WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS
Translator: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈
Chapter 260: Episode 48 — A Character (4)
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Once, someone left behind these words.
「“Every fable has flaws. That means every fable can become complete.”」
The Legendary-grade fable, "Arbitrary Interpreter."
This fable had been created by a fabled-grade being who had left behind those words.
[The fable Arbitrary Interpreter is searching for a target to misinterpret.]
I cleared away the rubble of the collapsed building and got to my feet. Through the cloud of dust, I saw the three Constellations that had followed me. There had originally been four of them, but I had no idea where the other one had gone.
[Graaaahhh...]
[Gi, ve, me, your, fa, ble, core.]
Incarnation bodies four or five meters tall surrounded me. One was a giant with an enormous snake head that reminded me of Orochi, another was a massive field mouse, and the last was a flaming dog resembling Cerberus.
When I had visited the Gourmet Association, Mass Production Maker had said this.
"Not every Constellation possesses a disposition worthy of its Status."
Some Constellations became Constellations by accumulating fables like I had, while others rose to that status by borrowing another Constellation's "authority." Some became Constellations after being fortunate enough to descend into favorable territory, despite having accumulated only insignificant fables.
"What if I don't want to give it to you?"
The bastards in front of me were exactly that kind.
[The Constellation Nouveau Riche Snake Boss glares at you.]
They became Constellations through the protection of Great Constellations, or simply through "good luck," then went around exploiting rookie Constellations and Incarnations.
[The Constellation Nail-Eating Rat covets your nails.]
[The Constellation Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames watches the other Constellations cautiously.]
They had been lurking around me from the beginning, so I knew we would clash eventually.
[A considerable number of Constellations anticipate your battle!]
[The Constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband anticipates your performance!]
I could feel the burning gazes of the stars.
They were all curious. Since becoming a fabled-grade Constellation, I hadn't fought properly even once.
Dokgak asked from the air.
[Haha, how foolish... Are you really planning to fight?]
I gritted my teeth as I listened to him.
The three Constellations in front of me possessed combat power exactly equal to mine. It was because of that bastard Dokgak's penalty. Every Constellation participating in the Scenario had been given the same combat power.
Booom!
I operated [Way of the Wind] at full strength, dodging the venom spewing from Nouveau Riche Snake Boss's mouth. At almost the same moment, Nail-Eating Rat slashed their claws at me. As I rolled awkwardly across the ground and got back up, the area was already filled with the flames of Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames.
I quickly retreated while extinguishing the fire that had spread around me. As expected, this was a battle I couldn't win if we were simply clashing Incarnation bodies. At least, not through an Incarnation body's combat power.
[Exclusive Skill, Character Profile, has activated!]
Even if they were animals, they were Historical Constellations.
Normally, I couldn't inspect them with this skill.
[Due to the effect of the fable One Who Peered into the Abyss, all your skill proficiency levels have increased.]
[The effect of Exclusive Skill, Character Profile, has been amplified!]
This time was different.
[You can now view Constellations of a lower Status than yourself.]
...
[You can now view the Constellation information of Nouveau Riche Snake Boss.]
[You can now view the Constellation information of Nail-Eating Rat.]
[You can now view the Constellation information of Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames.]
I immediately examined their Attributes.
Of course, once our combat power had been equalized, there was little point in simply checking their Attributes Window stats or Attribute information.
[Due to the effect of Character Profile, the fable lists of the relevant Constellations are displayed at random.]
The list of fables they possessed flashed rapidly before my eyes.
「Snake That Devours Snakes」
「Mouse Disguised as a Human」
「Loyalty to Its Master」
「Plunderer of the Weak」
...
The Constellations continued attacking all the while.
Nouveau Riche Snake Boss's fist grazed my shoulder. Nail-Eating Rat's body slam sent me flying into the air, and the timid flames spat out by Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames scorched the skin on my shin.
