- How did you expect me to respond when you were emitting that much demonic energy?
The [Voice Projection] was meant to send one's voice to a designated target . However, Sun Wukong didn't reply . Instead, it was the [Murim dumpling] on his shoulder that did .
- [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword] is a good weapon .
That voice was thick with an untold length of time it had lived through, prompting Yu Jung-Hyeok to strengthen the sword aura permeating on his blade .
The dumpling spoke while opening its eyes to stare at the [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword] buzzing with the transcendental power .
- However, will you be able to cut me down with a broken weapon?
Indeed, there was a faint crack running in the middle of the sword .
By using the repair tools sold in the [Dokkaebi Bundle], it had been patched up somewhat, but as that statement implied, it was nothing more than a temporary measure . After it broke once, [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword] couldn't even display half of its original might .
Yu Jung-Hyeok spoke .
- We can find out, right now .
- And that's precisely why you couldn't win against the 'Secretive Plotter' .
Yu Jung-Hyeok's dark brows quivered noticeably at the mention of the 'Secretive Plotter' .
The outer appearance of the Murim dumpling seemed to slowly morph in the darkness, and the kkoma Yu Jung-Hyeok number [999] regained his former look . Indeed, it was the miniaturised version of Yu Jung-Hyeok .
The regular-sized Yu Jung-Hyeok's eyes trembled faintly .
- Are you an underling of that b.a.s.t.a.r.d? What is your goal here?
- The current you will never defeat the 'Secretive Plotter' .
- If you came here to pa.s.s on such a meaningless message, then . . . .
- It'll be the same story even if you try your luck hundreds of times . Exactly the same as your pathetic repeated regressions . Surely, you must be aware of this by now .
The tip of the [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword] trembled faintly as well .
Perhaps, that was true . Even after he borrowed Han Su-Yeong and Jeong Hui-Won's powers, he still failed to defeat that enemy . It was obvious that he'd not be a match even if they met again .
The kkoma Yu Jung-Hyeok [999] spoke in the tone of voice indicating that he understood that feeling .
- Yu Jung-Hyeok of the 3rd turn . How much do you know about the 'Secretive Plotter'?
*
An ancient slumber .
This dream was from the days when he was still called Yu Jung-Hyeok (Hanja: 劉衆赫) .
From 0th turn all the way up to 1863rd .
The story of when he was still the puppet of the Most Ancient Dream, repeating countless lives and fighting over and over again .
[… . Oh, you foolish puppet . You, can't, save, anything . ]
Yu Jung-Hyeok finally reached the 1863rd turn, only to lose every single one of his comrades .
Advertis.e.m.e.ntThe Maritime War G.o.d, Yi Ji-Hye .
The Beast Lord, s.h.i.+n Yu-Seung .
The Emperor of Steelsword, Yi Hyeon-Seong .
The G.o.d of Medicine, Yi Seol-Hwa .
The Demon of Delusions, Kim Nam-Wun .
The Hermit King of Shadows, Han Dong-Hoon .
The Breaking the Sky Sword Saint, Namgung Min-Yeong .
… . His little sister, Yu Mi-Ah .
Just like how he had many comrades, he also had as many enemies to contend with .
Such as, 'Ten Evil' Gong Pil-Du, Anna Croft, Ranveer Khan, Fei Hu . . . .
"I told you, I won't become your ally . However . . . . "
Some enemies remained hostile until the end .
"Maybe, this regression turn will be your last . "
Some enemies realised he had succeeded and congratulated him .
And then, the final war began .
[Oh, the 'Iron Blood Conquering King' . ]
Fighting alongside him as his sworn friend, the 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband', the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven .
[I'm helping you because the is an even greater evil . ]
Working as his ally at the final hurdle, 'Demon-like Judge of Fire', Uriel .
[… . This one is simply avenging the death of his Incarnation, that is all . ]
Standing on his side for the sake of avenging Kim Nam-Wun, the 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' .
[Y ou fool ish Con stell ations . . . . . ]
They advanced forward while breaking past the waves of the Outer G.o.ds . They cut down countless packs of tentacles rus.h.i.+ng at them, and faced off against the enormous Statuses emitted by these G.o.ds from the other world .
