Chapter 42

“What?”

「 What are you…? 」

I was surprised by the sudden change in thoughts . Surely he didn’t regain his sense of reason after hearing my words? How could that be?

I was a bit confused . In the first place, I didn’t start this operation with the expectation of such a result .

[The ‘Theatre Master’s Simulacrum’ is embarrassed . ]

[The ‘Theatre Master’s Simulacrum’ has strengthened his control on the character ‘Yoo Jonghyuk . ‘]

“Kuaaak…!”

Yoo Jonghyuk’s eyes blurred again .

Indeed . I had felt hope but it was unreasonable for him to wake up himself . Otherwise, he wouldn’t be a sunfish . I would be grateful if he didn’t commit suicide . The ether of Yoo Jonghyuk’s sword trembled .

[The character ‘Yoo Jonghyuk’s Splitting the Sky Energy’ has grown!]

In the meantime, the skills received through Transmission were becoming stronger . It was thanks to the talent of a main character .

The White Pure Star Energy gradually collapsed as I kept struggling . I didn’t know if it was the limit of the skill itself or a difference in talent .

I glanced at Lee Gilyoung . Blood was pouring down from Lee Gilyoung’s nose . The time had come .

“Jonghyuk . ”

Perhaps after today, Yoo Jonghyuk would become surprisingly strong . I pushed his sword away as hard as I could .

“Do you remember what I asked before? I asked if I could hit you?”

There was a difference in natural talent . In the next few years, Yoo Jonghyuk would become incomparable stronger than me .

But not right now . At least for now .

“You told me to hit you if I could . Do you remember?”

If I did this now, then at least for a moment…

[Blade of Faith is activated!]

[The special option of Unbroken Faith is activated . ]

[The ether property is converted to ‘fire . ‘]

I could overwhelm this ridiculous guy .

Ether Blade . The fire ether appeared in empty space .

Hwaruruk!

Yoo Jonghyuk was surprised by the sudden attack and took a few steps back . He instinctively felt that it was something extraordinary . But it was too late .

[The stigma ‘Song of the Sword’ has been used . ]

Song of the Sword . It was one of the strongest combat buffs that the Duke of Loyalty and Warfare was proud of .

[Your sword is filled with the words left by the Duke of Loyalty and Warfare . ]

There was a large variation in the attack power depending on which verse was sung, but it was a perfect skill for me right now .

「 Shooting arrows like rain and protecting the generalissimo from guns firing on all sides . 」

Fortunately, it was a verse from the Nanjung Ilgi . (Wiki Link)

An enormous magic power emerged and all the burning ethers were united . I swung it towards Yoo Jonghyuk .

「 The chaos was like a thunderstorm . 」

The fire ether took the shape of arrows and started to bombard him . It was an attack that couldn’t be used for a long time due to insufficient magic power . However,this would suffice .

Dudududududu!

“Kuooh!”

Numerous red wounds appeared all over Yoo Jonghyuk’s body .

In this damn world where coins represented all values and the constellations decided the development of the world, I still needed Yoo Jonghyuk .

Thus, I would protect him today .

Hwaruruk!

Yoo Jonghyuk’s actions stopped as flames burned the area . His Fire Resistance meant it might not be a serious blow, but it was enough to force him into a state of inactivity . I looked at the ‘theater master’ sitting at the edge of the garden .

[The ‘Theatre Master’s Simulacrum’ is extremely alert to you . ]

Now was the only chance . I started running . In the distance, I could see the theatre master stiffen .

Then .

[The character ‘Yoo Jonghyuk’ has used Recovery Lv . 2!]

Dammit, Yoo Jonghyuk was already chasing after me .

Recovery . It was a scam skill where he could recover quickly after being hit hard once a day . He already obtained this skill due to Transmission .

No matter how fast I ran, I couldn’t be faster than Yoo Jonghyuk who used Red Phoenix Shunpo .

I ignored the theater master in front of me and collided with Yoo Jonghyuk’s sword . I could only believe in my last card . I cried out with all my strength .

