Chapter 4: The Stigma of Lyra (1)

The silver-haired goddess nodded slightly.

“As expected, you are the Heaven-Defying Star.”

“That’s right,” Kwon Oh-Jin calmly replied.

What the hell am I doing?

Contrary to his calm expression, his heart was pounding out of his chest.

She actually believed me.

Celestials were gods born from constellations. They weren’t the omniscient and omnipotent god

often referred to in Christianity, but they were still transcendent beings with powers and authority beyond human reach.

He had just deceived such a god.

“I would like to have a thorough discussion about the future you experienced, but these insignificant beings are getting in the way.”

The goddess squinted and looked around.

The Anthorns let out a fierce growl and looked at the goddess with wary eyes.

“

Grrrr.

”

The goddess let out a short sigh and fixed her gaze on Kwon Oh-Jin.

Is she asking me to handle this?

She looked as though she wanted to evaluate what a regressor could do.

Damn it.

Retreating was not an option.

“I’ll deal with them.”

“

Haha

. I’m looking forward to seeing how powerful a Heaven-Defying Star is.”

“But, right now, I...”

“Ah, I understand. Though you have returned from the future, your body is still of the present era. Fight, there is no pressure on you.”

Damn it.

Her saying that pressured him the most. He let out a deep breath and got up.

“Haa.”

Even though he hadn’t turned on the tiny LED hidden in his clothes, a faint light still emanated from his left chest. A surge of power then flowed through him, making him feel so much lighter that it seemed as though he had just put down a heavy load.

So this is what the body of an Awakener feels like.

Lee Shin-Hyuk had only been a mere one-star, but it still made a significant difference. He had reached a realm only superhumans could reach—a realm so far beyond the limits of humanity that it was unattainable through ordinary training.

Nevertheless, he had shamefully fled from the monsters. This wasn’t to criticize him, though. Rather, it served as a testament to the monsters’ strength.

Could Kwon Oh-Jin, who had literally only awakened a few minutes ago, fight against the numerous Anthorns?

Now’s not the time to be thinking about that.

Even if he begged while clinging on to the goddess’s dress, it would be no use. She couldn’t deal with the monsters herself.

I heard Celestials are barred by some law from directly intervening in this world.

This was also why they gave Stigmas to Awakeners to fight the monsters.

I have no choice but to fight.

Clank.

He picked up Lee Shin-Hyuk’s spear, which had a bluish glow, and pointed it toward the Anthorns. In response, the Anthorns let out savage cries.

“

Grrr!

”

Two of them charged at him at full speed.

Kwon Oh-Jin lowered his stance and swiftly thrust the spear forward.

“Haa!”

Crack!

Despite being impervious even to bullets, their tough shell shattered easily, splattering green blood.

Another Anthorn rushed in from the side, looking for an opening.

“

Grrr!

”

Flowing smoothly like water, Kwon Oh-Jin stepped back and struck the Anthorn’s jaw with the shaft of the spear. He then twirled the two-meter-long spear effortlessly, piercing its abdomen.

“How impressive!” the goddess exclaimed.

What the hell?

Kwon Oh-Jin was even more startled.

There’s no way it’s this easy.

He moved as if he had been using a spear for a very long time. Even though spears were known to be easy to handle, the fact that he felt this familiar with it when it was his first time using one was definitely strange.

Ring!

As if answering his doubts, messages appeared before him.

[Through the Black Heaven, Kwon Oh-Jin is reading the record contained within the Stigma of Lyra.]

[The Black Heaven’s enlightenment is too low. The records Kwon Oh-Jin can read are limited.]

[Some of Awakener Lee Shin-Hyuk’s records have been inherited.]

[Kwon Oh-Jin has acquired the skill Pyxis Spearmanship Lv4.]

“Argh!”

A searing pain suddenly pierced his head as if a red-hot iron spike was being driven into his brain. His vision spun, and a wave of agony washed over him.

“Huff, Huff!”

An unfamiliar scene then played in his mind—a vision of Lee Shin-Hyuk endlessly thrusting his spear into the air in an empty clearing.

“Agh!”

He staggered, threatening to collapse at any moment, but he didn’t stop.

“If I stop here, I’ll never catch up to Woo-Hyuk.”

Lee Shin-Hyuk bit down hard on his lips as he relentlessly thrust his spear. He was pushing himself to the extreme.

Kwon Oh-Jin’s vision gradually returned to normal.

What just happened? Were those Lee Shin-Hyuk’s memories?

They didn’t seem to be memories of the past, though.

He had a scar I hadn’t seen before.

In that memory flash, a distinct scar ran down Lee Shin-Hyuk’s right cheekbone to his jaw, which hadn’t been there when Kwon Oh-Jin had seen him just a few hours ago.

If so, then these had to be memories of the future. More specifically, the memories of Lee Shin-Hyuk’s

first

life

, where he hadn’t died so easily, had been passed on to him. It wasn’t just his memories that had been passed on either.

“

Grrrr!

”

“

Kraaa!

”

The Anthorns that had surrounded him charged all at once.

“Hmph!”

Kwon Oh-Jin launched himself toward the tightening right of the horde.

Crack!

With an explosive thrust, the spear shattered the skull of one Anthorn.

“

Kraaaah

!”

A large Elder Anthorn charged at him from the right. In the past, it would’ve been too fast for him to follow with the naked eye, but now, things were different.

“Too slow, you bastard!”

Boom!

Using his spear, Kwon Oh-jin propelled himself into the air like a pole-vaulter and soared upward. Mid-air, he spun and adjusted his grip on the spear. He then struck down on the head of the confused Elder Anthorn that had lost its target.

Crack!

“That’s it!”

A thrilling shiver ran down his spine and spread throughout his body.

I can do this!

