820 Episode 41 Sophistry (4)

Her eyes widened as she found me sitting in the seat.

"You."

Her blond hair swayed in the wind. Her eyes shook as if she was agitated.

I waved my hand lightly at her and smiled.

"It's been a while."

I never thought we would meet in a place like this.

Her expression hardened at my greeting, and she hesitated for a moment before approaching me briskly.

"Cheon Inho."

The person who called me 'Cheon Inho'.

"Why are you here?"

Prophet Anna Croft.

She was in the same 'Fear' as me.

As I live, there will come a day when I ride the same subway as Anna Croft.

I thought about my last encounter with her. The last time I saw her was at the 'Washington Dome'.

At that time, I fell into 'Gingagap', a trap set by <Asgard>, and there, I borrowed the power of the Demon King of Salvation and defeated the great Constellations. Come to think of it, I owed Anna Croft that time. If she hadn’t processed the 'Lesser Dragon's Heart' with her own trait, neither I nor the Demon King of Salvation would have been able to summon the power of 'Cheok Jungyeong' as a [bookmark].

Now that I think about it, Cheok Jungyeong is here too. I don’t know if it was a coincidence or not, but things were going quite strangely.

I pointed to the seat next to me and said to Anna Croft.

"Please sit down."

Anna Croft hesitated for a moment, as if she was uncomfortable sitting next to me, and then sat down with a helpless expression.

"What are you planning here?"

"I’m not planning anything in particular."

"What are you planning—"

The moment we got to that point in the conversation, I felt the gaze I had felt the other time.

Oh, again.

My stomach started to churn and I felt faint dizziness.

Fortunately, I had already experienced it once, and the [Fourth Wall] was also activated, so I could endure it.

But it seemed that Anna Croft was not like that.

"W-what is this?"

Anna Croft, whose face had turned pale, was already sweating profusely.

Even she, who had a fairly high level of mental barrier, could end up like that.

"Lower your voice."

As I whispered, the gazes aRound her disappeared as if they had been washed away.

Anna Croft, panting and wiping away her sweat, asked.

"What was that just now?"

"Probably a Fear effect."

The subway we were riding in had not yet experienced the 'Crime Zone'.

Judging from the fact that a similar phenomenon occurred when I called and when I spoke to Anna Croft—this place seemed to be a space dominated by the common 'Spirit-Bound Combat Technique' of public transportation.

It could be something like this. Do not talk loudly or make noise. Do not eat food.

Do not make noise.

Give up your seat to pregnant women or the elderly.

Anna Croft also seemed to have noticed the rules.

"A peculiar rule is in effect."

"It's an ordinary rule. This was normal before the scenarios came."

We sat side by side and admired the everyday scenery that we had forgotten. The soft breathing of people. People looking down and concentrating on the small screen.

It felt real again. This was the ordinary world we knew. People in those days were trapped in their own worlds, and perhaps the scenario pulled them out of there.

'Scenarios' that Kim Dokja had read.

I glanced over and saw that Anna Croft was also lost in a short reflection.

She must have sensed my gaze, but she came to her senses and said in a cold voice.

"I knew you were alive, but you're much better than I thought."

Anna Croft seemed to have already heard the news about me.

"You're glad I'm okay, aren't you?"

"No one can go through something like that and be fine."

"Have you heard any rumors?"

"I heard that you were chased by giant nebulae and torn apart."

Torn apart.

That's not wrong.

I was not the one who was 'torn apart' to begin with.

"Wow, it almost turned out like that."

"You're so tenacious that you survived that kind of defeat."

"Because I'm good at coming back from the dead. But why did you come here?"

"Are you really asking because you don't know?"

A thought occurred to me belatedly.

The last time I saw Anna Croft, she went against her own Nebula, <Asgard>, to help me.

I knew what the incarnation that went against the nebulae would say.

"You seem to be blooming too."

"Thanks to who? I was going to ask you about it at the Recycling Center anyway..."

"Um, I didn't see you there?"

"I didn't know you were a crazy person who wanted to clear it all the way."

"Did you come all the way to the Fear Realm to chase me?"

"Look here. Do I look like someone who's free?"

"Then why did you come to the Fear Realm?"

"I'm not the incarnation of <Asgard> anymore. What choice would an abandoned incarnation have?"

