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Chapter 402: Episode 76 – Book of Revelation (4)

[Every Constellation in the <Star Stream> has detected the existence of the Calamity!]

[Many Constellations have fallen into a state of fear!]

As the surrounding atmosphere transformed rapidly, Constellations enjoying the cease-fire all began repeatedly roaring out as well as speaking in their true voices. Some were panicking grandly, wondering what was going on here; some sensed the Status of the Calamity and became scared; some Constellations began lodging inquiries to the Bureau, hoping to escape from this scenario.

The bitter struggles of the stars trying to survive turned the battlefield into pure pandemonium in no time at all.

[The Bureau of the Star Stream is responding to the emergency situation!]

Finally, the Bureau was stepping forward.

Seeing that the messages regarding Constellations had decreased by a whole lot quite rapidly just then, it seemed that the Bureau also found the current situation rather concerning as well.

[The Bureau of the Star Stream has begun an internal meeting on the applicable issue.]

It was quite likely that even the Bureau didn’t expect this ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’ to become this big.

Well, from the get-go, the ‘Chaos Points’ were simply added in as the extra spice for the sake of speedy progress of the ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’. But then, that extra points system had surpassed the Good/Evil Points, and it was even trying to awaken the Apocalypse Dragon now.

If that Dragon did wake up, then countless Constellations would end up getting killed. In other words, it’d be the same thing as the number of the Bureau’s customers declining rather precipitously.

[Even if the Bureau steps forward, they won’t be able to revert the calamity, as if it never happened in the first place.]

I agreed with Surya’s assertion.

We were in the 80th main scenario. Even if this was the Bureau, they wouldn’t be able to cancel the ‘Great Fable’.

So, now wasn’t the time to place our faith in their potential response.

“In order for the Apocalypse Dragon to wake up, the Chaos Points need to rise up by another 10.”

Although it wasn’t a lot, we still had some time.

If we failed to prevent the release of the Apocalypse Dragon, then there was a very good chance that my companions would be killed here.

What should I do to prevent that from happening?

Of course, I could immediately come up with a method to do that – eliminate the source behind the rise in the Chaos Points.

The problem was that the source was hidden inside that ‘sphere’.

Tsu-chuchuchuchut....!

“Even if it’s a ‘Seeker of the End’, it shouldn’t be able to hold on for long inside there.”

Through the ‘Ways of Survival’, I knew who was on the list of the ‘Seekers of the End’. No one on that list was capable of lasting for a long time while inside that sphere.

Not only were Metatron and Agares were in there, but the highest-grade Constellations in this world were with them, too.

Even if they were to take their time, Archangels and Demon Kings should’ve discovered the ‘Seeker of the End’ and killed it by now. With that, Chaos Points should stop rising up....

[Members from the same camp have clashed!]

[Current Chaos Points: 91]

It was around at that time that sparks exploded in the air. The sphere violently shook around before a portion of its side faintly spread open, and something began falling from there.

There were six torn wings visible on her back; it was an Archangel I knew well.

I activated [Way of the Wind] and flew up in haste.

The body of the Archangel I caught was quite light. A certain fragrance wafted into my nose; Fables were falling like flower petals from the deep wound running across her back.

“Gabriel.”

[Constellation, ‘Lily Blooming on Aquarius’, is looking at you.]

She was the Archangel Gabriel, who had experienced the 1863rd turn with me before coming back home; the Constellation who fell into a deep pit of shock after learning that she’d betray <Eden> in the future.

I momentarily wondered if she was the reason for the unfolding crisis, but I knew that couldn’t be the case; even in the original story, there was a very good reason to her betrayal, and technically speaking, you couldn’t even really call what she did a betrayal, either.

Gabriel’s lips moved with great difficulty. It was hard to hear her voice.

I pressed her for an answer. “What happened in there? Please talk to me.”

She looked up at my face with fatigued eyes, but then, handed something over to me. It was her Fable.

Her trembling lips moved. Her voice couldn’t be heard, but I could definitely understand the words being conveyed.

⸢Please, save <Eden>.⸥

Gabriel’s Fable began telling its story.

*

Metatron looked at the Angels lining up by his sides, as well as the Demon Kings standing on his opposite side one at a time. They all seemed to be anxious. Also, their expressions displayed their failure at understanding how they arrived at their current situation.

