Attack me and die like idiots, or take my side and obtain a “legend-grade tale.”

[Your synchronization with the backer constellation increases.]

I did say it fairly like Kim Dokja, but of course I wasn’t naïve enough to believe the constellations would be persuaded by this alone.

“Don’t be fooled! The myth-grade constellations have already agreed!”

They all belonged to “great nebulae” anyway.

As the “Gatekeeper of Thebes” said, if the “myth-grade constellations” had truly reached an agreement, there was no way a mere great-figure would refuse the order.

“There’s no guarantee you’d receive a legend-grade tale by cooperating with that bastard in the first place. Killing him and taking the tale we get will be worth far more.”

“That so. That makes sense.”

“Then stop hesitating and finish him quickly.”

I quietly bit my lip.

One way or another, I had to stall until Kim Dokja arrived.

It was clear enough the constellations weren’t idiots.

“That’s craven of you.”

Hm?

“Those who have great nebulae at their backs, bullying a single incarnation body, is that all you’re good for.”

There was one fool.

A woman with red hair rippling like flame. She stood blocking my path, a Japanese sword engraved with calm fire held in her hand.

“Asuka Ren.”

She was the representative incarnation body on Japan’s side.

I wondered why she was helping me, but then her gaze paused briefly on the Yu Joonghyuk slung over my shoulder.

Come to think of it, I’d heard that in the 41st round Yu Joonghyuk helped Asuka Ren and cleared “Peace Land.”

Perhaps Asuka Ren was trying to repay that debt.

—Take the Conqueror and flee.

With a [Transmitted Voice], the Japanese incarnation bodies with Asuka Ren at their head formed ranks before me.

“Incarnations of the East, is it. Looks like you have a death wish. Lost your senses?”

The Gatekeeper of Thebes smiled faintly, but Asuka Ren did not. Quiet magic power rose off her entire body. I could feel the diligent tale she had built up through steady effort across her whole being.

“You’re the ones who need to come to your senses. Did you enter a great nebula just to do something like this?”

“What—”

“I’m speaking to the ‘incarnations’ of this place.”

A spark flashed in Asuka Ren’s eyes.

The ones she addressed weren’t the constellations, but the incarnation bodies being controlled by the constellations.

“Alexandros! Layla! We cleared a sub-scenario together, didn’t we. I remember you from then. Have you already forgotten the promise to survive to the end of the world and meet again?”

I realized anew what kind of person Asuka Ren had been in “Peace Land.”

She was someone who chose the “dwarfs” side despite the easy option of “calamity” being right there.

“Get a grip. If you let the backer constellations dominate you now, you will forever—”

“A mere incarnation has some nerve.”

At the Gatekeeper of Thebes’ jerk of his chin, three incarnation bodies charged her at once.

An old sword, a broken spear, a club.

Judging by the main weapons they used, they might have been medieval knights or barbarians who climbed in rank and became constellations.

But whether knight, barbarian, or thug, once one ascends to the constellations’ seat, they become an existence on another level.

Kugugugung.

As the tale of their great-figure backer constellation with high synchronization settled over them, the incarnation bodies rolled their eyes white and swung their weapons with a shriek. A blow that would have blown a normal incarnation’s limbs to pieces.

But “Asuka Ren” was no ordinary incarnation.

“She is one of the ‘Top 100 of the Eradication Method.’”

Dodging the oncoming club, a blade flashed from her hand. A strike like thunder-split lightning. Its speed faintly recalled Lee Jihye’s [Instant Kill].

“Ghk—”

The incarnation body whose club had been severed staggered and clutched at his own neck. Psshik— blood spurted. Foaming blood at his lips, the incarnation dropped to his knees.

Looking down at him, Asuka Ren spoke in a calm voice.

“I avoided the vital points.”

By now faint sparks were flickering across Asuka Ren’s entire body.

[Character ‘Asuka Ren’ raises her synchronization with her backer constellation.]

