Chapter 291

Chapter 291
## Chapter 291

Same Time, Different Place (2)

While the other avatars were making steady progress, the hatchling avatar Horus wasn’t just idling his time away.

He had managed to secure incredible development during his period inside the concealed cavern he had reached by following the direction of Elder Dragon Shri Hartgen, whose life was nearing its conclusion.

Invaluable study materials, the ancient dragon’s final instructions before passing into his permanent rest, his own natural capabilities, and the ‘Growth Elixir’ that multiplied all of it…

Owing to these elements, Horus, despite being a mere hatchling based on his lifespan, had already pushed past the Juvenile phase and was closing in on the capabilities of an Adult Dragon regarding true strength.

‘This is virtually unprecedented for a dragon, whose power typically scales directly with its age.’

He was an outlier, a deviation that couldn’t be categorized merely as a prodigy.

He was a baffling entity, whose actual presence would have been impossible to achieve without the intervention of the system and various enhancements.

And those distinct advantages were naturally manifested in his development as an avatar.

-Individual Name: Horus

-Race: Dragon (Hatchling)

-Common Traits: “Mind Hub”, “Persona”, “Xenoglossy”

-Individual Traits: “Gold Dragon”, “Ruler of All”, “Polymorph”, “Dragon Language Magic”, “Seeker of Mysteries”, “Resistor of Fate”

-Special Notes: Advancing swiftly under the influence of the “Growth Elixir”. Displays a powerful affinity for all magical forms due to “Seeker of Mysteries”. “Resistor of Fate” grants him the ability to bypass or lessen constraints and boundaries, enabling him to harbor energy that exceeds the limits of a hatchling’s physical form.

Fresh self-improvement abilities had been integrated into his existing “Gold Dragon”, which expanded his draconic attributes, and “Ruler of All”, which directed his command over magical arts and elemental forces.

Horus was advancing at a rapid pace, precisely as anticipated.

‘I allocated the enchantment of Titan’s left arm to him precisely due to his current status.’

Immortal King Hans possessed the capability to execute enchantments as well, given that it fell under the umbrella of magic, but I hadn’t even pondered that path as a viable choice.

Ultimately, if Hans, with his staggering and oppressive energy, interfered with Titan, which already held a massive reservoir of power…

‘…It would likely transform into a tainted piece of gear that turned anyone who wore it into an undead.’

Hans’s essence carried enough malice to taint even a Dragon Heart.

He had no intention of forging a corrupted object that completely disregarded the safety of its bearer.

‘Now, it is time for the subsequent phase.’

And the “left arm of Titan,” a masterpiece validated even by the God of the Forge, infused with magic by a dragon…

“Hmm, this might be pushing the limits slightly.”

…was presently held by a young man sporting a dark eye patch and cloth dressings bound across his right arm.

Hesperon, looking entirely earnest.

—

The question of who would be the most appropriate wielder for Titan had been a central point of conversation since the earliest phases of its construction.

Hubert, the merchant, had briefly utilized it when the Revolutionary launched an assault on Tarak, but he was missing the required capabilities to wield it with true competence.

He was a non-combatant, much like Howard.

‘I’ll fashion a scaled-down variant for Hubert, to be used in critical situations.’

The most ideal person for the task was Hesperon.

He had crafted the left arm specifically with him in mind.

“Whew…”

Deep within a secluded training chamber inside the royal residence, granted by Riley,

Hesperon gripped the polished, metallic limb, inhaling deeply.

“…This is… spectacular. I believed I had witnessed everything, but this is… on another level entirely.”

Riley, who had stepped into the training chamber alongside him and was observing from a far corner, let out a soft breath of surprise.

She had come back to the royal residence after participating in the Pope’s funeral service and the high-level council.

Hesperon had gone out of his way to welcome her back, but just as anticipated… nothing out of the ordinary occurred.

‘If another incident had taken place, it would imply the Sovereign himself was directly participating.’

Gratefully, that had not occurred.

Her investment ceremony was fast approaching.

“Did you call this forth from an alternate realm as well? Just like that eye?”

“Ahaha— Well, you could say it’s something along those lines.”

And the very first action she had taken upon returning to the palace was ordering a replacement eye to be grown and grafted onto Hesperon.

‘I value the sentiment, but… ’

He offered a faint smile and lifted his patch.

An exotic, arcane mechanical eye, shedding a soft luminescence, was exposed to the light.

‘Well, I intended to reveal it to her eventually.’

Fleshing out human tissue was among the grandest pursuits and absolute restrictions of alchemy.

Even cultivating a single physical piece to substitute for what was taken was immensely challenging.

And since he had declined the synthetic eye Riley had gone to great lengths to arrange for him, he needed to provide a plausible justification.

“Wow, that is breathtaking. I never anticipated I would genuinely lay eyes on an enchanted instrument from an alternate realm…”

She fixated on his eye, completely spellbound.

It made perfect sense. Even though she had interacted with two individuals from another world, encountering alien engineering so plainly was still a fascinating occurrence.

“…It’s… actually rather impressive.”

Hesperon gave a nod, gratified by her observation. She was flushing a bit, letting out an awkward clearing of her throat as she directed her gaze toward him.

‘So even citizens of a fantasy realm think mechanical eyes are impressive.’

He scanned the metrics blinking across his HUD, checking her internal temperature, pulse rate, and other physiological statistics, before shifting his concentration back to the metallic limb.

It possessed a substantial weight, but it felt completely within his control, given his access to 「Super Strength」.

‘Time to begin.’

He drew in a long breath and gradually slid his left arm inside the gauntlet.

