Chapter 547

Now normally, you’d need around two years at most to complete the first draft of a manuscript . However, there was no such leeway in this world-line .

– The system is losing its powers too quickly . If we miss this week, then I fear that we won’t have enough persuasive power to launch the ark .

In the end, Han Su-Yeong decided to start the first wave of transmission after finishing up the second part of the manuscript .

The companions grew excited after hearing about the news of the manuscript’s dispatch .

Yu Sang-Ah asked . “How will you transport the file? In a USB?”

“We’ll prepare for various contingencies, but . . . Fundamentally, it needs to be taken in the form of a Fable,” replied Han Su-Yeong .

“Who will deliver it, though?”

“Obviously me . “

“No can do . If Su-Yeong-ssi leaves, who will look after Dok-Ja-ssi of this place if something happens to him?”

Even if he was only a shell, he was still Kim Dok-Ja . If something strange happened to him and Han Su-Yeong possessing the Bureau’s Fable wasn’t around, his main body might crumble away .

Yu Sang-Ah continued on . “Let me go . I know the exact coordinates of the world-line where Dok-Ja-ssi has reincarnated . “

But that only prompted Jeong Hui-Won to try to dissuade her . “Sang-Ah-ssi, you need to defend this world, you know! Let me go . Give me the coordinates . “

“No way! I’ll go and meet hyung!”

“I’m ahjussi’s Incarnation, so obviously I should go!”

“That’s not right . I’m the foremost expert on all things related to the ‘Demon King of Salvation’, so it should be me . . . . !”

Yi Gil-Yeong, Shin Yu-Seung and even Jang Ha-Yeong joined the fray, turning the inside of the hall into pure chaos . Constellations and Incarnations were arguing with each other, saying they should be the one to make the trip .

Yu Sang-Ah sighed while looking at them . “It’s not as easy as you all think . Everyone here is aware of how dangerous it is to cross a world-line, yes?”

“Well, yeah . . . . “

“If the coordinate I traced is correct, then the world-line in question is right at the outer-most edge of the universe . “

“Outer-most edge?”

“Meaning, it’s a world where ‘scenarios’ might not even exist . “

No one knew what the world Kim Dok-Ja had reincarnated into was like . It could be fundamentally different from their Earth .

“The system’s grace could get much weaker when you reach there . Which means, the powers of both skills and Stigmata will naturally weaken, as well . The length of the voyage will be quite an ask, too . “

Anna Croft listening to the explanation nodded her head in agreement . She then looked up at the ark currently performing a test flight up in the sky . “As the vessel has been cobbled together as a single-seater, the equipment installed on board isn’t the greatest . Especially when you’re crossing the Dark Stratum, enduring the storm of aftermath will prove to be a massive challenge . Only the person possessing a very powerful mind is qualified . One mistake, and you may even end up as an ‘Outer God’, that’s why . “

The ‘Outer God’ – that term cast a dark shadow on the expressions of a handful of the companions . They had recalled the sight of ‘Hounds Chasing After the Abyss’ doggedly pursuing them, that’s why .

Unfortunately, Anna Croft wasn’t done with her explanation . “And there are far too many world-lines where his soul has scattered to, as well . At the bare minimum, you’ll have to cross hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, of world-lines . . . Are you prepared for that eventuality?”

Hundreds of thousands . Even if you were to cross one world-line per day, the trip might end up lasting for hundreds of years with that estimate . Even if it was for Kim Dok-Ja, could anyone be able to last that lengthy period of time without losing their sanity?

“None of you are capable . “

The man who could survive even when receiving the absolute minimum grace of the system .

The man who would not lose himself even when swimming against the boundless torrents of time .

And that’s why, the man with the highest odds of succeeding in this mission among the companions .

“I’ll be the one to head out . “

The ark’s passenger had already been decided .

*

Eventually, the ark’s date of departure had arrived .

Han Su-Yeong observed Yu Jung-Hyeok currently getting ready to disembark from some distance away .

“I’m not putting on that thing . “

“Conquering King, you must wear it . Don’t forget that you’re no longer the same as your past self . “

Now, this was a spectacle she would’ve liked to show to Kim Dok-Ja of five years ago . If he heard about how the prophet was trying to ensure the safety of the regressor, just what would be the thoughts entering his mind?

“You’re really becoming a bother . “

“You might be saying that now, but this will definitely come in handy later on . Being a Transcender does not mean you’re completely free from the system’s influences . Transcenders are existences validated only through their opposition to the system . If the latter disappears, then the former’s powers will, of course, grow progressively weaker in turn . “

Yu Jung-Hyeok glared at Anna Croft with disapproving eyes, before putting on the offered equipment one by one .

“This is a cumbersome attire for combat . “

“You are not going there to fight, so it’ll be fine . “

Yu Jung-Hyeok’s new bloated appearance after putting on the spacesuit was truly a sight to behold . Han Su-Yeong began teasing him .

“That look really suits you . “

” . . . . You’re being noisy . “

“You should think this over . You really wanna do this?”

Even as the departure time crept ever closer, Han Su-Yeong still didn’t feel confident at all .

⸢Honestly speaking, maybe there was no reason to go this far . ⸥

The voyage about to take place this time was completely different from the regression or jumping between the world-lines . They weren’t trying to change the past, nor were they trying to steal the right ‘materials’ to open the [Final Wall] of the other world-line .

This voyage, in some ways, was much closer to a pilgrimage . One where he was trying to commemorate that one person they had been searching for all this time .

“Hand over the manuscript . “

“Your manner of speech hasn’t changed even though you stopped being a regressor . “

Han Su-Yeong sighed and opened her right hand . The power of a Stigma she had been developing until now was circling around the tip of her hand .

[Stigma, ‘Cloud System’, is on stand-by . ]

This was a similar method to how [The 4th Wall] handed the text files over to Kim Dok-Ja in the past .

The Stigma itself was evolved from her [Predictive Plagiarism] capable of sending obtuse messages across the world-lines .

“It’s possible for those possessing this Stigma to share the manuscript . Coming back to Earth several times for the new versions will be too difficult even for you, so I’ll just keep sending you the manuscripts through the cloud . “

“Are you telling me to learn your unique Stigma? We don’t have the time to . . . “

“Right, we don’t have the time . But there is a way to learn it super fast . You don’t have a Constellation backer anymore, do you?”

Right away, Yu Jung-Hyeok realised what Han Su-Yeong was saying . “You fool, are you really . . . . “

“You think I’m enjoying the idea myself?”

While furrowing his brows, he accessed his attribute window . When his Stigma [Regression] vanished, his Constellation sponsor had disappeared as well .

+

Sponsor: None

+

He was a completely free man .

“Are you suggesting that I take on someone weaker than me as my backer?”

“But I won against you the last time . “

“I don’t understand the rubbish you’re spewing . “

“What, you wanna have another go?”

Even though they didn’t concede an inch and continued to bicker, they still finished signing the [Sponsor Contract] . Both of them knew this was the most optimum method available, that’s why .

[Constellation, ‘Architect of the False Last Act’, has become Incarnation ‘Yu Jung-Hyeok’s Constellation backer!]

[Incarnation, ‘Yu Jung-Hyeok’, has inherited the Stigma, ‘Cloud System’ . ]

[Two beings’ imaginary cloud network have been connected!]

“I’ve never imagined that I’d live long enough to see the day like this one . I wish I could tell that idiot Kim Dok-Ja about this somehow,” muttered Han Su-Yeong .

“Once I make my way back, I’ll kill you first and cancel this ridiculous contract . “

“Try it if you can . “

After their exchange came to an end there, they stared at each other for a little while .

“Don’t forget . You must not destroy the other world-line . You just have to spread this story there . So that Kim Dok-Ja of that world will get to read it,” said Han Su-Yeong .

“I know . “

“Don’t die . “

“I’ll be back soon . “

He might never come back . Both of them knew that, but no one deliberately tried to bring that point up . With the exception of one person, that was .

“Oppa . ” The tearful Yu Mi-Ah held onto Yu Jung-Hyeok’s spacesuit . “You’re lying! You aren’t going to come back! You can’t, even if you wanted to!”

“I won’t abandon you and die . “

As Yu Mi-Ah continued to shed her tears, Han Su-Yeong tightly held her shoulders . Yu Jung-Hyeok slowly lowered himself and matched his little sister’s eye line, then spoke in a gentle, loving tone of voice .

“I give you my word . I will definitely return . “

As he turned around to leave, he sent Han Su-Yeong a message .

– Look after Mi-Ah for me .

He didn’t look behind once and climbed aboard the [Final Ark] . And when Anna Croft gave her signal, the vessel’s ignition was turned on .

The companions belatedly hearing about the news soon arrived and watched everything unfold .

The ark slowly rose up to the sky . The voices of the companions wouldn’t have been able to enter the vessel’s tightly-enclosed cockpit .

Yi Ji-Hye breathlessly running over here looked up at the departing ark .

“Aren’t you going to say goodbye?” Han Su-Yeong asked her .

“If I do, I feel like it’s going to be the last time I see him . “

Despite saying that, Yi Ji-Hye’s eyes were brimming full of tears . Other companions also looked up at the ark without saying anything .

Yu Sang-Ah broke the silence first . “Everything we wanted to say are in the novel, anyway . I’m sure Jung-Hyeok-ssi will read it later on . “

“What’s the point of him reading it? Hyung reading it, that’s all that matters . “

Yi Gil-Yeong, Shin Yu-Seung, Jeong Hui-Won, Yi Hyeon-Seong, Jang Ha-Yeong, Yu Sang-Ah, Yi Seol-Hwa, Yi Su-Gyeong, Gong Pil-Du . And then, the Constellations, too . Everyone stood there and watched the ark leave .

Shin Yu-Seung asked . “Will Dok-Ja ahjussi really read our story?”

That was uncertain . No one in existence would know that . This mission had high odds of failure, and the odds of Yu Jung-Hyeok coming back home empty-handed were also very high .

And their story could disappear as mere cosmic dust in some distant universe .

The departing Yu Jung-Hyeok should know about that, as well . Even then, he chose to leave . He left, for his own sake . Maybe, also for other companions, too .

“If it’s Kim Dok-Ja, he’ll read it,” replied Han Su-Yeong .

At the very least, the people of this world would be able to carry on with their lives while waiting for his news – waiting for Yu Jung-Hyeok’s return .

“He made a promise with me, you see . “

The ark’s flames lit up as it reached towards the distant galaxy . The companions endlessly looked on at the ark getting further away as if it was an expedition ship sailing towards another world . A story written through their lives was disappearing to a place forever out of their reach .

*

[The ‘Ark’ is entering the atmosphere . ]

[Waiting for the user Yu Jung-Hyeok’s destination input . ]

Yu Jung-Hyeok inputted the coordinates of the world-line Yu Sang-Ah told him . Even the coordinates of the next nearest world-line to it was incredibly far away . Just as she said, that place might not have there .

[The dimensional acceleration will commence . ]

[Portion of necessary energy will be substituted by the Coins . ]

Coins amassed in the other world-line were injected as the energy source of the vessel . They had lost their value with the weakening of the system, but still, they used to be the strongest Fable in the world once upon a time . Before long, the planet Earth could no longer be seen .

[Entering the Dark Stratum to escape from the world-line . ]

Yu Jung-Hyeok recalled what Yu Sang-Ah said .

– The world-line Dok-Ja-ssi has reincarnated into is located very far away . Meaning, I don’t know how long it will take to get there if you leave the world-line through the conventional means .

The world Kim Dok-Ja had reincarnated into existed outside the ‘Ways of Survival’ – a place that had completely escaped from this world-line’s influence .

– More than likely, you’ll have to go through the ‘doorway’ that allows you to leave this world-line .

How long passed by like this? Things resembling bubbles began appearing far ahead of him . These bubbles of various hues expanded and contracted repeatedly within the ominous currents . He even sensed this faint feeling of foreboding, too . Yu Jung-Hyeok knew what caused this feeling .

Tsu-chuchuchu . . . .

The ‘vice-king’ of the ‘Outer Gods’, as well as the master of the dimensional doorway between the world-lines . And the existence that opened the path to the 1863rd turn for Kim Dok-Ja once upon a time . Yu Jung-Hyeok unknowingly swallowed back his own saliva . This thing before him possessed more than enough power to make him nervous, the man who managed to clear the scenarios .

[[Y o u a r e . . . . n o t t h e P l o t t e r . ]]

A massive eye could be seen within the sea of foams . Yu Jung-Hyeok increased the speed of the ark, not even trying to dodge that eye . In order to get to the world-line at the furthest edge of the universe, he simply had to go through this path .

[[T h a t i s outside t h e story]]

“Doesn’t matter . Step away, or I’ll cut you down . “

Yu Jung-Hyeok aroused every bit of his Fables and pushed the ark forward . The vice-king didn’t try to stop him . However, it only spoke in a pitying, empty-sounding tone of voice .

[[Oh, t h e o n e dreaming o f t h e dream’s outside, y o u r dream c a n n o t b e f u l f i l l e d . ]]

The moment he collided with the doorway, the view before his eyes completely distorted . He gritted his teeth and fought back against the storm pouncing on him .

A violent storm of sparks began ravaging and devouring his entire body . He endured the urge to scream as horrifying pain akin to his whole body breaking apart took him over .

– There’s one last thing I wanted to ask you about .

Han Su-Yeong’s voice trickled past inside his disoriented head .

– Why are you going so far to save Kim Dok-Ja? You’ve lost many comrades by now already .

– Having lost many comrades before doesn’t mean you become accustomed to the pain of loss . And also . . .

Explosions began going off inside the ark . Debris from the broken instruments began floating away in the universe .

– … . I have something I need to ask that fool .

Yet another explosion resounded out, and an object pierced into Yu Jung-Hyeok’s torso .

[Failed to read the world-line’s coordinates!]

[Warning! An error has occurred in the coordinate recognition device!]

[An error has occurred in the interior temperature modulation device!]

… .

… . . . .

[An error has occurred in the ship’s navigation system!]

Sparks exploding abruptly dominated Yu Jung-Hyeok’s entire body . His vision was dyed in pure white, and his consciousness faded away .

By the time he managed to open his eyes, he was already lost in space .

Fin .