Chapter 174

Chapter 174
## Chapter 174

In the Hero’s Footsteps (1)

“Wow… The digital space is completely fascinated by Hahoe Mask right now. Seriously, he’s practically dominating the mainstream news cycles. Even with the censorship because of how intense the footage is, it’s still wild.”

“People are blowing it way out of proportion.”

“Well, you can’t blame them, it’s mind-blowing. Seeing a creature like a Bone Dragon manifest on Earth for the first time is unprecedented. And our citizens love that kind of spectacle, so they keep building up the hype.”

“That kind of spectacle?”

Jin So-ran flashed a playful smirk at Heinz, who merely tilted his head in confusion.

“You know, slap a ‘K’ on the front of everything. Everyone is calling him K-Hahoe Mask now. Word is he was even suggested for the Do You Know Club. Haha.”

“…Hmm, how trivial. Regardless, the critical matters here are wrapped up, so I will take my leave. Handle the remaining details, Jin So-ran.”

“Ah, yes! Understood, Lord. Have a safe journey.”

With their casual exchange concluded, he exited the main office of Heterosis and instantly utilized “Existence Denial” to fly back to his personal quarters.

Naturally, the actual Heinz the Second remained situated in the Talia Kingdom, currently employing “Individual Projection” to act here.

‘I need to avoid materializing as Hans until our objectives in Japan are fully executed. Still, Heaven’s Turn Society… ‘

The recent confrontation Hans had with Heaven’s Turn Society left him with plenty to analyze.

Though he successfully shattered their ambush and turned it against them with the assistance of Heratos, he knew better than to treat them lightly.

‘The reality is quite the opposite. I was nearly forced to recall my essence. Standard thralls offered very little utility against adversaries of that caliber.’

It wasn’t that he had neglected to deploy the dead initially.

He simply withdrew them midway through the conflict, recognizing that a mediocre battalion would only get in his way during a high-speed magical shootout where he needed to bombard the enemy with dark arts while constantly repositioning.

The baseline undead he raised locally on Earth, relying solely on raw negative energy without premium components or intricate rituals, naturally possessed hard ceilings.

Granted, the elite units from his undying legions would have altered the dynamic…

‘When I originally established the attached dimension, I assumed I could seamlessly call upon and command the legions from the other world… I simply lacked a complete understanding of dimensional constraints back then.’

In contrast to the awakened individuals who regularly broke worldly constraints, the reanimated forces of the alternate world functioned on an entirely distinct framework. Consequently, they disintegrated the moment they entered Earth’s environment, rendering them useless for combat.

The sole anomaly was Heratos, whose manifestation succeeded because of his nature as a Bone Dragon, combined with the fact that Hans served as his core anchor.

Furthermore, deploying reinforcements via a warp matrix—as one would do in Auterica—was out of the question here. If a crisis emerged, his only safety net was to forcefully terminate his projection.

‘However, this skirmish yielded a substantial amount of premium raw material, so the situation should improve. Plus, Salma’s reanimation process is reaching its final stages.’

He maintained high expectations for the Earth-born, awakened corpses he was currently reconstructing with meticulous precision.

Though the resulting thrall would be slightly diminished compared to its living state, an undead entity nearing the threshold of transcendence that could bypass localized worldly constraints would prove invaluable moving forward.

‘I should execute the final binding rituals on Earth, just to be certain. Being able to reap the rewards on Earth while delegating the grueling, resource-heavy synthesis to an alternate realm is an setup that any practitioner of death magic would envy.’

This implied that the fallen combatants he secured would rise as premier undead in a matter of days by Earth’s clock, expanding his military assets at a pace Heaven’s Turn Society could never anticipate.

Yet, even that expansion felt insufficient.

‘A detachment of that caliber comprised merely their Japanese division… along with a handful of operatives from China?’

He missed the opportunity to thoroughly dissect the memories of his victims this time because the chaotic battle prevented him from taking captives. However, based on his existing intelligence, Heaven’s Turn Society was far from a regional Asian syndicate.

If their collective strength in East Asia alone reached those proportions, their global footprint had to be staggering.

‘They possess enough might to destabilize and control multiple sovereign nations if they mobilized fully.’

However, such overt aggression would inflict unnecessary friction on Heaven’s Turn Society, which explained their preference for covert subversion.

