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Chapter 132

Yet the sheer number of people had been expected. The faculty had thoroughly prepared in advance to control the crowd, with the security both within and in front of the exhibition hall being especially tight.

“Please enter through this gate!”

“You will be denied entry if you have any prohibited items in your void pockets, so please cooperate!”

To prevent anything from being sneaked in, the security guards had been armed with the latest equipment capable of inspecting the contents of any void pocket. Their devices only worked within Babel and were mainly for deterring those with malicious intent from even approaching one of the gates.

The security was so tight that Se-Hoon, who had arrived late, couldn\'t help but be impressed.

I didn’t know that those devices were already in use.

He vaguely remembered that the safety devices were publicly released at least ten years later. He had known that Babel had been using them before that, but he didn’t think that they had been in use as far as ten years back.

Other venues simply ban people from bringing their void pockets outright.... So this is the technological superiority that Babel boasts about.

Looking at the long line, Se-Hoon headed toward a separate gate prepared for staff members to avoid the crowd.

“Do you have an access pass?”

“I have passes for both the expo and exhibition.”

Examining the access passes Se-Hoon received from Lan Fei and In-Cheol, the guard nodded and pointed to the gate to the side.

“Scan your passes and proceed inside.”

Beep. Beep.

Scanning both of his access passes at the terminal, Se-Hoon passed through the security gate. At that moment, a strange sensation swept over him. When he looked to the side, the staff member checking belongings nodded at him.

“No issues.”

Passing all of the checks, Se-Hoon glanced at his chest once he moved inside.

Looks like they can’t detect the dream storage.

Due to the nature of dream mana and the skill literally being tied to his body, the inspection was unable to detect it, allowing him to pass through without any issues.

If the Dream Demon is involved... they can easily pass through the inspection in the same way.

Contemplating the methods the Dream Demon could use, he headed toward the main area and looked around the inner lobby.

Unlike the last few times he was here, the exhibition hall felt like a different place due to the large crowd.

The expo is in the west wing, and the exhibition is in the east wing.

Musing over where to go first, he noticed his surroundings had become noisier, which was likely due to the familiar voice that came from beside him.

“Hello.”

Like always, Erika appeared out of nowhere. Today she was dressed in a blouse and a long skirt down to her ankles.

“Hello. Good morning.”

“Where are you heading first?”

Her question made it obvious she was fully intent on following him, but Se-Hoon didn’t have an answer for her.

“Still thinking.”

“Let\'s go to the exhibition hall, then.”

After some thought, Se-Hoon nodded at her suggestion.

“Sure, why not.”

Thinking about it, the exhibition hall was likely to become chaotic later because of him, so it was better to check it out early. With the decision made for him, Se-Hoon headed to the east wing alongside Erika.

“Those two are...”

“So it was true that he’s close to the Inoues.”

“Seems like the rumor about him siding with the Myers was just a rumor.”

Since it was mostly heroes and those related to them attending today’s events, just walking with Erika invited all sorts of strange comments.

Surrounded by countless gazes, Se-Hoon glanced at Erika.

Judging by how satisfied she looks, she probably planned this too.

Rumors that Se-Hoon had already sided with the Myers because he had forged a sword for Jake seemed to have bothered her.

It was quite the calculated move, but Se-Hoon just accepted it and continued walking; he knew that any adverse reaction now could affect his bond level with Erika.

Soon, the two arrived at the entrance of the exhibition.

The entrance is quite grand.

The original entrance had been entirely removed and expanded, showcasing the interior to those outside. And like the entrance, the interior of the hall containing the exhibition had been redone. Originally, the interior of the hall would have allowed a full view inside, but partition walls had been added to create an elegant white facade.

“They’ve made it look like a maze,” remarked Se-Hoon.

“That way, they can direct attention to specific pieces,” answered Erika.

Each exhibit had been strategically placed in spots where people’s eyes would naturally be drawn, such as at the end of corridors or right around corners. To Se-Hoon, who rarely participated in such events, the arrangement was honestly quite intriguing.

“This place feels like some sort of large barrier.”

