1068 Episode 67. The World Serpent (6)

Jung Heewon looked up at the endless sky road. Even with the acceleration of the 'Wyvern King' moving at sonic speed, the head of the World Serpent was still nowhere in sight.

"Unnie, are you alright?"

At Shin Yoosung's worried inquiry, Jung Heewon forced herself to nod.

"I'm fine."

She was not fine. Jung Heewon was well aware of her own condition.

In Jung Heewon's pupils where the Ring of Chaos had surfaced, a strange light was gleaming. This was the secret art of [Breaking the Sky Swordsmanship] she had created.

It was a technique that drew out energy several times her inherent potential by condensing and exploding all her stories in a single instant. The story veins throughout her entire body were shattered, and the overflowing stories were eating away at her life in real-time. Currently, she was somehow maintaining consciousness by sustaining the explosive flow of stories, but it would not be for very long.

It was a technique she had saved all along to use in the final decisive battle, but to face the 1,864th round's Lee Jihye, there was no other choice. The pain of her flesh burning from the fiery stories. If the attribute effect of 'Butcher of Madness' had not attenuated the pain, Jung Heewon would have lost her senses long ago. Even now, stories that had broken free from her story veins were running wild throughout her entire body in real-time.

Yet what frustrated her more than such pain was that even after using her cherished [Mad Sky], she could not achieve a particularly satisfying match.

—You know, right? If that kid had gone all out, you wouldn't have won.

A voice echoing in her mind as if waiting. It was the voice of the 1,864th round's Jung Heewon.

'I know.'

Jung Heewon recalled the 1,864th round's Lee Jihye. Strong and dazzling stories. Swordsmanship that reached its pinnacle by completing two endings. If Lee Jihye had used even a portion of her 'Giant Story', the one who lost would have been this side. Lee Jihye was that strong, and Jung Heewon had no choice but to acknowledge their stories.

Paradoxically, because she had endured such history, Lee Jihye could not kill Jung Heewon. For beautiful and powerful stories hold equally noble convictions.

'I didn't want to receive something like sympathy.'

—It's not sympathy. Jihye merely acknowledged your story.

Acknowledgment handed over from an entirely different worldline. It was a difficult emotion, but Jung Heewon also faintly sensed what kind of feeling that was. Because at the final moment of collision, Jung Heewon too had caught the shadow of a familiar man in Lee Jihye's stories.

The man she had so desperately wanted to protect. The story of that man existed in the stories of the other worldline as well.

Even while knowing Lee Jihye was a disaster who had come to destroy this world, even while knowing well that if she did not strike her down this worldline could perish, in the end, she could not cut her down.

"Over there!"

Along with Shin Yoosung's shout, the summit of the World Serpent was visible in the distance. Above the dizzying night sky, the enormous, translucent head of the World Serpent hung suspended. The World Serpent was in a deep slumber as if hypnotized. And atop that head, a young man and woman were seated. They too kept their eyes closed as if communing with the World Serpent.

Dismounting from the 'Wyvern King', Jung Heewon looked up at the World Serpent.

It felt strange. Despite being an overwhelmingly scaled disaster, they did not feel like a disaster at all. Perhaps it was because of the stories of the 1,864th round she had encountered earlier.

Drawing in light breaths repeatedly, Jung Heewon gripped her sword hilt. It was something that had to be done. No matter who they were, it didn't matter. Even if she could not cut down the 1,864th round's Lee Jihye, she could not simply pass by this 'World Serpent' all the same.

The relic received from Odin before coming here shone brightly in her bosom.

Thor's story. The blessing of the Constellation who had perished together while confronting that World Serpent was with her. Yet strangely, Thor's story did not embolden her. Rather, at the moment she faced the World Serpent, what came to her mind was Lee Jihye's voice.

Jung Heewon did not know what the landscape she claimed to have seen was. Even so, at that moment, Jung Heewon was undoubtedly connected to another worldline for an instant. A tragedy that did not guarantee a conclusion. The moment two worldlines standing at the forefront of different tragedies met, Jung Heewon suddenly arrived before a certain question.

