Chapter 42 — Chapter 41

Episode 9 – Omniscient Sunfish (6)

“What?”

「 What are you...? 」

I was surprised by the sudden change in thoughts. Surely he didn’t regain his sense of reason after hearing my words? How could that be?

I was a bit confused. In the first place, I didn’t start this operation with the expectation of such a result.

[The ‘Theatre Master’s Simulacrum’ is embarrassed.]

[The ‘Theatre Master’s Simulacrum’ has strengthened his control on the character ‘Yoo Jonghyuk.’]

“Kuaaak...!”

Yoo Jonghyuk’s eyes blurred again.

Indeed. I had felt hope but it was unreasonable for him to wake up himself. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be a sunfish. I would be grateful if he didn’t commit suicide. The ether of Yoo Jonghyuk’s sword trembled.

[The character ‘Yoo Jonghyuk’s Splitting the Sky Energy’ has grown!]

In the meantime, the skills received through Transmission were becoming stronger. It was thanks to the talent of a main character.

The White Pure Star Energy gradually collapsed as I kept struggling. I didn’t know if it was the limit of the skill itself or a difference in talent.

I glanced at Lee Gilyoung. Blood was pouring down from Lee Gilyoung’s nose. The time had come.

“Jonghyuk.”

Perhaps after today, Yoo Jonghyuk would become surprisingly strong. I pushed his sword away as hard as I could.

“Do you remember what I asked before? I asked if I could hit you?”

There was a difference in natural talent. In the next few years, Yoo Jonghyuk would become incomparable stronger than me.

But not right now. At least for now.

“You told me to hit you if I could. Do you remember?”

If I did this now, then at least for a moment...

[Blade of Faith is activated!]

[The special option of Unbroken Faith is activated.]

[The ether property is converted to ‘fire.’]

I could overwhelm this ridiculous guy.

Ether Blade. The fire ether appeared in empty space.

Hwaruruk!

Yoo Jonghyuk was surprised by the sudden attack and took a few steps back. He instinctively felt that it was something extraordinary. But it was too late.

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

Song of the Sword. It was one of the strongest combat buffs that the Duke of Loyalty and Warfare was proud of.

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

There was a large variation in the attack power depending on which verse was sung, but it was a perfect skill for me right now.

「 Shooting arrows like rain and protecting the generalissimo from guns firing on all sides. 」

Fortunately, it was a verse from the Nanjung Ilgi. (Wiki Link)

An enormous magic power emerged and all the burning ethers were united. I swung it towards Yoo Jonghyuk.

「 The chaos was like a thunderstorm. 」

The fire ether took the shape of arrows and started to bombard him. It was an attack that couldn’t be used for a long time due to insufficient magic power. However,this would suffice.

Dudududududu!

“Kuooh!”

Numerous red wounds appeared all over Yoo Jonghyuk’s body.

In this damn world where coins represented all values and the constellations decided the development of the world, I still needed Yoo Jonghyuk.

Thus, I would protect him today.

Hwaruruk!

Yoo Jonghyuk’s actions stopped as flames burned the area. His Fire Resistance meant it might not be a serious blow, but it was enough to force him into a state of inactivity. I looked at the ‘theater master’ sitting at the edge of the garden.

[The ‘Theatre Master’s Simulacrum’ is extremely alert to you.]

Now was the only chance. I started running. In the distance, I could see the theatre master stiffen.

Then.

[The character ‘Yoo Jonghyuk’ has used Recovery Lv. 2!]

Dammit, Yoo Jonghyuk was already chasing after me.

Recovery. It was a scam skill where he could recover quickly after being hit hard once a day. He already obtained this skill due to Transmission.

No matter how fast I ran, I couldn’t be faster than Yoo Jonghyuk who used Red Phoenix Shunpo.

I ignored the theater master in front of me and collided with Yoo Jonghyuk’s sword. I could only believe in my last card. I cried out with all my strength.

“Gilyoung!”

