Chapter 481 — Episode 91 - One Single Fable (4)

Pah-su-sut.

The traces of a Fable stained the [Unbreakable Faith]. Thick smoke arose from this burning Fable.

What used to be someone’s history was now scattering away as ashes.

Kim Nam-Woon’s blood-soaked white hair strands were hooked on the edge of the sword.

⸢This was Kim Dok-Ja’s choice.⸥

I watched his hair scatter away within this ash-grey smoke and opened my mouth. “When I was young, I really hated you.”

When I was still absorbed in reading the ‘Ways of Survival’, Kim Nam-Woon was the only character that I couldn’t sympathise with. If every person appearing in that novel was my hyung, my father, my dongsaeng, and my noona, then....

....Then, the character ‘Kim Nam-Woon’ was the cautionary tale for me.

“Your so-called justice had no dignity, and your killings were indiscriminate.”

The 18-year-old boy adapted to this abnormal world faster than anyone else. He was the Incarnation who wielded his knife with reckless abandon and sheer arrogance, while throwing himself fully to the darkness.

Unhesitantly carrying out acts of evil, while spewing out one corny line after another. Such traits were so vividly drawn out and my younger self could unabashedly hate this guy as a result.

⸢The evil fashioned just so that one could hate and detest it without holding back.⸥

That was Kim Nam-Woon.

“You are a villain. It’s the same story back then and even now.”

I muttered out as if I was talking to myself. Fables staining the blade dripped down like blood.

⸢Kim Dok-Ja, now an adult, was looking at Kim Nam-Woon once more.⸥

Just like how the characters from the ‘Ways of Survival’ changed inside the scenarios, the person reading that story, me, also changed too.

I was now old enough to figure out why he had to become a villain.

⸢Perhaps it was Kim Dok-Ja’s fault that Kim Nam-Woon had to become a villain.⸥

....Because, I read the ‘Ways of Survival’ back then.

Because, I offered my opinions to the author, and just like how Constellations would do, I evaluated and judged him.

– Dear Author-nim, does Kim Nam-Woon have to become the comrade again this time?

Because, I believed that he was merely a ‘character’ the author had created, not a living, breathing person.

When I thought about it, the reason why I hated Kim Nam-Woon was pretty simple in nature.

“Yu Jung-Hyeok always took you in as his comrade.”

Out of everyone from the ‘Ways of Survival’, Kim Nam-Woon most closely resembled me.

“Even though he knew that you are an evil bastard, even though he knew that you did evil things... Even then, he took you in.”

If I was him, how would I have turned out?

Cheongil High School second-year Kim Nam-Woon.

A regular high school student living under the stress of the studying and at odds with his parents.

What would happen if such a high schooler was thrust all alone in an extreme environment where he couldn’t survive without taking the life of another, and no one was there to protect him?

“At first, I thought that Yu Jung-Hyeok was thinking of practical benefits. Because, you as an Incarnation held a high potential, that’s why. But when I thought some more about it, there were other people with just as much potential as you. Even then, Yu Jung-Hyeok always accepted you as his comrade every single regression turn.”

If it was me, would I have been able to make a different choice?

While repeating the 1st turn, the 2nd, then the 3rd.... then even the 999th, would I have survived by making a different choice than the ‘Kim Nam-Woon’ from that time?

“....When I think about it again now, maybe it was not Yu Jung-Hyeok chasing after practical benefits, but me.”

From when I started reading the ‘Ways of Survival’, Yu Jung-Hyeok’s age remained ’28’ years old. He was an adult back then, and even now, too. Maybe he had already known the truth – that life was an accumulation of one’s choices, that those countless choices piled up to eventually become a Fable worth a single person.

That no one was designed to be ‘evil’ from his birth.

Just as how the 1st turn was different from the 2nd, the 998th turn was also different from the 999th. And that might be the real reason why he repeated his regressions after all this time.

The blade stopped mid-air.

The [Unbreakable Faith] had faintly dug into the dazed Kim Nam-Woon’s carotid artery and stopped right there.

I spoke in a half-sighing tone of voice. “That doesn’t mean you can be forgiven for what you’ve done, though. What I wanted to say to you, though, was....”

[[Kim Nam-Woon!!]]

An incredible surge of Status rushed in from behind me. Someone was running towards this side like a tank while breaking past the vicious barrage of shelling.

It was the 999th turn’s Yi Ji-Hye.

All because Kim Nam-Woon found himself in danger, she abandoned her ‘island’, broke past the shelling, and was hurriedly approaching here – even at the cost of her entire figure turning into tatters by facing ’s attacks directly.

“You’re blessed, aren’t you. You even have a ‘comrade’ who worries about you to that extent.”

