WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 683: Episode 22: Name (5)

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At first, I wanted to argue.

After being dropped into this world without warning, I had still lived fairly diligently.

I had risked my life in situations where I might die just to survive. I might not have lived like Kim Dokja, but I thought I still had something to say.

―Do you know what kind of attribute Cyclical Body is?

That was what I thought.

―Why can you only use [Incitement] like that?

That was before Kim Dokja, the ‘Demon King of Salvation,’ began firing off questions.

―You have a good item like ‘Thought,’ so why are you so bad at using it? What do you do when you're resting? Haven't you registered Mimicry forms for your other items?

―Do you know how to handle fables other than "Persistent Martial Arts Master"?

―And that's not all the skills you've acquired. Why don't you use [Nagak Breathing]? Do you even practice chaining your skills together?

―Why haven't you learned any combat skills besides [White Pure Star Energy]? How can you not even have [Weapon Refinement] right now?

My mind was growing hazy.

Who was it that called him a “living mouth”?

―The more I talk, the angrier I get. Now I understand why I wasn't watching you.

"Please, don't get so angry."

―What do you expect me to do, calling me now? Fix what you messed up?

Every word hurt because he was probably right.

What had I been thinking when Junghyeok of the forty-first round passed out, and even Han Suyeong, whom I'd trusted, disappeared?

"I know I'm being shameless."

The Behind-the-Scenes Contract was my last choice.

To save this world, I called one person's name again and again, clinging to even the last straw. I cried out for him to save this world, saying I would offer anything in return.

"Please help me. You can do it."

He was Kim Dokja.

The protagonist of this story.

"I don't want to ruin this world any further."

I couldn't do it, but he could. He might be able to rewrite the story I had ruined.

"I want to save people."

Many people still remained in Gwanghwamun.

Readers like Uncle Dansu and Gyeongsein, as well as the people of this world I had managed to save through sheer luck.

Bang Cheolsu of Geumho Station and the Mujeong mother and daughter.

Sergeant Kim Heonyeol and Jeong Eunho of Seoul Station.

Jeong Huiwon and the other companions, who were probably carrying out Scenarios somewhere.

And.

"All of them, even the people who died."

Even the Readers I hadn't been able to save.

"You can do it."

Dokja, the observer of this world, could make it possible.

Just as he had proven in a previous life, he might even be able to change the sentences written on the Final Wall.

―Why don't you just ask me to make you regress?

Regression?

―Of course, I won't. I can't, either.

"I don't want that. This world is what I want to protect."

This ‘forty-first round’ existed only once.

If I regressed, I alone would disappear from this world, and a new forty-second round would simply be born.

"I don't want this world to be destroyed."

―It's already a destroyed world.

I knew that. But.

"It isn't written down."

―What?

"Nowhere in the novel you and I read does it say this worldline will be destroyed."

Of course, it wasn't entirely unwritten.

Once, the story of the forty-first round had been recounted by Shin Yuseong herself, who came from the forty-first round.

"Shin Yuseong's statement is only a ‘statement.’ What truly happened in the ‘forty-first round’ isn't recorded anywhere in TWSA. Isn't that right?"

―You're saying something interesting.

"Looks like you're finally interested."

Interesting.

It was a painful word, but even that was fine right now. It didn't matter if this world became someone's interest or entertainment. If that could save this world, I was prepared to do anything.

―But to carry out what you're thinking, you'll have to reach the end of this world. You know what that means, right?

The end of the world. The place where the Final Wall, on which everything in the universe was written, existed.

To reach it, I had to clear every Main Scenario.

"I know."

―Can you do it?

I shook my head.

What could someone who had passed only four Scenarios before collapsing for forty-five days do? Still.

"I can't do it alone."

My Patron was the ‘Demon King of Salvation.’

The owner of [The Fourth Wall], and the greatest divine being in the universe.

"Please challenge the end of the Scenarios with me one more time."

I believed in Dokja.

I believed that Dokja, who loved stories more than anyone, would be curious about the end of this world once again.

That was why I gave up becoming a Constellation and made a Behind-the-Scenes Contract with him.

―That's easy for you to say, brat. You're putting me in a difficult position.

"Is it because of Plausibility?"

Plausibility was certainly an important issue. Even Dokja couldn't carelessly ignore the Star Stream's Plausibility system.

―No, it's because I need to read TWSA.

"What on earth are you..."

For a moment, I was so dumbfounded that I nearly said something, then held it back.

Why did he keep reading that damned TWSA? Was it because of the Demon King of Salvation's attribute?

I didn't know.

Still, seeing how obsessed he was with reading it, perhaps he had an unavoidable reason of his own.

That gave me an idea.

"Strictly speaking, this world is part of TWSA too."

―That's true.

"Are you going to just watch the world of TWSA fall apart? You've already made a contract with me."

―Hmm.

"Please help me. If you do, I'll do anything."

I'd blurted it out in the heat of the moment, but saying it aloud made me feel a little embarrassed.

My opponent was the ‘Demon King of Salvation.’

A being who had already seen the conclusion of the world, a Great God whose name was listed among the Mythical-grade Constellations.

There was no way an offer from me to do anything for him would persuade someone like that.

I was considering another incentive related to TWSA when Dokja reacted unexpectedly.

―You'll do anything?

Desperate, I asked, "Will you help me?"

He fell silent for a while, as if deep in thought.

Had he gone off to read TWSA again?

"Inho-ssi."

Someone called me then.

When I turned around, a huge man who looked at least a head taller than me stood there. It was a face I knew well.

"Ah, hello."

"Yes. Are you feeling all right?"

Lee Hyeongseong wiped away the beads of sweat on his forehead and gave me his usual gentle smile.

Still, it looked like he had grown even bigger over the past forty-five days. It wasn't as though he was some hippopotamus drinking water. How could a person get so big?

"Thanks to you. Thank you."

Had he come because he was worried about me?

I didn't know. Hyeongseong had a kind personality, but was he the sort to worry about someone outside his group?

That was when my Patron, who had disappeared for a while, returned.

―Oh? It's Lee Hyeongseong.

He didn't say anything specific, but I could tell what he was thinking from his tone alone.

―Hmm, look at this.

Dokja was analyzing Hyeongseong's pectoral muscles.

―How hard would Hyeongseong have to be worked to get that big by the seventh Scenario...? Does Junghyeok here perhaps have the "Mad Soldier Yu Junghyeok" fable too?

Leaving the ‘Demon King of Salvation’ to mutter to himself, I asked Hyeongseong, "Um, is something wrong?"

After hesitating, Hyeongseong slowly nodded.

"The Captain is looking for you."

Junghyeok? Me?

Perhaps he read my expression, because Hyeongseong quickly spoke up. He was probably going to tell me not to worry, that it wasn't a big deal.

"Um... but I think you should be a little careful."

What?

"The Captain seems very angry."

"Angry? At me?"

"I don't know about that, but... he kept saying strange things to himself, that he would end up killing someone if this continued..."

My mind suddenly went blank.

Belatedly, I carefully thought back on what I had been doing forty-five days ago.

Still, I didn't think I had done anything terribly wrong to Junghyeok.

I'd clashed with him a few times while progressing through the Scenarios...

I'd stopped him from claiming the Absolute Throne...

I had used the unconscious Junghyeok as a shield to block attacks in Asmodeus's theater...

"Do I have to go?"

Hyeongseong gave a bitter smile.

"He told me to bring you no matter what..."

I was screwed.

―That's good.

It was easy for him to talk calmly when it wasn't his problem.

I frowned at the sky and mouthed, ‘What's good about this?’

―The protagonist himself is calling for you.

‘He said he'll kill me if I go.’

―At least until you die, you still have a use in this world.

Was that what Dokja meant when he said I was about to die?

If I could read TWSA like Dokja, I might at least find a hint on how to survive in a situation like this.

[You can no longer use Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World.]

But I no longer had TWSA.

―Why do you need TWSA?

"Ah."

For a moment, I'd forgotten who I had made a contract with.

That was right.

Now that I thought about it, I didn't need TWSA anymore.

―Come on, let's go take a look at the back of forty-first-round Junghyeok's head.

That was because my Patron was someone who knew Junghyeok better than anyone else in this world.

* * *

Inside Gwanghwamun, Junghyeok sat cross-legged and shirtless in a temporary shelter made by converting the courtyard of Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Several markings resembling tattoos had been carved into his muscular, sculpted back.

「Binding of Truth」

「Binding of Emotion」

「Binding of Life」

They were fable markings he had carved into his body one by one since entering this round.

Markings that would exert greater power as Status accumulated in his body.

Carving three fable markings into a body that hadn't even passed the tenth Scenario yet was practically suicide, but he didn't hesitate.

Shuuuu.

A while later, white vapor rose from Junghyeok's upper body. The unbalanced fables within him were gradually settling into place, impurities were being expelled from his body, and he was advancing toward a higher realm.

The path to becoming a Transcendent.

Normally, he wouldn't have attempted a transcendence leap at this stage, but Junghyeok was in a hurry this time.

[The Constellation Demonic Judge of Fire is watching you intently.]

[The Constellation Lily Blooming in Aquarius covers the eyes of Demonic Judge of Fire.]

[The Constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband picks at one ear with the Golden Headband.]

[The Constellation Abyssal Black Flame Dragon says that if he took his clothes off too, he would be at least that big.]

The noisy Constellations' messages scattered his concentration. He tried to endure them again and again, but he had reached his limit.

"Shut up."

The Mana that had been carefully refined scattered in an instant, and Junghyeok let out a deep breath.

He picked up the clothes and coat on the floor, frowning.

His clothes, scattered in a mess, looked just like this round.

No matter how he thought about it, something was strange about this round. The Constellations in the sky, the Incarnations following him, and.

‘Inho Cheon.’

That strange bastard, along with the name he kept muttering.

‘Kim Dokja.’

For some reason, the Incarnations of this world kept mentioning that name.

The Incarnations who hadn't been active in previous rounds did so most of all.

For example, Jophiel's idiotic Incarnation, who kept imitating Kim Dokja's manner of speaking.

―What do you usually eat?

―What time do you normally go to sleep, and what time do you get up?

―Do you perhaps practice intermittent fasting as well?

If Hyeongseong hadn't stopped him, Junghyeok would have smashed the head of that bastard who followed him around and pestered him with useless questions again and again.

―But don't you really remember anything when you hear the name ‘Kim Dokja’?

A throbbing pain spread through his temple, and a memory from forty-five days ago suddenly flashed through his mind.

With the Absolute Throne before him, he had fought an Incarnation.

A woman named Han Suyeong.

A being who knew he was the regressor, and who was stronger than any other Incarnation he'd met since entering this round.

When he regained consciousness after the fight, Junghyeok realized she had disappeared from this world.

All that remained where she had vanished were memories she had planted after rummaging through his mind as she pleased.

「"Let go of this hand and get lost, you fucking bastard."」

「"I'm a companion of Yu Junghyeok, who returned alive."」

A face he couldn't remember clearly, soft and indistinct like incompletely kneaded dough.

「"Hi, Junghyeok. Have you been well? You look good."」

As he recalled those memories repeatedly, Junghyeok realized they weren't his memories, but memories from another worldline.

Normally, the existence of such a world wouldn't have shaken him so deeply.

Not if he hadn't heard those words in the memories.

「"Yu Junghyeok, get a hold of yourself. Don't fool yourself into thinking things will improve if you repeat it enough times."」

A lofty voice that rang out as though carving away his entire life.

「"Even if you save the world, you won't be saved. The moment you save this world, all the worlds you abandoned will come rushing at you. Even if you save one world, every other world you abandoned will drag you into hell."」

「"Don't fool yourself into thinking the next round will be better just because you abandon this one. Maybe the round you're trying to abandon is the ‘only round’ where you can see the end of this world as a ‘human.’"」

During his life in the forty-first round, no one had ever told him such things.

And fortunately, the Junghyeok in those memories had been able to hear words Junghyeok himself never had.

In only the third round.

While still innocent, not yet sufficiently tainted by this world's tragedy.

He didn't know what became of that worldline's Junghyeok afterward.

What was certain was that something about that Junghyeok must have changed. If he was lucky, perhaps he really had seen the end of the world as a ‘human.’

The bitter smile on his lips was probably self-mockery of the years he had spent enduring tragedy more desperately than anyone.

「After enduring all those years, he was no longer ‘human.’」

He was Yu Junghyeok of the forty-first round.

The ‘only round’ where he could see the end of the world as a ‘human’ had ended long ago.

Nothing but tragedy remained in his life.

The eternal punishment granted to him for choosing [Regression].

The worlds he had abandoned would continue to clutch at his ankles like a curse.

Even if he cleared every Scenario, he would never be granted salvation.

Just as he thought that, someone shouted, "Hiyah!" and struck the back of his head, as if punishing his thoughts.

Footnotes:

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