〈 Rehearsal (1) 〉
Clink—
the sound of a steaming warm coffee cup being placed on the table rang softly.
‘Southeast Asia branch.’
Right after finishing a sudden outing.
After returning home and enjoying a refreshing shower and coffee, I sat in the massage chair as usual and quietly lost in thought.
I needed to think more deeply about the information I received earlier.
‘Singapore.’
A representative city-state in Southeast Asia with an area larger than Seoul but smaller than Busan.
However, it is one of the advanced countries in Asia that has achieved economic growth that belies its size.
That was the most likely location for the Southeast Asia branch of the Buncheonhoe.
‘It’s definitely a good thing that the area isn’t that big. ‘The amount of work required for detailed investigation will be reduced accordingly.’
We obtained information in the process of hacking the devices of those who were operating undercover in Korea, but unfortunately, there was a major flaw.
Naturally, there was no way that the Korean branch, which was no different from the bottom, would know high-level information such as the exact location of the Southeast Asian branch, which was a higher-level organization.
The fact that we were able to obtain approximate location information was all thanks to the rapid growth in performance of “Inside the Machine: Callicas.”
If it were not for detailed analysis, it would have been difficult for any country to obtain such income.
‘When the East Asia branch led by the ruler collapsed, was the management of Korea transferred to that branch? …In fact, the newly formed East Asia jurisdiction will be busy just normalizing China right now.’
Hans’s trip to China, which followed the hunt for the ruler, came to a brief halt as the Beoncheonhoe began responding in earnest.
Contrary to the original goal of the remnants of each branch quickly hiding beneath the surface, the huge nation of China reacted nervously and proactively, so there was considerable difficulty in continuing hunting activities.
‘Of course, unless the Beoncheonhoeju directly steps forward, there will be limits to how much he can block Hans’ direct actions. However, it is also a clear fact that efficiency has been seriously reduced due to the interference.’
I already had a lot of work to do, but I couldn’t stick to the least efficient work forever.
Moreover, the longer you stay on Earth due to time difference, the more time you lose about ten times more than if you stayed in another world, right?
So, I was planning to take my time and watch while taking care of other matters first until Earth’s subordinates brought me more certain information…
‘I just happened to have an appropriate goal. Of course, since it is a branch that oversees one region, it will not be an easy task to overcome tight security and find the exact location.’
Fortunately, there was one person here who was more talented than anyone else in that field.
In the past, he was a hidden figure who made a great contribution in finding out the location of the East Asia branch and killing the ruler, and this time he was an ace in the intelligence department who provided decisive help in eliminating those hiding in Korea.
***
“Wuetch!”
Andrew Weaver suddenly sneezed and trembled.
It was impossible for me, a strong awakened person, to have a cold, but for some reason, an unknown chill ran through my body and my fur stood on end.
A feeling of ominousness of unknown origin creeping up, stabbing me in the back.
“…Whew, I guess I’m feeling discouraged. “Should I take a pill of this tonic…”
Complaints in Korean naturally flow out of my mouth.
Although he was a yellow-haired American, he watched the lives of Koreans through dozens and hundreds of eyes every day, so he couldn’t help but quickly become immersed in the culture.
Not only was he not a bad person, but thanks to the influence of his ability, he became fluent in Korean to the point where anyone would think he had already lived in Korea for several years.
Well, I was able to trace the remnants of the Korean Buncheonhoe and find them hiding in the demilitarized zone.
‘No. Since I did the right thing this time, I will be able to arrange a vacation soon, right? At this point, I need to go back to my hometown and rest for about a month. ‘I’ve been accumulating money in my bank account, but now I’m spending it too much.’
If nothing else, he was receiving an eye-popping salary.
The problem is that the working conditions are so bad and the welfare is so poor that there is no time to use it.
Although it was possible to receive most items within a few days by ordering online, the taste of swiping a card in person was bound to be different.
‘As for the car… even if I buy it, I won’t ever ride it. I don’t know how long I’ll be in Korea. Then just buy a watch. ah! Sunglasses should also be made of high-end luxury goods and the duty-free shops should be robbed…’
As the happy delusion began, I no longer felt the ominous feeling that had been chilling.
It seems that it was just a simple feeling.
Andrew closed his eyes again to solve the task assigned to him by the clan.
As I thought that I would soon be able to rest well once I finished the pile of work, I felt like my motivation, which had hit rock bottom, was burning again.
‘Hurry up and finish everything and let’s go on a vacation vacation vacation! That’s right, I’m going to go to Las Vegas and reduce my bank account balance to zero!’
Anyway, if he works here for just a few years, he will be able to earn an amount of money he has never seen in his life.
He used his abilities as if he could, and completed the backlog of tasks one by one while tracking down the remnants of the Buncheonhoe.
Without even knowing in my dreams what kind of future awaits me.
***
‘I need to make a language interpretation magic tool as quickly as possible. Of course, that would be the best way to bring out Andrew’s abilities to the fullest.’
Although nearly half of Singaporeans speak English as their first language, in other words, more than half primarily speak other languages.
What would be more of a waste if you collected as much information as you could and then passed it away because you couldn’t understand half of it?
“I heard that even the bull’s horn was removed because it was sweet. “Now that I’m thinking about it, let’s get rid of it now.”
I jumped up from the massage chair and took a swig of the coffee that was on the table next to me.
Of course, no matter how great I was, I couldn’t create such a magic tool at will.
Automatically interpreting all languages is not such a low-level technology.
Interpretation that is not based on a large database, like translation using scientific technology, inevitably involves the process of interpreting the meaning contained in the user’s language.
Such a process was essential to perfectly understand homonyms, ambiguous figures of speech, and expressions that are unique to certain cultures to avoid minor errors and misunderstandings.
And the ability to fully accept the meaning of language is—.
It was a power that was no less than the minimum basic condition for learning the highest ability in the magic system, the spirit of speech.
There’s no way it would be easy to embody such extraordinary qualities with just a magic tool, right?
‘No matter how basic the conditions are, nothing is said. Even Horus, who receives all kinds of corrections, would have needed at least ten years to learn the basics of ‘Dragon Magic’, so there is no need to talk about its level and difficulty now.’
If he had not already possessed “Xenoglossy” and Horus’s “Lord Magic,” and had not laid a proper intellectual foundation with Hans’ “Forbidden Truth,” he would not have even dared to do so.
The idea of giving a reward to Andrew for his great contribution was not just based on my own greed!
‘Well, it may be necessary to downgrade a bit and impose some restrictions. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to limit it to only responding to Earth’s language.’
In addition, if you combine other technologies and link them together, the difficulty can be greatly reduced.
Since the theory has already been completed, the production period will not take as long as expected.
After finishing my thoughts like that, I looked straight ahead and quietly concentrated my mind.
‘As expected, it is most certain to use that.’
One step forward with a deep breath.
Immediately after that, a strange sensation passed through my entire body.
I was already standing in a different place.
A floor covered with solid tiles, walls finished with smooth marble, and a high ceiling studded with beads that emit soft light.
“…Then let’s get started.”
It is not a barrier within the Earth, but a separate phase space that flows according to completely different laws.
It is a secret hideout that only I can enter and the last bastion where I can escape in times of crisis.
This was the “Dragon Lair”.
***
“Dragon Lair,” a perk obtained by Horus when he achieved the achievement of being the “Last Gold Dragon.”
In a way, the movement into something closer to subspace rather than the world of phenomena could be seen as a dimensional movement.
Of course, since it is not true dimensional movement, there are all kinds of restrictions and limitations, but considering the things that can be done with it, such things are not considered a big disadvantage.
The first one is—.
“Uh-huh! “This is great!”
A space in the corner of a cave connected by a neat hallway.
A stocky dwarf burst into laughter as he looked around the studio, which was decorated with top-of-the-line furnaces and anvils.
On one side of the wall, devices stolen from the Korean remnants of the Buncheonhoe were lined up, but that wasn’t important right now.
It was a separate space from the workshop in Tarak, but as it was filled with items made and prepared by oneself, the desire to start working immediately arose.
‘Well, the faster the work, the better.’
I slowly approached the dwarf Howard and smiled vaguely.
This is one of the effects of “Dragon Lair.”
It was a function that could temporarily bring together avatars from different dimensions.
‘Thanks to this, we can now collaborate without the hassle of exchanging work in the middle of work or having to cross dimensions. ‘I already have all the necessary materials in Rare’s warehouse.’
The second advantage was the time difference control using it.
This space was a parasitic world that did not belong to any dimension and could only exist if there was another dimension.
So, I was able to select and apply the time difference that should have been automatically adjusted to the flow of that dimension as I wanted.
Time on Earth can now be used as efficiently as possible.
Of course, there was a reason why I didn’t use this good thing often.
‘If there wasn’t a time limit, I could have used it a little more.’
There was a limit to the time I could stay in this space “Dragon Lair”.
Roughly one week out of the month, assuming you’re inside all day?
Considering that a two-dimensional space can be created without any other medium and can be freely accessed, such restrictions can be said to be quite natural.
‘Of course, if you distribute your time well, you can use it more efficiently, but…’
The problem was that as the number of avatars inside increased, the maintenance time decreased exponentially.
Originally, a dragon lair was a nest created by a dragon to store its treasures and hibernate in a safer environment.
Perhaps the only way to eliminate time restrictions would be to hibernate Horus in the center and use it as the core of space?
‘Well, this is enough for now.’
Of course, I couldn’t bring anyone else with me, and when I returned, I could only go to my original location, but it was a good perk to have as insurance just in case.
It was perfect to use in urgent situations like this one.
[Phew— Well, since we don’t have much time, let’s get started right away.]
Immediately, I put on the shell of Hans and opened my mouth softly.
Even though I tried to suppress it as much as possible, the surrounding air began to freeze in an instant, but the basic specifications and skills that the other avatars had accumulated so far were so great that it did not have much of an indirect effect.
“Uh-huh! There was one thing I was thinking of, and it worked out great! “I can try it out right now!”
“Well, I think we can create a more efficient design if we mix magic and magic. Among them, the one that is most effective is….”
The beings that were targeted were a dwarf whose rank rose significantly after receiving three blessings, and a genius dragon who studied abroad and mastered the mysteries of both worlds.
Hatchling Horus, who had been around for some time, prepared the enchantment next to Howard, who began the work of refining various materials.
[There is no need to include the ability to speak and write language. Just so you can hear and read… Then, if you do it this way….]
In addition, there is even the main body (Hans Ver.) that holds up one hand on behalf of the real Hans.
With such high-quality personnel gathered together and joining forces, it was only a matter of time before magic tools were created.
earth-! earth-! Chiiik—
A work site where progress is made step by step amidst regular noise.
The sight was surprisingly still and had a strange calmness about it.
That same time.
Unlike what is happening in other places.
The real Demon King Hans, the Demon King Harley, and the supreme warrior Hugo are dispatched to Kang Hwan-gye.
Especially in the vicinity of Beijing, the capital, which was almost the heart of the world.
—The fight for the fate of the world was about to begin.
***
Under a sky filled with dark clouds so black that the sky could not be seen.
“Hehehe—is it just getting started?”
Even though it was broad daylight, a chilling voice flowed from the ground covered in deep darkness that made my skin feel cold just by hearing it.
Sensing the crowd approaching nearby, Hans, the protagonist of the voice, wearing a scarf made of chimera, quietly looked up at the sky.
At first glance, it just looked like dark clouds had gathered irregularly, but inside there were complex rules and systems that most people could not even fathom.
…No, it was a totality of mysteries that even the world’s greatest intellectuals could not understand.
His own unique complex technique that combines all kinds of theories, including magic circles and magic knowledge, as well as magic circles, numerology, and Kabbalah.
It was a miracle that he stayed here and prepared despite the turmoil that occurred on Earth, and it was a stage set that he personally prepared and set for the actors who willingly came on stage.
I will guide them so that they can burn brighter and more splendidly on this one-off stage.
“Now—come, warriors. Defeat the devil with your own hands and save the world. Peace without sacrifice has no meaning. Sprinkle your blood like water as fertilizer for your body, and burn your soul to shine the light.”
In the future, people in the world will call it—.
It is the final battle for the fate of the world.
A head-to-head battle between the beliefs of the evil demon cultists and the warriors of the Murim Alliance.
And the final fight of the heroes who gave up their lives to save the world from destruction.
“So when your obsession and desire reaches heaven, I will personally bring salvation to this earth.”
But in reality, it was planned by only one person.
The curtain has risen on ‘Home Theater Rehearsal (Kang Hwan-gye’s edition)’.