A question faced by the stars standing before their own ■■. She too stood here right now to answer that question.

It was then that a portion of the pitch-black sky rippled.

Demonic qi blanketing the sky. Jung Heewon knew who he was. He was one of this world's Great Recorders.

Confirming that presence, the 1,864th round's Jung Heewon muttered as if grinding her teeth.

—Asmodeus.

Judging by his tone, he had no intention of stepping aside obediently.

From this side's perspective, it was unwelcome news. Just facing the 'World Serpent' alone was daunting, yet a Great Recorder had turned into an enemy as well.

"Unnie, I—"

"Step back."

He was not an opponent the 41st round's Shin Yoosung could contend with. Therefore, she had to do it. While even a shred of [Mad Sky]'s effect remained, even if she had to melt this entire body, she had to kill that Recorder and slay the World Serpent.

Yet at that moment.

—I have a favor.

The 1,864th round's Jung Heewon spoke.

—Save those children.

Save the children? Reflexively, Jung Heewon looked up at the head of the World Serpent. There were still a young man and woman communing with the 'World Serpent'. She could tell instinctively. The 'children' she spoke of were them.

Blessed by the Giant Story, the serpent's head shone brilliantly.

Planet Shattering. If that serpent was left as it was, what would happen was self-evident. Yet her other self, even after seeing such a catastrophe, was saying strange words.

—With who you are now, you can do it.

Without hearing any explanation, the moment Jung Heewon heard those words, she realized what her 1,864th round self wanted from her.

Intent-Formed Sword (意形劍).

In short, the 1,864th round's Jung Heewon was pleading with her right now.

—Sever those children's [Fate].

As the power of [Intent-Formed Sword] dwelled in her hands, the trajectory of [Fate] became visible to Jung Heewon's eyes as well. Endlessly dense records engraved. She could see 'Asmodeus' who oversaw those records, and the context of the Giant Story wrapping around him.

'I cannot use [Intent-Formed Sword] right now. This power is—'

The [Intent-Formed Sword] that severs [Fate] cannot be used recklessly. This power had another place where it must be used. Even so, the 1,864th round's Jung Heewon was earnest.

—Please.

After a brief pause, Jung Heewon asked.

'Did you teach me [Intent-Formed Sword] from the beginning just to ask me this?'

—Yes, that's right.

Jung Heewon let out a soft breath. Repaying what was received. That was her iron rule.

'But I can't face the Recorder while using [Intent-Formed Sword].'

—Don't worry about that.

And the next moment, Jung Heewon felt a pain as if her entire back were being torn off. Even with the attribute of 'Butcher of Madness' active, an indescribable agony set in. A sensation as if another life were pupating from within her. And the next moment, along with a sound like tearing film, something surged out from her. Emitting an endlessly dazzling brilliance, it floated up and soon stood by Jung Heewon's side.

There stood another Jung Heewon, looking identical to Jung Heewon herself.

The 'Judge of Destruction' who had chosen another path of judgment from her.

Asmodeus's eyes glinted white.

The moment the 1,864th round's Jung Heewon unleashed her status, Jung Heewon also kicked off the ground.

Ooooooo!

As if trying to block her approach, the World Serpent let out a rough roar. But just like when she first confronted the serpent, no malice toward her could be felt from the serpent.

Clearly, this serpent and those 'children' had no intention of being hostile toward her.

Children's voices heard hummingly.

Hearing that voice, Jung Heewon gripped the 'Sword That Protects the Epilogue' with both hands. Atop that blade, Jung Heewon's [Intent-Formed Sword] dwelled.

She had no confidence. The skein of [Fate] surrounding them was so thick and dense that even daring to bring a blade close felt as if it would not be permitted.

As if noticing her will, the Giant Story reacted to her. A single world was looking down upon her. As if questioning how a mere thing like her could dare interfere with this stage, the records of the story seized the stage.

An ordinary incarnation would have been dominated by those records and sacrificed themselves to realize the story. But Jung Heewon, who had used [Mad Sky], could temporarily defy the domination of the Giant Story.

