Earth Alone
The time was April. The university newbie left the room as soon as the lecture ended before everyone else at 2:45. He did not want anyone to recognise him as not an outsider, though no one knew him as such hence he would not have been stopped anyways; he still resolutely walked on to the hill road outside of the plaza.
There, he felt the unexpected change for the first time.
'No one's around…'
There was a huge number of people in lectures that ended at 2:45 Sure, not all of them were like Yoo Il Han Il Han, an outsider returning home, yet the complete absence of people in the plaza as well as in the hill road was strange.
'Carnival is not on today. Was there a school event?
Even so, there was no need to feel strange. Yoo Il Han Il Han exited all invited chat groups ever since he attended his university! It was not as if he left out of pressure, it was solely out of his choice!
Sensing sorrow out of vain, Yoo Il Han walked down the hill valiantly in spite of the dearth of people. He wanted to hitch a ride on a shuttle bus, but there were no vehicles to be seen.
Was there a military exercise in the university? Perhaps a school wide hide-and-seek? All kinds of thoughts came into his head but he dismissed them readily. For twenty-odd years he had never held hands with a girl, and the lack of other presences right now was nothing in comparison.
However, those musings dissipated as soon as he exited the school entrance.
'What?'
There was no one.
'What the hell!'
No one was around!
'What's going on. What's going on!'
In panic, Yoo Il Han repeated the same phrase inanely as he ran around. No-one. To conjure up a crazy idea like a mass picnic was impossible. The situations were too alarming to escape reality.
No one. No human to be seen!
He looked through the windows of the convenience store he often visited. The meal on a table was emitting warm vapour, the chair was pulled slightly back as if someone was sitting on it moments before. Furthermore, spoons and chopsticks were erratically thrown aside, giving them a sense of their users abruptly disappearing out of thin air.
This oddity applied for all shops. Incidentally, how about parked cars? Moving cars that were in traffic had violently collided in such a way that they lost their drivers, with some on the verge of explosions due to leaking, ablaze gasoline.
'Damn it'
His mind may have been in disarray, but Yoo Il Han identified the hazard and escaped to a vehicle-less street. The reverberation of explosions like the ones in films soon tickled his ears.
Wind carrying the hot air blew, and Yoo Il Han fled like he was drifting on the wind. Then he shed pointless tears.
His mind was puzzled back together at a bus station.
'Let's go home'
Maybe after he washed and ate his mother's meals, maybe after he slept, things would be different.
Foolish ideas again sprouted the moment the crises were over. His fantasies were broken quickly this time though .The bus was simply not arriving.
'What the fuck. What's going on.'
Yoo Il Han prided himself over his mental fortitude. From primary to high school, he overcame everything by his own effort. As a result, he was attending a quite reputable university, and he was confident to do well on his own for a foreseeable future.
The chinese character 'person' is to symbolise two men relying on each other; he never needed such weak stuff. Yoo Il Han always believed that he was like an upright number '1'-someone could accomplish anything unassisted
But, this was too much to handle
'Have I alone moved to a different world?
His situation was too out-worldly that he said something so stupid. Nothing was changing. The bus was not coming, his knees were swelling in pain due to reckless running. Growing sadder every minute, he noticed his tears falling onto the bare earth like bird-droppings.
'Pathetic, crying over trivial matters as a university student. No, fuck it. If I don't cry now, over what would I ever weep? Isolation during his primary school days has made me dismal before, now the entire district is avoiding me.'
Knowing crying wouldn't change anything, Yoo Il Han came back to his senses swiftly. It was feverishly hot and tiring. Home was his priority.
'Let's walk'
Despite the knowledge that no one was there to hear him speak, he shouted in hope for someone to reveal oneself. Yoo Il Han embarked on an hour-and a half journey shrouded in an added layer of disappointment to the obvious result.
Of course, his mother wasn't present. He tried to check the time, yet all clocks, including those in mobile phones and computers, were stopped. Dad wasn't coming either, Yoo Il Han concluded following a couple of hours of waiting as he stared at the everlastingly blue sky.
The TV only showed static screens, the radio the same and the internet was not working. It was like humanity itself had vanished. Except himself, who was trapped in a stagnant time.
At least, water and gas pipes worked. He showered and cooked a package of instant noodles.
Slurp…Delicious
The taste deepened his sadness and more tears flowed down. He was drowzy now that he was full. I don't care for the mass disappearance, and whether or not the night was arriving, I must sleep. Possibly, something may become different as I sleep. He laid on his bed in these complacent thoughts. At that moment…
Earth Alone
A beautiful woman wearing white feather wings appeared.
(Oh, so it is here!) Her first words were rude.
'Wh..who are you?
Yoo Il Han had to cover himself with blankets for he practised nudity as a sleeping habit. The woman stared at his folly grotesquely and then shifted her expressions.
(Hm. You can call me how you see me as.)
'A home invader?'
(I am God's messanger, an angel.)
She stared at Yoo Il Han and spoke each word stressfully to disclose her identity.
Since she emerged without any signs, Yoo Il Han had already figured out her paranormal nature, so he accepted the disclosure with little surprise. Too many strange things had happened already to be astonished again.
But he was being unreasonably indifferent to reality. Her next words proved so.
(Since I am running out of time,, I will be straightforward. You have been left behind.)
'….Left behind…?'
Yoo Il Han's complexion showed confusion. Being left behind had always been intricately linked to his life. He was left behind by everyone in the primary school excursion, the middle school camping trip, the high school field trip and even in the university MT…
(God has recognised the arrival of 'disaster' on Earth, which has led to all humans being sent to numerous different worlds in case of this happening. Somehow, only you have been excluded.
No way, being left behind on a scale of entire humanity! Consciousness dwindled. Holding onto his fading mind, Yoo Il Han questioned the angel.
'What is the disaster'
(Earth's experience gauge has been filled, so it is levelling up to the next stage.
He was full of desire to tackle her like when he was forced to replace Dad in a Sunday league team, but he managed to subside it. Then he asked.
'What happens when it levels up?'
(Energy of a higher level than that of Earth's is revealed. It is called mana. Also, the archival records initiate contact with Earth, hence humans are permitted read a part of the records. This is termed status.)
'Good concise explanation'
(I'm good, aren't I?)
The angel and her huge breasts gloated at his praises. Yoo Il Han promptly continued his questions.
'Why is there a need to send humanity to different worlds? In fantasy novels, it happens all of sudden for no apparant reason…'
(Mana being divulged to Earth signifies the obligation to face mana-evolved animals, so-called monsters.)
He expected it as soon as 'mana' was mentioned.
(Because animals adapt to mana better than humans, humanity will suffer a disaster and will be driven to extinction without intervention. There are dozens of doomed worlds already, therefore God has decided to move Earth's humanity to safe environments where they could adapt to mana.)
'Do you mean that my humanity has been transported to mana-adjusted human worlds?'
(Of course. Humans of other worlds will train them for a supply of a certain amount of 'status'. Though there will be humans without capacity to do so, God cannot save them all.' )
Indeed, it was obvious. Yoo Il Han thought he had heard enough, but he still had some doubts.
'Can we not kill monsters with guns?Artilleries?'
(Nuclear weapons cannot slay them)
'So there really is necessity to strengthen humanity.'
(Naturally. God is great and merciful)
The angel again gloated about in an arrogant expression and with her huge breasts pointing outwards. Seizing the opportunity, Yoo Il Han made the most despairing face possible and asked.
'What about me?'
(…) The angel had no words to say
'What about me?
As Yoo Il Han pursued her answer, she turned her head a little and answered in a slightly lower voice.
(There was a mistake)
'Correct it please.'
(As all tickets have been booked out, you cannot go to other worlds.)
'Not even standing rooms?'
(No)
'What kind of shitty God is this?'
Finally, Yoo Il Han exploded. The angel, pitying the man, muttered as if to pacify him.
(There is a rejector bonus!)
'I don't need it! Send me too!'
(The instant the humanity was forced out, Earth's time has stopped. Until they return, you are not affected by the effects of time. In other words, you don't age. Though this includes all Earth's humans too…'
'Send me too!'
(Moreover, God, who has sympathised with your lone rejection, has gifted you with status bonuses when the disaster occurs. Amazing ain't it?)
Details about status bonuses appeased Yoo Il Han's tandrum somewhat. Yoo Il Han lifted his head, faced the angel and enquired.
'How about mana? I need to learn how to use it as well.'
'Till the upheaval occurs, it is not possible.'
'Ah, send me too! Send me too!'
(Nope)
His racquets resumed, then Yoo Il Han firmly shook his head side to side. It was not going to happen. For God's sake, he was GOD!
(God has adjusted humanity's adaption period to be 10 years. Be cheerful and wait until then. I will supply meals.)
