The scenario’s air, breathed in for the first time in a while. Feeling its familiar yet unfamiliar density, Lee Gilyoung recalled an old piece of advice from Kim Dokja.

「“That’s right. Breathe in like that, then let it out. Slowly, over and over.”」

It was a breathing method Kim Dokja had taught Lee Gilyoung back when he said he wanted to learn martial arts.

「“What kind of mental technique is this?”」

When he asked that, Kim Dokja scratched his cheek in embarrassment and answered.

「“It’s just something I do before reading. A deep breath. It helps me focus.”」

Yu Joonghyuk had criticized it as “the teaching of some half-baked idiot who doesn’t even know martial arts,” but ever since then, whenever something happened, Lee Gilyoung often found himself recalling that breathing method.

Slowly breathe in, then let it out.

「“Think of it as a story being engraved into every single breath.”
“Stories?”
“The stories of the people who lived before us.”」

Breathing in the same way as someone he admired.

That breathing didn’t make Lee Gilyoung particularly strong. Still, just by following that breath, he felt as if he were taking one step closer to Kim Dokja’s world.

So this was how Reader-hyung breathed and lived.

“Breathe slowly.”

Lee Gilyoung said as he rubbed Ye Hyeonwoo’s back, as Ye Hyeonwoo roughly gasped for air.

“Breathe in, let it out. Keep going.”

Watching Ye Hyeonwoo slowly lose consciousness, Lee Gilyoung once again thought about why he had come to this scenario. The reason he had come here while enduring the Backlash of Plausibility, while even bearing his companions’ reproaches.

「There was something Lee Gilyoung wanted to ask Kim Dokja.」

That was why he had come here recklessly.

Accepting the bizarre position of ‘Old School’, even accepting the scenario penalty, he had come all the way here.

But now that he was actually here, he didn’t know who he was supposed to ask.

Who was the real Kim Dokja.

The boy who resembled hyung’s younger self. Or that woman who carried an atmosphere similar to hyung’s.

Or that man who resembled hyung the most.

Or, if not that, that monster who seemed the farthest from hyung, yet from whom he could feel hyung’s soul.

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

The great demon was looking this way with hollow eyes.

Looking at him, Lee Gilyoung realized what Lee Jihye had meant.

Maybe Reader-hyung was gone now.

[Who are you?]

Toward the constellations asking him that question, Lee Gilyoung asked one in return.

“That’s the question I want to ask. Why are you here?”

[Descendant, do you know who we are?]

“Hongik.”

The moment he spoke that name, the expressions of the constellations changed for the first time.

[An unnamed nebula reveals its name!]
[Nebula, <Hongik>, reveals its presence!]

[How do you know us?]

“You’re scattering tales all over the place. It’d be weird not to know.”

Lee Gilyoung wasn’t Kim Dokja, but he breathed like Kim Dokja and thought like Kim Dokja.

And so, he came to see the world the way Kim Dokja did.

As he slowly blinked, he could feel the tales they possessed. Especially the faint sound of drums coming from the constellation at their center.

Listening to that sound, like raindrops striking the earth, Lee Gilyoung opened his mouth.

“‘Overseer of Rain’, right?”

Overseer of Rain.

One of the three tale-grade constellations that served ‘Sage King Geom’, the master of <Hongik>. A god of rain who could freely control the rain of the heavens—Usa.

[You really do recognize me, descendant.]

Usa, impressed by Lee Gilyoung’s discernment, nodded.

[That’s right. I am the Overseer of Rain, ‘Usa’. Who are you?]

“I’m just a student who missed his graduation timing.”

Usa mulled over what that meant for a moment, then /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ asked.

[What does that mean?]

“You don’t need to know the details. More importantly, how did you all enter this place when you aren’t even students? There should be taboos placed on the Recycling Center.”

[We have no obligation to answer an insolent descendant.]

