917 Episode 52 Light Sword Emperor (2)
I'd fought a Recorder of Fear before. To be precise, it wasn't me; it was the combined efforts of the Demon King of Salvation and Yoo Joonghyuk.
Cheon Inho, in the 40th round.
I tried to recall his fighting style.
Cheon Inho, a high-ranking Recorder nicknamed 'The One Who Deceived the Stars', had never manifested 'powers' like this before.
「 Yoon Hyunseok, calming down his confusion, reconsidered his thoughts. He's strong. At least 'executive level.' Perhaps even strong enough to rival the 'Ascendants.' But how could that be? Someone who only recently entered the city could be strong enough to rival the Ascendants? 」
Sentences flowed hurriedly before my eyes. Naturally, they weren't mine.
「 That can't be true. If there were such an incarnation, he would have been chosen by a 'Giant Nebula' and summoned to the higher-level scenarios long ago. 」
I'd seen him somewhere before, and the flow of his sentences was plausible.
With this flow, the conclusion of the story he was trying to tell was clear.
「 The narrow-eyed man in front of me is definitely using some kind of trick. 」
Tsutsutsu, I felt the sentences he had written cling unpleasantly to my body.
「 The power to record fate. 」
The power to 'realize' the sentences he had written.
Thinking back, Asmodeus, who had taken over the 'movie theater', possessed similar reality-altering abilities.
And crucially.
[Special skill, '□□', twitches.]
My [□□] possessed a similar power.
"Die!"
An executive from <Veda Biotech>, imbued with demonic energy in both hands, launched a flanking attack. [Myeongwang Simbeop], [Myeongwang Ichiken], and even the secret technique [Myeongwang Hwangcheonken].
On the surface, it was a repetition of the attacks he had unleashed earlier, but the words behind it were different.
「 Yoon Hyunseok's lungs heaved deeply and heavily, and the breath he inhaled filled his body, boiling as if ready to explode at any moment. His eyes flashed with an unfamiliar color, transcending the enemy before him, and every sound that brushed his ears became distant and faint, like dull ripples in water. 」
Wow.
「 Yoon Hyunseok slowly clenched his fist. Each knuckle cracked, and thin, blue veins crawled up the back of his hand like living snakes. 」
Even its name was a weighty and solemn martial art—[Myeongwang Ichiken]. A single, annihilating blow that completely devours and destroys a person's existence."」
Looking at the rambling sentences, I couldn't help but be amazed.
It's been a long time since I've seen such a 'brick paragraph'.
Kugugugugu!
The [Hyo-oh Ichiken]'s powerful wind pounded my entire body like a drum, accompanied by a thunderous sound.
"Kuaaaah! Executive!"
The excited man seemed oblivious to the fact that his fellow <Veda Biotech> subordinates were being blown away by the powerful wind.
「 How much of a blast did he unleash? Yoon Hyunseok, standing in the dust-filled courtyard, muttered. 」
"Did I harm him?"
「 For a moment, Yoon Hyunseok flinched. 'Why did I say something like that?' 」
"Because I wrote it."
As if I had been waiting, I dusted myself off and stood up, and Yoon Hyunseok looked genuinely flustered.
[The story, 'Rewriter of Fate', lets out a loud cry!]
I survived the fate of those 'Giant Nebulae'.
If I, who am so desperate, can't overcome a few sentences scribbled by a single recorder, that's absurd.
[The 'Recorder of Fear' writing 'Veda Biotech' is astonished.]
[The 'Recorder of Fear' writing 'Veda Biotech' surreptitiously glances around and calls out to another 'Recorder'.]
Another Recorder?
"Inho-ssi, run."
Kyung Sein, who had been observing the situation from behind me, stepped forward.
"The executives aren't simply scary because they're strong. Inho-ssi, you might not know this, but each of those guys has a 'Recorder' attached to them."
I nodded in understanding. But perhaps thinking I hadn't fully grasped it, Kyung Sein continued.
"Right now, there's only one recorder, but if they increase, even Inho-ssi won't be able to stop them. I'm fine, so run. The other executives will soon come rushing in. If the recorders gather and [Fate] is unleashed—"
"It's fine."
"That's what Inho-ssi says without knowing! [Fate] is…!"
"I know. [Fate] is so damn annoying."
