「Kill him! Kill that bastard somehow!」
「He’s someone who’s already received a [Fate]. We can finish him here!」
「We’ll kill him and get the tale!」
「You lunatic. Die! Just stay dead already!」

On the pale screen, great-figure constellations were shouting urgently.

Every time Baekcheong’s trajectory moved, someone’s neck was severed.

「That much won’t kill me, you bastards.」

「Kraaaah!」

Each time incarnation bodies fell, the great-figure constellations took a terrible hit and were forced to retreat.

Having taken down yet another constellation, the “Demon King of Salvation,” soaked in blood, looked up at the sky.

As if conscious of the gaze of someone watching him.

【He never seems to get tired of it.】

Asmodeus sucked on the diet cola beside him and let out a faint sigh.

When he briefly took his eyes off the screen and looked around, he saw little Kim Dokjas watching the screen with expressions as if being drawn into it.

The little Kim Dokjas all had different outfits, heights, and expressions.

When he had first brought them here, they had certainly all looked the same, but as time passed, they gradually changed.

A kid wearing a brimmed cap with “SSS” written on it.
A kid in a martial-arts robe straight out of a wuxia novel.
A kid in horn-rimmed glasses, writing something down…

Kids whose tastes and favorite stories were all different were, at this moment, focused on the same story.

Asmodeus let out a light, crooked smile and muttered,

【Just like you.】

Another thunderous roar rang from the screen. The sound of someone collapsing. Screams and shrieks. Watching the rain of falling meteors, Asmodeus let out a small exclamation.

【In any case, this is my first time seeing something like that happen in a seventh-scenario region. The nebulae have really gone insane. I don’t know if they can handle the aftermath.】

The nebulae probably knew it too. Even if they were only grinding down great-figure constellations, at that level it was nearly ruinous.

【Then again, it’s not like those idiots ever acted with forethought.】

The “great nebula” that would be the main of this event was probably going to take at least a ten-percent hit to its great tales.

Even so, the nebulae had gone through with this operation. Going so far as to resist the terrifying plausibility of <Star Stream>.

「The first Kim Dokja, the ‘Demon King of Salvation,’ is worth that much.」

【It reminds me of the day I first met him.】

Even before he became the “Demon King of Salvation,” the “Demon King of Salvation” had been a brazen incarnation.

He had dared to mess with the “Dark Watcher,” a subordinate of a demon king, and had even used a cheap trick to avoid Asmodeus’s curse.

Asmodeus had turned a blind eye to all of it.

Because the fact that an ordinary incarnation without even a single tale was pulling such stunts was immensely intriguing.

[Tale, ‘The One Who Watched the Demon King of Salvation’ nods its head.]

Sensing the tale stirring within him for the first time in a while, Asmodeus shook his head.

Old ties sometimes became tales. Even if they were bad ties.

[Some constellations who share tales with you notice your presence.]
[Some constellations express displeasure at your existence.]

Asmodeus let out a hollow laugh.

He’d had a faint hope, but of course.

It seemed the stars from “that world line” who liked Kim Dokja were still alive.

【There’s plenty of cola and popcorn. Why don’t you come here too?】

The stars did not answer.

They, too, would not dare to intervene.

All the constellations from other world lines, including Asmodeus himself, had their feet bound by special constraints.

At that moment, someone tugged on his sleeve. When he turned, a little Kim Dokja was there.

The smallest specimen even among the little Kim Dokjas.

【What is it, little little Kim Dokja.】

Little little Kim Dokja looked up at him with eyes brimming with tears. Then, looking once at the screen and once at Asmodeus, he repeated the motion over and over.

【Hm?】

Asmodeus’s brow twitched hard.

【Don’t tell me you’re asking me to help right now?】

A vigorous nod.

Asmodeus put on a deliberately stern expression.

【Little little Kim Dokja. Have you forgotten who I am? I am the ‘Representative of Kim Dokja.’ I am their enemy.】

Little little Kim Dokja tilted his head, as if he couldn’t understand Asmodeus’s words.

Asmodeus didn’t answer further. Even so, those clear eyes kept staring at him for a long time.

What kind of beings were Kim Dokjas?

He had gathered quite a lot of his fragments, but Asmodeus still couldn’t understand Kim Dokja.

