969 Episode 58 Myth-grade Constellation (1)

There was another knock. I smiled faintly at Anna Croft, who was still looking at me with worried eyes.

"Don't worry. I told you I'm myth-grade, too."

"Now I'm not even sure if you're using [Incite] or not."

I stared at Anna Croft, who was smiling bitterly, for a moment before joining her in grabbing the doorknob.

"Opening."

The owner of 'Valhalla Hall' was sometimes a forgotten mythical constellation from <Asgard>, and sometimes a constellation from another nebula. From my perspective, it didn't matter. After all, if a 'mythical constellation' truly came with hostility, there was no way to avoid it.

But at least the one who came this time knocked politely. That meant, at least, he wasn't here to fight me.

As I opened the door, a dazzling light enveloped me. For a moment, I felt as if the universe itself was blooming and fading before my eyes.

I don't know much about the beginning and end of the universe. However, there must have been a moment when the primordial light was born. There must have been a moment when it illuminated the universe and created the landscape. Some stars will long for that light, yearn for it, and yearn endlessly. After so much yearning and yearning, some stars will embrace that light. Perhaps we may reach an interpretation of this.

What I now see is an interpretation of such light. A beautiful and splendid interpretation. To reach that interpretation, that constellation must have read and reread a single story for eons. And thus, finally, it has reached that primordial fragment.

A humble mantra, resembling a gentle light, resonated.

As the light gradually faded, the constellation's face came into view. A neutral expression, radiant, translucent skin. Clothing that exuded a restrained yet noble air. Even the enormous ring of light rising behind him.

"Nice to meet you."

I knew who this constellation was.

"Lord of December 25th."

A mythological constellation from Veda.

Lord of December 25th, Mitra.

I have no direct connection with him in this worldline.

However, the 'Demon King of Salvation' I read about does. According to the story, Mitra had confronted the Demon King of Salvation, who had just entered the 41st round.

I recalled the appearance of Mitra in the story and thought,

He certainly still posed a tremendous threat. If I were to confront him with full force, I wouldn't have the confidence to win.

Even so, the 'presence' I felt from him was somewhat different from the 'mythical constellations' I'd seen in other worldlines or stories.

The strangely faded radiance of his back. And the small wing on his shoulder, which remained.

No matter how I looked at it, he had lost some of his original prestige.

But even in that state, I knew full well that if he so chose, this 'Valhalla Hall' would be devastated. He was a walking natural disaster. That was the 'mythical constellation' before me.

"There's no way I wouldn't know. Your copyright dispute with Eden over the December 25th rights issue is a famous one."

Mitra let out a light laugh.

It was a beautiful smile, like sunlight shattering on waves.

"Since you came to see me, that means you're now the owner of 'Valhalla Hall', right?"

"The match was a fair one."

Mitra is a constellation belonging to Veda. Then, perhaps, he came to avenge Garuda and Manu, constellations from Veda who were killed by me.

Mitra shook his head calmly, his expression devoid of hostility.

Still unfazed, I asked in a calm voice.

"Then why did you come?"

Whether of a lower rank or not, the opponent is that 'mythical constellation'. A pillar of a gigantic nebula, a being who ascended to the highest throne in this <Star Stream> world. I couldn't take the expression on his face, which seemed to have lived for tens of thousands of years, at face value.

"You know, I suppose, that a request from a being can never be considered a 'request'."

Mitra smiled again, perhaps finding my words quite amusing.

What on earth could possibly be the request that a mythical constellation would use such language?

But before I could ask, the constellations appeared behind Mitra.

They were the staff of the 'Hall of Golden Dice', including Skuld.

But their words were cut short. Mitra slowly raised his right hand, placed a long finger to his lips, and all sound in the area died down. Skuld and the other constellations prostrated themselves on the ground, gasping for breath.

I realized what had happened.

Before the gravity of his absurd 'story', all the other stars were robbed of even their own voices, struggling to maintain their existence.

I was the only one who didn’t bow before him.

Mitra looked at me and said,

He saw my fight. It was an impossible expression. Because my 'fight' took place within the 'Chaos Bush', unobservable from the outside.

But as I met his mysterious eyes, I felt the truth in his words. Perhaps Mitra, using his interpretation of light, had glimpsed into the forbidden thicket.

Mitra, who had reached that point, furrowed his brow slightly.

A spark of probability flickered in the air. Something strongly restricted his speech.

Mitra stared into space for a moment, then carefully chose his words before continuing.

I couldn't understand what Mitra was saying. Suddenly coming to me and asking for forgiveness for the stars?

Even more strange was the way I felt shaken by his words.

