Chapter 107
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: Lesson 23. Even If It's a Lie - 2
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Let me explain exactly what just happened.
To swiftly resolve this room's incident involving the contractors of the constellations (who probably only lent a portion of their power, with the Tower shaping them into NPCs, or so I suspect), Ban Yu-won—the one who draws clear lines between good and evil—stepped up personally to "judge" the criminals.
But perhaps annoyed that Ban Yu-won had ignored him and proceeded on his own, the constellation overseeing "sin" borrowed an NPC's body and appeared directly to wreak havoc!
And that probably triggered it—the constellations contracted with the criminals abandoned their hosts entirely and manifested in the room themselves!
I figured the viewers watching this video wouldn't grasp what's going on, but even Ban Yu-won couldn't understand why things had escalated this far.
"So, you're saying you're upset because I judged the criminals here without involving you?"
"Is its head on straight?"
"It's not some trivial notion of justice or judgment... I can glimpse something far more terrifying."
―How dare you!
The constellation grew even angrier at Ban Yu-won's explanation (which doubled as an address to the YouTube viewers watching the edited footage).
―This place is fundamentally under my domain, the Wings of Justice! You should have prostrated yourselves before my power to discern sinners, worshiped me, and meekly begged for salvation!
"No, seriously, we don't need any of that, mister."
―You really don't need it? How astonishing.
This time, the one who spoke up was the werewolf.
Its body gradually swelled until it reached about three meters tall, then it exhaled a deep breath of black mist and flexed massively. Unlike the Wings of Justice, whose power was concentrated solely in its wings, this one boasted a destructively muscular frame.
―Even constrained by the Tower's rules, my contractors had no vulnerabilities. Unless you scoured every corner of the city to find and destroy the sacred relics of me, the Claws of the Dark Forest, hidden throughout, they never would have exposed their auras.
With that, it lightly stomped the ground.
Sinister black pillars of light erupted from various spots across the city, all converging and absorbing into the werewolf's body at once.
Ban Yu-won guessed this was it absorbing the power of the sacred relics it had just mentioned.
―No! If my contractors had even a fraction more power! I could have crushed and incinerated all your lowly minions!
With those words, the Wings of Justice flapped its massive wings of light.
Ban Yu-won had half-expected it, but beams of holy light shot up from the forest everywhere, absorbing into it.
Apparently, the forest concealed means to bolster the Wings of Justice contractor's power.
It made sense now—why they would sneak around at night, use a single authority from the constellation (a weak one that only checked for criminals in houses), and then retire. It hadn't added up.
'So originally, this room was meant to be cleared by thoroughly searching the city to destroy the claw-side relics or finding and using the wing-side ones in the forest.'
Just as Yumina had said.
Finding both probably granted high clear scores.
But Ban Yu-won's group had charged straight into the city and flailed around wildly... resulting in the constellations gobbling up the relics later.
―But in the end, your kind's turn never came. If you hadn't shown up here, the climbers would have smoothly slain all my minions and left. Yes, watching them pick off only my minions precisely, they seemed far more capable than you.
―Aaaahhh nooooo! My authority is mine alone!
The wings screamed and spread its wings wide.
―Finding and punishing sinners is a divine role granted only to me! No one else dares impersonate me!
Sure enough, orbs of light appeared across the sky, raining bolts of light down on the entire city!
It seemed to target Ban Yu-won's group first, but with so many people gathered in the square, they got caught in the range too.
"You crazy bastard!"
Surprisingly, As Light reacted fastest.
He poured mana into his spear and deflected the falling light, protecting the people.
Ban Yu-won quickly activated elemental and linguistic magic simultaneously to form a barrier over the area, but the power of a constellation manifesting through a contractor's body was no joke.
"This doesn't feel like 23-room difficulty anymore, huh?"
"Too obvious to bother replying."
Dokgo Yeon sneered and drew her dagger.
Death lines bloomed from her blade tip, weaving through the air, annihilating every invading light beam.
"Saving the NPCs?"
"Starting to think it might score points."
Ban Yu-won had been wondering the same.
The NPCs he'd executed under the guise of trials were unavoidable, but letting salvageable ones die didn't sit right with him.
"You said you were killing sinners—what the hell are you doing, you bastard!"
―Hm?
The wings turned its gaze to As Light at his shout.
―Sacrifices I had to endure to punish sinners like you. Didn't you kill innocent people too?
―Hahahahaha! Getting beaten by students and taking it out on dolls—what a hilarious sight! Your excuses are a masterpiece!
The claws burst into booming laughter at the wings' nonsense.
―And you call yourself a constellation? Your mental state hasn't improved since you were human!
―I was never human to begin with! Beast, the only reason I'm not killing you now is I must punish those fools first!
Ban Yu-won tilted his head as he listened to the two constellations bicker.
They'd seemed connected since being trapped in the same room, but could they have known each other before becoming constellations?
He knew from Sellon that constellations were once mortals... but the more he learned about them, the less he understood.
―Ban Yu-won.
―Yeah?
Dokgo Yeon sent him a telepathic message, gripping her dagger tightly.
―Can't we attack that winged one now?
―Not yet. Still bound by the trick room's rules.
―Not yet, huh. Wait—so if we kill that beast?
―Shift happens immediately.
The original goal was to wipe out the city's killer gang.
Clearing that triggered the shift, but the surviving killers' bodies had merged into a constellation incarnation.
