WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 354: Episode 66: Beyond Good and Evil (3)

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Yu Junghyeok's hand stuck out from beneath the pile of rubble.

Han Suyeong looked down at him and sneered.

"You always make your entrance by crushing everyone else beneath you... Doesn't feel so good now that you're the one getting crushed, does it?"

[The Incarnation Han Suyeong holds an 8.9% share in the Great Fable Holy Flame That Devoured Myth.]

As expected, I knew Suyeong would bring exactly the right share.

The system had said that narrators participating in the judgment couldn't transfer shares to each other. In other words, narrators who hadn't joined yet could.

Suyeong shot me a glare and complained through Midday Tryst.

- Lee Seolhwa took 0.1% from me because of you.

The moment Suyeong learned what was happening here, she must've adjusted her share with Lee Seolhwa and rushed straight over.

Turning toward the surrounding Constellations, Suyeong growled.

"I'm evil. And that damned Kim Dokja standing there like an idiot is definitely evil too."

After declaring me evil without my consent, Suyeong looked at Junghyeok beneath the rubble, then at the rest of my companions.

"But Kim Dokja Company is neither good nor evil."

Her short hair flew as she shouted. She looked so incredible that, for that moment, Suyeong rather than Junghyeok seemed like the protagonist.

[The time limit has expired, and the judgment of good and evil for the fable has ended.]

[The total share participating as good and evil in the judgment is 91.8%.]

[The participation ratio of good to evil is 45.9% to 45.9%.]

[The scales of good and evil have reached perfect balance.]

The stunned Constellations and Demon Kings stared at us.

I turned to them and added, "We won't be defined by your justice."

[The Great Fable Holy Flame That Devoured Myth is a fable whose good and evil cannot be determined.]

The message drove in the final nail.

The dokkaebi presiding over the gathering smiled as though they had expected this outcome, or perhaps had wanted it all along.

The Administration Bureau must be delighted too.

An enormous number of Indirect Messages poured into my ears.

[The Constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband is satisfied with your judgment.]

[The Constellation Queen of the Darkest Spring is proud of you.]

[The Constellation Father of the Rich Night is pleased by your spirit.]

[Many neutral-aligned Constellations look favorably upon your nebula.]

[Neutral-aligned Constellations have sponsored you with 281,000 coins.]

I'd expected the neutral-aligned Constellations to like this.

Some choices only came about by refusing the options given to you.

[Someone has recommended your fable to the Star Stream.]

[You have acquired a new fable.]

Of course, not every Constellation felt that way.

[Your choice has provoked the resentment of some Constellations belonging to absolute good alignment and Absolute Evil.]

Sizzle, sizzle.

[What...?]

[The target couldn't be classified as good or evil?]

The atmosphere among the Constellations and Demon Kings changed sharply.

[Constellations of absolute good alignment oppose this judgment.]

[Constellations of Absolute Evil oppose this judgment.]

An ominous flow of Status rose between the two tables, as if a riot could break out at any moment.

[Such a thing is impossible! Administration Bureau, judge it again!]

[What kind of trick is this?]

From the highest-ranking Demon Kings to the Archangels, every attendee's gaze fixed on the dokkaebi.

The high-grade dokkaebi, sensing the danger, broke into a cold sweat as they replied.

[I'm sorry, but that is impossible. No one can overturn the result of a fable that has already been judged. Those are the rules.]

Fortunately, the Administration Bureau upheld its principles. Still, following principles didn't always lead to good results.

[I was going to wait until the end of this season.]

Rumble!

The situation was taking an unexpected turn.

Mid- and lower-ranking Demon Kings rose from their seats and released their Status.

[If we cannot determine the standing of good and evil through the target, then we must reach a decision some other way.]

As the Demon Kings moved, the Archangels stood as well, unwilling to back down.

[Many Demon Kings are expressing hostility toward Constellations of absolute good alignment!]

[Many Archangels are revealing their wariness toward the Demon Kings.]

[The scales of good and evil are shaking!]

Sizzle, sizzle.

The two factions confronted each other as if they might charge at any moment.

My companions and I stood close together, watching the situation.

Huiwon drew the Sword of Judgement beside me and spoke tensely.

"Dokja-ssi."

"It's okay."

I stood protectively before my companions, reassuring them.

Even if the Great war of Angels and Demons broke out, an event that massive wouldn't take place somewhere like this.

