Side Story: Episode 18-2 - Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint

Episode 18. Father (2) What does it mean to become a 'character' in a story? Even in the world of "Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint," there were those who suddenly found themselves becoming 'characters.' Take, for instance, the Prophet Seongguk Lee and Minseob Jeong. They were individuals who, like Kim Dokja, originated from 'outside the novel,' but over time, they became 'characters.' The moment these two turned into 'characters' was just after the scenario unfolded beyond the novel they were familiar with. Thus, they became 'characters' the moment they passed the section they had 'exited.' Then, what about Hyunwoo Ye? Unlike Seongguk Lee and Minseob Jeong, Hyunwoo Ye was a reader who had completed "ORV" as many as fifty times. Yet, even for him, 'characterization' occurred. What exactly is the mechanism of 'characterization'? I first checked Hyunwoo Ye's 'Character Information.' + <Character Information> Name: Hyunwoo Ye (???) Age: 17 years old Sponsor: None (Currently, 7 Constellations are showing interest). Exclusive Attributes: Leader of the Silver Screen (Hero), Shooting Expert (Rare), Pioneer (Rare), ■■■ ■■ (???) Exclusive Skills: [Weapon Refining Lv.4], [Mental Barrier Lv.5], [Leadership Lv.3]. [Magic Sharing Lv.5], [Deception Insight Lv.4]···. Stigma: None Overall Stats: [Stamina Lv.35], [Strength Lv.30], [Agility Lv.28], [Magic Lv.40] Overall Evaluation: As an Incarnation showing remarkable growth from the beginning, he is drawing considerable attention from many Constellations. The subtle aura emanating from him has caused discomfort among some. + Aside from the three question marks next to his name and some filtered attributes, it was an information panel identical to those of other characters. The question marks next to the name are likely Hyunwoo Ye's real name, and the filtered attributes probably pertain to his 'reader' traits. Looking at his overall stats and skill levels revealed just how diligently Hyunwoo Ye had progressed. I felt genuinely delighted by this fact, though I couldn't entirely suppress a slight unease. Why, of all times, did Hyunwoo Ye become a 'character' now? No matter how much I pondered, I couldn't understand. Come to think of it, in "ORV," the exact mechanism behind 'characterization' remained unexplained. Even Gilyoung Lee and Sangah Yoo, individuals from 'outside the novel,' started collecting information on the 'Character Information Panel' much later than Seongguk Lee or Minseob Jeong. Silently taking a deep breath, I called out to Hyunwoo Ye without giving away my emotions. "Hyunwoo." "Yes?" "Do you remember the content of 'ORV' well?" Hyunwoo Ye, who was staring at me intently, lowered his voice and asked. "You mean 'the Revelation'?" "Ah, yes." Come to think of it, Apostles referred to "ORV" in that way. "Of course, I remember. Considering how many times I've read it, you know that." My heart raced unbeknownst to me. "Inho? You don't look so good..." "You remember our goal, right?" "Our goal? To see the end of this world." "And?" "And..." Why did I ask that? I don't know either. I simply wanted to confirm. That even though he became a 'character,' he was still the Hyunwoo Ye I remembered. That he remembered the story we shared and understood that this world was a novel. I simply wanted to confirm it. But. "To be happy?" I was momentarily dazed. 「Whatever it is, this time, tell a happy story of yours.」 Suddenly, Kim Dokja's words came to mind. Hyunwoo Ye was smiling awkwardly. "Why are you suddenly asking that... Inho, are you okay?" “...” "Inho." "Ah, yes." Hyunwoo Ye reached out and grasped my shoulder. "You seem a bit off. You might have a fever, and you're breaking out in a cold sweat. Let's go to the tent and talk." I was nearly dragged by Hyunwoo Ye into the tent and seated on a chair provided there. "Drink this." As I sipped the warm leaf tea Hyunwoo Ye handed me, I felt a slight calming of my breathing. But leaf tea in this era... "How did you get this?" "I charmed some Constellations." The smile on Hyunwoo Ye's face bore a resemblance to the Kim Dokja I remembered. Was it because Hyunwoo Ye, too, was a fragment of Kim Dokja? 