Chapter 474: Episode 90 – One Person (3)
Han Su-Yeong just couldn’t believe what was happening before her eyes. The Transcenders fell in an instant, and Underworld’s Judges were also defeated one after the other.
“Get back, Han Su-Yeong!”
As the loud ‘Clang!!’ resounded out, Jeong Hui-Won standing before her was flung away. The Fable mushroomed out from the man grinning mischievously as if he was playing around.
[Great Fable, ‘Delusional Design’, has begun its storytelling!]
The entire body of the Monarch of the Great Abyss, the 999th turn’s Kim Nam-Woon, began emitting the [Black Flame]’s aura. That aura soon became a silhouette of a dragon with several heads. Its maws split wide open, and soon after, destructive air currents blanketed everything in the surroundings.
Kwa-aaaaaaaah!!
“Yu-Seung-ah! Gil-Yeong-ah!”
The exploding chain of the [Black Flame] swallowed the kids.
Yu Sang-Ah left the battlefield in order to rush out and save them, causing the time/space debuff restraining the 999th turn’s Uriel to weaken.
Go-oooooh!
She was regaining her original strength after a short period of it shrinking back.
The 999th turn’s Kim Nam-Woon cackled after witnessing that sight. [[Well, now. What would’ve happened without my help, I wonder?]]
[[Shut your mouth. Once I find the ‘Secretive Plotter’, you’re next.]]
She shot Kim Nam-Woon a terrifying glare and then swung her [Flames of Retribution] towards the battlefield.
The one opposing her was the Great Sage. The Ruyi Jingu Bang dancing around stylishly blocked off her sword strikes. Kim Nam-Woon watched the Great Sage match up evenly to an ‘Outer God King’ and was thoroughly impressed by this sight.
What caught his attention even more, was the pitch-black aura oozing out from the Great Sage’s entire figure.
[[The Status of Chaos? Did this guy also become an ‘Outer God’, too?]]
[[....More correctly, it seems that one of his entities have become one.]]
[[Hahaha, what the hell. What’s up with this world-line?]]
[[I shall take care of him, so you bastard, go and take care of the small fries plus the King of the Underworld.]]
[[Chet, I also wanted to have a go at the Great Sage just like someone else, you know.]]
Perhaps enraged by the garbage he just heard, the Great Sage roared on and poured out his magical energy. The golden aura blanketed the entire sky and for a moment there, forced back the [Black Flame]’s attacks.
Unfortunately, he had to suffer quite severe aftermaths all over his body as his price.
[....Goddammit, Meihouwang! Get a grip, man!]
It seemed that the Great Sage’s Fables, combined temporarily for this event, were colliding with each other. And now, he was being slowly pushed back from the barrage of the 999th turn’s Uriel.
The Myth-grade Constellations acting as the final redoubt were being forced back, as well; the situation on Hades’s side was even worse.
Kwa-gwagwagwagwa!!
It was unknown whether <Olympus> holding him back or the internal issue within the <Underworld> itself was to blame, but for some reason, Hades’s battle came across as rather stifling, unsatisfactory.
[[Hahaha! The ‘King of the Underworld’, one of the three Gods of Olympus, amount to only this much?]]
Hades frowned and continued to silently wield his scythe, but he was still pushed back, forcing Persephone behind telling the Great Fable to step forward as well.
[Did you know? Your soul is currently trapped in the Underworld in this world-line.]
[[What rubbish are you talking about? Why am I locked up in there?]]
The 999th turn’s Kim Nam-Woon grew irritated and suddenly poured out a huge amount of [Black Flame]. Hades was struck by the attack capable of melting the space itself and his gigantic frame crashed into the ocean.
Han Su-Yeong shuddered; that was definitely a type of the [Black Flame] she was familiar with. But just how long did anyone have to train in order to control it to such a degree?
[[This is so weird. You telling me that the Black Flame has chosen someone like you as his Incarnation?]]
When she raised her head, the 999th turn’s Kim Nam-Woon was already right in front of her eyes.
