Chapter 43

Chapter 43
## Chapter 43

Abyssal Conclave (1)

Deep within the sanctuary of the Divine Church, inside the Rosellia Grand Temple.

More than two months had flown by since Heinrich first arrived at this sacred place, yet his grueling daily ritual remained completely unchanged.

Creak-creak-creak—

“Hgh!”

Accompanied by the screech of straining iron, a massive block of metal bound to heavy chains rose against the laws of gravity.

“Huuu—”

Whoosh— thud!

This monstrous training apparatus, loaded with immense weight, relentlessly strained the muscles of the audacious mortal who dared to challenge it through continuous, rhythmic repetitions.

Right at that moment.

Flash—

“Uh?”

Like a collapsing levee, a sudden torrent of divine energy erupted from within his body.

[The subject has fulfilled the requirements and achieved enlightenment. Special skill “Blessing: Fortitude” has been unlocked.]

In that exact instant, the crushing iron he had been desperately struggling to lift flew upward with ease.

Heinrich froze mid-motion, shutting his eyes to better perceive the raw celestial power vibrating through his veins.

‘…At long last, I’ve broken through! The realm of a high priest!’

He could feel his once-stagnant pool of divine energy—which had seemed hopelessly blocked by an invisible wall—finally shattering its limits and ascending to an entirely new tier.

This breakthrough was undoubtedly the fruit of his newly acquired “Blessing: Fortitude.”

Surged with adrenaline, he promptly let go of the iron chains.

Crash— Boom!

No longer suspended by his strength, the heavy metal plummeted violently back to earth, though he paid it no mind.

‘Who could have guessed that pushing my body to such absolute extremes would allow me to shatter my bottleneck.’

To be fair, his days at the Grand Temple were not spent exclusively on physical conditioning.

He had been thoroughly drilled in standard theological studies, holy doctrines, historical texts, alongside rigorous Paladin instruction covering diverse weapon styles, equestrian skills, sacred rituals, and divine spells.

The physical conditioning was at least tolerable owing to his “Boneless” attribute, but he had run into major hurdles with the academic and theoretical subjects.

Even so, he had managed to scrape by and meet the necessary benchmarks.

The true problem was his divine capacity, which had remained stuck just below the high priest threshold until an elder Paladin offhandedly offered him a piece of advice.

‘Just drive your physical form to the brink of collapse. Completely lose your mind with it. You heal fast? Then double the workload. If that still fails, multiply the intensity again.’

It was a remarkably straightforward solution.

Yet, the logic behind it was entirely sound.

To wield the divine authority of a high priest, an individual had to manifest at least a single “Blessing.”

For the frontline Paladins, the most straightforward path to earning one was through the “Blessing of Fortitude.”

Those walking the peaceful path of clerical priesthood likely advanced through entirely different manifestations of divine favor.

Now that his stagnation was a thing of the past, his sacred energy would steadily expand until he approached the rank of a bishop.

That was his ultimate advantage.

Heinrich swiftly organized his workout gear and set off toward the gathering grounds of his fellow Paladins.

Since he was now formally qualified to step into the role of a Paladin, the official consultations regarding his position were due to begin.

As he quickened his pace down the path.

“La-la-la~♪”

The sound of soft melodic humming drifted from a nearby courtyard he was passing.

‘Humming out here, could it be…?’

Stepping closer with a degree of caution, he spotted the very person he suspected, kneeling down near a patch of soil.

‘The revered Saint of the Divine Church, Liesta Saint Hatianus.’

Her delicate silver locks drifted in the breeze, and her luminous golden eyes, bright as celestial stars, were fixed intently on the greenery.

Beholding her serene, cheerful expression, she appeared no different from any ordinary eighteen-year-old girl. That is, if one chose to ignore the shimmering crown of light hovering right above her. That radiant, self-generating halo of illumination served as the undeniable proof of her status as a chosen saint.

“Ahem, good day, Lady Saint. What brings you to this garden all by yourself?” Since he had already stumbled upon her, walking past without a word felt discourteous, so he cleared his throat softly and initiated the conversation.

She had evidently noted his approach beforehand, pivoting around with a radiant expression to return the greeting. “Greetings, Sir Heinrich! I happened to find a little ladybug. It was so incredibly precious that I completely lost track of the hours!” As it turned out, her gaze had been captured by a tiny insect rather than the blossoms.

