Return of the Shattered Constellation

Chapter 290: Star, a Futile Dream (4)

『…?!』

『… I know you’re the Mediator, but you’re still disrespecting us too much!』

Balor and Tomte responded the fiercest.

Haul ass, dead meat… Contrary to their expectations, the absolute being known as the Mediator of All Creations talked smack and cursed inelegantly and vulgarly like a gangster. As beings whom everyone praised and worshiped before their deaths, Tomte and Balor’s pride were naturally hurt.

『Disrespect?』

The two golden eyes in the sky curved as if <Deus Ex Machina> found their reaction funny. Tomte and Balor immediately realized that he was sneering at them.

『I see. Well, I’m glad you brought that up.』

Just like a skeleton watch, hundreds of large and small gears meshed together inside the golden eyes. They were the components that made up the [Coordination Machine Eyes], the Authority of <Deus Ex Machina>.

Click.

Click, click.

Click, click, click…!

Like clockwork, his golden pupils quickly rotated. At the same time, an enormous ripple spread throughout the sky. Clouds dissipated and were pushed back, making the blue sky brighter and allowing a significant amount of sunlight to shine down on Chang-Sun’s subconscious realm. The rays of sunlight turned into sharp spears, stabbing into the skin of everyone in the realm as if they had become enemies of this world.

『I’ll disrespect you for real, alright.』

Oooooong!

When all the gears in his eyes started to fiercely rotate, every being in the subconscious realm suffocated.

『Hup…!』

『Urgh!』

Thud!

Thump!

Balor and Tomte grabbed their necks and fell to one knee. Tomte was panting especially hard, seemingly about to die soon.

[All the rights regarding your subconscious realm have been vested in the ‘Deus Ex Machina’ by force!]

Balor and Tomte grew paler by the second as their shock turned into horror.

The control one had over their subconscious realm was as absolute as—no, it was stronger than the control one had over their divine ground. After all, subconscious realms were made of a soul’s ego.

The higher one’s Class was, the sturdier their subconscious realm. Considering the Classes of Chang-Sun’s past reincarnations, they were supposed to be the absolute beings in this place.

Those who would dare invade a subconscious realm were no different from idiots who voluntarily entered their prison cells. Their Authorities, Divine Rights… they couldn’t use anything in someone else’s subconscious realm. To use their powers again, they had to be strong enough to weaken its owner, which was practically impossible if the owner was like Balor or Tomte.

Nevertheless, <Deus Ex Machina>, who had originality in an infinite number of Worldlines, didn’t seem affected at all. Even though he was an Emperor, the Celestials were confident that he couldn’t do anything here, but he just proved them dead wrong.

[Your subconscious realm has classified you all as<Enemies>!]

[Your subconscious realm has rejected everyone’s presence..]

[Your subconscious realm has blacklisted everyone.]

[Your subconscious realm has invalidated everyone’s existences.]

…

The moment <Deus Ex Machina> acquired all the rights, Chang-Sun’s subconscious realm began nullifying all his past reincarnations.

[The air now contains poison!]

[The ground has turned into a swamp!]

[The rays of sunlight turned into spears!]

…

“Arrgggh!”

“Urgh! Let me go! Let me go—!”

“I can’t get out—!”

“Urggh!”

They couldn’t breathe. The moment they inhaled, the toxins in the air filled up their lungs and ruined their organs, divine power, and Divine Classes. Balancing themselves also proved difficult with the ground now a giant swamp. When they tried to fly away, the mud clung onto them like tentacles, restricting their movements. The clouds also rained down acid, melting them down.

As if to prove that they were now classified as the realm’s <Enemies>, everything in the realm tried to kill them—no, they actually died.

A series of disasters occurred, resulting in all kinds of death. Some of the Blue Battalion drowned in a flood while some of the Red Battalion perished in a fire. Some were also beaten, starved, or dehydrated to death. Seemingly trapped in invisible guillotines, there were even people who were executed.

[The Blue Battalion soldier 101 has drowned.]

[The Red Battalion soldier 49 has perished in a fire.]

[The Red Battalion soldier 82 has been beaten to death.]

…

[Death is rampant!]

“D-dear lord…!”

The soldiers turned pale and shivered as they knelt down to pray. Most of them were low-ranking Celestials, but they still looked for a new god in the face of disasters that they were helpless against.

“Please save u—!”

Smash!

However, their god rejected their wish.

[The ‘Mediator’s Avatars’ have descended!]

Paaah!

The golden eyes of <Deus Ex Machina> shone brighter than before, dyeing the blue sky with gold. At the same time, beings in full silver armor descended from the sky, the snow-white wings slowly fluttering. In some ways, they looked like divine generals or angels who were about to bless those waiting for them on the ground. They also resembled <Deus Ex Machina> from the ‘Changgong Library.’

『Time to start the beating.』

<Deus Ex Machina> mocked them. The angels sped up.

Swooosh―!

While most of the angels wiped out Chang-Sun’s surviving past reincarnations, some grabbed Balor and Tomte by their collars and focused on beating them up.

Smack, smack, smack!

『Urgggh!』

『Why? Why isn’t my magical eye worki—Ahhhh!』

Balor and Tomte desperately tried to retaliate against the angels mercilessly beating them up, but their resistance was futile. Even their Authorities meant nothing before overwhelming power.

Tomte screamed like a pig as he rolled on the ground, which only made the angels beat him up even more. At the same time, Balor irritated the angels when he tried to use his magical eye, so he got triple the amount of beating he was originally going to take.

