943 Episode 55 Giant Tree (9)

My heart froze at the words I'd thrown at him. Joonghyuk-ah. I don't call Yoo Joonghyuk that.

Is this because I've absorbed so much of 'Kim Dokja's' story?

I couldn't tell. Is what I feel when I see Yoo Joonghyuk his? Or mine?

Or perhaps both?

Even though I knew my words wouldn't be conveyed, I spoke to Yoo Joonghyuk again.

"The dumpling you're holding."

I wouldn't normally do this.

This scene was recreated through the memories of Breaking the Sky Sword Master. I couldn't, and shouldn't, interfere with these memories.

"You'll definitely get a stomachache if you eat it."

The Yoo Joonghyuk before me wasn't the Yoo Joonghyuk I'd spent the '41st Round' with. The description of 'Ways of Survival' flowing through my mind revealed to me who Yoo Joonghyuk was before me.

This was a story from a time when the title of Supreme King wasn't yet fitting.

Looking at the dried dumpling wrapper in his hand, I felt the sentences in my head vividly replayed before my eyes.

Yoo Joonghyuk's early Rounds, as poignant as the dried dumpling wrapper, were right here.

Gods who far surpass human limitations. Yoo Joonghyuk sought Anna Croft's advice to defeat them, and, as a 'mortal', arrived in the 'First Murim' in search of the power to slay the Constellations.

A legendary mortal said to bring down even the stars in the sky. Learning of its existence, Yoo Joonghyuk set out to find its traces in the 'First Murim'.

Along the way, he experiences trial and error, makes foolish moves, and is even deceived by the Black Knights.

Anyway, Yoo Joonghyuk, who has committed only foolish acts in the early Rounds, ends up stripped of his possessions, a beggar, and living on the streets of the 'First Murim'.

"But do you really have to eat those dumplings?"

Even after hearing my advice, Yoo Joonghyuk refused to give up the stale dumplings. I sighed lightly. I knew. This was Yoo Joonghyuk. A Regressor who defied his predetermined fate head-on. If the dumplings he was about to eat were rotten, he would train and train himself until he could eat them without dying. That was him.

The moment I reached out to him, a huge shadow covered us. A chill that blotted out even the hot sunlight. Startled, I raised my head and saw a tall martial artist standing there.

She passed me by and approached Yoo Joonghyuk.

"You're a very handsome guy."

Watching the slowly moving scenery, I realized the significance of this moment anew.

Perhaps Breaking the Sky Sword Saint—the 'Impossible Justice'—had wanted to show me this moment.

It wasn't anger toward the Constellations or hatred for the humans who persecuted her that led her to choose to become this 'World Tree'.

Breaking the Sky Sword Saint, with a giant hand, grabbed Yoo Joonghyuk by the scruff of the neck and asked,

"Are you hungry?"

This conversation began simply to feed a dumpling to her disciple, exhausted from prolonged starvation.

Intermittent explosions. The screams of the incarnations who had entered <Tamra Heavy Industry>.

Kyung Sein and Namgung Myung were hiding in this chaotic landscape, watching the Constellations occupying the <Tamra Heavy Industry> area.

"CEO, is the Benefactor alright?"

Five hours had already passed since Kim Dokja and Jung Heewon entered the <Tamra Heavy Industry> headquarters.

A scenario where they strip each other of their 'Tribute' and take it away, that scenario was suddenly transformed by the appearance of a single tree.

"CEO."

Kyung Sein didn't respond to Namgung Myung's call. She was staring at the tree of Breaking the Sky Sword Saint.

The area around <Tamra Heavy Industries> was covered in a lush forest, and the vines that stretched out were soon reaching the headquarters of other companies.

"Kwaaaaah! Run away!"

"I'll eat you!"

In just a few more hours, the 'First Murim', would be obliterated by that tree. That single tree would eventually form a forest, growing endlessly and becoming the source of a new universe.

"CEO, we must move now. The incarnations are gathering on the southern planet."

Kyung Sein looked toward the southern planet. Incarnations who didn't belong to any corporation were gathering. Those who couldn't be chosen by the major corporations or collect the Tribute necessary for Ascension.

"All fellow practitioners of Murim, gather together! The time has come to protect our 'Murim' together!"

"Let's go save Breaking the Sky Sword Saint!"

Our Murim. Kyung Sein couldn't quite remember the last time she'd heard such an expression. It still felt strange that such incarnations existed in this city.

"Why aren't they all running away?"

Ascension wasn't the only escape route. The incarnations could have survived if they had made a pact with another sacred being or Nebula and fled to another 'Constellation context', or even took refuge in the area where the former 'Fear Realm' once stood.

But the incarnations didn't do so. Those who had previously coveted each other's Tribute were simply joining forces to confront the advent of a disaster that threatened to destroy Murim.

Perhaps this was the effect of Fear. The tree's appearance had awakened a certain agreement long forgotten by the martial artists.

Even Namgung Myung's eyes had been flickering with a faint heat for some time.

"They've designated this place as their ■■."

"■■?"

"Everyone can choose where they die, right?"

"Dying here would be a waste of time, you know that."

Kyung Sein continued, her voice strangely agitated.

"This is no longer a scenario we should intervene in. Soon, the Nebulae will appear, and a war will break out over that tree. There's no room for certainty in that."

"…"

"You and the people are now ruled by Fear. That Fear is forcing false beliefs upon you."

This situation was clearly abnormal. Just moments ago, those who had been collecting Tribute and aiming for Ascension were now gathering with one heart and one mind. For the sole purpose of protecting this city, now a city with nothing left to protect, even its name meaningless.

"If this is the effect of Fear, then that's not a bad thing. If only intoxicated by this Fear could I, and the people, find the courage to do so."

"Such courage..."

"I know, CEO."

A light flashed from a corner of the sky. For a moment, Namgung Myung's face, backlit, looked strangely distorted.

"The 'Murim' we are to protect no longer exists. Is that what you mean?"

The stories left by the Recorders of Fear were blossoming beneath Seoul. One by one, the protagonists of these stories were appearing in Murim.

The Constellations, sensing the emergence of the World Tree, finally began to exert their influence on the battlefield.

Tamra, in particular, had deployed its main force, dominating the skies of the battlefield with a truly terrifying ferocity.

Kyung Sein had also heard of their formation.

As the massive force of the Nebula, rarely seen even in grand scenarios, gathered, the night of Murim became as bright as day.

Namgung Myung added in a trembling voice amidst the spectacle of the stars.

"It might be a fool's demise, as you say, CEO. It's entirely possible that I, and the other martial artists, will simply be swept away by the emergence of the 'Giant Story'. But if this is the final story of Murim, then even this ending isn't so bad. Humans eventually die, don't they?"

Humans eventually die. Faced with that obvious truth, Namgung Myung's eyes shone as brightly as the sacred fire of the heavens. An expression only someone who has accepted their own fate and prepared for the end of their story can wear.

The god of Murim, who loved Murim, offered these incarnations the final opportunity to live as 'martial artists'.

"I want to be recorded as a legendary tale."

Given this opportunity, Namgung Myung continued.

"My Murim has already ended once. Rather, it feels like this is the opportunity to write again."

At that moment, Kyung Sein realized. This man, these people, weren't tainted by Fear. They truly knew.

Kyung Sein, as if in protest, said, "What's the point? It's just a story. It's just a story. What's the point of writing it down—"

"A story is something you tell someone someday. Damn it."

Kyung Sein was stunned by Namgung Myung's unexpected words.

"I want to personally create the image of 'Murim' that will be etched into the stars."

Kyung Sein knew the people who had said such things.

The companions left her here and went off in search of the next scenario.

Namgung Myung asked, his expression identical to that of her companions back then.

"How about you, CEO?"

"…"

"I understand you stayed here alone when the other corporate leaders left. What did you want to prove, CEO?"

What was she still here to prove?

Enduring a faint wave of dizziness, Kyung Sein spoke.

"I wasn't here to prove anything in particular."

Head down, she continued, squeezing out the words.

"When all my colleagues left for the higher-level scenarios, I was outwardly angry, but secretly happy."

Here, she wouldn't have to take risks. She wouldn't have to venture out, and she wouldn't have to face the terrifying Constellations.

"The others probably knew too. That I didn't want to fight. That's probably why no one asked me to come with them."

Kim Dokja of the Snowfield said.

From then on, her role was set.

When a new Kim Dokja appeared here, she would tear the transmission slip and notify 'Snowfield Kim Dokja'.

She reached into her pocket and held the transmission slip she had received that day. The texture of the cold, soft paper. Feeling its alluring texture, Kyung Sein confessed,

"I'm a coward. I don't have any grand convictions or great causes. I can't risk my life for such things. I can pretend, but I've never truly done so."

If she tore this slip, her mission would be accomplished. 'Snowfield Kim Dokja' would keep his promise, and she would be able to escape this story.

"I want to live. Just surviving—that's my only goal."

She would be able to return to the universe where all of this was fiction, as if nothing had happened.

"You'll despise me. You'll call me a coward without courage. You'll think there's no point in trying to survive like that."

Instead of answering, Namgung Myung paused for a moment, observing the battlefield. A few minutes passed before he spoke again.

"I once heard a story from the Constellations that were after D-Coins. They say there's a very old god in this universe who loves stories, and he dreams of all the stories of the universe."

Kyung Sein raised her head.

Namgung Myung continued.

"I don't have any religious beliefs, but after hearing that story, I briefly thought it would be nice if such a god existed. It means that even if I live a mediocre life, at least one person is watching over me."

From a distance, the lush forest swayed. Kyung Sein muttered to herself, blending the forest's noise with her own.

"I wonder if that god is watching me, too?"

"I don't know for sure, but if such a god exists..."

Namgung Myung said, slowly walking toward the southern Earth.

"I, too, would like to make a slightly more interesting choice for that god."

Namgung Myung turned and walked away, leaving Kyung Sein alone. Pulling the transmission unit from her pocket, Kyung Sein stared down at the blank piece of paper.

Just tearing the paper.

Perhaps it was a simple task. Yet, why couldn't she do such an easy task?

Having read this story only once, did she have the right to wonder what would happen next?

Perhaps she, too, was overcome by fear. But in that moment, Kyung Sein was certain. If Kim Dokja were reading this story, she would be recorded like this.

Having made up her mind, everything became clear. The death she had so feared felt as light as a single line in a story.

I must help Kim Dokja. I must go to that forest.

And at that moment, the transmission unit glowed brightly, and words appeared on the paper.

Kyung Sein's eyes widened in surprise. Though she couldn't hear the voice, she knew immediately whose writing it was.

Kim Dokja, who had given his story to the Constellations and built this 'New Murim'.

Kim Dokja of the Snowfield was speaking to her.

Kyung Sein's hands trembled. Kim Dokja of the Snowfield had known from the beginning that she wouldn't tear up the transmission unit.

So, what purpose did this 'transmission unit' serve?

In the distance, the forest began to glow brightly. The final chapter of this scenario was finally about to begin.