Holy (1)
The spark of war that could have plunged the entire continent back into endless suffering.
Once an ultra-wide mental wave erupted from somewhere and doused it with cold water, the situation began to stabilize sequentially and rapidly.
This war itself seemed to have progressed recklessly, taking advantage of the chaos among the countries, so the retreat of troops from both sides and the subsequent talks proceeded without major issues.
Anyway, the fact that everything was wrapped up without any casualties before a major incident broke out was true, and both sides somewhat understood the circumstances behind this event.
Thus, the political situation was quickly stabilized starting with the tripartite meeting.
Although not all conflicts were resolved, no one was advocating for war anymore.
There was no reason for it.
After all, what could they say…
“No way! How many practitioners were present there? There’s no way that could happen!”
Hmm, “Let’s assume, for the sake of argument, that only low-ranked practitioners were present. But I heard there were many generals-level deep practitioners there. Yet, just by unleashing a thought, it’s strange to say you subdued them all at once…”
“Such a feat would be difficult even for practitioners of astronomical levels without thorough preparation. Let alone deep practitioners?”
“Maybe if they’re from another world. They possess such extraordinary abilities. What was that person’s name again?”
“Hoon… It seems he’s the secret weapon that the Yoon clan had been hiding.”
It was a new variable that could not simply be ignored for those still advocating for war.
The source of the ultra-wide mental wave that engulfed the Yoon clan’s area.
An enigmatic being who had stopped a war that had just begun with sheer individual power.
There were countless consistent testimonies about him, making it impossible to disbelieve.
While he had used that power to prevent the war this time, one could only wonder what kind of impact he might have if he participated directly in a conflict.
And what if he managed to open up astronomical levels?
Regardless of the resolution of the crisis, discussions about that ‘Hoon’ character could not be avoided.
Both the Hongsan Kingdom and Cheonghae Kingdom, as well as within the Seongcheon Yoon clan, clamored continuously about him.
“Lucette? You look quite tired.”
Hoo, “What can I say? It can’t be helped. At least it’s much better now. In the beginning, it was really…”
Lucette, a deep practitioner and a senior member of the Seongcheon Yoon clan, came to see Hoon as part of this process.
The Yoon clan felt the need to maintain a stronger bond through her, who had a personal connection with him.
“They say all those who displayed abnormal behavior are being isolated and undergoing purification processes. Although it’s difficult to spot that ‘bewilderment’ at first, once symptoms appear after activation, it’s not too hard to identify. Of course, the generals who led the troops into our territory are in the same boat.”
Hmm, “I see. At least it’s a relief that they can be treated.”
“Fortunately, there have been no new infections in our Yoon clan. Considering the last assault incident, all the cases must have been exhausted then.”
Hoon nodded at her explanation during their conversation.
Of course, the fact that no additional infections appeared in the Yoon clan was thanks to him, Hela, and Ramu preparing in advance.
If that hadn’t happened, they would have tried to escalate things from within right after the outbreak of war.
“Anyway, on behalf of the Yoon clan… No, on behalf of all of us from this world, I’d like to extend my gratitude. If Hoon hadn’t stepped up, the situation would have escalated to a point where it would have been difficult to manage.”
Lucette stood and bowed deeply.
When the war broke out, the Seongcheon Yoon clan was undoubtedly at the highest risk, so her reaction was natural since her love for her clan was profound.
“Well then, I’ll take my leave. If I don’t head back and start my work soon, I might have to stay up for several nights.”
“…You’ve worked hard.”
Her faint smile appeared in response to his brief words of comfort.
Seeing the dark circles under her eyes, Hoon offered her an energy drink he pulled out from the spatial dimension.
It was a special elixir whose effects from the ‘savior’ still lingered even in this world.
“Drink this. It should give you a bit of energy.”
“…Thank you. Oh, and the council has passed the compensation plan for you. You can look forward to it this time. The merits you’ve shown during this period have accumulated, so the rewards have increased accordingly.”
Due to events happening in quick succession, this was the result.
Of course, personally for Hoon, this was more advantageous.
Small rewards didn’t provide much help and weren’t practical for any use.
“Let’s go now, So-hwa.”
“Yes, sister! Well then, I’ll take my leave too. Ramu, see you again next time!”
