934 Episode 54 8 years ago (5)

That was the end of Kyung Sein's story.

During the conversation, a strong spark began to flow through Kyung Sein's body, and after spouting a sermon, she fainted. Just telling this story seemed to have taken a heavy toll on her incarnation body.

Jung Heewon and I laid Kyung Sein down on the bed and watched the white shards of serpentine hovering above her head.

"Will she be okay?"

"She'll be okay."

Kyung Sein groaned, as if having a nightmare. Jung Heewon gently placed a hand on Kyung Sein's forehead and asked.

"Even if I hear it, I don't understand. Are you saying another Dokja-ssi appeared besides Dokja-ssi?"

"..."

"And that Dokja-ssi was devoured by the constellations... What on earth is that all about?"

Jung Heewon must have had a hard time understanding it.

I shook my head vaguely and answered.

"I'm not entirely sure."

My mind was in turmoil.

The Kim Dokja I'd first met.

The Kim Dokja who always waited for me in the snowfield, who visited me countless times in my dreams. The Kim Dokja who enjoyed drinking tea and often wore a sad smile—the Kim Dokja who had been raised by the 'Evil Sophist' and tore apart his brothers—had appeared in the 41st scenario.

I had some idea why he'd gone to such lengths.

According to the story I'd previously read in Goo Seonah's memories, Kim Dokja of the Snowfield was a being strong enough to subdue his other brothers by force.

Kim Dokja was a being of such a caliber that even mythical constellations couldn't treat him lightly.

If such a powerful being had manifested in the scenario, there should have been a backlash of probability.

But there was no backlash.

Perhaps he offset the backlash of probability by giving his flesh to the constellations.

Come to think of it, Cheongae, the Dragon's Head Ark of the Beggar Sect, had made a similar choice. He had lowered his status, participated in a lower-level scenario, and become the laughing stock of other constellations.

Though the circumstances were different, it would make sense if Kim Dokja of the snowfield had made a similar choice.

The question was why he made such a choice.

Complex questions surged through my mind like a tidal wave, then vanished.

For now, only one thing was certain.

This city was probably built to await 'me'.

Perhaps Kim Dokja of the Snowfield rebuilt this city, knowing I would one day return from the Fear Realm.

"Dokja-ssi."

I raised my head and saw Jung Heewon looking at me with a slightly tense look.

I nodded slightly and stood up. I had many questions, but this was not the time to rack my brain.

The main scenario of the 'New Murim District' was finally about to begin.

"The original main scenario of the Fear Realm was 'Ascension Ceremony'."

Namgung Myung gave us a brief briefing on the main scenario of the existing 'New Murim District'.

According to Namgung Myung's explanation, the main scenario of the 'New Murim District' was originally 'Ascension'.

"Collecting D-Coins for Ascension, joining a company, and achieving a certain level of rank were the original 'main scenarios' of this area."

Here, incarnations who received support from their company and achieved a high rank became 'ascended beings' and left the city via an 'orbital elevator'.

This was the main scenario of the 'New Murim District,' which was inspired by the Fayer light line (the 'Ascension Ceremony') of Murim.

"Fayer light line."

A martial arts myth in which an ordinary person attains enlightenment through long practice and becomes a sage.

A question suddenly occurred to me.

What does it mean for an ordinary person to become a sage?

Kim Dokja, who had given his body to the constellations, gazed at the city with alien eyes.

Perhaps that's what he wanted from me...

"Even if you ascend to a higher level through the Ascension Ceremony, you can't become like the constellations you dream of."

My thoughts were interrupted by Jung Heewon, who had been silently listening to Namgung Myung.

"All ascended to higher scenarios become prey to the constellations. The D-coins collected here are offered directly to the constellations."

Namgung Myung, wide-eyed at Jung Heewon's explanation, asked.

"Then why did the Emperor of Light destroy the 'Orbital Elevator'?"

"Because someone had to break that chain."

I thought of the shattered 'Orbital Elevator'.

That day, inside the elevator that crashed into the Ascension Platform, the severed heads of ascended beings and a single message were left behind.

"No one can escape this city."

Perhaps Jung Heewon wanted to frighten the incarnations to prevent further casualties.

Perhaps sensing my gaze, Jung Heewon added in a slightly darkened voice.

"I didn't intend to kill the ascended. I only intended to destroy the 'Orbital Elevator', but the constellations possessed their bodies and appeared..."

I had a rough idea of ​​the situation. I decided to ask something I'd always wondered about.

"Where did you get that information, Heewon-ssi?"

I'd been curious ever since I first heard Jung Heewon's story.

The secrets of the 'Orbital Elevator' and the 'New Murim District' weren't information an ordinary incarnation could know.

Perhaps Jung Heewon had a recorder like 'Cloud Mountain' or 'Moral'?

"There's a constellation that's been helping me since my master was imprisoned."

Constellation?

"Is it perhaps the 'Demon-like Judge of Fire'?"

Jung Heewon shook her head.

I had naturally expected it to be Uriel, but it was a surprise.

Jung Heewon hesitated for a moment, then carefully scanned the sky above and answered.

"The constellation that helped me is the 'God of Wine and Ecstasy'."

Dionysus, the God of Wine and Ecstasy.

Come to think of it, he had supported Jung Heewon even when she used [Time of Judgment]. I was about to ask how she had come into contact with him, but Namgung Myung spoke in a somewhat agitated voice.

"Benefactor, perhaps now is your chance."

"Yes?"

"A chance to change Murim."

Upon closer inspection, Namgung Myung's expression was strangely excited. The moment I met his expression, I sensed a deeply repressed emotion within him.

In other regions, this emotion might have had many different names, but at least in this Murim it had a set name.

The oldest emotion that drives this Murim.

"If what the Light Sword Emperor said is true, the other incarnations will certainly not remain silent."

Was the Namgung family's bloodline truly different?

The moment he heard Jung Heewon's story, he seemed to dream of revolution.

"Many incarnations are dissatisfied with the corporate system of control. The reason they haven't rebelled is because they believed anyone could 'ascend' if they tried."

Anyone can ascend to heaven with effort and become as powerful as a constellation.

The only ladder passed down to the weak, the incarnations. As long as that ladder remains unbroken, the incarnations' desires will be focused on one thing.

But that ladder was recently shattered by the Light Sword Emperor.

"If the martial artists who have discovered the secrets of the scenario join forces, perhaps we can restore the old Murim. We might be able to return to the days when justice and chivalry were known."

In my opinion, the old Murim wasn't such a good place.

But I also understood what he meant by 'romance'. At least back then, there were people who pondered what chivalry meant, what humanity meant, and what this forest they inhabited was all about.

Kugugugu.

Dark clouds gathered once again in the gloomy sky. I could feel the aftershock of probability drifting through the air.

It was an ominous omen. Nothing good has ever happened because the main scenario was delayed.

As expected.

I smiled bitterly and surveyed the possibilities surrounding me.

It must be the work of <Veda>.

Those guys who lost Lokapala Agni to me were plotting revenge against me once again through [fate].

The message of [fate] then rang out.

But even after confirming the message, I wasn't flustered or shaken.

I've already faced [fate] before, and I know how to destroy it.

So [fate] isn't scary.

In fact, what's important is the stage where [fate] will be written.

We immediately checked the scenario contents.

Tourism Altar?

Offer 'Tributes'?

This was a scenario we'd never seen before. The strange thing was that it said to offer 'Tributes', but didn't actually tell us how to obtain them.

Wait a minute. This...

I checked the list, feeling ominous.

The method of obtaining tribute in the 'New Murim District' was simple.

Namgung Myung sighed, and Jung Heewon frowned.

I said.

"It seems the constellations have taken the initiative."

There was no way such a scenario could have come down so timely.

Perhaps this was due to the influence of the 'Giant Nebulae' on the Management Bureau.

And the Management Bureau judged this scenario 'likely to pique the interest of the constellations'.

Soon, the 'New Murim District' will become an arena for incarnations fighting for tribute.

Jung Heewon said nervously.

"They'll be coming soon."

The 'King of Fear' and 'Light Sword Emperor' on the list likely refer to me and Jung Heewon.

In fact, the following message had been flashing before my eyes for a while now.

I had already acquired all the tributes needed for the 'route'. I could have completed the scenario by simply waiting three hours and arriving at the altar.

The other incarnations will likely flock here to hunt me and Jung Heewon.

"The incarnations won't come."

But Namgung Myung's thoughts seemed a little different.

"Why do you think so?"

"The benefactor's skills are probably already widely known among the incarnations."

Now that I think about it, Jung Heewon and I had defeated Agni, the 'Flame of Purification', the great Lokapala of Veda. Having witnessed Agni's miserable fate, no incarnation with any common sense would target us.

"They'll choose a much safer method."

"Killing each other?"

"That's one option, but I doubt members of the same company would readily commit murder. Rather, they'd hunt a target they deemed relatively safe and possessing a large amount of tribute, as a group."

A target possessing a large amount of tribute and being relatively safe?

Does such a being exist in this Murim?

"Dokja-ssi."

My eyes met Jung Heewon's at that moment, and an eerie premonition flashed through my mind.

The constellations in the sky twinkled as if mocking me.

Perhaps I wasn't the primary target of this scenario from the beginning.

A loud explosion, like a building collapsing, was heard from afar.

A moment later, the list updated before my eyes.

As if we had agreed in advance, we ran out of the garden at the same time.

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