Ch. 6 Planet Kairon – (2)
Words spoken from the suffocating feeling filling my chest.
After a moment of silence, I heard Nyseria’s will from the galaxy.
[When you ask how I view mortals… I basically take a hands-off stance. I think of them as beings who burn through their limited time to achieve something, then leave it behind for their descendants.]
That’s not what I’m curious about. Let me ask more specifically.
[What do you think about supporting mortals or intervening in their lives?]
[I’m too foolish to understand. I’m sorry, but could you please explain in a bit more detail…?]
The dust no, the galaxy before my eyes trembled as if afraid.
Before causing any misunderstanding, I shared information about another dimension with her.
A place presumably created by an intervention from a being equal to myself. A world where gods and humans coexist under the names of Constellations and Incarnations.
A world where intelligent beings fighting cosmic monsters hold galactic hegemony.
A space where even planet-ruling gods cannot defeat mortal empires, and where gods are defined and interpreted under the name of spiritual entities.
After a silence longer than before, she sent her will to me.
[To think such a place exists… It would surely be impossible without overwhelming external force. Perhaps it’s a galaxy where a being equal to your greatness has intervened.]
[So. What do you think of that world? Tell me your honest impressions.]
I waited for Nyseria’s answer.
Unlike me, who struggles with confusion between the values of immortals and mortals, could Nyseria provide an answer?
[…No matter what happens there, I think it cannot be evaluated.]
[Cannot be evaluated?]
[Yes. While it appears to be the immature prank of a divine being, I sense the perspective of a profound absolute being behind it. It’s not something I dare to judge definitively.]
I pondered what that meant for a moment.
Like a foolish adult human who genuinely plays with ants, but is actually an excellent entomologist who loves ants most among all insects?
Or perhaps she felt fear at turning the vast space of a galaxy into a model garden?
Either way, I felt I could understand it somewhat.
Then. Then I too…
[If it wouldn’t be disrespectful to your greatness, I would like to try creating an Incarnation as well. It reminds me of long ago, when I first felt my existence.]
[Do as you please. I’m also interested in that side.]
[Yes. If you ever need me in that dimension, please call upon me anytime. My Lord.]
After ending the conversation with her, I turned my gaze to Yu-na.
Customized training for especially talented Incarnations.
Ability assessment tests for this purpose continued, and all sorts of researchers and scientists studying Constellations came to observe her tests.
The power called Cosmic Power seemed to have caused a bigger stir in this world than I thought.
“We need more research on the Cosmic Power that the Constellation ‘Whispering Stars’ bestowed upon Incarnation Yu-na.”
“It’s essentially an omnipotent power. Mental and physical enhancement. Increased durability. Regeneration ability. Flight. Energy projection. Super senses**so many abilities mixed together.”
“It shows patterns like evolution into a higher species.”
“While it’s an omnipotent power, we need to examine conflicts with other energies and potential more closely. If the Constellation would just permit us, at the Central Incarnation Research Institute…!”
[Constellation ‘Whispering Stars’ says to take it easy.]
“Excuse me. The Constellation says to take it easy…”
“…Ahem. We were being presumptuous!”
The researchers’ eyes had been slyly turning toward this special power unlike ki, mana, or magic unprecedented until now. But when I sent a single message as a Constellation, things quieted down.
Still, it’s not that strong a power yet, so only the exceptional stamina and strength stand out that’s why it’s only this level of attention.
If she had blown up a city or punched a hole in the sky right after making the Incarnation contract, it would have been Constellations showing this kind of interest, not people.
“Trainee Yu-na, please pack your belongings and move from C-4 sector to TH-84 sector.”
“What? Am I going to be experimented on?”
“It’s not experimentation, but separate classification considering the trainee’s anomalous and unique characteristics.”
Thus Yu-na began training as a specially classified trainee.
There were quite a few Incarnations in similar situations to her.
Those whose bodies transform into monsters when using abilities, those whose physical abilities drop to child level but specialize in mental abilities, Incarnations who can detect parasitic life forms when offering unique sacrifices, etc., belonged to such classifications.
While not every planet had Constellations contracting with Incarnations, the galaxy was truly vast.
“You can cause explosions throughout your body? There have already been cases like the trainee’s. I’ll teach you effective methods to control it.”
“The ability to grow Eternium ore. If you’re an Incarnation contracted with ‘Broken Mountains’…”
“The special mana you received from your Constellation doesn’t match with magic? I’ll request Imperial Federation magic system data from headquarters and pass it to you. If you try them one by one, there should be something that fits you.”
Incarnations classified as special cases could find their own paths among vast amounts of data.
Of course, Yu-na’s training methods were also determined based on somewhat similar data.
