Chapter 376: Episode 71 – 50 years later (4)
– Capture them! Apprehend the eldest Prince first!
– They are taking the Fourth Prince away!
Angry Reincarnators inside the screen were pouring out a barrage of arrows and sword lights. And there were two men running within the thick, choking smoke – Yu Joong-Hyeok and Kim Dok-Ja.
[Ba-aht, baaaht!]
With a very restless expression on its face, Biyu jumped up and down in the air like a ball of mochi.
Arrows flew past Kim Dok-Ja’s head with barely any room to spare; some of them even accurately fell towards his back, but the First Prince quickly swung his sword to deflect them all.
– Retreat!
With that order, the revolutionaries receded away. And there were Constellations watching this spectacle from afar.
[Constellation, ‘Father of the Rich Night’, is gazing at ‘Kaixenix Archipelago’.]
[Constellation, ‘Queen of the Darkest Spring’, is looking at the Underworld’s successor.]
[Constellation, ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’, is roaring out in frustration!]
Unfortunately, their messages couldn’t reach the Incarnations within the channel.
[Constellation, ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’, is pleading for at least one message to get through!]
[Constellation, ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’, is requesting for the permission to send indirect messages.....]
[Ba-aht, baaaht.]
With a sad look, Biyu shook its head.
Dokkaebis might possess the authority to change broadcast set-up of their channels, but the situation this time with the ‘Isle of Reincarnators’ was a rather unique one.
[Constellation, ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’, is glaring at the ‘Guardian of the Mandala’.]
The one who offered up the stage for the scenario of the ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’ was the master of the ‘Isle of Reincarnators’, ‘Guardian of the Mandala’. He was not allowed to participate in this scenario personally, but at the same time, was given the same level of authority to interfere as the high-ranking Dokkaebis during this war.
[Oh, young angel, that is regrettably impossible to do so. Unless, you decide to convert to the path of Buddhism through this opportunity.]
[Constellation, ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’, is throwing a temper tantrum.]
[You should be mindful of your temper. Those with much anger in them will get consumed by it later.]
[A great number of Constellations are expressing their indignation!]
Not caring whether they were furious or not, the ‘Guardian of the Mandala’ continued to stare with quiet, distant eyes at Kim Dok-Ja inside the screen – as if he was searching for a certain profound epiphany from that man’s face.
[Channels nearby are momentarily being frozen!]
Tsu-chuchuchut....
It was around then that someone revealed himself in the air accompanied by a sudden storm of sparks. The ‘Guardian of the Mandala’ shifted his disinterested eyes in that direction.
[This one doesn’t recall giving entry permission to a Dokkaebi from the Bureau.]
[I simply had to come with the situation being what it is, oh, ‘King of Reincarnators’.]
The one that appeared was the upper-grade Dokkaebi, Bihyung. He courteously performed the Buddhist-style greeting and began his questioning right away.
[I’m aware that you possess ten different names. Sakya, Sakyamuni, Siddhartha, Tathagata, Sugata, Buddha.... Which one among them are you, exactly?]
The expression on the Guardian’s face shifted ever so slightly after hearing Bihyung’s question. The fact was, he would transform into a different existence according to the name he currently possessed.
[This one is currently Sakyamuni.]
[Sakyamuni, please cancel the abnormal scenario currently imposed on the Nebula <Kim Dok-Ja’s Company>.]
[That is contrary to our prior agreement. Have you not handed over all control of the preparatory scenarios to me?]
[I believe you were strongly requested to remain neutral in the upcoming ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’.]
Bihyung’s sharp gaze landed firmly on Sakyamuni. The Warrior Monk’s eyes quietly held that gaze, and the mandala within them reversed their spinning direction.
[Well. This one isn’t the first person to stop being neutral, it seems.]
[Can you clarify that, please?]
[I heard recently that there is an upper-grade Dokkaebi greatly favouring Incarnations from a certain Nebula.]
Right after Sakyamuni finished replying in a subtle but accusatory tone of voice, Biyu popped up in mid-air and plopped its soft tummy on top of Bihyung’s head.
[Are you here because of the Bureau, or by your own volition?]
Bihyung lightly bit his lip, but didn’t provide an answer. Instead, he looked at Kim Dok-Ja in the screen, currently breaking past the clouds of explosions and running away.
[The trial you have put them in is far too excessive. It might be only a blink to the Constellations, but that length of time is as much as one’s lifespan from a human’s perspective.]
[This one was also a human once upon a time. And this scenario is a necessity. Especially if they are to reach the ■■.]
[....Sakyamuni.]
[Oh Dokkaebi, the celebration of the end will soon commence.]
The mandala within Sakyamuni’s eyes continued to spin. And the faint figures of Kim Dok-Ja and Yu Joong-Hyeok could be seen above the spinning Mandalas.
[Which ■■ will you vote for?]
*
With the aid of Yu Joong-Hyeok, I was able to safely escape from the audience chamber. The pursuit attempt by the guards proved to be annoyingly persistent, but thanks to the sacrifices of a few revolutionaries, we made it to the safe house in the end.
