Chapter 406: Episode 77 – Final Dragon (3)
<First Phase Alert>
A quarter of <Star Stream> would be destroyed.
Quite literally, that was a bombshell of information.
However, the Constellations that read the scenario message didn’t seem to realise the severity of the situation.
[A quarter of us will die? So, the Bureau did have a sense of humour, then.]
[Dokkaebis have been exaggerating more and more lately.]
Most of the Constellations present here were more adept at watching the scenarios happen, rather than clearing it. They were beings that exploited the stories of others so that they could comfort themselves.
They were Dokkaebi’s customers, and because of that, they believed the Bureau would never create a scenario that would annihilate everyone.
Unfortunately, these people had no idea.
No idea, that certain stories in this world even turned the audience members into the subjects of the scenario, too.
And these Constellations simultaneously dashed towards the Apocalypse Dragon that was charging up its power just beyond the atmosphere.
[The Great Fable will be ours!]
Greed was so clear to see in their eyes.
[Final Dragon of the Book of Revelation] was the scenario that replaced the ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’. If they manage to bring down the ‘Apocalypse Dragon’ here, then they would acquire potentially the best ‘Great Fable’ there was.
Perhaps feeling pressured by their movements, Constellations of the Nebulas that were already present began dashing towards the atmosphere as well.
[Constellation, ‘Morning Star Goddess’, is unleashing her Status!]
[Constellation, ‘God-King of Yakshas’, is unleashing his Status!]
The first ones to take the lead were ‘Morning Star Goddess’, Vakarine, and ‘God-King of Yakshas’, Kubera.
[Nebula, <Guardian Tree>, is allocating Probability to its affiliated Constellations!]
[Nebula, <Vedas>, is allocating Probability to its affiliated Constellations!]
My companions watched the distancing backs of the Constellations and became urgent themselves.
“Shouldn’t we go after them, too?”
“We must never join them,” I spoke in a resolute tone of voice.
Excluding those jumping in like moths to the flames, the majority of Constellations with many years behind them were standing still, just like us. They already knew the result of the upcoming fight.
I kept a straight face and asked Metatron, who was wordlessly observing the situation. “Metatron, are you going to create the ‘Sealing tool for the Apocalypse Dragon’?”
The Archangel quietly stared at me for a little while, before forming a warm, bright smile. [Yes, of course. That’s what happened back in the 1863rd turn as well. A great ‘Evil’ has appeared in this world, so we should try to save everyone, don’t you agree?]
As if he had already forgotten all about the struggles to kill each other a few hours ago, Metatron’s eyes were filled with an almost-holy light. I’d been sensing that something was a bit off about him from some time ago, but I was sure of him being utterly insane now.
“But, if that plan is successful, you’ll definitely die. And with that, ‘Good’ in this world will disappear.”
[No. It’ll be I that disappears, not ‘Good’.]
It felt like I was talking to a wall. I shook my head and turned around.
I saw the ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ that had shrunk to the same size as Biyu, and Han Su-Yeong quietly petting it. The fatigued Black Flame Dragon spat out a lick of small flame towards the sky.
Han Su-Yeong spoke. “Kim Dok-Ja.”
“What now?”
“You. You’re still withholding something, aren’t you?”
I flinched just a little, before asking back. “What are you talking about?”
“No, well, it’s just too suspicious. Now, normally, you’d start by giving us the information first.... But, why haven’t you told us anything concrete with this scenario?” She narrowed her eyes and glared at me, before continuing on. “You do have a way to win, right?”
“I do.”
“Oh, so you can give us your assurances, then? You aren’t going to resort to another weird method, right?”
“And what might that weird method be?”
Han Su-Yeong drew a straight line beneath her chin with her finger.
I grinned and replied to her. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to do that.”
Unfortunately, she did not look convinced. At all.
It was Shin Yu-Seung who followed up after that. “Ahjussi, then why did you activate that Stigma?”
[Stigma, ‘Sacrificial Will Lv.8’, is currently in activation!]
The unique Stigma that I created was busying pumping more power to my companions while floating up a message in the air.
Jeong Hui-Won spoke. “....Can’t you just switch that off now? It’s been getting on my nerves for a while now.”
“And why is the Stigma’s level so damn high, too....?” Yi Ji-Hye also grumbled loudly.
I spoke as if to make an excuse. “I only left it switched on in order to increase your powers, everyone. Really, I’m not thinking of doing anything weird.”
This time, Yi Gil-Yeong jumped in. “But that Stigma, it only comes on when you’re trying to sacrifice yourself for your comrades, right?”
“Ahjussi, you’re lying to us again, aren’t you?”
“Dok-Ja-ssi, could you be, again.....?”
