Chapter 313: World's Enemy (5) |
This world is unfair.
Some are born with everything, while others have to survive with nothing.
And that doesn’t just apply to living beings.
Worlds are also different.
Some dimensions are filled with abundant energy and diverse magic, while others are relatively simple, and some have an excessive amount of energy but lack diversity.
But they all have one thing in common.
They all have a ‘god’ who manages and controls their world.
…Except for Earth, which is devoid of any mystical energy.
The Akasha System’s intervention, the awakening of individuals and their transfer to other worlds, isn’t just a blessing.
“Hmm.”
…A sudden surge of awareness, breaking through the fog of his mind.
Like emerging from a long tunnel, his senses sharpened, and he instinctively took a deep breath, looking around.
An empty, white… no, a colorless void, where even the concept of color was indistinct.
It was a familiar place, a space he had come to call home.
“…Tsk, Earth.”
An ageless, genderless voice echoed through the void.
More precisely, it was his personal domain, created to avoid Earth’s causality, but that was a trivial detail.
‘Hahoe Mask.’
He recalled the skeletal figure’s final moments, his sinister laughter as he plunged his hand into his own chest.
He hadn't expected to encounter him in another world.
And because of that unexpected variable, he had been forced to use a drastic method to escape, severing his connection to Auterica completely.
“I didn’t anticipate that. This isn’t going to be easy.”
The Master of Heaven’s Turn Society closed his eyes and clenched his fists.
He could feel an immense power surging within him, his body no longer restricted by the limitations of that world.
Goooo—
But… he couldn’t ignore the sense of loss that lingered in his heart.
Even though he had been prepared for it, it was still frustrating to see his efforts wasted, a part of his accumulated power gone.
‘…But it’s a good thing I learned about him before it was too late.’
Information was paramount.
In that sense, learning about his enemy, Hahoe Mask, the one who had been constantly disrupting his plans, was a valuable asset.
It was better to identify a potential threat early on, even at a cost.
…Or so he told himself.
He couldn’t afford to dwell on it. He might end up taking his frustration out on the wrong target.
He shook his head, dismissing the distracting thoughts, and took a step forward.
Crack—
A rift appeared before him.
And in the next moment, he was gone.
A spacious living area, filled with luxurious furniture, appliances, and decorations.
He casually walked towards the office, his footsteps silent.
He had returned to Earth. It was time to contact his subordinates and receive their reports.
He hadn’t been gone for long, so he didn’t expect any major changes…
“Wait, Oracle. Say that again.”
-…As you wish, Master.
…But in that short time, Heaven’s Turn Society on Earth had faced a series of devastating events.
-Shortly after your departure, Hahoe Mask attacked the Shanghai branch. Yulryeongja, the East Asia Branch Manager, was killed…
Oracle calmly reported the situation.
The ensuing chaos in China, the loss of several transcendent-level members… compared to the following incidents, they were minor setbacks.
“The European branch was attacked by a Korean vampire? And the Duke is dead? And Doctor too?”
-That is correct, Master.
The Master’s lips twitched involuntarily as Oracle confirmed his worst fears.
He had already been frustrated by his losses in Auterica, and now, upon his return, he was greeted with even more bad news.
“What about Doctor?”
-He’s in a regeneration pod after his… resurrection. He should be out in about a month, but…
“Make that two or three months.”
-I agree.
The Master tapped his fingers against the table, his eyes closed.
‘Not just Hahoe Mask, but Phantom as well?’
The fact that Doctor had been defeated by Phantom, the vampire he had tried to capture, wasn't important.
The scale of these recent incidents was completely different from the minor setbacks in Korea and Japan.
These weren't just annoyances in a remote corner of the world, they were direct threats to their main base of operations, their domain.
-And there’s one more thing…
“…What else?”
He had already heard enough bad news. What more could there be?
-I think it’s best if you see this for yourself.
As she spoke, several video files appeared on the monitor.
They were earlier incidents, chronologically speaking, but the deaths of the branch managers and Doctor had overshadowed them.
“That level of holy power, on Earth?”
The first video showed the aftermath of the hospital terrorist attack in Korea and a distant view of the holy power storm.
The Master’s eyes widened in interest.
It wasn’t much compared to his own angelic power, but it was still impressive for a human to wield such divine power.
And this was Earth, where the effects of holy power were severely limited.
‘At that level… considering the Earth’s restrictions… he’s probably on par with the Champion of Auterica I just encountered.’
He understood why Oracle was concerned.
It was definitely a noteworthy individual.
‘Wait.’
But then, as the video transitioned, revealing more information about the White Knight…
…the Master’s expression hardened.
Silence filled the room, the only sound the audio from the video.
-“Yes, I’m from what you call… Auterica. To be more precise, I’m not from Earth. I’m an otherworlder.”
It had been just a few hours ago.
How could he forget the one who had pierced his heart with a sword?
Of course, he hadn’t seen his face clearly, as he had been wearing a helmet…
-“I’m here to eradicate evil, according to God’s will. In all dimensions, including Auterica.”
…But that didn’t matter.
He stared at the young man in the video, his face gentle and kind as he gave his interview, then chuckled softly as he recognized the familiar armor.
“…Ha… Hahaha! This is… ridiculous.”
He couldn’t help but laugh.
He had thought he was just a champion of Auterica… but it was actually him.
An otherworlder who had come to Earth?
It wasn’t impossible, considering his own existence and Hahoe Mask.
He was personally skeptical, but he couldn't deny the possibility.
‘But from Auterica… Is it a coincidence?’
No way.
Even if that alone could be dismissed as a coincidence, the presence of Hahoe Mask made it impossible to ignore.
Coincidences, repeated multiple times, became inevitabilities.
And that suspicion turned into certainty as he saw the information about ‘Phantom’ that Oracle had sent as a reference.
He was wearing a mask, but his aura, like the White Knight’s, felt… familiar.
‘What went wrong? Why did things turn out like this?’
The Master leaned back in his chair, lost in thought.
He had always been the one manipulating the world, changing the flow of events… but he hadn’t anticipated this.
Such a significant shift in the world’s trajectory required a complex combination of factors.
Wasn’t that why Oracle constantly monitored each branch’s situation?
“…No, there were signs. Hahoe Mask’s appearance itself was unusual.”
An unknown dark mage, emerging from Korea, a blind spot in their surveillance, and displaying open hostility towards them.
He was the beginning of all the variables.
And perhaps… a true enemy.
Crack—
The Master stood up and took a step forward.
His body vanished into a spatial rift, retreating into his personal domain.
He had to minimize his presence on Earth to avoid affecting its causality.
‘But I’m not just going to sit back and do nothing.’
His plans might be disrupted, but his objective remained unchanged.
He would continue to expand his influence on Earth, accumulating divine power by devouring the possibilities of other dimensions.
If they were the saviors chosen by the world,
He was a rebel, defying fate.
The world’s enemy.
____________________
The feeling he currently felt could be summarized in a single word.
‘Satisfied.’
It wasn’t a physical feeling, a sense of fullness.
It was a mental satisfaction, a feeling of contentment.
After all…
『Karma Owned - 5,520,398』
…His once empty wallet was now overflowing.
How could he not feel satisfied?
‘I scraped together every last point before the battle against the Master…’
He hadn’t been able to afford to be stingy.
He had spent most of his Karma on enhancing his stats and skills, maximizing his chances of victory.
‘I only kept enough to use “Avatar Assembly” and “Skill Cooldown Reset”.’
And now, after everything was over, he had over 5.5 million points!
He couldn’t help but grin.
He sat down, his mind focused on how to use this newfound wealth.
‘Unique Skill Enhancement… Not yet. It hasn't been long since I acquired “Avatar Assembly”.’
The current cost was 2 million.
He had enough points, but it seemed like he needed more time before he could enhance it further.
‘Then…’
He was curious about 『Dimensional Barrier Weakening (6,000,000)』.
Based on his previous experience, it seemed to reduce the gap between dimensions.
Weakening the restrictions on holy power, abyssal magic, and summoning was just the tip of the iceberg.
‘I wouldn’t have been able to go to Ganghwange without it.’
Of course, it had been a combination of factors, but “Dimensional Barrier Weakening” had been a necessary component.
‘If I enhance it further…’
It would definitely weaken the restrictions even more.
And perhaps it would make it easier to use memories to travel to other worlds.
But what else could he expect…?
‘I’ll have to use it to find out.’
It shouldn’t take long.
His Karma was accumulating rapidly. He would be able to afford it soon.
But then,
His gaze fell on another item.
『Random Other Skill Acquisition (500,000)』
The random skill gacha.
Gulp—
He couldn’t help but swallow nervously.
He had acquired 「Xenoglossy」 and 「Sturdiness」 so far.
「Xenoglossy」 had been a jackpot, and 「Sturdiness」… a dud.
‘So, it’s a wash.’
It was a zero-sum game.
Which meant— this was just the beginning!
‘One more time.’
One last gamble.
…He had to recoup his losses.
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