Chapter 277
The hunters gasped upon getting hit by the thorns of the Shadow Crown. One entity dominated their minds, while the other suppressed their power.
The overwhelming pain caused all the hunters to scream in agony.
“Ghaaaaaa!!”
“Arrghhhh!!”
"Suck it up. It’s better than being that guy’s puppet.”
“What have... you done... to me... Choi Yeonseung, you lunatic...!”
As everybody was slowly coming back to their senses because of the ongoing fight with the monster, Gerrity screamed and cursed at Choi Yeonseung.
He didn’t understand what was going on. He knew that the monster had taken over his mind, but what was Choi Yeonseung doing…?
‘There’s actually a power like this?’
At any rate, it wasn’t the time to worry about such things. The full-on confrontation between the monster and Choi Yeonseung had just started!
‘This ain’t easy!’
Choi Yeonseung furrowed his brow as he concentrated his strength.
If he had used martial arts, he would’ve reflected the opponent’s power over and over again until he exhausted him. There was no one in the Abyss that could match Choi Yeonseung when it came to martial arts.
However, the Shadow Crown was the power of another constellation, one that Choi Yeonseung hadn't really used. Now that he was finally using the power in actual combat, he felt awkward using it, not confident in the slightest.
-This is why you should regularly practice using other powers!
-I’m sorry, but is this really the time to lecture me?
Choi Yeonseung tried not to lose his focus while listening to the goddess of sloth.
This fight was similar to a tug of war, one that was about controlling the hunters! On one side was Demiargas, and on the other side was Choi Yeonseung.
‘Stay calm. You need to understand this new power.’
Choi Yeonseung closed his eyes, focusing more intensely. Thinking about it, perhaps Choi Yeonseung was having too hard a time accepting this power. He recalled his experience of using the power of another constellation.
How had he done it back then?
[Dignity of Light]
[Rank: A
The more you maintain your beauty and dignity, the stronger your power of light becomes.]
This was the power that the Arrogant Light Elf had given Choi Yeonseung after acknowledging him.
Choi Yeonseung used this power as if it were martial arts. He treated the power of light like internal energy or concentrated energy. Creating a sword from light was one of the ways he had used this power.?In that case...
[You have deepened your understanding of ‘Shadow Crown.’]
[The strength of this power has increased!]
There was nothing that prevented him from using Shadow Crown as a martial art. The world of martial arts was surprisingly vast and diverse.
Besides, Choi Yeonseung had come up with the Star Absorption Method. Among the martial arts he had learnt, this was the one that was most similar to Shadow Crown. Thus, there was no reason why he couldn't use Shadow Crown in a similar manner.
‘Like martial arts...’
“...?!”
Demiargas seemed surprised when Choi Yeonseung suddenly became stronger.
From the looks of it, Demiargas had been looking down on Choi Yeonseung because he wasn’t good at mental magic. However, Choi Yeonseung had suddenly tipped the scale in his favor.
You aren’t straining that sweet body of yours, are you? A precious body like that should never be hurt!
“...It’s been a long time since I met a lunatic like him.”
It was obvious that Demiargas wanted Choi Yeonseung’s body for himself. Even as they fought, he seemed worried that Choi Yeonseung was pushing himself too much, damaging his body in the process.
His worries were only natural, given that there were some types of magic that took a heavy toll on the caster in exchange for great power.
Bang!
“!”
Demiargas changed his strategy. He gave up on the hunters that had been subdued by Choi Yeonseung and proceeded to manipulate others.
[Shadow Crown has corrupted the opponent.]
[The corrupted opponent has become your puppet!]
“Eeek...!” Gerrity could finally think somewhat clearly, but even so, he couldn’t move his body.
“???”
“Gerrity, stop them!” shouted Choi Yeonseung.
“How dare you give me an order...?!”
However, contrary to his aggressive tone, Gerrity acted according to Choi Yeonseung’s order.
“Empower the hunters by any means necessary!”
“I told you not to order me around, you piece of...?!”
-Blessing of Advanced Magic Power, Protection of Spinning Arrows, Strengthening Combat Nerves!
Gerrity moved again, casting buffs on the hunters currently affected by Choi Yeonseung’s Shadow Crown.
Choi Yeonseung nodded in satisfaction. “Well done, Gerrity. Stop the possessed ones from getting out! It’ll be a disaster if they spread!”
I don’t understand. Why are you interfering?
“Why bother asking something like that when you won’t understand even if I explain it to you?”
Choi Yeonseung rushed in while ignoring Demiargas’ words. He grabbed a medium-sized monster that gave off Demiargas’ aura and crushed it.
Following that, Demiargas’ voice echoed throughout the battlefield.
I would understand. Why are you ignoring me?
“It’s because of the many household members from the Abyss that you have contaminated.”
Illeya, or rather, the Observer Who Returned From a Cold Place, joined in. As if trying to show off the strength of a constellation, the observer constellation had prepared a great skill.
[The surrounding area is freezing!]
The warning message was visible to everyone. Along with it, a terrible chill enveloped the surroundings.
“This... Is this the right call?”
“If we don’t stop him, we’re done for!”
The observer constellation used its power of existence to expand its domain. Fitting for her name, her domain was called ‘The Cold Place,’ and the cold released by it was tremendous.
Everyone caught inside the domain slowed down and soon stopped moving.
However, Choi Yeonseung made it so that his internal energy circulated throughout his body. The moment he gathered the yang energy from his internal energy and enveloped his body in it, the chill that had seeped into his bones gradually subsided.
I did not contaminate them. I merely multiplied myself.
Hearing that, Choi Yeonseung managed to somewhat figure out the nature of Demiargas.
‘Is this guy... like a virus?’
