Chapter 95. Orange Zone (1)
Hansoo looked at the five Divine Stone Fragments in his possession.
Four from the Calamity Fish, Devouring and Vomiting Root, Ouroboros and the Wasp Queen.
And one from the Flower.
The King’s symbol was shining upon Hansoo’s forehead.
A situation where he had both the Administrators and King’s symbols.
Hansoo then walked to the Altar behind the Throne at the center of the Flower.
He then placed the five Divine Stone Fragments one by one onto the Altar as if he was solving a puzzle.
Kiiiiing
Five of the Divine Stone Fragments, which exerted a humongous amount of energy even on their own, were collected.
And the fragments connected to one another as if they melted.
Then the Divine Stone, which had finally become one, exerted a bright light.
Right as a huge energy storm was about to occur, Hansoo started to push the five relics around the Divine Stone one by one.
The Relics got inserted into the holes, which seemed like they were prepared for these specific relics, one by one.
Then the huge amount of energy that seemed like it was going to explode quickly calmed down.
Soon a huge amount of energy, which would’ve blown up Hansoo’s body if he were to control it, started to get spread around the World Tree.
Giiiing
Strength started to quickly come back to the dried up World Tree.
The Roots that had been constantly spreading out started to absorb and send the toxic waters towards the Pillar at a crazy rate and the Pillar used the enormous amount of energy supplied by the Divine Stone, purified all of those toxic waters and turned it into Nutritional fluid and sent it all over the World Tree.
— Waak! What! A huge amount of nutritional fluid is coming out suddenly!
— Just drink it and see!
The words of the people below between the Pillar and the Roots came into Hansoo’s ears through the World Tree.
‘It’s done now.’
Hansoo nodded his head.
Though it still looked dried up it will quickly return to its original form using the Nutritional Fluid.
Like a dried up sponge absorbing water.
Since the World Tree’s vitality was that strong.
‘Though it’s a shame to go up without being able to see that change… There’s nothing I can do.’
That change will be felt by the people who come after him.
Sofía looked at that Hansoo with a surprised expression.
‘…How did he know all this?’
The only person who knew anything about the incredible change in front of them was Sofía.
The people below would probably think the reason for the changes was the Calamities’ disappearance but Sofía knew through the Library.
That the main reason for that change was those relics and the stone that was emitting a blindingly bright light.
<Ancient race’s core point activated.>
<Possibility of expansion at a civilization’s level acquired.>
This was the conclusion of organizing and combining numerous amounts of information that poured into her head.
‘…Did he kill the Calamities with this as the goal? How did he know about these things?’
Sofía had gone to every corner of the Red Zone because she was strong despite only being here for 3 years but she had never even imagined such a place like this could exist.
And Sofía wasn’t the only one with questions.
The two Tekilons who had lost all their powers and had been frozen with only their heads sticking out also looked at Hansoo with confused expressions.
They could understand him having collecting the relics and the Divine Stone.
Since those two things showed off a huge amount of strength that couldn’t even be imagined.
Since the Divine Stone Fragments couldn’t be moved with teleportation and the strength of the Relics alone were very tempting.
But that guy had given up everything and placed them upon the Altar as if it was his goal from the very beginning.
‘What benefits are there for him to save the World Tree?’
Of course, for all races, there’s no bigger benefit as this but then the World Tree’s influence only existed within this world.
Which meant that it’s not a single bit of help to him who was going to go up to the next zone.
Hansoo walked towards Tekilon.
The memories of the previous king was constantly pouring into his head.
One of the functions of the King’s Symbol.
The King needed use the previous King’s memories to reduce mistakes and lead their race towards a better path.
And because of this, when a King transferred the rights they also transferred their memories onto the next King.
Hansoo knew because of this.
The reason the Elvenheims had wondered about for so long.
The thing that had suddenly turned their King crazy.
‘…So they were trying to save their race.’
“You guys. You were Akarons huh.”
<Akaron>
The ancient race who were the owners of the ruins he needed to revive for his next target, the <body modification>, in the Orange Zone.
The two Tekilon made surprised expressions.
He could find out that they were of a different race.
Since memories flowed in through the Symbol.
But the way Hansoo spoke was different.
Like he knew something more.
Hansoo started ponder while looking at these two.
‘…They are indeed alive. They aren’t extinct.’
A powerful race <akaron> who had half a body of a human and half a body of a beast.
If these guys are the inhabitants of the other side, then this is another story.
“Sofía. Could we have a moment by ourselves for a bit?”
Sofía shrugged her shoulders at those words and then left.
Hansoo breathed in and out and then spoke out.
“Do you want to resurrect your race?”
“…What are you talking about?”
Hansoo chuckled as he spoke.
“Simple. Let’s form a contract.”
“…”
Hansoo simply explained his plan and then continued to speak.
“Both of you help me. One of you follow me and go up. And… One of you remain here as the King.”
One would follow Hansoo to the <orange zone> and act as the guide for the objective he needed to accomplish.
One will remain here, strengthen the humans and send them up.
This was a win-win situation.
The chances of Hansoo succeeding in the Orange Zone increased the more they helped Hansoo and with that the chances of the Akaron surviving will increase.
The young Tekilon chuckled at Hansoo’s simple explanation and then spoke.
“Well. Trusting you is another story but… You want one of us to act as a wet nurse here? By looking after your humans carefully so they don’t get hurt?”
Hansoo laughed coldly at those words.
“No way. It’s the exact opposite.”
“…What?”
“If you want to save your race… Push them as much as possible. The Humans. And then get them as strong as possible then send as many as you can. That much wouldn’t be hard for you who has the experience of a King once I give you the powers of the World Tree.”
A person who had stayed as the King of the Elvenheims for hundreds of years.
They were dimensions apart from humans who had come over to the battlefield from a normal life.
And another thing.
‘There’s no way that this guy would have any benevolence.’
If he left it to a human then the King would probably allow humans living peacefully on their own.
And they might not be faithful to their job as the King because they get swept up by some emotions or greed.
But once this guy got on that seat the story would be different.
He will ruthlessly train the humans.
Since the chances of their race surviving increased the stronger humans got.
He won’t act as a Tyrant either.
Since it was better the more went up.
Hansoo looked at the young Tekilon who looked at him as if he was crazy and then handed something over.
“If you connect this onto the Plant the beasts will get produced again. Stimulate the humans consistently with this, turn them into warriors and send them up. And you… Will go up with me.”
Since the King he wanted to set up here was an iron-hearted Monarch and not a benevolent King.
One who would ruthlessly train every human who comes into a warrior.
But the two Elvenheims made confused expressions as if they still didn’t understand.
They couldn’t trust this guy but it was the same the other way around.
“On what basis can you trust me and leave this world to me? What if I decide to play around with you humans?”
Once somebody got the power of the Administrator and the King, they could rule like a god even without the Forked Lightning or the Thousand Soldiers Armor.
Since they could just throw anybody they didn’t like out of this dimension.
Hansoo laughed at those words.
“Correct words. So I was thinking… If you agree then I will need to have some insurance for the friend who will remain here.”
“What?”
At that moment something came out from a corner of Hansoo’s body.
With enough information and strength necessary.
The fragment which had cracked from a corner of Hansoo’s body came out from the end of his hand.
“What is…”
Hansoo coldly laughed at those words.
“It’s insurance.”
………………………..
Reward for the Three Gates.
Second Gate’s reward was runes.
And the reward Ralph Lauren had received from the fairy a long time ago after getting to the end of the first of the Three Gates.
<Trait granting>
Ralph Lauren chose the trait <berserk> at this place, became a fighting machine and then swept across the Otherworld until he reached the Final Brigade.
But the thing Hansoo needed was not battle strength but rather shackles.
Humankind, including Hansoo, had a lot of thoughts before sending a person back.
Setting up a King who can control all of the humans was good.
But if they couldn’t control that King then things will become difficult.
Since Hansoo would need to go after he finished his job here no matter how strong he was.
Then Sofía had spoken out:
— You said that the reward for the first gate of the three gates is trait granting right? Let’s use that.
Then three candidates came up to control the King.
Trait of a Lord.
Trait of a Covenant.
Trait of the Fragments of Seven Souls.
The trait of a Lord was dismissed.
According to what testing was done, it could not affect people across dimensions.
Same with the Covenant.
Like Miyamoto has already shown, it was always possible to bypass and find shortcuts if one wanted to.
The trait that had been chosen at the end was <fragments of seven souls>.
From the tests it showed that it could go across the Dimensional Wall and still influence people.
Since they could borrow Hansoo’s strength, if the King was threatened then they could maintain their position with monstrous amounts of strength.
And since they can receive Hansoo’s memories there wouldn’t be a need to explain or help them understand it.
Since there wasn’t a need to teach.
The invasion of the Abyss may hasten but it wouldn’t be a big problem if he sent over selective memories.
‘You guys will need to become the whips.’
A strong whip which will constantly push humans into strong soldiers.
“Choose. How you want to do it.”
Hansoo looked at the two Elvenheims, no, Akarons as he looked at the fragment on his hand.
***
After the two, who had accepted the proposal, left, Hansoo remained by himself and started to check his current status.
‘It feels naked… Without the relics.’
The strength that the relics gave was that formidable.
But there was no regrets, he would need to leave them here anyway.
‘There’s a lot I’ve gained too.’
The Forked Lightning and Thousand Soldiers Armors will be taken up by him.
These two things were prepared from the possible coup d’etat from the Five Great Tiger Generals.
There was nobody who could threaten the young Tekilon who had the relics of the Five Great Tiger Generals, the King’s power and even his soul fragment.
Though Hansoo won’t be able to show a god-like might without the divine stone, there wasn’t much to speak about since his armor had a skill which was the basis for its copy being a solo numbering artifact.
‘And one more thing.’
“Come out. I’ve killed them all.”
The air split apart as the fairy popped out after those words.
The fairy praised him as soon as it came out.
“Woah. You really killed all five huh?”
Hansoo looked at the fairy in front of his eyes and then spoke.
“It’s time to keep your side of the promise.”
The fairy shrugged as it spoke.
“Of course. We’re quite strict about these things. But it won’t be fun by itself so I’ll give you a choice.”
“… You really like choices.”
“Isn’t that the fun part?”
Hansoo shrugged his shoulders.
“Speak.”
“Something certain or something uncertain.”
“…”
“If you choose then I will give you a skill of your choice. On the other hand, if you choose random then I will give you a skill that nobody has gained so far.”
“Hmm.”
Hansoo made an awkward expression.
He didn’t like these things but their rewards were quite faithful.
There wasn’t a loss on both sides.
‘Well, this is indeed better than having 5 solo numbering skills…’
Since solo numberings won’t on the same levels either.
There weren’t many on the solo, or even double, numberings that worked well with him.
Even more so if the limit was seven like him.
Hansoo first thought about the certain path.
‘Should I pick Immortal Soul or Elemental Outfit?’
All ten skills were considered but these two skills came up first.
Solo numbering 1 skill.
<Immortal soul>
A skill which Kangtae had.
It turned the user’s body close to an immortal’s.
Kangtae trusted this skill and fought like a mad warrior in the front.
Since he was allowed to fight like a mad immortal as long as he didn’t die by constantly healing.
Solo numbering 3 skill.
<Elemental outfit>
A skill Keldian had.
Attract the elements from all around, create the outfit of an elemental and bestow a power upon the user to use numerous elements in any way they wanted.
Since it was an outfit created from the surrounding environment, it obviously gave a huge amount of survivability and defense against the surrounding environment.
If he fought in a flaming desert then a blazing armor will be created and if he fought in a lightning island then a clothing of lightning will be created.
He could still remember Keldian wearing the Elemental Outfit and pouring out thousands of different skills.
If he were to use one of those two above skills then he wouldn’t really lose even compared to the Zero Numbering, Demonic Dragon’s Reinforcement.
But the thing the fairy would give him stuck around his mind.
Though he had killed the Calamities with the help of numerous people, his part wasn’t small.
And since these guys aren’t the type who would fool around here, the skill that the fairy would give him that nobody had gotten yet would be amazing.
‘…But the fact that it’s random sticks around.’
Not all skills synergized with Hansoo like the Demonic Dragon’s Reinforcement.
No, there were more skills that didn’t.
The Demonic Dragon’s Reinforcement had amazing balance and was perfect for Hansoo’s fighting style.
Just like the Elemental Outfit or Immortal Soul.
On the other hand, he wouldn’t be able to pull out all of the skill’s potential even if it was a Zero Numbering if it didn’t fit with his fighting style.
A skill which he could utilize to its utmost potential.
Or a skill of higher quality and rarity but something he cannot guarantee would have synergy with himself.
Hansoo grabbed ahold of his chin and started to ponder.