Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 8

The moon hung high in the sky.

In a snow-covered clearing, Cancun practiced her sword swings, the blade whistling through the air.

She had lost track of how many times she had swung it, how many hours she had been at it.

Despite the biting cold of the forest, she felt the heat rising within her, sweat beading on her forehead.

Her arms trembled, her muscles screaming in protest.

Yet, Cancun didn’t stop. She continued to swing her sword.

She had long since surpassed her physical limits, enduring now on willpower alone.

‘…Whenever a crisis befalls the village…’

Her uncle’s betrayal, the murder of her father, the start of the rebellion.

‘I had no power.’

The Partas tribe’s raid, the pillaging of her home.

‘Each time…’

The Constellation of Sin, the demon within the temple, resolved everything.

But he never acted first.

Only when a blade was at his throat did he intervene.

If such a crisis were to arise again, she couldn’t blindly depend on him. She couldn’t be sure he would step forward again.

‘…The Constellation accepted us, but didn’t promise protection. My uncle will return. Until then…’

She had to become stronger.

But how?

How could she break through her limitations?

With a clumsy swing, she lost her footing and collapsed into the snow.

“Haa… Haa….”

White vapor escaped with each ragged breath.

Her vision swam, the edges darkening. The severe cramps in her legs made it impossible to even think about standing.

‘Uh, oh?’

Cancun tried to push herself up, using her sword for support, but her arms buckled, and she fell face-first into the snow.

Each attempt ended the same way, offering no improvement.

‘D, dangerous…!’

She had chosen a clearing far from the village for her training.

This was also where she had trained with her uncle, Kudan Raguna.

A place of memories with Kudan, now a training ground to overcome the enemy he had become.

But few knew of this place.

Even if the village searched, this secluded spot wouldn’t be easily found. If she couldn’t make it back, she would be in grave danger.

‘D, dangerous. I have to get up… Ugh, w, well, let’s rest a little more first.’

Cancun’s limbs were numb, her body heavy and unresponsive.

Soon, the falling snow began to blanket her.

‘…Surely, if I’m found like this, I’ll be frozen solid, right?’

Her head swam. The ground was so cold. She couldn’t fight the urge to close her eyes.

‘Then… I’ll… catch a cold… maybe….? Ugh… Ung…?’

In her fading vision, she saw a crow.

A large beak and jet-black feathers.

A giant crow, the size of an adult man.

‘…A grim reaper?’

Since ancient times, crows have been seen as an ill omen.

Their black plumage and habit of feeding on carrion have linked them to death in the popular imagination.

Therefore, they are often seen as symbolic representations of the grim reaper.

Such an ominous… an incredibly large crow began to approach her, stalking closer.

The crow came right up to Cancun and extended a hand.

Flap….

It gently lifted her, covered in snow, and poured a clear, red liquid into her mouth.

Gulp… Gulp…

As the red liquid touched Cancun’s lips, Cancun’s body, too weak to resist, instinctively absorbed it, desperate to survive.

And then… the sound of bones cracking, the sickening sound of skin tearing, echoed in the clearing. Followed by excruciating pain!

Just as Cancun resigned herself to death… the pain vanished.

“……!”

Startled, she assessed her condition.

Her arms, once blue with frostbite, had regained their color, her skin restored to its fair tone, and her body radiated warmth.

It felt as comforting as sitting beside a roaring fireplace.

Cancun stared at the crow before her, her eyes wide with disbelief at her transformed state.

“…It’s not a crow? A person?”

It wasn’t a crow at all.

It was a man in strange attire, wearing a crow mask with a large beak and clothes adorned with black feathers.

Moreover, a strange blond middle-aged man stood behind him, apparently his companion.

They were strangers she had never seen before.

“Who are you?”

Cancun demanded, her voice a mix of confidence and caution.

The man in the crow mask, Loki, stroked his chin as if intrigued.

“It even regenerates frozen skin. The lost consciousness has also returned. It’s truly omnipotent.”

The voice was different.

But with his unique aura, Cancun knew who stood before her.

“A demon!? A, no. Constellation!”

The sealed demon of the temple, Loki.

He was right in front of her.

“Oh ho! Others couldn’t recognize me… but only you recognize me.”

Loki regarded Cancun with interest.

“I, is that so?”

“How did you know?”

“J, just… by feeling?”

“Interesting.”

“W, what brings you here…?”

“Being inside the castle was boring and dull. I came out to see what the world is like.”

Loki glanced at Cancun, still clutching the Holy Sword.

“But what were you doing here?”

“W, well… sword training….”

“How?”

“S, swinging at the air….”

“A fruitless training method.”

At Loki’s words, Cancun’s shoulders slumped.

Loki’s gaze returned to the sword in her hand, held even in the freezing cold.

The Holy Sword, Brutgang.

From Norse mythology, the sword of Heimdall, the god of light and gatekeeper of Valhalla.

“Why don’t you use that?”

“…B, before that… could you please put me down?”

Loki looked at Cancun.

He was holding her up by the hand, leaving her dangling.

Loki looked down at her, and Cancun looked up at Loki, regarding him with a mixture of awe and apprehension.

‘A person…? A demon…?’

When he held her hand, she felt a warm body temperature, making him seem more human than demonic.

It was hard to reconcile this with the statue-like figure she had seen when she first encountered the demon.

Cancun stroked the hand that Loki had held.