Enormous amounts of Statuses rose up from my companions and that caused the Constellations nearby to flinch and tremble slightly. Yu Jung-Hyeok watching us from a bit of distance away was about to unsheathe his sword, too.
I hurriedly pointed at the Apocalypse Dragon.
“N-no, hang on. Now isn’t the time to mind something like that. Well, a really fun spectacle is about to start unfolding over there, so we should just watch that.”
The lengthy comet-like tails of the Constellations were about to reach the striking distance of the Apocalypse Dragon.
“All those friends up there, they are going to die soon.”
“Get ready. It’s about to begin,” said Yu Jung-Hyeok, as he unsheathed the [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword]. “The creature’s Tail-Flick is divided into three different stages. Fitting for a powerful calamity, three separate shockwaves will reach us.”
“Three of them?”
Yi Ji-Hye’s surprised question was answered by me, instead. “It’s easier to offset the shockwaves the closer we are to their origin. And the first two can be defended against if we do our absolute best, so you don’t have to worry too much.”
The really important part, though, was the ‘third shockwave’.
If we failed to defend against that, then every single one of us would be dead, and a quarter of <Star Stream> would be blown away.
We could see the clash between the Constellations and the Apocalypse Dragon in the far distance. The waves of light fired by Vakarine landed directly on the Dragon’s body, while Kubera’s great sabre sliced into the creature’s back. It was around then that the Dragon’s tail made its move.
[‘First Tail-Flick’ is commencing!]
[‘First shockwave’ is being generated!]
In that moment, I couldn’t tell what happened.
Pure-azure light exploded in the distance. I realised much later that the light was actually from the spark that had been condensed to an absurdly high degree. It was the electrical shock of destruction that became the storm of aftermaths itself after far too much of <Star Stream>’s Probability had been gathered and spent in that one attack.
That was none other than the ‘first shockwave’ created by the Apocalypse Dragon’s tail.
[A measly little thing dares.... Dares to...!]
Kubera, resisting until the end, roared out, while the shocked Vakarine screamed loudly. Dozens of Constellations that challenged the Apocalypse Dragon all unleashed their Statuses at the same time. And then....
....Something broke.
[Constellation, ‘Morning Star Goddess’, has been extinguished.]
[Constellation, ‘God-king of Yakshas’, has been extinguished.]
[Constellation, ‘Deep Night’s Wolf’, has been extinguished.]
[Constellation.....]
Indirect messages fell like raindrops.
Stars in the whole surrounding area were exploding at the same time and turned into ashes.
Yi Ji-Hye muttered in a dazed voice. “....You say we can withstand that?”
I had nothing to reply with. Because, it was also my first time witnessing the Tail-Flick today.
The electrical shockwave that grew even larger after burning away the Constellations finally finished getting ready to spread to the rest of <Star Stream>.
And we stood in its starting point.
[This is insane! Run away!]
Several terrified Constellations turned around to flee. Unfortunately for them, that attack was not something they could outrun.
I shouted out in my true voice. [Everyone, calm down! There is a way to block that.]
[Stop with your insane babbling! Didn’t you see that??]
[Either we use Status of the same attribute to absorb the shockwave created by the Tail-Flick, or we cancel it out with the Status of an opposing attribute. That is, as long as we have enough Probability to shore our efforts.]
The electrical shockwave’s rate of spreading gradually gained pace. Now rushing in at a fair knock, the wave bared its fangs at us, as if to devour us all.
[All of you, step aside.]
A Constellation stepped forward. Blinding arcs of lightning coiled around his figure, as he raised a giant hammer, his Star Relic, high up into the sky.
[I am the son of Odin, ‘Thursday’s Thunder.’]
Indeed, it was ‘Thursday’s Thunder’, Thor, whom I’d met back in the Gourmet Association.
[I shall bury the Apocalypse Dragon’s thunder right here!]
A streak of lightning from above crashed into the Star Relic [Mjolnir]. He sprinted forward with a vigour befitting a Viking, and without a shred of fear, threw himself into the Apocalypse Dragon’s electrical shockwave.
Tsu-chuchuchuchut!!
Surprisingly, he managed to survive against the shockwave.
The majority of the wave rushing in was being concentrated towards his hammer, [Mjolnir]. Like an electrical rod being showered by the lightning, his entire body writhed in pain. Every Constellation of <Asgard> was lending him Probability.
[Ohhhhh-!!]
Not too long afterwards, every blood vessel on Thor’s flesh bulged, and his bloodshot eyes began to pop out from their sockets. His statue-like muscles were scorched black as well. The first shockwave was not the Tail-Flick itself, but merely a by-product of that action, yet such a measly thing was utterly, horrifically killing a Fable-grade Constellation.
[Uwaaaaaaah-!!]
Just as Thor could no longer endure and was about to let go of his hammer, someone reached his side and grasped it together with him.