Observing the arrangement of the exhibits as a whole, Se-Hoon noticed that it had been designed to interfere with people’s perceptions unconsciously. It was overly elaborate, yet Se-Hoon thought it was likely more effective than a poorly made barrier. After all, no detectable mana was involved so people would let their guard down and be more easily led.

“The concept itself is pretty similar. Famous museums also use this technique to hide security devices everywhere.”

“Really? I’d like to see how that works.”

Did it create blind spots in one’s field of view to hide things? Noticing Se-Hoon’s genuine interest, Erika quietly suggested, “Maybe we can go look at one together next time.”

Hearing the natural suggestion, Se-Hoon nodded without much thought.

“Sounds good.”

Just like how Erika was taking him around to observe various things right now, he assumed their trip through museums would be the same. And since everyone important would have been informed that it had been arranged by her, there was a smaller chance of arousing suspicion.

“...Really?”

Surprised that Se-Hoon had accepted her invitation so readily, Erika looked at him with wide eyes. The sight made Se-Hoon chuckle.

“Why would I lie about it? Just let me know in advance so I can make sure it doesn\'t overlap with other plans.”

“...Okay.”

“Well, let’s head in now.”

Entering the exhibition with Erika, Se-Hoon examined each of the various exhibits displayed throughout.

The submissions had been placed inside transparent cases and were illuminated by spotlights, with simple descriptions written on information panels next to or below the item. And whenever someone approached, mana would automatically be infused into the item to demonstrate the effect.

Fwoosh!

The exhibits ranged from a helmet made of flames to extraordinary-looking shoes that clung to ceilings and walls. There was also a cloak that created a wind barrier to deflect projectiles and a device that immediately extracted curses from the body through an intravenous drip.

Having seen a few, most of the exhibits made Se-Hoon frown.

Is it because of the theme? Most of these are just flashy with no practicality.

Instead of focusing on practicality, the exhibits showcased submissions with features that were meant to be improved upon later. While it was a decent approach to some, the man from the future found every item to be odd.

None of these will be used in the future.

Just as grand predictions from the past often seem laughable in hindsight, most of the devices here were unlikely to be commercially viable. Even the few that he thought were promising had flawed approaches that would need to be completely overhauled, leaving him more frustrated than impressed.

“...”

Like him, Erika also seemed uninterested in the exhibits and moved on quickly each time. Naturally, two ended up speeding through the hall.

Toward the end though, just as they were about to finish their tour in under ten minutes, Se-Hoon’s eyes paused on one exhibit.

“That should be...”

The exhibit showcased two spheres densely inscribed with enchantments. Suspended in midair apart from each other, they began to glow blue upon the influx of mana as Se-Hoon and Erika approached.

Seeing a blue formula line moving around on each of the spheres as if it were swimming across the surface, Se-Hoon realized the effect of the device without needing to read the description.

This thing replicates a spell upon receiving a remote signal.

The enchantments flowing across the surface differed from the spell manifesting before the spheres, suggesting it received signals from elsewhere to construct a new spell.

This one seems to utilize resonance phenomenons... it’s quite impressive.

The way it functioned closely resembled consumable items and devices that sorcerers used to construct spells remotely.

Unlike everything they had seen so far, Se-Hoon actually observed the exhibit for a while before checking the owner’s name. The maker was a third-year student who had a very familiar name: Howard Grant.

Remember that Howard Grant was the third-year honor student of Borsippa from the Department of Enchantments who was also the opponent he faced during the student scholarship competition at the Ivory Tower, Se-Hoon paused. A second later, he turned to Erika.

“Do you know who Howard Grant is?”

Hearing his question, Erika glanced over.

“He\'s the second son of the Grant family. Up until his second year, he was just the top-ranking student in his department, but recently, his skills rapidly improved and he became the third-year honor student of Borsippa.”

“Hmm. What’s his family like?”

“The Grant family is quite renowned in the field of enchantments. Their assets grow every quarter thanks to cooperating with the UD Group and the Barmuth family.”

As Erika explained, Se-Hoon gazed at Howard’s entry, the Spell Replication Device.

The effect of this device is perfect for the Ten Evils or Watchers to make use of.

Remembering his, or rather, Lea\'s, peculiar behavior toward Howard and what Erika said about his sudden improvement in skills made Se-Hoon suspicious. It could just all be a coincidence, but Se-Hoon couldn’t overlook Howard’s close ties to the Barmuths.

Birds of a feather flock together huh...

Of course, there were exceptions—he himself had previously faced many misunderstandings simply because he was associated with certain people back then. But generally, the rule held. And when shady people were cooperating rather than exploiting each other, then nine times out of ten, they were similar in nature.

“I see. Let’s move on now.”

Having identified how the device worked, Se-Hoon no longer focused on it, knowing that he could just prepare accordingly.

As he moved further through the exhibition with Erika silently following, he soon came upon a large space.

Unlike the corridor-like previous section, this area was open and spacious. There were exhibits sparsely placed around the perimeter, but the center naturally contained the most eye-catching item of them all.

“What’s that, and why is it still covered?”

“They say they’ll unveil it later to prevent chaos.”

“Who’s the maker... Lee Se-Hoon?”

A small crowd had gathered around the veiled exhibit, and as time passed, more and more people were joining. If the maker was an unknown figure, most likely would have left, however, thanks to all of his recent exploits, Se-Hoon was no unknown figure. The anticipation was high.

“What did you make?”

Standing with Se-Hoon near the exit, Erika curiously tried to get information from Se-Hoon with a tilt of her head. But Se-Hoon just smirked slyly.

“It’s a secret.”

It would be no fun if she heard about it now. Her reaction would be more intense if she saw it directly.

“...”

Staring at him, Erika seemed dissatisfied with his answer but she soon turned her attention to the exhibit, hyper-focusing on it.

Eventually, the wide open space filled up with people who came after hearing the rumors, and the cover over the exhibit was finally lifted, revealing what lay beneath.

“What? It’s just a sword.”

“It doesn’t look special at all...”

Within the long display case, a plain iron sword rested nearly on a stand. The exhibit was devoid of any lighting or explanations, puzzling everyone who had been waiting in anticipation.

Tink!

The hall\'s lights abruptly went out, plunging the exhibition into darkness. Then, just as everyone began to panic, thinking something had gone wrong, mana started to be supplied into Se-Hoon’s sword.

Vwoom.

Mana was slowly infused into the sword, filling it to the brim. The overflow seeped into the enchantments on its surface, vigorously turning the golden gears that had appeared above the sword. Ramping up, the immense energy produced by the gears surged fiercely to the tip of the sword blade.

Shimmer!

Golden sword aura sliced through the darkness, illuminating the area.

The exhibition, which had been full of people bustling with excitement, was suddenly engulfed in silence. Everyone was stunned by the dazzling display, wondering what they were witnessing.

A sword aura weapon?

It does seem pretty well-made, but... why is it being showcased here?

To the casual observer, it was just an ordinary sword imbued with sword aura, meaning they had no idea why it was revealed with such a dramatic flair. However, unlike everyone who was struggling to find an answer, Erika knew.

“...Mass-producible sword aura equipment.”

Erika\'s murmur, despite being quiet, seemed to loudly resound through the surroundings, revealing to everyone the true value of Se-Hoon’s exhibit.

An unsolvable challenge in the weapons industry, a feat many had deemed impossible to achieve—the exhibit right in front of them shattered and answered those preconceived notions. Yet, rather than admiration and awe, everyone was stunned in disbelief, unable to believe the sight presented before their very eyes.

That’s impossible.

No matter how impressive he is, that’s still...

Though casual observers, the crowd consisted solely of professionals from the hero industry, making the fact that Se-Hoon had solved an unsolvable problem even harder to believe. How could a first-year student, who just enrolled this year, have come up with the method to mass-produce sword aura equipment?

The silence in the room lengthened uncomfortable. Then, as if anticipating such a reaction, a panel above the exhibit lit up.

[The First Mass-Produced Sword Aura Equipment]

The murmur of a single individual and the official announcement by the exhibition’s host—the famous Babel—carried significantly different weights. As the fact that the plain iron sword was the first successfully mass-produced piece of sword aura equipment sunk in, the jaws of the spectators gradually dropped.

