Everyone Else is a Returnee

“This is an amazing world.”

[Hahahahaha! It’s an amazing world alright!]

The Destruction Demon Army representative laughed heartily when they heard the first line Yu IlHan uttered after entering Elo Katra. Of course, some of them couldn’t hold back their instincts and attacked Yu IlHan, but those beings were instantly obliterated by Yu IlHan before being collected into Yu IlHan’s inventory.

“I think my inventory will fill up soon so please hold back.”

[Okay! Okay!]

It seemed like this ruler of the Destruction Demon Army had great influence. Just with Yu IlHan, who was the invitee here, saying that, the predators at the top of the hierarchy prevented the others from attacking him. The others all just chattered noisily around him

[You seduced Lady Helièna, didn’t you? Tell me how you did it!]

[Lady Helièna! I want to see the beautiful lady Helièna.]

Yu IlHan believed that one needed to have the smarts to become a higher existence, but that didn’t seem so true after looking at these guys.

Perhaps being insanely strong was all that mattered! Perhaps Yu IlHan had taken a very roundabout way in order to leap into the realm of higher existences! The more he thought, the more believable it became so he just decided to stop thinking about it.

[There’s still a long ways until the castle.]

[I want to see Lady Helièna.]

[It’s very rare for the Lord to wish to see another being.]

[Even Satan didn’t attract his attention.]

[Just what are you?]

“Who knows.”

Vaguely ignoring the loud predators around, Yu IlHan looked around in Elo Katra. Both the skies and the lands were pitch black, the distance between the two were great, magma boiled here and there, and the air contained a concoction of potent poisons. There was no way any life form would grow normally in this environment.

“Perhaps Earth will become like this one day.”

[I don’t want it to be.]

Yumir didn’t seem to like Elo Katra. Yu IlHan also agreed with a laugh.

“Yes. Dad also doesn’t want Earth to become like this. It won’t be such a good environment for the people of Earth.”

[We’ll be there soon.]

A gigantic castle that no one could see until just now, even to Yu IlHan who saw through all concealments, had shown itself. The aura of destruction that can be felt at the center of all this made even Yu IlHan, who had just awakened to become a higher existence, momentarily feel a sense of fear.

“Hm, leaders are a completely different class of its own alright. I think he’s stronger than Michael.”

[But that angel was weaker than dad!]

“The reason dad could overwhelm Michael is because of our affinity with fire, Mir.”

The more they approached the castle, the stronger the pressure became. Rather than blocking it head on, Yu IlHan focused on striking them back with the Counter skill. He had unexpected gains when he did that.

[The skill, Counter, has become level 42.]

[The skill, Counter, has become level 43.]

“Whew, that’s some fast skill growth. At this rate, I want one of those in my house too.”

[Really the vicious lord.......]

Echjar felt that he knew why Yu IlHan could become so strong. No one else would ever say that they wanted an incarnation of the leader of the Destruction Demon Army in one’s house other than him!

[The skill, Counter, has become level 45.]

“Huh? I think there was something mixed up in that just now...... oh.”

[Kraaaaaaaaaaar!]

Eventually, Yu IlHan noticed the figure standing in front of the castle’s entrance. He thought back since he remembered seeing this guy before, and it turned out he was one of the two Battalion Commanders that had come to Yu IlHan wishing to avenge Helièna.

[You...... have crawled in here so shamelessly after all that.]

“I’m sorry, but who are you again?”

Yu IlHan asked out of pure curiosity, but it was enough to make the other agitated and enraged.

[I’m Hillutonne, the 2nd Battalion Commander of the Destruction Demon Army! You stole Helièna, who was mine!]

“Your what?”

He couldn’t reply. Well, he had absolutely no relation to Helièna at all!

[You! I will definitely kill you! Kuooooooooooh!]

“Helièna’s your what! Why the hell did you stop so suddenly!”

[Kraaaaaaaaaaaaaar!]

So, he just went berserk, a stereotypical method of dodging the topic, and charged against Yu IlHan! Yu IlHan also realized the truth soon. Pitiful guy. It was a case of unrequited love from beginning to end!

“How can I help it when she says she likes me? Why don’t you just give up around here?”

He teased Hillutonne with a face of pity. He was the number one in the universe in regards to having a contradicting expression to what he was saying.

[Kuaaaaaaaaaaah!]

