Transformed into Cosmic Horror in a Sci-Fi Universe

Transformed into Cosmic Horror in a Sci-Fi Universe – 60

EP.60 Encounter

After Yujin solidified his position within the Galactic Union, his next goal was to expand the Union’s territory. To do this, he aimed to first explore and develop the uncharted regions within the current domain.

But wait, this could pose a risk of the elves being discovered. Although the elves were rapidly advancing through their alliance with the Metallians, this might lead to an early discovery. Even with a diameter of 20 billion light-years, if the Galactic Union invested in scientific advancements comparable to the Lubaran race, internal exploration could be swift. At the latest, it would take 20 years.

Twenty years. Would the elves be able to grow enough to accept the Galactic Union within that time frame? Yujin, you troublesome variable creator.

[Hmm…]

Wait a minute. This might actually be a good thing. With Yujin at the helm, the intelligent life forms within the Galactic Union would receive significant benefits. They would share advanced technology and provide support for any deficiencies.

In that case, wouldn’t it be faster for the elves to grow by joining the Galactic Union and receiving shared technology rather than developing on their own? As intelligent beings, they wouldn’t be attacked or captured under the guise of protection upon first contact.

The issue here is whether Yujin would preemptively eliminate the elves upon recognizing their potential. With intelligence on par with the Lubaran race, exceptional physical abilities, and light spirit magic akin to the Meias race, it wouldn’t take long for the elves to rise to a position similar to the former Lubaran race within the Union.

Given Yujin’s desire for power, he might decide to eliminate them preemptively.

[Yujin might consider persuading them to be manageable from above… but the simplest method is to wipe them out before they can develop.]

So, the answer is clear.

[Make them so attractive or threatening that wiping them out isn’t an option.]

If the elves have an irresistible allure that Yujin can’t ignore, or if eliminating them would result in significant losses, making an alliance would be the more beneficial choice. The existence of Rios, a real god, could be one such allure. As my avatar, Yujin would naturally be intrigued. He might also see it as a threat, but that’s even better. It means we can leverage both allure and threat.

Therefore, if we elevate the elves’ scientific and technological prowess to a sufficiently threatening level, it would be perfect. If the Galactic Union anticipates considerable casualties in a conflict, they would have no reason to fight. There’s a risk that the Meias race could suffer critical damage, or in the worst case, Yujin himself could be incapacitated. This would provide an opportunity for other Union races, always eyeing the next regime, to make their move.

[Ugh. This is annoying. Should I just hide them so they can’t be found?]

Honestly, whether it’s strategy, allure, or threat, I could end it all with a single display of my power. Being an omnipotent god has its perks. However, the downside is that it makes everything go exactly as I predict, which isn’t very fun. Unexpected variables, unintended events, and risky gambles—these are what make games and life interesting. If everything went according to plan, where’s the fun in that?

So, let’s see what happens when Yujin and the elves meet for the first time. Let’s see what kind of outcome this encounter will bring.

#

Five years had passed since the war with Muwan.

The third generation of elves had grown up, becoming adults capable of working and having children. The population of the Lumolasi and Holy Nation alliance had surpassed the initial 30 million elves. Their territory now spanned an entire continent. With the cooperation of the Metallians, they had ventured beyond the seas using modern motorized ships.

Roads were paved, cars sped along them, electric trains ran on tracks, and flying machines soared in the skies. All of this progress had been achieved in just five years. Despite steamships and steam locomotives still being in active use, they had leaped several generations to build a modern civilization. Due to the relatively small population compared to their vast territory, transportation technology had advanced rapidly.

“Impressive. At this rate, we can rely on Metallian technology for medical treatments and body transfers,” said Lasi, the leader of the elves.

“Indeed, the elves’ technological prowess is remarkable,” replied Sprine, the leader of the Metallians. Sprine was a massive 5-meter-tall robot that could transform into a fighter jet, possessing immense combat capabilities. He could single-handedly take on dozens of Metallians if he wished. However, for now, he was focused on advancing civilization in collaboration with the elves.

