Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 79

79

What is this…!

Chaser swallowed hard.

It was a dead end with nothing there.

He had suddenly appeared in a space where escape seemed impossible.

A tall man wearing a crow mask stood imposingly, looking down at him.

‘He’s right in front of me…!’

He couldn’t be recognized.

As if to interfere with recognition itself, Chaser’s gaze involuntarily drifted to the side, his mind registering the figure before him as an ‘object.’

It was like a magic that suppressed perception.

‘But, but this level of recognition-suppression magic?!’

Chaser felt a cold sweat break out.

This was a level far surpassing his own.

To think such a powerful magician existed within the Nordrian kingdom was unexpected.

“Seize him! Get him!”

If he was a magician, they couldn’t afford to give him a chance.

The thoughtless command burst from his lips, and Chaser’s subordinates surged forward toward Loki.

They were warriors who had honed their skills navigating treacherous mountainous terrain.

Their agile movements would tear the magician apart before he could even raise his staff or utter an incantation.

But their opponent was unlike any they had faced before.

He wasn’t holding a magic wand, nor was he opening his mouth to chant a spell.

He simply drew a large sword from seemingly nowhere and swung it.

*Swish-!*

With a single, devastating arc, the subordinates were cleaved into pieces like tofu, their bodies collapsing to the floor with sickening thuds.

“……”

Chaser felt a chilling sensation for the first time on the warm Astoria Island.

It felt as if his body temperature was plummeting.

“I think about it every time.”

Loki examined the long sword, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.

“Ruran’s weapons are quite good.”

“Wow! Hoon, strong! Much stronger than me?”

“Probably.”

Loki confirmed Karen’s assessment.

“But these guys, we have to catch them alive. And take them to Dad.”

Loki often thought Karen acted like a feline, especially with her unique way of speaking.

He was reminded of the habit cats have of bringing prey to their owners.

Perhaps she wanted to impress her father, whether he was the owner she sought to please or the father who cherished and raised her.

Of course, both the owner and her father, who raised her with love, would likely be horrified by the gesture.

“I see. Shall I help you?”

“It’s okay! It was hard earlier, but Hoon took care of a few, so I think I can catch them all!”

“I see. Then let’s see your skills.”

Chaser couldn’t mask his growing dismay as he listened to their conversation.

He had lured Nordrian’s daughter, but it seemed they had stumbled into a trap instead!

“Then…”

Karen’s face twisted with a sudden, murderous intent, her expression contorting with a hint of madness.

She lowered her stance, drawing her legs back.

She placed her hands flat on the floor, spread wide.

It looked like a cat stretching.

At that sight, Chaser’s eyes darted back and forth between Karen and Loki.

Loki had said he wouldn’t interfere, but there was no way to be certain….

“Damn it!”

Chaser slammed his staff against the ground and began chanting a summoning spell.

The floor cracked, and skeletons emerged as if crawling from the depths of hell.

Immediately, the remaining subordinates formed a protective circle around Chaser.

‘Catch Nordrian’s daughter first! If I take her hostage, that monster won’t be able to move easily!’

With that thought, Chaser shouted.

“Catch that cat first!”

Dozens of skeletons and his remaining subordinates charged toward Karen.

Chaser turned, wary of Loki, and scattered the contents of a leather bag filled with blood onto the floor.

As the blood spread, magic was activated, and a shimmering barrier rose around him.

This barrier should hold for quite a while!

Just then…

*Crunch-!*

The sound of bones shattering filled the air.

“Aaaaaagh-!”

Blood splattered everywhere.

Chaser whirled around at the scream coming from behind.

A beast.

A furious beast stood there.

*Crunch-! Crunch-! Crunch-!*

She sprinted, shattering skeletons with her claws, scaling the blood barrier, and seizing the heads of his subordinates, tearing them off with brutal force.

Mad eyes locked onto Chaser.

‘Damn it! This wasn’t supposed to happen!’

He knew that Nordrian’s daughter was not an opponent to be underestimated.

But to think she would be a monster with such terrifying power!

But her attacks were straightforward.

There was a way to stop her.

