787 Episode 37 Graduation ceremony (3)

My heart was beating wildly.

I’m dying. I’m really dying here.

I could see my death on the coming day.

The very scene where Jung Heewon killed Cheon Inho. The incident that shocked everyone at Geumho Station was about to be reenacted before my eyes.

And there was the Demon King of Salvation looking at me from the other side of the incident.

The directing ability of the story that even made the enemy constellations absorbed.

I was purely amazed by that ability and nodded.

I know that he doesn’t want to kill me either. But he has to act that way anyway. That’s the scenario. This is a game where only one Kim Dokja can survive.

I swung my 'Unbreakable Faith' to block the rushing sword. However, even though I activated [Time of Judgement] by using [Incite], [Sentence Strengthening], and [Bookmark], I could not stop the flow of the stage.

Blood burst from the corner of my mouth, and shallow sword wounds remained on my waist and shoulder.

The sword strikes of the Demon King of Salvation became faster and faster, and I continued to be pushed back.

At that moment, the Demon King of Salvation's sword pierced through my gap.

I thought that I really couldn't avoid it this time.

"Kim Dokja!"

Someone pushed me, and a small explosion occurred in the air.

"What are you doing? Come to your senses."

At first glance, it was a tone that could be mistaken for Yoo Jonghyuk's. But that won't happen anymore. Because I know who he is.

"Let's join forces!"

The SecondApostle, Killer King had finally arrived here. And that wasn't all.

"We're here. Friend."

Lee Dansu, who had appeared leading a large number of low-level loyal servants, charged the army of bugs toward the Demon King of Salvation.

"I'm here too! Ughhhhhhh! I'm scared to death!"

Kyung Sein, who had used [Average Correction] to increase her stamina to the limit, clashed with the Demon King of Salvation.

The moment the Demon King of Salvation's body was pushed back by the reckless charge, a splendid sword light flashed in the sky.

"Go, Yerin!"

Literary Girl 64, Cha Yerin, spun around in the air and fell down like a top. The combined attack of Killer King and Cha Yerin, the ultimate command of [Daejeon Action Mode] had been activated.

Kwakwakwakwakwa! A blow that could shatter Lee Hyunsung's steel-like armor.

Even so, the Demon King of Salvation did not fall. He simply silently swung his sword and blocked Cha Yerin's attack.

Cha Yerin's body was thrown toward the group with a huge shockwave.

"He's strong."

Cha Yerin's hand, which had collided with the Demon King of Salvation, was swollen red.

"He's unbelievably strong."

"Because he's Kim Dokja."

I told Cha Yerin that.

"And we're Kim Dokja too."

With these people, we can fight no matter how far behind we are. Although we haven't lived as long and distant a history as the Demon King of Salvation, we've done our best to get here.

The stories we've shared together began to stir and boil together.

The Demon King of Salvation also seemed to know that fact, so he lightly flicked his fingers into the air.

'High-level Demons' rose up simultaneously in the water.

"Be careful!"

As the high-level demons surrounded the forest in an instant, the group centered around Killer King stood guard.

"Formation A. Everyone gather!"

"There's no such thing!"

"Kim Dokja! Come to your senses! We'll take care of these guys!"

The sound of people being hit and broken was heard here and there. Kyung Sein's screams and Dansu's credit. Killer King's energy mixed together to form a mess.

I couldn't help but feel ashamed of the thought of salvation.

"You're really a brilliant leader."

That's right. We've lived through such a chaotic history. We've endured life by following the actions of the characters and reenacting the stories we liked. That's how we got here.

"You can't kill me with stories like that."

The combined attack of the high-level demons would have been difficult to deal with in the past. Nevertheless, the group held on well. They held on.

"Yes. It's a mess all the time, so I'd like a story where no one dies."

The eyes of the Demon King of Salvation wavered at my answer. I didn't miss that moment and rushed toward him.

A sword strike flew from the air once more.

"You know how that story ends, right?"

"Yes."

"Are you still going to continue that story?"

"Yes."

I nodded firmly and said.

"That's our story, isn't it?"

The Demon King of Salvation's blade shook subtly.

I made another bold move.

I pushed my sword without stopping.

A story received from Yongdubangju Cheongae.

All the stories I had learned and mastered were embedded in my blade.

"Do you remember? When we first met. You gave me a lot of advice back then."

Even now, when I close my eyes, a clear voice comes to mind.

—What kind of characteristic is the circulatory delay?

—[Incite] Why can’t you use it like that?

—Do you know any other stories besides 「Persistent Martial Arts Master」?

—And that’s not all the skillsyou’ve gotten. Why don’t you use [Nagak Breathing]? Do you practice Skill Linking?

These were the homework assignments left to me after the Demon King of Salvation disappeared.

