Okay,Got it!A Constellation? Simple. It's a starbound contract you get when you almost die. Power in exchange for a price. A passive, an active, and a curse stitched into your soul.
Take it, and you rise above humans. Refuse, and you stay weak.
That's all you need to know.
Listen up, because this is the part nobody tells you. The part they bury in footnotes and call folklore. The part that forced me to restart everything down and start over.
First bite gives the System.
Second bite, and you get the Authority of Covet .Which is temporary and an intoxicating power.The Third bite, and you stop being human. You become a Rootbearer.
And,Rootbearers are not people anymore. They are something else.Dangerous and Irreversible beings.
I planned to stay human. For now.
"Banpo Station," the driver said as he pulled up. I glanced at the fare, paid with a flick of my thumb, and stepped out.
The station was a sea of faces.Hopeful idiots, wannabe players jostling to get in early, eyes glossy with greed and desperation. I recognized a few. The rest I silently hoped I never would.
I headed down into the underground platform, the air damp with concrete and dust. A cold steel bench waited, so I dropped onto it without ceremony.
[8:54 A.M.]
Five minutes left. Just enough time to remind myself why I was here and why everyone else would regret being here.
Because at exactly 9:00 A.M., the Mangrove of Greed would tear its way into this world.
And when it did… the city, the people, the rules themselves.Everything would change like the past didn't matter.
Out of habit, I opened my streaming app. My viewer count was spiking.
[Past Stream: 2.9 Million viewers]
"Oh, perfect," I muttered when I spotted someone walking toward me.
Kang Sok.
Scammer. Parasite. Walking trash.Call him what you want.He is the kind of guy who preyed on wide-eyed newbies, waving fake promises and shady contracts just to bleed them dry with his rich buddy backing him up.
He even tried that stunt on one of my friends once.
Keyword: tried.
I leaned back against the bench, acting like he wasn't even worth my time. A faint smirk tugged at my lips.
This time… I'd make sure things played out differently.
[Time-9:00 A.M.]
[Initializing Mangrove Protocol…]
[Standy for Spacial Distortion]
The ground trembled underfoot.
Lights stuttered and died.
Somewhere above, a scream cut sharp through the air.
And then—
A vine tore through the subway floor, glowing faintly crimson. It throbbed like a heartbeat, alive, restlessly… hungry.
The Mangrove of Greed had arrived.
I rose from the bench, brushing off the dust, and ignored Kang Sok's mocking grin. He'd been staring at me for a while now.Eyes sharp, glittering with that mix of boredom and cruelty he wore like a second skin.
And let me slip you something, just between us. You ,the readers,can know.
But the Author? Yeah… he doesn't get to hear this part.
[Mangrove of Greed—Rank: D++]
To get the Fruit of Desire, you can't just survive.You have to face it head-on. I already know its attack patterns, of course, but I'm not about to spoil the thrill by listing them… and besides, saying them out loud might just jinx me.
The clearing was packed with about twenty people, me included, plus that bastard Kang Sok. Some looked ready, brimming with confidence; others fidgeted, pale and jittery. The air was heavy with the smell of sweat and iron, mingling with the earthy scent of the trembling ground beneath our feet. It shivered faintly, like the earth itself was aware of the monster about to emerge.
Kang Sok leaned back against the wall, hands shoved deep in his pockets. Calm. Relaxed. But every word dripped with venom.
"Look at them, Yujeo," he said, eyes scanning the group like he owned the world. "Sheep. All pretending to be wolves, but I can smell their fear from here." His grin sharpened, cutting through the air. "And the best part? Each one thinks they're the hero of this little story."
I didn't bother answering. He wanted a reaction .Cute and predictable for a bastard like him to say.
"Cute of you to say," I muttered, voice low, laced with that self-satisfied edge only I could pull off. The kind that said: I know more. I see more. And I play by my own rules.
He tilted his head toward the group of players gathering near the center. "That one," he said, pointing casually with his chin, "the guy in cheap armor. He's already sweating, and yet he's puffing his chest out like he's some kind of hero. You know what happens to idiots like him, Yujeo?"
I kept my silence.
Kang Sok chuckled softly. "They die first. Always."
