1063 Episode 67. The World Serpent (1)

In the distance, the sorrowful cries of the 'Gods of Other Worlds' could be heard. Not intending to march this way immediately, they halted their movements and repeatedly let out cries toward somewhere.

I didn't know what they were thinking, but for our side, a useful intermission had been created.

Amidst the wavering air of the battlefield, I quickly took stock of the recent situation.

Was it because the skill was forcibly deactivated? [Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint] did not activate again on 41st round Yoo Joonghyuk.

The deactivation of [Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint] was not by my will, but by 41st round Yoo Joonghyuk's. I recalled the final scene I had witnessed just before the skill deactivated.

Victory was practically assured. The overlapping stage transformation produced brilliant synergy, and 1,865th round Yoo Joonghyuk was sinking deeply into the surging stories like the 'Secretive Plotter' of the past. Yet at the final moment, 41st round Yoo Joonghyuk shook off my help and chose to face him alone.

I hurriedly checked the entry status of the 'Archive of Records'.

Perhaps the moment the stories of the 1,864th round flooded in, the interior of the 'Archive of Records' suffered massive damage. A situation where neither as a reader nor as a writer could I assist Yoo Joonghyuk.

Do I have no choice but to trust Yoo Joonghyuk for now? Inhaling softly, I slowly stood up. As if waiting, the surrounding Constellations looked at me.

The one who spoke first was Poseidon, who was fiddling with a broken piece of a recorder.

"Yes."

I recalled Odin's final moments. The strongest star of <Asgard> who sacrificed all his stories to become the offering for 'Ragnarok'.

"It was an end fitting of his modifier."

One-Eyed Father Odin. In the end, though I expected him to appear on the stage of 'Ragnarok', actually seeing that landscape firsthand gave a completely different dimension of impression.

Solely to record the stories of <Asgard> into the <Star Stream>, he sacrificed everything he had to become this very 'stage'. Until now, I had seen countless Constellations intoxicated by stories or consumed by them to death, but seeing even a Myth-grade Constellation like Odin unable to escape that yoke gave me a strange feeling.

In the end, all beings live by stories, and die by stories once again. It was the same for Kim Dokja, and for Yoo Joonghyuk. In the end, the ■■ they all desire exists, and every character dies toward that finale. And whether we reach that concluding landscape or not, everything remains as a story.

In doing so, we become part of the <Star Stream> that the 'Oldest Dream' loves.

The 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon', who had remained silent all along, rose to his feet as well. As if waiting, the story of the Dragon of the Apocalypse flowed from his entire body.

The Handsome Monkey King, sitting cross-legged, opened his eyes as well. Within his pupils, the harmonized stories of multiple Sun Wukongs were churning.

It was then that a commotion was heard outside the inner castle.

"Writer-nim."

Along with Cha Yerin's voice, the tent of the situation room fluttered. Outside the tent, incarnations being urgently transported somewhere were visible. And among those incarnations was a welcome face turned toward this direction.

"Kim Dokja."

Anna Croft, who had been dispatched to the 'Altar of Storms' to assist Yoo Joonghyuk, had finally arrived on the battlefield. She wasn't the only one.

"Kim Anna-ssi."

"It has been a while."

Incarnations of the Japanese side, including Asuka Ren. The powerhouses remaining in the inner castle sensed the emergence of the Outer Gods and gathered toward the situation room one by one.

"It seems it will finally begin."

Anna Croft spoke in a tense voice. Her 'Great Demon's Eye' emitting [Future Sight] shone with bright light.

"Dionysus's side also said they will join soon."

Fortunately, the surviving Constellations also seemed to have decided to take our side. Since the situation was dire enough that we'd take even little Yoo Joonghyuk's hand, any help was deeply appreciated.

I slowly examined the forces we currently had. What caught my eye first were the 'Kings'.

Abyssal Black Flame Dragon.

Mass Production Maker.

Handsome Monkey King.

And behind them was a Myth-grade Constellation of Olympus clutching a broken trident.

Poseidon.