'…I grow famished although time does not pass?'
(Your cells function, but they do not age.)
'That is a bit contradictory from time coming to a halt.'
(Since you cannot train adapting to mana, should you not train your phisicality in the very least? Think optimistically: other humans adapt to mana at the expense of their physical enhancements resetting as soon as they return )
Yoo Il Han sighed and leered into her eyes. Was that really an encouragement? These useless assholes were responsible for his mess in the first place, now they were pretending to be charitable through some grand, superficial language. If this 'status bonus' was not noteworthy, I am going to lose my temper, Yoo Il Han thought.
'Hoooo…'
Ten years. At last he could face reality. Ten years? I can live with that, surely. While his innate optimism persuaded himself, Yoo Il Han spat out his last question.
'Why was I excluded. Why me?'
(Your name was not discoverable by God, who was recording the list of humanity to be sent. He was astounded by your concealment.)
'…..'
And so, Yoo Il Han's Earth life alone had begun.
I Live Alone (1)
As Chamber was the one to TL this there are few difference.
MC name is a bit different, the "disaster" as my friend TLed it is called the Great Cataclysm (probably use that one after this chapter)
That's all enjoy reading:)
After sleeping as much as he needed, when he woke up and came to the kitchen, the meal (breakfast by feeling) prepared by the angel was producing steam on the table.
The angel herself wasn't there, but he wasn't surprised since she said that meeting her at all was a strange thing in itself and there won't be many times to meet her in the future.
"It's delicious."
Now that he became alone, he was touched at something very trivial. Moreover, it wasn't empty words when he said it was delicous. He felt sorry but it was definitely more delicious than his mother's food. The meal was nutritiously balanced and at the same time tasty, so it was a perfect meal.
"And if she earns a lot of money, then she'll be number one wife material."
Who married angels? Other angels, as expected, right? – While thinking trivial things like that, when he was about to wash the dishes, the dishes disappeared silently. It seemed that washing dishes was a service.
Yu IlHan washed up and clothed himself while feeling as if he was seduced by the angel, and when he was about to wear his socks to go to college, he remembered that there was nothing he could do there and stopped.
"Well, then."
What to do now.
The answer revealed itself soon. Didn't the angel say to train his body? Although the cells don't age, they are still active, so if he trained then the result will be reflected on his body.
He honestly didn't like moving his body. He had no athletic ability, and he had no good memoreis in regards to things related to sports.
In his middle school athletic meet relay, the baton slipped from his hands and the baton ended up touching the PE teacher's wig rather than the next player. – There was one such good…. good memory!
However, to use that as an excuse like a little child and avoid training, the situation was too serious.
Won't monsters appear in just 10 years? I can't practice mana like the rest of humanity so I need to do whatever I can do to raise my strength – he thought.
'Going to the gym, eh…'
After deciding, Yu IlHan stood up and sighed. He decided to train his body, so it was now time to research materials on how to efficiently train.
After investing half a day to look up how to train the muscles, whisked away the lunch(by feeling) on the table and left. The district gym was open as if it was obvious, and the countless machines greeted Yu IlHan.
"Fuu."
Yu IlHan, who now slightly, just slightly, had motivation sighed and approached the bike which would burn his body fat.
It was the beginning of Yu IlHan's body modification.
Yu IlHan went to the gym without complaining at all.
For 3 years.
[Are you really a modern person? How can you do the same thing everyday for 3 years?]
It was to the point that the angel showed up and asked him.
"But I need to do it, though."
[You do.]
"That's why I'm doing. It's not much different from studying for 3 years in high school."
[...]
The angel looked at Yu IlHan as if looking at a monster.
As the angel said, he didn't age, but Yu IlHan's body, after consuming sufficient nutritions and doing exercises too much, was developed to the point that he looked like a health trainer that appeared on TVs. Well, it was quite obvious since he didn't study at all and trained all day.
[You aren't an ordinary person. Although, I knew that when you had the hiding skill which could hide you from God's sight.]
"Don't make it my fault!"
And he went to the gym for 2 more years. The period of time the angel promised him was 10 years so he had 5 years left now. At this point, he was sick and tired of going to the gym every day.
"I have to learn some martial arts and some weaponry right?"
[There's no one to teach you though?]
Although she said that there won't be many meeting in the future, she showed herself quite frequently and perhaps she got used to Yu IlHan but she was not poilte with him anymore. If one didn't consider the feathery wings on her back, then she was just a beautiful big sister, so he didn't feel bad at all about her attitude
"I don't know why, but internet and electricity is still working so I will study by myself by looking at some videos on youtube or something."
[Well, time stopped after all.]
"You're going to keep using that excuse right?"
[Yeah.]
Yu IlHan stopped staring at the angel and exhaled a sigh.
"If you recommend me one, then what would it be?"
[Vale Tudo and spear arts. Well, I don't think there will be much records about training in the spear so, train the basics until you die.]
"I said one!"
[Isn't there 5 years? Just get the basics down for both.]
And what? was Vale Tudo a systematic martial art in the first place?! Yu IlHan, who was about to complain to the angel, changed his mind when he saw her serious face.
It wasn't like she was teasing him. She advised him with the martial arts that would actually help when the earth experienced the Great Cataclysm.
Then he had no choice. If it was the angel's recommendation, he had to follow. Yu IlHan muttered to himself in his heart and woke his body up.
The light body movement. His changed body made him feel the time.
At first, he was really sad and lonely, but when he lived for a while, he now got used to it. Isn't human adaptation ability amazing?
Eating and sleeping was solved and there was something he had to do every day. Moreover, there was an angel that chatted with him from time to time. Other than the moments he thought of his mother, and became sad, it was doable.
'I need to endure for 5 years. Just 5 years. Let's endure until then.'
With that thought, Yu IlHan sat his grown body in front of the computer. He thought that Vale Tudo and spear arts were difficult to learn just from the internet, but he had5 years. He just thought that it was possible for him to do it if it was just getting the basics down.
The first 2 years were a continuation of trial and error. He did train his body but to Yu IlHan, who hadn't fought with other people before, Vale Tudo was like a girlfriend to him. It only existed inside monitors.
In contrast, there was some progress in spear arts. Yu IlHan, who didn't know the 'm' of martial arts, used a long wooden stick instead of a spear to repeat motions of stabbing, swinging and blocking. But when it became 1 year and 2 years, his spear had some weight. Yu Ilhan gained enlightenment.
'Martial arts in the end is the same as studying.'
Even something undoable would become doable when repeated a lot. That belief led him higher. It was the same for studying, training his body, and now, it was the same for spear arts.
Then wouldn't Vale Tudo be the same? Yu IlHan, who barely succeeded grabbing the edge of martial arts, started looking for books and videos more enthusiastically and got more absorbed in training Vale Tudo and spear arts.
When he decided that he would do it, there was some progress. In the first place, Vale Tudo was basically a practical fighting technique to kill the enemy without any rules whatsoever. While researching into other martial arts books and videos, and putting effort to learn it with his body, Yu IlHan slowly, very slowly, felt like he grabbed something.
Spear arts too – He started considering the body movement that rather than just stabbing and swinging.
Pre-attack movement, post-attack movement. Movement to enhance attackpower. His steps improved, and his spear phases developed and his eye direction developed. It was a postive change that occurred while learning Vale Tudo.
Yu IlHan's muscles, which developed unilaterally, developed in a more battle-oriented way due to the martial arts training. It was to the point that when 8 years passed since he was left out, the angel was shocked after seeing him.
[You didn't eat some strange drug right?]
"What are you taking my efforts as?!"
[Such a surprising human. Or are all humans like this?]
"Leave me alone."
The problem Yu IlHan had was that he had no opponents. He had to fight with others to know how much his techinques worked, what was wrong, and what should be fixed. How much longer does he have to practice on sandbags and beanbags?
On the 9th year of being left out and 4th year of training martial art, Yu IlHan thought that. It was something he could think of since he was more and more confident in his techniques. Fighting with others – If it was the him from 9 years ago, he would be scared senseless and run away. Or call the police.
[You know?]
With those words, the angel pointed to herself. Yu IlHan asked in doubt
"You want me to hit you? Angel-noona?"
[Even though I might look like this, I'm an envoy of God and a higher existence. So I'm unimaginably stronger than you think.]
"You know what Vale Tudo is, right?"
Vale Tudo was literally merciless practical combat. It was a combat tecnique that made one wonder if it was not about incapacitating the opponent but killing the opponent. Of course, he was only on his 4th year, but Yu IlHan knew how lethal of an effect it would have if he used it on humans.
[Fuu. It was me who told you to practice that. Don't worry and come at me.]
"Is it really okay? You won't say otherwise later right?"
[Of course.]
