Everyone Else is a Returnee

Phituroa was a world that 794 people of Earth were indebted to. Like other worlds after the 3rd Great Cataclysm, they had a lot of 3rd class and 2nd class personnel, and they somehow held their own against 4th class monsters.

[However, it usually only takes an instant for a world to collapse.] (Liera)

Liera let out a sigh.

[There was a Dungeon Break. And within a blink of an eye, you’d get a Dungeon Wave. If there were 4th classes among them, then the people would lose their fighting power while fighting them……. and coincidentally, the empty dungeons would all activate and there would be an Overflow. Like that, the number of 4th class monsters would increase….. and it will be the end if people failed to block that.] (Liera)

“It’s a true cycle of hell.”

[But it’s not like we can stop installing dungeons because of that, so it’s even more of a pain.] (Erta)

[That’s an ordinary process from a world to its destruction. Like that, the mutated monsters would become the largest race and the doors to the world will close.] (Spiera)

[And the Destruction Demon Army would approach such worlds.] (Liera)

The angels were in perfect sync today. Perhaps, they were feeling pained from seeing numerous worlds that met such an end. Yu IlHan replied with a bitter smile.

“If you know that, then do something about it.”

[Anyone would want to do that, but the forces of the Heaven’s Army is not infinite. We can’t interfere more than needed, and so, in the end, the residents of the world have to win against the crisis they face, by themselves. That’s the absolute law.] (Liera)

“No.”

Yu IlHan interjected while closing the ‘Phituroa Support’ notification on his smartphone app.

“It was once an absolute law. But now, things might be different.”

What if, strong people from other worlds could come to support when a world was in dire straits?

That world would gain an opportunity to overcome that crisis and stand up once again, and the ones that came to support would be able to create debts. Then, they would receive support when they were in a crisis.

All of this now became possible with Earth. The experts scattered over many worlds could now focus on a single world, through Earth.

If a strong alliance formed between worlds with this opportunity, then it would become possible to help each other and develop infinitely!

[If such a good cycle can happen, then that will be for the best.] (Liera)

[It will probably be impossible. We’re talking about people who are neither family, relatives, people of the same country, or even, of the same world. How would anyone be able to trust in others and lend their power? That is just all a delusion.] (Spiera)

“Don’t think about it so negatively. Perhaps this is an opportunity for the intelligent species to to overcome the wall between worlds and become one large community for real.

[And, as one of those ‘intellectual species’, what are you doing right now?] (Erta)

Yu IlHan became silent. That was because he was currently pouring fragments of Keshna into the furnace with Eternal Flame in it.

It was good that he had dismantled the golem, but as the performance of the Death Driver and the bone screw was too good, the metal had turned into fine powder, so he couldn’t use it like that. Resulting in the scene now, where he was going through a refinement process.

“I’m doing my own work.”

[Yes. While everyone ‘does their own work’, Phituroa will be destroyed. Of course, I do not mean that your actions are bad in any way.] (Erta)

It wasn’t at all that bad to think about yourself as insufficient, nor was it better to invite danger upon oneself by going to another world rather than focus on protecting one’s own. In fact, that was more realistic.

Just that, if one had the ability, and believed that the world they helped would reciprocate later, it wouldn’t be such a bad thing to help out. In the core, was trust. If people knew that they could trust each other, then they would create miracles.

“However, you know what. Miracles are called that because they don’t happen.”

[So you haven’t the slightest intention to make the intelligent species one community, disregarding the wall between worlds?] (Liera)

“You should have noticed when I said that in the first place. My AT field is invincible. It will simply refuse to hang out with another person.”

[Really……?] (LIera)

Yu IlHan did not bother replying to Liera’s words. He was also thinking that his circle had grown bigger with his subordinates, Yumir, Kang MiRae, and Na YuNa.

If Kang MiRae and Na YuNa fell into danger for example, wouldn’t he move in order to save them? Not because he was told by someone, but because his heart would not be at rest if he didn’t.

Yes. Becoming attached to another person would increase a person’s responsibility. That’s why he hated it. He really didn’t want any more of it.

But if it was only a little, then there would be no more such connections.

“If it seems like there will be insufficient people, then tell me at that time. I’ll just think of it as a hunt.”

[What happened to the AT field?] (Liera)

“I said it’s a hunt.”

