Chapter 148
Chapter 148
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 148
Chapter Title: Hero Party (2)
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"Haa—."
After the meeting ended, Isea flopped onto the bed in her room with a sigh.
Fortunately, when she honestly explained her situation and asked for understanding, the Saint welcomed her with an embracing smile and showed his comprehension.
In fact, he accepted so readily that she almost felt guilty instead.
'And that man too... Well, if I noticed, there's no way the Saint didn't.'
She had received firm assurance that she didn't need to worry about the barbarian man named 'Harley' who had subtly been on her mind, so all that was left was to return to the imperial palace with a light heart...
But her mind was even more chaotic now than before coming to the Great Temple.
"That... was it really a Hahoe mask?"
It was because of the mask design the Saint had sketched and shown her right before their conversation ended.
'Or did it just seem similar because it was a drawing? Just a coincidence? If it really was a Hahoe mask, why would it be in this world?'
No, actually, its existence here wasn't that strange when she thought about it.
This world—Auterica—wasn't just her destination.
She had safely grown under the princess's protection for the past eight years, but originally, the survival rate for those from other worlds was only about 20 percent.
And since she had already met the conditions to return, simply calculating it out meant that around four people must have died here by now.
'Of course, probabilities are independent trials, so it's not guaranteed, but there's still the expected value.'
Whether they lived or died, if any Koreans were among them, it wouldn't be that unusual for the Hahoe mask design to spread here.
They might have brought it to remember their homeland and lost it, carved it themselves out of nostalgia, or even gifted or sold it to someone.
'...That person might be connected to the Immortal King. A being like that wouldn't wear just any random mask.'
There must have been some meaning behind choosing that mask.
Maybe he took it from an enemy he killed, or someone who helped him resurrect gave it to him.
Or perhaps... the Immortal King's true identity was...
"Whew—it's not certain yet. And true or not, it has nothing to do with me now."
She had been shaken by encountering the first trace of someone from her homeland, but in truth, agonizing over it like this was utterly pointless for her.
It also wasn't a pleasant topic to dwell on.
'Come to think of it, I wonder what the other Earthlings in this world are doing right now?'
She hadn't traveled much, so she hadn't had the chance to meet any, but maybe they had crossed paths without realizing it.
There was no easy way to recognize each other unless someone made it obvious first, and she wasn't the type to advertise it herself.
'I'd like to at least talk with one before I go back. Preferably someone from the same country.'
With that brief thought, she set aside her tangled worries for the moment, closed her eyes, and sank into meditation.
To calm her mind, rattled by the unexpected events.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ At that moment, while Isea was lost in her solitary contemplation.
Another Korean sent to Auterica... or rather, a part of him—Harley—was stroking his chin with a serious expression, deep in thought.
'Enemy of the World... He even had an achievement like this.'
The achievement Hans had just accomplished was extraordinary from the description alone.
Well, earning the enmity of more than half the intelligent beings in a single dimension was no easy feat.
It was certainly worthy of being called an achievement.
And the perk that came with it, 「Extra Life」, was granted with that in mind.
'From the start, anyone who achieves something like this would have the ability not to die easily, and they'd have gathered enough karma to return anyway, so what's the point?'
However, all the perks given so far had been like that.
Return on your own across dimensions, and you get 「Otherworld Teleportation Circle Summon」.
Become the pinnacle of the undead, the Immortal King, and gain 「Instant Death Immunity」.
They were undoubtedly good, but unless you were in a special situation like his, applying them would be tricky.
'Either way, they're helpful to me.'
This new perk, 「Extra Life」, was exactly what it sounded like—a skill that let you come back to life even after dying.
Unlike 「Instant Death Immunity」, which only worked under specific conditions, this one simply revived you in peak condition upon death. A tremendous miracle.
Of course, it couldn't be used indefinitely.
'The cooldown is insane. Once a year? But considering the effect, it's actually pretty good?'
With his main body on Earth, that was once every ten years in this world's time, but since his avatars rarely died anyway, it was a useful insurance policy for emergencies.
'Alright, that's settled. Next up...'
Suddenly snapping out of his reverie, Harley raised his head and looked ahead.
At the same time, Heinrich turned his gaze and met his eyes.
...Thus, in that one spot, the two avatars' gazes intertwined.
"......"
"......"
A strange silence hung in the reception room.
The two avatars simply gazed at each other with faint smiles on their lips, exchanging no words.
Heinrich wore a benevolent smile that warmed the heart just to see, while Harley sported a ferocious grin that made legs tremble at a glance.
They had scheduled a private meeting to avoid prying eyes, but with no one around now, there was no need for tedious small talk—they were just killing time like this.
'Hm?'
Suddenly, Heinrich's eyes fell on Harley's bare upper body, covered in ornate tattoos.
Those bulging muscles and overwhelming physique held more density than they appeared, and to Harley, who wielded vital force, that equated directly to combat power.
'Come to think of it, the only fights between avatars have been between Heinrich and Hans, right? Both are martial artists— I wonder what would happen if they clashed directly?'
It was a sudden curiosity, but also a perfect opportunity.
Wasting time staring blankly felt inefficient, and observing each other's abilities could be considered part of the interview process, couldn't it?
Springing to their feet in unison, the two headed outside without a word.
Crossing the Great Temple, their footsteps halted at a sparring facility in one corner of the training grounds.
"Oh! Greetings, Your Holiness. What brings you here...?"
The Holy Knight in charge of the training grounds greeted Heinrich in surprise at his sudden appearance.
