974 Episode 58 Myth-grade Constellation (6)

"Kim Dokja."

Only after hearing her voice did I breathe a collective sigh of relief.

"Anna."

However, Anna Croft, who was now clutching my shoulder, seemed to be in an erratic state.

"Are you hurt?"

Anna shook her head as if it were nothing, wiping a smear of blood from her forehead. Judging by her ragged breathing, she had clearly been chased by someone powerful on her way here. Before I could speak again, she placed a finger to her lips and initiated a [Direct Transmission].

—The constellations are coming.

A moment later, a group of constellations appeared, their presence loud and intrusive, from the direction she had fled. These were the ones pursuing her.

—The <Emperor>'s forces.

With Anna's warning, I identified the constellation leading the charge. It was a handsome man carrying a massive red bow on his back—one that seemed even taller than he was. He wore character-themed pajamas that looked absurdly out of place on a battlefield, looking around with a gloomy, perpetually annoyed expression as he clutched a white arrowhead. I knew him well.

He was a legendary constellation said to have shot down nine suns with his arrows. It appeared the forces of <Emperor> participating in this skirmish were under his command.

—Were they hunting you?

Anna Croft shook her head.

—To be precise, they rescued me.

—Rescued you?

According to Anna, the <Emperor>'s constellations, led by Hou Yi, had saved her from a group that had surrounded her earlier.

—The Emperor is attempting to recruit me. They want me to join their vanguard on the 'Main Battlefield'.

This 'Large-scale Battlefield' was the last chance for major nebulae to scout the elites of Valhalla. In that sense, a Prophet like Anna Croft was a prize worth claiming. Though she was despised by Asgard, with Valhalla already teetering on the edge of collapse, the Emperor had no reason to fear the petty disapproval of other nebulae.

—Why didn't you accept? The Emperor stands a real chance even in the final scenarios.

Anna’s eyes widened in genuine bewilderment.

—Are you serious?

—Yes. You’ve already been abandoned by Asgard, haven't you?

When we met in the past, within the Realm of Fear, she was already being systematically hunted by her own nebula. Relying on the Transcendent Alliance had been her last resort, but now that refuge was gone. Accepting a call from another giant nebula was, logically, her best survival strategy.

Anna Croft shook her head stubbornly.

—I am sick of giant nebulae. And…

She hesitated, casting a fleeting glance at me.

—You have no intention of joining them either, do you?

—Of course not.

—Then be quiet. We must be careful of [Detection].

I nodded. Hou Yi was a constellation who had reached the pinnacle of Transcendence, much like Cheok Jungyeong. At this range, even a whisper could be picked up by his senses.

Hou Yi had been mentioned briefly in 'Ways of Survival', but his personality had never been fleshed out.

Judging by his tone, he was a surprisingly sentimental constellation. The subordinates approaching him prostrated themselves immediately.

Hou Yi didn't respond. He simply gazed at the artificial sky, lost in thought. His followers, familiar with his temperament, waited in respectful silence. Finally, as a star streaked across the sky, Hou Yi spoke.

I felt a jolt of surprise at the names he uttered.

The 'Five Emperors'—he was referring to the Myth-grade constellations of <Emperor>. Hou Yi scoffed at his subordinate's words.

It made sense. Hou Yi wasn't a central figure in the 'Journey to the West' scenario, the pride of <Emperor>. Like Surya or Dionysus, he didn't necessarily align with the overarching will of his nebula.

Hou Yi frowned, looking annoyed.

The subordinate paused before speaking with cold precision.

Anna Croft flinched beside me, but I wasn't surprised. This was the logical progression. With the 'Round Table' in motion, there was no reason for other mythic entities to stay idle.

I swallowed hard. Hou Yi was a constellation of the Sun, but he possessed a specific relic that posed a mortal threat even to Myth-grade beings. Hanging from his flank were ten glowing white arrows.

They were forged from the severed fingers of 'Di Ku', one of the Three Emperors.

Hou Yi looked genuinely startled by the authorization.

Hou Yi’s expression shifted to one of genuine intrigue. He lightly stroked his bow, a slow, inscrutable smile spreading across his face.

I wondered if it was my imagination, or if his gaze had just flickered toward the very bush where Anna and I were hiding. He tilted his head, then looked away.

I watched their movements, a realization dawning on me.

—Did they try to find my location through you? Is that why you ran?

Anna continued to monitor the Emperor’s forces.

—I simply didn't want to be a piece on their board anymore.

If I abandoned her now, I’d never hear the end of it from my comrades. Maintaining 「Pebble and I」, I grabbed Anna’s wrist and began to move. Fortunately, the Emperor's forces remained unaware of our transit.

—First, we need to find Heewon-ssi.

That was the priority. If the rules of the Giant Battlefield held, she would be a prime target without a team.

—And we need to find the 'Missing Bush'. It has to have manifested by now.

That was our true objective.

—If we find it, we can bypass the clearing conditions and survive the scenario.

—Are you really going in there?

—Yes.

—But we don't know where it leads. It could be a death trap.

It was a massive risk. Even 'Ways of Survival' was vague about the destination of the 'Missing Bush'. But if my intuition was correct...

Thud.

A heavy footstep shook the earth. I turned my head.

Thud.

The constellations of <Emperor>, and even the <Papyrus> hunters in the distance, froze as if entranced.

—Kim Dokja...

Anna’s voice was trembling. The air on the battlefield vibrated with a suffocating pressure. It was a cocktail of greed, anxiety, fear, and warped joy. There was no mistaking this sensation.

It was the sound of a star of immense status colliding with the weight of its own story.

—A Myth-grade constellation.

In the direction of the ruined forest, a Myth-grade being was unleashing its full status. Fleeing stars and hunters alike turned back, drawn like moths to a primordial flame.

Anna grabbed my sleeve.

—You cannot go there.

She was right. Usually, I wouldn't take such a risk. But there was a reason I had to.

—No, I must.

It wasn't just curiosity about a clash between myths. It was a voice—a story only I could hear.

A familiar story was screaming for me. Anna’s expression hardened as she read my intent.

—No way…

As if synchronized, we bolted toward the forest. To anyone nearby, we would have looked like two very fast stones rolling through the debris. When we reached the treeline, I froze. The pressure was so thick it was hard to draw breath. Great-grade constellations that had rushed in were screaming.

With a collective shriek, the stars nearby dissolved into pure light. Unable to withstand the unfiltered status of a myth, they were being vacuumed into a vortex of tales.

Standing beside me, Anna was gasping for air, her eyes fixed upward. A giant of light was shining brilliantly in the absolute darkness. It was a Myth-grade being with an appearance reminiscent of a colossal archangel.

I knew he was strong, but seeing him unleash his true nature was a terrifying reminder of what I was now up against.

It seemed the Sanctuary was manifesting in this very forest. Skuld and the remnants of the Golden Dice Hall were huddled there, protected by Mitra’s radiance.

Then came the scream. It was wrong. Mitra was there, protecting them with the great light of myth that none should be able to defy. Yet, the circle of light was shrinking.

Thud.

The footsteps I had heard earlier—they weren't Mitra's.

Thud.

With every step, Great-grade constellations simply vaporized. It was a monstrous feat—incinerating stars with the mere sound of a stride.

Mitra roared and swung a fist of pure light, but the darkness caught it. It coiled around his arm, effortlessly snapping his one remaining wing.

A horrific scream tore the sky in half. Mitra’s massive form began to buckle under the weight of an impossible violence. When the master of that darkness finally stepped into the light, my breath stopped. The one who had broken Mitra’s wings—I knew him better than anyone.