I don’t have perfect memory. But maybe because I’ve become a Constellation, or maybe it’s something else, my recollection of the novel’s plot is uncannily clear.
The first thing to figure out is the information Kang Si-hoo is hiding.
[You have entered a dungeon that has been fully opened.]
[Dungeon: <Tomb of the Awakening One>]
[Fanatics have gathered for the one curled up inside the mansion, waiting for the day of resurrection. Survive the ones who seek eternal life.
Estimated Difficulty: A
Reward: ???
A special item is hidden inside.]
[You have entered Channel #990O3. Current number of viewers: 3.]
[In addition, ‘One Who Guides the Dead’ has entered. Current number of viewers: 4.]
As expected, Kang Si-hoo also had a Constellation.
But there’s something to be cautious about: there’s a high probability that even his Constellation hasn’t followed the original storyline. Originally, Kang Si-hoo was supposed to form a contract with a Constellation in this dungeon.
The Constellation he was meant to contract with was Hypnos, the ‘Master of Sleep’, also called the ‘God of Sleep’. A laid-back, elder-like presence who showed kindness to Kang Si-hoo and gradually gained majesty as Kang Si-hoo grew stronger. If he had indeed contracted with Kang Si-hoo, he would have revealed himself to me too.
But the moment I thought that—
[‘Unknown User’ has left Channel #990O3. Current number of viewers: 3.]
That Constellation just left. Without even leaving a single line of chat, it showed up as ‘Unknown User’. I was too dumbfounded to say anything as the pure white fog before me began to clear, revealing the dungeon’s interior.
It was the inside of a grand mansion. Purple-lit torches lined the hallway walls, and an ornate chandelier hung from the ceiling. A deep crimson carpet spread across the entrance hall we had come through, and towering stairs led up, with several branching paths extending out.
I couldn’t tell exactly how many centuries ago it was built, but it felt ancient and immense. A mansion large enough to hold dozens of doors.
[CH.#990O3/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : What the hell was that just now?
[CH.#990O3/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction] : Who was that?
[CH.#990O3/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : Vanished before we could even figure out who or what it was.
Apollo clicked his tongue briefly.
[CH.#990O3/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : There are some who find interactions between Constellations utterly revolting, so it’s not that strange.
[CH.#990O3/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction] : Revolting?
[CH.#990O3/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : We are gods and yet not gods. Born of human strength, dependent on them—yet some still believe they stand above humans.
[CH.#990O3/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : Do you understand what I mean? We exist because you humans believe in the presence of ‘gods’. One whom no one remembers cannot be called a god. In that sense, we cling to you like parasites.
[CH.#990O3/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : Even as Constellations, we are insignificant. We are nothing more than star signs.
[CH.#990O3/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : That’s why we seek entertainment. To fill the void that cannot be satisfied. But among us, there are those peculiar few. The ones who genuinely believe they are ‘true gods’.
[CH.#990O3/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction] : And hearing that Apollo doesn’t count among them just makes things even more complicated.
This wasn’t something that appeared in the original story. The novel had claimed that Constellations formed contracts with humans purely out of a desperate pursuit of “entertainment.”
[CH.#990O3/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : And what do you take me for?
[CH.#990O3/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : If I were a perfect ‘god,’ I wouldn’t give a damn about the end of the world.
[CH.#990O3/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : All I’d have to do is make a prophecy and be done with it.
[CH.#990O3/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction] : Then what do you mean by revolting?
[CH.#990O3/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : They believe it alone. That they’re the only true god.
It felt like Apollo was smiling bitterly, almost self-deprecating.
[CH.#990O3/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : In the end, they isolate themselves even from their own being. Their frantic efforts not to go mad end up gnawing away at them.
“Whoa, this place is no joke. An old mansion? That’s the vibe, right?”
Kim Ki-won rubbed his arms, playing up the reaction. I said nothing for a moment, then looked up at Baek Tae-beom. He was scanning the surroundings with wary eyes, his gaze fixed on the doors that looked like they could burst open at any moment.
Lee Myung-won spoke.
“There are several paths. It looks like we’ll need to split up and explore. Let’s go with teams of three.”
“Ah, then in that case…”
I raised my hand high. At my sudden motion, Jeon Pil-soo, who was standing nearby, flinched and took a step back.
“I’ll go with Kang Cheol-su.”
“Huh?”
“Hyung, then I’ll…”
“No. Hold on a second.”
Kim Ki-won spoke in exasperation.
