Chapter 280

Chapter 280
## Chapter 280

Technological Revolution (2)

“I was informed that you requested an audience.”

Azerion Imperial Hospital, Director’s Office.

The master of the office, his expression remaining as stoic as ever, initiated the conversation. Sitting across from him, Hesperon offered a solemn nod of agreement.

“Indeed, it concerns my… eye.”

Lifting his hand, his fingers traced the contours of the leather patch that concealed his right eye socket.

Following the loss of his eye during the Riley kidnapping incident, the imperial hospital had fitted him with an initial prosthetic.

It had been a critical intervention to preserve his facial symmetry, and coming from the prestigious imperial hospital, it was an exceptional piece of craftsmanship.

It functioned as a magical apparatus, driven by a core made of magic stone, and was imbued with multiple enchantments designed to promote physical health and recovery.

“I wish to have it swapped.”

He directed attention toward a smooth, milky white sphere he had brought along, causing the Director’s eyebrows to twitch with a subtle frown.

It was a sleek, buffed orb, precisely the dimensions of an adult human eye.

Despite his vast medical and magical expertise, the Director found himself unable to determine what substance it was composed of. It possessed an extraordinary appearance… yet he could detect no trace of magical energy radiating from its form.

‘There are no visible magic circles, nor any active enchantments. Furthermore, it lacks an internal magic stone core.’

It appeared to be nothing more than a simple ornament.

The Director shifted his attention back to Hesperon.

His professional obligation was to deliver optimal medical care, regardless of how peculiar a patient’s specific… preferences might be.

“The cultivation process for your new artificial eye is nearing completion. While it naturally cannot bring back your lost sight, its external appearance will be identical to a genuine eye.”

Every detail, from the shifting of the pupil to the adjustments in focus, would be flawlessly replicated.

He further noted that Hesperon would no longer have any requirement for the patch.

“Altering the current temporary prosthetic presents no difficulty, but why go through the trouble? We are scheduled to perform the permanent artificial eye transplant in the near future anyway.”

Despite the logic behind the Director’s inquiry, Hesperon maintained his resolute stance with a firm nod.

He possessed specific intentions.

“Yes, if you would be so kind.”

“Very well.”

Observing the unwavering look on his patient’s face, the Director chose not to interrogate him further.

It was an elementary medical procedure that would have no adverse impact on his ongoing recovery, and he always strove to accommodate the preferences of those under his care.

‘Should he decline the permanent artificial eye transplant at a later date, that will be a separate discussion.’

It would represent a squandering of valuable time and medical assets, but it did not trouble him deeply. Ultimately, neither option was capable of restoring actual vision.

Besides, Hesperon retained the ultimate authority over choices regarding his own anatomy.

The uncomplicated medical procedure was brought to a swift conclusion.

Upon returning to his private quarters, Hesperon studied his own features in the mirror.

‘…It is precisely as I predicted. Even an individual of the Archmage tier remains entirely oblivious to its nature in this state.’

The milky white sphere was now resting comfortably inside his right socket.

The Director had failed to perceive its true nature. Its authentic identity was the cybernetic eye of Yulryeongja, known specifically as the “Calicas Eye”.

Because it had transitioned across dimensions, its operational systems lay dormant, and its mystical traits were completely inert. It presented itself as a basic, if somewhat exotic, bead.

‘There was never any true requirement to visit Earth.’

In the end, the vital factor was not the mechanism by which it operated, but rather the methodology of its application.

In its present condition, it remained a redundant novelty, capable of functioning solely within the bounds of Earth.

‘I could simply disassemble the device and hand the components over to Howard. However, the optimal path involves accumulating operational statistics and executing an exhaustive investigation… and the most suitable environment for that endeavor is… ’

Hesperon himself served as the flawless candidate for testing.

He possessed an unoccupied socket, and…

“Now then, shall we initiate the process?”

…he commanded a method to circumvent the barriers between realities.

Exhaling deeply to steady his focus, he directed his mental energy entirely toward the cybernetic eye.

“…”

An artifact forged of magic from one reality could not function within another.

This was an immutable decree, a foundational restriction of reality.

Yet, a separate principle took precedence over that very decree.

Those who were Awakened existed as anomalies outside the standard regulations of dimensions.

‘Therefore… ’

What if he managed to permanently bind a magical instrument to the soul of an Awakened individual?

