WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 42: Episode 9 - Omniscient Sunfish (6)

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“What?”

「Who... are you?」

I was startled by the sudden change in his thoughts. Could it be that he regained his sanity after hearing my words? Was that even possible? I was a bit taken aback. This whole plan wasn’t set up with that kind of outcome in mind.

[The Cinema Master Simulation is startled.]

[The Cinema Master Simulation strengthens control over the character Yu Junghyeok!]

“Kgh...!”

Junghyeok's gaze turned vacant again.

As expected. I’d hoped for it, but it was too much to think he could break free on his own. After all, a sunfish is a sunfish. I was just grateful he hadn’t tried to kill himself. The blue ether wrapped around Yu Junghyeok’s sword trembled.

[The character Yu Junghyeok's sky splitter is growing!]

Even now, the inherited skill continued to get stronger. All thanks to the damn protagonist’s natural talent.

Pzzzzzt!

The White Pure Star Energy was gradually being pushed back. Whether it was due to the limits of the skill itself or just a difference in talent, I didn’t know. I glanced over at Gilyeong. Blood was trickling down his nose, his eyes rolled back. The time was almost upon us.

“Hey, Junghyeok.”

After today, Junghyeok would probably become unbelievably powerful. I pushed my sword with all my strength as I spoke.

“I asked you once before, didn’t I? If I could just punch you once.”

The gap in natural talent meant that in a few years, Junghyeok would be far beyond my reach, an unmatched powerhouse.

But not now. At least not at this moment.

“You said yes back then. That I could hit you.”

If I went all out right now, for at least one moment, I could...

[The Blade of Faith has been activated!]

[The special property of Unbreakable Faith has been activated.]

[The ether attribute has changed to Fire.]

I could overwhelm this absurdly strong opponent.

Fzzzzzzzzz!

The Ether Blade.

The fiery ether blossomed in the air, finding an opening. Startled by the sudden onslaught, Junghyeok instinctively took a few steps back. He must have sensed something was off. But it was too late.

[The stigma Song of the Sword has been activated.]

Song of the Sword. One of the top combat enhancement skills boasted by the Historical Constellation, Chungmugong.

[A phrase left by Chungmugong has been imbued into your sword.]

The random nature of the skill meant the combat power boost could vary greatly, but I couldn’t have asked for a better skill right now.

「Arrows poured down like rain; cannons of every caliber boomed.」

Luckily, the phrase I received was from the War Diary of Lee Sunsin[1]. As an immense amount of Mana drained away, the ether gathered around my blade. I swung it at Junghyeok.

「The ensuing clamor was like a thundering rainstorm.」

The flaming ether took the form of arrows, bombarding him like a rain of projectiles. I could only use this attack for a moment due to my limited mana, but it would be enough.

“Gahhhh!”

Bright red gashes appeared all over Junghyeok’s body.

In this wretched world where coins dictated value and constellations decided every outcome, Yu Junghyeok was still needed.

So, just for today, I would protect him.

Amidst the roaring flames consuming him, Junghyeok's movements slowed. Although he had [Fire Resistance], which prevented serious damage, it was enough to incapacitate him for now. I turned my gaze to the Cinema Master Simulation sitting at the edge of the garden.

[The Cinema Master Simulation is extremely wary of you.]

This was the only opportunity. I started running. In the distance, I could see the Cinema Master Simulation with a hardened expression. But then—

[The character Yu Junghyeok has activated Recovery Lv.2!]

Damn it, Junghyeok was already coming after me again.

Recovery. A ridiculous skill that allows the user to instantly recover their energy once a day, no matter how severe the damage.

I didn’t expect that he’d already inherited this skill.

Whizz!

No matter how fast I ran, I couldn’t be faster than Junghyeok, who was using [Phoenix Walk]. I was so close to the Cinema Master Simulation when Junghyeok’s sword met mine. I had only one card left to play. I shouted with all my might.

“Gilyeong!”

