Chapter 277

Chapter 277
## Chapter 277

### Hahoe Mask Returns (2)

The highest level of a skyscraper in Shanghai.

Crackle—

An ominous, freezing sensation rippled across the ordinarily cozy and welcoming chamber, swiftly overwhelming the entire room.

Ice coated the furniture, the oxygen turned biting cold, making respiration difficult, and the normally fluid operation of the triggered defensive wards began to glitch and stutter.

[“I trust you have been well. You appear… in better health.”]

The entirety of this phenomenon was triggered by the arrival of just one entity.

‘How?’

In the middle of this harrowing disturbance, Yulryeongja, the master of the office, fought to regain his composure while glaring at the uninvited intruder.

‘How could he track down this location… No, that is irrelevant at this moment.’

It was widely understood that Hahoe Mask possessed immense proficiency in dark magic.

The Heaven’s Turn Society had naturally constructed extensive countermeasures, and their East Asia branch, which operated within the exact same territory, had put in place extra defensive arrays specifically engineered to neutralize dark magic.

‘Yet none of it worked. Did I fail to gauge his true strength?’

Yulryeongja clenched his jaw, his gaze scanning the vast array of protective wards and arcane mechanisms springing to life all around him, as he began to back away.

The abrupt infiltration had bypassed their outermost boundary, but this location served as the command center for the entire East Asia branch. Their defensive network could not possibly fall this seamlessly.

Wooong—!

Zing—

Spatial blockades, dimensional isolation, location locking, capability regulation, dark magic negation, sanctified altar manifestation…

One after another, the diverse mystical constructs and protective walls began to unleash their internal energies, their deployment forced by Hahoe Mask’s sudden presence.

A synchronized convergence of distinct powers, designed with a supreme focus on optimization.

It represented a highly intricate and devastating array of sorcery, achievable only through the advanced, proprietary methods of the Heaven’s Turn Society.

[“Hmm, rather commendable.”]

Hans, mildly appreciative, examined the unfolding environment.

He finally comprehended why tracking Yulryeongja had previously proved impossible.

He had cross paths with the man twice before while the administrator was in a phantom state, yet he had never managed to trace his destination. It made complete sense now, given the extreme sophistication of the protective grid shielding this zone.

‘It is a pity I failed to secure him immediately upon arrival. This would have been far more straightforward.’

Yet beneath his outwardly tranquil posture, Hans’s thoughts were moving at breakneck speed.

His initial strategy to seize Yulryeongja the moment he stepped through had been disrupted by an unforeseen warping of space.

He had corrected his trajectory at the final second to penetrate the inner chamber, but the activated defensive grids had temporarily halted him from executing an immediate strike.

‘Still… this circumstance is not entirely unfavorable.’

Yulryeongja was retreating in a panic, shielded by a massive array of mystical safeguards.

Hans, employing his 「Abyssal Eye」, analyzed the intricate and layered spellcraft, which bore the unmistakable trademark of the Heaven’s Turn Society.

‘This is truly… ’

The data he gathered was instantly dissected and interpreted by his active abilities, 「Path of Magic」, 「Forbidden Knowledge」, and 「Unholy Sage」.

‘A grand banquet.’

Subsequently, the gained insights were integrated into 「Path of Magic」, further amplifying its total capabilities.

‘I would not possess this particular ability if it were not for their organization.’

He had unlocked it following his initial clash with the Heaven’s Turn Society, courtesy of their priceless archives and Yulryeongja’s… involuntary individual instruction, which had cost the administrator one of his eyes and both legs.

And now, they had laid out yet another bountiful presentation.

[“You are persistent… yet short-sighted. Did you genuinely believe you could contain me with these toys?”]

A malicious dark glow radiated from within the eyeholes of the Hahoe Mask.

The surrounding defensive barriers vibrated violently, sounding as though they were buckling under extreme strain, as his internal pressure erupted outward.

[“I embody demise, and your terror is my nourishment—.”]

Crash!

Rumble—

Right at that second, the entrance to the office shattered open, and a group of awakened fighters sprinted into the room.

Every single one of them was at least a master-tier combatant, and one among them had unmistakably crossed the threshold into transcendence.

Even with their combined capabilities, they stood zero chance against Hahoe Mask in a straight-up fight.

They must have calculated that they could pin him down using the active protective arrays until additional forces arrived.

