novelraw Chapter 15 : Chapter 15
Chapter 15 : Chapter 15
Chapter 15: A Piece of Junk Picking Up Junk (1)
Star Ash makes you dream.
For a very…… long time.
Until you are intoxicated by it.
It presents a dream from which you will never wake.
‘A dream.’
A dream.
That is truly mysterious.
Because you can only see a dream when you close your eyes, we do not know where it resides.
We also do not know where to run to escape from a dream.
If you step in wrongly, you will just wander forever.
‘If you inhale Star Ash, your Willpower stat gets shaved off in chunks.’
At the end of that shaved-off Willpower, you even lose the will to live.
You become neither dead nor alive, and you wander dreams forever.
However.
‘One of the things I’m best at is laziness…….’
[Willpower : Error(Unknown)]
I was a person whose Willpower had been broken from the start.
Without any particular desire to live…….
A person living to die.
Also, I was a person captured by memories of the past, who sometimes found it hard to distinguish between reality and dreams.
A poison that forcibly makes people dream was, to me, no different from daily life.
Every living moment was no different from a nightmare observed with open eyes.
‘It’s just a matter of taking a light nap and waking up.’
As it happened, my body was breaking down from the continuous fights.
So the poison called ‘Star Ash’ was no different from a useful sleeping aid.
“Huu……”
As I closed my eyelids, a nightmare bloomed.
Like a mirage, like a cloud, it billowed and covered me.
***
It was one of countless past lives.
I didn't know how long ago it was.
What I saw was…….
“Chulwoon Love! Why are you suddenly doing this!”
An enraged Kang Yuha.
But, even if you ask me why…….
“Because I must die before the scenario ends.”
Yes, that was the answer.
Why was it again?
Ah, right.
The reason was simple.
“There is someone I must save.”
“……What? What is that? You’re asking me to kill you for a reason like that?”
“Yes.”
When everything ended, the regression might stop.
But there was something I had to do before the regression ended.
“Oppa. We barely…… barely…… barely made it this far. This is the last scenario now.”
Kang Yuha said, gasping for breath.
It seemed to have been that much of a shock.
Well, it would have been a bit of a shock.
“……Damn it! If you were going to die here, what was all the effort until now for!”
Effort?
Did I do that…….
“……Nothing.”
“What? Love. Are you in your right mind right now? Are you crazy! You son of a bitch!”
She struck my chest with her fists.
Kung! Kung!…….
It was quite a stinging fist.
‘Am I in my right mind?’
I had never once been in my right mind.
Kang Yuha.
Did you really not know that simple fact even after traveling with me all this time?
There’s a limit to how highly you can think of people.
“Are you pissed?”
“……!”
“Then, take it out on me.”
I opened my chest toward her.
It was a body dented from being hit by her fists.
At that, she stepped back instead.
“This…… This isn't right. It’s not. It can’t be like this. Just why?”
She was crying out, on the verge of tears.
That all the hardships, all the effort, all the tears, all the joy……. would return to nothing.
“Then what about me……? The words you said that you loved me……. Was that all a lie?”
It was the truth without a bit of falsehood.
Because I loved you…….
“I must die.”
“Was I not enough for you!”
You were enough.
Beyond that, you were more than I deserved.
“Just who are you trying to save!”
“That is……”
I said something to her, and she collapsed and burst into tears.
Then, she thrust a knife at me.
Her face wasn't particularly relieved.
“Love……. You have to save them.”
Hahaha.
This is so pathetic.
Looking at it like this, I was fifty thousand times more of a wretched bastard than that Lee Chulwoon.
‘Then again, that bastard and I are the same bastard.’
There was something I had to kill.
There was also something I had to save.
I, who couldn't succeed at either of those two things…….
***
I opened the eyes I had shut for a moment.
The dream caused by the ‘Star Ash’ had failed to properly infiltrate my body.
I hadn't become a shriveled jerky-like figure like the other humans.
“Kkeueueu……. Jeez.”
I stretched my body out, stretching.
I felt that my body had recovered slightly.
‘They say sleep is the best medicine.’
But it felt a little insufficient.
[The Constellation ‘Ruin of the Gigantes’ is perplexed that Han Chulwoon has woken up.]
[The Constellation ‘Six-Eyed Prophet’ says it knew this fact.]
“If one is afraid of dreaming……. How can one walk the night.”
[The Constellation ‘Six-Eyed Prophet’ nods its head.]
[You have been sponsored 100coin.]
Dreams were closely related to prophecy.
