Chapter 159: To Paradise (2)
“Heavenly Demon?”
“That's what they call it,” Cheon Sang-Gil muttered, narrowing his eyes. “I haven't been able to gather much information on it yet, but it’s likely not human based on my assumptions. Perhaps a transcendent being like a Celestial.”
Kwon Oh-Jin’s expression hardened. His mind twisted into knots, and a headache pounded at his temples as he tried to process the absurdity of what he just heard.
What the hell is going on?
The Heavenly Demon that the Serpens Queen followed couldn’t possibly be the master of the Black Heavens from Polaris’ prophecy. Kwon Oh-Jin had made up the Heavenly Demon title on the spot while lying to Vega.
Someone called the Heavenly Demon actually exists in the Black Star Society?
What kind of insane coincidence was this?
It was like a con artist randomly spewing out lottery numbers, only for those numbers to actually hit the jackpot. This wasn’t just a case of the blind cow stepping back and crushing a mouse. No, this was like that same cow stumbling upon an entire gold mine.
Wait, isn't this actually a huge win for me?
His original plan was to fabricate a Heavenly Demon within the Black Star Society, kill them off, and use that as a smokescreen to bury his own identity just like Sosuke had tried. After all, the best way to avoid being captured was to make everyone believe that the culprit was already dead.
Now he didn't even have to go through all that trouble. He just had to frame this Heavenly Demon as the master of the Black Heavens.
“So you're saying this Heavenly Demon is the true leader of the Black Star Society?”
“That's the assumption, but calling them the leader might be a stretch. There's barely any known information about them. Aside from the Serpens Queen, no one else seems to follow them.”
So they're basically a puppet figurehead? Maybe they really are a Celestial and not a human.
There wasn't enough information on the Heavenly Demon to pinpoint their identity.
“Heavenly Demon,” Vega muttered the name under her breath.
Her expression turned dark and serious. Then, she turned her gaze toward Kwon Oh-Jin.
What the hell? Why is she looking at me?
Kwon Oh-Jin frowned as he read the complex emotions swirling in her eyes. Why did the mention of the Heavenly Demon make her look at him of all people?
There's no reason for her to suspect me, right?
If anything, this would make her trust him more since his foresight as a Regressor proved accurate.
Ah... wait a second.
One small inconsistency existed. When he first told her about the Heavenly Demon, he said they wouldn’t appear for another three years. Here they were, only a year later.
I should probably explain that to her later.
Kwon Oh-Jin downed the rest of his tea in one gulp. “So, you don't know anything else about the Serpens Queen other than the fact that she follows the Heavenly Demon and is trying to unify the Black Star Society?”
“Yes, that is all I know for now.”
Cheon Sang-Gil had far less information than Kwon Oh-Jin had hoped for.
“That means we need to act before all the factions fall under the Serpens Queen's control,” Kwon Oh-Jin said.
“Indeed.”
The Black Star Society’s biggest weakness was that it had several factions with different goals and motives. They would be much more difficult to deal with if all five remaining factions united under one leader.
“Actually, I've been forming a team specifically to counter the Black Star Society,” Cheon Sang-Gil said.
“A team?”
“Well, it only has three members so far, but you might recognize one of them.”
“Who is it?”
“Black Lion, Lee Woo-Hyuk.”
“Ah.”
That made sense. If anyone belonged in a team against the Black Star Society, it was Lee Woo-Hyuk. Not only was he on the verge of becoming a nine-star, but he also had a personal vendetta. His brother had been kidnapped and murdered by this very organization.
“I heard you two crossed paths before?”
“Yes. We fought against the Black Star Society together a few times.”
“Haha! That makes things easier, then!” Cheon Sang-Gil looked at Kwon Oh-Jin with a bright smile. “How about it? Would you be interested in joining the team I'm assembling? It’s called the Guardian Stars.”
The Avaricious Wolf, one of the Seven Stars, had personally formed a team specifically meant to stop the Black Star Society. With that level of backing, they would undoubtedly receive significant resources and support.
