Chapter 510  

The rock snakes called out to other monsters with near ultrasonic cries. Then, the various kinds of monsters moved swiftly and proceeded to form an encirclement.

How could monsters suppress their wild nature and move in such a coordinated manner?

If they were being controlled by the power of the Master of Slowness and Silence, their wild nature would be completely suppressed. But on the other side, it should’ve been impossible for them to move like that without being subjugated by that power.

Paradoxically, the enemy monsters were acting in an orderly manner while retaining their wild nature. It was an utterly chaotic scene for Tardus.

‘How... How can this be...?’

***

“Are they really controllable?”

-...Why can’t you believe it when you did it yourself?

“Put yourself in my position, goddess of sloth.”

Even though the constellation battle was leaning in his favor, Choi Yeonseung couldn’t relax. These powerful Abyssal monsters had been gifted to him by various constellations, and he had been agonizing over how to control them until just before the constellation battle. Eventually, he had chosen the most reliable method.

...He did what he had done with the rock snakes.

Of course, he wasn’t crazy enough to fight and defeat all the monsters. Initially, he just planned to take down a few of the boss monsters in order to scare the others into submission.

-Come on.

Behind Choi Yeonseung, the rock snakes raised their heads and hissed belligerently.

Naturally, the ferocious monsters went berserk and lunged at him... And they were beaten up and subdued. The rock snakes climbed on top of the fallen monsters and made hissing sounds to taunt the other monsters.

-Don’t provoke them and get out of the way.

The rock snakes sullenly retreated.

One of the monsters got back up; it seemed that the humiliation of being defeated made it forget about the pain.

...So Choi Yeonseung gave it another beating.

This time, the monster was getting up a bit more slowly. It seemed that it was unsure whether to get up or stay down.

Choi Yeonseung beat it up again.

The monster slid back with only one eye open, and the rock snakes hissed and pointed with their tails.

Choi Yeonseung got back on his feet... Then, something surprising happened.

The monster bowed its head directly to him.

‘What?’

Choi Yeonseung hadn’t expected something similar to the incident with the rock snakes, so he couldn’t help being surprised.

He couldn’t believe this worked. It was absurd, but seeing that it worked, he couldn’t bring himself to stop. He tried to subdue the other monsters by grabbing them and beating them up. The more he did so, the faster the monsters succumbed and the more obedient they became.

The result of that training session was the current scene on the battlefield—a miraculous sight of mindless monsters moving exactly according to Choi Yeonseung’s will!

‘I don’t think Successor knows what this means yet,’ the goddess of sloth thought to herself.

Choi Yeonseung still seemed to be in disbelief, but in the eyes of the goddess of sloth, this was Choi Yeonseung’s power as a constellation.

A constellation didn’t necessarily invoke their powers consciously. One with a mortal ego like Choi Yeonseung was bound to have a stronger, subconscious power.

‘It’s clear that he anchored the monsters under his command to the realm of training and made them one step stronger.’

This method might seem rough and crude, but the speculation of the goddess of sloth was quite plausible, given Choi Yeonseung’s constellation domain.

It was likely that Choi Yeonseung’s subconscious force had led to this result. No one could tell how much time and power of existence it would’ve taken for Choi Yeonseung to subdue the monsters by consciously using his power.

That would essentially mean molding each and every monster to suit his taste...

-I think they’re completely under your command.

“Alright, I trust you, goddess of sloth.” Choi Yeonseung nodded and turned his attention back to the enemy constellation. He still wasn’t sure how those monsters were under his control, but if the goddess of sloth was convinced, he would stop needlessly worrying about it and focus on the fight in front of him.

Fortunately, the situation was clearly in his favor. After all, monsters with their wild nature suppressed were bound to be weaker in a fight against those whose wild nature remained free.

‘Is there a rock snake on the other side?’

As Choi Yeonseung’s monsters were pushing the enemies back, more monsters sprung into action from the enemy rear.

Choi Yeonseung frowned as he realized that there were rock snakes among them. It wouldn’t turn things around, but he felt bad because he had grown attached to the rock snakes.

-■■■■! ■■■■!

“?!”

But then, the rock snakes in the enemy camp suddenly went on a rampage. It seemed that they broke through the power of the Master of Slowness and Silence and regained their free will. -...!

The goddess of sloth was stunned. She knew that Choi Yeonseung’s power had been growing, but she hadn’t thought it was to this extent. Perhaps he really stood a chance against some of the advanced constellations...

***

Seeing that he was on the verge of defeat, the Noble Crown Collector glared at Tardus with icy eyes. He was supposed to win this battle easily, and yet he was suddenly losing.

You...! Did the Master of Slowness and Silence set me up?

“No...” Tardus protested.

This time, it wasn’t the trap of the Master of Slowness and Silence. The evil god constellations had to keep the Undefeated Incarnation of Training in check, so the slowness constellation had no reason to sabotage someone as pitiful as the Noble Crown Collector.

However, such words didn’t reach the collector constellation.

Shut up.

[The ‘Poisonous Crown’ power of the ‘Noble Crown Collector’ is activated!]

[The power of the ‘Master of Slowness and Silence’ is activated.]

The moment the collector constellation waved his hand and a crown appeared on Tardus’ head, the Master of Slowness and Silence intervened. He couldn’t stand by and watch this.

[The ‘Master of Slowness and Silence’ warns you to calm down instead of venting your anger for no reason.]

[He will give you soul stones...]

Shut up! I’m done falling for your smooth talk!

The Noble Crown Collector took back his influence on the realm and disappeared along with his household members. His bewildered believers looked at the sky and murmured to each other.

Those who had been enslaved by the collector constellation suddenly came to their senses and looked around, while those who had ruled realms only because of their noble bloodline were caught off guard and found themselves unable to adapt to the sudden circumstances.

[The ‘Noble Crown Collector’ warns the ‘Master of Slowness and Silence’ to wait because it is his turn next.]

“What...? Are you going to...?”

Tardus didn’t understand what the collector constellation was trying to do. He knew that defeat was bitter, but now that this had happened, the collector constellation had to protect his existence by receiving soul stones from the Master of Slowness and Silence.

However, he had abandoned all the remaining kingdoms and household members and focused his power of existence on himself. It was as if he was planning to get into a fight...

[The ‘Noble Crown Collector’ is approaching!]

“!”

Choi Yeonseung had been taking in his victory, but his eyes suddenly widened when he saw what was going on.

It already came to this, so suddenly?

-It’s a last-ditch effort! Prepare for battle!

The goddess of sloth cried out with great urgency, her usual languid tone gone. This had happened from time to time throughout the long history of the Abyss—a final struggle right after suffering defeat in a constellation battle.

It was an attempt to overshadow the defeat by starting an all-out war.

Of course, thinking about it rationally, it was an action that bordered on insanity. The constellation’s realm would become completely vulnerable the moment they abandoned it to cause an all-out war.

However, constellations weren’t as rational as humans, especially those that had nothing to lose aside from their dignity!

“Everyone, get out of the way.”

Choi Yeonseung ordered the household members in his realm to evacuate before rushing forward. A great power of existence engulfed his realm, deflecting the gazes of other constellations.

His realm had become an isolated region that no constellation could spy on.

‘I’m ready.’

Choi Yeonseung displayed unwavering determination, and he was ready to use his power as a constellation. Even if the Noble Crown Collector went on a rampage, he had no intention of losing.

Come.

But he suddenly paused.

‘...Wait.’

It was a vast farm that caught his eyes—a land brimming with an unusual vitality for the Abyss, diligently cultivated by orcs, sweat rolling down their temples.

If Choi Yeonseung engaged in battle right then and there...

-Goddess of sloth! Can’t we just clear the farm and make room for a fight?

-How can you afford to be so calm at a time like this?! It can’t be done, no matter how weak the opponent is!

The goddess of sloth screamed at Choi Yeonseung in a dumbfounded manner. No matter how advantageous the battle was, they absolutely couldn’t afford to let their guard down in a fight against a constellation, not when a single blow could prove fatal.

It wasn’t that the goddess of sloth didn’t understand Choi Yeonseung’s attachment to the realm he had worked hard to develop and his desire to protect it, but...

She couldn’t help bursting in anger and screaming when she saw that Choi Yeonseung was seriously thinking about prioritizing the realm over this crucial battle.

-Pretend to be defeated and lure the enemy from the farm to the great forest! You can fight there!

-That’s right.

The Noble Crown Collector rushed into the realm and snorted at the sight of Choi Yeonseung standing in the middle of the farm.

A mere mortal dared to stand in the way of a constellation?

Die, you insolent bastard!

A huge scepter materialized at the collector constellation’s fingertips. A strong power of existence surged like lightning, shooting out of the royal scepter and crashing into Choi Yeonseung.

...?!

Surprisingly, Choi Yeonseung was unharmed. He used his movement skills for most of his attacks, and his power of existence was enough to withstand the attack of a constellation.

The Noble Crown Collector thought it was strange that this mortal could withstand his power of existence to this extent, but his anger and embarrassment prevented him from realizing the absurdity of the situation.

He merely assumed that Choi Yeonseung had barely managed to dodge his attack with the blessing of his constellation and his own movement skills.

You dare!

The collector constellation attacked again, and Choi Yeonseung pretended to be hit and flew toward the forest.

It was clear that the inability to kill a single mortal had ignited an overwhelming fire in the soul of the Noble Crown Collector. He rushed after Choi Yeonseung, determined to finish this.

Come out, you insect!

[The ‘Eagle Crown’ power of the ‘Noble Crown Collector’...]

Bam!

At that moment, a flash of light burst forth from among the trees of the great forest and pierced the collector constellation in the chest. It was such an unexpected attack that the Noble Crown Collector didn’t even register for a moment that he had been hit.

...!!!

The pain suddenly shot through him.

Origin of the Celestial Finger, which contained power of existence, had shattered the defenses of the collector constellation and stuck his very existence.

The mortal had used concentrated energy, which was indeed the peak of martial arts, but the Noble Crown Collector still didn’t understand how that attack had been powerful enough to damage his very existence.

After all, hadn’t the Undefeated Incarnation of Training been quiet recently...?

This was unbelievable...

Choi Yeonseung didn’t wait for the collector constellation to come to his senses; he rushed in like a lightning bolt and launched another attack.

The once infamous raider among the constellations on the outskirts of the Abyss had reappeared.

The Origin of the Celestial Fist unleashed white flames.

With a series of point-blank attacks, Choi Yeonseung shattered the scepter of the collector constellation and shook his existence.

It was only now that the collector constellation realized he wasn’t facing a mere mortal.

You... You...!

Did you finally realize it?

Choi Yeonseung couldn’t believe it had taken the collector constellation this long to figure it out. In any case, he was going to die here. It didn’t matter that the collector constellation had discovered his secret.

I can’t believe you have been obscenely disguised as your own household member...! You dirty little...!

...That’s not exactly correct.

!