Chapter 363

Chapter 363
## Chapter 363

Howard Industry (3)

A deluge of press releases flooded countless news networks.

International responses remained muted for the moment, but should the assertions put forward by Howard Industry prove genuine, it would merely be a brief window before the revelation swept across the globe.

Certain onlookers dismissed the phenomenon as hyperbole surrounding a novice enterprise’s introduction, though such skepticism belonged strictly to those detached from the marketplace.

-Is this reality? Does this mean enchanted implements are commercially accessible now?

└Purchasable, yes, but the financial barrier will be staggering.

└Precisely. They indicated a surge in volume, not a collapse in retail value. Even utilizing automated assembly, satisfying global demand remains unfeasible.

-If I liquidate my entire net worth, could I secure a single piece?

└What is your current liquidity?

└890,000 won… haha

└Depart from this space.

-I desire to achieve Awakening! At minimum, grant me an enchanted implement!

└This individual is replicating this exact statement across every forum.

A marker of opulence and societal standing, an insurance policy during catastrophic events, an extraordinary instrument capable of executing the impossible…

Enchanted implements, relics derived from foreign dimensions, stood as objects of intense longing for common citizens and Awakened combatants alike.

They offered psychological reassurance, a method to vicariously touch supernatural authority, and for Guardians and syndicates, they functioned as indispensable assets, amplifying personal attributes and bolstering mission parameters.

Furthermore, the appetite for these commodities had never waned.

The populace simply operated under the assumption that availability was strictly finite, leading the majority to abandon anticipation.

Yet now, a corporation asserting it had bypassed that bottleneck had emerged.

Inevitably, immense public scrutiny converged upon them, and among the observers tracking the developments with calculating focus were several illicit cartels.

—Chief among them was Heaven’s Turn Society, the premier and most formidable conglomerate of their kind.

“Howard Industry…”

The Overlord of Heaven’s Turn Society, having recently departed his brief period of dormancy within an isolated spatial pocket, scowled as he scrutinized the intelligence briefing on his digital display.

“…Anomalous data.”

An unanticipated and highly volatile element.

A development that even Oracle, utilizing her chronokinetic insight, had failed to calculate.

‘I anticipated a divergence in the timeline… ’

He had actively manipulated the trajectory of this reality for more than two decades.

It would be short-sighted to presume the chronology would mirror his recollections flawlessly.

‘…Yet this transcends standard variance. Even Doctor, who possesses the means to circumvent planetary laws, has failed to realize mass manufacturing of enchanted implements. Furthermore, Oracle remained completely oblivious to its inception… ’

She had displayed visible agitation when conveying the intelligence report to him.

Overlooking an inconsequential incident was pardonable, but neglecting an industrial shift of this magnitude represented a colossal failure of foresight, even for an entity of her caliber.

Regrettably, this was not an isolated oversight in recent memory.

“The Korean peninsula once more.”

South Korea had transformed into the epicenter of operational disruption.

The sequence commenced with Hahoe Mask, followed by the extra-dimensional Saint, Heinrich, and currently, Howard Industry.

To compound matters, the hidden proprietor was Phantom, Heinz, yet another unquantifiable anomaly!

‘The timeline forbids overt mobilization at this juncture… but absolute passivity is out of the question.’

The international community already experienced profound instability following Heinrich’s public disclosures, which effectively unmasked the operations of Heaven’s Turn Society.

Concurrently, Scribe, an administrative figure within Pantheon’s Steering Committee, had sustained a targeted assault and vanished from the grid, exacerbating the pervasive paranoia regarding clandestine syndicates.

“Tsk, my preference was to delay operations until Doctor completed his awakening.”

Doctor, currently confined to an acceleration chamber to reconstruct his compromised anatomy following his revival, possessed the intellect to dissect Howard Industry’s manufacturing methodologies and extract their proprietary data.

However, the luxury of patience was unavailable.

‘I must construct an impediment… decelerate their progress to secure an operational window.’

Solidifying his strategy, he resumed analyzing the remaining data points on his display.

A multimedia entry positioned at the bottom of the interface captured his focus.

He executed the playback, prompting the image of a striking woman, positioned atop an elevated dais before a gathering of media personnel, to project onto his screen.

-“The introductory presentation will now commence. Inquiry opportunities will be deferred to the conclusion, so please preserve absolute silence…”

The media file captured the Howard Industry demonstration exhibition, a high-profile gathering that had concluded moments prior.

—

‘How did this situation escalate to such proportions?’

Jin So-ran let out a heavy breath, her heart hammering against her ribs.

She occupied the wings of the exhibition hall, coordinating the final adjustments for the event.

Her role transcended that of a backstage coordinator; she was the designated presenter.

