Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Constellation Gallery EP.15
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"When the ghouls show up later, try picking them off one by one as archery practice. They're slow, so they won't get close right away. Don't freak out too much."
The kid's eyes sparkled as he nodded.
"But if it feels too dangerous, I'll take care of them before they get near. Got it?"
"Yes!"
The kid replied with an oddly excited look on his face.
But moments later...
"Kyaaak!"
The second the ghouls appeared, the kid let out a scream that could pierce eardrums.
"Come on, they're that slow, and you're scared?"
"They're gross! And of course it's scary!"
I let out a bored sigh.
"No time to stand around. The scarier it is, the calmer you gotta be—take them out even one step farther away."
The kid pulled out an arrow with a terrified face.
Her hands were shaking so much I wondered if she'd even be able to draw the bowstring properly, but she nocked the arrow right away and released it.
Pewk!
The arrow pierced straight through the ghoul's head.
"Euaaaak!"
"It's the one that got hit, so why are you screaming louder?"
"It's not pain, it's because it's gross...!"
The kid shuddered and gripped her bow tight.
"Anyway, I got 10 gold as a kill reward!"
"See? Now you get how precious sponsorships are?"
"Huh? Why?"
"You'd have to kill 100 ghouls just for 1,000 gold. Think about the sponsorship units you've gotten."
"Ah..."
The kid's face instantly shifted to one of harsh reality.
"Don't space out—keep shooting. They're coming closer."
The kid raised her bow again.
Pewk! Pewk!
Every arrow she shot punched through a ghoul's head.
It was almost machine-like precision.
But that didn't mean there were no issues.
"Eueueuk...!"
The kid trembled with every ghoul she took down.
"Sponsorships were better, huh?"
"Yeees...!"
The kid shivered in disgust.
"B-blood... Is that real?"
"What, you think we're filming a movie?"
The kid let out a small groan.
By the time she'd used up all 30 arrows, not a single one had missed.
"Wow, you shoot like a pro. Isn't your constellation Jumong or something?"
"I don't really know."
"Just kidding... Anyway, I'll handle the rest, so you stay put."
The kid nodded.
How dare he compare me to Jumong!
My incarnation's archery wouldn't even be comparable to Jumong's, let alone his incarnation—even if his true body showed up!
Whether the Constellation Gallery was buzzing or not...
I started hunting down the remaining ghouls.
Bam! Bam!
Is it because I put a point into Strength?
Or did my Vitality go up and boost my base power too?
Two solid hits to the head and they're down.
Sometimes it still took three like before, but I could definitely feel the growth.
No sense of strain either, and the biggest change I felt now was...
Kakang-!
Even if it's a rusty dagger, the blade's getting caught on my skin.
At best, it's just a scratch.
'More than that, letting the kid have 30 felt like a 300 gold loss.'
I shook my head.
How much sponsorship reward will I get when I bring her back alive?
'Stop being so stingy.'
Then, an alert window popped up in front of me.
Slayer achievement? There's something like that?
But that wasn't the end.
What is this? Rewards pouring in?
Achievements are this important?
'Jackpot?'
The corners of my mouth crept up.
Free stat points, gold earned, and even a random weapon.
'What if scrolls drop too?'
But that wasn't the important part.
What the hell is this?
"Mister, it says the level of this area is rising? What does that mean?"
Yeah.
"...Probably means the difficulty went up."
"Huh?"
Shit, if killing too many raises the difficulty, should we have just sat still?
I'm curious. Way too curious to hold back.
If my guess is right, then not killing monsters would be best.
'Gotta ask...'
Shit, either way, it goes up?
Don't know when or how, but if that's the case, finish off these ghouls.
Either way, I need to grow.
Plus, is it the ghoul bonus? My body feels lighter for sure.
The ghouls' already slow movements felt even more sluggish.
Thanks to that, I cleaned up the rest easily.
No scrolls or anything, though.
"All done."
That's when the kid shouted at me, eyes shining.
"Mister, that was so cool!"
"Yeah?"
"Except for the outfit!"
"...Go pick up the arrows."
"Huh?"
I pulled an arrow from a ghoul's head as I spoke.
"Waste not. Pull 'em out and reuse."
Maybe because she'd just experienced how hard gold is to earn.
She nodded instantly and moved fast.
As I yanked arrows from heads, it hit me—if I keep traveling with her, will I have to split prey forever?
Sponsorships are plenty now, but later, hunting gold will matter.
It'd be splitting my solo earnings in half.
Or... maybe she'd take it all.
'If she has enough arrows, she'll probably clear everything before I even step in.'
I was thinking that when the kid suddenly yelped in surprise.
"Whoa? A constellation sponsored 1,000 gold!"
Her eyes sparkled as she added,
"Arrows! Means just buy new ones, right?"
"Seems like it."
"Then...!"
"Still pull 'em. If it's urgent, fine, but when you can, you should."
"...Okay."
I pulled arrows while lost in thought.
Then it struck me—in this game-like reality... maybe 'party formation' works?
Maybe 'whispers' or 'trades' too.
I looked at the kid and thought 'whisper'.
'Can you hear me? Raise your hand if yes.'
But no reaction.
What, impossible after all?
'This might work, though.'
I looked at her again and thought,
'Party formation. Party invite.'
But nothing happened.
'Oh, gotta create party first?'
The moment I thought that.
Huh? Why'd this work?
I stared blankly at the system message.
'Not the time.'
I turned to the kid.
And thought 'party invite'.
Instant reaction.
"Whoa? 'Yoo Juhan' invited me to a party—accept?"
"That's me. Accept it."
"We're partying?"
"Not that kind of party."
"Okay..."
The kid cautiously reached into the air.
I tilted my head and muttered,
"This actually works...? So your name's Lee Tulip?"
"Huh? How'd you know?"
"I'm a god."
"You said no."
"Party window shows your name."
So what does partying do?
No separate experience or anything.
And why no posts or comments from constellations about me getting a companion and forming a party?
Thought for a sec, and the answer came.
Containment.
But not aimed at me.
Suspicion that humans watch the gallery—not containing me, but checking newbie constellations.
'Some constellation might overextend with a Divine Message, so they're holding back info for sure.'
If party's reliable, betrayal between allies might be impossible.
But they don't know that?
Even with a companion, they'd suspect and worry like I used to.
'Groups that don't know party functions and have weak bonds will crumble easily. That's what they're aiming for.'
What 'that' are they talking about targeting?
What's another function here?
Clever constellation bastards.
'Whatever it is, I'll find out eventually.'
Anyway, time to settle rewards while I can.
Stat points from rewards definitely convert to stats instead of gold...
'Save these for later. Max efficiency.'
Use when level-up stats can't keep up with gold costs.
Next up, random weapon pull.
'I got Spirit of the Constellation, and two low-prob scrolls.'
Plus no scrolls from these ghouls, so luck banked.
What if a holy relic drops?
"Mister, why are you grinning like that?"
"Nothing. Just checking something."
"Weird..."
"Go to the dentist."
"Huh?"
"If it's weird, go to the dentist."
"Ah... So not funny."
Yeah, I'm about to have fun.
Gonna check that mega-gacha reward in my inventory right now.
The moment I used the random weapon chest.
My head tilted.
Why the fuss?
Is it good?