「What happened to the other fragments of Kim Dokja?」 I decided to get straight to the point. "I'd like a brief on the current situation." The reason I came to Gwanghwamun was because of Hyunwoo Ye's message. 'Failed to secure the Carnage Sword.' Considering the climax of the fourth scenario, securing the 'Carnage Sword' was essential. What could have happened that prevented obtaining the 'Carnage Sword'? "I should probably update you on the situation in Chungmuro since you left." I nodded in agreement, and Hyunwoo Ye briefly recounted the events of the past few days. Soon after I left, the Chungmuro group began expanding its influence. Since the flag battle had also begun, there was no reason to delay. They cleared some minor sub-scenarios and seized flags from other stations. "During the course, Seona noona and Kyungsik put in a lot of help." Koo Seona and Kim Kyungsik. Incarnations who each read "ORV" eight and six times. The prowess of the Chungmuro group was palpable. Considering the combination of Gong Pil-du and Hyunwoo Ye, Chungmuro was practically the strongest group in terms of combat power at that point. "What about Killer King and your younger sibling?" "Those two left the station shortly after you did, Inho." Well, Killer King would wander only with his brother, like Yoo Joonghyuk. Yoo Joonghyuk should be traveling with Yu Mia about now. "Afterward, a war erupted with surrounding stations, and thanks to the 'Singijeon' you provided, we came out on top." The A-grade replica 'Singijeon.' It was satisfying to see it being put to good use. "Everything went smoothly, until we encountered the 'Allied' forces at Gwanghwamun Station." "Allies?" "Yes. The forces led by the Tyrant King awaited us." The Tyrant King of Dobong-gu. He was among the powerful kings in 'ORV.' “No matter how fearsome the Tyrant King may be, dealing with Pil-du Gong and Hyunwoo together seems unlikely,” I said. Individually, Pil-du Gong or Hyunwoo Ye might struggle, but together, they form a combination whose synergy more than doubles. If Pil-du Gong’s [Armed Zone] synchronized with Hyunwoo Ye’s [Magic Sharing], they would be formidable opponents, likely insurmountable in the early scenarios, save for someone like Yoo Joonghyuk. “I thought the same and let my guard down...” Hyunwoo admitted, sighing. To cut to the chase, Hyunwoo Ye and Pil-du Gong didn’t even have a proper fight against the Tyrant King’s forces. “Splitting the troops was a mistake. Part of our main force was ambushed inside the Palace Museum.” “So that means the Palace Museum is currently…?” Before entering the tent, I had seen the Palace Museum, completely collapsed as if it had been bombed. “Yes, precisely. A blast from within caused the entire structure to cave in, making any entrance impossible.” Blasting through the building debris with Pil-du Gong’s turrets to enter was an option, but it could have endangered those inside. Hyunwoo had likely called me here because of such a predicament. “The fact that they laid a trap in the Palace Museum means the enemy knows about the ‘Carnage Sword,’” I remarked. “Yes, they seem to have someone with knowledge of the Revelation information.” Whether it’s a reader or the Misread Alliance, it remains unclear. I had a rough understanding of the situation now. “Who went inside?” “Noona Seona and Kyungsik ahjussi (uncle)...” “Not even Kyungsik ahjussi managed to get out?” The reader Kim Kyungsik possessed the [Smoke Man] skill. It allowed him to turn his body into a gaseous form using smoke from his pipe. If even someone as skilled as Kim Kyungsik had an unknown fate, something serious must have happened inside the building. “We’re at our wits’ end because of it. We initially agreed that in case of an emergency, Kyungsik ahjussi would escape alone to inform us, but communication has completely ceased…” “Was there anyone else inside?” “There were a few other group members, but their stats aren’t particularly high. And…” Hyunwoo hesitated before adding the last bit. “Dansoo ahjussi also went in.” “Dansoo ahjussi?” I asked in surprise. Dansoo ahjussi had followed Jihye Lee and Namwoon Kim to Myeongdong Station. “I saw him leave with Jihye as well, but last night he came alone here.” For a moment, even without being told, I had a sense of what had transpired. If he abandoned his post and returned, there could only be one reason. “He said Ji-yoon is inside that museum.” * After making minimal preparations, I stood at the entrance of the collapsed National Palace Museum. “Inho, are you really okay going in alone?” “I have to go in alone anyway.” Previously, I would have entered with an escort. But now, taking an escort wasn’t feasible. To penetrate that derelict structure, I had to use a special item I possessed. ‘Transform with the Celestial Transformation Stealth Suit.’ Upon giving the command with [Charisma], 'Conviction' shifted into a semi-transparent garment covering my body. One of the functions of the ‘Celestial Transformation Stealth Suit’ was ‘Appearance Change.’ This item allows its wearer to assume a desired appearance. [The effect of the ‘Celestial Transformation Stealth Suit’ has been activated!] Squeeze― My body shrank rapidly, as if using miniaturization, reducing to a mere one-hand span in size. [The size-change limit of the ‘Celestial Transformation Stealth Suit’ has been reached.] [Further shrinking is not possible.] Hyunwoo gasped as he witnessed the abrupt transformation. [A Constellation who has yet to reveal its suffix is intrigued by your use of an item.] Obtaining the ‘Celestial Transformation Stealth Suit’ after the confrontation with Kim Dokja’s Representative was a stroke of luck. The objective was to enter through the rubble and infiltrate the museum's dungeon. Just as I was about to step into the gap amidst the collapsed building materials, Hyunwoo called out to me. “Inho.” I glanced back to see Hyunwoo watching me with a complex expression. Somehow, it felt like I knew what he was going to ask. “Inho, you aren’t a ‘reader,’ are you?” He likely had a rough idea of who I was by then. For this moment, I didn’t lie. Whatever meaning he attached to the term ‘reader,’ it didn’t matter. “No, I am not.” “Please come back safely.” I nodded and quickly entered the deserted building. As I swiftly traversed through an opening amidst the debris, I soon arrived at a crumbled marble lobby. I scanned the bodies of people strewn amidst the ruins. Though some familiar faces appeared, there were none belonging to Dansoo ahjussi or the readers. I raised my head and looked ahead. The lobby leading to the dungeon. [A new Hidden Scenario has arrived!] What I sought lay further within. --- **Terms Translated:** - **Tyrant King(폭군왕)** - This title is retained as "Tyrant King" to reflect his authoritative and despotic nature, aligning with his role in the story. - **Palace Museum (고궁 박물관)** - Translated to reflect the cultural and historical context rather than a direct name translation. - **Dansoo(단수)** - Character name retained, context indicates a figure known personally to the characters, underlining his significance. - **Ji-yoon(지윤)** - Character name retained, hinting at someone related or of personal importance. - **Celestial Transformation Stealth Suit (천변만화 잠행복)** - Translates as "Celestial Transformation Stealth Suit" to maintain its mythical qualities and its function of transformation. - **Charisma(선동)** - Used to represent the persuasive power utilized in commanding transformation. - **Conviction(상념)** - Represents a spiritual or mental state transformed into clothing. - **Smoke Man(연기 인간)** - Skill reflecting a transformation into smoke, which captures its functionality literally and metaphorically. **Additional Context:** - The narrative revolves around the characters' navigation of alternate realities as they traverse scenarios akin to a game or fantasy novel. - Items like the ‘Celestial Transformation Stealth Suit’ denote magical artifacts that fundamentally alter physical attributes, critical in scenario challenges. - **Kim Kyungsik’s [Smoke Man]** skill places emphasis on stealth and escape, suggesting a character skilled in evasion. - The interpersonal dynamics with characters such as Dansoo and the concern for Ji-yoon implies personal stakes amidst the broader narrative challenges. - The hidden scenario signifies an ongoing narrative unraveling, possibly linked to plot twists or advanced challenges the characters must face.