Just a few days ago, on the battlefield where the fate of the world was at stake—Beijing.
In the aftermath of the fierce war, particularly from the destructive breath that obliterated the city in one go, only the tragic remnants remained in the midst of the ruins—a massive altar stood tall.
An enormous structure built in tiered steps like a ziggurat, measuring hundreds of meters on just one side. It was hard to believe such a massive structure could be created in just a few days, but for the being currently asserting its presence atop the altar, it was hardly any challenge.
Hmm, this should be sturdy enough. It’s only going to be used this once, but it wouldn’t be bad for it to remain as a symbolic landmark forever.
The golden creature, Horus, nodded with satisfaction while checking the durability of the structure with its massive body.
This altar was to be the site for the Dragon Heart reconstruction ritual.
Naturally, it would become a historically significant monument throughout the Ganghwan Realm, and it would return karma to its creator in countless ways.
Compared to what I’ve done so far, and the points I’ll earn in the future, it’s really nothing.
As the sunlight began to rise and shatter against Horus’s golden body, a deep voice of the White Dragon resonated in his head.
[Everything is ready over here.]
[Aren’t you really worried? It’s not that I doubt Horus’s abilities, but this is our first time doing this.]
[Well, he should be fine. He’s already mastered the arts beyond ordinary beings, right? Plus, he used magic from the original world… Ugh, I can’t make heads or tails of that.]
Following that, the voices of the Blue Dragon and Red Dragon were heard, but only Horus was present at the scene.
The communication he was receiving was a sort of telepathy.
The rest were preparing the ceremony separately at the Dragon God Shrine.
[It wasn’t supposed to be such a complicated affair… Since it’s gotten this far, it can’t be helped. At least safety measures are in place, so if something goes wrong, we can just do it the original way.]
Horus chuckled at the Black Dragon’s grumbling response.
Initially, she disagreed with Horus’s proposed method.
There was a sure way to do this, so why take the risky path?
The wellbeing of the Dragon Children, who were human, wasn’t a priority for her, after all.
Well, persuading her wasn’t too hard, though.
The Dragon Children weren’t just ordinary humans.
They were sort of messengers sent to the world by the Dragon God.
If you think about it, they weren’t entirely unrelated to the Five Dragons claiming to be the successors of the Dragon God.
Emphasizing that link led the Black Dragon to reluctantly agree to go along.
[We’re all set here too. We just need to start when the sun reaches its peak in a few moments.]
Horus gauged the position of the sun rising slowly over the ridges and turned his gaze elsewhere.
To the southwest, not far from here.
A group was slowly approaching this way.
They’ve arrived.
The Dragon Children necessary for the ritual and the masters from the Martial Arts Alliance who escorted them.
And one giant barbarian, carrying a large, ominous black coffin on his back.
All the necessary materials had gathered in one place.
*
The sunlight dazzled as it poured down on the land.
The sun rose to the top of their heads.
Hoo.
As Je Gal Hye-mi took each step up the stairs, she sighed deeply.
From the moment she stepped onto the altar, it felt like a completely different world, free from the influence of the demonic realm, making it easier to breathe. But the miraculous situation she dared not hope for was growing closer, making her heart race uncontrollably.
I thought there was no possibility, but it really has come to this… Is it really possible…
A future she never dared to dream about was within reach.
She had thought happiness was a luxury for someone destined to fade from this world.
Could she really keep dreaming in this world?
A world where the Dragon Heart was restored and the conflicts had faded away, living healthily with the ones she loved.
…Like getting married and having kids like everyone else…
As those thoughts flowed, Je Gal Hye-mi’s pale face turned bright red.
No, no! That’s too early! Ah, we’re not even that close yet…!
Wiping away the face of someone who suddenly popped into her mind, she took a deep breath and shook her head roughly.
Where had her usual cold rationality gone? Her thoughts were spiraling out of control, racing beyond reason.
Anyone could see her unusual response.
However, there was no one in this place particularly concerned about her behavior.
Cough cough!
Haa, haa.
The rising tension affected the other Dragon Children just the same.
Once they reached the top of the altar, they looked up nervously at the enormous golden creature, the Huanglong, which they had only heard stories about when they were young.
[No need to be too tense. It won’t take long.]
Their minds filled with a heavy voice laced with intimidation.
It felt oddly like an arrogant deity or an innocent child.
The words seemed intended to relieve their stiff nerves, but…
Sgulp—
No one could relax just from hearing it.
That was only natural, as they were witnesses to what the Huanglong was capable of.
The golden light that came crashing down from the sky like divine punishment, followed by the tremendous explosion and colossal mushroom cloud.
And now, standing atop the high altar, they could clearly see the result.
Where the buildings and walls once stood…
Empty plains surrounded the altar.
They distinctly remembered escaping Beijing, soaring in the sky.
Originally, this area was densely packed with complex ruins.
Yet now, standing on the altar facing such a formidable presence made them feel like sacrificial offerings to a monster.
Of course, the reality was quite the opposite.
[Alright, everyone sit down. The rest is up to me, so take a deep breath and relax.]
In the center, where the black coffin lay, stood a dais.
Surrounding it were rock chairs that seemed to sprout directly from the ground.
At first glance, those uncomfortable seats were not designed with user comfort in mind, but they couldn’t dare question it.
Once they all timidly sat down, not long after—
[It’s about time. Let’s get started.]
With Horus’s declaration, who silently gazed at the sky, the ritual began.
*
It all started from the Dragon God Shrine.
Goooon—
As the ceremony led by the other dragons commenced, the atmosphere in Beijing began to stir violently.
A commotion unlike any before.
Since not all the Five Dragons were gathered in the Dragon God Shrine, nor were the Dragon Children offered as sacrifices, the phenomenon was exceedingly unstable.
If left unattended, the situation would likely worsen soon.
Wooong—!
However, the situation flipped dramatically as Horus in Beijing continued the ritual.
The strange symbols etched across the altar began to glow, drawing the surrounding energy toward the center.
Well, let’s dive in.
Golden light exploded from Horus’s eyes.
Countless pieces of knowledge he had accumulated burst forth, weaving together to establish a massive framework.
A complex ritual incorporating the mysteries of various worlds, including sorcery and magic.
A colossal magic circle appeared in the sky, connecting to the altar below.
Fwoooosh—
Rumble—
A storm swept through, shaking the ground with tremors.
The Sovereign of All Creatures controlled the swirling energies, while The Seeker of Mysteries refined and processed them, and The Resistor of Providence preemptively blocked any minor variables.
Vast energies flowed into the body of the ones seated and connected them to the karma Jiangshi—the Heavenly Demon’s body.
Through a connection akin to a straw, the Heavenly Demon absorbed the surrounding karma.
The tremendous flow of energy caused all Dragon Children, except Je Gal Hye-mi, to faint simultaneously, but even she could barely hold on, unable to think of anything else.
I redistributed most of the burden of the ritual elsewhere, so my body shouldn’t suffer any significant strain. That’s what the altar is for.
Crack!
Delicate cracks began to appear in the strong altar.
Horus, who was presiding over the ritual, slightly frowned at the pressure weighing heavily on him and examined the state of the Heavenly Demon, the medium through which the karma was being absorbed.
And as he deemed the moment to be right, he sent all that karma down through the prepared passage.
Straight toward the offering under the altar, the remains of Tam.
Wiggle wiggle—
The massive body, seizing and convulsing, absorbed the karma flooding in.
Heheh— As expected of a gluttonous beast, it’s devouring it well. An excellent choice indeed.
The one assisting the ritual from underground, Hans, nodded satisfactorily.
After all, Tam was a monster specializing in devouring things.
Even though it was merely a deceased body, nothing surpassed the capability of harnessing energy, making it the ultimate offering.
Excellent. At this point, it’s as good as done.
The doom dragon, Tam, had stepped into the realm of divinity.
And through the ritual, the arrangement of the Holy God within filled him completely.
The collaborative effort between the scholarly Gold Dragon and the invading Demon King from another dimension had entered its final stage.
Bam!—
Tam’s enormous body became enveloped in light and disintegrated.
Soon, a colossal pillar of light shot up from underground to the skies through the altar.
The overwhelming and majestic sight could be witnessed from the ends of the continent, regardless of distance.
Everyone gazed at it in a trance.
Even Je Gal Hye-mi, desperately clinging to consciousness, the anxiously waiting experts outside the altar, the organizations reclassifying their forces, and the citizens worrying about their next meal after prolonged strife.
They all stared upwards with their mouths agape.
Tears flowed down, not knowing why.
After a brief moment had passed.
As the gradually fading light completely disappeared…
All avatars within the Ganghwan Realm instinctively sensed it.
The fate that had enveloped this world, the tangled web of causality, the future that had been racing toward an end.
At this moment had undergone a radical change.
[Horus! It’s a success! The balance…!]
[Waaah! We really did it! Right now…!]
[Is this really happening? No way…]
[Great job…]
Simultaneously, the loud voices of the dragons communicated with Horus.
Those in the Dragon God Shrine had promptly grasped the situation.
Yes!
Worrying it was merely a temporary phenomenon or that there might be side effects didn’t even cross his mind.
The undeniable proof that the ritual had been properly completed floated right before his eyes.
Achievement unlocked! We have restored the world that was falling apart and losing balance.
As a reward for successfully normalizing a dimension, you are granted the special trait “Savior.” This negates all restrictions occurring in this dimension.
You have achieved a great impact on the world. Karma rises drastically.
This was not just an ‘accomplishment’ that had been earned through plenty of efforts.
It was the first ‘achievement’ surpassing dimensions.
*
Inside the inner world adjacent to Earth.
Shudder—
A figure that had been sitting cross-legged and stony like a statue began to tremble.
Once, twice… as time passed, the convulsions grew stronger.
As the stimulation continued for a while, the eyelids of the being, who had seemed lifeless, slowly fluttered open.
This is…
The Buncheon Society’s head, who had been submerged in divinity and oblivious to time, immediately grasped the situation.
If he was receiving such a reaction, it was undoubtedly no trivial matter.
Identifying the cause wasn’t difficult.
Is it the Ganghwan Realm again?
Not long ago, the dimension where one of his apostolic representatives, the Heavenly Demon, had died.
It was quite unsettling when the overall manager supplying divinity from the colonies had suddenly been killed, but now, a different matter was arousing his nerves.
…How?
A significant change was occurring in the flow of causality connected to him.
A dimension he had thought could never recover was slowly returning to its original state.
This was not merely a matter of the manager being dead.
Did the Holy God intervene? No, but what the Holy God could do has limits; besides, the Ganghwan Realm was meant to be neglected.
The Holy God of a dimension was such a colossal being that meticulously adjusting the issues arising within was nearly impossible.
Perhaps if he destroyed everything and started anew, it could work, but normalizing a dimension fraught with problems was rarely something that happened by mere luck…
I thought I had thoroughly destroyed it. It seems I must have missed something.
What the Holy God could do was merely to toss a slight chance and wait for the creatures to sort it out.
Even with that in mind, he had laid his plans, yet it appeared to be insufficient.
I had a bad feeling ever since the Heavenly Demon died.
It appeared that somewhere in that dimension, a great hero had been born.
One with the potential strong enough to twist the already near-certain causality.
Tch, there’s nothing I can do about what’s already passed.
Even if it was an unexpected occurrence, he had no way to act immediately.
The Ganghwan Realm was already a place that had been thoroughly exploited; pushing to revisit it would only serve as an outlet for his anger.
Instead of revisiting a place where he could lose out again, it was more profitable to pioneer a new dimension.
…Alright, I guess it’s time to move again.
In the serene space cut off from the world.
The giant, who had lain quietly for a while, began to rise again.
To devour another world that would fill his hunger.
*
Good. Very good.
I nodded contentedly while holding a beer in one hand and a chicken leg in the other.
As the saying goes, labor must come with a rightful reward.
Isn’t this the moment every worker looks forward to the most?
Especially after wrapping up a big project like this, the settlement was even more exciting.
So, let’s see…
The last time I checked was when I swallowed the Heavenly Demon Church’s main body and reinforced “Dimension Barrier Mitigation” with 600,000 points.
At that time, I had drained the bottom so much that I barely saved enough for “Leap of Growth (7 days)”…
Current Karma – 9,510,657
…Karma has multiplied…
What lay before my eyes now was a feast of burgeoning numbers as if they hadn’t seen their bottom in ages.
