Ch 225: Ep. 42 - Asmodeus, V

"How funny. I'm not even a 'demon king' yet. How could I give away the stakes in a giant story I don't even have?"

"You can do it if I help." Asmodeus wore an arrogant confidence on his face. It was an expression that made becoming a 'demon king' simple. I watched his face and followed up with:

"…Okay, I will give away a stake if I become a demon king."

At this moment, the stars in the sky were flashing.

The constellations were showing a strong reaction, just as I had expected. However, I couldn't help it at the moment. Unless I knew how to not lose against Asmodeus, I couldn't do anything that would antagonize him.

Asmodeus laughed, seemingly satisfied by my answer. "Good thinking. How much will you give away?"

"30%."

Light disappointment flashed across his face. "That's too little."

"Don't you think you're being a little too greedy?"

"50% and write the contract here."

What a shameless swindler. If I gave away half of a giant story, I wouldn't be able to draw on its strength without Asmodeus' permission. I firmly shook my head. "I can't sign that agreement."

"Why?"

Pebbles started floating into the air. This was blatant intimidation, but I wouldn't have come here if I could be intimidated so easily. I stared up at the sky and kept speaking, "I won't give a stake to just you."

A deep silence fell at my words. Asmodeus' face was blank, and he didn't understand what I meant. The stars all around me were holding their breaths and demanding clarification.

"30% of the giant story will be released as competitive shares."

"…Competitive shares?"

"It means whoever helps me can gain part of those shares. The extent they obtain will depend entirely on their contribution to the story."

The gazes staring at me from the sky started to change one by one.

'Competitive shares' was the last card I could offer. If I had to take a beast with me while moving forward, it would be better to expand the choice of beasts. Asmodeus noticed my intentions and his expression hardened. "…I was deceived."

"I didn't lie."

The pebbles floating in the air rushed towards me, to be precise, towards Yoo Joonghyuk. It was a strong attack that wasn't able to be blocked easily. It might've been hard for me before, but that was no longer the case.

It was because now I wasn't alone. The stones flying through the air were caught by invisible hands.

It was a situation where I declared a competitive share in a giant story. The constellations aiming for those shares wouldn't just watch Asmodeus' actions. Asmodeus gritted his teeth. However, even Asmodeus didn't want to waste probability in this place against a large number of constellations. In addition, there was a formidable constellation present.

Asmodeus stared at the air for a while, before taking back his strength. Deprived of support, the stones crumbled and crashed to the ground below.

Asmodeus spoke with a terrifying expression, "You have made a mistake. You are not the one who will become demon king. You just threw away an important opportunity."

His tone suggested he could give the opportunity to someone else at any time. Certainly, things would become complicated if Asmodeus joined hands with someone else. Nevertheless, I didn't back down. "Well, I think you are the one throwing away the opportunity, not me."

I thought about why Asmodeus must've chosen me. Common sense said it was more advantageous for Asmodeus to be aligned with Bercan or Melledon rather than me. I was a human and a constellation at that, while Melledon and Bercan were demons.

Yet Asmodeus extended his hand towards me first. There must have been a compelling reason for him to have done so. In fact, Asmodeus' expression seemed a bit strained at my refusal. "…It is really unpleasant. Don't you know that I am a demon king?"

A great demon was making this type of expression. It was an extremely rare scene from the perspective of Ways of Survival. I slowly shook my head. "It doesn't matter if you are a demon king or constellation. I just want my story to be the best story."

"The best story?"

"You should know what I mean since you belong to the Gourmet Association."

Asmodeus' expression changed at the words I deliberately mentioned. It was a face that was both bewildered and delighted. He gazed at me with an expression that was hard for humans to describe and opened his mouth a few dozen seconds later.

I held my breath at the formidable killing intent that was aimed at me. It was as if the whole time and space of the area was in the demon king's grasp. The confused constellations squeezed out light but the darkness around them was so dense that their power couldn't reach.

This was the real power of a demon king. If Asmodeus truly used all his power here, I was convinced that Yoo Joonghyuk and I would've vanished regardless of the Prisoner of the Golden Headband's presence. He was revealing this power now as a type of proof and warning.

