Chapter 509: Episode 98 – Have you protected all that you were supposed to protect (2)
The Dokkaebi King’s brows quivered. The Fables from the 999th regression turn were now looming before him.
The Fables discarded by <Star Stream> had begun telling their stories one by one. They were waking Yu Jung-Hyeok up from the depth of ‘regression depression’.
The ‘Dokkaebi King’ frowned deeply next. [Why are you here? Did you not make a deal with me? You don’t have a pretext to help him.]
Sentences began floating up above the [Final Wall].
⸢We made a deal with the Dokkaebi King, you see? If we destroy this world-line, he will send us back. He will get in touch with your Sponsor, the ‘Most Ancient Dream’, and....⸥
Those were the words of the 999th turn Yi Ji-Hye.
The ‘Dokkaebi King’ spoke once more. [It was I who summoned you all to this world. Do you wish to be cast out of the world-line again? I ask you, do you wish to taste the everlasting pain while wandering the horrifying gap between dimensions without an end in sight?]
His words continued on as if to threaten them.
[This ‘Yu Jung-Hyeok’ is the enemy you’ve been searching for. He’s the very culprit who destroyed your world-line, the one who thrust your Fables into misery.]
There was a slight hint of agitation on the expressions of the ‘Outer Gods’.
The ‘Dokkaebi King’ was right; just like how it was with Yu Jung-Hyeok, they too came this far to settle the score from the world they used to live in.
It was then, someone opened his mouth.
[[What dogshit are you yapping on about? It’s you, asshole, who dropped us into this damn game, isn’t it? If the scenarios didn’t start in the first place, would I even be standing here doing this shit?]]
The ‘Monarch of the Great Abyss’, 999th turn’s Kim Nam-Woon spoke with a thuggish attitude. As if he had already finished making up his mind, truly incredible power of Chaos was being unleashed from his entire figure.
[Great Fable, ‘Delusional Design’, has begun its storytelling!]
[[Keuh-euh, it’s been so long since we fought together.]]
Kim Nam-Woon cackled as he undid the bandages from his hands.
He was a monster that even surpassed his own sponsor, ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’. His pitch-black obsidian hand, filled to the brim with thicker, more evil aura than anything Han Su-Yeong could ever produce, began sucking in the <Star Stream>’s night.
[Great Fable, ‘Heart Sealing the Sorrow’, has begun its storytelling!]
Right behind him, there was another man raising his huge figure up as well. It was the 999th turn’s Yi Hyeon-Seong, the ‘King of Silverlight Heart’.
The completed ‘Fable metal’ armour wrapped around his entire figure.
[[Dokkaebi King, I’m excluded from that deal since I have never agreed to it.]]
Next up, the ‘Master of the Sunken Island’, 999th turn’s Yi Ji-Hye summoned her gigantic battleship up in the air.
[Great Fable, ‘Wanderer of the Eternal Horizon’, has begun its storytelling.]
The atmosphere of the great ocean could be felt from her Twin Dragon Sword.
[[......]]
She wordlessly unsheathed her sword and protected Yu Jung-Hyeok’s right side. With that, the kings’ decision became clear.
[Exclusive skill, ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’, is forcibly activating!]
Their thoughts and determination were being transmitted to me in full.
They all hated the ‘Secretive Plotter’. However, that hatred was born out from the deep-seated yearning they all held.
⸢No one treasured ‘Yu Jung-Hyeok’ as much as them in any of the universes out there.⸥
It was all thanks to Yu Jung-Hyeok that they got to reach this far. To make sure they would reach here, the 999th turn’s Yu Jung-Hyeok sacrificed everything of him.
His arm was cut off, his legs were torn off, he lost both of his eyes, and in the end, he even sacrificed his life, too.
⸢It was Yu Jung-Hyeok who saved them, and killed them.⸥
They only lived for Yu Jung-Hyeok; how could people like them ever forget about him?
The wrath that had to be chained within the sinking island, the sorrow that could only be endured after turning your heart into steel; the pain that could only be forgotten by throwing yourself into the abyss.
[Great Fable, ‘Flame of Eternity’, has begun its storytelling!]
And the ache that could only be appeased by burning oneself away. They repeatedly connected the film that threatened to be cut off at any time, and eventually reached the final pages of the story.
[[Step aside, Dokkaebi King. We only want one thing.]] The 999th turn’s Uriel, the ‘Living Flame’, spoke up. [[And that is to witness the ‘end’ we didn’t get to confirm back in our world-line.]]
At the end of her words, the [Flames of Conflagration] moved.
Kwa-kwakwakwakwa!
