Ch 529: Epilogue 2 - Not found anywhere, IV

Lee Sookyung was standing before the darkest star.

"Will you go with us?"

The location Persephone rested in wasn't the Underworld. That was because the passageway to her home had disappeared after <Star Stream> collapsed. She was currently staying in the special guest room in the Industrial Complex. She stayed there, staring at the night sky every day – as if to comprehend the most ancient Stories.

She slowly turned her head, her eyes still radiating some warmth. Warmth, left behind by a certain someone. Lee Sookyung knew whose Story that was.

It was from the King of the Underworld, who swore to be by her side until the end of the world. And like he promised, he died instead of Persephone at the end of the world.

Jung Heewon knocked on a worn-down door of the Complex's special guest room.

"Is anyone home?"

She turned the doorknob, and the door opened without resistance. What greeted her immediately afterwards a holographic figurine.

⸢⸢Kim Dokja, escaping from the water dragon!⸥⸥

It was the figurine of Kim Dokja during his escape from the water dragon. Not only that, but the line he uttered during the event also floated up below the hologram, as well.

⸢"Alright, then. Time to go outside."⸥

Jung Heewon stared at that bizarre 3D sculpture with a slightly dumbfounded face. That wasn't the only figurine, though.

⸢⸢Kim Dokja, destroying the Absolute Throne!⸥⸥

⸢⸢Kim Dokja, liberating the Demon Realm!⸥⸥

"…Not even Yoosung or Gilyoung's rooms look like this."

As if she came to sightsee, Jung Heewon studied each and every figurine. As she followed the lines of these action figures arranged by the year and the scenario number, she abruptly recalled their past. Uriel must've been looking at Kim Dokja during all of these moments.

Among these was a rear tentacle from a squid, seemingly a part of a 'special limited edition' collection.

⸢⸢Kim Dokja the Squid's last tentacle (made by Yangsan)⸥⸥

She looked at this thing with puzzled eyes, before reaching out to it. But, just as her hand touched the glass display case, a true voice could be heard.

How long had it been? An Archangel with a rather wane complexion was sitting by the table near the display case. No, wait – not many would actually recognise her as an Archangel these days.

A woman who silently flipped the pages of a book, not even bothering to look even though she was the one who started the conversation. Jung Heewon quietly stared at this woman's long eyelashes before asking her. "Gabriel. Do you know where Uriel is?"

The power of a Story spread out like ripples from her entire figure. Perhaps this was the Archangel displaying her last vestige of pride.

Gabriel closed the book gently, her eyes gleaming brightly. It seemed that she had already figured out why Jung Heewon came to visit.

"Is that how Eden jinxes others?"

The 'reality'. The weight of that word pressed down slightly on Jung Heewon's chest. Rather than replying, though, she looked around at the room's décor again, instead. The bunk bed shared by Uriel and Gabriel was located on the corner. And the word <EDEN> was stuck above it like a poster.

⸢The Nebula 'Eden' was finished. No one could deny that truth.⸥

"What makes one's reality isn't the environment nor the location."

Even though Eden was finished, someone still chose to call this very room her Eden. Because Archangels were still here.

⸢Even if there were only two.⸥

"It's a cool-looking Eden, though."

Jung Heewon turned around to find Gabriel looking at her with trembling eyes.

"Can you tell me where Uriel is?"

Jung Heewon looked back and sure enough, Uriel was there.

She must've been coming back from her junk food shopping trip, because her small figure was holding large bundles filled with all sorts of snacks.

Her emerald-hued eyes were opened wide as if she was quite startled at the moment.

Jung Heewon stared at her Constellation sponsor for a long while.

The brilliant light of an Archangel couldn't almost be felt from Uriel. Her wings, that used to be on her back, had long disappeared. Even her clothes had changed. Instead of her favourite black dress, she was kitted out in a grey hoodie and a pair of track pants.

Jung Heewon knew better than anyone why Uriel ended up looking like that.

"Uriel."

⸢Wouldn't Uriel be happier if she remained here, honestly speaking?⸥

Uriel the Archangel had carried out the scenarios far, far longer than herself. In that case, was it the right thing to do, dragging her back into the depths of hell one more time?

Rather than opening her mouth, though, Jung Heewon squeezed her fist tightly. When she did, a faint lick of flame rose up from there.

The [Hellfire].

The purest flames in this world, given to her by her Constellation sponsor.

The moment that flame was lit up, the ever-so-slightly dim darkness of the room was illuminated by yet another sculpture emitting the exact same flame. Jung Heewon turned her head towards it without thinking too much, and saw a figurine sporting the same face as hers. It wasn't only 'Kim Dokjas' in this room, as it turned out.

