Side Story: Episode 14-3 - Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint

Episode 14. Hunting (3) The moment he heard that name, his heart sank. "Yoosang has heard of Kim Dokja." But how did he know that name? Yoosang from the 41st timeline shouldn't have ever seen or met Kim Dokja. Although he might have met Kim Dokja in the 0th round, Yoosang didn't know of him as 'Kim Dokja,' and he lost all related memories when transitioning to the next timeline. Then how on earth...? "This round, there have been a lot of strange folks from the start." On reflection, Yoosang must have heard that name multiple times from various directions early in this timeline. "I’m sure all these folks were nobodies in the past rounds. Yet, they’ve suddenly started approaching me, spouting strange tales like they're possessed." There must have been readers approaching him, claiming to be Kim Dokja. It's not hard to guess what happened to them. "They said I’d need companions for the 46th Scenario, that they were prophets, and one guy even claimed he’d take me to the end of this world." Initially, Yoosang would have thought they were lunatics, but now, he must see things differently. He had come to know the existence of ‘apostles.’ Perhaps, while he was in the depths of his 'Regressor's Depression,' he might have overheard my fight with Han Sooyoung. Even if he hadn't heard it directly, the apostle's words would have been rather difficult not to overhear. "Is Kim Dokja really in this world?" "I don’t know. But I heard he was on the theater dungeon rooftop." The theater dungeon rooftop—only I, Yoosang, Han Sooyoung, and Jung Heewon had been there. "Could it be you, 'Kim Dokja'?" Seeing Yoosang's serious misunderstanding, I hastily shook my head. "Absolutely not." Yoosang's expression grew more grave. "Then who exactly is Kim Dokja? Why is everybody talking about him?" "That's..." Who is Kim Dokja? It was hard to find an adequate sentence to express it. "Kim Dokja is... just the name of someone who loves stories very much." "Stories?" "Someone who has read a single story for a very long time." "What do you mean? Are you talking about a Constellation?" "So―" As I spoke a sentence, then two, sentences burst to life in my mind like fireworks. "What kind of person is Uncle? Uncle is…." The voice of a girl echoing in my mind. Her golden hair, reminiscent of waves, was dearly missed. "The greatest Constellation in the universe!" Beside her was a boy's mischievously tousled brown hair. "What's this? Don’t ask me hard questions! Talking about this makes me crave squid. Master! Where's the master?" With a faint scent of the sea, my mind grew increasingly confused. "I recently read this expression in a book, 'like a childhood friend you've never met.'" There seemed to be a gentle library scent wafting in. "The world I want to protect." The smell of iron mixed with the scent of blood. "Is it Mr. Dokja you mean? That is... Hmm, did I ever tell you the story of when I lost my bulletproof helmet?" "Mr. Hyunsung, please keep it short!" Familiar jokes scattered. Then the sweet sound of typing, like chocolate gently breaking, drifted in. "The guy who read 3,000 stories for me." These were not sentences I wrote. Then what were these sentences? These sentences, "Foolish boy." These memories, where on earth did they come from? The world grew dizzy as if a blood vessel in my mind had clogged. My erratic heartbeat hurt. I clutched my head as I staggered. "Who is Kim Dokja?" With a pounding headache, sentences erupted like a volcano. "Why is he still reading this story?" When I regained my senses, blue sparks were swirling around me. As I dumbly raised my head, I saw Yoosang. He was shouting something at me. "Do not listen." But his words were inaudible. Instead, what I heard were words spoken from beyond the distances of time. "Be happy." As my mind was covered in blank, white spaces like volcanic ash, I lost consciousness. * A light thunder sounded from the distant sky. Han Sooyoung realized the sparks enveloping her had diminished. 