Enclosed Training II

-You think you won't be able to stay in contact for a while?

He could hear the surprised voice of Team Leader Han over the phone.

"Yes. I'm thinking of focusing on personal training for a while."

-Hm… Then the training period will be…?

Team Leader Han slurred the end of his sentence with a perplexed voice. It seemed like he didn't expect Ohjin to become absent at this time.

'Well, they probably have their hands full right now.'

The whole world was placing its attention on Korea from the rumors that a North Star's apostle had appeared. Not just Korean guilds, but even major foreign guilds were placing their attention on Ohjin's affiliate, the Association. It was reasonable for the Association to go into panic if Ohjin suddenly became absent in the middle of that situation.

"I'm currently thinking around three months."

-Three Months… the timing is a bit unsettling. There are actually hundreds of requests to have a meeting with you already.

Ohjin already knew that everyone was anxious about creating a friendly relationship with a North Star's apostle by any means possible.

'That's the reason I'm making my disappearance in the first place, after all.'

Of course, he had no reason to avoid them if they all approached him out of pure goodwill.

'However.'

There was no way something along the lines of pure goodwill existed in this world. With it being a friendly relationship in name, it was obvious that they would rack their brains trying to find a method that took advantage of him.

'I need a little more time.'

He needed to at least raise his strength to the point where he would be able to defend against the forces that approached him with that in mind. The fact that he was growing at a speed incomparable to other Awakeners was true, but he was still nothing but a mere 3-Star Awakener.

"Anyways, I plan on focusing on personal training for a while, so please decline all the meeting requests."

-Yes, I understand. Thinking about it once again, I also believe that it would be best for you to lay low, as you said.

'Indeed, It's nice that the Team Leader and I get along.'

"Ah right. There is one more thing I'd like to request."

'I nearly forgot about this.'

"Could you send a message to the Starlight Lake guild for me?"

-The Starlight Lake guild?

"Yes. Tell them that I have been greatly offended by an Awakener named Choi Jongchul.

Ohjin had promised that he would overlook it if he listened to his request, but he didn't plan on overlooking it that easily.

-Could you tell me how you were offended in detail?

"He provoked me by saying that I, a mere dog of the Association, had dared to act up against him," said Ohjin, leaving out what happened to Heun.

-…Did he say such things? Team Leader Han replied in a tone that expressed his displeasure.

There was no way he would be okay with someone throwing shade at the organization he was a part of, after all.

-Leave that matter to me. We just happened to receive a meeting request from the Starlight Lake guild as well; we'll be able to turn them down using this as an excuse.

"Haha. Then I'll leave it to you."

His lips formed a smile on their own from Team Leader Han's confidence-filled voice.

-Oh, which place are you planning on training at?

"Ah, that," Ohjin grinned.

He already had a place in mind for his enclosed training. The optimal location where he would be able to train in peace in the midst of all the attention.

It was the one and only…

"Sanctum."

-…what?

The motherland of gods where hundreds of celestials resided.

That was the place he decided on for his enclosed training.

[—So this is what you meant when you said you wanted to be together all the time.]

The three sanctuaries that were located at the very top of the sanctum.

He arrived at the massive sanctuary where only the celestials that carried the title 'North Star' could reside. The Star of the Weaver Girl's sanctuary that he hadn't seen in a while was as desolate as ever.

"What did you think I meant?" asked Ohjin in a playful manner.

[Hmpf! Be quiet!]

Puffing out steam from her nose, Vega quickly turned her head away with her arms crossed.

"Haha. Sorry. I couldn't think of a place more perfect than this."

The time Vega could materialize on Earth was merely a couple hours; using that limited amount of time to learn the ways of handling the stigma of Lyra from Vega was not enough.

'But it's a different story inside the sanctum.'

The 'Commandant's restriction', which could be said to be the celestial's shackles, was a lot weaker inside the sanctum.

It meant that it was more than possible for Vega to stay materialized for 24 hours a day.

[Will it be okay to leave Heun alone?]

"It's not like she's a kid."

