I grabbed the shoulders of my stumbling companions and shook them.
"Everyone, come to your senses! You can't be eaten!"
The light was slowly returning to the companions' eyes, but the speed was too slow. At this rate, even if they overcome 「Compatible Mama」, they will be attacked by ghosts.
Then there is only one way.
I accelerated rapidly along the [Way of the Wind], punched the air, and rushed towards the 'Tiger Eating Rice Cake'.
「 Compatible Mama is so powerful that when activated, the owner of the story cannot take any action. 」
[The story 'Heir of the Eternal Name' is activated!]
In other words, I could give him a real hit now.
[Fragment of the story 'The Sword Master's right hand man who was stabbed in the back by a colleague' opens its eyes!]
A story fragment written by the Demon King of Salvation.
The fragment of the very same story that slaughtered dozens of great-grade constellations that had ascended to half their heights emanated light from my right hand.
[Way of the Wind, wrapped in 'Unbreakable Faith', once again caused a sensation.]
A sword attack that explodes leaving behind a white light pattern.
The 'Tiger Eating Rice Cake' caught my blow with his front paw.
[no use.]
I bit my lip tightly.
The fragments of Kim Dokja's story were not this weak.
How should I read it?
How do I 'read again' so I can fight like that guy?
Writing a story and writing down sentences did not mean that I fully understood the world.
Some understanding occurs by the reader.
Kim Dokja needed help.
"You always try to be the main character."
Killer King flew in from behind with [Way of the Wind] and fired his bowgun repeatedly.
Finally, the group overcame 「Compatibility Mama」 and joined.
"Aaaah! Take it! Turtle Crusher!"
Kyung Sein flew up like a flying squirrel and threw Dansu ahjussi in the air with all her might. Dansu ahjussi curled up like a turtle spun around like a top and flew in. A heavy blow exploded into the tiger's abdomen, and for an instant, a gap was opened for the [Way of the Wind] to penetrate.
[The story fragment 'Way of the Wind' resonates!]
[The story of 'Way of the Wind' begins!]
The moment the road opened, the hesitating stories began to talk.
[The story 'The Fox, the Crane, and the Wolf—often a Panda' begins its storytelling.]
The story we mended.
As the content changed, the story began to become known throughout the
The plates and gourds used by the fox and the crane fell from the air like bombs.
The 'Tiger Eating Rice Cake' shouted in horror.
[You dare—!]
Afterwards, a flock of swallows flew from the sky and dropped Park-ssi.
[The story 'The panda saw the swallow carrying the seed in its mouth' begins its storytelling.]
The body of the 'Tiger Eating Rice Cake' that stepped on Park-ssi tilted and shook. Without missing the opportunity, Ye Hyunwoo and Cha Yerin struck the back of the guy's knees. His huge body slowly lost balance and he fell backwards.
"Now!"
However, these stories are impossible to 「stage」 on our own.
"Whoever brings the head of the spearfish gets free soup!"
Since when did it start?
The crane owner was shaking the frying pan and hitting the heads of the spearfish .
The goose that lays golden eggs laid golden eggs on the heads of the spearfish , and the swallows dropped the gourd seeds and pecked the spearfish in unison.
It wasn't just them.
"Waaaaah!"
The prisoners from Zone 13, who had entrusted us with their stories, rose up like wildfire.
Prisoners who do not have weapons or proper stories to tell.
Nevertheless, they did not back down and fought back.
Those without weapons threw plates and gourds containing soup brought from the inn.
[The constellation 'The bear that Spares One's life if One pretends to be dead' is embarrassed by the beastmen's reaction.]
Only the bears were putting their heads down on the floor, unable to do anything.
At that time, something fell on the head of the 'Tiger Eating Rice Cake' with a thudding sound.
"Hahaha! Look at that guy!"
The prisoners burst out laughing at the 'Tiger Eating Rice Cake' with hot soup on his head.
"What a tiger guy!"
The beastmen of Zone 13 were shouting excitedly, as if they had never been afraid of the Chinese Zodiac.
"You demons, go back to your graves!"
What moved them?
「 The Three Little Pigs, The Swallow Carrying the Gourd Seeds, The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs… 」
Maybe all those stories piled up like snow and finally bloomed into a small container.
[The story of Zone 13 is with you!]
[Your budding story is evolving!]
What is certain is that the story of the fallen prisoners has been reawakened once again.
[The story 'Compatible Mama' cringes.]
A simple story built together was driving out a huge fear.
Stories may be forgotten, but they never disappear.
Although it is not a huge or mythical story, it is a story that has supported their daily lives.
The history of Zone 13 was finally being 'reread'.
"He's down!"
"Cut off his head!"
The prisoners from Zone 13 began running toward the head of the fallen 'Tiger'.
"Wait! Stop!"
But that was a mistake.
[The story 'Sleeping Tiger's Nose Hair' begins its storytelling!]
Some of the prisoners touched the tiger's nose hair.
The 'Tiger' rose up with a powerful roar and blew out hot breath.
The prisoners nearby were melted by the hot air that came with the terrible smell.
[The constellation 'Tiger Eating Rice Cake' is furious!]
A fierce aftershock began to surround the 'Tiger Eating Rice Cake'.
When I looked closely, I saw something that looked like a shiny jewel embedded in his back. I immediately recognized what it was. That was the reason why the great-grade constellation 'Tiger Eating Rice Cake' was so strangely strong.
"That was because he killed another 'reader'."
Oooooooh—!
Some prisoners, startled by the tiger's strength, ran away in fear.
But we didn't back down.
There was nowhere to retreat anyway.
[The scales of probability are moving!]
A force so strong as to tip the scales of probability. And there was no one here to help us.
[The constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' frowns at the topic of great-grade constellation, calling it arrogant.]
[The constellation 'Reclining Dragon' awaits your operation.]
[The constellation 'The One Who Brought Ten Lambs' attempts to intervene in the scenario!]
[The constellation's intervention in the scenario was prevented by the Recycling Center's contract.]
Evaluators have no formal involvement in our scenarios. Because that is their viewing condition.
And there was no way the other Chinese Zodiac signs could help us.
[The constellation 'Liverless Rabbit' tells you to trample on them quickly!]
[The constellation 'Rat That Brings Plague' rejoices!]
[Some constellations of the nebula
[A few constellations in the nebula
I looked at the sky.
There is certainly no constellation in this world that can help us.
I took slow, deep breaths as if taking in the night sky. As soon as enough deep night air hit my lungs, I felt like my mind was waking up little by little.
"Kim Dokja!
Killer King and his companions stood protecting me.
The entirety of the bodies of the group members were full of big and small wounds, as if they had already been injured here and there. They were all attacked by tigers and ghosts.
"It's impossible to keep going like this. There are endless bastards coming in."
As the legend of the tiger became stronger, the ghosts became more rampant. The war situation worsened as even the beasts that had just died began to be resurrected as ghosts. The screams of the prisoners in pain filled the night.
[The story 'The One Who Calls Spears' continues its storytelling.]
I know. If we continue to fight like this, we will lose.
"It's okay."
This is the same even if we kill all the spears.
It is impossible to fight against the 'Tiger Eating Rice Cake' who has started using the power of his true body. No matter how much we have built up stories, it is impossible.
But there are beings who can do that.
"It's midnight now."
When I looked up, the constellations in the night sky began to shine brightly.
There is a reason the day starts at midnight.
The time when all the sleeping constellations wake up.
As I watched the bright stars turn their attention to the ground, I realized something again.
There are many reasons why we read stories. To reach the truth, to empathize with someone, to experience an unknown world, or—
To survive.
We read, we empathize with the characters and experience this world, live their lives, and feel their emotions.
But we know.
No matter how strongly we empathize with them, or even if we see the world from the perspective of an omniscient reader, we can never become the main character of that world.
We still don't know the feelings of the person who fights to survive more than anyone else.
"Ah."
When Cha Yerin, who exclaimed lightly, turned her head, the other party members also looked in the same direction at the same time.
In the darkness of the night, there was a man who had endured the night of this world for longer than anyone else.
Instead of the pitch-black coat that symbolized him, a shabby cape was fluttering about, but even so, he could not hide the unique atmosphere he gave off.
"Get out of the way."
A cool voice flowed through the shadows.
"From now on, I will deal with you."
No one could resist those words because they knew who he was. At the same time, my companions had to look at me because they knew who he was.
"Is that okay? He's still a boy! And he's lost all his memories!"
"It's okay, because—"
I grinned as I saw the man walking at night.
"Exactly 'ten days' have passed as of today."
Yoo Jonghyuk's face brightened under the starlight. He no longer had the expression of a young boy.
Finally, the side effects of Yoo Jonghyuk's 'Story Imprint' ended and he returned to his adult body.
Nevertheless, my companions still seemed anxious.
"But no matter how much Yoo Jonghyuk is—"
"It'll be okay. Trust me."
If it had been a normal 41st round, I would have had similar thoughts as my companions.
However, this '41st round' was not an ordinary '41st round'.
Yoo Jonghyuk, who is here now, is the transcendental figure who drove the giant nebulae to destruction in only the 40th round.
As soon as the 41st round started, he was a monster that smashed three-story engravings into his body and tore a marquis-level demon to pieces with a single sword.
As if to prove it, Yoo Jonghyuk walked forward, facing the gaze of the 'Tiger Eating Rice Cake'.
Showing no fear or panic, it is truly the gait of a winner.
About a dozen spearfishes that rushed at him without realizing it attacked him. They oxidized like starlight before they even got close to Yoo Jonghyuk.
"The tiger of the zodiac."
Yoo Jonghyuk's eyes looked up into space indifferently. A gaze that seems to be staring at a low mountain, and a voice that shows no emotion despite its tall stature.
"Killing you—"
The 'Sainsa Sword' I gave him glowed a distant light in his hand.
"This is the third time."