious 5th class magic stone in his possession after all! Now, he wouldn't be able to become 4th class immediately even if he acquired the blessing of the goddess of fire. He just made himself unable to.

"That's why, it would have been good if you gave me a magic stone, Mystic."

[It's still not enough to cooperate with you like this after I died!?]

"How long until I meet that guy. I do want to acquire my 4th class before I meet him..."

Yu IlHan ignored Mystic's complaints and muttered alone, while calculating inside his head. It was unknown what kind of calculations he did, but he looked at Liera who was flapping her wings in the air. Liera blushed and panicked.

[Wh, what?]

"...I'll make you a new armor this time."

[Really?]

Liera's expression brightened. However, Yu IlHan was very conflicted while looking at her. There was no way a higher existence like Liera would need an armor in an isolated environment like Earth! So, it was normal for her to reject this or at least be suspicious about it...

'This is an armor that should not be used.'

However, as Liera had vaguely suspected, Yu IlHan was also deep in thought. At the moment of Yu IlHan's danger, he knew that Liera would definitely protect him even if she had to sacrifice herself in the process. However he was unaware of what emotions would lead her to do that.

Whatever feelings she had towards him, from the moment Liera used her power as a higher existence for something other than self-defense, she would lose her qualifications as a higher existence. That didn't mean just a drop in league. The record that composed her very existence would be sucked out of her, and would put her life in danger.

So, the armor Yu IlHan was about to make now was not to strengthen her, but to protect her. The armor that would protect her from the big crisis of having her qualifications as a higher existence stripped away! Just this showed how grand of a thought Yu IlHan was having.

However, since he had made the God-ranked Flying fortress and the Demigod ranked armor, it was just another challenge. He had no thoughts of failing. He was confident in succeeding too.

[Ehehehehe.]

Liera was rejoiced while oblivious of the mental conflict he was facing. Yu IlHan thought about smacking her on the forehead, but seeing her smile, he was drained of energy.

"I'll make it immediately."

[Here, check my size.]

"I already know so I don't have to."

[Here! Check! My! Size!]

Liera's voice became louder, but her smile became heavier. Yu IlHan predicted that he would be put in a bad situation if he defied her any more, and nodded with a bitter smile.

"Okay, let's check."

[Ufufu.]

Seeing Liera liking it so much, he grew worried that she might have exhibitionist tendencies, the thought-souls that became Yu IlHan's subordinates exchanged voices, inaudible to Liera.

[That angel's a pervert, right?] (Mystic)

[Yes, she is.] (Orochi)

Yu IlHan checked Liera's body size with a tape measure. From chest size, to waist to thighs, to toes, to wing bones, everything. Liera blushed in embarrassment soon after.

[Huguuu...]

"Done."

[Al, already? I think you didn't measure properly.]

"I did measure properly."

He would not repeat this process. Yu IlHan clothed the embarrassed, but still disappointed(?), perverted, pitiful angel and started working on the armor. He put his heart and blood into it, to the point that he found it a pity that he had no 5th class magic stone, and made a light pink metallic armor over 3 days.

[How did this pink color come about?]

"I mixed high-level monsters' blood and tempered it."

[I don't want to wear it now!]

The form creation, the tempering, the engraving was all perfect. Yu IlHan, who used the magic stones of high-level 4th class demons immediately let Liera wear it after he finished. She tilted his head even while jumping around in joy.

[I don't know all the specs of the armor? What's the fifth option?]

"It's better for you to not know it. If possible, forever."

[Ok.]

Equipped with pink armor, and a similar colored spear, Liera was beautiful to be called the fighting maiden Valkyrie instead of a member of God's envoy. Yu IlHan nodded in satisfaction, and Liera looked very happy.

With this, everything he could do to prepare against the hell dungeon's master was done. However, Mystic, who didn't know that it was her who made Yu ILHan hurry like this, was having a blast killing the monsters on Earth with the Flying fortress.

[So you guys are all trying to kill master because you're restrained by that strange being, right? It will be happier if you escape that! There, liberation! Liberate! Liberate!]

"You sound like a psycho if you keep repeating the same word so please restrain yourself."

He couldn't continue smithing forever. To bring back his battle sense after spending almost a week with the hammer and magic stones, Yu IlHan also participated in the hunt.

The Flying fortress that bombarded the ground, and Yu IlHan who slashed apart the monsters, concealed, in the crowd!

Ruin Calling, which had been enhanced after it was integrated into the Infernal dragon body, helped him move at speeds comparable to higher existences at any time, and as soon as a monster appeared on Earth, he finished them within 3 minutes whether it appeared in the sky, the ground, or in the deep sea.

[Critical Hit!]

[Critical Hit!]

"Fuaaaaaah!'"

[Kigik!]

[He's a monster!]

[We can't win against him... We can't!]

With a thought, any weapon could appear in his hand, and he could blast them out at the moment he wanted, in the quantity he wanted. It was the same with the ballista that shot giant arrows, and blasting ten pile bunkers at the same time on a giant monster was not even a problem.

And when around 2 months more passed, the second 5th class, after Mystic, had appeared.

