Chapter 236

Chapter 236
## Chapter 236

In Tarak (1)

Tarak, a major northern city within the Tulk Kingdom, served as a gathering point for numerous avatars.

To the north, past the towering Steel Fortress, rose the Northern Mountains, a territory rich in exotic monster components, rare minerals, and valuable medicinal plants.

Toward the southeast, expansive trade pathways linked the city directly to the Azerion Empire, the dominant power ruling the central continent.

Meanwhile, to the southwest lay the Aonia Earldom, a territory renowned for its abundant reserves of premium iron ore, which naturally drew in master craftsmen from all over.

‘This exact geographic advantage is why I chose to launch Hubert’s Trading Company from this location.’

The city flourished on the backs of mercenary contracts and weaponry manufacturing, making it an ideal nexus for commercial enterprises.

Over a relatively short span, Hubert’s Trading Company had evolved into one of the premier mercantile organizations within this thriving urban center.

‘Though, to be fair, our ascent wasn’t achieved solely through standard, ethical competition.’

It was practically impossible for an enterprise formed mere years ago to achieve such rapid supremacy through purely conventional methods.

“Hmm.”

Standing atop the rooftop of his corporate headquarters, Hubert gazed down at the teeming thoroughfares below.

The foundation of everything rested on the immense initial funding delivered by Hans.

Utilizing that massive financial backing, aggressive acquisitions and corporate takeovers rapidly stabilized the company’s trajectory, while Harley’s rising fame as the co-head served as a formidable defensive asset.

‘Cultivating a strong alliance with the Earl’s house and leveraging our religious ties via Heinrich certainly accelerated our progress as well.’

Furthermore, by utilizing the vampires operating under Heinz the Second, they secured a decisive edge within the underworld.

Any rival entities attempting to undermine their operations were dealt with mercilessly, serving as a stark warning to others.

‘On top of that, we offered premium merchandise identified through “Appraisal”, alongside exotic flavorings and scarce commodities sourced from Earth.’

His daring resource allocations and commercial strategies, guided by real-time intelligence regarding the movements of the Immortal King, yielded massive returns.

To top it off, the Tulk Kingdom’s merchant alliance, which had consistently tried to obstruct his growth, suddenly collapsed in authority following the disruptions caused by the Immortal Army.

It was an unbroken chain of triumphs, as though fortune itself was guiding his path.

Within the mercantile community of Tarak, he had earned the reputation of being a ‘man favored by the God of Wealth’.

It made complete sense that he now controlled the premier commercial entity in the northern territory of the Tulk Kingdom, holding considerable leverage that reached into foreign realms.

And that narrative of triumph was nowhere near its end.

Hubert’s Trading Company was currently operating at its absolute zenith.

“Ah! Master Hubert! So this is where you’ve been hiding!”

A recognizable female voice broke through his thoughts.

Hubert turned his gaze slowly toward the young woman stepping onto the rooftop terrace.

“Diana.”

The frail, malnourished girl he had initially encountered was completely gone. In her place stood a robust young woman whose mature aura made her seem beyond her actual years.

Diana, who had initially been brought into the organization through favoritism but swiftly demonstrated her worth, had risen to become his private assistant.

“I have several pressing forms that require your endorsement today! It concerns the expansion plan for the ‘Dancing with Orcs’ dining franchise that you outlined…”

Stepping up beside him, she opened a leather folio and commenced her update.

She exuded the air of a highly capable administrator, her every movement projecting professionalism.

‘She mentioned dedicating herself to intense study prior to arriving… but this goes far beyond basic education. This is raw capability multiplied by relentless effort.’

Though he had originally brought her on board simply to capitalize on her supernatural olfactory senses, she had thoroughly outshone his grandest anticipations in administrative work.

Her personal efforts played a monumental role in the recent scaling of Hubert’s Trading Company.

‘I harbored minor anxieties that Hubert’s personal advancement had hit a ceiling, but this steady corporate expansion is highly gratifying. Provided the enterprise generates wealth, the methodology is irrelevant.’

Hubert, the avatar designed to ascend as the preeminent tycoon of the land.

Although his creation succeeded Harley, his individual progression had been far less spectacular.

While he never anticipated transforming into a frontline combatant, he had genuinely expected to unlock some commerce-related traits, such as “Bargaining” or “Eloquence”…

‘It is quite surprising that not a single trait of that nature has manifested, even with an organization of this magnitude.’

Then again, he felt he understood the underlying logic.

Traits were fundamentally magical or supernatural capabilities.

Conversely, the vast majority of mercantile expertise hinged on individual perception, logic, and social competence, rather than mystical forces.

