Chapter 334: Episode 63 – End of the Myth (1)
「 (You will die like this.) 」
This was the screen of the vibrating smartphone. I felt the rising waves against my toes and raised my smartphone.
「 (Originally, the fourth revision should’ve been sent… I think something went wrong.) 」
I knew who was talking. The librarians of the library inside the Fourth Wall. Perhaps they were the ones who sent this.
「 (This is all I can do to help. Even if it is only partly.) 」
There was light interference and sentences rose from the LCD screen. It was as if the contents of the book were summarized.
.
.
「 This place again… 」
It was obvious whose monologue the sentences belonged to. This was clearly the contents of the Fourth Revision.
「 There were too many mistakes in the third round. 」
「 The appearance of Poseidon was unexpected. 」
「 I should’ve thought more about the issue of probability. 」
「 I should’ve considered the relations.h.i.+p between myths… 」
The sentences were filled with regret as always. Perhaps we failed even in the fourth revision.
「 If I had saved Lee Sookyung, not Yoo Sangah at that time… 」
.
.
…What? I stiffened and no longer scrolled down the screen. Lightning struck the screen and all the flowing sentences were erased.
I hurriedly shouted, “Wait a minute! Show me again! What did you mean by those words just now?”
There was no reply.
「 (Kim Dokja, fate can’t be changed. However—)
「 Shu t up Nir va na. 」
[The exclusive skill ‘Fourth Wall’ is strongly activated!]
The power of the Fourth Wall obstructed Nirvana’s voice. The sentences disappeared and my fast heartbeat rapidly calmed down. My irritated head cooled down like a sophisticated clock.
This composure, I didn’t like it. I couldn’t rage when I wanted to rage. I couldn’t be sad when I wanted to grieve.
“Fourth Wall.”
[The Fourth Wall is looking at you.]
“Tell me honestly. Is my mother in danger?”
The Fourth Wall didn’t answer.
…s.h.i.+t, sometimes I wondered if this guy was on my side or not.
I looked up at the air. “Biyoo.”
[Baat…]
Biyoo, whose body was transparent, looked down at me with sad eyes. I opened my mouth to ask before closing it again.
[The exclusive skill, ‘Fourth Wall’ is shaking!]
Biyoo was crying.
All types of thoughts pa.s.sed through my head. Some of the confusing puzzle pieces were slowly fitting together. Yoo Jonghyuk had returned too quickly and he looked like he was hiding something.
Somehow, I thought it was strange. The reason why the constellations sent strange messages and why Yoo Jonghyuk was seeking the Nectar. Maybe, all of this was due to the same reason.
[This friend. Don’t worry, your mother isn’t dead yet.] A voice was heard behind me. […Tsk, it was information that shouldn’t be leaked.]
Sparks emerged from the darkness and it was a constellation I knew well. “Dionysus.”
[It has been a while. Is this the first time since the last banquet?]
Dionysus approached my side and gazed outside the coastal cave, his left hand charred from the probability. This place contained one of the three chief G.o.ds of Olympus, the ruler of the sea. Sea G.o.d Poseidon.
Poseidon didn’t move but there was an ominous silence hanging around him. Like a predator waiting for the chance, Poseidon was silently staring at the sea. It was as if he was seeing where he came from.
[The ‘probability plausibility screening’ has begun and Uncle won’t move too much. However, don’t do anything rash. He is looking hard for you.]
“You are saying this while spamming your true voice near me.”
[It’s okay because I’m hiding here using my power. He can’t hear me.]
I saw that entrance of the cave was covered with a wine gla.s.s. Maybe this barrier was hiding Dionysus and I. Dionysus gazed at Poseidon and spoke. [Isn’t it great? The third chief G.o.ds… that is a myth-grade constellation. They are high constellations that ordinary constellations can never reach in their life.]
Certainly, I could only say he was great. If I was Poseidon, I would be able to stop the nameless fog that had once destroyed the Demon Realm.
「 The place where his spear reaches will soon become the boundary of the sea. 」
Poseidon’s gaze soon reached the sea. All the mountains under the sea were shuddering before his sublime presence and prostrated themselves, praying for an error they probably hadn’t committed. The depths of my heart were roaring.
[…You are really amazing.]
“What are you saying?”
[There are no signs that you are truly afraid when looking at him. Why?]
Of course, I was afraid. My legs trembled and I was dizzy. But more than that…
「 Kim Dokja was really impressed. 」
I watched the majestic Poseidon for a long time before answering, “I couldn’t imagine this.”
[Imagine? Hahat, you truly are a funny person.]
“Why are you helping me? You are part of Olympus.”
[It is my heart.]
“What happened to the other party members?”
Dionysus flicked his fingers and a screen appeared. The party members were gathered in the distant sky. They were tied by Ariadne’s web and floating in the air using Hermes Walking Method. No one was missing. Of course, the narrative-grade constellations Surya and Uriel were also safe.
Indeed, it was a clever escape. The sky was the domain of Zeus. Poseidon might draw the boundaries of the sea but he couldn’t reach into the sky.
Dionysus sipped from a gla.s.s and said, [Rest a.s.sured. None of them were hurt. Ariadne and Hermes made it just in time…]
“Can I give a punch?”
[…To who?]
I glared silently at Dionysus.
[Me? Why?]
“Don’t you know?”
Dionysus was quick to notice and replied, [Ah, it’s because of that incarnation. Yes, I’m sorry. You can hit me if you want to. Instead, do it a bit softly… you are a constellation so it will be quite painful.]
