Chapter 82: You, I, Strangers – 1
(Translation changes: power of life -> life force)
The reputation of Vanguard soared by the day.
The levels of standard weapons were rising little by little, and after the performance of the higher ranked weapons traded with the 26 powerful clans was discovered, Vanguard’s ability became much more well known. Additionally, after the Korean military group, Suppression, revealed that they had also been supplied with custom weapons from Vanguard, the brand gained even more fame.
Before this, Suppression was considered the number one contender for the most pitiful group award in Korea, but right now, they had become the luckiest people.
Of course, this didn’t change the fact that they would suffer for evermore, but since the level and quality of their equipment had increased drastically, injuries, much less deaths, were rarely seen anymore, even while their growth speed increased.
The most reliable thing in the current world was one’s own level.
Suppression was levelling up at speeds not inferior to the powerful clans, despite working for the country, and even if the country or Suppression itself collapses, their levels would remain unchanged, and become their strength.
“Aaah, I need to capture Mr. Yu IlHan.”
“Give it up, first lieutenant Han. How about you just pick one from here?”
“Never, even if I die! Love is about winning. I will definitely win him over!”
“Well, good luck there, YeoRang Sinclair.” (See Author’s notes #3)
Regardless of whether the Korean representative ‘beauty’ first lieutenant Han YeoRang was burning in an absurd dream, the situation in the world changed rapidly.
Pregnant women, who previously went to the other worlds with swollen bellies, had all gaiven birth to their babies, and Earth now became home to the babies who were born after the Great Cataclysm, a.k.a. Newtypes, under the combined effort of governments and businesses alike, a major reconstruction of important buildings with materials that were 10 times sturdier than the existing ones began.
After the Dungeon Wave in Japan, the tension surrounding the management of dungeons increased manyfold in countries all around the world, and as a result, the powerful clans acquired more opportunities to shine.
In particular, the clans that were armed with higher level equipment from Vanguard greatly surpassed the growth speed of all the other clans, earning their jealousy.
Some conflicts occurred due to that with clans fighting each other, but Yu IlHan put up a notice stating that anyone who stole Vanguard’s weapons would not be able to acquire purchasing tickets for higher ranked weapons, which calmed them down.
The opportunity wasn’t over yet, we can become strong too!
When the clans realized that, they became obedient. Yu IlHan could now influence all the clans in the world with Vanguard!
“Now this is getting me interested.”
[Why don’t you stop roleplaying as the dark power and start moving?]
Erta’s nagging made Yu IlHan obediently close the laptop and stand up. He wanted to see the situation that changed according to the notices put up in Vanguard, but this was enough for now.
“Fortunately, we secured our place.”
[You thought it may fail. right?]
“Yeah, then I would have had more work to do.”
Thinking back on it, the objective of Yu IlHan’s founding of Vanguard was to enhance humanity. If the project collapsed due to the greed of other humans, then at that time, he would have no choice but to suffer all alone.
However, fortunately, since both the standard and higher ranked equipment sales went smoothly, they would all be able to suffer nicely together! (PR: Ilhan is both an S and an M!)
Under the resolve that he couldn’t suffer alone, Yu IlHan made the equipments for Na YuNa and Kang HaJin of the Lightning God Clan, as well as the 25 other clans, which took him around 3 weeks.
Of course, he did go and hunt some monsters in dungeons in his spare time, but after his level reached 87 due to the Orochi hunt, the rate of levelling was disgustingly slow.It almost seemed like he would be at the same level forever.
“When will I become level 100 and get my 3rd job…”
[What you just said nonchalantly is a lifetime goal for countless other people in other worlds. The growth speed of the people of Earth already surpassed my imagination, but your growth speed is way too OP!]
He once worried about if he couldn’t wield mana before he reached level 100, but getting straight to the point, it was a needless worry.
Well, it was mortifying every time he wanted to level up. If he hadn’t been able to monopolize Orochi’s experience, then he would still have been suffering at around level 84.
[Sir Yu IlHan, we have to move now.]
Said Reta Kar’iha’s consciousness. Yu IlHan also agreed with her words.
“Yes. I have already done as much as I can.”
