Why Did I Have to Enroll

Why Did I Have to Enroll - Chapter 127

Lesson 26. Pushing Away When Getting Closer - 2

The ultimate weapon isn’t something you use lightly. It’s for when there’s no other way to solve the problem, an all-or-nothing gamble. As it’s usually a last resort, the ultimate weapon has certain characteristics. One unbreakable rule in any game is that you can’t gain experience from enemies defeated with it!

‘That’s why I didn’t want to use it, but with things like this, I have no choice.’

―You’re really something…

The ultimate weapon created by Ban Yu-won, “Shoot to the Constellation’s Side,” adhered strictly to this rule. It teleported everything it touched, leaving no chance to recover concepts, and it didn’t kill. It merely removed the opponent from sight, with the added bonus of mocking the Constellation that dared to interfere with their exploration!

―Shooong

“Great, it’s working perfectly.”

Ban Yu-won nodded in satisfaction as he watched the jewel bracelet swiftly cut through the air, erasing all monsters in its path. The bracelet, glowing blue and moving at high speed, appeared to the naked eye as nothing more than a beam of light crossing the ground. According to his powers, the bracelet’s name was “Yergel’s Summoning Bracelet.” Though its true name might be different, the Constellation was known to humans as Yergel.

‘They started it. They’re already prepared to have their faces and knees smashed.’

―Well, if you’re ready, I have nothing more to say. Still, isn’t it too easy for you to control it, even with the manipulation?

‘I have the concept of Space Control, remember?’

Originally, Space Control was a power granted by the Constellation supporting Exodus to intruders of the Tower. After Ban Yu-won acquired it, it hadn’t shown much prowess. However, after absorbing a massive amount of Void Pressure while facing the World Giant in the Tower he entered alone, the depth of the concept increased rapidly. This not only solidified his understanding of space-related fields but also made it easier to control and move objects as he was doing now!

―Is that really all? It’s strange; it’s as if you’re moving the Storm Sword naturally…

‘Huh, you’re sharp…’

“Master――!”

Just before a massive horde of once-human monsters joined the fray, a blue beam pierced through them, causing them to vanish without a trace. Luciel, concluding that only Ban Yu-won could do such a thing, looked up to find him. Ban Yu-won waved at her and shouted.

“Luciel! You can fall back now!”

“I’ll hold on a bit longer!”

Luciel, who had been panting and gasping for breath just moments ago, brightened up and moved energetically upon seeing Ban Yu-won. Was it just his imagination, or did it seem like her already towering 4-meter frame was growing even larger in real-time?

‘Is the Giant concept growing in real-time?’

Seeing that Ban Yu-won couldn’t contain the Giant concept, it was clear that Giants were more compatible with beastfolk, who possessed Wildness, than ordinary humans. After acquiring the Giant concept, Luciel’s partial transformation became possible, and now she was almost fully activated, clinging closely to Wildness.

‘Perhaps the Giant concept might transform within Luciel.’

Just as Ban Yu-won’s Magic Power and Body had changed, the [Giant] might also evolve into a completely different concept through interaction with various concepts within Luciel. Anyway, the compatibility seemed to be at its peak, so he hoped to face Giants again and steal their concepts.

“What the hell, that armor…!”

“Have all the other cities fallen already?”

“No, but they’re disappearing before they even reach the city. Damn, I have no idea what’s going on!”

Meanwhile, the soldiers were thrown into confusion by the appearance of the blue beam following the additional wave. Ban Yu-won, however, had no intention of listening to their cries or the stories related to the neighboring city. He simply moved the bracelet faster to erase the wave advancing toward the city.

―The Constellation [Breath of Life] begins to be wary of you as you handle the Constellation too easily.

―The Constellation [Clock of the Toy Legion] is pleased with your reckless and daring attempt yielding highly effective results.

Why don’t they realize it’s already too late to be cautious?

Ban Yu-won hummed a tune as he continued his work. The jewel bracelet, without losing power, roamed the battlefield, sending everything it touched beyond space to where Yergel awaited.

―Shooong…

In just a few minutes, the western gate fell silent. Outside the gate, only Luciel remained alive and moving.

“Luciel, it’s safe here now. Let’s move to another place.”

“Yes!”

The second wave, consisting of reinforcements from the neighboring city and a monster army, wasn’t only targeting the western gate. According to Tike’s observations, waves were also approaching the southern gate, where Ban Yu-won had initially dealt with the Carapace Beast, and of course, the eastern gate. As for the north… Dokgo Yeon and Mount Golem were still locked in a mythical battle. He had told her to signal if things got tough, and she hadn’t even used the Breath of Life candy he gave her, so he thought she would be fine…

“The eastern gate is the problem. Luciel, can you go ahead?”

“Yes, I’ll be waiting. Please hurry?”

Luciel smiled brightly and dashed towards the eastern gate. Her condition remained stable until the moment they parted, suggesting that her poor state at the western gate was more due to being separated from Ban Yu-won for too long than the fatigue of continuous battle. Her insistence on him coming quickly was all because of that.

‘It’s great that her mental state is stable, but it’s a bit troubling that she struggles whenever she’s away from me during battles.’

―You’ve been hooked. That sly one pretends to give you everything but actually takes it all.

‘Strange, I feel like there’s another person, no, a fairy like that around me…’

Yet, it wasn’t unpleasant, which was perplexing. Yes, this must be what being hooked means, Ban Yu-won realized.

“We can’t hold them off any longer; we’re all going to die here—The Archmage is back!”

“The Archmage has returned!”

“The Archmage!”

