Chapter 176
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 176
Chapter Title: Lesson 35. The Final Changeling - 1
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―How... How could a mere human defy the rules set by the constellations?
―Look at you, strutting around like you're hot shit when you can only play king in your forest. Serves you right.
―I don't care who you are, wench. You dare mock the ruler of the forest while trapped in that lowly weapon?
While Ban Yu-won and Lucelle's relationship seemed to shift dramatically yet remained stuck in place, Cellon was blocking a barrage of curses and attacks from the forest's ruler in Ban Yu-won's stead.
Of course the lord of the forest wouldn't sit idle after Ban Yu-won tried to steal away the mate he'd (forcibly) claimed right in front of it.
But as Cellon had pointed out earlier, the constellation's avatar had fatal limitations it couldn't violate. Weakened curses and physical assaults couldn't pierce Cellon's barrier.
Not unless all her magic power oxidized away.
―How long are you going to keep messing around? I'm reaching my limit here.
"Don't worry. It's over now."
He wanted to pin Lucelle down and regale her with tear-jerking tales from Earth's tragic history of slavery to liberation movements to change her mind. But with the enemy right there, he couldn't.
And after flipping the concepts within Lucelle's body, Ban Yu-won's own situation had changed from moments ago.
Ban Yu-won turned to face the massive constellation avatar with a confident smile.
Interfering with and altering the concepts within another's body. Achievement accomplished. Authority advances. You comprehend the method of dissolving the boundary between self and other. You make contact with the origin of magic power.
Manifestation Technique evolves. A martial art that strengthens and transforms all things with pure energy, gathers the flows of all concepts to reach the origin. You have comprehended and mastered Flow-Origin Art. Depth of Flow-Origin Art has reached 250.
The manifestation energy within your body transforms upon contact with primordial essential energy. Concepts are replaced with the energy of all origins, Origin Energy. Depth of Origin Energy has reached 600.
All concepts of the body have been converted. A body forged from origin energy, containing and shaping origin energy――you have obtained the concept of Origin Body. Depth of Origin Body has reached 700.
It was a thrilling moment.
He'd believed the Manifestation Technique would grow during this special activity—or rather, in facing the monster before him.
But he never imagined it would culminate by dissolving the boundary between self and other to evolve the concepts in Lucelle's body.
Of course, on reflection, it made perfect sense. Ban Yu-won had always fought by perceiving and controlling surrounding concepts with Manifestation Technique and Origin Sword, then adapting his internal concepts accordingly.
Now that he could perfectly control himself and alter external concepts...
All that remained was changing the concepts within his opponent—another's body.
"Master? Your energy shifted in an instant..."
Lucelle, who'd been clinging to Ban Yu-won without letting go, flinched and pulled away slightly.
She too had broken through her limits, so she sensed it.
How weighty that single step Ban Yu-won had just taken was.
How tremendous what he'd gained from it.
"At this rate, I could even go a round with Dokgo Yeon."
"Yeah. We might even see one or two of her hidden trump cards."
It was a slightly deflating exchange, but catching up to Dokgo Yeon—who'd already surpassed average graduates at enrollment—in just half a year was an incredible feat. No need for disappointment.
Plus, he'd mastered his unique martial art. His growth from here would accelerate.
Vowing once more to surpass her before graduation—no, before second year ended—Ban Yu-won drew the Executioner's Longsword.
"No need to wait for Lilith to recharge."
―I've seen plenty of cocky bastards like you die acting all confident.
"Help me out, Cellon."
―About time.
―Fwooooosh! Thicker mist enveloped the area.
Sensing Ban Yu-won's ominous aura, the constellation swelled its battle intent, determined to end it.
―Unforgivable. I'll kill you and reclaim my bride.
"Master, let me charge first."
"Can you handle that thing's energy?"
"Hah, of course."
Lucelle sneered, leaning forward as she maxed out her Savage Heart.
All the savagery she'd accumulated blazed in an instant, explosively boosting her power.
Permanently, of course—but in this moment, it elevated her to claim supremacy here!
Lucelle's body swelled massively into a giant wolf.
Except nine long, luscious tails sprouted, each tipped with a crackling orb of lightning.
―Impossible! It's fully bloomed! A hybrid continuing the myth...!
"Grrrrr... Kuaaaang!"
The moment Ban Yu-won registered her leap, Lucelle was already at the lizard head of the constellation avatar.
One lightning orb at her tail tip detonated, surging through her body to concentrate in her razor-sharp front claws.
