WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS
Translator: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈
Chapter 269: Episode 50: The Reader’s Fable (4)
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A strong hand gripped my shoulder. I instinctively spun around and threw a punch. With a thud, my fist was caught by a large hand.
「(You didn't come here to fight, did you, child?)」
The deep shadows cast by the darkness lifted, revealing a pale white face.
「(I saved you once before. Have you forgotten already?)」
It was a face I knew.
"Why are you here?"
「(……Are you really asking because you don't know?)」
An ambiguous appearance, neither female nor male. There was something unfathomable in the smooth lines of that face. This being wasn't supposed to be here.
"Nirvana Moebius."
Nirvana had been devoured by [The Fourth Wall] long ago.
* * *
What happens to beings devoured by [The Fourth Wall]?
That question had occurred to me when [The Fourth Wall] first ate something.
「(Just as you see. This is what happens.)」
Nirvana sneered.
It had been a long time since I last saw Nirvana, but they looked exactly as they had when I first met them. The only difference was that the letters making up TWSA circled their body like shackles.
"Have you been alive in here this whole time?"
「(It's hard to call this alive.)」
Looking closer, Nirvana's voice wasn't coming from their mouth. I wasn't even sure it could be called a voice. Nirvana looked up into the air.
「(I'm only lingering on by parasitizing that damned Wall.)」
At that moment, a warning from [The Fourth Wall] rang out.
「Ni r va na ta lks too mu ch.」
Nirvana gave a short laugh.
Their eyes were bitter, yet filled with a strange excitement. I followed Nirvana's gaze as they looked around the Library. Countless letters made up a single world. Everything in TWSA was here.
"You know everything you wanted to know now."
「(No being knows everything, child. Just like you don't.)」
Nirvana looked like a Buddhist sage as they said it. It was a strange feeling. For the first time, one of the characters had learned the secret of this world.
"How does it feel? Finding out you're a character in a novel."
Nirvana's expression changed at my provocation.
「(A novel... Is that really what you think this is?)」
Nirvana looked at me with pity, their lips moving several times. Yet no voice came out in the end. Growing frustrated, I pressed them.
"What is it? If you're going to say something, finish it."
Nirvana smiled quietly.
「(I like your story.)」
The unexpected words caught me off guard.
「(More precisely, I like the story you change. The sentences where I can feel your will, the contexts that hold what isn't said...)」
"......What are you talking about?"
A strange unease came over me, and I took a step back. Come to think of it, this bastard had kept babbling about becoming one with me right up until death.
「(Not only I, but every being here likes your story.)」
"Who else is here besides you?"
With a tremor in the air, several black fragments fell from the ceiling. The vibration felt like something enormous was burrowing toward us.
Nirvana picked up a fragment and frowned.
「(There's no time, so we should get moving. It's not good to talk too much here. Something terrible will happen.)」
Before I could ask what they meant, Nirvana started walking ahead. I followed, looking back at the cliff I had almost fallen from earlier. The Library's vibrations were spreading from that cliff.
"Wait. Where are we going?"
「(There is someone who wants to meet you more than anyone.)」
"What? Who?"
「(The being that organizes the shelves in the 000 range.)」
...Organizes the shelves?
「(It's not as if we only play around here. If we don't organize things properly, you won't be able to recall your memories properly either.)」
"Wait, what does that mean?"
「(It doesn't matter if you didn't understand.)」
When we turned, new shelves appeared in rows.
The Library was truly vast. As TWSA approached its later parts, it skipped more and more rounds. This Library seemed to have organized even those omitted rounds. Soon, a sign marked [000~100] appeared before me.
「(We're here. Have a good talk, then.)」
When I turned the corner, a familiar creature was there.
It was truly miniature compared to the size I had seen before, but it was unmistakably the creature I knew.
Twelve tentacles collected books scattered across the floor.
A squid-like body controlled those tentacles.
Something like horn-rimmed glasses rested over a small hole that seemed to be its eye.
"......You were here too."
The squid turned toward me. Its twelve tentacles made gurgling sounds at once.
「(The pitiful seeker has come.)」
The One Who Devours Dreams.
The being I had defeated in Dark Castle with Cheok Junkyung and [The Fourth Wall]'s help.
Like Nirvana, it had been swallowed by [The Fourth Wall] and existed in this space.
"You wanted to see me?"
「(I want to help you.)」
The thing that seemed to be the squid's mouth formed a pleased expression. I really didn't know how I was supposed to react to that species-transcending gesture.
