Chapter 179

Cho-i Hyeon was pointing at the largest hole. It had been clearly black, but now it was emitting a red light, as if reacting to something. Cho-i Hyeon looked closely at the hole. The inside was pitch black, and the surface was glowing red. Screams erupted from all directions at the change. Cho-i Hyeon took a few steps forward. She felt a familiar sensation, just as she had when facing the Mantis Dungeon.

“That’s…”

As Cho-i Hyeon spoke, the hole pulsed with an even redder light, as if reacting to the Entity. People began to scatter in a panic, thinking that something was definitely going to emerge from that hole.

“Cho-i Hyeon, do you know what that is?”

“No, I don’t. But it feels familiar.”

Cho-i Hyeon reached out her hand towards the hole. And at that moment, the hole turned completely scarlet, dyeing its surroundings like a sunset. The black holes began to slowly move away as if avoiding it, and the red glowing hole grew even larger. Reporters who remained raised their equipment to film the sky, capturing the scene. It was an impressive display of courage.

“…Come here.”

Cho-i Hyeon said. Her eyes were fixated on the hole as if mesmerized. And finally, something began to crawl out of it.

“That’s…”

“…Ah.”

Everyone gasped. It might have been despair. What emerged from the enormous hole was a gigantic Mantis leg. It was so huge that its body could not be estimated. Only one Mantis leg was coming out of it. Cho-i Hyeon took a few more steps forward, with her hand extended as if to approach the Entity. Taeyang Kang grabbed Cho-i Hyeon’s shoulder.

“Wait a minute.”

“No, I think it’ll be fine.”

Cho-i Hyeon’s intuition told her so. The Queen Mantis was dead. And the Entity had clearly said it was the god of the world. What happens when a god loses its earthly body? Though she couldn’t fully understand the Entity, Cho-i Hyeon felt that this was definitely the Entity she had killed. The gigantic foreleg was translucent red. The Entity slowly began to descend towards Cho-i Hyeon. And the descent of that Red Mantis’s foreleg could be seen anywhere in Korea. Huntred began to descend into chaos.

[Hey, what is that?]
[Seriously, what is that? A monster that big? Can we defeat it?]
└ We’re looking for an underground bunker right now.
└ Shouldn’t we go down to the subway?
└ Hey, is this a war now?
└ A war with monsters is still a war, you idiot.
└ How can we win against that? We’re all dead.
[But why is it translucent?]
└ How would we know that?
└ Everyone just repeat that we’re dead.
└ Damn, I’m fleeing overseas. Looking for flights.
└ Do you think planes will fly in this situation? Look at the sky, it’s all holes.
└ Oh, damn it. I’m already at the airport, and no planes are taking off.
[Hey, an online news channel is live-streaming the scene right now, and it looks like it’s descending towards Cho-i Hyeon?]
└ ?
└ ??
└ ???
└ (link)

People immediately connected to that channel. The gigantic foreleg was slowly, very slowly, descending towards Cho-i Hyeon. Everyone held their breath and focused on the screen.

***

As Cho-i Hyeon watched the giant foreleg descending upon her, she somehow felt at peace. It was as if she was rediscovering something she had lost. The massive foreleg slowly descended until it was right in front of her nose. The translucent red leg remained still, as if waiting for someone. Cho-i Hyeon slowly approached and placed her hand on the Entity. Then, a system window appeared before her with a ding.

[O you who succeed the Queen, inherit the Queen’s power.] [The Constellation urges you to accept it.]

“Constellation?”

[The Constellation ‘First Calamity’ tells you to choose it.]

At that moment, the other holes also began to sparkle.

[The Constellation ‘Beast with 999 Lives’ asks you to look at it.] [The Constellation ‘Hand Beneath the Shining’ is watching you.]

“What is this?”

Cho-i Hyeon touched the translucent foreleg. Despite its translucent color, it felt very distinct to the touch. From its smooth upper surface to its rough and sharp underside. Cho-i Hyeon asked,

“What is a Constellation?”

[It says it means a companion who will protect you and be with you.]

“Even though I killed you?”

[It says this is the only way left to continue its species.]

“So, you’re saying that since your attempt to take over this place failed, you’re going to cling to me?”

[The Constellation cannot say anything.]

“If I’m with you, what do I get?”

[It says you can enjoy everything it once enjoyed.]

“Even skills?”

[The Constellation ‘First Calamity’ nods its head.]

“And, if you are the First Calamity, does that mean another Calamity could come?”

[The Constellation ‘First Calamity’ says the Entity cannot explain in detail.]

“If I accept you, it will help me get rid of the rest of the Calamities, won’t it?”

[The Constellation ‘First Calamity’ says the Entity is certain.]

“So, this isn’t the only Calamity then.”

[The Constellation ‘First Calamity’ falls silent.]

