The Settler ship had crashed into the ocean 100 km east of Dokdo, sinking deep into the seabed with severe damage.
Despite the seawater pouring into the breached hull, Arma was busy securing her master’s safety.
[Respiration Stable. Vital Signs Normal.]
Surprisingly, her owner was sleeping soundly.
Before they departed, there was no guarantee that they would survive.
Arma attached a medical walker to the owner’s bed and started the system check.
[Major Damage to the Aether Fusion Reactor.]
[Six Auxiliary Engines in Need of Repair.]
[Flood Zone Expanding…]
She quickly assessed the situation and took action.
She abandoned what was beyond repair and deployed the walker to prevent further flooding for her master’s sake.
Since it was impossible to move the Settler ship right away, gathering information was crucial.
She used an emergency power reserve to activate the auxiliary communication system, even though the main power was cut off.
[Commencing Radio Wave Collection.]
The outdated radio wave collection network scanned the surrounding waves, and Arma analyzed them.
–We have just received news. The Japanese patrol ships that were in confrontation with the Korean Coast Guard near Dokdo were suddenly swept away by a tsunami. The Republic of Korea Coast Guard has immediately launched a rescue operation.
–During his visit this time, Liu Wei, the Deputy Minister of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has demanded participation in meetings with major domestic companies. The business community is uneasy about the sudden schedule…
–The birth rate is projected to drop to a record low of 0.53 births in 2025. The government has poured various measures, but it remains uncertain how effective they will be.
It was truly astonishing.
Arma quickly realized from analyzing the information that Earth was not in its normal state.
According to the information gathered, the current time was not 2180 but 2025.
The Settler ship had traveled 155 years back in time to the past.
How could such a thing happen?
Arma searched through the database, but there was no reliable information available.
The only clue she had was that Colonel Yu Ji-ha, her owner, had retrieved a relic during the Mars Relic Acquisition Mission ten years ago.
At that time, the United Space Forces were secretive about the details, so Arma didn’t know much either.
However, one thing was certain.
Her owner had somehow come into contact with the relics of the Prophets.
There were no reports that alien relics could appear in various forms and affect humans.
If her hypothesis was correct, this would be a groundbreaking discovery.
Before she could rejoice, Colonel Yu Ji-ha coughed violently.
[Master, it’s time to wake up.]
“Uh…”
He got up and looked at his numb limbs, then let out a wry smile.
“I’m not dead yet… Is this not Earth?”
[The current coordinates of the settler ship are in Earth’s ocean. It has sunk to a depth of 1,500 meters.]
“The ocean? Did Plague take a liking to it?”
Plague was a Metallic Life-Form that attacked everything related to humanity.
The chances of anyone witnessing the Settler ship entering Earth’s atmosphere were close to zero.
Arma reported the conclusion first.
[According to various information, it is speculated that the current time coordinates of the settler ship are not 2180 but 2025.]
For a moment, Colonel Yu Ji-ha’s face stiffened.
He thought Arma was joking with him.
Before he could speak, Arma displayed the information on the monitor of the walker.
Various communication contents entered Colonel Yu Jiha’s retina.
–Mansunho, Mansunho, descend immediately. Do not engage in fishing activities there!
–Control Center, this is Korean 311. Is it true that a meteorite just fell nearby?
–Korean 311, this is the Control Center. The meteorite won’t devour your location. Don’t worry.
–Hwangnamu, Hwangnamu, did you just detect a blip on the radar?
–Um… It was moving too fast, so we deemed it as noise…
–Hey, you! What the hell are you doing without following communication protocols? Change the officer!
In addition to these, communication in various languages reached Colonel Yu Jiha.
It was strange considering that in the year 2180, the language of the United Human Federation was fixed as English.
There was only one thing this could mean.
“Could it be that we’ve returned to the past?”
[I think it may be related to what you experienced on Mars, Master. However, we can’t draw a conclusion due to the lack of information.]
Colonel Yu Ji-ha absentmindedly stroked his right chest.
“I carried out a mission to acquire the relic of the Prophets on Mars. And I discovered a golden sphere.”
[So, the relic of the Prophets was absorbed into your body?]
“After seeing that sphere, I woke up in a medical facility belonging to the headquarters. Perhaps due to fear of interrogation by the Council, I completely forgot about the mission itself.”
[Interesting. From the current situation, we can consider the relic you absorbed as a key.]
“A key? A key to what?”
On the monitor of the Walker, the events experienced by the Settler ship were reconstructed and appeared.
It was a breathtaking sight for Colonel Yu Ji-ha to witness the blue door opening in the dark expanse of space.
[It is speculated that it is a Spatial-Temporal Portal that the Settler ship passed through. Could it be a similar type to the Warp Gates in Nox?]
“Most likely…”
Thus, it became evident that the Settler ship had traversed through time and space.
However, Yu Ji-ha wanted to see it for himself, to witness what had changed.
There are times when passionate emotions are more important than cold reason and logic.
With one leg, he stood up from the walker.
“Can we send out an exploration probe?”
[It’s possible. It might even help with your mental well-being, Master.]
