Chapter 359

I swallowed my curses . If the Fourth Wall became thinner . . .

There was a strange pain during the battle that I had forgotten . The cuts on my shin and arms were sore . My sweaty shirt was more uncomfortable and the heat of the forest made me dizzy . I would’ve exercised more if I knew this would happen .

A spiked club flew towards my head . I rolled my body and avoided a goblin’s attack . My joints creaked as I moved hastily . The goblin followed my avoidance path with the club like they were catching a mole . The fuzz on the back of my hand rose as blood stained the thorny club . It was obviously a smell I’ve encountered many times but it was strange .

[The Fourth Wall has become very thin . ]

[The ‘Fourth Wall’ is shaking dangerously . ]

I jumped up from my position and corrected my sword posture . The two goblins lost their companion and were surrounding me with red eyes . At any time, they would rush forward and kill me . The moment I read this desire, the fear of death came to me .

Beyond the thinning Fourth Wall, the emotions I had ignored were gushing out . The story I looked at was actually something like this .

I controlled my trembling breaths . I had to fight . I could fight . All my companions fought through this fear . I was the only one who cowardly avoided the pain using the wall .

「 Kim Dokja held Unbroken Faith with trembling hands . 」

Let’s think . How could I hurt the goblins with my current body? Skills couldn’t be used but stigmas were still available . The level was reset but it was possible to use stigmas . The problem was how to apply the stigma . I saw the approaching goblin and cast Song of the Sword .

[This isn’t your stigma . ]

[The effect of the stigma is fixed to the minimum . ]

「 The second day . Sunny . I went out early and checked the weapons . 」

Unbroken Faith emitted a faint sheen and returned to its original state . It would’ve been nice if a fire arrow emerged, shit . It was comforting to feel that my sword was a bit lighter .

Kieeek?

The goblin laughed at my resistance and swung its thorny club . The club hit the sword and my wrist seemed to break .

The goblins looked sloppy but they were more powerful than humans . They were monsters optimized for survival on this island .

Then the second club flew towards my waist . It was too late to block it with my sword . I swung my feet and kicked the club . There was the sensation of thorns piercing the soles of my feet . I but my lips from the terrible pain . The angry goblins cried out at the smell of blood . If the stigma couldn’t be used then I had to try the second method .

[The giant story ‘Demon World’s Spring’ is responding to your will . ]

On this island, skills were sealed and the proficiency of the stigmas was reset . This didn’t mean there was no power available .

[The giant story ‘Torch That Swallowed the Myth’ is responding to your will . ]

Something existed even in the first generation without magic circles . It was stories .

[Currently, you can’t exercise control over these stories with your power . ]

[Your stories are rejecting your domination . ]

The problem was that my strength was drastically reduced and the stories didn’t listen to me .

[The giant story ‘Demon World’s Spring’ is looking at you with regret . ]

[The giant story ‘Torch That Swallowed the Myth’ covets your weakened body . ]

Blood rose inside me because of the heat . The goblins momentarily shrank back from the power of the stories felt from me but they soon recovered their momentum and rushed forward .

The stigma was blocked and the stories didn’t listen to me . I gritted my teeth as I watched the incoming goblins . In the end, there was only the last method . I hadn’t wanted to use this if possible .

It happened the moment I firmed up my heart and raised my magic power . A dagger flew through the bush and pierced the goblin’s head . The goblin collapsed in front of me . The blade headed towards the other goblin’s neck with fantastic swordplay .

I watched the girl’s ponytail flying and sighed with relief .

“Ajusshi, are you okay?”

The mud-covered Lee Jihye turned her head and stared at me .

***

In fact, the use of Song of the Sword wasn’t just to confront the goblins . Like the system message stated, Song of the Sword wasn’t my stigma . If I used this stigma, the master of it would surely become aware of my existence .

” . . . Phew, I’m glad it is Ahjussi . “

Lee Jihye washed her face in the stream . Lee Jihye had also experienced a considerable degree of hardship .

“What the hell is this place? Skills and stigmas are all useless . I would’ve died if I hadn’t received training from Grandfather Kyrgios .

“Are you injured?”

