Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint - Chapter 158

WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 158: Episode 30 — Dark Castle (6)

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"Yu Junghyeok?"

What on earth was going on?

I had read in TWSA that some of the unusual types on the second floor of the Dark Castle occasionally volunteered as demons for this trial. Still, a count-class demon had never been summoned in the round where Kim Youngpal of the Pinkies intervened.

More importantly, why was he looking for Junghyeok as soon as he arrived?

When I didn't answer, the demon let out a rough breath and turned to Lee Hyeongseong.

"Or are you Yu Junghyeok?"

"Ah, my name is Lee Hyeongseong."

"Then where is this Yu Junghyeok bastard?"

I had been watching, but I finally spoke up. There was nothing to gain from provoking a Demon Count here for no reason.

"Why are you looking for him? He's not here, so go back."

"A bug is talking back to me. How strange. I heard there was someone called Seoul's strongest here."

Seoul's strongest?

"Uh, I think that's me."

At those words, my companions all looked at me at once. I had no idea why they were looking at me like that. It was true.

Tentacio glared at me as well.

"Then are you Yu Junghyeok?"

"I'm not Yu Junghyeok, but I'm Seoul's strongest anyway."

What the hell was going on? Why was this bastard looking for Seoul's strongest?

[The constellation Lady of the Sleeping Brocade feels sorry for you.]

[The constellation Lady of the Sleeping Brocade asks you to please catch that demon.]

...Lady of the Sleeping Brocade? What was going on here?

[You glare at the constellations from Shilla.]

[The constellations from Shilla are flustered.]

Wait a second, I got it. These bastards had sold me out to save their descendants.

[The constellation Lady of the Sleeping Brocade shows you what happened.]

Part of the scene Lady of the Sleeping Brocade had witnessed seeped into my mind. Min Jiwon, whose entire body had been crushed by the impact, was speaking haltingly.

"...Seoul's strongest is a man named Yu Junghyeok."

[The constellation Lady of the Sleeping Brocade looks at you with pleading eyes.]

For a constellation to show someone their memories directly like this, they had to bear a Plausibility cost and spend a considerable number of coins. The fact that she had shown me without hesitation meant the situation was that urgent.

Damn it. Then you should've sent it to Junghyeok, so why'd you send it to me? Did I look that easy?

[The constellation Lady of the Sleeping Brocade says that the incarnation Yu Junghyeok was too far away.]

I let out a small sigh and asked the empty air, "So what will you give me if I help?"

[The constellation Lady of the Sleeping Brocade says she will give you coins.]

"How much? Are you going to give me two thousand coins again? Give me something else. Something useful."

[The offended constellations of Shilla condemn Lady of the Sleeping Brocade.]

[The constellation Lady of the Sleeping Brocade says she will pay you a fable.]

A fable?

[A new Bounty Scenario has arrived!]

Category: Sub

Difficulty: A+

Clear Conditions: Defeat Demon Count Tentacio.

Time Limit: ―

Rewards: The trust of the constellations from Shilla, 1 Legendary-grade fable

Penalty for Failure: ―

One Legendary-grade fable. Not bad.

Honestly, I had intended to deal with the Demon Count even if they hadn't offered anything. The constellations from Shilla weren't powerful enough to form a nebula, but there was no harm in leaving them indebted to me.

Tired of waiting, the Demon Count growled.

"What are you mumbling to yourself about? So are you Yu Junghyeok or not?"

As a powerful aura surged from Tentacio's body, Hyeongseong quickly stepped forward.

"Dokja, I'll handle him."

"Hyeongseong, you can't do this alone..."

"I won't lose another cartridge. Not ever again."

Han Suyeong whistled as if she found it amusing. Tentacio wore a complicated expression before grinning.

"Brave little bugs. I enjoy crushing bugs like you."

A seismic shockwave erupted as Hyeongseong activated [Steel Transformation] and charged forward. With a grinding screech, his steel-covered shoulder struck Tentacio's shoulder blade.

It was just like Hyeongseong to charge a Demon Count without backing down.

"You're one who has inherited a fable?"

Hyeongseong's [Steel Transformation] was the Stigma he gained by inheriting the fable of Master of Steel. Tentacio seemed to have realized Hyeongseong's value after a single exchange. It made sense. A count-class demon would be getting serious about collecting fables around now.

"I'll devour you."

Tentacio grabbed Hyeongseong in an embrace. Startled, Hyeongseong threw punch after punch, but Tentacio didn't care. Fangs jutted from the demon's wide-open mouth before sinking into Hyeongseong's shoulder.

Crunch!

The durability of [Steel Transformation] was directly tied to Hyeongseong's will. As long as his will didn't break, his steel couldn't be destroyed. That was what TWSA said.

Still, such a grand explanation only suited the Hyeongseong of the later parts of the story.

Crack.

Fissures began to spread across Hyeongseong's solid steel. His face gradually paled.

"...What the hell is that thing?"

Even Suyeong was shaken as she stared at Tentacio.

"Kim Dokja! What is that bastard?"

The Seoul rankings announced by the dokkaebi apparently hadn't been wrong. Aside from me, Suyeong was the only one here who knew the exact level of a Demon Count.

I answered, "He's a Tier-3 demonic species."

And demonic species of Tier 3 or above possessed their own fables.

