Chapter 275

Chapter 275
Chapter 275
Rematch (4)

Following the appearance of Marquis Lawrence, the Head of the Imperial Magic Tower, alongside his elite combat wizards, the turmoil within the impoverished district was rapidly brought under control. Staub, despite mounting a desperate and aggressive resistance, was swiftly overpowered. Concurrently, the handful of masked perpetrators who attempted self-destruction upon realizing all escape routes were severed…

“Ugh!”

“Gah!”

“Don’t move!”

…found themselves immobilized by Hesperon’s dark filaments before they could execute their deaths. Their muscles locked instantly, allowing the arriving mages to secure them and bind their magical capacities.

‘This proves remarkably efficient.’

Examining his right arm, which now thrummed with a significantly thicker resonance, Hesperon offered a silent nod of approval. Though the masked operatives had been caught in a state of panic, completely neutralizing adversaries of such high caliber was a direct result of the heightened potency within his “Craving Right Arm”. Furthermore, his capacity to precisely direct explicit hexes, such as the immobilization effect he had just deployed, represented a substantial advancement.

-The sector is secure! You truly rescued me. My thanks, Riley.

-Sigh— I am merely relieved our arrival was timely… However, I owe you an apology. This failure rests with me. I should have eliminated their threat with greater certainty…

-Think nothing of it. Events rarely unfold flawlessly. Your efforts were absolute. Concentrate now on managing the reorganization…

As Hesperon offered these relaxed assurances to the remorseful Riley, his words abruptly trailed off. His attention snapped directly back to his right arm.

Sizzle—

A murky, malevolent current—the raw essence of the hex—was gradually radiating outward. The “Craving Right Arm”, though sated from consuming the malice of the masked combatants, was twisting once more in a gesture of defiance.

-Heron? What is occurring? Are you unharmed? Did you sustain an injury…?!

-It is of no consequence. Merely… Staub and I locked gazes for a moment. I directed a stern look his way.

Though he offered a serene reply to her anxious inquiries, his sight remained locked onto his right limb, which was now vibrating with violent tremors.

‘This is highly problematic.’

In stark contrast to his tranquil delivery, the color had vanished from his face, leaving him deathly pale.

Drip— Drip—

Heavy perspiration rolled down his brow, and crimson droplets leaked from his nostrils, impacting the dirt below. A cluster of mages engaged in clearing the battlefield began moving toward his position, but he paid them no heed.

Saaaa—

The hex, which had been cautiously testing its boundaries, suddenly flared into open rebellion.

“Is this… the toll of its usage?”

Preserving his internal stability through “Mind Hub”, he knit his brows and carefully scrutinized his physical condition. Though he had successfully bound the curse via a pact and achieved authority over it, its fundamental nature as an algorithmic hazard remained unchanged. This was no commonplace malady; it was an exceptional manifestation possessing its own awareness and progression tier. Apart from an anomaly like Hans, the Immortal King, who maintained total preservation against hexes, any practitioner had to exercise extreme vigilance when drawing upon its power.

‘…I undeniably pushed past safe thresholds this instance.’

He had not merely channeled its offense; he had deployed it as a shield, absorbing the direct impact of malicious sorcery on multiple occasions. Even with the internal filtration, the residual shockwaves had severely disrupted his physical equilibrium, leaving the structural integrity of his arm heavily compromised.

Sizzle—

At that moment, the obsidian dragon manifested from his limb turned its focus toward him, its gaze radiating a malicious sheen. Departing from its customary grand demeanor, its eyes narrowed into a piercing, serpentine stare. Then, the corruption that had been successfully restricted to his right arm began to advance upward.

“Tsk, I ought to have minded the physician’s counsel. He explicitly warned me to exercise restraint…”

Hesperon gave a sharp click of his tongue. While the crisis had demanded immediate action, a permanent solution was now mandatory. The ramifications of allowing this hex to amplify further were entirely unpredictable.

“However, your advance stops here, you troublesome thing.”

Crackle—

True to his calculations, the corruption attempting to widen its territory hit an impenetrable barrier at his shoulder joint, twisting and writhing in frustration. The bindings enveloping his shoulder, saturated with sacred energy, working in tandem with his “Curse Devourer” capability, were dynamically repelling the invasion.

‘At this exact moment!’

Flutter—

Utilizing the brief hesitation of the hex, the fabric wraps on his shoulder uncoiled and rapidly enveloped the entirety of his arm, obeying his mental command.

Crackle— Crackle!

