Chapter 55

2 We were going to enter the dungeon, but not for the Four Tigers Evil Slayer. Both Sangah and Gilyeong understood what I meant. “I see! You want to take their flags.” “Then we can just kill them all, right?” Naturally, they understood things differently. Sangah looked at Gilyeong in shock. Interestingly, Gilyeong looked at her as if he was disappointed. “Dokja, let me deal the finishing blow to our enemies.” This kid…he’s noticed I’ve been refraining from killing people? [Exclusive skill “Character Profile” has been activated.] [This character’s information cannot be viewed via “Character Profile.”] [Currently collecting data about this character.] I still couldn’t see Gilyeong’s info. I looked back at Sangah. There was concern in her eyes. She looked at me and Gilyeong in turn. She then lowered her head. I turned to Gilyeong. “Gilyeong.” I understood why Sangah was worried about him. He was a child, after all. Not even in junior high. But Sangah also knew the morals we once held wouldn’t help him survive. I sighed softly before I spoke. “This isn’t a video game. You need to be careful.” “Yeah, don’t worry.” I took the flag from my back and hid it in my robe as I listened to the confidence in Gilyeong’s voice. The flag had been good bait for drawing out the weaker kings outside. But in this dungeon where the most powerful kings were gathered, it’d be like swimming with a bloody sack tied around me in a sea full of sharks. We heard the mid-level goblin’s voice in midair. Fu-fu, everyone is doing well. Since so many of you are trying to clear this hidden scenario, “hidden” is meaningless, isn’t it? Slick bastard. Sometimes I’m almost impressed he can manage to be so annoying. One person has already completed the first qualification. How entertaining. It looked like there was a king with a black flag. It was probably one of the Seven Kings. The second qualification will be revealed soon, so please tune in. I turned to my companions. “Let’s hurry up. A goblin’s ‘soon’ is sooner than we think.” I put one of the ancient tokens we’d collected into each hole at the lobby entrance. [You may enter the hidden dungeon by spending 10 ancient tokens.] [Would you like to enter the hidden stage of the Big Dipper?] My flag was purple. The kings with flags at the same level were probably gathered in the stage of the Big Dipper. In other words, all my prey was in one place. [You have entered the stage of the Big Dipper.] Our vision blurred as the scenery changed. The white lobby turned into a large waiting room. There were seven doors at the end of this waiting room. “Ugh…” Sangah groaned and stepped back in revulsion. There were dead bodies everywhere, members of different groups who had fought here. Gilyeong looked at them with no emotion on his face. Mounds of corpses made it hard to walk around. A fierce battle had already taken place. It all made me feel strange. If I hadn’t leaked the hidden information, these people wouldn’t have died. Does this mean I killed them? “There are people over there.” In the middle of the waiting room was a bonfire fueled by remains of the dead. We could see peoples’ faces. I couldn’t tell if they were people who had lost the battle or if they were on a truce. I looked at my companions. “Be careful.” Some of them quietly got up. I could see the greed in their eyes as they approached us. “Newcomers. Who’s your king?” While one of them drew our attention, another group of people blocked us from behind. We were surrounded. “You? Or the woman? It can’t be the kid…” [A large number of constellations are annoyed by useless disruptions.] [A small number of constellations want to see you skip to the main action.] “Hey, I asked you a ques—” The white flash coming from Unbreakable Faith filled the air. Two swift strikes, and the man lost an arm and a leg. One of his companions shrieked in alarm. “Damn it! Just kill them!” The men pulled out their weapons as if prepared for this, but it was too late. “H-how can he be so fast…?” Almost no one’s agility was over thirty here, and most people had low footwork skills this early in the scenario. Other than the Seven Kings, there weren’t many people who could follow my moves. Shunk! The Blade of Faith swung in a half circle and cut half a dozen attackers off at the legs. Then it sliced a pair of arms holding a weapon and pierced a hand holding a dagger aimed at my throat. “Arghhh!” Severed arms and legs flew through the air in a surreal manner. I quietly stepped behind the screaming men and put my finger on one of their pressure points. [Exclusive skill “Pressure Point” has been activated.] Paralyzing someone after cutting off their arms and legs… It sounded quite cruel, but I had no choice. They were hiding daggers in their