Chapter 658:

Chapter 658:

A protective barrier spread widely from the center of the clock.

Jiang Shang stroked his beard as he watched the light that shielded him like a massive barrier.

“This is… could it be that he mixed in the power of protection as well?”

“Yes. I tried applying it once.”

“It seems alright.”

Unlike the isolates, who can only use one ability, he wasn't limited to a single power.

They should try mixing various abilities as much as possible.

Jiang Shang watched the protective barrier created by combining the powers of time reversal and protection before turning his gaze outward.

“Then, I'll go out.”

“Yes.”Rumble…!

Along with Jiang Shang, the protective barrier moved outside the domain of defiled mixed world.

Immediately upon exiting, the light of the transcendent being penetrated the barrier and reached him, but…

“The light comes in, but the effects of the transcendent being are significantly blocked. The protective barrier certainly seems to be working.”

Jiang Shang told Seong Jihan with a satisfied expression that this was effective.

“Hmm. Is it not completely blocked yet?”

“Not fully blocked yet… I see. The comfort of the transcendent being is not completely unnoticeable. But at this level, it's enough to bring in the isolates.”

“I see.”

Complete blockage was still impossible.

He had extracted and absorbed many of the isolates' clocks, but it still seemed insufficient.

Still.

“If we absorb more of the isolates' clocks, won't this barrier be more complete? Then we can bring them in quickly.”

Jiang Shang said that and then left towards the corridor with light steps.

Certainly, his movements were distinctly different from last time when he barely held against the transcendent being's light.

Seeing Jiang Shang leave, Seong Jihan turned his gaze towards the transcendent being.

‘I thought if Jiang Shang leaves, the transcendent being would focus on him intensively… but not really.’

Actually, after Urd disappeared, if the transcendent being had acted proactively, Seong Jihan wouldn't have been able to hold on for long.

If that light had absorbed the collapsed isolates around, the domain of defiled mixed world wouldn't have been able to hold and would have been eaten away,

And both Seong Jihan and Jiang Shang would have been completely absorbed by the transcendent being's light.

‘Still, no matter the clock of light… Preserving Jiang Shang's actions of trying to bring the isolates over, why was there no response?’

That would have been good for them.

Watching the transcendent being's overly passive behavior, Seong Jihan turned his gaze back towards the domain of defiled mixed world.

A dark blue floor was gradually being eroded by light.

If it continued to be consumed like this, the domain would disappear in no time.

‘I need to block that since Jiang Shang has gone far.’

Seong Jihan retrieved the protective barrier he had sent to the corridor entrance and repositioned it within the domain of defiled mixed world.

Then.

Rustle…

The light was no longer consuming the dark blue domain.

Rather, it began to recover the domain bit by bit from behind the protective barrier.

Of course, the speed was very slow, and it seemed it would take a long time to reclaim what had been eaten away.

‘It's so effective… Now I somewhat understand why Urd called it "Rock-Paper-Scissors".’

The transcendent being couldn't use spiritual power for time reversal, right?

Seong Jihan moved the protective barrier with the clock embedded at the center back and forth, maintaining the domain of defiled mixed world.

‘If I do this… I can hold on a little longer.’

As Seong Jihan watched the domain no longer being consumed, he internally let out a sigh of relief.

“Son-in-law. I'll send people that way.”

Jiang Shang's voice echoed from the corridor.

It didn't seem like he had just left, but had he already secured the new humans?

‘Well, given his level of martial prowess, it should be quick.’

Before Urd died, he had moved cautiously.

After she disappeared, as long as he was careful of the transcendent being's light, there was nothing that could interfere.

Jiang Shang bringing in the isolates in the blink of an eye was fully understandable.

And soon.

Swish! Swish!

The bodies of the isolates who were floating aimlessly due to spatial manipulation were thrown near the domain of defiled mixed world.

The transcendent being's light did shine upon them, but…

Perhaps because the clock of light was attached, the isolates piled up orderly without any particular effect.

‘I should start handling this.’

Grumble!

Seong Jihan brought them into the domain of defiled mixed world, turned them into 'normal people,' and began the process of removing the clocks.

Meanwhile.

“The clock of light that was floating aimlessly in the void is still remaining, let's bring that too.”

“Is there still a clock of light left?”

“Yes. Even though Urd is dead, her traces are still intact. Let's use them this time.”

“Then, I beg of you.”

“Alright. Son-in-law, stay and handle the work.”

Jiang Shang, who was beyond the corridor, said he would retrieve all the clocks of light placed in the Ark and set off once again.

‘It seems Jiang Shang is farming them instead of me.’

Maybe it was like auto-hunting with a summoned creature.

Seong Jihan received each clock of light that Jiang Shang sent with a sly smile.

As a result of repeatedly handling the isolates and absorbing the clocks of light.

Jiiing…

The clock that Seong Jihan created looked complete, unlike the initial ones.

“The clock of light… is it finally completed?”

Jiang Shang, looking from beyond the corridor as if satisfied.

Seong Jihan placed the completed clock on the ground.

Then.

Paaaaat…!

The expanded clock of light permeated the dark blue floor.

