Chapter 272 — Dokja’s Story (8)

TL: Hey guys, sorry but flu season has started in Melbourne and I have caught it. I’ve been feeling terrible the last few days but it finally hit today. I’m gonna take the rest of the week off and start posting again on Monday (hopefully).

I raised my head at the entrance of the constellations.

[The constellations who favour you are looking at you.]

All of them were constellations who had once sided with me.

[The constellation ‘Seo Ae Il Pil’ is looking at you.]

[The constellation ‘First Spiritualist of Joseon’ is looking at you.]

Among them were constellations of Earth.

[The constellation ‘Goryeo’s First Sword’ is looking at you.]

There was also Cheok Jungyeong who I couldn’t contact for a while. However, there was an even more welcome existence.

[The constellation ‘Secretive Plotter’ is looking at you.]

Secretive Plotter. I didn’t know his exact identity. All I knew was that he favoured me and watched my scenarios.

[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ is clasping both hands together gently.]

[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ is forming fists.]

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ is grunting and looking at you.]

All four of my early constellations had now gathered.

[Your story is being created in the 73rd Demon Realm.]

All the gazes poured towards me and I felt like I had returned to the beginning of the story.

Surya spoke.

[Child, I know your expectations but they won’t help you. The constellations are clever and won’t make foolish choices like you humans.]

I saw my colleagues who were barely standing. My colleagues were centred around the fallen Yoo Jonghyuk.

Surya laughed. [None of them will want to be the enemy of a nebula...]

As soon as he spoke, an earthquake occurred between Surya and I. The ground quickly became damp and turned into a sticky swamp. In the swamp where I would be sucked in if I took a step, someone was waking up.

I immediately noticed who it was.

[The constellation ‘Brash Swamp Predator’ has appeared in the Demon World!]

The Brash Swamp Predator. He was a constellation of the Gourmet Association. He had fallen into debt and was dragged away by the Executive Branch.

It was a lizard that was over 30 metres. The ancient lizard that awakened from the swamp let out a resounding roar. The Breaking the Sky Master recognized the Brash Swamp Predator and growled.

If I was right, this time he wasn’t my enemy.

I smiled and asked, “Have you come to pay off your debts?”

In the past, the Mass Production Maker had advised me: Don’t make too many enemies.

[...I could’ve paid them back if you hadn’t helped me!]

The giant lizard turned his head and showed hostility towards the constellations.

[I don’t like them very much. That’s why I came!]

The giant lizard finished the short conversation and rushed to the constellations. The constellations shouted at the monster who was running towards them.

The Brash Swamp Predator was a narrative-grade constellation. He was scary when he was an enemy but I couldn’t feel reassured now that he was on the same side. The angry Surya cried out,

[Lackey of the Gourmet Association... aren’t you afraid of the nebula?]

[Nebula? Hahahahat! Since when has the Gourmet Association cared for such a thing?]

Many members of the Gourmet Association were heretics of the Star Stream. They were those who practiced their will, regardless of whether they belonged to a nebula or not. The Brash Swamp Predator wasn’t part of a nebula and was one of the most free-spirited in the Gourmet Association.

[Kuaaack!]

The giant lizard swung his tail and the surface of the ground split apart while fragments shot up. The Thunder Eating Bird and Mysterious Bird of the Nile rushed towards him. The huge monsters started to fight and the surroundings quickly became a mess. In the centre of the mess, Surya rose to the sky and looked down at me.

[One garbage doesn’t change the result.]

Surya’s light flooded towards me. It wasn’t easy to avoid even if I used Way of the Wind and Electrification. I couldn’t contend with a Lokapala but I didn’t give up. My skin was torn and my bones were exposed. In the middle of this pain, I somehow tried to buy time.

My nerves were focused on the system message in the air.

[The winner of the second game will soon be announced.]

The winner of the game was decided. No matter how strong the presence that delayed the scenario, there was a limit. In other words, I only needed to buy time and we would win this game.

[Child, it won’t work out as you wish.]

I could feel a lot of probability moving. It was a probability originally not allowed for this scenario. The probability offered by Vedas was moving. The balance in the sky changed and the scales of probability were leaning.

[Vedas’ will has come here.]

A bright sun shone behind Surya. Sweat flowed as my body felt like it was melting. One, two, three, four... the light sources burnt the ground. I was unable to look at Surya since I would be blinded so I focused on his shadow.

[The story ‘King of the Twelve Suns’ is shining.]

This was Surya of Vedas. He was a king who united the twelve sun gods.

[Do you see the difference in status now?]

My exhausted party members fell down and groaned.

“U-Uhhhh....”

The Brash Swamp Predator struggled painfully and the only constellations looked up at Surya with awe. Surya was powerful but he became even more powerful when the ‘Destruction Scenario’ of Vedas ended. Surya, the sun god who absorbed all the power of Vivasvat and Savitr, became a monster who turned the Earth of the 265th round of Ways of Survival into a hell of fire.

Still, no matter how strong the enemy, I had to struggle.

[The stigma ‘Song of the Sword Lv. 3’ has been used.]

[Your sword is filled with the words left by the Duke of Loyalty and Warfare.]

「 In the night, a god appeared in his dream and said, “You will win big if you do this. Otherwise, you will lose.” 」

It was a verse I heard when dealing with the lesser dragon.

[It is the stigma of a great-grade constellation. You are using a petty trick.]

Thanks to the effect of the skill, it was like I wore sunglasses and could see the light source in front of me. As I recalled, this verse had the effect of telling the enemy’s weakness through colour. The green showed the strong areas and the red showed the weak areas. I stared at Surya with my eyes wide open.

I stared and stared again. Cold sweat flowed down my back.

[Yes, what are you seeing?]

The smiling Surya was slowly approaching me.

[You can keep stealing stigmas. You might have risen to become a constellation but you were born human.]

Surya’s whole body was green. I couldn’t see any weaknesses.

[A human history can’t transcend a god. There is no such thing in the Star Stream.]

I couldn’t deal with Surya alone. It was impossible even with the Brash Swamp Predator’s help. I threw my torn coat and spoke.

“...The balance of probability is tilted. This means I can put more weights on it.”

[The balance won’t tilt, no matter how comes.]

My story wasn’t a myth. I wasn’t a god or a hero. My story might be a common one in the Star Stream.

[The constellations in the night sky are making a decision.]

Even so, someone in this world was listening intently to my story.

“That remains to be seen! Come, Goryeo’s First Sword!”

There were explosive sparks and a meteor fell through the dark clouds.

[The constellation ‘Goryeo’s First Sword’ is responding to your call.]

A spectacular sword energy tore through the sky. It was the Three Sword Style I had previously seen.

[Who called me, Cheok Jungyeong?}

The sword struck like a thunderbolt and deeply wounded one of Surya’s suns. Along with the blinding explosion, Surya’s voice was heard.

[A trivial great-grade constellation dares...!]

A hot flash flooded towards the ground and something thumped against the ground, sending me and my colleagues back. Once I came to my senses, I was in the arms of a man. In terms of size, he was no smaller than the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint.

[It has been a long time, Descendant.]

The magnificent sight of Goryeo’s First Sword was in front of me.

“It’s been a long time, old man. Your status has changed.”

The great-grade Cheok Jungyeong was now narrative-grade.

[It is all thanks to you. Several things happened.]

I had expected it. Cheok Jungyeong had joined in the fight against the outer god. He would’ve gained a powerful story and risen to a higher level.

[The debt can finally be repaid.]

Cheok Jungyeong stared up at the sky and the indirect messages of the constellations followed.

[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ is murmuring to himself in anger.]

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

Perhaps the other constellations also wanted to come here. However, there were constraints on probability and they couldn’t move in front of the nebula’s eyes.

In particular, Uriel belonged to Eden and the problem was more complicated. If she did something wrong, a great war between good and evil might occur...

I wasn’t disappointed despite not receiving help from Uriel.

“It’s coming.”

Surya’s beams of light were coming in waves.

[...I knew that the gods on the Indian side don’t play around but they are truly monsters.]

Cheok Jungyeong protected me and cut down the waves of light. However, Cheok Jungyeong’s blade was slightly corroded.

[I might be able to cut the great mountain and the sea but I haven’t cut the sun yet. If I knew there was such a monster, I would’ve brought ‘Ye.’]

‘Ye’ was probably the sun hunter in Chinese mythology. He seemed to be an acquaintance of Cheok Jungyeong. Even so, Ye wouldn’t be able to deal with Surya, a constellation with the constitution of an ’emperor.’

[I’ll deal with you!]

The Founder of Humanity rushed towards Cheok Jungyeong. The great men fought and the surrounding area was devastated by the sword energy.

[The 73rd Demon Realm is snooping around your story.]

Then something flowed from my chest up towards the sky. They were the ‘sentences’ I obtained from the last game. Surya shouted with a thunderous voice.

[What are you doing? There is no time left! Kill them quickly!]

These sentences were materials that made up the giant story. Finally, the giant story of this world started to fluctuate.

[The demon king ‘Maker of Discord’ is showing hostility towards you.]

The passive demon kings finally started moving. The heat sent from the Maker of Discord blew me through the air and I felt the pain of my entire body tearing apart.

I had two allies but the battlefield was outrageously disadvantageous. The demon kings released their strength and the scales of probability once again creaked.

I needed the help of more people but who could deal with these powerful demon kings? I thought hard but couldn’t figure out a constellation who would help. Suddenly, the approaching demon kings slowed down.

“Fire with full force!”

There was the sound of cannon fire along with a familiar girl’s voice.

“Ahjussi! It’s me!”

[The constellation ‘Maritime War God’ is looking at you.]

“I’m sorry I’m late!”

On the moat in a distant part of the industrial complex, Lee Jihye’s ghost fleet was firing towards this side. The indirect messages of the angry demon kings filled the air. Two demon kings turned towards Lee Jihye.

“Jihye!”

It was good that she came to help but it was unreasonable with only Lee Jihye. Her opponents were two demon kings. If she did something reckless, she would be killed immediately.

“Run away!”

I quickly moved but it wasn’t easy due to all the injuries I had suffered. The demon kings were entering Lee Jihye’s vicinity. This couldn’t continue. This... if I used Way of the Wind...

Then someone grabbed my shoulder. “Dokja-ssi, doing things alone again... I told you not to be like this.”

Was it because I had been burnt by Surya’s light for too long? I couldn’t see the woman’s face properly. However, I knew who she was from her voice alone.

“I’m late because I lost the coin toss. Don’t be too upset.”

The woman walked towards the demon kings.

“Wait a minute! Heewon-ssi!”

Jung Heewon was strong. She probably became stronger after doing the personal scenarios. Nevertheless, it was too unreasonable for her to deal with a demon king. Even if she used Judgment Time against the demon king...

“I know what you’re thinking but don’t worry.”

Was I mistaken? Angelic wings seemed to overlap on her back.

“It is because I’m not fighting.”

It was a huge ‘status’ I had never felt before. The demon king rushing towards Lee Jihye looked over with an astonished expression. The power of the constellation descended towards Jung Heewon, covering the entire Demon World and turning it silver for a moment.

[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ has appeared in the 73rd Demon Realm.]