As soon as I yelled, a massive crack appeared in the ceiling of the 'Sky Garden.' The black dome surrounding the rooftop began to shatter. Even Yu Junghyeok, who had been charging at me, and the Cinema Master Simulation, which had been controlling him, paused to look at the ceiling in surprise.

Breaking the shielding of a hidden scenario was supposed to be impossible. But that meant it was possible for a 'non-ordinary' being.

In the distance, Gilyeong was crying, blood streaming from his nose.

“Ugh... Aaaah... Aaaaaaah...!”

Through the cracks in the shattered dome, a gigantic insect’s forelegs pierced through. The dome broke apart like thin glass, and the surface of the rooftop began to crack. The Cinema Master Simulation screamed in panic. A creature capable of breaking the shielding of a hidden scenario. It was a monster that looked like a giant mantis, an overwhelmingly massive Monarch-Level Insect. I had called upon a monster to fight a monster.

[Tier-6 Monarch-Level Insect, Titanoptera, has appeared!]

Its appearance was enough to send chills down my spine. It was the same creature that had fought the Poison Rhinos not long ago. And now, it had responded to Gilyeong’s [Inter-Species Communication] and come here. Gilyeong was laughing.

“Heh, hehe... Titano...”

Titano? Could it be...? It resembled one, but no, that wasn’t it.

Krrrrrrash!

The mantis’s massive foreleg swung down toward the Cinema Master Simulation. And Yu Junghyeok intercepted it.

[The character Yu Junghyeok has activated tiger god aura Lv.5!]

An enormous crash echoed as Yu Junghyeok’s body was driven into the rooftop below. Even so, he was holding his ground.

...What an unbelievable monster. Was he seriously holding his own against a Tier-6 Monarch-Level Insect with these stats? Yu Junghyeok even began to counterattack.

Rooooooar!

He launched a barrage of sword strikes. Incredibly, Junghyeok was fighting the Tier-6 Monarch-Level Insect to a standstill. It made me wonder if he had been holding back when fighting me. The Cinema Master Simulation began to regain its composure. Junghyeok was strong. It must have thought that despite the sudden situation, he would still prevail.

But it was wrong.

It should have been watching me.

I dashed toward the Cinema Master Simulation. The time window for [Inter-Species Communication] wouldn’t last long. I couldn’t let the time Lee Gilyeong had bought for me go to waste.

[The Blade of Faith has been activated!]

The Cinema Master Simulation noticed me too late and shouted something in my direction.

Cinema Master Simulation.

According to TWSA, this named boss was a masterpiece created by a constellation’s blood, sweat, and tears. Over time, it had degraded, becoming a mere boss for a hidden scenario, but... still, breaking through Yu Junghyeok's [Mental Barrier] wasn’t something just anyone could do.

A monster blessed by a constellation. It was no small fry.

[The Cinema Master Simulation has activated Simulacrum!]

A skill that induces a form of madness on a level beyond the Specter’s [Illusory Prison].

The surrounding space distorted, and hallucinations began to appear. They weren’t mere illusions; they looked as real as reality. Ground Rats, Grolls, Poison Rhinos, T-Rexes... all the monsters I had seen before charged toward me. Their ferocious teeth tore at me, but I kept moving forward. I wasn’t afraid. They were all fake. They didn’t exist. Because they were all—

Nothing more than fiction from a novel.

For a moment, time seemed to slow as my 'Blade of Faith' neared the creature’s neck.

[The Cinema Master Simulation attempts Mental Corruption!]

Mental Corruption. The advanced cognition manipulation skill that had reduced Yu Junghyeok to this state. But I wasn’t afraid; I had [The Fourth Wall]. However, as it attempted to invade my mind, something unexpected happened.

[The Cinema Master Simulation is startled.]

A pitch-black abyss of consciousness. Pages of TWSA stirred within the darkness.

―Th-this? Th-this is...!

Countless texts floated in the dark, glowing faintly. They were all the stories from TWSA that I had read.

[The Exclusive Skill, The Fourth Wall, has activated!]

I could see the Cinema Master Simulation's face changing in real-time as it tried to burrow into my mind. Its complexion went pale as it saw the text surrounding it.

―You... could it be... Ahh!

