To get to the Soltia Conference, one must board the sleeper train headed beyond the Empire’s “Northern Great Wall.”

That meant passing through the long forest known as the [Illusory Woodland]—all the way to the Soltia Association.

It was not going to be a short trip.

Given the timing, there was no way Kreutz would stay quiet. And even if they did stay quiet, their demons would move. Those bastards were fully aware that Agion was dead.

“We’ll accompany you.”

That was Department Head Ezekiel’s proposal.

I shook my head.

“I appreciate the thought, sir. But they’ll likely use the 『Revelation↑』.”

Kreutz’s second-ranked Kingdom-Designated National Treasure, 『Revelation↑』, is similar in function to Hiaka’s 『Book of Names⧉』. While the Book of Names is used to locate individuals, Revelation is a tool that finds a method to reach a conclusion.

“If the department heads come along, it’ll only make it easier for 『Revelation↑』 to lock onto us. Kreutz already has extensive intel on you.”

“That’s probably true… But wouldn’t it still be safer for us to be there, rather than you getting ambushed alone?”

Also a fair point.

Especially if someone like Ezekiel, one of the top-tier defensive magic users, was with me—the odds of survival would skyrocket.

'But…'

The real threat wasn’t to me.

What mattered most was making it to the Soltia Conference alive.

And if the department heads came along… well, I know of at least two methods Kreutz could use to forcibly halt the sleeper train.

'There’s only one viable option.'

An unknown powerhouse, completely off the radar, who would protect me alone.

“It’s alright.”

Because I already had someone like that.

“Alright…?”

“I have a very capable escort.”

***

 

I never expected this trip to the Empire to go peacefully.

That would be naive.

The Soltia Conference would be a turning point—a trigger for countless battles. It was time I began evolving as well.

The location: my lab.

I opened my status window.

< Star Shards in Possession: 986 >

Every time I got close to a decent amount, someone stole them.

Every time I made progress, someone came to beat me down.

After enduring every goddamn misfortune imaginable, I had finally clawed my way up to around 1,000 Star Shards.

'Time for a new Ability.'

This would be my third Major Ability—following 『World Forgery』 and 『Stigma Imprint I』.

'Better to go for a single Lv.9 ability than stack multiple Lv.8s.'

Even during my battle with Agion, I’d felt it firsthand: there was a massive gap between Level 8 and Level 9.

Lv.8 might let you reach peak dueling capability.

But Lv.9? That was the level where a single person became equivalent to an entire battalion.

'Among the 12 Assassin Archetypes, I have three realistic options.'

First: [Movement Techniques].

There are five Lv.9-tier movement skills, most of which are essentially teleportation-based.

'That’d let me impact battles on multiple fronts simultaneously.'

Or, like Agion, I could cross nearly 2,000km in under an hour.

If another [Invasion] or war breaks out, I’ll need to join the fight directly—either in command or raw combat.

That requires physical presence. [Movement Techniques] offer a clear advantage there.

'Second: [Totem Arts].'

At the end of the day, no one—not me, not the Constellations, not even the Demon King—is free from the constraints of distance.

In that case, [Totem Arts] become absurdly efficient: drop overwhelming power the moment you lock down the right position.

'And really, half the Constellations rely on totems as their core toolkit.'

Constellations don’t want to die, either.

That’s why the higher up you go, the more they crave [Totem Arts].

In their designated territories, they can manifest god-like powers.

They don’t even need to go anywhere—just hold their ground and survive.

'Third option…'

Among the 12 Ability Archetypes for assassins (Curse, Throwing, Stealth, Trap–Poison, Combat, Sniping, Magic, Illusion, Summon–Taming, Movement, Alchemy, Totem), the most dangerous overall is generally considered to be [Throwing].

It counters short-range tactics, scales into long-range dominance, and can break traps, totems, spells, and even counter movement skills…

It’s the most well-rounded of all.

'And the reason it’s so strong is because of its wide range.'

No other archetype utilizes expendable resources like [Throwing].

An anti-tank missile is naturally stronger than a steel hammer.

But the cost… is steep.

'The cost, huh…'

And if you can bear that cost, then [Throwing] is the right path.

'Fourth candidate: [Summon–Taming].'

There’s a reason.

The most advanced evolution of [Throwing] actually lies within [Summon–Taming].

…And that, right there, has been the central dilemma of the past few months.

Movement, Totem, or Summon–Taming.

I weighed the pros and cons—then decided.

Even if it was expensive, I would invest in the path with the highest firepower and growth potential.

Money can be earned.

So, I finalized my decision:

< You have selected the Lv.9-class Ability 『Armory of the Celestial Legion』 from the Summon–Taming Archetype. >

This was the personal Ability of System Constellation⧉ Rank #2—also known as the most expensive ability in existence.

『Armory of the Celestial Legion』

This is the ultimate form of [Summoning].

I turn myself into a literal armory—capable of ‘absorbing’ and then ‘summoning’ up to 1,024 weapons.

The summoning system uses formulas such as [Telekinesis], [Flight], [Projection], [Condensation], [Explosion], [Manifestation]—each action consuming the stored weapons as expendables.

To put it bluntly, from now on, I’m a walking assassination strike drone like Shaman.

< Cost: 750 Star Shards. Proceed with investment? >

< Investment complete. >

< You have acquired Lv.9-class Ability: 『Armory of the Celestial Legion』 under the Summon–Taming Archetype. >

From the System⧉ sigil etched into the air, a force surged out and seeped into my body.

It branded something into the space near my heart.

And with it, my overall combat power exploded upward.

< Total Combat Power: 271,155 → 346,169 (▲75,014) >

Right now.

I could feel the chambers inside my mind.

A grid—32 by 32—totaling 1,024 rooms. Every single one of them was empty. I had to fill them with weapons from now on.

But 99% of those chambers were still sealed.

Lack of proficiency.

< Raising Proficiency to 85.20% will cost 200 Star Shards. Proceed? >

Proficiency can be fixed. You just invest.

< Investment complete. >

< Total Combat Power: 346,169 → 161,169 (▲15,000) >

< Star Shards Remaining: 11 (▼975) >

And then the chambers began to unlock. Around 900 of the 1,024 opened.

And it wasn’t just about increasing the number of rooms. The mana radiating from within was stronger now. Every formula’s efficiency had improved.

“……”

Fatigue washed over me. I’d barely been sleeping lately, and the dizziness hit hard.

I forced myself to ignore it and stood in front of the massive vault tucked into one corner of the lab—something that hadn’t been there before.

“Open sesame.”

The door opened.

…Of course, it was keyed to mana recognition. Saying the words wasn’t strictly necessary.

Inside the fridge-sized vault were about 120 magical weapons. Most were [Rare]-grade or above. Half of them were [Stigma Weapons].

These were the results of my past six months of preparation after deciding to learn 『Armory of the Celestial Legion』. I’d dumped half my total fortune—15 billion Hika—into it.

Absorb.

I reached out my hand and closed my eyes. The weapons hanging around the room flew toward me, touched my hand, and were pulled into my body, like a vacuum cleaner.

And if I imagined expelling them—

Voooom—

The surrounding space tore open, and the weapons burst forth. It looked a bit like 『Dominion of Blades』, but it wasn’t limited to swords—there were axes, spears, explosives, and more.

Once summoned, they couldn’t be recalled. But the destructive power was seven times that of 『Dominion of Blades』.

'Shffft…'

As I let go of the tension, the weapons vanished back into the subspace. The Armory functioned as a kind of [Inventory], and some large-scale weapons took up two rooms each.

Now, I could use 「Giant Soldier’s Sword○」 for overwhelming firepower against massive enemies, and 『Armory of the Celestial Legion』 against multiple enemies.

One-on-one duels remained a weakness—but there were plenty of people who could handle that in my place.

I was satisfied.

***

A few days later, at dawn, I headed for the Empire.

But before that—

“…??”

I woke Eve and told her we were leaving. She raised her hand sleepily, and I thought she was going for a high five—so I touched her hand. Turns out, it meant “five more minutes.” That was on me, for teaching her how to read clocks.

I said no and dragged her out.

We boarded the airship bound for the Empire. From there, we took a warp station transfer to the northern region of the Empire—a snowy land where it snowed year-round.

Puuuuung—!!

The blare of the steam whistle made everyone at the station wince. Everyone except Eve, who didn’t understand what the fuss was about.

Finally, the massive train rolled into the station, trailing smoke as it cut through the snowstorm. We boarded.

We made our way to the VIP car. The accommodations were excellent—like a miniature hotel suite. Across from the bed was a large, seamless glass wall offering a view of the outside. At a certain point, this train would run above the ground on suspended tracks, giving us a spectacular view.

“It’s summer… but there’s snow.” Eve gestured with her hand. I nodded.

But no matter how magical the scenery, it gets old after a few minutes. When her stomach °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° grumbled, Eve rubbed her hoodie-covered belly and stared at me.

I ignored her.

She moved closer and rubbed her belly again.

Still ignored her.

She leaned in until her face was practically touching mine, still rubbing her belly. Her blue eyes were intense.

I stubbornly turned my head away.

The elephant got grumpy. She pinched both my cheeks hard enough to force me to look at her.

“That hurts.”

“……”

It really did.

Anyway, it meant she wanted food. So I pressed the call button and ordered a mountain of dishes.

Imperial cuisine tended to be greasy and heavily seasoned. I couldn’t eat much.

But that didn’t apply to the elephant.

“…♪♬”

A couple of hours passed.

As we entered the [Illusory Woodland], Eve dozed off on one side of the bed.

Since sharing the bed would be awkward, I leaned against a chair and closed my eyes too.

Even as I rested, I kept scanning the 【Script】.

No matter how relaxed the body, I was fully aware—this was when I was at my most vulnerable.

I had hoped for a quiet trip. But of course, this world never works that way.

【 Assassin Bon Hilde Mark†: <Found him?> 】

With perception fully expanded, I combed through the rapidly updating 【Script】—ten, twenty messages per second. Until I spotted it: the cross† symbol next to the name.

【 Hessian†: <Yo. Dante Hiakapo’s here. Car 8, last VIP room.> 】

【 Bon Hilde Mark†: <Room 8. Got it.> 】

【 Hessian†: <Not Room 8, idiot. I said the last room in Car 8. Dumbass.> 】

【 Bon Hilde Mark†: <Same difference. Got it.> 】

Assassins.

And not just any assassins—Bon Hilde Mark and Hessian.

Both were Grandmaster-level killers. Names that carried weight.

【 Hessian†: <Where’s that little freak Chief Cain?> 】

【 Bon Hilde Mark†: <Dunno. Been looking, but can’t sense a trace of him.> 】

【 Hessian†: <Dante’s secondary. Cain’s the priority. Keep searching.> 】

If they were working together, it meant the elite Kreutz assassin team “Bohemian” was here. Religious fanatics of the Virgin Church—ruthless and methodical. They used any means necessary. Dangerous as hell.

'Not gonna be easy.'

【 Hessian†: ‘Dante, huh. Heard the rumors, but damn, guy’s got guts… Traveling from the Empire to Soltia Conference alone? Just dragging along some girl?’ 】

【 Hessian†: ‘What a pain in the ass. Fuck.’ 】

And this is why I was right to refuse the department heads’ offer to escort me.

Of the twenty-plus members of Bohemian, I only sensed maybe three of them here.

I reached out and shook Eve awake. She cracked one eye open and held up her palm.

“Five minutes,” huh? I shook my head.

'Get up. Now.'

“…ㅠㅠ”

And as I prepared for the incoming chaos, another familiar name popped up in the 【Script】.

【 Batalion: ‘…I won’t let you escape again.’ 】

What the hell is he doing here?

The traitor of Hiaka.