Chapter 242: Baptism Of The Stars (4)

What kind of shitty situation is this?

Kwon Oh-Jin looked up in disbelief at Polaris, floating in the air.

Polaris was made entirely of starlight, so its facial features were obscured beyond recognition. The only distinguishable details were faintly visible silver eyes that looked deeply unsettlingly and still.

The other Celestials gaped in shock at Polaris’s bombshell announcement.

“W-What did you say?”

“The Heaven-Defying Star?”

They all reacted like that except for Vega, who had known from the start that Kwon Oh-Jin was the Heaven-Defying Star.

“As expected, I can’t fool you, Polaris.”

“W-What? You knew, Vega?!” Deneb asked.

Vega nodded calmly in response. “Oh-Jin is my child. Of course, I knew.”

Originally, they had planned to keep his identity a secret until Kwon Oh-Jin gained enough power. Now that Polaris had outed him, there was no point hiding it any longer.

“It seems the time has come to reveal the truth, my child.”

Kwon Oh-Jin had already grown enough to become one of the Seven Stars in just a year and a half. He had gained more than enough power, so there was no point in hiding his identity anyway.

“Yeah, I guess I can’t hide it any longer.”

He calmly played along with Vega, but his mind spun so fast on the inside that it made his neck feel hot.

Polaris is mistaking me for the Heaven-Defying Star too?

Vega had told him that Polaris could glimpse into the future, yet he was still being mistaken for the Heaven-Defying Star?

Kwon Oh-Jin’s expression hardened.

What if...?

It was only a hunch with no real logic or evidence behind it.

What if I really am the Heaven-Defying Star?

What if it were him and not Lee Shin-Hyuk who would rewrite the pages of a predestined fate?

No, that doesn’t make sense.

When Vega had first explained about the Heaven-Defying Star, she said it referred to someone who had returned against the flow of time. If the Heaven-Defying Star wasn’t a Regressor, Vega wouldn’t have mistaken him for one when they met.

Was Polaris just mistaken, but wasn’t Polaris the first Celestial and the most brilliant of them all?

What the hell is going on...?

His mind became a mess, and his thoughts tangled into multiple knots. Even as his head spun, he continued to talk smoothly to get through this situation.

“Yes. I am the Heaven-Defying Star.” Kwon Oh-Jin nodded calmly. A ripple of unrest spread among the Celestials.

“The Heaven-Defying Star has appeared, which means...” Regulus trailed off.

Spica jumped in place with her jaw dropped. “T-Then, the world must’ve already been destroyed once, right?”

“Yes. As Polaris prophesied, the Black Heaven’s darkness devoured all the stars,” Aries said.

Aldebaran shook his head. “

Haa

. Honestly, it’s hard to believe.”

“W-Wait!” Deneb stammered, his wide eyes trembling. “T-Then, are you saying that you’re a Regressor?”

As expected...

The Celestials considered the Heaven-Defying Star a Regressor.

“That’s right.” Kwon Oh-Jin nodded and continued in a low voice. “I am a Regressor.”

They say one lie leads to another.

The situation had spiraled out of control like a runaway truck with broken brakes.

“Lies! If you’re a Regressor, then how did you get trapped in the Demonic District last time? You mean to tell me you didn’t know the Serpent had set a trap?!” Deneb glared at Kwon Oh-Jin in disbelief.

If Kwon Oh-Jin had really witnessed the world’s destruction once before, he should’ve seen through a trap like that easily.

Kwon Oh-Jin nodded with a composed face. “Yes, I had no idea. In the future I experienced, the Serpent never set a trap like that.”

“How do we know you’re telling the truth—”

“I may be a Regressor, but I’m not an omniscient god,” Kwon Oh-Jin calmly said. “This world’s future has already changed. The memories of my past life are practically useless now.”

Deneb narrowed his eyes and pressed him. “

Ha

. Then what was the world like in your previous timeline?”

“Well, for starters, the Black Star Society’s existence wasn’t publicly known like it is now, and their influence definitely wasn’t this weak.”

The Celestials started to whisper again.

Deneb scoffed with his arms crossed. “

Ha

. So what, you’re saying the reason that the Black Star Society is exposed and weakened now is all thanks to you?”

“That’s right.”

“Lies! Even if you're a Regressor, how could you possibly do that in just a year and a half—”

Kwon Oh-Jin interrupted Deneb. “I killed the King of Owls.”

The King of Owls, Cheon Do-Yoon, had died at the hands of Kwon Oh-Jin.

“I killed the King of Seahorses.”

The King of Seahorses, Kurosaki Sosuke, had his head blown apart by Kwon Oh-Jin.

“I killed the Bufo King.”

Technically, the Living Armor under Cassia’s command had delivered the final blow, but only Lee Woo-Hyuk, Song Ha-Eun, and Isabella knew that detail.

“T-The King of Seahorses was killed by that Japanese Awakener—”

“No, I killed him. I just made it look like Mr. Sakaki did it to mislead the Black Star Society.”

Deneb could only remain silent in shock.

“I’ve taken down three Black Star Society executors myself. I’ve also managed to turn one of them who had been deceived into my ally.”