A thunderous clap of thunder ripped through the air. The next moment, the eastern sky seemed to flash, and two figures soared through the air. Kyung Sein's face, seeing their faces, was tinged with despair.
As if to add to Kyung Sein's expression, Namgung Myung spoke.
"Benefactor, these are the next ascendants of <Veda Biotech>."
The ascendants. Incarnations of the same caliber as Cho Jincheol and Reinheit had appeared again.
"Did you summon us, Myungwangsu?"
"You've created another troublesome situation."
On the surface, it seemed like a normal conversation, but I could read the exchanges taking place behind the scenes between the recorders.
[The 'Recorder of Fear' who writes <Veda Biotech> reveals his alias!]
[The Recorder of Fear, 'Unchanging One', asks for help!]
As Kyung Sein had said, each executive-level figure had a 'Recorder' attached to them.
[The Recorder of Fear, 'One Who Writes Youth', responds to the call for help.]
[The Recorder of Fear, 'One Who Doesn't Like Twists', responds to the call for help.]
"Hmm, I've seen him somewhere."
"Could it be that you couldn't handle that one kid on your own?"
The King of the Underworld, Yoon Hyunseok, frowned and retorted.
"Don't underestimate him. He withstood my [King of the Underworld Fist]."
"King of the Underworld Fist?"
For a moment, I saw the three executives exchange glances. A moment later, Yoon Hyunseok stepped forward again and asked me,
"What is your identity?"
"I'm an employee of this company."
"Who asked you that? How come you're under the protection of a 'Recorder'? Are you dispatched from a giant nebula?"
It seems the Recorder, known as the 'Unchanging One,' has already spread word about me.
I feigned a shrug and said,
"I'm affiliated with a nebula, of course."
"Which nebula?"
"<Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint>."
The three men frowned again.
"Are you kidding us? I've never heard of a nebula like that."
I gave a wry smile. Still, they were executives, so they were quite clever. They realized I had a hidden plan, so they were deliberately stalling.
[The Recorders of Fear are starting a 'Record Discussion'!]
The Recorders are probably trying to buy time to declare their definitive [Fate]. Of course, I had no intention of leaving it that way.
"Stop wasting time. Isn't this what you all came here for anyway?"
I held out my hand in the air and showed the D Coins I'd accumulated.
The D Coins emitted a dazzling light into the air, and the executives' expressions changed.
"So there was a reason the King of the Underworld called us."
"You were trying to keep all that for yourself?"
King of the Underworld Yoon Hyunseok frowned at the executives' rebuke.
"If you help me now, I'll divide it into three equal parts. I've already spoken with the Recorders."
"Good. But are you seriously planning a fight here? The other companies will notice."
"I asked the Recorders to set up a barrier."
Namgung Myung warned about the executives, watching them slowly approach.
"Benefactor, be careful. I heard that with three executives, they can hunt even 'disaster-level fears.'"
Disaster-level fears.
"They're a little stronger than Kim Anna."
"Huh?"
"Stand back, Gungmyung."
At the same time, the officers charged.
A pure, magical barrage, unconcealing their own power.
It was a crude, unpolished fighting style, devoid of any subtlety, but there were plenty of them at the narrative-level.
This is probably why, as scenarios progress, the difference in 'power' becomes a distinct difference in 'combat power'. Most incarnations would lose their fighting spirit the moment they saw the difference in power.
"You're a clever guy."
When I used [Way of the Wind] to evade the barrage, the officers' expressions became even more serious.
I calmly observed them. There were three officers in total. However, they were assigned two constellations.
[The constellation, 'Desiring Parrot', is observing you closely.]
[The constellation, 'Horse-Possessing Twins', senses a strange sense of deja vu in your fighting style.]
'Desiring Parrot' and 'Horse-Possessing Twins'. Although they hadn't appeared in the main story, they were constellations from Vedas, familiar to me through 'Ways of Survival'.
The 'Desiring Parrot' was Kamadeva, the god of love and desire.
And the 'Horse-Possessing Twins' were the 'Ashvin Twins'.
Since the twins were literally 'twins', it seemed they had struck a pact with the two executives.
"How long do you think you can keep running away like that?"
"Aren't you just missing him?"
Since both constellations were 'narrative-grade', if I gave them time, they might be able to deduce my identity.
