781 Episode 36 Real Kim Dokja (2)

With a special sound, the high-level demon fell.

Ye Hyunwoo retrieved the 'Kim Dokja fragment' that the high-level demon had.

The energy of the story flowing in with the message.

Ye Hyunwoo checked his face reflected in the puddle. The white and pale face that he had once seen on the cover of 『Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint』. It looked a bit younger than what he had seen then. Perhaps it was because his physical age was that of a boy.

How many more 'Kim Dokja fragments' does he have to collect to become Kim Dokja?

Can he become Kim Dokja?

A memory suddenly lingered in his ears.

Ye Hyunwoo thought of the owner of the voice.

'Noh Jiyoon.'

The daughter of Lee Dansu ahjussi. The girl who visited 'Kim Dokja Banquet' with him.

No one told him that. However, he found out naturally while collecting the 'Kim Dokja fragments'.

There was a reader who fell at the same station as Jiyoon. Jiyoon fought the monsters to save the reader and the people, and died.

It wasn't that surprising in this world.

The reader Jiyoon saved that day also died in the end. Torn to pieces by a high-level demon.

What was the meaning of Jiyoon's sacrifice?

Ye Hyunwoo couldn't quite understand it.

"You're right. I like being safe."

Replying to his old friend's voice, Ye Hyunwoo walked around. There was no road, but he walked where he thought it was a road.

He also hummed a song that his friend Jiyoon liked. As he hummed the song, memories that were still vivid enough to be called memories came back to him one after another.

The story of persuading Gong Pildu to survive in Chungmuro.

The story of developing the 'Invincible Castle Tech Tree'.

The story of almost fighting Yoo Jonghyuk.

The story of 'capturing the flag' with the readers.

The story of meeting Cheon Inho and his group.

"But Jiyoon. You liked being safe, too."

Disaster scenarios and Peace Land, the Washington Dome and the 'Recycling Center'.

Hiding together in a brick house.

Eating soup made by the crane owner.

Fixing a swallow's leg or taking care of a goose in labor.

Watching the group from a corner while eating bamboo.

Counting each of those things, Ye Hyunwoo felt that all of those things were like a novel.

Then what role was he assigned in that novel?

Ye Hyunwoo's steps stopped. The forest ended and a small open space appeared.

There was a demon.

A man wearing a white coat and spreading his black wings.

Ye Hyunwoo swallowed as he looked at the red horns sprouting from his head.

The '73rd Demon King' slowly turned his back and looked at him.

He had expected it since he heard that the name of the demon was '73rd Demon King'.

That 'Demon King of Salvation' was here. The protagonist they were looking for had appeared as their opponent.

But the moment their eyes met, Ye Hyunwoo felt strange.

He definitely felt the powerful energy of the 'Kim Dokja Fragments' from him.

But...

'Come to your senses.'

Ye Hyunwoo shook his head several times and took a deep breath.

'I have to kill him.'

Since he was marked as the boss of this stage, the 'Demon King of Salvation' must have powers of a different dimension.

He must not let his party face the 'Demon King of Salvation'. If he did, there would definitely be casualties. In order to prevent that, he came here before anyone else.

The moment he took a deep breath and stepped into the empty space, shouts were heard from all directions. The forest in the area shook and a group of incarnations appeared.

The incarnations who had drawn their weapons were running towards the Demon King of Salvation.

Ye Hyunwoo immediately recognized who they were. The constellations of the <Twelve Zodiac Signs>. They were the ones who had participated in the scenario with them until recently.

At first, it seemed like the <Twelve Zodiac Signs> were joining hands to hunt the demon.

But the wave pattern felt strange. The <Twelve Zodiac Signs> he knew did not have that level of power.

'It's not the Twelve Zodiac Signs'.

A cold sensation passed through his heart belatedly.

'Someone is using the modifiers of the <Twelve Zodiac Signs'.

As if they knew the demon's weakness, the constellations equipped with divine attribute weapons swung their weapons in precise trajectories. Push shot!

The demon tribe was mercilessly slaughtered by an attack that had the rank of a constellation.

Looking at the staggering demon, Ye Hyunwoo's head went through complicated calculations.

It might have been a good thing.