Chaser pulled a bag of powder from his pocket and hurled it onto the floor.

*Bang-!*

A foul odor permeated the air, and a thick, hazy smoke obscured everything.

Karen, who had been moving with relentless speed, faltered, her momentum broken.

She rubbed her nose and sneezed, “Achoo.” Tears streamed from her eyes.

“The, the smell is awful! My eyes hurt!”

“It’s dried poison troll excrement. It will be enough to block your nose and vision.”

At that moment, the remaining skeletons seized her arms and legs.

“Now is the time!”

One of the surviving subordinates rushed forward and plunged his sword into her abdomen.

“…Kyaaaaak!”

Red blood gushed out, staining her clothes.

Karen screamed in pain.

“Ha, hahaha!”

Chaser turned and glared at Loki.

“If you want to save Nordrian’s daughter, step back!”

“Step back?”

“If you move, her life is over!”

“You seem to be mistaken about something.”

“Mi, mistaken?”

“I never said I would step in.”

“……”

“And even if I don’t step in, seeing your level, it seems she is better than you.”

“What are you…”

Karen’s eyes widened, and she strained against the skeletons’ grip.

She swung her arms, shattering the skeletons, grabbed the neck and shoulders of the subordinate who had stabbed her, and bit into his neck with her teeth.

“……”

Chaser’s subordinates were pale with terror.

They, who roamed the mountainous areas, were confident in hunting beasts.

But what stood before them was not a beast, but a monster.

*Thoo!*

Karen spat out the flesh, glaring at the remaining people.

Like a beast that had tasted blood, her blue eyes burned fiercely.

“Kill them all.”

“Ch, Chaser-nim!”

At the subordinates’ desperate cries, Chaser raised his staff to cast another spell.

“Pr, protect me! Find a way to get out…!”

Karen lunged again, and Chaser screamed, swinging his staff wildly.

***

On the outer wall of the Nordrian Kingdom.

Nordrian soldiers guarding the wooden fence watched the festival.

“A festival? At this time of year?”

“I heard that the Nord tribe sent reinforcements. It seems to be an event to welcome them.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

“Ah, I wish we could have some fun too…”

As the soldiers expressed their disappointment, one of their comrades climbed up the ladder.

“I knew it! Ta-da!”

He pulled out a bottle of alcohol from his coat and shook it.

“Elder Kshan told us to have a drink.”

“Elder Kshan? What’s going on? That stubborn old man.”

As the soldier poured the alcohol, a comrade said.

“…Hey, how can we drink this while on duty?”

“It’s okay. It’s okay. The Elder allowed it. Let’s just take a sip each. Surely nothing will happen?”

“Cheers, for Nordrian!”

The soldiers began to share the alcohol.

One sip, two sips. Then-.

Wobble~

“Huh?”

The soldiers felt dizzy.

‘What is this?’

It’s too fast to be just the alcohol. Besides, they felt nauseous and had stomachaches.

“Th, this alcohol is strange!”

Thud-!

An arrow struck the back of the head of the soldier who sensed something was wrong, and his body fell below the barricade.

Thump-!

The soldiers stared at their comrade who had fallen from the barricade. And when they turned their gaze outside the outer wall… they began to see bright lights.

Those who had been hidden in the darkness slowly walked out, lighting torches.

“Forman soldiers!”

As they hurriedly tried to go to the signal tower to ring the bell, a sword pierced the soldier’s body from behind.

“Keugh-!”

“Damn, I’m tired of hiding like a rat in this country for a month.”

A man dressed as a Nordrian soldier raised the corner of his lips.

“A, a traitor?!”

“A spy, you bastard.”

The spies who had infiltrated the Nordrian Kingdom lifted the supports holding up the outer gate.

The wooden door began to open.

“Stop them-!”

The Nordrian soldiers hurriedly headed towards the outer gate, but it was already too late.

Cavalry rushed through the opened outer gate.

They charged, wielding spears and swords.

Ding-! Ding-! Ding-!

The bell rang belatedly, signaling the invasion of the Forman Kingdom.

***

“What’s going on?!”

