「Anna Croft said:“Yoo Joonghyuk. Perhaps the rounds you and I have accumulated… were nothing more than a storm inside a teacup. All the years we thrashed about through dozens of regressions, and we couldn’t even change a single patch of that night sky.”Yoo Joonghyuk gazed silently at the stars reflected in the teacup before him.“One day, all the stars in that sky will fall, and I will remain alone in this world. And if, at that moment, I am still holding this teacup…”He emptied the last of the tea, swallowing the night sky mirrored in the liquid.“…then that means the world has changed.”」— Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World***It was the second time I had seen a person die before my eyes.The one who had read this story was dead.The clarity in his gaze dimmed, the warmth drained from his body. Eyes that would never read again.Elrain’s Forest’s vitality.A Magic Pill.A Summoning Elixir.Or anything at all.None of it mattered. It was too late.Not even the Great Celestial Immortal could undo a wound like this.I knew it.And yet, I clung to such thoughts, because otherwise I would be forced to think of something worse.I stared blankly at my own hands—hands that had been writing sentences moments ago, now soaked crimson.“…Dad.”Jeong Huiwon’s voice was soft as she clasped the cold hand of Master Sergeant Jeong Munho.“Wake up. This isn’t right.”As if saying so would make him rise again.But he never opened his eyes.The 90% success-rate story had been reenacted.「Master Sergeant Jeong Munho was dead.」All I could do was record this moment.「Jeong Huiwon was crying.」His corpse, melted away by the demonic energy of the bloodpoint explosion, slowly disintegrated.I wanted to ask him.Why did you stake your life for this child?Why leap for a character to whom you bore no real tie?Maybe I knew the answer.「Because he was a fragment of Kim Dokja.」From the place where Jeong Munho’s body vanished, a soul rose faintly.「Little Kim Dokja.」I had seen something like this before, when Jung Jaewoo died in the Theater Dungeon.A pitch-dark space had split open, and a white hand had reached to snatch his soul.But this time, it was a black hand.It darted forth, seized the boy-reader’s soul, and slipped back into the rift.A white hand, then.A black hand, now.I couldn’t comprehend it. What were these beings that carried away the souls of the dead readers?Was it Kim Dokja’s representative, whom I had seen at the banquet? Or the Otherworldly Divinity that appeared earlier?Why, exactly, had we been summoned into this world?「It was, at last, the ending the reader had wanted.」But no one could possibly want such a story. So why must it go on?My breathing grew ragged, vision dimming like the world flickering in and out. Churning emotions dragged me down into a pit of sand.[Exclusive skill, “Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World,” activates!]Still, there was a story that protected me.「Yoo Joonghyuk said, ‘It’s all right.’」The Yoo Joonghyuk of the Annihilation Method spoke. His voice, from who knows which round, steadied me as I choked back nausea.「‘As long as you don’t give up, there is a way.’」I read the line over and over, chanting it into myself like brainwashing.Yoo Joonghyuk was right.Even if a soul was stolen by an Otherworldly Divinity, it could be reclaimed.Just as Kim Dokja had once returned from being kidnapped by the Secret Schemer.By now, Jeong Huiwon had gathered her father’s belongings.“Inho. Is there a way to save Eunho?”Her voice was deep, still, heavy as stone. I forced out an answer.“Yes. There is.”As I looked upward, the messages came.[Constellation, “God of the Sea” sponsors you with 100 Coins.][Constellation, “Great King Heungmu” sponsors you with 100 Coins.][Constellation, “Bald General of Cheok Jun-gyeong” sponsors you with 100 Coins.][Constellation, “Demon-like Judge of Fire” sponsors you with 1,000 Coins.][Constellation, “Black Flame Dragon of the Abyss” asks what became of that Otherworldly Divinity.]…[Your first fable is about to bloom.][Star Stream is evaluating your first fable.]…[“Bounty Scenario — Perfume” has ended.][Reward acquired: “Low-grade Elixir.”]The enormous flood of Coin sponsorships came alongside the scenario reward.I opened the descending chest at once.Inside was a familiar elixir.A Magic Pill.Of all things, they gave me this.Immediately I called Bihyung through Dokkkaebi Communication.“Bihyung. Is this really the full reward? For a scenario of this scale? We defeated an Otherworldly Divinity, and the reward is just a single Magic Pill?”Fortunately, his answer came quickly.—The Bureau’s still in deliberation. I filed a request too. It’ll take some time…It seemed Bihyung was also at his wit’s end over this incident.No wonder—the fifth scenario hadn’t even begun, and already an Otherworldly Divinity had appeared. The Bureau must be in uproar.Jeong Huiwon eyed the pill.“Is that a cure?”“Not by itself.”The Magic Pill was a weaker variant of the Demon Soul Pill, used as a prize in martial arts tournaments.Potent, yes, but feeding it to Eunho as-is would simply drive him mad, turning him into a demon.To neutralize it, I needed at least an equally pure elixir.“…Sis.”Eunho, barely conscious, pried his eyes open. She held his hand.“It’s all right, Eunho.”“Dad is…”“It’s all right. Just breathe easy. Don’t think of anything else.”She closed his eyelids and looked at me.There wasn’t much time. Delay further, and not even an elixir could save him.I stood and climbed onto the duel arena.There was still a way.I had Coins left. Worst case, I could open the Marketplace, bid high, and buy an elixir.But with all the watching Constellations, that would be disastrous.[Constellation, “Immortal Emperor” offers you a modest elixir if you contract with him.][Constellation, “Usurer Who Seeks Hearts” offers 100,000 Coins in exchange for a Summoning Elixir.]Damn vultures.If I tried the Marketplace now, they’d gouge me with absurd prices.[Constellation, “God of the Sea” protests at the outrageous extortion.][Constellation, “Merchant of the Daedong River” clucks his tongue at rivals worse than him.]Luckily, I’d considered this possibility.I turned toward the meteor guarded by the Leader and the Beggars.「A meteor.」As written in ORV, meteors carried different contents depending on their hue.Yellow meteors contained “Guides” to counter calamities. Bright red meteors, weapons. Dark red meteors, disasters.And this one bore a faint cyan glow.If my memory was right, green-hued meteors carried rare items tied to scenarios.I ordered Thoughts to turn into Broken Conviction.[“Nearly Everything’s Thoughts” refuses your command.]It had been overworked today, perhaps.[Penalty: you cannot use Incitement for 10 minutes.]No Incitement either, thanks to backlash.I picked up a fallen cudgel, imbuing it with [Baekcheong Energy].Would it be enough to break a meteor? I wasn’t sure. My limbs were sluggish from recoil.“That’s what we need to break?”Huiwon had stepped up beside me.“I’ll do it.”Before I could reply, she had seized the fallen Mikazuki Munechika.Power surged violently through her frame.[The character Jeong Huiwon’s inner depths seethe with madness.]Her expression remained calm, but her eyes glowed with a terrifying heat. She raised the blade without hesitation and sliced vertically down.Crack—!The meteor split cleanly in two.Dark aura swirled faintly over her body.[The character Jeong Huiwon’s new trait writhes.]She had already awakened as the “Judge of Demons.” Now her trait was evolving again.And the result was certain.The Butcher of Madness.The death of Jeong Munho had scarred her heart deeply. A dangerous sign.「Throughout Yoo Joonghyuk’s regressions, the Butcher of Madness never once gained a comrade. He always walked alone, and he always died alone. None understood his madness, nor did he understand anyone.」I didn’t want Huiwon to become that. Which meant Eunho had to be saved.The shattered meteor left a black chest.Finer than the earlier reward.Opening it, golden light poured out.Inside were three Summoning Elixirs.[Constellation, “Demon-like Judge of Fire” sighs in relief at your luck.][Constellation, “Immortal Emperor” protests to the Bureau at this mistake!]The Summoning Elixirs—the secret medicine of Shaolin.Considering this meteor came from the Third Murim, it made sense.“Inho.”“Yes. This should work.”We lifted Eunho and seated him gently.“This will hurt, but bear it.”His condition was worse than expected. Bullet fragments had shredded his organs, already rotting. The fact that he had endured until now was a miracle.I mixed the Magic Pill with the Summoning Elixir and fed it to him.A trick from ORV—like how Kim Dokja had combined the Demon Soul Pill with the Great Recovery Pill.