It was time for Heun to also focus on rehabilitation training for the time being, anyways.

'Though she did seem to be in a very bad mood.'

Ohjin recalled her violently distorted expression from when he said that he would be locked up inside the sanctum for three months.

"Well, we won't be apart for the entire duration of the three months, anyways."

Just because it was the Star of the Weaver Girl's sanctuary didn't mean that you had to possess the stigma of Lyra to enter; they could meet whenever they wanted.

[Fufu. Then it looks like we'll be able to stay together like this for a while.]

Vega's lips perked up in satisfaction.

"I'm looking forward to working with you, Goddess Vega."

[Fufu! Trust me!]

Vega puffed out her chest with her arms crossed.

Twirl—

Vega spun around 360° like she was dancing.

Owooong!—

Swaying through the rays of silver light, her body that was only 30cm started to become bigger inch by inch.

The original appearance of Vega that he hadn't seen in a long time was as breathtakingly beautiful as ever.

[Alright, which skill do you want me to teach you first?]

Vega approached him with sparkles in her eyes.

Ohjin slowly shook his head.

"Teaching me with words has little-to-no meaning."

Before they came to the sanctum, he had been taught the skills of the stigma of Lyra a couple times on the house rooftop by Vega before.

'I need to be able to understand her words in order to learn.'

Ohjin wasn't sure if it was because Vega was unaccustomed to teaching with words or if her own understanding was lacking, but he simply couldn't comprehend what she was trying to express when listening to her explanations.

'What the hell is 'manipulate mana like riding on the Milky Way's clouds' supposed to mean?'

He couldn't get the feel of how he was supposed to move his mana at all.

[Hm? Then how are you planning to learn skills?]

"Vega. I want to spar with you directly."

Reminiscing about what he had experienced so far, he had always grown through real fights. It meant that, rather than complicated theory, he would have a higher possibility for growth by relying on his instinct that exerted itself in extreme conditions.

Although It wasn't a real fight but sparring, it would still be much more helpful than learning through explanations alone.

However…

[That cannot be done.]

Vega shook her head with a firm expression.

"Why? Is it because of the restrictions?"

He had heard that the restriction doesn't completely disappear even inside the sanctum; it was just comparatively weaker.

[No. That is not the reason.]

"Then?"

Vega let out a short sigh and answered.

"…Ah."

Certainly.

Thinking about the difference that existed between him and Vega, it would be no different from a human sparring an ant.

"Even if you control your strength?"

[It still cannot be done—no matter how carefully it's controlled.]

It meant that the gap between them was that large.

'Was I too arrogant?'

It could have been that he was full of himself because he had grown at a speed incomparable to other Awakeners during the past few months. Now that he heard those words directly from her mouth, he felt ashamed that he dared to think about sparring a celestial.

'It doesn't make any sense after all.'

She was a transcendent that was different from humans by nature. Even worse, she was a North Star's celestial that was evaluated as being on a different league even amongst those transcendents.

'Yeah, I was too full of myself.'

He had briefly forgotten about it since he had been staying comfortable with Vega all this time.

His current self was nothing but an existence that could be easily crushed to death by a single one of her fingers.

"Then I guess it can't be helped. Let's continue as usual."

It didn't seem like it would be all that efficient, but he didn't want to bite off more than he could chew and proceed to spar while ignoring Vega's warning.

[Hmm. Wait a moment.]

Vega was lost in thought with her arms crossed

Soon, Click!, she snapped her fingers.

[Even if it doesn't work for me, it could be possible with my Star Spirit.]

'Star Spirit? Is it that thing called the celestial's incarnation?'

Celestials were fundamentally unable to interfere with matters on Earth due to the restrictions. Vega could still interfere to some degree, fitting that of her title, North Star, but other celestials couldn't even exit the sanctum.

What stemmed from that problem were Star Spirits.

It was a kind of summons that had part of a celestial's soul infused within.

'Of course, Star Spirits aren't completely free from restrictions.'

But compared to a celestial directly intervening on Earth, It was said to receive a much weaker restriction.

