Chapter 267: Chapter 267

Choi Yeonseung asked Carter, “Why does it matter?”

“Indeed, I guess it doesn’t. Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”

“...I made no such vow.”

“You didn’t?!”

Carter was even more surprised. In that case, why was Choi Yeonseung acting so righteous?

“Hunter Choi Yeonseung is doing good deeds purely out of his own volition.”

“It can’t be...!”

‘I want to beat both of them up.’

Choi Yeonseung was annoyed by the chatter of the two A-grade hunters and asked in a low voice, “So are you going to participate or not?”

“You’ve come this far, so how could I refuse? Of course, I will participate.”

Carter’s words made Choi Yeonseung feel a bit better. Listening to their nonsense had turned out to be worth it.

“Instead, I have one favor to ask...”

“What is it?” Aine had a wary look. What price did they have to pay for an A-grade hunter to help them in a raid? It was clear to everyone that it wouldn’t be an ordinary price.

“Can you teach martial arts to some of the hunters I know?”

“...”

Aine was dumbfounded by the seemingly insignificant request.

‘No... It’s not insignificant...’

Come to think of it, wasn’t it great for an A-grade hunter to teach others? Unlike magic, where there was a ton of information readily available and many people to teach it, there was no one to teach martial arts. Carter’s request was actually quite favorable. It was just that Aine hadn’t expected such a request.

“...What is there to think about?” Aine asked Choi Yeonseung in a confused voice.

“I’m not sure about it because I don’t want to hang out with him.”

“I understand, but it’s an easy request for you...”

“I know.” Choi Yeonseung clicked his tongue once and nodded.

While Carter was rather unpleasant, Choi Yeonseung didn’t dislike teaching martial arts to other people. If the hunters on Earth got overall stronger, people were less likely to get hurt or killed. For that, Choi Yeonseung could teach martial arts as much as people wanted.

-Successor, spreading martial arts will increase your power, so it’s an obvious choice.

-Ah. There’s also that.

-...Successor, you’re a constellation! You have to keep that in mind...

The nagging voice of the goddess of sloth flowed into Choi Yeonseung’s ears. In the eyes of the goddess of sloth, who had once ruled the Abyss, Choi Yeonseung was too human-like for a constellation.

“I’ll teach them martial arts. Who are the hunters? It would be nice if they’re the kind of hunters who do raids often.”

“Uh... They’re clan hunters who play in the SSL.”

“...”

Choi Yeonseung frowned.

***

Surprisingly, it was in the United States where martial arts had developed the most.

-Hunters who want to make progress in martial arts, enroll in Hunter Paul’s school!

-The Ravens clan is recruiting hunters with martial arts skills. This clan succeeded in seventeen raids last year...

If a hunter had a great performance with a certain new skill, everybody around the world would analyze that skill. There was no way something like this wouldn’t happen after Choi Yeonseung’s performances.

They had brought in retired martial artists, retrieved martial arts information that remained in the data, pulled out martial arts books and martial arts-related items stored in the clan warehouse...

Consequently, the prices of martial arts-related items had skyrocketed in auctions.

“‘An A-grade hunter is currently active in the United States. Hunters from all over the world should come to the United States if they want to learn martial arts…’ Wait, who the hell wrote this?”

Choi Yeonseung found it absurd. Next to him, Morales asked curiously, “What’s wrong with it?”

“If they cut up things and stick together random pieces, is it not wrong? Would it also be okay if I broke a reporter’s arm and put it back together?”

“I-I don’t think it’s the same thing...”

In any case, martial arts were becoming more and more popular, and the hunter clans in the United States were making all kinds of bizarre attempts at making it more mainstream.

-Fusing invisibility magic and dagger skills!

-What about poison and wind attribute magic? Isn’t that more advantageous?

-External offensive skills that strengthen the body along with buff skills?? Will it work?

Choi Yeonseung looked perplexed as he listened to those absurd combinations. Of course, he himself had said that martial arts should be combined with magic. However, he meant to mix them well, not to mix them randomly.

If they tried to mix them without a proper understanding of martial arts, they were bound to fail. Those from the Icarus clan had managed to do it properly because Choi Yeonseung had properly taught them how to do it…

Choi Yeonseung said, “Even if I teach people, it’s a bit sad that I have to teach them how to fight with other hunters.”

“Ah. I think you’re mistaken about something.”

Carter looked around before speaking quietly.

“The clan I’m talking about, the Black Steelers, doesn’t compete in SSL with other clans.”

“...?”

“???”

Morales was also taken aback by what Carter had just said. If they weren’t playing in the SSL with other clans, then who were they playing with?

“What nonsense is that?”

“Yup, it’s amazing.”

“Hey, don’t tell me it’s something shady...? Morales, haven’t I said that should tell me first if you meet a Chinese or Russian spy? We should’ve thought about it and made a decision together.”

Carter shook his head. “No, it’s not like that. It’s nothing illegal. It’s just that other people don’t need to know about this.”

Carter was really looking forward to seeing the surprised looks of the two hunters.

“The opponent is... A constellation.”

“...”

“...”

“Hah, I bet you’re surprised, right?”

“I’m so shocked I can barely even speak”

Unlike Morales, Choi Yeonseung was surprised for a different reason.

‘I thought I got caught...’

Choi Yeonseung was caught off guard by Carter’s sudden mention of a constellation.

Carter enthusiastically explained the situation.

The clan leader of the Black Steelers was such a talented hunter that he had received offers from several constellations. At that time, he couldn’t decide what to do because he was trying to figure out the best option. However, seeing that his talent didn’t bloom, the constellations lost their interest in him...

After some time, his skills had finally improved and he got to be in charge of a decent clan. Afterwards, he received an offer from a constellation.

