Chapter 458
Chapter 458
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 458
Chapter Title: Visit (2)
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It had been a while since he'd last seen the Pantheon headquarters—ever since he'd gone there to assassinate the archivist.
The place was located on the outskirts of San Francisco, built on what had once been a vast forest.
It was inevitable, given that it housed priests serving gods from various dimensions and with diverse natures all in one place.
Each group had wildly different requirements, after all.
How could an environment for worshiping a fire god coexist with one for a water god, when they were polar opposites?
They simply couldn't accommodate the space those groups demanded in the heart of the city, where land prices were sky-high.
But just because it had been built on a former forest—and the Pantheon had only been established less than twenty years ago—didn't mean the infrastructure was lacking.
On the contrary, the surrounding area was thriving to an unbelievable degree, considering how recently it had all been developed.
'It's practically a small city in its own right. Not just the followers of each church, but people seeking the blessings of divine power have flocked here, creating residential areas and commercial districts.'
Facing that peculiar sight again after so long stirred fresh emotions.
But what truly caught his attention right now was something else entirely...
"The security... it's incredibly tight, isn't it?"
It was so intense that he wondered if this was really a gathering place for priests.
'It wasn't like this last time I was here.'
Heinrich glanced around through the car window.
They'd already passed over a dozen protective barriers on the way in so far.
And these were barriers so advanced that even transcendents couldn't easily detect them.
'And we haven't even entered the headquarters proper yet.'
The outer areas were open to outsiders, so they had solid defenses even before.
That's exactly why the target had been lured out beyond the territory for the assassination attempt in the first place.
"Hmm, as an otherworlder, Brother Heinrich might not know, but... there was a major incident at headquarters recently. I was in Korea at the time, so this is my first time seeing it firsthand."
Jason the priest let out a deep sigh and slowly began to explain.
What followed was the grim news that one of the twelve committee members—the representatives of Pantheon's operations—had been attacked and gone missing, courtesy of some 'vile criminal syndicate.'
"...After that, they've ramped up security across the board, from what I hear. It's like locking the barn door after the horse has bolted, but it's the only way to prevent further casualties."
"Ah, I think I heard something about it while operating in Korea."
"It was such a huge scandal. Not just us in the Pantheon, but other organizations have tightened their security too since then."
Jason sighed heavily, as if speaking of it pained him. He mentioned he had some acquaintance with the missing priest.
Heinrich made a sympathetic face and offered a prayer of condolence for the victim.
'Aha! So it was because of me?'
He shamelessly thanked Persona for keeping his true feelings hidden amid it all.
"Jason, Priest? Long time no see. Then the one riding with you must be..."
"Ah! We got word in advance. Go right on in."
The car carrying Heinrich passed through several checkpoints before heading straight into the central zone reserved for priests only.
Along the way, they encountered numerous awakened individuals with various abilities—not just priests. One notable thing was how uniquely dressed they all were.
"America is the land of the free, after all. Unlike Korea, more freewheeling hero activities are permitted here. Of course, that comes with a certain level of responsibility."
Heinrich turned to glance back at the checkpoint they were leaving behind.
From a hulking brute in a green full-body spandex suit showing off his muscular build, to a female warrior in what looked like bikini armor straight out of a game with sky-high defense stats.
'Land of the free, huh...'
Awakened individuals definitely had more freedom here than in Korea.
That also meant they wielded far greater influence, which had played a big role in both the Pantheon and the World Returners' Association setting up their headquarters in the US.
'The downside is that it creates an environment ripe for ability-wielding criminals to run rampant.'
And that's where the so-called 'heroes' came in.
True to a nation where private gun ownership was legal, they went beyond self-defense with abilities and issued licenses for vigilante activities to maintain public order.
'Overkill like murder docks points on license issuance and renewals, if I recall.'
They were called heroes, but paid based on performance—like bounty hunters. Still, the gimmick was hugely popular with Americans who idolized superheroes.
