Chapter 248: Episode 47 – Demon King Selection (2)
There were two types of ‘disaster scenarios’ in the Star Stream. The first was the apocalypse scenarios named after the relevant nebulae and had become a type of myth, such as Ragnarok and Gigantomachia.
The second was a destruction scenario that occurred irregularly. This was the case with the Great Hall before my eyes.
“It isn’t a constellation.” The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint stared up at the raging sky that had become dark.
If it didn’t have the aura of a constellation, there was only one answer. “An outer god.”
Now I had become a constellation. I could feel the power of the outer god casting shadows from the hall. It was one I had encountered a few times. However, the feeling I felt now was different in dimension. The blind wasn’t too blinded when looking at the sun. For the first time, I hated that I had become a constellation.
Yoo Jonghyuk muttered, “...Why is the destruction scenario beginning now?”
Yoo Jonghyuk had gone through the first and second rounds and knew the future of the First Murim.
In the original novel, the First Murim was destroyed by an outer god.
However, it was still too early. In the original novel, it happened in a few years. Now something pulled that timeline forward. What was it? What the hell went wrong...
...Wait, perhaps? Yoo Jonghyuk had similar thoughts and asked me, “...Is my idea correct?”
“It seems to be the case.” I replied nervously.
The ‘destruction scenario’ was a scenario that tested the possibilities of the incarnations. If the accumulated probability value was never filled up, the ‘disaster’ would never begin. In this Blue Dragon Castle, there was only one thing that recently triggered probability.
The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint opened her mouth. “It was the martial arts competition.”
The martial arts competition. The probability that the Brash Swamp Predator and other constellations used eventually triggered the disaster.
[A few constellations who dislike you are enjoying the situation.]
Damn bastards.
“Kim Dokja. What the hell did you do there?”
Yoo Jonghyuk didn’t know exactly what happened at the Gourmet Association and was angry at me. I had no excuses. There was no way to reverse a scenario that had already begun.
[In a few moments, the destruction scenario will begin!]
[The ‘Outer God’ is preparing to attack!]
[All non-participants in the scenario should quickly leave the scenario area!]
The messages were heard from the sky and a disturbance began in the Blue Dragon Castle.
“Crazy! What is this?”
“Hurry and flee!”
Unlike other scenarios, the ‘Great Destruction’ scenario had the option of participating. Incarnations like us were quickly leaving the area. Even the merchants selling the files containing the martial arts and the martial artists of Blue Dragon Castle... Their expressions changed the moment the Great Hall appeared in the sky. The concept of ‘skilled’ and ‘unskilled’ was meaningless in front of this existence.
“What happened...”
Jang Hayoung and Han Myungoh belatedly ran out into the yard.
“We have to get out of here. Prepare quickly.”
“Heok...” Jang Hayoung gulped as he pointed to the sky.
Many tentacles were extending from the Great Hall. It was undoubtedly the outer god I encountered on Peace Land and in Dark Castle.
[I wi ll ex plore this sto ry of li ving things.]
I was overwhelmed by the terrible presence that permeated the syllables. The colossal greed caused the escaping people to collapse and piss themselves.
“U-Uwaaaaah!”
It was huge chaos that disrupted the spirit just from the true voice. Of course, it was unreasonable to confront such a person, no matter how strong Yoo Jonghyuk was. Even a weak outer god had the power to trample on constellations. It was hard to expect a chance using the Fourth Wall like I did with the Eater of Dreams.
[There are 30 minutes until the start of the destruction scenario.]
We had to run away from here. Maybe that was the better choice.
“Breaking the Sky Sword Saint.”
I gazed at the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint and she was looking back at me. It was an unfathomable expression.
「 To the Breaking the Sky Sword Namgung Minyoung, the First Murim was home. 」
All I knew were the sentences written in Ways of Survival. According to those sentences, there was no reason for the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint to defend this place.
「 Of course, not everyone likes their ‘home.’ 」
To her, the First Murim was just the breeding ground of a corrupt world. It was a world that lost recognition and compassion.
「 “Murim was already destroyed long before the First Murim was destroyed. 」
So far, there was no reason for the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint to stay here. The First Murim would perish. To be exact, it had to perish.
“Teacher.” Yoo Jonghyuk’s voice pushed for us to leave.
Then why didn’t the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint move? She stood like a mountain as she silently stared at the street across from her. The city was chaotic from rioting and desertion. Then I saw a group of people approaching. They were those who were looking at transcendence or had seen transcendence.
I sensed the youthful aura around their bodies and noticed who they were.
“Breaking the Sky Sword Saint, it’s been a while.”
The heads of the powerful clans of Blue Dragon Castle had come to visit the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint.
***
It wasn’t hard to guess why they came here. The outer god had come to Murim and the destruction was scheduled.
There were two types of reactions before Murim was destroyed. Run away or fight.
Those who didn’t have much to lose would flee but the incarnations who had been here for a long time were different. They built up forces, gathered wealth and created stories. They were those who reached the peak in power of one area.
“Breaking the Sky Sword Saint. We need your help.”
