Chapter 361

Chapter 361
## Chapter 361

Howard Industry (1)

Unsealing the modest container crafted from wood before me, I peered at what lay within.

As the cover of the small box, roughly the proportions of a ring holder, lifted open, a revitalizing and brisk aroma filled the surrounding space.

The delightful fragrance, wafting from a circular item cloaked in fine paper, possessed a peculiar way of lifting one’s spirits.

‘So this is the renowned Shaolin Temple’s Small Return Pill?’

Sniff—

Involuntarily, I took a profound breath, absorbing the fragrance.

Merely performing that simple act felt as though it purified my physical form of toxins, granting me a rejuvenated vitality.

Re-securing the cover, a contented grin crossed my features, and I gave my lips a brief smack.

Harley had been granted this Small Return Pill by the Shaolin Abbot himself, serving as a token of appreciation for the support he provided when the Demonic Cult launched their assault.

Had it not been for his prompt arrival, every soul present would have faced grave peril.

Naturally, in eras past, an achievement of that magnitude would have merered a Great Return Pill, a far superior panacea… yet the world had evolved.

The potency of naturally harvested medicinal herbs had dwindled drastically over the last two decades, delivering a severe blow to the discipline of alchemy.

Great Return Pills, alongside other premier remedies, could no longer be manufactured.

Synthesizing a Small Return Pill in the current era demanded an identical amount of labor and ingredients that once sufficed for a Great Return Pill, making it arguably the finest medicine the Shaolin Temple was capable of providing.

‘They truly must have exerted immense effort to present this to him.’

Furthermore, they pledged various additional privileges and assistance, proving beyond doubt that they were striving earnestly to secure his favor.

They placed a high premium on Harley’s alliance, keeping in mind his remarkable showing when facing the Heavenly Demon.

‘Well, I acknowledge the sentiment, but… ’

It fell short of truly satisfying my needs.

Placing down the container holding the Small Return Pill, I reached for an adjacent box, its exterior embellished with sophisticated engravings.

Whoosh—

The moment I unlatched it,

…the environment encompassing me shifted entirely.

Transforming from a contemporary, nearly clinical room into a mild, sunlit afternoon in spring, resting beneath the canopy of a massive tree.

Or perhaps… a sprawling pasture of maturing grains? Or an icy, invigorating ravine featuring a plunging cascade?

‘Wow, this is truly remarkable.’

However, 「Clear Mind」 instantly triggered, and I recognized it as a fleeting delusion, a deception played upon my perceptions.

Much like an over-the-top depiction in an animated show, where a figure perceives the cosmos upon tasting a magnificent dish, the raw potency locked within the medicine was so intense that it briefly hijacked my awareness.

‘So this is an authentic Great Return Pill… ’

A mythical medicine, an irreplaceable relic, the absolute crest of Murim alchemy, which had turned into little more than a fable even inside the Shaolin Temple itself.

He lacked knowledge of their remaining stock, but production had ceased entirely, rendering its true worth calculations impossible.

‘Now this represents a genuine panacea.’

It stood as an object unattainable through mere currency or influence, a gem past any material valuation.

And by what means had he secured such a priceless object?

‘I purchased it.’

Precisely. He merely bought it.

Nothing more.

Ultimately, he possessed the Karma Shop’s 『Item Purchase』 feature, capable of delivering nearly any object to his hands.

Provided it lacked a unique designation, tying it strictly to a particular person or setting, he could acquire anything utilizing Karma points. Securing supreme pills was effortless work.

He had primarily relied on the remedies that Harris managed to accumulate, since Hugo, blessed with his 「Heavenly Ki Body」, required no chemically synthesized tablets…

‘…yet I must exercise greater vigilance regarding the medicines I ingest myself.’

His manifestations operated differently. They held distinct attributes and talents, and he could invariably discover a method to rectify any complications that surfaced.

Conversely, his primary physical form remained that of an ordinary young fellow, even if granted heightened physical traits, affluence, striking features, and a welcoming demeanor.

He needed to eradicate even the minor possibility of adverse reactions.

‘Securing superior medicines outside of Auterica and Ganghwange is no simple task.’

A variety of additional remedies rested upon the tabletop as well.

The finest offerings from Ganghwange, such as the Wudang Sect’s Great Clarity Pill and the Mount Hua Sect’s Purple Cloud Divine Pill.

Medicines hailing from Auterica, synthesized through alchemy from Dragon Hearts and similar magical reservoirs.

Alongside remedies originating from diverse alternate dimensions, obtained via an assortment of pathways.

