Chapter 366: Chapter 366

He was using every means at his disposal, within the limits of his current situation.

Summoning Harris, the High Elf of the Elven Kingdom, and Hesperon, the guest of the Azerion Imperial Palace, was part of that plan.

‘Of course, even with prior notice, they can’t stay away for too long. They should finish their tasks quickly and return.’

They weren't the only ones involved.

“All units are in position, Lord. We’ve also notified the lower-ranking organizations, so they won’t dare to act recklessly. Even if Heaven’s Turn Society tries to exploit the chaos, they won’t succeed.”

“Good. Inform them that there will be no mercy for those who cause trouble. I’m in a very bad mood right now.”

Inside a back alley, a strange silence, a stark contrast to the chaos engulfing Seoul,

‘I didn’t expect this. They’re not just using ordinary explosives.’

It was a disposable magic tool, a one-time use explosive device he had managed to retrieve just before it detonated, thanks to his enhanced senses and 「Insight」.

It seemed to be well-concealed and protected, but once he became aware of its existence, it couldn’t escape his control.

‘This is… excessive. Why would they go this far? What are they thinking?’

This was more serious than he had anticipated.

Even if they were provoked by Korea and Howard Industry’s actions, this level of coordinated attack would be a significant burden for Heaven’s Turn Society.

‘This is the capital of a developed nation. The time and resources required to prepare for this… it’s astronomical. To just… throw it all away …’

And this incident would also increase the global sense of unease and fear surrounding the unknown enemy.

Especially with the recent attack on a Pantheon executive in the US…

‘…I’ll do what I can for now. My main body should stay out of this. Even with Hans’s “Individual Projection”, I’d be at a disadvantage if the Master of Heaven’s Turn Society appeared personally.’

He had made the right decision, prioritizing investigation and tracking over direct confrontation.

Of course, if the situation became truly dire, he could always summon Hans and the other avatars… but that was a last resort.

‘I need the others to create a diversion, to draw attention away from my main body. I can’t miss this opportunity. Now that they’ve revealed themselves, I’ll eradicate their presence in Korea, root and stem.’

As he was reaffirming his resolve,

Jin So-ran, who had been communicating with her subordinates through telepathy, frowned and approached him.

“Lord, we’ve detected suspicious activity in Gangseo District. A level 6 executive is currently investigating…”

He had been planning to move anyway.

He could attract more attention by dealing with the incidents along the way.

And with his speed, he would still arrive at his destination in time.

“Tell me the details on the way.”

Heinz, ignoring her reply, shot towards the west.

A crimson streak of light, a gust of wind, flashed through the Seoul night sky.

Wherever he passed, the raging flames subsided, the debris blocking the survivors’ paths crumbled into dust, and the bombs, waiting to explode, were deactivated and disintegrated.

It was enough to attract attention, but he wasn’t planning to stop there.

In the midst of the devastated area, a scene of chaos and destruction,

…a brilliant light suddenly erupted.

A warm, comforting light, not blinding but gentle and soothing, enveloped the surroundings.

And as everyone’s gaze was drawn to its source, a figure, wreathed in light, stepped forward, emerging from the radiance.

A tall, imposing figure, clad in beautiful, white armor.

A rhythmic metallic clang echoed with each step, and a gentle aura, emanating from him, soothed the exhausted and injured survivors.

The citizens, lying injured and exhausted, recognized him and began to stir.

Even those who were barely conscious, groaning in pain, and those who were clutching their loved ones, their faces streaked with tears, looked up at him with hope in their eyes.

“P-please… my mother…!”

Heinrich, the focus of their desperate pleas, responded immediately.

He drew his holy sword, its blade radiating a brilliant light.

Its elegant form, held in his calloused hands, pierced the asphalt, creating a small crater.

“Main God, grant your mercy upon these poor lambs…”

He muttered a prayer, and then, his 「Grand Blessing: Wings of Radiance」 activated.

…a miracle, a testament to the existence of God, manifested.

Holy power, surging from the holy sword, amplified by his wings of light, spread outwards, engulfing the area in a wave of platinum radiance.

The exhausted regained their strength, the injured were healed, and those on the verge of death took a deep, steady breath.

“Ah! Thank you! Thank you!”

“Saint-nim! Thank you!”

Hope blossomed in the hearts of those who had been consumed by despair.

They had been touched by a divine power, a comforting presence in their darkest hour.

Of course, not everyone could be saved.

“S-Saint-nim! Please… my mother…!”

Even Heinrich couldn’t resurrect the dead.

He shook his head sadly, his face grim, and offered a silent prayer for the victims.

But he couldn’t stay here for long.

There were countless others who needed his help, in hospitals, temporary shelters, and at the scenes of the attacks.

He couldn’t afford to waste time.

He moved on to the next location, guided by the information gathered by Hesperon’s 「Cybernetic Eye: Callicas」.

It was going to be a long and busy day.

It wasn’t just the superhumans who were active during this national emergency.

The Association and the Guardians, rescuing civilians and neutralizing threats.

Awakened individuals affiliated with the government, regardless of their affiliation, using their abilities to help.

Priests of Pantheon, providing medical assistance and healing the injured.

And even ordinary people, firefighters, police officers, and brave citizens, risking their lives to help others, despite their lack of supernatural abilities.

Countless people had stepped forward amidst the chaos, and thanks to their efforts, the situation was rapidly stabilizing.

