Side Story: Episode 19-8 - Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint

Episode 19. Old People (8) 「A silent blade moved, unseen by any.」 The sensation of time, which had been compressed to an extreme, slowly returned, and a light spark flickered from the sword held in his right hand. [A Constellation, whose Modifier has yet to be revealed, watches you.] Neither the screams of the Incarnations nor the clashing sounds of weapons were audible anymore. The presences that had been rushing towards him had all disappeared. [The Constellation, ‘Prisoner of the Constrictive Headband,’ opens his mouth.] [The Constellation, ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon,’ wonders if you had been hiding your power, his eyes gleaming.] [The Constellation, ‘Demon-Like Judge of Fire,’ feels deep sorrow from your single strike.] As a series of sounds echoed from something hitting the ground, no one shared his line of sight. He was alone. Perhaps like Yoo Joonghyuk had always been. [The Constellation, 'Maritime War God,' is startled by your martial prowess.] [The Constellation, 'Goryeo's First Sword'......] [A few Constellations have sponsored you with 1,000 coins.] An infinite sense of omnipotence and supremacy instilled in the body. This was Yoo Joonghyuk. For a moment, he felt someone distant in the sky watching him. [A Constellation shrouded in mystery glares at you.] Suddenly raising his head at the unfamiliar hostility, the gaze vanished to nowhere. A creeping wave of fatigue surged in. He had already experienced the repercussions of [Provocation] from [Sentence Strengthening]. If he lingered longer here, he would be consumed by [Provocation], as it happened last time. Zzt zzt zzt. [‘Provocation’ is nullified.] A formidable recoil surged through his body. Blood trickled down from his mouth. It was truly a dreadful experience. It was merely the earliest stage of Yoo Joonghyuk, a fleeting [Provocation], yet it was this intense. Even after the skill had been nullified, the remnants of Yoo Joonghyuk seemed to linger in his mind. He lightly wiped his lips with one hand, then looked down at the ground. “Aagh, aaah!” A scream resounded, slightly delayed. Koo Tae-seong was fortunate. The legs of the guy rolling on the floor. As he staunched the pouring blood, his reddened eyes looked up at him. The emotions held within his pupils quickly changed from fear to outright terror. Perhaps due to the overwhelming pain, Koo Tae-seong started begging pathetically. “S-Save me! Please save me!” He approached the pleading man. As he looked at the terrified face, Dan-soo's face surfaced in his mind. Dan-soo, who had lost his eyes. Covered in wounds over his whole body, the man who had lost his senses and was searching for his daughter. 「It's all because of these bastards.」 These bastards had ruined Dan-soo. They destroyed the life of an innocent man who only wandered this world to find his daughter. 「They must be killed.」 The remnants of Yoo Joonghyuk within him whispered so. “A-Are you perhaps a ‘Saint’?” Abruptly, Koo Tae-seong grabbed the hem of his pants and asked. “Please save me. We came from the same world, didn’t we?” As his trembling face looked up at him, he realized all over again who this man was. This man was not ‘Koo Tae-seong.’ “I also read that ‘Apocalypse’ thing. I found it really entertaining.” “…….” “It’s all a misunderstanding... a misunderstanding! I'm different from the others! And honestly, many times I did pay money to read those works!” Like a convict confessing his sins before execution, he kept on chattering. “I want to live. I really want to live. Please. I want to go back home. I never wanted to end up in a place like this.” As he spoke those words, something welled up in him, and tears streamed down his face. “I miss my mom and dad, damn it. I didn’t want this either. I just... just tried to survive...” How old was this man? Where was he from, and how had he lived? He didn’t know. Not before, and not now, this man was a complete stranger to him. 「Perhaps this is the last chance to kill him.」 As he decided, grasping ‘Broken Conviction’ once again. “I’ll do it.” Shin Yoosung said as she stepped past him. “I need to practice too.” Practice. “To survive.” Shin Yoosung's voice as she said that was unfamiliar. Though he couldn’t see her expression, for some reason, he knew. Right now, Shin Yoosung's eyes would be tinged with gold. “You don’t really want to do it, do you?” Was it an illusion? He felt the weight of unknown years on Shin Yoosung’s small back as she uttered those words, despite being merely a child of about ten years. He placed a hand on Shin Yoosung’s shoulder. “I’ll do it, so step back.” In the meantime, Koo Tae-seong scooted towards the edge on his rear. But there was nowhere for him to escape. [In a minute, ‘Relocation’ will commence.] Once he left this ‘Safe Zone,’ he would be burnt to death in the flames. Realizing his fate, Koo Tae-seong began pleading again. “Please, I didn’t want any of this either. They said if I just played my part well, they’d send me back home—” “What does that mean?” The one possessing Koo Tae-seong right now was a member of ‘The Misread Alliance.’ Yet he had no idea how ‘The Misread Alliance’ had ended up in this world. They weren’t readers who had purchased and read ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint,’ nor were they attendees of ‘Kim Dokja’s Feast.’ Then by what means did they come to be possessed in this world? At the sharpness of the blade pressing his throat, Koo Tae-seong swallowed dryly. “Who brought you here?” “T-That is—” As if making up his mind, Koo Tae-seong opened his mouth again. “Kim Dok—” Zzt zzt zzt zzt zzt! Suddenly, his entire body jolted like a fish out of water. His lips blackened and scorched. Something had seized control of his ability to speak. [30 seconds until ‘Relocation’ commences.] Writhing in pain, Koo Tae-seong barely parted his lips. “S-Sorry. I can’t tell you that. But I’ll do anything else. Anything within my power—” He quietly looked down at the man. The remnants of Yoo Joonghyuk in his mind had fallen silent, no longer speaking to him. Was it because his heart had slightly softened? Instead, the memories of Dan-soo surfaced. 「Even within a novel, I don't want to kill anyone.」 Since the Scenario started, he hadn't killed anyone. Even after losing his reason and becoming a monster, he kept repeating, "I won't kill." Surely, the 'Kim Dokja Fragment' within Dan-soo was the kindest and purest piece of Kim Dokja. 「It’s because it’s a novel my daughter liked.」 He slowly lowered the sword stance aimed at Koo Tae-seong. [‘Relocation’ starts in 20 seconds.] Koo Tae-seong's complexion brightened. “T-Thank you! Thank you!” With tears of relief, Koo Tae-seong reached inside his coat. “I don’t have much, but at least take this―” Just as he was about to say it wasn't needed, an eerie sensation crept over him. Something was approaching at an incredible speed. Sensing the danger, Shin Yoosung clung to him, and he wrapped an arm around her protectively. With a shrill noise, a magical wave surged towards them. Reflexively, he grasped the ‘Broken Conviction.’ [The durability of 'Broken Conviction' has been exhausted.] Of all times. Realization struck him in an instant. 「The attack wasn't aimed at us.」 The magical wave bypassed him and Shin Yoosung, slicing right through Koo Tae-seong’s neck. The carnage unfolded too swiftly for intervention. A figure, swiftly entering the Safe Zone, sent Koo Tae-seong's head soaring beyond the green boundary. “You’re still soft.” An all-too-familiar voice. A man in a black coat stood there. For an extra, he had quite a handsome face. The way he imitated Yoo Joonghyuk's speech was distinctive. “That's not how a Supreme King acts. Is there any reason to hesitate in slaying villains?” Beside him stood a woman who bowed politely, conveying a sense of awkwardness. I recalled our last conversation. A subtle disturbance rippled through my heart. [‘Safe Zone’ is activated.] [Capacity: 4/4] [‘Relocation’ begins.] The siblings of Apostles. The 2nd Apostle, Killer King, and Literary Girl 64 had intervened in the ‘Absolute Throne War.’ * The relocation persisted for exactly one minute. As flames engulfed everything outside the ‘Safe Zone,’ the labyrinth's walls shifted, altering the configuration of the passages. Barely had the relocation ended when Killer King began rummaging through Koo Tae-seong’s scattered body. “Look here. This guy had something else planned.” In Killer King’s hand was a ‘Venomous Bomb.’ Recalling Koo Tae-seong’s expression as he reached inside his coat one last time, doubt clouded my mind. Was he truly attempting to retrieve that bomb? Reading my expression, Killer King added. “Don’t feel guilty. Just think of it as a stranger dying. You don’t mourn for everyone who dies on the opposite side of the world, do you?” Certainly, he was a stranger to me. I didn’t know his name, his face, or where he lived. “These were people who used anonymity to commit crimes. No need to sympathize.” Could it really be dismissed so easily? What would Dan-soo have said? Although my lips moved several times as I searched for words, I was at a loss for what to say. Perhaps, it was because I didn’t possess a ‘kind Kim Dokja’ fragment. “How have you been?” I decided to talk about those I knew instead of strangers. “Hmm.” Having collected items from Koo Tae-seong’s belongings, Killer King stood up. A flag was tied around his arm like an