He maintained a specific purpose for amassing them.

‘Energy remains vital for wielding sorcery. Yet for someone like me, who commands numerous manifestations, allowing the equilibrium to tip too heavily toward a singular variety is detrimental.’

Harris, the High Elf, and Harley, the Mad Demon, who had both shattered their constraints, stood apart.

They could adjust and overhaul any martial discipline they mastered, whereas his primary form, acting as an unwritten canvas, would unalterably shape the prospective advancement of his manifestations.

He could not risk restricting his paths, given his ignorance of the dilemmas he might encounter or the varieties of manifestations he might forge down the line.

Consequently, he settled upon this strategy.

‘To accumulate the maximum volume of energy possible without fracturing the equilibrium, subsequently transmuting it into an unblemished, multi-purpose fountain of power.’

Most individuals would mock his aspirations, dismissing it as a fantasy.

It stood, after all, as an unachievable feat by the standards of conventional logic.

Every realm abided by its particular constraints and energy paradigms.

Even within a singular realm, a fighter’s aura could not substitute for a sorcerer’s mana, nor could a martial artist’s inner focus be directed into witchcraft. And the divergence separating distinct realms proved far wider.

‘Yet I am certain. A power exists that rises above all energy paradigms, a universal force.’

And he did not merely possess awareness of its reality.

He had encountered it firsthand, mastering its concepts and framework more profoundly than any other living soul.

‘Divinity.’

A dominion he was presently utilizing, a dominion he had meticulously scrutinized to neutralize his adversaries, a dominion he had at last succeeded in nurturing within his own being.

A dominion holding boundless prospects.

I shut my eyes, centering my awareness on my internal state.

“Huu—”

A number of his manifestations already held a developing divine ember.

Hans, the Immortal King, Heinz the Second, the Vampire King, and Harley, the Fighting King.

Furthermore, even Heinrich, who served as a vessel for the Main God’s domain, and Harris, endowed with the grace of the World Tree, exhibited indications of approaching divinity.

Thus, that defined the current state of affairs.

And he, their architect, could not plausibly remain unaffected.

‘Granting that they exist as individual manifestations, they remain extensions of my being. The strength drawn from their tiers is constrained by their material vessels, yet… ’

His spirit had already expanded to align with their magnitude.

To be sure, it remained imperceptible, given his requirement to split and allocate his strength among his ten manifestations, over half of whom existed as transcendent entities…

I parted my eyelids and surveyed the remedies covering the tabletop.

The majority of his manifestations resided in a state of hibernation, having isolated themselves within secure sanctuaries.

I, finally permitted to direct my undivided attention toward my primary form, lifted one of the remedies.

‘I shall commence with this.’

The Small Return Pill obtained from the Shaolin Temple.

Following that,

…without a shred of reluctance, I tossed it past my lips and invoked the 「Power of Gluttony」.

—

“Haaaa—”

A snowy vapor, resembling an icy breath, parted from my lips and vanished into the atmosphere.

Nor did it conclude there.

The entirety of the chamber vibrated with a shimmering thermal distortion, radiating outward from my physical form.

I unsealed my eyes and cast a gaze down at my body.

The waste materials that had initially been forced out alongside perspiration had vanished entirely.

‘Granted, I ingested an absurd quantity of elite remedies. It would be bizarre if any waste materials remained.’

The tabletop, which previously sat crowded with medicines, now stood bare, preserving only the discarded containers.

By virtue of the 「Power of Gluttony」, consuming the entirety of the selection required very little time.

And the pivotal detail.

The outcome of ingesting all those priceless panaceas…

‘It falls short.’

A fragmented triumph.

I smacked my lips and flexed my fingers, a line of frustration creasing my forehead.

The explanation for the shortcoming was uncomplicated.

He had aimed to forge a resilient, tripartite equilibrium by blending the forces of Ganghwange and Auterica, subsequently fusing the remaining energies into a solitary, adaptable fountainhead…

‘…But I failed to anticipate that it would prove this deficient.’

The caliber of the medicines derived from secondary dimensions was far too minor when contrasted with those belonging to Ganghwange and Auterica.

He had miscalculated the potency of premium remedies sourced via Karma points. Even when matching the volumes, the gap in excellence proved impossible to bridge.

‘Yet I cannot compromise on caliber if I wish to achieve authentic divinization. That represented the absolute baseline… ’

He had proved unable to fully transmute the force into divine authority owing to the deficit in stability, though it remained a partial achievement.

