WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 277: Episode 51: Great Fable (4)

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The Historical Constellations of Olympus, who had swept through the area around Seongnam City in an instant, were slowly tightening their encirclement around Pildu Gong's Armored Fortress.

[Isn't this stage too small for us to step in?]

Every Constellation wore an embarrassed expression. It was understandable. No Constellation had built up their Status just to become material for a Scenario like this.

At their lackluster appearance, a Constellation wearing an old crown and holding a crude ancient spear and shield spoke as though doing them a favor.

[Stop complaining. Father said he'll recommend our "promotion" to the Twelve Gods once this is over.]

[Oedipus did? Really?]

The Constellations' expressions changed at the words of the Heir to the Blind King. A promotion within a nebula meant an increase in a Constellation's share of its Great Fable.

[Hyaa, does that mean we can finally reach the first decimal place?]

The amount of a nebula's Great Fable share one possessed was one measure of a Constellation's strength. More shares guaranteed more Plausibility, which in turn allowed one to escape restrictions in more Scenarios.

[Let's finish this quickly and return.]

The joking Constellations finally began marching toward the Armored Fortress. The moment the constellation artifacts in their hands shone through the air, the light above vanished as though the sky had been covered by a black dome. The Historical Constellations approaching the Armored Fortress stopped at once in the chilling darkness.

[...What is this?]

Gathering dark clouds extinguished every light in the area. A black darkness covered not only this region, but the entire Korean Peninsula. It was so deep that even sparks of Plausibility were hidden by it.

The Heir to the Blind King looked up at the sky with alarmed eyes and muttered.

[Could it be... the Queen of the underworld?]

At present, Olympus was the only nebula that could descend upon the Korean Peninsula.

And among Olympus's Constellations, there weren't many who could perform a miracle of this scale with so little Plausibility. One Historical Constellation emitted a faint light to illuminate the area, but it went out in an instant.

An ominous silence descended, as though a black hole had appeared and swallowed every light.

The anxious Constellations cried out.

[Your Majesty! If you've arrived, please speak-]

One of the Constellations suddenly sounded a warning.

[Something is coming...!]

A black object shot down from the sky and pierced a Constellation's chest.

[Kuheok...!]

It was shaped like a dragon's claw. The startled Constellation bled as they tried to pull it out, but the claw steadily grew larger before exploding the Constellation's entire body.

Crack.

The Incarnation body became a dot in the darkness. The horrified Constellations screamed.

[U-Uaaahhh!]

They had heard it and still couldn't evade it. That meant...

It was a being whose Status was on an entirely different level from theirs.

Not even the Queen of the underworld was this powerful.

[Everyone, run...!]

Having grasped the situation, the Heir to the Blind King gave the order to retreat.

That was when an enormous spark burst from the direction of the Armored Fortress. A light too intense for the darkness to swallow illuminated the city for an instant, and through the pale surroundings, the fortress gate opened.

It was a woman of slight build.

The Heir to the Blind King, who spotted her first, trembled.

[W-Why are you...!]

A shadow of Black Flame rippled behind the woman. Between strands of black hair covering his forehead, a young boy's face appeared for an instant, his red eyes shining.

Swoooosh!

When the boy with bandages wrapped around one arm raised his hand, a black dragon's shadow covered the sky.

Fangs stood out between its pure white teeth.

When the boy smiled, the darkness of the world held its breath.

Then the slaughter began.

* * *

Oedipus King couldn't hide his shock at the sight unfolding beyond the screen.

[The Constellation Heir to the Blind King has exited the Scenario.]

[The Constellation Gatekeeper of Thebes has exited the Scenario.]

The dragon's shadow, filling the screen with black, was tearing apart every fleeing Constellation. Fortunately, Han Suyeong hadn't been too late.

[The Constellation Abyssal Black Flame Dragon lets out a savage laugh.]

Ahaahahahahahat!

Han Suyeong burst into an eerie laugh, her face half-covered and one hand wrapped in layers of bandages. She really was a perfect match for the Black Flame Dragon. She was having that much fun, so I had no idea why she'd hated it until now.

Oedipus King, who had come to his senses too late, shouted at me.

[How could this... Why is a Candidate of the Apocalypse with the likes of you...!]

A Candidate of the Apocalypse.

Well, someone like Oedipus King would have that level of authority over information by now.

Abyssal Black Flame Dragon was one of the candidates for the Final Dragon of the Apocalypse.

[Many Constellations marvel at your strategy.]

[The Constellation Reclining Dragon nods.]

[The Constellation Secretive Plotter is sincerely impressed.]

[You have acquired a new fable!]

[You have acquired the fable Borrowing a Knife to Kill a Person!]

Looking at Gyeonggi being dyed in darkness, I smacked my lips inwardly.

Bringing Abyssal Black Flame Dragon in had truly been a last resort.

If things went wrong, he could've brought about an even greater disaster. Still, Han Suyeong was here, and I had a promise with Black Flame Dragon, so he wouldn't destroy the Korean Peninsula.

[Keu... Ugh...]

Oedipus King lowered his head and let out an incomprehensible groan.

At his unusual behavior, Junghyeok and I raised our swords at the same time.

[You bastard...!]

One of the Constellations Black Flame Dragon had attacked was Oedipus King's son. We couldn't rule out the possibility that Oedipus, unable to control his rage, would attack us.

[I'll kill you!]

As expected, the Constellations who had survived alongside Oedipus released their Status at once. We had obtained a Great Fable, but they still weren't an easy force to face. Yet just as I was about to activate Electrification again, something rose from the ground and seized Oedipus by the throat.

[Kuheok...!]

The gigantic Surya had moved one of his four arms and grabbed Oedipus by the neck. Oedipus King turned toward Surya with shocked eyes.

