Clink
The quiet sound of a steaming coffee cup being placed on a table echoed through the room.
'Southeast Asian branch.'
Having just returned from an unexpected outing, I was enjoying a post-shower coffee in my massage chair, lost in thought.
I needed to consider the newly acquired information carefully.
'Singapore.'
A Southeast Asian city-state, smaller than Busan but larger than Seoul. An Asian economic powerhouse. The most likely location of Heaven's Turn Society's Southeast Asian branch.
'Its small size is advantageous. It narrows down the search area.'
The information extracted from the Korean branch's devices was incomplete. It was unrealistic to expect a low-level branch to possess detailed information about a higher-level branch's location.
He had only managed to obtain a general location thanks to the enhanced capabilities of 「Machine Eye: Callicas」. Even he would have struggled without its advanced analysis.
'Did control of Korea shift to the Southeast Asian branch after Yulryeongja's East Asian branch fell? …Well, the new East Asian branch would be preoccupied with stabilizing China.'
Hans's operations in China had been temporarily halted after he hunted Yulryeongja, as Heaven's Turn Society began to retaliate. The remaining branch members had gone into hiding, but China's aggressive response made it difficult for him to continue his hunt.
'They can't stop Hans directly unless the Master of Heaven's Turn Society intervenes personally. But their interference has significantly reduced his efficiency.'
He couldn't afford to waste time on inefficient tasks, especially with so much to do. And due to the time difference, every day spent on Earth was equivalent to ten days in the other worlds.
He had decided to focus on other matters until his subordinates on Earth provided more concrete information, but…
'A suitable target has presented itself. Breaching their security and pinpointing their location won't be easy, though.'
Fortunately, he had someone exceptionally talented in that area. The unsung hero who had located the East Asian branch, leading to Yulryeongja's downfall, and the ace of his intelligence department, who had been instrumental in eliminating the Korean remnants.
***
"Achoo!"
Andrew Weaver shivered, a sudden sneeze wracking his body. He was a robust Awakened, immune to colds, but a chill ran down his spine, raising goosebumps. A sense of unease, a premonition of danger, settled over him.
"…Hah, must be getting run down. I need some tonic…"
A Korean phrase slipped out naturally. He was American, but constantly observing Koreans through hundreds of eyes had immersed him in their culture. His naturally sharp mind, enhanced by his abilities, had made him fluent in Korean.
It was why he had been able to track down the Korean remnants of Heaven's Turn Society, hidden in the demilitarized zone.
'I did a good job, so I should get some time off, right? I'll go home and relax for a month. I've been saving up.'
His salary was generous. The problem was his demanding work schedule and lack of benefits. He could order almost anything online, but it wasn't the same as swiping his own card.
'A car… I wouldn't have time to drive it. And I don't know how long I'll be in Korea. I'll buy a watch. And some top-of-the-line sunglasses. I'll raid the duty-free shop…'
The pleasant daydreams dispelled his unease. It must have been just his imagination.
He closed his eyes, focusing on the tasks assigned by the Blood Alliance. He could relax after finishing the backlog. His motivation, previously depleted, returned.
'Vacation, vacation, vacation! I'll go to Las Vegas and drain my bank account!'
He could earn a fortune in a few years here. He pushed his abilities to their limits, catching up on his work, tracking the remnants of Heaven's Turn Society.
Unaware of the future that awaited him.
***
'I need to craft that language translation magical tool for Andrew as soon as possible. That's the best way to maximize his abilities.'
While nearly half of Singapore's population spoke English, the other half spoke other languages. It would be a waste to miss out on valuable information due to language barriers.
"Strike while the iron is hot. I'll get this done now."
I got up from the massage chair, finishing the coffee on the side table. Even I couldn't just create such a complex magical tool instantly. Real-time translation wasn't simple.
Unlike machine translation based on vast databases, this required interpreting the intent behind the words. To avoid misunderstandings, it had to account for homonyms, metaphors, and culturally specific expressions. And that required—
The ability to comprehend the true meaning of language, a fundamental requirement for mastering Word Spirit, a high-level mystical art.
Replicating such an ability in a magical tool wouldn't be easy.
'Even the most basic form of Word Spirit is still Word Spirit. Even Horus, with all his bonuses, would have needed at least a decade to master Dragon Language Magic. Its difficulty is undeniable.'
He wouldn't have even attempted this without 「Xenoglossy」, Horus's 「Dragon Language Magic」, and the knowledge provided by Hans's 「Forbidden Truth」.
Rewarding Andrew wasn't just about his own selfish desires!
'I'll need to downgrade it and add some restrictions. Limiting it to Earth languages is a good idea.'
