"Erta?"
[Yes, Yu IlHan, what is it?]
Erta's voice, which replied to Yu IlHan's call, was calm. It seemed this team was not yet aware of what had happened to Earth.
"Can you ask Miss MiRae to create a gate so you can come back to Earth first?"
[So it's urgent. I understand.]
Erta had countless good points, but her best qualities were her wisdom and her quick start. Yu IlHan cut off communication there, looked around the world, and then clapped to gather everyone's attention.
"As you see, the mankind of this world, Earth, were scattered across various other worlds. We don't know when they will be able to come back, but I can't let you live in their original habitats. However, there are plenty of locations where the population was wiped out due to dungeons or large-scale monster attacks, so I'm planning to choose one of those places for all of you to live in."
"Thank you for your consideration."
"I'm planning to work on fixing Earth immediately due to an unforeseen error. So, in the meantime, I hope that the members of Suppression will be able to help Miss Han YeoRang...."
"As you wish."
Major-General Yoon DaeHan nodded with a bright smile as soon as he heard that. It seemed that he thought that Yu IlHan was being considerate of them. Well, let him misunderstand, alright. Yu IlHan immediately moved the fortress to the place he had thought of, which was none other than Venezuela.
"This place is...."
"It's the only place where I was shamed; I was unable to help them in time ... one of the things I still have regrets about."
"Mr. Yu IlHan...."
All 30 thousand got off there. The citizens of Venezuela in the past numbered 30 million, but all of them had died. It would be more than enough for 30 thousand people to live in. Even considering the time needed for them to continue with their unique culture and prosper, this kind of environment would be enough.
"Fighting the monsters will be a little tough, but the current Suppression should be able to handle it. Oh."'
Yu IlHan brought the unique-ranked artifacts piled up in the Vanguard warehouse and distributed them to the members of Suppression. The equipment they were using right now was good items, but they were all mass-production models he had made when he had inferior abilities to now. Just by switching equipment, their fighting power would increase threefold.
"This is really amazing."
"Don't feel bad about using it. I'll clean up the vicinity first."
Yu IlHan gave Han YeoRang and Yoon DaeHan a communication device each.
"Give me a call whenever you're in danger. I'll come immediately."
"...Thank you."
"It won't be easy, but... do your best."
"We should be fine as long as you're here, Mr. Yu IlHan."
"That's not what I meant... *sigh*."
Yu IlHan only sighed at Han YeoRang's firm attitude.
They still didn't seem to understand what a higher world signified. He still had lingering thoughts that he should have just left them in Guundia.
But what was he to do now? They were the ones who followed him as they couldn't endure the situation in Guundia anymore. Perhaps Helièna was right. Humanity was just struggling to escape its status quo, heading toward its destruction.
'...Though, I won't let them.'
On his way back from Venezuela, Yu IlHan set up the minimum amount of safety devices. He first wiped out the monsters and installed various traps and automatic weapons made from materials gathered from them.
If above 'ordinary' monsters, for example, the perverted demons, appeared, they'll activate automatically and even signal Yu IlHan. Before Earth leaped into a higher world, this much preparation should be enough to protect them.
[How kind.]
"If I were really kind, I wouldn't have brought them to Earth."
Yu IlHan snorted at Helièna's remark and moved to Korea, the clearing where the gate to Kiroa had once been. Of course, that gate had disappeared, but this area was Yu IlHan's land before. And he had scooped it out to make the Flying Fortress.
[My... how beautiful.]
"It really is spectacular."
A lake had formed where it had once been a crater, after a large mass of land was scooped out. Moreover, the water's surface glowed faintly, and from time to time, water sprouts shot upward to form special shapes – all of which implied that the lake was formed by magical influence.
"Yu IlHan, I've arrived. ... oh."
Erta had also arrived at this time through the gate and saw the scene. Not only that, but the only conclusion she could reach after seeing the current state of Earth was that the lands, skies, and seas were all being twisted apart.
The transformation of Earth into a higher world was in progress. And this was happening very, very rapidly.
"Didn't you say it would take a few years at least?"
"Yeah, I hoped so anyway."
"Well, there's no way a human like you can accurately predict the transformation period. But it's good that we found out before it was too late. And so? You have prepared something, right? The reason you called me should also be related to that."
"Indeed."
Yu IlHan thought back to when he had borrowed Paté's power to bring Helièna's body back to life, and he explained his plans. The magic he was planning to cast on Earth was fundamentally not that different.
"I'm planning to slow the time and space applied on Earth by borrowing Mom's magic. The mana needed will be supplied by the mana being generated from the Earth itself."
"Uh...."
As always, this was one of the most absurd declarations by Yu IlHan. Erta couldn't retort and only turned her head around to Kim YeSeul.
"Just from words, it sounds absolutely impossible... so how is it, Kim YeSeul? Does it seem possible?"
"Wouldn't my son be able to do it? I believe in my son."
[This will be interesting. I want to hear the specifics, darling.]
"Good, I'll explain it to you in steps."
If possible, he wanted to get Kang MiRae's help as well, but he could only do so with these members, as she had other important things to do. Yu IlHan first put a boat on the lake and rowed to the center with the others.