The angel smacked her uselessly large chests and assured him. Yu IlHan looked at her and after resolutely deciding his heart, he went at the angel with wide eyes.
"Eat my fist containing the resentment of 9 year of isolation! Diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeee!"
[Fuu.]
And he got beaten up badly. The angel was a star born for Vale Tudo.
[You know now? You can consider me a fighting opponent as you want. It's the biggest service since the birth of angels!]
"No....!"
After getting beaten up and getting bruises all over his body, Yu IlHan rejected with all his might, but unfortunately he didn't have the rights to refuse. It was because the angel truly wanted to help him survive after the Great Cataclysm after seeing him train seriously for 9 years.
From Yu IlHan's view, it wasn't very welcome, but even if he wanted to run away, he couldn't run away from that angel.
Fighting with the angel made his techinques truly rise rapidly. He didn't want to admit it, but his growth was too distinct. I want to stop feeling this pain and hit that woman no matter what it takes! – since this was his objective for moving his body.
The angel was proud and Yu IlHan was in pain. His techinques in Vale Tudo and spear arts increased.
Until the promised 10 years came.
Yu IlHan took a shower, shaved himself, and looked at his figure on the mirror. His body was strong to the point that he would be able to fight with a wolf due to training his body for 10 years, but his face was still the college freshman from 10 years ago. so there was a strange disharmony.
"It would be good if I was a bit taller."
[Wouldn't you grow after the Great Cataclysm? Your face is a bit disappointing but your body figure is fine so if you grow a bit taller... Hmhm. It'll be not half bad.]
"What about my face!?"
He looked at the mirror. Eyes that were not big at all, loose eyebrows, nose that wasn't high at all, slightly pale lips, and even more pale skin. Hmm. he couldn't deny that he had a slightly lifeless face.
But this was his own face. A unique face in the world.
[You engraved that much techniques into your body, so you will be able to confront low class monsters without difficulty. Then your levelling up will be smooth too. So you will be able to handle mana soon.]
The angel said. She was slightly disappointed as she was preparing for a farewell, but Yu IlHan asked back since there was something that he had a question about.
"How can I kill those monsters? I thought you said you can't kill them without mana."
[That's about high class monsters made up entirely of a higher system of energy, low class monsters can be killed by guns or spears or knives easily, thoug?]
"You decevied me angeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeellllllllllll!"
"Fufuu. I didn't lie. You just didn't ask for details!]
The angel proudly held out her chest and blabbed. This woman, is a naughty woman who boasted sexual appeal whenever she could – Even witha chaotic mind, Yu IlHan thought of these things.
His rage was boiling, but it calmed down after some time passed. In the end, it was a deceit for him to grow stronger. She put in effort to fill the gap of not being able to handle mana.
When he thought like that, he couldn't get angry so instead, all the energy left his body.
"Ordinary college life would be impossible, right?"
[Of course. The majority of society will be paralyzed. And a period where fighting ability rather than academic ability will be needed will come.]
"Phew..."
[When a dropout appeared at first, I thought the skies were collapsing, but due to your effort, I didn't have to worry much. You worked hard until now. You will do well in the future.]
The time came. It was the same time as 10 years ago. Of course, Yu IlHan himself couldn't tell the time so the angel told him.
Yu IlHan purposedly moved to the same place. The grass square inside the college campus. It was a scene he hadn't seen for 10 years but there was no difference.
"Thank you for everything until now, angel-noona."
[Wow.]
It was the first time he said thank you. The angel also didn't seem to think that she would receive thanks and was flustered for a bit, but in the end, she laughed and flapped her wings and came to his side.
[It was quite a fun 10 years thanks to you too.[
"Will I be able to see you again?"
[Well, that will depend on you.]
The angel spoke until there, and hesitated for a bit before adding another line.
[My name is Rita.]
"Rita."
Yu IlHan kept muttering her name as if he didn't want to forget it. The angel, Rita, watched such a figure contendedly before flapping her wings again.
[I have to go. Time on Earth will resume soon, and the people will come back.]
"Have a safe trip, Rita-noona."
The two bid their farewells. Rita slowly flew up to the sky and Yu IlHan tried his best to suppress his disappointment due to the farewell with Rita, and the excitement of going back to his ordinary life from 10 years ago, and closed his eyes.
Nothing happened.
"..."
Yu IlHan opened his eyes. He could see Rita in panic in the air.
"...Care to explain?"
Yu IlHan said with a quiet voice. Rita slowly came down to the ground and laughed cutely with a 'teehee'. And blabbed.
[I think there was a mistake.]
"Hey you crazy XXXXXXXX!"
[Perhaps due to stopping the time or some other reason, there seems to be a slight deviation in the time axis. It's alright. It won't be much so if you endure 10 or 20 more years...]
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh."
It's that f*cking time again! Yu IlHan went on a rampage while rolling on the grass square. It was because he knew that he would be beaten up if he went against the angel.
Like that, Yu IlHan, who calmed down after putting grass all over his body, muttered while looking at the resentful blue sky.
"Good. It's just 10 or 20 years. I will wait no problem."
Humans are animals of adaptation. He did well until now so he would do well in the future – The positive attitude, which was his only good trait about him, but became one of many now, persuaded himself.
However, even after 10 years and 20 years, humanity didn't come back.
And when 50 years passed, Yu IlHan stopped counting time.
I Live Alone (2)
At first, he also put in his efforts. He had thought that he need to prepare for whatever he could since he didn't know when humanity would come back.
"Vale Tudo and spearmanship are still sloppy. Actually, it's better for me!"
[Such a strange human....!]
Even while receiving Rita's strage gazes, Yu IlHan immersed himself again in training. Rita provided all 3 meals for him anyway so he only needed to think about the martial arts that he needed to learn.
And like that, 5 years and 10 years passed. It was the moment after 20 years had passed since he was left out.
Now, his punches and kicks flowed with fighting spirit that can even kill a bear, much less a human, and the wooden spear he extended powerfully not only pierced the sandbag, but it shattered it. Yu IlHan himself thought that he had no talent in regards to martial arts, but growing up like this in just 15 years was amazing. Of course, it was also because Rita, who was a great fighting partner, was there for him.
"I'm turning 40 soon. How is it? Do I look more mature?"
[The only thing you did was punching and stabbing with the spear. Do you think you earned anything other than enlightenment in martial arts? Did you see anyone acting their age after coming out from training in the mountains?]
"You think so too? My mom won't tell me I'm pretending to be mature, right?"
[Don't worry about it and keep training.]
From this point, Rita, who came once a week, came once in 3 days. It was because she was worried that Yu IlHan might go crazy after being alone in the huge prison known as Earth for no less than 20 years.
Whether it was due to her worry and interest or due to his innate personality, Yu IlHan endured well.
He endured for 20, 30 years.
[Just how much did it deviate!]
While looking at such Yu IlHan, it was instead Rita who was nervous to the point of shouting. However, Rita's position wasn't actually that high so she wasn't in a position to ask God directly, and she didn't have the rights to reverse the time axis so she could only restlessly watch Yu IlHan training his body quietly, day by day.
"Rita."
One day, Yu IlHan said with a lowered voice.
"I can't remember my mom's face."
[...I'm sorry.]
"Even when I look at the picture, it feels unfamiliar. Was this person really my family? Wasn't I living here alone in the first place? Everything was my deulsion and it is a lie that Rita made in order to console me..."
[Don't say such things!]
"Yeah, it was a joke. It might be good if it was actually like that though."
He sighed and took back the spear. It was the time after 50 years of being left behind.
"I'm fed up. I want to do something else."
[I'm sorry to say this now but... It's not known when the Great Cataclysm will occur. You cannot neglect your martial arts.]
"I know."
Now that they had shared several tens of years together, racial matters such as being an angel or being a human didn't really matter. The important thing to Yu IlHan was a person to look after him and a person who would listen to him. And Rita took that place so he followed Rita. That was enough.
Yu IlHan was also the only human that Rita came into contact with for several tens of years, so she became to harbor feelings of more than just pity and compassion for the human known as Yu IlHan. Of course, she didn't say it out loud.
The two's strange relationship which occurred due to God's error, was progressing in a truly marvelous direction.
"I'll read some books."
[That's a good idea.]
Martial arts would become important after the Great Cataclysm occurs, but reading helps widening one's reasoning and building the foundation for one's actions. It would help but it wouldn't harm.
Yu IlHan, who acted too fast that it may seem excessive after setting his mind on something, he shut himself inside the college library straight away. As he promised with Rita, he trained Vale Tudo and spearmanship for 3 hours a day, but he invested the rest of the time solely on reading.
Even the most well preserved books would change colors after several tens of years passed, but 'thanks' to the 'stopped time', objects didn't get affected by time. It was a good thing for Yu IlHan.
