#204
Master of the Beoncheonhoe (1)
‘He’s no ordinary bastard.’
That was the first impression Hans felt upon facing his opponent.
Having fully inherited the “Immortal King” and surpassed the limits of his rank, his sensory abilities had expanded to a truly transcendent level.
Now, he could cover all of Seoul with nothing but his senses, and if he focused on a specific target, he could grasp not only their level, but even their disposition and abilities to a certain extent.
It was a sensation as if he were looking down from a place slightly higher than everyone else.
That was the greatest change in perspective that came with rank.
‘But this man…’
He couldn’t tell.
‘I think this is the first time Hans has ever felt this way.’
That “he couldn’t tell” was all Hans could know.
[What are you?]
But a big shot was not supposed to lose his composure no matter when or what situation he faced.
While responding calmly, he spread out his senses and analyzed his current circumstances in an instant.
‘The dimension has been separated and the coordinates distorted. Spatial movement outside is impossible. Likewise, no one can enter from outside.’
In truth, when he found himself in trouble during his activities on Earth, he had quite a few ways to respond.
Additional reinforcement of avatars using “Hero’s Footsteps,” or an intrusion by his main body transformed into Hans through “Individual Projection.”
However—
“You look rather busy. Have you finished grasping the situation now?”
The unidentified man asked in a friendly tone, as if speaking to a friend.
Just as he said, in this space, none of those methods could be used.
The closed worlds used by the Immortal Castle, his base in Auterica, and by the Beoncheonhoe executive in Japan had been fairly high-level techniques in their own right…
‘This is on a completely different level from those. He can artificially create a space like this?’
The “dimension” of its existence was literally different.
Even if it was a unique skill, he couldn’t even grasp the principle behind its activation, so what more was there to say?
He wondered if the “Otherworld Transfer Array,” which allowed him to cross dimensions, might work, but for now, properly assessing the opponent came first.
After all, revealing his own hand before he even knew much about the enemy would be foolish.
[Well, this is troublesome. The Beoncheonhoe, I presume? You’ve come again without getting sick of it. It seems getting smashed last time wasn’t enough for you.]
First, information gathering.
He provoked his opponent while slowly raising his momentum.
Gooooooo—
The pitch-black energy pouring out from Hans’s body swallowed the surroundings like spreading smoke.
At the same time, the brightness of the world dropped by several levels, and frost began to form as the temperature plummeted in an instant.
Not only the black mana endlessly produced by the Immortal Heart, but even the Abyss, which was virtually its root, was unleashed and began gnawing away at the surrounding space.
“Hmm.”
As expected, that energy seemed threatening even to his opponent, for the man frowned and subtly stepped back as if on guard.
Yet for some reason, there was still an air of composure about him.
“That heart… Is it a medium that allows you to directly use the death of a world? Its stability doesn’t look that good. It’s not a method just anyone can use.”
“Oooh! Master, that is not what matters right now! If only that problem is solved, that will become an incredibly efficient energy source! This is a different kind of thrill from when I first encountered Callicas’s technology!”
Just then, a sudden third voice rang out.
At that fussy interruption, Hans’s gaze turned to the side of the man.
“New concepts and principles, as they say! Is innovation not the driving force that advances the world? As expected, mysteries vary according to dimension. Master, please let me research that at once! I wonder what knowledge that will bestow upon me—!”
There, a shabby middle-aged Westerner, who had appeared at some unknown point, was drooling as he stared at him with eyes gleaming with madness.
Unlike the one who had appeared first, he seemed unable to fully withstand the aura of fear Hans emitted, and his body was trembling faintly…
But his eyes had already gone completely mad with desire for something, enough to ignore his body’s reaction.
‘Now that’s a different kind of reaction. What the hell is this guy? No, more importantly, Master?’
Needless to say, in this situation, it was obvious who the master was.
[So that’s it. You’re the head of the Beoncheonhoe.]
At that question, a faint smile appeared on the lips of the man with the unfathomable presence… no, the Master of the Beoncheonhoe.
“That’s right. I am the master of the Beoncheonhoe. The one who gave the orders behind every affair you interfered with, Hahoe Mask.”
[Oh? How unfortunate. But what can you do? That interference will continue from now on. Kehahaha—.]