Little little Kim Dokja’s fingertip touched the back of Asmodeus’s hand. Startled by the sudden warmth, Asmodeus shook off the hand as if annoyed and muttered,

【I’m sorry, but I can’t help him. Have you forgotten what happened when I intervened carelessly and the theater took a heavy hit?】

Knowing full well that little little Kim Dokja wouldn’t understand, Asmodeus continued speaking.

【Because part of the theater’s functions were damaged back then, we can’t even properly perform ‘fragment retrieval’ right now. Why would I save the one who ruined my theater—】

Asmodeus closed his mouth there. Little little Kim Dokja’s expression clearly showed he hadn’t understood a word.

【What am I even saying to someone who can’t understand.】

He had neither the justification nor the reason, but if Asmodeus made up his mind, he could save the Demon King of Salvation.

The problem was that if he did, the story would get complicated.

[The Nebulae Alliance is watching for your intervention.]

The message came as if it had been waiting.

Due to his last intervention, the great nebulae had noticed his existence.

If he intervened in that scenario now, Asmodeus would have to accept a considerable level of bleeding.

【In any case, even if I don’t step in, his story won’t end so easily.】

Little little Kim Dokja’s tiny hand, which had been hesitating, grabbed Asmodeus’s cold hand again.

Too tired to even shake it off, Asmodeus did not avoid that hand. He merely watched the screen with bored eyes.

【The end of this world will be far more cruel than he thinks.】
*

How many incarnation bodies had he cut down. He’d forgotten to count.

Under the lightly leaping lightning of Baekcheong, the incarnation bodies that had fallen were piled up in layers.

[Some constellations cannot endure the plausibility shock and fall asleep.]

As the constellations, who had taken massive damage from their reckless intervention in a sub-scenario, withdrew one after another, the number of enemies rushing in gradually decreased.

[Your incarnation body has reached its limit.]

Every time he swung his sword once, a metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. He couldn’t even clearly remember the last time he’d fought like this.

“I’ve thought about it a lot.”

The Demon King of Salvation swung his sword, and swung it, and swung it again.

“And dying here is still kind of lame.”

Judging from the decreasing number of great-figure constellations entering the fray, the other side was exhausted too. At this rate, there wouldn’t be any great-figures left who could lay a hand on the youngest for the time being.

“I still haven’t properly told the youngest who ‘Kim Dokja’ is.”

“What are you talking about? Just die already! Please!”

He cut down another incarnation body of a great-figure constellation that charged at him.

“I also want to make him read ‘Eradication Method’ once.”

All Kim Dokjas loved stories. The “Demon King of Salvation” was no different. More than any other “Kim Dokja,” he loved “Eradication Method.”

But in his view, when it came to sheer persistence toward “story,” the youngest was number one.

A Kim Dokja who simply loved “story” itself.

A Kim Dokja who read even the stories every other Kim Dokja had turned away from. A Kim Dokja who, after reading all those stories, now wanted to write a new one.

[Tale, ‘Demon King of Salvation’ continues its story.]
[‘Dark Watcher’ resonates with your tale.]

“I wonder if he’ll be able to write something like ‘Eradication Method’ too.”

[A certain colossal Fate desires your death!]

It was already the second Fate message.

Once there were three messages, the power of [Fate] would become even stronger.

The nebula punks would surely fill out the count.

“But you guys.”

An arrow flying from the side lodged near his heart. The Demon King of Salvation staggered greatly, and blood welled up in his mouth. Even so, he did not fall.

“At this rate, even if you catch me, all of you are guaranteed ruin.”

The plausibility cost of forcing a [Fate] on a mere incarnation and forcing it on him, a tale-grade constellation, were worlds apart.

But the great nebula had not corrected the error in [Fate].

In other words, to forcibly impose this [Fate], the great nebula had probably sacrificed a massive amount of tales.

“Just forcing a [Fate] {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} isn’t the end. You at least have to secure the minimum plausibility to carry out that [Fate].”

Even as he staggered, the Demon King of Salvation kept walking forward. Another incarnation body charging at him fell.

“What you have is nowhere near enough. Even our youngest could figure that out.”

Drenched in blood, the Demon King of Salvation grinned crookedly. Incarnation bodies were strewn across every path he walked. Swaying as if he might collapse at any moment, he kept cutting down great-figure constellations, and cutting, and cutting.

“Damn it, lunatic. He’s a lunatic!”