His preferences leaned towards contemporary novels, but he got fed up after reading those for about 5 years and he moved onto others. While thinking that his ordinary college life might continue after the Great Cataclysm occurs, he first studied books related to his major which was management, and when he was also about to get fed up with it, he considered plural majors and read psychology or other humanities-related books.
Unlike martial arts where the progress becomes less noticeable after a certain point, reading piles up knowledge. Yu IlHan, who was now hooked to that spread his interests to other books inside the library. Common knowledge, history, geography, calssics, physics, chemistry, art – he read every single books existing in the library.
After a few years passed, the books inside the libraries were insufficient. There was no one guarding bookstores anway, so Yu IlHan started conquering the book stores within his walking range in search for books that weren't in the library.
However, even this had a limit. On his 67th year of being left behind (Of course, Yu Ilhan no longer counted time), he made a big decision.
"Let's learn another language."
[Then let's just change locations. I can deliver your meals wherever it is.]
"Where is that food coming from?"
[Secret.]
While pondering whether to cross the seas or not, he moved locations to China, the closet country. While driving any car to drive until he was out of fuel, when he found a working petrol station, he would refuel, and if not, he would just change cars.
License? There was only Yu IlHan in this world so it was okay as long as the car he drove didn't fall off a cliff or explode after crashing.
Even while moving, he studied Chinese in his spare time. The language studies made him sick after studying even a little became doable due to reading books for several tens of years.
And the China he arrived at somehow was too wide. And there were of course, many texts.
"Maybe it's a mistake to set China as the first stop."
Yu IlHan screamed in joy at the fact that there were so much new knowledge. Humanity will definitely come back before I get to know all the knowledge of China – at that fact, he even felt sorry for that.
However, that was his misunderstanding. Even after adventuring all of the wide lands of China, and studied every book in China, humanity still didn't come back. Yu IlHan no longer asked Rita how much time passed and Rita also didn't speak of it.
He calmly moved to another country. It was because he felt that he might go crazy if he didn't get new stimulation, no matter what it was.
Kazakhstan, Uzebkistan, Pakistan, India, Mongolia... After learning every language on Asia, he read all the books, records and even internet logs of all those countries. As if he would die if he didn't read something, he read and read again.
Once, he forgot the iron rule of training martial arts for 3 hours a day and was close to getting beaten up by Rita.
[Are you really alright?]
"It's alright. Anyway."
He raised his head. The last page of the last book of the 7.5 million books inside the Russian academy of sciences was revealing itself.
Even though it was 7.5 million books, there were many books that also existed in other libraries, and to Yu IlHan, who could now read any book in a short time regardless of thickness due to reading repeatedly for countless years, it wasn't that hard of a task.
"As expected, I can't understand technical books even after reading them."
Yu IlHan saw through the limits of this brain. It seemed that he wasn't a person who was fit for sciences. He only read because there was text, and just reading the book didn't make him a professional in that area.
"Now let's go to Europe."
[You're speaking in Russian right now, you know?]
"Hyvää!"
[Okay, we can go to Finland.]
When he toured Europe, middle east, and even Africa, his vocabulary became rich.
It was the 216th year after he was left behind.
"Now there's just Oceania and America left!"
Yu IlHan cheered like a middle schooler who just checked that there was little summer homework left. At his unchanging tension even though he had lived for over 200 years, Rita made a bitter smile and asked back.
[You do know that you have to go by boat, right?]
"It's alright. There are many boats without owners in this world!"
[That's called stealing.]
The power of time was truly amazing. It had made a clueless college student in to an all powerful adventurer. Of course, there was no need to say twice since one human was given more time than a human lifespan, but Yu IlHan kept moving without rest as if he wouold die the moment he stops.
Using all the knowledge of Geography, he set the sailing distance to the minimum, and he looked for a boat which could hold out for that distance. In the countless books he read until now, there were many specialized books related to ships, so there wasn't any difficulty finding a sturdy and a fueled boat, and driving it.
"Rita, humanity didn't die out by any chance, right?"
[I said there was a deviation in the time axis. I was a fool for thinking it's just twice or three times. It seems that it's at least 10 times.]
"How exciting."
After he finished preparing for the voyage, Yu IlHan unhesitatingly left the land he was on. As long as Oceania and America waited for him, there was no time for leisure.
And several tens of years passed again.
"I finiiiiiiiiiiiiished!"
[Such a nasty guy.]
While looking at Yu Ilhan who was shouting and rolling around on top of the table inside Boston Public Library, known for being one of the biggest in America, Rita muttered with a
fed up voice.
Yu IlHan finally had conquered all the available books revealed to humanity. Even though she had watched the whole process with her own eyes, it was an unbelievable achievement.
After he left the library, sat down on a bench on the street and looked at the sky blankly for a while, Yu IlHan muttered while tilting his head.
"What do I do now?"
[Martial Arts?]
"I've done that until now too."
He didn't only read books while touring around the world. He went to various ruins which remained in some parts of the world, he found traces of martial arts and he kept revising various shortcomings in Vale Tudo and spearmanship. Training was 3 hours at the minimum and sometimes it would go over 8 hours, and 12 hours.
His fighting arts and weapon arts which transformed to the point that he couldn't find the original style, was developed into a practical and high level technique to the point that Rita would have a hard time fighting him without mana.
This was something that was unachievable by someone who didn't have talent even if that person was given countless years. Rita of course didn't tell this to Yu Il Han. Since he would get ahead of himself when she did!
"Rita, other than martial arts or knowledge, is there something that might help after the Great Cataclysm occurs?"
The question that flew towards Rita, who was thinking about Yu IlHan's talent, was this. When she heard this, Rita could feel goosebumps.
[You...]
His question proved one thing.
Yu IlHan, who experienced more things than a human could experience in one life time, still didn't lose hope despite the time that had passed.
To him, his life wan't over. No, perhaps he might be thinking that it didn't start until now. All the things he did until now maybe just in preparation for the life after the Great Cataclysm.
It was a long time even for Rita, who was an agel, but a human who wouldn't live past 100 on average was treating the past years as prior preparation. Of course, he himself didn't know exactly how much time had passed, but that didn't make Rita any less surprised.
[You, how can you be like that?]
As she was dumbfounded, Rita spat out the question she endured until now.
If Yu IlHan tried to boast for a bit, he might have answered with a fancier answer, but he, who lived while looking for new knowledge and experienced without being in contact with another human for countless years, only had candidness and honesty left. It might be considered that he regressed back in to a child.
"You said I need to do it, so I do it. I can't practice mana so I need to do other things."
[...]
With Yu IlHan, who sighed while replying, in front of her, Rita lost her words to speak. The countless emotions and impulses mixed with each other and blew up to the point of bursting and bleached her mind pitch white.
Soon, she didn't know what expression to make and turned her head and spread her wings.
[I'm going!]
"Tell me what to do before leaving!"
[Think about it yourself from now!]
Rita disappeared from the place, and Yu IlHan was dumbfounded. After cool-headedly judging the situation, he muttered again while sighing.
"Let's first go back home."
This was a historic moment where an angel harbored more than just good intentions towards a human. And obviously, Yu IlHan didn't notice that.
Yu IlHan didn't know, but this was the 274th year after being left behind.
Humanity didn't return yet.
Author's notes
In fact, it's insufficient to read all the books in the world even with 500 years. Please think that it's possible only because the MC only read book for 100 years and his reading ability became abnormally high. In other words, novellic exaggeration!
Let me introduce myself. I'm the always swooshing Toika! I will write diligently so please take care of me.
In this work, I was going to write how strong a man at the peak of lonliness can become, but now that I'm writing, The angel falls for him in just 3 chapters. This won't do...
Then I'll come back tomorrow! Adieu!
I Live Alone (3)
Yu IlHan, who returned to his home in Seoul, Korea, revised the fantasy novels. What would change when monsters start appearing in society, what else is needed other than strength and knowledge to do well in the changed society – he wanted to learn these.
The things Yu IlHan did right now was no different from Korean youths getting specs and studying early in order to 'go to a good university' or to 'get employed in a good company'. That was obvious as the only thing he learned before he was left out was that. So perhaps it was an acceptable thing to pile up specs for hundreds of years.
[No, I definitely can't accept it...!]
Rita, who came back, sneaked back to Yu IlHan's side while he was researching various things from all kinds of fantasy novels, looked at him and shook her head. No matter how study-stricken Korean students were, was it possible to study for several hundreds of years!?
Of course, Yu IlHan's current actions were mostly due to escapism to forget his own loneliness, but not submitting under such a situation and finding new things to do was proof of his strong mentality. No, perhaps the long period of training may have changed him.
"Rita, since you're here, tell me. I want to try corpse disassembly or smithing. What should I try first?"
Yu IlHan looked at Rita with a serious gaze. Rita thought it was absurd but she had no choice but to reply.
