Chapter 232

Chapter 232
## Chapter 232

### A Clue

While Harley was being inscribed with a fresh emblem,

Following the demise of Baltheon within the borders of Beorsen, the southern territories plunged into the chaos of restoration—prompting the swift departure of the hero party.

The strategic retreat of the Immortal King Hans had successfully halted the relentless tides of aggression, bringing a fragile peace to the fractured Ion Continent… yet there remained a critical obligation they could no longer delay.

“Geos, you stubborn old friend. I warned you repeatedly. Why did you feel compelled to throw yourself into danger like that…”

“…I arranged every comfort so you could come back and rest whenever your heart desired, Master… yet you never returned to us… The weight of this sorrow is unbearable, Master.”

Chehai and his spouse, alongside the estate’s dedicated steward, Oliver, wept openly as they dried their eyes.

A modest memorial service took place within the private resting grounds of the family estate belonging to Geos Calkin, located in the Regas Barony of the Lesque Kingdom, a region situated in the southwestern expanses of the Ion Continent.

Though the gathering was arranged in great haste, those who came to pay their respects were far from ordinary figures.

The entire fellowship of the hero party stood in attendance, alongside Baron Regas, who had rushed to the estate upon receiving the somber intelligence. They were joined by neighboring aristocrats, and even dignitaries from the Lesque royal court and high-ranking clerics who had undertaken a grueling trek to reach this isolated domain, which lacked any teleportation gates.

As an esteemed noble and a vital member of the military expedition, his sacrifice against the Immortal King rightfully demanded a magnificent state funeral… but with the continent still gripped by the throes of a massive conflict, compromise was inevitable.

Word had traveled that banners of mourning had already been hoisted across the capital and major provinces, with the monarchy scheduling an official state funeral for a future date…

‘Geos.’

Throughout the duration of the interment,

I, who had been deeply absorbed in evaluating the optimal utilization of my accumulated Karma, paused all deliberations to observe the proceedings through the perspectives of Heinrich and Harley.

Heinrich wore a countenance of profound grief laced with gentle benevolence.

Operating through that noble avatar, a wave of deep sympathy for Geos washed over me, accompanied by a silent prayer that he would find his departed kin in the realms beyond.

Harley maintained a remorseful yet dignified and solemn posture.

Experiencing the moment through that fierce avatar, I felt the raw ache of parting with a long-time brother-in-arms, recognizing the heroic and honorable nature of his demise.

And yet…

Through the cold, distorted lens of Hans, the sinister avatar, I experienced an absolute detachment, as if I had merely stepped over a common insect on a path.

Through Heinz the Second, the detached and analytical avatar, I felt a sense of complete neutrality, viewing the death as a mathematically certain conclusion.

Following these, the remaining reflections from my other personas manifested, each perfectly aligned with their specific psychological profiles.

Naturally, owing to the stabilizing effects of “Mind Hub”, “Persona”, and my heavily fortified psychological resilience, this influx of contrasting perspectives caused no internal friction.

Han Seong-hyeon, the core consciousness, remained firmly anchored at the focal point of these diverse personalities, processing the filtered perceptions to form detached, rational conclusions.

‘That is precisely the issue.’

Once more, a cynical, self-reproaching grin tugged at the corners of my mouth.

‘Ties that exist solely through the medium of avatars. Bonds that hold no reality in my native world.’

Because I retained a permanent, objective detachment from the unfolding reality, it was impossible to prevent these experiences gathered through my proxies from mimicking the detachment of an immersive simulation.

Even when confronted with the passing of a familiar acquaintance.

‘…A walk outside might clear my head.’

Though I had frequently traveled beyond my immediate surroundings using “Individual Projection”, a completely aimless stroll without a set destination seemed appealing.

As I lost myself in these quiet reflections, the hours slipped away rapidly,

And at long last, the funeral concluded, signaling the moment for the hero party to prepare themselves for a return to their ongoing duties.