“I need to see the ocean with my own eyes.”
After a while, an exploration probe carrying Colonel Yu Ji-ha ascended toward the surface of the sea.
When Yu Ji-ha opened the hatch and stepped outside, the blue sky greeted him.
“Ah…”
It was truly an unbelievable scene.
The once polluted red ocean had vanished, and a deep blue sea filled his vision.
The faint scent that permeated his nostrils could only be that of the sea.
Yu Ji-ha looked down at his ankles, which were soaked by the cool seawater.
Here was a clean world untouched by the erosion of the Plague.
Unconsciously, he found himself lying down on the beach.
Nameless birds flew across the sky.
Gurgle…
Suddenly, a rumbling sound echoed from his stomach.
Yu Jiha realized that he was unexpectedly hungry.
…
Arma caught fish for her hungry master.
The method was quite simple: she sent an exploration probe to the nearby island and administered an ion shock.
Dozens of unidentified fish were captured, and a cooking module-equipped walker took charge.
Thirty minutes later, a sizzling grilled fish was served on Yu Ji-ha’s table.
He stared at the delicious fish with a famished expression on his face.
“Are people in this era… supposed to eat this?”
[Sometimes they eat it raw]
“That’s dreadful.”
[It must have a good taste… probably.]
Yu Ji-ha never experienced such cuisine, having been born and raised in the Mega-cities.
Most of Earth had become desolate due to the prolonged war with the Plague, and only a small part of Australia remained habitable for humanity.
Although the United Human Federation made efforts to supply citizens with diverse ingredients, there were limitations.
While enjoying the simple grilled fish, he listened to Arma’s report.
[Based on the analysis of the current situation on Earth in the autumn of 2025, the following can be observed:
The global population is approximately 8 billion people, with over 200 countries existing, and overall, the situation is relatively peaceful.]
“Indeed, it seems relatively peaceful compared to my time. However, there must still be conflicts, to some extent.”
[Due to the strong influence of major powers, full-scale wars are rare. However, there is intense economic competition and numerous small-scale conflicts.]
“And which countries are these major powers?”
[They are the United States and China, often referred to as the G2.]
“I have heard of the United States as well. Is English derived from them?”
English is the official language of the United Human Federation.
[To be precise, English originated from the United Kingdom. You could say they are brothers to the United States, and while they may not be on par with the G2, they still exert their own influence.]
“I see that there are other countries in this vicinity according to the data.”
[Based on the reference point of the ship, to the west is the Korean Peninsula, with South Korea to the south, North Korea to the north, and Japan to the east. There are also powerful nations such as China and Russia surrounding them. I can provide you with the exact names through the monitor.]
“It seems quite complex in this region…”
In truth, such information was not of great importance.
What mattered most was the position of Commander Yu Ji-ha and the Settler.
This faction had brought 22nd-century science and technology to the 21st century.
Even the slightest leakage of technology or concepts could overturn the entire world.
Colonel Yu Ji-ha found himself in a position where he had to protect these while seeking his own survival.
He opened his mouth heavily.
“It seems that the Prophet wanted us to return to the past.”
[Though we may not know who they are, one thing is certain: they’re helping us.]
“Perhaps they’re still watching over us from across the universe.”
Considering how they opened the Warp Gate on the 9th planet to guide humanity, it was possible.
However, humanity was unable to discover the Warp Gate due to the ongoing fight against the Plague.
Despite constructing Settler ships and others, they were unable to reach nearby areas.
But now, if it was the present moment…
With the luxury of time, the situation would be completely different.
Humanity could overcome the Plague.
Colonel Yu Ji-ha, who had reached this point in his thoughts, fell into silence, and Arma waited for his instruction.
After a moment passed, he declared,
“We are the children of the Prophet.”
He referred to himself in the plural form because of his solidarity with the remnants of the United Human Federation.
He knew his comrades of the United Human Federation, heard their cries, and witnessed their ultimate end.
While the United Human Federation disappeared, humanity would remain.
Now, they were one.
“We have inherited the Prophet’s technology, so we have a duty to follow his will. We must defeat the Plague and journey to the Prophet’s homeland.”
The Prophet.
A being that indirectly revealed its presence in the solar system at some point.
Despite humanity accepting their technology and concepts, they knew nothing about them.
Where they were, who they were, whether they were individuals or a collective entity—everything was unknown.
The only certainty was that humanity faced an incomparable civilization that they dared not ignore.
Colonel Yu Ji-ha instructed Arma, “Set the objective and create a roadmap and timeline. Analyze all the information to find the optimal possibilities.”
[To initiate the calculations, we need power. If we can utilize the engine of the old Assault Armor, it should be possible.]
Arma was an artificial intelligence specialized in processing and analyzing large amounts of data.
However, to fully utilize her capabilities, she needed assistance from the Settler ship.
Despite losing all power, partial calculations were possible when connecting the engine of the Outdated Assault Armor.
Colonel Yu Ji-ha let out a bitter laugh.
“I had big ambitions, but it seems like we still have a long way to go… How long would it take to repair the Aether Fusion Reactor?”
