Chapter 139 – Transcendent Awakener

Something.

The atmosphere.

Had changed.

Gooooooo!

The crimson radiance of the mark that had been flickering in Park Jincheol’s pupils no longer wavered and now emitted a straight, piercing light.

As if he had been holding back until now, his aura intensified even more.

Even though he was dominated by the mark’s Order, it seemed the will remaining within him had been suppressing him from exerting his full power.

“Requesting upward revision of threat level. Commencing full power release.”

However, the moment Park Jincheol’s life was on the line due to the combined attack of Lee Hanseong’s group, his survival instinct momentarily ceased resisting the mark.

The mark’s control fully dominated him, allowing it to draw out his full power.

Thump—! Thump—!

The image of Chiwoo Cheonwang that he had draped over himself became clearer than before, and the divinity contained within it gradually grew.

A pulsation that resonated like a heartbeat.

‘That’s… not at the 9-Star level.’

The privilege of a Highest-Rank Awakener, ‘Spirit Unification’, which goes beyond Spirit Overlay, was occurring with Chiwoo Cheonwang.

Spirit Unification.

A Highest-Rank Awakener can concentrate and absorb the power of the Spirits in a Spirit Overlay state into a single Spirit, temporarily allowing it to exhibit abilities of a higher Grade than the original recorded in the Constellation.

This was an ability James Lee had also shown before, when facing the Black Knight who suddenly appeared near the end of the Hundred-Man Slaughter.

By unifying with Chungmugong, a mere 7-Star Spirit, he raised him to the 9-Star level.

‘At least James Lee, being a Chungmugong fan, deliberately unified with a 7-Star Spirit, making 9-Star his limit. But here, the target is Chiwoo Cheonwang, who is 9-Star…’

The minimum would be 10-Star, and in the best case, the Grade could rise even to 11-Star.

The Illusory Forms of the 7 and 8-Star Spirits Park Jincheol had previously contracted with briefly appeared above Chiwoo Cheonwang one after another, turning into halos of light and being absorbed.

The 7-Star Spirit, the progenitor of all Parks and founding king of Silla, the bothersome ‘Park Hyeokgeose’.

The 7-Star Spirit, the founding king of Goguryeo famous for divine archery, King Dongmyeong ‘Go Jumong’.

The 8-Star Phantom Beast Species symbolizing the sun, the ‘Three-Legged Crow’.

Oong.

These three Spirits, sharing the commonality of the ‘Egg Birth’ legend of being born from eggs, achieve Legend Resonance, further amplifying Chiwoo Cheonwang’s Grade.

Just by absorbing these three, Chiwoo Cheonwang’s Grade was already 10-Star.

And it is natural for a being that reaches 10-Star to undergo Reversal… normally.

But Park Jincheol, who had contracted with Hwanin, an 11-Star Divine Spirit, could use the privilege of a Transcendent Awakener.

Skillfully controlling Reversal and Synthesis of Opposites, he continued the Grade ascent without hindrance.

It was the privilege called ‘Skill Unification’ or ‘Authority Bloom’.

Oong—!

Riding on the power of the ‘Hwandan Gogi’ legend, which Hwanin, Dangun, and Chiwoo had already achieved Legend Resonance with, Chiwoo’s Grade soared directly from 10-Star to Half-Step Eleven-Star.

Subsequently, as the 8-Star Spirit Dangun was absorbed, the integration of Awakening Skill, Polarity Reversal, and various Skills accelerated.

And the moment Park Jincheol’s own Primal Spirit God, practically a 9-Star Spirit, was finally absorbed into Chiwoo Cheonwang.

Flash!

The 11-Star Divine Spirit Chiwoo Cheonhwang opened his eyes.

With the Authority [War] in Bloom.

At this moment, Park Jincheol was no different from a Transcendent Awakener who had surpassed the Highest-Rank Awakener.

* * *

—Hoh. Beyond Nebula-grade to Star Cluster-grade. It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen that.

As Park Jincheol raised Chiwoo’s Grade to the 11-Star level, Möbius muttered.

Naturally, knowledge about it flowed in through the Constellation Descent pathway.

‘Nebula and Star Cluster?’

What is the boundary that distinguishes Constellations from non-Constellation beings?

Generally, clusters of stars that fail to become Constellations are largely divided into Nebulas and Star Clusters.

A cluster of dust-like stars without a monarch to lead them is a Nebula.

A cluster where an 11-Star True God-level Divine Spirit is the master, leading the remaining stars, is a Star Cluster.

The presence or absence of an 11-Star Divine Spirit divides Nebulas and Star Clusters.

If there is Skill Unification, a privilege also of Transcendent Awakeners, Spirits of 7-Star or above can shine like 11-Star stars for a moment.

‘Similar to Awakeners above High-Rank, I suppose.’

If High-Rank and Highest-Rank Awakeners who achieve Spirit Overlay and Spirit Unification are a kind of small Nebula.

Then Transcendent Awakeners who can perform Skill Unification could be seen as small Star Clusters.

‘Then what is a Constellation?’

