WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 358: Episode 67: The scenario's deceaseds (2)

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Winter passed quickly.

After rapidly clearing up to Scenario 65, Kim Dokja Company reached the second Nexus of the Constellations a week ago.

At last, we had met the minimum requirements to challenge Scenario 80.

[The advertising fee from Mass Production Maker has been deposited.]

[You have received 2,500,000 coins.]

Our nebula's balance was growing quickly as well. Two and a half million coins from a single advertisement. It seemed the X-grade Ferrari was selling quite well. We'd agreed to receive a portion of the sales profits regularly, so more income would continue to come in.

"It's about time."

At last, the day of the Scenario arrived.

I looked over my prepared companions.

Lee Hyeongseong, Jeong Huiwon, Lee Jihye, Shin Yuseong, Lee Gilyeong, and even Jang Hayoung...

"Dokja-ssi, are you sure it's alright for us to leave like this?"

Hyeongseong sounded uneasy.

I understood why. Just a week ago, I'd instructed everyone to rest and do nothing until Scenario 80 opened.

"With discipline this lax..."

Lax discipline, huh.

That was coming from the exemplary soldier who had once lost both a shell casing and a safety pin.

"No matter what we do now, it'll be difficult to catch up with the Constellations of the highest Status. What matters isn't what we do here, but what we do there. By the way, doesn't it feel like one person is missing?"

"Suyeong-ssi left first. She said she wouldn't listen to any orders..."

This company really didn't have a single employee who listened.

Well, Suyeong would survive on her own.

When I turned around, the Wanderers, including my mother, were watching us from the main gate of the industrial complex.

"Then we'll be going."

"Be careful."

I left Seoul's safety in the hands of my mother and the Wanderers.

They were all people with no great ambitions for the later Scenarios. Instead of clearing Scenarios, they'd decided to build their lives in their own ways.

Seolhwa and Pildu, who had decided to manage and supervise the Incarnations arriving in recent days, would remain in Seoul as well.

"Please take care of Seoul."

Seolhwa nodded.

Across the square, Pildu was surrounded by Incarnations tackling the early Scenarios, explaining something in his gruff voice.

"What's important is securing a good spot. You have to claim good land before anyone else, got it?"

I hoped it would be alright.

「The Sky-Splitting Sword Saint and I will join you later. Go ahead first.」

I nodded back at Kyrios, who was watching from afar, then sent a signal into the air.

Soon, a low-grade dokkaebi responsible for Scenario transport appeared.

[Is Kim Dokja Company ready?]

"Start the transport."

As the low-grade dokkaebi chanted, we were sucked into the portal beneath our feet. It seemed to be a high-quality portal, because I didn't feel dizzy even as time and space shifted.

How much time passed?

[You have entered the Scenario 80 waiting room.]

In place of the peaceful view of Gwanghwamun, a waiting room paved with pale marble appeared. It was boiling with the heat of Constellations and Incarnations who had arrived ahead of us.

[When does the Scenario start?]

[Open it already! We don't have time!]

There were some familiar faces among the Constellations.

Predator of the Hasty Swamp.

I thought they had died since I hadn't seen them after the Demon King Selection, but apparently they were still alive.

Huiwon muttered behind me, "There seem to be a lot of formidable Constellations."

"Ahjussi, Rannvir Khan and Peihu are here too!"

"I can see Papyrus and Tamra as well."

The members of Kim Dokja Company stood close behind me like penguins enduring the cold. They looked like country bumpkins who had just arrived in Seoul.

Jihye pursed her lips and snapped, "Ahjussi, what are you grinning about?"

"You should smile while you still can."

Several Constellations from Olympus waved at us from afar. They were Dionysus and Aphrodite.

They weren't here to put on another show, were they?

Beyond them, I could see several Constellations from Veda, along with Surya, the Exalted God of Light.

Perhaps Anna Croft and Junghyeok were mixed in among them too.

[The Demon King Yejegong glares at you.]

[The Demon King Eyes That See the Forbidden is wary of you.]

As expected, those bastards were here too.

[The Constellation Protector of Youth and Travel yawns as if bored.]

