Chapter 635

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 635: Toward the Unknown (7)

‘Crazy… oh my god.’

The details of the prestige increase were so overwhelming that his mouth fell open on its own.

And it still wasn’t over.

「+0.3 from a duel with the Dragon Slayer」

「+0.5 from a duel with a Myth」

「+0.2 from a duel with the Conqueror of the Galaxy」

As those obviously monstrous records filled his vision, Yeongwoo’s prestige level increased by a full 3.5.

The problem, however, was that the grip tightening around Yeongwoo’s neck right now was also monstrous.

“Khk! S-Senior!”

Perhaps he had truly irritated Phaemong this time, because Yeongwoo’s neck was on the verge of snapping.

It was to the point that an urgent signal even came in from Earth, which was docked outside in space.

○ Hey, what’s going on? Your vital signs…!

As if he had heard Earth’s voice, Phaemong turned his head beyond the sky.

Then he slightly loosened the strength in the hand gripping Yeongwoo’s neck and spoke.

—Is your planet-ship watching this?

“…Khk! Th-They should be listening! And…!”

—And?

“My citizens are watching this scene right now!”

—Ha.

At last, a cold smile touched Phaemong’s face.

—You’re a really funny guy. You’re broadcasting the things you do to your entire planet?

“You wouldn’t know since you’re not from a Reset lineage, Senior… but I’m about to enter a re-approval vote.”

—A re-approval vote?

“If my citizens don’t elect me again as the planet’s representative, I’ll be erased.”

—Interesting.

Wasn’t a boundless curiosity the common trait among the lunatics of the universe?

At Yeongwoo’s peculiar circumstances, Phaemong finally showed interest.

He released the strength from the hand gripping his neck.

—So you’re a planet-ship master with a time limit? When do you die?

“In five days. If I fail re-election, I’m definitely dead.”

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t death.

Since it was erasure by vote, if he chose mutation among the options given afterward, he could return as the strongest mutant in Earth’s history.

—What if you succeed in re-election?

“Then I could become the strongest planet-ship master in the history of the universe.”

At Yeongwoo’s answer, Phaemong burst into a loud laugh unlike any before.

—You haven’t met other planet-ship masters. The strongest planet-ship master? Not a chance.

“Don’t tell me, Senior, you’ve actually fought other planet-ship masters?”

—Of course.

“Then you won and that’s why you’re here now…?”

—The outcome didn’t come easily. And there were too many meddlers, so we couldn’t reach a conclusion.

“What? You fought them as equals?”

Yeongwoo flattered him desperately to stay alive.

—It was over a thousand years ago. By now he must have grown far stronger. So a brat like you…

Instead of finishing his sentence, Phaemong rubbed his index finger and thumb together.

It probably meant he was no more than dust.

But Yeongwoo, who boasted growth equal to a hundred million years every single day, wasn’t bothered by those words at all.

He thought it was only a matter of time before he overtook his seniors anyway.

Still, there was one curiosity he had to resolve while he had the chance.

“Um, Senior.”

—What.

“Your existence rank… what tier are you?”

Existence Rank.

A kind of martial hierarchy established by the universe to distinguish the superiority and inferiority of countless beings.

So far, the strongest beings Yeongwoo had met were Chairman Dogo and the King of Ten Thousand Demons, Mara, both legally classified as Existence Tier 3.

Next was the Designer Remu, a Tier 4 existence.

Then what tier had Phaemong, who had existed as a planet-ship master for ages, reached?

—Existence rank? Haven’t heard that term in a long time.

Phaemong let out a low laugh.

Then, returning his left arm, which had turned violet, back to its original color, he said:

—Last I checked, Tier 3. Though I’ve lost many myths since then, so it may have changed.

“Tier… 3….”

That meant the other planet-ship master Phaemong fought a thousand years ago was also at least Tier 3.

In other words, if one kept surviving as a planet-ship master, reaching Tier 3 was possible.

‘One day I could be the same tier as the Chairman…? I really picked the right profession.’

Of course, Yeongwoo knew well that being the same tier didn’t mean equal martial power.

But if Tier 3 was reachable, didn’t that mean Tier 2 wasn’t impossible either?

—I’m getting tired. A guy who’s only had a planet-ship for a few days won’t have any more interesting stories for me.

In other words, get lost.

So Yeongwoo tucked the Bastard into his waist and bowed to Phaemong.

“Thank you for everything, Senior.”

—Beware of unpredictability.

Phaemong emphasized unpredictability until the very end.

Like a true planet-ship master who embodied unpredictability itself, he didn’t chant ‘layout’ as a habit, but instead kept ‘unpredictability’ on his lips.

“I’ll… be careful of unpredictability.”

Yeongwoo nodded, then looked at the ship half-buried in the sand.

Nearby, Koatu, who had been hiding, hurriedly shoved himself into the ship’s entrance.

“Senior! I’ll visit you again! In a hundred years, maybe even a bit sooner!”

—Hurry up and go. You’re the second one to swing a sword at me and walk away alive.

