Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Closed-Door Training (2)
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"-You said you won't be reachable for a while?"
Team Leader Han's bewildered voice came through.
"Yes. I plan to focus on my personal training for a while."
"-Hmm... And the training period would be...?"
Team Leader Han Jun-man's voice trailed off, sounding troubled.
It seemed he hadn't expected me to step away at a time like this.
'Well, things must be crazy right now.'
With rumors of Polaris's Apostle appearing in Korea, the eyes of the world were focused on the country.
It was understandable that he'd be flustered, since not only Korean guilds but also massive foreign guilds were watching the Association I belonged to, and I was suddenly announcing my absence.
"I'm thinking about three months for now."
"-Three months... The timing is a bit awkward. We've already received hundreds of meeting requests for you, Oh-jin."
I knew.
That everyone was desperate to build a friendly relationship with Polaris's Apostle one way or another.
'That's why I'm going off the grid in the first place, to avoid all that.'
Of course, if they were all approaching me with pure goodwill, there would be no reason to avoid them.
'But.'
As if pure goodwill actually exists in this world.
They'd call it a friendly relationship, but it was obvious they'd be racking their brains trying to find a way to use me.
'It would be a relief if all they wanted was to use me.'
There would surely be those who approached with the extreme mindset of "If I can't have it, I'll destroy it."
'I need more time.'
I had to build up enough strength to at least defend myself from the factions trying to use me.
It was true I had grown incomparably faster than other Awakened, but even so, I was still only a 3-Star Awakened.
"In any case, I plan to focus on my personal training for a while, so please reject all meeting requests."
"-Yes, I understand. On second thought, it seems wise to lay low for now, just as you said, Oh-jin."
As expected.
I like that my Team Leader is so easy to talk to.
"Oh, right. And there's one more thing I'd like to ask."
I almost forgot.
"Could you contact the Starlight Lake Guild for me?"
"-The Starlight Lake Guild?"
"Yes. Tell them I was greatly insulted by an Awakened named Choi Jong-cheol."
I had promised to let it go if he did me a favor, but of course, I had no intention of just letting it slide.
"-What kind of insult was it, specifically?"
"He picked a fight with me, calling me the Association's dog for acting out of line."
I conveniently left out the part about Ha-eun.
"-...He said something like that?"
Team Leader Han's voice was also filled with displeasure.
Well.
It was only natural to be upset after hearing someone disparage the organization he belonged to.
"-Leave that to me. As it happens, the Starlight Lake Guild also requested a meeting. I can use this as a pretext to refuse."
"Haha. I'll be counting on you."
A smile naturally formed on my lips at Team Leader Han's supportive voice.
"-Oh, right, but where are you planning to train?"
"Ah, that."
Oh-jin grinned.
The place for my closed-door training was already decided.
The perfect place to focus on training in peace, away from all the fervent attention.
And that was.
"The Sanctuary."
"-...Excuse me?"
The land of the gods, where hundreds of Constellations reside.
That was the place I had chosen for my closed-door training.
* * *
[━So this is what you meant when you said you wanted to be with me 24 hours a day.]
Three temples located at the highest point of the Sanctuary.
I had arrived at a massive temple where only Constellations bearing the title of 'Polaris' could reside.
The interior of Vega's temple, which I hadn't seen in a while, was still as desolate as ever.
"What did you think I meant?"
I asked playfully with a smirk.
[Hmph! Be quiet!]
Vega crossed her arms, let out an angry huff, and whipped her head away.
"Haha. Sorry. I just couldn't think of a more suitable place than this."
On Earth, Vega could only manifest for a few hours a day at most.
That wasn't enough time to learn how to handle the Stigma of Lyra from her.
'But it's a different story in the Sanctuary.'
Inside the Sanctuary, the 'Constraint of the Law,' which could be called the shackles of the Constellations, weakens considerably.
Meaning it was entirely possible for her to stay manifested 24 hours a day.
[Is it alright to leave Ha-eun alone?]
