Chapter 295: < War Preparations (2) >

< War Preparations (2) >

The most crucial aspect of war was gathering intelligence. Knowing when, where, and how the enemy would move was essential for victory.

Thus, intelligence networks across Auterica began operating simultaneously with a shared objective: to obtain any clue, no matter how small.

Of course, no one in the world knew that this phenomenon was orchestrated by a single person.

'The question is, how much time do we have left?'

It had been a while since the Heavenly Wealth Society Master had left Earth. His continued absence meant…

'Either he stopped by somewhere else before coming to Auterica, or he's having trouble entering this world.'

Considering the revelation, the latter seemed more likely. Invading a world wasn't easy.

But the Society Master had already succeeded several times, making him an opponent they couldn't underestimate. Ganghwange was still reeling from his visit!

'I also need to consider his target. What he will aim for first after entering Auterica.'

In Ganghwange, the Society Master had stolen the Dragon Heart, the core of the dragon veins that supplied the world with Qi. While the laws and energy structures of each world were different, and Auterica wasn't exactly the same as Ganghwange, there were still points of reference.

'Auterica doesn't have dragon veins or a Dragon Heart. But if I had to pick something he might be interested in…'

Two places came to mind.

The first was the Holy Land in the center of the Ion continent. While it didn't have a practical function like the Dragon Heart, it was a significant location due to its symbolic importance as the center of the world and its theological significance as a place touched by God. Just in case, it was best to be thoroughly prepared.

And the second…

'Come to think of it, this is closer to the concept of dragon veins.'

The avatar and symbol of a god descended upon the earth. Proof of the miracle sustaining the continent. The very fragment of divinity.

The World Tree.

'…I'll have Harris prepare for that.'

It seemed the demihumans of the Enamel continent wouldn't be resting anytime soon.

He focused on fortifying Auterica, his main base. But he couldn't neglect Earth. Earth, where the Heavenly Wealth Society had already established a presence, was practically the enemy's home ground.

From a long-term perspective, he couldn't miss this opportunity to disrupt them.

'A purely defensive approach isn't my style. …And it would also be a good way to maximize Heinz's power before the decisive battle.'

Heinz II's European expedition, tasked with a part of the offensive, was proceeding smoothly.

Upon arriving in Italy, he first contacted a Thermidor agent hiding there. In France, his first stop, he had to handle everything personally, but now that he had usable pawns, he could skip the tedious processes. As a neighboring rival power, Thermidor was well-prepared against the Italian vampire clan, 'Gomorrah.'

'Maximize time efficiency.'

He had been taking his time, but there was no room for leisure now.

He frequently traveled back and forth between worlds using 「Interdimensional Travel Gate Summon」, which he could use twice a day, and maximized his efficiency by actively using 「Monarch's Authority」 to manage his forces.

And as a result…

Crash! Rumble—!

"Attack!"

"Ugh! Has Thermidor gone mad? How dare they attack here!"

"Make way! Tear apart the pizzas!"

"Those baguette bastards! Kill them all!"

In less than two days, Heinz arrived at the mansion nestled in the mountains outside Naples, the central city of Southern Italy where the head of Gomorrah resided. Since his subordinates handled most of the work, it was a much faster and smoother operation than in France.

Heinz nodded slowly as he headed towards the mansion, sensing a powerful presence within.

'It was a good decision to take them under my wing. They're quite useful.'

He wondered if he could also forcibly subdue the head of Gomorrah and make them a subordinate. That would certainly be helpful in wresting control of Europe from the Heavenly Wealth Society.

Finally reaching his destination, he met the owner of the mansion.

"…Barging into a lady's house uninvited. Your manners are atrocious."

A tall woman with a strong, imposing presence greeted him in the spacious and lavishly decorated room.

"I tore apart the mouth of the messenger who told me that tyrant was defeated and surrendered to some Eastern vampire… But was it actually true? My apologies."

