Chapter 177
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 177
Chapter Title: Lesson 35. The Final Changeling - 2
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“Hah.”
A section of the forest collapsed entirely, unleashing a horrific roar.
Ryu Cheol-myeong let out a scoff at the sight.
“So you're just a lesser constellation after all? To think you'd descend under such perfect conditions, only to get done in by a lowly pest from a lower dimension.”
“Hoo... Hoo hah.”
Dokgo Yeon, steadying her breath, twisted her lips into a smirk at his words.
“You're ignoring your own failing in setting the stage... and blaming only your unlucky allies. Hoo... That says everything about the size of your vessel.”
“Still got that mouth on you even after that? Fine, a little resistance makes the conquest all the sweeter.”
Ryu Cheol-myeong's spirit didn't falter under Dokgo Yeon's barbs because he still held control over the situation.
Mira and Shati's restraints and curses on him weren't ineffective.
It was simply that the caster was too far beyond the dimensional wall, limiting their power.
“Hooo...”
“I'll admit you saw further than I did. I'm not exactly gifted when it comes to using my head.”
Ryu Cheol-myeong grimaced from the intensifying pain every time he tried to harm Dokgo Yeon.
He never dreamed they'd prepare for the possibility of him ambushing them during the special activity.
'As long as you're a professor, you deserve respect and admiration from all students.'
When Ryu Cheol-myeong confronted Shati about it.
Shati, who had promised to restore his honor, told him that—and he nodded without a second thought.
Whatever trick Shati pulled, from the next day on, his authority and reputation in the academy were more solid than anyone's, and his word carried more weight than even the Chancellor's when dealing with students.
—That's when he should have suspected something.
True, as a 'professor' facing 'students,' he wielded infinite authority.
But whenever he acted unbecoming of a professor, he became endlessly vulnerable to students, suffering immense pain.
The devil's signature ploy of tricking humans with cunning words into unfair contracts, twisted to their advantage and amplified with curses—even Ryu Cheol-myeong, with transcendent-level power, couldn't break free. Its viciousness was beyond words.
“But.”
A fierce red aura blazed along the greatsword he raised, multiplying in all directions with a simple swing to fill the space ahead—then all of it hurtled toward Dokgo Yeon without delay.
“Kgh!”
Dokgo Yeon bit her lip and swung her shortsword—devouring nearly half the aura with death—then leaped into the blind spot she'd created. But in the process, an undefeated strand grazed her, splattering blood from her cheek.
Her movements had grown noticeably sluggish from the prolonged chain of battles.
Without Yumina's protective artifact, she would have hit her limit much sooner.
And now even that was shattered.
“Absolute might crushes even strategy! Look at your body—that's your proof.”
Dokgo Yeon's entire form, which had never suffered a scratch during classes or climbs up the tower unless she willed it, was now covered in gashes.
“Hooo...”
But rather than shrink from her wounds, she calmly wiped her cheek and gathered her mind and inner energy.
“Stacking raw inner energy and years like some brute, then bragging about it as 'might'—it's laughable.”
“That tongue still wagging...!”
Ryu Cheol-myeong charged at unbelievable speed, bringing his greatsword down on Dokgo Yeon.
The momentum behind the blade rivaled a mountain, but with her remaining strength, Dokgo Yeon could shatter it.
—Swish.
She slipped aside without even grazing the sword, extending the black aura from her shortsword to slash across Ryu Cheol-myeong's chest.
Cracks finally spiderwebbed across the breastplate he wore for the umpteenth time.
“No matter how many times you slash, it's usele—.”
—Crack, shatter.
The steadily infiltrating death finally pulverized the high-grade artifact.
A sinister smile crept across Dokgo Yeon's lips.
“Now it's a fair fight.”
“How... How could the curse weaken even my artifact?”
Of course, Ryu Cheol-myeong, who had reigned as an absolute in his dimension and climbed Babel Tower long enough to claim a Full Professor seat at the academy, was clad in artifacts far superior to any student's.
Yet the armor guarding his vitals shattered after barely enduring a few strikes from a mere student—it was natural he'd suspect foul play.
But it wasn't the curse at all; it was the profundity of Dokgo Yeon's martial arts and the extraordinariness of her authority.
“Hoo.”
The elixir candy of life—one per day—that restored all conditions to peak, even boosting potential.
The moment she crunched the one she'd held in her mouth since Ryu Cheol-myeong appeared, her wounds from him healed, her depleted inner energy refilled, and the death's malign influence encroaching on her body and mind receded.
'Using death again in this state will double the backlash later... but no choice.'
The situation was too dire to fret over authority reflux.
The silver lining? Ban Yu-won had safely defeated the constellation's descent vessel.
Honestly, fighting Ryu Cheol-myeong, she'd been more worried about Ban Yu-won than the man himself.
She knew the terror of constellations all too well.
But as always, Ban Yu-won exceeded her expectations this time too.
