Ch 505: Ep. 97 - The star that can't be seen, II

While reading the messages popping up one after the other, we took stock of our current situation. Although they all still looked shellshocked, we simply couldn't afford to stop here. Gong Pildu suddenly raised his voice.

"…Will the main scenario end with this?"

Unlike how it usually was, no new scenario was issued even though a main scenario had come to an end. What entered our ears instead was a system message.

It was a message none of us had ever heard before.

Curtains were finally closing on the vast world of scenarios. We all formed blank expressions, not knowing what to say.

"If this thing ends… what will happen to the world?"

Gong Pildu stared at the Wall with a hollow expression. Countless texts blooming on the Wall must've sensed his gaze, because they repeatedly scattered only to reform again. Some among those texts were even related to Gong Pildu himself.

⸢The man who lost his family at the start of the scenario.⸥

He seemed to be deeply fatigued, somehow. I could've been mistaken, but I thought there was something welling up in his eyes, too. I hesitated for a bit, before addressing him.

"There is one more being remaining, the one that controls all the scenarios."

"That bastard… has to be killed off, too?"

"If you're too exhausted, it's fine to remain here."

"After coming all this way?" Pure rage bubbled up on Gong Pildu's face. "I can never forgive that bastard. It won't nearly be enough for me to rip him apart into little pieces."

It felt as if I was the one being attacked the moment I peered into his eyes. At the same time, I thought I saw the Stories of regular people who died during the scenarios reflected behind his back.

⸢And all those Stories seemed to blame Kim Dokja.⸥

"That bastard took away my family and my lands. I, I must definitely…!!"

Gong Pildu spoke up to there, and keeled over as bloody foams bubbled out of his mouth. Lee Seolhwa quickly supported him and felt his pulse.

"…The damage to his Incarnation Body is extensive."

During the battle inside the cabin, Gong Pildu protected the companions along with Lee Hyunsung. His proud [Armed Fortress] was seriously damaged. The Status of his sponsor, the Defense Master, could barely be felt, too. It was quite likely that this was as far as he could go.

"I'll take him with us. He also has the right to witness the end, after all."

"Please take care of him."

Lee Seolhwa activated her unique skill [Stretcher], and placed Gong Pildu on the bed made out of magic net.

In the meantime, both Lee Jihye and Jung Heewon regained their energy and stood up from their spots.

"Let's go, Dokja-ssi. Whatever happens, we should still try to see the end, at least."

I was ashamed by the fact that Jung Heewon had to say those words. Because she must've been the one to resent me the most among our group.

She lightly tapped me on the shoulder.

"Don't think about anything unnecessary. My sponsor told you, right? We only got to see that far in that story."

"…"

"Meaning, no one knows what will happen next."

Her voice contained an icy determination. Lee Hyunsung put Lee Gilyoung on his back and nodded his head after hearing her.

"Heewon-ssi is correct."

It was the same story for both Shin Yoosung and Lee Jihye.

⸢Even though so many things happened, the companions still believed in Kim Dokja.⸥

Could my companions see that sentence?

Was it okay for someone like me to read that sentence?

Tsu-chuchuchu…!

A new message floated up soon afterwards.

The Probability's sparks whipped about madly above the Wall. With those sparks as the centre, the Wall seemed to retract; letters above the white surface rescinded and a small entrance we could go through was generated.

Han Sooyoung asked in a suspicious voice.

"…Do you have a plan for what's beyond here?"

Greyish fog filled up the inside of the entrance. It was a veil of fog I was familiar with – from the sentence that I had memorised after reading them over and over again.

⸢Finally, Yoo Joonghyuk who lost everything was looking beyond the fog.⸥

This passageway was the very same one that the 1863rd turn's Yoo Joonghyuk had passed by.

"…You said that what happens next isn't even mentioned in the 'Ways of Survival'."

I nodded my head.

The only remaining thing was to enter. Although, my last concern was…

"…Please go ahead. 'Zarathustras' can't go any further. We've been informed that we don't have the qualifications to enter."

Unlike Anna Croft, her subordinates 'Zarathustras' didn't possess all that many Stories connected to <Kim Dokja's Company>. They looked at me with sorrowful eyes for a little while, then silently moved out of the way and created a path.

– Please, take care of Anna.

Selena Kim's voice was transmitted through voice projection. I slowly but deeply nodded my head and turned around to leave.

Footsteps belonging to my companions could be heard coming from behind me. My companions had become one constellation; my companions, who didn't emit light in the same direction as everyone else.

"Let's get going."

⸢Even then, everyone here all wished to confirm the conclusion.⸥

It was right then, a shadow suddenly appeared drifting around in the fog before us. Anna Croft's blonde hair spread in the air. However, the one controlling her body wasn't her.

Yoo Joonghyuk focused on the Wenny King's movements while tightly grasping the hilt of the [Black Heavenly Demon Sword].

"Are you thinking of trusting the Wenny King?"

He hadn't lowered his wariness since a while ago, and continued to emit intense bloodlust towards the Wenny King at every opportunity he could find.

I also didn't like the Wennys. They tried to kidnap Biyoo, and even tried to pull a fast one on me back in the Demon Realm, too.

"I don't trust him. We're just entering a temporary alliance, that's all. We made a deal in the past."

"A deal?"

I didn't offer up a detailed explanation. Because the one who could do it for me made his appearance, that's why.

Seeing the Wenny King speak through Anna Croft's mouth, I couldn't help but think that this had to be the worst combination imaginable. To think that two individuals Yoo Joonghyuk hated had been combined into one…

Yoo Joonghyuk wordlessly sent his magical energy to the [Black Heavenly Demon Sword]. He was getting ready to strike down at the slightest hint of provocation.

"And do you wish for yours to be cut off, too?"

The Wenny King cackled as if he was deeply amused.

"What's so funny?"

"One more word, and I shall cut off your lumps."

"Oiii, Yoo Joonghyuk."

Yoo Joonghyuk seemed to be more fired up than usual, so I quickly stopped him. Nothing good would come about by getting into a scuffle with the Wennys here.

Why did it happen, though? His unfocused aura was different from his usual self. Maybe his thoughts had gotten complicated now that the end was upon us.

The Wenny King alternated his gaze between Yoo Joonghyuk and me before opening his mouth.

Even as the scary glare in Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes was rekindled, the Wenny King carried on.

"I don't want to hear about your sob story."

…The 'Wenny King' had reached this 'Final Wall' before?

This information never appeared in the 'Ways of Survival'.

"…There was <Star Stream> even back in your day?"

Here was a being that saw the 'end of the world' before us.

What was the ■■ for them back then? And just what happened back then that caused this creature to become the 'Wenny King' and drift around the scenarios?

The sound of something collapsing heavily could be heard from beyond the fog.

Tsu-chuchuchu…

The fog before us began rumbling loudly.

Along with those words, all traces of the Wenny King vanished. However, his message continued to be heard.

…Devoured??

"Ahjussi!!"

Lee Jihye following us from behind suddenly cried out and disappeared through the floor. And then, hands-like things suddenly emerged from the floor and nearby walls to grab and yank at our arms and legs.

"Jihye-yah!!"

Jung Heewon reached out towards Lee Jihye being sucked into the floor. However, it was too late. Even Jung Heewon herself was being sucked in now.

Walls transformed into bottomless quicksand and swallowed her up.

"Heewon-ssi!"

I watched Lee Hyunsung dash towards Jung Heewon, but that only made me lose my bearing.

Did something like this happen back in the 'Ways of Survival'? Just what the hell…?!

⸢Yoo Joonghyuk was the only person crossing this passage back in the 'Ways of Survival'.⸥

I had overlooked that simple fact. Not even once did Yoo Joonghyuk try to cross this passage with these many people before.

"Everyone, gather around me!"

Unfortunately, it was too late by then. Lee Hyunsung, Lee Seolhwa, Gong Pildu, and even Yoo Sangah and the kids, were all snatched up by the hands of the walls and got absorbed.

My heart was racing nonstop. The word 'Character' especially got on my nerves amidst all those messages.

"Han Sooyoung! Yoo Joonghyuk!"

He was already half-sucked into the floor by now. There wasn't even enough time to resist.

"Step back!"

The sword wind Yoo Joonghyuk fired pushed me back. I barely managed to evade the texts trying to grab my ankles.

Eventually, even Yoo Joonghyuk was taken away. Han Sooyoung was the only one remaining. However, one of her arms was already being swallowed up.

"Hurry, this way…!"

I used every ounce of my strength to pull her out. The effects of the [Way of the Wind] permeated into my feet and the explosive forward momentum wrapped around me.

Tsu-chuchuchut…!

Han Sooyoung's body was trembling as if she was having a seizure.

⸢The only other person who wasn't a 'Character' besides himself was Han Sooyoung.⸥

I ran as hard as I could. Unfortunately, the Wall's pursuit proved to be persistent. What's worse, I had no clue where exactly I was running off to. Front, back, side, up; I looked everywhere, but couldn't see a place I could escape to.

