Come to think of it, there’s a reason the dragon race can’t help but be strong in <Star Stream>. Since ancient times, they were objects of fear and awe.

Everyone hears at least once a story about a wizard or a knight fighting a dragon.

I was the same. I liked dragons so much that there was a time I kept rereading only the pages where “dragon” showed up in the 『Encyclopedia of Fantasy Animals』.

What if you could tame a dragon—or what if you could ride a dragon and fly, imagining that.

But while I was only imagining it, there was someone who turned that imagination into reality.

KuoOOOOOO!

Along with the feeling of the air in the area being compressed, a dragon’s breath bearing a splendid story pierced the sky.

「The Apocalypse Dragon’s breath.」

Originally, the ‘Final Dragon of the Apocalypse’’s main attack was ‘tail swatting’.

But the Apocalypse Dragon didn’t always just swing its tail. Like any other dragon, the Apocalypse Dragon also used breath. Especially when facing a powerful ‘single entity’ like now.

【Ooooooooooo—!】

The breath shot past the atmosphere and blasted the Outer God beyond the curtain.

From beyond the curtain came a long, painful cry.

As expected, even if it was an Outer God that surpassed an ‘old being’, it didn’t look easy to endure the Apocalypse Dragon’s power.

The fiercely swirling ‘Great Hall’ was slowly closing.

In front of that unbelievable scene, I could only stare up at the sky, utterly dazed.

Who could’ve imagined it.

That it would be possible to turn that ‘Final Dragon of the Apocalypse’ into a weapon.

That was when I heard a true word filled with rage coming from far away.

【A p o w e r t h a t i s n o t p e r m i t t e d…… y o u w i l l p a y t h e p r i c e.】

In an instant, I snapped back to my senses.

Right. No matter if it’s the Final Scenario, there’s no way a power this terrifying could be possible without any price.

In fact, in Han Sooyoung’s eyes as she stretched her hand toward the sky, there was a pattern different from usual.

It was a pattern I knew.

「The Chaos Coil.」

In the ‘Holy Demon Great War’, a similar pattern once appeared in Jung Heewon’s eyes when she killed Demon Kings.

"Han Sooyoung?"

At that moment, I felt like I was going to understand several things.

Why she said she couldn’t call the ‘Secretive Plotter’, and why she was reluctant about a new covenant with an ‘Otherworldly Divinity’, also made sense.

She had already made a new ‘otherworldly covenant’.

And with an ‘Otherworldly Divinity’ powerful enough to drive back that ‘old being’.

Tsutsutsutsut.

Then, ominous sparks began to fly from all over her body.

"Han Sooyoung!"

The moment I sprang up, sensing something ominous, the scenery of the world stopped.

[Exclusive skill, ‘□□’ is activated!]

The scenery was being dyed in monochrome.

[Entering ‘snowfield’.]

[Not enough Plausibility to sustain ‘snowfield’.]

[In this area, ‘snowfield’’s functions do not operate smoothly.]

[‘snowfield’ will soon end.]

If ‘snowfield’ had activated regardless of my will, there was only one reason.

A decisive incident for this ‘world line’ was about to happen right in front of my eyes.

I immediately looked up at the sky, and saw a pitch-black lightning strike flowing out like slow motion from the ‘Great Hall’ that was just about to close.

It was clear who that lightning was targeting. Han Sooyoung with her eyes wide open. I didn’t have the leeway to think and write sentences.

[‘snowfield’ ends.]

Almost instinctively, I threw my body toward Han Sooyoung.

Right after, a massive torrent of stories poured down from the sky, pierced the base’s outer wall, and blasted into the room. Darkness came over the world.

*

In a dim darkness, I could hear murmuring voices.

"So this guy is that guy’s avatar?"

"Seolhwa said so."

"That why? Even the way he passes out is similar."

…….

"Move, I have to give him medicine."

"Medicine?"

"It’s a new pill Seolhwa made."

"Oh, what. He’s living it up."

"I heard it tastes like lemon candy."

"Can’t you give me just one too?"

"Kim Namwoon, do you really want to die?"

…….

"This bastard isn’t waking up easily. Are his injuries that serious?"

"They said he got hit directly by a Chaos Faction strike."

"Directly my ass, it probably just grazed him."

"Even a graze is power that can erase one half-assed constellation."