A surge of explosive power coursed through him, and the movements of the charging Anthorns became crystal clear.

Stay calm. Don’t get carried away.

He took a deep breath and leaped back to create some distance between him and the Anthorns. Even though he had inherited Lee Shin-Hyuk’s skills, it didn’t change the fact that he was still only a one-star Awakener. One careless mistake could cost him his life.

Crack! Smash!

With each swing of his spear, he slowly culled the Anthorns.

Were one-star Awakeners always this strong?

Even while facing dozens of Anthorns at once, he didn’t feel the slightest bit fatigued. Thinking back to how Lee Shin-Hyuk had been overwhelmed after dealing with just three or four of these monsters, it didn’t quite add up.

The one-star Awakeners I’ve seen weren't like this.

Normally, even two Anthorns charging at once would leave a one-star Awakener scrambling like a monkey with its tail on fire.

Then why did this all feel so easy?

“Hmmm.”

Seeing him weave ferociously through the Anthorns, the silver-haired goddess squinted.

“Are you putting on some kind of show to entertain me?”

A show? Is she serious? What nonsense is she talking about now?

“If that’s not the case, then why haven’t you been using your Stigma?”

What?

“...”

Kwon Oh-Jin’s gaze instinctively shifted to his left chest. There, glowing faintly, was the Stigma of Lyra, not the fake one he had carved earlier. A Stigma in use radiated a much more dazzling light.

Wait, so up until now...

Had he really been fighting dozens of Anthorns without even using his Stigma?

Having made sense of the situation, the goddess nodded. “Ah, I see. Even though you’re a Regressor, you wouldn’t be able to freely use a newly formed Stigma.

“For you, it would feel as if you’ve entered the body of a child who’s only just begun to take their first steps.”

Though the goddess was completely mistaken, it kind of made sense when she put it that way. She was already deceiving herself, and Kwon Oh-Jin wasn’t about to miss this opportunity.

He quickly nodded in agreement.

“Yes, exactly. This body is... basically the same as a newborn baby’s.”

Googoo gaagaa.

He was baby Kwon Oh-Jin now.

“Then it is my duty to help you take your first steps. I shall assist you so that you can easily control my Stigma.”

The goddess slowly raised her hand and sent a shimmering silver light flowing into Kwon Oh-Jin.

Ring!

[Vega has bestowed the Blessing of the Stars upon Kwon Oh-Jin.]

[The proficiency of the Stigma of Lyra has temporarily increased!]

So Vega was her name.

Huh?

That name sounded oddly familiar.

Crackle!

“Aaargh!”

Before he could dwell on the thought, blue lightning surged through his entire body. An explosive blue aura erupted from the Stigma on his left chest.

“

Grrr!

”

“

Kraaa!

”

After a moment’s hesitation, the Anthorns lunged at him once again, this time in a formation led by three Elder Anthorns.

He inhaled deeply and lowered his stance.

Crackle, crackle!

He concentrated the blue lightning enveloping him at the tip of his spear. With a powerful motion, he sprung up and fiercely thrust the lightning-charged spear forward.

Well then, let’s find out just how powerful the Stigma of Lyra really is.

[Azure Lightning Lv1 has been activated.]

Crackle!

“...!”

A lightning storm surged from the tip of the spear and swept through the surroundings, reducing the approaching Anthorns to ashes.

W-What the hell?

With a single strike, numerous Anthorns collapsed to the ground.

“

K-Krr!

”

“

Kaar!

”

The lightning storm also killed an Elder Anthorn with a direct hit, leaving only two survivors.

Sensing that they stood no chance against their adversary, the Anthorns all turned and fled at once.

“

Kraaa!

”

“

Karrr!

”

Thump, thump!

“... Huh.”

Kwon Oh-Jin stared blankly at the retreating Anthorns with a bewildered expression.

What the hell?

What was this? This wasn’t something a mere one-star Awakener could do. No, this was something a two-star or at least a three-star Awakener could barely attempt to imitate.

Just what is the Stigma of Lyra?

He had never heard of this constellation before.

“

Haha!

As expected of a Regressor, you’re learning quickly.”

Vega smiled in satisfaction as she gazed down at the scorched earth crackling with residual lightning.

Kwon Oh-Jin’s eyes shifted toward the goddess. Her silver hair cascaded down to her waist, shining as brilliantly as a gem.

Vega.

He etched the name he had seen on the system window deep into his mind.

Wait... hold on, Vega?

Suddenly, from the depths of his faded memories, the name clicked.

Ve...ga?

Vega? Vega, as in

that

Vega?

No way.

Kwon Oh-Jin’s jaw dropped in disbelief.

“Weaver Girl...?”

Vega’s golden eyes, sparkling like jewels, turned toward him.

“Yes? Did you call for me?”

A shiver ran down his spine.

“Holy crap...”

There were dozens, even hundreds, of Celestials, and they, too, were divided between those with weaker and stronger powers. Naturally, the rank of an Awakener was also determined by the rank of the Celestial they were bound to.

For example, the Stigma of the twelve Zodiacs already granted Awakeners unmatched powers. Nevertheless, there existed three beings so supreme that not even the Celestials of the Zodiacs dared to challenge them. They were known as the North Stars: Polaris, Deneb, and Vega.

The North Stars were the highest-ranked Celestials, possessing a rank so overwhelmingly high that lesser Celestials couldn’t even lift their heads in their presence.

Right now, standing right before him was none other than the goddess Vega, one of those supreme beings.

Wait, so does that mean...

At last, Kwon Oh-Jin understood why he had been able to wipe out dozens of Anthorns with ease despite being a mere one-star Awakener. He had also come to another realization.

I’m scamming one of the most powerful Celestials?

He finally grasped the absurdity of what he had done.

Shit.

He was fucked.