"Aha, you're thinking of becoming a Transcendent."

The only path left for her abandoned by <Asgard>.

Anna Croft had come here to climb the only ladder of social mobility that a mortal abandoned by the Constellations could attempt.

"I think that's also a failure since I came all the way here to meet you."

"Come on, let's forget about the old days and get along. That's how we'll get out of here. We'll go out and become Transcendents, and take revenge on the Constellations . Anyway, let's go on good terms."

Anna Croft muttered as if she was shocked at what I said.

"On good terms? Do you think that's possible between you and me?"

"I've become a colleague with Yoo Jonghyuk. I'll embrace you with a big heart."

"Who's talking to whom right now—"

Anna Croft, who was about to shout, suddenly stopped talking. The passengers' eyes were turned towards her.

Anna Croft asked again, sighing as if she was going to collapse.

"Cheon Inho. Do you know anything about this 'Fear'?"

I nodded and briefly relayed the information I knew.

Anna Croft nodded after hearing my story.

"I expected it since the backgRound was the subway. Then I guess we'll have to create a Crime Zone to get out of here."

"I'm against it."

"Against it?"

"We have to find a way to get out without activating the Crime Zone."

"Didn't you say that the method is unknown? With your abilities, you could easily be the last one standing even if you use the 'Crime Zone'."

"You were on board with me, of all people."

Anna Croft looked momentarily flustered.

"Because of me?"

"The Cheon Inho of this world line is quite affectionate."

"You always said that and aimed for my back."

"Cheok Jungyeong is riding in the next car."

"Cheok… Jungyeong?"

"Do you know the Goryeo Swordsman?"

"Oh, no way—"

Only then did Anna Croft's face turn pale as if she realized the situation.

"We're dead."

"That's why I need your ability now."

Come to think of it, it was my good fortune to meet Anna Croft now. Anna Croft was the incarnation with the ability specialized in this 'Fear Realm'.

"Can you see something in [Future Sight]?"

Anna Croft can read the future with [Future Sight]. This means that if she uses her ability well, she can also power up the threatening Fear that will come in the future.

But Anna Croft's expression was unusual.

"No."

"Why?"

"My [Future Sight] lost its power after coming here."

Anna Croft glared at me for a moment as if she didn't want to admit it, then added,

"It's as if the entire future is covered in fog."

This was unexpected.

She can't see the future. Why?

Looking back, there were several times in the main story when 'Anna Croft's' prophetic ability was blocked.

Why was that?

Oh... Wait a minute. Could it be?

A hypothesis suddenly came to mind.

To verify that hypothesis, I reviewed Han Sooyoung's guide once again. But why?

Some sentences that were previously marked as 'spoilers' have been released.

The subway lights blinked three times.

It was an incredibly crucial hint. So, what I have to do is make the subway lights blink three times.

Should I cause a power outage?

"Cheon Inho."

"What?"

"Is that how you see it?"

Anna Croft tilted her head slightly, so I hurriedly hid my phone and answered.

"I just read some web novels."

"Novels? You're reading novels in this situation? Are you crazy?"

Anna Croft glared at me like she was looking at a bug, then made a resigned expression.

"I used to read a lot of novels, too."

At that moment, my vision went black for a moment and then came back. My mind was blank.

What? What just happened?

Anna Croft also looked surprised. She hurriedly looked aRound and muttered quietly.

"Is it a power outage?"

My mind felt brighter at the word power outage.

"Anna Croft. Please continue what you were just saying."

"What are you talking about? A power outage?"

"No, you were talking about novels."

"What’s the big deal about that right now—"

"Listen to me."

Anna Croft nodded her head slightly at my serious tone.

"But what else do I have to say…"

"Hmm."

I realized that this person is also quite inexperienced at having conversations.

After all, she is a 'Prophet'.

A being who can read the past and the future. In a sense, she is a character as 'omniscient' as Kim Dokja.

Would a prophet who knows all of someone’s shortcomings and secrets before they even become close to her really make an effort to build deep relationships with others?

Perhaps all humans would look like characters with past and future plots in front of her.

Thinking about it that way, I could finally understand Anna Croft’s attitude toward her colleagues.

Fortunately, I am a more social person than Kim Dokja or Anna Croft.

