WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 69: Episode 14 - Master of the Throne (5)

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I picked up the severed head and asked,

"So this was an 'avatar' too. Is Han Suyeong your real name?"

"Yeah."

As expected, Han Suyeong was the 'First Apostle.' That damned plagiarist. So this was where she'd been hiding.

"W-what the hell is that bastard?!"

People cried out in shock toward us. Voices rang out in confusion, shouting about betrayal and infighting. Protecting Yu Sangah and Lee Gilyeong, I retreated to one side of the cavern. All while holding Han Suyeong's talking head in one hand.

"So I was right after all. You were the one who spread the contents of the Revelation. Right?"

"More precisely, I spread the contents of your 'plagiarized novel.'"

"My Revelation isn't plagiarism!"

"It is plagiarism. You copied the original setting wholesale."

"Don't compare my work to that trash."

"The fact that you understand what I'm saying means you aren't denying that you read the original, right?"

Han Suyeong ground her teeth and glared at me.

"Kill this bastard! What are you all doing?!"

"T-the head is talking!"

Han Suyeong's expression twisted. Even with the commotion breaking out, people only panicked and failed to take any decisive action. And soon, they wouldn't even have the spare attention to worry about us. Smiling at Han Suyeong, I said,

"The cliché you mentioned is about to begin."

As if on cue, light burst from the front of the cavern.

Something like a ring of light swept across the area, and long bloody seams appeared on a few people's bodies.

"What...?!"

Pshushushut!

Bodies split apart whole, spraying jets of blood. The people in the rear were showered in blood and screamed.

"Damn it, it's him!"

Inside the black cavern, sinister Mana writhed. A crushing presence was approaching from the front, pressing down on the entire cavern.

"Raise the palanquin."

Along with that androgynous voice, the front of a huge palanquin came into view. Someone's shadow flickered inside it. I shouted reflexively.

"Yu Sangah-ssi, Gilyeong! Fall back!"

A voice flowed out from the palanquin.

"Charge."

The palanquin began plowing through people as if it were a chariot. Three-colored rings of light flew in through the curtains and ruthlessly swept across the battlefield. Dozens died at once. People stared in disbelief with blood frothing at their lips. Bodies writhed on the ground with arms and legs missing. The front ranks were emptied in an instant.

"Ugh..."

The group members, gripped by fear, retreated. In the silence that crashed down over them, everyone shut their mouths tight. The Tyrant King pulled back the curtain and stepped outside.

"How truly pathetic. So these are the kings of later generations..."

In his hand was the Three Wheeled Ring, an item capable of firing condensed rings of Mana. The Three Wheeled Ring was a hidden item obtainable in northern Seoul, but it wasn't something the Tyrant King of the original story possessed.

So it really was true that he'd brought some of the prophets with him.

[Exclusive Skill, Character Profile, is activating!]

+

Name: Jeong Yonghu

Age: 33

Patron constellation: Heoncheon Hongdo Gyeongmun Wimu the Great King

Exclusive attributes: Circus Performer (Rare), Tyrant King (Heroic)

Exclusive skills: [Grappling Proficiency Lv.5], [Heoncheon Step Lv.3], [Weapons Proficiency Lv.5]

Stigma: [Palanquin Chariot Lv.5], [Cheoyong Dance Lv.5], [Tyranny Lv.4]

Overall stats: [Constitution Lv.30], [Strength Lv.28], [Agility Lv.28], [Mana Lv.34(+2)]

Overall evaluation: The worst tyrant on the Korean Peninsula has found a commoner nursing a grudge. A commoner who has always been dissatisfied with the social order will never turn away from an opportunity like this.

* Starter Pack is currently being used.

* growth package is currently being used.

* New Scenario Commemorative Package is currently being used.

+

Sure enough, once I looked at the Attributes Window, it all made sense. He'd already torn open three packages, so of course he was this strong. That Constellation liked tightrope-walking Plausibility to a dangerous degree.

And that aura rippling from his whole body. The Tyrant King's Patron constellation had pushed the synchronization rate to its very limit. At some point, Bihyeong and a few other dokkaebi were glaring at him from the air. The moment they judged that he had violated Plausibility, they'd probably demand a Plausibility compliance ruling.

"Insolent descendants. You dared not record me as a 'king.'"

The Tyrant King's Patron constellation, Heoncheon Hongdo Gyeongmun Wimu the Great King, spoke.

"The reason I have come here is simple. I shall punish the historians of later ages and set right the history that was distorted."

He was the worst tyrant on the Korean Peninsula, and yet he had failed to be recorded in history as a 'king.'

"I am Yeonsangun, Yi Yung!"

