-You’ve received a skill growth speed buff with today’s log in bonus! Over the next three days, the growth rate of all skills will be increased by 50%!
“Hah.” Kang Shin-hyuk laughed at the login message that suddenly popped up in front of him while he tapped on the metal. The fact that it had appeared in a world with a 24-to-1 time ratio with Earth proved how long he had been here.
“When exactly is the bonus given?”
-6:00 am.
“It’s like a game except for that…” It was about 4 pm when they departed for Gromas. If it was 6 am now, that meant they had been gone four 14 hours or two weeks in Gromas’ time.
“Anyway, it seems that the buffs are more common. Plus, it lasts for three days.”
-This is the real benefit of being a VIP. If you achieve the 3rd liberation by achieving a 50% rate, the bonus will be strengthened once more.
“You’re good at selling products. You don’t need to advertise it to me now.” In the period of those two weeks, Kang Shin-hyuk had invested all of his time – except for that needed to sleep – into making claws. He had quickly switched to using molds to make them, as doing it all by hand was ridiculous. After casting them, all he needed to do was trim and complete them. With that, his work had sped up nicely.
“Your majesty’s claws are shining so brightly, but why are ours…”
“We’re okay with it, but can’t it be a little better?”
However, it wasn’t easy to complete artifacts by casting. As it was impossible to arm every mole with artifacts in the first place, he made a compromise on that part. However, it was still an essential experience for Kang Shin-hyuk, who only had experience making things one by one with all his heart.
-You are starting to gain a feel for mass production. Metallurgy has increased to the B+ rank. When mass-producing goods, work speed has increased, and the quality of the finished product will increase.
“Oh, great!” In half a day after receiving the skill growth speed buff, he had succeeded in growing metallurgy to the B+ rank. His work picked up even faster.
“Today, we excavate that place!”
“Alright, your majesty!” As if he had regained his youth with his new claws, the king was working hard to rebuild his kingdom as he led his people to dig into the earth. The holes they had dug so far were blocked by the benadelite particles, but now, digging was much easier than before. They were working on a kingdom that was larger and more sustainable than before.
“… It’s impossible.” Kang Shin-hyuk didn’t want to interfere, but he wasn’t comfortable watching them overdo it. Now that the king had started to dig, he must’ve realized his age. Maybe he had known it from the start.
“If you do it like that, you won’t last long.”
“But they’re doing well.” Suddenly, Shin Eunah came up to him.
“The Golden Hidden Mole tribe was created to be in the ground. It was better for them to live down there than to try and survive up here. For them too.”
“Hm…?” Her words were too vague for him to understand, but he decided to listen quietly for now.
“They’re working very desperately, even though they knew it won’t last long.”
“Why?”
“To teach the skill as much as he can while he can move.”
“…Indeed.” All of the Mole tribe, except for the king, had lost their claws due to the peace. Until now, the king had been unaware of any problems with that. But now that he realized he wouldn’t live forever, he began to worry about his death and taught his people the art of digging. It was a development that Shin-hyuk couldn’t even imagine.
“It’s weird…Like everything just fell into place.”
“They weren’t bad guys, they just didn’t know.”
“Was it helpful to throw them to the ground?”
“It was an extreme solution.” Shin Eunah smiled at the slightly spiteful murmur of Kang Shin-hyuk. It was a smile filled with pure joy that softened his heart. It was an odd hybrid mode of the usually distant Shin Eunah and the too childish Eunah. It wasn’t bad.
“Oh, come to think of it, are you not researching today?”
“It seems like the time has come?”
“The time? For what?”
“We haven’t talked about it yet.” Shin Eunah began to explain as he continued to make claws using a mold.
“There will be a monster attack.”
“…Huh?” He stopped. A monster? Didn’t they all die because of the benadelite particles?
“I know what my junior is thinking…these moles have survived until now, why would all the monsters have died?”
“Yes, but…”
“Moreover, Jormungand is tough. When they find out this world has been resurrected, they will try to take it.”
“Wait a minute…” Kang Shin-hyuk raised a hand and shouted for her to stop.
“What the hell is Jormungand? On Earth, they’re called an anti-superhuman group. But in this word, the story seems a bit different.”
“I was trying to tell you only a little but…yes, it’ll take a while to get all the memories back.” Her expression became lonely as she began to explain.
“Jormungand is, as far as Earth is concerned, just a union against superhumans. But…after hearing the story of another world, I’ve finally come to understand it better.” Perhaps she was referring to the bulletin boards in the Hero Universe. She continued with a slight blush.
“The main force of Jormungand are monsters, not humans. Those who stand atop all monsters and know more of humanity than humans do…they use humans to destroy humanity.”
“That means that there are monsters behind the forces of Earth’s Jormungand? And…they can cross dimensions like people in the Hero Universe?”
“They’re a pan-dimensional giant. Most of the world’s invasions are related to them…most of the Hero Universe members have come to this conclusion.” Earth wasn’t originally a world full of monsters, but they had served as a catalyst that forced humans to awaken and become stronger.
“The purpose of the Hero Universe is to stop Jormungand. This is why we, too, have the power to cross dimensions.”
“…It feels like this is a bit too well-organized.” Usually, in situations like this, the group trying to protect humanity was actually behind it all. Kang Shin-hyuk decided to ask the administrator.
‘So, how is it actually?’
-If it weren’t you who asked that question, I might’ve ranted and then disqualified you from being a member. 500HP bonus!
‘What? A rant? Why did you give me a bonus?’
-Because talking with you is fun either way. Such bold comments…1,000HP bonus!
He decided to give up on asking the administrator.
“The Hero Universe offers us no answers, but we don’t want one either. Just as most of us disapprove of Jormungand, the only thing we can do is cooperate to deal with them.”
“So is that why you joined the association? It was the best way to find out about them?”
“That’s half of the reason. The other half is a secret.” Shin Eunah, in hybrid mode, was powerful. Kang Shin-hyuk tried to change the topic to hide his embarrassment.
“So, are you saying their forces are also hiding in Gromas?”
“Perhaps. It doesn’t matter if their numbers are small; they can control the consciousness of all monsters. If even one remains, we have to send subjugation forces.”
“What, that power’s bullshit…But if that were the case, did the disturbance last time have to do with them?”
“If only humans were involved, that would’ve been impossible. Jormungand has the ability to interfere with gates, right? Because they know how to connect worlds together, they were able to make full use of an irregular gate. Though I didn’t think they would try such a ridiculous plan. Thinking about losing my grandpa…” She was shifting back to the spoiled granddaughter mode. Kang Shin-hyuk sighed, shoving away Shin Eunah, who was trying to hug him.
“Then what about the moles?”
“That’s why its good they’re digging. If they run away, they’re less likely to die.”
“Ha, right.” But just as Kang Shin-hyuk nodded along, she stood up with a stiff expression.
“It will begin soon, I can feel a huge mass of energy.”
“How can you measure that?”
“It’s a feeling. The rest is Janus’s advice.”
“Janus. There’s no place for him to not interfere.” Kang Shin-hyuk stood up with a laugh, but Shin Eunah held out an arm to stop him with a smile.
“Before, I couldn’t show my strength properly. Leave it to me.”
“No, you showed enough last time…” Rather, if she showed more strength than that, there would be no place for him! However, she didn’t listen as she stepped forward, golden lightning wrapping around her.
“I’m enough alone, thanks to the power I gained here…then, I’ll be back.” The Empress took to the air, driven forward by the mighty mana she emanated as a huge crack began to form in the air.
The serpent’s mouth opened, spewing the poison of Jormungand into the world once more. It was faced by a goddess with lightning wrapped around her, taking the place of Thor.