Dark discharges flared violently as the hex counterattacked, the form of the black dragon wavering erratically between materialization and dissolution. An agonizing torment rippled through his limb, yet his “Mind Hub” and “Soul Firewall” formed a defensive perimeter, insulating his core awareness. Even so, he lacked the capacity to entirely mask his involuntary physical trauma; he was not Harley, who possessed absolute authority over every individual fiber and cell.

His vision distorted as his pupils widened, his musculature seizing from the sheer agony flooding his nervous system. His skin turned completely bloodless, crimson leaked from both his nose and lips, and his entire form was saturated in cold sweat.

Following an intense five-minute struggle, largely sustained by his deliberate application of “Chains of the Oath” to enforce containment, the turbulent “Craving Right Arm” finally began to lose momentum, allowing his physical state to stabilize.

‘Whew, had this manifestation occurred mid-combat… ‘

Releasing a breath of profound relief, he began kneading the throbbing muscles of his arm. He clenched and released his wrapped fingers to confirm their responsiveness before raising his vision.

“Are you functioning adequately?”

Marquis Lawrence, who had maintained a observant distance, stepped forward with measured caution. He had interacted with the Marquis on several occasions during his sorcery instruction within the grand estate. Owing to his association with Riley, the designated successor, the elder mage had periodically provided valuable insights.

“Yes, my equilibrium has returned.”

“Hmm… If that is your assessment…”

“Ah, please forgive my delayed courtesy. I extend my gratitude for your intervention. The margins were incredibly slim.”

“Your performance was commendable, particularly given your limited engagement in live conflict. To display such proficiency after a brief tenure of preparation is noteworthy.”

The Marquis, narrowing his eyes, persisted in evaluating his state. The young man’s attire was coated in debris and crimson markings, his complexion remained bloodless, his frame was slick with sweat, and his muscles still exhibited minor tremors… He appeared far from recovered.

‘Even if he claims no structural damage, any observer would harbor deep reservations.’

Marquis Lawrence slowly stroked his beard, lost in contemplation. He had witnessed the invisible warfare between the rebelling hex and the young man’s determination to suppress it. The external physical trauma alone sufficed to indicate the magnitude of the agony he had sustained, yet Hesperon’s features remained entirely unbothered, as though the event were trivial.

‘His psychological endurance and internal restraint are extraordinary. Truly exceptional potential.’

His accelerated advancement, coupled with his capacity to withstand Staub’s offensives until reinforcement arrived… He possessed the qualities of an elite apprentice, a legitimate heir to his teachings…

‘Hmm, perhaps an invitation should be extended at a more opportune juncture?’

Nevertheless, the present moment was inappropriate for such discussions. Ensuring Hesperon’s immediate recovery took precedence. He could not permit the youth to deteriorate from the lingering trauma of the curse, especially after performing such a rescue. Such an outcome would inevitably draw the severe displeasure of Riley.

“Medical evaluation is required for your condition.”

“…My apologies?”

“Do not argue, let us depart.”

“Ah… Understood.”

Consequently, Hesperon found himself effectively escorted to the imperial medical facility under the firm direction of Marquis Lawrence. Upon receiving the intelligence, Riley immediately issued a directive ensuring his extended confinement to a medical ward, accompanied by an intense sequence of reprimands through their telepathic link, criticizing his decision to misrepresent his physical status.

—

An operations center located on the periphery of Seoul.

Tap— Tap— Tap—

The steady cadence of keystrokes reverberated through the silent chamber. My attention remained locked on the display screen, reviewing a intelligence dispatch delivered via an encrypted channel, as I drifted into deep contemplation.

‘The narrative of Auterica is approaching its concluding phase.’

While various minor complications required final resolution, the primary developments capable of reshaping the global landscape were largely finalized. The remaining requirements involved his duplicates consolidating their respective authority and ensuring the flawless termination of his Home Theater.

‘The most formidable obstacle remaining involves the Hermanheart noble lineage… ‘

Yet even that problem possessed a definitive expiration. Riley was pursuing measures with immense ferocity, propelled by her indignation. Though she maintained her presence at the Roselia Temple, she was actively directing her personnel from afar, organizing a comprehensive mobilization. Her reach spanned across administrative and fiscal sectors, academic institutions, the premier wizard academies, and even the independent mercenary coalitions. Furthermore, she had initiated communication with the holy order, demanding that the Heresy Inquisitors launch an official inquiry into Staub, the disgraced dark practitioner.

‘I consented to that measure without hesitation, given my own pending grievances with that individual.’

An official appeal from the sovereign authority of the realm carried undeniable weight, providing absolute legitimacy for the holy order’s direct involvement.

