Chapter 19: Chapter 19

Upon pulling the rope, Choi Yeonseung was startled by the bucket’s weight.

‘Heavy!’

He never even felt this much weight during his battle with Barigos or the hydra. Choi Yeonseung’s body overflowed with an infinite amount of internal energy. With that strength, he could face any huge opponent. It had been so long since he felt something so heavy! Its weight didn’t even change no matter how much internal energy he used.

‘Huhu. He looks really surprised.’

The Manipulator of Dreams and Desires smiled. Everyone who used the Well of Enlightenment for the first time showed the same expression. They believed in their own power, so its weight inevitably surprised them. It didn’t matter how strong they were. After all, this well was putting themselves against them.

“?!”

However, the girl’s eyes soon widened. Choi Yeonseung managed to pull up the bucket.

“How did you do it?!”

“Huh? I just lifted it.”

If it was too heavy to lift, then he just had to apply more force. It was very simple logic.

‘I see! He is a constellation, after all.’

The Manipulator of Dreams and Desires immediately realized the answer. Choi Yeonseung was a constellation. A being who transcended the laws of the Abyss and created new laws! Even if the Well of Enlightenment was entangled with him, Choi Yeonseung couldn’t be bound.

The world changed the moment Choi Yeonseung decided to ‘lift’ it.

Even so, such a feat was still amazing. Choi Yeonseung wasn’t even using his power of existence right now. He was subconsciously using the power of existence! Just as the Manipulator of Dreams and Desires could easily use the power related to her name, the Undefeated Incarnation of Training also showed terrible potential in the power related to his name.

‘I see. What is possible for a constellation of training?’

The Manipulator of Dreams and Desires thought about it. What if Choi Yeonseung?made?a household member? Since he was a constellation related to training, his household members would also receive enormous benefits from training.

A power struggle in the Abyss was usually fought by the constellations’ household members rather than the constellations themselves. Their household members’ strength would determine the outcome of the battle. And the constellation in front of her could just be the best when it came to cultivating household members.

‘I totally missed this aspect of his. I thought he was just a combat-type constellation. If he creates a kingdom in the future, then its power could go beyond our wildest imagination.’

“Do you have any plans to create a household and form a kingdom?”

“What? No.”

Choi Yeonseung answered while lifting and lowering the bucket.

“Why? As a constellation, you’re going to need subordinates.”

“It is already too much for me to handle everything. What subordinates?”

“Don’t just think like that. Having subordinates can make things easier.”

“Manipulator.”

“What is it?”

“Can you please be quiet? You’re disturbing me.”

“... Well, at least think about it. There may be strength in creating and nurturing a household.”

As the Manipulator of Dreams and Desires spoke, she noticed something strange. Choi Yeonseung wasn’t lifting the bucket all the way up. Rather, he just kept lifting it a bit and lowering it again. What was this?

“Why aren’t you pulling it completely up?”

“Tsk tsk. You probably don’t know this because you don’t do martial arts, but…”

Choi Yeonseung looked at the Manipulator of Dreams and Desires with pity, momentarily stunning her. She didn’t know why, but she felt bad!

“If I lift it all at once, then I’ll get less training. I have to?do several reps?to stimulate my muscles. Have you never done a deadlift?”

“I don’t know what that is.”

She didn’t know what he was talking about, but she did know Choi Yeonseung was using the Well of Enlightenment strangely. The Well of Enlightenment was a place to gain enlightenment by looking at and enduring one’s desires, not exercising one’s muscles with the bucket!

“... Since you keep lifting it, it should be affecting you. Don’t you see any illusions?”

“I do, but I’m ignoring them.”

“!”

The Manipulator of Dreams and Desires was surprised. He could see the illusions?

The Well of Enlightenment tested the person pulling the bucket by continuously showing illusions. He was indeed a constellation, but it would only be normal for even him to show signs of disturbance and shaking.

***

The first vision that Choi?Yeonseung saw was?that of Earth.

-Release the strength from the hand holding the rope, and I’ll send you back to Earth!

A view of Earth emerged along with a seductive whisper. It showed the training ground where Choi Yeonseung often practiced—the first training ground he built as soon as he saved some money! That place was perfect for various exercise equipment and had ample space for martial arts training.

Choi Yeonseung had spent more time in that place than with his girlfriend. He couldn’t help but be fond of it. Still…

-Release the strength from the hand holding the rope. Then I’ll let you use this tool.

-You sound the same.

He always focused on his current training. Since he was already in the middle of one right now, there was no point in seducing him to do another. Choi Yeonseung laughed at the illusion but soon felt sad.

‘No... Shouldn’t other illusions usually come first?’

It had been thousands of years since he left Earth. There were many people he hadn’t met and many things he hadn’t done. However, the first thing the well showed was his training ground! Choi Yeonseung refused, and the illusion changed again.

This time, it showed a bookshelf with the next volume of Legendary Moonlight Sculptor and the new work of Lee Yeongdo, author of The Bird That Drinks Tears. Was that all? The overseas cartoon series that Choi Yeonseung followed became so successful that it had been made into a movie. He badly wanted to see it! The movie had both Batman and Superman, so it was bound to be a success, right?

However, Choi Yeonseung remained composed.

-The illusion is clumsy. There is no way that Legendary Moonlight Sculptor has more than fifty volumes. It has probably finished far earlier than that.

The other illusions were perfect, but Choi Yeonseung noticed something strange about the Legendary Moonlight Sculptor. It was indeed a great read, but there was no way it could have more than fifty volumes.

The illusion changed again. This time, it showed spicy?ramyeon?with a lot of red pepper powder. It was tempting, but Choi Yeonseung didn’t waver.

