WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 267: Episode 50: The Reader’s Fable (2)

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Yu Junghyeok had brought three reinforcements.

Beast Master Shin Yuseong and Steel Sword Emperor Lee Hyeongseong.

And...

"Hyeongseong-ssi! Get Dokja-ssi out of here!"

Threads shot from the air bound me to Hyeongseong's broad back. A woman in a cat suit raced through the sky with [Hermes' Stroll].

It was Yu Sangah, the Incarnation of Olympus.

"Yuseong, deal damage from afar with your Breath! Keep at it until Hyeongseong-ssi gets away!"

Kuoohhh!

The Chimera Dragon roared and unleashed its Breath. The Apocalypse Imoogi shrieked, apparently in considerable pain.

[The Constellation Master of Steel devotes a large amount of Plausibility to his Incarnation.]

[The Constellation Abandoned Lover of the Labyrinth supports their Incarnation.]

[The Constellation Master of the Sky Walk cheers on their Incarnation.]

Given the circumstances, the Constellations supporting Hyeongseong and Sangah also seemed to be struggling fiercely. Under Sangah's skillful command, I was forcibly carried away on Hyeongseong's shoulder.

"...Hyeongseong-ssi."

"Please stay still, Dokja-ssi."

"You don't have to go this far. I can move now, too."

Even after I said that, Hyeongseong didn't loosen his firm grip. All he did was silently climb the canyon. Just as the summit began to come into view, he spoke.

"Dokja-ssi, have you ever thrown a grenade?"

"...A grenade?"

"Using a grenade requires three steps. Remove the safety clip, remove the safety pin, then throw it."

"I know. I threw one during basic training, too."

"Then you know how important a grenade's safety pin is."

At that moment, I realized what Hyeongseong was going to say.

"I once lost a safety pin."

"...Wasn't it a shell casing last time? Your unit must've been turned upside down."

"Yes. It was turned upside down."

After answering, Hyeongseong silently ran around the strange rocks. My body shook unevenly, as though I were riding in a military truck.

"You must've gotten scolded a lot."

"Yes. I got scolded a lot."

His voice sounded as though he were holding something back. I was about to say something, but closed my mouth again. Large and small scars covered Hyeongseong's body as he climbed over the rocks. Something impossible in any round of TWSA.

Yet Hyeongseong had made it this far with his own strength.

Before long, we reached the top of the canyon. Below us, Sangah and Yuseong were riding the Chimera Dragon out of the canyon. Seeing Yuseong's bright smile, my heart swelled.

"Hyeongseong-ssi."

"...Yes."

I knew what Hyeongseong wanted to say. It was probably the most he could express after living his whole life as a soldier.

"Thank you so much for coming."

I pretended not to notice Hyeongseong's eyes growing wet. A moment later, something rolled toward me like an acorn and bumped into my waist.

"Mister!"

She clung tightly to my tattered clothes as though they were something precious.

"It's been a while, Yuseong."

Shin Yuseong buried her face in my coat and nodded vigorously. As I lightly patted her back, Sangah approached from afar.

"It's been a while, Dokja-ssi."

"Yes. Have you been well?"

What a stupid question.

No one could have been well since the Scenarios began. Even so, Sangah quietly smiled.

"You're still the same, Dokja-ssi."

Before the destruction and after it, Sangah was the only person who laughed at my jokes.

"Where are the other Allies?"

"Only we came for now. Huiwon-ssi and the others wanted to come, too, but..."

"I beat Lee Gilyeong in a coin toss!"

Yuseong cut in with a grin.

I see. So they all tossed coins to decide whether I lived.

I stroked Yuseong's hair as I said, "Thank you, Sangah-ssi."

"I'd already been thinking I should go. Dokja-ssi's Fortune and Misfortune showed a bad omen."

"Fortune and Misfortune?"

I knew that Stigma, too. There was only one Constellation on the Korean Peninsula who possessed it.

"Yes. It showed Great Misfortune, so Suyeong-ssi and I were discussing which one of us should go when Junghyeok-ssi contacted us..."

I roughly understood what had happened.

Surely Han Suyeong and Sangah hadn't tossed a coin... Han Suyeong had work to do, so Sangah must have come instead. It seemed Han Suyeong was handling the task I'd entrusted to her well.

