Chapter 47. Central Sanctuary (3)
The room looked like something from a science-fiction comic.
Large cylindrical tanks lined the spacious room.
Inside each one floated a different kind of monster.
Countless tubes were attached to their bodies.
Especially thick tubes were connected to their abdomens.
The sight reminded Kang Yujin of footage he'd once seen on television as a child...
Bears having bile extracted from them.
[B-rank Constellation 'Hunter Favored by the Moon Goddess' becomes furious at the disgusting sight.]
[A-rank Constellation 'Fairy Who Controls Water' frowns and turns away.]
[S-rank Constellation 'Dragon-Slaying Immortal' expresses strong disgust.]
Kang Yujin said nothing.
He entered another room.
A dead monster lay on a medical bed.
Behind it stood something resembling an incinerator.
He opened several more doors.
All of them had a similar atmosphere.
"Looking for your friends?"
A voice came from the end of the hallway.
Baek Yunho stood there with both hands in his pants pockets, smiling.
"I didn't expect you to reach this place so quickly."
"I thought breaking through the outside security and finding your way underground would take much longer."
"..."
"But why did you come straight underground?"
Baek Yunho tilted his head.
"Did you obtain information beforehand?"
"Not really."
Kang Yujin answered coldly.
"You just seemed like the kind of person who would hide dirty things deep underground."
"Oh."
Baek Yunho shrugged.
"That hurt."
Then he smiled.
"For your information, there aren't any experimental animals like you left here."
"The only things remaining are failures."
From behind Baek Yunho...
The same kind of zombies as before began appearing in groups.
"Then that means you were imprisoning people here and experimenting on them too."
"Yes."
Baek Yunho smiled.
"Just like you."
[C-rank Constellation 'Prince Who Killed His Father' shows interest in the story of Kang Yujin's past.]
[A-rank Constellation 'Knight of the Wagon' listens closely.]
[A-rank Constellation 'Adventurous Sailor' demands to hear more.]
[A-rank Constellation 'Adventurous Sailor' sponsors Baek Yunho with 1,000,000 Coins.]
Baek Yunho seemed to notice the messages.
He raised his head and smiled.
"Fine."
"I'll give our honored spectators some service."
"Service?"
"You've probably already realized this..."
Baek Yunho spread his arms.
"This was where I conducted all kinds of research."
"..."
"Human modification has always been my life's theme."
He raised a finger.
"My goal is to create a human who surpasses the limits of humanity."
Then he pointed toward Kang Yujin.
"And you are my greatest masterpiece."
"Did you strengthen my body by injecting substances extracted from monsters?"
"Oh, no."
Baek Yunho immediately shook his head.
"Don't worry."
"I never put any filthy monster-derived substances into you."
"There's no way I'd put something like that into our precious Kang Yujin."
[A-rank Constellation 'Fairy Who Controls Water' looks unsure how to react.]
"You were the greatest masterpiece I ever created, Kang Yujin."
"I'm not particularly happy to hear that."
"But while I was busy after being promoted and transferred to the Central Sanctuary..."
Baek Yunho shook his head.
"You escaped from the facility."
"When I heard about it, I honestly couldn't believe it."
Then he smiled again.
"Still, I'm glad you've returned."
"I didn't come back."
"No, but you're still my..."
"I'm tired of listening to your meaningless garbage."
Kang Yujin interrupted him.
Then he stared directly into Baek Yunho's face.
"I'll make you pay for treating my life and the lives of countless others like toys."
"But the reason you're standing here now is because I played with you that way."
Baek Yunho's words were not entirely wrong.
Kang Yujin had managed to defeat countless enemies because Baek Yunho had modified his body.
"So what?"
Kang Yujin asked.
"You want me to thank you?"
"Exactly."
Baek Yunho smiled.
"You could say I'm like your parent."
"Fine."
Kang Yujin nodded.
"Thanks."
"Huh?"
Baek Yunho looked genuinely surprised.
Kang Yujin stared at him.
"Now shut up."
"...!"
Kang Yujin moved.
He smashed away the zombies trying to protect Baek Yunho and closed the distance.
But...
"Strong body..."
Baek Yunho ducked low.
"And no ability to learn!"
The moment Kang Yujin broke through the zombies and grabbed Baek Yunho...
Baek Yunho laughed.
[B-rank Constellation 'Archer Who Overcame Trials' warns Kang Yujin to watch out for anesthesia.]
[B-rank Constellation 'Golden and Silver Children' warns that the 24-hour cooldown of the Constellation Armament has not ended.]
