WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 108: Episode 21 — Something That Cannot Be Changed (6)

Huiwon ran.

[Hour of Judgment] pushed her physical strength to its limits, while the buff from [Demon Slaying] sharpened the edge of her blade. Uriel's [Hellfire Inferno] molded her mana into its most destructive form.

The blazing flames of judgment.

It was not Shin Yuseung who deserved judgment.

And yet, the only one to receive those flames was Shin Yuseung.

[The constellation Demonic Judge of Fire gazes at the battlefield with sorrowful eyes.]

Huiwon’s blade was the first to declare the commencement of battle.

[The character Jeong Huiwon activates the stigma Hellfire Lv.1!]

Even at just Level 1, Hellfire easily burned through Yuseung’s ether storm as it advanced.

The [Beast Lord’s Breath] infused with demonic power surged forward, but Huiwon paid it no mind. Instead, gripping her sword tightly, she drew a line connecting heaven and earth.

Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!

The tidal wave of [Beast Lord’s Breath] split apart, billowing smoke as it collided with [Hellfire]. Someone murmured in disbelief.

“My God, what the hell is that…”

[Hellfire], when reaching its maximum grade, could evaporate an entire ocean to forge a path. Even in the original work, when the ‘Messiah’ appeared, it was Uriel who first paved the way for him.

The archangel feared by all great demons, yet closest to being a demon’s nemesis.

As Huiwon charged forward through the blazing flames, Yuseung nodded her head.

「I see. Uriel, is it? This is what you were waiting for.」

Even in the face of the terrifying blessing of the archangel, the calamity did not retreat.

「This should suffice to bring about an end.」

In fact, Yuseung’s expression was one of relief, as though she had finally fulfilled her duty.

Ether gathered in Yuseung’s fist and flames coiled around Huiwon’s blade. When they clashed, Yuseung’s body staggered, and Huiwon pressed her advantage without missing a beat. Despite the overlap of impressive skills, overloading comes with a short duration. Jeong Huiwon, well aware of this, accelerated her attacks relentlessly.

Whoosh!

The surrounding ground became dyed in sacred flames.

Though exhausted, Yuseung held on for a long time.

Like a seasoned actor performing their final role, she poured everything into this moment, even for a timeline she had not lived.

[Several new constellations are thrilled by your orchestration.]

The constellations who had crossed over from Dokgak’s channel were buzzing with excitement.

[You have received 15,000 coins.]

The constellations, who had once disliked me, now showered me with their sponsorships as if it had never happened.

Both affection and hatred—for the constellations, these emotions were merely fleeting amusements.

Unfortunately, for humans, those fleeting stories were their lives.

[The constellations of the Korean Peninsula gaze at you with pity.]

Amid countless gazes observing me, I continued to silently sketch the conclusion of this scenario.

[The constellation Secretive Plotter focuses on your decision.]

Meanwhile, Huiwon’s relentless slashes had shredded [Beast Lord’s Sensitivity] to pieces, and the flames of [Hellfire] gradually consumed Shin Yuseung. Wounds began to accumulate on Jeong Huiwon’s body as well. It was a close match, but the advantage did not belong to the already weary Shin Yuseung.

Huiwon ignored all defense as she plunged her sword into Yuseung’s abdomen amidst the ether storm.

The fiercely blazing flames burrowed deep into Yuseung’s body, burning away every trace of the great demon’s energy dwelling within her. The black aura that had shrouded the surroundings sublimated into smoke.

Blood erupted from the wound left by the withdrawn sword. Kneeling as though looking at a stage prop, Yuseung stared at her own blood.

At last, it was over.

Beside her lay the fallen forms of Lord Masswood and Heavy Metal Kong.

The [Monster Gate] was closing, and the fierce battles against the beasts were nearing their end. I approached the collapsed Shin Yuseung.

Although she regained control of her body, it was far from normal. Staring at her body, Shin Yuseung muttered.

「…So, I’m dying now?」

Ordinarily, the Beast Lord would not die from such wounds. [Beast Lord’s Vitality] rivaled Junghyeok’s [Recovery], boasting extraordinary regenerative power.

But, unfortunately, what she had faced was [Hellfire].

The infernal flames buried deep within her body didn’t merely extinguish evil but continued to burn her life force. Flames that wouldn’t die out until they had consumed every trace of evil.

[The exclusive skill Fourth Wall trembles.]

[Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Level 2 activates continuously due to excessive immersion.]

With those flames attached to her, Yuseung had no chance of survival.

Yuseung looked at me and smiled weakly.

“I’m glad I made it to this round. I’m glad I listened to the captain.”

「It hurts. To disappear like this.」

“Now I can die in peace. Maybe this time, something will truly change.”

「I don’t want to die…」

Omniscience is a curse.

To know someone’s heart always meant deceiving someone else’s.

She smiled, looking up at the void. A mid-grade dokkaebi stood there with a hardened expression.

“I’m going to die soon, so can I add a bit of melodrama? This was a great scenario, wasn’t it?”

[Some constellations nod their heads.]

[Other constellations express dissatisfaction.]

The mid-grade Dokkaebi remained silent.

Of course, it wasn’t the time for it to think about such things.

The scenario was complete, but things hadn’t gone as it intended.

Now it would have to pay the price for that intent.

When I turned, Junghyeok had already approached.

“Are you leaving?”

“…Probably.”

“It seems your hatred for me wasn’t enough.”

This bastard, even to the very end…

Junghyeok drew his sword. As I moved to stop him, his Sky Shaking Supreme Sword plunged into the ground beside Yuseung’s head. The cold blade supported the dying Yuseung’s head. Yuseung spoke.

“Even now, you’re putting on airs. I’m about to die, captain.”

