714 Episode 26 Star Ladder (10)

As my vision narrowed, I realized what was about to happen.

The situation is desperate. The Washington Dome was under siege by great-grade constellations, and there was no constellation to help us.

To make matters worse, he was sentenced by [fate].

Kim Dokja made a decision in a situation where death was inevitable no matter what he did.

Only through his death can this obstacle be overcome.

'Stop!’

But I couldn't leave it like that.

This is my [fate]. It's my share to bear.

'Stop!'

There is no reason why the Demon King of Salvation should receive it instead.

'Kim Dokja!'

—You're not ready to fight them yet.

I felt like someone was supporting me.

I turned my head and saw Christina Page.

Just as I was about to say thank you, my eyes met hers with a faint hint of guilt. Her fingers moved with an ominous foreboding.

My vision went dark.

Christina Page.

Anna Croft's closest associate who leads 'Zarathustra'.

She is an FBI forensic hypnosis expert and is called 'Finger Snapper' in 'Ways of Survival'.

Just before she possessed this character, Olivia was playing TRPG with her friends.

'Kevin, Jim, Amelia.'

Olivia thought about her own friends.

She had friends who liked subculture.

Kevin only read webtoons with 'SSS' in the title.

Jim loved martial arts novels.

Amelia loved virtual idols.

'Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint' was a Korean web novel brought by Kevin.

—Guys, how are we supposed to survive once we enter this novel?

—Oh, Kevin. It's starting again.

—This is set in Korea. I think we'll be at a bit of a disadvantage.

—No, America is also included.

—Kevin, but the title of this novel doesn’t include 'SSS'?

ㅡ As you read, SSS appears. Olivia, can you write an email to the author? You said before that you have a Korean friend. Let's add this novel's world view in the next session.

What would it have been like if she hadn't listened to Kevin at that time?

If she hadn't sent the email to the author, all of this wouldn't have happened.

'Oh my God.'

It was sheer luck that she survived.

It turns out that the person who she possessed was 'Christina Page'.

She has always enjoyed playing TRPGs, so it wasn't difficult for her to play the role of 'Christina Page'. She was glad the task wasn't difficult.

Olivia was able to forget who she was, at least while she was playing 'Christina Page' .

—Demon King of Salvation.

She could forget Kevin, forget herself, forget Amelia, forget her dead friends.

—Can you really save my friends?

A message from the 'Demon King of Salvation' delivered through the exclusive skill, [Nightmare].

—Yes.

The Demon King of Salvation said.

If she grants his request, he will definitely save her dead friends.

And the request is—

Christina hurriedly helped Cheon Inho, who fell in front of her.

She was startled to see Anna Croft stumbling in the distance.

"Christina! What are you doing?"

"It is the order of the Demon King of Salvation."

"Yes?"

"He told me to place a [Daily Invoice] on his incarnation."

"What the hell is that—"

She doesn't know why the Demon King of Salvation made such a request.

"It doesn’t matter. This person can ignore my [daily invoice] and move his incarnation."

She doesn't know, but she thought they were planning to use [Daily Invoice] to fight.

The strange thing is why he communicated directly through [Nightmare] rather than using his incarnation.

"Then why doesn’t Cheon Inho wake up? Last time he woke up right away."

"I know that too—"

It was then that a bright beam of light burst from the Capitol.

This was the area where the 'sub-scenario' occurred earlier.

The place where the fake 'Demon King of Salvation' and the ‘black beast’ appeared.

However, the false Demon King of Salvation was defeated, and Yoo Jonghyuk, who became the Black Beast, also fainted.

The scenario has already ended.

But why are sparks flying around the Capitol?

"Christina. The cost is incorrect."

Dark clouds filled the sky and covered the Capitol.

A pitch-black thunderbolt falling between dark clouds.

The demon king, who was thought to be dead, appeared in Washington.

The 'Dark Keeper', hugged in the warm abyss, thought.

A question that has been asked for a very long time.

That moon gate was all that explained him. The answer he couldn't get even though he gave up all his resources.

In order to find it, the 'Dark Keeper' contracted with the dokkaebi and became part of the scenario.

Nevertheless,

He couldn't find the answer he wanted.

There couldn't be an exact answer.

The stars turned away from him and the script abandoned him.

He is just a nameless character.

Or a monster that didn't even become a character. A consumable to make the main character shine.

He already knew that this world was a playground for constellations. Even if it was just a sand castle that was built for a short time on the playground and then collapsed, he wanted to have his own name.

He wanted to be a proper part of the playground.

He wanted to become the 'Demon King of Salvation'.

—Do you really want to become the 'Demon King of Salvation'?

The 'Dark Keeper' looked up blankly at the Demon King of Salvation.

—Whatever the cost?

He wants to have a name.

He wants to have a proper role and die after fulfilling it.

The 'Dark Keeper' nodded with all his might.

He's good even if it's just one sentence, so if there's a story given to him.

—Then let’s give it a try.

He wants to write down that story.

The cold snow covered him.

The dark sentinel soon became one with distant eternity.

His tattered body was once again filled with probability and filled with the story of the constellation.

Tsutsutsutsu!

In the midst of wild sparks, Kim Dokja, the 'Demon King of Salvation', opened his eyes.

When he lightly tilted his head, his body screamed along with a crunching sound.

A demonic body full of traces of being cut to pieces by Yoo Jonghyuk.

Even though no limb was intact, it was important that the plan was successful.

A plan that was dramatically successful.

This could not have been realized if several probabilities had not been interlocked like cogs.

A giant nebula uttered [fate].

That [fate] was given to him, a narrative-grade constellation, instead of an incarnation.

The probability ran wild due to a calculation error in the twisted [fate].

Under the pretext of extra probability, he was given the right to move to a new body.

Above all, the plan could not have succeeded if it had not been for the help of the demon 'Dark Keeper' who impersonated the 'Demon King of Salvation'.

Perhaps this will be his last story.

"It’s him! He’s over there!"

The incarnations who sensed his status began to flock to him.

The great constellations belonging to the giant nebula that were chasing Lee Hakhyun just a moment ago.

"W-what is that—"

"Why in a body other than your own incarnation..."

"Could it be that you were trying to protect the incarnation?"

The constellations looked at each other in disbelief.

Someone said with a sly smile.

"They say he’s a fragment of a discarded god, but he’s incredibly stupid."

Stupid.

That was correct.

The body of the resurrected demon species creaked. The word was resurrection, but the body was already dead. An incarnation that can't last even 10 minutes at best.

From afar, the 'Gatekeeper of Thebes' shouted loudly.

"You've finally been caught, Demon King of Salvation! There's nowhere to run now!"

As if victory had already been achieved, the 'Gatekeeper of Thebes' walked towards him with great strides and spoke in a triumphant voice.

"You have no idea how much effort I put into catching you. I persuaded the nebulae one by one…"

Now that [fate] has been declared, it will be difficult to avoid death.

The situation might have been a little better if there had been a story like 'I, the Opponent of Fate', and Cheok Junkyung’s 'The One Who Fights Against Fate', which the 1,865th round of <Kim Dokja Company> had.

But there was no such story.

There were many stories that he does not have today.

The youngest was a strange guy.

Among the 'Kim Dokjas' he knows, he is the only one who can write.

He was curious at first.

He was curious about what the guy who possessed this petty villain would talk about.

The guy who clumsily imitated 'Kim Dokja' was cute, and he was a little proud of the guy who took care of the things that 'Kim Dokja' didn’t do.

Sometimes he was so frustrated that he wanted to say something.

Still, it was fun to see the story of such a guy.

Maybe that's why he's here now.

The 'Gatekeeper of Thebes', who had been talking for a while, frowned.

"…So, are you listening to my story?"

The Demon King of Salvation looked at him for a moment and laughed.

Among the tales of the 'Gatekeeper of Thebes', there was the 'final cubic crystal'.

A tale that makes one confess one's desires at the last moment in exchange for raising one's status.

"Uh, go ahead."

While the 'Gatekeeper of Thebes' was talking, the Demon King of Salvation looked through the coat the demon servant was wearing.

There was a cigarette pack in the coat.

As he took out a cigarette, the idea of a guy who liked cigarettes came to mind.

Who was it?

Memories dispersed like smoke. The place where the memories disappeared hurt. That pain immediately proved that he was Kim Dokja.

The 'Gatekeeper of Thebes', who came to his senses belatedly, blushed and shouted.

"Kill him! Retrieve the fragment!"

Incarnations rushing towards him.

The Demon King of Salvation said, tossing away his cigarette.

"Youngest, let me borrow some weapons."

Silver light flew from somewhere and settled in the right hand of the Demon King of Salvation.

In a flash of bright light, one of the incarnations that was running at the front was split in half.

"Kaaaaaaak!"

'Thoughts' mimicked 'Broken Faith'.

'I activate 'Blade of Faith'.

"How can you still—"

The constellations retreated in awe.

The power to kill the incarnation of a great constellation with increased synchronization.

The 'Gatekeeper of Thebes', with his eyes wide open as if torn apart, screamed loudly.

"It’s just a fluke! Keep pushing! Even he’s at his limit!"

The hesitating constellations rushed forward again.

The Demon King of Salvation swung his sword without hesitation. Cut off their arms, cut off their legs, and slit their throat.

Every time that happened, the wounds on the demon species' body also increased.

He pulled out the arrow stuck in his shoulder and kicked away the spear that grazed his thigh.

The moment he removed the blade aimed at his side, a pain arose in his back. The torn wings of the demon species fluttered across the floor.

The moment the torn wing fell to the ground, lightning struck again from the sky.

The void curtain fluttered and another star fell into the white shining night sky.

He is the Demon King of Salvation who cannot feel emotions.

Nevertheless, at this moment, he was also Kim Dokja. Maybe it was because I met the youngest.

"Okay. Are you fighting too?"

Yoo Jonghyuk couldn’t answer.

Just as the writing on the monitor does not respond.

Some communication never happens. And where communication is impossible, there is just a story.

The Demon King of Salvation smiled like a prisoner accepting a deserved punishment.