The Constellations had been worried about it from the beginning.
Last time, Kang Yujin had been caught just before finishing Baek Yunho off.
But...
"Who has no ability to learn?"
"...!"
Kang Yujin lifted his head.
Baek Yunho's expression changed.
A rectangular metal object covered Kang Yujin's mouth and nose.
It looked like a mask.
"W-What is that?"
"A mask I bought from the Apostle earlier."
Kang Yujin touched it.
"It sticks in place without straps around the ears."
"Pretty convenient."
"...!"
Baek Yunho inhaled sharply.
"When I was imprisoned, you injected the drug with needles."
"But last time, I didn't feel any needle."
Kang Yujin's eyes narrowed.
"Even if you used a tiny hidden injector, I should've felt something."
"So there was only one answer."
He stared directly at Baek Yunho.
"You changed the drug into an inhaled form."
"If it enters through the mouth or nose, it gets absorbed immediately."
Baek Yunho probably kept some kind of capsule containing the drug solution inside his mouth.
Then, when needed, he could bite down and release it as a mist.
It was a drug designed specifically for Kang Yujin.
There were many ways to prevent Baek Yunho himself from being affected.
"Anyway."
Kang Yujin grabbed Baek Yunho by the collar.
Then he threw him straight into a wall.
Baek Yunho crashed into it and spat blood.
Kang Yujin ignored him for the moment and finished off the remaining zombies.
"Ugh... Cough..."
Baek Yunho trembled on the ground.
Kang Yujin looked down at him.
"What's next?"
"W-What...?"
"What else did you prepare?"
Baek Yunho stared at him with shaking eyes.
"Was the anesthesia your last trick?"
"It feels like you should have something else."
There was no way Baek Yunho would greet Kang Yujin with only zombies and the same anesthetic he had used before.
"..."
When Kang Yujin stopped attacking...
Baek Yunho slowly stood.
[B-rank Constellation 'Murderer with Two Axes' becomes irritated and asks why Kang Yujin isn't finishing him immediately.]
[A-rank Constellation 'Prodigy with Three Heads and Six Arms' becomes frustrated by Kang Yujin's careless attitude.]
Some Constellations were disappointed that Kang Yujin was giving Baek Yunho time.
But not everyone agreed.
[A-rank Constellation 'Naval Commander Holding a Pitchfork' says they should watch first.]
[S-rank Constellation 'Dragon-Slaying Immortal' carefully observes the situation.]
Baek Yunho seemed to notice those messages.
He smiled.
"I'm truly grateful for your consideration, Kang Yujin."
"..."
"But..."
His smile deepened.
"You're going to regret it."
Baek Yunho pulled a syringe from his pocket.
Then he injected it directly into his own neck.
Immediately afterward...
His entire body began twitching.
"Kang Yujin."
His voice changed.
"You're certainly the greatest masterpiece I've ever created."
"But..."
His body began expanding.
"Just because I created one masterpiece doesn't mean I can't make another work nearly as great."
Baek Yunho's formerly average body transformed.
Muscle swelled across his frame.
Soon...
He had become a massive giant of muscle comparable to Sama Yun.
"Look, Kang Yujin!"
Baek Yunho shouted proudly.
"This drug instantly amplifies physical ability to this level!"
"It only lasts fifteen minutes..."
"But during those fifteen minutes..."
He grinned.
"I can surpass your physical abilities!"
"Surpass mine?"
"Exactly!"
Baek Yunho shouted.
"This drug is another masterpiece I created specifically to fight you, my greatest masterpiece!"
He swung one arm into the wall.
The wall collapsed.
The space on the other side was exposed.
"Even if you receive a Great Blessing from your Constellation, it only lasts five minutes!"
"Your skill that destroys everything and your Constellation Armament are both unavailable because of cooldowns!"
"..."
"Don't think your physical body is unbeatable!"
Baek Yunho pointed at himself.
"I'm the one who created your body!"
"My science can surpass it whenever I want!"
[A-rank Constellation 'Prodigy with Three Heads and Six Arms' says this was obviously going to happen and looks disappointed.]
[D-rank Constellation 'Ghost Who Burned the Tower' becomes frightened by the overwhelming power.]
[B-rank Constellation 'General Faster Than the Red Horse' suggests retreating temporarily and regrouping with the others.]
[B-rank Constellation 'Murderer with Two Axes' shouts that either side should hurry up and beat the other into a bloody mess.]
The Constellations reacted in all kinds of ways to Baek Yunho's confidence.