Han Su-Yeong flinched, but before she could shrink back, his hand approached her. The moment she realised it was too late to dodge, sparks danced in the air and his hand was deflected away.
[Constellation, ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’, is growling.]
[[....Oiii, what’s this? I’m the real one, Black Flame Dragon-ah.]]
Kim Nam-Woon’s eyes gently arced as if he was dealing with a cute puppy.
[Constellation, ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’, declares that “you, bastard, aren’t my Incarnation”.]
[[Aha. So you got yourself a shiny new car in this place, is that it?]] A streak of chilling madness flashed by Kim Nam-Woon’s eyes. [[In that case, I guess I should turn it into a scrap heap first.]]
Kaaaa-booooom!
An explosion going off right in front of her nose caused Han Su-Yeong’s body to fly backwards. She tried to minimise the impact force by shrinking herself, but even then, she still vomited out a mouthful of blood. She had her Sponsor to thank for not getting killed in that attack.
[Constellation, ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’, is shouting at you to run away!]
The Abyssal Black Flame Dragon personally incarnated into the skies and wrapped around her as if to protect her. A giant dragon seemingly sculptured out from a slab of obsidian angrily roared out into the world, its eyes seemingly carved out from a pair of rubies burning brightly.
[[Hahahahat! This is it! Now this is more like my Black Flame Dragon!]]
The two existences commenced with their fierce battle, causing the ocean to buckle as if it was being relentlessly bombarded. Shattered fragments of islands flew about, and the Black Flame Dragon’s Breath enveloped the entire sea.
[Constellation, ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’, is revealing his Status!]
Unfortunately, it was difficult to stop Kim Nam-Woon after he had become an Outer God, even if it was the Black Flame Dragon doing the fighting.
From the get-go, this opponent was an existence descending to the world as a calamity; the total amount of Probability he was allowed to use was on another scale.
Han Su-Yeong began thinking. What should they do in order to stop this utterly nonsensical creature?
⸢If it was Kim Dok-Ja, what could he have done?⸥
[Fable, ‘Predictive Plagiarism’, has begun its storytelling!]
It was right then that faint sparks danced around her as a sharp pang of pain rang inside her head.
⸢How disappointing. Even in this situation, you’re still relying on him?⸥
That was a voice she heard before in the past. In a dream she had, when she was still progressing through the ‘Isle of Reincarnators’.
Inside that dream where a man wearing the white coat was killed by another wearing the black coat, Han Su-Yeong definitely heard that voice.
⸢It’s because you’re like this that that fool was so full of himself in my regression turn.⸥
The Fable was actually talking to her.
‘You are....’
⸢I wasn’t planning to interfere anymore, but..... I’m going to help you one more time.⸥
The voice sounded as if it was being very generous to her. Along with the sensation of time slowing down greatly, her cognitive ability expanded as well. Countless Han Su-Yeongs woke up inside her head and opened their mouths at the same time.
⸢Everything that happens in the world has already happened. There’s nothing to be surprised about.⸥
A visceral sensation seemingly hardwired to the future completely took hold of her brain. An ability that could create a world she didn’t know previously by combining numerous cliches, patterns, and given information, went to work. The memories of the ‘Ways of Survival’ she read, the info she heard from Kim Dok-Ja, and the info she gleamed herself, were pieced together logically to write a new story.
Someone was laughing now.
⸢That’s right. Now that is the true [Predictive Plagiarism].⸥
And Han Su-Yeong realised what she needed to do now.
[Fable, ‘Predictive Plagiarism’, is continuing on with its storytelling!]
She couldn’t tell if it’d work or not. However...
‘....If it’s Kim Dok-Ja, he’d have done it.’
⸢Again, again you....!⸥
The Black Flame Dragon’s loud, rough roar covered up the entire sky. The battle had been going on only for a brief while, yet the creature’s proud figure was riddled with wounds both large and small. Just as the dragon spread open its torn wings to pour out a Breath...
“That’s enough, Flame Dragon-ah.”
[Constellation, ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’, is.....]
“Let me take care of this, so believe in me and take a step back.”
