Chapter 270: Scouter (2)

Shoooaah-

A downpour of rain poured down. It wasn't ordinary rain. This world, this dungeon, was melting away. Whether you were a fanatic, an addicted loyalist, or neither, you shouldn't directly intervene in a world you don't belong to. Despite forcibly penetrating using the fact that the dungeon's real substance was fake, the aftermath was naturally significant.

Furthermore, when two great powers clashed, as the rookie said, the world rapidly crumbled.

"Just by such a contract, you broke free from constraints? As if bargaining with the king of harmlessness, contracting with an SSS-class monster, you can preserve enough power to be on equal footing with me!"

The sixth crescent piece exclaimed as if unable to comprehend. Indeed, the price for a transcendent to intervene in this world was too low.

"Thanks to someone who popped out first and stirred things up a lot."

Sung Hyunjae extended his hand to the side. Sigma, who was standing stiffly, tried to dodge, but being held by the shoulder came first. Both had combat foresight, so the one with the higher stats had the advantage.

"I have a close connection with someone."

"Let go of me!"

"Bring out the Scouters."

Sigma's brows furrowed sharply at the command. Being so close, they looked even more alike. At the same time, Sung Hyunjae clearly exuded a mature aura.

"Why should I?"

"Be nice, kiddo."

Suddenly, the hand holding Sigma's nape pulled him down as if pressing him. Two pairs of gold clashed against each other. Perhaps due to the posture of being held, Sung Hyunjae's eye level was slightly higher.

"Don't torment the kid."

"Because he's cute."

"Wow, saying such things in front of someone with the same face as you."

Sigma, who was grinding his teeth in anger, eventually took out the Scouters. When the golden chains touched Sung Hyunjae's hand, they soared into the sky like a dragon ascending with even more intense momentum as if shedding off shackles. Centaurus looked bewildered at the sight. Sigma, who was released, looked at Sung Hyunjae with stiff eyes.

"Only the contract holder can handle those chains."

"Is that so?"

"Are you...?"

A heavy question was met with a light smile. As the golden chains coiled around us like protective guardians, bouncing off the pouring raindrops, Sung Hyunjae replied.

"What are you, Delouse!?"

"Even though this world is fake and will soon disappear, don't just call out names like that."

The centaur aimed the bow she was holding forward. From the black bowstring, black branches sprouted and intertwined, extending long. Holding a giant sword without a blade, like a club, the black hooves pounded the air.

Clang! The sword clashed against the golden chains blocking my path, intertwining with them. With every scratch and push against each other, sparks flew, shaking both the ground and the sky simultaneously. If there were no protection, not only would I, but even Delta, an SS-class guard, would have instantly lost our lives just by touching that blaze.

As the sword swung roughly and dozens of arrows poured down from the air, the golden chains remained unfazed. It was as if they were calmly watching the rain and thunder roaring beyond a thick barrier.

The area around Sung Hyunjae, spreading out like a white boundary, did not tolerate any intrusion of the night. No, it seemed to be expanding his territory further.

"Those chains were given to the Little Moon! Except for the Little Moon and the original owner, the Crescent, no one else can use them!"

"You're quite knowledgeable."

Knowledgeable indeed. But still.

"I don't understand either!"

I reached out and grabbed Sung Hyunjae's clothes, only to let go in surprise. It was the sleeve of my lost arm. Even though it wasn't my real body, it still felt awkward.

"So, what the heck is this?"

As I stepped back, something wrapped around my waist from behind. It was long and white, a tail. What's this, why am I wearing something like this! It's supposed to be a white tail!

"Han Yoojin."

"Yes, can you please let go of this?"

"That's a Scouter."

"Pardon?"

"Among the Scouters created by the Little Moon based on part of herself to find suitable subjects to become transcendents and nurture them to save the world, this is the sixth one."

Within the calm voice, the stars in the sky disappeared. The surroundings were either entirely white or black. The only intact thing was the mana hole where we stood. The mana hole emitting a lone blue light felt strangely eerie.

Amidst this surreal scene, Sung Hyunjae turned his head to look at the sixth piece of the crescent moon. The white eyes stared fiercely at him.