[Some ingredients neutralize each other’s toxins!]A faint radiance shone as Eunho’s complexion began to improve.So long as his fundamental myth wasn’t harmed, the elixir could restore him.Five minutes passed.Suddenly, Eunho convulsed.“Inho! Eunho’s—”I grabbed his pulse.[Constellation, “Greatest Sword of Goryeo” looks gravely upon incarnation Jeong Eunho.]Too late, I realized.[Constellation, “God of the Sea” says the boy was not ready to withstand the elixir.]A backlash—what martial artists called deviation.「When deviation occurs due to elixir backlash, there are two remedies. One: the subject miraculously attains enlightenment. Two: the guardians around him endure and share the rampaging energy.」So said the Annihilation Method.“Huiwon. We’ll have to help him.”I quickly explained. It was a technique for true masters of Murim.But there was no other way.We clasped hands tightly, each gripping Eunho’s trembling hand with the other.Rumble…Like a river’s current surging into a tributary, his wild energy poured through our arms.Clogged veins burst open, every channel of energy in my body boiling.I knew instantly—if we overcame this, all three of us would grow far stronger.But if not, we would all die.I clenched my teeth, enduring the agony.Thud, thud, thud.We said nothing, but we never let go.Huiwon’s face grew pale, her low energy reserves straining.I was growing anxious. Eunho’s energy showed no sign of abating.Sweat drenched me, my vision blackening like mold spreading.The truth loomed:「Jeong Eunho cannot be saved.」A dangerous temptation stirred. If I let go, Huiwon might survive. But Eunho and I would perish.It felt like fate itself was conspiring.「As though someone, somehow, meant to make Huiwon the Butcher of Madness.」She ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) glared, eyes blazing like a fiend, and gripped my hand tighter.I regretted not even having basic Qi Cultivation training.Blood streamed from Huiwon’s nose and mouth as her body sagged.I panicked, ready to let go to at least save her—[Your new “fable” manifests!][Fable, “Tenacious Martial Master,” begins its story.]Like a true master guiding the flow, Eunho’s rampaging energy was restrained. The current bent, directed into proper channels.I instantly knew whose fable this was.「It was the fable given by the Leader.」The distilled martial essence from his days as a man, all the way to becoming a Constellation.The wild torrent calmed. Their faces relaxed.And then came Eunho’s delirious words.「Sis. I’m sorry.」Huiwon answered.「It’s okay.」Sorry for what? Okay for what? I didn’t know.But the two of them had crossed a boundary. They had accepted life in this world without their father.「And the writer, Lee Hak-hyun, recorded it all.」I wondered.Where did these lines I often recalled actually come from?The Annihilation Method? ORV?The Fourth Wall? The Last Wall?Or something else.「Do you want to know?」Yes, I want to know.I fought against the pull of unconsciousness, but my vision darkened.Drowsiness fell heavy. Then a voice like someone waking me.When I opened my eyes again—「You came again.」I was lying in a snowfield of pure white.Before me, a white face under a white coat.I called his name.「Kim Dokja.」As if he knew all that had happened, his eyes carried a quiet loneliness as he looked at me.「Drink.」He offered the teacup in his hand. Steam curled from the warm liquid.「It’s tea developed by Yoo Joonghyuk of the 81st round.」The 81st Yoo Joonghyuk. If I remembered right, the one who was good at cooking.I sat up and took the cup, sipping.Delicious.Warmth filled me, calming my agitation.So you could even create this.Of course—Kim Dokja was the Oldest Dream.A god of this world. Whatever he imagined became reality.The cup trembled faintly in my hand.He watched silently.Everything was peaceful.And yet, in this calm between the lines, I felt a different emotion.The tea’s surface rippled.Within the ripples, people appeared. Some screamed, some wept.Faces of Huiwon, Jeong Munho, Jung Jaewoo, the Leader.Fearing they would spill out, I clutched the cup tightly and asked him:「Why do you… still dream of this?」

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