Chapter 133

Chapter 133
## Chapter 133

Continental Summit (1)

“I will head to the cathedral now.”

“You have committed the directives to memory, correct?”

“Naturally. I shall ensure everything is executed flawlessly.”

“Excellent, you may step down.”

“Understood.”

The middle-aged noble bowed deeply in response to Mulo’s reply and departed the office silently, leaving no trace of a footstep.

This individual was Duke Bright, a man widely recognized as holding supreme authority within the Talia Kingdom, yet he behaved with utmost humility so as not to provoke the entity before him.

He had arrived to deliver his final briefing as the official emissary of the Talia Kingdom for the impending Continental Summit.

As the door clicked shut, Heinz, who had remained silent in his seat, shifted his gaze toward Mulo, who stood attentively by his side.

“Are you certain he will not commit any blunders?”

Given that the Continental Summit was an assembly of the highest-ranking dignitaries from every nation, alongside the Main God Church, a single misplaced word could trigger immense complications.

“My Lord, he is a piece I have painstakingly cultivated since his infancy. You have no reason to harbor anxiety.”

Mulo merely offered a self-assured grin in response to Heinz’s inquiry.

He had refrained from employing any conspicuous mind-altering sorcery to prevent exposure under scrutiny, but the avenues available to bend a mortal to one’s will were vast.

Mulo, having endured through centuries, was deeply educated in such arts, a master practitioner who had avoided failure for decades through his accumulated expertise.

“Hmm— Very well. If a mishap occurs under these circumstances, they will lack the leisure to scrutinize our domain anyway. The state of the mainland is far too chaotic.”

The Talia Kingdom had avoided severe devastation during the outbreak of madness, primarily due to the stringent isolation of the monster forest, which involved mobilizing the Brokoslack Clan.

Naturally, casualties had still manifested because beasts were not confined solely to that region, but the damage remained entirely manageable when contrasted with rival states.

Other realms had proven incapable of reacting with the swiftness displayed by the Talia Kingdom, and their conflicting political motives and internal plots had only magnified the ruin.

‘Furthermore, they are forced to contend with the growing undead turmoil beyond the western borders.’

The Main God Church itself was drowning in disorder as pleas for military aid flooded in from every direction, meaning that even if Duke Bright committed a verbal misstep, they would lack the resources to investigate it.

‘Reflecting on this, the current crisis presents an ideal opening for the lineage to step into the light.’

The lesser vampires belonging to the Ufersh Clan were already convening within the Talia Kingdom via Blood Gates.

With two of the three dominant vampire dynasties consolidating their strength, they possessed a tier of power capable of rivaling an entire sovereignty on their own.

This calculation held true even without factoring in the assets of the Talia Kingdom itself.

‘Six True Bloods and two Sacred Bloods. Supported by nearly a hundred Purebloods beneath them… Ha, the sheer scale of this force is preposterous.’

The crimson magical reserves commanded by a single True Blood corresponded to Level 7-8 by the metrics of Earth.

Freesia had been rated at Level 7 prior to her capitulation to Heinz, while Mulo stood at Level 8.

‘Yet throughout our actual engagement, Freesia demonstrated a combat capacity far exceeding the Betas of Earth. Her true potency would rank at minimum around Level 7.5.’

This discrepancy highlighted the gulf between an awakened individual who had escalated rapidly through artificial progression modifiers and unique traits, and an indigenous resident of a foreign realm who had refined their martial prowess over centuries.

When raw metrics balanced evenly, the depth of combat experience inevitably dictated the victor.

Of course, the outcome might differ had the Betas further evolved their innate traits, but that remained his direct observation from the field.

‘And that assessment preceded the empowerment Freesia received from the “Refined Blood Essence”. At present, she would easily clear Level 8.’

The faction commanded six True Bloods operating at that threshold.

In truth, Mulo and Theodore, as the respective figureheads of their lineages, demanded a higher evaluation, reaching at least Level 8.5.

‘As for Sacred Bloods, they easily occupy Level 9 or above. Attempting to draw comparisons to Earth is futile, given that such entities have never even been recorded there.’

Regardless, they wielded sufficient military might to subjugate the metropolitan center of a formidable domain, let alone a minor, fragile territory like the Talia Kingdom.

Granted, such a conquest would prove transient once humanity organized a comprehensive counter-offensive.

However, executing such a maneuver was redundant since an entire realm was already within their grasp.

‘In any case, regarding the Sacred Blood…’

Heinz leaned back into the cushions of his seat and permitted his eyelids to close.

Briki, the alternative Sacred Blood.

He reviewed the dialogue they had shared following the subjugation of the Ufersh Clan.

Specifically, the desires she harbored and the ultimate objective she pursued.

“Whew, perhaps I should observe the developments for now.”

“Pardon?”

“No, it is of no consequence.”

Her destiny was firmly gripped within his palm.

Whether he chose to drain her essence or enlist her into his service remained entirely up to him.

The future would unfold precisely as he dictated.

—

Whoosh—

Violent violet flames ignited within the dark.

The embers pulsed in the center of an isolated subterranean vault, casting distorted silhouettes of the assembled figures against the stone boundaries.

Five monstrous reflections swayed fluidly alongside the undulating violet radiance.

An unidentifiable speaker, who had been silently monitoring the group from the shadows, finally initiated the dialogue.

“…It appears the Elder has failed to join our ranks once more.”

With that observation, the clandestine assembly of the Oath of Heaven’s Defiance commenced by noting the missing associate.

[Is there truly no individual… capable of establishing contact…?]

[Hehehe~ Since when have we demonstrated concern for one another’s well-being? The explanation is self-evident, is it not? He has undoubtedly perished in some forgotten corner!]

Certain members lacked any inkling regarding his status, owing to the immense geographical separation between their operational territories and a total absence of communication channels.

Conversely, others suspected a critical failure, having maintained sporadic interactions with the missing leader.

[Hmm, the final correspondence I received from him indicated that the western territories were descending into instability. He noted that minor outposts were enduring assaults from an unknown entity.]

[Ah— I received matching rumors suggesting the Holy See might be implicated! Could the Heresy Inquisitors truly be active?]

Operating as a decentralized cell structure offered superior operational security, yet it suffered from the fatal flaw of sluggish intelligence sharing.

When a localized commander met their demise, as had occurred in this instance, evaluating the crisis swiftly and orchestrating a counter-strategy was nearly unachievable.

[Hmm~ I happen to possess relevant intelligence on the matter.]

At that juncture, a sultry feminine tone resonated through the chamber, drawing the collective focus of the room.

She projected an uncanny allure despite the monstrous contortions of her silhouette, deliberately delaying her explanation to savor the captive audience.

[Word indicates that the undying legion is systematically dismantling clandestine syndicates. Intriguingly, their primary targets are the operations directly subordinate to our banner.]

A heavy stillness enveloped the vault as the implications of her words settled.

This development boded ill for their faction.

[…For what purpose…?]

[How should I know~?]

The assembly was well aware that she commanded a specialized intelligence asset gifted in information extraction.

They had capitalized on this network frequently in the past, eliminating any reason to question the accuracy of her report.

[Hmm, every strategic calculation we formed regarding the Immortal King’s trajectory has proven flawed. His behavior defies all rational projection.]

It contradicted logic that the Immortal King, who ought to be completely unhinged by the necrotic corruption of the void and fixated solely on drowning the mainland in slaughter, would remain obscured for this duration rather than launching an overt campaign.

This progression strayed entirely from the scenarios they envisioned upon learning of the Immortal King’s revival.

His campaign against underworld syndicates threw their operational parameters into such disarray that the majority of their initiatives had to be abandoned.

“Must we conclude then that the Elder fell before the might of the Immortal King?”

[Does that not stand as the most plausible deduction? A figure of his caliber would not have vanished so unceremoniously under ordinary circumstances.]

The Immortal King likely viewed them not as an impediment to global domination requiring eradication, but rather as an asset to be subjugated.

In this scenario, it was far more probable that he acted to press-gang their resources, deeming them advantageous for his long-term goals.

Regardless of his motives, the situation presented a severe complication for their designs.

[Bah! Every initiative crumbles due to the incompetence of those failures! First Marcos, then Nurabe, and now the Elder?]

Amidst the solemnity, a massive shadow grumbled with intense irritation.

[We have spent over a decade orchestrating our pieces, yet you miscreants dismantle the apparatus before we can deploy it! The rest of you are no better! We have secured zero tangible gains since I breached the void and unleashed the contagion!]

[Pfft! Hehehehehe~ A fair point. Hehehe…]

[Cease your snickering before I sever your vocal cords!]

[Ah, my apologies, truly! Hehe—!]

The massive silhouette continued its tirade, while the eccentric member proved incapable of suppressing their amusement.

As the friction threatened to boil over, a new voice cut through.

