WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 201: Episode 38 — Fake Revolutionary (1)

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[Someone has made a Revolutionary Declaration!]

The only being capable of threatening the duke, the absolute peak of the industrial complex.

A Revolutionary.

That being was both the industrial citizens' hope and legend, as well as their despair. The moment I spoke those words, people all around us gasped. Their faces showed they doubted they had heard me correctly.

"Why are you all so surprised? Weren't you looking for the Revolutionary?"

At my shameless words, their expressions shifted from bewilderment to shock. At the same time, a message sounded for me alone.

[You are not the Revolutionary.]

It was only natural. I was currently an exile outside the Scenario. There was no way someone who didn't even belong to a Scenario could become the Revolutionary, the central figure of the Demon Realm's Main Scenario.

Normally, that was how it should have been.

[Your declaration is affecting the Main Scenario of the Seisvitz Industrial Complex.]

But as you know, what the Star Stream valued above all else was Plausibility.

[Re-vo-lu-tion-ary?]

The scythe wrapped in thick chains radiated killing intent. I couldn't help tensing as the Executioner took a step forward. Honestly, I had no way to kill the Executioner in my current state. Even so, I didn't back down.

I had to act this way here.

"That's right. I'm the Revolutionary."

[Why did you re-veal your-self?]

"Because someone will die if I don't step forward."

The industrial citizens, including Jang Hayoung, stared at me with their mouths hanging open. I watched the approaching Executioner and waited anxiously.

...It should be taking effect around now.

[Multiple industrial citizens are impressed by your courage.]

There it was.

[Your noble courage is affecting the Scenario's progression.]

[You have become someone capable of greatly influencing the Scenario.]

[The Scenario is assigning you a temporary position.]

[You have become a Self-Proclaimed Revolutionary.]

[If the existing Revolutionary dies, you will inherit that position.]

With this, I had become someone who could set one foot inside the Scenario.

[You have acquired the Hidden Scenario, Self-Proclaimed Revolutionary!]

I had never been so glad to receive a Scenario acquisition message. It was a temporary Hidden Scenario rather than a Main Scenario, but it should be enough to hold out for a while.

A Hidden Scenario in the 73rd Demon Realm.

It was a secret I never would have known without Yu Junghyeok's countless failures.

"You, wait a minute! Are you really the Revolutionary?"

"Hey!"

Unable to hold back any longer, people shoved away their tables as they suppressed their fear. Their timing was bad, though.

The Executioner began moving at that exact moment. Black smoke poured from its mouth and wrapped around my body.

[Seisvitz's Executioner has left a mark of death on you.]

[You have been designated as a sacrifice of the Night.]

The people who saw the mark appear around me turned pale and shouted.

"Everyone, get away!"

"Aaaah!"

Fragments of shattered tables scattered through the air as the Executioner's scythe slashed through the space ahead of it. I narrowly dodged the scythe. It would have been difficult if my Incarnation body hadn't been repaired, but things were different now.

[The Exile Penalty has been partially eased.]

The breath I drew in carried warmth. A gentle energy filled my entire body, and the chill subsided considerably. With my now-nimble movements, I avoided the Executioner's following attacks one after another.

The difference between having a Scenario and not having one was this great. It was a Hidden Scenario, not a Main Scenario, but simply entering the story made my existence feel more alive.

[Re-vo-lu-tion-ary?]

Perhaps surprised by my movements, the Executioner's momentum changed.

[This space has been temporarily sealed.]

[You cannot leave the tavern.]

A bitter smile came to my lips. This was one reason so many powerful people couldn't resist the Executioner. As long as they were inside the industrial complex, there was no way to escape an Executioner. And that wasn't all.

"Move, idiot!"

With Hayoung's shout, an ominous aura scattered from the Executioner's scythe.

「No industrial citizen can oppose an Executioner.」

[The Execution will be carried out.]

Its special skill, [Execution], ignored all of its target's defenses and dealt a fatal blow. No matter how strong an industrial citizen was, they could never block an Executioner's scythe within this Scenario. Just as the Executioner's chilling scythe was about to cut through my body.

Kiiiiiing!

The Blade of Faith in my hand rang violently.

"Sorry, but I'm not an industrial citizen."

The Gold Dragon's heart spewed out Mana, while the majestic flow of [White Pure Star Energy] coiled around my fingertips.

"I told you. I'm the Revolutionary."

Though I was only self-proclaimed for now.

The dazzling blue-white Mana collided with the Executioner's scythe, throwing off tremendous sparks. Amid the brilliant crackling, system messages sounded.

[You are not a Main Scenario participant.]

[You are not an industrial citizen.]

[You are an exile.]

[You are not affected by this Scenario's Execution effect.]

Just as I expected.

[The instant-kill effect of Execution has been neutralized.]

When I deflected the Executioner's scythe, the surrounding Incarnations cried out in shock.

"H-he withstood the Executioner's strike!"

"Is he really the Revolutionary?"

Those who didn't know my identity watched the situation with eyes full of disbelief.

[Your Scenario contribution has increased.]

The Executioner seemed to have seriously misunderstood me now. A terrifying momentum blazed from its entire body.

[In-so-lent...!]

I spoke as though provoking it.

"Don't get cocky. I know you're only strong at night."

[What?]

"When this night ends, you'll die without fail."

Slowly rolling the wrist holding Unbreakable Faith, I said, "Because I'll kill you."

The scythe split into dozens of afterimages and rushed toward me. The Executioner wasn't weak just because [Execution] didn't work on me. It would simply take longer to dispose of me.

So it was too early to say the situation had improved.

"Get outside! I can't protect everyone!"

Unlike me, the others weren't affected by the mark and could escape whenever they wanted. Among the people hurriedly fleeing the tavern, I felt Hayoung turn back to look at me.

I glanced at Hayoung for a moment, then quietly activated [Bookmark].

"Bookmark Number Four, select Lycaon Isparang."

[Exclusive Skill, Way of the Wind Lv.10(+1), has activated!]

Using Kyrios's power stored in Bookmark Number Five would make this easier, but winning this fight wasn't the objective from the beginning.

No, I couldn't win.

[Your attacks cannot affect the target.]

[No one can kill an Executioner before the Night ends.]

The blade I swung cut its collar, but those same messages were all I received in return.

Its [Execution] didn't work on me, but none of my attacks could injure it during the industrial complex's night, either. I had to change tactics.

Whoooooosh!

The tavern's surroundings were devastated as the power of the wind began to surge. The scythe shadows cutting through the air slowed as they were caught in the wind's flow. Meanwhile, my movements became even swifter. The balance of speed was breaking apart. Its movements were always one beat slower than mine, while mine were always one beat faster than its.

This was the essence of [Way of the Wind] at its limit. The power to control all acceleration throughout an entire area.

"You're so slow. Can you even see me?"

[Graaah!]

The enraged Executioner began wildly scraping the air with its scythe. Normally, I had no reason to let an attack like that hit me. But perhaps Olympus's damned goddess of luck was smiling on it, because one randomly swung scythe slipped into my blind spot.

"Oops."

Just as the unexpected strike was about to hit my side, my right arm suddenly twisted into a strange shape and blocked the attack.

[The Sword Master's talent residing in your right arm shines!]

I was just as surprised. I hadn't expected the Fable Fragment to display its power this way.

[Your Incarnation body's status is becoming unstable from using an incomplete fable.]

[Your fable may be endangered if excessive combat continues.]

I bit down hard on my lip. The chill was creeping back in again.

I had gone through the trouble of acquiring a Hidden Scenario. I couldn't use excessive power just to face one Executioner.

I couldn't keep fighting it. I had to dodge as much as possible and buy time until this damned Night ended.

[You will die.]

