Past Life Returner

Nothing could be undone. The power of Doom Kaos that was tangled in the sky showed a different movement. The black hues that had filled the sky began to converge in one direction, and the same phenomenon was occurring in the Realm of the Ultimate. It was a sign that Doom Kaos was manifesting.

It happened soon after Joshua received the amulet from Orca, so Joshua was deeply involved in this situation.

“You really pushed it forward!” I yelled at Orca, but I was actually blaming myself.

I was certain. The two culprits had tried to intervene in the fight between Arukuda and me. Their power struggle had started from such a collision and continued like inertia until now.

After the fight was over and my frenzy was suppressed, I heard about Joshua’s whereabouts from Seong-Il. However, it was too late as the power struggle between the two evils was already at its peak. They were unaffected by time reversal.

When Joshua had visited Seong-Il, the fight I had with Arukuda was still ongoing. If I went back in time to then, the situation would turn worse due to either the Old One or Doom Kaos interfering, as they would manage to break in my time reversal.

Both of them now wished for my death because I had grown beyond their control. I had reached the same realm as them, so the best thing was to find Joshua as soon as possible.

However, he seemed to have done his best to be unnoticed. If he was actually controlling Orca in the Saint Land of Death while waiting for his last moment, then there was no way for me to find him. Well…I had one last resort. I should have killed Orca in the mainland. Then, the amulet would not have fallen into Joshua’s hands.

I might have been unconsciously relying on time reversal to secure the time frame when his whereabouts were revealed.

“I pushed it forward…”

Thus, this was self-blame. I was fed up with myself trying to fully grasp my current feelings even now. It felt like old habits were creeping up on me. Besides the war, I wondered how I would get back to my original life.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

[Time has been reversed.]

I anchored my last hope. This was when Orca had just entered outer space. Even when time was reversed, the phenomenon of Doom Kaos’s energy condensing was still happening.

I moved to chase the signs of Orca as soon as I landed on the ground. Unlike his previous appearance of a zombie, he had just come out from the dungeon in a perfectly intact state. He was holding up one arm towards the sky, clutching the amulet.

He must have been waiting for Joshua to appear and take it, but I rushed and took it away from him.

[Doom Kaos’s Amulet (Miscellaneous)]

[Copy of a Bankbook (Miscellaneous)]

[Copy of a Bankbook (Miscellaneous)

This is just a miscellaneous object modeled after a bankbook from the mainland. There is nothing special to discover in this item.]

I was late. Sure enough, Joshua had used the talisman already. He had poured the evil object on himself. He, of course, knew how wicked the object was because even I could tell that.

He had gone through an elite education from the starting line as a member of the Karjan family. He had also been managing individuals who had superpowers as pre-Awakened while not letting go of family and club business.

Even Seong-Il, who was merely an ordinary father, was honed through the Stage of Advent. Moreover, Joshua had indeed collapsed during Act Two, Stage One, but he had overcome countless challenges since then.

When I thought about the life he had lived, I had no choice but to respect him. Joshua had put an end to his plan. My further intervention would be nothing more than my own mean selfishness. It was something I could never take a step in, even under the pretense of helping him. It would be a disrespect and insult toward him.

“Joshua… I will take over your plan.”

Then, Jonathan rushed in after Orca. He glared at Orca as if he was about to kill it and said, “It is so ungrateful. It turned the headquarters into a mess and in Mary’s room…”

However, his words were cut off halfway. We were looking at the same place. Jonathan seemed to have been following my advice all along. Otherwise, he would not have been able to read the flow of Mana so promptly.

The direction was northwest. The power from there was cracking the earth’s crust. It was a shockwave.

Whoosh!

Jonathan and I jumped up first, and Orca followed us a second later. The place where we had been standing was hit directly by the force that had come with a roar from the distant horizon. That area was now divided and had become a cliff, revealing only endless darkness.

I opened the gate for Jonathan to return to the mainland, and stared at it without a gesture or word. He immediately went back without any hesitation. Now it was our turn.

“I am just delivering the message as I heard. Don’t do anything stupid.”

“If you truly wish for the safety of the mainland, considering the scars you have gained so far would be enough. If this message is delivered to you, don’t give me a chance to challenge you.”