Belatedly, the Gatekeeper of Thebes’ expression changed.

“Don’t tell me that backer is—”

[Constellation, ‘Greatest Sword of Goryeo’, takes interest.]

Her backer constellation was Japan’s strongest swordsman.

[Constellation, ‘Master of the Two Heavens as One’, glares at the great nebulae’s constellations.]

The Master of the Two Heavens as One, “Miyamoto Musashi.”

As a chill killing intent spread from Asuka Ren’s whole body, the frightened ones set their faces and retreated.

Even among the same “great-figure” rank, there existed a difference in class. Some great-figure constellations were close to “tale-grade,” while others had only just become great-figure.

The “Master of the Two Heavens as One” was closer to the former.

“Stand down, Gatekeeper.”

It was then that a voice came from behind the mass of incarnation bodies.

“A warrior of the East, is it. An airy, inflated sword art. I’ve wanted to test its measure at least once.”

As the Gatekeeper of Thebes faltered and stepped back, a man with bronzed pectorals and a robust presence strode forward. At a glance, a constellation of higher class than the “Gatekeeper of Thebes.”

[Constellation, ‘Sorrow of Troy’, raises synchronization with his incarnation.]

Behind him, another giant figure exuded no less momentum.

[Constellation, ‘Wrath of Ithaca’, wears an interested expression.]

“Sorrow of Troy” and “Wrath of Ithaca.”

They were “Achilles” and “Odysseus,” heroes of the Iliad.

Even within <Olympus>, great-figure constellations of a different class.

Tension ran across Asuka Ren’s features.

—Take the Conqueror and go. I can escape at any time.

It seemed Japan’s side had already secured a constellation who could support a “Star Ladder.”

—Now!

“I’ll owe you one.”

At Asuka Ren’s signal, lightning flashed, and a side of the encirclement blew open.

“He’s getting away!”

Miyamoto Musashi and Achilles collided, and magic power exploded.

Dodging sword-qi flying in from all sides, I ran with all my strength with Yu Joonghyuk on my back.

But with no usable light-body skill, there was no way I could keep running for long.

“Cheon Inho! This way!”

Screeeech— With that cry, a sports car slammed to a stop, leaving skid marks.

Without hesitation, I tossed Yu Joonghyuk into the back seat and jumped in.

When Anna Croft, hands on the wheel, hit the accelerator, Christina tipped her chin in greeting.

“Selena was badly hurt, so we sent her up.”

“And you?”

It was a question I didn’t even need to ask.

They had delayed their own “Star Ladder” to save me.

Honestly, I was moved.

Because they were <Asgard>’s incarnation bodies.

“If you help me here, <Asgard> won’t let you off.”

“We’re ruined because of you anyway.”

Anna Croft answered through gritted teeth.

“Because of the tale you made public…”

I belatedly remembered that I’d made public what happened inside “Ginnungagap.”

Inside “Ginnungagap,” Anna Croft had processed a “Low-grade Dragon Heart” for me, and with her help I’d been able to sweep away the constellations.

Anna Croft had helped, trusting in the characteristic of “Ginnungagap” that left no record, but because I made the tale public, her atrocities had now become known across the entire <Star Stream>.

“You can’t have lost only. Thanks to me, you got a tale too.”

“You call that—”

Anna Croft yelled, voice snapping. She seemed truly angry, and I felt pointlessly a little sorry.

“What did <Asgard> say?”

“Not yet. Looks like they’re busy too.”

Thunder pounded down ceaselessly from the sky. Seeing the meteor shower falling for minutes on end already, they probably weren’t in a position to worry about us right now.

“More than that, why didn’t you use the Star Ladder? You should have satisfied the qualifications already—”

“There weren’t any constellations willing to send a ladder.”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t open a line with the constellations of the ‘Recycling Center’?”

An arrow flew in from behind and embedded in the trunk with a boom.

Anna pressed the accelerator even harder.

