Chapter 742

Spatters of blood and shallow lacerations.

A few strands of hair, severed by the wind from Ye Hyunwoo’s attack, drifted softly to the ground.

I watched them fall and spoke. «If it makes sense for someone with nothing left to lose to become ‘Kim Dokja’, then it isn’t right for Hyunwoo to become Kim Dokja either.»

«I’m aware.»

In the end, Ye Hyunwoo’s assault wasn’t aimed at me.

His gust of wind shot past my side and struck something invisible in the air opposite us.

The sound of something heavy hitting the pavement. The scrape of claws, like those of a large animal, echoed on the ground.

As [Way of the Wind] shimmered around Ye Hyunwoo’s fingertips, the assassin hiding in the alleyway was revealed.

«Tsk-»

The assassin had the face of a bear. A beastman of the bear variety.

It was a type of creature we hadn’t encountered here before.

The beast, sensing danger, immediately snarled and tried to bolt from the alley.

But Ye Hyunwoo was quicker.

Propelled by [Way of the Wind], he was already standing behind the beast in an instant.

“Crack.”

The bear’s knees bent in a horrifying, unnatural direction with a sickening crunch.

As the bear howled in agony, Ye Hyunwoo seized the back of its neck and demanded, «What is your purpose here?»

His tone was completely different from his usual one. Gurgling sounds emerged as blood bubbled from the terrified bear beast’s mouth.

«Who sent you? Speak. If you remain silent by the count of three, you will die.»

It was a threatening voice he had never used in my presence. I was reminded once again of who he truly was.

The 7th apostle of the Apostolic Association and the de facto leader of Chungmuro.

«One.»

To have come this far, Ye Hyunwoo must have navigated countless plots and schemes I knew nothing about.

The bear beast panted heavily, finally speaking in a frantic burst. «You… will never succeed.»

The captive collapsed, limp, onto the ground. It seemed his stories and magical energy were insufficient to sustain him.

It was almost surprising he had managed a sneak attack in such a state.

Ye Hyunwoo frowned. «Shall we revive him and extract information the Kim Dokja way?»

Just then, a system message echoed in my ears.

[Your approval rating has decreased.]

[Currently, 68% of the prisoners in Zone 13 support you.]

It was strange.

Since the full-scale narrative repair began, the approval rating had never dropped.

So why was it falling now?

[Your approval rating has decreased.]

[Currently, 67% of the prisoners in Zone 13 support you.]

Ye Hyunwoo also looked at me, his expression uneasy. «Something’s wrong. I think our people…»

I saw a mass of shadows advancing through a dark alleyway.

Lanterns flickered to life one by one within the gloom.

They hadn’t come to request a story change. The faces of the prisoners swaying like specters above the lanterns were unfamiliar.

Not just their faces, but their sizes were uniform. Their builds were at least twice as large as any other beasts in the vicinity.

[So it was true that the southern wolves were wiped out.]

A mantra that sent a chill down the spine.

Among them stood a brown bear, a full meter taller than the others, wearing a skull mask that covered half its face.

[The constellation ‘A Bear That Spares Those Who Play Dead’ glares with fierce eyes.]

Judging by the immense pressure and aura it emitted, there was no doubt.

This was a ‘great-grade constellation’.

[The story composing this incarnation is severely degraded.]

To be precise, it was the incarnation of a great-grade constellation that had lost most of its stories and seen its status drastically reduced.

An animal-type constellation that failed to enter the <Zodiac> and was left stranded in Zone 13.

It seemed a similar case to ‘The Wolf That Covets Little Red Riding Hood’ we had fought previously.

In the darkness, the brown bear’s massive claws gleamed with a cold light.

[Kill them all. From today, the southern part of Zone 13 belongs to the ‘Bears’.]

After the words were repeated in unison, the bear beasts began their pillage, crushing the surrounding houses with their enormous paws.

«W-what is this! Aaaaaah!»

Claws slashed out without warning. Prisoners screamed as their homes were torn apart around them.

[Your approval rating has decreased.]
[Currently, 66% of the prisoners in Zone 13 support you.]

I understood why the approval rating kept falling. Those bears were indiscriminately slaughtering the prisoners in Zone 13 who supported us.

Judging by their numbers, their forces seemed to exceed 300.

Ye Hyunwoo spoke. «That one is the same as the ‘wolf’ from before, correct?»

«Yes. We need to be cautious. This time, we lack a specific story to utilize.»

With the wolves, the 「Three Little Pigs」 scenario was active, allowing us to use staging.

This time was different.

But Ye Hyunwoo’s eyes were calm. «In this situation, would I be more like Kim Dokja by leading the fight from the front, or by staying back to encourage my companions?»

I thought for a moment before answering. «Both actions would be like Kim Dokja.»

Kim Dokja would have been at the forefront of the battle while also urging his companions to fight from behind.

Ye Hyunwoo nodded as if he understood. «Then I will act as I see fit here.»

Dark magical energy began to flow from Ye Hyunwoo’s entire body. I was slightly surprised; it was my first time seeing him truly initiate a story.

[The story ‘Armless Panda’ growls.]

