Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint - Chapter 465

WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 465: Episode 88: Myth-grade Constellations (3)

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[You have become a Great Dokkaebi.]

[You may now participate in the Great Dokkaebi's Final Vote.]

Bihyeong slowly blinked as he read the messages.

Bihyeong had changed greatly after meeting the Dokkaebi King. He now possessed a complete human form, like Baram's. The white tiger pelt draped over his shoulders and the three yellow horns sprouting from his head radiated the power of fables.

He had become a true Great Dokkaebi.

[I'll be going now, Baram-nim.]

[You intend to go to them, don't you?]

Bihyeong didn't answer.

Baram spoke.

[When the final hour arrives, every dokkaebi must choose their final story. Even if telling that story means their death.]

[...]

[The odds that "that story" you choose will win are very low.]

[I know.]

[What's more, they have made enemies of numerous Great Dokkaebis and the Administration Bureau.]

[I know that too.]

No dokkaebi in the Star Stream failed to understand what it meant to become an enemy of the Administration Bureau.

[Even so, I want to see the world's end through that story.]

Bihyeong chose his final fable.

* * *

"Dokja-ssi."

"Did you get leave as a reward?"

"You're teasing me. I told you it wasn't leave. I said I'd been discharged."

"You really got discharged?"

"Yes."

Lee Hyeongseong smiled brightly.

"I'm not going to be a soldier anymore."

I watched the silver fable flowing from Hyeongseong's entire body.

Just as you could get a sense of a novel from its opening paragraph, the same was true of fables.

「Resolute silver. An unyielding will tempered over many long years.」

On the Island of Reincarnators, One-Punch Invincible Yoo Hoseong had said that one needed to understand a fable before ruling it. Yet just as it was impossible to understand a person perfectly, it was impossible to understand a fable perfectly.

「All we can do is offer our own interpretation.」

Then that must be Hyeongseong's interpretation.

[The fable Steel Dominator begins its story.]

It was the Master of Steel's core fable. The fact that Hyeongseong could finally wield it meant he had at last reached the final stage of [Steel Transformation].

"I couldn't write a book report, but I understand why you told me to read, Dokja-ssi."

Hyeongseong added in a cautious voice.

"Was that perhaps a story from the 999th-round worldline?"

I was a little surprised. I hadn't expected Hyeongseong to think that far.

"I think it probably was."

"But for that story to have disguised itself as The Wizard of Oz..."

As far as I knew, Oz's source fable was The Wizard of Oz.

Yet the fable that formed that source had changed.

Into the story of the 999th round, no less.

What that meant was still unclear, but I had one guess. The meaning of a fable's source changing was obvious enough.

[Incarnation Lee Hyeongseong's Patron is watching you.]

It was a subtly altered gaze, one I wouldn't have noticed in the past.

It wasn't the aura of the Master of Steel I knew.

I turned toward the emerald tower with the altar. Then I recalled the enormous steel sword I had seen in its audience chamber.

"Mr. Hyeongseong!"

The Allies who had been preparing for the attack below the tower came running over.

"Mr. Hyeongseong! Are you okay?"

Yuseong and Gilyeong bounced around him, each tightly gripping one of Hyeongseong's hands.

Junghyeok, who arrived a step later, muttered, "Looks like you were discharged safely."

Sangah and Suyeong each added a word.

"Congratulations on your discharge."

"Call me if you need another company commander."

The last to arrive was Huiwon, who had been preparing for the enemy air raids farther away than anyone else. She stopped about ten meters away and stood there, her lips moving several times as she looked at us.

Hyeongseong smiled.

"Huiwon-ssi."

I wondered if I should excuse myself around now.

Someone entirely unexpected solved that dilemma for me.

"Save the touching reunion for later! This isn't over yet!"

Jihye shouted from the sky, having summoned the Turtle Dragon.

Jihye was right. The nebulae outside the planet still hadn't pulled back their formation. If anything, even more warships were pouring in. Some among them were massive battleships built to destroy planets or wage nebula wars.

