Chapter 177 — Reading Again (7)

I nodded and opened my mouth. “Still, don’t kill her.”

“...We must beat her. That woman has no intention of cooperating.”

I glanced at my blood-soaked mother. I didn’t know if it was her blood or the blood of others.

However, she was obviously at her limits. She had somehow been fighting with a reasonable probability but her physical strength must’ve bottomed out. It was an inevitable result.

She was alone and this place had Yoo Jonghyuk.

Yoo Jonghyuk had become transcendent and was on a completely different dimension compared to Peace Land. No matter how great the story, it was impossible with just a shadow.

It wouldn’t be easy to overcome a transcendent unless one part of the body descended, but my mother didn’t have enough probability remaining.

[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ is gulping.]

[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ is paying attention to your choice.]

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ is observing your atrocious acts.]

I left my party members and headed towards my mother. “Stop trying.”

[The ‘Fourth Wall’ is shaking faintly.]

“Why are you stopping me?”

My mother’s face didn’t look good, despite it being barely visible through the shadow of the constellation. Only her eyes and mouth were barely revealed. It was a distance that could be crossed, but I could never reach her. It was the same in prison and even now. This had become our distance.

She told me, “If I talk... you won’t listen...”

This person, why was she going so far? Why did she keep doing this despite her bloody body?

My companions were watching me. Their eyes were asking me to make the right choice. I sighed and opened my mouth. “Just once. I will listen just once, so tell me.”

I was surprised by the words that came out of my mouth.

“Tell me the story properly.”

I didn’t know I could say this. I squeezed out these words even though I didn’t know if I was sincere or not.

My mother’s eyes shook.

“How long can you stay like this? Don’t keep it to yourself and tell me. Why are you blocking me? Mother, why did you come all the way here? Anything, saying anything is fine!”

“If I say it...”

I saw the eyes that seemed like they would cry and realized all the stories so far had been connected.

I was her child, so I knew. The reason my mother blocked me was related to why my mother wrote the essay.

I would be hurt. I would break. My previous life might be ruined.

“Tell me.” I had long thought about it. Perhaps it was the story I had already predicted.

There were so many hints from the constellations that it would be odd if I didn’t know. Nevertheless, I wanted to hear the story directly from my mother’s mouth.

It might completely change my life but I had to listen, even if the wall shook again. It was because it was my story. Some stories couldn’t be understood if I missed a page.

Soon, my mother’s lips opened. However, in this damn scenario, it wasn’t a story just involving mother and son.

[The nebula ‘Vedas’ is looking at your fate.]

[The nebula ‘Olympus’ is looking at your fate.]

[The nebula ‘Papyrus’ is looking at your fate.]

A new drama wasn’t allowed for us.

The nebulae’s messages popped up and intense sparks filled the air. My mother grabbed her head with both hands and started to scream.

I yelled and ran towards her. The moment my outstretched hand was about to reach my mother, the shadow of Founder’s Mother caught me.

[Constellation Kim Dokja. You... can’t pass here.]

There was a crack on the Eight Beaded Bell and black, muddy waves overflowed. There was a fierce sound like the sky was being ripped apart, and a vortex appeared in the sky. A portal was opening at the centre of the vortex.

[The Great Hall.]

The excessive probability had summoned a being who would destroy everything.

“Everyone, don’t look at it! Close your eyes!”

I shouted the moment I discovered the tentacles coming from the Hall. I didn’t know about Yoo Jonghyuk, who was a transcendent, but ordinary incarnations would collapse just from seeing such an existence.

“...An outer god”

Yoo Jonghyuk’s expression hardened. We were convinced when we saw the tentacles coming from the Great Hall.

This was an outer god. A god who was called due to the sacrifice of Founder’s Mother.

Thunder fell from the crack in the sky while the distorted time and space screamed painfully.

It was similar but different to when that guy was summoned on Peace Land. The one being summoned now was the true body of an outer god

Based on this scale, at least one-third of the true body would be summoned. The true body of a god. The shadow couldn’t even be compared to it.

“Yoo Jonghyuk! If we don’t stop it now―”

“It is too late. It isn’t a level I can stop.”

My body was trembling just looking at the sky. I could see it with the status of a constellation.

[The Fourth Wall is strongly activated!]

My trembling subsided a bit by Fourth Wall but the fear didn’t change. The existence beyond that Great Hall was something that couldn’t be beaten even if the present Yoo Jonghyuk and I combined strength.

In the midst of this helplessness, I realized something. Now it wasn’t a fight for incarnations.

“Kuaaaaah!”

Some of the incarnations with upper-grade constellations shed blood and died the moment they saw this existence. Yoo Jonghyuk and I protected the party members and retreated. Yoo Jonghyuk’s eyes were becoming darker. I spoke in resistance,

“Don’t worry. The constellations won’t stay quiet once this type of guy descends.”

It was shown at the constellation banquet that the constellations and the outer gods didn’t have a good relationship. In a situation where the god descended, no other constellations would intervene.

The Great Sage the Equal of Heaven, Uriel and the slightly reliable black flame dragon...

However, the constellations showed no response to the true body of the god passing through.

Yoo Jonghyuk spoke through gritted teeth. “...I don’t know how they can be ignorant.”

It was a confusing situation for me as well. This was the descent of an outer god. Why wasn’t anyone coming to help us?

[Some constellations are astonished by the coming of the outer god!]

[Many constellations are complaining about the tyranny of some nebulae.

...What?

[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ is showing hostility to the nebula Papyrus.]

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ is baring his fangs to the nebula ‘Vedas’.]

[The constellation ‘ Demon-like Judge of Fire’ resents the atrocious acts of the nebula Olympus!]

Now I realized. I see. This damn situation.

[All constellation on the Korean Peninsula are wondering which nebula you will choose.]

This was all happening because of me. The messages popped up in turn.

[A number of nebulae want you to inherit their stories.]

[If you inherit a story, your existence will be forcibly bound to the nebula.]

.

.

[The nebula Olympus wants you to inherit Lightning Carnival.]

[The nebula Olympus wants you to inherit Thunder Guide.]

[The nebula Papyrus wants you to inherit ‘Master of the Typhoon Wolf.’]

.

.

[The nebulae are offering you a final choice.]

[All the constellations on the Korean Peninsula are watching your choice.]

I laughed. This was why I didn’t like the constellations.

Lightning Carnival.

Thunder Guide.

Master of the Typhoon Wolf.

They were all stories of constellations with histories of killing their own relatives.

At the same time, each nebula had a powerful story. Perhaps if I succeeded their stories, I would be able to repel the outer god. Then my mother would die here.

Yoo Jonghyuk was watching me. His eyes asked what I was going to do. I said to him, “...Yoo Jonghyuk. Do you remember the nebula we made? Kim Dokja’s Company.”

It wasn’t simply to save my mother. Everything would end if I belonged to a nebula.

There was no way I could overcome the unfair contract with them and I would never be able to reach the end of the story.

“...You still want to use that name.” Yoo Jonghyuk frowned as he moved close to me and pulled out a sword. “I will choose the name of the nebula.”

I smiled at the thought that Yoo Jonghyuk was joking. The energy of transcendence could be felt by my side. It was strangely relieving despite the presence of a person who had long surpassed my scale.

It might be because I felt like we were standing on the same horizon for the first time since the scenario began.

I declared towards the stars in the night sky. “I won’t bow to your fate.”

I pointed my sword towards those silent gazes.

“I will decide my story.”

Then I heard a laugh come from somewhere. Along with the laughing sound, I heard a whisper from the universe that seemed to be mocking these insignificant worms.

-Unfortunate constellation.

-You who killed your father with your own hands.

-You who will destroy your mother.

-You who will see the downfall of your precious things.

I stared at the outer god. If he finished his descent, the second floor of Dark Castle would be completely erased.

It was a different situation from Peace Land. There was no place to go if a crisis happened here. However...

Inside me was a constellation who was as weary of the word ‘fate’ as I was.

[A few hundred years have passed and things haven’t changed. Damn son of a bitch.]

Cheok Jungyeong’s presence inside me started to be released. I didn’t know if it was possible for Cheok Jungyeong to cope with the god from another world. Still, I had no choice but to believe in him.

Cheok Jungyeong shouted towards Founder’s Mother, who was half eaten by the god from another world.

[Founder’s Mother! Why did you make a deal with the outer god?]

It was a deep and resonant voice filled with anger.

[Since when did Hongik become so cheap?]

Surprisingly, the Founder’s Mother replied.

[I didn’t make a deal... with the outer god.]

[Then what is this situation?]

[I’m sorry. There was no... other way. To protect the... scenarios of the Korean peninsula. This incarnation... should be here. That man shouldn’t return to the Korean Peninsula. Otherwise, the other nebulae...]

[Did you make a deal with the nebulae?] Cheok Jungyeong exclaimed. [Are you still so obsessed with that little land that you are now betraying your descendants?]

[You don’t know. You...]

[What the hell is this? Where is the creation god? Why is he invisible when something like this is happening?]

[The creation god...]

However, the words of Founder’s Mother didn’t finish. The next moment, I felt Cheok Jungyeong looking towards the sky.

[Don’t tell me...?]

The night sky sent an indirect message before answering.

[The nebulae declares that anyone who helps Goryeo’s First Sword will be regarded as their enemy in the future.]

Then like magic, the indirect messages in the night sky became calm.

I heard the voices of the Great Sage the Equal of Heaven and Uriel, but they seemed unable to intervene due to their own interests or special reasons.

Cheok Jungyeong gazed at the night sky through my eyes. I could feel the explosive emotions mixed in the silence. Cheok Jungyeong’s rage and sadness. His grief... And... his decision.

[You can feel proud.]

Cheok Jungyeong spoke to me.

[Those who are at the highest point in this damn world are afraid of you.]

“...What is pride worth when I am going to die?”

[You won’t die.]

They were just words, but they were words spoken by a constellation.

As if putting a buoy against fate, all the stories built by Cheok Jungyeong were rooted in my existence.

[I won’t let you die.]