Chapter 206

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Translator: Ryuma

Chapter: 206

Chapter Title: Lesson 41. Papers, Please - 1

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Bluntly put, the descent body of the Myriad Calamities' follower was weaker than the Forest Ruler's descent body that Lucelle and he had faced together.

Its instantaneous firepower was incomparably stronger, but its sustainability was incomparably weaker.

It felt just like a one-shot ultimate weapon crafted ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with utmost care.

"I've heard that line from the constellations several times already."

So, it didn't take long to finish it off.

The moment the descent body appeared, Ban Yu-won's resounding voice, infused with his authority, echoed through the minds of all his allies in an instant, prompting powerhouses like Mu-myeong, Nine, and Aneri to whirl around and unleash a barrage of attacks on it all at once.

"Besides, you're the one who tried to kill me from the start. What are you complaining about now?"

Ban Yu-won sealed the deal with a straight-line laser crafted from photon magic.

No, this was infused with the essence of the Holy Light magic he had just mastered today. It drew in energy from the surrounding stars, emitting a mystical glow as it pierced right through the center of its torso, melting it away before it could even let out a final scream.

"That’s...?"

"...Holy Light?"

"How could a mere mortal wield that? It's not complete Holy Light, but still."

"Did he make contact with the Lord of Holy Light, perhaps?"

Even those ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠far stronger than Ban Yu-won now were stunned by the sight.

Moreover, there were those who recognized it as Holy Light despite it being his unique magic, proving just how extraordinary the Holy Light wielded by Silon truly was.

However, the gains from it weren't all that impressive.

Its body was completely annihilated, no soul remained, and despite slaying a constellation's descent body, he only got a measly 5 Life.

On the other hand, the unique concepts were quite substantial. The Stigmata he picked up here and there today was one thing, but harvesting a massive haul of Prominence from the Prominence family members was a major windfall.

Moreover, this concept... He had felt it earlier against the meteor shower, but unique concepts that only specific races could wield typically bounced off humans as 'unwieldable concepts.' Yet Prominence settled into his body as naturally as could be.

And right then.

The power dormant deep within his body, sharing its origin with Prominence, awakened――and voraciously absorbed every bit of Prominence concepts Ban Yu-won had acquired in this cosmic war, blossoming brilliantly!

Now, Ban Yu-won could wield the Prominence family's signature concept, the one Keira had bragged about so proudly.

Absurd as it was, Ban Yu-won somehow accepted it as a matter of course.

'Ah, figures?'

Ban Yu-won conjured a blood-red flame on his palm, distinct from elemental magic, and chuckled softly.

Just as Holy Light magic advanced beyond mere light, this Prominence was far more potent than ordinary fire.

The 'miraculous' phrasing suggested that if he had left it alone unknowingly, he might never have awakened it in his lifetime. But apparently, Prominence's potential had always lain dormant within Ban Yu-won.

Probably because his mother, Kang Eun-young, was a wielder of Prominence.

'On the other hand, this Synthesis...'

Perhaps the follower's true ability lay more in Synthesis and its derived authorities than Prominence itself, Ban Yu-won reasoned.

The way it had arbitrarily turned the orc fleet into a meteor shower, and the Synthesis concept he gained from slaying its descent body during that...

Whatever the details, acquiring this exceedingly rare concept was something to be deeply grateful for.

This was the concept that enabled him to deliberately trigger the 'Transcendent Synthesis' he had coincidentally manifested when creating Eve and Lilith.

'Never know when I might need it, so best to save it.'

Including the ones ripped from the meteor shower, he now had a total of 30 Synthesis in his possession.

Considering what the constellations had wrought this time, 30 wasn't negligible; even depth-1 concepts like Eternal Change could accomplish much.

Only after safely storing all the Synthesis in his Code Core could he finally lift his head.

"Son."

"Mom, hey. You look even more stunning from out here in space."

For some reason, his mother's face appeared younger than usual.

The reason was obvious.

The Prominence dormant deep within her had reactivated.

Keira looked no older than her early twenties on the surface, and though she was merely a knight of the family, there was no way his mother, wielding the same Prominence power, would age normally.

"Breathing okay out here in space?"

"Your sister's struggling a bit. Mind helping her out?"

"Who is?!"

Ban Yu-mi, who had endured a day full of bewildering events and ended up flung into space, gritted her teeth at Kang Eun-young's words before finally stabilizing herself with her own authority.

"Whoa, the undying flame for real."

Keira, who had returned to Ban Yu-won's side in the meantime, muttered in shock.

"This complicates things big time... Did the Myriad Calamities' follower notice too? Of course it did, that's why it went all out like that..."

"Keira, what about the wave?"

"The constellations propping up the relic from behind are gone. No way it'd hold."

Turning at Keira's words, he saw the orc fleet―still at about 40% strength―shattering and scattering into the void.

The orcs weren't dying instantly, but the wave's influence that had bound them into a cohesive force was completely gone, along with their space resistance.

Ten million orcs remained, but all they could do now was flail helplessly in zero gravity, awaiting death.

The ones having the time of their lives amid it all were, naturally, Ban Yu-won's retainers, still active.

Watching the twenty-five Storm Swords and others dart through the massive battlefield, madly absorbing concepts, he felt a swell of pride. Whoever raised them did a damn good job.

"Son, look over here."

"Yeah?"

Turning back at his mother's words, he met her somewhat stern gaze (the youthful appearance made it feel off-kilter), fixed on him.

"I'm sorry for putting you through all this with my selfish request. You had to handle it alone."

"Leaving the main culprit out of it..."

