NOVEL WEB chapter 589 - Trauma (3)
The “next regression” Yoo Joonghyuk spoke of—
was the very round I had transmigrated into.
「The 41st regression.」
That’s what Yoo Joonghyuk had said.
That in this round, everything in the universe would be annihilated forever.
My heart pounded violently.
What the hell did that mean?
The broken footprints in the middle of the snowfield kept surfacing in my mind.
[Your mental state is extremely unstable!]
[Your skill, Agitation, is wavering.]
With a faint spark, static noise distorted my memory.
The vision that had seemed normal suddenly fractured, and before I knew it, Anna Croft was standing in front of me.
「You…」
From one of her widened pupils shone the Eye of the Great Demon. Something was wrong.
「…Who are you?」
Had I let my guard down? As the power of [Agitation] weakened, the self I had disguised as Cheon Inho seemed to crumble.
「You’re… not Cheon Inho, are you.」
The surrounding mist began to scatter faster.
The moment Anna Croft reached toward me in desperation—
「Anna, stop. Come back.」
A stranger’s voice spoke, followed by the snap of fingers. With that sound, my vision blacked out for a moment. And then—
Thud.
Something struck the back of my head. Dazed, I turned around to see a woman holding the Damaged Staff of the Missionary Envoy.
“Oh? Inho-ssi?”
It was Jung Heewon.
***
Handing Jung Heewon a replica of the Damaged Staff of the Missionary Envoy through Thought had been the right choice.
She was the only one in the party who hadn’t been caught in the Prison of Illusions.
“The monsters were acting strange. They didn’t attack—just stared at me, so…”
“So?”
“It creeped me out, so I just closed my eyes and swung wildly… and well…”
I looked down at the specter I had beaten into pulp and let out a low groan. Jung Heewon scolded me.
“You could’ve at least explained in detail beforehand.”
Sure, but telling her would’ve meant explaining how I even knew in the first place, and I hated that idea.
Once again, I could appreciate Kim Dokja’s wisdom.
“I wasn’t certain myself. How about the others?”
“I laid them down over there.”
Turning my head, I saw Uncle Dansoo stretched out flat, and Gyeong Sein curled up.
“They’ve been like that for a while now.”
Unexpected. Uncle Dansoo had the original Damaged Staff of the Missionary Envoy, and Gyeong Sein had the Missionary Envoy’s Rosary.
I had armed them with anti-demonic items, yet it still wasn’t enough.
Perhaps they hadn’t yet overcome the shock of the Prison of Illusions. Uncle groaned like a sick man, while Gyeong Sein whimpered over and over for someone not to hit him.
I sat beside them, wiping the cold sweat from their foreheads.
Gyeong Sein and Lee Dansoo.
They were people who had proven their “worth” in the infamous First Scenario.
They hadn’t flinched at corpses, and had fought bravely against those terrifying giant ground beetles.
Maybe that was why I vaguely assumed they’d be fine.
「But in the end, they were only ordinary readers.」
What broke them wasn’t a monster, or a murderer, but the reality they had lived in.
「Unfortunate ordinary people, possessed into this world.」
A chill gripped my chest.
What was I planning to do with them? To coax and train these fragile people—was I thinking of dragging them into some thrilling adventure?
Gyeong Sein slowly opened his eyes and looked up at me.
“U-uh…?”
Startled, he bolted upright, glancing nervously around.
As though the one tormenting him still lurked somewhere in the darkness.
I patted his back lightly.
“Mr. Sein, all the specters are dealt with. We retrieved the spirit stone too. You’re safe now. Breathe slowly.”
Struggling to catch his breath, he let out a voice that was almost a sob.
“Inho-ssi…”
“Yes.”
“Kim Dokja… went through things like this, didn’t he? He overcame things like this.”
Indeed, Kim Dokja was incredible. The more time I spent in this world, the more I realized it.
“You overcame it too, Mr. Sein.”
He weakly shook his head and asked,
“Inho-ssi, are you all right?”
“Luckily, yes.”
“How… do you really have a ‘Fourth Wall’ or something?”
“My life just never had many ups and downs. Uncle, are you awake?”
Uncle Dansoo, upon seeing my face, burst into tears.
“I’m alive.”
Whatever dream he had seen, he clutched my arm and sobbed for a long while.
“Let’s hurry… to the next station.”
I didn’t know what he had dreamt.
But I knew well what he was trying to find in this world.
“We’re almost at Chungmuro. You’ll find it soon.”
