“Enemy of humanity. Saying it like that makes me sound like an important figure. Well, if that’s the case, let’s go with that.”
“You really aren’t in your right mind. You’re human too. You’re not a Constellation either, just like us. But if you kill and destroy fellow humans, what’s left for you? What changes?”
“Well. I basically don’t like humans that much. And who says I’m still human?”
Jaehee closed his mouth at Lee Shinhoo’s words. He observed Lee Shinhoo with a much more serious posture.
…Lee Shinhoo isn’t human…?
Looking at his relaxed attitude, it meant he didn’t care much about their power, and that he was that confident. As such, Lee Shinhoo’s words didn’t sound like nonsense.
Lee Shinhoo looked at Jaehee’s wary appearance and laughed amusedly.
“…Not human…?”
“Right. So are you disappointed?”
Lee Shinhoo raised his arm and swung it while drawing a large circle. The place Lee Shinhoo’s arm passed was stained as if black water was seeping in. Black smoke rose slowly from the blackened space. Jaehee frowned and stepped back. He didn’t know what that smoke was, but it was clearly something unpleasant.
“What trick are you pulling? And you, this is clearly inside my veil, so how…”
Lee Shinhoo lightly shrugged his shoulders, then clasped his hands behind his back and slowly walked around. Looking at Lee Shinhoo’s attitude alone, it seemed like he was taking a stroll.
“Well. Even what’s called a veil is ultimately a skill, so it means it’s not perfect. Just because you use an umbrella doesn’t mean you can avoid all rain, right? Especially if there’s a hole in the umbrella.”
“A hole? You did something, didn’t you? What do you want! What do you want by siding with the Constellations!”
“Will you listen if I tell you? I don’t see why I should go through such trouble for you. Well, it was rather cute that you were trying to buy time, so I played along until now, but let’s end this now. Since you don’t seem to want to come to this side, it seems our relationship sadly ends here. I don’t have a hobby of clinging to people who don’t like me.”
When Lee Shinhoo gestured lightly, the black hole suddenly grew in size. Then a foul smell flowed out. Several Awakened Ones unconsciously stepped back and were seen taking out potions. Usually when smells are foul, it’s often poison, so they took out antidote potions in advance just in case.
At that moment, something popped out of the giant hole. At first, he thought it was just something long and elongated. There was also the reason that it was hard to see because it was full of black smoke around it. Then when the black smoke cleared, its form was finally revealed.
Its head looked like a dog, but the neck was elongated like a snake, seeming to be several meters long. It stood on four legs, and there were three dog-like heads.
No one dared to move at the bizarre creature they were seeing for the first time. They had seen many strange things while going through dungeons, but this was the first time seeing something this bizarre and hideous.
One of the heads barked like a dog, and another head flicked its tongue like a snake. One head popped forward and swept over Jaehee and the Awakened Ones.
That alone made some tremble with fright.
“You don’t need to think it’s so unfair to die by my hand. Most humans will die today anyway.”
At Lee Shinhoo’s gesture, the bizarre thing barked and rushed forward. Cold sweat flowed at that fierce and violent cry. When saliva dripping from the dog’s mouth touched the ground, there was a hissing sound along with a foul smell. It wasn’t just ordinary saliva. Jaehee examined the power of the companions behind him, Lee Shinhoo in front, and the monster Lee Shinhoo had summoned.
Was there any possibility they could win…?
Could they at least hold out until Jeongwoo came? It was impossible.
“Wa, wait!”
When Jaehee shouted loudly, Lee Shinhoo looked at Jaehee.
“System! System! Earth is still a protected planet. But summoning things like that now is clearly a contract violation, isn’t it? If things like that are all allowed, there’s no reason for us to do missions.”
While speaking, Jaehee quickly opened the chat window of Channel Earth.
Though he had heard the story from Jeongwoo, the Constellations’ affairs were still an unknown world to him. But if force didn’t work, he had to instigate the Constellations and wage a public opinion war. No, he had to hold back Lee Shinhoo and buy time by any means.
