Chapter 204
Chapter 204
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 204
Chapter Title: Reverse Heaven Society Leader (1)
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‘This guy’s no ordinary fellow.’
That was Hans’s first impression upon facing his opponent.
Having fully inherited the Immortal King and surpassed the limits of his realm, his sensory abilities had expanded to a truly transcendent level.
Now, he could blanket the entirety of Seoul with just his basic energy sense alone, and if he focused on a specific target, he could even gauge their level, nature, and abilities to a certain extent.
It felt like looking down from a slightly higher vantage point than everyone else.
That was the greatest change in perspective brought by his elevated realm.
‘But this guy...’
He was unreadable.
‘I don’t think I’ve ever gotten this feeling from anyone as Hans before.’
That ‘unreadable’ was all Hans could perceive.
[What are you? You bastard.]
But a true heavyweight never lost their composure, no matter the situation.
He maintained a calm facade while extending his energy sense to analyze his predicament in an instant.
‘The dimension has been severed, twisting the coordinates. No spatial transfer out. Likewise, no one from outside can enter.’
In truth, he had several countermeasures for emergencies during his Earth operations.
Summoning additional avatars via Hero’s Footsteps or having his main body, transformed into Hans via Entity Projection, crash the party.
But—
“You seem quite busy. Have you finished assessing the situation?”
The mysterious man tossed the question in a friendly tone, as if chatting with an old friend.
As he said, no methods worked in this space.
Aoulerica’s Immortal Fortress, the Reverse Heaven Society executive’s sealed world in Japan—those were high-level spells in their own right...
‘But this is on another dimension entirely. To artificially create a space like this?’
It was literally a different ‘dimension’ of existence.
No matter that it was an inherent skill, he couldn’t even grasp its activation principle, let alone counter it.
Maybe the Otherworld Teleportation Circle could breach dimensions, but first things first: sizing up the opponent.
Revealing his hand before knowing the enemy’s cards would be foolish.
[This is such a hassle. So it’s the Reverse Heaven Society after all? You just can’t get enough, coming back after getting smashed last time.]
Information first.
He provoked the man while gradually building his aura.
Rooooar—
Jet-black energy erupted from Hans’s body, swallowing the surroundings like spreading smoke.
The world’s brightness dimmed several shades at once, and frost began forming as the temperature plummeted.
The black mana endlessly produced by his immortal heart—nay, the abyss at its core—was unleashed, corroding the ambient space.
“Hmm.”
The aura was threatening enough that the man furrowed his brow and cautiously stepped back.
Yet an inexplicable leisure still emanated from his demeanor.
“That heart... A conduit to wield the World’s Death directly? Doesn’t look all that stable. Not something just anyone can use.”
“Oho! Lord, that’s not the point right now! Solve that issue, and it’d be an incredibly efficient energy source! It’s a whole new thrill compared to first encountering Kallikas’s tech!”
Then, a third party’s voice intruded abruptly.
Hans’s gaze shifted to the man’s side at the excited outburst.
“New concepts and principles—that innovation is the driving force of progress, isn’t it? Mysteries vary by dimension, after all. Lord, let me study it now! I wonder what knowledge it’ll grant me—!”
There stood a disheveled middle-aged Westerner, eyes gleaming with madness, drool dripping as he stared.
Unlike the first arrival, he couldn’t fully withstand Hans’s terrifying aura—his body trembled faintly...
But his eyes burned with unbridled desire, ignoring his physical reaction.
‘Now that’s a novel response. What the hell is this guy? Wait, more importantly—Lord?’
It went without saying who the ‘Lord’ was in this context.
[I see. So you’re the Reverse Heaven Society’s leader.]
A faint smile curved the lips of the enigmatic man—the Reverse Heaven Society Leader.
“That’s right. I’m the master of the Reverse Heaven Society. The one who ordered all those operations you’ve been meddling in, Hahoe Mask.”
[Oh? That’s a shame. But what can you do? Looks like the meddling will continue. Heh heh heh—.]
“Hmm, as expected.”
Even at Hans’s brazen words, the Leader merely nodded with unchanged composure.
But the moment his brief reply ended.
Chill—
Hans sensed an intrusive intent piercing his domain and instinctively leaped back.
Krunch!
A gruesome sound echoed everywhere as the space he’d occupied moments ago crumpled like paper in an invisible giant’s grip.
“Impressive enough to react to that. Catching you might be a bit tricky.”
[Keh—Getting impatient, are we? Though I prefer violence over talk myself!]
Ziiing—Zing! Ziing—!
Dozens of black magic circles deployed around Hans in an instant.
Most of the space was under the opponent’s control, but in the abyss-influenced zone, he could project power near his usual level.
“Let’s see what you’ve got, then.”
As the Leader lightly extended his hand toward him.
The ‘world’ enveloping Hans bared its fangs all at once.
Rumble—!
Like expelling an invader, it eroded his domain repeatedly, collapsing space.
Abyss-filled black mana lashed out in response, distorting space with earth-shaking clashes upon collision.
‘...Tricky. It’s not mere spatial manipulation. Feels like fighting an entire world.’
They were evenly matched for now, but this was the enemy’s home turf.
No telling what tricks remained, so clashing head-on wasn’t ideal.
Plus, the guy didn’t seem to be going all-out.