In the middle of all those faces, the oldest rival to Metatron could be seen.

[To think that we’d be in this place because of a single Nebula. How absurd.]

It was the master of the 2nd Demon World, the ‘Ruler of the East Hell’.

While lighting up a thick cigarette, Agares asked his question. [How will we decide on the victors and losers? Will we enter the 3rd ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’ right away? Honestly speaking, I’m against it. Gathering this much Probability again would be next to impossible, after all.]

To start this ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’, both <Eden> and the Demon World had to swallow huge losses.

Even among all the ‘Great Fables’ of the <Star Stream>, the ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’ boasted an unparalleled scale. If this scenario ended in annulment, then the ‘Fable of Good and Evil’ they barely managed to scrounge up would scatter again, and both the ‘Good’ and the ‘Evil’ could end up on the road to extinction.

Metatron looked up at the outside sky, faintly visible through the grey sphere. Flashes of lightning could be seen within the dark, gloomy clouds ominously gathering above them. Was it because of the end-of-the-world type vibe? He abruptly recalled an event that had taken place a long time ago.

[Agares. It’s already been several thousands of years since the master of the 1st Demon World had passed on.]

[I don’t have the time to leisurely reminisce about the past with you.]

[Do you still remember that day?]

[It was the day I inherited this abominable ‘wall’, so how could I have forgotten it?]

[‘Wall that divides Good and Evil’ is growling.]

Ominous sparks danced around Agares’s Incarnation Body. When that happened, a similar phenomenon happened around Metaron’s Incarnation Body, as well.

[‘Wall that divides Good and Evil’ is falling into a reminiscence of the past.]

A wall that was one but at the same time, two. A fragment of the Final Wall, that decided the ‘Good’ and the ‘Evil’ of the world.

With that wall in the middle, the representatives of <Eden> and the Demon World were staring at each other.

[For a long time, you and I decided on the ‘Good and Evil’ of this world, didn’t we?]

Just what was ‘Good’?

Even Metatron, the leader of <Eden>, didn’t have the answer to that question. Because, ‘Good’ was simply a collection of countless Fables, that was why.

He read the Fables of his predecessors, figured them out, and learned about ‘Good’ that way. And those ‘Good’, rather than explaining themselves, simply pointed to other Fables and spoke like this, instead.

⸢That is not ‘Good’.⸥

And that was how ‘Evil’ was created.

‘Jeong-ui’ (Justice, 正義) had morphed into ‘Jeong-ui’ (To define, 定義), and along with that, ‘anger’ had been invented.

⸢And therefore, we are not ‘Evil’.⸥

That was how ‘Good’ was created.

That simply dichotomy had managed to tear the <Star Stream> in half.

The simpler and more unyielding the principle, the stronger its ability to spread out. Countless Constellations jumped on the bandwagon of the principle of ‘Good’ and ‘Evil’.

[You probably have no idea. No idea about how boring it can get, trying to exist as ‘Evil’ in this world.] Agares breathed out the cigarette smoke and continued on. [It was you who forced the ‘Good and Evil’ into this state. You erased the particulars of ‘Evil’, and you also spread that damn ‘promotion of virtue and disapproval of vice’ like some kind of a plague. Indeed, you bastard, are the original culprit who managed to break the Fable of ‘Good and Evil’.]

It didn’t really matter what kind of minute details, or whether sadness and pain existed within the scenario. What did matter, however, was the conclusion.

The ‘Good’ judged and punished the ‘Evil’. That was enough for the others to shed grateful tears and clap their hands. Without a doubt, such a time did exist.

Metatron spoke up. [But, you also agreed to do that, didn’t you?]

[Back then, that was the only way for us to survive.]

The ‘Good’ stayed alive by punishing the ‘Evil’, while the ‘Evil’ continued to exist by resisting against the ‘Good’.

And so, tens of thousands of years passed by like that. The division between ‘Good and Evil’ became blurry, and justice/definition had disappeared. The ‘Good and Evil’ ended up becoming a concept of bored old men.

No one welcomed the idea of ‘promoting virtue and disapproving vice’ any more.

Drop.

Agares dropped the cigarette he’d been smoking on the floor, and as if he was stepping on an insect, squashed it to kill it.