‘My objective was integration into mainstream society… yet this velocity is overwhelming, My Lord.’

She had felt satisfied with her prior circumstances.

Public sentiment regarding the vampire collective remained largely stagnant, yet within influential circles, they were no longer viewed with terror and revulsion.

They had achieved recognition as defenders, sentinels operating in darkness, which had markedly elevated the collective confidence of the Blood Alliance membership.

Ultimately, they had existed as baseline mortals prior to their vampiric transition. They fundamentally sought validation.

“The schedule demands your presence! Step onto the dais immediately!”

“…Understood, I am proceeding.”

Jin So-ran regulated her breathing and advanced into the spotlight.

In this space, she dropped her identity as Jin So-ran, the public relations authority for Heterosis and the primary subordinate to the Divine Blood vampire, an entity of the eighth rank.

Instead, she assumed the persona of ‘Orchid’, a skyrocketing personality within the digital broadcasting landscape, acting as the master of ceremonies for this demonstration.

“The introductory presentation will now commence. Inquiry opportunities will be deferred to the conclusion, so please preserve absolute silence…”

Orchid, a moniker selected as an alternative rendering of her birth name, So-ran (Orchid).

Her digital streaming platform, a leisure pursuit she sustained despite an oppressive operational schedule, functioned as her solitary bridge to the civilization thriving beyond the Blood Alliance boundaries.

‘Even so, my current reach does not justify this placement.’

Though she retained administrative authority over this enterprise, she would never have designated herself to anchor the broadcast.

However, the assignment originated directly from her master, Heinz.

“…Moving forward, we shall initiate the catalog overview.”

“Presented here are our primary commodities. Dimensional storage compartments, physical reinforcement apparatus, specialized defensive plating, kinetic acceleration enhancers… The performance metrics indicate…”

He had formulated an architectural plan centered around digital creator promotion, and upon recalling her recreational activities, he unexpectedly elevated her to anchor the presentation.

He additionally required an influential asset physically present at the venue… though the gesture functioned primarily as an act of patronage.

By anchoring an event of this magnitude, her public profile would experience exponential growth, driving traffic to her personal platform.

“Subsequently, we present our therapeutic formulations. These solutions carry validation from the Returnee Association alongside the Otherworldly Industrial Resources Department operating under the Supernatural Management Bureau. Categorized by tier…”

While she appreciated his benevolence, the execution induced an extraordinary degree of psychological duress.

Her broadcasting history was established, yet it consisted entirely of solitary dialogue directed at a lens inside her personal quarters.

It remained a mere pastime. She possessed no ambition for global notoriety.

Click— Click—

Murmur—

She had ascended to an eighth-rank vampire, positioning her among the apex combatants in the territory… yet she experienced palpable tension beneath the relentless assault of media illumination and the analytical stares of the press corps.

She would have willingly traded this platform for a theater of war, an environment defined by conflict and bloodletting.

“We shall now transition to the subsequent phase. I request your continued silence. The media interrogation window opens following the technical demonstration…”

“Before you are the apex-tier enchanted implements manufactured exclusively by Howard Industry! While these represent foundational prototypes, our facilities possess the capacity for bespoke manufacturing matching these parameters, provided the requisite prerequisites are satisfied…”

Nevertheless, utilizing her background as a digital broadcaster and her administrative tenure managing the internal architecture of the Blood Alliance on behalf of Heinz, she steered the exhibition to a successful conclusion without encountering structural errors.

Rather, that assessment understated the reality.

The systemic repercussions triggered by the exhibition…

…surpassed her highest projections regarding market impact.

—

Following the conclusion of the technical presentation, Howard Industry initiated formal commercial operations.

Brick-and-mortar outlets had not reached full operational readiness, yet within the current digital paradigm, electronic commerce sufficed to facilitate initial distribution.

The physical exchange of currency and assets materialized during the logistical phase, which was executed via secure, direct couriers.

The financial sector reacted with predictable volatility, causing industrial equities tied to the sector to experience dramatic shifts.

Howard Industry operated outside public equity markets, yet its commercial footprint rippled far beyond the parameters of the supernatural marketplace, disrupting multiple corporate sectors.

Concurrently, another domain experienced a massive surge in engagement.

The digital landscape, where individuals from diverse demographics converged to exchange assessments and perspectives.

1. The entire inventory of enchanted implements and therapeutic formulations possesses authentication from both the Returnee Association and the Supernatural Management Bureau.
2. Despite their recent entry into the market, they have quietly circulated baseline volumes of their inventory for an extended duration, validating operational reliability and performance metrics.
3. The ‘apex-tier’ enchanted implements display profound destructive parameters, sufficient to captivate veteran Awakened combatants.
4. An absolute deity!