“The rumors reached us. That you managed to bring down the Immortal King…”

“We expected nothing less from the Saint! Surely, Lord Calkin must also find peace knowing…”

The time had arrived to slip away from the sycophantic aristocrats who were swarming them, eagerly capitalizing on the conclusion of the service.

Heinrich, executing the pre-established strategy, offered a variety of diplomatic pretexts and delegated the management of the southern territories to Harley.

“I shall entrust the management of the Calcos region to your care, Harley.”

“Bwahaha! Leave it in my hands! There are still matters requiring my personal attention down there!”

Harley struck his patterned chest with a massive, weathered palm, causing the gargantuan cleaver strapped to his back to shift.

Having unlocked the state of “Ultimate Evolved Lifeform”, his physical vessel—already monstrously potent—had ascended to a tier where he had scarcely found cause to wield his signature armament, Giant Killer, in recent engagements.

Should he unleash his full, unbridled physical strength through it, the weapon would likely shatter under the pressure.

‘Howard intends to forge a replacement using exceptionally rare alloys in the near future, but even that piece will likely struggle to endure his output for long at this trajectory. Perhaps the Fighting King’s Tattoo will offer an alternative solution?’

This predicament stemmed from his raw muscular output drastically outstripping the durability limits of his weapon amplification, meaning that if the properties of the emblem—which served to intensify internal vital reserves—were elevated, a remedy might present itself.

‘A massive blade is the true pride of a warrior, an element that cannot be discarded!’

Thus, following the departure of the primary hero contingent,

Harley journeyed back to the southern sector alone, dedicating his efforts to stabilizing the regional unrest as an emissary of the expedition force. Eventually, under the supervision of a pair of High Shamans and a gathering of twenty traditional practitioners, he underwent the ritual for the ‘Tattoo of the Fighting King’.

Predictably, the system responded:

《The subject satisfies the necessary prerequisites and undergoes advancement. The capability “Calcos-style Combat Tattoos” mutates into the unique capability “Tattoo of the Fighting King”.》

The endeavor concluded with flawless execution.

—

Within the confines of a massive pavilion, expansive enough to shelter dozens of individuals simultaneously.

“Urrrgh—.”

“Agh!”

“Mmm…”

Thud—

More than a score of ritual practitioners, who had been encircling the platform, dropped heavily to the earth, breathing heavily and voicing their exhaustion.

Several among them lost consciousness entirely from the strain.

“Khehe— That process was incredibly volatile. I possessed faith that he would endure, but to think he would remain absolutely silent throughout the entire inscription.”

“…Ah, truly magnificent. A flawless specimen of masculinity. Haaa— Those iron-wrought sinews paired with an even more unyielding spirit…”

“This foolish girl is losing her mind again. Focus your mind!”

“Ah! G-grandmother?”

Positioned directly at the center of the pavilion, atop an elevated stone dais…

Harley gradually unsealed his eyes, taking in the petty bickering between the elderly woman and her younger relative.

-Individual Name: Harley

-Race: ???

-Common Traits: “Mind Hub”, “Persona”, “Clear Mind”, “Insight”

-Individual Traits: “Ultimate Evolved Lifeform”, “Tyrant of Madness”, “Bio-Aura”, “Voracity”, “Gem Eye: Coercion”, “Tattoo of the Fighting King”

-Special Notes: Has unlocked a state of transcendence through the relentless pursuit of the pinnacle of physical existence. Possesses infinite cellular restoration as long as vital reserves endure, functional even upon the obliteration of cerebral or cardiovascular organs. Reprograms chaotic insanity and transmutes it into usable power. All physical markings are interwoven and unified into a single network. The potency of the etched designs amplifies and maintains a permanent state of enhancement in direct proportion to the volume of inscriptions.

He could actively perceive the latent power of the various symbols, which had previously been dispersed across his anatomy, coalescing into a unified current surging through his veins.

‘This is extraordinary. The baseline efficacy of each distinct mark appears to have expanded by a factor of five at minimum.’

The heightened intensity of his “Bio-Aura” was immediately apparent as well.

