Chapter 343

Chapter 343
## Chapter 343

Pantheon (2)

A spacious chamber, its boundaries decorated with majestic canvases.

Slide—

A lady sporting silver-threaded hair, clad in official attire, advanced the mouse wheel, a dense quietness permeating the space.

Her detached azure gaze swept across the display, a faint, mocking curve touching her lips.

“Heinrich Saint Landguard. The Saint of Auterica.”

A frosty tone, completely stripped of warmth.

Her vision, sharp and penetrating, remained locked on the silver-haired gentleman displayed on the screen.

‘His initial emergence on Earth occurred just last month. And the Master validated his presence in an alternate realm only moments ago.’

The lady—Scribe, the director of Heaven’s Turn Society’s North America sector—joined her fingertips together and leaned back into the depth of her seat.

Her chilly grin widened.

“…It appears he possesses the genuine capability to transition between dimensions.”

No alternative hypothesis could account for the chronological discrepancy.

The Master had verified it firsthand. It stood as an incontrovertible reality.

Though it staggered belief, he clearly commanded some method to breach dimensional thresholds.

‘For the moment, it seems his transit is restricted solely between his native realm and Earth.’

Even that boundary limitation represented an astonishing marvel.

No such phenomenon had ever been documented previously, excluding the Master, who had already crossed the threshold into divinity.

Yet that was not the primary issue demanding her attention.

“He simply had to utter such… uncalled-for remarks…”

She knit her brows, voicing her irritation in a low murmur.

His proclamations, his public manifesto, were the direct source of her current complications.

A wicked syndicate orchestrating the downfall of innumerable realms.

A concealed menace, entrenched on Earth, requiring absolute annihilation.

Such was the crusade Heinrich, the champion from another world, had broadcasted.

And the faction he had pointed to as the adversary… was Heaven’s Turn Society.

‘I must ascertain the true depth of his knowledge.’

She massaged her temples, closing her eyelids.

He had initially presented himself as an invaluable target for acquisition, someone they might comfortably bring into the fold… but following his friction with the Master, that strategy had been rendered entirely obsolete.

“The individual spearheading the inquiry panel was Priest Jason.”

A holy warrior recognized for his unyielding principles, his fiery temperament constantly held in check by a frigid, analytical intellect.

She understood his character intimately.

She had steered his actions on numerous occasions, utilizing his distinct traits to serve her own ends.

‘I cannot be certain of the outcome. I merely trust it secures us a temporary reprieve.’

She reviewed her recent dialogue with Priest Jason.

She had sowed a tiny fragment of suspicion within his thoughts, quietly eroding his confidence in the White Knight… though she remained uncertain of its ultimate efficacy.

“A Saint… A Saint…”

Scribe whispered to the empty room, her fingers drumming rhythmic beats against the desk surface.

Then she paused, a flash of clarity striking her, and she let out a quiet, amused breath.

Her anxieties suddenly felt… inconsequential.

Whish—

A holy luminescence resplendent with the hues of a setting sun radiated from her form.

She observed the vital force swirling about her palm and smirked.

It mattered little whether his otherworldly origins were genuine or fabricated. The die was cast.

He remained merely a Saint, a tool manipulated by an alien deity. The boundaries of his capability were strictly defined.

Whereas she pledged fealty to a legitimate divinity, a god native to Earth.

Her apprehensions were entirely groundless.

“Yet I cannot remain entirely passive.”

The populace’s fascination with the White Knight lingered precisely because they failed to grasp the nature of his being.

But what if his assertions were exposed as fabrications? What if he lacked the means to substantiate them?

‘I can manufacture an explanation at any juncture. Regardless of his testimony, I can simply distort the narrative.’

Deprived of concrete verification, his proclamations would bleed credibility.

Neutralizing his presence would become a straightforward task thereafter.

Scribe offered a deliberate nod, then rose from her desk and exited the chamber.

‘This assignment may prove far less troublesome than anticipated.’

The twilight-colored sacred energy that had saturated the office flickered faintly before dissolving into nothingness.

—

The dialogue, commencing the moment Heinrich assumed his seat, flowed forward without impediment.

The attendees recognized one another, and they respected the magnitude of his strength, preventing any friction from surfacing.

The White Knight’s public adulation was beyond dispute.

Neither the authorities nor the affiliated syndicates desired to provoke his enmity.

They were entirely content to merely host this encounter and forge a channel for future contact.