Short, cropped black hair, jet-black eyes, smoky eye makeup, black lipstick and nail polish, and tattoos all over her body. The warrior woman, clad entirely in black, flexed her muscles, which filled her large frame, and growled like a predator.

'…This is a different case from the tyrant.'

Unlike the tyrant, whose power mainly came from his Unique Skill rather than his vampire abilities, the woman before him radiated a powerful aura from her vampiric essence.

As if she would pounce and bite him at any moment. Moreover, the intensity of her aura was comparable to the purebloods he'd encountered in Auterica.

'I thought it would be difficult to transcend limits with vampiric essence alone unless you were like me… No, wait, was that just a preconceived notion?'

Each dimension had different characteristics and structures, so there could be different ways to achieve transcendence. Moreover, she was an Awakened, capable of defying the laws of the world!

However, this meant it would be nearly impossible to completely subdue her without her submission.

'Honestly, even the tyrant was a close call. …I'm not confident I can control that much vampiric essence.'

He didn't know what problems might arise if he failed. It would be safer to just absorb it all. It was a bit of a shame, but he didn't want to take unnecessary risks and complicate things.

'I can find a suitable second-in-command here and install the tyrant as their backer.'

It was a neighboring country to France, and with his shadow abilities, mobility wouldn't be an issue, so it seemed like a decent plan. To do that, he needed to eliminate Bestia, the Italian vampire lord, as quickly as possible. That way, he could choose a suitable candidate before there were more casualties.

Heinz straightened his suit collar and spoke.

"Let's finish this quickly. I have a lot to do."

"Kahaha! Confident, aren't you! It's been a while since I felt this thrill! I never thought there'd be another one like that Duke of Romania!"

Kaboom—!

As soon as she finished speaking…

The upper floor of the mansion vanished. If he hadn't prepared a barrier as usual, it wouldn't have ended there.

Rumble—!

"Kaha! Strong! You're strong!"

"Hmm."

Bestia, now partially transformed into a beast-like form, as her name suggested, charged at him fiercely. She looked more like a werewolf than a vampire, but as long as she possessed vampiric essence, it didn't matter.

"I can't leave a wild animal that bites people unchecked."

Heinz II clashed with her, unleashing all his power.

Physical might colliding, blood magic raging, blood splattering, space tearing. The earth-shattering battle continued long after the fighting vampires retreated and the mansion was reduced to rubble…

"Gah! Indeed… No wonder that tyrant surrendered. Maybe he really can defeat that monster…"

"Let's end this."

"Wait…! You took that French guy as your subordinate, why not me?"

"…What are you trying to say?"

"Pfft— Need a good attack dog?"

Somehow, he ended up with a tamed beast. She lost more power than the tyrant in the process, but the power gained through the 「Refined Blood Crystal」 was significant enough that the difference wasn't too large.

"New vampiric essence collected. The individual's existence becomes more distinct due to the influence of the Special Skill 「Hybrid Evolution」."

And when it was all over…

'Hmm? Is this…?'

Heinz II… No, Han Sunghyun…

…realized that he could evolve his 「Avatar」 once more with 『Unique Skill Enhancement』.

Bucharest, the capital city located in southern Romania.

"What brings you here, Doctor?"

The 'Duke,' head of the Heavenly Wealth Society's European branch, greeted his unexpected guest.

"Uhyaha! Aren't we on the verge of something important? I rushed here because I'm so excited! I think it's about time!"

He wore a dirty lab coat that clashed with the elegant interior of the mansion and sprayed saliva every time he spoke. But the Duke, dressed in a luxurious aristocratic suit, only stroked his beard with a frown, saying nothing.

Even though Doctor was a member of the Society Master's personal guard, possessing top-tier combat power within the Heavenly Wealth Society, this was a meeting between the European branch head and his superior.

The branch head position was below Doctor, so he chose to show respect as a courtesy.

'Even if the other party is this vulgar.'