Baek Yunho made his huge body look even larger and charged toward Kang Yujin.
"I'll capture you again and rebuild you!"
His face twisted.
"This time I'll modify your mind too, so you won't even think about escaping!"
"..."
Kang Yujin lowered his body into a defensive stance.
Baek Yunho raised both arms high to smash him downward.
BOOM!
The impact shook even the surrounding walls.
But it wasn't caused by Kang Yujin being hit.
Kang Yujin's fist had smashed directly into Baek Yunho's jaw.
"H-Huh...?"
Baek Yunho flew upward and struck the ceiling.
He looked completely confused.
Kang Yujin immediately followed with another attack.
"Ugh! Argh! W-Why?!"
"Baek Yunho."
Kang Yujin spoke coldly.
"You based everything on the physical data of the experimental animal you created, didn't you?"
"W-What? Agh!"
Kang Yujin punched him again.
"You probably thought..."
"If I make a drug that strengthens the body this much, I'll become physically stronger than Kang Yujin."
"Something like that."
He drove a fist into Baek Yunho's solar plexus.
Then he asked calmly...
"Why did you assume I hadn't improved at all?"
"...!"
"I'm a Contractor."
"I contracted with the Nameless One."
"I received Enhancement Engravings."
"I-I considered that..."
"Ah."
Kang Yujin punched his jaw.
"Did you also consider that I've been training during my free time?"
"...!"
While staying with the Black Dragon Society, Kang Yujin hadn't simply eaten their food and wasted time.
He had asked the Contractors there to teach him basic training.
They had also allowed him to use their exercise equipment.
It had helped quite a bit.
"Y-You think something like that is enough...?!"
Baek Yunho reached out to counterattack.
But Kang Yujin caught his hand halfway.
Then he forced it downward with raw strength.
"And I've learned techniques through real combat."
"How to use strength."
"How to move my body."
"Things I never knew while locked underground."
"Urgh!"
"Baek Yunho."
Kang Yujin looked down at his twisted face.
"Do you understand what I'm saying?"
He pulled his head back.
"The reason I'm standing here now isn't because you modified me."
Then he smashed his forehead into Baek Yunho's.
"It's because the great Nameless One guided me..."
"And I kept fighting while following that guidance."
"U-Ugh..."
Baek Yunho staggered and fell backward.
Kang Yujin climbed on top of him and raised his fist.
"Now that I think about it..."
Kang Yujin tilted his head.
"I think I heard once that hitting someone wearing glasses counts as murder."
"K-Kang Yujin... Argh!"
He smashed his fist into Baek Yunho's face.
The glasses shattered.
Glass fragments flew everywhere.
Kang Yujin didn't care.
Whether they entered Baek Yunho's face or eyes didn't matter to him.
"Fifteen minutes haven't passed yet..."
Kang Yujin watched Baek Yunho's body shrinking.
"Looks like the effect already wore off."
He stared down at Baek Yunho's completely ruined face.
"Anything else prepared?"
"..."
"Nothing?"
Kang Yujin stood.
For one brief moment...
Relief appeared in Baek Yunho's eyes.
Then Kang Yujin lifted his foot over Baek Yunho's face.
"Then goodbye, Baek Yunho."
CRUNCH.
Kang Yujin looked down.
"And never pretend you're my creator again."
"It's disgusting."
[S-rank Constellation 'Dragon-Slaying Immortal' states that Kang Yujin's actions in this battle held meaning.]
[S-rank Constellation 'Dragon-Slaying Immortal' states that if all of Kang Yujin's combat ability came from Baek Yunho's human modification, then Kang Yujin's achievements themselves could be considered Baek Yunho's achievements.]
[S-rank Constellation 'Dragon-Slaying Immortal' states that Kang Yujin deliberately refrained from immediately killing Baek Yunho and allowed him a chance to fight so that he could prove he had already surpassed the abilities Baek Yunho originally created.]
[S-rank Constellation 'Dragon-Slaying Immortal' states that Kang Yujin proved his own strength to Baek Yunho, which is equivalent to proving that he surpassed the person who could be called his creator.]
[S-rank Constellation 'Dragon-Slaying Immortal' states that Kang Yujin is a person who receives his Constellation's Blessings and carves out his own fate with his own strength, and is not merely the creation of some wicked church.]
[S-rank Constellation 'Dragon-Slaying Immortal' concludes by expressing hope that Kang Yujin will continue acting as a true hero.]
[S-rank Constellation 'Dragon-Slaying Immortal' sponsors Kang Yujin with 100,000,000 Coins.]