Generally speaking, parasites stopped after they infected a host or increased their numbers appropriately. From that point, it was just a matter of quietly continuing to exist.
On the other hand, it seemed that Demiargas’ goal was to multiply himself. He was like a virus!
-That’s plausible...
The goddess of sloth nodded and agreed with Choi Yeonseung’s speculation.
Demiargas’ actions certainly made sense if his goal was to just keep contaminating others and increase his numbers.
The observer constellation had completely frozen their surroundings, turning it into a cold, isolated space where not even the wind could intrude on. She addressed the spirit king, “I was sure you were dead. How did you come back?”
I continue to multiply and divide. I can’t die.
“I guess you didn’t finish him off properly,” murmured Choi Yeonseung.
Hearing that, the observer constellation frowned. It seemed that she had also been present at the time of Demiargas’ defeat.
Apparently, the observer constellation was also there at the time of Demiargas’ defeat.
“Well, I don’t think you’re going to cheat death again like you did back then. This area is sealed off. Those you have contaminated have been taken away or frozen. How are you going to escape from here?”
Demiargas was dangerous because of his unique contamination and control skills, but he was significantly less powerful if he had no opponents to infect.
At the words of the observer constellation, Choi Yeonseung looked at Demiargas.
No one else, you say? How foolish you are! I am already out.
“...?!”
Choi Yeonseung instinctively looked behind him. Obviously, the monsters in this area had been wiped out and they knew where the hunters were located, so Demiargas had virtually no targets to infect… Or so they thought…
In situations like this, one had to expect the unexpected.
Choi Yeonseung noticed a group of people wandering around inside the encirclement.
“What are those bastards doing?!”
Choi Yeonseung couldn’t help shouting, his voice full of anger.
“...”
Gerrity unwittingly averted his gaze, but Choi Yeonseung picked up on it.
“No… You piece of shit!!”
Choi Yeonseung was seething and proceeded to punch Gerrity. The latter couldn’t fight back because of the Shadow Crown, so he could only scream in pain as he took the punches.
“C-Choi Yeonseung. I’m an A-grade hunter! You can’t… You can’t do this to me!”
“Shut the hell up before I rip you into as many pieces as people have died because of you!”
“...”
Gerrity was overwhelmed by the solid beating and went silent.
***
-Can I really come into the encirclement and interview people?
-If you don’t like it, you can just leave.
-Haha! No, Gerrity! What are you talking about? We will do our best to celebrate your accomplishments.
-Alright, but be careful. You don’t want to ruin your job by attracting a monster’s aggro, right?
-Why are you even telling me this... It’s not like this is my first time doing this. You really think I’d make such a mistake?
It was quite easy to get people to act rashly.
With the slightest encouragement, the greedy people tried to somehow get into the encirclement. They were completely oblivious of how dangerous it could get if the monsters, which were at least A-grade, went berserk. They weren’t scared at all.
-How could this be dangerous with so many hunters?
All these people cared about was getting a much bigger scoop than anyone else. They were also the perfect targets for Demiargas.
“I’m going to lose my mind.”
Choi Yeonseung sighed as reporters went on a rampage using cameras as weapons.
He now understood how this monster managed to exhaust other constellations. Regardless of his strength, he was tenacious enough to increase his numbers the moment his enemies let their guard down!
The more I expand, the stronger I become. The stronger I become, the more I multiply. Once I have enough strength, I will come back and take your body. Until then, make sure to take great care of it!
“...”
-It looks like he really wants you.
Usually, spirit-type monsters weren’t that attached to a physical body, but this monster seemed obsessed with Choi Yeonseung’s body.
Demiargas wanted to control his body like that...
“Observer constellation, do you have any ideas?”
“It’s similar to what I just did. Clean up the surroundings and freeze them hard. I need time, so don’t disturb me.”
Choi Yeonseung nodded and moved, and this time, Gerrity and the rest of the hunters affected by Shadow Crown also moved.
“Don’t let him make contact with other people. I don’t know what his range is, but it can’t be that long. Evacuate more people! If anyone comes inside, I’ll blow off your heads!”
Even when he wasn’t possessing hunters, Demiargas was quite tricky to deal with.
After beating up and subduing the reporters wielding cameras, Choi Yeonseung checked the situation in the surrounding area.
‘The number of monsters in the vicinity has decreased a lot. We need to seal it off one more time and deal with the remaining monsters...’
Give me my clone!
“H... Hunter Choi Yeonseung!”
The moment Demiargas tried to possess them again, Gerrity’s subordinates got scared and shouted Choi Yeonseung’s name. He was currently the only one they could count on.
“Just kill them!” The observer constellation shouted coldly. There was no reason to keep the hunters alive and let them fall under Demiargas’ control.
However, instead of killing them, Choi Yeonseung increased the strength of Shadow Crown and seized control of them one by one.
This time, Demiargas responded fiercely, not yielding in the slightest.
"Aarghhh!"
“Ghaaaaa!”
Joseph belatedly came to his senses, his mouth hanging open at the bizarre phenomenon unfolding in front of him.
All the hunters around him were screaming and grabbing their heads.
[The ‘Iron-Blooded General Who Shakes the Battlefield’ strongly orders you to help that hunter!]
-I understand. What should I do?
Joseph was ready to obey his master’s orders.
No matter the danger, as long as he had signed a contract with a constellation, his only duty was to calmly and efficiently slaughter his enemies.
[The ‘Iron-Blooded General Who Shakes the Battlefield’ orders you to throw all the artifacts you have at him. After that, fall back and wait!]
-......
For the first time ever, Joseph had almost unwittingly disobeyed his master’s order.
Did his master want him to just grab some popcorn and watch the fight...?
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