He once learnt about the universe.
The sun, and the planets that orbited it, as well as Earth that was just one of those few planets; the galaxy that surrounded the solar system, the universe that enveloped the many galaxies – what did Yu IlHan feel while learning about those?
He was afraid. Very, very afraid. He was afraid of his small span of recognition being widened, and was afraid of the fact that he was worth less than a speck of dust compared to the universe.
Then, he was left on Earth alone, met Liera, learnt the truth about other worlds, broadened his horizons and finally came to see the world in a new light ……
……and now, he became able to fill the entire world just by himself.
He was no longer afraid. He was in perfect control of everything, so he had nothing to fear.
“If I worried about the distortion of the atmosphere due to the size of the planet, or the change in solar gravity, then I wouldn’t even have started all this. The world changes so much according to how you see it and at what angle you are viewing from.”
Thinking about it, it was funny. Yu IlHan looked down at the two worlds while chuckling. The two were both planets but at the same time not planets, separated by many, many galaxies yet coexisted in the same space.
Perhaps he could glance up and look at the ceiling of the universe, or crouch down to see the floor of it. He extended his hands to connect the two worlds and laughed. So what if he could or couldn’t reach them? The universe shall be redefined based on his recognition of it.
[I shall repeat but the two shall become equal. Become equal to each other, harmonize, and become one.]
What if he had headed to Earth instead of Dareu at first? Of course, not everything would have been over even if that were the case.
Earth would have immediately ascended into a higher world, and he would panic due to the sudden influx of the people of Earth, but he would have looked for a way to fight against the enemy while protecting them regardless of the outcome. There would not be new dragons in Dragon’s Nest, there would have been a lot of enemies invading Earth, and a lot of people he had to protect, and so he would have a hard time, but that would also become a precious experience.
There was no ‘wrong choice’ in the first place. It was foolish to think that a right choice had made everything different. Whichever path he chose, a variety of different outcomes will be produced depending on how much effort he put in.
So, foreknowledge, prophecies and all that were all meaningless. If he wished to, then he could make them come true, and if he wished to prevent them, then he could prevent each and every one of them from being fulfilled. Everything could be decided by him alone.
No, that’s not it.
Everything could be decided by Yu IlHan, and the ones by his side; all of them, together.
[I shall repeat, the two shall become equal. No imbalances shall be allowed. Face each other, and give each other dirt, water, skies, mana, and all other things that exist.]
Right now, Yu IlHan was a Creator who stood on top of countless miracles. According to his order, the two worlds started synchronizing without much difficulty. The moment a double-sided scale with each of the world in its arms were truly balanced, the ‘fusion evolution’ of the two worlds would finally begin.
[The skill, Cooking, can evolve.]
It was at that moment that a completely unexpected message filled his retina. Yu IlHan momentarily forgot about the balance of the two worlds and absentmindedly stared at that message.
Wait, why was the Cooking skill evolving at this point? There should have been no advanced version of Cooking, just what could be created from this opportunity?
Wait, something new could be made with two different skills? When he realized that, a lightning struck past his head. What he also remembered was the moment when he became the leader of Dragon’s Nest.
What did he do then? He created himself with the Creation ability, and made new skills by fusing other skills, didn’t he?
Yes, that was it! What else was Creation if that wasn’t? Yes, he already had the ability to create skills as he wished! He was so bound by the original method of sole evolution and fusion evolution that were ‘recorded on the Akashic Record’ and missed the crux of his foundation!
How foolish. How idiotic! There was a much faster and easier method, but he had come such a long, roundabout way simply because he didn’t realize he could do this!
‘But it’s not like all of this was meaningless.’
All steps have their value, and are recorded. He became able to understand Kang MiRae deeper than before, got to meet the true Na YuNa, and had acquired without doubt, the loyalty and hearts of everyone else here.
The current realization was all thanks to them as well. Yes, it wasn’t too late. In fact, this was the perfect moment.
[Using your Creation ability, fusing all of your skills into one and creating a new skill.]
A message popped up. Even though there was not a speck of emotion within that message, Yu IlHan felt as if the Akashic Record was mocking him.
It threw him the message the moment Yu IlHan realized that he could do it even though it knew that he had long since been capable of that. Of course, it was merely telling him what he could see, but he still didn’t like it so much.
[Fusing Cooking, Blacksmithing, Mana crafting, Soul enchant, and Magic engineering into one.]
Soul enchant should be impossible to be used in fusion-evolution since it had already fuse-evolved before. Well, it was according to what was recorded. But how was that important? He had already surpassed records once, so why not twice?
[An unrecordable skill creation is activating.]
[Restructuring the Akashic Record. ‘Creation’ is newly added.]
[You have acquired the active skill, Creation. Now you have understood the method.]
“Yes, now I know the method.”
