Around the time the Executioner began clashing with the man called Lion Mask,
"Oracle, we have a problem."
Nagaraja, the Cheonbuhoe Southeast Asia Branch Manager, spoke urgently. The spatial lock here blocked all communication, but Cheonbuhoe had ways to bypass it.
-"Hmm, I've confirmed it. The flow of causality is going haywire. They're causing quite a commotion. What happened?"
"The Masquerade is here. Four of them."
-"Four? Well, that's within our expectations…"
"Three of them are presumed to be on par with the Executioner."
-"…Huh?"
Even the Oracle was speechless. Wasn't the Executioner the strongest fighter in Cheonbuhoe, besides the leader? Of course, he wasn't the second-in-command. There were others just as valuable, like the Oracle, who oversaw the organization's clandestine operations while observing the world's flow, and Dr., who possessed technology far surpassing current mystical knowledge, capable of creating complex spells and pocket dimensions. But even they acknowledged his unmatched fighting prowess, hence his title, 'Executioner'.
He was the blade that eliminated those who opposed Cheonbuhoe, in place of the immobile leader. The disaster Burning Torch faced was merely a repeat of what had happened countless times across the world.
"And you know what's even more surprising? Two of them are the Saint from another world and the vampire Phantom, whom we already know."
-"…They're that strong? That's impossible… Even if they've grown, to reach quasi-divinity…"
"Save the questions for later. Do you understand why I contacted you urgently?"
Nagaraja cut off the Oracle's contemplation and spoke again, as if this was the real reason for his call.
"Everyone here is about to die."
So do something before they all die. A cry for help.
-"…Just hold on. I'll take care of it."
The Oracle couldn't ignore this. The dispatched personnel were valuable assets. Especially the Executioner, who had sprouted divinity, and Nagaraja, a high-level Transcendent.
"Ah."
But his response wasn't a sigh of relief. It was a soft gasp.
-"…What is it now?"
"Hmm…"
The Oracle, sensing trouble, asked gravely, but Nagaraja couldn't speak. He was overwhelmed by the majestic sight unfolding before him.
"…If you're going to do something, do it quickly."
A wave of light surged in, as if declaring a sanctuary in this space. Holy power swept through, healing the injured Burning Torch executives and pressing down on the Cheonbuhoe members.
Flash
A being radiating immense presence, standing at the center of this miracle, sharply pierced his vision.
"…Or we'll all be dead before you can do anything."
A being he had encountered several times as a branch manager. But not with the familiar sunset glow, but a platinum light like the dawn. An angel raised its sword of judgment,
Looking directly at them.
Mimic, a Cheonbuhoe Transcendent wearing the same face as the middle-aged man with a short beard, the leader of Burning Torch, frowned.
'This is dangerous.'
The Executioner had a clear advantage in his fight. He would eventually win, even if it took time. But the problem was that he wasn't the only enemy.
"Hmm, you're Mimic, I believe? …I see. You haven't been fully absorbed yet."
Mimic flinched at his opponent's words. A pair of golden eyes, like the sun, stared into his very being, unwavering even while facing multiple Transcendents.
'Damn it, I thought things were going too well. How did he know?'
Mimic gritted his teeth, feeling exposed. He had hidden it so well! Until he arrived here and started the mission, following the Oracle's summons, everything had been going smoothly. He was pleased with his role this time. It allowed him to consume the President, a powerful being he couldn't have faced alone. To absorb another's existence and steal everything they had accumulated, mimicking them perfectly. That was the unique skill that allowed him to transcend.
'Ugh, that damn holy power is increasing the resistance!'
Of course, such a cheat ability had limitations. It took time to fully digest, and the probability of failure was extremely high unless he personally subdued the target.
'Damn it, at a time like this… Be still!'
Although he succeeded in the absorption thanks to the other Transcendents, he was struggling to digest the higher-ranked target since he had merely piggybacked on the Executioner's prey. It would probably take years to fully digest him at this rate. He had thought he wouldn't need to fight since the Cheonbuhoe forces mobilized for this operation were so powerful, especially with the infamous Executioner…
"I was a bit disappointed, but this works out well. If their leader returns, Burning Torch will become more useful."
But facing the angel looking at him with a sword of light, its eyes devoid of holiness and filled with bloodlust, he realized he couldn't afford to be complacent.
Boom!
The giant pillar of light flying towards him triggered his survival instincts. He had to act, or it would be the end.
"Isolation zone! Reinforced barrier! Sever connection! Reactive force field… Ugh!"
He coughed up blood as his defenses, utilizing various abilities stolen from powerful beings, shattered. And the more he used his powers, the stronger the internal resistance became, making it impossible to focus.
"Designate coordinates, amplify energy, deploy anti-divinity barrier!"
"Nothing can touch me, Absolute Shield!"
"Activate trap card—Infinite Mirror Corridor!"
He was only holding on because his companions were among the strongest on Earth. And the combination of various mysteries from different worlds, woven together for maximum efficiency, was Cheonbuhoe's specialty.
Clang!
Their actions weren't limited to defense. A giant's hand, erupting from the ground, swung a light-wreathed blade, gravity intensified, creating openings, and a spear, slithering like a snake, aimed for vital points.
