With a thunk, a high-grade demon collapsed.

Ye Hyeonwoo retrieved the ‘Kim Dokja fragment’ the high-grade demon had been holding.

[You have successfully retrieved a ‘Kim Dokja fragment’.]

Along with the message, the energy of a tale flowed into him.

Ye Hyeonwoo checked his own face reflected in a puddle of water. The pale white face he had once seen on the cover of 『Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint』. It looked a bit younger than it had back then. It was probably because his physical age right now was that of a boy.

「Have I become a little more like Kim Dokja now.」

How many more ‘Kim Dokja fragments’ would he have to gather to become Kim Dokja.

Could he ever become Kim Dokja.

「“If you ever end up possessing someone, you have to hide in the back no matter what. You hate getting hurt, remember.”」

A memory suddenly lingered by his ear.

Ye Hyeonwoo recalled the owner of the voice.

‘No Ji-yoon.’

Uncle Dansoo’s daughter. The girl who had visited ‘Kim Dokja’s Banquet’ together with him.

「Ji-yoon is dead.」

It wasn’t something anyone had specifically told him. He had simply come to know it naturally in the process of collecting ‘Kim Dokja fragments’.

「“Everyone, escape this way! Hurry!”」

There had been a reader who fell into the same station Ji-yoon had fallen into. Ji-yoon had fought the monsters to save that reader and the people, and died.

That kind of thing wasn’t all that astonishing in this world.

The reader Ji-yoon had saved that day also ended up dying in the end. Torn to pieces by a high-grade demon.

What meaning had there been in Ji-yoon’s sacrifice.

Ye Hyeonwoo couldn’t really understand.

Just as, while reading ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’ more than fifty times, he hadn’t been able to fully understand Kim Dokja, who risked his life for his companions.

“You were right. I do like being safe.”

Answering the voice of his old friend with a mutter to himself, Ye Hyeonwoo walked through the forest. There was no path, but he walked where it felt like a path might be.

Sometimes he even hummed the song his friend had liked. As he hummed, memories that were still too vivid to be called nostalgia surfaced one after another.

[Tale, ‘Panda and Friends’ begins to tell a story.]

The time he persuaded Gong Pildu and survived in Chungmuro.
The time he was developing the ‘Invincible Castle Lord tech tree’.
The time he almost fought Yu Joonghyuk.
The time he played ‘Capture the Flag’ with the readers.
The time he met Cheon Inho and his party.

“But you know, Ji-yoon. You liked being safe too.”

The Disaster Scenario and Peace Land, the Washington Dome and the ‘Recycling Center’.

The time they all hid together in the brick house.

The time they ate the soup made by the crane shopkeeper.

The time they fixed the swallow’s leg, or looked after the goose going through labor pains.

The time he sat in a corner, gnawing on bamboo as he watched over the party.

Counting off those events one by one, Ye Hyeonwoo felt that all of them together were just like a single novel.

If so, what role had he been assigned in that novel.

Ye Hyeonwoo’s steps stopped. The forest ended and a small clearing appeared.

There, a great demon was standing.

A man in a white coat with black wings spread behind him.

Seeing the red horns jutting up above the man’s head, Ye Hyeonwoo swallowed.

[Great Demon, ‘73rd Demon King’ is staring at you.]

The ‘73rd Demon King’ slowly turned his back and looked at him.

“Demon King of Salvation.”

From the moment he’d heard that the great demon’s designation was ‘73rd Demon King’, he had already been expecting this.

That the ‘Demon King of Salvation’ was here. That the protagonist they had been searching for had appeared as their adversary.

And yet, the moment their gazes met, Ye Hyeonwoo felt a strange sensation.

「That’s the ‘Demon King of Salvation’?」

He could certainly feel a powerful energy of a ‘Kim Dokja fragment’ coming from him.

But…….

‘Get a grip.’

Ye Hyeonwoo shook his head several times, gasping for breath.

‘I have to kill him.’

As befitted someone marked as this stage’s boss, the ‘Demon King of Salvation’ would possess a completely different dimension of authority.

He must not let his party come face to face with the ‘Demon King of Salvation’. If they did, there would inevitably be casualties. To prevent that, he had come here ahead of anyone else.

The moment he took a slow, deep breath and stepped into the clearing, shouts rang out from all directions. The surrounding forest shook as a group of incarnations appeared.

[Strike!]

Incarnations brandishing weapons were charging toward the Demon King of Salvation.

Ye Hyeonwoo recognized who they were in an instant. Constellations of the <Twelve Zodiac>. Those who had been participating in scenarios together with him until just a short while ago.