Wooong—

An unearthly force, resembling a thermal distortion, danced about his fingers.

Aura, filtered and magnified through mana.

It shifted and refashioned itself, altering into internal energy, refined and perfected Ki, then into sorcerous power, Taoist force, natural essence… a fluid and compliant energy.

It did not rank as particularly staggering by itself.

He already possessed the capability to tap into various forces via the passive trait of 「Individual Projection」.

The critical advantage lay in his current ability to call upon his personal internal reserves, exponentially expanding the volume of power he could deploy.

‘It represents a notable advancement regardless. Limits existed regarding how much I could pull forth previously.’

Granted, it did not equal the magnitude of 「Individual Projection」, which permitted him to fully employ his manifestations’ maximum capabilities.

Yet his current state, unshackled by energy restrictions, far surpassed his prior limitations.

‘This ought to suffice for matching Master Realm champions, even if I cannot attain transcendence just yet.’

He had glimpsed the potential, the prospect of genuine divinity, and he refused to settle for anything inferior.

‘Should I manage to perfect this… ’

Instinctively, he pressed his palm against his sternum.

His heart, pulsing rapidly, maintained a powerful and unwavering cadence.

He shut his eyes, isolating the ‘essence’ residing within.

An unmapped prospect, a shapeless force, stripped of any distinct markers or traits.

A power capable of adapting into anything, a force equipped to execute any task.
That represented the divine authority he intended to awaken.

“I require a greater abundance of remedies from alternate worlds.”

And not merely in volume, but in caliber as well.

He required medicines matching at least the tier of the Small Return Pill…

‘Yet such items are not easily uncovered.’

It stood as common knowledge that panaceas held no functionality upon Earth.

Even the awakened souls who had been pulled into separate worlds recognized that reality.

Consequently, even upon locating a precious medicine, they would ingest it prior to making their journey back to Earth.

‘Ought I to command Hans to scout uncharted realms?’

The concept held merit.

He would need to explore a multitude of realms to preserve equilibrium and secure a diverse assortment of forces… yet Hans had grown far more formidable, and the upgraded 「Dimensional Barrier Weakening」 would streamline the endeavor.

‘Nonetheless, I cannot simply deploy him blindly. I must apprehend a transcendent entity beforehand… ’

Furthermore, he could not target practitioners of sacred arts or realms entirely devoid of panaceas.

And the primary obstacle remained the period required for configuration. He needed to align with the target world prior to dispatching Hans into it.

‘…I shall address that down the line. I will test alternative strategies first.’

Fortunately, a separate path remained open to him.

A far more productive, sweeping, and adaptable approach.

His attention migrated toward the enchanted implements he had recently secured.

They existed as priceless relics, unprocurable upon Earth, irrespective of wealth or authority.

‘I have been pondering the necessity of establishing a globally prominent network. This fits flawlessly.’

Securing uncommon relics was not merely a matter of capital. It likewise demanded networks, the indispensable backing systems.

And even upon tracking down a vendor, persuading them to surrender their assets was no simple task.

They would already possess substantial fortune, after all.

‘In that case, I simply must present them with an alternative they find impossible to decline.’

Those who placed high importance on medicines would inherently possess drive and a yearning to elevate their standing.

He would fulfill their cravings.

Not via a hazardous gamble on medicines, but through an assured trajectory toward dominance.

Contrasting with medicines, enchanted implements faced no operational bans upon Earth.

What if he put them forward as compensations?

Not standard enchanted tools, but premium relics, the variety they could not even fantasize about securing within their native realms?

‘Should I utilize this effectively, I can even assemble an army to confront the Heaven’s Turn Society upon Earth. And if I go so far as to provide personalized enchanted creations… ’

The contest would be decided.

And he commanded the means to fashion such assets.

He held Howard, the dwarven smith, Horus, the draconic infuser, Hans, the Demon King and authority on forbidden sorcery, Heinrich, the Saint, Heinz the Second, the Divine Blood vampire, and Harris, the High Elf master of spirits.

‘I shall drag the enchanted implement marketplace into the open and amplify its proportions. Following that, I will employ unique relics as bait to reel in the Awakened.’

Mankind operated on self-advancement.

And for as long as they reaped advantages, they would not abandon him easily.

‘I will relegate the monotonous operations to Jin So-ran and the Blood Alliance. They have been managing the enchanted implement transit flawlessly. Meanwhile in Europe, I shall task Thermidor, Gomorrah, and Dracul with the logistics… ’

A cross-dimensional enchanted implement syndicate.

‘Howard Industry’ had emerged.