I looked back to see the Yogoes making up the 'Pilgrimage' with us were howling out towards the sky. [Well, then, I shall be anticipating a wonderful finale to this scenario.] The Great Dokkaebi vanished, and as more pillars of light descended, the 'protagonists' from other Journey to the West began making their entrance. "Let's go!" "The sacred texts are ours!" The crowd from all the consolidated Story chambers were scything past the Tongtian's waters to advance forward. "I'm the real Sun Wukong!" Some rode on the Somersault Cloud, while others resorted to magic spells to fly over the river's tumbling water. It seemed that they were planning to cross this river by gliding over it. Unfortunately, that was a really bad decision to make, if my knowledge on the 'Journey to the West' was correct. [All skills and Stigmas related to 'Flight' are restricted from use in the applicable scenario.] Powerful sparks danced in the sky and everyone flying in the air crashed into the river below along with their screams. "What's the meaning of this?!" After falling into the river water, the members of other Story chambers began shouting in anger at the Great Dokkaebi up in the air. However, it simply shrugged its shoulders nonchalantly.
I looked at this spectacle and spoke up. "This journey wouldn't have any meaning to it if we were allowed to fly from the beginning." Yoo Joonghyuk next to me muttered out as if he was chewing on his words. "…Everything happening here is also destined to become a Story, is it." "That's correct." In the end, the 'Journey to the West' was a story of travelling on a tough road in great adversity. Even if you were travelling on the same road, choosing how to travel changed the story greatly. Traversing the distance that could be bridged in one day by riding on the Somersault Cloud, for over 14 years while surviving and enduring against all sorts of trials and tribulations – because such a 'Story' existed, the sacred texts at the end of the journey now had meaning to its existence, too. (And so, the final hurdle to this very story was waiting for the travelling group.) Lee Gilyoung heard the narration and softly grumbled to himself. "…I'm not very good at swimming, though." The Tongtian River was truly wide. Since not everyone could ride on the back of Tang Sanzang's White Dragon Horse, we had to swim across the river to get to the other side. For sure, several teams had already jumped into the water and started swimming vigorously. It was unknown where those things had been acquired, but well, some teams were busy paddling their boats forward, while some others were
riding on logs, propelling themselves forward by using wind magic. Lee Jihye watched that unfolding spectacle and lightly slapped the boy's shoulder before stepping forward. "Hey, don't worry about it. We aren't going to do that." Along with her confident voice, a new message came from the sky above. [An audience member is revealing himself.] [Constellation, 'Maritime War God', is nodding his head.] …I had completely forgotten about him. "Come, Geobukseon!" [Giant Story, 'Next City', has begun its storytelling!] Lee Jihye raised her Twin Dragon Sword up high into the sky. The river water before us parted in the middle and the hull of a massive battleship rose up to the surface accompanied by a magnificent light show. Several Incarnations getting swept up by the waves screamed out. "What the hell?! What's this??" The battleship sporting a turtle-like back and the head of a dragon – the [Turtle Dragon]. The Star Relic Lee Jihye and the kids earned by clearing the 'Next City' scenario revealed itself before our very eyes. However, I couldn't help but wonder if it was okay for us to ride that. Because in the 'Journey to the West'…
[Star Relic, 'Turtle Dragon', corresponds with the ⸢Journey to the West Remake⸥!] (As the group fell into danger and struggled to move forward, a gigantic white turtle Yogoe appeared to give them a ride.) [A portion of judges are satisfied by the minutely-detailed reflection of the original story.] [20 additional points have been awarded!] …To think that such an event happened in the 'Journey to the West'. What an excellent development that was. We quickly climbed aboard the battleship. "Set sail!" Along with Lee Jihye's loud yell, the battleship rapidly advanced forward while splitting the river water. The teams crossing the water before us all looked at the battleship with dazed, forlorn faces. Although unfortunate, we didn't have the leeway to worry about them at the moment. "Uhm… Unni, please do your best not to harm the Yogoes." "Don't worry." I couldn't tell where she learned to drive, but well, Lee Jihye utilised her preternatural driving skill to evade the horde of Yogoes rushing at us. Not only that, the Yogoes trying to attack us with animosity flinched and stopped after spotting all the other Yogoes riding on our ship. [Who ar e y ou gu ys?]
A portion of the Yogoes that joined the 'Pilgrimage' were hanging on the battleship, while the rest was crossing the river right behind the vessel. Perhaps these creatures interfered with their own journeys, the Sun Wukongs from other Story chambers began wielding their Ruyi Bangs. "Those sons of bitches…!" The enraged Lee Jihye clenched her fists tightly, but it was not possible to save everyone. The deaths of Yogoes were unfolding all over the Tongtian River, after all. [Gu-waaaaahk!] The members of other Story chambers advanced forward while slaughtering Yogoes blocking their paths. Yogoe's flesh and blood rained down from everywhere. [A large number of audience members are cheering on this spectacle of slaughter!] Yogoes continued to die. The monsters that didn't earn their meanings because they failed to create their Stories. They were sacrifices offered up to complete this 'Journey to the West'. The novel, 'Journey to the West'. A lengthy journey for the goal of transcending one's humanity. To let the audience watching the Story reach enlightenment of their own, Yogoes had to be buried under this Tongtian River's waters. "Kill them! Kill them all!"
These protagonists of the 'Journey to the West' supposedly walking on the road of enlightenment used the dead Yogoes as their bridge and tried to cross the Tongtian River. Innumerable Yogoes became their footholds, and those unfortunate protagonists from some Story chambers who got killed off also became another foothold for someone else. Sadly, no one would remember the names of the footholds. [Our st ories are] [I wa nted to con ti nue but] If only they could live. And if only they could become the main characters of this 'Giant Story'… "Myungoh ahjussi, just stay still, will ya! I'm telling you, it's safe here." "Safe, my ass! You think I'll fall for that again?!" [Stigma, 'One-legged Swift Horse Lv.???' is ready to activate.] Whether one's leg was cut off or its arm was lost… That creature would be remembered by this world. [7133rd Story chamber's entire roster has been annihilated.] [487th Story chamber's entire roster has been annihilated.] With every passing second, the number of Story chambers being ejected continued to increase. And as if to proportionally match that figure, the number of Yogoes crashing down also increased exponentially.
[AhAhAhAhAhAh] [SavemSavemSavemeSavemeSaveme] [Currently, shares of 'Outer God' for the applicable scenario is 15.773%.] The 'Outer God' shares that I worked so hard to increase began dropping little by little. Even though so many Yogoes still remained… [Currently, shares of 'Outer God' for the applicable scenario is 14.973%.] And then, the shares began tumbling down at an alarming rate next. [Currently, shares of 'Outer God' for the applicable scenario is 14.473%.] But then again, maybe it was an obvious result. Because they were villains to be defeated in this world, not its main characters. [AhAhAhAhAhAhAh] Perhaps he noticed the direction of my gaze, Yoo Joonghyuk suddenly began talking to me. "…Surely, you fool must've realized this. You can't save everyone." Those words hurt especially more so because they came from Yoo Joonghyuk himself. "Like what you said earlier, it's because this is a 'Story'." His eyes were now looking at the dead Yogoes beneath the surface of the water.
Because this was a Story, not everyone could be saved. I knew exactly what those words meant. "Not everything in this world can become its protagonist." <Episode 82. Outer God, IV