“It is undeniable that our conduct has grown overly passive of late, attempting to exploit the actions of the Immortal King while remaining mere spectators.”

The gathered entities shifted their attention toward the speaker who had disrupted the dispute.

The figure, who had been locked in contemplation since the mention of the undead monarch, addressed the collective once more, causing the bickering shadows to fall silent and absorb his declaration.

“Each of you is aware of the impending Continental Summit, correct?”

[Naturally, the global clamor is impossible to ignore.]

“The apparatus we have spent ages perfecting is fully operational. Should we initiate preparations immediately, the synchronization will be flawless… it shall detonate precisely during the convergence.”

[Hmm? You mean… Ah— I comprehend.]

They lacked comprehensive data regarding the specific mechanism due to their compartmentalized operations, yet they shared a conceptual framework during the strategic phase.

However, the definitive scheduling, magnitude, and theater of operations rested entirely with the individual architect, leaving the others ignorant of the precise nature of the event.

[Hehe! Ah— I yearn to witness the expressions of those monarchs assembled to deliberate on defense strategies! What a misfortune that I cannot view the spectacle firsthand! Hehehe!]

[Are there assets we can provide to reinforce your position?]

“Unnecessary. This is a design we have meticulously nurtured across an extensive period.”

He scanned the monstrous forms focused intently upon him, finalizing his statement with absolute conviction.

“And that exact hour shall mark the dawn of the dissolution of the reigning global order.”

Following a brief interlude, the conclave reached its conclusion.

The violet illumination tempering the shadows dissolved, leaving the subterranean chamber interred in absolute blackness.

Swoosh—

The individual, who had lingered motionless within the dark, ascended the masonry steps without creating a whisper of sound.

Daylight began to penetrate the upper corridors, yet despite the gradual illumination of his environment, his steady pace never faltered.

Ultimately, he arrived before a grand aperture and pulled back the dense drapery obstructing the exterior world.

Vibrant morning rays and the chaotic murmur of a thriving metropolitan center flooded the room simultaneously.

“…This marks the final occasion I shall observe this vista.”

With the revelation that the Immortal King was actively hunting their organization, the luxury of complacency had expired.

Once they deployed the full extent of their hidden assets, they would be forced to sever all communication links and submerge into deep concealment for an extended duration.

‘Providentially, the Elder possessed minimal intelligence regarding our specific identities. Although he was bound by a binding vow, the Immortal King possesses methods to bypass such measures, making heightened vigilance imperative… I must maintain an extreme guard against my peers going forward.’

He remained stationary, staring abstractly at the urban expanse until the sun dipped beneath the horizon.

The supreme directors of the Oath of Heaven’s Defiance operated ostensibly as peers within a decentralized network, yet an unacknowledged commander existed among them.

The man standing by the window was, without question, the most dominant presence within the confederacy.

His leverage was immense enough to impose absolute vows upon fellow directors.

The domain he currently occupied was the Rohan Duchy, a territory locked in permanent warfare with monsters due to its location on the northern frontier of the Empire, bordered on three sides by the Northern Mountains.

—

Dignitaries representing a multitude of factions began converging upon the Roselia Cathedral sequentially.

These were elite statesmen invested with plenary authority by their respective sovereigns, alongside delegates representing independent syndicates such as the Magic Tower Alliance and the Mercenary Guild.

Arranging the logistics to assemble such figures in a singular location had proven monstrously complex, yet once the diplomatic hurdles were cleared, the physical transit was executed rapidly via the cathedral’s localized teleportation matrix.

Naturally, this arrangement extended to the demi-human populations originating from the Enamel Continent. They crossed the ocean expanses swiftly to join the assembly via the High Elf Rapori’s ‘Forest Path’, an arrangement pre-negotiated with the Holy See.

Fortuitously, the Elven Kingdom recognized the catastrophic nature of the crisis, and securing their alignment had proceeded smoothly due to the diplomatic goodwill fostered during the Cecily incident.

Consequently, the individuals who directed the geopolitical destiny of Auterica assembled in a singular venue.

Gathered precisely within the sanctified domain, the geopolitical hub of the mainland.

Should a catastrophe strike the assembly gathered here, it would instantly plunge the entire globe into unmitigated anarchy.

Such was the monumental authority they wielded within their respective territories.

Which ultimately meant…

‘Merely by leaving a monumental impression upon this audience, my accumulated Karma will shatter all previous records!’

This gathering represented an unprecedented gold mine.