1061 Episode 66. The Wolf That Swallowed a God (9)

*

First making that assumption was something that happened before obtaining a Myth-grade status.

Since Han Sooyoung also visited this worldline for such a purpose, it was not an impossible assumption. But back then, even if I made such an assumption, no way to deal with Yoo Joonghyuk came to mind. It was even more so after accumulating stories and rising to the status of 'Myth-grade'.

Literally a sky beyond the sky. Yoo Joonghyuk, who saw two conclusions, was an enemy I could not deal with no matter what I did right now.

Was the sentiment of the stars facing the 'Final Wall' right before their eyes like this? The Yoo Joonghyuk we are facing right now was an existence that filled the surface of that distant wall and completed two 'conclusions'.

So what I prepared was 'stage transformation'.

This scenario is the stage of 'Ragnarok'. Since he descended as the 'Wolf That Swallowed a God', our side also needed preparation fitting for it.

The original myth of Ragnarok begins with 'All-Father' Odin being killed by the 'Wolf That Swallowed a God' Fenrir. Therefore, to deal with Yoo Joonghyuk of <Kim Dokja's Company> summoned as the proxy of the 'Wolf That Swallowed a God', Odin's death was essential.

Executing revenge for Odin who died in the original myth is Vidar, the 'Concluder of War'. But in this round, Vidar the 'Concluder of War' was already dead. Thus, the one who could act as his proxy was 41st round Yoo Joonghyuk who killed him and took his story.

Rumbleeee!

The blessing of the 'Concluder of War' was granted to 41st round Yoo Joonghyuk's entire body, and his body sparkled radiantly with the story of 'Ragnarok'.

Rumbleeee!

A baptism of thrusts from the Soul Extinguishing Divine Spear rising like flash lightning. 1,865th round Yoo Joonghyuk floating in the firmament frowned and struck back at the spear strikes.

Despite the storm of formidable status, 1,865th round Yoo Joonghyuk was unshaken. He even gradually approached this way through the storm of spear strikes.

As expected. I did not expect to be able to defeat him with just the Giant Story of 'Ragnarok'. Because the opponent is that 'Yoo Joonghyuk' of <Kim Dokja's Company>. To break him, a stronger 'role' was needed. So what was prepared was precisely this second stage.

I activated the story inside me and called my brothers.

'Second brother. Third brother.'

Because to fully recreate this stage, the help of the other two Kim Dokjas was necessary.

Tap.

And from beyond the wall, the sound of my brothers responding was heard. The one who reacted first was the second brother.

That was the Giant Story of 'Great War of Saints and Demons' in which <Kim Dokja's Company> participated. In that battlefield, Kim Dokja faced Constellations of Good and Evil, and awakened the Dragon of the Apocalypse.

And there, the 'Two Yoo Joonghyuks' met for the first time.

That day, Yoo Joonghyuk of <Kim Dokja's Company> was defeated. It could not be helped. Because his enemy was a distant Outer God that could not be dealt with even by dedicating all his history—the 'Secretive Plotter'.

That day, the 'Secretive Plotter' took Kim Dokja and vanished to his residence, and Yoo Joonghyuk fell from the sky like a bird that lost its wings.

However, because there was that day's defeat, there was also subsequent victory.

The 'Giant Story' that the third brother possessed. On the stage of 'Journey to the West'—above the battlefield of Tongtian River, the two Yoo Joonghyuks clashed once again. However, this time it was the exact opposite position.

Before my eyes, that day at Tongtian River was being recreated. To me and 41st round Yoo Joonghyuk, the story accumulated by that day's Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk dwelt.

The Dark Heavenly Moon Spear and the Black Heavenly Demon Sword crossed, causing a sharp friction sound. An offense and defense so fast that the black and white coats turned to rags. Countless slashes and thrusts collided, causing a storm of stories.

On that stage, Yoo Joonghyuk of <Kim Dokja's Company> whom I knew was fighting. Desperately swinging his sword.

Now in a voice resembling the 'Secretive Plotter', he was speaking.

The two stages created an overlapping effect, bringing about an even stronger synergy. Although it was an evenly matched duel, it felt like the balance of victory was tipping ever so slightly.

Every time the story continued, 1,865th round Yoo Joonghyuk staggered noticeably. I looked at Yoo Joonghyuk of <Kim Dokja's Company>, at his two eyes gradually growing empty.

He was looking at us, but at the same time he was not looking at us. Perhaps he was currently in the past.

Once, he was an existence made up of the story of 'Ways of Survival'. But now it was not so. Currently, the story making up his body was—

The story written by Han Sooyoung, read by Kim Dokja, and lived by him.

Therefore, he can neither resist this story nor break this stage. Because he endured his remaining life solely through this story. Just as Kim Dokja once did.

Along with a roaring sound, rays of light burst forth. In the collapsing surroundings, for the first time, one leg of the 'Wolf That Swallowed a God' buckled. 41st round Yoo Joonghyuk did not miss that open gap in his spear stance. The thrust learned from Master Jaewhan. Imbued into the essence of long refinement.

Soul Extinguishing Divine Spear and Breaking the Sky Sword Style. Spear and sword. Divine strike and slash collided, and a wild wind of stories blew before our eyes. A feast of sword techniques so intense it blinded the eyes and burst the ears. Deflecting the flying slashes, the moment 41st round Yoo Joonghyuk pierced through the pure white light and launched the final thrust—

Victory was right before our eyes. That regressor possessing supreme status was finally falling.

