Translator: Pai_
Originally, crossing from one world to another was not such an easy task.
Even Monarch had taken thousands of years to find a method to directly cross the boundary of worlds.
Of course, that did not mean there was any problem with Turan crossing over.
After all, the first attempt at anything is always the hardest, and following in the footsteps of a pioneer is bound to be easier.
âWell then, shall we go?â
âYeah.â
With a simple coordinate transfer, the two returned to the capital of the House Nagin and stood atop the transportation device Monarch had created.
As with last time, only Turan and Meisa would be going on this Earth exploration.
Meisa had expressed the desire to show Earth to Luska as well, but Turan prevented it, pointing out the possible issue of pathogens.
Even the most vicious of germs would not dare invade the bodies of the two of them, but a newborn child who had not yet awakened magic power was still just a baby.
Standing on the sigil and using the designated key, they instantly left the world and moved to the boundary.
Of course, if he wished, Turan could ignore all these processes and simply pull Meisa through by force, but there was no need to expend extra effort when convenient tools were available.
Before they were pulled to Earth according to the set parameters as before, Turan first blocked the gravitational force acting on their bodies.
âWait, letâs do a bit of preparation before we go.â
âFor what?â
âAlarm system.â
If invaders from another world attacked again, at the very least they needed to be aware of it.
Turan created a small line connecting the world barrier to himself.
Then, releasing his hand again, the two of them quickly departed the world and moved onto the gray branches.
While they were moving, Turan explained to Meisa the knowledge he had gained from Monarchâs memories.
âMonarch called this passage the World Corridor. I guess itâs like a corridor connecting worlds.â
âAh.......â
âIf the World Corridorâs binding strengthens, the time difference between the two worlds nearly disappears. If it weakens, it increases.â
That was why, ever since Monarch first sent Badal to Earth five years ago, the time gap between Earth and their world had nearly vanished.
After a short exchange of words, they once again stood upon the land of Earth.
âThis time itâs a desert?â
âYeah. It feels strange, it reminds me of the Enril Desert.â
The desert at night was quite chilly, but of course, that was not something either of them needed to worry about.
This time, they were wearing clothes they had bought during their last visit to Earth, so they did not stand out much in appearance either.
Looking around briefly, Meisa suddenly let out a surprised cry.
âLook over there!â
âWhat is it?â
âItâs the Tomb of the Gods!â
Turning his head, Turan realized that it was a pyramid.
Compared to the Tombs of the Gods built in their world, it was much smaller and more modest in scale, but the overall shape was similar.
Most likely, the Lame Goddess had modeled the Tombs of the Gods after that structure.
âThe Great Pyramid of Giza? Then we must be in Egypt.â
âEgypt?â
âItâs one of the oldest countries in this world, out of hundreds of nations. I think itâs... about five thousand years old.â
âWow.â
For Meisa, who came from a world where history began roughly three thousand years ago with the descent of the Preah God Tribe, it was a timespan difficult to imagine.
Of course, unlike Turanâs roughly remembered knowledge, Egypt had actually gone through quite a few ups and downs, but there was no Earthling here to correct him anyway.
No matter how much of a tourist spot the Great Pyramid of Giza was, there werenât many people trying to visit it at three in the morning.
âSo howâs your body holding up?â
âHmm, probably about three or four weeks?â
âThatâs fine. We wonât be needing that much anyway.â
What Turan had asked Meisa was how long she could endure on Earth.
Since they were planning to finish their business and return within a few days again, they didnât need more than that.
âWell then, shall we go find Soo-ho ssi first?â
âYeah.â
Although Turan had absorbed the memories of Monarch and the other higher gods, that didnât mean he was fully accustomed to Earthâs culture.
It was like having a library in his head with all the information recorded inside, he had to take time to read through it bit by bit and make it his own.
If they could get help from their only local collaborator, it would certainly reduce the friction in dealing with the Earth side.
âDo you want to try it yourself?â
âYeah, just a moment.â
Meisa took Soo-hoâs hair that Turan handed her and used Tracking Magic.
By utilizing its essence, she could use Tracking Magic similar to the House Zaharâs bloodline, and in an instant, she located his position.