‘He really felt like a person.’

And considering how gently he had lifted her, he must have been quite considerate.

His tone was stiff and imposing, but there was a hint of gentleness beneath the surface.

Cancun looked at Loki, pondering these things. She recalled his earlier words and asked:

“…But you’re telling me to use this sword?”

When Cancun gripped Brutgang and raised it, Loki nodded.

“Yes, with that, you can become the strongest being on this island.”

“E, eh, you’re joking….”

Cancun assumed the Constellation was making a jest.

But Loki simply shrugged, offering no further explanation.

“…Really?”

“Half joking, half serious.”

Loki couldn’t know for certain who the strongest person on the island was.

However, based on Cancun’s uncle, ‘Kudan,’ whom Loki had briefly encountered… Brutgang would likely be sufficient to defeat him.

‘The sword’s performance will also vary depending on the user’s skill, though.’

Still, its status as a mythical-grade item remained undeniable.

Using this sword was akin to transcending human limitations.

“That sword has three abilities.”

“……?”

“First, you can unleash a slash of light.”

With the slash of light, a long-range attack becomes possible. A direct hit inflicts double damage and cuts through anything.

“Second, you can form a shield of protection.”

Not only yourself but also allies are imbued with the light of protection, and armor with a shield is worn.

It has the effect of blocking some damage for a certain period of time.

“Third, it has the ability of healing and purification.”

It recovers all abnormal conditions and purifies nearby undead. It has the ability to instantly restore health.

‘Of course, there’s also the additional benefit of doubling the user’s growth rate, but…’

“M, magic sword?! Is this what they call a magic sword!?”

Cancun stared at the Holy Sword, her eyes wide with wonder.

She had suspected it was no ordinary weapon.

After all, it was the sword that had sealed a demon, so of course it would be extraordinary.

“Yes, and the way to use that sword is simple.”

Loki suppressed his instinctive revulsion and took the sword from Cancun. He lightly swung it at the empty air.

Skill [Slash of Light].

Instantly, a sacred and brilliant golden light erupted from the sword.

As Cancun stared at the dazzling light, mesmerized, a slash of light burst forth from the Holy Sword in Loki’s hand.

Kwarururuk-!!

Cutting through the earth without hesitation, moving forward—.

Seogeok-!

Cleaving through all obstacles in its path—.

Kwakwakwang-!!

Reaching the end, it exploded, obliterating everything around it.

The intense wind pressure sent white snow dust scattering in all directions.

Cancun looked up at Loki, her face etched with shock, her hair whipping around her face.

“The power is about this much.”

Loki examined the Holy Sword and nodded.

As the dust settled, Cancun surveyed the scene before her.

He had only swung it lightly.

But the earth was rent, the trees and rocks were cleaved in two, and at the end, only the remnants of a massive explosion remained, leaving nothing intact.

“…It’s an attack skill. I don’t know how powerful the divine objects in this world are, but…”

Loki said, turning to Cancun.

“You can offset it to some extent with this skill.”

“…….”

Cancun remained speechless.

It wasn’t just enough to offset it; anyone caught in that strike would surely be annihilated.

“Would you like to try it?”

“M, me?”

“Yes.”

“C, can I do it too?”

“Of course.”

Cancun asked, her voice filled with anticipation.

“H, how?!”

Loki looked at her and smiled, as if struck by a sudden, amusing thought.

“While swinging the sword.”

Loki adopted a sword-swinging stance, looked at Cancun, and said:

“Light, give me strength. Yariyariyallasong-”

“……”

Cancun tilted her head, puzzled.

‘…Didn’t he not have that spell earlier?’

Cancun looked up at Loki, who stared back with a perfectly serious expression.

“Will you try it?”

“I, is that really the spell?”

“Yes, it’s important to make your voice and movements big… and confident. If you do that, the slash of light will be unleashed. You can also use the sword strike from earlier.”

When Loki offered the sword, Cancun hesitated before taking it.

To be honest, she was intimidated, but her anticipation outweighed her fear.

She could unleash such a devastating attack?!?

Wouldn’t it feel like she had become a hero from a fairy tale?

Cancun imagined herself unleashing slashes of light.

Her excitement grew.

“Try it.”

She gripped the sword tightly.

“L, Light-!”

He had emphasized the importance of a loud voice.

Cancun raised her voice.

Keuk…

“Give me strength…”

Make the movements big.

Keukeuk….

“Yariyariyalla-…”

Hahaha!

Cancun’s face flushed red.

She glanced back at Loki.

“…Why are you laughing?”

Loki stood still, arms crossed, watching Cancun.

“When did I laugh… jik?”

“…The corners of your mouth are twitching!”

Cancun’s face burned with embarrassment.

She had heard that wizards chanted when using magic.

She had assumed this was a similar principle.

However, the spell Cancun was reciting sounded like something children in fairy tales would shout, making her feel ridiculous.

Regardless, the spell was complete.

Now she just had to swing the sword!

“Yap-!”

She swung the sword, but nothing happened.

“…….”

Cancun turned her head, her eyes unfocused, and stared blankly at Loki.

He casually waved his hand and said:

“It was a joke. Just swing it and shout ‘Slash of Light’ or think about it in your mind. That’s the skill.”

Cancun’s face turned crimson, and she looked on the verge of tears. Loki, on the other hand, wore a mischievous smile.

Loki.

True to his reputation, he loved to play pranks.