< Episode 20. Disaster of Flooding (1) >
The moment I checked Han Sooyoung's cold pulse, my heart dropped.
More than the fact that Han Sooyoung was dead, what shocked me was that I was shocked.
It took a moment for my reason to return.
"…Mr. Dokja?"
Noticing something was wrong, Yoo Sangah rose from her spot.
With Yoo Sangah's help, I examined Han Sooyoung's corpse.
"There are no wounds."
The situation became a complete mystery.
No wounds. Then was it poison?
A poison capable of killing Han Sooyoung without leaving any trace would have to be a formless toxin.
But there was no way such a poison could have been released now.
That wasn't the only problem.
If poison had been used, why were the others unharmed?
Even if someone possessed such a toxin, there would be no reason to target only Han Sooyoung.
To begin with, the fact that I suddenly fell asleep was strange.
…Wait. Fell asleep?
"Uh… I'm sorry. I slept too much, didn't I?"
Shin Yoosung was rubbing her eyes as she woke up.
I suddenly turned to Yoo Sangah.
"Ms. Yoo Sangah, were you asleep the whole time as well?"
"…Yes."
Yoo Sangah blushed slightly in embarrassment. If she hadn't woken either, that meant none of us had kept watch last night. In other words, when I—the final watch—fell asleep, everyone else did too.
I was an idiot.
My suspicions shouldn't have started with who killed Han Sooyoung, but with why I fell asleep.
Sleep magic?
No. That was something regressors favored.
Acupoint blocking?
Even then, they would've had to deceive my senses.
In the end, only one answer remained.
When I approached the campfire, I saw the pile of Groll bones left from last night's meal.
If everyone had fallen asleep, this was the most likely cause.
As I cleared away the cleanly stripped bone pile, green powder scattered on the ground caught my eye.
'Yanaspreta stem.'
Of course.
This was the only thing that made sense. Someone had mixed powdered stem into the Groll meat. Yanaspreta stem causes powerful sleep effects if consumed without its sap.
An otherworldly ingredient that even Donguibogam couldn't detect as poison. That was why it was always cooked together with its mucus…
"Who cooked the Groll yesterday?"
"Probably Sooyoung…"
I let out a quiet sigh.
What we'd eaten was the meat of the baby Groll Shin Yoosung had failed to tame. And the one who had killed that baby Groll was none other than Han Sooyoung.
"We got played."
I stepped toward Han Sooyoung's pale body.
In my shock, I'd forgotten something important.
Unless their head explodes, an avatar doesn't disappear.
Then why pull a stunt like this?
She was bound by the Temporary Pledge anyway—she couldn't even run.
That was when a blue light began to rise from Han Sooyoung's chest.
…What is that?
"Wait."
Ignoring the others' reactions, I stomped down on Han Sooyoung's head. Blue light burst forth, and the avatar vanished completely.
[Character 'Han Sooyoung''s avatar is receiving the effects of contract violation in her place.]
[Character 'Han Sooyoung' sacrifices her avatar to negate most of the penalties of the 'Temporary Pledge'.]
"Ah…"
Only then did Yoo Sangah let out a small groan of understanding.
I hadn't known an avatar could have this kind of effect either.
I'd seen cases in the original where avatars took damage in place of the main body—but I never imagined they could pay the price of a contract instead.
The word "most" suggested it hadn't been completely nullified, but at least her real body wouldn't be dead.
Shin Yoosung asked,
"Did that unni leave?"
"Looks like it."
There was no point in asking why.
Thinking about it, Han Sooyoung didn't have much to gain from sticking with me.
—Ever since I started traveling with you, Constellation donations have dropped.
Soon I'd meet up with the Chungmuro group, and they would be just as hostile toward Han Sooyoung as they were toward Yoo Sangah.
—Tch. People who aren't trusted don't exactly live happy lives.
Han Sooyoung would end up alone, surrounded by enemies. For a brief moment, I might have deluded myself into thinking she could be a companion.
Where the avatar had scattered into white dust, there were a few coins and a small note.
—Meal money.
Really—such a very her way to say goodbye.
As if erasing all the time we'd spent together, her avatar was carried away by the Han River wind and vanished.
What I didn't understand was this: if [Proxy Death] through an avatar was possible, why had Han Sooyoung stayed with me until now?
…I don't know.
Just as I can't read Yoo Sangah's heart, I can't read Han Sooyoung's either.
Even Ways of Survival, which explains everything, doesn't tell me things like this.
"Let's get going too."
That was when a sharp, prickling sensation washed over me, along with a strange awareness.
Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint?
Instinctively, I looked in the direction the feeling came from—but there was nothing there.
…Was it just my imagination?
"Idiot."
From atop a distant high-rise, Han Sooyoung looked down at the abandoned building and spoke. The Han River wind slipping through the tears in her jeans was cold. Biting her lip, she muttered,
"…Honestly, shouldn't you at least pretend to look for me?"
Even as she said it, she knew she couldn't.
Of course.
He, too, was a "reader," just like her.
She opened her memo app and began typing.
It was a writer's unavoidable habit—to write whenever inspiration struck.
