Chapter 718

718 Episode 27 Recycling Center (1)
「 I wanted to show everyone. That even a mundane tale can become something magnificent. 」

A high-pitched ringing filled my ears. My head spun dizzily, as if my skull were being rattled.

「 «Youngest.» 」

Words flowed through my mind.

Then came the flood of memories.

The Demon Marquis of the Capitol. The Demon King of Salvation who had taken possession of him. Great constellations charging forward. Ares, the 12th god of Olympus, arriving to slay the Demon King of Salvation.

「 «You must do it.» 」

The sensation of the sentences I had written unconsciously in that blurred moment was still vivid on my fingertips.

「 «I am Yoo Jonghyuk.» 」

[The constellations of the giant nebula are stunned by your accomplishments!]

Twisted probability.

The Demon King of Salvation rushing headlong toward Ares.

[Some small and medium-sized nebulae feel despondent at your presence.]

[Certain constellations within the minor nebulae are beginning to root for you.]

[The constellations of the Korean Peninsula are anxious about your future.]

Messages of fate.

Ares was reborn.

[The constellation ‘Goryeo’s First Sword’ is filled with pride for you.]

[The constellation ‘White Shark’ is deeply impressed by your achievements.]

Giant nebula. Meteors falling from the sky.

[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ is concerned for your safety.]

[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ acknowledges your bravery.]

Ji Eunyu.

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ curses the cowardly giant nebula…]

[The constellation ‘Tiger Eating Rice Cake’… ]

And finally.

[Your new story has been born.]

[The new story will be shared with your sponsor.]

I muttered, my voice distant.

«Kim Dokja.»

My eyes searched my surroundings.

«Kim Dokja.»

There was no reply.

«Demon King of Salvation!»

Even when I screamed with all my might, my voice came out weak and stifled. Something cold brushed against my cheek.

It was snowing.

An expanse of pure white. The footprints of someone who had walked ahead.

I began to follow those tracks. At first I walked, but soon I was running.

I ran, fighting for each ragged breath. I fell several times, tumbling into the snow. My feet plunged into the bitter cold, my eyes stinging.

「 «I will offer myself to <Star Stream>.» 」

A sound that was neither a scream nor a sob tore from deep within me.

That’s impossible. He can’t be gone.

There’s no way Kim Dokja, the Demon King of Salvation, could vanish like this.

I ran for what felt like an eternity.

Finally, I reached the end of the footprints.

A white coat, swaying gently.

There stood the person I was so desperate to find.

I stumbled toward him. As I slowly reached out and touched his shoulder, Kim Dokja turned around.

「 Huh. 」

I stared blankly at his face. It was undoubtedly the ‘Kim Dokja’ I recognized. The calm eyes and the neatly shaped smiling lips were his.

But this person.

「 He was not the ‘Demon King of Salvation’ I knew. 」

Only then did my senses slowly return.

I understood where I was.

I had entered the snowy field.

«You—»

And the ‘Kim Dokja’ before me now was the ‘Kim Dokja of the Snowy Field’ I had met for the very first time.

He seemed sad at times, incomprehensible, and profoundly distant.

I asked him.

«Where is the Demon King of Salvation?»

As was his habit, Kim Dokja produced a teacup from within his coat, lazily poured tea, and took a sip.

Steam curled from the cup, and Kim Dokja slowly lifted his gaze to the sky, watching the vapor disperse.

A shower of falling stars adorned the empty sky of the snowy field. They were likely the great-grade constellations from the ‘Giant Nebulae’ sacrificed in that battle.

「 It was a truly fascinating story. 」

A fascinating story.

「 It has been a long time since I’ve seen the great nebulae humbled in such a manner. 」

His delight was unmistakable. He is, after all, Kim Dokja, who loves stories more than anyone in this universe.

Under normal circumstances, I might have discussed him and the constellations for hours.

«Kim Dokja. Where is the Demon King of Salvation?»

But I was in no mood for that now.

«You saw it. Everyone was watching.»

A cold fire began to boil inside me. A feeling that was new to me.

The snow at my feet started to melt from the heat.

Kim Dokja glanced down at my feet and asked.

「 Do you recall what I told you before? 」

What he had said.

「 I told you to say whatever you wish. 」

That’s right.

「 Is that truly what you want to say right now? 」

«What are you—»

「 Why did you form a contract with the ‘Demon King of Salvation’? 」

Kim Dokja was looking at the sky, so I could not see his expression.

But I could tell from his tone.

He was angry.

「 I believed you would choose wisely. 」

Why was he angry?

「 You were not meant to become a ‘Kim Dokja’ like the others. 」

His words felt profoundly strange to me.

Until now, I thought he would support me no matter what I decided.

But did he, too, have a specific story he wanted to see me tell?

I didn’t know. Honestly, I had no time to ponder such things.

«Kim Dokja. I’ll ask again. I want to save the Demon King of Salvation. Please, tell me how to save him.»

「 I cannot help you. 」

«Why not?»

「 Because he and I pursue different ◾️◾️. 」

«What does that mean? You and he are both Kim Dokja. You—»

In that moment, a strange question surfaced in my mind.