Kwon Oh-Jin didn’t really have a reason to decline the offer, but...
“Could I have some time to think about it?” Kwon Oh-Jin said.
“Of course.”
Cheon Sang-Gil rose from his seat and gathered the empty teacups. “In the meantime, I'll prepare another pot of tea. Take your time and think about it.”
With that, he stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him.
Vega spoke softly. “My child...”
She glanced at Song Ha-Eun sitting beside her.
Vega hesitated because she wanted to ask something, but held back because of Song Ha-Eun’s presence.
“It’s fine. I told her too,” Kwon Oh-Jin said.
“You told her that you’re a Regressor?”
“Yeah.”
Vega looked at Song Ha-Eun with wide eyes.
Song Ha-Eun laughed awkwardly while scratching her head. “Uh... yeah. I-I heard about it too. Ah, ha, ha.”
Before she could mess up any further, Kwon Oh-Jin quickly changed the subject. “I think I misunderstood something.”
“Misunderstood what?” Vega asked.
“That the Heavenly Demon would be born three years from now.”
The Heavenly Demon was already ruling over the Black Star Society.
“The Heavenly Demon wasn’t born three years later. He already existed long before that, but hid his identity in the shadows.”
“So that’s how it was.”
Vega nodded, but a complex expression still remained in her eyes as she looked at him. She bit her lip anxiously and suddenly shook her head.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“It’s nothing.”
What was that? She’s been acting strange since yesterday.
Kwon Oh-Jin narrowed his eyes as he observed her.
Vega avoided his gaze and muttered in a small voice, “It’s just that I’m worried about you.”
“Worried?”
“The Heavenly Demon appeared much sooner than expected, right? I’m worried that you might become their target.”
Her gaze wasn’t just filled with simple worry, but he decided not to press her any further for now.
“Don’t worry. Cheon Sang-Gil said no one in the Black Star Society follows the Heavenly Demon except for the Serpens Queen, right?”
In other words, this Heavenly Demon couldn’t act freely. Otherwise, they wouldn’t need to rule through a proxy like the Serpens Queen.
“Then, we need to weaken their forces as much as possible before the Heaven Demon starts moving,” Vega said.
“That’s right.”
“Oh-Jin, are you thinking of joining the Guardian Stars or whatever it’s called?” Song Ha-Eun asked.
“Yeah, for now.”
He couldn’t take down the Black Star Society on his own and had no reason to refuse allies.
“But I’m going to set some conditions,” Kwon Oh-Jin continued.
He had no intention of joining a team structured with a rigid military hierarchy. The stricter the chain of command, the more restrictions his actions would be.
“Then, I’ll join too.”
“You too, Ha-Eun?”
“Yeah. I mean, we’re both trying to destroy those Black Star Society bastards, right?”
“That’s true.”
Time passed as Kwon Oh-Jin roughly organized the conditions in his mind.
Cheon Sang-Gil returned with freshly brewed tea.
“So, have you made your decision?”
“Yes. We would like to join the Guardian Stars.”
“Hahaha! I knew it! I believed that you would accept this old man’s request!”
“But I have a few conditions.”
“Conditions?”
Kwon Oh-Jin explained his terms. He wouldn’t simply obey orders just because he was part of the team. The purpose was to share information and cooperate, not to be bound by a rigid hierarchy.
“I understand. I will respect your wishes as much as possible,” Cheon Sang-Gil said.
“So Woo-Hyuk is part of the team, but who are the other two members?”
“I will let you know once the entire team has been gathered.”
Kwon Oh-Jin nodded and prepared to get up after gathering all the information he needed.
Cheon Sang-Gil interrupted him. “Before you leave, I have a request for you.”
“Sorry?”
“No, I should correct myself. It’s not for you, but...” He turned toward Song Ha-Eun. “I have a request for you, Miss Ha-Eun.”
Song Ha-Eun’s eyes widened as she pointed at herself. “Huh? Me?”
