2.
I don't have a place I can call my hometown.
If there is one, it would be the pillowcase that was hung out in the sun every day, filled with a fresh scent. The bunk bed in the orphanage. When I was very young, the place where the director used to clean my ears with a cotton swab.
A hometown I can no longer return to.
[You have died.]
Blink. Blink.
Like a broken lamp flickering its white breath, a warning sounded in my head.
[Your current Hunter Rank is S-Class.]
[Due to the enhanced penalty, you will choose the order in which you activate your skills].
If Kim Gong-ja's hometown was the bunk bed with its lime and yellow checkered fading bedspread, then this place must also be a kind of hometown.
The Death King's hometown.
The dark origin.
[1. Would you like to first acquire the skill of the enemy that killed you?]
[2. Would you like to first materialize the trauma of the enemy that killed you?]
If I were to add a joke, it might be about the essence of the Death King.
Huhuh.
A man with fundamentals. Death King Kim Gong-ja….
-Yeah, I heard your escapism loud and clear.
Bae Hu-ryeong said.
-Hey, there's a lot to say, but choose number 1 for now. If you start with trauma, it's going to be a disaster.
"Damn it..."
-Yeah. I understand that you're dying of embarrassment right now, but would you please choose number 1 first? You said your trauma was messed up even when you were B-Class Hunter. But now you're straight up S-Class? Screwed, aren't you? Now, choose. Number 1.
"Ughaaaaa...!"
-Choose!
I chose.
[You have selected option 1.]
[The condition for skill acquisition through death has been met.]
[You will randomly copy a skill from the Constellation ■■■■ ■■ ■■■.]
Ssshh.
Golden fireflies fluttered around.
[Forming a skill card.]
[Please select a skill card.]
And that was it.
I grabbed my head, waiting for the cards to form. 3 seconds. 6 seconds. But no matter how long I waited, the only fireflies dancing in the dark void were just one.
In other words.
"...Just one?"
Only one ability.
The Constellation that mocked me had only one skill.
"There's no choice of selecting or anything now. I have to choose that one no matter what. Huh? Speaking of which, hasn't my appearance changed a bit, too?"
I opened and closed my hand in the darkness. I could feel its substance. It wasn't like moving an imaginary hand in consciousness or swimming in a dream. It was the sensation of my real body moving.
-Right?
Bae Hu-ryeong also stroked his chin.
-Back in the day, only your voice was heard or you looked blurry like some ghost, but now you completely have a body. The surroundings are still dark though.
"Is this also because my Hunter Rank has gone up?"
-Who knows? Even if I'm a super genius, how would I know your skills better than you?
Bae Hu-ryeong muttered, let's see, and turned to the back of the golden card.
Then he read the skill description written on the back of the card.
+
[Universal Sovereign] (1/3)
Rank: EX
Effect: Manipulates the world in real-time. The world changes according to the skill caster's imagination. If the caster wishes to be in the sea, a sea will appear there. 'There was originally a sea there,' and the world will have changed from the beginning.
This is a power that should not originally be permitted, and is only allowed under the contract made with the Constellation ■■■■ ■■ ■■■ on a limited basis.
The limitations of this skill are as follows:
※You cannot change the world if you lack imagination.
To create a sea, one must be able to imagine a sea. There is a big difference between simply imagining and imagining in detail.
※However, the skill holder cannot change the world alone.
The holder can only use the skill when with someone else. Universal Sovereign is effective only when you are not just fulfilling your own imagination but trying to fulfill an imagination together with a companion. Choose your companion carefully.
※However, this skill can only be used three times.
This skill is not permanent. The number of available uses decreases with each casting. When Universal Sovereign is cast for the third time, the skill will be destroyed.
※A penalty is applied each time the skill is used.
Currently, there is '1 use' left of [Universal Sovereign].
+
I opened my mouth.
At first, I was speechless at the sheer power of the skill. But then….
"How come there are so many limitations!?"
I was astonished by the unprecedented number of restrictions.
"One, two, three…. Four limitations? Four? My goodness. Even [Returner's Clockwork Watch], another EX-grade skill, only has one limitation. I've never seen a skill with more than two limitations before. What in the world..."
-Hmm.
Bae Hu-ryeong murmured. Unlike me, Bae Hu-ryeong seemed to accept it.
-No matter how supreme a Constellation, I wondered how it could be so terrifying. Indeed. They maximized the effect by sticking penalties all over the power they originally had. My intuition is never wrong. A pervert playing with perverts. A pervert master.
"Pervert master…."
-Remember?
Bae Hu-ryeong suddenly asked.
"Excuse me?"
-The name of the Constellation. You were brainwashed into worshipping it as a god, but anyway, it became your personal Constellation for a few days, didn't it? It must have mentioned its name in the messages when using its power, do you remember the Constellation's name?
"...."
I furrowed my brows.
Deeply.
"No. I don't remember. Could this also be the effect of [Universal Sovereign]? Because of the wish, the imagination that it doesn't want its name to be revealed, our memories of it."
-That's possible. But there's another interpretation.
Bae Hu-ryeong snapped his fingers.
The golden card fluttered with the flick of his finger.
-Stolen. The name.
"Stolen?"
-Penalty.
Penalty.
-Right now, the Constellation isn't exerting its power in this space. It's in a state of freedom. But even in the skill card's description, the alias isn't written…. Just ■■■■ ■■ ■■■, just like that. There must be a reason for that.
"…So the name was completely deleted?"
-Ninety-nine percent.
Bae Hu-ryeong crossed his arms and slowly tilted his head.
-According to what's written here, [Universal Sovereign] can only be used three times. And it's already been used twice. Kim Zombie. You're probably the last one selected as the target of [Universal Sovereign], the final third companion.
