I paused for a moment.

This guy, is he praising me for rejecting the recording contract?

"What kind of scheme is that supposed to be?"

It went without saying, but Bihyung was also a "dokkaebi" of <Star Stream>. A dokkaebi that wouldn’t hesitate to grind up incarnations in piles for an interesting "scenario."

He had once thrown away his life for Kim Dokja in the main story, but that was, in the end, only the story of the main story.

In other words, there was no way Bihyung said that out of concern for my safety.

[I wanted you to refuse.]

"Earlier you were grumbling that I didn’t choose anyone."

[We dokkaebis originally don’t like 'Horror Recorders'.]

He didn’t give me a detailed explanation, but I felt like I could vaguely understand Bihyung’s feelings.

Basically, in <Star Stream>, it was the dokkaebis’ role to oversee fables. They existed to open channels, manage scenarios, and produce high-quality fables.

But then some rootless bastards show up out of nowhere and start making a fuss, saying they’ll "record fables," so of course they wouldn’t feel good about it.

[Up until now, Recorders were forbidden from directly intervening in scenarios. Because if those guys butt in and start spraying narration everywhere, Plausibility gets messed up.]

That would be right. Every single 'Horror Recorder' I’d met so far possessed outrageous authority.

Asmodeus, Flying Heavenly Fox, Cheon Inho…… if even one of those three seriously set their mind to it, they could twist even a "giant fable"-grade scenario.

In fact, it had been twisted.

[But recently, those guys broke the taboo and started coming out to the front of the scenarios.]

"'Recording contract.'"

[Yeah. Because of that, the Administration Bureau is in a pretty awkward state too. It’s the first time those guys have intervened in a scenario in this way.]

Even Ways of Survival doesn’t talk about "recording contracts."

In other words, what was happening in this city right now was an unprecedented event across all world lines of <Star Stream>.

"So what? What are you trying to say? That I shouldn’t do a recording contract from now on either?"

[It’s not that simple.]

Bihyung hesitated with a face like he couldn’t decide whether to tell me, then added,

[You…… do you know how Horror Recorders are made?]

I reviewed the conversation I’d once had with Flying Heavenly Fox.

「【I don’t know exactly what process gives birth to a Horror Recorder either. Every Recorder has a different trigger.】」

Flying Heavenly Fox had said that.

That every Recorder became a Recorder for a different reason.

At the same time, Flying Heavenly Fox had also expressed all those "triggers" in a single sentence.

「Those who hold the possibility of a record worth expecting to the Oldest Dream.」

Of course, I had no intention of conveying that interpretation to Bihyung, so I shamelessly played dumb.

"I don’t know."

Then that stupid dokkaebi giggled as if he knew I’d say that.

[Then I’ll tell you specially. Most of the 'Horror Recorders' are made by those hunchback bastards.]

It was so unexpected that I hesitated for a moment before asking.

"Can I use [Lie Detection]?"

[I swear on the Administration Bureau.]

If that idiot dokkaebi was putting the Administration Bureau on the line, it would be true.

[Sometimes they’re born naturally, but most Recorders were mass-produced by hunchbacks. Usually, it’s strong ones from world lines that failed their scenarios who are born while communing with the 'demon of the horizon'.]

"Why do those hunchbacks mass-produce 'Recorders'?"

[I can’t tell you that much.]

I thought for a moment, then answered.

"Then are all the Recorders in this city also mass-produced in that way?"

[Anyway, you quick-witted bastard.]

I had thought something was strange.

Even in that apocalypse region, there were only four 'Horror Recorders' I met, but in the 'New Murim Zone,' there were far more Recorders than in the apocalypse region.

But if all of them were beings mass-produced by hunchbacks, it made sense.

"What do you want."

As if he’d been waiting for me to say that, Bihyung added with a deliberately solemn expression.

[The Administration Bureau wants you to deal with the Recorders of the 'New Murim Zone'.]

"You want me to kill them?"

[You impudent bastard. Do you think you can kill Recorders that easily? It’s enough just to stop those guys from being able to go up to higher scenarios anymore.]

"How do I do that?"

[Deal with the incarnations who made 'recording contracts' with them.]

I see. So this was the real purpose of the 'one-on-one.'

I grinned and asked back.

"With nothing in my hands?"

[The final scenario of this city will start soon. Whatever fable you obtain here, I’ll raise the standing of that fable by one tier.]

It was a radical offer.

Meaning, if I obtained a legend-grade fable here, he’d raise it to quasi-myth-grade, and if I obtained a quasi-myth-grade fable, he’d raise it to myth-grade.

For me, who still lacked the standing to face myth-grade constellations, raising the tier of the fable I was going to acquire was the biggest benefit of all.

"Even so, the risk is too big. Is there no separate support?"

[I gave you a lot of rewards earlier. Full-scale support is difficult. Even if it’s the Administration Bureau, it’s hard to interfere with this scenario region. The Plausibility here is tangled too complicatedly because of the Recorders’ intervention.]

"Then it’s hard for me to help you too. If I fail, won’t the Administration Bureau be even more troubled?"

[……I’ll tell the higher-ups. You’ll be able to receive light support when you want. If it’s something like the Backlash of Plausibility being slightly eased…….]

"What about tips. Like what’s good to do when dealing with them, or a place where only they gather."

[You’d know that better. You’ve seen other Recorders before too, haven’t you?]

Thinking of the high-grade Recorders I’d met in the apocalypse region, I said,

"At least their faces."

[Hmm. They say there’s a subspace that only Recorders connect to…… well, I’m not a Recorder, so I don’t really know.]

A subspace that only Recorders connect to?

It was fairly meaningful information, so I decided to remember it well.

"Alright, for now."

[Then you’re accepting the request, right? Assigning a sub scenario?]

"Honestly, the reward is a bit lacking."

[This bastard, seriously…….]

It was a sufficient reward, but since I was the one with the upper hand in this situation anyway, I decided to push a bit more.

"No, think about it. In this scenario, if I get a quasi-myth-grade or myth-grade fable, it’s a gain, but if I get a historical-grade fable, it’s a loss, isn’t it? Even if you raise it by one tier, it’s only legend-grade."

[No, there’s no way the fable you get here would be historical-grade. And legend-grade fables are good too…….]

"Anyway, from my position right now, there’s no reason for me to clash with Recorders in the first place. It’s far more profitable to just loaf around and ascend, and I even prepared a returnee bus ahead of time for that, you know?"

[Returnee bus?]

"There’s such a thing."

Of course, I didn’t have even a speck of intention to really loaf around and ascend, but it was still a matter of how you played your cards.

I thought he’d raise the reward by one more notch at least, but unexpectedly, Bihyung’s expression was strange.

[Hmm. So that’s how you’re going to come out. I thought you, more than anyone, would hold a huge grudge against the Recorders.]

"A grudge? What are you talking about?"

[Did you already forget what happened at the Recycling Center?]

I carefully thought back to what happened at the Recycling Center.

I did confront Lycaon, a Horror Recorder, there, but there wasn’t anything to hold a grudge over. If anything, I’d received a favor.

[What the hell. Looks like you didn’t know this whole time. You know the abilities Recorders have, right?]

I briefly recalled the duel with Cheon Inho and answered however.

"They’re Recorders, so they record."

[Right. When Recorders record the 'past,' that becomes 'history.' Then what if they record the 'future'?]

Record the future?

[Seriously, to not remember even after getting hit like that back then, you really are something…….]

Without realizing it, my expression hardened.

Future record.

I knew what that was better than anyone.

"Are you talking about [Fate]?"

A mischievous smile rose on Bihyung’s face.

At the Star Ladder, and at the Recycling Center, I was sentenced with [Fate].

And as the price of that fate, I lost my eldest brother once, and I even had to become an exile myself.

Anger began to boil up slowly from deep inside my heart. Even now, the image of my brother, who had become miserable over and over to fight against that damned fate, was vivid before my eyes.

"The [Fate] that the Great Nebulae ran wild with back then…… is it related to the Recorders here?"

[That’s right.]

Bihyung smiled as he tore his lips long.

[In this 'New Murim Zone,' all the 'Recorders' who received requests from the Great Nebulae back then and narrated your [Fate] are gathered here.]

*

[You have accepted a new 'Sub Scenario'.]

After the one-on-one with Bihyung ended, I got out of his hat.

[The constellation, 'Bald Militia Commander', asks where in the world you went.]

[The constellation, 'God of Wine and Ecstasy', whines that they want to see a dokkaebi hat too.]

[A Recorder who likes squint-eyed characters says that, as expected, squint-eyed characters have a lot of secrets.]

The gazes of constellations and Recorders poured down the moment I came out. After causing an incident in the auction house and suddenly disappearing, it wasn’t strange.

Bihyung’s 'dokkaebi communication' came into my ear.

—Then I’m counting on you. If anything happens, contact me.

'Bihyung. Just one last question.'

—What is it.

'Where are my companions right now.'

The information about the Recorders and the hunchbacks was important too, but this was the question I most wanted to ask.

—I can’t tell you that. It violates Plausibility.

If Plausibility restricted even something as simple as giving location information for incarnations, the reason was obvious.

「My companions had become beings with that great a standing.」

After a brief silence, Bihyung said.

—Instead, I’ll show you this.

Somewhere, the light sound of a finger snap was heard.

[This week’s appraisal ranking is closing.]

[You have obtained a small reward.]

[You have obtained 500 D-coins.]

Beyond the D-coins pouring down from the air, I saw a screen.

[Your appraisal ranking will be recorded in the 'All-Time Appraisal Ranking'.]

All-Time Appraisal Ranking.

I checked the list in front of my eyes.

As expected, there were names I knew on it.

+

3rd, a heap of end-of-the-world-grade Outer God tentacles, 9000 D-coins, Kang Ilhun.

+

Kang Ilhun, Killer King’s name.

+

6th, the right arm and left arm of an end-of-the-world-grade Outer God, 8500 D-coins, Lee Seyeon.

+

Lee Seyeon. Yerin’s name.

+

8th, a part of the lower body of an end-of-the-world-grade Outer God with high damage, 8100 D-coins, Min Jiwon.

9th, 85 disaster-grade Outer Gods with low damage, 7800 D-coins, Lee Dansoo.

…….

+

Even the Editor’s name, and Uncle Dansoo’s name.

There was my companions’ history there. Their history of surviving while struggling in this terrible hell.

The reason Bihyung showed me this was clear. He was telling me.

To see with my own two eyes what had happened over the past eight years. And that as a latecomer, I would have to hurriedly chase the path they had walked.

After that, a message was heard in my ear.

[Your current appraisal ranking is '2nd'.]

[Would you like to register your name on the ranking?]

Appraisal ranking, 2nd place.

It meant there was one more person above me.

I looked over the ranking once more.

+

1st, an unknown fingernail fragment, 10000 D-coins, ■■■.

+

The submitter’s name was filtered.

I looked at the space where the filtered name was, and looked again.

—Get a grip. Starting tonight, the final scenario ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) of this city will begin.

Nodding, I said,

"Don’t worry."

At least in this scenario, the one who needed to get a grip wouldn’t be me.