'The backlash from the narrative plausibility has weakened.' Watching the faint traces of narrative plausibility flicker at her fingertips, Han Sooyoung recalled the events on the theater dungeon rooftop a few days ago. She had gone there to end this round; that's where she met Yoosang from the 41st timeline. Yoosang was strong. Not just strong—extraordinarily strong—to an unbelievable degree, especially given this point in the 41st timeline. She fought with all her might and managed to subdue him, employing trickery. Up to that point, everything went according to plan. Even when Jung Heewon appeared and the unknown author from another narrative timeline of ORV emerged, things were still manageable. Such things happened often when writing. Forgotten foreshadowing popping up, characters acting differently than the author intended. Writing always involved tailoring rampaging unconsciousness, making her adept at handling unpredictable situations. After all, she was a professional writer who had completed countless stories. However, the story that came to find her next was a foreshadowing even she could not handle. "Another Kim Dokja she had forgotten was there." A sudden headache struck Han Sooyoung, causing her to stagger as she leaned against the building wall. Beyond the dingy alley, dusk was falling. It was as if a cross-section of Seoul's landscape was revealed between the alleyways. Bodies strewn everywhere. People who died from hunger, those who fled from fights. The familiar stench of blood. It was a story she never wanted to experience again. And yet, here she was, returning to this story. She couldn't do otherwise. Because this story was the one being read by her only reader. "I'm exhausted." She knew that the scenery before her wasn't all there was to the world. The spaces between the lines were always wider than the lines themselves. Hence, precious stories lay in the margins, unfathomable by this alleyway. But right now, she didn't have the energy to read those margins. To her, the world was merely a glimpse of hell from the entrance of an alleyway. "What about you, Kim Dokja?" There was no Kim Dokja to provide an answer. Han Sooyoung, absent-mindedly gazing at the sky, steadied her breathing slowly before standing up. "Ugh..." A horrific pain surged through her entire body. Her Incarnation Body was badly damaged. Understandably so. Considering the amount of narrative plausibility she's squandered on that rooftop, it's a miracle she's still sane. Only the temporarily weakened backlash of narrative plausibility allowed her to move at all now. "Is someone causing trouble elsewhere?" Seeing the distant flashes in the sky, perhaps someone was performing a feat grand enough to seize the focus of the Star Stream. "Lee Gilyoung." She called the name out loud, but received no reply. Han Sooyoung smirked and, holding the outer wall of a nearby building for support, began to walk slowly. She couldn't stay here any longer. She had to move. [The Constellation, 'Lotus in Bloom under Moonlight,' is watching you.] Han Sooyoung paused briefly before proceeding again. [The Constellation, 'Lotus in Bloom under Moonlight,' advises that you should rest now.] "Be quiet." A light spark flickered in the air at her brusqueness. A star was angered with her. "Don't waste narrative plausibility on that, Yoo Sangah. Where’s Gilyoung, and why are you here?" [The Constellation, 'Lotus in Bloom under Moonlight,' states that Gilyoung is currently eating.] Someone was on the verge of death here, yet someone else was managing to have a meal. [The Constellation, 'Lotus in Bloom under Moonlight,' asks if you are okay.] What for? [The Constellation, 'Lotus in Bloom under Moonlight,' says you look pale.] Han Sooyoung let out a small sigh. Yoo Sangah probably hadn't seen the ‘Rooftop Dungeon’ scene. The broadcast channel was closed back then. Han Sooyoung started to say something but then shut her mouth again. If she knew that the 49% of Kim Dokja they had ignored was here now, what kind of expression would Yoo Sangah have? "The world line you went to? Already finished? Recovered the fragments of Kim Dokja?" [The Constellation, 'Lotus in Bloom under Moonlight,' reports that it has been roughly wrapped up.] "Then only here remains. What about Yoosung?" [The Constellation, 'Lotus in Bloom under Moonlight,' says Yoosung is preparing to deploy soon.] "Any others? Have Hyunsung or Heewon crossed over?" [The Constellation, 'Lotus in Bloom under Moonlight,' …….] It was just at that moment that Han Sooyoung turned her head sharply. Reflexively ducking, a