Metatron surveyed the desolate, ruined conference hall. Demon Kings and Archangels, weapons still clutched, lay scattered on the floor.

The Fable of Good and Evil was dissolving.

The effects of the Chaos Points, having surpassed the critical threshold, were now encroaching on the grey sphere.

One of the still-conscious Angels extended a hand towards him.

[Scribe…]

Along with a guttural ‘Peo-geo-geok!’, Michael’s heel crushed the Angel’s skull, turning it to pulp. He kicked the corpse aside, then pulled out an Archangel, the size of a small child, hidden within its robe.

The unconscious Archangel dangled in Michael’s hand, suspended in mid-air.

[Should I kill Raphael as well? It’s a waste to let her go like this…]

[If that’s what you desire. It doesn’t matter if you spare her. The Chaos Points are already maxed out.]

[Well, in that case, what about that Demon King?]

Metatron shifted his gaze to the corner of the sphere, where a fierce battle raged. Agares, his body heavily wounded, stood there.

Asmodeus and other ‘Seekers of the End’ unleashed coordinated attacks, but Demon King Agares showed no sign of faltering. Fables streamed from his body, his two eyes burning with resentment like a malevolent phantom.

Amidst the deadly onslaught, the Demon King continued to smoke. Not just one, but several cigarettes.

[Stigma, ‘One Ciggie for Prodigious Strength Lv.???’, is activated.]

[Stigma, ‘One Ciggie for Agility Lv.???’, is activated.]

[Stigma, ‘One Ciggie for Magic Power Lv.???’, is activated.]

That was Agares’s Stigma, [Universal Cigarette], in action. A specialty honed over a lifetime of smoking, a unique Stigma for the Demon King, capable of overclocking his Incarnation Body’s abilities.

Even under the combined assault of five, six Demon Kings, Agares remained standing, prompting Asmodeus to remark in awe. [As expected, the reputation of the ‘Ruler of East Hell’ is well-deserved. But how long can you hold on like this?]

Agares didn’t reply, simply pulling out and lighting another cigarette.

Metatron and Michael crossed the now-dead battlefield and approached the Demon King.

Agares spoke. [Metatron, reconsider your approach. You cannot protect ‘Good and Evil’ in this manner. What meaning is there in being remembered after all have perished?]

[As long as it is remembered, it will revive in the future.]

[Revive? Like your accursed Corrupted Angel?]

Michael frowned deeply.

[Demon King, ‘King of Corrupted Angels’, is unleashing its Status!]

Michael’s Status surged forth, like a tempest, causing Agares to recoil, losing more of his Fables. Yet, the Demon King’s gaze remained fixed on Metatron.

[What is the point of persevering like this? We are not ‘Metatron’ or ‘Agares’ anymore, but merely the ‘Scribe of Heaven’ and the ‘Ruler of East Hell’.]

[That is precisely what we are, oh, ‘Ruler of East Hell’.]

An eternal Fable now flowed behind Metatron’s back – Fables he had read, lived, and believed in.

[The Most Ancient Good smiles widely.]

This was the ‘Scribe of Heaven’, the recorder of the world’s ‘Good’, the judge of what is ‘Good’, and the standard by which it would be measured.

Gazing at his oldest rival, Agares too sensed the Fable flowing beside him.

[The Most Ancient Evil tilts its head.]

This was the immeasurable history of ‘Evil’ he had pursued – a history of resisting ‘Good’, being eliminated by it, and punished for it.

At that moment, Agares felt the thousands of years of his life condense into a single comma.

This ‘flow’ would not cease as long as the ‘Ruler of East Hell’ lived, and the ‘Scribe of Heaven’ persisted. As long as they fought, their wars repeating endlessly.

Even if Metatron and Agares were slain, another would become the ‘Scribe of Heaven’ and ‘Ruler of East Hell’.

[If this is ‘Good and Evil’, then…]

Agares spat on the floor, a bitter grin spreading across his face.

[…I shall abandon ‘Evil’.]

A cigarette flew from Agares’s fingers, spinning in the air, thick smoke billowing forth.