"Don't worry. I won't let them get away with this."

Hyeongseong stepped forward, sounding dependable.

The bombardment outside continued even now, but Oz's barrier didn't budge. As I had said before, the Master of Steel's fable power in Oz rivaled that of a Mythical Constellation...

Tsssss...

An ominous sound came from somewhere. A foul smell rose, as if something were burning.

When I looked up, one part of the opaque steel barrier was glowing brilliantly, as though someone were welding it.

Something was melting Hyeongseong's steel.

[The Constellation Noonday Sun gazes upon the planet Oz.]

I felt Hyeongseong's body go rigid. As he wrapped the whole planet in his protection, he was directly exposed to the Status of that gaze.

Rivaling a Mythical Constellation didn't mean he was truly equal to one.

I placed a hand on Hyeongseong's shoulder. His trembling eased a little as he received a share of our nebula's Plausibility.

Growing stronger didn't mean we should fight alone. They were a nebula, and so were we.

"It seems a major figure has come here in person."

I knew the modifier Noonday Sun. Under ordinary circumstances, he could never have come here. He was the supreme Constellation of the nebula Papyrus.

And if he had come here himself...

[The Constellation Noonday Sun has revealed his will to the Star Stream.]

It meant they would no longer hide their true intentions.

[The nebula Papyrus has revealed hostility toward the nebula Kim Dokja Company.]

[Two nebulae registered as candidates for A Single Fable are clashing!]

At the message none of us had ever heard before, everyone's expression hardened.

Something was about to begin.

[The nebula Papyrus has declared a nebula war against the nebula Kim Dokja Company.]

It was truly rare for a major nebula to officially declare war in the Star Stream. Nebula wars offered almost no benefit to either side. If they had declared an official war despite that, there had to be a reason.

[The activation conditions for a restricted Main Scenario have been fulfilled!]

[This Scenario is sent only to nebulae registered as candidates for A Single Fable.]

Category: Main

Difficulty: ???

Clear Conditions: Win the Candidate Selection Match.

Time Limit: ―

Reward: Increased nebula recognition. Acquisition of Mythical fables related to nebula wars.

Failure: Decreased nebula recognition. Disqualification from the Final Scenario.

All nebulae registered for A Single Fable* may now freely engage in nebula wars.

* Declarations of hostility and war may be made without penalty, and free alliances and support between nebulae are permitted.

Victory in the Candidate Selection Match will draw the attention of the Star Stream and increase the likelihood of being chosen for A Single Fable.*

Just as I thought.

[Your nebula is currently at war with Papyrus!]

[Defeat the leader of the hostile force.]

[Victory in this war will earn you victory points.]

My tense Allies gathered around me.

Hostility far greater than anything we had faced before enveloped the entire planet.

[The Constellation Demon King of Salvation glares at the nebula Papyrus.]

We had fought other major nebulae several times before.

We fought Olympus in "Gigantomachia," and we faced the Emperor in Journey to the West Remake.

But this time was different.

During "Gigantomachia," the Plausibility restrictions had been so severe that the Constellations couldn't fully use their powers. During Journey to the West Remake, Great Sage Equaling Heaven and the judges had lent us their power and Plausibility.

What about now?

[The fable Demon King of Salvation begins its story.]

Was there a nebula that would help us now?

[The Great Fable Spring of the Demon Realm begins its story.]

The others were looking at me.

Everyone looked resolute. Their gazes showed they understood what had happened and the battlefield we would face from here on.

"Let's go."

It didn't matter if no one helped us.

Looking at the sky, I said, "We're not weak anymore. Open the sky, Hyeongseong-ssi."

Hyeongseong nodded.

[Incarnation Jeong Huiwon requests the activation of Hour of Judgement!]

Huiwon was the first to draw her sword. The power of God Slaying coiled around the Sword of Judgement.

