Teraka's mind was in a mess. Even though he had swept over the entire continent of Dareu, leading 5,000 dragons with him, what he gained was only a battle with the Garden of Sunset while they were going around in search of the attacker like him, as well as the revelation that the Heaven's Army and the Army of Brilliant Light had entered Dareu.
He didn't even find out who the lower existence was that caused the mess in this world, but all four higher-existence factions had already gathered. In Teraka's view, he could only sigh.
[Is it really possible for a lower existence to hide his presence so well? Or perhaps this guy just ended with a mutual destruction with the Garden of Sunset...?]
[Lord Teraka, why don't we enlarge our search perimeter?]
[No, you must not scatter. One angel, one fallen angel, or one gatekeeper of the Garden can annihilate all of you. Remember this.]
[U-understood.]
Midway through, he got a call from the Destruction Demon Army camp, but, of course, he ignored it. They were probably going to flatter him after regretting that they were now at odds with him, but useless allies were more dangerous than enemies. He would no longer cooperate with them.
However, the higher-ups would get angry if they found out about this. And so, he put up a measure to prevent any contact with the main headquarters behind the Wall of Chaos. Right now, they were probably in a lot of pain. He felt a little better now.
[Hmph, it's a light price for those fools.]
Of course, 'those fools' right now were being completely obliterated, not to mention 'agonized', but Teraka would never imagine that the lower existence he was looking for was daring enough to invade the camp comprised of higher existences.
[I do not know what kind of method this guy used to hide, but that's one near-perfect concealment. I don't like this, but do I need to watch over this situation.... no.]
Teraka thought for a little before raising his head.
[From now on, we'll attack the Heaven's Army directly.]
The dragons, a little tired from the search that continued after the battle, were confused by Teraka's aggressive declaration and blinked.
[Did you not just say that you need to watch over this situation?]
[If you were the only one in this world, then it might be fine to take it slow. However, reality isn't like that. Stopping means getting left behind. Even if you know that it is not a wise choice, you only make progress once you take your foot off the ground.]
At least, Teraka himself lived like that until now. In this world where development had halted, he struggled to attain a higher existence, and after ascending to the realm of higher existences he had so long dreamed of, he threw himself into battle after battle, almost as if he had suicidal tendencies, in order to rise to a higher realm. The reason he could become 6th class in just a few years is definitely not just because of luck.
Of course, moving about recklessly was no good either. Teraka explained his reason why he decided to attack the angels.
[We are currently, on the surface, in an alliance with the Army of Brilliant Light, so nothing good would come from making them enemies. It will also be a pain to get on the bad side of the higher-ups too. Moreover, the Garden of Sunset must be really tense right now thanks to the attack; it is also a loss to provoke them. On the other hand, the Heaven's Army had just arrived in this world and must not have adapted to this 'environment' of Dareu yet. The best choice is, of course, to attack them. Of course, I'm not getting into a life-or-death fight with them. We'll retreat after making plenty of gains using an ambush.]
[The angels.... understood. We'll prepare.]
[If it's a magic that gathers all our magic power, even higher existences would...]
The dragons, who grew tense upon hearing they would ambush a camp of higher existences, each resolved themselves, while Teraka activated his magic to find the angels' mana he had sensed last time.
Of course, the interference magic that the Heaven's Army had cast across the world tried to hinder him, but Teraka was a being who had reached 6th class as the last of the bloodline of the dragons that succeeded; the realm of magic, piled up over countless years, had been leapfrogged beyond its limits. Just considering the field of magic, he had the confidence to easily toy with the most exceptional of angels.
[Good, found them.]
A thick smile hung over Teraka's lips. He could feel the current state of the angels gathered together.
[Gather everyone's magic and cast anti-recognition magic on me. I'll ambush them and cause chaos, and you shall follow. No matter how weak you may be, with all of you together, you should be able to kill at least 10. Just with that, you can grow. Fight with your life on the line!]
[Understood!]
[We shall throw our lives!]
Even if any of them had complaints about Teraka's way of doing things, the dragons wouldn't be able to say them out loud, so they could only follow obediently.
Teraka also knew that they weren't following him out of pure loyalty, but that did not matter. Those who do shall reach the realm of higher existences, and those who don't will die without enduring.
[We're going to erase everything.]
The dragon army departed. Raising his position within the Destruction Demon Army, even if it meant killing one more angel! Teraka didn't even know what happened to his allies and was dreaming nicely.
Meanwhile, Yu IlHan, who made Teraka's dreams into ashes, let the others rest inside the two fortresses while Erta contacted him and allowed the angels to detect him.
[It has been a while, Yu IlHan.]
What was this, fate's prank? The one who came to him was the remaining angel contracted to him, Spiera.
[You've become really stronger. Well, it's natural considering that you've endured on that Earth that changed so rapidly.]
"It's been a while, Spiera."
Yu IlHan wasn't confident that his expressions were hidden, but from Spiera's smile, it seemed to have worked.
[The ones that know where you are, are only Erta, and I. The one who wished to come here was me. Erta let me have the opportunity.]
"Yes, I also wanted to see you."
Yes, really. He pondered day and night about how to screw her up. However, Spiera hadn't seen through his mind, and only nodded with an awkward expression.
[Even though I could not help you, you've learned to escape Earth by yourself like this. Truly amazing. Was it the power of the newly earned subclass?]
"Yes."
[So Erta was right. You always surpass my expectations..... I'm truly, truly joyful to meet you again like this.]
".....Yes, me too."
Yu IlHan thought that a person's mind was very mysterious. That was because he did not think that Spiera was lying. Right now, she was feeling heartfelt delight at meeting him again and rejoicing at his safety!
Yu IlHan did not know what role she had in the negotiations between the Heaven's Army and the other factions. Just that he could predict she wouldn't take a positive attitude toward it, as she hated traitors so much.
Despite that, it was still the truth that Heaven's Army had abandoned Earth and Yu IlHan for its future, and it was also the truth that they had skipped over the sacrifices of innocent newborns without shedding a single tear.
Despite not being evil at heart, she accepted everything that happened that benefited her organization – wasn't this like a fanatic believer of a cult? Does one's own opinions become meaningless in such a community? Yu IlHan became afraid of Heaven's Army. He also became afraid that his own army may become like that, but thinking about it, they were already quite like that.
Just as Yu IlHan was pondering the direction in which he had to lead his army, Spiera's eyes sharpened.
[So, did you learn the Great Cosmos-severing Spear?]
"No, I couldn't."
[You've grown so much in other fields, but why couldn't you learn the Great Cosmos-severing Spear?] Do you even know what kind of resolve I had to achieve in order to teach you the technique!]
No, perhaps her mind weighed more towards the one that learned her technique than Yu IlHan himself. Yu IlHan burst out laughing. He thought she was almost as simple as Liera.
[Although I can't do it since we're at war right now, once we bring this war to a close with our victory, I'll start teaching you for real.] And.... yes, to Earth, too. I can become a part of your power.]
"Yes, let's go to Earth together."
Yu IlHan nodded, acknowledged her words, and extended his right hand to take hers.
"Please take care of us, Spiera."
[Same goes for me, Yu IlHan. I like how much more handsome you became during that time. I'm waiting for the day you enter the Heaven's Army.]
Two people with different intentions shook hands. The potential alliance had begun to take shape.
[Will you converge with us right away?]
"No, as you know, the biggest power I have is my concealment. I will cooperate, but I'm going to put some distance between us and the main camp of the Heaven's Army."
[...You are saying you'll hide those two gigantic fortresses against higher existences?]
"I already had some achievements from it."
Yu IlHan slightly opened his inventory. Looking at the mountain of corpses in there, Spiera became speechless.
[How can this....]
"So, the Destruction Demon Army should have been weakened right now. The 6th-class dragon is quite dangerous, but anyway, it's better to attack the Garden of Sunset or the Army of Brilliant Light."
[I also do not hate battle, but I really cannot keep up with your offensiveness.....] I see your point. Do as you wish. No, since it became like this, it'll be better for me to hide myself in your shadow.]
"Sure."
Spiera shook her head and landed on the flying fortress after folding her two wings. Her head suddenly tilted.
[Is..... Liera here?]
"She's sleeping. She lent a hand in making the result I just showed you and is quite tired."
[....Has she become a lower existence?]
"Yeah."
[And she gained you?]
"Yeah."
The smile on her lips was definitely bitter. However, the next moment, she nodded with a bright smile that Yu IlHan had never seen before.
[It's a good thing. It's a joyful occasion. Cherish her, Yu IlHan. If it's you of the future.... you can protect Liera.]
"You won't ask Liera to come back to the Heaven's Army?"
[I can understand what she is thinking right now. She is probably placing impossibly high expectations on herself. Though, you are amazing since her expectations had always been fulfilled at 120%, but....fufu.]
Yu IlHan was sure that the expression on her face at that time was closer to self-loathing.
[If you enter the Heaven's Army, she'll come back without my persuading her.] I'm sure that she'll say something like a wedding in Heaven is romantic, so I shall not talk to her about such matters.]
Having finished speaking, Spiera drew her spear and stood beside Yu IlHan.
[Let's depart, Yu IlHan. I thought fighting alongside you was something that was only possible when you became a higher existence; never did I know it would come true in such a way.]
"You're right. I also didn't know such a day would come."
Life was funny. Would Yu IlHan, when he dropped out, have imagined that he would become an expert of such power and participate in such a large-scale war, just to survive? Would he have ever thought that he would harbour different intentions towards Spiera?
"It's funny indeed."
[That's true.]
The two exchanged short smiles and looked up front. Yu IlHan placed the two fortresses within his concealment and activated the magic formation without hesitation.
At the place they went, dragons and angels were having a massive battle.