Everyone Else is a Returnee

Lazière did not have the slightest bit of power to impede Yu IlHan’s advance. He threw the so called ‘Trap of Restoration’, and it settled down in the center of the palace before encroaching onto the far borders of the world. Lazière shouted as if to deny its power even after having estimated its might.

[That’s useless! Whatever you do, as long as Lord Satan exists, you cannot do anything to the Netherworld!]

“So you want me to kill Satan. Because he’s my enemy, and I cannot solve this matter without killing him.

Lazière denied that while biting her lips.

[I am his follower. I do not doubt his certain victory.]

“You have made a few mistakes just now. And these two mistakes all stemmed from one misconception – your misjudgement of me.”

Yu IlHan snorted at Lazière.

“Who are you to estimate my power? Who are you to know what I am thinking? Who are you to force me to select a single choice? I’m going to do everything my way. I have destroyed all foreshadows, so the only thing waiting for me is the oh-so-generic happy ending.”

[I…… cannot understand you at all.]

“You don’t have to; I didn’t expect you to anyway. We all know that both of us are wearing masks, what is there to talk about?”

Yu IlHan turned around. Lazière still couldn’t move an inch. She looked quite funny, but Yu IlHan really didn’t do anything to her anymore.

“Let’s go. Our business here is over.”

“Didn’t you say you were going to rob an empty house?”

“I just did, didn’t I?”

The only thing Yu IlHan did, though, was to restrain Lazière and throw a Trap of Restoration, and that was all to expect from robbing an empty house? – Just as Liera was about to ask , she changed her expression after feeling the ripple of change in the Netherworld.

“My.”

Helièna exclaimed. She asked Yu IlHan while feeling the warmth that spread out from the center of the Netherworld.

“So this isn’t just any Trap of Restoration, is it?”

“It’s a special edition. Main world version. I focused its function on restoring and engulfing, seducing and imprisoning, to resist and rule over all there is in this world.”

He wouldn’t acquire the Netherworld just by scattering one seed. But then, what changed? – Helièna watched the world while thinking, and realized that the Trap of Restoration didn’t just stop at taking over the Netherworld.

“It’s connecting to other places…….”

“I have connected all places to here. I do not need to make any more Traps of Restoration.”

“All places…….”

Yes. The Traps of Restoration had the property to bloat up in size gradually, and eventually transfer itself to other dimensions. It didn’t just stop at erasing the effects of the Traps of Destruction, but would proliferate at a frightening speed as if trying to conquer all worlds.

“To all lower worlds as well? So…… even the worlds where the people of Earth live in?”

“Whether there are people of Earth there or not, whether the world has undergone the Great Cataclysm or not, whether it’s a higher or a lower world, any and every existing world will be affected.”

A shivering sensation ran down Helièna’s back after she instinctively realized what that meant. Although she claimed to be a woman who understood Yu IlHan’s true value as soon as she met him, she realized that even that it was just her unsubstantiated arrogance.

“So darling’s objective in making the Traps of Restoration laid ‘somewhere else’ in the first place……?”

Yu IlHan did not bother answering the question and activated the Warp skill. Liera asked.

“Is it Elo Katra now, IlHan?”

“No, it’s Heaven.”

“But according to the order, it should be Elo Katra next…….”

“What are you saying? Didn’t I just say so right now, Liera?”

Stroking Liera’s hair softly, Yu IlHan spoke.

“Whether it’s a lower world or a higher world, all existing worlds will be affected by the Traps of Restoration.”

“That’s why Elo Katra should…… huh?”

“So our next destination.”

Yu IlHan activated the Warp skill with a smile.

“Is Heaven. Everything will come to a close there.”

***

The poison that invaded Michael’s body was extremely vicious, to the point that he found it painful every time he breathed in or out. However, Michael was a proper transcender and the one that would become the Sole God. There was no way he would be defeated by a mere poison from insignificant Battalion Commanders.

[Who is next. Who shall compete against my light next?]

The only surviving Battalion Commanders after a harsh and drawn out battle were the 4th Battalion Commander Telzaider and the 8th Battalion Commander Zenusva. It would be ideal if they attacked together, but for some reason, Zenusva retreated and Telzaider stepped up first.

[Please show me, Michael. The power of a transcender, show it to me!]

[Both of you come at me, it’s annoying. I will take care of you two together.]

[If I did that and you somehow got injured and become weaker, then that would be no fun. We have waited for this moment; how can we deprive ourselves of the joy?]

[What……?]

Michael gritted his teeth. How can they say such things in front of sure death?

[You look down on me…… too much……!]

The brilliance around Michael became thicker. When even his figure couldn’t be made out, hundreds of strands of light pierced the space where Telzaider was.

[No, your light should be faster than that. I have bet my entire life all for this moment, Michael!]

[How dare you say that, you are a mere idiot that only knows how to destroy the things in front of youuuuuuuuu!]

The light pulsated violently, almost as if it were enraged. However, Telzaider dodged them all with unbelievable speed and even found the timing to attack Michael with his magic power.

Michael clenched his teeth after realizing that he had become slower due to the poison. He couldn’t even kill a lowly Battalion Commander below level 600!

[Michael, you are preserving your energy.]

Telzaider’s voice became louder.

[Are you saving your power in order to fight the Lord? Is that why you cannot kill me?]