Her body, reaching its limit, wavered as if about to shatter. The remaining time of [Mad Sky] was now less than a single minute. The opportunity would probably be only once.

The Transcendent who had first created the Intent-Formed Sword had posed such a question.

The moment the World Serpent roared, Jung Heewon's [Intent-Formed Sword] moved.

I gazed for a moment at the starlight twinkling in the distant sky. Probably around now, the final showdown with the 'World Serpent' was taking place.

Beside me, the Mass Production Maker, watching the same landscape together, spoke.

"What happened to Lee Jihye and Shin Yoosung?"

I was the one who deployed the 41st round's Lee Jihye and Shin Yoosung to that battlefield. Naturally, it was to see even a little effect of the 'stage'.

"It will be fine. I sent dependable reinforcements as well."

Just before using [Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint], I had asked the Third Kim Dokja to convey a short message to '1,864th round Lee Hyunsung'. Probably by now, he had also arrived at that battlefield. If it was him, I could trust him. And if Lee Hyunsung stepped forward, the 1,864th round's Jung Heewon wouldn't stay still either.

Somehow it had turned into a family feud among <Kim Dokja Company>, but even so, that was the best option right now. Because the only ones who could stop monsters like <Kim Dokja Company> was <Kim Dokja Company> themselves.

"The current Heewon-ssi will be able to."

The 41st round's Jung Heewon was the person with the most outstanding talent among the 'Jung Heewons' I knew. If it was her, who had lived a history different from other rounds, she might truly be able to accomplish something no one else could on that battlefield. Right now, there was nothing I could do other than believe so.

Along with the Handsome Monkey King's true voice, a colossal wave of disaster began to surge from the front. The wave of disaster approaching right before our eyes was utterly catastrophic.

As if leading them, extinguishing all nearby Constellations, a Great Disaster was approaching.

It was the anomalous form of Emperor. And behind him, I saw my brother walking forward.

Along the path where my brother walked, the stars he broke turned to ash and fluttered like snow.

The closer my brother got, the louder my heartbeat pounded. Clearly, I had lived my best to reach this place. I thought I had grown strong enough to contend with any Myth-grade Constellation.

Yet the moment I saw the figure of my brother walking atop the pure white snowfield over there right now, a bizarre sensation came over me. Because right now, the brother over there truly—

Overwhelmed by that landscape, the Mass Production Maker asked once more.

To say it again, the me of the past would not have been able to answer that question. No matter what stories I built, no matter what hardships I overcame to reach this place, I wouldn't have been able to guarantee that I could dare confront such an existence and emerge victorious.

"Yes."

Yet even so, I answered like that. It was neither an answer to overcome tension, nor stubbornness to drive away despair. Even after facing the true body of such an overwhelming brother, my heart was strangely peaceful.

"I can win."

Perhaps that was.

Proof that I too, at least in terms of 'status', had reached the same eye-level as my brother.

Subsequently, the stars illuminating us in the firmament became visible. Constellations illuminating the battlefield while radiating blindingly bright light. The Constellations of the Round Table, who had been hiding somewhere on this battlefield, were finally shining upon the final chapter of this story.

Now, it was time to record the final chapter of this world.

Author's Note

Hello, this is Sing Shong.

Before we knew it, the side story has reached chapter 516.

At this point where really only the final chapter and epilogue remain, deeply apologetically, we will be entering a temporary hiatus.

The final chapter and the stories after it have already been decided, and we have sprinted until now for that conclusion, but as it is the final episode across all of Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, our desire to inspect every story from beginning to end and meet readers with sufficient completeness came first.

We only have gratitude for everyone who stayed with this lacking author. Especially while writing the side story, very difficult personal circumstances overlapped, causing many moments of wavering throughout writing. The reason we were able to not give up on the story was because there were readers who loved this story.

The hiatus is scheduled to last about two months, and if we return sooner, we will make an announcement in advance.

We will do our best until the very end. Thank you as always for loving Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint.