D-Rank Constellation Hunter… Stuck Without Internet! - Chapter 26

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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 26
Trait Awakening—at first glance, it seemed to possess considerable value.
An awakening to a new world, or receiving power that had been impossible to attain until now.
But it was all flash and no substance. It was simply a membership tier.
To be precise, this was a rank determined by “how much Karma the Constellations collectively poured into this client.”
The actual designation was also based on client level.
One who caught the eye of the divine, one touched by the divine hand, one to receive divine love, one monopolizing divine favor, one who glimpsed the gates of Sungdo, one receiving divine love, one who threw open the gates of Sungdo.
Something along those lines.
‘Earth has such excellent cost-effectiveness, and the system is so poorly maintained that I really did pour in a tremendous amount of Karma.’
Typically, one could ascend to the second tier without much effort.
That’s why the notification only reaches the client starting from “one to receive divine love.”
It wasn’t particularly difficult to reach, but it was considerably faster than for other clients.
I couldn’t very well tell the client something crude like “your Constellation indulged this much in your development.”
So I changed it to more elegant terminology.
Still, since it clearly met the consumption standards of Sungdo, certain benefits did exist.
[ You did well. This was your achievement. ]
[ I can’t reach you right now, so pat your own head three times with your hand. ]
[ You understand, right? Three times. ]
To be honest, I’d ended up here because I was worried about Ha Gyuhyuk and kept doing this and that.
But wasn’t this result something he’d accomplished by conducting himself so beautifully?
His face brightened radiantly when he saw my message.
I even watched as he clumsily raised his hand and tapped his head exactly three times.
– Ulrim, what should I do from now on?
[ Your mental fortitude has risen considerably, so let’s go into the Dungeon now and manage your other stats so you won’t die, even if you can’t clear it. ]
[ I’ll adjust the difficulty for where you are right now. ]
After watching him nod, I altered the environment of the Dimensional Space.
It had been quite a while since I’d reacted with such consideration to a client’s personal circumstances.
My precious junior Constellation candidate, whom I was raising with such care that he’d blow away if I breathed too hard, or shatter if I squeezed too tight.
The exterior of the Base Camp collapsed in an instant, then reformed.
What had been masquerading as a peaceful flower garden moments before melted away into viscous, sticky slime.
[ “You can do this.” ]
[ Delivered “You can do this” to Ha Gyuhyuk. ]
Though he couldn’t see it, I shouted encouragement from beyond the screen toward his stunned expression, then switched windows.
It was a direct channel to contact the Divine Officials who worked in real-time at the heart of Sungdo to squander the happiness and peaceful lives of the Constellations.
[ This is the Holy Land Management Team. Do you have any inquiries? ]
Through the automated response function, I navigated toward “Client Level Benefits Claim.”
From tier one onward, clients received significant stat increases in their most needed attributes or product provisions.
Up to around tier two, clients felt like “Huh? It seems I’m developing somewhat on my own?”
Beyond that, they reach a level where they perceive themselves as having broken through their limits.
This significant rise in mental fortitude was the result of synergy between his efforts and tier three benefits.
[ Your current client is confirmed to be Level 3. ]
[ Please select one of the following rewards, and I will provide it immediately. ]
[ (1) Client Confirmation Right (2) Karma Refund (3) Server Expansion Right (4)… ]
‘Ah, how could I have forgotten about this?’
There was nothing else to consider after that.
I immediately selected option 3 and let out a short sigh.
The Server Expansion Right—I could confidently say it was the most unpopular benefit among those chosen by Constellations.
It expanded the server in proportion to the Karma consumed.
‘The Divine Officials directly access and forcibly tear open the gap by pouring in their divine power—a crude method at best.’
After all, if a lower world’s client dies or is destroyed, that’s the end of it, and the Karma I spent doesn’t come back.
It’s a benefit that feels pointless—widening the gap so other Constellations can enter.
The Constellations around me have filed complaints several times asking them to remove it and bring other options instead, yet they stubbornly maintained this benefit item.
“Wow, I think I even filed a complaint with them once because Franson protested so much, but anyway, thank you.”
Let’s bury the past in the past.
The me who filed that complaint back then is dead.
After selecting the benefit, there was a delay of several seconds.
It seemed that during that moment, thousands of meetings had come and gone before they contacted me.
[ Constellation Se-um, we’re asking again to confirm—are you certain you’ve selected the Server Expansion Right? In 2,476 years, you are the only Constellation to have selected this benefit, so we’re asking again. ]
‘What? That’s an absurdly long time?’
