chapter 81

[The wolf star, ‘Romelana,’ is shyly cheering for you.]

The shy Romelana was cheering for me. It was the height of timidity. I sighed slightly as I watched the monsters rushing through the cold blizzard. Damn. All of a sudden, I felt the desire for a cigarette.

[The first apostle, ‘Prometheus,’ is wishing you all the best.]

[The fist star, ‘Raitra,’ is looking forward to the fight.]

“What bullshit are you looking forward to?”

The number of monsters seemed quite high. The good news was that I could easily take them down with Raitra’s help. The blue lightning had the ability to paralyze their bodies. Then Gyeonso Dragon approached. “I’ll help this time.”

“That is obvious.”

“I’ll have the right.”

“Then I’ll take the left.”

Kim Sujeong added, “I’ll take care of healing from behind.”

We nodded the moment she spoke and jumped forward. We used lightning at the same time and appeared in front of the monsters. The first one I met was the ‘Freezer Taurus’ that had large ice horns.

“It is a bad calf.”

I spun 540 degrees and did a back kick into the gap. A blue lightning bolt flowed through the giant body of the ice cow and paralyzed it. I continuously kicked and was able to easily take it down.

[The Freezer Taurus’ Horns have been acquired.]

[The Freezer Taurus’ Frozen Meat has been acquired.]

“It is food.”

The ingredients I had gathered were gradually running out. I needed new ingredients because the expiration date was over so this worked out well. In the distance, Gyeonso Dragon could be seen launching a lightning bolt. I couldn’t help raising my lips despite the huge number. “We can’t lose.”

I freely moved through the monsters while kicking.

Kick, back kick, and side kick.

I roamed above their heads with all sorts of fancy techniques. Every time my legs moved, the monsters were electrocuted. I didn’t miss this gap and continued to attack. I wished I had mastered the Thunderbolt Flying Kick Technique. I felt sorry for myself.

The Thunderbolt Flying Kick Technique was different from Raitra’s lightning. Considering that the blue lightning was the power of a piece of lightning dropped by Jupiter, the power of Thunderbolt Flying Kick Technique would be complete, not just a fragment. Of course, I couldn’t obtain it right now. If it had been that force from heaven, the monsters would’ve been wiped out instantly.

I smacked my lips together and continued to sweep through the monsters.

[Your level has risen!]

[Your level has risen!]

[Your level has risen!]

My level rose at a tremendous rate. Recently, I heard young people call it this. “Mania level up?”

It was something Jeongdo taught me a few days ago. He said it meant to level up like crazy. Well, it was really insane. Unexpectedly, I was looking at level 70. After a while, all the monsters were dealt with and I was level 72. I opened my status window after a long time.

[Status Window]

[Name: Jackson

Level: 72 [High Quality] Weather Chef

Star Name: Dipper Star’s Beloved

Heavenly Star: Monarch of Brilliant Promise

Title: Hero of Mulan and seven more.

Strength 128 (+70) / Agility 128 (+70)

Fitness 28 (+95) / Knowledge 48 (+70)

Workmanship 102 (+0) / Super Sensitivity 107 (+0)

Stat Points: 100

Weight: 71/100

* Fire attribute resistance +50%.

* Ice attribute resistance +50%.

* Spider venom resistance +100%.]

“Wow, I saved up 100 points at once.”

I raised my strength and agility to 150 and then focused on fitness and knowledge. This was a dangerous place so it was a good idea to look at my fitness stat. Knowledge was for the Star Piece. It was because the Star Piece consumed more magic power than I thought. Moreover, raising knowledge would increase the damage of Rising Sun and the blue lightning. I smiled with satisfaction and closed the status window.

“Big Brother, you will be at level 100 in no time.”

“It is all thanks to you.”

“You’re overpraising me. I think you handle lightning far better than I do.”

“Your words are correct.”

The two of us burst out laughing. Then Kim Sujeong approached. “This is a great place. Can’t we keep hunting here?”

“Um.” In fact, I also wanted that but we didn’t have any time. My quest was to defeat Minotaur within a month. “We will do so when we have time. It is just that for now, we need to reach Nutscher.”

Kim Sujeong nodded, “It can’t be helped. Then let’s eat something before going. I think everyone is a bit tired.”

Come to think of it, my satiety had fallen. I nodded. “Yes, let’s do so.”

I looked up at the blizzard in the sky before turning my head in the direction where Windia would be. Was everything okay there? The time remaining for the Minotaur hunt was 24 days.

* * *

The first person to eat a Star Fruit.

Master of a first-grade constellation.

First place in the rankings.

The ace of the Zeus Guild.

MVP of the 1st Arkstar World Competition.

All of these were descriptions of Michael, who was currently ranked first in the world. He might seem arrogant but it was deserved for him. Right now, Michael was killing monsters near the Parta Principality. It was a place where mechanical civilization bloomed and there were many mechanical monsters.

