Chapter 544: 544

” . . . . . I just wrote something, hoping to leave it as records of our past . Kim Dok-Ja might wake up someday, you know . When that happens, he’d most likely have forgotten everything about us, anyway . “

The companions read Han Su-Yeong’s novel .

Shin Yu-Seung, her eyes reddened from tears, angrily rebuked Yi Gil-Yeong, telling him to slow down with the scrolling, while the boy sniffling away continued to click on the mouse . Yu Sang-Ah, Jeong Hui-Won, and Jang Ha-Yeong copied the file and read the novel on their own phones .

Yu Sang-Ah read the scene where she was making an appearance and smiled faintly . ” . . . . I did say something like that, didn’t I?”

Perhaps she was missing those days, because she stroked the sentences on the phone’s display . As if doing that might let her really touch Kim Dok-Ja .

Yi Ji-Hye sucking out the last drops from the booze bottle unsteadily got up from her seat . “What the hell . Is it really that fun?”

“Ah?! Noona!”

Yi Ji-Hye going on a drunken rant shoved Yi Gil-Yeong off the chair and took over the notebook PC . She then slapped her cheeks and tried to focus her blurry, half-closed eyes on the screen .

How long went by like that?

“Sob, sooob, waaah! This novel is too sad, you know?!”

” . . . . . You’ve only read the first chapter, so what the . . . . “

Yi Ji-Hye blew her nose noisily and chucked the soiled tissue in Yi Gil-Yeong’s direction . She remained utterly unperturbed regardless of whether the angry boy was yelling at her or not . Even more so when she scrolled down and read the scene where she made her appearance in Chungmuro – her excitement seemed to reach its peak .

“A girl wielding a lengthy sword stood in the exit as the faint rays of light shone through . While looking at Yi Ji-Hye’s hair dancing in the winds intermittently blowing in . . . . Keuh-euuh, I’m sooo uber-cool, aren’t I??”

“Argh, seriously now?! Go back up already!”

Despite Yi Gil-Yeong scolding her, Yi Ji-Hye continued on yap on .

“Like, what happens afterwards? What happens to Kim Dok-Ja . . . . “

In the end, she couldn’t win against the booze in her system and before long, her nose kissed the tabletop . Shin Yu-Seung snatched the notebook PC away, and asked a question while taking over the scrolling duty . ” . . . . Do I make an entrance later on, too?”

“Everyone makes their appearance . Although, each person’s specific importance will be a bit different,” said Han Su-Yeong .

“B-but, I really did my best, you know . “

“Yes, I know . Don’t worry, your story will show up lots of time later on . “

They already knew the ending to this story . What would happen to Kim Dok-Ja, and what experiences the companions would go through as the result . How the dream they dreamed crumbled away . They all knew too well .

Despite knowing, however, Shin Yu-Seung continued to read the story .

They strode forward one sentence at a time towards the predetermined end . The story they couldn’t change was right here . Shin Yu-Seung used every ounce of her energy to read it as if each and every sentence disappearing behind was too lamentable, too sad, to her .

” . . . . . How wonderful would it have been if Dok-Ja ahjussi was able to read this . “

“Should we go to hyung and read it for him?”

Han Su-Yeong thought about the slumbering Kim Dok-Ja inside Yi Seol-Hwa’s hospital . This novel was written for that guy, yet she didn’t think he’d be reading it anytime soon .

⸢Could it be that, just maybe, this was this story’s completion?⸥

The completed ending of those who had lost something – could that be this novel’s true purpose? Could these people be the true readers of this story?

“Do you think that ahjussi in the other world-line will like reading, too?”

The companions wouldn’t be saved with just this measly little story . But at the very least, they should be able to endure their lives while reading and thinking about it . Just like how Kim Dok-Ja reading the ‘Ways of Survival’ did .

“I wonder . Maybe . “

“Ahjussi is probably ahjussi in that place, too . Definitely . “

“Who knows, he might have ended up as a bug . “

“Keep talking like that if you want to die, Yi Gil-Yeong . “

“I’d have raised him up if he was reborn as an insect, you know? And read books to him every day, too . “

A couple of adults heard the boy’s mindless babble and broke out into chuckles .

Yu Sang-Ah spoke up next . “Regardless of where he’s born and what’s he born as, Dok-Ja-ssi will always be Dok-Ja-ssi . “

Han Su-Yeong nodded her head . Kim Dok-Ja should be living a new life in a world out there somewhere . Kim Dok-Ja living his life while reading a story written by someone else and feeling happy or sad, or even moved .

