Chapter 83
Chapter 83
“T-This is…!”
When the rift in space opened and a white orb popped out, Min Jaeyoon gulped.
It was an L rank item that cleared away all accumulated karma and forcibly erased a contract with a Constellation. On any other day he would have cursed it as trash, but at this moment it was the perfect item.
“Where did something like this even come from.”
No, that was not the important part. Min Jaeyoon took a deep breath and put the item into his inventory.
Bang. At the same time, a hazy mist surged down the hallway from far away. Its density was on a completely different level from before. Sensing several beasts approaching him from within it, Min Jaeyoon bit his lip and backed away.
‘So I still cannot completely bind their feet.’
It seemed the Beast was stretching its influence over its underlings in order to seize this thing somehow. Min Jaeyoon took a couple of steps back. He had to protect the item no matter what.
The guild master was a good person. Her smile was hearty, and she never hesitated to start something new. She was considerate, she took care of people, and she had always looked out for Min Jaeyoon.
Jaeyoon had wanted to become someone that cool when he grew older. The hazy floaty feeling of having a role model for the first time in his life did not last long, though.
The first day he was invited to Baek Jangmi’s workshop, the day he happened to come back because he had left something there. Min Jaeyoon still could not forget that day.
The thick smell of blood. The guild master, sitting collapsed and bleeding, an old leash in her right hand. The cage that looked like it was used to contain the Beast. And the small lion-like predator inside it.
That was when he learned what the Constellation imprisoned in the workshop was. He learned that the master of White Night became the master of that leash and that the Beast always watched for a chance to kill its master.
What had the guild master said back then?
‘Jaeyoon. I am not going to let you inherit this Constellation. Don't worry.’
It had been a bitter smile, as if she had noticed the fear Jaeyoon could not bring himself to voice. The words that struck straight to the heart had left Min Jaeyoon chewing his lip. He simply did not have the courage to inherit that Constellation.
Min Jaeyoon remembered the last time Lude visited, when the Constellation went even more berserk than usual and he had to use his own mana to help suppress it. He remembered what she said as well.
‘You still don't have to do this kind of work. Don't worry, just focus on what you need to do. You still have a long way to go.’
But would that really be enough?
He did not know. At least for the last few days, doing nothing and living ordinary days, lying on the sofa with his feet up while trusting Baek Jangmi’s words, did not feel right.
“No, I cannot just leave it like this…!”
Everyone said that once you picked a side, you would be attacked. Standing on someone’s side meant you would become an enemy to someone else. Min Jaeyoon was a twenty year old who had just joined society.
Everyone tried to stop him from choosing anything. They wanted him to stay quietly in the back and watch and learn.
For twenty years he had never made an important choice on his own. He had hardly gone to school, but he had been a kid who tried to be seen as ordinary. That was why he did not register as an awakened one.
Don't cross the line. Listen to the adults. If he just did that, the adults did not worry about him and felt relieved. The way he dealt with his grandfather’s anxiety was to pretend to be average.
But after saving his friends at school, he realized something. The countless thank yous and bouquets. And equal amounts of wariness and pressure.
If he was not willing to be someone’s enemy, he could not fight back, and he could not protect the people on his side.
“I am past the age where I get protected!”
The chains of the red grimoire slipped through his fingers. It was time to choose, and he was ready.
His red eyes shone behind his glasses as he counted which demon would be optimal to summon right now in his head.
“Lude gave it to you and you are supposed to deliver it to Baek Jangmi, right?”
“Ah? Yes.”
Jeong Suho blocked his way. Min Jaeyoon blinked. With a click, Suho loaded a magic bullet into the gun barrel and spoke without turning around.
“Don't do it. I will.”
“What? No. Let us do it together!”
Frustrated that his resolve to step forward had been interrupted, Min Jaeyoon raised his voice. Jeong Suho glanced back at him and spoke.
“I am not saying no because I look down on you. It is just that in this situation I think I am more suited than you.”
Blue mana began to creep along the hallway around them. His eyes were not accusatory or scolding. If anything, his expression showed that he understood Jaeyoon perfectly. Only then did Min Jaeyoon come to his senses and grip the grimoire tightly.
Whoever knew that he carried the essence of the White Rose, beasts kept flooding in from beyond the hallway. It was like beasts were forming waves.
“…Your guild master went into a small room attached to the convention center hall. With Sanctuary’s guild master and Jisung hyung.”
“But it is dangerous! That is more than you can hold off alone…!”
“No.”
Jeong Suho turned back toward the mountain of beasts, then released a fierce surge of blue mana. It soaked into every corner of the hallway, stirring the air into a wind.
[Ranger Exclusive Basic Skill :: Territory Declaration activates!]
His cloak and the silver hair he had only just managed to smooth down whipped in the wind. The familiar message window appeared, announcing that his status abnormality was changing form.
[Status Ailment :: ‘Overfocus’ changes form!]
[Trait :: ‘Overfocus’ is acquired!]
A third eye, shaped like an eye, opened on his brow. He frowned slightly. The blue eye glowed ominously. Jeong Suho spoke in a low voice.
“I can do this alone.”
[Incarnation Exclusive Trait :: ‘A Hero Who Rules War’ becomes available for use!]
[The Constellation ‘Goddess of Wisdom and War’ uses her authority!]
Then every beast present froze in place as if turned to stone. Jeong Suho calmly drew two pistols and aimed at them.
