Chapter 311: Episode 58 – Kim Dokja’s Company (2)
The story, Hell of Eternity. It was a story the 1863rd Yoo Jonghyuk passed to me.
[Many constellations are astounded by your story.]
[The nebula ‘Asgard’ is focused on your story.]
[The nebula ‘Vedas’ is focused on your story.]
A story that drew the attention of the nebulae. It wasn’t strange. This was a myth grade story and had enough destructive power to replace some of the giant stories. There was a ripple in Yoo Jonghyuk’s eyes.
“How...?”
Hell of Eternity was a story that allowed me to borrow the ‘history’ that Yoo Jonghyuk had accumulated through 1863 rounds.
I felt a power that wasn’t mine from the spear held in my hand. I couldn’t borrow the skills or stigma of Yoo Jonghyuk with this story. However, the real strength of Yoo Jonghyuk didn’t come from the system. It was embodied through the transcendental training.
「 In order to hold that spear, Yoo Jonghyuk trained with a single focus for decades. 」
The 41st round Yoo Jonghyuk.
Rather than look for the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint, he found a legacy of the vanished Zero Murim. It was a world of martial arts that had been destroyed a long time ago.
Soul Killing Spear. The martial arts that were comparable to the Breaking the Sky Swordsmanship, the strongest martial arts of Murim.
Yoo Jonghyuk of the 41st round had destroyed the returnees with this spear. The 3rd round Yoo Jonghyuk would probably recognize this power. It was one of the achievements he had in mind.
“Yes, this is the power you’ve been trying to learn.”
I spoke with a stiff expression. The hand holding the spear trembled like it was caught in a heavy wind. It was due to excessive integration. It was only the 41st round. The 41st round Yoo Jonghyuk had already reached this level.
This was the power that the human Yoo Jonghyuk accumulated through his life that went beyond skills and stamina. This was the status of a transcendent.
I felt like I was going to faint from dizziness but held on. The mental load was greater than the physical burden. However, if this load was only mental...
[The exclusive skill, ‘Fourth Wall’ is in action!]
I could hold out somehow. “Bring it on, Yoo Jonghyuk.”
The story version of Yoo Jonghyuk took a stance. It would’ve been better if I had a star relic like Harmony Fox Halberd or White Lightning God Spear but for now, this ‘shadow spear’ was sufficient.
The fictional 41st round character summoned by me spoke.
「 You are weak. It is good to regress. 」
Yoo Jonghyuk was weakened. Perhaps I was the one who weakened him.
“If you don’t do it correctly, I will kill you.”
A torrent of transcendent power rushed from Yoo Jonghyuk’s body. Yoo Jonghyuk noticed that I was serious. We rushed towards each other without needing to be told.
Our statuses collided and caused a roar. Beyond the towering dust cloud, the Soul Killing Spear divided into hundreds of different branches. The Breaking the Sky Swordsmanship started to be pushed by the offensive of the Soul Killing Spear.
It wasn’t a skill or a stigma. It was a history made by the efforts of 41 regressions.
The Soul Killing Spear exploded and wounds appeared all over Yoo Jonghyuk’s body.
“Is this all you can do? Three years have passed but it is only this much.”
I was breathless and dizzy from my magic power being exhausted. Nevertheless, I kept talking. I spat out inflammatory words in order to provoke him. Yoo Jonghyuk’s thoughts floated through the air.
「 What would it be like if I had won the Absolute Throne at the time? 」
In the midst of this overflowing regret, Yoo Jonghyuk stepped back again.
「 If only I had tried more. 」
Step back, step back. After the constant retreat, Yoo Jonghyuk reached a dead end as always.
A wall with no more place to retreat.
I stabbed the spear towards Yoo Jonghyuk. The spearman spoke as he rushed towards Yoo Jonghyuk.
「 No, you tried. 」
Yoo Jonghyuk’s eyes grew bigger as he narrowly avoided the spear. Yoo Jonghyuk shuddered as he stared at the spear stuck in the wall. The spearman kept speaking.
「 It wasn’t enough. 」
Yoo Jonghyuk’s trembling slowly subsided. His shaking eyes sunk and a cold image flickered in his retina.
[The story ‘Hell of Eternity’ has affected the incarnation ‘Yoo Jonghyuk.’]
