942 Episode 55 Giant Tree (8)

I already anticipated they would use [Fate]. High-ranking Constellations always prefer to eliminate their enemies in a safe and secure manner.

When [Fate] was unleashed, I had already separated my stories. I would feed the Constellations the stories I didn't need immediately, and take the ones I absolutely needed.

The Constellations that consumed my stories belatedly sent a message. However, contrary to their wishes, the [Fate] text would not change. Because,

I, too, was burdened with the probability of this [Fate].

All my Recorders' powers were aiding in the realization of [Fate], ensuring that the [Fate] bestowed upon me would not be scattered.

Normally, even if I had intervened, the Recorders would have somehow interfered with [Fate]. But this time, that was not possible. Because this [Fate] was bestowed upon me.

Naturally, the entity with the greatest influence on the realization of 'death' through one's own will is oneself.

Amidst the screaming of the Constellations, a familiar cry rang out.

"Dokja-ssi!"

I saw Jung Heewon reaching out to me. Her eyes, bloodshot as she finally grabbed my wrist, swept away.

"Hold on! Hold on tight!"

The tree's shadow sucked in all the starlight in the area, including me, but not Jung Heewon.

I held onto Jung Heewon tightly and spoke.

"Don't worry."

This [Fate] cannot be changed.

"Let's meet again."

At the last moment, my fingertips crumbled, and I saw the story blossoming from Jung Heewon's entire body.

As long as that story blossomed, this tree would not harm her.

Darkness enveloped my vision. In the deep darkness, I could faintly sense the presence of Constellations, drawn together. The Constellations floundered as if mired in a sticky swamp, constantly repeating their own stories.

Considering that higher-level Fears are classified as a type of Outer God, this tree could be considered a considerably high-ranking Outer God even among the 'Outer Deities'.

And the true nature of all 'Outer Deities' lies outside the scenario.

In other words, we, swallowed by this tree, were practically outside the scenario.

Tsutsutsutsutsu!

The Constellations, isolated from the 'Scenarios' for the first time since birth, were bewildered.

The Constellations, accustomed to the abundant 'Scenario' pressure, were suddenly bloated, like creatures exposed to low pressure.

The stories that had tightly wrapped around their bodies began to flow out.

Soon, the Constellations became indistinguishable from Outer Deities.

The shadows of the trees engulfed the Constellations, who had lost their selves and become like 'Nameless Things'. The tentacle-like shadows sucked in the brightly glowing stories.

The starlight of the Constellations extinguished one by one, and I felt the tree's tentacles approaching me.

I spoke to the tree.

Losing my incarnation body here was a great blow to me. But I had the [Fourth Wall] and the story of the 'King of Fear'. At least as long as this world took on a form similar to the 'Fear Realm', I wouldn't die even if I were absorbed by this tree.

Indeed, the tree seemed to know this, observing me and not readily devouring me.

How much time had passed?

Soon, the tree's shadow, having made its decision, enveloped me.

I felt my incarnation body being sucked somewhere. Finally, I was entering the source of this 'Fear.

Protected by the [Fourth Wall], I maintained my consciousness, breathing slowly.

A breathing technique Cheok Jungyeong once taught me.

It utilized 'story fragments', the first thing you acquire upon entering the Fear Realm.

To continue the 'story' to combat the infinitely expanding cosmic void. To cherish the relationships you've formed throughout your life.

Even if this entire history were nothing more than a fleeting dream fabricated by this universe—

With each breath, memories surfaced. This time, the people the master recalled were those he met in the 'Fear Realm'.

Cheok Jungyeong. Kyrgios. Breaking the Sky Sword Saint. People who called me 'Kim End'.

What happened to the other Transcendents who rode the train? Is Kim Anna doing well?

What happened to Commander Cheonghuh, Deputy Commander Ryunard, and Deputy Commander Karlton?

And above all...

I heard a murmur from somewhere. Slowly opening my eyes, my five senses began to return one by one. The feeling of warm sunlight. The familiar air on my nose. The bustling chatter of people.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself standing among the people walking along the street.

"Who did you say was participating in this 'Martial Arts Tournament'?"

A vaguely familiar sight.

I'd been here before. No, I knew this place even before I arrived.

"This time, perhaps..."

The streetscape I'd written about, read about, and experienced.

A place that no longer existed in the 41st Round. A world destroyed with the birth of the 'New Murim'.

That world was preserved within Breaking the Sky Sword Saint's tree.

I calmly surveyed the streets. Even within the same 'First Murim', not all 'First Murims' of the 'Ways of Survival' were 'the same place'.

This tree's name was the 'Impossible Justice'.

Considering that the name of a Fear embodies its underlying theme, a clue to its interpretation must also be hidden somewhere within this memory.

But no matter how much I searched the streets, nothing seemed to offer a clue.

Come to think of it, I didn't know much about Breaking the Sky Sword Saint to begin with.

That she was half-breed of the Giants. That she was revered as a god of Murim. That she pursued fair and just justice above all else... This kind of information wasn't necessarily mine; it was something everyone in Murim knew.

"...Huh?"

A faint aroma of food wafted from somewhere. A Murim specialty I knew well.

As I inhaled the fragrant aroma of dumplings, I briefly felt the urge to forget all Fear and just eat some dumplings.

Led by the smell, I took a few steps forward and saw a group of people lying like vagrants near a long-established dumpling shop. Most were martial arts practitioners who had been expelled from their sects, or had their martial arts skills stripped away and their dantian destroyed.

They had lost hope in the scenario and were stuck to this street like weeds.

"Get out of here. This is my place."

Even in the world of weeds, there were strong and weak. The vagrants were picking up dumplings someone had dropped, and they were fighting over the crumbs.

I watched the vagrants' struggle for a moment, thinking.

Vagabonds attacked each other for various reasons. Some because they were one-armed, others because they were missing an eye.

In this world of martial arts, the 'weak' meant being different. Some could be weak, others because they were too big or too small.

"Damn that giant-tribe bitch."

Breaking the Sky Sword Saint was a member of the Namgung family, but had long been persecuted by the family simply because she was half-breed of the giant-tribe.

So, did she want to seek a compromise for the 'weak'?

Considering her 'fairness', it wasn't an absurd thought.

But was that really the only reason Breaking the Sky Sword Saint became 'Fear'?

Even if she was a 'god of Murim', was there any reason why her motives had to be divine?

"Mmm, delicious."

"As expected, these are the dumplings of Murim."

Even so, watching the people waiting in line to get dumplings, I truly wanted to put my fear aside and just eat a dumpling...

Startled by the message coming from the air, I looked around.

Uriel?

But I quickly shook my head.

This world was within the memories of 'Breaking the Sky Sword Saint'.

If that's the case, then that indirect message must also be Uriel's, written in the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint's memories.

But was there anyone in this 'First Murim' who could catch Uriel's attention?

"You son of a bitch! That's my scraps!"

"He's going to eat them!"

Just then, a shout came from somewhere. I turned around and saw the vagrants who had been vying for space were lynching another vagrant.

The man, badly beaten, was thrown to the ground.

I walked toward him, as if drawn by the smell of dumplings.

Even in the midst of the lynching, the man held onto the dumpling wrapper clutched in his hand.

The moment I saw that rough, familiar hand, a phrase from 'Ways of Survival' came to mind.

Come to think of it, there was only one reason why the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint would choose to be 'Fear'.

A variety of emotions surged and then subsided simultaneously.

I slowly crouched down, looked down at him, and spoke.

"Are you hungry?"

Eight years later, I hadn't seen the back of his head, and it still looked like I wanted to punch him.

"Joonghyuk-ah."