Chapter 191
Chapter 191
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 191
Chapter Title: Knight Summons and the Star's Mandate
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Other rewards... knight summons? Skill points?”
Choosing ‘Knight Summon’ would boost their manpower right away, and it would lower the summon cost for Heavenly Sword Army soldiers, allowing them to call up even more.
But skill points were tempting too. The stronger he got personally, the more solid the organization would become. Plus, thinking back to that S-rank from Olympus Guild they’d fought recently, he wanted the power to beat her.
“Hmm... knight summons it is.”
Personal strength mattered, but with inner training just getting started, it made sense to hold off. No point pumping up his physical stats here and making things harder.
Having decided on knight summons, Yoo Seongwon headed to Jung Han.
“Hm? What brings you here, Your Majesty?”
“Manpower boost! Figured using you as the medium would be best. Plus, it’ll cut the Heavenly Sword Army summon costs.”
“Excellent idea, sire. The more comrades, the better—I’m happy to help.”
They kicked off the summons immediately. Just like with Yoo Cheong, using Heavenly Sword Army’s Jung Han as the medium brought out three more Heavenly Sword Army knights, as expected.
The magic circle revealed handsome men rivaling Yoo Cheong in looks. They dropped to one knee the moment they saw Yoo Seongwon, introducing themselves with proper courtesy.
“I am Ga Cheong, commander of the Heavenly Sword Army Engineering Corps, Your Majesty!”
“I’m Seong Yu, in charge of the Heavenly Sword Army Transport Corps. It’s an honor, Your Majesty.”
“I’m Jung Ho, leading the Heavenly Sword Army Black Rock Squad.”
‘...Because it’s through Jung Han? They’re squad leaders for specialized roles over direct combat? Nice.’
[‘Heavenly Sword Army Engineering Corps Summon’ unlocked.]
[‘Black Rock Assassination Squad Summon’ unlocked.]
[All Heavenly Sword Army summon costs reduced.]
New unit types unlocked, and existing Heavenly Sword Army summon costs dropped—messages filled his view.
After greetings, Yoo Seongwon placed them under Jung Han, left introductions to the others in his hands, and headed off to find Elder Baek Gayeon.
“So, what do you want from me?”
“Special tutoring, if you’d be so kind.”
“Tutoring? You?”
“Yeah. You heard about the core dungeon, right? And now you’re pretending otherwise?”
Baek Gayeon had just finished class with the awakener students. She eyed Yoo Seongwon oddly as he showed up out of nowhere, launching into complaints.
He’d done baffling things before, but asking for personal lessons like this? First time ever.
“What’s with the sudden change of heart?”
“No change of heart. It’s just... I can’t ignore it anymore.”
“Ignore... Ah. So you knew all along?”
“Didn’t think that far. But now it’s obvious. A guy like me got picked by this ‘Earth,’ tasked with driving out the ‘constellations.’ And look—in the first core dungeon, I nearly got wrecked. Got lucky and failed but came back... but hitting those places ahead means I can’t do it with a normal mindset.”
“So you want mental training?”
Nod.
Yoo Seongwon nodded firmly at the exact response he wanted.
Until now, he’d thought skills alone made him strong. But this drove home that his mind and abilities had to back it up. That’s why he’d come to her.
“Hmm... Doesn’t seem necessary.”
“Not necessary? You serious? Want me to recount what happened in there?”
“But results-wise, you got what you wanted. And one of Earth’s worst ‘constellations’ vanished—that’s fact.”
“Luck! It worked once by chance, but no guarantee for a second.”
“No, they chose you knowing you’d keep succeeding.”
“Based on what? What exactly?”
Not exceptional wisdom, bravery, or justice.
Not broad-minded or overflowing with mercy.
Petty and prejudiced from a rough past, dodging hassle whenever possible—just an ordinary guy.
“Who knows? Only this ‘star’ knows. Ask it yourself someday, this ‘star’s’ constellation. But one thing’s sure: out of billions on Earth, you’re the only one it chose.”
“Phew... Still doesn’t click.”
“Take this as my theory—grain of salt. Anyway~ By this ‘star’s’ standards, your actions so far? Not bad at all. Not ‘humanity’s’ view, mind you—the ‘star’s.’”
Yoo Seongwon flinched mid-listen to Baek Gayeon’s theory.