Perhaps it would be different if Yu IlHan met Hillutonne outside, but this was Elo Katra, the main headquarters of the Destruction Demon Army, and right in front of the castle where the ruler resided at, so his abilities had amplified massively in this place. Home territory advantage was really at play here.

“Fuu.”

But even so, Yu IlHan didn’t think the slightest that he would lose this fight.

The leaders of a higher existence faction, the ones that pioneered their own paths, were just that different. They were in a completely different realm than those that followed another’s path!

“I can kill that, right?”

[Kikik, Destruction Demon Army does not ask such questions!]

“Well yeah, I guess. You guys would do stuff just like that. I asked just in case!”

Black magic power shrouded Hillutonne’s body. Unlike Michael who had a mana of fire, the curseful magic power formed from pure killing intent and hatred, sharply arose and aimed for Yu IlHan and Yumir’s necks.

Yumir attempted to dissipate the mana by releasing a roar that contained his own mana, but it couldn’t be blocked by Yumir’s attack alone since he was still at 6th class. Of course, that was without Yu IlHan’s help added into the mix.

“Mir, now.”

[Kuooooooooooooh!]

In the past, when Yu IlHan was just Yumir’s Dragon rider, they only increased each other’s abilities by 30% when fighting together. Of course, that was plenty amazing in itself, but it would be a stretch to call it true ‘resonance’.

However, it was different now. A higher existence faction known as the Dragon’s Nest, had been born, and in the process of becoming higher existences, the two were connected more solidly and more deeply than ever before, and now they could share each other’s mana as well as use each other’s skills. So.

[Kraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahn!]

It was not difficult at all to supplement Yumir’s roar with the high-density magic power from Yu IlHan’s over 1,500 points of magic!

[Critical Hit!]

[Khhaaaaaaaaaaak!]

It was just a single roar. With just a shout, all magic in the surroundings disappeared as if they were washed clean, and Hillutonne spurted blood from all over his body. Even the Dragon of Despair, Echjar, couldn’t bring about such destructive power when he was alive!

[Ku, urg, you.......]

[Stop there, Hillutonne.]

A voice of a middle-aged man could be heard. It was probably the master of the castle that this barking dog was guarding! Nothing good would come out of disturbing him when the two were going to meet soon.

[However, I, only......!]

“Who says you can run?”

However, Yu IlHan threw his spear without hesitation with a smile.

[Kahk!]

Transcendent Trajectory didn’t just apply to the strikes he did with his spear, and it applied to throwing as well, and it pierced Hillutonne’s body before the lord of the castle could do anything. There was no way Hillutonne could endure that when he was practically nullified by Yumir’s roar already.

[You have earned experience.]

[You have earned the records of Lv 571 Hillutonne.]

[You have become level 533. 5 Strength, 3 Agility, 2 Health, 5 Magic increases.]

[The skill, Transcendent Trajectory, has become level 17.]

The 2nd Battalion Commander, Hillutonne, had died. Even though he had amplified his strength to the limits at the very heart of the headquarters, he just died without being able to do the slightest thing. Even though their practical commander had died, the predators belonging to the Destruction Demon Army only laughed their hearts out. Really, these guys were all screwed up.

[Ah, oh.]

Yu IlHan snorted and spoke.

“Shouldn’t he pay the price for trying to test me?”

[You really are a man suited to join the Destruction Demon Army. I told him so many times to restrain himself when it came to you, but he still shortened his life in the end. A pity.]

The gates to the castle opened. Beyond it was thick darkness as well as a Transcender shrouded in it.

[The Fifth Transcender. I welcome you. I welcome you gladly.]

“Even though I killed the 1st and 2nd Commanders and stole the 3rd?”

[It’s fine.]

His answer was a masterpiece.

[Just as many Battalion Commander-level beings have died in the other factions. It was a blissful time of destruction. Just with the pleasure and delight I felt from that is enough for me to welcome you.]

Yu IlHan was reassured that the one waiting inside the castle was truly a madman and tapped on Yumir’s back. Understanding his intention, Yumir immediately changed to human form and grabbed Yu IlHan’s hand.

Growing into 6th class at once, he grew up to be a youth around the same height as Yu IlHan, but his actions were still no different from a child’s. Perhaps no one had ever reached the 6th class at his age.

