Episode 20 – Disaster of Floods (1)

My heart sank as soon as I looked for Han Sooyoung’s pulse. I was more shocked by the fact that Han Sooyoung was dead. A bit of time passed before my sense of reason returned.

“…Dokja-ssi?” Yoo Sangah noticed something and got up. I examined Han Sooyoung’s corpse with Yoo Sangah’s help.

“There are no wounds.”

The situation was to a standstill. There were no wounds. Then was it a poison? If there was a poison that could kill Han Sooyoung without leaving any traces then it was a terrible poison.

However, such a poison couldn’t be released now. That wasn’t the only problem. Why was only Han Sooyoung poisoned while the rest were safe? Even if there was a person with such a poison, there was no reason to only poison Han Sooyoung.

It was strange that I suddenly feel asleep in the first place.

…Wait a minute, I fell asleep?

“Uh, I’m sorry. I slept too much.” Shin Yoosung finally opened her eyes.

I suddenly looked back at Yoo Sangah. “Yoo Sangah-ssi, did you sleep all night?”

“…Yes.”

Yoo Sangah blushed like she was embarrassed. If Yoo Sangah hadn’t woken up then no one was standing guard yesterday. I was the last lookout and once I fell asleep, everyone was sleeping.

I was a fool. My suspicions should’ve started from ‘Why did I sleep?’ rather than ‘Who killed Han Sooyoung?’

Was it a sleeping spell? No, only returnee had such magic. Hit a Pressure Point? They must be able to fool my senses to use it.

In the end, there was only one answer remaining. I approached the fire where the bones of the groll I ate yesterday was hanging.

This was the only possibility for everyone falling asleep. I cleared up the bones that were eaten cleanly of their flesh and some green powder fell to the ground.

‘It is the stem of the yanaspleta.’

It was as expected. There was only one reason for this being here. Someone had mixed the plant stem powder into the groll meat. The stem of the yanaspleta had a powerful sleeping effect if not taken with the juices. It wasn’t poisonous so it couldn’t be resolved with Dongui Bogam. That’s why I always boiled it with the juices.

“Who cooked the groll yesterday?”

“It was Sooyoung-ssi…”

I inwardly sighed. The meat I ate yesterday was the young groll that Shin Yoosung failed to tame. The one who killed the groll was none other than Han Sooyoung.

“It was one blow.”

I approached the pale body of Han Sooyoung. I was so confused that I had forgotten for a while. An avatar didn’t vanish unless the head was destroyed.

However, why did she set up this play? She was bound by the ‘Temporary Pledge’ and couldn’t run away. At that moment, a blue light emerged from Han Sooyoung’s heart. This was…?

“Wait a bit.”

I didn’t care about the reaction of the others and trampled on Han Sooyoung’s head. The blue light burst out and the avatar was destroyed.

[The character Han Sooyoung’s avatar has received the punishment for violating the contract.]

[The character Han Sooyoung has offered up her avatar as a sacrifice to offset most of the punishment of the Temporary Pledge.]

“Ah…”

Yoo Sangah let out a groan as if she realized something. I had no idea the avatar had such an effect. I had seen it receive damage on behalf of the original but I didn’t know it could take the contract’s punishment. It looked like only some of the punishment was offset but Han Sooyoung wouldn’t die.

Shin Yoosung asked, “That unni went away?”

“It seems so.”

The question of why was meaningless. Once I thought about it, Han Sooyoung didn’t have much to do with me.

-My constellation support has reduced because I’ve been with you lately.

I would soon meet with the people of Chungmuro and they would be hostile to Han Sooyoung, just like Yoo Sangah.

Che. A person who couldn’t be trusted would live in misery. Han Sooyoung would be alone, surrounded by enemies. For a moment, I mistook her for a companion.

There were some coins and a piece of paper in the place where the avatar turned into white powder.

–The value of the meals.

This was how she said goodbye. As if to turn the time we spent together into nothing, her avatar was blown away by the strong winds of Han River.

Still, I was curious about why Han Sooyoung stayed with me for so long despite being able to use ‘Surrogate Death’ through her avatars.

I didn’t know. I couldn’t read Yoo Sangah or Han Sooyoung’s mind. Ways of Survival, which explained everything, didn’t tell me this.

“We should get up.”

Then a strange sensation overcame me. Was it Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint? I instinctively looked in the direction that I felt it but couldn’t see anything.

…Was I mistaken?

***

“A fool.”

Han Sooyoung looked at the abandoned building from a distant high-rise building. The wind of Han River permeated through her ripped jeans and was cold. She bit her lip and muttered.

“…Shouldn’t you pretend to feel something?”

However, she knew he couldn’t do that. It was natural. He was as much a ‘reader’ as she was.

She turned on her notepad and started to type something. It was the habit of an author to write it down when inspiration struck.

