Return of the Shattered Constellation - Chapter 335

Chapter 335

Swish―! Swish! Swoosh!

『Too… dangerous…!』

『Hey! Hey, hey, hey! Don’t shoot! I said don’t shoot! Please! Help me! Someone save a tortoise and a snake over here! Arrrgh, urgh, ahhhh!』

Chang-Sun fired his [White Magpie Bow] without stopping. [Balmung], [Gram], [Yuchang Sword], [Zhan Lu Sword], [Chunjun Sword], [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth]… The swords flew like arrows, and the Black Tortoise stumbled backward after each strike. Despite their barrier having several layers, those layers continuously shattered, and some arrows even brushed past the Black Tortoise’s head.

Thinking that they would really end up becoming a porcupine at this rate, the Black Tortoise’s snake head even considered the radical option of fighting back. However, the snake head did not act on that plan, as it knew very well that their counterattacks would not be enough to subdue Chang-Sun. After all, the Black Tortoise had already witnessed the demonic Celestials being slaughtered before they could do anything about it, and also noticed that Chang-Sun was more powerful than when he had fought against the Emperor’s Seat and Sangwon.

The fact that Chang-Sun was now the student of the mysterious Outer Celestial named Mephistopheles was known by most of the renowned <Heaven> Celestials. Nevertheless, the Black Tortoise did not know what kind of special training Chang-Sun had gone through, so fighting against him was tantamount to suicide.

However, the Black Tortoise had to do something to avoid becoming Chang-Sun’s target practice. The tortoise considered abandoning the deal they had made with Richardus and running away when Chang-Sun’s rain of arrows stopped inexplicably.

“Phew…!” Chang-Sun exhaled for a long time, lowering the [White Magpie Bow]. His gaze had been filled with annoyance, but it was cold again. Narrowing his eyes, he glared at the Black Tortoise and asked, “What do you mean by Crom’s whereabouts?”

Gulp!

Gulp―!

The tortoise and snake heads simultaneously swallowed their saliva nervously.

『If… we… tell… you…』

『I-If we tell you, you’re going to shoot us again! We really don’t want to die!』

“I won’t shoot you,” Chang-Sun replied curtly.

『Cannot… trust…』

『Seriously? For real? You aren’t going to start shooting again like you did before, are you? Can you see how we soiled ourselves? If we get hit with more arrows, we won’t be able to get married anymore!』

“I really won’t shoot, so talk,” Chang-Sun repeated.

『Trust…』

『Really? You’re really, really, really, really not going to shoot us, right? You’re genuinely not going to shoot us, are you? Yes? Ye…!』

Swish―!

『Gyaaaaahhhh! You said you weren’t going to shooooooot!』

“Shut up. You’re noisy,” Chang-Sun said with a frown.

『…Y-Yes, sir!』

“Can’t you stay quiet like your tortoise head?” Chang-Sun complained, massaging his aching temple.

The tortoise head fervently nodded in agreement; the snake head was a bit annoyed, but remained silent, knowing that the only answer they would receive was arrows.

“Let’s get back to the part about Crom. What do you mean by her whereabouts? Are you saying Crom Cruach is alive?” Chang-Sun asked.

While trying to save Chang-Sun, who had been put through a Divine Trial, Crom had sacrificed herself to allow Kali and Xerxes to escape. However, the Black Tortoise’s message made it sound as if Crom had also survived for some reason, just like Richardus. Thus, Chang-Sun had to make sure what exactly it meant first.

‘Maybe this is Richardus’ ploy,’ Chang-Sun thought with a cold gaze.

『Alive…』

『Yes, she’s alive. Crom Cruach is alive, but she’s also dead i…!』

Swish―!

Chang-Sun’s arrow left a tear in the Black Tortoise’s left ear, and the tortoise’s snake head wanted to cry. Despite how the snake head genuinely wanted to talk properly, it could not say anything.

“If you play with words one more time, I’ll crush your head first,” Chang-Sun threatened the tortoise.

『…』

“Explain what it means again,” Chang-Sun continued.

『…I’m not playing with words! I meant it literally! Crom Cruach is alive, but…!』

“She’s in critical condition, so it wouldn’t be strange if she died at any moment,” Chang-Sun finished, clicking his tongue.

『Y-Yeah! T-That’s right!』

The snake head nodded fervently.

