Chapter 59 World of the Dead Constellation (1)

Translator: WH Editor: Sasha

1.

A bathroom had already been set up in the Great Library.

Okay.

After was.h.i.+ng my face at the sink, I said.

Before we go to the Murim Lets just start with dying once.

Silence flowed around. There was no one else but me in the bathroom. But there was a ghost and a sword, and they responded to me.

-What do you mean by okay?

[s.h.i.+ny doesnt understand your intentions.]

Bae Hu-ryeong batted his eyes, and the Holy Swords light glimmered.

Lefanta Aegim. The first Emperor of the Empire and the one who made the G.o.ddess of Protection into s.h.i.+ny.

[s.h.i.+ny pointed out that you were the one who named her s.h.i.+ny..]

I dont know what kind of guy he is, but he could travel back and forth between the various worlds.

I put on my overcoat. It was a custom-made suit gifted to me by the Witch before the press conference. Looking at my reflection in the mirror, it made me look like a fresh recruit who was ready to go to work.

Strangely, this appearance gave me a sense of psychological stability.

Think about it. s.h.i.+ny, you were in the world of the Aegim Empire, right? But the other sword is in the Murim world. That means Lefanta Aegim had [The ability to cross-over worlds].

-Hooooohhh.

He must be a munchkin-like dude.

I touched the shaft of the Holy Sword on my waist.

Hes capable enough to establish an Empire, and hes strong enough to split and seal a Constellation. He even has the ability to cross over into this world. Its not a good idea to blindly jump into the Murim without any plan to look for fragments of the Holy Sword.

I needed to be a little more cautious.

Im not invincible () either.

Thats right.

In fact, lately I was a little on edge.

Should I say I was worried about my current self?

I was worried that if I relaxed even a little bit, my confidence would turn into arrogance.

I rose to 3rd rank in the Hunter ranking. I almost single handedly defeated the Devil King. In the city, the people only talked about me, and now Im even giving orders to Hunters that carry t.i.tles.

-So what?

Im afraid Ill let my guard down if I make a blunder.

There were up to 100 floors in the tower.

As of right now, I was just a Hunter who had only reached the 21st floor.

It was too early to relax just because of the success I had right now.

The Flame Emperor was also hunted by me because he let his guard down.

Because he had a skill that revived him even if he died, [Returners Clockwork Watch]. It was a crazy cheat skill that looked as if there was no way to subdue it. However, what happened to Yoo Soo-ha, the Flame Emperor who had such a crazy cheat ability?

He died.

Whats more, after his death, he even danced a big round of Kozatsky dance in front of the worlds army.

It was a very good example that no matter how strong a Hunter was, he should not let his guard down.

-No. Thats because Zombie, youre quite the devilish b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

Anyways, Im not going to jump into [Chronicles of Heavenly Demon] without any countermeasures. I need to know what kind of b.a.s.t.a.r.d Lefanta Aegim was. Right now, I really dont have any information about it.

Preparedness averts peril.

[T/N: Its an idiom () which basically means, with all precautions taken, one would be safe. Or it could also mean better safe than sorry.]

Why was there a fragment of the Holy Sword in Murim out of the blue, and not in the world of Aegim Continent? What was the munchkin named Lefanta Aegim even thinking, and for what purpose did he split and scatter the [G.o.ddess of Protection]?

I wanted to at least get the minimum amount of information before entering the next Stage.

-Well, its not a bad mindset to think before you leap.

[T/N: its , a Korean Idiom that means to think carefully before you commit to your next action.]

Bae Hu-ryeong tilted his head.

-How exactly are you going to prepare? Just like you said, you dont know anything about the guy called Lefanta or whatever it is. Theres also no way to find out.

Youre right about me not knowing anything. But

I tapped the Holy Sword with my finger.

Youre wrong about there being no way to find out.

-What?

Even if it looks like this, this sword is the [G.o.ddess of Protection]. Though its been divided into five fragments, its undoubtedly a Constellation.

I grinned mischievously.

A question now. If I stab myself with this sword, would that count as suicide? Or is it murder by the Constellation?

Bae Hu-ryeongs eyes widened.

He looked as if it was something unthinkable.

-Huh? Huhhhhhhh?

It could be suicide or murder. Lets say the odds are fifty-fifty, and I dont know which one it is yet, but Its worth testing out.

Shas.h.i.+ngggg.

[T/N: the sound of pulling a sword out of its sheath.]

I took the Holy Sword out of its sheath. Then I heard a desperate voice.

[s.h.i.+ny sincerely asks the warrior to reconsider once more.]

Why?

[s.h.i.+ny strongly a.s.serts that it is embarra.s.sing for her past to be seen by another person and that she would like to protect her privacy.]

I raised the corners of my lips.

Eyyy, theres no such thing as privacy between us, right? Im also showing my personal life to you, broadcasted live 24 hours a day. You should be fair.

[s.h.i.+ny is begging you to stop]

Shlickkkk!

The Holy Sword pierced my body.

The next moment, I was sure I succeeded in the fifty-fifty gamble.

[You have died.]

[Your death has satisfied the skill condition.]

[G.o.ddess of Protections skill is currently sealed and cannot be acquired.]

It was a bit disappointing that I couldnt copy her skills.

But what I was trying to get right now was not a skill.

[You are currently a D-Cla.s.s Hunter.]

[You will receive a penalty due to your skill.]

[The trauma of your enemy is being reenacted.]

[The extremity is Moderate (). Vengeful Ghost Road.]

s.h.i.+nggggg!

The scene I had hoped for unfolded before my eyes.

-Your long journey finally came to an end.

I could hear a beautiful voice.

-I knew you could do it. Warrior-nim.

It was a woman I had never seen before. But somehow I realized right away who she was.

The [G.o.ddess of Protection] that wasnt sealed in the blade.

It was a Constellation that could fully control her power.

-Yes.

A man. A silver-haired n.o.bleman, probably whom the G.o.ddess was referring to as a warrior, was sitting on a rustic jade throne. From the chin upwards, there was a hint of fatigue on his face. It was the Empires first Emperor, Lefanta Aegim who replied to her.

Is that dude Lefanta Aegim?

The man opened his lips.

-It seemed like it was just a few days ago that I was taken aback by the sudden summoning. Before I knew it, Ive become an Emperor that unified the Continent. Life is full of surprises.

-Hurhur. I feel refreshed too. At first, you were a normal human who really didnt know anything. Now, youre stronger than me. No, most G.o.ds wouldnt even be able to hold a candle against you.

It was then.

-Huh? What the-.

Bae Hu-ryeong, who was looking at the trauma scene with me made a sound.

-It feels like Ive seen that b.a.s.t.a.r.d before?

Huh?

-I mean that blonde-haired dude. Even at a glance, I can recognise, hes definitely the Constellation Killer ().

Bae Hu-ryeong muttered as if it was strange.

I was surprised at the fact that Bae Hu-ryeong had met Lefanta Aegim before.

What does Constellation Killer mean?

-Its that b.a.s.t.a.r.ds t.i.tle. He got that t.i.tle because he was a crazy b.a.s.t.a.r.d that only went around looking for the Constellations and crus.h.i.+ng them.

Crus.h.i.+ng the Constellations?

Dont you see? The tower is connected to the worlds. From the 50th floor, you have to compete with Hunters from all over the world.

Oh, really?

-Mmhmmm. And that [Constellation Killer] was a b.a.s.t.a.r.d that was cooped up on the 50th floor.

Bae Hu-ryeong said.

-He would never climb the tower, and just stayed locked up on the 50th floor all the time, and when the words of a Constellation being there came by, hed chase after them immediately. Im sure that there are at least a few hundred Constellations that were killed by him.

then Lefanta Aegim is also a Hunter?

-Thats right. I was wondering what kind of world such a crazy madman was born in, that brat. So hes from Aegim.

Bae Hy-ryeong murmured.

-I never thought Id see an old connection in a place like this. Phew.

Uhhhh. What was the relations.h.i.+p between the two of you?

-What else could our relations.h.i.+p be? We had a proper fight, thats what our relations.h.i.+p was. He was strong, that Ill give him, but he couldnt dare match me.

The trauma scene kept unfolding even in the midst of our chatter.

The G.o.ddess of Protection opened her mouth.

-What do you plan to do from now on, Warrior-nim? There are no longer any G.o.ds() and Demons() that can block Warrior-nims path. Your long journey is now

-Constellation.

-Yes?

-Its neither G.o.d nor Demon. Its Constellation.

Lefanta Aegim stood up from his jade throne.

-The world belongs to humans, not to the Constellations.

Lefanta Aegim looked back at the G.o.ddess.

A dark red Aura blazed forth from the Emperors body.

Warrior-nim? Why are you suddenly using your Aura.?

With an exhausted look, the Founding Emperor of the Empire seemed to be agonizing.

It wasnt for long.

-I wont kill you. Because youve been helping me up till now.

A red Aura swoop over the G.o.ddess.

-I will split and seal your existence. If I do that, you wont be able to regain your power again. And when the Constellation is gone.

The latter part of his words couldnt be heard because of the piercing scream.

The G.o.ddesss existence was being torn apart in front of us.

-Im sorry.

Lefanta Aegim said.

-But this is the right way.

After the G.o.ddesss scream faded away, the trauma moved away from us in a flash.

[Trauma reenactment finished.]

[Confirming that the subjects psyche () is maintained.]

[The penalty is ending.]

Whats this, this guy?

After coming back to the day before, I mumbled in the bathroom that I came back to again.

I thought I would see what kind of guy he was after getting a glimpse of the past through the trauma Now Im confused even more after watching it. Hey, s.h.i.+ny. Why did your old master seal you?

[s.h.i.+ny replied sullenly, saying she doesnt know either.]

The Holy Sword glowed lightly.

Was it because she was down?

The light of the Holy Sword seemed unusually weak.

[The Lefanta Aegim, who she remembers, was a man of few words, but he was a righteous warrior. s.h.i.+ny expresses that she had no idea why he sealed her, and why he left behind the Empire that he founded.]

The mystery only got worse.

-I told you. The higher the levels of the Hunters are, the crazier they are, okay?

Bae Hu-ryeong shrugged.

-Dont try to understand those crazy madmen. If you peek into the abyss, you will fall into the abyss yourself. Become strong just like me, and crush all the f.u.c.kers you dont like, whether it is Constellation Killer or whoever!

I sighed.

Well. Its considered a harvest just by knowing his face.

And I was certain of one fact.

Lefanta Aegim. The so-called [Constellation Killer] would be hostile as soon as he saw me.

Because I was carrying around the fragments of the G.o.ddess of Protection that he sealed away.

Hmmmm.

I wrinkled my forehead while looking in the mirror.

If were going to meet on the 50th floor anyway, Id like to take care of it in advance.

-Hold your horses. Youre no match for him with your current ability! Hes just weaker than me, but that guy is a master among masters too. Also, if you already have time to worry about the 50th floor, how about you clear the 22nd floor, you wimp!

Ehem.

He wasnt wrong, so I quietly repeated the same day.

The next day. The Hunters picked out the 22nd floor after reading all the Apocalypses. [Chronicles of Heavenly Demon] was chosen without difficulty because it was none other than the Sword Saint himself who recommended it.

Hoooh? I see you all chose Martial Arts as your first genre.

The librarian watched us make our decision and meaningfully laughed.

Its not a bad choice! Although it may not exactly be the same Murim you lot know of, it is the same in that there are martial arts and strong people. Depending on how you lead the story, you might even gain a Miraculous Encounter(). Martial Arts that are priceless According to the expression you lot use, you may even be able to learn Skills.

Ohhhhhhhhh, the Hunters got excited.

Everyone was in high spirits and yet the librarian immediately sprayed ashes on the mood.

[T/N: sprayed ashes is a Korean slang for ruining a mood.]

However, all things are high-risk, high-returns! Thats how strong the enemy characters are. Needless to say, but if you enter the Apocalypse and lose your life, you will actually die in reality. Of course, you wont be able to escape from the Apocalypse until youve completed the ending properly!

The Hunters shut their mouths.

It was a given. Unless you had an unusual skill like me, death always had the power to shut people up.

[Chronicles of Heavenly Demon] has a play limit of 2 to 4 people. Now! Whos going to be part of the characters of this Apocalypse?

The Hunters eyes naturally turned towards the top rankers.

Among them, I was the one who garnered the most attention. The reason was simple. It was because, over the past few days, I ordered and directed the Hunters around as if I was some sort of representative.

With power comes great responsibility.

Ill take part.

And I had no intention of running away from my responsibilities.

At my quick answer, the guild masters smiled delightfully, as if saying I knew he would do that and the majority of the Hunter stared at me with a surprised look.

Ill get in on the act too.

The Sword Saint followed up and said.

You cant leave out the person who recommended the Apocalypse.

He looked solemn, but there was a slight smile on the corner of his lips. I could plainly see his body was itching for excitement. Perhaps as a reader who loves Martial Arts, isnt the fact that he could enter the real Murim a pleasure in itself?

Im glad. The minimum number of people has been met!

The librarian chuckled.

We can have two more characters coming with us here. How do you guys want to do it?

Theres one more reason why I recommended this Apocalypse.

The Sword Saint immediately opened his mouth with confidence.

Everyone, look at all the reason for discontinuation.

+

[The Chronicles of Heavenly Demon()]

Genre: Martial Arts, Fusion

Difficulty Level: B Cla.s.s

Player Limit: 2 to 4 people

The Serialization is currently suspended.

Introduction: Murim. A world of those who revere Mu, those who use Mu, those who strive to attain Mu! A Heavenly Demon descended here and tried to unify Murim. A Demonic Cult () brought together centering on the Heavenly Demon. The opposing forces who go against this Demonic Cult. Fighting over the control of the worldwould be what they wouldve done.

[T/N: Murim () is the Martial Arts World, Mu () is basically Martial Arts.]

If it wasnt for the sudden super epidemic.

Reason for Discontinuation: An unidentified epidemic went rampant in the world, causing the Heavenly Demon to die. The Demonic Cult was annihilated. The other forces were also destroyed. End.

+

Looking at it again, the reason for discontinuation was ridiculous.

It didnt even state exactly what the epidemic was.

In the text of the Apocalypse, only this was written, [The Heavenly Demon suddenly died due to the unidentified epidemic, soon, all the other forces died too.]

No one knew what happened specifically.

Well find out when we really enter this world.

In any case, it was clear that the Murim was destroyed because of the unidentified epidemic.

The Sword Saint nodded.

As you can see, the epidemic was what destroyed this world. Needless to say, we should not only take strong Hunters but also Hunters who have extensive knowledge about diseases. And I know who is the most educated when it comes to diseases.

The Sword Saint smiled brightly and called for someone from the [Martial Arts] group where he came from.

Medicine King. Will you come out?

A stubborn-looking elderly man walked out with his hands behind his back.

This time again, the Sword Emperor pretended as if he knew.

-Ahh! That guy!

Why? Whos that?

-What do you mean why? You know that store right? The place where I tried to bring you to first, Zombie. Hes the shop owner of Marcus grandpops favourite Drugstore.

Aha, really now.

-That grandpop is good at making drugs. But, ummm Hes good at it, but.

The Sword Emperor mumbled towards the end of his sentence.

No one knew the reason better than I did.

Dont worry. I will be the one mainly fighting, and Death King will help if I am not enough. And when this [Medicine King] resolves the matter regarding the disease, this Apocalypse will only be for the three us Death King, is there anything you want to say?

As he spoke confidently, the Sword Saint stared at me with his hands raised.

Ahhh. Yes. Theres one person Id like to bring with me.

I lowered my hand and pointed to one Hunter.

The Hunter, who was pointed out of nowhere, gasped for words.

Uhhh, huhhh? Are you talking about me?

It was the Alchemist.

I nodded.

Yes, thats right.

The Alchemist trembled as if she had been struck by lightning while walking down the street.

Dea-, Death King It hasnt even been a week since I received my t.i.tle. Ve-, Im very weak! It wouldnt be of any use even if you took someone like me with you, so why

Youre the most capable pharmacist and doctor that I know, Alchemist.

Huhh? Yes?

And you also said earlier.

Death King-nim, if you need anything, please tell me!

As long as I can do it, Ill help you all I can!

I smiled widely.

If it wasnt just empty talk, youll help out. Right, Alchemist-nim?

.

The Alchemists eyes were in despair as if she was looking at the devil.

Why? Didnt she get her t.i.tle thanks to me?

If you got carried, you have to pay the price for being carried.

[T/N: This was talked about in C58, but just in case, Carry in this context is like the gaming term, in other words, our MC carried her by using the item she made, that was why she could get a t.i.tle.]