「 Reading a book doesn’t mean you will understand people. 」

‘I will see you again.’

She didn’t know the ending that Kim Dokja wanted. However, they would surely meet again as long as they kept moving towards the end.

「 She didn’t know if they would be enemies or not the next time they met. 」

Han Sooyoung covered her smartphone and started walking.

***

The morning hours passed quickly.

That afternoon, Shin Yoosung’s agility and magic power reached the scenario limit of level 60. I felt that it was time and bought the Sponsor Contract from Bihyung. Bihyung grumbled but still gave me the contract.

[…You do know that this won’t change the disaster?]

‘…’

[The present her isn’t directly related to the future disaster. The disaster comes from a world derived from the ‘first world’ line. Even if their existences are connected, the history…]

‘Don’t speak useless words and give me the contract.’

I finished writing the contract and handed it to Shin Yoosung. “I have no stigma right now and can’t lend you my strength like other constellations. I only have a lot of coins.”

“…”

“You don’t have to sign the contract if you don’t want to. However, you won’t regret it if you sign with me.”

“Mother told me not to mess around with this type of stuff…”

“It’s okay. I don’t really mean to be a typical sponsor.”

“If I sign this, I can’t contract with another constellation?”

“Yes.”

Shin Yoosung nodded with determination. “Okay. I believe in Ahjussi.”

[The Sponsor Contract has been concluded.]

[You have become the sponsor of the incarnation ‘Shin Yoosung.’]

A brilliant light rose and wrapped around me and Shin Yoosung. Unlike the brilliant light, a humble message popped up.

[You aren’t a constellation. You are unable to use most of the functions of a sponsor.]

[List of Available Functions]

[1. Sponsor the incarnation.]

[2. Encourage the incarnation.]

Well, I had expected it. This was about it for now.

[The constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband scoffs.]

[The constellation Secretive Plotter congratulates you on your first contract.]

[5,000 coins have been sponsored.]

[A number of constellations want to be your sponsor.]

The reactions of the constellations were hot. It was different from the time with Gong Pildu. Shin Yoosung was now my direct incarnation. Therefore, the ‘incarnation seekers’ group were going crazy over me.

I wasn’t a constellation, I was an ‘incarnation’ with an ‘incarnation.’ If they signed a contract with me, Shin Yoosung would naturally come under that constellation as well. As I increased my number of incarnations, the number of constellations who wanted me would increase rapidly.

[The channel is going crazy…!]

Bihyung screamed happily as I looked at the party. “It is time for us to leave. We will cross Han River.”

“We still haven’t found any bridges. Will it be okay?”

“We’ll go swimming.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t you know how to swim?”

“I do know but…” Yoo Sangah looked at the river with concern.

I knew what she was worried about. The water levels of Han River had increased. There were more ichthyosaurs present than yesterday and they were intermittently roaring. They were all 7th grade. Shin Yoosung muttered, “I can’t swim…”

“Hold onto this and cross.”

I pulled out a styrofoam box that I had obtained in advance. I asked Yoo Sangah to connect the box to me using Arachne’s Spiderweb.

“Let’s go.”

I jumped into Han River without hesitation and Yoo Sangah immediately followed me. Shin Yoosung was frightened but she quickly grabbed the styrofoam box and dipped her feet into the water of Han River.

The cold temperature of Han River wrapped around my body. There was the smell of strange beasts and the movements of the ichthyosaurs started to change. Yoo Sangah asked,

–Is this really okay?

Of course it wasn’t okay. However, it was the only way considering the time remaining.

–If it gets really dangerous then get out as soon as possible.

-…Yes.

–That’s why you should pretend to be in danger before it is actually dangerous.

–Huh?

–It is for Yoosung to quickly awaken. I am deliberately creating a crisis. Understood?

I pulled the styrofoam box as I started swimming in Han River. This was the reason why I raised Shin Yoosung’s skill level without worrying. It wasn’t shown in the attributes window but she had an innate ability to adapt.

An ordinary girl could never survive until the fifth scenario. Shin Yoosung seemed like a good child but her inner self wasn’t that simple.

A child who killed her dog, who tricked adults and who disguised herself to gain favour from the strong. Shin Yoosung was such a child. The first time we met, there were many calculations going on inside her head.

I spoke to Shin Yoosung who was looking around. “Yoosung.”

“Y-Yes!”

“Don’t run away.”

“…”

“If you run away from here, you can’t go back.” Shin Yoosung closed her slightly open mouth. Shin Yoosung was a clever child rather than a brute. “Do what you can.”

Tricks wouldn’t work on her. I couldn’t protect her just because she was a child.

“I understand.”

Fear was fear, fear was determination.

[The character ‘Shin Yoosung’ has used ‘Advanced Diverse Communication Lv. 3.’]