Ban Yu-mi sidled up to him, glaring daggers at their mother, clearly expecting him to take her side in this awkward mess.

Well, if he had to pick sides, he was overwhelmingly on his sister's.

She hadn't asked to be born into the Prominence direct line with her somewhat dense, straightforward nature.

In this era when Earth opened up and constellations made contact, knowing her existence could cause issues, their mother should have told her the truth sooner and prepared her.

Of course, Ban Yu-won had no intention of spelling that out right now.

Pointing out what she already knew would just be petty.

"Not hurt anywhere?"

"Nah, this battle was pretty straightforward today."

"The kid who used to obsess over self-preservation now risks his life like it's nothing."

"Wha..."

Her words gave Ban Yu-won a fresh sense of novelty, and he scratched his head.

Back on Earth, he had been the epitome of a timid everyman. Aside from his special ability, he was no one suited for life-or-death fights or adventures.

Yet now, he openly picked fights with the universe's most enigmatic and terrifying beings―the constellations―and earnestly strived to reclaim the universe's greatest treasure, Babel Tower. It was downright ridiculous.

The most absurd part was hearing this from his mother while they all drifted in space.

"Not scared, son? All I ever wanted was for our family to live peacefully and safely..."

Having endured a brutal past, her words carried deep sincerity.

After Earth's upheaval, she knew she needed to tell her daughter soon but kept delaying the confession―her history surely played a big role in that.

"Scared? No way."

Ban Yu-won replied with a wry smile.

In truth, he was afraid.

These weren't foes to take on lightly with adventure-seeking whims.

His enemies were multiplying faster than his allies, and he was already worrying a bit about the second semester.

――But he wasn't fool enough to bare his insecurities in front of his mother.

"Besides, protecting the family is the eldest son's duty."

"Such bravado."

His mother finally chuckled, then bowed her head before her two children.

"I'm sorry. Both of you got hurt because of my selfishness."

"Whoa, what're you doing?"

"Mom, don't."

The Ban siblings, seeing this side of their mother for the first time, panicked and held her up.

When she lifted her head again, her eyes held firm resolve.

"Once we sort out this mess, I have something to tell you both. You probably suspect already... but I want to say it myself."

"Wait, what about Dad?"

Even for important family matters, excluding just their father felt too much!

Instinctively objecting, Ban Yu-won got an exasperated reply from Kang Eun-young.

"You think he married me knowing nothing?"

"Oh, right, makes sense."

"Dad's dead later."

Well, it was obvious, but that meant their father had calmly deceived them all this time too.

Our family bloodline really is something else, Ban Yu-won thought anew as he turned to his comrades, who had waited through the family chat.

"Thank you all so much. Earth's a mess right now, but once it's cleaned up, maybe a tour..."

The battle was over.

Time to thank those who rushed to save him and Earth, and discuss what came next...

"Huh? Where'd Mu-myeong go?"

"Huh? He was attacking the descent body with us... Huh? He's gone?"

Aneri blinked at Ban Yu-won's words, scanned around, and finally noticed his absence, crying out in surprise.

She had once seemed like a shadowy assassin, but that impression was long gone now...

"Nine's missing too..."

He had so many questions for them, especially Mu-myeong.

The guests who arrived with the wind had departed with it.

Dokgo Yeon rose at dawn, completed her routine training, washed up, and donned her attire.

The special robes worn only for facing the Cult Leader―permitted solely to the Young Cult Leader of the Divine Cult, not as the Dragon Extermination Squad Leader.

"Miss, are you nervous?"

"Nervous? Me?"

Dokgo Yeon scoffed at Heukseol, who was dressing her.

"There's no way I'd be nervous."

"You just shuddered a bit."

"Pointing out your master's flaws so lightly? You've gotten bold, Heukseol."

"Ah, permission to enter granted."

Heukseol deftly changed the subject.

If no one else were around, she'd have etched a lesson in rudeness onto that body.

But right now, she couldn't spare her a thought.

Her eyes were fixed on the door before her.

Beyond it waited the Divine Cult's ruler, the Cult Leader.

'He found out I broke the cult's laws. He let me off without digging deep then, but...'

She had been summoned today likely to face that interrogation at last.

But one thing still baffled her.

The cult's doctrine forbade external contact, and the Cult Leader was famous for upholding it strictly. So how had he discovered she taught Ban Yu-won the Manifestation Technique?

Heukseol? No, impossible.

Heukseol didn't even know she had taught it to him.

'Panicking isn't like me. I prepared for getting caught. Teaching him the Manifestation Technique was for objective gain, not personal feelings! If I explain the benefits of climbing the tower, even the Cult Leader will surely――'

The door opened.

A massive shadow filled her vision.

Just from the ominous aura rising from his back, Dokgo Yeon knew his mood was foul.

She might even have to brace for the Dragon Extermination Squad's dissolution.

As Dokgo Yeon bit her lip, irritation bubbling at the slippery grin of Ban Yu-won flashing in her mind for some reason, she opened her mouth to speak.

"Bring that brat here."

"Cult Leader, the Manifestation Technique is... Pardon?"

Dokgo Yeon's retort wasn't something heard every day.

As Heukseol twitched, charmed by how cute her miss was, the Cult Leader continued.

"Next break. Here."

"C-Cult... Leader?"

"Withdraw."

With that, he ordered her to leave.

Backing out of the Cult Leader's chamber, Dokgo Yeon finally grasped the meaning.

'Bring Ban Yu-won? ...Here?!'

Hearing it sparked an inexplicable joy within her, leaving Dokgo Yeon puzzled. But ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she would die before admitting it resembled a girl's excitement at introducing her boyfriend to her father.