Side Story: Episode 18-3 - Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint

Episode 18. Father (3) + <Hidden Scenario - Relic of Trial> Category: Hidden Difficulty: F~A+ Clear Condition: Clear the 'Relic Dungeon' suitable for the appropriate number of people. Time Limit: None Reward: 500~5,000 coins Failure: Death + [Select the type of dungeon to enter.] + * Solo Dungeon - Section of Nagak(螺角) * 3-person Dungeon - Section of Chimgudongin(鍼灸銅人) * 5-person Dungeon - Section of Donguibogam(東醫寶鑑) * 7-person Dungeon - Section of Yongjoon(龍樽) + In the main storyline of Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, the party, including Kim Dokja, arrived here and chose the '3-person Dungeon', 'Section of Chimgudongin'. Since I was alone, there was no other choice for me. "I choose the Solo Dungeon, Section of Nagak." [Entering Solo Dungeon.] I had almost no information on the Section of Nagak. I checked skills like the Ways of Survival and the notes I had used, but nothing came to mind immediately. There was no choice but to experience it firsthand this time. [You have entered the Solo Dungeon as the fifth person.] Upon entry, I deactivated the 'Thousand Transformations Camouflage'. There was no need to hide my appearance any longer. The 'Section of Nagak' resembled an enormous man-made terrarium. With puddles reaching up to my shins and rocky patches rising intermittently. Small crabs, about a meter tall, crawled around the rocky patches. Those must be the 'Nagak'. [If you eliminate more than a hundred 'Nagak', you will earn the right to exit the dungeon.] [For every 100 Nagak hunted, you will receive 2 Sangpyeong Tongbo(상평통보) as the basic reward.] Sangpyeong Tongbo. To enter the 'Section of Big Dipper', where the Sword of Four Heroes lies dormant, 10 Sangpyeong Tongbo must be collected. In other words, at least 500 Nagaks need to be hunted. As I moved slowly, the Nagaks, sensing my presence, turned their antennae toward me in unison. [Rank 8 Ancestral Sea Creature, 'Small Nagak', has noticed your presence!] I was still unaware of their attack patterns. However, I knew what 'Nagak' was. It was a brass musical instrument made from a conch shell. If my guess was right, their attack style would be― ['Nagak Symphony' commences.] There was a sense of air boiling up along with a deep humming sound. Instinctively, I scanned my surroundings and dashed twenty steps to the left. And moments later. A reverberating sound, like a herd of bison roaring in unison, poured forth. The ground where I had been standing was pulverized with a rumbling sound. Sonic attack. As expected, it was an assault using soundwaves. Fortunately, the symphony did not continue in succession. As if drawing a new breath to produce sound, the Nagaks momentarily halted their cries. Seizing this opportunity of silence, I launched my assault. Approaching swiftly and pulling out the 'Broken Conviction', the startled crab extended its small claw in a futile attempt at defense. [Activating 'Blade of Conviction'!] But a mere shell from an 8th rank sea creature was no match for an ether blade. As the severed Nagak wheezed and groaned, I plunged the blade into its exposed gap. [You have hunted 1 'Nagak'.] Once I mastered the hunting method, everything proceeded seamlessly from there. Evading the periodic 'Nagak Symphony', I navigated between the conch shells with ease. With each swing of the 'Blade of Conviction', another Nagak perished. [You have hunted 23 'Nagak'.] [You have hunted 24 'Nagak'.] Whenever I felt my mana running low, I used the 'Intermediate Mana Recovery Potion' I had purchased earlier from the 'Dokkaebi Bundle'. [You have hunted 152 'Nagak'.] [You have hunted 153 'Nagak'.] I remained vigilant, frequently checking for other incarnations nearby. Occasionally, I spotted equipment or clothing they had dropped, but no living individuals were found. Certainly, for a solo dungeon, the difficulty was quite challenging. For most incarnations, eliminating hundreds of Nagaks to earn Sangpyeong Tongbo would not be an easy task. [The Constellation, 'Demon-Like Judge of Fire', rejoices in your growth.] [The Constellation, 'Maritime War God', boasts that he himself once hunted a fair share of Nagaks in his youth.] [The Constellation, 'Bald Volunteer General', comments about having heard that Nagak meat is good for hair loss and vitality enhancement.] [The Constellation, 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband', questions if this is true.] Messages from Constellations resonated in my mind. Ever since defending against