The pistons of the cylinders installed on the Factory moved wildly while the grinder roared. The story fragments that weren’t digested popped out from the surface like screws. It was evidence that this Factory wasn’t a finished product.
The duke slightly frowned as he saw the unstable exterior of the smoking Factory. ‘It isn’t at a bad level yet.’
The Factory. Everyone in the Demon World had a similar story, even if they were a grand duke. Of course, the power of each Factory varied but Syswitz’ Factory was unique.
‘It was worthwhile going to the Underworld.’
A body height of 40 metres. The Factory that resembled a giant was based off the Giant Soldier of the Underworld. It was a weapon that he barely managed to get a look at by bribing one of the judges of the Underworld. Of course, the duke’s Factory was only a clone with an inferior output compared to the giant soldier.
‘I can’t be satisfied with this degree…’
The Factory let out a harsh sound as if to express the duke’s disappointment. The blades of the grinder struck the ground. Dust filled the area as dozens of civilian buildings collapsed. Just like a child breaking a hand-crafted toy, the duke relentlessly broke them.
[Very few constellations are delighted at the exciting destruction!]
[Some constellations are pointing to the fleeing citizens!]
It was a long story. The history of the Syswitz Industrial Complex had accumulated over countless years. Even so, there was no hesitation in the duke’s behaviour.
“Kuaaack!”
The duke picked up the stories that were blown out of the grinder and thought. ‘It is an offering to proceed with a bigger story.’
400 years. A time when a dynasty was born and collapsed. During that time, Syswitz was the dictator here.
He once loved everything in this industrial complex. He was sometimes a wise ruler and sometimes a tyrant. He tried to elevate the happiness of the citizens through a gentle reign and he slaughtered them through oppression and tyranny. He was happy, sad or sometimes interested.
Then one day, the duke had only one emotion left. ‘I’m tired.’
After going on a field trip to Olympus and the Underworld, his thoughts became even stronger.
‘Why should I be eating these stories?’
He never forgot the lavish dinner that was served at the dining table of the queen of the Underworld.
A sword master of another world, a great sage, a 9th circle great magician…
Syswitz ate the finely cooked story pieces and was truly amazed. Oh my god, this taste. He had a soulless expression as he enjoyed the tastes that burst in his mouth.
-I see that you’re pretty good at eating.
Syswitz came to his senses and noticed that Persephone never touched the food in front of her. Persephone stared at the stories that were ravenously scattered on his plate like they were terrible food. Syswitz couldn’t forget the disgrace he felt at that moment.
‘I will go to the next scenario.’
Bigger stories. Bigger stimuli. Then he would gain a bigger power.
‘I will become a demon king. I will live by eating huge stories that are far superior to those fucking guys.’
For that dream, it meant nothing to discard this trivial industrial complex.
[…What revolution?]
His voice trembled and the whole industrial complex shook.
[Look, there is no such thing as a revolution! It is just the roleplay of the scenario!]
It was a tone that mocked all citizens.
[A play that has been repeated over and over for 400 years. You are fighting for such a foolish thing!]
Syswitz shouted despite also being part of the scenario. He felt like he could move onto the next stage.
‘I can do it.’
It seemed successful to some extent. Duke Syswitz felt a sense of liberation as numerous constellation focused their gazes on him. A peripheral pleasure obtained from denying oneself. Syswitz felt like he was the centre of the whole world for the first time. By the way…
“Do you really think so?” Someone cried out.
***
Of course, it was me.
「 You… 」
…Damn. The problem was that I heard his inner thoughts too well.
[The character ‘Demon Duke Syswitz’ is overwhelmed by his delusions.]
[The exclusive skill, ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’ stage 2 has been strongly activated!]
The thoughts of the duke randomly poured in. It was like looking at his naked self. To a certain extent, even those who didn’t use Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint could feel it.
[The constellation Nail-Eating Rat’s hands and feel are curling up from the duke’s words and deeds.]
[The constellation ‘Nouveau Richer Snake Boss’ says he is okay because he doesn’t have hands or feet.]
These guys were even laughing. The duke didn’t know the situation and smiled at me. [Fake revolutionary.]
“Who is fake?”
I activated Bookmark and Way of the Wind before running forward. A giant blow narrowly passed by me. A crater occurred in the place where the grinder passed like a bomb had gone off.
…This level was enough to hit an upper-grade constellation? It was a power that I couldn’t endure in this damn incarnation body. This was the power of a story weapon. It made non-constellations a match for constellations.
Furthermore, Duke Syswitz might not be a constellation but he was d demon had history-grade stories comparable to upper-grade constellations.
The bombs from the grinder swept through the industrial complex. Citizens ran out crying as they lost their homes. They were people who lost their hometowns and came to the Demon World, struggling to make a life here. The citizens who lost their jobs were staring at me with soot-covered faces.
I looked at the citizens and had a thought. I also disliked the scenarios. But… dammit.
「 Kim Dokja thought: I hate to admit it. 」
I seemed to understand why this scenario existed. I split through the air using Way of the Wind. I instantly arrived at the head of the Factory and once again used Electrification.
[The durability of your incarnation body is at a dangerous level!]
I fainted earlier and used up the duration of Bookmark in vain. I only had 20 minutes left. A blue-white whirl of lightning emerged from my right hand and rushed towards the Factory. The exterior of the Factory shook slightly.
[Kuek…?]
As expected, I lacked hitting power. My current incarnation body could only exert a quarter of the original firepower.
[Better than expected…]
Moreover, the sustainability wasn’t long. Nevertheless, I had to fight. I had to defeat this guy with my own hands.
[The constellation ‘status’ is released.]
[Your incarnation body is several damaged and only a fraction of the energy is released.]
