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Chapter 413: Episode 78 – Climax/轉 (5)

I remained within my crushed consciousness as Fables continued to send whispers in my direction.

[Fable, ‘Demon King of Salvation’, is continuing with its storytelling.]

Yes, I’m still listening.

I haven’t fallen asleep.

[Fable, ‘King of a Kingless World’, is sustaining you.]

I endured on while eating the Fables I lived through like a newborn chick being fed. After every sensation from my skin and joints disappeared, it felt as if time had stopped moving. It was like a clock tasked with maintaining my inner balance was broken.

[‘Final Dragon of the Book of Revelation’ is letting out a violent roar!]

[Indescribable Darkness’ is glaring at ‘Final Dragon of the Book of Revelation’.]

The contest of strength was still going on outside. A face-off, one calamity against the other.

I could sense the vibration from the shockwave spreading from far away, even inside this fog.

Although the Status remained strong, the size of the vibration was gradually weakening. As I expected, it seemed that the ‘Indescribable Distance’ was in a superior position.

The Apocalypse Dragon was so strong that it surpassed all possible imaginations, but as a calamity, it had woken up from its seal not too long ago. It’d not be quite enough to contend with the ‘Indescribable Distance’ that had been drifting around in the <Star Stream> for a long, long time.

So, the balance of power would slowly tilt towards the latter. The problem would be with its clones, though.

[Exclusive skill, ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’ 3rd stage is activating!]

I planned to not use this power on my comrades. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any other choice in my current situation.

Tsu-chuchuchuchut!

Accompanied by the pain akin to my head being crushed, dim, indistinct images floated up to my view. The white noise was pretty intense, perhaps due to the worsening damage to the Fables, but I could still just about make out the contents somehow.

⸢”Go and save Kim Dok-Ja.”⸥

The chaotic battlefield appeared before me. And then, I saw the Ruyi Bang rocking the skies of that battlefield as well.

He did come.

Golden-coloured thin fur danced entrancingly in the air. Jang Ha-Yeong, ably enduring the advent of the Great Sage, was releasing her new-found Status towards the sky. The Black Flame Dragon and Uriel were helping her out, and behind them, I also saw Kyrgios and the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint, too.

Hades and Persephone were protecting my companions from the clones. The ‘Mass Production-type Maker’ was busy loading the collapsed Constellations in his [X-grade Ferrarghini]....

And soon, a huge explosion noise resounded out from the centre of the battlefield, and a gigantic ship suddenly made its appearance.

⸢This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come.⸥ (TL: Genesis 9:12)

The Fable of the Ark as written by <Eden> began dyeing the battlefield. It seemed to me that Metatron had come to a decision. Indeed, he must’ve realised that sealing the Apocalypse Dragon away would be too difficult at this point.

⸢”Ahjussi....”⸥

Shin Yu-Seung and Yi Ji-Hye aboard the Ark were looking up at the sky. The former was supporting Yi Gil-Yeong, who seemed to have blacked out. It was her duty to stop the boy from going on a rampage, and thankfully, my Incarnation seemed to be performing her duty admirably.

Constellations and Incarnations had evacuated onto the Ark, and then, I heard the sound of the Island collapsing.

[Constellation, ‘Guardian of the Mandala’, is looking at you.]

I thought that a faint outline of the Buddhist rosary had appeared before my eyes, and that was when I heard his true voice.

[Oh, dear child. It has finally come to this.]

I could only smile weakly towards him.

‘You knew this would happen already.’

The 108 rosary beads that appeared before my eyes began emitting wondrous light.

Sakyamuni must’ve predicted this moment as soon as I appeared in his radar.

To him, the flow of time wasn’t in a straight line but actually, one giant circle. He might not know of the detailed information on the future, but through the events of the past, he was able to read the present.

[The history of this island comes to an end here. And things will get rather busy from now on.]

I already knew why he’d get ‘busy’ thanks to the ‘Ways of Survival’.

The rosary beads vibrated all at once as they became whiter and whiter. Soon, this island would be closed. And just like what happened tens of thousands of years ago, this island would seal the Apocalypse Dragon once more.

This island would become a giant rosary that contains the Apocalypse Dragon.

‘Please, allow my companions on the Ark to escape from the island.’

The rosary before me emitted a faint trace of light. It was a sign of agreement.

[However, you can’t be saved, my child.]

I nodded my head.

I thought as much.

Well, I was stuck right in the middle of the Apocalypse Dragon and the Nameless Mist, after all.

[Oh, dear child, I pray for story’s.....]

His true voice was swept up by the shockwave as well as the wave of the fog of darkness and got erased.

My whole body began shuddering like a lone leaf in the wind. The rate of my fragmented Fables disintegrating was speeding up. I curled up even more.

I was almost there.

If I endure this part, then <Kim Dok-Ja Company> would acquire a brand-new Great Fable.

We’d be able to meet the condition of ‘Climax (轉)’ that leads us towards the Final Scenario.

[Fable, ‘King of Kingless World’, has stopped its storytelling.]