While I was staying at the Recycling Center, I practiced stories and skills day and night. I knew that my proficiency wouldn’t increase enough with just this short period of practice, but I didn’t rest.

Just like the day I first started writing a novel, just like that time when I wrote and erased countless sentences, I trained all the possibilities I had.

With one breath, the magical power swelled like wildfire. The 'Circulation Delay' characteristic was linked to [Nakgak Breathing].

The long breath I sucked in circulated the magical power of my entire body, making it possible to link incredible skills.

The mutually contradictory martial arts and stories harmonized, and the ether blade rose from my swordplay.

I swung my sword while holding my breath. I swung my sword again and again until my breath ran out. Blood spurted onto my cheeks and the broken stories scattered. My breath reached the tip of my chin.

The Demon King of Salvation was looking at me in such a desperate manner.

I continued to swing my sword while hiding my pent-up emotions.

We are the sponsor and the incarnation.

A constellation and a human who share each other's inner feelings without saying a word.

The moment the flow of 'Circulation Delay' and 'Nagak Breathing' ended, the weapon of the Demon King of Salvation, who had been pushing forward, changed. The form of 'Thought' had changed into the 'Ttang Kang-A-Chwi-Kal'.

The weapon that Jung HeeWon used when she killed Cheon Inho in the 1,864th round.

The Demon King of Salvation was saying.

In order to change this story, I have to change it myself.

I have to destroy the history he has built up from the past head-on.

"I—"

I opened my mouth with all my might as I watched Jung Heewon's sword flying towards me to finish Cheon Inho.

"I am not Cheon Inho!"

A spark fell from the air, and the Demon King of Salvation's sword was twisted.

The blow that would have definitely killed me missed.

It was because the stage effect was weakened due to [Incite].

But even with that [Incite], the stage effect could not be dispelled.

The Demon King of Salvation shook his head and worked.

"It's amazing, you can now use [Incite] well, but…"

He already had the power to resist my [Incite].

Well, if I had been able to [Incite] the Demon King of Salvation in the first place, I wouldn't have been pushed back in this fight.

I thought it would have been better if I had just a little more time.

If only I had time to examine each and every one of the legends I had accumulated.

But I didn't have time, and the Demon King of Salvation's blade was too close. A squeak, and weakness came over me. The incarnation body that had been pushing itself hard since absorbing Goo Seonah had finally reached its limit.

I acknowledged it. What kind of ability did I have now? Even if I exert myself, I cannot beat the 'Demon King of Salvation'.

He is my sponsor. What I can do, he can do too.

He is the first Kim Dokja of this world.

The older brother of all Kim Dokjas, and the constellation that introduced me to 'Kim Dokja'.

"The match is not over yet. Don't look at me with those eyes."

"Youngest."

The eyes of the approaching Demon King of Salvation were shaking. The fear that I might really die.

I looked at that fear straight in the eye and laughed.

"I told you. I will become the first Kim Dokja who will never die. Because—"

I knew from the beginning that I could not defeat him. He had been a narrative-grade constellation for a long time, and I was just an incarnation that could now act as his representative.

So I waited.

I bought time until someone who could truly defeat him appeared.

"I absolutely do not intend to be the main character."

The sword of the Demon King of Salvation that had been rushing towards me was deflected. The power that could block the attack of that powerful narrative-grade constellation. While the surprised Demon King of Salvation widened his eyes, a man in a fluttering black coat gave an order.

"Lee Hyunsung! Lee Jihye! Shin Yoosoung! Kim Namwoon!"

The four people who received the order jumped out from the bushes. The combined attack of the four people seemed to be pushing back the forces of the upper-level demons little by little.

It was just the appearance of the main character, but it felt like the sentences that had been chaotically scattered were finding their places. I sighed involuntarily. I realized once again whose 'story' this world was.

In an instant, Yoo Jonghyuk cleaned up the surroundings and stood next to me and said.

"It's pathetic."

As I looked ahead with a bitter smile, the Demon King of Salvation was also facing me.

The Demon King of Salvation standing alone without any companions. His one starlight seemed a little lonely at that moment.

"Is that so?"

Starlight seemed to be counting down the years, and also seemed to be reminiscing about the old story in the scenario that had now become worn out.

"That guy was the Yoo Jonghyuk you discovered."

I couldn't even imagine the feelings of the Demon King of Salvation. All I could do was nod.

The Demon King of Salvation smiled faintly. That smile was all we could share at the moment.

"You really intend to kill me."

As expected, he knew all about my plan. In order to counter the 「Staging」 on the other side, we had to use 「Staging」 on this side as well.

We had to recreate the only stage in this universe where we could kill the 'Demon King of Salvation'.

Both he and I knew very well what that 'stage' was.

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