Chapter 145

-There isn’t only one type of belief. There are beliefs mixed with fear, beliefs that are complex, subtle, forced on someone, and more. No matter what type it is, it strengthens a constellation.

‘I see... I appreciate it for as long as they believe in me.’

In fact, Choi Yeonseung didn’t save them because he wanted to get their faith. It would simply be embarrassing if they died because he left them alone. If he really wanted their faith, he would’ve healed them to perfect condition using Goddess’ Medical Treatment instead. There was no reason to give them such painful first aid.

‘Getting their faith this way makes me feel bad. Should I have made it hurt less?’ Choi Yeonseung thought. Even if he didn’t use Goddess’ Medical Treatment, it would’ve been fine if he made them not feel pain using Pressure Point Attack.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Ah. I should’ve stopped them from feeling any pain before treating them.”

“... We should just go.”

***

“Why are these crazy people fighting on a sacred mountain?” Choi Yeonseung clicked his tongue as he walked.

There were more fights than he thought. He came across fallen hunters again! This time, it was the Chinese. He already saved the Japanese anyway, so why shouldn’t he save the Chinese? Choi Yeonseung set their broken bones straight.

-Aaaack!

[The power of your existence has increased due to complex belief!}

“Why didn’t you use?Pressure?Point Attack on them?”

“It wouldn’t have been fair.”

“I see,” Illeya replied, convinced. Choi Yeonseung didn’t use it with the hunters earlier, so it wouldn’t have been right to suddenly use it with this group.

‘? ?’

Antony questioned it, but he didn’t say anything. It didn’t really matter to him if these Chinese bastards were treated or not.

“Everyone who took the Gwaneumsa Temple course seems to have a dirty personality.”

“We took the Gwaneumsa Temple course as well.”

“Be quiet.”

“......”

Going deeper into the mountain, the terrain turned bizarre, and the flowing magic power became stronger. There were no monsters, but it would be best to stay vigilant.

“Wait. What’s with the land’s color? Isn’t it strange?” Antony looked at the red land in surprise.

“That’s the red soil seen in the Abyss. Its color has changed because of the magic power it has absorbed, but you can still walk on it since it isn’t particularly dangerous,” Choi Yeonseung answered calmly.

“Was there such information in the clan? Did Dragon Hwang secretly raid a gate to the Abyss?”

Antony was shocked. Currently, Earth’s hunters only had two ways to get information about the Abyss: get it from a constellation or enter a gate connected to the Abyss. Compared to the former, the latter was extremely dangerous. A steady stream of raid parties constantly challenged the Abyss gates, but none of them had ever succeeded. Nevertheless, they continued to challenge it because of the Abyss’ charm.

Just as the constellations of the Abyss coveted the souls of Earth, the humans of Earth coveted the infinite treasures of the Abyss.

“No. I heard it from a constellation.”

“Ah. I see.”

Dragon Hwang wouldn’t do something so reckless. No matter how much they coveted it, going into the Abyss was stupid.

Crossing the path, Choi Yeonseung looked at the mountain’s peak. “I can run straight up there from here.”

“?”

Illeya and Antony wondered what Choi Yeonseung meant.

“... Run straight up there? Isn’t that a cliff over there?”

“I can hold one of you in each hand.”

“......”

The unexpected, novel idea rendered Antony speechless. If they were on a normal mountain, it would have been worth trying. However, they were on a strangely twisted hiking trail. How would he run straight to the top without knowing what was in this thick forest?

“Very few monsters are around anyway, and I can deal with the twisted terrain. The two of you can use magic too.”

“That’s true, but...”

“Are you scared?” Choi Yeonseung asked, shocking Antony.

“How dare you ask if I’m scared.”

“So you aren’t? Good. Let’s go.”

Right from the get-go, Choi Yeonseung already planned to run straight to the top as soon as they had narrowed the distance to a certain point. If they had a shortcut, why should they waste time taking the long way?

‘It would be nice if Changuk gets there first, but I’ll take that spot if he can’t.’

He would feel sick to his stomach if Chinese or Japanese hunters took first place.

-Successor. Why don’t you forget about these petty human feelings?

-Hmm... I don’t think I can.

Illeya muttered softly as they suddenly ran in a straight line over the rough terrain. She seemed to be speaking badly of Antony.

***

“We’re the fastest among those who took the?Gwanumsa?Temple course!”

“Chen Yuwei! Chen Yuwei!”

Chen Yuwei’s colleagues praised him for knocking down all the Japanese and Chinese hunters they came across as they hiked up. No matter how they thought about it, they were the ones leading the Gwaneumsa Temple course. The ones taking the Seongpanak course were coming from the opposite side, he couldn’t do anything about them, but that course was a bit slower anyway. In any case, they had to take first place.

“Let’s go!” he shouted, but someone jumped out of the tree next to them before he could finish.

“...... ?”

Using trees as footholds, Choi Yeonseung flew past them with two hunters on both shoulders.

“A-Air Steps? !” Chen Yuwei screamed what he had already screamed earlier.

Choi Yeonseung spoke as he quickly moved away.

-Chen Yuwei!

“? ”

-It isn’t Air Steps!

“......”

Choi Yeonseung quickly ran through the air and headed toward the cliff, leaving those words behind. He passed by the Chinese hunters in the blink of an eye.

“T-t-t-those bastards!”

“Chase him!”

The Chinese hunters hurriedly started running along the path, but going around could never match the speed of someone running in a straight line. In addition, Choi Yeonseung’s light footwork was much faster than any speed magic. There was a limit to his internal energy, but he was using it with extreme optimization. He was extremely fast!

Antony suddenly became curious as he dangled over Choi Yeonseung’s shoulder.