Thorsen, who was preparing for the welcoming ceremony for the Nord tribe, hurriedly left his seat at the sudden ringing of the bell and the screams coming from everywhere.

“The Forman Kingdom’s army has attacked!”

At this time? No, it must be because it’s this time that they aimed for.

Having heard the news about the reinforcements, they must be trying to strike first.

‘Damn bastards!’

Originally, they were going to hold a welcoming event for the Nord tribe at the harbor.

That matter will have to be postponed.

“First, evacuate the people! You guys evacuate the elderly, women, and children to the royal palace where my father is!”

“What are you going to do, Thorsen-nim… ?”

“I have to fight! Even if I’m not as good as Karen, I also have the blood of a warrior flowing through me!”

Just as Thorsen was about to move, lights were seen from the harbor.

People were on small galleys.

“Forman Kingdom’s ships! Th, they seem to be planning to invade the harbor!”

Thorsen’s eyes shook.

Leaving the harbor empty so that the Nord tribe’s reinforcements could come, and using those troops for the festival’s security, has come back as a great disaster.

“Haha! Isn’t that Prince Thorsen?!”

The galley entered the harbor, and Forman soldiers jumped off the ship.

“…Wa, Your Highness, escape-!”

Thorsen stepped back and looked behind him.

At that moment, he saw horses charging.

“Elder Kshan!”

Riding there was one of Nordrian’s nobles, Elder Kshan.

However, his blade was pointing at someone other than the enemy.

“Ignore everyone! What we need to secure is-!”

The cavalry’s gaze turned to Thorsen.

He was-.

“Thorsen Nordrian. Capture that prince!”

He was an enemy, not an ally.

***

“Haha! It’s burning up!”

“It’s a festival! A festival of blood!”

Four more galleys of the Forman Kingdom were sailing the sea.

Lighting torches, they were heading towards the Nord tribe who were said to be reinforcements.

“But the Nord tribe, I heard they’re really strong?”

“Ah, my grandfather also fought the Nordrians of Nord in this island, and he described that time as a nightmare.”

“Ha! It’s nothing. It’s an easy fight if we just set fire to the ship. Prepare the fire arrows. Surround and burn the Nord tribe’s ship.”

No matter how strong the Nord tribe is, they wouldn’t stand a chance if their ship was on fire.

The Forman Kingdom soldiers were confident.

They had plundered and conquered numerous villages.

They had also destroyed two countries on this Astoria Island.

This would be the third kingdom, and they would exert their influence as the rulers of this island.

“It’s easy as expected.”

“Well, it’s probably because there are only about 300 regular soldiers. The rest are hastily formed militia. Their fighting skills are terrible.”

On the other hand, the Forman Kingdom had been training and fighting for decades.

The number of soldiers mobilized for this Nordrian invasion alone was 3,000.

When it comes to manpower, the quality of the soldiers was clearly different.

“But where is that Nord tribe’s ship?”

At that moment, the sea’s currents gradually began to intensify.

“Huh? What’s going on? The wind isn’t blowing…”

“Suddenly the waves-!”

The sea began to surge.

As the waves crashed, tentacles stretched out from the darkness.

“Huh?”

One soldier was grabbed by a tentacle and sucked into the sea.

The center of the sea soared, and the ruler of the sea appeared.

“Cr, Kraken!”

“Wh, why is this monster here?!”

The soldiers screamed. Even so, they noticed something strange.

Kraken. Harpoons were stuck all over its body, and chains were dangling.

The Forman soldiers turned their heads with hardened faces.

A giant warship emerged from the darkness and crashed into their ship, sinking it.

Kwaang-!

The warship of Asgard advanced towards the Nordrian Kingdom.

“Haha! What, it really is a festival!”

The warriors of Asgard burst into laughter as they looked at the burning Nordrian Kingdom.

“Looks like they’re fighting? Then who should we help?”

“We have to help the Nordrians! That’s why the King came on this expedition.”

“Which ones are the Nordrians?”

The Nord warriors exchanged glances.

“Well…”

“Hmm…”

“Ah!”

One person clapped their hands.

“We just have to kill all the guys who attack us.”

It was a truly simple and clear way to distinguish them.