「Just because you read books well doesn't mean you understand people well.」
We'll meet again soon.
She didn't know what ending Kim Dokja wanted.
But as long as they kept moving toward an ending, they were bound to meet again.
「When they met next, she didn't know whether they'd be enemies or allies.」
Han Sooyoung closed her phone and walked down the street.
The morning passed in the blink of an eye.
That afternoon, Shin Yoosung's Mana and Agility reached the scenario cap of 60. Feeling that the time had come, I purchased a [Rear-Constellation Contract] from Bihyung. Grumbling, Bihyung handed it over.
[…You do know that doing this won't change the 'Disaster,' right?]
'…'
[That kid's present isn't 'directly' connected to the future disaster. Disasters come from universes derived from the original worldline. Even if existence is connected, history is—]
"Stop spouting nonsense and just hand over the contract."
After filling out all the paperwork, I handed the contract to Shin Yoosung.
"I don't have a stigma right now, and I can't lend you power like other constellations. But I do have plenty of coins."
"..."
"If you don't like it, you don't have to sign. But if you do contract with me, you definitely won't regret it."
"My mom said not to use things like this carelessly..."
"It's fine. I'm not actually going to act as a full-fledged sponsoring constellation."
"If I use this, does that mean I can't contract with other constellations?"
"That's right."
Shin Yoosung hesitated for a moment, then nodded as if she had made up her mind.
"Okay. I already decided to trust you, mister."
['Rear Contract' has been established.]
[You have become the rear sponsor of incarnation 'Shin Yoosung'.]
A dazzling radiance surged forth, enveloping both Shin Yoosung and me. However, unlike the brilliant light, the message that appeared was rather plain.
[You are not a constellation. Most authorities of a rear sponsor cannot be used.]
[1. Incarnation Support][2. Incarnation Encouragement]
Well, I expected as much.
For now, this was enough.
[Constellation 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' snorts.]
[Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' congratulates you on your first contract.]
[You have received sponsorship of 5,000 coins.]
[A large number of constellations wish to become your rear sponsor.]
The constellations' reactions were intense.
Different from the time of the Ten Evils' First Brush.
Now, Shin Yoosung was my direct incarnation.
Naturally, the constellations belonging to the 'Incarnation-Finding' faction couldn't help but go wild.
I wasn't a constellation, yet I was an incarnation who possessed an incarnation.
Therefore, if someone contracted with me, Shin Yoosung would automatically fall under that constellation's influence. The more incarnations I gathered like this, the more the number of constellations desiring me would skyrocket.
[The channel's going to explode...!]
Leaving behind Bihyung, who was screaming in happy agony, I turned to my companions and said,
"It's about time we move. Let's cross the Han River."
"But we still haven't found a bridge. Will it be okay?"
"We'll swim."
"What?"
"You can swim, right?"
"I can, but..."
Yoo Sangah looked anxiously between me and the Han River.
I could tell exactly what she was worried about.
The water level of the Han River had risen even higher. Within it, an even greater number of ichthyosaurs than yesterday were intermittently roaring. Each of them was a Grade 7 monster.
Shin Yoosung spoke up.
"I can't swim..."
"Then grab onto this and come across."
I handed her a Styrofoam box I had prepared in advance. I asked Yoo Sangah to connect the box to me using [Arachne's Spiderweb].
"Let's go."
When I jumped into the Han River without hesitation, Yoo Sangah immediately followed. Shin Yoosung looked frightened, but soon grabbed onto the Styrofoam and dipped her feet into the river.
The cold temperature of the Han River wrapped around my body. The stench of unfamiliar monsters. The movements of the ichthyosaurs began to change.
Yoo Sangah asked,
—Is this really okay?
Of course it wasn't okay.
But considering the time we had left, this was the most reliable method.
—If it really gets dangerous, we'll get out immediately.
—...Okay.
—So before it becomes truly dangerous, make it look like it's dangerous.
—What?
—That way Yoosung will awaken faster. Deliberately create a crisis. Got it?
I dragged the Styrofoam along and started swimming toward the center of the Han River.
There was a reason I had told Shin Yoosung not to worry and just raise her skill level.
It doesn't show in her trait window, but she possesses an innate adaptability and quick thinking.
An ordinary little girl could never survive to the fifth scenario.
She looks like a kind child, but Shin Yoosung's inner self isn't that simple.
A child who killed her companion dog in a moment of crisis, deceived adults, and disguised herself to gain the favor of the strong. From the moment we first met her, countless calculations must have been running through her mind.
I spoke to Shin Yoosung, who was already glancing around nervously.
"Yoosung."
"Y-Yes!"
"Don't run away."
"..."
"If you run away here, you'll never be able to come back."
Shin Yoosung's slightly open mouth closed.
Rather than being cunning, she was intelligent.
"Do what you can do."
Cheap tricks won't work.
No one will protect you just because you're a child.
"...Okay."
Fear turned into terror, and terror soon hardened into resolve.
[Character 'Shin Yoosung' activates 'Advanced Multi-Species Communication Lv.3'!]
Killing intent surged in from all directions. The presence of predators hunting their prey was increasing.
At least ten were visible on the surface alone.
It was a difficult number to deal with all at once. Still, if we wanted to run, we could. Once we escaped the Han River, the ichthyosaurs wouldn't be able to follow.
"Dokja-ssi!"
Yoo Sangah's warning came as the ichthyosaurs launched their attack.
Sharp fangs flew in simultaneously from all directions.
['Blade of Faith' is activated.]
I swung my blade, instantly piercing through one ichthyosaur's maw. The bodies of the others that missed slammed into the surface of the water.
KWA-AANG!
The ichthyosaurs thrashed violently, overturning the Han River. I was hurled into the air along with the exploding water.
When I looked back, Shin Yoosung—having lost her grip on the Styrofoam—was floating midair.
A gust of wind blew, and Yoo Sangah shot her spiderweb toward Shin Yoosung.
The combination of [Hermes' Walking Method] and [Arachne's Spiderweb].
While Yoo Sangah safely caught Shin Yoosung, I used the corpse of a dead ichthyosaur as a foothold and swung my sword at the approaching monsters.
"Over here, you bastards!"
More than a dozen ichthyodragons sliced through the current and swam toward me. The river surged like massive waves, and the corpse of the ichthyodragon beneath my feet rocked dangerously. I steadied my stance and controlled my breathing.
I could easily break through this crisis by using [Path of the Wind], but that wouldn't be desperate enough.
"Uncle!"
Shin Yoosung's face, held in Yoo Sangah's arms, grew frantic. Several fangs dug into my flesh, and I swung my sword again and again. A few ichthyodragons fell away with fatal wounds, but their numbers didn't decrease. The blood flowing down quickly grew cold, and my breath became heavier and heavier. Still, I smiled.
Hurry more.
Be more desperate.
Be more earnest.
You have to be.
Pshshshsh!
An ugly wound was carved where an ichthyodragon's fang grazed me.
Blood began pouring from the torn flesh.
"No—!"
A message that felt like it would tear my eardrums apart rang out.
[The trait evolution of character 'Shin Yoosung' is imminent.][Incarnation 'Shin Yoosung' has entered a trance state.]
Shin Yoosung's eyes were turning white. It was the exact same look Lee Gilyoung had when he went all out. Just as I'd planned. Everything up to now had been staged for this very moment.
[Character 'Shin Yoosung' activates 'Taming Lv.9'!]
Mana at level 60 poured out like a waterfall of aura, spreading along the current of the Han River.
Kugugugugu.
The charge of the approaching ichthyodragons faltered. As if resonating with a colossal will, their bodies trembled and they let out low groans.
Kiiii…?
The number of ichthyodragons visible on the surface increased even further.
There had been about ten earlier—now there were well over twenty. That meant that, including those beneath the surface, more than twice that number were gathering around us.
But then, the ichthyodragons turned their gaze back to me.
Thrown into confusion, they released even sharper killing intent, their ferocity growing even more violent.
Kiaaaaaa!
Damn it—did it fail?
"Yoo Sangah!"
There was no choice now. Using her stigma to escape as quickly as possible was the best option. Yoo Sangah nodded and shot out her threads, dodging the ichthyodragons as she approached. I called out to Shin Yoosung.
"Yoosung. You can stop now. Shin Yoosung!"
But there was no response.
The energy surging around Shin Yoosung grew more and more violent, until her entire body was completely enveloped in a blue aura.
That was when a whirlpool formed at the center of the Han River.
Kugugugugu.
Before I could react, I was swept away by the current. The surrounding ichthyodragons crashed into one another, screaming, and I barely managed to cling to an ichthyodragon's scales, enduring the centrifugal force.
And then, the next moment—
A colossal spray of water shot into the air, and an ichthyodragon several times larger than the others slowly rose up. It was so enormous that I couldn't immediately believe it was truly an ichthyodragon. It was even bigger than the Sea Commander I'd killed before.
Majestic whiskers.A lofty gaze that ruled over an entire species.
Every single ichthyodragon around us lowered its head to the water's surface.
[Grade 5 Marine Species, 'Queen Mirbad' has appeared!]
…Damn it. Of all things, she summoned this one?
I knew Shin Yoosung's talent was exceptional, but I never imagined it was enough to summon a Queen.
A monster species on par with a lesser calamity.
Just as I opened [Bookmark] to activate [Path of the Wind], I heard Yoo Sangah's voice.
"…Dokja-ssi?"
When I turned around, Shin Yoosung's body was floating in midair.
Following the path of aura extending toward Queen Mirbad, Shin Yoosung slowly approached the Queen's massive body. The Queen looked at Shin Yoosung, and Shin Yoosung looked back at the Queen. Shin Yoosung's small hand gently stroked the Queen's snout.
The raging current calmed, and the ichthyodragons on the surface quietly disappeared.
When I looked again, Shin Yoosung was riding atop the Queen's head.
Only then did I truly realize what kind of existence Shin Yoosung was.
Beast Lord.
The ruler of all monsters.
The color slowly returned to Shin Yoosung's eyes as she looked at me. As if it were nothing, she wiped the blood from her nose and said,
"Let's go, uncle."
I nodded.