Chapter 183
Chapter 183
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 183
Chapter Title: The 66,000 Constellation's Game
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“Considering that guy's laziness, I never imagined something like this would happen…….”
“We knew he was negotiating with Olympus, but we didn't expect them to approve it so quickly.”
“What wind suddenly blew his way?”
Yoo Seongwon, who only worked if paid exorbitant sums by Korea and Japan, heading into a core dungeon of immense danger after just one meeting with Olympus Guild was the weirder reality, so no one had anticipated it at all.
“It's a problem if he clears it, and a problem if he doesn't.”
“If he succeeds, Japan becomes a clean zone without evil-aligned constellations, but if he fails, they lose an SS-rank Hunter…….”
“He should've at least consulted someone. Or gone for the Slaughter King instead……!”
“Still, we'd better hope he wins if possible. Losing a precious SS-rank Hunter if he doesn't is just as bad, right?”
Yeah, there's that saying—even if it's a son of a bitch, it's better if it's our son of a bitch.
Japan had betrayed humanity just to save their S-rank Hunters, so the value of an SS-rank was sky-high; wishing for failure was out of the question.
“But if he succeeds, only Japan benefits…….”
“Even so, clearing a core dungeon gives him that name value as a core dungeon clearer, which changes his presence entirely. Plus, with a 66,000-constellation-level foe…….”
“Then how much would it cost to hire him for one job?”
At that moment, everyone was at a loss for words.
They already knew he demanded tens of billions just to move, and if his status rose even higher, the hiring fee would shatter all reason.
It was beyond calculator territory now—hiring him could bankrupt a nation.
“The best is to make sure we never need to hire him. Everyone… back to work.”
“Thanks to him stepping in, the Mokpo front lines have some breathing room, so we can give the deployed soldiers and Hunters a rest. Also, with the grace period for the new dungeon management laws ending, the C-rank dungeon monopoly issue will start being enforced properly, so stay sharp. Everyone, be careful…….”
“Ah, the Academy is starting to implement the reforms too. They're abolishing the class system based on ranks that was like a caste system, adding training on basic Hunter gear and weapons beyond just constellations, and exploring ways to exclude Scavengers…….”
With the discussion on the core dungeon raid wrapped up, the emergency meeting shifted back to debating various reforms and policies in earnest.
Normally, they'd be bickering nonstop, but considering everything Yoo Seongwon had achieved so far, the revival of frontline cities, and the status boost from clearing a core dungeon, they realized it was far easier to fix the country to protect themselves.
***
Inside the core dungeon of the '66,000 Constellation.'
Unable to just brood endlessly, Yoo Seongwon mounted his pieces and began the game against the incarnation of the 66,000 Constellation.
Detailed rules appeared in the Awakener's status window, along with organized stats and skills, so all Yoo Seongwon had to do was move his pieces, declare attack and defense skills, and roll the dice.
“The dice… 4. So damage is 21, Krokbane the Dragon-Human Knight takes out Star Commander No. 41231. Turn end.”
“Excellent, excellent. Good, my turn then. I'll deploy Star Commander No. 41232, advance Star Commanders No. 41211's pieces, and use the bow I've been holding for a ranged attack. Dice… oh, lucky. 8. Hit. Damage is 3. Next, Star Commander No. 41212 with the same attack. This… oh! 10. Critical. Damage 6. And…….”
'Individual damage isn't huge, but it adds up, so this is a real headache…….'
Curiously, the pieces used by the 66,000 Constellation weren't overwhelmingly strong.
But their numbers were insane, and since battles were decided by dice rolls, even mighty Krokbane, the knights, and Heavenly Sword Army soldiers started accumulating damage.
'How the hell… do you win this? Do I really have to beat all of them?'
Though he'd made bold claims, staring at the ghostly swarms forming thunderclouds around him, Yoo Seongwon felt his resolve wavering.
Just like endlessly pouring out infinite troops from outside, this core dungeon's combat style by the 66,000 Constellation was brutally relentless.
It wasn't about winning through combat—it was rolling dice endlessly, sometimes hitting 10 for big gains, but when a 1 came up, even Krokbane couldn't take down a single Star Commander and had to pass the turn.
'…And Krokbane's taking a lot of accumulated damage too… Sure, I'm sacrificing Heavenly Sword Army soldiers to hold out somehow… Ugh!'
“…Turn end for me. Your turn.”
“Ugh…….”
Unlike the 66,000 Constellation's incarnation, who freely zipped pieces around, Yoo Seongwon struggled to even start his turn when it came.
With far fewer pieces than his opponent, he had to find the optimal move each turn without mistakes, which took forever to think through.
He wasn't a tactical genius to begin with, so he even pulled out paper from his inventory to scribble calculations, but ugly or not, he had to do his best to avoid losing his precious knights.
