Ch 484: Ep. 92 - Final Scenario, III

Yoo Joonghyuk's massive announcement caused the crowd to go silent.

The movers of the alliances, not won over by his speech, continued to exchange knowing glances with each other, but the crowd was no longer within their ability to control.

"Supreme King…"

Someone softly muttered. Soon after that, reporters began dreaming up of potential headlines all on their own.

⸢Supreme King Yoo Joonghyuk, declares his desperate resistance!⸥

*

⸢<Kim Dokja's Company>'s joint top representative Yoo Joonghyuk, "won't give up on the scenario till the end."⸥

Incarnations who heard about him being a regressor seemed to be even more excited than ever before. Some shouted out loudly, and the [Industrial Complex] was immediately filled up with the roars of cheering.

"Supreme King Yoo Joonghyuk!"

"Yoo Joonghyuk!! Yoo Joonghyuk!"

Everyone was now chanting his name.

Even those making snide remarks against <Kim Dokja's Company> earlier had been swept up in the flow and were staring at him now.

Things wouldn't suddenly improve with this, but at a bare minimum, the foundation had been laid today. The 'world after the scenarios' should now form with Yoo Joonghyuk as its centre.

Even if I said the exact same things, I wouldn't receive a similar level of cheering. Probably.

Han Sooyoung finally released my collars and while looking in Yoo Joonghyuk's direction, opened her mouth. "If only he acts like that every day."

I agreed with her. However, that was his personality, so…

Now that it got going, the chanting showed no sign of stopping any time soon. The cheering that began with Yoo Joonghyuk's name soon moved onto Jung Heewon, then Lee Hyunsung, and even over to Lee Jihye.

And as every name except the 'Demon King of Salvation' was being chanted out, my companions shifted their gaze in my direction, looking clearly uncomfortable. I waved my hand at them to indicate that it was alright. They deserved to be cheered on, anyway.

Eventually, the chanting reached Han Sooyoung's name, too.

"Black Flame Demon Empress, Han Sooyoung!!"

The crowd in the audience gallery was now searching for Han Sooyoung hiding behind the stage.

I spoke to her. "It's your turn. Go ahead."

But she shook her head, instead. "I hate stuff like that."

"I thought you liked being the centre of attention? Was I wrong?"

"That's as a writer, not as Han Sooyoung, you know."

While lightly tapping on the ground with her heel, she lowered her gaze and frowned a little. When she didn't show up, the chanting naturally shifted over to Shin Yoosung's name.

The companions waving their hands on the venue as seen beyond the curtains came across as famous movie stars in my eyes.

While watching them carry on, I spoke up as if to voice my thoughts. "Han Sooyoung?"

"What is it?"

"If this world was a novel, which volume do you think we are in right now?"

She seemed to ponder this quandary for a bit before making her reply. "Not sure. Depends on who wrote it, I guess."

But, of course.

Some might write a whole book out of what had happened during a single day, but some would condense everything that happened in 100 years into a single sentence.

Han Sooyoung continued on. "If it was me, we should be past at least the 20th volume."

"…That's a lot."

"It should be. Lots of things happened, right?"

Indeed, lots. Without a doubt, it had been a long journey.

If it was twenty volumes-long, then just from the quantity alone, this book should be on the scale of a proper epic.

Dusk was settling in from the skies above the conference venue. Not sure why, but it felt as if the sun was setting much sooner than usual today.

Han Sooyoung spoke as if she understood how I felt. "But then again, there are some people who can read all twenty volumes in one sitting."

Suddenly, a corner of my chest grew cold.

I wanted to ask her – have I been reading every story that I found at a suitable pace?

Could I say that I've read the stories of everyone precious to me thoroughly and didn't miss a single thing?

"Kim Dokja."

"What is it?"

"You may not be this world's protagonist nor a really cool side character."

"…"

"However, you have read it with all of your heart. I know that."

I didn't know what to say.

"And everyone you've read, they are standing there now."