[To confront monsters, defensive equipment and weapons made with monsters as materials are the most efficient so I can say 'both', but I think it's easier for you to learn the basics of disassembly rather than smithing. It's also more prioritized on the scene.]
"Then disassembly it is."
[Hey, rest for a bit!]
Animals were abundant in this world, and Yu IlHan had the confidence to hunt any animal if he had a good spear so he didn't hesitate. He looked for a suitable weapons factory and acquired a few spears and went into action.
Disassembly wasn't easy. Not only was it difficult to hunt the animal without injuring it much, peeling the leather without damaging it and cutting the meat by parts and processing all of it was considerably profound; and the process was different for cows, pigs, bears, tigers, lions, elephants, etc.
However, time solved everything. Yu IlHan hunted and disassembled most of the animals he could hunt in several decades and learnt the techniques. It was to the point that he could estimate and see through how he would disassemble an animal he had never seen before.
"Rita, if I hunted all the animals now, wouldn't monsters not appear then?"
[God has sent humans to other worlds in order for humans and monsters to compete in the same conditions.]
"Excluding me."
Rita naturally ignored Yu IlHan's words and continued speaking.
[But if you kill all the animals now, then it goes against the 'balance'. The reason I'm also helping you now is to match the balance, so do you think I will let you hunt all the animals? Just obediently hunt the amount I allow you to.]
"Tch."
The last task of disassembly was the sperm whale.
[Stop it, you idiot!]
"Call me Ishmael..."
[Don't tell jokes that nobody can understand!]
"Don't say stupid things. It's not that there's nobody to understand but there are no people at all!"
While training martial arts for hundreds of years, and conquering all the libraries in the world, Yu IlHan became strangely stubborn. He acted first after deciding something was necessary to complete a task. Hunting sperm whales was an example.
Of course, as sperm whales were designated as endangered species and was prohibited to hunt, but honestly, Yu IlHan couldn't care less.
"Won't the animal population have increased rapidly after humanity comes back?"
[Unlike you, they can't eat and they don't grow either, but like you don't age, they don't age and can't reproduce. And that's all...]
"And you'll say 'because time stopped'!"
[Because time sto...Whoa!?]
He spent one month before encountering a sperm whale, but that amount of time wasn't even considered 'waiting'. Yu IlHan who was calmly training his martial arts on the deck, finished hunting the sperm whale as soon as he encountered it and he disassembled it.
According to what Rita said, there were some monsters which carried parts that had a special effect or some other reason to be exchanged for a large sum, so disassembling a sperm whale which had ambergris was an extremely advisable practice.
[People usually think of escaping first when monsters appear in the world.]
"Who was it that made them prepare to fight and now you're speaking nonsense? Anyway, now I've gotten used to disassembly, I will learn smithing."
[Yeah, you do everything, eeeeverything.]
This was exactly on the 300th year after being left behind.
It was a hammer that he picked up without thinking, but he unexpectedly spent a lot of time on it. As he had to learn from existing records since there was no one to teach him, it was too difficult.
Still, as he had a body that was developed to an extreme due to hundreds of years of training, he was saved on the point that he didn't feel tired even with all the perilous work.
"When! I! Read! Fantasy! Novels! They! All! Learn! Skills! Easily! But! Why! Can! I! Not! Do! Anything! Easily!?"
Yu IlHan spat out each word each time he hammered the piece of metal on the anvil and ground his teeth. 'Then don't do it' – these words came up to Rita's throat but as she knew that Yu IlHan wouldn't stop even if she said so, she just called wind and cooled the sweat on his head.
"Just! Teach! Me! The! Skill! To! Call! Wind!"
[I said you need to handle mana?]
"ARRGH!"
It took no less than 5 years for him to become used to using the furnace, extracting various metals such as iron, blowing the bellows, and produce a sword that could be considered 'having an edge'.
Rita, who received Yu IlHan's first work, which was neither a longsword nor a shortsword but somewhere in the middle, gently closed her eyes and looked at the sword before voicing her honest opinions.
[I wonder if you can slice a radish with this.]
"I won't tell you to slash a radish so give it back."
[I want it was commemoration. I'll ask Lord God to preserve this even after the world resets.]
"Why do you want to bully me so much...!?"
And when about 30 more years passed, Yu IlHan had the confidence that he made a sword that was better than factory-made ones.
And after 50 more years passed, he had confidence that the weapon he created surpassed all the existing weapons on Earth, but Yu IlHan, who knew well that his ability wasn't good enough yet couldn't stop there.
Like a student who received 97 points on a mock test, Yu IlHan clung to smithing which had no clear answer. He created weapons that contained metals such as swords, spears, and axes, and even polearms. He conquered defensive equipments such as battle gloves as well. And 50 more years passed like that.
"No, you can't even cut a cucumber with this!"
[Are the cucumber you know made of diamonds?]
It was truly unfortunate but all humans had something called 'talent'. According to the presence or absence of this talent, there were people who wouldn't be able to achieve something no matter how much effort they put into it; and there were people who would achieve a world record by just trying once; and there were people who achieved as much as they put into it.
Yu IlHan was in no way a genius that mastered a technique by just trying once. However, as he steadily put more effort, his ability was increasing. Slowly, but never stopping.
It was truly a coincidence, but to him who was forgotten by God and was left alone in the world, it was a blessing. The centuries became his asset without being wasted.
When 200 and a few more years passed since he first picked up the hammer, Yu IlHan succeeded in creating a weapon to his liking. He pursued weapons that he could create in his personal space so it wasn't made from anything like titanium alloy or carbon nanocubes (!!) and such new materials, and was made from steel, but that spear was overly hard and sharp to be created by a human.
"How is it?"
[I thought there was a limit to the technology on Earth… but human tenacity brings miracles....]
"Ahahaha. I've finally created a steel sword that can make Mo Palmo cry!...!"(T/N: Mo Palmo is a master swordsmith in the Jumong Myth, the closest English alternative would be https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayland_the_Smith according to google)
[This is a spear though.]
There were points that even Rita, an angel, would marvel at. The sharpness which seemed like one would get cut from just looking at it, and hardness. The spearpoint and the spear shaft was separated by a socket but the spear shaft was also made entirely from steel, and it was heavy.
Wielding this spear freely was only possible by Rita or Yu IlHan. Of course, there were only the two of them on Earth right now other than animals.
[But I kept telling you, though? When mana is released, new materials would be birthed endlessly, so why are you so obsessed with steel?]
"Now that I've gotten used to handling metals, I'll be handle whatever material that comes at me."
Yu IlHan indifferently replied and swung the spear after Rita handed it to him. As it was created to fit his body figure, the feeling he got when he swung it was addictively great. A handicraft that can be used for several decades or more if maintained it well, had been created.
This was on the 507th year after he was left behind.
"Then."
Yu IlHan sighed while putting down the spear.
"What now?"
Rita's heart sank after she heard those words. She wished for the time humanity would come back when she saw him holding the hammer for more than several decades, but she didn't know that even now, when more than 50 times the estimated 10 years had passed, humanity didn't return.
Just how much deviation is there on the time axis to become like this? Rita wanted to nitpick with God, but in truth, she hadn't even met God in person. An existence that forever had to wait without requesting answers. She learned that from a senior angel.
[The Great Cataclysm must be coming soon, right? You don't know when you have to fight with monsters so I think it's better to train your martial arts and heighten your senses.]
"Well, I think we're past the 100 year boundary so it's about time for them to come back, right?"
Yu IlHan, who lived by immersing himself in the task in front of him, didn't know the flow of time well. All time observation devices in the world had stopped so Rita, who was a higher existence, was the only one who could tell him the time. To Rita, it was instead fortunate.
And so, Yu IlHan started training his martial arts again. It was still Vale Tudo and spearmanship, but too many things had changed when compared to the beginning.
The degree of body tempering and techniques were different, and especially, his concentration was different. The concentration which increased due to reading and smithing was an incomparable achievement.
"Whoa, I feel like I've swung the spear for 3 hours. Rita, give me food. I'm so hungry that I'm about to die."
Perhaps due to conentrating while swinging his weapon, he got more hungry. Yu IlHan thought that but Rita inwardly sweated cold sweat even though she was smiling outwardly. The time he concentrated on his spearmanship wasn't 3 hours but 3 days.
From then, Rita prepared one meal per day – meaning one every 24 hours. Of course the amount was huge, but Yu IlHan instantly cleared it and concentrated on training again.
And when 200 years passed like that, Yu IlHan felt it was insufficient with just the spear so he started picking up other weapons. Daggers, greatswords, axes, and even guns couldn't avoid his hand.
Martial arts was the same. He researched into and learnt Taekwondo, Aikido, Karate, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, and even some martial arts which only existed in records.