“Ughhhhh~”
“Each turn takes so long. How do you expect to win at this rate? Your lifespan's about a thousand years, right?”
“Um, do you have to talk?”
“No, I'm just chattering to pass the time. This is my domain to begin with—can't I even talk to myself? And verbal interference is just another way to break the opponent.”
Another ordeal for Yoo Seongwon, whose turns dragged on, was the 66,000 Constellation's constant whispers disrupting his calculations.
Even telling it to stop didn't work, making him think it was a dungeon pattern to amp up mental strain.
Anyway, trying his best to ignore it, he kept wrestling with the board numbers and dice probabilities.
“Ughhh… I need that +5 there, probability-wise that's… 60 percent, so compared to other moves… ughhh…….”
“What an odd human. Usually, anyone entering here has both wisdom and valor…….”
“Nothing but Awakening, that's me. Ah, hold on. Is this right? +6, so skill debuff -1, ranged penalty -1, and… and… Ah! Again!”
“Quite the struggler. But no matter how hard you crunch probabilities move by move, you can't know the die roll until you roll it. And~ those rolls betray your expectations more often than not. Life's the same.”
“…….”
“Of course, someone with talent and wisdom could whimsically turn this 10-sider into a 3-sider, tweak it to 8s, 9s, 10s—unfair, but bend it to their will. But is that easy? It's as hard as rolling a 30 on a 20- or 30-sider.”
The 66,000 Constellation's words were like the devil's whisper. Human life is a chain of choices and decisions, but they don't always go as planned or desired.
Even the best choice can yield the worst result with a 1, and the worst just stays worst.
“That's why all living beings live lacking. Good moments are just 10s or base pleasures. Most live deficient lives. Humans too. That's why wars, strife, fights happen.”
“Phew~ Anyway, proceeding.”
Ignoring its words, Yoo Seongwon continued playing.
But when his turn came back, reality hit—he had to take damage after attacking.
“My turn again. I'll attempt a charge with the Star Commander warrior. Dice 7. Charge succeeds—what now?”
“Defend with Heavenly Sword Army soldier! D-Dice… so matching the opponent's roll defends successfully… Ah! 6……!”
He tried to defend, but one short on the die sealed the Heavenly Sword Army soldier's fate.
Letting the charge through would collapse the formation or damage multiple pieces, so he had no choice but to sacrifice Heavenly Sword Army soldiers.
He didn't see them as expendable, but preserving powerful knights made sense.
[Heavenly Sword Army Elite Soldier 33 has fallen.]
'…Ugh!'
“Hmm, difference of 1, so the charge stops there. A fine sacrifice. Would've been better to defend, but life and war are like that. Things don't resolve by thought alone; more unhappy people than happy. Anyway, your turn.”
“I'll… eat first.”
The 66,000 Constellation's turns ended quickly, as if it had everything planned.
But Yoo Seongwon used meal time as an excuse to stand, lay out a mat on the wasteland floor, and sit.
The thing over there was a divine constellation—no need for food or sleep—but Yoo Seongwon was a living human. He had to take care of those basics.
“Haaa~ I'm starving. Using my brain makes it worse. Nom nom.”
Pulling combat rations and drinks from his inventory, he ate while cooling his head with a variety show on his phone.
Since settling this dungeon came down to the stone table game, and nothing else threatened his life, he could relax.
'It's nice in that way… but do I really have to wipe them all out to clear? All these spirits?'
Countless spirits still swirled around.
Clearing with this dice game would take insane time and effort.
Impossible for a human with just over 100 years left.
He couldn't quit outright, so stubbornness kept him going, but the victory condition seemed unattainable from the start.
'Some core dungeons have trials or hidden clear conditions differing from the apparent goal… Is that it?'
Other clear conditions, hidden methods… Do they really exist?
Or just a mirage he conjured to fool himself?
But ultimately, delusion.
'…Even if there is, how would I know?'
With dice miscalculations already making him whine, no way he could pry extra secrets from the 66,000 Constellation through talk.
That thought made him feel the 'Earth' that Awakened him was blind.
'Out of Earth's 6 billion, so many smart, amazing humans—yet it picks me for constellation duty? Hilarious. Nom nom… nom nom… nom nom……!'
At that point, something flashed in his mind.
Right—Earth chose him, Yoo Seongwon, as its apostle against constellations.
He'd called it blind, but Earth's will must've considered everything and picked him.
Otherwise, why Awaken him specifically?
'…So what do I do?'
Realizing that didn't give a clever solution.
All he could do was eat, sleep to recover condition, and get back to the board.
If unremarkable him was chosen, he should do unremarkable things he could.
Thus, even in defeat, he'd struggle to the end—that mindset as he finished eating.