[The Constellation Scribe of heaven restrains the Archangels.]

[The Constellation Ruler of Hell's East pulls back the Demon Kings.]

Evil could only exist if there was good.

The Scribe of heaven, Metatron, and the Ruler of Hell's East, Agares, likely understood it well.

If a Scenario began here, both factions would only rush toward mutual destruction.

And if I was right, the dokkaebis of that damned Administration Bureau were taking the greatest advantage of that fact.

[The Great Dokkaebi Baram has revealed his presence on the stage.]

The Great Dokkaebi appeared in the air as if he had been waiting, giving off an imposing Status.

Great Dokkaebi Baram.

I knew him well from the original story.

[Let's stop here. You know full well that fighting here won't solve anything.]

At that stiff voice, the Demon Kings and Constellations pushed back.

[Even the Administration Bureau cannot intervene in this fight!]

[Are you telling us to end things like this?]

Some of the Constellations and Demon Kings gathered here were nearly Mythical-grade. It was only natural that they wouldn't listen just because a Great Dokkaebi had come personally.

Things might've been different if the Dokkaebi King had come personally...

As complaints broke out everywhere, Baram spoke.

[The judgment will not be reversed. Nor can hostile actions be permitted here.]

With that firm declaration, sparks flying through the air blocked the currents of absolute good alignment and Absolute Evil.

Just as the protesting Constellations were about to cause another disturbance, Baram continued.

[Your dissatisfaction stems from the fact that the standing of good and evil was not determined. If that is the only problem, then how about proceeding with another Great Fable Scenario?]

[What do you mean?]

[We will open a Scenario on an unprecedented scale to determine the standing of good and evil.]

I couldn't hide my confusion at the Great Dokkaebi's words.

What was that bastard saying now...?

[The Star Stream's will agrees with the Great Dokkaebi's judgment.]

[The Duet of Good and Evil wants a new Scenario to determine the standing of good and evil.]

The Star Stream's Plausibility was moving. The gaze of the galaxy was flowing toward a story desired by many Constellations. Even throughout the entire Star Stream, there were only a handful of Scenarios that could mobilize this much Plausibility.

The Ruler of Hell's East asked, [Are you saying you will open the Great war of Angels and Demons Scenario now?]

[If that is what you desire.]

Many Constellations murmured at Baram's declaration.

Baram smiled mysteriously as he looked at me.

[However, you will choose the Scenario's stage yourselves.]

* * *

During the recess, the Constellations and Demon Kings eagerly discussed where the stage for the new Great war of Angels and Demons should be. Thanks to the dokkaebis' intervention, the hostile gazes that had been directed at us seemed to have faded considerably.

Exhausted by the sudden events, my companions each sat down on the floor.

Suyeong walked over and kept kicking Junghyeok's hand, which was still trapped beneath the rubble.

"What's this? Why isn't he coming out yet?"

Junghyeok didn't react, as if he were dead.

Even as I looked at his buried hand, part of me was afraid to pull him out. The last thing he had said still clung to my ears.

- Or is it information from that book called TWSA?

Where had Junghyeok heard that? How much of his filtering had been removed, and how much did he know about TWSA?

Suyeong and I worked together to pull Junghyeok out.

He was unconscious. That was strange. There was no way this bastard would faint just from getting buried under rubble.

"What's wrong with this bastard?"

Looking closer, I saw that Junghyeok was in bad shape. Wherever he had been, large and small wounds covered him. They were signs that he'd killed and cut something down. For the past two days, Junghyeok seemed to have wandered through a Scenario I didn't know about before returning.

Then, unable to contain his anger toward me, he had raised his Status and suffered serious internal injuries.

Suyeong immediately activated Midday Tryst and sent me a message.

- Junghyeok noticed the existence of TWSA.

- I know. He told me right before you arrived.

I briefly told her what Junghyeok had said. Suyeong's eyebrows arched sharply after hearing it.

- Where did this bastard hear something like that?

- I don't know either. Where were you?

- I killed the remaining prophets and came back. I thought information might have leaked from there.

- Did you find anything out?

- No.

That made sense. The prophets' information must've begun to run out, turning them into Characters.

- I don't think it leaked from the prophets...

I looked at Metatron, who was discussing something with the Archangels in the distance. Junghyeok learning about TWSA was most likely related to Metatron.