Yu Joong-Hyeok chucked the unconscious Bilston – the host body of Yi Hyeon-Seong – on the floor and opened his lips to speak. “Why did you show up this late?”
“It wasn’t because I wanted to, okay.”
[The worldview is growing suspicious of your conversation.]
[‘Midday Tryst’ has been activated!]
Yu Joong-Hyeok shot me his trademark murderous glare for a little while, and then continued on with his story.
– I arrived in this place around two years ago.
I calmly listened to his experiences.
He suddenly became the First Prince of the Kaixenix Archipelago, and just as suddenly, throne usurpation broke out.
Yu Joong-Hyeok was thrown into the middle of that armed revolt and began his bid for survival. He escaped from the royal castle and created the group of freedom fighters. And then, he searched around for the rest of the companions.
– By the time I arrived here, Yi Hyeon-Seong, Jeong Hui-Won, and even Han Su-Yeong were already in that state.
– Are the three of them the only ones here? Where are the others?
– Haven’t found anyone besides them. It’s likely that only they were summoned to this world.
Yu Joong-Hyeok possessed the [Sage’s Eyes]. In some regard, that skill allowed him to spy on far more complete information than my own [Character List]. He had been relying on this skill to search for the other companions. He probably discovered me through it, too – since the [Sage’s Eyes] didn’t work on me.
I observed the still-unconscious Yi Hyeon-Seong.
Yu Joong-Hyeok said he got here two years ago. In that case, just how long was Yi Hyeon-Seong trapped in this worldview for?
– They have all been swallowed up by the Great Fable, haven’t they?
– Probably.
– What about you? You alright?
– You think a measly couple of years is enough to break me down?
I belatedly recalled what an amazing dude Yu Joong-Hyeok was. The trustworthy Yi Hyeon-Seong, the driven Jeong Hui-Won, and even Han Su-Yeong all broke down and lost themselves.
[Great Fable, ‘Kaixenix Archipelago’, is shooting a dissatisfied glare at Incarnation ‘Yu Joong-Hyeok’.]
However, Yu Joong-Hyeok was completely unscathed.
But then again, that was pretty obvious when I thought about it. The method employed by this worldview’s ‘Great Fable’ to break us down was ‘time’ itself. However, Yu Joong-Hyeok possessed far stronger resistance towards the passage of time than anyone. Well, he had already spent hundreds of years in the Dark Stratum going through harsh training, after all.
[The worldview is expressing its puzzlement over your lengthy silence.]
I raised my head towards the sky.
The current scenario was governed by the rules set out by the worldview. Even Yu Joong-Hyeok seemed to have realised how we should start acting from here onwards.
I finished preparing myself and opened my lips. “Older brother.”
Yu Joong-Hyeok’s expression crumpled into something unsightly.
– Hey, don’t make a face like that. This is the restriction of our current scenario. Do you think I’m enjoying this, either?
Yu Joong-Hyeok’s eyes bubbling over like boiling lava finally softened just a tad.
Yup, this guy was going to experience severe difficulties pretty soon; according to Ricardo’s memories, the original setting for the First Prince was ‘loving and warm-hearted big brother’, that was why.
Yu Joong-Hyeok opened his lips. “Speak, Ricardo.”
“What are you going to do next? It looks to me that even the revolution has failed now. No, besides all that, why did you even appear in the execution ground, anyway?”
“I was planning to kill the false king.”
[Character, ‘Ricardo Von Kaixenix’, is being agitated.]
I was pretty sure of him being dead serious here. The Yu Joong-Hyeok I know was fully capable of doing something like that, after all.
Too bad, that wasn’t my style.
“But, should you be doing something like that? She’s originally your bride, isn’t she?”
“Correction. She was supposed to be one. The throne was usurped on the first day of the wedding, however.”
Oh, I see. So, it’s that sort of development? I felt just a bit relieved now.
Han Su-Yeong and Yu Joong-Hyeok as a couple? <Kim Dok-Ja’s Company> hadn’t allowed any dating at the workplace yet, so hell no.
It was at this point in time that an unexpected message entered my ears.
[The worldview finds your words interesting.]
[The genre of the applicable scenario has tilted slightly towards ‘Romance’.]
....The genre had tilted?
Yu Joong-Hyeok continued on. “It was already far late to save her. She was stained by the corrupted magic and lost her original humanity.”
Oh, really?
[The worldview finds Incarnation Yu Joong-Hyeok’s words interesting.]
[The genre of the applicable scenario has minutely tilted towards ‘Fantasy’.]
I gave another signal to Yu Joong-Hyeok with my eyes.
– Did you hear that?
He nodded his head.
“In any case, we both are too late now. We can’t save them all.”
“No, it’s not too late. Whatever the case may be, there are two of us, right?”
After saying that, I shifted my gaze down to Bilston on the ground, still snoring away, and carried on. “Maybe, three.”
“Those three will be everyone.”