Asmodeus cried out urgently. [Stop him!]

The swirling smoke enveloped Agares’s entire body.

[Stigma, ‘One Ciggie for Cowardice Lv.???’, is activating!]

Grey, murky smoke exploded as attacks rained down.

The smoke dissipated, leaving only a single cigarette on the spot. The ‘Seekers of the End’ could only withdraw their weapons in frustration.

Metatron looked at the discarded cigarette on the floor, thick smoke rising from its tip.

His enemy was gone, and only ‘Good’ remained. Was this loneliness, or a kind of freedom? Metatron couldn’t tell.

Someone crushed the dying ember.

[The Most Ancient Evil closely observes the new ‘Evil’.]

He looked up to see Asmodeus grinning smugly. [What a waste. I was hoping to seize Agares’s ‘Wall’, you see.]

Metatron looked at the Demon King and replied. [You will soon possess it.]

Whatever the case, the intended purpose was now fulfilled.

[Current Chaos Points: 100]

The Chaos Points were maxed out, and the Apocalypse Dragon entered its revival sequence. The apocalypse was imminent.

[Conference hall is disintegrating.]

The grey sphere surrounding the conference hall crumbled, the corpses of the Archangels falling to the ground.

Asmodeus, enjoying the spectacle, asked. [By the way, will this really be alright?]

Metatron remained silent. The time for debate had passed. He watched the angels fall, offering a concise response.

[Everything is according to the will of ‘Good’. In order to reach the most ideal ■■…]

‘■■.’

The deepest desire of all Constellations, the end of a star’s story.

Asmodeus spoke. [■■… It seems that all Constellations seeking it end up becoming quite similar. You truly resemble someone I know. Though your dispositions are completely opposite.]

Before Metatron could ask who, he heard the Dragon’s Howl rending the sky.

Guwaaaaahh-!!

Thousands of Dragons soared through the skies, engaging in a bloody war. Explosions echoed endlessly. Dragons and their shattered wings plummeted to earth.

This was not the spectacle Metatron had anticipated.

….The Apocalypse Dragon hasn’t revived yet?

[What are you surprised about? We aren’t the only ones pursuing ■■, after all.]

Asmodeus stared back at a figure on the ground, grinning.

*

[Constellation, ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’, roars!]

The Black Flame Dragon, a formidable force, descended like a meteor, tearing through dozens of Dragons, announcing its presence with its mighty Status.

As expected of one of the strongest Constellations in the ‘Ways of Survival’.

Han Su-Yeong, bandages fluttering, cheered as her sponsor raged. “I’m proud of you for the first time ever, Black Flame Dragon!! Kill them all!!”

“Be strong, Chimera Dragon!”

Shin Yu-Seung clasped her hands, eyes fixed on the sky.

[Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’s presence intensifies!]

[Chimera Dragon’s presence intensifies!]

Each victory for Black Flame Dragon and Chimera Dragon boosted their statuses. Witnessing their spirited battle, my heart pounded.

After observing the Dragons, I signaled Yu Jung-Hyeok.

“Understood.”

He responded, and along with our companions, prepared to contact the Nebulas nearby before the Apocalypse Dragon’s arrival.

I had my own task. I observed the Dragons and realized…

This wouldn’t be the first time the Apocalypse Dragon had revived. The previous ‘Apocalypse Dragon’ was likely among the Dragons above.

[Several Dragon Kings sense your presence.]

“Damn it.”

Kuwaaaaaah!!

I activated [Lightning Transformation] to defend against Dragon Breath. Several Dragon Kings glared, then flew away, as if seeing something strange.

….What was that about? I’m not even a Dragon.

Then, a message.

[You are eligible to enter the ‘Dragon’s Festival’.]

….What?!

[Will you enter the ‘Dragon’s Festival’? ]

My mind went blank. I’m a Constellation, not a Dragon…

“Why aren’t you participating?”

….When did this person get so close?

I raised my guard and faced the voice.

A strikingly beautiful humanoid, gender indeterminate, stood there. Bright red hair; no powerful Status, but an undeniable mystical aura.

