Chapter 489
Chapter 489
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 489
Chapter Title: Divinity (1)
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The spark of war that could have plunged the entire continent back into endless suffering.
After an ultra-wide-range psychic wave erupted from somewhere and doused it with cold water, the situation began to resolve itself in an orderly and swift manner.
The war itself had been pushed aggressively amid the chaos in each nation's upper echelons, so when both sides withdrew their forces, the renewed talks proceeded without much hitch.
In any case, it was a fact that the crisis had been averted without any sacrifices before it could escalate, and both sides had a rough grasp of the incident's inner workings.
Thus, starting with the three-way meeting, stability swiftly returned to the political landscape.
Not all conflicts had been resolved, but no one was clamoring for continued war.
It couldn't be helped.
And that was because...
"Nonsense! How many attendants were there? There's no way that's possible!"
"Hmm, even yielding a hundred steps, if they were only low-tier attendants, maybe... But I heard there were multiple general-level deep-layer cultivators present. To suppress them all at once with just a burst of psychic will... that's a bit..."
"Even a heavenly realm cultivator couldn't pull off such a miracle without full preparation. Let alone deep-layer?"
"If it's an otherworlder, who knows. They possess all sorts of bizarre abilities. So, what's that guy's name?"
"Hoon... Apparently, he's the secret weapon the Yun family of Sacred Stream had been hiding."
A new variable had emerged that couldn't simply be ignored—one that made pushing for war until the bitter end impossible.
The mastermind behind the ultra-wide-range psychic wave that had enveloped the Yun family territory.
The enigmatic being who, with his own power alone, had smothered a war on the brink of eruption.
Consistent testimonies about him weren't just one or two, making it impossible not to believe.
This time, he'd used his power to stop the war, but what kind of impact could he have if he joined the fray directly?
And what if he forcibly broke through to the heavenly realm?
Separate from the crisis resolution, discussions about this unknown figure 'Hoon' inevitably took center stage.
Not just in Hongshan Nation and Qinghai Nation, but even within the Sacred Stream Yun family itself, debates about him raged on without end.
"Ms. Lusette? You look exhausted."
"Sigh, no helping it. But it's much better now. At the start, it was really..."
As a deep-layer cultivator and one of the Yun family's heavyweights, Lusette was in the midst of hectic days when she came to visit Hoon—a natural extension of that trend.
The Yun family saw the need to strengthen ties through her, who shared personal friendship with him.
"Those showing abnormal behavior have all been isolated for purification. Detecting that 'delusion' early is hard, but once it activates and symptoms appear, it's not difficult to identify. The generals who led the invasion are no exception."
"Hmm, I see. At least it's treatable—that's a relief."
"Fortunately, no additional infections occurred in our Yun family. Probably because they were all expended during that previous raid."
Hoon nodded at the explanation during their talk.
Of course, the lack of further infections in the Yun family was entirely thanks to the preemptive work by him, Hela, and Ramyu.
Otherwise, right after the war broke out, internal sympathizers would have stirred things up to escalate it.
"Anyway, once more, on behalf of the Yun family... no, all the people of our world, thank you. If you hadn't stepped in, Hoon, things would have spiraled out of control."
Lusette rose and bowed deeply.
When war erupted, the Sacred Stream Yun family was inevitably the most vulnerable, so this reaction was natural for her, fiercely devoted to her clan.
"Then I'll take my leave. If I don't head back and start work soon, I might have to pull all-nighters for days."
"...You're working hard."
She gave a faint smile at his brief words of comfort.
Seeing the dark circles reaching her chin, Hoon pulled an energy drink from his subspatial pocket and offered it.
It was a special potion whose effects, enhanced by the 'Savior' trait, persisted even in this otherworld.
"Here, drink this. It'll give you a bit of a boost."
"...Thank you. Oh, and the elders' council passed a reward proposal for you. You can really look forward to this one. It aggregates all your past merits, so the compensation is substantial."
This had happened because incidents kept piling up in such a short time.
Of course, for Hoon personally, this was more beneficial.
Petty rewards wouldn't help much anyway and had no real use.
"Time to go, Sohwe."
"Yes, Sister! Then I'll head out too. See you later, Ramyu!"
"...Yeah."
Yun Sohwe, chatting with her peer Ramyu, gave a spirited farewell.
Hoon and Ramyu saw the two off, then exchanged glances.
They shrugged with knowing smiles.
"Looks like they didn't notice after all?"
"Seems that way to me too."
"Good. All that practice paid off."
"I wonder if it was really necessary, though..."
"Don't be naive. How well you conceal yourself is directly tied to survival. Etch my experienced advice into your mind."
She nodded at his sincere words.
While others focused solely on Hoon, who had directly halted the war, Ramyu was no less extraordinary.
...No, in this Saba world, her influence might even be greater.
'Unbelievable. I didn't expect her to reach this level so soon.'
Hoon licked his lips and glanced at Ramyu.
More precisely, at the intangible something enveloping her small frame.
'A distortion that deceives not just human perception but the world itself. Few could pierce it to see Ramyu's true face. At minimum, you'd need to be a heavenly realm cultivator who can directly observe the world's flow after transcending.'
It was a barrier born from 'Spacetime Control,' derivative skills from 'Unique Skill Enhancement,' and the chakra of the 'World' layer intertwined.
Even Hoon might not have detected it easily without their direct link.
The secret to her leaping from mid-layer just days ago to upper layer was simple.
'As expected of the 'Growth Elixir.' Worth every penny—its effects are guaranteed. And its synergy with Ramyu is unmatched.'
