Chapter 108

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Translator: Ryuma

Chapter: 108

Chapter Title: Lesson 23. Even If That's a Lie - 3

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The Wings of Justice, reduced to a battered mess rolling in the mud, spat curses at Ban Yu-won and his group.

―Killing this puppet won't do you any good. If you keep pushing forward down this path, second and third versions of me will appear and shatter your wings for sure…!

"Your wings are the ones that just got clipped."

―Gurk!

Besides, talk of second and third versions of itself probably just meant more Wings of Justice popping up.

This was seriously annoying.

Ban Yu-won let out a sigh and plunged the Executioner's Longsword into the writhing neck of the constellation.

"…Dokgo Yeon, it said more of these would keep showing up, right?"

"You looked annoyed just a moment ago, but your face lit up in an instant. Was the haul that good?"

"Yeah, it was seriously the best…"

It was just an NPC with a constellation descended into it, but he'd snagged 5 Star Marks from it.

The total he'd scraped together through all his hard work so far was 10, and now it had jumped by half in one go!

Judgment had also surged past everything he'd accumulated before, hitting 36.

That should be enough to reliably dominate anyone judged wicked, even if it couldn't turn the innocent into sinners like the Wings of Justice could.

And finally, absorbing that Light Magical Power—which seemed a cut above the Frost Giant's Ice Magical Power—had deepened his elemental ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠magic depth in one shot!

'Light isn't even an element, though…'

Light consisted of photons, not elements.

And Light Magical Power was the magic power that let you wield those photons.

So why had his elemental magic depth increased? Probably because analyzing and understanding a type of magic power that defied conventional notions had fundamentally boosted his grasp of elements… Ban Yu-won speculated.

If he researched this new lead, he could probably manifest a whole new magic system—Light Magic, no problem.

―You're already eyeing Light Magic too? How arrogant.

'After seeing that loser handle it earlier, it didn't seem like much.'

―…You don't think all constellations are losers, do you?

'Ah, no. That wolf-man had some real presence.'

That very wolf-man—Claw of the Dark Forest—was now a corpse rolling on the ground, its throat torn out by Lucelle's claws.

Oh, and why hadn't As Light finished it off himself?

"Is Light okay?"

"Not sure. He seems to have lost consciousness… He really has stunning looks for such an idiot."

Had he overexerted himself in rage?

Right before delivering the final blow to the Wings of Justice, he'd groaned and collapsed unconscious on the spot. Ban Yu-won had hurriedly tapped out, and Dokgo Yeon was tending to him.

The necklace he wore was sparking with ominous light, proving that wielding a spear instead of a holy sword had only been a temporary fix…

"Your face changed again?"

"I'm not showing you. Men who pry into a woman's secrets aren't popular."

"Fine, I'll just ask to see it later myself. …After we fix the holy sword issue."

"…"

Ban Yu-won snorted in response to Dokgo Yeon, rummaged around where the Wings of Justice had vanished (nothing there, of course), then headed toward Lucelle, who was sitting on the wolf-man's crushed corpse.

"Good work, Lucelle. No injuries?"

"A few, but I'm fine. Wounds in half-beast form heal fast."

Already back in human form, Lucelle hiked up her uniform to show her torn abdomen and flashed a bright smile.

The deep gash that had ripped her muscles was now just a surface scar, already regenerating in real time. It vanished completely while Ban Yu-won watched.

He lost himself for a moment staring at her smooth eleven-pack abs, then snapped back to reality and started to turn away.

"Pet my tummy, please."

Lucelle grabbed his hand and made the request.

"Out of nowhere?!"

"It still hurts inside. So, quick. Hurry…"

"Uh… alright."

When Lucelle asked in that coquettish voice, no man alive could refuse.

Ban Yu-won manfully reached out and stroked her belly up and down.

"Huuuuh…"

"Don't make weird noises."

"The pain's gone, that's why…"

"Well, if it's helping…"

Smooth, soft.

Yet firm, with a subtle coolness.

Each touch drew a kittenish purr from Lucelle.

Ban Yu-won felt sealed in an endless loop of time, endlessly stroking without knowing when to stop.

"Beast, stop before I really rip your gut open."

"Gah!"

"Okay."

Thankfully, Dokgo Yeon intervened at the perfect moment.

As Ban Yu-won came to his senses and pulled back, Lucelle straightened her clothes with satisfaction.

Dokgo Yeon, who had propped the recovering As Light against a wall, shot them an exasperated look.

"I'm not saying no affection. Just know when and where."

"Sorry, after intense fights, I get all pumped up…"

Wait, why did that sound a bit risky?

A little scared now, Ban Yu-won quietly edged away from Lucelle and reclaimed the concepts from the Claw of the Dark Forest.

And here came another unexpected jackpot.

'Hey, check it out. I just learned Photon Magic.'

―Guys like you who instantly pierce to the essence, comprehend it, and even acquire it with that absurd power deserve to burn in hell.

Oh, Cellon was really pissed.

To Ban Yu-won's eyes, Photon Magic looked like a step above Light Magic, which was already a step above elemental magic—a pinnacle magic system in its own right.

Wielding both light and darkness? Cool had its limits!

The two constellations they'd faced in this 23rd room happened to wield Light and Dark Magical Power respectively, letting him grasp their fundamental commonalities and accidentally hit the jackpot.

―One warning: don't get too immersed. You can only wield Photon Magic to the extent you understand it, but that'll suffice for now.

'Yeah, I'm good shooting Photon Rays and Dark Photon Rays.'

How could darkness, mere absence of light, have power? Simple answer.

What appears as darkness is magic power with the property of erasing light—and that's precisely the special force dubbed Dark Magical Power.

Thus, it wasn't darkness itself that held power, but the 'magic power that creates darkness.'

―How do you grasp it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠so fast? I can't wrap my head around it…

'Looks like Earth's science knowledge holds up pretty well against higher dimensions.'

If Ban Yu-won had been a science major instead of liberal arts, knowing quantum electrodynamics might have enabled even more varied, destructive applications… Or maybe not, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with his magic power shortage.

"Yu-won, what's up?"

"Ah, just got something good. A gift for you too, Lucelle."

"Ferocity!"

Ban Yu-won bestowed the full 25 Ferocity he'd extracted from the Claw of the Dark Forest, and Lucelle's eyes sparkled as she accepted it.

"Thank you so much, Yu-won!"

"You hunted it, after all."

Though he was the one who'd extracted the Ferocity, of course.

Just then, As Light fully regained consciousness and stood.

"Ugh… uuuugh… Is that guy dead?"

"You pretty much killed him; I just finished it off. You okay?"

"Probably… part of overcoming it, I guess. Ugh."

As Light looked mostly normal now, save for slightly sharper facial lines.

Had the necklace's rampage subsided? Or had it successfully suppressed As Light?

Ban Yu-won silently renewed his vow to settle it soon, then looked up—and spotted a massive tangle of concepts descending from the sky.

"What is this? Room 23 is a total reward fest."

"Ah, I leveled up."

"Me too!"

"Figures."

It wasn't just clearing a trick room; two constellations had descended into NPCs at the end. No reward from the tower would be weirder.

Everyone but Ban Yu-won leveled up. He extended his hand infused with quintessence like before, snagging part of the tangle.

"…Fixed values?"

Everything matched except the 1 myriad that became 25 Waves.

No clue why Waves popped up now, but it synergized perfectly with Photon Magic, that much was clear.

Ban Yu-won absorbed all the concepts and checked his internal code.

'Tower rewards are halving now too.'

Life had been 528 before absorbing the tangle—just a +22 gain.

No, taking down and absorbing two constellations had only netted +8 Life total, so this growth was something to be grateful for.

Deeper concept depths meant harder growth—he'd known that from the start.

Ban Yu-won clenched his fist, gauged his power, and nodded quietly.

"Where's everyone?"

"All hiding. I'd hide too."

"Ah, nightfall approaching, huh."

As Light murmured while gazing at the sky.

With the constellation that banished darkness defeated, night returning to the city was only natural.

Of course, the city's residents no longer needed to fear the night.

Ban Yu-won looked up at the purple sunset sky alongside As Light and let out a soft sigh.

"Meant to wrap it up quick, but it dragged on."

"In terms of footage value, this is way higher. We can speed through the rest."

Dokgo Yeon's tone had softened, perhaps buoyed by the unexpected level-up.

But Ban Yu-won could only give a wry smile.

The reason became clear with the immediate shift.

"Shift… happened, right?"

"Huh? Surroundings don't look too different… Snowy path… Wait, Yu-won. Over there."

Thankfully, the forest was gone.

But now they found themselves standing awkwardly on a highway leading to a major city.

Snow piled everywhere, city walls heavily guarded.

The trick room's rules had even multiplied.