Ch 449: Ep. 85 - The Final Wall, I

After the scenario ended, the Great Sage and the 'Outer Gods' gathered in the centre of the Tongtian River to celebrate.

Outer Gods that became the scenario's slaves under the <Bureau>'s and <Emperor>'s combined suppression were now being freed.

Some of them even happened to be the ones that followed the 'Secretive Plotter' and joined the scenario belatedly. And as his Status grew weaker, they naturally began gravitating towards the Great Sage Heaven's Equal after he emerged as a new Outer God.

Incarnations saw the 95th scenario's reward items descending from the sky and their lips stretched wide in huge grins. Unfortunately for them, though, their joy was short-lived. Their gazes soon drifted over to a certain group of Incarnations receiving that huge cache of rewards over yonder.

"Wow, that…"

"I should've joined that Story chamber…"

It was <Kim Dokja's Company>'s group. Each one of them received one million Coins as individual rewards, while some of them even acquired <Emperor>'s Star Relics, as well.

Since the rewards were being distributed according to the rules, none here could complain about this procedure, either.

No, there was someone who could – it was none other than the host themselves, <Emperor>.

Of course, they would feel wronged by the fact that the rewards of the large-scale scenario they organised for themselves had ended up in the hands of a small Nebula.

A portion of <Emperor>'s Constellations couldn't hold back their rage and were about to unleash their Statuses, but then, someone unexpected stopped them.

"Please, that's enough, everyone. We have lost." It was the greatest Incarnation of <Emperor>, Fei Hu. "What would our Myth-grade Constellations think if they witnessed our current actions?"

<Emperor>'s Myth-grade Constellations didn't participate in this 'Journey to the West' scenario. They were simply watching the proceedings from the Final Scenario.

"Behave yourselves in a way that won't bring shame to our honour."

<Emperor>'s Constellations heard the resolute voice of their Incarnation and lowered their heads belatedly, their cheeks flushing.

A bit further away, Jung Heewon and Lee Jihye were observing that spectacle.

"…That's a surprise."

"You can say that again."

All the influential individuals from the large Nebulas they had run into so far didn't want to acknowledge their victory. But it was a different story this time.

Maybe he sensed their gazes, Fei Hu formed a sheepish grin and approached the two.

"Incarnation Jung Heewon."

Jung Heewon got tense and held the Steelsword tightly. He was easily one of the strongest enemies she had ever faced so far.

But he began speaking in a warm voice. "Incarnation Jung Heewon. Our battle this time left a deep impression on me."

"…Oh, okay."

"If an opportunity arises in the future, I'd love to invite you over to China and treat you to a hearty meal."

One could spot slightly flushed cheeks in between Fei Hu's sideboards. Lee Jihye definitely caught that, and through [Voice Projection], spoke up in pure admiration.

– …Wow. Even though the world went down the crapper, a guy like him still managed to survive.

Jung Heewon dazedly stared back at him. Meanwhile, he couldn't dare to meet her gaze and began fidgeting slightly.

Lee Jihye lightly elbowed Jung Heewon in the side.

– Eonni, what are you doing?? He's probably the best out of all the men we've seen so far, you know? Sure, he's far below my Master in the looks department, but still…

"I'm sorry, but…" Jung Heewon replied in a polite voice as if she was an expert from Murim. "I've decided to dedicate my life to the sword, so…"

"It's the same story for me."

"…Pardon?"

"I'd like to invite you to China and share our views on the ways of the sword for the whole night."

Fei Hu's eyes burned passionately as he began his long-winded speech, prompting Jung Heewon to feel a bit repulsed for a moment there. She glanced to her side and discovered Lee Jihye, who used to be cheering on with her sparkling eyes, now shaking her head in helplessness. If this whole thing was nothing more than their misunderstanding, fine, but if not, then something rather bothersome might happen in the future.

Tsu-chuchuchut…

Her Sponsor was unable to watch this anymore and the sounds of her making a move could be heard next.

'It's fine, Uriel. Please be still'.

If Uriel unnecessarily stepped up here, then the dying embers of the war might light up again. If it was left up to her, though, she might just fight him one-on-one now and nip the bud right away, but the gazes of the Constellations nearby were fixed on them, so…

"I'm sorry, I'm already…"

Just as she got that far, the Steelsword she held suddenly began vibrating. Lee Hyunsung had transformed into this sword. For some reason, though, she felt just a little resentful.