Tremendous Mana erupted from the Tyrant King, who was confusing himself with his Patron constellation. The bellies of the group members charging forward burst open all at once. A Three Wheeled Ring wrapped in more than 30 Mana. Even I would be in danger if I got hit by that.

"Don't fall back!"

"Everyone, fight back!"

But the anti-Tyrant alliance wasn't weak either. The other kings aside, the Earth Dragon King and the Maitreya King were part of the Seven Kings of Seoul just like the Tyrant King.

Once several kings joined forces, the one-sided battle gradually began to even out. All the kings had pushed synchronization with their Patron constellations close to the limit. Not only the Incarnations, but even the Historical constellations were all desperate.

Looking down at Han Suyeong's head in my hand, I said,

"Aren't you going to fight?"

At my words, Han Suyeong let out a low chuckle.

"You're laughing? Looks like you've still got room to spare."

"...Arrogant bastard. You think things are going according to your plan right now, don't you?"

"...?"

"Yeonsangun and the other kings have started fighting, so you think once they're exhausted, you'll be able to snatch the Four Yin Demon-Slaying Sword. Right?"

It was a pretty close deduction.

"But it won't happen that way. Spreading the Revelation was decent enough, but I've been preparing for today far longer than you have."

"What kind of bullshit are you talking about?"

"I'm saying the cliché wins in the end."

The voice of an intermediate dokkaebi came from the air.

[Hehe, you're all fighting well. Even our Historical constellations are being awfully desperate, aren't they? Yes, of course. The Incarnations and the Constellations both need to work hard. You all want to be promoted to fabled-grade, don't you?]

At the sneering voice of the dokkaebi, the sounds of battle briefly quieted.

[And so I have brought good news. From this moment on, the conditions for the second qualification are unlocked!]

+

1. "The master of the throne must be braver than any other."

- The Absolute Throne never desires a 'weak king.' To challenge the throne, you must be a king who possesses at least a [Black Flag].

2. "One who dreams of the throne must be worthy of that desire as well."

- The number of 'kings' who may challenge the Absolute Throne is fixed. To obtain the right to challenge it, you must eliminate the other kings around you.

+

The intermediate dokkaebi smiled a chilly smile.

[For reference, only five kings may challenge the final qualification of the Absolute Throne. Now then, how many remain...? Let's see.]

[Current number of kings remaining: 14]

People burst into loud murmurs.

"F-fourteen of them?"

"Are there still kings outside?"

[And just so you know, there are currently 12 kings inside the hidden dungeon.]

Even I was a little surprised. I hadn't expected there to be that many 'kings' inside this dungeon.

Then again, this cavern couldn't be the only place with kings in it.

"Who is it? Who's the king in hiding?!"

The Tyrant King mocked the people in their confusion.

"Hahaha! You all stabbing each other in the back is truly laughable."

"This isn't the time to start infighting! Focus on the Tyrant King!"

Just as the kings were barely managing to calm the uproar,

"Over here! This bastard is a king!"

The head of Han Suyeong in my hand suddenly shouted on its own.

"I saw it! This bastard has a 'flag'!"

"What?"

Well now. I immediately stomped Han Suyeong's head until it burst. Everyone's attention turned to me. It was the moment one of the remaining kings marked for death had been decided.

"If we just kill that bastard..."

But the feeling of it was wrong. If this was the scheming of that plagiarist, the move was far too shallow.

Wait, no way?

...Interesting. So that was what she was thinking.

While everyone's attention was focused on me, there were those who moved secretly behind the kings. They were the loyal retainers the kings cherished.

Stab! Stab!

"Kuhk...!"

Thin daggers stabbed into backs and slit the throats of unwary kings.

[The number of kings remaining has decreased.]

[Current number of kings remaining: 12]

The Coward King and the Brawling King, whose Constitution had already fallen, died on the spot. The Maitreya King and the Earth Dragon King also seemed to have taken heavy damage from the ambush. Even the Tyrant King himself was stabbed in the side and thigh by three slaves who charged him from behind.

"You lowborn filth...!"

And then I realized who the being was that had stabbed them all at once. The heads of the traitorous humans fell simultaneously, but no blood flowed from those severed heads. The star gems of the fallen kings vanished, taken away by someone's nimble hands.

"My gem! My gem!"

The star gems, passed along by the hands of hidden [Avatars], eventually ended up gathered in the hands of one person.

"I told you. The cliché wins in the end."

A beautiful young girl stood grinning in an alcove of the cavern wall, as if standing on air. So that was the real body of that plagiarist?

The seven star gems gathered in her hand shone brightly.

[Fake King Han Suyeong has acquired all seven star gems!]

