Jeong Hui-Won bit her lip as she listened to the voice coming out of the panel in the air. She wanted to be there as well. She wanted to fight alongside her companions.

"....Hyeon-Seong-ssi."

However, she couldn't go because of the man lying in slumber on the hospital bed. It was Yi Hyeon-Seong, currently covered from head to toe in steel, with no signs of a heartbeat.

He hadn't recovered from the damage he suffered during the 'Great War of Saints and Demons'.

The mirror next to the bed reflected Jeong Hui-Won's hair, now half-covered in a silver colour. Another after-effect from the aforementioned Great War.

- You take a breather for a bit. I don't have any roles to give you, anyway.

She understood very well that this was Han Su-Yeong's, and her companions', way of showing their concern towards her.

She had been inflicted with simply too heavy a wound. Both her body and mind were in a mess. She failed to rescue Kim Dok-Ja again, and the man trying to protect her had fallen into a coma. That was how the sharpest blade in the had lost her edge.

Her [Sword of Judgement] resting against a corner of the bed trembled noticeably.

This weapon would vibrate only when 'evil' was nearby. A weapon that Kim Dok-Ja had gifted her. Its tip was pointing straight at the display panel. Perhaps it also knew that the place she should be right now wasn't here.

Jeong Hui-Won cautiously reached out and as if to pacify the blade, embraced its hilt.

[Constellation, 'Demon-like Judge of Fire', is looking at her Incarnation with a helpless expression.]

As a result of the Great War of Saints and Demons, both and the Demon World had collapsed. Countless Archangels and Demon Kings died, and the 'justice' Jeong Hui-Won believed in couldn't be found there.

Even then, she had to wield this sword.

It was then that she felt a subtle movement on the bed.

"Hyeon-Seong-ssi!"

How long ago did it happen? Yi Hyeon-Seong had opened his eyes and was staring at the display panel. His lips bobbed up and down, trying to say something.

"….Excuse me?"

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She pressed her head closer, but still couldn't hear his voice. His lips moved slowly. She began recognising the shapes of his lips.

Can't.

Lose.

Again.

Her fists clenched tightly once more. Her fury began rising up. Why was he being like this? Even when his body had ended up in this state.

Jeong Hui-Won couldn't suppress her emotions any longer and was about to grasp his hand, but then, his entire body suddenly began transforming.

He emitted blinding rays of silvery light, before shrinking down and becoming a single sword.

"What is this....?!"

She was so stunned that she inadvertently let go of this new version of Yi Hyeon-Seong.

Now lying on the bed, the blade Yi Hyeon-Seong began sobbing. As if that was the only thing he could right now.

She vacantly fell on her b.u.t.t, lowered her head and muttered softly. "Just what are you trying to....."

It was then when the hospital room's door flung open.

She looked back to find Han Su-Yeong there, even though she should've been working as the 'Scenario Master'.

"Jeong Hui-Won."

The moment she heard that voice, Jeong Hui-Won's heart began beating even faster.

And just like her, the sword of steel shuddered on top of the bed. She knew very well what the heart of that weapon was thinking about.

Everyone had their own ways of enduring against the world.

She slowly reached out to the Steelsword and while tightly grasping its hilt, raised her voice. "You have a role available for me, yes?"

*

As the Great Dokkaebi's voice resounded out, a new scenario window popped up in the air.

[Linked Main Scenario is starting!]

+

Type: Main

Difficulty: Indeterminable

Clear condition: Break past the horde of Yogoes and acquire the ⸢Sacred Texts⸥ on the other side of the Tongtian River.

Time limit: 2 hours

Reward: Great Fable related to the 'Journey to the West', 5,000,000 Coins, ???

Failure: -

* The applicable scenario contains a hidden 'piece'.

+

Almost at the same time, the water level of the Tongtian River swelled up rapidly. Walls of water rushed in like tsunami waves and instantly filled up the surroundings.

Right afterwards, the screeches and howls of the Yogoes blanketed the sky.

[KillthemKillthemKillthemKillthemKillthem]

[AhAhAhAhAhAhAh]

The horde boasted far greater numbers than the Yogoes following us currently.

