Return of the Shattered Constellation

Chang-Sun stood on a cliff far away from Ymir’s divine ground and looked down at what the bolt out of the blue had caused. He chuckled, remarking, “It’s burning up nicely.”

Within the divine ground, there was an enormous nest made up of many cell masses. Tentacles sprouted from the ground and spread outward like a spiderweb, and eggs hung on each tentacle like fruits. The nest looked like an intricate spawning ground that was guarded by countless monsters, making it look like an impregnable fortress.

Nevertheless, the nest was quickly devastated. Shreds of the tentacles rained down, and the monsters ran around, screaming in pain. Their limbs suddenly broke down and turned into dust. Considering many of them were Lee Chang-Suns… the sight was very gruesome.

Perhaps because of that, Chaque li Omeister watched Chang-Sun in bewilderment, having no idea what kind of person he was. It was understandable, because Chang-Sun acted righteous from time to time but still had a nasty side. While he often acted on his instincts, Chang-Sun was also rational.

“You don’t have to look at me with such respect. Stabbing people in the back is our specialty, isn’t it?” Chang-Sun remarked casually with a smile.

Chaque kept his mouth shut. ‘…It would be best to give up on understanding him.’

After seeing Chaque’s reaction, Chang-Sun frowned slightly. “I was just joking…”

One could only laugh at a joke when it sounded like a joke. There was no way one could laugh if it was too close to the truth.

Avoiding Chang-Sun’s gaze, Chaque looked up at the sky. ‘In any case, it’s true that we were able to finish the job without taking much damage.’

Rummmble―!

Cracks spread across the celestial sphere, and it looked as if fragments of it could fall at any moment.

[The Celestial ‘Scorpio’ screams, begging you to save him!]

[The Celestial ‘Scorpio’ has collapsed, letting out his final breath.]

…

[The <Myths> of the Celestial ‘Scorpio’ have broken down, unleashing all the poison within him.]

[‘Gaia's Curse’ has been enhanced with the addition of various poisons, afflicting the entire divine ground.]

[‘Gaia's Curse’ is causing the Divine Ground ‘Death and World Creation’ to crumble!]

『…How did you know he’d go to Ymir?』 Audumla looked at Chang-Sun with eyes full of fear.

The question of how to defeat Ymir had stumped Audumla for a long time, so she had never expected someone to devastate Ymir and her troops with ease like this.

“He’d have needed to go where he got [Gaia's Curse] to get it under his control again,” Chang-Sun answered.

『And that is Ymir’s divine ground…?』

“It’s the center of this <Myth>, to be exact. [Gaia's Curse] was first created here, and this is the closest place to where the Mother Terra Celestial is sealed. It’s said that even a fox lies in the direction of its home at the time of its death, right?[1]” Chang-Sun said while glancing at Audumla, who stayed silent.

From her reaction, Chang-Sun could be certain. ‘I knew it. She knows that this place isn’t real.’

This world was one of many <Myths> left by the sealed Mother Terra Celestial. Perhaps it had been real in the past, but not anymore. That was where an issue arose: did the people living in a <Myth> know about that fact?

Beings who resided in Dungeons were unaware of that because they were figments who had lost their souls. Nevertheless, some such beings occasionally realized that they were not real after achieving enlightenment. That also happened if one inherently had great insight from their Class. In times like that, those beings fell into despair or struggled to become real.

Chang-Sun had thought that there was no way Audumla would fail to be aware of her true identity as an Ancient Celestial. That was why he had sounded Audumla out, and as expected, she showed a reaction right away.

‘Then I should assume that Ymir over there knows about it too,’ Chang-Sun thought.

Perhaps Ymir and Audumla had kept fighting in order to become real.

‘Anyway, it seems I’ll be able to go where the Mother Terra Celestial is in no time if I get that spawning ground out of the way.’ Chang-Sun opened his [Foretelling Eye] wide and looked beyond the burning spawning ground.

Within the massive area, a huge valley was hidden. No, it was unclear whether it could be called a valley. It was more like a bottomless pit that looked as if it could absorb all light in the world.

The moment someone stepped into that place, they would be destroyed, even if it were Chang-Sun himself. However, the spawning ground, which seemed to have emerged from the pit, was sustaining itself. There had to be something at the end of the root that Chang-Sun had not seen yet, and he suspected it was the Mother Terra Celestial. Many <Myths> of the Mother Terra Celestial had materialized from the bottomless pit, including this divine ground.

‘I got Audumla’s blood, but it might not be enough. I have to obtain the Mother Terra Celestial’s remains or at least find a clue about gnosis,’ Chang-Sun thought. ‘It’s about time for her to show up.

『There she is.』

Just as Audumla flinched in surprise, a roar filled the air, and…

『Was insulting me not enough?!』

Boooom!

…the spawning ground exploded. As cell fragments scattered everywhere, something translucent shimmered amid them, slowly taking the form of an enormous Giant. It was so big that it looked as if it could completely cover the sky. Unable to manifest in her complete form, the Giant scowled at Chang-Sun, looking at him with her one intact eye. However, something was pouring out from her ripped eye.