It was a warning that he could kill me at any time. Asmodeus laughed from inside the darkness.

Fortunately, the situation seemed to be wrapped up. I didn't pretend to support Asmodeus and he didn't one-sidedly lose his shares of the story. There was plenty of room to change things…

Asmodeus moved his fingers and an explosive sound was heard from my chest. It was the sound of a doll popping. There was a throbbing pain around my heart, but Yoo Joonghyuk's body didn't receive any apparent damage. Asmodeus' body scattered into ashes, as he left these last words.

I gazed at the disappearing Asmodeus before hurriedly touching my chest. "…Uriel?"

I pulled out the Uriel doll that was already tattered. Not long afterwards, I felt something being disconnected from the doll. I saw the messages rising in front of Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes.

I was able to see how Yoo Joonghyuk had come here. I didn't know why, but Uriel had given him a personal scenario to go to the Demon Realm. Yoo Joonghyuk received that scenario and came here. The problem was, that the scenario had just been forcibly terminated.

Sparks started appearing around my skin. I instantly realized what was about to happen.

"Uriel! Wake up!" I desperately shook the doll but there was no reaction from Uriel. The symbolic body was excessively broken and the connection with the body was forcibly terminated.

"Shit."

Cracks had started spreading over Yoo Joonghyuk's hard body.

I hurriedly looked around. This couldn't continue. At this rate, Yoo Joonghyuk would surely die.

It was different from me. Yoo Joonghyuk didn't have the Fourth Wall. There wasn't anyone to protect him after becoming an exile.

"Hey! Anybody is good!"

I hurriedly shouted towards the sky. However, Yoo Joonghyuk's body was destroyed and my voice didn't emerge. The cracks that started in the legs spread to the neck and paralyzed the vocal cords.

It was a penalty that prevented me from asking the constellations in the night sky for help. The whole universe was intensely hoping for Yoo Joonghyuk's death, as if it was going to take away his stories and kill him.

…Was it up to here? I couldn't let it. Everything was over if Yoo Joonghyuk died here.

In less than one second, the pages of Ways of Survival passed through my head. The letters on countless pages flew towards me, and I reached out to them. Yes, this was the only way. I didn't have it but Yoo Joonghyuk was different. I was forced to ask him for help.

I wanted to use my true voice but now I had no strength. I was forced to hope that my story would reach that existence.

A huge presence was looking at me. It was somewhat familiar but also unfamiliar. Before I could open my mouth, a darkness came over me.

A space covered with darkness. I had this experience once before. When was it? It happened when I exited from the constellation banquet.

Dammit, what the hell did this mean―

"Heok!" I shot up and gasped like I was going to vomit. My heart was beating like crazy and there was a cracking sound from my neck. My eyes were full of tears.

I was alive. To be precise, Aileen had saved me. However, I felt more desperate than relieved. In a thick voice I shouted towards the outside of the treatment room:

"Aileen!"

Aileen, who had been waiting outside, rushed over at my call. She was pale when she saw me pulling out the catheter. I shook off her hands and shouted, "Quickly get me up. I have to go to the Gilobat Industrial Complex."

"What are you talking about? A person who just woke up―"

"There is no time, quickly!"

Dozens of thoughts crossed my head. Let's ask the Great Sage, Heaven's Equal for help. If not, let's call Hermes. I hated it but I might be able to get a favour using the shares of the story. I just had to get to Gilobat right away. It wasn't too late yet. Go right now―

"There is no way for a person who has been unconscious for one week! You will have to rest for at least one week to stabilize your body!"

"…What?"

It felt like my heart stopped beating. I thought it was an auditory hallucination. The world that I read was collapsing. The letters that lost their place were pushing at me.

"…How much time has passed?"

"A week. You have been unconscious for a week."

I looked blankly at the floor before picking up the smartphone that Aileen had created. I turned on the panel and checked the file.

–Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World (1st Revision).txt

The title of the text was unchanged. The second revision didn't come and Yoo Joonghyuk's lines were the same.

There was a moment of despair as I realized that nothing had changed. Really? Yoo Joonghyuk really died?