[W-Why...?]

[...Stop.]

Surya's weighty Status pressed down on the other Constellations.

[Don't make yourselves look any uglier.]

[I won't listen to the words of a dog who lost the fight! We can't end this-]

The next moment, Oedipus King's body exploded.

His Incarnation body burst apart brutally and scattered into ashes before Surya's eyes. The shocked Constellations froze, and my Allies took a tense step back.

Even after suffering injuries that severe, he still had that much strength left... It was truly astonishing vitality.

I quickly calculated the remaining strength of my Allies.

If we clashed with Surya right now...

[Our defeat.]

For a moment, I thought I'd heard wrong. But those words had clearly come from Surya's mouth. I bit my lip at the joy boiling deep in my chest.

That great Lokapala had acknowledged his defeat with his own words.

[The winner of the Demon King Selection has been decided.]

With the following system message, screams rang out in the distance.

They were the screams of the dukes who had lost the Demon King Selection.

Ssssss...

One by one, the Incarnation bodies of the Constellations glaring at us scattered away.

Now that the Scenario had ended, the Star Stream was beginning to reclaim the Plausibility it had permitted them. Surya's body was slowly disappearing as well.

Before Surya's body vanished completely, I opened my mouth. I wanted to ask why he'd suddenly changed his mind.

[Demon King of Salvation.]

The moment I saw Surya's eyes, though, I closed my mouth again.

Thinking about it, Surya wasn't an ordinary Constellation. He was one of the great Lokapala. It was stranger that a Constellation with such an exalted modifier had used every underhanded trick possible against us. This Selection had probably dealt a heavy blow to his pride.

Surya slowly blinked and asked.

[Have you obtained the qualification for the end?]

"I probably will. And you too..."

Surya's eyes flashed fiercely, as though telling me to keep my worthless consolation to myself.

[I will watch over your fable.]

Surya would obtain the qualification for the end someday as well. If so, perhaps we'd meet again. Not here, but in the later Scenarios of that high Star Stream.

[And...]

For a brief moment, Surya's gaze turned toward the fragments of the fallen train. They were pieces of the carriage where Surya and I had fought. Yet some of those fragments looked a little strange. They hadn't been damaged in our fight.

They were scars carved into the train before that. Cross-sections that looked as though something had chewed them apart.

"I know."

[I see. Understood.]

Surya vanished after those final words. As the Statuses pressing down on the surroundings disappeared at once, a strange silence settled in. It didn't feel real. I'd calmly carried out everything I'd planned, and luck had favored us in a few places.

And we'd made it this far.

[Main Scenario #25 - Demon King Selection has ended!]

When I turned my head, Junghyeok was looking at the spot where Surya had disappeared as well.

[You have cleared the Main Scenario.]

[The reward for this Selection is being prepared.]

[A new Demon King has appeared in the Demon Realm!]

[You have become the master of the 73rd Demon Realm!]

Along with the explosive flood of system messages, Junghyeok and I looked up at the sky at the same time. The gazes of countless beings looking down at me poured from the empty air.

[The Demon King Ruler of Hell's East watches you.]

[The Demon King Demon God of Necromancy is curious about you.]

[The Demon King Lion of the Black Mane invites you to their Demon Realm.]

...

[The Constellation Mass Production Maker sends congratulations.]

[The Constellation Queen of the Darkest Spring has sent you a gift.]

[The Constellation God of Wine and Ecstasy proposes a toast.]

[The Constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband is greatly delighted.]

[The Constellation Commander of the Red Cosmos is wary of you.]

There were more gazes than ever before.

From powerhouses on a level similar to mine to distant beings so far beyond me that I couldn't even look at their feet.

With the sound of someone collapsing, Hayoung spoke in a dazed voice.

"...It's over."

I nodded and looked around at my Allies.

Hyeongseong, carrying Huiwon on his back, was looking up at the sky. Jihye, supporting the injured Sangah, waved at me, while Yuseong looked up at me with one hand clutching my sleeve.

Sky-Splitting Divine Dog lightly barked with the limp O-su in her mouth. Behind her, Myeongoh, holding Asmodeus's Incarnation body in his arms, breathed heavily as though he'd been there all along.

A little way away, on a rocky hill, I saw Sky-Splitting Sword Saint and Kyrios. There was also Predator of the Hasty Swamp, curled up with his injured body, and Cheok Junkyung sitting on his back.

It was a trial we could never have overcome if even one of them had been absent.

[Your nebula becomes widely known throughout the Star Stream.]

[Many Constellations have remembered the nebula Kim Dokja Company (Temporary).]

Junghyeok frowned when he heard the message.

"...We should change the name first."

I grinned at the guy who chose such a strange thing to take pride in.

It might not be a bad idea to hold a contest among the Constellations for the nebula's name soon.

Beyond the sky, I could see the deep darkness retreating.

[Your first Great Fable fully blossoms.]

[You have obtained the Great Fable Spring of the Demon Realm.]

In the ruined industrial complex of the Demon Realm, industrial citizens were emerging from the castle one by one. As though intoxicated by the unbelievable victory, someone shouted, and someone else called out Junghyeok's and my names. I saw Aileen and Mark as well.

[The Star Stream is satisfied with your Great Fable.]

[You have acquired the qualification for the end.]

At last, the messages I'd been waiting for rang out.

[Hidden Scenario - Only One Story has begun!]

[Your Legendary-grade fables form the prologue.]

[Your first Great Fable has completed its beginning.]

After a long endurance, the first footprint toward the Final Scenario had finally been made.

[Authority over ■■ has been granted to you.]

[The filtering of ■■ has been removed.]

At last, the information about the final chapter, hidden behind a veil for so long, was revealed before my eyes.

Footnotes:

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