WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS
Translator: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈
Chapter 805: Episode 39: Rumors (4)
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Was I now the Constellation Demon King of Salvation, or the Incarnation Kim Dokja?
Emperor Sword Namgung Jincheon's question had a strangely philosophical ring to it.
[Your fables have been eroded by the Exile Penalty.]
At the Recycling Center, I inherited the modifier of Demon King of Salvation.
However, that didn't mean I had become a complete Constellation.
To become a Constellation, I had to build five fables on my own. Yet I had built only four so far.
「Recorder of Things That Will Disappear」
「One Who Rewrites Fate」
「Heir to an Eternal Name」
「Between Truth and Lies」
I thought clearing the Recycling Center would earn me a fifth fable, but it still hadn't awakened.
[Your new fable is on the verge of blossoming.]
[A final trigger is needed to blossom the new fable.]
I had cleared a difficult stage like the Recycling Center and faced countless Constellations in the process. Was that all? At the end, I even encountered a mad monster that did nothing but stab. Yet I still needed a "trigger" to blossom it.
What sort of fable was trying to awaken?
It was disappointing.
If this fable had blossomed, I would have fully inherited a Constellation's Status and been able to resist the [Fate] I inherited along with the modifier more easily.
[You currently cannot exert a Constellation's Status.]
In that sense, I couldn't call myself a complete Constellation.
Then what about me as an Incarnation?
[Your Incarnation body will soon enter the collapse stage.]
What was the point in saying it?
In the end, I answered Emperor Sword's question with one of my own.
"Does it matter to you what I am?"
"Aren't you planning to borrow the Martial World's strength?"
Emperor Sword looked as if he understood why I had come here.
"It seems you need companions to stand against the Constellations alongside you. Am I wrong?"
I was inwardly impressed.
Was this the level of insight one could expect from the head of one of the Five Great Families?
"You're right."
Honestly, that was the biggest reason I was looking for the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint.
Acquiring a Main Scenario and repairing my Incarnation body were important, but my ultimate goal in finding her was to bring her onto our side.
「The Transcendents, including the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint, hate Constellations.」
Mortals who had reached a position equal to Constellations without the help of any star. As long as the giant nebulae were the enemies I would face, I needed to win their favor.
And now, Emperor Sword was making an unexpected offer.
"The First Martial World may be able to help you."
The First Martial World's help.
In early and middle Scenarios, where the Constellations of giant nebulae couldn't freely throw their weight around, the Five Great Families of the First Martial World would certainly be a great help.
At the very least, with their assistance, no one in the First Martial World would dare touch us.
"I'll ask you once more. Are you the Constellation Demon King of Salvation, or the Incarnation Kim Dokja?"
"If I answer that I'm the Constellation Demon King of Salvation, will you report me to the giant nebulae?"
Emperor Sword didn't answer.
Junghyeok, who was swallowing five-spice pork beside me, spoke.
―We can endure for three days, then kill them all and leave.
That was reassuring.
But if I endured that long, I would die too.
"I haven't decided what to do with you. However, even if I don't report you to the giant nebulae, it will be difficult for the Martial World to look favorably upon you."
Honestly, I couldn't trust Emperor Sword right now.
I remembered how he and the other heads of the Five Great Families had treated the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint in the original story.
「They worship strength more than anyone, but if they decide someone is of no use to them, they cast them aside without hesitation.」
In the end, I had to choose.
Would I take their hand here, or cast it aside?
「I am Kim Dokja.」
After taking a deep breath, I slowly opened my eyes.
"Let's be honest. I know the First Martial World's standing isn't what it used to be."
Perhaps my answer surprised him, because Emperor Sword's eyebrow rose slightly. I continued.
"Isn't it all in the past, when Constellations were interested in Martial World martial arts? Hardly any Constellations even come here as tourists anymore."
"I admit the Martial World is no longer as popular as it once was."
"Do you think the Namgung Murim Dumplings you launched this time will sell well?"
Perhaps I had touched a sore spot. Emperor Sword fell silent for a moment.
Regardless, I kept talking.
"Constellations won't buy those dumplings. Who would buy goods from a Scenario Area they don't even watch?"
"You'd do well to watch your words."
Emperor Sword growled softly. I smirked.
"Don't you actually want the Constellations' attention? That's the only way you can make the Martial World great again."
I knew that after the Outer God incident, the Namgung Clan publicly claimed to hate Constellations.
But that was merely their public position. In truth, it wasn't so.
For all their complaints, the Five Great Families, including the Namgung Clan, were still conducting backroom deals with Constellations.
"If I'm a Constellation, I'm humanity's enemy, but if I'm an Incarnation, I'm humanity's ally? Does that kind of cause even mean anything in the Martial World as it is now?"
In that short time, Emperor Sword's face repeatedly flushed and drained of color.
"What you need now is the fame of both the Constellation Demon King of Salvation and the Incarnation Kim Dokja. I can offer you both, if you're honest with me."
Emperor Sword's pupils trembled faintly. His quivering fingertips touched the teacup on the table, followed by a soft sigh.
"So the rumors of that three-inch tongue that astonishes even Constellations were true."
Why were all the rumors about me related to my tongue?
After taking a sip of tea, Emperor Sword looked at me, then Junghyeok, then briefly out the window before continuing.
"Honestly, I didn't believe all the rumors about you. The things you supposedly did at the Recycling Center."
"You don't have to believe them."
What happened at the Recycling Center hadn't yet become a complete fable.
So throughout the Star Stream, my fame would only be spreading as rumors.