And as always, he'd grasp the full situation and rush to her aid...
'Rush to me? Him? To help me? What foolish nonsense.'
As Dokgo Yeon sorted her thoughts, she startled herself and gritted her teeth.
Since when had she stopped thinking of resolving things with her own power and started relying on others?
As his master, it was her duty to aid him in crisis—yet here she was, bound by curses and weakened, her feet tied against this worm, unable to provide timely support. Shameful.
'I've been off lately.'
Even in this unfavorable situation, that strange steadiness in her chest—was it because of Ban Yu-won?
The thought brought a surge of shame and humiliation; she couldn't even lift her head.
An imagination—no, delusion and impulse utterly unfit for her.
Did he notice? Ryu Cheol-myeong, furious over his shattered artifact, suddenly chuckled.
“If you're waiting for Ban Yu-won, let me tell you it's a fool's hope. He can't come. The core sacrifice to summon the Forest Lord was the beastman tribe's chief. With him dead, his tribesmen will tear Ban Yu-won to shreds in revenge.”
“Is that so? Then I don't need to bother helping him.”
Ryu Cheol-myeong's words arrived at the perfect moment, calming Dokgo Yeon's oddly floating mind.
Otherwise, she'd likely tangle her thoughts again and err.
“Help him?”
“Yeah. You're dragging this out because you're cowering behind all that protective gear like a coward.”
Dokgo Yeon gripped her shortsword in reverse and took a deep breath; miraculously, the blade elongated into a long sword form.
Or rather, the densely concentrated death had simply materialized so vividly it mimicked a blade.
“But I'm sick of looking at your ugly mug, so let's end this.”
“...”
Ryu Cheol-myeong tightened his grip on his greatsword.
Not from rage at her arrogance, but because he'd sensed her downward energy had suddenly restored to full.
How? By what means?
He wondered how she'd achieved what even other Full Professors skilled in ancient magic couldn't—but now wasn't the time for idiotic questions.
Uncovering her secrets, like that mysterious martial art, could wait.
For now—.
“Fine. Let's end it.”
His aura surged, then condensed and intensified.
Still, it was as thick and long as a full-grown tree trunk.
Dokgo Yeon faced it without flinching, kicking off the ground to charge.
“—Die.”
“I'll kill you halfway.”
The shortsword and greatsword clashed.
Aneri appeared behind Ryu Cheol-myeong's back, dagger aimed at his throat.
But his artifact activated, repelling her instead—and with momentum to spare, it swatted aside his sword, lunging at Dokgo Yeon stabbing for his chest.
The next instant, it was blocked by full-body plate armor enveloping Dokgo Yeon.
—Stab.
Dokgo Yeon succeeded and retreated.
The full-body plate disassembled piece by piece, reassembling before her eyes.
“What... is that...?”
Another artifact shattered.
The grievous wound Dokgo Yeon inflicted reversed, as if time rewound, sealing and healing.
Dokgo Yeon clicked her tongue.
“Lady Dokgo Yeon, are you alright?!”
“Worry about yourself.”
The full-body plate that protected Dokgo Yeon—Living Armor 'Libby'—and Aneri Dedota, who had waited after wiping out everyone else on the ship, poised for an opening that failed, flanked her left and right.
“As expected of a Full Professor! I had some artifact-nullification skills, but they didn't work!”
“That armor—no, that greatsword. Don't tell me it's responding to my swordsmanship...?”
“It wasn't some profound art that'd give me an edge just by learning it against trash like you, so relax.”
Dokgo Yeon snorted in reply.
Then narrowed her eyes and asked.
“So, how's the wound healing?”
“...Grghhh.”
It was a question she knew the answer to.
Humans who lived centuries inevitably cherished their lives, stocking escape tools and lifesaving artifacts for emergencies.
—Crack, crackle.
One by one.
The artifacts Ryu Cheol-myeong prepared for worst cases—all attempts to rewind time on his wounds, heal them, grant temporary phoenix powers, or infuse special race's essence—failed against his injuries and shattered.
“Weren't you curious why I obsessively targeted your armor despite all those artifacts? That's your answer.”
She'd poured every bit of restored inner energy from the elixir into that strike, but death had firmly burrowed into Ryu Cheol-myeong's body.
No power could expel death.
They'd all drop dead eventually.
“Hah...”
Ryu Cheol-myeong burst into laughter.
Unable to handle a single wound from a mere student, all the artifacts amassed over centuries scattered in ruin—how could he not be dumbfounded?
It all stemmed from his petty greed, tightening the noose around his own neck.
But.
Unable to overcome this, maybe dying here—once he thought that.
The pain squeezing his chest didn't seem so bad anymore.
“If that's what you want.”
Aura surged anew.
The energy that had tried sealing his wound converged on the greatsword, birthing an intensity even Dokgo Yeon couldn't match.
The aura of an absolute who deceived the heavens to reign.
“Yes, let's both embrace death.”