HACKED 107

The moment the opposing Compiler met in the dimension merger, <DriedAnchovyLowerEnds>, met his death by his own Incarnation.

Almost simultaneously with him dying instantly while spraying blood from his neck, <Valkyrie Leading to Death>, who had been his Incarnation, also collapsed limply like a puppet with its strings cut.

Two women lay amidst the pool of blood staining the pure white floor. A human whose breath had already stopped, and an Incarnation who did not let go of that human until the very moment she lost consciousness. They looked like lovers who had met their end together, swept away by a sudden disaster and becoming a single mass.

Even while watching that sight, none of <UserMyeong808>’s Incarnations could approach them. Far from approaching, they actually hardened their expressions and stepped backward. It was not intentional. It was because they felt an indescribable eeriness emanating from the Incarnation before them.

Was it to prepare for the case where that Incarnation was faking unconsciousness to suddenly ambush them? No. The opponent had already completely lost consciousness.

Was it because they feared the corpse or the blood? That was not it either. There was no way Incarnations, beings descended specifically to fight, would fear such trivial things.

It was simply instinct. An instinctive repulsion toward a being that was losing its “prestige as an Incarnation.”

<Valkyrie Leading to Death> committed the grave sin of murdering her own Master. Even if the party involved had desired it, the fact that she killed her Master does not change.

<Valkyrie Leading to Death> showed no particular abnormal symptoms other than having collapsed. At least, that was how it appeared on the outside. Her stats did not suddenly plummet, nor was a scarlet letter engraved on her forehead. However, the price for losing one’s prestige begins to manifest from places unseen.

What is the reason Incarnations volunteered as followers of Compilers and joined this war? It is to raise the prestige of the narrative they possess by being active in battle. So that rumors become unofficial histories, unofficial histories become official histories, official histories become legends, and legends become myths.

In such a situation, if one loses their prestige… the fundamental reason they fight disappears entirely. It would be better to die and return to being a narrative. Nevertheless, <Valkyrie Leading to Death> chose to live. Even at the cost of killing her Master with her own hands.

It was a choice the other Incarnations could not understand at all. The unknown soon became fear and disgust. The person before them felt like a bizarre and skin-crawling existence.

Among them, there was only one composed Incarnation.

“What is everyone doing. The Master has fainted.”

The man wearing a black silk robe, <Mountain Hero>, pointed toward his own lower half with a gesture of his eyes.

In this spot, there was one more being who had lost consciousness besides <Valkyrie Leading to Death>. <UserMyeong808>, or Yeo Myeong, or the young man called the Compiler and Master of this place.

Immediately after witnessing the blood-drenched sight before his eyes, he showed symptoms close to a seizure. He trembled so violently that anyone could notice, and as if experiencing hallucinations, he rambled to himself toward the empty air. Thinking he could not breathe properly, someone rushed toward him, and he suddenly fell backward and fainted.

Currently, he was held in the arms of <Mountain Hero> with his head buried askew. His limbs hung limp without a single movement. His breathing was so faint that one would worry if he was even still alive.

<Mountain Hero> covered his face with his long sleeve. Because of that, from the perspective of the other Incarnations, only the back of his head and part of the side of his face were visible. His ears and cheeks, revealed momentarily, were so pale they had a bluish tint.

“Leave that Valkyrie or whatever alone. Since she is a 5-star, her body must be sturdy. She will get up on her own when the time is right.”

<Mountain Hero> turned around without even properly looking toward <Valkyrie Leading to Death>. His attitude was beyond indifferent and bordered on cold-hearted for someone dealing with a person who was to become a new ally.

“The one we need to worry about is Myeong. It seems he won’t be able to get up on his own even when the time comes.”

At his words, a man with long white hair and nine fox tails, <The Nine-Tailed Maegu of Cheonggu>, shot back irritably.

“You do not need to go out of your way to tell me that my husband is a frail person. If you are just going to hold him blankly like that, why not hand him over here? I can do much better when it comes to taking care of my husband.”

He also agreed with the opinion that they should prioritize taking care of their own Master over those two Master and servant over there. However, he was simply uncomfortable with this situation itself. Specifically, it bothered him that <Mountain Hero> was acting as if he were the Master’s right-hand man.

