Chapter 504: Episode 97 – The star that can't be seen (1)
The smartphone inside my coat vibrated and emitted 'Woong, woong' noise.
⸢This whole story began the moment he read that novel.⸥
Texts rose above the phone. The expansive wall before me seemed uncannily similar to the screen of this device.
From Yu Jung-Hyeok's 3rd regression turn all the way to the 1863's – the wall that, most likely, had recorded all the stories that I knew of.
⸢Kim Dok-Ja used to think about a certain thing back when he was working for the QA team: 'What if I'm the only one who knows about this bug?'⸥
“You….”
I turned around and found Han Su-Yeong there. She seemed to have something to say, but was unable to find the right words. The bandages imbued with the Abyssal Black Flame Dragon's grace wrapped around her left hand were slowly scattering away.
I took a close look at each of my companions. Jeong Hui-Won was on her knees, her visibly-shaking hands pressed to the ground, while Yi Hyeon-Seong was carrying the unconscious Yi Gil-Yeong. Yi Seol-Hwa and Gong Pil-Du were supporting each other while exiting from the ark.
And in the distance, I spotted Jang HYeong who had narrowly escaped from the cabin along with our masters.
“….Ahjussi.”
Shin Yu-Seung was looking at her hands. Rather than calling out to me, though, her voice was much closer to a murmur directed at herself. A lone piece of scale from the 'Chimera Dragon' rested in her palm.
Yu Sang-Ah approached her and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. As her hand felt the soft, trembling sob, Yu Sang-Ah wordlessly shifted her gaze over to the exit we all escaped from.
⸢The stars they used to know had grown dark.⸥
My vision shook from the dizziness. I couldn't sense the gazes of the stars. Was it because every single one of them was extinguished?
But, that couldn't be. No, this was simply because all the Great Dokkaebis had disappeared, that's all. Every channel operated by the Bureau had received massive impact and that caused system errors. Had to be.
⸢He wouldn't be able to go on if he didn't believe in that.⸥
I staggered but still managed to find my balance. The last person I spotted was Yu Jung-Hyeok. His Dark Heavenly Demon Sword was currently stabbing through the corpses of Great Dokkaebies. Fables from dead Constellations dripped steadily from the edge of his blade.
He was staring at me with his usual expressionless face of his.
⸢Is this the conclusion you desired?⸥
['The 4th Wall' is violently shaking!]
['The 4th Wall' is activating even more strongly!]
My mouth opened slowly, only to be shut again.
[Completion of the Final Scenario is imminent.]
The ark's core I had been searching for all this time rolled around on the ground. It was a piece of mineral emitting a brilliant yellowish hue, The powers of countless 'Great Fables' drifting around in this world-line were condensed to create this hardened essence.
The [ark's core].
It was the source of energy for the great Fable weapon, 'Final Ark'. Destroying it would bring an end to this 99th scenario and conclude our battle.
[The completion of
Tsu-chuchu….!
Suddenly, my steps came to a stop. Vines sprouted out from the ground and wrapped around my ankles. 'Zarathustras' appeared from seemingly out of nowhere and used restriction skills on me.
Selena Kim was avoiding my gaze as if she was apologetic about this. Soon afterwards, I could hear the prophet's voice.
“Thanks to you, our workload has been greatly lightened, Demon King of Salvation.”
Anna Croft, already holding the ark's core, was looking in this direction.
⸢Humanity's hero that dreams of a different conclusion to Kim Dok-Ja.⸥
“You shouldn't be too surprised about this. I shall be taking this core with me.”
I had already heard about the world she dreamed of.
The 'Perfect Night'. She dreamed of complete freedom from the gazes of all Constellations, and that dream entailed migrating safely to a different world-line along with every Incarnation from this world.
However…
“The ark is already destroyed.”
“It can be rebuilt.”
Anna Croft looked back at the wrecked ark. It was broken beyond salvage, unable to be re-used ever again.
However, she didn't lose hope.
“One of the human Incarnations is proficient with crafting Fable weapons. Aileen under your care is another person capable of doing that, as well. Now that there aren't any Myth-grade Constellations to hinder us, we….”
“Give me that core.”
“…..I see. There is still a 'Myth-grade Constellation' remaining, isn't there?”
Chapter end
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