“I’ll take you to the outer areas of the Dome. Use the return portal there. If you get back to Korea, you should be able to evade their pursuit.”

“Why are you helping us this much.”

“I hate to admit it, but to see the end of this world, you are indispensable.”

Even now, Anna Croft believed I was “Cheon Inho of the 40th round.”

But even that didn’t fully add up.

No matter how great Cheon Inho of the 40th round had been, he was a villain of the apocalypse. He’d said he would help Yu Joonghyuk, but would Prophet Anna Croft plausibly put her trust in me on the strength of such a flimsy promise?

“Time to come clean, Cheon Inho.”

“About what.”

“In the last round, exactly up to which ‘scenario’ did you go.”

For a moment, I was flustered.

What was she talking about?

“I know you didn’t die even after Yu Joonghyuk regressed.”

I recalled the memory I’d seen through Anna Croft’s [Retrospective Sight].

The 40th round, the final battle between Yu Joonghyuk and Cheon Inho.

The last scene where the stars in the sky fell and the world approached destruction.

“Up to which scenario did you go after that? In that world where every incarnation disappeared, you…”

A slow chill crawled over my skin.

That memory wasn’t the final scene of the 40th round?

Come to think of it, in her memory Cheon Inho’s death hadn’t been properly described.

Then did Cheon Inho continue to live even after Yu Joonghyuk regressed?

“Cheon—”

Anna Croft didn’t finish the word. A lightning bolt dropping from the air struck the car’s hood dead-on.

With a tremendous crash my body went weightless, and an impact that grated my bones swept through me.

Clinging to Yu Joonghyuk, I tumbled across the dirt.

Coughing, spitting out dust, and getting to my feet, I saw Anna and Christina fallen.

“Backer.”

Only the rough thunderclaps answered in place of Kim Dokja’s reply. Lightning was crashing down without rest from the dark sky beyond.

Lightning far greater than what I had witnessed in “Ginnungagap.”

Even the incarnation bodies chasing us had stopped walking at the eardrum-shattering /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ weather anomaly. The number of falling meteors was increasing in real time.

At this point, even I was growing afraid.

Just what was Yu Joonghyuk doing over there.

Was he planning to destroy the <Star Stream> as it was?

Was he intending to summon some divine status from another world?

At that moment, a question occurred to me.

Yu Joonghyuk could intervene in this world line because the great nebulae were using plausibility on the other side of the scale to match him.

But “Ginnungagap” had already ended. There were pursuers stuck to us, but the ones who had appeared here were nothing but great-figure constellations with high synchronization.

Then where, exactly, were the great nebulae spending “plausibility”?

My heart pounded hard with a bad premonition.

Sentences began to write themselves in my head.

“The great nebulae know.”

<Asgard> knew.

“What sort of existence the Demon King of Salvation is. What kind of tale he has been stacking.”

The far sky split, and lightning fell once more.

Slowly my breath began to choke. Something that must not happen was happening.

A far-off sense of time’s causality twisting. As if the entire world were gazing into me.

[Constellation, ‘Greatest Sword of Goryeo’, shouts in anger!]
[Constellation, ‘War God of the Sea’, warns you!]
[Constellation, ‘Bald Militia Commander’…]

Indirect messages from constellations echoed at my ear as the world warped like a swirling vortex.

Only then did I realize what the “great nebula” had done.

[Great nebula, <Asgard>, has proclaimed a new ‘Fate’.]

An irresistible command.

The plausibility of stars that no mortal could escape no matter how he struggled.

「…will」

My [Fate] was being written.

「…will die.」

At the very moment the inevitability of the stars engraved itself upon my soul, along with a dry heave—

—Youngest.

I felt someone shove my soul away, hard.

—Rest now.

As the pressure of the world lifted, I screamed. Because I realized what was about to happen.

No.

Not this time.

You—

—I’m good at this one.

In the final instant, I thought I saw Kim Dokja’s face, bright with a smile.

“Constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’ will die inside the story he loved.”

The Fate was set.