[The Constellation Savior of Corruption displays a fierce presence toward you.]

There were even Archangels from Eden.

The scale was certainly different by Scenario 80. We now had to compete with those terrifying fabled-grade Constellations.

At the center of the great square, a dokkaebi floated into the air. It was Bihyeong.

[You have all gathered. I am the dokkaebi Bihyeong, and I will be overseeing this Scenario.]

Usually, a Scenario of this scale was hosted by a Great Dokkaebi. Seeing Bihyeong here, it seemed his position within the Administration Bureau had risen considerably.

[Originally, another location had been planned for the Great war of Angels and Demons. Due to special circumstances, however, the Island of Reincarnators has been selected as this Scenario's area. Well, that's just how our superiors do things, isn't it?]

A few Constellations chuckled.

Satire about the Administration Bureau was one type of humor that worked well on Constellations.

That bastard Bihyeong didn't seem afraid of Plausibility at all.

[Some of you may find this stage unfamiliar. It is an extremely old place, and it is hardly used anymore. You might say it has fallen behind the times...]

At Bihyeong's words, footage began playing across the screen in the sky.

It showed the Island of Reincarnators, the stage of the upcoming Scenario.

[We came here to participate in the Great war of Angels and Demons. It doesn't matter where the stage is!]

[I'm not expecting much. It's probably another world full of Sword Masters and Nine Circles Archmages.]

The Constellations sneered as if they had already experienced the Scenario.

Bihyeong said, [Sword Masters? You may put those worries away this time. This world is rather unique, after all.]

As the Constellations murmured, Bihyeong continued.

[When this island first opened, Sword Masters, Nine Circles Archmages, and even the concept of magic circles did not exist. It is that old an island.]

Many Constellations paid close attention to Bihyeong's words.

The members of the Gourmet Association were particularly interested. They probably knew something about this island.

[Well, you'll learn the details once you experience it yourselves. First, I'll explain what is needed for the Scenario. Before advancing to the Main Island, the stage of the Great war of Angels and Demons, you'll first experience a tutorial region.]

A map of the island soon appeared in the footage.

A massive island floating in the middle of the universe, surrounded by an archipelago of smaller islands.

Pointing to the islands at the outermost edge of the archipelago, Bihyeong said, [You will begin on the Small Island at the edge of the island. Through the tutorials there, you will learn how to adapt to the island and receive the Scenario that will let you advance to the Main Island, the main stage of the Great war of Angels and Demons.]

From the explanation, it seemed the rules were the same as those of the original Island of Reincarnators. That was good news for me.

The other Constellations didn't feel the same way.

[A tutorial? We are Constellations. Are you joking?]

[Oh, it is only called a tutorial. You don't have to complete it. There are many ways to advance directly to the Main Island, so please don't be too upset.]

When a dokkaebi spoke like that, it usually meant the Scenario would screw you over if you skipped the tutorial.

If they knew what would actually happen on those islands, probably half the Constellations here would withdraw their applications.

Perhaps Bihyeong noticed my gaze, because he winked at me.

[Scenarios are best when they begin without explanations, but my introduction has gone on too long. Please choose the Small Island where you wish to begin. Those who wish to start together may choose the same island.]

At Bihyeong's concluding words, the Constellations began choosing their starting points.

My companions and I chose the same island. There was no reason to separate when we could go together.

I noticed several Constellations cautiously reading the situation before choosing the same island as me.

So this was how they wanted to play it from the start.

I looked at my companions. "You all remember what I said yesterday, right?"

Huiwon answered, "You told us to run toward the center of the island as soon as the Scenario starts."

"That's right. Don't even think about fighting anyone else. Find the village at the center of the island and run there."

This Scenario was completely different from every Scenario we had experienced so far. Even my companions wouldn't survive if they approached the tutorial normally.

Perhaps because they knew I'd read TWSA, they no longer questioned my suggestions much. It left a bitter sense of guilt in me.

Once all the Constellations had finished preparing, Bihyeong's message rang out.

[I will now begin the Scenario transport!]

I drew Unbreakable Faith from my coat. In this Scenario, every second spent drawing your sword mattered.

