Chapter 62
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Lesson 13. Because I Need to See You Kneel - 7
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Tragically, Ortima's judgment of the situation outpaced Dokgo Yeon's movement to sever his neck.
"—Step up properly! Are you planning to let me die?!"
Lucien Ortima, sensing the crisis from the death Dokgo Yeon had summoned, clutched his empty right shoulder and screamed in desperation.
The moment those words fell, the mysterious 'something' bound to Ortima unraveled, dramatically shifting the atmosphere throughout the entire dungeon.
'No way, is the constellation intervening directly...? Tch!'
Dokgo Yeon clicked her tongue and retreated from the spot as she felt an overwhelming pressure clamping down on her.
She couldn't dodge all the magical flames assaulting her from every direction—360 degrees—but she managed to block them with the protective aura she hastily wrapped around herself.
"Ha."
Hideous flames of scorching heat lunged at her from all sides.
Dokgo Yeon exhaled to steady her breath, snorted derisively, and incinerated them with the deathly energy from her flung sleeve as she landed safely.
"After all that posturing, you end up begging a constellation for help. It's pathetic how you can't do anything without borrowing someone else's power."
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!"
Thank goodness she'd severed his right arm beforehand to prevent any interference—she thought with leisure as she wrapped it in cloth and tucked it into her bosom.
Ortima, barely shaking off the terror of death with the constellation's aid, rose and glared at her with murderous intent.
"How dare you, how dare you take my arm...! I'll rip off both your arms. You'll beg on your knees before you can even eat properly!"
"They say frightened dogs bark the loudest, and look at you—spot on."
"You calling me a dog?!"
The more she engaged, the more pitiful he seemed, drawing an involuntary sigh from her.
His energy felt endlessly feeble, and even when facing the strong, he tucked tail and fled—but Ban Yu-won always exuded confidence and composure.
Yes, now she understood why she was drawn to him.
On the first day of classes, he'd avoided a spar with Irecto without ever seeming servile, promising a future bout instead—that attitude had left an impression.
It's rare to find someone who instills such certainty of growth.
—That spirit of yours is truly admirable.
As she reminisced about recent events with the enemy before her now spared from immediate death, a voice of elevated status echoed in her ear.
Naturally, it was the constellation that had attacked her with flames.
The sheer audacity—to attack with killing intent and then brazenly praise her.
—If you join Exodus, I'll let you kill that man.
Boldly, it whispered a proposal meant only for her ears.
Dokgo Yeon couldn't help but laugh.
Without its meddling, she would've cleanly finished Ortima—yet here it was, taking credit for the interruption and making offers?
This was why she despised constellations.
"You and your kind, always acting on whims. If you're going to propose, at least burn out one of his eyes first."
"What...?"
Ortima, who had just barely stanched the bleeding through his dominion's manifestation, scowled deeply.
"No way, the Wandering Lantern of the Night?"
—Negotiations have broken down, I see.
"Constellation, what is this? You agreed to help me, yet you're proposing to that woman? Explain yourself properly."
—No need to worry, child of Ortima. Weren't you planning to take her in anyway?
"Yes, she's mine! Not some woman you can touch!"
—How intriguing. You sure raise your nose high when begging for my aid.
A minor discord erupted.
Had it been Ban Yu-won, he would've schemed to maximize their conflict here.
But Dokgo Yeon wasn't the type to pit them against each other and slip away.
With two she wanted to crush, she'd beat them both to death herself to vent.
Straight ahead was her only path—no detours allowed.
That was her pride.
"So, how long are you two going to yap? Do I look like a fish you've already hooked?"
Death gathered over the dagger she drew, forming a blade of eerie energy.
Seeing it, Ortima flinched and extended his remaining hand.
Dokgo Yeon reflexively unleashed her sword energy, but a barrier of blooming flames in midair blocked it.
'How long can you keep this up, and how much?'
Her eyebrow twitched.
Five strands of sword energy shot out simultaneously, but they too were thwarted by the flames.
—It's such a shame to clip your wings like this...
While Dokgo Yeon countered the divine presence encroaching on the space, unable to check Ortima, he achieved his goal.
