Chapter 139

Episode 139. Transcendents (1)

"It was actually decided from the beginning. The Transcendent didn't consider your randomness when setting up the system. Earth was going to be destroyed, and it was going to absorb its civilization and resources. Since the rules were established that way from the beginning, you couldn't escape the outcome no matter how much you struggled. That's why even though the divine of this place turned back time so much and ordinary people gained abilities; it was no use."

"...Why? Why would an entity so high above do such a thing?"

"It's a simple game."

A frighteningly stern voice came out. It didn't sound like a living creature's voice, but like a voice that was artificially created. It felt like I was talking to an inanimate object.

The Traveler had no emotions. I could see that once I realized it. The human attitude he showed me all this time had just been like the mask I was wearing now.

"I heard that before Rifts occurred, there was something called online gaming in your world. A world made of data where you create your character and compete with others for fun. Although there is no benefit in playing those games, and it's just for fun, countless humans became immersed and sometimes valued it more than their real lives. To the Transcendent, playing with your world is just like playing an online game. In fact, it's like that to numerous Transcendents."

"......."

"Since they are omniscient and own enormous power, everything is meaningless and boring to them, which is why they become immersed in a different world. It's entertaining."

The Traveler saying those words seemed no different. Now I understood.

Why he helped me so much and gave me so much advice. Why he just watched from afar, observing me, even though he was so powerful. Why he acted like he was watching a movie no matter what situation I was caught up in. To him, I was just an interesting character.

The way you feel sad when the main character in an animation dies.

The way you get frustrated if your favorite TV show character keeps encountering difficulties.

Just that much.

"There's a way to get out of this situation. If you can't interfere because the system's rules are set in stone, I can help you myself."

"You can help me?"

"Yes. All you need to do is transcend, as well. You can become a Transcendent who isn't bound by characteristics, skills, and stats. If you cease to be mortal... you can be judged by your full ability without having to follow the rules. Don't you agree?"

His suggestion sounded very helpful on the surface.

'...How disgusting.'

If only his eyes didn't betray his interest and excitement.

His feelings seemed similar to those of a child. His voice was full of excitement that he was finally going to control a character that used to move on its own. I felt all kinds of emotions but suppressed them.

"Of course, I do."

I needed to restrain myself. I couldn't explode now. Considering the situation so far, even Transcendents couldn't read humans. Or, to be exact, they couldn't read my mind.

I didn't know exactly why. Was it thanks to the -Akashic Records- that even Transcendents weren't free from? Or was it because of the big picture that prevented Transcendents and mortals from interfering with each other too much? Whatever it was, it didn't matter right now.

"Yes, then we'd better get started right away. Jeong Si-woo!"

What was important was that the Traveler, who looked incredibly powerful, didn't know what I was harboring inside.

"Yes, good."

Yeah. Think of this as a game. As a TV show. All of those damn Transcendents and the Traveler could think of me and everyone else as data. That way, they would put their guards down.

A game character inside the screen can't throw a dagger and kill the player, and a TV show character cannot shoot a bullet at the person watching and kill them.

But the real world was different. They were playing with worlds. But those bastards probably never thought that the ant-like humans living there could be a threat to them.

-Don't worry. God would never abandon us.

-We don't know why these Disasters occurred. But no matter how desperate the situation is, there will be salvation. We should never give up in the face of hardships. When God closes a door, he opens a window.

I remembered what someone said to me in the past. He was a sad man who called out to God and looked to the skies even at his moment of death.

I clenched my fist. How amusing it must have been. They were the ones that caused all of it, but humans prayed to them, made their wishes to them, and didn't lose hope. How fun it must have been.

[The 'Akashic Records' quivers.]

[The countless myths and legends contained in the Akashic Records shout out.]

[Countless stories sympathize with the user.]

[The stories that support you have become a single bundle.]

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-Human Anthem-

Numerous stories written in letters and told from mouth to mouth stimulated me. It felt like the Traveler and those high and mighty beings above the sky were slowly coming down to the ground. Something inside me was growing bigger.

-Still, men were not created to be defeated.

-Human beings may be destroyed, but they will not be defeated.

Starting with the famous lines from The Old Man and the Sea, countless famous quotes burst out. The Akashic Records was helping me. It was filling me with people one by one so that I could stand on equal footing as them instead of looking up at them from way below.

"Let's get started."

Sooner or later, if not now, they would die at the hands of the insignificant creature they used for entertainment. And I was going to end this whole situation. Without a trace, so that no one else could ever do such a terrible thing again.

[The first page of the user's second story has been written.]

[The Akashic Records is determining the title of the story.]

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[The title has been determined.]

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['Killing the Gods']

* * *

"So, to prevent the -Wailing Wall- from getting breached, we need at least this much backup. What? You're short on city guards... No, I don't think you understand what is going on. If the Wall is breached, city or not, everything will be over! It's not a metaphor; waves of monsters will wipe out everything! Hey, wait. Wait! Don't hang up!!"

Lee Jin-woo, who was holding a phone connected to the Association, shouted with all his might. But he heard the phone disconnect and slumped to the ground.

