「 The essence of the Chinese zodiac lies in the creation and destruction of all things, and this means that it does not represent any animal. 」
—『Understanding the Unemployed』
After the scenario began, most people stayed up all night with their eyes wide open.
A situation where you never know when and where a monster or enemy will appear.
Fatigue can be alleviated by consuming 'Elaine Forest Spirit' or restorative medicine, so there was no need to take risks unless there was a sleep penalty.
A world where sleep has become a luxury.
In that sense, all incarnations living out the scenario had lost their dreams.
The same was true for the incarnations in front of me right now.
The prisoner, who had been trapped in the prison of a scenario for a long time and had forgotten to dream, asked.
"A-are you really going to change the story?"
The crane owner looked at me with a nervous expression.
"I can change it for you."
"If the
"The
I pointed to the entrance of the inn with my chin. Lycaon was sitting there, cross-legged, with his eyes closed.
Several beastmen looked at each other and nodded.
They also confirmed Lycaon's power. There was no fear of not believing what I said.
"What story can I change?"
"That is…"
"Is it 'The Fox and the Crane'?"
"How did you know?"
How do I know? There is nothing to do.
[The story 'The Fox and the Crane' has been discontinued.]
This is because after repairing the story fragment 「Brick House」, I could gradually see the flow of stories floating around this 'Zone 13'.
The crane owner sighed lightly and opened his mouth again.
"Recently, the status of my story has become unstable."
In order for a 'story' to maintain its original function, the actual owner of the story must be continuously active in the
"So, I tried to tell the story through a 'staging', but I couldn't stage it on my own."
I guess so. That's because the story isn't just about the crane.
"Are there no foxes in Zone 13?"
The crane owner nodded his head with a sigh.
"There used to be one, but the last fox disappeared a few months ago."
"What happened to the last fox?"
"We stopped hearing from him after he was captured by the Zodiac."
It was obvious why they did what they did.
[The presence of the story 'The Fox and the Crane' opens up.]
This is probably because it would be difficult if someone who has built up a legend in Zone 13 threatens their position.
I slowly looked around at the beastmen.
Perhaps some of these were constellations, like the 'wolf' in 「The Three Little Pigs」, or were beings that came close to being constellations.
It's just that as time goes by, they lose their own story and their original status.
The owner muttered in a weak voice.
"The fox is probably dead."
Perhaps that's what the 'story' said.
Because he and the fox are tied together by stories.
"At first, I thought about disposing of the stories in the
I thought of the wolf constellation struggling to maintain 「The Three Little Pigs」.
"But I couldn't do that. I didn't want to bow down to the guys who captured the fox, even if it meant losing the story."
The owner lowered his head as he said that.
"I know that I have to let go of the story now. It's a story I can't protect alone, and it's not particularly important to the
A strange desire was shining in the eyes of the crane owner who slowly raised his head.
"I thought you might have a way."
I nodded.
"There is a way."
"Really?"
A scenario message suddenly appeared before my eyes.
It's probably a scenario initiated by the 'Recycling Center Director' or the management bureau who was watching the situation.
[A new sub-scenario has arrived!]
Category: Sub
Difficulty: C
Clear condition: Succeed in reproducing the story 『The Fox and the Crane』.
Time limit: —
Reward: 12,000 recycled coins or 2,000 recycled coins and an unidentified story fragment
Failure: —
The situation was different from the time of 「The Three Little Pigs」. Since the situation did not specifically involve the
The problem is finding a role to play the role of a 'fox'.
Killer King raised his hand.
"I will do it."
"Killer King-ssi is a wolf."
"Just change it to wolves and cranes."
"If we want to make a staging, we need a fox."
However, no one in our group had a 'fox mask'.
Fox, fox.
It would be nice to have a story similar to 'Fox'.
Oh, wait a minute.
[Check the delayed 'compensation list'.]
Now that I think about it, there was a 'story reward' that I had not received yet.
[Check the rewards for the seventh main scenario.]
[Currently, 'S-class skill selection' is waiting to be received.]
[Currently, 'historical-grade story selection' is waiting to be received.]
Even if it's 'S-level skill selection', 'historical-grade story selection'?
I guess this wasn't the original scenario reward?
[You have achieved an impossible feat in the seventh main scenario.]
[The Bureau recognizes your achievements.]
[The scenario reward 'random historical-grade story' has been upgraded to 'historical-grade story selection'.]
The management bureau did something helpful for the first time in a while.
Well, considering what happened at the Washington Dome, upward payment is quite possible.
By the way, it is a historical-grade story selection.
Historical-grade stories are mostly trash, but there are some useful ones, such as 「The Persistent Murim Master」.
There are also things that display processing abilities when fused, such as 「earrings when worn on the ear」or 「nose rings when worn on the nose」.
I checked the reward list with some anticipation.
[Check the list of historical-grade story rewards.]
[You can choose one of a total of 461 stories.]
461.
Could it be that some of this is useful?
1. Poop pretending to be soybean paste
2. Cat with tanned whiskers
3. Silla-Tang Allied Forces
…
For some reason, all I could see were lame stories.
There is also a story that would have happened if the Demon King of Salvation was next to me.
I continued to look at the stories.
Number 10, Number 30, Number 50, Number 100..
122. I'm not getting my hair cut.
123. Head Shoulders Knees Toes
124. A chef who can't distinguish between salt and sugar
125. Ornamental Beard Specialist
Occasionally, stories that seemed to come from the 'Random Story Box' were also seen.
As the ranks passed the 200th, and even the 300th mark, an ominous feeling slowly came over me.
No matter how I looked at it, it seemed like they had just picked up and collected stories discarded by other constellations.
There were even stories like 「Earrings on your ears」.
The moment when I finally felt resigned to whether or not I should give up.
