WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS
Translator: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈
Chapter 715: Episode 26: Star Ladder (11)
──────
* * *
「"Kill him! Kill him somehow!"」
「"He's already received Fate. We can finish him here!"」
「"Kill him and take his fables!"」
「"You lunatic. Die! Just die already!"」
Historical Constellations shouted desperately from the pale screen.
Whenever a blue-white streak flashed, someone's head flew.
「"That won't kill me, you bastards."」
「"Kuaaack!"」
Whenever an Incarnation fell, a Historical Constellation took a terrible blow and was forced to leave.
After taking down another Constellation, the blood-covered "Demon King of Salvation" looked up at the sky.
As though he were aware of someone's gaze upon him.
【He never gets tired of it, does he?】
Asmodeus took a long sip of the Diet Coke beside him and let out a faint sigh.
When he briefly looked away from the screen, he saw Little Kim Dokjas staring at it with rapt expressions.
Their clothes, heights, and expressions were all different.
They had clearly looked identical when he first brought them here, but they had gradually changed over time.
One wore a cap with SSS written on it. Another wore the robes from a martial arts novel. Another, wearing thick-rimmed glasses, was writing something down...
Their tastes and favorite stories were all different, yet at this moment, they were focused on the same story.
Asmodeus gave a faint, bitter smile.
【Just like you.】
Another explosion rang out from the screen. The sound of someone falling. Screams and cries echoed, and as he watched the rain of falling meteors, Asmodeus quietly marveled.
【I've never seen anyone cause this kind of trouble in a seventh Scenario area. The nebulae have completely lost their minds. I wonder whether they'll be able to handle the aftermath.】
The nebulae likely knew it, too. They were only sacrificing Historical Constellations, but this was still close to catastrophic.
【Then again, when have those idiots ever thought before acting?】
The giant nebula leading this event would likely suffer at least ten percent damage to its Great Fable.
Even so, the nebulae had carried out this operation, resisting the Plausibility of that terrifying Star Stream.
「The first Kim Dokja, the "Demon King of Salvation," is worth that much.」
【It reminds me of the day I first met him.】
Even before becoming the "Demon King of Salvation," he had been a bold Incarnation.
He had dared to provoke the "Warden of the Dark," a servant of a Demon King, and had even used petty tricks to evade Asmodeus's curse.
Asmodeus had turned a blind eye to all of it.
It had been immensely interesting that a mere Incarnation without a single fable had done such things.
[The fable One Who Watched the Demon King of Salvation nods.]
Sensing the fable stirring within him for the first time in a while, Asmodeus shook his head.
A long relationship sometimes became a fable, even if it was an ill-fated one.
[Some Constellations who share fables with you have noticed your presence.]
[Some Constellations express displeasure at your presence.]
Asmodeus gave a hollow laugh.
He had wondered, and as expected, the stars from that worldline who liked Dokja were still alive.
【There's plenty of cola and popcorn. Wouldn't you like to come here too?】
The stars didn't answer.
They couldn't dare intervene either.
Asmodeus himself and the Constellations from other worldlines were all bound by special restrictions.
Then someone tugged at his sleeve.
When he turned, Little Little Kim Dokja stood there.
An especially small one.
【What is it, Little Little Dokja?】
Little Little Dokja looked up at him with teary eyes, then repeatedly looked from the screen to Asmodeus.
【Hm?】
Asmodeus's brow twitched.
【Are you asking me to help him?】
The child nodded vigorously.
Asmodeus put on a stern expression.
【Little Little Dokja, have you forgotten who I am? I am a Kim Dokja Representative. I am their enemy.】
Little Little Dokja tilted their head, as though unable to understand what he meant.
Asmodeus didn't respond any further.
Even so, those clear eyes continued watching him for a long time.
What kind of beings were Dokjas?
Asmodeus had gathered quite a few of his fragments, but he still couldn't understand Dokja.
Little Little Dokja's fingertips touched the back of Asmodeus's hand.
Startled by the sudden warmth, Asmodeus shook the hand away as if annoyed.
【I'm sorry, but I can't help him. Have you forgotten how badly the theater was damaged when I intervened carelessly?】
Even knowing Little Little Dokja wouldn't understand, Asmodeus continued.
【Part of the theater's functions broke then, so I can't even properly collect fragments now. Why would I help the culprit who ruined my theater...】
Asmodeus stopped speaking.
Little Little Dokja didn't look as though they understood a word.
【Why am I saying this to someone who can't even understand me?】
There was no reason or need for it, but if Asmodeus put his mind to it, he could save the Demon King of Salvation.
The problem was that it would make the story complicated.
[The Nebula Alliance is watching your intervention.]
The message arrived as if it had been waiting.
The giant nebulae had noticed Asmodeus's existence because of his previous intervention.
If he interfered with that Scenario, Asmodeus would have to accept considerable losses as well.
【Even if I don't step in, his story won't end easily.】
Little Little Dokja's small hand hesitated before taking Asmodeus's cold hand again.
Too tired even to shake it off, Asmodeus didn't avoid the hand.
He only stared at the screen with bored eyes.
【The end of this world will be far crueler than he thinks.】
* * *
How many Incarnations had I cut down? I'd even forgotten to count.
The Incarnations felled beneath the lightly dancing blue-white lightning were piled on top of one another.
[Some Constellations fail to endure the Plausibility shock and fall asleep.]
As the Constellations who had suffered massive damage from forcibly intervening in a lower Scenario left one after another, the number of attackers gradually decreased.
[Your Incarnation body has reached its limit.]
Every time I swung my sword, I tasted blood in my mouth.
I couldn't even remember the last time I'd fought like this.
"I've given it a lot of thought."
I swung my sword, then swung it again, and again.
"I don't think dying here is a good idea."
Judging by the decreasing number of Historical Constellations entering the Scenario, they were tired too.
At least for a while, there wouldn't be any Historical Constellations left to bother the youngest.
"I still haven't told the youngest enough about who Dokja is."
"What are you talking about? Just die already! Please!"
I cut down another Incarnation of a charging Historical Constellation.
"I want him to read TWSA, too."
Every Dokja liked stories. The "Demon King of Salvation" was no exception.
More than any other Dokja, I loved TWSA.
Still, I thought the youngest was the most persistent when it came to stories.
A Dokja who simply liked stories for what they were.
A Dokja who read even the stories every other Dokja had turned away from.
A Dokja who, after reading all those stories, now wanted to write a new one.
[The fable Demon King of Salvation continues its story.]
[The Warden of the Dark resonates with your fable.]
"Could he use something like TWSA, too?"
[A massive Fate wants your death!]
It was already the second Fate message.
Once three messages had accumulated, the power of [Fate] would grow stronger.
Those nebula bastards would surely fill every one of them.
"But you guys."
An arrow flew in from the side and lodged near my heart.
I staggered hard, and blood poured from my mouth.
Even so, I didn't fall.
"Even if you catch me like this, you're all guaranteed to be doomed."
Forcing [Fate] on a mere Incarnation and forcing [Fate] on a Fabled Constellation like me required different amounts of Plausibility.
Yet the giant nebulae hadn't corrected the error in [Fate].
That meant the giant nebulae had sacrificed an enormous amount of fables to force this [Fate].
"It doesn't end just because you forced [Fate]. You need to secure the minimum Plausibility needed to carry out that [Fate]."
Even while staggering, I kept walking forward.
Another charging Incarnation fell before me.
"It means you're nowhere near enough. Even the youngest could understand that."
I grinned through the blood.
Incarnations lay scattered everywhere I walked.
On the verge of collapsing but never falling, I cut down Historical Constellations again and again.
"Damn it, he's crazy. He's insane!"
"How can he go that far..."
"A Mad Star..."
