Chapter 348: Chapter 348

A ferocious roar ripped through the air, like a missile launch, tearing through the atmosphere.

But it wasn’t caused by any technology, magic, or even a special weapon.

Its source was pure physical strength.

The pinnacle of brute force, generated by a single human fist.

…Though whether that being could truly be called human was debatable.

She had been charging forward relentlessly, like a runaway train…

And yet, she had been pushed back.

Even after neutralizing most of the damage with the holy shield’s divine protection!

It was… unbelievable.

‘Ugh, what is this? Where did he come from…?’

A barbarian, over two meters tall, his body covered in outlandish tattoos and strange attire.

She glared at the muscular giant who stood before her, gritting her teeth.

She had thought it was over.

If she could just stall for a little longer, her reinforcements would arrive and seal off the area, and then she would make that arrogant infidel pay for his insolence…

But it had all fallen apart in less than a minute.

A trial she had been confident of overcoming had turned into a desperate, life-or-death struggle.

And it was all because of those two monsters who had suddenly appeared.

“Haha! You blocked it? You’re a pretty good punching bag! Let’s pick up the pace, shall we?”

The barbarian grinned, his mouth stretching unnaturally wide, and then lowered his stance, clenching his fists.

A strange, metallic groaning sound echoed from his body.

Was that even possible for a living being?

His incredibly dense muscles flexed and contracted, and steam rose from his reddening skin.

“Oh, my Lord! Grant me the strength to overcome any adversity!”

But Scribe was also a powerful combat priest, her strength amplified by her faith.

Her holy power surged within her, igniting like a raging inferno, and a brilliant light, like a miniature sun, enveloped the head of her hammer.

Her hammer, swung in a wide arc, collided head-on with his fist, and the resulting shockwave, an overwhelming pressure, pressed down on the surroundings, causing the formation Harris had reinforced to scream in protest.

“Wow! You’re pretty strong! It’s been a while since I broke a bone! Hahaha!”

“…Monster! A mere fracture from clashing with the Hammer of God? Wait, it’s already healed?”

“Ah, I regenerate quickly!”

They exchanged words, their faces close, their voices filled with a savage intensity.

Scribe, her hammer blazing like a miniature sun, and Harley, his fist meeting her attack head-on, their bodies locked in a fierce struggle.

The vast difference in their sizes seemed irrelevant.

But there was a variable—.

She wasn’t just fighting the giant before her.

A cold voice, and then a sharp pain in her back.

A stealthy attack from behind, tearing through her holy armor, splattering blood.

She had sensed his presence and twisted her body at the last moment, but she had been vulnerable after her previous attack, her mind distracted, her defenses down.

“Ugh! You cowardly demons…!”

She gritted her teeth, suppressing the blood magic power that was seeping into her wound, and retreated, unleashing a wave of holy power.

If it wasn’t for her holy power advantage, that single attack would have ripped out her heart.

‘My regeneration is slow. A curse that weakens healing…? I need time. If this continues…!’

But her trials weren’t over yet.

Explosions, like the ones she had experienced before, rained down on her, exploiting her weakened state.

Beams of light, silent and swift, struck her body, despite her hasty defense.

“Kyaa! As expected of a holy power user! You’re quite durable!”

The humanoid monster, its body expanding as it activated its transformation ability, rejoined the fray.

“Tsk, Divine Possession, huh? The blood isn’t very effective. Two minutes… no, a little under three? I’ll have to hurry if I want to finish this in five minutes.”

The Vampire Monarch, spitting out the mouthful of blood he had taken, vanished into thin air.

Each of them was a transcendent being, a formidable opponent even in a one-on-one fight.

And they were working together seamlessly, like a single entity, relentlessly cornering their prey, Scribe.

‘…How? Why? How did this happen? Were they working together from the beginning? I didn’t even sense their approach…’

Scribe’s mind raced, her thoughts a chaotic mess as she struggled against the relentless onslaught, her movements sluggish and uncoordinated.

The monster before her, blocking her path, seemed indestructible, and the vampire’s stealth attacks and the sniper’s bombardment were rapidly depleting her seemingly limitless holy power.

“Ugh… Oh, my Lord… Forgive your unworthy servant…”

That’s how long it took for her to finally fall to her knees, her resistance broken.

Near San Francisco, California.

“Quickly! Prepare the barrier! Don’t let your guard down!”

Several cars screeched to a halt, and numerous figures, dressed in various attire, emerged and quickly dispersed, their movements coordinated and efficient.

They naturally formed several groups.

“Spatial distortion detected. This is the epicenter!”

“Let’s begin. What about Pantheon?”

“They’re preparing to enter. They’re prioritizing the safety of their executive.”

