Chapter 368: Chapter 368

The quiet sound of a steaming coffee cup being placed on the table echoed through the room.

‘Southeast Asia branch…’

Having just returned home from an unexpected outing,

I sat in the massage chair, enjoying a cup of coffee after a refreshing shower, my mind lost in thought.

I needed to consider the information I had just acquired.

A city-state in Southeast Asia, larger than Seoul but smaller than Busan.

One of Asia’s most developed nations, its economic growth defying its small size.

‘Its small size is an advantage. It’ll reduce the effort required for a thorough investigation.’

He had acquired the information by hacking into the devices of the Korean branch members… but there was a problem.

As expected, a low-level branch like the Korean one wouldn’t have access to such sensitive information, like the exact location of a higher-level branch.

He had only been able to acquire the approximate location thanks to the enhanced capabilities of 「Cybernetic Eye: Callicas」.

Even he wouldn't have been able to find anything without its advanced analysis functions.

‘Did they transfer Korea’s management to the Southeast Asia branch after the East Asia branch, led by Yulryeongja, collapsed? …Well, the new East Asia branch would be too busy dealing with China.’

Hans’s activities in China had been temporarily suspended as Heaven’s Turn Society began to actively counterattack.

Unlike the remnants of the other branches, who had gone into hiding, China, a massive nation, was reacting aggressively, making it difficult for him to continue his hunt.

‘Of course, unless the Master of Heaven’s Turn Society appears personally, there’s a limit to how much they can interfere with Hans. But their countermeasures have significantly reduced his efficiency.’

He couldn't afford to waste time on inefficient tasks. He had too much to do.

And every moment he spent on Earth was ten times longer in other worlds, due to the time difference.

So, he had been planning to focus on other tasks while waiting for his subordinates on Earth to gather more information…

‘…And now I have a new target. Of course, it won’t be easy to pinpoint its exact location, considering its high-level security.’

Fortunately, he had the perfect expert for the job.

The unsung hero who had uncovered the East Asia branch’s location, leading to Yulryeongja’s demise, and the ace of his intelligence network, who had played a crucial role in eliminating the Korean branch.

Andrew Weaver shivered as a sudden sneeze wracked his body.

He was a robust Awakened, so he shouldn't be catching a cold… but a chill ran down his spine, his hair standing on end.

An ominous premonition, a sense of unease, settled upon him.

“…Huu, I must be getting weak. I should take some tonic…”

He grumbled in Korean.

He was an American, with blond hair and blue eyes… but having observed the lives of countless Koreans through his hundreds of eyes, he had quickly adapted to their culture.

He was a quick learner, and his ability further enhanced his language skills, making his Korean fluent and natural, as if he had lived here for years.

After all, that was how he had been able to track down the remnants of Heaven’s Turn Society’s Korean branch, uncovering their hideout in the DMZ.

‘I did a good job this time, so I should get a vacation soon, right? I’ll go back home and relax for a month. And spend some of the money I’ve saved.’

His salary was incredibly generous.

The problem was that he didn't have time to spend it, due to his demanding work schedule and the lack of… well, any kind of benefits or vacation time.

He could order things online, but it wasn’t the same as swiping his own card.

‘A car… I won’t have time to drive it. I don’t even know how long I’ll be staying in Korea. A watch, then. And a pair of high-end sunglasses. I’ll raid the duty-free shop…’

His pleasant daydreams dispelled the lingering unease.

It must have been just his imagination.

He closed his eyes, focusing on the task at hand, the mission assigned to him by the Blood Alliance.

The thought of his upcoming vacation, a chance to finally relax and enjoy his hard-earned money, fueled his motivation.

‘I’ll finish this quickly and then go on vacation! Vegas! I’ll spend every last penny!’

He could earn more money in a few years here than he had seen in his entire life.

He pushed his abilities to their limits, tracking down the remnants of Heaven’s Turn Society, completing his tasks one by one.

Oblivious to the fate that awaited him.

‘I should make that language translation magic tool for him as soon as possible. It’s the best way to maximize Andrew’s abilities.’

Almost half of Singapore’s population used English as their first language… but that also meant that more than half didn’t.

It would be a waste to miss out on valuable information just because he couldn't understand the language.

“Strike while the iron is hot. I’ll do it now.”

I stood up from the massage chair and drained my coffee cup.

Of course, even I couldn’t just… create a magic tool like that.

A device that could automatically translate any language wasn’t exactly low-level technology.

Unlike machine translation, which relied on vast databases, magical translation required an understanding of the speaker’s intent, their nuances and cultural context.

To accurately interpret homonyms, metaphors, and culturally specific expressions, such a process was essential.

And the ability to fully comprehend the meaning of words—.

…was the basic requirement for mastering Word Soul, a high-level sorcery technique.

It wasn’t easy to create a magic tool that could replicate such an ability.

‘Even Word Soul’s basic functions are incredibly complex. Even Horus, with all his buffs, would have needed at least ten years to master Dragon Language Magic without his unique skills. Its difficulty is undeniable.’

He wouldn’t have even attempted it without 「Xenoglossy」, Horus’s 「Dragon Language Magic」, and Hans’s 「Forbidden Truths」, which provided him with the necessary theoretical foundation.

It wasn't just a frivolous reward for Andrew’s contribution!

‘Well, I’ll have to downgrade it and add some restrictions. Limiting it to Earth’s languages should be enough.’