“Too late to be silent now. I’ve understood everything.”

Cho-i Hyeon grumbled and looked up at the giant paw. The hole was still glowing red, and only the massive front leg was revealed. Cho-i Hyeon stroked the front leg and slowly opened her mouth.

“Alright, join me.”

And at that moment, the hole widened further, and something began to emerge from within. The Entity was a head. An Entity that resembled Cho-i Hyeon. With a massive front leg and Cho-i Hyeon’s face, the Entity slowly extended its head out of the hole. With pale skin and a face lined with blue veins, anyone could see the resemblance to Cho-i Hyeon. Cho-i Hyeon took a few more steps forward, her hand on the front leg. Ding, a system window popped up.

[The Constellation ‘First Calamity’ says, ‘You are my successor.’]

“I’m your successor? So, I’ll become a god?”

[The Constellation ‘First Calamity’ says that’s not it.]

“Really? Then what will I become?”

[The Constellation ‘First Calamity’ says you will become the strongest human currently existing in this world.]

The massive head slowly descended and approached Cho-i Hyeon. The Entity, extending its head, looked like a Calamity and also like a mysterious goddess. Cho-i Hyeon slowly opened her arms as she saw the translucent form drawing near.

“Come here.”

And she kissed the Entity that had come close. Shhh, as soon as they kissed, its massive body began to shatter like starlight. Like shedding skin, cracks appeared all over its body, and one by one, it began to fall apart like dust.

[The Constellation, ‘First Calamity’ says, ‘I will be with you forever.’]

“So this is what the Pioneer meant when they said God’s World would unfold.”

The shattered starlight began to swirl around Cho-i Hyeon’s body. And slowly, it was absorbed into her body and disappeared.

[You have chosen the Constellation ‘First Calamity’!] [The Constellation ‘First Calamity’ will now share everything with you!]

“You were doing that from the start.”

She grumbled in a dissatisfied tone and looked back. As the giant being appeared and approached Cho-i Hyeon, the people who were preparing for battle looked at her as if asking what was happening.

“Hmm, everyone who’s been to the hidden dungeon needs to get ready.”

“What?”

At those words, Gihyeon Park asked again. But soon, Cho-i Hyeon’s largest Constellation slowly disappeared, and the surrounding holes disappeared with it, while other holes began to appear. And then, system windows started to pop up in front of Gihyeon Park, Zhixuan, Taeyang Kang, Nara Shim, and Suui Kim, who had been to the hidden dungeon, with a “ding, ding” sound.

[Constellation ‘Dragon of the Hottest Flames’ asks you to join them!][Constellation ‘One Who Permeates the Dark’ tells you to choose them!][Constellation ‘King of the Frozen Fairies’ extends a hand to you!][Constellation ‘One Who Governs Time’ looks at you benevolently!][Constellation ‘Deity with Hundreds of Wings’ watches over you!]

And it wasn’t just them. Strange posts also began to appear on Huntred.

[Suddenly, a strange system window pops up? Telling me to choose.]
[I can’t explain it in detail, but something called ‘Constellation’ keeps appearing and telling me to choose it?]
└ What are you talking about? Are you on drugs?
└ Hey, you too? I don’t know what’s going on either.
└ Can I even choose this? What’s happening?
└ Didn’t Cho-i Hyeon do that too?
└ But for me, it’s not a giant thing like that, just a window popping up?

But the system window was urging them to make a choice. They were gods who had crossed over from other Ruined Worlds. They wished to take refuge in the world of those who had successfully prevented the First Calamity, and to continue their Legacy.

[I don’t know if it’s just me, but don’t you think the holes are disappearing one by one?]
[JGN]
└ I just chose it.
└ Me too.
└ No, the skills they’re giving are incredibly overpowered, aren’t they?

So, people began to choose the Constellations that had extended their hands to them, one by one, and the holes that had appeared in the sky slowly vanished as if they had never been there.

“Wh-what should I do with this?”

Nara Shim asked Cho-i Hyeon. Cho-i Hyeon shrugged.

“If you want to accept it, then accept it.”

“Does it only appear to those who have been to the hidden dungeon?”

“It seems so.”

Jihan Kim said with a very regretful expression.

“I guess I’ll have to find a hidden dungeon too.”

“I wish you luck. The minimum requirements are already widely known, so it’s best to move quickly, don’t you think?”

Cho-i Hyeon grinned. And as time passed and most of the black holes disappeared, the sky once again revealed its clear blue, without a single cloud. People who had been hiding began to emerge one by one. And new people appeared who had gained something. Those who had obtained Constellations. They couldn’t believe the power bestowed upon them, clenching and unclenching their hands repeatedly. And the greatest one, Cho-i Hyeon, who had obtained this world’s First Calamity…