[Incarnation Lee Hyeongseong agrees with the judgement.]

Hyeongseong's steel layered itself over the Allies' weapons. The world's strongest vow, made to protect us.

[Incarnation Lee Jihye agrees with the judgement.]

Silver fable metal settled over Jihye's Turtle Dragon.

[Incarnation Shin Yuseong agrees with the judgement.]

[Incarnation Lee Gilyeong agrees with the judgement.]

The silver-colored Chimera Dragon roared, and the two children took flight.

[Incarnation Yu Sangah agrees with the judgement.]

A lotus platform containing silver steel began rotating around Sangah.

[Incarnation Han Suyeong agrees with the judgement.]

Suyeong had already unwound her bandages and used them to tie up her hair.

[Incarnation Yu Junghyeok agrees with the judgement.]

Junghyeok's Black Heaven Demon Blade, bearing a Transcendent's Status, emitted a cold gleam.

[The Constellation Demon King of Salvation agrees with the judgement.]

I drew Unbreakable Faith.

[Hour of Judgement has activated!]

The instant the pitch-black night sky opened, we boarded Jihye's ship and leaped into the air. The enemy fleet drew closer. Facing a fleet of at least six hundred ships, each of us gripped our weapons.

「It was a sight Kim Dokja had envisioned for a very long time.」

Huiwon charged first, her sword strikes raining down.

Jeong Huiwon, Judge of Destruction.

The strongest swordswoman of chaos I knew.

Rumble!

A thunderous blast erupted from the massive warship pierced in a straight line from its cockpit to engine. Explosions large and small soon broke out across the hull, and cracks spread throughout it. I saw the Constellations aboard fleeing.

Jihye's Turtle Dragon didn't miss the opening and launched an assault.

Boom!

The ship burst straight through the explosion without a scratch. Hyeongseong's fable metal was protecting us all.

Then Jihye stepped forward. The strongest Incarnation in large-scale battles, capable of toppling a fleet of over a hundred ships alone.

Naval Commander Lee Jihye gave the order to fire.

"Mister, let's go!"

Yuseong's Chimera Dragon followed the trail of that barrage.

This war would end only when we defeated their leader. With so few members, there was only one choice available to us. A swift battle.

Shin Yuseong, Beast Lord.

Lee Gilyeong, Insect King.

The most perfect tamers I knew cleared a path. The Breath of the Chimera Dragon under Yuseong's control shot down the medium-sized vessels, while Gilyeong's insects dealt with dozens of small ships slipping through the gaps.

"Where do you think you're going!"

The insects crawled into the engines of the smaller ships and triggered massive explosions. In an instant, the battlefield became pandemonium.

Perhaps deciding they could no longer stand by, fabled-grade Constellations began appearing one after another from the warships.

[Incarnation Yu Sangah has opened her Status!]

[The fable Mandala's Time has activated!]

The instant Sangah activated her fable, the enemy Constellations' movements visibly slowed.

I was startled. I knew Sangah had inherited some of Shakyamuni's power. But I hadn't known she could wield such authority. The ability to control the flow of time and space itself.

"I can't hold them for long."

"It won't take long."

Using the time Sangah had bought us, Junghyeok, Suyeong, and I ran through the night sky.

[The Great Fable Spring of the Demon Realm continues its story!]

[The Great Fable Holy Flame That Devoured Myth begins its story!]

The two Great Fables that had protected Kim Dokja Company.

Until now, we had fought with these two fables as our main force.

The fables' aura lingered like the tails of a meteor shower. Star patterns were etched throughout the space behind us. Although we had passed countless warships, hundreds of Constellations still blocked our path.

If we lost even a little courage, their Status would crush us.

[The nebula Papyrus has opened the Status of its Great Fable!]

This was a battle between nebulae.

"Now it's my turn."

Originally, the Delusional Demon Kim Namwoon should have been in Han Suyeong's place. Yet she had not only fully done the missing bastard's share, but become something even greater.