-Instead of fighting among humans, why not fight with the mortals of the Abyss?

Instead of fighting other clans for money and interests, the constellation had proposed him to fight opponents brought from the Abyss. It was an unimaginable proposal indeed.

The clan leader was taken aback by the proposal, and he initially tried to refuse as he was well aware of how dangerous it was to be associated with a constellation. If he was favored by the constellation, he could act as condescendingly as a king. But if he went against the constellation’s wishes even a little bit, he would end up ruined just like the protagonist of a tragedy.

But even so… The rewards offered by the constellation were too tempting. The constellation tried to persuade him with artifacts that were extremely rare on Earth. Who wouldn’t have fallen for that?

The clan hunter ultimately accepted the proposal, and together with the other members of his clan, he started fighting the opponents brought by the constellation.

“So? What happened? Did the hunters die? Are they gone?”

“What are you talking about? Everybody is eating and living well, right?” Carter replied in an incredulous manner.

The hunters of the Black Steelers clan had been doing great ever since their leader had made the deal with the constellation.

Others risked their lives by going into advanced dungeons and hoping to be lucky enough to get good rewards. Meanwhile, the hunters of the Black Steelers clan received good rewards by just doing well in matches.

After seeing how it worked, they were no longer interested in matches with other hunter clans. They focused solely on the rewards offered by the constellation.

“Don’t the hunters die if the match is lost?”

“What nonsense are you saying? If that were the case, who on earth would want to participate in matches? The clan leader isn’t stupid.”

“No...”

Choi Yeonseung found it absurd. What were these ridiculous conditions offered by the constellation?

-Maybe it’s just a constellation that’s bored.

The goddess of sloth wasn’t surprised about it and proceeded to explain.

Not all of the constellations had the ambition to take over Earth. Some constellations wanted to rule their kingdoms well and live comfortably.

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For the constellations, the humans on Earth were a race with a unique lifestyle that was uncommon in the Abyss. Considering that, it wasn’t surprising that bored constellations were curious enough to talk to humans and make proposals to them.

In fact, hadn’t Choi Yeonseung received the attention of many constellations during the early days of his return to Earth?

-So it’s just because they’re bored?

-Laziness is a disease that’s harder to endure than you might think, Successor.

-...Even if you try to justify it, isn’t it just boredom? To be honest, it sounds like you’re just complaining.

The goddess of sloth explained in a sulky voice that this wasn’t the case.

Laziness was truly an unbearable poison for a constellation who, unless defeated, had an eternal life. Overcoming laziness was a lifelong struggle for a constellation.

‘It just sounds like complaining to me.’

Choi Yeonseung disregarded the goddess of sloth’s explanation. He didn’t care about the story of a constellation who complained despite being born with eternal life and power. He was a high-spirited individual who constantly did his best for the sake of humanity, so such “problems” seemed ridiculous to him.

-No, that’s not...

-In any case, you think this constellation is innocent?

-Given that those hunters are still fine, it sure seems to be the case. But if the constellation gets tired of this, it might disappear soon. If that happens, those humans will be in a bit of trouble.

It wouldn’t have been strange if at some point, the constellation thought, ‘I’m getting tired of this game,’ and disappeared. The proposal had come from a constellation after all.

If the constellation actually left, the hunters of the Black Steelers were bound to have some problems as they must’ve gotten used to making easy money.

-That’s on them.

-That’s true.

“So you want to learn martial arts because you want to win against the household members of that constellation?”

“That’s right. In addition, that constellation will be very, very intrigued by a good display of martial arts. Constellations don’t know much about martial arts.”

“...”

Choi Yeonseung vowed to put up with all of this for the sake of the Rutherford raid. After all, wasn’t it necessary to learn martial arts in order to kill monsters? In addition, if those hunters learned martial arts, they could end up saving people in the future...

-Successor, sometimes I’m tempted to suggest that you give up on humans and leave for the Abyss...

The goddess of sloth spoke to Choi Yeonseung in a depressed tone. It would’ve been easier to just give up on Earth…

“I’m curious about the name of the constellation. Who is it?” n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Carter told them, “You can’t mention it anywhere else.”

“Didn’t you say it wasn’t illegal?”

“It’s not that. I’m saying this because there can’t be any competition. What if other clans make more appealing proposals to the constellation?”

“...Alright, I get it. Now tell me the name.”

“It’s the Observer Who Returned From a Cold Place. That’s the name of the constellation.”

“!”

It was a familiar name.

Choi Yeonseung was bound to remember the Observer Who Returned From a Cold Place because, in the past, they had competed against each other in a constellation battle.

Choi Yeonseung remembered the name of the enemy constellation from the constellation battle he had personally participated in, along with the household member of the Fighter of Sweat and Flesh constellation!

That constellation had fought against Choi Yeonseung on the side of Endless Linked Explosions, so he couldn’t forget it even if he wanted to. In addition...

-Wasn’t she the constellation who made that dubious offer?

-Yes. There was that.

The observer constellation had unexpectedly betrayed her ally and let Choi Yeonseung win in order to tempt him to cooperate with her. Not even the goddess of sloth had seen such a constellation before, which was why it remained deeply ingrained in Choi Yeonseung’s memory.

-I didn’t expect to cross paths with this constellation like this...

-I think this turned out well.

Choi Yeonseung was puzzled by the words of the goddess of sloth.

-It turned out well?

-I don’t know what the observer constellation’s proposal was, but wasn't it beneficial for you?

-So?

-The constellation will try to get you to cooperate with her, just like with the goddess of balance. Successor, you have too few allies…

-...That’s so ridiculous that I don’t even know where to start refuting it from.