[Through the repetition of the scenarios, the ‘Good’ has become a source of stuffy boredom, while the ‘Evil’ has become an antiquated cliché. I have to wonder, maybe it’s about time that we stop with this foolishness.]

Agares’s words prompted the Demon Kings to pull out all of their weapons.

Metatron spoke again. [If we fight here, then everyone will perish together.]

[‘Evil’ has always been easier than ‘Good’. Even if you all disappear, we will still remain.]

[The world forgetting about ‘Good’ does not mean I have forgotten mine.]

[Then, prove it.] Agares’s eyes began burning up. [We will no longer be the plaything of the ‘promotion of virtue and disapproval of vice’ any more. I am ‘Evil’. I was born ‘Evil’, and proving that you exist used to be the reason for my existence. And from today onwards, I shall break free from that reason.]

The Demon Kings all roared out in unison. Their Statuses overflowed as if to sweep away every Archangel present at any given moment.

But, right at that moment....

[Members from the same camp have clashed!]

[Current Chaos Points: 83]

System messages rose up in the air. The sudden spike in the Chaos Points caused the shocked Archangels to exchange glances with each other.

[What’s going on?!]

[It’s the outside! Someone is slaughtering the members from the same side!]

Agares and the Demon Kings also became flustered. And in the middle of all this confusion, only Metatron maintained his composed chuckle.

[I’ve been thinking about this for a long time, but it seems that this is the only way forward.]

[What are you...?!]

[If you want a fight, then I’ll give you one. However, what meaning is there for us to fight inside this place and end the ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’? Who do you think will remember the ‘Good and Evil’ that fought inside this tiny little sphere and met its ignoble doom?]

There was a hint of bizarre, creepy madness in Metatron’s voice.

Sensing that something very ominous was about to occur, Agares loudly shouted out.

[Metatron! Just what the hell are you thinking?!]

[My thoughts are as thus.]

As soon as Metatron finished talking, Michael, standing right at the forefront of the Archangels, unsheathed his sword.

Now that the strongest Archangel had pulled its sword out, Demon Kings didn’t hold back and unleashed their Statuses while roaring out, as well. And in the following moment, Michael’s sword pierced into someone else.

[....Mi, chael...?]

Eyes trembled softly in sheer disbelief.

The person Michael had stabbed wasn’t a Demon King. He began laughing. [How regretful. I always wanted to kill Uriel first, though.]

Archangel Raguel continued to shake its head in disbelief but eventually, it died on the spot as the Fables poured out from its wounds.

Demonic aura began boiling all over Michael’s entire frame after he murdered one of his kin. A corrupted Angel’s powers would grow stronger by killing fellow Archangels.

[Members from the same camp have clashed!]

[Current Chaos Points: 87]

Status that almost reached that of a Myth-grade Constellation exploded forth, and the massacre commenced in earnest. Angels that had no place to run hurriedly unleashed their Statuses, but they couldn’t even put up a proper fight before getting killed. Originally, there was a restriction placed on Michael that prevented him from attacking a fellow Angel on the side of Absolute Good.

Even then, if such a thing was possible, that could only mean....

[Scribe, just why....?!]

Metatron’s book was emitting bright white light. This slaughter was taking place under the tacit approval of ‘Scribe of Heaven’.

[Members from the same camp have clashed!]

[Current Chaos Points: 88]

The sight of hell itself unfolded as an Angel murdered another Angel.

Demon Kings watched the proceedings like onlookers spectating on the wildfire on the other side of the river, shook from sheer terror, and hastily stepped back.

Michael grinned brightly, and while wiping the Angel blood off his cheek, spoke. [And now, ‘Good’ will forever be remembered.]

[The Most Ancient Good has begun its storytelling.]

The battle of Saints and Demons were, in the end, a battle between Fables. And these Fables knew better than anyone on what to do so that they would be remembered forever.

Agares, enraged beyond means, roared out.

[Could it be that, you bastards, wish to revive the Apocalypse Dragon...?!]

Just as it urgently tried to unleash its Status, something dug deeply into its back – a covert, sneaky demonic energy that could even rival its own Status.

[The Most Ancient Evil has begun its storytelling.]

Agares unstably wobbled about and looked behind itself.

[....You bastard, why?]

[You said it yourself, haven’t you?]

