Return of the Shattered Constellation

Not all of the prisoners were heading for the door on the first floor.

“It looks dangerous down there.”

“It’s filled with monsters, so why would they bother to take the risk?”

“Let’s just head our own way then.”

The prisoners on the ninetieth floor and above were considered different from the others. They had not only eaten up Worldlines, but also earned great accomplishments of their own, <Transcending> into beings whose Divine Classes rivaled those of Elder and Outer Celestials.

However, there was nothing orthodox about the method they had used to become stronger, so these Star Signs were also considered <Beasts>. These people had tried to become Emperors, but mutated after using the wrong methods or losing their Divine Classes. Their existence alone stirred fear among other Celestials and Star Signs.

As they were free from their Divine Steel shackles, it looked as if the <Beast> prisoners would have no one to fear but an Emperor, and they were wholly confident in their skills. Nevertheless, the Eight Gods of Disorder, Baal, and Metatron were still people whom they could not take lightly. Those Outer and Elder Celestials were the reason why the <Beast> prisoners had been locked up here after their pursuit of R’lyeh, after all. That was why they looked at the ceiling where the hundredth floor was presumed to be, not the lower floors.

“We finally have a chance to check out that place.”

“Kekeke. I’ve always wondered about that place. Who knows? <Supreme Light> or <Dull Darkness> might have hidden their treasure in there.”

When someone mentioned treasure, the other prisoners’ eyes twinkled. Most of them had been locked up for an eternity, and the hundredth floor was the greatest mystery to them. There was an atrium in the center of the place that allowed them to see all the lower floors at once, but the hundredth floor was obscured by the ninety-ninth floor’s ceiling, thus remaining a mystery to them.

One of the <Beast> prisoners had once speculated that it was where Metatron, Baal, and the Eight Gods of Disorder were staying. After much observation, that conclusion had been dismissed as incorrect, since those wardens had places of their own outside the Tower.

All kinds of speculation had been put forth about the hundredth floor’s true nature. As <Supreme Light> was the Tower’s original owner, it could well be his treasury. It could be where <Dull Darkness> had installed something after building the trap that was R’lyeh. Or perhaps it was a secret exit to the outside world.

Of course, the <Beast> prisoners had had no way of confirming their speculations… until now. They were now free from their shackles, and the Tower was crumbling. They realized that it was a golden opportunity.

Besides, they had initially planned to destroy the walls on their respective floors to escape, not the door on the first floor. After coming to an agreement to work together, the only change in their plan was that they intended to go through the ceiling.

“Don’t tell me one of us is going to use this opportunity to backstab the others.”

“Ha! They can try it if they have a death wish.”

“Everyone, remember! We can fight all we want in the outside world! Vent your anger out there! Today is our last chance of getting out of this place!”

“Why bother? We can just gang up and kill any traitors, can’t we?”

“Alright. That’s how we’ll take care of it, then.”

The <Beast> prisoners slowly adjusted to their power, as it had been a while, firing their Signature attacks at the ceiling. They needed to destroy the ceiling as quickly as possible, because their escape would only become more difficult if the Eight Gods of Disorder noticed what they were doing and tried to stop them.

Booooom!

Rumble―!

The ceiling shook violently, and thick clouds of smoke spread in all directions.

Crraaaack―!

Cracks covered the ceiling, and a hole eventually formed.

“There! Focus on hit…!”

Everyone directed their Signature attacks toward the hole except for one person.

“Huh? Why are you not doing anything?”

That person was from the ninetieth floor where the most dangerous prisoners were held; he was called Ascle by the other prisoners. His long hair kept his gaze hidden, but whenever his serpentine eyes were revealed, the other prisoners became terrified.

Ascle was looking downward with his eyes gleaming, so the prisoner who had asked him the question flinched.

“I’m not really interested in getting out of this place,” Ascle answered.

“What?” The prisoner asked again, unsure what Ascle meant

“Why? Is there a problem?”

“N-No… It’s your decision.” The prisoner shook his head.