-Training in martial arts means I have to keep a strict diet.

The illusion changed again. This time, it showed the woman he previously broke up with. His girlfriend looked at him with pleading eyes and asked him to start over with her. Choi Yeonseung gave her a firm reply.

-I have a conscience. How can I ask you to date me when I like being in the training ground all the time?

He felt sorry for his girlfriend, but Choi Yeonseung wasn’t the type to pass up on a chance to become stronger. If they dated again, it would just be the same as before! The illusion changed over and over again, but Choi Yeonseung remained unshakable. He devoted himself to the deadlift.

If the Manipulator of Dreams and Desires saw Choi Yeonseung’s desires, she would’ve looked at him like he was crazy. All existences in the world had desires. Even Constellations. No, rather, constellations were less capable of resisting their desires. Why should they ignore their desires when they were transcendent beings?

However, Choi Yeonseung was different. Once he had set a goal, he wouldn’t waver no matter what temptations he encountered.

‘Strong!’

The Manipulator of Dreams and Desires casually admired him. It wasn’t just his combat power. This constellation was fundamentally strong.

‘Does this strength come from the fact that he is a constellation of mortal origin?’

[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ says it is curious about what type of illusions he is seeing and enduring.]

-I’m sure he is enduring great illusions.

[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ says that it doesn’t seem like training like this, though.]

-...That is true.

***

“It was good training. I’ll rest a bit, then do it one more time.”

“O-okay.”

Speechless, the girl just nodded. She prepared this for him to train, but she didn’t expect this!

“Do you want to look around other places? My realm is simple, but there is a lot to see.”

“No. I want to do more of this.”

“......”

The words of Choi Yeonseung made her feel strange! The Manipulator of Dreams and Desires was flustered by the emotions she was feeling for the first time. The reason was simple.

Choi Yeonseung had no interest in the nightmare demons. The nightmare demons were basically a race that received the love and attention of all races. It was the first time she had met such an indifferent being. As the nightmare demons’ master, the Manipulator of Dreams and Desires couldn’t help but feel divided. Still, She couldn’t understand why she felt this way.

“But you don’t know when you’ll be able to come back, do you?”

“That’s true, but...”

“?”

“The nightmare demons might dislike it.”

“......”

The Manipulator of Dreams and Desires couldn’t deny it. If they saw Choi Yeonseung, their eyes would roll in, and they’d have to resist attacking him! However, the Manipulator of Dreams and Desires was the ruler of the nightmare demons. She struggled to defend the nightmare demons.

“S-Still, the nightmare demons are popular in the Abyss.”

.

“Really? How unusual.”

“......”

He found it unusual that such crazy beings were popular! He didn’t bother saying what he was feeling, but she felt like she could hear what was in his heart.

“W-We are originally a calmer race.”

“I got it already. Why do you keep explaining yourself?”

“No... I think you are misunderstanding so I want to explain it.”

“I got it, I got it. Bring Arni.”

“Arni?” The girl’s expression changed. The reason why Choi Yeonseung called Arni was that Arni was a nightmare demon with good control. However, the Manipulator misunderstood his intentions.

‘Aha! He prefers an incubus, not a succubus!’

No wonder he took care of Arni last time...

"I understand. Do you need any other nightmare demons?”

“It’s fine. I only need one person. One.”

[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is cocking its head.]

***

Deadlifting at the Well of Enlightenment and wandering around with Arni in his spare time. Though he was sightseeing, Choi Yeonseung still didn’t look at where the nightmare demons lived or played. No, he couldn’t do so.

“That place...”

-Kkieeeeeek!

“This place...”

-Kiyoooooh!

“... Let’s just go somewhere else.”

“I’m sorry...”

“It’s fine. It isn’t your fault.”

If he went anywhere near nightmare demons, they would go crazy. Hence, he could only go to places they didn’t occupy.

“I’m bored. Do you want to spar, Arni?”

“I dare not be your opponent, Constellation-nim.”

"It doesn't matter. I just need a light warm-up so my body doesn’t stiffen up.”

Choi Yeonseung stretched out his hand, and Arni stiffened with tension. Even among nightmare demons, Arni was powerful. However, in Choi Yeonseung’s presence, he felt like a bug. Choi Yeonseung was far too overwhelming!

‘I will have to go all out!’

Arni used magic without hesitation. Moderation was nothing in front of a constellation. He would be obliterated if he didn’t do his best.

-Shadenka’s Sword of Light!

7th-circle magic! Only S-grade hunters could use it on Earth! Watching Arni use such magic so casually let Choi Yeonseung witness how great Arni was. Bright lights soon merged in the form of a sword. It then stopped in Arni’s hand. Choi Yeonseung wasn’t a magician, but even he could see how strong that magic was.

‘Touching it probably causes a lot of damage.’

Choi Yeonseung’s concentrated energy was the pure crystallization of internal energy. It was one of the most powerful skills in the Abyss, which had an abundance of all types of vicious magic. It had an unmatched destructive power! Though not as much as concentrated energy, Arni’s sword of light was emitting a tremendous amount of magic power.

-Advanced Agility Enhancement, Advanced Strength Enhancement, Shadenka’s Combat Divine Realm...

‘This is unexpected. Does Arni prefer close combat?’

It was prejudiced to say that magicians unconditionally fought from a distance. After all, there were also many melee types among them. Why else would martial artists shed tears while saying, ‘Magicians can do it all!’

Nevertheless, Choi Yeonseung could now speak with confidence. No matter how he thought about it, martial arts was better for close combat!