“Who knows? There might be more. Maybe, a miracle happens and an existence crossing over from another dimension will help us out.”
[The worldview finds your words interesting.]
[The genre of the applicable scenario has acquired the possibility of being ‘Fusion Fantasy’.]
And in the following moment, new scenario messages popped up right before my eyes.
[The Selection Point for the Sub-Scenario, ‘Genre Selection’, has been generated!]
[A new scenario message has arrived!]
We quickly accessed the scenario window.
+
<Sub Scenario – Genre Selection>
Type: Sub
Difficulty:???
Clear condition: The worldview you’ve been summoned into can participate in the ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’. Choose the ‘genre’ of the worldview you’re now a part of, and lead it to its natural conclusion. The worldview that witnesses the conclusion will earn the right to participate in the war.
Time Limit: None
Reward: Participation of the ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’, 300,000 coins, ???
Failure: You will be bound to the ‘Isle of Reincarnators’.
+
<List of currently selectable genres>
1. Romance
2. Fantasy
3. Fusion Fantasy
* The attributes of a genre will strengthen the further you act in a manner befitting said genre.
+
“....So, this is how it was.”
I raised my head and found Yu Joong-Hyeok’s dumbfounded expression.
I kind of understood how I should go about advancing the scenario now. However, the problem here was the difficulty of figuring out which ‘genre’ was the right one to select.
– We just don’t have enough information. It’d been nice if only we knew what the original plot of this world was....
It was unknown what kind of a conclusion we’d get after choosing a particular worldview. What I wanted was to ensure the survival of everyone and move onto the next scenario together.
But, what if someone were to die as the price for me choosing a genre?
Yu Joong-Hyeok threw out a question.
– I guess your high and mighty book didn’t mention this part, then?
I flinched slightly before making my reply.
– How can I know something that a Regressor like you doesn’t know?
– But, I do know.
– What? You know what, exactly?
– The course of this scenario.
I stared at him in pure shock. Yu Joong-Hyeok knows of this scenario’s plot? But, that couldn’t be.
If my memories were correct, then the Yu Joong-Hyeok of the 3rd Regression turn had not experienced a scenario like this one. And he’d not go through one in the future, either.
– I read it in a book.
– What book was that?
I momentarily wondered if he was talking about the ‘Ways of Survival’, but quickly realised that was impossible. Because, even that novel didn’t contain any in-depth information on this scenario.
– I read the diary written by Han Su-Yeong from the 1863rd turn. She experienced this scenario in that Regression.
– Han Su-Yeong of the 1863rd turn? And why do you have her diary in the first place?
– I got hold of it via special means.
I glared at Yu Joong-Hyeok for a little while.
Well, I was slightly overcome with complicated feelings of betrayal.
Han Su-Yeong from the 1863rd turn didn’t mention any information on this scenario to me. Why was that? Did she think that I must not know about it? Or... Just to spite me?
My thoughts remained complicated, but I shook my head and got rid of them. They weren’t important right now.
– If you possessed such information, you should’ve told me that already, you dumbass. Okay, so. How did the 1863rd turn Han Su-Yeong clear this scenario?
Whatever the case might have been, the important thing was that we did have info on this scenario. If we had info, then that meant there was an already-set method to clear it.
However, Yu Joong-Hyeok’s expression was gloomy.
– This world is not unfolding in the original direction.
– What are you talking about?
– ‘Throne usurpation’ didn’t happen in the original plot of this world. Meaning, the event of the current king becoming ‘king’ shouldn’t have happened.
– Which means.....?
– Before we entered this world, someone changed the plot of this story.
I was flustered.
Currently, we were in a situation where neither of us – Yu Joong-Hyeok the Regressor, and me, the sole reader – had any idea on the future storyline. Sure, there had been a few times when the progress of the story didn’t match up with the ‘Ways of Survival’ in the past, but this would be the first time we couldn’t predict what the future held for us.
The ‘Ways of Survival’ I knew didn’t contain any potential solutions to a scenario like this one.
⸢Ma ybe you sho uld have read the Final Re vision.⸥
Regret belatedly rushed in.
It was at this time that someone knocked on the door.
“Enter.”
Almost at the same time Yu Joong-Hyeok issued his order, the door was pushed open and the revolutionaries entered. They brought along an older man, currently tied up by them.
“He says he’s the secret envoy from the king. He wishes to speak to you, sir.”
The older man turned out to be the same butler who handed me water back when I first regained my consciousness after the ‘possession’. His beard trembled in fear; he sucked in deep breaths and addressed us.
“First Prince, and the Fourth Prince.... Her majesty told me to give you a certain item. Specifically.... Her majesty from 40 years ago....”
....40 years ago?
Yu Joong-Hyeok and I exchanged glances. Meanwhile, the butler rummaged through his inner pocket and pulled something out.
It was a certain book.
{Three Ways to Survive a Totally Ruined Scenario, by the author Han Su-Yeong.}
< Episode 72: 50 years later > Fin.