WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS
Translator: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈
Chapter 529: Episode 101: Something That Exists Nowhere (4)
──────
Lee Sukyeong stood before the darkest star.
"Will you come with us?"
[The Constellation Queen of the Darkest Spring has slowly opened her eyes.]
Persephone wasn't staying in the underworld. After the Star Stream collapsed, the passage to the underworld had vanished. She was currently staying in a private room of the industrial complex.
All day, she gazed at the night sky as if counting fables from long ago.
[The fact that I am still alive must mean that, at least, my ■■ wasn't here.]
Warmth still lingered in her eyes as she slowly turned her head.
Warmth someone had left behind. Sukyeong knew whose fable it was.
[The fable Promise of the Darkest Night continues its story.]
The King of the Underworld had promised to stay with her until the end of this world.
True to his word, he had died at this world's end in Persephone's place.
[Let's go. We have to save that child.]
* * *
Jeong Huiwon knocked on the old door to the industrial complex's private room.
"Are you in there?"
The door opened easily when she turned the knob. The first thing she saw was a holographic figure welcoming her.
『Kim Dokja Escapes the Ichthyosaur!』
Dokja stood there at the moment he escaped the ichthyosaur. There was even a line beneath the holographic figure.
「"Well then, shall we head outside?"」
Huiwon stared blankly at the bizarre sculpture.
And it wasn't the only one.
『Kim Dokja Destroys the Absolute Throne!』
『Kim Dokja Liberates the Demon Realm!』
"Even Yuseong and Gilyeong's rooms aren't this bad."
As if she were sightseeing, Huiwon looked around at the figures. They were arranged by year and Scenario, and following them brought old memories rushing back.
Uriel must have watched Dokja through every one of those moments.
Among them was something that looked like a special collectible, a squid's hind leg.
『Squid Kim Dokja's Last Leg made by Yangsan.』
The moment Huiwon suspiciously placed her hand against the glass case, a constellation's declaration rang out.
[If you touch that wrong, Uriel will get angry.]
Since when had she been there? A gaunt-faced Archangel sat at a table beside the case.
No, hardly anyone would recognize her as an Archangel now.
Though she had spoken first, the woman didn't look at Huiwon, silently turning the pages of her book. Huiwon watched her long eyelashes for a moment before asking,
"Gabriel. Where is Uriel?"
[The Constellation Lily Blooming in Aquarius has revealed her presence.]
The power of fables rippled across her body like waves. Perhaps that was the Archangel's last remaining pride.
[Last Incarnation of Eden.]
Gabriel quietly closed her book. Her eyes gleamed as though she already knew why Huiwon had come.
[I've crossed a worldline before. It was a terrifying experience. What you intend to do is even worse. You'll never survive.]
"Is that an Eden-style curse?"
[This is your reality. Don't run away. You aren't planning to turn the result you gained after going to the trouble of destroying the Star Stream back into nothing, are you?]
Reality.
The weight of that word inexplicably pressed down on Huiwon's chest. Instead of answering, she looked around the room again.
A bunk bed used by Uriel and Gabriel stood in one corner. Above it, the word EDEN was plastered up like a poster.
「The nebula Eden had ended. No one here was unaware of that fact.」
"A landscape or a place doesn't make reality."
Though Eden had ended, someone still called this place Eden because an Archangel remained here.
「Even if only the two of them were left.」
"It's a wonderful Eden."
When Huiwon turned her head, Gabriel was looking at her with trembling eyes.
"Where is Uriel?"
[Behind you.]
Uriel stood behind her.
Perhaps she had been out buying snacks. Her small arms were full of instant food.
Her emerald eyes went wide in surprise.
Huiwon looked at her Patron for a long time.
There was barely any trace of Archangelic radiance left in Uriel now. The wings that had grown from her back were gone, and her clothes had changed. Instead of the black dress she loved wearing, Uriel wore a gray hoodie and sweatpants.
[H-Huiwon.]
Huiwon knew better than anyone why Uriel had become like this.
"Uriel."
「Wouldn't Uriel be happier if she stayed here?」
The Archangel had carried out Scenarios for even longer than Huiwon had. Was it right to drag her into hell once again?
Instead of speaking, Huiwon clenched her fist. A faint flame rose from within it.
