Chapter 496 — Beginning of the end (3)

“....Hyung, it says that the reward is the ‘Final Wall’.”

Yi Gil-Yeong catching up to us spoke in a puzzled voice. However, I too had no idea about this.

The reward was the [Final Wall]....?

I wasn’t sure of what that vague description could mean – was us reaching the Final Wall the reward itself, or after the scenario ended, we’d be given the ownership of the wall?

Besides, could someone even claim ownership of the concept of the Wall in the first place?

Nothing was certain at the current juncture. But, it was a certainty that we’d reach the truth of this world when this scenario comes to an end.

[[Please, go ahead.]]

Under the 999th turn’s Yi Hyeon-Seong’s protection, the comrades ran forward. As for the Constellations trying to chase us down, the ‘Secretive Plotter’ and the other Outer Gods blocked them.

The ark was right before us. Destroying it would take us to the end of all scenarios.

[Stop them-!!]

Starlight descended from the night sky once more. It was shocking to see that there were so many stars left still. It was also hard to tell just where these Constellations had been hiding all this time.

[It’s the Outer God King! Kill him!]

Constellations pointed their weapons at me and jumped in. Even though they lived like puppets of large Nebulas and never truly cleared scenarios until now, they still managed to acquire the qualifications to enter the ‘Final Scenario’.

Surprisingly enough, some of them were either former or the current subscribers of my channel. Ones that donated something every now and then to urge me on – ones that desired powerful sources of cider, and asked me for more stimulating plot development.

And now, they were standing against me.

[Kill him!]

A few of my companions seemed to be surprised by their hostility towards us.

Han Su-Yeong couldn’t hold it back in and opened her mouth. “You guys still hadn’t exited yet?”

What popped up in my head just then was the words the ‘Guardian of the Mandala’ said to me back in the Isle of Reincarnators.

⸢No matter how shoddy a story is, an existence hearing and watching it for a long time will grow to love it.⸥

Back then, I didn’t understand what he meant by that. I only thought that the ‘Guardian of the Mandala’ saw the tragedy of the scenario called [Great War of Saints and Demons] in such a light, that’s all.

However, after I mulled over it some more, I realised that that statement probably didn’t only apply to the [Great War].

The Constellations originating from Japan and fought against us during [Peaceland] were incarnating before our eyes one by one. I even saw the ‘Eight Pieces of Fire’ Kagu-tsuchi and ‘Controller of High and Low tides’, the Water Dragon Ryujin.

The one confronting them among our companions was the protector of the skies.

[Incarnation, ‘Yi Ji-Hye’, is unleashing her Status!]

[Constellation, ‘Maritime War God’, is unleashing his Status!]

Along with the sensation of a boundless ocean spreading out, the surrounding stage was submerged in abundant Status. The opponents may be Fable-grade Constellations, but the current Yi Ji-Hye would never be pushed around by them.

However, she didn’t fire away and took a look in my direction instead.

“Ahjussi.”

I too knew why she was hesitating like this.

[Go! If you can’t be of any use, then go and blow yourselves up!]

Constellations were pushing the backs of the Incarnations forward. These Incarnations from the Japanese side, their eyes blank, staggered towards us.

Just before we could unsheathe our weapons, someone cried out from a nearby location.

“Everyone, please wake up! Please, you must take a good look at who you’re trying to fight against!”

That was a voice I definitely recognised.

“Izumi is dead, and Hiroshi also died. Just how many more must die before we all wake up? Have you all forgotten the tragedy back in the [Peaceland]??”

It was Asuka Ren.

[Incarnation, ‘Asuka Ren’, has become the ‘Enemy of the Story’.]

Surprisingly enough, she had already chosen to side with us.

[Incarnation, ‘Asuka Ren’s’, attribute, ‘Mangaka’ is activating!]

Her sword moved like a pen.

The moment her attribute came to life, Fables of not just me but the surrounding ‘Nameless Ones’ began shifting. Our broken Fables, the scattered phrases, were being woven into a single piece of footage.

When I thought about it, it wasn’t just Han Su-Yeong who possessed ‘author’-type attributes. Although different in some ways, Asuka Ren’s attribute was also rather similar in other ways to hers.

“Please, stop this. You know who these people are. You yearned to be more like these people, didn’t you?”

⸢That was the beginning.⸥

Incarnations half-controlled by their sponsors were about to attack us, but then, began dropping their weapons one by one. With terror-stricken expressions, they either plopped down on the ground or cried out in sorrow.

“Can’t.... do this..... I, I can’t do this anymore....”

Incarnations knelt down and muttered out while holding their heads. Meanwhile, the Constellations were exposed to danger in an instant after their puppets stopped listening to their commands. They hurriedly shouted out.

[G-get up! Hurry!]

Incarnations understood the pain of fellow Incarnations very well. Meaning, they were different from the Constellations that fell into the dime-a-dozen villainous roles after carrying out the scenarios for far too long.

“Ji-Hye-ya.”

Even before I could finish, the turtle ship fired its cannons.

Kwa-aaaaaah!

The group of the Constellations were swept away as the percussion noises resounded out. Some managed to endure, though, and soon collided with my companions.

[Uwaaaah!!]

A faint light leaked out from the hull of the ark.

We couldn’t afford to let more Myth-grade Constellations wake up from their slumber within the vessel.

Fortunately, our advancing speed was not slow at all. Yu Jung-Hyeok’s [Breaking the Sky Swordsmanship] and Han Su-Yeong’s [Black Flame] continued to assist me from the side and we made good headway.

If there was one thing tugging at my mind, it’d be the Probability.

Tsu-chuchuchu....

The Probability created out of the Coins donated by the Constellations...

I looked up to find Biyu controlling the channel with a pained grimace on her face. It hadn’t been that long since she hatched as a Dokkaebi, so it was taking a lot out of her to exchange that many Coins into Probability. Fables began dripping out from her lips now.

“We’re almost there!”

The unexpected event happened at the same time as Han Su-Yeong’s voice resounded out.

[The Bureau is exercising the authority to restrict the channel BY-9158!]

Tsu-chuchuchuchut!

At that moment, my heart grew cold.

Originally, individual channels belonged to each Dokkaebi. However, the system called [channel] was a power founded upon the ‘Great Fable’ in the Bureau’s possession.

[The Bureau is restricting the Coin donations to the channel BY-9158!]

Suddenly, my movements became sluggish. It was the same for my companions. The tailwind pushing us from the back was swiftly changing into the headwind, instead.

In the distance, I spotted the ten Great Dokkaebis raising their hands together at the heavens.

“Those stinking sons of bitches....!”

It seemed that Han Su-Yeong had realised what was going on here.

[Baaaaaaht!]

Biyu let out a painful cry as if she got electrocuted and fell from the sky. Yu Sang-Ah dashed out way before I could and carefully caught the small falling figure.

[Constellation, ‘Father of the Rich Night’, is protesting against the cowardly action of the Bureau, and....!]

[Constellation, ‘Queen of the Darkest Spring’, is greatly enraged by the unfair treatment from the Bureau, and....!]

[Constellation, ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’, is shouting out “Those ■tty Dokkaebi sons of bit■s should...!!”]

......

Our channel was breaking down.

The Great Dokkaebi Garang spoke up. [Your Fable cannot be permitted. We simply cannot present such a Fable to the ‘Most Ancient Dream’.]

I failed to understand it. They had already become a part of the scenario, so they would be met with an incredible storm of aftermath simply by trying to exercise the Bureau’s Great Fable.

[Horong, Noksu, we shall remember your sacrifices.]

Two Great Dokkaebis were being extinguished in the middle of the sky. Debris of Fable were falling off from Garang’s figure, as well.

I felt a chill run down my whole body. Only now did I realise how determined those damnable Great Dokkaebis were.

[’s Probability is going through another rapid change!]

The number of ‘Nameless Ones’ flooding the surroundings rapidly declined. Their faces, back to their original selves through the grace of the Probability, were reverting back to the heads of the monsters once more.

[[....Hounds are coming.]]

Along with the ‘Secretive Plotter’s’ declaration, all the kings from the 999th turns gathered in the centre. Those needing to exhaust an inordinate amount of Probability would invariably suffer greatly from the suspension of the donation.

The ‘hounds chasing after the abyss’ appeared amidst the incoming storm of aftermath and began biting into the kings’ legs and arms.

[[Hey, it freaking hurts, you sons of bitches!]]

The 999th turn’s Kim Nam-Woon roared out.

Meanwhile, Yu Jung-Hyeok cut down the Constellations rushing in at us and shouted out. “Kim Dok-Ja!”

I looked up to the sky. The atmosphere up there was suspicious. This change wasn’t as simple as a Myth-grade Constellation controlling the weather. Something incredibly horrific that I had never experienced before was about to unfold here.

[Onsae, Heoche. Thank you for all your hard work until now.]

Two more Great Dokkaebis were being extinguished now.

⸢Great Dokkaebis were trying to end their story in this place.⸥

Hair rose up on my arms. I had never felt fear on this level during my time carrying out the scenario.

[Oh, the ‘Most Ancient Dream’!]

The sky was opening up. I took a closer look before realising that it actually wasn’t the sky, but the wall – the [Final Wall] that surrounded the entire universe.

And now, something was crossing over the gap in the Wall resembling a torn page.

⸢In that moment, Kim Dok-Ja intuitively foresaw the destruction of this world.⸥

My vocabulary was not good enough to adequately describe what that was. Just what was that?

It was like seeing a shoddy doodling drawn by a child and his pencil. That thing was at once a gigantic sword, maybe a spear, or maybe even a missile.

What I knew for certain, though, was that an unknown something was falling in this direction.

Tsu-chuchuchuchu!

For the briefest moment there, I thought I saw something like someone’s ‘hand’ within the gap where that formless mass fell out from.

[Constellation, ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’, is....!]

[Constellation, ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’, is....!]

And now, only one thing was for certain – getting hit by that would kill us all.

⸢Kim Dok-Ja unleashed all of his Status.⸥

Every ‘Great Fable’ in my possession began their storytelling simultaneously. I quickly looked back at my companions.

“Everyone, we....!”

And right next second, my vision was dyed in pure white as a massive explosion of Probability blew up before our eyes.

*

Tsu-chuchuchuchut!

Bihyung quietly stared at the Great Dokkaebis melting into the scenario one by one.

Storytellers were becoming a part of the last scenario. As he stood there watching, both big and small lower-ranked Dokkaebis quickly rushed around him.

[Bihyung-nim! Just what is the meaning of....?]

The Bureau that had been maintaining a neutral stance until now began changing the entire aspect of the scenario through force.

As a consequence, the topography of the Bureau was changing. The storages that contained Fables all broke down at the same time, and those infamous Constellations currently under arrest by the Bureau’s security force were being freed as well.

Bihyung stared at a certain Constellation right in the middle of this chaotic scene.

⸢The fool who never thought of himself as the protagonist.⸥

It had been the same story from the moment they first met. Even with a physical stat totalling less than 10, this guy didn’t cower against a Dokkaebi like him. This guy, he often smiled to imply that he had plenty of leeway, and often carelessly got himself killed, too.

⸢The fool who knew the next part of the Fable even better than himself, the storyteller.⸥

Thanks to this guy’s Fable, Bihyung got to grow his channel faster than anyone, and got to enjoy favourable assessments every time ranking evaluation came around.

⸢His Fable was now facing an end.⸥

Kwa-kwakwakwakwa!

Having become a Great Dokkaebi, Bihyung could now tell what that heaven-splitting thing was. That thing had come from beyond the ‘Wall’. That was the fragment of immeasurable delusion flying in from beyond the Wall that divided this world – the Wall that was both the First and the Final.

The ark could be seen now getting ready to soar. It seemed that the remaining Great Dokkaebis were planning to board the ark and escape from here.

Meanwhile, this stage would be annihilated with the descent of that fragment.

⸢In that moment, Dokkaebi Bihyung made up his mind.⸥

The remaining Great Dokkaebis, gathered in one place to perform the ceremony, realised Bihyung’s intention and cried out. The first one to grab him was Baram.

[Bihyung! What do you think you’re doing?!]

Bihyung didn’t reply and stared at the ground below. The ones he’d been watching until now were down there.

Incarnations he sent his clone to speak with. And now, they were in the same place as he was. Bihyung looked at his own hands. His palms that used to be so small back then, were now as big as a grown adult male’s.

[I’ve been observing that Fable for a very long time.]

Their first encounter wasn’t all that positive; one of them was the culprit selling the tragedies called the scenarios, while the other had no choice but to carry those scenarios out while risking his life.

That was why Bihyung had to make a move now.

He had to do this one thing, since he had opened this tragic stage with his own two hands. This action had to be done if he wanted to remain as the ‘storyteller’ right until the end.

[Baram. You told me that there will come a time for every Dokkaebi to choose their own ‘One Single Fable’.]

[You must listen to me, Bihyung! You’re wrong this time! That Fable isn’t right! That Fable, it’s....]

Bihyung let go of Baram’s hands and smiled.

He knew of a guy who always smirked just before dying. He couldn’t understand it before, but now he thought he could figure it out. That guy must’ve been feeling this way, too.

[It’s likely that I have grown to love that story.]

Bihyung then unleashed his own Status towards the Bureau’s Great Dokkaebis.

Puh-gur-guhk!

The horn of Garang, working as the representative of the Great Dokkaebis and abusing the Bureau’s powers of interference, broke off.

The Probability controlled by the Bureau scattered away in an instant and a ripple effect suddenly occurred.

That storm of aftermaths came back to Bihyung in full. He turned around to leave while vomiting out his Fable that was changed to a pitch-black colour.

[Bihyung!! You dare to....!!]

More specifically, he stood in the way of the delusion’s fragment falling towards the ground.

All the Fables he had recorded until now began crying. Every Constellation watching this storyteller added their own Probability to his action.

Bihyung began thinking as horrifying pain of the aftermath’s storm tore into his body. The protagonist of the Fable he had been reading wouldn’t welcome his actions at all. Because, that dude wanted to save everyone’s life.

Even then, there was a certain rule that you couldn’t go against.

⸢There is no story where no one was sacrificed.⸥

To protect the story, to guard the Probability, and to become the ‘One Single Fable’ reaching the ⸢Final Wall⸥, this action had to be performed.

⸢Dokkaebi Bihyung had finally decided on his full stop.⸥

The ‘Pah-su-sut’ noise of something being pierced could be heard next.

He looked back and for a second there, he thought he saw Kim Dok-Ja’s face.

[Your ■■ is ‘sacrifice’.]

Fin.