He was referring to Isabella.

“If it wasn’t me who weakened the Black Star Society, then who do you think did?”

“T-That...”

Deneb was at a loss for words. His mouth clamped shut.

“And if I wasn’t a Regressor...” Kwon Oh-Jin stared at Deneb with deep-set eyes. “Would I be standing here right now?”

It had only been a mere year and a half. To Celestials, that amount of time was no more than the blink of an eye. However, Kwon Oh-Jin had climbed to eight stars and became one of the Seven Stars among dozens of high-ranking Awakeners.

“P-Phecda also...” Deneb trailed off weakly as he tried to argue. He acknowledged Rebecca Bell of Phecda’s incredible feats, but she paled in comparison to Kwon Oh-Jin like a firefly before the sun.

“That’s enough, Deneb,” Vega said. “I swear upon the name of the stars that my child is a Regressor.”

A vow sworn upon the name of the stars—even the North Star Celestials would risk losing part of their divinity if they dared break such an oath. That was how absolute it was.

“

Ugh...

” Deneb groaned and nodded. “Fine... fine. I’ll believe you.”

He still didn’t look like he fully trusted Kwon Oh-Jin, but he had no more grounds to argue on. After all, Kwon Oh-jin had indeed taken out three of the seven Black Star Society executors within just a year and a half.

“A-Allen! Allen could’ve done it too!” As one last desperate attempt, Deneb argued that Allen could’ve accomplished all that as well.

“Then why didn’t he?”

“That’s...”

Vega’s sharp rebuttal silenced him once again.

Even if Allen had the power to face those same executors, the one who had actually fought and suppressed the Black Star Society was Kwon Oh-Jin.

Just then, Polaris’s clear and elegant voice rang out. “Are we all finished talking now?”

Kwon Oh-Jin’s eyes widened.

Polaris’ voice changed?

It wasn’t just the voice, but the tone and manner of speaking had changed as well.

“Then let’s move on to the main point.”

This time, it sounded like a deep male voice.

Does Polaris have multiple personalities or something?

With a bewildered expression, Kwon Oh-Jin looked up at Polaris, surrounded by starlight.

Polaris' silver eyes shimmered as they slowly descended toward Kwon Oh-Jin.

“Heaven-Defying Star.” Polaris gently caressed Kwon Oh-Jin’s cheek. “Save us... from the Black Heaven’s darkness.

Like a solemn prayer, Polaris brought both hands together.

Kwon Oh-Jin nodded. “That’s what I came back to do.”

Polaris slowly raised their head at his quick reply. Though their face was hidden behind starlight, Kwon Oh-Jin could somehow feel Polaris smiling faintly.

“I am bound by the restrictions of the law and cannot grant you the light to guide your path, but it seems Vega is already fulfilling that role well enough.”

Polaris glanced toward Vega, who proudly nodded.

“I shall fully illuminate the path of my child,” she said.

“I trust in you.” Polaris bowed slightly and looked back at Kwon Oh-Jin. “There is not much time left for me in this form.”

Polaris spread their arms wide, and Milky Way Spring began to glow brightly and bubble.

“

Agh!

”

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

The starlight flowed into Kwon Oh-Jin. This time, it wasn’t through the Black Heaven. It gently seeped into him like how paper absorbed water.

I can’t absorb any more...!

The mana flowing into him made him worry about his body exploding. Even if he received more mana, he wouldn’t be able to handle it. The risk of his mana circuits twisting apart was far too high. He was on the verge of falling into a state of overload.

“Don’t worry. The starlight entering inside you now isn’t settling in your body, but in your soul. It’ll protect you.”

Along with the gentle voice, the overwhelming mana that had been soaking into him vanished without a trace.

In my soul and not my body?

Kwon Oh-Jin didn’t know exactly what that meant. Thankfully, the crushing pressure that made him feel like he would explode suddenly disappeared.

“Thank you.” Kwon Oh-Jin bowed toward Polaris with a confused expression.

Polaris lightly nodded and slowly turned toward Vega. “Vega, may I name this child?”

“A name?”

“One receives a star name when they become a Seven Stars, don’t they?”

“

Ahh

.” Vega nodded. “I did have one in mind, but I’ll let you name him.”

“Thank you.” Polaris’ voice shifted to that of a man again and gently placed an arm above Kwon Oh-Jin’s head. “Let us bless the birth of a new star.”

A quiet ceremonial chant followed.

“To you, who bears the fate of the Heaven-Defying Star, the star that suits you best is...” Polaris’ glowing silver eyes turned to Kwon Oh-Jin. “Alkaid. I bestow upon you the name of Alkaid.”

Alkaid was the last star of the Big Dipper, believed in myth to command the celestial army and eradicate all evil across the universe.

The Celestials all became speechless, their mouths agape in shock.

“Damn...”

“Alkaid? That’s the name given to the brightest star among the Seven Stars!”

Unlike the murmuring Celestials, Kwon Oh-Jin looked rather calm.

Kwon Oh-Jin of Alkaid, huh.

The name made him sound like some kind of great martial artist or something.