Chapter 716

Smoke curled and dissipated into the air.

From a distance, the war god Ares scowled as he spoke.

“Accepting gifts from demons? You truly are an unholy wretch.”

“I don’t smoke either. However…”

Memories returned gradually as the cigarette fell.

“There was someone who adored this.”

[The ‘Kim Dokja Fragment’ resonates with your emotions.]

As the memories slowly seeped in, the Demon King of Salvation recalled a face from the past. A girl who had a particular fondness for smoking.

That ‘Kim Dokja’, who had spent the last of his life to save a single person—

「 The Demon King of Salvation gazed down at his incarnation body, which was slowly fracturing. 」

Was this what Han Sooyoung felt in the 1,863rd turn?

Did she endure this sensation every single time she used [Avatar]?

“Youngest.”

Remembering others was not his role. The second one handled that far better than he ever could.

But ever since meeting the youngest, old memories had started rushing back to him incessantly. He was brimming with ancient tales, as if pleading not to be forgotten.

[Old tales begin to recount a story to you.]

The Demon King of Salvation slowly turned, as if reviewing the course of his own life. The history he had lived was shattered, and finding the right path back to it was difficult.

Yet, this place had its own history.

In the distance, Anna Croft and Christina Page were speaking toward the sky, carrying Cheon Inho on their backs.

They seemed to be negotiating the terms of a ‘star ladder’ with some entity.

[The story fragment ‘The right arm of a poor sword master’ reacts to your presence.]

His right arm twitched, and a faint story fragment reached him.

‘The right arm of the sword master who was betrayed and stabbed by a comrade’.

The Demon King of Salvation remembered the fragments of that story. When he first obtained it, his incarnation body had been in ruins, much like it was now.

[The story fragment ‘The right arm of a poor sword master’ senses your yearning.]

Yes, you remember as well.

“The tale of a sword master? You possess a worthless story.”

Ares’s brow furrowed slightly as he observed the Demon King of Salvation from afar.

“You still haven’t subdued him, Gatekeeper of Thebes!”

“We will kill you now! Everyone, attack!”

Energized by the command of the narrative-grade constellations, the great-grade constellations shouted and charged once more.

The Demon King of Salvation evaded the onslaught with minimal motion. Each slight turn of his head or shift of his body left a trail of blood in the air.

[Your incarnation body will vanish in 5 minutes.]

The ‘Dark Keeper’s’ form began to tremble, as if nervous.

The Demon King of Salvation spoke, as if to offer reassurance.

“Do not worry. I can kill them all.”

“I still find this incomprehensible—”

[The story fragment ‘The right arm of a poor sword master’ begins its narration.]

This fragment was a story the Demon King of Salvation had discovered on the ‘Scenario Horizon’.

A tale abandoned because no one had written it.

Discarded waste from the scenario.

Ares was looking thirty steps ahead.

“It’s just this story—!”

The incarnation of the great-grade constellation who yelled that was cleaved in two. The shocked incarnations of the other great-grade beings screamed.

Sword Master.

The incarnations of the great-grade constellations fell helplessly, defeated by the ‘mass-produced stories’ the constellations had scorned.

With each step he took. The number of corpses multiplied along the path the Demon King of Salvation walked.

「 There are no worthless stories. 」

No matter how much the constellations increased their synchronization rate, this was ultimately the ‘seventh scenario’.

The constellations could not fully manifest their status, and they were no longer accustomed to the combat methods of the lower-level scenarios they had graduated from long ago.

In the end, lower-level scenarios favor those who are more skilled with ‘lower-grade’ stories.

And the Demon King of Salvation,

[The story ‘The One Who is Loved by All Things’ continues its narration.]

He was the constellation best suited for that role in this world.

“Kill him! Kill him now!”

Twenty steps.

“Please, I beg you, stop him!”

Ten steps.

“Kaaaaaaak!”

The Demon King of Salvation was now just steps away.

Ares’s expression abruptly hardened.

“Bouncer!”

As Ares’s story began to unfold, the Demon King of Salvation could advance no further.

A fierce battle erupted in an instant.

[The story fragment ‘The sword master’s right arm who was stabbed in the back by his colleague’ fulfills its purpose.]

The story fragment could not withstand the pressure and shattered. For a moment, his balance faltered and he tilted. Ares’s spear tore through the air.

Blood sprayed.

The right arm of the Demon King of Salvation fell to the ground.

“It is finished. Fragment of a discarded god.”

The moment Ares moved to deliver the final blow to the one-armed Demon King of Salvation.

“Ares.”

The Demon King of Salvation spoke.

“I am so glad you came here.”

“What?”

“Do you know why?”

*Tsu tsu tsu tsu tsu.*

“I have already killed you once before.”

[The story ‘The One Who Defeated the God of War’ begins its narration.]

As the tales flowing from the Demon King of Salvation began to encroach upon the surroundings, Ares’s pupils dilated.

“How dare you—!”

The story of the ‘Warlord of Ferocity’s’ defeat in the 3rd round. However, to unleash this story’s power, a specific condition was required.

「 «Kim Dokja, you only get one chance.» 」

Yoo Jonghyuk from the 3rd round.

And the ‘long spear of Hercules’ needed to defeat him.

「 «For me, it was always just once.» 」

But unlike the third round, Yoo Jonghyuk was beyond the curtain, and the spear they had thrown together back then was not here.

The props to recreate that stage were absent.

“Back then, we killed you with a ‘fake story’.”

