Chapter 172
Chapter 172
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 172
Chapter Title: Call to Arms (1)
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After the embarrassing ‘punishment time’ that he couldn't tell anyone about.
Oh-jin began his recovery in earnest.
["Here, say 'ah~.'"]
Vega offered a spoonful of abalone porridge with a gentle smile.
Lying in bed, Oh-jin readily accepted the porridge.
*Munch, munch.*
The savory taste of the abalone porridge spread through his mouth.
Oh-jin turned his head toward Vega, who was sitting by the bed and gazing at him with a caring look.
“Where did you get all this?”
["I asked Spica to bring it from outside the Sanctuary."]
“…”
To think she'd make a Constellation of the Zodiac her gopher.
Was that really okay, even for the Constellation of the North Star?
["Spica is the only friend who understands my heart."]
“Yeah, that's what they usually call friends like that.”
["Hmm? 'Friends like that'?"]
“It's nothing.”
*Sorry I couldn't protect you, Spica.*
He finished the rest of the abalone porridge, picturing the Constellation with the bright smile and poodle-like, fluffy pink hair.
“Ugh…!”
As he tried to sit up after finishing his meal.
A sharp pain starting from his stomach spread throughout his body.
It was where Xiaolin's sword had pierced him.
["Didn't I tell you to rest?"]
Vega said in a stern voice, gently pressing down on Oh-jin's chest.
“But I can't just lie here all day.”
["Ahem. I told you not to move."]
Vega stopped Oh-jin as he, looking frustrated, tried to sit up again.
With a resolute expression, as if she wouldn't hear any arguments, she lightly touched the area around his solar plexus.
*Zap!*
At the same time a small spark flew.
“Huh?”
*Thud.*
Oh-jin's body collapsed back onto the bed.
It would have been one thing if he had simply collapsed.
But his limbs went limp, and he couldn't even twitch.
“Wha-what is this?”
["I've temporarily paralyzed your body. Until you're fully recovered, you absolutely! must not move."]
Seeing her speak so firmly, Oh-jin let out a low groan.
“Alright. I promise I won't move. Just undo this.”
["Impossible!"]
Vega shook her head vigorously, as if to say 'absolutely not.'
Her swaying silver hair tickled the tip of Oh-jin's nose.
“Hah.”
As he let out a short sigh and rested his head on the pillow.
-Click.
The door opened, and a large, silver wolf walked in.
Its eyes, shining brightly like a veteran warrior's, turned to Oh-jin.
“Kid, someone's here to see you.”
“Hm? Me?”
Oh-jin tilted his head, still lying in bed.
“Says he's from a guild called Cheonhye.”
“Ah.”
*A messenger from Cheon Sang-gil.*
Since signals didn't work inside the Sanctuary, the only way to contact him was to send someone in person.
["My child cannot move right now. Tell him to come back later."]
“I told him as much. But he said he had an urgent message regarding the 'Guardians,' so I let him be for now. Should I chase him out?”
["Do so…."]
“Wait.”
Stopping Vega from chasing away Cheon Sang-gil's messenger, Oh-jin managed to turn his head toward her.
“If it's about the Guardians, it must be about the Black Star Organization. Undo the paralysis first.”
["But."]
“Vega.”
[…Hah. I swear, I can't with you.]
Vega sighed and shook her head like a mother with a reckless child.
After a moment of hesitation, Vega lightly tapped Oh-jin's solar plexus.
*Crackle!*
Another spark flew, and the lightning binding Oh-jin's body disappeared.
“Urgh.”
Oh-jin sat up in bed.
His entire body ached as if he'd been beaten with a baseball bat, but he couldn't just lie there peacefully when someone had come all the way to the Sanctuary to deliver a message.
Oh-jin went outside the temple with Lyark and Vega.
Outside the temple, a man in a neat suit was waiting for Oh-jin.
“A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Oh-jin. My name is Baek Dong-il, from the Cheonhye Guild.”
“Yes.”
They exchanged business-like greetings and a brief handshake.
“I heard you were in the Sanctuary to focus on your training. I apologize for coming to see you like this.”
["Hmph. So you do know it's rude."]
Vega crossed her arms and glared at Baek Dong-il, clearly displeased that Oh-jin's rest had been disturbed.
“A-ahem. I-I'm truly sorry.”
Overwhelmed by the aura emanating from the Constellation of the North Star, Baek Dong-il stuttered and repeatedly bowed his head.
“Vega.”
["Hah. My apologies."]
When Oh-jin gently tugged on her arm, Vega sighed and withdrew her aura.
“I heard you had an urgent message regarding the Guardians. Did something happen?”
“Yes. An incident has occurred that we suspect is the work of the Black Star Organization.”
“What kind of incident?”
Oh-jin narrowed his eyes.
Baek Dong-il handed Oh-jin a neatly organized file folder.
“For the past month, rumors have been circulating about an unidentified monster appearing near Incheon Port.”
*A monster.*
Indeed, if it was a 'monster' and not a 'beast,' it was highly likely to be connected to the Black Star Organization.
“And not long ago, the vice guild master of the Mirinae Guild, who was dispatched to investigate the incident, went missing.”
“The Mirinae Guild…”
“Yes. They're a major guild active in the Incheon area.”
He'd heard of them.
Their rank wasn't the highest, but he recalled they were a major guild, one of the top ten.
“Isn't the vice guild master of the Mirinae Guild an 8-Star Awakened?”
“That is correct.”
“Hmm.”