Kukukung!

The moment I cried out, there was a huge crack in the ceiling of Sky Garden.

The black dome surrounding the roof was breaking. The Yoo Jonghyuk running towards me was also the Yoo Jonghyuk manipulated by the theatre master. He looked up with surprise at the ceiling.

It was generally impossible for the shielded area of a ‘hidden scenario’ to be broken. But it was possible for ‘uncommon’ existences.

In the distance, Lee Gilyoung was crying while wiping his bleeding nose.

“U-Uwahh... uwahhhh...!”

In order to deal with a monster, you had to call a monster.

Kuoooooh!

A huge insect dug into the cracks of the broken dome.

Rattle!

Like thin glass, the dome broke and the roof was split apart. The astonished theater master screamed. A monster that could destroy the shielded area of a hidden scenario. It was like a gigantic praying mantis, the insect king of great size.

[The 6th grade insect king, Titanoptera has appeared!]

It was an appearance that caused goosebumps. The monster that had been fighting with the poisonous rhino the other day. This monster came here in response to Lee Gilyoung’s Diverse Communication. Lee Gilyoung laughed.

“He, hehe... Titano...”

Titano? Don’t tell me... it did look similar but surely not.

Kuoooooh!

The huge preying mantis flew towards the theatre master. Then Yoo Jonghyuk blocked it.

[The character ‘Yoo Jonghyuk’ has used ‘Strong Self-Defense Lv. 4’.]

Kwaaaaang!

There was a massive sound and Yoo Jonghyuk’s body was pushed down into the floor of the rooftop. Yet Yoo Jonghyuk was still standing.

Ku ku ku ku!

...He was really a ridiculous monster. He could do with a 6th grade species with his current abilities? Yoo Jonghyuk even launched a counterattack.

Kyaooooh!

The Titanoptera screamed at the hard blow. Surprisingly, Yoo Jonghyuk was on par with the 6th grade insect king.

Maybe it was something he saw when fighting with me. The colour of the theatre master was returning. Yoo Jonghyuk was strong. It was a sudden situation but the theatre master thought he could win.

He was wrong. He should’ve been looking at me.

I ran towards the theater master again. There wasn’t long left on Diverse Communicaton. I wouldn’t let Lee Gilyoung’s efforts be in vain.

[Blade of Faith is activated!]

The theatre master belatedly discovered me and shouted.

The theater master’s simulacrum.

According to the setting of Ways of Survival, this named boss was made with all the heart and soul of a constellation. A lot of time passed and he was in a deteriorated form, becoming the boss of a hidden scenario. However... he was still able to penetrate Yoo Jonghyuk’s Mental Barrier.

The one who received the divine protection of a constellation. He was never a pushover.

[The ‘Theatre Master’s Simulacrum’ has triggered ‘Simulacra.’

It was a delirium skill on a higher level than the specter’s Welcome Prison.

The surrounding space distorted and all types of illusions appeared. The monsters seemed closer to reality than illusions.

The ground rats, grolls, poisonous rhinos, T-rex... The monsters I had encountered so far were running towards me. The fierce teeth and violence claws ripped and clawed at me, but I didn’t stop. I wasn’t afraid. It was all fake. They didn’t exist. They were all fiction from a novel.

The moment that the Blade of Faith reached his neck.

[The ‘Theatre Master’s Simulacrum’ has triggered ‘Mental Erosion.]

Mental Erosion. It was the advanced cognitive manipulation skill used on Yoo Jonghyuk. I wasn’t afraid because I had the Fourth Wall. But something unexpected happened the moment he penetrated my head.

[The ‘Theatre Master’s Simulacrum’ is embarrassed.]

Abyss of the ego.

All types of thoughts gathered and the pages of Ways of Survival fluttered.

–T-This?This, is...!

Numerous texts emanated a faint light and floated in the darkness. It was the chapters of Ways of Survival that I had read.