He'd probably tried the same earlier—now confirmed.
He'd been manipulating her inventory.
Dokgo Yeon let out a scoff at the dozens of small orbs that burst forth from it.
"Can't touch me directly, so you'll use toys instead? —Come at me. I'll kill you all."
"As I said, I'll take both your arms. I won't touch your face—be grateful!"
Ortima was out of his mind from the pain of losing his arm.
A total of 24 orb-shaped artifacts, Astraea, infused with all his dominion.
—Swooo...
Each orb, forged from meteorite metal—starmetal—had absorbed his energy over long years, moving at the speed of his thoughts.
"Shatter, kneel. That's the fitting posture for you."
—No helping it. With so many children under my care... it'll hurt a bit.
The 24 iron orbs alone were no joke, and even targeting the main body was impossible—the constellation's flames bloomed endlessly in the air, suppressing her.
But of course, Dokgo Yeon neither fled nor retreated.
"No one can make me kneel!"
Sword energy infused with death bloomed in layers like petals in the air.
She slashed through the dozens of iron orbs charging indiscriminately and the divine flames burning unreasonably.
With transcendent senses, she grasped everything approaching and struck them down one by one.
No, it didn't end there.
"Kuh?!"
The death she unleashed propagated.
The deathly energy infiltrating the orbs sliced by her sword affected even Ortima wielding them.
The constellation whose flames she'd cut felt it too.
—...How is this possible? I can feel my influence waning.
"Don't back off, constellation. Remember—my trust in Exodus has already been halved!"
—Little Ortima, such a greedy child. It seems we'll suffer losses because of you.
Fearing her sword energy might reach his body, Ortima retreated further, manipulating only Astraea to attack her.
Bound by a promise he had to fulfill, the constellation—the Wandering Lantern of the Night—frowned at the faint influence piercing the distant, lofty wall of providence but summoned even greater flames to envelop her.
"You fear me so much, yet claim you'll make me your woman?!"
The death coiling around Dokgo Yeon roared.
Among Astraea's iron orbs, the central one bearing the strongest power—the first star—lost its momentum and plummeted.
The remaining 23 orbs and crimson-black flames ricocheted wildly in all directions.
Some grazed Ortima's cheek, drawing blood.
"Kuh—?!"
Despite borrowing a constellation's power to press one person, suffering another wound enraged Lucien Ortima to the extreme.
"Dokgo Yeon...! Dokgo Yeon. Dokgo Yeon, Dokgo Yeon!"
"Don't call my name so casually, trash!"
Dokgo Yeon's entire body turned black.
Death exploded sharply, piercing one of Ortima's eyes.
He'd dared to grasp at death—paying the price was only natural!
"Guhk."
In that instant, Dokgo Yeon vomited pitch-black dead blood.
Because even she couldn't fully control the dense death she'd summoned.
Seeing it, Ortima's eyes widened.
Finally realizing her bravado—she'd reached her limit!
"How cute, Dokgo Yeon. Even you stiffening your tail like a cat... I love that about you...!"
—Better subdue her now instead of talking, young Ortima. My limit approaches!
"Ha."
Even the floral ornament protecting her had shattered by now.
But Dokgo Yeon's eyes held no despair or surrender.
She'd known since choosing her path that her martial arts carried risks.
"Hilarious, acting like you already own me. You like me...? I've heard plenty of lies from men pretending to be bold, but you're especially repulsive...!"
Black energy surged violently around her body.
Ironically, the closer she edged toward death, the more her energy amplified.
But the next clash would likely be her last before losing reason.
'Just a bit... a bit closer.'
The cross in her eyes flashed fiercely the next moment.
"As promised, I'll take your other arm first!"
—This is my last, so handle the rest yourself.
"Vermin... come take it!"
A barrage of countless meteors born from fierce flames and 23 iron orbs rained down!
This was the moment she'd waited for—raising her sword for the perfect counterattack—
"No!"
Suddenly seized by someone appearing from behind, she was flung beyond the dungeon wall.
"Wha-what?!"
—Th-this... the dungeon!