"My sister's not a child."
Besides, Ha-eun needed to focus on her rehabilitation for the time being.
'Though she did look quite upset.'
The memory of her expression twisting fiercely when I told her I'd be cooped up in the Sanctuary for three months came to mind.
"Well, it's not like we'll be apart for the entire three months."
Just because it was Vega's temple didn't mean you needed the Stigma of Lyra to enter.
We could meet whenever we wanted.
[Heehee. Then you'll be able to stay with me for a while.]
Vega's lips curled up in satisfaction.
"Phuhu! I'm in your care, my goddess."
[Hmph! Just trust in me!]
Vega crossed her arms and let out a forceful huff.
*Twirl.*
She spun around as if dancing.
*Whoooosh!*
A silvery haze shimmered, and her body, which had been only 30cm tall, began to grow.
"......"
Seeing Vega's true form again after so long, she was still breathtakingly beautiful.
[Alright, which skill should I teach you first?]
Vega approached, her eyes sparkling.
Oh-jin slowly shook his head.
"Just explaining with words doesn't seem to be very effective."
Before coming to the Sanctuary.
I had tried learning the skills of the Lyra Stigma from her a few times while training on my rooftop.
'I have to actually understand what she's saying.'
I couldn't tell if Vega was bad at explaining things or if my comprehension was lacking, but when I just listened to her explanations, I had no idea what she wanted me to do.
'What does "circulate your mana as if the starlight of the Milky Way is flowing on the clouds" even mean?'
I couldn't even begin to grasp how I was supposed to move my mana.
[Hmm? Then how do you plan to learn the skills?]
"Vega. I want to spar with you directly."
Looking back at my experiences so far, I had always grown through actual combat.
Meaning, I had a better chance of growing by betting on the instincts that emerged in extreme situations rather than on complex theories.
Even if it was just sparring and not a real fight, it would still be far more helpful than just listening to explanations.
But.
[That is not possible.]
Vega shook her head with a firm expression.
"Why? Because of the constraints?"
I had heard that even in the Sanctuary, the constraints were only relatively weaker, not completely gone.
[No. That is not the reason.]
"Then?"
Vega answered with a short sigh.
[You could die.]
"...Ah."
Indeed.
Considering the gap between her and me, it would be like an ant sparring with a human.
"Not even if you hold back?"
[It won't work, no matter how much I hold back.]
Is the difference that great?
'Was I too arrogant?'
Having grown incomparably faster than other Awakened these past few months, had I become too confident?
Hearing it from her own mouth now, I felt ashamed for daring to think I could spar with a Constellation.
'Right. It doesn't make sense when you think about it.'
She was a transcendent being, fundamentally different from a human.
Moreover, she was a Constellation of Polaris, considered to be in a different league even among other transcendent beings.
'Yeah, I was being way too cocky.'
I'd gotten so comfortable with Vega that I had momentarily forgotten.
That to her, I was nothing more than a being she could crush with a single finger.
"Then it can't be helped. Let's just do it the usual way."
It didn't seem very efficient, but I didn't want to push for a sparring match to the point of ignoring Vega's warning.
[Mmm. Wait a moment.]
Vega crossed her arms, lost in thought.
Soon, she snapped her fingers with a *click!*
[It may be difficult for me, but it might be possible with my Star Spirit.]
Star Spirit?
'Is that what they call the incarnation of a Constellation?'
Fundamentally, Constellations are bound by constraints and cannot directly interfere in the affairs of Earth.
Vega, befitting her title of Polaris, could interfere to some extent, but other Constellations couldn't even leave the Sanctuary.
That's where Star Spirits came in.
They were a type of summoned being, imbued with a part of a Constellation's soul.
'Of course, being a Star Spirit doesn't mean it's completely free from the constraints.'
At the very least, they were said to be under far fewer constraints than a Constellation directly interfering with Earth.
'Anyway, Vega's Star Spirit.'
Looks like I'll have to do some smooth-talking again.
