Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 123

123. A Player Who Became a Constellation

Madness!

Karma felt his mind slipping.

“Amazing.”

He heard Lord Harlim’s surprised voice.

Karma turned his head to look at Lord Harlim.

Harlim’s eyes, fixed on Loki fighting Turam, were filled with avarice.

Indeed, for him, someone who could serve as both a shield and a sword—protecting him and cutting down his enemies—was an incredibly appealing prospect.

“I want him.”

And the most straightforward way to acquire such a skilled individual was clear.

“Capture that Dark Elf and the merchant!”

Taking their companions hostage.

Karma felt things were spiraling out of control.

“Wait, Lord Harlim!”

He had to intervene.

He had eliminated Kashar under the guise of assisting Prince Eron, but that didn’t justify an invasion of the Kron Empire.

To threaten and seize the ruler of a country within the Kron Empire?

This would provide ample justification for invasion, and the Kron Empire would undoubtedly lose the continent’s trust.

‘Besides…!’

He had received a report.

The reason Asgard, initially reluctant to engage in war, had sided with Prince Eron and initiated hostilities.

‘Dark Elf.’

The report indicated they had demanded a Dark Elf girl from Ronia, which was believed to be the catalyst for the war.

Lord Harlim was now following the same path.

The consequences were predictable.

‘Loss of the Crown Prince title due to war responsibility. Rebellion among imperial family members. Division of the empire. Asgard’s invasion.’

Karma mentally cataloged the worst-case scenarios unfolding.

What the hell is this!

Soldiers and slaves raised their spears, aiming at Cellut.

‘Ugh! Stop, please stop!’

At this rate, everyone would die!

‘Damn it, now isn’t the time to confront Lord Harlim!’

He had to somehow dissuade Lord Harlim.

Even if it meant being deposed for antagonizing an imperial noble, he had to confess to burning down the mushroom farm and resolve the conflict!

‘Even if this body perishes, Sharin remains. If my sister takes up my mantle and leads this country…!’

Just then.

“Lo, Lord!”

A breathless slave rushed up and shouted.

“The, the imperial army…! Has surrounded the territory!”

“…….”

“The First Princess, Sharin Kron, is reportedly leading the army!”

Offending the ruler of Asgard could be excused with, ‘I was unaware, and therefore helpless.’

But the imperial army had arrived at Harel with a substantial force?

It unmistakably appeared they were hunting down the murderer of the emperor.

Karma felt his mind fading.

“…….”

Karma laughed.

He voiced the emotions surging from the depths of his heart.

“That damn sister of mine!”

***

Loki was enjoying himself in his own way.

‘Strong.’

One of the heroes he had encountered in Ronia.

Significantly stronger than Kashar.

He had heard that Kashar Kron was ranked 4th.

Did that mean the person before him was ranked higher?

‘Is this the standard for humans?’

There seemed to be quite a few exceptional individuals in this world.

‘I want to see more of the world.’

The desire to travel, observe, listen, and experience this world, so different from his secluded existence in the north, firmly took root in Loki’s mind.

It was as Loki swung his sword.

Crack-!

Loki’s gaze fell upon the sword he was wielding.

The sword that had begun to crack.

‘Oh, dear.’

It was a cheap sword he had bought on a whim at the market.

He had imbued it with some magic to enhance its strength, but it seemed to have reached its limit against Turam.

‘If I had known this would happen, I would have invested in a better sword.’

“You!”

Loki looked up at Turam.

“It seems you killed Kashar!”

“…….”

“A being like you suddenly appeared in the border region adjacent to Ronia.”

That was true.

There weren’t many capable of killing Kashar on this continent.

Besides, the timing was impeccable.

A skilled individual capable of killing Kashar had suddenly emerged in the border area near Ronia, where the war had just concluded.

“So, do you seek to avenge your comrade?”

“Not really.”

Turam’s eyes burned with fighting spirit.

“You will fulfill my desire to challenge Kashar instead!”

“Challenge?”

“He was stronger than me in his prime. No matter how many times I challenged him, I couldn’t beat him. But now, I was sure that I had surpassed him, so I came to the Kron Empire to defeat him!”

…This guy, wasn’t he ranked higher than Kashar?

“You will prove that my decades of effort have meaning—”

The spearhead hurtled toward Loki’s side.

“—To me!”

Blue mana erupted from the spearhead.

Intense heat radiated, melting the ground.

The mana spewed from the spear flew toward Loki, threatening to engulf him.

Loki’s gaze shifted to the special seating area across from Turam.

Cellut and Karma, surrounded by guards, were aiming their spears.

Things didn’t seem to be going well.

Perhaps it was an emergency….

Maybe the lord was trying to make an example of someone for associating with a merchant named Bahaltar?

‘…Originally, I had no intention of causing trouble in the Kron Empire.’

But if the other party bared their fangs first, he couldn’t simply stand idly by.

Clang-!

Loki swung his sword sideways, deflecting Turam’s spear.

Crack-!

Cracks appeared on the ends of Loki’s sword and spear.

“……!”

Turam gritted his teeth, frustrated that all his attacks had been rendered useless.

He had gambled everything and was proud of his slight improvement.

Yet, before the being before him, he felt like a child.

“I’m sorry.”

“……?”