Listing his self-indulgent moves: chaos and destruction for human society. But from ‘Earth’ the ‘star’s’ perspective? Constellations definitely thinned out.
“...Really?”
“Just a theory. You’ll learn its true intent eventually. Explains your rapid growth too. To fight ‘constellations,’ it had to make a ‘human’ this strong from the start. You didn’t awaken to battle other ‘awakeners’ or ‘hunters.’”
“Yeah. Even I get that.”
Nonstop perks from day one. Legendary gear, pick-your-skill options, bonuses for specific actions.
The ‘chivalry’ rule felt off, but he’d piled up apostle-level favors even hardline ‘constellation’ backers couldn’t dream of.
If the goal was purging ‘constellations’ from Earth, it tracked.
“Anyway, big job ahead—get to it.”
“Sigh... But Elder.”
“Yes?”
“Not all ‘constellations’ are like Constellation 66 Thousand Demons or Slaughter King—clear-cut villains everyone’d team up against.”
“Ah... Right.”
Not every ‘constellation’ chatting with Earthlings was evil. Relative, not absolute, sure. Some threatened humanity, but others were friendly.
Like Olympus Guild—twelve powerhouse ‘constellations’ safeguarding most of Earth’s security. Or ones active in industries without showing faces.
“...They want me to wipe them all out too?”
“Probably. Got rewards even for Blue Dragon Constellation.”
“......”
Yoo Seongwon sank into doubt. Not just brutal ones—beneficial ones advancing civilization, or those shielding humanity from monsters. All gone?
Like ‘constellations’ invading this ‘star’ was wrong from the start. Mandate to boot them all. Absurd, yet it fit—ironic bind.
“...Ha, haha. Core dungeons are tough enough—hahaha! What even is this? ‘Earth’ wants me to expel every ‘constellation’? Ha! Ridiculous. Real talk... possible in a human lifespan?”
“At your level, you’ll snag an immortality skill soon?”
“Even then!”
“And maybe not all need expelling? No need to see it as impossible.”
“Huh?”
“Most ‘constellations’ just ‘visit’ to scout kin or apostles. You see conquerors filling ambitions, but most aren’t. Take Mountain Ghost Manor down there?”
Small faction south of Sinjangnam. Loves ‘looting treasures and riches.’ Apostles target Seoul and surrounds for theft, but now it’s a monster/ma stone farm—weak.
Most ‘constellation’ forces like that: bullied, too feeble for world conquest.
“You’ve hit top-tier ‘constellations,’ so it seems huge. But ones like Mountain Ghost Manor? Way more common. Meaning...”
“Meaning?”
“Take down big players, you grow accordingly. Build real power, they’ll scram from threats alone. Not impossible—decades of effort, viable. Only snag: ‘constellations’ like Olympus Guild guarding human peace. How to handle those?”
Big evil ones? Team up. But Olympus-style humanity protectors? Trickier.
With the world suffering, they kept civilization from regressing—fighting giant evils.
“Ugh...”
Imagining it from Baek Gayeon’s words, Yoo Seongwon paled.
Couldn’t beat one Hades apostle, yet this task? Crushing, pie-in-sky.
Just thinking it was his nearly triggered vertigo, mind reeling.
“Me... against Olympus Guild? And all the rest? Not some Ragnarok... End the ‘constellation’ era on this ‘star’? Ha...!”
“...Overloaded suddenly. Snap out. Not a one-day job—might not even finish it all.”
“Huh! Heh... heh......”
Panicking Yoo Seongwon seemed to steady, but face still ashen, breaths ragged.
No free lunch, sure—but this power for such nonsense? Heart pounded like bursting out.
“So... ha, ha... how? Threaten humanity’s foes first, then survivors play ‘pick the star’s owner’?”
“...Feasible? Nah—you’d get discarded. Olympus and all ‘constellations’ unite, erase you first. As the ‘star’s’ guardian.”
“Phewww... Then what? No clue here.”
“Hmm... Not 100% right, but if I were you...”
“Please.”
Lost in black fog, Yoo Seongwon desperately needed Baek Gayeon’s advice.
His brain couldn’t even estimate this colossal task—had to hear her take, no matter how wild.
She pondered, then cautiously pulled out her phone, linked to PC, loaded a world map, and spoke.