Chapter 145

Chapter 145
## Chapter 145

### To the Roselia Cathedral (2)

The Ion Continent stood as the grandest landmass within the entirety of the Auterica Dimension.

Its overall territory was roughly equivalent to Eurasia back on Earth, spanning nearly four to five times the geographical footprint of the next largest landmass, the Enamel Continent.

Yet, in stark contrast to Earth, humanity had not achieved absolute dominance over this expansive world.

This was a realm teeming with monsters, creatures that possessed a formidable power capable of rivaling human civilizations for territorial control.

They were endowed from birth with physical capabilities that far outmatched ordinary humans, a stubborn survival instinct enabling them to endure the most hostile environments, and a terrifying reproductive rate that could turn a handful of beasts into a thriving settlement in mere years.

Furthermore, the raw life force surging through their physical forms presented an almost insurmountable barrier to any human who had not trained in the arts of mana.

Unlike humankind, who had to meticulously refine mana into either aura or magic power, these beasts amplified their life force through the simple acts of breathing and consuming their prey.

While their capabilities were largely restricted to sheer physical enhancement and innate resistances—rendering their versatility quite low when compared to other supernatural disciplines—such a limitation meant little to monsters whose monstrous bodies served as the ultimate weaponry.

They had claimed dominion over diverse landscapes, establishing themselves across mountain ranges, deep valleys, and various terrains across the continent, functioning as a long-standing obstacle to the expansion of human nations.

‘The monster forest that constantly plagues the Talia Kingdom is merely a single example. Dangerous zones of that caliber are scattered numbers-wise all over the continent.’

Granted, temporarily reclaiming such territories was not an impossible feat, as evidenced by the Main God Church previously purging that very monster forest.

However, to permanently eradicate the beast populace and secure the region required an immense expenditure of effort, wealth, and human life.

Yet…

In stark contrast to those manageable threats, the immense Northern Mountains, which blanketed the vast majority of the upper Ion Continent, stood as an absolute abyss of despair that humanity dared not venture near.

It was an environment defined by biting sub-zero temperatures and a merciless landscape crawling with all manner of venomous entities.

The beast population there was staggering, fitting for such an expansive territory, and the upper echelons of these creatures consisted of powerful specimens that had triumphed through ruthless natural selection over countless generations.

To make matters worse, the geographic conditions were perfect for clustering the lingering ‘madness’ that had bled into the world after the opening of the abyss, effectively turning the mountain range into an unprecedented living hell.

And right in the heart of that terrifying domain…

[Oh, splendid. This suits my tastes perfectly.]

An individual expressed deep satisfaction, mirroring someone who had just discovered an ideal piece of prime real estate.

This was the Immortal King, Hans, the ultimate dread of the continent and the very manifestation of demise, whose mere presence caused the fabric of surrounding space to warp and distort.

[Just as Your Majesty requested… I selected this site after weighing numerous variables… ensuring it was positioned neither too distant from nor too close to the duchy… while factoring in the density of local beasts and the defensive advantages of the cliffs…]

Standing beside him, Olivia offered a thorough breakdown of the location, presenting the details with the diligence of a dedicated broker.

She had only recently concluded an exhaustive, non-stop operation utilizing spirits to satisfy the Immortal King’s demands, but tasks of this magnitude had simply become her normal routine.

[Splendid work, Olivia. We shall establish our base here.]

Fortunately, her tireless dedication bore fruit, as Hans viewed the selected territory with immense favor.

The peak was vast enough to house an entire grand army, and the immediate perimeter was shielded by even loftier, jagged summits, creating a canopy so dense that daylight failed to reach the valley floor.

Consequentially, the snow covering the terrain remained entirely frozen, despite the location not being at the absolute northern edge where blizzards raged perennially, casting an incredibly bleak aura over the landscape.

‘It possesses a beautifully dark and macabre atmosphere, making it the quintessential location for a dark overlord’s fortress.’

Additionally, the surrounding area where the massive ridges merged functioned as a natural highway for the local wildlife, resulting in an abundance of powerful creatures wandering the pathways like a centralized hub.

This attribute only added to the perfection of the site.

[Now then— let us commence our relocation.]

*Swoosh—*

The moment the words left Hans’s mouth, the terrain directly beneath his feet was instantaneously blanketed by a dense, suffocating shadow.

This was his signature technique for summoning his legions of the dead from his pocket dimension, though this particular activation displayed a striking difference from his standard summons.