“I see. Then you must’ve borrowed the power of the ‘Mother of the Progenitor’, right? Ah, you don’t have to answer. I can tell from your expression.”

A tale-grade constellation of <Hongik>, the Mother of the Progenitor—Ungnyeo.

Since Ungnyeo’s origin was that of a bear, she had close ties with the <Twelve Zodiac>.

If Ungnyeo had formed a contract with the <Twelve Zodiac>, and through that borrowed the epithets of the Twelve Zodiac from <Hongik>—

“So you stole weak guys’ epithets and crawled all the way in here?”

[We didn’t steal them. We—]

“Ah, a cooperative relationship?”

The picture roughly came together.

The ‘Recycling Center’ was a playground woven by the Gourmet Association and the Administration Bureau. In the end, in this scenario, the hero-grade constellations of the <Twelve Zodiac> could only become playthings.

And so, the <Twelve Zodiac> had made a decision as well.

If they were going to be playthings no matter what, then they’d rather borrow the power of another <Nebula>. Even if that was how, they would try to find a way to fulfill their long-cherished wish.

“Monkey Who Fell from the Tree! Primordial Cow! Red Mountain Lord!”

Lee Gilyoung called out the names of the Twelve Zodiac who had lent their epithets to <Hongik>, one by one.

“Are you listening? Doing it this way, you’ll never get what you want. How long are you going to keep clinging to other nebulae? Why won’t you even try to stand on your own, just once?”

With a crackling sound, sparks flew from the incarnation bodies of Usa and the other constellations.

The constellations of the <Twelve Zodiac> were reacting to Lee Gilyoung’s words.

[Descendant, my patience has its limits.]

Usa, whose expression had hardened, spoke, perhaps growing impatient.

[If you keep interfering, we will have no choice but to eliminate you.]

“You will? Me?”

[We don’t know who you are, but—]

As Usa spoke, he raised his hand toward the sky. More than a dozen constellations who had been jointly attacking the great demon rose into the air.

For the sole purpose of eliminating one person: Lee Gilyoung.

Looking at the constellations’ shadows filling the sky, Lee Gilyoung said,

“Yeah. You really don’t seem to know who I am.”

From Lee Gilyoung’s embrace, Cheonchongungom (Heavenly Sword of Gathering Clouds and Rain) began to shine. As demonic energy surging from the boy’s heart was imbued into the sword intent, aura energy spanning more than ten meters soon dyed the sky.

[Th-that is—!]

Lee Gilyoung was not skilled with the sword.

He neither properly knew martial arts, nor had he learned them.

But there were things he had seen over others’ shoulders.

The way the people he admired fought.

When and how they swung their blades, how they operated mana, how they regulated their strength. Lee Gilyoung had seen all of those scenes and replayed them countless times in his head.

One replay became two. Two became three, four, five. Replaying them again and again—how many times had he replayed them by now?

Lee Gilyoung thought,

「I think I can do it too.」

Lee Gilyoung-style imitation.

「A trajectory that shatters the heavens in a single strike.」

Heaven-Shattering Sword Path.

With a rough thunderous roar, the sword intent of Cheonchongungom split the sky. Barely blocking the sword strikes with both hands, Usa shouted.

[Good heavens. Could it be that you—]

Lee Gilyoung’s sword unceasingly drew lines across the sky. Drawing, and drawing again. Drawing until the sky truly seemed to split apart. Screams of constellations echoed everywhere. Violent lightning struck down, swallowing even those screams.

[Usa! I’ve never heard that there was a monster like that—]

As one constellation, its face drained of color, shouted, Lee Gilyoung stopped his sword for the first time.

“You were the same in our world line, and you’re just as disappointing here.”

With a rustling sound, the constellations fell like hail.

One, two, three, four. Constellations that had lost arms or legs to the sword strikes cried out in pain.

Looking down at them, Lee Gilyoung said,

“How long are you going to keep coveting the descendants’ tales? You have plenty of good tales yourselves.”

[What?]

“Show the descendants you talk about something worth looking up to. Isn’t that what the spirit of Hongik is about?”

Usa looked down at the fallen stars. Though arms or legs had been severed, none of them had suffered fatal damage to their true bodies.

They were clearly attacks that had avoided vital points.

Usa looked down at those constellations, then at Lee Gilyoung, who still hadn’t sheathed Cheonchongungom.

After hesitating for a moment, Usa asked,

[Could it be that you are a friend of the ‘Oldest Dream’?]

Lee Gilyoung slowly nodded.

With a sigh, Usa murmured,

[So what the myth-grade constellations said was true…….]

“What do you mean?”

[Thank you for showing mercy, friend of the Oldest Dream.]

At Usa’s signal, the incarnation bodies of the constellations all disengaged possession at once.

[The disordered context of the epithets is returning to its proper place.]

The constellations of <Hongik> who had entered the Recycling Center by borrowing epithets were returning, one by one, to where they belonged.

“Have a safe trip. And give my regards to the Mother of the Progenitor too.”

Until the very last moment, Usa looked at Lee Gilyoung with a stunned expression, but without any further exchange, he vanished.

Only after Usa disappeared completely did Lee Gilyoung finally manage to breathe out.

“Good thing they were reasonable.”

Maybe it was because of the scenario penalty. Even though he had only operated mana briefly, the penalty was severe.

[The scenario penalty is eroding your entire body!]

If Usa had truly gone all out, Lee Gilyoung would have had no choice but to release his limit.

If that had happened, it would have caused major problems for this world line’s Plausibility. Just as he was thinking they might have gotten a breather this way—

[Impressive.]

Clap, clap, clap—applause rang out. Turning his head toward the sound, he saw someone standing there.

[As expected of the famed <Kim Dokja Company>.]

That distinctively mocking tone.

An incarnation body wearing a pitch-black cloak similar to Lee Gilyoung’s stood there.

[To cow the constellations with the minimum grade needed to suppress the Backlash, then send them away with nothing but words…… A sight Kim Dokja himself would praise.]

“You.”

From Lee Gilyoung’s entire body, demonic energy far more dreadful than before poured out.

“Asmodeus.”

At that word, Lee Gilyoung’s incarnation vanished. His right hand, shot out like lightning, collided with Asmodeus’s left. A violent wave of demonic energy exploded, and the two bodies were flung apart.

“Was this your doing? What happened to hyung too—”

[Hm? By ‘hyung’, who do you mean?]

Asmodeus answered with a sinister smile.

[There are far too many ‘hyungs’ of yours here, you see.]

“Where is Sooyoung? Her disappearance too—was that your doing?”

[Oh dear. Are you saying Han Sooyoung’s death was my fault?]

“Sooyoung didn’t die!”

[She died, crushed by the weight of her own sins.]

With a cry of rage, Lee Gilyoung swung Cheonchongungom.

Seeing the demonic energy imbued in the sword strike, Asmodeus smiled.

[You’ve become quite skilled at handling demonic energy. But this isn’t the limit of your abilities, is it?]

With a light snap of his fingers, more than a dozen high-grade demons sprang out from the bushes.

They were constellations belonging to the Gourmet Association.

Lee Gilyoung asked with a sneer,

“You think that’s enough to deal with me?”

[Why not? Isn’t it?]

“Looks like you’ve forgotten who I am too.”

Each of the charging high-grade demons was an entity that couldn’t be taken lightly.

Lee Gilyoung hesitated no longer.

「I release the limit.」

Even if it caused a Backlash of Plausibility, it didn’t matter. If he didn’t eliminate Asmodeus here and now, it would become a far greater problem later.

That was the judgment Lee Gilyoung made.

‘Help me.’

He asked his contractor.

The demon god who had once been his backing constellation.

‘Ruler of the Bottomless Abyss.’

As demonic power of a myth-grade constellation rank erupted through his entire body, <Star Stream>, having immediately detected the abnormality, reacted.

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

Lee Gilyoung knew it too. Using this power would put his incarnation body itself in danger.

But if it was only for a moment.

If, in this one moment, he could kill Asmodeus and wipe out the Gourmet Association’s constellations—

Kwakakakakakaka!

From Lee Gilyoung’s left hand poured out the yellow locusts of hell. The demon god’s locusts that devoured all living things in the world.

[No, I know very well who you are, Lee Gilyoung.]

“What?”

[Insect Lord. Ruler of the Insect King species. Contractor of the demon god ‘Abaddon’!]

Asmodeus was laughing.

[Hahahaha! O sealed demon god! Rampage some more! Soak yourself in the air of the scenario, returned after so long!]

Lee Gilyoung’s expression hardened. Sensing that something was wrong, he grabbed his left hand with his right, trying to retrieve the locusts.

“Abaddon.”

But Abaddon didn’t stop.

“Abaddon! Stop! Abaddon!”

The released locusts soon swallowed up even the incarnation bodies of the constellations and Asmodeus. Then, they began charging toward the ‘73rd Demon King’, who had been standing there blankly.

“No! Abaddon! Stop! Stop it!”

The rushing locusts began gnawing at the great demon’s entire body.

“Hyung is—hyung isn’t an enemy! He’s not an enemy!”

Lee Gilyoung struck his own left hand, which kept spewing locusts, again and again. How many times had he struck it like that?

Only after his left hand was drenched in blood did the pouring locusts finally begin to slow.

But by then, the great demon’s entire body was already covered in a swarm of locusts.

“Hyung.”

Lee Gilyoung staggered toward him like a madman.

That couldn’t be. He hadn’t come to this world to see something like this.

It was then that the sky collapsed and a massive dam of Plausibility burst.

Centered on where the great demon stood, an enormous Backlash of Plausibility was raging.

「<Star Stream> always balances the scales.」

Abaddon was a ‘myth-grade constellation’.

Since Lee Gilyoung had manifested this power, <Star Stream> would now move a scale worthy of his rank.

No constellation beyond the sky moved. No one outside this scenario dared to step onto the opposite scale pan of the demon god Abaddon.

Even so, his left hand trembled uncontrollably. The demon god coiled within him was issuing a warning.

「Run, kid.」

Lee Gilyoung had never heard Abaddon speak like that before.

[The grade of Great Demon, ‘73rd Demon King’, is increasing!]

Along with a message heard from somewhere, a dazzling light began to flow from within the swarm of locusts.

[The grade of Great Demon, ‘73rd Demon King’, is increasing!]
[The grade of Great Demon, ‘73rd Demon King’, is increasing!]
…….

How many times did the same message echo? As the nearby locust swarm melted away, something could be seen walking out from the insects’ grave.

「An existence that had, from the very beginning, stepped onto the opposite scale pan of this scenario.」

Lee Gilyoung watched the scene in a daze.

[Great Demon King, ‘Demon King of Salvation’, descends!]

Time seemed to slow.

His heart pounded fiercely.

There stood the being he had so desperately wanted to see.

Not anyone else, but the Demon King who existed in the very form he remembered.

“Long time no see, Gilyoung.”

The moment he heard that voice, dizziness washed over him. The boy’s heart was testifying: hyung was there.

“You’ve grown well.”

But the moment that thought surfaced, Lee Gilyoung felt an overwhelming terror.

“Hyung, no.”

He wanted to see Kim Dokja. But at the same time, he didn’t want to meet him here.

Because Lee Gilyoung knew better than anyone what it meant for someone who had vanished from this <Star Stream> to return.

[Scenario content has been updated!]

As if understanding the boy’s feelings, the Demon King smiled and asked,

“Do you still remember how to face a Demon King?”