Cheon Sang-Gil smiled warmly and nodded. “From the moment we first met, I’ve been hearing a sound.”
“A sound...?”
“A sound like a dragon’s roar.”
His gaze landed on her left eye, hidden beneath her eyepatch.
“You’re still not fully in control of your power, are you?” he asked.
Song Ha-Eun went silent as if he had hit the nail on the head.
“Haha. I’ve always been a little silly. Whenever I see Awakeners from whom I can hear noises from like Sakaki and yourself, I can’t help but want to teach them something.”
“Noises?”
“It’s a sound that resonates from Awakeners who possess great power, but haven’t yet mastered it. It’s one of the few abilities I have.”
Come to think of it, Sakaki had mentioned before that Cheon Sang-Gil possessed a unique ability to help other Awakeners attain enlightenment.
“I’d like to personally teach you, Miss Ha-Eun.”
It was a sudden proposal.
Kwon Oh-Jin and Vega both looked at Song Ha-Eun.
“Someone who possesses great power, but hasn't yet mastered it...” Song Ha-Eun murmured under her breath and touched her left eye.
She didn’t have to think about it for long.
“I want to learn,” Song Ha-Eun said.
Her right eye, not covered by an eyepatch, shone with strong determination. Seeing the fiery passion in her gaze, Cheon Sang-Gil faintly smiled.
“The process won’t be easy. Will you be alright with that?” he asked.
“I don’t mind.”
Song Ha-Eun clenched her fists at the rare opportunity to learn from one of the Seven Stars. She struggled to fully control her power ever since she accepted the Dragon’s Heart and ascended to nine stars. This was the perfect chance.
“Then, I’ll provide you with a suitable house. You can stay there for a while during your training.”
“Ah.”
Obviously, learning something like this wouldn’t happen overnight. To receive Cheon Sang-Gil’s guidance, she would have to be apart from Kwon Oh-Jin. Song Ha-Eun hesitated at the thought.
“Um... Can Oh-Jin receive your training as well?” Song Ha-Eun asked.
Cheon Sang-Gil shook his head and said firmly, “There is nothing this old man can teach him.”
His gaze shifted to Kwon Oh-Jin. “I do not hear anything from him.”
Like a night without stars, not even the faintest sound came from Kwon Oh-Jin.
This is the first time I’ve seen an Awakener with absolutely no sound.
Even the most skilled Awakeners had some level of noise, but Kwon Oh-Jin was like a sealed chamber completely devoid of sound.
“I understand. Then, I’ll go home and pack what I need before coming back,” Song Ha-Eun said.
She looked a little disappointed as she turned to Kwon Oh-Jin.
“You’ll be okay, Ha-Eun.”
“Well, it is what it is. It’s not like we won’t be able to see each other at all.”
Ganghwa Island wasn’t that far from Seoul.
She sulked at being apart from him for a while, but soon grinned and playfully nudged his side. “Don’t cry just because you can’t sleep with me, okay?”
“Oh, please.”
“Hehe.”
Song Ha-Eun took a step forward and planted a quick kiss on Kwon Oh-Jin’s cheek.
“I’ll come back stronger, so just wait for me!”
Hadn’t she always been the one receiving help from him? She had to grow stronger if she wanted to return even a fraction of what she had received.
Otherwise, Oh-Jin will leave me behind.
Considering his absurd growth rate, she didn’t have much time to be of help to him.
With that, Song Ha-Eun decided to train under Cheon Sang-Gil.
“By the way, what should I call you? Sir Cheon Sang-Gil? Mr. Avaricious Wolf?” Song Ha-Eun asked.
“Haha, no need to be so formal with me. Just speak comfortably.”
“Got it, Gramps! I’ll be in your care!”
“G-Gramps?”
Song Ha-Eun grabbed Cheon Sang-Gil’s hand and shook it up and down aggressively with enthusiasm.
“Ha-Eun.” Kwon Oh-Jin sighed and rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache.