Side Story: Episode 19-6 - Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint

Episode 19. Old Person (6) I hid quietly with Shin Yoosung amidst the subterranean passage. Following that, a group emerged from the opposite intersection. "This way!" Have they noticed us? The movement suggested an intentional approach towards us, but it wasn't clear if we were their target. I used the 'Group Chat' with Shin Yoosung. ―Yoosung, if worse comes to worst, we need to escape immediately. I felt a strong need to ensure her survival, no matter what unfolded. If Shin Yoosung were to die here, the 41st round would end in what I imagined as the worst possible conclusion. ―What if you run away together with me? A formidable response came back. As I hesitated with my answer, Shin Yoosung sent another message. ―But couldn’t we actually win? ―That could be possible. Is it because she's a candidate for the 'Beast Lord'? It seemed Shin Yoosung could gauge the Incarnations' abilities just by sight. [Narrative, 'Persistent Murim Master' is stammering.] The advancing adversaries were numerous and skilled. Of course, they were the elite of Seoul's Seven Kings. But if you ask whether I thought we would lose, I wouldn't say so. Perhaps it meant I had become stronger. I had fleeting thoughts that I might be stronger than Kim Dokja of the same era, but I hadn't had many opportunities to confirm my true strength. Yet not all opponents were mere rabble. ―Those two over there, they’re strong. I could feel it too. Two distinct auras amidst a throng of ordinary figures. "Koo Taeseong! Over here! Move!" Koo Taeseong. One of Seoul's Seven Kings and a person with the Constellation Baekje's King Gyeon Hwon as his sponsor. He was referred to as the 'Earth Dragon King' in the main story. Beside him was an Incarnation in black nightwear, but based on appearance alone, I couldn't guess who it was. "Assassination King. What's the target?" "We're close now." Assassination King. The assassins who tried to kill us at the dungeon's entrance mentioned his name. It seemed that man in the nightwear was the leader of those 'Newcomer Hunters'. Judging by looks, he didn't seem to be a 'character'. If so... [Exclusive Skill, 'Reader Comments List,' activated!] [The concerned reader is using 『Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint』 through an abnormal route.] A message I had seen previously. Similar to the script writer I met during the 'Theater Dungeon'. 「They belong to 'The Misread Alliance'.」 People who illegally indulged in novels and became possessed here. Apparently, both the Earth Dragon King Koo Taeseong and Assassination King were from that group. ―Big Star Big Star Big Star The Dust Man's reaction changed too. It likely meant those two possessed 'Star Relics'. Shin Yoosung silently gestured for quiet, bringing a finger to Dust Man's lips and asked me. ―Mister, what should we do? ―Let's observe the situation for a bit. Bang Cheolsoo's warning floated to mind. 「Bro, if you encounter Seoul's Seven Kings, you must avoid them at all costs.」 Until now, I intended to follow that advice. Although collecting Star Relics was important, I didn't wish to recklessly endanger myself with Shin Yoosung in tow. However... 「Wouldn't it be worth trying to fight them?」 The thought surfaced as I subconsciously compared them to someone else. [The Constellation, 'The Last Horizon,' faintly smiles.] Come to think of it, the 'Beggar King' I faced at Seoul Station was a possession body of a 'Constellation'. No matter how strong Seoul's Seven Kings were, they were merely Incarnation bodies of historic-grade Constellations. In a way, I had already faced an Incarnation of a Seven King-grade caliber. Debating whether to launch a surprise attack, I decided to eavesdrop on their conversation a while longer. "Casualties in the unit?" "There are some with moderate injuries, but no deaths." "No deaths?" Distant, intermittent thumping sounds echoed. It was the same rumble heard earlier. "Didn't you hear? People are saying it's someone who doesn't kill anyone." "Doesn't kill anyone?" "There's a rumor it’s someone affiliated with the apostles." Apostles? "I despise their hypocrisy. Reading a fallen novel varies whether it's them or us." "True. What difference does spending a few hundred won make?" I restrained my urge to immediately attack them from behind. Despite such discussions, they broadcast so openly. Are they out of their minds? [A few Constellations complain about the abundance of filtered conversation these days.] I suppose they don’t care about hiding what's clearly going to be filtered out. "What happened to those possessed by Constellations? Any contact?" "No, not yet. It seems they're wandering after being kicked out of the channel." "The fools. Why did they provoke Goryeo's First Sword?" "Those idiots don't even know the content of the novel properly. We should've been the ones to get possessed by Constellations." The rumble resonated closer through the labyrinth, and the two men fell silent simultaneously. "They're here." A peculiar tension was evident on their faces. Then, a sound like flesh tearing followed. Horrible screams. Next came gasping Incarnations, making their appearance. An Incarnation missing an arm. Another with a broken shin. Incarnations who had