By the time he had such thoughts, he had reached the southern gate. Here, the soldiers were holding up well, possibly because Ban Yu-won had cleared it once before, resulting in fewer monsters in the wave. He used “Shoot to the Constellation’s Side” here as well, sweeping away all the monsters.

“As expected of the Archmage!”

“This magic is even more amazing than before!”

“I told you, the Archmage would save our city!”

“Archmage! Archmage!”

“Archmage! Archmage!”

The soldiers’ reactions were overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Anyone would think Ban Yu-won was not a mercenary but a rock vocalist roaming the universe with a guitar.

“The reaction here is a bit strange.”

―Depending on how you are perceived by the residents of the Tower, you might achieve special feats. So you’re doing well. Whether that perception is right or wrong is secondary.

“Oh, you mean achievements.”

Ban Yu-won nodded, recalling how the concept of ‘Honor’ within him had grown significantly the day after he challenged the Tower alone. The achievements mentioned by the Tower were likely related to this Honor. As for what power this concept of Honor held… even his powers couldn’t analyze it clearly.

‘A rank established by being acknowledged by many beings and the world. Rank… could it be a concept that grows my existence’s rank, like a Soul?’

In any case, it’s not a bad thing, and if he can gain achievements by helping and saving NPCs, he’s even more motivated. Ban Yu-won coolly left the scene after teleporting all the monsters, leaving no trace of the wave.

―Grrroooar!

―Kiheee!

The eastern gate was a sight to behold. If there were a zombie apocalypse, it would look much like this, with monsters filling the hill, ready to fill the moat and climb the walls!

“Ban, you’re too late!”

“Yu-won―!”

Despite the chaos, Light, Luciel, and Eve managed to hold the last line of defense, but they were reaching their limits. As soon as they confirmed his arrival, they shouted with relief and exhaustion mixed in their voices. Ban Yu-won, seeing the dire situation at the eastern gate, wondered if there was some sort of telepathy among monsters during a wave. Otherwise, there was no way the difference between this area and others could be so stark.

“Stop admiring and help!”

“Alright, everyone fall back!”

“Sssit!”

As the battered members of Rebellion quickly retreated, a barrage of magical bullets rained down from the sky, halting the monsters’ advance. Tike had fired a timely suppressive shot. By the time the monsters resumed their charge, a blue beam had already pierced through their ranks.

―Shooong

Watching the beam erase everything it touched, it was like the satisfaction of wiping a densely written notebook clean with an eraser.

―How many have you sent away?

“Do you remember every loaf of bread you’ve ever eaten?”

―You answered as if you were waiting for that question.

“Master, you weren’t late after all!”

Luciel, who had leaped onto the wall in one swift motion, naturally joined the conversation. Having deactivated all concepts and returned to her human form, she was calm, a stark contrast to the giant beast rampaging on the battlefield moments ago.

“Even seeing it again, it’s truly divine. To handle a Constellation like a toy, as expected of Master…”

“Yaaah…!”

Just as Luciel, her emotions heightened by the continuous battles, blushed and closed the distance between them, Light interjected at the perfect moment.

“Don’t just talk between yourselves; let me join in…!”

“Oh, right. Good job, Light. It’s almost over.”

Grateful for Light’s timely interruption, Ban Yu-won patted him and turned his gaze to the battlefield. But then.

“――Huh?”

The monsters were being sucked into the jewel bracelet. Ban Yu-won hadn’t granted it such overwhelming functionality.

―Ah, as expected.

Celon sighed as if she had foreseen this. She seemed to be enjoying it a bit.

―I told you, underestimating the Constellation would cost you dearly.

“You’re thrilled that your prediction came true, aren’t you?”

The jewel bracelet had completely slipped from Ban Yu-won’s control, stopping in place and absorbing all the monsters in the area, emitting an increasingly brilliant blue light.

“Does this mean the Constellation is intervening, abandoning its hold on the Tower?”

―Yes. After provoking it this much, it’s only natural.

“I was actually waiting for this.”

Ban Yu-won smirked and drew the Executioner’s Longsword.

“If I defeat this, it’ll be a perfect blow to the Constellation… to Cantone.”

―Are you confident?

“If it doesn’t work, I’ll rely on Dokgo Yeon.”

Ban Yu-won was brutally honest. Of course, Dokgo Yeon was still struggling with Mount Golem in the north…

“It’s coming.”

Luciel whispered. As soon as the bracelet absorbed all the monsters from the wave, leaving the battlefield in complete silence…

―Wooooong

With the bracelet floating in the air as its heart, something enormous and terrifying was about to be born―.

―KABOOM!

―But it couldn’t, as the bracelet exploded violently, collapsing in a pitiful heap.

―Huh?

Celon sounded bewildered.

―What?

“Phew, it worked.”

Ban Yu-won sighed in relief, confirming that his plan had succeeded. But Celon still seemed unconvinced.

―What do you mean?

“You mentioned earlier that I controlled the bracelet as naturally as handling the Storm Sword. That’s because I had planted a Soul Flame in it.”

―Ah…

Celon made a dumbfounded noise. This made her previous warning about underestimating the Constellation seem foolish!

Ban Yu-won could control the bracelet like the Storm Sword and detonate it at the perfect moment because he had pre-imbued it with a Soul Flame!

“Celon, there’s one more common trait all ultimate weapons share.”

Ban Yu-won said with a satisfied smile as he observed the massive amount of concept―golden strings―rising from the remains of the enormous, magnificent thing that self-destructed before it could even be born.

“That’s to self-destruct after completing their mission, ensuring they can’t be captured and used by the enemy.”