―You wench! Can't even recognize your master!
The avatar had constraints, but under direct attack like this, it could unleash immense power within its fleshly limits.
Indeed, despite the absurdly swift strike, it condensed the poison mist scattered everywhere into a single point, blocking Lucelle's attack...!
―Slash!
Lucelle's lightning claws pierced even that, carving a deep gash into its head.
―Kraaaaaaaaah!
The constellation shrieked, stomping the ground with its massive legs in unbearable agony.
Ban Yu-won perfectly captured its exposed pale underbelly in that instant.
A weakness he couldn't pinpoint even with Origin Sword before the evolution—now vivid in his grasp.
The problem? Slipping through its rampage to strike the belly and escape unscathed...
'No, that's right. We have that.'
Ban Yu-won charged after Lucelle, resolve firm.
As she clung to its head, incinerating its poison mist with lightning and tormenting it, he thrust the Executioner's Longsword at its flailing front leg!
―With this much!
Origin Sword formed golden aura infused with one concept: Sever.
Cellon's holy light amplified it, the star-flecked gold shimmering like a Milky Way—beautiful as a hero's blade from legend.
"Haaaaap!"
Flow-Origin Art and Origin Sword let him read the massive pillar-like leg's every up-down shake.
At the moment its power dipped most, Ban Yu-won's leaping thrust pierced thick, tough hide!
―You filthy human!
―It's weakening. The poison mist is thinning!
Even with the aura extended over 5 meters, its leg was too thick to sever cleanly—but severing wasn't the goal.
From its appearance, he'd gauged the poison mist cloaking it—for offense, curses, even defense—and aimed to widen its gaps further.
―How dare you, how daaaare you! Do you not know your place, defying me! The effort I poured into you!
"Grrrrrrrr!"
Lucelle snarled back viciously at the raging constellation's nonsense, blasting lightning like she was venting all pent-up stress.
For this moment, Ban Yu-won was the sidekick, Lucelle the star.
As her Savage Heart blazed ever brighter, her strikes gained immense power. Lightning flowers bloomed from her artifact, infused with magic and fury, exploding spectacularly!
―Defense weakening... Soon... Now!
"Huuuuuup!"
"Kraaaaaang!"
The unique energy cloaking the 100-meter behemoth gathered entirely at its face to repel Lucelle's intensifying onslaught.
Now, Ban Yu-won could rip off its carapace—or truly focus to sever a leg.
But he didn't.
Instead, he slammed the Executioner's Longsword—packed with all his Origin Energy and Cellon's holy light concept—into the ground with full force and shouted.
"My drill is—!"
―Boom!
His will and fierce energy pierced the earth, flowing into an artifact lurking underground since combat's start, awaiting its chance.
The next instant, accepting its master's intent, it swelled with golden aura tipped by holy light, spinning madly.
A massive drill erupted from below—
"The heaven-piercing drill!"
―Kwaaaang!
Spearing deep into the constellation's belly from the ground!
―Guh... Heuk...
Having mustered all energy to repel Lucelle, the lord of the forest groaned at the horrific impact.
It knew Ban Yu-won was harassing its legs from below.
Guessing he'd found a weakness, it desperately avoided exposing its belly amid the pain.
But from the ground? Straight through?
Especially while drawing all defensive energy to its face against Lucelle, struck in a split-second opening...
―You... you bastard, did you...?
Vomiting blood, the constellation asked Ban Yu-won.
―Plan this from the start...?
"Naturally! This Ban Yu-won calculated everything from beginning to end!"
In truth, the Manifestation Technique's evolution barely let him cross the boundary to analyze its internal concepts and target the weakness.
But since it was an annoying foe, he hammed it up to troll as much as possible.
―No... If the descent unravels like this...
―Whiiiiiing!
As the constellation tried one last scheme amid drivel, the giant drill still embedded in its gut spun anew, burrowing deeper.
―Guheeeek!
And naturally, that was the end.
Satisfied at ticking off a classic manly line and scenario, Ban Yu-won retrieved the drill.
Now an artifact, it shrank at his command and flew into his palm.
"So, Lilith. Changed your mind yet?"
"Uh, um... Not sure. Why not ask Drillster later?"
"Good idea. Anyway."
Kuuuung! The avatar's corpse crashed to the ground with a roar.
Ban Yu-won ruthlessly extracted concepts from it, then turned.
Lucelle's issues were settled.
But he knew problems lingered on this planet.
"Alright, let's go smash the last criminal bastard."