Big names even merchandised characters or jumped into entertainment careers—not uncommon at all.
It was essentially fused with the entertainment industry.
"We're here. This is the operating committee that decides major and minor affairs for the Interworld Religious Alliance, the Pantheon."
The smoothly gliding vehicle came to a stop, interrupting Heinrich's musings.
Following Jason out of the car, he looked at the building before him in surprise.
Unlike the uniquely styled temples they'd passed, this one had an utterly ordinary appearance.
"This place is basically neutral ground. They built it plain like this because too much religious flair would make some people uncomfortable."
Just hearing that made him feel tired already.
Then again, unifying so many religions couldn't be easy.
As a priest who served a god himself, he knew that all too well.
Using divine power steeped you in your god's nature, making you dogmatic—and intolerant of other ways.
"What? Jason? Thought you'd finally kicked the bucket since we hadn't seen you. Guess you're still kicking."
As if to prove the point immediately, a unfamiliar voice blocked their path just as they were about to enter the operating committee building.
It was laced with irritation—a tongue-click dripping with annoyance that no one could mistake for friendly.
"...Walter."
Jason turned with a hardened expression.
In contrast to his neat appearance, this guy had disheveled clothes, messy hair, and a faint whiff of alcohol.
Without the glimpse of exquisitely trained musculature peeking from his clothes and his sharp eyes, he'd look like a total playboy striding toward them.
'He's a former Holy Knight too. Come to think of it, Jason was one as well.'
Heinrich watched with keen interest as the man called Walter and Jason traded glares.
From what he gauged, their skills were evenly matched.
And with their gods' natures being polar opposites, it wasn't surprising they'd end up growling at each other like this.
'This kind of friction isn't for an outsider like me to step into.'
He was here by invitation, after all.
Taking sides due to Jason's friendship could just make things worse.
Like always, he should let them sort it out themselves—
"Pfft! So that must be the so-called saint over there?"
—or so he thought, until the arrows suddenly turned his way.
"Impressive, sure. Not sure if he's worth all the fuss to drag here, though. Then again, it suits you—running errands to some backwater little country no one's heard of."
"...He's a guest invited on behalf of the entire Pantheon, Walter. Mind your manners."
"The entire Pantheon? Who died and made you representative? At least I... our Quilladia Church never approved."
"Walter."
The man was openly picking a fight from the start, sneering without restraint.
He'd known it all along.
Not all priests were nice guys.
Their gods could be violent themselves, and even worshiping the same god didn't mean they'd all develop the same personality.
Humans often showed cruelty to others but gentleness to their kids—duality like that was common. How much more so for gods on a higher plane?
"Out doing good deeds as a volunteer, huh? Looks like you've trained a bit. Trying to play Holy Knight? Heh, right, your moniker was White Knight or something."
"Walter, last warning."
He'd come in the Church of the Main God's formal robes for this official first visit, so the guy must have mistaken him for a pure support priest.
Even so, he hadn't expected such blatant provocation.
And from someone clearly wielding less divine power than him.
'No matter how much faith he's proven, he's just a follower of another god, huh?'
It was such a novel experience that he didn't even get mad.
In a way, he was like a superior officer from a completely different unit.
No—even more than that.
They weren't just from different countries; they were from different dimensions.
"Looked pretty decent in the videos, muscular-wise. Tsk, all armor shine, then?"
...But that was the end of his relaxed attitude.
Whether it irked him that Heinrich wasn't rising to the bait, the fool had crossed the line.
"I said last warning. Duel, Walter. Today, I'll straighten you out for good..."
"...Hold on, Priest Jason. Just a moment."
"Brother...?"
He held back Jason, who was stepping forward with a grim face, and took a slow breath.
He couldn't just let that slide.
It struck at Heinrich's reverse scale.
Heinrich glanced down at his arm.
Then his chest, abdomen, legs.
Confirming the unmistakably reduced volume compared to before, he closed his eyes tightly.