All culprits dead—should be fine, right? But no shift, and Ban Yu-won's All-Reading Eyes showed the werewolf shrouded in impossibly thick black fog, face obscured.
It felt like the "catch the killer gang" quest had morphed into "slay one mighty boss."
―If you hadn't said 'not yet,' I'd have sliced it already. You have a way, right?
Dokgo Yeon clearly resented these constellations for blocking the quick clear and forcibly dragging the day into permanence.
Ban Yu-won winked and raised his staff.
Then shouted aloud.
"Ready now, Sellon!"
―Curse ritual, open!
From the moment the Wings of Justice pulled its stunt, he'd secretly prepared a spell while observing it and the other constellation.
Black chains of mana extended from Ban Yu-won, As Light, Lucelle, and Dokgo Yeon, riding the wind skyward to bind the floating bastard tight!
―What...!
A clanking rattle echoed as the chains shook.
Each link was forged from strings Ban Yu-won had inscribed himself—far tougher than steel, with immense binding power.
"Whew, first time using a real curse took a bit."
―Not bad at all. My teaching paying off?
―You dare bind me? Me?!
What emotion dwells at a curse's root? Resentment and hatred.
Even simple envy or jealousy manifests curses easily.
Since ancient times, most curses targeted those who harmed the caster—deep connections born of pain.
In short, curses thrive on "ties" and "revenge."
―What is this...?! You brand me, Wings of Justice, a villain!
"You started it."
Ban Yu-won sneered mockingly.
Clink—the mana chains from them rattled, slowly dragging it earthward.
Blackness climbed its body simultaneously.
Just as it had branded his group sinners with its authority, Ban Yu-won wielded curse and judgment together for payback.
"Ta-da, now you're the sinner."
―You... human...!
And with that, the 23-room "boss" count hit two.
Two constellations to hunt.
―Impressive! Truly splendid! Even manifesting in these lower-floor doll bodies that can't hold much mana, to curse a constellation directly!
The werewolf seemed delighted throughout.
Before the descents, the criminals were villains, the man hunting them a hero—but post-descent, the werewolf felt friendlier. Ironic.
But irony aside, experience was experience.
"Dokgo Yeon, you're up."
"Can I?"
Dokgo Yeon nodded and raised her dagger, but Lucelle stepped forward first.
"If you want it."
"Thanks. You seem like my type—wanted to clash head-on."
Lucelle smiled warmly, then turned to the werewolf.
Beast ears sprouted atop her head, a plump tail from her rear.
Her hair blackened instantly, body swelling massively.
Last week, after soloing the Tower, Ban Yu-won had transferred the maximum giant concept she could handle.
Her current giant and superhuman strength depths hit 100.
―Good, I've been waiting. Wait... you alone against me?
"Grrr... Scared? You can run."
―Hahahahaha!
The roaring werewolf lunged at half-beastified Lucelle.
She met it with beast claws extended.
―Boom!
Like a dump truck smashing a wall—but Lucelle didn't budge.
Instead, her other hand slashed a gruesome gash across its forearm!
"Lucelle, kill it quick if you can!"
"Yes!"
―Hahahaha! A worthy foe!
Whether from Dokgo Yeon's martial arts training, her feral movements held eerie refinement and sharpness.
Above all, her grown claws brimmed with qi—maybe she'd forge aura before Ban Yu-won.
Seeing the beast queen, now on her true path and growing unbelievably fast, he felt quietly proud and looked away.
"No need to interfere there. Just handle this one."
―Humiliating Wings of Justice... You lot...! Think because I'm trapped in this wretched flesh, unable to unleash my full power, you can look down on me? Remember this: I am a constellation! I hold the power to drag you to ruin anytime!
He looked up—the wings flapping desperately midair, forming light orbs.
Those crashing down would deal serious damage, but...
"Eh, used to that. Hup!"
Ban Yu-won scoffed, gathered the binding chains, and yanked hard.
―Graaaah!
Amazingly, the orbs scattered instantly; the dragged-down fool slammed into the ground!
Failed curse? No—perfect success made the chains its reverse scale.
Especially as a sin-judging constellation now wearing the sinner's yoke, every chain rattle inflicted heavy damage on Wings of Justice.
"Ban Yu-won, let me."
"Nah, my turn."
This time, As Light.
Fuming, he focused mana into his spear, glaring at the fallen constellation.
"I want to."
"...Fine."
"Thanks."
As Light advanced spear-ready after Dokgo Yeon's concession; Wings of Justice's reaction was priceless.
―Not content with branding me sinner and smashing me down, now this insolence...!
"Shut up!"
As Light bellowed fiercely.
"You strut around all righteous, but deep down it's just your damn ego you care about!"
"What's his deal?"
"Soft heart."
Cryptic reply.
Dokgo Yeon sighed post-response and swung her dagger.
Watching her precise sword qi obliterate debris flying from Lucelle-claws clash and As Light-wings bout, Ban Yu-won thought she was versatile.
Most NPCs had fled in terror at the transcendents' arrival, but stragglers risked shard hits.
Dokgo Yeon had just shielded them.
"...Wait, is As Light mad over the NPCs?"
"Hope it doesn't carry to the next room."
Dokgo Yeon affirmed Ban Yu-won.
"NPCs in the next? Controlling him would be a pain."
"Dokgo Yeon, ever heard of foreshadowing?"
"?"
Ban Yu-won sighed lowly, unease swelling.
He should've taught her the "spell never to memorize" too.