“Make sure we cooperate with them. We don’t want to offend those sensitive fanatics.”

They were from different organizations, working together out of necessity.

Agents from the California state government, Guardians from the US Returnee Association, and clerics from Pantheon’s San Francisco headquarters.

But their objective was the same.

To rescue Adeline Schneider, a member of Pantheon’s Steering Committee, one of their highest-ranking officials.

“To think they would attack a member of Pantheon’s leadership… They’re quite bold. It must be the work of an evil god’s followers.”

“Well, there’s been a lot of talk about them lately. And that otherworlder Saint who summoned a dragon…”

“Ah! Speaking of which, could this be related? Did Heaven’s Turn Society…?”

With so many awakened individuals gathered, it didn’t take long for them to pinpoint the source of the spatial distortion and erect a barrier, preparing to enter.

It had only been a little over ten minutes since they detected the anomaly and arrived here.

Their rapid response was thanks to their prior suspicions and preparations.

The Pantheon clerics were the first to enter the formation.

Their priority was the safety of their executive, not setting up traps or preventing the culprit’s escape.

And as they entered the distorted space, filled with anticipation and apprehension, they were greeted by…

…a scene of utter devastation.

Trees, uprooted and charred, their branches broken and blackened.

Boulders, shattered into countless fragments, their original forms unrecognizable.

The earth itself, cracked and torn, a massive crater revealing its exposed innards.

It was clear that something… extraordinary had happened here.

“This level of destruction… If it weren’t for the barrier…”

“The surrounding area would have been devastated. There would have been countless casualties.”

“That’s not important! Is Scribe-nim… Adeline Schneider… is she alright?!”

“We have to find her…!”

They quickly recovered from their initial shock and began searching the area.

And then, after a frantic search, using their various sensory and tracking abilities, they were forced to face an unbelievable reality.

“Any luck? Did you find her?”

“Ugh, same here. There are so many traces, and yet, we can’t find anything!”

They couldn’t find anything.

Not with psychometry, not with clairvoyance, not with tracking… nothing worked.

“…It’s been completely erased. The culprit must have taken measures.”

“Does that mean… Scribe-nim is already…”

“No! That’s impossible! She’s one of America’s strongest, a high-ranking member of Pantheon! She couldn’t have been defeated so easily…!”

They tried to deny it, but the evidence was undeniable.

Even after the barrier was completely dispelled and the others joined them, they couldn't find anything.

“This level of concealment… This is unbelievable.”

“A complete erasure, undetectable even with supernatural abilities. And the power required… it’s at least transcendent-level… I don’t know who could possibly see through this.”

“The barrier, the information erasure, and the traces of battle… It wasn’t a single individual.”

They even called in specialists, experts in tracking and sensory perception, but they couldn't find anything.

The terrorist attack on Pantheon’s executive remained a mystery.

And it served as a warning, not just to the other members of the Steering Committee, but also to the leaders of other factions.

A chilling premonition, a sense of dread, as they realized the existence of an unknown, powerful force lurking in the shadows.

‘It was worth the investment.’

A five-minute time limit.

It was a tight schedule, even against a transcendent being empowered by Divine Possession.

They gained access to a near-infinite supply of holy power, and their abilities were amplified significantly…

‘But there’s strength in numbers.’

He had been slightly concerned when Harris was alone, but with the additional reinforcements, it had been surprisingly easy.

It wasn't just a cliché, there was a reason why heroes always outnumbered the villains.

‘And thanks to Heinz the Second, we were able to erase all traces.’

「Existence Denial」, a skill that had reached its peak, was incredibly effective for cleaning up the aftermath.

With Heinz the Second’s enhanced power, a Divine Blood vampire with a nascent divine spark, no one could detect the remnants of their battle, unless the Master of Heaven’s Turn Society himself appeared.

‘Harley, the tank, Harris, the long-range DPS and support, and Heinz the Second, the melee DPS. Not a bad combination. …And this will be a significant blow to Heaven’s Turn Society.’

I nodded slowly, a satisfied smile on my face.

Eliminating Scribe, the Master’s apostle, the head of Heaven’s Turn Society’s North America branch, and a member of Pantheon’s Steering Committee, was a major accomplishment.

It would also increase Heinrich’s influence within Pantheon.

‘…And that’s not all.’

I closed my eyes, leaning back in my chair.

Scribe, the Master’s apostle.

A high-ranking cleric, capable of channeling his divine power and even using Divine Possession.

Naturally, his body and soul contained a wealth of information about the Master.

‘I’ll analyze every last bit of it.’

And he had the perfect expert for the job.

The best in the world… no, the best in all dimensions.