461. Owner of the Fox Ears headband
I looked closely at the last story that came out.
Why on earth is this story here?
'Owner of the Fox Ears Headband''
According to my thoughts, this 'story' was definitely that 'story'.
Probably when
「 "What are you doing here?" 」
When I turned around, Yoo Jonghyuk was there, wearing a fox headband as expected.」
… Even if it's not that story, it doesn't matter. Anyway, since 'fox' was included, it was a story that could be used immediately.
'I will choose number 461.'
[The historical-grade story, 'Owner of the Fox Ears Headband' has been acquired.]
I immediately started talking.
Of course, if you use this 'story', a fox that wasn't there won't suddenly appear.
After all, what is included in this story is not a fox, but 'fox ears'.
[The story 'Owner of the Fox Ear Headband' begins its storytelling.]
I looked at my mask reflected in the window.
It is said that in this world, the 'mask' is a story that protects oneself.
But if this 'mask' is really a story.
'Stick.'
It would also be possible to tie together stories and stories.
'Stick.'
How many times has the story been told like that?
[The story 'Owner of the Fox Ears Headband' responds to your will.]
My mask began to emit a faint light. The prisoners watching us nearby let out exclamations.
"Oh, oh—!"
The shape of my previously invisible mask changed in real time. The mask's snout grew pointed, and small ears also sprouted from its head.
It literally looks like a 'fox mask'.
[The story 'The Fox and the Crane' is looking at you.]
The owner of the crane also held my hand with an expression of emotion.
"So, you… were you the fox?"
"No."
The fox in this story is dead.
Even if I were to act as the fox's replacement and successfully stage the story, the story would only be talked about for a moment.
"I can help you, but even if you recreate the 「stage」 like this, the effect will only be temporary."
"I know that."
As in 「The Three Little Pigs」, there may be ways to change the plot of the story and introduce new stories or make other animals appear, but these are also temporary measures.
"Don't you want to become famous again?"
"What do you mean?"
"Originally, 'The Fox and the Crane' is a story as famous as 'The Three Little Pigs'.
The owner looked confused.
"Don't you want to share your story with the
Creating a story that everyone knows about in the
"As you know, the reason Zone 13's stories are weakening is because you're trapped in the Recycling Center."
"I know, but we can't leave the center."
"You are like that. But what about 'stories'?"
The crane owner looked at me with an expression of disbelief.
I nodded and added.
"We are spreading the story inside the Recycling Center throughout the
"That's impossible. The constellations outside the center cannot know what happened inside the center. The stories that occur here cannot possibly become famous."
"In principle, yes."
And from here was the second stage of my operation.
'Bihyung'.
If you can't see it, just make it visible.
'Please open the channel.'
—You crazy person!
As expected, Bihyung appeared quickly.
—You crazy person! You crazy guy!
'Stop and listen to me.'
—Shut up, you crazy!
'…'
—Outside now, do you know what's going on? Are you out of your mind?
'What happened?'
—Are you asking because you really don't know? Have you forgotten what you and your sponsor did right before entering the 'Recycling Center'?
I remembered what happened at the Washington Dome.
—The constellations are now gathering outside the Recycling Center, you know?
'What constellations?'
—Who could it be?
I can roughly guess.
There must have been a lot of constellations from the nebulae that were targeting us from the Washington Dome.
There will also be other constellations of the nebulae that flock to us after hearing the rumor.
When I think about it, it's a little scary.
—Do you feel it now?
Considering the scale of what I and the 'Demon King of Salvation' had done, it was not strange.
The 'Demon King of Salvation' killed dozens of great-grade constellations belonging to each giant nebula in 'Gingagap' of the mythical stage
Where is that?
He even defeated 'Ares', who was narrative-grade and was listed as one of the 12 gods of
Naturally, the constellations of
Some nebulae must have confirmed that the contract between me and the 'Demon King of Salvation' has not been terminated.
—I'm sure you'll be trapped in the underground torture chamber of 'Tartaros', where you'll be treated horribly, your ego will be removed, and you'll be used as a doll weapon!
'That's very specific.'
—So you must never get caught. You're definitely hidden inside the 'Recycling Center'. Never go outside. Outside constellations cannot enter here, so you'll be safe...
'Thank you for your concern.'
—Why would I be worried about you? I'm just afraid that the value of my product will be damaged! Do you remember that our contract was extended? Your sponsor…
'I know.'
—Who knows that? Let's open the channel?
'I'm not asking to open a live channel. We want to open a channel through which only stories can be distributed.'
—No, what are you talking about…
'If the product has value, you must sell it before its value falls.'
—What?
'I heard everyone is waiting for me?'
Even if I'm trapped inside the Recycling Center, there's something I can feel.
[The power of the story 'The One Who Rewrites Fate' becomes stronger.]
Even now, the story of the Demon King of Salvation and me is becoming famous.
However, at this exact moment, I, the incarnation of the 'Demon King of Salvation', ended up in the 'Recycling Center'.
As Bihyung said, this is a place where external constellations cannot intervene or spy.
The constellations' curiosity about me will continue to grow.
'Then I have to live up to their expectations.'
We cannot remain trapped in the 'Recycling Center' forever. The moment will surely come when I have to escape from here and face the nebulae.
Until then, the vast gap between the constellations and me must be bridged.
'Bihyung, you like coins, right?'
And in this
[The story 'The Fox and the Crane' has stopped its storytelling.]
[The story 'The Magpie Who Returned the Favor' has stopped its storytelling.]
[The story 'The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg' has stopped its storytelling.]
…
I said, rewriting my mask.
'From now on, I plan to appear in all stories of Zone 13. So you—'
After all, trends come and go.
I grinned as I looked at the endless 'recycled stories'.
'Sell the stories I will appear in to the constellations who pay coins.'