The Returner Chapter 445: That’s the only thing I can give you (5)

Chapter 445: That’s the only thing I can give you (5)

Yi Ji-Hyuk confird that the ground had been more or less dug out according to his instruction and levitated himself high up in the air. He even levitated along with the chair as well, and after reaching so altitude to look down at the ground, began frowning deeply.

“Kinda feels wrong sohow...” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

The ground had been dug well, sure, but thanks to so many people working together, the depths of the pits varied by quite a bit. The magic circle’s effects would’ve been stronger if the depths were uniform, but...

“We don’t have the ti for that.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Even with so many of the human excavating machines, the ability users, toiling away, the job took this long to finish. So, even if the heavy machinery were to be brought in, they would still fail to reach the level of quality Yi Ji-Hyuk was looking for in three or four days.

He decided to let the missed opportunity be just that, missed, and gestured with his hands.

“Tell everyone to get outside.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Choi Jeong-Hoon heard him and shouted out loudly to direct people outside the magic circle.

“Hmm.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk stood up on the floating chair and while looking down, slowly waved his hands around. He carefully controlled the flow of Mana rushing around inside his body and directed it to the ground below.

His Mana then flowed into the magic circle perfectly encasing the massive do.

“Wow...”

People witnessed a rainbow of colours flow through the magic circle and gasped out in admiration.

They did feel deeply aggrieved when thinking about how hard they had to shovel away to create the path for the Mana to travel, but separate from all that, they couldn’t deny the fact that the spectacle before their eyes was still beautiful to behold.

A truly humongous magic circle that surrounded a do as big as several Arican Football pitches combined together finally revealed itself.

The circle emitted beautiful light like a dancing aurora after being charged with Yi Ji-Hyuk’s Mana.

“Oh, ohhh!”

The ability users were impressed just from the fact that all their hard work wasn’t just for giggles, it seed. None of them knew what this magic circle signified, but it certainly was doing sothing right now, wasn’t it?

“Hoh-oh.” (Alpha)

Alpha observed the illuminated magic circle with eyes gleaming brightly.

‘Indeed, it’s noticeably different.’ (Alpha)

It wasn’t that hard to figure out sothing was happening inside. But he couldn’t figure out what that sothing was.

One might assu that the disparate ‘powers’ would largely be similar, but the truth was, Yi Ji-Hyuk’s magic was founded upon the usage of Mana and its frawork was completely different from the ability users’ powers.

‘Yes, this is it.’ (Alpha)

Alpha quietly licked his lips.

Humanity had reached a limit in the subject of ‘abilities’. Of course, with more ti given, the ability users would surely find the extra room to evolve even further. Just like how the most advanced computer way back in the eighties, the Intel 286, ca across as an obsolete antique that no one could quite figure out how to use nowadays.

Just twenty years of extra ti, and the future ability users might beco so advanced that the current crop of ability users would co across as children fooling around to them.

However, there was no ti.

The demonic beings definitely would never give humanity so much leeway to get stronger.

Now normally, for those who had reached and exceeded the nominal threshold, they would have to put in equally as much effort and dedication they had already put in to reach that point if they wanted to improve themselves by just one extra percentage point.

However, those crawling up from the very bottom didn’t need a whole lot of effort to reach the threshold.

That’s exactly what Alpha was aiming for.

Rather than improving the already-existing powers of these ability users, it’d be far more effective to teach them new abilities and bring about a synergistic combination of the new and old.

In Alpha’s estimation, the potential worth of Yi Ji-Hyuk’s magic exceeded that of this world’s abilities.

‘Although it won’t be easy.’ (Alpha)

Alpha reminded himself of the simple mantra of ‘nothing in this world is that simple’, and silently shifted his gaze over to Yi Ji-Hyuk levitating up in the air. The latter had his eyes closed while waving his hands about this way and that.

Mana was probably gushing out from those waving hands, no doubt.

It was right then – Yi Ji-Hyuk abruptly opened his eyes. At the sa ti, his fingertips seed to glow bright white then the rainbow of colours coming from the magic circle rose up instantly to reach several dozens of tres in the air.

FLASH!

“Hoh-oh?” (Alpha)

Alpha continued to observe the magic circle in amazent.

The walls of light shooting out from the circle rotated and flowed like streams of water, and eventually rose up in the massive half-spherical shape to completely envelop the do.

It was as if an even bigger ‘do’ made out of Mana had wrapped around the do made by the humans.

‘I can see it.’ (Alpha)

Alpha’s eyes glead brightly.

He knew it existed but never could he feel or see it until today. Yet here it was, the existence known as Mana having fully materialised and visibly moving before his eyes.

‘How mysterious.’ (Alpha)

How should he go about describing this situation?

It was as if he was looking at the oxygen particles in the air dancing and fleeting about after so colour had been added to them. A type of energy Alpha had never sensed before was now fully revealed before his eyes.

“Is this Mana?” (Alpha)

Yi Ji-Hyuk slowly floating down from the air nodded as an answer.

“Ng.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Did you do this so that we can see it better?” (Alpha)

“Not really?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk replied with a very serious face.

“How should I put this... It’s kinda like an unintended side effect? Or a side benefit of sorts?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Excuse ?” (Alpha)

“I was gathering a lot of Mana here and this special effect show is rely the consequence of different Mana types colliding against each other.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Ehng?” (Alpha)

Alpha stared Yi Ji-Hyuk with a face that said, “What are you talking about?”

“Simply put, you can now consider the density of Mana inside the light to be anywhere from five to ten tis greater than outside. And this phenonon is happening because that much Mana has amassed inside there.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Oh...” (Alpha)

Finally Alpha figured out the reason for their hard labour.

“You know, if you inford us earlier of such a thing, none of us would’ve raised voices of objections.” (Alpha)

“Oh, so you’re the type to inform your people before you start sothing, then?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“No, not at all.” (Alpha)

How could he do sothing so botherso like that?

“Anyways, tell them to go inside.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Yessir!” (Alpha)

Alpha nodded theatrically and stepped in front of everyone.

“Ladies and gentlen!” (Alpha)

Alpha’s voice contained this vague quality that could catch the listener’s attention.

“Thank you for your patience. However, now you all can finally receive the proper training you so longed for. Even those of you harbouring much dissatisfaction in your hearts, I advise you to forget about it and step right inside.” (Alpha)

Alpha pointed to a section of the crowd.

“Let’s start from you folks. Yes, you.” (Alpha)

The European ability users exchanged uncertain glances after being singled out, but eventually began walking towards the do.

“...You know, this is kinda suspicious...”

Mana was oozing out from the boundaries of the magic circle like so kind of a fountain. It was as if a thin, transparent barrier had materialised in the air, or it was like looking at falling rain drops.

Anyone would feel less than enthusiastic about walking in there.

“Step aside.” (Michael)

When people hesitated for too long without going inside, Michael bravely stepped forward.

“We don’t have ti to waste like this. Even now those d*mn demons are widening their territory without a rest.” (Michael)

He gritted his teeth and pushed himself inside the swirling, dancing wall of Mana.

“Fuu-wooph.” (Michael)

He nervously sucked in a deep breath, but nothing weird happened to him.

“Co inside. There’s no problem.” (Michael)

Others beca a bit more braver from that sight and also began stepping inside as well. Using the massive front gate, several hundreds of European ability users patiently filed into the do.

“Didn’t I say they are a brave bunch of folks?” (Alpha)

“And you threatened to kill them all.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Making an example out of soone is always a necessity, after all. Surely you also agree?” (Alpha)

“Sure, it’s a pretty good way to enhance productivity. However...” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

YI Ji-Hyuk shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t need better productivity or efficiency from them, anyway. If they get too motivated and try harder, it’ll only be getting exhausted in the end, you see.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“But don’t you need to train them in order to stop the demon kings?” (Alpha)

“Nah.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk smirked and stared straight at Alpha.

“You’re talking about sothing weird there, dude. I ca here to train only you, didn’t I?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“...Is that how it was?” (Alpha)

“I’m not planning to sweat over the side dishes. The only one I’ll be paying close attention to will be you, after all.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“I’m not quite sure whether to be happy or feel despair about that.” (Alpha)

“Be happy after you get through this ordeal first.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Alpha realised that Yi Ji-Hyuk wasn’t joking and trembled where he stood.