And at that precise timing, the dungeon was cleared—no longer could the constellation influence this space.
"No! Wandering Lantern of the Night, fulfill the contract!"
—Little Ortima, I did my best, so pay the price dearly. If you'd offered more from the start, I could've used more power. Foolish...!
The constellation's presence vanished hollowly after its parting words.
Ortima ground his teeth, watching the uninvited guest drag Dokgo Yeon from his 'domain,' and tried to launch Astraea—but
"Ah."
Too late.
The dungeon collapsed and vanished.
The boundary of space-time dissolved, ejecting everyone inside outward.
"I had you, Dokgo Yeon...!"
—Crunch
Ortima's outstretched hand toward the receding Dokgo Yeon
was ensnared by layers of thorny vines blooming in midair.
"Kuh, haa...?"
"Lucien Rownfalmer Equinas Ortima."
A chilling voice, as if laced with killing intent, wrapped around Ortima's entire body.
Few could immobilize a powerhouse like Lucien Ortima solely with the presence of their magical power.
"You've lost an arm. Looks like you need treatment. I'll send you somewhere safe."
"Yumina, Professor..."
"Mind your titles. Minus 20 points."
Yumina smiled.
With an expression regretting she couldn't kill him here and now, she continued.
"I heard you dove into the dungeon yourself to rescue our kids while I was away. I'm so grateful, tears are welling up. I won't forget this favor—ever."
Ever.
Yumina beamed as she uttered those words, then activated spatial transfer magic, shipping him off to Tolmon Imperial City's medical center.
Lucien Ortima had prepared excuses for every scenario and ways to turn the tables on Class 11—but
he sensed that whatever he did, death awaited him in the end, and fell silent.
Thanks to the warning from Dokgo Yeon's implanted death lingering within him—though he didn't realize it.
"Dokgo Yeon!"
"...Ah."
Meanwhile, thwarted from their final clash by an outsider's grasp and ejected from the dungeon, Dokgo Yeon smirked at Ban Yu-won charging straight toward her upon spotting her.
"What the hell happened to you...? No, why are you with Aneri?! I knew it, that woman!"
"N-no, it's not like that! I know it looks suspicious, but I'm really not the enemy! I rescued Dokgo Yeon!"
Turning at Ban Yu-won's panicked voice, she spotted Aneri Dedota firmly gripping her shoulder.
She'd suspected Aneri might not be an enemy from her actions just before entering the dungeon... but Dokgo Yeon clicked her tongue anyway.
"If you'd left me, I could've perfectly lured them in and killed them. Idiot."
"If you'd really killed him there, it'd be an irreparable mess. Plus, your life was in real danger, right? Too valuable an opponent to stake on death."
"I had countermeasures... Ugh, whatever, it's done."
Dokgo Yeon shook off Aneri, smirked at Ban Yu-won approaching as if to support her instead, and spoke.
"Ban Yu-won, no need for that serious face."
Dokgo Yeon pulled a precious candy from her bosom, popped it in her mouth, and crunched.
The immense vitality within flooded her body instantly, suppressing and dissolving the death that had dared invade her spirit and flesh.
She'd anticipated this from the fruit's properties, but the effect exceeded expectations.
Not only did it cleanly quell her martial art's backlash, it soothed her energy and refined its nature further.
"...You okay now?"
"Thanks to you. Oh, here—a gift."
Dokgo Yeon handed two gifts to Ban Yu-won, who still gazed at her with worry (how long had it been since someone looked at her like that?)—a touch of gratitude, a bit of embarrassment, a hint of mischief.
"What is this?!"
"Absorb it quick before anyone sees."
"I already... And what's with these iron orbs? What concepts are packed in here...?"
"Told you, gifts."
She'd grabbed them amid the chaos, knowing they'd aid him.
"Who gives an arm as a gift...? Thanks."
"You're so honest—I love that about you."
"You're starting to sound just like our mom... No, nothing."
Ban Yu-won seemed greatly pleased with Ortima's arm and Astraea's first star she'd prepared.
Dokgo Yeon smiled contentedly, thinking her gift-picking skills weren't half bad.