I got into school for nothing - 128
I got into school for nothing (128)
Lesson 26. Pushing Away When Getting Close - 3
[You have gained Life 100, Body 50, Ferocity 50, Constellation's Stigma 10, and Judgment 20. Ferocity is a concept that humans cannot possess.]
If the timing of the self-destruction had been even slightly delayed, Ban Yuwon would have completely lost the initiative to the Constellation Yergel, and would have been forced to blankly watch the birth of 'something' that originated from the jewel bracelet.
Conversely, if the timing had been even slightly faster, Yergel would have noticed something suspicious and not activated his power, and Ban Yuwon would not have reaped a large number of language concepts and achievements as he did now.
Thus, it was a splendid triumph.
—The Constellation [Clock of the Toy Army] spares no admiration for your skill in severing a Constellation's interference at the opportune moment.
—The Constellation [Breath of Life] gulps, claiming this is an obvious miracle beyond his Authority. He is extremely suspicious of you!
Well, it was too late to be suspicious now.
Perhaps it was because the Constellation had personally forged it with his own power, but despite failing to achieve perfect completion and self-destructing, the purity of the concept was absurdly high.
[The depth of Life has increased by 50, the depth of Body by 25, the depth of Constellation's Stigma by 10, and the depth of Judgment by 20.]
[By acquiring a high-purity concept of Body, concept conversion will occur more rapidly.]
Previously, when hunting even considerably strong monsters, it was a rare stroke of luck to recover just ten or twenty percent of the Life and Body concepts. But now, he could recover a whopping half! A full half!
Thanks to that, Ban Yuwon instantly surpassed the 600 Life he had inwardly considered the benchmark for a powerful individual and now possessed a Life depth nearing 640.
Moreover, gaining 10 in Constellation's Stigma, a difficult-to-acquire higher-tier concept, was also a major achievement.
But more importantly right now...
[Ferocity 50]
“This... this is definitely an Authority.”
A concept that radiated such brilliant light it could blind, yet its essence was utterly terrifying.
It was likely the core concept of the monster that had failed to be born and perished.
Naturally, it was a concept Ban Yuwon couldn't simply absorb into his body, but in his view, there was another way to utilize it.
That was, to split it into its components, 'Ferocious' and 'Malice', and use each character individually!
He already had a purpose in mind for 'Malice', as for 'Ferocious'...
‘I tried to get it before. Weapons like armaments or sharp tools can also be seen as 'ominous weapons'. But that specific concept could only be extracted from weapons actually stained with human blood, and its depth was tragically low. This means the concept of 'Ferocity' itself is incredibly rare and of a high tier...’
Ban Yuwon glanced at the Executioner's Longsword hanging at his waist, then turned to As Light and asked.
“As Light, if you change a Demonic Sword into a Ferocious Sword, would that be an upgrade or a downgrade?”
“Hmm...”
As Light, whom Ban Yuwon expected to retort with something like 'What nonsense is that?', surprisingly listened to his words, fell into thought for a moment, and then spoke.
“Instead of that, how about a Ferocious Demonic Sword? Actually, in my homeland, there's a legend of a weapon called the Ferocious Demonic Sword...”
“This guy... he was a genius after all.”
Perhaps it was because he came from a world where holy swords were genuinely passed down, but the phrase 'Ferocious Demonic Sword' spoken by As Light held a power that captivated one's heart.
I have a good feeling about this.
It was the kind of premonition he only felt when a new concept was about to be born.
Ban Yuwon chuckled lightly and floated the Constellation's concept above his hand.
And just as he was about to cleave it in half—
—Let us make a deal.
With the urgent voice of a man, the surrounding landscape solidified with a crack.
—I admit my defeat and will withdraw. Return my fragment.
Ban Yuwon looked around and confirmed that everything but himself had truly frozen.
Simultaneously, a mass of pure white light bloomed before his eyes. This was likely the medium through which the Constellation's will was being conveyed.
“Isn't it customary to introduce yourself first?”
—'Immovable Manipulator', that is the name I bear as a Constellation.
Indeed, it was a fitting name for a Constellation who wielded psychokinesis.
Ban Yuwon let out an exclamation of awe and asked.
“What is this, how did you do it?”
—I gathered the remnants of my power in this room and cast a barrier around you alone. Time and space cannot interfere with this barrier. Neither Constellations, nor the Tower itself.
Ban Yuwon decided to slightly retract what he had considered a mere inferior version of his Babylonia Code.
A barrier isolated from time and space? What an absurd Authority this was!
No, but conversely, wouldn't this mean that he, too, could perform such a feat with his own Authority someday?
