[You use a skill. Skill: Condemnation]
[Condemnation has been activated.]
A desk dropped with a loud crash onto the zombie that came charging forward with its toothless mouth agape. Thanks to that, the other nearby monsters also ended up pinned under the desk, flailing their limbs and making grotesque noises.
Lee Tae-hyung looked at the scene as if something about it struck him as strange. He was dressed in a tracksuit zipped all the way up to his neck, as though he had just stepped out for a casual stroll around the neighborhood, but it was splattered with blood, making for a thoroughly jarring sight.
“Choi Ga-hyeon-ssi, your skill is quite unusual, isn’t it?”
Lee Tae-hyung of the Wanderers Guild. A member of Team 1, he hadn’t contracted with a Constellation, but primarily used wind-based skills. Even now, he was hurling monsters away with wind, flinging them into the ravine beneath the bridge. The gusts sent the yellow-highlighted fringe of his bangs fluttering.
He had a reputation for being eccentric, and true to that, he took an interest in my skill. Calmly, I responded as I stomped down on a zombie’s leg with my staff.
“Is it?”
“Yes. Very unique and odd… You could even say it’s a skill that creates something entirely new, couldn’t you? Even if the items that fall during its use are random. Actually, doesn’t it make you curious? Are those objects truly being created out of nothing? Or are they being summoned from some alternate worldline to strike down your foes? Doesn’t that make you curious?”
Lee Tae-hyung muttered to himself as he looked at me with sparkling eyes, clearly expecting an answer. I replied while putting some distance between us.
“No, not curious.”
“But…!”
“Not even a little.”
We were still advancing, fending off monsters as we went. The ceiling above was covered in cube-like ruins, stuck all over the cave walls and overhead like clumps. Each one looked like some sort of shrine, and from their entrances, blood was pouring down, forming rivers.
Baek Tae-beom was sticking close to me, fighting defensively, while Oh Kwon-hyuk was punching every monster that crawled up without hesitation. As for Blue Star…
“O timeless and everlasting, grant your song.”
Blue Star, clad in golden armor that enveloped their entire body, shook a bronze bell. Black clouds rolled in, and lightning struck down, charring the zombies pitch-black. It was an absolutely bizarre sight. With sky-blue hair flowing in the wind and a stance befitting a general, he looked unmistakably Western, yet his contracted Constellation was Korea’s Seven Star Deities.
[CH.#fdl990/First Brother Who Became a Star] : Aigoo, our baby’s doing great. That’s my boy.
[CH.#fdl990/Fourth Brother Who Became a Star] : Hyung-nim, if you keep calling him “baby,” isn’t it no wonder he’s growing up with bad habits?
[CH.#fdl990/First Brother Who Became a Star] : Then what else should I call a baby, if not “baby”?
[CH.#fdl990/First Brother Who Became a Star] : Little brother. Am I wrong?
[CH.#fdl990/Third Brother Who Became a Star] : Technically, Dong-chan wouldn’t be considered a “baby” by human standards…
These Constellations were seriously having a debate over whether their contractor was a baby or not. It really did feel like they were ancient beings. The Seven Stars referred to the Big Dipper, and considering there were even tales of the Three Goddesses among them, what more needed to be said?
[CH.#fdl990/First Brother Who Became a Star] : Are you saying I’m wrong, then?
[CH.#fdl990/Fourth Brother Who Became a Star] : Not wrong, exactly, Hyung-nim.
[CH.#fdl990/Fourth Brother Who Became a Star] : But wouldn’t Dong-chan, being a full-grown adult, feel offended being treated like a child?
[CH.#fdl990/First Brother Who Became a Star] : Well, now that’s a fair point.
[CH.#fdl990/First Brother Who Became a Star] : Hey, you there, Constellation yet human.
Was he calling me? Now?
[CH.#fdl990/First Brother Who Became a Star] : Ask our Dong-chan for me.
[CH.#fdl990/First Brother Who Became a Star] : Ask if he minds being called “baby.”
I shut my mouth, dumbfounded, but the Seven Star Deities pressed me for a response. Screw it—whatever.
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction] : Blue Star—no, Son Dong-chan probably likes being called “baby.”
[CH.#fdl990/Fourth Brother Who Became a Star] : What!
