Chapter 192
Chapter 192
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 192
Chapter Title: Necessary Compromises
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Phew~ I’m not sure if I should even say this, but your mission is to wipe out every last ‘constellation.’ And to pull that off, you might need to steel yourself for the possibility of teaming up with even the malevolent ones invading this world right now.”
“…Is that so?”
“Exactly. As I mentioned earlier, if you leave groups like Olympus Guild standing, you’ll end up treated like a hunting dog that’s outlived its usefulness once the prey’s caught. To avoid that, you’ve got to pit them against each other in a war of attrition, dismantle the constellations in a balanced way, and leave only ones you can handle solo in the end.”
“Haaa… This is going to be tough.”
“You bet it is. You might even have to prepare yourself to join forces with the minions of Constellation Slaughter King.”
The takeaway was that he couldn’t just target Slaughter King’s underlings—he had to methodically dismantle both them and the humans under Constellation Olympus Guild to keep things even.
It was a far trickier task since he couldn’t simply crush one side. Depending on the situation, he might even need to ally with Slaughter King’s human hunters, just as Baek Ga-yeon suggested.
“My knightly honor’s going to throw a fit.”
“Before that, maybe worry about the governments around the world first? That’s what’s got me concerned.”
“You’ve got a point. Haaa~”
Though the story hadn’t spotlighted foreign countries much, the emergence of constellations had thoroughly upended the balance between established superpowers and everyone else.
Africa, South America, and India had long since undergone their own massive upheavals.
Even setting aside distant lands, China splitting into four factions had resolved one global crisis—small mercies. But eliminating Constellation Dragon-Phoenix King and Constellation Qin Emperor would spark backlash from all of humanity.
“Whew… It’s looking bleak. I can’t think of any clear alternatives…….”
“It’s just one old man’s opinion. Don’t take it too seriously. This world still has more constellations hungry for conquest and domination—that’s why it’s in crisis.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Sorry for giving you pointless advice and just making your head hurt more.”
“No, it was good advice. Whew~ I’m really glad you’re here, Elder.”
Baek Ga-yeon broke into a proud smile at Yoo Seongwon’s genuine gratitude.
He was already satisfied that Yoo Seongwon, who’d ignored him for so long, had come seeking counsel on his own.
With their talk concluded, Yoo Seongwon said his farewells and left the office.
Having wrapped up his business here, he headed next to see the three kids he’d brought back from Japan.
The children, once known only by numbers in Japan, had taken the names Yu Jaeyoung, Yu Hayoung, and Yu Suyoung. They now formed a team with Ayoung and split their time commuting between Iron Fortress and Frontline City.
Having finished classes at Iron Fortress, the kids were waiting at the new underground station for the direct train to Frontline City.
Yoo Seongwon, learning this, descended to join them for the trip.
“Oh! Papa!”
“Daddy!”
“Father!”
The three, a touch younger than Ayoung, spotted him and rushed over waving excitedly.
They wore sky-blue combat uniforms that didn’t quite suit their age. He’d told them countless times to switch to casual clothes, but having spent so long in the special forces unit, they insisted these were comfier and stuck with them.
And while Yoo Seongwon had been away conquering the Core Dungeon, all three had mastered Korean—no communication issues there.
The problem was their overly misleading nicknames for him.
‘…But they’d already all agreed on it while I was in the Core Dungeon, so no changing it now.’
“Didn’t you say you had work today?”
“I did, but it wrapped up quicker than expected, so I figured I’d go see Ayoung with you all. I brought you here but haven’t taken proper care of you… Now that I’m out of the ‘Core Dungeon’ and the aftermath’s handled, it’s time I did better. Anyway, let’s hop on the train to Frontline City together. We can all grab a meal for once.”
“Yes!”
They hadn’t had much chance to bond after coming from Japan, thanks to the Core Dungeon raid, but Shin So-mi and her daughter had looked after them well. Plus, Iron Fortress was full of kids in similar straits, and learning Yoo Seongwon had grown up in the same kind of rights-free hellhole had shattered the walls between them fast.
That’s why they now called him “Father” with such easy affection.
“So, what do you want for dinner?”
“Budae jjigae!”
“I want nakgopsae!”
“I’d like some hot gukbap.”
“…You three are full-on Korean now.”
“We’ve never even eaten Japanese food?”
“They only fed us meds and weird stuff…….”
“Oh, well! We did try combat rations! And… lunchboxes at New Year’s! But honestly, food here is the best in the world.”
Sharing those tear-jerking tales, the four boarded the direct train to Frontline City.
Thanks to capital, manpower, and its reputation as Korea’s safest city, Frontline City had transformed in mere months into a true megacity, living up to its name.
If government offices were here, you’d swear it was the capital.
“Wow, they even brought in the engineers from New Gangnam construction? Impressive work.”
Ironically, the rapid build owed much to the know-how of those who’d erected New Gangnam—a surprising fact.
Yoo Seongwon’s Paehwang Cheon Sword Style had made it look fragile, but it had staunchly held back Constellation Mountain Ghost’s forces for years, boasting world-class defenses.