I leaned back slightly, letting his words settle in the air like smoke. A slow smirk spread across my face.
"Die first, huh?" I murmured, voice low, almost teasing. "Funny… I've seen plenty of idiots like him bite the dust. But somehow, I'm still here, watching. Always one step ahead. Maybe that's why I'm not like the rest of you wannabes."
Kang Sok's grin faltered for a fraction of a second. Perfect. Let him taste a little humility.It suited me just fine.
Before I could say anything, the ground split with a deafening crack. Roots burst from the soil, twisting upward, thick as the trunks of smaller trees. The Mangrove of Greed clawed its way out of the earth, its bark jagged like shards of glass, its branches stretching out like skeletal arms. Sap dripped down, dark and sticky, carrying a metallic tang that made my stomach churn.
Everyone froze. Even the bravest had their weapons raised with trembling hands.
I stood perfectly still, letting the chaos unfold around me. The others panicked, but me? I was calculating, analyzing every twitch of the Mangrove's limbs, every glint of its jagged bark.
A slow, arrogant smirk tugged at my lips. Let them flail. Let them scream. They had no idea what it meant to face real danger. I did. And that knowledge? That gave me power. Pure, delicious power.
But not Kang Sok. He smiled wider, his voice smooth like silk wrapping around a blade.
"Ah… there it is. Hungry, patient, cruel. The perfect executioner."
The so-called protagonist—the one in cheap armor—tightened his grip on his sword and stepped forward. He forced his voice into a shout, his tone cracking as he declared:
"I'll be the one to slay it! Everyone else, stand back!"
I let out a quiet, almost imperceptible chuckle.
Pathetic.
He thought courage was enough. That sheer loudness could carve victory out of chaos. I didn't move, didn't even flinch. I already knew how this would play out, how the Mangrove would punish the foolish and reward the calculating.
And me? I'd be standing at the end, watching the scraps of bravado crumble before my eyes. Ego intact. Survival guaranteed. Always.
I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.
The Mangrove's branch lashed forward in a blur, faster than his eyes could track. A sharp crack filled the clearing as the jagged tip drove straight through his stomach. His mouth opened in a soundless scream, blood bubbling at his lips. His eyes widened, pupils shaking, as disbelief etched itself into his expression.
I leaned back slightly, arms crossed, letting the scene unfold. Pathetic. Predictable.
No mercy, no hesitation—just the raw inevitability of consequences. He'd thought himself a hero. A protagonist. And now… he was nothing more than a warning to everyone else.
I allowed a small, cold smirk to twitch at the corner of my lips. This is why I survive. This is why I win.
I watched, unmoved, as the boy's futile defiance crumpled into nothing. One heartbeat of hope, and then—gone. The Mangrove didn't negotiate. It devoured.
Kang Sok chuckled beside me, the sound lazy, almost amused. I mirrored it, a smirk tugging at my lips. Amateurs. All of them. Survival isn't about courage or heroics.It's about knowing the game before anyone else even realizes it exists. And me? I always do.
"Beautiful," Kang Sok said, his tone almost reverent, like he was admiring a masterpiece rather than a corpse. "Like watching a puppet with its strings cut. And yet, he actually thought fate would save him. Morons always do."
The others froze, eyes wide, stomachs turning. One gagged, two cursed, and panic bloomed like wildfire. A few tried to run.
I let out a low chuckle, voice sharp. "Big mistake."
Honestly? Watching them scramble was almost… satisfying. Predictable. Weak. Exactly why I'm always a step ahead.
Kang Sok's eyes gleamed as he leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
"Run, little rats. The faster you scramble, the sweeter it gets for the Mangrove. It feeds on more than just flesh, Yujeo. Greed, fear… that's what truly makes it thrive."
And right on cue, the Mangrove came alive. Its branches lashed out with a sharp, whistling crack, cutting through the air like blades. Before the fleeing players could take ten steps, the limbs punched through their backs. Their breif jagged bursts of scream rang out before being silenced as they hung there, skewered like meat over a fire.
Blood seeped into the soil, staining it black.
[To be Continued...]
[End of Chapter 6:The Price of Desires]