Is it because I had just seen the constellations on the scaffold? Or perhaps because I, too, was now standing in the same landscape as them?

Since no one is innocent of the original sin of the scenario, in a sense, all those who survived until the 85th scenario were accomplices.

Those who accepted the scenario's rules and condoned someone's death. We have all lost someone precious at least once, and killed someone out of fierce hostility at least once.

Standing above that tragic history, the great mythic constellation pleaded with me.

Mitra took another deep breath and spoke.

Sparks struck from the air again, even more fiercely than before. The sparks soon pierced Mitra's entire body, burning his incarnation body with pitch-black flames.

But who could possibly do such a thing? What being could possibly control a mythic constellation that had descended in scenario number 85?

Even as his entire body burned, Mitra continued to speak.

His incarnation body began to disappear like light crumbling. His incarnation body was being repatriated somewhere.

I belatedly reached out, but all I could catch was the shards of sunlight.

I couldn't tell where he had disappeared to, but a sight suddenly came to mind.

Perhaps Mitra had been repatriated there.

As Mitra vanished, the pressure that had been weighing down the area was instantly lifted. Skuld and the other constellations, gasping for breath, staggered to their feet and looked at me.

Perhaps it was because of the courtesy Mitra had shown me. Skuld bowed her head to me as if he were Mitra himself and continued speaking.

It was the first time I'd seen a narrative-grade constellation tremble so terribly.

I stared at Skuld with a dry gaze and asked,

"What do you want me to do?"

Skuld, who had just finished speaking, was thrown back with a strong impact. Skuld's story cascaded down the floor. The staff of the 'Hall of Golden Dice' hurriedly supported Skuld.

A swirling portal opened in front of them.

A series of constellations emerged from within the swirling portal.

Narrative-grade constellations. The moment I saw the aura emanating from their bodies, I had a gut feeling.

A rugged and noble presence. The spirit and confidence that only those who have challenged the scenarios without giving up can possess flowed through them.

Judging by the atmosphere, it seemed they had come to see me once again. Perhaps they were envoys representing each of the great nebulae.

The problem was that among the envoys, there was a face I already recognized.

I pushed back Anna Croft and the other incarnations with my hand and said,

"Anna Croft-ssi, please step back."

One of the twelve gods of Olympus.

Ares, the Ferocious War God.

Long ago, he descended into the scenario and engaged in a fierce battle with the first, the 'Demon King of Salvation'.

At that time, Ares was defeated by the Demon King of Salvation and lost a great deal of stories. Then, he discovered me, possessing the story of the 'Demon King of Salvation'. That foul-tempered Ares.

There was no way he wouldn't pick a fight with me.

Indeed, Ares strode towards me as soon as he spotted me. I was preparing to secretly activate [Incite] once more, but Ares stopped exactly three steps ahead and spoke.

I thought I'd misheard, but Ares spoke again.

As expected, Ares, the Ferocious War God, was an emissary from <Olympus>.

The main battlefield of 'Ragnarok' is the confrontation between the <Asgard> constellations and the forces of Hell.

Even within the same faction, affiliation would vary depending on the constellation, so Ares had come to bring me to the <Olympus> camp.

"Are you telling me to join your ranks again?"

Given Olympus's past behavior, it was obvious what they were going to propose, even without hearing it.

Honestly, I found it incredibly shameless. After tormenting me and my comrades so much, now you want to scout me?

Ares then raised a large finger and scratched his cheek, adding,

"What is your real purpose?"

Considering Ares's personality, he could have easily been offended by my rude tone, but he continued politely, unfazed.

I'd never seen Ares with such a long tongue before, so I listened to him with some admiration.

In the New Murim District, I killed Apollo, the 'Almighty Sun', one of the twelve gods of Olympus. Now, it seems the other gods of Olympus have learned of this.

I asked, my nerves still high.

"So, have you come here for revenge?"

Apollo, like Ares, is one of the twelve gods of Olympus. So, even if he immediately brandished his sword of vengeance, I would have no recourse.

But what Ares offered wasn't an attack, but an unexpected offer.

For a moment, I thought I'd misheard.

"An alliance?"

"You say alliance, but you're going to enslave me for 300 years by bringing in an unfair contract."

Never to me. But they've done it to Yoo Joonghyuk from another worldline.

"Can you swear on the River Styx?"

An oath on the River Styx is the heaviest guarantee the gods of Olympus can make. I didn't think he'd go that far, but surprisingly, Ares nodded obediently.

Ares' appearance was so different from what I remembered, I honestly couldn't hide my bewilderment.

But it was too early to be surprised.

Ares took a deep breath, looked at me with piercing eyes, and spoke.