At Chungmuro, the Third Scenario would begin, and once it ended, we could finally make contact with other stations.
Then he would quickly hear news of Jiyoon.
“No matter what, I’ll find her for you. Don’t worry.”
He nodded weakly.
“Then let’s move right away.”
I supported Uncle Dansoo as Jung Heewon helped Gyeong Sein up.
She asked,
“Will they be all right? Shouldn’t they rest more…?”
“They’ll rest once we reach the station. The tunnel is too dangerous.”
Only three stops traveled, and yet the two were already exhausted.
As we walked, Jung Heewon quietly °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° asked beside me,
“Inho-ssi.”
“Yes.”
“You’re not overdoing it, are you?”
“I’m fine.”
The arm of Uncle Dansoo I supported was drenched with cold sweat.
[Constellation, Tiger Who Eats Rice Cakes, watches the party with concern.]
[Constellation, Pig Living in the Brick House, cheers you on.]
Surely other readers had encountered specters elsewhere too.
Did they survive?
[Constellation, Rat Who Eats Nails, is watching you.]
If some had died somewhere in this world—
who was to blame?
The one who dragged the readers into this world? Or—
「“There’s no way such a villain exists in this world.”」
A faint dizziness hit me, with the metallic tang of blood in the air.
Another specter?
Or had we still not escaped the Prison of Illusions?
“Wait. Something’s… strange.”
Uncle Dansoo spoke hesitantly.
A squelch beneath our feet. Shining the flashlight down, the tracks revealed a sea of blood. All around lay corpses—not of humans, not of monsters, but of something else.
“Ugh.”
Gyeong Sein gagged, raising his shield. Jung Heewon’s face hardened as she gripped the staff formed from Thought.
Yet [□□] showed no sign of activating.
If it were truly dangerous, the world’s colors would have shifted first.
“Advance slowly. It’s still safe.”
I led the way, clearing the tracks.
Some of the corpses looked familiar—ratmen like those from the Shadows of Darkness. Others resembled the reptilian humanoids Bang Cheolsoo had mentioned.
But so many non-human species dead at once—had a war broken out?
Most bodies bore traces of gunfire.
“Friend.”
Uncle Dansoo called.
Light was rising not far ahead.
“There.”
At Gyeong Sein’s words, under the dim light, I saw the doll of a girl.
Her long ponytail hanging down.
“…Ah.”
The moment he saw her, Gyeong Sein froze as if struck by lightning.
It made sense.
Encountering that girl meant we had finally reached Chungmuro.
[Activating Exclusive Skill, Character List.]
+
Name: Lee Jihye
Age: 17
Supporting Constellation: God of Naval Warfare
Exclusive Attribute: Scarred Sword Ghost (Rare)
Exclusive Skills: [Swordsmanship Training Lv.3], [Demon-Slaying Lv.1], [Absolute Sense Lv.3], [Ghost Step Lv.1]
Stigma: [Naval Battle Lv.1], [Commanding Large Armies Lv.1]
Overall Stats: [Stamina Lv.16], [Strength Lv.15], [Agility Lv.16], [Magic Power Lv.11]
Overall Evaluation: A case of evolving into a Scarred Sword Ghost by killing her closest friend. Her supporting constellation is suspicious of you.
Currently under ‘Starter Pack’ effect.
+
The second member of the 41st regression’s Kim Dokja Company.
Yoo Joonghyuk’s First Sword, and incarnation of Yi Sun-shin, the God of Naval Warfare.
The sole survivor of Daepong Girls’ High School—Lee Jihye.
Wearing her trademark hooded zip-up, she stomped her feet impatiently, looking toward Chungmuro Station.
Jung Heewon whispered,
“Someone you know?”
Not yet.
If anything—
“She’s the disciple of someone I know.”
Just then, a system message appeared.
[Constellation, Bald-Headed Volunteer Commander, is moved by the reunion with his old comrade.]
I suddenly remembered the exact same message appearing in the original ORV.
But the next message was the problem.
[Lee Jihye’s supporting constellation warns Bald-Headed Volunteer Commander to retreat immediately, saying it’s dangerous.]
Dangerous?
[Main Scenario #2 – Encounter has ended.]
[Rewards are being calculated.]
I swiped the message aside and turned to my companions.
“I’ll take the lead.”
Neither Gyeong Sein nor Uncle Dansoo could fight right now.
It was up to me.
