Chapter 52 – Aggro Tanking

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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There were much more supplies left in Tyrium than expected.

Considering the fact that a shelter existed until recently, it was a quite bitter case.

Of course, people just rejoiced without deeply considering it but…

The amount of remaining supplies was also a clue to guess the intensity of the attack.

Rightly so, now that the situation was somewhat prolonged, the majority of supplies were concentrated in the cities that perished first.

Because everyone died off before they could even use them.

Moreover, the survivors in Tyrium weren’t exterminated in the early stages of the incident.

It was clear that it was a place where a shelter remained until relatively recently, but before I came, they had all disappeared.

It meant that the attack was carried out that fatally.

“Tell them to close all the water gates.”

Through the authority I possessed, I could know the reason it was carried out fatally. But there were also people who could not move without an explanation.

Hearing my words, Hwen adjusted the belt on her waist where she wore her sword.

“We are already using many people to search the surroundings. Lord Star Creation, of course, I know you have a purpose.”

The authority to rule freshwater told me many things. Especially the ability to grasp where freshwater was, was great.

Thanks to that, I could immediately guess how the demons and monsters relying on water moved.

“It’s the route Blood-Soaked Mud’s minions infiltrated through. They came up against the irrigation canals.”

“…But Star Creation, O Great Godfather of Stars. If what you say is true, even if we lower the water gates made of iron bars, we won’t be able to stop them.”

“It’s necessary to overlay miracles. Naturally, we can’t stop them with just the water gates.”

If push came to shove, we had to use them to lure and defeat them individually.

Only after explaining this necessity did Hwen accept it with difficulty. Of course, she did not readily accept it.

Hwen stroked the bridge of her nose with a gloved hand.

“Sometimes I wonder if the expectations you place on us are too great.”

I smiled playfully at those words.

“Are your expectations of me not great either.”

“That’s… complaining itself is an act akin to blasphemy. Goodness, I don’t know what I was saying in front of you. If the old man finds out, he’ll scold me.”

“Then keep up the good work. I will go do other things.”

“Take care on your way, O Great One!”

Hwen burst into hearty laughter and then answered vigorously.

It seemed fatigue had accumulated without her knowing. I only hoped that the minor conversation we just had would lessen her burden even a little.

The others just did not say it, but it would be much the same.

It would have been really nice if I could have cared for them one by one, but there was no time for that.

Carefully distancing myself from the people, I looked up at the sky and called the star that had the most twins.

“Afterglow Constellation, come to me.”

The Afterglow Constellations were stars that reminded people not to forget their promises. They were also stars I deliberately made into 60 twins to cover as many places as possible.

And in a world where the influence of the Black Sun and his allies was still strong, they were also the only means to spread my will widely.

That did not mean I could just call them recklessly. There were only eight that responded to the sudden call.

The rest were struggling to prevent people from falling for demonic temptations.

Still, it was a relief to get eight.

I conveyed a new request to the stars twinkling in response to my call.

“Originally, I intended to convey this after the Seeding Star finished its mission, but the situation is urgent. If things go as they are, many will be hurt or die in places I cannot reach. Take on the role of telling people about the existence and usage of the Starflower. Thus, help them always gather under the starlight.”

The twin Afterglow Constellations gulped down the memories sent in the shape of light.

Having filled their stomachs, the Afterglow Constellations scattered as they were. I only hoped they would reap even a tiny effect.

For that to happen, I had to draw the Black Sun’s attention over here as much as possible.

Only if I fully took on the Black Sun’s attacks could the people in other shelters survive as well.

Before I knew it, watching the stars gradually setting, I prepared the best I could.

Until an unexpected anomaly occurred, that is.

“It’s the Black Sun! Everyone get ready!”

“Prepare for the attack! They can’t emit light anyway! Put out the braziers and torches!”

The moment the stars set below the horizon.

People ran around busily in preparation for the fierce attack that would soon follow.

Everywhere, the bizarre tension unique to a battlefield right before a fight was heightening.

However, I couldn’t let my guard down for a different reason.

The overwhelming pressure I felt every time the sun rose couldn’t be felt.

On this day, there was no attack.