I didn’t hit him. Instead, I asked, “Why did you do that to Yoo Sangah-ssi?”
[…The story is complicated.]
Dionysus sat at the edge of the coastal cave and laid down his gla.s.s. He took some time to choose his words.
[In this world line, the Moira three sisters received a peculiar prophecy.]
“Peculiar prophecy?”
Dionysus glanced at me and replied like a Greed-era orator. [The ‘end of all’ will soon come.]
“What does that mean?”
[I don’t know. The obvious thing is that Olympus can’t get away from it either. Thanks to this, Olympus has been busy for a while. All the scenarios will come to an end one day but we had to know how it ended.]
Dionysus continued speaking. [In the process, we found some singularities related to the predicted ‘end. One of them was the ‘regressor’ with you.]
“You chose Yoo Sangah to keep an eye on Yoo Jonghyuk?”
[Honestly, yes.]
My anger increase but I endured it. Dionysus’ words hadn’t finished.
[Then while spying on him, we came to know of your existence.]
“…”
[An incarnation who hates fate, hates constellations and doesn’t believe in the Star Stream. He became a constellation on his own without choosing a sponsor and he is even a constellation we can’t see the ident.i.ty of. A singularity I have never seen before. We found you and made up our minds.] Dionysus laughed. [Hide you and use you.]
There were remnants of dim stories in his tone. Some scenes in the past where I thought I was ‘lucky’ pa.s.sed through my mind. The Even Bridge that unfolded at the first Oksu Station ― 「Deus Ex Machina. 」. There was the probability that helped whenever I was in danger.
[We wanted to use you to stop the destruction. Thus, I wanted to help you by using Incarnation Yoo Sangah.]
[It is different from Ares’ words. He wants to get rid of me.]
[There is already internal conflict among the 12 G.o.ds. I don’t know if you’re aware.]
A golden aura rose from Dionysus’ body as he got up. This was the grandeur of the lineage of Zeus, king of the sky.
[The present Olympus is a fake.]
Dionysus’ golden eyes gazed at me like he was looking down on his va.s.sal.
[Just as human priests created G.o.ds to establish their authority, the G.o.ds of Olympus created myths to maintain their power. Fake myths such as Gigantomachia and Heracles… and this is the result.]
[The constellation ‘G.o.d of Wine and Ecstasy’ is looking at you.]
[I want to end this era. Then I want to make a new Olympus.]
[The story ‘King of a Kingless World’ is responding.]
The story sleeping inside me reacted to his story. The Dionysus in front of me was one of the candidates to replace Zeus in the future.
[Anyway, that was the plan… now this place is haunted by the fish uncle and there is nothing you can do. Perhaps the scenario will end this way.]
If the probability plausibility screen begun then there was a high probability this scenario would fail.
The partic.i.p.ants would receive compensation according to their combination but Gigantomachia wouldn’t occur. Perhaps Poseidon had been aiming for this. At the expense of his own status and nebula probability, he was trying to defend Olympus.
“No, there is still something I can do.”
[What?]
“I think we can overturn Olympus in this scenario. Instead, give me a Nectar in exchange for my help.”
[Nectar? I have a bit here.]
I took the Nectar from Dionysus. I placed a few drops on my tongue.
[A star fluid has been ingested for the first time!]
[The star fluid ‘Nectar’ has responded to you!]
[The probability of Olympus has restored your broken body!]
[All your stats and skill levels have increased slightly.
Was this the star fluid I had only heard about in words? I received an effect even though my average stats exceeded 200. Dionysus watched me put away the remaining Nectar and asked, [Hey, did you forget that one blow before? Yet you want to fight again?]
“Will you help?”
[Are you crazy? Even if I help you, no… it is impossible to change the situation even if half of the 12 G.o.ds help. Don’t you know how strong that fish is? Are you still out of your mind? The end of this scenario is already―]
“The end of the scenario is fixed. Is that what you want to say?”
As Giant Briareus stated, fate couldn’t be averted. Ares had also said it. This scenario was just the development of a causal event that was scheduled. Yes, that’s right. Perhaps their words were correct.
“If the end is fixed, is there any meaning in the process?”
[It must be meaningful but that is just being romantic. As a result, it is recorded as a failed story.]
“Are all failed stories meaningless? Even if you know you will fail, isn’t the story of those who have fought to the end worth it?”
[The constellations like those stories but those who do so are bound to die.]
“It is a possibility. Then what about this? Someone who is influenced by the story tries to challenge the same story again.”
At this moment, Dionysus opened his mouth.
“10 times, 100 times, 1000 times. What if many constellations and incarnations are affected by the story and live such a story again?”
Failure might be scheduled but the countless beings built up a story of courage as they confronted the given fate over and over again. What if they acc.u.mulated stories about challenges and challenged them in another way.
“Then are the failed stories useless?”
Stage Transformation wasn’t absolute. It was because the myth was just a creation. Dionysus was speechless.
In the end, the probability of the Star Stream was a law that flowed towards the ‘desired flow’ that many beings wanted. The story that many beings desired would be realized someday.
Dionysus barely managed to open his mouth but he was oddly incensed. [Then are you going to be the first? You will be the first victim and overthrow the torch of the scenario?]
“Nope.” I smiled. “I will be the last torch.”
[What?]
“It is because numerous people have already failed before me.”
I knew. I needed hundreds or thousands of attempts to defeat this Poseidon. Just like… the current existence running towards Poseidon…
Dammit.