The Demon King of Salvation had once told me something. That in this world line, ‘Kim Dokja’ had been divided into several major fragments, centered around their modifiers.

«The Demon King of Salvation said he was the first Kim Dokja.»

So then, who was the Kim Dokja standing before me now? Which number was he?

«What number are you?»

The Demon King of Salvation called me the ‘youngest’. That would make this Kim Dokja an older brother.

The second or the third?

«Kim Dokja?»

But strangely, as I looked at him, he seemed to be neither.

Who is Kim Dokja?

He is,

「 You. 」

Was this truly the ‘Kim Dokja’ I knew?

「 You were not meant to be Kim Dokja’s ‘youngest’. 」

«That is for me to decide. If I truly am the reincarnation of Kim Dokja—»

Even as I said it, I was surprised.

I had never imagined those words leaving my mouth.

Was this the influence of the Demon King of Salvation?

Did I truly think of myself as ‘Kim Dokja’ now?

「 Hakhyun-ah. 」

Kim Dokja let out a soft sigh and reached his hand toward me. But in that instant, I felt a primal wariness. A sense that I must not let his hand touch me.

As I staggered backward, thunder rumbled in the distance.

Yet Kim Dokja’s hand was swift, and I could not evade it.

Crackle.

Sparks erupted in the air. My own hand moved on its own, seizing Kim Dokja’s wrist.

Then an unfamiliar voice emerged from my mouth.

«How disappointing. Are you attempting to break the rules?»

Kim Dokja’s expression hardened, and he spoke.

«Do not interfere. Cheon—»

Another thunderclap struck, and the snowy landscape was ripped apart.

When my senses returned, I was lying face down on unfamiliar, hard-packed earth, nausea washing over me.

It felt as though my body had been taken apart joint by joint and hastily put back together.

It was to be expected.

「 I had maintained the Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint for a long duration, summoned ‘Goryeo’s First Sword’ using Bookmark, and even executed the three-sword style. If the scale of probability hadn’t mitigated the backlash, my body would have been torn to shreds. Surviving was a miracle in itself. 」

After catching my breath, I spoke as if forcing the words from my throat.

«Is anyone there?»

No one answered.

[Transmission via ‘Star Ladder’ has been completed.]

[A new main scenario will commence shortly.]

Even while unconscious from the [Daily Invoice], I had monitored the battlefield through [Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint].

Clearly, Anna Croft and Christina had used the ‘Star Ladder’ to escape, carrying Yoo Jonghyuk.

«Is anyone there?»

A profound sense of solitude washed over me.

[Main Scenario #7—’Invasion of the Demon World’ has concluded.]

[Sub-scenario—’Beast Hunt’ has concluded.]

When I thought about it, I had been alone since the moment I entered this world.

And now, once again, I was reminded that I am alone.

«Constellation-nim.»

Perhaps it was because I briefly remembered not being alone.

[A total of 600,000 coins have been acquired as compensation.]

It felt as though he were speaking right next to my ear, like he always did.

The youngest has earned so many coins. He’d be so happy, finally able to afford the ‘Demon King’ modifier.

[You have been granted the option to select a ‘narrative-grade story’.]

We did it together.

[Your achievements will be announced across <Star Stream>.]

[The modifier ‘Demon King of Salvation’ is now announced on the Star Stream.]

We finally dealt a blow to those damned giant nebulae.

[In recognition of your remarkable achievements, the ‘Administrative Bureau’ has improved and adjusted the sub-scenario rewards.]

[You have been provided with an ‘SS-grade skill selection’.]

We would check the new rewards and deliberate together on what to choose.

I could almost hear him getting excited, arguing that this story was good, that skill was better.

«Constellation-nim.»

No voice answered. Instead, faint sparks flickered in the air. An unprecedented sensation flowed faintly into me.

A wave of relief washed over me.

「 The sponsorship contract was still active. 」

It was proof that he was still alive, somewhere in this world.

«Why.»

I needed to ask.

«Why did you do that?»

Even though I knew it was pointless to ask the ‘Demon King of Salvation’, I had to.

He had offered himself to the <Star Stream> in exchange for saving me.

Just like Shin Yoosoung in the 41st round.

He who had fought against the story his entire life ended up becoming a part of it to save me.

«Why—»

Am I worth that?

«You, you are the real Kim Dokja.»

If only one Kim Dokja could remain in this world, shouldn’t it be you?

Crackle.

A sound was heard again. It wasn’t the sound of probability sparks. It was coming from inside my jacket. A smartphone was vibrating.

A smartphone.

I pulled it out reflexively. It wasn’t my phone.

It was Kim Dokja’s.

The phone Kim Dokja was always holding.

The screen lit up. A single file sat on the otherwise empty desktop.

I stared blankly at the file and pressed the button without thinking.

「 There are three ways to survive in a ruined world. 」

There was a star who loved this story more than anyone.

A sentence he must have read countless times.

「 I’ve forgotten some of it by now. But one thing is certain. 」

A sentence that had saved him from death, time and again.

I read that sentence.

「 That is the fact that you, who are reading this now, will survive. 」

This is what he left for me.

I read that sentence over and over.

And then I stood up and began to walk.