“Hmm, so that’s how it is.”
Even at Hans’s brazen words, the Master merely nodded with an indifferent attitude.
But immediately after that brief reply ended.
Shiver—
Hans suddenly sensed an intent burrowing into his domain, and at once, instinctively pulled his body backward.
Craaaack!
At the same time, a gruesome sound echoed in every direction.
The place where he had been standing just moments ago.
That space had been crushed whole, as if crumpled by the hand of an invisible giant.
“As expected, you’re at least capable of reacting to this. It’ll be a bit troublesome to catch you.”
[Khuh— What an impatient personality. Of course, I also prefer violence to conversation!]
Ziiing— Zing! Zing—!
Dozens of black magic circles unfolded around Hans in an instant.
Most of this space was already under his opponent’s control, but at least within the area influenced by the Abyss, he could project combat power at a level similar to normal.
“Then let’s have a quick look at your skills.”
And at the same moment the Master lightly extended his hand toward him.
The “world” surrounding Hans began baring its teeth at him all at once.
Ruuumble—!
Like a body trying to eliminate pathogens that had entered it, it repeatedly eroded his domain and collapsed space.
In response, black mana filled with the Abyss stretched out in all directions, and the sound of space twisting as it collided with it shook heaven and earth.
‘…This is tricky. This isn’t simply manipulating space. It’s as if I’m fighting an entire world.’
For the moment, they seemed evenly matched, but this was, from the beginning, the opponent’s home ground.
There was no telling what schemes he still had in reserve, or how many, so clashing head-on like this was not a very good situation.
On top of that, judging by his attitude, the bastard didn’t seem to be going all out either.
“So it truly is the death of a world. It is certainly a troublesome power.”
“Oohoho! Amazing! But aren’t you going to bring out the undead? A Bone Dragon! Show me a Bone Dragon! If you have other undead, those too!”
No matter how he looked at it, that relaxed attitude seemed like he was hiding some trump card.
The Master himself, and the madman beside him as well, seemed not to have the slightest thought that they might lose.
‘Hmm, what should I do? Rather than deciding life or death here right away, as expected…’
But this side was likewise not feeling any sense of crisis.
‘Yes, for now, it would be best to squeeze as much of his hand out of him as possible and then withdraw at an appropriate point. I’ll save the undead for now as well.’
Just directly facing the much-rumored Master of the Beoncheonhoe was already a great harvest.
Hans’s abilities were already as known as they could be, so if he could indulge him a bit and see the trump card the man was hiding, that would be icing on the cake.
‘A tactical retreat after a probing battle doesn’t count as losing yet!’
After all, he had an all-purpose escape technique that worked in any situation: “Unsummoning.”
***
Complex mandala-patterned fabrics stood throughout the spacious room like a maze.
Numerous candles illuminated the dim interior where sunlight barely reached, and ceremonial tools made of all kinds of precious metals decorated every corner.
Hooo—
Dense smoke rose from the center of that gloomy yet exotic space.
“Report.”
At the same time, a woman’s languid, drawn-out voice quietly echoed.
“Yes, Oracle. First, the situation in Africa is proceeding very smoothly. The encroachment of major nations such as Nigeria, Egypt, and South Africa is in its final stages…”
After that, the report from the subordinate whose entire body was wrapped in black cloth continued for some time.
Starting with Africa, moving through the smooth progress in South America, and then to the slight struggles in North America and Europe.
Haa—
Even as the story continued, the brown-skinned woman reclining on the floor sofa in the center paid little attention, leisurely absorbed in enjoying her hookah.
“…And the situation in East Asia is still not very favorable. In addition to the full retreat from Korea, Japan has recently suffered a major blow as well…”
“Japan.”
Then, when words concerning a region she had recently taken interest in came up, she cut off her subordinate and murmured softly.
“Has the Master… gone to Japan?”
“That is correct. He personally set out with the Doctor and the Decree Master to capture a returnee called Hahoe Mask.”
“…Hahoe Mask, is it.”
With those words as the last, she slowly closed her eyes, and on her forehead, a red jewel shaped like a droplet emitted an eerie glow under the flickering candlelight.
“Tsk, we were proceeding with particular caution in Korea. I suppose even that wasn’t enough after all.”