—I admit and apologize for having taken somewhat extreme measures to test you. But what you hold in your hand right now is truly dangerous, this is the truth! Not just for my sake, but for your own protection, you must immediately...
“You don't want me to 'split your Authority's crystallization in half', do you?”
—...!
It must have felt like a jab to a vital point.
The Constellation tried not to show his agitation, but Ban Yuwon knew that silence was often an affirmation.
“The timing of your appearance was strange. If you could create such a barrier to speak, you should have appeared when the bracelet exploded. The fact that you stayed silent then and only appeared now means, you—”
—You were hoping I'd swallow this without knowing, weren't you?
At Ban Yuwon's sharp remark, the Constellation once again chose silence.
“You, who realized I had the ability to usurp others' power, deliberately prepared a tempting bait. Of course, you initially hoped that thing would cause us harm, but it would have been fine even if it died. Rather, the true purpose would have been after its death. The moment I either swallowed it or imbued it into another object, just as I did with the bracelet—your intention would have been fulfilled. Am I wrong?”
Ban Yuwon was well aware that one had to approach items related to Constellations with caution.
Especially a concept as inherently terrifying as this one he now held in his hand—[Ferocity]!
Fortunately, he had the Babylonia Code, which allowed him to distinguish between concepts he could directly handle and those he couldn't.
That's why he didn't hesitate to try to split the concept in two—and at that very moment, the intention of the Constellation, 'Immovable Manipulator,' went awry.
—What do you desire?
“You'll have to offer something at least equivalent to this, won't you?”
Still, it's good that we can communicate.
Ban Yuwon didn't actually dislike this Constellation who so readily admitted defeat and moved to the negotiation stage.
After all, being in the Tower, facing crises was an everyday occurrence, and he hadn't suffered any damage at all from his entanglement with the Immovable Manipulator.
On the contrary, he had helped Ban Yuwon clear Room 39 easily and even provided him with a high-purity concept. So, as of now, his favorability rating was even higher than other Constellations!
—An Authority... I will give you an Authority. It is much safer than that, and an Authority particularly useful to you.
“That sounds intriguing. So?”
—It is Thought Acceleration. A power crucial for all those who manipulate the power of thought.
The moment he heard that.
Ban Yuwon felt like smacking himself on the head.
What a fool he was!
‘I already have that! And as a higher-tier concept, no less!’
What is a higher-tier concept? It is a concept that encompasses other concepts within itself.
For example, 'Organism' is a higher-tier concept to 'Plant' because it includes plants, and 'Plant' is a lower-tier concept to 'Organism'.
'School' is a higher-tier concept to 'High School' because it includes high schools, and 'High School' is a lower-tier concept to 'School'.
‘And I possess Acceleration.’
He couldn't recall exactly how he first obtained it.
But it was certain he had gained it a long time ago, around the time he acquired the concept of space control.
Its depth was still only 5, so its effects were still weak, but when combined with Constellation's Stigma, it could enhance magic or movement speed, making it a concept he used quite frequently.
And naturally—since Acceleration includes Thought Acceleration, Acceleration is a higher-tier concept than Thought Acceleration.
‘If I had to make an excuse, it's that the depth of Acceleration itself was low, so I hadn't thought to properly utilize it. No, even so, if I had practiced steadily, its depth would have eventually increased. Given how difficult it is to obtain such a concept, I should have thought more carefully.’
Get it together and do better, seriously.
Ban Yuwon sighed, full of self-reproach, and opened his mouth.
“I don't need it. Something else.”
—You will regret this. I know you manipulate the power of thought. For those like you, there is no ability as helpful as Thought Acceleration.
“I know, so stop rubbing it in, you bastard.”
—???
The Constellation, having been unjustly insulted, was flustered, but there was no way Ban Yuwon would openly admit his foolish internal circumstances.
“If there's nothing else, I'll just take this.”
—W-wait! Understood... Very well then.
In the still-frozen world, something began to stir and move.
From the pile of mangled remains, the corpse of the monster that had failed to be born and self-destructed, which had just granted Ban Yuwon an overwhelming concept.
Something shining blue... a bracelet! It was flying towards him!
“Whoa, I cleanly blew it up, how is this possible?”
—I have now restored it, imbuing it with a new Authority. Confirm it for yourself.
Ban Yuwon readily accepted it and examined it.
Knowing that Ban Yuwon could read Constellations' powers with uncanny insight, the Constellation's influence had been cleanly removed, and the unnecessary gems had fallen away, leaving a pair of small, much plainer bracelets.