But then, Fables began cutting out one by one.

[Fable, ‘Returnee’s Disciple’, has stopped its storytelling.]

[Fable, ‘Gourmet Association’s Heretic’, has stopped its storytelling.]

It became harder to breathe and my vision grew dimmer.

[Fable, ‘One Who Is Loved By an Archangel’, has stopped its storytelling.]

I knew that everything would be over if I lose my consciousness here.

[Fable, ‘One Who Hunted the King of Calamity’, is curling up.]

[Fable, ‘One Who Murdered an Outer God’, is resisting.]

That was why I desperately held on to my consciousness.

I filled my head trying to get away from me with intimately familiar words.

Right, let me recall the ‘Ways of Survival’.

For some extraordinary reason, though, what appeared in my mind wasn’t the contents of the ‘Ways of Survival’, but my life during my middle school years. Memories of me sneakily using the PC without the knowledge of my cousins to read the ‘Ways of Survival’, or when I was doodling on the corners of the school textbook. Memories, when I transcribed the contents of the novel on a notebook, or when I drew up the chart of the power scale of all the characters.

– Dok-Ja, would you like to become a writer when you grow up?

A teacher asked me that after discovering my doodling. I replied that what I wanted to become wasn’t a writer, but a reader. The teacher formed a strange expression after hearing that, but eventually smiled back at me.

– That’s not such a bad idea. Because a book needs a reader to be complete, you see.

That teacher-nim who said that to me passed away four days later due to a car accident.

That was life.

I knew that. I knew that life was not some story.

[Fable, ‘Demon King of Salvation’, has stopped its storytelling.]

However, even still....

[Fable, ‘Companion of Life and Death’, is continuing on with its storytelling.]

I would’ve liked this life to become a story.

‘I want to live.’

I reached out, but there was no sense of anything.

From afar, something was breaking past the battlefield of the Apocalypse Dragon and the Outer God to approach my location. Although it was an incredibly faint general outline of a person, I recognised who it was right away.

[<Star Stream> is acknowledging your stunning achievement.]

[You have acquired a new ‘Great Fable’.]

Warm rays of light leaked in from somewhere and enveloped my body. Just as I tried to say something, a voice came to me from somewhere.

*

I want to save him.

I definitely want to save him.

Han Su-Yeong bit her lips hard enough to draw blood and thought to herself over and over again.

[Constellation, ‘Demon King of Salvation’, is currently activating ‘Will to Live Lv.1’.]

Anyone who heard that message would think the same as her.

It wasn’t from just anyone, but from that Kim Dok-Ja.

“It’s still not too late.”

Han Su-Yeong heard Yu Jung-Hyeok’s words and wiped the blood trickling down her lip before forming a grin. “You know, I’ve never yielded to anyone in my life before.”

“I know that you’ve reached your limit.”

“You talking about yourself?”

“I can endure longer than you.”

Kim Dok-Ja wasn’t too far from them now. However, both time and their situation didn’t look good at all.

The forward momentum Jeong Hui-Won added earlier could only take them this far. With their remaining energy, they were unable to fight against the clones nor break past that thick fog of darkness.

Ku-gugugugu...

From Han Su-Yeong’s bandages, now unwrapped, a mixture of blood and Fables flooded out. Her complexion was now incredibly pale.

Yu Jung-Hyeok spoke. “Are you planning to meet a dog’s death here?”

“It’s just that, I can’t trust you 100%, that’s all.”

Something cold flitted in and out of Yu Jung-Hyeok’s eyes just then.

She still asked him, though. “You know that I possess [Lie Detection], right?”

“Of course.”

“Do you really consider Kim Dok-Ja as your comrade?”

“You’re asking an unnecessary question.”

“I know that the two of you went through all sorts of crappy scenarios and built up some sort of a bond in the process. But, separate from all that, there is something I still can’t wrap my head around, you see.” Unlike what she said earlier, she didn’t activate [Lie Detection] during her speech. “You originally didn’t have any allies and stuff like that. But, you’ve changed so much after entering this regression turn.”

“...”

“That’s why I can’t trust you. You used to forsake your allies all for your great cause, so why are you trying to rescue Kim Dok-Ja now?”

Yu Jung-Hyeok’s gaze met Han Su-Yeong’s.

It had been such a long time since she last saw him in a pitch-black darkness that for a moment there, she involuntarily ended up shuddering. It was possible that she had touched something she shouldn’t have. Because, she didn’t know much about Yu Jung-Hyeok’s regression turns, to begin with.

He replied to her. “Once these scenarios come to an end, there is something I must confirm with Kim Dok-Ja.”

One couldn’t read any emotions or thoughts from his face. That was like his version of despair, maybe his rage, or even his hellish loneliness. Or, it was possible that none of that belonged to Yu Jung-Hyeok but to Han Su-Yeong herself, instead.

“And that is why, until then I....”

As things stood, there was only one truth she could glean from what he said. “Okay, so, you’re planning to keep him alive, is that it?”

