WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS
Translator: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈
Chapter 453: Episode 85: The Final Wall (5)
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It was a seal using the [Apocalypse Dragon's Sealing Sphere].
It was the same method Han Suyeong had planned in the 1863rd round.
「“Time here will stop, and Earth will be sealed alongside the Apocalypse Dragon. It will remain fixed in the 95th Scenario forever.”」
「“And that is how you will kill Yu Junghyeok.”」
The plan was to seal Junghyeok in eternal time and stop his Regression.
I reflexively looked at Secretive Plotter. I wanted to tell him to run, that it was still not too late. If he was sealed in there, not even Secretive Plotter could escape.
Yet why were you smiling?
[The Constellation Secretive Plotter looks at his own ■■.]
He was strong enough to live through all 1,863 lives. Yet because of that, he was tired enough to collapse at any moment.
An eternal sleep.
In a way, it was what he had wanted his entire life.
"Wait! Uriel! Stop!"
At my words, Uriel turned toward me for the first time.
Seemingly surprised that something so insignificant had called her True name, Uriel spoke.
【What is this soul form? A being from this worldline?】
I didn't know what to say.
Then Secretive Plotter spoke first.
【He is nothing. Let him go.】
For a moment, Secretive Plotter's eyes met mine. They held an emotion that was unusually clear for him.
He truly wanted me to escape.
But the situation was bad. The portal was being forcibly closed by Uriel's power.
Uriel looked back and forth between Secretive Plotter and me with an odd expression before speaking.
【Even after ruining your own round and ruining another's worldline, is there still something you wish to protect?】
Uriel's power shot out and bound me in an instant. This was the worst possible situation.
【Fine. I will seal this one alongside you. Sleep with your companion in an eternal dream.】
"No, wait! Shouldn't you hear me out too?"
Uriel glared at me as if I were spouting nonsense.
I shouted back without backing down.
"I understand how you feel. I understand that you're furious and resentful because your worldline was twisted. But this isn't right. This isn't your worldline. What you're doing right now is exactly the same as what Secretive Plotter, the one you hate, did."
As I spoke, a stinging pain flared across my forehead. My empty head ached. The sensation of the Golden Headband was growing stronger.
"Let's not do this. Even if we all pooled our strength to destroy the <Star Stream>, it still wouldn't be enough, so why are we fighting each other? Is it because you don't know who the real enemy is? Because you don't know what caused this tragedy..."
【Destroy the <Star Stream>? Why would we do that?】
It was an unexpected question.
"Because, obviously, the world of the <Star Stream>..."
【If the <Star Stream> disappears, the universe will become chaos.】
A chill ran through my chest.
I had unconsciously assumed that all my allies wanted the same ending.
But... what if they didn't?
After Yu Junghyeok died, the allies of the 999th round must have reached the final Scenario and cleared it.
What had awaited them at the end of the world they reached afterward?
【Such a worldline must not be created. That is evil.】
With Uriel's declaration, her Status began to constrict me.
"...Then I have no choice. We'll have to fight."
【Fight? A being without even an Incarnation body...】
"I'm not the one fighting."
I looked up at the empty sky and grinned.
"My companions are."
Intense sparks burst before my eyes. My head tightened as though it were about to shatter, and my vision blurred.
Something was approaching.
「Maha Prajna... Dokja... pointless things... staystill, Heart Sutra...」
...They were here.
[Baaaaat!]
With Biyoo's cry, a portal opened in the sky. The pitch-black Breath of the Black Flame Dragon poured down. Uriel, who had thrown me into that terrifying torrent, leaped back.
Almost at the same time, someone snatched up my soul form and flew upward.
"Why is there always something like this wherever you go... And what happened to you this time?"
Han Suyeong.
"One Golden Headband doesn't seem to be enough."
And Yu Sangah.
My Incarnation body, bound in a Golden Headband like shackles, was on her back. Sangah seemed to have already guessed my condition.
[The binding power of the Existence Oath is currently weakened.]
I didn't hesitate before leaping into my Incarnation body. My vision blurred once more, and feeling returned to my body.
My Incarnation body wasn't normal, but it was still better than having none.
Through my hazy vision, I saw Uriel activating [hellfire inferno].
Suyeong's eyes widened beside me.
"Hey, what the hell is that..."
"We don't have time to explain. We need to escape."
Suyeong, and Sangah, who had become Shakyamuni's Successor, were strong.
But the enemy was far too strong. The two of them alone...
Kuwaaaaaah!
As if it had been waiting, the flames of [hellfire inferno] swept toward my allies.
"Crazy!"
There was nowhere to escape the powerful wave of scorching heat. Even Suyeong's [Black Flame] would struggle to block it.
Then the powerful Status of crimson flames flowed in from beyond the portal Suyeong had come through. Flames exactly the same color as the wave on the other side. Fire collided with fire, creating a violent storm of flames.
[F■ck, what is this? What b■stard is that?]
Someone appeared through the choking flames, coughing hard.
An Archangel waving away the billowing smoke with one hand.
A black dress and golden anklets.
An Archangel I knew all too well stood there with soot on her cheek.
[Huh? What b■stard... My Kim Dokja...]
Uriel looked toward the other side of [hellfire inferno], her expression going blank.
With her mouth hanging open, Uriel muttered.
[Am I... a b■stard?]
...I never expected Uriel to come as reinforcements. This made things complicated. Of all times, two Uriels had met here.
【...Who are you?】
The other Uriel seemed just as shocked.
【I see. You are this worldline's...】
The moment the two Uriels stared at each other, fierce sparks erupted in the air.
Naturally, we were overwhelmingly disadvantaged. This Uriel was strong, but the other Uriel had seen the end of an entire worldline.
If we didn't seize the chance and run quickly...
Tzzzzzzzt!
Then something unexpected happened.
[<Star Stream> is interested in the encounter between the two beings.]
[The Broken Film Theory has activated!]
The two fables that met in the air intertwined, creating a massive reflux of memories.
「[Get up, Junghyeok. Quickly!]」
Memories of the 999th round were pouring in.
Uriel's eyes widened at the sudden trespass of memories.
[What? What is this?]
A wave of unfamiliar memories flooded in. The Uriel of the 999th round was there, fighting back-to-back with Junghyeok.
It was true camaraderie.
Uriel staggered, unable to come to her senses amid the incoming memories.
I thought that damned theory was at it again, but the situation was unexpectedly not so bad. The exchange of fables through that theory went both ways.
As proof, the Uriel of the 999th round staggered before collapsing to the ground.
「[Kim Dokja! Over here! Sit next to me!]」
Definitely.
「9158FOREVER」
「[My ID can't stand out too much... Right. Something like uri9158... Good, it doesn't stand out at all.」
「[...Th-the special bonus is 'Squid Kim Dokja Legs'?]」
Those were fables shocking enough to leave anyone stunned.
【What... What is all this...】
The Uriel of the 999th round frowned as if in pain.
Suyeong supported Uriel without missing the chance.
"I don't know what this is, but it worked out. Let's get out of here. That one looks insanely strong at a glance."
That judgment was certainly right.
But there was one thing we had left out.
"Wait. We need to take him too."
I pointed at Secretive Plotter, sprawled on the ground.
The memories of this worldline must have been quite a shock, because the Sealing Orb Uriel had been creating was largely broken.
Suyeong spoke as if I had lost my mind.
"Are you crazy? Why would we take him?"
"We need to take him too. That's the only way we can reach the right ending."
"What kind of bullshit is that..."
It really was bullshit. This was my stubbornness, an absurd thing to do.
Even so, I kept speaking.
"He can't die here. He has the right to see the ending."
「Every world blamed only 'Yu Junghyeok.'」
The Uriel of the 999th round, and everyone in this worldline.
Junghyeok, who had reached his own conclusion over the course of his life, had become the enemy of every worldline in exchange.
「During his 1,863 regressions, was there ever even one round where he was happy?」
When I came to myself, I was running.
The Uriel of the 999th round was slowly regaining consciousness and drawing up [hellfire inferno] once again.
Suyeong shouted.