"Impressive…"
Even Heinrich couldn't help but admire their coordination. They didn't crumble easily despite the difference in rank. They, too, were Transcendents who had overcome countless life-or-death struggles. Each one a hero of their own world, beings who had been calamities.
'And my lack of experience is a significant factor.'
Unlike Heinrich, who had quickly reached his current level thanks to loopholes and luck in a relatively safe environment, they all had at least a decade of experience in life-or-death battles and training. They were combat veterans, accustomed to pushing their abilities beyond their limits. It wasn't strange for them to put up such a fight against him, who lacked experience despite his overwhelming power.
'…Well, this is also an opportunity.'
Heinrich's gaze hardened. His breath slowed, his senses sharpened, and everything around him became clearer. He began to analyze and understand the meaning behind their actions, searching for the 'answer', instead of simply overwhelming them with power.
'There's no better training partner than this. It will be helpful when facing the Cheonbuhoe leader.'
It was the same reason Harley insisted on fighting the Executioner one-on-one. He had been too focused on efficiency, neglecting to maximize his individual potential. Simply increasing his power without honing his skills would only make him a large, inefficient being. His change in mindset began to manifest. Nagaraja, the Cheonbuhoe East Asia Branch Manager, who had been leading the fight against the angel, froze, his expression hardening.
'What the…!'
The numerous openings, which had seemed ridiculous compared to his opponent's power, were disappearing in real time. Attacks that worked once didn't work the second time. Modified attacks were thoroughly blocked the next time. He was absorbing and adapting to their best efforts at an incredible speed. It was hard to tell if this was a life-or-death battle or a debugging process.
The others' expressions also darkened.
'Even with a higher rank, learning ability is a different matter!'
It only worsened with time. They had been correcting their mistakes based on his feedback, but now they were forced to find answers to his questions. His moves were like questions. How should I counter this attack? What about this one? How should I defend against this if he bypasses my counter?
"Gah! Damn it…!"
The escalating exchange finally broke Mimic, who had been desperately clinging on despite the strain. He collapsed, coughing up blood, and his face began to distort, something wriggling beneath his skin. As if something was about to burst out. It was like a scene from a horror movie.
'I should retrieve him first.'
Both sides would be vulnerable during the separation process. It wouldn't hurt to help him slightly with holy power. He didn't care about Mimic, but the President was a valuable… subordinate, who would fight Cheonbuhoe alongside him.
Whoosh
His six wings unfolded, and a brilliant light enveloped the area. And the next moment,
Mimic was in his grasp. Cheonbuhoe tried to intervene, but it was meaningless. They were already struggling, and now they had to protect someone? But Heinrich, infusing Mimic with holy power, realized there was another reason.
'Hmm? This is…'
He sensed an artificial flow while injecting the holy power. An unknown force helping the President separate from Mimic intact. His senses reached out, tracing the source. And he found—
'Ann? This sensation… It's similar to when I cut through space and entered. Did she use this method back then?'
It was Ann, at the center of the executives who had barely managed to recover thanks to his intervention. Having conserved her energy, she unleashed her ability again at the right moment.
The effect was immediate.
"Ugh—! Gaaaaah—!"
The failure of a forced ability activation always came with a backlash. If there was no or minimal backlash, it meant the ability was used within its limits. It didn't apply to Mimic, who tried to consume a higher-ranked being without proper 'karma'.
Rip
As if a soul was being extracted from a body, or a humanoid slime splitting, the single being became two. Fortunately, it wasn't a gruesome scene like in a horror movie.
"Ugh, cough! Gah!"
A man, too emaciated to guess his age, gasped for air. That must be Mimic's original form. His mummified appearance was likely due to having most of his nutrients stolen. And the other one was…
"Frey!"
Ann's voice came from behind him. …That must be the real President.
Heinrich couldn't help but be surprised.
'Huh? Really?'
The burly, bearded middle-aged man was gone, replaced by a beautiful, healthy-looking woman lying on the ground,
Also half-naked.
'A woman? But the President, Freddy, was a man… Wait, Frey?'
Ann's shout echoed in his mind. And he remembered what she said after Cheonbuhoe appeared, while observing through Ken's senses.
-"I'm asking what happened to the President—to Frey—!"
'I thought she mispronounced it because she was flustered.'
Was that her real name? He looked at her with a strange expression, covered her with a blanket from subspace, and looked away. The funny thing was, he wasn't the only one surprised.
"Who is that? The President?"
"She's a woman? Ann! What's going on?"
"Mimic…! …Is that really the President?"
"…Did Mimic really not know?"
Not only the other Burning Torch executives, but even the Cheonbuhoe Transcendents, who had captured the President for their disguise,
Were all bewildered.
'A transformation-type unique skill?'
Even Mimic seemed unaware, perhaps because the absorption wasn't complete. Perhaps the incomplete absorption was due to the false shell he wore.
'Well, it doesn't matter.'
They had recovered the President, a high-level Transcendent and the leader of Burning Torch, and neutralized a dangerous Cheonbuhoe member! All that remained was to deal with the rest.
'I still feel a bit lacking… but I can't stay here forever. There will be other opportunities.'
The executives, including Ann, who cautiously approached him, took care of the unconscious President. Ken, who had been avoiding the holy power, and Harris, who had been investigating the interior, also joined them.
"Shall we finish this?"
The moment Heinrich raised his sword again,
Crackle
A crack appeared in the barrier that had sealed this space.