#254
Closed Dimension (3)
Hubert Association’s Head Office.
“…Then I will handle the mineral distribution as you instructed, Head of the Association.”
“Alright, is that all you need to report?”
“Yes! That’s all that’s urgent right now. Is there anything else you would like to instruct?”
Diana, finishing her business report, tilted her head while collecting the approved documents.
With her hair elegantly braided and her neat, formal attire, there was no doubt she had grown into an excellent secretary.
“No, that was sufficient. If anything else comes up, I’ll call you then.”
“Ah, yes! Then I shall take my leave.”
“If it’s not an important matter, handle it yourself and report back later. I want to focus alone for a bit today.”
“Understood!”
Hugging a stack of documents, she bowed her head and cautiously stepped out of the office.
Clack—
The door closed, leaving Hubert alone.
He wore a small, satisfied smile as he leaned back in his chair, slowly stroking his chin.
‘She’s incredibly competent, isn’t she? She handles most tasks on her own, making things easier for me. Sure, she’s still young and lacks experience, but honestly, that applies to me too. No, I’d say she’s better than I am.’
In truth, Hubert’s own abilities were nothing exceptional.
Most of the power and influence came from other avatars, along with some luck that helped him rise to his current position.
In contrast, Diana’s talent was genuine.
She had the ‘genius trait’ guaranteed by the skill “Analysis,” didn’t she?
‘At this level right now, if she were given proper information…’
While those who knew nothing were simply amazed by Hubert’s foresight based on information superiority, Diana’s reaction as his secretary was different.
She not only reached the conclusions Hanris had worked hard to derive but also instantly grasped the intentions behind his brief instructions and suggested more efficient alternatives.
‘Ever since I appointed Diana as my secretary, my work efficiency has skyrocketed. Plus, the trust I have in her is unparalleled.’
If given proper support, she could elevate the Hubert Association’s standing several notches.
Initially, he was only interested in her keen perception, but watching the stocks he owned multiply several times over was quite satisfying.
‘Then I can leave most matters to Diana, and I’ll focus on this side of things slowly.’
What he wanted to dive into alone wasn’t related to the association.
To be more precise, it wasn’t even about the world he was in.
Thud— Thunk!
A pile of books emerged from the spatial dimension magical equipment hanging from Hubert’s wrist, stacking neatly to the side.
Simultaneously, the faint scent of ink spread throughout the room.
These were grimoires bound in a style not seen in this world, filled with unfamiliar scriptures from another realm.
As he took out everything he had received as “Avatar Cloud,” he finally prepared himself and picked the book at the top, using “Analysis” right away.
[Iron Monster Qi Skill]
– A German secret art of the iron monster category classified as C rank. When practiced alongside external skills, Qi circulates through the cells of the body, promoting physical growth and making the body as solid as steel. However, while it becomes advantageous for harnessing Qi through the body, it makes further growth beyond a certain level even more difficult.
– Total Rank: C-
– Key Characteristics: Relatively low acquisition difficulty, rapid growth speed, high external skill proficiency, somewhat low internal skill proficiency, low growth limit.
‘What a dud.’
Flipping through the pages, Hubert shook his head and moved it to the opposite side.
It might be useful for quickly raising someone to a level where they can be used decently, but he didn’t need such mediocre abilities.
His hands began to move busily.
Beginning with the Eoryong Clan, he sorted through the many texts he had acquired from Dongjeong Lake and other places based on their characteristics and utility.
‘Hmm, indeed… There’s a surprisingly high ratio of correct faction martial arts.’
Due to being recklessly attacked by Hanris, an irregular, their stronghold crumbled easily, but the power of a top-tier faction in a province was impressive.
It seemed they had amassed a considerable number of secret arts by raiding surrounding smaller factions during their expansion.
‘Geez, did I have too high of expectations?’
Unfortunately, most of that was not up to par.
Thus far, the only martial arts that pleased him were the “Dragon Slaying Blade Technique (A-)” and “Whale Wave Crocodile Wave Heart Method (A)” he had taken from Jin Deok-man, along with a few others.
Despite having over a hundred secret arts acquired through looting, the vast majority were nothing more than D rank or below.
‘Oh man, those robbers… It’s no wonder their stocks were so weak; it must’ve all been fluff.’
With a slight frown, Hubert sighed.
The fact that those robbers once dominated the area had long disappeared from his mind.
Either way, what he had wasn’t satisfying.
As he continued searching for something worthwhile, his hand reached for an old book whose title on the cover was barely legible—
“Hmm? What’s this?”
The moment he checked its detailed information, his eyes widened.
[Soft Eight Trigrams Secret Skill]
– A secret technique with the ambition to handle the eight signs that represent all phenomena in the world. By seeking endless harmony with all things under heaven and earth, one can interfere with the material world based on infinite internal energy if they achieve union. However, it requires deep inquiry into philosophy and all things, so mastering it is incredibly difficult.
– Total Rank: S.
– Key Characteristics: Extremely high acquisition difficulty, slow growth speed, somewhat high external skill proficiency, very high internal skill proficiency, extremely high growth limit.
An S-rank martial art had unexpectedly surfaced!
‘…Is this for real?’
To be honest, he had been complaining, but during the process of examining and categorizing the secret arts, he realized something clearly.
The grades determined by the “Analysis” skill were very strict.
By that standard, a total rank of C meant it was handled with care by apprentice martial artists in minor factions, and an A rank was akin to a prized inheritances in major sects.
‘Excluding the Thousand Death Demon, the martial arts learned by those from the Ganghwan Realm that Hans faced should max out around B rank.’