No specific knowledge about that flowed in, but it could be sufficiently inferred from existing knowledge.

A cluster of stars where, during the process of two or more Star Clusters colliding and merging, one Divine Spirit obtains a Constellation Authority—a higher concept encompassing different Authorities.

A cluster of stars led by a 12-Star Main God-level Divine Spirit is precisely a Constellation.

Meaning, any being with two Authorities has the potential to become a Constellation.

‘…Provided they are not already beings belonging to a Constellation.’

The Spirits and Divine Spirits Park Jincheol contracted with are all stars belonging to the Sun Constellation.

As long as the Sun Constellation exists, he could never become a Constellation.

No, not Park Jincheol, but no one in the world ruled by the Heavenly Palace could become a Constellation.

The Twelve Constellations of the Heavenly Palace absorb any Star Cluster-grade star clusters that appear into their ranks, erasing the possibility of new Constellations emerging.

But even if he couldn’t become a Constellation, the current Park Jincheol could not be underestimated.

“Heaven… and War.”

Hwanin’s Authority [Heaven] and Chiwoo Cheonhwang’s Authority [War] simultaneously unfolded, attempting Synthesis of Opposites.

The clashing parts ground against and meshed with each other, while the harmonizing parts naturally blended, giving rise to a new concept that penetrated the two disparate concepts.

Tsu tsu tsu tsu tsu tsu tsu!!!!

The number of meteorological weapons, which had been reduced to less than 10%, multiplied rapidly, once again filling the sky.

Lee Hanseong’s group did not just stand by and watch.

But Park Jincheol’s next move was faster than their response.

“The clash of Yin and Yang… Heaven’s wrath… Lightning.”

Hwanin, as the god of heaven, is equated with Indra, and Indra is equated with the lightning god Indra.

Furthermore, the principle of lightning is the meeting of positive charges above clouds and negative charges below clouds, creating intense electricity.

And such a clash is akin to war within the clouds.

Kururururung!

Between the Authorities of Heaven and War, the Authority [Lightning] was derived.

It seemed he aimed to increase his Innate Authorities instead of being able to obtain the higher Constellation Authority.

Paji jiji jik!

The Grade of the meteorological weapons shaped like lightning soared to the Authority level, and the separate lightning bolts began to connect into one.

Like a tree growing in the sky, bundles of lightning stretching branches toward the ground hung down like prison bars, restricting the movements of his allies.

Especially Jin Yuseong, who had transformed into a giant through Celestial Body Transformation and was even operating clones of similar size, was stuck between the lightning bolts, unable to move.

It looked as if he were caught in a net made of lightning.

“Ugh drdrrdr!”

If he tried to force movement, the Authority-level lightning would pierce into his body, paralyzing his nerves, making it hopeless to unleash the Star-Shattering Fist.

The only saving grace was that most of the lightning-type meteorological weapons were concentrated on Jin Yuseong and his clones.

—The taste of things exploding in your mouth is fun!

Thanks to that, Lycan could swallow the lightning with Twilight Orbs.

Park Seongcheol could hide his body behind Lycan’s back.

Whoosh— Tat.

Yu Sehee and Lee Hanseong could somewhat continue their offensive by flying along trajectories that pierced through the sparse net of lightning.

The problem was that while dealing with the lightning, time was given to Park Jincheol.

“Clouds gathering and scattering across the sky as a battlefield are akin to armies.”

Following the lightning, the dark clouds hanging in the sky were also sublimated into the Authority [Clouds], spreading to the point of covering the entire sky of Eastern Heaven of Bongraesan Mountain.

A world as dark as night even though it was day.

The movement of the clouds became fierce.

Sreureureureuk!

Among them, a part of the clouds stretched out toward Yu Sehee, then condensed into a spherical shape enveloping her, perfectly blocking the light of the Infinite Radiance Lamp.

Unlike before, when the clouds couldn’t completely block the light of the Annihilation Lamp, allowing beams to leak through.

The Grade of the clouds had risen to the same level as the Annihilation Lamp’s Authority, so compatibility began to take effect.

‘Tsk. Sehee is trapped.’

Lee Hanseong clicked his tongue inwardly, realizing it would take Yu Sehee quite a while to break free from the cloud sphere.

The calculation was that while the Cloud Authority could block Yu Sehee’s light, it couldn’t harm her, so he wasn’t particularly worried about her.

Park Jincheol, who had trapped Yu Sehee, declared triumphantly.

“The sun will no longer be able to peek into this place.”

It seemed Park Jincheol’s hostility toward the Sun Star King had created an Authority that opposed the sun.

That’s why the Cloud Authority was effective against Seras’s light as well.

But then, for a moment, a flicker was glimpsed in the piercing light covering Park Jincheol’s pupils.

It seemed the mark’s control wavered briefly as the sun was obscured.

Twitch—

But that too was brief.

After all, Divine Spirits are beings that have acquired duality through Reversal and Synthesis of Opposites.

Divine Spirits are beings that can even encompass opposing concepts, and the kings of such Divine Spirits are Constellations.