shirts, deadly weapons coated with a special poison found in the five-man dungeon, Principles and Practices of Eastern Medicine. If I’d hesitated even a moment, we could have been killed. Once our enemies had been subdued, Gilyeong stepped forward without a word. Wham! Thwack! The boy began to kill them off one by one. He ended their lives like they were mere insects. Just as I was getting over the shock, Sangah made a move. “Stop! I’ll do it, Gilyeong!” “Why? I got this.” “I know, but let me do it.” There was firmness in Sangah’s voice that was uncharacteristic of her. Looking disappointed, Gilyeong glanced in my direction. Sangah turned her back to me and began stabbing downward. It sounded like meat being skewered. She ended their lives even more efficiently than Gilyeong had been. Even after she was finished, her hands shook for a while, then stopped. “…This kind of stuff will keep happening, right?” “Yes, it will.” “I’ll do Gilyeong’s job from now on.” “Are you going to be okay?” “No problem.” Sangah was firm, unlike her usual self, but I could tell it was forced. “I can do it better, though…” Sangah placed her hand on top of Gilyeong’s head as he protested. This kind of difficult stuff would keep happening. There would be countless times we’d falter and think about giving up. But we had to keep moving forward. Soon, we’d be facing the Seven Kings of Seoul, who were armed with high stats and powerful abilities. We might even be forced to make the first strike on people who weren’t hostile to us. Without a word, my companions and I collected our fallen enemies’ items. [You have acquired 2,300 coins.] [You have acquired the item Principles and Practices of Eastern Medicine - Miscellaneous Diseases (1).] As I suspected, these men had cleared the five-man dungeon. The Principles and Practices of Eastern Medicine, which you could get as the reward there, had a total of eight volumes. Each book had a different use. I could easily get the rest of them since many groups had entered after clearing the five-man dungeon. Unfortunately, there was no king among the people we killed just now. Clap, clap, clap. It was at that moment that we heard a clapping sound. Someone who had been watching us approached with a smile on his face. Despite having witnessed that massacre, he didn’t seem bothered. As I continued to collect items, I spoke to him in a cold tone. “What do you want?” He took a step back and put his hands up emphatically. “Whoa, whoa, please calm down. I’m not trying to fight you.” I looked closely at him. He had a long spear on his back, a well-toned torso underneath his shirt, and… a long ponytail. “That was impressive. You took down the entire Chungjeongno group without any combat skill… Those guys may have lost their king, but they were no pushovers, you know?” Lost their king? No wonder they were so reckless. As he if he’d read my thoughts, the man continued. “By the way, you’re a little late. The most important kings have already gone inside the dungeon. They’re probably duking it out in there right now. Well, it’s almost a given who’ll win, though… The king who passed through here last was a monster. Look what he did to this place.” “And who’s that?” “Do you know the Tyrant King?” The man continued. “He is currently the most powerful king in northern Seoul. People already say that he’ll be the one to take the Absolute Throne for sure.” I could understand why people would think that once they saw the Tyrant King in person. The Tyrant King’s physical power tops the Seven Kings of Seoul, but the master of the Absolute Throne? He is strong, but he isn’t the strongest. The man continued, again, as if he had read my mind. “But I disagree. The Tyrant King is certainly powerful, but I don’t think he can sit on the Absolute Throne.” “Why do you think that?” “Because I saw him with my own eyes. He is strong physically, but he doesn’t know how to manage people. A king should be able to look into the hearts of his subjects.” The hearts of his subjects? “And no one can do that better than the king I serve. That’s why he has so many followers. I’m sure he’ll be the one to take the absolute throne.” I followed his gaze. The stage of the Big Dipper consisted of seven doors. This man’s king likely went through one of those. “So what’s your point? You want us to join you?” “Ha-ha. That would be great, but you wouldn’t go that easily, would you? Just a friendly suggestion. Won’t you lend your strength to our cause?” I finally realized why this guy had stayed behind in the waiting room. His job was to hustle newcomers into joining his group. “Why should we do that?” “The Tyrant King is powerful. I have faith in my king, but to be honest, I don’t think he can win against the Tyrant King on his own.” Unlike