The majority of the clones are active in Auterica.
In the dimension known as the Ganghwan Realm, which has only recently been entered.
And to Earth, where the main body resides.
While living simultaneously in various worlds with numerous bodies, I have felt countless things.
However, if I had to pick just one impressive aspect among the many perceptions, there was something I could choose without hesitation.
···It was precisely the ‘time difference.’
‘Well, I suppose it’s only natural. I’ve been paying a bit more attention to Earth lately·····.’
A time difference that reaches as much as ten times.
The disparity between dimensions was not to be taken lightly.
Just spending three days on Earth translates to approximately a month in this world, making it an unavoidable reality.
Thus, while the time experienced due to the events on Earth may be considered short in scope, it is by no means negligible when factoring in cases from other worlds.
Auterica, the holy land located at the center of the Ion Continent.
“Welcome back, Saint. You’ve returned a bit earlier this time.”
“Ah, Lyrin. Thank you for your efforts today.”
As Heinrich passed through the main gate into the Rosellia Temple, he turned to the blue-haired woman who greeted him.
She was a member of the Luminous Guardian Paladin Order, of which he was once a part, and she was an elite paladin dedicated to protecting the interiors of the Rosellia Temple among many orders of the Holy Church.
She seemed to be passing nearby and approached him with measured steps, as if she had business to attend to.
“Saint, the Holy Maiden checked a few times to see if you had returned just a moment ago. It seems she might have had something to discuss with you···.”
“Ah, so it seems I’ve arrived just in time. Thank you for letting me know, Lyrin.”
“Not at all, Saint. I shall take my leave now.”
“Yes, please take care.”
After conveying her message, she bowed her head and turned with a precise motion.
She had been his mentor when he first received his position inside the temple, and their connection allowed him to speak to her more freely than others.
After all, he was a rather rare case of rapid growth compared to his position, and those he was close with were few.
‘Now that I think about it, it was Lyrin who first informed me that one of the fragments of the Undead King was located inside the temple.’
Of course, that was part of her duties as a guard, but still, it had indeed helped him significantly in his later endeavors.
Chuckling quietly to himself, Heinrich resumed his steps into the temple, shrugging his shoulders.
‘By the way, Liesta said she was looking for me. I suppose she’s going to ask about Earth again? Well, considering how many times I’ve come and gone, she probably expected me around this time.’
Naturally, he hadn’t crossed over to Earth without prior notice to the Holy Church.
Even though the recent White Giant incident had concluded, it wasn’t like a symbol of the Church’s martial force, being both a Saint and a Hero, could simply leave at will, could it?
‘So, I just told them honestly that I’d be stepping away for a bit to visit another world.’
‘Of course, I wrapped it up with the Grace of the Holy God.’
After all, the other party consisted of zealots, and any endeavor that transcended dimensions was nothing before divine glory.
Moreover, since revealing that Hesperon and even Isea were otherworlders had piqued the Holy Maiden’s curiosity, she was currently investigating other worlds.
‘I should probably bring it up with Isea soon.’
Now that her return was also approaching, she might be thinking around the time the confrontation with the Undead King would wrap up.
If she were to discover the truth after returning to Earth, she might feel betrayed, so it would be wise to give her a heads-up beforehand.
‘By doing so, we can continue a cooperative relationship even after she returns to Earth.’
She had pooled all her karma for her return due to the bonds left in Auterica.
For one with her kind and empathetic nature, Heinrich would become a refreshing rain on dry ground.
‘Now that I think about it, Isea could possibly cross the dimensional wall if something triggers it. More power is always better.’
Being here would allow him to send greetings to his family on Earth, and he’d also be able to maintain indirect communication with Riley after returning, so it would be a win-win for her.
Yet, there were aspects that worried him somewhat.
‘The fact that Hahoe Mask and the Undead King are the same entity must be kept secret at all costs.’
What would happen if an evil being who had been a Demon King in another world returned to see they were now acting as a Dark Hero?
To prevent that awkward encounter for both sides, it was essential to completely restrict Hans’s activities to overseas.
‘After all, Korea is stable now, so there’s no need for Hans to be here. As long as I avoid any direct confrontations···.’
Photos or videos can simply claim to be similar individuals, after all.
Not to mention that their dispositions were vastly different, and the plain Black Robe wasn’t anything special either; the Hahoe Mask was a quintessential symbol of Korea from the get-go.
‘I’ve actively been wearing only the broken mask since I found out Isea is Korean.’
However, he had no confidence in deceiving someone he had directly interacted with multiple times.
Although he wouldn’t be in trouble if discovered since the drama at home was done, it would be better to preemptively eliminate any potential problems.
‘Then I should deal with some pending work since I’ll be heading to Earth in a few days… Ah, should I go see Liesta first?’
The activation period of the Dimensional Teleportation Circle is every 12 hours in Earth time.
Given that activities on Earth were at most just a few hours a day, it was entirely feasible.
Of course, operating the teleportation circle so tightly could affect the mobility of the other avatars somewhat, but···.
‘There shouldn’t be any issues for now, since there are no urgent matters.’
The only major event left in Auterica was the conclusion of the domestic drama.
It was passing through a time like the calm before the storm.
*
In a private workshop located in Tarak.
“Oooh! Finally!”
Just after a recent ruckus while testing a prototype, Howard had left the life of staying at Zaronik’s workshop and moved into his personal workspace just as it was prepared.
Zaronik had said it was fine if he stayed as before, but given that he had the backing of Hubert Association and wasn’t short on funds, it felt unnecessary to impose on someone else.
After all, they lived just a street apart, and daily interactions hadn’t changed either.
“Finally, it’s completed!”
Still, having his own secret base conjured an odd thrill within him.
Maybe because of that, from the very first day of moving in, he had been absorbed in work as if enchanted, and after weeks of effort, he finally achieved a meaningful result.
“The left arm of the All-Purpose Combat Exosuit Mk.2!”
Admittedly, it was just one arm for now.
Raising it victoriously with both hands, he gazed at his masterpiece with elated eyes.
At a glance, it looked like an impressive mechanical arm.
Though it was merely one part, this was no ordinary object.
The materials and the techniques used were remarkable, and even the energy source embedded within was anything but mundane.
‘Indeed, while technology is important, capital is the greatest virtue in production!’
Top-tier magical gemstones.
This was a precious item that ranks just below the Dragon Heart, the finest magical stone.
Even the Imperial Palace would use top-tier magical gemstones as the core of their barriers, only resorting to Dragon Hearts in emergencies, so its value was truly priceless.
‘Last time, I blew it due to trying to divert Diana from that revolutionary bastard.’
After all, he had used such valuable items as mere consumables, which was why Hubert had managed to escape from a monster’s clutches.
Now, that precious material was just being used as energy for one arm, which was···.
‘Without the everlasting iron from the Ganghwan Realm and the demon realm’s adamantium alloy, that would have been impossible.’
Both materials were renowned for their durability and resistance to energy.
The process of alloying such metals was by no means easy, but through the hard work employing “The Song of Fire and Metal” and “Alchemy” while harnessing the “Technological Revolution,” Howard finally succeeded.
Thus, a product with a golden ratio of alloy was densely layered inside this part, allowing it to withstand immense energy.
A reinforced exoskeleton created by a fantasy dwarf integrating future technologies using materials from martial arts and the demon realm!
“Kehehe~ At this rate, it’ll be like carrying a small spaceship on my arm! I can’t wait to see what the completed parts will look like!”
Excitedly dancing around while holding that mechanical arm, Howard suddenly halted.
Then, standing still, he gazed at it and seriously stroked his beard, pondering something.
“Hmmm— I think it’s time I needed a proper name for this.”
He couldn’t keep calling such an outstanding object a ‘All-Purpose Combat Exosuit’— that sounded way too bland!
A catchy, impressive name was needed.
“Hmmm, how about calling it ‘Iron Guy’… No, no, that sounds too much like a knockoff. Then maybe ‘Captain Auterica’… No, same problem. Hmmm.”
He suffered through the agony of naming for a while.
Then, feeling all this effort was pointless, he sighed deeply.
“Eh, just ‘Titan’ would be nice! It has that ‘little giant’ feeling to it. Thinking about it, I’m a dwarf, so naming it after a god wouldn’t be so bad…”
Just as he concluded the name, muttering to himself,
Whoosh—
A flare of flame erupted from the forge beside him, swirling around his form.
As the flames dissipated, several lines of notification windows appeared before him.
《Titan gazes upon you.》
《The entity has met the requirements for growth. Special skill “The Song of Fire and Metal” evolves into “The Harmonizer of Fire and Metal.”》
This was something he had experienced before.
“This is… the blessing of the forge?”
It was said that whenever something meaningful was created at the forge or a craftsman favored by the god grew beyond limits, this showed interest.
‘So that means, it seems to have pleased the divine.’
This newly invented item, bearing his name, which did not originally exist in this world.
*
Swash—
The sound of waves crashing gently resonated.
The air, slightly infused with the briny taste of salty seawater, created a novel sensation at a beautiful beach.
“Ummm!”
From a hidden cove that resembled a resort, a sound of someone using magic softly leaked out.
“How is this done…?”
The owner of that childish voice, which barely articulated its words, had an incredibly youthful appearance.
With flowing golden hair and glistening golden eyes, smooth skin, and chubby cheeks, he was an adorable boy who looked like he was about seven years old.
The last Gold Dragon hatchling remaining in Auterica, Horus.
He stood atop a chair in a magical research lab filled with all sorts of quirky gadgets, gripping something placed on the table, straining with effort.
“Done!”
In a satisfied gesture, he raised both hands high, letting out a cheer.
Then—.
“Oho, what is that?”
“Eep?!”
Startled by the sudden elongated voice, he stopped and, maintaining his raised hands, turned around with a beaming smile.
Standing behind him, half-lidded gaze fixated on him, was the Elder Dragon Shuriheartgen of the Gold Clan.
“Hehehe…”
“…Oh, that’s not an ordinary item.”
The Elder Dragon’s gaze shifted from the beaming Horus to the object placed before him.
His physical body was in a near-death state, clinging desperately to life in a dormant state, yet the object emanated a power that was noticeable even in such a condition.
“This was crafted by a dwarf. Quite impressive, no, it’s extraordinarily well-made. Did you create it with enchantment in mind from the start?”
As he examined the item, astonishment gradually filled his tired expression.
“Hoh, this level of craftsmanship indicates that it’s more than just an adept understanding of magic. It must require the insight of a high sorcerer.”
This was truly remarkable.
The dwarf race, known for their stubbornness, took pride in creating items that surpassed magical tools through crafting alone.
Adding enchantments to an already created item was one thing, but having ‘collaboration’ in mind from the design stage and incorporating the enchanter’s processing from the start wasn’t common at all.
Especially with a foundational knowledge level akin to that of a high sorcerer?
‘Did this child enchant it? …This is astounding. I never thought he’d reach this level already. The integration is so harmonious, it’s almost as if it was crafted by one single person from the beginning.’
Shuriheartgen cast a meaningful glance at Horus, who had just created something extraordinary, and then slowly resumed admiring the item.
A remarkable design featuring a smooth curve underlain by a subtly blackened metal.
An armor piece for the left arm that even he, who had lived through immense time, had never seen before.