Gasping inwardly, Min Jaeyoon watched. Without turning his head, Jeong Suho calmly put a bullet hole in each beast’s head, one shot at a time, then spoke.
“I am fine. So you go and find what you can do better.”
“…Can I ask you to do this?”
“Of course, and once you reach the convention center, pass this on.”
He relayed his instructions that the others were to focus their protection around the restaurant where the civilians had gathered, but still patrol the hallways, and that no one was ever to enter the very top floor. Mesmerized by the sight, Min Jaeyoon finally nodded.
“Then I will be back! Gaf!! Come out!”
At his shout, the red demon who had been on standby appeared and put Min Jaeyoon on its back like a mount. The beasts, whose movements had been bound, regained motion and roared, trying to chase him.
“Where do you think you are going!”
[Trait :: ‘A Born Hunter’ activates! You quickly grasp the movements of the target you are focusing on!]
Bang! Jeong Suho’s blue eyes tracked the beasts’ movements with chilling speed. He fired magic bullets at their feet, then tossed aside both pistols and drew a new pair.
Using such highly concentrated magic bullets in a short span had melted and warped the gun barrels.
“I need to end this fast so I can go hang out with Lude. It has been so long.”
Jeong Suho narrowed his eyes at the swarming beasts. His brow furrowed deeply as he spoke.
“Let us finish this quickly. Before my heat dies down.”
[Trait :: ‘Overfocus’ activates!]
[Marksmen Exclusive Basic Skill :: ‘Magic Bullet Fabrication’ activates!]
[Marksmen Exclusive Basic Skill :: ‘Magic Bullet Fabrication’ activates!]
[Marksmen Exclusive Basic Skill :: ‘Magic Bullet Fabrication’ activates!]
[Marksmen Exclusive Basic Skill :: ‘Magic Bullet Fabrication’ activates!]
[Marksmen Exclusive Basic Skill :: ‘Magic Bullet Fabrication’ activates!]
And countless bullets filled the air with thick blue smoke.
* * *
With a bang, wiping sweat from his brow, Min Jaeyoon opened the convention center door. The Hunters inside turned to stare at him all at once. Frozen by the pressure of their attention, he forced himself to steady his mind and spoke.
“Ah, um, Jeong… Hunter Jeong Suho said this! You should focus your defense on the restaurant where the civilians are gathered, but patrol the hallways too. And he said absolutely no civilians are to go outside. He is holding the line in the hallway right in front of here. And he said no one is ever to go to the very top floor.”
Realizing how many eyes were on him, Min Jaeyoon hurriedly finished relaying Jeong Suho’s words, then quickly scanned the convention center.
A small room next to the main hall that looked like a waiting room. He felt sure that was it and hurried toward it, when someone called out to him.
“Min Jaeyoon!”
“Agh!”
Kang Ihyun, dripping cold sweat, grabbed him and pulled him over to his table. One of his hands still touched the wall. Swish, in an instant he drew a curtain of mana and muttered.
“You, stop.”
“Hyung? Do what? No, I am in a hurry right now! If we don't solve this quickly, the guild master and the civilians here are all dead!”
“I said don't do it. The double contract!”
Kang Ihyun spoke in a low voice, glancing nervously around. Min Jaeyoon, who had never told anyone about the double contract, widened his eyes. Kang Ihyun frowned and continued in a small voice.
The Hunters were clearly too busy forming teams and heading outside to hear, yet he was still cautious, as if someone might overhear.
“How do you even know that, hyung…”
“The angel pecked at your Constellation and found out what was going on.”
“Ah.”
Red indirect messages of apology from his Constellation popped up over and over. Of course, how could a mere king defy an angel. With that thought, Min Jaeyoon sighed and swiped the messages away.
“Give up on binding that Beast to you through a contract. That is… that is too much of a burden for you, Jaeyoon.”
“Hyung! Don't worry. I am someone who does not get caught by that restriction! I can do a double contract!”
A double contract came with immense restrictions. First, the Constellations had to be of the same affinity. Second, in the case of an S rank, their symbolic color had to match.
Color was important. There was a reason color bearers carried titles like Black Illusion and Crimson Demon King. The symbolism of color influenced many things.
Min Jaeyoon’s mana was tinged red. That color evoked a king and so he had been able to contract with Solomon.
It was also the color that signified the Antichrist, so it allowed a double contract with the Beast.
“I have to. This is… this is basically spoon feeding me a contract, telling me to take it!”
“Even so, you cannot!”
Kang Ihyun gripped his shoulder with one hand. He was usually generous with Jaeyoon, but at times he could be firm. And in those moments, he never bent.
“Listen carefully. Once you make a double contract, your sense of self gets shaken to pieces. In that state, even as an S rank, you cannot control the Beast.”
“…What?”
It was something he had never heard anywhere, and Min Jaeyoon blinked. Kang Ihyun continued in a gentle, coaxing tone.
“You cannot tell how you are supposed to act. The two Constellations keep fighting to gain the upper hand, saying you need to follow each of them. On days when they even start sniping at each other, it gets even harder… that is what I was told.”
“Hyung, you really,”
Know a lot. Min Jaeyoon could not finish the sentence and just stared at him. Kang Ihyun ran a hand down his face and spoke.
“In any case, you cannot. Find another way.”
“Another way, like what. If there was one, I would not be doing this right now!”
Kang Ihyun shook his head. Then his blue eyes flashed.
“Subjugate the Beast that cut its contract with Aunt Jangmi and make it your summoned beast.”