“…Okay.”
So-hwa, conversing with her peer Ramu, cheerfully bid farewell.
Hoon and Ramu saw off the two departing figures and locked eyes with each other.
Then, with a meaningful smile, they shrugged their shoulders.
“Seems like they really didn’t catch on, huh?”
“I think so too.”
“Good. The efforts we put into training paid off.”
“I wonder if it was necessary to go this far though…”
“Don’t be silly. How well you hide yourself is directly related to your survival, you know? Consider this my earnest advice, and make sure to remember it.”
She nodded at his sincere words.
While others were focused solely on Hoon, the one who directly stopped the war, Ramu was also an extraordinary being in her own right.
…Or maybe, in Sabacheon, she might be even more impactful.
‘No way, I didn’t expect it to be this level already.’
As he licked his lips and glanced at Ramu, he was looking more at the intangible something that enveloped her small body.
‘A distortion level that could deceive not only human perception but the world itself. Few can see through that and understand Ramu’s true nature. At the very least, one would need to be an astronomical practitioner who can directly observe the flow of the world.’
That was a type of barrier created by the ‘world’’s chakra, which was intertwined with the skills derived from “Unique Skill Enhancement,” as well as “Time Control.”
In fact, if Hoon hadn’t had a direct connection with her, he probably wouldn’t have been able to discern it easily either.
The secret to how she went from being a mid-tier practitioner just days ago to a high-tier one was simple.
‘After all, it’s the ‘Growth Elixir.’ Its effects are guaranteed, especially considering the direct synergy with Ramu.’
He had used the elixir that provides immense additional correction values to Awakened Ones, “Growth Elixir (7 Days) (200,000),” on Ramu.
Moreover, that 7-day time limit was separate from the dream world.
In simple terms, it meant that the effects would last for about 700 days once the elixir was consumed.
Just a few days had passed since Hoon had stopped the war, so it wasn’t surprising she had reached the high tier.
‘Thanks to that, I’ve also managed to secure my deep-tier foundation for sure.’
In reality, it had only been a mere few days.
However, that time held far more value than that of countless others for the two of them.
“How about it? How much longer do you think it’ll take to reach the deep tier?”
“…I don’t know. I’ve got a decent grasp on the high tier, but I can’t figure out what to do for the deep tier. It seems I need some kind of enlightenment…”
But the wall of extremes known as the human limit wasn’t that thin.
Unlike Hoon, who had no comparable counterpart, she had to completely earn her enlightenment through her own strength, so that process wouldn’t be as easy as it had been until now.
“Well then, from now on, just focus on calming your mind and mastering your inner self. There’s no need to rush. Even with just this level, you’ve already far surpassed our expectations.”
“Yes…”
Achieving a high tier at just over ten years old.
Considering her extraordinary unique skills, even a deep practitioner wouldn’t take her lightly.
Hoon didn’t advise her to hide her abilities for no reason.
‘Truly an absurd level. It’s as though she was born to grow strong.’
The power that transcends dimensions had been inherently within her.
It was evident that it was contributing to her chakra and unique skill growth in some manner.
Perhaps Ramu would reach the deep tier sooner than expected.
‘Choosing to nurture Ramu was indeed a brilliant decision.’
He nodded contentedly.
And naturally, this also meant that the benefits of the matured chakra would be enjoyed not just by Hoon, but also by the entity itself.
*
A residence filled with dreams and ideals, set in the outskirts of Seoul.
Taking a walk, I checked the well-maintained large garden and stretched as I entered the house.
‘I’d say the Sabacheon side has roughly settled down for now.’
Of course, not everything was concluded.
The conflicts between the two major powers, Cheonghae Kingdom and Hongsan Kingdom, had not yet been resolved, and the Seongcheon Yoon clan caught in between had its own problems.
But since the root that caused the world’s turmoil had been uprooted, it was alright to take things slowly from here on.
‘The unknown guy seems rather useful if handled well. Plus, I’ve also acquired a bunch of various materials and elixirs.’
Of course, that was just a bonus.
It had been a long time since I had fretted over such materialistic things.
What mattered now was the special power known as chakra that had finally satisfied specific conditions.
Crackle—
A small spark popped from the tip of my pointed finger.
