Chapter 9
The moment he?reached the transcendent-class stage, he saw something he never could when his rank was still below it. He could feel the eyes of the constellations looking at him and the?pressure their gazes brought. And he could feel how strong they were.
‘They’re stronger than me.’
Though he had reached the transcendent-class stage, the constellations watching him now were undeniably stronger than him. Nevertheless...
He thought he could reach them. He was convinced that if he became a bit stronger, he would be able to reach that stage. If so, then there was no reason not to?give it a try. No, he?would surely do it!
“Wonderful... Human...”
“My name is Choi Yeonseung.”
“I’m looking forward to the day we fight again...!”
Barigos collapsed at the end of his words. A wandering human had defeated him, so?he likely wouldn't be in his master's good graces. Even so, Choi Yeonseung hoped that Barigos would return someday.
‘Come back, Barigos. I have to repay you.’
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is proposing to meet you.]
[The ‘Horseman of Plague and Darkness’ is proposing to meet you.]
The constellations of the abyss didn’t move. No, they couldn’t move. If the monarch left, then who would protect their kingdom? The Abyss' constellations constantly targeted each other, so their realms would quickly fall the moment they left their territories. Therefore, the constellations just sat on thrones and observed?their own households, beings worthy of becoming their household member, etc.
Reaching?the?transcendent-class stage allowed him to feel the constellations’ gazes. He could even feel their anger or admiration. It was like the Internet broadcast when he was on Earth. However, the constellations’ was much bloodier and more conversation-free!
‘Um. Wouldn’t such thoughts make the constellations suddenly feel insignificant?’
Such thoughts would only enter a person’s mind when they weren’t afraid of anything. Choi Yeonseung had now reached that point. He announced that he would become a constellation while other constellations were watching him, so what more could he be afraid of?
[The ‘Ruler of Blood and Brawls’ has placed a bounty on your head.]
[All the beings in this realm have started to target you.]
[The ‘Horseman of Plague and Darkness’ is mocking the ‘Ruler of Blood and Brawls.’]
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is raising its paws and giggling.]
‘This is crazy!’
The message windows from the world. Feeling the gazes and?reading the?conversations of the constellations now that he had reached a new stage was great and all, but they were annoying. He remembered what a hunter who previously contracted with a constellation said when he appeared on TV.
-Everyone wants and envies a contract with a constellation, but it isn’t all good.
-It isn’t all good? Hey, doesn’t that sound like a worry that is good to have?
-While it probably sounds like that, other people who have contracted with the constellations will understand me. We are bound to the rules of the constellation... And?it isn’t necessarily good to have your every move observed.
After Choi Yeonseung watched the broadcast back then, he wondered about the hunter’s words. The other hunters in his guild did as well.
-That jerk. He has happy worries...
-This is even more annoying because he’s handsome! Why did he appear on air and look like he was having the hardest time in the world? He shouldn’t look like that in good conscience!
Contracting with a constellation was something only 1% of hunters could do. They were saying things like ‘Being in a contract with a constellation is hard,’ which left the other hunters no choice but to grab the back of their necks.
However, Choi Yeonseung could now clearly feel what that person was talking about. Contracting with a constellation didn’t just mean good things.
Act according to the rules of the constellation.
Act under the eyes of the constellation.
Breaking those meant receiving unimaginable punishment.
‘Isn’t it just slavery in the end?’
Everyone envied the constellations’ household members, but they were really just slaves with good chains.
Choi Yeonseung once again vowed to become a constellation. Now that he thought about it, the reason he wanted to become stronger was that he wanted to dictate his own destiny. Considering all that had happened, why would he?entrust his destiny to a constellation?
***
Choi Yeonseung had to get out of the Ruler of Blood and Brawls’ realm. Hence, he ran as the nearby constellations watched him. While constellations couldn’t come in person despite being really upset, both people and constellations had a tendency to recklessly rush in without thinking about the consequences first.