Click—

A peculiar sensation washed over him as the metal clamped around his limb.

Beginning at the tips of his fingers, the interior of Titan steadily coated his arm, his tissue and neural pathways linking with the metallic structure.

Yet despite the fluid advancement, his brow remained tightly knit.

‘…It’s still progressing too slowly.’

From the moment of putting it on to full integration and readiness, it required roughly ten seconds.

It wasn’t an extensive period when weighed against alternative suits of armor, but it remained far too sluggish for a crisis.

‘It’s an unavoidable drawback, considering it isn’t a basic piece of armor. Yet I refuse to trade raw capability for mere velocity.’

Furthermore, having to keep it stored within his pocket dimension and pull it out piece by piece presented its own set of difficulties.

Even the relatively basic arm component required this much time. If he were forced to don the entire suit…

‘Hesperon stands alone as the only person capable of employing this properly.’

He wiggled his fingers, assessing the mobility of the gauntlet, and then shifted his gaze to the notifications populating the edges of his vision.

-Estimated Energy Level: 12,257,225

-Estimated Threat Level: B

-Energy signature comparable to a Kilo-class starship reactor. Currently stable, but handle with caution.

‘I expended significant energy attempting to mask its magical output, yet it remains perceptible… Is it due to the immense capability of the Cybernetic Eye, or is the power output simply too massive?’

Regardless of the reason, only a single course of action remained available to him.

He triggered 「Chains of the Oath」, establishing a link with the gauntlet.

Wooong—

A vibrating sensation rippled through his mind, and his metal-bound left arm started to shudder with immense force.

A intense backlash, perfectly scaling with the energy sealed within it.

It was going to prove challenging, but there was one aspect he felt entirely confident about.

‘Calm down now.’

「Chains of the Oath」 operated as an ability that forged an alliance rooted in shared comprehension.

And Hesperon—.

‘Comprehension stems from absolute data.’

…possessed a deeper understanding of Titan than any living soul.

From the most minuscule metal shaving to the complex network of magical lines, he was intimately familiar with every aspect of its blueprint.

After all, he was the creator who had built it.

Whirr—!

The reaction manifested without delay.

The moment the detailed breakdowns concerning “Titan’s Left Arm” loaded onto his HUD,

His awareness widened, his bodily domain pushing outward into the space around him.

The metal gauntlet ceased to function as mere equipment; it integrated as a piece of his being, an extension of his physical self.

Titan’s intricate layout was instantly stamped into his consciousness, and he understood he could direct its actions as naturally as he operated his own fingers.

Whirr— Click!

Clatter—

Cutting edges slid outward from his hand and lower arm, while sharp points burst from his knuckles.

A firing portal parted across his palm, and thrusters took shape upon his arm.

Hesperon put each mechanism through its paces, giving an approving nod.

‘…It is complete.’

He shut down Titan, packing it away inside his dimensional storage tool, and raised his head.

“Oh? Is the process concluded, Heron?”

“No, a final trial remains.”

He answered casually to Riley, who had been tracking his movements with wide, gleaming eyes, and then slowly hoisted his unclad left hand.

The moment had arrived for the critical evaluation.

‘Identical to the previous attempt.’

He gathered his focus, stretching out his left hand.

Then, he uttered the designation in a low voice.

“Titan.”

The instant he summoned its identity,

The mechanism answered.

Wooong—

A polished, dark metallic gauntlet, radiating a subtle sheen, manifested out of empty air, locking around his left arm.

Whirr—!

Ribbons of illumination ran along the circuitry, triggering its systems in a fraction of a second.

His left hand, now entirely encased and primed for combat, functioned flawlessly as a grin of accomplishment spread across his face.

“…Not bad at all.”

He had circumvented the standard donning process by calling it directly onto his flesh and utilized the enduring link granted by “Chains of the Oath” to bypass the startup phase entirely.

This was an approach that only he, backed by his distinct capability, could possibly execute.

‘It functions well in this state, but I eagerly anticipate its true capability when every component is brought together… A transforming warrior… This is truly… ’

As he let out a low laugh, closing his newly reinforced left hand into a fist,

“Um… cough…”

…He caught the sound of a polite throat-clearing from behind.

He experienced a sudden prickling warmth along the back of his cranium.

A deeply familiar sensation, a wave of recognition, paired with an intense, focused stare.

“Ah.”

He turned around at a deliberate pace.

His gaze locked with Isea’s, who was positioned beside Riley, wearing a slightly strained expression.

His state of high spirits vanished instantly, allowing him to view his own conduct with absolute clarity.

“Um… I intended to assist if you required any aid… And I was informed Riley was present… So…”

She directed her eyes elsewhere, mumble-speculating her reasons, a tint of red coloring her cheeks.

Then, as if gathering her resolve, she adjusted her posture, her expression shifting to something softer as she gave a supportive nod.

“It is a magnificent talent. It is highly appropriate for you, Heron.”

“Ah! I completely agree! That looked incredibly impressive!”

Clap, clap—

Riley, mirroring Isea’s validating remarks, offered an energetic round of applause.

For some reason, their supportive commentary felt far more agonizing.

“…”

Hesperon, abruptly pulled back down to earth, found himself entirely speechless and merely stared down at his arms.

One was encased in a highly advanced metallic weapon, while the other remained bound in esoteric cloth wraps.

‘…Hold on, this feels incorrect. Hans is supposed to be the one suffering from chuunibyou.’

Why was he the one receiving this sort of treatment?

He let out a silent breath, dropping his eyelids.

Naturally, it offered very little relief, given that his mechanical eye instantly processed everything right through his closed lids anyway.