[Current shares of 'Outer G.o.d' for the applicable scenario is 15.872%.]

The remaining 'Outer G.o.d' shares to fulfil the agreement with the Wenny King were 14.128%.

Meaning, I had to reach the rest of the amount during this event.

[WuWuWuWuWu.....]

I looked back to see the Yogoes making up the 'Pilgrimage' with us were howling out towards the sky.

[Well, then, I shall be antic.i.p.ating a wonderful finale to this scenario.]

The Great Dokkaebi vanished, and as more pillars of light descended, the 'protagonists' from other Journey to the West began making their entrance.

"Let's go!"

"The sacred texts are ours!"

The crowd from all the consolidated Fable chambers were scything past the Tongtian's waters to advance forward.

"I'm the real Sun Wukong!"

Some rode on the Somersault Cloud, while others resorted to magic spells to fly over the river's tumbling water. It seemed that they were planning to cross this river by gliding over it.

Unfortunately, that was a really bad decision to make, if my knowledge on the 'Journey to the West' was correct.

[All skills and Stigmas related to 'Flight' are restricted from use in the applicable scenario.]

Powerful sparks danced in the sky and everyone flying in the air crashed into the river below along with their screams.

"What's the meaning of this?!"

After falling into the river water, the members of other Fable chambers began shouting in anger at the Great Dokkaebi up in the air. However, it simply shrugged its shoulders nonchalantly.

I looked at this spectacle and spoke up. "This journey wouldn't have any meaning to it if we were allowed to fly from the beginning."

Yu Jung-Hyeok next to me muttered out as if he was chewing on his words. "....Everything happening here is also destined to become a Fable, is it."

"That's correct."

In the end, the 'Journey to the West' was a story of travelling on a tough road in great adversity.

Even if you were travelling on the same road, choosing how to travel changed the story greatly. Traversing the distance that could be bridged in one day by riding on the Somersault Cloud, for over 14 years while surviving and enduring against all sorts of trials and tribulations – because such a 'Fable' existed, the sacred texts at the end of the journey now had meaning to its existence, too.

(And so, the final hurdle to this very story was waiting for the travelling group.)

Yi Gil-Yeong heard the narration and softly grumbled to himself. "....I'm not very good at swimming, though."

The Tongtian River was truly wide.

Since not everyone could ride on the back of Tang Sanzang's White Dragon Horse, we had to swim across the river to get to the other side.

For sure, several teams had already jumped into the water and started swimming vigorously. It was unknown where those things had been acquired, but well, some teams were busy paddling their boats forward, while some others were riding on logs, propelling themselves forward by using wind magic.

Yi Ji-Hye watched that unfolding spectacle and lightly slapped the boy's shoulder before stepping forward. "Hey, don't worry about it. We aren't going to do that."

Along with her confident voice, a new message came from the sky above.

[An audience member is revealing himself.]

[Constellation, 'Maritime War G.o.d', is nodding his head.]

….I had completely forgotten about him.

"Come, Geobukseon!"

[Great Fable, 'Next City', has begun its storytelling!]

Yi Ji-Hye raised her Twin Dragon Sword up high into the sky.

The river water before us parted in the middle and the hull of a ma.s.sive battles.h.i.+p rose up to the surface accompanied by a magnificent light show.

Several Incarnations getting swept up by the waves screamed out.

"What the h.e.l.l?! What's this??"

The battles.h.i.+p sporting a turtle-like back and the head of a dragon – the [Turtle Dragon]. The Star Relic Yi Ji-Hye and the kids earned by clearing the 'Next City' scenario revealed itself before our very eyes.

However, I couldn't help but wonder if it was okay for us to ride that. Because in the 'Journey to the West'.....

[Star Relic, 'Turtle Dragon', corresponds with the ⸢Journey to the West Remake⸥!]

(As the group fell into danger and struggled to move forward, a gigantic white turtle Yogoe appeared to give them a ride.)

[A portion of judges are satisfied by the minutely-detailed reflection of the original story.]

[20 additional points have been awarded!]

….To think that such an event happened in the 'Journey to the West'. What an excellent development that was.

We quickly climbed aboard the battles.h.i.+p.

