Malicious Constellation, Snake That Devours Heaven and Earth - (2)
After walking for quite a while, Lee Yuna arrived at a massive public building that resembled a police station. Inside was a space where several Avatars had gathered.
"Hello everyone~"
"Oh, Yuna, you're here? Let's get ready to head out."
"Did you put on all your equipment?"
After passing through strict security checks at the entrance, Lee Yuna greeted everyone energetically as she opened the door and entered. Various Avatars returned her greeting.
About twenty people, perhaps? They're planning to raid the headquarters where Avatars of a Malicious Constellation have gathered?
"Then let's depart. It's been a while since I've stretched my muscles. Which sector was it again?"
"Can we execute them on the spot?"
"Of course not. We need to take them all in."
Unlike ordinary people, Avatars are typically marked in the Constellation's artificial intelligence information system.
If so many are gathered here, wouldn't the other Constellation notice?
What if that Constellation warns its Avatars about the impending attack?
[Constellation, Whispering Constellation expresses concern about security vulnerabilities that Constellations can exploit.]
"Pardon? Oh. Are you worried that the Malicious Constellation might notice our movements?"
"...Your Constellation? Is that the Constellation from another dimension?"
"Yes, Senior. My Constellation is watching right now."
"Ohhh...!"
"So this is the one who has only two Avatars from another dimension."
"Um... don't mind us, just talk with your Constellation."
While the Avatars' morale rose at the mention of a Constellation watching directly, Lee Yuna briefly explained the situation to me.
Her explanation contained two important points:
1. Silent Starlight created the Avatar contract law and simultaneously sent information spirit entities to all Immortals who had contact with the Intergalactic Empire Federation.
2. This information spirit entity provides Constellations with the ability to observe all planets except the Federation's Capital Planet, to facilitate Avatar contracts.
"...They say that as soon as Constellations make first contact with someone from the Intergalactic Empire Federation, an information spirit entity appears."
Information spirit entity? Ah. She must be referring to the artificial intelligence information system that appeared to me while I was exploring the Dimensional Wall.
It seems all Constellations received one of these.
That's one reason why it's difficult to guess the true identity of Silent Starlight, known as the Galactic Spirit Entity. No matter how much I search through my knowledge, a divinity like Nyseria shouldn't be able to project such power across the Dimensional Wall.
It must be related to the Outer Gods of this world.
"But I heard that if a Constellation is registered as a Malicious Constellation in the Federation's database, that information spirit entity breaks down. That's according to testimony from a Constellation that surrendered after fighting the Federation."
I could understand everything from Lee Yuna's words. Immortals designated as enemies of the Intergalactic Empire Federation lose the vision provided by Silent Starlight.
"That's why it's commonly believed that Silent Starlight has contracts with the Alliance Leaders of the Federation through generations."
Of course, one could secure a wide field of vision using their true body's power rather than relying on an information entity. But since Silent Starlight has blocked direct physical intervention, they wouldn't be able to exert power beyond a certain level.
Even for Constellations hostile to mortals who receive attention from the Galactic Spirit Entity, violating the absolute being's command prohibiting direct intervention of their true bodies would be too burdensome.
Of course, I can't guarantee there aren't Constellations who harbor resentment toward the Federation and run wild after emerging into the Material Realm.
With the military power of the Intergalactic Empire Federation, they could sufficiently check Constellations that reveal their true bodies in the Material Realm, maintaining a balance.
"Still, the Federation's leadership is shrouded in mystery... Hehe. To be honest, I don't know much either."
I recalled the contents of the information entity that flew to me when I was exploring this dimension. The arrogant tone that was presumptuous to use with Immortals from another dimension. The name of the 57th Alliance Leader, Reinhardt.
It makes sense if the official position of the Intergalactic Empire Federation and knowledge about Constellation contracts were sent using the power of Silent Starlight, a Constellation contracted with the Federation's Alliance Leader.
---
But isn't this giving too much power to mortals?
Even for the dominant species of the galaxy, humans, having a Constellation branded as malicious by a human empire means losing too much.
If the Federation doesn't like a Constellation and indiscriminately registers them as hostile, wouldn't that create problems?
[Constellation, Whispering Constellation questions humanity's arbitrary judgment of Constellations' tendencies.]
After receiving my question, Lee Yuna glanced around cautiously before speaking in a quiet voice.
"...Yes. That's why many Constellations actually rebelled during the Galactic Empire era."
Come to think of it, there was a war between mortals and immortals. A war between some Planetary Spirit Entities and the Galactic Empire. And the Interstellar Treaty made with numerous Planetary Spirit Entities.
"But after the Interstellar Treaty, the Empire's expansionist stance diminished, and after changing its name to the Intergalactic Empire Federation, the number of Constellations designated as malicious decreased dramatically."
Did the Alliance Leader, who presumably contracted with the Galactic Spirit Entity, attempt some internal purge? Perhaps they realized that continuing their tyrannical approach would lead to major setbacks, so they revised the Federation's policies.
"These days, I believe the Constellations that the Federation opposes are only those with irreconcilable value differences or truly evil Constellations."
The Federation has many enemies.
* * *
Malicious Constellation, Snake That Devours Heaven and Earth.
Unlike the Planetary World Tree Constellation, World Tree that Upholds the Sky, which exists in the Material Realm, this divinity's true body exists in its own space.
