Chapter 737

Of course. Here is the paraphrased chapter:

737 Episode 29 Recorder of Fear (4)
「 For me, the [Way of the Wind] is already a recorded story. 」

I was left to ponder what that could mean.

Because I am a part of Kim Dokja, does it mean Kim Dokja’s narrative lies dormant inside of me?

Kim Dokja possessed no particular gift for anything else, but he was gifted in the art of storytelling.

Even when the ‘Demon King of Salvation’ manifested through me, he wielded that very talent in battle.

So then, why am I unable to use the [Way of the Wind]?

Several theories occurred to me, but the most dependable method to confirm them was to question the one who had made the statement directly.

«What are you talking about?»

Lycaon, who had been muttering to himself, slowly began to speak.

【◼️◼️◼️ ◼️…】

A powerful static crackled alongside a sputtering sound. Lycaon’s face tightened into a frown.

Was this the filtering I had anticipated? I had wondered when information I wasn’t permitted to hear would emerge.

It was likely connected to the conclusion of this world line. I wasn’t sure how Lycaon had come by that knowledge, but…

After a moment of thought, Lycaon spoke again.

【Pupil. It is the act of reading records that have not yet been written. I could tell you, but the present moment is not appropriate.】

In simpler terms, it would violate probability.

【As you are aware, my very presence here now defies probability.】

Not yet, indeed. In the sky above, the constellations of the Chinese Zodiac were assembling to hold their contest.

[Several constellations of the Nebula <Zodiac> are demanding to know why that wolf has not returned to the other world.]

[Several constellations of the Nebula <Zodiac> are formally requesting a ‘probability compliance assessment’.]

[Several constellations of the Nebula <Zodiac> are disputing the logic of an ‘Outer God’ interfering in the scenario.]

[The Bureau is presently conducting a review.]

System messages flashed in real time.

Yet, I felt neither shaken nor alarmed.

[The dokkaebi ‘Bihyung’ confirms the probability allowance for the Outer God’s existence.]

[Some constellations within the Nebula <Zodiac> are questioning the validity of that claim.]

[The management bureau affirms that there is no issue with the matter.]

This was because Lycaon’s current presence did not clash with the probability system of <Star Stream>.

[A handful of constellations from the Nebula <Zodiac> are bewildered by the bureau’s ruling.]

It must have been perplexing for them.

[The constellation ‘Reclining Dragon’ is watching you with keen interest.]

By common sense, their skepticism was justified. Regardless of the status of a ‘God of the Other World’, it was statistically improbable for such an entity to appear in a scenario as early as the eighth.

But there was something they couldn’t know.

What kind of ‘covenant’ had Lycaon and I established?

[You have currently formed an Outer World Covenant with the ‘Lost Guide’.]

A lost guide.

That was the epithet of ‘Lycaon Isparang’, who had ascended to become a god of another world.

[The specifics of your current ‘Otherworld Covenant’ with the ‘Lost Guide’ are listed below.]

* The ‘Lost Guide’, a deity from another world, will remain in ‘Zone 13’ of the Recycling Center for a total of 30 days, based on the timeflow of the ‘Recycling Center’s lower floor’.

* For the duration of this stay, the ‘Lost Guide’ is forbidden from directly intervening in the scenario.

* The ‘Lost Guide’ will not offer you protection during his residency.

* For the duration of the ‘Lost Guide’s’ stay, you must provide him with the story of 「The Three Little Pigs」 as payment.

* The ‘Lost Guide’ is permitted to instruct you and your companions in the [Way of the Wind] during this period.

* The ‘Lost Guide’ assumes no responsibility if you fail to master the [Way of the Wind].

This was the complete ‘Otherworld Covenant’ I had forged with Lycaon.

Its essence could be summarized as follows.

「 For the next 30 days, Lycaon will exist as a ‘wind doll’ by my side. 」

Aside from teaching the [Way of the Wind], he was barred from assisting me and would not defend me from constellation attacks.

