WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS
Translator: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈
Chapter 270: Episode 50: The Reader’s Fable (5)
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[Arrogant Transcendent, what nonsense are you spouting...!]
As the decisive battle began, Yu Junghyeok moved.
The Constellations' mockery and the overwhelmingly unfavorable battle situation didn't matter to Junghyeok now. For the first time since entering the third round, he focused every bit of his mind on killing the enemies before him.
The terrifying killing intent flowing from Junghyeok's entire body made the Historical-grade Constellations at the front tense up and retreat. Most of the Constellations still underestimated him.
No matter how Transcendent he was, he was only human. With their overwhelming numbers, there was no way the Constellations could lose.
And that was the last thought General of Vanara ever had.
[The Exclusive Skill Gigantification Lv. 6 has been activated!]
Activated in an instant, [Gigantification] rapidly closed the distance between Junghyeok and the Constellations.
Kwoooooong!
Junghyeok's figure shot forward like a meteor.
By the time General of Vanara hurriedly raised a greatsword, the general's head was already flying through the air, severed by the Black Heaven Demon Blade.
[How dare you...!]
Even with his head severed, General of Vanara cried out in shock. Junghyeok swung the Black Heaven Demon Blade again and split the flying head apart.
It was an absurd end brought on by carelessness.
Tssssss!
The effect of [Gigantification] increased only his Strength without changing his body. The excessively concentrated Mana was melting every channel in Junghyeok's body. This was the result of pushing the third stage of Transcendence Form to its limit. He could keep moving for ten minutes at most. Junghyeok wagered everything on those ten minutes.
"Next."
The death of General of Vanara sent a great shock through the Constellations.
Constellations didn't disappear just because their Incarnation bodies died. Still, no Constellation wanted to lose an Incarnation body for nothing. The destruction of one could permanently damage a Constellation's grade.
In the instant every Constellation stiffened, Junghyeok used that brief opening to launch his second attack. The Black Heaven Demon Blade moved like lightning, leaving a black trail as it cut through the wing of the enormous bird. Thunder-Eating Bird let out a fierce cry.
Only then did the Constellations begin to move.
[You bastard!]
The Spear of the Primordial Age of the Progenitor of Humanity targeted Junghyeok. It was an attack that would have reduced an ordinary Incarnation to dust in a single blow.
Kwagagagak!
Yet Junghyeok blocked it. The impact ruptured the muscles in his right forearm, while immense force crushed his entire upper body. Even as blood poured from his mouth, Junghyeok didn't lose focus.
[Excessive concentration expands the application range of your Attribute!]
[The Exclusive Attribute Master of Play has activated!]
His terrifying concentration awakened the power of his Attribute. Every sign from the approaching Constellations became data flowing into Junghyeok's mind. At that moment, this world was a game to him.
With controlled movements, Junghyeok evaded the Constellations' attacks and counterattacked with Mana.
Kuaaaaaah!
The Progenitor of Humanity screamed as the Black Heaven Demon Blade slashed his finger. Junghyeok's kick slipped through an opening and sent the Progenitor of Humanity's figure flying into the air. Almost at the same time, Junghyeok's sword pointed toward the sky.
Sky Splitter Sword Art.
Ultimate Technique.
Sky-Splitting Meteor Sword.
Sword Aura surged from the ground toward the sky and pierced the night like lightning. Branches of Sword Aura vanished into the dark clouds, creating thunder. Then Sword Lightning poured from the flashing night sky and struck the Constellations like meteors.
Kwarrrrrung!
Dozens of streaks of Sword Lightning falling from the sky pierced the Constellations' Incarnation bodies. It was an all-out strike containing everything Junghyeok had in the third stage of Transcendence Form.
Kuaaaaaaah!
As he watched the Constellations writhe in pain, Junghyeok felt himself dying. The time he had spent in the third round flowed through his mind. It had been a short round. Even so, much had happened.
[The fable Successor to the Name of the Supreme King roars.]
As though responding to his emotions, the fables dwelling along his sword's edge began their stories.
As if every single one had a will of its own.
Most weren't fables he had built alone.
[The fable One Who Opposes the Extraordinary has begun its story.]
The fable of standing against a Returnee.
[The fable Paradise of Despair has begun its story.]
The fable he had gained by protecting an abandoned Paradise.
[The fable One Who Fought Against Outer Gods has begun its story.]
The fable of confronting an Outer God.
[The fable Ruler of the Industrial Complex has begun its story.]
There were also fables he had gained by doing things he would never normally do. They had nothing to do with his current situation. Yet every one of them was connected to someone, fables he could never have gained alone.
Those fables were beginning their stories all at once, as if they didn't want this story to end here.
Drip, drip.
Blood poured from Junghyeok's chest along with searing pain, revealing wounds he didn't even know when he'd received. Several fallen Incarnation bodies lay scattered around him. Watching the scene, Surya, the Exalted God of Light, spoke.
[Impressive. You can no longer be called human, child.]
Junghyeok's fables gave off a bright light.
[The fable One Who Hunted the King of Catastrophes roars.]
Junghyeok was a Transcendent.
Fables were the exclusive property of Constellations, so possessing them didn't place him on equal footing with the stars in the night sky. Even so, at that moment, the light of fables pouring from Junghyeok's body was more dazzling than anyone else's there.
Junghyeok looked at the fables flowing from his body. Some were familiar, but others were strange. There were fables he felt he would never gain again.
[The fable Companions in Life and Death wishes to continue its story.]
