Not A Regressor-Chapter 241: Baptism Of The Stars (3)

Polaris, the Celestial of Ursa Minor, was the first and greatest of all Celestials and the brightest star of all.

Kwon Oh-Jin looked at Vega with wide eyes in astonishment. “It’s where Polaris was born?

Vega nodded and continued. “That place has now become Polaris’ Sacred Ground.”

“Wait, but wasn’t Polaris supposed to be in seclusion right now?”

“Yes, but Polaris’ residual power still remains.”

So even just the residual power is enough to maintain a Sacred Ground at the intersection of three Dragon Veins?

“Haha, are you nervous?” Vega asked.

“Well, I’d be lying if I said no.” Kwon Oh-Jin swallowed dryly and took a step toward the rift.

I need to see it for myself.

If he could see this Milky Way Spring with his own eyes, he believed that some of his questions would be answered. With one more step, he entered the rift shimmering with dazzling light like the Milky Way.

“Kugh!”

A sudden, stabbing headache washed over him. His heart pounded wildly as if he had sprinted hundreds of meters at full speed.

What the hell...?

Frowning, Kwon Oh-Jin placed a hand on his racing heart. It felt like a wild beast locked in a cage was thrashing around inside him. He barely suppressed that feeling in his chest and looked up.

“Ah.”

Before his eyes was the Milky Way, where numerous stars crossed paths. A river of radiant stars illuminated the darkness of space with a breathtaking brilliance.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Vega’s asked.

Kwon Oh-Jin nodded without even realizing it. The sight of the Milky Way Spring looked so beautiful that even the pain in his chest vanished for a moment.

Is the spring around a hundred meters?

It looked too large to be a spring, but too small to be a lake. The size didn’t matter.

“Holy shit.” Kwon Oh-Jin swallowed hard at the overwhelming mana emanating from the spring.

He had completely underestimated it before getting here.

I thought with three Dragon Veins intersecting, it’d be about three times more powerful than that dungeon I visited before...

He was wrong. The Dragon Veins flowing here were on an entirely different level. If the one he had absorbed last time was like a creek in a quiet rural village, then this was a mighty river that carved through continents and gave life to civilizations. Not just one, but three such powerful Dragon Veins flowed through here.

This can’t be absorbed.

Kwon Oh-Jin bit his lip, his eyes filled with tension. Trying to absorb all of that would be suicide. The moment he used the Black Heaven, he would explode like an overinflated balloon pushed past its limit.

“Hm? Is something wrong?” Vega cocked her head at Kwon Oh-Jin, frozen in place.

Snapping out of it, he forced a calm expression. “Nah, I just got a little lost at how beautiful this is.”

“Hehe. It is indeed a beautiful place.” Vega smiled softly as she gazed at the Milky Way Spring.

“Let’s admire it later and start the ritual already,” Deneb said.

“There’s no need to rush, is there?”

“Hmph! Unlike somebody, I actually have things to do!” Deneb grumbled as he walked up to Kwon Oh-Jin. “Alright, first things first. Take your clothes off.”

“Sorry, what?”

That came out of nowhere.

“You’re going to immerse yourself in the spring, right? Wearing clothes will only interfere with the absorption of mana.”

Even if that was true, asking him to strip down in front of all the Celestials felt a bit much.

Kwon Oh-Jin looked around in panic.

“Do not worry, my child.” Vega walked up to Kwon Oh-Jin and spread her arms wide.

A silver veil surrounded them in a perfect dome.

“There! Now no one can see your naked body! Hmph!” She proudly huffed through her nose.

Yeah, but you can, Vega.

Kwon Oh-Jin looked at her with a baffled expression.

Whether she knew what he was thinking or not, her eyes sparkled as she took tiny steps closer. “I shall assist you in removing your clothes.”

“I’m not a kid, you know.”

“Hmph! Just stay still.” Vega put on a serious face as she began stripping him.

Though her expression looked solemn, her hands trembled with barely contained excitement. In a flash, his top and bottom came off. Swallowing hard, Vega reached for his underwear.

“W-Wait a minute!” he said.

“To enter the Milky Way Spring, you must not have a single thread of fabric on you!”

With burning eyes, Vega reached for the last piece of cloth on him.

“Huh? You don’t need to take off your underwear—”

Crackle!

“Kyaaaa!” Spica’s scream echoed out as lightning cut her off.

“Vega, didn’t she just say—”

“It seems Spica has forgotten.”

Feigning ignorance, Vega shamelessly removed the final piece of clothing on him.

“Now! Come into my arms! I shall carry you safely into the Milky Way Spring!”

“Ah!”

Vega, completely flushed with excitement, embraced Kwon Oh-Jin and lifted him up. With not even a single piece of clothing on him, he couldn’t resist her overwhelming strength. Despite being unable to move a finger, he could feel an unbelievably soft sensation against his skin.

“Now this is what you call a man,” Vega said as she blushed slightly.

“How did Vega end up like this?” Watching from the side, Deneb laughed in disbelief.

The other Celestials also shook their heads dumbfoundedly.

Deneb sighed, rubbing his temple, and moved to the edge of the spring. “Well then, let’s get started.”

Keeping some distance between them, the six Celestials formed a circle around the Milky Way Spring.

Vega’s mischievous grin while carrying Kwon Oh-Jin completely vanished, replaced by a solemn expression. “We will now begin the baptism.”

A silver glow radiated from her and flowed into the spring. The other five Celestials did the same. Closing their eyes, they gently infused the spring with the mana of their Stigma.

“Six stars have gathered before the Milky Way Spring,” Vega quietly chanted. “Come forth, seventh star.”

As her voice clearly echoed out, Kwon Oh-Jin immersed himself in the spring with his eyes closed. He could feel the overwhelming amount of star mana and bit his lip at the sheer volume that was far greater than he imagined.

I never planned to absorb all the mana from the spring in the first place, but...

With Celestials standing just a few meters away, absorbing all the mana would be absurd. From the beginning, he only intended to absorb a small amount to avoid drawing attention.

But even that might be too much.

An incomprehensible amount of mana had gathered here. If he used the Black Heaven recklessly, mana would flood into him like a broken dam.

This isn’t something I can control.

Kwon Oh-Jin deeply sighed.

The Milky Way Spring’s vast mana did tempt him.

I should give up.

If he got greedy here, he could lose everything in an instant.

I can still absorb a little even without using the Black Heaven.

With that in mind, Kwon Oh-Jin slowly opened his eyes. He could see the springwater glowing with a soft blue light.

It’s as bright as a torch.

It felt a bit underwhelming. Then again, Allen Oskal said his light was around this level too. There was no need to be disappointed.

As Kwon Oh-Jin consoled himself, a familiar sound echoed in his head.

Rumble.

The Black Heaven’s dark clouds activated.

Kwon Oh-Jin’s eyes widened in panic.

Before he could stop it, the dormant Black Heaven in his heart stirred and began absorbing mana from the spring.

Kwon Oh-Jin groaned at the mana that surged into him like a tidal wave.

“Agh!”

What the hell? What’s going on?!

The Black Heaven devoured the spring’s mana like a starving beast.

Blue messages appeared before his eyes.

Ring!

[The absorbed amount of mana is far too vast!]

[All the conditions for the Black Heaven’s eighth enlightenment have been met!]

[The Black Heaven is undergoing its eighth enlightenment!]

Kwon Oh-Jin desperately clung to his fading consciousness being swept away by the overflow of mana. Another clear chime echoed in his ears, and more messages followed.

[The Black Heaven has completed its eighth enlightenment.]

[Inheritance will be delayed to allow for stabilization of the absorbed mana.]

“Haa, haaa!”

The overwhelming surge of mana stopped with the announcement of the Black Heaven’s eighth enlightenment.

Cold sweat ran down his forehead.

Kwon Oh-Jin looked up with nervous, wide eyes. He could see the Celestials staring at him with stunned and horrified expressions.

“W-What is the meaning of this...?” Vega asked.

“N-No way...” Deneb said.

I’m so fucking screwed.

Did they find out that he used the Black Heaven?

Kwon Oh-Jin quickly checked the mana in the Milky Way Spring.

The mana in the spring barely decreased.

What the Black Heaven consumed barely made a dent considering the overwhelming amount in the first place.

Thanks to the Black Curtain, the Black Heaven’s energy shouldn’t have leaked outside either.

Then, why were the Celestials looking at him with such shocked expressions?

“T-The light...”

“I-I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

Light?

Kwon Oh-Jin cocked his head and looked down.

He couldn’t help but gasp.

“Ah.”

The spring was shining as brightly as the sun itself.

I was told the brightness of the spring’s light changes depending on how much mana is absorbed.

Unlike the other Awakeners, who received mana indirectly, Kwon Oh-Jin had absorbed it directly using the Black Heaven. This explained the absurd brilliance currently radiating.

“Phew.” He sighed in relief that the commotion wasn’t because they had discovered the Black Heaven.

Suddenly, the entire spring began to ripple and shine.

Wooooong!

The Celestials turned their heads in disbelief.

“This is...” Vega said

“C-Could it be...?” Deneb said.

The springwater formed into a sphere and rose into the air.

Now what the hell is that?

Kwon Oh-Jin looked in confusion as the strange phenomenon continued. Water gathered like an egg and steadily rose into the air.

Then, the sphere of water split open, and a being emerged from within. Radiant starlight covered the figure as though the very Milky Way itself made up their body. The dazzling light made it impossible to tell whether this being was male or female.

The startled Vega called out, “Polaris...?”

Kwon Oh-Jin’s eyes widened as he stared at the being of pure starlight.

Polaris? That’s Polaris?

The being slowly floated toward him.

“So it was you.”

The voice echoed directly in his head just like Vega’s had. It sounded neutral, neither clearly male nor female.

“I have waited for you for a very long time.”

You’ve been waiting for me?

Kwon Oh-Jin stared up at Polaris, bewildered.

“You who will overturn the destined future. The star that defies order and causality.”

Hold up. Why does this feel so familiar?

“It is you, the Heaven-Defying Star.”

“Excuse me?”

No, I’m not.