“Mr. Inho. Tell me. Are you the ‘First Apostle’?”So far, I had seen a total of two of the so-called “Seven Apostles.”Killer King, who—by his own claim—had completed his 100th read-through, the Second Apostle.Ye Hyunwoo, who had completed his 50th read-through, the Seventh Apostle.Killer King, together with his younger sister LiteraryGirl64, had exploded in growth and even made a contract with the archangel ‘Yophiel,’ while Ye Hyunwoo seized Chungmuro Station in a flash by using the Ten Evil Warlord, Gong Pildu.If even these two were at this level, what on earth would the one called the First Apostle be like?Judging from the expressions on Ye Hyunwoo and the Apostles, they didn’t seem to know who the “First Apostle” was either.Someone who had read Ways of Survival at least a hundred times, and founded the massive community known as the “Seven Apostles’ Society.”Someone who had been reading this story with other readers in a place I didn’t know.A face flickered up in my mind for a moment, but I shook my head.No way. It couldn’t be that person.However they took my silence, the Apostles traded glances and began to voice their opinions one by one.Ye Hyunwoo lit the fuse first.“Even if… you are the ‘First Apostle,’ we can’t yield this time. The Apostles’ Society was never a rank system to begin with.”Gu Seon-a knit her brows.“Hey, weren’t you the one who just said we should pick the representative by ‘number of complete reads’?”“I didn’t say that.”“Oh? You’re backing down already? If you grab the flag I’m attacking on the spot.”Gu Seon-a, gripping her iron mace, and Kim Kyungsik, biting down on his long-stem pipe, moved toward the flag.A distance anyone could cross in a single leap if they meant it.As the air turned viciously tense, Ye Hyunwoo let out a sigh.“So in the end, we settle it by force.”A hair-trigger standoff where the fight could break out at any second.And yet—why was it?Even with their lives on the line in this suffocating confrontation, Ye Hyunwoo, Gu Seon-a, and Kim Kyungsik all looked faintly exhilarated.It wasn’t just them.Gyeong Sein and the other readers wore flushed faces as well.It wasn’t hard to see why.[Quite a number of Constellations are looking forward to a bloodbath at Chungmuro Station!][Some Constellations have begun betting coins!][A very small number of Constellations declare they will sponsor 1,000 coins to the incarnation who takes Chungmuro Station.]Because the Constellations had begun to take an interest in this “station.”Up to now, the Constellations hadn’t properly understood the story of Chungmuro Station.The crucial “Theater Dungeon” battle failed to broadcast due to the “Backlash of Plausibility,” and with readers spouting Ways of Survival tidbits at all hours, the Constellations were stuck listening to conversations riddled with filters.Just as few readers take an interest in stories they can’t really follow, the Constellations were the same.「That was true—until just now.」The readers were quarreling with one another, yet at the same time, they were cooperating.Using the word “Revelation” as a foundation stone, the readers had finally rendered the battles of this world visible in earnest.[The Constellation, ‘Monarch of the Small Fries,’ says they finally think they get what this is about.][The Constellation, ‘Prince Heungmu,’ wonders what book this ‘Revelation’ even came from.][The Constellation, ‘Rice-Cake-Eating Tiger,’ says they have a hunch.][The Constellation, ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon,’ tells you to go on.]Using terms that would be filtered as little as possible to build a narrative bridgehead for the Constellations—Openly styling themselves as “Apostles,” and publicizing that existence to whet the interest of —[A very small number of Constellations announce the outbreak of an ‘Apostle War.’]At the center of this game board created purely by readers’ strength, I even felt a little moved.「This was a story even I hadn’t yet read.」A new stage for the original, built by readers gathered together.But everyone here knew.This was a play—yet in the end, everything on the stage becomes reality.“Mr. Inho.”At Uncle Dansoo’s voice, I nodded as well.“I know.”At this rate, people would die.Gu Seon-a’s iron mace showed itself, and white smoke curled up from Kim Kyungsik’s long-stem pipe.Ye Hyunwoo set his jaw and slowly raised his right hand.It wasn’t only them.Other incarnations were stealthily moving their hands to their weapons.