Return of the Shattered Constellation - Chapter 531: Star, the Beast (2)

When Chang-Sun arrived at the meeting room, he found Sun Wukong sitting down with his legs crossed.

Sun Wukong raised his arm in greeting. “Long time no see. I believe this is not our first—!”

However, before he could finish, a lightning bolt blew his head away.

Simon Magus turned to Chang-Sun in surprise. “Master…?”

“No need to be alarmed.” Chang-Sun nonchalantly looked forward. “He’s a fake.”

Swish―!

Sun Wukong turned into particles and disappeared into the wind. A new spatial gap then opened up, and another Sun Wukong walked out of it. Perhaps it was because his neck ached, but he was massaging his nape. Once he had sat down, he looked at Chang-Sun with dumbfounded eyes.

“This place has a way of receiving guests,” Sun Wukong sarcastically said.

“You’re not a guest. If you are, then act like one.”

“You don’t even know what kind of proposal I’m going to make.”

“You’re going to offer your help in subduing Tiamat or something like that.”

“Woah! Are you somehow linked with Ascle? How did you know?” Sun Wukong’s face darkened, his grin slowly fading away. “What do you say, then?”

“I accept.”

“Wow.”

Simon quickly turned to Chang-Sun again, silently asking if Chang-Sun genuinely meant what he had said. Lacking information on Sun Wukong’s group and their goal, Simon felt extremely uncomfortable establishing an alliance with them. Above all, Chang-Sun had already accepted Avalokitesvara’s quest to capture Sun Wukong.

Sun Wukong giggled. “This is unexpected. I actually thought you were going to say no.”

“I have one condition, though.”

“There you go. Alright. What is it?”

“Richardus. Bring me the head of Richardus #801. I won’t accept the head of any other Worldlines’ Richardus or his Replicates. Fulfill this condition, and I’ll work with you,” Chang-Sun answered.

Chang-Sun didn’t like the Grand Heaven League. After all, they had engulfed the <Underworld> in chaos and forced Wordline #801 to face <Extinction> several times. Nevertheless, he still found it wiser not to fight them right now.

Since the league’s goal was in the Great Universe, not in Worldline #801, he believed that they would rarely run into each other, if at all. That was why he was willing to let the league get whatever they wanted from Tiamat as long as it didn’t conflict with his plan.

Chang-Sun’s quest from Avalokitesvara didn’t have a time limit, so he could just accomplish it at a later time. It wouldn’t be too late to go up against the Grand Heaven League once they had completely eliminated all the chaos.

However, it was different for Richardus. He had not only hurt the Emperor’s Seat but also drove his siblings and friends into deadly situations. Hence, Chang-Sun could not allow him to keep running wild any further.

“You do know that he’s one of our league’s founding members, yes?” Sun Wukong asked in disbelief.

Chang-Sun crossed his arms and scoffed. “You’re hoping to form an alliance with me when you can’t even offer me such a present? Let me repeat myself. I will only establish an alliance with your faction if you give me Richardus. End of the discussion.”

“… Hmm. If our opinions differ this much, then I guess there’s nothing left for us to do.” Sun Wukong shrugged and then stood up. “Don’t come crying to me for help later.”

“One more thing.”

“What is it?”

“The next time we meet, I’ll need more than just Richardus’ head as payment,” Chang-Sun said coldly.

Sun Wukong quietly stared at Chang-Sun. After a moment, he chuckled and he turned away to leave.

“I’ll keep that in my mind,” he said as he began opening a spatial gap.

Pzzzzzz―!

[Unable to open a spatial gap.]

[The area has been restricted by the Celestial ‘Divine Twilight’.]

However, a force pushed his hand away. Sparks flew from the area that he had tried to tap.

Sun Wukong frowned in annoyance. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Like I said, it won’t end this easily the next time we meet. Besides, your real version must have already received my message anyway.”

Sun Wukong gaped in disbelief. “Is that why you’re going to detain me?”

“If necessary, yes.”

“After all you’ve been through, you still can’t tell that I’m just a Terminal—?!”

“I know. You’re exactly what I need right now,” Chang-Sun answered.

“… What?”

Sensing that something was off, Sun Wukong quickly looked up.

At the same time, Chang-Sun shouted, “[Wait]!”

『Hehehe! I was wondering when you’d ask for me again! I’ve already begun backtracking!』

[The ‘Heaven Link’ has been connected to the Authority ‘Foretelling Eye.’ Backtracking the Channeling linked to the target!]

[Unknown external influence is disrupting the backtracking. Using another bypass to continue the process.]

[Unknown external influence is disrupting the backtracking…]

…

Woosh!

An Inferno Sight blazed up in Chang-Sun’s eye as he looked at Sun Wukong.

“What are you trying to do?!” Sun Wukong asked.

However, his face soon darkened, realizing that Chang-Sun was tracing his Channeling to locate the Cloud Server.

Sun Wukong instinctively sensed danger. Their base was located in a fabricated world outside the Outer Universe, so Chang-Sun should not be able to locate it. However, he had a feeling that that was no longer true and that he had to do whatever it took to stop Chang-Sun.

“No, don’t!”

“Blame your arrogance for making you come here.”

Spatial gaps opened up all around them. Chang-Sun’s subordinates then simultaneously walked out of them and ambushed Sun Wukong. Before Sun Wukong could pull out the Replicated [Ruyi Jingu Bang], Sinmara had chopped off his right arm with her ax, and Jin his left leg. At the same time, Kali destroyed his left arm, and Baek Gyeo-Ul used his spear to slash Sun Wukong’s right leg.

Swish, swoosh, swish―!

Their joint attacks hit Sun Wukong like lightning bolts, giving him no time to retaliate. As he sank to the floor, screaming, Simon and Crom Cruach pulled out Divine Steel chains and tied him up with it.

Swooosh, clink!

Sun Wukong turned pale. He did not expect to lose this easily. “When… in the world…!”

Simon scoffed at Sun Wukong. “He seems to have forgotten that you have the abilities of a Quirinale, Master. Concealing others’ presence is a piece of cake for you.”

Deep down, however, he also cursed Chang-Sun for not giving him a heads-up.

[You have successfully located the target’s Main Cloud Server.]

[Hacking the Main Cloud Server!]

Chang-Sun drew the [Yuchang Sword] and created a long spatial gap in the air. Beyond the Sun Wukong in front of him, he could see another Sun Wukong in the lotus position. Through his [Foretelling Eye], he could tell that he had finally found the Sun Wukong—Grand Heaven of Worldline #801 and the founder of the Grand Heaven League—that he had been looking for.

Sun Wukong opened his eyes, revealing his golden [Fiery Eyes of Truth]. As he gazed into Chang-Sun’s blue [Foretelling Eye], their fists collided in the air.

Boooom―!

The collision between the two, whose Divine Classes were at the level of Celestial Kings, caused the space around them to shatter. Like glass window shards, its fragments were sent flying in every direction.

[You have opened up a new spatial gap!]

Chang-Sun’s pathway opened up behind Sun Wukong.

Pushed back by a shockwave, Sun Wukong couldn’t help but feel bewildered. “Hup…!”

Beyond the new spatial gap, he could see Tiamat the Beast opening her mouth wide. She was still entangled with the Divine Tree’s branches!

Sun Wukong did his best to regain his balance. However, before he could, Chang-Sun had already pointed [Gungnir] at him.

“Stay down,” Chang-Sun ordered.

Flash―!

Rummmmble―!

[Firing a Rádĭus bolt!]

The Rádĭus bolt, which contained the highest concentration of lightning energy than any of his previous attacks, struck Sun Wukong in the abdomen, blasting him… deep into Tiamat’s mouth. When she instinctively swallowed, a powerful explosion took place.

Booooooom!

Even though half of Tiamat’s head was blown away, the sturdy Divine Tree roots connected to her still flew toward Sun Wukong.

Clang, clang, clang!

“Twilight! Twiliiight! You fucking shit!” Sun Wukong screamed in fury, realizing that he now had to fight a Beast using his real body, not a Replicate.

Sun Wukong tried to return to his Cloud Server, but Chang-Sun had already severed the link between this place and ‘Nastrond.’

[Your access to the settings has been denied!]

[Your access to the settings has been denied!]

…

[The area manager has prohibited everyone from accessing Cloud Servers from within your location.]

“Aaaarrgh!” Sun Wukong screamed, remembering the abilities of a Celestial King a little too late.

A Celestial King had exclusive access to a Worldline’s Faith and had the highest-level permission over their Worldline. If Chang-Sun cut off Sun Wukong’s link to the Outer Universe, Sun Wukong wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. Even if he could, Chang-Sun was the heir of a Quirinale who controlled space. It would still have been a piece of cake for him to stop Sun Wukong.

Ultimately, Sun Wukong now had to fight Tiamat alone. He came to this place to mock the United Army, but he ended up becoming their sandbag instead.

***

“He actually…”

“… screwed over Sun Wukong.”

“I can’t believe it worked…”

Chang-Sun’s subordinates laughed dryly as they listened to Sun Wukong’s spiteful scream. Although they followed Chang-Sun’s instructions, they didn’t expect his plan to actually work.

The other Great Celestials in the special unit were no different. Sun Wukong was known to be the strongest among the Nine Heavens, yet Chang-Sun had just played him like a fiddle. It was terrifying.

‘Hmm… I should lay low for the time being.’

‘Everyone who has gotten on Twilight’s bad side so far has ended up meeting a harsh fate.’

‘Staying by Twilight’s side is definitely the safest option.’

[<Deus Ex Machina> looks down over the Worldline in disbelief!]

[The Celestial ‘Abyss-Chasing Great Devil’ nods and mutters that <Deus Ex Machina>’s in-laws will get along great.]

[<Deus Ex Machina> asks what the Celestial ‘Abyss-Chasing Great Devil’ means by that.]

[The Celestial ‘Abyss-Chasing Great Devil’ silently observes his student.]

[<Deus Ex Machina> urges the Celestial ‘Abyss-Chasing Great Devil’ to answer him!]

…

While everyone was trying to collect their bearings, Chang-Sun looked elsewhere. “I knew it. They’re already coming.”

[An unknown Server is attempting to connect to the Server of Worldline #801.]

[An unknown being is attempting to descend!]

[An unknown being is attempting to descend!]

…

[The Celestial ‘New Tian Shi Yuan’ is descending!]

[The Celestial ‘Easy-Laughing Eunuch’ is descending!]

…

Chang-Sun’s eyes gleamed. ‘Here they come!’

With their leader drawn out by force, the traitors Richardus and Eunuch Star had finally shown themselves along with the other members of their faction.

To ensure their safe descent, Chang-Sun furtively opened up a new bypass.

“[Wait], have you gotten the coordinates?” Chang-Sun asked.

『I have. Just like you ordered, I’ve also established a link.』 Dazed, [Wait] asked,『Are you really going to do it?』

Chang-Sun nodded. “Open it up. We’re dropping Tiamat and the Grand Heaven League in the Imaginary Plane.”

『Yes, master,』 [Wait] answered, pitying the destinies of these antagonists, who now faced a far nastier villain.

Namu’s Thoughts

This is it. The author confirmed it.

I’m translating the Divine Villain’s Return, not the Divine Twilight’s Return.