And that was the end. Strangely, it wore an expression of reverence. Just as my 'Blade of Faith' was about to slice through its neck, its form dissipated like mist. As if it had been a ghost touched by divine light, or a being punished for violating a taboo, it vanished without a trace.

I looked at my hand in disbelief.

What the hell just happened?

[You are the first to defeat the Cinema Master Simulation!]

[You have obtained 9,000 coins as a reward!]

[The conditions to clear the Hidden Scenario have been met!]

[You have obtained 4,000 coins as a reward!]

Messages appeared one after another. When I turned around, I saw Junghyeok, free from the Cinema Master Simulation's grasp, collapse on the spot. Thankfully, he was still alive. Gilyeong, who had strained himself using [Inter-Species Communication], was in a similar state.

“Hyung...”

I rushed over and hugged Gilyeong. He was breathing raggedly, barely holding on.

[The barrier surrounding the Cinema Dungeon is dissipating.]

The barrier that had covered the ceiling dissolved, revealing the form of the Monarch-Level Insect gazing down at me. I swallowed, wondering if I should run, but to my surprise, it turned away. As if it had lost interest. Relief washed over me. It was over.

“...Are you okay?”

Huiwon and Jihye stumbled over, supporting each other.

“I’m fine. How about you, Huiwon?”

“I’m okay. Jihye is safe too.”

Jihye’s cheek was swollen, and she couldn’t speak properly, probably from the beating she took from Junghyeok.

[The end of the third main scenario is approaching!]

It seemed the time was up for the lower floors as well. As I looked around the rooftop, I saw the faint light of dawn breaking in the distance. If Hyeongseong were here, he’d probably be reciting a patriotic prayer. Huiwon groaned.

“Ah... Seoul.”

Under the dim morning light, the ruined cityscape came into view. Occasional explosions echoed from afar. The poisonous mist was gone. Poison Rhinos lay dead, crushed under collapsed buildings. In the distance, people were still fighting. It was likely another group that had finished their scenario ahead of us. And all this was contained within a massive Dome.

Destroying one barrier only revealed a larger one. Seoul was still isolated inside a transparent Dome. Huiwon sighed as if lamenting.

“It’s really... all over.”

It was an oddly familiar sight, but one that I had to acknowledge once more. Looking at the collapsed buildings, I wondered if somewhere in there was Mino Soft, the company where I used to work.

In my arms, Gilyeong stirred.

“You’re awake?”

Gilyeong gave a slight nod and pointed at the sky. In the distance, I saw a meteor shower.

Meteor showers were typically a sign of the start of a main scenario. But this time, there were more than before. That could only mean one thing—the 'Hole' was opening. Those meteors were probably raining down all over the world. Huiwon murmured in awe.

“They’re damn beautiful...”

She didn’t know. From afar, those meteors might look stunning, but for those at the landing site, they would be a living nightmare.

A greater catastrophe was coming.

Gilyeong clasped his tiny hands together and muttered something. Jeong Huiwon and Lee Jihye fell silent. Perhaps they were praying for something too.

How ironic. Wishing upon the very things that would bring the nightmare—probably no other species in the universe would do something so human.

After a moment, Gilyeong opened his eyes and looked up at me.

“Hyung, aren’t you making a wish?”

I looked down at Gilyeong for a moment before replying.

“I already did.”

“What was it?”

“They say if you tell, it won’t come true.”

Huiwon clicked her tongue. I glanced at her, then at the fallen Junghyeok, and finally at the ruined skyline of Seoul.

“I wished to see the epilogue of a certain novel.”

Gilyeong looked up at me as if asking what I meant.

I simply gazed up at the sky.

Faint cracks were beginning to form in the air above Seoul.

When the sun reached its peak, the dokkaebis would begin to open a new hell.

________________

Footnotes:

[1] Nanjung ilgi, or the War Diary of Lee Sunsin, is the personal diary of Admiral Lee. It was written between January 1, 1592, and November 17, 1598, as a first-person narrative of the admiral's perspective on the Japanese invasions of Korea in the late 16th century.

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