Didn’t that imply he had killed everyone else except planet-ship masters?

In truth, if he weren’t retired, even junior planet-ship masters might not have been exceptions.

“….”

So Yeongwoo hurried into the ship with a horrified expression.

[Translator - Night]

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“Let’s go quickly. Before Senior changes his mind.”

—We’re returning to Earth-Ship, right? Taking off immediately.

As Koatu poured power into the thrusters, Phaemong outside the window sank back into a folding chair.

‘Do you naturally gain that kind of composure once you reach Tier 3?’

Watching Phaemong slowly recede into the distance, Yeongwoo imagined other planet-ship masters sailing somewhere in the universe.

Each with eccentric personalities and uncontrollable power.

‘…They’re disasters themselves.’

As Yeongwoo stared out the window, Koatu, holding the helm, asked,

—Was the meeting successful?

“Of course. I even got two myths and….”

Yeongwoo then brought up his current prestige status.

Flaaash!

[Prestige Level: 55]

|80/100

*Karma required per 1 achievement: 51.1 billion

Just a few days ago, his prestige had been in the 30s, similar to Alden Miras.

Now it was 55.

This really could only be described as “growth equal to a hundred million years per day.”

Starting as a trivial being, he caught up to the heirs of cosmic noble houses within a week, and now he was far stronger than most family heads.

“Risking my life was worth it. My prestige level is 55 now.”

At those words, Koatu turned his head and opened his mouth wide.

—55…? Now you can really be called a big shot. Even many of my arrogant clients don’t exceed prestige level 50.

“Well… in terms of tiers, I’m probably close to Tier 5 now.”

You had to play in big waters wherever you were.

“Still, I’ve got a long way to go. I’m still in a state where I can meet someone stronger than me anytime.”

—Isn’t that because you only go around doing things that attract strong guys?

“Seeing Lemu get beaten by the Chairman, I don’t think even Tier 4 would let me live comfortably.”

Koatu frowned as if asking what nonsense that was.

—Tier 4? A Tier 4 is recognized across the entire universe. Just how greedy are you?

“It’s not that I’m greedy. The universe is just big.”

—You leave me speechless.

Koatu shook his head and gripped the controls.

—We’re about to arrive at Earth-Ship.

“I need to set the next plan.”

Watching the ship enter Earth’s atmosphere, Yeongwoo pulled out the Great Exploration from his chest.

His current mid-to-long-term goal was chasing myths, and his short-term goal was raining the Golden Ratio on unqualified planets.

‘Since myths are buried somewhere on planets anyway, if I search for myths, I’ll naturally encounter unqualified planets too.’

Fortunately or unfortunately, there were no myths left in the Phemu Galaxy.

‘Then the next myth is….’

Swoosh.

When Yeongwoo pushed the blurred dot aside on the screen, a faint red dot appeared far away on the map.

‘If it’s red… that means it’s attack-type. Could I get there through a black hole too?’

Kuuuuung!

Around then, the ship landed in an empty lot in Gwangjin District, so Yeongwoo hurried to the Earth-Ship’s helm.

For navigation advice, Mantero was the most reliable.

“Acting Captain! Acting Captain…!”

Running up to the upper helm in one breath, Yeongwoo immediately found Acting Captain Mantero.

—You’ve returned safely. But what is it?

“Look at this first.”

He thrust the myth map before the puzzled Mantero.

“This is our next destination. How long would it take with normal navigation?”

Mantero examined the map carefully, then tilted his head slightly.

—Hmm….

“Why, is it too far?”

—The actual distance isn’t that great, but this is the Phemu Galaxy. There are no relay tunnels, so we’d have to manually navigate quite a distance.

“Tell me in time. How long exactly?”

—Two days just to exit the galaxy….

“Two hundred million years? That’s not happening. Isn’t there another way?”

—Then we have no choice but to use a black hole again. If you look here.

As Mantero dragged the map and pointed to a nearby black hole, Yeongwoo nodded without hesitation.

Even to him, it looked extremely close.

“Let’s go there. We’ve already gained the consent of quite a few black holes, so it should be easier this time.”

As Yeongwoo said this, Earth approached and extended a hand.

Flash.

“…What is it?”

On Earth’s palm, a complex pattern was displayed.

“What’s that supposed to be?”

『Your karma.』

“…My karma?”

『A message came from Salzeo. It means they’ve already arrived at Tehen.』

“Oh, really? Then….”

Yeongwoo trailed off.

He realized the distance was too far to call them here.

From Tehen, it would take 120 years of flight without a black hole to reach them.

In theory, endlessly running through black holes could be possible, but Earth’s next words cut off his thoughts.

『No need to play tricks. Salzeo isn’t a famous house for nothing.』

“What does that mean?”

A slight unease crept in.

And soon, it became reality.

『Salzeo didn’t ask for our coordinates or anything like that. Instead, they sent a single line.』

Earth waved a hand in the air and displayed the message.

—Tehen destroyed in one day.—

“What?”

『They’re telling us to come.』

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