Chapter 465: Where Promises Intersect (6)

Lennok observed the bag Hylaea set down, instead of immediately taking it.

He felt the meaning of “items Myeong personally prepared” weigh much heavier than before.

“The Clown originally asked for this as compensation, but it seems it was decided it would go to you based on the success of this mission.”

Whether she knew Lennok’s thoughts or not, Hylaea smiled gently, gazing at the mask.

“And everything else inside. They’re all yours, even the shares of those who died during the operation, so don’t be shy.”

Her mental fortitude, maintaining composure even after Lennok’s sharp warning, was admirable.

Only then did Lennok chuckle, opening the bag and examining its contents.

Immediately, what piled up at the top of the bag was a familiar, brilliant glow to Lennok’s eyes.

“Jewelry and consumable artifacts… Focusing on physical goods isn’t bad. What’s this, drugs?”

Lennok let out a hollow laugh, pulling out powder stored separately in a case at the bottom of the bag.

Hylaea shrugged, seeing it.

“A hypnotist named Rick requested it. They say it’s a useful hallucinogen for that kind of system, but I don’t know the details myself.”

Besides that, a few sheets of paper, seemingly blueprints for gauntlet materials and alchemy recipes, filled the empty spaces in the bag.

Various types of compensation requested by the superhumans who infiltrated Kaiushyu. They must be items related to their personal achievements or desires.

Lennok quickly checked those items and immediately pulled out the object occupying the deepest part of the bag.

Thump!

A heavy, jet-black cube. Small enough to be stored in his pocket.

Unlike other artifacts or catalysts that emitted faint magic, no energy could be felt from this.

But its appearance was so peculiar that Lennok, holding it, was slightly surprised.

A multifaceted cube continuously surged from within, like a flower blooming inside the cube.

Regardless of the expanding and distorting shapes within, the cube’s size remained unchanged.

Its extraordinary appearance was evident at first glance. This was probably the item Myeong had separately obtained and given to Lennok.

“This is…”

“They call it a Penteract.”

Hylaea said, looking down at it with him, a curious expression on her face.

“They say it’s an artifact from the Old World that materializes a shape that can only exist in the 5th dimension, but I don’t really know what that means.”

“…”

“The Clown originally asked Myeong for this, but it seems it was decided to give it to you, considering your contribution to this operation.”

“…Do you know anything about its specific function?”

Normally, he wouldn’t ask others about an artifact’s function, but the item he held was an exceedingly abstruse treasure.

It was impossible to properly perceive a 5th-dimensional object in 3-dimensional space to begin with.

It might be a miracle created when an Old World artifact crossed over into WORLD 3.0, but in this world where mysteries exist, there was no way to know exactly how the concept of spatial axes was interpreted.

Hylaea also didn’t seem to deeply understand the Penteract, shrugging with an awkward expression.

“According to Myeong, it’s a medium that, by injecting magic, randomly reproduces results from other spatial axes. Do you understand what that means?”

“…”

He wasn’t without his suspicions, but it probably wouldn’t be as good as trying it himself.

Lennok thought so and immediately began drawing up magic and pouring it into the cube.

Click, click, click…!!

The Penteract, absorbing magic like a sponge, wriggled in place and instantly began to transform its appearance.

As it rapidly grew in size in Lennok’s hand, Hylaea’s face instantly turned pale.

“W-wait… Victor, if you suddenly use something like that inside this cathedral…!!”

Thump!!

A jet-black scale instantly appeared before Lennok’s eyes. Its size was similar to Lennok’s height.

Unlike its cube form, where no magic could be felt, it was now scattering clear power.

Lennok stroked his chin, looking at the scale slowly swaying before him.

“So this is what it feels like.”

“What… is this?”

Lennok opened his mouth, seeing Hylaea’s bewildered expression.

“It’s a type of sorcerous tool that operates by mediating divine power. I suspect it has the ability to measure weight…”

“No, of course it would have that ability since it’s a scale… but was this what ‘bringing results from other spatial axes’ meant?”