Integrating other technologies could simplify the process. The theory was complete, so crafting it wouldn't take too long.
I focused, facing forward.
'This is the most efficient method.'
I took a deep breath and stepped forward. A strange sensation washed over me—
And I was somewhere else.
A floor tiled with smooth, hard stones, polished marble walls, a high ceiling embedded with glowing orbs.
"…Let's begin."
Not a hidden realm within Earth, but a separate phase space governed by different laws. His secret sanctuary, a last resort.
This was the 「Dragon's Lair」.
***
The 「Dragon's Lair」, a perk Horus had obtained from the "Last Gold Dragon" achievement. Entering this space, closer to a pocket dimension than a physical location, was akin to interdimensional travel.
While not true dimensional travel, with its limitations, its potential applications were significant. The first being—
"Ehehehe! This is perfect!"
A stout dwarf chuckled, inspecting a workshop filled with a high-quality furnace, anvil, and other tools, located within a cave connected to a pristine corridor. Devices confiscated from the Korean branch of Heaven's Turn Society were lined up against a wall, but they weren't his focus right now.
This wasn't his workshop in Tarak, but filled with his own tools and materials, he felt an urge to start working immediately.
'The sooner, the better.'
I approached the dwarf, Howard, with a faint smile. This was one of the benefits of the 「Dragon's Lair」: temporarily gathering avatars from different dimensions in one location.
'I no longer need to exchange items mid-project or travel between dimensions for collaborations. All the necessary materials are already in the Lair's storage.'
The second advantage was time dilation. This space existed outside any specific dimension, yet it relied on other dimensions for its existence. He could manipulate the flow of time within the Lair, maximizing his time on Earth.
He hadn't used this perk frequently for a reason.
'If it weren't for the time limit, I would use it more often.'
There was a limit to how long he could stay in the 「Dragon's Lair」. Roughly one week out of every month, assuming he stayed inside continuously. Considering he could freely enter and exit a pocket dimension without any anchors, this limitation was understandable.
'I could use it more efficiently with careful planning, but…'
The time limit decreased exponentially with the number of avatars present. The Dragon's Lair was originally designed as a dragon's nest, a safe place to store treasures and hibernate. To remove the time limit, he would probably have to place Horus in hibernation at the Lair's core.
'Well, this is enough for now.'
He couldn't bring others inside, and he could only return to his original location upon exiting, but it was a useful safety net. And perfect for emergencies like this.
["Right, let's begin. Time is precious."]
I, using Hans's form, spoke. The air around me chilled despite my efforts to suppress it, but the other avatars, with their enhanced stats and skills, were unaffected.
"Ehehehe! I have just the thing! I'll test it out!"
"Hmm, combining magic and Taoism would improve the design. The most effective method would be…"
The recipients of his words were a master dwarf whose realm had risen significantly due to three blessings, and a genius dragon who had mastered the mystical arts of two worlds.
Horus the hatchling, who had appeared at some point, prepared for enchantment beside Howard, who was refining various materials.
["No need for speaking or writing functions. Listening and reading comprehension is sufficient… In that case, I'll do this…"]
And his main body, projecting Hans's persona, assisted in the real Hans's absence.
With such a skilled team, crafting a magical tool was a simple matter.
Clang Clang Sizzle
The rhythmic sounds of progress filled the air. The scene was surprisingly calm and peaceful, unlike what was happening elsewhere.
In Ganghwange, where the real Hans, Hari, and Hugo had been deployed.
Near Beijing, the heart of the world—
A battle for the world's fate was about to begin.
***
Under a sky obscured by dark, ominous clouds—
"Kuhu— It's starting."
A chilling voice echoed through the darkened landscape.
Hans, his face hidden behind a Hahoe mask, looked up at the sky. The clouds seemed randomly clustered, but a complex system, incomprehensible to most, lay within.
A culmination of mystical arts, beyond the understanding of even the greatest minds of this world. A unique blend of formations, magical knowledge, magic squares, numerology, Kabbalah, and various other esoteric principles.
A miracle he had prepared while the chaos unfolded on Earth. A stage set for the actors who had graced his stage.
"Come forth, heroes. Vanquish evil and save the world. Peace without sacrifice is meaningless. Offer your bodies as fertilizer, spill your blood like water, and burn your souls to illuminate the path."
This battle would be remembered as—
The final battle for the fate of the world.
A clash of beliefs between the Demonic Cult and the martial world alliance.
The last stand of heroes who sacrificed their lives to save a dying world.
"And when your will and desires reach the heavens, I shall descend and bring salvation to this land."
But in reality, it was all orchestrated by a single person.
The curtain rose on the 'Home Theater Rehearsal (Ganghwange Edition).'