The domain of defiled mixed world began to expand.

It was actually growing larger than when Seong Jihan had unfolded his Blue Lotus.

Jiang Shang, who was watching from the corridor, stroked his beard.

“Hooh… What method did you use?”

“I combined the power of time reversal with defiled mixed world. Therefore, the transcendent being's light can no longer suppress the domain.”

Whir…

Unlike earlier when it was being consumed, dark blue energy was now stretching out steadily.

Only with the addition of the clock of light, defiled mixed world was easily pushing the transcendent being's light outward.

“If this continues, there will be a path even in the corridor that has obstacles.”

“Yes. It seems we will completely dominate the central area, except where the transcendent being is.”

As Seong Jihan said.

The domain of defiled mixed world continued to expand, absorbing the central area's light.

The scenery of the Ark's central area was gradually being revealed.

There were subtly glowing machines and two server access devices neatly arranged.

* * *

“So, there were such facilities in the Ark's central area…”

Jiang Shang looked around the Ark's central area, which had revealed itself after the light dissipated.

At a glance, the complex machinery was incomparably intricate.

Just the appearance made it seem overwhelming even for the new humans to handle.

“Hmm… If we can operate that, we might be able to solve server-related issues. Son-in-law, can you manage it?”

“Doesn't the Emperor have any plans?”

“I've always been bad with machines. Whenever I meddled, it just got broken. I don't want to ruin your world again by unnecessarily tinkering.”

Seong Jihan nodded at that statement.

If Jiang Shang pressed something wrong and reset the server, it would be horrifying to imagine.

But he was not that knowledgeable about machines either…

Especially, how could one know about the Ark's machinery used by the new humans from this side?

Seong Jihan stood with his arms crossed, silently gazing at them, and then…

‘As expected, it's better to ask an expert.’

He summoned Blue and Red.

‘Hey, do you think you know how to handle that?’

The Red Administrator who was proficient in everything except combat.

He was going inquire with him again this time.

[I think I know. When I was in Hephaestus, I understood the Ark well.]

As expected, without disappointing the expectations, a positive response came.

‘Really? Then tell me what that's used for.’

[That’s not difficult… Blue administrator. Are you thinking of leaving that machine to me again?]

‘Well…’

Seong Jihan couldn't easily answer that question.

Up until now, he had indeed transferred all these troublesome and complex tasks to the red administrator, but this time, it was a matter that involved his own world.

No matter how complicated and difficult understanding that machine was, he was still a bit hesitant to entrust it to the red administrator fully.

And.

[Blue administrator. How about you learn from me and operate it during this opportunity?]

‘You want me to learn from you?’

[Yes.]

From the red administrator side as well.

This time, they were advising Seong Jihan.

‘…Well. If you teach me, I'll try to learn. But you've been handling things well so far, what's with the sudden change?’

[Actually, seeing the transcendent being has completely crushed my motivation.]

‘I see… What’s wrong?’

[The Hell, compared to the transcendent being, is nothing but a campfire…]

‘Is that all?’

[Yes… To make it easy for you to understand, if the transcendent being is like a nuclear power plant, then hell would be like a monkey lighting a fire with a stick in front of it.]

No, that was more than two levels apart!

Didn't the red administrator have his hell stats well developed?

But Hell was treated like a campfire in front of the transcendent being.

As Seong Jihan began to consider it awkward and started to look at the transcendent being's light anew.

[Though it's surprising for you to resist like this in front of the transcendent being… Never let your guard down. If he exerts all his power, the domain you've built will be swept away instantly.]

‘…Understood. I'll keep that in mind.’

[Then, I will begin training immediately.]

Training, huh.

To learn how to operate the new humans' machinery from the red administrator, it would take a considerable amount of time.

‘In the meantime, I need to endure.’

Seong Jihan looked at the domain of defiled mixed world with worried eyes.

Now, with the clock of light merged, he was holding on well.

Because at any moment, the current situation could change.

Seong Jihan decided to make a great effort and began receiving training from the red administrator.

And not long after.

‘…What is this?’

Seong Jihan looked at the machinery with a puzzled expression.

‘Is it because of my proficiency with the devices? Why is this becoming so easy to understand?’

A new technology that he had no idea how to use until listening to the red administrator's explanations.

Contrary to thinking that training would take a long time, he was understanding everything as soon as he heard the red administrator's words.

[…Blue administrator, could it be you already knew this?]

Because the red administrator who was teaching him showed such a puzzled expression.

‘That can't be. I think it's because of the device proficiency trait.’

[Hmm. Your body has almost become like the new humans', so it seems easier to understand. Anyway, the training won't take long.]

‘Exactly. I won't waste time here.’

Even though I was worried, at this pace, I could handle the machines quickly.

Thinking that way, while manipulating the devices here and there, Seong Jihan…

Jiiing…

A window appeared before his eyes, and his eyes widened in surprise.

There, there was:

[Server 4212 Connection Status]

[Avatar – Urd]

[Avatar – Id]

Along with the list of those he had already dealt with,

[Data Administrator]

‘This is… the black administrator?’

Because even names presumed to be of the black administrator were written.