Furthermore, this represented merely the passive, foundational state of the ability. He retained the capacity to magnify this output exponentially by consciously driving his internal reserves.

He had questioned how much additional growth could manifest now that he occupied a transcendent tier, but this development undeniably offered a monumental surge in capability.

“Hmm, exceptionally invigorating.”

Swoosh—

As Harley shifted his massive frame into a sitting posture,

His musculature rippled in tandem, causing the bizarre, flickering igneous configurations etched into his skin to writhe across his torso, forcefully asserting their newfound presence.

“Ah…”

“…!”

Though it was nothing more than an ordinary, unhurried shift in posture, the exhausted practitioners recovering on the ground, along with the duo of High Shamans responsible for guiding the ink, could only stare at him in profound, breathless awe.

“Hmm? What is the matter with all of you?”

Harley inclined his head slightly, detecting the unusual nature of their fixation.

As a being who had broken through to transcendence, his form naturally radiated an immense, innate gravity.

An absolute, crushing aura of dominance that demanded total acknowledgment from his surroundings, effectively reshaping the immediate atmosphere to match his internal gravity…

Yet while his previous aura had resembled that of an ‘unpredictable, cataclysmic predator,’ the current pressure carried a sophisticated, commanding magnetism layered within it.

The power vibrating through the glowing markings, behaving as though they possessed individual life, combined with the exotic radiation bleeding from his skin.

It was reminiscent of—the sovereign authority of a monarch.

The undeniable presence of a grand conqueror.

“…Sovereign.”

“Oh, great King…”

The lesser practitioners, still recovering from their fatigue on the floor, forced their aching bodies upright to bow low in his presence.

Even the two High Shamans lowered themselves to bended knees.

‘…Ah, of course. I recall a piece of lore regarding this.’

Harley, blinking away his initial bewilderment at the sudden shift in their demeanor, pulled forward a memory concerning a statement made by the original practitioner who had carved his very first marking.

The designation ‘Tattoo of the Fighting King’ was far from a mere poetic moniker.

It had transformed into an obscure piece of history, buried by the passage of eras, but these traditional practitioners held a deeper reverence for ancient lore than any civil group.

In that unforgiving, desolate territory where continued existence was purchased solely through perpetual combat…

An ancient myth and a blood covenant had been preserved since the foundational era of the Calcos Tribal Federation, an alliance formed by the consensus of fractured clans to halt the cycle of mutual annihilation.

This design was the physical manifestation of that sovereign right.

—

Deep within the shadows of the bleak, monumental sanctuary.

[…With that, I shall withdraw from your presence… May your rest be undisturbed, my Sovereign…]

The spectral, shimmering outline of the aristocratic spirit gradually dissolved into nothingness, allowing a profound quietude to claim the expansive chamber.

[Hmm.]

Yet the stillness was shortly interrupted by a deep, guttural vibration.

The Immortal King Hans, reposing upon his towering throne of calcified remains, surveying the length of the hall, produced a quiet sound of contemplation.

He lifted a skeletal hand with deliberate slowness, bringing it to rest against his sternum, the precise location where the consecrated blade had impaled his form.

The superficial tissue damage had fully knit itself back together, yet the residue of sacred energy lingering deep within his core continued to aggressively erode his internal composition.

‘I ought to have evaded that concluding strike.’

The complication was far from fatal, but it remained an irritating hindrance to his efficiency.

Naturally, it was that precise, desperate gambit that had propelled Heinrich across the threshold of transcendence.

Hans shifted his weight against the bone framework of his throne, entering a state of repose.

This specific locus, acting as the absolute epicenter of the necromantic energy saturating the Immortal Fortress, provided the most optimal environment for his recuperation.

It would likely require roughly a month of isolation to utterly eradicate the remaining sacred contamination… though that duration translated to a mere three days when measured by the calendar of Earth.

‘Now, regarding the Seed of Madness… I presumed he would have secured it within a hidden vault, but that treacherous Revolutionary asset managed to purloin it.’

The single largest shard of ‘madness’ that had poured forth from the opening of the abyssal gate—serving as the foundational origin and focal point for the corruption currently saturating the length of the land.

That was the instrument Baltheon had utilized to shatter the psychological defenses of even transcendent masters, rendering them compliant to his conditioning.

Hans extracted a diminutive metallic shard from his localized pocket dimension, tilting it beneath the dim light to observe it.

He had salvaged this item directly from the precise coordinates where the abyssal gate had torn open. It represented the solitary anomaly left behind within that otherwise utterly cleansed perimeter.

He had retained possession of it under the assumption that it might serve as a viable indicator…

[Hehehe— To think this object contained the necessary resonance all along?]

Locating spells, maledictions, materializations…

He had attempted a multitude of esoteric practices utilizing this shard as a spiritual anchor, yet every single endeavor had resulted in failure. He had arrived at the precipice of abandoning the object entirely…

However, upon extracting the intelligence regarding the abyssal gate directly from Baltheon, he finally comprehended its true function.

The architect who had orchestrated the unsealing of the abyssal gate following three decades of meticulous preparation.

A master of the arcane arts who stood at the absolute threshold of transcendence, yet ultimately collapsed into ruin due to the personal phantoms that fractured his psyche.

Furthermore, he had served as the primary vessel for the Seed of Madness when it was introduced to this reality.

This specific shard constituted a segment of the ritual focus he had gripped in his hands at the moment he offered his own existence to breach the void.

Which indicated…

‘The efficacy of a tracking ritual is fundamentally tethered to the depth of one’s comprehension regarding the lineage and narrative of the anchor.’

He was now fully equipped to utilize this physical fragment to pinpoint the whereabouts of the Revolutionary.

His previous attempts had collapsed when he sought to broadly target concepts associated with the phenomenon, despite deploying the immense authority inherent to the Immortal King… but now that a precise vector had been established, the dynamics of the hunt had inverted.

He at last possessed the definitive instrument to hunt down that elusive rat.

‘Furthermore, I command the utility of the Orb of Mind.’

An artifact engineered to immensely magnify cognitive and telepathic faculties.

It would serve as an invaluable asset in executing the macro-scale divination ritual required to map out the target’s location.

As Hans turned the artifact over in his skeletal grip with a grimly amused expression, channeling his power through its form with his bare fingers…

A sudden realization of a profound potential crystallized within his thoughts, as multiple variables suddenly locked into perfect alignment inside his mind.

To be precise,

It was the sudden harmony generated between the capabilities of the artifact and the ‘Dimensional Barrier Weakening’ initiative, into which he had previously funneled five million points of Karma.

‘This… carries a genuine probability of success… ’

Hans had amassed an incomprehensible reservoir of foreign memories and cognitive patterns while plundering the minds of the countless individuals he had condemned to execution.

It constituted a staggering mountain of data, severe enough to challenge the processing capabilities of even a transcendent entity like the Immortal King.

Yet tucked away among the vast seas of data accumulated within his subconscious archives, a singular memory fragment gleamed with unique brilliance.

‘Salma.’

The specific psychological profile and experiential data he had forcibly harvested from the physical form and spiritual essence of Salma, the transcendent paragon of martial discipline known as the Heavenly Demon Emperor, during the process of corrupting his vessel with abyssal energy.

The power of the Orb of Mind, reinforced by the structural degradation of the local dimensional fabric, permitted him to view that specific cognitive archive with unprecedented, crystal-clear definition.

Though it remained a mere shard, a fractured remnant of a shattered consciousness… the feedback felt as completely visceral as if he had occupied that body himself.

‘The configuration remains fractured… yet this matrix suggests it is entirely viable.’

As a direct consequence of these three distinct elements converging into a singular focus,

He unlocked a definitive trace leading toward an entirely separate realm of existence.

A viable corridor leading directly toward ‘Ganghwange’, the native dimension from which Salma had originally emerged.