"In particular, I thought the rumors concerning Olympus's Information Bureau and your defeat of the Master of the Spear were greatly exaggerated."
Naturally.
Driving a large number of Historical-grade Constellations out of a Scenario in only the twentieth Scenario, then even defeating stars nearly equal to fabled-grade Constellations, was an achievement difficult to find anywhere in the entire Star Stream.
"However, even if more than half of those rumors are untrue, there is no denying that you are one of the most famous figures in the Star Stream right now."
"What are you trying to say?"
"The Martial World needs a new hero."
I could feel his powerful desire in the phrase "new hero."
"Become an ally of this Martial World. In return, I will help you begin a Scenario once more."
Right now, I was attracting enough attention from the Star Stream for giant nebulae to pursue me.
What would happen if Junghyeok and I suddenly appeared in a Martial World Scenario under those circumstances?
Of course, the Constellations would turn their eyes to the Martial World once more. Their Incarnations would flock to the First Martial World, and the Martial World would become a popular Scenario region.
For the Five Great Families that had made their homes here, it would be an unparalleled opportunity.
"If I do that, I'll be exposed to the giant nebulae again."
"You don't have many choices anyway, do you?"
Emperor Sword wore a sly smile.
I smiled bitterly.
In the end, Emperor Sword had achieved his goal.
Of course, that didn't mean I alone would lose out.
I was just as desperate for a Scenario. If I could solve the Scenario problem, I wouldn't have to worry about the Exile Penalty for a while.
"What kind of Scenario will you give me?"
There were several Scenarios I could receive in the First Martial World.
For example, there was the Martial Arts Tournament that Yu Junghyeok of the original story had entered.
On the other hand, there was also a Destruction Scenario that began only when a Plausibility Backlash of a certain scale occurred.
Emperor Sword couldn't possibly be planning to destroy the Martial World, so we would probably enter the Martial Arts Tournament.
[You have gained a clue for a new Scenario!]
It wasn't a bad situation.
Most importantly, undertaking the Martial Arts Tournament Scenario would let me obtain a Sub Scenario.
It wasn't as stable as a Main Scenario, but at least it would stop my Incarnation body from disintegrating.
Then, the next moment, an unexpected term came from Emperor Sword's mouth.
"Have you heard of the Fear Realm Expedition?"
* * *
Fear Realm.
The Recorders of Fear described that place as follows.
「A place where forgotten fear, forgotten even by the Final Wall, reigns.」
Meanwhile, Yoo Hoseong, One-Punch Invincible, described it this way.
「"The abyss of martial artists."」
Kyrios Lordgrime, Paradoxical White Purity, described it as follows.
「"The slowest and fastest path toward Transcendence."」
And Lee Hyeongseong of the 999th round had said this.
「"I'd rather do military service twice. No, three, four, five times."」
And Yu Junghyeok of the 41st round was now saying,
"It's a trap."
I nodded absentmindedly.
"Those clan bastards are planning to wipe us out. There's a high chance they've already made a deal with the Constellations."
"Mm. I suppose."
"Kim Dokja, you don't understand. If you go there now, you will definitely die."
"Did Inho Cheon of the 40th round die there too?"
Junghyeok hesitated briefly before answering.
"Inho Cheon didn't die."
"Then I won't die either."
"You're not Inho Cheon."
Junghyeok's voice turned fierce.
"With your state of mind, you'll die at the entrance to the Fear Realm."
"By the way, it's impressive that you didn't forget the information that the Fear Realm is dangerous."
That must mean it was information he couldn't afford to forget, even in a situation like this. I scratched my cheek and continued.
"Still, it's a place we have to go someday."
"That someday is not now."
Junghyeok of the previous round had probably gone to the Fear Realm as well. Of course, he hadn't seen its end, but he must have at least reached the entrance.
"This is different from the previous round. What Emperor Sword proposed was..."
"To see the end of the Fear Realm."
「"I wish to be the first in the Martial World to see the end of the Fear Realm."」
The Fear Realm was a rather special place in the First Martial World. That was because the imoogi Outer God defeated by the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint had also originated there.
"The Fear Realm Expedition is a Main Scenario."
"......"
"If I accept this Scenario, I can escape being an Exile. Even if you don't help me, I'll go alone."
Perhaps my answer had caught him off guard, because Yu Junghyeok hesitated.
"You bastard..."
"Of course, it would be more worthwhile if you helped me."
"......"
"More importantly, don't you have a reason to go to the Fear Realm too?"
I knew Junghyeok was right. If we entered the Fear Realm now, the chances of us dying would be far greater.
Even so, this was the best choice available to us.
"Our enemies won't wait for us."
The Fear Realm was a place even Constellations avoided. If we could enter it, perhaps we could at least escape the giant nebulae's pursuit for a while.
After thinking for a long time, Junghyeok frowned and muttered,
"Do you even know what kind of place the Fear Realm is?"
"More or less. It's scary, isn't it?"
"You don't think the Fear Realm is some kind of haunted-house attraction, do you?"
"It'll be scarier than that. Still, it's fine. Kim Dokja likes thrills, after all."
For the record, I wasn't talking about myself.
I'll be honest.
I'm actually a coward.
I absolutely don't want to go to the Fear Realm.
But damn it, this time, I had no choice.
[Fable Heir to an Eternal Name wishes to participate in Fear Realm Expedition.]
Because beyond the Fear Realm was someone I was looking for.
「"Youngest, your second eldest brother is in the Dark Dimension inside the Fear Realm."」
It was about time to meet my troublesome second eldest brother.
Footnotes:
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