'Who'd have thought becoming an angel came with this side effect.'
Angel.
Messenger of the gods.
The change happening to him now was a racial trait.
It had been progressing slowly but steadily ever since he'd become one.
Of course, it was just the volume shrinking—his physical abilities hadn't declined.
Extreme compression boosted power per unit area, and his muscles had optimized in form. If anything, it was evolution.
But this wasn't what he'd wanted.
'Muscle loss! Muscle loss, of all things! My beautiful muscles that I built and sculpted with such care!'
Heinrich's attachment to his muscles was, in a way, natural.
Unlike Hali, who could freely mold his body at will, Heinrich's muscles were entirely his own creation from start to finish.
'How much time did I pour into them!'
—Thanks to divine power doping, it hadn't taken that long.
'The fruit of my bone-grinding labors!'
—Mind Hub made it painless and boredom-free.
'Losing it like this is bad enough... but to mock it?'
—That much was true!
How much had he struggled to bulk up again afterward?
But this damned racial trait wouldn't let his body return to its former glory.
And now this Walter was outright denying all his efforts...
"You said duel, right? Mind if I take it on directly?"
"...Of course, that's fine."
"Any procedures needed?"
"We're all servants of the gods here. Swearing in the gods' name to duel fairly and accept the result—that's all the procedure we need."
"Perfect."
Straightforward and to the point—he liked it.
Probably the secret to how the Pantheon had endured for so long.
Of course, that required making the opponent accept it meekly.
"Ha! A duel? You think I'd accept that? Win or lose, it's a loss for me. Why should I?"
Even if the opponent's divine power outstripped his, a combat specialist Holy Warrior dueling a non-combat healer priest was humiliating in itself.
To a Quilladia Holy Warrior, priests were to be protected—not beaten down.
And Heinrich, as a Holy Knight, knew just how to provoke him properly.
"Hmm, chickening out, are we? Fine, I get it. But your Quilladia Church must have pretty lax doctrines?"
"What?"
Provoking the representative of a church's military arm by invoking its name was something you couldn't ignore.
Forgetting he'd started it, Walter scowled and let out a hollow laugh.
And then—
——!
He shot his hand toward Heinrich's face like lightning.
Of course, he hadn't really meant to hit.
Just show this insolent fake saint the power of a true Holy Warrior—the terror of a martial artist on the cusp of mastery.
That's why...
Thwack—!
...he could only stiffen at the impact feedback from his fingertips.
'What?'
For the first time since arriving, he panicked.
To reiterate, he'd planned to stop short—not actually strike.
'Did I misjudge the distance?'
No, impossible.
His senses were always perfect, as usual.
Then the opponent tricked his senses...? No, that couldn't be.
His mind whirled in the sudden chaos.
'Damn, this wasn't in the plan.'
This was leagues beyond his provocations.
The duel hadn't even started, and he'd just cold-cocked a guest to the Pantheon?
The rebound from his hand suggested divine power had prevented serious injury, but the key was that he had struck first.
'...Retreat for now. Need to regroup. Shit, this is a mess.'
The Pantheon was a coalition of countless churches.
Naturally, factions formed among those with similar natures and doctrines—including in the twelve committees.
Quite some time had passed since Adelaine Schneider, first seat of the committees, vanished. A new one would be elected soon.
To plant one of their faction's own in that seat, groundwork needed laying now...
Too flustered, he didn't think deeply.
About how the opponent had disrupted his distance sense.
And soon, he lost even the chance to ponder.
Kaboom—!
"Gahk!"
The sudden physical shock rattled his skull.
The superhuman blow blanked his mind for a moment.
"You struck first. So this is self-defense, right?"
Through his slowly returning thoughts.
A hazy voice filtered in.
'How?'
One question surfaced in his mind.
And soon, he knew the answer.
"Didn't you wonder why I always wore armor?"
Not from his sluggish brain.
"Guess I'll ingrain the reason into you, step by step."
But from his still-vibrant body's conversation.