Just as Odin had resolved, his gaze showed he too foresaw the final battle here. Once an enemy, and a Constellation treated as a Myth-grade 'power-scaling benchmark' in the main story, his help would nonetheless be of immense aid.

Just as I was about to ask Poseidon if there were any other Myth-grade Constellations—an unknown sense of incongruity struck me. Looking around calmly at the companions again, I asked the 'Mass Production Maker'.

"Where is Heewon-ssi?"

It was then that a roaring boom sounded in the distance. I hurriedly examined the battlefield scenery on the screen floating in front of 'Mass Production Maker'.

A system message ringing in my ears. But there were no particular signs of disturbance on this battlefield. In other words, the 'Great Disaster' indicated by the 'system message' was not present on this 'battlefield'.

I could tell instinctively. In the direction they were looking, the most important battle of this battlefield was currently taking place. Watching that scenery together, the 'Mass Production Maker' spoke.

"Alone? Why—"

I bit my lower lip hard. No matter how strong Jung Heewon had become, and even if Uriel of the 1,864th round was with her, Jung Heewon alone could not stop a Great Disaster.

In the distant sky, with a kudududuk sound, cracks began to form. A sound as if something massive from the outside of this world was constricting the entire outer wall.

Kwakwakwakwa!

As the landscape of the sky shattered, the shadow of a gigantic serpent was revealed beyond the scenery. I recognized immediately what that serpent was. It was the second 'Great Disaster' of this 'Ragnarok'.

"The World Serpent."

There was no doubt. The 'Great Disaster' Jung Heewon went to stop was that 'World Serpent'.

Along with the Giant Story echoing through the firmament, the status of the World Serpent was clearly felt even from afar. Biting my lip tightly, I glared at that scenery.

Then who was the 'World Serpent' descended over there right now?

Just as I was about to say that we had to go help Jung Heewon right this second, movements were detected on this battlefield as well.

Along with the 'Mass Production Maker's' warning, the ground heaved violently.

Thump.

One step, and another step.

Thump.

The sound of Outer Gods approaching was heard. Countless disasters following Snow White. And—

It felt as if time came to a standstill. Abyssal Black Flame Dragon, Mass Production Maker, and even the Myth-grade Constellation Poseidon stiffened in their expressions.

Pain, sorrow, despair, frustration, discouragement—a terrible cry was echoing, as if gathering all the negative emotions of the <Star Stream> and vomiting them out.

I knew who the owner of this cry was. Because upon entering 'Ragnarok', I had already encountered that existence.

With the Handsome Monkey King's gritted voice, dazzling sparks began to strike across the surrounding sky. Mass Production Maker spoke with a wry smile.

The anomalous form of Nebula <Emperor>.

Fuxi (伏羲).

Shennong (神農).

Nüwa (女媧).

Yellow Emperor (黃帝).

Zhuanxu (顓頊).

As many as five Myth-grade Constellations were howling, fused into a single mass. Unlike when we encountered them in space before, their spinning heads were attached to the torso of a giant dog.

Watchdog Guarding the Path of the End — Garmr.

Along with the stories blanketing the battlefield, the stars of the inner castle stirred violently. They were all stars who had ascended from the hall alongside the 'Kings'.

When the anomalous form of Emperor alone was overwhelming to handle, that anomaly had transformed into a disaster of 'Ragnarok'. All the stars here knew. Even if all remaining Constellations joined forces, defeating that monster was impossible.

Yet even knowing that fact, there were those who did not give up until the end.

"Let us do our best."

Standing at the center of the incarnations, Kim Anna-ssi spoke, looking around with a calm expression.

"We knew from the beginning who our enemy would be, did we not?"

When she who possessed [Future Sight] said so, the light of hope returned to the eyes of the trembling incarnations. Within them lay stories as well. The stories of incarnations striving to realize their own tales even amidst terrible terror. Watching them, the story within me wriggled vigorously as well.

Judging from the fact that he sent the watchdog forward first, my brother seemingly had no intention of entering the battlefield immediately. If so, I still had a choice.

However, if I leave this place now, could the remaining Constellations hold out against that Great Disaster?

Standing beside me before I knew it, Mass Production Maker asked with a faint smile.

