Chapter 382: Chapter 382

It wasn't a coincidence that Southern warriors began to frequent the Free City of Drakal.

With the wounds left by the former chieftain, Baltheon, a member of the ‘Heaven’s Turn Society’, almost completely healed, they needed to broaden their horizons beyond the confines of the Southern Tribes.

Moreover, the Northern Mountain expedition, led by the Main God Church, was imminent.

The Kalcos Tribal Federation, which had long maintained an isolationist stance, needed to gather information about the outside world, and the Free City of Drakal, a transportation hub, was the perfect location for intelligence gathering and a convenient stopover point.

‘I should visit the Southern Tribes again sometime.’

Harley scratched the back of his head, thinking about High Shaman Morna and Misty, who were probably busy managing the tribe in his absence.

He had been preoccupied with Ganghwange, so he had naturally neglected his duties as Fighting King.

Well, besides his symbolic role as the tribe’s leader, there wasn't much for him to do. He was a warrior, a specialist in destruction, not a politician or a strategist.

‘They’ll be fine. They’re all competent individuals.’

After all, a good leader knew how to delegate tasks and utilize their subordinates’ talents effectively.

Harley nodded slowly, a satisfied smile on his face, as he reviewed the Kalcos Tribal Federation’s current status through 「Monarch’s Authority」.

Thanks to his excellent personnel choices, there weren't any significant problems.

‘Management should be left to professional CEOs. I would only make things more complicated.’

He had recruited talented individuals and entrusted them with the management of his organization for a reason.

He hadn't even finished high school. What did he know about running a tribe?

It was much easier to just… occasionally check on their progress and make sure they were doing their jobs properly.

‘And the Southern Tribes aren't my only concern. The preparations here are complete, aren't they?’

He strode confidently through the neatly decorated corridor, heading towards another… slave… no, valuable asset.

He had received a message that a long-awaited project was finally complete.

He barged into the office without knocking.

“Hmm? Ah! Welcome, Harley-nim.”

Patrick, the Secretary General of the Mercenary Guild, who had been reviewing documents at his desk, jumped to his feet and greeted him with a bright smile.

But despite his cheerful demeanor, his face was pale and haggard, dark circles under his eyes.

Harley inwardly praised his subordinate’s dedication and hard work, his willingness to sacrifice his own well-being for the sake of their shared goals.

Such a diligent and loyal… slave.

He had made the right choice, entrusting him with such an important task, despite him being an Earthling.

“I’ve been waiting for you. Perfect timing.”

Patrick continued, his voice slightly strained.

The preparations for a task that had been postponed due to Harley’s lack of connections within the Mercenary Guild were finally complete.

“Oh! Good work, Patrick! You look… exhausted. Have you been getting enough sleep?”

“Ha… Haha… Well, I’ve been… a bit busy.”

“You haven’t even been eating properly, have you? That’s not good! A man needs his meat! I’ll treat you to a feast! Hahaha!”

Offering to buy someone a meal was a significant gesture of goodwill for Harley.

It meant he was willing to share his precious meat.

Patrick, receiving his… affectionate pat on the back, stumbled slightly, forcing a smile.

‘I just want to… rest…’

He swallowed the words he couldn’t utter.

An announcement was made to all the Mercenary Guild branches across the continent.

A new Mercenary King had been chosen,

…the one who would inherit the will of the First King and lead the fight against the Immortal King.

Thanks to Patrick’s efforts, there wasn’t any significant opposition to Harley’s appointment as the Mercenary King.

They couldn't leave such an important position vacant, especially with a major war on the horizon.

Of course, most of the Guild executives weren’t exactly… happy about it. They were probably hoping he would die in the upcoming battle against the Immortal King… but at least outwardly, everything went smoothly.

“Congratulations, Harley-nim.”

“We look forward to your leadership!”

“Haha, I knew it. Who else could be our King?”

The inauguration ceremony wasn’t a grand affair, as the Mercenary King wasn’t a true king.

They simply declared a city-wide festival in Drakal, providing food and drinks for everyone, and held a small banquet for the Guild executives and other VIP guests.

Even that would have been skipped if it wasn’t for Patrick’s insistence.

Harley wasn't fond of such formalities. They were just… tedious and unnecessary.

He casually greeted the guests, tearing into a large piece of meat, his usual attire unchanged, and then scanned the banquet hall.

‘Well, I might as well use this opportunity to my advantage.’

One of his… strategies was to have Hubert’s Trading Company handle most of the supplies for Drakal.

It wasn't a secret that he had a close relationship with Hubert, the head of the company, since his time in Tarak, so it hadn’t been a difficult arrangement.

It was practically an abuse of power, but in this world, such practices weren't considered… unethical.

‘Connections and lobbying are also important skills. And I’m technically a co-owner of Hubert’s Trading Company.’

Thanks to that, Hubert’s Trading Company, which had been operating mainly in the northwestern region of the Ion Continent, with Tarak as its base, had expanded its influence to Drakal in the southeast.

They had already taken over the markets of the Kingdom of Talia and the surrounding kingdoms in the west, signed exclusive contracts with the Southern Tribal Federation, and were even expanding their operations in the Empire and the Republic, two rival nations.

“…Hmm, this drink is… unusual. It’s fizzy and sweet…”

“Oh! This is quite unique. Where did you get this? We’d like to import it… Ah— Hubert’s Trading Company? I’ve heard of them. They’re a rapidly growing trading company, aren’t they?”

“My, this tablecloth is made of a strange material. It’s so smooth and durable… It doesn’t seem to be from the Elven Kingdom. How did they make it?”

Their influence was spreading to the elites of Drakal and the surrounding regions.