With that moment as the turning point, his physical body overcame the limit and started transforming. Above all, the power and durability of his muscles became stronger but the volume was decreasing little by little.
It wasn't just something like 'compressed muscles' that people talked about. His body cells which were exposed to a miraculous state where it didn't age but kept being active, was mutating due to the long period of training. Stronger, but more efficiently in order to not become a hindrance to movement.
Of course, the bones, the skin, and even the inner organs were the same. As if it knew that it would have to confront many enemies in the future, it was strongly evolving to optimize itself to battle. Roughly speaking, it was comparable to a mutation that wouldn't happen for several generations was happening in one human's body.
Rita observed that and she couldn't hide her disappointment. Thanks to God's mistake, she was able to see a human exceeding humans even without mana, and when the Great Cataclysm happens and Yu IlHan learns mana, then he might grow up into a truly amazing existence!
'Did you perhaps intend IlHan's growth? Are you bullying him since IlHan's growth isn't to your liking yet? Just when... Just when is it? He would approach his limit some time. Please send humanity back to earth before that happens. Before he decides to give up life, please...!'
As if mocking Rita's prayer, which contained her earnest feelings, time kept flowing. Fortunately, Yu ILHan was immersed in martial arts so he wasn't well aware of the flow of time , but unless he was God, he would eventually hit a limit.
When the limit approaches, what could Rita do for Yu IlHan? Just what?
'If there is something that IlHan didn't experience yet...'
Rita's imagination which extended endlessly arrived at one point. A scene where a man and a woman were passionately entwining themselves on top of bed was playing in a strangely vivid manner inside her head. Among them, the woman's face belonged to Rita. Then the man's was...
After looking at Yu IlHan kicking and punching lumps of steel as fighting partner, her cheeks reddened like a tomato.
'I'm so superficial even though I'm an angel who proceeds God's orders. Even though it was a long time ago when I was freed from trivial emotions and desires…'
However, the more she thought about Yu IlHan's figure immersing himself in reading, martial arts and smithing, her thoughts became more realistic.
The most novel and shocking stimulation. No matter how fed up Yu IlHan was with everything, wouldn't he have no choice but to be fascinated by such a stimulation? Like the time he immersed himself in reading or smithing. To the point that he would immerse himself for 200 years without doing anything else...
Rita's face became even more red when she imagined that. To think her face would change due to emotions! If she told this to herself before coming to Earth, she would never believe it.
'Yes, this is, in the end, to proceed with God's orders and not to fulfill my desires. If there is a person who can't wait for the Great Cataclysm and die mid way, that's ruining God's reputation. From the beginning, this was my reason for coming to IlHan so I'm absolutely in the right.'
With a speed that would make Usain Bolt cry, the thoughts inside her mind was justified. From the next moment, she was pondering on the timing to pounce at Yu IlHan.
She wanted to provide a new stimulation straight away according to her heart… No, for Yu IlHan, but while he's immersing himself in martial arts, she can't bother him. To tie his will here, she had to wait persistently.
At this point, Rita was having a huge misunderstanding. Yu IlHan was, of course, moving to escape from the dull life, but his principles in acting was was based in surviving after the Great Cataclysm occurs.
If he just wanted new stimulation, there were many things he could do. Whether it was games or sports, or whatever.
As she hadn't considered this point, Rita was basically confessing that she loved Yu IlHan. Perhaps Rita also might have become strange while observing Yu Ilhan for so many years.
However, sadly, or fortunately, the time for Rita to erupt her feelings and desires to Yu IlHan didn't come.
When exactly 1 thousand years had passed after Yu IlHan was left by humanity.
The world reset and humanity came back.
Author's notes
I will even return humanity if it's to block MC's graduation from virginity!!!!
Jokes. It was planned as 1000 years from the start.
Then I'll come back tomorrow. Please enjoy your reading
PS – I added explanations as to why Yu IlHan can't kill all the animals. Everything's for the sake of balance! All Heil Balance!
You Can't See Me? (1)
The first one to realize that something was wrong was not Rita but Yu IlHan.
"Something's moving."
[What's moving?]
"Your sword."
[What? Kyaaaa! No!]
The sword was trash amongst trash to the current Yu IlHan's eyes – that sword which he made on his 5th year after picking up the hammer was vigorously vibrating on Rita's waist.
Was it only that? The cars on the street, the clothes Yu IlHan was wearing, and others which made up the world was showing movement.
This meant one thing. The world was returning to the time when time first stopped.
"They are all the ones that were moved or changed since time stopped on Eart!"
[Rather than that, do something about this sword.]
"I'll make you something better so why don't you give up on it?"
[Never!]
While Rita was flustered and praying while grabbing on to the shabby sword, Yu IlHan's body finally also moved against his will.
It wasn't that his physical body was returning to its former state. It was just that he was moving to the place he was at when he was left out by humanity. With a visual that looked like a flying bird.
"I can fly!" (T/N: Said in EN)
[Ah, IlHan, wait! L, Lord God, just a bit! Just give me time to say farewell!]
Rita who realized the situation after she was focused on the sword, desperately shouted but God didn't fulfill her request.
While Yu IlHan's physical body was flying to the college campus from his home due to the irresistible, huge force, Rita was dragged to the sky due to another type of power. It was strong to the point that she cried from being sad.
[You took it easy until now but why so suddenly... You're going too far, You're going too far!]
Rita insulted God while complaining, truly unbefitting of a God's envoy. The only thing she could do right now was to watch the distant Yu IlHan's back and pray for his fortune. While tightly embracing the shabby sword.
'You left the sword. So I take back the words 'you're going too far'.'
Will there be a time she meets Yu IlHan again? She prayed that they did. She prayed that she will see Yu IlHan after he is free from the clutches of time.
As soon as possible. Even tomorrow.
While embracing the hope that she wouldn't even think about one thousand years ago, when she came to find Yu IlHan, a drop out, Rita slowly closed her eyes. And she realized one thing.
[In the end, we didn't even kiss!]
At the same moment that poor angel Rita was returning, Yu IlHan also dropped in to the campus. Yu IlHan, who was half thrown at the last moment, balanced himself in mid-air and landed in a neat pose to reduce the damage done to him.
"I have a good feeling"
Above anything that he experienced in the long years, flying just now was definitely the most interesting. Wasn't that a clear proof that the boring days had ended? While resolving that he would learn to fly by himself after learning mana, he raised his head.
And found Rita who was ascending into the skies.
"Ah."
Yu IlHan subconsciously moaned. To think she left like that without any farewell, as expected, was Yu IlHan no more than just an interesting human to Rita? Was he an existence she gained out with only to serve to fill her boredom?
But that didn't matter. No matter what, Rita who confronted him was an existence who was kind, pretty and someone who consoled his loneliness. When he thought that he wouldn't see her again in the future, he felt that his heart was empty.
Originally, this was normal. He thought that being with her was natural as he was together with her for a long time, but an angel such as Rita coming into contact with an ordinary person like Yu IlHan was, in the first place, an extremely rare case.
An existence that can never be connected to even in the same space. Didn't Rita herself name herself a higher existence?
"A higher existence, eh..."
Yu IlHan softly muttered to himself and tightened his fists.
Pile up techniques and knowledge to not lose behind other humans when the Great Cataclysm occurs. This was Yu IlHan's objective until now.
However, now, he had a grand, but a firm objective.
Higher existence, if I become one, then I'll be able to meet and talk to her again. I will finally be able to stand on the same level as her.
So I'll become one. There was nothing that didn't work out after I put in effort so won't I be able to become one if I work hard as if I'm about to die? – Yu IlHan resolved himself as such.
Of course, Yu IlHan didn't know that forget the same level, he had completely caught her heart to the point that he couldn't catch any more. It was because he was a virgin who didn't even hold hands with a woman for more than 1000 years.
Regardless of whether Yu IlHan resolved or not, the world was returning to its original state. The exploded cars were restored and returned to their original positions, and everything in the world, which was damaged when coming in to contact with Yu IlHan, returned to its former state.
And that moment was approaching.
Yu IlHan calmly closed his eyes and waited, like he did in the distant past.
And when a few hours passed, he felt the world, and himself changing. He knew about his physical body more than anyone else. And a small but a clear changed had occurred to his body.
A cool, luminous, wondrous, strong energy. When his heart beat, that energy also beat along with his heart as if it was originally like that.
He didn't even need to ponder about it. This was mana. A new energy that Earth had come in contact with. The energy that humans adapted to in the 10 years they stayed in other worlds. The energy that Yu IlHan had to adapt to in the future.
'Well, I'll probably be able to do it.'
He was different to his past self who was a childish college freshman. No, well, the two were on the same point in the time axis, but didn't he have a history of the countless years of effort, and its achievements?