[ Yes, that’s correct. ]
[ Confirmed. I will provide it immediately. ]
I stared at the screen and smiled bitterly. If no one had chosen it for nearly 2,500 years, wouldn’t it have been time to just give up?
I’m grateful that the Sungdo System stubbornly maintained this benefit, but on the other hand, it’s rather remarkable.
[ Constellation! The ##### Driver is currently being installed. We’ve confirmed that accelerating the driver’s speed would be more helpful for server expansion—would it be alright if we assisted with that? We will refund any unused portions as Karma. ]
[ Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes ]
My flustered response seemed to make the other party hesitate, and after a few seconds of silence, an acknowledgment came back. I pressed my forehead against my palm as I stared at the screen.
The ##### Driver—the greatest Karma waste a Constellation could commit.
It was the act of personally boring through a third-party server toward a world using one’s own resources.
To undertake such waste toward a world that could be destroyed at any moment, toward a human who could die at any moment—that’s truly insane.
But there’s one thing I need to be clear about.
I’m not doing this because I regard Ha Gyuhyuk specially—it’s simply that I have an impatient temperament and can’t tolerate this internet speed.
Besides, I’m the type whose Karma overflows anyway. And on top of that….
‘The more I think about it, the more pathetic it feels, so let me just stop.’
Creating a new server was originally a massive undertaking, and having to go through this garbage internet connection was taking far longer than expected.
Despite all the effort, I’d barely surpassed 30%, but if the Divine Officials help with this, I can only be grateful.
I know the truth, actually.
They’re trying to deceive me by offering a slight boost to the progress of my private server that I started boring through with my own Karma, saving labor and divine power and all that, using the trick of a partial Karma refund.
I decided to think of it as simply spending that Karma to buy time and speed.
I turned my head toward the screen.
– Ulrim, Constellation, u, Ulrim, Constellation! Are, are you watching…? Am I going to die now?
“What are you talking about?”
Ha Gyuhyuk on the screen was being mauled all over by a virtual enemy I’d conjured up myself.
Of course, no actual wounds appeared on his body.
I’d remembered a zombie movie from when I was human and implemented it as-is—he was now lying on the ground with his hand resting on his stomach, seemingly waiting for the infection to spread.
I rested my chin in my palm and watched him.
While his mental fortitude had skyrocketed, his physical strength and agility hadn’t developed much, so his escape attempts still failed.
With only his spirit growing stronger, he’d developed the kind of mentality to humbly accept death.
I felt the defeat of having catastrophically failed a raising game.
[ Get up. Your stomach’s showing. Didn’t you hate it when I showed you that last time? ]
He seemed to have been waiting desperately for my message. Upon seeing the screen, he scrambled to his feet and yanked his shirt down.
The hearts of human male clients truly remain incomprehensible.
I caught sight of him clumsily activating a skill against the ferociously charging zombies.
White flames bloomed from his fingertips, spreading to the zombies and slowly eliminating them one by one.
I knew that constantly babysitting him wasn’t the answer.
[ You’re doing well. ]
After dispatching all four zombies that had latched onto him, he lifted his head.
A transparent window appeared beside his face.
[ #####_Driver_Installer_34R7h Installation in progress… (64.72%) ]
It was definitely several times faster. I was genuinely impressed.
At this rate, the server would break through soon, and I’d be able to accomplish much more.
I pulled up information on other dungeons besides the SA Dungeon we’d conquered before.
We should exit the Dimensional Space and start tackling these next.
These days, Earth was rushing through clearances faster to avoid losing credit to my intervention, so we couldn’t afford to delay.
Ha Gyuhyuk on the screen still seemed embarrassed about the stomach comment from earlier, curling up slightly.
Anyway, he’s adorable.
Ha Gyuhyuk hesitantly opened his mouth.
– Ulrim, did you… see that? Should I try harder?
[ Yeah, of course you should keep trying. But you handled the zombie elimination well this time. We need to boost your stats a bit more. ]
I’d given what I thought was genuine praise, but suddenly he started shaking his head vigorously.
What? Did he dislike this kind of praise too?
I found myself typing “What are you talking about?” without thinking, when he urgently grabbed the hem of his shirt.
Ha Gyuhyuk lowered his head, embarrassed, and began muttering without even breathing.
– No, no. I’m still far from it. Honestly, when I saw those zombies earlier, instead of facing them, my mind just went blank. I’m truly hopeless. There’s nothing I’m good at…
Why did his self-esteem suddenly plummet?
I began searching my mind for ways to comfort him. I’d already exhausted all the means available to me.
How did Franson comfort a disheartened client?
I’d never seen Tasha do it. After thinking hard, I gently rubbed my cheek and typed.
[ It’s okay. You’re still really pretty. ]

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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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