Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Under World (2)
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[How have you been?]
Vega asked, having moved from his palm to his shoulder.
“Well, a lot has happened.”
He gave her a suitably edited version of the past three weeks' events.
[Hmm. The Heukseonghoe… A truly blasphemous bunch.]
Upon hearing about the Heukseonghoe, Vega scowled in displeasure.
“It’s not certain yet, but that organization might be connected to the Cheonma.”
[W-What did you say?]
Vega’s eyes widened.
[Are you saying the Master of the Black Heaven is hiding there!]
she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement.
“Like I said, it’s not certain yet. The Cheonma was so thorough in hiding his identity that there’s almost no information about his past.”
However.
“But it’s certain that the Heukseonghoe are a suspicious bunch.”
Vega furrowed her delicate brow and asked.
[Did you not hear of the Heukseonghoe in your past life?]
“Not at all.”
he replied firmly.
Pretending to know about the Heukseonghoe could get him killed later.
‘Still, that doesn't mean...’
...it would make no sense to know absolutely nothing.
“The Cheonma did lead a faction… but I don’t know if it was the Heukseonghoe.”
He ended the conversation there, leaving just enough bait.
After all, he currently lacked the evidence to claim, ‘The Cheonma was actually a member of the Heukseonghoe!’
[Hmm. He must have hidden his identity with terrifying thoroughness.]
Swallowing hard, Vega looked at Oh-jin with a worried expression.
[Will you be alright? Getting involved with such ominous figures so soon… I believe you need a little more time to build your strength.]
“Don’t worry, I have ways to deal with them.”
In truth, he had no such plan.
What could he do in his current state, where he couldn't even defeat a low-ranking Executive?
‘But what can I do?’
He was in a situation where he had to act like he had everything, even when he had nothing.
[Huhu, you are my child, after all.]
Vega gazed at Oh-jin with an expression of pure delight.
“By the way, what exactly are these ‘Constellations of the Black Star’? And what was that about all stars being swallowed by darkness?”
[The Constellations of the Black Star…]
Vega shook her head with a troubled look.
[I am sorry. I do not know either.]
“You don’t know?”
He thought that, as a fellow Constellation, she would naturally know.
[Mmm.]
Vega brushed back her hair, looking embarrassed.
[Even I do not know all the secrets surrounding the birth of the stars.]
“Grr.”
Oh-jin grunted at the unexpected answer.
‘I didn’t expect Vega not to know.’
If even the Constellation known as Polaris didn't know, then there was no other way.
‘Looks like I’ll have to find out from the Heukseonghoe bastards.’
He had already arranged the means.
Even now, his faithful hound should be gathering information on the enemy.
[It could be related to the Cheonma, so you must be careful.]
“I will.”
Though, that was unlikely to happen.
[By the way, I wish to see how much you have changed in the last three weeks.]
Vega’s eyes sparkled as she zipped into the air with a *pop*.
“I haven’t changed that much since then.”
Oh-jin replied, clicking his tongue in disappointment.
Although his Black Heaven had undergone its third awakening and he had acquired the Stigma of the Noctua Constellation, the Stigma of the Lyra Constellation itself remained the same.
‘No new skills, and the level of my lightning skills hasn't increased either.’
And this was after pouring most of his days into raising the proficiency of the Lyra Constellation's Stigma.
[Show me.]
“Okay.”
He nodded and raised his spear.
“Ssssp.”
A low, long breath.
He inhaled.
He focused his mana on the Stigma engraved on his left chest.
-*Crackle! Fzzt!!*
The lightning now ignited as naturally as breathing.
As he channeled the blue lightning into his spear, he simultaneously sent it coursing into his ‘legs’.
[…What?]
Vega’s voice, filled with astonishment, reached him.
He ignored it and continued his movements.
-*Fzzzzzzzt!!*
One step. Two steps.
With each footstep, a footprint of blue lightning burned onto the ground.