Yoo Jonghyuk raised his sword again. As the spearman’s split apart the air, the Breaking the Sky Swordsmanship overlapped with its trajectory. Blue sparks flashed and Yoo Jonghyuk stared at the spearman rather than me. The number of collisions increased and the time and space around us changed.
The time of transcendence was opening.
「 You sent me Shin Yoosung. 」
「 That’s right. 」
Yoo Jonghyuk kept wielding his sword. It was a swordsmanship that was more unrefined than earlier.
The trajectory was immature and clumsy. The Breaking the Sky Swordsmanship that was on the verge of completion was falling apart again.
Yoo Jonghyuk asked,「 Can I become this powerful after going through 41 rounds? 」
「 To be exact, it was only this much. 」
In order to transcend transcendence, one must have the courage to abandon the framework.
Like an architect breaking the castle because of a window frame, a persistent obsession and desire for perfection became the key to open a new transcendence.
Then Yoo Jonghyuk chose his road. Every time he encountered the Soul Killing Spear, the shape of the Breaking the Sky Swordsmanship collapsed.
The trajectory changed, causing the meaning to change. Ultimately, the power of transcendence followed the grains of the story he pursued. Yoo Jonghyuk’s history became stronger every time we faced a huge challenge. That history was once again preparing for a jump forward.
「 Become stronger, Yoo Jonghyuk. 」
Yoo Jonghyuk and Yoo Jonghyuk were talking.
[The constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’ is looking at incarnation Yoo Jonghyuk.]
Perhaps this was my role. Once he reached a certain phase of his life, Yoo Jonghyuk looked inside himself. I looked at such a Yoo Jonghyuk and thought about myself.
I couldn’t be the protagonist. I couldn’t save someone else. Still, at least I knew the story and could tell the story. All the strokes of the spear contained the sentences I read.
From the terrible 3rd round through to the 41st round. In addition, the 1863rd round that was like hell. I read every sentence without fail.
-Ahhhhhhh!
Within the clash, Yoo Jonghyuk was living different threats. Just as I lived through Ways of Survival, Yoo Jonghyuk experience a life he hadn’t lived. Yoo Jonghyuk of the 3rd round was growing thanks to the 41st round.
[The character ‘Yoo Jonghyuk’ is staring at the story of Hell of Eternity.]
Human beings couldn’t be saved by others. They could only save themselves. The thing I could do for others was to play the role of a bridge at best.
“All of you have failed.” Yoo Jonghyuk said. “I won’t listen to the advice of those who have failed.”
Finally, it was the Yoo Jonghyuk that I knew. The trajectory of the evolved Breaking the Sky Swordsmanship followed the flow of the Soul Killing Spear. His persistent sword destroyed the shadow of the spear, breaking the link that followed.
Yoo Jonghyuk was frustrated but he didn’t give up. Even if the despair didn’t stop and everything collapsed, he would once again pick up the first building block.
「 I am Yoo Jonghyuk. 」
“No.” Finally, he surpassed himself. “I am Yoo Jonghyuk.”
The explosion scattered through every corner of the room.
[The story ‘Hell of Eternity’ has finished.]
The burning hell disappeared and the bloody scent became dull. In the dirt and the dust, the blade of the Black Demon Sword touched my throat. At almost the same time, the Unbroken Faith that I stretched out and reached his chest.
[The constellation ‘Maritime War God’ truly feels admiration.]
[The constellation ‘One who Overcomes the Late Trials’ is paying tribute to you.]
[The constellation ‘Last Hero of Hwangsanbeol’ admires the true confrontation.]
Time passed and only breathing sounds filled the area. In the stillness that was intermittently broken, Yoo Jonghyuk stared at me. Yoo Jonghyuk of the 3rd round had exceeded the 41st round and declared, “I won.”
I smiled. “What are you saying? I won.”
The star rolling on the ground shone brightly.
[The scenario’s time limit has ended.]
Like a blessing, the star burst apart in the air and scattered a silver light. We looked up blankly at the light.
[The room star has failed to be acquired.]
[Nobody hurt their companion.]
The 46th main scenario, Proof of the Stars. The scenario could be cleared properly when all the participants didn’t harm each other.
[You have proven your ‘trust.’]
However, those who had reached the 46th scenario didn’t think it could be cleared this way.