[Seventh Chariot] Oho! That guy speaks really well! Right! That’s right! What’s the fun in watching if you release something like that in a kindergarten where kids are playing?
[Ancient Memory] Hmm, but it’s also true that planet Earth had many special privileges. It’s true that it’s excessive for planet Earth’s current level, but if it’s a planet that can’t even overcome that much, it’s right for it to just perish.
[Midsummer Night’s Dream] Then how about we just lift all the protected planet treatment at this point? But seriously, how sinister. When on earth did they secure Earth’s stakes like that? I was going to jump in this time too, but I got completely shut out.
[Scale of the Judge] That’s why you need to look carefully before investing in protected planets. Since Dark Night has already secured more than 49% of the total stakes, the best other Constellations can do is quickly read the room and wash their hands to salvage at least some of it.
[Seventh Chariot] No matter how I look at this, it’s strange. Did they scheme with the system? Did Kkambam feed something to the system? Investigate! Investigate!
[Records of the Abyss] What’s Kkambam?
[Seventh Chariot] Dark Night!
[Records of the Abyss] Ha, stop abbreviating weird things. You’re even abbreviating Constellation names now.
…The conversation continued, but there was no conversation that would be particularly helpful. This level of instigation seemed insufficient.
Meanwhile, Lee Shinhoo looked at Jaehee and laughed. It seemed he already guessed what Jaehee was thinking.
“It’s not that easy a world. The Constellation, Dark Night, has secured sufficient stakes, so no matter what you say, it’s useless.”
“That’s why it’s strange! By what means did you suddenly secure stakes! I don’t know Constellations well, but where did a Constellation that we didn’t even know existed or not pop out from to secure stakes!”
Even at Jaehee’s words, the system said nothing. With an attitude as if there was no need to speak, Jaehee became more anxious.
“The fact that the system isn’t intervening means it’s already legal. This is something that doesn’t really need to be said, but there’s no need to hide it either, so shall I tell you? The reason Dark Night secured stakes is because it found its avatar body on Earth.”
“…Avatar body…?”
He had already seen an avatar body once. An avatar body, like a proxy of a Constellation, was an existence that sent many stakes and influence to the Constellation by itself. The influence an avatar body possessed was the same as the influence of the Constellation who was that avatar body’s master.
“You don’t tell me…”
Cult leader Kim Shin of the Doomsday Cult came to mind. Kim Shin, who was used by a Constellation and ended up transformed into an ugly figure in the end.
Lee Shinhoo smiled and spread both arms. Then darkness surged like a wave from behind Lee Shinhoo. The things with dog heads simultaneously started barking.
“You became an avatar body! Of Dark Night…!”
When Jaehee shouted like a scream, pale light leaked from Lee Shinhoo’s body. Lee Shinhoo glowing white in the pitch-black darkness even looked sacred for a moment, which made him more annoyed.
“You should have noticed when I said I wasn’t human. Well, even if you had, the result wouldn’t have changed.”
Jaehee bit his lip hard and glared at Lee Shinhoo. When the light slowly died down from Lee Shinhoo’s body, everything was soon submerged in darkness.
* * *
[Danger! Danger!]
The word danger kept appearing in bright red letters.
Jeongwoo bit his teeth hard while looking at those letters.
From the beginning, Jeongwoo prioritized Jaehee over other people’s lives. Even if the King’s Veil skill was canceled, if Jaehee was in danger, Jeongwoo intended to return. He had no intention of leaving Jaehee’s safety to anyone else.
After receiving the message that Lee Shinhoo had come to Jaehee earlier, he intended to return immediately.
But the dead were endlessly attacking in the direction toward Jaehee. It was clear their goal was to prevent him from getting to Jaehee.
Each one wasn’t that impressive, but as they continuously blocked his way in countless numbers, he couldn’t gain speed.
Jeongwoo thought of various methods in his head. Should he burn everything from here to where Jaehee was?
At that moment, something bit Jeongwoo’s pants.
