Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint - Chapter 366

WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 366: Episode 69: Archangel Hunt (1)

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'It's no fun when none of them put up any resistance.'

Michael smoked as he looked over the corpses strewn across the battlefield.

Ash-gray smoke billowed from his cigarette. Tobacco made by second-generation craftsmen.

One reason Michael enjoyed demon hunts and outings was that he could smoke as much of his favorite tobacco as he liked.

In Eden, tobacco was evil.

After smoking several cigarettes in quick succession, Michael ground one out against a piece of flesh from a corpse and thought,

'Is it too old?'

「Too old? It's only just beginning.」

Michael frowned at the voice echoing through his head.

'Shut up.'

「Wake me already. Set me free.」

Michael took out another cigarette.

It was the voice of a fable he'd heard for a long time. Whenever he heard that voice, Michael couldn't help but smoke.

'It's not time yet.'

Michael took a deep drag from his cigarette.

[A new Revelation has descended from the nebula Eden.]

* * *

[An Archangel Hunt? That's quite interesting.]

Asmodeus smiled, showing his white teeth after hearing my story.

[And not just any Archangel, but the Savior of Corruption... Are you serious?]

"Of course."

[But aren't you close to Eden? If you do something like that, you'll become their enemy.]

"It doesn't matter. I'm a Demon King anyway."

I had to say that much, at least. I had to convince Asmodeus, of all people.

Asmodeus really did seem quite conflicted.

"Think about it carefully. You need the letter [won], don't you? You'll get an Archangel's fable as a bonus, too. “One Who Hunted a Great Archangel.” Just thinking about it is thrilling, isn't it?"

Still, Asmodeus didn't give in easily. Instead, he looked as though he were probing my true intentions.

At this point, I decided to make a bigger move.

"What a disappointment. I thought someone from the Gourmet Association would be different from the other Constellations."

Asmodeus's brow twitched sharply at my words.

[Your understanding of the Demon King Asmodeus has greatly increased.]

[Your understanding of this individual is quite high.]

[Level 2 of Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint has been activated!]

It was a message I'd never heard before. My proficiency with Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint had finally risen enough for me to see into some Constellations' inner thoughts.

Then, the next moment, I began to hear Asmodeus's thoughts.

「What unbelievable arrogance, Demon King of Salvation.」

His inner self was like a sticky swamp.

Listening to that bastard's thoughts as he looked at me with an affectionate gaze made my stomach turn.

His thoughts continued.

「A trap I want to fall into this badly...」

As expected, Asmodeus hadn't become a candidate for the next Great Demon King for nothing.

He had already noticed that my proposal was a trap.

「The Demon King of Salvation's target is probably the Savior of Corruption.」

「He plans to use me and the other Constellations to hunt Michael, then obtain his modifier necklace.」

「It's admirable that he's putting his head to use, but I'm a little irritated at the thought of letting this slide.」

Asmodeus's expression gradually turned cold.

It seemed this level of persuasion wasn't enough after all.

「Michael is a troublesome angel to face. Even with the restrictions of second-generation Plausibility...」

Asmodeus's clashing thoughts finally began to settle in one direction.

A faint killing intent leaked from his long nails.

I could feel Anna Croft beside me tense up and prepare for battle. Perhaps she'd seen something through [future vision].

Still, I wasn't worried.

It was about time for something her [future vision] couldn't observe to happen.

Then Asmodeus's expression changed.

「...Hm?」

Asmodeus froze for a moment, then his expression turned complicated. His eyes looked as though they were reading something in the empty air.

How much time had passed?

Asmodeus's eyes, filled with countless conflicting emotions, turned toward me.

[Hehe, the will of the Star Stream truly is impossible to understand.]

"What do you mean?"

[Just talking to myself. Fine. I'll accept your proposal. Let's try this Archangel Hunt.]

At Asmodeus's declaration, Anna's eyes widened. She looked like she had no idea what was happening.

Unconcerned, Asmodeus smacked his lips and busily sent messages to someone. He was probably communicating with the other Seekers of the End.

Then I heard someone's message in my head as well.

「(I did well, right?)」

'Yes, thank you, Sangah-ssi.'

The reason Asmodeus had changed his mind:

He had probably just read a Revelation.

More precisely, a Fake Revelation Yu Sangah and I had forged and spread.

「The fallen Archangel will die by a Sword Master's sword on the Island of Old Dead.」

* * *

"Another Revelation has descended?"

The Administration Bureau was thrown into chaos by the news of the new Revelation.

The sales department was affected first.

"Sales of Sword Master-related skills have suddenly surged!"

"Restock the skills! Contact the related subcontractors and tell them to speed up skill conversions for mass-produced Stigmas!"

"B-but we still don't have enough stock!"

"Damn it... Where did all the fable makers go? Ah! If we ask that guy, Mass Production Maker..."

Bihyeong watched the situation unfold amid the chaos.

The Great Dokkaebi Baram beside him spoke.

[Bihyeong, open a new Scenario.]

"I already have."

Messages appeared on the vast Scenario surveillance screen.

[The Sub Scenario Archangel Hunt has begun!]

Constellations hidden throughout the forests and fields could be seen gathering in one place. They were the ones who had just purchased Sword Master-related fables through the Dokkaebi Compendium.

"Is it really alright to open a Scenario like this? Eden will object."

[The Scribe has already given permission, saying it didn't matter. The compensation has already been paid, so there is nothing to hesitate over.]

"Allowing their own angel to be used as Scenario material... That's not what I'd expect from the leader of absolute good alignment."

[That is how absolute good alignment has always been. It sometimes tramples a lesser good for a greater good.]

"I know that, but lately, it makes even less sense to me."

[What do you mean?]

"What are Eden and the Demon Realm thinking? Their agreeing only now to the Great war of Angels and Demons Scenario... If they do this, won't everyone perish together?"

Baram looked at Bihyeong with an unreadable gaze, then snickered.

[There is a saying. Life is short, art is long.]

"That's a saying from Earth."

[Yes. It is a saying that worships the eternity of stories. But as you know, it is a lie. No matter how great a fable is, it will die someday. Human lives are simply absurdly short compared to the lifespan of a fable.]

Baram's voice carried the regret of long years. It was the voice of a dokkaebi who had been telling Constellations' stories for a very long time.

[Do you know? Once, there was no story in this Star Stream that lacked a structure of good and evil.]

"I know."

[And what about now?]

Screams from Constellations dying to Michael's sword came from the screen.

There were also Constellations voyeuristically watching the battle.

Constellations sponsoring someone, spitting curses, or delighting in it. Coins changed hands, and screams of pleasure and despair rang out.

Yet amid that scene, no one spoke of good and evil.

"Ah..."

In that brief sigh, Bihyeong finally reached the wisdom of a Great Dokkaebi.

Baram said,

[This is a war to avoid disappearing.]

* * *

For two days, I prepared for the hunt with Anna.

Asmodeus didn't join us.

[Midnight in two days. We will meet at the hunting ground.]

He left only those words before departing. He was probably preparing for the angel hunt in his own way.

There were now thirty minutes left until midnight.

The promised location for the Archangel Hunt was the Forest of Abundance in the north of the Island.

Just before we reached the forest, Anna asked, "Do you really think we can do this?"

"You're going to help me."

"That doesn't mean I can predict every future. You should know that already."

"For now, reading the short-term future is enough."

The only things I needed to avoid were short-term variables.

Anna Croft's [future vision] was well suited to avoiding such variables.

"What if I betray you? What if my target is you..."

"I know it isn't."

Anna's target couldn't be me in the first place. She had entered the Scenario before I did.

Anna narrowed her eyes.

"When did you decide to start speaking casually to me? I heard Koreans were sensitive about manners."

"Since you're American, I thought you didn't care about that. ...Would you like me to speak politely again?"

"Don't. It's disgusting."

"By the way, how many more times can you use [future vision] today?"

Anna glared at me as if I were ridiculous before replying, "Three times."

"Don't use it carelessly. Use it when I signal you."

"Why should I listen to you..."

"Because you have to listen to me for this damned Scenario to end."

The screams of Constellations and Incarnations came from far away.

The hunt had already begun.

A terrible explosion rang out as a constellation's declaration from the noble Archangel shook the entire forest.