Why couldn't this sword be a talking sword?

"What the heck is this? Get out of the way!"

The one to help her out was, surprisingly enough, Han Sooyoung. It was unknown when she entered the scenario, but regardless, she shoved Fei Hu away and made her entrance before throwing out a question, her eyes scanning the surroundings.

"Where is Kim Dokja?"

…Kim Dokja?

Jung Heewon shifted her gaze to a certain Incarnation Body slumped on her back.

Fei Hu glared at the uninvited guest Han Sooyoung with unhappy eyes. Jung Heewon alternated her gaze between him and Kim Dokja on her back and a nice idea suddenly popped up in her head.

"My liege!"

As if she was re-enacting the 'Flag Contest', she quickly embraced Kim Dokja and shouted out in an impassioned voice.

"My liege, are you alright??"

His pale Incarnation Body sagged limply in her arms and shook around a little.

"Oh, my king!"

Everyone was now looking at her. Lee Jihye's jaw dropped slightly, while Han Sooyoung looked dumbfounded.

As for Fei Hu…

"Ah…"

He looked as if he understood everything now.

"I see, Incarnation Jung Heewon. So, that's how it was…"

His gaze shifted from Jung Heewon, Han Sooyoung and to Lee Jihye, before eventually landing on Kim Dokja's face next. He sneakily bit his lip. Like a tragic extra feeling envious of the chosen protagonist, he slowly lowered his head and turned around to leave.

Lee Jihye watching that sent a [Voice Projection] to Jung Heewon again.

– It's alright now, eonni. He's gone. Looks like he's fallen into some kind of a weird misunderstanding, though.

However, Jung Heewon didn't stop.

"My liege! Wake up! My liege! If you don't wake up, I'll kill you!"

Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!!

Kim Dokja's left cheek began swelling up after her palm kept hitting him there.

Han Sooyoung stared at her with a less-than-impressed expression and asked. "…What are you doing?"

"Revenge."

She nodded her head in acceptance, and took over from Jung Heewon to grab hold of Kim Dokja's neck and shook him around hard.

"Hey, you."

"…"

"I told you that I'd create your new Modifier, didn't I? But then, you couldn't wait and got yourself a new one anyway?"

"…"

"Were you listening to my narration? Did you hear that last part? How was it? It's fine to come out clean, you idiot. I know you were moved to tears. Weren't you?"

Kim Dokja still didn't reply. Han Sooyoung frowned deeply and began slapping the other cheek that wasn't swollen yet.

Shin Yoosung couldn't watch this sight any longer and hurriedly ran over. "What are you all doing?!"

"Don't worry, he's still breathing. He's not dead yet."

Despite all this ruckus, he showed no signs of waking up. That caused opinions to split up among the group.

"Most likely, he's deliberately not waking up here. He knows he's in the wrong."

"Makes sense. In that case, how about we let him taste pain so unbearable that he…"

"Aren't you all being a bit too much right now??"

Such a situation carried on for another five minutes. But, even after another ten minutes, he still showed no signs of regaining consciousness. That's when the expressions of the group grew serious as well.

"…What's going on here?"

Eventually, the group had to search for one person capable of explaining this situation for them. It was Yoo Joonghyuk lying unconscious next to Kim Dokja.

"Hey, Yoo Joonghyuk! Open your eyes! Why isn't this idiot Kim Dokja waking up??"

Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!!

His firmer cheek didn't swell up as easily as Kim Dokja's. How long went by like this? Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes cracked open just a little.

"I am Yoo Joonghyuk…"

"Dammit, what's wrong with this guy now?"

Like a mental patient, he kept repeating the same thing over and over again.

Yoo Sangah belatedly made her entrance and stopped Han Sooyoung. "Please stop grilling Joonghyuk-ssi like that. His memories got jumbled by the Story so he's most likely not himself right now."

"Sangah eonni!"

The group belatedly came back to life with the joy of reunion and gathered around Yoo Sangah. A different type of vibe was now coming off from her newly-reincarnated body.