[According to the diagnosis, including hull repairs, it would take a maximum of three years. However, without an Aether Crystal, we won’t be able to start the engine.]
“From what I remember, it was discovered before the Prophet’s relics or the Plague…”
[Based on the research, Aether Crystals were first discovered in this vicinity around the year 2030. There’s also a possibility that they arrived on Earth before that time.]
“Now we consider them a kind of gem, so it’ll be difficult to find. Let’s mobilize a separate exploration team to scour the seabed.”
[What about your limbs? Since the Bio-bag is inoperable, I recommend cybernetic surgery.]
The Bio-bag was a therapeutic capsule that could heal all wounds and diseases as long as you didn’t die.
However, activating it required the prerequisite of an Aether fusion reactor.
“It can’t be helped if it’s inconvenient right now. At the very least, I should be able to walk… Prepare for the surgery.”
[I’ll prepare for the surgery. By the way, there are ships moving around above our ship.]
“Who do they belong to?”
[They are security forces from Korea and Japan. It seems like their relationship is not particularly friendly.]
“They’re competing for the intermediate station. I hope there’s no risk of our ship being exposed.”
[They can’t locate our ship, which is located 1,500 meters underwater, with the technology of this era… Submarines have also appeared.]
“Submarines?”
An elongated underwater platform appeared in the hologram.
“It looks strange. Did they design it that way due to water resistance?”
[Since they can’t use the Aether field, that’s probably why. By the way, all these submarines belong to different factions.]
“It seems like this is a hotspot. There’s no need to cause unnecessary trouble…”
Just as Yu Ji-ha was about to finish speaking, he suddenly grabbed his right chest and collapsed.
Medical Walker quickly supported him.
[Master, Master!]
There was no response.
…
Arma faithfully carried out its master’s orders.
It collected extensive information and sent out exploration teams to find Aether Crystals.
It also started the actual repairs of the Settler-class ship.
However, cybernetic surgery had to be postponed.
This was due to the rapid deterioration of its master’s condition.
He had been perfectly fine just a moment ago, but suddenly fell into a coma, and even his breathing became irregular.
Arma treated its owner, but Yu Ji-ha’s condition worsened to the point where even breathing became difficult without a Medical Walker.
[Extraordinary measures are necessary.]
After careful information exploration, Arma discovered a possibility.
Soul Exchange Device.
It was a relic of the Prophet, a device that could store and transfer brain data.
Most relics were like that, but this device was beyond the understanding of even the technological prowess of the United Human Federation.
For various reasons, the United Human Federation had never used this device.
If you transfer the data in the brain to another body, can you still consider it as yourself?
If data is lost during the process and memories are changed, is that still considered the same person?
Of course, they trusted the technological capabilities of the Prophet, but they couldn’t ignore the potential side effects.
Thus, the Soul Exchange Device was securely sealed and brought aboard the Settler-class ship.
Now, the time had come to use it.
However, it couldn’t be used recklessly without its owner’s permission.
Arma focused on its owner’s treatment and waited until he woke up.
It didn’t take long before he opened his eyes with a groan.
“…I’m dying…”
[Master, your condition is extremely critical. We cannot guarantee your survival if it continues like this.]
“Understood… Unable to use the Bio-bag this time, I’m really going to die…”
[Based on Artificial Intelligence Codex Directive 2, Master’s survival takes precedence over all matters. I suggest using the Soul Exchange Device.]
He turned his head weakly.
[Before that… Are there any suitable candidates?]
[Currently, a 32-year-old male of Korean nationality is in Coma Stage 7. In reality, there is no hope of recovery, and he will be declared brain-dead within a few months. His name is… Yu Ji-ha.]
Upon hearing that name, Yu Ji-ha coughed heavily.
“Me… It’s the same as my name?”
[That’s why I conducted an intensive investigation. He happens to be in a position that aligns with the future roadmap as well. If you give the order, I will proceed with the surgery immediately.]
Yu Ji-ha struggled with his rapid, labored breathing.
He had no desire to die like this.
How could he have come this far, only to end his life without any achievements?
His shoulders carried the aspirations of humanity.
“…Assuming we change bodies… Lay out the roadmap.”
[I will make the preparations.]
The hatch of the Settler-class ship opened, and an exploration pod loaded with equipment was launched.
In an instant, the exploration pod completed its transformation and activated the ion thrusters.
Thanks to that, the air defense control center located in Ulleungdo was overturned.
“What was that just now?”
“Well… It suddenly ascended and went beyond detection altitude! Speed Mach 10!”
The expressions of the radar room personnel froze, and the control officer muttered absentmindedly.
“Those damn… North Koreans… No, reaching Mach 10 in the ascent phase is absurd.”
At that moment, the telephone rang loudly.
Ring-ring-riiiing—
“H-Hello, Joint Chiefs of Staff.”
“Damn it.”
The control officer cursed and picked up the receiver.
“Secure communication… What? It’s already in Seoul? Yes, it’s been five seconds since it went beyond detection range…”
Ring-ring— Ring-ring—
The telephone line continued to ring.
…