Stars in the sky fell non-stop .
Lights from the great Nebulas continued to disappear . , , for visiting .
Incomprehensible texts were written on that wall .
That was where Yu Jung-Hyeok met the 'Dokkaebi King' .
[Oh hear ye, the poor, tragic puppet . You have come far too quickly . I'm sorry, but past here 'doesn't exist' yet . ]
Yu Jung-Hyeok couldn't understand what that meant . To figure it out, he threatened the 'Dokkaebi King' . But the d.a.m.n guy didn't reveal its true meaning even as it died .
[You can't complete this universe . ]
It was a gigantic wall that Yu Jung-Hyeok couldn't go past with his power . But he still instinctively understood it .
'Past this wall is where I'll find the answer I've been looking for . '
Unfortunately, his [Breaking the Sky Swordsmans.h.i.+p] that shattered the heavens and destroyed stars failed to break this wall . It was as if this wall didn't possess the nature of 'breaking' in the first place .
Yu Jung-Hyeok despaired .
He came this far while losing everything, yet he couldn't go past this one wall?
[Your 'Conclusion' is guiding you towards a brand new existence . ]
He needed to become stronger .
He needed many more Fables .
He needed the force capable enough to break past this 'Wall' and go beyond it .
[You have become an 'Outer G.o.d' . ]
And that was why Yu Jung-Hyeok had become an Outer G.o.d .
He now could drift along the countless world-lines he had lived through, and eventually, he was no longer 'Yu Jung-Hyeok' .
Other G.o.ds respected him who wandered among the universe of stories, and Dokkaebis from other world-lines feared him .
The Wennys liked him, though . One of the Recorders of Fear even created a t.i.tle for him, too .
- The great schemer who dreams of journeying past the Wall . . . . The 'Secretive Plotter' .
0th regression turn, 1st, 2nd . . . . 1863rd .
He aimlessly floated around all these numerous world-lines and memorised the stories of his life once more .
He had earned many Fables along the way, but his overall power remained the same after paying for the Probability of traversing through different world-lines . However, he got to learn many new pieces of information that he failed to notice when he used to rely on regression only .
Such as, the origin of all of his regressions, his sponsor .
The 'Most Ancient Dream' .
The 'Secretive Plotter' wandered around again and again for the sole purpose of finding this being .
Once, he discovered its traces in , and he also discovered the records of it within as well .
But he couldn't find its actual, real body anywhere .
And that was why the 'Secretive Plotter' became even more convinced . He was sure that the answer to everything was beyond the 'Final Wall' he encountered at the 'Final Scenario' .
Sadly, though, he failed to discover the method to breach that wall even after searching through all of the world-lines .
His hope slowly withered . His will that not even regressing for 1863 times could break was slowly becoming dimmer . He dreamed many times of falling into an endless slumber . If only he really could .
If only he could find . . . . the eternal rest he'd been searching for .
It was at this point that he discovered a single planet s.h.i.+ning so brightly . The 'Secretive Plotter' was quite familiar with it .
The 8612th solar system, Earth . The location where the tragedies of all scenarios began .
However, something was wrong . An unfamiliar sensation wrapped around this world-line stabbed into his memories .
'… . Was there a regression turn like this one?'
And it was here that the 'Secretive Plotter' witnessed an existence he had never encountered before .
… .
… . . . .
… . . . . .
The 'Secretive Plotter' slowly opened his eyes .
He saw the N'Gai's Forest above the cold darkness . His jet-black exhaled air dispersed within the now-chilly air .
It was unknown for how long he was there, but nonetheless, the kkoma Yu Jung-Hyeok number [41] was next to him .
"You had a nightmare . Someone like you who had witnessed the Conclusion still can't escape from dreaming, it seems . "
[[… . Well, I too am nothing more than a mere 'puppet', that's why . ]]
Tsu-chut, chuchuchut . . .
Perhaps as the after-effects of spending an exorbitant amount of Probability, thin layers of sparks danced around the entire figure of the 'Secretive Plotter' .