“…Yet did Brother Heinrich not assert that he could transition at will between two separate realities?”

Inevitably, the discourse centered entirely around Heinrich, the individual capturing the globe’s attention.

Priest Jason, a mature gentleman representing Pantheon’s US central command, distinguished by neatly groomed chestnut hair and a trimmed beard, introduced the matter, causing every countenance in the room to brighten with curiosity.

That mystery constituted their primary fascination, after all.

“The rumors reached my ears as well. Transiting between planes of existence! I never conceived such a feat to be plausible.”

“It defies imagination. By what mechanism is such a thing achieved…? It must surely derive from a celestial mandate, correct?”

“With what frequency can he manage…?”

“What occurs regarding the temporal divergence…?”

Heinrich offered a soft expression and systematically addressed their inquiries with serene composure.

“…The scarcity of my public appearances stems precisely from the chronological disparity. My obligations require me to prioritize the stability of my native realm, after all.”

Queries and responses circulated back and forth within a cooperative ambiance.

A portion of his disclosures contained absolute truth, others were mere fragments of reality, and some were entirely manufactured out of thin air… yet every single word transcended the boundaries of contemporary human experience.

And as a consequence—.

“…Hmm, I find myself holding reservations concerning that particular matter.”

…Such radical assertions were not bound to be embraced without resistance.

“I do not dispute your might, Brother Heinrich. The intensity of your devotion is so profound it commands a tremor of respect just by remaining in your proximity.”

Priest Jason delivered his thoughts, drawing the collective focus of the assembly onto himself.

Among practitioners of the cloth, sacred energy served as the most definitive validation of an individual’s spiritual commitment.

Having perceived it directly, denial was an impossibility for them.

Naturally, that validation bore no relevance to his current line of questioning.

“However… I remain unconvinced regarding the remainder of your assertions. Particularly the claim identifying you as a denizen of another world.”

Heinrich gave a slow sign of understanding, meeting the overt doubt in the man’s delivery.

It represented a completely anticipated pushback.

This stood as an ironclad principle, an axiom of reality that had shaped human perception for upwards of two decades.

And suddenly, a figure declaring himself an alien visitor had stepped forward.

It strained the limits of acceptance.

Twenty years might appear a brief interval in the grand scheme, but it encompassed an epoch of radical transformation, a monumental shift in human chronology.

“Furthermore, there is a secondary point. You asserted your arrival on Earth was intended to purge wickedness, acting in alignment with the Divine intent. That a clandestine syndicate operates within the darkness, plotting the ruin of multiple realities… Quite a tale.”

Priest Jason let out a brief chuckle, tilting his head in disbelief.

His gaze swept across the gathered figures before locking once more onto Heinrich’s eyes.

“Supposing such a league truly exists, why do they remain so entirely passive? If they command the strength to lay waste to entire dimensions, dominating Earth would pose no true obstacle.”

“We have likewise conducted investigations into Auterica. Your current efforts are consumed by a campaign against the Immortal King, a tyrant who nearly brought about the termination of your world. Yet you maintain that this… malicious syndicate is the hidden architect behind that conflict…?”

His delivery, initially measured and analytical, steadily gathered force, his inflection mutating from basic curiosity into a direct challenge.

“Pantheon may lack a rigid central hierarchy, but our operational footprint spans the entire globe. We stand on equal footing with the World Returnee Association.”

“If an entity of that magnitude were active, it would not escape our awareness. Nay, even if we overlooked it, alternative networks would have gathered intelligence. This matter has come to light solely through your lips, Brother Heinrich.”

A profound stillness settled over the assembly as Jason persisted, his assertions cutting and confrontational.

Heinrich could perceive the remaining occupants silently aligning with the speaker’s logic.

The identical skepticism occupied every mind, even if it remained unspoken.

‘…This trajectory is perilous. Their doubt runs far deeper than my initial estimations. I approached this with too much complacency.’

His entire narrative hinged upon the foundational premise that he was a genuine visitor from beyond, dispatched by the Divine.

Should that foundation face successful refutation, his entire position would dissolve.

‘When the reality is, I am a native of Earth.’

Even at this juncture, absolute belief eluded the majority of the room.

They were merely swayed by his staggering displays of power and the palpable aura of ‘devotion’ he radiated, maintaining a uncommitted position for the time being.