Han Sooyoung looked at the people by the press conference venue.

I too stared at them. Companions I cared about were standing on a spot almost within reach, just beyond the curtains.

They existed beyond the curtains, alive and moving.

Yoo Joonghyuk glaring at the crowd, Jung Heewon grinning back at them, Lee Jihye jumping up and down in fluster, Shin Yoosung waving her hand towards me…

Someone had written their stories. And I had read them.

Every story started off from there.

While waving my hand back at Shin Yoosung, I opened my mouth.

"Tomorrow morning, we leave for the Final Scenario's location."

After the press conference came to an end, the companions gathered in the reception room.

Jung Heewon massaged her shoulder while looking at the rebroadcast of the conference.

"Eii… Cameras just aren't my friends, it seems."

It wasn't just the Korean Peninsula, but the entire <Star Stream> was set abuzz by the <Kim Dokja's Company>'s press conference.

– I have no thoughts of saving you.

Jung Heewon tutted after watching Kim Dokja and his bright face making that declaration within the display panel. "Seriously, though. He can't help himself with things people will hate him for."

"Still, doesn't he look more presentable now that his face has been fixed up properly?"

Lee Seolhwa, in charge of Kim Dokja's make-up, nodded her head in satisfaction.

Lee Jihye added something else. "Now that I think about it, doesn't Dokja ahjussi's features come across a bit manlier now? I mean, he used to be on the paler side, and kinda felt like a piece of stretched dough, you know?"

"Uht? I was thinking the same, too."

A few among them nodded their heads in agreement.

For sure, Kim Dokja of now had changed a lot compared to when they first met him. It wasn't just the impression he gave off, either.

Jung Heewon muttered as if she was recalling the distant past. "Honestly, I thought he was a bit of slick-tongued miser the first time I saw him."

Just how different was Kim Dokja of the first scenario to that of a man about to face the Final Scenario?

While listening to others chat on, Jung Heewon stared at Kim Dokja's face in the screen – at his eyes, sparkling when he was reading the prepared script, or the corners of his lips that moved mysteriously when he smirked.

Every little thing like that was serving as proof that he definitely exited in that place.

While feeling those expressions loom closer than before, Jung Heewon began pondering Kim Dokja's Stories. Could it be possible that the Stories they had created together was changing him just a little? If so, that would be nice. What if their story had changed him like how he had changed them?

"By the way, where is Dokja-ssi?"

"I think he's making preparations for the Final Scenario."

"Wait, that ahjussi isn't cooking up yet another weird thing all by himself, right?"

Lee Jihye's words caused a flitting shadow to cast over everyone's expression.

The person who lifted the mood up was the smiling Yoo Sangah hugging the two kids with both of her arms. "He promised not to do that, so let us believe in him."

Kim Dokja inside the screen was busy saying something only to be subjected to a barrage of insults. Jung Heewon watched that for a long time before placing her hand on the panel. She felt this lukewarm sensation.

*

"…Can I really trust him?"

She whispered in a really quiet voice, yet everyone present caught that. Even then, no one among the group looked at her strangely.

Shin Yoosung muttered out. "Ahjussi's skin looks so nice."

They thought that they had grown closer to him by now, yet Kim Dokja's face seemed as distant as ever.

Throughout the night, I had been thinking about the Final Scenario.

I read the excerpts taken from the 'Ways of Survival' that I found essential, and also spoke to Han Sooyoung through [Midday Tryst] as well. It was to use her [Predictive Plagiarism] to predict what might happen to us in the future. When I thought that alone wasn't going to be enough, I exchanged opinions with the 'Secretive Plotter' through Yoo Joonghyuk.

Unfortunately, it was as if the Plotter was trying to be as obtuse as possible when it came to the matter of Conclusion.

Since I understood what he was saying here, I decided not to query him any further.

"What about Anna Croft?"

"She has withdrawn from the Peninsula along with 'Zarathustras' yesterday."

