WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 504: Episode 97: Stars That Can’t Be Seen (1)

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My smartphone vibrated inside my coat with a low hum.

「Every story began the moment he read that novel.」

Words floated above the smartphone.

The vast wall before me looked remarkably like a smartphone screen.

From Yu Junghyeok's third round to his 1,863rd round. This wall likely held every story I knew.

「When Kim Dokja worked on the QA team, he had once wondered, ‘What would happen if I were the only one who knew about this bug?’」

"You..."

When I turned around, Han Suyeong was standing there. She looked as though she wanted to say something but couldn't find the right words. The bandage in her left hand was gradually unraveling. It was imbued with the Abyssal Black Flame Dragon's protection.

I looked over my companions one by one. Huiwon was on her knees, bracing herself against the floor with trembling hands. Hyeongseong was holding the unconscious Gilyeong, while Seolhwa and Pildu supported each other as they left the Ark.

In the distance, I saw Hayoung barely escape the cabin with her masters.

"Mister."

Shin Yuseong stared down at her palm. It was closer to a mutter than a call to me. A shard of the Chimera Dragon's scale remained in her hand. Sangah placed a hand on the child's shoulder. Feeling her shuddering sobs, Sangah silently stared at the entrance we had emerged from.

「The stars they knew were setting.」

My vision swayed with dizziness. I couldn't feel the gazes of the stars. Was it because every star had vanished? No. It was only because the Great Dokkaebis had disappeared, and every channel under the Administration Bureau had taken a heavy blow and begun malfunctioning.

「He couldn't move forward unless he believed that.」

I staggered, barely managing to steady myself, and saw Junghyeok at last. The corpses of the Great Dokkaebis slain by his Black Heaven Demon Blade were impaled upon it. The fables of dead Constellations dripped from the tip of his sword.

He was looking at me with his usual expression.

「Is this the conclusion you wanted?」

[The Fourth Wall shakes violently!]

[The Fourth Wall has activated even more strongly!]

I slowly opened my mouth, then closed it again.

[Completion of the final Scenario is imminent.]

Before me lay the Ark's fable core I had sought for so long.

A mineral shining with a brilliant yellow light.

The condensed essence of the power of countless Great Fables drifting through this worldline.

[Ark's Inner Core.]

The power source of the giant Fable Weapon, the Final Ark.

If I destroyed it, Main Scenario #99, which we had fought through, would also come to an end.

[The final fable of the Star Stream is nearing completion!]

My steps froze. Vines rising from the floor had seized my ankles. Zarathustras who had appeared from nowhere were using control skills on me. Selena Kim looked away as though she were sorry.

Then the Prophet spoke.

"Thanks to you, I was spared some trouble, Demon King of Salvation."

Anna Croft, holding the Ark's Inner Core, was looking at me.

「A human hero who dreamed of an ending different from Kim Dokja's.」

"This probably doesn't surprise you, does it? I'll be taking the Inner Core."

I had already heard about the world she dreamed of.

Complete Night. A life free from the gazes of every Constellation. Her dream was to safely move to another worldline with this world's Incarnations.

But...

"The Ark has already been destroyed."

"We can make another one."

Anna looked back at the wrecked Ark. It had been damaged beyond any chance of reuse. Still, she didn't give up hope.

"There are human Incarnations skilled at crafting Fable Weapons. Aileen, whom you have with you, is one of them. And now that there are no Mythical Constellations left to interfere with us..."

Without a word, I held out my palm, signaling for her to hand over the Inner Core. Anna stared at my hand for a while before speaking.

"I see. There is still one Mythical Constellation left."

Anna's eyes glowed red.

The Arch-Demon's Eyeball. Her ability to read this world's future and past began to tighten around me. Now that she had fully awakened the Eye's power, her Status was above that of most fabled-grade Constellations.

「The enemy of all stars.」

It was just like the original story. Anna hated every Constellation in this world. She had sworn to use the power of stars to bring ruin to the stars. To complete her night, she wouldn't leave me alive.

「If this story truly was the same as the original.」

The tip of Anna's sword, aimed at me, hesitated.

"It's not too late yet, Kim Dokja."

Something that had never happened in the original story. I could feel Junghyeok, gripping the hilt of his Black Heaven Demon Blade beside me, grow faintly surprised.

Anna took a shallow breath and began speaking.

"I... don't know what ending you have in mind. Even my [future vision] can't read that far. But I have a guess. If my [future vision] can't see your ending, it probably means your ending is related to that Final Wall. But think carefully, Kim Dokja. Is that truly the path for all of us, for humanity?"

It was the first time she had spoken so much at once. I silently listened to her.

"Isn't this enough? You've already suffered enough misfortune. You've lost so much, and what was precious to you has been mocked. You've worn yourself down until you can't tell joy from sorrow, and you're exhausted by stories. Yet you're still curious about this world's "A Single Fable"? Will you abandon humanity's survival for something like that?"

Every word carried desperation. Words that argued for her justice and resented mine.

Soon, it became a fable.

A brilliant fable enveloped Anna and the Zarathustras. It wasn't as bright or splendid as the fables of Constellations, but it was steadfast and beautiful. Their convictions filled every aspect of the fables they had built.

An emotion countless stars had forgotten long ago. She had come this far because she hadn't forgotten that feeling.

"Kim Dokja. Give up on your ■■."

"..."

"Please. Come with me to my Complete Night."

A few Zarathustras widened their eyes. It made sense. Her offer violated her convictions.

Anna was asking me to become the one star that would light the night of a new world.

I was grateful for the offer. But...

[I am a Constellation.]

It was an offer I could never accept.

Tsssss...

With a light release of my Status, the vines binding my limbs shattered all at once.

As if mocking her goodwill, all my fables began their stories.

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

Demon King horns sprouted from my head.

[The Great Fable Holy Flame That Devoured Myth roars!]

Unbreakable Faith, which had slain a god, rang out fiercely.

[The Great Fable Season of Light and Darkness looks upon humanity's world.]

The wings I had gained by betraying an Archangel spread open.

[The Great Fable Liberator of Forgotten Things mocks the Star Stream.]

An ominous, wicked aura of chaos covered my entire body.

Anna's eyes trembled violently. They wandered sorrowfully, as though trying to find even a trace of humanity in me. But both she and I knew the truth. How could a being whose humanity had to be searched for ever be called an ordinary human?

"So you're no different in the end, Demon King of Salvation."

Deep sorrow colored Anna's mutter. It wasn't a calm statement of fact but a voice filled with resolve.

"I will kill you here."

Terrifying Status flooded from Anna's body. I had known all along that she had been conserving her strength.

"Even if you're a Mythical Constellation, you can't stop me in that condition. Your companions don't seem to be in their right minds either, so..."

Huiwon, Hyeongseong, Gilyeong, and Yuseong still hadn't come to their senses. Even Suyeong was only watching me in silence. For the first time, the eyes that had always trusted me were shaking.

Maybe it was only natural. They had watched their Patron Constellations suffer right before their eyes.

"Let's end this."

About fifteen Zarathustras glided toward Junghyeok in an instant. The next moment, Anna's dagger shot toward my neck like a flash of light. I calmly watched its tip and spoke.

[Stop playing around now, Loki.]

At those words, Anna froze.

I casually raised a finger and knocked her dagger aside.

Anna muttered in shock.

"W-what is this...?"

[A Constellation that likes changing sexes giggles.]

"Loki, this isn't what we agreed on...!"

A crushing Status pressed down on the entire area, forcing Anna and the Zarathustras to their knees at once.

The Constellation who liked changing sexes. Loki, the final star of Asgard, was there.

No Zarathustra could resist Loki's power. After all, it was Loki who had freed them from Asgard's control.

"I did this for the people...!"

Those were Anna's final words before she fainted. The Inner Core slipped from her hand, rolled across the floor, and came to rest at my feet. I picked it up.

[This has been really fun, Demon King of Salvation.]

When I straightened up, a man stood before me. He had green hair and a mischievous expression.

[The Constellation One Who Changes Their Own Existence watches you.]

One Who Changes Their Own Existence.

Loki, one of Asgard's highest-ranking Constellations.

A Constellation who had helped us several times on our way here, though I could never understand his true intentions. He had safely escaped the Apocalypse Dragon's Calamity and followed us.

"Thanks for your help."

[The world's ending is right in front of us. We can't let a petty human ruin everything. More importantly, there is no one left for you to scare, so you can probably dismiss that frightening appearance now.]

I dismissed my horns and wings.

"You should reveal your true form as well."

[What are you talking about?]

"Didn't we agree to stop acting?"

Junghyeok, who had been watching the situation, spoke up.

"Kim Dokja."

"You're right."

I glared at Loki.