*A monster that an 8-Star Awakened couldn't handle.*
It was certainly a variant of a level not easily found in Korea.
“We suspect… it might be one of the 'Nameds'.”
*A Named.*
Cases where the monster itself had a name, like the Heavenly Dragon Barbatos, were called 'Nameds.'
Although it varied by individual, monsters called 'Nameds' were famous for possessing intelligence and command abilities unseen in ordinary monsters, causing disaster-level damage.
“Did the Black Star Organization create that Named?”
“No. That has not yet been confirmed.”
Baek Dong-il shook his head.
“However, the timing of the Black Star Organization's illegal entry near Incheon Port and the start of the rumors about that unidentified monster roughly coincide.”
“Illegal entry?”
“Yes. We believe they came from Vietnam or the Philippines… They are said to be Awakened from the 'Toad Constellation' faction of the Black Star Organization.”
*The Toad Constellation.*
*'First the Owl and the Seahorse, and now a Toad.'*
Come to think of it, he'd heard the name fleetingly in Lee Shin-hyeok's memories.
*'Back then, they were talking about joining hands with the Owl Constellation or something.'*
But the Owl Constellation they were supposed to join hands with had already been destroyed by Oh-jin.
That meant they had entered Korea illegally for a purpose other than a factional alliance.
*'They might have come targeting a Korea where the Owls have disappeared.'*
He didn't know the exact situation in Southeast Asia.
That region had suffered considerable damage from monsters in the past.
He'd heard those countries were in such a state of ruin that they were practically lawless, so it was possible they were targeting Korea, which was in much better shape by comparison.
*'Well, I'll have to see for myself to know for sure.'*
The important thing was that the Toad Constellation faction had illegally entered Korea.
And that a powerful monster, presumed to be a Named, had begun its activities at the same time they appeared.
“You're here to ask me to investigate this incident, I assume?”
“That is correct. But of course, we don't intend to entrust the investigation to you alone, Mr. Oh-jin.”
*He did say earlier that he had something to tell me about the 'Guardians.'*
*In that case.*
“The Guardians are currently gathered on Ganghwa Island. Would you please come and lend us your strength?”
Baek Dong-il bowed politely.
Oh-jin closed his eyes, lost in thought.
*'If it's about the Black Star Organization, I should definitely go.'*
The problem was the current state of his body.
Thanks to Albireo's treatment, his external injuries had all healed, but his internal injuries remained.
His mana manipulation was severely restricted, meaning he couldn't use his greatest strength—his vast mana—or powerful skills like Lightning Body.
“If I just had a bow and arrow, I'd be no different from Hawkeye.”
“Excuse me? Hawkeye?”
“Ah. Just talking to myself.”
Anyway.
It was dangerous to move around recklessly when he couldn't use his full power.
But.
*'If I miss this timing, they'll just go deeper into hiding.'*
Should he take the risk and pursue the Toad faction?
Or wait safely until his body recovered?
Torn between the two, Oh-jin finally seemed to reach a decision and took a step forward.
“Alright. Let's go to Ganghwa Island together.”
“Thank you for answering the call!”
Baek Dong-il smiled brightly and bowed respectfully.
["My child. Your body hasn't even healed yet, and you're going to chase the Black Star Organization…."]
“Well, it's not so serious that I can't move at all.”
["But!"]
“And I'm not going alone, am I?”
He still didn't know who the other members of the Guardians were, besides Lee Woo-hyeok.
But since Cheon Sang-gil of the Wolf Star had handpicked them, they were bound to be quite skilled.
“And if it gets really dangerous, I can just use this.”
Oh-jin took the Elixir from his pocket.
He had obtained it to heal Ha-eun's leg, but if the worst-case scenario came and his life was threatened, it was right for him to take it.
*'An Elixir would heal my internal injuries in one go, too.'*
Of course, he had no intention of using it unless he was literally about to die.
He'd been lucky enough to get one easily this time, but there was no telling when he'd be able to find another.
["Hah. You really overdo it every time."]
Vega let out a deep sigh and followed behind Oh-jin.
["I shall go with you…."]
“And where do you think you're going, Lady Vega?”
Lyark stopped her.
Lyark sighed deeply and began to speak.
“Isn't absorbing Deneb's divinity your priority?”
["W-well, that."]
Vega's shoulders flinched.
She trailed off, her voice shrinking.
["I can do it later…."]
“You know full well that a divinity, once externalized, will dissipate over time. Or are you planning to let the divinity the kid shed blood to obtain just vanish?”
["Ugh."]
Vega bit her lip, clutching the hem of her dress.
She glared resentfully at Lyark, then finally let out a deep sigh and nodded.
["I understand. For now, I will focus on absorbing the divinity."]
As she said that, Vega gently took Oh-jin's arm.
["Still, if you find yourself in a dire situation, call me through the pendant. I will manifest at once."]
“Got it.”
*Judging by Lyark's expression, I probably shouldn't call her unless it's an absolute emergency.*
But if it really was a dire situation, he would have no choice but to ask for Vega's help.
*'The best thing would be for a situation like that not to arise.'*
He had a few insurance policies prepared, at least.
Each one would be painful to use, but just having cards to play in an emergency was quite reassuring.
“Well then, let's go.”
“Yes.”
Oh-jin followed Baek Dong-il out of the Sanctuary.
*'I wonder who the other Guardian members are.'*
*Vrooom.*
The car carrying Oh-jin drove down the road with a smooth purr of its engine.