armband. A black flag. As expected, Killer King had completed the ‘Path of the King’ Scenario. It was only natural. He was the 2nd Apostle who had read ‘ORV’ over a hundred times. His Backer was none other than the Archangel Yophiel. “A lot happened, as usual.” Killer King's gaze turned towards Shin Yoosung, having noted my own flag. “It seems like a lot also happened on your end.” We exchanged brief accounts of what had transpired. Clearing the Theater Dungeon, scattering after Chungmuro, and so on. There were places along Killer King’s path unknown to me, along with unexpected hidden pieces. In return, I relayed the events from going to Seoul Station to meeting the Beggar’s Union, to entering the dungeon in Gwanghwamun. Finally, when the story reached ‘Dan-soo,’ Killer King sighed briefly. “You mean that guy who was looking for his daughter?” “Yes.” “That’s problematic. The Scenario’s diverged too much from the original.” “…….” “To obtain the Four Yin Decapitator Sword, you need seven star jewels. But if he has five of them……” Wondering if I made a mistake bringing it up, memories of Killer King killing Koo Tae-seong without hesitation flashed back. “Let me remind you, if you think of attacking Dan-soo―” “What makes you think I would?” Killer King frowned, seemingly displeased. “The only enemies of the Seventh Apostle Conference are members of The Misread Alliance. I won’t harm anyone else.” Though it seemed he’d already killed plenty, there was no need to add unnecessary comments now. “Anyway, at this rate, the chances of that guy collecting all seven star jewels are high.” I agree. Even now, scattered members of The Misread Alliance are likely seeking opportunities to offer the remaining star jewels to Dan-soo. “The Misread Alliance intends to use him as a sacrifice to summon the Four Yin Decapitator Sword and then steal the item.” “We must find Dan-soo before they do.” [2 hours and 58 minutes remain until the next ‘Relocation.’] There was ample time until the next ‘Relocation.’ The issue was not knowing Dan-soo’s location due to the labyrinth resetting. “A guide is needed. Do any of you possess related skills or traits?” Neither Killer King nor Literary Girl 64 had any relevant skills or traits. A short distance away, Literary Girl 64 and Shin Yoosung were quietly gauging each other. Killer King smirked slightly. “Our party composition is lacking. It would’ve been ideal if Yoo Sangah or Lee Gilyoung were here.” Indeed, he was right. In the <Kim Dokja's Company>, there are two Incarnations capable of navigating the labyrinth. But at present, neither Yoo Sangah nor Lee Gilyoung are here. Dan-soo, who could somewhat assume Lee Gilyoung's role, was now a monster wandering through the maze. A solution needed to be found. A way to locate Dan-soo before The Misread Alliance does. I pondered. 「What would Kim Dokja have done?」 The message echoed in my mind just then. [The repairs of the Trait, ‘Record Restorer,’ have been completed.] At last, the repair of the ‘Record Restorer’ was complete. But I didn’t hold much hope. Currently, I was embodied as Cheon Inho, and even if Cheon Inho's records were repaired, it didn't seem like there would be any significant change. Yet. [‘Record Restorer’ is repairing a previously inactive skill.] An unexpected message came through. [The Exclusive Skill, ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint,’ has been activated.] --- **New Terms:** 1. **Record Restorer(기록 수선자)**: - **Translation**: ‘Record Restorer’ - **Interpretation**: Likely a skill or trait that allows the repair or restoration of records, possibly unlocking hidden or forgotten abilities. - **Alternatives**: ‘Restorer of Records’ or ‘Repairer of Records’ - **Literal meaning**: It is very close to the literal meaning, denoting a trait or skill used to fix or mend something that was broken or inactive. 2. **Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint(전지적 독자 시점)**: - **Translation**: ‘Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint’ - **Original Context/Explanation**: This is an important narrative tool in the novel that allows insight beyond what is visible, providing a broader perspective otherwise unavailable to the character. - **Alternatives**: ‘All-Knowing Reader’s Perspective’ but was left with the original due to its established significance in the story. **Additional Context**: The passage reflects a mysterious and almost magical transformation of Cheon Inho's abilities, amplifying the narrative tension as he steps closer to the stature of Kim Dokja. The skill ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’ is critically important, as it adds depth and perception beyond normal vision, crucial for navigating complex scenarios like the labyrinth.