"Do you have a favorite author?"

"Ah."

Anna Croft nodded belatedly and answered.

"There is."

"Who is it?"

"Ted Chang, Charles Yu, Liu Cixin. And…"

I smiled, feeling like I expected it.

Well, Anna wouldn't read web novels.

Anna Croft let out a snarl, interpreting my smile.

"Are you making fun of my reading tastes?"

"No, I just laughed because I thought it suited you well."

"Who do you like?"

"My favorite author."

I muttered, looking at the letters shining on the screen of my smartphone.

"It's someone named Han Sooyoung."

Anna Croft muttered, "Han Sooyoung," and tilted her head.

"I've never heard of that author before. Is she a famous author in Korea?"

"In some worldline."

Anna Croft tilted her head for a moment, as if imagining a worldline where Han Sooyoung is famous.

In the meantime, I was staring at the ceiling light. The light was flickering, emitting an uncertain light that seemed to be fading.

It was almost like a blink, which was a pity.

Is this not enough?

In that case, I had no choice but to resort to a desperate measure.

"Anna Croft, what role will I assign you from now on?"

"Yes?"

"You are Korean from now on and your name is Kim Anna."

"What?"

"Ms. Kim Anna. Do you speak Spanish?"

Kim Anna looked at me with her typical bewildered expression, then answered as if she had no choice but to follow along.

"I know a little bit."

"Puede prestarme dinero."

Kim Anna asked back with a dumbfounded expression.

"Why are you suddenly asking me to lend you money?"

"Do you have any apps you can recommend for me?"

"Apps?"

"Like apps to learn Spanish."

"Cheon Inho. What the hell are you talking about?"

"Inho has an Inho's life."

"What?"

"And Anna has an Anna's life."

At that moment, the lights flickered again.

I felt a surge of joy inside.

As expected, my guess was right.

Anna Croft asked back in a bewildered voice.

"What did you do just now?"

"Be quiet."

It was clear now.

I muttered as I looked back at the passengers. I don’t know if it was one of them or someone outside this space.

"We’re being 'audited' right now."

Someone was watching us here.

"What—"

"Do you remember what the First Scenario was?"

The First Scenario was about 'killing a living being'.

The name of the scenario was 'Proof of Worth'.

Proof of Worth.

Every incarnation had to prove their 'worth' to 'someone' through the First Scenario.

Anna, who had been looking aRound, asked with a hardened expression.

"No way. The Constellations are watching?"

"Not Constellations."

"Then?"

"I don’t know. I think we have to make them happy to get out."

The lights had blinked twice so far. And both of those blinks happened when I parodied the development of the 'main story'.

But now there was no more main story content to parody. The situation where even the 'Reader's Life', which was a desperate measure, was used. In terms of the main story development, this was the 'beginning of the scenario'.

It means that the 'Crime Zone' must open.

"Then the 'Crime Zone' is..."

"It would have been the easiest way to entertain someone."

In fact, I had a vague idea of ​​who that 'someone' was.

In the first place, the only people who would enjoy watching the parody of the main story would be Kim Dokja or Kim Dokja's acquaintances.

Then, the way to make the subway lights blink is simple.

All I had to do was start a story that would make even that 'Kim Dokja' curious.

"Anna Croft."

Fortunately, I was with someone who knew one of those stories.

"I want to know exactly what happened in the last 40th Round."

This was also something I was curious about.

Anna Croft asked, lightly puffing out one cheek and then bursting it.

"Cheon Inho. What are you up to? I'd rather ask you about the last Round."

"I don't know much because I lost my memories of that Round. What happened? What did I do? Why do you and Yoo Jonghyuk hate me so much."

A story I should have found out a long time ago, but kept putting off.

"I don't know anything. That's why I want to know."

Taking a deep breath, an old memory suddenly came to mind.

The red coat. The wings of the Demon King, the being called 'the Evil Sophist' by the Constellations.

The two blades that crossed to kill each other.

Perhaps it was a question I should have asked a long time ago. In order to meet the Second Kim Dokja, to become a proper comrade with Yoo Jonghyuk, in order to resolve this 'Fear', I—

"Who on earth is 'Cheon Inho' from the 40th Round?"

I need to know exactly who I am first.

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