Chapter 162
Chapter 162
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: The Constellation of Cygnus (3)
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“Oh?”
Unlike before, his voice was now chillingly subdued.
Deneb’s deep blue eyes, the same color as his hair, turned to Oh-jin.
“You’re so sure you’ll win that you don’t even need to know what I’d ask for if you lost?”
*Grind.*
He glared at Oh-jin, grinding his teeth fiercely.
“That sounds just like the apostle of *that* constellation.”
It had always been this way.
Despite holding the same title of ‘Polaris’, he had always been scorned and mocked for being a class below Vega and Polaris.
But things were different now.
For some reason, Polaris had gone into a long seclusion after making a ‘prophecy’, and Vega had wasted years searching for a suitable successor to the Stigma of Lyra.
During that time, Deneb had found talents who could best blossom the Stigma of Cygnus and created twelve apostles.
Of course, it was a pathetically small number of apostles compared to other constellations.
But thanks to each and every one of them growing and showing exceptional talent, his divinity had risen compared to the past.
‘Now… I am the true Polaris.’
Deneb glared at Vega with blazing eyes.
For hundreds, thousands of years, an eternity of time.
Memories of being ridiculed by other constellations, who claimed only Polaris and Vega were the true North Stars.
That bitter inferiority complex had sublimated into hatred, taking root deep within his heart.
“Just you wait.”
Deneb bit his lip, looking between Vega and Oh-jin.
“I’ll make you all regret this!!”
Deneb shouted ferociously.
But with the appearance of a young boy, he looked more cute than fierce.
It was like watching a hamster baring its teeth and squeaking.
“Stop it, Deneb. You’re embarrassing me.”
“Hgyak?!”
With a deep sigh, Allen grabbed the scruff of the neck of the snarling Deneb, who was stomping his feet as if ready to pounce at any moment.
Deneb dangled from the hand of the tall Allen.
The sight was reminiscent of Ha-eun teasing a miniaturized Vega by placing her on her palm.
“Let go! Let me go, Allen!!”
“Promise you’ll behave.”
“Eek! B-But didn’t you hear what that bastard said?! He thinks he can beat my precious children without a second thought!”
“Yes, yes. I heard everything.”
Allen gently patted Deneb’s back as if consoling a crying child.
Deneb’s face flushed red.
“D-Don’t do that!”
Deneb, who had been shouting and pointing at Oh-jin, teared up as if about to cry.
“This is ruining my dignity as a Polaris…”
“Don’t worry.”
A faint smile appeared on the face that had been as emotionless as a machine.
“Even if you don’t stand on ceremony, Deneb, you’re the greatest constellation.”
“…Allen.”
Deneb sniffled and looked up at Allen.
Oh-jin watched their little skit and stifled a laugh.
‘This is different from what I imagined.’
He thought Deneb just looked young, but judging by his attitude, he was acting just like a kid.
He glanced over at Vega, and a deep sigh escaped her lips.
[Haa. You truly never change, no matter how much time passes.]
“What, you got a problem with that?”
Deneb glared daggers at Vega.
Vega just shook her head and waved her hand dismissively, as if shooing a fly.
[Enough. If your business is concluded, then be on your way.]
“Hmph! Just get ready to be humiliated in a month!”
Grinding his teeth, Deneb turned away.
As Deneb left, Allen turned his cold gaze to Oh-jin.
“You seem quite confident.”
“Better than whining about losing before you’ve even fought.”
“A fair point, however.”
A sharp killing intent, cold enough to freeze the skin.
“I suggest you learn to distinguish between courage and foolhardiness.”
“We’ll see if it’s courage or foolhardiness when we see the results.”
“If you take Deneb’s apostles lightly… you will regret it.”
With that quiet warning, Allen turned to follow Deneb.
After Deneb and Allen left the sanctum.
[Why did you accept such a preposterous offer!]
Vega’s scolding fell upon him.
She grabbed Oh-jin’s arm tightly and pulled.
[You know full well how powerful Deneb’s apostles are!]
“It’s not like I’m fighting Allen or the other Seven Stars.”
[Even so!]
Vega bit her lip anxiously.
Oh-jin knew exactly what she wanted to say.
‘My chances of winning probably aren’t that high.’
This was a duel against the apostles of another Polaris, not just any Awoken.
It would surely be different from how he had easily overwhelmed Awoken with Stigmas a rank or two higher than his own.
And on top of that, he had to defeat not one, but three apostles to win.
It was only natural for Vega to scold him with such an anxious expression.
However.
‘There’s something Vega and Deneb don’t know.’
That he had the Black Heaven.
Of course, he had no intention of doing something as insane as using Heaven’s Opening during a duel that Vega and Deneb would obviously be watching.
But even without that, he had the mana of the Dragon Vein and the vast amount of mana he had absorbed with the Black Heaven so far.
In terms of fighting, the amount of mana one has is like their basic stamina.
Simply having more stamina doesn’t guarantee victory, but it’s true that it gives you a significant advantage.
And more than anything else.
“You said you’re lacking divinity, right? Then I’ll have to fight and tear it from him.”
This fight was unavoidable from the start.
To restore Vega’s lost divinity, he needed Deneb’s.
[T-That is not for you to worry about!]
“Then who should worry about it?”
