Episode 15 – A Kingless World (2)
There was the sound of thunder in the sky and it started to rain. Light rose from the Absolute Throne to touch the sky. Thick rain clouds swirled around this light. It was a sign of the fifth scenario, the Great Hall.
The intermediate dokkaebi opened his mouth amidst the rain.
[...What did you say just now?]
“The throne, I won’t accept it.”
[I don’t know why you’re doing such a thing. Don’t you think it will benefit you to gain more coins at this time? Didn’t you just use a lot of coins? You should be rewarded. If you don’t have the power of the Absolute Throne, the Seoul Dome will never survive the fifth scenario.]
The people in Gwanghwamun screamed at me once they heard the dokkaebi’s words.
“What? What are you thinking?”
“Don’t be stupid and sit down quickly!”
“Damn, I will sit...!”
The dokkaebi kept talking like he thought it was going his own way.
[That throne can give you what you want. Just sitting on the throne will build up your ‘narrative’ and the sponsor you have contracted with will rise. Don’t you know what this means?]
In fact, I could hear the outcry of the constellations in my ears.
[The constellation ‘Adventurer who Stands Up an Egg’ wants to be your sponsor.]
[The constellation ‘Seo Ae Il Pil’ wants to be your sponsor.]
[500 coins have been sponsored.]
The intermediate dokkaebi continued to speak in a cold voice.
[I will warn you in advance. I’m not like the low level dokkaebis. Don’t think that flimsy tricks will work on me.]
I looked at the Absolute Throne. As the dokkaebi said, the fifth scenario would be difficult to clear without the Absolute Throne.
However, I knew what the dokkaebi wasn’t saying. If I used this ‘Absolute Throne’ once, I would never be able to reach the end of the scenarios. In the original work, Yoo Jonghyuk noticed this only at the 14th regression.
The ‘Absolute Throne’ was such an item.
“Why aren’t you becoming king?”
An agitated person appeared among the crowd. The man breathed out and spat at me like I insulted him.
I turned towards the man. “That is what I want to ask. Why do you want me to become king?”
“What will you do if I kill you after you become king?”
The lips of the man stiffened for a moment. I continued watching the people around us. “All of you are the same. Have you already forgotten? We originally didn’t live in a kingdom. Why are you acting like citizens of a kingdom?”
Why didn’t I want to be king? It was simple.
“I don’t want to be the king of ugly humans like you.” I looked up at the sky while speaking. “In addition, I don’t want ugly constellations like you to be my sponsor.”
Then I looked at the throne.
“Thus, I will never sit on the Absolute Throne. But.” I pulled out my blade. “I won’t allow other people to sit on the throne.”
Once someone sat down, it meant that no one else could sit. The intermediate dokkaebi’s cold eyes flashed.
[You should be careful. I’m not that patient...]
I continued to speak as I stared at the dokkaebi.
“How long will you continue to be drawn helplessly into the dokkaebi’s scenarios? Does anyone know what it means to sit on the Absolute Throne?”
I knew how much the people who were once ‘obedient’ would pay to leave this obedience.
“The constellations of the Korean peninsula. It is the same for you. I know that not all constellations are the same. Some constellations are low and some are high.”
There was an invisible rank among constellations.
Just as some constellations watched the incarnations, other constellations watched the constellations. To be precise, the low constellations were the ones being watched.
“But is it enough now? How long will you turn this land into a playground for unhappy guests?”
[The constellation ‘One-eyed Maitreya’ is immersed.]
“Working up to build up history to become a constellation and then building up narratives to become narrative-grade constellations... then what? The higher the sky, the brighter the star? How long will you continue using the descendants of this land for your own sake?”
[The constellation ‘Lady of the Brocade Sleep’ is silent.]
At this moment, the intermediate dokkaebi acted.
[I can’t stand it any longer.]
A system message arrived at the same time.
[A new sub scenario has arrived!]
[Sub Scenario – Forced Succession]
Clear Conditions: Suppress the incarnation ‘Kim Dokja’, who doesn’t want to sit on the throne and place him on the throne.
Time Limit: 30 minutes
Compensation: 6,000 coins
Yes, I thought it would turn out .
The people who had been shaken by my words were now approaching.
In the end, it was just like the dokkaebi said. The people present and me as well. No matter what I said, they would sell their conscience for a few coins.
Of course, this didn’t apply to everyone.
“Pass me if you can.” A woman appeared in front of me. People faltered at her growled out words. It was Jung Heewon.
“No matter what the world is like, there is something you shouldn’t forget.” Yoo Sangah suddenly approached. Lee Gilyoung was standing behind me with a hammer like he had been waiting. Jung Minseob and Lee Sungkook also came forward.
“...Sometimes, Representative-nim is more like the protagonist than Yoo Jonghyuk.”
“Yoo Jonghyuk isn’t this crazy...”
There were also surprising people.
“Just this once, I will help you.”
“Your words are convincing.”
They were King of Beauty Min Jiwon and Maitreya King Cha Sangkyung. I didn’t know which of my words had moved their hearts. However, it was clear that something had changed. Even so, it was only a handful.
[You are playing well... what are all of you doing? Pull him down now!]
People started running towards the throne. Jung Heewon pushed through the people around me and asked, “Dokja-ssi, do you have an idea?”
“Buy me some time. I have to destroy this throne.”
The length of the new scenario was contained in this throne. I pulled out a sword causing someone to cry out.
“The Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword!”
The S+ grade Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword.
However, it was an item that could be changed into a star relic if certain conditions were satisfied. It was because the Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword was an item made with the soul of a constellation.
[Ganpyeongui’s special option ‘Echo of the Stars’ has been activated.]
[‘Echo of the Stars’ allows you to ask for the help of a constellation.]
“I’ll call a constellation.”
[The great constellations hear your voice flowing through the stars.]
I called out to the constellations like I had memorized a spell.
“I want the first star of the Big Dipper.”
The Greedy Wolf star (Dubhe).
“I want the second star of the Big Dipper.”
The Great Gate star (Merak).
“I want the third star of the Big Dipper.”
The Blessing star (Phecda).
“I want the fourth star of the Big Dipper.”
The Literate Turn star (Megrez).
“I want the fifth star of the Big Dipper.”
The Clean and Pure star (Alioth).
“I want the sixth star of the Big Dipper.”
The Military Turn star (Mizar).
[The star navigation has begun.]
[The six constellations are looking at you.]
The thousands of constellations disappeared and my mind became heavy like a crowded subway. I felt dizzy while blood flowed from my nose and ears. It was hard to even think. My brain became overloaded the moment I contacted six constellations at the same time. The Great Bear stars started talking.
[What are you thinking?]
[You called all of us.]
[Your mind will be completely destroyed.]
[Why don’t you go the easy path...]
[Instead of the thorny path?]
However, I didn’t stop. Yes, one more constellation needed to be called if I wanted to use the Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword. But there were no constellations left on the Sky Disc.
[You have exhausted the number of times that Ganpyeongui can be used.]
I pulled out the Dragon Jar that I got from the Tyrant King and dissolved something in it.
The 7 person dungeon, the dissolving jar. I put two items in the jar.
“I will sacrifice the S-grade Three Ring Loop and the S-grade Ganpyeongui to call one more constellation.”
[The ‘Dissolve’ power of the Dragon Jar has shown its strength.]
[The S-grade Three Ring Loop has disappeared as a sacrifice.]
[The S-grade Ganpyeongui has one more use.]
I once again used Ganpyeongui and called one last constellation.
“I want the seventh star of the Big Dipper.”
The Broken Army star (Alkaid).
Seven stars filled the air. The seven stars that made up the Big Dipper were all gathered. At the same time, the seven stars spoke to me.
[What do you want from us?]
“I want to cut off the signs of the constellations. Lend me your sword.”
[...Do you know what this means?]
I did this despite being well aware of the risk.
The final reward of the fourth scenario was the Absolute Throne.
The throne was an item that borrowed the power of a ‘god of the world.’
It would be very convenient if I got the throne. I would be able to put restrictions on Yoo Jonghyuk and the enemies threatening me would disappear.
But Seoul would surely be eliminated. It would be a complete destruction without any salvation or miracles.
It was the price to be paid for borrowing the power of the throne. In order to obtain the ending I wanted, no one could take this throne.
[Even the heavenly constellations are afraid of the founder of the throne.]
[But you, a human, wants to challenge the owner of this thing?]
“I can do it with your help. And I’m not fighting against the owner. I just want to cut the connection between the owner and this thing.”
[It is likely that you can’t afford it.]
“It is something that I’ve decided. Then I will start now.”
The seven stars were silent. Some time passed. The Big Dipper shone brightly and their signs were engraved onto the sword.
[I shall respect your will.]
[Even if you die here.]
[We will remember you.]
A dazzling light wrapped around the Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword and it started to burn with bright flames.
[The S+ grade Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword has evolved into the star relic ‘Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword.’]
The star relic Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword was originally a ceremonial sword. It was a sword to cut off evil energy and prevent disasters.
I swung the sword towards the Absolute Throne. There was a loud sound and fire flared.
The Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword was one of the few items that could break the link that a constellation had to a star relic.
There was a tearing sound in the air.
As if it started to notice something, an ominous black light floated above the Absolute Throne. I swung it a few more times and the Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword started to collapse. Now I had to believe in the Big Dipper stars. Yoo Sangah cried out, “Dokja-ssi! Quickly!”
I wielded the sword like a madman. I ignored the breaking blade and continued to hit the throne. Sparks flashed and the blade broke.
[The constellation linked to the star relic ‘Absolute Throne’ has disappeared.]
[The ‘Unknown God’ has noticed a change in this world.]
The Absolute Throne became an ordinary chair and lost its light. The intermediate dokkaebi’s angry voice was heard.
[You lowlifes can’t grasp who you are dealing with...!]
[The sub scenario has ended.]
People stopped moving. The scenario was over so they didn’t have to continue. The Big Dipper stars told me.
[Incarnation, prepare for the flooding of possibilities.]
As soon as I heard the voice, blood poured from my mouth.
It felt like something was pulling at my presence. An enormous power that seemed to tear at my flesh surrounded me. I struggled to regain my mind. It was going to be okay.
The ‘possibility’ would become ‘plausibility’. I tried my best to make everything plausible. Thus, I could overcome this.
I barely held onto consciousness. Then a star in the distant night sky shone quietly.
[The constellation ‘Maritime War God’ is looking at you.]
It was a calm, lonely but gentle gaze.
[The constellation ‘Bald General of Justice’ is looking at you.]
[The constellation ‘Last Hero of Hwangsanbeol’ is looking at you.]
[The constellation ‘Lady of the Brocade Sleep’ is looking at you.]
The intermediate dokkaebi called out when he saw the messages from the constellations.
Every time a star was added, my pain diminished a little bit. I realized that the constellations were sharing the ‘probabilities’ that I had to bear. The ‘story that isn’t plausible’ became a ‘plausible story’ with the consent of many stars. Numerous stars were wrapping me in their light. The Big Dippers also lent me their strength.
[Is this the story that you wanted to show?]
I wanted to answer but I didn’t have the power.
[We will watch you, king of the world without kings.]
The chaotic Seoul night sky. I looked at the stars that sent me light.
[The constellation ‘King Heungmu the Great’ is looking at you.]
[The constellation ‘One-eyed Maitreya’ is looking at you.]
All the upper-grade constellations of Seoul were shining towards me. There were many stars. Still, it wasn’t enough to overturn the dark night sky.
I looked up at the turbulent clouds that filled the Great Hall.
[The fourth scenario is forcibly ended.]
[There was an unscheduled incident so it will take time to settle the scenario.]
I wiped the blood pouring from my nose and the intermediate dokkaebi approached.
[You have made the worst choice. You will regret what you did today for the rest of your life. I will make sure of it.]
I laughed as my vision blurred. The dokkaebi’s words meant that I won the game.
[You have accomplished a non-existence achievement.]
[Your new narrative is created.]
[The narrative ‘King of a World without a King’ has been born.]
[You have obtained the possibility of a stigma.]
I didn’t have a next ‘regression.’ I would reach the end of the story in this world.