D-Rank Constellation Hunter… Stuck Without Internet! - Chapter 124
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 124
Approximately seventy years ago.
Server R3gr37, commonly known by that designation—over ninety percent of its population had accumulated karma from transcendent beings, earning it classification as a special server.
A species possessing a third sense capable of perceiving the world’s annihilation.
Through organs resembling tree roots and branches, they sensed the aura of ruin.
That planet would seize any opportunity to teleport through spacetime, manifesting in other servers.
The UFOs and extraterrestrials frequently sighted on Earth were, with high probability, them.
[ Sungdo gazes upon you with benevolence. ]
[ Countless stars extend their blessing to you. ]
Naturally, many stars eager to cultivate Constellations and Divine Officials turned their attention toward them.
Yet none of them ever ascended to that position.
Because they had already chosen to perish before that moment could arrive.
‘Our primary purpose is to serve as proxies for the annihilation of worlds we reach.’
Whenever the server to which their planet had traveled faced destruction, they would cast themselves into the abyss to prevent it.
Not out of noble will, but because they had been created solely for such sacrifice.
Thus, those who happened to both prevent annihilation and preserve their own lives had no choice but to accumulate overwhelming karma.
However, in proportion to this, the planet’s population dwindled at an accelerating pace.
Emel was one of the final five inhabitants of that server.
‘I will go to prevent the annihilation of that world.’
‘As will I.’
The two departed for a medieval server.
‘Someone must remain to ensure this star’s demise does not spread to other realms.’
Another took on the role of physically containing Server R3gr37’s destruction so it would not rupture into other worlds.
The last one volunteered to transfer their power to that individual.
Emel witnessed Server R3gr37’s final teleportation to another server.
“This place too reeks of annihilation, Emel.”
“Then I shall prevent this world’s destruction. Thank you for all you have done.”
“May you be blessed by the nobility of sacrifice.”
“And may blessing accompany the nobility of your sacrifice.”
After a clean parting, Emel moved to Server 34R7h.
A Gate had yawned wide open, and the village had descended into chaos.
‘Is this a calamity?’
People fled in panic, rushing past Emel.
Yet moving in the opposite direction, someone was rapidly evacuating people from the disaster.
“Head immediately to the teleportation zone! You only need to reach the next town! Those with vehicles, please use them!”
A woman with short black hair flowing behind her as she moved.
She turned to face Emel, who stood motionless, watching her.
As if she had only just realized his presence there.
“You’re not a resident of this area, are you?”
“…No, I’m not.”
“I’m Hong So-gyeong, a Hunter from this Village. Evacuate immediately!”
That day, I saw So-gyeong for the first time.
“I’ll hold back the danger, so flee quickly.”
At his calm words, So-gyeong’s expression turned aghast.
“It’s an SS-rank Gate! You’ll die going in alone! Are you an Awakened One? If so, let’s help evacuate together and escape.”
“It’s fine. That’s currently the greatest threat.”
“What are you saying! Are you trying to die? Even rolling in a dung heap is better than this world!”
So-gyeong shrieked frantically.
“A dung heap…?”
Emel tilted his head in confusion.
I merely vaguely thought that this civilization seemed to fear death greatly.
‘I must erase this being’s memories before I die.’
The Gate continued expanding.
A massive violet light erupted from Emel’s hand, engulfing the Gate.
Dense blades tore through it, rending it apart as Emel vanished to where he came from.
“The… the Gate is disappearing…?”
“It went to where I live. My kin, who inherited my comrade’s power, will likely hold it back and die together with my homeland’s destruction.”
The causal weight of touching another world crashed down upon Emel’s body.
Coughing blood, he collapsed, and So-gyeong caught him.
“Hey! Stay with me! Hey!”
Chanting a spell to erase So-gyeong’s memories, Emel closed his eyes.
But he neither died nor erased So-gyeong’s memories.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying in a small house, being tended to by So-gyeong.
“This is…”
“You’re awake? I was really startled when you rushed into the Gate alone. You’re an Awakened One, right? S-rank?”
Emel stared at the chattering So-gyeong for a long while.
I should have died.
That thing apparently wasn’t a crisis that would bring destruction to this land after all.