lost all their weapons, fleeing desperately this way. Even seeing their injured subordinates, the two men showed little surprise. As if they had foreseen the entire situation. "When you collect three Star Relics, does it become like that?" "If you're jealous, why don't you give me your Star Relic." "No thanks." A massive entity swayed behind the Incarnations. At a glance, it appeared to be twice the size of a regular Incarnation. Could that be the 'Labyrinth Guardian'? Dust Man, spinning around my ears, trembled uncontrollably. ―Big Star! Big Star! Big Star! Big Star! It's not the Labyrinth Guardian. Which means that creature is also an 'Incarnation' like us. But was there such an Incarnation in the main story? Even Shin Yoosung, frightened, grabbed onto my sleeve. A delicate tremor was transmitted through the child's fingertips. 「This one can't be defeated.」 The hairs on the back of my hand warned me. Though its form wasn't fully visible, the giant in the dark was stronger than both Koo Taeseong and the Assassination King combined. Who could it possibly be? At this moment, the presence rivaling the level of Seoul's Seven Kings emerged. "Lights!" With Koo Taeseong's voice, someone illuminated the darkness within the underground passage, revealing the giant figure to all. Muscular arms swelled with strength. Vacant pupils that seemed deranged, lips moving repetitively as if chanting a mantra. "I won’t kill you. I won’t kill you." Hearing the voice sent chills down my spine. ―Mister? I charged out, forgetting to respond to Shin Yoosung. "Whaaat! What's happening?" An Incarnation discovered me emerging from the passage and swung a blind sword. I parried the blade and kicked the Incarnation down. The Incarnation let out a small scream, falling backward with a thud. Did they die? I wasn't sure. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. I focused on the giant. "Looking for people. Looking for people." Why is he here? I saw the man’s large hands groping the air. The size was different, but I knew those hands well. The person who once asked me where the bugs were, who found them beneath the vending machine with those hands. "Looking for people." A part of my heart felt like it was collapsing. The first reader I met upon being thrust into this world. Someone drawn into this world for the simple reason of reading a novel his daughter liked. "No Ji-yoon. No Ji-yoon." Jiyoon's father. "Dan-soo Ahjussi!" But Ahjussi didn’t seem to hear my shout, aimlessly sweeping the air as if grasping at nothing. Looking closer, Ahjussi’s eyes were murkily darkened. Breath caught in my throat as a wave of deep anger and sorrow engulfed me. What has happened to him all this time? Why has Ahjussi become so grotesque? What kind of fiends did this to him? Perhaps it was the outpouring of murderous intent. Nearby Incarnations turned to look at me. I noticed Koo Taeseong and the Assassination King furrowing their brows at me. I stared them down. Is it them? Are they the ones who turned Ahjussi into this? "An intruder, perhaps." The Assassination King murmured calmly upon noticing me. Simultaneously, a cracking sound echoed at the front of the passage. Crack! [Incarnation ‘Lee Dan-soo’ currently possesses 3 ‘Star Relics’.] Every time Dan-soo Ahjussi swung his enormous hands, Incarnations were swept aside helplessly. "I’m sorry. I’m sorry." The Incarnations struck by Ahjussi were injured but not killed. Sustaining moderate injuries but their lives spared. "I won’t kill you, I won’t kill you." Thinking back, Dan-soo Ahjussi had maintained this stance since the first scenario. The man who killed bugs in the first scenario hasn’t killed a person since. 「“It’s just because I’m weak.”」 Though he said that, I knew the true reason Ahjussi refrained from taking a life. Always searching for his daughter, Ahjussi had but one reason for not killing. 「To remain unashamed in front of Jiyoon.」 "Dan-soo Ahjussi! Please, focus!" Ahjussi continued looking around aimlessly, seemingly unable to hear me. An Incarnation lurking nearby attempted a sneak attack from behind. However, they were struck by a throwing knife in the throat, collapsing immediately. "Ahjussi." It was Shin Yoosung. I nodded at her and surveyed the surrounding Incarnations. They seemed to be targeting ‘Dan-soo Ahjussi’. Sorting out these assailants was the priority. Koo Taeseong raised his head as he checked his watch. "I think you’re mistaken. We have no intention to fight." No intention to fight? Looking at his fallen comrades and clicking his tongue, he directed his words to me and Shin Yoosung. "Are you perhaps completely unaware of the current situation?" "Koo Taeseong, stop uttering nonsense." Despite the Assassination King's warning, Koo Taeseong continued looking at me. "You seem capable. Here's some advice. You’d better leave this place quickly, or you might end up dying at the hands of that monster." "Koo Taeseong, it’s here." With those words, Koo Taeseong and the Assassination King took action. Tension gripped me as I clenched my sword. If needed, I planned to cut them down and save Ahjussi. However... "We just feed and retreat." Rather than grabbing their weapons, Koo Taeseong and the Assassination King reached out to their Dust Men. ―Beeeeeep. Two sparkling white stones, unmistakably ‘Star Relics’, ejected from the small Dust Man's mouth. Their next act left me stunned. "Eat this, you bastard!" They flung their ‘Star Relics’ towards Dan-soo Ahjussi. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” The Star Relics were hurled to the apologizing Ahjussi reaching implausibly into the air. The Dust Man hovering near Ahjussi’s cheek opened its mouth wide. [Incarnation, ‘Lee Dan-soo,’ acquires an additional 2 ‘Star Relics’!] With that, cracks began propagating across Ahjussi’s body. With a cracking sound, his muscles tore and expanded. The Assassination King chuckled unsettlingly. "It’s a success." "Just two more and it’s over. Everyone withdraw!" The group led by the Assassination King and Koo Taeseong dispersed throughout the labyrinth, mission seemingly complete. It seemed they never intended to hunt Ahjussi from the beginning. I couldn’t comprehend what was transpiring. I processed the chaotic scene unfolding before me. First, Dan-soo Ahjussi already had three Star Relics. Second, Koo Taeseong and the Assassination King fed their Star Relics to Dan-soo Ahjussi. Simplified, that was the crux of the situation occurring before my eyes. 「They ‘deliberately’ gave Star Relics to Dan-soo Ahjussi.」 Why would they do that? Ahjussi already possessed three Star Relics. Granting him two more would only elevate him to absurd power. 「But is that all there is to it?」 I belatedly recalled the rules of this dungeon. + 8. For each ‘Star Relic’ acquired, the 'Madness' value increases. + **Terminology and Translation Notes:** 1. **Dan-soo Ahjussi (단수 아저씨)**: Referring to Dan-soo as "Ahjussi," which is a term for middle-aged men in Korean, often used as a term of respect by younger people. 2. **Koo Taeseong (구태성)**: Character name. A member of Seoul's Seven Kings, who seems to have a pivotal role. 3. **Assassination King (암살왕)**: Title for the leader of the assassins, designating their chief as a 'king' among assassins. 4. **Star Relics (별보석)**: Mystical items of power referred to in the text, key to the conflict at hand. The use of the term "Ahjussi" conveys a familiar, respectful tone, emphasizing the protagonist's emotional connection with Dan-soo. There are intentional vagueness and surprise around the motives of Koo Taeseong and Assassination King, adding to the tension and unfolding mystery. No way. It can’t be. I approached Dan-soo Ahjussi, who was kneeling on the ground. "Ahjussi! It's me! Ahjussi!" Dan-soo Ahjussi, now larger than before, had grown to resemble a small giant. Merely getting closer, I could feel his overwhelming presence. A suffocating pressure reminiscent of Yoo Joonghyuk. As Ahjussi clawed the ground, wailing in distress, I slowly reached out my hand to him and shouted, "It's Cheon Inho! Please come to your senses!" At the mention of Cheon Inho, Ahjussi lifted his head. For a moment, hope surged. Could he recognize me? His lips mouthed a word. Jiyoon. In the next instant, Ahjussi's massive palm swung at me. It was an unyielding strike, too swift to evade. Had Shin Yoosung not pulled me back at that moment, I might have been crushed entirely. I glanced down at the ground where Dan-soo Ahjussi's hand had struck. Cracks radiated violently from the impact center. Cold sweat trickled down my spine. I nearly died. Truly, I almost perished. Shin Yoosung, clutching my sleeve, was shouting something, but all I could focus on were Ahjussi's words. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Ahjussi kept repeating his apology. His sightless eyes, hollow and black, stared at me. [Incarnation, ‘Lee Dan-soo,’ is in ‘Madness Level 5’.] Madness Level 5. + 9. As the 'Madness' level ascends, overall ability stats dramatically increase, but one loses rationality. + Finally, I understood why the Seven Kings abandoned the Star Relics and fled. The tenth rule then flashed before my eyes. + 10. When someone collects seven ‘Star Relics’, the ‘Apocalyptic Sword of Catastrophe’ is summoned. + A chill ran down my spine. "The goal of this dungeon was not to collect ‘seven Star Relics’." The 'Star Relics' in this dungeon were a trap. These items granted immense strength at the cost of losing one's reason. In other words, to truly gather ‘Star Relics,’ one must never collect them oneself. Thus, the goal of this dungeon was as follows: "To make someone else collect ‘seven Star Relics’." The monstrous Dan-soo Ahjussi began to rise slowly, walking towards me. **Translation and Context Notes:** 1. **Madness Level (광기 단계)**: A level of madness triggered by accumulating Star Relics, escalating power but stripping sanity. This concept echoes the classical trope of power attained at the expense of one's mind. 2. **Apocalyptic Sword of Catastrophe (사인참사검)**: A mythical weapon that appears when a specified condition in the dungeon is fulfilled, indicating dire consequences. 3. **Lee Dan-soo (이단수)**: The incarnation suffering under the effects of the Star Relics, also recognized by the protagonist as the father of Jiyoon. The narrative moves the protagonist into understanding the deception of the dungeon—a classic twist portraying the dangerous allure of power. The pressure and urgency create a dire situation, enhanced by the revelation that they must outsmart the trap rather than seeking direct power acquisition.