It wasn’t simply an incarnation whose synchronization rate with its constellation had increased. That was truly the constellation’s own “incarnation body”. Why was something like that here. The nightmare of the Washington Dome rose again. The memory of being chased by constellations together with the “Demon King of Salvation”. I had fled all the way here to avoid those beings, only to meet another constellation here.

[The tale, ‘Successor of the Eternal Name’, looks at you with disappointment.]

No. This wasn’t the time to shrink back.

[The tale, ‘Recorder of Things That Will Vanish’, tells you to come to your senses.]

Come to think of it, since when had my tales been able to express their intentions to me?

[The tale, ‘Persistent Martial Master’, says you can do it as long as you’re persistent.]

Right. No matter who the opponent was, I hadn’t accumulated tales that were easy to take lightly. Above all, my backer constellation was the “Demon King of Salvation”.

As I repeatedly took light, deep breaths and observed the constellation’s incarnation body, the tale composition forming that body came into view.

[Exclusive Trait Effect activates!]

Maybe my eyesight had improved too, because now simply by focusing my attention, I could read the tale fragments the opponent possessed.

「Likes Little Red Riding Hoods」
「Gathers wind well」
「Dislikes brick houses」
…….

Old and diseased tale fragments appeared.

[The tales forming this incarnation body are severely worn.]

Kim Dokja had said it.
There is no scenario that cannot be cleared.

[During the progress of the Event Scenario, the ‘wolf’ cannot be killed by other animals.]

I recalled Kim Dokja’s “Revolutionary Scenario”. In a sense, that “wolf” now was playing the same role as the “executioner” of the Demon Realm. A position that entered a kind of “invulnerable state” during the time the scenario was active. If this scenario had the same structure, one option was to somehow endure the wolf’s phase — “the night” — and then aim for the exposed weakness during “the day”.

If only he weren’t a constellation.

[Little wolf. Do you want to die?]

At the constellation’s incantation, Killer King faltered and stepped back. Even a weakened constellation differed from ordinary incarnations by a level that could not be described with words. Killer King must have known that as well. That was why he had chosen to protect the group and survive rather than clear the scenario.

Unlike the Demon Realm, this scenario did not even have a “revolutionary”.

There was no way to kill that “wolf” whether it was night or day. That was the conclusion Killer King had reached.

[This incarnation body can be killed only through the rules of the ‘Event Scenario’.]

I recalled the contents of “The Three Little Pigs”. According to the fairy tale, in order to face that “wolf”, one ultimately needed a “brick house”. But in this world, there were no “bricks”.

[If you had also chosen the ‘wolf’, you would know. Weak animals are eaten. It is neither sad nor something to grieve. It is simply the providence of the story.]

“You already gave him the hippo foreleg.”

[I won’t say it twice. Offer one of the ‘livestock’ you are raising. Then I will withdraw quietly for today.]

At last, Killer King bared his teeth. At some point he had drawn a bowgun, and as he stepped back, he aimed it at the wolves.

“There’s also the way of just killing all of you here.”

The wolves at the front frowned. In this “Event Scenario”, the wolf was not killed by “other animals”. Which meant he could be killed by a “fellow wolf”.

Even if there was a constellation among them, if Killer King resolved himself, it wouldn’t be impossible for him to take down a wolf or two.

―Kim Dokja. You’re there, right.

Killer King’s [Transmitted Voice] reached my ear.

―Escape with the group. I already packed your things; if you go out the back door, you can get out.

Killer King cast a sidelong glance toward where I hid and smiled.

―Don’t worry about me. I won’t die.

To be honest, I never thought Killer King resembled Yu Joonghyuk very much. Just like Kim Dokja, who endlessly shouted “I am Yu Joonghyuk”, could never become Yu Joonghyuk.

The reason I was shaken was probably because, right before coming here, I had read “Destruction Method”.

「‘I won’t die.’」

That was what the Yu Joonghyuk of “Destruction Method” always said right before dying.

I won’t die.

Yu Joonghyuk always said that, and then he died.

For Yu Joonghyuk himself, that sentence was surely the truth. He was, after all, a regressor who never truly died.

But was that sentence truth for those who survived after his death?

[Kill him.]

At the constellation’s command, three or four wolves rushed at Killer King simultaneously. In an instant, their claws targeted Killer King from every direction.

[Tale Fragment, ‘He Who Inherited the Black Coat’, begins its story!]

When had he gathered such a tale fragment.

With the coat fluttering splendidly, Killer King brushed away all the claws cleanly. A fierce roar burst from Killer King’s mouth, accompanied by a merciless smile.

[Tale Fragment, ‘One Whose Voice Resembles the Conqueror’, roars fiercely!]

I briefly wondered if he might even imitate regression, but of course that was impossible.

A moment later, Killer King took a blow to the nape of his neck, clenched his teeth, and sent a transmitted voice.

―Kim Dokja! Hurry!

What determines the essence of a person is not words, but actions. Actions filled with sincerity become stories, and those stories, when told, become tales.

[The tale, ‘Lonely Savior’, begins its story hesitantly.]

The tales Killer King had accumulated were shining brightly. They weren’t exactly the same as Yu Joonghyuk’s, but they were just as noble.

And those tales were ruling Killer King. Leading him toward death.

“If we leave him like this, he’ll die.”

The child Yu Joonghyuk was correct. If we left things as they were, Killer King would die. Just like Master Jung Munho of Seoul Station and Jung Jaewoo of the Theater Dungeon.

“Yu Joonghyuk. I have a request.”

“A request?”

The child Yu Joonghyuk looked up at me. Meeting the suspicious gaze, I searched through the “Goblin Bag”. In this world, the use of “skills” and “stigmas” was prohibited. Item effects were also halved, unable to display their full performance.

Meaning that no matter what I bought from the “Goblin Bag”, there was no way to kill that “wolf constellation”.

But delaying him — maybe.

[You have spent 1,000 coins from the ‘Goblin Bag’.]
[You have acquired the item, ‘Red Riding Hood’s Hood (Replica)’.]

I placed the item purchased through the “Goblin Bag” over the child Yu Joonghyuk’s head.

[The target’s attention level rises due to the item’s effect!]

The child Yu Joonghyuk struggled in shock.

The effect of this item was simple. The wearer becomes a little cuter, a little more appetizing, and more attention-drawing.

Even if the item’s effect was halved here, this much would be enough.

“What are you doing—”

The moment the child Yu Joonghyuk barely stuck his head out of the hood and stood up, the wolf constellation’s gaze turned this way.

[The constellation, ‘Wolf Who Likes Red Hoods’, discovers his prey!]

If this wolf had been a normal constellation, he would not have fallen for such a trick.

But he was different.

Having met many constellations, I was certain. His status was unstable for a constellation. The tales embedded in his incarnation body were unbalanced, and their “grade” was incomplete. A rag-like incarnation body composed of worn tale fragments that hadn’t been properly restored for a long time.

And decisively — the tales forming his incarnation body were not limited to 「The Three Little Pigs」.

[Tale, ‘Wolf Who Covets Red Riding Hoods’, begins its story.]

Constellations who have lived long cannot distinguish well between their own will and the will of their tales. When the tale began its story, the instincts devoured the creature.

[Red Riding Hood.]

Its bloodshot eyes gleamed, and like a mad dog wagging its tail, it began rushing toward the child Yu Joonghyuk.

I gave the child Yu Joonghyuk a solemn nod.

“Run.”

“You bastard—”

“If you don’t run, you’ll die.”

Grinding his teeth hard, the child Yu Joonghyuk looked back at me.

“I will definitely kill you, Kim Dokja.”

Almost simultaneously, I ducked into cover. With a violent blast of wind, the figures of Yu Joonghyuk and the wolf constellation vanished at once.

Kugugugugugu—

When I poked my head outside the cover, I saw, in the distance, the child Yu Joonghyuk running and the wolf constellation chasing him. It looked like he would be caught at any moment, but Yu Joonghyuk would be fine. If his stamina had still been low like earlier, it would be another matter, but his stamina had recovered considerably now.

I had seen with my own eyes how he secretly pulled out a potion from his pocket while sitting on my shoulders and drank it little by little.

A brat who ate eight meals a day — by now he would have completely recovered.