From left to right, they were the Zhuge Family, Murong Family, the Sichuan Tangmen School, the Hwangbo Family and the Namgung Family.
The heads of the five main forces of the First Murim had gathered, which was probably a rare event throughout all of Murim. Behind them were the chiefs of the big schools.
“I beg you, lend Murim your strength.”
Namgung Minyoung clenched her fists and replied. “You need my strength...”
Some of the heads of the distinguished families recoiled at the cold voice. The quickest one to react was the head of the Zhuge family. “Please help us. I’m asking you.”
I understood why they came out like this. The Ice Flower Goddess, who was the best martial artist of this area, was defeated by the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint’s disciple. There was also an overwhelming gap in skill.
Perhaps the impact of the martial arts competition alarmed the countless masters who had been running along the easy path. Yoo Jonghyuk showed the power to defeat even a descended constellation.
The old masters felt nostalgic at the old path of transcendence while the adventurers who came to visit were reminded of those who had reached the peak.
“Master’s ancestor, please help your descendants.”
In the end, the one who spoke was a member of the Namgung Family, which was the same family as the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint Namgung Minyoung.
It was a middle-aged man with a fierce face. Perhaps this was Namgung Jincheon, one of the 10 Grand Elders. It might be only half but the blood of his family also flowed through the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint. For that reason, the eyes of the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint were shaken.
I wasn’t able to watch any more and went forward. “How funny. Weren’t you the ones who previously abandoned the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint?”
Normally, I would’ve acted on their shared feelings. I would’ve devised a way to take them together with me to the Demon King Selection. However, now the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint was more urgent.
“Sadly, you forget everything you did when the constellations and dokkaebis first visited here.”
“What... who are you?”
Some of the family chiefs changed their expressions after realizing the true meaning of my words. Maybe they also remembered. Why did the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint, who ruled at the top of Murim, open a martial arts hall in a fallen area?
Yoo Jonghyuk knew the circumstances and bit his lips at my words. The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint Namgung Minyoung’s expression distorted and her heroic spirit stopped.
I couldn’t blame her for being swept away. She didn’t pursue honour or vain lust. Thus, she was used by the Murim people and eventually abandoned here. As the symbol of the fallen Murim, the distinguished families left her in this place and built their own castles.
“The Namgung Family’s master, it is the same for you. Master’s ancestor... you have never called the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint that before, right?”
“T-That...”
“If you had any thoughts, you wouldn’t have come here. I don’t know if you’re brave or stupid. Don’t you know why the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint split apart from your Namgung Family?”
A child born between a giant god and a human. I knew better than anyone the trials that the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint experienced as she grew up, perhaps even more than Yoo Jonghyuk.
「 How is a female...! 」
「 It is the cursed blood of the giant gods. 」
The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint made a questionable face. She must be wondering why I knew these things. Usually, it would be a dangerous remark but now her question was beneficial for me. The Breaking the Sky Sword would follow me in order to resolve this question.
“What do you know...?!”
“Shut up! Breaking the Sky Sword Saint, who is this person?”
The agitated family heads approached to threaten me and Yoo Jonghyuk raised the Black Demon Sword. It was a good thing. If there was a conflict here, we could get out of here peacefully.
Before the furious Yoo Jonghyuk could deal a blow, the Zhuge Family’s head suddenly fell to the ground. “Breaking the Sky Sword Saint, I am reflecting on the mistakes of those days. I understand that we can’t undo our actions.”
...Damn, there were still smart guys in this world. The other family heads were baffled by the Zhuge head’s actions. The head of the Zhuge Family was begging to the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint with a desperate countenance. It was as if he was praying to the god of Murim. “If you don’t help, the First Murim will be destroyed...!”
He could ask for a god’s compassion at any time but he was a disciple ready to abandon his faith at any time.
Then the god of Murim responded, “At one time, small trees came together to form a forest.”
The head of the Zhuge Family looked up at the Breaking the Sky Sword after hearing the unexpected words.
“Now that the small trees are uprooted and only a few large trees that have occupied the land have covered the sky with their branches.”
The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint looked at the Blue Dragon Castle with a blank expression. The spires of the distinguished family’s homes rose higher than the walls. It was as if they were looking down on the residents on behalf of the heavens. Then I understood the words of the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint.
“The leaves and branches are plentiful but now there are only a few trees left. What do you think? Can this still be called a forest?”
Murim had died a long time ago. The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint had declared it just now. “Let’s go.”
The god of Murim turned her back and betrayed this world. It seemed easier to resolve than I expected. I was satisfied and followed after the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint. Yoo Jonghyuk was watching me while Jang Hayoung and Han Myungoh packed quickly as they ate dumplings.
At this moment, a strange message was heard.
[Your actions have had a profound impact on the direction of ■■.]
...What?
[The ‘second revision’ update will begin.]
TL Note: Expect two more chapters later tonight. In addition, I generally have difficulty with Murim/martial arts translations so I might often go back and change things when I read further chapters with more context. However, I will always leave a note. Thanks
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