“It seems to be an artifact that transforms randomly into a specific artifact or object when magic is injected.”

Only then did Hylaea understand what the Penteract’s ability was, letting out a sigh and shaking her head.

“…There was a reason the Clown wanted this so much.”

Lennok inwardly agreed.

For the Clown, who entrusted even his own abilities and Hierarchy to the variable of luck, this artifact would have been used very effectively.

‘The problem is that Myeong gave this to me, not the Clown.’

What did it mean that the monstrous black wizard gave this to Lennok, despite surely knowing the Clown’s abilities?

Unless Myeong expected Lennok to use it well too, it would be a rather useless reward.

‘It’s highly unlikely that it just randomly spits out artifacts. It’s worth researching. But…’

Lennok fell into thought, holding the cube as it reverted to its complex cubic form.

Regardless of the cube’s function, the favor Myeong showed Lennok was, no matter how he thought about it, more than he had anticipated.

Myeong’s blatant attitude, as if trying to arm Lennok even at some cost.

Furthermore, what did it mean for him to provide compensation like this even after the operation was over?

Perhaps this operation wasn’t the true reason Myeong wanted Lennok.

There is no favor without a price.

It was only natural that Myeong offered Lennok various advice and favors in this way because he expected much from him.

Someday, all these things might become an irreversible debt that would return to Lennok.

Lennok tried not to forget that fact, putting the Penteract into his pocket and picking up the bag.

“Alright. This concludes this matter. When’s the next one?”

“Whenever you want. We’re conducting operations all over the continent, so it won’t be a big problem wherever you’re deployed.”

Hylaea said, pulling out a map from inside the chapel table and spreading it open.

At first glance, it looked like an ordinary topographical map, but inside, various colored dots slowly wriggled, moving across the continent.

She pointed to one corner of the map, naturally continuing her explanation.

“The most urgent is the central front, but disturbing rumors have been circulating recently, so we’ll exclude that. If you want operations on the eastern side, we’re planning to enter operations in Evoke…”

“No, if it’s anytime, let’s end it here for now.”

Lennok, interrupting Hylaea, stood up.

“I heard there’s a plan to inspect the Old World artifacts in a nearby satellite city. It won’t be too late to talk after seeing how things go there.”

“…Do you know that information about that schedule hasn’t been properly confirmed for less than a week?”

Hylaea muttered, dumbfounded, stepping back and folding the map she had been pointing at.

“I don’t know where you heard that, but if you say so, fine. You have a legitimate reason to participate, especially because of the Kaiushyu incident.”

It wasn’t that Lennok specifically desired it or paid close attention to the Clown’s words.

A gathering where the collected Old World artifacts would be organized and distributed.

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t interested in the artifacts that would circulate there, but more important was confirming Pandemonium’s main forces, who directly moved on the front lines, with his own eyes.

Of course, it was unlikely that monsters like Myeong or Croken would come, who overwhelmed all other superhumans, but it still held significance.

From Lennok’s perspective, having a foot in both the Eyes of Blue and Pandemonium, it was natural to want to observe everything about both organizations.

The fact that Myeong knew this but gave no hint was probably proof that he didn’t care much.

In that case, Lennok only needed to move and observe as he wished.

Lennok thought so, wrapped the bag Hylaea handed him with magic, lifted it, and turned his back.

Hylaea stared silently at Lennok’s retreating back, then hesitated slightly and spoke.

“…May I ask just one thing?”

“What is it?”

“I heard you were with the Clown until the very end at the Well of the Codex.”

Hylaea asked quietly, staring intently at Lennok’s mask.

“Did you… see the truth about ascension there?”

“…”

He was slightly surprised.

Was the truth of this world also an object of longing for this double-faced person whose intentions he couldn’t read?

No, Lennok slowly scrutinized Hylaea’s gaze and understood that it was a feeling slightly different from longing.

She simply wanted to know.

She wouldn’t challenge ascension now, but in some sense, she was a member of an organization quite close to that goal.

If Pandemonium truly moved in the direction they desired and achieved their goal, and if there was a “next” at the end of that future.

