Visit (3)
The clash between Heinrich, who visited as a guest, and Walter, a holy knight from the Quiladia Church.
However, for someone, it was a stroke of luck that the brawl… no, the fight couldn’t last long.
“Brother Heinrich, please calm down…”
“Stop! That’s enough! Back off!”
“Please stop! Direct physical confrontation is prohibited unless it’s an official duel within the Pantheon!”
This wasn’t something that happened in a remote place; it was happening right in front of the committee’s hall.
It’s not uncommon for disputes to arise here, but when they escalate into a fight, that’s a different story.
The time Heinrich had to intervene before interference was very brief.
But even that short time was enough for him to engrave a lesson on his opponent’s body.
As a result, despite one person losing consciousness and being rushed away, no one questioned the incident itself.
People were merely surprised that Heinrich, who was famous for his immense Holy Power, could overwhelm a master-level holy knight with sheer physical prowess.
The fact that Walter started the trouble first and even initiated the attack was well known because of the circumstances.
“Did you hear? The Quiladia Church caused another incident this time.”
“Again? I’m getting tired of it. What’s the difference between those rascals and demon worshipers…?”
“Well, they’re cooperating with the Pantheon for now. If we push them away and they join the Pandemonium, it’ll be more troublesome.”
“Internal enemies are always more dangerous than outsiders. I suppose it might be less risky to keep them close where you can keep an eye on them.”
“This time they crossed the line quite a bit. We should keep an eye on what decision the committee will make.”
Many churches that were interested in Heinrich’s visit quickly spread the news.
The Pantheon embraces all who are not impossibly evil, making it their motto.
The Quiladia Church outwardly claims to be moderate, but the truth is, their tendencies lean clearly towards evil, so everyone reacted as if they expected this news.
“Well, let’s see how they respond now.”
The incident meant that the scheduled meeting with the committee members would have to be postponed.
Left alone in the guest accommodations, Heinrich gazed out the window, deep in thought.
‘No matter how I think about it, it feels unnatural. Someone seems to be pulling strings behind the scenes.’
It was clear when cutting through the details.
While it was one thing for him to provoke Jason, with whom he had a past connection, it was quite another for someone to provoke him, a fellow guest, causing discomfort.
‘Jason is just an excuse. I should consider I was the target from the start.’
His sudden encounter with Walter at that moment was probably not a coincidence.
It was likely a setup where he pretended to stumble upon him.
‘Why? Why target me?’
Various thoughts raced through his mind.
There was no lack of reasons; in fact, there were too many to count.
They were clearly wary of Heinrich, who would be a variable in the intense factional power struggles.
The leftover remnants of the Buncheon Society, still within the Pantheon after the secretary’s ousting, were surely scheming.
Even a sense of mission stemming from some religious values could be a factor.
In this lounge known as the Pantheon, a cauldron of greed, ambition, and beliefs, any of these could be the cause; it wasn’t surprising.
‘I can’t be dragged around by someone’s intentions without knowing anything. First, I need to identify friend and foe and understand the circumstances here.’
His recent response was part of that effort.
With such a ruckus stirred up, the mastermind behind it would have no choice but to show some movement.
Moreover, he had bought time to gather internal information, so there was no reason not to.
‘Oh, absolutely. It’s not like I lost it due to muscle loss or anything.’
Even if he was insulted, Heinrich, being a person of dignity, wouldn’t resort to violence that easily for something trivial.
… Although, there was a slight, very slight hint of personal feelings involved, it wasn’t purely malice that drove his actions.
Just as Heinrich rationalized his actions as usual, a knock echoed on his door.
Finally, it seemed the anticipated personnel had arrived.
Without hesitation, he swung the door wide open…
“Oooh! This magnificent aura, this overwhelming Holy Power! You are truly the Saint!”
“Ah— Holy God! To see the Saint up close like this… here on Earth…”
Seeing the clergy immediately shower him with praise upon seeing his face, Heinrich instinctively put on a smile.
The familiar Holy Power emanating from them made him feel a sense of instinctive satisfaction.
‘Clerics from the Holy Church Order, from Auterica like me.’
This was a Pantheon where various dimensions of religions converged.
Though Auterica was relatively new, it wasn’t surprising to find a priest from the Holy Church Order here.
“Since we have no time, let’s get right to the point.”
As Heinrich welcomed them into the room, the bustling clerics straightened their posture reverently.
No one had met him directly, but there was no doubt among them that Heinrich was the Saint of the Holy Church Order.
The immense Holy Power he exuded served as proof of his status.
‘It’s best to solidify these reliable allies first with adequate power.’
As the Saint and Apostle chosen by the Holy God.
The angel who would act on behalf of the divine to spread miracles on Earth—
Hwaak—
Willingly became the conduit with His servants.
With a brilliant light, the move 「Great Blessing: Wings of Radiance」 unfolded magnificently.
At that moment, the constraints the clergy had endured, crossing dimensions, began to wash away as if cleansed through the angelic intermediary.
“Ah, unbelievable. It’s a miracle! The Holy Power…!”
“Oh, Holy God! To see the connection that had grown faint regain its clarity! How can this happen on Earth…!”
“Could that figure be… an angel?!”
The clergy, their abilities, including output and recovery of Holy Power, restored to their peak as they were in another world.
This miracle unfolding right before them was more than enough to reignite their somewhat dulled faith.
How could they doubt the greatness of the divine when witnessing such a display of power transcending dimensions?
“Everyone, please pay attention.”
In that context, the authoritative voice that rang out was akin to divine pronouncement.
“This world is in a state of crisis. To resolve this, I need your help.”
Moved to tears, the clerics threw themselves to the ground in unison.
No trace of hesitation remained in the eyes of those religious individuals who had just witnessed a miracle.
Only the quietly burning flame of zeal flickered fiercely.
Thus, after receiving a few instructions from Heinrich, the fervent believers quietly dispersed throughout the Pantheon.
*
‘This is troublesome.’
The individual sitting alone in the darkness let out a quiet sigh.
Having painstakingly crafted a plan only to see it get abandoned before it even began was only natural.
‘Foolish one. How could you fail at such a simple task?’
He ground his teeth as he recalled the one who bungled everything.
Whether being insulted and then receiving a beating in return or simply being made to vacate his position, either outcome was irrelevant.
He had prepared various scenarios for a coordinated operation to undermine trust, picking apart his opponent.
‘And yet, how could this happen…’
Despite having repeatedly reminded them, they had attacked first and ended up getting taken away instead.
Such a situation was something he never even conceived of, leaving him dumbfounded to the point of laughter.
He had found it convenient to use them, throwing them scraps from time to time, but seeing this latest fiasco made it clear he needed to replace them.
“Tsk, it would have been much easier if the secretary had still been around.”
In truth, there were excuses to be made for the clumsy handling of matters now.
Adeline Schneider, the secretary who was the head of the Buncheon Society in North America.
She oversaw everything occurring in North America and directly commanded operations within the Pantheon.
Being a unique figure as the Apostle of the Head and adept at crafting schemes, her sudden absence couldn’t be fully compensated for even now.
‘I’m nothing but a dagger in the dark. I can’t be the one to step forward indefinitely. For that, I need to secure a replacement in the committee chair as swiftly as possible…’
Just recently, a new head of the North America branch was appointed during a meeting of the Buncheon Society’s higher-ups, but given the nature of the Pantheon, it wasn’t easy for an outsider to interfere.
Essentially, the one who had been the second-in-command had now become the highest-ranking official.
‘The Saint of Auterica, Heinrich… he’s dangerous. If I leave him be, he might seize the secretary’s vacant position and assert influence within the Pantheon.’
The circumstances changed dramatically since the secretary first identified and tried to recruit him.
At that time, they didn’t even know he was an enemy, and critically, she was still alive.
Fortunately, he was not the only one who didn’t welcome Heinrich, so piecing together a plan would not prove too difficult.
Aren’t politicians those who, on the surface, put on a polite front but use any means necessary for their own gain?
‘And in any organization, those at the top invariably turn into politicians.’
Clerics were no exception to that rule.
Though they were called a religious alliance, each one was essentially just an individual organization.
‘I cannot abandon the Pantheon. After all, we’ve invested so much time here.’
Countless factions from various dimensions, and the overwhelming and diverse types of Holy Power derived from them.
To say that this place, San Francisco, had accumulated such special Holy Power over a long time would not be an exaggeration.
So essentially, this was…
The place most fitting for the emergence of new abilities, if one were to say it easily.
‘Fortunately, the council has been supportive, so I should be able to manage somehow. First, I need to deal with that Saint…’
Just then, lost in thought.
His head abruptly turned to the side.
He felt a gaze from beyond the curtains.
He carefully rose and pulled back the curtain.
There was no reason to feel guilty since he wasn’t really doing anything suspicious.
And just as he peered at the source of the gaze from beyond the curtain…
His expression slightly twitched before returning to normal.
‘…That’s definitely…’
It was someone he had familiarized himself with through meticulous investigation.
Normally, he wouldn’t have paid much attention, but given the current situation, this individual had a particularly concerning background.
‘A priest from Auterica.’
Could it be a coincidence?
He was wandering around right at the time the Saint Heinrich had come to visit…
‘This is ominous.’
He subtly glanced at the disappearing priest’s back and looked up at the sky.
As if he had planned this all along.
The next day.
Shortly after the decision regarding punishment for Walter, the holy knight from Quiladia Church, who violated the Pantheon’s rules, had been made.
The long-delayed discussion between Heinrich and the representatives of the Pantheon was set to take place.
*
“Damn it, I feel like I’m going to die of a headache.”
Sinking deep into a plush armchair, Andrew Weaver let out a sigh.
After being given a sudden order, he had spent the night utilizing his abilities, causing a throbbing headache to flare up.
‘If this keeps up, I really might die from overwork.’
This mission was particularly grueling.
It was to be expected since…
“Out of the blue, America?”
The observation target was San Francisco, located almost on the opposite side of the Earth.
The further he had to stretch his gaze from his current location, the more energy it naturally consumed.
Not to mention it wasn’t just any ordinary place; it was practically a sanctuary for the Pantheon…
‘How could they have possibly recruited the clerics?’
Surely, it would have been impossible without active collaborators within, working hand in hand.
No, they wouldn’t have even been able to reach that far without the special ‘medium’ distributed to them in the first place.
He truly knew nothing about the Pantheon.
“Ugh, is the Undead King planning to conquer Earth too?”
Considering the connection between the one who gave him orders and the target of the investigation, that thought inevitably crossed his mind.
“Phew, well, it doesn’t matter to me anymore.”
Since he was bound by contract, there was no escape.
If there was anything he hoped for, it would be that Korea remained as peaceful as it was now.
Thanks to the magical equipment, there were no language issues, and with good pay, there was no place better to live than here.
‘Oh, and a long vacation too.’
Thinking about taking a vacation strangely energized him.
Andrew, who conjured up a wish that would probably never be realized, typed away on his keyboard to send the gathered information before gently closing his eyes to resume his work.
‘If I perform well this time, maybe I’ll truly get a long vacation.’
At that very moment.
There were many others who shared the same goals as Andrew.
All manners of powers like fate manipulation, clairvoyance, and astrology pitted themselves toward a single target, and the information collected gradually began to take shape.
And finally.
“… Found it.”
In the midst of a data center filled with numerous devices.
Even with the high-output air conditioning running at full power, heat could be felt in the space as a low voice murmured.
Using hacking tools inside, he validated numerous pieces of information while filtering through electronic data, detecting a suspicious access from one location.
Hesperon, lying within a special capsule created by Howard, approached it for more detailed confirmation.
“… What is this?”
At that moment, a line of confusion escaped his lips.
“Huh? Could this be…?”
*
Beep beep—
The sudden blaring alarm rang out.
“Huh? What’s this? How did they get this far?”
A middle-aged man in a disheveled lab coat glanced up at the monitor and tilted his head.
But that was only for a moment.
Soon, his face lit up with the joy of meeting an old friend.
“Aha! So this friend is that friend, huh?”
Ecstatically abandoning his work, the man rushed toward the monitor.
“Wow! Finally, we meet—! The hacker of the Masquerade!”
The doctor beamed widely.
