I was. .h.i.t by the pouring flames and pain started to spread through my entire body.
...It hurt. It really hurt. My skin cracked from the high temperature and my eyeb.a.l.l.s felt ripe.
Jung Heewon endured her tears and kept attacking me. The flames that destroyed evil burned away at my wounds and all my flesh.
I probably would"ve fainted from the pain if it wasn"t for Fourth Wall. Even so, my body didn"t break.
The shocked Jung Heewon asked, "What is going on with your body?"
"...The damage is probably too insufficient."
The rate of my stamina consumption was accelerated but it wasn"t enough to kill me in the remaining time. I didn"t expect that even Jung Heewon wouldn"t be sufficient.
Honestly, I was at a loss for words. Maybe it was because I was judged to be "narrative-grade."
[The nebula "Vedas" is rejoicing in your pain.]
[The remaining attack time is 10 minutes.]
[The constellations of the nebula "Papyrus" are making a toast.]
This was just the beginning. A huge shock wave spread through the hall and my body started to grow again.
[The third phase of the "73rd Demon King" is starting.]
[Your body has become harder.]
We had now reached the third phase. I shouted without feeling panic, "Everybody, stay awake! Do you remember?"
The party members nodded and skillfully changed the formation. However, I could see that Cho Youngran"s Mechanical Gateway Array Method had slightly collapsed from my explosive increase in magic power.
In the end, Cho Youngran coughed up blood and sat down. The timing of this was faster than expected. Demonic energy started to fill the whole hall and the party members became weaker as they received debuffs.
Now I had to borrow a hand that I hadn"t wanted to borrow.
[The constellation who doesn"t yet have a name is looking at his incarnation.]
s.h.i.+n Yoosung trembled after receiving my message and shook her head. My incarnation s.h.i.+n Yoosung had felt my determination long ago.
"Ahjussi, I can"t do it. Please."
I stared at s.h.i.+n Yoosung.
This was the relations.h.i.+p between a constellation and incarnation. Rather than speaking one hundred words, I conveyed my indescribable and deep emotions just by looking at them. s.h.i.+n Yoosung finally burst out crying as the violent emotions were one-sidedly pa.s.sed on.
"I understand."
The pain and bitterness in the small child"s heart resonated and as a constellation, I could hear it more than anyone.
s.h.i.+n Yoosung held the other child"s hand and stood up. "Gilyoung. Let"s go. We have to do it."
s.h.i.+n Yoosung"s eyes shone yellow. The characteristics of Beast Master were started to manifest. There was a great trembling in the hall and I soon heard a tearing sound. A giant beast"s snout appeared in the gap.
The chimera dragon. The giant monster that would later become a destruction species flapped its giant wings as it was summoned to the hall. However, the chimera dragon hesitated instead of attacking when it saw me.
[The 2nd grade monster species, the "Chimera Dragon" has refused its master"s command.]
[The 2nd grade monster species, the "Chimera Dragon" feels terrified of the 73rd demon king.]
Blood poured from s.h.i.+n Yoosung"s nose. She couldn"t control the 2nd grade monster alone yet. I watched Lee Gilyoung and said, "Gilyoung. Think of this as a game."
Lee Gilyoung looked up at me. I stared at the child"s eyes and remembered the words I had once spoken as we walked through the darkness.
It was a conversation that occurred when we wandered together through the darkness of Geumho Station. The moments that pa.s.sed like nothing became precious memories that returned.
"Even if I die, I will come back. I promise."
These stories became the power to kill me.
"...Aaaaaah!" Lee Gilyoung howled and used Taming.
[The remaining attack time is 9 minutes.]
The chimera dragon was controlled by the two children"s Taming and started to cry out in pain.
The chimera dragon sucked in all the air around it. The chimera dragon sucked in even my magic and started to open its huge snout towards me.
It was a dark magic power. A huge sphere of light was created between the ferocious fangs. It was a weapon that only a dragon, the peak of monsters, could use.
The Breath. I was. .h.i.t by the Breath and my body was torn apart again. It was a shock that caused the mind to break down.
Despite this shock, my body was still alive. The party members were shocked by my miserable appearance but they shouldn"t stop.
I straightened my ripped lips and said, "Con... tinue."
If they didn"t do it now, there wouldn"t be another chance.
[A few constellations have noticed your sacrifice.]
[Many constellations are amazed by your will.]
The chimera dragon was exhausted by the use of Breath and its huge body lay on the ground. Fortunately, the chimera dragon sucked in most of the worst of my rampaging magic power but the attack power of the party members were decreasing.
"d.a.m.n, I"m out of magic power!"
[The remaining capture time is 5 minutes.]
My preparations for dealing with the 73rd demon king were up to here. So from now on... I should leave it to someone else.
"Kim Dokja." Yoo Jonghyuk had risen from the stone wall and was watching me.
I saw that Lee Seolhwa was exhausted by his side. She had probably poured all her magic power into healing him. I saw many emotions cross his eyes as he identified me as the demon king.
"Don"t make such an expression. You can"t change what has already happened. Don"t you already know?"
Yoo Jonghyuk wiped his b.l.o.o.d.y lips and murmured, "It should"ve been me who died here."
Fortunately, Yoo Jonghyuk was Yoo Jonghyuk. He already accepted that he would have to kill me.
Yoo Jonghyuk rushed towards me with the Heaven Shaking Sword. Every hit made me feel that my physical strength had been reduced. He didn"t say anything but his despair was conveyed every time the blade cut me.
[The remaining capture time is 4 minutes.]
For us, we weren"t even allowed time to feel that despair.
"Let"s end it now Yoo Jonghyuk. Bring "that" out."
"I don"t know what you mean."