“Gilyoung!”

Kukukung!

The moment I cried out, there was a huge crack in the ceiling of Sky Garden .

The black dome surrounding the roof was breaking . The Yoo Jonghyuk running towards me was also the Yoo Jonghyuk manipulated by the theatre master . He looked up with surprise at the ceiling .

It was generally impossible for the shielded area of a ‘hidden scenario’ to be broken . But it was possible for ‘uncommon’ existences .

In the distance, Lee Gilyoung was crying while wiping his bleeding nose .

“U-Uwahh… uwahhhh…!”

In order to deal with a monster, you had to call a monster .

Kuoooooh!

A huge insect dug into the cracks of the broken dome .

Rattle!

Like thin glass, the dome broke and the roof was split apart . The astonished theater master screamed . A monster that could destroy the shielded area of a hidden scenario . It was like a gigantic praying mantis, the insect king of great size .

[The 6th grade insect king, Titanoptera has appeared!]

It was an appearance that caused goosebumps . The monster that had been fighting with the poisonous rhino the other day . This monster came here in response to Lee Gilyoung’s Diverse Communication . Lee Gilyoung laughed .

“He, hehe… Titano…”

Titano? Don’t tell me… it did look similar but surely not .

Kuoooooh!

The huge praying mantis flew towards the theatre master . Then Yoo Jonghyuk blocked it .

[The character ‘Yoo Jonghyuk’ has used ‘Strong Self-Defense Lv . 4’ . ]

Kwaaaaang!

There was a massive sound and Yoo Jonghyuk’s body was pushed down into the floor of the rooftop . Yet Yoo Jonghyuk was still standing .

Ku ku ku ku!

…He was really a ridiculous monster . He could do with a 6th grade species with his current abilities? Yoo Jonghyuk even launched a counterattack .

Kyaooooh!

The Titanoptera screamed at the hard blow . Surprisingly, Yoo Jonghyuk was on par with the 6th grade insect king .

Maybe it was something he saw when fighting with me . The colour of the theatre master was returning . Yoo Jonghyuk was strong . It was a sudden situation but the theatre master thought he could win .

He was wrong . He should’ve been looking at me .

I ran towards the theater master again . There wasn’t long left on Diverse Communicaton . I wouldn’t let Lee Gilyoung’s efforts be in vain .

[Blade of Faith is activated!]

The theatre master belatedly discovered me and shouted .

The theater master’s simulacrum .

According to the setting of Ways of Survival, this named boss was made with all the heart and soul of a constellation . A lot of time passed and he was in a deteriorated form, becoming the boss of a hidden scenario . However… he was still able to penetrate Yoo Jonghyuk’s Mental Barrier .

The one who received the divine protection of a constellation . He was never a pushover .

[The ‘Theatre Master’s Simulacrum’ has triggered ‘Simulacra . ‘

It was a delirium skill on a higher level than the specter’s Welcome Prison .

The surrounding space distorted and all types of illusions appeared . The monsters seemed closer to reality than illusions .

The ground rats, grolls, poisonous rhinos, T-rex… The monsters I had encountered so far were running towards me . The fierce teeth and violence claws ripped and clawed at me, but I didn’t stop . I wasn’t afraid . It was all fake . They didn’t exist . They were all fiction from a novel .

The moment that the Blade of Faith reached his neck .

[The ‘Theatre Master’s Simulacrum’ has triggered ‘Mental Erosion . ]

Mental Erosion . It was the advanced cognitive manipulation skill used on Yoo Jonghyuk . I wasn’t afraid because I had the Fourth Wall . But something unexpected happened the moment he penetrated my head .

[The ‘Theatre Master’s Simulacrum’ is embarrassed . ]

Abyss of the ego .

All types of thoughts gathered and the pages of Ways of Survival fluttered .

–T-This? This, is…!

Numerous texts emanated a faint light and floated in the darkness . It was the chapters of Ways of Survival that I had read .