âHuh, itâs much farther than I expected. At least several thousand... maybe almost ten thousand kilometers away.â
âThis world is bigger than ours. Itâs also spherical in shape. Anyway, since we found him, letâs transfer right away.â
âHold on.â
After focusing her mind, Meisa adjusted the coordinates for both of them to move right next to where Soo-ho was, just as Turan had done.
The place the two of them arrived at was unexpectedly a space resembling a pure white prison.
âHuh?â
âHmm.â
Turan narrowed his eyes and looked around.
It didnât look like a place where anyone would live or work, much less where Soo-ho used to live.
Lying on a bed in one corner of the room, Soo-ho spotted them and shouted in surprise.
âAh!â
âLong time no see, Soo-ho. Sorry for showing up so suddenly-â
âYou shouldnât be here, itâs a trap!â
âA trap?â
Before he could answer that question, a beeping sound rang out, followed by a sharp noise.
[Alert! Alert! Intruder in Level 4 Quarantine Room! Real-time situation!]
âWhat on earth is going on here?â
âWell, they found out about the things I talked about with you... so the U.S. brought me here. I think theyâre planning to use me as bait.â
âMy goodness. So youâve been held captive ever since then?â
Startled by the unexpected situation, Meisa asked, and Soo-ho nodded with a gloomy expression.
âHow did they even find out?â
âWell.......â
As Soo-ho explained, Turan let out a dumbfounded laugh.
It had all started with a report from the clothing store they had visited.
A man and woman in strange clothes had supposedly left behind unknown gold coins and stole clothes, a report filed with the police.
Coincidentally, the detective in charge was a relative of the store owner, so he enthusiastically gathered nearby CCTV footage and investigated, only to discover, to his shock, that the two thieves had vanished like magic in an empty alley.
So cleanly that it looked like doctored footage.
A report was swiftly sent up the chain, suggesting these individuals might be connected to the mysterious âwizardsâ stirring up attention across the globe.
Coincidentally again, a member of the investigation team came across an internet post about a celebrity-looking man and woman walking around chatting with random people on the street.
Considering the time and location of the photos, it would have been impossible for them to be there unless they had used teleportation.
A further investigation into the area's CCTV revealed that the two had been in contact with Soo-ho, and this information was leaked to the CIA, which was already on high alert after the San Francisco disaster...
And just like that, a Korean programmer ended up being detained in a secret U.S. facility.
It was their mistake for underestimating just how tight Koreaâs CCTV surveillance network was.
âUm, sorry. I didnât think things would turn out like this.â
âNo... more importantly, what are you going to do now? Are you going to kill everyone, by chance?â
âI wonât do that.â
Turan could understand why they were acting so desperately.
Starting with Badal, none of the entities that had crossed over from their world so far had been friendly, so expecting them to be treated nicely was unreasonable.
And to be honest, the reason he could be merciful was because Earthlingsâ behavior wasnât threatening to him at all.
A violent criminal waving a knife must be killed, or I die. But a child threatening with a wooden stick can be calmly subdued, persuaded, or scolded.
âThen, letâs get out of here first.â
âAh, yes.â
With a single gesture from Turan, the metal door twisted, and Soo-ho half-opened his mouth in shock.
âUh, I think there might be armed troops outside.â
âItâs fine. It might be a bit unpleasant for you, but the military forces of Earth canât harm us.â
Even Meisa, who could handle far less essence compared to Turan, was the same.
If they were hit by dozens of nuclear missiles while completely off guard, they might die, but detecting such attacks from a distance and smashing them wasnât all that difficult.
As they walked down the hallway together, it didnât take long for heavily armed soldiers to appear.
âFreeze! Donât move!â
âGet down!â
Unlike before, Turan could now tell that the language they were using was slightly different from Soo-hoâs.
Sounds altered by vocal cord movement were reduced to information and absorbed into them, and likewise, the words from Turan and Meisa were converted into information upon exiting their mouths and directly input into the listeners.
It seemed to be a phenomenon caused by the properties of magic power or essence, and perhaps thatâs why Earthlings, who lacked such things, experienced communication barriers when using different languages.
Just imagining it was terribly inconvenient.
âWe have no intention to fight. Letâs calmly have a conv-â
âStop! Shut up and get on the ground! Move a finger and weâll shoot!â
From the eyes of the commanding officer screaming hysterically, Turan read a paralyzing level of fear.
