WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS
Translator: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈
Chapter 770: Episode 34: Brothers (1)
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When I was little, as an only child, I once begged my parents to give me a younger sibling.
Whenever I did, they either smiled awkwardly or looked sad. Sometimes, with half-joking expressions, they told me that I actually had an older brother they had kept hidden from me.
「“Where is my brother?”」
「“Your brother became a star.”」
Looking back, I think that might have been some kind of metaphor.
My father added with a deliberately solemn expression.
「“Hakhyeon. Family doesn't have to mean you share the same blood. Don't put too much meaning in blood. That, too, is an illusion.”」
Looking back, he had just been indirectly saying that raising me alone was already difficult. Of course, there was no way I could have understood that as a child.
「“What matters more is what history connects you. That alone can make you family.”」
My father's words sounded just like a famous line from a boys' comic. So, like an extra in one of those comics, I said, “Oooh.”
And now, more than a decade later, I found myself recalling my father's famous line.
“Dokja!”
Though I was being called by my brother's name rather than my own, emotion surged through me.
“Everyone, fall back!”
The demonic species swarming in were viciously tearing the students apart.
My companions stood at the center of it all.
“Sein! Uncle Dansu! This way! Get over here! Ilhun! Seyeon!”
Killer King and Chae Yerin immediately joined us after hearing my voice.
“Dokja. Why did the exam suddenly begin?”
“Did they ever tell us before starting one? Follow me!”
More than a hundred demonic species had flooded the forest entrance.
If we confronted them now, we would be devoured without even leaving behind bones.
“Arghhh!”
“Run! Just run!”
There were not only many demonic species, their grades were formidable as well.
At least Tier-5 demonic species.
Students who had lost their limbs were fleeing from a parade of monsters that appeared to be at least demonic viscount-grade.
[You can evacuate into the school.]
I saw the crying Incarnations rushing toward the school. They had given up on the Scenario under the pressure of the demonic species.
[If you evacuate into the school, you will automatically fail the graduation exam.]
Uriel, Crouching Dragon, and the teachers led by the Mass Production Maker were waiting at the school.
They would probably protect the students who fled.
I saw Uriel watching us from afar. She looked as though she wanted to come over immediately. However, Plausibility held her back, and she couldn't defy it.
I looked at my companions.
“Let's enter the forest.”
Normally, someone would have cried out in horror, but none of my companions complained.
Instead, they nodded as though they had been waiting for this.
A memory from long ago suddenly came to mind.
Gyeong Sein and Uncle Dansu struggling to catch even one Ground Rat. Chae Yerin and Killer King having a hard time against the Warden of the Dark.
Crunch!
Gyeong Sein's fist crushed the head of a charging Tier-5 demonic species.
Now that even their skill restrictions had been lifted, my companions were freely rampaging through the demonic species and beating them down.
Gyeong Sein waved from afar.
“What are you doing? Hurry up, Dokja!”
If they wanted to live, they could return to the school.
Even so, none of my companions stepped back.
“We'll clear a path.”
They had made their decision.
[The faction you belong to is uniting.]
[A new fable is beginning to sprout!]
I stood beside them and swung my sword as well.
"Unbreakable Faith," left behind by Han Suyeong and Kim Dokja, shone brightly.
[Way of the Wind] condensed at the tip of my blade, swirling as blades of wind scattered in every direction.
Gyaaaah!
In "The Infinite Prison Warden," this demonic species flood was a kind of entry event. Once we broke through the wave of demonic species at the entrance and entered the forest, we would rarely face them in such numbers before encountering the Great Demon.
[You have entered the interior of the Demon Forest.]
Before long, we broke through the demonic species force and entered the forest.
[The Scenario details have been updated!]
+
<Main Scenario #20: Graduation>
Category: Main
Difficulty: SSS+
Clear Conditions: Enter the Demon Forest's origin site and defeat the Great Demon 73rd Demon King that has descended there.
Time Limit: 3 days
Reward: fragment of the Oldest Dream, ???
Failure: ―
+
As expected, the Scenario details had been updated.
My companions' eyes widened as they checked the Clear Conditions.
“This... can't be it, right?”
The moment they saw the words "73rd Demon King," each of them began imagining something ominous in their own way.
The 73rd Demon King.
The tenth Main Scenario Dokja and his companions had faced.
At the highest floor of Dark Castle, the companions had completed the Scenario by killing Dokja after he became the 73rd Demon King.
Killer King spoke.
“It might be a Scenario where we defeat an existing 73rd Demon King, rather than one of us becoming the 73rd Demon King. That was the original development in Revelation, too.”
“That would be a relief...”
Would that development really be a relief?
For a moment, I thought about the 73rd Demon King that would have descended at the forest's origin site. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to lose myself in sentiment for long.
“We need to split up.”
“Here? Isn't that dangerous?”
“Staying together will improve our survival chances for the time being. But group action may be disadvantageous in this forest.”
Chae Yerin seemed to understand what I meant right away.
I sent Yerin a message through [Group Chat].
―Yerin, please take the others and move ahead. There is somewhere I need to go separately.
―Is it for item farming?
I nodded.
―Yes. Do you remember?
―I roughly know Ma Hyeonseong's dedicated farming routes.
This forest held treasures for fighting demonic species. Some had been buried by teachers, while others had belonged to students from previous generations.
There were eight item farming routes in total.
I intended to choose Route A, the most difficult one.
―Please take Route B. Do you remember it?
―Yes. I remember.
Just as expected from someone with the "Literary Girl (S)" Trait.
If we could gather the items available from Routes A and B, we would have a chance no matter which demonic species became our enemy.
Wasn't that how Ma Hyeonseong had defeated the Great Demon in "The Infinite Prison Warden"?
Everything about the Demon Forest strategy Ma Hyeonseong had used was still in my head.
―But will you be alright on your own?
―I'll be fine. It's my novel.
I was fortunate that Chae Yerin was a reader of "The Infinite Prison Warden."
“There are several items I need to farm alone. Everyone else, follow Seyeon. Let's meet at the checkpoint in an hour. Seyeon will give you a detailed briefing.”
Perhaps because they thought I had some clever plan, my companions kept looking back as they followed Chae Yerin deeper into the forest.
Yerin's Route B was one of Ma Hyeonseong's safer farming routes. As long as those four stayed together, they would be safe unless they encountered a marquis-grade demonic species.
The problem was my side.
With a bitter smile, I took a mana cigarette from my pocket. I had stolen it from the stash Yu Junghyeok had hidden on the rooftop.
The moment I lit it, thick smoke rose up.
Watching the smoke slowly spread, I spoke.
“Why don't you come out already?”
Sending my companions to Route B wasn't solely for item farming.
How much time had passed after I spoke?
Something flew from deep within the bushes, as if it had been waiting.
It was a bomb filled with deadly poisonous fog.
Pshhh.
Particles of pitch-black deadly poisonous fog instantly surrounded the area.
“Get him!”
Incarnations in masks sprang from all over the bushes.
It was a classic pattern. Poison the target with deadly poisonous fog, then ambush them.
Swish!
Five or six hidden weapons rushed into the spot where I had been standing moments ago.
However, none of them could hit me.
[Exclusive Skill Smoke Human is active.]
Using Kim Gyeongsik's Exclusive Skill, [Smoke Human], I had escaped beyond the fog's dispersal range through the cigarette smoke I had prepared in advance, then concealed myself among the bushes.
“What? He was here a moment ago.”
There were nine Incarnations in total.
The flustered group repeatedly looked around.
Let's see who had followed me.
[You have activated Character Profile!]
The moment I activated [Character Profile], their information rapidly appeared before my eyes.
Judging by their Traits and potential, they were not particularly strong.
Their only shared trait was that they all belonged to the same faction.
「Rat.」
I had suspected it from the deadly poisonous fog pattern, but was it that bastard again?
“Find him! He has a Kim Dokja Fragment, too!”
Their purpose in following me was exactly as expected.
“Gu Seona and Ye Hyeonu both became stronger by gathering them. If we eliminate him and collect his fragments, we can become as strong as those Class A bastards.”
On the surface, this Scenario claimed to be the graduation exam from "The Infinite Prison Warden," but the truth was somewhat different.
The Constellations of the Twelve Zodiacs, the readers who had gathered from all over, and even the Recycling Center Director knew the Scenario's hidden objective.
「The core of this Scenario is collecting Kim Dokja Fragments.」
How many readers would die this time?
[The Constellation Plague-Calling Rat is searching for you.]
At the Constellation's command, the students began searching for me.
In the past, I would have run away, but the situation was different now.
I was the proxy of the Demon King of Salvation.
I was now strong enough to fight the Constellations of Odok-hyeop.
“Is he over here?”
“Those damn rats got here first...”
The problem was that more than one faction had gathered.
Snake Who Cuts Its Tail, and even Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames.
As students belonging to the rats, snakes, and dogs appeared one after another, the nearby forest quickly grew crowded.
“Find him! Find Kim Dokja!”
Even for me now, fighting that many opponents would not be easy.
There were no hidden items nearby anyway, so I wondered if I should retreat here.
Slice.
One student's head fell.
[Graduates remaining: 186]
The number of remaining graduates appeared in a hologram window in the air.
[Graduates remaining: 184]
The number of survivors was falling in real time.
“W-Who is it?”
The terrified students instinctively swung their weapons.
However, their weapons only cut through empty air, unable to strike anything.
Slice.
When another three or four heads fell, the frightened students began scattering in every direction.
“A-Aaah! It's him! Kim Dokja!”
I had not done it.
[Your infamy is increasing!]
The student shouting my name immediately lost their head.
It was too fast to see clearly.
[Graduates remaining: 152]
As more than thirty students were slaughtered in an instant, the Constellations' declarations rang out from the air.
[The Constellation Plague-Calling Rat demands to know what kind of bastard this is!]
[The Constellation Snake Who Cuts Its Tail breathes flames of rage!]
[The Constellation Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames rolls about in the flames in outrage!]
A moment later, a demonic species emerged between the blood-soaked bushes.
I could not believe it.
One demonic species had slaughtered thirty Incarnations in an instant?
And members of the Twelve Zodiacs, at that?
[The Constellation Plague-Calling Rat...]
[The Constellation Snake Who Cuts Its Tail...]
Even before the enraged Constellations, the demonic species did not shrink back in the slightest.
Instead, it boredly picked at its ear and muttered.
[Noisy.]
At that one word, the Constellations in the air fell silent.
Then, moments later.
[The Constellation Plague-Calling Rat is unable to contain its shock.]
[The Constellation Snake Who Cuts Its Tail opens its eyes wide.]
[The Constellation Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames protests that this is not what was agreed upon!]
A being that even the Constellations of the Twelve Zodiacs had to retreat from.
Belatedly, I remembered the second floor of the Twelve Zodiac Ball.
I had briefly forgotten.
The Twelve Zodiacs were not the only Constellations interested in Kim Dokja Fragments.
They were Constellations who coveted every story in the Star Stream.
[Warning. A high-ranking demonic species has appeared in this area!]
The Gourmet Association.
Those damned specialists in bizarre cuisine had joined this Scenario disguised as high-ranking demonic species.
[They're all barely a mouthful. I could have sworn there was a big one.]
As one high-ranking demonic species licked the blood from its arm, another appeared.
[Hm? What? Did you lose him?]
[Lost him. He's quick.]
The moment its gaze passed over the surrounding bushes, a chill ran down my spine.
That thing was supposed to be a high-ranking demonic species?
Impossible.
Even if I used all my current strength, hunting even one of them was impossible.
And there was more than one.
Though I thought I had to run immediately, my body would not move easily.
It was not because of fear or terror.
It was because of the weapon in the newly appeared high-ranking demonic species's hand.
[What a shame. The one who had this spear was quite tasty.]
The creature muttering those words held a familiar-looking spear.
「Moon Halberd.」
It was Yu Junghyeok's main weapon in the forty-first round.
Footnotes:
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