The [Hellflame] that utterly devastated the N’Gai’s Forest was now burning the interior of the Wall. Almost at the same time, the right hand of the 999th turn’s Kim Nam-Woon stabbed into the Dokkaebi King’s thigh.
[[Hahaha! Let’s kill a Dokkaebi for a change!]]
Kim Nam-Woon’s madness-filled Stigma sliced past the time and space, destroyed Fables, and aimed at the Dokkaebi King’s figure.
The two exchanged the exact amount of Fables during their attacks and defences; weapons created from the delusion grew out of Kim Nam-Woon’s right arm, while Star Relics summoned by the ‘Dokkaebi King’ appeared from several spots of the Wall and blocked off the former’s weapons.
Tsu-chuchuchut!
The [Final Wall] was the location where the Dokkaebi King’s Fable could display the greatest level of power. With the stage being what it was, the direction of the battle soon flowed disadvantageously for Kim Nam-Woon.
⸢Oh, the spear that rips the oceans apart and draws the borders in the seas.⸥
⸢Oh, the arrow that shot down the eye of the sun.⸥
Sentences leaking out from several spots on the Wall soon became reality.
Shu-shushushuk!
The Star Relics matched the Dokkaebi King’s signal and flew in, turning the entire figure of the ‘Monarch of the Great Abyss’ into Swiss cheese; a spear stabbed into his thigh, while the arrow pierced into his arm. However, even as the pitch-black Fable dripped out from him, Kim Nam-Woon was grinning.
[[Go! Taekwon Hyeon-Seong!]]
Along with Kim Nam-Woon’s cry, a figure taking the spot behind him rose up.
Kwa-dudududu....
It was the 999th turn’s Yi Hyeon-Seong. His powerful, sturdy arms wrapped tightly around the Dokkaebi King, then forged steel occupying the space grew out from his entire body. As the powerful sparks exploded, the steel tightly secured the Dokkaebi King’s arms and legs.
[[Ji-Hye-ya!]]
At the end of the 999th turn Yi Hyeon-Seong’s signal, the ‘Master of the Sunken Island’, made her move.
[[Load the cannon.]]
A massive battleship floating in the night sky could be spied within the Wall’s gap created by the impact with the ark. Along with a powerful whirlpool swirling about, something was being loaded in front of the ship. The Status emitted from there was more than enough to blow up a planet in its entirety. When taking a closer look, it was not a shell that had been loaded into the gigantic cannon.
[[Fire!!]]
And while issuing a huge explosion noise, a shooting star fired out from the ship. It was the ‘Living Flame’, descending like a star with a blindingly bright tail behind her back.
She had willingly become a bullet and now, was flying straight at the ‘Dokkaebi King’. The 999th turn’s Uriel shot forward in a shocking turn of speed while melting everything getting in her way. The 999th turn’s Fable concentrated on the tip of her sword began burning up violently.
[[It’s not only the Conquering King that have killed you before.]]
⸢This was the method the 999th turn’s characters used to clear the final pages.⸥
The incandescent sun shattered the Wall’s exterior and advanced forward. Fables clinging onto the Final Wall writhed in pain from that incredible heat.
This was the attack that no one in this world-line could possibly defend against.
⸢Yet, the ‘Dokkaebi King’ was doing exactly that against such an attack.⸥
Creaaaaaaaaak-!!
The Dokkaebi King’s eyes glowed sharply under the hellish heat.
Ah, aaaaaaah!
Countless Stigmata engraved on his body screeched out. They were texts seemingly taken from the [Final Wall]. Great Fables began directing their exaltation towards them.
Even the Fables in my possession were getting agitated, as well.
⸢The Modifier ‘King of the Stories’ was not just for a show.⸥
The ‘King of the Stories’ that existed at the peak of <Star Stream>. His face looked noble, evil, beautiful and sorrowful all at the same time.
⸢Once upon a time he too was a human.⸥
The weapons pouring out from the [Final Wall] collided with the [Flames of Conflagration], and...
⸢He was a demon.⸥
The ash-coloured Fable leaking out from the Dokkaebi King’s horn stopped the approaching Uriel’s movement.
⸢He was a saviour, and...⸥
The divine light emitted from white wings restored the Dokkaebi King’s stamina.
⸢And eventually, an existence that became a Dokkaebi.⸥
The unending Fables began enveloping him. As if, this world couldn’t end in this place.
⸢This place was not the 999th turn.⸥
I sensed the 999th turn’s characters now shifting their gazes in my direction.
⸢Now, make your move.⸥
⸢You must be the one to finish it.⸥
⸢You haven’t forgotten your promise with us, yes?⸥
Unfortunately, I couldn’t move.