[The exclusive skill, ‘Fourth Wall’ is activated!]

The complexion of the theatre master changed as he dug into my head . He looked at the strings around him and his face whitened .

–Don’t, tell, me, you…ahhh!

This was the last thing he said . Strangely, he looked at me in awe .

The moment Blade of Faith was about to cross his neck, a dazzling light came from his body . It was like a ghost touching a divine light or the penalty for breaking a taboo .

He was destroyed without a trace .

I looked down at my hands and felt dazed .

…What just happened?

[The ‘Theatre Master’s Simulacra’ has been killed for the first time . ]

[You have obtained 9,000 coins as compensation . ]

[You have met the conditions to clear the hidden scenario!]

[You have obtained 4,000 coins as compensation . ]

These messages rose . I looked back and saw Yoo Jonghyuk collapsing after being released from the theatre master’s control . Fortunately, he didn’t die . The same was true for Lee Gilyoung, who had forcibly used Diverse Communication .

“Hyung…”

I rushed over and embraced Lee Gilyoung . Lee Gilyoung lost strength and fainted in my arms .

[The barrier surrounding the Theater Dungeon has disappeared . ]

The barrier covering the ceiling vanished and I looked at the insect king . Surprising, it turned around and fled . It was like all interest had vanished . I breathed out with a sense of relief .

It was over .

“…Are you okay?”

Jung Heewon and Lee Jihye staggered over .

“I’m fine . Heewon-ssi?”

“I’m okay . Fortunately, Jihye is safe . ”

Lee Jihye was hit a lot by Yoo Jonghyuk and she couldn’t speak because her mouth was swollen .

[The ending time for the third main scenario is approaching!]

Perhaps it was time for the end .

I looked around the rooftop and saw that dawn was coming, making the day brighter . If Lee Hyunsung was here, he would recite the ‘homeland’ prayer .

Jung Heewon groaned .

“Ah… Seoul . ”

The ruined city area was illuminated by the faint light of dawn . I heard intermittent explosions from far away . Now there was no more poisonous fog . The poisonous rhinos were crushed under the collapsed buildings . I could see people fighting among themselves . They were probably a group that ended the scenario before us . The entire landscape was trapped inside a huge dome .

It was a large barrier that seemed to be breaking .

Currently, Seoul was isolated in a transparent dome .

Jung Heewon said, “Really…it is all ending . ”

It was a scene that had to be acknowledged once again .

I looked at the collapsed buildings and thought that Mino Soft would be somewhere there . Yoo Sangah would be disappointed . It was because Yoo Sangah was a person who worked hard . Lee Gilyoung wriggled in my arms .

“Have you regained consciousness?”

Lee Gilyoung nodded and pointed to the sky .

From a distance, a meteor shower seemed to be falling . The meteor shower was originally the forerunner of the main scenario . However, the number of meteor showers was more than before .

It meant the ‘hall’ would open soon .

The meteor showers were probably falling all over the world .

Jung Heewon admired it .

“Pretty…”

Jung Heewon didn’t know . The meteors that looked beautiful from a distance would make a nightmare for the people where it fell .

Now a bigger disaster would come .

Lee Gilyoung gathered his small hands together and muttered something . Jung Heewon and Lee Jihye were silent for a while . Maybe they were also praying .

It was funny . Wishing to the beings who would become a source of nightmare, it was probably only human beings who did this in the entire universe .

After a while, Lee Gilyoung opened his eyes and looked up at me .

“Hyung isn’t making a wish?”

I looked down at Lee Gilyoung and replied .

“I have made a wish . ”

“What is it?”

“Gilyoung, you shouldn’t ask that . ” Jung Heewon scolded him .

I watched Jung Heewon, Yoo Jonghyuk and then the collapsed Seoul again .

“I wish to see the novel’s epilogue . ”

Lee Gilyoung looked at me with confusion .

I silently gazed at the sky . There were slight cracks in the sky above Seoul . Once the sun rose, the dokkaebis would open a new hell .