"Let's meet in the village."

At the same time, my companions and I turned into streams of light.

[A new Main Scenario has arrived!]

[Main Scenario #80, Island of Reincarnators, has begun.]

Along with the flood of messages, the darkness around me brightened.

The scent of grass stung my nose. I had been thrown into a forest on the island.

None of my companions were nearby. They had probably all been transported to different places on the island.

[You are currently in the exploration zone of Island 531. Find the village where the guide is.]

[Hidden Scenario, Survival Game, has begun!]

Almost at the same time, a dokkaebi message poured down from the sky.

[This wouldn't be very fun otherwise, would it? Survival is the best way to start. Constellations, enjoy the feeling of returning to the old days through fierce competition for survival!]

+

<Hidden Scenario, Survival Game>

Category: Hidden

Difficulty: SSS

Clear Conditions: Enter the island's village while avoiding the competitors who entered with you, or kill the competitors.

Time Limit: 24 hours

Reward: 50,000 coins, completion of the tutorial region.

Failure: Death

+

I knew this would happen.

There was no way the dokkaebis who deliberately chose this island as the stage would let things pass quietly.

I sensed an ominous presence nearby. It was too late to hide myself.

[The Demon King Geometric Demon Duke reveals hostility toward you!]

A being emerged from the bushes. He was one of the Demon Kings who had followed me.

The 65th-ranked Demon King, Andrealphus, the Geometric Demon Duke.

[Demon King of Salvation. I hear you defeated Demon King Amdusias?]

Dark blue demonic energy burned in the grasp of the man covered in brilliant feathers.

Andrealphus was known as a Demon King who had mastered every kind of magic to its limit.

[Don't get cocky just because you defeated one stallion.]

The peacock-like man rattled off his words with his pointed beak, chanted a spell, and rushed toward me. It seemed I was his first prey.

I ran straight toward him as well.

Andrealphus muttered, [Your Footwork is terrible, and your Skill proficiency is absurdly low. You are at the level of an ordinary human. Is that all it took to defeat Amdusias?]

Regardless, I kept running. I wasn't even using [Way of the Wind], so my steps were far slower than usual.

Andrealphus sneered.

[Die.]

He activated the Nine Circles magic, [Hellfire]. As its name suggested, it was a great spell that borrowed the flames of hell, something even I couldn't escape unharmed if it struck directly.

Then, the moment he activated the magic, something strange happened.

Pshhh.

The Hellfire that should have burned down the entire forest created a small flame, then went out feebly.

[The island's Plausibility does not permit the magic Hellfire.]

Startled, Andrealphus looked sharply at me.

I was already right in front of him.

"They told you there are no Sword Masters or Nine Circles Archmages on this island."

Andrealphus's eyes widened in shock.

"So doesn't that naturally mean there is no Hellfire either?"

He couldn't believe it. Yet this was the law of the island.

A place ruled by the most powerful Plausibility in the Star Stream.

[A powerful force of Plausibility is in effect on this island!]

[You cannot use the Attributes Window on this island, and all overall stats converted into system data have been reset.]

You couldn't use the system on this island.

[The use of most Skills created after the First Generation is restricted on this island.]

[The proficiency of Stigmas and fables has been reset on this island.]

Every combat technique we had acquired until now became useless.

Andrealphus's expression hardened as he tried to recite a defensive Skill too late.

Without any technique, I simply thrust my sword forward.

A single strike containing neither Skill nor Stigma pierced Demon King Andrealphus's chest with absurd ease.

Unbreakable Faith was several times heavier than usual.

The hand gripping the sword trembled. Andrealphus wasn't the only one who had lost the benefits of his overall stats. The blazing sun scorched my skin in the sweltering forest.

Sweating heavily, I pulled my sword from the dead Demon King's Incarnation body. My muscles were so weak that even holding the sword was difficult.

"This is why I don't like old stories."

A world with no Sword Masters, no SSS-grade Hunters, no system, and no Attributes Window.

[Old fables react to your gaze.]

The Island of Reincarnators.

This was the graveyard of first-generation fables that had fallen behind in the flow of the stars.

Footnotes:

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