Chapter 173

Early chapters because I will be busy the next two days with Chinese New Year .

Translator: Rainbow Turtle

Sparks wrapped around my body as I felt the signs of a probability storm . This was a big burden for a single constellation not of the narrative-grade to bear .

I thought the records of how Cheok Jungyeong faced an army alone were exaggerated . However, rather than an exaggeration, the stories had been reduced .

In fact, Cheok Jungyeong had become much stronger than what was written in Earth’s records after becoming a constellation . In other words, there were sword masters who would become nervous just hearing about this constellation .

Still, I had to endure it . If I couldn’t withstand the spirit of Cheok Jungyeong, I couldn’t break the 100 Days Seal .

[Your ‘status’ is currently sealed . ]

[Your main skills are currently sealed . ]

[Time remaining: 100 days]

The 100 Days Seal, which could be carried out by the three highest beings of the constellation ‘Hongik’, was the highest-grade seal that sealed up the target’s abilities .

[Eat garlic and mugwort and endure for 100 days . ]

Of course, this seal wasn’t necessarily a bad thing . If I could eat garlic and mugwort for 100 days, I could receive Hwanin’s blessing and wake up the potential of my body .

However, now I didn’t have enough time . Han Sooyoung watched the garlic and mugwort pouring from the sky and asked, “Hey, isn’t it almost done?”

“The power is so strong that it is hard to control . Just wait . ”

I took a deep breath and controlled my magic power . Cheok Jungyeong lent me strength in response to my call but didn’t say anything in his true voice . He just handed me some of his strength, as if saying ‘try it if you are confident . ’

As a result, I had been controlling the story that had been running wild for 30 minutes . It seemed like my whole body would burst .

I watched the grumbling Han Sooyoung and suddenly became annoyed . “This is all because of you . This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t use me as a shield . ”

“I didn’t do it on purpose . ”

“Do you expect me to believe that? Based on what you have always done…”

It seemed like many complaints had piled up and I couldn’t help nagging . How many minutes had passed?

Han Sooyoung slowly got fed up and shouted, “Ah, I apologize! Yes, I used you as a shield . What do you want me to do?”

I wanted to say she was brazen-faced but then a presence suddenly intervened .

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ interrupts with a cough . ]

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ says that Han Sooyoung never used you as a shield . ]

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ says your death is your responsibility . ]

Han Sooyoung shouted, “Hey, you shut up and stay still! Saying unnecessary…!”

“What does he mean?”

“It is nonsense . Don’t worry about it . ”

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ claims that Han Sooyoung didn’t protect your heart to protect your black fire dragon . ]

…My black fire dragon?

“That’s why I…” Han Sooyoung hesitated before starting to talk . “I mean, Jeon Woochi’s attack… flew to that place . ”

“…Hah . ”

I was so dumbfounded that I forgot the important situation and sighed . Han Sooyoung hesitated as she stared into my eyes and bit her lips . “That… you would be a bit unhappy if you lost that function so… I shifted the direction . ”

“That’s why it hit my heart?”

“…Well, there is such a story . ”

It was an absurd story . Han Sooyoung didn’t wait to see how I accepted it and added swiftly .

“I-I didn’t have any strange thoughts . Don’t be mistaken . The Black Flame Dragon bastard was shouting that I should protect the whale…”

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ is looking at his constellation with embarrassment and agitation . ]

I sighed lightly and said, “…I don’t care about that . Just protect my heart well next time . ”

Han Sooyoung made a surprised look at my words and nodded . An awkward atmosphere briefly flowed .

Han Sooyoung seriously considered something and opened her mouth . “By the way Kim Dokja, I have a question…”

“What is it?”

“Why does he call it the black flame dragon?”

***

‘That guy… he was very small when he was a child . ’

Lee Sookyung was immersed in her memories as she gazed at the dark and desolate plains of Dark Castle .

How much time did it take to get here?

There were no easy scenarios and all plans were half-distorted or broken . How many times had she experienced the crisis of death due to insufficient information?