Demons came rushing at him to block his way, but they were already far lacking to be a match for him.
“Get lost!”
Choi Yeonseung fired bullets made of concentrated energy one after another from his fingers. The demons hurriedly cast the 5th-circle magic ‘Hell’s Magic Shield’ and the 6th-circle magic ‘Advanced Hell’s Magic Shield’, but they were powerless against his concentrated energy.
The light that tore through magic!
The demons screamed and rolled around.
[The ‘Horseman of Plague and Darkness’ admires your martial ability.]
[The ‘Horseman of Plague and Darkness’?is attempting to give?you the skill ‘Plague Cloud Eruption.’]
It wasn’t necessarily bad to have constellations watching. The constellations liked beings who excelled, even if that being wasn’t a part of their household. They didn’t show it with just words. They actively gave gifts and presented their powers. That was why the constellations’ household members accepted such restrictions! They could be strengthened by not just their master but other constellations as well. “I refuse.”
However, Choi Yeonseung rejected Plague Cloud Eruption.
[The rejection angers the ‘Horseman of Plague and Darkness’!]
[Other constellations are laughing at the ‘Horseman of Plague and Darkness.’]
The reason for Choi Yeonseung’s refusal was simple.
“I don’t know how to use magic.”
[The ‘Horseman of Plague and Darkness’ is?shocked!]
[The ‘Horseman of Plague and Darkness’ excuses you after hearing this.]
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ recommends learning magic.]
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ suggests the magic book ‘Book of Cats.’]
“I don’t need it. I’m going to see the martial arts through to the end.”
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is insulting you for being a hipster.]
“......”
Choi Yeonseung suddenly felt like he had just received an unjust accusation. An insult that strangely stabbed the heart more than any other insult!
‘What did I do to be a hipster... !’
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’?is attempting to give you?an adamantium ingot to you, a hipster.]
“!”
Choi Yeonseung was surprised. The constellations were truly generous. He couldn’t believe that one of them just gave him this. He hadn’t even signed a contract with him!
[The ‘Horseman of Plague and Darkness’ scoffs at the ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ and asks if you will acceptsuch a thing...]
“I’ll accept it with gratitude!” He immediately changed to honorifics. Choi Yeonseung was crazy about strength, but he was from a capitalist society.
[......]
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is laughing!]
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is saying you should sign a contract?with it?if you want more ores.]
“I... I am going to be a constellation.”
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is shaking its head. It says this is why you’re a hipster.]
‘Where did it learn words like hipster?’
Was there a word similar to hipster in that cat constellation’s world? What was this?
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is still rooting for you. It says it will keep watching if you can do it.]
[The ‘Horseman of Plague and Darkness’ despises you for not grasping the subject.]
Choi Yeonseung stopped looking at the message windows. He didn’t care about the constellations’ laughter, ridicule, or temptations. He focused on carving his own path!
‘Check skills.’
Name: Choi Yeonseung
Hunter Rank: C+
Aptitude: Martial Artist
Stage: Transcendent-class
Skills Possessed: magic
Origin of the Celestial Divine Arts.
Immunity to Ten Thousand Poisons.
Unity of Body and Fist.
Stealthily Shifting One Thing for Another.
Impenetrable Skin.
Three Flowers Gather Together.
Heavenly Martial?Physique.
State of Perfection.
Resonance From the World, Undefeated Incarnation of Training.
Low-Level Abyss Cooking.
Movement Transposition.
Concentrated Breathing Arts. Overcome Oneself to Become Strong.
After the bloody battle with Barigos, the Origin of the Celestial Divine Arts and Resonance From the World skills had evolved further.
[Origin of the Celestial Divine Arts: Great Completion]
Rank: S
-Origin of the Celestial Fist
-Origin of the Celestial Kick
...
The various martial art techniques that Choi Yeonseung had learned?were arranged in the Origin of the Celestial Divine Arts, and ‘Great Completion’ had been attached to its title.
Great Completion. He had perfectly mastered?the martial art!
