Chapter 444: Dok-Ja's Incarnation (6)

After he was freed from the seal, the Great Sage Heaven’s Equal became more like a Yaksha.

[Constellation, ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’, is greatly astonished.]

[Constellation, ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’, is dazedly watching the battlefield.]

[Constellation, ‘Spear that Draws the Borders of the Oceans’, is opening his eyes wide.]

[Constellation, ‘Great Mother God Who Created Man out of Earth’, can’t tear her eyes away.]

This power that, never mind the highest-ranked Fable-grade Constellations, even the Myth-grade Constellations had no choice but to pay attention to.

Sun Wukong’s clones multiplied through the Body Outside Body spell to number in the hundreds, nay, into thousands, and began dealing with the Nebula’s great army. Thunderbolts shooting out from their fists obliterated a group of Historical Figure-grade Constellations in one go, and a dozen or so Fable-grade stars crashed to the ground below after getting struck by the Ruyi Bang.

The entirety of the Tongtian River couldn’t handle his power and began crying out.

Kwa-aaaaaah!!

This was the might of Sun Wukong, the one who had completed the conclusion of the grand epic, the ‘Journey to the West’.

Tsu-chuchuchuchut!

Sparks exploded non-stop on our body. We were inside the ‘Journey to the West’, the location of his Fable no less, yet the <Star Stream> was still suppressing his powers. The disjointed Probability was returning in full to the Sun Wukongs as well as myself, and thanks to that, I thought I might lose my mind here.

[Excessive distortion in the Probability is eroding your consciousness away!]

‘Looks like maknae is finding it hard to handle.’

‘Let him leave.’

[Four Sun Wukongs have agreed to separate the ‘Demon King of Salvation’.]

My body grew out of the main one like a sprout and began crashing down to the earth below.

I wretched uncontrollably and by the time I regained my wits, I found myself sagging on top of a piece of floating debris on the Tongtian River.

I could see Sun Wukong that I used to be a part of only a moment ago busy engaging the <Emperor>’s Constellations in a bitter warfare up in the sky.

“Ahjussi!”

A voice came to me from somewhere. And soon enough, two humanoids crashed into me. One fairly large, and one fairly small.

[Ba-aht! Baaaaaht!]

I raised my upper body with great difficulty and saw Shin Yu-Seung and Biyu clinging onto me.

While crying her eyes out, the former was hugging my arm dirtied by the blood and flesh of various Yogoes. I wiped my hands caked in blood on my coat and carefully hugged her.

Even though [The 4th Wall] existed, the incoming rush of emotions couldn’t be restrained.

I was back.

I had managed to come back again.

“Dok-Ja-ssi.”

I raised my head to find Yu Sang-Ah in her white robe standing nearby.

She had reincarnated into the Incarnation Body of Tang Sanzang. Even though her body was now different, her appearance was the same Yu Sang-Ah that I remembered.

I smiled weakly at her. “You came back.”

“I’ve seen all the things you’ve done while I was away, Dok-Ja-ssi.”

My shoulders flinched just a bit before I knew it. I wondered if she’d scold me, but to my relief, she simply smiled benevolently.

“It must’ve been hard for you.”

Before I could say something in reply, though, she continued on.

“However, please stay that way for a little while longer.”

Ng?

Just as I was about to open my mouth, Yu Sang-Ah gently reached out and placed something on my head.

[You have become the owner of the ‘Constrictive Headband’.]

[Due to the effect of the ‘Constrictive Headband’, a new Modifier has been generated.]

[You have become the ‘Prisoner of the Constrictive Headband’!]

My jaw went slack from this unbelievable event.

“Hmm, so, what should I do with you now?”

Seeing Yu Sang-Ah pressing her finger to my forehead and wagging it around a bit, I was overcome with this slight sense of terror. I was well acquainted with the pain from the headband already.

I quickly opened my mouth. “I-I know that I made a few mistakes. I do. However…. Can, can I tell you in detail about them a little later? Right now…..”

“Right now, that side should take priority, I know.”

I nodded my head.

We looked up at the sky where the [Great Hole] was still whirling around. And in the middle of the hole, at the two Yu Jung-Hyeoks currently locked in a bitter battle.

