747 chapter - Twelve Zodiac (5)
747 chapter - Twelve Zodiac (5)
Having taken down one of the charging bears, Killer King caught his breath and said,
“This reminds me of the Demon Realm. Something similar happened there too.”
I gave a wry smile.
Indeed, something similar had happened in the Demon Realm of the main story. The crowd incited by the duke’s underlings had obstructed Kim Dokja just like now.
“You talk like you were actually there on the scene.”
“If you read a story about a hundred times, it becomes no different from actually having gone through it.”
“Then you must also know that something about the current situation is strange.”
I looked at the bears pillaging the houses. Even though we had killed quite a few, there were still many bears left. Their numbers even seemed to have increased compared to before.
“The bears wouldn’t have launched an attack at this timing.”
“Why do you think so? If they’re desperate for tales, they’d easily—”
“No matter how desperate they are, they’re not more precious than their lives. The rumor that we have an Otherworldly Divinity on our side must have spread throughout all of District 13.”
Of course, according to our contract, Lycaon couldn’t intervene in the battle in any way. But the beastfolk of District 13, including <Twelve Zodiac>, didn’t know that.
Knowing about Lycaon’s existence, there was no way the northern bears would recklessly invade this place.
“In that case—”
“The tale plunder is just a pretext. Their real goal is to cause as many casualties as possible in District 13.”
Among the casualties would be beastfolk who supported us or had favorable feelings toward us. If they died, our approval rating would naturally drop as well.
Killer King’s eyes narrowed.
“So these bastards have been hired by <Twelve Zodiac>.”
“Most likely.”
<Twelve Zodiac>, wanting to avoid a direct clash with us, had moved the northern bears and were slaughtering the beastfolk of District 13 who supported us.
That was the most reasonable way to see it.
“Then we just need to kill that leader?”
I looked at the brown bear displaying monstrous strength in the distance—“Bear Who Lets You Live If You Play Dead.”
“I’m not sure. If it wasn’t the one who planned this invasion, then even if we kill it, the fight won’t end.”
I narrowed my eyes and glared into empty space.
Because the bear beastfolk had no “tale of their own,” they were beings swayed by others’ tales. In that case, there had to be a tale that had lured them here.
If I could only find the source of that tale—
“I need time.”
“How much.”
“Around five minutes will be enough.”
“No problem.”
Killer King answered with confidence, but everyone knew this wasn’t a situation where we could say such a thing lightly.
It wasn’t the same as when we had faced the wolves in “Three Little Pigs.”
The brown bear was a discarded star, but it still possessed part of a constellation’s authority, and there were more than a few hundred bear beastfolk under its command.
On the other hand, our beastfolk were all herbivores with weak combat power.
“Kwaaaah!”
The southern beastfolk who had been fleeing hastily hid inside the “brick house,” but the brick house wasn’t functioning like it had during “Three Little Pigs.”
“Those wolf bastards couldn’t even break down a crappy house like this?”
“Idiots.”
The bears were beings unaffected by “Three Little Pigs.” Their physical abilities were far superior to those of the wolves.
And decisively—
[Tale, "The Group That Covets the King of Beasts’ Throne," continues its story.]
The “tale” power the brown bear possessed was no joke. Normally, it would be a tale held by hyenas, and yet of all things, it turned out the brown bear had it.
“The Group That Covets the King of Beasts’ Throne” was a tale that grew stronger as the group’s numbers increased.
Perhaps because of the tale’s strength, even the bears who had been knocked down were getting back up and charging again.
“We’re being pushed back!”
The southern beastfolk who had been fighting back began to break away one by one.
As the front line rapidly collapsed, the crane owner also let out a shriek.
“Don’t run! Stand and fight!”
Once a broken front line failed to recover, it began to be pushed back with unstoppable force. Just as even the crane owner’s fighting spirit was about to snap—
“Uwaaaah! Not a single one is getting past me!”
With a booming shout, Gyeong Sein sprang up like a flying squirrel. [Wind’s Path] toppled the charging bears in a tumble.
It was Cha Yerin who smashed the heads of the fallen bears.
Cha Yerin, the one among the party who was the most proficient in [Wind’s Path].
Her kicks were shattering the heads of the charging bears one after another.
Then, a bear hiding under the corpses of its comrades seized an opening and went for Cha Yerin’s flank.
It was Uncle Dansoo, charging in like a tank, who blocked it.
With a bang, the bear’s torso was torn, and its body soared through the air.
“Being gathered together in the brick house like this… it really felt like being together with family……”
His speed was so fast it was hard to believe he was a turtle.
Uncle Dansoo gave me a gentle smile.
“I’m really getting angry for once.”
At the very front of such a party stood a man in a pitch-black coat.
“No one dies. I won’t allow it.”
Without turning back, Killer King added,
“You too, Kim Dokja.”
Here and there across the battlefield, [Wind’s Path] was creating small storms.
Just a few days ago, the party had struggled even to deal with the Wolf Reapers.
Yet now that same party was pushing back bear beastfolk who outnumbered those wolves several times over.