"I don't understand what you mean all of a sudden. Give me some time to assess the situation..."
「(There isn't much time.)」
"Why do you want to help me?"
「(Because of you, I reached the truth of the universe. Exalted beings always repay their debts.)」
Exalted beings. It wasn't strange for something like The One Who Devours Dreams to call itself that. This squid was strong enough to chew up the Constellations causing havoc outside.
"Then I have something to ask."
「(Speak.)」
"Who created this Library?"
A massive spark flew, and my body crashed into a bookshelf. The twelve tentacles shot out at once, holding both me and the shelf. As books tumbled down, The One Who Devours Dreams pushed up its glasses.
「(That does not qualify as a question. Ask something else.)」
I bit down on my lip and thought.
There wasn't much point in asking questions related to TWSA right now.
I could learn those things by reading the Second Revision, and if necessary, there had to be a way to come back to this space and read the records.
In other words, I needed to ask something not recorded in TWSA.
Something this Outer God could answer.
It wasn't difficult to find a question.
"Who is the Secretive Plotter?"
Another powerful spark flew. I worried that I would be thrown back again, but fortunately, it was weaker than before.
「(Are you curious about the Great Plot?)」
The tentacles swayed very slowly.
「(He is one of the oldest beings in this universe...)」
It was the first information I had heard about the Secretive Plotter.
「(The loneliest being in this universe, and one who fights against the Oldest Dream.)」
"How am I supposed to know from just that? At least tell me a proper modifier-"
「(Modifiers are meaningless to him. Still, if you wish it, he will help you.)」
"Help me? How..."
「(Make an Otherworld Covenant with him.)」
Otherworld Covenant. I knew what that was. The Absolute Throne I had destroyed in the fifth Scenario had also been a kind of covenant.
But in TWSA, the end of a covenant had never been good.
"I can't do that."
Several tentacles nodded like heads.
「(I thought you would say that. You dislike beings from higher dimensions.)」
"If I borrow your power, I can't create the story I want."
「(Your Status is no longer one that can be subordinated to another.)」
It felt strange. I hadn't expected such words from that exalted Outer God.
「(You need to reconsider your anger. To reach the end, you must properly consider the things you can use.)」
Once again, the Library shook with a loud roar. The intervals between the vibrations were growing shorter. It was as if some enormous monster hidden deep in the Library was stirring. Seeming to sense it, The One Who Devours Dreams spoke faster.
「(The world is heading toward ■■. It has not yet been written, but it has already been written. And the Great Plot can help you find the right path...)」
"I believe in the story I've built."
As if giving up at my stubborn resolve, The One Who Devours Dreams said,
「(......Unfortunately, there is no time this time. Remember that the Great Plot is always waiting for you.)」
One of its tentacles wrapped around me. At the same time, the other tentacles moved rapidly, searching through the shelves for something.
The book it found was this.
[Record of Yu Junghyeok, Third Round, Volume 38]
The pages flipped quickly.
The instant I realized what was about to happen, I hurriedly opened my mouth.
"Wait. I still have questions!"
「(Farewell, Apostle of ■■. If Plausibility permits, we will meet again.)」
The book opened, and sentences began appearing across the blank pages in real time.
「Yu Junghyeok thought.」
「Wake up quickly, Kim Dokja.」
「Otherwise, everyone will die.」
...Damn it, I had no choice but to go now.
The next moment, I was sucked into the context between the sentences.
* * *
The battlefield was in ruins.
Looking at the corpses of Incarnations strewn across the ground and the ranks of Constellations approaching step by step, Yu Junghyeok wiped his bloodied lips.
Grrrrr!
The combination of the Sky-Splitting Divine Dog, using the power of the Transcendent Hound, and O-su, a Historical-grade Constellation, was astonishing. They bit and tore at the Historical-grade Constellations charging at them without caring that their bodies were breaking apart.
Thanks to that, Cleopatra, who had charged at the forefront, was left in tatters. Oedipus King was also in a terrible state, with parts of his Incarnation body gnawed away.
It had seemed manageable while they were only facing Historical-grade Constellations.
[Pathetic. Aren't you ashamed to call yourselves Constellations when you can't even deal with insects like that?]
The moment the fabled-grade Constellations watching from the rear stepped in, the situation completely changed.
Ooooooh!
Shin Yuseong's Chimera Dragon crashed helplessly under the lightning spewed by the Thunder-Eating Bird.
"Urgh...!"