"I'm going to make a magic formation here."
"On this lake? Would that suffice?"
"No, of course not. I'm going to use the artifact I created to draw a magic formation over the entire Earth."
[My, making a magic formation on Earth with an artifact?]
"The entire Earth!?"
Erta remembered something after hearing that.
"The ancient elven magic formation in Dareu. My god."
"Yes, this is the enhanced version. So... I'm going to make what Miss Han YeoRang said, not that far off from the truth."
If he was the only one that could take responsibility for Earth, all he needed to do was to conquer it. Yu IlHan was planning to become the ruler of Earth. No one permitted him to, but he didn't plan on getting their permission either.
Noticing what he was thinking, Helièna's face blossomed into a smile.
[Fufu, you're doing well even without me telling you anything, darling. Perhaps our hearts are already synchronized? How joyful.]
"Quite the unpleasant woman, I must say."
"I agree, but this is no time to be quarrelling. Focus."
Yu IlHan was not proficient in magic that manipulated space and time. So he would require Kim YeSeul's help even in creating the magic formation.
By creating an artifact capable of harnessing all her powers, he would etch the magic formation onto the Earth and activate it. Finally, he had to finish it off by adding a feature to maintain the formation's effects.
"The environment is not that bad. There is a lot of mana in the lake too."
[My.]
When Yu IlHan shook his hand, the surface of the lake rose to his lead and froze into the form of a delicate statue.
A beautiful angel with two pairs of wings extended. It was none other than Liera herself, when she was a 6th-class high angel. Kim YeSeul was curious what kind of magic tricks he used when she saw him and realized that her son had become slightly different.
"My, when did your armour change, son?"
"Blizzard Tyrant's Mixed bone fullplate armour. It's an artifact that lets me wield water and turn it into ice. I'm going to create the artifact by extracting the feature of this armour."
[That's neat, darling. Can't you make a statue of me too?]
"If I feel like it."
When he swung his hand again, the statue turned back into water and fell back into the lake.
"That's why I need the help of the people here. Is it possible to transform Mom's ability into the form of a magic formation?"
"It will be difficult for me alone."
[I'll try, darling. That seems interesting.]
"I shall also help. Fortunately, magic formations are my area of specialty."
"Okay then. I'll leave that to the three of you. As for me."
Yu IlHan took off his armour. Then he took out a 5th-class magic stone and extracted all the features related to water manipulation from the mixed bone full-plate armour. The full-plate armour immediately turned to dust and was scattered by the wind.
"I'll make this lake into an artifact."
[You destroyed a legend-ranked artifact so easily…]
"What I need is the ability to manipulate water, not the armour."
At this point, Yu IlHan did something unbelievable. He just dropped the higher existence's magic stone, imbued with the power of water, into the lake without hesitation. Even Helièna couldn't help but tilt her head at that scene.
[Darling... are you alright?]
"I'm going to concentrate. Don't touch me."
Yu IlHan slowly closed his eyes and placed his hand on the water's surface. What he was trying to do right now was extremely simple. Using the magic stone that would control the entire lake as the foundation, he would tie all the water in the lake into a single mass and enchant a thought-soul into it!
To put it easily, he was making a water golem. Of course, this would be impossible without the magic engineering, mana-crafting ability, and soul-enchantment that had each reached the peak of their respective fields.
'Activate mana crafting and soul enchant at the same time. And a suitable thought-soul would be... yes, you're the best.'
[Are you, serious...?]
The voice that replied to him was extremely low and filled with curses. However, to Yu IlHan, who had experienced countless fights even after fighting it, this much was cute.
'Yes, I am serious. If it's about protecting the Earth, you should be the strongest.'
[What I want more is to rip you apart to shreds.]
'You're mistaken if you think I'll back down to such a meagre threat. You should have watched from inside me, didn't you? Do I have to put it in easy words for you?'
Yu IlHan snorted at the thought-soul that could do nothing to disturb his mind, no matter how much it shouted.
'As long as I don't permit it, you cannot do anything. If you do not accept, I'll only look for another one, and if the protective power over Earth weakens as a result, you can only writhe in despair and curse me as you always have. No, in fact, I can just feed you to another thought-soul.'
[You aren't particularly skilled at threatening, or perhaps you really don't care whether I comply.]
'You get it. So, what are you going to do?'
[I... want freedom.]
'You are already dead. You are already no longer you, and whatever you thought when you were alive no longer relates to the current you.'
[Despite that, I... want freedom.]
'Then very well. Negotiation is over.'
[However.]
The thought-soul held Yu IlHan back.
[If I could live on in a different form, if I could escape my current state... I shall follow your words for a short while.]
'You really aren't good at negotiating either.'
[I was always watching you. If I am not skilled in negotiation, then it is your fault.]
'Hah, who are you blaming? Very well, then. Let us begin.'
Yu IlHan activated the Rule skill that had reached its peak and smirked. He voiced its name, the 'concept' embedded in the Akashic Record.
"Chaos Will, become my subordinate."
[...I accept.]
The worst loner and the most brutal being joined hands.