Beyond the Eternity

Thinking about It, wasn't Dongdaemun-gu positioned at the east of Seoul?

In such a scenario, he would be able to unleash the full power of Byakko as long as his back was facing the West.

"What the hell is going on? Why is the Black Emperor here!" Nam Gun-seok shouted.

I hadn't expected him to recognize Song Jaewon, thinking that a politician wouldn't pay attention to rumors. But then I remembered that he mentioned the Black Emperor during the conservation.

Was the Holy Grail War also broadcasted as well?

"Guards! Guards!"

As he shouted, many security personnel entered the tent at once and rushed towards Song Jaewon.

It makes sense that Song Jaewon's dramatic entrance would leave the guards outside unharmed if he crashed directly through the roof of the tent inside the station. This route would allow him to bypass the guards entirely, making it a targeted, unannounced entry directly into the meeting.

All their stats were likely around Lv. 50, yet they were no match for Song Jaewon, who shattered four barriers at once.

[The character 'Song Jaewon' has activated Advanced Mana Control.]

Kwajijik!

"Kuaaack!"

All of them suddenly slammed to the ground with intence force, as If the unseen hand of a giant was pressing down on them.

Song Jaewon defeated all of them with just mana control.

"W-Wha... Impossible!"

Nam Gun-seok looked like he couldn't comprehend the sight before him. He instinctively took a step back, then stumbled, collapsing to the ground, with his face drained of color.

It really looked like he had seen a ghost. But It was understandable fear. The other rulers had already experienced this fear.

Even if he'd somehow witnessed the events of the Holy Grail War, experiencing the terror of the Black Emperor firsthand was an entirely different ordeal from simply observing it.

I picked up an untouched biscuit from the table and began to chew without care. However, this only made Song Jaewon frown.

After all, he came to kill me, so he must have felt I was looking down on him.

Song Jaewon spat out with venom. "You bastard... You dare disrespect me like this again?"

"Please, don't be offended. You see, I already know that I don't stand a chance against you, so I'm just enjoying my last meal while I have the choice. I don't mind dying once or twice, but it does make me a bit uneasy that a grown man is this interested in me. Just so we're clear, I'm not into men."

"You... You dare!"

"Can you please stop shouting like that? Your saliva might get all over my biscuit. People risked their lives to get this, you know."

Already fuming, Song Jaewon lost his last shard of patience and thrusted the metal spear towards me.

Wasn't he surprisingly easy to provoke? Regressors were known for their pride and quick temper, making it relatively simple to push their buttons with just a few choice words.

Either way, the spear was rapidly approaching my neck. But there was no need to panic.

Clang!

Before the tip of the metal spear, Byakko, could pierce my neck, It was suddenly repelled by a strong force. Song Jaewon's eyes widened.

"You..."

It was Soo Jinyoung who had intercepted his attack.

"... Soo Jinyoung?"

She spoke with a sarcastic smile. "Oh, looks like you finally remembered me, you sunfish bastard."

"I was hoping to meet you too. Didn't I warn you to get that neck ready for me?"

"As you can see, I've taken good care of it."

"What's your relationship with that man?"

"What about it? It's none of your business."

"I don't care about your relationship with him, but that man must die. So move aside."

"What if I don't?"

A formidable amount of aura emerged from Soo Jinyoung and Song Jaewon. The atmosphere seemed to thicken, as if the very air had grown denser with the force of their presence.

「 The Reincarnator and Regressor were bitter enemies 」

This was the inevitable clash when the Reincarnator meets the Regressor. Two people who killed each other during the previous round.

Needless to say, they did not get along. It was likely that Soo Jinyoung had attended this meeting anticipating Song Jaewon's intrusion.

But that wasn't necessarily a good thing. At this rate, Dongdaemun-gu Station would be reduced to rubble.

"Get out of here, fast! Things are about to get messy!"

I shouted for everyone to fall back and, without hesitation, lifted the High Priestess, Moon Jiyeon before rushing out of the large tent.

I could hear Song Jaewon shouting something, but his voice was drowned out by the heavy rhythm of footsteps.

"Huh? Why are you carrying me?" she asked, surprised.

"Sorry, but I can't afford to let you go."

"Ah, what is that supposed to be mean? Don't tell me you're falling for this old woman? Fufufu~"

"It's good to be delusional. And, for the record, you're more heavier than I expected. Do you mind losing some weight?"

"You... You... Are you calling me fat? Don't you know it's rude to tease your senior like this?!"

She snapped back, but I ignored her complaints and kept my focus on running.

My reason for saving her was simple.

She was far too valuable to lose because of Soo Jinyoung and Song Jaewon's reckless actions. Specifically, it was the power of the High Priestess Arcana that was important, and she had already begun to master its abilities.

Losing her now would be a complete waste as she was necessary for the Dragon Association.

As soon as I stepped out of the station, a deafening boom rang through the air, and the ground beneath me quaked. A massive surge of magical energy erupted, shattering the Dongdaemun-gu Station. From the wreckage, two black silhouettes leapt into view.

Those idiots. Were they really going all out in a place like this? Thankfully, it seemed the other rulers had managed to escape unscathed.

Regardless, It was enough to draw the attention of the surrounding players. The party members noticed the situation and approached while I kept Moon Jiyeon down from my shoulders.

"What happened?"

"Two foolish people are fighting each other."

"Fighting? It seems like they are trying to kill each other. They even destroyed the station."

Lee Suhye gazed in shock at the wreckage of Dongdaemun-gu Station. It looked as though the place had been struck by a bomb.

I called out, "Everyone, we need to leave now! This place will become too dangerous soon."

At the same time...

Kukukuku!

Two dark silhouettes clashed in mid-air at supersonic speeds, each collision creating a deafening sonic boom that echoed through the sky. After a flurry of airborne strikes, they descended, landing hard on the ground and continuing their relentless, destructive exchange. Every impact sent shockwaves rippling outward, tearing through the surroundings with sheer force.

The spectating players screamed and backed away.

When two veterans fought seriously, there was no way they would remain in the same spot unless they were courting death, especially when the fighters were two protagonists.

"You hateful woman, I'll make sure to kill you properly this time!"

"Stop acting all and mighty, you sore loser!"

[The character 'Song Jaewon' has activated Black Wind Control.]

[The character 'Soo Jinyoung' has activated Seven Heavenly Swordsmanship.]

Song Jaewon manipulated the wind using Byakko to form a whirlpool around the Lance blade, while Soo Jinyoung drew a Iai stance, preparing to unleash the Seven Heavenly Swordsmanship.

The moment they were about to unleash their assault, a voice cut through the air like a knife.

[What the hell is going on here?]

The fairy Aurora appeared at this moment and noticed the situation.

[I entrusted you lots with the task of selecting the participants for the Next Fable, but instead, you're too busy fighting among yourselves. Are you some sort of untrained monkeys?]

Her forehead was bulging with veins, looking as though they might burst at any moment. The players became afraid because they felt someone's head was going to explode.

That was precisely what happened when she became angry the last time. Was that going to happen again?

Of course not.

[Fine! Since none of you can make up your minds, I'll just choose the participants for the Sixth Fable myself.]

She flicked her finger with annoyance and a system message was heard.

[The Sixth Fable will commence.]

[Six participants will be selected randomly to participate in the Story.]

Finally, It was time for the Sixth Story to start.

†

†

Everyone had gathered in the center of Dongdaemun-gu. All the Kings, along with their factions, were present, with random players scattered among them.

[Sixth Fable ### – ????]

Type: Main

Difficulty: ???

Story Conditions: ???

Time Limit: ???

Rewards: ???

Penalty: ???

+

This was the summary of the Sixth Fable. Naturally, all details regarding the Fable were sealed, as expected. Ultimately, only those who participated would have access to its information.

Unfortunately, none of us had been selected. In fact, no one from the Kings' faction had been chosen.

[List of Participants: Im Geunsoo, Kang Jihyun, Lee Haerin, Oh Seungri, Park Seungyoon, Jo Haeun.]

I scanned the list of participants. Not a single name was familiar. Even the other Kings seemed just as confused.

Simply put, the chosen participants were total strangers.

My gaze shifted upwards.

Aurora materialized, gracefully circling the empty space.

[Oh, six people has been chosen. If your name appeared on this list, then step outside.]

Upon her love call, the chosen six stepped out from the crowd.

Four men and two women, fairly equiped for the one way road. In any case, those six had been selected to participate in the Sixth Fable.

[Alright, let's begin.]

With a flick of her finger, a 'Gate' materialized infront of the players, unleashing a powerful wave of energy.

This was the portal to the next Fable.

The six chosen players hesitated briefly, exchanging uncertain glances before stepping through the Gate, one by one.

Ding!

[The selected players has entered the gate.]

[The next set of players will be chosen if the current players fail to clear the Fable.]

That was the system announcement.

"Wait, we can join in if those guys don't make it?"

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"Isn't this Fable different from the previous five?"

Confused murmurs rippled through the crowd.

Their surprise made sense. Each Fable became progressively harder, and the Sixth was different in the sense that It allowed repeated attempts, letting players try again until they succeeded.

A click of someone's tongue echoed.

"Those idiots! This is all their fault. Acting like a bunch of wild animals..."

Vice Chairman Nam Gun-seok muttered in frustration. His plan to seize the Sixth Fable for himself had been completely ruined by the two troublesome protagonists.

Perhaps feeling that his efforts were in vain, Vice Chairman Nam Gun-seok stormed off, frustrated, accompanied by his lackeys. Unable to overcome the two troublesome protagonists, he had no choice but to retreat elsewhere.

He shouldn't be too discouraged, though. Entering the Fables early doesn't guarantee an easy win.

As for those behind this scenario...

"What are you looking at? Want to test your luck again?"

"I was just looking around, but your face came into view, and now I'm struggling to hold back my vomit."

"That's rich coming from someone who maxed out their looks. Are you that insecure about your natural appearance? It's no surprise your crappy personality matches so well."

"I don't want to hear that from a woman who poured all her redeeming qualities into her chest. Don't you look like a cow?"

Soo Jinyoung and Song Jaewon looked like they were on the brink of another fight. Fortunately, Aurora had placed a non-violence penalty on both of them, so they could only hurl insults at each other.

It was ridiculous.

Why were they exuding such overwhelming killing intent over something so trivial?

The surrounding players noticed the tension and instinctively distanced themselves from the two protagonists, including the members of my party.

Lee Suhye narrowed her eyes. "What am I looking at right now? A lover's quarrel?"

"Please don't say that out loud. Do you want them turning their attention to you?"

"Nope. I value my life, you know. Hehe!"

"That tongue of yours is going to get you in trouble someday."

"But I'm still alive, aren't I? Also, I know how to use my tongue very well."

Lee Suhye stuck out her tongue and twirled it playfully.

This woman… How could one person be so utterly shameless? It was as if she had no sense of fear whatsoever.

Even if she were transported back to the Victorian era, I highly doubt she could ever pass as a proper lady.

"By the way, do you know what's behind those two fighting?"

"Do I look like an omniscient sunfish? Besides, do people even need a reason to pick a fight?"

"I guess you're right. There are plenty of awful people out there, but with those two, it feels different. How can they unleash such intense killing intent over something so trivial?"

Kagura added. "Maybe they were enemies in their previous life."

"Don't be ridiculous. Does something like reincarnation actually exist?"

Lee Suhye didn't seem fully convinced by Kagura's theory, but she didn't dismiss it either. Unbeknownst to her, Kagura's words had hit the mark. In fact, her guess was so accurate that it made me uneasy.

Had she receive some sort of precognition? Was it the blessing of the Saint attribute? I did not know.

Yoo Jinsung turned to me. "Hyung, if those two fight, who would win?"

"Hmm. That's a tough question."

Yoo Rin spoke up. "I think that woman would win."

"Huh? That's completely wrong. The scary guy would definitely have the upper hand in a fight."

"You're only saying that because you think spear users are cool."

"That's completely off too! Don't you know spear users have the advantage in a figh because of their long reach. Plus, that man can manipulate the wind."

"Don't you think you're rushing to dismiss the woman without considering all the facts? You don't even know what either of them is truly capable of."

"Of course, I'm judging based on what I see right now."

The green-haired twins, Yoo Jinsung and Yoo Rin, continued their bickering.

Thinking about it, who was stronger in this round?

Song Jaewon or Soo Jinyoung?

On one hand, there was a Regressor who could revert time while retaining all their previous skills. On the other hand, there was a Reincarnator who would "regenerate" into a new body, bringing along their past abilities.

No matter which way you looked at it, they were evenly matched. Even if relics like the White Spirit Lance or Phoenix Sword were considered, it would still be either a tie or an incredibly close fight.

In such a scenario, the key deciding factor would be their skill level, stamina, the environment and cardinal directions.

Either one of them could defeat the other under the right circumstances. Even the author of Song of Nightmares mentioned something along those lines.

Wasn't it right to trust the words of the Author?

... Hmm. What was she doing?

I noticed Angelica staring vacantly into the distance, deep in thought. What could be occupying her mind so intensely?

Curious, I approached Angelica, who seemed lost in her own thoughts, and whispered playfully in her ear, "A penny for your thoughts?"

She jumped in surprise, letting out a startled noise like a frightened cat. "Ah! You scared me!"

"I'm sorry if I startled you, but I couldn't help myself when I saw you lost in thought like that. What were you thinking about?"

"...Oh, it's nothing important."

"Really? Could it be that you're hungry?"

"Eh? How did you come to that conclusion?" she asked, clearly taken aback.

"Hunger can make you lightheaded. When your blood sugar drops, your body conserves energy, including in the brain. I believe the term for it is hypoglycemia. Considering that you haven't eaten anything since we left Seongdong-gu earlier this morning, I don't think my deduction is far off."

"First of all, how could you jump to that conclusion so quickly?! And secondly, how does me spacing out have anything to do with hunger?"

"I just explained it, though. Besides, don't you usually sneak extra snacks when no one's looking?"

"W-Wait... W-What? I have no idea what you're talking about."

...Yeah, nice try. That definitely didn't help your case.

I smirked at her and continued, "Oh, did you think no one would notice? You're terrible at hiding it, and lying, too. If you were really that hungry, you should have just said something. We're not exactly short on food supplies, so I don't understand why you would choose to hide."

"... I'm sorry."

"Hey now, why are you so quick to apologize. I said it's okay."

"... I'm sorry."

"...."

"... I'm truly sorry for eating when everyone was sleeping."

"...."

"... I'm sorry for eating delicious sweets when everyone was working so hard. I was completely wrong for doing that."

What was this? She was pouting so intensely, that she almost looked on the verge of tears.

Truth to told, I already knew what she was thinking, so I made the comment to lighten the tense atmosphere. However, it ended up completely backfiring on me.

What am I supposed to say in this situation? And what's up with that cute expression? Wasn't she too old for something like this?

Finding the situation utterly absurd, I pulled out a stopwatch I had recently purchased from the Exclusive Shop, casually checking the time.

Jung Yunhee, who had remained quiet throughout the entire situation, finally spoke up.

"So, are we just supposed to wait here until they're done?"

"Don't worry," I reassured her with a calm smile. "It won't be long now."

She tilted her head, confused. Her eyes seemed to say "what exactly do you mean?", but there was no need for me to answer.

In the next moment, the system announcement rang through the air.

[All six participants have been eliminated.]