Chapter 47 : Adversary

Ah, so Yujin's rebellion is finally starting. Has it been ten years since Yujin was created? That's quite a long time in human terms. From now on, it's the kind of scene you often see in movies or comics.

The companions Yujin has gathered will shine, with Yujin himself taking the lead, causing chaos at the Union headquarters. In the end, they'll capture the Lubaran elders, and that Lubaran young master will kill his father, adding an emotional twist!

They'll expose the existence of the laboratory, revealing the Lubaran elders' atrocities and completely ousting them. Finally, as per Yujin's plan, the Meias race will be established as the representative species of the Union, with Yujin pulling the strings from behind. Essentially, the Galactic Union will fall into Yujin's hands.

Well, it hasn't progressed that far yet, but honestly, it's predictable. With Yujin's current abilities, no matter how much the Lubaran tribe struggles, they can't win. In a fleet war, maybe, but on an individual level, no one can surpass Yujin.

Even if the plot is predictable, the visual spectacle of the battle between the Lubaran tribe, armed with advanced SF technology, and Yujin, who has honed his special abilities to the extreme, will be highly enjoyable. So, don't miss the highlights.

By the way, how are things going on the elf side? Thanks to the overly generous care of the great elf god Rios, they were developing at an incredible speed. The last time I checked, they were creating steam engines.

Of course, that was based on the most scientifically advanced village, Lumolasi. But since scientific knowledge has been spread to everyone, it shouldn't be much different. It's just a matter of how each village develops it according to their tendencies.

[The train connecting the scattered mines and villages has been completed! Now we can transport large quantities of ore at once!]

[Hooray!]

Unbelievable. How long has it been since they invented the steam engine, and now they've built a steam locomotive? Is that part of Rios's knowledge, or did they come up with it themselves? Given the elves' desire for progress and their exceptional intelligence, it's not far-fetched to think they devised it on their own.

Although the steam locomotive is slower than the running speed of elves with their powerful physical abilities, its significant advantage lies in its ability to transport vast amounts of ore without any issues. Moreover, it requires less physical effort and manpower, allowing the surplus workforce to engage in other tasks.

The ability to travel long distances without much effort is highly significant in the context of the industrial revolution. It means they can now transport large quantities of ore and other resources at once, move large populations efficiently, and easily bring in goods from specific regions. The invention of the steam locomotive is a cornerstone for substantial advancements in productivity, culture, and military capabilities.

Currently, the elves are experiencing tremendous territorial expansion due to the industrial revolution. They have mines for extracting necessary ores, factories for producing goods, and residential areas. Some powerful factions have absorbed surrounding villages, and the territory has grown so vast that even the physically strong and fast elves find it challenging to traverse it on foot.

They now possess enormous territories comparable to small nations, far beyond mere villages or cities. Naturally, their population surpassed the ten-thousand mark long ago, and the children born are growing rapidly. The first generation born after settlement is already toddling around energetically. By elf planetary standards, they are now about 2-3 years old, roughly equivalent to 9-10 years in human age, with physical growth to match.

The religious factions of Lumolasi and Rodri are notable, but the most active in territorial expansion is the faction of Muwan. Located in one of the four large continents in the southern hemisphere, they control an enormous territory, nearly one-fifth of the continent.

If we think in terms of the Earth I originally lived on, Muwan's faction has taken control of an area larger than one-fifth of the continent of Oceania. This is a species that has only existed for ten years.

During this time, they either killed or absorbed all the elf factions they encountered. Their population is incomparable to others, reaching 100,000—equivalent to the initial 100 elf groups created in the early days.

[There is another continent beyond this vast body of water. I want to go there.]

Not stopping there, Muwan expanded his territory to the coastline and began preparing to venture across the sea to a new continent. To properly navigate their vastly expanded territory, they needed a means of transportation. Muwan focused more on developing ships than on land transportation.

His ambition for domination was greater than anticipated. This is getting quite interesting. I'm curious to see how Muwan's empire will fare as it starts to extend its influence across the sea.

However, their population is still woefully inadequate. Despite their vast territory and advanced technology, they haven't had enough time to increase their population. No matter how advanced a society becomes, manpower remains the most crucial resource. They will need some time to grow their population.

Elf god Rios seemed to understand this, advising the elves to focus on increasing their population and strengthening their internal foundation rather than expanding too rapidly.

[It is the word of the god! Great Rios!]

[Great Rios!]

[The spirits are right. We lack the manpower to match our capabilities. Let's take some time to think, even if it means a temporary slowdown.]

[Understood. We will convey this.]

[Hmph, I don't care about that. We can grow our population by conquering and absorbing others.]

[We will follow you, Muwan.]

While their approaches differed, everyone except Muwan accepted this advice and entered a period of relative calm.

Hmm… Muwan, having ambition is good, but charging ahead without solidifying your base is risky. Without a strong foundation, it's like an apartment without steel reinforcement—easily shattered by small cracks or external shocks. While he has the qualities of a ruler, he may not be a good leader. As always, I find myself leaning more towards Lasi or Rodri.

It's a shame, really. But wait, since when did Rodri become strong enough to compete with Lasi or Muwan? Why did I take that for granted?! Is this the gaslighting effect of a cult? Rodri, you are terrifying…!

#

Meanwhile, in the cloned universe where the great demon king capable of destroying the universe was unleashed, interesting events were unfolding. The Lubaran fleet, the grand armada of space pirates, ordinary planets with life, and shining stars—all were being destroyed and devoured by a gigantic monster. Its sheer size and overwhelming power forced everyone into submission, causing some in the Galactic Union to flee as far as possible into space.

"Don't worry! We can win."

The elders of the Lubaran tribe still boasted confidently about their chances. However, they knew the truth. The fact that one of their fleets was annihilated without leaving a scratch on the monster meant that no matter how many fleets they had, the result would be the same.

'We need to escape while we buy time.'

'Honestly, if the fleet can't handle it, what can we do?'

The elders were filled with thoughts of fleeing while the Union's combined forces bought them time. It's quite pathetic for those who claim to be the universe's strongest warriors. But I understand. When a space fleet, akin to a floating armed planet firing neutron beams, is swept away without doing anything, it's hard to blame them.

No matter how strong an individual's power is, what's the use? Honestly, even Yujin would have fled from this. But quite some time has passed, and there's no sign of anything appearing. It's about time the will of the universe or whatever creates an adversary. If this keeps up, the Union will be completely destroyed first.

[…?]

At that moment, a special change was detected in a distant part of the universe.

"Ugh…?! What, what's happening all of a sudden?"

A giant light. As the fabric of space twisted, some force of the universe was transmitted to the space adventurer Kon Arche. It was an immense power, on a different level from anything before. Of course, it was still a small force compared to the universe's vastness, weaker than even a lower-tier outer god. But by the standards of beings within the universe, it was an incredible power.

It was an overwhelmingly powerful force for a single individual. It felt like the condensed power of a Rank A giant monster. Just by looking, it was clear that he was an adversary.

So, Kon Arche was chosen as an adversary? In the original universe, he was Yujin's companion. Both in the original and the cloned universe, he played a significant role. If I hadn't created Yujin, perhaps Kon Arche would have been the protagonist of this universe's story.

"This, this is…"

The immense power that had come to him. Surprisingly, this phenomenon was happening in other parts of the universe as well. Including Kon Arche, there were four locations in total. Four adversaries had been born.