Chapter 195: Star, Baek Gyeo-Ul (5)

Chapter 195: Star, Baek Gyeo-Ul (5)

When Chang-Sun called the shadow Xerxes, his old colleague, the shadow faintly trembled.

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ wonders what you two are talking about.]

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ shakes his head, calls you a sly snake, and says that you’re hiding something again.]

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ is watching you silently.]

...

While the Celestials were wondering what Chang-Sun was saying using telepathy, his eyes were turning cold.『No, should I call you Xerxes’ hidden side?』

Xerxes was a false deity who settled in various shadows as he wandered around. Influenced by many beings, he naturally ended up with multiple personalities. Xerxes’ humble and gentle personality had been his main personality, but his other personalities used to show up and take charge every now and then back then. Chang-Sun called these other personalities Xerxes’ hidden sides. One of them was right in front of him.

It seemed this hidden side behaved the same way in Baek Gyeo-Ul’s subconsciousness as he did in Xerxes’. Since he always tried to become Xerses’ main personality, Chang-Sun had named this hidden side Bardiya, which meant ‘usurper.’

『It has been a long time since I heard that name.』 Bardiya, the shadow personality, quietly chuckled. 『But Xerxes isn’t around right now. He’s dead. Meanwhile, I’m still here, so I would prefer a different name.』

“No matter what name I call you, the one sitting next to you is still your son in a way, so how can you do such a thing?” Chang-Sun asked with faint anger.

『A father’s job is to lead his son down the right path,』Bardiya replied gently.

Chang-Sun slightly frowned. “Gyeo-Ul is an adult now, so let him choose his own path.”

『No matter how old people are, they’re still babies in their parents’ eyes.』Bardiya smirked.

『When this child was born, I naturally ended up here... so I’m practically Xerxes’ and this child’s personality.』

“That is one messed-up family tree.” Chang-Sun shook his head.

『I’m a shadow. Isn’t it weird to consider us an ordinary father-son duo?』

When Bardiya chuckled, Chang-Sun realized that Bardiya was the half-spirit curse that had tormented Gyeo-Ul.

‘The <Horoscope> and <Purple Star Astrology> Celestials almost managed to kill Xerxes, so when he met Gyeo-Ul’s mother, a part of him ended up inside her. That was how Bardiya became Gyeo-Ul’s other personality. Considering the properties of shadow energy, it’s more than possible...’ Chang-Sun’s eyes narrowed, but he still had one hope. ‘If I can separate him from Gyeo-Ul... I might be able to resurrect Xerxes.’

Gyeo-Ul could be considered part of Xerxes, so Chang-Sun could actually try resurrecting his friend. Hence, Chang-Sun prioritized separating Bardiya. This would help Gyeo-Ul regain control of his power and allow him to start resurrecting Xerxes.

‘This isn’t going to be easy,’ Chang-Sun thought.

This cold snowfield was practically Bardiya’s territory too. Although it wasn’t his divine ground, he was still its ruler.

‘Still, I should at least give it a try.’ Chang-Sun activated his [Ferocious Heart].

Badump! Badump!

His [Magic Integrated Circuit] created an insane amount of mana, and the <Muspelheim> Retribution Fire made it hotter than the flames inside a fiery furnace.

The moment he released his mana...

Pzz, pzzz!

... purple lighting energy rose up from his fingertips, enveloped Chang-Sun, and spread to the nearby area. Activating <Dusk Lightning>, the signature skill that was starting to symbolize Chang-Sun, also made a part of the purple lightning energy take the shape of a Giant standing behind Chang-Sun.

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ asks with sparkling eyes if you can create a bigger explosion with your prettily sparkling lightning energy!]

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ sarcastically comments that a child easily wet their pants if they stay close to the fire.[1]]

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ angrily refutes that she is not a child.]

『Is this your new technique? Hmm, it’s going to be dangerous if I deal with this head-on.』

Bardiya smiled. Having lived as Chang-Sun’s shadow for quite some time, Bardiya instantly noticed how hot and destructive Chang-Sun’s <Dusk Lightning> was.

『Still...are you sure you want to fight me in here? This is my territory.』

“Were you not listening?” Chang-Sun calmly replied.

Pzzzz!

“You can fix anyone with a good beating.”

The air around Chang-Sun changed.

[Your Inferno Sights have opened!]

