WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈

Chapter 375: Blue Blood (3)

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3.

"Hold on. What in the world is going on?"

Black Dragon Master asked in confusion. Raviel's visit had already stirred up the lodging.

For the friends who were enjoying a peaceful evening after work, it was like a bolt out of the blue.

"Did something big happen in the empire? Something like a rebellion or a surprise attack. Is that why you're here all of a sudden...."

"Both a rebellion and a surprise attack occurred, on top of which there was also poisoning, Black Dragon Master."

"What!? Really!?"

"And fortunately, all three issues have been resolved recently. I'm here for a different matter now."

Raviel sat down on the sofa naturally and looked at me.

As if to say, explain yourself.

Although she didn't show it outwardly, I could tell from the sound of her heart and her breathing that Raviel was quite unsettled.

"I do not know the details of this other matter myself. Still, I am the one who wishes to ask, 'What in the world happened?' Gong-Ja. You would dread seeing my life taken once more than seeing your own life end a thousand times, so I cannot help wondering why you made [that request]."

Before long, not only Raviel but all my colleagues were looking at me. Raviel demanded an explanation, and my colleagues wanted one.

"Hmm."

I took a deep breath.

The strategy meeting had begun.

"Yes, Raviel... If it was a matter that could be resolved by me fading away a thousand times, I would never have asked such a favor from you."

"Then…"

"I would have never been able to meet you again."

The gazes of those sitting in the common living area pricked my face.

"Twenty-four hours from now, I will face the danger of being sealed away permanently."

Silence fell.

The speed of people's reactions varied. Of course, Raviel was the first to understand. Holding her fan, she leaned on her chin and murmured, "....so it was that kind of thing."

"Hmm."

Surprisingly, or perhaps not, the next person to grasp the meaning of my words was Paladin, Patricia.

Patricia crossed her arms and looked sharply in this direction.

"Indeed. An enemy has appeared wielding the most effective tactic against Gong-Ja. Does '24 hours later' mean you've just returned from a day's regression?"

"Yes."

"If someone can guess your abilities to some extent and if they're powerful and formidable enough, it's an inevitable obstacle you'd eventually face. Don't worry, Gong-Ja."

As Patricia and I conversed, the other colleagues began to guess the situation after a delay. The Countess nodded with an "aha," and the Black Dragon Master sighed, "Ah..."

Having revealed to the gathered colleagues that I could regress, they quickly grasped the situation. Only Viper looked around blankly.

"Hey, hey, what is this? What are you talking about? Why are all of you making faces like you understand? This old man does not understand a word of it."

"It's simple, Liǎofàn. Gong-Ja cannot be killed, and the more he dies, the stronger he becomes. So, the only strategy is to seal him away, regardless of the means."

Patricia explained as if it were nothing.

"Isolate him so no one can help him, seal him so he can't take his own life, and paralyze him for an eternity."

"Ah... Oh. Yeah. I get it, but how did you grasp the situation so quickly after hearing about Gong-Ja?"

"Well, it's because that strategy was included in the plans I had devised to eliminate Gong-Ja. It's a tactic I personally concocted, so how could I not know?"

"Uh... ...Eh? What?"

"Never mind. It's become irrelevant now."

Patricia shook her head once and looked at me.

"So, Gong-Ja. Who is it? Who tried to seal you away? Sealing you is easier said than done and extremely difficult to achieve. Is there such a formidable enemy?"

I nodded.

"Yes. Someone called the Constellation Killer."

The explanation of who the Constellation Killer was went on for some time.

"......."

"......."

Throughout my explanation, my colleagues' expressions grew serious. Even the worst fashion combination of gym clothes and three-striped slippers couldn't hide their seriousness, well, not entirely anyway.

Because my removal would mean the collapse of the entire World of the Lone Child.

It might sound arrogant, but realistically, my existence is far too important for the World of the Lone Child. I'm too central to everything.

First, the 5 great guilds have settled their past grievances and cooperated with me at their center.

Second, the Aegim Empire worships the [Goddess of Protection] as a deity, and the [Goddess of Protection] calls me the Hero and follows me. Thanks to this authority, I can interfere in the Aegim Empire.

Third, it's the same with Raviel's empire. In fact, thanks to the political marriage between Raviel and me, both worlds are communicating smoothly, aren't they?

Fourth, the other world where Uburka was born is even less worth mentioning.

I am a pillar of the World of the Lone Child.

The harmony among the numerous other races and other worlds hangs solely on my life.

I must not fall, and I cannot be allowed to disappear.

"....What a peculiar fate."

Raviel broke the heavy silence.

"The Constellation Killer we're talking about now is an ancient ancestor of mine. Our family was originally commoners but rose to the core of power overnight by receiving the favor of a hero who saved the nation. The Constellation Killer left our family the Prayer Sword before departing."

The Prayer Sword.