Only renowned techniques like “Heavenly Demon Technique” were likely to get an S rank or above.
Honestly, he would have been satisfied with an A+ rank, but this was beyond his expectations.
‘And this isn’t even something the totality of my clan had. Who would have thought something like this was tucked away in the storeroom of a mere bandit leader?’
Even though the cover was worn, a person who had learned martial arts would have no way to miss the value of such a piece.
With that uneasy thought, he opened the book to read its contents—
And quickly realized why it hadn’t garnered attention and why it was treated with such contempt.
– As the positions of heaven and earth are set, the energy of mountains and ponds communicates… and thunders and winds clash against each other, …and fire does not shoot against each other, so the Eight Trigrams come together…
– Gan (乾) becomes the head, Kun (坤) becomes the belly, Jin (震) becomes the feet, … becomes the legs. Kan (坎) is the ear, Li (離) is the eye, Gen (艮) is the hand, and Dui (兌) is the mouth…
‘What the heck is this?’
Hubert’s expression twisted as he flipped through the pages.
Other secret arts at least attempted to elaborate their convoluted content, but this one was filled with sheer nonsense.
Even worse, being old and poorly kept, some characters were so worn they were unreadable.
No matter how the bandit leader got hold of this, he probably read a few pages and then threw it away in frustration.
If it weren’t for diagrams that could easily be found in martial arts books, it might have never found its place among the secret arts in the first place.
‘A-rank secret arts aren’t even this confusing.’
After flipping through the book several times, Hubert read it carefully again from the beginning.
Using “Xenoglossy,” he could instantly comprehend the symbols of the Ganghwan Realm, but properly mastering this martial art required understanding the implied meanings behind it.
‘The lacking memories of other martial arts world returners… Right, it’s better than having none. Seriously, it’s like trying to decode a cryptogram.’
However, since there were plentiful memories to reference, he thought he could interpret it adequately with enough investment of time.
It would have been even better if the memories of the Thousand Death Demon, the highest master of the martial arts world, had been intact…
“…Wait a minute.”
But then, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
Skills can change in direction and potential depending on how the user utilizes them, and the limits of developed abilities shift according to proficiency.
‘If I play my cards right…’
The superpower “Xenoglossy,” which frees him from all language-related constraints.
And the skill “Analysis,” which has shown excellent utility in understanding things as a superior version of “Appraisal.”
Without hesitation, he activated both skills simultaneously, pouring all his mental energy into it.
‘This is my first harvest from the Ganghwan Realm. I’ll have to give it everything I can.’
After all the trouble of coming to another dimension, how embarrassing would it be to backpedal now?
As he poured in even the surplus mental resources, “Hyperacuity” activated, accelerating his thought process endlessly.
Tzzz—
His brain was whirring fiercely, burning energy like crazy.
What had started as a simple connection between “Analysis” and “Xenoglossy” began to solidify, allowing him to sense not just the context but also the nuances embedded within.
Understanding the author’s intentions behind the sentences, he inferred jumbled words, reconstructing overall sentences.
Yet, it was still lacking.
‘Yeah, now that I’m at it, I might as well go all the way.’
Hubert chugged the VIP market growth elixir he held and continued with his work.
Was it worth its price? The progress surged frighteningly fast as the effects kicked in.
‘This state lasts for 7 days?’
But finishing this task wouldn’t even take that long.
About half a day later, as he dug through the cryptic sentences of the secret art like deciphering a code—
《The entity has achieved enlightenment through the conditions. You’ve acquired the skill “Code Deciphering.”》
With the acquisition of a new skill, the previously tight progress of his work suddenly became unblocked.
*
Huu, Hoo—.
With a deep breath, the energies around Harris were absorbed into his lungs.
Thanks to the traits of the High Elf race and his transcendent affinity, the natural energies bending to his will were far more responsive than before.
‘I get it now. I think I have a rough idea of what this feels like.’
While getting a better understanding of the world’s energies in accordance with the laws of the Ganghwan Realm, Harris nodded slowly.
Hubert’s newly acquired “Code Deciphering” had rapidly grown under the effects of the elixir from the moment it was generated, and naturally, his analysis work gained momentum.
Furthermore, that progress triggered immediate experiments by Harris in the Ganghwan Realm, leading to a positive cycle that would aid Hubert’s analysis.
‘Soft Eight Trigrams Secret Skill… I feel like this would suit Harris quite well.’
Initially, he had planned to settle in this dimension and prepare to grow his influence later, but it seemed he had stumbled upon a substantial gain beyond expectations.
Though the interpretation of the secret art wasn’t complete, if he could properly learn it and harmonize it with his existing power…
‘How much synergy could that produce? Perhaps this could help me break through the walls currently standing in my way.’
Harris already knew.
The moment he surpassed those walls, aided by the divine being known as the World Tree, he had reached the limits of his growth.
Of course, at that time, it had been the best choice, and transcending meant he had become one of the strongest in that world; that was evident.
But now that the situation had turned out like this, the sense of regret was inevitable.
‘For now, just having this possibility is enough.’
Coincidentally, he had encountered an opportunity that he desperately needed in the dimension he visited.
Whether this was truly a coincidence or stemmed from some other reason, was still uncertain…
But that would be something to mull over later.
“…Let me ask again. For what purpose did you visit my domain?”
Currently, a multitude of warriors were galvanizing their spirits, aiming their weapons at him.
It had been about a day since he left Dongjeong Lake.
Harris had finally reached the Zhuge Family at Yung Jung Mountain.