And not only that:

[Item, ‘White Rat Mask’, activates!]
[‘Animal Masks’ are not affected by this worldline’s ‘performance-reduction effect’.]

Perhaps because this was the “Twelve Zodiac” world. The masks were the only items here that retained their original performance.

With the effect of the “Rat Mask” that had taken first place in the “Twelve Zodiac Race”, he wouldn’t get caught anytime soon.

“You.”

By then, Killer King had defeated all the other wolves and turned toward me. As expected from the Second Apostle Killer King. Apparently, he could suppress wolves that weren’t constellations even without skills or stigmas.

Wiping the nosebleed that burst out, Killer King glared at me.

“Do you understand what you’ve done?”

“I understand well.”

“The southern part of Zone 13 belongs to the wolves. You are now—”

“The enemy of the wolves.”

Killer King stared at me as if dumbfounded and murmured,

“Have you really become the actual Kim Dokja…….”

We began picking up items and tale fragments from the fallen wolves. Some tale fragments were usable; some were trash. Entering the “Recycling Center” didn’t mean all stories were recycled.

“It’s not too late. If you want to leave, now is the only chance.”

Killer King straightened his body as he spoke.

“Go to another Zodiac zone. You haven’t lost your mask yet, so there should still be a way for you to escape. I will take care of the remaining party members somehow.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Kim Dokja.”

A faint scar appeared on the back of Killer King’s hand — a wound that hadn’t been there before.

“This is only the eighth scenario. Do you know how many characters we knew have died on the way?”

“……”

“To see the ending, not everyone needs to survive.”

Killer King was right. Not every character was necessary for the world’s ending.

“I, and the others, have accepted it. This world is not the ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’ we knew.”

Along the journey to the ending, no one knew how many more would die. Some would live, some would die. Some would be forgotten, some would be remembered.

Both Killer King and I already understood. This story would not end in a beautifully wrapped fairy-tale ending.

“The ending I want requires all of you.”

“You’re being stubborn — that’s just like Kim Dokja. Are you really planning to shoulder that role? You know well what that means.”

I quietly looked into Killer King’s eyes. Now I had no choice but to admit it. That man had really read <Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint> a hundred times.

He truly knew what I was thinking.

Feeling an inexplicable comfort in that fact, I opened my mouth.

“I know.”

“And even knowing that—”

“You seem to misunderstand something. The reason I need all of you is not because you are useful.”

No matter what I did, I could never become “Kim Dokja, the Demon King of Salvation”. Just as no matter what Killer King did, he could never become “Yu Joonghyuk, the Conqueror”.

Killer King stared blankly at me for a moment — then suddenly smiled brightly.

“I see. So you need me, specifically…….”

“Yes.”

Killer King’s eyebrow twitched.

“Do you have some kind of sharp solution? As things are now, even if you and I joined forces, we still couldn’t kill that wolf.”

“If we follow normal logic, yes. But doesn’t this scenario feel strange to you?”

“Strange?”

“The name is ‘The Three Little Pigs’, but the structure of the scenario resembles another scenario we know extremely well. The wolf’s role, the fact that the scenario starts specifically at ‘night’ — all of it.”

A game in which a “werewolf” who killed at night had to be hunted.

We already knew a scenario quite similar to this one.

“Have you ever thought about why this place is called the ‘Recycling Center’?”

Recycling. Meaning to use something used once again. At my question, Killer King seemed to think about something — then suddenly inhaled sharply and muttered,

“No way……”

I didn’t know who the director of this “Recycling Center” was, nor for what purpose they had designed such a stage. However—

“If my guess is correct……”

I brushed aside the dirt on the ground and gauged the flow of tales around us.

When did they gather?

Behind Killer King, one by one, the other party members had approached. Gyeong Sein, Uncle Dansoo, Ye Hyeonwoo. And even Cha Yerin.

Looking at them, I thought:

Only the eighth scenario. As Killer King said, many readers had died until now. As if this world bore resentment toward them, the readers died again and again.

“And yet we are the people who can tell this story better than anyone in this world.”

And still, “Kim Dokja” had not died.

“From now on, let’s begin the ‘Revolutionary Game’.”

From here on, it was Kim Dokja’s time.