The word ‘comrade’ caused Kim Nam-Woon’s empty eyes to tremble.

It wasn’t just Yi Ji-Hye rushing towards this place, either. I thought that my back was growing hot, which was followed by the threatening sensation encroaching upon the nape of my neck.

It was the [Flames of Retribution].

[[What are you scheming now?]]

The 999th turn’s Uriel, who had been engaged in a battle against Yu Jung-Hyeok only a second ago, was standing right behind me even before I had noticed it. I slowly shifted my head towards her.

She must’ve escaped from the battle in a great hurry, because her pure-white wings were all torn to shreds, with deep wounds visible all over her figure. Just a casual glance told me that she was grievously injured.

She had disregarded all of her resentment and hatred, even her desire to win, and chose to fly over here all because of the danger to Kim Nam-Woon’s life.

There were some things that wouldn’t change even after becoming an Outer God.

Comrades willing to risk their lives for the sake of just ‘one person’ – because they were such people, they got to see the end of the 999th turn without Yu Jung-Hyeok’s presence.

“My scheme, is it. That’s what I want to ask you.”

Along with a soft landing noise, Yu Jung-Hyeok appeared behind the 999th turn’s Uriel. His [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword] was aiming at her neck.

The emotions in his eyes were clearly complicated. His expressions seemed to be criticising me, but at the same time, also sympathising with my choice, too. Maybe it was both. His eyes seemed to imply that, now that things had turned out this way, I should do what I wanted here.

I was going to do that without someone giving me his permission, anyway.

“You and other ‘Outer God Kings’ could have easily destroyed Earth if you really wanted to.”

My words caused the eyes of the 999th turn’s Uriel to faintly tremble.

[The ‘Great Apocalypse Scenario’ is currently in progress!]

We weren’t talking about any other scenario, but the ‘Great Apocalypse’ taking place within the 98th scenario. A scenario that not even the Constellations of the distant skies dared to participate in, out of fear of their complete, eternal destruction.

At a bare minimum, the descending ‘Outer Gods’ in this scenario wielded absolute power to easily scorn every single Constellation.

⸢With just a flick of one hand, every island on the Pacific Ocean was annihilated.⸥

I could still vividly remember that sentence from the original novel. These ‘Kings’ could even summon an asteroid from the outer space and have it collide with the planet if they wanted to. They were existences that, after descending to this world as calamities, could drag in much larger Probability and use it at will.

“Why haven’t you done that from the beginning?”

And all of my plans began from this very question: why didn’t they try to destroy Earth right out of the gate, so to speak?

The 999th turn’s Uriel didn’t say anything for the longest time.

[[....That is...]]

Actually, I already had guessed what her reply would be.

Because, these people weren’t the ‘Outer Gods’ that appeared in the original novel.

⸢Even if they were from another world-line, they were individuals who started from ‘Earth’ and managed to clear the scenarios.⸥

Earth was their home, the place where their Fable began, and where their lives had ended, too.

But they survived as tragedies. They lost their precious one to an Outer God from another world-line. Meaning, they were already sick and tired of this thing about the invasion of another world-line.

And so.... Could such people bring about the destruction of an entire world-line just for the sake of their goals?

“You never had any intentions to truly kill us.”

The 999th turn’s Yi Ji-Hye said this, that they would use this world-line as a sacrifice to revive their own scenarios.

However, was that the truth?

She was already full of mistrust towards , so could she really have believed in the promise with the Great Dokkaebis word-for-word and acted like this?

And would the 999th turn’s Uriel really agree to go along with that?

“From the very beginning, all of you weren’t capable of doing that. This fight was your loss from the very start.”

That was the answer I had arrived at.

[The absolute majority of the Constellations are greatly shocked by your judgement.]

The way to protect our regression turn without denying the 999th turn.

My confident declaration caused the 999th turn’s Uriel to glare at me with complicated eyes. Yi Ji-Hye from the same turn staggered towards her side and quietly placed her hand on Kim Nam-Woon’s head.

He was staring at me dazedly, before shifting his head away.

Kim Nam-Woon was crying. He must’ve felt sad about something, because he was sobbing away uncontrollably. The 999th turn’s Uriel couldn’t do anything and simply watched this scene play on.

[[....Why don’t we stop it here?]]

Yi Hyeon-Seong walking in closer voiced his opinion.

[[And what should we stop?]]

[[Uriel, you already know this too, don’t you? This isn’t what we want. We will solve nothing with this type of....]]

[[In that case, what should we do to ‘solve’ it, then?]]

Uriel’s voice sounded flat – a voice filled with despair worn down by innumerable expanse of time.

[[I always gave it my all. As I promised, I saw to the end of the world. Even then, I couldn’t save anyone. I became an Outer God, and carried on while dreaming of my vengeance. Even when I knew that my vengeance had no real point, I denied that fact and came this far. Yet, you are now telling me to give up on something else, having come this far? Speak, ‘King of the Silverlight Heart’.]]

[[I don’t know the answer to that. Just that, I believe the story of these people will show ‘something’ to us.]]

[[‘Something’? Are you saying that, even after we came this far, there is still something else left that we need to see?]]

[[I also do not know that. However, I have a certain feeling. This feeling that, the reason why we from the 999th turn became ‘Outer Gods’ and survived this long was all for this moment... Don’t you feel that way, too?]]

The 999th Uriel looked up to the sky.

The heavens were crying; stars up there were thoughtlessly blinking away.

[ is urging for the conclusion of the Fable it had waited for the longest time.]

I looked around to discover our companions had already arrived here. Han Su-Yeong, Yu Sang-Ah, Jeong Hui-Won, Yi Ji-Hye, Shin Yu-Seung, Yi Gil-Yeong...

They encircled the ‘Outer Gods’ as if to surround them, and waited for my signal while remaining ready to take action at any second.

The 999th turn’s Uriel asked out aloud. [[Why is it possible for these people, but not us?]]

The [Flames of the Retribution] burning viciously cried out, too.

[[....Why, why did we fail?]]

It was then, someone dared to open his mouth. “Why do you think that you have failed?”

It was Yu Jung-Hyeok.

He asked while his [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword] was still trained on Uriel’s neck.

“Is the conclusion you didn’t want to see a failure of an ending?”

Perhaps surprisingly, I knew exactly who those words belonged to.

⸢”Even if the end of this world is a tragedy..... Do not think that you have all failed.”⸥

That was what the 999th turn’s Yu Jung-Hyeok told his companions just before his death.

The 999th turn’s Uriel shuddered. Among her boundless frustration, the faintest trace of joy leaked out. She walked closer to him while speaking in a trembling voice. [[Are you really.... the ‘Yu Jung-Hyeok’ that I know?]]

Yu Jung-Hyeok didn’t reply to her.

[[I wish to speak to him! Please, call him to the surface! Even if it’s just once, I wish to meet him again. I want to ask him. And, I....]]

The 999th turn’s Uriel held onto his hand as if to plead with him. By now, she too must’ve felt it – that inside this ‘Yu Jung-Hyeok’ was the 999th turn’s version of him that she fell in love with.

Actually, I did ask the ‘Secretive Plotter’ to summon out the 999th turn’s Yu Jung-Hyeok while I was busy cooking up this plan earlier.

What these ‘Outer God Kings’ were relying on was that version of Yu Jung-Hyeok. So I thought that I might be able to persuade these people if I managed to get his help.

– I’m sorry, but that’s impossible.

However, the ‘Secretive Plotter’ refused my request. Just like how the current Yu Jung-Hyeok was saying his piece.

“What will you do after that guy has been summoned here?”

[[That is....]]

“If he tells you to surrender, will you do exactly that? If he tells you to listen to our demands, then are you going to follow his orders again?”

The complexion of the 999th turn’s Uriel grew paler and paler with every word spoken. I wanted to tell him that was enough – too bad, he didn’t stop there. His words poured out like merciless sword strikes. And from a certain point on, I realised something else.

What refused my request was neither ‘Yu Jung-Hyeok’ nor the ‘Secretive Plotter’.

[999th turn’s ‘Yu Jung-Hyeok’ is keeping his silence.]

It was 999th turn’s Yu Jung-Hyeok himself who refused to show up. In that moment, a belated realisation washed over me.

“So much time has passed by already, yet you still can’t decide on anything without his presence?”

Only now did it feel like I could understand everything – like, on why he refused to heed my request.

Like, why the 999th turn’s Yu Jung-Hyeok chose not to appear before his companions.

⸢The 999th turn’s story was completed through Yu Jung-Hyeok’s absence.⸥

His companions lived on for the purposes of reviving him, to meet him again, and to avenge his death. They endured while using those goals as the reason for their lives.

⸢In that case, what would happen to their lives after their reason no longer existed?⸥

Foams created by the waves rolled over our feet. The great ocean was sinking. This sea seemed so unfamiliar, like foreigners drifting in from a very distant place. And in the centre of this ocean, the ‘Outer Gods’ forming an island held their breaths and stared at their kings.

And one of those Kings was saying her piece.

[[....So, that’s how it was.]]

Like a ship that finally discovered its destination after roaming the endless, boundless ocean for an innumerable period of time...

[[So, that is what you wanted, Yu Jung-Hyeok.]]

The shuddering of the 999th turn’s Uriel slowly came to a stop.

Fin.