Chapter 252

Chapter 252

Woo Yeon-Hoon watched as cracks opened in the universe. It was the biggest crack he had seen since Tae-Yoon faced Kang Seok-Du at Yaksan for the first time. The moment Tae-Yoon almost died under Kang Seok-Du’s hands in the parking lot, a crack bigger than the one formed by the incident at Yaksan opened. Then, the moment Tae-Yoon led the car to crash into the guardrails, the cracks split more widely and deeply until its inner areas were revealed.

Yet, Yeon-Hoon didn’t simply watch this entire process. The wider the crack became, he flowed out his own will.

Shaaaa—! Using the cracks in the universe, Yeon-Hoon’s worldlines dug deeper into the worldlines. The worldlines that had extended out like vines began to seep inside the inner corners of the cracks.

Grip. At this point, he could use more than half of the system’s powers as his own. It was time for him to aid Tae-Yoon who was struggling in reality. The world of reversal broke the law of causality and intervened to save its incarnation. Yet, the moment the car floated and stopped in the air, the reversal system surpassed the limits it could intervene and shut down.

Without a system backing it, Yeon-Hoon could meddle and impact the reversal system’s incarnation as much as he wished. Thus, Yeon-Hoon used the system to manipulate Kang Seok-Du’s death.

[Kill Kang Seok-Du in ten seconds.]

[Upon success, Kang Seok-Du dies.]

[Upon failure, Kang Seok-Du dies.]

This couldn’t even be called a mission. It was a mission the original system would’ve never made. Not only was it a mission that was impossible to establish, it violated the law of causality. Yet, Yeon-Hoon gave the mission on purpose because he knew that Tae-Yoon wouldn’t just let this mission slip and go to waste.

The moment Tae-Yoon gained his mission, he didn’t do anything and let Kang Seok-Du die. The risk of failure was Kang Seok-Du’s death. Yet, Tae-Yoon forcefully revived Kang Seok-Du. Though the system could lead someone to their death, it couldn’t force a definite death; thus, Tae-Yoon could overcome that death temporarily by providing proper CPR.

And when a creature that was supposed to die with the guidance of the system came to life again, that itself created more cracks to the system’s functions. The more the system encountered unexpected situations, the cracks became wider. The first time Tae-Yoon revived Kang Seok-Du again—

Craaaack—!

Yeon-Hoon could gain control of 80% of the system. Then, the second time Tae-Yoon revived Kang Seok-Du—

Craaaaack—!

Yeon-Hoon could reach the system’s core. Then, lastly, when Yeon-Hoon jumped into Hangang with Kang Seok-Du—

Bang!

Yeon-Hoon’s worldlines penetrated into the system’s core and absorbed it. There was no time to lose. Even if the time in the universe flowed dramatically slower than the time in reality, every minute and second counted in this situation. Yeon-Hoon was able to easily take control of the entire system then. In the first place, the system was something that simply operated on rules without an owner; thus, if someone broke those rules and penetrated into that gap, anyone could become its owner.

At this point of time, the system’s owner was Yeon-Hoon. What Yeon-Hoon had desperately yearned for so long for had been easily accomplished with Tae-Yoon’s help. Thousands of Yeon-Hoon’s worldlines wrapped around the system’s core and intertwined together like one vein. The system’s core mixed and pulsed with the worldlines like heart between veins. Eventually, thousands of worldlines changed into one thick line and its end connected with the system’s core.

There were only two lines remaining in this vast universe—Yeon-Hoon’s line that enveloped the system and Tae-Yoon’s line that had absorbed all the other regressor’s worlds. The two lines simply floated in this universe’s space. There was only one thing left to do now. Though he felt sorry for Tae-Yoon, Yeon-Hoon had no intention to return after becoming part of the system.

No, in the first place, it was impossible for him to depart this space after becoming the system. The system was essential to maintain this universe and since he was the system now, the universe wouldn't exist without him. Though it sounded too grand to be true, he basically became the manager of this universe. It was clear what Yeon-Hoon needed to do now.

Shaaaaa—!

It was to separate his worldlines from the long, original worldline that was still continuing and make Tae-Yoon’s worldline the sole worldline connected to the original. If he did that, the universe would extend with just one worldline, and Yeon-Hoon would exist as an independent being as the owner of the system. In other words, he would completely transform into a system. It would be a lie if Yeon-Hoon said he didn’t feel any regret and sadness about this decision.

Everything he told Tae-Yoon had been the truth. His greatest wish was to enjoy daily activities such as eating the soybean paste stew that Do-Seung cooked, performing on a concert stage, and chatting all-night. Yet, there were things he wanted to protect more than the joys of daily life. It was to protect his members so that they could do their activities safely—so that they didn’t have to watch as one of them meaninglessly died.

And since you can’t leave this space if you become the system, you planned to sacrifice yourself right?”

“...Yes.”

“I will do it for you, so you return. You have been here by yourself for too long.”

“What?”

“I won’t hear your reply.”

“Tae-Yoon, the world that’s progressing right now is yours. What’s going to happen if you aren’t there? If your mind is here, your body won’t be able to do anything...are you going to let it be in that state?”

“For the time being.”

“What?”

“I said for the time being. Endure it for a bit.”

“what are you saying?”

Yeon-Hoon was about to say something more but closed his mouth. It was because Tae-Yoon spoke first.

“Please take care of my body when you go and take care of our other members. There’s probably going to be some commotion for the time being so don’t get hurt.”

“Tae-Yoon, could you explain a bit more...?”

“See you later.”

Tae-Yoon smiled softly while looking at Yeon-Hoon. With that signal, Tae-Yoon’s body began to fall limitlessly. Yeon-Hoon didn’t even remember how long he had lived in this universe. He thought a moment like this would never come to him again. He was already used to existing in only his mind, apart from a physical body by now. Of course, he sometimes borrowed this world’s Yeon-Hoon’s body from time to time, but he had simply been ‘borrowing’ the body then.

“Ah...” Yeon-Hoon opened his eyes with his own body. This world’s Yeon-Hoon’s memories and identity are quickly combined with his. Perhaps, it was because he had already intertwined all the worldlines or because this body already was his, he was able to immerse into this world’s Yeon-Hoon’s body without any confusion or mix-up. This was the result of a higher power that far superseded things like logic and causality. Yeon-Hoon raised his head and looked forward.

Tae-Yoon and Seok-Du were falling into the Hangang river together.

“Bong Tae-Yoon!”

“Tae-Yoon!”

“Ahhhh!”

All the Siren members screamed. Perhaps, it was because he had been the system’s owner for a short moment or the system’s current owner, Tae-Yoon helped him, but...

Ziiiing—!

Yeon-Hoon could use Insight. He felt the world’s time slow drastically and ran towards where Tae-Yoon was falling. All sorts of scenarios on how he could save Tae-Yoon popped into his mind.