The very sword that Raviel used to stab her heart while facing the mirror.

"Using the Prayer Sword, I became a Constellation. Because I became a Constellation, my world was recorded in the Revelations. Because it was recorded, Gong-Ja, I was able to meet you."

"Yes, Raviel... I always feel that fate is mysterious."

Kim Yul became the reason the director founded the orphanage, and because of the director, I became who I am today. Is that not a chain of cause and effect beyond strange, almost uncanny?

"Yeah. I get the bizarre fate part."

Anastasia, who had been frowning the whole time, finally spoke.

"So what's the plan now?"

"Naturally, I intend to pay him back."

With that single statement, our night was gone.

We gathered around the table in the living room, and the vassals needed for the operation were summoned. The Countess even called in [The Cat that Bites Gold Coins]. Since the enemy we faced was a natural predator of Constellations, the best advice would come from Constellations themselves.

"The Constellation Killer... Woof. To be blunt, this will be difficult."

The tricolor cat swished its tail in response to the question of how to eliminate the Constellation Killer.

"The Constellation Killer has officially cleared up to the 90th floor as a hunter, and hunters who have cleared up to the 90th floor are basically granted their own sanctuary."

"I know. Like sanctuaries such as the Great Library. We just need to invade that sanctuary, don't we?"

"Woof. That is true, but..."

The cats made a complicated expression. They exchanged glances and cautiously observed my reaction.

"That's where the problem arises, Wailing Heaven. So far, not a single hunter or even a Constellation has set foot in the Constellation Killer's sanctuary. No, there are hardly any Constellations who have even the slightest information about the Constellation Killer's sanctuary."

"Why is that?"

"Because the essence of the Constellation Killer's sanctuary is [concealment]."

Concealment.

"Woof. More precisely, it is closer to [ignorance]. As you know, Wailing Heaven, the Constellation Killer discards his memories more readily than a scrap of promotional tissue. Even the Constellation Killer knows nothing about himself: what kind of life he lived, what kind of person he is, or why he must roam around killing Constellations. No one knows, and the Constellation Killer himself probably knows little more."

"......."

"Therefore, ignorance is the essence of the Constellation Killer. Woof. We do not know where he is. Even with him before our eyes, we would not know who he was. Even with the place where he resides before our eyes, we probably could not enter it."

I sighed.

The fact that no one knew that child had remained unchanged since the days when Kim Yul sat by the classroom window.

"Snake."

I looked down at the snake wrapped around my wrist.

"Ssss?"

"Do you know the coordinates of where the Constellation Killer's sanctuary is located?"

The thin snake flicked its tongue.

[The Eyes Dwelling in the Labyrinth boasts that there is no sanctuary whose coordinates it does not know!]

The cats seated at the table perked up their ears.

"Ahhh, certainly. Hisimet Cretsu should at least be able to determine the coordinates. Ignorance means not knowing the truth, while secrecy means hiding it. In both cases, the truth is turned away from. Woof. And Hisimet Cretsu is a Constellation that exposes the truth. ...Or so one might say."

[The Cat that Bites Gold Coins looks at you with newfound appreciation.]

"With Hisimet Cretsu, there are almost no worlds you cannot reach. With us, there is nothing you cannot buy. Woof. You have collected only the most useful Constellations, Wailing Heaven. It is completely broken."

"Knowing the coordinates is enough to go?"

I ignored the cats' sighs and asked.

The thin snake, which had been confidently flicking its tongue, slightly bowed its head.

[The Eyes Dwelling in the Labyrinth denies that.]

[The Eyes Dwelling in the Labyrinth compares it to not being able to infiltrate a military facility in front of you, even if you know it's there.]

[The Eyes Dwelling in the Labyrinth confesses that it only knows that something exists there, not how to get there.]

Of course.

The Constellation Killer didn't hide the secret; he erased the memories that could become secrets.

While the snake can sense "there was something there," it can't expose "what is there."

'But.'

I turned my head.

'Even what the Constellation Killer abandoned and lost is by my side.'

Across the table.

There sat the people that gathered here in response to the summon.

Among them, I called the name of the man who had to be the key to this operation.

"Kim Yul."

"......."

"Perhaps you have the authority to enter Constellation Killer's sanctuary."

Kim Yul, the [origin] of the Constellation Killer, silently looked at me.

Yes.

It's unknown how tight a security system the Constellation Killer's sanctuary has. Even if we knew, there's no guarantee we could break through.

However, it's too clear who would automatically be allowed by that security.

"Our plan is simple. Hisimet Cretsu will reveal the coordinates, and you, Kim Yul, will cross over to those coordinates. Please establish a foothold for us there. We, including myself, will immediately rush over."

"Understood, My Lord."

As Kim Yul nodded, [The Cat that Bites Gold Coins] urgently spoke up.

"W-Wait, please, Wailing Heaven. First... I understand that he has access authority. But the Constellation Killer's sanctuary possesses a hierarchy on the level of the 90th floor!"

"Is that so?"

"Woof! Of course! Conditions must be met to access such a place."

The cat spread its pink jelly-like toes wide.

"First, if one offers their sanctuary to the tower. Like [The One with the Delicious Tail] did for your 20th floor, and I did for the 70th floor, connecting my world."

"Who is The One with the Delicious Tail?"

"Also known as Hamusutra."

"Why are they called that..."

"Is that important right now?! Please focus on the story!"

It feels extremely important. So much so that it seems to be the only important thing at this moment.

Everyone seemed desperate to know, but the cat continued its explanation without caring.

"Second, one may connect one's sanctuary. The 60th-floor range works like that. Usually a subordinate world is connected, but some directly connect their own world. [The One with the Delicious Kneecaps] is one such case."

"And who is that..."

"Also known as Mutia."

Delicious, is it?

Are Mutia's kneecaps delicious……?

"First is a kind of duty to the tower, while the second is a means of business for accumulating power as a Constellation."

"It seems similar..."

"Well, it actually is similar. Regarding this, you will learn more when you actually reach the 90th floor... But these two methods have a common point in a different sense. The Constellations can set their own access rights to the sanctuary."

I nodded.

"What's the other method?"

"Third, the overall manager of the tower. For example, a pillar provides an access route. [The One Who Becomes Delicious Alcohol] was caught by you guys this way."

Hisimet Cretsu let out a screech. The cat looked at Hisimet Cretsu and smacked its lips before continuing.

"Other than that, well, someone of the same class. Wailing Heaven would qualify, but that human wouldn't."

I smirked.

In other words, [Kim Yul has the authority to enter Constellation Killer's sanctuary but not the qualification to enter the 90th floor stage.]

On the other hand, [I have the qualification to enter the 90th floor stage but not the authority to enter the Constellation Killer's sanctuary.]

Each of us lacks one necessary condition for the other.

"It's okay."

But in other words, we can make up for what the other lacks.

And Kim Yul and I are already bound together.

We could each call the other “myself.”

"Kim Yul is my Apostle. My limbs, so to speak. So, go not as [a Hunter] but as [an Apostle of the Constellation Wailing Heaven]."

"Ye-? ...Ahaa! Indeed!"

The tri-colored cat looked back and forth between me and Kim Yul and then opened its mouth.

"If he truly is an Apostle, it's possible! Apostles gain the same rights as the Constellation if the Constellation permits."

Kim Yul regained his memories because of me and took physical form through me. Now that I have become complete as a Constellation, it is entirely fitting to call Kim Yul my Apostle.

Not just Kim Yul. Ester, Silvia, the Four Demon Lords, and the followers of the Demonic Heaven, those who received life through me, are now all my Apostles.

Therefore, this operation becomes possible.

"Kim Yul will cross over first. As my Apostle and as our vanguard."

Just as [The Ruin-Harvesting Cow] sent Goldencup as her vanguard when invading Raviel's world...

This time, I send Kim Yul as my vanguard to invade the Constellation Killer's sanctuary.

"And as soon as you arrive, please call me. Summon me. Then, I will rush over with my Apostles and followers."

All the pieces were in place.

We know the coordinates because of [The Eyes Dwelling in the Labyrinth]. We can enter the sanctuary because of Kim Yul. I can respond to his call because I am Kim Yul's Constellation. The others can cross with me because they are either my Apostles or followers.

Everything I achieved from climbing from the 10th to the 80th floor makes the current operation possible.

"Woof. At least from what we can see, there is no problem!"

[The Cat that Bites Gold Coins] also guaranteed the success of the operation.

So, now all that's left is to execute the plan, but...

"Apostle? Follower?"

The Black Dragon Master muttered blankly.

"Wait a moment. I wasn't called when Gong-Ja conquered the heavenly floors! I'm neither an Apostle nor a follower or anything!"

"Then you can watch the house from here."

The Countess fanned herself leisurely.

"For reference, of course, I have already obtained the certificate of being Gong-Ja's follower. Being recognized for clearing the heavenly floors is equivalent to becoming Gong-Ja's follower."

"Hmm. The first follower was me."

The Paladin leisurely fanned the Countess rather than herself.

"Thinking about it, Anastasia wasn't called as a judge. Is that so. She doesn't meet the qualifications... It's regrettable."

"Ah. You are always going on about how you were the first to become friends with Gong-Ja, but this is where true camaraderie is proven, isn't it?"

"Ahahaha. For starters, I'm definitely Gong-Ja's follower!"

One after another, the Paladin, Viper, and the Heretic Inquisitor spoke.

"......."

As Black Dragon Master looked around, she suddenly glared at me with eyes burning with some emotion.

And then, as if betrayed by me, she shouted in a voice full of such sentiment.

"I'm converting!"

You were atheist, weren't you?

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