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Translator: Seven Editor: Yahiko (+ thursdays as of 6/4/2021) PR: LightBrin
2.
When I opened my eyes, all I saw was a dark abyss.
I looked around in every direction, but I could only see darkness.
It was the underworld I returned to every time I died.
[Your death has satisfied the skill condition.]
[The Constellation Killer’s skills are being randomly copied.]
I stared blankly, shocked.
Naturally, I knew that the Constellation Killer’s story took place in the past. However, that the past also contained the director’s childhood… That, I never expected.
‘The Constellation Killer and my orphanage director were classmates.’
They attended the same school. They were in the same class. They lived in the same time. For one of them, time had stopped forever. For the other, the hour hand had stopped for the rest of his life.
One clock was broken.
The other clock was damaged.
‘Why…?’
Anger weighed on my heart.
‘Why is it always the good men who end up damaged and broken? Why should the person who was hurt die while the one who hurt them is fine? Why did the world become a hell only for the one who feels guilty?’
My anger settled, but I couldn’t be at ease. My emotions subsided. But my subdued emotions did not disappear. They were merely piling on top of each other.
The surface of my mind rose a little bit.
A surface that would overflow and become a torrent someday.
-Cough.
A voice flowed into my heated mind.
It was Bae Hu-ryeong.
-The best feeling in the world is always catching a zombie bastard off guard. I’ve seen a lot of things since becoming a ghost, but there’s still nothing better than seeing a defeated Kim Zombie. Kukuku!
“…….”
-What do you think? Isn’t the 50th floor tough? The Constellation Killer isn’t an easy prey, huh? Right, so do you still think it was a good idea to weasel your way up to the 50th floor? All of this is karma for what you did, bastard!
Bae Hu-ryeong had a sly smile on his face.
It was almost as if [I’d only fought the Constellation Killer a short while ago].
I could guess it from Bae Hu-ryeong’s tone.
‘…He didn’t enter the trauma with me this time.’
Until now, we’d experienced the journey through the trauma together. Starting with the [Hellfire Residence], Preta, Master, Raviel. Bae Hu-ryeong sometimes complained about the trauma and sometimes remained silent. Nevertheless, he had always been with me.
This time was different.
For a month, I had been experiencing the trauma on my own.
“I had a nightmare.”
-Huh?
Bae Hu-ryeong blinked.
-A nightmare? What nightmare?
“It was a trauma. This trauma was a bit strange. Sword Emperor, you weren’t with me, and the Constellation Killer’s mind wasn’t fully recreated. Like there was an error there…”
I told him about what I experienced in the trauma. I recreated it. Of course, I didn’t tell him that he had been my father. If I brought it up, his hair would probably turn white.
-Hmm.
Bae Hu-ryeong was lost in thought for a while after hearing my story.
-That’s strange, isn’t it? It doesn’t make sense that I wasn’t there with you. In the first place, I’m only called a ghost for convenience. In truth, I am a [skill].
Bae Hu-ryeong was right.
+
[Sword Constellation]
Rank: A+
Effect: A ghost from another world. He cleared the 99th floor in another world but failed the 100th floor and died. The resentment remained, causing him to become a ghost. He cannot interfere with the physical world, but it is possible to tamper with the owner’s mind.
Seek advice from his rich experience and amazing skills!
※However, no one can see the ghost except for the owner.
※This skill was copied from Hunter Marcus Calenbury.
+
In the end, Bae Hu-ryeong’s true identity was a skill.
He had memories of his past life, but he was restrained to a skill card.
-In other words, I am someone who lives off of you. Should I say a mental tenant? Unless you forcibly remove my skill card, there is no reason why I shouldn’t enter a trauma with you.
However, Bae Hu-ryeong had not been able to participate in this trauma.
“…I guess. What’s going on? Something’s strange.”
–Yeah.
The two of us pondered side by side in the dark space. Time passed slowly, but we still were unable to think of an answer. Eventually, Bae Hu-ryeong got tired of all the thinking and exclaimed.
-Ah, enough! I don’t want to think about this anymore! In any case, if you just remember the strange feeling, you will get an answer someday. Hurry up and pick one of that Constellation Killer guy’s skills! It’s been a long time since we had a magic skill! That Golden Silk or something only had a Constellation’s blessings, so her skills were trash.
Perhaps in response to Bae Hu-ryeong’s words, cards began appearing from the darkness.
[The skill cards are being created.]
[Please select a skill card.]
In total, 10 cards appeared before me. It was a procession of silver and gold that flew through the air like they had wings.
-Now, let’s peruse the Constellation Killer’s collection! What the hell? This bastard’s totally cheating, keeping all these dope skills. That’s why Hunters who focus on skills are annoying. Huh? Look at this one.
Bae Hu-ryeong seemed excited as he read the backs of the cards.
Among them, two skills caught my attention.
+
[Puppeteer’s Parade]
Rank: S
Effect: In some world, there lived an old puppeteer. The puppeteer was afraid of receiving love, but he wasn’t strong enough to endure eternal solitude.
‘Let’s make another me.’ So, the puppeteer designed it. ‘Let the other me be loved. Let it live with people, among people. And if it gets hurt—I’ll throw it away,’ whispered the puppeteer. ‘Erase it forever.’
Countless puppets lived.
Countless puppets were discarded.
This skill is a black art for the weak. The ability to choose or throw away memories. You can make 13 puppets that have the exact same appearance and abilities as you. When one puppet dies, another one awakens. Broken dolls can be repaired.
It is your imitation of immortality. A fabricated eternity.
※However, memories are not shared between puppets.
+
There was the Constellation Killer’s secret.
‘There are a total of 13 puppets.’
So what happened to the Constellation Killer’s true body? Was the true body also included in the puppets? Or did the Constellation Killer have a separate body that was asleep somewhere else?
Then I heard another secret.
+
[Salvation of a Torn Goddess]
Rank: A+
Effect: There was once a goddess who was devoted to a certain warrior. Although the goddess was torn apart by the warrior, she still wished to stand beside him. The goddess fell and was sealed in this skill card.
The goddess replaces memories with abilities. You can strengthen your abilities and might by giving your memories to the goddess. The more important the memory is to you, the stronger the buff you receive.
※However, the strengthening effect does not last long.
+
That goddess was probably the [Guardian Goddess].
And the warrior must be the Constellation Killer.
There was little doubt.
The [Guardian Goddess] was divided into five parts—idol, compassion, prayer, sacrifice, and salvation. With this, I reaped four parts of the Goddess. The last part, salvation, was in the form of one of the Constellation Killer’s skills.
-Hmph.
Bae Hu-ryeong snorted.
-All these skills are creepy because we don’t truly know who the Constellation Killer is. It’s foreboding. They’re all good abilities, but it’s unnerving. I don’t know why the constellations would be so interested in a broken human…
I nodded.
“I’ve decided what to choose.”
-Mm. The cons far outweigh the pros, though?
Bae Hu-ryeong objected.
-Just pass this time. You don’t need [Puppet Parade] or [Salvation of a Torn Goddess] now. I hate to admit it, but your skill list is pretty complete. Except for your Goblin High Society…
“Goblin High Society is a skill that will soar one day.”
-It’s your head that will soar. No, it has already flown beautifully once. In any case, if you take a stupid skill now, you’ll damage your synergy.
“Yes. I know that. But there is something I can use.”
I had to defeat the Constellation Killer.
But victory didn’t mean I had to get rid of him.
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