"Don"t play around. I know you didn"t use it on purpose."
"...If I use this, you can"t be resurrected."
"That"s why you are going to use it. It would be difficult if I came back again as a demon king."
"..."
"What if the scenario ends up being ruined? You should stop thinking about it."
Yoo Jonghyuk glared at me without speaking.
「 Do you have an idea? 」
I just laughed at his question. Yoo Jonghyuk hesitated before eventually pulling out a sword.
The Heavenly Sword of Gathering Clouds. Ame no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi. It was a sword obtained from Yamata no Orochi in Peace Land.
Yoo Jonghyuk spoke in a somber voice, "I hoped the moment where I had to use this would never come."
"Me too. However, now is the time."
[The constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire" feels despair.]
[The constellation "Prisoner of the Golden Headband" is sighing deeply.]
[The constellation "Queen of the Darkest Spring" is holding her breath.]
The power acquired by a story will eventually collapse because of a story. My attribute of Eight Lives was derived from the power of Yamata no Orochi. This power was bound to be vulnerable to the weapon of death that killed Yamata no Orochi. Perhaps I would lose all my remaining lives if I was cut by this sword.
Yoo Jonghyuk opened his mouth. "...To be honest, there is no certainty in this. The duration of Giant Body Transformation is over and I"m not confident in my current attack power."
"Don"t worry about it."
I could see s.h.i.+n Yoosung furiously shaking her head towards me.
[The constellation who doesn"t yet have a name has given his incarnation a "stigma".]
There was a dazzling light and my stigma nestled inside s.h.i.+n Yoosung.
[The stigma "Sacrifice"s Will Lv. 1" has been activated!]
The stigma caused a brilliant glow to emerge from s.h.i.+n Yoosung"s body.
[The master of the stigma risks his life for others.]
[The attack power of the party is greatly increased in proportion to the desperation of their lives.]
The exhausted eyes of my party members started to become energetic again.
Sacrifice"s Will. It was a stigma that didn"t really suit me. One thing was for certain. My death was now confirmed.
"Thank you for everything."
[The remaining capture time is 3 minutes.]
The party members were running.
Lee Hyunsung, Jung Heewon, s.h.i.+n Yoosung, Lee Gilyoung, Yoo Sangah, Gong Pildu, Lee Jihye...
They cried, screamed or were filled with deep anger. Everyone was coming towards me. My vision gradually diminished and all the characters became the landscape. I saw them and laughed.
「 Incarnation Kim Dokja will be killed by the person he loves most. 」
I had forgotten. All prophecies couldn"t be interpreted literally. In this Star Stream, people were stories.
[The constellation "Secretive Plotter" is looking at you.]
[The constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire" is looking at you.]
[The constellation "Prisoner of the Golden Headband" is looking at you.]
[The constellation "Abyssal Black Flame Dragon" is looking at you.]
[The constellation "Maritime War G.o.d" is looking at you.]
As the gazes of countless stars in the sky poured towards me, a story was running towards me.
"Ahhhhhh!"
Parents, friends and lovers were all stories.
[The remaining capture time is 2 minutes.]
This wasn"t the Ways of Survival I knew but—It was a story more wonderful than Ways of Survival.
[A constellation of a small planet is looking at you.]
[All the constellations on the Korean Peninsula are looking at you.]
It was my story. I laughed as Yoo Jonghyuk"s sword pierced my heart.
[Your fate has been realized.]
My body slowly sank down and Yoo Jonghyuk held onto me. "Kim Dokja."
"It was a really great story. Isn"t that right?"
Yoo Jonghyuk stared down at me silently. I couldn"t find any words and just watched. It was as if I had always been meant to do this.
[The effect of the Heavenly Sword of Gathering Clouds has destroyed all remaining extra lives.]
[You can no longer resurrect.]
I finally looked up at the sky. The cl.u.s.ters of nebulae were in the centre of the night sky. Vedas, Olympus, Papyrus...
I would never forget what they had done.
Then the sky blinked.
[The constellation "Prisoner of the Golden Headband" doesn"t wish for your death.]
The stars shone brightly as if in response to my will.
[The constellation "Abyssal Black Flame Dragon" doesn"t wish for your death.]
[The constellation "Secretive Plotter" doesn"t wish for your death.]
[The constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire" doesn"t wish for your death.]
I looked at the sky and laughed. Due to these guys, I hated the constellations but I couldn"t hate the story.
"Let"s meet again, Yoo Jonghyuk."
The power of the demon king disappeared and at the same time, strength drained from me.
[The main scenario has ended.]
[Seoul Dome has been freed.]
A small black hole appeared in the air behind me. My body was slowly being sucked into it. My legs, my torso, my arms...they turned into powder and were slowly being sucked in.
"Kim Dokja! No! Kim Dokja!"
At the last moment, he tightly held me by the neck. However, it was already too late.
My vision turned black and I was sucked into an empty void. The eyes of the constellations watching me started to disappear one by one. I was leaving the area of the channel.
[The constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire" doesn"t wish for your death!]
In the distant night sky, one star desperately blinked at me.
[The constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire" doesn"t wish for your death!]
Yes, you can stop now. Uriel.
[The constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire"...]
Thank you.
The stars in the night sky went out one by one and Incarnation Kim Dokja"s story finally ended.
[The constellations of the absolute good system have withdrawn the mark of "evil" from you.]
[Your incarnation body has completely been destroyed.]
[You have failed the scenario.]
[You have been expelled from the scenario.]
[The Star Stream will announce your modifier.]
In the faraway darkness, the Star Stream was quietly whispering to me.
[Your modifier is the "Demon King of Salvation".]
TL: Rainbow Turtle