[Hehehe, you have all endured quite the confinement in that restrictive void. Go forth and unleash your fury.]

*Swoosh—*

The abyssal shade cloaking the earth stretched outward like an oncoming tide.

It expanded without boundaries, showing no signs of slowing down.

…As though its sole purpose was to swallow the entire mountain range whole.

Ultimately, when the shroud had encompassed the entire peak and finally ceased its expansion, a symphony of unsettling noises echoed.

*Clatter—*

[Kieeeeek!]

*Crack—!*

A countless horde of the undead began to pull themselves free from the ink-black shadow.

Zombies, Skeletons, Ghouls, Ghasts, Wights, Dullahans…

Dozens grew into hundreds, then thousands, and rapidly swelled into the tens of thousands.

The manifesting horrors blanketed the slopes in an instant, and the surrounding flora immediately withered under the oppressive, freezing aura of mortality.

The decaying miasma, which was lethal to living creatures by its mere proximity, saturated the atmosphere, while the air grew heavy with the toxic vapors venting from the reanimated corpses.

As the entire mountain, bound in darkness, became thoroughly saturated with the essence of the grave, the subsequent grand spell from “Forbidden Knowledge” was set into motion.

*Rumble—!*

Positioned amidst the sprawling legion of the dead and the crushing weight of necrotic energy, a massive cataclysmic shudder rocked the earth.

With that profound tremor, the ‘Demon King’s Castle’ manifested before them.

Constructed from dark blocks that seemed forged from the void itself, decorated with terrifying gargoyles and statues across its walls, and featuring sharp, towering spires piercing the sky, it stood as the absolute embodiment of a dark citadel.

‘To be technically accurate, it is the high-tier spell “Eternal Labyrinth.” However, reshaping its external aesthetics is an effortless task for Hans.’

Though synthesizing the interior layout instantly was beyond the spell’s initial cast, the “Eternal Labyrinth” granted its master the power to manipulate internal structures at will, making the limitation trivial.

The paramount achievement was that a majestic stronghold of darkness now loomed directly ahead.

*Clatter— Clank—!*

[Kraaaagh—!]

Following the construction, the next phase of his agenda involved cleansing the immediate frontier.

It was simply unacceptable for living monsters to roam freely within the personal domain of the Immortal King!

Furthermore, given the high density of beasts in this zone, capturing them and converting them into undead thralls would provide Hans with a highly effective vanguard.

‘Additionally, this will provide the Rohan Duchy with some much-needed relief. The constant beast incursions hailing from the northern border, where this fortress now stands, will dwindle drastically.’

While he was restricted from offering open assistance, he could at least grant them this passive benefit.

In the end, those very creatures were being integrated into Hans’s personal host, meaning he suffered no loss in the exchange.

‘I ought to relocate a few of my specialized tools here as well. The former high-ranking member of the Oath of Heaven’s Defiance, Old Man, would be an excellent candidate given his sheer scale.’

The purge that Hans and his deathless legions had been methodically executing across the western territories had reached a successful resolution, drastically increasing his collection of available scapegoats.

The lands cleared by the undead army were now entirely cleansed of heretical sorcerers, demonic cultists, and similar factions.

There were even zealous groups that had begun revaluing the Immortal King as an object of worship…

‘Essentially, Hans has been the primary force behind the pacification of the western territories.’

Even the mighty Empire, which possessed the undisputed pinnacle of military might across the land, alongside the eastern Republic and the southern Tribal Federation, were currently faltering; yet the west, a gathering of lesser nations, had emerged with the least scars solely due to his unacknowledged interventions.

Naturally, the world at large would never view his actions as altruistic benevolence.

‘Ah, indeed. I must ensure that particular fellow is transferred here as well.’

Among the individuals designated to relocate into this freshly manifested dark citadel was Andrew Weber, the awakened traveler from Earth whom Hans had encountered back in Tobea.

‘His innate trait is remarkably practical. The capacity to position surveillance fields wherever he pleases across the entire continent. Actually, it operates far more like a network of imperceptible scouting drones than simple stationary cameras.’

The optimal strategy for exploiting such a beneficial asset was to maintain close proximity and apply consistent pressure, rather than allowing him to remain unsupervised at a distance.

‘That individual possessed an incredibly vacant expression and radiated an aura of pure lethargy.’

Granted, that was merely an initial observation, but the evaluations of an entity who had attained a transcendental state carried undeniable weight.