the ark at Seoul Station, the number of Constellations staying fixed on my channel has increased noticeably. Of course, not all of them were cheering for me... [The Constellation, 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon', grumbles about the lack of danger, finding it dull.] Anyhow, when the count of hunted Nagaks surpassed four hundred, [A previously undisclosed Constellation warns that the dungeon is no simple task.] With a strange foreboding message, the entire terrarium began to subtly vibrate. [The count of massacred 'Nagaks' in the 'Section of Nagak' has exceeded 400!] [Someone is fiercely enraged by the death of the 'Nagaks'!] [A higher-ranked sea creature emerges!] In the massive central pool of the Section of Nagak, something began to rise. A gigantic conch shell, apparently the size of a small house. [A Rank 6 Oceanic Sea Creature, 'Ancient Nagak', has awoken!] Not just Rank 7, but suddenly a Rank 6? At this point, even Jung Heewon with her 'Judgement of Time' ability would struggle to face a Rank 6 sea creature. And it's a large-sized one to boot. The hairs on my forearms stood on end with the palpable threat. Should I run? [A Penalty for emergence of a higher-ranked sea creature activates!] [For the next 10 minutes, escape from this dungeon is impossible.] Escape is impossible for the next 10 minutes. In other words, if I can withstand it for just 10 minutes, an escape would be possible. [A select few Constellations are pleased, thinking things have now gotten a bit more interesting.] --- References: - 천변만화 잠행복 (Thousand Transformations Camouflage): A technique or skill allowing for disguise and stealth, translated as is due to its poetic nature. - 사인참사검 (Sword of Four Heroes): A weapon located in the 'Section of Big Dipper', translated with context from previous narrative elements, indicating its mythical importance. - 상평통보 (Sangpyeong Tongbo): Historical Korean currency, kept in transliteration to emphasize its cultural significance and maintained consistency from previous contexts. - 나각 (Nagak): Both the name of the creature and the instrument, utilized due to the significance in cultural context and immediate clarity it provides to readers familiar with Korean cultural motifs. Context: - This passage describes a dungeon scenario where the protagonist must face and vanquish multiple creatures known as Nagak in a solo setting. It involves references to Korean cultural elements and mythologies, deities, and historical references connmented through Kim Dokja's adventure narrative. - There is a blend of serious tones with light-hearted Constellation comments, emphasizing the diverse set of opinions and the omnipresent impacts of the Constellations on the protagonist's journey. The ancient Nagak twisted its hefty body, its antennae twitching towards me. [Rank 6 Oceanic Sea Creature, 'Ancient Nagak', has noticed your presence.] I swallowed lightly and contemplated. “How far can I fight with my current abilities?” Thinking about it, I wasn’t that weak. By the time the fourth scenario concluded, I had already achieved my first Narrative Grade and elevated my overall abilities to the limits imposed by the scenario. Even though I didn’t possess the 'Unbreakable Conviction', the 'Broken Conviction' could regenerate infinitely with 'Contemplation'. Moreover, I could utilize [White Azure Gang Qi], and the external suit obtained from the theater dungeon was still intact. [The Constellation, 'Bald Volunteer General', states that 'Ancient Nagak' meat is gaining recognition as a hair loss prevention food.] [The Constellation, 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband', asks if that's for real.] [The Constellation, 'Bald Volunteer General', swears on his remaining hair that it's true.] [The Constellation, 'Maritime War God', mentions that the Bald Volunteer General has never tried Nagak meat.] …… [A new Bounty Scenario has arrived!] + <Bounty Scenario ― Precious Hair> Category: Sub Difficulty: B+ Clear Condition: Hunt the 'Ancient Nagak' and dedicate 'Ancient Nagak Meat' to the 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband'. Time Limit: 1 hour Reward: 2,000 coins, ??? Failure: ― + I stared blankly at the newly appeared scenario window before suddenly snapping out of it. It was a rare opportunity. A 'Bounty Scenario' directly issued by the Great Sage Heaven's Equal. If Kim Dokja were here, he wouldn't have missed this chance. Taking a deep breath, I firmly gripped the 'Broken Conviction'. Let's give it a try. I already know the method to attack the Nagak― Without