Without answering, I activated [Way of the Wind] at full power. It would have been nice if Yu Junghyeok were here. With the help of that Transcendent, enduring this long night would have been easier.

But there was no one here.

Not Jeong Huiwon, the Judge of Evil.

Not Lee Hyeongseong, the Steel Sword Emperor.

Not Lee Jihye, the Naval Commander.

Not my beloved little ones, Lee Gilyeong and Shin Yuseong.

Han Suyeong... Well, even if she were here, she probably wouldn't help.

I was alone.

What I could trust was the information I knew. The story I had built.

And myself.

Along with the people's screams, the Executioner's attacks gradually began to slow. I teased it.

"What, are you tired?"

I knew there was no way something judged invincible could get tired. Rather than exhaustion, it was probably starting to get annoyed. I had said it to hide my own condition.

[There is little time remaining for Bookmark.]

Thirty minutes was the limit of how long I could endure with [Way of the Wind]. [Bookmark] wasn't a skill that could last that long in the first place.

Then the Executioner smiled.

Whoooooosh!

More than ten Executioners appeared in the air with a chilling sound effect.

The most horrifying part of this Night was that there wasn't just one Executioner.

Every Executioner in the Seisvitz Industrial Complex had gathered inside the cramped tavern and was glaring at me.

[This was your mistake.]

It had pretended to drag out time while calling in its companions. It wanted to make sure it finished me off during this Night. As I watched the Executioners surround me, I steadied myself.

I couldn't avoid this.

Even with [Way of the Wind], escaping them would be impossible.

But.

"No, you're the one who made a mistake."

I had dragged things out for thirty minutes. That was enough to accomplish my goal. Watching the approaching procession of scythes, I spread my arms.

The scythes that came flying in, shattering the very air, pierced through my body. A few Incarnations squeezed their eyes shut, and sorrowful sighs escaped them. Before long, their cries turned to surprise.

Kiiiiiing.

The scythes should have horribly pierced and torn me apart. Yet they had stopped in midair.

[What?]

The flustered Executioners stared stupidly at the weapons hanging in the air. I recalled a passage from TWSA.

「There are two ways to endure the industrial complex's Night.」

「The first is to flee from the Executioners until the Night ends.」

「And the other is...」

"Did you forget? This Scenario doesn't only have Revolutionaries and Executioners."

Then a message sounded in my ear.

[Someone is using their life force to guard you.]

「The second way to survive the Night is to receive a Guard's help.」

Just as I thought. I knew the hidden Guard would appear this way.

Aileen had said that not even the industrial citizens' council members knew who the Revolutionary was.

That meant the other Incarnations didn't know who the Revolutionary was either. In other words, even if they wanted to protect the Revolutionary, they couldn't because they didn't know who to protect. But what if the Revolutionary revealed themself and stepped forward?

[The guard has succeeded, and the mark of death has been removed!]

There could only be one mark that allowed an Executioner to run rampant each night. With the mark removed, tonight's slaughter had ended. The Executioner spoke in a murderous voice.

[...You were lucky.]

"You should be careful. The next time we meet, it'll be during the day."

The Executioners ground their teeth as though resentful, then scattered one by one into the air. The sinister flute music faded, and the darkness receded like an ebbing tide.

Outside the tavern, Incarnations stared this way with excited eyes. Even the proud Hayoung looked shocked. I considered whether I should say something, but only gave them an awkward wave.

"A-a new Revolutionary! A new Revolutionary has appeared!"

Amid the industrial citizens' cheers, the brief night was finally retreating.

As I watched them, I thought that one of them had to be the Guard. I would have to complete the coming Scenarios alongside the Guard.

When I looked up, the night sky was still dark. A few things like stars were visible now and then, but they were too dim to make out clearly.

Uriel, Great Sage Equaling Heaven... It would've been nice if they were watching, but unfortunately, no messages came through. Still, I should be satisfied with this much today.

[No one died tonight.]

Footnotes:

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