Up to now had been a world of constellations. Finally, there was no incarnation that would abandon the opportunity to grow their strength.
One star was born and another star would die. In addition, there would be no one to share the light.
[You have acquired a new story!]
[You have met the conditions to clear the scenario.]
Once we came to our senses, we were lying on the floor like we had made a promise. It was because Yoo Jonghyuk and I had reached our limits. The fuses of our consciousness was cut off for a short time and came back. I opened my eyes and could hear Yoo Jonghyuk murmuring. “...It is a pity.”
“I agree. This was a good chance to get the story of the Supreme King.”
I didn’t respond but laughter emerged. All the muscles of my body were sore. I chewed on a few Great Return Pills that I secretly pulled out but the restoration of my broken body was slower than I expected. Hell of Eternity was a story that caused severe overload.
“You seem okay?”
“...”
Yoo Jonghyuk was breathing hard as he seemed to think of something. Yoo Jonghyuk had probably reached a new ground due to the enlightenment he just gained. This was the thing called talent. I was envious. Well, he was the protagonist.
The silent protagonist opened his mouth. “You said you went to another world line.”
I wondered why he hadn’t asked before.
“What round was it?”
“The 1863rd round.”
Was the number too big? Yoo Jonghyuk was silent for a moment. “The me in that world gave you the story?”
“That’s right.”
Yoo Jonghyuk didn’t ask for further details. He thought about something for a while before asking, “That me... did I fail?”
I looked up at the air. “You succeeded.”
I could feel Yoo Jonghyuk stiffening.
[The ‘Fourth Wall’ is shimmering faintly.]
Yoo Jonghyuk of the 1863rd round, who went beyond the original novel and left to find his own story. I was reminded of that Yoo Jonghyuk’s last appearance. “He’ll be able to reach the end of the scenario. Maybe it is an ending I don’t know.”
“...You didn’t check it properly.”
“If I checked it, I wouldn’t have returned.”
“It wouldn’t be so bad to see the end in that place.”
“That wasn’t my world.” I looked at the empty space. “My world is here.”
Yoo Jonghyuk was silent for a long time. I licked my lips and laughed. “This place has my incarnation Yoosung, my colleague Yoo Sangah, Han Sooyoung who hasn’t blackened yet, my mother...”
“Don’t feel joyful. It isn’t over yet.”
Then the voice of a dokkaebi was heard in the air.
[Geez, one room is already over. [Hihi, truly... it was a thrilling battle that the scenario anticipated!]
It wasn’t Youngki. There were a number of dokkaebis handling the scenario so their responsibilities had probably changed. I struggled to get up. Yoo Jonghyuk was right. This scenario wasn’t over yet. Yoo Jonghyuk said. “The other rooms entered later than us.”
In fact, the following message was in front of our eyes.
[Currently waiting for the remaining nebula members to clear the scenario.]
Then Youngki’s voice was heard.
[For those who have satisfied the clear conditions, I’ll show you the scenery of another room!]
Along with the message, a few screens popped in front of us. This was followed by numerous indirect messages entering my ears.
[The demon king ‘Ruler of the East Hell’ is watching the clash between two constellations.]
[The demon king ‘Black Mane Lion’ is deeply interested in the battle.]
[The constellation ‘Guardian of Youths and Travel’ is focused on the battlefield.]
[The constellation ‘Friend of Justice and Harmony’ has an anxious expression.]
[The constellation ‘Twisted Head of Calamity’ wishes for the victory of a friend.]
They were all modifiers difficult to gather in one place. I fixed my gaze on one of the screens that had emerged. Why were these bigshots gathered?
...Dammit, this was what happened. Black and red waves of magic power were colliding on the screen. It was a feast of magic power that filled the room. There was a hellfire that melted everything and black flames with formidable destructive power. The mere sight made me feel like my body would burn from the heat.
The two most terrible constellations I knew. The incarnations of these constellations were fighting.
Abyssal Black Flame Dragon and Demon-like Judge of Fire.
A dokkaebi’s laugh was heard.
[The wrong that was wrongly assigned will probably end in a bland way.]
There was an explosion of red magic power and everything in the room burned. Pale shadows shook in the hazy field of view.
Flesh was sharply torn and blood flowed. Someone’s body was slowly falling down in the smoke.