The Black Flame Dragon’s eyes were quickly dyed in confusion after seeing Han Su-Yeong step forward as if to protect her Sponsor. Rather than explaining herself to the dragon, she took yet another step forward.
[[Hoh-oh, so you want to fight me personally? With that chestnut-sized body of yours?]]
The 999th turn’s Kim Nam-Woon emitted an incredible amount of aura. The Great Fable ⸢Delusional Design⸥ wielded grinder-like sharp blades, already fully prepared to cut and slice Han Su-Yeong up at any given moment. However, she didn’t seem to be fazed at all.
“Kim Nam-Woon. You haven’t changed even after becoming an Outer God.”
[[What’s this? You sound like you know about me?]]
“Right, I know a lot about you. You, the idiot who failed to fulfil his unrequited love and even after becoming an Outer God, is still chasing after a girl.”
The 999th turn’s Kim Nam-Woon’s jaw slowly dropped.
⸢All Outer Gods have lost their memories. Or, what little remains are unstable.⸥
⸢In that case, how did ‘Kings’ retain their memories?⸥
⸢Could it be that those memories are far too precious to them?⸥
“The dude who couldn’t even confess properly when good opportunities presented themselves, yet still puts on underwear with giant robots on them just in case.”
[[.....You, you! What the hell are you?! How do you know something that not even my captain knew....?!]]
“The reason why you always bandage your hand is probably to hide that self-inflicted wound on your wrist, right? You didn’t want Yi Ji-Hye to discover that.”
Kim Nam-Woon was momentarily overcome by fluster, but he managed to quickly fix his expression.
“Why do you like Yi Ji-Hye?”
[Fable, ‘Forty-Thousand-Year-Old Crush’, is getting agitated.]
[[...T-that is, because Ji-Hye is pretty....]]
“Nope. You might be trash, but you don’t have the setting of lusting after women.”
[[Setting? What the hell are you talking about....]]
“The reason why you like Yi Ji-Hye so much is because she trusts and follows Yu Jung-Hyeok.”
[[What dogshit is....]]
“You wanted to be acknowledged by her. That you’re good enough to replace Yu Jung-Hyeok.”
[Great Fable, ‘Delusional Design’, is getting greatly agitated!]
“Actually, you just wished to become like Yu Jung-Hyeok.”
Han Su-Yeong stared deeply into the eyes of the 999th turn’s Kim Nam-Woon that were getting colder and harder.
[[What an entertaining.... story. However, I don’t have much time left, you see? I ain’t gonna listen to your bull.....]]
Han Su-Yeong didn’t know whether saying these things were a right move or not. No, in truth, she knew it wasn’t one. Even then, she simply had to say them. In order to save this world, she must...
“And by doing that, you... want to be forgiven by Yi Ji-Hye.”
....Must ruthlessly dig into the old wounds from another world.
“If it weren’t for your mistake, the 999th turn’s Yu Jung-Hyeok wouldn’t have died, after all.”
Tsu-chuchuchut!
Almost instantly, sparks exploded forth from the entire figure of the 999th turn’s Kim Nam-Woon. Sounds of something creaking could be heard next. The foundational Fables that formed his core were cracking apart. Those were noises of his memories breaking down.
[[You....]]
The enraged Kim Nam-Woon hurriedly gathered up his Fables now swimming in confusion and roared out. The light in his eyes faded in and out repeatedly.
Han Su-Yeong quietly observed him in the meantime.
⸢Even [Predictive Plagiarism] can’t know everything.⸥
Her overheating head felt hot as if it was burning in flames.
She hadn’t read the entirety of the ‘Ways of Survival’ like Kim Dok-Ja had done, nor did she live through the 999th turn for real like Yu Jung-Hyeok.
However, there were certain things she could still tell without having to hear or see them. That was the power of imagination – the power to infer the context even though she didn’t know the finer details of a particular story.
As long as there was a situation, its development pre-arranged, and with the ‘Probability’ existing in this world...
Her ‘Predictive Plagiarism’ could exercise a near-omniscient level of power.
