Diving into the Void to Save Yu-bin
Min-su oppa! "This ajusshi is seriously something else to the end! Even your constellation said it! It's not gonna work the way you think!"
"I-I'm telling the truth! It's not made up! Please believe me!"
Idaine, uncharacteristically brimming with delinquency, grabbed him by the collar and shook him violently, while Yu-bin's father pleaded desperately.
"Senior, hold on a sec."
At Min-su's restraint, Idaine released her grip, and the man crumpled to his knees like a sack of potatoes. Min-su leaned down and asked him,
"What do you mean? Yu-bin's mind is collapsing?"
"Th-that's..."
In response to Min-su's question, he spilled out a rambling explanation.
The 'procedure' currently underway on Yu-bin was evolving her physical body. It was an ascension implemented using the power of a god. Since it involved soaking even her tiniest cells in divine power and reconstructing them, he couldn't guarantee what would happen if it was interrupted.
"You did something that dangerous to your own daughter? Are you insane, ajusshi?"
"...Ahh... What the hell have I done?"
His tightly clenched fists trembled violently. The unique obsession and tenacity that had made him a successful scientist had driven him to fixate on one goal. Because of that, he hadn't realized from the start that the goal itself was fundamentally wrong.
It was impossible to revive her from the beginning. Then what have I been doing all this time?
If I can't bring her back, why did I put my daughter through this?
"Senior. Can we... save Yu-bin?"
"...I don't know. This is a first for me too."
No matter how seasoned an S-rank hunter she was, Idaine had never experienced anything like this.
"..."
Min-su looked up at Yu-bin trapped in the tank. The girl floated limply inside, naked and unconscious. He had no idea what process was happening in there, but was there any guarantee it would succeed? Judging by the man's despair, probably not.
"[Conqueror]! Please take this apostle's life and spare my daughter!"
"Aren't you the great constellation? Your former apostle begs you like this. It's my life's wish! Please!"
"...Even hyung can't do it?"
"Forced deification?"
"Forced deification. I've heard of it."
Silvia, who had been listening silently, chimed in.
"There were countless people who coveted the power of gods. My dimension was the same. Could they mimic divine power to become gods themselves? Could they create gods? It's forcibly injecting divine power and divinity into mortals to make them ascend. That's forced deification. Yu-bin in that state... Why... Why did you accept it, Yu-bin...?"
"...Is that even possible?"
"Dignity and feats..."
Both Rijette and Silvia had achieved that. They were goddesses now, admittedly pretty pathetic ones, but in life, they had accomplished feats worthy of being called heroes. That was why, even after being kidnapped by the Tower, they could become constellations.
On the other hand, there was no way Yu-bin, who hadn't completed such dignity, could become a constellation just by forcibly injecting divinity into her.
"If it ends at mere mental collapse, that'll be fortunate... Ahh, Yu-bin."
Punishment for what she did to become a god. Min-su placed his hand on the tank and looked up at her.
"But..."
Min-su glanced at Silvia. Maybe because she was so close to Yu-bin, she looked half out of her mind.
...Hold on.
"So she has accepted divine power, right?"
Min-su turned to Rijette, who was looking at him with a worried face.
"Couldn't I handle it?"
"...Sigh. I figured you'd say that."
Rijette let out a soft sigh and approached him.
"This is a bit different from before. Back then, even though the Tower was the enemy, you entered the mindscape of a stable constellation with settled divinity. But now, Yu-bin's mindscape itself is raging. I can't guarantee your safety inside."
"How dangerous is it?"
"Insanely dangerous. The void between dimensional rifts—it's no different from the bottomless abyss said to be the deepest pit of hell. ...But anyway, telling you not to go won't stop you."
"Haha... Sorry, Constellation-nim."
"Just come back safe."
"Yep."
Min-su took Rijette's hand and touched the tank. A faint hum of divine flow could be felt.
"Summon."
He activated his ability beyond it.
Splash!
The space of pure darkness, where nothing existed, made it instantly clear why it was called the void. Visibility was poor, and his body wouldn't move as he intended. It felt just like plunging into the deep ocean.
"This is..."
Min-su realized the void filling the surroundings was trying to devour him. He immediately unleashed the power of [Golden Melody].
A golden barrier enveloped him protectively.
The power is being consumed to fend off the void. If it continues like this, remaining time is... about 1 hour.
