The Guide Raid (4)

I wanted to build a tower.
A tower that would not collapse.
A tower that would not be slandered.
A tower of people who would cry for me even if my head were to fall.

[The stigma ‘Whisper of Star Tears’ is opened.]
As soon as I entered the darkness, the stigma I had forgotten appeared before my eyes and then disappeared.
Very recent thoughts of Yeon Taeseon began to flow into me.
This stigma allowed me to read the recent thoughts of a contractor.

‘This is a political trick that Han Siyoon often used.’
He was thinking the same thing as me.

‘Just the fact that they couldn’t protect an A-rank guild, even with two S-ranks, would make people doubt the existence of Nate, and tarnish the prestige of the Silent Calamity.’
He and I were simply in a cooperative relationship.
I thought that this thought, and the judgment to kill Han Siyoon, were just a part of that.
Since we are in a cooperative relationship, I should also save him.
With that simple sense of duty, I entered the darkness.
But when I saw an illusion that seemed to be what Yeon Taeseon had seen in a corner of my vision.
When I saw my own snow-white hair.
Since I was not a fool, I could understand the meaning.
‘He likes me.’
I didn’t feel burdened by that thought.
Rather, I was pleased.
Even though he is my temporary contractor.
Because it was no different from proving that he could fully enter my ‘tower’.
Because it was no different from proving that he could cry for me even if I died!
So I could gladly embrace Yeon Taeseon.
‘Because this proves it.’
I will make you my official contractor.

“I’m jealous.”
Sion’s sullen voice came through the stigma.
A small laugh escaped me.
“What is this…!”
Kagagagagang!
The darkness was sharply ground by the starlight of the Constellation and bounced off.
Fragments of darkness pricked us, but it was nothing compared to being on the verge of a fatal wound.
I could see a golden sword embedded in Han Siyoon’s heart.

[The Constellation, ‘The Crow’s Ruins’, intervenes.]
In an instant, the sword that was accurately piercing his heart cracked.
Crack, kaang….
The cracked sword broke in an instant.
A part of it was embedded in Han Siyoon’s heart, but it didn’t reach the heart.
We confronted each other, each with our own Constellation behind us.
Yeon Taeseon wiped the blood flowing from his cheek and muttered.
“Constellation, what happened?”

[I saw you fighting and decided to intervene.]
Yeon Taeseon felt his heart drop to the ground.
It was a little funny that he felt a thrill at something like this.

[The opponent’s Constellation has also come out. Be careful.]
“The Crow’s Ruins must have been quite anxious.”

[But don’t worry.]
“Why? The Crow is a cunning…”

[You have me, don’t you.]
“…”
In the darkness, I could see the tips of Yeon Taeseon’s ears turning bright red.
Ah, this won’t do.
I think I’m getting a taste for teasing him.

[Focus.]
I floated behind Yeon Taeseon and wrapped my arms around his neck.
It was better for me to be behind him so that Yeon Taeseon could receive the Constellation’s blessing.
I also brushed off the darkness that was stuck to his body.
The darkness crumbled as soon as it was touched by the Constellation’s hand.

[From now on, my touch might not work.]
“Why?”

[Because my main body hasn’t recovered, I can’t use much power, and it seems that the other side has decided to spend a lot of coins.]
Yeon Taeseon looked at the hand that was wrapped around his neck.
Sparks of starlight flew.
Only then did his expression harden, realizing that the wound I had received at the Awakener auction house had not yet fully healed.
“Don’t overdo it.”

[I won’t.]
Han Siyoon pulled out the fragment of the sword that was embedded in his heart.
From that area, a wing, so rotten that the bones were exposed, sprouted.
The wing, which had sprouted from his heart, not his back, enveloped Han Siyoon’s body and protected him.

[You have 1 new message.]
[The Crow’s Ruins: I’m going to kill you.]
I gracefully threw the message that appeared before my eyes into the trash can.
For a Constellation, an S-rank Awakener is a very rare and important resource.
The number of Constellations with two or more S-ranks could be counted on one hand, but I didn’t think The Crow’s Ruins had another S-rank.
Because if he had another S-rank, he wouldn’t have overexerted himself to save Han Siyoon and torn off his own stigma.
My Sun’s Eye rotated fiercely and searched for Han Siyoon.