Though addressing him as ‘Sir’ was technically premature since he had not received his official knighthood, he decided against correcting her yet again, given that his prior attempts had done nothing to change her habit. Over his two-month stay at the Roselia Cathedral, he had discovered a rather shocking trait about her: this saint, who initially seemed completely unapproachable, was remarkably unpretentious and genuinely enjoyed slipping away to wander around whenever she was off duty.

She showed immense warmth to anyone sharing her devotion, never thinking twice about lending a hand. She was a vibrant, somewhat eccentric young woman, deeply cherished by every inhabitant of the cathedral for her gentle disposition. Her spiritual conviction was just as profound as her immense holy reserves, making her exceptionally amicable toward anyone who displayed equal dedication to the faith.

For this very reason, she had taken the initiative to befriend Heinrich, showing him special consideration ever since his baptismal ritual where he had displayed an extraordinary affinity for divine power. “By the way, my warmest compliments, Sir Heinrich! You have finally awakened a blessing, haven’t you? I possessed absolute faith that you would achieve it shortly!”

Whether it was a manifestation of her holy perception, she clapped her hands together in genuine delight, celebrating as though the triumph were her own. “You have my gratitude. I was able to attain this milestone thanks to the guidance of everyone here.”

“Not at all! A blessing forged from pure resilience cannot be gifted by outside hands. It stands as absolute proof that you have conquered your own physical boundaries, so hold your head high!” She appeared to instantly grasp the exact nature of the blessing he had unlocked, likely aided by the brilliant golden shimmer reflecting in her eyes.

Following their brief exchange, she abruptly paused and cast her gaze toward the heavens. “Oh my! The midday prayer hour! I cannot believe how quickly the time has slipped away! I must take my leave immediately. May the creator’s grace guide your path always, Sir.”

She measured the position of the sun for a brief moment, pulled herself up, and after a hurried farewell, vanished toward the sanctuary like a gust of wind. “…Well, she is certainly… full of energy today,” he murmured to himself. In truth, ‘whirlwind’ might have been a more accurate description.

While she occasionally appeared flighty or undisciplined, she reserved that relaxed demeanor for specific company.

‘When facing corruption, she becomes entirely unyielding.’

She extended pure kindness to those aligned with the heavens and sought to show tolerance even to those who strayed. Yet, she offered absolute zero leniency to anyone defiled by malice.

Lately, the saint had thrown her entire focus into a singular pursuit: ‘The Scion of the Death King, Hans.’ ‘Her fixation on him has reached a truly terrifying level.’ Heinrich was well aware that she offered up deep supplications multiple times each day, working restlessly to track down ‘Hans,’ a figure who didn’t even exist within the boundaries of this realm. Her unwavering hunt had transformed into the central pillar of her daily existence.

Due to the unique properties of her tracking blessing, the wicked souls who happened to cross her path while she was hunting were truly unfortunate. If they caught her attention while she was searching for the Death King’s heir, it invariably meant they were engaged in some foul, forbidden ritual, meaning they brought their ruin upon themselves.

‘I can certainly comprehend why she carries such an intense burden.’

Having studied the historical archives thoroughly, Heinrich recognized the true terror of the Death King, allowing him to deeply resonate with her animosity. The original Death King had materialized without warning roughly a millennium ago.

That entity had converted half of the known world into a barren realm of casualties, claiming countless lives along the way. It was only through a desperate coalition of every major faction, anchored by the religious order, that they finally managed to vanquish him and restore a fragile peace.

Regrettably, several centuries down the line, either because the original threat wasn’t entirely eradicated or through some clandestine plot, the ‘Core of the Death King’—which retained the entity’s dark essence—fell into the possession of a malevolent sorcerer… giving rise to the second incarnation of the Death King.

The second cataclysmic figure, born from the corruption of that inherited core, plunged the territories back into absolute madness. His reign led to the complete fracturing of the grand western empire, giving rise to the fragmented patchwork of kingdoms that dotted the map today.

Learning from their past shortcomings, the religious order resolved to permanently neutralize the core during that second war to ensure such history could never repeat itself. Even so, their endeavors fell short. Though they succeeded in fracturing the core, the dying entity used the last remnants of his strength to fling the fragments across the continent, rendering a complete sealing impossible.

This catastrophic event had occurred a mere few centuries ago.

‘And two of those shards have now accumulated in Hans’s hands. Should the final piece be recovered, the third Death King will fully awaken, which explains why the order is paralyzed with anxiety.’

The religious institution had consistently formed the vanguard whenever the continent faced a Death King crisis.

It was entirely logical for the saint, who had been raised on tales of the order’s immense sacrifices since her infancy, to harbor deep-seated hatred for anything related to that title. This was reinforced by her tendency to view her fellow devotees as her immediate family.

‘If only everyone could find a way to coexist peacefully. It is truly a shame they remain blind to what a benevolent and gentle soul that friend actually is.’

In reality, Hans—the individual designated to become the modern generation’s Death King—had absolutely no desire to bring ruin to the world. Even at this very hour, he was diligently combating underground syndicates for the sake of the greater good.

—

Boom!

“Gah…”

Park Gwangcheon, a high-ranking officer of the Abyssal Conclave who dressed with meticulous care, surveyed his surroundings while desperately parrying an onslaught from the Hahoe mask. He had confidently steered his operational forces straight into an ambush, expecting to control the field, yet his entire strategy had been dismantled by a mere two adversaries.

‘Curse it all, this disaster lies entirely on that worthless informant who botched the intelligence! We completely miscalculated the capabilities of our targets!’

He bitterly condemned the blurry silhouette residing in his memory.

The primary catalyst for their undoing was the unpredicted arrival of a powerful vampire, though he lacked the mental space to dwell on it now. A catastrophic failure remained a failure, irrespective of the mitigating factors.

‘What has occurred cannot be undone. At present, I must manage this fallout to the absolute best of my ability… ’

He persisted in his struggle against the Hahoe mask alongside his surviving cohorts, but the effort felt entirely pointless at this stage. It felt as though their opponents were deliberately pulling their punches, intending to take them alive for a thorough interrogation.

‘Initially, it seemed they were indifferent to whether we survived the clash, but now that they hold the definitive advantage, are they shifting tactics to extract our secrets?’

Park Gwangcheon cast a swift look over his incapacitated units. Well over half had perished, but the comrades who had fallen in the most recent exchanges were merely restrained or knocked unconscious, not executed.

‘This is a lost cause. There is no path to victory left here.’

The chaotic sounds originating from the vampire’s side of the battlefield had entirely faded, signaling that the engagement over there had reached its conclusion. This absolute stillness boded terribly for him. It meant his ally had been utterly neutralized by a single opponent.

‘If I hesitate a moment longer, the vampire from the other flank will reinforce this position. I must salvage whatever assets I can and make my getaway.’

The entire combat zone was thoroughly locked down by overlapping barriers erected by both the Abyssal Conclave and the Hahoe mask, but utilizing his innate capability, ‘Spatial Manipulation,’ he still possessed a viable avenue of retreat. This specific talent had extricated him from lethal predicaments multiple times in the past.

He pooled his remaining internal energy one final time before invoking his innate capability.

—

The skirmish with the vampires had effectively drawn to a close, and the desperate stand of the Abyssal Conclave was rapidly approaching its end.

The remaining foot soldiers were being systematically neutralized and kept alive wherever possible so their memories could be plundered for intel, a process that would require very little time to finalize. Amidst the methodical sweeps of the area, I detected that the enemy commander was organizing a final, desperate maneuver. It was far too late for them to alter the outcome of the battle, yet as a precaution, I maintained a strict guard. Right then…

“Your endeavors are duly recognized. For the glory of the Abyssal Conclave! [Embrace demise for our sovereignty—!]”

That final exclamation vibrated through the enclosed space, saturated with dense internal energy. In that exact sequence, the physical forms of every Abyssal Conclave operative seized up simultaneously, completely unaffected by whether they were actively resisting or already knocked out from the fighting.

‘What sort of desperate gambit is this!’ It was instantly clear that an anomalies-ridden event was unfolding. Hans’s cognitive processes went into overdrive. The environment appeared to lock in place, and the passage of time ground to a near crawl. Ssshh…

‘What is the nature of this current?’ An unidentifiable wave of internal energy was forcing its way into the consciousness of the surviving troops, attempting to spark a resonance with a hidden mechanism embedded within their skulls. Concurrently, within Hans’s unrestricted awareness, he spotted the enemy commander fixing a venomous glare in his direction, his physical form beginning to distort and fade from view.

‘He is triggering a mass termination command for his subordinates while executing his own withdrawal.’

Hans rapidly calibrated the variables. Exactly how the man was pulling off teleportation inside this restrictive barrier remained an enigma, but that puzzle could wait. Right now, a critical determination had to be made. A strict order of importance.

Should he dedicate his efforts to intercepting the fatal resonance threatening to wipe out the captured syndicate members, or should he write off the foot soldiers to immediately hunt down the fleeing commander, whose destination was entirely unknown? Neither path presented an easy solution.

‘There are mere heartbeats remaining, and the commander’s getaway mechanism remains an unknown factor.’

A flash of intense annoyance flared within him at being backed into such a corner. Under standard circumstances, a person would have to make a sacrifice…

[Naturally, I refuse to forfeit either objective!] Hans, who was the very personification of insatiable acquisition and unrelenting control, suppressed his irritation. He had absolutely no intention of letting either prize slip through his fingers!

Every ounce of energy from every connected entity was instantly channeled directly into Hans. His cognitive processing accelerated to an even higher plane. The flow of time slowed down to a absolute standstill. Dark energy fractured into dozens of distinct threads, each shooting toward an individual target. He slapped a hasty marker onto the commander, who had almost entirely dissolved from the physical plane. While it wasn’t a flawless tracking imprint and risked being torn apart by the turbulence of spatial transit, it would serve its purpose for a brief window.

The remaining threads of dark energy forced their way into the minds of the surviving operatives, making direct contact with the mechanism vibrating against the external signal to harvest data.

…It was unfamiliar. A highly specific, convoluted spell matrix unique to the Abyssal Conclave. To completely decipher and dismantle such an intricately woven network of energy was a feat currently beyond Hans’s existing magical research. And yet…

Portions of that complex matrix were readable. The foundational ‘restrictions’ and ‘maldictions’ woven into the core of the technique were deeply familiar to Hans. They happened to be the very mechanisms he had been employing extensively in his recent endeavors.

‘This provides the opening I need.’

‘Vile Wisdom’ utilized that familiarity to map out the structure, while ‘Forbidden Knowledge’ set to work analyzing its vulnerabilities. Disassembling the components of the spell like unearthing a network of buried roots, he rapidly closed in on the primary anchor. Positioned at the absolute terminus of the spell script was…

It was the concept of ‘extinction.’ This went beyond mere familiarity for Hans; it was intimately intertwined with the core of his very existence. It was a boundary he had personally navigated, triumphed over, and ultimately mastered.

‘Right now!’

He forced his way into the vibrating matrix. Just as jamming a crude object into the gears of a delicate watch would cause the mechanism to fail, a reckless disruption might cause the spell to misfire violently and obliterate the host. That would count as a failure. Instead, he carefully extracted a single, vital tooth from the spell’s internal gear.

As a moment that stretched like an eternity finally concluded, the distorted, drawn-out quiet of the environment began to shift back to its natural pace.

Hummmm—

The matrix persisted in its attempt to resonate. However, with its central component removed, the mechanism could only spin aimlessly, entirely unable to trigger its lethal payload.

[Hehehe… Hahaha! I command the forces of extinction itself. Did you truly believe you could evade my grasp by seeking refuge in death?]

Hans gave vent to a dark, theatrical laugh, having successfully averted the crisis. Naturally, throughout this entire sequence, he didn’t neglect to direct his dark energy to completely incapacitate the disoriented survivors who were still awake. He couldn’t permit them the opportunity to recover and complicate the situation further.

[As for your leader, a swift demise is out of the question.]

Without losing a second, he tracked the dark signature he had attached to the commander right before his departure, matching it against the residual ripples left behind from the barrier breach.

During the brief window he had spent neutralizing the execution spell, those spatial ripples had already commenced their decay. Even so, his current standing was vastly superior to before. By thoroughly dismantling the execution matrix, he had successfully isolated the unique energy signature of the sorcerer who crafted it. This was an invaluable piece of data that could never have been gathered through mere physical combat.

Utilizing the residual currents lingering within the barrier, he calculated the trajectory of the exit, and by aligning it with the fading pulse of his dark signature, he approximated the distance traveled. Within the perimeter he established, he accurately pinpointed the destination by locking onto the commander’s unique energy signature.

The exact method the leader had used to bypass the constraints of the area remained a mystery. Given the total absence of traditional magical residue within the barrier, it was almost certainly an innate attribute. At this stage, however, that distinction mattered little.

[…I have you.]

He would simply extract the answers straight from the man’s consciousness.