….A Reincarnator?

Possibly. This island harbored powerful beings, like Yu Ho-Seung, the ‘One Invincible Fist’.

“I asked why you haven’t participated.”

“I don’t understand, but I lack the qualifications.”

“Why not? Don’t you possess a Dragon’s heart?”

Only then did I realize…

[Fable fragment, ‘A Young Gold Dragon’s Broken Heart’, stirs!]

My heart… belonged to a Gold Dragon, a fragment from the ‘Story Horizon’.

[Fable fragment, ‘A Young Gold Dragon’s Broken Heart’, desires to participate in the Dragon’s Festival.]

My heart pounded…

The Reincarnator asked, “If you’re truly a Dragon, you should be enraged by this.”

“….What kind of situation is this?”

“A situation where noble Dragons are used as material for a scenario.”

My heart calmed.

The Reincarnator continued, “Good and Evil, communication, Samsara… within the great themes of the , Dragons have been exploited. If you’re truly a Dragon, enter the Festival. Become the Final Dragon, bring Revelation, contribute to the world’s annihilation, and witness the end of scenarios that stole your identity, your existence.”

I studied the Reincarnator.

Good and Evil, communication, Samsara… a long-lived Reincarnator could experience these themes.

I pondered, “Not every scenario’s story is connected by misfortune. Some things are discovered because scenarios exist. You might not know it on the Isle of Reincarnators, but scenarios are changing.”

I hated myself for saying it, but it was true.

I saw Yu Jung-Hyeok and my allies rendezvousing with other Constellations.

The Reincarnator watched, “Changing? How did scenarios change? Can Dragons or monsters become Fable protagonists now?”

“There are such Fables.”

“But they must be unpopular.”

“Some are popular, even from the past. Have you heard of ⸢The Song of the Nibelungs⸥, or ⸢The Legend of Saint George⸥?”

“Dragons were never protagonists.”

Several Dragons crashed, falling to earth.

The Reincarnator continued, “Dragons were always hunted. Seen as the source of evil, pathetic villains kidnapping princesses or hoarding gold. Funny, isn’t it? Why would a Dragon want gold or other species’ females?”

“There are scenarios where Dragons come to the human world for fun.”

“Dragons ‘morphing into beautiful humans’… are they truly Dragons?”

I couldn’t reply.

The Reincarnator, “Tens of thousands of years ago, Dragons were exploited the same way. No scenario treated a Dragon as a Dragon. They were exploited, restricted, targets of subjugation. Probably nothing’s changed.”

My breathing grew labored. The air shifted.

The Abyssal Black Flame Dragon, roaring, flew towards me. A Fable-grade Constellation’s Status was binding me.

I stared at the Black Flame Dragon, “I’ll change it.”

“You will? How?”

“I’ll ensure Dragons never suffer this fate again.”

[Constellation, ‘Secretive Plotter’, observes you.]

Star gazes gathered.

[Many Constellations are reacting to your presence!]

The Reincarnator, emotionless, “Interesting.”

Its appearance changed. ‘Morph,’ a Dragon’s magic.

“Tens of thousands of years ago, a Dokkaebi offered me the same. Create a world where Dragons rule the scenario.”

Everything darkened. My senses rebelled. Fables poured from my nostrils.

Shin Yu-Seung collapsed, Han Su-Yeong bleeding.

Even through the tinnitus, her message reached me.

– Kim, Dok-Ja, what the hell is this…

My hands and feet trembled. I fell, trying to raise my head.

What kind of ‘Status’ is this?

[Constellation, ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’, urges you to flee!]

[Constellation, ‘Queen of the Darkest Spring’, looks at you urgently!]

[Constellation, ‘Father of the Rich Night’,…]

The boundless Dragon Voice echoed.

[The Dokkaebi who deceived me then is now the ⸢Dokkaebi King⸥.]

The sun vanished. Shadow consumed the world.

The End-Time Dragon, the Final Dragon of Revelation, unfurled its wings of Calamity.

Fin.