Yu IlHan pouted as he kept pouring Keshna into the furnace. In the battle with the Keshna Golem, the Eternal Flame had acquired a considerable quantity of records, and grew once again. Now, with the full output from it, he could watch in satisfaction, the scene where specks of Keshna melted down and became a puddle.

[In the end, how much Keshna were you able to get out of it?] (Erta)

“More than 50% was lost permanently during battle. Moreover, the golem’s body had other metals that were used to enhance the physical strength…… counting pure Keshna, it’s not that much. Around 3 tons?”

[So 3 tons is not much eh……] (Erta)

Well, yeah. To Yu IlHan, who was thinking of refining the Keshna to make another golem, it was too low. Although, it was still impossible for him to create golems, since he hadn’t truly made all the magic engineering knowledge his yet!

But when he spent some time while working, Liera called for Yu IlHan.

[……IlHan.] (Liera)

“Now I really only need a magic stone from a higher ex….. yes?”

[I don’t think you’re needed.] (Liera)

When Yu IlHan tilted his head at Liera’s words, she showed him a single photo. – one that had numerous people in front of a gate. Yu IlHan noticed without difficulty, that the gate was connected to Phituroa.

“No way.”

[I was also doubtful, but it looks like it’s true.] (Liera)

Gates between Earth and other worlds were increasing in real-time, albeit slowly. Currently, there were a total of 26 gates.

But since the photo in front of Yu IlHan’s eyes included at least 5 thousand people, there was an average of 200 people per world that had come for support.

[Looks like the rewards are tempting. Well, even I would be desperate when the world looks like it’s about to end.] (Erta)

[Things are turning interesting. What would happen from now on? I’m so excited.] (Liera)

“Well, I don’t know about the exact reason, but…”

Yu IlHan was satisfied that there was no need for him to go there, and poured more lumps of Keshna into the furnace. Then he said,

“It’s good as long as it doesn’t bother me.”

***

Mankind was really worried about the Earth after the 2nd Great Cataclysm, but the many variables actually ended up stabilizing Earth.

Increase in the overall power of Earth thanks to Vanguard, attention of the people of other worlds due to various trades and auctions that occurred on Earth, other than that, there were even more complex elements that actually ended up making Earth one of the most stabilized worlds.

“Now, we’d be in trouble if Earth disappeared.”

“Although we like the trade with other worlds, if Vanguard disappeared…..”

“But when’s the 2nd auction for the advanced equipment?”

And the change didn’t end at just Earth. The other worlds connected to Earth, had also become able to recruit ability users of other worlds as mercenaries, achieving a more stable state as well.

The world that started the mercenary practice, Phituroa, had could overcome its crisis thanks to the mercenaries. As it was a tremendous force, the number of casualties were minimal as well. This made Yu IlHan and his three angels look stupid for doubting the union of the people.

Of course, it wasn’t like an alliance that disregarded the walls around everyone’s hearts and brought them together, had formed like Yu IlHan’s wishes. Humans were too rotten to rely on the pure beliefs of children, and the price for salvation was only second to that of destruction.

Yes. What Phituroa had put out were magic stones – the majority of the 3rd class and 4th class magic stones scraped from all over the world! The people were attracted by them when they went to help!

There was a limit to playing around with Yu IlHan’s heart for being impressed at mankind’s purity!

[The reason they want magic stones should obviously be for Vanguard and Angel Tear, right?] (Liera)

[To think you’d make people go save other worlds in order to buy Vanguard products… Yu IlHan, you really solve a lot of things with the things you do.] (Erta)

“Although this applies to 3rd classes as well, it is quite difficult for an ordinary person to be in possession of a 4th class magic stone. So that’s it. magic stones would be released into the market like this.”

And the more people got their hands on magic stones, the more active the trade with Vanguard would become. In Yu IlHan’s shoes, this was a very good thing.

[Uuu. Somehow, the situation is becoming out of our hands now.] (Liera)

“It’s alright. It’s not like anything was in your hands in the first place.”

[I wish things would go well……] (Erta)

“Now you girls aren’t even denying it…….”

Perhaps due to the smooth start, other than the initial salvation of Phituroa, there were notices of ‘urgent help needed’ put up quite frequently. As they had to put out 3rd class magic stones as the minimum reward, the request should be very rare, but precisely because of that, many people flocked to those requests once they appeared.

Around two months after the first Phituroaa request, there were two more large scale mercenary requests, and Kang MiRae noticed that there was a need for an organization to manage all of this.