Joshua had consistently delivered this message. In the picture that he had been drawing and was about to complete, I did not exist. I was not supposed to ruin that.

However, I should have done what I could instead of just waiting for the chance he would leave. The things that were possible to be done at the moment…

“I will give you a chance to redeem yourself, Orca. Follow me.”

***

[You have used Gate Formation.]

[Destination: The sea in front of Elsland.]

Despite being far away from the origin of what was presumed to be the shockwave, the ocean obviously did not remain intact due to the force that had torn Elsland apart from the Greenwood continent. It appeared as if a huge hand that could grasp the entire sea of Elsland had grabbed the ocean and flipped it over.

Water from the sea was pouring down from the sky. On the other hand, the coast of Elsland looked perfectly fine, as if the signs of the apocalypse occurring in their ocean were happening in a different dimension. I wondered if it was because of the protection of the sacred tower.

Anyway, the battle began near the Elsland continent. The energy of the Old One, which had been spread in the sky, had also gathered. The Old One had also manifested itself, and two disasters had arrived.

I had been looking forward to the day when both would be annihilated. However, such a scenario was not included in either Joshua’s plan nor in the deal Doom Kaos would have accepted. It was because then the cooperation between Joshua and Doom Kaos would not have been established.

Joshua would be ready to go into the fire, and the evil flame would burn vigorously with screams. That should have been the picture Joshua was drawing.

Yes, if Joshua had not been so hasty, then Doom Kaos and Old One might have stopped fighting with each other and attempted to eliminate me first. Such an alliance would be difficult to create, but it wouldn’t be impossible either. One of them had been consistently purging its own subordinates, while the other had been planning to bring ruin to all creation for its own glory. Therefore, nothing was impossible for them.

I had entered the Realm of the Ultimate without any headaches. The seawater pouring down from the sky had stopped, and only the entirety of Orca was visible. Orca could move, albeit very slowly, in the Realm of Ultimate, and he made constant motions while standing above sea level.

If I could save Joshua, then I would not hesitate as he did for me.

[System Administrator Odin: Do not refuse. It is the only way for you to survive, and the opportunity of a lifetime to make a significant contribution.]

[System Administrator Odin: If you succeed in this, then I will acknowledge your merit beyond anything else. I know you have started to crave independence. I will make you the emperor of your tribe.]

[System Administrator Odin: However, if you fail or do not do your best, I will slaughter you and all of your kids, leaving no souls behind.]

[System Administrator Odin: If that still does not soothe my anger, then I will make you live in the hell of emptiness, regretting forever that you did not do your best.]

This was some sort of negotiation. Even in the Realm of the Ultimate, my messages were being delivered to Orca immediately and it made his eyes bulge out.

[System Administrator Odin: Do not resist. That, too, only leads to death.]

It should have been at least prepared equivalent to the Great.

[* System]

[Recognizing Orca’s inner world.]

The window popped up. It was different from the Awakened. There could have been mana stones equivalent to six billion XP scattered in Arukuda, but Orca only had one. I wished I could go by myself instead of Orca. If not, I wanted to put all possible strength into it.

Nonetheless, no matter how high I could set the limit, I could not exceed the level of average power of the Greats in order to not draw the attention of the Old One and Doom Kaos, who were fighting.

[System Administrator Odin: You will never survive if you hold back your power. Keep that in mind.]

I proceeded simultaneously while putting my power in Orca.

[You have assigned Orca as the System User.]

Orca did not resist.

[You have created Orca’s Helmet.]

[You have created Orca’s Breastplate.]

[You have created Orca’s Shin Guards.]

[You have created Orca’s Shoes.]

…

[You have created Orca’s Ring.]

I attached them to his body as soon as they were completed in my hand. Orca looked happy with his suddenly increased power. His eyes began to shake with excitement as he was aware of the strength.

However, Orca was also an intelligent creature who had lived a tough life. He, of course, knew what he had to prepare in order to survive. Determination to hold himself together emitted from his eyes.

[System Administrator Odin: Come back with the revival of Joshua.]

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That was my last message.

[The user Orca has acquired the trait, ‘The Man Who Overcomes Adversity.’]