The Return of the Legendary All-Master

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]

[Demigod (1): Divine Realm]

- Requirement: Reach the state of a Demigod

- Reward: ??

- Description: ??

There's no content?

Jeong-hoon tilted his head in confusion and accepted the quest.

"Let's go!"

Then Harpy grabbed Jeong-hoon's wrist and tried to drag him somewhere.

"Huh? Harpy, where are we going?"

Curious, Kua asked, and Harpy responded simply and clearly.

"Taking him to the teacher."

"The teacher? Why?"

"Because this oppa is different from us."

"Different?"

Kua was full of questions.

"He's alive."

"Really?!"

"Yeah. Dummy, you didn't even notice that?"

"Ugh… I'm not a dummy, okay?"

"You are a dummy. You met him first but noticed it later than me."

Out of things to say, Kua shut her mouth tightly.

Then, as if to show she was sulking, she glared at Harpy—but the expression on her face looked adorable.

'I used to be like that too.'

'They say children are angels by nature.'

'But… it's sad too. They died without ever truly living.'

……

There's a saying: Even if you roll around in a dung heap, life in this world is better.

These children had died young, without even a chance to live fully—and that was pitiful.

'Still, they seem cheerful. That's good to see.'

'Yeah, it really is.'

Jeong-hoon, led by Harpy's hand, walked forward.

Pushing through the tall grass, a temple appeared ahead of them.

A beautiful temple adorned with dazzling multicolored jewels.

"That's where your teacher is?"

"Yup! Teacher knows everything."

"Is that so……?"

"Oh, there's the teacher!"

They didn't even need to go inside the temple.

The one Harpy called teacher was sweeping the outside of the temple with a broom.

===

[NPC Info]

Nickname: Ariel

Level: X

Class: Angel

===

She was an angel.

She's completely different from the demons.

During the demigod quest, Tenebris and Baal did not accompany him.

Since they're demons, they probably can't even enter this place.

"Harpy? Why are you here already?"

Ariel greeted Harpy with a bright smile.

"Nothing big. It's because of this guy!"

At Harpy's words, Ariel's gaze shifted to Jeong-hoon.

In that moment, Ariel's expression darkened.

"How did you get in here?"

"Huh… ma'am, why are you acting like this all of a sudden?"

Harpy was startled by Ariel's expression, something she'd never seen before.

"Sorry. I was just a bit startled."

Ariel quickly changed her expression and reassured Harpy.

"Really?"

"Yes. Since I need to talk to the person you brought, why don't you go play with the kids?"

"You're not going to scold him, right?"

"Of course not. Have you ever seen me scold anyone?"

"Nope!"

"Then you can go play without worry, right?"

"Yep!"

Only then did Harpy relax and go off to play with the children.

Once Harpy disappeared, Ariel wiped the smile off her face and glared at Jeong-hoon.

"Shall we talk inside?"

"Sure."

Jeong-hoon calmly followed her into the sanctuary.

The inside of the temple was spacious and just as splendid as its exterior.

Master, this is all gold.

Whoa… why does just looking at this place make me feel so peaceful?

Even Mukho and Anima couldn't help but be impressed.

"This way, please."

Ariel led Jeong-hoon to the audience chamber and sat at the seat of honor.

Jeong-hoon took a seat at some distance from her, and soon after, tea and refreshments were served.

Simple refreshments.

There weren't any buffs or effects attached to them.

Jeong-hoon picked up a cookie and bit into it with a crunch.

Ariel also lifted her teacup briefly and then set it down before asking bluntly,

"How did a human whose life hasn't ended yet manage to come here?"

"Good question. WhydidI come here?"

Jeong-hoon had wanted to ask the same thing.

Why had the demigod quest even been generated? What brought him here?

"I don't understand… someone still alive shouldn't even be able to step foot in the divine realm."

"Would it make sense if I said demigod?"

"Demigod?"

Ariel tilted her head in confusion.

'She can't recognize a demigod?'

Jeong-hoon set down the cookie he had been eating and asked,

"Setting that aside, is there any other divine realm besides this one?"

Ariel narrowed her eyes at the question.

"No. There's only one divine realm."

"Really? I've actually visited another one before."

"...Were there demons living there, by any chance?"

"You know about it?"

Only then did Ariel nod in understanding.

"Of course I do. What they claim to be a divine realm isn't actually one."

"It's not?"

"To be precise, it's the Demon Realm."

"Demon Realm?"

"A world beneath the lowest depths — created by those who were cast out after falling from the divine realm."

So that's why it had felt similar to the human world.

'Then... was Tenebris also cast out after falling?'

Most likely.

"...Why are they trying to destroy dimensions?"

"To put it simply — energy."

"Energy?"

"Yes. That's as far as I can answer."

Ariel raised her teacup again.

"Is there a reason?"

"Perhaps because I can't trust you?"

"You can't trust me?"

"Correct."

Hmm. Then why escort someone she doesn't trust all the way to the audience chamber?

Jeong-hoon glanced around, moving only his eyes.

"Is someone listening to our conversation?"

The hand holding the teacup trembled ever so slightly, as if the question had hit the mark.

'They're eavesdropping? These people are just as unpleasant as the others.'

'No kidding.'

Mukho and Anima chimed in.

'No, it's not eavesdropping.'

To be exact — they were obstructing his vision.

Jeong-hoon activated his Genesis Device and released its power into the surroundings.

The audience chamber distorted — and then, a massive throne emerged.