It was Ymir… no, it was actually a fragment of Ymir’s mind.

Rummmble―!

The sky shook in response to Ymir’s anger. Her formidable presence spread across the divine ground, but Chang-Sun just laughed. “Isn’t it better for you to stay calm? The more commotion you raise, the more serious [Gaia's Curse] is going to become.”

Chang-Sun was right. The quakes that Ymir created caused more cracks to form in the celestial sphere. Of course, it just sounded as if Chang-Sun was making fun of Ymir to her.

『Are you going to insult me until the end?』

“It’s a shame that you’re offended by my advice. By the way, I like how your eye looks.” Chang-Sun smiled.

『Let’s see if you can still talk like that after you die!』 Ymir shouted.

The tentacles at the spawning ground swayed from side to side; monsters burst out of the intact eggs and flew at Chang-Sun. However, they were not the only ones. The eyes of the Lee Chang-Suns who had made a contract with Ymir gleamed coldly, filled with the resolve to kill Chang-Sun at all costs.

Chang-Sun chuckled, wondering where they got the confidence after the beating they had gone through.

[The last volume of ‘Prelati's Spellbook’ has been opened.]

[The second chapter ‘Phósphŏros’ has been applied!]

Rustle―!

With the page-turning sound echoing in his mind, Chang-Sun unleashed a flood of <Darkness> and <Supreme Sacred Light> which blended and turned purple.

[A Giant Cataclysm Celestial has appeared in its light form!]

The Giant who appeared behind Chang-Sun was smaller than Ymir, and yet exuded pressure that was as formidable as Ymir’s. After finishing its manifestation, the Giant threw its spear forcefully.

Swoooosh―!

Leaving a long afterimage, the spear struck the celestial sphere and unleashed hundreds of lightning bolts across the ground. The highly destructive Rádĭus bolts crushed the monsters and Lee Chang-Suns, who were already in bad condition due to [Gaia's Curse], one after another.

Paah!

In an instant, Chang-Sun appeared right in front of Ymir.

『How dare you!』

Ymir swung her arm violently, determined to kill Chang-Sun, but…

‘It’s slow.’ Chang-Sun noticed that Ymir was also infected with [Gaia's Curse] and that it was affecting her quickly.

In that case, there was nothing to hold back Chang-Sun. Ymir herself did not scare him, so he had no reason to fear a fragment of her who was also quickly getting sick. He dove off a cliff and struck Ymir like a ray of light.

Slaaash!

Ymir’s fist was cut off instantly, flying through the air. In a flash, a long vertical trail of blood was left on Ymir’s body.

『Arghhhh!』 Ymir screamed in pain.

Meanwhile, Chang-Sun repeatedly thrust the [Dawn Spear] with both hands.

Boom. Boom, boom―!

Ymir’s size only made her good target practice. Whenever Chang-Sun pierced her with the [Dawn Spear], a large hole appeared in its wake. [Gaia's Curse] became more active with Chang-Sun’s stream of attacks, infecting Ymir more heavily. By the time Chang-Sun fiercely swung the [Dawn Spear] horizontally…

Slash―!

Ymir’s head flew into the air.

『Impossible…!』 Ymir screamed in shock, not expecting to be overpowered like this.

Not caring about her reaction, Chang-Sun extended his arm toward the head and pulled it back. The head, which was a lot bigger than Chang-Sun’s entire body, was sucked into his hand, revealing a person inside it; it was the core of Ymir’s fragment. Chang-Sun grabbed her by the neck, smiling coldly at her.

『Wai…!』 Ymir began quickly.

However, Chang-Sun tightened the grip first.

Craaack―!

Ymir’s neck distorted at a bizarre angle. When her core was destroyed, particles of her scattered into the air. At the same time, Chang-Sun could see the <Myth> fragments that Ymir had been holding onto through his [Foretelling Eye].

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh―!

The problem was that all those particles were infused with [Gaia's Curse], poisoning Chang-Sun too.

Kill. You. At. Least. At. All. Costs.

Ymir’s remnant was filled with the resolve to die together with Chang-Sun. In the end, Chang-Sun was submerged in a storm of [Gaia’s Curse] made from Ymir’s particles.

『This is my chance!』 Audumla shouted.

At that moment, Audumla flew toward the storm with sparkling eyes. Light flickered around her idol avatar, and Audumla appeared in her true form, trying to eat Ymir’s <Myth> fragments to become whole.

“I knew it.” Chang-Sun sneered, extending his arm outside the storm to grab Audumla’s head.

『Wai…!』 Audumla tried to speak quickly.

Although she was really not sure how Chang-Sun could overcome [Gaia's Curse] with ease, the only thing Audumla could think about right now was how she had to break free from Chang-Sun’s grip. Before she could finish speaking, however, Chang-Sun tore her in half, her blood splashing everywhere.

1. The raw is 여우도 죽을 때가 되면 고향 쪽으로 머리를 둔다잖아. It’s a Korean idiom about never forgetting one’s home. ☜