The Player Who Became a Constellation

‘The quality is poor.’

This area is within the domain of the Shaman, where the temple lies.

For someone to wear armor, a helmet resembling that of the demon feared by the Nord tribe, and even a cloak, here? Does he want to make an enemy of the Shaman? Or perhaps…

‘Is this an attempt to instill fear in the Nord tribe?’

Histon felt the hairs on his body stand on end. Just facing him was enough to feel an overwhelming sense of pressure. Indeed, with such an appearance, it might be effective against the Nord tribe.

“You—”

“Who are you?”

At the demon Loki’s question, Histon felt his heart race. Just hearing the voice intensified the pressure and anxiety he felt.

‘Did he imbue his voice with magic?’

“I am… Histon Partas, chieftain of the Partas tribe. I’ve spoken my name—now speak yours!”

“I am… Loki.”

“…”

Histon smirked. The demon worshipped by the Shaman had no name. By giving his name, Loki had just proven he wasn’t the demon feared by the Nord tribe.

“Loki, you…”

Histon gripped the reins tightly and glared at Loki.

“Did you do this to my men?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“They attacked me.”

“Is that all?”

“They were going to kill me, and they tried to. Isn’t that enough?”

Loki shrugged lightly, nonchalantly. Seeing that, Histon felt a sense of calm.

‘Did the undead kill them?’

He remembered the undead that had been chasing him through the forest. Each one of them was a powerful being—strong enough that he doubted whether he could face them.

‘These were definitely not low-level undead.’

Each one was likely at least a Death Knight level. If so, the being before him was a far more powerful black mage than he had anticipated.

‘Calm…’

Histon raised his hand.

‘But that calmness must be a façade.’

A dark mage standing alone before his enemies without his undead? It was an absurd level of arrogance! And that arrogance would bring him his downfall.

‘I’ll strike!’

Histon flicked his fingers to signal his men, and his subordinates rushed forward.

“Right, that’s enough. But for killing my men…”

Histon gripped his spear tightly.

“You’ll pay the price!”

The opponent harbored hostility. Loki, realizing this, tilted his head and spoke.

“I want to talk.”

“Talk to my men who’ve gone to the afterlife!”

At the same time, the Partas cavalry charged at Loki from both sides. They quickly formed a circle, with Histon at the center charging forward.

Histon gripped his spear. Loki spread his hands to either side. The cavalrymen who had scattered on either side were crushed by the outstretched hands of Loki.

Thud—!

“…!”

Reaching out into the air and grabbing hold, the cavalrymen on either side were compressed as if the air itself had collapsed, and with a loud bang, they exploded.

Blood splattered everywhere.

‘M-Magic?!’

But the opponent had killed them without even chanting a spell—just by merely grasping the air with his hand. It was an eerie and ominous power.

Indeed, he could be pretending to be a demon. However, using magic meant he would need time before casting another spell!

“OOOHHHH—!”

Histon gripped his spear and charged forward. Once a mage uses magic, they would be defenseless for at least a few minutes. That’s what made mages dangerous, but also vulnerable in battle.

Without someone to protect them, they could easily die. Histon shouted as he moved.

But contrary to his expectations, Loki swung his hand through the air, and Histon, feeling a chill down his spine, turned his body sideways.

Wham—!

As the air cracked, Histon twisted his body. But his reaction was too slow. The black space that appeared from the split in the air swallowed his hand, which still gripped the spear, and it vanished.

“…Huh?”

When Histon turned his head to look at his right hand, pain surged from the spot where his arm had been, and blood spurted out.

“…!”

Histon forgot to scream. He had been through countless battlefields and raided numerous tribes.

He had faced death many times, and each time, he had survived. His own motto had always been: if you turn your back, you die. He gritted his teeth.

“You bastard—!”

With every ounce of strength, he charged at Loki. He would somehow close the gap with the mage! And he would destroy him with his “divine artifact!”

“…Oh? You still won’t retreat?”

As Loki looked surprised, Histon urged his steed forward, leaping into the air. He inhaled deeply. The opponent was a mage.

Not just any mage, but one who didn’t require a spell chant and could continuously use bizarre and demonic powers. But Histon had a trump card of his own.A power only those chosen by the world could possess.

[Divine Artifact].

It was a destructive ability known only to the bloodline of the great constellations of the Briton continent. This ability was diverse, powerful, and a blessed power. Among them, Histon’s divine artifact was—

“Die!”

It was a breath attack similar to a dragon’s breath. Histon opened his mouth and unleashed [Roar].

The compressed air expelled from his mouth. A breath-like blade shot forth.

Boom, boom, boom—!!

With a massive explosion, a blizzard whipped around the area. The ground cracked open, and the startled birds, who had been hiding their presence, flew up into the sky.

“Kraaaak—!”

Histon coughed up blood. Every time he breathed, it felt as though his lungs were about to burst. His mouth felt shredded as if it had been cut by something sharp.

‘Damn it—!’

He had never used his divine artifact unless absolutely necessary. It was because it placed a great strain on his body.

But the opponent had effortlessly wiped away his right hand with a single gesture. Against such a monster, if he showed even the slightest opening, he would be the one to die.

“My right hand… Grrr—!”

Histon looked at the black dust and shouted.

“You bastard! You’ll regret this! My men and my right arm in hell will be cursing you, you son of a—!”