[hellfire inferno].
The purest flame in the world, given to her by her Patron.
The moment it ignited, a sculpture in the room's dim darkness gave off the same light. Huiwon unconsciously turned toward it.
A doll with a face identical to hers.
Dokja wasn't the only one here.
As if possessed, Huiwon approached and looked into the glass case.
There she was, holding the Sword of Judgement and releasing pure white [hellfire inferno].
『My Only Incarnation』
Huiwon suppressed the emotion welling up inside her and spoke.
"Uriel."
[Huiwon.]
The instant she heard that warm voice, Huiwon realized it.
Her Patron already knew everything.
"Just like then, cheer me on as I keep living."
When Huiwon slowly turned her head, Uriel was smiling sadly, as though asking if Huiwon was really sure.
Huiwon knelt before her.
"Become my Patron once again."
* * *
"Where did that Black Flame Dragon bastard go? Black Flame Dragooon!"
"General! My General!"
Han Suyeong and Lee Jihye's voices rang out as they searched for their respective Constellations. In the middle of the chaotic crowd, Yu Junghyeok looked down at his younger sister.
Yu Mia had a sulky expression, as though something had upset her. Junghyeok sighed.
"You'll be safe if you stay here."
"......"
"This world will stabilize soon. Now, in this world..."
"But you won't be here, Oppa."
It had been a long time since Mia had spoken casually to him.
Junghyeok was about to say something about it, but changed what he was going to say.
"I'll come back."
"When?"
"After I see the end of the other worldline and save Dokja."
"When will that be?"
Junghyeok couldn't answer.
"It will be dangerous. I can't take you there."
"That's a lie."
A faint aura of Transcendence Form flowed from Mia's entire body.
The Status of a Transcendent.
After months of training, Mia had astonishingly awakened the first form of a Transcendent. The youngest Transcendent in history. It was truly an extraordinary talent.
"If you were going to say that, why didn't you stop me from training? I trained with Gilyeong-oppa and Yuseong-unni, too."
"......"
"Tell me honestly, Oppa."
As he looked into the girl's unwavering eyes, Junghyeok slowly closed his own.
He had made thorough plans to ensure that no one would be lost. They were more meticulous and perfect than any he had made before. But there were always variables, and Mia could be in danger again.
Junghyeok lowered his gaze, half-kneeling before Mia.
"I want you to come with us."
That was the answer Mia wanted. Her small hand stroked Junghyeok's head.
"As soon as we regress, the companions will come get you."
"If I hadn't been there, you all would've died during Capture the Flag."
As she said that, Mia opened her mouth wide with a "Waaah."
Junghyeok frowned as he looked inside, about to say something.
"Hey, I found them all!"
Suyeong approached, waving one hand while holding Black Flame Dragon in a headlock with the other. Behind her was Jihye, hanging from the arms of Naval Warfare God and Goryeo's Top Swordsman.
Junghyeok frowned and asked,
"Where's the monkey?"
Suyeong silently gestured with her chin.
[The Constellation Oldest Liberator acts haughtily.]
Junghyeok narrowed his eyes and looked up. Great Sage Equaling Heaven floated there, grinning.
"When did you get here?"
[Isn't your preparation taking too long? If the youngest dies because of you, I'll tear you limb from limb where you stand.]
Even with his Status lowered and the Star Stream destroyed, a Mythical was still a Mythical. With the system gone, only Great Sage Equaling Heaven could still give off such overwhelming force.
Junghyeok spoke.
"If you become a nuisance, I'll cut you down at any time."
Great Sage Equaling Heaven bared his white teeth and smiled.
[In the next round, we'll settle the match we couldn't finish. I'll test whether you can truly compare to Secretive Plotter...]
"Alright, everyone's ready, right?"
At Suyeong's voice, the Incarnations waiting nearby tensed one after another.
Everyone from Kim Dokja Company who had decided to join this Regression had gathered as well. Yu Sangah, Jeong Huiwon, Lee Hyeongseong, Shin Yuseong, Lee Gilyeong, Lee Jihye, Lee Seolhwa, and Jang Hayoung. Lee Sukyeong and Selena Kim were there, too.
The people of the industrial complex said their goodbyes.
"Supreme King, make sure you remember what I taught you."
"Peihu. The future of the continent rests on you."
"Rannvir Khan..."
At the center of them all floated a small dokkaebi.
"Biyoo."
Yuseong reached out without realizing it.
Biyoo, who was staying behind with the people of the industrial complex, looked strangely dejected.
「Biyoo couldn't go with them.」
Like Han Myeongoh's daughter, Biyoo had been born after this world's destruction began. On the path they were taking, Biyoo couldn't become their Streamer.
Biyoo spoke as though comforting them.
[Don't be sad. I'll cheer for you in every worldline. I'm the Dokkaebi King. If I train a little harder and find the legacy left behind by the Hunchbacks, I'll be able to cross worldlines too. Then we'll meet again someday.]
"I'll wait. Even if it takes tens of thousands of years."
Baaat!
Fireworks exploded across the entire industrial complex.
"We're leaving."
[The Stigma Group Regression Lv.1 has activated!]
At last, Yu Junghyeok began his Regression. The instant the Stigma activated, Junghyeok and the others were bathed in dazzling rays of light.
Then,
"You rude bastards! You didn't even come get me...!"
Pildu Gong came charging toward them from afar, roaring as he forced his way into the light of Regression.
Kraaaash!
The world began to break apart.
Holding each other's hands tightly, the group watched the vanishing world. Biyoo's brightly smiling face seemed distorted.
Would they meet again?
Pain followed, as though their souls were being torn apart. Yuseong gritted her teeth.
「Yu Junghyeok had always endured moments like this alone.」
Luckily, he wasn't alone this time.
Yuseong realized she was drifting through a distant galaxy. The scenery receded at speeds too fast to see. The Star Stream took on a different shape in each worldline.
Outer Gods abandoned among the ashes of those stories called out to them.
【Aaaaaaaaaa】
【Come here, come here, come here, come here, come here, come here】
Suyeong tightly gripped Yuseong's hand.
"Keep your wits about you if you don't want to get sucked in."
Yuseong looked back at the Outer Gods drifting away again and again. In the previous round, Dokja had saved the Outer Gods. He had given names to forgotten stories once more.
Even so, many forgotten things still remained in this universe.
Suyeong spoke again.
"We aren't Dokja. We can't save every world out there."
Yuseong and the others all knew.
「They were already hard-pressed to save even the one world before them.」
But someday.
「Stories that had never reached their ending were all flowing somewhere.」
The distant Outer Gods became a beautiful galaxy once more.
Tragedy is that beautiful from a distance.
Suyeong shouted,
"Hey, does it normally take this long? Are we even going the right way..."
That was when a sound like a drum tearing apart rang out from somewhere.
Craaack!
[The worldline has detected the activation of Group Regression!]
[The Star Stream has flagged the Plausibility of that Stigma!]
[That Stigma is a power that exceeds the limits of Plausibility!]
Something had gone wrong.
As Suyeong shouted something, darkness swallowed her vision.
When she opened her eyes again, Suyeong realized she had been thrown into a place like a pure white snowfield.
"What the hell? Where is this place?"
The others were nowhere to be seen. The only person there was Yu Junghyeok, wearing a stupid expression.
"The worldlines became tangled."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean? Didn't you prepare properly?"
Junghyeok closed his eyes, seeming to assess something.
"I prepared properly. And the rest of the group... seems to have safely arrived in the 1,865th round. Only the two of us ended up here."
"Where is this place?"
"It seems we've been trapped in the gap between worldlines."
Suyeong looked around once more.
Enormous black structures floated amid the pure white snowfield.
"Wait a little. I'll gather fables and activate the Stigma again."
"How long will that take? Hurry up. If we arrive too late, the whole plan will be ruined!"
Junghyeok didn't answer, as though he had already begun concentrating.
Suyeong suddenly rose and placed her hand on a nearby structure. Black material like graphite rubbed off onto her hand.
"What is this...?"
The next instant, the structure's full shape appeared in her mind.
「a square」
There was no doubt.
That structure was definitely shaped like that.
And the structure in front of it was...
「a vertical line with a short stroke to the left」
A chill slowly ran down her spine. She continued reading the structures.
Before long, they formed a sentence.
「Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint」
Footnotes:
Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried
