Chapter 384: Chapter 384

The power of a Main God, the creator of a dimension, is absolute.

They can decide the beginning and the end of their world as they please, their power almost omnipotent.

They are more akin to systems than individuals, their vast and incomprehensible will shaping the fate of their creations.

But even their near-omnipotence has its limits.

Their sheer size and power prevent them from micromanaging every aspect of their world, every minute detail.

If they tried to directly intervene and fix a minor error, it could trigger a chain reaction, potentially shattering the entire dimension.

So, they often choose to observe and let things unfold naturally, even if errors or anomalies occur.

Some gods are completely hands-off, content with simply setting the stage and watching the play unfold, while others actively intervene, investing their power and creating lesser deities to manage their world on their behalf.

Auterica’s Main God was a typical interventionist.

These lesser gods, though also limited in their power, were still far more active than the Main God, shaping the world according to their own preferences.

The World Tree, the guardian of nature’s abundance and cycles, created the Elves.

The Titan, the god of fire, metal, and technology, created the Dwarves.

The Beast God, the god of animals, savagery, and hunting, created the Beastmen.

The Sea God created the Merfolk.

The God of Balance created the Dragons.

And there was also a god who managed humans, short-lived but prolific creatures, a valuable source of karma.

“Huu… Haa… What is that…?”

The Heavenly Gods and the Demonic Gods were similar.

The Heavens, a realm of pure light energy, and the Demon World, a realm of dark energy.

They created the Angels and the Demons, respectively, each race inhabiting their designated realm.

Conflict and harmony, war and progress…

The inhabitants of Auterica lived their lives, their actions generating karma, until they eventually perished, leaving only their karmic residue behind.

It wasn’t always peaceful, but the world maintained a delicate balance, progressing steadily…

…until a single god, one of the Main God’s subordinates, became too invested in its creations, its greed and ambition growing beyond control.

The consequences of its transgression were severe.

After all, it was a powerful god, its influence amplified by the massive amount of karma generated by its creations, the humans, far exceeding the combined power of several other gods.

Most of the demi-human races were driven from their homes, forced to migrate to a new continent.

The dragons, being few in number but incredibly powerful, were relatively unaffected, but even they couldn’t do much against the rogue god’s direct intervention.

The Main God, finally taking action, eradicated the corrupted deity, imprisoning it in the abyss, a dimensional garbage disposal.

It couldn’t be completely destroyed without risking the collapse of the world, so its power and its records were erased, its essence sealed away… but it wouldn't be a problem.

After all, the abyss was designed to… dissolve and decompose unwanted entities, turning them into… fertilizer for the world.

…Well, it would have been, if it had stayed there quietly for a few tens of thousands of years.

Tens of thousands of years might be a short time for a god, but for the corrupted deity, who had become too attached to its human creations, it was an eternity.

Its obsession, its ambition, its insatiable greed…

It continued to reach out, its influence extending in all directions.

Its primary target was the continent where humans resided, but it knew that putting all its eggs in one basket was a foolish move.

After all, the abyss was connected to the entire dimension, its sewers and pipelines extending everywhere.

[“Ah! Fresh air! This is… wonderful!”]

[“Kill them all! Offer their bodies and souls as sacrifices!”]

“Damn it! I knew they would cause trouble!”

“Demons of the abyss…!”

In a certain region of the Demon World,

…the filth from the sewers was starting to… overflow.

‘A war in the Demon World…’

Hubert’s Trading Company, Chairman’s Office.

The demon who had suddenly appeared, Miyamoto Ken, had vanished as silently as he had arrived,

…leaving behind only a promise to return and the empty containers of the food he had devoured.

It was a positive sign, in a way.

He had the power to cause harm, but he had retreated peacefully, without any hostile actions.

Perhaps there was a chance for a mutually beneficial partnership…

But Hubert remained cautious.

‘He’s still a demon.’

It wasn't just about power.

Demons were known for their cunning and deceit, their ability to trick even the most perceptive individuals.

Of course, Ken was a… converted demon, so it wasn’t entirely accurate to apply that stereotype to him… but he had been living in the Demon World for a long time. Who knew how much he had been… influenced?

‘He might be pretending to be friendly, waiting for the right moment to strike.’

Come to think of it, that wouldn't be so bad.

He was currently observing the situation, waiting for the right moment to act… but if they crossed the line first, he wouldn't hesitate to retaliate, taking everything they had.

Hubert, lost in thought, looked up as he heard his name being called.

“Are you alright? That… person who just left…”

Diana, his capable assistant, who handled most of the company’s affairs, was standing there, a worried expression on her face.

It seemed like only yesterday that he had met her, a frail and malnourished girl in a small, vampire-controlled town… but she had grown taller and more mature, thanks to proper nutrition and care. She was practically a young woman now.

‘And her… unusual sense of smell seems to have improved as well.’

Even his True Blood vampire bodyguard hadn’t noticed anything…

It seemed like she had sensed the demon’s true nature.

That’s why she was so worried.

“Ah, I’m fine. I have a plan.”

“That’s good to hear… but… I’m not sure if I’m just being sensitive… but I have a bad feeling about him.”

“…More like… a premonition. Something… unsettling.”

Hubert stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Diana possessed not only an ‘unusual sense of smell’ but also an ‘unfortunate constitution’, a trait that attracted misfortune.

She had been able to avoid most of its effects thanks to Hubert, an otherworlder who defied fate… but her words still carried a certain weight. She was, after all, a specialist in misfortune.

He had been slightly hesitant.

It wasn't a decision he could make lightly.

But her words had helped him make up his mind.

“I have a… solution.”

He would try everything he could.

I looked at the various items displayed in the 『Karma Shop Ver.2』, a strange sense of nostalgia washing over me.

‘…Good. I have enough points.’

His Karma balance, after restoring Ganghwange, had been around 9.5 million.

And now, a few days later, in Earth time, it had increased to over 13 million.

‘There haven’t been any major events besides Hubert’s Trading Company’s business dealings.’

It was an incredible growth rate.

The accumulated result of his various actions and their long-term effects.

Just looking at the numbers increasing in real time made him feel… full, even without eating.

With this much ammunition, there was no reason to hesitate.

『Unique Skill Enhancement (2,000,000)』

He selected the option without hesitation.

A familiar headache, a sharp, piercing pain that bypassed even his enhanced mental defenses, assaulted his mind.

And his awareness, already vast and encompassing, expanded further, reaching even greater heights.

《The effects of your unique skill and its related abilities have been enhanced. The range of your avatar summoning has increased.》

And after a brief moment,

…a message, the same one he had seen during the previous upgrade, appeared.

His unique skill and its related abilities were enhanced, and the range of his avatar summoning, which had been limited to about 60 kilometers, had increased dramatically.

‘…About 300 kilometers now?’

It covered most of the Korean peninsula.

He could now summon his avatars anywhere within that range, with a single thought.

‘The next upgrade costs 3 million.’

He grimaced at the 1 million increase, but he quickly dismissed the thought.

He had more than enough Karma points, and what he truly lacked was time to adapt to his enhanced abilities.

‘And I have more important things to do.’

He could finally create a new avatar.

It had been a while, as the recent upgrades had only enhanced his existing abilities.

“My eleventh avatar.”

He had already made all the necessary preparations.

He took a deep breath and headed towards the basement.

The basement was filled with a faint, otherworldly aura, emanating from the numerous magic circles and spells he had set up.

They were all designed to contain and conceal the energy within.

His residence was already protected by multiple layers of security, but this room was even more secure, reinforced with complex and powerful spells.

‘Even Hans, without suppressing his aura, won’t be detected here.’

Of course, it wouldn't be able to completely contain his full power… but it was more than enough to conceal his presence.

The cost of setting up this room, both in terms of resources and the expert labor required, was astronomical.

He had already decided on his next avatar.

And he had the necessary materials.

“It’s time to use this.”

As he retrieved the item from his subspace storage,

…the formations in the basement glowed brightly, their energy intensifying as they reacted to its presence.

A single arm, wrapped in silver chains blessed by a high-ranking cleric, impaled and secured by numerous metal spikes.

The ‘Right Arm of the 14th Demon King, L’rei’e’, sealed within the 「Golden Treasury」, the legacy of the Gold Dragons that Horus had inherited.

Even after a thousand years, sealed and contained, the demonic aura emanating from it was still incredibly powerful.

If it wasn't for the formations, the Guardians would have already swarmed his house.

He was about to use 「Customization」…

…but he first searched for another item in the 『Item Purchase』 menu.

There was one more step.

『Horn containing the essence of the 14th Demon King, L’rei’e (4,080,000)』

It had cost over 5 million Karma points when he first saw it.

And even now, at over 4 million, it was still incredibly expensive.

He hadn't thought he would ever buy such an item…

‘…Well, you never know.’

He had only used a single catalyst for each avatar until now.

After all, it had been enough to target a specific race.

‘But with my enhanced unique skill and the improved “Customization”, new possibilities have opened up.’

He could now use multiple catalysts with similar properties to create a more… specialized avatar.

And what if those catalysts were… parts of a Demon King?

And not just any Demon King, but the 14th Demon King, L’rei’e, whose power was said to be comparable to an Immortal King in his prime?

‘Well, I already have ten avatars. It’s a bit… tedious to start from scratch.’

Level-boosting was all the rage in the gaming world these days.

And there was no reason he couldn't do the same.

I chuckled softly and carefully placed a pair of black horns in the center of the magic circle.

They were about 30 centimeters long, their shape elegant and curved.

Perhaps because they contained his ‘essence’, the power they held was far greater than the sealed arm.

The formations in the basement flickered and intensified, their hum growing louder.

A faint light, like a halo, enveloped the horns.

The formations seemed to be… holding up, thanks to the massive investment he had made in their construction.

‘Good. It would be troublesome if they reached their limit now.’

He still had one more item.

He retrieved a small, transparent glass bottle, wrapped in a thin silver chain engraved with tiny prayers, and carefully tilted it.

A black orb, like a miniature eye, rolled around inside.

Its ruby-like pupil met his gaze.

“The Eye of the 14th Demon King, L’rei’e.”

It was an item he had acquired from the Roselia Temple, the Main God Church’s holy land.

They hadn't just sealed away the Immortal King’s fragment.

They had also sealed a part of the Demon King’s remains from a thousand years ago, and Heinrich had… discreetly… retrieved it, claiming he would destroy it.

‘…Well, it’s not entirely a lie. It will be completely erased from this world soon.’

Thanks to that, he now had three catalysts.

The horn, the right arm, and the eye of the 14th Demon King, L’rei’e.

And the horn contained his essence, so it was the perfect combination, maximizing their synergy.

‘…This is going to be… interesting.’

He couldn’t delay any longer. The formations were starting to overload.

His excitement growing, he activated 「Customization」.

The avatar creation process was complete.

An unprecedented power surged through his body.

It was a new power, residing within a new body, but it didn't take long for him to adapt.

He had plenty of experience handling powerful avatars.

He walked slowly, a strange sense of unease washing over him.

It always happened when he created a new avatar, but this time, it was… different.

He reached a mirror and looked at his reflection.

A pair of black horns, extending upwards from the sides of his head.

Crimson eyes, their pupils glowing with a demonic light.

A pair of black wings, emerging from beneath his clothes, tearing through the fabric.

He looked like… a Demon King.

But there had been an unexpected variable during the 「Customization」 process—.

Perhaps because he had used too many catalysts from a single, powerful individual, his ability to modify the avatar’s appearance had been limited.

He could adjust the details, but the major features were… fixed.

“The 14th Demon King, L’rei’e.”

Like the pair of black horns.

…the avatar’s gender.

“Sigh… I didn’t expect this.”

The beautiful woman in the mirror, her appearance otherworldly and demonic, sighed softly.

Her voice, melodious and captivating, was enough to make one’s heart skip a beat.