Return of the Shattered Constellation

Chapter 172: Star, The First Station (4)

“You want me to become a Giant? You’re kidding, right?” Chang-Sun asked.

Thanatos stayed silent.

“What’s with that nonsense!” Chang-Sun yelled.

“What do you think a Giant is?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean it literally. What do you think a Giant is?”

“… Hmm…” Chang-Sun began to think.

“No one can immediately answer this question because not much is known about them. Giants are so belligerent that they practically worship combat and have such a strong will to dominate that they conquer numerous civilizations. However, there are too few of them, so they’re considered transcendental creatures. That’s all you know about them, right?”

“Tell me more.” Chang-Sun gestured at Thanatos.

“What I’m trying to say is that everything you know about Giants is all wrong since only false information spread about them,” Thanatos said.

“False information?” Chang-Sun repeated.

“That’s right.” Thanatos nodded. “The war that took place within <Muspelheim> was much more severe than what’s known about it.”

Chang-Sun soon realized that Thanatos was about to reveal a certain ‘secret.’

“Anyhow… To put it simply, they’re sort of an elemental spirit,” Thanatos said.

“They’re spiritual beings? It’s my first time hearing about this.” Chang-Sun paid attention.

“That’s only natural. It’s a rarely known fact. During the Big Bang, a fire called the <Source Fire> appeared, and over eons, it transformed into the plane now known as <Muspelheim>. Countless ‘resolves’ sprouted from that plane. Over time, they became self-aware and, eventually, turned into elemental spirits.’

According to Thanatos’ explanation, the Giants’ birth process was different from ordinary mortals. Unlike other mortals, who usually started off as a single cell and became self-aware through numerous evolutions, Giants were born on the plane with resolves.

All the Giants’ characteristics resembled the ever-blazing <Muspelheim>, which was why they could be considered the plane’s resolve itself. Just like elemental spirits, Giants could think and make judgments, but they could never defy the resolve of <Muspelheim>. However, that was also why they could be absolutely more powerful than anyone else.

“Giants are famous for their humongous physiques, and they remain huge since such a size is apt for fighting. However, there is no reason for them to stay that big for any other matter,” Thanatos continued.

From what Chang-Sun knew, the Giants’ sizes varied from myth to myth: some were a little bigger than ordinary humans, while some were dozens of meters tall. If they could ‘control’ their sizes, that would explain a lot.

“So even if you do acquire the Giant factor, you won’t undergo any outrageous changes. It won’t hinder you in creating your <Myth>, either. In fact, you’ll be creating a very special <Myth> that no one has ever created before, so rather than impeding you, it would actually help you.” Thanatos nodded.

“Still, Giants are transcendental creatures, so how am I supposed to become one despite being a human?” Chang-Sun asked.

“Naturally, that’s impossible.” Thanatos shrugged.

“Then?” Chang-Sun asked again.

“You have to get a sturdy body like [Reinforced Skeleton] first, then use it to absorb the Giant factors little by little… Do it step by step, slowly and calmly…as if you’re ‘shedding’ your skin.” Thanatos smiled.

Thanatos detailed the process that Chang-Sun would have to go through to acquire the exceptional body of Giants. It involved slipping out of his skin five times. With every molt, he would become incomparably better than before, and his Class would significantly increase. If Chang-Sun could successfully break through his fifth shell, then it wouldn’t be impossible to become Surtr himself.

Currently, Chang-Sun was trying to <Molt> for the first time.

[Your characteristic has started to change!]

[Change Progress: 1, 2, 3… 9, 10%…]

To <Molt>, Chang-Sun used a very simple method—he absorbed a significant amount of Surtr’s blood and energy. Since Giants were elemental spirits, [Soul Exploitation] was the perfect Authority for it. After all, it worked on spirits.

On top of that, Chang-Sun was also a Jigwi, which was a kind of elemental spirit. It wasn’t difficult to mix the two since both Giants and Jigwis had the fire Attribute.

Woosh, woosh, woosh―!

When an intense fire poured inside him, Chang-Sun was put in so much pain that he felt as if his body was going to be ripped to shreds—no, he wasn’t just physically in pain. It felt as if Surtr’s fire was also going to melt his soul. If it wasn’t for the ‘Frost-Carved Crest,’ which he acquired through [Reinforced Skeleton], his body and soul would have both helplessly crumbled down.

[The new Attribute has been added to the Jigwi’s Eon Fire.]

[The new Attribute has been added to the Jigwi’s Eon Fire.]

…

[The level of the Authority ‘Soul Exploitation’ has increased!]

…

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ anxiously hops around, watching you in pain.]

[The Celestial ‘Primordial Evil Dragon’ clicks her tongue, saying the mortal is doing something futile. She warns that it is not a power that you can absorb.]

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ asks her mother in shock about what you are trying to do.]

[The Celestial ‘Primordial Evil Dragon’ refuses to answer her childish daughter’s question because she feels too lazy to do so.]

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ hops around in frustration, asking her mother why she isn’t answering!]

…

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ dumbfoundedly chuckles upon realizing what your plan is.]

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ asks the Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ what in the world you’re planning to do.]

[The Celestial 'World-Encircling Serpent’ snorts, telling the Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ to go ask someone else because he is too lazy to answer her. ]

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ is furious!]

…

[The Celestial ‘Taurus’ is paying close attention to you.]

…

[The Celestial ‘Big Sick Bug’ curses and tells you that what you are trying to do is madness, but he cannot take his eyes off.]

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ bursts into laughter, saying you are indeed his subordinate!]

…

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ bursts into anger, yelling why everyone except her knows what is going on!]

Crack, crack!

A Jigwi was a spiritual being who composed fire and death energies to the fullest, so becoming a Giant was closer to <Evolution> than it was to being modified because he was essentially going to turn into an entirely new being that was one level above him. He was completely disassembled and reassembled, becoming sturdier and more scrupulous.

His [Integrated Magic Circuit], bones, and cells… little by little, everything changed. Chang-Sun’s mind was attacked by Surtr’s violent, impulsive energy every now and then, but thanks to the mental barrier [Kalokagathia] created, they weren’t much of a threat.

Although he was in so much pain while submerged in Surtr’s blood, Chang-Sun slowly felt more comfortable and warm in it until he just felt as if he was in his mother’s arms.

[The ‘Jigwi’s Eon Fire’ has changed to the ‘Giant’s Eon Fire.’]

[The ‘Jigwi’s Eon Wind’ has changed to the ‘Giant’s Eon Wind.’]

…

[Change Progress: 23%…… 24%…… 31%…….]

[You have learned the ‘Giant’ characteristic!]

[You have acquired the ‘Belligerent’ characteristic.]

[You have acquired a Talent for combat.]

…

[Change Progress: 39%... 40%... 41%... 59%…]

The process made him feel as if he was going to ‘burst’ after endlessly ‘expanding,’ becoming someone unfathomably great. It was fortunate that Chang-Sun specifically acquired the [Jigwi Demon Incarnation] and [Reinforced Skeleton] to serve as the foundations for this change.

Chang-Sun could feel his soul growing larger and larger as the world around him kept changing—no, the way he perceived the world changed. There used to be a part of this world that Chang-Sun couldn’t see, hear, or feel, but his senses had now improved so much that he could sense every corner of it.

These changes were happening because Chang-Sun was becoming more of a spiritual being, strengthening his resolve and energy that was becoming part of his soul. Earning the power of the destruction deity Surtr was certainly a significant feat.

[The Synchronization Phenomenon has occurred!]

[You can now detect Surtr’s body little by little.]

As Chang-Sun embraced Surtr’s energy, his area of perception gradually widened, allowing him to realize that he was now deep in Surtr’s body.

Badump! Badump!

Although it was slow, the blood was still flowing, making the walls of veins wiggle as if Surtr was still alive. Using his senses, Chang-Sun swam up the river and went deeper into the cave, where he could sense the hotter, more active, and more powerful source of blood—the gigantic heart that the descendants of <Muspelheim> had desperately tried and failed to reach.

Badump! Badump!

Unless Chang-Sun paid close attention to it, the Giant’s heart just looked like an infinitely large red wall from afar. Every time the heart wiggled, he vividly saw blood undulating, which also affected his mind in the same way. Perhaps because of the Synchronization Phenomenon, Chang-Sun could clearly feel his heart beating at the same rate as the Giant’s heart despite how far away he was from it.

‘Wait… Where is it?’ Chang-Sun wondered.

[The Skill ‘Viper Eyes’ has been activated, searching for the location of your target!]

Using [Viper Eyes] at its maximum output, Chang-Sun quickly scanned the gigantic red wall until he noticed something different in the center of it. The [Viper Eyes] showed it emitted a yellow light.

‘The entrance to the ‘Rhaegaren.’’ Chang-Sun faintly smiled upon finding a door located somewhere in Surtr’s heart.

Chang-Sun focused his mind on it. Luckily, the ‘Rhaegaren’ was a spiritual place made up of divine spiritual factors like Surtr’s corpse, so it would be more than possible to unlock it if he could just reach it with his energy. However…

[You have fallen into the ‘Overloaded’ state.]

‘… Shit, I don’t have enough energy.’ Although he was about to reach the ‘Rhaegaren,’ Chang-Sun clenched his teeth and stopped projecting his energy, having reached his limit.

He had an ominous feeling that if he pushed himself further, his spirit, which was having difficulties reassembling, would be torn apart. Hence, Chang-Sun waited for the <Molting> process to progress a little more instead.

[Your Change Progress has slowed down significantly.]

[Change Progress: 71%.... 72%….]

The modification progress slowed down at some point. Frustrated, Chang-Sun couldn’t help thinking, ‘The speed is way slower than I expected.’

Chang-Sun and Thanatos had put their heads together and meticulously calculated how long the Giantification process would take if Chang-Sun had both the [Reinforced Skeleton] and the [Single Eon Fire]. Depending on the variables, its speed and result could vary, but they had concluded that it wouldn’t be difficult to open the ‘Rhaegaren.’

That was why the results the <Molting> process would produce, which would turn him into a Giant and allow him to open it with ease, would be quite unprecedented. Chang-Sun was going over the limit of a human and being reborn as an entirely new being.

While carrying out the Giantification process, Chang-Sun had an ominous feeling that he could fail the <Molting> at this rate, let alone open the ‘Rhaegaren.' It wasn’t because Chang-Sun and Thanatos’ calculation was wrong, that they hadn’t prepared enough, or there was something wrong with Chang-Sun’s foundation. Rather, it was because Chang-Sun had become way stronger than his and Thanatos’ calculation.

‘We both definitely didn’t expect that I’ll acquire the [Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan],’ Chang-Sun thought.

Subordinates and the Eon Wind were not the only things he had acquired through the [Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan]. Due to a series of events related to those books, he attracted many Celestials’ attention and ended up acquiring <Darkness> as well. Through the incidents, Chang-Sun’s power was currently similar—no, it was higher than a level 70 high-ranker’s, which meant he required more energy for the Giantification. The bigger and thicker the molt was, the harder it was to shed it.

‘Of course, I’ll gain much more after <Molting>...!’ Chang-Sun clenched his teeth.

The problem was that he was making progress too slowly, so he wasn’t sure if he had enough energy to go through the entire process. There was a chance he would become exhausted in the middle of the <Molting>, which would lead to him getting swept away and drowning in the turbulent blood wave.

[HP: 2,451/5,111]

[Mana: 2,975/9,500]

[Warning! Your HP has decreased below 50%, and your Mana has decreased below 30%.]

[Warning! Your HP and Mana are decreasing too fast. You are advised to move out of the area.]

…

[The Modification progress has stopped!]

[Your Molt has started to distort.]

[The Celestial ‘A Good Season to Hunt’ warns you of danger!]

Until a moment ago, Chang-Sun had been feeling warm and comfortable in Surtr’s blood, but it became violent again and shook Chang-Sun, making him heat up.

‘Urgh!’ Chang-Sun groaned.

Using [Kalokagathia], Chang-Sun desperately tried not to lose consciousness. At the same time, he also drew up divinity from his [Stigma] to stabilize himself. However, instead of subsiding, his pain just worsened, making Chang-Sun think he could find himself in real danger unless he found another solution. Hence, shortly after, he quickly came up with one.

‘If I can’t even <Molt> once, then I’ll just…!’ Chang-Sun planned.

He was currently in an Overloaded state because his first shell was too big. If he attempted to change way more than he had planned by also using other methods, he could probably complete the Modification process in two <Molts>, not in one… However, the problem was whether or not he had enough stamina and mana for it. Luckily, he had an advantage.

Kiyoo?

When Chang-Sun lowered his head, his eyes dawned upon Cadmus, who was in his coat pocket. Cadmus tilted its head in confusion.

‘With [Inauspicious Heart], it’s possible.’ Chang-Sun concluded.

To test Chang-Sun, Mephistopheles asked him to complete the [Inauspicious Heart], which could endlessly produce <Darkness>. If he could complete it now, then he would somehow be able to ‘make’ stamina. And maybe… he would achieve something way bigger than he had planned by mixing the Giant and the <Darkness> Attributes.

Failure would certainly lead to just one result—death. However, if he survived, he could instantly complete the ‘body’ that would otherwise require him to go through three Dungeons. It was all or nothing, so Chang-Sun decided to bet on himself.

Badump! Badump!

[The ‘Inauspicious Heart’ has started to beat!]

[‘Surtr’s Heart’ has begun to throb fiercely!]

The harder Chang-Sun’s heart beat, the more Surtr’s heart happily raced as if it was also excited.