[Using the seven star gems as Sacrifice, a new item is being summoned.]

[Fake King Han Suyeong has summoned the Four Yin Demon-Slaying Sword!]

In the end, that plagiarist became the master of the Four Yin Demon-Slaying Sword. And 'Fake King,' of all things. Surprisingly enough, it suited her perfectly.

"Dokja-ssi. What should we do?"

"It's still fine."

At my calm reply, Yu Sangah looked puzzled.

"Will it really be all right? I heard that sword is an incredibly good item."

That's true. It really was a good item, since it was an S+-grade item. But by that logic, Yeonsangun's Three Wheeled Ring was also an S-grade item. There was some difference in performance, but not enough to put it in another league.

"Hahahahat! Die! Just die already!"

Blinding Mana pouring from the Four Yin Demon-Slaying Sword swept across the battlefield. But people didn't die easily. The ones who looked as if they should burst apart cleanly endured her Mana with difficulty instead.

Partly because she'd used [Avatars] in large quantities and her Mana had fallen a lot, but above all because three kings were still standing strong.

Startled, Han Suyeong shouted,

"W-what is this? Why is this sword so weak?"

"Kill her! Kill that bitch and take the sword!"

"A-ahhh! Back off! Back off, I said!"

Somehow, I had expected it to end up like this. Before I knew it, Han Suyeong had been pushed back all the way to where my allies and I were standing. I sneered.

"You're pretty good at breaking clichés. You should write like that more often."

"Shut up!"

"Want help?"

"I don't need it!"

Han Suyeong shouted boldly and swung the sword again. But it was obvious she was being pushed back more and more. I wanted to tell that idiot one thing. That weapon had been famous not because the weapon itself was strong, but because its original owner had been strong.

"I'll kill all of you myself!"

The Tyrant King, having regained his confidence, launched his attack, and the other kings also threw themselves into the melee. Before long, the battle was turning into a chaotic free-for-all with neither ally nor enemy.

Still, it should be time for him to arrive soon...

Was he somehow still lost?

Even if the distance from here to the northern region was a bit far, for that guy, it was already more than enough time to have gone and come back.

[Current number of kings remaining: 11]

Then the number on the floating notification changed.

[Current number of kings remaining: 10]

Ah, just as I thought.

[Current number of kings remaining: 9]

He's here.

"W-what is this?!"

"The number of kings is dropping!"

The terrified kings looked around them. The count of 'kings' was decreasing without anyone even knowing who was dying or how.

[Current number of kings remaining: 8]

At last, once the number dropped to a single digit, the kings' fear reached its limit.

"Someone's here! Someone is only killing kings!"

On the other hand, there was one man who seemed delighted instead.

It was the Tyrant King.

"Hahaha! Who cares! You can all die too!"

Just as the Tyrant King's Three Wheeled Ring was about to flare again, the ceiling of the cavern collapsed and buried the Tyrant King beneath it.

A horrifying storm of Mana swept in, and the Tyrant King trapped beneath it let out a scream of agony. An enormous tempest of Mana, enough to break all living things down to the particle level, crushed the Tyrant King's entire body.

"Ugh... Aaah... Uaaaaaagh!"

And then.

[Current number of kings remaining: 7]

Only that merciless number remained before people's eyes.

The people closest to that abnormal scene trembled and collapsed to the ground.

"W-what... what is that?!"

The man who had blown apart the terrifying Tyrant King like a bug in a single strike slowly revealed himself through the acrid cloud of smoke.

The dead kings, and the kings who survived.

Every one of them stared at him in a daze. Han Suyeong, her legs shaking, backed away in terror.

"No way... No way!"

Suddenly, I remembered something one of her avatars had said. She'd said the strongest among Seoul's kings was the Tyrant King. As I'd thought earlier, that wasn't true.

Among the Seven Kings of Seoul I'd met so far, there had been five in total, including Han Donghoon, who had failed to become a king because of the prophets.

Han Donghoon, King of the Hidden Shadows.

King of Beauty Min Jiwon.

Maitreya King Cha Sanggyeon.

Earth Dragon King Gu Taeseong.

And Tyrant King Jeong Yonghu.

Even excluding the Neutral King, who still hadn't appeared here, one seat was still vacant. Then whose seat was the last remaining one?

The answer was simple.

In truth, I had met this guy before any other king.

The enraged bastard's voice rang out through the entire cavern.

"Kim Dokja..."

Smiling, I waved a hand at him.

Behind him, a black flag fluttered as he strode forward.

"You're dead..."

The strongest of the Seven Kings of Seoul was, of course, the Supreme King Yu Junghyeok.

Footnotes:

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