Chapter 42 : While I Was Away

After making thorough preparations, I followed Ubbo-Sathla to the universe he had set his sights on. It was a bubble located quite far from the one I had inhabited, and it was significantly larger—about twice the size of my previous universe.

The vastness of this universe meant that countless planets and life forms thrived within it. The physical laws were similar yet slightly different from those of my previous universe. For instance, the gravitational acceleration was a bit off, and the constants in the thermodynamic equations varied slightly. These differences resulted in life-sustaining temperatures exceeding 60 degrees Celsius, but that was not his concern.

My task was to cultivate a being powerful enough to dominate this universe but won't create enemies in the universe. Ubbo-Sathla had attempted something similar with the Lubaran tribe, but they had failed to conquer the entire universe. Their focus on conquest rather than destruction had led to their downfall.

Despite the terrifying experiments and research conducted in the underground labs of the Union Headquarters, they were insignificant compared to Ubbo-Sathla's power.

This time, I needed to create a being with abilities surpassing those of the Lubaran tribe, capable of both dominating and destroying the entire universe.

[If the destructive tendencies are too strong, it will create an enemy. But if it's too docile, it won't destroy the universe.]

It was a challenging balance to strike.

Despite transforming the Kapteri tribe into beings close to lower-tier Outer Gods, there had been no significant reaction. This was likely because they were designed to be gentle and benevolent guardians. Maintaining this delicate balance was crucial.

Ubbo-Sathla had sought my help precisely because he concluded that the key to this balance was a being called "Yujin."

[A being that moves with my will and possesses great potential. But mere imitation wasn't enough. The moment my will was involved, adversaries emerged.]

It seemed Ubbo-Sathla had tried to replicate my method but failed. Naturally, if the being inherited Ubbo-Sathla's personality, it would have been all about destruction and chaos. The universe's will wouldn't have allowed such unchecked behavior.

Honestly, I felt like telling Ubbo-Sathla to use his own power to destroy everything and go home. But I knew Ubbo-Sathla would argue about balance and other such nonsense.

Ugh, troublesome creature. This is why you shouldn't get too close to those who are overly particular about taste. It's a hassle every time you go out to eat.

[The problem is that you created your beings and avatars with the explicit purpose of destroying the universe.]

That point needed to be clear. If the purpose was too blatant, it would be detected.

[I know. But hiding it led to the failure of the Lubaran tribe.]

Ubbo-Sathla was well aware of this. The Lubaran tribe was a failed attempt to conceal destructive instincts. The critical point was that merely hiding the intent wasn't enough.

[Intelligent beings inherently possess desires for domination and destruction. Even if you don't think about it from the start, with the right guidance, they'll naturally move in that direction.]

If the intent was too obvious, adversaries would emerge to fight. If it was forcibly hidden, it would result in beings like the Lubaran tribe, who concealed their instincts and conducted secret experiments. Therefore, there was no need to interfere directly. Intelligent beings would eventually seek to dominate everything they could, consuming and destroying in the process.

The key was to grant them enough power and subtly guide their instincts. Potential for growth, exceptional abilities, and slightly loosened instincts were essential. Simply put:

[We need to create a slightly unrestrained version of the Lubaran tribe.]

There was no need to interfere directly; just loosen their instincts a bit. However, to prevent them from tearing each other apart before they could develop, they needed strong tribal cohesion, like the elves. Additionally, there should be a compelling reason for rapid technological advancement—such as the presence of rival intelligent beings—creating an environment where they must evolve quickly.

[Is that all?]

[Yes, that's it.]

Of course, it wasn't as easy as it sounded. Fine-tuning the balance was crucial, and I would assist with that part, so there was no need to worry.

[You seem to understand these creatures very well, almost like Nyarlathotep.]

Well, unlike that madwoman, I didn't abduct and dissect them for experiments.

[But unlike that guy, you don't give off a bad vibe. You're a good one.]

It seemed Ubbo-Sathla had taken a liking to me. Understandable, considering his strained relationship with Nyarlathotep. They had even fought upon their first encounter… though that might have been my fault.

[I'll give it a try. I'll need some help with the fine-tuning.]

[Sure.]

With that, Ubbo-Sathla ventured into the universe to create the new species. Meanwhile, I used the opportunity to check on the events in my own universe.

Let's see how things have been going.

#

"Let's take over the Galactic Union."

"…What?!"

At Yujin's words, Jupiter was more shocked than he had ever been in his life. The Galactic Union was a colossal organization, centered around the Lubaran tribe with their advanced scientific technology, and composed of countless intelligent beings with various abilities. It dominated a region approximately 20 billion light-years in diameter, making it the largest known organization in the current universe.

While there might be larger organizations in the unobserved parts of the universe, the Galactic Union was the supreme power within the observable universe. Its influence continued to grow, as it protected newly discovered life forms and integrated intelligent beings into its ranks, expanding its reach even further.

For someone to suddenly declare their intention to take over such an organization was nothing short of astonishing.

"..."

Jupiter couldn't bring himself to tell Yujin that it was impossible. Who was Yujin, after all? He was an avatar of a great being with the overwhelming power to erase or reset this vast universe in an instant. Not only was his original form immensely powerful, but Yujin himself possessed extraordinary abilities.

In less than ten years, he had surpassed the elders of the Meias tribe in magical prowess. His physical abilities, enhanced by mana, were so exceptional that even the formidable Lubaran tribe couldn't match him. He was an overwhelming monster, a giant beast in all but size, capable of taking on entire fleets.

It seemed there was nothing Yujin couldn't achieve if he set his mind to it. Jupiter thought that if Yujin wanted to do something, it would simply happen.

"Of course, I can't do it alone. We need to gather forces. And…"

"And?"

Yujin smiled slyly.

"Besides, we don't need that many forces, nor will it take long. Usually, these things end when you take out the head."

"…!"

As he said this, Yujin made a request to Jupiter.

"The Lubaran tribe is likely involved in some unsavory activities within the Union. I sensed something like that when I was connected to the main body."

"Understood. I'll investigate."

Jupiter immediately grasped the meaning behind Yujin's words. Nodding in agreement, he headed towards the Union Headquarters to begin his investigation.

The plan was to uncover the corruption and darkness within the Lubaran tribe and use it as leverage to stage a coup. Once the Lubaran tribe was ousted and their position seized, dominating the Galactic Union would merely be a matter of time.

Jupiter saw the potential in this plan and began preparing to gather allies while investigating the Lubaran tribe's secrets. Meanwhile, Yujin traveled across the universe to recruit forces for his cause. Thus began his grand adventure to conquer the Galactic Union.

#

Yujin's journey to gather allies was about to unfold. While the story of recruiting companions might not be particularly exciting, with tales of meeting new allies and exploring their pasts, it had its own charm. However, the real interest lay in watching the protagonist smash through obstacles and reform the world.

For now, I decided to keep an eye on who would join Yujin's ranks. Next, I turned my attention to the elves.

I wondered if the Elf God was fulfilling his role well. Honestly, I was a bit worried. Compared to Yujin, the progress on the elf side seemed slow. Although establishing their own language systems and reaching the Iron Age within a few years was impressive, it still felt sluggish.

I decided to leave the elves for later. Checking on them now probably wouldn't reveal much change. Even if there were dangers, the six-handed Elf God would handle them. I trusted that the Elf God wouldn't entertain any foolish thoughts.

[Hey, I've created something. Come take a look.]

Ubbo-Sathla returned through the rift, asking for confirmation. It seemed the elf side would have to wait.

…I did feel a strange sense of unease about the elves, but it was probably just my imagination.