Chapter 332
Chapter 332
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 332
Chapter Title: Heavenly Demon (3)
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The holy site at the heart of Outerica, the Roselia Cathedral.
"Divine power, huh."
Saint Heinrich slowly closed his eyes as he strolled through the garden overflowing with rare flowers and herbs.
He had stepped out for a walk to clear his head during work, only to run into an even more headache-inducing problem. His mind was a tangled mess.
'That's definitely the Reverse Heaven Society's divine power.'
As the foremost expert in this field, he had no doubt about it.
The issue was that this divine power absolutely did not originate from the Strong Return Realm.
In other words, it was energy imported from outside...
'And yet the Heavenly Demon is wielding it.'
Moreover, it wasn't some trick like using Hugo's "Avatar Cloud" and holy mark as a medium.
It was a genuine miracle manifested by the Heavenly Demon himself, just as a priest draws forth and wields the divine power of their revered deity.
This meant there was some connection between the Reverse Heaven Society leader and the Heavenly Demon that exceeded Heinrich's expectations.
'No matter how you slice it, divine power from another dimension is little more than a foreign substance in this world. That's why even Hugo had to endure massive energy loss just to use it indirectly.'
Heinrich quietly gazed down at his own hand.
At his will, a platinum glow rose like heat haze, shimmering and asserting its presence.
There were more gods in existence than the number of dimensions themselves, each with their own wildly varying dispositions.
The divine power stemming from them followed suit.
'In that sense, the Main God of our Outerica can certainly be called a benevolent deity.'
Of course, that foundation wasn't the usual compassion and mercy mortals spoke of.
If he had to put it in human terms—
It was like carefully storing a handmade masterpiece in a case, admiring it fondly now and then, dusting it off occasionally, and cherishing it dearly...
On the flip side, a being who found pleasure in smashing their own sandcastle might stack towers from the start just to topple them, earning the title of malevolent god from their creations.
'Well, who am I, a mere human, to presume the will of the gods?'
No matter that he was called a saint and received all sorts of privileges, it was impossible.
Thinking otherwise was arrogance... no, blasphemy.
"In any case, now that the bastard's traces have surfaced, I can't just sit idle."
He had intended to intervene aggressively from the start, but this incident only solidified his resolve.
To the point where he wanted to jump straight into the Strong Return Realm and join the beatdown on the Heavenly Demon right now.
Of course, with both Outerica and Earth demanding his attention, he couldn't do it immediately.
"Saint, do you have a moment?"
At that point, a petite woman approached him in the garden and spoke up.
It was Isea, the great mage from Earth and a comrade from the hero party who had fought countless battles alongside him.
"Ah, Lady Isea. Of course. I was just killing time with some unexpected free moments."
"Ahem, thank you. I feel a bit guilty asking this favor..."
She hesitated briefly before cautiously offering a thick letter.
It wasn't a love letter harboring her affections, of course.
"Ah, you've made your decision, then."
"...Yes. It seems like a good opportunity for me. Embarrassing as it is, I've decided to accept the offer. Please take care of it, Saint."
It was a letter for her family back on Earth.
She was asking Heinrich, who could now travel between Earth and Outerica, to deliver it.
She felt awkward burdening a figure of his stature with such a personal request, but this was something he had proposed first to strengthen their alliance.
"No worries. I'll deliver it discreetly so no rumors spread. I've gotten used to Earth's environment by now, too."
"Whew, thank you. It's a relief I can at least send word ahead of time thanks to you, Saint. They've all been so worried."
A mere high school girl vanishing into another world with no news for nearly a year—her family must have been on pins and needles every day.
Unable to return just yet due to circumstances, this would ease worries on both sides.
And proving it was from her wouldn't be hard; it wasn't just a letter but a magical device containing her video message.
Heinrich stored the received letter in his subspace and parted ways with her after a brief chat, heading back to his office.
With the final push north looming, he had plenty to handle and couldn't afford endless leisure.
Of course, if a truly critical issue arose that required his personal touch, he'd drop these trifles in a heartbeat.
'It's fine for now. I can handle things step by step. First, I need a firmer grasp on the Strong Return Realm situation...'
His footsteps toward the office halted abruptly.
From his elevated vantage, the scars of a battle that hadn't fully faded came into view all at once.
Traces of the fight against the recent alien invaders, where everyone had banded together.
'I don't know what you're scheming by reaching into other dimensions.'
Heinrich closed his eyes, clasped his hands, and silently mourned that day's sacrifices.
In the solemn atmosphere, a brilliant platinum glow emanated from his body, slowly spreading outward.
'I'll smash it all to pieces. Everything you've planned.'
To that end, he'd use every tool at his disposal.
And that included matters on Earth.
'Time to make contact with the Pantheon. Not all of them could have fallen to the Reverse Heaven Society. After that...'
Of course, efforts to paint the Reverse Heaven Society as a global enemy and drag them into the light were already progressing smoothly.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Boom—
The overlord's footsteps crushed down on all within his domain of influence.
With each step trampling the world underfoot, the heavy air bore down on the surroundings.
"Urk! So heavy...!"
"Fall back! You'll get caught if you dawdle!"
Rumble!
Even the indirect shockwaves forced nearby combatants to retreat hastily, and several buildings weakened by the fierce clashes collapsed outright.
That coercive pressure demanding submission was enough to etch the vast gap in power onto any who dared defy him...