Although it was impossible for him to cover for the entire humankind, the ones standing on the front lines in the war against the monsters had definitely been strengthened thanks to Vanguard. Without exaggeration, the battle power before Vanguard and after Vanguard multiplied by around two, no, threefold.
The overflowing monsters from the dungeons were being cleared out, while the Kantou region in Japan, which had shown high concentrations of mana even after the Dungeon Wave, was stabilizing.
“And I’ve also became more proficient in wielding mana too.”
[You monster.]
Erta’s words were her honest thoughts without the slightest bit of exaggeration. She couldn’t believe that Yu IlHan had adapted to mana, which he had never used in his entire life, in just one month, well, 3 months including the time within the barrier.
Of course, he wasn’t at a level where he could create an active skill by using mana, but it was plenty amazing now that he could enhance the skills he had, and use concealment freely. (T/N: ‘enhance skills he had’ can refer to superhuman strength, mana crafting and such)
“I have no choice but to become a monster. Think about it, Erta. What did the Akashic Record ask me to do when getting my 2nd job? It was an instakill of a 3rd class monster. Then what do you think it will ask me to do for my 3rd?”
[I don’t want to think about it.]
[Those conditions are frightening. I also have a deathgod-category class, but I’ve never gotten such stringent requirements even when I was getting my 3rd job.]
Added Reta Kar’iha. Just before, she didn’t say such personal things, but as her thoughts became clearer and stronger by the day, it was showing changes.
Why? Of course, Yu IlHan knew the answer to that, and it was because Yu IlHan had allowed her to do one thing.
Which was none other than letting her devour a portion of the life force that he had acquired through Death Collector! This would have been impossible for a normal consciousness, and was possible only because she was once a deathgod.
There were no skills that used the accumulated life force yet, and since Yu IlHan had hunted so many monsters already, the amount Reta Kar’iha devoured really didn’t make a difference, so he allowed it. However, as he saw that Reta Kar’iha’s thoughts were becoming clearer and clearer, he also thought that he may do something unbelievable in the future.
And bullseye, as if she had read Yu IlHan’s thoughts, Reta Kar’iha spoke.
[I also want to help sir Yu IlHan as soon as possible.]
“I knew you’d say that. You wouldn’t have eaten the life force for nothing.”
[D, do you have the power of future prediction!?]
Reta Kar’iha became surprised. Yu IlHan just said that it was something similar and asked her.
“It will be possible with my deathgod powers, correct?’
[It will probably become possible when you acquire your 3rd class. There are numerous uses to life force, and not to boast, but there are even more uses for clear thoughts like me.]
Erta sighed, but Yu IlHan replied with a smirk.
“That’s interesting.”
[I will be much more useful than that damned Orochi over there.]
“Hey, don’t speak of the devil. Ah! He came out there.”
[Kroaaaaaaaar!]
He thought about letting her devour the Orochi’s thoughts and life force, but he stopped.
As it was quite rare for a thought to be attached when absorbing life force, he felt a little too wasteful to throw away the Orochi, which was a 4th class mutant to boot, just because it was annoying. There was something else he was thinking about anyway.
“Well, then.”
He had prepared enough standard equipment to be sold in Vanguard for the foreseeable future, and the higher ranked weapons were all in his Cross Bag.
He had already requested the Lightning God Clan for his parents’ protection, and at the current moment, there were no signs of connections with other worlds or Overflows. At this rate, something will definitely happen, but not for now. Yu IlHan had done as much as he could.
“Shall we go?”
He couldn’t always move after something had happened. Before the 2nd Great Cataclysm occurred while he was hesitating, Yu IlHan decided to move.
The Abandoned World, Dareu, a horrible world where the dragonkin ruled.
Actually, the place where Yu IlHan could level up the quickest was also that place.
Yu IlHan went to the Grand Canyon again. Since the Earth had become more stabilized compared to the past, there were many tourists in the Grand Canyon, but none of them could detect Yu IlHan’s figure.
“Was the dungeon this way?”
[The dungeon access permission isn’t coming down. Well, it can’t be helped since the war in the Wall of Chaos is intensifying and all our important forces are gathered there.]
The dungeon connected to Dareu within the deepest areas of the Grand Canyon was currently sealed with Heaven’s power.