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction] : Think about it. Doesn’t he often act like a kid in his everyday life? It’s because he wants to be adored.
As I spewed nonsense, the Seven Star Deities responded with awe and admiration.
[CH.#fdl990/First Brother Who Became a Star] : See? I told you. Dong-chan’s totally our baby.
Using “baby” to describe a grown man who was easily over 180 centimeters tall felt bizarre, but then again, considering that Blue Star had endured far worse labels as a celebrity, I figured it probably didn’t matter to him.
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Holds Two Snakes] : You’re kinda… really reckless… huh…
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Holds Two Snakes] : If you’re not careful… karma’s gonna hit… real hard…
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Holds Two Snakes] : Watch… your back…
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction] : Is that a threat or a blessing?
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Holds Two Snakes] : Obviously… a blessing…
“Hyung, if we fall into that river, do you think we’ll die?”
Baek Tae-beom pointed to the crimson river as he spoke. I frowned.
“Most likely.”
When it came to this dungeon, I had absolutely no data. I could make rough guesses, but the truth was I had no idea what might suddenly pop out at any moment.
Watching the grotesque sight of a zombie crawling out of the ground only to be stomped back down, I spoke to Baek Tae-beom.
“We need to cross this bridge first. Just standing here and fighting won’t solve anything.”
“If you say so, hyung.”
At my words, Baek Tae-beom stepped up to the edge and drew his sword. Then, with a stroke as beautiful as a painting, he swung it. A gust of wind swept out instantly, blasting away countless monsters. The problem was, it also blew away the people who had been fighting alongside us.
“Argh!”
“Damn it, Baek Tae-beom!”
Cries rang out from all directions. Some nearly fell off the bridge, and others could be heard plunging into the water with a splash, swept away by the current. I was stunned—never expected things to turn out like this. Just then, Blue Star, who would’ve been blown away if not for the weight of his armor, glared and shouted.
“Are you insane?! Is that damn outbursting disorder acting up again?!”
“Ah, sorry.”
“‘Ah, sorry’ doesn’t cut it! This isn’t the first time! Did you think we’d go easy on you just because you giggle next to Ga-hyeon?!”
“I wasn’t giggling.”
“You totally do that reflexively just by standing next to Choi Ga-hyeon!”
This wasn’t the first time? Flabbergasted, I looked up at Baek Tae-beom, who calmly averted his gaze.
“But everyone made it across the bridge, didn’t they?”
Literally, yes—those who got blown away did end up across the bridge. But that wasn’t the point. Couldn’t he see the people groaning and writhing in pain over there?
Now I understood why Baek Tae-beom had such a reputation among hunters. He kept causing scenes like this. Blue Star, nearly in tears, clutched my hand. With a mournful tone, he said,
“Ga-hyeon-ah, do you see now what kind of wild beast you’ve been dragging around?”
“Let go of my hand.”
“He’s just a damn animal, an animal.”
Baek Tae-beom glared down at him with such a fierce look it seemed like he might literally bite Blue Star’s hand off.
“So remember, you can always call me. Our guild is always open to you, Ga-hyeon.”
“You son of a…”
Blue Star said his piece, let go of my hand, and scampered off. Messages, soaked in admiration, popped up from the Seven Star Deities.
[CH.#fdl990/First Brother Who Became a Star] : That’s our baby.
[CH.#fdl990/First Brother Who Became a Star] : Thinking of others like that…
They were both too much, each in their own way.
“Hyung, I’m really not some kind of beast.”
Baek Tae-beom lowered his gaze, speaking pitifully.
“I just haven’t gotten used to the new sword yet, so I couldn’t control my strength… You know I’m not someone who’d hurt people that easily…”
Golden eyes blinked softly. Then he tugged on my collar with a pleading look, and I was at a loss. It was obviously a textbook act of playing cute.
Then, wrapping one arm gently around my shoulder, he gave me a smiling gaze that made the corners of his eyes crinkle tenderly. Just a moment ago, he looked ready to tear Blue Star apart—now he was radiating sweetness like a sunbeam. Did he really think I’d fall for this kind of charm?
“Of course I know…”
Unfortunately, I was an easy man.
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Holds Two Snakes] : Like Constellation, like contractor,,,,,