In terms of rarity, both this side and that side are equally 5-stars. Even though he has the status ailment shackle of “A Thousand Livers,” if you look at it that way, doesn’t that guy also have the status ailment of “Official History”? He didn’t know why he was stepping forward acting so great when they were neck and neck in many ways.

The part that truly hurt his pride was… that when <Valkyrie Leading to Death> killed her Master, he too had been momentarily overwhelmed by discomfort and ghastliness.

Amidst that, only <Mountain Hero> moved naturally. While everyone was floundering helplessly and pathetically in the water called fear, he alone seemed to be outside the water. That made him even more annoying.

‘Is it because he’s a guy who already has a prior record of Master-slaying that he doesn’t even bat an eye at this level.’

<The Nine-Tailed Maegu of Cheonggu> snorted. Regardless, the one who takes the upper hand in the end will be him. Because <Mountain Hero> is lacking the most important thing as an Incarnation.

As expected, <Mountain Hero> did not even pretend to listen to his words. What an obnoxious tiger cub. <The Nine-Tailed Maegu of Cheonggu> turned away from him in annoyance.

<The Drum that Sounds on its Own>, who had been agonizing while covering his mouth with his sleeve, asked cautiously.

“What shall we do with that Compiler’s corpse?”

“Do not touch it. That Incarnation will take care of it when she wakes up.”

<Mountain Hero>’s answer was concise. However, the worry cast upon <The Drum that Sounds on its Own>’s face showed no sign of lifting.

“But is he not a person who chose suicide to grant us victory. We must show him the minimum amount of courtesy. Leaving him abandoned like this is too…”

“If she finds out later that we touched him of our own accord, she will be furious.”

There was logic in those words as well. Those two seemed to have an extremely deep attachment. To the point of deciding that the other must be saved even if it meant one’s own death. Or, to the point of deciding to take the other’s life with one’s own hands even if it meant losing the prestige of an Incarnation.

‘So… she would want to bring it to an end with her own hands until the very, very last moment.’

<The Drum that Sounds on its Own> lowered his head slightly to express his agreement. Then he turned his gaze away from the pool of blood that was gradually cooling.

˙✧˖°🎮 ⋆｡˚

Yeo Myeong had been asleep ever since. The Incarnations took turns going in to check on his condition.

Well, could one even call this “being asleep”? He was unable to sleep properly the entire time. However, he was not properly conscious either.

As short as 5 to 10 minutes, or as long as an hour. He wandered through a shallow sleep that wasn’t even a nap, waking up startled by sleep paralysis. Then, not long after closing his eyes, he had a nightmare again and suffered again.

At times he did not breathe at all, and at other times he hyperventilated. There were moments when his consciousness returned briefly, but the only thing he said at those times was to ask for medicine. Even that, he himself did not seem to remember.

In fact, this was not the time to be idle. They had to quickly recover the losses from the last battle and renew the ownership of <Valkyrie Leading to Death> and the Pantheon she belonged to. But that, too, was a matter possible only on the premise that Yeo Myeong woke up.

<Mountain Hero>, who entered the room, set down a tray containing a water bottle and a cup on the nightstand. It was the routine of those taking care of him. Even though Yeo Myeong wouldn’t drink a single sip even if it was brought, they filled the glass water bottle to the brim with freshly drawn water like a habit.

He sat down heavily on the chair next to the bed. Sitting by Yeo Myeong’s side in a single posture for several hours like this, then taking turns with the next Incarnation when the time came, and then repeating the same action when his turn came around again. That was the entirety of what he did.

Ordinary people would be bored and itching to move to the point of madness, but Incarnations including <Mountain Hero> did not feel such emotions. Once they stopped “acting like humans,” they could remain in one place for several days, let alone several hours.

The only thing heard in the quiet room was Yeo Myeong’s slow and faint breathing. <Mountain Hero> unintentionally listened to that sound.

Then at some point, the breathing became unstable and disorganized.

“That… card.”

A voice that was pitifully hoarse and cracked leaked out. <Mountain Hero> reflexively turned his head. It felt like it had been far too long since he had heard Yeo Myeong’s voice.

“Was it the ‘You are my favorite’ card…”

Yeo Myeong was still lying down with his eyes closed. So at first, he wondered for a moment if it was a hallucination. But as he focused quietly, he saw the bloodless lips moving slightly.

“I gave that to you, San Gun. Mister San Gun.”