[Some Constellations proclaim the danger of ‘Apostles.’][A few Constellations watch for the bloodbath at Chungmuro Station.][A very small number of Constellations want the ‘Apostles’ to fight each other and self-destruct.]The stars watching this story were wishing for their ruin.Once upon a time, readers watched this story; now the Constellations watched their story.Even so, I wasn’t worried.Because I had something to rely on.“Everyone, prepare for battle.”At Gu Seon-a’s declaration, the nearby incarnations all gripped their weapons at once.A hair-trigger situation where the battle could explode at any moment.With a blast like something detonating, a deafening roar erupted from one corner of the station.「Here he comes.」I’d figured he’d arrive right about now.That guy—of all people—would never ignore a scenario this important.“Everyone stand down!”The instant the startled Gong Pildu shot to his feet, a man in a jet-black coat appeared.As expected.I smiled faintly and looked at the owner of the coat. But—“You picked a ‘representative’ with me not even here?”His tone was… off.“So you didn’t bother to invite the ‘Tyrant’ Killer King to a gathering like this, is that it.”A shabby black coat fluttered raggedly in the wind.Judging by the vigor in his face, his injuries from the “Theater Dungeon” had fully healed.Gyeong Sein whispered, overexcited by the arrival of a new face.“Mr. Inho, were you… waiting for the Second Apostle?”I shook my head.Killer King pushed through the crowd with heavy steps, then slowed as he passed near me.“You saved my life. I’ll pay that debt back.”Killer King set a light hand on my shoulder. At a glance, anyone might have mistaken him for the real Yoo Joonghyuk.Behind Killer King, LiteraryGirl64 stood with a hand pressed to her forehead, sighing.Spotting me, LiteraryGirl64 asked,“Are you all right?”“I should be the one asking that.”“If it’s my brother, he’s fine.”Killer King was strong.But even for Killer King, could he handle Ye Hyunwoo teamed up with Gong Pildu?“Stop there, Killer King.”Ye Hyunwoo warned the man striding in without hesitation.“If I don’t?”“I’ll shoot.”“Try it.”Killer King smiled, adding,“I heard you talking about number of complete reads earlier. Go on—keep flapping your mouth.”At Killer King’s provocation, Ye Hyunwoo bit down hard on his lip.Come to think of it, from the very first time they met, Ye Hyunwoo seemed unusually wary of Killer King.“You don’t belong in this. You’ve been solo-queuing from the start. Someone who’s never saved a single person wants to shamelessly be the representative?”“I saved someone too. If I hadn’t gone up into the ‘Theater Dungeon,’ you think that clear would’ve been possible?”“You didn’t clear it yourself.”“Because of me, someone made it to the rooftop. You can call that my clear.”“What bullshit—”“If I don’t qualify, then you, Seventh Apostle, don’t either. And Chungmuro Station already has its rightful owner. Why are you being greedy?”The rightful owner of Chungmuro Station.It went without saying he meant “Kim Dokja.”Ye Hyunwoo shook his head.“Kim Dokja isn’t here. I heard he was sighted on the roof and I’ve been searching since, but he’s nowhere to be found. Right now one of us has to become the ‘representative.’”“Kim Dokja isn’t here….”Killer King glanced my way for a moment, then snapped his head aside.“In that case, I’ll be the representative.”“Mr. Pildu.”[Character ‘Gong Pildu’’s stigma ‘Armed Zone Lv.6’ is activating!]Gong Pildu’s stigma [Armed Zone] doesn’t activate without [Private Property].In other words, Ye Hyunwoo had prepared for this fight by designating the area as [Private Property] in advance.Killer King gave a chilly smile.“Hyunwoo, you sure you can handle this?”A dangerous magic leaked from Killer King’s entire body. From the sheer amount of mana, I could sense the change in him.You got yourself a fortuitous encounter.On the 4th floor of the “Theater Dungeon,” Killer King fought a class-6 earth-dragon species in our place, mine and LiteraryGirl64’s.When we found Killer King again, unconscious, the earth-dragon that had been attacking him had vanished somewhere.I couldn’t say whether Killer King had felled that dragon or not. What was certain was that he’d grown another step stronger there.Crimson aura welled up across Killer King’s frame, suffused with Yophiel’s benediction.“I’m not pulling punches. You do realize this isn’t the same as arguing in the comments, right?”Yet without being cowed in the least, Ye Hyunwoo took his place beside Gong Pildu. The [Mini Turrets] that had risen as one aimed at Killer King’s whole body.