It was highly probable that certain territories had already capitulated to their influence behind closed doors.

‘…Any way I analyze this, relying on Hans alone is inadequate. I require greater numbers, far more dominance.’

A single identity like Hans faced distinct physical limitations, regardless of individual power.

To effectively dismantle their global network, he needed to scale up his operations…

‘Cooperating with the Returnee Association or the international bureaus that manage awakened individuals is a dead end; those entities are far too bloated. Information would inevitably fracture and leak during bureaucratic deliberations.’

It was entirely possible that counter-intelligence compromised their internal hierarchies already.

Similarly, he couldn’t blindly align with other factions opposing Heaven’s Turn Society, even if such groups existed.

‘Managing the entire operation independently is far more reliable. I can always offer anonymous assistance if our paths happen to cross.’

Just as he had envisioned at the outset, the optimal strategy involved cultivating a diverse array of shells and elevating their individual capabilities.

Heaven’s Turn Society would remain perpetually baffled.

They would never comprehend why Hahoe Mask’s disruptions were so relentless.

Nor would they foresee the entirely new complications that were about to emerge and block their path.

—

[Kihihihik!]

Rattle! Clatter—!

Deep within the northern peaks of the Ion Continent, an opaque, dark fortress sat nestled within a valley of jagged cliffs, completely shielded from the rays of the sun.

It was a domain steeped in malice, saturated with the essence of mortality due to the dense population of animated skeletons patrolling the exterior, amplified by the biting, desolate climate.

This was the ‘Immortal Fortress’, the sovereign stronghold erected by Immortal King Hans utilizing the architecture of the Eternal Labyrinth.

[Truly magnificent. The incubation timeline appears truncated compared to our initial projections, likely because we channeled the void directly. Excellent execution, Dwell.]

[Your praise honors me, Immortal King! This requires minimal effort!]

A pair of skeletal figures conversed amiably within the subterranean chambers of the stronghold, surrounded by an environment that managed to amplify the already chilling architecture.

Intricate runic symbols covered every surface, interspersed with macabre fetishes of foreign designs.

Sections of organic matter, preserved as specimens, twitched rhythmically to assert their continued vitality, while rows of organized laboratory apparatus gleamed beneath a muted light.

Nearby, a specialized chamber hummed, saturated with void energy that churned continuously…

It was the quintessential laboratory of a heretical researcher.

‘The description fits, given that this space belongs to a Lich’s study. And it currently doubles as a factory for fabricating unique thralls.’

Hans scanned the attending Liches before refocusing on Dwell, the supervisor of this particular facility.

The temporal divergence allowed him to transition back from Earth without draining his vitality, but since he could only make the trip roughly once every ten days, he leaned heavily on his captains to maintain operations.

While Dwell’s martial capabilities ranked below the other commanders, his tenure as an Arch-Lich surpassed Hans’s own lifetime by centuries.

Supervising the reanimation pipeline was second nature to him, and his flawless execution consistently validated the trust the Immortal King placed in him.

[Excellent, then… our next project is this.]

Thud—

Relying on that established trust,

Hans discharged the collection of awakened bodies he had carefully harvested and transported from Earth, letting them drop heavily onto the floor.

Among them was a high-ranking operative from Heaven’s Turn Society whose baseline matched Salma’s caliber, alongside fifteen additional specimens capable of becoming formidable assets given proper refinement.

[…Uh, are we… subjecting all of these to the exact procedure as… that other specimen?]

[Hehehe— Precisely. They serve distinct functions in my strategy, so ensure the craftsmanship is flawless.]

[By your command! Consider it done!]

Though Dwell claimed it was simple, managing a procedure that integrated the volatile energies of the void was a delicate art.

It demanded intense concentration, and he had just been handed a massive inventory all at once…

[I shall return at a later date.]

[…Understood.]

To Hans, who commanded a legion of supernatural entities and had adapted to a relentless pace of operations, this sudden assignment was just standard procedure.

The undying host operated under a grueling corporate dynamic from its inception, after all.

Having transferred the administrative burden to Dwell, Hans proceeded to tour the remainder of the stronghold, evaluating ongoing projects and issuing updated directives to his various units.

Ultimately,

[Very well, I trust you will execute the assignment as discussed.]

[This servant… will give her absolute utmost…]

Hans concluded his affairs, wrapping up his consultation with Olivia before vanishing silently from the Immortal Fortress.