Suyeong said,

- Asmodeus knew about TWSA too. Maybe nearly all the highest-ranking Constellations know by now.

The highest-ranking Constellations...

It seemed the time had come for the Seekers of the End to begin moving. At last, the end of this long Scenario journey was starting to come into view.

I looked down at the unconscious Junghyeok for a moment.

Suyeong glared at me.

- Kim Dokja, think about what's important right now.

I nodded.

When I raised my head, Baram was looking at me.

- We need to participate in the Great war of Angels and Demons too.

- Are you insane? It's not a Scenario we can enter at our current level.

Suyeong was right. The Great war of Angels and Demons was originally a Main Scenario in the eighties.

I hadn't planned this either. It was best to avoid dangerous Scenarios whenever possible. But not the Great war of Angels and Demons. If it didn't happen, that was one thing. But if it did, it was a Scenario I could never allow myself to avoid.

- It doesn't matter if it's a higher-level Scenario. The issue is where the war begins.

- What do you mean...?

Baram clapped in the distance. When the Constellations returned to their seats, he spoke.

[The recess is over. Constellations and Demon Kings, please choose the Scenario's stage.]

As if they had been waiting, the Constellations and Demon Kings rose to their feet and shouted.

[For the stage of the Great war of Angels and Demons, our 14th Demon Realm-]

[Our Tree of Guardianship has a suitable stage for a Great Fable.]

[What nonsense! That stage is...!]

Just as I expected. Everyone was trying to choose a stage that favored them.

I had a place I wanted to use too. But even if I spoke up now, there was no way they would support me.

I thought to myself, How could I...?

「(Dokja-ssi, you want to make that Island the stage, right?)」

Yu Sangah's message sounded in my head.

「(Should I help you?)」

'What?'

「(I found something interesting inside the wall.)」

'Something interesting?'

Sangah didn't answer. Instead, I heard something rustling inside my head.

A little later, an uneasy mood began to spread through the once-noisy hall. I heard a few Constellations whispering.

[This is information that just came in...]

[What? Is that true?]

I focused on their whispers.

Weren't those Constellations with abilities related to Revelation?

The atmosphere was becoming strange. The whispers spread like waves, and after another five minutes passed, even Metatron wore a serious expression. One by one, the voices of the arguing Constellations and Demon Kings began to quiet, and soon they started watching each other closely.

The Demon Kings were the first to make a move in the fierce battle of nerves.

[I'm sorry, but I have something to attend to and must leave for a moment.]

[Me too! Same here.]

Several Demon Kings abruptly raised their hands and withdrew from the gathering.

I studied their faces carefully. Some of them were connected to the Seekers of the End.

[I'm sorry, but I believe I must excuse myself for a moment as well.]

When even the Goddess of the Morning Star from the nebula Tree of Guardianship said that, the situation quickly snowballed.

[I have something to take care of too-]

As more and more attendees withdrew, Metatron sighed softly and looked at Baram.

[It seems the Great Dokkaebi will have to make the decision personally.]

Baram narrowed his eyes as if feeling through the air.

[Interesting. To think a Revelation would arrive at precisely this moment.]

At the word Revelation, the Constellations who had been watching each other flinched.

Baram smiled.

[Very well. Though none of you have said it, it seems the stage has already been decided-]

As I listened to the Great Dokkaebi's next words, I was overcome with a dazed feeling.

What exactly had happened?

Then a sharp pain suddenly flared in my head.

[The Star Stream's Plausibility suspects you!]

I felt a terrifying gaze looking into me. It swept over me as though examining something suspicious.

That gaze continued for a while, then vanished as if it had never been there.

[The Star Stream has turned its gaze away from you.]

Wiping away my cold sweat, I cautiously called out to Sangah.

'Sangah-ssi? What exactly did you do?'

Sangah fell silent, as if searching for the right explanation.

Then she said, 「(Dokja-ssi, do you know how Constellations read the future?)」

'I do.'

There were broadly two ways Constellations read the future.

One was to gather data and measure the future, like the Hermes System. The other was to receive mysterious Revelations, like the three Moirai sisters, Eden, and some Demon Kings. It was a power commonly called divine Revelation.

Sangah searched for words for a moment, then answered with an embarrassed smile.

「(I think I might have become a god.)」

Footnotes:

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