Swaaaah—

As if to prove it, gaps appeared throughout the clouds, and beams of light descended like the gaze of a god.

It was proof that the Sun Authority of the Sun Constellation was superior to Park Jincheol’s Cloud Authority.

As his declaration was immediately negated, Chiwoo Cheonhwang’s face contorted like a demon’s.

Simultaneously, the mark’s control strengthened again, and the flicker in his eyes disappeared.

Still, Park Jincheol’s Appraisal remained, spewing hostility toward the sun.

“Luke! How dare you belittle me!”

There exists a belief that lightning is originally the wrath of heaven, and war often starts from wrath.

Wrath itself is one of the Seven Deadly Sins belonging to the Darkness Constellation.

The moment Chiwoo Cheonhwang, who had gained a temporary connection to the domain of Darkness through the Cloud Authority, revealed his wrath.

“Rage!”

The Authority [Wrath] was derived, and the movements of the meteorological weapons, led by the lightning, became even more active, as if they were living creatures.

In the world perceived by Park Jincheol, the criterion dividing inanimate objects and living beings is the mind.

The moment wrath, a branch of the mind, took hold, phenomena that were mere weapons transformed into a kind of Elemental.

Puh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh bang!

The [Lightning], which had been at the level of binding celestial bodies, changed even more destructively and began to blow up Jin Yuseong’s clones one by one.

Tsu tsu tsu tsu tsu!

The [Clouds] enveloping Yu Sehee compressed further, containing lightning and increasing lethality.

Jwaaaaak!

The [Heaven] rose even higher, pulling Lycan’s upper jaw and opening the wolf’s mouth.

To deploy Twilight Orbs, a process of opening and closing the mouth, whether the Illusory Form’s or the real one, is necessary, but like this, he couldn’t close his mouth.

At that moment, he realized.

All the new Authorities created by Park Jincheol were forms perfectly suited to attack Lee Hanseong’s group.

This very situation was a board created by the Authority [War].

‘Is this the power of a Transcendent Awakener?’

Lee Hanseong trembled at the opponent’s power, yet didn’t feel a great sense of crisis.

“If this is Uncle Jincheol’s full power… we can definitely win.”

With five Authorities created—[Heaven], [War], [Lightning], [Clouds], [Wrath]—no more new Authorities could emerge.

The number of stars required to establish one Authority is 11.

As Park Jincheol is a 9-Star Awakener with a 6-Star Vessel, out of the 60 stars he holds within, the stars filled with Spirit Contracts were 56.

So, five Authorities were his limit.

Of course, even this alone was threatening to them.

But Lee Hanseong’s group also hadn’t yet fully drawn out the power that changed after the fifth Historical Alteration.

The battle with the Four Celestial Beings Beyond Heaven ended simultaneously with the Historical Alteration.

And after that, the Sun Star King and Heavenly Slaughter Demon Lord were handled by the Four Celestial Beings who became Apostles’ Avatars through the Primordial Fusion Authority.

So, this could be considered the first proper fight.

“We’re going all out too, Mister.”

Paaaat!

First, apply Second Stage Transcendence to allies through Colonization.

Including the effect of Guarantee of the Righteous Will, Lee Hanseong, Jin Yuseong, and Yu Sehee, who were 6-Star, rose to Half-Step 8-Star.

Park Seongcheol, who was 5-Star, rose to Half-Step 7-Star.

Lycan, being 11-Star, did not receive the Transcendence effect.

Conversely, he could draw the starlight he had swallowed with Twilight Orbs so far into the Swarm and use it to extend the Transcendence duration for the others.

With only the Devour God Demon Sword’s absorption power, he could only maintain Second Stage Transcendence for one person, but thanks to Lycan, the other comrades didn’t need to worry about duration.

‘With this much… it should be doable.’

‘So this is Treasure Body and Spirit Overlay.’

As the entire party reached the level of High-Rank Awakeners, everyone unfolded Treasure Body and Spirit Overlay.

“Group Transcendence.”

On top of that, he additionally deployed Group Transcendence, promoting the overlaid Spirits for other comrades who didn’t receive the shared Second Stage Transcendence effect from Colonization.

Four additional applications targeting Spirits of 7-Star or above, excluding Seras and Asta, who, like Lycan, did not receive the Transcendence effect.

Paaaat!

Jin Yuseong’s Spirit Jeon Woochi and Yu Sehee’s Spirit Beatus rose from 7-Star to 9-Star.

Park Seongcheol’s Spirits Dice Ten and Chungmugong amplified from 7-Star to 9-Star and from Half-Step 8-Star to Half-Step 10-Star, respectively.

Even raising the Grades of other Spirits like that, for Jin Yuseong and Yu Sehee, it merely meant they could draw on the power of the 11-Star Divine Spirit longer.

But Park Seongcheol was different.

Flash!

Park Seongcheol, who could now draw out Dice’s talent to its maximum thanks to achieving Spirit Overlay, opened his eyes.

Eyes emitting a bluish radiance looked as if they contained will-o’-the-wisps.