This was noblesse oblige! The dignity a nobleman should uphold.

The Duke closed his eyes and nodded slowly. As he indulged in self-admiration, Doctor continued talking incessantly.

"That Phantom has started moving in Italy. It seems this place will be within his reach soon, so shouldn't we check our preparations? I prefer to see things for myself!"

Phantom.

The Duke's expression twisted slightly at the word.

'Tsk, what's so great about him…'

He was only complying with Doctor's insistent demands. He was inwardly dissatisfied with the entire situation. He, a top member of the personal guard, and his clan, 'Dracula,' had to set a trap for a single Eastern vampire!

He was slightly appeased by Phantom's exploits in France, but he was still far from satisfied.

'I could have wiped out both Thermidor and Gomorrah if I wanted to. I just haven't acted rashly because Dracula has grown so large.'

Unlike other 9th-level vampires, who only controlled their own countries, he ruled the entire underworld of over ten Eastern European countries. Even intelligence agencies considered him the 'strongest in Europe.'

That was the title given to him, the ruler of the Dracula clan and the hidden lord of Eastern Europe.

"…So, I think we'll have to be busy starting tomorrow! Well, you'll be busy too, Duke, so you don't have to worry about it until things start. I'll take care of everything!"

Doctor's incessant chatter, disguised as greetings, finally ended.

The Duke, who had been half-listening, reflexively nodded and stroked his beard with satisfaction. He was glad he wouldn't have to see this frivolous man again until tomorrow.

"…Hmm, it's getting late, why don't you have dinner before you go? It's not polite to neglect a guest who has come from afar."

"Oh? I was getting hungry, perfect timing! I won't decline!"

He offered dinner with a generous heart. This too was a form of noble dignity. Since he was a vampire, he could just drink a few sips of blood and wouldn't have to stomach anything unpleasant.

He snapped his fingers.

The doors opened silently, and servants entered with ghostly steps, quickly setting up a feast.

"Whoa! What a feast! Splendid! …But what's that?"

Doctor, clapping excitedly, suddenly stopped and stared at something. He couldn't help but look back at the mansion's owner.

"I heard you liked pizza, so I had it prepared."

Such thoughtful menu selection, considering his guest's preferences.

Doctor's gaze returned to the dish, captivated by the Duke's confident reply.

A delicious-looking pizza with a round crust, fragrant cheese, and various toppings. It was indeed something he often ate.

The problem was…

"…Pineapple?"

It was a Hawaiian pizza, topped with pineapple.

Doctor's face contorted in disgust. He covered his mouth with one hand and stared at the Duke with an unusually serious expression.

"…Duke, do you eat this?"

His serious expression, rarely seen, revealed his complex feelings about his acquaintance being a lover of bizarre food. His gaze held unconcealed discomfort.

"…I thought you liked it."

The Duke retorted curtly, his expression equally unpleasant at being called a weirdo. He had prepared the meal according to his guest's supposed preferences, and this was the reaction he got?

But Doctor shook his head resolutely and spoke coldly.

"Tsk, Duke. There are things you can eat, and things you can't. And pineapple pizza clearly falls into the latter category. I can't believe I'm seeing such an abomination here!"

He began listing the horrors of Hawaiian pizza, his voice rising in pitch. Seeing the signs of another long-winded rant, the Duke quickly interrupted, inwardly cursing himself for offering dinner.

"I see, I'll keep that in mind. I was going to serve mint chocolate ice cream for dessert, but I'll cancel that too. I had a preconceived notion…"

"Woohoo! Mint chocolate is great! The refreshing taste after the sweetness, it's the best dessert! As expected, you have good taste, Duke!"

"…"

"Mint chocolate, unlike other chocolates with a sticky aftertaste, has a wonderful finish! You don't even have to brush your teeth after eating it! And it…"

The chatter started again.

The Duke gave up on trying to understand him. It was a mistake to try and have a conversation with this madman in the first place.