784 Episode 36 Real Kim Dokja (5)
He felt dizzy as if he had been shot.
"Gilyoung-ah."
The voice that Gilyoung remembered.
The man who moved in the way he wanted to be like was speaking while holding a sword.
"You have to remember."
Gilyoung couldn't move even a single step as he watched the Demon King of Salvation walking toward him.
The Demon King of Salvation slowly drew his sword and aimed it at him. The blade fell like the second hand. When the blade finally reached Gilyoung's forehead.
"What are you doing!"
Someone pushed him away and shouted.
It was Ye Hyunwoo, who he thought had fainted.
He rolled around on the floor as his choked breath released and he got up. He could see Ye Hyunwoo, who had fallen to the floor, retching.
Ye Hyunwoo, with a pale complexion, looked up at Gilyoung and spoke in a desperate voice.
"Come to your senses—"
With those words, Ye Hyunwoo fainted again. Looking down at such a Hyunwoo, Gilyoung bit his lip.
Yeah, he has to come to his senses.
Gilyoung looked at the Demon King of Salvation again.
That is not Dokja-hyung. There is no way Dokja-hyung would attack him.
Then the Demon King of Salvation smiled.
"Now you remember."
The determination he had barely managed to hold onto wavered in front of that smile.
Gilyoung's senses were speaking. That expression, that look in his eyes, that gait. There was no doubt. That was the 'Demon King of Salvation' he remembered.
「 Has Kim Dokja never attacked him? 」
He had not.
Gilyoung had already experienced this fight once.
In their tenth scenario—'The 73rd Demon King'.
"What the... What the, why!"
Gilyoung held the Cheonjongun Sword while repeating the same words. Even so, Gilyoung could not swing the sword.
"No. I don't want to fight. Dokja-hyung! Please!"
What if the sky shatters when he swings his sword? What should he do if the star hanging in the sky falls?
[The Great Demon King, the 'Demon King of Salvation' unleashes his power.]
A sword strike that flew in when he was not prepared. 'Unbreakable Faith' was right in front of him.
Lee Gilyoung reflexively blocked the sword, recalling the moment he faced Yoo Jonghyuk. His wrist felt like it was breaking from the heavy impact.
「 "You all remember how to deal with the Demon King, right?" 」
He remembers.
He definitely remembers it even now.
But he didn't want to remember it.
「 "From now on, you must hunt me." 」
The memory of having to kill the person he loved more than anyone else.
"How could I remember that!"
Lee Gilyoung shouted in a fit of rage.
The Demon King of Salvation smiled silently.
「 "Gilyoung. This time, you can think of it as a game." 」
A game. Kim Dokja always said. This world is a game. You can think of it as a game. Lee Gilyoung followed the teachings.
He carried out the scenario without any guilt. He defeated monsters and sometimes killed people.
He survived.
In return for surviving, he learned something.
This world is not a game.
「 "Even if I die, I will come back to life. I promise." 」
Lee Gilyoung repeated his actions while looking at the new form of the Demon King of Salvation, shaking.
"I don't know how to kill my hyung. I've forgotten all about that!"
Lee Gilyoung tried his best to push away the approaching Kim Dokja. He released the magical power he had accumulated and swung his sword in a clumsy trajectory.
[The constellation 'Ruler of the Abyss' roars!]
In the end, Abaddon used his power once again to protect Lee Gilyoung.
The magical power released like a storm.
The Demon King of Salvation, who reacted to that magical power, also released his own power.
[The great Demon King 'Demon King of Salvation''s power rises!]
Tsutsutsut, a spark of probability struck down along with the sound. The sky, which had lost its day and night, blinked repeatedly, and the pitch-black darkness of the universe spread through the cracks in the sky.
[The restricted channel of the 'Recycling Center' is temporarily opened!]
The sky of the Recycling Center was collapsing.
[Constellations of external channels are temporarily flowing in!]
[The constellations of the nebula <Olympus> are staring at the 'Recycling Center'!]
[The constellations of the nebula <Vedas> are staring at the 'Recycling Center'!]