Despite his shouting, Histon panted as he struggled to rise.

“…Interesting.”

Histon froze, surprised, and turned his head. From the black dust, a shadow emerged. It was the glowing red eyes that could be seen within it.

“Is it a skill? No, this isn’t a game. This magic… or some other power, I suppose.”

With a wave of his hand, the dust that had exploded earlier disappeared as if blown away by the force of his wind.

The entire figure was engulfed in black flames, but despite being ablaze, it seemed to suffer no damage, walking leisurely as if nothing had happened, with the sound of iron armor clinking, resembling the descent of a king of hell.

“What power is this?”

The demon looked down at Histon.

‘…What is this?’

Histon showed a look of shock. His [Roar] compressed the air itself.

The force was powerful enough to bend even a steel gate, and it could obliterate a hundred soldiers in a tightly packed formation.

And yet, this being had taken the full force of the attack head-on and casually brushed off the dust on his clothes as if nothing had happened.

“Seems like talking is difficult. If it’s a PVP you want, I’ll oblige.”

Loki stood tall before Histon. Looking up at him, Histon realized how much taller the demon was—tall enough that he had to look up for quite a while.

“Ha… Ha… Hahaha. Hahahaha!!”

Histon laughed manically as he looked at Loki. His body trembled uncontrollably. The fear that welled up from deep within his chest made his heart race violently.

He was entranced by the being in front of him.

Impersonation? No. This was real! The demon from the temple, the Sin Constellation! It was indeed a demon!

Look at the imposing presence! Even after enduring his full-strength attack, the demon stood there, unaffected, as if nothing had happened!

The stories he had heard since childhood, about how the elders feared the shamans, and how the shamans themselves feared and revered this demon—he now understood what kind of being it truly was.

The Sin Constellation judges the Nordians.

The thought of those words made Histon’s laughter abruptly stop.

And that being will bring endless pain and judgment!

Fear surged through him. The demon had come to judge him.  There was no other way to think about it. Histon staggered backward, but Loki simply stroked his chin and stepped forward.

“You wouldn’t be so shameless as to run away after challenging me, would you?”

Loki took another step forward, and Histon took a step back.

“You attacked me just moments ago.”

Loki’s crimson eyes burned like flames.

“Now you wish to flee?”

“Hiiiii—!”

Histon immediately turned to run. At that moment, he lost his balance and collapsed.

Looking behind, Histon saw his own foot, now severed and lying on the ground. His foot had exploded, along with the twisted space around it.

Heavy pain seeped in, and an icy chill from the cold earth spread through his body.

“Aaaahhh!!”

His scream echoed through the air. Everyone around, including his remaining subordinates and the Ragnar tribe, froze in place. All stared at Loki in fear.

“You’d better answer when I ask something.”

Loki extended his hand into the air, opened it, and clenched it tightly.

Boom—!

Crack—!

Histon’s other foot exploded into pieces.

“I don’t have much patience.”

Histon’s eyes began to spin.

“Uhhhhh… Uhh…”

His face was now covered in tears and snot, and blood poured from his mouth, where his gums were swollen and his teeth shattered.

Loki frowned at the sight.

He wasn’t in his right mind. Had he gone mad?

It seemed impossible to have a conversation with him now.

Loki looked at Histon with a pitying gaze. To outsiders, it would seem as if he were looking at a poor insect with its legs torn off.

Just as Loki was about to stretch out his hand to relieve Histon’s suffering…

“Wait…!”

Someone boldly stepped in front of Loki. It was a middle-aged man with blonde hair and blue eyes.

His appearance was strange, as though he had gone through a great ordeal.

His hair was completely gone, his nose was sunken, and his face was swollen as if he had just been beaten.

He clenched his teeth and trembled in fear. He reached toward Histon, but when he looked at Loki, he froze in place. Loki’s eyes lit up as he saw the man for the first time.

All the Nordians he had seen so far had green hair and green eyes, at most a faint blue tint. But this man was completely different, and Loki felt a rare curiosity about him.

“…Did you come to take this man?”

The young man flinched and took a step back but seemed to hesitate as if considering running away.

“Y-Yes.”

Loki tilted his head.

“Is he precious to you?”

“…Ah, no.”

“Then…?”

“He… he’s someone I owe a debt to.”

The young man trembled as he spoke.

“A debt?”

“At this rate, he won’t survive. Please… please lead me to him.”

Loki glanced around. There were already too many bodies littering the area. Killing more at this point was meaningless.

“…Take him. And don’t look back.”

“Are you sparing him?”

“As long as no flies come near, there’s no need to kill him.”

The young man dragged Histon’s body over to a horse and mounted it. He then bowed his head to Loki.

“Thank… you. I’ll repay this debt someday.”

“……”

The young man rode away. Loki looked at his hand. Just moments ago, he had been ready to crush Histon’s head. And without hesitation, he had made that decision. His humanity was gone.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter.’

It wasn’t something he needed to worry about.

“Kankun.”

At Loki’s call, Kankun flinched. It was the first time Loki had ever called his name!

“Yes, yes! What is it?”

Kankun’s voice brightened. He was the one who had saved him twice. Kankun now realized that Loki was not an enemy. He looked at Loki, waiting for his next words.

“Tell me about that ‘divine artifact’ of yours.”

Loki’s interest in this world had been piqued.

“Teach me about it.”