*

Yu Jung-Hyeok [999] wielding the [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword] dashed into the air while scattering the Status of a Transcender.

At the end of his travel awaited the king of all Yu Jung-Hyeoks.

[[So, this is what you chose in the end.]]

The oldest Yu Jung-Hyeok in the universe.

He was Yu Jung-Hyeok who broke past the 1863rd regression turn and witnessed his own Conclusion.

[999] stared at that ‘Secretive Plotter’ and recalled his own ancient memories.

‘■■’.

The end that came around to all living creatures just once.

[999] also experienced his own version of the end. Although what he saw was different from the Plotter’s Conclusion, he at least glimpsed his end just a little.

The 999th regression turn was quite different from the others.

The majority of people would never understand what it meant for a single person to live a thousand lives. However, [999] did just that, and he knew that he’d get to live just as many lives in the future. And that was why, he….

⸢”….At least for this turn, I shall live for all of you.”⸥

He sacrificed himself for his companions during the 999th turn.

⸢”Captain, just forget about me! I’m telling you, leave me behind and go!!”⸥

During the 38th scenario, he lost his left arm trying to rescue Yi Ji-Hye.

⸢”Jung-Hyeok-ssi! No!! Jung-Hyeok-ssi!!”⸥

During the 55th scenario, he lost his right leg for Yi Hyeong-Seong’s sake.

⸢”But, but why did you, for someone like me….”⸥

And during the 74th scenario, he sacrificed both of his eyes to awaken Shin Yu-Seung.

⸢”It’s because all of you also did that for me. That is all.”⸥

Whether this was him trying to atone for his past lives, or an odd, unlikely whim resulting from the thousandth stab at life, he couldn’t tell.

Except that, Yu Jung-Hyeok of the 999th regression turn earnestly lived his life like that. For the first time ever, he gave up on the idea of wanting to see the ‘Conclusion’. What he wished for instead, was….

⸢”I wish for all of you to see the end of this world.”⸥

Didn’t matter even if he didn’t make it, he just wanted one person at the very least to see the end of this <Star Stream>.

Yu Jung-Hyeok of the 999th turn sacrificed his memories and soul for that purpose. He didn’t hesitate to form the ‘Other World Pledge’ if that allowed his companions to grow stronger.

And at the end of the road where he sacrificed his everything…..

⸢”Captain, we’re almost at the Final Scenario.”⸥

A small miracle happened.

⸢”Just a little bit more, a bit more and we’re there! Jung-Hyeok-ssi!!”⸥

He couldn’t even walk with his own power anymore. He no longer possessed hands to swing a sword, he didn’t have eyes to look at the world anymore, and couldn’t use any of his skills after his bloodstreams all went haywire.

But as the reward for his sacrifice, his companions managed to get near the Final Scenario.

⸢”Please wake up! Please. Please!!”⸥

In the end, though, he didn’t get to see the conclusion to all the scenarios. The ‘Other World Pledge’ had taken away his life on the verge of the Final Scenario, that was why.

The ‘Secretive Plotter’ stared at such [999] and spoke up. [[Yu Jung-Hyeok from the 999th regression turn. I respect the life you led. Excluding me, you were the only one who managed to get near the ‘Conclusion’.]]

[999] quietly pointed with the [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword].

From the body of the ‘Secretive Plotter’, shouts directed at [999] coming from other Yu Jung-Hyeoks flooded out.

– Are you being serious?

– Do you really wish to fight the Great Plotter?

– You need to wake up, [999]!

[[However, you are a part of me. No matter how much history you drag out and use it against me, you’ll still never defeat me.]]

“If you are really me, then you should know that you can’t persuade me.”

[[The life you experienced only amounts to half of mine. Besides, your memories aren’t even perfect. Yet, you wish to fight me regardless?]]

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[999] didn’t reply and simply built up his momentum.

Perhaps he read something from such a [999], the Plotter’s attitude suddenly changed.

[[If this is what you truly want.]]

Jet-black smoke rose up and began creating the outer skin of the ‘Secretive Plotter’. A certain man’s outer appearance slowly materialised within the smoke.

The loneliest king in this universe, the white coat-wearing Yu Jung-Hyeok from the 1863rd turn now stood there.

[[I too no longer have the need to carry on with this pointless charade.]]

At the end of those words, the ‘Secretive Plotter’ discarded the coat he was wearing. The white coat flew away with the wind and landed on the surface of Tongtian.

Pitch-black darkness seemed to wrap around his shoulders, and before long, a black coat was now covering him. It was the same coat that stayed with him through to the 1863rd turn.

The [Heaven Shaking Sword] in his hands began emitting ominous aura.

And at the same time, the figures of two Yu Jung-Hyeoks vanished in the air.

Kwa-kwakwakwakwakwa!!

Countless friction noises arising from two swords clashing alerted others to the unfolding fierce battle. The vicious collision of two Statuses caused sparks to explode endlessly and dyed the sky pure blue.

This sudden eruption of the violent clash prompted the eyes of the audience, focused on the Great Sage’s struggles until then, to shift away.

That also included Yu Jung-Hyeok, standing on the surface of Tongtian and looking up at the ferocious battle between the 999th turn and the 1863rd turn.

His clenched fists trembled as his muscles tightened. Both of them would prove to be a difficult opponent for the current him. If he continued to diligently acquire more ‘lives’, then he might have reached that lofty height.

Yu Jung-Hyeok kept his eyes wide open and fixed his gaze. As if he wanted to absorb everything about [999] and the ‘Secretive Plotter’, he read their Fables over and over again.

[Fable, ‘Hellscape of Eternity’, has begun its storytelling!]

The Fable depicting the truly unfathomable hellish landscape – the ‘Yu Jung-Hyeok’ who had walked half of that hellish nightmare, and another ‘Yu Jung-Hyeok’ who had actually witnessed the end of that hell, were clashing against each other.

Two [Breaking the Sky Swordsmanship]’s drew long arcs in the air like shooting stars. One was from the [Heaven Shaking Sword], while the other was the [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword]. Two swords burned brightly like a pair of supernovas.

[[Now that I look back, you didn’t use Heaven Shaking Sword as your main weapon, did you?]]

During the 999th turn, Yi Ji-Hye inherited his [Heaven Shaking Sword].

The ‘Secretive Plotter’ used the [Breaking the Sky Meteor Strike] (破天流星決), piercing through [999]’s entire body.

[[You will never win against me with such poor sword technique.]]

“….I’m sure that’s the case. However.”

[999] became riddled with wounds in the blink of an eye, yet he didn’t back off and held the sword even tighter.

For a moment there, the Plotter’s eyes quaked.

[999] had disappeared for a blink, but then, he materialised right before the stunned Outer God’s eyes. This was not the [Breaking the Sky Swordsmanship].

It was ‘Instant Kill’.

“At least, I can show you the history that I lived through.”

It was Yi Ji-Hye’s technique.

[[Something like this….!]]

The [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword] was deflected away in the nick of time, but it now smoothly drew the arc belonging to [Kendo] next.

Tsu-chuchuchut!

The eyes of [999] now flickered with the lights of [Demon Slaying].

The life Yi Ji-Hye lived during the 999th turn was now unfolding from [999]’s hands. The kick as sturdy as Yi Hyeon-Seong’s. The Claw Technique as ferocious as Yi Seol-Hwa’s. Shin Yu-Seung’s natural perceptiveness, and even Kim Nam-Wun’s excellent battle sense, too.

Histories that [999] experienced through his body, began telling their stories now.

In this very moment, [999] wasn’t alone.

Techniques from the comrades he had saved were being recreated through his flesh.

[Kendo] broke past the [Breaking the Sky Swordsmanship], and the combination of [Blackening] and [Demon Slaying] dug into the open gaps of [Red Phoenix Shunpo].

And so, as Yi Seol-Hwa’s [Thousand Spirits Poison] took aim at the Plotter’s heart….

[[With these measly trivial techniques….!]]

[Great Fable, ‘Pilgrim of the Lonely Apocalypse’, has begun its storytelling!]

[999]’s Fable began crumbling away. Yi Hyeon-Seong’s defences crumbled and Yi Seol-Hwa’s claws broke. Kim Nam-Wun and Yi Ji-Hye both fell, while Shin Yu-Seung went down on her knees. The [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword] flew out of his hands after he failed to withstand the impact, and the weapon fell to the surface of the Tongtian River.

Just like always, [999] was left alone.

[[999, you have failed.]]

Confronted by the unfathomable life lived by one individual, the lives of his comrades all crumbled away.

[999] nodded his head, yet he did not despair. “….In another universe, it might be different.”

[999]’s gaze was redirected to the Tongtian’s battlefield, something that the Great Sage and <Kim Dok-Ja Company> had created. Events of this universe that had never happened before.

[[….Even you have been fooled by the baseless hope in this place, it seems.]]

“You speak as if it’s someone else’s business, Great Plotter.” [999] staggered unsteadily, yet he continued to speak. “We have failed. We failed to save a single one of our companions, and witnessed the end by ourselves. Was that really the end we wanted to see?”

[[That is futile sentimentality.]]

“This universe is different.”

[[No, this universe shouldn’t even exist from the beginning.]]

The ‘Secretive Plotter’ spoke coldly as his figure moved.

[[This universe was created by the end result interfering with the cause. This universe hastens the collapse of Probability with its mere existence. Indeed, this place shouldn’t even be allowed to exist, as it’s simply a practical joke by the ‘Most Ancient Dream’….]]

“Great Plotter, you already understand this, don’t you? Within that closed-off universe of the oh-so-great ‘original storyline’, it was impossible to see the story we wanted to. And that was why you….”

For the first time there, the ‘Secretive Plotter’ faltered slightly. But that lasted only for a moment.

He lightly wielded the [Heaven Shaking Sword] which pierced into [999]’s body.

[[Return to me, [999]. I need you back.]]

The stabbing [Heaven Shaking Sword] began sucking out [999]’s memories. Their ego that had been split apart was now being reclaimed.

[999]’s blurring vision shifted down to the Tongtian’s surface below. The ‘Secretive Plotter’ already knew who was down there and spoke in a mocking tone. [[He has already tasted defeat at my hands. Do you honestly believe that someone who can’t even remember anything is capable of stopping me?]]

“Yu Jung-Hyeok, take hold of the sword!”

A sorrowful voice reverberated throughout the Tongtian. And at the place where that voice reached stood Yu Jung-Hyeok, who was neither [999] nor the Secretive Plotter.

He was looking up with a confused expression but then, looked back down to the two items resting on top of the debris floating on the river.

[999]’s Dark Heavenly Demon Sword, and then… the white coat the ‘Secretive Plotter’ had discarded.

⸢”I wish to live.”⸥

⸢”If I have a chance, just like the world that I saw….”⸥

Pain assaulted him in his head. Unknown memories brushed past his mind.

[Your Fables are getting agitated.]

“You need to remember who you really are!”

As if he was under a spell, Yu Jung-Hyeok grasped the [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword]. It felt so natural in his hand, as if it had been his since a long time ago. And he picked the coat up from the debris as well. It was white, the colour he disliked.

– You are not the 3rd turn Yu Jung-Hyeok.

That day, [999] told him that.

– Haven’t you ever wondered why something felt off? Even if Kim Dok-Ja was here, does you of the mere ‘3rd turn’ developing this fast make sense to you?

As he fell deeper into this familiar sense of deja vu, he slowly put the white coat on. It fit him like a glove, as if he had worn it before.

– Do not try to bullshit me. I’m 3rd turn. I….

It’d be a lie if he had never thought about it at least once before.

Was he really the ‘3rd turn’ Yu Jung-Hyeok?

– ….And even if I’m not the ‘3rd turn’, all I can remember are the memories of up to the 3rd turn, anyway.

Yu Jung-Hyeok slowly raised his head and looked up at the sky.

The slowly-vanishing [999] was looking back at him.

– Don’t you have comrades now?

The face that he had not seen once, even with a mirror.

– Comrades, that remember your life far better than yourself?

The Plotter’s [Heaven Shaking Sword] moved. The jet-black Status capable of rending even the universe itself took aim at him, and in that moment, Yu Jung-Hyeok recalled someone.

And then….

[The ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’ 3rd stage has activated!]

As if a Sponsor had descended, the power of a familiar star incarnated into him.

⸢Let’s go.⸥

And the story began.

<Episode 83. Dok-Ja’s Incarnation (6)> Fin.