[Constellation, ‘Monkey Who Fell from the Tree’ lets out a battlecry!]

[Constellation, ‘Primordial Cow’ bares its teeth!]

[Constellation, ‘Red Mountain Lord’ roars!]

At first, he thought the <Twelve Zodiac> had joined hands to hunt the great demon.

But the waveform of the grade he felt was strange. The <Twelve Zodiac> he knew didn’t possess tale waves of that level.

‘They’re not the Twelve Zodiac.’

A belated chill brushed the area around his heart.

‘Someone is using the epithets of the <Twelve Zodiac>.’

As if they knew the great demon’s weakness, the constellations equipped with holy-attribute armaments swung their weapons along precise trajectories.

Fwoosh!

With attacks that carried the very grade of constellations, the great demon was mercilessly hacked apart.

Watching the staggering great demon, complex calculations raced through Ye Hyeonwoo’s head.

Perhaps this was for the best.

The ‘Demon King of Salvation’ was an enemy too difficult to face alone. If he waited for an opening here and then joined the constellations, the scenario would become far easier.

‘Let’s begin.’

From the very start of the scenario until now, Ye Hyeonwoo had steadily stepped through the ‘Invincible Castle Lord tech tree’.

The ‘Invincible Castle Lord tech tree’ he had designed had a total of ten stages.

And just now, Ye Hyeonwoo had met the activation conditions for stage eight of the tech tree.

[Activating exclusive skill, ‘Mana Charge Lv.10’.]

This buildup was an application of his exclusive skill [Mana Charge]―its core was to supply infinite mana to Gong Pildu, who possessed the strongest defensive power.

「But Gong Pildu isn’t here right now.」

Sensing the mana waves, several constellations turned to look at Ye Hyeonwoo.

[That guy is―]

[Ignore him. He’s an incarnation who can’t do anything by himself.]

Had his weakness already become known to the constellations as well.

Ye Hyeonwoo gave a bitter smile.

They were certainly right. He was an incarnation who couldn’t do anything alone.

‘But isn’t that the same for everyone.’

Calming his breathing, Ye Hyeonwoo gathered mana. It was finally time for the ‘Kim Dokja fragments’ he had collected until now to exert their power.

[A new ‘Kim Dokja fragment’s authority is being activated.]

[Some of the skills of the ‘Oldest Dream’ are being restored.]

In the ‘Invincible Castle Lord tech tree’ he had envisioned, up through stage seven, ‘Gong Pildu’ was absolutely necessary.

But from stage eight onward, it was different.

[Activating exclusive skill, ‘Bookmark Lv.5’!]

[The composition of the corresponding skill is incomplete.]

[There is a restriction on which characters can be registered on the Bookmark list.]

[Bookmark.]

Kim Dokja’s exclusive technique, a skill that allowed him to borrow the strength of a ‘character’.

Right now it was so extremely incomplete that he could register only a single ‘character’, but that alone was enough.

From the start, there was only one character he needed.

“I’ll activate Bookmark No.1, ‘Armed Castle Lord Gong Pildu’.”

[Bookmark No.1 has been activated.]

[Activation time is determined in proportion to the level of the Bookmark skill.]

[Your understanding of the character is extremely high.]

[The activation time of the Bookmark skill is partially adjusted according to your exclusive trait.]

[Activation time: 20 minutes]

The character who had always protected him was now inside him.

[Activating exclusive skill, ‘Private Land Lv.10’!]

Gong Pildu’s private land seized control of the surrounding area in an instant.

But this alone wasn’t enough to operate the ‘Armed Fortress’. That was because Gong Pildu’s ‘Armed Fortress’ was not an exclusive skill, but a ‘stigma’.

[Bookmark] could not borrow a person’s ‘stigma’.

Of course, Ye Hyeonwoo had a contingency prepared for that.

“I’ll fulfill the contract with the Defense Master.”

[The terms of the contract with constellation, ‘Defense Master’ are being activated.]

A contract he had made with the ‘Defense Master’ just in case of the worst of the worst.

The terms of the contract were simple.

In exchange for doing a favor for the Defense Master, he would receive the right to share one of Gong Pildu’s ‘stigmas’ at a ‘moment of his choosing’.

[You have obtained temporary usage rights to stigma, ‘Armed Fortress’.]

[For the duration of this scenario, the stigma will be converted into an ‘exclusive skill’.]

[Exclusive skill, ‘Armed Fortress Lv.8’ has been activated!]

The ground beneath his feet rose up and Ye Hyeonwoo’s body floated into the air.