giving it more time, I charged towards the 'Ancient Nagak'. I planned to unleash the 'Blade of Conviction' at max output and slice through its shell in one swift move. However. Crash! Surprisingly, the shell of the Rank 6 sea creature deflected the 'Blade of Conviction'. Its shell was robust enough to repel an ether blade. As I took a few steps back in astonishment, I heard an ominous rumbling. Woooom. The 'symphony' of the Ancient Nagak was about to begin. Quickly retreating, I sought an area out of reach of the sound waves. Cold sweat trickled down my back. I instinctively sensed it. The 'symphony' of this 'Ancient Nagak' had a different scope of attack. The claw of the Ancient Nagak waved mockingly at me. Koooouuu! A massive circular sound wave was emitted, centered around the Ancient Nagak. I instinctively turned my back and fled. I needed to run as far as possible, beyond the reach of those sound waves. Thud-thud-thud! But the sound traveled faster than my steps. Even after retreating to a spot where the sound wave weakened, the moment of impact felt like a concussion. My stomach churned with nausea as if I would vomit. The swaying figure of the Ancient Nagak seemed to double in my vision. [Exclusive Skill, 'Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World', activates!] Once again, the skill activated just in time. “A way to easily hunt the Ancient Nagak.” The phrase from Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World unfurled. It was undoubtedly Yoo Joonghyuk's voice. “Even if you block your ears, you can’t avoid its symphony attack.” I already knew that. I had blocked my ears just now. “The strategy is simple.” As expected, our regressor protagonist seemed to know the strategy against the 'Ancient Nagak.' “Just before it opens its mouth for the symphony.” Just before opening its mouth? “If you dash at a speed faster than sound and slash it in two with a sky-breaking technique.” Did I hear wrong? I frantically rolled on the ground to avoid the Nagak Symphony. “There's an easier method too.” Thankfully, Yoo Joonghyuk's explanation wasn't over. “Using the supreme technique [Sky Breaking Fist], you can pound its shell. No matter how tough the shell, it can't withstand the impact of gravitational force.” Yoo Joonghyuk's smug smile vividly appeared in my mind. “It’s a simple beginner's strategy that anyone can employ.” Now I understood why Kim Dokja took every chance to slap Yoo Joonghyuk's head. By the time I regained my senses, I found myself surrounded by small Nagaks. There was no visible escape route from the next attack. From afar, the second 'symphony' of the Ancient Nagak was beginning. What should I do? Should I use the 'Shield of Hercules'? Could [Area Defense] possibly block the sonic attack? Or― “Over here.” Was it a hallucination? I heard a human voice from somewhere. Turning my head, I saw a small hand waving from between the Nagak shells a few steps away. The owner of the hand grunted as they lifted the Nagak’s shell and peeked out through a small gap. “Here. Come in here.” The moment I saw the child's face, it felt as if my heart stopped. Why was this child here? In my mind, Yoo Joonghyuk's voice echoed. “Of course, I would never dirty my hands hunting something like a Nagak.” The horn of the Ancient Nagak blared in the distance, and the scruffy-haired child's locks fluttered in the breeze. Bright light brown hair. A child I knew well. “Mister.” The fifth member of Kim Dokja's Company I encountered. The first incarnation of 'Demon King of Salvation.' “Hurry. Come in!” In this 41st round, the child who would later experience the most horrific events. A soul that lost its memory and wandered through worldlines, ultimately becoming a calamity of another worldline. “Handle it, Beast Lord.” The Calamity of Overrun― Shin Yoosung was there. --- Terms and Context: - "부러진 신념" (Broken Conviction): A weapon or skill associated with conviction having limitations but capable of regenerating with contemplation. - "파천강기" and "파천붕권" (Sky Breaking Fist and Technique): These refer to techniques involving overwhelming physical force or combat arts, maintaining the original names for impact and cultural context. - "헤라클레스의 방패" (Shield of Hercules): A defensive item or skill with potent protective capabilities, translated to maintain mythological connotations. - The scenario involves the protagonist confronting an exceptionally powerful creature by harnessing both strategic foresight and assistance from an unexpected ally, exploring themes of resilience and unexpected bonds.