[Great Fable, ‘Guardian of the World’, has begun its storytelling!]
[Great Fable, ‘Guardian of the World’, is now looking at the next Guardian!]
Because the Dokkaebi King’s Fable was also looking directly at me.
[....Kim Dok-Ja!!] The Dokkaebi King shouted in my direction. [Do not go against your predetermined destiny. You love the Fables more than anyone in this world. I too was like you. I understand the feelings you have towards this world better than anyone in this universe!]
The Fable extending from his body reached out towards me.
Han Su-Yeong next to me covered my ears and growled angrily. “Don’t listen to him. It’s not even worth it hearing him out.”
Jeong Hui-Won and Yi Hyeon-Seong stood before me, while Yu Sang-Ah, Shin Yu-Seung, and Yi Gil-Yeong stood around me to protect me. And from behind my back, the howl from Yi Ji-Hye’s sword resounded out.
[All the stars in the Nebula <Kim Dok-Ja Company> are shining brightly!]
However, there were some things that would become more visible the harder you tried to obscure them. Some words would become clearer the more you tried to cover them up.
[Exclusive skill, ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’, is going out of control!]
⸢[Black Flame Dragon! Black Flame Dragon! Goddammit, open your eyes already!!]⸥
⸢[Kim Yu-Shin! Wake up! Our Hwangsanbeol is not yet.....]⸥
⸢[Great Sage!]⸥
Those were Fables streaming on the [Final Wall].
Constellations were collapsing on the battlefield where an even fiercer battle than ours was taking place. Fables were endlessly leaking out from the Great Sage’s body, now tattered to resemble a torn rag. As if he had lost both of his eyes, his once-blinding ‘Golden Gaze Fiery Eyes’ were currently not emitting any light.
⸢[....I can’t see my maknae all that well.]⸥
Uriel was supporting him. The Archangel with both of her wings torn off held his hand and stroked the nightscape.
⸢[He’s alive. There he is, still shining.⸥
The Constellations still doggedly surviving until now rushed towards them from among the chaotic night sky.
The scene then changed to show Persephone embracing the fallen Hades. He was trying to say something, but she simply shook her head.
⸢[Do not worry, my ancient night.]⸥
<Olympus>’s sun was setting above her head.
All these endings became wretched sentences and rushed above the Wall. These sentences were being written only for the purpose of finishing them off.
[Do you not wish to save them?]
I felt vomit rising up from the deepest part of my body.
The ‘Dokkaebi King’ shouted out. [The current you can’t save them. The one who loves the story can never change that very story.]
Can’t change it, because you loved it.
[Only the one who overcomes the story, the one who understands the trivial nature of everything, can escape from the suppression of the Probability.]
The surrounding storm of aftermaths was growing even more vicious, accompanied by the ‘Kka-gagagaghk!’ noise. The power of the Fables flowing out from the ‘Dokkaebi King’ was gradually overwhelming the combined might of the 999th turn’s characters.
The Dokkaebi King tore off Yi Hyeon-Seong’s Fable metal and extended his hand in my direction.
[The ‘One Single Fable’ you have compiled is more than enough to inherit the position of <Star Stream>. Take my hand. What you want is the same as what I want. I do not wish to see the stories of those stars be erased.]
His voice even sounded desperate, too. The light in his eyes and his Fable all acted as proof of his sincerity.
The <Star Stream>’s Fable glowed brightly from his figure.
⸢The story he had been reading for a long time had eventually become a part of him.⸥
He was now the <Star Stream> itself.
He genuinely didn’t want this story to end.
[Continue with.... this story. Become the protagonist of a new world-line, and along with the Fable you have created, continue the banquet of the ‘Most Ancient Dream’. You are the existence born solely for that purpose. You were able to reach this far, only for that purpose!]
While listening to those words, I began recalling all the lucky moments that happened to me so far.
[<Star Stream> is looking at you.]
Why was the <Star Stream>’s Probability so generous towards me?
The Dokkaebi King’s Fable was telling me the reason for that. The lights continued to explode before my eyes.
[Do not forget what you truly want. You’re not the ‘last verse’. No, you’re the ‘Eternity’!]
The Constellations’ Fables streamed behind the Dokkaebi King.
He was right. I didn’t wish for those stories to end.
⸢The Great Sage, Heaven’s Equal watched the falling star and sensed his own approaching demise.⸥
I slowly turned my head around and saw Yu Jung-Hyeok, now almost freed from the ‘regression depression’. His seemingly-empty eyes were locked on me.
⸢However, there were some stories that had to end.⸥
<Episode 98. Have you protected all that you were supposed to protect (2)> Fin.