The Constellation, One Who Changes Their Own Existence.

If I was right, that bastard wasn't a Constellation.

[The Constellation One Who Changes Their Own Existence is revealing its true identity!]

[The Con■stellation,■ One's■ ??Existence■??....]

A brilliant light enveloped Loki's body, and his appearance soon began to change. He grew a little shorter, and wrinkles rapidly formed across his face. Then two large humps grew on his cheeks.

「An existence that freely exploits the bugs of the Star Stream. The nemesis of every dokkaebi in the world, and the founder of the Seekers of the End.」

I had already encountered him once. At the Tongtian River in Journey to the West, he had dealt with the Great Dokkaebis who tried to hinder me in my stead.

An unsettling smile spread across his faintly twisted lips.

[You aren't the only ones dreaming of the Star Stream's end.]

"Hunchback King."

Recognizing his identity, Junghyeok immediately drew the Black Heaven Demon Blade.

[Put it away. I have no intention of fighting you.]

The Hunchback King waved his hand.

[There is only one thing I want to see. The "something" beyond this Final Wall that you have sought. That's all. And... it doesn't seem like you are in any position to worry about me right now.]

The moment I turned around, someone seized me by the collar. Jihye's face was right before mine. Fables of anger and resentment poured from her and battered my entire body.

"Mister. What is this? Huh? Was this part of your plan too?"

I could no longer feel the sea's presence from Jihye. I could no longer smell the faint scent of salt that had drifted toward me when I first met that girl on the subway.

"Kim Dokja!"

Jihye shook me as she cried. No one could stop her. Not Sangah, Huiwon, or Yuseong. They all had their heads lowered, staring at the floor.

「And Kim Dokja understood her feelings.」

This resentment was wholly mine to bear.

「But someone did not think so.」

"Jihye."

「It was Han Suyeong.」

"Let go!"

Jihye reacted violently to Suyeong's hand on her shoulder, but Suyeong didn't let go. She firmly brushed aside Jihye's bangs, wiped away the tears pooling in her eyes, and kept speaking.

"The Black Flame Dragon, Uriel, and the Naval Warfare God aren't dead."

"How... how do you know that?"

"I can feel it. It's very faint, but I can definitely feel that they're alive. And..."

Her voice was cold but kind, precise but unshaken. It was a voice only Han Suyeong could make.

"Wipe your tears and look carefully. Look at the state of the guy you're holding."

Jihye lowered her head with dazed eyes, then slowly raised her eyes. She hesitated for a long time as she looked at me. I didn't avert my gaze either.

"Why...?"

Jihye spoke in a trembling voice.

"Why are you crying, mister...?"

The hand clutching my collar loosened. Suyeong slipped through the opening and punched me in the face.

"Get a grip, idiot! Explain it properly. You didn't come all the way here without any idea what you were doing, right?"

In other words, if I had done this without thinking, she would definitely kill me.

Suyeong asked, "There's a way to save the Patron Constellations, right? Right...?"

「There was no such way.」

I looked up at the sky.

The pitch-black night sky of the Star Stream. The lights of many Constellations had gone out, but if I looked closely, some still glittered. They were stars whose light could only be faintly seen after watching them for a very long time.

「Kim Dokja hated Constellations. He had never forgotten that feeling for even a moment.」

"Maybe..."

「But this world's Scenario had changed even Kim Dokja.」

I looked at the Final Wall.

The wall where every fable in this world was recorded.

The wall that existed to record the "A Single Fable" every dokkaebi desired.

"It might be too late."

All this misfortune existed to be recorded on that wall.

No, perhaps it was the opposite. Because it had been recorded on that wall, all this had happened.

"But it might be possible."

It was impossible to change what had already happened. It was impossible to revive those whose souls had already vanished, to make it as though their wounds had never existed. There was no way to save a worldline that had already been destroyed. This world's damned Plausibility wouldn't allow such things. It was like the square circle Suyeong had spoken of.

「But if such a thing were possible.」

「If a wall capable of making a square circle real existed in this world.」

I clenched the Inner Core in my hand with all my strength.

[You have cleared Main Scenario #99 - Enemy of Stories!]

[Settlement of completion rewards has begun.]

[There is currently no Great Dokkaebi to handle the reward settlement.]

[Reward settlement has been delayed.]

.

.

.

[You have earned the right to meet the King of Stories.]

The brilliant wall opened its mouth toward us.

Footnotes:

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