[Come.]
Vega slowly raised her hand.
[Servant of Vega, Lyark.]
*Whoooosh!*
A brilliant silver halo appeared, and a crack formed in midair.
*-Thud, thud.*
From within the crack emerged a wolf with beautiful silver fur.
"You called, Lady Vega."
Lyark bowed its head low, speaking with an eloquence unthinkable for a wolf.
"Hmm?"
Lyark's gaze, which had been scanning the surroundings, fell on Oh-jin.
*Flinch.*
Its silver fur stood on end.
"A human? Why is a human here...?"
Its eyes were filled with wariness.
Towards him,
"Long time no see, Lyark."
Oh-jin waved with a friendly smile.
The silver wolf narrowed its eyes and tilted its head.
"Who are you?"
"Haha! It's been a while since you've spoken so informally to me, Lyark. It's refreshing to hear."
"......?"
Lyark turned its head toward Vega, looking completely baffled.
Vega placed a hand lightly on Oh-jin's shoulder with a faint smile.
[Do not be alarmed, Lyark.]
"What...?"
[This child is a Regressor who has traveled back from the future.]
"Th-The Star of Heavenly Reversal!"
Lyark's jaw dropped.
A being spoken of like a myth even among the transcendent Constellations.
The one and only hope capable of changing the fate of a world doomed to end.
"How can the Star of Heavenly Reversal... Th-Then that means!"
The rising of the Star of Heavenly Reversal meant one thing.
That the 'future' world had already been destroyed once.
In other words—
"In the end, Lady Vega, as foretold by the prophecy..."
It meant that the master he served had been swallowed by the darkness of Black Heaven.
*-Kooong!*
Lyark stomped its front paw in frustration.
Even though it was an event from a future that had not yet come to pass, a wave of self-blame for failing to protect its master washed over it.
[Do not blame yourself, Lyark.]
Vega stroked Lyark with a gentle hand.
[Is it not to prevent that future that my child has come here?]
"......"
Lyark stared at Oh-jin, its mouth shut tight.
The aura he felt was far too weak to be called the Star of Heavenly Reversal.
"Are you saying he is truly the Star of Heavenly Reversal?"
[Heehee. You will come to know in time.]
Vega crossed her arms with a confident expression.
"Vega."
[I understand.]
Vega explained to Lyark the purpose of Oh-jin's visit.
"Sparring... you say? With him?"
[Indeed.]
"*Grrrrowl.*"
Lyark narrowed its eyes, looking Oh-jin up and down.
Frankly, he didn't seem trustworthy at all, but.
"If it is Lady Vega's command."
*Crack!*
Lyark's body swelled enormously, transforming into a two-meter-tall werewolf.
*Crackle!* Blue lightning sparked amidst its silver fur.
'Holy shit, what the hell?'
*Gulp.*
Oh-jin swallowed dryly and looked up at Lyark.
An overwhelming pressure, enough to take his breath away, emanated from the transformed werewolf Lyark.
Honestly, based on its aura alone, it seemed even stronger than Vega.
'Though that's probably because Vega isn't revealing her true power.'
In any case.
It was an undeniable fact that it was a powerhouse so strong that comparing myself to it was laughable.
"Now, let the sparring begin."
Lyark took a stance.
Oh-jin nodded and raised his spear.
'Honestly, winning is out of the question.'
But if it's just about enduring.
'I can do i—'
*KWAAANG!!*
"......!"
I couldn't even see it with my naked eye.
I raised my spear on instinct.
*-KOOONG!!*
"Keoheok!!"
The spear in my hand was violently knocked away.
My palm tore, and blood splattered.
"Keuk!"
I quickly lowered my stance to roll on the ground, but.
"Too slow."
*THWACK!*
Lyark kicked Oh-jin in the stomach as if he were a soccer ball.
"Keoheok! Keok! Cough!"
My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor.
'This is insane.'
Three seconds.
That was how long it took for Oh-jin and Lyark's first sparring match to end.