In fact, when we were finalizing the contract, Lycaon had asked me this:

—Pupil… are you truly a fanatic?

I had simply grinned in response.

«Any other terms would have made it impossible to finalize the contract.»

Around the time of the eighth scenario, I had begun to perceive certain limitations.

There are restrictions on the kinds of ‘otherworldly covenants’ that can be forged in a scenario of this magnitude.

—Pupil stands to gain nothing from this agreement. Given your inherent talent, there isn’t even a guarantee you will learn the [Way of the Wind]…

«I designed it that way deliberately. The more disadvantageous the covenant’s terms are for me, the higher the probability it would be accepted without violating the rules of probability.»

To any outside observer, I truly could have gained nothing from this pact, potentially losing my stake in the story for no return.

But the reality wasn’t so bleak.

«However, these specific conditions must never be revealed to the Constellations.»

That was the very heart of this ‘otherworldly covenant’.

[The constellation ‘Reclining Dragon’ has discerned your ploy and is expressing admiration.]

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ demands an explanation for what is happening.]

[The constellation ‘Reclining Dragon’ states that revealing the trick ruins the fun.]

It seemed Waryong had caught on, but that was inconsequential.

While they could visit the ‘Recycling Center’ due to the ‘dragon’ in their modifier, they were unlikely to interfere with the affairs of the <Zodiac>.

[Some constellations from the Nebula <Zodiac> are focusing their hostility on the ‘Lost Guide’.]

Lycaon, who had been silently enduring the constellations’ scrutiny, spoke as if he had just understood something.

【Even reincarnated, pupil remains unchanged. You are an exceptionally cunning individual.】

«I receive that compliment often.»

My strategy was straightforward.

「 Place a ‘wind doll’ next to me, but ensure no one discovers it is merely a ‘wind doll’. 】

【The covenant might have failed. Weren’t you afraid?】

Even with an unfavorable ‘otherworldly covenant’, if the supervising dokkaebi had been someone like ‘Paul’, my plan could have collapsed.

«I was confident it would not fail.»

I had immediately recognized it was a local dokkaebi. And most importantly, this scenario’s location was the ‘Recycling Center’.

[The ‘Recycling Center Director’ is taking an interest in your scheme.]

With a name like ‘Recycling Center’, I trusted that its director would not discard a ‘God of the Other World’. After all, the gods of the other world were among the universe’s prime candidates for ‘recycling’.

[Some constellations belonging to the Nebula <Zodiac> are defying the management’s judgment…]

It might have seemed chaotic from the outside, but the cautious constellations of the Chinese Zodiac would be unable to interfere with Zone 13 for the next 30 days.

The group practicing the [Way of the Wind] gradually returned to their lodgings as the sun set over Zone 13.

I spoke up, noticing the Chinese Zodiac constellations, who had been venting their fury in the darkening sky, were starting to disperse.

«Lycaon. Let’s speak of the past for a moment.»

I thought it was finally time to broach that subject.

While I was curious about other matters, I also wanted to know what had become of Lycaon.

To my knowledge, Lycaon had vanished around the time the ‘Disasters of Floods’ arrived.

So how had he managed to become a ‘God From Another World’ and descend upon this world line?

【That…】

If I could understand how he achieved that, it might provide clues about other adversaries existing in this world line.

«Is that also a record that hasn’t been written yet?»

Lycaon seemed to ponder for a moment before he finally replied.

【It isn’t a particularly thrilling record, but if you wish to hear it.】

The narrative returns to the ‘Disaster Scenario’, the fifth scenario of the 1,864th turn.

During that time, Lycaon was caught in the explosion of the ‘Disaster of Questions’ while battling Antinus, the ‘Queen of the Parasites’, another guide.
Lycaon, losing consciousness, fell under Antinus’s mental domination and was only freed after encountering Lee Gilyoung.

「 «I’ve never seen a bug like you before!» 」

After Lee Gilyoung eliminated ‘Antinus’, Lycaon’s body began to fail.