He had to find Yu-bin within that time. In this filthy vast space where directions were indistinguishable, how?
Fortunately, the answer lay in [Golden Melody]. Since Yu-bin had once been Silvia's apostle, he could vaguely sense her location with that power.
Min-su pushed through the void toward where she felt strongest. As he drew closer, fragments of her appeared one by one.
A kind mother and gentle father. Born as the only child in a harmonious family, the happy childhood she experienced. The reason she always wore headphones listening to songs from the distant past was that those tunes brought back memories of that blissful time.
After her mother's death, to recall those irreplaceable memories. Hoping such happy days would return someday.
Deeper into the void.
Yu-bin...!
There—Yu-bin was falling far below. If she dropped into that abyss underneath, no one could return.
Too late like this...
Min-su accelerated as much as possible, but it wouldn't be in time.
I have to fend off this void!
Splash!
[Darkness] cleaved the void. A temporary gap formed, freeing the space.
Grip!
Through it, Min-su snatched Yu-bin.
Finding Yu-bin made escaping simple. Just like with Rijette or Silvia before, head back out.
"H-how did you know to come find me!"
"Silvia told me everything. About your situation."
"Silvia...? N-no way..."
"Yeah. Your constellation... didn't die."
The two surfaced quickly to the conscious plane.
Flash!
Opening her eyes again, Yu-bin realized she was cradled in Min-su's arms. Completely naked, without a stitch on.
"You conscious?"
"P-put, put, put me down!"
Yu-bin shrieked, her face turning beet red. Covering herself frantically, she said,
"...Thwonks."
"What?"
"Th-thank you!"
"Yu, Yu-bin...! I'm sorry... Yu-bin...!"
"Ugh! Get off! I get it, so back off!"
"I'm so glad I can see you again, Yu-bin!"
"You... y-you're alive! Sniff!"
"Crying for me?"
"It's sweat, you idiot! More importantly, why are you in reality!"
"Hehe. Long story."
Back with them, Yu-bin reunited with those who had been waiting.
"Tell me about it. I don't even know how I did it myself..."
It had to be his summoning ability, but how could it bring out people trapped in mindscapes? Were unique abilities more versatile than stated in the status window?
"Min-su! You're not thinking of bringing her home too, right?!"
"Junior! She's a minor! That's a crime!"
"As if I'd bring her. This is Yu-bin's home."
Of course, whether the man who illegally tried to modify his daughter's body would remain unscathed was another story, but that didn't mean the house would vanish. Even if she left because of this incident, she had no reason to come to his place.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
"Ow! You said it was safe! I almost died!"
"Sorry, Yu-bin! I didn't know it'd turn out like this!"
...Seeing that lively exchange, it looked like she wouldn't be leaving the house anytime soon.
"Yu-bin. Keep in touch, okay?"
"Got it. I'll definitely come."
She had sneaked in through stealth, but left through the front door with a proper send-off.
"Thank you, young man. Thanks to you, I didn't lose my precious daughter. Without you, I would've forgotten the value of the last thing I had left."
"...Glad it ended well."
"Take care..."
"Yeah. See you later, Yu-bin."
There had been several dangerous moments, but they'd all been resolved. Thankfully.
If Yu-bin's father's god hadn't been Arpa.
If he'd been even a little late and Yu-bin had fallen into that abyss below.
It wouldn't have ended with smiles like this.
Well, since it's all over, hypotheticals like that don't matter.
"You're here."
"Thanks for waiting."
"It's what I should do."
He was about to board Jeong-yeon's limo, where she'd been waiting for him all this time.
"Min-su!"
Dododo. Min-su turned at Yu-bin's call. Then, a soft, squishy sensation pressed against his cheek.
"...Huh?"
"Thanks. I'll repay this favor someday. Min-su oppa."
The girl, trying to look seductive, soon realized what she'd done and flushed red.
"I-I mean thanks!"
Dododo, she fled back toward the house.
"...N-not on the lips, so it doesn't count!"
"Junior! She's a minor! No!"
"Yu, Yu-bin... Why! I trusted you!"
The goddesses already in the limo fell into chaos.
Same time, Min-su's room.
"Sss... Ha. Sss... Ha."
The silver-haired girl buried her face in the bed. Her slender hand reached between her legs.
Squelch