‘I am required to demonstrate my capacity to traverse the void between worlds… ’

Yet Earth served as a crucible for individuals endowed with every conceivable variety of anomalous traits.

Irrespective of the exhibition he provided, a high probability remained that they would find a way to explain it away.

‘If only a greater interval of time were available to me… ’

The displaced souls returning from Auterica would eventually corroborate his history, reinforcing his trustworthiness.

Yet even that outcome would merely validate his mobility between realms, failing to prove his foreign origin.

规律‘I lack the luxury of waiting.’

He needed to shatter their deep-seated assumption that dimensional transit was a privilege exclusive to Earth’s awakened population.

But by what means?

An undeniable demonstration, a piece of evidence beyond all skepticism…

Did such an ideal opportunity exist…?

“Very well. Allow me to provide a definitive demonstration.”

“Pardon?”

“What do you mean?”

…An opportunity did exist.

In truth, it presented no significant hardship for him.

‘It is hardly unprecedented for children of Earth to re-emerge from foreign sectors bearing the traits of vampires or lycanthropes. Certain individuals even command the capacity to alter their physiology into entirely foreign species.’

Yet those phenomena possessed defined thresholds.

And the most impactful strategy…

规律‘Precisely, I ought to abandon all restraint. It is far more efficient to transfix them with absolute bewilderment and majesty than to attempt a measured approach. They will be left with no alternative but acceptance.’

While the remaining witnesses traded uncertain glances, Heinrich closed his eyelids, brought his palms together in unity, and uttered words infused with deep sanctity.

“…The Divine Presence has received my entreaty. I have been granted the authority to manifest another of His celestial instruments within this domain.”

“What?”

They regarded one another, their expressions reflecting total mystification.

Yet he paid no heed to their bewilderment, rising to his feet with sudden, focused intent.

He advanced toward the perimeter and flung a window wide open.

“Saint Heinrich? A manifestation… What nature of entity are you calling forth…?”

“A presence that breaks the established order of this reality.”

He cast his vision toward the unclouded firmament, his tone vibrating with deep piety.

“A warden of the cosmic boundaries, an anchor of universal equilibrium, an observer of realities, executing the Divine decree.”

And in direct manifestation of his proclamation,

Crack—!

…A fracture of energy ignited within the center of the azure sky.

It was no isolated spark. The fractures proliferated with immense speed, radiating outward as their brilliance intensified.

The onlookers, detecting the cataclysmic shift in the atmosphere, bolted upright from their positions.

“W-what is transpirng?”

“Hold! This is Seoul! We are situated in the heart of the metropolis…!”

Yet before their panicked objections could achieve full expression,

Flash—

…An blinding aura of absolute gold, accompanied by a world-shaking reverberation,

[“Rooooar—!”]

…blanketed the entire district.

And immediately following, a titanic entity, extending dozens of meters in length, its form insulated by glistening plates of pure gold,

…materialized precisely where the fractures had ruptured the air.

-Wail—! Wail—!

The urban emergency alarms erupted into life.

The once-tranquil metropolitan sector dissolved into instant pandemonium, the thoroughfares flooding with terrified citizens and structural disorientation.

‘I harbor a measure of regret… yet alternative paths were closed to me.’

His intent was never limited merely to persuading the figures occupying this specific chamber.

His proclamations were bound to propagate through diverse journalistic networks, penetrating the consciousness of global populations.

To instill absolute conviction, to force them to treat his warnings with gravity, he needed to engrave this exact spectacle into the collective human psyche.

And as he cast a glance back toward the dignitaries, who stood frozen by the casement with their expressions completely paralyzed by awe, he recognized his strategy had achieved its mark.

“What… What manner of divinity is that…?”

“Ah!”

They were rendered entirely mute, their features a tapestry of bewilderment and reverence.

Any soul bearing witness to that entity would comprehend through pure instinct.

That this was no phenomenon capable of being engineered through human artifice.

A staggering disparity in existential tier and biological taxonomy, a majesty that utterly eclipsed mere illusions or physical transmutations, weighed heavily upon their very spirits.

[“Rooooar—!”]

Beat— Beat—

The Gold Dragon, gripping a radiant Dragon Orb within its jaws, unleashed another earth-shaking cry, its colossal wings beating the air with immense power.

A scholar dedicated to international education, briefly interrupting his academic pursuits to execute a dramatic arrival, permanently engraving his reality upon the fabric of this world.