「 A ‘Guide’ cannot withstand the power of a disaster. 」

The aftermath of the ‘catastrophe meteorite’ explosion had pushed his body’s durability past its limit, yet Lycaon fought desperately to survive.

「 Your story answers your will. 」

Consequently, Lycaon underwent a new evolution. He succeeded in advancing beyond a ‘5th grade alien species’.

「 The new skill ‘Restorative Predation’ has been acquired. 」

[Restorative Predation, which consumes the bodies of other monster species to rejuvenate one’s incarnation body.]

Just then, the ‘Flood Disaster’ commenced and [Monster Gates] opened, allowing him to survive by feeding on the corpses of deceased monsters.

However, the wounds inflicted by the ‘disaster’ were not easily mended.

【By the time I had fully recovered, pupil had already moved into the ninth scenario area.】

The ninth scenario, ‘Dark Castle’.

【I followed pupil into the Dark Castle as well.】

«You were in the Dark Castle?»

【Yes.】

Yet, there was no mention anywhere in 『Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint』 of Lycaon’s presence there.

Had Han Sooyoung chosen to omit that information?

【I only had one opportunity to meet pupil…】

«When?»

【When pupil fought the ‘Dream Eater’. You could not see me, but I saw you.】

Memories surfaced, one after another.

The 2nd floor of the Dark Castle. To rescue his mother, Lee Sookyung, Kim Dokja fought alongside Yoo Jonghyuk against the ‘Dream Eater’.

【The pupil from that day remains vivid in my memory.】

Lycaon’s eyes glimmered faintly.

【Some stories, regardless of their grade, can captivate your very being just by witnessing them. For someone like me, who lacks their own ◼️◼️, it is even more affecting.】

Under the brilliant light of the mortal stars, Lycaon made a decision.

【I believed that since pupil had given me enlightenment, I should repay that debt.】

«Wait, you don’t mean—»

【Yes. When pupil was swallowed by the ‘Dream Eater’, I entered its realm as well.】

«Did you meet Kim Dokja in there?»

【No, I regret that I could not. The stomach of the ‘Dream Eater’ was simply too vast.】

The ‘Dream Eater’ is a powerful deity from another world.

Its stomach was a dimension so immense it existed outside of outer space.

Therefore, it was not surprising that Lycaon and Kim Dokja never crossed paths.

«But the ‘Dream Eater’ would have died in the end. Or, more accurately—»

If my memory served, the ‘Dream Eater’ was ultimately absorbed into the [Fourth Wall] and transformed into a librarian.

Yet, Lycaon had been inside the stomach of that very ‘Dream Eater’.

【Yes. That was the complication. This is where the story becomes somewhat complex. I became trapped inside the stomach of the ‘Dream Eater’ after it was itself consumed by the [Fourth Wall].】

«No, how…»

That was a cruel twist of fate. In his attempt to save Kim Dokja, he had become imprisoned within an Outer God.

【I was confined within for a very long time.】

«…I’m sorry.»

【I am unsure why you apologize, but it was not an entirely unpleasant period. I was able to observe your story through the tales the ‘Dream Eater’ consumed.】

Only then did I comprehend.

The reason he knew stories of Kim Dokja he otherwise could never have known.

«How long were you trapped there?»

【Until pupil witnessed the ‘◼️◼️’ of all things.】

«And after that…»

【The ‘Dream Eater’, realizing my presence too late, released me.】

By the time he was freed, the scenarios of that world line had concluded.

The bureau had crumbled, and the narrative that had bound him was gone.

He, who had been a ‘guide’ within the scenario, was left without a role. And the fate of those who lose their purpose in this world is predetermined.

【It was a hollow, yet commonplace ending.】

Most beings in this world perish without ever discovering their ◼️◼️, let alone attaining it.

Lycaon faced the same destiny.

【That would have been my fate, had I not encountered that being.】

There was someone who discovered the dying Lycaon and took pity on him.

An entity existing outside the scenarios.

「 Like the ‘Oldest Dream’. 」

There, Lycaon met one of the ‘Great Old Ones’.