Had it been another prisoner, he would have told them to stop their nonsense and help, but it was better to leave Ascle alone. Just then…

Craaaash―!

[The ceiling has crumbled!]

[Floor 100 has been revealed.]

“We did it!”

“Hey! Get moving!”

“Huh? Oh, yeah! Okay!”

[The Outer Celestial ‘Nameless Mist’ realizes what is happening on the upper floor and starts running in annoyance!]

After noticing that a God of Disorder was onto them, the prisoner near Ascle followed the other prisoners, yelling, “Do what you want then!”

Paaah―!

As the God of Disorder quickly chased after them, Ascle continued to watch the lower floors. At a certain moment, both of his eyes turned blue with the activation of his [Gnostic Eyes], Odin’s Signature that was used to read the hidden knowledge in the universe.

“It’s there.” Ascle moved immediately as if he had found something interesting, very nimbly for someone who had been in shackles until recently. His eyes were glued to where Chang-Sun and Bel-Marduk had been.

Paah!

* * *

Chang-Sun and Bel-Marduk escaped using the chaos, avoiding the fights between the prisoners and the Eight Gods of Disorder. The path was very narrow, but Chang-Sun could see a way out with his [Gnostic Eye].

During their escape, he told Bel-Marduk about his plan. When he mentioned Ubbo-Sathla’s death, Chang-Sun could see a surge of emotion in Bel-Marduk’s eyes. Ubbo-Sathla was the enemy who had brought despair to Bel-Marduk for a very long time, so the news of her death left him with mixed emotions. In truth, it felt hollow, rather than bringing a sense of accomplishment. At the same time, Bel-Marduk could sense that his past enemy was actually gone.

Chang-Sun showed Bel-Marduk Ubbo-Sathla’s <Star Fragment>, explaining how he was planning to Celestial-Cannibalize what remained of her soul in the fragment and meet <Dull Darkness>.

“…You’re going to swallow Ubbo-Sathla?” Bel-Marduk’s gaze turned sharp again. “You know what else that fragment contains, don’t you?”

“Ubbo-Sathla’s memories. Don’t worry. I won’t lose myself in them,” Chang-Sun replied.

In some way, an Outer Celestial was a mass of all sorts of memories and powers. Some of them were from others whom they absorbed, and others were their own which they had created and acquired during their long lives. All of them were unrefined, so Chang-Sun could be overpowered by those memories and powers instead, just as even a healthy blue whale could not defy a powerful tsunami.

Bel-Marduk clicked his tongue and said, “No, you don’t know what it is at all.”

“…?”

“That’s us.”

“Us?” Chang-Sun repeated, although he gradually realized what Bel-Marduk was saying.

“Yeah, and in fact, they aren’t just the versions of us who led ordinary lives. Those people were strong and desperate enough to die in their fight against Ubbo-Sathla.”

Chang-Sun nodded with a heavy heart, in agreement about how the <Star Fragment> also contained the memories of other Lee Chang-Suns. Many of them had to have met Perkwunos and learned Rádĭus too. Chang-Sun could not begin to fathom how many of them were there; the <Star Fragment> in his hand felt heavier now.

“Swallowing it makes you no different from me. Besides, didn’t you talk all big about how you wouldn’t resort to Celestial Cannibalism?” Bel-Marduk asked.

“I did,” Chang-Sun asked.

“So why?” Bel-Marduk asked; he seemed genuinely curious, not trying to criticize Chang-Sun.

Although he was also a <Star>, Chang-Sun had firmly declared that he was not going to obsess over acquiring more power the way the <Purple Star Astrology> and <Horoscope> Star Signs had. Up until now, Bel-Marduk and the other Star Signs had thought Chang-Sun’s resolve would not last long, since he had insisted on taking a difficult path when there was an easy one right in front of him.

And yet, Chang-Sun had done it in the end. Although he had received many opportunities, he was the one who had cultivated himself and became comparable to—no, stronger than Bel-Marduk. Perhaps he was as formidable as Tiamat, who received an astronomical amount of Faith as a Celestial King.

Even though Chang-Sun had successfully protected his principles, he was suddenly telling Bel-Marduk that he had changed his mind. Bel-Marduk had a feeling that Chang-Sun’s last encounter with Ubbo-Sathla could have initiated that change, but he was unsure.

“Well…” Chang-Sun trailed off. He could not answer, because he himself lacked a definite reason.

The only reason Chang-Sun had been against Celestial Cannibalism was that he had no intention to obsess over power like the other Star Signs. As he had seen that obsession result in the Zodiacs, Three Enclosures, and Twenty-Eight Mansions, he had not wanted to be like them.

The moment Chang-Sun met Ubbo-Sathla and decided to fulfill her wish on her behalf, he had changed his mind. He was technically a <Radiant Star> with a <First Star’s Fragment> now, and was no longer weak enough to have his Divine Class affected by the addition of a mere few <Star Fragments>.

‘In the end, what matters is if I can embrace the fragment wholly, since it’s different if the fragment isn’t used as a vessel…’ Chang-Sun’s gaze turned sharp.

His plan was to absorb it to nourish his soul, rather than simply swallowing the <Star Fragment>. That was also the reason why he could not do so now. Absorbing the fragment would take a very long time, so he had to secure a place where he would not be interrupted during the process. However, that was the last thing he could afford to do amid the chaos. As such, escaping this place as soon as possible was important. But…

“Why? Are you planning to have it if I won’t eat it?” Chang-Sun asked.

…Bel-Marduk's eyes were shining with greed as he looked at the <Star Fragment> Chang-Sun could not forget that Bel-Marduk was the leader of <Horoscope>, the group of Star Signs that covered <Star Fragments>.

“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t interested. As you already know, I’m emotionally volatile. I’m holding myself back right now, but might betray you if you let your guard down.”

No traitor in the world would warn others about their betrayal. Finding Bel-Marduk’s contradictory(?) side funny, Chang-Sun could not help but chuckle before replying, “Is that so?”

“…Why are you laughing?” Bel-Marduk asked in annoyance, since it had taken a lot of courage for him to say that.

“It’s nothing.”

“You’re really annoying,” Bel-Marduk grumbled, frowning. “Anyway, remember that there’s no turning back when you absorb the fragment. Absorbing me from different Worldlines… That thought feels a little bizarre.”

“I’ll keep it in mind.” Chang-Sun nodded, as he knew Bel-Marduk was speaking from experience.

“We’d need to get out of here for Celestial Cannibalism anyway, so when can we do that?”

“We’re almost there. Aside from the door, this is the only way out of the Tower.” Chang-Sun slowly pulled out his golden key.

Swoooosh―!

At that moment, arrows that contained a significant amount of power suddenly flew toward Chang-Sun and Bel-Marduk, forcing them to dodge quickly.

Thud!

Thuuud!

The arrows narrowly missed Chang-Sun and Bel-Marduk, striking where they had just been instead. It turned out that they were actually too large and thick to call ‘arrows’; they were more like throwing spears.

Tap!

A man with waist-length hair quietly landed on one of the throwing spears. His tousled hair swayed, revealing his sly gaze.

‘[Gnostic Eyes]…?’ Chang-Sun’s face darkened after seeing the man’s eyes shining with blue light. It was his first time seeing a person who had Odin’s Signature in both eyes!

However, Bel-Marduk seemed to know who the man was. He shouted in disbelief and shock, “Why are you here…?”

『Do you know him?』 Chang-Sun quickly sent Bel-Marduk a telepathic message.

With a grim look, Bel-Marduk nodded. 『Of course. He’s the original owner of <Horoscope>.』

『What…?』 Chang-Sun asked again in shock, having been unaware that Bel-Marduk was not the one who had founded <Horoscope>.

Building such an organization meant that the man was extraordinary, but that was not the end of his surprise.

『His name is Asclepius. He’s a Star Sign, a <Beast>, and the thirteenth Zodiac, who was known to be missing.』 Bel-Marduk looked tense for the first time as he continued,『He’s Lee Chang-Sun too.』