The Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames ran while carrying me for two days and nights. The constellations relentlessly chasing me were a frequent threat but every time, the Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames literally threw his body to protect me.
[The story "Faithfully Devoting One"s Life" has been repeated.]
How far did we run? Finally, the brightness of a new day could be seen.
[The sub scenario ― Skirmish has ended.]
[You have kept the Story Core safe during the time limit.]
The constellations chasing after us stopped one by one in distant places and all types of indirect messages flew through the air.
[Some constellations who failed to chase you are disappointed.]
[The constellation "Prisoner of the Golden Headband" is yawning and asking if it is all over.]
[The constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire" is rejoicing with sleepy eyes!]
[The constellation "Dragon Lying Down" is nodding at you ploy.]
[Some constellations are pointing fingers at your cowardice.]
It didn"t matter if they pointed fingers or not. The most important thing was to survive. Dokgak stared down at me with disapproving eyes and sent me compensation.
[You have obtained 200,000 coins as compensation.]
[You have obtained two Anvil Stones for Equipment Transcendence as a reward.]
I thought it was around the time for items to enhance equipment to be released. SSS-grade items from the early scenarios were almost like sc.r.a.ps in the mid-to-late scenario areas. However, using the transcendence anvil stones allowed you to stop the equipment from losing its quality.
The income wasn"t just that.
[The story "One Who Went Against the Twelve Zodiacs" has been acquired.]
It might be history-grade but the more stories I had, the better. In the end, these little stories gathered together to form the complete "status." In particular, the stories obtained would be useful in future fights thanks to Distorting Things as One Pleases.
[The constellations chasing you are returning.]
No long after the constellations hid themselves, the exterior of the Yoo Jonghyuk Industrial Complex emerged. Citizens who received the escape scenario were lining up to enter the industrial complex. Fortunately, Jang Hayoung and Han Myungoh had done well.
I spoke to the Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames. "You can leave now. You don"t have to be loyal to me."
He didn"t want to follow me wholeheartedly anyway. Thus, it was better to part ways at this point. However, after I turned away, he kept chasing me.
Pant, pant, pant.
I spoke with a frown. "What? You aren"t going?"
Yip...
Moisture filled the big dog"s eyes.
[The constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire" is looking pitifully at the "Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames."]
The real name of the Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames was the Dog of Osu. (TL: Old Korean folktale about a loyal dog who sacrificed himself to save his owner"s life.) In order to save his master from dying of fire, the dog wet his body and used it to extinguish the fire. Unfortunately, even this name wasn"t his actual name.
"...Are you going to follow me?"
Yiiip!
I hesitated for a moment. Come to think of it, things would be hard for this dog even if he split from me.
[Some of the constellations are looking at the Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames.]
In this world, there were just as many constellations aiming for other constellations as there were constellations aiming at incarnations. If he countered those who had the modifiers of "Dog Hunter" or "Melberg"s Dog Fancier" then he would be stolen or killed. So far, he had been safe because of the Twelve Zodiacs.
"Then let"s go together."
Pant pant pant!
"However, make your size a bit smaller. It will be a disturbance if you are too big."
Yiiip!
The Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames reduced the size of his body. He became the size of a golden retriever.
"Kim Dokja!" Jang Hayoung discovered me and waved in the distance. "Hey! Are you okay? What is that dog?"
"I picked him up. What about the others?"
"They are busy guiding the people."
The Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames licked Jang Hayoung"s hand. Jang Hayoung asked, "What"s his name?"
I wanted to tell the truth but decided to say it roughly. "Osu."
[You have given a name to the Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames.]
[The Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames is greatly impressed.]
[The loyalty of the Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames has greatly increased!]
...If I had known, I would"ve given him a better name. Jang Hayoung carefully examined Osu"s body and was delighted.
"This is great. Sajeo will like you."
I was about to ask who "Sajeo" was when I realized.
"...Are you talking about the Breaking the Sky Master? Was she a female?"
"Did you forget that only women can learn the Breaking the Sky Swordsmans.h.i.+p?"
Come to think of it... The Breaking the Sky Swordsmans.h.i.+p was like that. There were too many exceptions. For example, the guy in front of me...
"...Why are you looking at me like that?"
"No, it"s nothing." I shook my head to get rid of my thoughts. The important issue right now wasn"t Jang Hayoung"s gender ident.i.ty. Because...
[The beginning of the Demon King Selection is imminent!]
The Demon King Selection was starting now.
"...It came."
Jang Hayoung looked up nervously at my words. The entire 73rd Demon Realm was shaking. Unfamiliar coloured stars appeared in the sky one by one. In order to watch the big event where the giant story was occurring, the constellations arrived from various parts of the Star Stream.
[Multiple constellations are entering the channel!]
[Many demon kings are entering the channel!]
I could feel the mood just be looking at the beings entering the channel.
[The constellation "Queen of the Darkest Spring" is looking at you.]
[The constellation "G.o.d of Wine and Ecstasy" is staring at you.]
[The constellation "Ma.s.s Production Maker" is waving at you.]
The constellations I had met also appeared in the high skies.
I tried to relax as I looked up at them in the sky. I had finally come to this place. There were still many scenarios remaining and they were far away. Nevertheless, it wasn"t a long way off now. At the very least, I came to a place where these lofty constellations were located in this mountain range.
[The 25th main scenario has arrived!]
[Excessive skipping of the main scenario has damaged party of your status.]
I didn"t carry out the scenarios in the 20s. I started to 25th scenario straight away so it was unavoidable that there would be a loss in probability.
[The Main Scenario ― "Demon King Selection" has started!]
+
[Main Scenario #25 - Demon King Selection]
Category: Main
Difficulty: ???
Clear Conditions: Team up with "helpers" to win the "mythical battlefield."
Time Limit: ―
Compensation: Official succession of the demon king position, ???.
Failure: Death
* You can recruit "helpers" for this scenario.
* There will be additional explanations from the dokkaebis as the scenario progresses.
+
It was a scenario where "death" was marked as the failure result. I would die here if I lost. It wasn"t unfamiliar to me since it happened often.
[This scenario is held on a dedicated stage.]
[The total number of partic.i.p.ants in this scenario is four.]
[The main partic.i.p.ants can recruit "helpers" if it is mutually agreed upon.]
[You are a main partic.i.p.ant in this scenario.]
I felt something great from the north and west.
[The constellations belonging to the "Melledon Industrial Complex" are showing hostility towards you.]
[The constellations belonging to the "Bercan Industrial Complex" are showing hostility towards you.]
As the constellations in the sky flashed, the voice of the dokkaebi was heard.
[You have been waiting a long time, constellations.]
They were Dokgak and Bihyung.
[Finally, the Demon King Selection that you have been waiting for has begun!]
Along with Bihyung"s words, a large hologram of a "stage" appeared on the screen in the air.
[First, thank you to the Ma.s.s Production Maker for making the game stage for this scenario!]
There was exaggerated applause as the map created by the Ma.s.s Production Maker appeared on the hologram.
[The game "Mythical Battlefield" is loaded!]
The map was a vast forest area with huge cliffs at the edges. The forest zone contained patterns of the "industrial complex" in the east, west, north and south, which probably signified the starting points of each industrial complex.
[As you might have expected, this "selection" isn"t simply a hit and run fight. It will be held in the form of a "team compet.i.tion", with each team being an industrial complex.]
Some of the constellations were surprised by the dokkaebis" words and sent indirect messages. Of course, I wasn"t surprised. I knew it well through the original novel.
[The rules of the game are simple. All partic.i.p.ants can make a team of seven people, including themselves.]
[Every team member is given a different position and will play a role in the scenario through that position.]
It was similar to the so-called AOS games that were once popular on Earth. One tanker, two close range damage dealers, two long range damage dealers and one supporter. Finally, one all-rounder.
T
his was the game― the Mythical Battlefield where seven people teamed up to fight.
[The constellation "Ma.s.s Production Maker" is smiling.]
As a matter of fact, this game was made of elements that had been stolen from somewhere...
The dokkaebi"s words continued. [There are two ways to win the game. One is to annihilate the partic.i.p.ants of other teams apart from your own. The second way is to take away the "sentence" of the other team. Well, there will be more details once you join the game... rather, there is one more important announcement.]
Bihyung glanced at me after long words.
[A total of four teams were originally scheduled to partic.i.p.ate in this selection compet.i.tion but one of the industrial complexes almost collapsed before the game started.]
I felt uneasy for a moment. Bihyung continued. [To consider the fairness of the game, we have decided to tie two comparatively unfavourable industrial complexes together into one team.]
Then I heard a message in the air.
[You are currently a partic.i.p.ant of the Yoo Jonghyuk - Kim Dokja Industrial Complex.]
It was an unexpected situation. I had been worried about Yoo Jonghyuk"s team so now I was able to reduce my troubles. Perhaps it was Bihyung"s doing.
In any case, why was it the Yoo Jonghyuk - Kim Dokja Industrial Complex? Based on the order of the hangul flowchart, shouldn"t the name of the industrial complex be Kim Dokja - Yoo Jonghyuk Industrial Complex? In any case...
"Jang Hayoung, where is Yoo Jonghyuk now?" I looked around for Yoo Jonghyuk but I couldn"t find any traces of him.
Jang Hayoung"s eyes were wide as he asked back, "What are you talking about? Didn"t you meet him?"
"...Meet him?"
"Didn"t he go looking for you?"
"What?"
I had a bad feeling. I hurriedly used Omniscient Reader"s Viewpoint.
[You can"t connect with the current target.]
Dammit. I was wondering how to find this son of a b.i.t.c.h when something flashed on my mind. Fortunately, it was now midday.
[You have used the Midday Tryst.]
The Midday Tryst. It was a one-on-one chat item that I linked to this guy in the past. I didn"t know if it was in range but this was the only thing I could believe in right now.
[There are 39 unread messages.]
By the way, I had dozens of messages from him. I hurriedly opened the window. The first message started as followed:
Kim Dokja, I saved Biyoo / Sender: Yoo Jonghyuk, 47 hours and 39 minutes ago.
The messages continued to come over the next few days.
But why did you suddenly disappear? /Sender: Yoo Jonghyuk, 46 hours and 54 minutes ago.
I have no time for your childish antics. /Sender: Yoo Jonghyuk, 46 hours and 39 minutes ago.
I will kill you if you don"t show up again. /Sender: Yoo Jonghyuk, 45 hours and 18 minutes ago.
It isn"t a joke. /Sender: Yoo Jonghyuk, 44 hours and 39 minutes ago.
...
Kim Dokja. /Sender: Yoo Jonghyuk, 41 hours and 38 minutes ago.
After that, the dozens of messages continued. The last message was:
I will go. /Sender: Yoo Jonghyuk, 23 hours and 14 minutes ago.
No, where did this b.a.s.t.a.r.d plan to go? I was dumbfounded and quickly sent a message.
―You idiot, come back quickly! I am currently in the industrial complex!
However, Yoo Jonghyuk didn"t answer. There were no signs that he read it. Instead, I received a scenario message that was like a death sentence.
[Please recruit your helpers within 10 minutes.]
[You can recruit six helpers.]
There were two dogs, one gender ambiguous human and a person trembling with fear that I would point to him... he had postpartum depression... dammit. I urgently needed to fill up the seven people, regardless of power.
I sighed and opened my mouth. "...I will choose the helpers."
The two dogs, Jang Hayoung and Han Myungoh were included but I still needed two more. Even if one spot was left for Yoo Jonghyuk, one more person had to be recruited separately. I looked up at the sky.
[Every constellation in the channel is listening to you.]
Now it was time to test my network.
TL: Rainbow Turtle