[I will handle the matter of my divinity, so you need not concern yourself.]
“For someone who says not to worry, you look pretty grim.”
[That’s…]
Vega’s golden eyes trembled.
She was probably trying to find an excuse.
“Vega. You protected me before, even when you were prepared for annihilation, right?”
[…I was merely doing my duty as your constellation.]
“Then this is my duty as well.”
If it was natural for a constellation to protect its apostle, then wasn’t it also natural for an apostle to protect their constellation?
[My child…]
Vega’s words trailed off as she gazed intently at Oh-jin.
The loud thumping of her heart echoed in her ears.
It felt like he might hear it too, so she gently pressed her hand to her chest to calm her racing heart.
‘…Since when.’
When did her heart start pounding like this at his every word?
When did she start smiling when he smiled, and crying when he cried?
Since when.
Did his image become impossible to erase from her mind?
[…]
At first, it was just surprise.
The fact that she had found a suitable candidate after years of searching, and that he was the ‘Star of Rebellion’ who could change fate.
Then, it was pride.
At his astonishingly rapid growth.
At his desperate struggle to change his destiny.
It felt like watching her own child grow up, making her heart swell.
‘And then.’
After that.
[Haa.]
The words Spica had said, about him being her ‘fated person’.
Those words complicated her thoughts.
Vega looked at Oh-jin with eyes full of complex emotions.
She let out a short sigh and changed the subject.
[So, what did you plan to prepare that you asked for a month’s delay?]
There was one month until the duel with Deneb’s apostles.
There was only one reason Oh-jin had set a one-month grace period as a condition.
“Well, I was thinking of doing some simple training in the meantime.”
He hadn’t fully assimilated the increased mana from the Dragon Vein and the strengthened power of the Stigma of Lyra that came with the Black Heaven’s sixth awakening.
‘If I’m going to fight, I should do it after I’ve completely mastered this.’
And one more thing.
*Crackle!*
A blue spark leaped onto Oh-jin’s palm and formed the shape of a dragon.
The dragon’s form was exquisitely detailed, as if it had been made with a 3D printer.
As he focused, the dragon’s shape slowly changed into Ha-eun’s face.
‘This actually works.’
The fine mana control he had learned while creating Adam's Apple.
Using it, he could now shape his lightning into various forms, just as Vega had done before.
‘I should find a way to use this, too.’
If he could control his mana with this level of delicacy, the possibilities in combat would be endless.
[When did you learn to do that?]
Vega’s eyes went wide as she watched the lightning on Oh-jin’s palm freely change its shape.
Instead of answering, Oh-jin changed the lightning into Vega’s form and grinned.
[Truly… you never cease to amaze me.]
In terms of delicate mana control, he seemed to have already surpassed Riak.
“If I get good at this, I can even do stuff like this.”
Oh-jin made the lightning-form Vega jump up and down on the spot.
[Aah! W-What are you doing!]
The Vega-form, after jumping in place, suddenly started breakdancing with a windmill.
[Do not play around with my image!!]
Vega’s face turned red as she lightly tapped Oh-jin on the forehead.
Oh-jin dispelled the Vega shape on his palm and chuckled.
“Sorry, sorry. Don’t be so mad.”
[…You need to cultivate a little more reverence for the constellations.]
Vega crossed her arms, huffed, and turned her head away.
Oh-jin soothed her and turned his gaze to Riak.
“On that note, I’m planning to train my ass off for the next month, so give me a hand.”
“Just because you’ve gotten a little stronger, your arrogance has shot through the roof, brat.”
Riak snorted.
But that was only for a moment.
The corner of his mouth curled up as he unleashed an intense fighting spirit.
*Crack!*
Instantly transforming into his werewolf form, Riak lightly cracked his knuckles and beckoned to Oh-jin with his index finger.
“We don’t have time, so let’s start right away. However…”
Riak glanced at Vega and continued.
“I’m going out of my way to help you. If you dare lose to that bastard Deneb’s apostles, I won’t let you hear the end of it.”
“I told you I’ll win.”
*Crackle!*
Blue lightning wrapped around Oh-jin’s body.
* * *
And so, a month passed, with thunderous roars echoing incessantly from the Sanctum of Vega.
“Phew.”
Oh-jin, having washed himself in a pond near the sanctum, came out drying his wet hair with a towel.
“Is it today?”
He had been so absorbed in training that a month had flown by in an instant.
It was a short period, if you could call it that, but the results weren’t bad.
‘I’ve definitely gotten used to handling my power.’
He was now able to skillfully wield the powers that had strengthened all at once with the sixth awakening.
Not only the power of the Black Heaven, but his mastery of the Stigma of Lyra had also improved.
‘Good.’
Oh-jin smiled in satisfaction and turned toward the clothes he had folded near the pond.
Just then.
[My child! It is almost time to depart!]
Vega came out of the sanctum, her silver dress rustling.
Her eyes fell upon a naked Oh-jin.
[H-Hieek!!]
Vega hastily raised her hands to cover her eyes.
[I-I’m sorry!!]
“……”
[I didn’t mean to look!]
“…Uh.”
[I really didn’t!]
*For someone who isn’t looking, I can see your eyes perfectly between your fingers, Goddess.*
[My, you’re quite the general.]
What about me?