Cr-r-r-r-unch–!
The essence of the [Vengeful Ghost mory] broke in my hand; the pieces penetrated into my palm sharply. The pain was less than I imagined it to be. However, as the pieces dug into my body, I felt severe dizziness as I began summoning.
[Lack of mana for mory playback.]
[Do you want to substitute the remaining needed mana with your vitality?]
"……" The mana consumption was rather severe because Dawon-ie wasn't assisting in summoning. I nodded without considering it much further.
[If this ‘mory Playback' fails, you may suffer permanent damage. Do you still want to continue?]
As if I were signing the terms and conditions to a loan, the system asked once more for my confirmation.
I looked down at both my hands for a mont. Hot blood bubbled up on the palms of my already numb hands.
I bit my tongue to retain consciousness, even as my drooping eyelids beca heavier and I yawned. Passing out in this state would only lead to a repetition of past events.
"Nnngh…." My eyes opened as sharp pain wracked my body and a tallic taste filled my mouth. Despite my condition, I tried to speak as clearly as I could.
"In return, do not allow Servant ‘Seo Dawon' to intervene."
[Refusing your Servant, ‘Seo Dawon's' intervention is impossible at your current level.]
As expected, the [System ssage] sneered dryly at . It subtly snarked at –calling a stupid user that was holding a weapon that I could not handle.
However, that mockery only strengthened my resolve. If the [System ssage] possessed the concept of ‘self' or ‘ego,' then it ant that it also possessed ‘judgnt.'
I glared at the gray [System ssage] window and said, "Then I will annul the Vengeful Ghost Contract with my Servant ‘Seo Dawon.' Since ‘Seo Dawon' is the cause of this annulnt, a penalty should be imposed on him."
[…You'll annul the contract?]
The [System ssage] repeated my sentence, proving that it had an independent sense of ‘self.' Even I could clearly tell that it was flustered.
I stared at the [System ssage] and continued, quietly, "The first clause in my Vengeful Ghost Contract was that I should cooperate and do my best to avenge ‘Seo Dawon.' In other words, the purpose of our contract was established for ‘Seo Dawon's' revenge, and he, too, is obligated to adhere to this purpose."
[……]
As soon as I finished speaking, the System's gray screen began to beco increasingly filled with noise.
I kept looking at it as I continued, "However, servant ‘Seo Dawon' is locking up through his own will and power now. He’s interfering with , keeping from fulfilling my duty even though I'm needed in his quest for revenge."
[……]
"This is a serious breach of contract. Even though Servant ‘Seo Dawon' cannot complete his revenge without my cooperation…" I teared up a bit in this next segnt, but I didn't cry, "…He's giving up on his revenge so that I don't suffer pain."
[……]
"Servant, ‘Seo Dawon,' has the obligation to prioritize his revenge above all else. Even if my life is sacrificed… He cannot refuse."
[……]
"In other words, the servant ‘Seo Dawon' will intervene with the intent to save , and if that happens, the contract might not be fulfilled. If I fail, his actions will violate the first and foremost clause of the contract, and the penalty should fall on him–the servant ‘Seo Dawon.' Is my interpretation wrong?"
The [System ssage] fell silent for over five minutes. anwhile, the noise on the screen beca even more severe. The window, which had been gray, gradually turned black.
[Threatening ‘' with a ‘breach of contract,' are we? It seems you've grown, User ‘Choi Lee-kyung.'] 1
As if waiting for this mont, the [System ssage] began displaying text with a distinctive tone–as if it had a ‘personality.'
"…Still you…the being behind this system… You want Seo Dawon to resurrect. You know that if he continues to try and cover for , he will not be able to achieve his revenge." I said, without being intimidated by the change in tone.
[System ssage] fell silent for a mont; however, that silence was all the answer I needed.
[Very well, User ‘Choi Lee-kyung.' We will reject… Servant ‘Seo Dawon's' intervention this ti.]
In the end, with crooked, printed letters, the [System ssage] ruled in my favor.
Simultaneously, black steam-like air rose from beneath my feet, rapping around my body. The airflow was rather black, cold, and ominous, but its touch on my skin was soft.