Indeed, what were prophecies in legends like?
Although the form of prophecy was different for each legend, didn't many prophecies receive ‘hints’ through dreams?
‘Because dreams are just that mysterious of a space.’
I had thrown out the soliloquy just in case.
The Constellation of prophecy sponsored 100coin for that one phrase, so playing the clown was worth it.
However.
‘The gazes of the Constellations have decreased.’
Most of them probably left, thinking my destiny ended here.
Since there were no normal humans among those afflicted by the ‘Star Ash’.
They didn't exercise patience.
‘That would be the case.’
Geniuses who showed promise were spread all over the world.
‘But compared to what I’ll gain here, who cares about those trivial ghosts.’
Eudeuk-
I cracked my neck.
Around then.
“Kiheek?”
“Kyak!”
The sound of Goblins was heard.
‘Right. If I was intoxicated by the Star Ash, you guys would have moved me.’
The Goblins had moved the sleeping me to a nearby park.
Near me, many people had been intoxicated by the ‘Star Ash’ and had collapsed, becoming ‘half-corpses’.
They were gathered on purpose.
These deserters from the scenario, gathered like this, would be used as ingredients in other scenarios.
My, how frugal, without waste.
“Grasp?”
The Goblin that had just moved me to the park was surprised upon seeing me.
The half-corpses were supposed to be asleep semi-permanently, but one of them had woken up on his own.
The Goblin was surprised for a moment and stepped back, but soon began to approach me.
There were four of them in total.
‘Whatever it is, there’s always something to gain.’
I loosened up my body.
***
The green dwarf monsters, Goblins, were having a busy time.
It was because their job was to collect the people who had fainted and dried up from inhaling ‘Star Ash’ and gather them in an open lot.
In reality, on this street, shriveled humans with their skin turned like jerky were strewn about here and there.
On such a street, the Goblins formed groups of 4-5 and were moving people.
Just then.
Kwang!
A loud noise occurred, and wasn't there a person lying on top of a crumpled car?
Only the legs sticking out over the car were visible, but it clearly looked like a human to be collected.
“Kyak?”
“Keshahak!”
They saw that I had not yet dried up like a filefish.
But their job was clear.
They just had to move the sleeping ones, and kill the ones who were awake.
“Kyareu-”
The Goblins grunted and pulled down the sleeping me, then moved me to a nearby park.
Because I was a human who hadn't dried up, I was much heavier than the other half-corpses.
That was what happened just a moment ago.
And now.
“Kyahak?”
“Kyareureuk.”
The Goblins, loosely gripping things like spears or clubs, approached me.
Because a human who looked dazed, intoxicated by sleep, seemed like no big deal.
They just had to kill the humans who were awake.
“Keureureu.”
First, one of them slowly approached me.
It was that moment.
Pat!
Like a fly caught by a frog, one Goblin was snatched in an instant.
“Kie-?”
For a moment…….
The remaining three didn't even realize what had happened.
Kkadeuk!
[You have acquired 10coin.]
Because the snatched one couldn't even let out a scream.
Also, because to their eyes, it just looked like I had pulled the Goblin into a hug.
“Keshahak!”
At least one that was quick-witted aimed its spear at me and charged.
But, wasn't its body being pulled faster than the force it was thrusting with?
I had grabbed the spear and pulled.
“Kyak?”
The Goblin that lost its weapon fell right in front of me.
Kwak! Kkadeuk.
It was stepped on.
[You have acquired 10coin.]
The death of two Goblins.
It was something that happened in the time it took to take one breath.
“Ah, now my body is loosening up.”
I, who had slowly risen, looked down on the Goblins.
“It certainly……. doesn't seem to be a dream.”
Jjuuk- Jjuuk-
I clenched and unclenched my hands.
My senses were returning.
“Hekyaak!”
“Keuraaak!”
The remaining two Goblins shrieked and thrust their spears.
At that, I swung my hand wide, and snatched both spears.
Cheok.
Then, as I flicked the captured spears upward.
Tiing!
One Goblin, which had been gripping its spear tightly, was flung upward.
“Kyahak?”
By the time its body flailed and fell, the spear tip was already soaring toward the Goblin.
Puuk-
“Kkeok? Kkeok? Kkeok?”
The Goblin flailed, cawing, without even knowing what had happened to it.
The more it did, the deeper its body was impaled on the spear.
[You have acquired 10coin.]
“Kya…… Kyak?”
The last remaining Goblin witnessed this incomprehensible human.
A man holding a Goblin skewer in his hand.