[41] quietly observed that phenomenon for a while before opening his lips . "I see that the effects from the 1863rd's story changing is rather considerable . "
[[… . Your business here?]]
"All contact from [999] has been cut off . "
The irises of the 'Secretive Plotter' drew in deeper after hearing those words . Dark and deep light flitted in and out of his eyes as if he was reading something, before he opened his lips again .
[[ . . . [999] hasn't died . ]]
"Then, the meaning of his contact being cut off is . . . . "
The 'Secretive Plotter' didn't reply .
[41] spoke with a voice containing a faint trace of rage . "It was a mistake to send him . Send me, instead . [999] is too soft . "
[[He is not as soft as you think . ]] Faint vestiges of a Fable brushed past the eyes of the Secretive Plotter as if he was re-reading the events of the 999th regression turn . [[Even if it was through sheer luck, [999] is the only one besides myself to reach the edge of the 'Conclusion' . Because of his experience, I too was able to witness my 'Conclusion', as well . ]]
That reply prompted [41]'s expression to crumple . "However, he's also the one who willingly gave up on the 'Conclusion' . Think about this . He can mess up our goal . "
[[It doesn't matter . He is also a 'Yu Jung-Hyeok', after all . ]] The Plotter's unfathomable eyes now stared at the skies of the N'Gai's Forest . No one could tell what exactly he was thinking about . [[He too, has the right to pursue the end he wishes to see . ]]
[41] quietly observed the Plotter's eyes before lowering his head slowly .
The 'Secretive Plotter' . Yu Jung-Hyeok who had lived the longest time in all of the universes out there . No one in the could understand the depths of his sorrow .
" . . . . If that's what you want . "
Even if it was another Yu Jung-Hyeok .
*
[Scenario maintenance will conclude in five minutes . ]
[The channel will re-open soon . ]
As the message reverberated throughout the empty air, two Yu Jung-Hyeoks were still standing face to face . [999] was the first one to form a wry grin .
- It seems that you don't know anything . But then again, I guess it's only obvious .
"Don't know anything" – those words really got under Yu Jung-Hyeok's skin . This b.a.s.t.a.r.d or that other one, they were all saying the same d.a.m.n thing .
'Yu Jung-Hyeok who doesn't know anything' .
Just what the h.e.l.l didn't he know?
The blade of the [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword] faintly s.h.i.+fted over to Sun Wukong as if he had managed to swallow back his anger .
- Just spit out what you're plotting here . Why did you come? Is this Sun Wukong one of your collaborators?
[999] glanced at Sun Wukong after hearing that threat, and replied .
- He isn't an Outer G.o.d . We're simply using each other .
- In that case, it'll be fine to kill you both .
[999] then stepped up slightly as if to defend Sun Wukong and spoke .
- If you wish to give up on this regression turn, then go ahead .
- What rubbish are you talking about?
- Complete this 'Journey to the West Remake' with this guy . If you do, I shall teach you a way to defeat the 'Secretive Plotter' .
- Why should I believe . . . .
Almost at the same time, blue sparks danced around [999]'s body .
The [Existence Pledge] .
Yu Jung-Hyeok's eyes trembled from unrest .
- You said that I'll never defeat him even if I regress hundreds of times .
- And I merely meant that you can't defeat him by 'regressing' hundreds of times .
[999] lightly leaped up and landed on the blade of the [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword] . Yu Jung-Hyeok reflexively took a step back, but his mini version approached him regardless .
- You always thought that your life so far has been a living h.e.l.l . Because, you've been dealing with everything all on your own .
A chaotic Fable instantly spread all around . Yu Jung-Hyeok flinched and stared at it .
It was of an eternal nightmare that a certain someone had lived through .
[Fable, 'h.e.l.lscape of Eternity', has begun its storytelling . ]
As if it was reacting to this Fable, the [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword] permeating with s.h.i.+ning light shuddered greatly .
Yu Jung-Hyeok who experienced the 999th regression turn spoke again .
- How many such h.e.l.ls do you think exist in this world?
Fin .