So the card she played was none other than Metal Knights and Magia.

These two clans possessed power rivaling the Lightning God clan, excluding her, and they had enough qualifications to represent the Earth, and above all, they cooperated in the creation of the Gangnam Trade Center. Now, it was her turn to keep her promise.

“Mercenary guild? So who is it, Lightning God again? Or did Yu IlHan come out himself?”

“No, but they’re basically the same people. It’s Metal Knights and Magia. The two that hung out with Lightning God. However, what’s frustrating is that we can’t take part in it.”

“Dammit! They’re planning to take everything for themselves!”

Of course, there were a lot of complaints. The word ‘Front Line Alliance’ had long since become famous on Earth, and there were a set of guilds inside it that stood out even more.

Some complained, saying it was a connections-based administration, but Kang MIRae ignored them as always.

The reason she had chosen Metal Knights and Magia was only to reduce as much noise as possible, if there was anyone else capable of it, then she would be completely fine with them too. In fact, it was more likely that the people with complaints had malicious intentions.

Metal Knights and Magia moved as she had intended. The two clan masters, Michael Smithson and Carina Malatesta, came to Gangnam themselves and created the mercenary guild while preparing an infrastructure to manage the mercenaries more efficiently and improving the rewards system.

The mercenary guild enabled the mercenaries participating in a request to receive rewards according to contribution, and even succeeded in preparing a safe route for their return.

Although slight fees were imposed on both the clients and the mercenaries for the guild to operate properly, this was overwhelmingly convenient and undoubtedly safer than the time they had to put up notices and pray for a good outcome.

So, who could hate the mercenary guild? With that, Earth had shot a signal to activate the mercenary requests of other worlds. At this point in time, the 2nd advanced equipments auction was held, and led many experts of worlds to the mercenary guild.

Although Yu IlHan was guarding the venue in the 1st auction, he didn’t show up at all in the 2nd. He judged that he had given enough of a warning through the 1st auction, so he only prepared the items to be traded, and left the security to Flemir and the wolves from Kiroa.

The auction ended safely. Amidst the auction venue full of joy of those that managed to bid successfully, and the sighs of those who couldn’t, Kang MIRae muttered with an absent-minded gaze.

“Just where did he go.”

“Didn’t he say he went to the world he was connected to?”

“But it’s already been two months.”

Two months, that was the time that had flown past after Yu IlHan had left the items for the auction and Yumir in their care. Well, it wasn’t like Kang MiRae couldn’t understand the activities in worlds connected to oneself, but since the duration was too long, she couldn’t help but worry.

No, she didn’t want to admit it, but rather than worry for him, it was a problem of her heart.

Her first love was like drugs, and she became impatient after not seeing him for about 3 days, and when one week passed, her heart started tightening, and by one month, she couldn’t eat properly, and now that 2 months had passed, even the clouds in the skies looked like Yu IlHan to her.

“It’s not like he’ll die somewhere, so what are you so worried about?”

“But he never ever took so long to do something.”

“He left us a communicator so we can contact him.”

“If he’s doing something important, it’ll be bad for me to interrupt him by calling him……”

She felt stranger the more she made excuses, so she just shut up. Na YuNa didn’t even know what she was feeling, and blabbed on by her side.

“Perhaps he’s doing a giant quest. He’s a person that could grow so strong after the records were deleted, so the world he’s connected to must be amazing right? I wish he’d take us there too~.”

“……That’s true. Perhaps he’ll tell us one day.”

“Let’s go see Mir instead. Let’s go around the dungeons!”

“Okay. But before that, you have some work to do.”

“Uwaaaaaaaah!”

She couldn’t be bothered by the thoughts of Yu IlHan forever. Kang MiRae made a small sigh and walked while pulling on Na YuNa’s sleeves – to complete the work Yu IlHan had left her to do.

Meanwhile, the person they were looking for, Yu IlHan, was currently…

[Kuwooooooooooooooooh!]

“Uoooooh! Giga drill breakkkkkkkkkk!”

[Sued! You’ll get sued!] (Liera)

…was having a blast (alone) rampaging in a world full of monsters that no one else could possibly handle.

Author’s notes

The angels have it tough too

I’ve talked about the AT field once. It’s a term that appears in Neon Genesis Evangelion. To put it simply, it could be said to be a wall of the heart.

Now, he’s making others move with his existence alone!

Translator’s notes

We’re finally seeing character development!