“No . I hid well . By the way, what’s wrong with you?”

“It just happened . “

I was placing the Cut Medicine received from Lee Seolhwa on my wounds . I couldn’t believe I was injured this much fighting the goblins . I couldn’t guess how hard it would be in the future .

Lee Jihye watched me and grabbed the Cut Medicine like she was frustrated . “Give it to me . You can’t apply it to your back . “

Lee Jihye placed the Cut Medicine on my wounds .

“Be gentle . I might die if you press hard against it . “

“Don’t be a crybaby . By the way, were you this small?”

“My muscle mass was just reduced a bit . “

“Your shoulders look similar to mine?”

My pride was hurt so I took back the Cut Medicine . No, I tried to take it back but failed . It was because Lee Jihye was more powerful than me .

Lee Jihye spoke in warning, “If you move, your shoulder will break . “

It had been a long time since I felt so helpless .

“Now, it’s all done . “

The effect of Lee Seolhwa’s Cut Medicine was quite good despite the probability of the first generation . It wasn’t dramatic but the wounds covered by the Cut Medicine were healing quickly . There were magic and martial arts even in the first generation .

Lee Jihye and I continued to walk through the forest after taking care of my wounds . Fortunately, night was coming . Lee Jihye measured the smoke rising from the centre of the island .

“It seems we will have to camp here today?”

I nodded . We can move all night but night time skills weren’t available and we could meet enemies that were much worse than the goblins .

[The night of the island has come . ]

[At night, some of the system’s functions are restored . ]

[The Dokkaebi Bag feature is now available . ]

I immediately opened the Dokkaebi Bag and bought a few necessary items . There was portable accommodation for two people and safety devices for securing the perimeter . There ware also recovery items, just in case .

Lee Jihye received the items from me and blinked . “What? You could buy something like this in the first generation?”

“In the end, the coin usage scenarios remain the same . “

Whether it was the first generation, second generation or third generation, the essence of the scenario was money . Thus, it was obvious that the use of the DOkkaebi Bag would be granted .

Lee Jihye was setting up the tent and looked at me like I was pathetic . “Ahjussi, I heard you’ve been to the army . Why don’t you know how to set up a tent?”

“It has been a long time since I was discharged . Why are you so good at it?”

“I was in the scouts when I was an elementary school student . “

Come to think of it, there was that setting for Lee Jihye . Lee Jihye watched me struggle from the strength reduction penalty and set up my tent for me .

Night in the forest was cold . We gathered the surrounding twigs and lit a fire . In front of the blazing bonfire, Lee Jihye and I were immersed in our own thoughts . I wasn’t using Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint but I could see that Lee Jihye wanted to say something . I patiently waited .

Lee Jihye threw a dried branch onto the burning flames and finally raised her courage . “Ahjussi, can I ask you something?”

“Ask . “

“When did that novel start?”

I thought this question would come out . I decided to answer honestly . “More than 10 years ago . “

My memories were a bit dim but I hadn’t forgotten what happened in the days when I first clicked on Ways of Survival .

“How do I appear in the novel?”

The question was normal . I would also be curious if I was in Lee Jihye’s shoes . I took my time to recall the description of Lee Jihye .

Admiral Lee Jihye . The girl who pulled out her sword to protect her companions . Her pride was strong but she was more affectionate than anyone else . Her heart was always revealed on her face .

I tried not to touch on Lee Jihye’s wounds as much as possible as I carefully chose the details to tell her . Lee Jihye had a suspicious look on her face as she opened her mouth . “It’s so good that I feel bad . There was that much detail?”

“The novel is a bit long . “

“Even so . . . Oh, how do you remember all the details?”

“I read it a lot . “

“Still, to remember it so meticulously . . . I feel bad . ”

This was my only answer . “I was a middle school student at the time and my only hobby was reading the novel . “

“Ahjussi was a middle school student? Puhahat, then you were younger than me when you first read it? That’s ridiculous . “

“Everyone was 15 years old once . “

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ is raising his head . ]

Lee Jihye laughed like she heard something interesting . “That’s right . I was also 15 once . “

Lee Jihye looked down at her sheath with nostalgic eyes . A small keyring was hanging from the sheath . I read Ways of Survival so I naturally knew the identity of the keyring .

“Are you okay?”

” . . . Do you know about this keyring?”

“A little bit . “

“There is nothing private . “

The keyring Lee Jihye always carried with her was given by her friend who died in the first scenario .

The sentences of Ways of Survival passed through my mind .

「 “Jihye . Kill me . It’s okay . ” 」

Lee Jihye was the wounded Sword Demon . Even if her characterization changed one day, this face wouldn’t change . Lee Jihye was a person who never forgot the sins she committed .

“Do you know what happens to me at the end of the novel?”

Lee Jihye’s words caused a story I had long forgotten to appear in my mind . I knew the ending of Ways of Survival .

Jingle .

Then a bill ringing entered my ears . It was a sound from the safety device I placed beforehand . The sound of the bell soon continued in a horror-like rhythm, as if to rip off my ears .

Jingle . Jingle . Jingle . Jingle .

Jingle . Jingle . Jingle . Jingle .

“Ahjussi . “

Something was coming this way . It wasn’t a goblin or orc based on the interval of the ringing . It was a much stronger monster . I gauged the direction of the rising smoke and said, “You will live to the end and be happy . It was the same in the novel . “

It was a lie . However, the novel was a lie in the first place . I lived so far to make my lies a reality .

“Run towards the village . I will buy time . “

“I don’t want to! Ahjussi, you run away! Aren’t you weaker than me?”

“You can’t deal with this monster . It isn’t possible even if we join forces . “

Lee Jihye was only able to deal with goblins with her current abilities . I spoke calmly, “Go to the village quickly and get help . That way, both you and I can survive . You can move faster than me . “

“But . . . “

“Hurry! I have some way to avoid it!”

“Really?”

“Of course . Don’t you know who I am?”

Lee Jihye nodded as if relieved . “Hold on for a while! I will bring back help!”

A few seconds after Lee Jihye disappeared, a giant green monster appeared in the forest . It was a monster over three metres with a terrifying atmosphere .

Damn, it was a troll, not an orc . I was lying when I said there was a way to avoid it . The entire party couldn’t cope with this troll . It would be good if they weren’t wiped out .

Grrr . . .

The troll found me and revealed horrible teeth as it laughed . The troll’s iron club was covered with fragments of the constellations, as if it had already broken the heads of numerous constellations .

I smiled bitterly and gripped the sword . I would probably die from just one hit of that club . At least, if there was no one to help me .

Grrrrrrr!

In the first place, this island was impossible to attack in a normal way . As always, there were hidden pieces in impossible scenarios . It was time for them to show up, according to the original novel .

The moment the troll’s growl soared into the sound, a piercing sound was heard . A familiar blade was piercing the belly of the troll . It was Lee Jihye .

“I knew this would happen . You are a liar . “

「 The admiral doesn’t abandon her colleagues, even if it means dying . 」

This operation was possible from the beginning because I believed in Lee Jihye . The angry troll drew out the sword and made a strange noise . The wound was restored in an instant . It threw the sword and Lee Jihye laughed from beside me .

“Let’s die together, Ahjussi . “

I saw the troll running towards us and laughed too . Lee Jihye wouldn’t die . The history of her life would eventually save her . The moment the troll’s club fell, a sound was heard from the forest .

. . . It came . A silver sword split apart the darkness . I watched carefully . The pure sword that wasn’t an ether blade cut the fearsome troll’s neck like a toy .

「 The favourite themes of the first generation forgotten people are love, friendship and romance . 」

First generation . One of the oldest stories in the Star Stream . The master of that story was talking . “Sacrificing your lives for your colleagues? This is the first time in 381 years . “

I looked closer and it wasn’t only one person .

“There was no need to speak . They are such friends . “

“Really, there are still good stories out there . ”

The laughing voices spread out . Something was strange . This wasn’t in the original novel . Then I saw the faces of those walking out of the darkness .

“It’s been a long time . Has it only been three years in outside world time?”

Surprisingly, it was someone I already knew .

TL: Rainbow Turtle