『Despite her serious injury, Crom Cruach somehow found shelter where the others wouldn’t be able to follow her, and went into hibernation.』

“And Richardus knows the shelter’s location?” Chang-Sun asked.

The snake nodded once again.

“Then why did he leave her alone until now?” Chang-Sun asked.

The snake head rolled its eyes for the briefest moment. In response, Chang-Sun immediately drew back his bowstring. The bow bent so far back that it seemed as if it would break.

Chang-Sun said, “I’m also going to shoot if you try anything funny.”

『W-We are! W-We’re going to tell you, since it’s part of the message! B-But you a-aren’t going to shoot us a-afterward, right?』

“…”

『Shit! We’re right! You’re going to backstab us!』

The snake head became appalled after realizing Chang-Sun’s plan. Everyone who had gone through the <Myth War> knew how ill-tempered Chang-Sun was, but it had never been this bad. It looked as if the temper of ‘Divine Twilight’ had worsened!

“If you tell me now, I’ll kill you quickly so it won’t hurt,” Chang-Sun cajoled the tortoise.

『A-Are you out of your mind…?! I’d probably hesitate even if you said you’ll spare me, after that!』

“If you won’t talk, you’ll die here,” Chang-Sun said.

『I’ll die even if I talk!』

“It’ll hurt less,” Chang-Sun added with a shrug.

『So what in the world is the difference?!』

“I think there’s a big difference between dying painfully for hours as you feel your Divine Class disintegrating into particles, and dying before you realize it,” Chang-Sun explained.

『Why is surviving not one of the options?!』

“I’m going to exterminate everyone from <Purple Star Astrology>,” Chang-Sun said.

『…S-Shit.』

The snake head became incredibly depressed and felt like crying. It looked as if the emotional feud between Chang-Sun and <Purple Star Astrology> would also decide the Black Tortoise’s fate. Had the tortoise known about how things would turn out, they would have turned down the proposal of becoming an envoy, but they had been blinded by Richardus’ gift.

No matter how much of a jerk Chang-Sun was, the Black Tortoise had complacently believed he would not hurt them if they held up a white flag, but that belief had become a noose around their necks. As Chang-Sun had made up his mind about killing the Black Tortoise, the tortoise was the one who ended up at a disadvantage, since this was Chang-Sun’s divine ground. There was a limit to trying something in another Celestial’s divine ground, but…

“It doesn’t have to be today, though,” Chang-Sun said as he unstrung the [White Magpie Bow], lowering it.

『…Huh?』

“I’ll let you go this time, so spill and get lost,” Chang-Sun snapped.

『…!』

Even if Chang-Sun was an ill-tempered person, he was still a Celestial, so he would not go back on his word! The snake head began talking quickly, worrying Chang-Sun would change his mind.

『T-the rest of G-Grain Star’s message i-is, ‘If you want to know Crom’s whereabouts, bring the crest seal to the Dungeon.’』

Chang-Sun frowned a little, well aware of what Richardus meant by the crest seal—no, there was no way Chang-Sun would not know what it meant. In the past, Chang-Sun, Richardus, and the rest of their comrades had completed the crest seal and divided it into five pieces in their ceremony of alliance.

“But why do we have to divide the crest seal like this? Do we get a power-up when we merge them into one?” Chang-Sun asked.

“Not exactly.”

“Then?”

“No reason.”

“Is it to look cool?”

“It’s for commemoration.”

“…This is really childish,” Chang-Sun said, shaking his head.

At the time, Chang-Sun had grumbled about how cheesy it was, but he had kept his piece for a very long time. In fact, the symbol of his <Order> on the [Twilight Flag] came from his piece… Thus, asking Chang-Sun to bring his crest seal piece meant that Richardus wanted to put aside their enmity for a moment and meet Chang-Sun as old friends.

‘That’s a very eloquent way to speak bullshit,’ Chang-Sun thought, gritting his teeth without realizing it.

『End…』

『That… That’s the end of the message, so can we go back?』

The Black Tortoise glanced at Chang-Sun several times as they stumbled backward little by little. When Chang-Sun did not give them a specific answer, they ran like the wind—or rather, they tried to.

[The Constellation ‘Black Tortoise’ has initiated their return!]

The seven <Stars> of the Black Tortoise—Dipper, Ox, Girl, Emptiness, Rooftop, Encampment, and Wall Mansions—simultaneously soared into the air. Right at that moment…

Flash―!

…one of Chang-Sun’s eyes shone with blue light. The light resembled Inferno Sights, but it was strangely different in some way; it was the [Gnostic Eye].

[Your ‘Gnostic Eye’ has been activated, attempting to extract gnosis by analyzing all the information in your view!]

[The pre-selected targets’ gnosis has responded.]

[Awaiting your command.]

[Awaiting the activation word.]

The divine and demonic swords that had brushed past the Black Tortoise and hit all across the divine ground simultaneously trembled. Lights that resembled Chang-Sun’s [Gnostic Eye] began to shine, floating like will-o-wisps.

The real reason why Chang-Sun’s arrows had missed the Black Tortoise was not that he had lost his focus due to anger. Rather, it was the opposite. He had [Mamushi Eye] and [Perfect Marksmanship], so there was no way he would miss. From the start, Chang-Sun had been intending to hit the area around the Black Tortoise, in order to set up an inescapable trap in case the tortoise tried to flee.

The divine and demonic swords appeared to be scattered randomly at first glance, but they were skillfully placed in various locations and angles, ready to attack the Black Tortoise. And then…

“Fire.”

…the moment Chang-Sun said the activation word, the divine and demonic swords simultaneously turned into rays of light and flew at the Seven Mansions of the North, who were trying to ascend back to <Heaven>.

Paah, paah, paah!

『Lie…』

『Twilight, you freaking liarrrrrrr!』

The Black Tortoise finally realized that it was all a ploy by Chang-Sun, so they quickly built a barrier that was as sturdy as possible. However, all the rays of light had been fired already.

[The Authority ‘Mamushi Eye’ has been activated, selecting a target!]

[The Authority ‘Perfect Marksmanship’ has been activated, aiming for the target!]

Boom, boom, boom―!

Rumble―!

The Seven Mansions of the North’s attempt at defense did not end well. A series of explosions filled the air, causing superheated air to strike them; some of them looked so unstable it seemed as if they would fall to the ground at any moment..

“Go and tell Richardus that I’ll also give him a gift before we meet again, for the sake of our friendship,” Chang-Sun said as he pulled the [Twilight Flag] out of the ground.

The six cloth strands that had been fluttering in the wind automatically wrapped themselves around the flagpole. They began shining, and the cloth strands that wwere marked with his <Order Symbol> and had Lu Junyi, Liu Tang, Shi Jin, Xie Zhen, and Qin Ming sealed within merged into the flagpole.

[The ‘Liuhunfan Flag’ and ‘Twilight Spear’ have merged, upgrading the ‘Twilight Spear’!]

[The divine power of the Celestial ‘Jade-Sculpted Qilin’ has been granted, increasing the penetrative power of the ‘Twilight Spear’.]

[The divine power of the Celestial ‘Red Haired Spirit’ has been granted, increasing the damage of the ‘Twilight Spear’.]

[The divine power of the Celestial ‘Nine-Patterned Dragon’ has been granted, increasing the durability of the ‘Twilight Spear’.]

[The divine power of the Celestial ‘Double-Headed Serpent’ has been granted, turning the spearhead of the ‘Twilight Spear’ poisonous.]

[The divine power of the Celestial ‘Lightning-Striking Flame’ has been granted, increasing the explosive power of the ‘Twilight Spear’.]

“It’s not as good as [Gungnir], but this will still come in handy,” Chang-Sun said to himself as he pointed the [Twilight Spear], which had been significantly upgraded with the demonic Celestials’ divine power, at the Seven Mansions of the North in the sky.

The spearhead, which had turned pitch-black, emanated an ominous aura of demonic energy. And then…

Paah―!

…Chang-Sun threw the spear as hard as possible, leaving a long black afterimage that soon passed through the center of the Seven Mansions of the North. In its wake, a chaotic whirlwind manifested and surrounded all the Seven Mansions of the North; Chang-Sun’s white lightning bolts flew out from the whirlwind’s center, striking them all.

Booom—!

Pzzzzzz!

『Argghhhh! Twilight! Twiligghhhhttt! You bastardddddddd!』

The plaintive wailing of the Black Tortoise’s snake head echoed throughout Chang-Sun’s divine ground.