Originally, Ye Hyunwoo was a support-type incarnation, primarily using [Magic Charge] and [Magic Sharing] skills.

A role designed to combine with Gong Pildu, who employs [Magic Turret] from the outset.

However, here, Ye Hyunwoo had gained the power to change his role.

«Gyaaaaak!»

With every movement of Ye Hyunwoo’s sword, something shattered with a crisp sound. It was the same fist that had grazed my mask earlier.

The bears who saw Ye Hyunwoo screamed.

«A bear?»

«Stop! We are kin!»

«I am not a bear.»

Ye Hyunwoo stated flatly, holding a bamboo stick near his mouth. «I am a panda.»

Most beastmen in Zone 13 are incarnations with damaged stories.

However, some had made a name for themselves before arriving at the ‘Recycling Center’. Even those prisoners fell before Ye Hyunwoo one after another.

Now, even with his support skills sealed, Ye Hyunwoo possessed combat power rivaling the highest-level incarnations.

«My god, is it really him?»

«The ‘panda’ is here!»

«Kill the damned story thief!»

A story thief?

As the enraged bears swarmed toward Ye Hyunwoo, his hands and feet became a blur of motion.

Just then, my companions, sensing the disturbance, rushed out from the brick house.

«What are those bears?»

«No, those bastards— Mr. Hyunwoo!»

Dansu the old man, Kyung Sein, and Cha Yerin, who must have been sleeping, rubbed her eyes and peered out the window.

The crane owner emerged soon after, shouting. After a quick survey of the scene, he seemed to grasp the situation.

«Brown Bear! What is the meaning of this? Why are you—»

The brown bear ignored the crane’s words and continued trampling the southern dwellings.

Kyung Sein asked, frowning. «Who are those bears?»

«They rule the northern part of Zone 13. They never crossed over while the wolves were here…» The crane owner, clenching his beak, answered. «I don’t understand either. Why would they suddenly do this… I heard the northern beastmen have recently been showing them favor.»

[Your approval rating has decreased.]
[Currently, 65% of the prisoners in Zone 13 support you.]

Finally, the crane owner made a decision. «All southern beasts, arm yourselves! Defend your homes from these northern invaders!»

«Those who are wounded, take shelter inside the brick house!»

The situation was dire. If this continued, it would escalate into a full north-south conflict.

[Your approval rating has decreased.]
[Currently, 64% of the prisoners in Zone 13 support you.]

The fighting had to be stopped.

If we couldn’t stop it, we at least had to protect the southern prisoners.

«If you cannot fight, play dead! That might grant you a chance to survive!»

The modifier of the leading brown bear was ‘A Bear That Spares Those Who Play Dead’.

Judging by the story, if fortune favored them, ‘playing dead’ might actually work.

But that was only a temporary measure.

[Your approval rating has decreased.]
[Currently, 63% of the prisoners in Zone 13 support you.]

How to stop the fighting?

I had to think. In the <Star Stream>, every incident has a cause. There must be a reason the bears invaded the south now.

Then, a shout from the fray caught my attention.

«Kill the panda!»

«Why does it get to be in every story!»

«What’s so great about chewing bamboo all day!»

«I can roll around too!»

It couldn’t be.

«Got you!»

A bear, struck on the nose by Ye Hyunwoo, fell unconscious.

Ye Hyunwoo had already defeated over ten bear beasts, yet they still desperately focused their attacks solely on him.

The reason was obvious.

«These bears want to become ‘pandas’.»

I shouted, amplifying my voice with magic. «Everyone, stop!»

One by one, the bears surrounding Ye Hyunwoo turned to look at me.

«I can help make your stories famous again.»

The bear beastmen’s eyes wavered at my words. It was working.

«There’s no need for this conflict. If you envy the panda, you too can—»

[Silence!]

At the brown bear’s mantra, the bears halted. They glanced at each other, then bared their teeth at us once more.

[Kill them! Show no mercy to those who play dead!]

I didn’t understand. I had offered them a way out, yet they still attacked?

I activated 「Persistent Murim Master」 and cut down two bears charging toward me.

Watching their claws break against my defense, I realized how grave their condition truly was.

Each of the fearsome-looking bear beastmen was on the verge of collapse, desperately in need of reinforcement.

Their incarnation bodies’ balance was completely destroyed from enduring life in the impoverished Zone 13.

They were attacking recklessly, ignoring their own survival.

[The story of the lost name is disintegrating.]

Tales so ancient it was unclear if they could ever be staged again.

Stories whose very names had vanished, forgotten even by the <Star Stream>.

A conversation with Lycaon from days ago flashed through my mind.

【I understand what you wish to do, student. But you cannot save everyone.】

At the time, I didn’t fully comprehend his meaning.

【Can we impose our dreams upon those who have lost their own stories forever, student?】

There are people in this world who have forever lost ‘their own story’.

«Kill the panda! Its story will be ours!»

«It’s mine! Mine!»

«Aim for him! He holds more stories than the panda!»

«There’s a wolf over there too!»

In a world where their own stories had disappeared, their options were severely limited.

«Target the brick house! The beastmen there hold most of the new stories!»

All they could do was steal the dreams of others.