Yet here, however crude, was an item that could satisfy both conditions at once.

“I truly wonder what it will be like this time.”

[‘Thoughts of almost anything’ answer your will!]

A pre-saved image materialized in his mind alongside a brilliant beam of light.

[‘Thoughts about almost everything’ mimics ‘Weolgeuk’.]

Weolgeuk.

The ‘spear’ of ‘Yoo Jonghyuk’ from the 41st round was now in his hand.

The Demon King of Salvation knew this spear well, too.

One of Yoo Jonghyuk’s favored weapons, alongside ‘Jincheon Paedo’ and ‘Heukcheon Mado’.

One day, this window would be completed as ‘Amcheonwolgeuk’.

“You—!”

Unfortunately, he would not live to see that scene.

*Goo goo goo goo!*

Ares, who had elevated his level, clashed with the Demon King of Salvation. As the formidable story of <Olympus> intertwined with Ares’s spear, the battle reached a fever pitch.

In an instant, Ares’s thigh burst, and the Demon King of Salvation’s side was pierced. With each exchange of blows, their incarnation bodies were brutally ravaged.

“I will most certainly kill you—!”

As if refusing to accept the story of his own murder, Ares unleashed a storm of attacks.

Now was the time for the story’s finale.

[The exclusive skill ‘Bookmark’ is activated!]

The Demon King of Salvation thought of an incarnation who was more skilled with weapons than anyone else in this world.

“I am.”

But he could not finish.

*Tsu tsu tsu!*

Wild sparks erupted, as if the very probability of the scenario would not permit it.

Perhaps after using this [Bookmark], he would have no possibility of existing any longer.

Still, he had to complete this story.

“Han Sooyoung.”

At some point, the sentences written for him on the [Fourth Wall] had been cut short.

The Demon King of Salvation knew instinctively.

「 Han Sooyoung will not be able to write the next sentence. 」

The one who started the story to save Kim Dokja could never write a sentence that would kill Kim Dokja.

However, there was one more writer in this world line.

“Youngest.”

[Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint is now active. The youngest, even unconscious, would be watching this scene.]

“You must do it.”

Ares’s furious cries came faster and faster. With each strike of the spear’s edge, the Demon King of Salvation’s form wavered perilously.

“Just one line.”

Finally, as if readying a final blow, Ares’s incarnation body erupted in pitch-black flames.

The moment his entire story detonated to incinerate the entire area.

“I am.”

The Demon King of Salvation said.

「 «I am Yoo Jonghyuk.» 」

Lightning struck, and the world turned white.

The incarnations in the area stared at the battlefield, their eyes wide.

The two weapons shot toward each other, and the sound of something being violently torn apart echoed.

And after a moment.

“Ugh, uhm, uwwaaaaa!”

The Gatekeeper of Thebes screamed in terror.

The incarnation of Ares, its entire lower body obliterated, writhed on the ground.

[The constellation ‘Warlord of Ferocity’ has suffered catastrophic damage!]

[The constellation ‘Warlord of Ferocity’ writhes in agony!]

Across from him, the Demon King of Salvation, who had lost both legs, was breathing heavily.

[‘Bookmark’ is released.]

[Your incarnation has sustained irreversible damage.]

The dying incarnation of Ares looked up at him.

“Demon King of Salvation. I will admit it. You are truly powerful.”

The next moment, Ares’s incarnation body was engulfed in a pitch-black current.

“Enough to be worth sacrificing our greatest treasure.”

The incarnation body, swathed in demonic energy, began regenerating Ares’s severed lower half.

[The nebula <Olympus> sacrifices their giant story.]

A feat achieved by sacrificing Olympus’s own ‘giant story’.

The resurrected Ares roared into the sky.

Even facing his own death, the Demon King of Salvation’s expression remained tranquil.

Now, <Olympus> and <Asgard> would be unable to intervene in the scenario for some time. If they defied probability further, the ‘Outer Gods’ they feared would come.

The youngest would be able to continue his own story.

[Your incarnation body will disappear shortly.]

[Some great fate is wishing for your death.]

The third and final fateful message arrived. The end that not even the stars could resist had come.

[The ‘Dark Keeper’ closes his eyes, content with the story he shared with you.]

Thank you. I will be departing soon as well.

[A new story has been born in the <Star Stream>!]

One character exits, and the story reaches its conclusion.

Through his fading vision, the Demon King of Salvation recalled the story he had loved.

When he thought about it, there was one last scene he wished to read.

“For Dokja (=reader), a reader’s life.”

And, for the Demon King of Salvation…

He no longer had the strength to even open his mouth.

The Demon King of Salvation closed his eyes as he watched the weapon flying toward him.

As always, death was a familiar acquaintance.

But this time, even after it arrived, he felt no pain.

Was he already dead? But had death ever been this painless before?

Had his incarnation vanished, taking even the sensation of pain with it?

Just then, a breeze blew in from somewhere.

A nostalgic scent followed.

The sound of an old subway echoed in his ears like an auditory hallucination.

The Demon King of Salvation slowly opened his eyes.

“I missed one.”

A faint, fluttering silhouette.

The story on the wall was speaking.

「 The Demon King of Salvation knows this story is impossible. 」

Nonetheless, the story became reality and caught him as he fell.

「 If you think about it, his life began in reality, not in a novel. 」

It was like a whisper recounting the origin of a long-forgotten memory.

“For Sangah, an ivory life.”

The Demon King of Salvation smiled faintly.