Not just their usual goods, but also products from Earth, like cola, fruit juice, wine, whiskey, various fabrics, and other raw materials…

…all exclusively available through Hubert’s Trading Company.

‘Premium products are always in demand. Those with money and power, those who want to flaunt their wealth and status, can’t resist the allure of exclusivity.’

It was the same even now, with the war against the Immortal King looming on the horizon.

Hubert’s Trading Company’s steady growth was a testament to that.

Once they experienced the taste of luxury, they couldn’t go back. They had to keep up with the Joneses, so to speak.

‘And to acquire these goods, they have to cooperate with Hubert’s Trading Company.’

Luxury goods from Earth, rare minerals from the Northern Mountains, and a vast network of connections, cultivated through his various avatars.

That was the driving force behind Hubert’s Trading Company’s rise to the top.

And with the 「Dragon’s Lair」, a spacious and easily accessible interdimensional storage space, transporting goods between worlds was a simple matter.

And 「Savior」, which allowed him to bypass customs and import restricted items from Earth, had further enhanced his efficiency.

‘Excellent. My Karma gains are through the roof.’

Hubert, sitting in his office in Tarak, nodded with satisfaction.

He was earning a fortune, but that was just a side benefit.

His true objective was Karma.

The changes he brought about by introducing Earth’s products to this world, the resulting influence… it was generating a massive amount of Karma.

Of course, most of his goods were luxury items, consumed by the wealthy elite, so their impact on the ordinary citizens was limited…

‘…But if I can introduce Earth’s medicine…’

He tapped his pen against the paper, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

He had already hired alchemists to test the compatibility of Earth’s medicine with this world’s inhabitants.

He couldn’t just distribute them without proper testing. There might be unforeseen side effects.

‘I don’t even need prescription drugs. Just basic over-the-counter medications and vitamins would have a significant impact.’

Medical care in this world was heavily reliant on magic and alchemy.

Holy magic used by clerics, healing spells cast by mages, and potions brewed by alchemists…

Naturally, the poor had limited access to such services, often resorting to folk remedies and superstitions.

“…But I have to be careful.”

Medicine wasn't just a luxury item. It had to be handled with caution.

If everything went as planned, the impact would be immense… but there was always a risk of unforeseen consequences.

He couldn't provide them with medicine indefinitely.

As he finished organizing his thoughts and set down his pen,

…a voice, strange and unfamiliar, suddenly echoed through his office.

He had been alone just moments ago.

Hubert’s eyes narrowed.

「Clear Mind」 and 「Hypersensitivity」 activated simultaneously, and the world around him slowed down, his senses expanding, scanning the surroundings.

But there was no one there.

“You’re quite perceptive. Not an ordinary merchant, I see. But it’s useless against me.”

And then, a mocking voice, its tone condescending, as if he could see through his every thought.

But Hubert’s mind continued to race, his thoughts accelerating in the almost frozen time.

‘This is Hubert’s Trading Company’s headquarters. It’s impenetrable.’

The building was a fortress, protected by layers of security measures.

Magic barriers, alchemy, sorcery, formations, traps, poisons, curses…

And he had a personal guard of hybrid vampires, protecting him around the clock.

‘And their leader is a True Blood vampire, a master-level expert.’

The power balance between Earth and other worlds was vastly different.

There were over a hundred transcendent beings on Earth, while in Auterica, there were less than five, excluding the dragons, who were mostly in hiding.

‘To infiltrate this place undetected, bypassing a master-level expert’s senses… that means…’

A transcendent being.

An unknown opponent, someone he hadn’t even been aware of.

“You seem to be deep in thought. Have you figured out the situation yet?”

The stranger’s voice echoed again, as if he knew what he was thinking.

It was a chilling voice, laced with a strange energy that made him feel… small… but Hubert, immune to mental attacks, calmly replied.

“…Yes, thank you for waiting. So, what brings you here unannounced? I’m a very busy man, you know. People have to schedule appointments weeks in advance to meet me.”

“Oh? You’re quite bold.”

The stranger seemed amused by his casual response, his tone tinged with surprise.

He was intrigued by Hubert’s unwavering demeanor, his lack of fear despite facing someone who could easily kill him.

But he didn’t waste any more time. He got straight to the point.

Something landed on his desk, amidst the scattered documents.

He hadn't sensed anything, no movement, no energy fluctuation.

It had just… appeared.

And it was something Hubert was quite familiar with.

“Where did you get this?”

He couldn’t possibly not recognize it.

He had distributed countless of these to the wealthy elite of this world.

A high-quality lighter, made entirely of metal, one side engraved with ‘MADE IN USA’ and various English phrases.

It seemed to be quite popular among the gentlemen of this world.

And then, an invisible hand nudged a fountain pen on his desk.

That was also a product from Earth.

After all, as an Earthling, he preferred the ergonomic design of Earth’s products.

“Are you an Earthling?”

And it seemed like his opponent had reached the same conclusion.

‘…Seriously, why is Hubert always the target? I need to come up with a countermeasure.’

Hubert didn’t reply, ignoring the certainty in his opponent’s voice.

He was simply buying time, carefully preparing his counterattack.

「Analysis」, his most powerful skill.

And 「Limit Break」, which would amplify its effects.

…a torrent of information, far beyond the capacity of his human body, flooded his mind, the flow of causality, the very fabric of reality, laid bare before him.

A searing pain, like his brain melting, assaulted his 「Mind Hub」, but…

…he couldn’t be distracted.

Something he shouldn’t be able to see, something beyond human comprehension, appeared before him.

A human form… but with two horns protruding from its forehead…

…It looked like… a demon.