Chapter 299. Epilogue (4)
Becoming a Constellation.
That was Lee Jukheon’s new goal.
“I mean...”
Lee Jukheon muttered from where he sat on the sofa.
“My goal all this time was to catch up with Kang Yujin.”
“...”
Seok Taejun knew that.
Ever since Lee Jukheon lost to Kang Yujin back during their Ironblood Squad days, he had always viewed Kang Yujin as his rival.
There had been a clear difference in their abilities, but even so, Lee Jukheon had continued struggling to catch up with him.
“The only reason a guy like me, who used to play gang leader in some backwater town, managed to come this far... was because Kang Yujin existed.”
“That’s true...”
Lee Jukheon had undeniably grown stronger.
In India, he had even defeated the Demon God-class demon Dantalion.
Now, he was one of the strongest Contractors in the entire world.
But that had only been possible because his rival, Kang Yujin, had always remained one step ahead of him.
“I kept struggling to chase after that bastard... and that’s how I got this far.”
Lee Jukheon clenched his fist tightly.
“But that bastard eventually... died.”
“...”
“Yeah. He died. He can’t get any stronger anymore, and he can’t create any more achievements.”
Blood began dripping from Lee Jukheon’s hand.
He was clenching his fist so hard that his palm had split open.
“He died! He’s not here anymore!”
He shouted and slammed his fist down on a nearby table.
The table shattered with a loud crash.
“He can’t move forward anymore! He can’t widen the distance between us anymore!”
“...”
“Then someday, I’ll overtake him! Right?!”
Lee Jukheon pressed a hand to his chest as he shouted.
The blood running from his palm stained the front of his T-shirt red.
“Now all that’s left is for me to surpass him! Isn’t that right?!”
After yelling that, Lee Jukheon breathed heavily.
Then he looked at Seok Taejun and spoke again.
“Why are you making that face?”
“Maybe because I envy you for being able to think that way.”
Seok Taejun swallowed back his tears as he answered.
“Kang Yujin really... isn’t in this world anymore.”
“Don’t suddenly start talking like that.”
“He really... really died.”
Seok Taejun let out a long sigh.
“Lee Jukheon, I... liked traveling around with Kang Yujin.”
He still remembered it vividly.
A suspicious man had come down from the mountains.
At first, Seok Taejun had thought he was simply insane.
But that wasn’t the case.
He possessed strength beyond imagination...
and a will even stronger than that.
“Traveling with Kang Yujin completely changed my life.”
“...”
“It didn’t matter even when we were far apart. Even if there was a great distance between us, I could still believe that we were ultimately together.”
When Kang Yujin went to China, Seok Taejun had remained in Korea and founded the Golden Ram Order.
That had been to create an organization capable of supporting Kang Yujin.
Seok Taejun had worked all this time because he wanted to continue doing things together with Kang Yujin in the future.
“Joo Minha probably felt something similar.”
“Don’t talk about that bastard. She was a traitor.”
“But you still came with me to bury her body.”
“Tch...”
Seok Taejun smiled at Lee Jukheon’s irritated expression.
“Enough with this depressing talk. They aren’t in this world anymore.”
Lee Jukheon sat back down on the sofa.
“Seok Taejun.”
“What?”
“I’m going to accomplish achievements greater than Kang Yujin.”
“...”
“And after that... I’ll become a Constellation too.”
Become a Constellation.
That was Lee Jukheon’s new goal.
“Because that will prove I surpassed Kang Yujin.”
“I suppose it would.”
Kang Yujin had been the only human in the current Material Realm who had accumulated enough achievements to qualify as a Constellation.
If Lee Jukheon managed to surpass Kang Yujin’s achievements, then naturally, Lee Jukheon should also be able to become a Constellation.
“That’s why... I’m not contracting with that bastard.”
“...”
“I’m not going to contract with the S-rank Constellation, ‘Successor of the Nameless.’”
Successor of the Nameless.
That was the Constellation title Kang Yujin had received after becoming a Constellation.
With the Nameless King gone, Lee Jukheon no longer had a Constellation.
He was now in a position where he had to form a contract with a new one.
Even so, he firmly declared that he would not contract with the Successor of the Nameless.
“It’d be weird to try surpassing him while I’m contracted to him, wouldn’t it?”
“That’s true.”
“So I’ll find another Constellation I really like, make a new contract, and gain a new kind of power for myself.”
“The choice belongs to the Constellations, though.”
“I know! But someone like me is the kind of talent Constellations should be fighting to recruit, isn’t that right?!”