Han Sooyoung observed the change and asked a question with a smirk. "I heard that you're now the 'Sakyamuni's Successor', but you haven't shaved your head."

"Religions nowadays have gotten rather trendy, you know."

"Welcome back. You were a bit late, but still."

"It was difficult to return just in time before you caused us trouble, but I made it."

"…I'm not the one causing trouble. It's this guy."

Yoo Sangah shrugged her shoulders and extended her hand towards the unconscious Kim Dokja. The 'Constrictive Headband' on his head began emitting a bright glow just then.

Jung Heewon nodded her head in satisfaction. "That's a good idea. I guess he won't be able to run away now."

"…It's unfortunate, but he seems to have run away already."

"Eh?"

"His soul hasn't returned to his body."

A very thin thread was extending from the headband on Kim Dokja's head to the sky above. It seemed to be connected somewhere. Yoo Sangah observed the end of this thread and spoke up. "But, don't worry. He didn't go far. And it doesn't seem that he left on his own volition, either."

Didn't leave on his own volition – the meaning behind those words was clear.

Han Sooyoung hurriedly looked around the vicinity and asked. "Where did the 'Secretive Plotter' disappear to??"

The view of the dimensional portal was moving past me at a rapid pace.

Everything happened in the blink. The moment I deactivated [Omniscient Readers Viewpoint], something grabbed my soul, and by the time I regained my wits, I was already jumping through this portal alongside the 'Secretive Plotter'.

Now normally, something like this would've been impossible. But it was a special case this time.

I looked at the messages rising up in the air and chuckled hollowly.

– I had no idea the [Existence Pledge] could be used this way.

The [Existence Pledge] – do not contact <Kim Dokja's Company> during the scenario's duration or reveal my identity.

That was the only thing I failed to uphold during the scenario.

Since the scenario's contents changed mid-way, I figured there was some room for differences in opinions, but it seemed the <Star Stream> had judged that I went against the pledge in the end.

– Are you going to kill me?

The 'Secretive Plotter', now in the form of a boy, was enveloped from head to toe in bursts of powerful sparks. I sensed countless Yoo Joonghyuks looking at me from inside his Story. But, I didn't sense any hostility from it.

He clearly wasn't planning to kill me.

Just like what Yoo Joonghyuk opined earlier, if this guy wanted me dead, there were several opportunities to do so already.

Not too long afterwards, the portal closed. Our destination was a familiar one. It was a forest covered in the overgrown darkness.

It was the N'Gai's Forest, the home of the 'Secretive Plotter'.

Along with those words, my soul got sucked into something.

I blinked, and my eyes moved. However, I had neither arms nor legs. I wondered what on earth was going on here and looked around, only to discover my reflection in the mirror on a nearby wall.

…I was now a small Murim dumpling.

Somehow, I got the feeling that it was the same figure that [999] was using before.

"How does it feel like to end up as a dumpling?!"

Not sure when they popped out, but well, a lynch mob of the kkoma Yoo Joonghyuks rushed at me and began kicking me around. Thankfully, it didn't hurt all that much due to them being all kkomas.

I hunkered down to stop the dumpling skin from tearing and shouted out.

– Not sure what you're trying to do here, but you can't stop me. In 24 hours, I'll return to my Incarnation body, you know. If you want to kill me, you better do so now.

Of course, I didn't really mean that he should kill me.

I asked the 'Secretive Plotter', perched up on the throne.

– Secretive Plotter, what's your real goal? Why are you keeping me alive?

My question caused the kkoma Yoo Joonghyuks to stop hitting me.

The 'Secretive Plotter' looked down at me. There he was, the strongest Outer God as well as the Constellation that I knew of. Also, the strongest Yoo Joonghyuk out of all Yoo Joonghyuks.

– I know that we'd have never won if you really went all out.

Even if Yoo Joonghyuk regained the memories of 1864 regression turns and combined his powers with mine, it was still impossible to surpass the Plotter through purely the Status of our Story.

Not only was he the total sum of the histories spanning from 0th turn all the way up to 1863, but he also endured an uncountable period of time afterwards, on top of that.

Even then, the 'Secretive Plotter' chose to lose rather than to kill us.

"Because you are a necessity, you fool." [41] listening to me yap on replied. "You possess the last fragment of the 'Final Wall', that's why."