The 'Demon King of Salvation' is a difficult opponent to face alone. If they wait for an opportunity here and join forces with the constellations, the scenario will be much easier.

'Let's get started.'

From the start of the scenarios until now, Ye Hyunwoo has steadily progressed through the 'Invincible Castle Tech Tree'.

The 'Invincible Castle Tech Tree' he designed has a total of 10 stages.

And Ye Hyunwoo has just reached the activation condition for stage 8 of the tech tree.

The key to this build-up is to apply his exclusive skill, [Magic Charge] — to supply unlimited magical power to Gong Pildu, who has the strongest defense.

Several constellations that felt the magical wave turned to Ye Hyunwoo.

Is his weakness already known to the constellations?

Ye Hyunwoo smiled bitterly.

They were certainly right. He is an incarnation that can’t do anything alone.

'But isn’t that the same for everyone?'

Ye Hyunwoo slowly took a deep breath and gathered his magical power. It was finally time for the 'Kim Dokja Fragments' he had collected to exert their power.

The 'Invincible Castle Tech Tree' he had envisioned required 'Gong Pildu' up to stage 7.

However, it was different from stage 8.

A skill that is exclusive to Kim Dokja and can borrow the power of a 'character'.

It is currently extremely incomplete, so only one 'character' can be registered, but that was enough.

In the first place, he only needed one character.

"I will activate bookmark 1, 'Armed Fortress Master Gong Pildu'."

The character that had been protecting him was now inside him.

Gong Pildu's private land occupied the area in an instant.

However, this alone was not enough to activate the 'Armed Fortress'. This was because Gong Pildu's 'Armed Fortress' was not an exclusive skill, but a 'stigma'.

Of course, Ye Hyunwoo had a countermeasure for that.

"I will fulfill the contract with the Defense Master."

A contract made with the 'Defense Master' in preparation for an emergency.

The contract was simple.

In exchange for granting the Defense Master's request, he would receive one of Gong Pildu's 'Stigmata' at a 'desired moment'.

The ground beneath his feet rose and Ye Hyunwoo's body rose into the air.

The outer wall of the 'Armed Fortress' that would protect him from any attack was growing.

A small castle that grew more than twenty meters in an instant.

It looked rather crude compared to the 'Armed Fortress' of Tech Tree Stage 10 that he was aiming for, but this was enough for now.

The fortress began to move along with the wheels that grew under the fortress.

As the magnificent magic turrets aimed forward at once, the constellations that felt a sense of crisis shouted.

Ye Hyunwoo sat on the castle's control tower while listening to the constellations' screams.

The castle's radar activated and the dusty 'Demon King of Salvation' appeared in the field of view.

The 'Demon King of Salvation' had already suffered massive damage to its incarnation body.

Ye Hyunwoo, who had finally made up his mind, pressed the fire button.

The 64 turrets opened fire, and a loud noise rang out as if they were sweeping away the forest. The dust rose pitch black.

However, the scream heard within was not that of the 'Demon King of Salvation'.

The incarnations of the constellations burst into pieces in the dust.

…

Even some of the constellations could not withstand the blow and exited the scenario.

Even so, Ye Hyunwoo did not stop.

The indignant constellations aimed their weapons at him.

Looking at the constellations running towards him, Ye Hyunwoo thought.

It was an unwise choice. Naturally, joining forces with those constellations to end the demon and share the story would have been the safe choice.

However, the moment he saw the 'Demon King of Salvation' caught on the radar, Ye Hyunwoo could not make a safe choice.

The face of the 'Demon King of Salvation' who had become a demon was as pale as a corpse.

A body like rags made of flesh. Eyes that had lost their light and skin that felt lifeless.

In the end, this scenario had to end by hunting him.

That's the only way to save the party.

He came here before anyone else for that goal.

Even so, the moment he saw Kim Dokja's face, Ye Hyunwoo felt faintly dizzy.

The enraged constellations abandoned the demon and began to run toward the castle.

Ye Hyunwoo knew it too. He is not Kim Dokja. He knew better than anyone that he was not Kim Dokja, so he recited that spell.

Ye Hyunwoo pressed the fire button again and again.

Piles of dirt scattered everywhere. The constellations screamed in frustration amidst the broken pieces of wood.

With the effect of [Magic Charge], magic power filled Ye Hyunwoo’s entire body once again.