"Huhhh... What am I supposed to do? Damn it! What am I supposed to do!?"

Lee Jin-woo threw his cell phone. It broke into pieces, and he stomped on all of them. His breathing was ragged. The sound of his beating heart masked all other sounds. He felt like he was about to go crazy. No, he may have already lost his mind. It had never been this hard to control his emotions.

"Goddammit!!!"

Lee Jin-woo and other members of the -Jeong Si-woo Division- were still inside the Land of Death. They had painstakingly killed the third guardian, and reducing the number of monsters, they moved quickly to join their leader. Once they found the last guardian dead, they felt relieved. They had been quite worried. Some even spoke up, saying that they knew Jeong Si-woo could manage it. Maybe that was why.

"Ah... oh...."

Why they were so shocked when they saw Jeong Si-woo's head on the ground, not far from the last guardian's dead body...

"Oh, Si-woo......."

Yoo Ji-yeon couldn't stop crying. Kim Seung-hyun and Zhang Wei held back but couldn't hide their grief. Sung Hyun-woo looked like he lost all hope, and Seol Ah-rin angrily clicked her tongue.

And.

"Oh...."

Han Yeon-soo sank to the ground like someone out of their mind with her mouth open. She looked like someone who had lost their mind. She had lost a lot of people, but she had never experienced shock like this.

"What do we do now? We haven't discussed the next one. What should we do next? What do we do?"

Said Yoo Ji-yeon, wiping away her tears. After they discovered that Jeong Si-woo was dead, things had frozen still. But it shouldn't be like this. Despite their overwhelming grief, they had to go on. Because, otherwise, Jeong Si-woo would have died in vain.

"If any of us had died, Ajusshi would have called for backup over and over again. If he was making an unreasonable request, he would have still convinced them at all costs. From the most reliable Association to all the Returnees and guilds he recruited. But... which one of us could do that? No one knows as many people, and no one is as good as Ajusshi at negotiating."

Sung Hyun-woo murmured. His voice was wet.

He was still a boy. A child who wasn't used to hunting yet.

"Mr. Si-woo, Si-woo... Mr. Si-woo would have done that."

Said Han Yeon-soo. She was sitting in a daze. It didn't look like the situation was getting any better.

"Let's get going for now. If we stay here like this......."

Unable to bear the sight, Kim Seung-hyun opened his mouth. Staying in the -Land of Death- was an act of suicide. No matter how strong they were, there was no guarantee that they would survive if the monsters surrounded them. And, at that moment.

"Screeech!"

Thud.

A monster that resembled a pterosaur fell from the sky.

No.

Thud, thud, thump, thud!

It wasn't just one.

Countless monsters appeared like moths attracted to light. Sung Hyun-woo moved quickly at the sight. It was dangerous. They had to get out of here as soon as possible. That's what he thought. However—

"Ugh. Ahhh!"

Sung Hyun-woo, who was activating his teleportation ability, suddenly screamed and collapsed. Sticky blood flowed from his eyes and ears. Zhang Wei, who was standing blankly, rushed towards him.

"What's going on?"

"Ahhhh... Serious, trouble...."

Sung Hyun-woo was crying out in pain, and he barely let out his voice.

"Dimensional... Distortion... Phenomena... all over the place... I can't calculate. Everything is twisted and tangled. If we teleport, we'll die."

And Sung Hyun-woo pointed to the sky.

The red sky. He was talking as if that was causing it.

"Damn it. Ms. Han Yeon-soo, please stand up. We have to get out of here!"

"......."

"Get up! Ms. Yoo Ji-yeon, please help her......."

It was a complete mess. Right now, they weren't elite hunters. They were mere humans overwhelmed by fear and despair. A group of panicked people who were slowly collapsing. That was exactly how the -Jeong Si-woo Division- looked to the monsters.

"Mr. Lee Jin-woo, you, too... Wait, get out!"

They looked so easy that the monsters rushed in headfirst without hesitation.

"......!"

The monsters charged at Lee Jin-woo, who had turned around and was running. Despite his training, Lee Jin-woo couldn't even see the monsters properly. Just one blink of the eye and they were right in front of him.

"......."

Lee Jin-woo instinctively closed his eyes.

And that moment.

"Don't move. Don't bend down or get on the ground. Just stay still."

He heard a very familiar voice.

Claaang!

A sharp metallic sound accompanied a long spear flying through the air. First, it smoothly penetrated the monster's head and then tore apart its chest and vital points.

Even before the monster's blood hit the ground, the spear flew away in hunt for another prey. And hundreds and thousands of spears like it flew in and began to wipe out the monsters.

The sound of crushing and perforating flesh rang out, and when it stopped, none of the monsters that threatened them remained. There was just a huge pile of dead meat.

"I won't ask you why you are here."

"......."

"But I need you to help us."

Lee Hyun-seung.

He spoke calmly.

"Within a 10-kilometer radius of the Wailing Wall, 27 Great Rifts have occurred. It is an unprecedented situation. No records show anything like this ever happening. I need your help."