Return of the Shattered Constellation

Chapter 45: Star, The Training (8)

[Perfect Marksmanship]

An Authority granted as a bonus reward by the Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’.

You will hit your target no matter what happens, as the result is predetermined. The damage dealt will vary based on the arrow you use.

“Never let go of any prey you set your sights on.”

· Skill Level: 1

· Type: Authority.

· Effect: Reverse Causality, Sure Shot, Combo Shooting.

At first glance, it was unclear why the Authority granted personally by Pabilsag was considered one, as many bow-related skills improved accuracy and increased damage. However, upon closer examination, it was far from being an ordinary Authority.

Out of the three Effects, the first one alone was ridiculous. Each event in this world normally had to obey the law of causality: All effects were determined by a cause.

In order to use an Authority, there would be numerous ‘causes’ involved. Every component that formed part of the ‘process’ of an event—the Authority user’s desires and actions, the nearby surroundings, the air currents, and the opponent’s reactions—could be considered ‘causes’, including any unexpected variables that the Authority user did not take into account.

In order to shoot the center of a target with a bow and arrow, every factor—the terrain, the distance between the shooter and the target, interference from a third party, and so on—could be considered ‘causes’. As a result, the arrow would not necessarily hit the target, which meant the result would not always align with the shooter’s desires.

‘And yet [Reverse Causality] ignores every component,’ Chang-Sun thought, feeling pleased.

What if the result ‘The arrow hit its target’ were to be decided before the causes? That meant it would always align with the shooter’s desires. Perhaps the arrow would be blown by the wind, or perhaps the target would slip and fall in its path; regardless, the outcome would be the same. No matter how fierce the interference, no matter what unexpected variables the arrow faced, it would hit its target in the end.

That was what made [Reverse Causality] truly terrifying

‘The ‘arrow’ can also be anything. This should be a good match for [Viper Eyes].’

Using Jörmungandr’s bonus reward, Chang-Sun had previously identified the Jigwi’s weak points, which were several spots on its right wing and nape. Looking at the reddest spot as he fired the arrow from his bow, he thought, ‘I will hit the target.’

[A target has been selected!]

Swish―!

Chang-Sun fired two arrows in two different directions. Turning into rays of white light, both arrows flashed through the air, striking their targets without giving the Jigwi any time to react.

Boom, boom, boom!

Rumble, rumble―!

Pzz! Pzzzz!

The second Effect, [Sure Shot], activated alongside the third Effect, [Combo Shooting]. A violent explosion followed, shaking the mountain-sized Jigwi with a shockwave.

Large tornadoes formed over the spots that had been hit by the two arrows, deepening the wounds they created. Golden lightning crackled outward from the arrows and instantly spread like a web, covering the Jigwi’s entire body.

Just as the explanation ‘The damage dealt will vary based on the arrow you use’ suggested, Chang-Sun had used his new skills in conjunction.

[Explosive Thunder]

You can create a violent explosion upon impact with a target. Its damage will vary depending on your accuracy and the quantity of mana you use.

· Skill Level: 1

· Type: Active.

· Effect: Explosive Impact.

[Lightning Web]

You can create powerful lightning energy and spread it across a fixed area.

· Skill Level: 1

· Type: Active.

· Effect: Spread Lightning.

The [White Magpie Bow] was not the only thing Chang-Sun had found in the Jigwi’s nest. There had also been several skill books in the nest. Although they appeared to contain ordinary Rank C Skills at first glance, the ones contained within could be as potent as Rank A skills if the user applied them effectively.

Those skills were [Explosive Thunder] and [Lightning Web]. By creating a violent explosion at the point of impact and transforming the resulting sparks into lightning, Chang-Sun could produce a ‘Thunderstorm’, an effect capable of pulverizing everything it touched into dust with multiple explosions.[1]

[The simultaneous application of the Skills ‘Explosive Thunder’ and ‘Lightning Web’ has temporarily created a ‘Thunderstorm’!]

[You have launched several heavy attacks against the ‘Jigwi’!]

