Chapter 494: Episode 94 – Beginning of the end (2)
I thought that ‘it’ had finally happened when I became the Outer God King.
[You have become the ‘Enemy of the Story’.]
This wouldn’t be my first time experiencing the sensation of Fable in my entire body shattering into tiny little pieces. A similar thing happened back when I was booted out of the scenario and fell in the ‘story’s horizon’.
If there was one thing different between then and now, it would be me not getting expelled from the scenario even after becoming an altered existence. No, it was the exact opposite.
[You have become the boss monster of the last scenario.]
[You will be alone forever.]
[No one will understand you in this worldview.]
I memorised the loneliness I felt in that moment. This feeling of being cast away all alone in this universe. The feeling of becoming a monster that no one could understand for all eternity.
However, this also wasn’t my first time experiencing such a feeling either.
⸢”I’m XX Time’s reporter. Do you have some time to speak with me?”⸥
⸢”It’s him. The son of the murderer.”⸥
That was why I needed to take up this role. Only I could perform it to its fullest, after all. That was the price to pay for reading the story called ‘Ways of Survival’ to its conclusion.
⸢[[Your companions will never understand your decision.]]⸥
The ‘Secretive Plotter’ told me that as if he already knew what my plan was. And I understood why he had no choice but to say those words.
⸢”We’ll find out later, won’t we?”⸥
Neither he nor I were wrong. Just that the Fables we compiled were different, that’s all.
Kwa-kwakwakwakwa!!
The tsunami wave of Fables unfolded right before my eyes. And the blinding sparks of Probability spread out above this wave. And on top of them all, the gazes from the Constellations were streaming in.
[Constellation, ‘Queen of the Darkest Spring’, is watching your Fable.]
[Constellation, ‘Father of the Rich Night’, is watching your Fable.]
[Constellation, ‘Mass Production-type Maker’, is watching your Fable.]
....
This wasn’t a gamble that I alone could realise. Me becoming an Outer God King was merely the beginning of the final pages.
Yu Jung-Hyeok fought hard, my companions held on bravely, and Han Su-Yeong gamely attracted the Constellations.
And the Constellations believing in us made their choices.
⸢The plan was a success.⸥
The ‘Living Flame’ that rises up from the east.
The ‘Master of the Sunken Island’, the calamity of the world in the west.
The ‘Monarch of the Great Abyss’, the ruler of the northern universe.
The ‘King of Silverlight Heart’, the ruler of the interstellar space in the south.
And finally, the ‘Great Plotter’ that crawls from the place of nothing.
The scenario’s volume began expanding rapidly with the gathering of all five ‘kings’. Historical Figure-grade Constellations failed to deal with their combined Statuses and began vomiting out Fables on their knees.
These kings had been excluded from the scenario until now. After escaping from the reaches of the ‘Hounds chasing after the Abyss’ through the abundant Probability, they had personally descended to the scenario.
The ‘Secretive Plotter’ was looking in my direction. I nodded my head in return.
⸢And now, it was time for their stage to open.⸥
[U-uwuuuuh-!]
Several terror-stricken Constellations forgot their stations and began hastily running away. The ‘Monarch of the Great Abyss’ grabbed the nape of one of those Constellations. The 999th turn’s Kim Nam-Woon began laughing.
[[Now, now. You leaving so soon makes it a wee bit troublesome. It only just began, after all.]]
He must’ve recovered some of his energy through the Probability’s overflow. He glanced at me and muttered out.
[[And you, don’t get ahead of yourself. We didn’t come here to help you out.]]
But then, the ‘King of Silverlight Heart’ stood next to me and spoke up.
[[We came to aid you.]]
“I know. Thanks.”
As expected, Yi Hyeon-Seong remained a trustworthy person regardless of the number of regressions he lived.
The ‘Master of the Sunken Island’, 999th turn’s Yi Ji-Hye, also made her move. Fable-grade Constellations hurriedly rushed in from both sides and tried to block them somehow, but it was a waste of time.
[T-the island, it’s, it’s moving-!]
From the front of the island covered in verdant moss, silvery cannons shone brightly. The biggest warship in the world-line, the perfected [Turtle Dragon], spat out flames towards the rest of the world.
Kwa-aaaaaah!!
The overwhelming spectacle of an entire corner of the battlefield being blowing away without a trace caused me, Han Su-Yeong, and even Yu Jung-Hyeok to become utterly dazed.
And at the furthest front of the battlefield, two ‘Kings’ were facing off against the Myth-grade Constellations.