The core of the Invincible Castle’s tech tree—the 「Infinite Uroboros」system—was manifested.

The constellations that had been holding on firmly began to fall one by one.

Ye Hyunwoo’s inner self also gradually grew more certain.

They were at most the incarnation bodies of 'great-grade constellations'. Even if the synchronization rate was increased in this 'Recycling Center' with limited rank, they would not be able to withstand the fortress' concentrated bombardment.

A thud was heard, along with the sound of something collapsing.

Startled, Ye Hyunwoo checked the radar. However, nothing was detected. Someone was attacking the fortress at a speed that could not be detected by the detection system.

Kugugugu.

The current 'Armed Fortress' was now only a level 5 fortress.

As powerful strikes continued, the outer wall of the fortress collapsed and cracks began to form on the inner wall.

The moment Ye Hyunwoo, who had lost some energy, recharged his magic power once again and activated the turret, something appeared, breaking through the control tower's defense wall.

Three incarnations appeared. They were all guys he had never seen before.

The incarnation body of the constellation at the forefront approached Ye Hyunwoo like a ghost and grabbed him by the neck.

Ye Hyunwoo laughed, hanging in the air.

Even now, Ye Hyunwoo does not understand Kim Dokja, who sacrificed himself for the group.

However, even though he did not understand him, Ye Hyunwoo liked him.

The constellation, who was quietly looking at Ye Hyunwoo hanging in the air, spoke.

The moment he heard that voice, Ye Hyunwoo felt goosebumps running down his spine.

He realized something new.

The 'Invincible Castle Tech Tree Stage 8' was designed to withstand attacks from 'great-grade constellations' inside the 'Recycling Center'.

But if they had broken through this wall and entered, it was clear what kind of enemy they were.

'Narrative-grade constellation'.

The ominous sparks that surged through the air proved it.

He couldn't understand it. How did a narrative-grade constellation intervene in the scenario of this 'Recycling Center'?

He could feel the gaze of the stars watching this place from the vast distance of space.

How many constellations are watching this place?

Olympus? Asgard? Vedas?

Or a small nebula that was hidden?

The moment he saw the aftershock of probability that brightly colored the empty space, Ye Hyunwoo intuitively felt that this scenario had completely left his hands.

"Bam-"

Feeling a hand tightly squeezing his neck, Ye Hyunwoo intuitively sensed his end.

Considering his boastful words, he felt that it was a vain end. At the same time, he also thought that this was a very fitting end for him. Perhaps, ever since he first saw Cheon Inho in Chungmuro, he had a feeling this day would come.

He couldn’t become Kim Dokja.

There was someone in this world who was much more suited to Kim Dokja’s place.

His role was to play the role of an extra in the lines that no one would remember.

However, if there was one last regret, it was this.

That he couldn’t keep the promise he left in that comment.

As the powerful magic flowed through the constellation’s hand, his consciousness began to fade.

If he died like this and became a fragment of Kim Dokja, would he be able to meet Jiyoon again? Would he be able to laugh and talk about this story when they met again?

Look, if you really possess someone in 'Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint', you'll die right away. Saying that—

Would he be able to not regret reading this story?

Ye Hyunwoo waited for death with such thoughts.

However, no matter how much time passed, his consciousness did not disappear. He felt his body floating in the air, and someone was holding him and putting him down on the floor.

He slowly opened his eyes and raised his head, and saw someone's back.

Is it Kim Dokja?

But when he looked again, he was wearing a black cloak.

So is it Yoo Jonghyuk?

No. He was smaller than Yoo Jonghyuk.

Ye Hyunwoo noticed the words written on his back.

『OLD SCHOOL』.

Old School.

The boy wearing the cloak looked back at him. The moment he met those eyes that felt strangely stubborn, Ye Hyunwoo thought he knew who he was.

That's because he had read this story fifty times.

"You... look like my Dokja-hyung."

A being who could move the 'probability scale' against those scary constellations.

"Thank you for saving my hyung."

<Kim Dokja Company> came to the 'Recycling Center'.

Dear Readers! Are you enjoying your read? Please consider donating to help keep the ORV-Reader running! Thank you for your support! (My rent is due TwT)

• Support ORV-Reader