Chapter 351
Chapter 351
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 351
Chapter Title: Rank
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Eloise Arin.
Not yet a Constellation, but a woman with higher potential than any Constellation candidate.
The successor to 'Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade)!
In truth, she had been deeply shocked upon seeing Yui-sa's Spirit King.
A being above Constellations.
「Nebula-grade」
She had scoured ancient tomes and been stunned to find records of it!
She had always known the universe was vast, but to think there were entities of even higher rank than those at the pinnacle known as Constellations actually documented!
After that.
Whenever she wasn't busy, Arin rummaged through the repository of knowledge for clues about ranks.
Part curiosity, but mostly, it was fun.
S-grade, SS-grade, Constellation-grade, Nebula-grade, and so on.
Ranking grades was a stimulating topic that worked in any world.
For the ever-curious Arin, it was like dangling fish in front of a cat.
Training, classes, translation work.
Whenever she had free time, she headed to Oxford to scour the magic tower's bookshelves.
She wished her own magic tower existed.
'But it's still far from being built.'
In the area Demir had named the 'Magic Tower City', where Arin's magic tower was taking root in the Peach Blossom Paradise.
It would require pillars of unimaginable scale, and the time hadn't come yet.
Arin knew instinctively.
'When the time comes.'
The magic tower would rise straight up from that spot, no construction needed.
Piercing the heavens, shooting straight upward.
The universe's largest magic tower—how could it be anything less?
Anyway.
The magic tower's archive was the knowledge of the Constellation 'Ancient Magic' (SSS Grade) itself.
Even if Ancient Magic was merely Constellation-grade, records of higher ranks were plentiful.
And.
'Whoa!'
Across the entire universe.
Having found records of all ranks, Arin couldn't help but be utterly shocked.
'What... There are this many ranks?'
She had thought Ancient Magic was the pinnacle.
The greatest existence in the world.
Reaching that being was one of her two greatest goals.
The other was [helping the Professor achieve his dreams with all her might]... Anyway.
'There are so many beings above Nebula-grade?'
The universe's hierarchy was divided by scale.
Records left by an entity called the 'Cosmic Traveler' who wandered the universe.
Roughly, it went like this.
First, the Constellation section.
...A Constellation is a star, an individual star. Just as stars vary in size, so does the power of each Constellation. Wandering the universe, you'll encounter absurdly massive supergiants. Those can be larger than small nebulae, so not all Constellation-grades are equal.
That's the mystery of the universe. A Constellation-grade that can defeat a Nebula-grade? Hilarious, isn't it?...
She knew this, but it was still shocking.
A Constellation stronger than a Nebula-grade.
'No way.'
Could that be Ancient Magic?
Arin nodded instinctively.
It made sense for Ancient Magic.
Comparing it to the Nebula-grade Spirit King of the spirit realm, she slightly favored Ancient Magic.
Anyway.
Next, the Nebula section.
...The next stage is Nebula-grade. A nebula is interstellar medium, not a star, but its size often dwarfs ordinary stars. It's a bit ambiguous. From my travels, here's what I've realized.
If Constellation-grade is a completed form, Nebula-grade is a transitional stage before the next, Galactic-grade. Still, Nebula-grades are mighty. Even the smallest nebula can devour hundreds of average Constellations with its own power.
Of course, as mentioned, there are exceptional Constellations... Hmm, for example, the apex dragons like the Creation Dragon or Destruction Dragon at their True Dragon stage might be Nebula-grade? Just my opinion, so if you disagree, you're right.
'Ah!'
Arin nodded.
It clicked perfectly.
If the Destruction Dragon, Vinas, evolved to True Dragon, it would be Nebula-grade!
Constellation-grade and Nebula-grade seemed tangled in a complex relationship.
Hard to say which was definitively superior, but Nebula-grade felt generally higher?
She didn't know why ranks worked this way.
'Don't try to understand the universe.'
Frogs eat snakes sometimes, right?
Yeah.
Thinking of them as mutants made it easier.
Next.
...After that is Galactic-grade. A galaxy is a massive celestial body formed from countless stars, nebulae, and more. Fittingly, they are truly transcendent beings. Some manipulate space-time, create worlds, destroy them. I don't know exactly, but I heard from a lucky Nebula-grade friend I met.
They share traits with Constellations: varying sizes. Massive ones devour smaller ones. The universe always favors the big. The larger, the stronger.
Oh, for reference, Creation Dragons or Destruction Dragons entering Elder Dragon stage are probably Galactic-grade. I saw one Elder Destruction Dragon devour dozens of Nebula-grades myself, so disagree and you're wrong.
'Wow.'
This was a whole new world.
Beings above Nebula-grade.
Just imagining them choked her.
Even as an undead, fear crept up?
Moreover.
'Manipulating space-time, even creation?'
Weren't those the gods humans spoke of?
She thought.
Until turning the next page.
...Funny thing, there are beings above even Galactic-grade. The Nebula-grade friend who told me this was extremely cautious about this part. Roughly... like this. Galaxy Cluster-grade, Supercluster-grade, Ultra Supercluster-grade! Shortened to Cluster-grade! Super-grade! Ultra-grade!
Related to cosmic large-scale structure. Clusters are dozens to hundreds of times larger than galaxies, superclusters hundreds to thousands times. And the ultra-superclusters... Whew, multiple superclusters, you get it...
'Amazing!'
Arin's eyes sparkled.
So.
Beings that could crush dragons or Apophis like bugs existed in endless numbers?
That was the universe.
'Ah.'
Arin revered 'Ancient Magic'.
A Constellation that had recorded all these vast cosmic events?
But it was also burdensome.
The moment she ascended to Constellation rank.
She would have to witness it all herself.
...And finally. Great Wall-grade. Ironically, better known than Galactic-grade. The beings we call gods. Seven entities embodying true omnipotence. I'll spare details. Even I'm scared to speak...
For reference, I won't prove if these records are true or false. Believe if you want, don't if you don't. I'm just a mere 'Cosmic Traveler' Nebula-grade, so it might not be accurate. No need to take it as gospel. Better not to believe. Anyway...
Gulp.
"......"
Arin swallowed after the record's end.
Gods.
'Oh my god.'
Gods.
Could a tiny being born in one world ever face 'gods'?
Truthfully.
No need to even think about it.
Like ants by the sea worrying if the sun will rise.
Gods were nature, the universe itself.
For now.
Becoming a Constellation was overwhelming enough.
* * *
Anyway.
Snapping from her flashback, Arin looked at the being before her.
- Arin, could you look into the Sword God for me?
Sword God Baek Mu-hyeon.
Per the Professor's order, his rank was.
"A Constellation."
"A Constellation?"
Arin nodded calmly at the tilting Professor.
"Yes, but."
Her gaze shifted back to Baek Mu-hyeon, seated cross-legged.
Woo-oooong!
Mana sharply whirling from her chest scanned and analyzed the target.
"Much larger than a nebula."
* * *
"Ah."
I nodded.
A Constellation far larger than a nebula.
There were such freakish existences.
I'd recently heard about entity ranks from Arin.
'I was pretty shocked.'
I'd heard plenty from Delaila about the universe's vastness—my ears were numb—so I half-expected it.
But so many stages?
'And.'
Gods?
Not just any gods, but seven?
That part intrigued me most.
My weapon.
[Item: Spirit of the Sealed Seven Essences (5/7)]
[Rank: Godslayer-grade]
[Type: Weapon]
[Description: Fragment of the seven essences even primordial gods feared. Seal releases when all attribute essences are gathered. Currently holds Fire, Water, Wood, Metal, and Earth essences.]
[Effect 1: Morphs to user's desired form.]
[Effect 2: Absolutely indestructible.]
[Effect 3: Uses gathered essences' power.]