[The fable Insect Genocide has begun its story.]

The fable "Insect Genocide" was fairly useful. It didn't seem to have been refined into a Stigma yet, but since it was a fable Tentacio had built himself, ordinary Incarnations' Stigmas couldn't even contend with it.

As Tentacio's fable began to spread through the air, the nearby Incarnations, including Hyeongseong and Suyeong, froze in place like terrified insects. Lee Jihye and Lee Gilyeong, who were still unconscious in the back, writhed in pain. Kim Youngpal, one of the Pinkies, slumped down, foaming at the mouth.

This was the true power of a fable.

It consumed unrelated beings into its own story. The Incarnations who had been forcibly drawn in waited for the fable's owner to give an order.

"It's time for a massacre, bugs."

Hyeongseong's steel shattered helplessly, and Suyeong's duplicates, who had charged in by reflex, exploded in midair. At this rate, we would be wiped out. The fable "Insect Genocide" displayed overwhelming power against a large number of weak opponents.

A count-class demon from the second floor of the Dark Castle was too much for my companions as they were now.

Boom!

I caught Hyeongseong by the shoulder as he flew back. Once my hand touched him, he broke free of the fear and stammered, "D-Dokja."

"Step back."

"I can't. If I fail to protect you again, Dokja..."

"Hyeongseong. Those cartridges are harder to lose than you think if you keep your eyes open. So keep your eyes open and watch carefully."

I patted Hyeongseong's shoulder and stepped forward. Tentacio smiled with interest.

"You resisted my fable? I suppose your mental energy is quite strong."

"It's not mental energy."

"Then what is it? Kneel, worm."

The pressure around us abruptly rose, and my companions fell to their knees. Of course, I was fine.

It wasn't because of the Fourth Wall's performance. This was a more fundamental difference than that.

It was an overwhelming difference in status.

"...How are you able to move?"

"To obtain that fable, you must have killed at least a hundred thousand weak beings after picking them out. You're a pretty vile bastard yourself."

"What?"

"Still, Insect Genocide is a useful fable. When your enemy is weaker than you, that is."

[You feel no particular interest in the fable Insect Genocide.]

[The effect of Insect Genocide has been negated for you.]

Tentacio's eyes widened.

"Th-this is at least the status of a marquis or above... A Demon King? No, that can't be... Don't tell me you're a Returnee?"

The seventy-two Demon Kings at the peak of demonkind were comparable in status to fabled-grade constellations.

"But a Returnee can't possibly be here..."

"That's right. You're wrong about both."

I was an existence that faced Plausibility restrictions merely for revealing my status.

[You look at Demon Count Tentacio.]

Tentacio's face was turning pale. Without hesitating, I rushed toward him and used [White Pure Star Energy].

[You have activated Blade of Faith!]

[The special option of Unbreakable Faith has activated.]

[The Aether attribute has been converted to Divinity.]

Slash!

Tentacio's horns flew through the air.

"Arghhh!"

Before I could swing my second strike, Tentacio had already retreated far away. Even without being able to use his fable, he was still a Demon Count. His movements were on an entirely different level from ordinary Incarnations. After recovering some of his composure, he gritted his teeth.

"You're a constellation? That's impossible!"

For a moment, I considered borrowing "Path of the Messiah" again. But as long as he couldn't use Insect Genocide, I didn't need to overuse citation either. There was a limit to the number of citations I could use, and more than anything, I needed to know exactly what my stats were like without using a fable.

First, I should adjust my stats. Let's see.

[Constitution Lv.62 → Constitution Lv.90]

[Strength Lv.60 → Strength Lv.90]

[Agility Lv.60 → Agility Lv.90]

[Mana Lv.62 → Mana Lv.90]

[All overall stats have greatly increased!]

[You have consumed a total of 116,400 coins.]

It was an enormous expense, but it was worth it.

[Your body advances toward the limits of humanity.]

[Tremendous power seethes within your body!]

[All overall stats have reached the Scenario limit!]

My heart raced as if I had received a caffeine transfusion. Adrenaline surged through my entire body, and I felt as light as a feather.

My stats averaged Level 90. There probably wasn't another Incarnation with stats like these right now. This was the kind of extravagant expense only I, a constellation, could afford.

"All right, here I come."

I advanced with a relentless barrage of sword strikes.

Crunch!

Tentacio's body tore wherever my blade touched him.

"Raaah!"

Still, a Demon Count didn't go down easily. He seemed to be pouring all his remaining Mana into reinforcing his body. Since his fable didn't work, it was a smart choice.

"Raaahhh!"

Tentacio let out a horrible scream and began to struggle desperately. As the melee intensified, wounds began appearing on my body as well.

So this was how it went without skills. Then how about this?

[You have activated the Exclusive Skill Miniaturization Lv.3!]

[Your body is shrinking due to the effect of Miniaturization.]

"What...!"

[You have activated the Exclusive Skill Bookmark!]

"Bookmark number five, I'll select Kyrios Lordgrime."

[Your physical composition has been confirmed as similar to that character's.]

[That character's status is higher than yours.]

[The level of the activated skill is forcibly adjusted.]

Normally, the messages would have ended there.

But this time, there was one more line.

[Your status has risen greatly, and your synchronization rate with that character has increased.]

Footnotes:

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