"How did this mister endure that?"

"I don’t know either. Anyway, thanks to this mister, the captain lived."

"Damn it, I should’ve been next to the captain!"

I took a few breaths and tried to twist my body. After doing that—an hour, or maybe two hours—my senses gradually started coming back.

[A story, ‘One Who Rewrites Fate’, continues its story.]

[Exclusive skill, ‘Fourth Wall’, is currently activated.]

When I slowly opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was Lee Jihye’s pale-white face.

"Oh, he’s awake."

*

The one who propped me up and put me into a wheelchair while my arms and legs still didn’t move well was Kim Namwoon.

"Hey. Just lie down."

With an extremely annoyed look, Kim Namwoon sat me in the wheelchair, then with rough hands fixed my hair.

"Good. Now you look like a person."

In the mirror, I had the exact same hairstyle as Kim Namwoon. With a satisfied smile, Kim Namwoon asked.

"Can you talk?"

I moved my neck and nodded. The base of my tongue stung a bit, but I was in a state where I could communicate.

What the hell happened?

What came to mind in order was the memory of that pitch-black lightning flying in and smashing the building’s outer wall.

I reflexively checked outside the window. The weather was surprisingly clear. The swirling ‘Great Hall’ also wasn’t visible.

Did that Outer God retreat?

Maybe the lightning it fired at us was its last struggle.

Then did Han Sooyoung succeed?

Kim Namwoon, looking at me, waved his hand in front of my eyes and added,

"Mister, you’re out of it, right? You woke up in two days. Today I’m in charge of you, so if you need anything, you can ask me."

"……."

"Since I gave you the medicine Seolhwa made, at the latest you’ll be fully healed by today."

At the last moment, I’d been hit by the Outer God’s lightning.

No matter how much I had resistance against ‘Otherworldly Divinities’, if I was exposed to the rank of such a lofty existence, I couldn’t avoid a fatal wound.

If it was medicine that could fully heal me in two days despite those severe injuries… then, as expected, was it the ‘Life-and-Death Pill’?

"…Got it? So until then, stay quiet."

A sharp voice with worry mixed into it. I willingly lowered my head in greeting.

"Thank you."

Kim Namwoon made a deliberately surprised face at my greeting, then quickly grinned mischievously.

"Heh heh. Thanks for something like that."

「A polite mister, huh.」

I wondered why I could suddenly hear this guy’s inner thoughts, but—

[Understanding of character ‘Kim Namwoon’ has increased.]

[Exclusive skill, ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’, is in an activated state.]

The skill had turned on on its own again.

Somehow, ever since I gathered quite a few ‘Kim Dokja fragments’, things like this happened often.

「Heh heh. It’s been a really long time since I’ve heard someone thank me.」

It was inner thoughts I’d heard without meaning to, but somehow I felt sorry for him.

In this world line, did no one ever tell Kim Namwoon thank you?

Kim Namwoon asked as he pushed the wheelchair from behind.

"I heard you’re that mister’s avatar. Is that true?"

By ‘that mister’, he was probably talking about ‘Kim Dokja’.

I didn’t have confidence in explaining the complicated situation to Kim Namwoon, so I just nodded.

"But you’re super polite? That mister’s main body was kind of annoying."

Now that I thought about it, back then Kim Namwoon had gotten bullied pretty badly by Kim Dokja.

Maybe he was remembering that too, because Kim Namwoon kept twitching his lips.

In the short silence as we went down the hallway, I observed the exterior of the base visible through the window. Then, realizing something, I opened my mouth.

"Didn’t you say it was two days ago that I passed out?"

"Yeah."

"Then the base restoration is already finished?"

If my memory was right, the area around the base and Gwanghwamun had been half-destroyed after taking a direct hit from the ‘Otherworldly Divinity’’s attack.

But the view of Gwanghwamun outside was cleaned up in an astonishingly neat way.

"Of course. Our corporation’s restoration system is literally top level in <Star Stream>."

Kim Namwoon said proudly.

"You ever heard of story metal? We covered our base outer wall with it."

Story metal.

I couldn’t even guess how astronomical a number of coins they’d have to invest to make something like that possible.

Maybe the final restoration stage was still ongoing, because I could also see incarnations stuck to the wall by the window checking the bonding condition of the story metal.

What was interesting was that they didn’t look Korean by nationality.

I suddenly remembered the Zarathustra incarnations I met in Las Vegas.

"Are those craftsmen from ‘Zarathustra’?"

"You’ve got a good eye. Yeah. After Zarathustra got dismantled, the guys who had nowhere to go came under us."

My chest sank for no reason.

I see. So the Anna Croft of the 1,863rd round was dead.

Thinking about it, it was only natural. This was the Final Scenario. Most of the incarnations I knew probably weren’t alive anymore.

The face of Ms. Kim Anna from the 41st round suddenly «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» flashed through my mind.

"Alright, that’s the cafeteria. Let’s eat breakfast first."

I hadn’t been awake long, so I didn’t really feel hungry, but it would be rude to ignore the effort of bringing me here.

Thinking I’d just quietly eat and go, Kim Namwoon pushing the wheelchair shouted loudly.

"Alright, alright, move aside, move aside! His Majesty the Crown Prince is arriving!"

The people inside the cafeteria all turned toward me at once.

"Ah, that person is…."

"It’s that person, right?"

Murmuring sounds rose up from all over.

Kim Namwoon waved his hand toward the cafeteria like he was enjoying the attention. Then he pushed my wheelchair into the edge of a wide table and sat down across from me.

"Alright, what do you want to eat?"

Kim Namwoon held out the menu. Looking over the menu, I asked in a suspicious voice.

"Do these foods really come out?"

"Why? Surprised?"

Instead of answering, I checked the food names on the menu again.

+

—Death Demon tteokbokki (Level 0/Level 1/Level 2/Level 3 (Captain exclusive))

—Kimchi fried rice of the Ruin Lodge (spiciness adjustable)

—Sundae gukbap of Dawn Valley (mild flavor/spicy flavor)

…….

+

There were at least over thirty menu items.

With the world totally ruined, you could still eat this many different foods?

After thinking for a moment, I picked the one menu item that looked the most ordinary.

"I’ll have this."

+

—Omelet rice of the Timid Man (demi-glace/ketchup choice available)

+

Kim Namwoon checked the menu I picked and snickered.

"Hm, that’s a low-testosterone man kind of choice."

I bristled a little, but I forced myself not to show it. Kim Namwoon giggled and added,

"I’m kidding. Actually, I eat it sometimes too when I fight with Jihye."

The food came out quickly.

Kim Namwoon had sundae gukbap. I had omelet rice. After we exchanged a brief greeting with our eyes, we immediately brought our spoons to the food.

A proper meal for the first time in a while. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much from the taste. Because in this world now, Yoo Joonghyuk wasn’t here either.

But.

"Uh."

One spoonful, then another spoonful. By the time I came to my senses, I’d already taken five or six spoonfuls in an instant.

I can’t say my palate is refined, but I’ve even eaten Yoo Joonghyuk’s cooking. At least I can tell the difference between good food and bad food.

"Good, right?"

Annoyingly, I couldn’t refute Kim Namwoon’s words.

"Of course it is. The chef here was brought all the way from the Demon World."

The Demon World. Only then did several things make sense. Was that why all the food names were so weird?

"It was in the 73rd Demon World, or whatever, that area."

I knew that chef’s name too.

「Knight of Revolution, Mark Javier.」

A guard from the Demon World who carried out the ‘Revolutionary Scenario’ together with Kim Dokja.

When I lifted my head, I could see Mark carrying plates from far away. Watching him wipe sweat off with a bright, cheerful face, I felt again that this world was standing in front of a single destination.

A base made of story metal, talents scraped together from all sorts of regions. And on top of that, an anti-nebula weapon using the ‘Final Dragon of the Apocalypse’.

Even after Kim Dokja left, Han Sooyoung worked hard to carry out the scenario.

Using every remaining sentence in this world, she struggled desperately in order to create a completed ending.

Maybe even while knowing that the world she made would never be read forever, she didn’t give up the ending of this world in order to keep a promise with one single person.

"Kim Dokja."

Someone poked my shoulder. When I turned around, Han Sooyoung was standing there. Looking up at her, I suddenly realized something and asked back,

"What did you just say?"

Han Sooyoung looked down at me for a moment, then sharply turned her head and said,

"If you’re done eating, follow me. I have something to say."