This sparring arena, surrounded by top-tier protective barriers, was designed to contain shockwaves inside, allowing even Paladins to train at full power in realistic combat.
Naturally, it was the perfect spot for Heinrich and Harley's bout.
"Ah—good work. I wanted to use the training facility for a bit. Planning to have a quick spar with this gentleman here."
"Kuhahaha! A clash of full strength and soul—that's the true exchange between real men! A natural procedure! Hahaha!"
With eyes now on them, character-immersed lines burst forth immediately.
The Holy Knight's brow twitched at the rude behavior in the Saint's presence, but since Heinrich said nothing, he stepped back without protest.
Glancing down to eye Harley's muscles.
And then—
"Oh! A spar with His Holiness!"
"Who's the opponent? A warrior from Calcos? What a fine physique."
"Hm... Must be a candidate recommended for the Guardians. So this is His Holiness's test? I wonder if he has skills to match those muscles."
Holy Knights and Holy Warriors who heard the news soon gathered, surrounding the sparring arena.
Watching high-level spars was instructive in itself, and the facility was well-equipped for observers.
Of course, if Heinrich wished, he could dismiss them all...
'No need for that.'
This was a good chance to show off their power before the Church of the Main God's elites.
Time to prove to these weight-training devotees that Harley's impressive muscles were more than just for show!
'Alright, let's go.'
It was a spar, but since he controlled both, it couldn't be a real numbers fight.
No matter what, it would end up like a scripted exchange, so all they could do was compare their capabilities directly.
But even that would provide meaningful data.
Thus, Heinrich—the Saint of the Main God, nemesis of the Immortal King, and Knight of Light—
Clashed head-on with Harley—the barbarian warrior from the unvisited south, Chimera Dragonkin, and Berserker.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ It was a practical spar, but with onlookers present, Harley held back his full form and 'Madness' mode.
Even with Heinrich's backing, blatantly using that would be too much.
"Kuhahahaha—!"
Boom—!
Even without it, Harley's presence in battle was beyond imagination.
His muscles had swelled even larger than before, dark-red scales covered his body, and fierce light blazed from his eyes.
His right hand, with razor-sharp claws, resembled a dragon's forepaw, while his left gripped a massive black axe shrouded in 「Biotic Aura」, radiating a savage energy that could cleave a giant in two.
The vital force pouring from his superior physique ignited the energy stored within, activating the tattoos across his body, while the mana storm swirling around amplified all his actions.
"Whoa... Is that a Dragonkin?"
"...Such a rare race, hard to say. But if all Dragonkin had that power, they wouldn't be on the brink of extinction."
"Muscles don't lie, after all."
"Mm-hm!"
The onlookers nodded repeatedly in awe at his might.
Harley's violent onslaughts contained flair and unpredictability, backed by systematically honed rules and fundamentals.
Thud—!
The axe, cloaked in thick dark-red aura, clashed with the holy sword, while his right hand's claws swept at Heinrich's lower body.
He parried the axe and stepped back lightly, but Harley pressed in, fluidly swinging his left hand once more.
It was terrifying combat prowess, combining not just raw power but exquisite technique—undeniable to anyone.
And even the one facing him acknowledged it.
'I misjudged. I thought it'd just be a scripted farce, but experiencing it firsthand... Harley's fighting style is more...'
Unpredictable.
Even controlling the body himself, he couldn't easily anticipate the movements.
The skill evolved from 「Wildness」—which enabled instinctive combat for Harley—into 「Frenzied Beast」, wasn't just about handling madness more efficiently.
Nearly all actions originated from the unconscious realm beyond reason, instinctively striking at Heinrich's openings.
Since they shared thoughts, it exploited that, relentlessly targeting only the parts even he hadn't consciously noticed.
'...This is actually a highly efficient training method?'
Perfect for overcoming blind spots you yourself couldn't perceive.
Drastic, yes, but guaranteed effective—and captivated, Heinrich forgot his original purpose, focusing solely on the self-battle, gradually entering a trance.
Crunch!
Boom—!
The fierce clash continued, with Harley unleashing ever more ferocious attacks, as if intent on burning all his stored energy.
But.
Even so.
None of those attacks reached Heinrich.
The axe blade flying from a lethal angle was deflected by the holy sword.
The sudden kick aiming for a gap missed its mark before landing.
A hand clad in sword arts and holy power slapped away the sharp claws.
The light-wreathed blade sliced through tough scales, drenching the body in blood.
"...That swordplay is beautiful. Never seen anything like it."
"But isn't His Holiness going a bit overboard? Should we stop them now?"
"Not yet. That southern warrior's covered in blood, but the wounds have already healed. Hm, a Dragonkin trait?"
In pure physical specs, Harley held overwhelming superiority.
His body felt like a compressed colossal beast, and the violent energy it emitted amplified his already exceptional destructive power.
Fast, strong, erratic assaults.
And that mercilessly stimulated something dormant within Heinrich.
'Ah, so that's what it was.'
The 「Grand Blessing: Knight of Light」 and various growth buffs aided his enlightenment.
The 「Logia Sacred Combat Technique」—refined over ages against myriad monsters and by countless geniuses—rapidly integrated.
Techniques he knew in theory but couldn't replicate were mastered in an instant, leading to further growth.
And finally.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The entity has gained enlightenment through repeated training. Skill 「Martial Bone」 has evolved into special skill 「Path of the Martial Way」. After obtaining the holy sword and reaching a certain realm, the long-stagnant 「Martial Bone」 had finally broken through the wall.