For Yu IlHan to enter the dungeon without breaking the seal, he had to make a secret passage, or, a dog hole, but obviously, that dog hole wasn’t something that could be made on a whim. It could only be done after a prior report and permission was granted.
(T/N: This bit also appears in the spoilers in NUF, I mini-translated it there since this is one of my favorite parts)
“What will we do to come out then?”
[Like how we entered, we will drill another dog hole and exit. If a dragonkin slips out that hole, then that will be the start of another Dungeon Break, so we’d have to close it quickly, alright?]
Despite Erta’s worried voice, Yu IlHan replied confidently.
“I don’t think that’s a problem, since it will be when I’ve already killed almost all the dragons there anyway.”
[Aren’t you looking down on dragons? They destroyed an entire world.]
“It’s you who’s looking down, Erta.”
Erta replied to Yu IlHan with a sigh, but the one who really wanted to sigh was Yu IlHan himself.
“Do you really not understand even after you’ve experienced all those things around the world? Do you think we can come out easily once we enter?”
[No.]
Erta knew that much. Not once did something happen according to Yu IlHan’s plans.
“Listen here.”
With Erta’s agreement, Yu IlHan’s words continued like a flowing river from the mountain; in a tone that was slightly disdainful for her to not continue thinking about it that much.
“Right now, we’re going to go in there thinking that we are confronting them starting with the 3rd class only, but mid way, something will go wrong, and I will have to fight 4th class dragons like I’m having my meals. Whether there’s a problem with the magic formation of the Elf Royalties, or the dragons messing them up or whatever.”
[You mean the absolute magic formation!?]
Even Reta Kar’iha was shocked at Yu IlHan’s daring prediction.
“However, I will be able to win against the 4th classes somehow, since I’ve become stronger than that time with Orochi. I might be left in tatters every time I kill one, but I will eventually be able to win against all of them.”
[You’re confident that you will be able to easily destroy the ones who ruined Dareu?]
“Yeah, I probably will get my 3rd class during that process. The friendship between me and you girls might become stronger too.”
[He’s originally like this.] (Erta)
However, his words didn’t end there.
“But even after I defeat all of them, when I am about to come out after feeling relieved, a 5th class dragon, enraged at the deaths of its own kind, will come out from somewhere. That will be the finale.”
[Stop it, it’s so likely that it’s scary!] (Erta)
[So you really have the power of prophecy!?] (Reta)
Having made an angel and a thought cower with his smooth speech, Yu IlHan was moving around the Grand Canyon looking for the dungeon, despite he himself haing predicted that horrifying future.
Erta nitpicked with an exhausted voice.
[But why do you looks so lively?]
“I can just run if a 5th class appears. We can only fight him by putting together everything we have on Earth against it.”
[You are a mere 2nd class, no, even if you acquire your 3rd as planned, how can you be so confident in running away from a higher exis…… Oh, you will be able to run.]
(PR: He isn’t a pancosmic loner for nothing *smirk*)
Erta acknowledged while she was retorting. Now that Yu IlHan was able to wield mana, if he used concealment with all his power, then even she wasn’t confident in being able to find him.
[Well, if you say so, then we’ll just go in! Oh, the dungeon entrance was permitted just now too!]
“Good, that’s the spirit!”
[What the hell is up with these people. So scary!] (Reta)
The overly arrogant Yu IlHan and his friends(?) entered the dungeon connected to Dareu without hesitation.
Poor Erta didn’t realize that she was becoming similar to Yu IlHan in more ways than one.
Author’s notes
This arc is extremely long.
I skipped the scene of making the spear out of the Heavenly Cloud Gathering Sword, since I wanted to make it appear in a grand fashion later, but I skipped the making of the holy weapons since I deemed it unnecessary. I thought making Kang MiRae’s weapon was enough.
In the novel, Demian, written by Hermann Hesse, Frau Eva, the one loved by the main character, Sinclair, once said this: ‘I will not make a gift of myself, I must be won.’ It still remains in my heart until today.
Future predictor (accurate) Yu IlHan. Perhaps he’s mentioning the future to avoid it!
Translator’s notes
One of my favorite parts in the story.
Translator: Chamber
Proofreader: Koukouseidesu