Otherworld Constellation Gallery Chapter 27

Otherworld Constellation Gallery

Chapter 27

I wasn’t sleepy at all despite just waking up, rather my nerves were on edge.

“Mister!”

Tulip was running toward me with a pale face. Kang Ha-rin was also hurriedly waking up and rising from the commotion.

“What’s happening?” 

“Outside…! Some enormous thing’s at the door…!”

I didn’t need to hear more to understand. I quickly got up and took out my revolver first. At the same time, I summoned Manyō’s Tomb with a wave of my hand. For a moment, the room rippled with an ominous dark red light.

BANG!!

This time even the floor shakes from the uninvited guest’s knock. The vibration is so strong it feels like the house might collapse. I quickly gestured toward Tulip and Kang Ha-rin.

“Fall back. Support from the rear if needed.”

As soon as I finished speaking, I stepped forward. My head was cold. I couldn’t know the identity of the creature, but the fact that it came all the way here means it can’t be avoided.

‘So… whatever it is, I’ll kill it.’

Before opening the door, I took a moment to catch my breath and thought briefly. Secure space and routes for retreat. And then, the moment I opened the door.

BANG!!

An explosive impact enveloped my body. Without any chance to react, I was hit directly by something and flew through the air.

BANG!

My body stopped only after hitting the window. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

“KUHAK!”

Right behind my back, the window had a long crack. If it had broken, or if I had left it open because of the heat, I would have fallen out the window. Even with my increased stamina stat, I probably would have died.

‘……Fuck.’

I gathered my wits and got up. At the same time, my eyes went to the bulletproof vest. To think I could experience such an impact even while wearing this.

“Kang Ha-rin!”

Kang Ha-rin was looking at me while trembling. I took off the vest and threw it to her.

“Wear that! And try not to get attacked if possible.”

Unlike me, Ha-rin hasn’t touched her stats yet. Meaning, she might die from just one hit.

Before I could convey that message, the monster in front of me revealed its form. A distinct silhouette even in the darkness. Its muscle tissue was exposed as if the skin had been peeled away.

It had no skin. It was as if its entire body was a lump of red meat. Moist mucus flowed, and the red flesh twitched grotesquely.

It resembled a human form, but something was off. Its arms were abnormally long, and its legs were short and thick.

And the head. There were no eyes where they should have been. Two empty holes were pitch black. As if nothing had ever existed there from the beginning.

“Tulip, fire!”

Tulip shot an arrow without hesitation. But then….

TACK!

“Huh…?!”

Tulip was shocked. The arrow didn’t pierce but bounced off.

‘Fuck, is it because it’s night? Is the difference in stats this big?’

I would rather it be that. If not… my attacks probably won’t work easily either. I gripped the revolver tightly.

‘This is the last resort.’

For now, it’s meant to break mobility rather than kill.

TANG!

I put a bullet in the monster’s leg. But….

“Fuck……”

The bullet just rolled across the floor. At that moment, the monster opened its mouth.

“UWEEEEEEEEEE—!”

A scream like a torn throat. A sound no human could make. There was something strange about it beyond a simple scream.

[Warning! ‘Roar of Pimuk (彼墨)’ has been activated.] 

[Mental confusion effect is applied.]

Suddenly, my head spun dizzily. A feeling of distortion before my eyes. My heart started beating rapidly. But it was only for a moment.

[‘Yu Ju-han’s ‘Constellation’s Spirit’ is automatically activated!] 

[‘Constellation’s Spirit’ neutralizes ‘Roar of Pimuk’!]

My mind became clear again. I gritted my teeth.

‘Enemies that bullets don’t work on are appearing already? Fuck, where did the game difficulty control go?’

At that moment, Tulip clutched her forehead and fell to her knees. She was breathing roughly, with her fingertips trembling slightly. Even her pupils were shaking.

“UGH… UHHH…”

It was the same with Kang Ha-rin. She was clutching her head with both hands, staring into space with completely dilated eyes. Slumped shoulders, trembling fingers.

Like that, all party members were incapacitated. Only I remained functional.

“This is shit….”

I have to do something alone, at least. But, can it even be caught?

I hurriedly opened the Constellation Gallery. Information about that monster, weaknesses, strategy. Please, let there be something posted here.

[Title: Why is that appearing now?] Isn’t that something that only appears as a balance patch for those who formed a 5-person raid party from day one?

ㄴ Looks like there was a real submarine patch this time. 

ㄴ But isn’t that virtually impossible to beat? 

ㄴ Yeah, even with a 5-person raid party, people rarely organize their squad seriously, and they either don’t have Constellation’s Spirit or only one person has it lol.

ㄴStill, it disappears on its own if one person dies lol.

ㄴ It’s just for awakening events.

ㄴ Why is it an awakening event?

ㄴ Because when a party member dies, anger bursts out, and you realize the reality and gain the determination that you need to become stronger to survive.

ㄴ But it’s not just an awakening event. Most people either commit suicide out of despair or lose their minds from giving up.

ㄴ For real lol. When Pimuk appears, it’s either awakening or self-destruction lol.

ㄴ What’s going to happen to First Hunter now? 

ㄴ If he relies on Constellation’s Spirit and acts recklessly, he’ll die first, and the other two will survive.

ㄴ First Hunter will keep fighting until he dies, and the other two will either survive and take the awakening route, or take the despair route, that’s my guess.

ㄴ Well~ First Hunter and Constellation’s Spirit deleted duo hype.

ㄴ Can’t beat that thing with current stats anyway.

ㄴ That’s right. But if you sacrifice one person, you don’t need to beat it and it’ll just disappear, so let’s see.

Sacrifice one person to survive? I looked at Kang Ha-rin. In that brief moment, my values clashed.

If I sacrifice Kang Ha-rin, we can survive. But I didn’t persuade Tulip to kill because of such selfishness. No matter how much I might say “I had no choice,” Tulip wouldn’t accept it.

She would end up filled with fear that she too would be abandoned at a crucial moment. And with a demoralized Tulip, even if I found new party members, I would be alone forever. No one would trust me, and I wouldn’t be able to trust anyone either.

‘Of course, if I want to make the decision to sacrifice Kang Ha-rin, now would be optimal while she’s in a state of mental confusion.’

Tulip wouldn’t know what happened properly because of her status ailment. I could deceive Tulip like that. But… the constellations are watching everything.

What if I abandon Kang Ha-rin? The constellations would no longer trust me. They would feel the same emotion I felt toward the weasel—that I’d discard companions according to necessity rather than nurture them.

‘Then contracts won’t come from good constellations. Even if they do, they’ll just be looking for an opportunity to cut my throat first.’

To preserve both my humanity and my future survival rights, I can’t abandon anyone right now. If I want someone to trust and rely on me, I first need to become someone that others can trust and rely on.

I closed my eyes and opened them again.

“……”

The conclusion was made. I glared at Pimuk again.

“You want lives? Sorry, but none of us plan to die here.”

Perhaps thanks to Constellation’s Spirit, despite reading that it was impossible to defeat, I felt no fear. That’s probably why I could make such a reckless statement.

“…Come.”

BANG!

“KUHAK…!”

My lungs felt like they were turning inside out. A blood smell spread inside my mouth, and soon a hot liquid surged up.

“PTUI!”

Red chunks splattered on the floor. Each hit is heavy. When hit, my body rolls as if bouncing off the ground.

Pain like my entire body is collapsing. But my mind remained strangely clear.

“KK…UG… So recklessness alone just gets me killed…”

BANG!

Once again, Pimuk’s hand struck my chest. At that moment, the sound of bones cracking echoed in my mind. As air rushed out of my lungs, my mind went blank.

“KH… HAAAK….”

My body flew back again.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

But I can’t stop. I used my hands to push myself up with momentum. Forcing my staggering legs to stand.

“You bastard.”

I gripped Manyō’s Tomb tightly. And thrust it with all my might.

SLASH-!

The blade penetrated shallowly.

“You son of a… So attacks do work on you?”

But the creature’s flesh squirmed, and the wound closed immediately. The recovery is too fast.

WHACK!

“KHEUK…!”

A blow that struck my side. Pain like my ribs were shattered shot through my mind.

Speed, power, toughness. I’m outmatched in everything. My sword pierces but doesn’t inflict fatal damage. I can’t even dodge its attacks and keep getting hit. At this rate, I absolutely can’t win.

‘…So, I have to use it now?’

I tried to save it as much as possible in case I needed it, but it seems like now is that crucial moment.

‘Use 17,500 gold to increase agility to 10.’

DING!DING!DING! … DING!

[Agility level has increased!] 

[Agility level has increased!]

. .

[Agility level has increased!]

At that moment, my senses opened up.

[Agility +7] 

[Your agility level has reached 10, evolving your body’s overall reaction speed and movement flexibility by two stages.]

The weight that had been pressing down on my body disappeared. No, it was more than that. As I stepped down, the air felt light as if I were in a zero-gravity state.

The world before my eyes became clearer. And, slower.

‘…It worked. With this.’

[Title: Is First Hunter just going to keep attacking relying on Constellation’s Spirit?] I’m telling you, losing your sense of fear isn’t a good thing, right?

ㄴ He’s screwed lol .

ㄴ Didn’t they say those who get Constellation’s Spirit die from being reckless? 

ㄴ For real lol. Farewell First Hunter who couldn’t even get a contract~.

Recklessness? Go to hell. I admit I have no fear. But there’s a reason I’m pressing forward like this. It’s clearly written in the description of Constellation’s Spirit.

[However, this skill may not activate normally in the presence of beings with too great a difference in level.]

But right now, my mind is as clear as usual. I’m not afraid at all despite being so overwhelmed. That means I have a chance, right?

To abandon a comrade, one that I chose myself, with such a clear mind. That would just be becoming a monster to survive a monster. Rather than surviving by throwing away the human I decided to make my comrade, I’d rather die now before becoming a monster.

“Companions you can trust at your back aren’t something you pick out, they’re forged by me.”

At that moment, Manyō’s Tomb began to shine.