In the recreated stage, the soul of the falling Yoo Joonghyuk was vividly felt.

The brilliant storm of stories settled down, and the surroundings gradually began to clear up. 41st round Yoo Joonghyuk advanced through the dust without hesitation and leveled his spear.

Soon, when the dust vanished, Yoo Joonghyuk's spear tip was touching precisely the throat of the 'Wolf That Swallowed a God'. Collapsed onto the ground, the 'Wolf That Swallowed a God' was looking up at the sky where stars had gone out.

In that vast universe he looked up at endlessly, the star he searched for no longer existed. At the distant emotion welling up, I spoke involuntarily.

"You must not kill him."

I wanted to run over right away and raise him up. I wanted to tell him that this was not your end. But I could not do so. What I had to do was stop the destruction of this worldline and stop 'Snowfield Kim Dokja's conclusion. For that, I had to defeat him here.

"This is... enough."

According to the original myth of 'Ragnarok', the 'Wolf That Swallowed a God' must die here. But there was no need to strictly follow that original myth. Because just incapacitating him was sufficient to achieve the goal.

Tzztzz.

It was at that moment that stories wavered from 41st round Yoo Joonghyuk's entire body.

The will of the Giant Story trying to realize itself.

"Yoo Joonghyuk?"

The stopped spear tip of 41st round Yoo Joonghyuk began to move.

I hurriedly strengthened [Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint]. Fortunately, the timing was not late. The moment [Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint] activated to the limit was about to seize 41st round Yoo Joonghyuk's body—

"Wait a moment, Yoo Joong—!"

My shout could not continue to the end. In the next moment, along with a feeling as if striking the back of my head hard, something bounced my soul out.

The last thing I saw was the two empty eyes of Yoo Joonghyuk deeply despaired at the story.

*

Yoo Joonghyuk felt Kim Dokja's soul leaving his body. As expected, it seemed this possession skill would not persist if he, the master of the body, strongly rejected it.

Yoo Joonghyuk felt the power of the 'Giant Story' dwelling in his right hand. The story of Vidar, the 'Concluder of War' who granted him power, reacted and commanded him.

If it were an ordinary incarnation, it was a terrible story that would dominate the mind just by listening to it.

'Noisy.'

However, Yoo Joonghyuk calmly stared at that story and muttered.

'If you keep blabbering, I will cut off the arm.'

In an instant, with a tzztzztzz sound, the power of the story forcing Yoo Joonghyuk's right arm weakened.

Perhaps the Giant Story realized instinctively. If the incarnation before its eyes truly intended to refuse, it could not truly be realized on this stage.

In the place where the quieted story paused its storytelling, a emaciated disaster was sitting collapsed. Yoo Joonghyuk stared quietly down at that 1,865th round Yoo Joonghyuk. The moment he looked into his eyes, Yoo Joonghyuk could tell. Only he, as a regressor, could understand those eyes.

Right now he is here, but at the same time he is not here. Perhaps he was having a terrible dream. In the landscape created by the story he lived, he was living through moments flowing like a revolving lantern.

"Is that the history you lived through?"

Through the story shown by Kim Dokja, Yoo Joonghyuk also came to know that day's stories. He came to know well what story they experienced in the 1,864th round and what tragedy they endured.

"Are you going to give up there?"

Yoo Joonghyuk kept silent for a moment, staring at the disaster that looked identical to him. Then, with an expression as if unwilling to admit it, he spoke gritting his teeth.

"You are 'Yoo Joonghyuk'."

Perhaps that was respect toward the regressor who returned to the world of scenarios once again even after seeing the conclusion of a world.

At the name calling him, the disaster slowly raised his head.

"Did you not come to destroy this world?"

"Stand up. There are no interlopers now."

Only at the moment he heard those words did 1,865th round Yoo Joonghyuk raise his head once again. Intense wavering was flowing in his eyes. He too realized late.

Tzztzztzz...

The power of the Giant Story weighing down on him was gradually weakening. Before long, the river water of Tongtian River and the night sky of the Great War of Saints and Demons vanished. All the stages pressuring Yoo Joonghyuk of <Kim Dokja's Company> vanished, and only two Yoo Joonghyuks remained in that place.

"Let me settle the match again."

As if unable to understand those words, Yoo Joonghyuk frowned and spoke.

Clearly the fight was over, and history repeated itself. One Yoo Joonghyuk lost, and another Yoo Joonghyuk won. Nevertheless, the winning Yoo Joonghyuk did not have a happy expression at all.

"This is the 41st round."

Rather, he had a face as if enduring terrible humiliation. He looked down at the traces of the 'stage' floating around the area—the story fragments of the 1,864th round that allowed him to win—and added:

"It is my 'worldline'."

The moment he heard those words, 1,865th round Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes widened.

Only then did Yoo Joonghyuk realize what the Yoo Joonghyuk before his eyes was saying. Right now, the 41st round was speaking. For the conclusion of this round, the history of another worldline was not needed.

Slowly taking a deep breath, 1,865th round Yoo Joonghyuk stood up from his seat.

Now an immense status that could not be forced by anything began to flow out from his entire body once again.

This is Yoo Joonghyuk's final desperate battle that will decide the final chapter of the worldline. Transcendent status flowed from 41st round's entire body.

"I will not regret anything."

A supreme spirit (霸氣) that never backs down even before an enemy that seems impossible to defeat. Therefore this <Star Stream>—

"I am Yoo Joonghyuk."

Calls him the Supreme King (霸王).