[Effect 4: Vitality +5,000.]
Gods comparable to the essences.
Existing far higher than expected.
'Hmm.'
No wonder the essences were so haughty.
Refusing chit-chat.
Reluctant to lend power.
They'd been in such lofty positions.
'Of course.'
Now, they seemed to hold some grudge against those gods.
'Anyway.'
This being before me.
Bone-yi—no, Baek Mu-hyeon—if a Constellation larger than a nebula.
'Then Elder Master is...'
Nebula-grade or higher.
Hah.
What a lamentable situation.
'The path to surpassing the azure expanse is farther and harsher than I thought.'
I wasn't even Constellation-grade yet.
Elder Master was beyond that.
Of course.
No need to lose confidence.
I was a freak among freaks, able to take down Constellations like dragons or Apophis.
"Whew."
As I sighed briefly in a bittersweet mood.
- Joo Dong-hoon.
Swish!
Haseara swung her sword and asked.
- What do we do?
That guy?
What else.
"Can't catch him right away."
How could we take down someone stronger than Nebula-grade?
I'd faced Sylphid, so I knew.
Nebula-grade was a living calamity, terror incarnate.
- Then?
"Wait first."
He's just sitting there.
Check if it's safe.
Fwoosh!
Shaking off Godslayer Spear, I approached Baek Mu-hyeon's true body, where he sat.
"My lord?"
"M-Master?"
Some subordinates panicked at my sudden move.
Clang!
Kaden, shield up, stuck close beside me.
Dana peeked from behind his shield.
Ooh, as expected.
Kaden and Dana!
Reliable!
"This guy won't move if we don't touch him, right?"
Expressionless Baek Mu-hyeon.
His eyes were terrifying.
But.
He was definitely still.
Even boldly waving my palm before his eyes with a [What if I move? Guess we'll have to fight!] mindset.
"......"
Silent as ever.
Why?
Why was he just sitting here?
I was wondering that when.
"Ahem."
Another Baek Mu-hyeon coughed behind me.
The ghostly one who appeared first.
For convenience, the nice Baek Mu-hyeon.
"My lord... My true body... only reacts to the supreme of the world."
"Oh, really?"
That's how it was?
So.
Neither I nor Haseara were the supreme?
Well, true.
I was 4th on Earth, Haseara 2nd.
"What a funny guy. Ignores the weak? What about Elder Master or Kang So-so? Even if he beat her once, Elder Master should pique interest."
"Um... Well."
Bone-yi scratched his head sheepishly.
"It's embarrassing from my past, but my true body has clear goals."
The nice Baek Mu-hyeon smiled bitterly.
"His goal is becoming the Supreme of Gold and the World's Best, not smashing the supreme of the world."
"Ah, so..."
"Yes, honestly, he's weak in that sense. Back then, if the odds weren't right, he'd retreat a step for training. Though that was rare, countable on one hand."
"Huh?"
My jaw dropped.
Other subordinates' jaws dropped too.
Wow.
Bone-yi, you were strong against weak, weak against strong?
"...The martial world spares no blood or tears. Losing life to pointless pride means never becoming Supreme of Gold and the World's Best."
A man moving solely for his purpose.
Thus, the simple reason Baek Mu-hyeon's true body ignored Elder Master.
Elder Master was stronger.
This was... honest? Smart?
Personally, I liked it.
A rational chooser for his goal.
"Whew."
Now, my paths were two.
First.
Train here, become Earth's acknowledged Rank 1.
He'd naturally attack.
Second.
Why bother?
Prepare thoroughly here, strike first when ready.
Goal anyway.
Process Baek Mu-hyeon's true body somehow!
Free Bone-yi from his 'grudge'!
"Okay."
Decision made.
"Everyone."
I turned to face my subordinates.
Their gazes focused on me.
Haseara watched silently.
I grinned.
"Fan out, prepare for training."
No choice.
To take him down, I needed at least Constellation-grade.
Only then would our 'ranks' match.