his loyalty to his king, his judgment is very realistic. I suppose he’s the kind of subject a king would want at their side. “Think about it—an unstoppable lunatic getting his hands on a legendary sword and taking the Absolute Throne that has the power to control all other kings? Don’t you think we should stop that at all costs?” I vaguely remembered something. An alliance against the Tyrant King formed several times in TWSA, but it didn’t happen in the third loop. Is this happening in the third loop because the future has changed? “You have a point.” “That’s why I’m suggesting this. Our group will attack the Tyrant King soon. We’ve already talked to some other kings as well. I don’t know which group you guys are a part of, but to be honest, you’ve got nothing to lose. The kings will do all the heavy lifting.” He’s quite right. The problem is, they’ll expect a hefty price for doing the heavy lifting. I wasn’t sure what he thought of my silence, but he spoke first. “If you’re still on the fence, feel free to decide after you’ve talked to our king. He should be here any time… Oh, here he comes.” One of the seven doors opened, and a group of people entered the stage of the Big Dipper. “Hail, king…!” Along with the rest of the people waiting near the entrance, the man dropped to one knee. One from the group walked toward us. His head was shaved, and he wore an eyepatch. He also held a brown staff in his hand… Wait, isn’t that…? The one-eyed man in monk clothes approached us. Out of the Seven Kings of Seoul, I couldn’t believe this was the first one we were meeting. Sangah spoke to me through the group chat. Dokja, is he…? Yes, seems that way. Sangah nodded solemnly. Well, there was no mistaking his identity based on his appearance. I don’t get it. Even if his constellation is a historic figure, why does he have to dress like that? His sync with his constellation must be quite high. When that happens, the incarnation may take on the constellation’s tastes in clothing and such. The ponytail guy was on one knee before the man in monk clothes. “My king, welcome back Are you well?” “Yes.” “How did it go?” “It was a piece of cake. Here.” The one-eyed man pointed at his staff. There was a blue jewel you could acquire in the stage of the Big Dipper. “The Star of Tamlang.” The ponytail man looked impressed. “Ohh…” Not bad. He’s already acquired a jewel… A star jewel was a reward in the Big Dipper stage. It increased a physical stat by one. So on its own, it was already a pretty good item. But it was even more significant when you collected all seven jewels. The star jewels were one of the ingredients used to summon the Four Tigers Evil Slayer. “By the way, who are those people?” asked the one-eyed king. “They just came into the Big Dipper stage, my lord. They were quite proficient with their weapons, so I was trying to recruit them.” “Hm, is that so?” The one-eyed man and I extended our hands at the same time. “I am Sanggyeong Cha.” “Dokja Kim.” I shook his hand and activated my skill at the same time. [Exclusive skill “Character Profile” has been activated.] <Character Profile> Name: Sanggyeong Cha Age: 26 Sponsoring Constellation: One-Eyed Maitreya Exclusive Attributes: Cult Leader (Heroic), Maitreya King (Heroic) Exclusive Skills: [Weapon Proficiency Lv.5], [Mental Barrier Lv.3], [Eloquent Speech Lv.3], [Skillful Deception Lv.3], [False Prayer Lv.1]… Stigma: [Promised Land Lv.2], [Mind Reading Lv.2], [Accuse as the Devil Lv.3] Total Stats: [Stamina Lv.28], [Strength Lv.26], [Agility Lv.28], [Magic Power Lv.25] Summary: Nothing gets past his one eye that sees through all. Take care not to cough in front of him. I wished Huiwon were here to see this. If she saw this one-eyed guy, she would never again say my sponsoring constellation was Gungye. “I have the talent of face reading. May I take a look at yours?” asked Sanggyeong. “Sure, go ahead.” Yeah, I was wondering when he would do that. [Character Sanggyeong Cha has activated the stigma “Mind Reading” Lv.2.] Gungye’s stigma, “Mind Reading”—it didn’t let him see the target’s attribute menu, but gave him an impression of their character and danger level. For example, when he saw a nice person, it would say “a Pushover Devil.” And when he saw someone who’d betray him or pose a threat, it would say “a Backstabbing Devil.” In this case… [Character Sanggyeong Cha has learned that you are a “Devil Who Should Not Be Messed With.”] That’s how it worked. “Th-that’s…?” “O King, what is the matter?” [Character Sanggyeong Cha is greatly perturbed.] Sanggyeong’s face went pale. “D-devil!” “What? No way…” Everyone in the Maitreya King’s group, including the ponytail guy, looked at me at the same time. Just when you could cut the tension with a knife, Sanggyeong