The Demon King felt the sensation of the sharp claws cutting out its heart.

Asmodeus, the ‘Seeker of the End’, was smiling brightly.

[....That ‘Evil’ is always easier than ‘Good’.]

*

Gabriel’s Fable was really short. Short, but more than long enough to explain everything. Hell had unfolded inside that sphere already.

⸢”Run away, Gabriel. Request aid from those people.”⸥

And a small number of Archangels, including Raphael, sacrificed their Statuses at the last moment to send Gabriel outside the sphere.

[Definition of ‘Good’ and ‘Evil’ are rapidly changing!]

[Members from the same camp have clashed!]

[Current Chaos Points: 92]

“Kim Dok-Ja.”

Yu Jung-Hyeok and Han Su-Yeong had arrived by my side already. Their eyes were demanding an explanation.

Rather than providing a detailed but time-wasting one, I simply spoke of the core of the issue at hand. “It’s Metatron. He was planning to wake up the ‘Apocalypse Dragon’ from the very beginning.”

As if she knew what had transpired already, a big scowl formed on Han Su-Yeong’s face.

“That fool, I thought he knew what happened in the 1863rd turn?”

During 1863rd regression turn, <Eden> was destroyed by the Apocalypse Dragon. And Metatron was well aware of that.

“He must be believing that this is the only way to avoid their destruction.”

It was Yu Jung-Hyeok who said that. He continued on. “If the Apocalypse Dragon wakes up, then at the bare minimum, this ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’ should become a Fable no one will ever forget even until the final days of the <Star Stream>.”

“What the hell? What’s the point of that if everyone is about to die?”

“Not everyone will die. Some that manage to survive will end up remembering the ‘Good and Evil’ forever.”

Even if both Eden and the Demon World perished, the story would be different as long as the ‘Good and Evil’ didn’t vanish.

Even if everything were to come to an end, the ideology would still be inherited, that’s why.

Countless Constellations and Incarnations would die, and without a doubt, the Apocalypse Dragon would be designated as ‘Evil’. Then, the rest of the world would gather together to fight against that calamity.

And <Eden> and the Demon World would forever be etched in everyone’s memory.

Han Su-Yeong shuddered uncomfortably at that out-there show of will.

“Those crazy sons of bitches....”

[Members from the same camp have clashed!]

[Current Chaos Points: 93]

I watched the Chaos Points slowly climb up and felt the helplessness creep in bit by bit. All of this was Metatron’s scenario.

“Kim Dok-Ja, what are we going to do?”

From afar, the rest of our companions, plus Uriel, were flying towards our location.

....I need to think.

We had worked too hard to get this far.

Tsu-chuchuchut!!

It was at that moment that a portal opened up in the air as sparks wildly danced about.

“....Dokkaebis?”

[Great Dokkaebi, ‘Heoju’ (empty throne) has appeared in the scenario!]

[Great Dokkaebi, ‘Heoche’ (empty body) has appeared in the scenario!]

Two Great Dokkaebis, one wearing a formal black suit while the other, a white one, descended from the sky while scattering around dignified Statuses. They must’ve come here on short notice because their crumpled, untidy shirts and ties were flapping around in the strong winds.

They approached me immediately and spoke as thus.

[‘Demon King of Salvation’, this ‘Dark Stratum’ will soon perish. And, it’s almost a guarantee that you will die here.]

I figured that the Bureau would start making their move by now. I didn’t expect Great Dokkaebis to personally show up here, though.

“If you came here to prophetise the apocalypse, then I’m afraid you’re a bit too late now. The system’s been yapping on about it for a while, you see.”

The two Great Dokkaebis looked at each other as if they were taken aback by my composed reply.

[Just as the rumours suggested, he does possess a glib tongue.]

[And that’s why the King is so interested in him, most likely.]

Just before I could ask for a clarification on that, one of the Great Dokkaebis broke out into a smirk.

....As if it was about to make an offer that I couldn’t possibly refuse.

[Oh, Demon King. Let us get straight to the point. Give up on this ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’.]

This Great Dokkaebi laughed as if entertained by something, and while looking at Gabriel lying down on the ground, spoke again.

[If you do, we shall take you to the ‘Final Scenario’.]

<Episode 76: Book of Revelation (4)> Fin.