Information Warfare (2)
‘”Deus Ex Machina”… Does that mean the God of Machines?’
It seemed that, through this battle in the electronic world, some conditions had been met.
Sure, it was thanks to a little trickery, but he had defeated a formidable opponent and tasted victory.
‘Just winning itself is nothing short of a miracle.’
Having gained some confidence in electronic warfare using hacking, he faced a doctor this time whose sheer presence crushed that confidence completely.
The way he dismantled every form of resistance and quickly began to engulf this side still sent chills down his spine upon reflection.
“…But in the end, I won.”
While it was true that he had sneaked in a stab while they took turns exchanging punches, a win was a win.
After repeatedly confirming that the other side’s signals had completely vanished, Hesperon let out a short sigh.
He couldn’t immediately check what had happened to the enemy, but seeing the curse trigger effectively told him that they were definitely not intact.
At least for the time being, it wouldn’t be wrong to say they were fully retired.
‘Thank goodness. That daring maneuver and the energy spent breaking through their thick defenses were considerable. It makes sense for a curse from someone who used to be a Demon King to have such solid effects.’
The seal he had developed this time must have helped quite a bit as well.
After sealing his sore arm from excessive power usage, he quickly began to recover the lost shares from the fight against the doctor and checked the new skill he had acquired.
If he were to sum up the ability of “Deus Ex Machina” in one sentence, it would be this:
An overwhelming upper-level augmentation for all elements originating from technological civilization.
Be it hacking or not, it didn’t matter if it was from basic internet surfing to piloting spaceships—anything went.
Hesperon instinctively felt it.
Even if he were to get in a combat vehicle he had never seen before, he would become an ace pilot immediately.
And naturally.
That new skill also applied directly to his companion “Machina: Callicas”, affectionately known as ‘Habis.’
[Unverified update detected.]
[Basic performance has significantly enhanced for unknown reasons.]
[Check additional details.]
Thanks to this, the process of recovering from the damage sustained and scavenging the information ocean for the desired loot was completed far quicker than he had anticipated.
If he were to fight the doctor again, he probably wouldn’t be so helpless as before.
Now that he had finished all the updates to the existing vulnerabilities, this time he might truly be able to match up properly.
‘Are they really giving away a skill like this just for winning once in electronic warfare?’
Hesperon tilted his head with a curious expression.
For the Awakened One to acquire a new skill, they needed to have corresponding merits.
The most representative method was accumulating merit through repetitive training.
Alternatively, there was the method of satisfying very specific conditions to obtain a related possibility—though…
“…Eh, I guess it doesn’t matter. It’s not a bad thing for me.”
He shrugged lightly.
Right now, what mattered more was other matters.
“Ha! Indeed. You’ve been very busy all along.”
After confirming the clean report prepared by Habis, a smirk curled on Hesperon’s lips.
Of course, the report didn’t contain every bit of information.
In a world rampant with various supernatural abilities, there were countless ways to exchange information.
But just like every method has its pros and cons, the overwhelming convenience of connecting through an internet network in this modern society was an essential means that couldn’t be overlooked.
Perhaps the doctor’s confidence, which had previously boasted perfect security, also played a part in that.
‘Whether or not there are clues makes a world of difference. Just having a small hint allows one to ride the lead and catch its tail at ease.’
He had managed it easily before, but how would it be now with Habis’s performance dramatically increased?
As he quietly analyzed and absorbed the information in his mind, suddenly, a particular piece caught Hesperon’s attention.
“Ha, I really didn’t expect this.”
Gently closing his eyes, Hesperon reopened them and exhaled deeply.
And even at this moment, he sent a message to all of his information agents, who were diligently collecting data.
‘…It seems verification is necessary.’
Now that the direction of the investigation was decided, it wouldn’t take too long.
But one thing was clear.
‘If this is true…’
He could potentially wipe out the scheming of the Buncheon Society that had been lurking in the Pantheon in one fell swoop.
*
Only a short time ago, despite the uproar, the meeting with the leadership of the Pantheon and Heinrich took place quietly.
“Welcome, Brother. I truly regret what happened previously.”
“The Quiladia Order has had some… issues for quite some time, so we, representing the Pantheon, extend our apologies once again.”
Regardless of how the public perceived it, since it had been a blatant lack of manners toward the visiting guest, the Pantheon side didn’t want any more attention than this.
However, since there had been a disturbance, the mindset of the operational committee members attending this meeting was bound to be somewhat different than before.
Indeed, as proof of that, nine committee members had gathered to meet Heinrich.
When considering that one position out of the 12-member committee was still vacant, it meant that only two were absent.
Given that the leadership representing the world’s largest religious union was incredibly busy, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that everyone else had arrived except for those with unavoidable circumstances.
‘It seems my little mishap upon arrival made an impression. I had heard I would only meet at most three.’
Heinrich softly smiled as he met the gazes of the variedly garbed members.
“Thank you for welcoming me with such a warm reception despite the fuss I caused.”
As representatives of a religious organization, each of them possessed immense holy power.
If this was the extent of their power on Earth, they likely held an even higher status back in their original world.
Considering that most Awakened High Priests chose a settler’s life and didn’t return to Earth, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say they were the pinnacle of Earth’s clergy.
Maintaining such a level of holy power even after returning only proved their intense faith.
‘Well, no matter what, the greatest here is, undeniably, me.’
That was an undeniable fact.
Just looking at those gazing at him, one could see the surprise glinting in their eyes, right?
Of course, jealousy and suspicion—impure emotions—were rather mixed in there.
“Wow, truly impressive. Just how strong is your faith…”
“Indeed, being called a saint truly lives up to the name.”
Their conversation began with mutual compliments and flowed smoothly.
The initial purpose of inviting Heinrich was to recruit him into the Pantheon, having proved unparalleled holy power since his debut.
In order to maintain the face of being the largest religious union on Earth, such a talent was a necessity.
Now that he had been revealed as another world inhabitant, the situation was slightly different.
Regardless of the deity they served, they were all those walking the path of faith.
It was only natural that they wanted to have even a short conversation with someone called a saint.
“Oh! That reminds me…”
However, that cheerful atmosphere did not last long.
The committee chair, a man with a thick mustache and sideburns, subtly hardened his expression before speaking.
The other committee members slowly dropped their smiles and turned their eyes to Heinrich.
“I have noticed some suspicious movements within the Pantheon recently.”
Eyes looking at him with serious expressions.
Heinrich could tell what they were trying to say.
‘Oh no, have I been caught?’
In fact, it was odd not to be caught.
After the priests of Auterica had met with him separately, they had been running around presenting their faces here and there, who would not suspect?
Moreover, hadn’t he just taken down a certain paladin from another order as soon as he arrived at the Pantheon and sent him to the hospital?
“You may not know, but we at the Pantheon are extremely sensitive to intrusions into each other’s territories. After all, each order is bound to be quite independent.”
“The regulations themselves are not that strict since various religions are gathered under one roof. However, they are quite severe regarding actions that violate ‘what must be observed.’”
That is why the Quiladia Order, which had a high-ranking paladin beaten up and brought in, had yet to say a word in protest, and they had even humbled themselves to apologize.
“Coincidentally, we also confirmed observation of external forces regarding the Pantheon during the same time frame.”
“That was quite a grand scope as well, right? Observing this place, which is nearly a holy site, is no easy task. It’s almost as if someone is helping from the inside.”
Even if the cohesion among their members wasn’t great, the Pantheon could still be called the largest religious union on Earth.
It was an organization that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
The Buncheon Society didn’t use complicated methods for no reason.
“Upon further investigation, it appears that an organization referred to as ‘Masquerade’ seems to be on the move. While it’s a name not widely known yet, it doesn’t seem to be too small of a group.”
“Considering the scale of these activities, it’s quite substantial. They acted simultaneously across Europe, Southeast Asia, and East Asia.”
Familiar names popped out of their conversation.
Having received no responses until now made him wonder if they hadn’t noticed, but it seemed more like they had chosen not to raise an issue deliberately for a more meticulous investigation.
‘They figured that out too? I guess I was a bit too greedy.’
Looking back now, it felt like having pointed out every suspicious indication was overly ambitious.