The people of this world would reminisce about such Kim Dok-Ja’s tale and live their lives .

Praying that Kim Dok-Ja of that world would not be miserable .

Praying that he’d get to live in as much happiness as his companions were remembering him in this world .

Shin Yu-Seung repeatedly reading the early parts spoke up, her voice sounding like a soft sigh . “I can’t read it anymore, because I’m scared it’ll end too soon . “

“It won’t end that soon,” replied Han Su-Yeong .

“Are you going to write the next chapter, too?”

“Yeah . “

“It would’ve been so wonderful if we could send this novel to the other world, too . It’s a shame that only we get to read it . “

… . The other world?

Han Su-Yeong became momentarily dazed at that unexpected idea .

She had never even thought about it . It wasn’t a possibility to start with, too . She pondered this for a bit longer, but before she could say something, a piece of breaking news came out of the TV screen .

– Breaking news just in . A terrorist has attacked the ‘Scenario Museum’ located in Gwanghwanmun . . . . .

“Terrorists? In this day and age?”

Jang Ha-Yeong shook her head . Most of the system’s influence had already disappeared from this world, so possessing Star Relics didn’t automatically mean you’d be able to do something with them . It was right then that Jeong Hui-Won’s phone started ringing .

“Hello, this is Jeong Hui-Won, the representative of Iron Caps, the trusted security organisation protecting your . . . . . Excuse me? Where? Who showed up??”

The clearly-flustered Jeong Hui-Won raised her head and looked at the TV panel . The news broadcast’s ticker-tape continued to move along .

– Identity of the terrorist is now known to be a Transcender formerly known as the ‘Conquering King’ . . .

… . The ‘Conquering King’?

A short while later, the terrorist’s face showed up on the screen .

– The terrorist, Conquering King Yu Jung-Hyeok . (33, unemployed)

*

“Stop him!”

The riot police arriving on the scene blocked off the museum’s access and stood before the approaching man . However, he used fleet-footed movements to evade their truncheons . The jet-black coat danced in the air as the man’s hands went to work, and the riot police rushing in were scattered away like the breaking waves .

“Uwaaahk!”

“He’s using the system’s powers! Hurry up and call the security company! And get the government-affiliated Constellations, too-!”

Yu Jung-Hyeok’s [Red Phoenix Shunpo] spat out reddish-yellow licks of flames as he dashed forward . Each step taken emitted truly stupendous heatwave and the members of riot police had to back away in fear . Before long, he had reached the front of the [Scenario Museum]’s doorstep .

The place where Star Relics from the age of apocalypse were stored . This was where the important artefacts not open to public had been gathered . The riot police chasing after Yu Jung-Hyeok shouted out .

“He’s just a Transcender from the old generation! The battle array formation the Constellation-nims of the North Stars worked together to create near the museum will . . . . “

[‘North Star Five March Formation’ has been triggered!]

Yu Jung-Hyeok analysed the inner workings of the array formation blocking him . It was a Murim-style battle array formation that followed the laws of the North Star and five elements of the universe to create a remarkable unison of the ‘life gate’ and ‘death gate’ . His eyes emitted golden rays of light as his [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword] accurately stabbed into seven separate points .

Kuu-rurururung!

“Crazy son of a . . . How could he . . . ?!”

These young riot police members who didn’t know much about the age of apocalypse could only look on with their jaws hitting the floor . Even they had heard of the stories, of course .

– Twenty years ago, a man who dared to stare arrogantly at the stars of the heavens existed .

It was only a story to them, however . A man who could evenly match up to the Constellations? They believed that no such man could have ever existed . Too bad for them, the living proof was now standing before their eyes .

Yu Jung-Hyeok stepped within the crumbling array formation . No one could stop him now .

It was also then someone appeared among the rising dust clouds .

– Conquering King, what do you think you’re doing? Surely, someone like you don’t have a reason to steal items such as the Star Relics?

It was Han Dong-Hoon, an Incarnation affiliated with the government . He was famed for sending messages to the opposition’s eyes rather than addressing them directly .

Yu Jung-Hyeok quietly stared at the message, before pointing at the steeple of the museum . A small ship hung up there like some kind of a symbol . “I need that ship . “

– That’s just a replica . It can’t even fly .

“We’ll see once I activate it . “

– I know that you’ve been roaming the world without reporting periodically to the world government . Despite knowing that, the world government decided to turn a blind eye . Because, they respect your achievements from the age of apocalypse .

” . . . . . “

– However, that ends today . If you insist on behaving like this, then we won’t have any choice but to use force .

Almost at the same time as those words arrived, powerful fighting spirit exploded out from Han Dong-Hoon’s entire body .

He, too, was a survivor from the era of scenarios, a powerful figure who came to be known as the ‘King of Shadows’ by the time scenarios were drawing to a close .

“You wish to stop me?”

Yu Jung-Hyeok took a single step forward . At the same time, humans of the surroundings knelt down simultaneously . Han Dong-Hoon’s expression stiffened, and he quickly performed hand signs .

– All personnel, get ready to . . . !

Even before the message could be finished, shadows hiding on the museum’s rooftop began falling like dead cicadas .

Tumble, drop . . .

The fallen agents writhed around like worms . Traces of their pressure-points being depressed could be seen throughout their bodies . Surprisingly, over thirty Incarnations were dispatched to this place together with Han Dong-Hoon, yet all these elite warriors were taken care of even before anyone had noticed it .

“Get out of my way . “

Han Dong-Hoon’s shoulders trembled imperceptibly . For the past 20 years after the scenarios ended, the strongest Incarnation he knew of was the prophet Anna Croft, the only surviving Incarnation that could compare to the Constellations . However, even if she came, could she stop this monster?

– Han Dong-Hoon, respond . . . Han Dong-Hoon?

If he didn’t escape from here, he’d get killed . Han Dong-Hoon knew this, yet he couldn’t even lift his feet . An incredible amount of killing intent had tightened around him like a noose . Just who would be able to stop this Transcender? The Murim world’s Transcenders residing on another planet? Or, Constellations currently on a world tour? No, even they might find it too much .

The monster before his eyes was an existence that had reached the highest realm even among the Transcenders . Post-destruction of , Constellations could no longer exercise the power levels of their past selves . That’s why . . .

“Captain Han Dong-Hoon! Evade it!!”

Yu Jung-Hyeok’s sword moving, and Han Dong-Hoon squeezing his eyes shut, as well as an ear-splitting noise exploding, all happened at the same time . Scary waves of magical force shoved Han Dong-Hoon’s body away . It had been really long time since he last saw a clash heavy enough to cause the storm of Probability’s aftermath .

Tsu-chuchuchuchu . . . .

He held onto the crack on the ground and endured the storm of aftermath, only to be greeted by an unbelievable spectacle .

“F*ck, man . Trying to use my powers in such a long time is killing me . “

Someone was blocking the Conquering King’s sword .

[Constellation, ‘Architect of the False Last Act’, is unleashing her power!]

[Fable fragments of the ‘Bureau’ is supporting the ‘Architect of the False Last Act’!]

She was one of only a handful of the truly strong who could stop that monster, Yu Jung-Hyeok .

The purple-hued magical energy oozing out from her entire figure was dyeing the surroundings in a foreboding manner .

“Yu Jung-Hyeok, what kinda stupidity is this?” said the Empress of Black Flames, Han Su-Yeong .

“This isn’t a matter you should concern yourself with . “

“Why shouldn’t I?? Our former Regressor friend suddenly decided to become a terrorist for free, so how can I not?”

” . . . . “

“The comrade of the past has lost his way and became corrupted, so it’s the duty of the superhero to take up on the responsibility of rehabi . . . . “

Kwaaa-boooom!

“Goddammit, what gives?? Why are you going mental here, man??”

“Get out of the way . I don’t plan to exchange sophistries with you . “

“No, you better start talking . That’s always been your damn problem . You’ve been behaving nicely for the past two years, so why the hell . . . . “

Swiiiiiish-!

She pulled out a dagger from her inner pocket, gritted her teeth, and defended against Yu Jung-Hyeok’s attack . The overabundant bombardment of the sword energy began forcing her body back bit by bit . Han Su-Yeong glanced in the direction she was being pushed back .

… . The Scenario Museum .

No matter how hard she thought about it, it made no sense . Yu Jung-Hyeok had no reason to target that place . He wouldn’t get any stronger than he already was by possessing a couple more Star Relics at this point . Besides, a Star Relic someone like him might find desirable wouldn’t even be in this pla . . . .

It was then, her eyes caught the sight of a certain something .

“Hey, you . It can’t be . . . . “

Her hair strands slowly began floating up . Creeping, ominous waves of energy spread out everywhere . Cold rage was filling up Han Su-Yeong’s voice .

” . . . . Is it because of that?”

Yu Jung-Hyeok’s eyes were seething, and his irises were reflecting the hull of the replica [Final Ark] located on top of the steeple .

Fin .