“Well... that’s true.”
Seok Taejun chuckled.
“Lee Jukheon.”
“What?”
“Please become an amazing hero like Kang Yujin and become a Constellation.”
“That’s what I just said...”
“Because I can’t.”
Seok Taejun knew his own limits.
As a Contractor, his combat ability was far below Kang Yujin’s or Lee Jukheon’s.
It was impossible for him to accumulate enough achievements through combat to become a Constellation.
“Hey, wait.”
Lee Jukheon’s eyes widened.
“Don’t tell me... you’re planning to retire as a Contractor without even making a contract with a new Constellation?”
“Yes. At least, I’m going to step away from combat.”
Seok Taejun spoke calmly.
“Instead, I’ll build my power as a politician... and rise high enough that I can make sure the achievements of Kang Yujin and Lee Jukheon are written into future history textbooks.”
“...!”
“Then it’ll be easier for you to become a Constellation.”
This was something he had also thought about while watching Ma Taesu in China.
After taking control of the Black Dragon Society, Ma Taesu no longer stood on the front lines.
Instead, he moved countless Contractors and guided the world according to his own will.
“I’m already showing leadership as the acting representative of the Eight Guardians. Shin Minyu and Won Pilso are relying on me a lot too. If I continue expanding my influence like this, I don’t think it’ll be difficult to establish myself as one of Korea’s leaders.”
“You...”
“I don’t know what’ll happen when Lee Hyeonje comes back... but I’ll figure something out.”
“You’re planning to fight Lee Hyeonje for political power? Isn’t he a difficult opponent?”
“When have we ever fought an easy opponent?”
Lee Jukheon looked slightly caught off guard by that answer.
“You really have grown a lot.”
“Have I?”
“Yeah. When I first met you, I thought you were just some punk mouthing off behind Kang Yujin.”
“Haha, that’s a little harsh.”
It wasn’t exactly wrong.
Back then, that really had been about all he amounted to.
“I was able to grow this far because Kang Yujin, Lee Jukheon, and Joo Minha were there.”
“...”
For a while, Seok Taejun and Lee Jukheon simply looked at each other.
They engraved the image of the comrade who had come so far from where they had started into their memories, almost as though this might be their last meeting.
“Hey, Seok Taejun.”
“Yes?”
“You should aim to become a Constellation too.”
Lee Jukheon suddenly said something completely unexpected.
“It’s not like only heroes with incredible combat power can become Constellations.”
“Well... that’s true.”
“What if you become something like the legendary first president of the new Korea? Wouldn’t that be enough to become a Constellation?”
“What kind of idea is that?”
“Not enough? Then how about becoming the president of a unified world government?”
“Please say something realistic.”
Seok Taejun chuckled and looked back out the window.
“Forget that. Go outside and stop those two from fighting already. The training ground is almost completely destroyed.”
“Those bastards, seriously...!”
Lee Jukheon hurriedly ran outside.
After watching his comrade’s back disappear, Seok Taejun stared blankly at the sky.
“I wonder what Kang Yujin is doing right now...”
Seok Taejun thought of the comrade who was now impossibly far away.
“He’s probably charging forward without hesitation even in the Spirit Realm. Right?”
Growl.
Hearing the Chimera’s response, Seok Taejun smiled.
“Thank you all for gathering here today.”
Kang Yujin spoke while trying to suppress his nervousness.
“You all already know this, but I’ll introduce myself anyway. I’m the newly born Constellation, ‘Successor of the Nameless.’ My true name is Kang Yujin.”
“Kang Yujin! I told you that you don’t need to tell everyone your true name every single time!”
Number49 whispered as they jabbed him hard in the side.
“Unless it’s absolutely necessary, just call yourself ‘Successor of the Nameless’! You need to emphasize that you’re the successor to the ‘Nameless King’!”
“I told you I don’t like doing that!”
As Kang Yujin and Number49 bickered, the two brothers sitting in front of them spoke up.
“If you keep doing that, you look way too amateurish.”
“Yeah, you don’t look reliable at all!”
They were the B-rank Constellation ‘Golden and Silver Children,’ Jinjiao and Yinjiao.
They had accepted Kang Yujin’s invitation and come here today.
“Hmm, I agree.”
The one who agreed was the B-rank Constellation ‘Hunter Favored by the Moon Goddess,’ Atalanta.
“You looked pretty good when you were a Contractor... but now that you’re a Constellation, you don’t have enough presence.”