I decided to change my strategy.
"Honestly, I'm a bit disappointed. I thought an executive-level constellation would at least have a 'Lokapala’-level constellation."
[The constellation, 'Desiring Parrot', rages and increases its synchronisation with the incarnation!]
[The constellation, 'Horse-Possessing Twins', rages and increases its synchronisation with the incarnation!]
As the constellations began to reveal their powers, the recorders also seemed to be elated.
「 As 'Kamadeva' raged and displayed his power, the 'Ashvin Twins' also revealed their true colors. How dare a mere incarnation mention the great 'Lokapala' and mock them? As a constellation of <Vedas>, it was an unbearable shame. 」
The feast of power exploded. Despite the pressure I was experiencing, I refused to back down or cower.
「 Perhaps this fight will be my comeback. 」
Until now, I had been conserving my energy to gauge their strength, but from now on, I no longer needed to.
「 The [soundproof barrier] hanging over the area was blocking out the commotion. 」
That's because those greedy 'recorders' were thoroughly concealing the story here, lest the other recorders and constellations discover it.
[The constellations on the temporary channel are curious about what's happening in that area!]
It seems they even obscured the channel.
For me, it was a good thing.
「 <Veda Biotech>'s power began to gather. The level of each executive was on a different level. Soon, the three incarnations, who had reached the early stages of narrative-grade, filled the entire estate with their power. 」
The full narrative of these men unfolded before my eyes, and the three executives launched a combined barrage.
It had begun.
「 The story of the 'Desiring Parrot' was included in [The Underworld]... 」
「 The story of the 'Horse-Possessing Twins' permeated the executives' strength... 」
The power of the 'narrative-grade constellations', with a synchronization rate of over eighty percent. In the past, simply seeing them up close would have been a breathtaking sight.
Taking the handle of 'Unbreakable Faith' from my waistband and gripping it, I recalled Han Sooyoung's words.
「 "The ones you'll face from now on will be at least narrative-grade constellations." 」
I was in no position to become as powerful as the other incarnations. Because I had lost my sponsor, and despite collecting five legends, for some unknown reason, I hadn't been granted the 'Stage of the Constellation'.
I had collected quite a few high-level stories, and even a fair amount of 'Kim Dokja Fragments', but I didn't know how to utilize them properly. That was me before I met Han Sooyoung.
「 "Just one moment is enough. If you're stronger than them for just one moment, you'll win." 」
So, when I asked how I could create that one moment, Han Sooyoung replied, looking at me as if I were pathetic.
「 "You're 'Kim Dokja,' aren't you?" 」
The moment I slowly blinked, a story began in my head.
[The story, 'Heir to the Eternal Name', purses his lips and complies with your request.]
[The story, 'King of a Kingless World', begins its storytelling.]
Until now, I could only borrow one story from Heir at a time.
[The story, 'He who stands against treachery', begins its storytelling.]
However, after the 1,863rd round, I learned how to draw out a little more of his strength. For example,
[The story, 'One Who Hunted the King of Disasters', begins its storytelling.]
[The story, 'One Who Slaughtered the Deity of the Otherworld', begins its storytelling.]
For example, drawing on five 'Kim Dokja stories' at once.
[The story, 'Demon King of Salvation', begins its storytelling.]
Due to the excessive amplification of stories, a storm of probability began to ripple through my incarnation body.
"W-what...!"
The astonished executives cried out.
The five stories within me shone brightly and aligned.
「 This is the power of a forgotten star. 」
The 'Demon King of Salvation' no longer existed in the <Star Stream>. However, that didn't mean the story of the 'Demon King of Salvation' had disappeared.
In a single moment, a method to unleash the power of the 'Constellation' through the body of an 'Incarnation.'
[The 'Forgotten Constellation' is re-embodied upon your flesh!]
The constellation that destroyed the Absolute Throne, slaughtered the returnees, defeated a calamity of the level of a fairy tale, slew the deity of the other world, and eventually ascended to the throne as the 73rd Demon King.
「 "It's quite something? That's enough..." 」
The constellation's heyday was being rewritten through my flesh.
「 "It'll be at least as good as a fairy tale." 」
With Han Sooyoung's words flowing through my mind, a storm of Baekjeong swept through the entire estate.