[Name: Han Siyoon Lv.98]
[Contracted Constellation: The Crow’s Ruins]
[Unique Skill: The Most Terrible Darkness]
[Stigma: Faded Heart Wing]
[ ! Currently receiving a stigma ! ]
A stigma is a unique ability that only a Constellation can have, but it could be sent down to a contractor by paying a huge amount of coins.
It wasn’t permanent, and it would disappear after a certain amount of time, but…
‘I can’t deny that it’s threatening right now.’
I couldn’t waste a single coin because I had to make a formal contract with Yeon Taeseon.
So, a manifested Constellation who couldn’t use coins or the Word of Power, and a Constellation of the starry sky who could give a powerful stigma and apply coins in real time were on a similar level.
“Since the Constellation said to kill…”
Han Siyoon, who had received an excessive blessing from the Constellation in a short period of time, shed black tears.
A faint, sparkling starlight could be seen in the tears.
“I will kill you.”
Chajajajajak!
From the rotten wing embedded in his heart, a disgusting number of feathers and bones sprouted.
The agitated darkness writhed and prepared to attack us.
I instinctively brought out one of my stigmas.

[The stigma ‘Halo of the Regretful’ is opened.]
Starlight spread out for a moment, and a halo that scattered light appeared behind me.
With that alone, the darkness screamed and retreated.

[I can’t scatter any more starlight.]
“That alone is enough.”
Yeon Taeseon took out a new silver longsword from his inventory.
“Because you’re with me.”

Yeon Taeseon showed that he wasn’t called a Regressor for nothing.
He was weak against unexpected variables, such as Han Siyoon moving during spatial control, but that was before he had my support.
Yeon Taeseon, who moved heavily in the writhing darkness, used dozens of weapons, changing them out.
KAANG!
The silver longsword flew through the sky.
Kaddeudeuk!
A dagger-shaped sword breaker blocked the incoming steel feathers.
Ududuk…
The sharp bones that came flying were blocked by his gauntlet and broke.
Pasas, the sharp darkness that aimed for a vital point was blocked by the light and touch of my halo and annihilated.
Kwadeuk!
The blackness that Han Siyoon thrust was embedded in the floor by me, who had pulled Yeon Taeseon.

[The Constellation, ‘The Crow’s Ruins’, is enraged.]
[The Constellation, ‘The Crow’s Ruins’, is enraged.]
[The Constellation, ‘The Crow’s Ruins’, is enraged.]
The Crow was enraged.
Han Siyoon, who had been excessively influenced by the Constellation, was also enraged.
“Aaaaargh!”
A cry that was getting farther and farther from human came out.
If this continued, Han Siyoon would melt into a handful of starlight.
A Milky Way was already visible in the darkness that had taken over the area.
As if sensing this, The Crow’s Ruins, who had been pouring out coins to the point where it was visible to the eye, stopped.
The long, steel-hard rotten wings spread out and rushed towards us.

[Dodge and then defend.]
KWAAANG!
Yeon Taeseon dodged the powerfully pouring wings.
He then deflected all the wings and bones that came flying like thorns after that.
The starlight of a Constellation is like a thousand-year-old elixir to a contractor.
Just a brief glance at it from up close could temporarily boost their abilities, and Yeon Taeseon, who was carrying it directly on his back, was even more so, not less.
“Honestly…”

[Yes.]
“I like you more than my own Constellation.”
For a moment, I was about to tease him for confessing like that, but I held back.
After all, we were in the middle of a battle.
I understood that he meant that my performance was better than his previous Constellation’s.
KWANG!
Han Siyoon flew away from Yeon Taeseon’s kick.
The rotten wings forcibly lifted Han Siyoon, who had been slammed into the wall.
It was as if I could hear the crow Constellation screaming and shouting at him to fight to the death.

“Should I send something since I’m bored?”
I nodded at the Administrator’s words.

[Sending a message to ‘The Crow’s Ruins’.]
[Silent Calamity: Pikku]
A bright smile appeared at the message, which was 100% the Administrator’s will.
Han Siyoon, who had gotten up, paused for a moment.
His frozen, tear-filled appearance was quite horrifying.
Yeon Taeseon, who was about to attack, paused.
A feeling that he shouldn’t attack now rang a warning bell in my head.

[The Constellation, ‘The Crow’s Ruins’, is enraged.]
For a moment, this chime came out and then disappeared.
It was a quiet anger that could be felt beyond the message.

[The Constellation, ‘The Crow’s Ruins’, turns his eyes away.]
In an instant, the starlight that was falling on Han Siyoon briefly dimmed.
Han Siyoon, who moved like a broken doll with a creaking sound, looked beyond the cave.
It was where my other contractor was.

[Block him!]
At my words, Yeon Taeseon stomped his foot and shot forward, swinging his sword as fast as he could.
The moment the tip of that sword was about to cut down the unresisting Han Siyoon’s neck.

[Warning!]
[Warning!]
[The boss room is forcibly opened!]
[Forcibly teleporting to the inside of the boss room.]
A snow-white light dyed our vision.