⸢Two people who fought together a really long time ago were there.⸥
The 999th turn’s Uriel was wrapped around in the [Hellfire]’s corona. And the other was Yu Jung-Hyeok who had survived the 1863 hellscapes to eventually become an ‘Outer God’.
⸢In that moment, Kim Dok-Ja recalled a certain ancient battlefield.⸥
It was from Yu Jung-Hyeok’s 999th turn.
Yu Jung-Hyeok and Uriel entrusted their backs to each other and fought together during the great war against Constellations. Yu Jung-Hyeok, blind in both eyes and roaring out, and Uriel protecting him – it was one of the scenes that I loved the most from the entirety of the ‘Ways of Survival’. And that scene was being re-enacted right before my eyes.
[Fable, ‘Battlefield of a Hero and Flame’, is waking up from its prolonged slumber!]
A Fable that had disappeared a really long time ago was now connecting the two kings.
[[....I shall leave <Olympus> to you.]]
The 999th turn’s Uriel spread open her wings wide first. Just as she unleashed her Status, Constellations pounced on her as if they were waiting for that moment.
They were the top Constellations from <Papyrus> and <Vedas>, as well as some other lower-ranked Constellations that fought against us in the ‘Demon King Selection’ – the ‘Last Pharaoh’, and the ‘Bird that Eats the Thunder’.
[Fable, ‘Flame of Annihilation’, has begun its storytelling!]
The moment the 999th turn’s Uriel wielded her sword, the first lines of the Historical Figure-grade Constellations rushing in at her turned into powder and scattered away. Incarnations with pale complexions hurriedly turned around to run, while Fable-grade Constellations shouted out venomously.
[Stop that sword! Stop her from swinging it, no matter what!!]
Uriel’s sword carved out a burning path, and the ‘Secretive Plotter’ ran on it. It felt as if the history of the universe flowed within every step he took. His steps seemed neither too fast nor too slow, yet no one dared to stop him.
[Fable, ‘Hellscape of Eternity’, has begun its storytelling.]
The most dreadful Fable in all of the world-lines began telling its story.
[Great Fable, ‘Pilgrim of the Lonely Apocalypse’, has begun its storytelling.]
Everywhere his foot landed resounded with the cries of a destroyed world. The original sin of the worlds stuck to him like a shadow and continued to chase after him.
⸢No Constellation could stand in his way, and no Fable could save him.⸥
Didn’t matter whether one was an enemy or an ally, as long as one was a Constellation, one couldn’t help but get seduced by his story.
When I abruptly regained my wits from that vast sorrow stained in wonderment, he was already grabbing at Poseidon’s neck.
The latter managed to recover himself in time as well, and hurriedly shoved the ‘Secretive Plotter’s’ hand away all the while unleashing his own Status.
[Constellation, ‘Spear that Draws the Borders in the Oceans’, is greatly enraged!]
<Olympus>’s Great Fable began making its move. Poseidon’s [Traiana] bared its fangs while enveloped in a powerful Fable. This was the might of a Myth-grade Constellation that anyone should quake in fear from.
However, I too was a Myth-grade now and I was perceiving his actions differently.
⸢Poseidon is terrified.⸥
His spear uselessly cut through the air, and it was no longer as sharp as before. It was a mistake unbecoming of an arrogant Constellation, and Zeus next to him roared out in alarm.
However, it was too late by then.
Sliiiice!
Something cut Poseidon’s torso down, and on his chest covered in blue scales, the lengthy and black wound could be seen. From this wound, Great Fables began flooding out nonstop.
[Keo-heo-uhk...!]
Poseidon tried to press down on his chest while swinging his [Traiana] all over the place.
The spear that drew the borders in the oceans – wherever his [Traiana] drew a line, that place would become an ocean. However, such a thing didn’t happen this time. For the first time ever, the spear’s blade that feared no one couldn’t find what to aim at and simply trembled helplessly.
⸢The place where his ocean couldn’t reach.⸥
Both of Poseidon’s eyes were soon dyed in the pitch-black abyss.
Most likely, he was watching the darkest Fable known in this world right now. The one about the outer space, where both the ground and the sky held no meaning as effects of gravity didn’t reach there. A complete devastation with not one precious thing remaining after everything was destroyed.
And the master of that devastation was looking up at the <Olympus>’s constellations.
[[Doesn’t matter which world-line it is, you don’t seem to change at all.]]
He didn’t sound sad. If anything, he sounded relieved, actually.
Along with the cold metallic noise, the blades of the [Heaven Shaking Sword] extended out to the night sky.
[Shut your mouth-!!]
Poseidon managed to beat back the fear and hurriedly swung his [Traiana] once more, But in that exact moment, the [Heaven Shaking Sword] also made its move, as well.