“Let’s go.”

“Yeah.”

The father and son entered the castle while holding hands. There was nothing inside. As the master of the castle, it wouldn’t be surprising for him to utilize some maids or butlers, but when he thought that and saw the scene inside the castle, he immediately put that thought away. Yumir gripping his hand tight in fear was quite cute.

“No wonder nobody ever approaches this place.......”

[Are you surprised?]

“A little.”

No one could be dishonest here after looking at the being that was staring at Yu IlHan from the distance. Well, if what he saw was indeed his ‘eyes’.

[I welcome you, Yu IlHan. I call myself Greed. You’re the third being to have laid eyes on my true form.]

“And the first and the second?”

[Michael and Satan. I had a really great fight against those two. It’s a pity that I couldn’t devour them.]

Inside the walls of the unfathomably giant castle, there was a monster bound by chains made of ancient alloyed metal that even Yu IlHan had a hard time recognizing as the one who embodied the god of smithing.

Feathers of a bird, scales of a dragon, air bladder of a fish, manes of a lion, fangs of a viper, skin of a troll, muscles of an ogre, angel’s ring, and black feathers of a fallen angel – he was composed of anything that formed life across the many worlds, and after countless merges, he was at a state of saturation.

[I am Greed. One who desires. After endless desire and greed, I have reached this point.]

Greed was insanely large, and was still increasing in size.

Did Yu IlHan think Echjar was big? That Kelatuke was big? Yu IlHan horizons broadened after looking at the being that split his own magic to create a castle, and even cast a spatial distortion magic and squeezed himself into the tiny space.

“......Should I pity you?”

[Fu, haha.]

The castle of means of imprisoning Greed. Even as a transcender, his magic power had expanded to the point that he himself couldn’t bear it anymore.

Of course, the threat of mana would be equal to both himself and his enemies. And thanks to that, Yu IlHan’s Counter skill was rising rapidly.

[The skill, Counter, has become level 55.]

[Pity, huh. That’s an emotion I have lost long ago. Perhaps it will be worth it to taste such an emotion again through you but...... I’ll refrain from now.]

“How did you devour so much?”

[I just loved devouring. I liked the disappearance of my obstacles, as well as them becoming my power. I made all that I ate into my power, and experienced endless growth.]

As a result, he now possessed a body that was huge enough to swallow Heaven itself. He charged to Heaven with the entire world he ruled, but even he despaired for the first time.

[There was no God there. There was nothing for me to eat. And Michael was annoyingly strong despite being distasteful. It wasn’t worth it to clash against him.]

“That’s a different reason from what I’ve heard?”

[Don’t tell me you really think that those down there really act upon orders? The Archangels from Heaven’s Army are moving on their own accord too.]

It was too true so he couldn’t retort. Yu IlHan made a strange expression and checked again.

“Then the Army of Brilliant Light too?”

[Satan is the most truthful and beautiful man I know. The fallen angels are only drunk on the premise of bathing in his light.]

“And the Garden of Sunset?”

[I do not know about that side. But their leader must be such an interesting man. I am only disappointed that I haven’t met him yet. Well, then. I’ll return to the main topic here.]

The ruler of the Destruction Demon Army – Greed, the man who Yu IlHan expected to be the most muscle-headed and destructive, spoke to Yu IlHan in a calm voice.

[Are you aware of the upcoming destruction?]

“What?”

Yu IlHan asked back.

The monster smirked so widely that his teeth could be seen.

[I should have said just now, that God does not exist in Heaven. In other words, God has died.]

If Yu IlHan had never read books about Nietzsche before, he might be quite shocked by that statement.

“Such a simple conclusion can’t.......”

[There were no new worlds born after Earth was created, while many worlds were ruined or are on their way to ruin. Even higher worlds are decreasing in number. Even if they fuse to become a bigger world, they will eventually reach ruin. Like the world belonging to the Army of Brilliant Light that you have destroyed.]

“And so what? You want to launch some interdimensional peace campaign or something?”

[I wish for destruction, but once everything disappears, there will not be a thing left for me to eat. That is also why I have to bind myself. So...... there is a need for a new God. A new Creator. There is a need for one to rule over all worlds and create them anew.]

“So you can eat to your heart’s content again?”

[Precisely, and I.]

Greed uttered some nonsense again.

[Think you will become that new God.]