Chapter 368

Chapter 368
Chapter 368
Rehearsal (1)

Clink—

The subtle rattle of a warm coffee mug meeting the surface of the desk rippled through the quiet room.

‘Southeast Asia branch… ’

Having just stepped back inside after an impromptu excursion,

I reclined in the massage chair, sipping coffee following a revitalizing rinse, letting my thoughts wander.

It was time to analyze the intelligence I had recently secured.

‘Singapore.’

An urban sovereign state located in Southeast Asia, spanning an area greater than Seoul but more compact than Busan.

Positioned among Asia’s economic powerhouses, its financial prosperity far outstripped its geographical limitations.

And the most plausible site for the regional headquarters of the Heaven’s Turn Society.

‘Its compact geography works in my favor. It will minimize the territory needed for an exhaustive search.’

The data had been extracted by infiltrating the networks used by the domestic operatives in Korea… yet a complication remained.

Predictably, a subordinate outpost like the Korean faction lacked direct access to top-tier secrets, such as the precise coordinates of a superior branch.

He had managed to extrapolate the general vicinity only by leveraging the heightened processing of the 「Cybernetic Eye: Callicas」.

Without those sophisticated diagnostic capabilities, even he would have come up empty-handed.

‘Did they shift the oversight of Korea to the Southeast Asia branch following the destruction of the East Asia branch under Yulryeongja?… Then again, the reconstructed East Asia branch must have its hands full monitoring China.’

Hans’s maneuvers across China had been temporarily paused due to the aggressive pushback initiated by the Heaven’s Turn Society.

In contrast to the scattered remnants of alternative branches that chose concealment, the continental giant of China was striking back fiercely, making it arduous for him to persist in his eradication efforts.

‘Naturally, short of the Master of Heaven’s Turn Society intervening directly, there is a threshold to how effectively they can impede Hans. Yet, their defensive measures have notably diminished his operational speed.’

He could ill afford to expend energy on low-yield endeavors. His itinerary was far too crowded.

Furthermore, every hour he consumed on Earth stretched ten times longer across alternative dimensions, owing to the temporal variance.

Consequently, his strategy had been to pivot toward separate obligations while allowing his earthly network time to aggregate further data…

‘…But a fresh objective has materialized. Granted, uncovering the exact compound will prove challenging given their rigorous security protocols.’

Fortunately, he possessed the ideal specialist for this assignment.

The uncelebrated operative who pinpointed the East Asia branch’s stronghold, resulting in Yulryeongja’s downfall, and the premier asset of his surveillance web, who proved indispensable in wiping out the Korean branch.

—

“Achoo!”

Andrew Weaver shuddered as an abrupt convulsion seized his frame.

As a high-ranking Awakened, he possessed a constitution immune to ordinary illnesses… yet an icy sensation crept along his spine, making his skin crawl.

A dark intuition, a sudden wave of apprehension, washed over him.

“…Huu, my stamina must be slipping. Time to start taking supplements…”

He muttered the complaint in Korean.

By all appearances, he was an American, sporting golden hair and azure eyes… however, after monitoring the existence of countless domestic citizens through his myriad optical projections, he had seamlessly integrated into their way of life.

He possessed an innate talent for acquisition, and his unique trait further sharpened his linguistic aptitude, rendering his spoken Korean flawlessly idiomatic, mirroring a lifelong resident.

That precise methodology had enabled him to hunt down the scattered fragments of the Heaven’s Turn Society’s Korean branch, exposing their hidden base within the DMZ.

‘I delivered excellent results this time, so a period of leave should be granted shortly, right? I’ll return stateside to unwind for a month. And finally burn through some of the wealth I’ve accumulated.’

His compensation package was extraordinarily grand.

The underlying issue was the total absence of leisure to utilize it, courtesy of an unrelenting operational cycle and a complete lack of… well, conventional corporate perks or standard time off.

Digital shopping was an option, but it lacked the satisfaction of physically presented plastic.

‘A vehicle… I wouldn’t have the occasion to drive it. My remaining duration in Korea is an unknown variable anyway. A timepiece, perhaps. Along with premium eyewear. I’ll simply clear out the luxury tax-free boutique… ’

These pleasant internal diversions easily dissolved the lingering dread.

It must have been an overactive imagination.

Shutting his eyes, he redirected his concentration to the immediate objective, the assignment mandated by the Blood Alliance.