Seated on that throne was a man, watching Jeong-hoon with a look of amusement.

'W-what is this?'

'Was he there from the very beginning?'

Yes.

Ariel hadn't led him to the reception room for no reason.

===

[NPC Info]

* Nickname: Uriel

* Level: X

* Class: Archangel

===

He was an Archangel, holding a higher rank than Ariel.

A blinking exclamation mark hovered above Uriel's head.

Seeing through him was the first step in this quest.

[You have completed the quest.]

[The next quest will begin automatically.]

This quest was set to proceed automatically.

As soon as it was completed, the next stage began without delay.

"Ariel, you may leave now."

"Yes."

Ariel turned and exited the reception room as if her part was done.

Now, only Uriel and Jeong-hoon remained.

"……"

Jeong-hoon stared silently at Uriel.

Uriel quietly returned the gaze, then finally opened his mouth.

"You're a fascinating human. To struggle that desperately just to escape from their hands…"

To read the path someone had walked just by locking eyes—this one was clearly no ordinary man.

"I've heard the gist. Demons posing as celestials are destroying dimensions to gather energy."

"…And?"

"Are you preparing for war?"

"You're sharp. That's probably why you were guided here."

Uriel slowly rose from his seat, walked toward Jeong-hoon, and passed by him.

"Am I supposed to follow you?"

"Yes."

Jeong-hoon followed Uriel out of the reception room.

The celestial realm he had once visited spread out before him.

But in truth—it was the Demon Realm.

"This is the place, right? The one you visited, thinking it was the celestial realm."

"Yeah."

"What you're seeing now is the Demon Realm from long before your visit."

"Before?"

"Yes. A time when nothing existed."

Uriel continued walking.

Ahead stood Beelzebub, Harmagedon, Logos, and finally, Tenebris.

"……"

They weren't in their current forms but instead wore grotesque, monstrous guises.

"One of them is by your side now, isn't it?"

Uriel turned his head and looked at Jeong-hoon.

"……."

Jeong-hoon silently stared at Tenebris.

"You don't need to be so hostile. He's originally one of ours."

"Tenebris is an angel?"

That was surprising.

He had naturally assumed Tenebris was a demon, but it turned out to be the opposite.

"He's sacrificing himself for our sake. That's why you were able to be led here."

"I see."

"You can trust Psyche too. I'm not sure about Tenebris, but she's also infiltrated them to help us."

"Ah, so that's why Tenebris helped me, even though he was with me."

"Something like that. But at this rate, you'll be defeated."

"Why?"

"Because they know everything about your existence. So they presented the quest as a way to protect you."

"…Don't tell me—was the Great Rift erased because you people interfered?"

Uriel nodded.

Now all the pieces were falling into place.

Erasing a Great Rift that a named being had prepared, and mustering enough power to restore Earth—it would have been impossible without the intervention of the Divine Realm.

The phrase "When whales fight, the shrimp's back gets broken" fits perfectly here.

"If you enter Round 2 now, you will die for sure. And Earth will be destroyed along with you."

"…What makes you so sure?"

"Starting from Round 2, restrictions are placed, right?"

So it really was impossible to deceive them.

Jeong-hoon nodded without resistance.

"Yeah."

"That's a trap."

"A trap?"

"Once Round 2 begins, it won't be a survival round."

"…So they're planning to annihilate both sides."

"Correct. If that happens, Earth will be finished. The next round can't proceed."

"And I'll end up in their hands."

He hadn't expected it to be easy, but to face something like this?

"So, what's the point?"

There had to be a reason they summoned him to the Divine Realm.

Uriel snapped his fingers.

Then something familiar floated up in front of Jeong-hoon.

A mysteriousPower of Creation—the power Jeong-hoon had once taken before returning to the past.

The power that Tenebris had once granted him now swirled before him in the form of a sphere.

"Looks familiar, right? It's the power that sent you back in time."

"……."

As Jeong-hoon quietly looked at the Power of Creation, Uriel gently stroked it with his hand.

"Go back to the past once more."

"I refuse."

Jeong-hoon shook his head and stepped back.

"What...?"

Uriel looked completely dumbfounded as he pulled his hands away from the Creation Engine.

"You're telling me to start over from zero? That's ridiculous."

After everything it took to get here.

"That's right! I can't go back!"

"Damn it, being separated from my master is absolutely out of the question."

Mukho and Anima also strongly objected.

"So what? You'd rather be erased like this?"

"No. Why should I let myself be quietly erased?"

"...?"

"This time around, I'm going to drive them out and protect Earth."

"Hah. Earth already belongs to you. Have you forgotten that because of you, everyone could die?"

"..."

"And do you really think they'll let you go just because you die? Your soul will be captured by them and suffer forever."

A truly terrifying thought.

Because it means even death won't bring an end to the suffering.

"So what? If I go back, what will actually change?"

"It will change. First of all, the master's authority will be severed."

"That makes sense."

"And everything you've accomplished so far will remain intact. Isn't that already a big enough benefit?"

"What's the return point?"

"It'll be just before materialization occurs."

Just before materialization.

That refers to the moment when New World is still functioning as a virtual reality game.

"We'll intervene at that time and stop them from making any moves."

Also, not only will you return, but the Creation Engine will automatically store divine energy and raise you to the level of a demigod.

Afterward, Jeong-hoon, having become a demigod, must forcibly connect the Divine Realm and Earth, serving as a bridge to allow angels like Uriel to descend—only then can the plan be executed.

"So that's why the quest was named Demigod."

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]