However—.

[“…And from it, escape is impossible.”]

That was nothing but a delusion.

—

Kaboom—!

Yet another detonation vibrated through the structure.

‘Such immense force, even after passing through dozens of defensive walls.’

Yulryeongja grimaced at the violent shaking but maintained his downward progress, quickening his pace.

He would allow the combat forces to handle the engagement while he secured his retreat.

His function was not that of a frontline fighter, but an overseer.

Granted, his specialized ability, 「Mental Projection」, was capable of shattering an adversary’s psyche regardless of their physical resilience, but he had already learned through brutal experience that such tactics were utterly useless against Hahoe Mask.

‘The price I paid was severe.’

He cast a glance down at his ruined lower limbs, now fitted with high-performance mechanical prosthetics, identical in design to his right arm.

‘The Shanghai sector is ruined. I have drawn far too much scrutiny, despite the secret treaties with the Public Security Bureau. I cannot afford any additional exposure.’

The Heaven’s Turn Society commanded numerous operational bases across China, a massive territory with an enormous citizenry.

Shifting his operations to an alternate outpost would not hinder his responsibilities. The entirety of the crucial data was safely locked inside his own memory.

‘The real issue… is that Hahoe Mask will not cease his pursuit here.’

The mere recollection of the masked predator caused a wave of cold dread to pass through him.

The majority of China’s transcendent-tier awakened assets were distributed across various regions of the nation.

Concentrating them all in a single sector would only diminish their overall operational value.

But that reality also meant gathering them would require a significant amount of time.

‘And out of all possible moments, the Master is completely unreachable…!’

Only yesterday, the Master had been stationed in Shanghai, staying alert for Hahoe Mask’s potential return.

Yet he had departed, unwilling to squander any more time waiting.

What an absolute disaster of timing.

Yulryeongja clamped his teeth together in sheer irritation, then forced his emotions into check, taking deep, steady breaths.

Hysteria would achieve nothing.

He reviewed the diagnostics materializing on the display of his mechanical eye.

“`

-Code Name: Hahoe Mask
-Energy Type: Dark Magic Power + Death(?)
-Main Abilities: Dark Magic, Undead Summoning, Teleportation, Barrier Manipulation, etc.
-Origin Dimension: Unknown
-Unique Skill: Unknown
-…

“`

This profile had been assembled during his very first clash with Hahoe Mask.

It was predominantly derived from information pulled directly from his own recollections, rather than real-time readings from the cybernetic eye. Even the absolute pinnacle of arcane technology faced extreme constraints when trying to decipher a transcendent entity like Hahoe Mask.

Nevertheless, the lower portion of the display offered some actionable details.

“`
-Measured Energy Level: 93,853,126
-Threat Level: S+
-Energy signature comparable to a Giga-class starship reactor. Immediate evacuation recommended.

“`

The data points were constantly shifting second by second.

The cybernetic eye was an artifact originating from Calicas, a realm where mystical engineering had advanced to the stage of deep-space cosmic travel.

Naturally, the ‘starship’ mentioned in the description denoted a colossal vessel built to cross the galaxy.

‘S+? The vast majority of transcendent-tier beings I have scanned since obtaining this eye could scarcely reach A-rank… ’

To be fair, raw power metrics did not directly dictate actual combat effectiveness.

In a massive stellar conflict where energy outputs were continuously traded, it would dictate the outcome, but in a duel between elite combatants who wielded their power with perfect precision, the deficit ceased to be absolute beyond a certain threshold.

Even if they failed to entirely negate a concentrated energy strike, they could easily redirect its path. That was the defining characteristic of a transcendent being.

Even so, the sheer disparity in magnitude was terrifying.

Particularly for an individual like Yulryeongja, who operated strictly on concrete analytics and metrics.

‘I must vacate this sector immediately. Even with the defensive grids and the Earth-rank awakened assets, Chen Weiming will not endure for long.’

The most direct extraction point was located back on the highest floor, but he had been driven to flee downward due to Hahoe Mask’s positioning.

Under standard protocols, intruders would be warped down to the lowest subterranean levels regardless of where they breached, providing him with more than enough time to orchestrate a defense and depart via the top floor’s translocation circle.

‘Curse it, because of that setup, all alternative exit routes are locked down… ’

He had never imagined that his own airtight contingencies would end up trapping him.

‘Just a little further…!’

