Chapter 139: Episode 27 – Unreadable (3)
The new layer of skin was made of steel. Lee Hyunsung’s body was being reshaped, as if he was another species.
Steel Transformation.
Only the first stage ‘Armour’ was activated but this alone wasn’t the usual power. Lee Hyunsung who mastered stage one was harder than Gong Pildu’s armed fortress and wouldn’t die even after being hit by Yoo Jonghyuk’s Heaven Shaking Sword.
“Li...live...”
The problem was that stage one wasn’t fully activated yet.
-This is the real stigma that Lee Hyunsung-ssi needs to learn.
Lee Hyunsung realized the situation and quickly retreated.
[The Steel Transformation isn’t yet complete.]
[The stigma can only be used by those who have achieved a story.]
All sponsors gave a stigma to their incarnations.There were stigmas in the form of gifts and some that could only be used under difficult conditions.
Steel Transformation of the Master of Steel was one of the difficult stigmas.
[The story ‘Proof of Steel’ has begun!]
It was because this stigma required the indirect ‘proof’ of what the constellation had experienced.
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[Proof of Steel]
1. 「 True steel is born in tens of thousands of quenches. 」
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It was an unkind sentence thrown into the scenario. Lee Hyunsung seemed confused. “What does this mean?”
-The basis of quenching is cooling after a high heat treatment.
“Don’t tell me...”
-It seems right. Please keep your mind straight.
In a sense, it might be fortunate that Jung Heewon was Lee Hyunsung’s opponent. Lee Hyunsung turned pale.
[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ is interested in the story of this world.]
[The constellation ‘Defense Master’ wonders how his strength compares.]
[The constellation Demon-like Judge of Fire has both hands clasped together in a nervous manner.]
The blazing hellfire turned blue along with the messages of the constellations. Maybe Jung Heewon’s Hell Flames Ignition had increased a level because the flames became deeper and fiercer.
The asphalt mixed with impurities melted from the pure white flames and the high heat turned them into a deadly weapon.
The silver armour instantly started to melt and the scattered foreign materials penetrated the armour like bullets, damaging Lee Hyunsung’s insides. New steel grew from the melted areas but it wasn’t without damage.
“Kuk...!”
Blood emerged from Lee Hyunsung’s mouth.
He would’ve been able to resist Hell Flames Ignition if his Steel Transformation was perfect, but it wasn’t yet. In any case, Hell Flames Ignition was the highest level stigma belonging to the fire property. It was amazing that he didn’t just collapse.
Lee Hyunsung took one step back and screamed. I was pained to see this scene but it wasn’t yet time. Lee Hyunsung’s steel was burning red. A bit more, a bit more...
[The temperature has exceeded the standard value!]
That’s it.
[The quenching has begun.]
The base of steel was quenching. The heart of this story was to burn in a high temperature above the standard until the body became made of perfect steel.
-Hold on! You can do it!
Fortunately, Lee Hyunsung wasn’t ‘evil.’
Hell Flames Ignition was a stigma with the ‘fire’ and ‘divine’ properties. If Lee Hyunsung was ‘evil’ then he would’ve already been turned into a pile of ashes from Hell Flames Ignition.
As Lee Hyunsung was enduring, I quickly looked at the information of Jung Heewon.
[The character ‘Jung Heewon’ is currently suffering from ‘Thought Infection.]
[The character ‘Jung Heewon’ is in a lost state.]
[The trauma of the character ‘Jung Heewon’ is completely open.]
...
...That bastard, he completely made a mess of a human’s mind.
「 I can’t forgive them... 」
Nirvana’s Thought Infection pulled all the dark parts of a person’s mind to the surface in order to settle their time in the present.
「 I should kill them. 」
Humans who faced the reality of a cliff where the future had disappeared usually lose hope. This was especially true when the reality was terrible.
In the process, someone would feel despair and collapse while someone else would turn into a beast and release relentless desires.
Some resisted angrily and lose their sense of reason. Once this resignation was repeated, they would find a ‘savior’ to comfort themselves. They would martyr themselves for this saviour, sacrificing their humble lives before the great ‘present.’
「 Kil all the men. 」
I seemed to know what her trauma was. Jung Heewon’s initial attribute of ‘crouching’ was based on a strong psychological shock. Looking back on the first moment I found her, it wasn’t unusual for her to have a strong hostility towards ‘men.’
“This... is this Heewon-ssi’s heart?” Lee Hyunsung asked from amidst the blazing flames.
-Can you hear her?
“That, a bit...”
I never thought that Lee Hyunsung would be able to hear the messages of ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint.’ Was it because I was immersed in the first person viewpoint? Did Lee Hyunsung feel my emotions as much as I understood Lee Hyunsung?
Lee Hyunsung spoke like he had forgotten the heat. “This is Dokja-ssi’s ability?”
-Yes. It is my skill.
I had to confess because there was nothing good about lying here.
-I apologize for hiding it until now.
However, Lee Hyunsung didn’t seem upset. “I’m a bit embarrassed. My heart...”
The second wave came before he could finish. The intense heat melted the incarnations in the surroundings and the area was filled with lava.
The entire ground melted from the powerful heat. The buildings sank with the ground. Now I had to make a decision.
-You should head in the direction of suppression.
“Won’t I hurt Heewon-ssi?”
Lee Hyunsung was at the disadvantage but he was worrying about the other person. Still, Lee Hyunsung’s words weren’t wrong.
-Her heart is hurt.
The most obvious solution was to kill Nirvana or resolve Jung Heewon’s trauma. The former was impossible now and the latter...