"Kahaha! That lukewarm stuff won't cut it!"
But it had little effect on the target bearing the brunt of it.
His opponent was a monster who could tear through any restraint on his movements with raw physical specs alone.
A beast brimming with madness charged at the sky demon trampling the earth while standing atop the heavens.
Kaboom—!
Immediately after, another massive explosion rocked the skies, sending shockwaves sweeping outward and shaking everything on the ground.
"...They're fighting awfully flashy."
And below that.
Standing apart from the clash in the heavenly realm, former Mad Demon Mok In-gwang clicked his tongue and grumbled softly.
'I knew he was impressive.'
But to think he'd not only challenge the famed Heavenly Demon of the Demonic Cult but clash head-on.
Going out of his way to pick a fight with that kind of opponent—looking back now, he truly realized how reckless he'd been.
'Though that's always been my way of life.'
He smacked his lips and shook his head.
In any case, the outcome wasn't so bad in the end.
Thanks to it, he'd overcome the madness that had ruled his life from the top of his head and grasped the key to completing the Madness Control Heart Technique.
...Even if it came at the cost of losing his moniker.
Mok In-gwang shoved down the painful memory, rationalizing it as best he could, and turned his gaze elsewhere.
Separate from the heavenly battle, humans were waging a fierce war below.
"Hoo—maybe it's time I join in."
Watching the battlefield rife with screams and spilled blood stirred his own blood bit by bit.
On the way here, he'd undergone several more treatments from Harley, greatly subduing the madness that once dominated his mind—but could a lifetime's habits change so easily?
'Truth be told, helping the orthodox faction doesn't sit right with me.'
But he loathed the Demonic Cult even more, so the reluctance wasn't overwhelming.
Besides, his new mad overlord seemed inexplicably supportive of the orthodox side.
"As expected of the Demonic Cult. The tide's completely turned."
For some reason, the orthodox warriors couldn't bring their full strength to bear—a fatal blow.
At this rate, nine times out of ten, everyone inside Shaolin would be massacred.
'If I hadn't shown up, that is.'
A feral grin spread across Mok In-gwang's face.
Not quite at the Transcendent Realm, but among Peak Realm masters, he was confident none could match him.
No matter what tricks the Demonic Cultists pulled, his intervention alone would shift the battle decisively.
'Alright then... Huh?'
Just as exhilaration heated his head...
Glancing unconsciously at the heavenly fight, he froze.
"Wait, no. What's that?"
His mind chilled as if doused in ice water.
He gaped, unable to continue.
How could he not?
"...That bastard?"
Moments ago, Harley had moved on pure instinct and savagery, but now he displayed more systematic, refined techniques.
Using moves that felt eerily familiar, no less.
...Yes, rooted unmistakably in his own unique art, the Madness Control Heart Technique.
'No wonder he kept challenging me to spars on the way here!'
Back then, he'd suspected it was just an excuse to beat on him and vent...
Who could have imagined it was all groundwork to steal his techniques?
"Just how much are you going to steal from me—?!"
Mok In-gwang bellowed in fury rising from his depths.
Fueled by the unbearable reality of losing not just his Mad Demon title, but his martial arts too.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'My ears are itching.'
The thought flickered through Harley's mind but vanished quickly.
He couldn't afford distractions now.
Shwick—!
Trusting instinct, he ducked, and a pitch-black sword flash grazed overhead.
The space tore long along its path.
An attack even he, who tanked most blows with his body, couldn't ignore lightly.
"Dodging nimbly, aren't you, barbarian?"
"Ka-hat! This tingles nice! Put some real muscle into it, big bro!"
He fired back provocatively on reflex, but truthfully, the situation wasn't favorable for Harley.
The Heavenly Demon, having unleashed his hidden divine power, exuded an entirely different presence.
Not mere self-buffing with extra energy, but like his very tier had risen a level.
Naturally, every aspect surpassed his prior form, forcing Harley to eat attacks more frequently.
"...You even recover from this? Unbelievable. What the hell are you made of?"
If not for ripping off the Reverse Heaven Society's wings in Outerica and building resistance, he'd have been in real peril.
His divine power-infused aura sliced not just space but Harley's very concept of resistance.
Sizzle—
Harley flexed his nearly severed arm, dangling by threads, checking the join.
Other hit spots were similarly mangled.
At this point, he couldn't keep holding back.
Engravings across his body lit up in unison, refined energy surging through to awaken latent powers.
Including the bodily mutation he rarely revealed.
"So, I knew it. You're no human after all."
Seeing the dark red scales covering his fingertips to elbows, the Heavenly Demon nodded slowly, as if confirming expectations.
Almost nonchalantly, to Harley's surprise.
'He knew something after all.'
A doubt had nagged him while using techniques learned from former Mad Demon Mok In-gwang.
This "Madness Control Heart Technique" meshed too perfectly with Harley, who wielded madness directly.
Frankly, compatibility-wise, Harley—mere days into learning—outdid Mok In-gwang by miles.
The very existence of a martial art tailored for an "Ultimate Evolved Lifeform" like him, utterly unlike ordinary humans.
He realized it naturally amid rapid mastery.
'This technique.'
It wasn't designed from the start for human use.
The Madness Control Heart Technique was born at its inception for monsters like him... no, non-humans.
Yes, for example.
Like the other races—yokai or such—that had vanished from the Strong Return Realm...