Could unpromised hope also fall upon her?

Even if she didn’t show it outwardly, she would want to know.

Perhaps she thought that a talented and arrogant wizard, unlike the unreadable monsters, might tell her the truth.

As he thought that far, Lennok realized that this was a fragment of the longing that would one day overflow the world.

Eventually, even those without the qualifications would know that the end was near.

The moment of the grand opening, whose exact timing was unknown but certainly within a perceptible time frame, would be awaited by all.

A demise that even Lennok, who had long ago perceived and realized that moment, could not fully grasp, whether one wished for it to come or denied it.

Before answering Hylaea’s words, the faces of countless people he knew flashed before Lennok’s eyes.

After a brief silence, Lennok scoffed.

“It’s nothing much.”

Hylaea’s face hardened.

“…Nothing, much?”

“It’s not a problem that can be solved by prolonged contemplation. Deep thinking only leads to being buried. What’s the point of forcing yourself to think, agonizing, and suffering?”

“…”

“Reminding myself why I am here is enough.”

Lennok said, sharply turning his head.

Hylaea stared blankly at Lennok’s figure, then let out a bitter laugh.

“That’s an arrogant thought. More than I could ever imitate.”

“…”

“But I can tell you’re not a bad person.”

She sank weakly into a pew in the chapel, waving her hand at Lennok.

“I’ll contact you when the next inspection schedule is precisely set. Today was enjoyable.”

Lennok didn’t reply and left the cathedral.

He walked between the water pipes behind the factory, where humid steam billowed out. Through the swirling smoke, he took off his mask and ran a hand through his hair.

Pshhh!

His vision cleared, and the temperature of the air on his skin changed dramatically.

After wearing a mask for several days, the sensation of his bare face felt strange and unfamiliar.

“Whew…”

He touched his rough bare face and looked into a nearby broken window, using it as a mirror.

It surprised Lennok that despite camping outside the city for several days, he had no major internal injuries, only heavy fatigue.

This was the effect of taking the Archangel’s Tear, which reversed his physical age, expelling all injuries and waste products that had accumulated unknowingly in his body.

Considering the sense of “reverse transformation” being more pronounced than the direct feeling, this good condition wouldn’t last long, but what did it matter?

Hadn’t he clearly realized that his condition had noticeably improved even while jostling amidst the close-quarters combat of Ascendants in the jungle?

He wanted to research his changed condition and the efficiency of his internal magic circuits immediately, but there was something he had to do first.

Unlike Pandemonium’s long-prepared plan ending in partial success, the questions he gained at its end still lingered within Lennok.

The single question Lennok had to resolve himself, having witnessed the landscape of the Outer Sea and Kebaek’s end.

The place where he could find the answer to that question was in this city.

Lennok wasted no time and immediately walked towards the undeveloped zone of Sector 40.

“Van, aren’t you visiting after too long?”

Chen, who had been waiting after receiving Lennok’s call, smiled and patted his shoulder.

“I tried contacting you a few times, but I couldn’t get through. How busy have you been?”

This was his first visit here since he came to stop Walter Martinez’s Apostle’s Advent at Palgung Fortress, one of the Triad, a major underworld power.

Having lost a member and Yibon from the family that supported their power, they had renamed themselves the Six-Pointed Fortress and were still surviving and enduring there.

The City Government still needed personnel to manage the fissures located on the outskirts of the city, and if the existing personnel were unharmed, it was necessary to pass on responsibility and ownership to them.

After Oren, the head of the Three Elders’ Family, became the leader, they suffered various checks and controversies, but their power was still intact.

No, in Lennok’s eyes, they seemed much more stable than the moment Il-won and Yibon fell.

Lennok also faintly nodded, taking Chen’s outstretched hand.

“A lot has happened.”

Chen smiled and glanced around.

“I keep hearing news from outside the fortress. There are rumors that you had a major confrontation with high-ranking City Government officials.”

“Hmm.”

“There are also widespread rumors that you’ll be focusing on recuperation for a while. Your condition seems better than expected, doesn’t it?”

