Why Did I Have to Enroll

Why Did I Have to Enroll - Chapter 176

Lesson 35. The Final Changeling - 1

―How dare a human disrupt the rules set by the Constellation? ―Acting all high and mighty, but you can’t even rule outside the forest. Serves you right. ―I don’t know who you are, but do you dare look down on the ruler of the forest while trapped in such a lowly weapon?

While the relationship between Ban Yu-won and Luciel seemed to be changing, it was essentially stagnant. Meanwhile, Celon was blocking all sorts of curses and attacks from the ruler of the forest on Ban Yu-won’s behalf.

The forest ruler couldn’t just stand by when Ban Yu-won tried to forcibly take away his chosen mate right before his eyes. However, as Celon pointed out earlier, the Constellation’s descent had a fatal restriction, and weakened curses or physical attacks couldn’t penetrate Celon’s shield unless her Magic Power was completely oxidized.

―How long are you going to flirt? I’m reaching my limit here. “Don’t worry, it’s over now.”

Ban Yu-won wished he could sit Luciel down and change her mind with a tearful recount of Earth’s tragic history of slavery and liberation movements, but he couldn’t do that with an enemy in front of him. Moreover, Ban Yu-won’s circumstances had changed due to altering Luciel’s internal concept.

With a confident expression, Ban Yu-won turned toward the massive Constellation’s descent.

[You have achieved the feat of interfering with and altering another’s internal concept. Your power advances. You understand how to break down the boundary between self and others. You contact the Origin of Magic Power.]

[The Mysterious Qi within you contacts the primordial essence and transforms. The concept is replaced with the energy of all things’ Origin, Origin Qi. The depth of Origin Qi has reached 600.]

[All concepts of your Body have been transformed. You have obtained the concept of Origin Body, crafted with the energy of Origin and embodying it. The depth of Origin Body has reached 700.]

It was a moment of great emotion. Ban Yu-won had believed that the Mysterious Body Technique would grow during this special activity, or at least while facing the monster before him. But he never imagined it would be completed by breaking down the boundary between self and others and evolving Luciel’s internal concept.

Upon reflection, it was only natural. Ban Yu-won had been fighting by perceiving, controlling, and adapting internal concepts to match external ones using the Mysterious Body Technique and the Origin Blade. Now that he could perfectly control himself and alter external concepts, the only thing left was to change the internal concept of his opponent, the other.

“Master? Your energy suddenly…”

Luciel, who had been clinging to Ban Yu-won, flinched and stepped back a bit. She, too, had broken through her limits and realized how significant the step Ban Yu-won had just taken was and how incredible his gain was.

“Do you think I can take on Dokgo Yeon now?” “Yes, you might even uncover a couple of her hidden trump cards.”

The conversation was slightly deflating, but catching up to Dokgo Yeon, who had surpassed the average graduate level at the time of admission, in just half a year was a tremendous achievement. Moreover, having mastered his own unique martial art, his progress would only accelerate from now on. Ban Yu-won reaffirmed his resolve to surpass Dokgo Yeon before graduation, or at least by the end of his second year, and picked up the Executioner’s Longsword.

“I don’t need to wait for Lilith to recharge anymore.”

―I’ve seen plenty of fools who died from overconfidence.

“Help me, Celon.”

―You should have said so sooner.

―Hooowaaaaah.

A denser fog enveloped the area.

Realizing Ban Yu-won’s formidable momentum, the Constellation also prepared for a final showdown.

―Unforgivable. I’ll kill you and reclaim my bride.

“Master, I’ll charge first.”

“Can you withstand its energy?”

“Of course.”

Luciel scoffed, leaning forward and activating her Wildness Core to the maximum. All the Wildness she had accumulated flared up in an instant, exponentially increasing her abilities. Permanently, yes, but at this moment, she was strengthened to the point where she could confidently claim to be the strongest here!

Luciel’s body swelled rapidly, transforming into a massive wolf. However, nine long, luxurious tails sprouted, each with a sphere of lightning discharging at its tip.

―How is this possible? A perfect bloom! A hybrid inheriting a myth…!

“Rrrrr… Kuaaaaang!”

By the time Ban Yu-won realized Luciel had leaped, she was already at the Constellation’s lizard-like head. One of the lightning spheres at her tail tips exploded, flowing through her body and concentrating on her forepaw, which had sprouted sharp claws.

―You! Can’t you recognize your master?

The Constellation’s descent had many restrictions, but when attacked, it could unleash powerful strength as long as its physical form allowed. Despite the incredibly brief attack, it managed to concentrate the poison mist that had spread everywhere into a single point to block Luciel’s attack…!

―Slice!

Luciel’s lightning claws pierced through even that, leaving a deep wound on its head.