When two navy-blue fires settled in Chang-Sun’s eyes, the blazing <Dusk Lightning> energy around Chang-Sun intensified.

‘Magus,’ Chang-Sun called.

『Ha! Hahaha! I can’t believe I’m about to learn the Pale Star’s knowledge! I’ll be your loyal servant from now on, my great master!』

Simon Magus felt ecstatic when Chang-Sun instructed him. As the mage who started gnosticism, Simon was so deeply touched by the fact that he was about to take a peek into such great knowledge that he felt loyal to Chang-Sun. Since he served as Chang-Sun’s supplementary personality that was meant to help Chang-Sun focus on combat, Simon activated [Bestla’s Poem] and slowly reached out his hand to [Prelati’s Spellbook].

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ says that she wasn’t aware her Authority could be used to create such magnificent fireworks. Her eyes sparkle.]

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ wants a bigger, flashier, and brighter explosion!]

[The level of the Skill ‘Explosive Thunder’ has increased.]

...

[The Skill ‘Lightning Web’ has been activated.]

[The level of the Skill ‘Lightning Web’ has increased.]

...

[The Skills ‘Explosive Thunder’ and ‘Lightning Web’ have reached their maximum level and have been combined to create a higher-level skill.]

[The Skill ‘Fiery Lightning Bolt’ has been created!]

[Fiery Lightning Bolt]

The resulting skill from the combination of ‘Explosive Thunder’ and ‘Lightning Web.’ With enough lightning energy, the skill can be used to strike a target with a lightning bolt.

· Skill level: 1

· Effect: Fire Strike. Electrocuting Curse.

『Shit!』

Bardiya tried to distance himself from the [Fiery Lightning Bolts] and purple lightning rays.

[Starting a shadow tsunami!]

The shadow on the ground rose and whirled. Undulating like the ocean right before the start of a tsunami, it tried to push off the <Dusk Lightning> bolts somehow, but the shadow disappeared not long after. Bardiya was already having trouble using the skill. To make matters worse, the light from the lightning bolts made it impossible for a shadow to exist.

[It has been forcefully canceled!]

...

[Not enough shadow.]

[Not enough shadow.]

...

『Fuckkk!』Bardiya shouted, furious about his every counterattack being nullified. Lightning and shadow. Light and darkness. Chang-Sun was bound to have the upper hand in their collisions due to their elemental differences.

That was the reason Chang-Sun started a fight even though they were in Bardiya’s territory. In the first place, he would never start a fight unless he knew for sure that he would win, and no matter how disadvantaged Chang-Sun was, he always found a way to turn the tide in his favor. That was why the ‘Divine Twilight’ had not only been a fighting deity but also a fiend.

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ looks at you with a trembling lip. ]

Chang-Sun reached out his hand toward Bardiya, his fingertips seemingly connected to Bardiya with invisible threads—-no, they were connected to the Target Runes all over him, to be exact. Since they were all made from Bardiya’s blood, they were easy to control.

Pzzz―!

The Target Runes wiggled again, changing shapes.

[The Skill ‘Expert Rune Creation’ has been activated, changing the Target Runes to Explosion Runes!]

『N-no!』Bardiya screamed even though the [Fiery Lightning Bolts] were no longer striking him.

Chang-Sun clenched his fists as if he was grabbing onto something tightly.

[The Skill ‘Bloodshed’ has been applied, making the explosions of the Explosive Runes bigger and more destructive.]

[Triggering multiple explosions!]

[Bloodshed] aggravated the curse cast over Bardiya, enhancing the cursing runes and worsening Bardiya’s electric injury and burn wounds. Chang-Sun activated all the skills one by one as naturally as a flowing river, turning [Bloodshed] into a disaster.

Emitting red light, the runes caused not only a ground-shaking explosion that swept over Bardiya but also created a mushroom-shaped cloud that rose up high in the air.

Booom!

Rumble...!

1. This originated from the Korean saying that if you play with fire, you’ll wet your bed at night. ☜

2. The raw is 자전일섬(紫電一閃). This is a four-character idiom, but the origin is unknown. ☜

Namu's Thoughts

The <Horoscope> and <Purple Star Astrology> Celestials almost managed to kill Xerxes, so when he met Gyeo-Ul’s mother, a part of him ended up inside her.

Invictum: A part of him definitely did ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Namu: Lololololololol