It differed entirely from mastering swordsmanship or sorcery, which directly tapped into supernatural energies.

‘If an individual could secure better transaction rates simply by possessing a “Bargaining” trait, that would cross into the realm of mental manipulation rather than genuine commerce.’

Naturally, specialized traits unique to merchants might exist without his knowledge, but…

It was of little consequence at this stage.

He was no longer required to fight on the front lines; he was the commander directing the massive vessel that was Hubert’s Trading Company.

‘Yet, it would be incorrect to say I have gained nothing at all.’

Just a short while back, Hubert had successfully unlocked a brand-new capability, even if it wasn’t strictly tied to commerce.

To be exact, his continuously utilized “Appraisal” capability had finally attained a critical threshold of mastery, prompting an upgrade that fused seamlessly with the “Insight” he had acquired via attribute enhancements.

“I consulted with your uncle… that is, Mr. Bolt, who handles the culinary inventory for ‘Dancing with Orcs’, and we devised a more streamlined approach to calibrate the wholesale rates…”

This upgraded capability, dubbed “Analysis”, functioned as a vastly superior iteration of “Appraisal”, unlocking functionalities that were previously entirely out of reach.

Focusing his gaze on Diana as she enthusiastically walked through the operational points, he triggered “Analysis” on her.

-Staff member of Hubert’s Trading Company. Though youthful, she exhibits remarkable business capabilities. Perennially studying and pushing to better herself, acutely conscious of her areas for growth. Deeply motivated to assist the individual who rescued her. Consumed a bacon sandwich for her midday meal.

-Primary Attributes: Preternatural sense of smell, absolute devotion, intense familial affection, masterful commercial intelligence, vast cognitive capacity, standard physical conditioning, plagued by terrible misfortune.

-Reliability Rating: 98%

The single greatest upgrade—

In stark contrast to “Appraisal”, which was strictly limited to inanimate objects, the enhanced “Analysis” could be cast directly upon living beings.

‘The precision of the data appears tied to my familiarity with the subject, but the utility here is undeniable.’

He had spent time monitoring pedestrians from this elevated vantage point to experiment with the capability.

When targeting unfamiliar individuals, he received only ambiguous readings like ‘stressed regarding a impending target date’ or ‘utilizing deception to mask an extramarital affair’, alongside a bare minimum of primary attributes. However…

‘Furthermore, reliability ratings failed to manifest at all for total strangers, and even among our paid staff, the metric seldom cleared the 60% mark.’

This reality made Diana’s 98% reliability rating look truly extraordinary.

The ‘absolute devotion’ highlighted in her primary attributes undoubtedly served as the underlying cause.

‘Even so… plagued by terrible misfortune?’

Hubert rubbed his jawline, observing Diana as she maintained her cheerful expression.

Reflecting on her history, such a characterization was entirely logical.

Long before Aaron was taken, she had existed in a state of perpetual peril, surviving purely by relying on her olfactory gifts and sheer willpower.

Had their paths not crossed on that fateful afternoon, she likely would have lost her sibling and endured a lifetime of tragedy.

‘Yet her current situation appears quite joyful, so why does that remain categorized as a primary attribute?… Hold on a moment.’

The underlying catalyst that forced her kindred to relocate to Tarak flashed through his mind.

It was the incident where her relatives were targeted by the avaricious preceptor who had been instructing Diana.

What would the outcome have been if Heinz the Second had failed to step in?

Her benevolent aunt and uncle, who had so warmly sheltered the orphaned siblings, would have been stripped of their business and residence, while Rafi might have perished from a lack of medical care.

Had events spiraled to that grim conclusion, would Bolt’s household have ever absolved Diana? And could Diana have ever lived with her own guilt?

‘…An absolute ruin of a joyful family would have occurred had I arrived even moments later.’

It was his presence—an anomaly in the system—that altered the trajectory of their destinies.

To be precise, it was the active disruption of an outworlder, an entity possessing the power to break the mapped-out course of destined ‘misfortune’.

“…With that concluded, I just need your signature here!”

Diana brought her briefing to a close, extending the document folder alongside a writing instrument with an upbeat grin.

Gazing at her radiant face for a brief interval, Hubert offered a silent nod and accepted the items.

Possessing a high capacity for parallel thought processing, he had retained every single detail of her presentation even while exploring his own internal deductions.

‘This “Analysis” capability is exceptionally practical. It is an ideal asset for overseeing personnel.’

He could effortlessly separate the fiercely devoted and capable workers from the rest using this method.

Should he manage to advance the capability further, he might eventually decode the exact nature of Diana’s olfactory traits and her persistent bad luck.

For the foreseeable future, keeping her close remained the wisest strategy, ensuring she stayed shielded from any impending disasters.

“I shall see to the execution of these plans immediately, Master Hubert!”

“Very well, proceed.”

She represented his inaugural bond within this realm—a untiring, cooperative young woman.

He had developed a genuine protective affection for her.

—

The sole smithy situated within the premium core district of Tarak.

In direct contrast to the alternative metalworks clustered within the industrial sectors, this specific establishment was a private forge constructed solely for ‘Zaonic Steelstone’ under direct decrees from the Earl.

Clang—! Clang—!

Predictably, the machinery and tools were of unparalleled quality, and the raw stock supplied to the forge was similarly premium.

Furthermore, Zaonic belonged to the Dwarves, a race legendary for their master craftsmanship.

“This defies logic. My mind reels every single time I watch him work…”

Yet, the proprietor of this elite establishment was currently transfixed, staring blankly ahead while talking under his breath.

He found it nearly impossible to process the terrifying advancement displayed by the youngster he had taken under his wing a mere matter of weeks ago.

‘I recognized his innate brilliance from the start… ’

The boy absorbed information at ten times the speed of conventional instruction.

He had scarcely mastered the basic grip of a smithing tool, yet he had already earned the divine favor of the forge.

Moreover, he was utilizing pieces of the World Tree—incredibly scarce and sacred elements—as if they were nothing more than common firewood for the flames.

His physical endurance bordered on the unnatural, frequently leaving Zaonic completely spent and collapsed on the floor while attempting to match the youth’s pace.

‘I recall possessing that level of vigor during my younger days… ’

Zaonic gave his head a dismissive shake, looking back on a romanticized version of his own history.

Even when measured against his own inflated recollections, Howard was an absolute anomaly.

‘And the sheer focus he possesses… ’

The moment a task began, he would entirely sever his awareness from the outside world, concentrating exclusively on bringing his project to life, operating with the mechanical precision of an automaton.

Granted, it was hardly rare for master smiths to lose themselves entirely within their craft, abandoning sustenance and rest… but even Zaonic, who was thoroughly accustomed to such obsessive traits, found Howard’s intensity deeply unnerving.

‘His rate of development was already staggering… ’

Then, a handful of days back, it accelerated to an entirely incomprehensible tier.

Every single downward arc of his forging tool appeared to manifest the accumulated wisdom of countless repetitions, each successive blow exhibiting greater refinement and accuracy than the one preceding it.

It mirrored an individual operating within a distorted, accelerated pocket of time.

This crossed past basic improvement and entered the realm of true evolution.

After spending several days observing this impossible progression, Zaonic abandoned all attempts at formal instruction, choosing instead to watch silently from the background while offering the occasional pointer.

Howard had definitively broken past the boundaries of a learner, establishing himself as a genuine master of the craft.

While Zaonic still held the upper hand in terms of sheer veteran expertise, the divergence in their techniques at this stage was no longer a matter of competence, but purely a reflection of individual style.

“Whew—!”

Yet another project reached its conclusion.

Howard emerged from his deep creative fixation, exhaling a prolonged breath while using a cloth to clear the perspiration from his brow.

Resting before him was a singular piece of arm plating, still pulsing with intense thermal energy and gleaming beneath the erratic illumination of the furnace, its sleek contours showcasing a captivating metallic luster.

“Alright, are you finally prepared to enlighten me on what you are constructing? The architecture is far too intricate for a standard suit of plating. Where did you even acquire such an unorthodox blueprint?”

Zaonic, who had maintained his silent vigil, finally voiced his curiosity, his irritation breaking through.

He had pressed for answers on multiple occasions, yet a direct explanation had consistently eluded him.

“Uhuhut! This item?”

Howard, seemingly numb to the radiating warmth of the metal, stroked the polished exterior with an appreciative grin.

He had harbored internal doubts up until this point, but with the completion of this singular arm segment, he felt entirely assured of its viability.

‘I withheld the details simply because I lacked certainty that it could be realized.’

The item was merely an initial test model, and even upon full assembly, it would necessitate countless modifications before it could ever function in a true theater of war…

However, if he succeeded in bringing the full design to fruition, all of these grueling hours would be rendered entirely worthwhile.

After all, this creation represented—

“Iron… Khm.”

The ultimate realization of his grandest aspirations, the fundamental motivation that drove him to pursue the life of a smith.

“It is a multi-purpose mechanized armor system for combat.”

That was the reality of it.