Chapter 162: Celestial of Cygnus (3)
“Ehh?”
Different from before, Deneb's voice was settled and low.
His eyes which were the same color as his dark blue hair looked at Ohjin.
“There's no need for me to inform you since you're going to win anyway?”
Grit—
He fiercely ground his teeth as he stared at Ohjin.
“Words fitting the apostle of 'that' celestial.”
It had always been the same for as long as he could remember.
Despite having the same title of 'North Star', Deneb was always mocked and ridiculed for not being able to hold a candle to Vega and Polaris.
However, the situation had changed.
For unknown reasons, Polaris had gone into long seclusion after giving their 'prophecy', and Vega had wasted several years, as she had been unable to find a person fit to receive the stigma of Lyra.
During that time, Deneb had found talented individuals that were the fittest to develop the stigma of Cygnus and had made twelve apostles.
Needless to say, it was an incredibly small number of apostles compared to other celestials, but because each and every one of them showed growth with exceptional talent, his divinity had risen compared to the past.
'Now… I'm a real North Star.'
Deneb stared at Vega with fierce eyes.
He remembered how he was mocked by other celestials about how only Polaris and Vega were the real North Stars for many thousands of years.
The deep sense of inferiority had developed into hatred and settled in his mind.
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“We'll see.”
Deneb looked back at Vega and Ohjin as he chewed his lips.
“I'll make you all regret it!!” Deneb shouted, but due to his appearance as a young boy, it looked cute rather than scary.
Was it kind of like looking at a hamster that was squeaking while baring its teeth?
“Stop it, Deneb. You're making me embarrassed.”
“Hgwak?!”
Deneb growled and looked like he was on the verge of attacking, but Allen sighed deeply and grabbed him by the back of his neck.
Deneb hung in the air, as Allen was much taller than him.
It was reminiscent of how Heun played around with Vega when she was in her small form.
“Let me down! Let me down, Allen!!”
“If you promise to behave yourself.”
“Eek! B-But didn't you hear what that bastard said?! He said that he could beat my precious children without a thought!”
“Yeah, yeah. I heard it all.”
Allen lightly patted Deneb's back like he was soothing a crying child.
Deneb's face heated up.
“S-Stop!”
Deneb's eyes started to glisten with tears.
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“I'll lose face as a North Star…”
“Don't worry.”
A faint smile was put on the face that felt as emotionless as a machine.
“Even if you don't save face, Deneb, you are the greatest celestial.”
“…Allen.”
Deneb sniffed and looked up at Allen.
Ohjin held in his laughter as he looked at the two of them.
'It's different from how I imagined him.'
He thought that he simply looked young on the outside, but Deneb's attitude was actually no different from a child's.
A deep sigh came out of Vega as Ohjin looked her way.
[Fuu. You seriously do not change no matter how much time passes by.]
“What, you got any complaints?”
Deneb glared daggers at Vega.
Vega shook her head and flapped her hand as if chasing away a fly.
[Nevermind. If you're done talking, take your leave.]
“Hmpf! You better be prepared to get humiliated in a month!”
He ground his teeth and faced the other direction.
With Deneb behind him, Allen sent Ohjin a cold look.
“Your confidence is impressive.”
“It's better than whining about losing when we haven't even fought.”
“That is correct, however…”
Sharp killing intent made his skin feel like it was frozen.
“I hope you can differentiate courage and temerity.”
“We'll know if it's courage or temerity once we see the results.”
“If you make light of Deneb's apostles… you'll come to regret it.”
After sending him his final warning, Allen turned around and followed Deneb.
Once Deneb and Allen exited the sanctuary—
[Why did you accept that unreasonable bet?!]
—Vega shouted and pulled tight on Ohjin's arm.
[Aren't you already well aware of how powerful Deneb's apostles are?]
“It's not like I'm fighting Allen or another one of the Seven Stars.”
[But still!]
Vega nervously chewed her lip.
Ohjin knew well what Vega was trying to tell him.
'My chances of winning aren't that high on paper.'
It wasn't a fight with normal Awakeners, but a fight between the apostles of a North Star.
There was obviously a difference from when he'd easily overwhelmed Awakeners with a higher star rank than him.
Not only that, it would only be his victory if he beat not one, but three of Deneb's apostles.
Vega shouting with a nervous expression was a given.
However…
'There's something that Vega and Deneb both don't know.'
—The fact that he owned the Black Heaven.
As you would expect, he didn't have insane thoughts of using Heaven Unfolding in the middle of a duel with Vega and Deneb spectating.
But even without it, he had the mana of the dragon vein and an incredibly large amount of mana he had absorbed until then.
Mana was basic stamina if you were to use martial arts as an analogy.
Simply having a lot of stamina didn't mean that you would win the fight, but it was definitely an advantage that could be used.
Moreover…
“Aren't you lacking divinity? Then we'll have to get it by fighting.”
The match wasn't something that could have been avoided in the first place.
Deneb's divinity was needed to recover Vega's.
[Th-That's not something you should worry about!]
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“Then who will?”
[There's no need for you to worry about it, as I'll deal with the matters related to divinity on my own.]
“Your expression looked pretty dark for something that requires no attention.”
[That's…]
Vega's golden eyes quivered.
It was most likely that she was trying to think of an excuse.
“Vega, didn't you resolve yourself to protect me even if it meant perishing?”
[…That's something I should naturally have done as your celestial.]
“In that case, this is also something I should naturally do.”
If a celestial protecting their own apostle was their duty, then it was also his duty as an apostle to protect his celestial.
[My child…]
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Vega slurred the end of her sentence and gently looked at Ohjin.
The sound of her beating heart rang out in her ears.
In case he might hear the sound, she carefully placed her hand on her chest and calmed down her heart.
'Since when did I start to act this way…?'
Since when did his every word cause her heart to palpitate?
Since when did she start to smile when he smiled?
Since when did she start to cry when he cried?
Since when… did his figure start to never leave her mind?
It was simply surprising to her at first…
The fact that she'd found a person who could handle her stigma after several years of searching in vain, and the fact that he was also the 'Heaven-defying Star' that could change destiny.
After that, she felt proud.
The way he grew at an astonishing speed…
The way he struggled intensely in order to change destiny…
Her chest fluttered as if she was looking at her real child grow.
And then…
[Fuu.]
The story of a 'Destined Person' she'd heard from Spica.
Those words messed with the insides of her head.
Vega looked at Ohjin with complicated feelings.
Translator – Maccas
Proofreader – ilafy
She sighed shortly and changed the subject.
[So what are you going to do to prepare during the month remaining before the match?]
The amount of time left before the match with Deneb's apostles was one month.
There was only one reason why he'd asked them to give him a month:
“Well, I'm planning to do some simple training.”
He had yet to get completely used to the increased mana of the dragon vein and the strengthened stigma of Lyra after the Black Heaven's sixth awakening.
'Even if we fight, it needs to be after I've gotten completely accustomed to those.'
One more thing…
Bzzzzzzt!—
Ohjin changed the blue sparks on his hands into the shape of a dragon.
Meticulous details were displayed on the dragon as if it was made using a 3D printer.
As he concentrated, the shape of a dragon gradually changed to Heun's face.
'So this really works.'
It was the meticulous control of mana he learned in the process of making Adam's Apple. With his increased control, he could change lightning into various shapes and forms like Vega did in the past.
'I'll need to find things that can utilize this.'
There were unlimited ways to use it in battle with his precise mana control.
[When did you learn to do that?]
Vega looked at the lightning that was freely changing shapes on top of Ohjin's hand with eyes opened wide like a rabbit's.
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Instead of answering, Ohjin changed the lightning's shape into Vega.
[Truly… you surprise me every time I see you.]
If you were to only consider the ability to control mana meticulously, it seemed that he had already exceeded Riak's skill.
“Things like this became possible after learning how to control it well.”
Ohjin moved the lightning that was in the form of Vega and made it jump up and down on the spot.
[Ahh. Wh-What are you doing!]
The lightning Vega stopped jumping and suddenly performed a windmill as she started to break dance.
[Do not play around with this lady!!]
Vega's face reddened while she lightly flicked Ohjin's forehead.
Ohjin erased the Vega he had created on his hands and chuckled.
“Sorry. Don't be so upset.”
[…It seems there's a need to grow your respect regarding celestials.]
Vega crossed her arms and flicked her head away while puffing air out her nose.
Ohjin soothed her and looked at Riak.
“In regards to that, could you help me do some intense training throughout the month?”
“Your arrogance pierces the heavens, kid.”
Riak chuckled, but soon after, he smirked and emitted a fierce fighting spirit.
Crunch!—
Riak turned into his werewolf form instantly and provoked Ohjin by moving his index finger up and down.
“Let's start right away, as there isn't much time. Instead…”
Riak glanced at Vega and continued.
“If you dare to lose to that bastard's apostles after my help, I won't leave you in one piece.”
“I already told you… I'm going to win.”
Bzzzt!—
Blue lightning wrapped around Ohjin.
Like that, a month passed since the earth-shaking noise echoed out endlessly in the Star of the Weaver Girl's sanctuary.
“Fuu.”
Ohjin cleaned his body in a pond near the sanctuary and dried his wet hair with a towel.
“Is it today?”
A month passed before he knew it while he'd trained like crazy.
The amount of time could be considered short, but the results weren't all that bad.
'I've certainly become more used to handling my powers.'
He could proficiently use his powers that were enhanced with the Black Heaven's sixth awakening.
Not only had he gotten better at using the Black Heaven's powers, but he had also gotten better with the stigma of Lyra.
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'Alright.'
Ohjin put on a satisfactory smile and turned his body around to face the clothes he had left to dry near the pond.
At that moment—
[My child! It's about time to leave!]
—Vega's silver dress wavered as she ran out of the sanctuary.
Ohjin's naked body entered her sight.
[G-Gasp!!]
Vega quickly raised her hands to cover her eyes.
[I-I'm sorry!]
[I wasn't trying to look intentionally!]
“…Yeah.”
[I promise!]
Despite what she said, her eyes could be seen between the gaps in her fingers.
[It… It is impressive.]
'What is…?'
[Random Heun Illustration]
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