Conceptual Realm. Void Realm. Akashic Dimension. The Reverse Side of the World. A being coiled in the Inner Plane, called by different names depending on the characteristics of the Immortal.
"Let's finish the briefing quickly and depart. The Constellation named Snake That Devours Heaven and Earth is a Single-Planet Life Tree discovered a few years ago. It was designated as a Malicious Constellation after evidence was found that it receives forced human sacrifices through its Avatars..."
According to the Federation's classification standards, it's the weakest type of Constellation, a single-planet restricted spirit entity. And it's a Constellation that hasn't revealed itself for long.
"The purpose of this operation is to subdue the Avatars of Constellation, Snake That Devours Heaven and Earth. Since this is a suppression operation, not an extermination, Avatar forces will enter first."
A middle-aged man in a suit continued the briefing. He didn't appear to be an Avatar. He looked like an officer from the Federation's regular army.
"After cutting off all the limbs of the evil snake, the higher-ups will either negotiate appropriately or subjugate it."
Negotiation is one thing, but how do they subjugate a Constellation said to be in another space? Do they use strange technological weapons to kill it, besides Planet-Destroying Weapons?
Since warp technology has been invented, there might also be technology to enter the Inner Plane.
"They are believed to be in a factory in an underdeveloped sector. Check your terminals for detailed location information."
I'd like to see a Constellation being subjugated firsthand, but such events probably rarely occur.
Unless extremely angered, not many Constellations would ignore the Galactic Spirit Entity's orders and emerge into the Material Realm to wield their true power.
* * *
The place where the Malicious Constellation's Avatars were gathered was in a factory in a quiet rural area.
There were about 10 Avatars who had kidnapped and bound people, seemingly to offer them as sacrifices to the Constellation they served.
Anyone could see they were contracted with a Malicious Constellation.
BOOM!!!
"Drop your weapons and surrender! You bastards!"
"Beat them up as soon as their abilities manifest! Just don't kill them!"
"Get down!"
When the government's Avatars burst in, the enemies began to resist, revealing their various abilities. Some transformed into snakes and spewed green fluid, while others emitted red light from their eyes trying to petrify people. Dazzling special abilities confused the eyes.
CLANG!
"These fools don't even have Special Ability Protection Gear!"
"For our Constellation! Die, you trash!"
"Push them back and run!"
Someone's punch shattered a concrete wall, while another Avatar drew a magic circle that spewed flames. A swordsman deflected anti-personnel gunfire with his blade, only to be neutralized by another Avatar.
On one side, an Avatar transformed into a giant wolf wreathed in blue flames was tearing apart the body of another Avatar who had transformed into a snake—a monster battle in progress.
It felt like watching an action movie plastered with CGI.
Even in this chaos, Lee Yuna was steadily subduing one enemy after another. She seemed to have become proficient in controlling Cosmic Power, taking down hostile Avatars.
"Ugh! The authority bestowed by our Constellation..."
"Our Constellation gave us authority too, you know?!"
She must have gained a lot of practical experience. It was impressive to see her skillfully subduing opponents despite them being fellow humans.
She blinded them with the light of Cosmic Power, then struck their legs to break their balance before putting Avatar handcuffs on them.
Compared to when she first met me, when she couldn't control her Cosmic Power and shot up into the air, the difference was like heaven and earth.
[Constellation, Whispering Constellation praises the first Avatar's achievements.]
"Thank you!"
Yuna is doing well on her own.
---
Turning my gaze away from my first Avatar who was steadily growing without my supervision, I looked back at Beatrice. The last time I saw her, she was trying to tame a Hound using a monster's corpse.
Let's see how she's doing.
Grrrr. Argrrrr...!
"Stay still until I tell you to!!!"
The scene that appeared as soon as I switched to Beatrice's perspective was her threatening? a summoned beast with a piece of meat dripping with red blood, while the Hound's jaws dripped with saliva, unable to close.
Given that they were in a laboratory-like space that was completely white, it seemed she was deliberately trying to tame the summoned beast.
The hungry beast, seemingly contemplating whether to pounce on her and snatch the meat, was visible. But for some reason, it wasn't moving.
At that moment, the Hound lunged for the meat in Beatrice's hand.
Thwack.
Grrrr! Arrr!
Beatrice dodged the Hound's teeth as it leaped at her using only its leg strength, by turning her body. Was she able to avoid it because she didn't use spatial jumps and was wearing reinforced clothing?
"O-hohoho! With such sluggish movements, you cannot snatch the meat from my hand!"
"...Imperial Princess, please be careful as there are limits to the assistance from the reinforced clothing and the force field's spacetime fixation. You have about 10 minutes left."
The voice from outside the laboratory mixed with the princess's laughter and the Hound's howls.
[Constellation, Whispering Constellation demands an explanation from the second Avatar.]
"You've arrived, my God? This is a taming process! After firmly fixing spacetime to prevent spatial jumps, using the monster's corpse..."
I see, she's trying to train it by exploiting the Hound's obsession with monster meat.
When she first summoned the Hound at the Imperial Palace, there was mention that it broke through the spatial stabilization. The function applied to this laboratory now seems much stronger than what was installed in the palace.
"You waited well! Sir Kaiser! This is your reward!"
Thunk.
Grrrr. Chomp chomp.
Beatrice threw the meat after timing it for a while. As I watched the monster hastily filling its stomach, something strange caught my eye.
Hasn't it gotten a bit bigger?
[Constellation, Whispering Constellation asks if the Hound seems to have grown larger.]