‘Should their existing findings prove insufficient, I can simply introduce fabricated materials associating his operations with the Immortal Army.’

At that point… Destruction! A highly regarded noble lineage would be cast as betrayers of all civilization! Denounced for conspiring with the Immortal King, compromised by an insatiable thirst for dominion. Not even an influential ducal house could withstand the synchronized pressure of the sovereign state and the holy institution, particularly when the ruling dynasty completely detaches itself from their survival.

‘Reflecting upon it, such a claim does not even constitute a genuine fabrication.’

The reality of the situation was already established; he had verified that Duke Hermanheart occupied a leadership designation within the Oath of Heaven’s Defiance. And what did that entity represent? They were the architects behind the revival of the Immortal King, the breach of the abyssal portal, the propagation of insanity across the world, and the calculated orchestration of the near-obliteration of the Enamel Continent alongside the catastrophic conflict on the Ion Continent.

‘The exact parameters of his awareness or the depth of his collaboration remain uncertain… yet his culpability is absolute.’

Whether he had intentionally allied with their cause, fully aware of the existential threat, or had merely sought to manipulate the chaos for personal advancement was entirely irrelevant. The current path toward elimination was completely validated.

‘…My focus shifted. Returning to the primary matter… ‘

My concentration reverted to the encrypted dispatch illuminating the monitor. Simultaneously, my emotional state, which had been artificially elevated, shifted toward a dark intensity. The correspondence originated from Andrew Weber—the subordinate… rather, the invaluable asset endowed with the highly effective tracking capability known as “Trajectory Observation”. The documentation he provided yielded highly significant breakthroughs.

‘Yulryeongja… ‘

The recollection of the shattered entity encountered within Japan, devastated by Hans, surfaced clearly. Concurrently, the sensory data from the recent catastrophic assault on the medical facility flooded back into awareness: the spreading inferno, the concussive detonations, the intense thermal energy, the panicked cries, the metallic aroma of blood. The distinct voice articulating his identity, the focused stare directed at his person, the fading warmth, the structural memories.

“Haa… Huu…”

I drew a measured breath, forcefully clamping down on the emotional volatility threatening to breach my composure. The hostility and desire for retribution that had been compartmentalized inside my “Persona”—under the rationale that the timing was premature—began to churn with immense force.

‘The period of restraint has concluded. The hour has arrived… ‘

Yulryeongja, the Director of the East Asia Sector. This indicated a singular truth:

…This individual was the mastermind behind the metropolitan massacre, the source of the executive mandate. While he did not represent the entirety of the opposition, he offered an optimal starting point—a method to satisfy his imperative for retribution.

Closing my eyelids, I rested against the supports of my seat. Absolute obscurity claimed my field of vision, leaving the monotonous drone of the hardware as the solitary audio presence.

Then, a single command was issued.

“Hans.”

The chamber was instantaneously consumed by absolute void.

—

Deep within the foundational layers of Auterica.

The void.

An unstructured domain where temporal progression, spatial metrics, corporeal matter, and abstract concepts surrendered all definition, circulating without destination. A state that had persisted through antiquity, destined to endure indefinitely.

Crackle!

Abruptly, an anomaly began to manifest within that permanent stillness.

Crack— Crunch!

A sound of structural disintegration, mimicking the fracturing of a solid object, resonated across the distorted environment. It remained entirely possible that space itself was not undergoing cleavage; within a domain where such definitions lacked fundamental realization, the phenomenon could represent a mere sensory distortion, an illusion of perception. Yet, irrespective of the underlying physics, the transformation persisted in its advancement until it expelled a foreign presence.

“Hmm.”

A individual materialized instantaneously, presenting an aspect as though his presence had been continuous. Disregarding the turbulent forces surrounding his form, he executed a dispassionate assessment of the territory and spoke in a low tone.

“Yet another blind corridor?”

Absolute certainty eluded him. He had forced entry into this domain via highly irregular methodology, exploiting an architectural vulnerability, and such ventures frequently terminated in unnavigable sectors. Structural oversights were traditionally situated within overlooked and segregated perimeters, after all.

The traveler—a manifestation whose very essence balanced between the entirely mundane and the overwhelmingly absolute, a variable warping the fabric of reality—the Sovereign of the Heaven’s Turn Society, permitted himself a dark smile.

“My expectations favored discovering a significant asset on this attempt…”

Prior to the conclusion of his thought,

《The XXed XXX gazes upon you.》

Thump—

The entirety of the domain convulsed, synchronized with a profound, resonant pulse.