Her casual whisper sounded to me like this:

「There’s something I really want to hear from you.」

「Just once.」

「If I could hear it just once, that would be enough.」

Words that could never be delivered.

Junghyeok, oblivious to those words, spoke in a detached tone.

“I have a question.”

“What is it?”

The anticipation reflected on Yuseung’s face made me feel wretched. Because I knew that anticipation would never be rewarded.

“Which demon helped you cross worldlines?”

She stared blankly at Junghyeok for a moment before smiling faintly.

“…You’re the same as ever, Captain.”

「You never change.」

“Speak.”

“Have you heard of the ‘Demon of the Horizon’?”

「I admired you.」

“I know the name.”

“If you’re unlucky, Captain, you’ll meet it soon. But never fight it. Even if you give it your all, defeating it will be nearly impossible…”

「For a long time, truly a long time…」

Her desperate sincerity didn’t reach where it needed to go. Instead, it ended with me. I wanted to tell him. To this foolish Junghyeok, who couldn’t hear the clear voice right in front of him.

As I opened my mouth to speak, Yuseung’s hand grabbed mine.

Junghyeok spoke.

“I’ll remember that.”

With those words, Junghyeok turned away.

His thoughts reached me.

「I’ll avenge you.」

The grief embedded in those words made me tremble. I looked down at the catastrophe, Shin Yuseung.

So, that’s how it was. She had already known.

Even without hearing, she had already known.

For the first time, I thought that perhaps the [Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint] might not be omniscient after all.

「Goodbye, Captain.」

「You did well.」

「I’ll leave the rest to you.」

「Rest now.」

Like an unfinished letter, disjointed phrases remained in my heart, and I quietly paired them together.

I had read this story before.

Soon, the tips of Yuseung’s feet began crumbling into ash.

「It’s beautiful…”

The young Shin Yuseung approached and grabbed my sleeve. What would it feel like to see a future version of yourself disappearing? No matter how many books I read, there were emotions I could never reach.

The calamity Shin Yuseung smiled as she looked at us—the younger version of herself and me.

「…I’m envious.」

Her lower body had almost entirely disappeared. The speed of her disintegration was accelerating.

[The constellation Demonic Judge of Fire closes their eyes.]

[The constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband sighs deeply.]

As the constellations watched her, I knelt slowly and held Yuseung’s hand. Surprised by the unexpected action, she looked at me. Using the last of my mana, I activated [Beast Lord’s Sensitivity]. It was a parting gift for her.

For a brief moment, the calamity and I shared our senses. A connection shared only by beasts.

The passing wind whispered something.

Something neither the constellations nor the dokkaebis could hear.

The dying catastrophe’s eyes widened in disbelief.

「…Are you sure? Really?」

Thankfully, it seemed the message had been delivered properly. Though her chest had already turned to ash, she could no longer speak.

「Why…」

Tears welled up in her trembling eyes. She tried to tell me something, but the cold wind stopped her. The worldlines that had connected us and the film that had bridged us were severing again.

Crack.

The fragments of her being turned to powder and scattered. Her eyes, her nose, her mouth. Her voice. A millennium’s worth of her existence disintegrated into white ash that floated like snow. The ash formed a trail, ascending into the sky.

As if embarking on a long journey, or performing a dance. We stared at the faint traces lingering in the air for a long time. Disbelieving that this was real, the young Shin Yuseung clung to me.

“Is she really gone?”

I steadied myself.

“Can’t this be undone? Truly?”

Then I nodded.

“Ah, ah. Ah…”

Gilyeong wiped his tears on my sleeve. Sangah’s eyes were red, and for some reason, Hyeonseong was crying too. The only ones not crying were Junghyeok and Jihye, who hadn’t fully grasped the situation.

“…Why are you all crying? You’re making me feel bad.”

A chill spread across my forehead as snowflakes began to fall from the dim sky.

Something that was neither snow nor rain.

That cold sensation comforted the people. Strangely enough, humans feel most alive when confirming the death of another.

“Ah…”

The tension eased as people across the Seoul Dome collapsed.

Some laughed, some cried, and others raged.

The constellations sent sponsorships from all directions. Though their reactions varied, one thing was clear to them all.

‘Catastrophe of Floods’ Shin Yuseung was dead.

When I looked up, I saw the dazed mid-grade Dokkaebi. Bihyeong, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke.

[Mid-grade dokkaebi, conclude the scenario.]

[How… could this happen…]

[If you don’t, I will end it myself.]

Shortly after, the message appeared.

[The fifth main scenario has concluded.]

[Rewards are being calculated.]

The scenario officially declared her death.

Future Shin Yuseung was dead, and the catastrophe was over.

That was the conclusion of the fifth scenario.

Everyone believed it, and everyone accepted it.

Except for me.

From beginning to end, everything had to be a perfect play.

A play declaring that the immutable was indeed immutable.

A tragedy designed to deceive the constellations and the scenario itself.

This was the only way for the Shin Yuseung of the 41st regression to escape this cursed scenario.

In that moment, Yuseung’s hand burned like fire.

“I’ll kill you…”

The girl’s eyes locked onto the mid-grade dokkaebi in the void.

“I’ll kill that dokkaebi.”

As I tried to stop her from running, sparks crackled in the void.

The sky distorted as a portal opened. From it emerged twin white dokkaebis. Clad in white armor, they instantly caused the surrounding low-grade Dokkaebis to scatter.

And with good reason. These dokkaebis were the ones all others dreaded to meet.

The Bureau.

Specifically, the "Enforcers" responsible for maintaining scenario plausibility. These fearsome figures approached the mid-grade Dokkaebi and immediately detained it.

[Mid-grade dokkaebi, Paul. You are under emergency arrest for violating Star Stream regulations.]

Footnotes:

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