He had used the 'Growth Elixir (7 Days) (200,000)' on Ramyu, granting massive stat bonuses to the awakened.
And that 7-day limit was separate from the dream world.
In simple terms, one dose lasted about 700 days.
With days passed since Hoon stopped the war, her reaching upper layer wasn't surprising.
'Thanks to training with her, I solidified my deep-layer realm too.'
Merely days in reality.
But for them, time of hundreds-fold value.
"How much longer until deep layer?"
"...No idea. I have a feel for upper layer now, but deep layer? I don't even know where to start. Feels like I need some epiphany..."
Yet the wall of human limits wasn't thin.
Unlike incomparable Hoon, she had to achieve enlightenment through her own power alone, so the path ahead wouldn't be as smooth.
"From now on, relax and focus on calming your inner self. No need to rush. You've already surpassed expectations by miles."
"Okay..."
Upper layer at barely early teens.
Plus her extraordinary unique skill— even deep-layer cultivators couldn't underestimate her.
Hoon hadn't advised concealment for nothing.
'Truly absurd. Like she was born solely to grow strong.'
A power traversing dimensions from birth.
It surely influenced her chakra and unique skill growth somehow.
She might reach deep layer sooner than thought.
'Bringing Ramyu along was a brilliant choice.'
He nodded in satisfaction.
And naturally.
The benefits of matured chakra extended not just to Hoon, but to the main body as well.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The dream-filled residence on Seoul's outskirts.
After a stroll through the neatly landscaped garden to check its state, I stretched and entered the house.
'This should mark the Saba world situation as roughly settled.'
Not everything was over, of course.
Tensions between Qinghai and Hongshan Nations remained unresolved, and Sacred Stream Yun family in between faced its own issues.
But with the root of the world's chaos uprooted, the rest could be handled leisurely.
'That Unknown guy—if handled right, seems pretty useful. Plus, I snagged loads of treasures and spirit medicines on the side.'
Of course, those were mere bonuses.
The days of rejoicing over material gains were long past.
What mattered now was the chakra ability that had finally met specific conditions.
Bzzt—
A small spark danced from my raised index finger.
It grew, coiling fiercely around my entire arm as lightning.
'Next.'
Then it shifted to blazing flames, subtle fragrance, sharp intent...
And finally became 'World,' fading ethereally.
"Tch, not perfect yet. Makes sense—it's copied from someone else, so flaws compared to the original are inevitable."
Growth through dream world training wasn't limited to Ramyu.
Deep-layer communion chakra, linked with 'Telepathy' and 'Mimicry.'
It granted Hoon the ability to peer into others' inner images, comprehend them, and replicate their chakra.
'And that ability transferred fully to me, the main body.'
No need for 'Entity Projection' to fully assume Hoon's form anymore.
Constant enhancement from it sufficed now.
"Then, shall we begin?"
Heavenly realm for communion chakra would have been ideal.
But matured deep layer wasn't bad either.
It met the minimum to draw resources from other avatars anyway.
"Hoo."
In the training room arrayed with spells and magic tools.
Seated cross-legged at center, I breathed deeply and summoned chakra.
Wooong—
Chakra surged endlessly from my inner cosmos, spinning fiercely and resonating with surroundings.
And finally.
It delved deep within, extending toward the dozen-plus inner worlds split from the main body.
'In truth, communion chakra suits the main body—me—more than Hoon.'
After all, I, Han Seonghyeon, was the control tower for all these 'Avatars.'
Naturally, the ability to connect everything fit me best.
'Doesn't matter who masters it first.'
All avatars, including Hoon, were me soon enough.
Communion chakra extended from the main body, solidly linking to twelve avatars.
Like a straight, high-speed highway punched through.
A far firmer bond than when Hoon drew power via 'Root of Ideals.'
Then.
Through that highway, the divinity accumulated in the main body began connecting with the divinities dwelling in each entity as one.
"Kuh!"
A trickle of blood seeped between my gritted teeth.
Shockwaves from clashing heterogeneous divinities shook my flesh.
'Too soon? Should I have tried after heavenly realm?'
Shaking off the fleeting doubt, I refocused on linking the inner worlds.
Not just avatars with divinity, but even those without were included.
At a glance, it seemed overly forceful.
Yet this plan had been in mind since first acquiring communion chakra.
'Having divinity scattered separately like mine isn't normal.'
Divinity proves godhood.
No way to ascend to the supreme seat of 'god'—more perfect than any existence—in such an incomplete state.
'The seeds of divinity in my avatars never properly sprouted because of this.'
To reach higher, this was an unavoidable step.
Especially now, with Reverse Heaven Society Lord's full move unpredictable.
'Ah, but this might not work.'
Occasional surges of anxiety weakened my resolve inevitably.
Divinity requires harmony not just of mind, but body and energy containing it.
Like Hans's death-accumulated divinity usable fully only in his body.
Moreover, hadn't the main body erected firm walls with 'Mind Hub' and 'Soul Firewall' against avatar mental contamination?
'It's fine. Theoretically possible.'
Dismantling those walls now was too risky.
Avatars' personalities could backflow en masse, driving me mad before divinity formed.
But divinity seeds grow only in suited soil.
So, only one thing left for me.
'Build a greenhouse so they can grow in any environment.'
That greenhouse: the ability to copy others' inner images.
A clever ploy minimizing contamination risk while creating limited environments for divinity to take root.
After all, avatars were me, so copying inner images excelled in fidelity.
'...Finally.'
How long had I sunk into deep inner self?
The divinity seeds, each solidified in their domains, began reacting bit by bit.