He sprinted from rooftop to rooftop with explosive speed.
“Hoo!”
Exhaling the breath he had held in one go, he thrust his spear.
*Fzzzzzzzzzt!!*
The Changnoe naturally unfolded, sweeping forward in a fan-like arc.
‘Not yet.’
Stopping here would leave too big of an opening.
-*Crackle! Fzzt!!*
He stepped with his lightning-infused legs, instantly creating distance.
A long trail of blue lightning footprints stretched out behind him.
‘Focusing lightning into my legs definitely minimizes the opening after using Changnoe.’
Previously, he had focused the blue lightning in only one place.
But after training on his own, he had concluded that spreading the power to multiple points simultaneously was better than concentrating it in one.
‘The physical abilities of the area where lightning is focused are dramatically enhanced.’
The fact that the blue lightning left on the ground with each step could deal area-of-effect damage was appealing, but what was even more attractive was the ability to move at a much faster speed.
‘I want to focus lightning on my arms and waist too.’
But that was still impossible.
For now, the limit was concentrating lightning in three places at once.
“—Hoo.”
After thrusting his spear into the air a few more times, he came to a stop.
Beads of sweat formed on his forehead and trickled down.
“How was it?”
[…]
Vega stared at him with trembling eyes.
[Y-You… H-How, even for a regressor, could you have already grasped the basics of Exceed…?]
Huh?
Did I do something wrong?
“Is there a problem?”
[I don’t know whether to call this a problem… How on earth did you manage to focus lightning in three places at once?]
“Huh?”
How did I do it?
“I just tried, and it worked. It was a bit tough at first, though.”
[…]
Vega’s jaw dropped.
[My child… D-Didn’t you say your memories of the Lyra Constellation’s techniques were hazy??]
“I did.”
In truth, it wasn't that his memories were hazy; he had no memories at all.
To avoid a difficult situation, he had laid the groundwork by claiming he couldn't remember.
[Hmph… But how.]
Vega touched her forehead with a bewildered expression, then snapped her fingers with a *click!* and nodded.
[Perhaps even if your memories are hazy, you are unconsciously recalling the techniques! Yes, yes, that must be it. Otherwise, there is no explanation for how you could master the Stigma so quickly.]
It seemed Vega had convinced herself that he was mastering the Stigma so quickly due to his non-existent memories from the first timeline.
‘Well, I’m thankful for her misunderstanding.’
Am I really progressing fast enough to warrant that kind of reaction?
‘Honestly, I’m not so sure.’
Even though he had succeeded in focusing lightning in three places, the level of his lightning skills hadn't risen, nor had he gained any new skills, so he didn't quite understand her astonishment.
“Is this really that surprising?”
[What are you saying!!]
“Well, the skill level is still 3.”
[Even at the same level, a 3 that is close to a 2 and a 3 that is close to a 4 are on completely different planes!]
Now that she put it that way, she had a point.
[And why do you think I have been unable to create an Apostle until now? The Stigma of the Lyra Constellation is inherently one that is nearly impossible for a human to wield.]
And yet, he was mastering this Stigma as if it were some common, run-of-the-mill Stigma, which was why she was so surprised.
‘But how is that really possible?’
It seemed to be in a realm that couldn't be explained by ‘talent’ alone.
‘Is it because of Lee Shin-hyeok’s memories?’
He wasn't sure.
In the first timeline, Lee Shin-hyeok had the Stigma of the Pyxis Constellation, not the Lyra Constellation.
Could those memories really be related to him mastering the Lyra Stigma so quickly?
‘I don’t know.’
Thinking about it yielded no answers.
‘Well, it’s better than being slow as a snail.’
Right now, he could pass it off with the misunderstanding, ‘He’s a regressor, so of course he learns quickly.’ But if his learning pace was as hopeless as teaching calculus to a liberal arts student who’d avoided math all through high school just two weeks before their final exams, it would have raised suspicions like, ‘Why is this so-called regressor like that?’