“What is it if it isn’t Air Steps?”

“If I had to name the skill, it has to be more like Flying On Grass.”

Flying On Grass made him light enough to run on grass. Once Choi Yeonseung said this, a new skill was added.

[Skill, Flying On Grass has been acquired.]

[Flying On Grass]

[Rank: A

Makes you light enough to run on grass.]

‘I keep acquiring skills that I never had to use while I was in the Abyss.’

He didn’t have to use anything like this when he could still use the full extent of his high martial arts stage. He could just fly with his power of existence or internal energy. However, with his martial arts stage restricted, he had to use internal energy efficiently. As a result, he acquired skills that he used to ignore.

Arriving in front of the cliff, Choi Yeonseung started to climb vertically. He mercilessly slammed down his feet and soared up without shaking at all.

“What type of technique is this?”

“Now that I think about it, it would be controlling one’s qi to soar into the air...”

“I see. Controlling one’s qi to soar into the air... Controlling one’s qi to soar into the air... What is controlling one’s qi to soar into the air?”

Antony was about to take notes and practice later, only to pause because he didn’t know the meaning of the Chinese characters.

“Just ask later. We’re here.”

Choi Yeonseung landed lightly. There seemed to be some terrain in the way, but he just ignored it and flew over it. Strong winds mixed with magic power came and interfered, but it had no effect on Choi Yeonseung, who had been through the magical storm of the Abyss.

To him, it was just cool!

“Is this Heaven’s Lake?”

“This is the Baengnokdam Lake, you bastard.”

“H-hey, how was I supposed to know that?”

“You should at least research the country you’re visiting.”

“That’s right. How can you confuse the two?”

The Korean and honorary Korean’s criticism frustrated Antony. It was too dirty and nasty...

“I heard that the Baengnokdam Lake is often dry.”

“Maybe this is the influence of magic power?”

In the past, the Baengnokdam Lake was often dry. Even if it was filled up, it wouldn’t have much depth. However, it was currently full of water. If magic power had changed it, then perhaps...

“!”

At that moment, Choi Yeonseung’s senses warned him that something in the lake was holding its breath.

“Get ready for battle!”

Antony and Illeya were both B-grade hunters, had received all types of training, and were prepared for special situations. Without any questions or arguments, the two immediately raised their weapons and conjured magic power.

‘Why, though?’ Antony wondered to himself. He couldn’t see any monsters around...

He got his answer not long after.

-■■■■■■■■■■!

An Argo, a giant serpent, jumped out of the lake with a howl. Powerful fear-containing magic power struck the nearby hunters’ eardrums.

“■!”

Choi Yeonseung roared back at it in response, the internal energy his roar contained binding the Argo’s fear back to it.

“That’s an A-grade monster, Choi Yeonseung! We have to escape!”

Antony immediately realized the Argo’s identity. He had seen this multiple times already. Fighting against an A-grade monster wasn’t courage. It was recklessness. It would be best for them to escape for now and get reinforcements.

“Retreat!” Illeya shouted at Choi Yeonseung, likely sharing the same thought as Antony. Despite their warnings, though, Choi Yeonseung mentally cohered the situation.

‘It emerged here.’

Now that he had thought about it, South Korea had its own detection system, which made him wonder how huge monsters like this could appear without them noticing. If it emerged from this place and headed down, then it would’ve at least made sense. Despite being taken aback, however, everything worked out well for him.

If he finished it here, it wouldn’t be able to go down and wreak havoc anymore.

“I’ll kill it here.”

“Are you crazy? There are only the three of us!”

“Don’t worry. I will use the power of my constellation.”

“!”

Antony stopped.

A constellation’s power. It was an absolute force that gave even weak hunters strength beyond common sense. Choi Yeonseung was currently B-grade, but he might just be able to kill an A-grade monster with the power of a constellation.

However, even with that taken into consideration, their victory still wouldn’t be certain. They weren’t prepared, and they didn’t have enough people. Should they really stay and fight? They wouldn’t be?cursed at?if they were to retreat out of this situation. Even so, Choi Yeonseung didn’t want to.

In the end, Antony made a decision that went against the principles he had followed all his life.

“... Okay. I’ll fight with you!”

“Uhh… you can retreat, though?”

“... I will try my best to help you!”

“Ah. I got it, dude. Why are you yelling?”

“I’ll stay and help you as well,” Illeya joined in.

“Thank you.”

‘That bastard Choi Yeonseung only seems rude toward me...’ Antony grumbled while preparing magic.

It would be hard to inflict significant damage to A-grade monsters with the magic he possessed. Hence, he instead chose to focus on obstruction magic and tying up the Argo’s movements as best as he could. It was as if he was supporting Choi Yeonseung!

Antony wasn’t aware of it, but he was becoming quite used to working with a team. It was the complete opposite of who he used to be in the past—a bastard who only acknowledged himself.

“Here I go! Darkened Vision, Mist of?Ohodor, Low-grade Chains of Extinction!”

Antony used three 3rd-circle curse magic consecutively. Having a wide array of magic, Antony was praised as a balanced all-rounder. Despite the criticisms he received, he did become a member of Icarus’ 1st team for a bit.

Antony squeezed out magic power, then shifted his gaze to Choi Yeonseung. ‘Now, Choi Yeonseung! Show me the power of the constellation you believe in!’

What type of power would Choi Yeonseung’s constellation show?

Bang!

Choi Yeonseung disappeared and reappeared in front of the Argo, striking it hard on the chin. The Argo screamed as its head tilted back.

“......”

Bewildered, all Antony could do was stare at Choi Yeonseung. It was amazing, but…

Wasn’t it a bit too modest for a constellation’s power?