Chen’s expression as he said this had changed to one of slight wonder.

“Everyone was talking as if you were already dead. Honestly, if I hadn’t known what happened at the fortress, I would’ve thought it was nonsense.”

“…”

“Well, that’s not important right now. Let’s head to the mansion first.”

Lennok recalled his last meeting with Chen.

At that time, Lennok had received the Il-won Family’s mansion and land as compensation for subduing the Apostle, and he leased it to Chen.

For Lennok, who had no intention of staying long in the fortress, it didn’t matter as long as he secured the fissure in the hidden area of the mansion.

Chen used the leased family land to start the business he had prepared, and it had now grown to a considerable scale.

Rumble!!

Several buildings stood on the street near the Il-won Family’s antique wooden mansion.

Below, massive heavy equipment used the spacious front yard as a parking lot.

Trucks ceaselessly came and went, transporting cargo, forming a line that extended all the way to the main road outside the fortress.

Chen, noticing Lennok’s gaze, grinned.

“Looks better than you expected, right?”

“It’s beyond ‘okay’.”

“The labor and maintenance costs are considerable, but even factoring that in, the sales are quite good.”

Chen puffed out his chest proudly.

“With the lifting of the Prohibition Edict, the city’s facilities suffered severe damage, so we’re overflowing with work. The construction industry has experienced an unexpected boom.”

“…”

“I had been conceptualizing this business for a while, but I’ve been lucky in many ways. Many people consider us neutral because we bear the fortress’s name.”

He knew it wasn’t just luck that made this possible.

Someone as astute as Chen would surely have heard rumors about Lennok and specific circumstances.

The fact that he could maintain a consistent attitude, clearly knowing what Lennok was doing, was itself an extraordinary character trait.

A person who completely disregarded external information when accepting existing interests.

Should it be called a stubborn personality when running a business? It was one of the rare talents Lennok had seen among the people he knew.

“Is your sister doing well? I haven’t heard from her much lately, wondering if she’s enjoying that work.”

“Jenny says she’s one of the busiest freelancers.”

Lennok replied.

“Her warrior-like disposition and skill seem to have caught attention, and I heard she’s getting requests from various places.”

In Soo-ryun’s case, she was one of the most diligent freelancers managed by Jenny, so her reputation and compensation were rising rapidly.

She barely made time to visit even when Lennok offered to teach her magic, so it must be almost impossible to see her normally.

“That’s good to hear. I’m planning to take some annual leave soon, so I should contact my sister in advance to clear her schedule.”

Chen, with a faint smile, brought a key to the lock on the threshold.

“If I want to expand the business into the daylight world, I’ll have to put in the legwork whether I like it or not.”

“I’ll connect you with Sebastian. He’s a broker specializing in dealing with that side, so he can connect you.”

“Are you going to take the referral fee?”

Lennok laughed at Chen’s witty retort.

“Naturally.”

Creaaak…!

The door opened, and the innermost hidden area of the mansion fully revealed itself before the two.

A lush, dark green field, and upon it, a single black coffin.

The atmosphere of the hidden area, flowing sluggishly as if time had stopped, settling quietly.

The most fundamental reason for Palgung Fortress’s existence. The world’s fissure located in the megalopolis.

Chen took a slight step back and said,

“You probably don’t want to be disturbed, so I’ll leave now. Call me if you need anything.”

“Thanks.”

“…But could I at least get a hint about what you’re planning to do at the fissure this time?”

Chen chuckled with an awkward expression.

“Well, you know… It’s not that I really want to know, but it’d be good to prepare in advance if there’s a problem big enough to interfere with business.”

“Don’t worry. It probably won’t cause that much commotion.”

Lennok smiled faintly, turning his gaze towards the inside of the hidden area.

“I might just find out why I’m here, through this opportunity.”

“…What?”

Pandemonium’s work, which began in Kaiushyu, was all finished, but Lennok still had things to do.

The truth of the landscape he faced beyond the Outer Sea.

Lennok intended to unearth that question and its answer right here.