On top of that, Chang-Sun had taken it to another level by using ‘arrows’ specially made by the heir of Ou Yezi. The same way he destroyed the Drake’s eyes in the test, he had fired the two Nameless Short Spears, mercilessly breaking one of the Jigwi’s wing bones and leaving a large wound on its neck.

Kiieeh!

The Jigwi’s violent screams echoed across the mountain range.

[Critical Hit!]

[Critical Hit!]

…

[‘Explosive Thunder’ and ‘Lightning Web’ have leveled up!]

[‘Explosive Thunder’ and ‘Lightning Web’ have leveled up!]

…

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ puffs up her chest!]

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ pompously says that no deity can provide a better Authority!]

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ smirks at ‘Calamity Tiger’, calling him useless!]

In truth, the bonus reward Heoju had granted Chang-Sun was not so mediocre.

[Beast Senses]

A bonus reward granted by the Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger.’

Like a beast ready to fight, your senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste have all been enhanced. Additionally, you have the Sixth Sense, an instinctive ability to detect danger, making you a true beast.

· Skill Level: 1

· Type: Passive. Active.

· Effect: Sense Enhancement, Expanded Cognition. Sixth Sense Creation.

The skill would complement Chang-Sun’s combat instincts, which he had thought of as lacking for some time. With it, he could analyze the situation more accurately and make better decisions in close combat.

However, what really mattered to Chang-Sun was that Heoju had given him a bonus reward, not how good [Beast Senses] was. What it truly represented was Heoju giving Chang-Sun his full attention.

[The Skill ‘Beast Senses’ allows you to focus your senses on the ‘Jigwi’!]

[You can now predict the behavior of the ‘Jigwi’ a little more accurately.]

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ contentedly watches you use his bonus reward.]

Focusing all his senses on the Jigwi, Chang-Sun prepared to launch a new attack, but…

‘What’s this?’ he wondered, frowning. After he used [Beast Senses], he had felt an unexpected presence.

* * *

‘Unbelievable…!’ Baek Gyeo-Ul thought, gaping.

His first encounter with the Jigwi had made him feel gloomy, overwhelmed by the bird that was the size of a ten-story apartment. Although he had been warned about the Jigwi when he first received an explanation of its nature, seeing it with his own eyes was still a completely different experience.

How could he ever have thought about killing such a monster? The bravado he had maintained until the last few days had faded, leaving him light-headed. It left him uncertain as to how Chang-Sun would kill the monster, and whether he could receive the remaining treatment in the end.

However, Gyeo-Ul’s thoughts changed in that instant.

‘We may be able to—no, we will kill it.’

With a mere two attacks, Chang-Sun had clipped one of the Jigwi’s wings and left a deep wound on his neck, enough to reveal its insides. Even accounting for the fact that Chang-Sun had taken the Jigwi by surprise, killing it no longer seemed impossible, provided that they could continue to attack it successfully.

Thus, Gyeo-Ul increased his pace as he ran toward the Jigwi, thinking only of killing the monster. His target was its right wing. Although Chang-Sun had knocked the Jigwi off balance by breaking its right wing bone, Gyeo-Ul had to cut the wing off completely in order to stop the Jigwi fleeing into the air.

However, just as Gyeo-Ul was about to leap high into the air…

[Uninvited invaders have appeared in the middle of the raid!]

…Gyeo-Ul had to stop running, dodging a great distance backward.

Thud!

Thud!

Two people landed where Gyeo-Ul had just been.

Judging from their nonchalant looks and the symbol of the White Tiger Clan on their backs, they were instructors who managed the Dungeon—no, their outfits looked similar, but they were somewhat different.

“This is a restricted area,” one of them said.

“Only authorized personnel can enter, so trainees are not permitted to be here. Please leave now,” the other added.

The two instructors did not allow Gyeo-Ul to get any closer, making him frown.

“We have been hunting that monster for over four days. Please let us kill it,” Gyeo-Ul said as calmly as he could.

“I said, only authorized personnel can enter, so step back. If you refuse to follow instructions, we will have to force you out of here. As we have warned you enough, we take no responsibility for potential accidents,” the second instructor said.

Sensing resistance from Gyeo-Ul, the instructors reached for the weapons on their waists. Truly living up to their rank, the intimidating aura of [Tiger Kill] swirled around them, raking the ground as if with tiger claws.

‘Shit!’ Gyeo-Ul cursed inwardly. He shot a brief glance at Chang-Sun, who was still covering him, before looking up at the Jigwi again.

Kieeehhh!

The Jigwi had recovered just enough to let it fly into the air; it seemed to be able to do so even with a broken wing. If it retreated into the sky, hunting it would be incredibly difficult, as the two men had few options for attacking an airborne target.

However, the two instructors did not budge an inch. Gyeo-Ul wondered what to do. Would it be a good move to attack the instructors? He hesitated, as instructors were never to be taken lightly. If he failed to overwhelm them completely, his membership in the White Tiger Clan would likely be revoked, causing him to be kicked out of the Dungeon.

Still, if he retreated, there was no telling when another opportunity would come again—no, they would no longer be able to ambush the Jigwi, as it would be on guard in the future.

Gyeo-Ul glanced at Chang-Sun again. Although Chang-Sun was not guaranteed to have any solutions, Gyeo-Ul still thought he would be able to pull out a trump card.

Meanwhile…

<Executive Director Oh promised me that no one would interfere with me. Do they not know anything about that?>

Chang-Sun had quickly been writing words in the air with his index finger. He directed a question toward Song Yoo-Jun, Executive Director Oh’s spy, who was no doubt secretly watching him.

However, Yoo-Jun said nothing in response. As there was no way he could have missed the words, Chang-Sun could only take his silence as an affirmation.

‘There must be something above the instructors’ level that the White Tiger Clan and Executive Director Oh want to hide,’ Chang-Sun concluded..

It could be related to the [Dream Sphere] Chang-Sun had collected from the Jigwi’s nest. What if the Jigwi had coincidentally killed a person who had connections to the Clan and Executive Director Oh’s secret? That would mean others had shown up to kill the Jigwi, in order to retrieve or destroy the [Dream Sphere].

Although it was merely a conjecture without any solid evidence, Chang-Sun could not help but think it was plausible. He organized his thoughts with a crooked smile. ‘I might get something if I dig a little deeper.’

He then asked the instructors, “Does that mean I can still go to other areas as long as I avoid the restricted area?”

Despite the distance between Chang-Sun and the two instructors, they could hear his voice as clearly as if he had spoken right next to them. Chang-Sun was more talented than they had expected. However, they nodded calmly, hiding their surprise as they replied, “Yes, so step back…!”

“Then you don’t have to worry,” Chang-Sun said, interrupting the instructors.

His vaguely sarcastic tone made the instructors nervous, and they prepared to ask another question.

Kieeeee!

The Jigwi flew into the air, but suddenly screamed in pain and fell, right where the instructors were standing.

“Hup!”

“W-What…?!”

With a giant bird about to fall onto them, the two instructors were forced to evade quickly without stopping to think about what had happened.

Boom!

Rumble―!

The Jigwi fell rapidly, landing on its head and sliding across the ground. Dirt scattered into the air and created a cloud of dust, while the aftershock of the Jigwi’s impact shook the entire mountain.

Even though it was as if a whole mountain were approaching Chang-Sun, he stared calmly at the Jigwi with his arms crossed. Slowly, the giant bird ground to a halt right in front of him.

Pant, pant…

The Jigwi panted rapidly through its beak, which was larger than Chang-Sun. Even though it was known to be a bird made of fire, its entire right half was somehow covered in ice.

Just like that…

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

A powerful vortex appeared, sucking what remained of the Jigwi’s fire into Chang-Sun.

[The ‘Fire of the Eight Trigrams Brazier’ is rapidly absorbing the new ember!]

The two instructors watched the Jigwi dying before their very eyes, completely lost as to what was happening. They swiftly turned to look at Chang-Sun. Apart from everything else, they could not understand how Chang-Sun had overwhelmed the Jigwi and stolen its fire. The magic Chang-Sun had used was simply too far beyond their comprehension.

1. The author is making a play on words here. Thunder and lightning make up a thunderstorm. ☜

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