―Kyaaaaaaaah!

Unable to endure the excruciating pain, the Constellation stomped the ground with its massive legs, letting out a scream. Ban Yu-won seized the moment to target the exposed pale abdomen of the creature. Before the Mysterious Body Technique evolved, he couldn’t accurately identify weaknesses with the Origin Blade, but now he could vividly pinpoint them.

The problem was that it would be difficult to attack its belly and escape unscathed amidst its rampage… unless…

‘Oh, right, there’s that.’

With his mind made up, Ban Yu-won charged after Luciel. While she clung to its head, burning away the poison mist with lightning, Ban Yu-won swung the Executioner’s Longsword at its wildly thrashing foreleg!

―Is that all you’ve got?

The golden aura completed with the Origin Blade was imbued with a single concept, Slash, and its size was extended. Added to it was Celon’s starlight. The aura, now sparkling like a galaxy with the addition of stars to the gold, was as beautiful as a hero’s sword from a story.

“Haaaaaap!”

The combination of Flowing Origin Art and the Origin Blade allowed Ban Yu-won to read the movements of the massive pillar-like foreleg, which was shaking violently. And at the moment when the most strength left its leg, Ban Yu-won leaped and thrust his sword without hesitation, piercing through the thick, tough hide!

―You worm of a human! ―It’s weakened. The poison mist is thinning!

Even with an aura extended over 5 meters, the creature’s leg was too thick to cut through satisfactorily, but cutting wasn’t the goal. Ban Yu-won’s aim was to confirm the density of the poison mist, which served as both attack and defense, and to create a larger opening in the creature’s defenses.

―How dare you! How dare you defy me! After all the effort I put into you!

“Rrrrrrrrr!”

Luciel, facing the Constellation’s nonsensical rant, let out a fierce growl and unleashed a barrage of lightning, as if releasing all her pent-up stress. At this moment, Ban Yu-won was the supporting role, and Luciel was the star. The more her Wildness Core blazed within her, the more power her attacks carried, and the lightning flowers that bloomed from her artifact, imbued with Magic Power and Anger, exploded brilliantly!

―The moment when its defense weakens… soon… now!

“Huuuuuuup!” “Kyaaaaaaang!”

The Constellation’s unique energy, which had enveloped the massive creature over 100 meters tall, concentrated entirely on its face to withstand Luciel’s increasingly fierce onslaught. Now, Ban Yu-won could strip away the creature’s carapace with his attack, and if he truly focused, he could even sever its leg. But Ban Yu-won didn’t do that. Instead, he plunged the Executioner’s Longsword, filled with all his Origin Qi and the concept of Celon’s starlight, into the ground with all his might and shouted.

“My drill is―!” ―Thud!

His will and fierce energy, which had been moving underground since the battle began, flowed into an artifact that had been waiting for the right moment. The next instant, it accepted its master’s will, rapidly expanding in size and becoming a massive, spinning drill that erupted from the ground―.

“To pierce the heavens!” ―Boom!

It pierced deep into the Constellation’s exposed belly!

―Cough, ugh…

The Constellation, the ruler of the forest, groaned in agony from the terrible impact that followed its success in repelling Luciel. It knew Ban Yu-won was pestering its leg from below. Perhaps it had discovered its weakness, so even in pain, it tried not to expose its belly. But who would have thought that the attack would come directly from the ground? And during the brief moment when it had drawn all its protective energy to face Luciel…

―You, you, could it be…

The Constellation, coughing up blood, asked Ban Yu-won.

―Did you plan this from the start…

“Of course! I, Ban Yu-won, calculated everything from beginning to end!”

In truth, it was only thanks to the evolution of the Mysterious Body Technique that he managed to cross the boundary and analyze the creature’s internal concept to exploit its weakness. But since it was an annoying creature, Ban Yu-won decided to taunt it as much as possible while he could.

―No, if the descent is undone like this… ―Wheeeeeee!

As the Constellation tried to pull one last trick while spouting nonsense, the giant drill still embedded in its belly began to spin again, burrowing deep into its body.

―Guhuhuh…

And naturally, that was the end. Satisfied that he had fulfilled a man’s dream of delivering a famous line and situation, Ban Yu-won retrieved the drill. Now an artifact, it quickly shrank and flew into his palm at his command.

“How about now, Lilith? Have you changed your mind?” [Uh, um… I’m not sure. Maybe you should ask the drill later?] “Yeah, good idea. Anyway.”

With a loud crash, the body of the Constellation’s descent lay on the ground. Ban Yu-won mercilessly extracted its concepts and turned away. He had resolved Luciel’s issues, but he knew there were still problems on this planet.

“Now, let’s go deal with the remaining criminals.”