His presence was required back on Earth to conclude his business there.

Yet, within the quiet sectors of the stronghold, a fragile normalcy persisted even after his whirlwind departure…

Crackle—!

“…Wow, this is getting ridiculous.”

“Oh! This is fascinating. Do you have a more complex sequence for me, Riley?”

The voices belonged to Princess Riley and Hesperon, who remained restricted to the residential quarters of the Immortal Fortress, dedicating their entire existence to mastering arcane principles.

Riley let out a defeated laugh, staring at the intricate sculptures of frost that had crystallized across the courtyard stonework.

Roughly two months had passed since her capture and subsequent relocation to this facility, and Hesperon had shared her confinement for just over four weeks.

The exasperated comment she just uttered had essentially become her daily mantra over the past month.

It was an involuntary reaction at this point.

“Heron, are you even aware of what you just accomplished?”

“Huh? Did I make an error somewhere?”

“…No, it’s not an error. It’s the fact that you just eclipsed the magical proficiency I spent over a decade cultivating. And you managed it in barely thirty days.”

“Huh?”

Riley let out another weary breath as she watched him stare back at her with an innocent expression.

This experience felt entirely different from the time she was outpaced by Isea within a month during her eleventh year.

‘Eight years have passed since that incident… And I couldn’t even maintain my lead over him for longer than I did with Seah?’

Furthermore, that brief window represented the entirety of her theoretical understanding—including advanced concepts she had never actualized due to her own mediocre spiritual aptitude.

They achieved this without the aid of ancient codices or amplifying relics to streamline the process, a luxury they possessed during her childhood!

‘Ah… it’s a relief I never truly dedicated my soul to the arcane arts. My spirit would be completely shattered if I watched someone bypass years of my hard work so casually.’

While the princess attempted to rationalize the disparity to preserve her sanity,

Hesperon remained focused on an translucent notification hovering in his field of vision.

《The entity achieves profound comprehension through iterative practice. You have unlocked the ability: “Introduction to Magic”.》

‘The pedagogical foundation she provides is exceptional. It was enough to trigger this unlock.’

Princess Riley’s practical execution remained mediocre due to her inherent limitations, but the instruction provided to royalty was fundamentally elite.

Her sharp intellect ensured the structural frameworks were conveyed without distortion, making the acquisition of this ability a logical outcome.

“Whew, it matters little. I was never destined for the academy anyway… This was merely a pastime… My path leads to the throne… regardless of the hurdles…”

“Ah— Naturally, Riley. There is no need for distress.”

“Mind your etiquette!”

She countered with a sharp look, prompting an immediate adjustment in his demeanor.

The pair resumed their familiar banter.

The entire dynamic was a calculated performance designed to highlight Hesperon’s apparent ignorance of aristocratic hierarchies, painting him as a naive youth from a foreign realm.

She remained unaware of his true origin, but it was essential to establish this narrative early to prevent any suspicion if the other Earthling… Isea, ever crossed paths with him and noticed an inconsistency.

‘Excellent, the time is approaching to transition to the subsequent phase… The princess’s orchestrated breakout.’

The rapport between them had solidified to the point where Riley conversed without reservation, aligning perfectly with his long-term goals. Having also established a baseline as a functioning practitioner of magic, he had extracted maximum value from this phase.

It was unfortunate that her lack of interest in conjuration magic prevented him from copying those specific techniques, but future windows of opportunity would manifest as long as he maintained proximity to her.

In reality, he could instantly master the school by utilizing Hans, but because Hesperon’s public persona was an awakened individual from Earth, he required a logical progression to justify his growth.

‘Now… what is the best approach… Huh?’

As he formulated his next moves,

He paused momentarily, his attention captured by an unexpected alert materializing in his vision at an unusual juncture.

《Milestone reached! You have stepped upon the ‘Path of Salvation’ dedicated to preserving existence.》

《Greater than fifty percent of the sentient population within the Auterica Dimension recognizes your campaign against darkness. You are bestowed the attribute “In the Hero’s Footsteps” as a commendation.》

《You have executed an action that profoundly alters the global destiny. Accumulated Karma scales upward.》

Naturally,

This notification manifested not for the novice practitioner Hesperon, but for the champion ‘Heinrich Saint Landguard’.