quickly said: “N-never mind. I think I read it wrong.” “Pardon? No?” “Yes. It must’ve been a mistake. Everyone, step back.” It appeared he’d decided to heed his constellation’s warning. So he’s not a fool at least. Still, “Devil Who Should Not Be Messed With”…? Seems like the One-Eyed Maitreya doesn’t want trouble with me. “Whew… You scared me.” What I found suspicious was that ponytail man’s reaction. It was only for a moment, but I was sure he looked disappointed. “Our plan will begin in one hour. Your group is a last-minute addition to the alliance, but I expect great things.” Sanggyeong joined his group members after that comment. Considering it was my first encounter with Gungye, it was a bit anticlimactic “That was close. I’m glad nothing happened,” said the ponytail man. “‘The king who looks into the hearts of his subjects’… Well, that’s one way to put it.” “Ha-ha. Gungye is remembered as a tyrant, but he was a great king at first. Who knows what will happen? History could change.” “I suppose you’re right. By the way, what’s your name?” “Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Suyeong Han. I’m in Mr. Sanggyeong Cha’s group as his aide.” The man who aided Gungye. That was no trifling position. Perhaps his sponsoring constellation was someone of note. I wonder who—wait, is it Wang Geon? I activated my skill. [Exclusive skill “Character Profile” has been activated.] [This person is not registered in “Character Profile.”] [This person’s information cannot be viewed via “Character Profile.”] …What? “Hm? What’s the matter?” I couldn’t help but laugh at Suyeong’s shamelessness. I see… Now I think I know who he is. “It’s nothing. I just got a feeling…that a devil is nearby.” “Ha-ha, a devil, you say…?” At that moment, the look in Suyeong Han’s eyes changed as well. It seemed like we had both reached the same conclusion. The question was, who would pull out their sword first? Then, one by one, the doors of the waiting room creaked open. “Make way for the king!” The members of the Maitreya King’s group looked tense as the people in front of them started cheering. As I watched the kings coming through the doors, I asked Suyeong: “Are they your allies as well?” “Yes, those kings promised to cooperate with us. From the left, Giyeong Yun, the Coward King; Baekho Kim, the Brawler King; and lastly Taeseong Gu, the Earth Dragon King.” Their nicknames reminded me of what I’d read. The Coward King and the Brawler King. They looked just like their nicknames. They had pretty good stats and skills, but they were no match for the Seven Kings of Seoul. The only person I really needed to pay attention to was Taeseong Gu, the Earth Dragon King. “Yo, One-Eye! You’re already out here? That was fast,” said Taeseong sarcastically. “Quiet, you earthworm devil.” “Earthworm? Did you just insult my sponsoring constellation?” Sangah, who had been listening to this exchange, flinched in surprise. “I think his constellation may be Kyon Hwon.” “…How do you know that?” “There’s a story that the king of Later Baekje was sired by an earth dragon.” “Earth dragon?” “It means earthworm. It’s said that the other kings called him ‘Son of an Earth Dragon’ as an insult.” I couldn’t believe she guessed his sponsoring constellation with that tiny clue. Sangah was right. Taeseong Gu, the Earth Dragon King. From what I recalled, he was one of the Seven Kings of Seoul and his sponsoring constellation was Kyon Hwon, a king of Later Baekje. “Looks like there are people who have historical rulers as sponsors like Queen Jinseong did earlier…” I nodded. Actually, it was no coincidence that many people had historical rulers as their sponsors. The situation in other countries should be similar to what was going on in Seoul. For example, in Japan, the three unifiers of the Sengoku period, like Oda Nobunaga, were waging war through their chosen incarnations. And in England, Richard the Lionheart and Henry VIII were vying for power. All the historical-grade constellations were probably preparing for the war for the Absolute Throne while controlling the sync rate with their incarnations. [Constellation God of Naval Warfare is looking forward to the appearance of a new fable-grade constellation.] [Constellation Bald Leader of the Peasants’ Army watches the situation from the edge of his seat.] Other historical-grade constellations seemed to be interested in this situation. As I said earlier, the fourth scenario was made for the historical-grade constellations of each country. “Is everyone here?” The kings who had organized their groups began to give a speech in the middle of the room. “Our target is the Tyrant King, who went through the third door. He has already taken the lives of two innocent kings and seized their star