I remembered seeing Yu Jung-Hyeok use a similar skill to that once before. It was a skill to cut down the stars designed by a Transcender who had surpassed his own limit through incredible dedication and hard work.
However, something felt different. That attack, as if...
⸢As if, it was a sword technique created so that one man could face off against the entire world.⸥
Breaking the Sky Swordsmanship.
Transcending the Inner Mysteries.
The Universe Slash.
Only then did it hit home. The power the ‘Secretive Plotter’ displayed back then, during the battle of ⸢Journey to the West⸥, was only a portion of what he could produce.
This sword trajectory was the most beautiful I had ever seen.
His blade caused the world to split apart.
Kwa-dudududu!
The sword strike cracked apart a nebula in its entirety and scattered stardust away. And at the end of that magic-like rays of light was Poseidon. Along with ‘puh-ga-gak!’ noise, his arm and leg got cut off simultaneously.
[Poseidon!!]
Zeus freaked out and shouted loudly.
Fables exploding forth from the ‘Secretive Plotter’ were swallowing up the battlefield. The emptiness he felt while living through the scenarios was expanding.
Tsu-chuchuchuchut!
Poseidon vomited out Fables and fell on his knees, prompting the <Olympus>’s 12 gods to rush in. Ares and Hephaistus roared out and swung their sword and hammer. Unfortunately for them, however, they were smacked away by the [Heaven Shaking Sword]’s blade like a bunch of children.
Zeus yelled out in pure anger.
[Oh, the great schemer! Do not get too full of yourself! You haven’t even witnessed a fragment of the myth that created <Olympus> yet!]
Even as he was saying that, Zeus’s figure was beating a hasty retreat.
It was so obvious – the ark was waiting in the direction he was heading to.
[Father!]
The <Olympus>’s Constellations abandoned by him spewed out Fables from their whole bodies as the Nameless Ones gnawed on them. Dionysus carried a resentful expression as he roared in anger towards his father.
I quietly stared at those Constellations before speaking to Han Su-Yeong and Yu Jung-Hyeok. “We need to stop Zeus.”
Inside of the ark Zeus headed to was filled with sleeping Great Fables not just belonging to <Olympus> but countless other myths, as well. If we let him be, this scenario would become disadvantageous for us once more.
We quickly began running with everything we had on the stage currently covered in Fables from the dead stars and gods.
Han Su-Yeong, meanwhile, muttered in a puzzled voice.
“By the way, that guy.....”
After cutting Poseidon down, the ‘Secretive Plotter’ was just standing around, dazedly looking up in a certain direction. I shifted my head towards where he was staring at.
The reason why he didn’t chase after Zeus was simple. From the beginning, his purpose wasn’t the annihilation of <Olympus> nor the destruction of the ark itself.
No, what he stared at was a certain something located much, much further away.
The ⸢Final Wall.⸥
Endless pages were flipping within his eyes as if he was utterly determined to see what was beyond that thing this time.
[<Star Stream>’s Probability is experiencing a rapid change!]
Great Dokkaebis began shouting out at the unexpected distortion of the Probability.
[Hang on! This, this is....!]
[Oh, the ‘Most Ancient Dream’, this....!]
[Due to the <Star Stream>’s rapid change, the scenario content has been revised!]
[Clear condition for the applicable scenario will change depending on the camp you have chosen to side with.]
I confirmed the revised scenario detail.
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<Main Scenario #99 – ■■■>
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For the first time ever, the title of the main scenario was gone.
A scenario that had never happened before.
A scenario that not even the Great Dokkaebis heard of had begun.
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Type: Main
Difficulty: ???
Clear condition: Please destroy the ark and put a stop to Great Dokkaebis’ plan.
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I heard the freaked-out voices of the Great Dokkaebis next. With this, they were about to pay the price for giving up on being the ‘storytellers’ to become characters in this world.
Also, the facade surrounding us began changing, as well. As if, the world had finally permitted our existence.
“It’s you....!”
The clearly-astonished Asuka Ren was looking at me. It seemed that even she could now see my true appearance, at least faintly.
As the sparks wildly danced about, the creatures of fear and disgust, ‘Outer Gods’ were revealing their true appearances. They were no longer the beings outside of the scenario.
[The absolute majority of the Constellations are watching your Fable.]
The scenario we had created was now being officially birthed into this world.
[‘Most Ancient Dream’ is now looking at your existence.]
Quite likely, the ‘Secretive Plotter’ also heard these messages. More specifically, the messages popping up before my eyes.
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Reward: Final Wall
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<Episode 94. Beginning of the end (2)> Fin.