“No matter how many times I see it, it’s amazing…… A wasteland with just some barracks and a castle, and now this.”
He still couldn’t believe this was his city.
Lately, he’d been too swamped to stroll through it leisurely, but seeing the booming prosperity, stable order and security, and soldiers from the Cheon Sword Army alongside Iron Fortress personnel going about their duties filled him with joy.
And so, Yoo Seongwon and the kids arrived at the command center in the heart of Frontline City and headed up.
***
Olympus Guild, Sky Island Branch in Korea.
At the Sky Island stationed in Korea, executives from Olympus Guild branches worldwide were holding a video conference.
Topics ranged from wars against other constellation forces vying to seize this ‘planet,’ to personnel reinforcements and situation reports—but it all boiled down to one goal.
Eliminate every threat to this ‘planet,’ and let the twelve ‘constellations’ of Olympus Guild claim Earth as their own.
『…So? Is Korea’s Golden Knight still in that state? Tritonias?』
“Yes. We’ve kept reaching out, but he insists he’s still recovering…… The Core Dungeon’s no walk in the park, so it’s hard to push.”
Tritonias was conferring via video with the apostles at Olympus Guild’s U.S. headquarters, the ‘True Sky City Olympus.’
The main topic was the East Asian situation under his watch—specifically, that mobilizing Yoo Seongwon to resolve Japan’s crisis was off the table.
『Hmm, fair enough, but surely you can spare some knights?』
“Well… He claims he needs to sort internal affairs first… He never liked the idea of rescuing Japan for free to begin with.”
『No regard for the greater good or human lives? What was that ‘constellation’ thinking, granting such power to a man like him…… Anyway, Japan’s situation worsens by the day. We need to resolve this ASAP……』
“Yes. With its population and economy—not to mention its pro-U.S. stance—it’s a vital foothold for East Asian geopolitics. We must preserve its strength. But… whew~”
Yoo Seongwon’s uncooperativeness.
For Olympus Guild, stretched thin covering global frontlines, his strength paired with such selfishness and whimsy grated.
But what could they do?
If he was reeling from Core Dungeon aftereffects, dragging him out by force would tarnish Olympus Guild’s noble cause.
Plus, remnants of Constellation 66 Thousand Demons still lurked above Frontline City—plenty of reason not to go.
“…The Core Dungeon raid was a mistake…… We standardly guarantee six months’ rest after one ourselves, right?”
『Hmm… True. But things grow more urgent daily. Japan’s like a lamb without parents, ripe for devouring. We can’t let this drag on.』
“Yes. Looks like I’ll have to deploy myself—no choice. It’s like breaking something and then fixing it, but oh well. If Japan falls, it’s a disaster… I’ll leave here to Diomedes… Oh, and we’ll hire a mercenary unit from Europe too.”
In the end, to address the crisis, Olympus Guild decided to dispatch S-Rank Hunter Tritonias, overseer of Korea and East Asia, to Japan.
Japan, the island nation ringed by sea, was ideal for him bearing Poseidon’s ‘Triton’s Blessing’—perfect for seaborne raids and intel gathering.
『Make it so. And though it might not help much, we’ll feign a move toward Japan from here too.』
“That’s even better—thank you.”
『It’s mostly gesture, practically resupply, but it’ll help. Times are tight.』
“I know. I’ll prep right away…….”
『Oh, one more thing.』
Tritonias was about to end the call when the words stopped him cold, eyes fixed on the screen.
『‘Lycanion’ will head your way soon.』
“…Pardon?”
At the name Lycanion, Tritonias’s face twisted like he’d bitten a bug.
Visibly repulsed, he scowled at the screen and pressed.
“…What wind’s blowing that lunatic our way again? The racist prick who swore he was done with ‘yellow monkey’ Asians…….”
『Watch your tongue. He may not fight directly, but he’s one of ‘Zeus’s’ apostles—and bears a fragment of His ‘blessing’ directly.』
Not just any blessing, but a direct piece of a constellation’s power—that carried serious weight.
He wielded a portion of Constellation Zeus’s might and abilities, setting him worlds apart from ordinary hunters. Still, Tritonias’s disgust didn’t fade.
“Yes, I know, but honestly, no one likes the guy. I can’t even fathom why Zeus granted him that blessing.”
『He bears a mission from ‘Constellation Zeus.’ Anyway, look after him when he arrives. And… clean up any messes he makes.』
“With Jupiter Guard as his escorts, what’s there to worry about? Oh, wait! Just in case—tell him not to set foot in Korea. That’s where the guy who crossed Persea is.”
『…I’ll pass it along. Whether he listens is another story.』
“Haaa~”
Hearing that the man, blessed directly by a constellation and arrogant enough to pierce the heavens, might ignore them, Tritonias sighed.
Anyway, he’d soon be bound for Japan and swamped with work. Half-worried but since it wasn’t his direct problem, he decided just to warn Diomedes and cut the comms.