A conclusion that protects everything loved. That was right. Kim Dokja had continuously run toward that conclusion, and in return, failed to protect himself in the end.

"I..."

Watching the approaching horde of Outer Gods, I imagined the conclusion of this world gradually becoming clearer.

"I simply wish for the people who have loved that story to become happy."

As I slowly drew in a breath, the story within me began its storytelling.

Jung Heewon ran through the ruins of the battlefield.

Running through the rapidly receding landscape, Jung Heewon recalled her last conversation with Kim Dokja. Kim Dokja had said: if something happens, hit him hard to wake him up.

'I couldn't fulfill that request. Sorry.'

When the Great Disaster 'World Serpent' appeared, she did not wake the sleeping Kim Dokja.

Though only for a moment, the face of Kim Dokja dreaming was peaceful. Even at the center of this terrible battlefield, he alone looked like someone having a happy dream.

Jung Heewon wondered about the landscape of the dream he was having.

What kind of beings were in that dream? Would that pitch-black man or the companions who followed him appear?

What kind of adventures were there? What kinds of stories was he living through with people there?

Jung Heewon watched the sleeping Kim Dokja for a long time. Even if it was just a brief sweet slumber, Jung Heewon wished for Kim Dokja to remain in that dream just a little longer.

"I will go."

Instead of waking the sleeping Kim Dokja, she quietly stood up.

"I will deal with the World Serpent."

It wasn't merely stubborn pride.

Moreover, right now she was not alone. Her sponsor from another worldline. Uriel.

All throughout running toward the World Serpent, Uriel constantly spoke to her.

A star sparkling with boundlessly beautiful light. If there were only Constellations like this in the sky, she felt she might even become friends with beings called Constellations.

Jung Heewon knew that the 'Jung Heewon' spoken of by that archangel was not herself. The 1,864th round. Jung Heewon had also seen the history of that worldline.

In that worldline, she was there, and the pitch-black man—Yoo Joonghyuk—was there. And 'Kim Dokja' was there. In that story she knew nothing about, Kim Dokja laughed and cried with them, fought, won, and created stories.

When thinking about that fact, Jung Heewon often found herself engulfed in a confused feeling.

Jung Heewon knew that the sleeping Kim Dokja was connected to that world. So even if 'Jung Heewon' appeared in his dream, perhaps that 'Jung Heewon' might not be herself.

'Even so, it is fine.'

Truly, she thought it was completely fine. If solely by that he could have a happy dream—

And if by doing so she could be involved in his story even a little.

Jung Heewon slowly came to a halt. Inhaling a breath and looking up at the sky, the Great Disaster she was looking for was coiled there.

A monster capable of wrapping around an entire planet and crushing it. A cosmic-scale Great Disaster, the serpent leading the end of 'Ragnarok'. Even though she could not even perceive the entirety of that disaster, Jung Heewon realized.

A sensation just as dizzying as when facing the anomalous form of Emperor beside 'Snow White'. Even so, she neither feared nor backed down.

Ooooooo!

The firmament distorted as the 'World Serpent' let out a cry. A howl that seemed somehow sorrowful rather than threatening.

Strangely, the serpent didn't even seem to show hostility toward her. But this was a battle established regardless of malice. For one was a disaster born to destroy the world, and the other was a human of a world that would be destroyed if she did not stop it.

Kugugugugu.

As if warning that further approach would not be forgiven, two gigantic pupils rose in the distant firmament. Jung Heewon gripped her sword. Drawing in a deep breath, all sword paths of [Breaking the Sky Swordsmanship] gathered at the tips of her fingers.

"I don't lose to monsters."

No matter how much the opponent was a 'disaster', as long as that existence was a 'monster', she would not be defeated.

The strongest judge attribute—'Judge of Destruction' finally radiated light against the Great Disaster. Activating [Red Phoenix Shunpo], Jung Heewon closed the distance in an instant and advanced toward the 'World Serpent'.

Just as she was about to plunge a single strike of Breaking the Sky Sword path into that colossal hide—

Beyond the shadow of the World Serpent, someone called her.