“What’s going on? It would be normal for a ghoul or two to mess around.”

“The monster bastards must have slowly realized it too. That they’re nothing but a single punch to Lord Star Creation!”

While some people tilted their heads, others interpreted it positively and laughed.

However, the story conveyed by the risen star wasn’t good news.

“They couldn’t make it past last night…”

The place the Black Sun aimed at was another shelter nearby.

The Afterglow Constellation that delivered the news twinkled ceaselessly, saying that the shelter where 70 people stayed disappeared entirely.

Unfortunately, the real problem wasn’t the shelter that was attacked by the Black Sun and annihilated.

The Afterglow Constellations deployed all over were hurriedly gathering in the sky I was watching.

“Wow, Mom! Look at that! The stars gathered for the first time in a while!”

“Indeed. There must be something good happening.”

It was the exact opposite.

The reason the Afterglow Constellations gathered was to deliver sad news.

…Thanks to the Afterglow Constellations, I could know what had happened.

[I must gather them before Star Creation gathers them. Persuade them with life as bait, and if they don’t respond, kill them once to bring them!]

[Demons are aiming for your souls and bodies. If you want to be of help to the god who makes stars, it is right to stop the meaningless resistance that will only empower the enemy and offer up your lives.]

What was contained in the afterglow was not only visual information.

The emotions people felt were converted into sounds and colors, playing in my head like a video.

Attack.

Those attacking the shelters were Blood-Soaked Mud and a pure white shape wearing only half a set of armor.

Guys with goals different from the Black Sun were attacking people.

A world dyed black by the sun was dark.

That was the reason why the gods originating from light could not use their powers properly. The influence of the gods was severely limited in the Dark Light emitted by the Black Sun.

The Wi-Fi range was so narrow that it was no different from not working unless you stuck right to it.

Using the internet on such an unstable network environment was similar to frantically pressing refresh day in and day out.

However, there were moments when I had to force myself to do it even with such a connection.

I did just that.

Since I knew they were being attacked, I couldn’t stay still.

I called Bartol and Ceciel, who had an understanding of gods, to the ruins of the watchtower.

“I plan to prioritize distributing divine power to the shelters with priests soon.”

Naturally, questions mixed with pushback returned.

Bartol let it be, but Ceciel couldn’t hide her astonishment.

“Lord Star Creation, even if the sun hasn’t risen, it’s just as dark! We can’t know if the divine power will be properly delivered! Hey, old priest, you say something too! …yo.”

She picked Bartol as the person to support her words, but it was a bad move.

Bartol was already a living witness who witnessed the miracles I brought about in Santiom. If I were to rank faith towards me, he would proudly take first place.

Bartol, rather than obeying the angel, instead attempted persuasion.

“The power the Godfather of Stars possesses is to the extent of being counted on one hand within the pantheon. Comparing his limits to previous common sense would probably be a view that is too outdated.”

“Y-you.”

Ceciel alternated her gaze between me and Bartol, then bit her lower lip as if resentful.

It seemed she felt bitter about being robbed of the words she should have accomplished coolly.

“And, even if it is temporarily, I will use all my power to give the shelters in each region the power to defend themselves. You stay by my side and prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.”

“Unforeseen circumstances, you say…”

“It’s just a figure of speech, a figure of speech.”

Even Bartol was slightly anxious at these words.

However, it couldn’t be helped. I had to turn the Black Sun’s attention back here so other places could easily survive.

I quietly closed my eyes, making the stars inside my flesh orbit.

Then the Afterglow Constellations shared the field of vision they saw.

These tiny twin stars vividly displayed the cruel attacks perpetrated in the shelters without a single filter.

=Move, make them thirst for life!=

The demon that looked like a lugworm mixed with this and that was the first to enter my sight.

It was the demon I saw in the precognitive dream. Seeing how it replaced Aiming Bone Fragment, it must have been promoted to an adjutant.

However, the problem wasn’t just this guy acting up.

=Move faster than the other guys! We will prepare the feast of life to offer to our Lord!.=

=We came to save you from the fickle sun. Now, let us advance to true life.=

=Do you think believing in a god who makes stars now will save you!=

The difference in combat power was clear.