Atalanta sighed as she spoke.
Then a cheerful voice came from beside her.
“Huh? He looks heavy enough to me. Kang Yujin probably weighs over eighty kilograms, doesn’t he?”
“That’s not what I meant by presence! Stop saying stupid things, Astolfo!”
At the absurd comment from the A-rank Constellation ‘Handsomest Knight,’ Astolfo, his comrade, the A-rank Constellation ‘White-Feathered Knight’ Bradamante, frowned.
“I would appreciate it if everyone stopped chatting.”
A dignified voice came from the very back.
Everyone flinched.
The S-rank Constellation ‘Grand Preceptor of the Golden Whip,’ Wen Zhong, sat with his arms crossed and a frightening expression on his face.
“Today is a very important occasion. It is the day the Successor of the Nameless formally begins his public activities as a Constellation.”
Wen Zhong looked at each of the Constellations gathered there.
“We have gathered here to cooperate with those activities from now on. For the time being, the Successor of the Nameless can be regarded as our leader. It is only right that we listen carefully to what he has to say.”
“You don’t have to make things that serious...”
“He’s the only one here who feels way too important. The balance is kind of weird.”
Jinjiao and Yinjiao whispered while glancing at Wen Zhong.
“Thank you for putting everyone in line, Grand Preceptor of the Golden Whip.”
“I merely did what needed to be done.”
“But if you take over too much, Kang Yujin will start looking like a supporting character, so please refrain from speaking too much from now on.”
“...”
Wen Zhong’s expression stiffened at Number49’s shameless remark.
Astolfo snickered at the sight, but immediately shrank back when Wen Zhong glared at him.
“Ugh, Kang Yujin, I’ll just explain everything.”
Even though they had just worried that Kang Yujin would look like a side character, Number49 stepped forward and began speaking.
“As you all know, the Order of the Spirit Realm has recently begun operating in earnest again. However, the Order has now grown far too large, which makes it difficult for it to move quickly.”
“Back in the old days, the Nameless King could just make decisions and move immediately.”
Atalanta muttered.
“But now the Nameless King is gone, and Merlin and the others are gone too, so that’s much harder.”
“Yes. That’s why we’re planning to create an organization that handles the things the current Order of the Spirit Realm cannot.”
“Work that requires much faster and lighter movement.”
As Number49 said that, they brought up a map on a screen in the air.
“The first thing we’re considering is marine monster extermination, something Nameless had also been thinking about before. As you all know, unlike on land, Contractors have a very difficult time operating at sea.”
“So the ocean is literally a blue ocean for us.”
Number49 pointed to the sea between Korea and China.
“We’ll start by sweeping the Yellow Sea clean! We’ll gather Contractors from Korea and China and completely wipe out the monsters in the Yellow Sea.”
“Hmm, that seems doable.”
“The Black Dragon Society has Contractors experienced in fighting at sea too... and they also have the Nautilus.”
Jinjiao and Yinjiao murmured.
“If this succeeds, hunting marine monsters will become a major trend across the Material Realm. And naturally, our organization will gain fame as the pioneer that started that movement.”
After saying that, Number49 suddenly turned toward Kang Yujin.
“It’ll become the perfect opportunity for the rising rookie Constellation, ‘Successor of the Nameless,’ to truly make a name for himself.”
“Stop putting pressure on me.”
Kang Yujin sighed and looked forward again.
Jinjiao and Yinjiao.
Atalanta.
Astolfo.
Bradamante.
And Wen Zhong.
They were all either people connected to the Nameless King or Constellations who had supported Kang Yujin.
They could have joined a massive organization like the Order of the Spirit Realm.
Yet they had gathered here because they wanted to work together with Kang Yujin, the newly born Constellation.
From now on, Kang Yujin would begin fighting alongside them in the Spirit Realm.
It would be completely different from the battles he had fought in the Material Realm.
More difficult.
More complicated.
And far more troublesome.
“Anyway... everyone.”
Kang Yujin slowly opened his mouth.
“I am not the Nameless King. I don’t have the same abilities or skill that he had.”
“...”
“But I inherited the Nameless King.”
The gathered Constellations silently watched him.
Kang Yujin bowed deeply toward them.
“I will reach the summit of the Spirit Realm. Just as the Nameless King did.”
That was Kang Yujin’s new goal.
He didn’t know how long it would take.
Even so, just like the Nameless King before him...
he would stand at the very summit of the Spirit Realm.
And from that summit...
he would wait for that person.