dagger flew past and lodged in the spot she had just occupied. The blade was imbued with a dark aura. Han Sooyoung frowned and asked. "Who the hell is it? Show yourself." Then, from both sides of the alley, black figures revealed themselves. They were not human. They exposed their fangs, resembling canines three or four times larger than a standard Shepherd, targeting her. Demon species? No, they were different from ordinary demon species. [Seventh-grade demon species, 'Guardians of Hell,' bare their fangs.] Demon species. Han Sooyoung bit her lip gently. "A demon. But it’s too early for Hell Sorcerers to appear." At that moment, the central hound opened its mouth and spoke. [It's been a while, Han Sooyoung.] The voice sent chills up Han Sooyoung’s spine. It was heavily noisified, yet the manner of speech was definitely familiar to her from somewhere. "You know my name?" [Hmm, who in this universe wouldn't know of you?] Han Sooyoung swiftly drew the 'Unyielding Conviction.' "I don't know who the hell you are." The dazzling, white blade of light ignited. She stepped on the alley wall and swiftly slashed the throat of the demon hound in front of her. "I'll end this quickly." No matter how strong the demon species, no ‘seventh-grade monster’ of this scenario should stand against Han Sooyoung now. At least, that should be the case. With a light spark, the severed neck of the demon hound reattached itself. Han Sooyoung didn’t miss the emergence of an unprecedented Narrative Fable. "A foreign divinity?" The hounds gazed up at the sky and let out a long howl simultaneously. The sky above turned pitch-black, the surrounding lights flickering off as darkness rolled in. With a growl, something in the dark bit her calf and then her arm and waist. Han Sooyoung, maintaining composure, thought as she blew off the heads of each demon species. "Who on earth?" Commanding demon species and knowing her name, a foreign divinity. Could such an existence be in this '41st round'? "A Great Fable has to be used." If she drew more from the Fables here, she'd face the backlash yet again, but there was no other way now. Facing a foreign divinity, she had to pay the commensurate price. [Are you planning to use a Great Fable?] As if reading her thoughts, an unsettling laughter rang out. Without replying, Han Sooyoung summoned the Fable. [Great Fable, 'Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint,' starts the story.] Yet in that moment, as her vision suddenly sparked, the Fable was interrupted. Cough, splattering blood, the regurgitated Fables mingled in her breath. Once again, the disquieting voice was heard. [Unfortunately, you won't be able to use that ability here.] Reflexively swinging 'Unyielding Conviction,' the blow deflected off something. That shouldn’t have been possible. Why was the Fable's activation halted? A laugh echoed again in the pitch-black darkness. A strange premonition stirred within Han Sooyoung. She knew the owner of this laugh. [Did you forget?] "You—" [Within the impressive Fables of <Kim Dokja’s Company>, my share is also there.] An ominous magical aura flowed forth, intertwined with a Fable, one that she recognized well, quivering within it. 『Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint』. **Translation Notes:** - The Constellation "달빛 아래에 핀 연꽃" is translated as "Lotus in Bloom under Moonlight." - The term "지옥의 파수꾼" is translated as "Guardians of Hell" to accurately reflect their role and connection to demonic imagery. - "지옥술사" is translated as "Hell Sorcerer," flowing with the naming convention of demon-affiliated classes or species. - The term "신격" translated as "foreign divinity," denotes a type of divine being from another realm, indicating an entity with divine power not native to their current dimension. ...How? The hounds surrounding her howled, as if welcoming her back to this hell once more. [You are no longer the 'author' of this story.] In the instant darkness closed in, a hand composed entirely of Fable appeared. With no time to escape, the hand clasped tightly around her neck. As the light of 'Unyielding Conviction' faded, Han Sooyoung's shadow stretched long across the alley wall, suspended in mid-air. As if pinning down the thrashing shadow, a voice concluded with a period to the story: [Please perish here, Han Sooyoung.]