That was right. Choi Yeonseung reached the transcendent-class stage and understood everything about the Origin of the Celestial Divine Arts. Having arrived at the realm of flawlessness, He could no longer evolve his?Origin of the Universe Divine Arts further!
Choi Yeonseung could feel it now. He?had completed his martial arts. To grow stronger, he now had to raise the power of his existence itself, not his martial arts.
Resonance From the World, Undefeated Incarnation of Training.
The world resonates with you as you get closer to the extremes of your existence.
Your title is Undefeated Incarnation of Training.
How could he raise the power of his existence? It couldn’t have answered that in the past, but Choi Yeonseung came to a realization upon reaching the peak-class stage.
‘Living in an endless pursuit of one’s own value.’
The soul lived according to the values it pursued, causing its power of existence to rise. Names such as ‘Horseman of Plague and Darkness’ represented the values pursued by the constellation. Horseman of Plague and Darkness was a being born of both plague and darkness.
If so, then what about Choi Yeonseung? What type of life had Choi Yeonseung lived and what value was he pursuing? The Resonance From the World skill gave him the answer.
Undefeated Incarnation of Training!
‘I must not lose. I need to keep fighting and winning.’
That wasn’t any different from what he had been doing thus far, but its weight felt different.
-I have to keep training and fighting without resting or losing.
It was ridiculously difficult, but...
Choi Yeonseung liked things like this.
‘This is what I’ve always wanted!’
The more unreasonable challenges Choi Yeonseung encountered, the more he burned up. Moreover, these two values were Choi Yeonseung himself. There was no reason for him to refuse.
Finally, Choi Yeonseung confirmed his two newly acquired skills, Suppress the Strong and Support the Weak and Overcome Oneself to Become Strong.
[Suppress the Strong and Support the Weak]
[Rank: S
You have suppressed the strong and helped the weak. If you fight against strong existences, the power of your existence will increase.]
[Overcome Oneself to Become Strong]
[Rank: S
The one who overcomes themself is the strongest. The more you live a life that suits your existence, the more powerful your existence will become.]
‘Hah.’
Rather than increasing the reward, the Suppress the Strong and Support the Weak skill increased the difficulty level by one more level!
‘I’ve only been in a few fights against strong opponents...’
He couldn’t lose, but he also had to fight against strong enemies. The difficulty was getting higher and higher.
Overcoming Oneself to Become Strong was a skill that told him him how to live as a constellation.
Constellations were rule makers. However, they were also bound by rules themselves. What if the Horseman of Plague and Darkness used healing magic? It was an act that denied oneself. He wouldn’t do it unless he was crazy, but if he did, the power of his existence would suffer a huge blow. This was what it meant to reach the limit of one’s existence!
In other words, if Choi Yeonseung wanted to make good use of the Suppress the Strong and Support the Weak and Overcoming Oneself To Become Strong skills...
-I have to train and fight nonstop, and the fights shouldn’t be easy. However, no matter how difficult the battles ahead of me are, I should never lose.
“... Let’s give it a try.”
***
In the end, the Ruler of Blood and Brawls failed to grab Choi Yeonseung’s ankle. That was only natural. Choi Yeonseung had defeated Barigos, his strongest household member, and left the Ruler of Blood and Brawls without any power to stop him. He would have to personally step in, but the other constellations would immediately attack him in that gap.
Choi Yeonseung didn’t hesitate to head to the neutral zone of the Abyss.
An abandoned territory not controlled by any constellation!
Such locations either were fortunate enough to have no constellations nearby, had no souls to serve the constellation, or had so many strong monsters that the constellations left it alone...
There were various reasons to abandon areas like this.
They were known as one of the most dangerous places in the Abyss, but...
For Choi Yeonseung, locations like this were safer. After all, every time he entered a constellation’s realm, he would receive an ultimatum that went along the lines of, ‘Be mine or die.’
Only a few constellations would react and say things like, ‘Do what you want to do, idiot!’