I wouldn’t have been so worried if Jung Heewon was a character with a big role in the original novel.
Jung Heewon was a newly discovered person and I didn’t know her well. The only thing I could do was take care of the symptoms, not the cause.
“Dokja-ssi.”
-Let’s try it.
We nodded as one body. The distance from Jung Heewon was get far because he had stepped back a bit. I had to be close to her to try this method.
The skin of steel grew to cover Lee Hyunsung’s face. The muscles all over Lee Hyunsung’s body were twitching. He was like a silver knight as the steel properly covered his body. The silver knight started to run through the flames.
In accordance with this, the wall of flames became higher. It was a warning not to come closer. He wasn’t allowed here.
“Uwooooh!”
Lee Hyunsung acted like it was training and ran straight through the flames. He was burned again and again. Steel pieces melted and fell to the ground. His eyes were becoming blurred from the heat.
“Heewon-ssi! We will save you!”
It was one step.
“We... are...!”
Once again, another step.
“Heewon-ssi!”
I watched Lee Hyunsung and had a thought. I had forgotten for a while because I could hear the hearts of other people. Originally, reaching a person’s heart was a difficult and painful thing.
Lee Hyunsung and I clearly saw the world from the same eyes but we didn’t see the same thing. Lee Hyunsung’s heart bursting with emotions was proof of this.
It was a strange feeling. Originally, it wasn’t supposed to be like this. The story changed thanks to me.
“Uhhh... kuoooh!” Lee Hyunsung’s knees collapsed when there were ten steps left.
[The character ‘Lee Hyunsung’ has reached the limits of his mental state.]
I was awakened by my shaking vision. Even if the story changed, this was still Ways of Survival.
[The constellation ‘Master of Steel’ is looking at his incarnation with sad eyes.]
All characters struggled in utter despair. This was Ways of Survival.
-Hyunsung-ssi.
Still, I was sometimes curious when reading Ways of Survival. Had the author of Ways of Survival regretted the ‘ending’ that he created?
-Leave it to me for a moment.
[The exclusive skill, ‘Fourth Wall’ is shaking!]
[The ‘1st person supporting role viewpoint’ is extremely active.]
Lee Hyunsung’s consciousness was shaken and my consciousness entered. Control of his body was transferred and the senses of the entire body were strongly activated.
Lee Hyunsung was suffering from this pain. It was enough to make him crazy. The whole body burned in the flames and the melted bone joints and tendons made it feel like my limbs were cut off.
I used Lee Hyunsung’s voice and shouted at Jung Heewon. “Jung Heewon-ssi! You will die if this continues!”
There was no response from Jung Heewon. She just kept emitting the hellish flames.
“Lee Hyunsung will die! Do you want to kill Lee Hyunsung-ssi?”
I raised Lee Hyunsung’s legs with all my strength and moved forward a bit. One step, two steps, and... Shit, it was too hot.
I heard a voice as my knees bent from the pain. ‘Dokja-ssi. I’ll do it.’
It was Lee Hyunsung’s voice.
‘I must do it.’
[The will of steel has responded!]
I nodded. After all, I was a ‘reader.’ I must not forget my duty. My consciousness left and Lee Hyunsung regained his body again. Lee Hyunsung’s body was regaining a perfect steel shape.
“Heewon-ssi.”
The blazing hellfire made her face blue. This fire would eventually gnaw at her. Her tears dried as soon as they fell down.
Lee Hyunsung acted unexpectedly towards her. “Excuse me for a moment.”
Lee Hyunsung took the last step and embraced Jung Heewon.
[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ is embarrassed by the unexpected love between comrades.]
Jung Heewon’s small body entered Lee Hyunsung’s wide arms. It was so wide that he could touch his fingertips together without touching her. Rather than avoiding it, Jung Heewon made her flames stronger. It was like the flames were all she could do with her emotions.
There was a rattling sound and walls of steel started to be created around Lee Hyunsung’s arms. It was a wall that would free one person from the world. In order to remove flames, the oxygen must be shut off.
Lee Hyunsung knew this and sacrificed himself to become the wall for her. He would bear her wrath on behalf of the world.
All I could do was watch the two of them. I hoped that Lee Hyunsung could reach the heart of Jung Heewon who couldn’t speak.
How much time passed?
[The story ‘Proof of Steel’ has been completed.]
Finally, Jung Heewon’s flames died down.
***
It was a familiar female voice that woke Lee Hyunsung up.
“I’m choking...”
He looked down and saw Jung Heewon’s face. He looked around and it was an unimaginable sight. The steel that grew out from his body covered Jung Heewon while blocking the surrounding area.
“U-Uhh! I-I’m really sorry! I will release you now!”
Maybe it was because the melted steel wall had hardened but the steel wall wasn’t easily released. As Lee Hyunsung was feeling confused, Jung Heewon’s forehead touched Lee Hyunsung’s chest. “Thank you.”
Lee Hyunsung shook his head at the soft touch to the steel.
“...No.”
It was a very small gesture but it was enough. His heart had clearly been delivered.
[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ hates this comradeship.]
“By the way Hyunsung-ssi, who else was here?”
“Huh? That...”
Jung Heewon looked grumpy at Lee Hyunsung’s confusion. “It’s okay. It isn’t important. Rather, release this quickly. There is no time.”
“...Huh? Did something happen?”
Jung Heewon glanced at Lee Hyunsung but shouted in a loud voice towards the sky. “Kim Dokja-ssi, are you listening right now? Yoo Sangah-ssi is in danger.”