Chapter 67

I Am Not a Reincarnator Chapter 67

Heavy Rain (9)

“Ha.”

I took a deep breath, facing the pouring rain.

“...”

I released the transformation as I looked down at Jang Seok-ho’s body.

My arm, which had shrunk to the size of a small child’s hand, returned to its original form.

Shiver.

Perhaps due to the accumulated internal injuries, my right arm trembled finely like a shivering aspen.

“...I can’t even make a proper fist.”

Even though the wounds had fully regenerated, a dizzying pain remained.

‘Not quite an all-purpose skill, it seems.’

Still, to recover to this extent in a situation where I could have died immediately is no small feat.

Hydro Affinity.

The skill I thought was a burden turned out to have potential far beyond my imagination.

‘I have more reasons to gather the stigmata now.’

Seeing the effects of the synthesis skill, I felt even more motivated to absorb stigmata actively.

‘And the synthesis skill starts with max proficiency.’

While it’s disappointing that there’s no potential for further growth, the advantage is that I don’t need to worry about proficiency.

“Then, let’s... Ugh!”

A sudden, searing pain shook my body again.

This time, the pain came from my left chest.

‘If it’s the left chest...’

Surely not.

“...Huh.”

Oh Jin lifted the tattered remains of his clothes to inspect his left chest.

Beside the Lyra constellation stigmata, five lines (劃) were brightly burning.

“This would make our goddess faint again.”

It had been about two months since I reached the 4th rank during the sparring with Reik.

A lot has happened in that time, but even considering that, reaching the 5th rank in just two months is an unbelievable growth rate.

‘5th rank, huh.’

At the 5th rank, one is treated as a mid-level Awakened.

I would receive good treatment wherever I go.

‘But that’s only for minor stigmata.’

The stronger the stigmata, the harder it is to increase the ‘rank.’

In the case of the 12 signs of the zodiac, reaching the 5th rank is enough to secure a decent position in a guild.

‘For the North Star stigmata...’

Perhaps.

It might be enough to claim the position of a guild leader.

“What... I still have a long way to go.”

Generally, reaching the 5th rank is enough to live comfortably.

But thinking about the path I need to take, the 5th rank is woefully insufficient.

“...”

Oh Jin looked down at Jang Seok-ho’s body, lightly clenching and unclenching his fist.

‘I need to get stronger.’

So that no one can covet what is mine.

To live a life speaking only the truth, not lies.

For that, I need to...

“Devour everything.”

He extended his hand toward Ashad Khan’s body.

‘Black Heaven.’

A black cloud enveloped the owl constellation.

“Ha.”

A dizzying amount of mana flowed into him through the black cloud that emerged from his fingertips.

‘Was he a 7th rank Awakened?’

He counted the lines on Ashad Khan’s left chest and subtly smiled.

They say that the difference between each rank becomes enormous as the rank increases, and now I understand why.

‘The quality of mana is different.’

If a 7th rank is this powerful, how powerful would an 8th rank be?

And beyond the 8th rank, the 9th rank, where one is called a ‘High’ Awakened?

‘It must be incredible.’

Just thinking about it made his mouth tingle.

He even felt a pang of hunger.

‘But that’s not something to think about now.’

I barely managed to defeat a 7th rank Awakened, leaving my body in ruins.

Thinking about 8th and 9th ranks now is absurd.

“What... Still, this guy seemed to be quite strong even among 7th ranks.”

He even had the blessing of the constellation.

Frankly, defeating a 7th rank Awakened is equivalent to defeating a decent 8th rank Awakened.

‘A 4th rank defeating an 8th rank...’

He chuckled.

“A laughable achievement that I can’t even brag about.”

I might get cursed out for boasting.

- Rumble, rumble.

The aura of Black Heaven, which had emerged from his fingertips, wriggled as if satisfied with its feast and flowed back into his body.

And then.

“Ugh!”

Zing.

A searing pain as if something hot was searing his brain.

Images appeared before his eyes.

- Hmm. You mean that the Brain Guild is in a cooperative relationship with the Valhalla Guild?

- Yes. I think Lee Woo-hyuk will likely ask for help from the Brain Guild.

A memory of a conversation with someone.

‘This is...?’

Oh Jin’s brows furrowed.

The memories flowing into his mind were not those of Lee Woo-hyuk.

‘Ashad Khan.’

These are his memories.

- I thought I had destroyed the Association’s line, but suddenly that guy got involved. Han Joon-man has been causing trouble recently... I thought I would keep an eye on him a bit longer since he is the apostle of the North Star, but it seems best to deal with him now.

The Association’s line?

Han Joon-man?

‘What is this?’

Oh Jin’s brows furrowed.

‘Is there a faction within the Association?’

If so, one of those factions was the Black Star Society.

‘That’s why the relationship between the Valhalla Guild and me was known to them.’

The pieces of the puzzle finally seemed to fit together.

“Ugh!”

Before he could continue his thoughts, more memories flooded in.

- Understood. Agent of the King. I will dispose of the target as ordered.

- Hahaha! There are few as reliable as you, Mr. Ashad. You’re completely different from Eugene.

- Do not compare me to that fool.

Ashad Khan slightly smiled and continued.

- By the way... What’s the situation in Italy?

- Ah, you mean the ‘Leech Queen’?

A voice on the other end of the smartphone sounded exasperated.

- Don’t even mention it. That crazy woman is causing chaos. News has even reached the ‘Demon Realm.’

- Is there no way to deal with her?

- The Leech Queen, no matter how crazy, is still the 3rd ranked Executor. It’s difficult to take direct action.

- Then...

- Well... I do have a plan in place.

- A plan?

- Hehe. To subdue a poison, one must use a stronger poison.

A clear voice echoed.

It felt like listening to a child’s chatter—

“Ugh!”

His distorted vision returned to normal.

- Ding!

[Inheriting some records of Awakened Ashad Khan.]

[Acquired the skill 《Black Wing Armor Lv3》.]

[Acquired the skill 《Black Wing Explosion Lv5》.]

Blue message windows appeared one after another before his eyes.

[The skills acquired are changing due to the influence of the Lyra constellation stigmata.]

[The skill 《Black Wing Armor Lv3》 has changed to 《Brain Wing Armor Lv3》.]

[The skill 《Black Wing Explosion Lv5》 has changed to 《Brain Wing Explosion Lv5》.]

“...So they change automatically to match the stigmata.”

Oh Jin read through the blue message windows, narrowing his eyes.

‘Now that I think about it, there was no mention that inheritance only occurs with Lee Woo-hyuk’s memories.’

This time, he obtained Ashad Khan’s memories.

“...There’s quite a lot of information.”

Putting aside the information about Italy and the 3rd ranked Executor, the Leech Queen, the fact that the Black Star Society had infiltrated the Association was a matter that could not be ignored.

‘I should talk to Joon-man about this.’

Since he was mentioned in the memories, there’s a high possibility he knows something.

“Now, it’s over—”

Rumble!!

A black cloud exploded from Oh Jin’s left chest.

The cloud, spreading like a blooming flower, slowly seeped into his body.

“This is not it.”

A hollow laugh escaped Oh Jin’s lips.

[All conditions for the fourth blooming of ‘Black Heaven’ have been met!]

[The fourth blooming of ‘Black Heaven’ has begun!]

Following his promotion to the 5th rank, the fourth blooming.

‘It was tough, but I gained a lot.’

Not that he wants to go through it again.

[Due to the fourth blooming, a quest has been activated!]

“...Huh?”

A quest?

[Quest–The Sky Demon Who Swallows Stars ①]

Objective: Absorb a stigmata stone to open Black Heaven. (Current completion rate: 0%)

Reward: Random acquisition of one ‘Ancient Constellation.’

“What is this?”

Oh Jin tilted his head, looking at the quest window that appeared before his eyes.

‘Ancient Constellation?’

A name he had never heard before.

‘Hmm... I should ask Vega about this.’

Regardless.

He couldn’t know for sure right now.

“The fourth blooming.”

Crackle! Crackle!!

Oh Jin lightly summoned mana, creating lightning.

The lightning burned with a much deeper blue than usual.

‘As expected.’

With the higher blooming stage of Black Heaven, the power of the Lyra constellation stigmata increased.

‘If it continues to grow... I can’t even imagine how powerful it will become.’

A deep smile formed on Oh Jin’s lips.

“Still...”

He frowned and looked around.

He stood still, waiting for a moment, but nothing changed.

‘Why isn’t it coming in?’

Perhaps the most important reward for him.

Lee Woo-hyuk’s memories did not flow into his mind.

As he looked around with a puzzled expression—

[The records of Awakened Ashad Khan and Awakened Lee Woo-hyuk have conflicted, causing partial loss of Lee Woo-hyuk’s records.]

[Black Heaven is automatically restoring the necessary records for inheritance.]

[The ‘inheritance’ will proceed in stages based on the progress of restoration.]

“Oh.”

The conflict between two ‘inheritances’ occurring simultaneously must have caused the memory clash.

‘Well... Since it’s being automatically restored.’

If it were to disappear forever, that would be a different story.

But since it’s being restored automatically, there’s no need to worry.

“Then, let’s head back.”

After clearing the messages that appeared before his eyes.

Oh Jin took a step forward.

- Thud!

“Ugh!”

He couldn’t even take a proper step and slipped to the ground.

‘Damn.’

Was his body in such bad condition that he couldn’t even walk properly?

‘Well, the Hydro Affinity skill only heals external injuries.’

Though not visible.

His internal body must be in a terrible state, completely battered.

Oh Jin forced a bitter smile and tried to gather strength in his trembling legs.

“...Let’s go.”

Before turning around.

He turned his head to look at Jang Seok-ho’s body one last time.

“...”

Pitter-patter.

He moved his steps through the pouring rain.

* * *

Creak.

He barely managed to open the front door and step inside.

“Hey! Kwon Oh Jin!”

A familiar voice greeted him.

A tired smile formed on his lips.

“Where did you go without a word...”

Ha Eun’s expression hardened as she walked out of the room.

“You, what’s wrong with you?”

“...Sis.”

Wobble, wobble.

Without the time to dry his rain-soaked body.

He approached her.

He raised his hand to touch her cheek.

It’s warm.

Unlike the cold, lifeless hand of Jang Seok-ho.

It’s full of warmth.

“Oh Jin...?”

Her chestnut eyes looked up at him.

An indescribable sense of relief spread through his entire body.

- Thud!

“Ah! What, what is this?!”

He pulled her into an embrace.

And collapsed right there in the entrance.

“...Just a little.”

I don’t ask for much.

I don’t want anything grand.

Just.

The warmth in my arms.

“Stay like this for a little while.”

So it doesn’t wash away in the rain.