"...."
Upon hearing those words, a voice came to my mind.
When the Constellation asked me to become its follower, it had revealed it.
『You are the person I have been waiting for thousands of years.』
『You are my third follower.』
『Will you believe in me?』
The third follower.
The Constellation had clearly said so.
-Therefore.
As I gathered clues from my past memories, Bae Hu-ryeong continued his own speculations. Snap! Bae Hu-ryeong flicked his finger.
-This unidentified Constellation has already used [Universal Sovereign] twice. And it has received two penalties. One of them must be 'losing its name forever.'
"Losing its name… Is that such a big penalty?"
-Why do you think Constellation Killer was so strong? Why did you make such a fuss about getting his name back?
I rested my chin on my hand.
Bae Hu-ryeong scratched his cheek.
-Names are important. Losing it is a huge penalty.
"Um."
-It's a big deal for people, but for a Constellation, it's an immense penalty.
Bae Hu-ryeong said.
-A name is like a coordinate. Without a name, there's no target, and without a target, there's no direction, making it almost impossible for faith to accumulate towards a Constellation that can't be located. Losing a name is akin to 'giving up on faith.' It becomes impossible to become a major Constellation like Mahos or Babit.
That's one penalty.
"Then… what could the other penalty be?"
-Something similar to a name. Something that constitutes a part of its existence.
Bae Hu-ryeong's gaze deepened.
-In my opinion, it's probably the appearance.
Appearance. Looks. The facade.
The physical entirety that reveals oneself to the outside.
-Any guesses?
"...."
There is.
A guess.
『I want to buy some clothes that suit that child.』
『Something comfortable for moving around. Any good suggestions?』
I once tried to buy a set of clothes for the Constellation in a town, which was probably created by [Universal Sovereign], but still, it was a place.
The shop owner said.
『A child? Where is this child you speak of?』
『Right there. The boy in almost rags.』
『Hmm? Sorry, but I don't see anyone. I don't know what you're talking…』
That's right.
Initially, the shopkeeper didn't recognize the Constellation. Or, even if he did, he couldn't identify it accurately.
It was the same for me.
『Oh, but isn't this too big?』
『Strange. I thought it would fit perfectly…?』
I ended up buying clothes that were too large for the Constellation.
Even though I recognized the Constellation as a 'boy,' somehow, unconsciously, I gifted clothes that were much larger than a 'boy.'
"…Right."
It's not just about physique. The voice, gender, manner of speech, everything I remember is dubious.
Literally in the dark.
Everything that forms the appearance of the Constellation is shrouded in fog.
"The Constellation has lost its name. It has lost its appearance. That's the penalty the Constellation bears. And now, choosing me as the third follower, the last companion of [Universal Sovereign], means…"
-That there's one more penalty, far worse than losing its name or appearance.
"Yes."
Possibly.
"…I wonder if its very existence will be erased."
The traces of the Constellation's life so far.
Including its own memories and the memories of others who remember it, everything might disappear as the third penalty.
The so-called 'erasure of existence.'
I can't think of a more severe penalty than losing its name or appearance.
-Indeed.
Bae Hu-ryeong nodded at my conjecture.
-So, despite bearing such a penalty, the Constellation wanted to use [Universal Sovereign] on you. It didn't care if it disappeared.
"..."
-I'd like to ask why, but I suppose we'll find out soon enough without asking.
"Yes."
I reached out my hand.
"Since we're going to see the trauma anyway."
I grasped the only golden light flickering in this void.
[Selection complete.]
[Copying the skill.]
As I grasped it with my fingers, the card melted away. It transformed into golden fireflies and flowed towards my chest. For a while, my heart was dyed in gold.
And then.
[A penalty due to the skill occurs.]
[Your current Hunter Rank is S-Class.]
[Warning.]
[Warning.]
Tick.
Somewhere, the hands of a clock began to turn.
[The depth of the penalty is Supreme.]
[It is the Human Path.]
With a ferocious speed, tick, surpassing cognition with its pace, tick, the hour, minute, and second hands jumbled up chaotically, tick, leaving only afterimages as they spun wildly.
[Reproducing the trauma of the enemy that killed you.]
Suddenly, my heart chilled.
When my rank was B-Class and I experienced the trauma of Constellation Killer, Bae Hu-ryeong couldn't enter with me. No. He did enter, but couldn't maintain his existence. Overlaid on my memory, on Kim Yul's memory, Bae Hu-ryeong transformed into someone else, not himself.
I had died when I was A-Class too.
None other than the Jester. While preparing for war with the Magic Tower, after drinking poison repeatedly, I had suddenly faced a near-death experience.
'That person's trauma wasn't much.'
He was a gentleman who enjoyed life. Not on a level to compare with Kim Yul or Estelle.
Not every human living in this world could be that miserable.
Ultimately, the intensity of the trauma was determined not only by my level but also related to the life of the opponent.
'…What about this time?'
Tick.
'The trauma of the Constellation.'
Tick.
'If it's severe, I might even disappear….'
Somewhere, the clock hands stopped.
'But.'
I bit my lip hard.
'I will overcome it.'
The moment I made my resolution.
[Warning.]
[Unable to find the alias of the skill's target.]
[Unable to find the true name of the skill's target.]
In the darkening consciousness, the voice of the Tower rang out.
[Warning.]
[Unable to find the appearance of the skill's target.]
[Reproduction failure.]
[Substituting necessary data for embodiment.]
With the thought that it was an ominously unsettling sound coming to an end.
[Implementing the trauma of the enemy that killed you.]
Thud.
My consciousness was severed.
****