‘This isolated peak offers zero distractions, meaning he will have no opportunities to wander astray. Olivia is currently overwhelmed with her duties, so she will likely welcome the extra hands if I assign him as her subordinate.’

Thus, the future management of Andrew Weber was effectively settled without his awareness.

Naturally, this arrangement would only take effect once the citadel’s environment was altered to support human life.

—

[Now then, Siana. You indicated that you had a piece of intelligence to deliver?]

-Indeed, Your Majesty! My ascension into the ranks of the imperial aristocracy was entirely calculated! As I previously detailed, I have been meticulously collecting data that will prove invaluable for your eventual subjugation of the continent!

Within a vast reception hall inside the dark citadel, which had received some basic interior adjustments, Hans sat upon a massive throne constructed from an array of skeletal remains, conversing via long-range magic with Siana, who remained stationed within the Empire.

‘While bringing Andrew here is simple enough since he is a lone operator, it would be a waste to abandon Siana’s current standing as an imperial viscountess. Perhaps leaving her in place to monitor the situation is the wiser path?’

The methodology Siana had utilized to infiltrate the nobility was remarkably straightforward.

She had altered her form into that of an innocent youth, integrated herself into a viscount’s household via her unnatural allure, and subsequently orchestrated a series of fatal ‘mishaps’ over the span of a decade to systematically eliminate the lineage.

As the sole surviving heir, inheriting the title and estate fell to her naturally.

-…Consequentially, the avaricious Crown Prince Simon is rather simple to manipulate. I was actively steering his actions. The individual who poses an authentic challenge is his chief competitor for the crown, the fifth princess, ‘Riley Carte Azeria’.

The imperial lineage of Azeria consisted of three princes and four princesses in total.

The second prince had fallen from grace after being overwhelmed by the Crown Prince, while the third and fourth princesses had effectively removed themselves from the line of succession through political marriages.

The sixth prince was a mere adolescent with negligible backing, and the seventh princess had not even reached her tenth year.

‘Under those specific parameters, only the fifth princess possesses the backing to stand as a legitimate rival to the heir apparent.’

In ordinary circumstances, regardless of her personal brilliance, the fifth princess would never have stood a chance at contesting the succession.

Primacy of birth provided an astronomical benefit regarding succession within the monarchy, and the chronological head start was vital for solidifying political alliances.

-Princess Riley managed to secure the favor of the Sovereign due to her tactical mind, but a specific figure was fundamentally responsible for her ascending to her current political heights despite her mother’s house lacking significant influence.

This individual was the exact target Siana was highlighting—the one destined to become their greatest hurdle within the Empire.

The guardian who had shielded the fifth princess through countless political and physical assassinations, serving as the absolute pillar of her faction’s martial capability.

The closest confidant and lifelong companion to the princess since their earliest years.

Furthermore, she was recognized as one of the preeminent Archmages active on the continent…

-Viscount Isea Pristine. That woman poses a monumental threat to Your Majesty’s grand ambitions! She must be designated as our highest priority for elimination!

She also happened to be the identical sorceress who had been put forward as a candidate for the newly formed ‘hero’s vanguard’ during recent deliberations.

-In truth, I nearly compromised my identity when I crossed paths with Viscount Pristine previously. I have made every effort to keep my distance from her since that encounter. Even with my capacity to entirely deceive the perceptions of the High Archbishops…

To put it another way, Siana was arguing that the public consensus ranking her among the top ten spellcasters across the land was an understatement of her true capabilities.

She was intentionally suppressing her true output to serve as a hidden trump card for the princess during an existential crisis.

-For a sorceress barely in her late twenties to possess that degree of mastery implies that her future growth potential is completely unpredictable. We must eliminate her immediately before her power expands any further!

Siana further conveyed the critical intelligence that ‘Isea Pristine’ was currently traveling toward the location of the Roselia Cathedral.

While the ultimate outcome remained uncertain, if she successfully aligned her capabilities with the designated hero, they would face an incredibly dangerous adversary.

Naturally, Hans was already fully aware of the situation she was describing.

‘Her capabilities are undeniably extraordinary. At that level of mastery, the vast majority of our commanders would stand no chance against her. Yet, to hear she is in her late twenties… she possesses the appearance of someone barely out of their teens, regardless of how one looks at her.’

This discrepancy existed because…

Harley, who had recently departed for the Roselia Cathedral, was at this very moment standing directly across from her.