‘It was especially dangerous when I met Nirvana . ’

The reincarnator . Lee Sookyung never thought that such a being could exist in the world . Well, it was abnormal for a novel to become reality in the first place .

She turned around and saw Cho Youngran, the incarnation of Jeon Woochi .

“Your Majesty . ”

“Stop it with that title . ”

“…Sookyung-ssi . ”

Cho Youngran had a complicated gaze .

‘It is no wonder,’ Lee Sookyung thought .

Cho Youngran was the only wanderer who knew all her circumstances . “You didn’t need to fight him . If you were honest about why you wrote the book…”

“Being honest is harder than fighting . Especially when it is between a parent and child . ”

In fact, she had the conversation with Kim Dokja because of Cho Youngran’s suggestion .

Cho Youngran kept pressing . “Now is the age where he can accept the truth . He isn’t the 10 year old boy you knew . ”

“For me, he is just a child . It doesn’t matter if he is 30 or 40 years old . ”

“…It is the pride of a parent . ”

Pride…

That’s right, it was pride . Lee Sookyung lowered her eyes . “At first, I tried to show courage . I tried to tell the truth . ”

“…”

“However, after I looked into his eyes… it felt like an excuse for me to enter his life . ”

Reality was different from a novel . A wounded person might be saved but a wounded person . wouldn’t heal that easily .

“I don’t know if that child really needs the truth . Maybe it was what I needed . I didn’t want to stay as a bad mother…”

She became crooked herself to protect Kim Dokja . She became like this as a result of her own love .

「 Incarnation Kim Dokja will be killed by the person he loves most . 」

Lee Sookyung recalled the moment when she first heard of her child’s fate from Yoo Sangah . The fate of Olympus would surely be realized .

“…The child will understand you one day . ”

In order to find out how to save her son, Lee Sookyung gave three days and three nights to the Founder’s Mother .

Three SSS-grade items were offered as a tribute to Hongik and she also gave 20 years of her life . In return, she was able to steal a line of fate that Olympus had hidden .

「If he doesn’t go to the next scenario, Incarnation Kim Dokja can live . 」

Lee Sookyung smiled . “Have all the troops gathered?”

“Yes . They are all assembled . ”

On the edge of the plains, the group of wanderers she led were gathered . They were all here because they believed in her . Lee Sookyung opened the main scenario window .

+

[Main Scenario #9 – 73rd Demon King]

Category: Main

Difficulty level: SS

Clear Conditions: You are eligible to participate in the last scenario of Dark Castle . Gather four rankers to go up to the third floor of Dark Castle and enter the final scenario .

Time Limit: 30 days

Compensation: 100,000 coin

Failure: ― Death

* Your current Dark Castle ranking is 2nd place .

* Only incarnations within the top 10 of the rankings can challenge the final scenario with you .

+

Lee Sookyung glanced at Cho Youngran . She currently had two of the top 10 rankers . They were Cho Youngran and Lee Boksoon . In order to complete the scenario and challenge the final floor of Dark Castle, two more rankers were needed .

Cho Youngran said, “They are coming . ”

An army was pushing from the other side of the Abyss Plains . They came from Paradise . She saw a familiar face at the head of the army .

Lee Sookyung greeted one of the people in the opposing force . “Yoo Sangah-ssi . It’s been a while . ”

“Ah! Really, I’m really glad… you are alive! Dokja-ssi…”

“We can talk about it later . ”

Lee Sookyung looked at the party across from her .

‘From left to right, it is Lee Hyunsung, Shin Yoosung, Jung Heewon, Lee Jihye and Lee Gilyoung . ’

She heard about Lee Hyunsung, Shin Yoosung and Lee Jihye from Kim Dokja but she had never heard of Lee Gilyoung and Jung Heewon . Perhaps they were new people her son had recruited, regardless of the original novel .

‘It would’ve been a lot easier if there were only original characters . Stupid fool . ’

As a child, Kim Dokja did many unpredictable things . Therefore, Lee Sookyung had believed that her child would become an artist .

“The King of Wanderers . ”

The voice came from the person she had been waiting for . It was a person she heard a lot about from her son while she was in prison . She never imagined she would see him in person .

“Yoo Jonghyuk . ”

Supreme King Yoo Jonghyuk . The protagonist of this story opened his mouth . “Why did you want to see me here?”

“I have decided to end this scenario . ”

Yoo Jonghyuk glanced next to Lee Sookyung and asked, “Are you also collecting the four heavenly kings?”

“Four heavenly kings?”

“You need four rankers to go to the next scenario . Don’t you know?”

“Ah… yes, that’s right . I’m collecting them . I guess they are called the four heavenly kings . I can’t keep up with the trendy words of children these days . ”

Yoo Jonghyuk’s eyebrows twitched at Lee Sookyung’s words . “You have a twisted mind . ”

“You are a shrewd child . ”

The eyes of the two people met and waves of energy bounced wildly . Just by exchanging looks, Lee Sookyung could get a vague glimpse of Yoo Jonghyuk’s power .

It was transcendent . He had to be at this level to be the protagonist of the story .

Lee Sookyung took a short breath and opened her mouth . “I want to hold hands with you . Let’s gather the remaining rankers together . ”

“…Rankers?”

“Yes . Isn’t your goal to save this world? You need the most powerful lineup of incarnations as possible if you want to clear the next scenario . I can help you . My sponsor is Founder’s Mother . ”

Yoo Jonghyuk’s eyes slightly tensed up at the words ‘Founder’s Mother . ’ However, it was just for a moment . The words that came out from Yoo Jonghyuk’s mouth were completely unexpected . “Where is Kim Dokja?”

“…Why are you looking for him?”

“I heard you took him . ”

“So why?”

Lee Sookyung had a strange feeling at his dismissive attitude towards her suggestion . It was a disturbing feeling that only a mother with a child could detect .

She wondered, “Surely you aren’t going to include that child in your four heavenly kings?”

“I’m not obliged to answer that . ”

“Your personality is exactly the same as what he said . ”

“…Kim Dokja told you my story?”

“He did . He told me a lot . ”

She stared into Yoo Jonghyuk’s eyes and Lee Sookyung’s suspicions increased .

Lee Sookyung asked, “I heard that you handed the Paradise achievement to my son . Why did you do that?”

“He can save the world if he grows stronger . ”

“Aha, you are going to use him for ‘that’?”

Lee Sookyung deliberately emphasized a word . It was a relaxed tone, as if she already knew it .

Then Yoo Jonghyuk replied, “Kim Dokja is necessary for this world . I need him . ”

“…”

“He will be my companion and he will see the end of the scenario . ”

Lee Sookyung’s expression slowly hardened . Companion? The voice of her young son appeared in her mind .

-That jerk, he is a complete psychopath .

-He knows nothing but how to use people . -He will do whatever it takes to reach his goal .

“This is strange . The Yoo Jonghyuk I heard about will never talk like you . ”

“Does your family like to talk as if they know someone well?”

Yoo Jonghyuk pulled out his sword . It was a hard attitude that showed no more dialogue was needed .

“Give me Kim Dokja . Then I will spare you . ”

Lee Sookyung stared into Yoo Jonghyuk’s blazing eyes and recalled her son’s voice . Despite his many complaints, her son always looked somewhat excited .

-But the story won’t continue without him . Ways of Survival is such a novel .

At this moment, enlightenment filled Lee Sookyung’s head .

「 Incarnation Kim Dokja will be killed by the person he loves most . 」

Lee Sookyung realized the true meaning of this fate . She knew who would kill her beloved son . Maybe it was an insight Lee Sookyung was able to reach because she was used to these types of metaphors and symbolism .

“I see . ” Lee Sookyung realized everything and laughed .

This wasn’t her original plan . Still, the prophecy meant that the plan had to be modified here .

“I’m sorry but I can’t let you see my son . ”

“Why?”

“A mother’s responsibility is to control her child if he mixes in with bad people . ” Lee Sookyung’s eyes were cold as she took out the Eight Beaded Bell . “I have to send my son back to reality . ”