[....I was never interested in the myths of northern Europe before, but who knew, you aren’t so bad.]
He was someone completely unexpected, actually.
Thor freaked out and roared. [Let go! This hammer is not a relic that someone like you can touch! Besides, you can’t even handle lightning!]
[Actually, I can. Just a little. My old man is a god of lightning, you see.]
He was the successor to the Lightning Throne.
It seemed that, after Zeus had left, Dionysus had become <Olympus>’s successor. The only one among them who could inherit the Status of Lightning was Zeus’s descendant, after all.
[Fable, ‘Carnival of Lightning’, has begun its storytelling!]
A Fable that I could’ve inherited once upon a time was running amok within Dionysus’s entire figure. He gulped down a mouthful of wine from the flask on his hips and let out a cry in exhilaration.
[Kuwaaah~! Now that’s good!]
Even though he was being burnt alive by the lightning, he still formed a hearty smile. <Asgard> and <Olympus> were cooperating, and the two managed to endure thanks to the powers of Fables their allies sent their way. Sadly, though, it couldn’t last long; the Status of the Apocalypse Dragon crashing down grew even bigger than what the two Nebulas had combined. Seeing this, Surya moaned in shock.
[If only Indra was here.... I never thought that I’d miss that village idiot.]
Indeed, even back in the original storyline, the first shock wave was neutralised by the efforts of the three gods of lightning.
But then, <Kim Dok-Ja Company> ended up defeating Indra, and that meant that one of the three gods was now missing.
[Isn’t there anyone who can deal with lightning?]
I wasn’t planning to step forward now, but there was no other choice.
“I shall help.”
[You have activated ‘Demon King Transformation’!]
I was not a Constellation of lightning. But, I could use something fairly similar to that.
[‘5th Bookmark’ has been initiated!]
[Exclusive skill, ‘Lightning Transformation Lv.23(+13)’, has been initiated!]
[Your current physical constitution is different from that of the applicable character.]
[Your ‘Status’ has overcome the physical constitution penalty.]
The pure, untainted white light of inner energy circulated around my body. While scattering blinding rays of electrical lights, I joined Thor and Dionysus.
[Great Fable, ‘Demon World’s Spring’, has begun its storytelling.]
[Great Fable, ‘Torch that Swallowed the Myth’, has begun its storytelling.]
The two Great Fables supported me as the storm of electricity pounced on my body.
Dionysus said that this was exhilarating; yup, he was definitely out of his mind.
[It’s quite tolerable after a drink or two. Would you like some?]
Dionysus said those words, his entire lower half scorched black now. Thor, now resembling jet-black charcoal, cackled from the side.
[‘Demon King of Salvation’, looks like we’ll die together in this place.]
[Dying together with you might go on to create a pretty good story, indeed. Let us become a fable passed down through generations, together!]
[Hmph, will that fable be <Asgard>’s, or belong to <Olympus>?]
[Let’s stop with the inane banter and concentrate.]
Mind-numbing pain rushed in from the palm of my hands.
Thor, Dionysus, and I stood against the waves of electricity like a levee. And the first shockwave’s encroaching speed gradually lessened.
Somehow, we needed to withstand this. Just a little bit more. A bit more.
Unfortunately, the speed at which we were being forced back was still much faster than the rate that the shockwave’s speed decreased.
Dionysus cried out.
[Damn it, it’s going to overflow...!]
If the electrical energy was discharged like this, then all of our comrades behind us would be dead.
We knew this, yet we had no way of stopping the shockwave’s march. Just before I could shout out to them, telling them to evacuate...
....Someone’s hands supported our precarious embankment from behind.
There was another god of lightning left?
Well, there were quite a few beings capable of dealing with lightning in the fables scattered around the world, so... However, I couldn’t immediately think up of anyone. On top of that, the rate of absorbing the electrical shock far surpassed not just my own, but both Thor’s and Dionysus’s, as well. Just where did a Constellation like him.....?
[It seems that you were negligent with your training, judging from your inability to withstand this level of electrical shock.]
The moment I heard those words, a hollow chuckle left my lips.
Thor was taken back greatly and he quickly asked a question. [Who might you be? I’ve never seen a Constellation like you before.]
Those words caused the great, noble Status to waver, as its owner began emitting auras of rage.
People would often say that a handsome man’s face was on the smaller side; in that case, there would be no one in the world more good-looking than this man right here.
[I’m not a Constellation.]
I stupidly had forgotten all about him.
I had forgotten that the one who could handle electrical energy the best in <Star Stream> was not a Constellation, but this man. As his azure-coloured hair scattered in the air, his own pure, untainted white electrical energy exploded forth.
[I am Kyrgios Rodgraim, the teacher of this lazy pupil.]
<Episode 77: Final Dragon (3)> Fin.