Transforming the dynamic from a mere relationship between an operator and a tool into an inseparable component of their physical being?

‘Such a feat would be entirely unachievable for ordinary men.’

However, he commanded a specific ability that could translate this concept into reality.

At that moment, his unique skill, 「Chains of the Oath」, surged to life, forging a direct pathway to the dormant cybernetic eye.

———!

An acute, burning agony ripped through his socket, embedding itself deep within his consciousness.

It represented a powerful wave of defiance, far exceeding the friction he had encountered while binding the malevolent curse within his arm.

Naturally, as the tier of the target object escalated, the complications of forging a bond grew exponentially.

And this specific eye was completely devoid of active power.

Consequently, building a bridge between them was bound to be a monumental task.

‘Even so… I planned for this exact scenario.’

This was the very reason he had secured Howard’s 「Technological Revolution」 ahead of time.

It granted the power to manipulate and reconfigure the internal makeup of items manufactured through the science of foreign realities.

‘If the obstacle is an incompatibility of dimensions, I simply need to alter them until they harmonize!’

He was capable of recalibrating its internal architecture, unlocking a fraction of its sleeping capabilities.

Granted, given his current constraints in mastery, achieving a total restoration of its full capabilities remained out of reach…

Yet he could manage, at the very least…

…to spark a breath of vitality into a minor portion of its latent architecture.

Zing—

A low, resonant pulse rippled from his eye socket the instant the predefined parameters were satisfied.

A faint, mechanical hum, perceptible to no one but himself, vibrated through his skull.

‘It is complete.’

And within that microscopic fraction of a second,

「Chains of the Oath」 aggressively forced its way into the foundational core of the eye.

‘Yield.’

An encounter, a negotiation, a structural realignment, a mutual compromise, an act of dominance, and final domination…

The sequence of events progressed with immense speed, culminating in a total and permanent unification.

As the bond locked into place, an infinite sequence of emerald alphanumeric symbols cascaded across his field of vision, scrolling upward with blinding velocity.

Positioned directly in the center of that overwhelming torrent of data, a solitary declaration manifested.

“…An absolute success.”

Hesperon observed the notification, a subtle grin gracing his expression, before refocusing his gaze on the glass of the mirror.

The unblemished, milky white exterior of the optical replacement began to glow, after which a cascade of digital symbols commenced scrolling over its surface.

It closely resembled the boot sequence of an advanced computing machine.

And a few heartbeats later.

His sight, which had been restricted to a singular side, expanded drastically, absorbing the surrounding environment with astonishing clarity and sharpness.

—

《A new ocular device has been integrated. You have unlocked the skill “Cybernetic Eye: Calicas”.》

In a certain sense, Yulryeongja, who had been stripped of his vision by the mental assault of Hans, and Hesperon, who had traded his own eye in exchange for greater strength, shared a parallel fate.

Both men had suffered the permanent deprivation of their sight due to a metaphysical phenomenon rather than a simple anatomical trauma.

And this extraordinary ocular device presented the ultimate resolution.

Crucially, it did not function by utilizing the standard optic nerve pathways. It transmitted data streams straight to the cognitive centers of the brain, generating a mental rendering of the environment.

“And yet… I failed to foresee that its capabilities would be this profound.”

Surveying his surroundings, a soft intake of breath passed his lips.

This was far more than a simple restoration of his sight.

His peripheral scope, his focus clarity, and his structural depth of field… every parameter vastly eclipsed what he had originally been capable of perceiving.

‘Incredible, it even features an X-ray penetration mode?’

He could literally peer through the bone structure of his own skull to observe what lay behind him merely by shifting his focus.

It provided the exact sensation of possessing sight at the rear of his head.

Furthermore, his perspective could expand and contract at will, transitioning effortlessly from a microscopic viewpoint to a long-distance telescopic range.

‘I recall learning that ostriches possess a visual rating of 25. Is this the reality they perceive?’

He shifted his stance back toward the mirror.

The featureless, pale facade of the inert bead had vanished entirely, replaced by an alluring, highly advanced ocular structure.

A glowing azure ring encircled the iris, populated by shimmering, geometric configurations.

“…Stunning.”

This was a completely impartial evaluation.

An advanced cybernetic eye, the pinnacle of highly developed engineering. It was the absolute realization of a man’s fantasy!

He experienced a profound wave of appreciation for Yulryeongja, who had unwittingly surrendered such an invaluable asset into his hands.

