A massive battle erupted in the northeastern part of the Ion Continent.
The aftermath was not something that could easily be concealed.
The long-standing mountains crumbled, the once beautiful valleys were buried, and nature, including the ecosystem, was destroyed beyond recognition.
Naturally, in a world where the mystical was not uncommon, such phenomena could not go unnoticed and were observed through various means, not just with the naked eye. Information about it circulated naturally among the entrenched powers across the continent.
“Just in case, evacuate the nearby residents!”
“Hurry, hurry! Observational team! Situation report!”
“Uh, the scale of the energy… the distortion of space is too strong to confirm!”
An unprecedented situation that would leave the leadership of each faction in shock.
It was truly an event that warranted the term “natural disaster”; however, surprisingly, there weren’t that many members of the societal elite who were flustered by the fact.
The reason was simple: they had already heard about it beforehand from those they deemed trustworthy.
That a ‘delegate of the foreign god’ summoned by the Undead King was descending upon this land to wreak havoc!
Kaboom—!
And now, a group was approaching the very site where the chaos was unfolding.
“Indeed, there was a reason why the High Lord said that. This scale of energy… is it a minion of the foreign god…?”
“Ahem, Briki. I don’t think this is the time to be so relaxed.”
“Ugh, if it weren’t for the blessings from the High Lord, we wouldn’t be able to do anything.”
They were the elite combat unit of hybrids, swiftly moving under the command of Heinz II.
As soon as they adapted to their newly granted “Refined Blood Essence,” they rushed to this place, hidden a short distance away while closely observing the battlefield.
“Warriors of the Holy Church Order, the Tyrant of the Southern Barbarians, the High Elves of the Elven Kingdom… Hmmm, they don’t seem to be your average High Elf. Could they be the next Fairy King? Anyway, I’ve only heard about them, but they seem more incredible than I imagined. Honestly, I’m not too confident against them right now.”
“… But surely our High Lord is the strongest, is he not?”
“Exactly. I’ve gained power this time and I’m certain. Even if he were to face the Undead King head-on, he would never be defeated!”
“… Well, that might be true. The issue right now is that abomination that remains unfazed even when facing the combined might of those including the High Lord.”
“…”
At Briki’s cold assessment, the other vampires accompanying her fell silent.
Such was the intimidating presence of that ‘Apostle of the foreign god’ who had crossed into this world.
Even those who were boiling with loyalty from their recent power-up couldn’t muster a rebuttal.
‘The lingering dark energies and death around… This is undoubtedly a trace left by the Undead King. Given the hostile aura, it seems there was a clash. It appears it wasn’t perfectly controlled after all.’
That was somewhat fortunate.
Given that simply dealing with the Undead King was already a daunting task, if some connection between the two still existed, the problems would have multiplied drastically.
‘Now that they are divided, this is the opportunity. So then… Ah?’
Just as Briki and the elite hybrid fighters were still grappling with inaccurate information.
They noticed a handful of figures swiftly approaching their location… rather, the very center of the tumultuous battlefield.
Each wearing solemn expressions, a small number of figures plunged inward without hesitation.
“… They have arrived. The time has come. Now let’s start making our move.”
The flow of the raucous battlefield began to change.
*
“Graaa—!”
A massive monster charged in with its grotesquely developed jaws wide open.
The expression on the Head of the Buncheon Society was one of disgust, as if witnessing something terrible.
Boom—!
With the colossal sound of the god of thunder, sight returned once again.
But knowing that it wouldn’t last long, his expression was far from pleasant.
“Tsk.”
What a troublesome physique that chimera had; it possessed an excessive resilience against all offensive energies, including physical force and supernatural abilities, making it quite exhausting to deal with.
At a mere ordinary level, not even a brief hold could be made, and no matter how hard one tried to injure it, it would heal almost instantly and come charging back again.
In this situation, how could he not feel annoyed?
‘Moreover…’
Such rigor wasn’t limited to just that monster, Harley, but also applied to the rest accompanying him.
Heinrich, wielding a holy sword imbued with divine power and adorned with holy flames.
Harris, who remained unseen, continually sniping and showering them with elemental energy.
And Heinz II, always popping out to cut off their breath whenever they relaxed for even a moment.
Moreover, they all moved as if they had been a team for a long time, complementing one another’s actions in perfect harmony, causing involuntary admiration to arise within him.
Even though he himself was the one directly subjected to that coordination.
‘And yet… to make matters worse.’
Now, the focus was not only on those four.
Swish—
Fwoosh—!
The start came from distant arrows and spells raining down.
These were attacks of a different nature than those from the fairy assassins who had been keeping the Buncheon Society in check until now.
It was evident that new players had joined the fray.
“Sorry for being late, Saint! Are you alright?”
“… The spatial coordinates around here have become too chaotic, limiting our ability to move directly.”
“But this energy… could it be you, Harris? How are you here when you should be in the Enamel Continent…?”
The Saint Liesta, Archmage Isea, and High Elf Lydia—top-tier warriors of the continent—had joined the battle.
“Hoohoo, it’s been ages since I’ve seen something like this. I never thought I’d get to see such action.”
“The fangs of the hybrids have come upon the High Lord’s command!”
“Order us whatever you need!”
The vampires, who had been waiting for the right time to step in, coincidentally chose this moment to declare their assistance.
Especially Briki, reinforced as a pureblood vampire, was a significant force capable of acting independently, thus becoming a crucial variable in a situation that had been stagnating.
‘This is troublesome.’
Buncheon Society’s Head murmured inwardly as he slowly scanned the area.
And he immediately completed his objective assessment of the situation.
‘… First, I’ll need to get away from here. Staying ensnared will only be an inefficient waste of time.’
If the fight became a one versus many, it would be quite the hassle.
The most effective strategy for a strong minority against a majority is undisputedly guerrilla warfare.
Rather than remaining trapped in the elaborate setup they had, forcing minor skirmishes would be his best chance at utilizing his strengths.
But they wouldn’t be oblivious to that, so they wouldn’t easily let their guard down.
‘Tsk, I think I’ve been too greedy. I thought I’d finish this quickly and leave.’
Who would have thought that four such powerful individuals would show up all at once?
In hindsight, it was clear that the Hahoe Mask had provoked him knowing this situation would arise.
Chhh—
Just as the tension in the air intensified.
The Head of the Buncheon Society noticed a delicate thread circling around him, lurking patiently for a chance.
It moved like a lifted snake, ready to pounce the moment a gap appeared.
“Are you planning to flee?”
Simultaneously, a chilling voice echoed softly.
It was the voice of someone who had been causing the Head of the Buncheon Society considerable trouble up until now.
“A vampire.”
Glimpsing sideways, his dignified eyes met Heinz II’s cold gaze.
Crackle—!
While the Head of the Buncheon Society had seen numerous vampires across various dimensions, he had never faced one of such caliber before.
Even a member of his own elite guard, a duke, was nowhere near that level.
‘Well, drawing comparisons is an insult. It seems they’re using causality to block off my escape route. This could become bothersome.’
Unaware that the opponent had devoured the duke and crossed dimensions, the Head of the Buncheon Society pondered escape without delving too deeply into the implications.
Though it seemed he hadn’t fully tapped into his potential, the opponent undoubtedly possessed the level of a demigod.
No matter how much stronger he was in terms of realms, facing an opponent under the world’s opposition was never an easy endeavor.
He could probably force his way out if it were just that one vampire, but under the scrutiny of several others, it would be immensely challenging.
Of course, alternative methods weren’t nonexistent, but that would be a one-time option, so saving it for a more decisive moment was…
‘… No, this could actually become a good opportunity. It’s clear that those gathered here are at the pinnacle of this world. That implies…’
With them coming to capture him here, other vital locations would be left defenseless.
Furthermore, it would likely take them considerable time to return to their original positions.
‘Right. Let’s end this swiftly.’
Ultimately, he drew forth what he had anticipated would be his ‘contract fee’ much earlier than expected.
Though imprisoned and confined within the Abyss, he had received part of that entitlement through a deal with the divine entity of this world.
“……..!”
The first to sense something was Heinz II, who had been keenly attuned to the flow of causality, but it was the four linked avatars that reacted simultaneously.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“O Holy God, grant me the strength to judge this heretic disturbing this land!”
Destructo—!
Under Heinz’s guidance, the snake of causality lunged at the Head of the Buncheon Society, while the light explosively emitted from Heinrich spread like a beam, Harley’s body surpassed supersonic speeds, piercing the space like a missile, and Harris’s arrows swiftly arrived, unleashing immense energy.
“Attack!”
“Ice Nova!”
“Rip it apart!”
And though they were a beat late, everyone else on site reacted urgently and joined in, instinctively sensing the situation.
Kablam—!
However,
“What a grand welcome this is.”
That level of attack was insufficient to stop the Head of the Buncheon Society, who momentarily broke free from worldly restraints through divine privilege and expanded his limits.
While he deflected most of the attacks from afar, he blocked the few that followed and let out a satisfied sigh.
The shackles binding his limbs broke, sending unparalleled strength coursing through him.
His gaze naturally turned toward those who had been bothering him.
‘For now, I must endure. It won’t last long.’
Zing—!
Once more experiencing a ringing in his ears and a dull ache, this was already nothing new to him.
And just as that pain began to subside.
A singular coordinate scattered through his mind, twinkling and whirling about.
‘Right now, the priority is the target. It’s essential to fulfill the contract.’
What he needed to achieve upon coming to this world.
And what his collaborator desired to return to the surface once more.
Ultimately, he began manipulating space, creating a passageway.
Zap—! Crackle!
Despite Heinz’s manipulation of causality and everyone else’s interference, the spatial passageway was gradually taking form.
It took a fair amount of time due to the resistance, but finally, he managed to fulfill what he sought.
“Phew, you’re quite the resilient one. I really must get going for the important matter at hand. This has been quite the amusing diversion.”
“Cough, halt right there! You’re escaping…!”
But ignoring the Head of the Buncheon Society’s retort, he took a large step forward.
He crossed dimensions.
To the predetermined target.
A place positioned at the heart of the Ion Continent, the most sacred land, where the shrine was located.
*
While the operation to obstruct the Head of the Buncheon Society’s passage was in full swing.
The avatars rapidly exchanged consciousness among themselves.
Identification of the passage destination… the southern gate of the Rosellia Temple.
Estimated time of arrival… in 2 minutes and 23 seconds.
“I was right to prepare ahead.”
Heinrich, having utilized the “Authority of the Monarch,” communicated the agreed will to the Cardinal.
And as a result.
As soon as the Head of the Buncheon Society arrived there, he would be met with a grand welcoming ceremony.
“Activate the holy barrier!”
“In the name of the Holy God, I shall judge this heretic!”
Thousands of paladins, over a thousand priests, hundreds of knights, and dozens of high bishops.
All together, they recited prayers atop a gigantic holy altar.
To welcome the world’s enemy.