It was a short time but for a moment, the Factory temporarily stopped working. I didn’t miss this gap and focused magic power on both fists.
[This aura? You, don’t tell me…!]
[The Gold Dragon’s Broken Heart is activated!]
Whenever the amount of magic power sharply decreased, the gold dragon’s heart recharged my magic power. In the ensuing battle, the Factory’s hard shell started to be peeled off. Screws popped out and story pieces flowed from the gap.
「 Kim Dokja thought: It would’ve been a good fight if my body was fine. 」
[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ is watching you anxiously.]
I stood firmly and hit the upper part of the Factory with a fist containing all the power of Electrification. If I knew that I would have such a hard fight, I would’ve learnt more diligently from Kyrgios. Well, I guess I didn’t have talent.
[The durability of your incarnation body is reaching its limit.]
[If you don’t stop combat immediately, the collapse of your body will resume.]
My breathing was becoming worse and my fists were slowing down. The Factory was still in good condition.
The duke spoke with delight. [Thanks to you, the last scenario of the industrial complex will be very sweet.]
I knew I couldn’t win. First of all, I wasn’t fighting for the sake of winning.
「 Kim Dokja looked down at the citizens of the industrial complex. 」
People were watching me. Some people’s mouths were wide open while others had their two hands joined together. I could also see Aileen and Mark. Each person was different but they all had similar expressions.
「 Revolutionary and fighting. 」
It was enough to think this.
「 There is a revolution. 」
It didn’t matter if it was real or fake. It had once been written that the things people believed in had power. Just like a story became reality.
[Your influence on the story will become more pronounced.]
The next moment, the Factory’s huge arm took my attack. My body was thrown back by the shock wave.
[Your fighting ability is good but you can’t win. You are fake.]
I raised my body from the broken floor. “As you said, I’m not a revolutionary. However, there is a revolution.”
[Such a thing doesn’t exist.]
“Why do you think that? Is it because you were a ‘revolutionary’ at first?”
[…!]
“In the end, even if a revolution occurs, the endless cycle of governance will repeat?”
I could understand Duke Syswitz’ feelings. I was well aware of the tragedy of the ‘Revolutionary Scenario.’ What made a revolutionary a revolutionary?
“It is you who failed, not everyone else.”
There were terrible scenarios. There were tragic scenarios. However—
“There are no meaningless scenarios.”
No matter how rubbish a scenario, people ended up living that scenario. They were happy or sad. They struggled against the impossible. Someone died while someone else saved another person.
This was the scenario of Ways of Survival that I knew. That’s why I was able to keep reading Ways of Survival.
My body became harder and harder to move. If I had followed the original novel, I wouldn’t have suffered like this.
「 Yoo Jonghyuk had a thought. If he doesn’t know who the revolutionary is, he can kill them all until the revolutionary emerges. 」
In the end, the Yoo Jonghyuk of the 111th regression made the worse choice. However, I didn’t want to do this. That’s why I kept fighting.
The duke once again struck and in the end, my back was grazed. Towards the me without strength, the giant hands of the Factory came again and again.
[Your story is quite tempting. I’m going to eat you.]
He was a person who had gone to the Underworld and tasted excellent stories. It was natural for him to be thrilled when looking at me. As soon as the giant hand was about to grab me, someone rushed towards me with all their power and rolled holding me.
A familiar woman stood in the place where dust rose. “What are you doing?”
The chairman of the Civil Council, Aileen. I stood up on the wall with a frown. “Get out of the way.”
“You’ve done enough.” Aileen didn’t move. I saw her determined expression and a corner of my heart froze. Wait a minute, surely the revolutionary…
[Hahaha! Where are you hiding? Self-proclaimed revolutionary!]
Aileen turned back after hearing the duke’s voice. I realized what she was going to do and hurriedly chased her. Just as she stood in front of the duke, someone shouted, “The revolutionary is here!”
It was the first time I had seen this person. He shouted while pointing at himself.
[Someone has made a ‘revolutionary declaration’!]
He could’ve been a member of the Civil Council or a hidden citizen. I didn’t know the revolutionary’s name or face. They were just a passing extra not mentioned in Ways of Survival.
[What…?]
“No, I am the revolutionary!” This time it was a woman’s voice. I didn’t know these faces. The woman trembled as she shouted but nevertheless, she stood firmly upright. This was the start as voices burst from everywhere.
[Someone has made a ‘revolutionary declaration’!]
[Someone has made a ‘revolutionary declaration’!]
Aileen and Mark were the same. It wasn’t just the citizens. Many of the incarnations hiding in the house also cried out. They held weapons while shouting in an irresistible manner.
“I am the revolutionary! Kill me!”
The features of the citizens holding weapons were extremely desperate. Numerous citizens armed with weapons advanced towards the Factory like a wave. I was so excited that I stumbled.
「 It was a sight that didn’t appear in the Ways of Survival that Yoo Jonghyuk lived. 」
It was a pity. I wanted to show the 111th round Yoo Jonghyuk this sight. If he saw this, he definitely would’ve made a different choice.
At this moment.
“I am the revolutionary Yoo Jonghyuk!” Someone shouted.
“I am Yoo Jonghyuk!”
“No, I am!”
…What? No, wait a minute.
“I am Yoo Jonghyuk!”
What the hell were they thinking? Now people were shouting a name instead of ‘revolutionary.’ There were countless Yoo Jonghyuks in the industrial complex.
[Someone has made a ‘Yoo Jonghyuk declaration’!]
No… wait.
[The Star Stream’s achievement system is confused.]
***
At the same time.
A man dressed in a black coat with a small doll on his shoulder arrived at an industrial complex. The man looked at the industrial complex and muttered. “…Is this Kim Dokja’s location?”
[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ is nodding with a faint blush.]
TL: Rainbow Turtle