"You crazy bastard! We don't have time for this!"
I activated [Way of the Wind] with all my strength. The flames of [hellfire inferno] began rushing toward us again.
The sparks flying through the air looked like old type to me.
"Writer-nim. It's okay just once, isn't it?"
I couldn't remember when that memory was from.
"With so many rounds, just once..."
...Had I said something like that too? The memory wasn't clear.
All I could do was kick off the ground and run, as though I were pounding at a keyboard and pressing the space bar.
"It's okay for him to be happy."
Maybe it had been a complaint to the god who made such a world.
"It seems you don't like what I wrote."
Then the god answered.
"Then what ending would you like to see, Reader-nim? What ending would be a happy ending for the protagonist?"
What had I answered then?
No matter how hard I thought, I couldn't remember. Even now, the answer wasn't certain to me.
I had no right to speak of another person's happiness.
Still, even someone like me could know one thing.
「That isn't a happy ending.」
Secretive Plotter's body was being dragged into the oncoming heat of [hellfire inferno].
At the last moment, I grabbed his wrist.
Then I started running in the opposite direction.
With a pale face, Suyeong summoned the [X-grade Ferrari]. Sangah shouted.
"Dokja-ssi! Faster!"
【No!】
Avoiding the rushing heat, I hoisted Secretive Plotter onto my back. My feet burned like crazy.
To escape that heat, I ran with all my strength.
"Ah, fuck... Whatever. Get in, quickly!"
Suyeong held out her hand, and I barely managed to climb into the car.
In the back seat, Uriel trembled violently. A tidal wave of crimson flames was bearing down on us.
【Stop!】
Inwardly, I prayed to Mass Production Maker.
Please, let this car's performance not be mass-produced.
[The Constellation Mass Production Maker smiles.]
With explosive acceleration, the [X-grade Ferrari] shot forward. At almost the same time, Biyoo opened a portal, and we rushed straight into the dimensional passage.
Behind us, I heard the terrible roar of the Uriel from the 999th round.
I worried that she might chase after us. Even if we escaped safely to Earth, what if that Uriel followed us and caused havoc...
Tzzzzzzzt!
Amid the raging sparks, the pursuing Uriel of the 999th round stopped moving.
She glared at me with terrifying eyes.
[<Star Stream> is watching Living Flame.]
It seemed she couldn't use this portal. A powerful Plausibility Backlash was binding her.
Maybe that was only natural. A being with such overwhelming power was less free within the Star Stream.
Then there was one thing that bothered me.
How could someone with so little freedom appear in the Forest of N'Gai at that exact time?
As if someone had put her up to it.
...Put her up to it?
[The Great Dokkaebi Heoju is paying attention to your actions.]
A faint hypothesis flashed through my mind.
What if the appearance of that Uriel hadn't been a coincidence?
[The Great Dokkaebi Heoche is paying attention to your actions.]
[The Great Dokkaebi Baram is paying attention to your actions.]
What if someone in the Star Stream wanted it?
And had called them into this worldline?
There were few groups in this world capable of moving that much Plausibility.
[<Administration Bureau> is paying attention to your actions.]
The burning Forest of N'Gai was visible through the window.
Outer Gods from ruined worldlines were disappearing.
The people of a small kingdom were bidding farewell to their king.
【Livelivelivelivelivelive...】
There wasn't only one king among the Outer Gods.
Just as the Uriel of the 999th round had appeared in this worldline, other kings would appear too.
Those who wished to interfere with the ending I wanted would summon them.
[<Star Stream> is looking at you.]
When I looked up, the world I had to fight was watching me.
It would be a difficult, arduous battle.
Suyeong grumbled something as she looked at me through the rearview mirror. Sangah, seated in the passenger seat, turned to look at me.
I gave a small nod and looked at Secretive Plotter, unconscious, and Uriel, sitting there in a daze.
Maybe no one in this universe would take our side.
The end of the portal came into view in the distance.
[Your choice has had a profound impact on ■■.]
[Your ■■ is leaning toward Eternity.]
At last, it was time to prepare for this world's Final Chapter.
Footnotes:
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