Just then, Lee Jihye, who had been standing with her arms crossed, turned toward us.
“Huh? Who’s there?”
As she gripped her sword hilt, Jung Heewon stepped forward protectively.
I raised both hands to show no hostility and approached.
“Hello. We came from Geumho Station.”
“You can’t pass here. Turn back.”
Well, well.
So the development had already diverged from the original.
“We mean no harm. We also want to join Chungmuro. Could you accept us?”
At this point, the third scenario, Green Zone, should be underway at Chungmuro.
That scenario required securing a Green Zone inside the station, or else battling nightly waves of monsters.
Since Lee Jihye opposed Gong Pildu, the station’s ruler, she had no reason to block us.
“No can do. Master told me not to let anyone through.”
Yoo Joonghyuk?
“Yoo Joonghyuk is in Chungmuro?”
“You know my master?”
“I do.”
“Then you should’ve said so earlier.”
Her eyes widened, and she smiled brightly as she stepped closer.
“Because he told me to kill anyone who claims to know him.”
“Heewon-ssi!”
I shouted reflexively just as Lee Jihye’s figure vanished.
Clang!
Jung Heewon’s mole cricket blade, infused with [Swordsmanship], clashed head-on with Lee Jihye’s [Swordsmanship Training].
Surprised, Lee Jihye muttered,
“Whoa, look at this unnie.”
Even with her stats higher than in the original, Jung Heewon was evenly matched with Lee Jihye.
Which meant—Lee Jihye was stronger than she should be at this point.
“Heewon-ssi! Just hold her off for a bit! Please!”
At my cry, Jung Heewon threw something my way.
“Take this!”
The staff, replicated by Thought.
I caught it quickly and told the two behind me,
“Stay here for now.”
“Hey! Stop right there!” Lee Jihye shouted as I passed.
In the original, Chungmuro was on the second day of the Green Zone scenario.
So Yoo Joonghyuk being here wasn’t strange.
The problem was—this was Yoo Joonghyuk’s overpowering 41st regression.
A muffled blast rang out from the direction of Chungmuro Station.
Suppressing my dread, I picked up speed. After about ten more steps, the platform spread wide before me.
The first thing I saw was a massive hole in the middle of the platform floor, and citizens hiding near the stairwells.
The terrified citizens were watching the two people confronting each other across the hole.
One was unmistakably Yoo Joonghyuk.
The problem was the other.
“You bastard. Daring to covet my land?”
I instantly understood the situation.
Hot-tempered Yoo Joonghyuk hadn’t bothered waiting and had picked a fight with Gong Pildu.
Fortunately, it didn’t look like the battle had started in earnest.
At least, I had hoped—
“Uncle, kill him already.”
A boy’s voice whispered behind Gong Pildu.
At the same time, Gong Pildu nodded.
“Fine. That was the plan anyway.”
Had he already turned this place into his [Private Property]? On his [Armed Zone], seven mini-turrets rose at once.
Two more than in the 3rd regression of the original.
But those alone couldn’t stop Yoo Joonghyuk.
Vrrrrr—
Because this Yoo Joonghyuk, by the 40th regression, had already surpassed fable-grade constellations.
The moment he grasped his spear, Gong Pildu would surely die.
[Character ‘Yoo Joonghyuk’ wishes to take an unexpected action.]
[Exclusive Skill, ‘□□’, has met activation conditions.]
[Entering Snowfield.]
Thank god—Snowfield activated.
In the monochrome scene, mini-turrets powered up, and Yoo Joonghyuk gripped his spear shaft.
It was a hair’s-breadth away from exploding into violence.
I had to change the narration somehow.
But—
[Your understanding of this character is far too low.]
[With your rank, you cannot interfere with this character’s actions.]
Damn it.
The same message again.
A few days ago, when the rhinoceros of the City Reader appeared, my entry into the Snowfield must have also been caused by Yoo Joonghyuk’s sudden actions.
Then as now, I had no sentences to write.
Because I didn’t know what kind of man the 41st regression’s Yoo Joonghyuk was.
All I knew was what Ways of Destruction had said—of a merciless monster.
[Would you like to check Reader Feedback?]
I opened the feedback.
+
rlaehrwk99: But is the 41st regression’s Yoo Joonghyuk really that bad?
rlaehrwk37: There’s no such thing as a bad Yoo Joonghyuk.
+
And the moment I read those comments—
[Your understanding of character ‘Yoo Joonghyuk’ has risen slightly.]
Something strange happened.