Still, he didn’t regret that decision.
Thanks to moving that quickly, he had successfully captured the traces before the Buncheon Society could cut off their tails.
“Now, it’s possible that all these events happening simultaneously might just be a coincidence. However, we can’t help but suspect the circumstances.”
“…It is a sensitive time after all. The committee’s vacancy, along with the recent suspicious movements of Pandemonium, weighs heavily.”
It seemed that the presence of nine committee members was not merely to talk with him.
It was likely more to inquire about external threats to the Pantheon.
“So I must ask.”
The chair of the committee’s sharp gaze pierced Heinrich as he opened his mouth again.
“Saint of Auterica, Heinrich Saint Landgard. You are suspected of collaborating with external forces to mobilize your priests to leak internal information from the Pantheon. Do you acknowledge this?”
The meeting hall had turned into an inquiry room all of a sudden.
A heavy atmosphere cloaked the surroundings in an instant.
Holy power and completely different supernatural abilities.
‘A unique skill, huh.’
He could instinctively feel what kind of ability this was.
The so-called ‘Room of Truth’ was the true nature of this space.
With special laws imposed that prevented any falsehoods, he was compelled to speak only the truth.
‘Of course, I could easily disregard that if I set my mind to it…’
But then the casters would immediately catch on.
At this moment, Heinrich was no mere guest.
In the face of suspicion, that would undoubtedly be a bad move.
The other side was fully prepared, apparently wary of his abilities.
Here, it was…
“I did not join hands with any external forces.”
Sticking only to the truth while trying to deflect the allegations was the best approach.
‘Because this organization I led is entirely mine.’
The Masquerade as a whole was entirely his.
There was no need for collaborations or anything of the sort.
“I did not transfer any internal information anywhere.”
The ones he sent were just following his orders, and the ultimate destination of any information collected was still himself.
He couldn’t say he handed them off.
“However, it is true that I aimed to investigate the Pantheon by mobilizing those who follow me.”
Of course, he didn’t deny every accusation.
That was something impossible to hide or ignore.
Though those ‘followers’ included not only the priests of Auterica but the entire Masquerade, the committee members were naturally unaware of this fact.
“…Why is that?”
A weighty verdict delivered as a truth.
The chairman, unable to conceal his surprise at a somewhat different development than expected, cautiously opened his mouth.
However, the point of attempting to investigate the Pantheon personally had been acknowledged, so if they dug deeper…
“I will quickly speak to the conclusion. I captured suspicious circumstances and immediately initiated an investigation, confirming that my concerns were indeed valid.”
“What do you mean?”
“There are traitors within this Pantheon, planted by Pandemonium.”
“Wha—?!”
“Ah!”
Pandemonium.
A collective known as the so-called ‘Followers of the Evil God,’ comprised of priests holding extreme ideologies that even the Pantheon, which would accept most, could not accept.
Since they were originally an organization created to oppose the Pantheon, they had clashed many times since their establishment.
‘Most denominations associated with them are even less cooperative than the Pantheon, with constant infighting among themselves.’
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that friction almost inevitably happened whenever they gathered, so they were effectively a bunch of loose-knit organizations under the same banner.
However, it was a clear fact that their ‘witch hunts’ targeting the priests of the Pantheon had caused tremendous casualties.
“Those followers of the Evil God?”
“Is that true… mm.”
How many of their comrades had been sacrificed up to now?
Given the prevalent suspicion that the now vacant seat on the 12-member committee, Adeline Schneider, had also fallen victim to them, the mention of that name meant the Pantheon could not simply let it pass.
Let alone the fact that this conference room had become a space where only truth was permitted, due to the chairman’s unique skill!
“And.”
But Heinrich would not stop there.
‘This is actually an opportunity.’
Wham—
With a brilliant flash of light, beautiful wings of light sprouted from behind him.
A platinum aura that burned fiercely as if lighting him on fire, along with a halo hovering above his head, gently radiated presence.
“Buncheon Society.”
It was the name of the “world’s enemy” he had warned about earlier.
“They are the true masterminds behind the establishment of Pandemonium, and the source of all the countless sacrifices up until now.”
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