“It would be wonderful if we could advance to the point of space travel soon,” Sprine remarked.

“We’ve made significant progress with rockets. Now that we’ve solidified our foundation, it’s time to prepare for external exploration,” Lasi said with a smile, leading Sprine to the research lab. The lab was filled with advanced devices and computers based on Metallian technology. The enormous computers were modeled after Metallian brains and neural networks, boasting incredible computational power.

These supercomputers were used to design intricate rocket components and perform various calculations. Once the rockets were built, they would also calculate launch trajectories and orbits.

“A few years ago, this would have been unimaginable. It’s truly fascinating.”

“When I arrived, you had already developed steam engines, so I can’t quite grasp the extent of your progress.”

“Until recently, we were using wooden and stone spears and bows.”

Sprine chuckled in disbelief at Lasi’s words. It was hard to fathom that a genius race, which had advanced so rapidly with just a bit of shared knowledge, had been fighting with stone and wood until recently. Considering that the elves had only recently come into existence and their planet showed little signs of development or desolation, it seemed plausible.

‘Even with our help and the assistance of Rios, this is unbelievable.’

Of course, the Metallians led by Sprine were also a relatively new race, having been born even later than the elves. However, Dalos had meticulously crafted their history, leading them to believe they had existed for centuries.

Regardless, Sprine thought the elves were truly remarkable.

‘It’s as if a god created them with the intention of dominating the universe.’

However, this god was not the ‘Rios’ that the elves worshipped. It was something higher, a truly omnipotent being capable of creating life and controlling most aspects of the universe. Much like the great being that the Metallians believed had created them centuries ago.

“…?”

At that moment, Sprine sensed something unusual and looked up.

‘The sky? No… space.’

There was something above the planet. Higher than the sky, someone was observing from space.

“It seems something has arrived in space. I’ll go check it out.”

“What? Space? But Rios is there…”

“Something is scanning the planet. It doesn’t feel entirely friendly.”

With that, Sprine transformed into his fighter jet form and shot up into the sky. He pierced through the atmosphere and entered the black void of space. What he found was…

“…a spaceship.”

This was no ordinary spaceship. It was an impossibly colossal galleon, with a length that seemed to stretch at least 500 kilometers. Its origins were a mystery.

Then, a revelation.

‘Rios…!’

A gigantic elf-like figure with six arms, resembling a satellite floating in space, began to approach the massive galleon. This was the elf god Rios, inspecting the elf planet from space. The two titanic entities faced each other in the silence of the cosmos.

#

“This is quite the predicament.”

The giant galleon was, of course, a vessel from the Galactic Union. To be precise, it was the main fleet prepared to investigate this region, following an initial exploration by a scout ship. More accurately, it was the main fleet poised for potential combat operations.

The presence of an intelligent life form with a significant level of civilization had already been detected, and the main fleet had arrived for a more thorough scan. It was confirmed: this planet was inhabited by a race on the cusp of spacefaring modernity.

It was astonishing that this place had remained undiscovered until now, but considering the recent supernova explosion nearby, which emitted tremendous radiation and debris, it made sense that it had been overlooked.

‘How could life survive here?’

As they pondered this question, something massive approached them. A titanic creature of comparable size to the Galactic Union’s 600-kilometer-long galleon, but this being resembled the detected life forms and, curiously, had six arms.

This entity had enveloped the planet with a powerful magnetic field, shielding it from the violent radiation storms and material onslaught.

‘An outer god?’

The immense power and colossal size were indicative of a lower-tier outer god. But an outer god protecting a planet? Moreover, it bore a striking resemblance to the inhabitants, almost as if it were an idol.

‘…Pointed ears, alabaster skin, beautiful appearance.’

There were many peculiarities. Yujin recognized the familiar appearance of the intelligent life forms inhabiting this place, something only he and his creator would know. Based on these inexplicable oddities, he quickly reached a conclusion.

‘This is the work of the Creator.’

All of this, he realized, was orchestrated by the being who had created his.