Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 190

190

The Underworld possessed the power to absorb the dead and claim their strength.

Even those who clung to the mortal realm, refusing to enter the Underworld and becoming vengeful spirits, would eventually be drawn in by its power. They would fall from the Underworld’s fractured sky, their bodies crushed as punishment.

Those who willingly accepted death were aided by ferrymen at the Wailing Valley, the entrance to the Underworld.

With the ferrymen’s help, they received stable bodies and could enter the Underworld.

“The Underworld uses the earth’s energy to steal the power of the dead. The stronger someone is, the stronger the earth’s energy affects them,” Yura explained.

Loki recalled the Constellation of the Sea at Yura’s words.

*Was that why?*

Although its true form was a massive monster, here, the Constellation of the Sea was merely a frail woman.

Moreover, she was decaying and incredibly weak.

“The souls of spirits that flow here after death slowly decompose, inflicting truly terrible pain.”

They were at the camp.

The spirits sat around the bonfire, resting.

Yura was explaining the Underworld to Cellut, and Loki listened silently.

Turam, uninterested in the Underworld’s lore, sat in a circle with other spirits, playing cards.

“Bathing in the Holy Sea can alleviate that pain, slowly purifying the soul.”

The water of the Holy Sea endured and blocked that pain.

After some time, the purified soul became mana and flowed into the mortal realm.

It then dwelled in a new body, being born as a new life.

That was the original cycle of the soul.

“But the Constellation of Death defiled the Holy Sea.”

As a result, the soul’s only sanctuary disappeared.

The spirits who failed to purify their bodies had to endure the pain of their souls being fragmented.

“Kalib sought to restore this Underworld. He felt pity for the countless suffering souls.”

Kalib, as he had done on the continent, rebelled against the Constellation of Death here for the sake of the dead’s rest.

And he was defeated.

As a price, the Constellation of Death beheaded Kalib and collected his heads for preservation.

It was a punishment for a foolish rebel, reclaiming a portion of his soul.

“……”

Cellut’s hand clenched.

Her father could find no rest, either on the continent or here in the Underworld.

“Then, the Constellation of Death has Kalib’s head?”

“Yes… but….”

Yura looked at Loki, a troubled expression on her face.

“Who is that person?”

Cellut looked at Loki.

She was trying to figure out how to explain.

Loki provided the answer.

“He’s a companion.”

“…But you two.”

Yura looked back and forth between them, as if unable to believe it.

“Are you… really alive?”

“Yes.”

Loki and Cellut nodded.

Yura rubbed her head as if she had a headache.

“…If a living person comes to this Underworld, there’s no way to return.”

“Yes, there is.”

“There is?”

“Yes.”

“The ferrymen are bound by the laws of the Underworld. They can bring the living here, but they are forbidden from sending them back to the mortal realm. How can you….”

“No, we’re not going to ask the ferryman to take us back. I heard we can build a ship here.”

“But finding a path in the River of Blood, which splits into thousands, tens of thousands of branches…”

Loki raised a finger.

The red thread tied to his finger fluttered, pointing in one direction.

“It’s alright, we have a guide.”

“A guide?”

Yura was doubtful.

Even with a plan, a living person being in the Underworld was never a good thing.

Yura looked at Cellut with a worried expression.

“Ah… Miss. Why here of all places….”

“…I came to help Loki. And… I wanted to see Dad too….”

“…Still, to see you grow up so healthy, this Yura is truly happy.”

Yura shed tears of blood, seemingly moved.

Cellut flinched, surprised.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

“…Then, my father’s body being like that is because of the Constellation of Death?”

Yura nodded.

“We must… find his head. We are gathering strength to do so.”

“…I have a question.”

Yura looked at Loki.

“Yes, please ask.”

“I’m looking for someone named Kanus.”

“Kanus?”

“He’s a blacksmith. And he’s alive. He’s a man with a height of 3m, dark red skin, and horns on his head.”

“Kanus… Kanus… Ah!”

Yura spoke as if she had remembered something.

“During Kalib’s revolution, I saw him in the Constellation of Death’s palace. His large size was quite impressive.”

*So, the Constellation of Death had him?*

“Do you know his location?”

“When we met, he was imprisoned in Natos’s treasure vault. He helped us escape.”

Yura recalled the past.

When Kalib’s severed head was presented to the Constellation of Death, there was someone who struck the Constellation of Death.

It was a large man.

In one hand, he held an anvil with chains, and in the other, he held a blacksmith’s hammer.

His strike created an opening for the Constellation of Death, and Yura was able to escape with only Kalib’s body.

“He was an incredibly strong person.”

This made it certain.

The Constellation of Death had Kanus.

Loki and Cellut looked at each other.

Seeing their expressions, Yura spoke anxiously.

“Ah, no.”

“What’s wrong?”

Cellut asked sharply.

“The, the Constellation of Death is a monster. He is an absolute being who cannot die in this Underworld. Overcoming him requires great power. It’s better to… wait until we gain more strength….”

“There’s no need for that.”

Cellut had never witnessed a Constellation directly, but she wasn’t too worried.

*No matter how great he was, he couldn’t be better than Loki, right?*

Loki had killed both the Constellation of Light and the Constellation of the Sea.

“It’s okay. Loki is here.”

“You trust me too much.”

Cellut flinched. And, embarrassed by her confident words, she cleared her throat and avoided Loki’s gaze.