It'd been nice to get the help from her 'Precognition', but unfortunately, I seemed to have lost that chance.

Swiiiish!

The blade of the [Black Heavenly Demon Sword] scythed past the air. About a dozen or so steps away, Yoo Joonghyuk was currently focused on his training. He seemed to be swinging in the exact same pose as before, yet he treated every and each movement with care as if they contained profound meanings. Maybe it was possible for him to repeat all those lives because he was capable of doing something like that.

"Goddammit. What kind of a crappy development is this…"

Han Sooyoung was also racking her brain trying to guess how the Final Scenario might unfold. However, even she seemed to be stuck, going nowhere fast.

Even if her [Predictive Plagiarism] was powerful, it wasn't truly omniscient. If that was the case, the 1863rd turn's Han Sooyoung wouldn't have run into so much trouble.

I studied her for a little while before switching on my smartphone. Files appeared on the screen – from the original version of the 'Ways of Survival', to its final revised version.

– Three Ways to Survive a Ruined World (final revision).txt

I quietly stared at that file for a long time, before turning the phone off. I didn't want to break the resolution I had been sticking to until now.

⸢Kim Dok ja.⸥

I raised my head as [the Fourth Wall] called out to me.

'What's up?'

⸢Ha ving a ha rd ti me?⸥

I smirked a little at that unexpected line of text.

I had forgotten about this guy. The one who had stayed the longest with me so far was probably this 'wall', wasn't it?

'It's fine. I have you'.

It was all thanks to [The Fourth Wall] that I managed to come this far.

If this guy didn't alleviate my mental shock during the first scenario, and if it didn't mitigate the physical pain I suffered during the countless life-threatening situations, then I'd have ended up as the wandering ghost of the scenarios a long time ago.

Tsu-chut, chuchuchut.

Sparks danced in the air reminiscent of a small child's figure excitedly quivering about. For a very brief moment there, I thought I saw a triumphant face of a little kid above the dancing sparks.

⸢Eh hem, you wa nna see yo ur att rib ute win dow?⸥

This guy, does he think I want to see the attribute window every time I have a chance?

'Nah, it's fine. I don't need it right now'.

Seeing it might help me out. However, there was something else even more important than that right now.

'Actually, there's something I'm even more curious about'.

⸢Wh at is it?⸥

It was a question I should've asked a long time ago. However, since I couldn't get any straight answers to begin with, I ended up coming up with all sorts of theories by myself concerning this very question.

'Just why is the 'Final Wall' exactly?'

⸢It's a wa ll wh ere every st ory is writt en on.⸥

…Was it because the 'Final Scenario' was literally around the corner?

Although the answer remained just as puzzling, it seemed that [The Fourth Wall] didn't want to hide the information anymore. So, I asked again.

'Let me change the question. What are you exactly? And why do the fragments of the Wall exist?'

⸢Gu ard ing the pre cious themes, th at is the Wall's du ty.⸥

Suddenly, I thought of something. The 'Wall of Impossible Communication' Jang Hayoung possessed – when I thought about it, it wasn't just her, was it?

The important individuals from the 'Ways of Survival' all possessed similar walls. Sakyamuni possessed the 'Wall of Samsara', while Agares and Metatron possessed the 'Wall that Divides Good and Evil'.

⸢Be cau se, the re is more th an one theme.⸥

⸢A st ory is a col lec tion of nar rati ves.⸥

In that moment I felt clarity wash over me. If it was as I suspected – if this 'Wall' was the existence protecting the 'Story', then…

Tsu-chuchuchu…

What replaced them, though, was an incredibly ancient and worn-down wall. This thing that reminded me of a prehistoric cave wall, was the 'First Wall'.

I extended my hand towards this wall that protected me from the cold, the pain, and from various trauma.

From ancient times, walls were created to protect something.

⸢You mu st pre pare the last sto ry, Kim Dok ja.⸥

And starting from an unknown era, humans began writing something on that wall.

That eventually became the Story.

⸢You are its last.⸥