[Steel Transformation] shattered beneath the fist thrown by the General of Vanara, and Lee Hyeongseong rolled across the ground. Yu Sangah had vomited blood several times, yet she was somehow holding the line. Even she looked to be at her limit.
Kwoooong!
O-su, pierced by the Progenitor of Humanity's spear, staggered and crawled across the ground. The Sky-Splitting Divine Dog backed away unsteadily with O-su's Incarnation body in her mouth.
The attacking Constellations' Status had been released up to the limit permitted by the Plausibility of the Twenty-fifth Scenario.
It wasn't 100 percent of their power, but power far too great for the Allies to endure turned the entire Demon Realm into a White Night of brilliant sparks.
This was what Constellations were. Beings who looked down on the world from the highest place in the universe.
Junghyeok asked,
"Why are you doing this?"
[The Constellation Exalted God of Light smiles quietly.]
"It seems you don't want a 'history' that lost to insects."
Surya's cheek twitched slightly.
When the Lokapala's Status was released, the expressions of the Constellations around him changed sharply. Powerful sparks erupted across Surya's entire body from releasing too much power. Yet Surya let out a confident shout, as if he could withstand that much.
He had done nothing more than spew his Status once.
But the aftermath turned the area into chaos. Nearby structures turned to ash, fleeing Incarnations had their souls destroyed, and the Allies at the front collapsed while bleeding from all seven orifices.
[Some Constellations are dissatisfied with the progress of the Scenario!]
[The Constellation Demonic Judge of Fire is greatly enraged!]
[The Demon King Great Ruler of the Demon Castle is pleased.]
[The Demon King Architect of Discord is excited!]
[A considerable number of Constellations are excited by this great battle after so long!]
Hyeongseong bore the brunt of the Status at the front and was holding on, blood pouring from both his ears and mouth. Junghyeok put a hand on his shoulder.
"Fall back, Lee Hyeongseong. This isn't an opponent you can handle."
Hyeongseong tried to shout something instinctively, but even that looked difficult. Leaving the staggering Hyeongseong behind, Junghyeok stepped forward while wiping the blood from the Black Heaven Demon Blade.
It was a desperate situation.
His [Sage's Eye] analyzed the state of the battle in real time. There were nearly twenty Constellations in sight alone. Even excluding some Historical-grade Constellations from the fight, there were still far too many Constellations to defeat.
「Disciple, don't. If you release that power, you may die!」
The Sky-Splitting Divine Dog instinctively realized what Junghyeok was about to do. Yet Junghyeok's resolve was firm. Enormous sparks erupted from his entire body as he slowly drew out his power.
He knew he wasn't a match for them.
He knew he couldn't win.
But it had always been that way.
- Once you reach the third stage of Transcendence Form, you will gain the power to humiliate Constellations.
The words his master had left behind were the only comfort Junghyeok could trust now. This was a realm he had reached through a shortcut, but that didn't mean the power itself was false.
A dazzling aura erupted from Junghyeok's body. Long, flowing hair poured down like a waterfall, and his large frame changed into one that was smaller, yet solid and agile. It was a completed body, one capable of fully executing the ultimate technique of [Sky Splitter Sword Art]. Yu Sangah, watching from behind, unconsciously spoke.
"......Yu Junghyeok-ssi?"
Junghyeok slowly turned around. His long hair was cut away by the Black Heaven Demon Blade. The lines of his face had changed, but it was unmistakably Junghyeok's face. No, it was Junghyeok more than ever before. For the briefest moment, Junghyeok's gaze rested on Kim Dokja's face.
"Take him and run."
Turning away, Junghyeok carefully wiped the Black Heaven Demon Blade again.
Constellations approached as if mocking him. Oedipus King spoke.
[Foolish Transcendent. This is the price of joining the Constellations' festival. You will die here.]
Still wiping the blade, Junghyeok replied,
"Probably. But one of you will die too."
[Hahaha, it's useless! The destruction of an Incarnation body is...]
Junghyeok didn't listen. Instead, he remembered Kim Dokja's words.
The words telling him not to give up on this life.
"And in the next life, half of you will die."
Junghyeok's voice rang quietly across the battlefield. Holding the Black Heaven Demon Blade filled with deep darkness, Junghyeok raised his head.
For the first time, the Constellations stopped walking.
The fiercely burning Mana of the Transcendent swallowed the surroundings threateningly.
"In the life after that, all of you will die."
The Black Heaven Demon Blade, now enormous enough to reach the sky, rang out. Junghyeok finished speaking to the Constellations whose expressions had completely frozen.
"You will die forever."
Footnotes:
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