No one could stop me as I swung my sword with arrows embedded all over my body.
They knew I would fall if they pushed just a little further, yet no one dared deliver the final blow.
"How can a monster like that..."
The outcome had been decided from the beginning.
The Plausibility of the giant nebulae supported them, and renowned Historical Incarnations had swarmed in.
Even if they weren't using the power of their true bodies, they deployed Incarnation bodies with increased synchronization rates again and again.
And yet.
"Why?"
I didn't fall.
The Gatekeeper of Thebes muttered as though their soul had left their body.
"Why won't he fall?"
Fear began to rise that they might not be able to kill me.
As terror clouded their thoughts, they gradually began to see the fables surrounding me.
[The fable Demon King of Salvation continues its story.]
Why did Mythical Constellations covet the "Demon King of Salvation"?
Why did they want his fragments so badly, even as they disparaged him as a "discarded god"?
The Gatekeeper of Thebes foolishly felt as though they finally understood everything.
"Ev-everyone..."
The rest of the words wouldn't come.
They knew they only had to push a little harder, yet they couldn't be certain.
「They couldn't imagine ever being able to kill that Constellation.」
[The Constellation Gatekeeper of Thebes is persuaded by the fable.]
This was the power of a fable.
The reason a Historical Constellation couldn't defeat a Fabled Constellation.
The Historical Constellations whose will to fight had broken began retreating hesitantly.
Not every star had been persuaded, though.
"It seems Historical fools alone weren't enough after all."
A long spear flew in from somewhere and pierced my back.
As I staggered, one of my knees buckled for the first time.
A Status that wasn't intimidated even by that powerful fable.
Only a star with an equally great fable could do such a thing.
[The Plausibility Backlash begins.]
Despite the Scale of Plausibility's rules, the Plausibility Backlash was slowly closing in.
It was clear proof that this Scenario didn't permit that Constellation's existence.
[The Constellation Ferocious God of War increases the synchronization rate with his Incarnation!]
The Ferocious God of War, Ares.
A Constellation ranked among Olympus's Twelve Seats had entered the battle with his Incarnation.
[The Constellation Ferocious God of War declares the end.]
At Ares's command, the Historical Constellations who had been intimidated rushed in again.
I grinned.
"Youngest, are you watching?"
The lightning striking down from the sky grew fiercer.
The giant nebulae were likely sacrificing enormous Plausibility for this miracle.
"You need to see a lot if you want to write well."
With one knee buckled, I cut down the charging Constellations.
Without enough Mana, [White Pure Star Energy] flickered.
Instead, I used that imbalance in Mana to cut down Incarnations as if performing acrobatics.
Whenever the Blade of Faith flashed intermittently, another Historical Incarnation fell.
[The influence of the fable Demon King of Salvation gradually decreases.]
The ground around me burned from the blazing flames coiled around Ares's spear.
I changed the Mimicry form of Broken Faith into Unbreakable Faith.
With my sword planted in the ground, I fought for breath.
Words were being written across the Fourth Wall for me.
「Kim Dokja had people he wanted to see.」
When I lowered my head, I saw a cigarette on the ground.
The lit cigarette released white smoke.
「He would no longer be able to meet them.」
Breathing in the acrid scent, I read the words being written on the wall.
A story describing my death.
Words for a Dokja who wanted to read even that story to the end.
「Kim Dokja decided to accept that story.」
I didn't know who was writing the words on the wall.
Just as I couldn't tell whether the one beyond that curtain was Yu Junghyeok or not.
Still, someone wrote, someone read, and someone lived.
Forever unable to reach one another, they would complete this story together.
I picked up the fallen cigarette and took a puff.
Exactly one puff's worth of fable seeped deep into my soul.
Looking down at the cigarette, I said,
"Keep writing, Han Suyeong."
Watching Ares approach, I gathered my last strength and gripped Unbreakable Faith.
"I can still read more."
I was still curious about how this story ended.
Footnotes:
Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried
