Chapter 714

Of course. Here is the paraphrased chapter:

As my sight began to dim, I understood his intention.

「 The Demon King of Salvation is going to offer himself up. 」

The circumstances were hopeless. The Washington Dome was surrounded by great-grade constellations, and we had no allies among the stars to call upon.

To add to our misery, he had been judged by [fate].

Faced with certain death no matter what he chose, Kim Dokja had made a choice.

This barrier could only be passed through his sacrifice.

‘Stop!’

But I couldn’t allow that.

This was my [fate]. It was my burden to carry.

‘Stop!’

There was no justification for the Demon King of Salvation to take it upon himself.

‘Kim Dokja!’

—You are not prepared to face them yet.

I sensed someone holding me up.

I turned my head and saw Christina Page.

Just as I was about to thank her, I met her gaze and saw a flicker of remorse. Her fingers moved with a sinister and foreboding motion.

Everything went black.

Christina Page.

The closest aide to Anna Croft and the leader of ‘Zarathustra’.

She was an FBI expert in forensic hypnosis, known in ‘Ways of Survival’ as the ‘Finger Snapper’.

Before her spirit came to inhabit this character, Olivia had been playing a TRPG with her friends.

‘Kevin, Jim, Amelia.’

Olivia thought of them.

She had friends who were deeply into niche hobbies.

Kevin would only read webtoons that had ‘SSS’ in their titles.

Jim was passionate about martial arts novels.

Amelia adored virtual idols.

‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’ was a Korean web novel that Kevin had introduced.

—Guys, how are we supposed to survive if we get pulled into this story?

—Oh, Kevin. Here we go again.

—It’s set in Korea. I think we’d be at a disadvantage.

—No, America is part of it too.

—Kevin, but this novel’s title doesn’t have ‘SSS’ in it?

—You’ll see the SSS if you keep reading. Olivia, can you email the author? You mentioned you have a Korean friend. Let’s try to get this novel’s world added to our next game.

What if she had ignored Kevin that day?

If she had never sent that email to the author, none of this would have occurred.

‘Oh my God.’

Her survival was nothing but sheer luck.

It turned out the person she had possessed was ‘Christina Page’.

Having always enjoyed TRPGs, stepping into the role of ‘Christina Page’ wasn’t hard. She was thankful the part was not overly complex.

For a time, while playing ‘Christina Page’, Olivia could forget her true identity.

—Demon King of Salvation.

She could forget about Kevin, forget herself, forget Amelia, and forget her friends who were gone.

—Can you truly save my friends?

A message from the ‘Demon King of Salvation’, sent via the exclusive skill, [Nightmare].

—Yes.

That was what the Demon King of Salvation said.

If she agreed to his request, he would undoubtedly save her deceased friends.

And his condition was—

[Exclusive skill ‘Daily Invoice Lv.5’ is activated!]

Christina quickly moved to support Cheon Inho, who had collapsed in front of her.

She was alarmed to see Anna Croft staggering in the distance.

«Christina! What are you doing?»

«It is the command of the Demon King of Salvation.»

«Excuse me?»

«He instructed me to place a [Daily Invoice] on his incarnation.»

«What on earth is the point of—»

She did not understand why the Demon King of Salvation had asked for this.

«It makes no difference. This individual can bypass my [daily invoice] and control his incarnation.»

She didn’t know, but she assumed they intended to use the [Daily Invoice] in their battle.

The odd part was why he contacted her directly through [Nightmare] instead of using his incarnation.

«Then why isn’t Cheon Inho waking up? He awoke immediately last time.»

«I’m aware of that too—»

At that moment, a brilliant column of light erupted from the Capitol.

This was the zone where the ‘sub-scenario’ had taken place earlier.

The place where the fake ‘Demon King of Salvation’ and the ‘black beast’ had emerged.

However, the false Demon King had been defeated, and Yoo Jonghyuk, who had become the Black Beast, was also unconscious.

The scenario was over.

So why were sparks flying around the Capitol once more?

«Christina. The cost is not right.»

Dark clouds gathered in the sky, shrouding the Capitol.

A bolt of pure black lightning fell from the ominous clouds.

[The ‘Demon King of Salvation’ has been resurrected within the scenario.]

The demon king, believed to be dead, had appeared in Washington.

The ‘Dark Keeper’, embraced by a warm void, pondered.

「 I. 」

A question he had asked for an eternity.

「 Who am I? 」

That lunar gate was his only clue. The answer he could not find, even after expending all he had.

In his search for it, the ‘Dark Keeper’ made a contract with the dokkaebi and became a component of the scenario.

Yet,

「 I was not the Demon King of Salvation. 」

He never discovered the answer he sought.

Perhaps there was no precise answer to be found.

The stars ignored him and the narrative discarded him.

He was merely a character without a name.

Or a monster that never even became a character. A disposable item meant to highlight the main character.

「 That is acceptable. 」

He was long aware that this world was a playground for constellations. Even if it was just a sandcastle, built briefly on that playground only to fall, he wished to have his own name.

He yearned to be a legitimate part of the playground.

He desired to be the ‘Demon King of Salvation’.

—Do you truly wish to become the ‘Demon King of Salvation’?

The ‘Dark Keeper’ looked up blankly at the Demon King of Salvation.

—No matter the price?

He wanted a name.

He wanted a true role, to die after fulfilling it.

The ‘Dark Keeper’ nodded with all his being.

He would be content with even a single sentence, if only a story was given to him.

—Then we shall attempt it.

He longed to inscribe that story.

[The story ‘Demon King of Salvation’ begins its storytelling.]

A cold snowfall enveloped him.

「 I. 」

The dark sentinel soon merged with a distant eternity.

「 We are the Demon King of salvation. 」

His ravaged body was once again filled with probability and saturated with the story of the constellation.

Tsutsutsutsu!

Amidst a storm of wild sparks, Kim Dokja, the ‘Demon King of Salvation’, opened his eyes.

A slight tilt of his head produced a grinding sound as his body screamed in protest.

A demonic form, littered with the evidence of being shredded by Yoo Jonghyuk.

Even though no part of him was whole, the crucial thing was that the plan had worked.

[The constellations of <Asgard> are stunned!]

A plan that succeeded against all odds.

This could never have been achieved without several probabilities interlocking perfectly like gears.

A massive nebula had declared [fate].

That [fate] had been bestowed upon him, a narrative-grade constellation, instead of an incarnation.

Probability ran rampant due to a miscalculation within the distorted [fate].

Under the guise of extra probability, he was granted the right to transfer to a new body.

Most importantly, the plan would have failed without the aid of the demon ‘Dark Keeper’ who had impersonated the ‘Demon King of Salvation’.

[The incarnation body grows still with your story.]

[The synchronization rate between you and the incarnation body is rising.]

This would likely be his final story.

«It’s him! He’s there!»

Incarnations who sensed his presence began to swarm toward him.

The great constellations from the giant nebula that had been pursuing Lee Hakhyun moments before.

«W-what is that—»

«Why does he have a body that isn’t his own incarnation…»

«Was he trying to protect the incarnation all along?»

The constellations stared at one another in disbelief.

Someone spoke with a sneer.

«They say he’s a fragment of a forsaken god, but he is unbelievably foolish.»

Foolish.

That was accurate.

[The constellations of the nebula <Ghost> shake their heads at your foolishness.]

[The constellations of the nebula <Guardian Tree> are saddened by your choice.]

[The constellations of the nebula <Olympus> mock your judgment.]

The resurrected demon’s body groaned. Though called a resurrection, the body was already deceased. An incarnation that would last ten minutes at most.

From a distance, the ‘Gatekeeper of Thebes’ shouted loudly.

«You are finally cornered, Demon King of Salvation! There is no escape now!»

Acting as if victory was already his, the ‘Gatekeeper of Thebes’ strode forward boastfully.

«You cannot imagine the effort I expended to capture you. I persuaded the nebulae one by one…»

Now that [fate] had been declared, evading death would be nearly impossible.

The situation might have been slightly better if he possessed a story like ‘I, the Opponent of Fate’, or Cheok Junkyung’s ‘The One Who Fights Against Fate’ from the 1,865th round of <Kim Dokja Company>.

But he had no such story.

There were many stories he lacked today.

「 Perhaps the youngest will discover them all. 」

The youngest was an odd one.

Among the ‘Kim Dokjas’ he knew, he was the sole one who could write.

He had been curious at first.

He wondered what stories the guy who possessed this minor villain would tell.

The one who clumsily imitated ‘Kim Dokja’ was endearing, and he felt a tinge of pride for the guy who handled the things ‘Kim Dokja’ did not.

Sometimes, it was so aggravating he wanted to speak up.

Still, it was enjoyable to watch that guy’s story unfold.

「 But he is the youngest. 」

Perhaps that was why he was here now.

「 This damned world will not read the story you wrote. 」

The ‘Gatekeeper of Thebes’, who had been talking for some time, frowned.

«…Are you even listening to me?»

The Demon King of Salvation glanced at him and laughed.

Among the stories of the ‘Gatekeeper of Thebes’ was the ‘final cubic crystal’.

A tale that compelled one to confess their deepest desires at the final moment in exchange for elevating one’s status.

«Uh, continue.»

While the ‘Gatekeeper of Thebes’ spoke, the Demon King of Salvation searched through the coat the demon servant wore.

He found a pack of cigarettes inside.

As he pulled one out, the memory of someone who enjoyed smoking came to him.

Who was it?

Memories scattered like smoke. The place where the memories vanished ached. That pain immediately confirmed that he was Kim Dokja.

The ‘Gatekeeper of Thebes’, finally regaining his composure, flushed and yelled.

«Kill him! Retrieve the fragment!»

Incarnations charged at him.

The Demon King of Salvation spoke, discarding the cigarette.

«Youngest, let me borrow a weapon.»

A silver light flew from an unknown origin and settled into the right hand of the Demon King of Salvation.

[The tale ‘The One Who is Loved by All Things’ begins its storytelling.]

[The item ‘Thoughts of Almost Everything’ resonates with your story.]

In a brilliant flash of light, one of the leading incarnations was cleaved in two.

«Kaaaaaaak!»

‘Thoughts’ took the form of ‘Broken Faith’.

‘I activate ‘Blade of Faith’.

«How can you still—»

The constellations fell back in fear.

The power to kill the incarnation of a great constellation with heightened synchronization.

The ‘Gatekeeper of Thebes’, his eyes wide with shock, screamed.

«It’s a fluke! Keep advancing! He is at his limit!»

The hesitant constellations surged forward again.

The Demon King of Salvation swung his sword without mercy. Severing arms, cutting legs, slitting throats.

With each action, the wounds on the demon’s body also multiplied.

「 This world is an undeniable tragedy. 」

He yanked an arrow from his shoulder and kicked aside a spear that scraped his thigh.

「 A world created to inflict suffering upon Yoo Jonghyuk. 」

As he deflected a blade aimed at his side, agony erupted in his back. The demon’s torn wings fluttered to the ground.

「 A story scarred by significant and minor failures and unending despair. This world was the fate given to Yoo Jonghyuk. 」

The moment the torn wing hit the ground, lightning once again struck from the heavens.

「 Therefore, anyone who attempts to share that burden will inevitably be cursed. 」

The curtain of the void fluttered as another star fell into the shining white night sky.

[A great fate is wishing for your death.]

He is the Demon King of Salvation, who cannot experience emotions.

Yet, in this moment, he was also Kim Dokja. Perhaps it was because he had met the youngest.

«Okay. You’re fighting too?»

Yoo Jonghyuk could not answer.

Just as the words on a monitor never respond.

Some communication never happens. And where communication is impossible, there remains only a story.

「 The Demon King of Salvation exists to read that story. 」

The Demon King of Salvation smiled like a prisoner accepting his rightful punishment.