[Due to an Attribute effect, your reading speed has sharply increased.]
I didn't retreat and read through every one of their fable lists. For all their pathetic state, they were still Constellations, and they possessed quite a number of fables. A few were Legendary-grade, while most were Historical-grade.
「Mouse Eavesdropping on Night Talk」
「Fear of Rodents」
「What's Mine Is Mine, What's Yours Is Mine」
「Toward Flanders」
...
How much time passed after that?
Taking advantage of one of my legs going numb, Nouveau Riche Snake Boss's hand wrapped around my body. My vision flipped, and I was completely trapped in his grip.
[Gi, ve, me, your, fa, ble, core.]
Creeeak.
The crushing force squeezing me from both sides made it feel as though my joints were twisting apart. It was strength even the Infinite Dimensional Void Coat couldn't withstand.
Some of the Fable Fragments forming my Incarnation body fell away like crumbs.
[Constellations who enjoy cruel stories are excited.]
[Some Constellations want to see your body torn apart.]
Greed filled Nouveau Riche Snake Boss's eyes.
Just because they bore the same name of "Constellation" didn't mean they were truly beings of the same rank. Some Constellations were closer to Incarnations, if anything. They still watched other Constellations carefully and received coin sponsorships from them.
"There's one thing I'm curious about... What kind of story do you want to tell after surviving like that?"
With a low growl, Nail-Eating Rat raised their head.
[Grrr... ?]
I smiled bitterly. Then again, they couldn't have had the leisure to think about something like that.
These bastards were probably desperate just to survive too.
"You're pretty pitiful yourselves, aren't you? Usually, once a Constellation reaches this level, everyone has at least one 'king's fable'..."
[The fable Arbitrary Interpreter pays attention to your words.]
Whether they were snakes, rats, dogs, or humans, those who steadily accumulated fables and made a name for themselves would acquire a "king's" fable at least once. Yet these bastards had no such fable.
"You've always fought beings weaker than you, so how could you have one?"
[What, the, hell, are, you, saying...!]
The next moment, a brilliant light ignited inside my body.
[The fable Arbitrary Interpreter has found a story to misinterpret!]
The fable, "Arbitrary Interpreter."
This fable didn't possess any power that directly increased combat strength.
[The fable Arbitrary Interpreter has begun misinterpreting a fable.]
Instead, this fable could awaken the potential of fables that had yet to find their true strength, whatever direction that potential took.
[The fable King of a Kingless World has been misinterpreted!]
[The fable King of a Kingless World begins its story.]
I felt the tremendous power of a fable boiling up from deep within me. Almost simultaneously, an emblem resembling a crown appeared above my head. Blue veins bulged across both arms, and I easily tore apart the grip of Nouveau Riche Snake Boss that had been constricting my body.
Riiip!
The snake whose scales had been torn away in my grasp screamed.
「This is a world without a 'king.'」
An enormous amount of Mana drained away as the fable began telling its story on its own. The reason I had checked the Constellations' fable lists was simple.
It was to use this power.
「His sword was born rejecting every throne in the world.」
A sword tucked inside my clothing rose into the air, radiating a brilliant light.
The Four-Tiger Evil-Cutting Sword.
It was the sword I had used to destroy the Absolute Throne, and the weapon I had used to obtain the fable "King of a Kingless World." The weapon was regaining its true form in response to my fable.
「It reigns over all beings who are not kings.」
[W-wait! That power...!]
Having equal combat power didn't mean our fables had equal Status.
No matter how low the density of their fables was, or how few they possessed.
I too was a fabled-grade Constellation.
Dokgak should have understood that fact properly.
[A few Constellations admire your ability to apply fables!]
[The Constellations of the Northern Dipper Star Lords pay attention to you.]
I saw Dokgak belatedly panic and attempt to manipulate the Scenario. But it was too late to change the Sub Scenario now. He must have already exhausted a considerable amount of Plausibility by forcing the excessive Sub Scenario into existence.