“The World’s Death, indeed. Quite the nuisance.”
“Whoa—! Amazing! But why no undead? Show me the Bone Dragon! The Bone Dragon! Any other undead too!”
That leisurely attitude screamed hidden aces.
Neither the Leader nor the lunatic beside him entertained defeat.
‘Hmm, what to do. Better than forcing a decisive battle here...’
But he felt no real crisis either.
‘Yeah, best to bleed him dry of intel, then bail strategically. Hold off on the undead for now.’
Facing the famed Reverse Heaven Leader in person was harvest enough.
His abilities were public knowledge anyway, so playing along to draw out the enemy’s trump card would be ideal.
‘A tactical retreat after probing isn’t a loss!’
He had the universal escape: Summon Release, viable anytime.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ In a vast room, intricate mandala-patterned fabrics formed a labyrinthine maze.
Dozens of candles lit the dimly lit space lacking proper lighting, alongside ritual implements crafted from precious metals adorning every corner.
Hooo—
Thick smoke rose from the center of the gloomy, exotic chamber.
“Report.”
A woman’s languid voice echoed softly.
“Yes, Oracle. Africa is progressing smoothly. Infiltration of key nations like Nigeria, Egypt, and South Africa is in the final stages...”
The subordinate, cloaked head to toe in black fabric, continued reporting.
From Africa’s advances to South America’s smooth sailing, then North America and Europe’s minor setbacks.
Haa—
Even as the briefing droned on, the brown-skinned woman lounged on a central floor sofa, puffing her hookah leisurely, half-listening.
“...And East Asia remains unfavorable. Full retreat from Korea, plus a major blow in Japan recently...”
“Japan.”
At mention of her recent focus, she cut in softly.
“Has the Lord... gone to Japan?”
“Yes. He personally set out with the Doctor and Rite Sovereign to capture the returner called Hahoe Mask.”
“...Hahoe Mask, huh.”
She closed her eyes briefly, and a teardrop-shaped red gem on her forehead gleamed妖しく in the flickering candlelight.
“Tch. We were extra cautious in Korea. Guess that wasn’t enough.”
Opening her eyes, she grumbled quietly and took another draw from the pipe.
While aggressively expanding in China and Japan, progress in neighboring Korea had been deliberately slow—per the Oracle’s long-standing policy.
Yet despite the care, things had gone awry...
‘The Doctor’s gonna be yapping up a storm. My head already hurts thinking about it.’
And that Hahoe Mask too.
No matter how transcendent, no one in this world could easily evade her insight.
Yet he slipped her gaze effortlessly, wreaking havoc.
‘Can’t pin down his existence. ...Well, to stir this much trouble, he must have some ace up his sleeve.’
Every aspect was an uncertainty.
The type she hated facing most.
Normally, she’d observe patiently until grasping the foe fully, but...
‘...With the Lord stepping in personally, no need this time.’
The Oracle exhaled slowly amid ongoing reports, but her mind lingered on the Lord and Hahoe Mask.
Though currently restrained, no one on Earth could defy him.
Not unless gods descended personally.
‘Wonder what powers Hahoe Mask wields.’
And rightly so—
The Lord had already doomed countless dimensions to ruin.
He was a monster that devoured worlds.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The black flash streaking straight bent in the warped space.
The pervasive curse lost direction in the severed void.
Hellfire that incinerated even souls vanished into the shattered space.
And finally.
Krunch!
A bone-crushing sound mixed into the chaotic battle clamor.
“Close, but no cigar. Thought that’d finish it. Still holding back, eh?”
The Reverse Heaven Society Leader curled his lip regretfully.
In his hand clutched Hans’s left arm, shattered and crumbling to black ash.
‘...Trouble.’
Hans flexed his freshly regenerated left arm and tilted his skull slightly.
Too lax thinking it mere probing? Nearly exposed his heart.
‘My attacks barely land, but his spatial erosion is too efficient. Inside here, energy-wise, he outclasses me.’
His near-infinite mana meant little with such operational disparity—the gap would widen.
A major hurdle for any real fight later.
‘Still, not empty-handed.’
Hans surged mana again, eyeing the Reverse Heaven Society Leader.
[As expected, though I suspected. You’re no pure human either.]
“Consider it an honor. I don’t show this often. Dragging it out tires me less this way.”
Flutter—
With solemn words, radiant sunset glow erupted from him, blanketing the area.
Hans’s surrounding abyss melted away, his spatial defenses riddled with holes.
‘Kuh!’
Krunch!
He dodged urgently, but his right ankle flew off.
A follow-up chaining from the left arm grab—a force polar opposite to Hans’s black mana and abyss.
Holy power.
‘Worst matchup possible. And he has no restrictions on it?’
All holy power users weakened on Earth.
Inevitable due to mechanics—he’d experienced it via Heinrich.
Hans’s abyss suffered similarly.
‘...Linked to that appearance, huh.’
Flutter—
The thought coincided with harsh wingbeats and renewed sunset glow.
Holy power dwarfing even Saint Heinrich’s in Aoulerica.
“Tired of this. Let’s end it quick.”
A halo gleamed behind his head, massive wings—over three meters each—sprouting from his back.
The Reverse Heaven Society Leader was.
‘An evil org’s boss is an angel...? What the hell kind of twist is this!’
An angel through and through, no matter the angle.