“Kim Nam-Woon.”
Han Su-Yeong walked in the sky one step at a time. He staggered about, hugging his Fables while growling like a wounded beast.
⸢Han Su-Yeong stared at such Kim Nam-Woon’s Fable.⸥
It was the same for Yu Jung-Hyeok as well as the Constellations.
All creatures that lived for a long time were the same; just as their strengths were reflected in their history, so did their weaknesses, also reflected in their past. That was the fate of the ones telling such stories, the ones being told in those stories.
Like an author using a pen to scribble out unnecessary parts, Han Su-Yeong reached out towards Kim Nam-Woon.
⸢Just like when Kim Dok-Ja made the 1863rd turn’s Yu Jung-Hyeok give in.⸥
“You probably want to go back to those times. However, you must’ve despaired at the fact that you can never go back.”
[[Y-you, if you keep running your mouth...!]]
“However, you need to know this. The world-line you lived in is over, and the people you loved aren’t going to come back. And the likes of you can never become Yu Jung-Hyeok. You can never save anyone nor can you atone for your sins.”
Kim Nam-Woon’s cheeks were trembling. The foundation of a being who witnessed the ‘Conclusion’ of the 999th regression turn and became an ‘Outer God King’, was unsteadily shaking about. He made an expression of a man whose every Fable had been lost. In that moment, his face was of a seventeen-year-old boy thrown into the world for the first time. His Fable that existed for tens of thousands of years, his unshakeable delusions he had built up all this time, were crumbling apart with just a few well-placed words.
[[N-no, that’s not true. I, I am....]]
Han Su-Yeong spoke as if she was putting the full stop on that small crack. “You are simply an eternal prisoner trapped in this stinking <Star Stream>, that’s all.”
Pah-chuchuchut!
[[Kim Nam-Woon!!]]
The 999th turn’s Uriel roared out in her true voice, and Kim Nam-Woon’s fading consciousness woke back up.
[Fable, ‘Comrade of Desperate Spirit’, has begun its storytelling!]
The only thing capable of rebuilding a broken Fable was another Fable. Kim Nam-Woon’s Fable that she worked so hard to disrupt was regaining its original shape. Light was returning to his eyes, too. Han Su-Yeong could only smile wryly.
‘Goddammit, I thought it was going well. Still, did I hurt him at least a little bit?’
Soon, great rage filled up Kim Nam-Woon’s eyes.
[[....Hahat, I almost got done in there. I see, so there was a reason why the Black Flame Dragon had chosen you.]]
A powerful premonition of death washed over her. The [Predictive Plagiarism] tautly spinning around suddenly sagged like a snapped tape. The tragic premonition of death being unavoidable no matter where she ran off to.
It was then, she heard that voice again alongside the ‘Tsu-chut!’
⸢This should be enough. Because, the protagonist is here.⸥
Her senses seemingly connected to the future rapidly grew murky. Kim Nam-Woon’s fist raised up high towards the sky froze still. Everyone within the battlefield could sense it. Something incredible was approaching them.
Ku-gugugugu!
A ‘Status’ that simply by its existence alone could lead a world to its annihilation.
The first one to react was the 999th turn’s Uriel. [[It’s him!!]]
She roared out a horrifying howl towards the skies and quickly left the battle, before flinging herself towards the direction of that Status.
Kim Nam-Woon too stared in that direction. [[You.... You got really lucky this time. Next time we meet, I will.....]]
He alternated his gaze between Han Su-Yeong and the Black Flame Dragon and hesitated, before disappearing in the direction of where Uriel had gone off to. Having lost all sense of tension, she plopped down on her butt on top of the Dragon’s body. She stared beyond the horizon where those two had disappeared and recalled the last thing Kim Dok-Ja said to her.
She thought that such things wouldn’t happen.
“That bastard. Making such a cool entrance and stuff.”
She could hear thunderclaps going off in the distant night sky, stained by the auras of the [Hellfire] and [Black Flame].
A man with an ancient face was descending on the heavens of end times.
<Episode 90. One Person (3)> Fin.