"For the record, Suyeong-ssi wanted to come, too."

"Ah... Yes. I see."

As if. She hates me.

That was when a tremendous roar erupted from the grassy zone. I was so excited to see my Allies again that I'd forgotten the game wasn't over yet.

As I ran toward the grassy zone with the others, I asked, "Did you come knowing the situation?"

Sangah nodded.

"I heard the rough details from Bihyeong."

No matter how much Junghyeok had Master of Play and a Tank Position, his Constitution should have been nearly depleted by now.

The second round would be decided here.

The Chimera Dragon blew out a gust of wind, and nearby trees fell all at once with shrieks. Once my view cleared, the battlefield came into sharp focus.

"Junghyeok!"

At my shout, Junghyeok, who had been surrounded by Constellations, looked this way.

「You're late.」

He was still arrogant, but blood streamed down his entire body. He looked half-dead.

[It's him! He has the crest!]

Perhaps one of them had a detection-type Skill. A Constellation shouted in our direction.

There were six Constellations and participants remaining, excluding our team.

Even including the newly reinforced members, there were only five of us.

Besides, Junghyeok was already close to being unable to fight.

[Go!]

As the full-scale battle began, the Constellations, led by the Progenitor of Humanity and the General of Vanara, rushed forward in formation. The first to charge against them was Steel Sword Emperor Lee Hyeongseong.

"I won't! Lose it! Again!"

Hyeongseong charged forward with a roar and began a contest of strength against both arms of the fabled-grade Constellation Manu.

Tsssss...

Manu frowned as though displeased to have crossed hands with a mere Incarnation. Powerful Mana burned at his fingertips, gradually softening Hyeongseong's steel exterior, but Hyeongseong's expression didn't yield in the slightest.

[The Constellation Master of Steel glares at the Constellation Progenitor of Humanity.]

Just as the Progenitor of Humanity was fabled-grade, so was the Master of Steel.

Looking at the thorns of [Steel Transformation] growing over Hyeongseong's entire body, I could guess how harsh a personal Scenario he had undertaken.

It wasn't a realm an Incarnation ranked in the tens could reach.

The current Hyeongseong was showing more overwhelming growth than any Hyeongseong from any previous round. Matching his movements, Sangah ran forward.

"I'll handle Olympus."

[Incarnation of Olympus! Have you lost your mind!]

Oedipus King shouted when he spotted Sangah.

They originally belonged to the same Olympus. But if what Dionysus had told me last time was true, Olympus was currently in the middle of a civil war.

[Master of the Sky Walk! You are making the wrong choice!]

I didn't know the exact situation, but it was clear that a group led by Hermes and Dionysus had turned against the existing Olympus.

As Sangah freely circled through the air and began a fierce battle with Oedipus King, Yuseong moved the Chimera Dragon.

Koooooh!

Condensed Breath covered the battlefield. The Constellations that failed to escape let out painful groans.

[10 minutes remain.]

The second round was already nearing its end.

The teams' scores were nearly equal. The Constellations were desperate as well.

Kuaaaah!

When several Constellations joined the attack against the Chimera Dragon, Yuseong was quickly driven into danger. Perhaps because it had spent considerable Constitution fighting the Apocalypse Imoogi earlier, the dragon couldn't exert as much strength as expected.

[Finish it! It's just a big brute!]

If this match ended in a draw, our side would be at a disadvantage.

The game would proceed to a third round, and if we failed to gain points there too, we would have to face the Constellations on a stage where the penalty had disappeared.

Knowing that, Junghyeok pointed at Duke of Berkan.

"Kill the duke. He has the crest."

I nodded.

"I'll clear a path."

Junghyeok squeezed out his Mana and used [Sky Splitter Sword Art] toward the front.

[They're after the crest!]

Junghyeok cut down one enemy after another, clearing the way. The Black Heaven Demon Blade, carrying his last remaining strength, drew a massive semicircle before crashing into the ground. The Constellations who had been waiting for an opportunity charged in all at once.

「I'm leaving it to you, Kim Dokja.」

Junghyeok, whose Mana had run dry, was pierced through the heart by Manu's spear.