In front of him, the last Goblin hunched its shoulders and squeezed its eyes shut.
“A reaction like that makes me feel a little sorry.”
Of course, that didn't mean I would let it live.
[You have acquired 10coin.]
I finished off all four Goblins.
I had actually fought and won against a monster under the influence of ‘Star Ash’.
One could say it was trivial because the monster was just a Goblin, but.
[The Constellation ‘Ruin of the Gigantes’ sends praise for Han Chulwoon’s composure.]
In a way, it could be called an even greater military achievement than killing an Ogre on flat ground.
Because while there were quite a few people who killed an Ogre in the first scenario, a person who had beaten Goblins in the ‘Star Ash’ would be extremely rare.
It was thanks to that achievement.
I obtained one more title.
[You have fought and won in the ‘Star Ash’.]
[You have acquired the title ‘Dream Eater’.]
[Willpower increases by 1 point.]
[Fatigue from lack of sleep is reduced by 25%.]
Willpower was useless to me, but the reduction in fatigue from lack of sleep was welcome.
This was because most scenarios took place at night when the stars were out.
You could say, why not just sleep during the day, but there were things to do during the day too.
The ‘Dream Eater’ title was a useful title for managing my condition.
On top of that.
[The Constellation ‘Ruin of the Gigantes’ sponsors 1000coin.]
[The Constellation ‘Ruin of the Gigantes’ is trying to raise the contract relationship to Sponsor.]
Ruin of the Gigantes was beginning to show serious interest in me.
‘Is it finally coming?’
Come to think of it, compared to what I had shown, the Constellation’s reaction had been trivial.
Among the five divided contract levels, it had stopped at the first level, ‘Entry’.
If we were to replace Entry (Participation) with a concept we're familiar with, it could be seen as similar to a bookmark.
It meant they would watch with interest.
The one right after that was the Sponsor (Sponsorship) stage.
This corresponded to the 2nd level of the contract, and could be called the stage where they began to show serious favor.
‘At this rate, I’ll be able to easily obtain a Constellation-exclusive skill…….’
I was in the middle of thinking.
[The Constellation ‘Ruin of the Gigantes’ stops the sponsorship.]
‘Hm?’
Before I had even reacted, the Constellation side had suddenly withdrawn the contract.
“Why?”
I said.
However, the Constellation did not answer.
At this point, I could guess.
‘There’s something.’
It meant there was a separate reason why the Constellation's reactions were so lackluster.
But I still didn't know the answer.
Perhaps, it was agonizing over which to sponsor between Fake-Chulwoon and myself.
‘If we’re talking about specs alone, that Lee Chulwoon bastard is stronger.’
Of course, if we fought properly, I could definitely win.
Because I could gauge that bastard’s limits after fighting just once.
However, in terms of stats expressed as numbers, Fake-Chulwoon would certainly be superior.
‘If, Ruin of the Gigantes is weighing both sides, and that's correct.’
Looking at it differently, it could be an opportunity for this side too.
‘Among the Constellations that were attached to Lee Chulwoon, there must be some that have started to watch me.’
My thoughts having reached that point, I started to tear apart the Goblin's corpse like a toy and kick it with my feet.
[The Constellation ‘Ear Collector’ is satisfied with Han Chulwoon’s cruelty.]
[You have been sponsored 15coin.]
It meant it had become a good state for a shabby trivial ghost to latch on.
‘Right. They’ve transferred over properly.’
Lee Chulwoon started the first scenario with a mass slaughter.
Since he was a bastard who grandly got the ‘Massacrer’ title in the first scenario, all sorts of evil things must have tried to follow him.
But in his meeting with me, they must have learned that that bastard’s principle of action was close to hero-complex.
Their interest must have cooled down fast.
‘Not that this side will be particularly interesting, but.’
If they want to watch, let them.
[The Constellation ‘Skeleton at the Bottom of the Well’ is intently watching the corpse desecration.]
[You have been sponsored 20coin.]
Like the trivial ones they were, their sponsorships were also trivial.
And the other side.
[The Constellation ‘Ruin of the Gigantes’ criticizes your actions as pathetic.]
As expected, it seemed this kind of shabby behavior wasn't particularly welcome to Sir Hero.
‘Even though a dead thing has no value whatsoever.’
Corpse desecration probably didn't look good.
Even if that corpse belonged to a monster, a Goblin.
‘Then I just have to do one heroic act too.’
[The Constellations are puzzled by Han Chulwoon’s actions.]
Because from a while ago, I had just been staring at the piles of half-corpses.