[The Great Fable Season of Light and Darkness begins its story.]

At last, our third Great Fable began its story.

The roar of the Apocalypse Dragon echoed from somewhere like a hallucination.

I saw the Constellations of Papyrus who had participated in the Great war of Angels and Demons tremble.

[Th-this is...!]

With 「Stage Transformation」, the sky split into realms of light and darkness.

Stepping across the blurred boundary between them, Suyeong's figure flew upward.

The wings of Abyssal Black Flame Dragon spread wide behind her.

As she had when she flew in to save me, purple [Black Flame] surged from both of Suyeong's hands.

Boom!

We rode the storm of that fable and advanced.

The overwhelming majesty of a Great Fable that even fabled-grade Constellations couldn't withstand.

What stood in the way of our charge, like the shockwave of the Apocalypse Dragon, was one enormous sun.

[The Constellation Noonday Sun gazes upon Kim Dokja Company.]

A black figure stood at the center of the blinding light. It was the true body of Sun God Ra.

[You will die here.]

Junghyeok's Black Heaven Demon Blade let out a harsh cry.

All the fables we possessed were howling.

Even Junghyeok and I couldn't fight a complete Mythical Constellation head-on.

We were only in the third round. ...The third round.

[The fable Eternal Hellscape begins its story!]

There had once been a time when that was true.

[Together Reading has begun.]

The afterimage of pages turning softly. As the scenery of hell spread around us, I began the story.

Junghyeok ran down a path made of countless printed characters, through his long, old lives.

「Junghyeok of the 41st round threw his spear.」

「Junghyeok of the 362nd round unleashed a palm strike.」

「Junghyeok of the 999th round swung his demonic blade.」

Tzzzt!

Intense sparks began piercing my body.

[Your Status cannot withstand Reading Comprehension!]

In Journey to the West, I had briefly reached the reading comprehension of the 1,863rd round. Yet that had only been possible because Great Sage Equaling Heaven and the Outer Gods had lent me their Plausibility.

[This is myth.]

Even under the barrage of Junghyeok's [Sky Splitter Sword Art], Ra didn't budge.

[You cannot overcome myth.]

The minimum round Junghyeok needed to defeat a Mythical Constellation was the 1,700th round.

We lacked power, and we lacked Status. But I didn't retreat.

"No, we can overcome it."

We still had one fable left.

Our fourth Great Fable, earned by clearing Journey to the West Remake.

[The Great Fable Liberator of Forgotten Things begins its story!]

The next moment, abundant fable Plausibility seeped into my whole body.

The fable I had shared with Great Sage Equaling Heaven and the Outer Gods flowed proudly over my star, through the context of Kim Dokja Company.

[The Star Stream is greatly astonished by your Status.]

[The Star Stream is reassessing your Status.]

The metallic scent of blood reached my nose.

The Tongtian River, stained red by the corpses of dead Outer Gods.

The sparks consuming me began to diminish.

The pages of hell began turning again.

...The 1,321st round.

...The 1,582nd round.

And then, the 1,701st round.

Junghyeok moved. The Black Heaven Demon Blade, filled with the power of the 1,701st round.

The Yu Junghyeok from that day, who had cut the sea, shattered the sun, and carved out the heart of the Mythical Constellation Poseidon, opened his eyes.

「It was a sight Kim Dokja had envisioned for a very long time.」

I saw the shocked Ra belatedly unleash his Great Fable.

Ra's eyes stared at me. His lips formed the word, "How?"

I smiled.

"How, you ask?"

To kill a Mythical Constellation, you needed power equal to a Mythical Constellation.

Mythical Constellations.

Beings who had begun "A Single Fable" and attained their conclusion, or accumulated vast Great Fables and reached the doorstep of their conclusion.

[An overwhelming majority of Constellations are greatly shocked by your Status!]

[Constellations of major nebulae at your Status...!]

Just like me.

[The Star Stream announces your Status.]