Not just him, the other soldiers aiming their guns were also in a near-panic emotional state.
He guessed the clash between Turan and Monarch not long ago had left too much of a shock on them.
âSeems like we canât talk like this. Letâs cool their heads for a bit.â
As Turan spoke, gunfire rang out in a burst, tatatatang.
But it didnât continue long.
Because before anyone knew it, the soldiersâ hands had naturally slipped off their triggers.
âWhaâŠ?â
âWhat is it?â
What could be more terrifying than your own body not obeying your will?
If he wanted to, Turan could have commanded them to kill themselves right then, but instead, he quietly said, âStay still,â and walked past them.
As they continued down the corridor, every soldier and researcher they passed stood frozen in place, as if turned to statues.
Soo-ho, trailing behind and glancing around constantly, cautiously spoke.
âUh, Turan-nim?â
âJust speak comfortably. No need to be formal all of a sudden.â
âAh, yes. Will they stay like that forever?â
âTheyâll snap out of it soon. Youâre being more considerate than I expected, considering youâve been imprisoned here.â
âWell, itâs not like I was tortured or anything. They just asked a lot of questions about what I said.â
Apparently, heâd even been treated somewhat like a superstar for being the first person to make contact and speak with aliens.
Though his English wasnât particularly strong, so he couldnât engage in complex conversations.
While chatting, Soo-ho hesitantly asked, sneaking a glance.
âIs the fight that happened in San Francisco recently also related to your world?â
âYes. No reason to hide it, the golden eagle side was me. The deer was the bad guy.â
âAh, I thought soâŠâ
âI came this time to honor those who lost their lives in that fight and to engage in exchange with this world. But it seems like we really messed up the first step.â
As Turan explained matter-of-factly, Soo-ho could only gape in silence.
From all the testimonies and video footage circulating online, those two beasts were nothing less than apocalyptic monsters with transcendent abilities.
To think that this young man, who looked no older than his cousin, could be one of those overwhelmingly powerful beings, wizard or not, was beyond belief.
For Soo-ho, who had assumed at best that the deer and the golden eagle were divine beings of their world, it could only be a shock.
Strictly speaking, his assumption wasnât entirely wrong.
As Turan and Soo-ho talked and ascended to the surface, Turan realized that several weapons, ones that had been deployed back when he fought Monarch, were now aimed at them.
Tanks, cannons, armored vehicles...
Naturally, since the soldiers inside were frozen in place, the machines only trembled with idling engines.
âMeisa, can you stay with Soo-ho ssi? Iâll handle the talking.â
âShould I say, be careful... or would that be too much?â
âProbably.â
Turan chuckled and shook his head, then suddenly soared into the air and transformed into a massive golden eagle.
The shadow of the colossal creature, with a wingspan spanning hundreds of meters, quickly engulfed the military base.
From that state, Turanâs voice echoed across dozens of kilometers.
Not simply because of volume, but rather a strange voice that sounded as though whispered directly into everyoneâs ear no matter the distance, it felt like the voice of a god.
[I desire conversation, not violence.]
That was the first official message Turan delivered to Earth.
***
[This is Mike Wilson, President of the United States.]
âThis is Turan.â
[Pleased to meet you, Mr. Golden Eagle. I pray to God that our meeting ends in goodwill.]
âI hope for the same.â
Mike Wilson, the head of state of the United States, that is, its "family head", appeared to be a man in his mid-sixties.
With dark brown skin, a somewhat flat nose, and thick lips, he seemed to belong to the Black race or had strongly inherited such lineage.
Though he was much older, Turan deliberately used a tone that placed the man in a lower position.
Because while Mike Wilson was the representative of a single great noble house, in this case, a nation, Turan represented an entire world.
Had it been a personal meeting, he might have shown respect to an elder, but in an official diplomatic context, status took priority.
Naturally, the conversation did not happen face-to-face but over a video call.
Advisors had warned that no one knew what those wizards were capable of, if the President of the United States were to fall under some kind of mind control, it would be a catastrophe.
Thus, the first dialogue between leaders of two worlds took place via a laptop video conference.