[Participant Yu Junghyeok has been killed!]

Even at the moment of death, he remained standing straight.

Once Junghyeok, who had blocked their path, disappeared, the Constellations immediately turned toward me. The Spear of the Primordial Age and blasts of light surged toward me.

Yet neither the spear nor the explosions reached me.

"Dokja-ssi!"

Hyeongseong activated [Steel Transformation] and blocked the Constellations' attacks. He had to be in terrible pain from the heat and impact, yet his expression was more energized than ever. In the distance, I saw Duke of Berkan retreating.

[5 minutes remain.]

"Hyeongseong-ssi, throw me."

"No. Don't do something like that again...!"

"A grenade with its safety pin pulled has to be thrown."

I looked into Hyeongseong's wavering eyes.

"And even if I die here, I won't really die."

What would really get us killed was losing this Selection.

Hyeongseong stared at me for a moment, then squeezed his eyes shut and opened them. His gaze had returned to that of a soldier.

"I can't believe that lie again!"

"No, this isn't the time to be stubborn..."

"When we die, we die together!"

[The Constellation Demonic Judge of Fire is moved by Lee Hyeongseong's camaraderie!]

With those words, Hyeongseong began running with me on his back. Manu, struck by Hyeongseong's charge, rolled across the ground like a bowling pin.

[Kugh! A mere arrogant Incarnation...!]

No one could stop Hyeongseong as he ran wildly. At least, that was how it looked for a moment.

[Arrogant child. As I said earlier, such a mere history is not enough.]

Hyeongseong's movement faltered under the force created by a powerful Status. The Exalted God of Light, Surya, who had recovered his strength, was blocking our way.

Even if he couldn't properly use [Third Eye], he was a Lokapala of Veda. He had countless powers to stop us.

When his four arms moved, the very ground Hyeongseong was running on was pushed away. No matter how we ran, the ground only repeated the same steps in place.

[That place where you now stand is where humans belong. Humans who repeat the same mistakes.]

From behind Hyeongseong's back, I activated the power of [Electrification]. Lightning shot from my swinging fist and struck Surya's torso.

But Surya didn't budge. Defensive barriers shaped like wheels formed at the ends of his four arms, nullifying all my attacks.

[Is this truly all? Is this truly all you have to seek the end of this Scenario?]

It was a power that denied every history I had built.

Neither [Electrification] nor [White Pure Star Energy] worked.

[Times have changed greatly. With only that much history...]

Even with only thirty percent of his strength unsealed, there was this much of a gap. What would happen if one hundred percent of his strength was unsealed?

That was when a shrill voice rang out.

"Don't look down on Mister!"

From atop the Chimera Dragon's head, Shin Yuseong shouted.

Koooooh!

Breath poured down at her signal. Surya waved his arms and scattered the Breath as though it were laughable. Hyeongseong used that opening to leap.

Kwaaaang!

Hyeongseong's steel armor collided head-on with Surya. Surya's body, which hadn't budged from even powerful attacks, shuddered for the first time.

"Aaaaah!"

Hyeongseong swung his fists at Surya like a madman. His fists, which had activated [Steel Transformation] and [Great Mountain Crush] simultaneously, split open and spilled blood. Broken fragments of bone flew, but Hyeongseong didn't stop.

Crack, crack, crack.

[The 73rd Demon Realm reacts to the will of you and your Helpers.]

[A new fable about you is being created.]

The will of humans challenging a god was creating cracks in the exalted god's defensive wall.

A tiny gap.

A minute crack made by human history.

"Hyeongseong-ssi."

Hyeongseong and I didn't miss that crack. As though throwing a grenade, Hyeongseong forcefully hurled my body, which had shrunk through [Miniaturization]. I broke through the barrier formed by Surya's arms and rushed straight toward Duke of Berkan.

The duke turned his head in surprise at nearly the same moment I activated [Electrification] and drove my sword into his neck.

[Participant Demon King of Salvation has killed Participant Duke of Berkan!]

...I did it.

Countless system messages flowed into my mind along with a dizzying sense of victory. Before I could read them all, a force crushed me.

In that final moment, Surya's face flashed past me.

[You have been killed.]

Footnotes:

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