Immovable Bracelet [Psychokinesis 100 {Spatial Movement 50, Subspace 50}]
The concepts forming its interior were also strikingly different from before.
—First, it can utilize Spatial Movement, allowing the user to travel short distances by infusing it with their mana.
“So, it's Blink.”
There was a time when it was considered essential for any mage protagonist going into battle in a fantasy novel to master short-range teleportation, or 'blink'.
However, Ban Yuwon remembered being disappointed after he entered the Academy and asked Yumina about it, as she told him that not only was it too difficult to set coordinates for spatial movement one by one during combat, but if one had enough mana to use it so liberally, it would be more efficient to erect a defensive barrier or interfere with the opponent's offensive magic.
But now he realized this was actually the specialty of psychokinetic users!
—Secondly, it allows you to connect with a subspace created by my psychokinesis, allowing you to reside within it or store objects. Its capacity is immense... Yes, that mountain over there could probably fit inside.
While Ban Yuwon was marveling, the Constellation's explanation continued.
The mountain the Constellation referred to was the rock mountain golem that had been fiercely battling Dokgo Yeon in the north. Now, looking at it in the frozen scene, it truly did look like an ordinary mountain.
“There's no guarantee you won't interfere with that subspace, is there?”
—While the formation of the subspace itself was achieved by me, its subsequent management can be done by other mages. It would be best to seek help from a mage you know.
Indeed, was he referring to Yumina?
If she were to verify it, there would be no worry of interference, no matter if the opponent was a Constellation.
—This should be a comparable price to the Authority you hold in your hand.
“Hmm... So you're telling me to take this and get lost. Just in case, are you willing to honestly admit that your contractor, Alex de Cantone, instigated this whole thing?”
—Alex de Cantone? He is my contractor, but he has no connection to this incident. I merely expended my influence to intervene in the Tower's event, solely to test you, who has recently gained renown among Constellations.
As if feeling greatly wronged by being manipulated by Ban Yuwon all this time, the Constellation, Immovable Manipulator, replied with feigned nonchalance.
Ban Yuwon had already grasped that the Constellation would respond this way.
Honestly, he had already given the Constellation a rather hard time...
“Alright, if half is fine, I'll give it back.”
—What?! All of it—
“Forty percent. If you don't like it, take your bracelet back and withdraw.”
—I must retrieve that!
“Frankly, this is quite a good item, but I already have an inventory, you see? Short-range movement is a useful ability, but... I'm more curious about Ferocity. To be honest, aren't these concepts inferior to Ferocity?”
He was likely correct.
Because Ban Yuwon could judge the depth and tier of concepts by the brightness of the golden light they emitted.
The Constellation engaged in a silent war of wills with Ban Yuwon for a long while, but since this barrier wouldn't last forever—he finally raised a white flag.
—I must recover at least sixty percent. If even that is unacceptable, I will not withdraw amicably.
“Fine. Give me one piece of information, and I'll return sixty percent.”
—Information?
How on earth did it come to this situation where a contractor wielded a Constellation instead of a Constellation wielding a contractor?
Of course, the Constellation, who had denied any connection between Alex de Cantone and this incident, did not give a direct answer to that statement.
—I am, in fact...
“...Haa.”
As if [Ferocity] was an exceptionally precious concept to him, he subtly dropped a bold hint.
It wouldn't be verifiable no matter who he asked, so for now, Ban Yuwon would have to keep it to himself.
“So that's how it is.”
“Huh? What are you talking about, Ban?”
“Ah.”
When Ban Yuwon came to his senses, the barrier had already been dispelled.
In his hand, he held the concept of Ferocity, its depth now reduced to 20, and the jewel bracelet, newly transformed into an artifact.
“I made a deal with the Constellation. So this bracelet, too... huh?”
Just as he lifted the bracelet to show it off.
A rumbling, thudding vibration began to draw closer. R[AN0BЕS
Wondering what it was, Ban Yuwon turned his head.
The mountain golem that had been fiercely battling Dokgo Yeon just moments ago.
was now carrying Dokgo Yeon atop its pointed head, and coming straight towards them.
“...Has Dokgo Yeon been taken hostage?”
As Light spoke foolishly.
But Dokgo Yeon, sitting cross-legged atop the mountain, only wore a slightly bewildered expression and looked perfectly fine, so that was unlikely.
Rather, that was...
“Could it be... tamed?”
Rucell, an expert in being tamed herself, cautiously voiced the thought.
As Light and Ban Yuwon, unable to respond to such an absurd suggestion, simply waited for Dokgo Yeon to arrive.
To state the conclusion first: Rucell was correct.
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