"……"
As expected, I was right. Though the [System ssage] was a bit of a detestable being, it wanted the Red Lotus's revival. I sighed when I realized I had barely snatched victory from this almost dood match.
"Haah…"
[However, this ‘Vengeful Ghost mory' will not be easy to conquer without support from Servant, ‘Seo Dawon.']
However, the [System ssage] seed to be solely focused on Seo Dawon's revival, treating with a cold indifference. As I stared blankly at the text, I posed a question.
"What… Are you?" It's sothing I had always wanted to ask.
If the [System ssage] wasn't so objective device created by the Hub and was instead a being with its own ego… I wondered why it was so obsessed with Dawon's death…enough to raise its hand to help in his revival.
And, contrary to my expectations, the [System ssage] answered quite obediently.
[‘We' are the lost stars.]
"The lost stars?"
[We who had nas once upon a ti, but those nas had disappeared or scattered; we who were worshiped, but had our temples destroyed.]
"……"
[The old gods who lost their nas; the kings of kingdoms that sank under the sea… Priests of abandoned altars that have beco overgrown with greenery…]
"……"
[We who are ridiculed as losers by fate; those that have no living records left behind. That's who we are.]
I couldn't exactly comprehend what it was saying, but, as soon as it said ‘we,' the na, ‘Red Lotus' began to circle around my brain.
"…Then your goal… What on earth is it?"
The [System ssage] responded imdiately, as if it had been waiting for to ask that question.
[‘We' only have one purpose.]
[And that is to bring about the downfall of the tragedy collectors.]
"Tragedy Collectors…?" My mouth stumbled around that unfamiliar term.
[Do you want to listen? User, ‘Choi Lee-kyung'?]
Here, the [System ssage] asked for my opinion. The words that filled the chat window were in a different font from before.
[In the final chapter of the scenario, you can collect information about a world plunged in anguish.]
[After viewing so information about the ‘World plunged in anguish,' you cannot disclose key information ‘************' about this scenario.]
[If key information ‘**********' is revealed, User, ‘Choi Lee-kyung's' mories may be sealed.]
[Even the word, ‘***********' will remain unpronounceable.]
I nodded after reading the warning ssage. Then the [System ssage] began its explanation without asking twice.
[The ‘Tragedy Collectors' were entities that imposed trials on the outstanding souls and heroes of all worlds. Initially, their purpose was to conduct trials of fate to create ‘Transcendents.']
"Transcendents?"
[The closest concept in your lexicon would be ‘Demigod (半神)'.]
I was bewildered by its words. It was so out of the blue–Entities that could create demigods? However, the [System ssage] continued unfazed.
[However, at so point, they stopped imposing trials to create ‘demigods' and began creating ‘dungeons' rely to savor the suffering caused by the degeneration of the hero's soul.]
"The Tragedy Collectors… created the Dungeons?"
[Every scenario dungeon is a fallen hero's grave. Or rather, a cursed space that insults and mocks the heroes' corpses.]
"…Insult?"
[To help you understand, imagine Servant ‘Seo Dawon' failing to resurrect and becoming a re undead boss monster in a dungeon.]
"……"
[For your reference, the ‘Tower of Command,' which was conquered by the User ‘Bae Jaemin,' is the tomb of the dark wizard ‘Adaar,' a demon king from a lost world. ‘Adaar' lost his wife, went insane, turned his kingdom–the very one he himself built–into a desert, and beca an ‘Archlich.' He's a failure who couldn't overco his trials.]
"……"
[Tragedy collectors collect tragedies in ‘that way.']
"……"
[However, if ‘Adaar' had overco his trials, he would have beco the god of his world and lived happily ever after with his wife as the ‘Wise King Adaar.']
—-
Beco a mber!
TL: HOLY TA. Where are we going?
Also, does this an that there are multiple entities that are ‘systems?' Since there's obviously a system trying to entice Dawon into becoming a demon king. Also, you go Choi Lee-kyung~ Beco a contract lawyer~
The exact phrase the system used (literally translated, your head has grown thicker) is usually used to tell children that they've matured or grown up. It's ant to be condescending in this context.
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