'Anyways, Vega's Star Spirit huh… I guess I'll need to put up an act again.'

[Come.]

Vega slowly raised her hands up.

[Servant of the Star of the Weaver Girl, Riak.]

Owooong!—

With rays of radiant silver light, a crack appeared in the void.

Step, step—

What appeared from the crack was a wolf that possessed beautiful silver fur.

"Have you called, Lady Vega?"

With a fluent voice unthinkable of a wolf, Riak bowed his head.

"Hmm?"

Riak's eyes that were observing the surroundings headed in Ohjin's direction.

Flinch—

His silver fur stood on its edge.

"A human? Why is a human in this place…?"

The wolf's gaze was filled with wariness.

Ohjin approached Riak and—

"It's been a while, Riak."

—put on a friendly smile while shaking his hand.

Tilting his head, the silver wolf narrowed its eyes.

"Bastard, who are you?"

"Haha! It's been a while since I've heard you speak to me in that manner; it feels quite refreshing now."

Not able to understand the situation, the confused Riak turned his head in Vega's direction.

Vega gently smiled as she placed her hands on top of Ohjin's shoulder.

[Do not be surprised, Riak.]

"What…?"

[This child is a Regressor who went against time and returned from the future.]

"T-The Heaven-defying Star!"

Riak's mouth opened wide.

An existence like a myth, even amongst celestials that were transcendent beings.

The one and only hope that could change the destiny of a world that was destined to meet its end.

"How is the Heaven-defying star… I-In that case!"

The appearance of the Heaven-defying star meant one thing…

That the world of the 'future' had already met its end once.

In other words—

"Eventually, just like Lady Vega's prophecy…"

—the owner it revered had been devoured by the Black Heaven's darkness.

Boom!—

Riak stamped his feet in anger.

Although it was a future that hadn't arrived yet, the guilt from the fact that he couldn't protect his owner crashed in like a wave.

[Do not blame yourself, Riak.]

Vega gently stroked Riak with a caring touch.

[Isn't that why my child has come to this place, to prevent that future?]

Riak glared at Ohjin with its mouth closed shut.

His presence felt much too weak to be the Heaven-defying star.

"Lady Vega, is that human truly the Heaven-defying star?"

[Fufu. You will come to know as time passes.]

Vega crossed her arms with a confident expression.

"Vega."

[Alright.]

Vega explained to Riak the reason why Ohjin had come to the sanctuary.

"A spar…? With him?"

[That is correct.]

"Grrrr."

Riak narrowed his eyes and observed Ohjin from head to toe.

He honestly couldn't believe it, but…

"If it's Lady Vega's orders…"

Crunch!—

As Riak's body started to enlarge, his appearance changed into a werewolf that reached a height of 2 meters.

Bzzzzzt!—

Blue lightning sparked up across his silver fur.

'Damn, what the hell?'

Gulp—

Ohjin swallowed out of nervousness while looking up at Riak.

A suffocating force flowed out of Riak, who had transformed into a werewolf. He honestly appeared stronger than Vega if you were to base it off force alone.

'Though that's probably because Vega doesn't expose her true power.'

Anyway…

The fact that it was a strong being incomparable to his current self was the undeniable truth.

"Then, let's start the spar."

Riak took his stance.

Ohjin nodded his head and raised his spear.

'Honestly, winning will make no sense but…'

If it was holding on.

'I can do—'

Baaang!!—

Ohjin couldn't even see it with his naked eye.

He had raised his spear out of instinct.

Boom!!—

"Kugk!!"

The spear grasped in his hand was violently flung away.

Blood flowed out as his palms were ripped.

"Kugh!"

He quickly lowered his stance to roll on the ground, but…

"Too slow."

Crack!—

Riak kicked Ohjin's stomach as if kicking a soccer bar.

"Kughk! Kuk! Cough!"

He fell down on the spot as strength left his legs.

'Holy shit.'

Three Seconds.

That was the time it took for Ohjin's first spar with Riak to end.