Soon after, the silence was shattered by everyone exploding into shouts involuntarily. The realization of how much the seemingly ordinary iron sword in front of them would revolutionize the hero industry left them unable to contain their excitement.

“Find this Lee Se-Hoon!”

“Wait, wasn’t he... huh?”

Those who had previously noted Se-Hoon’s location turned their heads immediately. However, he was nowhere to be seen. Before the lights had been turned off, he had been standing with them next to Erika, but now, only Erika remained.

Had he anticipated the situation and left early? Gasping, those who grasped the situation quickly dashed toward the exit.

I must meet him!

Just securing a deal with him can change my entire life!

Eager to get a headstart, everyone pulled out their phones to make a call, turning the exhibition into chaos.

“...”

Meanwhile, standing amidst the confusion, Erika, who hadn’t moved a single step, narrowed her eyes at Se-Hoon\'s exhibit.

The sword aura of the Myers family.

Compared to everyone else who had yet to notice, she immediately recognized the golden sword aura to be the Myers’s. She silently gazed at the exhibit, recalling the image of Se-Hoon slipping away the moment the lights went out. At that moment, someone approached her.

“Ah! Here you are.”

Jake, who had arrived late to the exhibition, hurried over to Erika.

“Did you see where Se-Hoon went? He was with you until just a moment ago... uh, Erika?”

“...”

“Why are you looking at me like... I mean... I\'ll be going now!”

Erika silently watched Jake hastily leave, almost as if he were running away.

“Excuse me...”

“Take a hint, won’t you.”

Like Jake, others who had approached her for the same reason withdrew quietly, eager to get away from a wild beast.

***

In a location high above that gave a panoramic view of Babel, a voice resounded from beyond a white hole in the air.

“Maggots after maggots...” said the voice with intense displeasure.

“If they reveal their true nature, maybe it’ll turn out that they are one,” calmly replied Ludwig from the side.

“Doesn\'t it bother you?”

At the question full of unusual irritation, Ludwig looked down below at Babel. Amongst the multitude of people moving within Babel, he easily picked out a few scanning their surroundings, looking for opportunities.

His hero intuition, built upon numerous experiences, combined with the senses of a Perfect One, told him that those people had come today with intentions different from everyone else’s. However, instead of taking action, Ludwig just smiled.

“Not at all. In fact, I find it enjoyable.”

“Enjoyable?”

“What could be more enjoyable than seeing those who normally act as they please outside acting cautiously due to being thoroughly under control by my rules?”

In this place, even those harboring hostility toward Ludwig weren’t able to defy his will. Gazing at his cherished garden, Ludwig felt a deep satisfaction down to his bones. In contrast, the voice shuddered.

“It\'s a pity they don’t know about your sinister hobbies.”

“It’s just a modest hobby. Don’t criticize it too much.”

With a wry smile, Ludwig looked down at Babel once more.

It has grown remarkably.

The place where a lone white tower once stood in the middle of the sea had now grown into a massive city—his very own beautiful garden.

After briefly reflecting on the past, Ludwig slowly turned his gaze.

“Well then, it’s time to welcome our guests.”

“This looks like bait; are you sure about this?”

“I haven’t cultivated a garden that a few pests could ruin. Besides...”

Gazing down at Babel once more, Ludwig thought of a certain person, making him smile faintly. Recently, he had gotten a new flower that was so alluring that it attracted countless insects despite being full of poison.

“I believe they will be handled well enough.”

While he wasn’t certain yet, he believed in that individual.

Turning his head from his garden, Ludwig stepped forward into the void.

Whoosh-

In an instant, the scenery around him had changed, revealing the vast ocean beyond Babel.

And there, sitting in the middle of the open ocean was a mirage-like purple castle. On top of it were three shadows: Puppeteer, Tuner, and the Dream Demon.

Seeing them, Ludwig slowly extended his hand toward them, signaling the start of his performance.

“Let’s start small.”

In response to his gesture, the North Pacific, an ocean reaching thousands of meters deep, parted.