Chapter 137: Extinguished Starlight (3)
Riarc’s blue pupils widened.
“Ah... Hahaha! That’s right!”
Like someone who had found a single ray of light in complete darkness, he trembled excitedly. “You’re a Regres—!”
He suddenly cut himself off and glanced over at Song Ha-Eun.
“I already told her I’m a Regressor,” Kwon Oh-Jin conveyed.
“A-Ah, I see.” Riarc sighed deeply like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
“Th-That’s right. Oh-Jin is a Regressor!” Song Ha-Eun awkwardly exclaimed, turning to Kwon Oh-Jin and nodding like a malfunctioning robot.
He pressed his fingers against his forehead. Just stay quiet, Ha-Eun.
“So, what exactly is this Adam’s Apple?” Riarc asked, swallowing hard.
Kwon Oh-Jin continued his explanation. “Back when I fought the Heavenly Demon, he was so powerful that the Celestials themselves had to step in directly. The Adam's Apple is the Astral Relic they used to reduce the Celestial restrictions.”
“But I’ve never heard of such a relic—”
“Of course you haven’t. No one's discovered it yet at this point.”
Riarc furrowed his brow. “Hmm. But according to Vega, the future has already begun to change... Are you certain that this Adam’s Apple exists?”
“It’s because the future has changed that we can obtain it now. Originally, the omen of the Divine Tree wouldn't appear until much later.”
“Omen of the Divine Tree?”
Kwon Oh-Jin sneakily glanced toward the tightly shut door. “There are only fifty chains binding Vega, right? That’s a sign that the Divine Tree bearing the Adam’s Apple has begun to grow. We found that out when the restrictions weakened for no apparent reason back then, too.”
Riarc nodded with a dumbfounded expression. “I-I see.”
It was a story far too ridiculous to believe, but Kwon Oh-Jin was the Heaven-Defying Star and a Regressor destined to save the world. The credibility of a statement always depended on who was making it.
He has no choice but to accept it, Kwon Oh-Jin thought. He recalled a certain psychological experiment he'd once read about.
A doctor had told patients that to have their illnesses diagnosed, they needed to spin in circles while holding their noses. Logically speaking, it was utter nonsense. There was no possible connection between spinning like an elephant and diagnosing a disease, yet a shocking number followed the doctor’s ridiculous instructions without question.
Was it because they were stupid? Of course not.
It was the authority that the doctor held, which blinded the people into obeying even the most absurd commands.
Riarc wasn’t human, but he possessed human-like intelligence and social instincts. He had no choice but to submit before the overwhelming authority of the Heaven-Defying Star, a title far surpassing that of a doctor.
Besides, I'm not telling him to spin like an elephant.
Riarc was aware of the reduction in chains and wouldn’t have assumed it happened for no reason. When presented with a plausible explanation for an otherwise inexplicable event, most people chose to believe.
“So if we get the Adam’s Apple, we’ll be able to free Lady Vega from the restrictions?” Riarc asked.
“Probably.”
“But... where do you plan on finding such a valuable Astral Relic?”
“Leave that to me,” Kwon Oh-Jin asserted with squared shoulders, slightly raised eyebrows, and an unwavering gaze. It was a simple posture trick used in job interviews, but when he did it, he radiated the commanding presence of a seasoned general about to march into enemy territory. “I will bring back the Adam's Apple. No matter what.”
“You...” Riarc looked at Kwon Oh-Jin trembling eyes like he was deeply moved. “Grrr...! If a rookie like you is so confident, how could I possibly stand by and do nothing?! I shall help retrieve the Adam's Apple!”
Huh? Wait... that’s not what I wanted. Shit.
“No, Riarc. You need to stay here.”
“What do you mean?!”
“If Vega’s suffering under the restrictions, your powers must be heavily hampered too, right?”
“Th-That’s...”
“And you can’t just leave Vega in that state all by herself, can you?”
Riarc bit his lip and dropped his head in defeat. “Grrr...”
Kwon Oh-Jin continued, “I’m counting on you to watch over her, Riarc.”
Riarc growled, nodding firmly. “Don’t worry, rookie. If anyone dares step foot in this temple with the intention of harming Lady Vega, I’ll personally tear them limb from limb.”
“Hahaha. I leave it to you, then,” Kwon Oh-Jin replied, extending his hand. Riarc grasped it firmly.
Crack.
You're gonna break it, you crazy bastard.
Kwon Oh-Jin maintained his smile before turning away.
“Well then, I’ll be off to retrieve the Adam’s Apple.”
“How long will it take?” Riarc asked.
“I have no idea,” Kwon Oh-Jin replied. He didn't know how long it would take before he could use Open Heaven on his own. “But it won’t take fifty years, so don’t worry.”
It shouldn't even take a year. I don’t need to advance the Black Heaven that much.
He managed to activate Open Heaven after absorbing only a fraction of the Draconic Eye’s power from Song Ha-Eun. In that case, it wouldn’t be long before he could control it entirely on his own.
“Alright. I’m heading out, Riarc.”
“Hmph. Don’t start acting like a clueless brat just because I’m not there to watch your back,” Riarc said bluntly and snorted.
Kwon Oh-Jin chuckled softly before stepping out of the temple with Song Ha-Eun.
Riarc silently watched Kwon Oh-Jin's back disappear into the distance as he stood before Vega’s chamber like a royal guard.
“I will be waiting, rookie—no...”
Dropping to one knee, he bowed his head in solemn reverence like a knight paying tribute to his king.
“Heaven-Defying Star, who shall bring light to the dark clutches of the Black Heaven.”
***
Song Ha-Eun, who had been walking quietly beside Kwon Oh-Jin on the way home, asked, “Oh-Jin.... is that Adam’s Apple thing real?”
“Of course not.”
She let out a hollow chuckle in disbelief. “Wow. You’re actually insane. That was a lie? I almost believed it myself.”
She found herself second-guessing what she knew to be true because of the way he'd spoken with such bold confidence without a shred of doubt.
Damn, he’s a fucking prodigy at scamming. But wait...
A foreboding thought suddenly flashed through her mind.
“Oh-Jin... you weren’t lying about taking responsibility for me, were you?”
“What are you talking about?” He chuckled and gently pulled her by the waist as they walked side by side. “Even if I make a living on lies, I wouldn’t lie about something like that.”
“A-Ahem. Y-You know, the kind of people who say that are usually the biggest scammers.” She struggled to suppress a smile. “Well, anyway, what’s your plan? How are you gonna lift Vega’s restrictions if the Adam's Apple was never real?”
“I can use Open Heaven,” he replied. He explained to her what he'd come to realize.
“But wait, isn’t that something you can use after absorbing some power from my eyes? Then just—”
“No. There’s no telling what kind of side effects it might have on you, so I’m not even considering that option.”
“But last time, there weren’t any side—”
“And does that guarantee there won’t be any this time?" he interjected. Just because one crossed a frozen lake once didn’t mean the ice wouldn’t break the next time. “There are other ways I can use Open Heaven anyway.”
“Hmm... So, do you have a way to raise the Black Heaven’s enlightenment stage?”
“Of course.” The corner of his lips rose like a hunter eyeing his next meal. “There’s only ever been one way to advance the Black Heaven so far.”
By devouring stronger Stigmas.
“... You’re not about to go around attacking random Awakeners, are you?” she asked.
“What kind of inefficient method is that?”
Weaker Stigmas aren't enough to fuel the Black Heaven’s growth.
“Sure, efficiency is the issue there... How are you planning on doing it, then?”
He simply shrugged. “Ha-Eun, have you ever eaten a seahorse before?”
“Who the hell would eat something like that...?”
“Right?” He licked his lips with a glimmer in his eyes. “That’s why I figured I’d give it a try this time.”
His next prey would be the Black Star Society's Seahorse faction that was thriving in Japan.
“Hmm. I have no idea what you’re planning, but..." She shot him a sharp glare. "You’re not about to tell me you’re going alone again, are you?”
“This time, I need your help.”
“Wait—hold on! That Seahorse faction or whatever, aren’t they in Japan?”
“Yup.”
“Ooooh!” Her eyes sparkled. "A trip abroad! Holy crap, I’m finally going on an overseas trip!”
And with Oh-Jin, at that!
She threw her arms up in triumph. She'd been drowning in guilt over Vega’s seal just moments ago, but now that she knew there was a way to break it, she returned to her usual self.
“Hehehe. I’m gonna take a ton of pictures and rub it in Vega’s face once she wakes up!”
“... We’re not going there to have fun, you know.” He chuckled as they stepped out of the Sanctum.
Just then, an elderly man in a white uniform approached the couple. “Are you Kwon Oh-Jin?”
“Uh, yes, that’s me.” Kwon Oh-Jin cocked his head, scanning the old man up and down. His calm, wise face, reminiscent of a Taoist, somehow looked familiar.
The old man bowed politely and extended a hand. “Haha. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Cheon Sang-Gil.”
Cheon Sang-Gil, also known as the Avaricious Wolf—one of the Seven Stars, the strongest Awakeners in existence—had just come looking for Kwon Oh-Jin.