[May I ask your identity? Iâm the President of the United States, which means-]
âNo need to explain. I have a rough idea. Iâm the head of the great noble House Parsha, and soon to be the Crown Emperor of the soon-to-be-established New Empire, so you could understand me as the representative of our world.â
[I see.]
Mike Wilson exhaled a subtle sigh of relief at Turanâs reply.
It was better that a monster capable of wiping out San Francisco with a tidal wave in an instant turned out to be the strongest wizard, rather than just one among many.
If it were the latter, that would mean a single rogue criminal invading and launching a terrorist attack could be enough to end the world.
Of course, just because it was the former didnât mean it was any less terrifying.
If this young emperor, who looked not even twenty, suddenly went mad and ordered an invasion, then slightly weaker wizards, like that guy from Central Park they called âThorâ, could swarm in droves.
[So, may I ask why youâve come to Earth? If youâre here for vibranium or kryptonite, I think youâve come to the wrong address.]
âVibranium? I donât know what that is. But as for the reason, didnât you already hear it from Soo-ho ssi?â
[Soo-ho ssi? Ah, the Korean... yes, Iâve heard. But you know how it is, hearing it directly from you is different. Miscommunication is common.]
âThen let me make it clear. Iâm here to offer an apology. Even though that deer was a terrible villain in our world, the fact remains that he caused harm in yours.â
Naturally, Mike Wilson did not accept that statement at face value.
It wasnât some childrenâs story, would such an overwhelmingly powerful being really make time for a purpose like that?
âI understand Earth has a system in place that allows one to project a personâs image and voice across the entire globe, like what youâre doing now. Iâd like to use that to officially express my apology.â
[That might be a bit difficult.]
âWhyâs that?â
[Well, there are intergovernmental interests involved... and to be honest, since youâre being straightforward, Iâll be, too- we donât know what you might be capable of broadcasting.]
âOh, so youâre worried Iâll use it to control the minds of everyone on Earth or something?â
[Exactly.]
âThatâs actually not possible. But I suppose even if I say that, you wouldnât believe me.â
Modifying human memory data or manipulating emotions wasnât easy even for those who wielded essence.
Disrupting the hormonal system to temporarily reduce aggression wasnât hard, but forcing loyalty or altering a personâs personality was on a completely different level of difficulty.
Simple experiments had shown that transforming the spirit form of a regular human into a devoted supporter took at least several hours of focused effort and power equivalent to leveling several mountains.
It was simply not a feasible task in terms of cost-efficiency.
But even if he explained all that, it wasnât like theyâd believe him anyway, so Turan scratched his chin, feeling somewhat troubled.
Should he just cause a few more disasters like the San Francisco incident?
That alone would be enough to establish his presence through the sheer fear and hatred Earthlings would feel.
Turan consciously suppressed the dark thought that had suddenly crept in.
The ruthless, efficiency-driven logic brought on by the cursed Hunter Bloodline could be useful at times, but it wasnât something to be relied on often.
âThen Iâd like your side to deliver the message on my behalf. Tell them Iâm also willing to assist with the recovery efforts from that, what was it, the San Francisco battle.â
[If you're willing to do that, weâd be most grateful. You mean you'll help using magic, I assume?]
âOf course. And can you return Kim Soo-ho ssi to where he originally lived? He said he was treated like some kind of criminal just for having a simple conversation, and I find that very unpleasant.â
Of course, Soo-ho had said he hadnât been tortured or anything and was merely detained, but Turan subtly exaggerated Americaâs wrongdoing.
The president solemnly nodded.
[Of course, that will be done.]
At least it seemed they werenât completely unreasonable, it was a relief.
Had they pushed just a little harder, Turan had planned to visit countries like China or Russia, which came after the United States in global influence.
Although it was Monarch who committed it, he inwardly felt indebted to this country for causing quite large casualties.
And his memory of the man in the cap who had offered him a blessing wasnât a bad one.
Later, after exchanging a few more words, the president raised his eyebrows as if remembering something and asked a question.
[Come to think of it, what should we call your world? We refer to ourselves as Earth, so there should be an appropriate counterpart.]
If their side were weaker, they couldâve casually called it something like the âmagic worldâ, but now, even the United States stood in the weaker position.
Turan nodded and answered.
âOur world is called the Cradle.â
*****
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