Otherworld Constellation Gallery Chapter 53

Otherworld Constellation Gallery 

Chapter 53.

Tulip snatched the knife from the man who was trying to stab her neck, and then quickly slashed his forearm.

“AAAAARGH!”

The reaction seems excessive for a wound that isn’t very deep. That’s what I thought, but…

‘What is that….?!’

Dense smoke rose from the gap of the created wound. 

As if it were being corroded.

“Did that bastard have some kind of poison on his knife?”

Tulip shook her head at my question.

“No. I put it there. Since I can’t do it the same way you do yet, this is the best I can do.” 

“You put it there?” 

“I told you before. I can absorb all poisons, transform them into my own poison, and store them. I can also take them out and use them when needed.”

Ah, right. She was a poison mage in training.

But I didn’t expect her to use it so naturally already.

[Title: Where did my incarnation go?] Isn’t that when you’re writing about the path of light?

ㄴ Just keep your mouth shut at times like this.

ㄴ Switched paths to Plague Lord. 

ㄴ Massive respect to the constellation sponsor who’s sweating bullets rn.

ㄴ All of you shut up. Light and darkness coexist. It’s only natural that as light grows stronger, shadows deepen. 

ㄴ From my view he’ll turn dark soon .

ㄴ PinkuPojjak) Destruction is just another form of creation~.

What’s this? Was there something wrong with that action? Besides that, they handled it calmly.

“Good job. If you had tried to subdue him recklessly without knowing his abilities, the damage could have been worse.” 

“Actually, it’s the opposite.” 

“Opposite?” 

“Yes. I stayed still because I sensed his abilities were significantly low.”

Kang Ha-rin nods at Tulip’s words.

“That’s right. I was confident even I wouldn’t get hurt.”

I couldn’t help but tilt my head.

“How did you two know that?” 

“Intuition?”

They answered in unison.

‘…Intuition?’

Maybe they sensed it through his aura.

Even I couldn’t feel anything from him—no presence, no threat at all.

‘Judging by his stats, it’s not that he was hiding his presence—he was just that weak.’

If you can sense someone based on how strong their presence is, doesn’t that mean you can’t notice someone if they’re too weak?

You’d think it’d be easier to detect someone who can’t suppress their presence, right?

‘Well, maybe it’s similar to how you notice a person following you but not an ant…’

I really don’t know. This damn unfriendly world is still unclear about everything.

More importantly, the arm of the guy who was attacked by Tulip began to tremble, then his entire body started to stiffen.

As his eyes slowly dried up with the sound of his last breath, I clicked my tongue.

“You know, you might have been better off dying by my hand.”

With that excuse, I sliced off his head with a single stroke.

THUD.

As his head rolled on the ground, thickened dark red blood, hardening from the poison, oozed from the severed neck.

He really would have been better off dying by my hand. Not that I feel any unnecessary sympathy.

‘Well, he brought this karma on himself by messing with Tulip.’

[Title: But does First Hunter eat dark companions?] Can I expect him to raise them?

ㄴ Don’t be racist.

ㄴ KSS) What are you talking about, context-blind bastard? 

ㄴ I heard he eats companions if they’re Dark, you bitch.

ㄴ KSS) Hah… I really want to beat you up… My kind self is holding back… you orphaned motherfucking bitch… 

ㄴ Is that really holding back? 

ㄴ What happens if you don’t hold back? 

ㄴ Looking ready to dance with PingPo.

Are these bastards really constellations? Meanwhile, Tulip covered her mouth with one hand and spoke.

“You’re always thorough with your kill confirmation, mister.”

Her expression was impassive, but there was a subtle tremor in her eyes.

“That’s how it has to be in this world.”

In contrast, Kang Ha-rin looked particularly nauseated. She was covering her mouth and averting her gaze.

It seems Tulip has gotten somewhat used to it from continuously facing monsters.

This might be her first time causing harm to a human, but she seems to be gradually adapting to the sight of decapitated corpses. 

As for Ha-rin… she’ll need more time.

That’s when it happened.

SWOOSH-!

A sharp tearing sound cutting through the air. 

I reflexively swung my knife to deflect an ice fragment.

Immediately turning my head, I catch sight of them at the edge of my vision.

Beyond the path, a group of Launcher Goblins. 

And among them, one Elder Goblin.

“Perfect timing.”

My lips curl up involuntarily.

“I was just wanting to test something anyway.”

***

“Mister, are we going to keep this thing around?”

Tulip, sitting in the back seat, frowned while glancing sideways. 

At the end of her gaze, an Elder Goblin sat blankly beside her.

“Yeah, I want to see how long the instigation lasts. It’s also cool in the summer, isn’t it?”

The cold air emitted by the high-grade Elder Goblin surpassed the car’s air conditioning.

“It is cool, but… what if it suddenly turns on us?” 

“Don’t worry. That one’s a super-conductor.” 

“What?” 

“Its resistance to instigation is practically zero.” 

“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

I smiled at Tulip who was pouting.

“You don’t need to. Besides, you could easily handle something like that now, right?” 

“Well… that’s true, but…”

Just then, Kang Ha-rin, who had been quietly listening, spoke up.

“I… want to become stronger too.” 

“Suddenly?” 

“When you and Tulip are fighting… you have to protect me. I feel like I’m a burden…”

I glanced briefly at her in the passenger seat. Her face was serious.

“A burden? Don’t you know that thanks to the armor you made, neither Tulip nor I got hurt much? You’re already one of the team’s central pillars.” 

“But…” 

“Don’t be impatient. You’re already fulfilling your role as a carrier, and you’re more than earning your keep as a blacksmith. I’ve told you this many times.” 

“…Still.”

Ha-rin bit her lip.

“Well, if you’re that frustrated, why don’t you Ko make yourself a weapon that suits you and try killing some monsters.”

I said with a light smile.

“Of course, targeting the easy ones, not the dangerous ones.”

Ha-rin looked at me with wide eyes. And then slowly nodded.

“Yes! I’ll make one! A weapon that suits me!”

A little while later, we arrived at Daegu. However, this was no longer a city.

This was a battlefield.

Buildings all burning. 

Cracked roads.

Heavy smell of blood covering everything.

‘This is more than just monster activity expanding to the entire Daegu region?’

I looked around while carefully driving at low speed.

Was there a riot? 

But it feels like the air itself changes dramatically from just one block to the next.

“Everyone out.” 

“Here?” 

“If we go any further, I think the tires might melt.”

I got out of the vehicle and looked at the ground. I touched the surface with my fingertips, slightly bending my knees. It’s hot. 

The heat was boiling up from beneath the asphalt, not just on the surface.

‘Has the geothermal energy abnormally increased?’

No, this is almost like… someone set up a furnace inside. Ha-rin frowned.

“It’s… really hot here.” 

“Does the Elder Goblin suddenly look like a fairy to you?” 

“Huh? Why would it look like a fairy?” 

“Never mind.”

When I turned my head, the Elder Goblin was still quietly emitting cold air with its mouth shut.

“If I’d known it would be like this, we should have stayed in Gwangju and come tomorrow.” 

“Think of it the other way. It’ll be hotter during the day. It’s fortunate we came after sunset.”

Tulip opens her mouth with a face that seems to have realized something.

“I get it! The reason you brought the Elder Goblin was because you predicted all this!” 

“That’s not it.” 

“Are you actually a god, mister?” 

“If I were a god, why would I be struggling like this?” 

“For me and big sister?”

I ignored Tulip’s words and looked at the Elder Goblin. 

The instigation is lasting longer than expected. It could be because I raised my intelligence, or maybe it requires less magic power because there’s no resistance.

“If I’d known it would be like this, I should have suggested bringing more. What do you think about getting more even now?” 

“That would be too much.”

Apart from having to go back and forth again, the number of creatures we can fit in the car is limited. 

Moreover, if we walk around with too many of them, we’d be too conspicuous to other people.

‘That would be like advertising that we’re awakened ones.’

Well, whether herding many or just having one goblin like now, it’s already like advertising. 

Setting all that aside, dragging them around without space to put them is a big problem. 

Let’s say we find a place to stay first. 

The more space those creatures take up, the less space there is for me, Tulip, and Ha-rin.

That’s not the end of it. I don’t even know if I have enough mana to continuously control a large number. If the control breaks midway, a battle will immediately break out. There are many other things to consider.

‘Maybe when the time comes that I don’t have to worry about all those things.’

For now, I should keep the Elder Goblin safe and alive. Absolutely because of the heat… that’s part of it. Even without that reason, I need to check its limitations quickly.

“Ju-han, look over there.”

The direction Ha-rin pointed. Something was melting the street with each step it took. 

As if searing the ground with a giant soldering iron.

I narrowed my eyes. A strange form like lava walking on four legs. 

And it’s huge.

‘If it stood on two legs, it would be about my height.’

Every time it moved, the ground trembled, and heat surged momentarily. 

From a distance, it didn’t seem special except for its size, but facing it in person, the temperature felt different.

‘Shit, this doesn’t seem like an early area anymore.’

It’s hard to breathe.

On the other hand, Tulip and Kang Ha-rin seemed to be holding up better than I expected.

“Ha-rin, it’s fortunate your armor holds up in this heat.” 

“Really?” 

“Yes. So stop thinking you’re not helpful.”

I peered through the shimmering heat waves to watch what was ahead. 

That creature slowly turned its body, then fixed its head towards us.

“Elder.” 

“KEURUK!” 

“Give that bastard a freezing shot.”

At that moment, the Elder Goblin began to move.