[The constellations of the nebula <Asgard> are staring at the 'Recycling Center'!]
[The constellations of the nebula <Hongik> are staring at the 'Recycling Center'!]
…
The constellations' gazes seeped through the cracks in the split sky. The stars that could not see the 'Recycling Center' due to the ban were peeking at the hidden world.
「 This is the place where all stories are recycled. 」
Amidst the pouring gazes of constellations, Gilyoung swung his sword.
"I..."
He shouted, drawing a path that was too clumsy to cut any constellation.
"What I remember is...!"
The Cheonchongun Sword and his Unbreakable Faith clashed once again. The cracking sound flowing from the swords that met. A story blossomed from the gap between the swords.
「 Excuse me for a moment. 」
The first person to give him a grasshopper.
「 All of Gilyoung's stories began at that moment. 」
With that one insect, Gilyoung gained life and received life.
He was reborn.
That's why the boy's birthday was the day all the tragedies began.
A story flowed out every time the cracking sound echoed.
「 Are you a god, hyung? 」
The person who was once his god.
Now Gilyoung knows.
He was not a god of this world.
「 "I'm neither a god nor a protagonist. Rather, I've always envied the protagonist." 」
Now, Gilyoung understands the feelings of Kim Dokja who used to say that. He's old enough to say that, just a little bit.
[The constellation 'The One Who Brought Ten Lambs' is unable to continue speaking.]
[The constellation 'Reclining Dragon' sighs.]
[The constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' is silent.]
What Gilyoung remembers is Kim Dokja's small back from behind the group.
His back as he protected the group against the pouring meteor shower.
「 "Hyung, don't you make a wish?" 」
That day, while watching the meteor shower falling from the rooftop of the theater dungeon, Gilyoung made a wish.
Please don't let him die. Please let me see the end of this world with him.
「 And the <Star Stream> granted Gilyoung's wish. 」
The man died several times because he wasn't a god, and came back to life several times even though he wasn't a god. In that death and resurrection, the man became a myth.
People praised him and the constellations sang about him.
But Gilyoung knew.
「 I asked to see the epilogue of a certain novel. 」
He was actually just an ordinary man who loved stories.
"Hyung! Please!"
Gilyoung swung his sword, remembering the man. He released his magic power to get the man back.
Every time the magic power accumulated in the sword surged out like a wave, Gilyoung felt like he was being pushed somewhere, or that he was leaving somewhere.
He swung his sword harder, more desperately because he hated that feeling.
「 The child who loved bugs is now approaching adulthood. 」
Like a talent that had been hidden, Gilyoung's magic power overflowed in all directions.
Abaddon's magic power blossomed in his swordplay.
Gilyoung, who had cornered the 'Demon King of Salvation' in an instant, unleashed the momentum of [Breaking the Sky Swordsmanship] like a storm.
A copycat style. Breaking the Sky Swordsmanship Season.
Breaking the Sky Ryu Seong-gyeol.
Just as a tree that has grown repeatedly stretches out its branches, Lee Gilyoung's talent in full bloom invaded the sky of constellations.
Breaking the Sky's swordsmanship swept across the entire body of the Demon King of Salvation. 'Unbreakable Faith' fell to the ground, and one of the Demon King's knees, unable to withstand the shock, buckled.
Lee Gilyoung approached him, catching his trembling breath.
"Hyung."
Looking down at Kim Dokja who was looking up at him, Lee Gilyoung also slowly knelt down on one knee.
Their gazes were of the same height.
The constellation that had seemed so far away was now close. Now he could ask. He could ask the old question.
「 Why did you save me back then? 」
However, when he met Kim Dokja's eyes, what came out of his mouth was unexpected words.
"I want to make that wish again."
A meteor was falling from the split sky. Constellations dying somewhere. Looking at the tails of those constellations.
"I don’t mind if hell starts again. I don’t mind if it’s not a happy ending. I don’t mind if I don’t see you often. That’s okay, please—"
"…"
"Can’t you just be a normal person?"
He prayed to the man who had now truly become a god.
"Just for one day, just be a normal person…"
He prayed and prayed, thinking of the man who loved this story.
He saw a few more constellations falling from the sky.
The Demon King of Salvation, who was looking up at that sky, opened his mouth.
"There are so many stars."
The moment he heard the voice, Gilyoung realized.
"Just say you understand."
He knew before he said it. His wish couldn’t come true.
Because that wish was a story that the stars didn’t want.
It was a story that went against the probability of this damned <Star Stream>.
Gilyoung thought as he watched the Demon King of Salvation smiling sadly.
Maybe the reader really wanted to die back then. Maybe he wanted to breathe his last in the story he loved. "I'm sorry I don't remember how to kill my hyung ."
With a clear sound, Cheonjongun Sword fell to the floor.
The boy who grew up watching Kim Dokja only knew Kim Dokja's methods.
[You are 'Old School'.]
[You cannot play a decisive role in this main scenario.]
The Demon King of Salvation answered him.
"Gilyoung-ah."
The Demon King of Salvation stood up and grabbed 'Unbreakable Faith'.
"Get up."
"…"
"The scenario isn't over yet."
Gilyoung shook his head as he watched 'Unbreakable Faith' slowly aiming at him.
"No, it's over."
Perhaps he came all the way here for this moment.
To be forgiven for his sin of not being able to save Kim Dokja from eternity.
"My scenario ends here."
[The constellation 'Ruler of the Abyss' protects his incarnation!]
As the 'Blade of Faith' moved, Abaddon's magic flowed out from the center of his heart and formed a barrier.
The 'Blade of Faith' collided with the barrier. The sword strike dug in with a cracking sound. At the moment when the sword strike finally reached the heart, Gilyoung felt as if time had stopped.
The world's scenery became colorless and someone's voice was heard.
「 Lee Gilyoung. 」
The tone of speech was different from the Kim Dokja he knew. Nevertheless, Lee Gilyoung felt Kim Dokja in him.
「 Breathe slowly. Breathe, exhale, yes. Slowly. 」
Lee Gilyoung listened to his words as if he was under a spell.
He felt someone lightly embracing him and pulling him away from the Blade of Faith.
A breathing sound that felt close. It was a breathing method that Gilyoung knew well.
「 Do you remember when we did this breathing method? 」
Gilyoung nodded.
'Before reading the story.'
「 Then you should read the story now. 」
'No, my story is already over.'
「 You haven’t met an 'ordinary Kim Dokja' yet. 」
Gilyoung tried to answer.
There is no such Kim Dokja.
This world does not allow such a Kim Dokja.
Then a voice spoke.
「 It’s just that it hasn’t been written yet. That’s why you couldn’t read it. 」
Gilyoung raised his head as his consciousness faded. His heart began to beat again.
Who could it be?
Who could be saying these cruel words that rekindled the hope that had already been extinguished?
「 So just wait a moment. 」
Another Kim Dokja was there.
「 I’m going to write that sentence from now on. 」
Gilyoung nodded.
[Exiting 'Snowfield'.]
With a groan, the snow scattered from my breath.
I lightly wiped the snow from my lips and placed Gilyoung, whom I was holding in my arms, on the floor.
Gilyoung, lying next to Ye-hyunwoo, looked like brothers.
Brothers.
When I slowly raised my head, I saw the face of the constellation I had been searching for for a long time.
[Many constellations are watching you.]
[The 'Recycling Center Director' is watching your choice.]
[The constellations of the nebula <Olympus>…]
[The constellations of the nebula <Asgard>…]
…
[The amount of 'loss' you've collected has reached a certain level!]
[Your incarnation cannot handle your stories!]
[Your stories react to your emotions!]
[Your incarnation is in danger due to excessive use of power!]
[The story 'Heir to the Eternal Name' warns you!]
…
Ignoring the messages coming in real time, I endured the upheaval with the power of [Incite].
The passionate sadness, anger, and pain were all suppressed under a single sentence.
「 It's Kim Dokja. 」
I greeted the only man in the world who could understand this pain.
"It's been a while, hyung."
The Demon King of Salvation nodded.
"Youngest."
“Maknae.”
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