Killing intent was all around me. The predators seeking prey were increasing. I could see 10 of them above the surface of the water. It was a difficult number to fight all at once. However, I could escape and survive. The ichthyosaurs couldn’t chase me the moment I left Han River.

“Dokja-ssi!”

Yoo Sangah called out a warning. The attack of the ichthyosaurs began. Sharp fangs flew from every direction.

[Blade of Faith is activated!]

I swung the blade and immediately pierced one ichthyosaur. The serpentine body hit the surface of the water.

The ichthyosaur’s writhing overturned Han River. I flew in the air along with the river water. Looking back, Shin Yoosung had let go of the styrofoam box and was also rising in the air.

Something quickly rose into the sky and Yoo Sangah’s spiderweb wrapped around Shin Yoosung. It was the linked Hermes Walking Method and Arachne’s Spiderweb.

Yoo Sangah retrieved Shin Yoosung safely while I stepped on the dead ichthyosaur and started swinging my sword at the approaching ichthyosaurs.

“This way you bastards!”

More than a dozen ichthyosaurs swam in my direction. Huge waves rocked the river and the body of the ichthyosaur I was standing on was in danger. I took a deep breath and adjusted my posture.

Way of the Wind would allow me to easily handle this crisis but it wasn’t time yet.

“Ahjussi!”

Shin Yoosung’s face became desperate as she was held in Yoo Sangah’s arms. Several fangs aimed at my skin as I wielded the blade. A few ichthyosaurs received mortal blows and fell down. The flowing blood cooled down and this area was becoming more and more crowded. However, I laughed.

Become more urgent.

Become more anxious.

Become more desperate.

It was the only way.

A terrible injury was created where an ichthyosaur’s fans grazed my skin. Blood started to pour from the wound.

「 No―!」

The scream entered my eardrums.

[The character ‘Shin Yoosung’ is about to evolve.]

[Incarnation ‘Shin Yoosung’ has entered a trance state.]

Shin Yoosung’s eyes were turning white. It was the same as when Lee Gilyoung used his power. It was as I thought. All of this was staged for Shin Yoosung’s awakening.

[The character ‘Shin Yoosung’ has used ‘Taming Lv. 9.’]

The level 60 magic power started to spread out through Han River, the aura pouring like a waterfall.

The ichthyosaurs’ momentum slowed. The ichthyosaurs shivered and groaned, as if responding to an enormous spirit.

The number of ichthyosaurs seen above the surface of the water increased. Previously it was around 10 and now it was more than 20. This meant that below the water, more than twice the number of ichthyosaurs were gathering.

Then the ichthyosaurs started looking at me again. The confused ichthyosaurs emitted a sharp killing intent and became more violent.

Dammit, was it a failure?

“Yoo Sangah-ssi!”

It couldn’t be helped. It was best to use her stigma to escape quickly. Yoo Sangah nodded, escaped the ichthyosaurs and released her threads. I called out to Shin Yoosung.

“Yoosung. You can stop. Shin Yoosung!”

However, Shin Yoosung didn’t answer. The waves around Shin Yoosung grew stronger and now her body was covered with a bluish aura.

At this moment, a whirlpool occurred in the centre of Han River. I couldn’t grab onto anything and was swept away by the water. The surrounding ichthyosaurs screamed. I barely endured the centrifugal force while hanging onto the scales of an ichthyosaur.

The next moment, there was a huge splash of water. Then an ichthyosaur five or six times bigger than the other ichthyosaurs slowly rose.

It was so big that it didn’t seem like an ichthyosaur. It was much bigger than the sea commander that I killed previously. It had a majestic beard and arrogant eyes that dominated its species.

All the ichthyosaurs around it bowed their heads to the surface of the water.

[The fifth grade seawater species, the ‘Queen Mirabad’ has been discovered!]

…Shit, she called this monster? I knew Shin Yoosung had great talent but I didn’t know it was enough to call a ‘queen.’ This was a monster comparable to a disaster.

I opened up Bookmark and was about to invoke Way of the Wind when Yoo Sangah’s voice was heard.

“…Dokja-ssi?”

I looked back and found that Shin Yoosung’s body was floating in the air.

She followed the path of the aura that stretched out to Queen Mirabad and Shin Yoosung slowly approached the queen. The queen looked at Shin Yoosung and Shin Yoosung looked at the queen. Then Shin Yoosung’s small hand quietly touched the queen’s nose.

The river water subsided and the ichthyosaurs quietly disappeared. I looked over and saw Shin Yoosung riding on the queen’s head. I now realized what Shin Yoosung was.

Beast Lord. The ruler of all monsters.

The colour slowly returned to Shin Yoosung’s eyes as she watched me. She wiped at her bleeding nose like it was nothing and said, “Let’s go, Ahjussi.”

I nodded.