“Isn’t that completely unbalanced? You can’t pair an S-rank hunter with an unranked hunter like that.”
“You’ve been a pain in the ass from the start.”
Baek Tae-beom looked down at Kim Ki-won with a frigid expression. The flesh on Kim Ki-won’s cheeks twitched nervously.
“Keep running your mouth like that and I just might kill you—”
“Alright.”
“Hyung?”
Baek Tae-beom turned to me with a bewildered face. Ignoring the almost puppy-like look on his face, I responded evenly.
“Then I’ll go with Kim Ki-won and Kang Cheol-su.”
“What did you say?”
Baek Tae-beom strode toward me in disbelief. His eyes, staring down at me from close range, looked like someone betrayed by the one they trusted most. But I had no choice but to look away. I had originally planned to stay with Baek Tae-beom, but given how things were unfolding, I needed to find out Kang Si-hoo’s identity—even if it meant forcing the issue.
And even more so, the identity of his Constellation.
“Hyung, you said… you said you’d stay with me.”
“I don’t have a choice, Beom.”
“No choice? Do you even understand how dangerous an A-rank dungeon is right now, hyung?”
[Your Contractor is feeling fear.]
I’m sorry, but I know. I know full well that what I’m doing is incredibly stupid.
[CH.#990O3/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : Are you insane? You’re seriously going off on your own here?
[CH.#990O3/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction] : That guy’s way too suspicious.
[CH.#990O3/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction] : If it looks like he’s about to die, you know I’ll have to help him out of pure decency, right? Got it?
[CH.#990O3/One Who Guides the Dead] : How convenient. To suddenly. Invoke camaraderie. In such moments. How pitiful. Indeed.
[CH.#990O3/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction] : Oh, shut up.
I gently stroked Baek Tae-beom’s hair. His soft strands slipped between my fingers. I met his doubtful gaze head-on. Finally, the man exhaled deeply, his breathing slowly settling.
“Did he just… pet Hunter Baek Tae-beom…?”
“Like he’s some kid. Unreal…”
I ignored the murmuring between Jeon Pil-soo and Kim Ki-won.
“If I need your help, I’ll call for you. Okay?”
“……”
“Promise me. Please?”
“I promise. For real this time.”
Baek Tae-beom pouted and briefly grabbed my hand before letting it go. That simple gesture stunned everyone around us. Even Kang Si-hoo was peeking over from behind the two other hunters, and Lee Myung-won’s expression looked increasingly sour.
‘Was Baek Tae-beom’s reputation always this bad?’
Judging from the comments I’d seen in the articles now and then, yeah, it wasn’t great. But the way everyone was reacting now—like they were seeing a tamer control a wild beast—was something else.
‘He’s honestly got such a kind heart, though.’
I gave Baek Tae-beom’s head another gentle pat, then motioned to Kim Ki-won and Kang Si-hoo with a glance.
“Let’s go. We’ll take the path to the right.”
“Then we’ll go left. Let’s regroup here in two hours.”
“Be careful, hyung.”
I yanked on the hem of Kang Si-hoo’s clothes, who kept trying to hide behind Kim Ki-won. The man stumbled with a startled “uhh, uhh,” sound before catching his balance.
It was hard to read his expression behind the mask, but he clearly looked flustered. I looked up at him and asked,
“Why do you keep hiding behind Kim Ki-won?”
“B-b-but…”
Kang Si-hoo stammered helplessly, so Kim Ki-won answered for him.
“This guy’s always been a bit off. Could you cut him some slack, seeing as you’re the unranked Hunter Choi Ga-hyeon?”
“That’s not the issue. If you keep moving like this and a monster pops out of nowhere, what then?”
And it wasn’t a baseless worry. In this dungeon, monsters appeared and disappeared like ghosts. The humanoid monsters—so-called fanatics—would attack at any given moment.
At my words, Kim Ki-won tensed and tilted his chin slightly. Then, as if fed up with Kang Si-hoo clinging to him, he shoved the man aside.
“Don’t stay near me.”
“B-but…”
“Stay by my side, Kang… Cheol-su.”
I raised my staff.
“I’ll protect you.”
Of course, Kang Si-hoo was probably stronger than me.
Kang Si-hoo looked down at me for a moment, then quietly stepped a little closer. He leaned toward me just slightly.
“T-then… I’ll stay by your side, Ga-hyeon.”
[Constellation ‘One More Dazzling Than the Sun’ narrows his eyes.]
[CH.#990O3/One More Dazzling Than the Sun] : Oh? Look at this little bastard.