As if she was under a trance, Jung Heewon approached the glass display case and looked inside. There she was, wielding the [Judge's Sword] and firing pure-white [Hellfire].

⸢⸢My one and only Incarnation⸥⸥

Jung Heewon worked hard to suppress the emotions powerfully welling up inside and spoke. "Uriel."

The moment she heard that warm, gentle voice, Jung Heewon realized something. Her Constellation sponsor already knew everything.

"Please, cheer me on as I live that life one more time."

She slowly turned her head and saw Uriel smiling sorrowfully. As if to ask whether this would be alright or not. And towards such Uriel, Jung Heewon knelt down.

"Please, become my Constellation sponsor one more time."

"Where did that idiot Black Flame Dragon disappear to? Flame Dragon~!"

"General-nim! Where are you, my general-nim??"

Those voices came from Han Sooyoung and Lee Jihye, currently searching for their Constellations. And in the middle of the chaotic sea of people, Yoo Joonghyuk was looking at his young sister next to him. She had this huge pout on her face, probably angry at something. He sighed deeply. "You'll be safer by remaining here."

"…"

"This world will soon stabilise. And this world will…"

"But, you aren't going to be here, oppa."

This would be Yoo Mia's first time not using honorifics.

Yoo Joonghyuk was about to reply to that, but changed what he wanted to say at the last second. "We will return."

"When?"

"After we get through to the end of the other world-line, and after we rescue Kim Dokja."

"And when will that be?"

Yoo Joonghyuk couldn't answer.

"It'll be too dangerous. I can't take you there."

"Liar."

A faint trace of the transcendental aura leaked out from Yoo Mia's figure. That was unmistakably the Status of a Transcendent.

Rather surprisingly, Yoo Mia had awakened the first stage of the Transcendent after training only for the past few months. She was the youngest Transcendent in history, which was truly a shocking level of talent.

"If you were going to say that now, why didn't you stop me from training? I received the same training as Gilyoung oppa and Yoosung eonni, didn't I?"

"…"

"Please be honest with me, oppa."

Yoo Joonghyuk looked into the girl's eyes that showed not a hint of wavering, and slowly closed his.

They came up with a plan, so that no one would be lost. And it was far more foolproof and perfect than any other.

However, variables always had a way of rearing their heads without warning. And Yoo Mia, she could potentially fall into danger. Yoo Joonghyuk lowered his gaze, got down on his knees slightly, and looked straight at Yoo Mia.

"…I'd like you to come with us."

That… was the reply she wanted to hear.

Her small hand patted him on the head.

"…As soon as you regress, our companions will rush to fetch you."

"You'd all have died without me during the 'Capture the Flag' battles, anyway."

After saying that, Yoo Mia opened her mouth wide. Yoo Joonghyuk peered deep inside her mouth, and was about to say something with a deep frown on his face. But then…

"Hey! We found them all!"

Han Sooyoung performing a deadly headlock on the Black Flame Dragon was walking over there while waving her hand. And behind her, Lee Jihye clinging onto the arms of the Maritime War God and Goryeo's number one swordsman could be seen.

Yoo Joonghyuk frowned at them instead. "And where is the monkey?"

Han Sooyoung wordlessly pointed with her chin.

Yoo Joonghyuk narrowed his eyes and looked up in the air. The smirking Great Sage was floating up there.

"When did you arrive?"

It seemed that, even though his Status had fallen and <Star Stream> was destroyed, a Myth-grade wasn't called a 'myth' for no reason. Only the Great Sage was capable of emitting such vigour even when the 'system' had long disappeared.

Yoo Joonghyuk replied tersely. "If you get in my way, I will not hesitate to cut you down."

The Great Sage smiled, his pearly-white teeth in full display.

*

"Okay, okay, sure thing. Is everyone finished with their preparations?"

Han Sooyoung's voice caused tense expressions to form on the faces of the waiting Incarnations.

All the members of <Kim Dokja's Company> participating in this regression trip gathered around. Yoo Sangah, Jung Heewon, Lee Hyunsung, Shin Yoosung, Lee Gilyoung, Lee Jihye, Lee Seolhwa, and Jang Hayoung. In addition, even Lee Sookyung and Selena Kim, too.

The Industrial Complex's residents came out to bade them goodbye.

"Supreme King, please remember what I told you."

"Fei Hu, the future of the continent rests on your shoulders."

"Ranvir Khan--"

And among the crowd, a small Dokkaebi was floating in the air.

"Biyoo."

Shin Yoosung reached out even without realizing it. Biyoo, staying back along with the rest of the residents, carried a vaguely sorrowful expression.