Yu IlHan pouted and replied to the Akashic Record. Not that there would be a reply from it. Akashic Record was merely a mirror that accurately reflected Yu IlHan as he was.
“Creation.”
[Activating Creation.]
Dareu and Earth were now at an equal level. The scale that weighed the two worlds did not tilt to one side anymore. Once he raised his hand, the fusion of the two worlds would finally commence.
Yu IlHan checked the states of the others before he implemented the skill. He had already separated the city that possessed an insane mana density, and operated with the two fortresses as the core. His companions were being protected in that place. Everyone was safe. Although they were having a hard time, they were still safe.
Ah, it seems like Kim YeSeul did it. He could see the Will of the Guardian completely gaining control of the carpet and preparing for the transformation. Really, it couldn’t have been at a better time.
[Will of the Guardian, I shall grant you a new name.]
Even without purposefully activating the skill, his words that contained his will became Declaration and entered the ears of the Will of the Guardian. It didn’t reply back, but he could know that it was paying attention to his words.
[You are henceforth Earth. You are, the Earth itself.]
[So you finally admit it?]
[Yes. I admit it.]
Smiled Yu IlHan. The Will of the Guardian, now called Earth, also smiled.
After that, everything found its way to their respective places. The two words fused, and became ‘Earth’. Everything progressed at a rapid rate as if all the difficulties they had faced until now were a lie.
No matter how much mana flooded the world, it could no longer harm Yu IlHan. Everything was his, and at the same time, the world’s. There was no differentiation on their ownership.
The Cradle of Miracles that enveloped everything cracked, before eventually splitting apart with a cracking sound. The Cradle of Miracles that became one with Yu IlHan, fulfilled its mission and spread around to the world. The world was his, and the Cradle of Miracles was also his.
A beautiful, attractive, yet huge world appeared in the place the Cradle of Miracles disappeared. Yu IlHan uttered a chic line.
“The Earth is blue, and here is the God.”
[Earth was complete.]
[The skill, Creation, has become level 2.]
“Whew, a single level up after all this insane stuff. It will be a long and arduous path to mastery.”
Even while grumbling at the message that appeared, his lips were still held in a smile. Then, he immediately lowered his altitude and landed on the city.
The city was still suspended in midair without being fused with Earth, and the others were exclaiming at the state of Earth after they opened their eyes.
“Wow, it really is Earth!”
“I think it became huge. Though, I’m too small to recognize any of that.”
“Mr. IlHan. We succeeded right?”
Asked Kang MiRae with conviction in her eyes. Yu IlHan smiled and nodded his head.
“Of course. Everything is perfect and complete.”
“Then why is our city still floating in the air~?”
“I can fuse it back anytime, but now’s not the time. We aren’t quite done yet.”
Yu IlHan pondered for a moment. At this point, everything would go his way, but he still thought that it would be for the best if he did things the way he wanted.
“Then I should do what I was originally going to do.”
“What is this thing that you were originally going to do, son? Care to tell me?”
There’s no way Kim YeSeul was completely aware of the changes that occurred in Yu IlHan, but she seemed to vaguely notice the fundamental change in him. Her calm words made Yu IlHan refreshed. He playfully winked and spoke.
“The Hourglass of Eternity.”
“……Huh!?”
That comes in here at this point!? While everyone was flabbergasted, Yu IlHan uttered utter nonsense with shining eyes.
“We could slow down time so much when we were lower existences, but now that we became so strong, and became able to utilize artifacts better, and the Will of the Guardian, Earth, became perfect as well, so how far can we slow down the flow of time! Isn’t this fun! Aren’t you looking forward to it?”
“Wao…….”
Uttered Na YuNa. Liera sighed and palmed her forehead.
“My heart never stopped pounding ever since I met IlHan…… in a bad way!”
“Ladies, have you heard of the words ‘it’s better to be safe than sorry’?”
Yu IlHan’s voice was uselessly serious. Helièna nodded with a joyful smile.
“It means that we need to prepare enough to be safe rather than doing something vaguely and be sorry for it later, darling.”
“Yes. It’s a great idiom meaning that I should not act until I am convinced that I can defeat the last boss, the true last boss that comes after that, the hidden dungeon that comes after the true last boss, and the hidden last boss that comes out at the end of the hidden dungeon, and the true-true last boss that can only be met when I install a super expensive downloadable content later, even after I have the strongest equipment and maxed out all my levels.”
Yu IlHan took out the Hourglass of Eternity and gripped on it. Earth reacted and started emitting light. Naturally, he could now create a barrier that could cover the whole Earth and have plenty of room left over.
Earth replied.
[I am prepared.]
“Good, let us prepare then, so that we can remain leisurely even if the true-true-true-true-true last boss appears.”
The barrier activated.
This was the longest instant that someone stopped time, since the beginning of time.