Chapter 506
Chapter 506
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 506
Chapter Title: Divine Power (2)
Time flew by swiftly.
Heinz 2nd didn't just dump all the work on his subordinates—he personally sought out and handled whatever he could manage himself, spending his days in a frenzy of activity.
And the result of his tireless efforts...
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Achievement Unlocked! You have successfully unified the vampires, who branched off from a single root and opposed one another. You have seized control over most vampires in the Nocternia dimension. As a reward, the special privilege "Lord's Majesty" has been upgraded to "Ruler's Authority." You have achieved a great feat that profoundly impacts the world. Karma has increased further. Just like he had in Outerica, he had finally gripped most of Nocternia's vampires in his grasp.
It was a result that came far sooner than expected.
This was all thanks to the nine Transcendent-rank clan lords throwing themselves into the task without slacking off.
"Excellent work. You've all done well."
"No need for such praise, my lord. We merely fulfilled your command with utmost sincerity."
"It was simply our duty."
"Command us anytime. Even if it means reducing this body to dust, we shall carry out your orders."
The kings and queens bowed their heads in unison, showering him with flattery-laden words of devotion, each vying to catch Heinz's satisfied eye.
They looked like they were locked in a competition of loyalty.
'Thick-headed types like these need the occasional whip to stay on task.'
Pairing punishment with rewards for those who performed well made it all the more perfect.
Heinz nodded in approval as he gazed down at his subordinates, who had become far more obedient than when he first took them under his wing.
'"Lord's Majesty" proved quite useful during this operation. With a project spanning the entire world, oversights were inevitable.'
"Lord's Majesty" was the special privilege Heinz 2nd gained upon ascending to the pinnacle of Outerica's vampires.
It allowed him not only to grasp the positions and general information of those under his command but also to issue simple remote orders.
Though it hadn't seen much dramatic use, it had consistently proven handy in subtle ways...
'And now it's been enhanced even further. Well, unifying the vampires aligns closely with my previous achievement.'
The newly acquired "Ruler's Authority" was an upgraded version of "Lord's Majesty."
Heinz slowly stroked his chin as he stared at the globe-shaped projection of the planet Nocternia hovering before him.
'Seeing it like this really does make it feel like a game.'
Like a territory map in a real-time strategy simulation, it supported free zooming and panning. He could even issue individual commands to specific people or units marked on the display.
It was as if a god were looking down upon his creations on the earth below.
'Got the power—time to test it out.'
The moment he thought of someone, the planetary map zoomed in sharply, centering on that person's crown, revealing the full surroundings like a minimap in a game.
The figure on screen flinched briefly before straightening up and bowing respectfully.
They then began moving purposefully in a certain direction with calm, deliberate steps.
A short while later.
Knock knock—
A cautious knock at the door, followed by a low voice.
"My lord, I have brought the item you commanded."
Luke Berno, who had been handling miscellaneous tasks from quite a distance away.
Heinz let out a small exclamation at how the man had acted precisely as desired, without any explicit order—as if receiving telepathy.
'Far more intuitive and efficient. If used right, this could be...'
The importance of a command structure in managing a group went without saying.
And being able to apply it to units or regions? This was essentially the ultimate command hierarchy ability.
'But that's not all.'
Was it because he possessed divinity?
He closed his eyes, sensing a faint familiarity through the privilege's connection.
He already knew what this feeling was.
He had wielded holy power countless times through Heinrich.
'Using this channel, I can bestow holy power far more efficiently.'
Compared to other gods, he was a newborn deity, barely awakened to godhood—like an infant.
What might be simple for them—granting holy power to faithful priests—was far from easy for him.
'That's why I'd been preparing everything, from crafting items to serve as mediums...'
With this privilege's help, he could slash the required time dramatically.
There was a world of difference between relying on the abstract sense of faith and confirming it visually.
'No reason to delay now. Time to get moving.'
Heinz smiled faintly as he dismissed his vampire subordinates.
His gaze lingered on one side of "Ruler's Authority", where his dear friend—and now Nocternia's sole apostle—Kang Taesan was displayed.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Kang Taesan blinked in bewilderment.
"What... is this?"
He held a large backpack and a single pendant that Heinz had thrust into his hands after sneaking into his lodgings unnoticed, just like before.
"A holy symbol."
"A holy symbol?"
"A religious icon. Even for a fledgling faith, we can't just demand blind belief without something tangible. A medium makes proselytizing smoother."
"...True enough. I've been a bit troubled myself. Truth is, all I know is the power that rascal Seonghyeon gave me."
Kang Taesan looked down at the pendant in his hand.
A sleek metal craft shaped like the letter H.
Every stroke and curve exuded an artistic allure—it was clearly a masterpiece among masterpieces.
'Never thought a simple accessory could stir me like this.'
He stared at it, entranced, then squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again.
Composing himself, he examined the pendant once more and immediately realized the source of its captivating charm.
'It's infused with holy power. Just like my Black Star.'
In simple terms, it was a holy relic.
Dazedly fiddling with the symbol, he glanced at the large backpack and turned to Heinz with a startled expression.
"Don't tell me everything in here is...!"
"As if. You can't mass-produce things like that so easily. What's inside are scaled-up versions of the holy symbol—structures designed for installation in facilities."
"Ah."
Kang Taesan clamped his mouth shut, looking embarrassed at Heinz's nonchalant reply.
No matter how skilled Howard was, mass production had its limits.
The holy symbols, which simply had divinity hammered into them, were far easier to make than the pistol-like Black Star—but still not enough to supply every new believer in Nocternia en masse.
'Hence, religious facilities' structures. Can't cater to individuals, so designate key sites and exert influence on gathered faithful there.'
Those large structures were essentially antennas aiding his connection to the believers.
The personal holy symbols could be mass-produced with this world's tech.
All that remained was using "Ruler's Authority" to select devout believers detected by the antennas and bestow holy power upon them.
"......"
Unlike Heinz, who mulled over the plan with satisfaction...
Kang Taesan had fallen silent, simply toying with the holy symbol.
His expression was incredibly complicated.
"How the hell does Seonghyeon have abilities like this?"
The words slipped out unconsciously in a dazed tone.
Startled by his own outburst, he quickly sealed his lips.
Kang Taesan wasn't a fool.
He'd initially accepted the "unique skill" explanation, but what he'd seen so far far exceeded that category.
As a government investigator, he was acquainted with Pantheon's priests and well-versed in the concept of their holy power.
From his expert perspective...
The power his childhood friend Han Seonghyeon had linked him to was unmistakably true divine power from a god.
'Was that guy a priest? Maybe he transferred his own power as a unique skill for me to use... No, divine power from a god—can you even do that? Argh! I have no idea!'
His head spinning, Kang Taesan ruffled his hair and let out a deep sigh.
The holy symbol in his hand sparkled mockingly in the light.
"Well."
At that moment, Heinz—who had been watching his agonized friend—spoke up.
But even he hesitated, unable to continue immediately.
He pondered briefly before...
"If you're that curious, go back and ask him yourself."
...offering only that vague, noncommittal response.
Currently cloaked as Heinz 2nd, he couldn't say more.
"Hoo, guess I will."
But that was enough for Kang Taesan.
His serious demeanor vanished as if it had never been; he clenched his fist with renewed vigor.
"First things first—I need to survive and return! With power that won't bow even to that guy!"
A momentary lapse had exposed his inner turmoil, but his iron will—virtually unbreakable—remained unshaken by such doubts.
Plus, his trust in Han Seonghyeon stood at a solid 94%.
Not quite fanatic like Diana, but far from low.
"Haha, survival's basically a done deal anyway, right? Seonghyeon wouldn't kill his best friend, would he?"
Fully recovered, Kang Taesan grinned slyly.
He had already pieced together the situation from bits of info gleaned here and there.
Including the fact that the phantom before him—Earth's Heinz—was at the epicenter of the world's upheaval.
With him watching his back, vampires were no threat at least.
"......"
Heinz said nothing.
He simply stared with his usual icy expression.
"...Huh? What's with that reaction? It's making me uneasy. Haha, just kidding! You know that, right? No way you'd kill me now..."
"We'll see how you perform from here on out before deciding what to do with you."
"......!"
The cold words cut off his hasty follow-up.
To him, it had been lighthearted banter with a friend.
The only issue?
Heinz 2nd's default frosty face made it look utterly serious.
"Hey, if it's a joke, maybe crack a smile? The way you said it sounds totally real! Haha!"
Kang Taesan swallowed hard despite himself, trying to laugh it off again.
Heinz tilted his head slightly and lifted one corner of his mouth.
"Is that so?"
"......"
A chilling smirk that sent shivers down the spine just looking at it.
A smile worse than none at all.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Right after handing over the proselytizing supplies to Kang Taesan.
Heinz stepped outside and wandered the streets aimlessly, taking in the sights.
The city was riddled with vampire-detection devices, but for someone who came and went from S.O.D. headquarters at will, they were no obstacle.
'Near HQ, maybe? It's more peaceful than I thought.'
He slowly surveyed his surroundings.
The streets evoked Earth but lagged a few generations behind in tech, giving him a clearer sense of this world's civilization level.
'Seeing only the anti-vampire weapons and slayer gear, I thought it was some over-the-top sci-fi stuff.'
A world where survival had driven anti-vampire tech to extreme heights.
That was the Nocternia dimension.
'...That guy still seems burdened with worries.'
As Heinz enjoyed a brief stroll, his friend's image suddenly surfaced in his mind.
He might have played bright, but after over a decade together, he couldn't fool these eyes.
'To humans, vampires are fated predators. And as a slayer, he's no doubt influenced by that.'
Vampires had no choice but to feed, but humans couldn't just accept it.
It was no wonder he felt guilty secretly meeting a vampire and deceiving everyone in the vampire-hating S.O.D.
Especially since he already suspected Heinz had taken in Nocternia's vampires and claimed the top spot.
'He's just too upright.'
That overly cheery attitude toward him was likely an unconscious mask for his turmoil.
No matter the circumstances demanding ruthless methods, seeing his friend suffer tugged at him.
"Hm?"
Lost in thought while walking...
Heinz halted, sensing something off.
Instinctively turning toward the cluster of street vendors.
'That child...'
His brow furrowed at the figure in the center.
Petite build, short white hair, lake-blue eyes.
A boy in his early teens, clearly from a noble family, was stuffing his arms full of snacks and devouring them voraciously.
'No, not a child. A Transcendent?'
Even ignoring ambient auras, how had he missed this until now?
This was unrivaled even among this world's Transcendents—vampire kings and queens included.
'Wait, I've heard of him. One of humanity's top Transcendents...'
At that instant.
The boy, busily inhaling food and munching away, froze.
His gem-like blue eyes slowly shifted.
Locking precisely onto Heinz.
How much time passed?
Plop—clatter clatter—
The snacks clutched rigidly in the boy's arms tumbled to the ground in a heap.