The anticipation of his impending time off, a real opportunity to unwind and indulge his substantive earnings, reinvigorated his drive.

‘I’ll wrap this up efficiently and claim my vacation! Vegas! I intend to deplete the entire balance!’

The income he could secure here in a handful of semesters eclipsed what he had encountered over his entire lifespan.

He pushed his perceptual gifts to their absolute boundaries, trailing the residual elements of the Heaven’s Turn Society, systematically crossing off his targets.

Entirely blind to the circumstances awaiting his arrival.

—

‘I ought to assemble that linguistic deciphering artifact for his benefit without delay. It represents the optimal method to extract the full potential of Andrew’s talent.’

Roughly half of the inhabitants in Singapore utilized English as their primary tongue… yet that implied the remaining portion favored alternative dialects.

It would be counterproductive to overlook critical intelligence merely due to a breakdown in comprehension.

“Strike while the iron is hot. I’ll do it now.”

Pushing myself out of the massage chair, I finished the remainder of my beverage.

Naturally, even with my capabilities, fabricating such an instrument was no trivial matter.

An apparatus capable of instantaneously translating diverse tongues was hardly primitive technology.

Unlike algorithmic translation tools that cross-referenced massive datasets, a mystical translation demanded an apprehension of the speaker’s true intent, capturing subtle inflections and underlying cultural paradigms.

To perfectly decipher homophones, idioms, and localized vernacular, that specific synthesis was mandatory.

And the capacity to thoroughly grasp the essence of speech—.

…formed the fundamental prerequisite for commanding Word Soul, a sophisticated discipline of sorcery.

Constructing a magical device that replicated that precise function was a formidable challenge.

‘Even the entry-level applications of Word Soul are incredibly intricate. Even Horus, backed by every available enhancement, would have required a decade to grasp Dragon Language Magic absent his intrinsic gifts. The learning curve is undeniable.’

He would have abandoned the concept entirely if not for 「Xenoglossy」, Horus’s 「Dragon Language Magic」, and Hans’s 「Forbidden Truths」, which together supplied the essential conceptual framework.

This was hardly a simple token of appreciation for Andrew’s efforts!

‘Well, I can scale back its parameters and introduce specific boundaries. Confining its scope strictly to earthly vernaculars should streamline the process.’

By integrating alternative methodologies, he could drastically lower the creation threshold.

With the conceptual blueprint already established, the physical fabrication should proceed rapidly.

Locking in the strategy, I centered my focus.

‘This represents the most streamlined approach.’

Inhaling deeply, I took a step forward.

In that precise fraction of a second, an unfamiliar equilibrium shifted around me—.

…and my surroundings instantly transformed.

A grand chamber featuring polished tile floors, lustrous stone masonry, and a vaulted ceiling studded with radiant spheres.

“…Let’s begin.”

This location was neither a localized boundary nor a concealed pocket within Earth, but an independent phase space operating under standalone physics.

A hidden retreat, a protected sanctuary, a final backup plan.

His personal 「Dragon’s Lair」.

—

The 「Dragon’s Lair」 was a structural privilege Horus secured upon unlocking the ‘Last Gold Dragon’ milestone.

Breaching its threshold was equivalent to interdimensional transit, given that it occupied no space within the material universe, existing instead as a localized pocket dimension.

Granted, it fell short of genuine planar travel, carrying specific constraints… yet the strategic perks heavily outweighed the limitations.

The primary advantage manifested immediately—.

“Hahaha! This is perfect!”

A stout, stocky dwarf, positioned inside a forge stocked with premium implements and machinery, including a hearth and anvil, let out a boisterous laugh.

An assortment of mechanisms, seized from the remnants of the Heaven’s Turn Society’s Korean branch, occupied the space along one wall… though they held minimal interest currently.

This constituted an independent crafting area, separate from the facility in Tarak, but it was packed with apparatuses and components he had personally forged and cataloged, leaving him eager to begin.

‘The sooner, the better.’

I walked toward the dwarf, Howard, a subtle expression of amusement playing on my features.

This highlighted a core feature of the 「Dragon’s Lair」.

The capacity to briefly assemble physical manifestations from diverse realms into a unified coordinate.

‘This eliminates the logistical headache of transferring artifacts and managing synchronous remote partnerships. Every required component has already been transferred to the vault within this sanctuary.’