Gradually, the spark expanded, wrapping around my entire arm as lightning began to writhe fiercely.
‘Next.’
Then it transformed into a searing flame, a gentle aroma, and a sharp blade…
Finally, it turned into ‘the world’ before scattering away.
Ugh, “It’s still not perfect. Well, since I copied from another, it’s only natural there are flaws compared to the original.”
It wasn’t just Ramu who grew from the training in the dream world.
The chakra of communication that had reached the deep tier, combined with “Mental Resonance” and “Imitation,” granted Hoon the ability to glimpse into the inner thoughts of others and understand them to replicate their chakra.
‘That ability directly connected back to me, the entity.’
There was no need to fully cover Hoon’s form using “Entity Projection” anymore.
With just the passive reinforcement of that additional effect, it was more than enough.
“Well then, I can start soon.”
It would have been better had the chakra of communication reached the astronomical level of transcendence, but even now, having reached a mature deep level wasn’t too bad.
After all, the minimum conditions to draw upon the resources of other avatars were met.
Hoo.
In the training room decorated with various magic circles and magical equipment, I sat cross-legged, took a deep breath, and summoned the chakra.
Whooo—
The chakra that poured out ceaselessly through the inner world began to spin fiercely, resonating with the surroundings.
And finally.
It started to extend deeply inside, reaching out to the ten or so inner worlds that branched out from the entity.
‘To put it differently, the chakra of communication is more necessary for me, the entity, than it is for Hoon.’
No matter what anyone said, this “avatar’s” control tower was the entity, Han Seong-hyun.
Naturally, the ability to communicate that connects everything was most suited for oneself.
‘Well, it doesn’t really matter which one of us learns first.’
After all, all avatars, including Hoon, would ultimately be oneself.
The chakra of communication that branched out from the entity firmly connected with the twelve avatar entities.
Like a high-speed road that was strikingly clear.
It was even a more solid bond than when Hoon used “Roots of Ideal” to enhance his strength.
Then.
Through that high-speed road, the holy powers accumulated in the entity began to unite with the holy powers imbued within each avatar.
Guhk!
A stream of blood trickled from my clenched teeth.
The shock generated from the interaction of diverse holy powers shook my body.
‘Did I act too soon? Should I have waited to open the astronomical level first?’
I tried to shake off the fleeting thought that crossed my mind as I redirected my focus back to connecting the inner worlds.
No exception for avatars that held holy power, nor for those that didn’t.
On the surface, it might seem like I was pushing myself unnecessarily.
But this plan had been in my mind since I first grasped the chakra of communication.
‘In fact, it’s not normal for holy power to be separated like mine.’
Holy power is the proof of divinity.
In this incomplete state, it was impossible to ascend to the supreme position of being ‘god,’ who should be more perfect than any being in the world.
‘The reason why I couldn’t fully nurture the seeds of holy power held by the avatars was because of this.’
In the end, it was a necessary step to ascend even further.
Especially in the current situation where it was unpredictable when the Buncheon Head would begin to act.
‘Ah, but this just doesn’t feel right.’
Suddenly overcome with an uneasy feeling rising, I couldn’t help but feel my resolve weaken.
Holy power was not only a mental aspect but required harmony with the body and energy that encapsulated it to qualify for birth.
Just as Hans’ holy power, built upon death, could only be used properly by Hans’ body.
Much less, the entity had been steadily erecting strong walls with “Mind Hub” and “Soul Firewall” to prevent mental corruption through the other avatars.
‘It’s alright. Theoretically, it should be possible.’
Removing the walls I had held until now was far too risky.
If I wasn’t careful, the avatars’ personalities might backfire and go insane before the holy power could be completed.
But the seeds of the holy power could only thrive in their suitable soil.
If that were the case, I had just one thing to do.
‘I should at least build a greenhouse where they can sustain themselves in different environments.’
That greenhouse was the ability to replicate the inner thoughts of others.
Minimizing the risks of mental corruption while creating only a limited environment in which holy power could take root.
In any case, the avatars were part of me, so naturally, the completeness would be even greater than merely copying others’ inner thoughts.
‘…Finally.’
How long had I been submerged in the depths of my inner self?
The seeds of holy power, which had solidified in their respective domains, began to respond little by little.