Poof.

Along with the sensation of stepping on air, the ground vanished. This was the same tactic that took away Lee Jihye and Jung Heewon. The Wall was now sucking me in, too. Han Sooyoung and I began falling as if this was an endless emptiness. The grey fog rushed in with every heavy breath I took, constricting me.

⸢Kim Dokja was scared of the stories he didn't know.⸥

Texts with incredible density interfered with my breathing. I couldn't recognise this Story due to the inordinate amount of letters. As the term implied, the 'Great' Story was crushing me.

I struggled and flailed about trying to escape from this Story somehow. However, the more I struggled, the more this vague fear dug into me. It felt like everything inside me was emptying out.

Texts were escaping from the tip of my fingers. Stories that formed the basis of me were disappearing. It was then.

⸢The Stories that constitute you exist through what you see, experience, and feel.⸥

That one sentence got stuck by my fingertip. That was the 'Story control' method Yoo Hoseong taught me back in the 'Isle of Reincarnators'.

⸢Let them know that you're looking at them, too.⸥

I grabbed hold of that sentence. When I did, the things that constituted the Story along with that sentence began popping up inside my head.

⸢Kim Dokja calmly controlled his breathing.⸥

I decided to stop my escape attempt from this vast cosmos of texts. Stories opened their maws wide as if to swallow me up in one go.

⸢These things wouldn't even exist if I don't look into them.⸥

There was no need to fear them. These were just Stories.

Tsu-chuchuchu…!

I stared into the words rushing in. I didn't even blink and glared at those texts, to let them know that I was reading them right here.

Right next second, the words scattered around like fog, before coalescing together again.

⸢In order to not get devoured by the Story, one had to become a 'dokja/reader'.⸥

As if to express their gratitude towards the one discovering them, the sentences began circling around my feet. Soon, they became footholds for me to walk on.

⸢A person who loves Stories yet still reads on without getting drunk in them.⸥

⸢Only then will the Stories become viable means to oppose the formless emptiness.⸥

My falling stopped. I lightly stepped on the sentences piling up below my feet. They were not the texts from the 'Ways of Survival'.

⸢"I'm Dokja."⸥

⸢I used to introduce myself to other people in this manner, but that would lead to the following misunderstanding.⸥

Even then, they seemed somewhat familiar to me.

While reading those sentences, I walked forward a step at a time. Some among them were stories that I already knew, some that I didn't, and some whose memories had faded now.

⸢When Kim Dokja was young, he began thinking about a certain thing.⸥

The young me was scribbling something on a notebook. It was a well-organised power balance sheet of the 'Way of Survival', as well as hidden piece locations. And also…

⸢What's this? I wouldn't have done it that way.⸥

I began cooking up my own methods of conquering the 'Ways of Survival'.

⸢What an idiot. You should've conquered that pitch-black place like this. The item you'll need is…⸥

⸢Getting the ampoules from the laboratory is the core of the theatre dungeon's conquest plan, and…⸥

⸢You definitely need to get the Ganpyeongui at this point in time. It's even more important than getting the Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword.⸥

The sense of deja vu grew stronger as I took more steps forward.

⸢There's no other choice but to kill all the Constellations. There's no other way at this point.⸥

⸢To become stronger without regressing…⸥

⸢As I thought, the best route is this. The first 'Giant Story' must be earned in the Demon Realm.⸥

The sentences my younger self wrote now illuminated the path I was walking on. I began thinking as I tread on those words.

⸢To save everyone…⸥

Maybe, this path began long before the time I could recall?

Ttuk.

Eventually, the sentences were cut off.

And a small, white door waited for me where the words had ended.

It was the exact same door the 1863rd turn's Yoo Joonghyuk had opened.

⸢The [Epilogue] to the all the stories he hadn't read yet was beyond that door.⸥

I wordlessly stared at the doorknob.

⸢Just to turn this doorknob…⸥

The entire story that began with Yoo Joonghyuk flitted in and out of my head. And in this very moment, that one question I had from a very long time ago, but never spoken out aloud, floated back up to the fore.

⸢What kind of an epilogue did tls123 want to write for the 'Ways of Survival'?⸥

I reached out towards the door's handle, only to unwittingly look behind me. There was a path made out of vast Stories. This sight felt bizarrely alien now that I looked at it from this far.

⸢I stared at that road for a long time.⸥

Then, opened the door.