And by combining it with other techniques, he could significantly reduce the difficulty.

He had already completed the theoretical design, so the actual crafting process shouldn't take too long.

Having finalized his plan, I focused my mind.

‘This is the most efficient method.’

I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

And in that instant, a strange sensation washed over me—.

…and I found myself in a different location.

A spacious room with tiled floors, marble walls, and a high ceiling embedded with glowing orbs.

It wasn't a barrier or a hidden dimension within Earth, but a separate phase space, operating under different laws.

A secret sanctuary, a safe haven, a last resort.

「Dragon’s Lair」, a perk Horus had acquired after achieving the ‘Last Gold Dragon’ achievement.

Entering it was practically a form of dimensional travel, as it wasn't part of the physical world, but closer to a subspace.

Of course, it wasn't true dimensional travel, so it had its limitations… but the benefits far outweighed the drawbacks.

And the first benefit was—.

“Hahaha! This is perfect!”

A small, stocky dwarf, standing in a workshop filled with high-quality tools and equipment, including a forge and an anvil, laughed heartily.

Several devices, confiscated from the remnants of Heaven’s Turn Society’s Korean branch, were lined up against one of the walls… but that wasn't important right now.

It was a separate workshop, different from the one in Tarak, but it was filled with tools and materials he had personally crafted and prepared, and he couldn't wait to get started.

‘The sooner, the better.’

I approached the dwarf, Howard, a faint smile on my face.

This was one of the 「Dragon’s Lair」’s functions.

The ability to temporarily gather avatars from different dimensions in a single location.

‘This will save me the trouble of exchanging items and collaborating remotely. I’ve already stored all the necessary materials in the lair’s warehouse.’

The second benefit was time manipulation.

This space wasn't part of any dimension, yet it existed only through its connection to other dimensions.

A parasitic world, in a sense.

So, he could manipulate the time flow, setting it to whatever he desired, unlike in the physical world, where he was bound by the local time flow.

It allowed him to maximize his efficiency on Earth.

Of course, there was a reason why he hadn't been using it frequently.

‘If it wasn’t for the time limit…’

There was a limit to how long he could stay in the 「Dragon’s Lair」.

About a week out of every month, assuming he stayed inside continuously.

Considering that he could create and access this extradimensional space without any external medium, it was a reasonable restriction.

‘I could use it more efficiently with proper time management…’

But the problem was that the more avatars he brought inside, the shorter the duration became.

After all, a Dragon’s Lair was a dragon’s nest, a safe haven for storing treasures and hibernating.

Perhaps he could remove the time limit by having Horus hibernate inside, turning him into the lair’s core…

‘Well, it’s enough for now.’

He couldn’t bring in outsiders, and he could only return to his original location when leaving… but it was a valuable asset, a safety net in case of emergency.

And perfect for situations , where he needed to quickly create something.

[“Let’s begin. Time is precious.”]

I, wearing Hans’s disguise, spoke softly.

The surrounding air chilled instantly, despite his efforts to suppress his aura… but the other avatars, their base stats and skills incredibly high, were unaffected by the minor side effect.

“Hahaha! I have a new design I’ve been wanting to try! This is perfect!”

“Hmm, combining magic and sorcery… I think I can create a more efficient design. The most effective combination would be…”

After all, they were a master craftsman who had received three blessings from the God of the Forge, and a prodigy who had mastered the magic of two worlds.

Horus, the hatchling, who had somehow appeared in the lair, began preparing the enchantments as Howard gathered the necessary materials.

[“There’s no need for speaking or writing functions. Just listening and reading… Then if I do this…”]

And his main body (Hans version), taking Hans’s place.

With such a skilled workforce, creating a magic tool was a simple matter.

Clang! Clang! Sizzle—

The rhythmic sounds of hammering and forging, the hiss of molten metal…

The workshop was filled with a strange, almost peaceful silence as they worked diligently.

And at the same time,

In a completely different location, a world far removed from the quiet workshop,

…a battle for the fate of the world was about to begin.

Beneath a dark, ominous sky, obscured by storm clouds,

“Kuhut— It’s starting.”

…a chilling voice, enough to make one’s hair stand on end, echoed through the air.

Hans, disguised as a human, looked up at the sky, sensing the approaching forces.

The clouds seemed to be moving randomly, but there was a complex order within, a hidden structure beyond human comprehension.

…No, it was a collection of mysteries, a convergence of otherworldly knowledge that even the greatest scholars of this world couldn't fathom.

Formations, magic tools, magic squares, numerology, Kabbalah…

It was a miracle, a one-of-a-kind spell he had meticulously prepared while staying behind during the chaos on Earth.

A stage, set and ready for the actors who had willingly stepped into the spotlight.

“Come, heroes. Defeat the demon and save the world. Peace without sacrifice is meaningless. Offer your bodies as fertilizer, shed your blood like water, and burn your souls to illuminate the path.”

A battle for the fate of the world, a clash of ideologies between the Demonic Cult and the Murim Alliance, a final stand of heroes willing to sacrifice their lives for the greater good…

…or so the world would remember it.

“And when your determination and your desires reach the heavens, I shall descend upon this land and grant you salvation.”

But in reality, it was all orchestrated by a single person.

The ‘Home Theater Rehearsal (Ganghwange Edition)’ had begun.