"...Who is the Little Moon exactly? Do you remember?"

"No, this isn't information that I know. This body contains the memories of Delta, a White Tail, who is part of the loyalists. The Little Moon is said to be a very old existence. Naturally, there can't be so many system managers or fanatics. Even if they possess exceptional qualities, it's extremely rare for them to grow into transcendents."

But even in our world, with just the fanatics responsible, there were more than enough to count on one hand. Surely, there would be more in other worlds.

"So it was artificially created. To swallow its own world."

Delta's, Sigma's, Alpha's, Mu's, and Lambda's worlds were rapidly disappearing. I glanced at Delta inadvertently.

"Swallowing its own world?"

"Fairy Lord. It's a fitting title, isn't it? Although not everyone is like that, most Fairy Lords indeed become just that. They swallow the world they were born into and grew up in."

Including that one, Centaurus struck the chains forcefully. A terrifying shockwave spread, and the golden chains creaked and slightly recoiled. White hair fluttered in the breeze. Raindrops fell through the cracks, dampening our footing.

"Because only those who belong to and have grown up in that world can swallow it, the Little Moon sought suitable subjects to nurture as transcendents and planted her pieces in various worlds. Not all pieces could become transcendents, but they had a much higher potential than ordinary humans."

[A Moon That Swallowed Ten Thousand Worlds]

Suddenly, that message came to mind. Does it mean that the Little Moon didn't directly swallow the worlds, but instead made her pieces and the chosen subjects swallow them?

If most Fairy Lords became transcendents by devouring their own worlds... I felt sickened. The cheerful message from the new recruit promising to help save the world echoed in my mind. To think that they would devour their own world and become like that...

"...Am I one of those pieces too?"

Sigma said.

"No, you and I are humans. You're just receiving unwanted attention."

Was it a hint that Sigma was one of the chosen subjects the Little Moon was grooming to become transcendents? It made sense. If I just passed by that human without noticing, it would be a missed opportunity.

"Do you accept that attention? You'll become incredibly strong. Just like now."

The questioning voice trembled slightly. Sung Hyunjae looked at me with slightly widened eyes, then made an exaggeratedly disgruntled expression.

"I've already answered that, but perhaps it wasn't clear enough for you."

"W-What?"

"Just stay as you are. Unchanged and not disappearing. Just like that."

I momentarily spaced out at his softly smiling words, then my neck suddenly felt hot. Damn, his memory is disgustingly good. No, what I said was correct, but hearing it again like this made me feel embarrassed and awkward. Was I crazy? Did I turn off my resistance? Or was I drunk?

"Ah... No, that's different from this! I just, wanted you to, wait a bit."

"And. It's not my taste."

"...Yes?"

"Forcing something that isn't mine, wielding it as my own power."

A chill ran down my spine. The golden pupils in his eyes narrowed like needles. They looked like a cat's one moment, but felt like a reptile's the next.

"Even powerful weapons, exceptional skills, and humans possessing them. I have no aversion to holding and controlling them. In fact, I enjoy it. The higher the value of the opponent, the better. However, anything that is not fundamentally mine, not based on my will, is meaningless to me. It's just annoying and displeasing."

So. After Sigma's timid growl, Sung Hyunjae's figure disappeared before my eyes. Boom! A loud noise was heard, and I quickly looked around in alarm.

"Kuh!"

Suddenly, a white spear was lodged in Kentaurus's hind leg. The falling rain turned into a storm, whipping around wildly. Kentaurus swung his greatsword, but Sung Hyunjae gracefully stepped back, easily evading the attack. With a cool smile, Sung Hyunjae's body disappeared again.

Anticipating further attacks, Kentaurus spread his mana in all directions and raised his greatsword like a shield. Branches extended from the sword to protect him, but at the same time, Sung Hyunjae appeared from the empty space, spinning his body and striking the broad side of the greatsword with his heel.

Thunk!

With a bomb-like explosion, the branches surrounding the greatsword were broken. Without a chance to catch his breath, Sung Hyunjae already had a white spear in his hand. Almost simultaneously with a back kick, the spear plunged into the gap where the branches broke. Centaurus hastily held up the greatsword diagonally to block the spear. The clash between the spear and the sword caused a blinding explosion.

Grrruuuung-

A fierce wind roared around them as Sung Hyunjae floated like riding on the wind. Centaurus, with his attention divided, couldn't withstand the onslaught and stumbled backward.

Kwaaang, Thud!

Consecutive attacks bewildered the senses. The two masters' chains entangled each other, neutralizing each other's powers, while skills, magic, and powers scattered and clashed in a tense battle.

"Stop! Attacking me, who is just a fake, this won't change anything!"

In a state where their transcendental powers were evenly matched, only physical assaults remained. Although Centaurus's greatsword was powerful, her movements were surprisingly clumsy. Suddenly, Sung Hyunjae, who had moved behind centaurus without her noticing, kicked him hard in the back of his head. Like a sharp blade, Sung Hyunjae's decorative robe split open the skin beneath it. He effortlessly kicked centaurus's body, raising her tailbone.

"Since you've been nurtured to absorb and grow as you're given, this is what you've become. Nothing but cattle."

"Argh!"

Centaurus extended her black branches in a furious outcry toward Sung Hyunjae. But before those branches could retaliate, Sung Hyunjae fiercely attacked, wielding her greatsword. Her momentum was ferocious, but all that met her sword was the rain.

Kneeling down and lowering hee body to the ground, Sung Hyunjae slid smoothly to the side, striking with his spear toward Kentaurus's legs. With a resounding crack, both front legs broke like wood, and centaurus's body lurched forward.

"You!"

However, with both hands on the ground, she immediately bounced back up and stood tall. In that brief moment, her broken legs were healed. Whether it was due to a healing skill or his body's natural regeneration, she quickly recovered from her injuries. But Sung Hyunjae's movements were even faster. Grabbing centaurus's face with one hand, Sung Hyunjae raised his knee and delivered a powerful blow to her chest. The forceful attack seemed to crush every bone in centaurus's chest, freezing her movements for a moment.

Taking advantage of the opening, Sung Hyunjae tightened her grip on centaurus's head and applied more force to break her neck. Kentaurus's massive body collapsed to the ground, and a spear consecutively pierced into her.

"You may be fake, but the Little Moon you managed isn't entirely fake."

"Argh, you...!"

"Even perfect, real isn't..."

"Yeah. This is just the past. But apparently, the creation of a small deviation, a branching point, is enough," he said. "I don't feel like obediently following such talk, though."

The white spear pierced through his gasping throat and pinned him to the ground.

"We must keep our promise."

Even in this state, centaurus was still alive. However, the momentum that covered the sky had completely disappeared, and the silver chains also lost their power and lay limp on the ground. Sung Hyunjae returned to our side without finishing him off.

"Why aren't you killing her?"

"If I kill her now, the world will collapse in an instant from the aftermath. Then the kid won't be safe either."

Sung Hyunjae and I turned to look at Sigma simultaneously. Sigma seemed uncomfortable with the title.

"What are you planning to do with me?"

"Let you live and leave this place."

"...To where's c class?"

"That's not possible. I'm already there."

I looked at the two people facing each other. They looked identical, but...

"Cresent moon probably thought the little moon was quite special. He even gave it his own name. But the little moon must have resisted. Several times from swallowing this world."

Sung Hyunjae spoke lightly, as if he were talking about someone else's business.

"I'll send you when there's enough opportunity. I can't say where you'll end up."

Sigma glanced at me once and nodded. My head started spinning. So, Sigma from long ago... Sung Hyunjae then.

Was Cresent moon was trying to make him a transcendental being and failing, and then planting him in another world? That... repeatedly. They both felt the sensation of repetition, even though they didn't remember. The two who used to act bored with everything in the world came to mind.

"...Whether it's cresent moon or whatever, this is ridiculous. Why cling to someone who hates you?"

It's like playing with people's lives. Saying grandiose things about saving the world. And the Falunars...

How on earth can our world be saved?

Amidst the complicated emotions, the rain continued to pour incessantly. Then, suddenly, I felt my strength draining from my entire body. I stumbled forward.

-Beep!

A blue bird appeared. It was chirpie. Chirpie happily circled around me as if to express its gratitude.