It was truly an incredible growth rate.
The collapsing front line quickly recovered, and even the brown bear couldn’t withstand the party’s waves of attacks and began to stumble backward. It was enough to make me think that maybe we really could just push through like this.
[Graaaah— You bastards!]
Taking repeated hits from Killer King’s crossbow, the brown bear let out a roar of rage.
[Get those ones first! Take their masks!]
Ignoring the damage, the bears rushed in and in an instant cut off the party’s retreat and attacked.
I shouted urgently to the party,
“Everyone, get back!”
We must not lose our masks here. If our masks were taken, “beastification” would happen again and we’d be excluded from the scenario. Our strength would be taken away.
[“Masks” exist to hide something.]
As if it had read my thoughts, the brown bear spoke.
[Identity, weakness, disgrace. Or the truth. The desire to hide one’s weak heart is what becomes a “mask.”]
Wearing a half-mask, the brown bear looked at me and gave a nasty smile.
[To wear a mask is to hide behind one’s own deficiencies. Without even knowing that, you lot keep wearing your masks—]
The brown bear’s eyes shone with a chilling light as it burst into mad laughter.
[And are practically begging for your weaknesses to be attacked.]
The first to be hit was Gyeong Sein.
Masks were items made of tales.
Under the bears’ attacks, cracks formed in Gyeong Sein’s mask and the mask’s tale began to flow out.
「Gyeong Sein wanted to become stronger.」
Gyeong Sein’s “mask” was a squirrel.
「She trained her small body and built muscles. She thought that if she did, others wouldn’t look down on her.」
I thought of the muscular man wearing the [Judge of Fire] name tag.
「But can that really be called true strength.」
Gyeong Sein reached a hand out toward me as if shouting something.
A charging bear trampled Gyeong Sein’s hand.
Something tore.
“Sein!”
Uncle Dansoo was the first to leap in between the bears. Charging like a cannon, Uncle Dansoo curled his body around Gyeong Sein and held her.
From Uncle Dansoo’s broken mask, a tale began to flow out.
「I want to live a long time.」
Uncle Dansoo’s mask was “turtle.”
「If only I can live just a little bit longer.」
I pictured Uncle Dansoo in a hospital gown.
Just when I couldn’t stand it any longer and was about to rush toward them, someone grabbed my shoulder.
“I’ll go.”
It was Cha Yerin.
“Yerin.”
“Find the tale that’s controlling the bears.”
Using [Wind’s Path] like an acrobat, Cha Yerin broke through the path and approached Gyeong Sein and Lee Dansoo.
A massive shadow appeared behind her.
“Yerin!”
The brown bear’s enormous forepaw smashed into Cha Yerin’s back. But Cha Yerin, who had curled her body at just the right timing, formed a “snail shell” and blocked the blow.
[This flimsy shell—]
The brown bear’s eyes flared as it struck the snail shell repeatedly; the edge of the shell broke apart, and a tale spilled out.
「I need somewhere to go back to.」
Cha Yerin’s “mask” was a snail.
「We need a home too.」
The tale of her growing up in an orphanage with her older brother was being mercilessly shattered under the bear’s forepaw.
The one who blocked that forepaw was Ye Hyeonwoo.
The brown bear growled.
[How dare you, you thing that only eats bamboo.]
The brown bear’s weighty forepaw and Ye Hyeonwoo’s fist collided.
Exhausted, Ye Hyeonwoo was easily overpowered in brute strength. With a sound like the air exploding, his body rolled across the ground.
Planting its paw on Ye Hyeonwoo’s chest, the brown bear spoke.
[Kill him.]
The charging bears bit into Ye Hyeonwoo’s entire body.
From the cracked panda mask, a tale flowed out.
「You must live diligently.」
Ye Hyeonwoo, who had always lived diligently.
「Only then can you survive.」
In that moment, I felt like I understood why his mask was “panda.”
「Only then can you avoid going extinct.」
Maybe even he, more methodical and systematic than anyone else, had actually wanted to lean on someone.
「The truth is, I don’t want to do anything.」
Like a panda that can only live in a zoo, quietly chewing bamboo in peace.
“Are you going to lie there pathetically like that.”
[Kh—]
A shadow flew in out of nowhere and sent the brown bear trampling Ye Hyeonwoo flying.
“Heaven-Sundering Collapse Fist!”
Startled, the brown bear recoiled in fright.
[What the—]
“Vermilion Bird Footwork! Heaven-Sundering Swordsmanship! Heaven-Sundering Meteor Strike!”
Abusing Yu Joonghyuk’s skill names at will, Killer King was driving the brown bear back with [Wind’s Path].
“Meteor Slash!”
[You damned wolf—!]
The brown bear roared and struck Killer King’s head.
Crack, Killer King’s mask shattered and a tale spilled out.
「I am a lonely wolf.」
Seeing the tale flow out, the brown bear let out a snort like it was absurd.
[Foolish wolf. Stand down. Your comrades are all finished.]
“My comrades.”
Wiping the blood from his lips, Killer King spoke.
“Don’t die this easily.”