The outer wall of the ‘Armed Fortress’ that would protect him from any attack was growing.

[Wh-what the―]

A small fortress that grew to over twenty meters in an instant.

Compared to the stage ten ‘Armed Citadel’ of the tech tree he had aimed for, it was a bit crude in appearance, but for now, this was enough.

[‘Mobile Fortress’ is being activated.]

With wheels sprouting under the fortress, the fortress began to move.

[The ‘turrets’ of the Armed Citadel are being activated.]

As massive mana turrets all aimed forward at once, the constellations, sensing the crisis, began to shout.

[Didn’t you say that bastard can’t do anything by himself?]

[Damn it, finish this quickly! If that bastard snatches the decisive blow―]

Listening to the constellations’ shouts, Ye Hyeonwoo sat in the fortress’s control tower.

[Activating the authority of item, ‘Singijeon’.]

[The indirect-fire destructive power of the ‘turrets’ increases!]

[A tracking function is added to the shells of the ‘turrets’.]

As the fortress’s radar activated, the dust-covered figure of the ‘Demon King of Salvation’ came into view.

[Setting strike target.]

The ‘Demon King of Salvation’ had already suffered massive damage to his incarnation body.

At last, with his resolve firmed, Ye Hyeonwoo pressed the fire button.

As sixty-four turrets spewed fire, an earth-shaking roar swept across the forest. Black dust billowed up.

But the scream that came from within it was not the ‘Demon King of Salvation’s.

[Kuaaaaaaah!]

The incarnation bodies of the constellations burst apart into pieces within the dust.

[Constellation, ‘Monkey Who Fell from the Tree’ takes massive damage and exits the scenario.]

[Constellation, ‘Rabbit Without a Liver’ takes massive damage and exits the scenario.]

…….

Some of the constellations couldn’t endure the hits and exited the scenario.

Even so, Ye Hyeonwoo did not stop.

[You bastard, why―]

The enraged constellations leveled their weapons at him.

Watching the constellations charging toward him, Ye Hyeonwoo thought.

「Why did I do that.」

It had been an unwise choice. Naturally, the safe choice would have been to join forces with those constellations, finish off the great demon, and share the tale.

And yet, the moment he saw the ‘Demon King of Salvation’ on the radar, Ye Hyeonwoo had been unable to choose the safe option.

「He definitely wasn’t the ‘Demon King of Salvation’ he remembered.」

The face of the ‘Demon King of Salvation’ who had become a great demon was pale like a corpse.

A patchwork body as if made by stitching together pieces of flesh. Eyes that had lost their light and skin from which no trace of life could be felt.

In the end, this scenario would only end once they hunted him.

Only then could he save his party.

For that goal, he had come here ahead of anyone else.

And yet, the moment he saw Kim Dokja’s face, Ye Hyeonwoo felt a faint dizziness.

「I don’t know if the author will ever see this. But I’ll write it once anyway. I have a spell I recite sometimes when things get hard.」

The enraged constellations left the great demon alone and began to charge toward the fortress.

「I am Kim Dokja.」

Ye Hyeonwoo knew this as well. He was not Kim Dokja. Precisely because he knew better than anyone that he was not Kim Dokja, he recited that spell.

「But according to my friend, I look more like an octopus than a squid.」

Ye Hyeonwoo pressed the fire button again and again.

Clods of dirt flew up everywhere.

Amid the splinters of shattered trees, the constellations raged and shouted.

[Kuaaaaaaak! Damn it!]

[Hold on! Wait until his mana runs out! There’s no way he can keep this bombardment up forever―]

Thanks to the effect of [Mana Charge], mana surged through Ye Hyeonwoo’s entire body once more.

The core of the Invincible Castle Lord tech tree―the 「Infinite Ouroboros」 system―had manifested.

[Uaaaagh!]

Even the constellations who had been enduring steadfastly began to fall one by one.

A bit of certainty began to fill Ye Hyeonwoo’s heart as well.

At best, they were only incarnation bodies of ‘hero-grade constellations’. Even if their synchronization rate had been raised, in this ‘Recycling Center’ where their grade was restricted, they could not withstand the fortress’s concentrated bombardment.

[Warning! The durability of ‘Armed Fortress’ is decreasing!]

With a thud, there came the sound of something collapsing.

Startled, Ye Hyeonwoo checked the radar. But nothing was being detected.

Someone was bombarding the fortress at a speed the detection system couldn’t even pick up.

Rumble, rumble, rumble.

The current ‘Armed Fortress’ was, at best, a level-five fortress.

As powerful strikes continued in succession, the outer walls of the fortress crumbled and cracks began to appear in the inner walls as well.

The moment the anxious Ye Hyeonwoo charged mana once more to bring the turrets online, something smashed through the protective wall of the control tower and appeared.

[To think you’d use that ‘Singijeon’ in this way. Not bad.]

What appeared were three incarnation bodies. All of them were ones he was seeing for the first time.

The incarnation body of the constellation at the very front approached like a ghost and grabbed Ye Hyeonwoo’s neck where he sat.

[Later generation, why did you interfere with us?]

Dangling in midair, Ye Hyeonwoo laughed.

Even now, Ye Hyeonwoo did not understand Kim Dokja, who had sacrificed himself for his party.

But even if he didn’t understand him, Ye Hyeonwoo liked him.

The constellation staring quietly at Ye Hyeonwoo, who hung there in midair, spoke.

[What you ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) just did wasn’t courage. It was nothing more than foolishness.]

The moment he heard that voice, goosebumps rose up along Ye Hyeonwoo’s spine.

He realized something anew.

The ‘Invincible Castle Lord tech tree, stage eight’ had been designed so that, inside the ‘Recycling Center’, it could withstand even the attacks of ‘hero-grade constellations’.

If something had broken through this fortress wall and come in, then it was obvious what kind of existence the enemy before his eyes was.

‘Tale-grade constellation’.

The ominous sparks whipping through the air proved it.

He couldn’t understand it. How could a tale-grade constellation have intervened in this ‘Recycling Center’ scenario.

[Due to excessive Backlash of Plausibility, the worldview is shaking unstably.]

[Many constellations are watching the ‘Recycling Center’.]

He could feel the gazes of the stars watching this place from beyond the distant universe.

Just how many stars were watching this place.

[The worldview rules of the ‘Recycling Center’ are weakening.]

[The Plausibility of <Star Stream> is beginning to move!]

[An unidentified nebula is interfering with the Plausibility of the ‘Recycling Center’.]

<Olympus>? <Asgard>? <Veda>?

Or some small and medium-sized nebula that had been hiding?

The moment he saw the Backlash of Plausibility brightly staining the air, Ye Hyeonwoo sensed that this scenario had completely slipped out of his hands.

[You also have a fragment of the Oldest Dream.]

“Guh―”

[It’s really strange. Why do all the incarnations who have this fragment end up bringing death upon themselves…….]

Feeling the hand that gripped his neck tighten, Ye Hyeonwoo sensed his own end.

「“Kim Dokja is going to be me.”」

For something he had boasted so confidently, it felt like a futile end. At the same time, it also felt like an end that suited him rather well.

Perhaps from the moment he had first seen Cheon Inho in Chungmuro, he had been sensing this day.

He could not become Kim Dokja.

Because in this world, there was someone far more suited to the position of Kim Dokja than he was.

His role was to fulfill the part of an extra in the spaces between the lines, where no one would remember him.

If there was only one thing he regretted at the end, it was this.

「I really just wanted to say thank you. I’ll come back in a few days to binge-read from the beginning again.」

That he would no longer be able to keep the promise of that comment he had once left.

As tremendous mana flowed in through the constellation’s hand, his consciousness began to burn away.

If he died like this and became a Kim Dokja fragment, would he be able to meet Ji-yoon again. If they met again, would they be able to laugh and talk about this story.

See, I told you, if you really get possessed into ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’, you’ll die in no time. Saying that as they laughed―

Would he be able not to regret having read this story.

Thinking such thoughts, Ye Hyeonwoo waited for his death.

But no matter how much time passed, his consciousness did not disappear.

Along with the feeling of his body floating lightly in the air, he felt someone holding him and lowering him to the ground.

When he slowly opened his eyes and raised his head, he saw someone’s back.

[<Star Stream> intervenes in the Backlash of Plausibility in this area.]

[The scale-eye of Plausibility is moving.]

Kim Dokja?

But looking again, he saw that the person was wearing a black cloak.

Then was it Yu Joonghyuk?

No. The build was smaller than Yu Joonghyuk’s.

Ye Hyeonwoo spotted the word written on his back.

『OLD SCHOOL』.

Old School.

A boy wearing a mask turned to look at him. The moment his gaze met those eyes that held a peculiar stubbornness, Ye Hyeonwoo felt like he knew who he was.

Because he had read this story more than fifty times.

“You…… you look like Reader-hyung.”

The being who could move the ‘scales of Plausibility’ against those terrifying tale-grade constellations.

“Thanks for saving hyung.”

The <Kim Dokja Company> had come to the ‘Recycling Center’.