WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 104: Episode 21 — Something That Cannot Be Changed (2)

Yuseong's right hand quietly reached for the sky.

“Cry out, King Masswood.”

At her command, the coiled Sea Dragon King behind her slowly rose.

The ruler of the sea dragons, King Masswood, unleashed its [Ice Breath].

The depths of the Han River froze over in an instant, and the ghost fleet, which had been firing cannons, began to falter under the breath’s icy grip.

“Here’s some advice, unni. The ghost fleet is strong, but without water, it’s useless.”

Everything happened in a split second. Shin Yuseong’s fist moved, something exploded, and Lee Jihye’s cloaked form was thrown helplessly into the air, her sword slipping from her grasp.

“Of course, that advice is pointless for this round.”

As Jihye flew through the air, blood trailing behind her, her eyes already lacked even a trace of consciousness. King Masswood’s [Ice Breath] continued to spread across the entire Han River.

“Aaaargh! What’s happening?!”

The incarnations crossing the river screamed as an unexpected cold wave overtook them. Hundreds of people, frozen solid on the Han River’s surface, seemed destined to perish. It was a figure with overwhelming strength, observing the situation nearby, who saved the helpless incarnations.

[The character Lee Hyeonseong has used the stigma Great Mountain Crush Lv. 5!]

Hyeonseong’s unnaturally swollen right arm slammed into the frozen river. Overuse of [Great Mountain Crush] caused his arm to swell to the point of rupture, but his efforts paid off.

Crack, crack, craaack!

The surface of the Han River fractured and collapsed, weakening the effect of [Ice Breath]. Taking advantage of the break, the incarnations ascended to the land and advanced toward Nodeul Island.

“Waaaah!”

“Charge!”

Watching Hyeonseong at the center of the army, Yuseong smiled bitterly.

“Of course, you’d be here, Hyeonseong oppa.”

“…Do you know me?”

“Our most dependable shield. You saved my life so many times.”

At Yuseong’s signal, a massive chimpanzee that had been standing behind her thumped its chest and stepped forward. It was a Tier-5 monster species, Heavy Metal Kong.

Boom—!

With a stomp of its hind legs, the surrounding incarnations were sent sprawling. Hyeonseong charged toward Heavy Metal Kong.

Hyeonseong’s swollen arm collided head-on with Heavy Metal Kong’s steel-like muscles. Despite his ruptured blood vessels and the blood flowing from his lips, Hyeonseong wasn’t pushed back against the Tier-5 monster species.

No, he was overpowering it.

“Grrr…?”

Yuseong, observing Hyeonseong, spoke without emotion.

“You haven’t changed, oppa. The same loyal dog of Junghyeok.”

“…Who are you?”

“You saved countless lives and stayed loyal to Junghyeok until the end, only to be reduced to ashes by the Iron-Blood Dragon’s breath.”

“What…?”

“Do you know what Junghyeok said then?”

Yuseong’s sharp words felt like a scalpel, transferring her own wounds to others.

“‘I guess I lost a handy shield.’”

As Hyeonseong’s expression subtly changed, Yuseong writhed in a cruel ecstasy. Yes, they needed to feel it too—the pain she endured, the sights she’d seen. Even if they couldn’t take it all, they needed to understand.

But Shin Yuseong was unaware.

This regression was different from the ones she knew.

Blocking Heavy Metal Kong’s attack, Hyeonseong spoke.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I don’t follow Yu Junghyeok.”

“What?”

“I am a companion of Kim Dokja.”

“Kim… who?”

With a resounding crash, Heavy Metal Kong fell.

Yuseong’s face hardened as she approached Lee Hyeonseong.

“…What nonsense are you spouting?”

As another thunderous explosion echoed, Hyeonseong was sent flying into the air. Yuseong unleashed a fierce attack on his abdomen, an ether storm piercing his solid torso and launching him into the middle of the Han River.

The blow was enough to rupture all his internal organs.

Hyeonseong would not survive this third regression.

Yet, a question lingered in Yuseong’s mind.

A name she had never heard before.

Kim Dokja… Who is that?

As she tore through the throats of incarnations charging toward her, Yuseong slowly walked across the frozen river. The terrified incarnations, fleeing in fear, were torn apart by the claws of monsters. Gradually, despair began to spread among them.

Faced with an unstoppable disaster, the incarnations began to succumb to resignation.

But not all of them.

“Fire!”

The kings, having regrouped, unleashed a barrage of long-range skills, raining arrows and magical projectiles. Shin Yuseong recognized them.

The King of Beauty, Min Jiwon.

The Maitreya King, Cha Sanggyeon.

The Neutral King, Jeon Ildo.

It was strange. They weren’t supposed to be alive or should have become Junghyeok’s subordinates by now. After all, every king other than Junghyeok should have been unified under the ‘Absolute Throne’ by the end of the fourth scenario.

Then what were they?

“Strike! The enemy is but one!”

Whose orders were these uncoordinated soldiers following?

Where had the Absolute Throne gone?

Who ruled this world?

It was then that a sense of malice emerged. As the ground beneath Yuseong’s feet froze, she instinctively turned around.

…[Ice Breath]?

Turning, she saw a massive Sea Dragon exhaling icy breath toward her. It wasn’t King Masswood. As her right hand reflexively rose, King Masswood moved.

Rooooar!

Two Sea Dragons roared and clashed, their massive forms turning the entire Han River into a colossal battlefield. A Sea Dragon comparable in size to King Masswood? Yuseong knew only one such dragon.

“…Queen Mirvad?”

She had known the Queen was on Earth but had no reason to attack her.

Why now?

“You must be the future me.”

When she turned, Shin Yuseong’s mind went blank. A fleeting memory of a time she longed for rattled her soul.

“Bring him back!”

A girl’s tearful plea and a woman’s firm refusal.

“Yuseong, no!”

With a sudden jolt of realization, the calamity known as Shin Yuseong grasped the situation.

“Haha… I see. Of course.”

Lifting herself into the air, she approached the girl.

This was the Junghyeok she knew.

A despicable man who would use any means to achieve his goals.

“Yu Junghyeok, you son of a bitch…”

“Yuseong, run!”

Sangah activated [Hermes’ Stroll] and [Arachne’s Web] simultaneously, charging forward with a dagger in hand. Shin Yuseong’s gaze sharpened.

“…Olympus?”

But the dagger didn’t reach Yuseong. With a mere gesture, flying monsters from the [Monster Gate] swarmed Sangah, enveloping her form in an instant.

Ignoring Sangah, Yuseong approached the girl.

The girl’s fear-filled eyes glared up at her, brimming with defiance. As if shackled, the girl couldn’t move. Yuseong’s hand gently cupped her cheek.

“So, Junghyeok found this worldline’s version of me.”

“Ugh…”

“He wants to kill the younger me to stop the present me. Right?”

The deduction was exhilarating. The faintly diminished rage and hatred surged back into place. Some things couldn’t change, no matter how many regressions one went through.

The ‘Catrastrophe of Shin Yuseong’ laughed.

“Hello, past me.”

Just as her hand moved to strike, a powerful blow erupted behind her with a deafening noise. Dust cleared to reveal the shining scythe of a giant mantis.

“A Monarch-level Insect?”

“Titano! Finish her!”

The mantis unleashed a flurry of scythe attacks, tearing the ground like tofu. The assault was fierce but couldn’t harm a calamity.

“Begone.”

The ether in Yuseong’s right arm exploded against Titano’s abdomen. The mantis collapsed, green blood pouring from its wound.

“Titano!”

Furious, Lee Gilyeong leaped off the mantis’s head, yellow mucus scattering like a parachute as he descended.

“Go, Antinus!”

From Lee Gilyeong’s body emerged a parasitic species, its wings flaring outward.

Tier-5 Parasite Species, Antinus.

Yuseong was shocked.

“…Antinus?”

She recognized it. Before coming to Earth, she had destroyed Chronos, where Antinus, the dominant species and a queen-level monster, ruled.

Inconceivable. A child commanding a dominant species?

“Impressive, kid.”

But her surprise was short-lived. The parasitic Antinus was easily caught in her grasp, its fluid sizzling and burning upon contact with her hand.

Screeee…!

It was inevitable. Guides couldn’t resist the Catastrophes.

“A talent capable of taming a guide species? You must also have the talent of a ‘Lord.’ Am I right? Did the captain find you too…?”

Gilyeong ignored her question, charging forward.

“What did you do to Dokja hyung?!”

“What?”

“Where is my hyung?!”

Gilyeong’s fist struck her abdomen. It was a full-force punch, but the breaking sound came from his wrist, not her.

A remarkable talent, but the opponent was too strong. Shin Yuseong’s pale hand grabbed his neck, lifting him.

“…Who is ‘Dokja’?”

Gilyeong’s face reddened as he struggled.

“Speak, or you’ll die.”

From a distance, cannon fire erupted, blasting the ground where Yuseong stood. She lightly leapt to avoid it.

[The Ghost Fleet’s Cannon Fire]? How?

“Gilyeong!”

In the distance, Jihye and Hyeonseong rushed toward them. Yuseong frowned.

Strange. That strike should have been fatal. How are they still alive?

Did I fail to control my strength? Me?

Realizing the situation had grown troublesome, Yuseong tightened her grip on Gilyeong’s neck. At this point, she might as well extract information from them.

“Goodbye, kid.”

As she clenched her hand, a sudden sharp pain jolted through her mind, and her nervous system ceased to obey. Startled, she dropped Gilyeong. Her trembling right hand spasmed uncontrollably.

Could it be… was she infected by the Parasite?

No, impossible. A mere Tier-5 parasite couldn’t affect a worldline regressor like her. Then… what was this?

Why… is her body refusing to respond?

At that moment, a voice echoed.

「Stop it, Shin Yuseong.」

It wasn’t spoken, yet as the words resonated, something deep inside her seemed to collapse. Her heart ached unbearably. A voice she didn’t recognize.

But why did it feel so nostalgic?

“…Who are you? Get out of me!”

Why did it feel so painfully familiar?

Clutching her head in defiance, Yuseong screamed.

“Leave! Get out of me now!”

Nausea overwhelmed her as unfamiliar memories flooded her mind. Worlds that shouldn’t have been connected were entangling.

「Yuseong.」

When she snapped back to reality, a young Yuseong stood before her.

The younger Yuseong’s small lips moved.

“…Ahjussi, are you there?”

Footnotes:

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