The aura of ruin still lingered, unmistakably.
‘Then there must be another crisis. I’ll have to remain on this land until then.’
“I am not from Earth.”
“Pardon?”
So-gyeong blinked slowly, as if hearing something utterly nonsensical.
After brief deliberation, Emel exerted his power, and branches sprouted from his body while roots emerged from his lower half.
I thought this would make it clear to everyone.
“How is that not human?”
“Huh?”
“Anyone with plant-related skills can do that much, can’t they…?”
What in the world was this place?
In this space where the Constellation hadn’t logged in for over 200 years, stories of other Servers existed only in history books.
Emel had to spend roughly four days convincing Hong So-gyeong of his true identity.
“So in summary… you’re saying you were born to sacrifice yourselves for other worlds?”
“It’s not exactly a mission or obligation. But just as humans breathe without thinking, when such circumstances arise, that choice becomes inevitable for us as well.”
“So you’re the last of that civilization… humanity? Whatever you call it?”
“Others may remain, but it’s our law not to search for those who have already departed to make that sacrifice—we consider them dead.”
“So you too…”
“Yes, I would be counted among the dead.”
It was unexpected that the Gate he’d encountered upon arrival was merely an ordinary Dungeon unrelated to the apocalypse.
He would have to remain on this land until the apocalypse drew near.
“What’s with the moth business anyway.”
Her expression remained one of utter bewilderment and disbelief.
Emel, completely oblivious, casually broached the subject.
“Hong So-gyeong, would it be possible for me to stay in this village? I’m confident in agricultural work. Where I lived, the entire Empire practiced farming.”
“Oh, of course we’d be delighted if someone as young as you helped with the farming.”
‘Young?’
Emel was sixty-two years old this year.
The woman before him was barely in her twenties.
Yet judging purely by appearance, Emel looked to be in his early thirties at most.
“You look Korean too. But the name Emel bothers me a bit. Let’s give you a Korean name.”
“A Korean name…”
Hong So-gyeong rolled her eyes once, then let out an exclamation of delight.
“Kim Young-won! How about Kim Young-won? Kim is a common surname here, and the word ‘young-won’ has such a nice ring to it.”
“It matters little to me. Let’s do that.”
* * *
“But I found myself falling for So-gyeong before the apocalypse ever arrived.”
“Yes, when Hong So-gyeong turned thirty-one, I formally proposed and we married. We couldn’t register the marriage since your identity didn’t exist in Korea.”
“Of course, I never thought of having children… and since I would have to stop the apocalypse and disappear when it came, I didn’t want to leave even the trace of marriage for those who would remain.”
I leaned against a tree and listened to Kim Young-won murmur his words.
Ha Gyuhyuk’s face was like that of someone hearing the greatest love story in the world.
“When she worried that wrinkles were forming on So-gyeong’s face, I created two wrinkles on my own. When she fretted that her knees ached, I massaged her legs throughout the night.”
“Did that help?”
“It did. When she lamented that she could no longer climb mountains, I carried her on my back all the way to the summit, and her face bloomed so brightly.”
“What else made you happy.”
“Every time I drove a truck into town and returned, her voice calling out ‘come back safe’ was precious. And as I approached, she would stand at the entrance leaning on her cane, waiting whether it snowed or rained—that too was precious.”
In truth, the life of Hong So-gyeong and Kim Young-won was no different from anyone else’s.
One was an alien, one was human—that was all.
Like any ordinary couple, they farmed, lived together, sometimes quarreled… and thus passed their years.
“But Hong So-gyeong’s aging arrived before the apocalypse.”
“All humans die.”
Even as Hong So-gyeong’s hair turned white and her eyes dimmed until she barely recognized him, Kim Young-won was content.
My hair turned white, and when my eyes grew dark, I could fill the world with my voice instead.
“On the last day before the world ended, she felt something. She said she wanted to see the sun rise. So I dressed her warmly and we climbed the mountain at dawn.”
“The mountain would be cold at dawn.”
“Indeed it would. After watching the sunrise, she said something to me.”
‘I’m grateful the world didn’t end today and the sun rose, aren’t you?’
“She had spent her entire life worried that I would fail to prevent the apocalypse and die.”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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