[Your comrades have already become beasts. And you will—]
The brown bear’s massive fist moved with lightning speed. Before he could even block, Killer King’s mask began to shatter helplessly.
[Also become a beast.]
For a mask to disappear meant to become a beastfolk.
Just when I could no longer hold back and took a step forward, Killer King shouted,
“Don’t come, Kim Dokja! This is our story!”
I stopped where I was.
“Don’t make us any more miserable!”
[You fool.]
The brown bear laughed. The blows it rained down on Killer King’s face only grew faster.
Strike down, strike down, again and again.
Killer King’s wolf mask was being smashed to pieces. Even so, Killer King never once dropped to his knees.
Clenching my fist, I was sensing the strange premonition of a tale rising around us.
I couldn’t explain it well, but I had a feeling.
The party would be fine.
The tales they had built up until now were saying so.
「“Hyeonwoo, how much longer are you going to train [Wind’s Path]?”」
「“Just one more hour.”」
「“Fine, then I’ll go for two.”」
「“I’m already on my third hour.”」
The sound of wind blowing from somewhere.
「The party is now ready to take off their ‘masks.’」
What do masks exist for.
The “masks” of District 13 were items that prevented incarnations from “beastifying.”
But according to the “Annihilation Law,” that wasn’t the only meaning of a mask’s existence.
「A “mask” exists for the moment it reveals the face hidden beneath that mask.」
Between the broken pieces of his mask, Killer King’s face appeared. Lips split, Killer King grabbed the brown bear’s fist.
“To wear a mask.”
Killer King’s bare face—Cha ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ Seongu’s bare face—which I hadn’t seen in a long time. His lips curled in a nasty smile.
“Means you want to hide something.”
The stupefied brown bear backed away.
[How…… you! Your mask should have been broken—]
“You’re asking why I’m not becoming a beast?”
For one who had taken off their mask to become a beastfolk was a kind of immune response for someone whose exposed weakness was trying to protect itself.
Even so, Killer King hadn’t become a beast.
Which meant—
“Because I realized that the world is overflowing with people weaker than me.”
[What nonsense—]
“There’s no need for me to hide my weaknesses in front of people weaker than me!”
“You idiot, that’s not it.”
At some point, Ye Hyeonwoo had gotten to his feet and was standing next to Killer King. His mask was also broken in the same way.
The tales from the broken mask were being quietly absorbed into his face.
“I learned that even weakness can become a ‘story.’”
“You could put it that way.”
With a crack, Cha Yerin stepped out from among the broken snail shell.
“You’re both wrong.”
Standing to Killer King’s left, she too had already taken off her mask.
“It’s because we’ve gained comrades who will protect each other’s weakest parts.”
Standing atop a mountain of fallen bears, Gyeong Sein shouted,
“You all speak so well! Now that my mask is broken, I can see so much better in front of me!”
With his mask gone, Gyeong Sein’s expression looked much more refreshed.
Standing beside her, Uncle Dansoo added a word of his own.
“I suppose we’re each other’s masks.”
Our maskless comrades stood like a breakwater, facing the waves of bears.
Seeing them like that, my own heart was pounding.
[An incarnation who has realized the meaning of “mask” has appeared in District 13!]
They had now become pillars proudly supporting one axis of this world.
“You haven’t forgotten why we’re here, have you.”
At Killer King’s words, the party members nodded one by one.
My party stood there, with their backs to me, facing the stars.
Killer King said,
“To protect Kim Dokja.”
I realized anew what the party had been fighting for.
“Three Little Pigs,” “The Fox and the Crane,” and again “The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs.”
While they reproduced other tales and reproduced them again, what they had actually wanted to reproduce more than anything.
[Your tale resonates.]
What kind of face did I have right now.
Was my mask making an expression that fit in among them.
I thought of the person who should have been the one to see this scene in my stead.
Let me remember this scene for him. So that when we meet again someday, I can be sure to tell him.
That there are people who, because of him, came to possess stories of their own.
“Kim Dokja.”
Someone came to stand by my side. His mask had also disappeared from his face. He too had overcome the constraints of the mask.
It was only natural.
Because he was the one in this world who believed in his own tale more than anyone.
“You all.”
The protagonist of this world.
The regressor who had lost his memories and become a boy.
In just a short time, the boy who had grown a little taller was watching the scene in front of him.
How would this scene look in the eyes of a regressor who had gone through the same scenario over and over.
“You have something you want to protect.”
I opened my mouth for a moment, then slowly nodded.
“Yes. Just like you did.”
I looked at the backs of the party as they stepped forward.
There are countless universes and even more planets than that.
One of those fleeting planets.
To be born in the same era, to choose one story among countless stories, to read it and come to love it.
If something like that is really possible, then surely that wonder cannot be explained by words like coincidence or miracle alone.
Because it cannot be explained, it finally becomes a story.
A story that fascinates the stars, burns the night sky, and ultimately changes the universe.
[A new tale has begun to germinate within your group.]
The stars of this world call that story a “tale”.
[The possibility of a nebula has begun to sprout within your group.]