jewels. I’m sure some of you here have lost your king to that murderous beast.” So that’s why the waiting room is littered with corpses. The Tyrant King killed two other kings here and took their star jewels, which means, if I can take care of the third door, I’ll be able to collect all seven star jewels, which are the reward for the Big Dipper stage. “We must not let that madman and his mob take over Seoul. If the Tyrant King acquires the Four Tigers Evil Slayer and the Absolute Throne, the only things left in Seoul will be tragedy and woe.” “Warriors of the people, rise up! All the kings here are wise and brilliant. Who will become the king, that’s for the future. At the very least, we must stop the worst person from becoming king!” “This will be a righteous battle for our way of life! Don’t forget. You’ll be remembered as warriors of the revolution who made history!” People lost their minds over this rather hollow speech. They cheered, nodded furiously, and some even began to shed tears. They acted like revolutionaries with a just cause. I looked on with detachment. A mere month ago, these people were living in a society in which a president was elected. They agreed to perform their duties, enjoy their rights, and accumulate private wealth through legal economic activities. I felt like all of that was just a dream now. It was only a month ago, but Seoul had regressed into a feudal society. “Let’s go!” Hundreds of people charged through the third door into the next room. Sanggyeong’s group was at the back, so we entered the room with them. Soon, my vision blurred, and a huge, mysterious cave appeared. A vast space that seemed to stretch out without an end. Suyeong Han walked beside me. “This is kind of exciting. I feel like I’m in a wuxia novel.” “Wuxia novel? You mean the kind with martial artists and mystics and stuff?” Suyeong nodded with a knowing smile. “You know, in that sort of story, there’s always a treasure map pointing to a mysterious cave. And within that cave, a stone hall houses a legendary sword. Whoever wields that sword will be the most powerful warrior in all the land!” Suyeong made gestures and even did a voice. “True. That’s a common trope in wuxia novels,” I said. “A treasure map and a legendary sword.” “Sounds like you’ve read a few of those yourself, eh?” Of course I did. I have a lot to say about novels. “Yes, I’ve read quite a lot. And I’m not sure if you know this, but that cliché is commonly followed by a plot twist.” “A plot twist?” “It turns out, that treasure map was a fake!” Suyeong looked intrigued. “The warriors who were after the treasure fall into a trap, and the mastermind behind it all gets what he wants.” I added, “That’s a typical cliché of wuxia novels.” “Oh… I see. Then this situation could very well lead to that kind of plot twist, huh?” “That could happen, but I think I’ll be a bit disappointed if it does.” “Really? Why?” “To be honest, the ‘legendary sword treasure map’ cliché has been used too much.” My comments seemed have hit a nerve in Suyeong. I knew it. He hesitated for a while before finally speaking. “That just goes to show it’s a tried-and-true classic.” “The way I see it, if one sticks to clichés just because they’re proven and safe, they fail as a writer. Anyway…it’s not like we’re in a novel. This situation wasn’t composed by a writer.” Suyeong stiffened up a bit. It all came down to this moment. Would he take the bait or not? He opened his mouth after a while. “What if there was an author?” “Huh?” “If you were to write this scene, how would you do it? What if you had to write the ‘legendary sword treasure map’ episode?” “Hmm, I’m more of a reader—even my name is Dokja—so I haven’t really thought about that.” “Well, if you ask me, I’m sure you’d eventually fall into the same routine. You’d get used to writing easy, safe clichés and giving your readers what they want—easy, safe gratification.” I spoke with a smile. “Relax. I wasn’t trying to make a point. You almost sound like you’re a writer yourself. I’m not saying all clichés are bad, but the author should put in a little effort so it’s not downright plagiarism.” “P-plagiarism?” “Yes, plagiarism.” It was fun to watch Suyeong’s furious face. “Well, stories are all the same anyway,” he said. “Just a few details switched up here and there… Isn’t it too harsh to call it plagi—” “No, I’d write it differently.” His eyebrows twitched. “Write it…differently? How?” “For example, like…this.” I pulled out the Unbreakable Faith and swung it toward Suyeong’s neck. His severed head rolled onto the ground, but no blood came out. “I mean, why bother hiding the mastermind’s identity when they’re gonna be revealed anyway?” I then said. The severed head started talking. “Very interesting, Dokja Kim.”