“The energy named in the message is Cosmic Power. Similar patterns to ki or mana. On the first day of receiving power from the Constellation, she couldn’t control it properly and it went berserk. Since then, physical enhancement has appeared clearly, but she can’t draw out the same power as the first day. This is decided.”
“What?”
“From now on, trainee Yu-na’s top priority goal is to control Cosmic Power as much as possible.”
Her training was somewhat different from others.
Yu-na, with various wires and mechanical devices attached to her body, carefully sat in a chair and drew out Cosmic Power.
Following the instructor’s commands while writing something, applying weak force to localized areas.
-Beep. Physical force fluctuation confirmed near left thigh. Displaying exact values. Muscular endurance increase: 0.2 Rotal. Physical durability increase…
“Now try to concentrate intangible energy on your left arm and draw up power.”
It looked like she was sitting in an electric chair being tortured, but it was quite fascinating how her physical changes appeared in detail on the hologram following the instructor’s directions.
The trainee herself looked rather displeased though.
Men and women in the space age are completely equal.
Regardless of gender, individuals can face multitudes, appearance can be changed at will with money, and overwhelming scientific technology has eliminated differences between men and women.
The previous leader of the Hyper Galactic Imperial Federation was female, and there had even been genderless leaders, so gender held little meaning.
Artificial wombs made of synthetic organic materials or machines existed, and pregnancy periods and birth timing could be adjusted at will.
Even same-sex marriages could produce children through genetic combination, truly a wondrous world.
Therefore, unlike Earth in the 21st century, which was my previous life, the initiative in romance lies with the one being courted, and it’s natural for the one who falls in love first to propose or confess.
Of course, I was aware of such things, but…
“Constellation-nim! I love you! Please marry me!”
I never expected to receive a proposal from an Incarnation.
“Trainee Yu-na! Draw up your power and resist the whispers in your head! The emotions you’re feeling now are altered and amplified by a parasitic life form!”
“Eh?! Instructor, get out of the way!”
Among cosmic monsters, there are life forms that parasitize human brains or souls.
Therefore, there were training courses to build resistance and coping methods against such monsters, and Yu-na, who had to spar with an instructor while accepting a weakened mental entity monster into her head…
“Constellation-nim!!”
THWACK!
“Focus your strength on mental changes, not physical abilities! Trainee!”
She was getting beaten up by a frowning female instructor while crying out her love for me.
Unfocused eyes. Swaying body. Mouth hanging open blankly. She looked no different from being drunk.
[Constellation ‘Whispering Stars’ smiles awkwardly.]
“Eh?! Constellation-nim! Please look at me more… Urk!”
“Hah. She’s definitely immature mentally. But she seems to have the will to resist.”
Yu-na eventually fainted from the beating.
The instructor with gloved hands sighed and approached the collapsed her.
The anomaly occurred right then.
Yu-na sprang up from her position and threw a punch at the instructor’s stomach.
White light swirled around her body, and her fist bore the colors of the cosmos.
“Ugh!”
The instructor who blocked the surprise attack frowned.
Seeing how her wrist twisted, it seemed to have quite an impact.
“Heh. Hehe. Constellation-nim! If I beat the instructor, as a reward, you and I… Eh. Eh?! Ehhh?”
Like something emerging from a ghost-possessed body, a translucent jellyfish-shaped monster was ejected from inside her head.
“…Have you finally come to your senses, trainee Yu-na?”
“Ehhhhhhh?!”
[Constellation ‘Whispering Stars’ says marriage seems premature.]
Setting aside Yu-na, who didn’t know what to do from embarrassment, I’m interested in that mental entity monster.
Not just monsters that push through with numbers or have overwhelming power, but because there are plenty of special species like that, the war with monsters never ends.
“The trainee is not properly using the power bestowed by the Constellation. Given the total amount of power inherent in the trainee, such parasitic life forms should be instantly annihilated, but…”
“D-Disrespect toward the Constellation… Ack!”
SMACK!
“True disrespect is the trainee’s inability to properly utilize such power received from the Constellation!”
Like having a parent-teacher conference, there was also an instructor who explained educational policies to me, Yu-na’s Constellation.
Though she’s getting thoroughly scolded, according to that instructor, Yu-na is quite talented.
However, appropriate discipline is needed to prevent her from becoming arrogant.
Stories of talented Incarnations who became overconfident, volunteered for planetary pioneering forces and died within a year, or Incarnations killed by controlled comrades due to carelessness, were abundant throughout the galaxy.
Nevertheless, those wanting to contract with Constellations were overflowing, so you could say the power relationship had become fixed.
Ty for the chapter