“I wanted to enjoy this a little longer, but.”

Loki raised the cracked sword with both hands.

Magic surged into the sword, unleashing explosive energy.

Crimson mana erupted, swirling as if to consume everything around it.

“……!”

Turam sensed a power far surpassing his all-out assault.

‘I’m going to die.’

Turam’s spine tingled.

That attack! It’s dangerous!

‘I, I have to evade it!’

But could he escape such immense power?

If that struck, his body would vanish without a trace.

‘Then I’ll block it!’

Turam gripped the spear with both hands.

“Come!”

Even if he died trying to block it, he would have no regrets dying against such an inhuman being!

“I’ll tell you one thing.”

“……?”

“Turam. You are stronger than Kashar.”

Turam’s eyes widened.

Loki swung down his sword, unleashing a devastating slash toward Turam and the special seating area.

***

“Lord Harlim! Don’t do something you’ll regret!”

“What?”

Lord Harlim turned to face Karma.

“I told you to lower the spear you’re aiming at that Dark Elf right now!”

‘This bastard, how dare he speak to me so informally, even if he is a merchant?’

Lord Harlim’s forehead throbbed with anger.

Many nobles and merchants occupied the special seating, along with their serving slaves.

A mere merchant was insulting him in front of them.

“You! Are you trying to insult me!? No matter how much you are a merchant with ties to the imperial family, you have gone too far!”

But this provided a clear justification to subdue the mad mushroom merchant without needing to fabricate evidence.

Other nobles and merchants had witnessed it, so they couldn’t object even if he subdued him.

“Arrest him! If he resists, sever his arm and leg tendons! I will enslave him and sell him to the pleasure district!”

This time, the slaves advanced, spears pointed at Karma.

It was an ideal situation for Karma.

Unbeknownst to Lord Harlim, he had targeted him, who had come for ‘tourism,’ without proper cause. Even in disguise, his identity was that of the Crown Prince.

This was excellent justification.

And all the nobles and merchants present would attest to it.

But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that.

Karma had no choice but to reveal his true identity.

Some of the nobles and merchants widened their eyes in surprise.

Lord Harlim tilted his head, studying Karma’s exposed face.

A somewhat familiar face.

“This body, the Crown Prince of the Kron Empire and the future Emperor!”

“…….”

“Karma Kron commands!”

“……!”

Lord Harlim’s eyes widened.

“Lower the spears you are aiming right now!”

But it was a premature action.

Ideally, Lord Harlim should have imprisoned him without knowing his identity, followed by Sharin’s army attacking the territory.

That would have provided the justification to subdue Lord Harlim.

But he had acted rashly due to impatience.

“…H, His Highness the Crown Prince?”

Lord Harlim looked at Crown Prince Karma, then remembered the slaves aiming their spears at him. And the imperial army surrounding the Harel territory outside.

The imperial family, aware of his ambition, had set a trap as an example!

And he had walked right into it.

“…You trapped me.”

Karma’s face hardened.

“How dare you set up such a dirty trap!”

“Ah….”

Karma felt dizzy.

Lord Harlim, now a cornered mouse, would resist Sharin, the cat sent to catch him.

And Karma would make a perfect hostage.

He should have kept his identity hidden until the end.

“Lord Harlim! I know what you’re thinking! But now is not the time! I say this in the name of the Crown Prince! I will generously overlook your rudeness toward me, so take a moment to calm down and talk—!”

“Shut up! How can I trust the imperial family who set up such a trap!”

Lord Harlim was desperate.

He knew the other party had no intention of letting him live if they had set such a trap.

In that case, he would declare independence with the nobles who had secretly allied with him, using the Crown Prince as a hostage!

The slaves were on edge, sensing the escalating tension between the two.

The spearhead moved closer to Cellut.

“Argh! Put that spear down. Right now! Or you’ll all be beheaded! I’ll cut off all your heads!”

“So you have no intention of letting me live!”

“I’m going crazy! I’m not talking to you. I’m talking to the slaves!”

Karma shouted at the spears pointed at Cellut, jabbing his finger.

The dignity of the Crown Prince was disregarded.

No, Karma hadn’t possessed such a thing in the first place.

“It’s the Crown Prince’s order!”

“You are my slaves! Don’t turn that spear!”

The tension reached a breaking point.

At that moment, everyone in the Colosseum froze.

Kwaaaang-!

A deafening explosion and intense heat, like a sandstorm, washed over them.

Lord Harlim and Karma turned their heads.

From the tip of Loki’s sword, a vast crimson magic surged, seemingly engulfing the entire stadium.

“…What is that.”

‘A disaster…?’

Karma’s eyes widened.

That was beyond the level of Turam and Kashar.

How could such a monster have remained unknown to the world…?!

But the situation was spiraling toward the worst.

Karma could vaguely sense that Loki’s gaze was directed at the special seating area.

Since they had aimed a spear at the Dark Elf, the constellation of sin was enraged.

“Everyone, run away!”

Karma shouted, and at his words, Lord Harlim and the slaves reflexively fled.

Loki swung down his sword, and a crimson slash tore through the stadium.

The ground cracked.

Tearing down the walls of the stadium, and even the special seating area.

Soon, a massive explosion erupted, engulfing the Colosseum.