He scanned the notifications materializing at the edge of his field of vision.

「Chains of the Oath」 possessed a secondary attribute that amplified the capabilities of the bound asset, working in tandem with the synchronization process.

The internal software seemed to interpret this structural empowerment as a system update.

However, an unexpected sequence of errors caught his attention.

‘Cease those attempts. They are completely futile.’

It appeared that the intelligence of the built-in program had been amplified alongside the mechanical attributes of the eye.

Naturally, the entity remained entirely subordinate to his command courtesy of 「Chains of the Oath」, meaning it presented no potential threat.

‘A legendary black dragon bound to my limb and an artificial intelligence operating within my eye… This is a remarkably bizarre alignment.’

Yet, in stark contrast to the “Craving Right Arm”, which possessed an erratic consciousness of its own, the artificial intelligence—which he decided to call ‘Calli’ after its dimension of creation, Calicas—proved to be exceptionally compliant.

“Very well, let us conduct an initial field test.”

Anxious to experiment with his newfound sensory gifts, Hesperon stepped toward the exit… before halting in his tracks.

‘It is wiser to keep this hidden for the time being. I have no desire to draw unneeded curiosity.’

Following a brief moment of deliberation, he adjusted the leather patch back over his eye.

Naturally, this caused no obstruction to his awareness. He was fully capable of peering through both his flesh eyelid and the leather material without difficulty.

“Time to depart. I shall begin with a leisurely stroll through the estate grounds…”

With those thoughts, the newly empowered Hesperon stepped out of his quarters with complete self-assurance.

—

“What is the meaning of this?”

The chief physician, having concluded his rounds and administrative duties, suddenly froze in place.

He had cast a casual glance out into the courtyard and caught sight of something peculiar.

His head tilted to the side in confusion, his eyes locking onto a specific individual.

The guest of Riley, Hesperon, was conducting himself in a highly erratic fashion near the stone walkway of the garden.

He would fixate blankly on empty space, only to abruptly redirect an intense gaze toward a specific patch of flora.

He would visibly startle and turn his head away whenever a staff member walked past, and then spent moments glaring intensely at the structural wall of a nearby washroom.

Following that, he squeezed his eyes shut, exhaled a profound sigh, and cast his gaze directly up into the heavens.

“… Fascinating.”

It was an unfolding chain of erratic and completely baffling behaviors.

The Director observed his movements with deep concentration, slowly stroking his beard as he pondered the sight.

He brought to mind Hesperon’s peculiar request from earlier regarding swapping out his temporary eye for that unusual, milky white bead.

Could his bizarre actions at this moment be tied to that object? Was it possible he was suffering from a form of psychological distress?

‘It would be entirely reasonable. He was recently targeted by the identical perpetrators responsible for his initial, irreversible trauma. I believed he was managing the stress admirably, but… ’

Furthermore, he was continuously enduring the residual strains of a malicious curse.

It was honestly remarkable that he had presented such a composed demeanor up until this point.

‘I must arrange an official psychiatric consultation for him first thing tomorrow. Additionally, he expressed an interest in venturing beyond the facility grounds… I will need to formulate a strategy to grant that request… Wait.’

As he was making annotations upon his medical clipboard, his attention drifted back toward Hesperon.

Specifically, it focused on the leather patch covering the right side of his face.

“…How peculiar.”

He muttered under his breath, a deep crease forming along his forehead.

Yet, when he sharpened his focus to inspect it a second time, there appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary.

And that precise lack of evidence was what created his sense of doubt.

‘There are absolutely no anomalies in the mana flow… ’

A wave of intuitive discomfort washed over him, yet he remained unable to isolate the exact origin of his concern.

‘…It must simply be stress playing tricks on my mind.’

Nonetheless, the haunting impression persisted long after Hesperon had walked out of his line of sight.

Letting out a weary sigh, the doctor shook his head clear of the thoughts and resumed his medical inspections.

He possessed no spare time to squander on such unverified premonitions. He was a man burdened with immense responsibilities.

In the meantime, Hesperon, who was the unwitting target of the physician’s anxiety,

Had made his way back to his private quarters following his outdoor excursion and preliminary calibration. He then delivered his inaugural directive to Calli, the artificial intelligence embedded within his technological eye.

“Excellent.”

When all was said and done, he remained a man of refined manners.