Artifact-Devouring Player

Chapter 194: Rapid Growth - (1)

Park Jungmin felt it.

That arrogance and conceit were the most terrifying enemies.

He had believed that he had completely sealed off Sanghyun’s skills using Control, and so he had been confident.

As long as he didn’t lose focus and let himself get hit, he had believed there was no way he could lose to Sanghyun.

However, there were still variables Sanghyun possessed that Park Jungmin hadn’t accounted for.

Namely, the unique effects of the sword he was holding.

Even when ‘Path of Demon Resistance’ had been activated during the battle by the Nameless Sword, it had seemed plausible enough.

In other words, it was a highly effective ability embedded in the sword, and it had made Park Jungmin tense.

But here was the problem.

‘Path of Demon Resistance’ was not the only unique effect.

Park Jungmin had missed this.

It was a fatal blunder for someone who had neither information nor experience with Almighty-grade Artifacts.

He had assumed that ‘Path of Demon Resistance’ was the defining feature of the Nameless Sword, and never considered the possibility of anything extra.

In the end, when Sanghyun used another unique ability—‘Survival Designation’—all of Park Jungmin’s calculations fell apart.

If you mess up the calculations on a math problem, you just accept the wrong answer.

But on the battlefield, a single miscalculation often leads directly to death.

He had been struck so many times in his clashes with Marlos that he had lost count of how many times his head had slammed into the ground.

His vision was blurry, and every sensation from his neck down was gone—his whole body was paralyzed, unable to move.

“Gahk!”

With a single cough, a mouthful of blood gushed out—more than he had ever vomited in his life.

Park Jungmin, now covered in his own blood, turned his gaze with a dazed expression.

At that very moment—

Splurt!

Guaaargh!

A scream burst out from Marlos, who had just finished headbutting Park Jungmin and was slowing down.

The reason: Sanghyun had dashed forward and thrust the Nameless Sword into the back of Marlos’s head.

There was nothing holding him back.

The Control effect that had been triggered by Park Jungmin had now disappeared, so there was no issue with using skills.

Moreover, Marlos had lost sight of Sanghyun and had poured all his kinetic energy into Park Jungmin.

He had no time to prepare for what came behind, and Sanghyun never missed such an opening.

“F— Fuck…”

A curse slipped from his mouth.

He had thought up a clever scheme to use Marlos and eliminate Sanghyun perfectly in one stroke.

But the result had been the opposite.

The one who had used Marlos as a tool was Sanghyun.

And it was an ingenious tactic devised right when it seemed Sanghyun was cornered.

Of course, to Park Jungmin, Sanghyun’s opponent, it was the worst-case scenario—an absolute blunder that led straight to death.

“……”

Their eyes met as Sanghyun turned his head to look back.

Park Jungmin’s heart still burned with a desire to kill Sanghyun no matter what.

Victory had been within reach.

It had been a golden opportunity to devour the Constellation of a Player with incredible powers!

But the Goddess of Luck had not smiled upon him.

Of course, Park Jungmin had no idea that Sanghyun was a Player contracted with the Goddess of Luck.

“Wait. This guy’s not fully dead yet.”

Sanghyun, drenched in Marlos’s blood and smiling at him, looked like a demon.

Had he been confident from the beginning?

Thinking back, Sanghyun had shown no signs of nervousness or panic even when he saw Park Jungmin.

He should have known back then.

There had been a reason for Sanghyun’s confidence.

It was Park Jungmin’s mistake to assume Sanghyun was bluffing out of fear.

‘At this rate, more Constellation Devourers will aim for Shin Sanghyun’s life.’

On the other hand, it gave him the bitter comfort of cursing Sanghyun with all his heart.

His life was already flickering out. Death was close.

Even if his physical condition wasn’t quite at death’s door, Sanghyun would finish the job.

He was a man who only looked forward and charged ahead like a bulldozer.

Even the mighty Ma Dongho had died by Sanghyun’s hand without putting up a fight.

Sanghyun didn’t make the kind of mistakes that promising rookies—so-called new Players—tended to make.

Namely, pity and sympathy.

He never spared his enemies or left seeds of future threats due to such emotions.

Not a single being that had targeted Sanghyun’s life so far had survived.

And now Park Jungmin was about to be added to that list.

“Pathetic… and lonely…”

Park Jungmin’s self-mocking words echoed hollowly.

Each time, the sound of blood splattering and flesh being torn rang out from behind.

Grrrghhh…

Even Marlos’s monstrous voice gradually faded. No matter how monstrous, he wasn’t immortal or undying.

◎ Connection

◎ You may use 1% of the divine power and strength held by the contracted Constellation or Divine Seat.

Depending on the specialized power of the Constellation, the effect is tailored to the contracted Player.

The buffs shown below are the tailored applications granted to the contract holder.

◎ A Good Day for It

◎ As long as the Player does not fall into a ‘Despair’ state, all basic attacks are treated as critical hits.

◎ Over-Amplification

◎ When using the same skill consecutively, the second usage will apply in an enhanced form at double the power.

Cooldown: 1 minute.

“Insane.”

Sanghyun’s expression changed as he checked the buffs applied to himself after killing Marlos.

Marlos had been a troublesome enemy, worthy of being called a boss monster.

But he hadn’t been unbeatable. He hadn’t even given off that much pressure.

Yet the reward Marlos provided had far exceeded Sanghyun’s expectations.

The explosive amount of experience was a bonus. Even the fact that his level had increased by one felt trivial in comparison.

‘I’ve never heard of a Rift like this. Of course, it’s one I don’t recall either.’

Sanghyun felt both curiosity and concern about this Rift, which had felt unusual from the start.

It felt like a land of opportunity, yet at the same time carried ominous signs.

Still, even if those signs were bad, they didn’t seem like something to worry about immediately.

The important thing was that a single monster had given out an extraordinary reward far too easily.

When Sanghyun looked around, he saw quite a few figures that looked like monsters, even if they were at some distance.

Maybe each of those monsters was also a walking reward, just like Marlos.

If that were the case, then he had to move as quickly as possible.

The shock that Park Jungmin had been a Constellation Devourer hadn’t worn off yet, but he had accepted it fully.

Step, step.

Sanghyun strode over to Park Jungmin and aimed the Nameless Sword at his throat.

The blade hadn't even touched him.

Yet Park Jungmin trembled all over, revealing the raw terror of a man facing death.

"It was a good scheme. Even if it failed."

"…Damn it."

Park Jungmin gave a bitter smile.

He had waited in silence for a long time, biding his time. He hadn’t expected it to all collapse like this.

Perhaps this Rift, which even he hadn’t foreseen, had become poison instead.

If the Rift hadn’t opened, he might have been able to wait for a more definite, secret opportunity.

Of course, that was meaningless regret.

"I didn’t think you’d end up filling in the gap I lacked. I’ll make good use of your Control ability."

"How could you possibly use my Control ability?"

Park Jungmin’s expression shifted.

He had obviously accepted death, and had thought he would at least be allowed to leave a final message.

But Sanghyun had just declared his intent to steal the very ability he treasured most.

"How? I’m taking it, that’s how."

Crunch.

"Gh—Kugh!"

Sanghyun stepped on Park Jungmin’s throat, finishing his preparation to extract the skill.

[The effect of the title ‘One Who Sees Through’ is activated. Skill copying is possible from Player ‘Park Jungmin’.]

Control ability.

It was a power Sanghyun hadn’t expected to acquire, but now could. “What a lucky break” was the perfect phrase.

"Gack! Guhhk!"

Park Jungmin’s face turned bright red, as if it would burst, under the pressure of Sanghyun’s foot.

There was no way to resist when one’s airway was being crushed. All he could do was accept death.

How could anyone mentally resist when death was right in front of them?

Sanghyun calmly extracted the skill from Park Jungmin.

[The list of skills that can be copied from ‘Park Jungmin’ is as follows.]

A variety of options appeared.

He quickly checked the tooltips and copied the skill related to Control.

『Please set a name』

■ Skill Level: Stage 1 (0.0%)

■ Skill Description: Uses 10 mana per second to seal all skill usage of a designated target.

The designated target will be under a constant ‘Control’ debuff that cannot be removed by any means.

Only interruptions or breaks in the caster’s concentration can nullify the effect.

‘The name can be decided later. Looks like this is the only skill worth taking from him.’

He checked if there was anything else worth stealing, but nothing else stood out.

Since the maximum number of skills that can be copied with his title is three, impulse purchases were unwise.

"I’ll put it to good use."

Sanghyun used the Control skill on Park Jungmin, who was still coughing up blood.

For now, it was still titled ‘Please set a name’.

In the next moment—

“Huh?”

Park Jungmin was appalled.

His skill was being used by Sanghyun exactly as it had been—with no discrepancies whatsoever!

"Anyone who tries to come for me will end up like you. Watch closely, even in death."

"Urghh!"

Slash!

Before Park Jungmin, his face contorted with rage, could utter another word, Sanghyun decapitated him.

As Park Jungmin died, black smoke simultaneously began to rise from his body.

It couldn’t be precisely identified, but it seemed to be the remnant of the Constellation that had bound him.

Since the contractor who had forcibly enslaved them was now dead, each Constellation was returning to their own way.

But at that very moment—

[The Constellation ‘Master of Propaganda’ wishes to stay with you. He expresses deep gratitude for freeing him from his bonds and says he would be satisfied even with the tiniest spot beside you.]

“Oh?”

A faint spirit, seemingly a Constellation, drifted around Sanghyun, displaying its unique message.

And that wasn’t all.

[The Constellation ‘True Martyr’ expresses gratitude for finally being freed from fate and offers you their respect.

‘True Martyr’ wishes to devote the remaining power of their existence to you, and also requests even the smallest space.]

Another Constellation appeared.

They too were floating near Sanghyun.

And then—

[The God of Storms warns that no binding contract shall ever restrain the contractor ‘Shin Sanghyun’.]

[‘True Martyr’ bows deeply in agreement.]

[‘Master of Propaganda’ stresses that he only desires to repay kindness, and has no such intentions.]

“As expected of our Divine Seat.”

The God of Storms had cleanly put everything in order.