[Shut up. I have no need to use my full power against the likes of you!]

Taking out a God-ranked artifact, Michael’s two eyes glowed with a vibrant light as he swung it. Telzaider didn’t manage to avoid it in time and allowed a hit to land. A fountain of blood sprayed into the air before forming a magic formation that tried to bind Michael.

[A curse again? Away with it. I have seen enough of your petty tricks already!]

[If you are so strong, if you are a transcender, why do you still need to preserve your power?]

Telzaider taunted Michael with a mocking smile. Michael was triggered by the provocation as he was already very enraged after two rounds of this and raised the output of his light.

[I said shut up……!]

[What are you so afraid of? You have already called yourself as the Sole God with your mouth, but your actions are like a rat in front of a …….]

Telzaider’s words could not continue. The light that Michael released had covered the entire world and erased him without a trace of his existence.

Michael felt the poison acting up a little more as he spent some of his energy, but he eased himself by spitting out some of the poison. The energy that he stole from Raphael in the past was assisting in his recovery. Looking at the few angels that still survived, he ordered.

[It’s over. Let’s go kill Greed.]

[It is not over.]

[…….]

Michael stiffly raised his head when he heard a voice even though he did not doubt that he annihilated his enemies. The firebird Zenusva was still there.

[I have not died yet, Michael. Does your power amount to only so much? The other transcenders will mock you if they find out. Are you really the same Michael that overwhelmed Satan head on? Are you sure Satan didn’t exaggerate your abilities?]

[You…… really make me enraged.]

Perhaps if rage had a corporeal form, it would be the current Michael. He held a spear of light in his hand while glaring at Zenusva. Zenusva mockingly laughed as it saw that.

[I am flame. The light you have acquired is, in the end, a part of flame.]

[I have already heard that once before!]

He felt as if Yu IlHan’s face was overlapping Zenusva’s. Michael threw his spear in rage, but Zenusva didn’t look that much injured even while receiving that head on with its body.

[I will not die as long as a single speck of my fire remains. Even the Lord will not be able to kill me, much less you, Michael. Just send out another Archangel instead. Ah, were they all dead? Yes, everything is impossible for you, isn’t it.]

Among the angels, the 7th class Archangels had all passed on during the battle with the other Battalion Commanders since he couldn’t protect them in time. Zenusva was just mocking him in various ways with that one sentence.

[Impossible?]

However, ironically, that instead made the enraged Michael calmer.

[Light cannot erase fire? Light is merely a part of fire? Yes, there was definitely someone who said that other than you. And he was strong enough to back up his arrogant words. However…….]

Although it surprised himself as well, Michael decided to admit to Telzaider’s words as well.

Yes, Michael was a transcender. A whole being created from light itself! There was no need to save his power in preparation for Greed. He was acting cautious because he still hadn’t fully escaped his past self.

[You are not Yu IlHan. Your fire is neither solitary, nor perfect.]

[I am the essence of fire made of the purest flames……!]

[However, I am different.]

Michael interfered Zenusva and uttered.

[I need not look back. I need not prepare. I am absolute and I am solitary. Vapor? Poison? Flames? I do not care. I did not see the present as I was bound by my past, but now I have realized thanks to you. I have realized thanks to the imperfect you.]

Michael’s brilliance became thicker. No, it was at the point that it couldn’t be defined as ‘existing’ any more. It was unknown if the bright light stemmed from Michael or if Michael originated from the Light.

[I am whole.]

Declared Michael.

[Nothing is impossible for me. Even if there is anything currently impossible for me, I shall, with my power, make it possible.]

[Nonsense, this is, no way…… no, don’t tell me it’s actually…….]

Zenusva took steps back while uttering words that flagged defeat or death. But somehow, he could not move. It was as if he was bound by Michael’s brilliance.

[Power is subdued by an even stronger power. Light is erased under stronger light. Your flames are weak, so weak that it cannot dent my light. Aah, yes.]

Light once again enveloped the world. It was a qualitatively different light than before.

[I. Am. Light.]

[How, I am also…….]

Feeling its body melt down in the blindingly evil yet pure light, Zenusva despaired. At its last moment, it could see that Michael went beyond just becoming one with light, and manipulating all light at will. Zenusva’s eyes twisted after looking at that.

[I, also had the qualifications…… why couldn’t I become one!]

With final words filled with despair, Zenusva cleanly vaporized. Since the ability was so strong, the other angels with Michael also melted into nothingness, but Michael didn’t care about such trivial matters right now.

[You have awakened yourself. All light shall obey you. You are the god of light, and now possess a record that has surpassed the Akashic Record.]

[God.]

Michael was drunk on power. He had finally reached the realm he dearly wished for.

[I am the one and only, and whole. I am God.]

Since he became whole, he no longer needed anything else. Aah, finally, he could slightly understand why Yu IlHan was so strong.

[Get out here, Greed. I have come as you wished.]

Shouted Michael in confidence. Who would be able to win against Michael now that he was light itself? Now he didn’t even fear Yu IlHan! Nor Greed! Nor Satan! Even if the God of Heaven came back! The winner of Harmageddon shall be him!

At that exact moment, in a corner of this world, that was chaos; that was Elo Katra.

A voice replied to him

[Yes.]

The owner of the voice, Greed, replied.

[I have been waiting for you.]