The initial panic and confusion, caused by the simultaneous attacks across the city, were subsiding, and the problems were being addressed one by one.

And there were those who were observing the situation from beginning to end, recording and analyzing the data—.

“The Lightning Empress is stronger than we anticipated. She wasn’t this powerful during her fight against Alpha…”

“Is it because of that ‘Mjolnir’ she acquired? This is troublesome. I’ll have to discard all the data we’ve gathered.”

“Black Smoke of the Supernatural Management Bureau didn’t appear… and the Association President’s abilities haven’t changed much. Should we consider this a fortunate development?”

A large basement, illuminated by the glow of numerous monitors.

A man with an unremarkable appearance sat at the head of the table, stroking his chin thoughtfully as the others exchanged information.

Various data, gathered from various sources, were displayed on the monitors.

‘Hahoe Mask and Phantom. They control Korea’s underworld, so their involvement was expected. But… was the Saint’s appearance a coincidence? Or does he have a way of monitoring the situation in Korea from another world…?’

He stared at one of the screens, lost in thought, then turned his head to look at another monitor.

Photos and information about the newly appeared individuals were displayed there.

Two figures stood out.

“A helmeted figure, presumed to be an elemental spirit summoner, and a… hospitalized hero in a power suit.”

The power suit user’s abilities seemed to be based on magic tools rather than his own power, but the spirit summoner was highly likely, almost certainly, a transcendent being.

He couldn't be sure if these were all the hidden masters in Korea, but discovering another transcendent was a significant gain.

‘How many transcendents are there in this small country?’

He clicked his tongue and shook his head in disbelief.

This operation had multiple objectives.

Various secondary goals were intertwined… but the main purpose was to assess Korea’s potential, the enemy’s main base of operations.

After all, Heaven’s Turn Society’s previous failures had been mainly due to their lack of information about their enemy, hadn't they?

His mission was to gather as much information as possible: their numbers, their abilities, their weaknesses, their reactions to unexpected situations…

The higher-ups would deal with the potential consequences.

They had given him these orders knowing the risks.

‘It’s a shame it ended so quickly. I could have gathered more data if it had lasted longer.’

With so many transcendent beings involved, the situation had been resolved quickly.

The initial damage from the bombings, and the potential secondary disasters like fires, gas leaks, and chain explosions, had been swiftly contained.

‘If only they had used a nuclear bomb…’

He could have acquired one if he had wanted to, but it was still too early for such drastic measures.

He didn’t have the authority to launch such an operation. He was just in charge of the Korean branch, which had been severely weakened.

‘It can’t be helped. I’ll end the operation here.’

He smacked his lips, a hint of disappointment in his voice, then stood up and clapped his hands.

The others, who had been discussing the situation, turned to look at him.

“We’ll conclude the operation here. You’ve all worked hard, despite the difficult circumstances.”

They were all valuable assets of the Korean branch, elites who had survived the relentless purges and proven their worth.

Of course, there were others who weren’t present due to their missions… but these were still more than half of the remaining members.

“Confirm the data backup and erase all traces. Then disband…”

This place was a hideout, a gathering place for the remnants of Heaven’s Turn Society’s Korean branch.

[“Who said you could leave?”]

…And a clue to tracking down the others who had escaped and gone into hiding.

A chilling voice, as if emanating from the depths of hell.

An overwhelming pressure, like a physical force, pressed down on them, their bodies stiffening.

Those who reacted quickly tried to resist, but the invisible force, unleashed simultaneously with the voice, paralyzed them, preventing them from even moving a finger.

The temperature in the basement plummeted, a layer of frost forming on their bodies, their movements slowing, their senses dulled.

It was dark magic, suppressing their life functions without actually killing them.

[“Kuh— I didn’t expect this. To think they were hiding in the DMZ.”]

And as they were all subdued,

…a figure slowly emerged from the shadows that had engulfed the floor.

A being cloaked in darkness, its entire body wreathed in a black aura.

Ghostly flames flickered in its eyes as it scanned the surroundings.

The bare concrete walls, devoid of any decoration, were covered in complex magical sigils, and even the electronic devices emitted a strange, otherworldly aura.

‘…Devices incorporating the technology of this world. Practically magic tools. And a self-sustaining power source?’

He wondered how they had managed to acquire and transport all these materials without being detected.

And this was close to North Korea, not South Korea…

‘…No, they’ve already infiltrated China. North Korea wouldn’t be much different.’

The DMZ, the border between North and South Korea, was heavily guarded, especially after the emergence of Awakened individuals.

Even the rumored transcendent being of the Supernatural Management Bureau was said to be stationed there permanently.

‘Well, I’ll find out later.’

Hahoe Mask glanced at the man who had been giving the orders, the apparent leader of the group, his face pale and contorted in disbelief.

He was struggling against the invisible force that was restraining him, his body twitching and writhing.

But it was useless. He wasn't even a transcendent.

‘The brainwasher. If Andrew hadn’t found him, I would have missed them.’

Did he even realize that his location had been compromised because of him?

Hans chuckled coldly and slowly extended a hand towards the man’s head.

‘I should give Andrew a reward. …A language translation magic tool. I can make one now, thanks to “Forbidden Truths”. It should enhance his abilities.’

A reward that would make Andrew scream in horror.

All he wanted was a vacation, a long break… but gifts were about the giver’s intentions, not the receiver’s desires.