[The Constellation Nail-Eating Rat prepares to flee.]
Nail-Eating Rat was the first to turn their back after sensing something was wrong. But I wasn't going to let a single one escape.
"Stop."
[The effect of the fable King of a Kingless World has activated.]
[Before your majesty, all beings unqualified to be kings bow their heads.]
[Graaaahhh!]
[Squeeeak!]
With a powerful spark, the bodies of Nouveau Riche Snake Boss and Nail-Eating Rat stiffened. Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames had already pressed his head flat against the ground from the moment he witnessed my fable.
[Grrrk. D... do n't... co me closer.]
As I approached, Nouveau Riche Snake Boss, sprawled across the ground, twitched his body. Only beings possessing a "king's" fable could resist the authority of this fable.
[The Constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband is pleased.]
[The Demon King Demonic God of Wrath and Lust looks at you.]
As the king of stone monkeys and the king of the 32nd Demon Realm watched me, the Four-Tiger Evil-Cutting Sword moved.
[Screeeech!]
Once. Twice. Again and again, I struck Nouveau Riche Snake Boss's head. The hard scales of Nouveau Riche Snake Boss didn't break easily.
Crack!
Flesh from Nouveau Riche Snake Boss, severed by White Pure Star Energy, scattered through the air. Reptilian blood spread across the ground, staining the earth red. Nouveau Riche Snake Boss screamed in pain over and over before finally falling silent.
[Constellations of the absolute good alignment frown at your cruelty.]
I pulled the Four-Tiger Evil-Cutting Sword from Nouveau Riche Snake Boss's head.
[The Demon King Silver-Clawed Owl delights in your slaughter.]
[You have received a sponsorship of 2,000 coins.]
Constellations didn't know what true cruelty was.
"If you coveted my fable, you should've prepared yourself for this."
This was a warning to the Constellations. A warning not to involve themselves in this Great Fable with halfhearted resolve. Looking up at the sky, I swung the Four-Tiger Evil-Cutting Sword.
[You have killed the Incarnation body of the Constellation Nouveau Riche Snake Boss.]
[You have acquired a portion of the fables possessed by the Constellation Nouveau Riche Snake Boss.]
The power of the Four-Tiger Evil-Cutting Sword, which severed even the connection between a Constellation and its Incarnation body.
[The Constellation Nouveau Riche Snake Boss falls into a deep sleep with a scream.]
Nouveau Riche Snake Boss would probably never return to an Incarnation body again.
I turned to Nail-Eating Rat next. Before long, Nail-Eating Rat met the same fate.
[The Constellation Abyssal Black Flame Dragon delights in your madness.]
[The Constellation Demonic Judge of Fire looks at you with sorrowful eyes.]
Wiping the blood splattered across my cheek, I looked at the last remaining Constellation.
Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames was trembling violently with his head pressed flat against the ground.
The flames that had covered his body had long since vanished. What covered the dog's body were black burn scars, marks from when he had once rolled through flames to protect his master.
I recalled his list of fables.
This dog was different from the other two of the Twelve Zodiacs.
[The Constellation Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames swears loyalty to you.]
Watching the panting dog, I hesitated for a moment. Some Constellations would be disappointed if I didn't kill this dog here. But...
Rumble!
Other Constellations targeting me were rushing in from afar.
[The effect of the fable Arbitrary Interpreter has ended.]
I needed to recover my Constitution too after using excessive Mana. I sheathed my sword and immediately climbed onto the dog's back.
"Take me to the Yu Junghyeok Industrial Complex."
As if he had been waiting, the dog pushed off forcefully. Amid the scenery racing past, I lifted my head to the sky. The stars in the night sky were flowing in different directions.
Some had chosen to watch from the sidelines, while others had chosen to join the battle.
Everyone began tracing the path of their story according to their own desires.
The real Demon King Selection would begin soon.
Footnotes:
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