“This... Why do I get the feeling that we are definitely not ssing around here?” (Alpha)

While they chatted away, the Arican and European ability users all entered the do, then Alpha’s underlings began entering the structure next.

“Hey, boss! We’ll go ahead first, so enjoy your date for a bit longer!”

“Imma rip your pie hole later, got it?” (Alpha)

Alpha replied with a straight face and looked back to Yi Ji-Hyuk.

“Before we get down to the serious training, there’s sothing I’ve been aning to ask.” (Alpha)

“Shoot.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“In your estimation, do I have a chance against a demon king if I sohow master magic?” (Alpha)

Yi Ji-Hyuk sounded dismayed while replying.

“You kidding ?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“...I thought as much.” (Alpha)

“Well, maybe you do if you use up all of your hidden trump cards. Yeah, then you might stand so chance.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Eii, I don’t have any hidden trump cards, you know. I’ve already used them all.” (Alpha)

“Well, in that case we are all screwed for good, then. There’s no point in teaching anymore, I guess.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“...Let tell you, it’s a popular trend to be a man with secrets these days.” (Alpha)

Yi Ji-Hyuk smirked and lightly kicked Alpha in the butt.

“Go inside already, will ya?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Yessir! As you command.” (Alpha)

Alpha headed inside first, and the NDF agents quickly surrounded Yi Ji-Hyuk next.

“Are we also going inside?”

“Obviously.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Urgh.”

It was not known why this agent asked sothing so bloody obvious. The NDF agents trudged inside the do next, leaving Yi Ji-Hyuk and Choi Jeong-Hoon behind.

“Will this really be fine?” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“Well, if I say let’s back off at this point, that’s going to incite a riot, you know? I wasn’t thinking of backing off, anyway.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“I fear that you might be handing the doomsday device’s key to that nutcase by doing this.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“That’s an entertaining notion.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk cackled loudly.

“I’m not kidding.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“And does it look like I am?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Choi Jeong-Hoon t Yi Ji-Hyuk’s pointed stare.

For sure, the latter’s eyes were not even remotely smiling right now.

“Doesn’t matter if it’s a criminal or a wacko, we gotta use every single one we can find. Well, even the doors to the prisons would be thrown wide open if your country is being invaded, after all.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“That’s true, but...” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“It’s no fun repeating myself, so why don’t we stop here?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk dismissively waved his hand about and leisurely strode towards the do.

“Seriously though, there won’t be any problems, I hope.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Problems? Such as?” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“I an, will it be fine to isolate so many able ability users inside this place? It looks like almost all of each nation’s combat force has been gathered here, you know?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“It’ll be fine.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Choi Jeong-Hoon replied in a conclusive tone of voice.

“Gates are no longer appearing these days, after all. Honestly, even the most useful ability users are useless in our current situation. Putting them against the demon kings would only result in their aningless deaths, but with no Gates opening up, they can’t even be put to work sowhere else, either. In other words, others not going in there won’t have anything to do other than shovel so dirt sowhere else.” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“Hmm...” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk slowly nodded.

For sure, there didn’t seem to be a need to worry about a shortage of manpower when no Gates were showing up.

“In that case, should I get serious and ss them up a bit?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk strode inside the do while lightly spinning his shoulders. Choi Jeong-Hoon could only stare at him and the do with a face filled with worries.

‘In a way, this place might be humanity’s last stronghold.’ (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Since they weren’t planning to stage a sit-in inside the do, calling it a stronghold was a bit awkward but there was no doubting that this do was humanity’s last hope. If Yi Ji-Hyuk failed to do sothing in there then the world wouldn’t be able to endure for much longer.

‘I believe in you.’ (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

Choi Jeong-Hoon also rushed after Yi Ji-Hyuk entering the do. For better or for worse, the end result should be determined in this place.

“By the way... I’m not going to participate, right?” (Choi Jeong-Hoon)

“Now why should you sit this one out?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“...”

This sudden desire to return to his office mushrood quite rapidly inside Choi Jeong-Hoon’s heart.

< 445. That’s the only thing I can give you -5 > Fin.