[And your skill with the spear is also astonishing. At this rate, you could reach the pinnacle of spearmanship….]
“No, I don’t plan on it.”
[What?]
“I’ll keep using the spear, but I plan to use other weapons as well.”
[What kind of weapon do you intend to use?]
“That would be.”
Just as he was about to explain the wire shooter.
-*Diri-ring!*
A short notification sound rang from his smartphone.
He turned on the screen and saw a message from Team Leader Han.
‘Ha, talk about timing.’
After checking the message, Oh-jin grinned and turned to Vega.
“Let’s go.”
[Hm? Where are we going all of a sudden?]
“The other weapon I mentioned. I’ll show you in person.”
Oh-jin turned and headed for the Association.
***
“First, please take this spear.”
When he arrived at the Association, Team Leader Han Jun-man was waiting outside as if he had been expecting him.
Oh-jin took the silver spear he was offered.
-*Wooooong!!*
“Ooh.”
A faint blue light emanated from the spear as he gripped it.
A high-quality item, clearly mixed with high-grade Sacred Stones.
-*Woosh!*
He gave the spear a light swing.
‘It’s a bit heavier than the one I was using.’
But with his monstrous physique, this much weight was nothing.
‘No, once I get used to it, this one will be much better.’
It was only natural that a heavier weapon would be more powerful.
-*Crackle!! Fzzzt!!*
And, as expected, the silver spear’s greatest strength was its electrical conductivity, the highest of all metals.
When he channeled his blue lightning into it, he could feel the energy move as naturally as if it were flowing through his own body.
“Nice.”
A satisfied smile spread across Oh-jin’s face.
It was such a good weapon that he felt bad getting it for free.
“And next… is this.”
*Click.*
Team Leader Han carefully took out two bracelets from a square box.
No, they were less like bracelets and more like gaudy wrist guards.
“Anyway, that kid was so excited making it… he went way over budget and even used his own money to finish it.”
“A kid?”
“Ah, I’ll introduce you sometime. He’s one of the few talents we have… a kid who’s a genius when it comes to making things.”
Oh-ho.
‘Could be useful to get close to him.’
Talent related to equipment crafting was hard to find.
“Go on, try them on.”
“Yes.”
*Click.*
He strapped the wire shooters to both wrists.
‘They’re more comfortable than I thought.’
They had some weight to them, but they didn't feel uncomfortable or restrictive at all.
“How do I use them?”
“Extend your arm forward and make a motion with your hand like this. As if you're grabbing the air.”
He followed the posture Team Leader Han showed him.
“Yes, from that position, flick your wrist as if you’re snapping it, and it will fire. It has quite a kick, so be careful.”
He nodded and, aiming at a nearby wall, gave his wrist a sharp flick.
And then.
*Click!*
-*TWANG!!!!!!!*
With a powerful recoil, a ♠-shaped weight attached to a wire shot out.
*Thunk!*
A silver line formed between the spade-shaped weight embedded in the wall and the wire shooter.
“Wow… this is.”
A short gasp escaped Oh-jin’s lips.
It was called a wire shooter, but take away the wire, and it was no different from a gun.
‘Of course, a normal gun is useless against monsters.’
But what if he sent an electric shock straight through the wire?
Not just ordinary electricity, but the intense lightning created by the Stigma of the Lyra Constellation.
“Puhahaha!”
Laughter naturally bubbled up as he looked at the wire shooter, which had turned out even better than he had expected.
“Haha. You seem to like it.”
“Yes. I like it very much.”
“That’s not all.”
“Pardon?”
“Try channeling some of your mana into the wire shooter.”
As Team Leader Han instructed, he channeled the mana from his Stigma into the wire shooter.
*Clank.*
-*Vzzzzzzzt!!!!*
“Wh-Whoa?”
With an intense metallic sound, the attached weight returned to the wire shooter.
*Click!*
With the clear sound of gears meshing, it returned to its state before firing the wire.
A gasp escaped Oh-jin’s lips.
“…I asked for a retrieval function, but I didn’t expect it to be this good.”
He had said it half-jokingly, but with this wire shooter, he felt he might actually be able to soar through the air like he had 3D maneuver gear.
“You can adjust the retrieval speed depending on the amount of mana you channel into it.”
“Excellent.”
It was exactly as he had envisioned, no, even better.
“Oh, and you can fire three wires from the right and three from the left, for a total of six.”
“Excuse me?”
He could fire six of these things?
“Haha. Didn’t I tell you? We went over budget.”
Team Leader Han grinned and shrugged.
‘Crazy.’
If there were a contest for the most handsome gorilla in the world, Team Leader Han Jun-man would surely win.
“Jun-man hyuuung…!”
“There you go again.”
Team Leader Han laughed it off as if he were used to it by now.
“In return, you have to help us out if something urgent comes up later, alright?”
“Of course.”
It was such a good piece of equipment that he would have seriously considered helping for free.
“Well then, I have a meeting today, so I’ll be on my way.”
Team Leader Han bowed his head and went inside the Association building.
“Hoo.”
Oh-jin, immersed in a thrilling sensation, looked down at the wire shooter on his wrist and the beautifully gleaming silver spear.
‘Joining the Association was seriously the best decision I’ve ever made.’
He had been getting pushed around here and there lately, but since it was a government-affiliated agency, it was competent when it needed to be.
‘From now on, if anyone disrespects the Association, I’ll smash their head in.’
He felt a burning sense of belonging that hadn't existed before.
*Pop.*
[Is that the new weapon you spoke of?]
Vega appeared from the glowing necklace, tilting her head.
“Yup.”
[I see. Binding an enemy with that rope and sending an electric current through it would make for a threatening weapon.]
“That’s not all.”
[Hmm?]
Oh-jin raised his arm high and aimed at the fence of a nearby building’s rooftop.
“I can use it like this, too.”
*Twang!*
The spade-shaped weight shot toward the fence.
‘If I channel electricity now.’
*Clink!*
When he sent electricity through the electromagnet-lined wire, it gained a strong magnetic charge and clung fast to the fence.
“Hold on tight, Vega.”
[Huh? What are you trying to do?]
Vega tilted her head as she climbed onto his head.
She grabbed his hair as if it were the reins of a horse.
“Alright.”
He grinned and focused the mana of his Stigma into his wrist.
-*Vzzzzzzzt!!*
A metallic whirring sound echoed from the wire shooter as Oh-jin’s body ‘shot’ into the air.
[O-Ooh?]
“Yes!”
Oh-jin let out a cheer and cut off the lightning flowing into the wire.
The wire, which had been stuck fast to the fence, detached and was reeled back into the shooter.
-*Twang! Twang!!*
By repeatedly shooting and retrieving the wire in this manner, he could fly between the city’s buildings as if he were Spider-Man himself.
[I see!! You devised this method because you cannot yet fly!]
“Hahaha!! Right! Not yet….”
Not yet?
“Can I fly using the Stigma of the Lyra Constellation?”
[It is impossible now, but it will be possible later.]
Fucking hell.
‘Why tell me that now?’
I wouldn't have gone through all this trouble if I'd known.
[Huhuhu! In any case, the Noeheundappo is a technique that is still impossible for you to learn!]
“Grr.”
He felt like he had wasted his effort, but as Vega said, it was a technique he couldn’t learn yet, so he decided to let it go.
[Are we returning home now?]
“No.”
A smirk.
He shook his head, his lips curling upwards.
[Then?]
Vega was back, and he had new gear.
There was no reason to delay any longer.
“—Let’s go to Seoul Station.”
The monster of flesh sealed beneath Seoul Station.
It was time to hunt it down.