He opened his eyes. There were a lot of people inside the campus which was cramped. While making expressions that they were surprised, but nervous as if they were waiting for this.
People. There were really a lot of people. Due to being too happy, he wanted to scream, but he suppressed it.
"We really came back after 10 years."
"According to their words, we can finally..."
"Uu, I'm scared."
"Hey, I can open the status here too!"
"Kek, Everything really reset!"
Screams and exclamations happened here and there. It was at this moment that Yu IlHan felt that something was off.
The fact that they said that they came back in 10 years was something that Rita said and it was nothing strange. However, weren't they too familiar with each other? Normally, when people lived separately in other worlds, it was normal to be awkward with each other.
If not, then what. Doesn't that mean that everyone here was in the same world!? No, wait, thinking about it, there was no reason to separate the people who were in the same place. And if that's true... Wouldn't they find out that Yu IlHan was left behind!?
Yu IlHan became nervous and he turned his head even though the 'people' he had missed for such a long time were in front of him. However, it was impossible. He was in the center of the square. He could only be found o...
'...Eh?'
Yu IlHan raised his head. However, the people around him only talked to themselves and didn't spare a glance towards Yu IlHan. No, it seemed like they hadn't even noticed him.
Of course, the special situation of just being returned played a role, but they had a good reason to find out about him but as if they had planned beforehand, they were all ignoring him. How was this possible!?
'Oh. It was like that wasn't it?"
However, after pondering for a bit, Yu IlHan had no choice but to accept the impossible situation.
He had forgotten due to talking with Rita for so many years, but he had a legendary achievement of being left out during elementary school picnic, middle school training camp, and high school trip.
Was it only that? Being missed out even if he raised his hand at the very front seat while registration in college happened very often. It was no exaggeration to call him the Phantom Sixth Man.
And so, there was no way the excited Earthlings could recognize Yu IlHan. Once a loner was forever a loner.
"Great, I say. Great, you Earthlings...!"
He even spoke out loud but the people surrounding him didn't look like they had noticed him at all. For some reason, the returnees he had waited for such a long time had appeared but he cried tears of not from being touched but tears of sadness.
He really wanted to see Rita who always recognized him. He wanted to become a higher existence as soon as possible. However, before that, he first.
'Let's go back faster than anyone and different to everyone.'
With drooped shoulders, he left the campus while ignoring the returnees' cheers, their unease for the future, and their expectations for change. It was none of his business. I hope everyone falls down and have their noses broken – he thought.
The bus still didn't run. Well, it was no time for both the bus drivers and the passengers to sit down on the bus. They would probably go home and wait for the official announcement by the government or hurrying to meet their beloved ones after the unavoidable separation.
In any case, It was Yu IlHan, who could run at tens of kilometers per hour if he ran a bit fast, so he didn't have the intention to take the bus in the first place. It was no lie that he was faster than anyone. Of course, that was if mana wasn't taken into account.
'She said that mana was an almighty power. It can strengthen the physical body, make it move faster, or generate strong strength.'
If he remembered the scenes where Rita used magic, he could accept it. Human class would once again be divided into those who can and those who can't. Unlike humanity who had practiced for 10 years, Yu IllHan awakened to mana just now, so it they were categorized in to mana ability, then he would be placed at the bottom.
'What's so wrong about that? The knowledge and training I piled up is in no way inferior. If 10 years pass, I can grow without having to be envious of anyone.'
Now that he trained for countless years, he now had such a confidence. Truthfully, even that was under evaluating his personal ability, but he himself didn't know that. It was because Rita forbid him to say those in order for him to not get ahead of himself.
'Oh, yeah. Status.'
It was his thought just before he arrived at home. Rita said that due to the Great Cataclysm, the Akashic Records had come into contact with Earth and humans gained the right to see some of its records. The other returnees also talked about status and whatnot.
But how can I see this?
As soon as he thought that, green texts started popping up in his eyes as if it was being engraved on his retina.
[Yu IlHan]
[Human Jobless Lv1]
[Title – Pancosmic Loner (Concealment becomes passive)]
[Strength – 72 Agility – 81 Health – 78 Magic – 1]
[Active Skills – Concealment Lv Max (Evolvable. Skill evolution materials are necessary.)]
[Passive Skills – Unidentifiable]
[Dropout bonus was acquired, and distributed]
[Status rises by 5 when leveling up by 1.]
"..."
The thousand years of training was showing its results.
Author's notes
Humanity's strongest loner! (Bang!)
It's obvious but Rita is not a side character so she will come up later. Humanity's loner MC gets along with angels rather than other humans. Tears are covering my eyes.
Despite being the beginning, I'm delighted that many people are interested. In some time, if I have enough stockpile, I will release a multiple!!! Please take care of me in the future too!
PS – There was a big edit. The initial setting was that the status increases were to be reflected in levels, but while answering several readers' question, and explaining, my thoughts started becoming inconsistent. Conclusion – I edited MC's level to level 1. I will also mention his in the next chapter's notes.
You Can't See Me? (2)
Yu IlHan became silent. He was in a state of being greatly surprised.
From the moment Rita mentioned the word 'status', he was able to predict that human power would be measured using levels. And so, a game stat window that anyone would recognize had appeared and that wasn't a problem.
The monstrous status also wasn't a problem. The results of his training was visualized so he could only be happy.
The distributed status bonuses weren't a problem either. It wasn't a game where you could raise the stats you want and he also expected that he wouldn't be able to raise magic that way.
Yes. Those weren't the problems.
The problem was the title and the skill. Hiding which he does not remember learning and that title which was full of intentions to make fun of Yu IlHan!
What is this, concealment becomes passive? You mean I'm concealed!? Is my life concealed!? I'm a loner even if I go into space!?
A violent rage he never experienced in his life surged. This was the moment where he got another objective other than becoming a higher existence to meet Rita. An objective to beat that Akashic Records up!
If there was one thing that he had questions about, that was the passive skills. Thinking about the definition of Akashic Records on Earth, it was unbelievable that it couldn't record one person's ability perfectly.
It wasn't some human who could make mistakes and it was a universal record! To make it error, one had to be outside of the realm of recognition and record – like a God.
How could this be unidentifiable? Yu IlHan, who thought about this until he reached his house, successfully thought up of one hypothesis.
'Currently, my physical ability and concealment techniques are revealed so it can record it. However, it might be that it doesn't have any records of the abilities I learnt in the past. All my training happened on Earth when time was stopped. Moreover, that was before the Akashic records came into contact with Earth.'
Under the assumption that Yu IlHan's hypothesis was right, It was very possible that all of Yu IlHan's doings on Earth, when time was stopped by the power of God, aren't recorded in the Akashic records. Yu IlHan wasn't sure but in reality, it was like that.
'Well, I'll know if I move.'
Yu IlHan trusted more in the days he had lived and trained than the sudden few lines appearing in his eyes. It wasn't like he couldn't swing his spear just because the skills status is unidentifiable so it had none to do with him.
He opened the front door to his house and went inside. He was planning to have a simple shower before moving around to check what passive skills pop up.
But in the next moment, one person came in his field of vision.
"Ah."
Really, only that stupid sound came out of his mouth. The moment to realize how foolish he was came next.
How could he have forgotten the most important thing? How couldn't he remember his most beloved family?
"IlHan."
His mother was in front of his eyes.
Although they were far apart for such a long period of time to the point that he felt unfamiliar even when he looked at the picture, he realized just after seeing her like this. The fact that the middle aged woman crying in front of him was his mother.
That wasn't remembered by his brain, but his heart.
"Mom."
While saying out loud the word he hadn't spoken for a long time, Yu IlHam embraced his mother.
He cried like a little child that made the past countless years seem like nothing. His mother cried along with him. They cried just like that until his father arrived.
After crying their hearts out, they became hungry. His mother, Kim YeSeul, also seemed to be the same as she started cooking.
Yu IlHan had received his meals from Rita for as long as 1000 years (Though, he himself didn't know), but he hadn't seen the scene of her cooking, so he was touched when he saw his mother standing in the kitchen.
The savory smell as rice became done, the rhythmical kitchen knife sounds and the sound from the heated up frying pan were all delightful to him.
"Thank you for the meal!"
The dinner using all the ingredients in the house, was very peaceful. There were some that looked like she had learnt from the another world.
However, Yu IlHan couldn't enjoy the meal peacefully. It was because his parents started talking about the other worlds.
"Where were you sent to, my son? Mother went to a world called Ya-umin along with the people in our neighborhood."
"A nameless one."
He couldn't make them worry by saying that he was left on Earth all alone. Fortunately, his muscles decreased in volume while mutating so on the outside, there was not much difference before being left out. There was no worry that he would be found out just based on his outer appearance.