The secondary advantage involved temporal regulation.

This environment existed independently of any standard dimension, yet derived its existence solely from its ties to external realities.

A parasitic pocket realm, effectively.

Consequently, he could recalibrate the temporal progression, establishing whatever ratio he required, a stark contrast to the material universe where he remained subservient to local planetary time.

It permitted him to compress his operational timelines on Earth.

Naturally, a specific factor explained why he rationed its usage.

‘If it wasn’t for the time limit… ’

A strict duration governed his occupancy inside the 「Dragon’s Lair」.

Roughly a single week out of any given monthly cycle, assuming an unbroken duration inside.

Given that he could manifest and cross into this extra-planar pocket without requiring a physical anchor, it represented an equitable constraint.

‘I could utilize its properties with greater efficiency through meticulous schedule management… ’

The core problem was that multiplying the active manifestations within the space accelerated the consumption of the available duration.

Ultimately, a Dragon’s Lair functioned as a dragon’s den, a private vault for hoarding assets and entering state-altering sleep.

In theory, he could dissolve the temporal restriction by placing Horus into a permanent sleep within, converting him into the spatial anchor…

‘Well, it’s enough for now.’

He lacked the ability to introduce unaligned individuals, and exiting mandated a return to his exact point of origin… nonetheless, it remained an invaluable asset, a reliable refuge during crises.

And ideally configured for scenarios like this, where a rapid fabrication was required.

[“Let’s begin. Time is precious.”]

Adopting Hans’s identity, I spoke quietly.

The ambient temperature plunged instantly, despite my attempts to mask my presence… but the alternate forms, possessing formidable core attributes and resistances, remained untouched by the superficial environmental shift.

“Hahaha! I have a new design I’ve been wanting to try! This is perfect!”

“Hmm, blending sorcery and arcane structures… I believe a more streamlined blueprint can be achieved. The optimal synergy would involve…”

After all, the assembly consisted of a legendary artisan who held triple endorsements from the Deity of the Forge, alongside a savant who commanded the arcane practices of two distinct realities.

Horus, the young dragon form who had materialized within the sanctuary, commenced the preparatory anchoring arrays while Howard gathered the designated materials.

[“There’s no requirement for vocal expression or transcription features. Merely auditory reception and visual text parsing… If I realign the matrix like this…”]

And his primary persona (the Hans configuration), occupying the central role.

Backed by such a highly capable collective, completing the artifact was a basic exercise.

Clang! Clang! Sizzle—

The rhythmic cadence of metalwork, the sharp hiss of tempered alloys…

The workspace settled into a focused, almost serene quietude as the group labored with singular purpose.

Simultaneously,

At a vast geographic remove, a realm completely detached from the insulated crafting chamber,

…a conflict determining the trajectory of civilization was poised to ignite.

—

Underneath a dark, threatening sky choked with tempestuous clouds,

“Kuhut— It’s starting.”

…a menacing tone, sharp enough to cause an instinctive shiver, vibrated through the open space.

Hans, appearing in his mortal guise, cast his gaze upward into the gathering storm, tracking the approaching vanguards.

The shifting vapor appeared random to the untrained eye, yet it adhered to a highly sophisticated arrangement, an underlying matrix far beyond ordinary human perception.

…Rather, it represented an accumulation of esoteric phenomena, an intersection of alien principles that the premier intellectuals of this planet could never decode.

Tactical arrays, mystical instruments, geometric circles, numerical sequences, Kabbalah…

It was a singular phenomenon, an unparalleled invocation he had carefully structured while remaining behind amidst the global instability.

A platform, fully realized and waiting for the performers who had eagerly claimed their roles.

“Come, heroes. Defeat the demon and save the world. Peace without sacrifice is meaningless. Offer your bodies as fertilizer, shed your blood like water, and burn your souls to illuminate the path.”

An epic confrontation hanging on the survival of the realm, a clash of foundational principles between the Demonic Cult and the Murim Alliance, a desperate stand by champions prepared to trade their existences for the greater good…

…or at least, that was the chronicle the world would inherit.

“And when your determination and your desires reach the heavens, I shall descend upon this land and grant you salvation.”

In stark reality, the entire production was steered by a lone director.

The ‘Home Theater Rehearsal (Ganghwange Edition)’ was officially underway.