[Ah, this aura... Kyak!] (Mystic)

[Kuhaaaah!]

As it had appeared while Mystic was pouring beams against monsters, the flying fortress was unable to go into concealment.

Perhaps due to the failure from Mystic, it had appeared unknown to anyone in the horde of monsters, and immediately jumped into the air and broke the barrier on the flying fortress with a slam, to prevent the flying fortress from attacking it directly. It wasn't only that.

[Kuhuu... Kill the traitor.]

[Wh, what do I do? Shoot towards the inside!?]

Just by invading the flying fortress, it had prevented the two biggest attacks from the fortress. The physical attack from the flying fortress, and Hundred Eyes.

It wasn't that Hundred Eyes could not attack towards the inside of the barrier, but that had more loss than gains. Shooting beams against an agile 5th class would destroy the flying fortress before it could kill it.

"fuu."

However, it was very naïve to think that entering the flying fortress was a good thing just because Mystic was defeated like that. Yu IlHan was not only the creator of the flying fortress, but also the being that could fight against the flying fortress by himself! Its biggest mistake was to use the surprise attack on the fortress and not on him!

From the moment of it's initial appearance to its invasion of the flying fortress took less than one second. During that one second, Yu IlHan unfolded Ruin Calling and layered Leaps several times to return to the flying fortress, took out the Eight-tailed dragon spear, and charged against the 5th class that started destroying the flying fortress.

[Everything other than Earth, destroy!]

[Kyaaaaak!] (Mystic)

Unlike Mystic, which had a delay in its consciousness after it was born, this 5th class was immediately pervaded by its destructive tendencies and started destroying the flying fortress! It did not know of Yu IlHan's concealment. The fight was over at this point.

Before, higher existences were beings that Yu IlHan wouldn't be sure to win against even if he struck first with a surprise attack, but that was before he crafted the Infernal dragon body.

He made the armor by sacrificing the biggest criterion for him to advance to 4th class. High defense was obvious, and it was natural for him to acquire the same level, or even higher level of destructive power, even if he had to forgo his 4th class with this!

And the result was beyond Yu IlHan's expectations. With Ruin Calling and the armor equipped together, he had 70% increase in physical combat powers, and 130% in fire attribute attack! And with the title 'Untouchable' that increased his abilities by 20% against beings with higher leagues than him…..

Afraid of 5th class? Please don't joke. Right now, he had the confidence to win against them head on.

[Kuhaaaaaaaaaaaaa...…kahak!?]

Eternal Flame and Blaze was focused on the tip of the Eight-tailed dragon spear, and Dragonic blood enhanced it. Which took less than an instant. Immediately after that, Yu IlHan pierced the spear onto its heart!

[Critical Hit!]

"Fuu."

[Kak, Kuhak...]

Yu IlHan pulled the spear out of its heart. Spear of Untraceable Trajectory had made a total of 8 holes in its heart, so it gave up trying to circulate blood using the heart.

However, that didn't mean that the battle was over. To a higher existence, a heart was just another organ. Not something that governed life.

[I....Kill you.]

"That'll be difficult."

The thing is, Yu IlHan also knew that.

[Kergh...Kahk.]

Unlike Mystic with the perfectly feminine body, this one had a horrifying appearance, that looked like it was half a man and half a wolf. The moment it tried to extend a foot wards Yu IlHan.

The lower body that tried to go forwards separated itself from the upper body that slid backwards and fell. The completely burnt cross section revealed that it was Yu IlHan who did that.

[The Earth shall...…. you.]

It could not continue any further. At the time the upper and lower bodies were bisected, its head was also split in half. Yu IlHan had succeeded in striking a total of ten times, with a mixture of stabs and slashes.

Spear of Untraceable Trajectory really made Yu IlHan's concealment ability heighten to the limits. Maximizing the efficiency of surprise attacks, and more.

[You have earned experience.]

[The skill, Spear of Untraceable Trajectory, has become level 93.]

[You have mastered the skill, Deathgod. The skill's duration time increases to 3 hours, and the maximum ability enhancement become 100%. It is possible to fuse-evolve once the evolution conditions are set.]

"Good."

Yu IlHan muttered in a light voice, as if killing a higher existence was nothing to him now.

"Not long left until my 4th class."

Author's notes

I'll cry if you are still not satisfied with this

I'm reading a lot of novels to reference battle scenes, but the novel 'Backrising' by the author Mekenro seems to be the most exciting and interesting. But wait, that's just boxing? I probably won't make it….

See you next chapter. And uh… this series still has some ways to go. It's easy to misunderstand but IlHan is still 3rd class!

Translator's notes

Whew, EER equipment glows every time now.

Mekenro also does 'the book eating wizard' that Rainbowturtle translates (did she start on it) at Wuxiaworld.

Koukouseidesu: Introducing our new proofreader, RawR Boosted!!

When I enter the army next year or if I happen to die after slipping on a banana peel, he'll be the one to take over :^)

P.S. Please don't read this, but sponsored chapters are back up! We're accepting donations again! Huuray! KMS – Yours sincerely, Koukouseidesu

1. I think 'building' implies that she's a washboard (flat)