If he could merely break free.

Kaboom—!

A cataclysmic shockwave, vastly superior to any preceding blast, detonated from the highest level, tearing through the core of the skyscraper.

“Ugh! What was that absolute madness?!”

Yulryeongja staggered, momentarily losing his footing, but his mechanical limbs instantly compensated for the displacement, keeping him upright.

However…

“`

“`

His luck had completely evaporated.

“`
-Measured Energy Level: 156,759,142
-Threat Level: SS-
-Energy signature comparable to a Terra-class starship reactor. Initiating emergency escape sequence.

“`

A revised warning flared violently across his vision, displaying numbers that were vastly accelerated.

And simultaneously.

[“We cross paths once more. It appears you have kept yourself occupied.”]

A chillingly recognizable voice reverberated through the corridor.

The identical tone he had encountered mere moments before.

Yulryeongja stared at the rewritten threat classification and squeezed his eyes shut.

He opened them once more, his stomach dropping, and turned around to look at the speaker.

“…Where is Chen Weiming?”

It had felt like an eternity, but in reality, only a handful of minutes had ticked by.

He refused to believe that Chen Weiming could have been brought down so effortlessly.

[“Hmm?… Ah! You are referring to that individual?”]

But as his vision traveled past Hahoe Mask, the truth became undeniable.

Thump, thump—

Swish— Swish—

The echo of oncoming footsteps, interspersed with a heavy scraping noise…

Following that, a collection of shapes stepped out from the deep shadows of the corridor.

‘That is…!’

Yulryeongja ground his teeth together.

A platoon of the undead, their physical forms radiating a malevolent, pitch-black power.

He identified them without a second’s delay.

‘Transcendent-tier undead…! And the accompanying entities are all master-tier? How on earth did they cross over to Earth?!’

They were Abyss Revenants, forged directly from the corpses of powerful awakened warriors.

An elite vanguard force, meticulously chosen from their ranks.

And their vanguard commander, Salma, gripped an object in his hand, letting it trail across the concrete floor.

He lifted it upward with deliberate slowness.

“…Chen Weiming.”

It was a severed head, its strands of hair firmly locked in Salma’s grip.

A countenance Yulryeongja knew intimately.

The transcendent-tier master who had committed to staying behind to secure his withdrawal.

Now, every ounce of vitality had completely vanished from his features.

[“Kuh kuh— Owing to his efforts, I have claimed an exceptionally prize possession. He shall be remade into an incredible combatant. I am thoroughly pleased.”]

“…”

The Demon King of Death, flanked by his phantom battalion, laughed deeply and mockingly.

Yulryeongja, frozen solid by overwhelming dread, could do nothing but look on.

[“However… hold on.”]

Yet Hans was not finished.

[“You also happen to carry some… rather fascinating novelties.”]

His eyes, saturated with the dark void, scanned down Yulryeongja’s physical frame.

The man was a non-combat administrative asset, a psychic-class awakened individual who had failed to even touch transcendence… yet his highly distinct capabilities rendered him an incredibly lucrative prize.

And of far greater significance…

‘That specific eye… I require it.’

A mechanical ocular device, its edges radiating a subtle sapphire light, its lens decorated with elaborate, geometric patterns that cast a supernatural glow.

He had never laid eyes on a piece of arcane engineering so highly sophisticated.

Furthermore, his Dwarf avatar, Howard, was actively attempting to pioneer comparable mechanical technology at this very moment.

And that was not the extent of it.

‘He was confined to a wheelchair during our previous encounter. And that right upper limb… ’

His arms and legs were operating flawlessly, as though he suffered from no physical impairments whatsoever.

Moreover, the cybernetic components were so masterfully integrated into his anatomy that they were almost invisible beneath his attire.

‘The pinnacle of exo-suit technology.’

It would serve as an immaculate template for Howard, who was dedicated to upgrading the specifications of his mechanized armor.

Granted, there remained several complications regarding the operation of mystical gear harvested from alternative dimensions… but that was a dilemma to solve at a later time.

Hans, highly satisfied with his prospective spoils, chuckled under his breath.

He took a slow step toward Yulryeongja and reached out with an open hand.

[“Let us discover if you possess the means to break away this time.”]

“…Curse it all.”

Predictably.

Yulryeongja possessed no means of flight.

Not before Hans’s palm made firm contact with his brow.