“How can he go that far—”

“Is he a Mad Star…”

No one could stop him as he swung his sword with arrows embedded all over his body. Everyone knew that if they pushed just a little more, he would fall, and yet no one dared to land the final blow.

“How can a monster like that—”

It was a fight whose outcome had been decided.

The plausibility of the great nebula supported them, and the cream-of-the-crop great-figure incarnation bodies had swarmed in.

Even if it wasn’t their true bodies, they had dropped, and dropped, and dropped incarnation bodies with high synchronization.

And yet.

“Why.”

The “Demon King of Salvation” did not fall.

The “Gatekeeper of Thebes” muttered blankly,

“Why won’t he fall.”

The fear that they might not be able to kill that bastard began to well up. As his head became stained with terror, the tale surrounding that bastard began to come into view bit by bit.

[Tale, ‘Demon King of Salvation’ continues its story.]

Why did “myth-grade constellations” covet the “Demon King of Salvation.”

Even as they disparaged him as a “discarded god,” why did they so desperately want his fragments.

The “Gatekeeper of Thebes,” foolish as he was, finally felt like he understood it all now.

“E-everyone—”

He couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence.

He knew they only had to push a little more, and yet he couldn’t be sure.

「I simply cannot believe we will ever be able to kill that constellation.」

[Constellation, ‘Gatekeeper of Thebes’ is persuaded by the tale.]

This was the power of tale.

The reason a great-figure constellation could not defeat a tale-grade constellation.

The great-figure constellations, their fighting spirit broken, began to falter and retreat.

But not every star had been persuaded.

“So, great-figure morons alone really weren’t enough.”

A long spear flying in from somewhere pierced through the Demon King of Salvation’s back.

The “Demon King of Salvation,” who had been staggering, had one knee buckle for the first time.

A stature that did not cower even before such a powerful tale.

Only a star that possessed a tale just as great could do such a thing.

[The backlash of plausibility begins to blow.]

Despite the rules of the “Scales,” the backlash of plausibility slowly began to press in.

It was clear proof that this scenario did not permit the existence of that “constellation.”

[Constellation, ‘War God of Ferocity’ heightens his synchronization with his incarnation!]

The War God of Ferocity, Ares.

No less than a Twelve Olympians-class constellation of <Olympus> had joined the battle with his incarnation.

[Constellation, ‘War God of Ferocity’ declares the end.]

At Ares’s command, the great-figure constellations that had been cowed rushed in once more.

The Demon King of Salvation smirked.

“Youngest, are you watching.”

The lightning falling from the sky grew even fiercer. The great nebula was probably sacrificing an enormous amount of plausibility for this miracle.

“To write well, you have to see a lot.”

With one knee bent, he cut down the constellations charging him.

The [Baekcheong Gang Qi], which had not received sufficient magic power, flickered. The Demon King of Salvation instead used the imbalance of magic power to cut through incarnation bodies as if performing acrobatics.

Each time “Blade of Conviction” flashed intermittently, another great-figure incarnation body fell.

[Tale, ‘Demon King of Salvation’’s influence gradually decreases.]

The blazing heat of Ares’s spear arts wrapped around the battlefield, setting the ground aflame.

The Demon King of Salvation changed the mimetic form of “Broken Conviction” into “Unbreakable Conviction.”

Planting the sword in the ground, he panted for breath.

On the [Fourth Wall], sentences for him were being written.

「The Demon King of Salvation had people he wanted to see.」

When he lowered his head, he saw a cigarette lying on the ground. The lit cigarette was sending up white smoke.

「He would never be able to meet them now.」

Smelling the acrid scent, the Demon King of Salvation read the sentences being written on the wall.

A story narrating his death.

Sentences for the Kim Dokja who wanted to read even that story.

「Kim Dokja decided to accept that story.」

The Demon King of Salvation could not know who was writing the sentences on the wall.

Just as he couldn’t confirm whether the one beyond that veil was Yu Joonghyuk or not.

Only that someone wrote, someone read, and someone lived.

Never able to reach one another, they would complete this story together.

The Demon King of Salvation picked up the fallen cigarette and took a drag. Exactly one drag’s worth of tale seeped deep into his soul.

Looking down at the cigarette, the Demon King of Salvation said,

“Keep writing, Han Sooyoung.”

Watching Ares approach, the Demon King of Salvation squeezed out his last strength and gripped “Unbreakable Conviction.”

“Because we can still keep reading.”

He was still curious about the end of this story.