Ch 368: Ep. 69 - Archangel Hunting, IV

The first time he chose to go back, he thought that he was given a great opportunity – an opportunity to survive the scenarios by possessing more information than everyone else.

When he chose to go back for the second time, he began thinking that this life wouldn't be as easy as he thought.

And, after witnessing his companions die over and over again…

After losing the person he loved so much…

…He finally realized that he was destined to experience the same pain many more times in the future. As the price for possessing more information than anyone else, he had to lose his precious companions many more times.

During his third try, he thought that maybe this was a curse.

He realized that, if he were to get to the end of all the scenarios, he needed to kill off his emotions, that he must not live his life. And so, he decided to become not 'Yoo Joonghyuk', but the 'Regressor', instead.

The fourth time, fifth… The timelines that he might've had experienced, but a certain someone's unexpected words stopped him from regressing again.

– Being able to regress at any time is the same as having no meaning in 'dying' anymore. However, there being no meaning in dying is the same thing as the value of living disappearing, too.

– Yoo Joonghyuk, you need to wake up. What I'm saying here is that, don't mistakenly believe that things will get better by repeating them over and over again.

That was why Yoo Joonghyuk chose not to regress. He gave up on several new 'lives' where he could've started off from a higher vantage point while possessing more useful information than before.

Along with the blinding rays of light, he finally arrived on the 'Middle Island No.3'. Participants who had arrived alongside him looked around and murmured to themselves.

Yoo Joonghyuk simply unsheathed his sword.

And then, the slaughter began in earnest. The rampaging storm of crimson-coloured sword light sliced the heads of the Constellations off. There was not one shred of hesitation in Yoo Joonghyuk's blade. He carved out the hearts of the Incarnations and smashed apart the backs of the escaping Constellations' heads.

There were a few supposedly-tough enemies here – enemies that would've been difficult to fight against were he in the original 3rd turn of regression. However, Yoo Joonghyuk was able to defeat them rather easily.

The Yoo Joonghyuk of the original storyline wouldn't have known that information. Indeed, he'd only get his hands on them after going through the 4th, 5th, 100th, even 1000th regressions.

The Yoo Joonghyuk of the 3rd turn knew all those information of the future he hadn't yet lived already.

『Han Sooyoung – Records of the 1863rd turn (First)』

『Han Sooyoung – Records of the 1863rd turn (Last)』

It was all thanks to the records from the 1863rd turn in the distant future that he might have gotten to experience if he lived as the story originally intended for him.

"Fuuu…"

Less than a hour later, Yoo Joonghyuk's surrounding vicinity had become deathly still.

Staaab!

He ended the life of the last remaining Constellation and continued to move on. It wasn't just to quickly end this scenario, though.

After walking for a bit, he came across a battlefield soaked in blood.

'Fertile Forest'

He was greeted by the countless corpses of the Incarnation bodies. This spectacle of slaughter seemed to be the handiwork of a certain someone. While gathering the necessary Modifier syllables, Yoo Joonghyuk chased after the direction of the slaughterer.

It didn't take him too long to discover a giant cocoon seemingly painted entirely in a black hue. He knew right away what this thing was.

"…A monster created by <Eden>, is it."

It was none other than Michael's cocoon. It only appeared after the Archangel was killed off by someone while he was in the middle of 'Demon King Transformation'. Fairly soon, he'd gain a new life and emerge from this shell.

…Just like how, after death, Yoo Joonghyuk would get to start his next turn. If there was one difference, then it'd be with Michael losing a portion of his memories whenever he came back to life.

The so-called 'Evil' created to eliminate 'Evil'. The existence of Michael was the reason why Yoo Joonghyuk could never be friendly with <Eden>.

As the drizzling rain pelted down, Yoo Joonghyuk searched the vicinity of the cocoon. Michael ended up in this state because someone managed to defeat him.

Not too long afterwards, Yoo Joonghyuk discovered the fragments of Stories belonging to a rather powerful Demon King. Someone did fight Michael here and was gravely injured, it seemed.

The traces of these Stories glowed in brilliant white rays even within the faint, blurry fog of rainwater. They belonged to a being Yoo Joonghyuk was quite familiar with.

Shudder.

That was around when Michael's cocoon began to quake noticeably. It emitted this gloomy, damp aura as its top began opening up.

Yoo Joonghyuk frowned deeply.

'Already?'

Dark emotions quickly permeated within the purple-coloured fog. Michael's nude figure, reformed into a brand-new Incarnation Body, slowly revealed itself inside the cocoon.

Yoo Joonghyuk got ready to escape from here.

Indeed, he'd have left this place were it not for those words. Yoo Joonghyuk hesitated for a little bit, before approaching the half-open cocoon. Michael, still not fully alive yet, lay in a defenseless sleep inside the shell.

Flash!

Michael's eyelids moved and shot wide open, and just as they did, so did Yoo Joonghyuk's blade.

"You sleeping for a little while longer will be better for everyone."

Staaab!

His version of [Breaking the Sky Energy] penetrated straight into Michael's heart. The still-weak Incarnation Body that hadn't activated either the [Demon King Transformation] or [Angel Transformation] began to crumble away from the Probability of 2nd generation.

Guuwaaaaah-!!

Michael's cocoon rapidly shrunk down in size and reverted back to its original status. He'd be reborn in the 178th Incarnation Body, then.

Yoo Joonghyuk faced off against the gaze falling from the sky and spoke. "…I've told you this before, haven't I? I shall be the one to kill Kim Dokja. Stop your unnecessary actions."

The sky didn't say anything else in return. Yoo Joonghyuk sheathed his sword and his steps hurried after the trail of fragments scattered around the forest.

After he disappeared into the forest's path, a small shadow revealed itself next to Michael's cocoon. Bob-cut hair gently shook around below the black raincoat's hoodie.

The master of the shadow grinned brightly after discovering all the items discarded in the vicinity.

"Yup, a bus of the main character is the best one out there."

Han Sooyoung hurriedly shoved the items inside her pocket while giggling happily to herself.

"In any case, that Regressor guy just doesn't understand the value of items…"

"What are you looking at?"

Han Sooyoung picked up the fragments the Black Flame Dragon was pointing at. And then, her expression hardened in an instant.

"Isn't this…?"

<Star Stream> was blessed with countless types of Stories, but she knew of only one person that possessed a Story with such a name. She abandoned the items she'd been picking up and quickly ran in the direction where Yoo Joonghyuk had disappeared to.

I'd die at Yoo Joonghyuk's hands.

Three hours from now, Yoo Joonghyuk would kill me.

I quickly raised my head and made my reply.

'Yes, Yoo Sangah-ssi'.

'I'm not dazed. I'm actually thinking about some things'.

'On how to convince him'.

Honestly, I didn't feel confident about doing that. The Yoo Joonghyuk showing up here to kill me wasn't the same Yoo Joonghyuk from the 'Ways of Survival' that I read for over ten-plus years of my life.

The one coming to see me now was the Yoo Joonghyuk who realized that he was just a 'character of a story', just like Yoo Joonghyuk from the 1863rd turn.

Sometimes, it felt as if Yoo Sangah could openly read my mind.

…And right now, she might have really done that, too.

'No, it isn't. It's something that I must do'.

It was possible that this feeling had been forcibly triggered by the [Fruit of Good and Evil]. Meaning, it might not be mine at all. However, I still believed that this was the path I must take.

Anna Croft, supporting me during our journey, addressed me. "We should arrive at the centre of the island soon."

I nodded my head as a reply.

The 'centre' of the island, the location of the portal to transfer you to the next scenario, plus where I'd meet Yoo Joonghyuk in three hours' time.

"I don't wish to interfere with the future you have chosen yourself, but… The outcome of my [Precognition] doesn't change all that easily."

"…Are you trying to jinx me?"

"I'm just trying to be honest with you. If you don't wish to die, it'll be better for you to locate the syllable 'Vil' soon and get to the next scenario."

"I'm deliberately choosing not to go. There is a story that I must tell that guy."

The story that I'd been delaying all along, something that I definitely had to discuss with him.

"A story, is it… Does the 'Supreme King' really know how to listen to stories?"

"If he doesn't, then I better make him."

Anna Croft remained silent for a little while. She must've been thinking of something, as her eyes were looking up at the blackish-blue night sky above. Several Constellations were looking down at us from up there.

"I'm sure that you know this already, but well, you can't convince every single person."

She was a prophet. She probably experienced a similar situation as mine many times before. After all, she reached this place by lying to Selena Kim and deceiving Iris, didn't she?

"I think that we should say such things only after we try everything in our power first."

"A person must bear the burden as weighty as the future she sees, you know."

The centre of the island could be seen in the distance now. And the giant portal leading to the next scenario was there. Anna Croft withdrew her supporting hands from me and spoke. "Well then, this is as far as we go."

She had gathered all the Modifier syllables, and was qualified to step through that doorway now. Soon, she would continue to stride forward towards the destination she sought after.

Just as I turned around away from her, she called out to me. "Kim Dokja."

Not as the Constellation 'Demon King of Salvation', but as 'Kim Dokja'. She was calling out to 'me'.

"My aim is to change the master of this <Star Stream>."

Right away, I was beset with this uncomfortable feeling. Because… I could tell what she was planning to say next.

"What is your goal, then?"

…I knew it.

"Do I really need to answer you?"

"I feel that only after hearing your answer, will I get to finally decide whether to let you live or not."

She had placed me on a scale, basically – whether I'd be a help in her pursuit towards her goal or become a hindrance, instead. If she thought that I'd become the latter, then she'd not hesitate to make me disqualified here.

I quietly stared deeply into her eyes.

Would it be fine to tell her? Tell her what I truly want in this world?

Since she was a prophet, would she be able to understand me?

"I…"

Unfortunately, even before I could fully open my mouth, someone else's voice interrupted me.

"His goal is to see the end of a certain insignificant story."

Icy-cold rage thickly permeated that voice.

And I knew that voice better than anyone.