[You dare use me as material for a Scenario?]

Anna and I hid in the nearby grass and watched the battlefield. Asmodeus was nowhere to be seen yet.

Instead, nearly every remaining participant on Island 3 had gathered in the Forest of Abundance. Most were Constellations of evil or neutral alignment. There were many Historical-grade Constellations, along with some low-Status Demon Kings.

Belial, Worthless Darkness of the 68th Demon Realm.

Belial had probably come at Asmodeus's call.

Every Constellation, including Belial, held a second-generation longsword.

[Attack!]

At the sight of the Constellations charging under Belial's lead, Michael erupted with rage.

[Low-Status Demon Kings like you... It seems you've all gone mad together.]

Michael blew Belial away with a terrifying gust of wind, then raised his Status and activated a wind barrier.

Yet some cut through the barrier and charged in.

[The Constellation Effort Expert has activated the skill Mass-Produced Sword Aura!]

The same skill was activated simultaneously through every longsword held by the participants. Waves of Sword Aura, glowing bright yellow or blue, tore through Michael's Status and advanced.

Michael sneered.

[Aether Blade? You mad bastards.]

The Revelation I had spread through Yu Sangah was forged.

Naturally, no Sword Master could possibly kill the Archangel Michael.

Still, being a Fake Revelation didn't mean it was nonsense with no possibility of coming true.

Tzzzzzzzt!

[Second-generation Plausibility has granted a powerful buff effect to a specific skill!]

[Sword Aura] was now scorned as something exclusive to Transcendents.

But once, [Sword Aura] had been the strongest skill in the second-generation worldview.

[It's working! Keep cutting!]

Screeeeech!

The wind barrier Michael had created gradually melted beneath the baptism of Sword Aura.

Just as a flustered Michael tried to activate a new fable, a flash of pitch-black Aether cut through the air.

Skagagak!

A magical line segment that seemed to slice space itself apart.

Long nail marks from a Demon King remained amid the crumbling barrier.

[I have always wondered. Can an Archangel still fly after losing their wings?]

One of Michael's torn wings struggled to move in the air.

Asmodeus smiled amid the scattering feathers.

[Today, I have learned the answer. Whether Archangels can fly has nothing to do with whether they have wings.]

[Asmodeus!]

Consumed by madness, Michael unleashed Mana at Asmodeus.

But Michael, having lost his balance because his Incarnation body was damaged, couldn't find an accurate point to strike and began wasting his strength.

Asmodeus, on the other hand, steadily dealt damage to Michael by using the Constellations.

As expected of Asmodeus. It was a battle I couldn't help admiring.

"We should join in. At this rate, that Demon King will take the Mythical fable."

"Not yet."

Anna looked flustered at my calm response.

She hadn't used [future vision] even once today, so she wouldn't know what was about to happen.

[The fable Evil That Destroys Evil begins its story.]

Pitch-black aura gathered around Michael's entire body like a bud. It was an energy so murky that it was impossible to believe it belonged to an Archangel.

「That righteous being chose the path of evil in order to destroy evil.」

The Constellations realized something was wrong and launched a fierce assault, but the black bud wasn't scratched in the slightest.

As though consuming nourishment, the bud absorbed their strength and slowly began to blossom.

[The Archangel Michael is undergoing the Fall!]

Watching that overwhelming sight, I recalled a passage from TWSA.

「The Constellations of this world are not all divided solely into Constellations and Demon Kings. There is only one being who can use both the powers of a Constellation and a Demon King.」

The first being in Eden's ancient history to eat a Star Relic Fruit.

「No demon who saw his true body survived.」

"My god."

Something was awakening in the darkness.

Pitch-black wings, horns symbolizing a Demon King.

[The Demon King King of Fallen Angels gazes upon the battlefield.]

King of Fallen Angels.

That was the modifier of Michael, the Archangel who had become a Demon King.

With one simple gesture, all the evil-aligned Constellations were swept away.

Even among demonic beings, their ranks were worlds apart. That was the true strength of Michael, a Mythical-grade Archangel.

Even Asmodeus's expression had frozen.

[This... wasn't in the Revelation.]