An office, lavishly decorated.
“The tracking failed again?”
Yulryeongja, the man sitting before the monitor, frowned as he read the report, a sigh escaping his lips.
His cybernetic eye continued to scan the information about the hospital terrorist attack and the holy knight in white armor, meticulously organizing and storing it in his mind.
‘Korea again. And holy power this time…’
-The origin of the holy power is still unknown.
-Therefore, his origin dimension is either unknown or a recently discovered one.
Having confirmed that last part once more, Yulryeongja rubbed his forehead, a troubled expression on his face, and leaned back in his chair.
The incident was a major topic in Korea, and naturally, the Society was keeping a close eye on the situation, gathering information almost in real time.
The appearance of a new powerhouse, especially one wielding the rare holy power, was a significant variable.“Hahoe Mask, that vampire Heinz, and now a paladin on the Archbishop's level? This is ridiculous.”
Yulryeongja scoffed, a hint of disbelief in his voice.
While the appearance of powerful returnees wasn't uncommon globally, the timing and location were unusual.
‘It hasn’t even been six months since Hahoe Mask appeared. And now three named returnees have emerged from the same region, one after another?’
This couldn't be just a coincidence.
It was more plausible to assume that there was something special about that small peninsula.
‘And we failed to track him again.’
Moreover, his behavior pattern was similar to the previous ones.
Even though Heaven’s Turn Society’s Korean branch was lying low, their intelligence network was still quite extensive. He was confident in their information gathering abilities…
‘Could this be why Oracle warned us to be cautious in Korea?’
Yulryeongja clicked his tongue and activated the secure communication channel accessible only to branch managers.
The holy knight’s presence was a potential threat, so he needed to take measures.
‘Pantheon’s Korean branch is also searching for him.’
Pantheon, the interdimensional religious alliance, valued those with strong holy power, as their internal structure was relatively loose, based on their shared faith rather than a strict hierarchy.
And now, a cleric with potentially world-class holy power had appeared in Korea.
‘If we can recruit him, it would be beneficial, whether as a figurehead or for expanding our influence.’
And that was also true for the Society.
Recruiting such a talented individual was their top priority.
It was a blow to his pride to ask for help from another branch, but having experienced several failures, he prioritized practicality over personal prestige. ṟάℕȯꞖΕş
“Let’s expand the scope of the search.”
He sent a message through the secured channel.
From: Yulryeongja, Head of East Asia Branch, Heaven’s Turn Society.
To: Scribe, Head of North America Branch, Heaven’s Turn Society.
And the recipient of his message…
Was located at Pantheon’s headquarters.
______________________
‘It’s getting a bit too heated. I need to create a solid alibi soon.’
Having returned home after his outing, I checked the online reactions and shrugged.
He had been at the scene, so it could become a problem if someone with OCD decided to conduct a thorough investigation…
‘But that’s not a concern. I can easily bypass any surveillance with my new ability.’
The consecutive unique skill enhancements he had purchased before sending Hugo to Ganghwange.
The 1.3 million point enhancement had resulted in a passive buff for “Individual Projection”.
And the 1.4 million point enhancement had granted him…
…The ability to remotely summon his avatars.
He could now summon his avatars within a 30-kilometer radius, not just in his immediate vicinity.
Of course, he still needed to be able to perceive the destination to ensure a precise summoning, but being able to instantly dispatch his avatars to any location within that range was a significant advantage.
Living on the outskirts of Seoul, his range now covered practically the entire city, along with parts of Incheon and Suwon.
‘If it grows stronger, I might even be able to send my avatars anywhere in the world. It’s a shame the avatar count didn’t increase, but I have enough for now.’
His avatars were busily working in their respective fields.
Those who had gathered in Tarak had returned to their original locations, Hubert and Diana were back at the Trading Company headquarters, and Howard was working on a new suit based on the data from the previous prototype.
‘It’s convenient that the Interdimensional Transfer Formation’s cooldown is only five days. It’s only two… no, just a day and a half left.’
Of course, he could manage without it, as he had always done… but having a safety net made a big difference.
It was better to be prepared than to scramble for a solution in the midst of a crisis.
‘Now that the Revolutionary is gone, there shouldn’t be any major threats in Auterica.’
I smiled and headed to the gym for my daily upper body workout.
______________________
After the large-scale battle between the hero party and the Immortal King in Tarak,
News of the incident quickly spread throughout the world.
And naturally, it reached the Azerion imperial family.
And Riley, having received the report…
“…So, I’ll have to leave for a while.”
“Really?”
…shared the information with Hesperon.
“I was planning to visit the Grand Temple for the Pope’s funeral anyway, and it's not often that so many high-ranking individuals gather in one place.”
The Pope’s funeral, initially a private ceremony held within the temple, was now open to outsiders for condolences.
And it coincided with the recent incident.
“So, they’re also planning to hold a strategy meeting while everyone is gathered. It’s practically a third summit, even if it’s unofficial.”
“Then you have to go. You’re the Crown Princess now, the Empire’s representative.”
“…W-well, yes.”
The reason Riley seemed so downcast about this official duty was because she couldn’t bring Hesperon with her.