She looked to her right hand as she finished speaking. [Black Flame] burning in darkness waited for her there. The very last drops of her magical power were drawing on her hand.

“You better keep your promise. If you can’t save him, then....”

Her burning gaze landed on Yu Jung-Hyeok next. Her small palm touched his back, and then, an intense storm of magical energy whipped up.

“....Just drop dead and go to the next turn!”

The Black Flame Dragon’s grace extending out from her arm permeated into Yu Jung-Hyeok for a moment; the magical energy from Jeong Hui-Won and Han Su-Yeong combined in that instance to create wings of light and darkness just beyond his black coat.

Kuwaaaaaah-!!

Yu Jung-Hyeok grasped the [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword] tightly as he crossed the vast emptiness.

He was able to cross the fog of darkness he couldn’t possibly traverse with his own powers alone with the aid of Jeong Hui-Won and Han Su-Yeong.

[Grace of the Constellation, ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’, is permeating into you.]

[Grace from the Constellation, ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’, is permeating into you.]

Even then, his magical power reserve continued to fall. The density of the fog grew heavier and the starlight grew fainter in turn. Yu Jung-Hyeok gritted his teeth.

He needed a sharper, keener, more accurate story.

A Fable that could pierce through that fog of Calamity somehow....

[Fable, ‘the One who Opposes the Miracle’, is continuing with its storytelling.]

There it was. Right there in the path of emptiness he was gazing at, the history he lived alongside Kim Dok-Ja lay scattered like the Milky Way. Yu Jung-Hyeok ran on that path.

[Fable, ‘One Who Murdered an Outer God’, is continuing with its storytelling.]

He ran on one of the Fables, and....

[Fable, ‘Giant’s Liberator’, is continuing with its storytelling.]

And, as he ran on yet another Fable, his Incarnation Body began moving faster and faster. Soon, gentle rays of golden light enveloped his entire figure. Transcendence level two, then three.... The moment he surpassed level four, his body transformed temporarily.

Wu-dududuk.

Bones all over his body screamed, and as if it had been completely overhauled, his appearance changed to become even more agile than before.

And eventually, into Transcendence level five.

[Fable, ‘Comrade of Life and Death’, is continuing with its storytelling.]

He saw a star dying alone in the distance. But to him, that guy no longer looked like a Constellation now.

Kim Dok-Ja.

It was still not too late.

The Fables they remembered still remained, and the people who remembered him were still alive. The story he so wanted to create, it was still alive and kicking in this world.

[Fable, ‘Kim Dok-Ja Company’, is continuing with its storytelling.]

You mustn’t die in this place.

[Incarnation Body’s durability has reached its limit!]

[The ‘Ark’ is calling out to you!]

Yu Jung-Hyeok suddenly felt a powerful suction force pulling him from behind. That power was preventing him from getting closer to Kim Dok-Ja.

[Constellation, the ‘Guardian of the Mandala’, is calling out to you.]

“Shut up!”

Yu Jung-Hyeok resisted against all those forces and advanced forward. Kim Dok-Ja was right in front of his nose. Ten steps away, nine, eight.... He endured against sparks tearing into his body and continued to march on.

Five steps away, four....

He reached out.

He reached out towards the ends of Kim Dok-Ja’s clothes drifting aimlessly in the emptiness. The moment his hand was about to touch the fabric...

Along with the sensation of his breathing coming to a stop, the surroundings began shaking. It wasn’t because he blacked out or had lost his consciousness.

When he regained his wits, he realised that someone was grabbing his wrist. A firm, strong hand was holding his wrist, not letting it go.

And it happened to be a very familiar hand.

[Incarnation Yu Jung-Hyeok’s Sponsor is greatly shaken up.]

The entire world was trembling; noises of the Apocalypse Dragon and the Outer God clashing resounded out, and in the distance, the island and its dimension disintegrating could be seen. But what Yu Jung-Hyeok saw just then was far, far more shocking than those sights of the apocalypse itself.

Past the ‘chaos’ that was endlessly ominous and impossible to determine how far it extended, a white coat exactly the same as Kim Dok-Ja’s danced in the space.

This being now carried the unconscious Kim Dok-Ja under his arm.

From the pitch-black darkness, that abyss-like pair of eyes was looking at Yu Jung-Hyeok.

Slowly, agonisingly slowly, trembling spread up from the ends of his toes, and his grabbed wrist shook like crazy. Because he knew who this being in front of his eyes was. He knew this being so well and because of that, he couldn’t say anything at all.

– Are you ‘Kim Dok-Ja’ from the future?

Some time ago, Yu Jung-Hyeok had asked that question to a certain someone.

He asked that because he initially thought that only Kim Dok-Ja knew of the story extending as far as to the 1863rd regression turn.

However, now he thought back to that moment, he realised how stupid that question was.

A being who knew all the stories right up until the 1863rd turn.

A being who understood a story the best was not the ‘reader’ who had read it, but the ‘character’ that actually lived through that very story.

[Go back. You can’t save anyone.]

< Episode 78. Climax (5) > Fin.