⸢Biyoo couldn't go with them.⸥

Just like how it was with Han Myungoh's daughter, Biyoo too was an existence born after the world's destruction had begun. She couldn't become the 'storyteller' during the path they were about to walk on.

Biyoo spoke as if to console the companions. [Don't be too sad. Whichever world-line you end up, I'll always cheer you on. I'm the 'Dokkaebi King', you know. If I train a little bit harder, and if I uncover more of the inheritances the Wennys left behind, I should be able to cross the world-lines, too. In that case, we should be able to meet up again.]

"We'll wait for you. Even if it's tens of thousands of years later."

Biyoo cried out "Baat!". And firecrackers went off all over the Industrial Complex like big-scale fireworks.

"We are heading out."

Finally, Yoo Joonghyuk commenced the regression. The moment his Stigma activated, the figures of Yoo Joonghyuk and his companions were dyed in the shower of resplendent light. It was then.

"You stinking bastards!! You didn't even come to fetch me…!!"

Gong Pildu ran in from the distance and shouted angrily, before jumping into the shower of light belonging to the regressing party.

Kwa-kwakwakwakwakwa-!!

The world began breaking down.

The companions held each other's hands tightly and stared at the disappearing world. Biyoo's bright smile was distorting away.

Could they meet again?

Pain akin to their souls shattering into tiny little pieces followed soon after. Shin Yoosung clenched her teeth tightly.

⸢Yoo Joonghyuk always had to endure these moments all by himself.⸥

Fortunately, he wasn't alone this time.

Shin Yoosung soon realized that she was travelling in the distant galaxy. The background was getting further away from her at a speed too fast to see. And different <Star Streams> from other world-lines could be seen, as well. The Outer Gods, abandoned inside the ashes of those stories were calling out to the companions.

Han Sooyoung gripped Shin Yoosung's hand even tighter and raised her voice. "Keep your wits about you if you don't want to get sucked in there."

Shin Yoosung repeatedly looked back to the Outer Gods growing further away from her. Kim Dokja saved 'Outer Gods' during the last regression turn. He gave names to these forgotten stories. Even then, this universe was still filled with so many other forgotten ones.

Han Sooyoung spoke again. "We're not Kim Dokja. We can't save all those worlds."

Not just Shin Yoosung, but the other companions knew that.

⸢The current 'them' were in too much of a hurry to save a single world before their eyes.⸥

…But, someday.

⸢Stories that couldn't see the end were all flowing towards somewhere.⸥

The Outer Gods in the distance all changed back to the beautiful galaxies. Every tragedy looked so captivating when viewed from afar.

Han Sooyoung shouted out. "Hey! Was this thing supposed to take this long? Are you sure we're on the right tr…"

It was right then that they were slammed by the thunderous noise of a book being ripped apart.

Riiiiiiip-!!

Something had gone wrong here.

Tsu-chuchuchuchut!

Just as Han Sooyoung was about to shout something out, the view out front was swallowed up by the darkness and it simply vanished. And when she opened her eyes again, she found herself abandoned in a plain resembling a blindingly-white snowfield.

"…What the hell?! Where am I??"

Her companions were nowhere to be seen. The only one she could see was Yoo Joonghyuk carrying a stupid expression on his face.

"…The world-lines got entangled," said Yoo Joonghyuk.

"What dogshit are you talking about?! Didn't we make all the right preparations??"

Yoo Joonghyuk closed his eyes and began sensing something, before opening his mouth again. "We did prepare accordingly. And as for the rest of our companions… It seems that they reached the 1865th turn safely. Only we ended up here."

"And where is 'here'?"

"…Most likely, we're entrapped in the gap between the world-lines."

Han Sooyoung surveyed her surroundings once more.

Several massive, pitch-black structures were floating up here and there within this snow-white field.

"Wait for a moment. I shall gather more Stories and reactivate the Stigma," said Yoo Joonghyuk.

"How long will that take? Hurry up, will ya? If we get there too late, our plan or whatever will go down the drain!"

Yoo Joonghyuk seemed to be in deep concentration already, as he didn't bother to reply.

Han Sooyoung abruptly got up from her spot and extended her hand towards the nearest structure. When she did, something akin to jet-black graphite particles stained her hand.

"What the heck is…"

And right next moment, the overall shape of the structure was drawn out inside her mind.

⸢ㅁ⸥

She was sure of it. This structure, it was shaped like this. And as for that other structure just beyond her…

⸢ㅓ⸥

Slowly, so very slowly, a creeping chill ran down her spine. She began reading the structures one by one. And each one soon became a single phrase.

⸢The Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint⸥