Soon, she opened her eyes and quietly complained, then put the pipe back in her mouth.
Although they had been actively making moves in China and Japan, expansion in neighboring Korea had been considerably slow, and that was a policy that had reflected the Oracle’s will from long ago.
But even though she had paid a fair amount of attention to it, things had ultimately gone wrong…
‘Just thinking of that Doctor making a racket already gives me a headache.’
The same went for that being called Hahoe Mask.
No matter how much one had achieved rank and surpassed the limits, as long as they existed in the same world, they should not have been able to easily escape her insight.
Yet he had slipped from her gaze far too easily and caused one major incident after another.
‘His existence refuses to be properly fixed, no matter what he did. …Well, if he’s capable of making things turn out like this, he must have some kind of trump card.’
A being filled with uncertain elements from beginning to end.
He was the type she was most reluctant to face.
Under normal circumstances, she would have chosen to watch him for a little longer until she had a firm grasp on him…
‘…This time, the Master has moved personally, so there should be no need to go that far.’
The Oracle slowly exhaled smoke as she listened to her subordinate’s continuing report.
However, thoughts of the Master and Hahoe Mask continued to circle in her mind.
Although he currently could not move actively due to various restrictions, in truth, there was virtually no one on Earth who could oppose his will.
Unless a god were to descend directly into this world.
‘I’m curious. What kind of ability does Hahoe Mask have?’
After all—
The Master had already led several dimensions to ruin.
He was the very monster that devoured worlds.
***
The black flash that had been shooting forward in a straight line bent within distorted space.
The terrible curse that had covered all directions lost its way in severed space.
The flames of hell, which could burn even the soul, were sucked into shattered space and vanished.
And finally.
Crack!
Amid the chaotic noise of battle, the sound of bones being crushed was mixed in.
“What a pity. I meant to end it for certain with this. Were you still hiding some strength?”
The Master of the Beoncheonhoe twisted up the corner of his mouth as if regretful.
In one of his hands, he held Hans’s left arm, already smashed and crumbling into black ash.
‘…This is troublesome.’
Hans repeatedly clenched and unclenched his newly regrown left arm, tilting his skull slightly.
Perhaps he had been too careless because he had thought of this as nothing more than a preliminary skirmish for information. He had nearly had his heart exposed directly to the bastard’s attack.
‘My attacks don’t land properly, while his spatial encroachment is far too cost-efficient. At least within this space, our energy efficiency isn’t even comparable.’
No matter how close to infinite his mana was, if there was this much difference in operation, the gap would inevitably widen more and more.
This would be a major obstacle even when they fought properly later on.
‘Still, it’s not as though I gained nothing.’
Hans raised his mana once more and looked at the opponent facing him, the Master of the Beoncheonhoe.
[Yes, I expected as much. As expected, you aren’t purely human either.]
“Consider it an honor. This isn’t a form I show very often. And compared to dragging this out pointlessly, this seems less tiring.”
Flutter—
Along with his solemn voice, a brilliant twilight radiance burst from his body and covered the surroundings.
At that, the Abyss surrounding Hans began to melt away, and holes started appearing throughout the defenses he had erected to stop the spatial encroachment.
‘Kgh!’
Crunch!
Even though he hurriedly dodged, this time his right ankle was blown away.
It was a linked attack like the one that had taken his left arm moments ago, and the power in an extreme countering relationship with Hans’s black mana and Abyss.
Divine power.
‘Of all things, the compatibility is the worst. But it doesn’t look like that guy has any restriction on his power?’
All returnees who used divine power had that power weakened on Earth.
That was unavoidable due to the mechanism of the power itself, and it was something he had personally experienced through Heinrich as well.
Of course, Hans’s Abyss was a similar case.
‘…As expected, is it related to that appearance?’
Flutter—
At the very moment he thought that.
With the sound of rough wingbeats, the reddish twilight once again covered all directions.
A mighty divine power with an output far surpassing what Saint Heinrich used in Auterica.
“I’m tired, so let’s end this quickly.”
The halo shining from behind the bastard’s head, and the pair of enormous wings stretching out to either side from his back… each over three meters long.
The Master of the Beoncheonhoe was—
‘The leader of an evil organization is an angel… What kind of bullshit is this?’
No matter how one looked at him, he was an angel itself.