(Exhibition media attachments)

-That constitutes four bullet points, rather than three.

└The structural count is irrelevant!

└Concurred. The concluding observation carries the highest significance.

-Identify her origin. Her visual aesthetics are flawless.

└Orchid

The technical demonstration dominated digital discourse, subjected to exhaustive evaluation across diverse web ecosystems.

The logistical data offered significant substance, yet the media captures of the presenter, recorded from multi-angled perspectives by the press, magnified the digital engagement exponentially.

-Unbelievable… Her standard streaming presentation was actually suppressing her appearance? I assumed her platform relied on cosmetics, lighting arrays, and digital alterations, but the reality is inverted!

-How does every candid photograph manifest as an artistic triumph? The photojournalists omitted post-production enhancements entirely.

The digital ripples transcended domestic borders, engaging audiences across international territories.

The promotional strategy, utilizing her as the organizational vanguard, triggered a viral phenomenon that eclipsed internal projections.

Her aesthetic presence, both during the formal delivery and in candid intervals, possessed a hypnotic quality that captivated onlookers across all demographics.

-Observe her command of the stage. Speaking as a woman, I am utterly spellbound.

└I find myself incapable of breaking contact. I feel as though my perception of reality is undergoing an awakening…

-Ah! Unnie! Accept my marriage proposal!!!

Naturally, the fascination extended beyond physical aesthetics to encompass the novel authority she had integrated.

The 「Refined Blood Essence」, granted to her by Heinz the Second following his evolution into the Divine Blood tier, was intended to streamline the supervision of his syndicate network.

The catalyst had not only driven her latent capacity to its absolute peak but had triggered an unprecedented sub-skill: 「Charm」, a cognitive manipulation attribute derived from the genetic markers of Heinz himself, resembling an inherited lineage trait.

The enhancement similarly amplified her foundational lineage attribute, 「Concealment」.

“Ugh… I presumed I maintained absolute regulation over the aura. The psychological pressure must have caused a momentary lapse in my concentration.”

“The occurrence is minor. It will not generate adverse complications. The public feedback remains within acceptable parameters.”

Jin So-ran, monitoring the digital discourse, concealed her countenance within her palms and uttered a low lament.

Heinz the Second, positioned within his administrative suite while analyzing the recorded exhibition file, signaled his agreement with a measured nod.

「Charm」 operated fundamentally as a mechanism for cognitive subversion.

Had she projected the attribute indiscriminately across baseline civilian populations, it would have required intervention.

However, given her exceptional organic aesthetics, further elevated by her progression into an eighth-rank vampire, even the specialized Awakened personnel inside the auditorium failed to identify any supernatural interference.

‘An acceptable outcome. In truth, the efficiency metrics are superb.’

A contented expression crossed his features, validating his strategic choices.

The video playback advanced into the final segments of the exhibition, focusing on the live application of the apex-tier enchanted implements.

Crackle—!

Electric discharges of a brilliant azure hue rippled across the display panel.

The phenomenon manifested the instant the Awakened test asset wrapped his grip around a short-proportioned bludgeoning weapon.

The emitted pressure, even when filtered through a digital recording, carried profound intensity.

Had the engineers omitted the deployment of protective kinetic barriers, baseline civilians within the viewing gallery would have suffered neurological shock.

Rumble—!

An atmospheric electrical discharge converged directly upon the weapon,

…before transitioning into a localized kinetic bolt that propelled toward the designated coordinate, obliterating the target structure along with the immediate topography prior to reversing its trajectory back to the operator’s grip.

The display mirrored a cinematic production… or more accurately, an physical manifestation of ancient Norse epics.

The organizers had intentionally secured an expansive, open-air arena to facilitate this specific demonstration.

‘I commanded Howard to alter the structural aesthetics, ensuring we avoid proprietary alignment complications.’

The weapon stood as an exceptional creation from Howard, a product of rigorous engineering craftsmanship.

Naturally, no entity possessed the leverage to challenge him even had he replicated the architecture line for line… yet bypassing unnecessary friction remained the smarter tactical path.

‘Furthermore, it functions purely as an acquisition incentive. I shall calibrate the compensation matrix corresponding to the grade of the medicinal essences they present. I am curious to see how many entities hold high-value botanical elixirs… ’

The material required an authorization tier of High-grade at minimum to justify his personal oversight.

As he observed the demonstration footage concluding its runtime,

“…My Lord? We have just processed an urgent communication from Regional Director Yoon representing the Association…”

Yoon Ji-yoon, the Lightning Empress, recognized among the primary triad of elite Awakened within the territory.

He had successfully attracted a prime target.