[The exclusive skill, ‘Fourth Wall’ is activated!]

The complexion of the theatre master changed as he dug into my head. He looked at the strings around him and his face whitened.

–Don’t, tell, me, you...ahhh!

This was the last thing he said. Strangely, he looked at me in awe.

The moment Blade of Faith was about to cross his neck, a dazzling light came from his body. It was like a ghost touching a divine light or the penalty for breaking a taboo.

He was destroyed without a trace.

I looked down at my hands and felt dazed.

...What just happened?

[The ‘Theatre Master’s Simulacra’ has been killed for the first time.]

[You have obtained 9,000 coins as compensation.]

[You have met the conditions to clear the hidden scenario!]

[You have obtained 4,000 coins as compensation.]

These messages rose. I looked back and saw Yoo Jonghyuk collapsing after being released from the theatre master’s control. Fortunately, he didn’t die. The same was true for Lee Gilyoung, who had forcibly used Diverse Communication.

“Hyung...”

I rushed over and embraced Lee Gilyoung. Lee Gilyoung lost strength and fainted in my arms.

[The barrier surrounding the Theater Dungeon has disappeared.]

The barrier covering the ceiling vanished and I looked at the insect king. Surprising, it turned around and fled. It was like all interest had vanished. I breathed out with a sense of relief.

It was over.

“...Are you okay?”

Jung Heewon and Lee Jihye staggered over.

“I’m fine. Heewon-ssi?”

“I’m okay. Fortunately, Jihye is safe.”

Lee Jihye was hit a lot by Yoo Jonghyuk and she couldn’t speak because her mouth was swollen.

[The ending time for the third main scenario is approaching!]

Perhaps it was time for the end.

I looked around the rooftop and saw that dawn was coming, making the day brighter. If Lee Hyunsung was here, he would recite the ‘homeland’ prayer.

Jung Heewon groaned.

“Ah... Seoul.”

The ruined city area was illuminated by the faint light of dawn. I heard intermittent explosions from far away. Now there was no more poisonous fog. The poisonous rhinos were crushed under the collapsed buildings. I could see people fighting among themselves. They were probably a group that ended the scenario before us. The entire landscape was trapped inside a huge dome.

It was a large barrier that seemed to be breaking.

Currently, Seoul was isolated in a transparent dome.

Jung Heewon said, “Really...it is all ending.”

It was a scene that had to be acknowledged once again.

I looked at the collapsed buildings and thought that Mino Soft would be somewhere there. Yoo Sangah would be disappointed. It was because Yoo Sangah was a person who worked hard. Lee Gilyoung wriggled in my arms.

“Have you regained consciousness?”

Lee Gilyoung nodded and pointed to the sky.

From a distance, a meteor shower seemed to be falling. The meteor shower was originally the forerunner of the main scenario. However, the number of meteor showers was more than before.

It meant the ‘hall’ would open soon.

The meteor showers were probably falling all over the world.

Jung Heewon admired it.

“Pretty...”

Jung Heewon didn’t know. The meteors that looked beautiful from a distance would make a nightmare for the people where it fell.

Now a bigger disaster would come.

Lee Gilyoung gathered his small hands together and muttered something. Jung Heewon and Lee Jihye were silent for a while. Maybe they were also praying.

It was funny. Wishing to the beings who would become a source of nightmare, it was probably only human beings who did this in the entire universe.

After a while, Lee Gilyoung opened his eyes and looked up at me.

“Hyung isn’t making a wish?”

I looked down at Lee Gilyoung and replied.

“I have made a wish.”

“What is it?”

“Gilyoung, you shouldn’t ask that.” Jung Heewon scolded him.

I watched Jung Heewon, Yoo Jonghyuk and then the collapsed Seoul again.

“I wish to see the novel’s epilogue.”

Lee Gilyoung looked at me with confusion.

I silently gazed at the sky. There were slight cracks in the sky above Seoul. Once the sun rose, the dokkaebis would open a new hell.