“I don’t know how great your companion is, but still….”

At that moment, the bonfire flickered and went out.

Loki could sense mana and a presence.

The back of his neck tingled.

Numerous gazes converged, staring at him.

Loki turned his head.

On the desolate land, he saw decaying hellhounds with gleaming eyes.

Leashes were tied to those hellhounds, and headless soldiers staggered along.

In their right hands, they held spears, and in their left, they held heads.

They were Dullahan [headless horsemen from Irish folklore].

“Rebels… found them!”

“They are traitors who defy Lord Natos [the Constellation of Death]!”

“Cut off their heads and offer them to the Constellation!”

The Dullahan raised the heads in their left hands.

The closed eyes flickered open, and they opened their mouths to let out a shriek.

Taking that shriek as a signal, the unleashed, decaying hellhounds charged.

“Soldiers of the Spirit Palace!”

At Yura’s words, Loki looked at her.

“They are the Constellation of Death’s pursuers! We’ll buy you time, so run away!”

The hellhounds opened their mouths wide and sprinted.

The Ainz zombies guarding Kalib’s carriage stepped forward.

“Protect… the king.”

“Let’s protect our master!”

The dark elf zombie shot an arrow.

The charging hellhound was pierced and collapsed.

The dwarf zombies raised their shields, deflecting the hellhounds that approached the carriage.

They took out axes and split the hellhounds’ heads.

*Crack!*

When another hellhound approached the dwarf’s side and tried to bite his neck, Cellut’s arrow pierced the hellhound.

“Th, thank… you….”

Cellut composed herself.

“Hoo…!”

She shot an arrow at the distant Dullahan.

The Dullahan tried to deflect the arrow with their swords, but the arrow drew a clever trajectory, piercing the heads in their left hands.

The Dullahan knelt down one by one.

“Ah, Miss?!”

Yura looked at Cellut, surprised.

*That immature miss had grown up so gallantly!*

She had even grown strong enough to kill the Spirit Palace’s Dullahan in a single blow.

That would have been impossible for the old miss.

‘Besides….’

Yura’s eyes turned to look at Loki.

Loki was sitting, and Turam was with him.

Yura didn’t know how strong Loki was.

She wondered what he was trusting in to not run away.

Perhaps he was so relaxed because he trusted Turam next to him?

But contrary to her thoughts, Turam was only focused on playing cards with his subordinates, ignoring the approaching Spirit Palace army.

‘What…!?’

She thought Turam would protect the miss’s acquaintance-!

Yura gritted her teeth.

In the end, she had no choice but to step forward.

As she drew her dagger and tried to rush out, Loki’s gaze turned to the hellhounds.

The excited hellhounds received that gaze and flinched, stopping their charge. They even took a step back.

The Dullahan who were watching the scene also paused, surprised, and froze.

Loki rose from his seat.

As he waved his hand in the air, a greatsword appeared.

‘A weapon?’

*It came out of thin air? A magician?*

But there was no way a magician would wield a greatsword.

He swung the greatsword.

In an instant, the bodies of the spirit soldiers in front of him were shattered into pieces.

“……!?”

*That man… was an absurd monster.*

Turam stopped playing cards and burst into laughter as he watched Loki swing the greatsword.

“Haha! Indeed, the Constellation of the End! No wonder I was helpless against you!”

Yura wore a surprised expression at Turam’s words.

A Constellation?

Like Natos…?

No, before that, Turam was a famous destroyer even in this Underworld.

Was he saying that he was helpless against him?

Yura looked at Loki and thought.

Perhaps if that person helped-.

‘He might be able to fix this Underworld!’

She was filled with anticipation.

***

The arrival of the Spirit Palace’s pursuers meant that the location of the Demon King Kalib had been exposed.

Yura and her group hurriedly pulled the carriage and began to leave the area.

*Clatter-*!

Loki and Cellut, riding in the violently shaking cart, continued to traverse the desolate desert.

Yura pulled the carriage containing the body of the Demon King Kalib, and Turam walked between the carriage and the cart.

As the bandit group and revolutionary army continued their march, black shadows gradually began to appear amidst the red sandstorm.

Loki and Cellut raised their heads to look at them.

A fortress backed by steep cliffs could be seen.

A massive barrier.

The cliffs beyond were riddled with holes, reminiscent of an ant colony.

Perhaps that was the revolutionary army’s base.

In a long, tower-like watchtower, a dark elf played a bone flute.

The gate opened.

Loki’s group entered the fortress.

*Thud-*!

And there was another uninvited guest who came to the revolutionary army’s fortress.

The desert sand swirled.

Amidst the red sandstorm, white bones and red eyes gleamed.

Skeletons and zombies in tattered clothes, wielding sharp bone weapons.

And behind them, a presence.

“…Turam. I chased him to get rid of him.”

Dozens of zombie slaves staggered, lifting a palanquin [a covered litter carried by poles].

A man surrounded by a 3m-tall mass of decaying fat sat arrogantly on the massive palanquin.

A completely bald head.

A man with brown skin and a hideous, monstrous face.

“I never expected the rebel base to be located here.”

The former Emperor of the old Kron Empire, who was killed by the ruler of the North in the Lonia Civil War.

“There must be slaves and gold there!”

Kashar Kron.

The eyes of his spirit shone fiercely.

“Bring the Arata army! My forces will trample them!”

Kashar’s army began to gather at the revolutionary army’s base.