The swords that were held in both hands flew. Right now, Michael was facing a monster called ‘metal lizardman.’ Half of its body had become mechanized like a cyborg. The two swords in his hands floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee. Michael ruthlessly cut through the monsters.

“Scorpion Sword.”

[The constellation skill ‘Scorpion Sword’ will trigger.]

[The sword contains ‘Antares’ Poison’.]

His two swords were as rough as a scorpion’s tail. Michael quickly moved both hands. The ruthless scorpion sword passed through the metal lizardmen. Black venom covered it and the lizardmen screamed every time they were cut.

“Kek, keek. Kek!”

[The scorpion zodiac, ‘Antares,’ loves the screaming.]

Antares’ venom made even a slight scratch fatal. This was the power that Michael gained from eating the Star Fruit. The power was strong for a first-grade constellation and this wasn’t all of Antares’ power.

“Desert Sunflower.”

[The constellation skill ‘Desert Sunflower’ will trigger.]

[The surrounding 10 meters area will turn into a desert.]

[Be careful not to be sucked in.]

Once his sword landed on the ground, the land around him turned to sand. The trees, the stones, and the desert lizardmen were all sucked into the desert sunflowers. Michael quickly escaped to avoid getting sucked in but the monsters were different.

“Kerek. Kererek!”

There were some monsters that occasionally escaped but they were stabbed in the heart by Scorpion Sword. Michael smacked his lips as he watched the metal lizardmen being sucked into a desert sunflower.

‘There are problems when using this skill because I can’t pick up items.’

At this time, he received a whisper. It was from the leader of the Zeus Guild.

-Damian: Michael. You really aren’t going to Windia? It is much stronger than the previous ‘basilisk.’

-Michael: I’m sorry. Antares is a problem. He really doesn’t want to try and lend his strength.

A few days ago, there was a hot topic in the A.S.L community. It was about a new boss monster that appeared on a Korean woman’s broadcast and that there was a secret passage hidden in the Kobold Mine. This wasn’t the important thing. The boss monster had the highest level that had been seen so far. It was a huge white cow walking on two feet and the name was Minotaur.

Michael knew this because he had seen it. However, strangely, Antares won’t lend his strength.

[The scorpion zodiac, ‘Antares,’ once again says that he won’t cooperate.]

‘What the hell is this?’

Antares had been doing this since he heard the name Minotaur. Michael guessed that they probably knew each other. “Antares, what is your relationship with Minotaur?”

[The scorpion zodiac, ‘Antares,’ says he can’t tell you.]

“……”

‘What secret is it?’

Michael had felt doubts the first time he met this guy. It was a Star Fruit that he got by chance but the nicknames that appeared when he ate it were really bizarre. Antares’ nickname was among them.

‘Pharaoh of Desire.’

In fact, Michael saw this and tried to pass over it. Then he couldn’t forget the indirect message Antares sent him.

[The first-grade constellation, ‘Pharaoh of Desire,’ says that if you choose him, he will make you the best human being.]

The best—this was a very important word for Michael. Although he had grown up without lacking anything as a child, his father never looked at him after his mother’s death. His father ignored him even when he played around or caused trouble. There was only one moment when his father paid attention to him. It was when he got first place in school.

Michael still couldn’t forget what his father said at that time. ‘Michael, become the best. Life is meaningless if you aren’t the best.’

From then on, he started to become obsessed with being the best. At first, it was to please his father. Then as he grew older and his heart and mind matured, he understood what his father’s words meant. Life really meant nothing if he wasn’t the best. Those in second place were branded a bitter loser and would have to live in the shadow of the number one.

Michael had seen it countless times. Now he was speaking for himself, not his father. Life wasn’t worth it if he wasn’t in first place.

“Antares, didn’t you say you would make me the best?”

[The scorpion zodiac, ‘Antares,’ says of course.]

“Then why aren’t you cooperating? I have cooperated with you.”

[The scorpion zodiac, ‘Antares,’ says this is a separate matter.]

[The scorpion zodiac, ‘Antares,’ offers to lend you the power of sand.]

“……”

‘It can’t be helped.’

Antares lent a strong power but there were many demands. It was to obtain a small bead fragment and every time he obtained one, he had to throw it into a desert sunflower. Michael always wondered where the desert sunflower led to but there was no way of knowing. He tried testing it with a guild member but they just said it was a dark place. He was unable to figure out where the sand abyss connected to.

-Damian: I guess it can’t be helped. Then we won’t go together…

-Michael: Wait.

-Damian: Eh? Why? Are you going?

-Michael: I have to prove that I’m the best.

It didn’t matter if Antares didn’t lend his strength. Even without his strength, Michael would prove he was the best. He was always the best.

-Michael: See you in Windia.

The world’s number one, Michael—he was finally moving to Windia.