He saw Yu Sangah and the allies who had fled far away. He also saw Kim Dokja on Lee Hyeongseong's back. Junghyeok tightly gripped the Black Heaven Demon Blade, which was slipping from his hand.
...He couldn't die.
He couldn't die here, in a place like this.
His trembling sword pointed at Surya with the last of his strength. Surya smiled as though the sight amused him.
[But they are merely the fables of a human.]
Behind Surya, scattering brilliant light, rose fables that spanned thousands of years. An impossible gap to resist. Before that terrifying span of time, Junghyeok's short history trembled precariously.
[Foolish human, you know not how lofty the throne of a god is.]
Sunlight powerful enough to melt everything poured toward Junghyeok.
* * *
The industrial complex was being destroyed by the Constellations.
Incarnations died without even being able to resist. Close-ups of people despairing at the sudden catastrophe filled the panel screen. The most striking image was that of one man who continued fighting despite losing an arm and having half his body reduced to tatters.
[The Constellation Demonic Judge of Fire is enraged!]
[The Constellation Queen of the Darkest Spring feels sorry for the Incarnation Yu Junghyeok.]
[The Constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband points at the cowardly Constellations!]
[Many Constellations pour out their complaints toward the Constellations on the battlefield!]
Indirect Messages from the Constellations flooded in, and the dokkaebis of the Administration Bureau heard them too. Among them was Bihyeong, the dokkaebi in charge of this Demon King Selection.
[What the hell is this supposed to be?]
Bihyeong rarely got angry or excited, but at this moment, he felt the same as the Constellations watching the channel.
[The second battle was a victory for the Yu Junghyeok-Kim Dokja Industrial Complex! It was close, but there was nothing to deliberate. So why aren't you announcing the winners?]
Right after the second battle ended, Bihyeong contacted the Administration Bureau's approval team. Yet the only answer he received was that they were preparing. In the end, the last connection Bihyeong could turn to was Baram, a candidate for the next Great Dokkaebi.
With a crackle, Baram's face appeared on the panel screen.
[It is the Administration Bureau's decision.]
The Administration Bureau's decision. It was a truly magical phrase.
This was the Administration Bureau's decision. That was the Administration Bureau's decision.
[Baram-nim. This is a Main Scenario.]
Even the Administration Bureau had things it shouldn't touch.
[Since when has the Administration Bureau directly interfered with the progression of a Main Scenario? Especially one involving a Great Fable... You know what will happen if you do this, don't you, Baram-nim?]
Baram didn't answer.
[Please tell me. Who exactly did this? Was it one of the higher-ups?]
Bihyeong glanced at Dokgak, whose figure occasionally appeared on the screen. Dokgak was surely involved in this situation as well. Yet this wasn't something one or two high-grade dokkaebis could manipulate by themselves.
After remaining silent, Baram spoke.
[...Are you suspecting the Great Dokkaebis now?]
[What other Streamer could pull something like this?]
[Bihyeong, get a hold of yourself. Why would they do something like this?]
[I don't know. Maybe they took a bribe.]
Baram frowned.
[Great Dokkaebis are not bound by such petty interests.]
[Then why is this happening? You must know something, Baram-nim.]
[Bihyeong.]
Bihyeong's body flinched. Anger was creeping into Baram's voice.
Bihyeong expected a harsh rebuke, but Baram unexpectedly relaxed his expression at once, as though he understood Bihyeong's feelings.
On the screen, Baram watched the scene of the Demon King Selection through the panel.
[Yes, perhaps one of the Great Dokkaebis created this delay, as you say.]
[Then it really was...!]
[But that is all. Even a Great Dokkaebi could not endure the repercussions that would come from interfering with a Scenario on this scale.]
[Then who did this?]
At that moment, a tremendous rumble shook the ceiling of the Administration Bureau. It sounded like an enormous dragon passing by. It was the sound of Plausibility moving.
Bihyeong's expression went rigid.
[No way... That's impossible...]
[Do you understand now?]
There was only one thing in the Star Stream that could move this much Plausibility. It was hard to say whether it was even right to call it a thing.
Baram made it final.
[The will of the Star Stream wanted this.]
[That's impossible!]
[There is no other way to explain it.]
Those words left him with nowhere even to direct his resentment. Bihyeong blankly looked back at the panel screen. Kim Dokja and the allies were shown on it.
They should have been celebrating their victory.
Instead, they were rolling across the ground in terrible condition.
They had faced Constellations belonging to giant nebulae. It had been an impossible fight from the beginning, yet the allies fought well. They played the game according to fair rules and finally won the selection with a Great Fable at stake. But now, they were about to become losers simply because the winners hadn't been announced.
Only because the Star Stream wanted it.
Bitter anger filled Bihyeong's eyes as his lips moved soundlessly.
[Then... Why do Streamers even exist?]
For the first time since becoming a dokkaebi, Bihyeong felt overwhelming helplessness. Components of the Scenario he had been handling fell from his trembling fingertips.
[If they can't even stop such an absurd development... what value do Streamers in this world have?]
[Bihyeong.]
Looking at Bihyeong's sorrowful eyes, Baram slowly added,
[Streamers are only part of a story as well.]
In despair, Bihyeong looked at the screen.
Yu Junghyeok was gradually melting beneath the dazzling rays of light.
This story had now slipped beyond even the Streamers' hands.
So there was only one being left to trust.
[Many Constellations look toward one Constellation.]
The figure of a man, swaying on Lee Hyeongseong's back. On the screen, the man slowly opened his eyes.
Footnotes:
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