"Heishia was a truly perfect world if you ignore the fact that there's no rice. And also, that handling mana or whatever was truly hard. Even if I do get used to it, there's no way your father would be able to confront monsters."
Yu IlHan's father, Yu YongHan (T/N: can mean useful) complained while having the first big spoon of rice he had in 10 years. Kim YeSeul also agreed.
"That's what I mean. They brought the newborn babies, elderly, and even pregnant women and made them suffer. It was too pitiful to see them suffering for those 10 years. It would've been better if they just took the young and sturdy ones."
"They said it's because it would go against the balance. Meaning that even though they knew the most efficient way, they couldn't take it."
"Sorry?"
Towards Yu IlHan, who blurted the truth he heard from Rita by accident, the gazes of his parents were directed. Yu IlHan realized then.
There weren't many occasions to lie in his life until now, but to him who had lived a different life from others, there would be a lot he had to hide from now on. The moment he had to fix the habit of saying what he thought in his mind had come.
"N, no. I'm just thinking if that is the case."
"Balance? Efficency? To hell with that. When I think about how they brought people away from home for 10 years and put them through suffering, I grind my teeth, my teeth."
"So you ground your teeth to your heart's content so you won't anymore, right? Every time I hear you grinding your teeth, I grind my teeth because I'm annoyed."
While wishing that the day he had to present them with implants in their gums won't come, Yu IlHan finished eating his meal. But when he realized, his parents' gazes focused on him.
"How about you, son? You can kill monsters if you handle mana well, right? When I talked with the ladies around, they said that the people who can kill monsters well will earn money!"
"They sure will. There weren't many that had talent in that, were there? Monsters or whatever bullshit they are, they are dangerous, so if one says they want to kill it, won't the country take care of them?"
"What are you saying, what money would the country give us!? It's not that. Their corpses are worth so much money!"
Looking at his parents talk about fantasy stuff that only happened in novels so naturally, it was quite strange for Yu IlHan. His feeling of being left out was really serious and he thought about the dropout life.
Even though humanity returned, I'm still a loner... He was angry at the fact that it was no different from his life until now and he didn't feel that sad.
But I should be more aware of deep-sea fish than my parents! – when he thought that, he became even more empty so he stopped there.
"I can't use mana."
And he confessed the truth.
"Yes. Let's study well, son."
"I knew it. You can't win against genes, eh?"
His parents accepted it too easily so he instead became dejected. However, that was not unreasonable. To his parents, he was a son who was stuck at home playing games or reading or studying all day, and hated exercise.
For them, it would be hard to imagine that their son would suddenly wield mana around his body and rush out while saying that he would hunt monsters. They probably asked with 'what if' only to get their answer of 'as expected'.
"Just listen to the government's announcement. Apparently, it will come out on the 9 o'clock news."
"They are so untrustworthy. What if a monster appears in out neighborhood? Should we move to a place where a strong ability user is?"
"It'll be alright. But you shouldn't go to work for a while."
"How could I? The company already called me more than ten times. I have to go even if I have to die on the way."
"Hey! Don't say unlucky things like that!"
His parents were happily chatting together. As it had been a long time, their longing for each other seemed to have piled up and they seemed closer. Honestly, he was prepared for a reverse effect, so Yu IlHan could only be thankful.
He gave up watching TV in the living room, and he returned to his own room while thinking that he might have a little sibling this time next year. He planned to search materials on the internet about the current situation.
However, he stiffened his body with the same amount of shock as when he first met his mother.
"...Why is this here?"
Was this God's prank? Or was this because Rita's wish flooded in a strange direction?
Wrapped in dry cloth, his masterpiece steel spear was in the middle of his room.
The moment he noticed that, Yu IlHan locked the door to his room. His mother would be surprised if she knew that there was a weapon inside her son's room, wouldn't she?
"Why did this remain?"
Every change that occurred due to his influence should have been reverted back when the world was returning to the point when he was first left out. Even his spear made with the efforts of his body and soul shouldn't have been an exception.
But why? There was no way of finding out. Did God give him a bonus because he felt sorry for just a status bonus? Rita all over the place wanting the sword to remain, was there some over-effect from that?
In any case, it was a thankful thing. He was thinking of making a spear he would use in the near future, so he was thankful to God who relieved him of that effort.
Yu IlHan first picked it up intending to hide it in his closet. But at that moment, like the time he saw the status, green texts started appearing in his eyes.
[Yu IlHan's steel spear]
[Rank – Unique]
[Attack Power – 800]
[Durability – 500/500]
[A miracle made by human hands using pure technique to mold the spear without mana. It has hardness and strength comparable to that of a mid-class monster's bones.]
"How should I know if attack power of 800 is high or not?"
But looking at the description from the Akashic Records, he thought that it would help until he acquired new materials so he put it in his closet. He wished for there to be inventories since there was status and mana and all, so he was disappointed.
"Then shall I start?"
The return of humanity, and the Great Cataclysm that happened at the same time as it was waiting for it. People were spread out to countless other worlds, but now that they had returned, they had to cooperate to adapt to the changed reality. Countless people should be pouring out information on what they know through countless routes.
Among those, the route that Yu IlHan selected was the internet. it was because it was the most approachable, the widest, and the one he was most familiar with.
'There's new text.'
Yu IlHan sat down in front of his laptop with shining eyes. The internet pages which weren't renewed for such a long time was now changed to something completely new. Yu IlHan smiled when he saw that. He now felt delight when there was the slightest of a new stimulation. Did Columbus feel like this when he found the new continent?
He became the captain of the boat which sailed the new seas and sailed to the seas known as information.
When 4 hours passed, Yu IlHan closed the laptop. It was because he was assured that he had enough information now.
As everyone talked differently, he had a hard time picking out the truth, but Yu IlHan's analytical ability and concentration was at the peak due to the several centuries of reading.
When he used the official announcement from the government as basis, and organized the information inside the articles that other people wrote, it was over easily. In other words, there was not much information that he could fish out.
'There are too many liars.'
I hunted a dragon in another world, I subdued a princess knight made her as a sex slave, I solved the bonus question engraved on the back of throne of a huge empire so I acquired permanent item – b*llsh*t like these were everywhere.
The description about levels and monsters were also all over the place, so listening to them, he might as well believe that a kobold killed a demon race.
'Then shall I pick out the most objective milestones?'
He first organized the information on levels.
Until level 5 was an ordinary civilian. The majority of the standards to pick soldiers in other worlds were 7, and when one became level 10, one could have swordsman, archer, and other classes as their jobs and could think of becoming a captain of 10 men.
When one became level 50, then the class advances. It was a sort of 2nd advancement. As it seemed like powerful people and non-powerful people were separated using that line, advancement wasn't done by anyone and passing a strict condition to understand the Akashic Records better.
If one didn't advance to the 2nd job, then one could not go over level 50, and if someone did their 2nd advancement, then even nobles wouldn't look down on them.
3rd advancement was possible at level 100. From that moment, one would be treated as a high class fighting power of the country. Levelling up by one became hellish and there were not many who would grow anymore.
It was known that there was a 4th advancement, but at least on the internet, there weren't any that had seen a person with the 4th job. There were only predictions about high class monsters, such as dragons, on their 4th, 5th or even higher jobs. This was the information about the levels.
Among the rest, there weren't many that were important.
First, tomorrow, he had to go to college as normal. It was because the government, joint with the army, said that they would come up with countermeasures against monsters and emphasized everyday life.
There were also announcements about making a special corps made up of mana users after creating anti-monster headquarters, but who knows. It wasn't such a credible announcement.
'I should protect my own body.'
The training and suffering was for that. He had no thoughts of going to college normally and be dragged around passively with the situation.
So let's train in mana.
"Phew."
As he thought that there weren't many differences even after humanity had returned, he sighed. At the same time, he remembered about the kind and beautiful Rita who was always next to him when he was training and he longed to see her.
"I want to see Rita."
[If she knew that, she would be very delighted.]
At the voice he heard from somewhere, he stiffened before abruptly turning back.
On the wide open window sill, a small, winged something was standing there. If one ignored the fact that it was very small, its outer appearance was similar to Rita.
[I am sent here to help you adjust to mana, and I'm...]
"An intruder of private property?"
[Angel Erta.]
The second intruder of private property... It was that moment of meeting with an angel.
Author's notes.
There was an important edit. Please read.
There were many people who were questioning about the level, so even I became chaotic while explaining every one of them. I set the settings too hard.
And so, I did a big edit. 'MC's current level is 1'. In the initial settings, status bonuses were reflected on the levels, but I've 'excluded' it. This will probably be easier for you to accept.
Also, the status distributed from the level up is automatically reflected on the physical body. To use a game word, it's 'auto distribution'. The details will be revealed in the story later!
There's no other change than that. Please enjoy!