"Set sail!"

Along with Yi Ji-Hye's loud yell, the battles.h.i.+p rapidly advanced forward while splitting the river water.

The teams crossing the water before us all looked at the battles.h.i.+p with dazed, forlorn faces. Although unfortunate, we didn't have the leeway to worry about them at the moment.

"Uhm.... Unni, please do your best not to harm the Yogoes."

"Don't worry."

I couldn't tell where she learned to drive, but well, Yi Ji-Hye utilised her preternatural driving skill to evade the horde of Yogoes rus.h.i.+ng at us. Not only that, the Yogoes trying to attack us with animosity flinched and stopped after spotting all the other Yogoes riding on our s.h.i.+p.

[Who ar e y ou gu ys?]

A portion of the Yogoes that joined the 'Pilgrimage' were hanging on the battles.h.i.+p, while the rest was crossing the river right behind the vessel.

Perhaps these creatures interfered with their own journeys, the Sun Wukongs from other Fable chambers began wielding their Ruyi Bangs.

"Those sons of b.i.t.c.hes...!"

The enraged Yi Ji-Hye clenched her fists tightly, but it was not possible to save everyone. The deaths of Yogoes were unfolding all over the Tongtian River, after all.

[Gu-waaaaahk!]

The members of other Fable chambers advanced forward while slaughtering Yogoes blocking their paths. Yogoe's flesh and blood rained down from everywhere.

[A high number of audience members are cheering on this spectacle of slaughter!]

Yogoes continued to die. The monsters that didn't earn their meanings because they failed to create their Fables. They were sacrifices offered up to complete this 'Journey to the West'.

The novel, 'Journey to the West'. A lengthy journey for the goal of transcending one's humanity.

To let the audience watching the Fable reach enlightenment of their own, Yogoes had to be buried under this Tongtian River's waters.

"Kill them! Kill them all!"

These protagonists of the 'Journey to the West' supposedly walking on the road of enlightenment used the dead Yogoes as their bridge and tried to cross the Tongtian River. Innumerable Yogoes became their footholds, and those unfortunate protagonists from some Fable chambers who got killed off also became another foothold for someone else.

Sadly, no one would remember the names of the footholds.

[Our st ories are]

[I wa nted to con ti nue but]

If only they could live.

And if only they could become the main characters of this 'Great Fable'...

"Myeong-Oh ahjussi, just stay still, will ya! I'm telling you, it's safe here."

"Safe, my a.s.s! You think I'll fall for that again?!"

[Stigma, 'One-legged Swift Horse Lv.???' is ready to activate.]

Whether one's leg was cut off or its arm was lost.... That creature would be remembered by this world.

[7133rd Fable chamber's entire roster has been annihilated.]

[487th Fable chamber's entire roster has been annihilated.]

With every pa.s.sing second, the number of Fable chambers being ejected continued to increase. And as if to proportionally match that figure, the number of Yogoes cras.h.i.+ng down also increased exponentially.

[AhAhAhAhAhAh]

[SavemSavemSavemeSavemeSaveme]

[Currently, shares of 'Outer G.o.d' for the applicable scenario is 15.773%.]

The 'Outer G.o.d' shares that I worked so hard to increase began dropping little by little. Even though so many Yogoes still remained....

[Currently, shares of 'Outer G.o.d' for the applicable scenario is 14.973%.]

And then, the shares began tumbling down at an alarming rate next.

[Currently, shares of 'Outer G.o.d' for the applicable scenario is 14.473%.]

But then again, maybe it was an obvious result.

Because they were villains to be defeated in this world, not its main characters.

[AhAhAhAhAhAhAh]

Perhaps he noticed the direction of my gaze, Yu Jung-Hyeok suddenly began talking to me. "....Surely, you fool must've realised this. You can't save everyone."

Those words hurt especially more so because they came from Yu Jung-Hyeok himself.

"Like what you said earlier, it's because this is a 'Fable'."

His eyes were now looking at the dead Yogoes beneath the surface of the water.

Because this was a Fable, not everyone could be saved. I knew exactly what those words meant.

"Not everything in this world can become its protagonist."