Left alone like this, they would all be dragged away alive or become corpses and be dragged away.

Even though a surviving god was also attacking shelters… right now, it was right to drive out the demons first.

Selecting priests one by one to bestow divine power upon would cause me to miss the opportune moment.

It was time to act boldly.

I opened my eyes and looked up at the sky again.

“An envy for the sky and light, I draw it with a longing for jumping stars.”

Every time I recited a syllable, the operation of the celestial bodies warped.

The natural semicircular curves the stars had drawn began to turn into zigzags at some point.

“I connected star to star to achieve it.”

The sight of the named stars arranging themselves bizarrely to form a shape caused those watching to let out gasps of admiration.

“O-oooh… oooh!”

“C-constellations? You didn’t just make stars?”

Bartol, who had seen it once before, fell to his knees and cheered.

On the other hand, Ceciel was flustered, having thought my divine name was limited to making stars.

Of course, it wasn’t just these two who were surprised.

All those settled in Tyrium were bursting into cheers as they looked at the sky where stars were moving busily.

The reaction of Ryugen and the soldiers in particular was intense.

“That, that shape.”

“…No matter how I look at it, isn’t that a familiar crest?”

What was being drawn in the night sky was the shape of a shield with a lion drawn on it.

Of course, that was my intention.

Since Meunt fell as a demon, it was natural to punish him. But others were not.

It was enough for Meunt alone to bear the dishonor.

Because the other soldiers of the Lion Shield Legion tried hard enough.

<>

To comfort the soldiers who survived and were with me, I decided on the Lion Shield Constellation.

[“Lion Shield Constellation, grant the power to live to those who wish to live.”]

When demons and monsters were assured of their superiority, they liked to play with the living.

The lugworm demon, Coiling Tongue, was the same.

=You are afraid. Trapped in a trivial body.=

Every time the mouth positioned vertically on its abdomen nibbled, long tongue-tentacles squirmed.

It was natural for the living to be afraid of a clearly heterogeneous appearance.

Unlike his vigorous appearance, a man with a bushy beard stomped his feet and wailed like a child.

Since his back had already touched the wall, there was nowhere to run.

“D-don’t come. Don’t come!”

=If you want to live, scheme. Do not be swallowed by fear, but hold onto your reason amidst fear. If you do not… you shall be eaten.=

“D-don… don’t come… please….”

=Heuheuheuheuheu.=

Playing with prey terrified by fear was a hunting instinct.

It was when Coiling Tongue continued to move its slimy body, rationalizing itself.

Eventually, the moment the man, broken down by fear, tried to kick with all his might.

[Lion Shield Constellation, grant the power to live to those who wish to live.]

=What?=

At the voice that suddenly came, the demon froze coldly.

The reason it ignored the man’s kick was because of the experience that it wouldn’t be a threat anyway.

This became a fatal mistake.

“I said don’t come!!!!”

Kung.

It was a hide that could not easily be cut even by a master sword forged by a legendary blacksmith.

A flexible body that was elastic and highly durable, so that not a single bone would be hurt even if beaten with a lump of iron, was the demon’s pride.

No one would have thought that pride would be crushed by the heel of a nobody man’s shoe.

Udeudeudeudeudeuk.

The muscle that bunched up to withstand the shock was entirely twisted.

The blood vessels and internal organs crushed beneath it couldn’t be intact. The pain pierced its brain before it even flowed through its nervous system.

Ujikkeun-!

It was thrown down as it was, even smashing the stone debris.

The man himself, not knowing what happened, merely alternated his gaze between his foot and the demon.

“…Huh?”

Coiling Tongue trembled with shivering hands as it stroked its battered body.

=It was clearly, clearly a human who was nothing.=

The intact emotion it tasted for the first time after willingly discarding human flesh.

It was fear.

Just one hit. It just took a clumsy kick, but it was feeling the fear of death.

It wasn’t because that man was special.

The power that made that man special, the one who bestowed that power.

‘…The influence of Star Creation is getting stronger.’

It was because the shadow of Star Creation could be felt from a human who was nothing.