Having spent almost every day together, the thought of being separated for an extended period made her uneasy.
“I wish there was a way…”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s not worth causing trouble over something like this. You’ll see Master there anyway.”
“But…”
The purpose of this trip was to attend the Pope’s funeral and participate in the strategy meeting.
She had a duty to fulfill as the leader of the Empire’s delegation, and she couldn’t bring her ‘lover’, who had no official position or title, to such an important event.
Regardless of their actual relationship, it wouldn’t look good to the public.
It was different from when Hesperon had accompanied the hero party to the Roselia Temple during the second summit.
‘I could push for it, since I’m Master’s disciple… but it’s not worth creating unnecessary drama.’
Being a disciple of an Archmage or a savior of the Crown Princess didn’t justify his inclusion in the official delegation.
Hesperon shrugged and, to appease Riley, offered a compromise.
“I’ll see you off on the day you leave. And I’ll be there to greet you when you return. It’s not a problem to accompany you for a short while, is it?”
“…Hmm, well… No, I would appreciate that.”
She nodded slowly, a faint smile on her face.
Her security detail had been significantly reinforced since being unofficially appointed as Crown Princess.
This time, a master-level knight and an Archmage, both stronger than Hesperon, would be accompanying the delegation… but he had saved her several times, so his presence would be reassuring.
And after some time,
Shortly after the hospital terrorist attack and Heinrich’s debut on Earth,
The day of Riley’s departure for the Roselia Temple arrived.
______________________
Jeron Grand Temple, located on the outskirts of the imperial capital.
“Have a safe trip, Your Highness. I’ll be waiting.”
“Yes.”
Hesperon, having accompanied her to the temple entrance, bowed politely.
Riley nodded and, with a calm and composed demeanor, led her delegation into the temple.
Her confident strides exuded the charisma of a future emperor… but to Hesperon, who remembered her pouting and complaining just yesterday, she just seemed cute.
As the imperial delegation disappeared inside,
“Alright—! Some alone time! Wait, this is actually my first time being alone, isn’t it?”
Hesperon stretched and turned to leave the temple.
‘I was with Riley as soon as I entered the Immortal Fortress, then with the hero party… and then back with Riley in the imperial palace.’
He had been created for this purpose, but it still felt strange.
Especially since he had spent most of his time in the imperial palace chatting with Riley or training.
‘Well, my ultimate goal is to acquire Karma and increase my level.’
This was Jeron, the capital of the Azerion Empire.
One of the largest and most important cities in Auterica.
And yet, all he could remember…
‘Excluding the time I spent in the imperial palace, and just the trips themselves…’
…was the Immortal King’s attack and the chaos that followed.
And the incident where he had protected Riley on their way back from the second summit.
‘I’ve been living a pretty boring life.’
He could have at least done some sightseeing.
Of course, he wasn’t planning to wander around the city now.
Even though it had only been three years since he arrived in Auterica, the density of time he had experienced was far greater than others.
He was long past the stage of being impressed by a bustling city.
“Hmm, I should get back. I have things to do.”
Hesperon touched the eyepatch covering his right eye and, shrugging, boarded the waiting carriage.
And as the carriage began to move, he silently organized his thoughts and plans.
Thanks to the steady training and the Growth Elixir, he was now quite comfortable using his new abilities.
With the “Craving Right Arm” at the core, combined with his other skills and the magic tools, he was confident he could even hold his own against a master-level opponent.
‘Well, I would still lose in a real fight.’
His attack power, amplified by the curse, was sufficient, but his defense was lacking.
That was why he was currently working with the imperial summoners to find a suitable summon to compensate for his weakness.
One that wouldn’t be repelled by the powerful curse residing in his arm, something attuned to negative energy.
‘So, I’m back to searching for a summon. I have another plan in mind, but… I need more time for that.’
As he pondered his future, he sighed and reached for the carriage window.
He wasn’t planning to go sightseeing, but he wanted to at least enjoy the view.
Clank—
But the window wouldn’t open.
“Hmm?”
Clank— Clank—
He tried a few more times, but it was still locked.
Something more than just physical force was preventing him from opening it. Magic.
His mind cleared, his senses sharpening as he realized the implications.
Rumble—!
And at that moment, the carriage suddenly accelerated, its speed increasing dramatically.
The enhanced suspension of the luxury carriage couldn’t fully absorb the impact, and the interior shook violently, as if in the midst of an earthquake.
There was no time to hesitate.
Crack—!
He immediately unsealed the bandages on his right arm—.
Kaboom—!
…And burst through the side of the carriage.
He landed safely, using the black threads that erupted from his hand to mitigate the impact.
It was a spectacular escape, a display of destructive power and precise control… but he couldn’t bring himself to smile.
“…So, you’re not just relying on tricks and tools.”
A group of masked figures surrounded him.
But the one who spoke, the only one without a mask, was a familiar face.
‘Ah, not again… This is becoming a trauma…’
It seemed like he was cursed to encounter trouble in this city.
Hesperon sighed, looking at the familiar face.
Staub, the one responsible for the loss of his eye and the curse on his arm, the mastermind behind the attempted assassination of the Crown Princess.
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