“That’s our line.”It was a fight where calling the winner wouldn’t be easy. In these early scenarios, Ye Hyunwoo combined with Gong Pildu produced a synergy close to invincible.And Killer King was the incarnation of none other than the saga-grade archangel ‘Yophiel.’I called out to LiteraryGirl64.“Ms. Yerin.”“Yes.”“What do you think?”Even though I asked without an object, LiteraryGirl64 answered at once.“My brother is strong.”The same answer as always.But that wasn’t all of it.“But my brother is someone who’s strong alone.”I was of the same mind.No matter how it looked, Killer King hadn’t jumped in there because he truly wanted to be the “representative.”He just wanted to stop the “Apostles’” war.And, like a fool, that was the only way he knew how.“Can you help me?”“How?”“All we need is to buy a little time.”I wasn’t planning to let anyone here die.I quickly explained the plan to LiteraryGirl64.“Five seconds. Get lost.”At Ye Hyunwoo’s warning, Gong Pildu’s [Mini Turrets] began loading.“Everyone move! Tackle them before the loading finishes!”Gu Seon-a and Kim Kyungsik sprinted for the flag.The moment Killer King, who had bellowed a rough battle cry, joined the front line—LiteraryGirl64 came in from behind, pinned Killer King, and threw herself flat to the floor.“Go.”I nodded and dashed straight for the flag.Even if the starting gun had gone to someone else, no one here had higher Agility than me right now. Gu Seon-a’s eyes went wide when she spotted me.“What the—”I used [Agitate] and disguised “Notion” as “the damaged bamboo staff of Venerable Samyeong.”Gu Seon-a screamed and went down as the swiftly swung “Notion” struck.“Mr. Sein!”Almost at the same time, I yanked the shield on my back free and tossed it to Gyeong Sein.“Th-This is?”“The ‘Shield of Heracles’ you wanted.”“Uwooooh!”Replica though it was—Face alight, Gyeong Sein strapped on the shield at once and took my rear.[Activating special skill, ‘Area Defense!’]An instant later, a translucent barrier spread out centered on the shield.The charging incarnations slammed into the barrier with cries.“W-What the hell!”Uncle Dansoo didn’t stay idle either. Cockroaches wandering Chungmuro Station took to the air in a swarm and began to foul the incarnations’ lines of sight.“Waaaah! What is that!”As the area devolved into chaos in an instant, Ye Hyunwoo and the other Apostles looked badly flustered.—Mr. Inho, I’m sure I warned you.Ye Hyunwoo’s cold eyes were on me.“Fire. Don’t let them reach the flag.”As if his resolve had hardened, Gong Pildu’s [Mini Turrets] opened fire on us.With every hit, cracks split across the translucent barrier.Gyeong Sein blanched.“Mr. Inho! It’s going to break!”If I’d handed over the Singijeon earlier, we might’ve died here.I used [Agitate] and changed Notion’s form into the “Shield of Heracles.”[Activating special skill, ‘Area Defense!’]Even with two layers of area barrier up, the firepower of the [Mini Turrets] was overwhelming.As the first barrier shattered in a flash, Gyeong Sein looked back at me.“Mr. Inho! Hurry!”Cracks began to zigzag across the second barrier as well.I flicked my eyes toward the white flag, whipping in the blast wind.An arm’s length away—easily within reach.If I grabbed this flag and held out for five minutes, Chungmuro Station would be mine.Maybe Kim Dokja would have done exactly that.「I mustn’t be the one to grab this flag.」But why was it? I kept thinking that.「That would not be this story’s ‘proper development.’」That was when thin, pale cigarette smoke drifted in through a break in the barrier. The smoke took on the shape of a person in an instant, then reached straight toward the flag.Old man with the long pipe, Kim Kyungsik.“Sorry, but I’ll be taking this.”I hadn’t expected him to have a [Smoke Person] skill.The instant Kim Kyungsik’s hand nearly brushed the flag, a section of the barrier burst and someone crashed in.“Guhk!”Kicked in the gut, Kim Kyungsik rolled limply across the floor. With not even time to tie her hair back, long hair that had outrun the gunfire streamed in the wind.“Heewon.”“Late. I’m sorry.”Judging by her pallor, Jung Heewon’s wounds from the Theater Dungeon hadn’t healed yet. But right now we needed even a wounded hand.“Please.”“Leave this side to me.”Jung Heewon braced herself in the breach of the barrier, and Uncle Dansoo—who had nimbly come to our side—backed her up.Me and Jung Heewon, Gyeong Sein and Uncle Dansoo—The four of us stood guarding the white flag to the east, west, south, and north.In a tight voice, Gyeong Sein asked,“Mr. Inho. Weren’t you going to take the flag?”“No. If we take it, this turns into a real war.”Ye Hyunwoo was firing shells, and the Apostles were swinging their weapons, but they still weren’t serious.Because we hadn’t yet gotten our hands on the “white flag.”But if someone seized the flag, the five-minute timer would start ticking from that moment.Gu Seon-a and Kim Kyungsik—who’d been watching the mood—would charge at full force, and Ye Hyunwoo and Gong Pildu would rain down heavier shells.No matter how strong we were, the four of us alone couldn’t take on all of Chungmuro Station.“Mr. Inho, any longer and—”At last, even Gyeong Sein, who’d been serving as our main tanker, hit her limit. A shell that pierced the barrier gap struck Gyeong Sein’s shield dead-on. With a wooden crack, one of Gyeong Sein’s knees buckled.Supporting her, I bit my lip.It was about time.With blasts this loud, there was no way anyone anywhere in Chungmuro Station hadn’t heard—Zzze-ze-ze-zek!At last the area barrier collapsed and shells poured in.As Gyeong Sein screamed and raised her shield, a thick, heavy shadow loomed before us.THOOM!A man easily two or three times Gyeong Sein’s size planted himself in front of her and blocked the shell.“Are you all right?”A solid, stalwart voice.Among the readers here, there was no one who didn’t know his name. Because he was a member of “Kim Dokja’s Company,” and the “shield” that Kim Dokja trusted more than anyone.“Don’t worry. You’re safe now.”Steel Sword Lee Hyunsung turned and smiled at us.He wasn’t alone.“Ajusshi. I told you not to overdo it.”Holding up the staggering Uncle Dansoo stood Admiral of the Seas, Lee Jihye.And a white-haired young man had taken his place at Jung Heewon’s side as well.“You there, woman. You look strong—how about we have a bout later?”Delusion Demon Kim Namwoon.Startled by the sudden appearance of the trio, even Ye Hyunwoo ceased fire.“What the—”And then, footsteps sounded from somewhere.Lonely, solitary steps.「A single person in this world.」For a moment, I felt like I could understand Kim Dokja’s heart. The reason he could only survive life’s crises by repeating this man’s name.「There is an incarnation who can fight the entirety of this ‘Chungmuro Station.’」In the distance, the crowd of incarnations parted.He hadn’t especially ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) forced them aside, but people scattered like gazelles before a predator or sank where they stood.Rumblerrrr—They couldn’t help it.The force pouring off the man’s whole body was, quite simply, of a different species.「‘The protagonist you wrote is too inflexible,’ Ms. Ji Eunyoo once said.」Maybe Ji Eunyoo was right.A protagonist like that was surely unpopular.So unpopular that in this world there was exactly one person who read the story he appeared in all the way to the end.[An unnamed Constellation is watching your story.]Maybe, even now, he was reading.「A man who stubbornly handles crises he could easily avoid.」「A man who despairs without end.」「A man who, after rolling through decades, arrives at the answer called ‘impossible.’」Perhaps the figure I’d so desperately wanted to write already existed in the world. After hundreds and thousands of betrayals and despairs and realizations, he stood before my eyes now.It’s simple why Ye Hyunwoo, who satisfies every condition for a protagonist, cannot become the protagonist.「Because this story already has a ‘protagonist.’」Through the hush fallen over Chungmuro Station, he walked on in silence.Ye Hyunwoo, Gu Seon-a, Kim Kyungsik—even Killer King—froze, swallowing their breath.Only Jung Heewon kept her head high, glaring straight at him.Just in case, I gripped her collar tight and didn’t move.While no one dared open their mouth, Yoo Joonghyuk shouldered through the parted way and brushed past me.As if arriving at his own throne, Yoo Joonghyuk came to a quiet stop before the flag, hands in his pockets, and stared down at it for a long while.In that moment, everyone in the station understood. If anyone had seized that flag, their head would have flown from their shoulders under Yoo Joonghyuk’s blade.Looking at the “white flag” that no one had claimed, Yoo Joonghyuk slowly turned his cold eyes to me.“This is mine.”It was the protagonist’s line.

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