[The <Deus Ex Machina> is overwhelming the battlefield!]

[The <Deus Ex Machina> has established dominance!]

『Odin!』 Unable to take it anymore, Perkwunos turned toward Odin.

Odin was the most exceptional among the four. They were also in Valhalla, Odin’s divine ground, so Perkwunos thought Odin could do something about the massacre.

Perkwunos found Odin with his hands in the air, seemingly already attempting to do something. Runes repeatedly floated in the air and dissipated.

『Hmmm… This isn’t going to work. Things have gotten out of my control.』 A bitter smile spread on Odin’s lips as the rune fragments dropped to the ground. 『... You are certainly unreachable, <Deus Ex Machina>. I was also a ruler of a universe, but… it seems those who reached a peak in the outer universe are truly different.』

By the time the rune fragments had reached the ground, many of them had corroded beyond recognition.

Tap!

Pzzz….

The fragments shattered into dust.

『I’ve done insane things to reach your level. I even went through samsara several times to accumulate more gnosis… yet I still have a long way to go,』 Odin murmured incomprehensibly, then quietly let out a sigh and turned to Perkwunos. 『Per, we’re heading back.』

Perkwunos’ eyes widened for a moment. Nevertheless, despite his heavy heart, he could only nod. The Odin whom Perkwunos knew would rather die in combat than retreat. Odin choosing the latter meant he had no countermeasures against <Deus Ex Machina>.

‘Those damn bastards… I have no other choice but to get stronger,’ Perkwunos gritted his teeth upon realizing that he failed to defeat an Emperor again.

He used to be an Ancient Celestial who was destined to have a glorious future, but he gave it all up and joined samsara for the same reason he partnered up with Odin to achieve their common goal of accumulating gnosis. However, that very reason stopped him once again.

‘I’ll wait for the next chance,’ Perkwunos thought, throwing himself in the air as Odin quickly drew a rune above them.

Paah!

When the rune scattered, a portal opened up above Odin and Perkwunos. It then disappeared after they entered it.

『Perkwunos, Odin! Those damn bastards ditched us!』

『Sh-sh-shittt!!!』

Balor and Tomte were bewildered.

* * *

‘… Things have become a little complicated.’ Chang-Sun frowned.

He didn’t know where Odin and Perkwunos fled. This realm was still under the command of <Deus Ex Machina>, so where could they have run off to?

Chang-Sun considered going after them for a moment but realized he didn’t have the time to. The angels, the avatars of <Deus Ex Machina>, were attacking him as well, restricting his movement.

Claaang!

Gritting his teeth, Chang-Sun deflected the sword of an angel with difficulty. ‘They’re strong.’

Despite using a lot of mana and regaining his full power as ‘Divine Twilight,’ the angels were so powerful that even Chang-Sun felt a shiver running down his spine. They were all at the same level as him, and <Deux Ex Machina> had dozens of them. Chang-Sun couldn’t help dumbfoundedly chuckling.

‘They also have exceptional swords and armor made from Dragon skeletons… A high-class Dragon—no, a King-Class Dragon’s ribs. How did he get his hands on such materials?’ Chang-Sun wondered.

Did <Deus Ex Machina> capture a Dragon King and slaughter it? If he did, then he also did a remarkable job in reinforcing the materials. Even Chang-Sun wasn’t sure he could have done the same.

That aside, if Chang-Sun wasted more time, he knew he would meet the same pathetic end as Balor or Tomte.

‘… I can’t let that happen.’

Fortunately, the sudden interference of <Deus Ex Machina> reestablished his connection to the outside world.

[The terminated Channelings are being restored…]

However, <Deus Ex Machina> himself didn’t seem to have noticed.

Badump, badump, badump―!

With his heart beating fast, Chang-Sun unleashed as much mana as he could.

[Your ‘Ferocious Heart’ is racing!]

[Your ‘Ferocious Heart’ is manufacturing <Darkness>.]

Pzzzz―!

Little by little, Chang-Sun exuded <Darkness>.

“Ha! What have we got here?” The angel fighting Chang-Sun tilted their head.

It looked like a part of <Deus Ex Machina> was in the angel, considering they made an expression that resembled him despite being emotionless up until that moment.

“Do you think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re using—!”

“You don’t have to, sir,” Chang-Sun interrupted.

“What?”

Paaah!

The <Darkness> Chang-Sun exuded spread in every direction like an ink drop in clear water.

Kiyoooo―!

Beyond where Chang-Sun’s <Darkness> gathered the most, Cadmus’ howl faintly echoed.

[Your Subordinate ‘Cadmus’ has answered your call and relayed your message to its original owner!]

…

[Your <Darkness> has successfully strengthened a specific Channeling from the outside world!]

[The Channeling owner has received information about the current situation.]

[The Channeling owner lets out a sigh.]

[The Channeling owner mumbles why your everyday life is so chaotic.]

[The Channeling owner asks why in the world you resemble someone so much.]

[The Channeling owner reluctantly decides to interfere.]

The <Darkness> behind Chang-Sun instantly spread wider. As if he drew a black curtain, the space around him turned pitch-black.

‘If it’s hard to fight him myself…’ Chang-Sun thought.

Woosh!

Not long after, an enormous set of navy blue flames—Inferno Sights—lit up.

‘... I can just call an adult.’

[The Celestial ‘Abyss-Chasing Great Devil’ has descended!]

Mephistopheles ripped through the curtain of <Darkness>, revealing his gigantic form.

Namu's Thoughts

I suddenly got a strong déjà vu of my childhood.